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Thud.
Lan Zhan didn’t even look up from his book when he heard another one of his books from the bookshelf clatter on the floor. He calmly turned the page and kept reading.
Thud.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
More and more books started launching themselves towards the wooden floor of his apartment. Lan Zhan let out an exasperated sigh and finally drew his eyes away from his current novel. He got up from the armchair and began picking up the books from the floor so he could put them back on the shelf.
“You are being a nuisance,” he said.
No response.
Lan Zhan rolled his eyes and sat back down on his armchair.
All his life, Lan Zhan had put up with this sort of thing. He was only three years old the first time he actually saw a ghost. It led him crying to his mother who rocked and hushed him in her lap. She soothed him with a familiar lullaby until he settled. Such things were scary to such a young boy but this wasn’t the first time she’d had to deal with her gift being passed down onto one of her children.
Unlike his brother, Lan Huan, Lan Zhan grew finding these spiritual kinds of phenomena more of an annoyance than anything. Lan Huan was a kind soul, someone who loved to help people with the brightest smile in the world. He was good at what he did, namely, helping those troubled souls who came to him by lifting their earthly weights so that they could peacefully cross over into the next life. He even took on a career in the police force just so that he could better help these people. Many of them were victims of violent crime after all.
But Lan Zhan wasn’t that sort of person. He just wanted to live his life like any other normal person. He liked to read and play music on the weekends, he worked a normal job in a local public library, and occasionally visited his older brother. That was the way he wanted to keep things. As far as he was concerned, he never asked for this so-called ‘gift’. Obviously, if there was something easy he could do to help them, he would, but it was rarely that simple.
Why should he stick his neck out for them, when they were so cold to him? Lan Zhan knew that his demeanour wasn’t the best, that people didn’t find him smiley and warm like his brother, but if that bothered these ghosts so much – why didn’t they just go find his brother instead? Why him?
His latest nuisance had been a rather persistent ghost. The ghost in question had never appeared before him which wasn’t uncommon, sometimes they were ashamed of their appearance. However, this ghost clearly had no shame in throwing his things around in his apartment. They didn’t speak, merely kept pushing things off tables, throwing books off the shelf, and anything else they could think of to be a pain in the ass.
Clearly Lan Zhan didn’t care for them, so why did they keep making such a ruckus?
Thud.
The ghost had pushed the entire shelf of books onto the floor. Lan Zhan pinched the bridge of his nose and let out a small groan. This really was the most annoying ghost that he’d ever encountered. The worst part wasn’t even that they were making a mess, no, it was that they were around seemingly all hours of the day for the past week. Lan Zhan was losing sleep with the amount he was being woken up during the night to clattering.
At the very least, the ghost hadn’t actually broken anything of his yet. He figured that this was only going to get worse.
“Let me read in peace,” he chastised the ghost.
There was silence for a while. Then, like a daring cat, another book got pushed off a different shelf.
Lan Zhan finally closed his book. He set it down on the table with the bookmark inside, fully expecting it to end up on the floor in the near future. However, he paid no mind to that, he needed to do something about this annoying ghost and soon. He got up from the armchair, leaving all the abandoned books on the floor, and grabbed his coat from the coatrack. If he was going to get answers, there was only one place he could think of.
“Wangji! What are you doing here? It’s not Thursday.”
Lan Huan was smiling at him from the doorway. He looked a little dishevelled but Lan Zhan paid no mind to it. He was probably just busy, rushing around and such. No matter, he would be out of his hair soon enough. Typically, he only came to Lan Huan’s house on a Thursday night for dinner where they caught up on life. It was not Thursday.
“I need the key to the family library,” Lan Zhan said.
“Should I ask why?”
“I need to research something.”
The two brothers stared at each other for a moment before Lan Huan let out a deep breath. He opened the door wide enough for Lan Zhan to step inside.
“Just a moment. I’ll go get it,” Lan Huan said and just like that, he disappeared into one of the hallways.
Lan Zhan stood patiently just inside while he waited. The family library was a large building owned by his ancestors, it was full of all sorts of information that was not privy to the general public. After all, this ‘gift’ of being able to see and hear the pleas of troubled ghosts was something that had been passed down from generation to generation. Therefore, there would be plenty to read on what to do with annoying ghosts. Lan Zhan was hoping that he would be able to banish the nuisance once and for all.
“Here,” Lan Huan said when he came back. He put the rusty key in Lan Zhan’s palm. It had been handed down to Lan Huan when their father died a few years ago. Uncle Qiren didn’t have the gift so it was only fitting that it was given to the next oldest that had it. Lan Zhan bowed his head towards Lan Huan and moved to leave. “Wangji.” He turned back around. “Be safe, okay?”
“Mmn.”
He said his goodbyes to Lan Huan as he left the house and made his way to the family library. It was only a short walk away from Lan Huan’s place. Once he reached it, he took a moment to admire the fine architecture of the building. It really was old, a grand, almost daunting library. But he didn’t hesitate for too long, lest the ghost come seek him out.
It took Lan Zhan a little while to find what he was looking for. The library was generous with its space, and therefore it was full of old books. However, his own expertise working in the local, public library had him swiftly making through the different sections. He began pawing through the books in the appropriate section in peaceful silence when he swore he heard a voice.
“He…”
Lan Zhan looked up from the book and glanced around him, looking for the source of the voice.
“He… p… p.. ee…se…”
Lan Zhan could recognise it faintly as a man’s voice but not a lot else. Who was talking to him? No one else should have access to this library. Unless…
“P…ee…se…”
There it went again.
This time, Lan Zhan could pinpoint where it was coming from and he turned around quickly on his heels. Sure enough, standing in front of him was a young man. It was clear from his aura that he was a ghost. That was, if it wasn’t clear from the giant scar on the man’s neck. No one would live through that. It was thick and rigged, standing out against his pale skin.
That said, it was a shame. The man was young, likely in his early 20’s, and had quite the pretty face. There were bags under his light-grey eyes but that didn’t take from his beauty. His hair was long and black, tied messily into a ponytail. There was a sort of boyish charm about him, one that Lan Zhan would typically find attractive. He was slim and of a decent height, only a few inches shorter than himself.
“What do you want?” he asked.
The man furrowed his dark eyebrows and pressed his lips tightly together. He caressed the scar on his neck as he opened and closed his mouth aimlessly. Right. Lan Zhan thought as much. He’d probably had his throat slit in death, his vocal chords severed, and now he struggled to speak. Things like that healed over time after death so it couldn’t have been too long ago since he died. Perhaps a week or so?
That’s when it hit him.
“Are you the one who has been throwing things off my shelves?” Lan Zhan asked.
That brought a bit of light to the ghost’s eyes and he nodded quickly. He turned to one of the shelves and seemingly yanked out a random book, launching it at Lan Zhan’s feet, to which Lan Zhan scowled and bent down to pick it up.
After putting the book back in its rightful place, Lan Zhan shuffled to bring his messenger bag around and fumbled inside of it to pull out his notebook and a pen. He’d intended to use it to take notes on what he learnt from the library on exorcising nuisance ghosts but now it served another purpose. With a sigh, he put it on the floor and pushed it towards the ghost.
“I am doing you a favour in letting you give me an explanation,” he said calmly. “I would like you out of my house as soon as possible.”
The ghost pouted at him and if Lan Zhan didn’t know any better, it would’ve been unfairly cute. He had to remember that this was the cause of his headache for the past week. This ghost had been nothing but an annoyance, a disruption to his peace.
He watched the ghost regardless as he knelt down before the paper and pen. It took a fair chunk of spiritual energy on behalf of the entity to manipulate objects in the mortal world. Lan Zhan had figured that this ghost had no problem using his energy given how much he liked to disrupt his home. Even if he never broke anything, he still liked to cause a lot of ruckus.
‘My name is Wei Ying!’ The ghost wrote.
“Your name doesn’t help me,” Lan Zhan said. He really wasn’t interested in getting to know this man.
The ghost, Wei Ying, pouted at him. Lan Zhan had to look away, feeling his ears redden slightly. It really was too cute for a dead man to be pulling faces like that.
‘I need help. I don’t remember what happened to me but it hurts.’
Lan Zhan wasn’t completely heartless. Reading Wei Ying’s words made his heart pound. He was very candid and no matter how annoying he was, he still didn’t like to see people in pain. Wei Ying was a mortal once, after all. He would want the same thing, if it were him.
“What do you expect me to do about it?” is what Lan Zhan ended up saying.
Well, no one said that he was any good with words.
‘You’re the only person I’ve found that has noticed me. Please help me jog my memory so I can’
Wei Ying paused, seemingly looking for the right words to say. Lan Zhan peered over to see what he’d written.
“Pass over?” he prompted. Wei Ying nodded quickly at him even though he looked a little solemn about it. Knowing you were dead must be such a strange feeling. “… Why should I help when you have been nothing more than a nuisance?”
‘Help me and I promise I’ll never bother you again!! I’ll give you anything you want!! But if you don’t then I guess I’ll just have to bother you for the rest of eternity!’
Lan Zhan huffed. “I’d just exorcise you.”
That made Wei Ying sit back on his haunches, looking defeated. It was similar to how a kicked puppy would look as he stared down at the wooden floor of the library, rubbing at his scarred neck pitifully. For a moment, Lan Zhan wondered if he was going to cry. That would be even more annoying.
“Fine,” Lan Zhan said after a moment. “I won’t exorcise you, I promise. Get up. I’ll help you.”
Truly, Lan Zhan had never met a ghost with a more pitiful-looking existence. He was at his wits end to be agreeing to help him but what else could he do? Now that he had actually met the guy, he couldn’t just cast him into the abyss through exorcism.
Thankfully, it made Wei Ying brighten back up and raise to his feet. He bowed respectfully before Lan Zhan and grinned at him.
“It would be a pain to use this paper all the time… Do you know sign language?” Lan Zhan asked.
Wei Ying nodded. ‘I didn’t know if you could.’
Lan Zhan hummed in response. He picked up the paper and pen and tucked it back into his bag, then put all of the books away back onto their appropriate shelves.
“Where do you wish to go?” Lan Zhan asked.
‘I was hoping you might have some insight on that,’ Wei Ying signed. ‘What can I do?’
“Typically, things that remind you of your mortal life. Anything come to mind?” Lan Zhan replied. Wei Ying pursed his lips in thought for a moment, then he snapped his fingers.
‘My favourite restaurant!’ he signed.
Lan Zhan nodded. “Lead the way.”
The restaurant in question happened to be only a short walk away from Lan Zhan’s place. In fact, Lan Zhan usually walked past it on his way to work. However, he had never been inside. It just wasn’t the sort of restaurant that he would visit, especially considering he was vegetarian and never had a penchant for spicy foods.
Even so, at Wei Ying’s request, he walked inside. Wei Ying happily guided him over to a quiet booth in the corner of the room. The plush seats were worn and had small rips at some of the seams but were still comfortable. Lan Zhan scooted into the booth while Wei Ying sat himself down opposite him with a big smile.
Lan Zhan was surprised at how many people were inside the restaurant. For a place as worn down as this, there were still a number of families and couples dotted around, making idle conversation over the top of the hum of whatever pop song was playing on the radio. So, this was the sort of place Wei Ying liked. It definitely said something about the kind of man he was when he was alive.
‘I loved this place,’ Wei Ying signed. ‘I came here all the time. They do the best pork rib soup.’
Lan Zhan wrinkled his nose a little at the suggestion. “I am a vegetarian.”
Wei Ying let out a long exhale from his nose in what Lan Zhan assumed would be laughter had he been able to laugh. Lan Zhan rolled his eyes and picked up the menu, eyes roving over the options available. If they were here, he might as well eat something. When the waitress came over to take his order, Wei Ying’s eyes lit up.
“All by yourself?” she asked with a cocked smile.
“Mmn.”
The waitress brushed a lock of dark hair behind her ear. “A shame, truly. What can I get you, sir?”
Lan Zhan glanced back towards the menu and saw Wei Ying frantically signing at him.
‘I know her! She’s worked here ever since I started coming. She always put extra chilli powder in my soup for free, she’s great!’ he signed. Well, at least that was something. Lan Zhan hoped that recalling the rest of his memories would be as easy as this.
He gave the waitress his order and watched her scribble it down on her notepad.
“If you need anything else, just give me a shout. And I finish my shift in an hour if you’re still here and want any company,” she said. With that, she turned around and scurried off to get his order in.
Lan Zhan was no stranger to young women approaching him in that kind of way. He was aware that he was considered attractive to many, even if he didn’t truly see it himself. Usually, he managed to put most people off with his cold personality. There were always some that persisted anyway. However, he wasn’t even remotely interested in women, something he learnt back in school. He would just have to let the poor girl down as best he could if she continued.
‘She was flirting with you,’ Wei Ying signed. He gave Lan Zhan a grin.
“I know,” Lan Zhan replied flatly. He put down the menu and looked around the room. No one seemed to be noticing that he was talking to himself, but he kept his voice down low just in case. Not that people didn’t think he was crazy anyway, but it helped not to draw attention to himself. People were too busy doing their own thing, it seemed.
Wei Ying leaned his elbow on the table, resting his cheek into his palm. He drummed his fingers on his other hand against the table for a moment before signing again.
‘She’s a pretty girl and she’s nice. You’re not going to do anything about her flirting with you?’ he signed.
“Why should I?”
‘That’s what people do? It’s what I would’ve done.’
Lan Zhan shook his head and whispered under his breath: “shameless.”
There it was again, that heavy exhale from Wei Ying’s nose in mock laughter. In the back of Lan Zhan’s mind, he couldn’t help but wonder what his laughter would sound like, what his voice sounded like. Was it as mischievous and shameless as his words?
Wei Ying continued to make idle conversation with him until his food arrived. He told him all of the things that he could remember about his life. His favourite colour was red and he liked spicy food, he had an adoptive brother and he used to have an adoptive sister too but she died in an accident. It seemed that he could remember all of these things about who he was but not much about what he did.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Lan Zhan mumbled.
Wei Ying shook his head. ‘It’s okay. It was a long time ago, I think.’
Lan Zhan had never been very good at reading people’s expressions but he could see a complicated look on Wei Ying’s face. If he had to guess, he would say that there was perhaps some lingering guilt about something. Even though Wei Ying was dead, he had the decency not to press him too hard. The last thing he needed was for him to become a malicious ghost.
It was as the waitress returned with Lan Zhan’s food that Wei Ying signed: ‘I think I was murdered.’
“Enjoy your meal,” the waitress said, unknowing of anything that was going on. Lan Zhan nodded at her and she walked away with the clack of her heels.
“Probably,” Lan Zhan said after a moment before picking up his chopsticks.
Wei Ying pressed his lips tightly together. ‘What do you mean, probably?’
“Most people when they die, they simply pass over into the next life,” Lan Zhan explained. He prodded his noodles with his chopsticks. “The deceased who become ghosts usually have some kind of unresolved trauma before death or lingering regrets. This is what keeps them on the mortal plane.”
Evidently, that troubled Wei Ying. Lan Zhan calmly continued to eat his meal as Wei Ying sat back in the booth, looking up in thought.
‘It would explain my neck, wouldn’t it?’ he signed.
Lan Zhan nodded. “These things usually happen at the hands of people they know. Do you remember if there was anyone in your life who could’ve held some kind of grudge or ill intention towards you? An ex-partner or family member? A friend?”
‘My only family is my brother. I know we haven’t spoken since college,’ Wei Ying signed. He shuffled a little in his seat. ‘Other than that, I don’t remember.’
“That could be a start. Do you know where your brother lives?” Lan Zhan asked.
‘Yeah. I think so.’
Their next destination once Lan Zhan had finished his meal was a trip to a neighbourhood just outside the city. Wei Ying had sat down in the passenger seat of Lan Zhan’s car and when Lan Zhan shot him a look, Wei Ying rolled his eyes.
‘I’m dead, Lan Zhan. I don’t need a seatbelt,’ he signed.
Lan Zhan said nothing and started the engine.
The neighbourhood they were travelling to was familiar to Lan Zhan. It was a well-respected area with good schools and middle-class people. Lan Zhan and Lan Huan had considered moving here when they moved out of their uncle’s house. He parked his car where Wei Ying instructed him to and switched off the engine.
‘This place is familiar,’ Wei Ying signed.
“Mmn.”
‘I think Jiang Cheng lives just down that road.’
Before Lan Zhan could stop him, Wei Ying got out of the car and began walking around. Of course, he could do that, for no one could see him. Lan Zhan however, would look suspicious just loitering around the neighbourhood, especially when there were families with children around.
Luckily, he didn’t need to wait around long before Wei Ying came rushing back to the car.
‘I have a nephew!’ he signed excitedly. ‘I just saw him walking with Jiang Cheng. I remember, my sister had a son before she died. Jiang Cheng got custody of him after both parents passed.’
“Did you know your nephew well?” Lan Zhan asked.
‘Not really. I was sort of the family black sheep and not just because I was adopted. After my sister died, Jiang Cheng didn’t really have much to do with me so A-Ling didn’t either,’ Wei Ying explained.
Lan Zhan hummed in thought. He’d heard of these kinds of cases. If this Jiang Cheng, Wei Ying’s adoptive brother, felt such animosity towards Wei Ying and perhaps blamed him for his sister’s death… That was a reasonable motive.
“Was Jiang Cheng ever violent to you?” he asked.
Wei Ying scratched the back of his neck. ‘Jiang Cheng is a bit of an aggressive guy but he’s got good intentions. He’s never hurt me intentionally.’
“Your relationship wasn’t good after your sister’s death, though?”
‘No… He’s always blamed me for what happened.’
“Enough to kill you for it?”
That took Wei Ying aback. He shot Lan Zhan a horrified expression and quickly shook his head. He signed desperately: ‘No, no, no. Jiang Cheng didn’t do this to me. He wouldn’t. He wouldn’t kill me.’
“You’re sure?” Lan Zhan continued.
‘Very sure. We haven’t even seen each other in years, I’m sure. He wouldn’t do it, he’s not a killer,’ Wei Ying affirmed.
Well, that ruled out that. It was possible that Wei Ying just didn’t want to believe that his brother would do such a thing to him, or that the shock and horror of it all had him repressing those memories. However, if he was certain that Jiang Cheng hadn’t done this to him, he had to take him at his word for now.
He would admit that things didn’t add up right. From what Lan Zhan had gathered about Jiang Cheng, he seemed more like the type to kill Wei Ying in a fit of rage – perhaps accidentally beating him to death or stabbing him. To slit his throat like that was a different act of malice.
“We can do some more investigating tomorrow,” Lan Zhan suggested. “I need to collate notes and eat dinner before bed.”
‘Alright… you’re not going to give up on me though, right?’ Wei Ying signed.
“I am a man of my word. As long as you don’t disturb me through the night.”
‘I won’t! I won’t!’
Lan Zhan hummed and put his hand on the wheel as he started up the car. He supposed Wei Ying’s presence wasn’t so bad – it had been a long time since he’d spoken to someone this much. Besides, he’d made a commitment. He was going to get to the bottom of this.
It wasn’t as easy as Lan Zhan hoped. They dotted their way through the city, stopping at any places that Wei Ying used to frequent. Lan Zhan had made a collection of notes about Wei Ying’s case and couldn’t seem to find any outliers. He barely had any family or friends… or really, anyone who would notice if he had disappeared. Lan Zhan could only assume that there was no funeral for him. Did people even know he was dead?
The whole thing was bewildering. Sure, Wei Ying was a unique sort of person but Lan Zhan found it oddly charming. It was hard to believe that he hadn’t left a lasting impression on anyone he’d met. How could that be? Why did no one pay him any mind?
Lan Zhan was beginning to reach his wits end. They’d reached the extent of what Wei Ying could remember. He sat with him on his couch in his home, pinching at the bridge of his nose. There was, of course, a final last resort.
Lan Huan was with the police. He could always ask him discreetly to look up a name for him, but who knew how many Wei Ying’s there were in this city? Plus, he could never ask Lan Huan to do something so against the rules, he would be risking his job if anyone found out. Wouldn’t it be suspicious if they put in a request for a random name and then discovered that he was dead?
‘I’m sorry,’ Lan Zhan saw Wei Ying sign out of the corner of his eye.
“Don’t apologise,” Lan Zhan replied.
Wei Ying pouted at him. He pulled his knees up to his chin and rested upon them. Someone as young as Wei Ying really didn’t deserve the kind of fate he got. Barely an adult, no family or friends, likely rotting away somewhere. A waste of such a pretty face.
Lan Zhan mentally slapped himself for that thought. Not to say that anyone with two eyes wouldn’t notice that Wei Ying was good-looking but it was inappropriate. He was a ghost, a dead man, what did his attractiveness matter?
‘I know I’m being a nuisance. I can’t remember anything and you’re trying to help me but I can’t be helped,’ Wei Ying signed. He looked down for a moment, then back up at Lan Zhan. ‘You can give up, it’s okay. You tried.’
“I’m not giving up on you, Wei Ying,” Lan Zhan said, a little exasperated. For a second, he swore that he saw a ghost blush.
‘Warn a man before you say things like that!’ Wei Ying signed.
Lan Zhan cocked an eyebrow. “What?”
‘I’m not giving up on you. So cheesy! You’d think it was straight from a romance movie,’ Wei Ying continued.
Now it was Lan Zhan’s turn to blush. His ears burned with red and he turned away from him, lips pressed tightly together. It wasn’t unlike Wei Ying to be flirtatious, that was something he’d quickly learnt in the time that he’d known him, but it still got him every time. Such shameless behaviour, truly…
“Wei Ying…” he grumbled, glancing back at him.
‘What? You’re cute when you blush, your ears go all red. Oh! Don’t look at me like that. People must flirt with you all the time! I’m surprised you don’t already have a pretty wife back here,’ Wei Ying signed.
This wasn’t making things any easier.
“Ridiculous,” Lan Zhan said. How did you not have a wife or partner, either? He wanted to ask but he could not bring himself to, not right now.
Both of them were snapped out of their thoughts when there was a soft laugh. It was hoarse, broken, but definitely audible. Lan Zhan immediately whipped his head around to look directly at Wei Ying who had a hand over his mouth. A beautiful laugh. He’d laughed. Wei Ying had laughed and he’d heard it.
‘My voice!’ Wei Ying signed excitedly. ‘It’s coming back!’
Lan Zhan nodded. “Your injuries will start to recover but I… have never seen it happen so quickly. Not with injuries as serious as yours.”
Wei Ying grinned and opened his mouth to try and say something else but it only came out in stuttered, broken letters.
“Don’t let it dishearten you. It won’t all come back right away, it takes time. Don’t strain yourself either, lest it get worse,” Lan Zhan advised. He didn’t a hundred percent know this was how it worked, he could only piece together what he’d seen and been told by his brother who worked a lot more closely with the deceased than he did.
‘I’ll behave!’ Wei Ying signed. His face looked full of life for once, even despite its pallid tone and fading bruises.
Lan Zhan felt a smile tug at his own lips, just slightly.
Sure enough, Wei Ying’s voice slowly began coming back. It was only the odd sound or word here and there as the wound on his neck began to heal. Lan Zhan knew a little about this sort of thing, he’d had speech therapy when he was young due to him not speaking for the first few years of his life. This of course was a different situation but some of the methods still applied.
Lan Zhan knew that Wei Ying signed to him avidly day and night, but he still wasn’t prepared for just how much Wei Ying did talk when he had free reign to do so.
“I miss being able to eat good food,” he sighed one day, sprawling himself over Lan Zhan’s kitchen counter while he put his rice in the rice cooker. “I could never afford much when I got kicking out the house. Do you know how long I lived on instant noodles? So long. I’m surprised I didn’t die of malnutrition or something. All I could do was hope that a nice guy would take me out for a meal, bat my pretty eyelashes, and hope he pays the bill if I put out.”
That caught Lan Zhan’s attention and not just because of the shamelessness of his words. It told him more about the way Wei Ying lived than he ever had mentioned before. Of course, he knew that he’d been kicked out of the Jiang estate before, but to mention such blatant poverty and engaging in such dangerous behaviours…
“You lived in this city?” Lan Zhan asked.
Wei Ying hummed. “I think so? Why would I be here, otherwise? Why? Has my adventures with instant noodles triggered something?”
“I have an idea of where we could go next,” Lan Zhan said. He paused and looked down at the rice cooker. He couldn’t look Wei Ying in the eye for this question. “Did you… go out with men often?”
Wei Ying let out a scandalised gasp.
“Lan Zhan! Don’t take me for some kind of harlot!” he exclaimed, then laughed. Lan Zhan had become so addicted to that enchanting laugh as of late. After he settled down, Wei Ying spoke again. “Don’t look so embarrassed – it’s fine, it’s fine! You’re not uh… disgusted with me or anything though, right? I mean in this day and age…”
“Of course not,” Lan Zhan immediately replied. He shook his head. “I am also… I also prefer the company of men. So, no. It doesn’t bother me.”
Wei Ying grinned and stopped leaning on the countertop in favour of shuffling up to him. He couldn’t truly touch him but when Wei Ying put his hand on his shoulder, he could feel the slight tingles of a presence.
“Forgive me for saying all those things about nice women then. I hope you meet a nice man to take you out to dinner, and with any hope, have you for dessert—”
“Wei Ying!”
Lan Zhan’s ears were bright red, his eyebrows furrowed. For as long as he’d known him now, a little over a week, he still hadn’t gotten used to his blatantly brazen words. All Wei Ying did was laugh more, loud and boisterous. Lan Zhan had never felt this sort of affection for a ghost before, not that he usually gave most of them a chance. Had Wei Ying been alive still, maybe something would’ve happened, had they met…
He shook the thought from his head.
“You didn’t answer the question,” he said softly.
“What question?”
“About the men taking you out.”
Wei Ying puffed his cheeks a little and seemed hesitant to answer. Lan Zhan was about to tell him that he didn’t have to answer even if it would be helpful for the investigation (and he had his own curiosities) but Wei Ying started to talk.
“Sometimes… I think. From what I can remember, I’d occasionally use a dating app for a hook-up or to get free dinner. Most of them never went anywhere. They were just… names and faces,” he explained. He scratched the back of his neck. “I’m… pretty sure that I’ve only had a couple of long-term boyfriends and one long-term girlfriend and they never really went anywhere either. I have… a feeling that I was seeing someone when I…”
Lan Zhan’s fists tightened. “Do you remember anything about them?”
“No, no… not really. I think we used to fight. Maybe we weren’t even together at that point, I don’t know,” Wei Ying said.
Everything about this screamed red flags to Lan Zhan. This was a recipe for disaster. Just how did Wei Ying manage to attract so many people that didn’t like him in his life? Talk about bad luck. If only people had given him a chance… they would’ve seen the same beauty in Wei Ying that he did.
Did he really just think that?
“This could be a lead. Have a think about it,” Lan Zhan said.
“Alright, I’ll try, I’ll try. Do you really think that a partner of mine could have…? Why? I mean, what did I do to deserve…I… I must really be—”
“Stop. Wei Ying.”
Lan Zhan met Wei Ying’s eyes sternly. He couldn’t take hearing him talk about himself like that. Truly, how did someone as attractive and charismatic as Wei Ying end up alone and with such low self-esteem? It was a tragedy. If only he could have done something before all of this happened, if only he could’ve helped him. Who knows what would’ve come of them?
“Lan Zhan—” Wei Ying began.
“We… have not known each other for long but you have never been a nuisance. You didn’t deserve anything that happened to you. It is unfair, it is cruel. You deserved so much better than this and you have my word that we will get to the bottom of this. You will be at peace,” Lan Zhan affirmed. He wished he could touch him, hold him, especially as he saw tears clinging to his long eyelashes. He wanted to be able to wipe them away. Before he knew what he was saying, he was mumbling something else. “You should not sully your pretty face with tears.”
Wei Ying hiccupped on a sob and wiped at his eyes. “You think I’m pretty?”
He smiled, despite everything. Lan Zhan huffed and buried his face in his hands for a moment in hopes it might cease the burning. How could he say something so embarrassing? At least Wei Ying was laughing. Crying and laughing, but laughing nonetheless.
“I have eyes,” he settled for saying after he dared to peel his hands away from his face.
“If you think I’m pretty like this, you should’ve seen me when I was alive,” Wei Ying said between puffs of laughter and sniffles. “A real stunner, I’m telling you. Should’ve hired me as a model.”
“I would have,” Lan Zhan replied.
It took a moment for the realisation to hit Wei Ying. He huffed, cheeks pink. “What did I say about warning me before you say things like that?”
Wei Ying reached out to push Lan Zhan’s shoulder, a smile quirking on his lips, but of course it simply passed through him. Lan Zhan could once again, only feel the tingles of his presence.
The world would end before he gave up on this man.
No one had ever haunted Lan Zhan’s dreams like Wei Ying did. Every night, he would lay in bed, and that laughing face would appear in his mind’s eye. He wished they would stop. When he’d had the first conversation with his mother about his gift, there had been some very important words she’d said to him.
“A-Zhan,” she’d said. “There are many good things you can do with your gift. To help people is a wonderful thing. But… be careful not to get too attached, okay? The people you see, they have to leave. I don’t want to see my baby boy hurt.”
He’d rarely admit it to himself but he just didn’t have the strength that his brother had to deal with that. He loved too strongly, too quickly, and he wasn’t sure that he could cope with it if he got too attached to someone he tried to help. But Wei Ying… how could anyone not like Wei Ying? It was probably for the best to try and end things before they got any more serious than this. Lan Zhan did everything to quell the pounding of his heart whenever he saw that beautiful, handsome face smiling at him.
After their conversation, they had a lead. Lan Zhan got Wei Ying in his car and they took off. There was a part of the city that he never went and he knew that he would be putting his car at risk of being stolen if he parked up anywhere within the suburb so he settled for finding a decent place just outside and walking.
It was full of rundown apartment complexes, graffiti sprawled all over the walls in rude gestures. Footsteps had to be careful as to not step in shards of glass from where closed stores had boarded up and thugs had smashed in the windows. Everything and everyone was left to deteriorate here and no one cared. Lan Zhan definitely looked out of place here, if only because he had to hold his sweater to his nose because of the foul smell of rotting garbage. There was a reason that they called this place ‘The Burial Mounds’. People came here to die with the rest of the dregs of society.
“I know this place,” Wei Ying mumbled as he looked around. “I’ve… been here before.”
“Do you think you could’ve lived here?” Lan Zhan asked quietly. It would have been more convincing if he could hold his phone to his ear while he spoke to Wei Ying but the risk of being mugged was too high for that. He would just have to deal with being seen as crazy if anyone saw him. This place was practically a ghost town anyway.
Wei Ying pursed his lips in thought. “…Maybe? I don’t—Oh! Wait, wait, that’s the old newspaper place! There was an old guy who used to run it before some of the gangs extorted the poor dude out of his money. I hope he’s alright, they ran him out of the city pretty quickly… and he was so nice too.”
Sure enough, Wei Ying started running around the streets, pointing out places he recognised to Lan Zhan. He laughed and laughed, clearly thrilled at the memories that were coming back to him in floods. It was bizarre, considering a lot of them weren’t exactly happy memories.
“I think I lived here, Lan Zhan. I think I lived here!” Wei Ying said excitedly. Lan Zhan kept following him as he weaved his way through familiar pathways. “It looked just like that place—Oh! Maybe, round the corner, I think I—”
Wei Ying stopped in his tracks and looked up at an apartment block. When Lan Zhan caught up, he couldn’t help but cough. There was an absolutely putrid smell coming from that apartment. This whole suburb smelt awful but it was particularly bad here. Truly, it had the scent of death, like—
Oh.
“Wei Ying?” Lan Zhan whispered.
Wei Ying was staring, not blinking at all, his hands shaking. “I… I live here.”
Then, it was like Wei Ying’s whole world collapsed. He stumbled back, clutching at his chest, heaving with each broken breath. Lan Zhan couldn’t catch him, there was no physical thing for him to, so Wei Ying fell back onto the hard pavement.
“Wei Ying!” Lan Zhan exclaimed.
Fat tears were rolling down Wei Ying’s pale cheeks, the weight of the world pressing down on his chest. He couldn’t breathe. Lan Zhan knelt by his side, wishing he could do something, anything, to stop him gasping for breath like a fish out of water. Frustration was an unwelcome visitor in his body. He wanted to hold him, cradle him, whisper soft, comforting words in his ear.
“Wei Ying… Wei Ying, it’s alright. Breathe, you can breathe. In through your nose, out through your mouth,” Lan Zhan attempted to advise him.
Wei Ying choked on a sob, slapping a hand over his mouth.
Lan Zhan glanced over his shoulder, back at the block of apartments. Wei Ying had lived there when he was alive. With such a strong reaction like that… he’d probably died there too. Lan Zhan’s heart pounded. Any evidence left behind by his probable killer would be left there, it was a crime scene. He needed to do something…
Then, a tingle up his arm. Lan Zhan turned back to look at Wei Ying who continued to cry and hyperventilate but was reaching out for him. It ached so deep in Lan Zhan’s soul, frustrated that he couldn’t help him any more, couldn’t touch him. What was he supposed to do? He felt so helpless.
“I…I… L-Lan Zhan, I remember…hck… I remember…!” he cried and then sniffled. His arms dropped so he could rub at his eyes, wipe away the tears. “I was killed here, I… My…” He let out a pitiful laugh. “My ex-boyfriend, he… Oh Gods… Lan Zhan, he violated me, I… I was bound to the bed and he… and he slit my throat, I think, oh fuck. Oh fuck, fuck, fuck, it hurts. It hurts!”
Wei Ying let out a half-cry, half-scream, clutching at his own head, digging his fingers deep into his scalp.
“Wei—”
“It hurts, it hurts! I don’t… he… Those eyes, how did I forget?” Wei Ying continued. He breath wavered with each word and he shook his head frantically. “I don’t… I don’t know anyone, Lan Zhan. I-I never had any friends, my family is dead or doesn’t speak to me… Who would find me? He left me to… to rot.”
He laughed again, even though his words were laced with venom.
Lan Zhan was at a loss. How could something like this happen to someone? To his sweet, carefree Wei Ying? It must have been weeks since… And to just leave him there? For no one to find his body? This was worse than any nightmare he’d ever had, he couldn’t even fathom it.
His hands clenched into fists. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair. How dare they do this to Wei Ying? He’d kill him with bare hands if he had to.
“We’ll get justice,” Lan Zhan said confidently.
“Hhn… What?”
“I told you once, my brother is a police officer. I’m going to call him, he’ll bring some officers down here, we’ll gather what evidence we can, we’ll catch him and arrest him.”
Wei Ying’s eyes widened in such a way that Lan Zhan thought he’d brightened his mood. This is what he’d wanted after all. He’d come asking Lan Zhan for help and they could practically taste victory.
“No,” Wei Ying said. Lan Zhan cocked an eyebrow. “No, no, no, Lan Zhan, please. You can’t… Please don’t go in there.”
“…Why not?” Lan Zhan asked.
Wei Ying bowed his head in shame, looking away from Lan Zhan’s piercing gaze. Lan Zhan saw his bottom lip quiver before he whispered, just loud enough for him to hear: “I don’t want you to see me like that…It’s embarrassing.”
“It’s not going to change my opinion of you.”
“It’s not that! It’s not… It’s… You see me like this, you think I’m pretty, I… He tortured me, he did horrible things to my body, and… and I’ve been left there for all this time. Please, oh Gods, I don’t want you to look at me. Promise me, you won’t look long.”
Lan Zhan put his hand on top of Wei Ying’s, hovering slightly. “I promise.”
A quick phone call was all that was needed. Lan Huan assured Lan Zhan that he would bring his team down as soon as they could, along with the removal crew. If there really was a body in there, it was best they got hold of it for an autopsy as soon as possible, but it would all depend on just how long the body had been there. Lan Zhan thanked his brother for his help before hanging up.
In the meantime, Lan Zhan stayed by Wei Ying’s side, assuring him that everything was going to be okay, aching to kiss away the tears.
What an odd thought.
Lan Zhan stood as soon as he heard Lan Huan’s voice. Lan Huan had the other officers hold back as he walked over to talk to Lan Zhan.
“This place sure has an… interesting smell,” was the first thing out of Lan Huan’s mouth, wrinkling his nose as he spoke. He glanced up at the apartment complex that Lan Zhan stood outside. “You’re sure it’s here?” Lan Zhan nodded. “Alright, we can have him guide us. When we get up there, I want you to go wait outside, okay?”
“Just a quick look,” Lan Zhan said.
Lan Huan sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Wangji… I can’t expose you to these things. It’s not the same as when we saw father in the open coffin. This is… a murder scene, you said? It won’t be a pleasant sight.”
“I… need to see him.”
“Fine, fine, just… don’t stay long, okay?”
“Mmn.”
With Wei Ying as their guide, Lan Zhan and Lan Huan made their way into the apartment complex (with a shocking amount of ease – most of these places had busted locks or weren’t locked at all.) Wei Ying mumbled things to himself, fidgeting with his hands as they walked. The nervous energy was practically radiating off him. Eventually, he stopped in front of a ratty, old door with scratch marks down the front and yet another busted lock.
“…This is it,” Wei Ying said.
Unsurprising. The foul stench they’d been able to smell outside had gotten a thousand times stronger the closer they got to this door. Lan Zhan could feel his stomach twist and turn.
“He says this is the one,” Lan Zhan relayed, pointing towards the door.
Lan Huan couldn’t see Wei Ying, after all. Ghosts existed on a multitude of different planes and were not always seen and heard by everyone with the gift. There were ghosts Lan Huan saw that Lan Zhan could not, and vice versa, just how it had been with their mother as well.
“Alright. Are you ready?” Lan Huan asked and Lan Zhan nodded.
The door creaked open, Wei Ying taking the initiative to step ahead of them and look inside. He was there for mere moments before he immediately turned around and rushed past them. Whatever was in there had horrified him still. Lan Zhan couldn’t imagine what it must be like to see your own dead body from beyond the grave. Even so, he followed as Lan Huan stepped inside, his arm covering his nose and mouth to shield himself from the overpowering stench.
Truthfully, nothing could have prepared Lan Zhan for what he saw.
The floorboards creaked under them as they padded through the small, open-plan apartment. Items were thrown around, drawers ransacked. Mould crept up the walls, leaking out of the cracks and mysterious holes. Lan Zhan caught the faint smell of a rotting meal on the stove but it was overpowered by something much more sinister.
It didn’t take them long to find the bedroom, a smudge of red on the door frame leading to a slightly cracked open door. Lan Zhan could feel his heart pound in his throat as they stepped closer and closer.
Lan Huan, who had snapped on a pair of gloves while they were walking, gently pushed open the door. Then, everything stopped around them. It was a scene straight out of a horror movie.
The thing on the bed was unrecognisable.
A naked body or something that vaguely resembled it. Dried blood splattered all over the old pillow and the sheets. The thin layer of skin was peeling, covered in ruptured blisters, oozing and making for an uncomfortable sight. Something white was smeared across his thighs, or what was once his thighs, alongside all the red. The slit across the throat was only vaguely visible for the copious amounts of dried blood clogging the holes. His neck was barely even there.
Then there was… then there were the insects. Maggots, copious in numbers, crawling and feasting in every cavity they could. There were so many. Lan Zhan had never seen so many. It was the most putrid thing he’d ever laid eyes on.
But worst of all, oh Gods, worst of all. Lan Zhan found familiarity in that face. What once was a living, breathing human, a beautiful, charismatic young man. He’d been reduced to this. What kind of monster would you have to be to do this? His eyes were sunken, cheeks hollow, and his hair beginning to fall out and sticking into the dried blood under him.
He couldn’t stand it any longer.
Bile pooled in Lan Zhan’s throat. He had to leave, he couldn’t be here. His whole body was shaking and apparently, Lan Huan had noticed how pale he’d become.
“Wangji, go. Fresh air!” he advised him. Lan Zhan nodded and hurried out of the room, a hand slapped over his mouth. Then, Lan Huan called out to him again. “Tell the other officers to come up!”
Lan Zhan had never moved so fast. He hurried down the stairs blearily and slammed out of the front door to the apartment complex. As soon as he found the nearest hidden spot, he vomited into the nearby decaying bushes. It scraped at his throats until he felt sore all over, tired, unstable.
He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and stumbled over to the officers by the police cars with as much grace and dignity as he could muster, informing them where Lan Huan was and that they were needed inside and quickly.
They scuttled off with a few murmurs, leaving Lan Zhan to lean against a nearby wall, clutching his stomach. The sight of Wei Ying’s body was sure to never leave him, he’d see it in his nightmares for years to come. He almost wished he’d never seen it but… he needed to know. He needed to know it was Wei Ying and that the awful reality of all this was in fact… true.
Wei Ying was crying when he found him, walking over in swaying steps. “You saw it… You saw it…”
“I’m sorry,” Lan Zhan whispered, sliding down the wall until he touched the cold ground.
Wei Ying shook his head and then buried it in his hands. “Hideous… My body is so hideous, I… You saw, you hate me, you… how could you…”
“Come here.”
“Lan Zhan—”
“Come.”
Wei Ying hesitantly crouched down in front of him, for just a moment, he dared to meet Lan Zhan’s eyes. This was still Wei Ying. Magnificent, handsome Wei Ying. His corpse had nothing on the beauty of him, that wasn’t him. He would not let him become defined by that. There were perhaps not many still living that would remember him for the pretty person, the wonderful soul that he was, but Lan Zhan was determined to cling to that. Wei Ying would not be forgotten.
Oh, Lan Zhan thought. When did I fall in love with him?
It was a heart-wrenching realisation, a mistake. Wei Ying was dead. He’d seen the proof, the evidence. He could not be with someone who had become like that… even if he had fallen in love with his soul. In such a short amount of time, Wei Ying had made a profound impact on his life. This was what his mother had warned him about, getting attached. However, he couldn’t keep Wei Ying on the mortal plane. He deserved better, he deserved justice.
Lan Zhan reached out and coaxed Wei Ying’s body to fall against his chest. As always, it was simply a slight tingle, but it was something. It was enough. Wei Ying started to cry once again as he buried his face against Lan Zhan’s chest and settled into his arms. He’d never get to hold him for real, but this was close enough.
“It’s not fair what he did to you,” Lan Zhan mumbled. He wished he knew what Wei Ying smelt like – not the stench of his rotting corpse – but his real smell. He wished he could’ve buried his face into his hair and smelt whatever stupid fruity scent he probably used for shampoo. Once more, he swallowed down a lump in his throat. “I don’t hate you, I could never. This doesn’t change anything. You are still my pretty Wei Ying.”
Oh no. He’d said ‘my’.
To his surprise, Wei Ying let out a soft, sniffling laugh. It wasn’t the pained laugh from earlier, it was back to the seed of what used to be his boisterous, mischievous laughter that Lan Zhan had become so familiar with. Lan Zhan wondered whether ghosts could feel the racing thrum of his heartbeat.
“Your pretty Wei Ying? Lan Zhan, you flatter me! You can’t just say things like that, how many times have I told you?” he said with a teary smile.
Lan Zhan felt his own lips quirk. “I speak only the truth.”
“I don’t know how you can… how you can say that after what you saw in there.”
“It doesn’t matter to me. I like Wei Ying for Wei Ying.”
Lan Zhan swore that Wei Ying’s face went red. Gods only knew what a gorgeous sight he would’ve made in life, his cheeks all flustered and dusted with pink. Lan Zhan probably would have fallen in love with him on the spot.
“Why couldn’t I have met you when I was alive? Sheesh…” Wei Ying said. He let out a soft sigh. “I… really like you too, Lan Zhan. I mean, at first, I thought you were a real asshole, don’t get me wrong, but… You’ve done so much to me, been so kind and patient. I couldn’t have asked for more. Of course, you being a super hottie is a bonus too.”
It was Lan Zhan’s turn to fluster. “Shameless.”
“Don’t you know it!” Wei Ying laughed again. “But really, I’m… I’m so sorry. You shouldn’t like me, I… I’m dead, you know? I won’t be here forever. You need to… to forget about me and move on. I don’t want to weigh you down.”
Lan Zhan shook his head. “I couldn’t forget you even if I wanted to. It will hurt but… your affection is worth that.”
Wei Ying puffed his cheeks in a pout but didn’t argue this time. Lan Zhan wanted to tell him just how much he would have cherished him, loved him, had they met while he was still alive. Life was cruel to put them together under these circumstances. He may have even been able to change things for him. But there was no changing the past now.
There was a sombre atmosphere around Lan Zhan’s place while he and Wei Ying waited for some kind of answers. Their time together was now limited and after that day outside the apartment complex, they’d found themselves settling into a domestic rhythm. Wei Ying was very touchy, Lan Zhan had quickly learnt, even if the touches were hollow.
Wei Ying laid across Lan Zhan’s lap on the couch when Lan Zhan got the phone call from his brother. He waited for him to answer with bated breath.
“We’ve got him,” Lan Huan said.
Lan Zhan almost dropped the phone. He took a shaky breath and looked down at Wei Ying, then mouthed: “They got him.”
“His work is usually a lot better than this but he was sloppy and thank the Gods for that. I’m sure he thought he wasn’t going to get caught for this one,” Lan Huan explained. He sighed. “But we got him. Xue Yang. We’ve been chasing this asshole for years, you know. Wei Ying isn’t the first young man he got his hands on.”
Lan Zhan didn’t know how to feel about that. The fact that Wei Ying was just one name in a line of many… But at least there would be justice. At least he would… Lan Zhan looked down at him.
Wei Ying’s silver eyes seemed to glimmer slightly, relief flooding them.
At least, he would find peace.
“What now?” Lan Zhan asked.
Lan Huan let out a soft hum. “We’ve got enough to take him to trial soon. I’ll keep you updated.”
“Thank you, Huan-ge.”
When they said their goodbyes, Lan Zhan couldn’t tear his gaze away from Wei Ying. His time with him would soon be over, he told himself this over and over, but it didn’t make it any easier. He wished he could cuddle him until he disappeared, cry with him as he realised that there would be mercy for him.
But nothing did change.
Wei Ying behaved like everything was normal, the same as it had been after they found his body. He laughed, he toyed with things, he even occasionally threw a book on the floor just to chuckle at the way Lan Zhan’s eyebrow quirked when he did. It was going to be strange without his lively presence in his home, even though he hadn’t truly known him that long. He’d turned his world upside down in such a short amount of time.
Even as the trial approached, nothing changed.
Lan Zhan ended up attending, even if Wei Ying chose to stay in his home whilst he did. He understood that. No matter how much he wanted justice, he likely couldn’t bear to see the pictures of his body again, couldn’t bear to see the smarmy smirk on Xue Yang’s face. It sure made Lan Zhan’s stomach.
But they got him. He was found guilty, he was sentenced to life.
When he came back home, he loosened his tie and found Wei Ying leaning on his balcony. The sun hadn’t quite set yet, its orange glow blanketing the city below. As soon as Wei Ying heard his footsteps, he turned to look at him and smiled.
Wei Ying looked healthier than he’d ever seen him. Lan Zhan could only imagine that this was how he looked before his death. Young, pretty, charismatic, and more importantly, he was Wei Ying. He walked towards him, standing in front of the balcony railing beside him. There was a peaceful silence between them for just a moment before Wei Ying spoke.
“…Is it going to hurt?” he asked.
“Hm?”
“Passing over.”
Lan Zhan shook his head. “Mother always said that passing over was as easy as breathing.”
Like it’s one of the most natural things in the world, she’d told him. Lan Zhan wasn’t entirely sure whether that was the truth or not, as he was still fairly young when she’d told him that. It wasn’t like he knew any better, he didn’t make a habit of helping people.
“I can feel it coming, you know. It’s really weird but I just… I just know. Soon, it’s going to happen,” Wei Ying said. He leaned his elbow on the railing, pressing his face into his palm. “Lan Zhan… do me a favour, won’t you?”
“Anything,” Lan Zhan replied.
Wei Ying let out a soft puff of laughter. “You agreed way too quickly. Well… I wasn’t sure whether you really would help me when we first met. You really were the prickly sort, you know? Not to say I don’t like you for that! I like you just the way you are, never change, really. But if… if there is anything you can do for me, I’d like it if you could keep helping people like me.”
“I—”
“No, no, hear me out. I know, I know, it’s not really your thing. But this is what I want. Whatever would I have done without you, Lan Zhan? Just… promise me you’ll try.”
Lan Zhan paused and then nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. “I promise.”
Then returned Wei Ying’s infamous grin, looking at him fondly. Lan Zhan wanted a photo of it, to savour it forever. Then, Wei Ying spoke again: “One other teeny tiny thing. You saw Jiang Cheng at the trial… maybe say hello to him every now and again for me? He’s a real piece of work but… he could probably use someone to talk to about all this.”
“You think he’ll believe me?”
“Maybe not at first but… you tell him that you know what he did in the Lotus Lake near our old house when he was eleven. Then he’ll believe you.”
Lan Zhan furrowed his brows. “Should I even ask?”
“Hahaha! I guess it’s up to him if he wants to tell you that story!” Wei Ying giggled and then pushed himself up to straighten his back.
They remained that way for a little longer, making idle chatter and watching the sun set. Why couldn’t this moment last forever? But all good things had to end eventually. Wei Ying turned to look at him and Lan Zhan could already see his presence become shaky. It was almost time, wasn’t it?
“I… I’m sorry I couldn’t do more,” Lan Zhan said.
Wei Ying cocked his head to one side. “What do you mean? Don’t give me that, Lan Zhan. You did more than enough, more than I could’ve hoped for.”
“If I had met you before…”
“No use dwelling on that now!” Wei Ying gave him a nudge with his elbow and laughed. Then, his expression softened. “Lan Zhan, it’s been an honour to know you.”
Before Lan Zhan knew what was happening, hot tears started to spill down his cheeks. He tried to blink them away but they kept falling. Wei Ying’s answer to that was to put a hand on his cheek, tears welling up in his own eyes.
“Wei Ying…” he whispered, leaning into the touch, as if it would make the tingles any stronger, any more real.
“Please don’t cry over me,” Wei Ying said and sniffled. “Look! See, you’re making me cry too! Hahaha… Oh…”
Lan Zhan wiped the tears from his cheeks and took a silent, deep breath. “You have brought light to my life, so let me thank you as well.”
Wei Ying’s eyes flickered from Lan Zhan’s eyes to his lips. Ever so slowly, he inched closer. Lan Zhan let his own eyes fall shut as Wei Ying pressed his lips to his. The soft tingles danced over his lips, a mere imitation of a real kiss, but it was enough.
“Maybe we’ll meet in the next life,” Wei Ying mumbled against his lips.
Lan Zhan put his hands on Wei Ying’s waist, meeting his eyes as he began to fade. “We will. I’ll take good care of you.”
And just like that, he was gone.
The house was quiet. Too quiet. However, Lan Zhan had kept his promise. He had opened himself up to the requests of other ghosts, doing what he could so long as they could put up with him (which wasn’t always the case.) It was strangely fulfilling, even if no one could ever compare to Wei Ying.
Once a month, he visited his grave to leave flowers. He maintained the tombstone, kept it clean. It was the least he could do for him.
And after a few months, Jiang Cheng started to join him on those trips. He would not have gone so far as to say that they were even remotely friends, but they talked sometimes. It kept Wei Ying in his thoughts.
His sweet, beautiful Wei Ying.