Chapter 035

The gale ceased. The thunder stopped as well.

The malevolent ghost, so ferocious and terrifying just moments ago, had transformed in an instant into something as harmless as a lamb, as if it hadn’t been trying to take people’s lives at all.

The fleeing crowd emerged from behind their shelters. Master Ding, who had been lying motionless on the ground pretending to be dead, was helped to his feet by his assistant and led aside to have medicine applied to his wounds.

Director Liu surveyed the chaos – the scattered set pieces, the destroyed ritual platform, and not far away, Master Ding with his bruised and swollen face. He also glanced at the culprit behind all this destruction: the long-braided male ghost dressed in an old-fashioned long robe.

Noticing his gaze, the Long-braided Ghost immediately glared back at him. Its pale, greenish face twisted into something hideous and terrifying in an instant, the corners of its mouth splitting all the way to the ears, two trails of bloody tears streaming from its eyes… but it lasted only a moment. Before Director Liu could even be frightened, Qiao Man glanced over from the side, and the ghost immediately withdrew its horrific expression and put on an ingratiating look instead.

“Little Master, I didn’t do anything. It was that fatty who glared at me first.”

Director Liu, the fatty in question: “…”

Such a sycophantic display. It was like two completely different ghosts from what they had just witnessed.

Though someone nearby was even more sycophantic than the ghost.

Maomao had somehow produced a children’s milk carton from somewhere, inserted the straw, and handed it over. He even helped the child wipe away nonexistent sweat from his face, massaging his shoulders and patting his legs, an endless stream of praise pouring out. “Baby, you were absolutely incredible just now! How did you do it? That was such an imposing bolt of lightning, just like boom! Wow! That ghost didn’t dare move at all after that!”

“That ghost was so fierce, baby. Good thing you came, otherwise we wouldn’t have known what to do. You don’t understand, I was about to faint from fright just now. Thank goodness you were there protecting me!”

“The so-called master isn’t even as powerful as one of your fingers, baby. Ah, my luck is really too good, meeting such an amazing baby like you!”

Qiao Man was praised until his face glowed, his round, chubby little cheeks brimming with pleasure. With every compliment Maomao gave, his back straightened a little more, his small chest puffing up higher and higher. If he’d had wings, he probably would have fluttered into the air right then and there.

“It wasn’t that much,” he said, shyly pressing his lips together to suppress the smile tugging at them, his eyes sparkling. “I’m just a little bit amazing, that’s all.”

“What do you mean? You’re the best baby in the entire world!”

As Maomao continued his praise, he didn’t forget to slip in a backhanded remark either. “And what’s more, baby, you’re so kind-hearted. Other people had no idea you were this amazing. If you’d just left earlier, who knows what terrible things might have happened today.”

Director Liu: “…”

Director Liu looked at the child before him, who barely reached his waist. When the kid didn’t raise his head, all he could see was the dark crown of his hair. Director Liu had to admit, he’d definitely judged a book by its cover.

But… but, you couldn’t blame him for that!

It was just that this master’s age was really far too young. Far, far too young!

Director Yang patted him on the shoulder. Both directors were well-known in the industry and had a good relationship. He chimed in, “That’s right, we owe Xiao Man big time. Don’t let this happen again.”

“What are you doing here…” Director Liu said, exasperated. “No, what’s this got to do with you?”

Director Yang pointed toward Lu Jianxing, who was helping the staff tidy up the scene not far away. “That’s an actor from my crew.”

And Qiao Man was Lu Jianxing’s family, which, by extension, made him one of their own, under Director Yang’s protection.

They cleaned up the mess all over the scene. Fortunately, when the Long-braided Ghost had raged, he’d stayed on the central platform. Besides Master Ding’s ritual platform, which had suffered heavy damage, the other equipment and set props were largely unaffected, at most some of the lighter props had been blown over by the wind.

Master Ding wasn’t the only one injured. He’d been beaten by a ghost, while the others had hurt themselves while screaming and fleeing – some ran into pillars, others twisted their ankles. But Master Ding was the most seriously wounded.

Once the scene was tidied up, Lu Jianxing returned, and Master Ding also limped over, supported by his assistant.

Now that the evil ghost had been dealt with, it was time to get to the bottom of how this all started.

Director Liu glanced around, then positioned himself behind Qiao Man. In fact, quite a few people made the same move.

They had witnessed everything that just happened. The much-anticipated Master Ding, brought in with such high hopes, had been pinned to the ground and beaten by the Long-braided Ghost, utterly helpless against him. Meanwhile, the five-year-old child, the one everyone thought most in need of protection, had pulled out a single talisman and easily suppressed the murderous ghost, saving the entire crew.

That had been one seriously thick bolt of lightning. It struck the ground and left a deep crater. It had not only frightened the ghost but terrified them as well.

Especially now, since for some reason, they could suddenly see the ghost. The Long-braided Ghost was not far off, watching them with predatory intent. Just its pale, greenish face alone was frightening enough, not to mention they’d witnessed the ghost’s terrifying, vicious form not long before… Just looking at it filled them with fear. Everyone crowded a little closer behind Master Xiao Man. That small, slender silhouette gave them an immense sense of security.

Qiao Man stood at the very front, with the crew members huddled in a dark mass behind him. Lu Jianxing shot a speechless look at the people behind him, then reached out to pat the child beside him on the head.

Master Xiao Man’s trial began.

“Um…”

Where to start? Qiao Man kept his little face stern and “um”-ed for ages, unable to get anywhere. He sneakily shot a glance at his assistant Xingxing.

Assistant Xingxing quickly glanced toward the sky. Qiao Man followed his gaze and looked too, but didn’t understand.

Just as he was feeling lost, Director Liu stepped forward and couldn’t hold back any longer. “Were you responsible for all the incidents our crew’s been dealing with lately? Were you the one tampering with the props?”

The Long-braided Ghost didn’t deny it. He admitted it readily. “That’s right.”

Director Liu fumed. “What did our crew ever do to offend you? Do you have any idea how much your pranks have affected our production? We nearly had people killed!”

The Long-braided Ghost grew indignant in return. “What do you mean, what did you do? I was keeping to myself as a ghost, just staying in my tomb without going anywhere. You people started it!”

It would have been better not to mention it, but once it was brought up, the Long-braided Ghost’s anger flared as well. His face kept shifting, his hideous ghostly visage flickering in and out, red light flashing in his eyes. The crowd erupted in commotion. Director Liu, who had been furious just moments ago, was so terrified that he immediately clung to Director Yang beside him.

Qiao Man lowered his head to reach for a Talisman Paper, and the Long-braided Ghost hurriedly retracted his ghostly face.

He gave a cold snort and pointed at the crowd. “You’d be better off asking him what he did first.”

Everyone turned to look in the direction he was pointing. The crowd parted to either side, leaving a costumed male actor standing alone. He was the third male lead in the drama. Seeing the Long-braided Ghost pointing at him, the actor looked left and right, equally baffled. “Me?”

“That’s right!” the Long-braided Ghost declared.

Director Liu: “Jiang Cheng?”

Jiang Cheng was the name of the actor playing the third male lead.

He was the one who nearly got hurt when the wire rig malfunctioned that day.

Director Liu looked at Jiang Cheng suspiciously. “Jiang Cheng, what did you do to him?”

Isn’t that how it always goes in TV dramas? Vengeful ghosts seek out their enemies from when they were alive. Seeing how indignant the Long-braided Ghost looked, maybe there really was some grievance?

Jiang Cheng waved his hands frantically, panic in his voice. “I didn’t do anything! I don’t even know him!”

One look at the ghost’s hairstyle made it clear he’d been dead for who knew how many centuries. How could a young man in his twenties, born and raised in modern society, possibly know this ghost?

Director Liu, being a TV drama director, had an even wilder imagination. He mused to himself, Could this be some kind of past-life romance¹? Ugh, then their crew really had suffered an undeserved calamity!

The Long-braided Ghost flew into a rage. “You still dare to deny it! Three days ago, did you break a vase?”

“A vase? What vase?” Jiang Cheng asked.

“That was my vase!” the Long-braided Ghost roared.

Jiang Cheng wailed in despair, “I have no idea what vase you’re talking about!”

Someone nearby suddenly remembered. “Three days ago? Wasn’t there a scene where Jiang Cheng had to smash things? I think there was a vase in it.”

With that reminder, everyone in the crew, except for the newcomers like Qiao Man, recalled what had happened.

TV drama filming doesn’t follow the chronological order of the story; renting locations costs money. They usually shoot all scenes of a particular set at once. Three days ago, they had been filming at a different location.

Director Liu explained to Qiao Man, “Three days ago, we shot a scene. The female lead was in danger, and the third male lead was desperate to go rescue her. But his parents locked him in his room and wouldn’t let him leave. Powerless to help, he vented his frustration by smashing things in the room.”

As for vases, they were common furnishings in ancient rooms. During that day’s shoot, the third male lead had smashed several vases, so no one knew which one the Long-braided Ghost meant.

“It was the double-handled vase with the lotus pattern—my favorite vase,” the Long-braided Ghost said coldly. “You smashed my vase first, so I gave you a little scare. Was that wrong of me?”

The third male lead: “…”

That’s what the script said. He was only following what was written. What had he done wrong?

What an injustice! He was utterly wronged!

“Wait a minute,” interjected Director Yang, who had been listening. “So he only smashed a prop from the shoot. How could that be your possession?”

The Long-braided Ghost erupted in fury. “That was mine! I loved it when I was alive. Before I died, I made sure it was placed in my coffin. I slept hugging it every night, for hundreds of years, and then—then you smashed it!”

Smashed to pieces, swept into the trash. He couldn’t even retrieve the fragments.

“C-coffin?”

“That’s right.”

At that, everyone realized something was very wrong.

Qiao Man asked, “That vase was one of your burial items?”

The Long-braided Ghost nearly wept two streaks of bloody tears, but he remembered that the Little Master before him didn’t like seeing ghostly faces, so he held them back with great effort. He said in grief and indignation, “It wasn’t just the vase. Many of the props this crew uses are my burial goods.”

The third male lead looked down at his own hands, recalling what he might have touched. His face cycled through shades of green, purple, and white.

Director Liu’s hands began to tremble as well.

It’s worth going over this again.

Director Liu was filming a big IP with a huge reputation and massive investment. To deliver high-quality visuals to the audience, Director Liu pursued perfection in every detail, including exquisitely crafted costumes and props. Not only did the costumes reference and recreate looks from ancient paintings, but many of the props were genuine antiques.

Director Liu stammered, “So all those props that were mysteriously moving around… they were…”

“That’s right, it was all me. All those were my burial goods,” the Long-braided Ghost said. “I just wanted to get my things back. But you’re all so stupid! I reminded you every day, and even when you noticed something off, you just ignored it! It makes me furious!”

“My vase, my calligraphy, my treasures… You use them every day, and on top of that, you don’t even treasure them. You break my things and then won’t let me get angry. I was especially careful—that person didn’t even get a scratch—and you still called a Taoist to catch me.”

He glanced down at the short-statured child before him, recalled the power of that thunderbolt, and couldn’t help but sigh to the heavens. Nearly weeping blood again, he said, “I was truly terrified!”

Everyone: “…”

If anyone should be terrified, it’s them!

Someone murmured, “The first time we noticed something wrong with the props, we wanted to replace them, but Director Liu told us to keep using them.”

Director Liu: “…”

Accusing gazes came from all directions, especially from Master Xiao Man in front. Meeting those dark, bright eyes, Director Liu wiped the sweat from his forehead.

This… well, a haunting, even if it sounds a bit scary, nothing really happened, right? The crew was burning money every day. Their investment was huge, but so were the expenses—every penny had to be spent wisely. Those props cost a lot, you know. If they just moved around a bit but were otherwise fine, what was wrong with making do?

Besides, this was really the prop department head’s fault. Who knew they’d bought someone’s burial goods?

Director Liu’s beady eyes glared fiercely over. The prop department head wanted to cry but couldn’t. “We bought them through proper channels. It cost a lot of money.”

The Long-braided Ghost was hopping mad: “They dug up my grave without my consent. How is that proper?”

The props team leader was also at his wit’s end. “I… I didn’t know either!”

Maomao muttered, “They’re all antiques. It’s not strange that they’re burial goods.”

Qiao Man said sympathetically, “That sounds so pitiful.”

When you put yourself in his shoes, even someone who had just witnessed the evil ghost’s rage couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for him.

He’d been dead for so many years, resting peacefully, staying in his grave all that time. Then one day, someone breaks into his tomb, loots all his burial goods, and when he tries to get them back, he can’t even warn anyone. And his favorite vase gets smashed.

These people are using his burial goods, they broke his vase, and they even called a Taoist to capture him – although they didn’t succeed in the end – how could that not make him angry?

Of course he’s angry!

A perfectly good ghost, so furious he nearly turned into a life-threatening Vengeful Ghost on the spot.

The Long-braided Ghost plopped down on the ground, unable to hold back any longer, tears streaming down. “I died young as a human, and even as a ghost they won’t leave me alone. I’ve been an honest ghost, never harming anyone, and you humans come in the dead of night to dig up my grave, steal my things, and even try to strike me with lightning. It’s completely unjust.”

Qiao Man guiltily clutched his clothes, his little head drooping. “I’m sorry…”

Lu Jianxing patted his head. “It’s not your fault.”

The Long-braided Ghost wailed loudly, “My treasures – those are all my treasures -“

Director Liu’s scalp tingled from the ghost’s crying. He quickly said, “We’ll return them, we’ll give them all back. We don’t want any of those props.”

“They were mine to begin with!” The Long-braided Ghost cried even louder: “My grave’s been dug up, I have nowhere to go, boohoo!”

Director Liu: “…”

Are we supposed to dig you a new grave now?

Isn’t that a bit too much to ask?

“Who dug up your grave?” Lu Jianxing suddenly asked. “Not a proper archaeological team²?”

The Long-braided Ghost wiped his tears with the sleeve of his long robe. “Of course not. Those people were completely unreasonable. They came in the dark with just one flashlight. I was sleeping at the time…”

“Ghosts sleep too?” Maomao interjected.

“…Pretending to sleep.” The Long-braided Ghost continued: “As soon as they arrived, they trampled all the flowers and plants I’d grown nearby. They just started looting my things, my grave collapsed from their digging, and they didn’t care at all. They grabbed the stuff and ran. It took me a lot of effort to chase them here.”

As he spoke, the Long-braided Ghost couldn’t help wiping his tears again. “The car was just too fast, I almost couldn’t catch up.”

Everyone: “…”

Chasing on foot? That sounds even more miserable.

Lu Jianxing said, “Call the police.”

“C-call the police?” Director Liu hadn’t quite caught on. “Do police catch ghosts too?”

Master Ding said subconsciously, “Forget it, I didn’t get seriously hurt, no need to hold him accountable…”

Lu Jianxing looked at the two of them speechlessly and explained, “The grave diggers probably aren’t a proper archaeological team. They’re a criminal gang, and this might not be the only crime they’ve committed.”

Everyone: !!!

That’s right!

Think about it carefully. Looking at the Long-braided Ghost’s appearance, his burial goods have become antiques. Illegally digging up graves – isn’t this just a tomb-raiding case?

The ghost who caused trouble is hateful, but the tomb robbers who dug up his burial goods and sold them are no better.

“Call the police!” Director Liu, one of the victims, said angrily: “We must call the police and get those tomb robbers arrested!”

The Long-braided Ghost was stunned for a moment, then quickly understood. Although he died young, he wasn’t completely ignorant of modern society. Hearing that they’d catch the villains who dug up his grave, he immediately said, “I still remember what they look like. I can identify them.”

In that case, the ghost didn’t need to be exorcised for now.

Director Liu quickly called the police. The police car arrived with its siren wailing. Under the Long-braided Ghost’s guidance, the props team quickly sorted out his burial goods from the props, and these items were taken away as crucial evidence.

When the police arrived, Qiao Man’s talisman had lost its effect. Only Qiao Man and Master Ding could see the Long-braided Ghost.

Facing a huge pile of antiques claimed to be of illegal origin, the police officer looked at the case record in his hand, then at the short little kid in front of him: “You’re saying you calculated that these are burial goods?”

Qiao Man nodded confidently, “Mm!”

Officer: “They really are burial goods? Not props from your TV show?”

Qiao Man: “Really!”

A large group of crew members nearby: “Really, really!”

Qiao Man: “I also know what the thieves look like, I can help you find them.”

Crew: “That’s right, that’s right!”

Officer: “…”

It was Master Ding who stepped forward. He pulled out his Taoist Certificate, and only then did the police officer, half-believing and half-doubting, leave with the antiques. The Long-braided Ghost followed his burial goods. As the person who discovered the case, Qiao Man also got in the police car to help relay messages and provide clues for the Long-braided Ghost.

Before leaving, Master Ding stopped him and handed Qiao Man a book.

Qiao Man took it curiously, flipped through it, and saw densely packed square characters. “What’s this?”

“This is a scripture for exorcising ghosts,” Master Ding said. “Even though you can “catch ghosts”… mm… it might come in handy someday.”

Qiao Man flipped a couple pages, then closed it.

Master Ding was a bit gleeful: “What’s wrong? Too hard? Can’t learn it? It took me a long time to learn too.”

Qiao Man’s round eyes blinked and blinked. With an adorable expression, he said, “I can’t read.”

He was still an illiterate baby.

Master Ding: “…”

Master Ding turned around, limping away without looking back.

By the time Qiao Man returned, Director Liu’s crew had already resumed filming. The small building that had just experienced a ghost-catching battle had been cleaned up, the set was redressed, actors were in position, and they were frantically catching up on the schedule without a moment’s delay.

After a long day of chaos, the child was exhausted, lying on Lu Jianxing’s back, too sleepy to keep his eyes open, his little hand tightly clutching his collar.

Lu Jianxing entered the hotel with the child on his back. He had just stepped into the elevator when a group of people walked in from outside. He shifted into the corner, the kid still on his back.

The man leading the group was Director Yang. Noticing Qiao Man fast asleep on Lu Jianxing’s back, he lowered his voice. “You’re back?”

“Yeah.”

“Here, let me introduce you.” Director Yang turned and gestured to a woman beside him wearing sunglasses. “This is Lu Jianxing, our Ji Tingyun. The little one on his back is Xiao Man, a Little Master. He’s incredibly perceptive.”

Ji Tingyun was the name of the character Lu Jianxing was about to play.

The woman behind the sunglasses looked over and gave Lu Jianxing a nod. “Hello.”

The sunglasses covered most of her face. She wore no makeup, and faint fine lines marked the corners of her lips, but she had aged well, her jawline still sharp. Lu Jianxing recognized her immediately. She was a major veteran in the industry who had won several Best Actress awards and hadn’t come out of retirement in years. An old friend of Director Yang’s, she had agreed to make a cameo appearance as a supporting character this time purely as a favor to him.

Lu Jianxing greeted her modestly. “Teacher Shao³.”

There was no time for further pleasantries. The elevator had already reached their floor. Film Queen Shao stepped out first, her young assistant following behind with the luggage. Director Yang still had things to discuss with his old friend. He said a casual goodbye to Lu Jianxing and went after her.

Qiao Man slept straight through until evening, when the smell of dinner woke him.

After waking, he was bursting with energy. He waved his spoon around and polished off a huge bowl of rice, then watched two episodes of cartoons with undiminished enthusiasm before Lu Jianxing finally hauled him off for a bath.

Tomorrow was the first day of filming for the drama Lu Jianxing was acting in. They had to be up early, so tonight meant getting to bed early and conserving their strength.

Sitting in the chair while Lu Jianxing dried his hair, Qiao Man asked with a dreamy expression, “Can I watch from the side?”

“You can,” Lu Jianxing said.

“Will you wear those pretty clothes too?”

“I will.” They were filming a period drama⁴, after all.

“Wow!”

Just after he finished drying the kid’s hair and shooed him into bed, someone knocked on the door.

Maomao stood outside clutching a blanket and pillow. Seeing Lu Jianxing open the door, he gave an awkward smile. “Uh… Brother Lu, could I maybe sleep with Xiao Man tonight?”

Lu Jianxing: “?”

Maomao said quietly, “It’s just… seeing that ghost today…”

Sure, the Long-braided Ghost wasn’t exactly a malevolent spirit, and his story was a tragic one, but hadn’t he still nearly hurt someone?

Maomao wasn’t exactly the bravest type. The moment he closed his eyes at night, the image of the Long-braided Ghost pummeling Master Ding would flash before him. It had been utterly terrifying. The twisted ghost face, ghastly and fanged, viciousness laid utterly bare, like a scene ripped straight from a horror movie. When the Long-braided Ghost had pulled that face to scare Qiao Man, Maomao had been hiding right behind the kid. He’d accidentally caught a glimpse and it had left a serious mental scar.

Now that he couldn’t see it, he was even more scared.

Ghosts really did exist in this world!

If one Long-braided Ghost was gone, what if a Short-braided Ghost showed up?

For all he knew, a ghost could be watching him right now! Just the thought was terrifying beyond belief!!!

Lu Jianxing was a little exasperated, but he opened the door and let him in anyway.

Qiao Man sat up in bed and greeted him cheerfully. “Maomao, you’re here.”

There was only one bed in the room. Maomao laid his blanket and pillow on the carpet beside the bed and said obediently, “Brother Lu, Xiao Man, I won’t be any trouble. I’ll just take the floor.”

“Maomao, do you want a Sleep-Aid Talisman?” Qiao Man asked. “It helps you sleep really well.”

Maomao’s face lit up. “Yes, yes, I want one!”

The three of them turned off the lights and lay down. Just as they were about to activate the Sleep-Aid Talisman, another knock came at the door.

Lu Jianxing got up and opened it to find Director Yang standing outside.

Director Yang rubbed his hands together and said with a chuckle, “So, uh, Lu Jianxing, any chance I could crash here tonight?”

Lu Jianxing: “…”

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Translator’s Notes

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1. past-life romance: A reference to the ‘qian-shi jin-sheng’ (past life, present life) trope common in Chinese romance and fantasy. It suggests that current conflicts or attractions are predestined by relationships or debts from a previous incarnation. ↩
2. proper archaeological team: This refers to state-sanctioned archaeological excavations. In China, unauthorized excavation of ancient tombs is a serious crime (grave robbing), whereas ‘proper’ teams are government-affiliated professionals who preserve cultural relics for museums. ↩
3. Teacher Shao: In the Chinese entertainment industry, ‘Teacher’ (老师, lǎoshī) is a common respectful address for seniors, veterans, or respected professionals, regardless of whether they actually teach. Lu Jianxing uses it here to show proper deference to a highly accomplished elder in his field. ↩
4. period drama: The source text specifies ‘古装剧’ (gǔzhuāngjù), or ‘ancient costume drama.’ This genre is a staple of Chinese television, featuring historical or fantasy settings with elaborate traditional clothing, which explains Qiao Man’s excitement about the ‘pretty clothes.’ ↩