Chapter 122 Heart

It was already midnight when I got back to the bookstore by taxi. The bookstore was still open, and there were quite a few people inside.

Zhou Ze remembered Xu Qinglang calling him earlier, saying that business was good tonight. It seemed that was indeed the case, as there were still customers at this hour.

Pushing open the glass door, Zhou Ze was a little disappointed to see that the dozen or so people sitting inside were all alive.

The Zhao Ju matter was a special case last time. This time, there couldn't possibly be more than a dozen special cases, right?

Even during the time of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, the folk customs, oh no, the ghost customs, weren't this simple.

They sat in a circle, with one person standing in the middle, telling a story. Everyone else was listening intently, as if it were a suspenseful horror story. The storyteller was using intonation and some body language to create an atmosphere.

Bai Yingying was sitting behind the counter, playing with her phone.

When Zhou Ze returned, Bai Yingying took the initiative to stand up and pour him a glass of water.

Zhou Ze sat down and subconsciously reached out to cover the area where his heart used to be. Although it was covered by clothes, at least for now, that area was empty.

"Boss, what's wrong?" Bai Yingying asked curiously.

"Hmm?" Zhou Ze looked at Bai Yingying.

"I just feel like something is different about you. You weren't like this when you left this afternoon."

The female corpse was quite sensitive, it had to be said.

"It's nothing." Zhou Ze didn't want to talk right now.

"Can I go next door to play games now that you're back?" Bai Yingying pleaded.

Zhou Ze nodded.

"You're the best, Boss."

Bai Yingying went to the noodle shop next door. Soon, Xu Qinglang walked into the bookstore from the noodle shop, came to the counter, handed Zhou Ze a cigarette, and asked:

"Is this some kind of tea party?"

Zhou Ze shook his head, indicating that he didn't know.

"Hey, it sounds like they're telling ghost stories." Xu Qinglang became interested and actually found a plastic stool to sit down.

The person in the middle of the circle was telling a story about a vengeful ghost baby, with twists and turns. The story itself was indeed good, and the people around were listening intently.

Gradually, Zhou Ze also understood that this should be a "club," an organization similar to a book club or a cycling club that gathers together because of a shared hobby.

After the last story was finished, a man in the lead took out a large piece of white paper with some things drawn on it, and then took out several pens.

Zhou Ze was a bit far away and couldn't see clearly. Xu Qinglang turned his head and mouthed to Zhou Ze:

"Ouija."

Ouija, is a type of ghost summoning game, carrying a very mysterious color. It is said that playing this game can easily lead to misfortune, inviting the possession of wandering souls.

Everyone was very excited. They all reached out and jointly held the long pen. A man wearing a yellow wool coat and black-rimmed glasses seemed to be the leader. After everyone was ready, he piously opened his mouth and said:

"Pen spirit, pen spirit, where are you? Pen spirit, pen spirit, where are you?"

The pen didn't move, but the bookstore suddenly became quiet.

The man with black-rimmed glasses continued:

"Pen spirit, pen spirit, will we encounter a ghost tonight?"

Ten seconds after he spoke,

The long pen held by everyone began to move slowly.

Everyone held their breath.

In fact, when many people hold a pen together, as long as the pen tip is round enough, it is easy to slide. If someone is being slightly mischievous, it's even easier.

"Swish!"

The pen tip suddenly trembled,

And moved horizontally to where Zhou Ze was sitting.

Xu Qinglang's mouth slightly opened. Lucky break?

Zhou Ze still sat steadily behind the counter, watching the situation with half-closed eyes.

Because of the movement of the pen tip, most people's eyes were facing where Zhou Ze was sitting.

"Yes!"

The man with black-rimmed glasses pointed to the area where the pen tip was located.

There were two areas, "Yes" and "No". At this time, the pen tip was right in the "Yes" area.

"Okay, put things away. We'll set off together later. Remember, the action will last half an hour. Everyone has fully charged their phones, right? Everyone must record a video for at least twenty minutes."

"Okay."

"Understood."

"Yes."

The others packed up their things and left the bookstore. The man with black-rimmed glasses walked to Zhou Ze's counter and apologized:

"Sorry, Boss, we're from the Horror Story Lovers Association. We just do some paranormal exploration when we have nothing to do. Didn't scare you, did we?"

Zhou Ze shook his head.

"Then you're really brave, Boss. When that little girl was here, I asked her if we could play Ouija here, and she agreed. When you came back, I was really worried that you would blame us. This is for the tea, Boss, please accept it."

The man handed over six hundred yuan.

Zhou Ze took the money and asked, "Where are you going later?"

"Just the building above your store. There haven't been any businesses here for a long time. There was also an arson case a while ago that killed a few people. We plan to try our luck there tonight."

"Do you want to see ghosts that much?"

"I don't know, but people are always curious about the unknown, right? Actually, everyone is just gathered together with a desire for excitement.

In terms of everyone's usual social circles, it's difficult to find like-minded people around us. Our club also provides an opportunity for everyone to communicate.

Moreover, I've already made arrangements in advance for tonight. I had someone set up things in the movie theater that was set on fire, during the day. Tonight, Mr. Chen from our club will confess his love to Ms. Liu."

"Confess?"

"Yes, in fact, everyone else knows about tonight's events, only Ms. Liu doesn't know. Our club has been established for five years, and everyone has a good relationship, so everyone is willing to help."

"Are you Japanese?" Zhou Ze asked, looking at the man with black-rimmed glasses.

"Yes, I'm a Chinese expatriate in Japan. I returned to China five years ago. There are many clubs like this in Japan. After returning to China, I found that everyone was too introverted, so I basically organize daily book clubs or haunted house explorations."

The man slapped his forehead and handed over his business card.

"My Chinese name is Cui Yilang. Nice to meet you."

Zhou Ze took the business card from his hand.

"Then we'll go organize the event first. Thank you again for your hospitality, Boss."

Cui Yilang walked out of the bookstore. Xu Qinglang, who had been standing on the side without saying a word, immediately burst out laughing while clutching his stomach:

"Hahaha, I was dying from holding it in! They're really going to see ghosts this time."

As Xu Qinglang laughed, he noticed that Zhou Ze wasn't laughing. He reached out and punched Zhou Ze in the chest, asking:

"Isn't it funny?"

Zhou Ze immediately bent over, one hand covering the area on his chest that he had just been hit.

"This... are you okay? I didn't use much strength, did I?"

He just gave you a little punch.

"It's not that." Zhou Ze gestured for Xu Qinglang not to get close, and said, "It just hurts when I laugh."

"That exaggerated?" Xu Qinglang curled his lips. "Are you hungry? I'll make you... a plate of egg fried rice?"

"I'm not hungry, I've already eaten."

"You ate outside?" Xu Qinglang asked curiously, "Don't you usually not like eating outside?"

"That thing, it was delicious."

"What kind of dish is it? If you can eat it, I'll buy some tomorrow and make it for you?"

Zhou Ze shook his head.

A person only has one heart.

Zhou Ze couldn't produce a whole basket of them to hand over to Xu Qinglang for "frying, deep-frying, boiling, and steaming."

"Then what do you want to eat lately?" Xu Qinglang asked.

"Water spinach, maybe." Zhou Ze looked at Xu Qinglang and said very seriously, "I suddenly really want to eat that lately."

"Okay, I'll go get some tomorrow."

Just then, the lights in the bookstore suddenly went out.

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! The final circle! The circle of destiny!

I'm about to win! My AWM, level three armor, level three helmet, and fifteen times scope!"

Bai Yingying rushed out of the noodle shop and stood outside, wailing loudly.

Zhou Ze felt that when she was drowned in a pig cage in the past, she probably didn't shout as intensely as she was now.

The power went out.

Zhou Ze and Xu Qinglang also walked outside.

Xu Qinglang made a phone call, then put down the phone and said helplessly:

"Damn it, they said someone will come to check tomorrow. Lao Zhou, this place of ours is really going downhill. When the power goes out, people don't even bother to come and take a look. Now it's become a paranormal exploration place for hobbyists."

Xu Qinglang pointed to the windows of the tall building above them, "How did they think of confessing in the movie theater where people died?"

"It's very romantic. In a terrifying environment, coupled with the sudden arrival of love, this kind of contrast is enough to fascinate people who like this kind of thing."

"Why do you sound so strange today?" Xu Qinglang looked at Zhou Ze.

Zhou Ze shook his head.

"You really look like you've been hollowed out. Did you take that step with your wife today?" Xu Qinglang asked cautiously.

"You're thinking too much."

But the word "hollowed out" made Zhou Ze's eyelids twitch slightly, a detail that Xu Qinglang caught.

Zhou Ze raised his head and looked up.

"Hey,

It's no use looking at the sky.

Are you feeling guilty?

Did I really guess right?"

Seeing that Zhou Ze didn't reply, Xu Qinglang also raised his head,

Looking at the sky.

Then,

The two of them saw someone in white clothes standing by the glass window on the fifth floor.

Because of the power outage, there was no light around, but the moon was very bright tonight, and the color of the other person's clothes was easily recognizable in the night.

"Could they have even hired someone to dress up as a ghost to create an atmosphere?" Xu Qinglang spat out a smoke ring, "They're really going far enou—"

Xu Qinglang stopped talking,

Because he saw the white figure falling from above,

Very fast,

And directly landed less than ten meters away from him and Zhou Ze.

"Thud!"

A heavy thud sounded,

A person fell face up on the ground, motionless. Blood slowly spread out from under her.

Zhou Ze felt a coolness on his face,

Some blood had splattered onto his cheek.

Xu Qinglang immediately ran over to check on the fallen person,

But Zhou Ze reached into his pocket and took out a napkin, intending to wipe the blood off his face first.

Someone died... I need to save them... I need to check...

A look of struggle appeared in Zhou Ze's eyes,

But his hands trembled as he pulled out the tissue,

Slowly and carefully wiping away the few drops of blood,

"Hey, come over and see if there's any chance of saving her!" Xu Qinglang raised his head and shouted to Zhou Ze, then when he saw Zhou Ze actually standing there wiping his face without taking a step, he directly roared:

"Do you have any conscience? You're wiping your face at a time like this!"

Zhou Ze was stunned for a moment,

Yes,

His heart,

Was gone...