The owner was still in his bathrobe—he truly did look like someone woken up by noise.
Everyone on the first floor tensed at his words, but in the next moment noticed the amusement in his tone. That subtle laughter eased the atmosphere, and the group stood up, waiting for the villa’s owner to come downstairs.
Jiang Luo was also watching him.
He was seated behind the others. While everyone else stood in anticipation, Jiang Luo remained still. His beautiful face was calm and unreadable, but there was a hidden glint of amusement in his eyes. Those eyes, dull from long-term weariness and boredom, now lit up with renewed energy.
After half a month, he was finally seeing this d*mned ghost who had cursed him again.
Had Chi You shown up because he knew Jiang Luo was bored and came specifically to play a game of life and death?
Jiang Luo straightened his posture, eyes gleaming.
What a pity—the last time, even blowing up a ship hadn’t been enough to kill Chi You. But then again, good. If he weren’t alive, Jiang Luo wouldn’t be able to properly settle the score over those three moles.
The man descended to the first floor.
His movements were casual, but the aura of hormones radiating from him was enough to stir hearts into a mix of anxiety and involuntary attraction—like blushing in the face of an overwhelming presence.
Like a python revealing its patterns.
Whoever saw him, the first word that came to mind was “mysterious.”
He looked far too mysterious.
A snowy night. A handsome, young villa owner.
Clad in a sensual black bathrobe, the flickering firelight danced across his pale face.
It was a scene that would no doubt send a young girl’s imagination blooming like wild roses at dawn.
The ghost’s appearance truly was captivating. Jiang Luo rested his chin on his hand, watching him with eyes full of mockery and malice—just like he used to look at Chi You during stage performances.
He really does look like a gigolo.
Right now, Jiang Luo felt an even stronger urge to castrate him.
The ghost seemed to sense Jiang Luo’s gaze and looked back.
A dangerous and ambiguous tension silently twined between their eyes in the air.
But Jiang Luo felt that something about the ghost seemed a little off today.
It was somewhat like he was deliberately showing off his charm.
The malicious ghost said enthusiastically, “Did you enjoy dinner?”
Sparks popped from the firewood in the stove, and the sound startled a few of the young people awake. A blush rose on Qin Yun’s face as she was the first to respond, “It was very good. Thank you for helping us.”
Then she answered the malicious ghost’s earlier question as well, “We’re playing the King’s Game. Would you like to join us?”
Chi You raised his eyebrows. “The King’s Game?”
Qin Yun explained the rules to him in detail.
For a moment, the only voice in the living room was hers. The malicious ghost appeared attentive, his pitch-black eyes seemingly gazing at the girl with deep affection, but his attention, like vines creeping across the floor or moss growing on walls, gradually spread—until it finally reached Jiang Luo.
Fourteen days without seeing him.
The malicious ghost thought absentmindedly—it surprised him that he had remembered the number “fourteen.”
But his gaze and the intent behind it betrayed any pretense of nonchalance. Like a sudden surge, it wrapped tightly around the dark-haired young man with invasive intensity and excitement.
After getting Jiang Luo, Chi You had thought he wouldn’t be interested in him again.
He had taken Lisa back to his lair, introduced her to his other subordinates, and then immersed himself in planning. As he had claimed, during the day, he didn’t think about Jiang Luo too much. But when night fell and the world quieted down, a dark red wave of desire coiled around Chi You like a curse. Those restless, creeping thoughts devoured his rationality. From that night onward, the image of Jiang Luo’s flushed, writhing face beneath him would flash in his mind again and again—his crimson lips cursing, his eyes shimmering with tears and defiance, every inch of his lithe and firm skin…
All of it stirred a greedy desire in Chi You like a swamp swallowing everything.
The more intense the pleasure of possessing Jiang Luo, the more twisted and grotesque the malicious ghost’s dark desires became.
Chi You should not have been troubled by such desires.
He should have just indulged them—until he was satisfied.
But then he remembered what Jiang Luo had said, and the promise he himself had made.
—“There will never be a second time.”
The malicious ghost was not one to keep promises.
And yet this time, he felt a renewed restlessness, even stronger than before.
That made the malicious ghost’s mood even more unpredictable.
After suppressing himself for over ten days, he finally showed up near Jiang Luo.
Unable to enter the Lian household, Chi You waited patiently for Jiang Luo to come out.
Strangely enough, even though he didn’t actually see Jiang Luo, just the act of hiding nearby and lying in wait gave him a thrill. It was like watching his prey reveal itself, biding his time in the shadows, ready to pounce—the anticipation made the malicious ghost feel giddy with excitement.
Until today—standing at the second-floor window, he saw Jiang Luo braving the wind and snow, walking toward him from afar.
It was like the prey was walking into death willingly. Chi You’s breath quickened, his muscles tensed, and his eyes locked onto Jiang Luo. In that moment, he even had the urge to devour the dark-haired youth coming through the snow, bite by bite.
It was a new kind of desire—fierce, growing, rooted in conquest and lust.
In that moment, the malicious ghost no longer cared about the words he had once spoken, nor whether Jiang Luo would mock him. None of that mattered anymore—not when it didn’t go his way.
Maybe… just one more time would be enough?
The restlessness settled, and just like he had once said, he would eventually find the answer he wanted from Jiang Luo. If once wasn’t enough—then as many times as it took.
…
No one else noticed the host’s sidelong glance, but the one being watched—Jiang Luo—couldn’t possibly miss it.
In fact, that gaze was something Chi You had deliberately made him feel.
Jiang Luo let out a quiet laugh and sat there as if nothing had happened. His hands rested on the table. The winter cold had everyone bundled up in thick, warm clothing—only faces and hands, sometimes necks, were left uncovered.
Jiang Luo was wearing a black turtleneck sweater today, looking refined and distant. The long neck that the malicious ghost had once kissed and bitten over and over was now hidden beneath the high collar, well protected. The malicious ghost could only linger with some regret on Jiang Luo’s knuckled hands before slowly withdrawing.
By now, Qin Yun had just finished explaining the rules of the King’s Game.
“I see,” the malicious ghost said with a look of sudden realization, then smiled with great interest. “May I join you?”
It was as if Qin Yun had been waiting for him to say that. She answered immediately, “Of course.”
Another chair was added at the dining table.
Qin Yun was about to deal the cards, but just then, Jiang Luo—who had been silent until now—suddenly spoke. “Let me do it.”
Having a handsome guy offer to take over her task, Qin Yun was happy to oblige. She handed the deck to Jiang Luo, who casually reshuffled and dealt the cards to everyone.
He deliberately went around the table, and when it came to Chi You, the malicious ghost received only the final card from Jiang Luo’s hand.
He smiled soundlessly and reached out to take the card. His pale, icy fingertips did nothing to hide the traits of a devil, brushing lightly—almost imperceptibly—across Jiang Luo’s knuckles.
“Thank you.”
Jiang Luo smiled back at him. “You’re welcome.”
One card was placed face-down in the center of the table—that was the King’s card. Because of this, sometimes the King’s order would end up including themselves, which made the game all the more intriguing.
After sitting down, Jiang Luo looked at his card. His luck wasn’t great, but he still had a sliver of hope he might be the King. Unfortunately, it turned out he was just the three of spades.
He put the card down and waited for the King to reveal themselves.
Lian Xue uncertainly flipped over her joker and showed it to everyone. “I guess I’m the King this round?”
Seeing that it was her, Jiang Luo let out a breath of relief—as long as it wasn’t Chi You.
After receiving confirmation, Lian Xue glanced at the face-down card uncertainly. She was worried she might be the one to receive the command, so she gave a very simple one: “Number 5 and number 10, go bring in the down jackets that are drying.”
Number 5 was Lian Qiang, and number 10 was Li Xiao, who had never spoken. The two of them both let out a breath of relief and nodded quickly.
Though the first round’s order was simple, it was at least a good start. The second round began again, and this time, the king was Duanzi, who had just as little presence as the others.
Holding the joker card, Duanzi looked a bit hesitant. He stammered, “I’m kind of into supernatural stuff, but I’ve never tried it… If you’re scared, you don’t have to do it… but…”
Qin Yun said impatiently, “Just say it. Since we’re all playing the game, no one’s going to chicken out.”
“Alright then,” Duanzi said. “Numbers 6 and 9 — I want you to go into the bathroom at midnight and look into the mirror in the dark. I heard you can see… other things that way. I want to know if the rumor is true.”
As soon as the command was spoken, everyone’s expressions changed slightly.
In games like this, people didn’t mind flirtation or jokes — what they feared was this kind of scary stuff.
Duanzi asked, “Who’s 6 and 9?”
Jiang Luo calmly turned over his card. “I’m 6.”
The command didn’t affect him much.
“And who’s 9?” Duanzi asked again.
At that moment, the host spoke slowly, “Oh, that would be me.”
Jiang Luo looked up and met the ghost’s eyes. The two exchanged a glance before both casually looking away the next second. Beneath the surface calm, a hidden undercurrent churned. Neither of them backed out.
Duanzi grew a little flustered — after all, this was their life-saving host. “If you don’t want to—”
“It’s fine,” the host said cheerfully. “I’ll do it.”
The game moved into the third round.
Qin Yun grumbled inwardly. The little excitement she’d built up from playing had completely wilted. This game was supposed to be great for building romantic tension — how did it end up like this?
This time, she dealt the cards. She hoped to become the king and steer the game back, but was once again disappointed.
Jiang Luo calmly folded his cards. Tch. He got a Q this round.
“Ah, looks like I’m the king this time,” the malicious ghost suddenly exclaimed in surprise. After drawing everyone’s attention, he smiled and slowly placed the joker card on the table, sighing in mock amazement. “Didn’t expect to be this lucky.”
Jiang Luo stared at that grinning joker card, his brow twitching hard — a bad feeling rising.
The ghost leaned lazily against the back of the chair, damp black hair falling over his brow. His gaze wandered over the group. “So, who should I choose for the command?”
Qin Yun flushed under his gaze.
As his fingers tapped the table, everyone’s heartbeats seemed to sync with the rhythm. The ghost closed his eyes slightly in enjoyment and slowly said, “Then, let Q take the initiative and kiss K.”
Now this was how the game should be played. Qin Yun perked up immediately and asked, “Who’s Q and who’s K?”
Everyone shook their heads. After a long silence, all eyes turned to the unmoving Jiang Luo.
He expressionlessly revealed his card — a black Q marked clearly in the upper left corner.
Lian Qiang patted him sympathetically on the shoulder. “Too bad I’m not K, senior brother.”
“Then who is K? Don’t tell me…” The others turned toward the face-down card with strange expressions.
Du Ge, being closest to the card, flipped it over — and sure enough, it was a K.
The king had drawn himself to complete the command.
The ghost said with some surprise, “Oh? So it’s me?”
He sighed and shrugged helplessly. “Guess we have to go through with it.”
Jiang Luo gave a low, amused snort. He found Chi You’s theatrics even more excessive now.
No way he believed there hadn’t been some trick involved.
Jiang Luo stood up slowly and casually walked toward the ghost.
The ghost sat in his chair, quietly waiting.
Everyone nearby stared without blinking. For some reason, even Lian Xue’s face flushed red. She tightly pinched Lian Bing’s arm. “Senior Sister, that hurts!” Lian Bing howled.
When Jiang Luo reached Chi You, he curled his lips and said in mock apology, “Forgive me for being rude.”
The ghost chuckled softly, “It’s alright.”
Jiang Luo raised his hand — his fingernail skimmed swiftly over the artery in Chi You’s neck, then cupped his head and slowly leaned in.
His long hair fell down, obscuring both of their profiles.
But in the next second, the storm outside howled louder, and with a sudden gust, the lights in the house went out.
The villa plunged into darkness.
