The Ghost Lips' Unforgettable Kiss

The Ghost Lips's Unforgettable Kiss

Chapter One: Hotel No. 1644, Afang

I've never liked noisy scenes, especially social gatherings and boring banquets, which I often avoid at all costs. My excuse is always the same: I'm a coward, it gets too late, and I'm afraid to go home. But that's not really what I feel. I'm not afraid of walking in the dark, nor am I afraid of thieves. I'm just afraid of my own eyes in the dark, especially after the bright lights and revelry of a grand feast. Suddenly entering a dark place, my eyes always start imagining things. Fear is a psychological affliction, and my fear of the dark isn't a product of believing in ghosts or spirits. I don't believe in ghosts. What I fear is a kind of empty emptiness and an omnipresent etherealness. My imagination is incredibly vivid; I might see a tree branch as a sinister silhouette, and I often stare blankly at a corner of a wall. My inquisitive eyes never believe a corner is empty; I have to walk over and confirm it before I believe it. On a dark road, I have to examine every deep, dark corner before daring to move forward.

I can't remember when I started to doubt my own vision, but I remember it was when I was nineteen, after I experienced something strange, and everything changed.

I vaguely remember it was a Friday before the Mid-Autumn Festival when my cousin, Pang Zhen, called me and asked me to go and meet her "future brother-in-law." Although he was her boss, this meeting was different from usual; it was a date that resembled a lover's (or perhaps a semi-illicit affair). She invited me, her younger brother, to come along. I didn't understand the mystery behind it. Perhaps it was because my witty conversation and fashionable attire naturally enhanced my sister's "beauty." If I could assess the situation and say a few trendy and popular things to liven up the atmosphere, that should be the reason for my mysterious invitation.

Sister Zhen's lover is a sullen manager, and a married man at that, though separated from the vice president's wife. This can be inferred from Sister Zhen's secret crush; she hadn't previously shown any pride in this mysterious prince. Sister Zhen said his quiet nature worried her, and she hoped I could influence him, but on one condition: I had to leave first.

Sister Zhen was waiting for me at a luxury restaurant on Chongqing Road. The autumn evening air suddenly turned chilly. I was fumbling with the messages Sister Zhen had left for me on my phone as I hurried along, completely unaware that it had started to drizzle shortly after I left work. Outside the Huangcheng Afang Hotel, cars were parked everywhere. Through the floor-to-ceiling window near the northwest corner, I saw my stylish and beautiful cousin. She was wearing a red dress and had long, misty hair. I tilted my head and stared at her for a long time, a wave of bittersweet feeling welling up inside me. Sister Zhen was the most beautiful person I knew. How wonderful it would be if she weren't my cousin! Tonight, the beauty of that red dress might belong to me. I'm not a scoundrel, but the feeling of watching someone else enjoy a beautiful meal with a beautiful woman was truly unpleasant. Thinking about how many pretty girls surrounded me while I was all alone, my gaze lingered on Sister Zhen with a lecherous look for the first time.

My cousin's gaze wandered out the window. When she saw me come in, she happily pursed her pretty red lips. Only then did I notice that she was waiting alone. Her lover, the manager, hadn't come. Was his wife preventing him from leaving? I wondered to myself, trying to understand my cousin's thoughts and the reasons for her anxiety.

"He hasn't arrived yet?"

"It should be exactly eight o'clock, we made an appointment!"

"This guy must be really nervous. Sister Zhen is so beautiful, maybe he'll remember halfway there that he should buy a bouquet of roses!"

"That's good..."

Ah Zhen's naive look made me anxious. Maybe all girls these days are like this, their eyes fixed on those who have achieved success, chasing after a sense of accomplishment, leaving so many handsome guys to suffer in the scorching heat of poverty… Like me, achieving nothing, I'll just have to remain a bachelor!

Lost in thought, I watched as she seemed utterly bored, yet her sharp, beautiful eyes were constantly fixed on the pedestrians under the neon lights outside the window, perhaps hoping for a car, or perhaps a nice car. I was certain that Ah Zhen's choices were always tasteful.

It was almost nine o'clock, and I was starving. The person who was supposed to pay the bill hadn't arrived yet, and there were still only a few small dishes in front of me. I eagerly awaited the arrival of the "supreme gentleman" so I could fill my stomach, and so I looked out the window with a melancholy gaze.

At 9:15, the car had driven halfway. After more than an hour of waiting, Ah Zhen seemed tireless. She just stared blankly out the window, sometimes our eyes meeting only through the shimmering glass. In her left hand was a small mirror, which she would occasionally pick up to check her appearance, then gracefully apply her evening makeup. But her beautiful, unfocused eyes looked somewhat pale, even a little forlorn. Suddenly, my gaze fell on the mirror in her hand, and there was an earthy yellow painting reflected in it…! My heart skipped a beat. I looked around, but I didn't see that antique painting in the hotel decor. So why did I see it in the mirror…? Also… why were her fingers so red? Was it lipstick? Surely she wouldn't be so extravagant as to put lipstick on her fingers… What was that?

"Sister Zhen, what happened to your hand?"

"It's nothing..."

She smiled mysteriously, and I didn't even notice. As she spoke, she picked up the small mirror again. Just as I was staring intently at the hole in the mirror, that long ancient painting reappeared in the mirror. It was a very familiar painting.

"He's here!"

Where is it?

I was startled. When there were very few pedestrians outside, Ah Zhen suddenly screamed softly. Her voice was very high-pitched, but her eyes were wide open, which frightened me.

"He's here, in a car!"

"A car? I didn't see it!"

My scalp tingled with dread. My dear sister, could it be lovesickness, seeing a shadow from your dreams? Although there were cars coming and going on Chongqing Road, none of them stopped. Where was the car she was talking about?

"Didn't you see the license plate? It's number 1644."

“1644…” I looked around, but there was no sign of any cars coming from the opposite direction or in front of the window.

"Sis, what's wrong with you today?"

I looked at Sister Zhen with concern. I had heard that if someone saw something that others couldn't see, they were about to face a great disaster, so I tried to find out the truth about this mystery.

She gave me a charming smile and then went out to greet me. When I noticed her feet, my fear intensified. I'll never forget it: she was wearing red shoes embroidered with chrysanthemums, with thick white soles—how bizarre! Those were definitely not shoes people would see in modern times! Sister Zhen's movements were faster than I expected; I didn't even notice when she left the table. I hurriedly put down my half-empty glass of orange juice and followed her out. Just as I left my seat, the lobby manager rushed over and asked...

"Sir, is your food ready yet...?"

"Oh, please wait a moment, the person who pays will be here soon. As for the food... has anyone ordered?" I suddenly realized the problem with the food and asked in surprise.

"Yes, the hotel's ordering system is completely computer-controlled, and guests can order remotely. Here is the order form for your table number 17, which we just received."

I took the menu and glanced at it. Goodness, it turns out that Ah Zhen's lover is quite the gourmet. All four dishes were ones I had never tried before: clear broth Dongpo pork, braised mandarin fish, premium chrysanthemum hot pot, and Heyuan rice wine drunken shrimp.

Delicious! I love it. The fear I felt while sitting quietly with Ah Zhen just now vanished instantly. I followed my cousin's red dress and chased after her. I had to give my cousin face and act like a gentleman. It would be best if I could make her realize that I was just a cool and handsome little brother pretending to be cool.

However, an ominous premonition came at that moment. When I arrived at the hotel door, I was suddenly stunned. Sister Zhen was gone!

"sister!"

I couldn't help but call out, but no one answered. The streets were deserted; the ancient city was sparsely populated in the rainy night. Except for the flashing yellow traffic lights in the distance, everything seemed as if nothing had happened. But where was Sister Zhen? ...

I ran back and forth frantically. Had the mysterious manager just picked her up? But I'd only spoken to the hotel manager for a minute; could his car have gone that fast…? Suddenly, my foot slipped, and a small, round mirror appeared before my eyes. I almost stepped on it and broke it—it was Ah Zhen's little mirror! I picked it up cautiously, recalling the strange ancient painting I'd seen earlier. I involuntarily turned to the side, my eyes darting to the mirror's surface in the darkness illuminated by the hotel's wall lamps… blank, then the ancient painting! I was stunned and quickly threw it to the ground. But turning back, my gaze met the advertising sign above the hotel entrance; the background of the text was the Qingming Scroll! It was the painting in the mirror…

I was filled with dread. In my hand was the menu handed to me by the hotel manager: clear broth Dongpo pork, braised mandarin fish, premium chrysanthemum hot pot, and Heyuan rice wine-drunken shrimp... The first four characters of the four dishes were "Qingming Shanghe"! Coincidence or a prank? I ran into the hotel. Maybe it was a joke played on me by Sister Zhen and her future brother-in-law. But when I stood at the table where I had just been sitting, I felt dizzy.

Chapter Two: The Face Outside the Car Window

My cup and Sister Zhen's cup were still the same. On the purplish-red chair, a pair of embroidered shoes were neatly arranged. They were the same pair that my cousin had worn. Everything was just as it had been. My hair was about to stand on end, and fear made me incoherent.

"Manager, what...what is this? Tell me!"

My hand felt sticky, and when I finally mustered the courage to raise it and look at it under the light, I saw blood gushing out from the broken little mirror.

"Sir, what's wrong?"

I looked up abruptly, and the familiar lobby manager walked over with a smile on his face. But he practically floated over, mak

……