LABMY CH49

“Brother-in-law…”

Jiang Tang slowly opened his eyes and raised his hand to cover them with the back of his hand. He felt like he had just had a dream, but he couldn’t remember what it was about. The only thing that lingered was him endlessly calling out “Brother-in-law” in the dream.

He thought of Jian Yuanbai. It had been many days since he last appeared, as if this person had never existed in the first place.

Should he try calling him?

Maybe just ask if going to the temple would affect him in any way.

After thinking for a while, Jiang Tang still didn’t try to summon Jian Yuanbai. He sighed softly, lifted the blanket, and sat up.

The little ghost cat lying beside him sensed the movement and cautiously opened its eyes. It affectionately rubbed against Jiang Tang’s hand and let out a soft “Meow~.”

Jiang Tang instinctively picked it up and shook it lightly from side to side as he greeted it, “Morning, Ghostie.”

“Meow,” Ghostie meowed excitedly and struggled out of his hands, jumping to the floor.

Jiang Tang frowned slightly, feeling a bit strange, but the feeling quickly faded. He didn’t think much of it and got out of bed.

Ghostie followed him, jumping off the bed as well. 

Li Sui, who had already washed up, turned around and was instantly stunned.

The cat in front of him… was a real cat. 

Although it was still a ghost, it was merely the soul of an animal that couldn’t cause much harm to people. 

Rare, but not dangerous. 

Li Sui quietly bit his fingertip and smeared a drop of blood on his eyelid. He scanned the dormitory once more, confirming that he saw nothing unusual, and then casually asked, “Did you get another black cat?” 

Jiang Tang was confused, “I only have Ghostie.” 

Li Sui: “It feels… a bit different.” 

Jiang Tang: “What’s different?” 

Li Sui glanced at the tall figure that appeared behind Jiang Tang and smiled faintly. “Maybe it’s just my imagination. Black cats are considered unlucky, after all.” 

Jiang Tang immediately noticed that Li Sui’s gaze wasn’t on him but slightly off, as if he was looking at something behind him. 

For some reason, Jiang Tang felt an eerie chill creep up his spine. 

It was as if Li Sui was speaking to someone standing behind him. 

Jiang Tang turned around but saw nothing — only his clean and tidy desk and Ghostie sitting on the chair. 

However, Li Sui’s gaze was slightly upward, clearly not focused on the short-legged Ghostie. 

So… what exactly was he looking at? 

Was it really just an illusion? 

Jiang Tang frowned unconsciously. 

Then, he heard Li Sui ask, “Did you neuter your cat?” 

“I heard when cats are in heat, their cries can be unbearable.” 

This question instantly shattered the strange feeling in Jiang Tang’s heart and replaced it with confusion. 

Technically, Ghostie was already dead. 

But now it had a physical form, warm and tangible when held. 

So… does a ghost cat need to be neutered? 

Li Sui looked at Jiang Tang. 

Jiang Tang looked at the cat. 

The cat innocently and adorably looked back at Jiang Tang. 

“…Let’s wait until it goes into heat before deciding,” Jiang Tang said helplessly. 

Completely unaware that it had just escaped a disaster, Ghostie immediately trotted over and rubbed its head against Jiang Tang’s ankle, purring affectionately, “Meow~.” 

Jian Yuanbai, who had been pretending to be Ghostie, squinted dangerously at Li Sui, silently mocking him. 

—

Time quickly passed, and soon it was the weekend. 

The four of them woke up early and dressed in athletic clothes before heading out. 

Jiang Tang wore white sports shorts and matching white sneakers. The gap between the shorts and the shoes revealed a pair of long, slender, pale legs. 

The early morning mountain hike was still a bit chilly, causing Li Sui to glance at Jiang Tang repeatedly. 

After receiving a confused look from Jiang Tang, Li Sui took off his sports jacket and offered, “Are you cold? Do you want to wear this? You can take it off once you warm up.”

Jiang Tang shook his head and declined, “No need.” 

Although his legs felt a bit cold, he wasn’t used to wearing other people’s clothes and disliked such slightly intimate gestures. 

Before they even reached halfway up the mountain, Jiang Tang’s forehead was already covered in sweat, and his breathing became heavier. 

Seeing this, the eldest among them said, “Do you want some water? I brought some.” 

The second eldest added, “Or we can sit down and rest for a while.” 

Jiang Tang waved his hand, “Let’s keep going. We’ll rest when we reach the top.” 

He indeed didn’t exercise often. Aside from attending classes, he spent most of his time in the dorm preparing for various exams. Since he would be dealing with vengeful spirits in the future, there would be times when he needed to run and jump frequently. Maybe it was time to add exercise to his daily routine. 

Jian Yuanbai watched Jiang Tang, who was sweating from exhaustion, and silently stood beside him, releasing a cold aura from his body, acting as a fully automatic air conditioner without consuming any electricity. 

He could have directly helped Jiang Tang save energy, but after some thought, he decided to let Jiang Tang toughen up. 

As the group walked along, they passed by a few girls laughing and taking pictures of each other. The two groups were about to part ways when a voice suddenly called out: 

“Jiang Tang?” 

A girl ran over excitedly, “What a coincidence to meet you here!” 

Jiang Tang was also surprised, “Liu Hong?” 

A beautiful and charming girl walked over. When she saw Jiang Tang, her eyes lit up. She asked Liu Hong, “And who is this?” 

Liu Hong immediately introduced, “This is Jiang Tang, the one I told you about who helped me before.” 

She then turned to Jiang Tang and said, “This is my cousin, Liu Zhuqing.” 

The two groups introduced themselves to each other, and since they shared the same destination, they decided to hike together. 

The four-person group instantly expanded to seven. 

Along the way, Liu Zhuqing kept subtly steering the conversation toward Jiang Tang. 

The eldest, like a loudspeaker, answered every question and even shared things Liu Zhuqing hadn’t asked: 

“Our Jiang Tang can dance too!” 

Liu Zhuqing looked at Jiang Tang in surprise, “Really? A guy like you dancing must look really cool.” 

“I wonder if I’ll ever get the chance to see you dance.” 

The eldest, in a casual tone, said, “Add me as a friend. I have a video on my phone. I’ll send it to you when I find it.” 

Liu Zhuqing smiled and looked at Jiang Tang with anticipation, “The real person is right here. Why bother watching a video?” 

Before Jiang Tang could think of a way to refuse, the straightforward eldest brother rejected the idea on his behalf, “No way! Climbing a mountain and dancing? That’d be exhausting.” 

Liu Zhuqing’s smile stiffened, “I didn’t mean right now.” 

“We’ve arrived at Taiming Temple.” 

Suddenly, a voice interrupted her. 

Li Sui pointed to the sharp roof of a temple that emerged from the forest, cutting off the conversation that had been revolving around Jiang Tang for so long. 

The once noisy group quieted down as they stepped into the temple. 

At that moment, Li Sui grabbed Jiang Tang’s wrist and said, “Jiang Tang, come with me. I have something to tell you.”

Jiang Tang responded with a soft “Hmm” and allowed himself to be led to a more secluded room. “What’s with the secrecy?” 

Li Sui looked at him seriously and said, “You’re being haunted by a ghost.” 

Jiang Tang’s body stiffened. Unsure if Li Sui had really seen through something, he was momentarily at a loss and blurted out, “What?” 

“The cat you’re keeping in your dorm isn’t a real cat. It’s a ghost in disguise,” Li Sui said with concern. “Think carefully. Do you know a man who’s very tall, around 1.9 meters, in his early twenties? Have you heard any news about his death?” 

Wait. 

Jiang Tang was stunned. “Wait… You’re saying that my little black cat, Ghostie, is actually a man who’s over 1.9 meters tall and in his early twenties?” 

“Yes.” Li Sui observed his reaction and saw that Jiang Tang seemed to know who he was talking about. “Do you know him? What’s his name?” 

Jiang Tang asked, “Besides being tall, what other characteristics does he have? What does he look like?” 

Li Sui didn’t want to praise the ghost’s appearance, but he had to admit, “Before he died, he was the kind of person who would turn heads in a crowd.” 

“Have you figured out who it is?” 

“Don’t be afraid,” Li Sui added lightly, “I know a little bit about ghost hunting.” 

That “little bit” he mentioned actually meant he was unmatched in the world of exorcism. 

Jiang Tang could think of someone instantly. He organized his words and asked, “When did you first notice?” 

Li Sui, who had expected Jiang Tang to be amazed or curious about his identity as a ghost hunter, felt a little disappointed inside. But he maintained a calm expression and said, “The moment you brought that cat back to the dorm, I could tell.” 

That early? 

Suddenly, everything clicked in Jiang Tang’s mind. 

Why did Ghostie usually stay silent and only let out a meow occasionally? 
Why would a cat, which normally hated exposing its belly, allow Jiang Tang to hold it and shake it back and forth? 
Why did it stick to him so much, always finding ways to kiss his face, lick his hands, his waist, and even his neck? 

Jiang Tang even recalled the first “meow” he heard when he picked up the black cat. 

He thought back to all the intimate moments he had shared with Ghostie. 

The time when he felt something warm slip between his lips, which he thought was the cat’s tongue being playful. 

Jiang Tang pursed his lips, and his ears gradually turned red. 

It was strange. He wasn’t exactly furious or outraged, but he definitely felt embarrassed. 

If his guess was correct, from the very first day he picked up Ghostie, Jian Yuanbai had been pretending to be a cat. 

Just moments ago, Jiang Tang had rejected Li Sui’s offer of a jacket due to his dislike for physical intimacy. 

Yet, when he thought about all the things Jian Yuanbai had done while disguised as a cat—invading his personal space, getting closer to him step by step—he didn’t feel angry. 

Instead, his ears burned red. 

When others crossed the line, Jiang Tang would reject them outright. 

But when Jian Yuanbai boldly stepped into his personal space, he turned into a soft and blushing marshmallow. 

Perhaps… this was what it meant to fall for someone without realizing it. 

Li Sui handed Jiang Tang a yellow talisman and a cinnabar brush. “Write his name on this talisman and keep it with you. As long as he gets close to you, he’ll slowly weaken.” 

“Don’t be afraid. I’ll catch him.” 

Before Jiang Tang could reach for it, the talisman in Li Sui’s hand spontaneously burst into flames and turned to ash. 

Jiang Tang’s eyes widened. He quickly looked up and saw Jian Yuanbai standing behind him, eyes blood-red, smiling coldly at Li Sui. 

“You thought… I let you say all this on purpose, didn’t you?” 

He didn’t want anyone coveting his “wife.” 

Jian Yuanbai had already noticed Li Sui’s intentions, so he deliberately revealed himself. 

After spending an entire world with Jiang Tang in his previous life, Jian Yuanbai was confident that even if Jiang Tang didn’t like him yet, he wouldn’t hate him either. 

And now, Jiang Tang’s flushed face was proof that Jian Yuanbai had won the bet. 

Jian Yuanbai silently mouthed those words to Li Sui and pointed at Jiang Tang’s bright red ears. 

Then, right in front of Li Sui, he leaned in and bit Jiang Tang’s ear with his teeth. 

Crack.

The cinnabar brush in Li Sui’s hand snapped in half. 

The splintered wood cut into his palm, and beads of blood dripped onto the ground. 

He’d been played. 

He thought he was exposing the ghost pretending to be a cat. 

In the end, he had unknowingly become a wingman for this vengeful spirit. 

Ridiculous. 

Li Sui’s gaze fixed on a certain spot, and this naturally drew Jiang Tang’s suspicion.

When Jiang Tang turned his head, Jian Yuanbai, taking advantage of the fact that Jiang Tang couldn’t see him, boldly kissed his lips with great satisfaction.

Being a ghost did have its perks.