ADLH Chapter 7: We Must Believe in Science
After leaving the restroom, Ruan Xingzhou happened to bump into his new secretary, Yuna, who had just exited the women's restroom.
"Secretary Yuna."
"Ah?" Unlike her usual energetic self, the beautiful Yuna seemed dazed, her eyes unfocused as she half-heartedly responded.
"Secretary Yuna, the lights in the restroom..." Ruan Xingzhou started to mention, but his words trailed off as he noticed her appearance.
Just yesterday, Yuna had looked delicate and beautiful like a butterfly, but today her eyes were dark, her face pale as if she had fallen ill, and her entire demeanor was sluggish. She had also applied a bright red lipstick, which, combined with her pale face, made her look like a paper doll with red lips from a distance.
Ruan Xingzhou furrowed his brows and raised his voice. "Secretary Yuna!"
Yuna jumped, startled, and took a long moment to recognize him.
"Mr. Ruan? Good afternoon!"
"Why do you look so pale? If you're sick, you can take the day off. Our company doesn't force anyone to work when they're ill." Ruan Xingzhou, ever considerate, added, "You should ask Secretary Wang to handle it for you."
"No, Mr. Ruan..." Yuna's expression was downcast, and she hesitated, her eyes showing signs of panic. After a moment, she said, "Mr. Ruan, did you hear anything in the restroom just now? Did you hear a child's crying?"
"Crying? Yes, I did hear something." Ruan Xingzhou replied, recounting what had happened in the restroom earlier, and ended with a neutral remark: "The restroom really needs repairs."
Yuna fell silent for a moment, then asked in a whisper, "…Are you not afraid?"
"Afraid?" Ruan Xingzhou was confused.
"Yes!" Yuna's voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper, glancing around nervously. "That was clearly a ghost! The little ghost from yesterday said it smelled something good nearby and went after that person instead. I think it’s you, Mr. Ruan... I'm sorry. It's all my fault. I dragged you into this."
Yuna started crying, on the verge of breaking down.
Ruan Xingzhou thought for a moment and seriously said, "Don't cry. It's probably just stress causing hallucinations. There are no ghosts. You need to believe in science."
"…" Yuna was momentarily speechless. "But what about the crying sounds?"
Ruan Xingzhou answered calmly, "It was probably someone's phone ringing. It sounded strange, but it was very loud and noticeable."
"…" Yuna was speechless. No ghost would use such a ringtone!
Yuna frowned, trying to make one last attempt. "But what about the lights? Why were they flickering like that?"
"That’s just a contact issue. It's pretty common," Ruan Xingzhou replied nonchalantly.
"…" Yuna was exasperated, wanting to hit him.
"Okay, I can see you're not feeling well. Don't worry about work today. Come to my office at five," Ruan Xingzhou said, turning to leave. Then, as an afterthought, he added, "Oh, and have someone fix the restroom."
Yuna watched his retreating figure, suddenly wondering, Why did I ever like this man?
The smile is dead.
Back in his office, Ruan Xingzhou sat quietly, staring at the couch where Qian Ji had sat yesterday. For the first time, he felt an unfamiliar feeling filling his heart. Ruan Xingzhou, who never understood what it meant to miss someone, sat silently in his office chair, processing paperwork.
At 5 PM, Yuna nervously knocked on his office door.
Ruan Xingzhou, seeing the anxious look on his new secretary's face, furrowed his brow in slight irritation.
"Come in. Sit down."
He gestured to the chair in front of him.
Yuna sluggishly walked over and sat down. Her face was still pale, and her delicate features were tense, as though she were still shaken by the events.
Ruan Xingzhou, despite his cold demeanor, was not a man devoid of empathy. Seeing her distress, he softened his tone.
"It seems like you're not feeling well. Is it because of any issues with your internship, or is it because of the scolding from yesterday?"
Yuna shook her head and said nothing.
Ruan Xingzhou thought for a moment. "If it’s not that, then it must be because of the ghost you mentioned?"
Yuna immediately nodded, her eyes wide. "There really is a ghost, Mr. Ruan! Please believe me."
"…" Ruan Xingzhou sighed, thinking about the younger generation's superstitions.
"As I recall from your personal file," he said with a serious tone, "you’re a party member."
The implication was clear: How can a party member be superstitious?
Yuna stiffened, unsure of how to respond. Ruan Xingzhou, with his usual lack of expression, continued, "I’ve read your file. I know you're a party member."
She stayed silent for a moment, then, feeling a touch of disdain in his tone, she had a strange thought: Mr. Ruan seems to be looking down on me!
Yuna was desperate to grab onto Ruan Xingzhou’s leg and yell, Mr. Ruan—there really is a ghost!
But, alas, Ruan Xingzhou couldn't hear her inner cries. He began lecturing her in a tone reminiscent of a host from a science show.
Yuna sat there, on the verge of tears, listening to his "scientific" explanation.
By the time it was 6 PM, the room had grown darker.
Ruan Xingzhou, feeling satisfied with his one-hour-long lesson on science, took a sip of tea and noticed how Yuna’s expression had gone from fear to complete blankness. Another troubled employee saved. That’s satisfying.
Just as he was about to tell her she could go home, the office lights suddenly flickered off with a loud 'bang,' and an eerie crying sound echoed from above.
Shocked, Yuna screamed like a terrified chipmunk, "There’s a ghost!"
She curled into a ball, clutching her head and crying out.
Meanwhile, Ruan Xingzhou, sitting behind his desk, frowned slightly. His first thought wasn't about the eerie phenomenon but about the fact that, after spending an hour explaining science, his new employee was still so superstitious.
His face darkened, and the atmosphere in the room turned heavy, even making the eerie crying stop for a few seconds.
The lights flickered back on—this time, they were green.
The eerie, sharp crying echoed louder than before, but oddly enough, no one outside the office came to check. It felt as if this space had been isolated.
Yuna, pale and trembling, curled up in the corner of the couch.
Just then, Ruan Xingzhou felt a cold breath on his neck, followed by a strange baby-like giggle.
Ruan Xingzhou, who was particularly sensitive to tickling, grimaced and, feeling certain this was some prank, stood up abruptly. When a hand landed on his shoulder, he grabbed it fiercely, swung it over his shoulder in a perfect throw, and sent the small, thin ghost flying two meters across the office!
Not done yet, he rolled up his sleeves, ready to throw a series of punches at the skinny ghost, his rage radiating from him.
Yuna, who had forgotten to scream, was frozen in shock. Despite the fear, I really want to say 666…
Author's Note:
Little Theater
Ruan Xingzhou: My neck is sensitive—no one is allowed to touch it!
Qian Ji: …
Ruan Xingzhou: Except for dragons.
Qian Ji: Oh.
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