Chapter 23: The Banquet

Ling Yiran returned to the Underworld and handed a box of cigarettes and a box of alcohol to Old Yang.

Old Yang’s hands trembled with excitement when he saw the words “Special Supply” printed on the packaging. “Special supply cigarettes and alcohol? Xiao Ling, where did you get these?”

Ling Yiran chuckled, “Someone helped me get them.”

Old Yang opened one of the bottles and took a whiff, instantly overjoyed. “It’s the real deal, absolutely genuine.”

“How do you know it’s real? Have you tried it before?”

“I have, but that was a hundred years ago. Haven’t had a taste of special supply goods since then. Only high-ranking officials in the Human World can get their hands on these. Ordinary folks can’t even dream of it. You’ve done well, getting your hands on special supply cigarettes and alcohol. By the way, the money I gave you isn’t even enough to buy a single pack of special supply cigarettes, right? How much more do you need? I’ll make up the difference.”

Each box contained fifty packs of cigarettes and twenty bottles of alcohol, which was quite a hefty sum.

“No need, consider it my respect for you.”

Old Yang didn’t stand on ceremony. “Thanks.”

This was quite a favor to owe.

Old Yang took out a cigarette and sniffed it, casually remarking, “These are really good. No wonder the old guys would risk punishment to get them.”

His words hinted that Ling Yiran could use these goodies to bribe his superiors or other old ghosts if needed. Ling Yiran caught on and smiled, “I’ll bring you more good stuff if I come across any.”

“Sounds good.”

“I’m heading back to the dorm.” Ling Yiran returned to the dormitory entrance, only to find Shi Yi leaning against the door with his arms crossed, watching him.

Shi Yi snorted, “You went to the Human World again? What did you promise me before? You said you’d study hard and smack Liu Mengqi in the face. And now look at what you’re doing.”

Ling Yiran draped an arm over his shoulder and led him into the dorm. “Don’t be mad. Look at what I brought you.”

“What did you bring?” Shi Yi’s attention was immediately diverted.

With a wave of his hand, four boxes of special supply cigarettes and alcohol appeared before them. “Two boxes each for you and your dad.”

“Holy crap, holy crap, it’s all special supply stuff! Yiran, where did you get this?” Shi Yi excitedly examined the special supply alcohol. “I’ve been a ghost officer for so long, and this is the first time I’ve seen special supply cigarettes and alcohol. You know, they used to be stuff of legends.”

“My juniors helped me get them.”

“Why don’t I have juniors like that?” Shi Yi took out a cigarette and sniffed it. Even though he hadn’t smoked special supply cigarettes before, he could tell it was top-notch.

Ling Yiran sat down and asked, “Were you waiting for me at the door?”

“Yeah, the boss just told me that Ghost Month is approaching. He asked if we wanted to patrol the Human World during that time. Our performance will count towards our upgrade exam scores.” Shi Yi put the cigarette back and took out the alcohol to sniff it. “This is our best chance to earn money and upgrade. I agreed on your behalf, so I came here to let you know. It means that during Ghost Month, we’ll be staying in the Human World during the day and won’t need to return to the Underworld.”

Ghost Month is the seventh month of the lunar calendar in the Human World. On the first day of the month, the ghost gate opens, releasing all sorts of ghosts until the thirtieth day when the gate closes. During this period, ghost officers must patrol to prevent any ghostly chaos.

“Looks like we’ll be busy.”

“Yeah, you won’t have time to study. You should hit the books now. After Ghost Month, it’s the upgrade exam. Plus, being exposed to the sun will deplete your yin energy. You should cut back on trips to the Human World and take care of yourself.”

Ling Yiran had the same thought and planned to rest in the Underworld for a few days before heading to the Human World for a banquet over the weekend.

The banquet was scheduled for noon on Saturday at the Golden Fortune Hotel. But even before noon, luxury cars started filling the hotel’s parking lot.

Ling Zhen opened the car door for Ling Yiran. “Little Ancestor, I saw Major Xing’s car.”

Ling Yiran saw it too.

Ling Zhen noticed Ling Yiran staring at Xing Han’s car and teased, “You haven’t visited Major Xing in his dreams these past few days. You must miss him a lot. But don’t worry, you’ll not only see your Major Xing today, but you’ll also meet his parents.”

“…” Ling Yiran rolled his eyes at him and followed Ling Sisong and the others into the elevator, heading up to the seventh-floor banquet hall.

The moment the staff saw it was the Ling family, they quickly ushered them inside.

The bustling hall quieted down significantly as the Ling family arrived. Well, to be precise, it was Ling Yiran who caught everyone’s attention.