Many guests walked by while I lingered in the doorway. Several said hello to me, but many of them began whispering as soon as they were a few paces away. It seemed I was the talk of the building. I'd even heard some guests speculating on whether I'd switched from being a waiter to a pimp. After all, whenever they saw me at the hotel, I was always in the bar.
Unfortunately, I knew I eventually had to go in and do my job. I walked slowly, taking my time with each footstep. However, I soon found myself in front of the bar top. Luckily for me, Lulu seemed to have run off somewhere.
I found two trays on the bar with notes indicating which tables they should go to. I quickly busied myself taking the trays to the guests, and soon I felt like nothing between me and Lulu had happened at all. Whenever I left the bar with a tray, Lulu would prepare the next ones in advance, and it seemed like every time I approached the bar, she was crouching down to find something or working off to the side. I was grateful that we were able to get our work done without discussing the event. After all, I had no idea how to even broach the topic.
However, after some time had passed, I began worrying about where I'd sleep that night.
Should I go to Lulu's room? Oh, my god. No. I can't go back there. It would be too embarrassing. But my keys and toiletries are still in her room. I'll just go buy a new toothbrush. No, it's too late. Everywhere's closed. It's fine, I'll just brush my teeth another day. But my keys…
By the end of the day, I'd decided that I had to talk to Lulu, and I steadied myself to approach her. However, as I walked to find her, I heard someone laughing with her. The voice was so loud that I was sure everyone in the building could hear it. I turned the corner and saw a beautiful woman teasing Lulu.
"Lulu, is Wu Rui still staying with you tonight?"
I heard Lulu sputter and then say something in a low, angry voice, her face flushing. The beautiful woman giggled and immediately ran to the second floor as Lulu chased after her.
Well, that's that. Time to find somewhere else to live.
I thought about where I could go. I knew no one was at my mom's house tonight, but I didn't have the key. I couldn't ask her or Witch Yan where to go, because they knew I was supposed to be staying in the Ghost House and would ask what had happened. The idea of explaining the situation to my mom was so horrifying that I suddenly felt eager to go talk to Lulu just to avoid that conversation. In fact, I was pretty sure I'd rather die than have that conversation.
However, as soon as I stepped on the first stair, Sister Hua called out to me from the second floor. I looked up to see her leaning over the railing. Once I looked up, she smiled and said, "What do you think you're doing?"
My cheeks flushed instantly. I began to stammer when Sister Hua cried out, "Lulu, Wu Rui is coming up!"
Suddenly, the railing was lined with the female ghosts of the house laughing and pushing each other while pointing at me. Some were cheering me on while others hid enormous smiles behind their hands.
"Wu Rui, go!"
"We support you!"
"Go get your girl!"
"You showed Lulu yours yesterday! Go see hers today!" The girl who said this sentence was immediately whacked over the head by several of the other girls.
I didn't know if it was my imagination, but I thought I saw someone watching the scene from the third-floor railing.
I stayed on the first step for a while, embarrassed. At that moment, I realized I could have called Wu Jian or gone to a hotel. In fact, it might have been a better idea to sleep on the street than endure this humiliation.
"Well, well, that's enough," a cold voice said humorlessly. I looked up to see Lulu, her face redder than mine felt. Immediately, the other girls began cackling louder than before and amp up their teasing. I heard a few girls call me her lover and ask when we were getting married.
Oh, my god. Lulu, why didn't you just stay in your room? If you hadn't come out, this could've been finished in private.
Lulu had clearly had enough of the teasing and with her face screwed up in anger shouted, "Wu Rui, come up and stay with me."
The girls were beside themselves, falling all over each other and shouting as loudly as a thunderstorm. Over the chaos, I shouted up to Lulu, "No, no. It's fine. I'll find a chair in the street to sleep in."
Suddenly, the flush on Lulu's face disappeared and her skin resumed its usual cold whiteness. A moment later, I felt my own face do the same.
Did I just tell Lulu that I'd rather sleep in the street than be around her? Oh, no. This isn't good.
The other girls had grown quiet and they looked at me with mean expressions as though they wanted to destroy me.
I coughed and quickly said, "I'm just joking. Your bed is much more comfortable."
Lulu's cheeks went red again as the girls all cried in unison, "Oooo…."
Could I ever say the right thing?
I sighed and began to walk up the stairs. The girls counted off as I ascended: "One step, two steps, three steps, ah!"
I seemed to have forgotten how to walk. After three steps, I'd put one foot in front of the other and nearly tripped over myself. All of the girls began laughing. Even Lulu could not help but smile.
Sister Hua, you're the boss here. What are you doing letting them laugh like this? They'll disturb the guests, I thought bitterly.
It took me nearly ten minutes to climb to the second floor. By the time I arrived, I was covered in sweat as though I'd just emerged from a shower. The girls stood on either side of the railing, welcoming me to their floor. As for Lulu, she turned and went into her room the moment I arrived.
I approached the entrance to her room with difficulty. When I was nearly there, Sister Hua clapped me on the shoulder and said, "Work hard. You see, Lulu's gone ahead to prepare for your arrival."
"Sister Hua!" Lulu shrieked from inside the room.
The girls dissolved into laughter again as they floated back to their rooms leaving me alone in the hallway. I stood shyly in front of the door to Lulu's room.
At that moment, I suddenly remembered the dream I'd had of being Lulu's groom. I felt my heartbeat grow stronger and faster.
Lulu's door was open, but a beaded curtain hung down from the ceiling, obscuring my view of what was going on inside. I stood in the doorway, thinking about what to say to Lulu. I opened my mouth but nothing came out.
"A half hour during a spring night is worth a thousand gold coins! Every minute of a wedding night is precious! Hurry up!" Sister Voice cried from down the hall.
What is she doing? She can't even see me right now! I thought exasperatedly.
Suddenly, I felt a swift kick on my behind shove me forward into the room. As I stumbled forward, I heard laughter in the hallway.
How on Earth did I find such crazy ghosts as housemates?