I Wasn't Born Lucky

In the empty laundry room, there was only the sound of the washing machine running. The intermittent sounds of impact could almost be ignored. If the 'buzz' was blocked, an indistinct murmur could also be heard.

Xiao Li pressed his hand against the washing machine while pondering on a question. Could these clothes still be worn?

He remembered the little ghost's white hand that had grabbed his arm. It was covered in dust and looked like it had been through many kilograms of flours. It was 80% impossible.

…He knew he should've taken out his clothes before giving this little ghost a bath.

There was some heartache.

Xiao Li shuddered and looked out the window. He had set it for a quick wash and it would end in around 20 minutes. Xiao Li didn't intend to leave here. He just supported his chin and waited for time to pass.

20 minutes passed. In the midst of the quiet rain, the noise in the room quickly became calm.

Xiao Li reached out for the lid of the washing machine and saw that in the pile of clothes, the little ghost he impulsively washed was lying inside. There was a freshly washed appearance and some form in his mouth.

Xiao Li looked in and happened to meet the ghost's eye.

The little ghost who had just been spinning around, "……"

It was too sad to live. It would play Chopin in the rain!

Xiao Li wanted to say something but before he could speak, he heard footsteps coming from outside. He paused, immediately pulled out the dried clothes from the little ghost and closed the lid of the washing machine. Then he turned his head to look at Zhen Ziqiang who had entered the laundry room.

Zhen Ziqiang was dressed in a simple t-shirt and black jacket. He was holding clothes in his hands and was followed by Xiao Tu. Xiao Tu wasn't wearing her previous clothes. She had changed into loose pants and was looking up.

Zhen Ziqiang nodded at Xiao Li. Then his gaze moved past the other person's shoulder to the left-most washing machine. He wondered, "Why did I see a face in the middle washing machine that is vomiting bubbles?"

Xiao Li was silent for a moment. "You saw incorrectly."

Zhen Ziqiang: ???

He didn't dare say it but the head looked a bit like a ghost. However, it looked miserable and its mouth was spitting bubbles like a small goldfish…

Fuck, it was pretty cute. Zhen Ziqiang was scared by his own brain. He just wanted to open the lid of the washing machine when Xiao Li grabbed his hand. "Don't touch the one in the middle."

"…Why?"

Xiao Li couldn't say there was a freshly washed ghost inside and tried to change the topic. "I'm more curious about why you came here at night."

Zhen Ziqiang's eyes showed a hint of confusion. "It is because Xiao Tu's clothes are dirty."

Xiao Li glanced at Xiao Tu. The little girl was interested in the washing machine in the middle and a hint of fear, hesitation and curiosity appeared on her face.

Xiao Li asked, “Aren’t you afraid of encountering ghosts?”

This time, Zhen Ziqiang was silent for a while before replying, “I’m afraid but hasn’t the evil spirit’s kill quota been used up tonight?”

“Then what about the ghosts that belong to the hotel itself?”

In an instance world, there wouldn’t only be one ghost. There were many small ghosts that existed in their own right. In some instances, there were some fierce ghosts that went hand in hand with the boss ghost. A senior reincarnator would never be so lacking in vigilance.

Zhen Ziqiang replied, "I'm a bit worried but… we don't want to stay in the room."

Xiao Tu also showed a frightened expression and nodded vigorously. They previously said that they were more afraid of being in their room…

Xiao Li wondered, "What's wrong with your room?"

Zhen Ziqiang placed the clothes into the washing machine and fell into his memories while operating it. "I always feel that… something is looking at us."

He recalled this feeling and still felt terrified. "At first, the feeling came from outside the window. So I covered the window with something to block the gaze. It did work at the beginning but soon, I felt that rather than getting further away from me, the gaze got closer.

"Before last night, the sense of peeping was still there but now it is changed from outside the window to… inside the room.

"It is everywhere and this feeling can only be slightly weakened when I cover my head with the quilt every night. However, it still exists and will only increase in the middle of the night. That's why I would rather come out than stay in the room. At least there is no one deliberately peeping at me." Zhen Ziqiang smiled bitterly. "I also tried to change rooms or talk to others, but I'm afraid of the evil spirit and there are no other rooms in this hotel."

"A peeping feeling?" Xiao Li thought for a moment. "If you don't mind, can I go to your room and take a look?"

Zhen Ziqiang froze for a moment. He apparently hadn't expected Xiao Li to say this. "But… won't it be too dangerous for you?"

"It's fine."

Xiao Li's eyes flicked over Xiao Tu's body. The little girl smiled up sweetly at him and came to his side. "Thank you, big brother."

Zhen Ziqiang looked down and thought for a moment. Then he raised his head, responded positively and walked out of the laundry room with Xiao Li. Outside the laundry room, there was a long corridor leading to the lobby and then the stairs that can be used to walk upstairs.

Before they reached the lobby, they heard the sound of an object running against the floor as well as the sound of someone moving back and forth. Along with the heavy rain outside, it was creepy.

Xiao Tu hid behind Xiao Li and showed timidity. Xiao Li pushed open the door—

The lobby was very dark. No lights were turned on and only a shadow standing in the middle of the lobby could be seen. Xiao Li reached out and turned on the lights of the lobby so he could clearly see the figure.

It was a young woman in a dress—Peng Yue. Her head was down and she was mechanically wiping the floor of the lobby with a mop. The floor had been lightened by the repeated friction but Peng Yue still cleaned the floor repeatedly until Xiao Li suddenly opened the door and she looked up at them.

This scene was scary enough, especially when Peng Yue kept holding the mop and continued to clean the floor.

Xiao Li stared at her for a while. "You are diligent. Coming out so late to clean the floor?"

The nervous Zhen Ziqiang, "……"

He was afraid this sister here wasn't cleaning the floor but someone's life.

Peng Yue stared at him for a while before smiling. This smile had a clown-like arc and was very exaggerated. She looked directly at Xiao Li and replied, "It is dirty."

Truthfully, the place where she mopped was already very clean. Forget dust, there wasn't a single piece of hair present.

Xiao Li nodded. "Then you continue. The doorway is quite dirty and you can also clean here. Work hard and go to bed early."

Peng Yue, "……"

He bypassed Peng Yue who was cleaning the floor and walked upstairs.

"Eh… eh?!" Zhen Ziqiang reacted slowly after half a beat. He moved around Peng Yue like a frightened cat and followed Xiao Li with Xiao Tu. "Just… you're just going to let her keep mopping?"

Xiao Li asked back, "So what do you want? Stop her from working?"

Zhen Ziqiang was speechless. Now that Xiao Li asked him in reverse, he felt that his reaction was rather silly. But… but this was a normal person's reaction. Peng Yue clearly had a problem at first glance. Why was this person so calm?

Xiao Li ignored him and continued to walk up. After going to the second floor, they could no longer see Peng Yue. Then Xiao Tu pulled his sleeve.

Xiao Li looked down. "What is it?"

Xiao Tu's face was full of hesitation. "I…I want to tell you something. Will you believe Xiao Tu?"

Xiao Li crouched down, stared into the little girl's eyes and calmly asked, "What is it?"

Zhen Ziqiang tried to stop it. "Xiao Tu, don't talk nonsense."

Xiao Li told her, "It's fine. You tell me and I'll listen."

Xiao Tu timidly glanced at her brother, put her finger in her mouth again and whispered, "Actually… I was lying previously when everyone was present."

Xiao Li didn't interject and waited for Xiao Tu to continue.

Xiao Tu glanced at the stairs and then leaned toward Xiao Li's ear. "I saw something but I didn't dare say it in front of the big sister. I followed her in the backyard. Through the rain curtain, I saw her disappear."

Xiao Li raised an eyebrow. "Disappear?"

Xiao Tu nodded vigorously. "Yes, the tree isn't far from the yard. My eyesight is good but I saw… her disappear. Then a minute later, she reappeared under the tree and started to pick fruits."

Zhen Ziqiang had obviously heard his sister say this before. He looked sneakily around him and lowered his voice. "Xiao Tu, I told you that you might've seen it wrong."

"I wasn't mistaken. She really disappeared. I took a closer look and due to that, the mud on the railings got on my clothes." Xiao Tu shook her head to deny it. "I was scared at that time so I didn't dare say anything. I was afraid of being retaliated."

"So why tell me this now?"

"Because… big brother is a good person. I like you."

Xiao Li stood up again and walked deeper into the corridor. "So you suspect Peng Yue is the evil spirit?"

Zhen Ziqiang kept up with him. "You saw it. She is too suspicious…"

Xiao Li illuminated each room number with a flashlight. Then he stopped in front of a room. "Your room?"

"No no, one more." Zhen Ziqiang hurriedly spoke. "You—"

"Can I go straight in?"'

"Yes…" Zhen Ziqiang couldn't help replying.

Xiao Li successfully avoided the topic. He tested the door handle and found it was unlocked, so he pushed open the door and entered the room.

The room was dark and there was no light. Xiao Li fumbled to turn on the light and saw everything in the room. It wasn't much different from his room. The window was covered with white cloth and the cloth was hung from the ceiling with a hook.

However, the moment he gazed in, he felt a gaze on his back.

Zhen Ziqiang and Xiao Tu took a small step inside without closing the door. The darkness outside the door seemed like it would come in at any time.

The author has something to say:

@Say it to Moriarty bot, contributing a small story.

1- Years ago, she accidentally found out about her fiance and her sister. She was swept out of the house due to her ugly appearance and lived on the streets. Before the first ray of sunshine in winter, she died on the streets and became a fierce ghost. After taking revenge on the initiator, she wanted to kill the passersby. Then she suddenly looked up at the horizon and saw the clouds in the sky forming a line of words: Ghost, Moriarty is coming. Run away.

Comment 1: Wait… why am I looking at this bot? Isn't this short story about Sherlock?

2: Here comes trouble (fight, fight!)

3: Don't cue Sherlock. Still, now that he's mentioned, I'll just add #ghost nemesis Sherlock, alien human Sherlock, deranged Sherlock, make one's hair stand up in anger Sherlock#

4. Isn't there any control here? Do you think we wouldn't see it? Can't you tell whose bot this is? #inhuman Moriarty, unheard of Moriarty, extremely vicious Moriarty, seventh strange story Moriarty#

5. What is this? This is the first time I'm seeing this type of prefix battle. I first laugh with respect (ballball don't play again!)