Capturing My Demon King Costar

MY COSTAR HAS SOMETHING TO TELL ME

Xie Bian refuses to elaborate, and only demands that Yao Shen get to the Wuji pavilion at once, because the ghost is growing more annoying by the second.

"I'm getting really tired of our evening plans being interrupted," he grumbles, while putting on some clothes. He has walked all over Youdu in his pyjamas often enough.

Xin Hulei, who's also getting dressed, offers him an enigmatic smile. "I'll make it up to you."

And just like that, Yao Shen isn't that bothered anymore.

He opens a doorway for them, and the next moment they step into Youdu.

The sky above their heads shimmers in its perpetual twilight, and the faint scent of fruit that has gone ripe in the sun fills their nostrils.

Something in Yao Shen always feels comforted whenever he's in Youdu. He doesn't know what the future will look like, considering he isn't a full-fledged ghost king, and therefore not immortal, but maybe one day, after he's ready to retire. He'd like to stay here for good.

He has never fit in all that well in human realm, so maybe Youdu is where he's meant to be.

Xin Hulei remains silent by his side as they cross the Wuiji's pavilion courtyard. The sound of raised voices becomes clearer as they draw nearer to the pavilion.

"If he isn't here in the next five minutes, I'm going to-"

"You're going to what?" Yao Shen asks, interrupting Xie Bian's tirade.

Xie Bian slides the pavilion's door open with a loud thud and glares at Yao Shen from across the doorway.

"Finally," he reaches towards Yao Shen and pulls him in into the house.

Inside the pavilion, Fan Wujiu is sitting pleasantly in front of a low table with Jia Hao, who looks up immediately as soon as he hears someone else walk in.

"Ah, what a relief, you're finally here," he says standing up to his feet.

He's still wearing the incredibly gaudy 90's b-boy clothing Yao Shen first saw him in. Neon hi-tops and almost vomit inducing windbreaker included.

Yao Shen gestures vaguely at the scene in front of him, trying to encompass both Jia Hao's presence and Xie Bian's disgruntledness about it. "What's all this then?"

"I need to go back to the mortal realm."

Xie Bian glares at him. "I've been trying to tell him this isn't a two-way street! He either reincarnates or he stays here." He turns his powerful glare onto Yao Shen. "You know, this is all your fault. Ever since you came here, people have been treating Youdu like their personal resort."

Xin Hulei silent until now, steps forward. His gaze sweeps over Jia Hao before settling on Fan Wujiu. "How long has he been here?"

"A week or so."

Yao Shen and Xin Hulei exchange a look. That would have been around the time that Jia Hao stopped answering Gao Wu for good.

Yao Shen takes a seat at the table next to Fan Wujiu and opposite Jia Hao. "Ok, explain yourself, start from the beginning."

---

Jia Hao's story doesn't diverge much from what Yao Shen and Xin Hulei already figured out by putting together the text message conversations.

He and Gao Wu got close, he eventually came clean about being a ghost, something Gao Wu had no problem with, besides the whole "violating of the laws of nature", but he got over that quickly.

According to Jia Hao, they would also call each other. It was during one of those calls that Gao Wu revealed what happened with Yao Shen and Xin Hulei.

"That left him really shaken up," Jia Hao says, his eyes wide. "He didn't tell me all the details, but he was even more depressed after that."