HEIFEIGU -Chapter 12

After hanging still for a while, the hair slowly retreated.

The ghost girl withdrew her bloody locks.

When Xie Jixing looked up, he saw a girl in traditional bridal clothes sitting on a beam, rolling her eyes at him.

Wow. I really want to keep her.

But girls are expensive…

Looking at his empty balance, he decided he couldn’t afford it yet.

He regretfully looked away.

Nearby, the escape room owner was enthusiastically explaining his design.

“Look at this makeup box and silver hairpin. Doesn’t it instantly set the mood? Imagine, in a gloomy late-Qing mansion…”

Xie Jixing picked up the hairpin and pouted.

With that amount of hair, it wouldn’t hold anything.

Lunch was pork cutlet with pickled vegetable noodle soup and a marinated egg.

After finishing the tour, Xie Jixing was the last to leave.

He flashed a bright smile at the empty beam and waved goodbye.

The ghost girl rolled her eyes until they turned completely black and floated away.

He took his lunch and went to his usual corner.

This time, the crew gave him a stool and an apple crate—just the right height.

After taking a bite, Ning Yan sneaked over.

“Xingxing, check what I sent you on WeChat.”

It was a link.

He clicked it—and was hit with photos of himself eating chicken legs.

Why were these people so bored? Why always target him?

He didn’t bother typing.

He started a livestream.

Some worried fans were waiting.

More haters were waiting to mock him.

The scene was shabby:

A steaming takeout box in front, half-eaten pork chop on top, and Xie Jixing still in makeup behind.

【Did… we come to the wrong stream?】

【Isn’t this a pretty female streamer?】

“Let me explain a few things,” Xie Jixing sneered.

“‘Popular idol’?”

【Wife! My wife! Your makeup is so pretty!】

【That look of disdain—step on me, wife!】

【Teacher, this isn’t a deserted zone!】

“These trash marketing accounts really know how to flatter me,” he said.

“Can I sue them for rumors? When was I ever popular?”

Haters: ????

Wait—he blocked our path again?!

“‘500 yuan a day temp worker’…”

That should be mockable, right?

【So washed up he takes 500-yuan jobs.】

【Calls others trash but isn’t worth much himself.】

【Trash! Trash! Trash!】

Xie Jixing asked sincerely:

“So do you guys make 500 a day? Do you get three meals? Pork cutlets for lunch?”

Silence.

Heart attack.

They switched tactics.

【How promising. Can’t be an idol, so you’re an extra.】

【Soon you won’t even be an extra.】

“I’m not professionally trained,” he said calmly.

“Of course I start as an extra and learn slowly.”

“Otherwise… those people, those things… haven’t you seen enough?”

【He didn’t name names, but why did I instantly think of ‘those people’?】

【Dear capitalists’ ugly kids, please spare us.】

【I’d rather watch Xingxing eat. Be a mukbang streamer!】

“Same old saying: If you’re bad, practice more.”

He took another sip.

“You’ve been at this for days, and you’re still copying my old lines.”

“You can’t even break my skin.”

“And stop getting brainwashed by garbage accounts.”

“People who look down on 500 yuan—do they even make that themselves?”

“Is 500 not respectable?”

“Most ordinary people don’t even earn that much, but they contribute more to society than these anxiety-selling accounts!”

“Not just 500. 200, 100—anyone who lives by their own hands deserves respect.”

“And if your pay is too low, go argue with your labor bureau.”

He finished his soup.

“Xingxing, gather soon!” Ning Yan called.

He waved.

“Bye. See you next time.”

Stream ended.

The afternoon was busy—running, crawling, acting as a ghost.

He returned exhausted.

Phone fell on his face.

He fell asleep.

He had no idea that the topic—

#Is500YuanADayReallyNotWorthyOfRespect

—was already trending.

One post read:

【Since graduating, I’ve been anxious.

Social media keeps telling me how successful others are.

I work overtime and do side jobs.

After six years, I finally reached 500 yuan a day.

Everyone says I’m a failure.

Even I believe it.

But after watching that livestream today, I realized:

Maybe I’m not broken.

Maybe the world is.

Is a daily wage of 500 really not worthy of respect?

I can support myself, and now I can even support a cat. Although I live in a rented apartment, I can decorate it to be cozy and warm. I pay my taxes on time every month.

Just like that little idol who was mocked said—there are many people who probably earn even less than I do.

Are they not working hard enough?

No. They might be working even harder than I am.

So first, we have to affirm ourselves and respect ourselves.

Today is another day to be proud of surviving and living well!】

Many people echoed these words, sharing the emotional struggles they faced in this restless era.

When you open social media, it seems like everyone is driving luxury cars, living in villas, wearing designer brands, and traveling around the world. Only you are running around day after day just to survive.

Every day, you wonder if you’ve been abandoned by society and by the times.

But today, seeing a good-looking little idol squatting casually by the roadside, gnawing on ribs and slurping noodles while telling everyone that no matter how much you earn, as long as you rely on your own hands to make a living, you deserve respect—somehow, that anxiety was gently healed.

It turns out that many people are just like me.

Even when things go badly, even when they’re mocked and fall into low points, they still eat heartily and keep trying to live well.

On the other hand, those marketing accounts that led the mocking and spread anxiety were either attacked online or reported.

These accounts usually posted sensational content that promoted unhealthy values just for traffic. After being reported en masse, they were naturally banned indefinitely.

The two companies were completely dumbfounded.

They had only wanted to team up to sabotage a washed-up idol. How did it escalate into “guiding incorrect social values”?

A large batch of marketing accounts was shut down, causing heavy losses. The two managers were scolded mercilessly, grinding their teeth in anger.

Jiang Zhengqi’s company even cut some of his original promotional resources.

But none of this had anything to do with Xie Jixing.

What mattered more was what to eat for breakfast tomorrow.

When Xie Jixing woke up, he sat on the bed and rubbed his eyes.

Huh? Why did my Faith Value increase so much?

Was he seeing things?

He rubbed again.

It really had increased a lot.

That meant he could start daring to dream a little—like raising another daughter or something.

Today, he had to receive several groups of tourists. When it was time to work, he put on a costume that had been awkwardly lengthened with extra fabric and wore a wig. Then he hid in the back courtyard, waiting to scare people.

From the outside, his hiding place looked like a woodshed—dark, narrow, and completely lightless.

The female ghost was hanging upside down from a beam, only one meter away from him.

Xie Jixing wasn’t afraid at all. He took out his phone, called the unlucky ghost over, and scrolled together.

Seeing that the trending topic was still extremely popular, he finally understood why his Faith Value had grown.

Not only that, his social media account had gained a wave of followers. Though it was only about ten thousand, every single one was real.

He posted the selfie from his audition—where his nostrils were in the center—and a photo of his wonton noodles from breakfast.

Business mode: on.

As soon as he posted, comments appeared.

【Xingxing, promise Mom you’ll use your face properly!】

【The noodles look delicious. When will my wife do mukbang again?】

After scrolling a bit, he logged out.

Fans loved turning his rib-eating photos into memes and GIFs. The traffic was unstoppable.

Since the tourists were still in the front yard, he picked up a novel he hadn’t finished reading.

As he read, he felt colder and colder behind him.

A strand of hair with a faint bloody scent brushed against his cheek. The female ghost had moved completely behind him, staring intently at his phone with eerie eyes.

Xie Jixing slyly turned off the screen.

The words vanished.

The ghost’s black hair instantly surged, wrapping toward him.

Damn it! Why turn it off now?!

Did those two kiss or not?!

The female ghost was extremely anxious.

“The next chapters are paid. If you want to read…”

Xie Jixing pulled the unlucky ghost over, tugged at his mouth into a lifeless smile, while he himself smiled brightly. Blue ghostly flames flickered at his fingertips.

“You can choose to join this family.”

A contract?

The ghost pouted.

She had finally died. Though she couldn’t leave the house, she was much freer than when alive. No way she wanted a contract.

She withdrew her hair, tossed her head proudly, and floated away.

If I can’t read, then fine! Kiss or don’t kiss!

“Girls are really hard to chase,” Xie Jixing muttered, stroking his chin and looking at the unlucky ghost.

What are you planning now?

The unlucky ghost’s black aura stood on end.

“You used to be an idol, right? Why don’t you contact her privately?”

The unlucky ghost widened his hollow eyes, then lowered them shyly.

“N-No… I’m a bottom…”