Chen Ge's haunted house was very famous in Jiujiang. There were tons of videos about it online, and some netizens had even Photoshopped pictures of Chen Ge swinging his hammer into memes. So in his eyes, being recognized was perfectly normal.
"Which scenario are you planning to play?"
"We've already cleared all the one-star scenarios. Today we're going to take on Muyang High School." The one who spoke up was a girl—ordinary-looking, quite tall, with a slightly nasal voice and calluses on her palms. She looked like she might be on a women's basketball team.
"The two-star scenarios are much scarier than the one-star ones, so be prepared." Chen Ge waved them over. "Come this way. Sign the liability waiver first."
Chen Ge handed out the waivers to the group of young people. He was standing off to the side and hadn't paid much attention, thinking they were just ordinary visitors.
That is, until he caught sight of one of the girls' names. He suddenly realized something was off.
"Liu Xianxian? Isn't this Gao Ruxue's roommate?"
Chen Ge glanced at the other waivers. The tall girl who had spoken earlier had written her name on hers—Ma Ying.
If it were just one person, it could have been a coincidence—same name, different person. But the odds of two people sharing the exact same names by chance were astronomically small.
What were they doing at his haunted house?
Chen Ge had just received a notification from the Black Phone, and right after, Liu Xianxian and Ma Ying had walked into the haunted house. This put him on high alert. He sidled up to the group and said casually, "You're students from Jiujiang Forensic Medical College, aren't you?"
The moment those words left his mouth, all five young people looked up, visibly nervous—as though they'd just been spotted by some kind of creep.
"How did you guess that?" Liu Xianxian was standing closest to Chen Ge. A faint whiff of perfume drifted from her.
"Not only do I know you're from Jiujiang Forensic Medical College, I also know you've got something weighing on your mind, and you came here to the haunted house to blow off some steam." Chen Ge was being deliberately cryptic, but the key was that he actually made a fair bit of sense. "Three guys and two girls on a tour, yet the two of you girls are clinging to each other and haven't so much as glanced at those male classmates. I'd say your heart already belongs to someone, and you're troubled about it."
Chen Ge's words hit Liu Xianxian right where it hurt. Her small mouth fell open, surprised. "People online say you're an expert in psychology, but I never believed it. Having seen it in person today, I'm convinced."
Liu Xianxian's response was as good as a confession. The three male classmates standing nearby all looked a little disappointed.
Perhaps driven by curiosity, Liu Xianxian pressed Chen Ge with one more question: "Boss, do you think that person and I could actually get together?"
Chen Ge hesitated briefly, recalling what the Phone Ghost had said during its earlier call. After a moment, he put on a thoughtful show and shook his head. "I can only analyze your state of mind from your expressions, micro-expressions, and body language. I've never met the person you like, so I can't draw any conclusions. If you trust me, you could bring me to see them in person, and I'll give you a satisfying answer."
"Really?" Liu Xianxian seemed desperate to know whether the man actually liked her back. She was genuinely tempted by Chen Ge's offer.
"Xian, the boss is just messing with you. You're not actually buying this, are you?" Ma Ying draped an arm over Liu Xianxian's shoulders. The two of them clearly had a very close relationship.
"I'm not joking at all. Jiujiang Forensic Medical College students have been regular customers here for a long time, which is exactly why I want to help you out. I might notice something wrong with someone else, but I can't be bothered to speak up." Chen Ge had a hunch that one of the two—Liu Xianxian or Ma Ying—was very likely a special visitor, which was why he'd said so much.
Seeing her roommate waver yet again, Ma Ying rubbed her temples. "Whatever makes you happy."
"It's not like I'll lose anything by trying." Liu Xianxian exchanged phone numbers with Chen Ge. "Boss, don't take what my roommate said to heart. That's just how she is—blunt and carefree, saying whatever comes to mind."
Chen Ge put his phone away and shot a glance at Ma Ying. "Blunt and carefree? I'd say your roommate has just as much weighing on her mind as you do."