Chapter 5 Do Not Go

• “Why, Grandma?” I asked in surprise.
• For the first time, my grandmother looked at me with a tender smile. “I'm old and not as useful as before,” she said. “You're still young and shouldn't be trapped by this matchmaking agency!”
• Tears welled up in my eyes.
• “Grandma, I promise to manage it well!”
• I couldn't bear to shut down the matchmaking agency, though really, the crux of the matter was that I had just collected money from the client yesterday. If I couldn't find a suitable female ghost as Jayden's match, I would have to offer myself up.
• My grandmother looked at me suspiciously, “Weren't you always against it?”
• I feared my grandmother would notice something was amiss, so I quickly said, “But this is the fruit of your labor, and it's also my first ever job. I don't want to give up halfway!”
• Grandma fell silent for quite a while before finally nodding. “If only your father had half your determination! That ungrateful son.”
• Grandma continued to ramble on for quite a while before she eventually left, allowing me to breathe a sigh of relief.
• I pulled out my mobile phone, glanced at the number displayed on the screen, and called Zachary.
• “What's up, Addie?”
• The playful tone of Zachary's voice drifted through the receiver. He was an employee at the funeral home, and I relied heavily on him for much of my business.
• After I explained the situation and the generous reward, Zachary immediately agreed to take the case.
• I proceeded to call each of my subordinates one after the other, informing them to set aside any deceased young and beautiful women under the age of thirty for me. I made it clear that cost was not an issue.
• Upon hearing the prospects of a windfall, everyone expressed their interest, insisting that they would notify me once a suitable candidate was discovered.
• After hanging up the phone, I indulged in a delightful meal, spending the rest of my day in the quiet environment of the matchmaking agency.
• In the evening, when it was time to close up shop, I promptly locked up.
• Since it was still early, I was about to play some computer games for a while when suddenly, the matchmaking agency was plunged into darkness.
• The power went out again.
• I was at a loss for words. This area was the old part of town where power and water outages were a common occurrence. To me, it was nothing out of the ordinary.
• Luckily, I wasn't short of candles.
• I had just lit one candle when out of nowhere, a gust of wind extinguished the candle.
• I glanced around the room, puzzled. The doors and windows are all securely shut, so how could the candle be blown out?
• I lit it once more, only for it to be snuffed out again.
• I shivered, casting a nervous glance around me. There was nothing. Just as I was about to try again, I felt as though someone was standing behind me.
• The sensation sent a shiver down my spine, leaving me completely stiff. I didn't dare to look back. I could only stand there, my heart pounding rapidly. That chilling feeling was right behind me.
• I gritted my teeth and abruptly turned around.
• Using the light from my phone, I saw nothing behind me.
• I breathed a sigh of relief.
• At that moment, someone knocked on the front door.
• Startled, I opened the door and saw Noelle outside.
• “What's going on? Why did you ignore the banging for so long?” Noelle stood at the doorway, peering into the room. “It's so dark; has the power gone out again?”
• “Yeah, that's just how things are around here!” I said, my mind clearly elsewhere.
• “Your grandma isn't around, right?” Noelle asked in a hushed tone.
• “Nope!”
• Noelle heaved a sigh of relief, adding, “That's perfect! Let's hit the nightclub!”
• “Me too?”
• “Yeah!”
• “What am I supposed to do?” I asked, puzzled.
• Noelle found herself in a bit of a predicament.
• “What's wrong?” I sensed that she seemed to be harboring some unspoken troubles.
• After some hesitation, Noelle finally confessed, “I was planning to quit my job today, but Sarah from the nightclub wouldn't let me. I want to confront her about it. Will you come with me for moral support?”
• I understood then.
• Noelle attended a reputable university, but her family was financially strained. Consequently, she took up a part-time gig at a nightclub. Given her striking beauty, she always managed to sell more drinks than others, bringing in a substantial profit for the nightclub. Hence, it was understandable why Sarah, the club's manager, was reluctant to let her leave.
• Since Noelle was about to graduate, she certainly couldn't continue doing this kind of work for much longer.
• “Okay!” I agreed, nodding my head. Noelle had introduced me to such a significant business deal, and I hadn't properly thanked her yet. Now that she was in need, I simply couldn't stand idly by.
• “Give me a moment! I'm just going to change!” I said.
• “Mm-hmm!”
• I switched on my phone's flashlight and headed upstairs to change my clothes. Just as I was about to descend the stairs, I suddenly heard a soft whisper in my ear, “Don't go!”
• I promptly grabbed my bag and fled downstairs.