Yan Zhu was born with yin-yang eyes. While other babies saw all kinds of plush toys, the first thing he saw was a ghost who'd died a violent death, clinging to his cradle and performing a head-removal trick. A hanging ghost spun from a beam nearby, clapping along for it. That night, his wails could be heard for miles.
His eyes were so unusual that, starting at the age of four, his grandmother took him everywhere to catch ghosts. Yan Zhu figured he'd picked up plenty of less-than-reputable ghost-catching tricks by watching her.
Unfortunately, his grandmother didn't live long. Everyone said it was because she'd dealt with too many ghosts.
But he didn't think so. His grandmother had told him it was an illness he'd been born with, and that no one was to blame.
Yan Zhu thought it over. Fine, then. He could take over his grandmother's line of work.
"These bracelets are my grandma's exclusive design. They're the real deal. They'll bring you incredible luck when catching ghosts."
"Once you put it on, you can't take it off. Swear it to me. If you do, I'll haunt you even after I'm dead!"
Even now, Yan Zhu remembered what his grandmother had said when she learned, shortly before dying, that he planned to keep catching ghosts. Those words scared him so much that, with tears in his eyes, he solemnly put on the bracelet. He even stood by her bedside and swore an oath that he would never take it off in his life.
And so, word spread far and wide of a little celestial master with the worst luck imaginable.
Whenever Yan Zhu thought of it, his fists clenched in fury. His hand trembled, and the evil ghost he'd just caught immediately slipped away. It was the 150th ghost to escape since he'd put on the bracelet!
He wasn't going to believe in this nonsense!
Yan Zhu flew into a rage and chased after it. Just as he was about to catch it again, his bad luck struck once more. A branch flew under his perfectly unobstructed feet, tripping him up. He crashed hard into a man, and the two of them fell to the ground.
But, unexpectedly, this time he was still clutching the ghost he'd let escape when his hand trembled. Was his luck finally about to turn?
Yan Zhu grinned, scrambled up, and sent it straight to the afterlife.
After five whole years, he'd finally caught another ghost!
Once he saw the ghost disappear for good, Yan Zhu could hardly stop himself from jumping up and howling at the sky. His blazing gaze fell on the handsome passerby he'd knocked down. He straightened his crooked hat, stepped forward, and warmly clasped the man's hand. "Hey, buddy, interested in getting into ghost-catching?"
Theme: Good luck is always waiting for you in the end
