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938words2026-01-26 09:03

I'm almost broke.
I glanced at the balance on my phone.

Wow,it's only$4.44.It's like it's cursing me to die,isn't it?
I silently call out in my heart,"Oh my God."
At least it gave me some psychological comfort.
A message about an order flashed on my phone.
"You have received a new Meituan order.The address is No.XX,Building XX,Road XX,District C."
The light under the streetlamp made me feel a bit dazed.When I came to my senses,in the glass of the clothing store opposite,my own reflection was shown.

I was wearing a bright yellow delivery uniform,holding a phone with a nearly shattered screen,and there was a small scooter beside me.
Now,I'm a night-shift food delivery rider.
District C,that place.Haven't I heard that it's been abandoned for a long time?
Driving in this dim old urban area on a summer night is really something.

How dirty,chaotic,and poor is this place?
Two cold gusts of night wind somehow blew into my neck,making my skin break out in goosebumps.
For some reason,the moment I drove into District C,the stuffy night suddenly became a bit chilly...
Rustle,rustle...Crack...
Under the flickering streetlamp,the headlight of the small scooter also flickered on and off.In an instant,a black shadow suddenly rushed out!
Screech——!
The ear-piercing sound came as I suddenly hit the brakes.That black mass was terrifying.
I came to a sudden stop.It turned out to be a weasel,and it seemed to be holding something in its mouth.
And that weasel stood upright,its eyes squinting,with an expression as vivid as a human's.
It seemed to be a mouse?It was too dark to see clearly.
Remembering the superstitious words my grandma often said,I somehow blurted out,"Mr.Weasel,take your time."
I looked at the food delivery hanging on the hook."Fortunately,the food didn't spill."
The weasel gave me a look as if I were an idiot,and then,ignoring my still-frightened state,it seemed to nod,wagged its tail,and in a flash,disappeared without a trace.
"This is really a bit strange.In this haunted place,can there really be someone ordering food delivery?"
The dim and flickering streetlights,along with the stinking watermelon rinds on the ground,and the window that the weasel had knocked open swayed in the night wind,making a sound like fingernails scratching the wall continuously.
"You have arrived at the delivery location..."
The faint notification sound from the phone,for some reason,seemed rather empty and dull tonight.
It's really not easy to earn money...
I slapped my face to cheer myself up.Looking up,there was a rickety low building.
On the pitch-black building surface,the dim corridor lights flickered from time to time,exuding an air of mystery all the time.I deeply felt that this place really didn't welcome me.
But,for the sake of making money,I still took out the still-warm food delivery from the trunk of my scooter.
"Yo,you're pretty fast.It's the middle of the night,and there are a lot of mice here.Didn't they scare you?"
A sudden sentence seemed to be whispered right next to my ear,making me startle and come to my senses.
I suddenly turned to look beside me,and a pale face appeared in front of me,smiling playfully and creepily.
"Is this your food delivery?"
"Is there anyone else here who would order?"
Seeing that I was terribly frightened,the young man quickly picked up his phone,and on the phone screen was indeed his order.
"Well,it's okay then.Here's your food delivery.This place is really a bit strange."
I handed the food delivery to the young man in front of me and looked around with lingering fear.
It was silent and dark all around,as if those flickering streetlights were like a navigation leading to a road of no return.
"If I had money,who would rent a place here?Seeing you're so hardworking,would you like some?"
After the young man took the food delivery,he took out a crumpled pack of Hongtashan cigarettes and playfully offered them to me.
Looking at the young man's attire,his black clothes and pants were slightly faded.It was clearly a bit chilly,but there was an inexplicable wetness on the young man.Was it sweat,or something else...
"No,just give me a good review.It's not easy for everyone."
The young man took the food delivery in his hand.When his fingertips touched mine,his hand was surprisingly cold.
"You're also very hardworking.You should take this too."
The young man stuffed a crumpled five-dollar bill into my hand.
While I was half-doubting why this guy's hand was so cold,the purple bill once again distracted me.
I thought of the$4.44 in my WeChat balance.I gritted my teeth and reluctantly accepted this tip.
"If you have anything,come to me."
I left this flimsy promise through clenched teeth.It seemed to be the last bit of stubbornness of a man.
"You're new here,right?This place is already remote.Some delivery drivers in the past might not be willing to come here without extra money."
The young man looked at me with a look of disdain,as if I were a naive newbie.Then,he whistled and showed a mysterious smile.
"Do you know why they don't want to come here?"
"Why?"
"Because this place is very strange.There are ghosts everywhere!"
Looking at the young man's ambiguous smile and his exaggerated words,I was actually amused at this moment.
"Hoho,the ghosts here are all mice,right?Do ghosts even order food delivery?Brother,you're really funny.Order again when you have midnight snacks next time."
Although the young man's words made me angry and amused,this dark low building and the flickering streetlights still made me feel a bit scared.
I stuffed the five-dollar bill into my pocket,twisted the throttle,and left this deserted street.
I subconsciously looked at the rearview mirror.As the streetlights flickered,the young man's figure became as thin as paper.It seemed that his lips were saying something...