The Canteen in the Underworld Keeps Me Alive

On the old street, there’s a small eatery run by a sickly yet good-looking man. Si Nanxing, the frail proprietor, takes one shaky step and wheezes three times. Everyone says he won’t live much longer. His little shop barely sees any living customers all year, and the neighbors bet it won’t last. What ordinary people don’t know is—Si Nanxing isn’t ordinary, and this shop isn’t meant for the living. When twilight passes, the signless eatery hangs up paper lanterns. A glossy black crow perches on the eaves and caws thrice, drawing swarms of lonely spirits. Si Nanxing reclines on a chaise longue, coughing lightly. “Take your time. Eat well before your journey. No fighting—be careful. I’ve got connections down below.” Just as the ghosts scoff, a young man wreathed in underworld aura steps from the Gates of Hell. A single glance from him, and the crowd falls deathly silent. Zhuyou flips through a ledger. “Same as always? Half in cash, half credited as merit for your lifespan?” “Yeah.” Si Nanxing reaches for the ledger. “Let me see how much longer I’ve got.” Zhuyou pulls it away. “Classified underworld intel.” Si Nanxing leans back with a roguish complaint. “You won’t even let me look—what if I accidentally outlive the heavens?” Zhuyou stares at him. “Good.” “Live eternally. Stay with me forever.” --- A love story between: - **Zhuyou**: The stern underworld bureaucrat. - **Si Nanxing**: The carefree, terminally ill troublemaker. The terror of ghosts and the ghostly glutton—an unconventional romance. **Notes:** 1. Heavy use of personal lore. 2. Not a serious food-focused novel (?).