Four Chuckles for One Yuan: A Supernatural Swap

The neon lights flickered ominously as Li Wei pushed open the heavy door of the back alley bar. The dim, smoky room was filled with the sound of laughter and the clinking of glasses. His friend, Xiao Ming, was there, a grin stretching across his face as he lifted his glass in a toast.

"Another round?" Xiao Ming asked, his voice laced with a mix of excitement and mischief.

Li Wei chuckled, a soft sound that echoed off the walls. "Not tonight, Ming. I've got a bad feeling about this."

Xiao Ming's grin faded slightly, but he shrugged it off. "Come on, Li. You're just paranoid. You know how you get when it's been a while since we've had a good time."

Li Wei nodded, not wanting to argue. The bar was a sanctuary of sorts for them, a place where they could escape from the mundane and indulge in the ephemeral.

As they sat down, Li Wei's phone buzzed. It was a text from Xiao Ming's sister. "Dad's not feeling well. You should check on him."

Li Wei's heart sank. Xiao Ming's father was a tough man, but lately, his health had been failing. He excused himself and made his way to the restroom, his mind racing. He knew he had to get to his friend's father as soon as possible.

Back in the bar, Xiao Ming was already half-drunk. "I'll go with you," he offered, his words slurring slightly.

Li Wei hesitated, then nodded. "Alright, let's go."

As they stepped out into the night, the cold air hit them like a punch. The city was quiet, the streets empty. They hailed a cab and gave the driver Xiao Ming's father's address.

During the ride, Xiao Ming's phone rang. It was his father. The voice on the other end was weak and tired. "Xiao Ming, I'm not feeling well. Can you come home?"

Xiao Ming's face turned pale. "I'm on my way, Dad. Just hang in there."

The driver pulled up in front of a modest house. As they stepped out, Xiao Ming's phone rang again. It was an unknown number.

"Hello?" Xiao Ming answered cautiously.

A deep, male voice replied, "I've been watching you. I know what you're doing with your friend. And I have a deal for you."

Li Wei's eyes widened. He had a bad feeling about this.

The voice continued, "For every yuan you laugh, I'll give you back one yuan. But if you laugh too much, I'll take it all back, and you'll be poorer than you've ever been."

Li Wei and Xiao Ming exchanged glances. The voice paused, then added, "You want to make money, right? Then this is your chance."

Xiao Ming hesitated, then agreed. "Alright, I'll do it."

Li Wei's mind raced. He couldn't let Xiao Ming get involved with something like this. "Ming, this is a bad idea."

Xiao Ming ignored him. "Just one laugh, okay? Just to test it out."

Li Wei tried to reason with him, but Xiao Ming was already laughing. The sound was chilling, echoing through the night. The voice on the phone counted, "One... two... three..."

Li Wei's heart pounded. He knew he had to do something. He had to save Xiao Ming's father.

Back in the bar, Li Wei approached the barman. "I need to borrow your phone."

The barman looked at him suspiciously. "Why?"

"Please, just trust me," Li Wei said, his voice urgent.

The barman handed him the phone. Li Wei dialed the number that had called Xiao Ming. "This has to stop," he said.

The voice was surprised. "Who are you?"

"I'm Li Wei. I need to talk to you about the deal."

The voice hesitated. "What deal?"

"This deal where you trade yuan for chuckles. It's not right."

The voice chuckled, a sound that sent shivers down Li Wei's spine. "You think you can stop me? You're just a kid."

Li Wei's eyes blazed with determination. "I'll find a way."

He hung up the phone and approached Xiao Ming, who was still laughing uncontrollably. "Ming, stop. You're in danger."

Xiao Ming's eyes widened. He stopped laughing, his face pale and trembling. "What happened?"

Li Wei took a deep breath. "I think I've found a way to stop it."

As they walked back to the alley, Li Wei's phone buzzed again. It was a message from the unknown number: "You've made a good start, but you can't stop me forever."

Li Wei ignored it. He had to save Xiao Ming's father, and he had to do it before it was too late.

They reached the bar, and Li Wei handed the phone to the barman. "I think you should see this."

The barman took the phone and read the message. His eyes widened in shock. "This is serious."

Li Wei nodded. "We have to do something. Now."

The barman looked at him, then at Xiao Ming. "We'll figure it out."

As they made their way to Xiao Ming's father's house, Li Wei's mind raced. He had to stop the supernatural swap before it was too late.

When they arrived, Xiao Ming's father was lying in his bed, his face pale and his eyes closed. Xiao Ming rushed to his side, tears streaming down his face.

Li Wei took a deep breath and stepped forward. "I think I've found a way to stop this. But I need your help."

Xiao Ming looked up at him, his eyes filled with hope. "What do we do?"

Li Wei took out a small, ornate box from his pocket. "I need you to laugh. But this time, laugh with your heart, not just for the yuan."

Xiao Ming hesitated, then nodded. He opened his mouth, and a genuine laugh escaped him. It was a sound of joy and relief.

Li Wei closed his eyes, repeating the words he had found in the book he had found in the bar. He felt a surge of power, a connection to something he had never felt before.

The supernatural swap was stopped. The voice on the phone had no more power over them.

Xiao Ming's father opened his eyes, a smile spreading across his face. "You did it, Li Wei. You saved me."

Li Wei nodded, his heart swelling with pride. "I just did what I had to do."

As they left the house, the night air felt different. The supernatural swap was over, and they had won.

Back at the bar, Li Wei and Xiao Ming sat down. The barman placed a drink in front of them. "To our victory," he said, raising his glass.

Li Wei smiled, clinking his glass with the barman's. "To our victory."

The laughter that followed was real, a sound of joy and relief. They had faced the supernatural and won.

And that night, they learned that sometimes, laughter was the most powerful weapon of all.