1:00 a.m.
The overcast sky, after a bout of thunder and lightning, let loose a torrential downpour.
Crackling thunder clapped in rapid succession, exploding loudly across the sky like a relentless bombardment.
I leaned back against the bedframe, legs crossed and slightly curled. The air conditioner blanket lay haphazardly over my thighs, exposing two pale, jade-like calves below.
My WeChat screen was blank and silent.
Nearly twelve hours without a reply.
In this modern era, what kind of college student goes almost an entire day without checking their phone?
I was starting to worry about Su Liumeng’s safety.
Clutching my phone tightly in both hands, I stared at the nearly empty chat window.
Had something happened to her?
Could it be something from the Su family’s side—some sort of crisis so serious that she couldn’t even touch her phone?
My eyelashes trembled as a fierce inner struggle raged in my heart.
I still had one last connection within the Su family.
But if I used that contact, there was a chance they’d turn their eyes back toward me again.
Anxious and torn, I ended up sending a friend request to someone.
WeChat username: Yuefangzhi.
The request reason was only three words — Su Liumeng.
Ten seconds later, the request was accepted.
[You’re Yan Shen, right? I’ve seen a screenshot of your WeChat page from Su Liumeng.]
Yuefangzhi replied straight to the point.
I didn’t know what to say. On the one hand, I was speechless at how Su Liumeng seemed to share everything with her best friend; on the other hand, I was relieved—I wouldn’t need to explain myself.
[Do you know where she is right now?]
I asked.
[Her? Didn’t she tell you?]
Yuefangzhi replied.
[No.]
I typed.
[If she didn’t tell you, then she must not want you to know. So I can’t tell you either. I’m not about to stab my bestie in the back.]
[But I can give you a little hint. She’s probably in a pretty bad place right now—emotionally, I mean. Her life’s not in danger, but once she gets through this, she’ll come see you.]
[Mm, thank you.] I replied simply.
Inside my spiritual sea, the ghost infant let out a disdainful hmph.
“Tsk tsk tsk. I’ve never seen you so concerned about me. Just because your little hubby didn’t come home for a day, now you’re panicking like it’s the end of the world—can’t eat, can’t sleep, even adding random friends.”
“What little hubby…” My cheeks flamed. I rarely had the courage to argue with the ghost infant’s teasing.
“If not your little hubby, what then—your little wife?”
“……”
“You two at least know everything about each other, right? Since she’s around, I can finally relax a bit.”
Most of the time, the ghost infant had to stay dormant. Unless something major happened or there was a fierce confrontation, she rarely reacted to the outside world.
My cheeks remained rosy, but I didn’t refute her words. “It’s not like we know everything about each other.”
After all, we’d only known each other for a little over ten years.
The ghost infant answered without missing a beat.
“Well, nothing now, but give it a few more days—you will know everything about each other.”
“Uh…”
I didn’t really understand what she meant, but I figured agreeing with the ghost infant was the safest course of action.
“Right, exactly.”
The ghost infant froze, mouth slightly open, an utterly bewildered look on her face.
She stared at me, at my serious, shy little expression, lips pursed as I spoke.
“Do you even know what you’re saying right now?”
“You’re supposed to be the birth mother of this ghost king, you know.”
“Can’t you act a little more dignified? Don’t just give yourself away like that.”
“Who throws themselves into someone’s bed this quickly?”
What the hell was that? Giving myself away, offering my body—?! My already pretty face began to glow a deeper shade of red under her gaze.
I hadn’t even said anything scandalous! I was just agreeing with her. How could that be wrong?
And then it hit me—maybe… maybe the ghost infant and I really weren’t on the same wavelength most of the time?
The ghost infant didn’t say anything else.
She had no intention of telling her own mother any more dirty jokes tonight.
She had overheard a lot of people talking lately, and learned many strange and unexpected things. That’s why, from time to time, she could come up with the kind of unexpected remarks that left others speechless.
I lightly licked my dry lips and stared at the wall in front of me.
Was she… ignoring me now?
So I really did say the wrong thing, huh…
I hugged my knees with my arms and clutched the small blanket even tighter.
Below me, a neatly trimmed and delicate foot entered my field of vision. I shrank back a little, tucking my feet under the blanket too.
Trying to please someone… is really hard.
Especially when that someone is an emotionally volatile vengeful ghost.
Sometimes, even the smallest thing could make her inexplicably angry.
Deep within my sea of consciousness, the ghost baby took a quick glance outside.
The girl was still in low spirits, and had been like that for a few days now. Her drooping and dispirited look made one instinctively want to hug and comfort her.
The ghost baby didn’t disturb Si Xinyan’s sleep again. Instead, she immersed herself in the task of modifying a cultivation technique.
She didn’t intend to say a word until the work was truly complete.
She wanted to give Si Xinyan a surprise.
And when it came to things she decided to give, it was never going to be some cheap, common, low-tier technique.
The ghost baby was already too excited to wait, fantasizing in her mind about the scene in the future—
A nearly perfect and powerful cultivation method. Just how happy would Si Xinyan be when she received it?
The little dumpling hummed an unknown tune, suddenly beginning to look forward to life after being born.
Around three in the morning, I finally drifted off in my drowsiness.
*****
At the entrance of the villa, in the torrential downpour, stood a figure with long hair draped over her shoulders.
Boom—
A streak of silver lightning, like a dragon or serpent, tore through the sky with a deafening roar.
In that instant where the night was lit up, the silhouette of the girl was revealed. Her steps were unsteady.
There wasn’t a trace of color on her face—it was so pale, she looked like someone who hadn’t seen the sun in years.
On the girl’s slender wrist, she now wore that silver bracelet.
She stumbled forward. As she passed a step, something seemed to trip her foot, and she nearly collapsed against the security door.
Thud—
The dull thump wasn’t very loud, but was instantly drowned out by the roar of the rain.
Inside the vast villa, everything remained silent.
The torrential rain didn’t wash away the blood on Su Liumeng’s skin. It only made her look even more pitiful.
If someone familiar saw her in this state, they would never believe that this disheveled woman—hair in a mess, soaked and pale—was the same Miss Su who had once been polished and regal down to each individual strand of hair.
Not even the rain could wash away the scent of blood. Countless tiny cuts covered her limbs, each still oozing fresh blood.
The girl pressed her index finger to the lock sensor. With a soft “beep,” the electronic security door clicked open.
Drip, drip.
Water streamed down her soaked hair and pooled rapidly on the wooden floor inside.
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.