Ch63 – The grand finale

Translator: Abo Dammen

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Standing at the center of the Altar of Heaven, Jing Liansheng and Bai Qing were enveloped by increasingly dense incense smoke. The pale blue smoke surged like a tidal wave, almost drowning them. That invisible pressure came crashing down like a landslide, threatening to crush their consciousness. 

Something in their minds seemed to resist this pressure, but the feeling was like smoke slipping through their fingers, intangible and elusive.

Jing Liansheng’s gaze searched through the thick haze. Suddenly, his eyes met the Empress.

His mother still sat gracefully on the high platform, the corners of her lips curved in a gentle, loving smile. But from the corners of her eyes, two streaks of blood silently ran down. The crimson liquid slid down her cheeks, dripping.

Drip, drip, drip… 

Bai Qing felt a sharp sting on his wrist. He looked down and saw a bright red streak of blood had somehow seeped into the jade bracelet on his arm, instantly spreading like ink dropped into water.

The blood-streaked bracelet…

Bai Qing’s pupils constricted sharply, as if a bolt of lightning had pierced the fog in his mind.

Memories surged like a tidal wave, instantly overwhelming all his thoughts. 

His expression hardened. Without hesitation, he lifted his hand and yanked off the ornaments. The strings of beads snapped. Jade pieces fell to the ground, shattering with a crisp, piercing sound that echoed through the silent Altar of Heaven.

The scene before him twisted abruptly. The contours of the altar blurred. The surrounding smoke twisted into grotesque vines. The solemn lotus throne expanded in an instant, transforming into a gigantic ancient lotus.

Petal upon petal unfolded, revealing a crimson, blood-like interior, like a gaping mouth ready to devour, exuding a suffocating, metallic stench.

Bai Qing came fully to his senses and stared at the ancient lotus with a cold sneer. “You’re really at the end of your rope if you have to resort to such clumsy illusions to deceive people.” 

“This is not an illusion, but a prophecy. If you are willing, it will become reality,” the Ancient Lotus’s voice lowered gently, flowing like water. “In such a world, you were clearly very happy. I could feel it.”

“Yes, I was indeed very happy,” Bai Qing admitted. Fine clothes, harmonious music, wealth and honor, a happy family, and peace in the country. Naturally, these were all things he longed for.

The lotus petals quivered lightly, emitting a faint halo of light, ready at any moment to bestow blessings.

“But you said that was a prophecy?” Bai Qing’s eyes hardened, though a smile played on his lips. “I’d say it’s more like false advertising!” 

Bai Qing was truly speechless. I had personally witnessed so many tragedies of people scammed by you. How could I possibly fall for this trap now?

Are you the pig, or am I?

The heart of the lotus churned crimson, but it still suppressed its raging fury.

After all, as Bai Qing said, it was at the end of its strength. 

With its heart pierced, its power rapidly dissipated. Without a source of nourishment, it would soon perish completely.

The Ancient Lotus’s voice grew even softer, like a spring breeze on the face, carrying a hypnotic, tender allure. “Then what if I told you… everything you experienced… was Jing Liansheng’s dream?”

Bai Qing’s expression faltered.

“You disregard your own desire. But do you also not care for Jing Liansheng’s feelings? Would you rather he remain a tormented ghost than a happy noble?” The Ancient Lotus’s voice rose again, calm and confident. “As long as you make a wish, his wish can be fulfilled. I think… you are still willing to sacrifice for him.” 

The Ancient Lotus’s rhetoric was indeed compelling.

Bai Qing could easily abandon his own happiness. But if it were Jing Liansheng’s…?

How could he not hesitate even slightly?

At the very moment Bai Qing wavered, a cold light surged like a tidal wave! 

Jing Liansheng tore through the darkness, seizing Bai Qing’s hand. Bai Qing felt a sharp, clear energy surge into his chest, instantly pulling him back from confusion.

He lifted his head sharply. “Liansheng!”

Jing Liansheng’s expression was resolute as iron. His fingers tightened slightly. The force from his wrist steadied Bai Qing completely. Their eyes met in midair, flowing and locked. The surrounding darkness receded like snow driven off by sunlight, revealing the hidden truth.

Amid the Ancient Lotus’s piercing screech, they broke free from the illusion and returned to reality. 

Moonlight-like liquid fell over their clasped hands.

Their hands gripped a peach woodsword tightly, its tip plunged deep into the heart of the ancient lotus.

The petals of the lotus trembled violently. Its blood-red core churned and writhed, struggling for its final breath.

The ancient lotus roared, “YING ZHILI!” 

But Ying Zhili seemed oblivious, standing atop a lotus leaf, his robe billowing in the wind.

The lotus’s heart tightened, suddenly remembering something. When Jing Liansheng came to assassinate me, was Ying Zhili so easily held back by Bai Qing?

And when Bai Qing needed to work together with Jing Liansheng, could Ying Zhili not stop him at all?

Ying Zhili’s… strength… could not possibly be this weak! 

He… could it be that he…

The ancient lotus vaguely recalled that it was born in the desert two thousand years ago.

Ying Zhili had been its first prey.

The process of hunting Ying Zhili’s soul had been unusually simple. Because it was a desert, and Ying Zhili was a desperate passerby. Ying Zhili’s soul was already painful enough to be delicious. The wish he made was exceedingly simple, to drink water. 

Thus, the Ancient Lotus completed its bargain with Ying Zhili and resolved to consume his soul immediately.

As Ying Zhili’s soul was harvested, he finally heard the dreamlike whisper of the Ancient Lotus and suddenly understood that this evil being relied on a wicked contract, living by devouring souls.

In the moment before being swallowed, Ying Zhili asked, “But… is one like me enough for you?”

The Ancient Lotus’s cold voice echoed in the void. “Mortal, your words… what do you mean?” 

Ying Zhili, enduring the pain of his soul being torn apart, asked again, “Have you ever heard of the existence of ‘chang’?”

The Ancient Lotus naturally knew the world’s hidden secrets. It gazed at this twisted yet strangely compelling soul, feeling a hint of curiosity. “You mean… you are willing to be my chang ghost?”

In his final moments, a gentle smile appeared on Ying Zhili’s face, strangely alluring in the darkness. “Of course. To be honest, I have long been deeply captivated by your divine power. I only wish to serve you faithfully, to devote myself entirely to you.”

Though the Ancient Lotus was slightly suspicious, it relied on its boundless dark power. Moreover, once it made Ying Zhili its chang ghost, bound by the contract, Ying Zhili could not resist. Thus, Ying Zhili became the Ancient Lotus’s first prey, and the only one whose soul was preserved after making a wish. 

Although it did not get to devour the soul, the Ancient Lotus felt no real regret. After all, Ying Zhili had kept his promise and was remarkably capable. He was a convenient resource.

For the next two thousand years, Ying Zhili had diligently and loyally served it, providing ample nourishment.

Over time, the Ancient Lotus had nearly let down all its guard around him. Even its weaknesses were known to Ying Zhili.

Could it be… that he had always harbored ill intentions? 

However, now was not the time to think about this.

The ancient lotus extended a thread of its consciousness, instantly controlling Ying Zhili’s body.

As its chang ghost, Ying Zhili could not resist its command. Now he moved like a marionette, completely under its control.

Under the Ancient Lotus’s manipulation, Ying Zhili suddenly raised his sword. The blade pointed straight at Bai Qing’s back. 

Bai Qing and Jing Liansheng were focused, channeling all their strength into that sword, piercing the ancient lotus. They did not notice Ying Zhili’s sword silently approaching.

A chill ran down Bai Qing’s back.

Instinctively, he turned, but it was too late. He had no time to react or dodge.

In his sight, Ying Zhili’s eyes were empty, and the sword stabbed straight forward. 

At that instant, a sword light flashed over the pool!

Bai Qing, Jing Liansheng, even the ancient lotus, were stunned by the overwhelming sword intent.

Over the moonlit water, Chu Ze swung his sword.

Bai Qing’s pupils constricted. This was—“One Strike!” 

Chu Ze’s sword condensed two hundred years of sword intent. The tip was unstoppable—divine or mortal, nothing could stand in its way!

Under the Ancient Lotus’s control, Ying Zhili stiffly parried like a puppet, his blade pointing straight at Chu Ze. Once One Strike is released, the momentum cannot be altered.

Chu Ze’s eyes were steady, ignoring Ying Zhili’s sword tip. He was ready to pierce at the same time, accepting mutual destruction. Chu Ze instinctively fixed his gaze on Ying Zhili’s eyes. Ying Zhili was covered in a mist of blood, face pale as snow, eyes hollow, numb as he stabbed the sword forward.

Chu Ze’s heart tightened. He silently awaited the excruciating pain, the moment the blade would pierce his body. 

The next second, the expected pain did not come.

Instead, there was a sharp metallic crash.

When the sword tip was still half an inch from Chu Ze’s throat, the Nine-Locked Life-Protecting Copper Bracelet at his waist suddenly came alive, moving precisely to intercept the blade.

The sword tip sliced past. The copper chain broke into several pieces, falling into the lotus pond like shattered stars, splashing water. 

Falling along with it was Ying Zhili’s body.

Chu Ze suddenly remembered how the bracelet once hung on Ying Zhili’s waist. “Xiao Ze, if you’re interested in this structure, I can give it to you…”

Chu Ze’s heart sank. His body almost uncontrollably leaned forward. His arm instinctively reached out, wanting to catch the falling figure. But before his hand touched the water, Ying Zhili’s body had already sunk to the depths. The water it stirred glimmered cold silver in the moonlight, then settled again.

Everything, in the end, was like trying to scoop the moon from water. 

Ying Zhili’s fall shattered the ancient lotus’s final trump card.

Its heart suddenly contracted. The petals trembled, emitting a piercing screech like a demon wind tearing through mountain peaks. The ancient lotus’s power surged madly in a final struggle, but it was already powerless to reverse its fate.

Bai Qing and Jing Liansheng exchanged a resolute glance.

They gripped their peach-wood swords tightly, teeth clenched, and struck with all their strength. The sword tips, like lightning, pierced the trembling heart of the lotus. 

“Ghhkt—”

The heart of the lotus was completely pierced. Blood-colored mist gushed from its core, instantly staining the entire pond red. The lotus leaves withered at a visible speed. Petals fell one after another. That terrifying power receded like a tide. As the Ancient Lotus gradually disintegrated, it turned into scattered ashes, drifting away with the wind.

The pond dried up in an instant, revealing cracked mud at the bottom, as if the vitality of the land itself had been drained away.

Jing Liansheng and Bai Qing stood side by side, silent for a long moment. 

Jing Liansheng had feigned making a wish, concealing a hidden strike. This scheme had successfully deceived the Ancient Lotus.

But… had he really fooled Ying Zhili?

Thinking deeper, both he and Bai Qing had accidentally glimpsed the method recorded in ancient texts for eradicating the Ancient Lotus.

Was it really… accidental? 

Bai Qing furrowed his brows, his gaze deep. He turned his head and exchanged a look with Jing Liansheng. Both saw the same doubt reflected in the other’s eyes.

In the end, there was no answer to all of this.

In the cracked mud at the pond’s bottom, Ying Zhili lay straight and motionless. His pale face was dotted with dark brown mossy spots.

Even though he had just fallen into the pond, he looked like a corpse long dead. 

Chu Ze stood at the edge of the pond. His fingers fumbled in his qiankun pouch and pulled out a stack of talisman papers. The yellow talismans had all been written with his own blood. He threw them into the air, and instantly, the red talismans fluttered, covering the sky.

With his ability to communicate with heaven and earth, Bai Qing immediately sensed that these talismans, written with blood from his fingertips, were guiding the restless soul back into the cycle of reincarnation.

But Bai Qing had no heart to feel moved. He fixed his gaze on the imposing figure beside him, seeing him standing in the moonlight, shrouded in pale mist. Bai Qing instinctively grasped the other’s hand hanging at his side, afraid that this lingering shadow would vanish like morning dew before dawn.

Feeling Bai Qing’s grip, Jing Liansheng turned slightly, puzzled. 

Bai Qing stared at Jing Liansheng’s frost-bound face. Seeing the lingering yin energy still swirling around him, his soul and body showed no sign of fading in the moonlight, only then did Bai Qing relax slightly. “It’s nothing.”

What he worried about was that as a vengeful spirit, Jing Liansheng’s continued presence in the human world relied entirely on his obsession.

With the Ancient Lotus gone, he feared Jing Liansheng would dissipate along with that obsession.

But he dared not voice this worry aloud. 

After all, the affairs of spirits are mysterious and unpredictable. Sometimes, they do not have time to react to their own condition. Once the truth is revealed, they may vanish instantly without a trace. Just as some ghosts, in their confusion, do not realize they are already dead, can still roam the human world. But once they suddenly remember they are long deceased, they vanish in an instant.

“Liansheng, then we… will just continue living well in the human world every day.” Bai Qing’s smile was bright and sunny, but his fingers holding Jing Liansheng’s hand tightened slightly.

Jing Liansheng let him grip his hand, nodding at him. “Of course.”

The night wind swept by, lifting a few tattered talisman papers, fluttering like butterflies in the moonlight. 

For a hundred years, the Jing family of Lotus City faithfully followed the Lotus Sect.

Some also believed the Jings were so prosperous because they were blessed by the Ancient Lotus. However, one day, the Jing family’s lotus pond dried up overnight. The Ancient Lotus had withered and died. As if something had been foretold, the Jing family truly began to decline, their glory gone.

Some said this was because they had not properly revered the Ancient Lotus.

Yet most people believed that it was probably because Jing Er was a big fool. The so-called miracles of the Ancient Lotus were never witnessed by anyone. But Jing Er’s foolishness was obvious to all. 

Fortunately, although Jing Er was foolish, he had a good mindset. Discovering he wasn’t cut out for business, he handed the family conglomerate over to professional managers. Though the Jing family was no longer as glorious as before, it was still enough for the entire family to live comfortably and abundantly.

As for the mysterious eldest son of the Jing family, it was said he and his wife ran away from home to become professional exorcists.

People found this astonishing. “Exorcists? Isn’t that just charlatans?”

“Hard to say. Better to believe they exist.” 

“I heard the young madam has real talent. They say years ago, when the Jing residence was haunted, it was he who dealt with it.”

“Really? That would be much better than those wandering frauds.”

“Hmph, who knows? Maybe the Jings treated them poorly, so they found an excuse to leave.”

“But no matter what, leaving a life of luxury to become exorcists… it’s really hard to understand.” 

…

At first, this was merely casual talk among people after meals, occasionally causing sighs or jokes.

However, as time passed, more than ten years slipped by like a fleeting horse. The world changed. Even the once-glorious Jing family gradually faded from people’s sight, let alone the mysterious eldest son and his young wife.

The once-hot topics had long been washed away by time, leaving no trace, as if they had never happened at all. 

Occasionally, someone might mention it, but only with a light, casual remark, “Oh, you mean that,” their tone carrying a hint of nostalgia as if recalling a distant past.

The younger generation knows nothing about it at all. Some even ask in confusion upon hearing the title “young master of the Jing family”. “The Jing family? Which Jing family?”

However, these years have left no trace on the faces of Jing Liansheng and Bai Qing. They still look young, and are still fiercely committed to sun protection.

In the metaphysical world, this pair of Yin-Yang Dual Fiends has also gained prominence, becoming the go-to experts for difficult and peculiar cases. One day, a wealthy lady draped in a large black mink coat came to their studio, sobbing loudly, “Masters, you really must save my life…” 

“Don’t worry, tell us about it.” Bai Qing accepted the seven-figure check, beaming with a friendly smile.

Jing Liansheng sat beside him, silent.

The presence of a ferocious ghost naturally exuded a chill.

The wealthy lady pulled her mink coat tighter and continued to wail, “I… I just wanted to be a gentle and considerate woman, thinking to peel some garlic for him. Who knew he was a vampire! Wuwuwu…” 

Upon hearing this, Bai Qing remarked, “Oh my, it’s a Western ghost!”

The wealthy lady wiped her tears. “What about Western ghosts? Can you help?”

“We can,” Bai Qing said, “but for Western ghosts, we charge in dollars.”

Wealthy lady: …As greedy as the rumors say! 

After resolving another case, Bai Qing counted the banknotes smugly, took Jing Liansheng’s hand, and went out for a stroll.

At the market, Bai Qing picked out a pile of fresh fruits and vegetables and bought a beautiful fruit basket. Back home, he stripped all the expensive fruits from the basket and replaced them with the free bananas and green onions the vendor had given him. He nodded with satisfaction and said: “Let’s go see Shifu.”

Jing Liansheng looked at the basket with green onions, speechless for a moment.

Bai Qing raised an eyebrow. “What do you think of this combination?” 

Jing Liansheng replied, “If you do this, you must have your reasons.”

Without looking up, while fiddling with the basket, Bai Qing said matter-of-factly, “Of course. Fruits are cooling. Shifu is getting on in years so it’s better for him to eat things that boost yang energy.”

Jing Liansheng thought, ‘Is Chu Ze old, compared to how old we are?’

But he decided not to say anything. 

Whatever his wife says, goes.

Carrying the basket of green onions and bananas, Jing Liansheng went out with Bai Qing, following the address Chu Ze had sent to find his new home.

Naturally, his new place was in a haunted building.

Bai Qing said, “To avoid paying rent, Shifu can live anywhere.” 

Jing Liansheng nodded silently. “It’s just that the malevolent ghosts in this building are in for another bone-chilling trial.”

Remembering the malevolent ghosts “enlightened” by Chu Ze in the past, Bai Qing couldn’t help but nod repeatedly.

Jing Liansheng and Bai Qing knocked on the door according to the apartment number.

Chu Ze opened the door quickly. All these years later, Chu Ze still looked the same, wrinkleless, both old and young. 

He welcomed Jing Liansheng and Bai Qing inside. His gaze fell on the banana-and-green-onion basket, and his eyelids twitched. “After all these years, my disciple is still so filial!”

Bai Qing laughed heartily. “Shifu, eat more green onions to boost yang energy, and more bananas for stamina!”

As he spoke, Bai Qing glanced around the room and asked curiously, “The building’s ghost isn’t here?”

“No,” Chu Ze motioned for Bai Qing and Jing Liansheng to sit down, casually pouring them tea. He pointed at the wall. “Next door. It’s a pen spirit that likes to haunt students.” 

“Ah, I see…” Bai Qing scratched his head.

Though Bai Qing had never encountered a pen spirit, he had seen many movies and knew they really liked targeting students, making one suspect if pen spirits had some sort of uniform fetish.

Chu Ze said, “The pen spirit latched onto the student living next door.”

Jing Liansheng immediately asked, “Is that student next door alright?” 

Chu Ze looked up.”That student called Xiao Ying… is Ying Zhili’s reincarnation.”

Bai Qing was shocked and immediately asked, “Is the pen spirit next door alright then?”

Chu Ze coughed and said, “What are you saying? Even if he is Ying Zhili’s reincarnation, Xiao Ying is just a minor who has never been exposed to metaphysical arts.”

“That’s true.” Bai Qing nodded, though his feelings were still a bit complicated. 

Regarding Ying Zhili, Bai Qing also had complex impressions.

Hearing that Ying Zhili had reincarnated, become an ordinary student, and a clueless minor at that, his feelings grew even more complicated. Jing Liansheng, however, drew a clear line, treating Xiao Ying as an ordinary person, still concerned about whether this mortal was harmed by the evil spirit.

He continued asking, “Has the pen spirit done anything to classmate Xiao Ying?”

“Not really,” Chu Ze paused, “On the contrary, Xiao Ying tricked the pen spirit into doing his winter vacation homework for him. He’s playing video games now.” 

Bai Qing: “Ah… this…”

Seeing the kaleidoscope of expressions on Bai Qing’s face, Chu Ze thought Bai Qing was wary of Xiao Ying’s existence.

Chu Ze then said, “No need to worry. For now, Xiao Ying appears to be just an ordinary middle schooler.”

Bai Qing wasn’t wary of Xiao Ying, but upon hearing Chu Ze’s words, he couldn’t help wanting to retort, ‘Ah? Would an ordinary middle schooler trick a pen spirit into doing his homework? I didn’t read much, and never went to junior high… Can someone tell me if all junior high students are like this nowadays?’ 

As if having decided something, Chu Ze took a sip of tea. “But his talent is indeed remarkable. To prevent him from straying down the wrong path like in his previous life, I have decided to approach him as a tutor, educate him, nurture him, and make him an upright person!”

Bai Qing’s pupils shook with shock. Shifu… you… nurturing an upright person?

Seeing Bai Qing’s expression of wanting to speak but hesitating, Chu Ze asked impatiently, “What? Do you have any objections?”

“No objections!” Bai Qing quickly waved his hands, “I think you have great determination! I wish you success!” 

Saying this, Bai Qing raised his cup, using tea as wine, and toasted his master.

Chu Ze drank a cup and said with a smile, “It’s rare for you to visit. Stay a few days.”

Bai Qing, however, said regretfully, “But the moment my husband arrives, the pen spirit next door is sure to sense it and will probably run away immediately in fright.”

“That’s perfect!” Chu Ze said, exasperated, “That kid should do his own homework!” 

Bai Qing: …Shifu really wants to educate him.

Originally, Bai Qing just intended to drop by for a short visit. Now he decided to stay for a few days, or even longer. No matter what, he didn’t want to miss the scene of “Shifu teaching the minor Ying Zhili to become an upright person.”

At night, Chu Ze went back to his room to sleep.

Bai Qing and Jing Liansheng didn’t need sleep, so they sat on the sofa playing cards. Just then, they heard noises in the hallway. The two exchanged a glance, stood up in unison, and pushed the door open to peek out. 

In the hallway outside, candlelight flickered. Dozens of candles were arranged in an elaborate heart shape. The warm yellow glow reflected off the walls, creating an exceptionally cozy atmosphere. A man knelt on one knee, one hand holding a bouquet of vibrant roses, the other a sparkling diamond ring, his expression tense, his gaze locked firmly on the girl before him.

“Marry me.” The man’s voice trembled slightly.

The girl covered her mouth, tears glistening in her eyes, her voice choked. “I do.”

Seeing this, the neighbors watching nearby applauded. 

Bai Qing leaned lazily against the doorframe, his gaze resting on the embracing couple, a slight smile curling his lips. “So it’s a proposal.”

Jing Liansheng tilted his head slightly, brows furrowing lightly. “Proposal?”

Bai Qing nodded, his tone relaxed. “Yes, it’s popular among modern people.” He suddenly reached out and wrapped an arm around Jing Liansheng’s shoulder, “But as for us, we skipped that step directly, saving a lot of trouble.”

Jing Liansheng was silent for a moment, his crimson eyes flickering slightly as he asked softly, “Do you feel any regret?” 

“Ah?” Bai Qing was taken aback, then chuckled softly, “No. As long as I’m with you, I don’t feel any regret.”

Jing Liansheng’s blood-colored eyes moved, remembering how before their wedding, Bai Qing had once asked for a diamond ring, but he had refused.

He still remembered Bai Qing’s expression at that time. The eyes that always held a smile instantly dimmed, and the smile at the corner of his lips froze. Though he quickly returned to normal, Jing Liansheng couldn’t ignore it. Remembering that expression, Jing Liansheng’s eyes darkened.

For this, Jing Liansheng had been saving money all these years, already bought a large diamond ring, ready to give it to him at the right time. 

It seems that time is now…

But after all, they were an old married couple, so just by looking at Jing Liansheng’s expression, Bai Qing knew what he was thinking.

Bai Qing said with a smile, “Such proposals are a bit old-fashioned, too. I think if we were to have a proposal, perhaps it could be a bit more unique.”

“Unique…” Jing Liansheng repeated softly, his brows furrowing even tighter. 

He was completely clueless about things like “romance”. Now it had to be “unique”, making him feel his brain was about to short-circuit.

Seeing his utterly troubled look, Bai Qing secretly laughed to himself.

He wasn’t deliberately giving Jing Liansheng a hard time. He just occasionally wanted to see this usually cool and composed guy racking his brains for him. So, Bai Qing wouldn’t make it too difficult for him and deliberately gave a hint, “Who wouldn’t want a proposal full of cinematic ceremony like in the movies?”

Jing Liansheng immediately caught the keyword: movie scenes… 

Right, he could consult movies!

Bai Qing and Jing Liansheng closed the door and went back inside.

Bai Qing knew perfectly well that since he had already given Jing Liansheng a hint, he should give him some space to prepare the “surprise”. Thus, he deliberately pretended to be tired, raised a hand to rub his temple, and yawned. “Suddenly feeling a bit sleepy. I’ll go rest first.”

Jing Liansheng felt this was just what he wanted. “Alright, you rest well.” 

Bai Qing shuffled in his slippers, slowly walked into the guest room, and casually closed the door.

Jing Liansheng stood where he was, confirmed Bai Qing’s door was tightly shut, then turned and walked to Chu Ze’s room, knocking gently. Not long after, the door opened a crack. Chu Ze poked his head out, looking impatient.

Of course, anyone who gets a ghost knocking on their door in the middle of the night wouldn’t be in a good mood.

Chu Ze’s tone was openly displeased. “What is it?” 

Jing Liansheng’s expression was calm as he said bluntly, “I want to watch a movie.”

Chu Ze: …You woke me up for this?

Still, Chu Ze really couldn’t bring himself to lose his temper with this powerful vengeful ghost. “What movie?”

Seeing Chu Ze’s irritation and realizing he’d been a bit rude, Jing Liansheng added, “Sorry for disturbing your rest. I want some movies that Bai Qing likes.” 

“He likes those, huh…” Chu Ze scratched his head and tossed a USB drive to Jing Liansheng. “Plug it into the TV outside. Keep it quiet, don’t wake me up.”

In the middle of the night, Bai Qing suddenly woke from his sleep. A chill crept up his spine.

He snapped his eyes open. The room was pitch-black. The silence around him was unnerving, filled only with a bone-chilling cold that hung in the air. He frowned, a vague sense of unease rising in his heart. Sitting up, he called softly, “Husband? …Liansheng?”

No response. 

Bai Qing’s heart leapt into his throat.

He quickly got out of bed, bare feet touching the floor. The icy sensation sharpened his awareness. He reached for the peach woodsword on the bedside table and gripped it tightly, feeling slightly steadier.

“That’s impossible… with a powerful vengeful ghost guarding the house, what kind of ghost would dare break in?” Bai Qing muttered under his breath. Yet the cold aura was impossible to ignore.

He quietly pushed open the bedroom door. The hallway was shrouded in darkness. Only the bathroom echoed with the rhythmic “drip, drip” of running water, eerie and piercing in the dead of night. 

Bai Qing steadied himself, tightened his grip on the peach-wood sword, and carefully walked toward the bathroom.

Each step was nearly soundless, but his nerves were stretched taut.

The bathroom door was half ajar, a faint light seeping through the gap.

Bai Qing stood at the doorway, held his breath, and slowly pushed it open. 

“Creak—” The hinge made a faint sound.

Inside, the faucet was inexplicably running. Water dripped continuously, producing the steady “drip” sound. A thin layer of mist covered the mirror, faintly reflecting Bai Qing’s figure.

He frowned and stepped forward, reaching out to turn off the faucet. But just as his hand was about to touch it, a black shadow suddenly flashed across the mirror!

Bai Qing jerked his head up, eyes locked onto the reflection. On the mirror’s surface, several blood-red droplets slowly slid down, guided by some unseen force, gradually forming a shape. 

A heart. ❤

And written by hand: MARRY ME!!!

Bai Qing: ?!?!

From the center of the blood-red heart, a ghostly hand suddenly reached out, holding a red velvet box. 

“I’ve been watching you all along…”

A low, hoarse voice echoed through the cramped bathroom, as if coming from all directions, leaving no room to escape.

Bai Qing clapped a hand over his mouth in shock. The box snapped open, revealing a gleaming diamond ring.

“Don’t keep worrying that once my obsession fades, I’ll disappear.” 

Bai Qing looked at the figure slowly emerging in the mirror.

“That won’t happen.”

A pale ghostly hand grasped Bai Qing’s wrist. In the next instant, Bai Qing felt a chill at his fingertips. The ring had been slipped onto his ring finger.

“My obsession is you.” 

Bai Qing’s ring-adorned hand intertwined with the pale ghostly fingers. The next moment, Jing Liansheng fully broke through the mirror and pulled a stunned Bai Qing into his arms.

Bai Qing: “…Th-this… is the surprise proposal you planned?”

Jing Liansheng nodded seriously. “Yes. I learned it all from your favorite movies.”

Bai Qing: …Ah… 

He remembered now. Most of his top favorites really were horror films. He just hadn’t expected Jing Liansheng to take inspiration from horror movies.

Bai Qing scratched his head, glancing at Jing Liansheng’s ghostly form, nearly translucent under the bathroom lights.

Jing Liansheng looked at him intently. “The proposal speech isn’t finished yet.”

Bai Qing: …There’s more??? 

At that moment, the bathroom walls, slick with moisture from the heavy yin energy, slowly revealed streaks of blood-red writing, crooked and chaotic—

Between us, you died, I rotted.

Like me to you, haunting, never forgotten.

The face in the mirror is not your reflection, but my obsession. 

You never truly left, and neither did I.

Death is just the beginning, our entanglement will never end.

Bai Qing stared in stunned disbelief at this wall-spanning, horror-movie-style confession. Every line had clearly been carefully crafted by Jing Liansheng after deep study of horror film aesthetics. He wasn’t sure whether to praise Jing Liansheng for being truly erudite or whether his imitation of writing styles was spot-on.

Bai Qing turned his head and met the earnest gaze of his dead-ghost husband. 

Jing Liansheng pressed his lips together, looking a little nervous, and asked softly, “So… do you like this kind of proposal?”

“To come up with a proposal like this,” Bai Qing laughed, “you really are worthy of being my dead-ghost husband. Love it, love it ❤”

Jing Liansheng finally relaxed, a rare smile appearing on his face.

Overjoyed, Bai Qing jumped up and wrapped his arms around Jing Liansheng’s shoulders. 

Love and death instantly filled the narrow space, entwining around them, accompanying them.

Just like their love.

You died, I rotted!

Haunting, never forgotten! 

—END—