Jiang Xiaosi hung up Shen Mo’s call without hesitation. Shen Mo had never called her before, just like he had never texted her or liked her. She wouldn’t misunderstand or let herself assume things anymore. Even if it really was Shen Mo calling, it was probably just to tell her to come back to class or prepare for her graduation defense. Worse, what if he was calling to invite her to his wedding with Yu Shuixin?
She had a hundred reasons to believe that Shen Mo would totally do something like that, so she’d rather not hear it at all.
But after hanging up, she regretted it a little. What if he really did have something important to say?
With all these thoughts swirling in her mind, she spent the entire afternoon distracted, giving customers the wrong change several times.
Mo Yang ruffled her hair. “Xiaosi, if you keep this up, the shop will close down in less than a month.”
Jiang Xiaosi smiled bitterly and shook her head. Exhaustion suddenly washed over her. She had been holding on so hard for the past month, pretending that nothing had happened, even though she thought of him every single moment.
“I’m tired. I’m going upstairs to rest. You take over for now.”
Since there weren’t many customers at the moment, Jiang Xiaosi climbed up to the second floor. Originally used for storing goods, the space was now divided with curtains into two small areas, each with a mattress for resting.
Little Ghost followed her up. She had set up a baby crib for him beside her own bed, decorated with toys and balloons. However, Little Ghost clearly preferred snuggling into her bed. After repeated orders, he finally obediently stayed in his own crib.
Her sleep was light. She could hear the customers downstairs talking and laughing, their voices faint but clear. She dreamt that she had turned into a donkey with a human head, and people gathered around her, laughing and mocking. Shen Mo stood nearby, arms crossed, watching coldly, while her dad held the rope tied to her and shouted to sell her off. Then someone bought her—a person wearing a cloak, faceless and holding a knife. Terrified, she called for help, but all that came out were donkey brays.
“Xiaosi, Xiaosi!”
Someone was gently patting her face. The fingers were cool to the touch. She groggily opened her eyes and saw Mo Yang. It was already dark outside, and she had no idea how long she had slept.
“What time is it?”
“Almost ten. The shop is already closed. You seem to have a slight fever. Maybe you should stay here tonight instead of going home?”
Jiang Xiaosi shook her head and glanced at her phone. Shen Mo hadn’t called again.
“I’ll drive you home, then.”
“Alright.”
Mo Yang rode a white motorcycle that, though old, still looked striking on the road. Jiang Xiaosi had her own scooter, so she had never ridden with him before.
The wind blew against them as they sped along, much faster than her electric scooter could go. Jiang Xiaosi’s hands wrapped around Mo Yang’s waist, and Little Ghost slept soundly in her backpack.
Lately, her body didn’t seem quite right. Although she wasn’t invincible like other zombies, she shouldn’t get sick or tired so easily.
Sure enough, it was having an effect. Because of her constant close contact with Little Ghost, even he had become less lively, his form growing fainter. This kind of thing had happened to her before when she was in contact with other spirits, but the symptoms had been minor, probably because no one else had stayed so close to her for so long. It was as if she were being haunted by a ghost, while Little Ghost was weakening due to the protective bead she had to carry with her to conceal her identity. It didn’t matter much to her—she wasn’t an ordinary human, and drinking more blood would replenish her strength. But in the long run, Little Ghost would eventually become so weak that he would disappear. And yet, she couldn’t stop carrying the bead.
Jiang Xiaosi rested her face lightly against Mo Yang’s back, closing her eyes and sighing softly. There were so many things she needed to think about, and none of them could go wrong.
The bike came to a stop. Jiang Xiaosi got off and returned the helmet to Mo Yang. As she turned to leave, Mo Yang called after her.
“Xiaosi.”
“Yeah?”
“Let’s go see a movie tomorrow afternoon.”
“Okay.” Jiang Xiaosi agreed without a second thought. “Come pick me up in the afternoon.”
Since the shop was not primarily about making money and there were only two of them working, they only opened from Wednesday to Sunday.
Watching Mo Yang ride off, Jiang Xiaosi’s expression became more serious. Late at night, Jiang Liu got up for a glass of water and saw her still reading in the study. He glanced at the old, yellowed booklet in her hands and knew she was worrying about Little Ghost.
“It’s better to send him off sooner rather than later. It won’t be good for either of you if this goes on.”
Jiang Xiaosi bit her finger. “But Little Ghost doesn’t want to go…” She didn’t want to let him go either.
“He’s just a child. Of course, he can’t rationally understand the consequences. But you need to.”
“I know. I’ll think of something.”
The next morning, Yu Chen called to tell her that Miao Yan had returned. Jiang Xiaosi was overjoyed and immediately rushed to Baile Street.
The woman in front of her was pale and thin, with no makeup on. Jiang Xiaosi almost didn’t recognize her. Miao Yan clearly hadn’t been doing well. Her eyes were bloodshot. Gone was the glamour and allure she once had; now she looked pitifully fragile.
“You’re hurt?” Jiang Xiaosi asked, noticing that Miao Yan’s powers had significantly weakened, and even her smile seemed powerless.
“I’m alright. I made it back alive, at least.”
“Did you find the Yi Hun Dan?”
“No, but I found the ingredients to make it.”
Jiang Xiaosi didn’t know whether she had found those ingredients, stolen them, or fought for them. She just hoped it wouldn’t come back to bite her. All this trouble for a monk who had already forgotten her—was it really worth it?
“I’m fine, don’t worry about me. It’s not that I’m hopelessly in love. It’s just that after waiting for so many years, I can’t accept it. Why am I the only one who remembers? I have to make him remember too. You might think I’m foolish, but if I don’t do this, I’ll never be able to let it go.”
“I don’t think you’re foolish. Otherwise, what does that make me? I actually have something I need your help with.”
That afternoon, Mo Yang came to pick Jiang Xiaosi up for their movie date. He was nearly six feet tall, wearing a navy blue plaid shirt. His features were sharp and defined, and standing under the streetlamp with his short hair fluttering in the wind, he had that classic, charming British style.
In the theater, he finally reached out and gently held Jiang Xiaosi’s hand. He had never hidden his feelings from her, and his pursuit had always been natural and unforced. Jiang Xiaosi trembled slightly but didn’t pull away.
After the movie, Mo Yang kept holding her hand.
“Are you hungry? Want to grab a late-night snack?” To anyone watching, they looked like a couple in the midst of a sweet romance.
“Sure, I want barbecue.”
As she spoke, she noticed Mo Yang suddenly crouch down to tie her loose canvas shoe laces.
She couldn’t quite explain how she felt—warm, but also a little scared. She instinctively took a small step back.
“Let’s go!”
Mo Yang wrapped his arm around her shoulder and was about to start walking when he suddenly stopped, his eyes fixed on a spot not far away, under the streetlamp.
“What are you looking at?” Jiang Xiaosi followed his gaze.
“Nothing.” Of course, he wasn’t going to tell her that Shen Mo had been watching them from a distance.
Shen Mo’s emotions were impossible to describe—a tangled mix of anger, jealousy, worry, and disappointment. He had already investigated and confirmed that Mo Yang was the very Mei Xin he had been searching for. Seeing Mei Xin reappear in Jiang Xiaosi’s life made Shen Mo extremely anxious. What was Mei Xin’s goal? Was Jiang Xiaosi a hostage?
Shen Mo believed that after the last severe injury he had inflicted on Mei Xin, the man couldn’t possibly be a match for him now. But Mei Xin was cunning; he wouldn’t have exposed himself without a solid plan. If Shen Mo acted rashly, he might put Jiang Xiaosi in danger.
Logic tempered his burning desire for revenge. He couldn’t allow anyone else around him to get hurt. Essentially, Mei Xin was a madman, and you could never predict his next move. His favorite thing was to draw pleasure from others’ pain, fear, and anger.
Since Mei Xin had returned to seek revenge, he must have misunderstood Shen Mo and Jiang Xiaosi’s relationship. If he was childish enough to get close to Jiang Xiaosi to make Shen Mo jealous, he might even use her to hurt him. Shen Mo didn’t know how much of Mei Xin’s soul had recovered after his failed resurrection, but it was clear that Mei Xin’s attempt to possess the ancient corpse had failed. For now, Mei Xin could only use the power of the purple mark to possess a human body.
But what Shen Mo hadn’t expected was how easily Jiang Xiaosi had fallen for Mei Xin’s charms! Damn it! Just days ago,she had confidently declared her love for him!
Shen Mo was unsure of his next move. He followed closely, afraid Mei Xin might harm her. How could Jiang Liu be so blind? How could he not notice such a dangerous person lurking so close?
The next day, Shen Mo intercepted Jiang Xiaosi on her way to the shop. She didn’t seem surprised to see him. They stood face-to-face for a long time, saying nothing.
In the end, Jiang Xiaosi couldn’t hold back any longer. She glanced at her watch and looked a bit impatient. “What is it?”
Shen Mo frowned. Her attitude bothered him.
“It’s better if you stay away from Mo Yang.”
“Why?”
Shen Mo didn’t want to involve her in this revenge plot. If she found out the truth and accidentally revealed something to Mei Xin, it would only put her in more danger. So, he couldn’t tell her the real reason.
“No reason. Just don’t go to the shop as much, and definitely don’t go out with him.”
Jiang Xiaosi was furious. He was always like this—never explaining, never reasoning.
“What, are you jealous or something?”
“Think of it that way if you want. Just stay away from him, and keep this talisman with you at all times.”
Shen Mo handed her a folded triangular talisman. He used to do this whenever there was a case or anything else potentially dangerous. Whenever there was even the slightest chance of danger, he’d write her a talisman. Jiang Xiaosi used to treat them like treasures, but now she simply took it and shoved it into her pocket without a second thought.
Shen Mo hesitated. He wanted to say more, but looking at her kicking a stone on the ground, he couldn’t find the right words.
“Don’t act out of spite…”
Jiang Xiaosi suddenly smiled. “Oh, is that what you’re worried about? That I’m so upset after you rejected me that I’m just using someone else to numb the pain? Don’t worry, I really like Mo Yang. As for the past… I’ve almost forgotten about it. This time, I took the Forgetting Water myself.”
Shen Mo’s head snapped up in disbelief. She had taken the Forgetting Water to erase her feelings for him?
In that moment, Shen Mo felt like all the air had been sucked out of the world. He didn’t have time to say anything, nor could he. Afraid he’d lose control, he turned away quickly and left in a hurry.
Only then did Jiang Xiaosi look up at his retreating figure, a hint of sadness in her eyes.
That night, after once again mentioning to Little Ghost that it was time for him to reincarnate, Little Ghost ran away in anger. He didn’t return until the next morning, looking troubled. Even when Jiang Xiaosi tried to play ball with him, he wasn’t interested, so she decided to push the issue back for now.
Another week passed, and her relationship with Mo Yang was progressing smoothly. Jiang Xiaosi smiled more and more. But whenever she returned to Dugu Xiang, she always seemed tired. Jiang Liu worried that the shop was exhausting her and suggested hiring more help, but she insisted against it.
Finally, it was Thursday night. A storm raged outside, with thunder and lightning shaking the shop. Jiang Xiaosi looked out the window, realizing she wouldn’t be able to go home tonight. She and Mo Yang decided to stay at the shop and rest, each in a different room.
The thunder grew louder, shaking the thin walls. Jiang Xiaosi curled up tightly in her blanket.
“Mo Yang, are you still awake?”
“Yeah…”
Mo Yang lifted the curtain and saw her huddled up like that, making him smile. “What’s there to be afraid of? It’s just thunder.”
Jiang Xiaosi felt someone hug her from behind. She felt a bit dazed, remembering how she used to tease Shen Mo when he was sick with a cold.
“Mo Yang? What do you like about me?” Jiang Xiaosi turned to look at him. “I’m not pretty, I don’t have a good figure, and my chest hasn’t even fully developed.”
Mo Yang chuckled. That didn’t matter. As long as she was special in Shen Mo’s eyes, that was enough. At first, he hadn’t been sure, thinking the girl in front of him was just a child. But seeing Shen Mo’s level of concern these past days, even abandoning his usual approach by not confronting him immediately, instead waiting and watching, made it clear how important Jiang Xiaosi was to him.
“I just like you. Maybe I’m one of those so-called ‘lolicon’ nerds.”
Jiang Xiaosi couldn’t help but laugh. Mo Yang held her in his arms, gazing deeply into her eyes. Then, slowly, he leaned down to kiss her.
Jiang Xiaosi’s body instantly tensed. She seemed hesitant but finally closed her eyes.
When their lips met, it felt cold—there was no spark. The kiss, the sucking, the caressing—it was all just physical movements. Jiang Xiaosi kept telling herself to let go, to immerse herself.
Mo Yang’s hands slowly moved over her body, like a snake slithering, leaving goosebumps in their wake. Jiang Xiaosi desperately reminded herself to hold on, to endure.
She wrapped her arms around Mo Yang, pulling him closer, deepening the kiss. But when his hand slipped under her shirt, she couldn’t take it any longer.
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