Chuzhengâs gaze was calm, and so was her tone, yet the male ghost instinctively felt danger.
This female ghost, it seemed she could kill him with ease.
Chuzheng pressed down hard with her foot, and the male ghost suddenly cried out, âDonât, donât kill me. If you kill me, he wonât live either.â
Heâ¦
Xia Han?
Chuzheng turned to look at the boy on the bed, then back at the male ghost, feeling somewhat frustrated internally.
Could this ghost be the first evil ghost Xia Han encountered?
She had clearly saved him, so how could Xia Han have come across this evil ghost?
Chuzheng looked around and picked up a glass bottle from the cupboard, opened the lid, and aimed the opening at the evil ghost, âGet in.â
The evil ghost was confounded, âHuh?â
âGet in.â
Two words, calm and unemotional, yet they filled the evil ghost with a sense of ferocity.
âOkay, okay, Iâm going in.â
He darted into the bottle, and Chuzheng quickly sealed it tight, âTry to run and see what happens.â
The evil ghost, feeling threatened, hugged himself tightly, curling into a ball.
Heâs the evil ghost!
He is indeed!
Chuzheng walked over to the bed, helped Xia Han sit up, and roughly fed him water.
Chuzheng was cold to the touch while Xia Han was burning up. After she finished giving him water, he clung to her, unwilling to let go.
âSo comfortable.â Xia Han nuzzled Chuzhengâs shoulder, finding a cozy spot to nestle in.
Chuzheng pried him off only for him to cling to her again immediately.
Chuzheng thought he would hold her for a while and let go once he cooled down, but he kept his grip on her all morning, and his body temperature did not decrease.
The evil ghostâs voice came out from the bottle, âHeâs got a fever, you need to find him some medicine.â
Chuzheng raised her hand, and the bottle flew into it, âGo find it, and donât even think about running. It would be very easy for me to find you.â
The evil ghost was released, and he slapped himself in the face.
Serves you right for running your mouth.
But this person couldnât die, at least not like this.
Feeling aggrieved, the evil ghost went to find medicine, and after Chuzheng fed it to Xia Han, the high fever subsided by the evening.
âCough cough coughâ¦â
Xia Han woke up, his throat itching, and went into a coughing fit.
He only felt dizzy and light-footed, a bitter taste in his mouth, and a bit nauseous.
Where was he?
Was he dead?
âLittle Beautyâ¦â As his vision gradually focused, he saw the person⦠no, the ghost sitting by his side.
The young man, perhaps thinking of something, turned pale with fear, âAm I, have I also become a ghost?â
âDo you want to become a ghost?â Chuzheng asked expressionlessly, producing a knife.
Xia Han instantly sobered up, âNo, no, I donât. Little Beauty, be calm.â
He pressed down on Chuzhengâs hand, feeling the warmth of his hand different from Chuzhengâs, and Xia Han breathed a sigh of relief. So he wasnât dead.
The evil ghost suggested that Xia Han might have picked up some yin energy at the Ghost Market, and then hanging outside, he fell sick from the double torment.
However, given Xia Hanâs unique constitution, it was just an illness, not life-threatening.
âTake the medicine.â Chuzheng handed him the medicine and water.
âThis waterâ¦â Xia Han was slightly averse.
âFootbath water.â Chuzheng said expressionlessly.
ââ¦â Xia Han inspected the water, which was clean and likely spring water.
âSo bitter.â Xia Han gulped down the water, his face scrunching up.
âGood medicine tastes bitter.â
âPtooey ptooey ptooey.â Xia Han made a face of disgust. It was so bitter. What kind of medicine was this? It didnât taste like any cold medicine he had taken before!
Xia Han didnât see the packaging and didnât dare to ask the stone-faced Chuzheng, so he let it be.
After drinking a few sips of water, he felt the bitterness lessen a bit, âLittle Beauty, have you been here the whole time?â
âYes.â
âLittle Beauty, youâre so kind.â Xia Hanâs eyes curved in a smile, and his whole demeanor seemed to brighten with sunshine.
Chuzheng glanced at him and tossed him the bottle, âThis ghost, itâs yours.â
The bottle was cold, Xia Han had not minded it before, but as he caught it instinctively, Chuzhengâs subsequent words froze him in place.
He swallowed hard, âIs it that really ugly man?â
Recalling the Evil Ghostâs appearance, Chuzheng nodded, âMhm.â
Evil Ghost: ââ¦â Whoâs ugly!! Whoâs ugly!!
After a pause, Chuzheng asked, âDo you know him?â
âAfter I came back from the Ghost Market, heâs been following meâ¦â Xia Hanâs voice weakened a bit, âIâve told him to leave, but he refuses, claiming thereâs some kind of pact between us.â
âAre you very afraid of him?â
Xia Han didnât show much fear.
He glanced at Chuzheng, neither nodded nor shook his head, but simply said, âHeâs very fierce, his gaze is like knives, I donât like him.â
That meant he was afraid.
Chuzheng: âWhy arenât you afraid of me?â
âLittle Beauty is different.â Xia Han set the bottle down.
âHow is it different?â
He looked up slightly, his eyes glowing, âIt feels different, I think you wonât hurt me.â
The first time he saw her, he wasnât scared of her.
He had seen many ghosts, Evil Spirits, regular ghosts; as a child, he was always scared of them, but as he grew older, he learned to hide his fear.
He wasnât fearless, he just knew that being afraid was pointless.
They could harm him.
All he could do was try his best to survive.
The more fear he felt, the less chance he had of surviving, so he couldnât afford to be scared, at least not outwardly.
The room fell silent for a while until Chuzheng took the bottle from him, breaking the stillness, âYou said thereâs a pact between you two? What kind of pact?â
Xia Han shook his head.
Chuzheng released the Evil Ghost, âYou tell me.â
The Evil Ghostâs gaze darted around, clearly scheming something.
Chuzheng lifted the knife in her hand again.
The Evil Ghost immediately became compliant, âItâs a sort of Ghost Pactâ¦â
The Evil Ghost, originally planning to deceive Chuzheng, didnât dare to speak carelessly upon meeting her gaze and answered honestly, âHeâs sort of like my master now.â
Such a Ghost Pact normally couldnât be made by just anyone.
Out of millions of people, there might not even be one who could do it.
Chuzheng thought about her own inexplicable appearance here.
âSo, is the ghost that formed the pact obliged to stay by the masterâs side?â
âNot necessarily, but if the master summons, I must return.â The Evil Ghost answered carefully, eyes fixed on the knife in Chuzhengâs hand.
Chuzheng: ââ¦â What the hell!
Without showing any surprise, Chuzheng calmly said, âSince heâs your master, you better protect him well.â
âYes, yes, yes.â The Evil Ghost nodded repeatedly.
Chuzheng ordered the Evil Ghost back into the bottle and tossed it to Xia Han.
âWill he harm me again?â
âHe wouldnât dare.â
Xia Han nodded trustingly, marveling, âLittle Beauty, youâre so powerful.â
Chuzheng deadpanned, âItâs alright.â
Xia Han was first taken aback, then burst into a snicker, âLittle Beauty, youâre really cute.â
Confirming Xia Han was alright, Chuzheng told him she was heading back to Dongfu City. Xia Han didnât try to keep her, just said she should come to visit him when she had time.
Chuzheng was noncommittal.
Chuzheng left Taokong Mountain, drifting toward Dongfu City.
When had she formed a Ghost Pact with Xia Han?
Chuzheng carefully reflected on what happened at the Ghost Market, finally focusing on the fleeting kiss like a dragonfly skimming water.
At that moment, she felt an abnormal warmth in her body, mistakenly believing it was the boyâs body heat, a sensation produced by their physical contact.
Now, she realized, it was the power of the pactâ¦
I mustnât let him find out!!