In the dim room, Bai Lixin’s eyes were rimmed with red and he had a pained expression.
He struggled to swallow the black mist filling his mouth. Although it looked like light fog, its touch felt incredibly real.
The black mist filled his mouth, making it hard to breathe.
He wanted to escape, but the back of his head was tightly restrained by the mist.
He knew he couldn’t escape.
The black mist had said it was saving his life.
Thick mist wrapped around his body and the black mist in his mouth continued to burrow down his throat.
The man’s voice was encouraging, “Yes, just like that, drink more. Your ‘extreme yin fate’ has always made your soul unstable. Now, with two souls and four spirits missing, your soul has become even weaker. Only by constantly balancing with my extreme yang constitution can your life be sustained.”
“The more you drink, the longer you’ll maintain a normal human state.”
A thick scent of heather filled his mouth.
Bai Lixin furrowed his brows, his throat rolling as he swallowed.
The man’s voice lowered, “Don’t waste a drop.”
A steady stream of liquid slid down his throat. Bai Lixin endured the strange taste and swallowed it all with red eyes.
Only then did the thick mist release him, gently brushing against his damp forehead and the corner of his mouth, as if coaxing a child, “Good, very obedient, you did well.”
Bai Lixin gradually slept off under these soft words of praise.
When he woke again, it was already the next morning. He walked into the bathroom and looked at himself in the mirror, gritting his teeth in frustration.
The strange taste still lingered in his mouth, but now he understood.
It wasn’t a problem with his taste buds, nor an issue with his stomach or mind.
Every single night, after he fell asleep, a hateful ghost would feed him.
Perhaps because he had drunk his fill the night before, the young man in the mirror looked different today. His face was no longer pale, it glowed with a healthy blush, and his eyes were deep and black.
His lips were slightly swollen and a vibrant red, and there was a seductive charm in his eyes.
He was like a blooming rose that suddenly learned how to exude its charm. Like a timid rabbit transformed into an alluring fox spirit.
The young man’s eyes flashed with restraint and shame, and his slender back straightened, looking both fragile and proud.
He rinsed his mouth repeatedly, trying to wash away the taste, and scrubbed his lips over and over.
In this moment, how was he any different from those fox spirits or mountain demons that thrived on human essence?
To survive, he had to accept the liquid the ghost poured into his mouth over and over again.
Who would know that the model student admired by outsiders was secretly this kind of person?
He felt ashamed.
In fact, he wasn’t even as well off as those fox spirits.
Fox spirits could seduce others openly and freely, but he could not.
He was like a hypocritical person who wanted to be promiscuous and wanted to be a saint at the same time. He needed the help of the ghost, but hated the behavior imposed on him by the ghost
Ha, so he was that hypocritical after all.
An invisible touch slid up his waist, and he knew it was the “ghost husband”.
Bai Lixin stared at his charming self in the mirror, suppressed his emotions and gripped the sink, “Stay away from me.”
The touch paused.
Bai Lixin’s fingers turned pale from the pressure, “I’m going to school today. Don’t follow me. I want to be alone.”
The feeling lingered on his waist for a few seconds before it gradually withdrew.
It should be gone now.
Bai Lixin took a deep breath and splashed cold water onto his face repeatedly until the strange flush and ambiguous look in his eyes faded. Only then did he stop.
After dressing, he said to the others, “I’m heading out,” then left without eating breakfast.
On the way, he ran into Song Yuantian, who was taking a morning walk.
Song Yuantian looked Bai Lixin up and down, his calm eyes seeming to see straight through him.
Bai Lixin straightened his back unconsciously.
A hint of pity flashed in Song Yuantian’s eyes, “It looks like your soul summoning failed yesterday. Your soul is still in such a shattered state.”
Bai Lixin: “Yes, my soul didn’t return yesterday, but I saw the water ghost that dragged me into the lake.”
“Oh?” Song Yuantian’s eyes showed surprise, “You actually saw it?”
Bai Lixin nodded, “Yes, it had water weeds tangled in its hair and it was holding a knife, as if it wanted to kill me.”
“Bai Lixin, you might still have a chance!” Song Yuantian’s usually calm eyes showed a ripple of emotion, “The water ghost is still around, which means it hasn’t found a substitute. Your two souls and four spirits aren’t completely trapped at the lake bottom.”
Song Yuantian’s words were like a ray of light piercing through dark clouds, finally sparking a glimmer of hope in Bai Lixin’s desolate heart, “What do I need to do?”
“I’ll need to research it. Once I find a way, I’ll let you know.” He took out his phone, “Give me your contact information, I’ll reach out once I have a solution.”
Grasping at this newfound hope, Bai Lixin immediately exchanged contact information with him.
As long as he could retrieve his soul, he wouldn’t have to drink the liquid the ghost husband fed him every day.
Thinking of this, Bai Lixin’s mood, which had been low since the morning, finally lifted a bit.
…
Sitting in class, Bai Lixin noticed the atmosphere today was a little different. His classmates were whispering and chatting about something unusual.
“Xin Xin, did you hear?” Li Cancan leaned over and whispered, “Something happened to Teacher Li.”
Teacher Li was the psychology instructor at Q University, and also the teacher of Li Cancan and Bai Lixin’s elective course. This was the class they were attending now.
Bai Lixin shook his head, completely unaware of what had happened to Teacher Li.
Li Cancan: “Last night, Teacher Li was doing rounds and fell from the building.”
Bai Lixin: “How is he now?”
A familiar classmate chimed in, “Luckily, it wasn’t a high floor. He broke his leg but isn’t in any life-threatening danger. He’ll need some time in the hospital, so he won’t be teaching for a while.”
Li Cancan: “I also heard that Teacher Li was acting strange at the time.”
The classmate replied mysteriously, “Yes, students who went with him to the hospital said he kept muttering about seeing a ghost.”
Li Cancan gasped and subconsciously glanced at Bai Lixin, “So creepy?”
The classmate continued, “Well, there’s that saying, right? To be an outstanding psychologist, you have to experience mental illness yourself to truly understand a patient’s pain points. Maybe Teacher Li was under too much pressure and had a mental breakdown.”
‘Was it really just a mental breakdown?’
Bai Lixin silently stared at the elective course textbook in front of him.
If what he had seen earlier wasn’t just an illusion, then the ghost of Cao Lin must be real.
Could the ghost that Teacher Li saw be Cao Lin?
While Bai Lixin was lost in thought, he suddenly heard a simultaneous scream from the entire classroom.
He turned his head, only to see a man standing at the podium, though he hadn’t noticed when he’d arrived.
The man wore a simple white shirt and black pants, with neatly combed hair and broad shoulders tapering to a narrow waist. He was tall, with a refined and elegant appearance. A gentle smile played on his lips, and a pair of rimless glasses gave him a calm and composed demeanor.
Bai Lixin was momentarily stunned and felt that this man looked somewhat familiar, as though he had seen him somewhere before.
But how could he forget someone with such outstanding looks?
“Hello, students.” The man’s voice carried across the room, and Bai Lixin’s body stiffened.
“Teacher Li is currently unwell and temporarily unable to teach. I’ll be substituting for him in the meantime and will guide you through the remainder of the course.”
“Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Dijia. Although I’m not an official teacher here at Q University, you better not bully your substitute teacher.”
Laughter and cheers erupted from the students around him.
“How can the teacher be so handsome!”
“You’re good-looking and so nice. If we bully you, we’re bad. So we won’t bully you!”
“How could I bear to bully a teacher as good-looking as you!”
“Ah, I’m so glad I signed up for this elective course. Teacher, I promise to come to class on time from now on and never skip!”
“Teacher, teacher, how old are you? Are you married? Do you have kids? Are you dating?”
Bai Lixin could no longer clearly hear the conversations around him; the voices seemed to blur and grow distant.
He had no idea how he made it through the class. His mind was foggy, and he felt a bit disoriented.
Why had Dr. Dijia come to the university to teach?
When he had gone to the hospital, he had deliberately chosen one far from Q University to avoid running into anyone he knew.
As class was about to end, Dr. Dijia said, “I need a student to help me carry some books.”
A sea of hands shot up from the audience.
The man glanced down at the roster in his hand, then surveyed the room, “Student Bai Lixin, are you here?”
Caught off guard, Bai Lixin reluctantly stood up. “Teacher.”
The man closed the roster. “It’s you then. Let’s go.”
Bai Lixin: “…”
Life really was full of surprises.
As Bai Lixin followed Dr. Dijia, the students occasionally cast curious glances his way.
Of course, they weren’t curious about him, but about the unfamiliar face walking ahead of him.
The man’s current office wasn’t in the same place as Teacher Li’s, he had a small, private office to himself.
When they entered the office, Bai Lixin took a deep breath, “Dr. Dijia.”
The man closed the door and spoke in the same gentle tone as before, “Bai Lixin, we are really destined to have met so soon; it’s nice to see you again so soon.”
Bai Lixin hesitated. “Teacher, I…”
“Don’t worry. As a psychologist, I have strict professional ethics and won’t reveal your medical condition to anyone,” Dr. Dijia said casually, pulling out a chair. “Come, sit down.”
Bai Lixin’s tense shoulders relaxed slightly. “Weren’t we supposed to carry books?”
Dr. Dijia: “There aren’t any books. I was just a bit concerned about you. You seemed distracted during class. Were you having hallucinations again?”
They couldn’t be called hallucinations.
Bai Lixin shook his head.
The refined and serene man looked at him with warm eyes. “Try to eat light meals and avoid colored foods like spinach the day before any hospital check-ups…”
“Dr. Dijia,” Bai Lixin interrupted hesitantly, “I’m not planning to go for tests anymore.”
Dr. Dijia showed no sign of anger or surprise, keeping his voice calm and gentle. “Why not?”
Bai Lixin: “The strange taste in my mouth isn’t from my stomach; I know the cause now.”
“Alright, I respect your decision.” Without the pushback Bai Lixin expected, Dr. Dijia agreed readily. He reached into his pocket and brought out something, which he placed in Bai Lixin’s palm. “This is for you.”
Bai Lixin looked down; it was a piece of candy wrapped in colorful paper.
Helooked back at Dr. Dijia in confusion.
Dr. Dijia: “During the taste test, I noticed you seemed to have a preference for sweets. If you feel any lingering taste in your mouth, try eating some candy.”
“Thank you.” Bai Lixin put away the candy. “But, Dr. Dijia, why did you come to Q University to teach?”
Dr. Dijia: “I have a good relationship with the dean here and I also know your Teacher Li. After his accident, the dean approached me about substituting for his class, so I agreed.”
Bai Lixin gave a small “oh,” though he still felt an inexplicable unease.
Why did it have to be him? It seemed too coincidental.
“Well then,” the man patted Bai Lixin’s shoulder, “it’s getting late. You should head back to class.”
Bai Lixin murmured an agreement and left the office, yet he couldn’t shake his curiosity.
Yesterday, he went to the hospital for a consultation, and today, Teacher Li was hospitalized, only for Dr. Dijia to come to Q University as a substitute…
Was it really just a coincidence?
The first two periods that afternoon were for physical education.
The class was shared with another, totaling over eighty students.
The grading for physical education consisted of regular performance scores and final exams. The regular scores were given throughout the course based on progress as determined by the teacher.
Today’s activity was volleyball practice.
They were grouped into teams of four, with boys and girls separated.
The class representative went to the storage room to retrieve a cart of volleyballs and distributed them to each group. But when it reached Bai Lixin’s group, they found there were no balls left.
Adding in the group behind Bai Lixin’s, a total of two groups had no volleyball.
The physical education teacher was busy instructing other students, so he handed the storage room key to Bai Lixin. “Go grab some more volleyballs from the equipment room. Bring a few extra, I noticed some of the ones we have are deflated.”
Thinking it wouldn’t take much effort to grab a few volleyballs, Bai Lixin decided to go alone.
But when he turned around, he realized that the other seven students had all decided to follow him.
Without much thought, Bai Lixin smiled at them and walked with them toward the equipment room.
The equipment room was in the basement of the teaching building behind the stadium, a dark area mostly used for storage, and nearly deserted.
Due to its lack of sunlight, the air was filled with the scent of dust and dampness.
Bai Lixin quickly found the equipment room and used the key to open the door, immediately turning on the light to search for the volleyball.
The equipment room was a large warehouse, holding all the school’s equipment, so it was packed to the brim.
After searching twice, Bai Lixin finally found the tightly hidden volleyball basket under a thick green sponge mat.
“Found it,” Bai Lixin called out happily to the others behind him. “Let’s carry it over.”
There was a loud clank behind him.
The sound of an iron door closing rang out.
Bai Lixin sensed something was wrong and turned around abruptly.
Six boys now stood scattered in front of him, all staring at him motionlessly.
Their expressions were strange, with wooden expressions, as though they were in a daze.
In the shadows at the far end of the warehouse stood another boy. He let out an odd laugh and slowly stepped out of the darkness.
Bai Lixin watched them warily, his hand reaching behind him to search for a suitable weapon. “What do you want?”
The six boys around him remained expressionless, as if they hadn’t heard Bai Lixin’s words.
“Hehehe,” the boy who had emerged last let out a strange laugh, “I’ve finally caught you, Bai Lixin. Come play with me.”
The boy finally stepped out of the shadows, revealing a sinister grin.
His face was the same, but he seemed like a different person.
A name flashed in Bai Lixin’s mind almost immediately: Cao Lin.
His breath nearly stopped.
What was going on?
Could it be that his soul had left his body again without him knowing?
Song Yuantian once mentioned that souls are divided into living souls and dead souls. He was still alive so he had a living soul, whereas those who had died possessed dead souls.
Dead souls should not be able to harm the living because they exist in separate spaces, with no overlap between dimensions.
But if a living soul leaves the body, it’s different.
The living soul will briefly enter the space of the dead souls, and if attacked by a dead soul during this time, it might not be able to return to its body, becoming a dead soul itself.
There was a simple way to tell if one’s soul had left the body: if one couldn’t feel pain, it meant the soul had departed.
Bai Lixin discreetly pinched the back of his hand, and the next moment, a sharp pain shot through.
He was startled and subconsciously looked at the boy walking toward him.
He could feel pain, so his soul was still in his body.
Then, it was Cao Lin that had possessed this boy?
As “Cao Lin” approached, Bai Lixin suddenly grabbed a volleyball from behind him, threw it, and rushed toward the door, weaving past the boys.
‘Damn it, damn it, damn it!’
He had to tell Song Yuantian—Cao Lin’s ghost seemed to have evolved; it could possess people now!
“Catch him!” “Cao Lin” growled, smashing the volleyball that was thrown to him to the ground.
The previously dazed boys immediately sprang into action and charged at Bai Lixin.
Just as Bai Lixin was about to reach the door, a hand grabbed his leg.
The next second, Bai Lixin was pinned to the ground. The door was just inches away, but his hands and feet were held down by several boys.
“Cao Lin” looked down at Bai Lixin with a twisted, crazed grin, his eyes glinting coldly.
Bai Lixin struggled fiercely, “Let go of me!”
He shouted, “Help! Somebody, help!”
“Cao Lin” frowned in annoyance. “Shut him up.”
A rough hand covered his mouth, and Bai Lixin could only let out muffled whimpers.
“Cao Lin” seemed to view him as a new plaything, crouching down to slowly scrutinize him.
His eyes moved from top to bottom, and there was a hidden thrill in his eyes.
Bai Lixin flushed with anger and glared at “Cao Lin”.
“What a vibrant face.” Cao Lin’s hand traced from Bai Lixin’s face down to his neck.
Suddenly, his grip tightened around Bai Lixin’s throat. “So beautiful I almost want to destroy it bit by bit.”
He stared at the young man’s face.
The young man’s face flushed red from lack of oxygen, but his eyes still burned with life and fury. Like a blooming rose, he radiated his defiant vitality and grew wildly.
“Cao Lin” began to tremble, and the madness in his eyes deepened.
Just as Bai Lixin was on the verge of losing consciousness, “Cao Lin” released his grip.
Bai Lixin gasped for air. His body was still restrained, so he could only glare at “Cao Lin.”
A chilling, harsh laugh came from “Cao Lin’s” throat. “Bai Lixin, you’re so amusing. I’m thrilled, hahahaha.”
“Tell me, how can I ruin you? How can I dim those beautiful eyes and make you a pile of worthless muck, just like me?”
The hand covering his mouth was removed under “Cao Lin’s” command.
Bai Lixin looked up at the figure in front of him and managed to choke out two words: “You lunatic!”
“Hahahaha,” “Cao Lin” laughed, “Exactly, I am a lunatic.”
“Now, let this lunatic think about how to destroy you!”
“I’ve learned quite a bit lately. I know that Bai Lixin is an excellent student with excellent character and academic performance. I also know that many students in school secretly like you.”
“Cao Lin” grinned with dark amusement, his gaze sweeping over Bai Lixin’s disheveled clothes. “I wonder, if those students found out their idol had been defiled by a group of men, what would they think of you?”
Bai Lixin’s eyes widened. “You’re insane! By doing this, you’ll not only harm me but also the people you’re controlling!”
“And so what?” “Cao Lin” shrugged indifferently. “What’s it to me? I’m a lunatic. The more chaos, the better.”
“That wretched thing hovering around you seems to care a lot about you. I wonder if it’ll die of anger if it finds out you were tormented by me? Hahaha.” “Cao Lin” looked around. “Wasn’t it powerful? It even hurt me. Where is it now? Why doesn’t it dare to show up? If you have the guts, come out and see how I kill him!””
Cao Lin was referring to Bai Lixin’s ghost husband.
Where had it gone?
Bai Lixin had driven it away himself.
Now, he was filled with regret.
If he hadn’t driven it away that morning, would he have encountered these things now?
“I’m sorry,” Bai Lixin whispered in a voice as small as a mosquito, “I shouldn’t have chased you away.”
“Cao Lin” frowned and leaned closer. “What did you say?”
Suddenly, a gust of wind surged through the warehouse.
“Cao Lin” and the other six boys were thrown aside and knocked unconscious.
Bai Lixin felt a force enveloping his body. He looked up weakly, and vaguely saw a faint shadow that seemed to be restrained by some force and was struggling above him.
His body felt cold and he instinctively searched for warmth.
An invisible force gently pried his mouth open, and a warm presence filled it.
This time, Bai Lixin didn’t resist. He cautiously accepted it and drew warmth from his mouth.
It felt different from yesterday—there was no strange smell like heather, just a faint minty fragrance.
Bai Lixin was drowsy and as subconsciousness slowly sank, he thought, “This scent is actually kind of nice.”
……
Bai Lixin sat up abruptly and looked around warily.
“You’re awake?”
A gentle voice came from nearby. He turned his head only to see Dr. Dijia standing there in a white coat.
Bai Lixin rubbed his head. “Is this the school infirmary? How did I end up here?”
Dr. Dijia: “You and seven other students fainted in the warehouse. The initial assessment suggests there was a methane leak that caused toxic gas to form. Luckily, we found you all in time. The other seven have already woken up and gone back. Only you hadn’t come to yet.”
“Thank you, teacher.” Bai Lixin’s head ached faintly. “What time is it now?”
The sky outside was already dark—it had to be quite late.
Dr. Dijia glanced at his watch. “Ten p.m.”
Bai Lixin jumped up from the bed. “So late? I have to get back quickly.”
Zhou Zhirui and Xia Chi would be worried sick if they couldn’t reach him.
“A boy who said he’s your brother called earlier. I answered and told him about your situation, so don’t be too anxious.”
“How are you feeling? Can you walk?”
Bai Lixin: “I’m fine.”
He was certain he’d fainted after “Cao Lin’s” ambush. Those other students had also been knocked out by “Ghost Husband.” So how had it turned into methane poisoning?
“Come on, I’ll take you back.” Dr. Dijia took off his white coat and casually draped it over the back of a chair. “The subway has stopped running at this time. I wouldn’t feel comfortable with you taking a cab.”
Bai Lixin didn’t want to accept his kindness.
On one hand, he felt it would be too much trouble for Dr. Dijia.
On the other hand, he felt that this doctor was being overly attentive toward him.
So attentive that it made him feel a little wary.
The man stood there with an air of elegance, his eyes frank and devoid of guilt or deceit.
The moonlight outside poured over the man, casting a hazy white glow around him.
There was a faint smile on his lips, as if that glow was radiating directly from him.
Pure, flawless, as beautiful as a god.
Something stirred in Bai Lixin’s heart, and he nodded as if possessed by a ghost. “Then, I’ll trouble you, Doctor.”
Welcome back from the weekend everyone!!
