Everything around him became distorted and blurry, and his vision couldn’t even capture the correct shapes of objects. A straight, flat line stretched across his mind, and besides that line, his thoughts were completely blank.
“Bai Shuijin, my brother is dead.”
“His plane had an accident. It crashed in the wasteland outside the city.”
“What do we do? What do we do, Bai Shuijin? What do we do!!!”
Wang Zhenzhu’s shrill cries even caused the receiver to emit a screech.
On the way to the shop, the multimedia screen reporting the plane crash resurfaced in his mind.
Bai Shuijin stopped breathing. That was Wang Huanxiu…
The sound of heavy objects and metal items falling to the ground startled Chen Yuan, who had just returned from selecting jewelry. The attendant nearby also hurried over to Bai Shuijin.
Even from a sofa chair barely knee-high, he had managed to fall while getting up.
His phone fell several meters away, and the screen cracked in multiple places, shedding fine debris when picked up.
Before the attendant could reach him, Bai Shuijin lay prone on the ground and tried to get up on his own. He had no strength, as if he had lost his bones and spine. His arms and legs were weak and limp. As soon as he rose, his body uncontrollably fell back to the ground, hitting his chin. When he lifted it again, a layer of skin had been scraped off. The broken skin was chapped and rough, and there were faint traces of blood under the skin.
“Brother Shuijin, what’s wrong?”
Chen Yuan and the attendant stepped forward together to help him up, but Bai Shuijin couldn’t be pulled to his feet. His eyes were distant, and his gaze was unfocused and unable to concentrate. He couldn’t even see clearly who was in front of him.
He stumbled toward the shop entrance. Chen Yuan didn’t know what had happened to him. She had only gone to look at a gemstone necklace, and in that time, he had become like this.
His once vibrant face was now paler than paper. The blood in his body had coagulated and stopped flowing. He seemed as if he had suddenly contracted a severe illness. His lips had no color, and his entire body began to break out in a cold sweat.
His forehead was cold without a single drop of sweat. His hands and feet were icy, as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.
When he reached the entrance, he almost collided with the automatic sensor door. Chen Yuan quickly pulled him back. “Brother Shuijin! Brother Shuijin! This way!”
Bai Shuijin breathed rapidly, his chest heaving violently. His expression was dazed, no longer lively. He showed no emotion and had become mute.
He stumbled toward the car. From the moment he received that call, it seemed he had lost any ability to communicate with the outside world.
In the car, he gave the address of a private hospital, saying he needed to go there. But halfway there, he changed his mind and said to go to the outskirts of the city, without any definite direction.
It was only after Chen Yuan, who was sitting beside him, received the shocking news that she told the driver to head to the private hospital.
Chen Yuan cried the moment she heard about Wang Huanxiu’s plane crash, and she sat next to Bai Shuijin sobbing uncontrollably.
Covering her mouth, her shoulders shaking, the entire car was filled with oppression and suffocation.
Bai Shuijin’s eyes were fixed on one spot, never moving. He didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t think of anything. His fingers couldn’t move. His eyes couldn’t move.
He even held onto a sliver of hope.
Maybe nothing had happened.
Maybe Wang Huanxiu hadn’t boarded the plane.
Those bitter melodramas always played out like that.
When they reached the hospital, the area where Wang Huanxiu was located was on the sixth floor. The elevator doors opened, and Bai Shuijin walked out expressionlessly. His limbs were stiff, and all his joints were like those of a puppet’s. Only when someone pulled the strings could he move.
The private hospital was large and luxurious. Those here were either wealthy or noble, but the sixth floor was reserved solely for Wang Huanxiu.
Many people had already gathered outside the elevator. Bai Shuijin didn’t know who they were. Now, he even couldn’t tell whether he had seen them before or not.
Everyone he saw had the same face…the face of a stranger, a passerby.
They had all rushed over upon hearing about Wang Huanxiu’s accident. It was said that not long after the crash, rescue teams had received calls and gone to the scene to carry out rescue operations.
The crashed plane hadn’t caused a mountain fire, but it was said that the people on board had been smashed to pieces and rescue workers only found some charred body parts after emergency rescue.
The sound of discussion continued incessantly. It didn’t matter how many were truly grieving, and how many were hypocritical.
What mattered was, “Wang Huanxiu is dead.”
In the hospital room, Wang Wang and Wang Dong looked at the bulges under a white sheet, which were scattered here and there and emitted a foul odor.
Wang Wang gave his assistant a look. The assistant stepped forward efficiently, lifted the white sheet, and exposed the disgusting and bloody remains to everyone’s eyes.
Wang Dong even felt nauseated, and waved away the smell in front of his nose.
After collecting the tissue samples, the assistant covered them again with the sheet.
“To be absolutely sure, test the DNA again.”
The assistant retreated to Wang Wang’s side.
Although it was already very clear that Wang Huanxiu was dead, having more proof meant more security.
“So young, what a pity.”
Wang Wang and Wang Dong exchanged a look and smiled simultaneously.
This scene was fully captured by Wang Huanxiu in a hidden room. Wang Wang’s assistant, who was standing behind the two, nodded subtly toward the direction of the pinhole camera.
The remains under the white sheet on the bed were fakes, crafted by a master artisan. Whether to the naked eye or by touch, they were indistinguishable from real ones.
The hidden room was right inside this hospital room. Pushing open the concealed mechanism in the restroom wall would reveal another room.
Wang Wang and Wang Dong were chatting and laughing in the hospital room.
“I think the old man is quite heartbroken. I hope he doesn’t make himself sick.”
Wang Wang: “My father is the best at pretending. Don’t worry. In a few days, his sentimental phase will pass, and he’ll be fine.”
Just like when his eldest brother had the accident, usually, he never showed kindness, but once the person was gone, he started acting as if he wanted to die, gaining the image of a grieving old father.
The two chatted and laughed. The room smelled bad, so after hypocritically leaving a few pitiful words, they prepared to leave.
As soon as they opened the door, they saw Wang Muguang standing outside.
Wang Wang didn’t know how much of their conversation Wang Muguang had heard. Fortunately, they had been cautious and besides teasing, hadn’t said anything else.
“Muguang, you’re here.” Wang Wang greeted him with a smile.
‘He could still smile at a time like this!’
Wang Muguang’s teeth ground together. He reached out and grabbed Wang Wang by the collar. “Was it you?! Did you have something to do with my big brother’s accident?!!!!”
He dragged the man and slammed him against the wall. The crowd around them rushed over to intervene. Wang Dong watched coldly, as if it were none of his business. Unexpectedly, the mad man Wang Muguang broke free from those holding him back and turned to punch Wang Dong.
Wang Dong covered his face and stumbled. “You bastard! Is this how you treat your elders?”
Wang Muguang lunged forward and was about to kick him. Wang Dong saw this and quickly scrambled up from the ground. For a moment, many people stood between them, all advising Wang Muguang to calm down. His brother’s death was an accident, how could it be done by relatives? That would be extremely devoid of conscience.
Wang Dong grinned, his teeth loosened from the punch. “Your brother had an accident. I won’t hold it against you.”
This sentence completely drove Wang Muguang crazy. He wanted to strangle Wang Dong to death. Countless hands held him back, but not one of those hands covered Wang Dong’s unrestrained mouth.
Wang Huanxiu was now dead. The most competitive candidates for leading the Wang family were now Wang Dong and Wang Wang.
Times change. Now it was time to curry favor with them.
Without Wang Huanxiu, Wang Zhenzhu and Wang Muguang completely lost their voice in the Wang family. Neither had the ability to inherit the company, and no one would regard them highly anymore.
Wang Muguang was pulled away by the crowd. His eyes were bloodshot, and his fists were trembling tightly. Wang Zhenzhu wept uncontrollably in the distance, unable to even open her eyes.
“Just you wait.”
Wang Muguang scanned everyone around him with a ferocious gaze. “If I find out any of you had a hand in my brother’s death, I’ll make you pay in blood!”
He turned and pulled Wang Zhenzhu away, striding off hurriedly, no one knew where.
The two left without anyone trying to persuade or stop them. Bai Shuijin stood in the corner on the sixth floor, just standing there without saying a word, his expression unchanged.
His eyes were hollow as he watched the hospital room where people were coming and going, filled with fear and dread, afraid to enter.
He was afraid that if he went in, Wang Huanxiu would really be dead.
Five hours passed, and it grew dark outside. The crowd on the sixth floor began to disperse gradually, with some discussing arrangements for Wang Huanxiu’s burial.
Bai Shuijin covered his ears, numbly pressing them shut. If he couldn’t hear, then Wang Huanxiu wasn’t dead yet…just like if he didn’t enter the room, Wang Huanxiu was still alive.
Soon, the sixth floor grew emptier, leaving only Wang Wang, Wang Dong, and their subordinates.
Only when the crowd had thinned did Bai Shuijin slowly walk toward the hospital room.
Wang Wang and Wang Dong were also preparing to leave. After all, the identification report would take at least three days, and they had celebration plans that evening.
Noticing someone suddenly appear in front of the room, they were startled. Upon closer look, Wang Wang realized it was Wang Huanxiu’s male wife.
Originally planning to leave, they suddenly felt like watching a spectacle.
Bai Shuijin entered the room. There was nothing inside, only something covered by a white sheet on the bed.
Wang Wang spoke up at an inappropriate moment, “That’s Huanxiu. The rescue team did their best. A fire broke out after the plane crash. It’s already good that they managed to recover these remains.”
Bai Shuijin’s fingers twitched. He walked to the bedside and lifted the white sheet. The charred, grotesque remains beneath were exposed to the air again.
Wang Wang felt too disgusted to look and immediately turned away.
The moment Bai Shuijin entered the room, Wang Huanxiu turned off the surveillance feed.
He sat there without saying a word, not even daring to look at Bai Shuijin’s expression. He knew that if he saw it, he would definitely go out.
Chen Ji, who was standing behind him, also took a deep breath.
Now the plan had reached its final stage. The boss was a smart man; he wouldn’t ruin the plan over personal feelings. Otherwise, everyone’s efforts during this time would be in vain.
Bai Shuijin stood quietly by the bed, looking down.
They said these remains were Wang Huanxiu, but how could such a tall, strong man like him end up like this?
The remains didn’t add up to much at all. This couldn’t be his laogong-ge.
They were not at all like him.
His laogong-ge was rich and handsome, a young and successful business owner. Sometimes he was sharp-tongued, sometimes he was gentle, but most of all, he treated him well.
No one had ever treated him as well as Wang Huanxiu did.
“This isn’t my laogong-ge.”
He stood by the bed muttering to himself, trying to prove through denial that Wang Huanxiu wasn’t dead.
But no matter what he said, it was futile.
“How could this be my laogong-ge…” His voice grew increasingly shaky. His chin was trembling, and his lips were quivering.
His vision blurred as tears welled in his eyes. He held them back, hoping someone would tell him Wang Huanxiu was still alive.
But… but…
Bai Shuijin’s voice broke into mournful sobs. Large teardrops fell onto the white bedsheet, and his face was soon drenched in tears. He cried so hard he looked unrecognizable.
But everyone said Wang Huanxiu was dead. The news reported that the private plane he was on had crashed. Wang Zhenzhu called to say he was dead. At the hospital, people discussed where to bury him.
There was no one in the room who looked like him. Everyone said the things on the bed were him, but he couldn’t see any resemblance to Wang Huanxiu. How could these be Wang Huanxiu? How could they possibly be Wang Huanxiu?
Just this morning, they were holding hands, talking about their upcoming vacation, about sunbathing. He told Wang Huanxiu he wanted to tan into a sexy wheat color, and if he turned white again, he’d just tan once more.
They were supposed to make rings together. He had already imagined them wearing the rings every day after they were finished.
He could still remember the feel of Wang Huanxiu’s fingers intertwined with his, the sound of his voice, the scent of his cologne, the warmth of his embrace, the body heat when they were together.
Bai Shuijin began to struggle for breath, tears and mucus clogging his throat.
He collapsed by the bedside and clutched the remains of a limb, which had only half a finger, and pressed it against his cheek.
No one else who had entered the room had touched the charred remains, finding them unlucky and disgusting.
But Bai Shuijin held onto them like a lifeline, crying uncontrollably.
“Wang Huanxiu… Wang Huanxiu…” The remains pressed against his cheek, but he couldn’t feel any body heat. They were together just this morning, and they left home together, with Wang Huanxiu dropping him off at school.
That was the last time he saw his beloved.
If he had known, he would never have just smiled and said goodbye. He should have said “see you later”.
If he had said that, they would have met again.
How he wished none of this was real. He couldn’t stop crying. He felt like he was dying and suffocating, drowning in deep water.
Wang Wang and Wang Dong hadn’t expected him to grab the remains. They turned away and left the room in disgust.
They didn’t want to be tainted by the bad luck.
They would need to use banana leaves to cleanse themselves of the misfortune when they returned.
Wang Huanxiu had thought that turning off the surveillance would mean he couldn’t see what was happening outside. He sat with his head bowed, but Bai Shuijin’s mournful cries still reached him.
At first, they were very soft, and he didn’t hear them. But Bai Shuijin’s sobs soon grew louder and louder. Wang Huanxiu felt his heart wrench and he stood up from his chair.
Chen Ji was alarmed and rushed to stop him.
“Boss, just a little longer. Please endure it. Once the emotional peak passes, Mr. Bai will stop crying.”
Outside, Bai Shuijin wept incessantly, calling his name over and over again.
Saying he missed him, saying he wanted to see him, and saying he had gone to design rings today…rings they would wear together in the future.
Wang Huanxiu couldn’t harden his heart. He couldn’t listen any longer.
“Boss, Wang Wang and Wang Dong haven’t gone far yet! If you go out now and are discovered, everything will be ruined.”
Seeing Wang Huanxiu’s unwavering steps, Chen Ji lunged forward and wrapped his arms around his legs. The man lost his balance and his tall frame crashed down. His nose struck the edge of a cabinet, and immediately started bleeding.
Although Wang Dong and Wang Wang now believed he was dead, everything had to be foolproof.
Chen Ji: “Wait until Mr. Bai goes to the restroom to wash his face, then go out and see him. But you can’t leave the restroom. Boss, you know that.”
Wang Huanxiu: “What if he doesn’t wash his face?”
“How could he not? Crying like that, his little face must be all puffy.”
Obviously, saying this only made the other party more heartbroken.
Chen Ji closed his eyes. He shouldn’t have said that.
Bai Shuijin cried outside for who knows how long, until his tears ran dry and he had no strength left. Only then did his cries fade. He didn’t leave but remained slumped by the bedside, soul-less.
During this time, Wang Muguang called.
Bai Shuijin answered the call with stiff fingers, but couldn’t utter a word.
“Are you at the hospital?”
Bai Shuijin nodded, then realizing Wang Muguang couldn’t see him, he replied in a hoarse voice, “I’m in the hospital room.”
After Wang Huanxiu’s accident, the entire family had lost its usual vitality.
Wang Muguang: “Stay there. Zhenzhen and I are rushing back from out of town.”
It was already 11 p.m., and they were still out of town.
Earlier on the sixth floor, all three had been in a daze of grief. Wang Muguang had left without Bai Shuijin noticing, and Wang Muguang hadn’t known whether Bai Shuijin was still at the hospital.
Now, every time Wang Muguang closed his eyes, he saw Wang Dong and Wang Wang’s smug faces.
His eldest brother was dead, but the family still had Bai Shuijin and his younger sister. He couldn’t fall apart.
The moment Wang Huanxiu’s accident happened, Wang Muguang, who was usually never serious, suddenly felt a sense of responsibility. He first collapsed in helplessness, then gritted his teeth and forced himself to stay clear-headed.
His brother’s death was suspicious. His brother had always been cautious. If the private plane had malfunctioned and crashed, someone must have tampered with it behind the scenes.
He couldn’t let his brother die in such an unclear way. He had to get to the bottom of it.
He had people investigate all the footage before Wang Huanxiu’s accident, then took a car to another city to find a master.
This master was very powerful, and was sought by many top wealthy and powerful figures for fortune-telling. It was said he could even summon spirits.
Within seven days of a person’s death, before the soul was taken away, this master could summon it back. He could also slay demons and vanquish evil.
However, the master said that if the soul’s resentment was too strong, he would directly eliminate it and not allow it to remain in the world.
Wang Muguang pursed his lips together upon hearing this. If his brother’s resentment was too strong, he would knock the master out when he tried to take action and let his brother escape.
Bai Shuijin’s heart also tightened upon hearing this.
“Is the master reliable?”
His voice was hoarse and smoky, as if filled with sand.
If he really summoned laogong-ge back, could they not eliminate him? He couldn’t bear to let him go.
Couldn’t he just stay as a ghost and stay with him forever?
He lay by the bedside, wanting to cry again at the thought of Wang Huanxiu, but he had no tears left. He picked up his phone and scrolled through photos of Wang Huanxiu.
He thought that he would be fiercely happy this time, leaving all past unhappiness behind. But it seemed heaven has been toying with him all along.
What he gained, it made him lose; what he didn’t have, it made him envy.
He had finally gained family, love, and started pursuing his dreams again, only to end up like this.
He could not forget Wang Huanxiu, and would never forget him for the rest of his life. He didn’t even know if the sun would be as bright tomorrow as it used to be.
The sun would not stop rising because of one person’s death, but Bai Shuijin’s world would never be bright again. Not even a single star would appear.
How could he soothe this current grief? He was just one step away from happiness.
No one would kiss his forehead after waking up, no one would pick him up from school every day, and half the bed in the room would be empty.
Bai Shuijin did not move at all, and Wang Huanxiu watched through the surveillance feed.
Chen Ji prayed in his heart that Bai Shuijin would hurry to the restroom.
However, Bai Shuijin did not wash his face or use the restroom. He lay there for half an hour without moving.
Wang Huanxiu could no longer sit still anymore, and Chen Ji almost screamed when he saw him stand up.
Fortunately, when Wang Huanxiu stood up, Bai Shuijin, who had been lying by the bedside, also moved and began walking toward the restroom.
Finally, he was coming to the restroom. Chen Ji felt like crying with relief. Thank heavens.
Bai Shuijin’s face felt dry from crying, and he wanted to wash it. After washing, he would go back out to keep Wang Huanxiu company.
Lifeless, he placed his phone on the sink to ensure he could answer any calls from Wang Muguang.
He turned on the faucet, cupped a handful of cold water, and splashed it on his face. The cold water did not make him feel clear-headed; it only made him shiver.
Just as Bai Shuijin finished washing his face and looked up, he saw another person in the mirror.
Wang Huanxiu.
He was standing just a few steps behind him, his dark eyes filled with unspoken emotions as he looked at him.
Bai Shuijin blinked at the mirror. His phone screen was still lit, showing the time: midnight.
‘Is laogong-ge coming back as a ghost in the middle of the night?’
Bai Shuijin was overjoyed, and his eyes finally brightened. He wasn’t afraid. Even if Wang Huanxiu had become a ghost, he wasn’t afraid.
He turned around and threw himself at the ghost, hugging it and starting to cry.
“Wuuuu laogong-ge, how could you just die?”
“I thought I would never see you again.”
Wang Huanxiu hugged him and raised a hand to wipe his tears, afraid of hurting him. Bai Shuijin’s eyes were swollen from crying, like two walnuts.
Bai Shuijin clung to Wang Huanxiu tightly, terrified he would disappear the next second.
“Can’t you not die? I can’t bear to let you go. How could I bear to let you go?”
“I’m sorry.”
Wang Huanxiu cupped Bai Shuijin’s face and looked at his current state. The other party clearly thought he had returned as a ghost after death.
He wanted to explain to him.
However, at this moment, Bai Shuijin’s phone rang at an inopportune time. It was Wang Muguang calling.
Bai Shuijin sniffled and answered.
Wang Muguang: “We’re here. We’re taking the elevator to the sixth floor now. Get ready. The master will enter the room soon to summon the spirit.”
Bai Shuijin nodded and hung up.
Then he quickly realized something was wrong.
Now that Wang Huanxiu’s ghost had returned on its own without the master’s summoning, what if the master came in, saw that Wang Huanxiu’s ghost had too much resentment, and directly eliminated him?
No!
He couldn’t lose Wang Huanxiu, just like the West couldn’t lose Jerusalem.
Before Wang Huanxiu could try to comfort Bai Shuijin and explain, he saw him pushing him, trying to hide him.
Bai Shuijin said anxiously, “Don’t come out no matter what happens later. Don’t come out no matter who calls you, understand?”
Wang Huanxiu: “Actually…”
Bai Shuijin quickly walked out of the restroom and firmly closed the door. “Remember, don’t come out no matter what.”
He walked out of the room. The elevator on the sixth floor had already opened.
Wang Muguang, Wang Zhenzhu, and a master wearing kasaya walked out.
When they were about to enter the room, they were stopped.
Wang Muguang was puzzled. “What’s wrong?”
Bai Shuijin hesitated. “Maybe we shouldn’t summon him. Let laogong-ge leave in peace.”
Wang Muguang: “If we summon him back, we might be able to clarify the cause of my brother’s death.”
“What if we can’t summon him back?”
“Let’s try first.”
As they tried to enter, Bai Shuijin firmly blocked them. “No.”
Wang Muguang had question marks above his head. “Why?”
Bai Shuijin: “…”
Because my laogong-ge came back and we’re having a human-ghost love affair.
It was hard not to cry at this chapter. (ᗒᗩᗕ)
