Some things, when looked back upon, revealed glaring inconsistencies, let alone since Qi Xu had been constantly thinking about what happened back then.
The temple fair was where it all began.
Before entering the temple, she had actually already seen Xia Zhiming, who had even told her to “run.” Thinking about it now, that had already been very strange. Xia Zhiming had probably hooked her soul, turning her into this half-human half-ghost state. Under the guise of not wanting her to be killed.
But now, after spending so much time with Xia Zhiming, if Qi Xu didn’t understand her strength at all, that would be downright foolish.
Xia Zhiming was very strong. Even if she didn’t often make a move, she was the very embodiment of power. Qi Xu wouldn’t believe for a second that such a Xia Zhiming couldn’t handle that stone spirit. Thinking even more carefully, Xia Zhiming had been putting on way too much of a show back then—first saving her and going back with her, then continuing to flee, waiting for her to chase after. All that back-and-forth just looked like nonsense.
Qi Xu hadn’t quite figured out later why Xia Zhiming had bothered with all that pointless running around in between, but now she vaguely understood—she had been waiting for her to get used to the ghost body.
Xia Zhiming had told her from the start: “The longer you stay in ghost body form, the more likely you’ll fully turn into a ghost if you don’t return in time.” Xia Zhiming didn’t want her to fully turn into a ghost, but she also wanted her to maintain the ghost body for a certain period.
In other words, Xia Zhiming had actually needed her to become this half-human half-ghost state.
Why? Qi Xu had found the answer during the Ghost Bride incident.
Because… Xia Zhiming also had a fate constellation of early death. She wanted to use Qi Xu to mend her own fate constellation. But what could mend hers wasn’t Qi Xu’s human fate constellation, but her ghost body’s. The Vice Bureau Chief had said before that she had divined Qi Xu’s fate constellation, and it was just an ordinary one of early death.
Yet her ghost body had roared: Bullshit.
That meant it was very likely her human body and ghost body had different fate constellations.
That ordinary fate constellation couldn’t complement Xia Zhiming’s, but this ghost body could.
It sounded like Xia Zhiming had allowed—or even orchestrated—Qi Xu becoming like this to mend her own fate constellation, but would Qi Xu hate her for it? Sadly, no, she wouldn’t.
It wasn’t just because Qi Xu liked Xia Zhiming; she was also very self-aware. Without Xia Zhiming, she would have died right there at the temple fair. When would she have had the chance to worry about her half-human half-ghost state now?
But what Qi Xu couldn’t accept was that Xia Zhiming had been the one to provoke her first.
Facing Qi Xu’s words, Xia Zhiming didn’t respond. Instead, Qi Xu continued, “Wasn’t it you who provoked me first? After the temple fair ended, in the hospital, you kissed me first. You said it was to replenish yang energy, but there must have been other ways.”
To Qi Xu’s surprise, Xia Zhiming got even angrier than her. She stood up directly, grabbed Qi Xu’s collar, and pulled her toward herself. Qi Xu had no choice but to brace against the table and stand, her chair scraping loudly across the tiles.
“Even if I provoked you first, so what? What are you going to do about it now?”
Her words were so heartless and unreasonable, yet Qi Xu sadly discovered that even so, her heart still raced with Xia Zhiming’s. She pursed her lips and looked at Xia Zhiming, whose eyes now reflected only Qi Xu’s image.
The noise from the chair drew the attention of the proprietress, who poked her head out again. Seeing signs of a fight, she hurried over. “Hey, what’s this about? Talk it out nicely! Don’t fight—you’re all good friends, good girlfriends. No need for that!”
“Who’s good friends or good girlfriends with her? When have you ever seen good girlfriends go to bed together—with one always thinking about it every day!” Xia Zhiming was clearly furious to let that slip to the proprietress.
The proprietress froze, her eyes widening as they darted between the two. She didn’t know what to say. Her expression clearly screamed, “Oh ho, you two have that kind of relationship? I’ve got the juicy gossip now.”
But after the proprietress’s interruption, Xia Zhiming released Qi Xu’s collar. She sat back down and picked up her chopsticks. “If you’re eating, sit down. If not, get out.”
Qi Xu sat too. The proprietress forced a smile. “You eat, you eat.”
She left, leaving the two to continue their meal. They soon finished. Xia Zhiming paid the bill and headed out. Qi Xu grabbed two free pieces of chewing gum and followed behind Xia Zhiming. Xia Zhiming didn’t call a ride, and neither did Qi Xu. The two walked one behind the other along the suburban road.
After walking for a while, Qi Xu grew worried about the wound on Xia Zhiming’s back. She quickened her steps, caught up, and grabbed Xia Zhiming’s hand. “Stop walking. What if your wound reopens?”
At that moment, Qi Xu truly felt like she was coaxing an angry girlfriend. Xia Zhiming ignored her, shook off her hand, and kept going. Qi Xu chased after and grabbed her again. “What I said earlier wasn’t meant to make you angry. I don’t think what you did was betraying me or deliberately harming me.”
This time, Xia Zhiming turned back. “Then what do you mean?”
Qi Xu pursed her lips, paused, then said, “You’ve already turned me into this. You should at least take responsibility.”
“Heh, how do you want me to take responsibility? Be your girlfriend?”
To her surprise, Qi Xu shook her head. “No.”
She said softly, “At the very least, don’t hurt yourself and scare me half to death. Don’t keep talking about dying all the time. Aren’t our fate constellations complementary?” Qi Xu’s eyes shone brighter than the streetlights. “Xia Zhiming, even for my sake, you should live on.”
“…”
Xia Zhiming didn’t answer, because at that moment, she didn’t know what to say to Qi Xu. Qi Xu really did care about her life.
The next moment, Qi Xu even exposed her little secret. “And Xia Zhiming, you don’t actually want to die.” Her gaze was clear and piercing, as if it saw straight into Xia Zhiming’s heart. “If you wanted to die, why do all this? If you really wanted to die, these things would be pointless for you. With your personality, you wouldn’t bother.”
“You say your life means nothing, yet you tie me to your side. Xia Zhiming, you’re just saying one thing but meaning another. You want to live.”
“There’s nothing shameful about wanting to live. I want to live too—I want to keep living. I’m only twenty, you’re only twenty-five. We have so much life ahead. Xia Zhiming, don’t die.”
Qi Xu was serious—Xia Zhiming could see it in her eyes.
She said, “Xia Zhiming, you should live on.” She said, “Xia Zhiming, don’t die.”
She didn’t just think it; she acted on it. Xia Zhiming knew she wasn’t a good person or a gentle one, but when she had lain on Qi Xu’s back today, she had felt for once how warm a person’s body temperature could be.
Qi Xu had carried her, hands clasped behind to support her with effort. Even though it was a struggle for her to walk, she had still tried her best to carry her forward quickly. She really worried that she would die, that she would leave this world.
Qi Xu was right—she was crazy, but if she could avoid death, she wouldn’t seek it out. Otherwise, why would she use Qi Xu’s fate constellation to mend her own?
Xia Zhiming said nothing, but Qi Xu knew she had relented. Otherwise, she would have shaken her off and kept walking without looking back.
Qi Xu pressed her advantage. “Xia Zhiming, let’s go home.”
“Mm.”
Qi Xu called a ride. When it arrived, she didn’t let go of Xia Zhiming’s hand. She pulled her in, got into the back seat first, then tugged Xia Zhiming inside.
“Don’t pull me—I can walk myself!” Even as Xia Zhiming said that, Qi Xu didn’t release her hand. Their hands stayed clasped, one sitting on the left, the other on the right, with the middle space perfect for resting them there.
Their hands remained linked all the way home. But as soon as they entered the door, Qi Xu was pushed against the side wall by Xia Zhiming, pinned, and kissed thoroughly. Qi Xu wanted to hug her back but worried about the wound on her back.
So Qi Xu only lightly held Xia Zhiming’s waist as they embraced and kissed.
After the kiss, however, Xia Zhiming didn’t stop. Her fingers deftly roamed Qi Xu’s body, teasing her nerves. In the end, the two clung together, their clothes gradually disheveled.
Qi Xu still hadn’t been intimate with Xia Zhiming in her human body. Their heated bodies pressed close, the flames burning ever fiercer. Qi Xu really wanted to just hold her like this, head to the bed, and do even more.
But Qi Xu’s mind was clear—Xia Zhiming was still injured. If she went through with it now, wouldn’t that make her a beast? Qi Xu’s mind was clear, but Xia Zhiming had no sense of limits. She held Qi Xu close, her actions growing bolder.
“You’re injured! Right on your back!”
Xia Zhiming whispered, “I can lie on my stomach.”
“…”
Xia Zhiming was truly reckless!
But Qi Xu found it hard to refuse her. In the end, she granted Xia Zhiming’s wish, though Qi Xu was extremely careful. When Xia Zhiming lay on her stomach, she only worshiped her back with her lips, meticulously avoiding the wound.
It wasn’t like with her ghost body, where Xia Zhiming passed out from exhaustion. Once finished, Xia Zhiming felt sticky all over and wanted to shower.
Qi Xu refused sternly. “The doctor said no showers for you—just wipe down. The wound can’t get wet.”
“Don’t try to control me.”
Though Xia Zhiming said that, her voice was lazy and devoid of threat. She couldn’t fully defy Qi Xu either, so Qi Xu carefully helped and carried her to the bathroom. She found a plastic stool for her to sit on, wrapped her shoulder and head completely in plastic wrap, then washed her hair first before wiping her body down. Finally, she used the showerhead to carefully rinse Xia Zhiming.
If Xia Zhiming wouldn’t look after her own body, Qi Xu had to.
Even at bedtime, Qi Xu fretted over it. She brought her own pillow over, had Xia Zhiming sleep on her side, and padded another pillow behind her back so even if she fell deeply asleep, she wouldn’t roll over onto her back and press the wound.
