Chapter 23: A Wish Part 1

Sang Xi already had no strength left to speak.

She leaned against Yu Ruoyin, tears in her eyes as she gazed toward the direction where He Meijie had been taken away by Jiang Huaining.

Two jade puppets still fought there.

Guilt flooded her heart, along with regret and pain: “If possible, I truly wished they could live. If… I’m not a good mother, I…”

“Xiao Yu, the Four Spirits Shop cannot interfere with the life, aging, illness, or death of the living. Don’t pull Boss Jiang into breaking the rules.” Her emotional plea was interrupted by Lu Qingzhen, who had been keeping an eye on their movements. When Yu Ruoyin asked Sang Xi about her wish, Lu Qingzhen hurried over: “Otherwise, she…”

Yu Ruoyin hesitated somewhat.

Because Jiang Huaining had said she would grant whatever Sang Xi wanted, even if Lu Qingzhen called it a violation, she still wanted to hear Jiang Huaining’s opinion.

She did not dare to retort. Her flickering gaze was full of guilt.

Seeing that she could not get through to Yu Ruoyin, Lu Qingzhen immediately turned to Sang Xi: “You’re quite capable, so you should have heard of the Four Spirits Shop’s rules. They are the same as the Netherworld—they cannot interfere with the life and death of the living. She’s young and just became the boss lady, so she doesn’t understand the rules yet, but you should. You fused Tong Sangqian’s soul into He Meijie’s corpse to make a jade puppet. The soul and the corpse have long been separated. To bring it back to life, you’d first need to gather the soul again, then seize a living person’s body.”

Lu Qingzhen paused. She rubbed the jar, her eyes widening as she looked at Yu Ruoyin: “Do you want to harm someone?”

“No, I don’t!”

“Then that means you want Boss Jiang to harm someone for you. If you agree, you’ll bear the lives of many people.”

“Sister Qingzhen!” Yu Ruoyin was startled. Lu Qingzhen put on such a cold and stern demeanor that she felt a sudden fear: “I don’t want to harm anyone. Ning… doesn’t want Auntie Ning to hurt innocent people either.”

“Look at how timid you are.” Lu Qingzhen bent down and pushed hard at the center of Yu Ruoyin’s forehead: “I won’t do anything to you. If you don’t want to, just have her change her wish.”

Yu Ruoyin raised her hand to cover her forehead, Lu Qingzhen’s muttering still ringing in her ears: “Sang Xi, your method can only last seven days, so today you’ll all have your souls scattered. It’s your fortune that Xiao Yu wants to do business with you. Think of a wish besides resurrection.”

“Besides resurrection…” Sang Xi lost her focus.

Perhaps because she was about to die, her memories became jumbled and chaotic.

She suddenly recalled a night from many years ago.

That night, after arguing with her father again, she was punished to kneel in the living room. As on many previous occasions, Tong Weixue sat on the sofa, fiddling with homework she had long finished.

Moonlight filtered in from the window, draping Tong Weixue in a layer of soft lunar gauze that made her look exceptionally gentle.

Inspired by that false gentleness, Sang Xi crawled forward until she could rest her head on Tong Weixue’s lap.

She looked up, staring unblinkingly at Tong Weixue: “Sister, you’re so beautiful. When I grow up, will I be as beautiful as you?”

Tong Weixue: “Why would you look like me?”

Sang Xi answered without thinking: “Because you’re my sister.”

Tong Weixue’s face changed instantly. She coldly pushed Sang Xi’s head away: “Sang Xi, I’ll curse you.”

“Hm?”

Sang Xi did not fully understand what a curse meant back then, so Tong Weixue made it plainer: “The other half of your blood comes from my enemy. Looking like me is an insult to me.”

Sang Xi understood the word “insult.” She felt sad, her eyes misty as she looked at Tong Weixue: “Then… then what does Sister want me to do?”

Tong Weixue’s lips curved slightly, malicious and cruel: “If you died right now, I’d be very happy.”

“Okay, alright.”

Sang Xi did not fully grasp the meaning of death. She only knew it would make her sister happy.

She got up and ran toward the window.

She had just opened a tiny gap in the window when her hand was gripped by Tong Weixue.

“Sang Xi.”

The voice, cold as frost, could shatter her entirely. Sang Xi cried out in response: “Sister.”

Tong Weixue dragged her away from the window with a cold face: “Kneel back.”

“Alright, Sister.”

She was always obedient.

It was not that Tong Weixue was particularly fierce; Sang Xi willingly saw herself as a puppet and handed the strings to Tong Weixue.

Sang Xi obediently knelt back down, but Tong Weixue moved closer to the window.

She leaned against the window frame, her gaze drifting far outside.

Sang Xi could not see Tong Weixue’s expression, only hear her icy voice: “Sang Xi, I really will curse you. I curse you to die.”

…

She was willing.

As long as it was what her sister said, she was willing.

Death was not so frightening. Compared to living alone, death seemed more like a release.

It was just a pity about her sister’s bloodline, and she felt heartache for the child she had adopted, who had followed her will her entire life.

She knew Lu Qingzhen spoke the truth. She and Tong Sangqian were bound by fate and array; even a complete soul could not be found. Reincarnation was impossible, let alone resurrection.

He Meijie’s soul had signed a contract with the Four Spirits Shop. Once great vengeance was achieved, the soul would immediately dissipate—something even Jiang Huaining could not change.

Other wishes?

A dying person had nothing she could not let go of, except… her sister.

“Perhaps…” Time was running out for Sang Xi. She had no strength left and struggled to open her mouth: “Could you let me see my sister again? Even if it’s just a dream.”

Lu Qingzhen seemed more approachable, but her sympathy was truly thin.

She could not help but strike at Sang Xi: “Tong Weixue’s soul has already scattered! Do you think the Four Spirits Shop is a charity hall, granting any ridiculous wish? Do you even know…”

Xing Ruoyan stepped forward and covered her mouth: “Lady Lu, be quiet.”

Lu Qingzhen’s rank was much higher than Xing Ruoyan’s. If not for feeling she was being too unreasonable, Xing Ruoyan would not have done this.

Yu Ruoyin had been resolute at first.

As long as Sang Xi dared to ask, she would agree to everything—after all, that was what Jiang Huaining had entrusted her with. But after Lu Qingzhen’s words, thoughts of rules and limits filled her mind, and for a moment, she did not know how to respond.

The red jade fruit at her chest lit up, and a familiar voice reached her ear: “A’yin, agree to it.”

Yu Ruoyin looked around in surprise but saw no sign of Jiang Huaining. Lu Qingzhen and the others seemed not to have heard it either.

She immediately realized and gripped the red jade fruit at her chest.

Jiang Huaining had once said she could hear her through the red jade fruit. She had not expected it could also be used for conversation from afar.

In the past, she would have thought eavesdropping was impolite, but now it felt like grasping a lifeline.

She was grateful that Jiang Huaining could not rest easy leaving her behind.

Thus, when Lu Qingzhen had stirred her up, she received this guiding light.

She clutched the red jade fruit tightly and agreed before Sang Xi could despair: “Alright, you will see your sister.”

“Really… really?”

Sang Xi’s expression was agitated, mixed with doubt and probing.

With Jiang Huaining’s instruction, Yu Ruoyin nodded confidently: “Really, this is what I promised you.”

Lu Qingzhen broke free from Xing Ruoyan and glared angrily at Yu Ruoyin: “Boss Jiang won’t agree.”

“She will agree.”

Lu Qingzhen questioned: “Where do you get that confidence?”

Yu Ruoyin clutched the red jade fruit tightly, her rapid breathing gradually calming: “Because… because I’ll tell her, and she’ll agree. Definitely.”

“Ah!” Lu Qingzhen was quite frustrated. She pushed away Xing Ruoyan, who tried to stop her again, and glared fiercely at Yu Ruoyin: “If I’d known you’d bully Boss Jiang, I wouldn’t have chosen you. Have you forgotten Boss Jiang’s spiritual energy…”

Her voice cut off abruptly.

Lu Qingzhen swallowed the words she wanted to say, opening her mouth in great depression: “You’re really an ungrateful little girl.”

Yu Ruoyin understood.

Lu Qingzhen had been refusing Sang Xi not because she was heartless, but because she worried about Jiang Huaining.

Jiang Huaining had seemed so strong along the way, giving her a full sense of security. Yu Ruoyin had almost forgotten that Jiang Huaining only had half her spiritual energy left.

No need to think—the milk tea was not simply a mix of rare herbs for unexpected effects; it definitely required Jiang Huaining’s spiritual energy to balance them. With only half her spiritual energy left, she still had to suppress Xia Yu and agree to such a difficult wish.

No wonder Lu Qingzhen was anxious. Reminded by her, Yu Ruoyin grew anxious too.

Of course, she did not change her words.

Though she did not know what Jiang Huaining planned to do, these were all Jiang Huaining’s arrangements.

As promised, she would obey.

Yu Ruoyin came back to herself and slowly shifted the topic: “Sister Qingzhen, where are you hurt?”

“Here, here, and here.”

Lu Qingzhen instantly became aggrieved, pointing all over her body.

Yu Ruoyin looked at her strangely: “From Xia Yu?”

Lu Qingzhen rubbed her jar, her pinky pointing at those who had fallen: “Some from Xia Yu, some from them, some from the jade puppets and that sorcerer. Later, I’ll give them a proper lesson.”

Lu Qingzhen rubbed her fists, eager for action, just waiting for Jiang Huaining to deliver the people to her so she could give them a good beating.

Yu Ruoyin felt it probably would not be her turn for revenge.

Tong Sangqian, He Meijie, and Sang Xi—each hated them more deeply than Lu Qingzhen.

She wondered if Jiang Huaining and the others were doing alright.

—

Jiang Huaining took He Meijie and hurried toward Tong Sangqian.

They moved quickly and were about to reach Tong Sangqian when He Meijie slowed down: “My lady.”

Jiang Huaining stopped with her and heard He Meijie ask: “If the three of us dissipate together, isn’t it just like we never separated?”

The tremor in her voice revealed the anxiety buried in her heart. Jiang Huaining no longer skimped on her gaze and finally gave her a reassuring look: “Are you regretting the deal with me?”

“No!” He Meijie gritted her teeth and shook her head forcefully: “I want revenge, revenge at any cost!”

Since she did not regret it, they should keep going.

But He Meijie did not move. There was longing and yearning in her eyes: “My lady, I just felt a bit envious earlier. If I could be as powerful as you, perhaps… perhaps my mother wouldn’t have died, my stepmother wouldn’t have suffered so much, my little sister wouldn’t have to give everything to help me get revenge. I even… I even thought her giving me the guardian soul spirit was harming me…”

Perhaps because the story was nearing its end, Jiang Huaining showed more patience even toward this ghost who had hurt Yu Ruoyin: “You’re wrong. It’s never been that power alone can protect those you want to safeguard…”

She always excelled at leaving sentences half-spoken, adjusting her emotions back on track before losing composure.

Jiang Huaining took a breath: “He Meijie, actually, you’re very fortunate. They all love you so much. Your mother willingly let her soul scatter, using all her merit to let you live. Your stepmother silently guarded you for twelve years. Your sister was willing to stake everything to protect you.”

He Meijie did not deny it; she could not deny it.

The three most important people in her life had, without exception, given everything for her, ending in soul dissipation.

He Meijie felt guilty, yet also grateful.