The next day, the first thing Yao Zuizui did after waking up was to drag the sleepy-eyed Suhei over for a thorough questioning.
“Suhei, do you know where your dad went?”
“No.”
“Really don’t know?”
“Really don’t know.”
Unwilling to give up, Yao Zuizui asked Suhei again during breakfast, before leaving the house, on the subway, and at the kindergarten gate.
The answer remained the same—*I don’t know.*
Yao Zuizui was convinced Suhei couldn’t possibly be unaware.
He must be lying to spare her feelings.
The thought made her even sadder.
She couldn’t focus on work, her mind conjuring images of Ahei with other women.
She told herself repeatedly not to dwell on it, yet the thoughts kept flooding back.
It was pure self-contradiction, driving her nearly insane.
At night, sleep still eluded her.
She faintly hoped Ahei would appear, drifting in and out of consciousness until dawn.
Nothing.
A week passed like this, and she hadn’t even caught a glimpse of Ahei’s shadow.
Yao Zuizui began to suspect—had Ahei fallen for someone else?
Was that why he’d lost interest in her and stopped coming to see her?
As for their son… Ahei never seemed particularly fond of him anyway.
She was tired of waiting. Maybe it was better if he never showed up again.
For some reason, an indescribable feeling lingered in her heart.
It was as if she was angry at Ahei, yet she didn’t even know why.
She didn’t understand why Ahei had listened to her in the first place—had he really left just because she told him to?
Nor did she understand why she was torturing herself like this.
For the first time, Yao Zuizui felt she was being overly dramatic and self-indulgent.
Trapped in this contradictory state, each day felt like a year…
Fang Yi, meanwhile, kept popping up around her.
Today, he’d drop by the house. Tomorrow, he’d scout around the kindergarten.
Yao Zuizui guessed he couldn’t find Ahei either and was trying to use her as a lead.
Unfortunately, she had no idea either.
She considered telling Fang Yi to inform her if he found anything, but their relationship was still superficially friendly—like two people playing a game of push-and-pull, testing each other’s limits. It was exhausting.
Sometimes, she just wanted to tear off the pretense and cut ties with Fang Yi for good.
One evening, Yao Zuizui returned home alone. Suhei was staying overnight at the kindergarten—he loved it there, adapting well, sleeping in a room full of little girls, completely unwilling to come home.
Just as she reached her doorstep, before she could even take out her keys, Fang Yi appeared.
“…” Yao Zuizui had no desire to see him, but since they were still pretending to be civil, she forced a smile. “Fang Yi? What brings you here?”
Fang Yi grinned innocently. “I happened to be passing by and thought I’d drop in for some tea.”
It was the same excuse every time.
Yao Zuizui was sick of it but didn’t know how to refuse, so she reluctantly let him in.
Once inside, Fang Yi’s eyes darted around, a trace of impatience flickering between his brows.
After tidying up, Yao Zuizui served him tea.
The tea leaves weren’t great, and the brew tasted mediocre, but Fang Yi wasn’t here for the tea anyway.
She watched as his eyes flickered, his composure clearly fraying.
*Clang!*
Fang Yi, lost in thought, suddenly slammed his cup onto the table with such force that Yao Zuizui jumped.
He had never been so rude before—his true colors were showing.
Alert, Yao Zuizui sat up straight, watching him closely.
Sure enough, Fang Yi wiped his mouth with a handkerchief before speaking slowly, “Let’s cut the act. Where’s that ghost?”
His tone was no longer the honest, harmless one from before—it carried a hint of threat.
Yao Zuizui met his gaze. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Heh, Xu Weiwei, let’s stop pretending. I’m tired of this charade.” Fang Yi leaned back on the sofa, arms spread, looking down at her with an entirely different air.
Yao Zuizui straightened slightly, pressing her lips together. “I don’t know.”
Fang Yi scoffed, disdainful. “I figured. I can’t sense his weakened soul anymore—he must’ve fully recovered. Probably found plenty of women by now.”
Yao Zuizui’s pupils contracted, her heart twisting as if stabbed.
And yet, Fang Yi twisted the knife further.
“So? Since he’s abandoned you, how about a night with me? I’ll pay.” He leered at her.
He’d been fantasizing about her for a long time.
Fang Yi was a man who’d had countless flings. Ghost-hunting was dangerous and stressful—women were his best way to unwind.
Yao Zuizui gave him a look of utter contempt and spat out one word.
*Disgusting.*
Fang Yi’s eyes darkened with anger. “Don’t push your luck! If you cooperate, I might spare your son—otherwise, I’ll scatter his soul to the wind.”
Yao Zuizui couldn’t even bear to look at him anymore.
She walked straight to the door, flung it open, and uttered three words.
*Get. Out.*
Fang Yi’s face twisted with fury. This woman had no sense of self-preservation.
Fine. If she wanted it the hard way, he’d oblige.
Let’s see if that ghost would come to her rescue.
If not, he’d still get what he wanted.
With a cold laugh, Fang Yi stood. “You’re refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit.”
“Sorry, I don’t drink.” Yao Zuizui shot him an icy glare and made a shooing motion.
Fang Yi advanced slowly, then lunged at her when he was just half a step away.
Luckily, Yao Zuizui was prepared.
She was an expert at evasion, slipping past him easily and darting toward the kitchen.
But Fang Yi wasn’t about to let her go. He chased after her relentlessly.
A game of cat and mouse ensued, the two darting around the apartment.
Fang Yi was fuming, but Yao Zuizui was as slippery as an eel—he couldn’t lay a hand on her.
Finally, Fang Yi resorted to dirty tricks.
Every time he left a room, he locked the door behind him, leaving Yao Zuizui no time to unlock it.
Eventually, he cornered her by the living room window.
Step by step, he advanced; step by step, she retreated until her back hit the cold glass.
“Run now! Let’s see where you go!” Fang Yi sneered.
“Stay back, or I’ll jump,” Yao Zuizui gritted out, pushing the window open.
The wind from the twelfth floor was fierce, biting cold, lifting the hem of her dress and making her sway slightly.
The chill was as piercing as the night Ahei had first appeared.
But he wouldn’t come this time.
Fang Yi, confident of his impending victory, crossed his arms. “Go ahead, jump if you dare. Otherwise, get on the bed like a good girl.”
*Hmph.*
Yao Zuizui curled her lips in mockery, giving him a look that sent a shiver down his spine.
Then, to his utter shock, she lifted the front of her dress and stepped out the window.
Yao Zuizui leaped.
If Ahei didn’t love her, there was no point staying in this world anyway.
Might as well return to the celestial realm.
As for Fang Yi—he could wait for his name on the Book of Life and Death.
This was Yao Zuizui’s first time jumping from a building. The sensation wasn’t much different from dimensional travel.
The weightlessness was freeing, even thrilling—especially since death would just send her back to the celestial realm, not true oblivion.
As the ground rushed toward her, she closed her eyes.
*This is going to hurt…*
But the expected pain never came.
Yao Zuizui opened her eyes—
And saw *Ahei?!*
His sharp, cold features were as stern as ever, his dark eyes like frozen tundra, eternally unyielding.
“Wait here.”
With those words, Ahei vanished.
Yao Zuizui was still processing the unreality of it all.
Ahei was back.
And he’d saved her.
Now, he was probably settling scores with Fang Yi?
She paced below, stepping on the square tiles in a mindless game of hopscotch.
Her mind was blank, thoughts scattered.
Ahei… Suhei…
She recalled all the worlds she’d been through, every incarnation of the Demon King.
The cold wind stung her cheeks, yet they burned strangely.
She didn’t check the time. By the time she’d mentally revisited all those worlds, Ahei reappeared.
Without a word, he scooped her up, and in the next instant, they were back inside the apartment.
The place was in shambles—far worse than the mess from her chase with Fang Yi.
But Fang Yi himself was nowhere to be seen.
Yao Zuizui looked at Ahei questioningly.
Still holding her, Ahei had no intention of putting her down. But his lips parted slightly to answer: “Soul scattered.”
Yao Zuizui was satisfied with Fang Yi’s fate, nodding with a small smile.
But Ahei’s expression remained tense. He glared at her coldly. “Bold. Suicide?”
“Ugh.” Yao Zuizui sighed pitifully, poking his rock-hard chest. “You left me for other women and didn’t come back for so long. What’s the point of living?”
“I didn’t.” *Didn’t find other women.*
Yao Zuizui looked up—and nearly dropped her jaw in shock.
Because Ahei was *smiling!*
It was faint, just the slightest upturn of his lips, but it was enough to shock the entire ghost realm.
So Ahei *could* smile.
He was happy—she *did* care about him.
He’d been gone so long because he’d traveled far, without rest, day and night. The journey alone had taken this much time.
That place had been perilous.
He’d faced death multiple times, surviving only by thinking of her.
Luckily, he’d made it back.
“I missed you.” Ahei’s voice was deep and cold, yet it made Yao Zuizui’s ears burn.
So this ghost *could* say romantic things too.
Such simple words—why did they make her heart race?
Yao Zuizui forced a stern expression. “You were gone so long without a word! Do you have any idea how worried—*Suhei* was?!”
Ahei paused for a few seconds. “My mistake.”
She was pleased with his prompt apology. “Just glad you’re back. Now we can live peacefully.”
“I have ten years left.” Ahei stated it calmly, watching her intently.
Turns out, while Ahei’s injuries had healed, the lust toxin in his body remained. If he didn’t seek other women and relied solely on Yao Zuizui, he’d live for ten more years.
After hearing him out, Yao Zuizui nodded, her warning clear: “No other women.”
Ahei’s lips curved slightly for the second time. “Then you’ll have to detoxify me every night. Otherwise, I’ll only last a year.”
To hide her fluster, Yao Zuizui rolled her eyes.
Fine. She’d *reluctantly* spend ten years with him before returning to the celestial realm.
*Honestly, this ghost is impossible…*
===
[This World: Complete]
[Ahei: Zuizui, I’m glad… you’re not trying to run anymore.]
[Six] Guard My Precious Treasure
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage