Suhei’s deep gaze fixed on Yao Zuizui’s face. Her long eyelashes cast shadows on her eyelids, and even the slightest flutter of them made his heart race.
An inexplicable stirring, as if destined by fate—like a thread in his heart being tugged by her.
Before meeting her, Suhei had never understood what it meant to feel this way.
He had never entertained the idea of preserving his chastity, nor did he wish to die from his severe injuries.
So when the ghosts under his command brought him women—born during the yang hours, capable of aiding his recovery and balancing his inner energy—he didn’t refuse.
It was just fortunate that the first woman was her.
Born during the yang hours, she possessed a special constitution, her blood and qi the perfect nourishment for a ghost like him.
She was beautiful, enchanting, but strangely, he hadn’t wanted to touch her at the time.
Instead, he devised a plan—using his own power to condense a ghost fetus and place it inside her.
This child would grow quickly, endowed with various supernatural abilities.
It was a secret technique he had stumbled upon during his long years as a ghost.
He had only one thought: perhaps this child could be of great use to him.
To ensure the child’s safety, he often appeared by her side.
In the elevator, watching her, he suddenly couldn’t hold back.
She seemed like a different person.
He hugged her.
Then touched her.
The sensation was unexpectedly good, making it even harder to resist.
He had already been afflicted by the sorcery of that Taoist priest, and the ancestral treasure he carried contained a poison even the priest hadn’t known about—lust.
Now, she had drawn it out, like thousands of insects gnawing at his soul.
Since she was already going to bear his child, why not make it real?
The pleasure was intoxicating.
The poison in his body became an addiction—he couldn’t bear to be apart from her at night.
If not for her work during the day, he would have sought her out then too.
Seeing his discomfort, his subordinates brought him another woman for daytime use.
She was equally beautiful, youthful and bright, with dimples that could intoxicate.
But he didn’t like her.
Later, his subordinates sent him many more beauties—charming, alluring, countless in number.
But he didn’t like a single one.
It was as if the poison in his body could only be cured by her.
In truth, she wasn’t very effective at curing him—his injuries healed slowly.
But it didn’t matter. After all, they were husband and wife.
He had married her properly, with ten thousand ghosts as witnesses.
The only regret was that he didn’t want her to see the bloody scenes in his grand hall, because the mention of his killings would make her frown.
He couldn’t stand her frowning, nor did he want her to hate him.
For her, he had killed—the bald man on the subway, the woman who quarreled with her at work, those who spoke ill of her behind her back. Whether she knew or not, he dealt with them all.
He would be the villain for her, so long as she remained pure-hearted.
In his world, there was no such thing as a crime too small to warrant death—any harm to her meant certain death.
But back then, he hadn’t anticipated that the retribution for being an evil ghost would come so swiftly and brutally…
—
Suhei weakly scanned the room. “Leave us.”
“…Yes, Master.” The ghosts scattered in an instant.
Yao Zuizui realized that these ghosts, like her, excelled at vanishing without a trace.
In a blink, the living room was empty and silent.
“…” Yao Zuizui stayed quiet for a few seconds, but when Suhei didn’t speak, she finally asked, “Um… will Fang Yi come after us?”
Suhei struggled to lift his eyes, and Blackie, understanding, answered for his father: “Nope! I’ve hidden Daddy’s aura. But that stinky Taoist might try to get close to Mommy on purpose.”
He huffed indignantly. “He already knows Mommy is Daddy’s wife. Hmph!”
Yao Zuizui was stunned.
“That Fang Yi… he knew?! He was acting all along?!” Good grief, she felt unworthy of any acting awards—Fang Yi deserved them more.
“Your whole body is covered in Daddy’s scent, and you’re filled with his ghost energy. Of course he knew!” Blackie smirked, blinking mischievously.
Yao Zuizui’s face burned red.
Her body…
Filled with him?
Hearing such words from her own son was beyond embarrassing!
Normally gentle with Blackie, Yao Zuizui couldn’t resist swatting his bottom.
Though her touch was light, Blackie wasted no time tattling to his father.
He flung himself onto the half-dead Suhei on the couch. “Waaah, Daddy, Mommy hit my butt…”
Suhei’s reply left Blackie speechless.
“As long as your mother is happy, you don’t matter.”
Blackie: ???
He wanted to run away from home.
Pouting, Blackie hugged his knees and sat on a smaller couch, pondering where a five-year-old could possibly go.
Without lively Blackie to lighten the mood, the air grew heavy again.
Yao Zuizui, restless, decided to be nicer to Suhei—for Blackie’s sake.
“So… I’m going to cook for Blackie. What about you… what do you eat?”
Though Blackie was a ghost fetus, having spent ten months in her womb, he had many human needs—eating, sleeping, using the bathroom.
But Suhei was a ghost. Yao Zuizui remembered he never slept. After exhausting her at night, she’d collapse into sleep, only to sense his eyes watching her until dawn.
That was Suhei.
So… did he eat? Yao Zuizui was curious.
If ghosts couldn’t eat, what was the point of being one?
“Yes.” Suhei’s voice was as cold as ever—probably a ghostly trait.
Yao Zuizui widened her eyes, eagerly awaiting his answer.
“You.” Suhei’s expression didn’t change, as if stating a simple fact.
Yao Zuizui spat in disgust.
This ghost was incorrigible!
Let him starve!
Injured like this and still thinking such thoughts!
Tonight, she’d wear three layers and pile on five blankets!
—
After devouring the delicious noodles his mother made, Blackie excitedly brushed his teeth and scrambled into bed.
It was his favorite time—sleep!
Mommy was soft and fragrant, and she told the best stories in the sweetest voice. He loved sleeping with her!
Grinning, Blackie lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling, waiting for Mommy to join him.
But instead of Mommy, Daddy walked in.
Blackie loved Daddy too, but he didn’t want to sleep with him.
Daddy was hard and cold—so cold it made his teeth chatter.
So, he came up with a brilliant plan.
“Daddy, Mommy sleeps in the middle. You sleep here, and I sleep here.” He arranged three pillows—Mommy’s pink one in the center, Daddy’s black one on the right, and his little one on the left.
This way, Mommy could warm both of them! Perfect!
But Daddy simply picked up his little pillow and carried it to the smaller bedroom next door.
Tossing it onto the bed, Suhei said coldly, “You sleep here.”
Blackie pouted, giving him the saddest puppy eyes.
Suhei remained unmoved.
No matter how adorable his son was, he wouldn’t share his wife for even a second.
Yao Zuizui stepped out of the shower, finding the father-son duo in a standoff in the small bedroom.
“What’s going on?” She stood at the doorway, looking between them.
Fresh from the bath, her skin glowed, cheeks pink, the scent of soap enveloping her.
Suhei’s eyes darkened.
After resting on the couch, he’d regained mobility—though using his powers was still difficult.
In the next moment, he scooped Yao Zuizui into his arms and carried her to the master bedroom.
Leaving Blackie pouting alone, staring at his lonely little pillow, once again contemplating running away.
Yao Zuizui, caught off guard, hadn’t prepared her three layers and five blankets.
Placed gently on the bed, she tried to sit up—only to be pinned down.
Suhei’s usually icy eyes now held a faint, maddening ripple.
Aroused. By her.
“You’re injured! No strenuous activity!” Yao Zuizui grasped for an escape.
“This is treatment.” Suhei lowered his head, biting her soft neck.
“…” What nonsense! Yao Zuizui turned her head away, on the verge of tears.
Tonight, she’d be up till midnight again, get dark circles again, oversleep again…
—
The next morning, Yao Zuizui woke to a mouthwatering aroma.
The rich scent of scallions and eggs wafted into the bedroom.
Unable to resist, she rushed to the kitchen.
Suhei was wearing her apron, while Blackie stood on tiptoe, holding a pristine egg up to him.
Suhei took it, cracked it one-handed against the pan, and let the egg slide into the sizzling oil—forming a perfect, golden fried egg with crispy edges and a soft center.
Such effortless skill—from a ghost?!
Blackie turned and beamed at her. “Mommy, why are you up? Daddy said you worked hard last night and should sleep more~”
Yao Zuizui’s face burned.
She recalled last night—how that bastard had used his injury as an excuse to lie there like an emperor, making her do all the work.
So. Exhausting.
Blushing, she avoided Blackie’s innocent gaze and sat at the table, waiting to be served.
She’d play emperor today—letting Suhei bring breakfast to her.
Soon, Suhei brought out the noodles.
Blackie got a small bowl and dug in eagerly, face full of joy.
As for Yao Zuizui, she watched as Suhei carried her bowl over.
It was a simple yangchun noodle soup—thin noodles in fragrant broth, topped with a fried egg and fresh scallions.
Yao Zuizui swallowed hard.
But the heartless Suhei didn’t hand it to her.
Instead, he set it before himself, steam curling temptingly beside her.
Yao Zuizui swallowed again, staring longingly.
Suhei picked up his chopsticks, leisurely lifting a strand of noodles—and blew on it.
Yao Zuizui: ???
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