TMWTGD CH74

Xiang Lili fumed in exasperation, “Why is he here? I don’t want to see him; get him out of here!” She was clever enough now not to bring up the homosexuality issue again, but it was too late. Everyone already knew about Xu Qi’s situation; while people claimed on the surface that he was bisexual, everyone actually believed Xu Qi had entered a fraudulent marriage.

Yet Xiang Lili refused to let anyone speak ill of it, stubbornly convinced that Xu Qi loved her, which was foolish to a truly astonishing degree.

Xie Jianwei didn’t stoop to her level. Without another word, he turned to leave.

President Wang, the middleman, stood dumbfounded. Seeing Xie Jianwei about to leave, he called out repeatedly, “Master Xie…”

Master Xie?!

Xiang Lili shrieked, “How could he be Master Xie? This wretched slut…”

Before Lu Li could react, President Wang had had enough. He interrupted, “Miss Xiang! You cannot insult my benefactor like this!”

Accustomed to acting without restraint, Xiang Lili didn’t put President Wang in her eyes at all: “Benefactor? Him? Wang Qinghai, have you lost your mind!”

Wang Qinghai flushed crimson with fury. He had intended to do the Xiang family a favor, but since Xiang Lili was so ungrateful, he would rather offend the Xiang family than cross Xie Jianwei. So what if the Xiang family had money? Only those who had experienced supernatural horrors truly knew fear.

Offending the Xiang family, at worst, meant poor business and losing profits; offending Xie Jianwei, he feared losing not just his life, but his very soul!

Wang Qinghai bellowed in anger, “Show the guest out! Since Miss Xiang does not respect my benefactor, I will not entertain you any longer!”

Xiang Lili went livid: “Wang Qinghai, you… you… I’m going to tell my father right now, I…” Before she could finish, her voice cut off abruptly, because she saw a ghost again. Her face drained of all color; the female ghost had an eyeball dangling loose, with a bloody mouth crammed with rotting flesh and putrid mud. Staring at her with a sinister grin, the raspy voice sounded like a death warrant: “Xiang… Li… li…”

Xiang Lili shrieked in horror. The previously domineering woman was now wailing and crying for her parents.

Xie Jianwei was rather startled as well. Although he had acted as a spiritual master for months, Lu Li doted on him and never let him see ghosts. Whenever he arrived on scene, big and small ghosts alike fled in panic, leaving zero opportunity for a face-to-face encounter.

Lu Li likely found Xiang Lili so repulsive this time that he deliberately summoned a vicious ghost to have a little “chat” with her.

Xiang Lili was indeed terrified to her knees, while Xie Jianwei, the supposed grandmaster, was so startled he tightened his grip on Lu Li’s hand.

Only then did Lu Li realize. Instantly regretting it, he banished the ghost without a second thought.

The little ghost’s eyeball wobbled in bewilderment. What happened to scaring the woman out of her wits?

Terrified that his darling might be frightened, Lu Li waved it off: “Go, go, get out of here quickly.”

The little ghost drifted away sulkily.

Once the ghost vanished, Xiang Lili had already collapsed limp onto the floor. Wang Qinghai saw this and bowed deeply to Xie Jianwei: “Master Xie’s divine power is truly boundless!”

Xie Jianwei still felt slightly nauseated, but remained outwardly calm, merely shaking his head gently.

Coming back to her senses, Xiang Lili looked at Xie Jianwei in shock: “It was you… you were the one who drove her away?”

Wang Qinghai hurried to add, “Of course it was Master Xie! Ordinary evil spirits retreat miles upon seeing Master Xie, not daring to draw near.”

Her soul barely settled back in place, Xiang Lili calmed down slightly after catching her breath. Come to think of it, she had been haunted constantly lately, followed by those things wherever she went. Yet ever since arriving here and meeting Xie Jianwei, her surroundings had cleared up. Just now, another ghost appeared, yet with a single glare from Xie Jianwei, that female spirit vanished!

Could Xie Jianwei truly exorcise ghosts?

This… this wretched slut…

She dared not say it aloud this time. She was genuinely frightened out of her mind. Thinking of those ghosts made her scalp tingle; she only wished someone could save her, willing to do anything.

Yet Xie Jianwei…

Xiang Lili gritted her teeth and said, “Help me drive away the ghosts, and I’ll give you whatever you want!”

Looking at her, Xie Jianwei remarked, “Whatever I want, you’ll give?”

At his question, Xiang Lili grew tense, and Lu Li grew even tenser. Both feared Xie Jianwei might say, “Return Xu Qi to me”: Xiang Lili couldn’t bear to part with him, while Lu Li would suffer agonizing heartache.

Yet Xiang Lili was simply too terrified. If this continued, her life would be forfeit, so what wedding with Xu Qi could there be? Xiang Lili’s expression was grim, but after agonizing for a moment, she actually declared, “Anything!”

Xie Jianwei curved his lips: “Including Xu Qi?”

Xiang Lili looked ashen, while Lu Li felt as if tossed into a boiling sea of oil.

“I-Including…” Xiang Lili looked utterly pained, “including Xu Qi.”

Xie Jianwei fixed his gaze on her, speaking with cold detachment after a moment: “Who would ever want trash like that?”

Xiang Lili froze, while Lu Li’s numb body regained a spark of life.

Xie Jianwei said, “I should thank you instead for letting me see through that scum’s true colors.”

Xiang Lili pursed her lips without a word.

Xie Jianwei added, “If you like him, keep him well guarded. No one is going to fight you for him.”

Hearing him say this, Xiang Lili suddenly didn’t find Xu Qi quite as appealing anymore…

Looking at Xie Jianwei, she asked, “Then… what do you want?”

Narrowing his eyes, Xie Jianwei smiled, “What I want, you cannot afford.”

Xiang Lili’s eyes widened: “How could that be! There is nothing in this world I cannot obtain! As long as you…”

Xie Jianwei cut her off: “If you could truly obtain anything, you wouldn’t have come running here to find me.”

Xiang Lili choked on her words.

Xie Jianwei bid farewell to Wang Qinghai and walked toward the entrance.

Panicking, Xiang Lili called out, “Xie Jianwei… you, you simply have no intention of saving me!”

Xie Jianwei didn’t even turn his head: “Indeed, I do not want to save you.”

Xiang Lili’s eyes flew wide. In her desperation, she discarded all pride: “Save me! I apologize to you! It was my fault, I will never bully you again, from now on I…”

A sarcastic smirk touched Xie Jianwei’s lips. This reminded him of some truly repulsive matters.

Xie Xing had been slain by his own hands. Before dying, Xie Xing had apologized to him, begging for forgiveness, claiming he knew his wrongs and would never do it again, insisting he did it for the Xie family, for them, out of a loving father’s devotion.

Xie Jianwei had listened to every single word, then pulled the trigger, killing his biological father.

He committed the crime of patricide, yet achieved liberation: liberation for everyone.

There was a kind of living that was far crueler than dying.

If so, dying was better.

Xie Jianwei’s expression was dark. Lu Li didn’t speak either, quietly accompanying him by his side.

After walking for a while, Xie Jianwei murmured softly, “A-Li.”

Lu Li was shaken by this form of address.

Exhausted, Xie Jianwei leaned into his embrace, nuzzling against his chest before murmuring, “Don’t leave me.”

Lu Li wrapped his arms around him, speaking gently: “I won’t leave you. Even if you drive me away, I won’t go.”

Xie Jianwei smiled softly: “Why would I ever drive you away?”

Lu Li said, “That is truly wonderful.”

Xie Jianwei’s sour mood improved considerably. Nestling in Lu Li’s arms, he didn’t feel like moving: “Let’s go home.”

Lu Li said, “Alright, I’ll carry you back.”

Xie Jianwei’s lips curved: “Don’t scare people.” If Lu Li carried him, he would be floating in mid-air. If passersby witnessed that, they would be frightened out of their wits.

Lu Li said, “I’ll be careful.”

Xie Jianwei shook his head, “It’s not far anyway, we’ll be home shortly.”

Lu Li could only agree. However, when Xie Jianwei took a taxi, Lu Li served as his chair, stubbornly pulling Xie Jianwei to sit upon his lap. Fortunately, the driver was attentive to the road and never looked back, or else he would have seen Xie Jianwei floating slightly above the seat.

Over the next few days, Xie Jianwei barely went out. With plenty of money in hand anyway, there was no hurry to read feng shui for people.

After idling for two days, Yan Ke called him on the evening of the third day, inviting him out to get together.

Ever since their drunken night, Yan Ke and Xie Jianwei had grown close, dragging him out to hang out at every opportunity.

He had made up with Loren, and grateful to Xie Jianwei, Loren had treated him to a meal on his own initiative.

Once acquainted, Yan Ke scolded Loren for being friends with a scumbag like Xu Qi.

Between laughter and tears, Loren apologized and explained, “Xu Qi and I only have a superficial acquaintance. How could that count as genuine friendship?” He knew nothing of Xu Qi’s character, merely crossing paths at social gatherings and thinking they belonged to the same circle, keeping casual ties without any deep bond.

Yan Ke lectured him sternly, “You’re forbidden from associating with him from now on. A-Wei was tormented terribly by him; we must stand by his side!”

Loren appeared worldly and suave on the outside, yet turned out to be completely henpecked deep down. The moment Yan Ke scolded him, he agreed repeatedly, “Right, right, everything you say is right.”

Yan Ke still found him insincere, so Loren had to earnestly recite an eight-hundred-word dissertation declaring he would cut all ties with Xu Qi and stand firmly behind Xie Jianwei.

Yan Ke remarked, “Smooth talker,” but was clearly delighted inside.

Xie Jianwei and Yan Ke in his mind appraised them: “Come to think of it, those two make quite a good match.”

Yan Ke stammered, “If only Yan Ke didn’t look identical to me, they’d be an even better match.”

Xie Jianwei agreed, “You and Yan Ke truly only share a face.”

Yan Ke whimpered, “Indeed. I have no idea how deep the Lord Marshal’s misunderstanding of me runs.”

The Yan Ke across several dreams differed greatly from the real Yan Ke. Dream Yan Ke was mostly stubborn, sharp and decisive, viewing love in black and white. In reality, Yan Ke was a gentle young man; cooped up in the research lab year-round, he gave off a distant, cool air, but anyone slightly familiar knew he had zero temper, was easygoing, and rather timid.

Lu Li had likely never interacted closely with Yan Ke, so his impression remained skin-deep. Xie Jianwei felt that upon returning to reality, he should properly introduce Yan Ke to Lu Li. Not just Yan Ke, but all his friends.

This time, Yan Ke hadn’t invited Xie Jianwei alone. He brought Loren along, and beside Loren stood a tall, handsome young man.

As soon as Xie Jianwei entered the room, Loren stood up to introduce them. “This is Xie Jianwei.” Then, introducing the person beside him, “This is my friend, Ji Jiarui.”

Ji Jiarui smiled warmly, extending a hand to Xie Jianwei: “Hello.”

Xie Jianwei shook his hand politely: “Hello.”

Eyes curving with smiles, Yan Ke ushered them to sit down and began ordering dishes.

Before long, Xie Jianwei realized. This couple was trying to set him up on a blind date!

Ji Jiarui was quite handsome and carried himself decently, his speech and demeanor displaying impeccable upbringing; from every angle, he was an outstanding man.

Finding a suitable partner in the gay community was no easy task. Loren and Yan Ke genuinely considered him a friend, feeling he had been hurt too deeply by Xu Qi, and wanted to find him a new romance.

Xie Jianwei didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Throughout the meal, he had to hold hands with a certain ghost under the table, otherwise the overturned vinegar jar would sour every dish on the table.

To make matters worse, Ji Jiarui had a great impression of Xie Jianwei, frequently initiating conversation with witty, humorous topics that were hard to decline.

Yan Ke and Loren thought there was a spark. Xie Jianwei barely managed to hold his ground, finding the dinner exhausting.

When it ended, Ji Jiarui suggested, “Shall we go to karaoke?”

Yan Ke and Loren agreed immediately: “Sure!”

Xie Jianwei said, “I can’t stay out too late, I have to head back.”

Ji Jiarui looked disappointed, but quickly smiled again: “Could I have your contact info?”

Xie Jianwei paused.

Ji Jiarui added, “So we can hang out together when an opportunity arises.”

Xie Jianwei didn’t want to give it, yet had no valid reason to refuse. Ji Jiarui hadn’t crossed any boundaries all evening, acting merely as a friend; blurting out “there’s no chance between us” on the spot would be overly awkward. Such things had to be stated later.

Thinking it through, Xie Jianwei said, “Alright.”

They exchanged contact details. Lu Li, who had been holding Xie Jianwei’s hand all along, let go and stepped back two or three paces.

Having obtained the contact info, Ji Jiarui was visibly thrilled, his eyes sparkling as he offered, “Let me drive you home!”

Yan Ke chimed in, “Let Jiarui take you, it’s on his way anyway. Loren and I are heading out to play.”

Xie Jianwei said, “I already called a taxi.”

“Why take a cab?” Ji Jiarui smiled, “I’ll give you a ride!”

Xie Jianwei thought to himself. If I truly get into a strange man’s car, won’t a certain someone go berserk?

Xie Jianwei could only brace himself and say, “It’s already called, it wouldn’t be right to make them wait for nothing.”

Ji Jiarui didn’t press him, saying, “Then let me walk you to the taxi.”

With him putting it that way, Xie Jianwei couldn’t keep refusing, agreeing, “Alright…”

Ji Jiarui walked with him toward the taxi, chatting casually along the way. Lu Li kept his distance, clearly sulking.

Finally reaching the cab, just as Xie Jianwei moved to get in, Ji Jiarui pulled out cash and handed it to the driver, smiling: “Driver, sorry for making you take a trip for nothing.”

Seeing the crisp hundred-yuan bill, the driver’s eyes lit up.

Ji Jiarui winked at him: “I’ll drive him, you can go ahead.”

The driver laughed cheerfully, “Sure thing, safe travels!”

Xie Jianwei: “…” Young man, your tactics run deep.

Ji Jiarui turned to look at Xie Jianwei: “May I have the honor of giving you a ride?”

Xie Jianwei thought it over and decided it was fine; he could lay his cards on the table in the car, stating directly that he already had a lover.

Xie Jianwei stepped into Ji Jiarui’s car, yet Lu Li did not follow.

Xie Jianwei knew he was angry, but there was little he could do. If Lu Li were human, he would have broadcasted to the world long ago that his lover was Lu Li. But currently Lu Li was a ghost whom no one could see; claiming his lover was standing right beside him would get him labeled a lunatic.

Xie Jianwei figured that since this setting had few constraints, he didn’t need to put on an elaborate act. Rejecting Ji Jiarui and explaining everything to Lu Li once home would resolve it.

Lu Li felt an oppressive weight in his chest. He knew Xie Jianwei harbored no feelings for Ji Jiarui and had spent the entire evening merely humoring him, accepting the ride only out of consideration for his friends’ feelings.

Yet Lu Li felt awful, terribly awful.

More and more people were discovering how wonderful Xie Jianwei was, more and more people were falling for Xie Jianwei, and all Lu Li felt was dread.

Did Xie Jianwei love him? Presumably yes.

But how much was that love worth? If he encountered someone he loved even more, would he still love him?

At the end of the day, mortals and ghosts walked different paths; staying with him meant Xie Jianwei was essentially condemned to a lifetime of solitude in the human world.

His friends introduced potential partners to him, and later his parents would introduce partners to him as well. None of them knew of his existence, and none wished to see Xie Jianwei remain alone forever. It was out of goodwill, which Xie Jianwei would surely find hard to reject.

Gradually… what if Xie Jianwei truly met someone he genuinely loved?

What would he do then? Let go? Wish him happiness?

No… he could never do that. When that day came, he would rather drag him into hell.

Lu Li didn’t know why he felt this way. He had always felt as though all of this was stolen. A stray soul from the ghost realm wandering into this world, meeting Xie Jianwei, greedily longing to hoard him, possess him, monopolize him. Scheme as he might, appearing to obtain everything, it was merely the moon reflected in water, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

Probably because they never belonged to the same world. No matter how he possessed him, the unknown ahead hovered over his heart every second, terrified of the day loss would arrive.

Ji Jiarui was an endearing young man, witty in conversation and skilled at lightening the mood. Xie Jianwei was entertained by him as well. He wouldn’t refuse being friends with such a person, but anything beyond that was out of the question; he could only ever accept Lu Li.

Reflecting on this, Xie Jianwei felt he shouldn’t leave Ji Jiarui with false hope, so he spoke up: “Loren’s intentions tonight were good.”

Hearing him say this, Ji Jiarui said happily, “I’m so glad I came.”

Xie Jianwei said, “However, there is something I haven’t had the chance to tell them.”

Ji Jiarui asked, “What is it?”

Xie Jianwei said earnestly, “I already have someone I love.”

Ji Jiarui’s expression shifted noticeably.

Xie Jianwei said, “I am truly sorry…”

Before he finished, Ji Jiarui interjected, “Is it Xu Qi? I heard from Loren that you might still be unable to forget him, but it doesn’t matter, I…”

Xie Jianwei shook his head, “It isn’t him, it’s someone else. He treats me very well, and I love him deeply.”

Ji Jiarui couldn’t help turning to look at him: “Truly?”

Xie Jianwei said, “We have been together for three months. It’s just that due to certain reasons, it’s inconvenient to tell our friends for now, which led to Loren and Yan Ke’s misunderstanding.”

Ji Jiarui said sorrowfully, “Was I a step too late?”

Xie Jianwei remained silent.

After a pause, Ji Jiarui sighed, “You might not believe me, or even find it ridiculous, but the first moment I saw you tonight, I felt you were my destined love. I want to be with you, want to…”

Before he could finish, he slammed on the brakes.

Xie Jianwei looked up, only to see a large truck with blinding high beams hurtling straight toward them!

Ji Jiarui froze completely.

Reacting with lightning speed, Xie Jianwei shouted, “Step on the gas!”

Driven by pure instinct, Ji Jiarui floored the accelerator while Xie Jianwei violently wrenched the steering wheel, narrowly dodging the careening truck at a breathtaking speed and angle.

Yet to their horror, another heavy truck followed right behind.

It was over; they were truly finished.

Pale with terror, Ji Jiarui watched as Xie Jianwei spun the wheel, scraping through the narrow gap between the two vehicles at an impossible angle. But right at that moment, a burst of flames surged from the rear of the car.

Spotting it, Ji Jiarui cried out, “No!”

The instant the word left his mouth, he lunged across from the driver’s seat, shielding Xie Jianwei entirely beneath him.

The flames surged fiercely, scorching Ji Jiarui’s entire back.

A terrible chill seized Xie Jianwei’s heart. He looked up at Ji Jiarui, only to discover in shock that his face had transformed into Lu Li’s.

What… what was happening?

All composure vanished; Xie Jianwei’s heart felt clamped in the jaws of a venomous serpent, devoid of any sensation save for sharp, radiating agony.

Lu Li… Lu Li…

Had Lu Li died?

Xie Jianwei’s head buzzed deafeningly. He tried desperately to calm down, tried to find a way to survive, but his mind was flooded with a single thought. Lu Li was dead, Lu Li was dead, Lu Li was dead…

“My Lord!” Yan Ke’s voice rang in his ear, “Calm down, that is not the Lord Marshal!”

Not him? How could it not be him? This was Lu Li, his Lu Li.

If Lu Li was dead, why should he live? He couldn’t save Lu Li, so what meaning remained in his existence?

Dead, everyone was dead…

Piercing ringing echoed inside Xie Jianwei’s mind.

Xie Xing’s voice reverberated in his ears: “Do not fall in love with anyone, you have no need for it.”

“You are my most magnificent masterpiece, destined to bring glory to the Milky Way.”

“Do not disappoint me, you are capable of this.”

“Little Brother, are we even human anymore?”

The chaotic cacophony gave Xie Jianwei a splitting headache. Letting out a muffled groan, he slowly opened his eyes.

Gentle lighting surrounded him, and Yan Ke looked at him with an anxious face: “My Lord, are you alright?”

Pressing against his temples, Xie Jianwei managed, “I’m fine.”

Yan Ke breathed a sigh of relief.

Pausing to catch his breath, Xie Jianwei asked, “Did it fail?”

The simplest dream, the happiest personality, yet in the end…

Unexpectedly, Yan Ke replied, “It did not fail…”

“Hm?” Xie Jianwei knitted his brow, “You pulled me out of the dream?”

Yan Ke said hurriedly, “Yes. The situation was too critical just now. Your mental fluctuations were far too violent; if I didn’t sever the link, I feared…”

Xie Jianwei said, “It was my fault.”

Yan Ke hesitated before adding, “My Lord… I think…”

Xie Jianwei looked at him: “What is it?”

Yan Ke wasn’t entirely certain, but felt it necessary to speak up: “I suspect you might have been influenced by it.”

Xie Jianwei: “Hm?”

Yan Ke said, “It must possess the ability to invade minds, which is how it latched onto the Lord Marshal’s psyche in the first place. In the Lord Marshal’s dream world, three real spiritual entities exist. The Lord Marshal, you, and it. It has been attempting to devour the Lord Marshal’s mind all along, but during this process, it might have interfered with you as well.”

Xie Jianwei said, “Yes.”

Yan Ke added, “So you must be careful not to let it exploit your psychological knot.”

Xie Jianwei stayed quiet.

Pondering for a moment, Yan Ke ventured, “May I presume to ask, what is your psychological knot?”

Closing his eyes, Xie Jianwei said, “I am terrified of losing Lu Li.”

Yan Ke was stunned.

Xie Jianwei had likely never spoken these words to anyone before: “I fear Lu Li does not love me, fear losing him, fear that everything I possess right now is merely a dream.”

Hearing this, Yan Ke felt a sudden pang of sympathy, saying hurriedly, “The Lord Marshal loves you deeply. He is without doubt the person who loves you most, so you have no reason to worry about this.”

Xie Jianwei smiled faintly, speaking candidly: “I know. I know all too well that he loves me, but the clearer that becomes, the more terrified I am of losing him.”

Realization dawned upon Yan Ke.

Xie Jianwei relinquishing all power and staying willingly within the Marshal’s Manor wasn’t because he genuinely didn’t care about those things. He did care; how could someone so capable and used to constant motion truly adapt to an idle existence of waiting for a lover’s return?

He hadn’t adapted, but forced himself to, dreading that meddling too much would ultimately jeopardize his relationship with Lu Li. At the end of the day, he lacked confidence as well. Not in the same manner as Lu Li, but an insecurity of another kind.

Perhaps people deeply in love were always like this. Fearing the other didn’t love them, fearing they would stop loving them, and fearing they would eventually leave.

So many people in the world who loved each other ended up unable to stay together, perhaps precisely because they loved each other too much. Fear of gain and loss, no one was immune.

Yan Ke had no idea what to say; having never experienced romance even once, he naturally couldn’t grasp such emotions.

Xie Jianwei had calmed down considerably; being able to voice it was tremendous progress, showing he was willing to confront his inner knot rather than evade it. This was a good thing.

After resting for a moment, Xie Jianwei said, “Let us continue.”

While they stepped out for a brief respite, the dream world continued to progress. The longer they stayed outside, the greater the ripple effect; while preferable to a total collapse, they didn’t dare delay further.

Yet in the brief span they spent talking in reality, the dream world had already been turned upside down.

Xie Jianwei: “…”

Yan Ke: “…”

It seemed they had remained outside too long after all. A perfectly sweet little dream had devolved once more into melodrama flying everywhere.

Whose fault was it? Was it “it,” or Big Li? Most likely the combined result of both their efforts.

Xie Jianwei had indeed stayed awake for a while, and several months had elapsed within the dream.

During these months, Xie Jianwei became the native Xie Jianwei of the dream world. Having lost his autonomous awareness, he was manipulated like a puppet, and the puppeteer was almost certainly “it.”

Through both a car crash and burns, neither Xie Jianwei nor Ji Jiarui had died.

Intriguingly, Ji Jiarui’s injuries weren’t even severe; despite his back being roasted charred, prompt treatment meant he suffered no major harm.

Furthermore, this primitive Earth unexpectedly boasted plastic surgery techniques advanced enough to rival the interstellar era. After minor reconstructive work on his burned face, Ji Jiarui had actually become handsomer; how completely absurd!

As for “Xie Jianwei,” it had heaped even more drama onto him. Despite not taking the impact or suffering grave wounds, after a brief coma, he woke up with amnesia!

Remembering nobody, forgetting even his parents.

Mother Xie washed her face in tears, weeping for her precious darling son. Father Xie didn’t cry, but his eyes were rimmed with tears, several more white hairs appearing at his temples.

Though he had forgotten his parents, Mother Xie stayed by his side recounting past days, and gradually Xie Jianwei accepted them. Blood ties carried an innate intimacy, especially since Father and Mother Xie loved him wholeheartedly; such honest affection was effortless to sense.

Yan Ke and Loren visited him as well; though Xie Jianwei didn’t recognize them, he treated them with polite courtesy. His amnesia seemed to pose little disruption to daily life; Loren and Yan Ke even felt relieved that he could finally break free from Xu Qi and embrace a fresh chapter.

In reality, however, Xie Jianwei hadn’t just broken free from Xu Qi; he had forgotten Lu Li completely.

When he first awakened, Lu Li was overjoyed beyond measure.

But soon Xie Jianwei gasped, asking who he was.

Lu Li’s heart chilled halfway through, explaining that he was his lover. Xie Jianwei was exceedingly skeptical.

Later, when Father and Mother Xie arrived, Xie Jianwei asked them, “Mom, do I have a partner?”

Mother Xie said, “I wish I could hold a grandchild sooner, but ever since you broke up with Qianqian, you refused to date anyone.”

“Qianqian?”

Mother Xie recounted his college relationship prior to meeting Xu Qi.

Xie Jianwei asked again, “Do you know Lu Li?”

Looking blank, Mother Xie asked, “Who is Lu Li?”

Father Xie remarked, “Sounds like a man’s name. Who is it? A friend of yours?”

Mother Xie was rather pleased: “Did you remember something? Can you recall a friend’s name?”

Xie Jianwei shook his head, “No, I merely heard someone mention it.”

Later, he questioned Yan Ke and Loren, neither of whom had any idea, never having heard the name Lu Li.

Xie Jianwei felt all the more that Lu Li was deceiving him. A lover? Could he truly have a lover whose existence was unknown to all his family and friends?

When Lu Li appeared again, Xie Jianwei said with an icy expression, “Please do not come here anymore.”

Lu Li explained, “We are truly together. It’s just that my circumstances are unique, making it inconvenient for you to tell others…”

“Unique?” Xie Jianwei looked at him as if looking at a complete stranger, “Unique in what way?”

Lu Li laid bare the truth: “I am not human. I am a ghost.”

Xie Jianwei scoffed, “Could you stop joking?”

“I am truly not human. Aside from you, no one else can see me.” In truth, Lu Li could have summoned other evil spirits to bear witness, but he couldn’t bear to. Xie Jianwei was already terrified of ghosts, and in this state he would surely be more frightened, so Lu Li had banished all spirits within visible range (over ten miles). Even with his spiritual sight open, Xie Jianwei saw nothing out of the ordinary, seeing only Lu Li.

And Lu Li truly didn’t look like a ghost in any way.

Lu Li added, “Weren’t you able to see people’s destiny aura? A ghost’s aura cannot be seen, you…”

“Destiny aura?” Xie Jianwei asked in confusion, “What is that?”

Lu Li’s heart jumped: “Can’t you see it? The glowing light swirling around your parents?”

Xie Jianwei said, “What on earth are you talking about? What light?”

Furrowing his brows, Lu Li couldn’t understand what had happened.

Right at that moment, Xie Jianwei remarked with annoyance, “If you truly are a ghost, it is even more impossible for me to like you. I am a human, so how could I ever fall in love with a ghost?”

Those words struck deep into his heart. Lowering his eyes, Lu Li couldn’t utter a single syllable.

Since Xie Jianwei didn’t want to see him, Lu Li stepped out into the corridor, watching him through the doorway without blinking.

Xie Jianwei recovered quickly. Gradually learning the details of the car accident and discovering that Ji Jiarui had shielded him at the risk of his own life, he said with deep gratitude, “I must go see him. I cannot let his sacrifice be in vain.”

Upon meeting, Xie Jianwei’s favorable impression of Ji Jiarui surged dramatically.

Xie Jianwei asked him, “How are you feeling?”

Looking at him, Ji Jiarui said, “I’m fine. What about you?”

Xie Jianwei said, “If not for you, I would be the one lying there.”

Ji Jiarui replied, “Thank goodness it isn’t you lying here, or my heart would ache to death.”

Xie Jianwei paused, his cheeks flushing pink, feeling slightly shy.

Watching from afar, Lu Li felt his vision darkening in waves.

The ambiguity between Xie Jianwei and Ji Jiarui deepened. After regaining his health, Xie Jianwei took care of Ji Jiarui continuously. Ji Jiarui was naturally articulate and skilled at coaxing people, and having risked his life to save Xie Jianwei only elevated his standing in Xie Jianwei’s eyes. Faced with such earnest devotion, who wouldn’t be touched?

In any case, the amnesiac “Xie Jianwei” had already fallen for him.

Lu Li was powerless to do anything, watching helplessly, feeling that although he had died long ago, he was now experiencing a waking agony worse than death every single second.

What should he do? What could he possibly do?

Never mind decades, never mind an eternity; after a mere few months, Xie Jianwei no longer belonged to him.

His nightmare had come true. Xie Jianwei had finally found the one he truly loved, so where was he supposed to go?

Unable to bear making him unhappy, yet utterly unable to let go, Lu Li could only linger in the shadows, watching in silence, enduring the suffocating ache of a heart rotting away.

Returning to the dream world and reviewing this recap, Xie Jianwei was completely at a loss…

Yan Ke remarked, “Our Lord Marshal…” Pitiful once again.

Seeing Lu Li tormented until his liver ached, Xie Jianwei’s heart ached in unison.

But it was fine; he had awakened, his memories were “restored,” and Lu Li, the pitiful soul, could finally embrace spring.

__

Author’s Note:

“It”: So frustrating! How did he recover his memories already!

Lu Li: Actually, it could have been a bit later. That way, I could have logically locked my wife away in a dark little room in hell.

Xie Jianwei: …