They could see each other reflected in their eyes.
Ye Yingzhi turned to face him directly, both palms rested on Chi Yanās shoulder. He leaned over to kiss him lightly on the tip of his nose: āā¦.Iām sorry. I was wrong. I shouldnāt have deceived you, using that kind of method. It was me who fell into an illusion. I did that because I was so desperate. Iāve never liked anyone before and I had no idea what to doā¦. The internet said that couples go on dates like watching movies and strolling in the parkāI can do all of this with you.
āAh Yan, donāt be afraid of me. This time, try to use your own eyes to get to know me.ā
Chi Yan belatedly realized that Ye Yingzhi actually brought him to the park in the dead of the night for a stroll.
He looked into Ye Yingzhiās eyes and couldnāt refuse him. Instead, he seemed to be able to see Ye Yingzhiās true nature through those dark eyes.
Ye Yingzhi didnāt seem to mind his silence, reaching out to help him up: āItās alright. Take your time. Iāll wait for you.ā
Itās not like you can run anyway.
He kissed Chi Yanās forehead lightly and opened the door for him to go to work. His smile was both gentle and sweet.
āāāāāāāā
As they say: place any man on a battlefield and he will become a soldier. Through this incident, Chi Yan had already completely prepared himself to repay his debtāhe even prepared himself for a certain death. This time, Chi Yan let nature take its course and continued living with Ye Yingzhi without batting an eye.
Normalcy returned once his terror passed. After receiving the ashes, the incident was slowly filed away in his mind. Whether it was before showing his true nature or after casting an illusion, Ye Yingzhi had never actually caused him any harm. Rather, Ye Yingzhi saved him from other spirits many times.
For example, when they went on vacation last year, that house was really a bit strange. It was Ye Yingzhi who secretly helped him survive that. Also, when he boarded the ghost bus from Tang Guangyuanās place. If Ye Yingzhi hadnāt specifically gone to pick him up, he would have most likely lost his life there.
Besides, after his grandmotherās death there was no one else who treated him so well the way Ye Yingzhi didāregardless of ulterior motives.
Even if Ye Yingzhi just wanted to take advantage of him, deceive him, and then kill him, he was fine with that too.
He probably wouldnāt be too scared. Just a little hurt.
No matter how you look at it, he couldnāt leave Ye Yingzhi right now anyway. With Ye Yingzhi nearby, at least he was safe for now; how and when to punish him all depended on Third Young Masterās mood. But without Ye Yingzhiās ashes and aura to protect him, he probably wouldnāt last a month on his own.
Ye Yingzhi already controlled his finances. The inheritances left behind by Chi Yanās parents and grandparents were already placed into investments under Chi Yanās name. Any of the dividends, interest, and the sort were all higher than Chi Yanās annual income. In other words, Chi Yan had no idea just how much assets he had under his name, or what kinds of investments he had.
Once, he tried to give Ye Yingzhi his check too, but Ye Yingzhi pushed it back to him.
Ye Yingzhiās exact words were: āBe good. Keep your wages for food. Anything you like to eat, just buy it.ā
A lover who can cook, manage finances, and didnāt want him to turn in his wages so he could spend it however he wanted without worrying about a single thing. If he told people, who knew how many coworkers would envy him. Besides not being human, everything was great.
In truth, not being human wasnāt a very big problem. Chi Yan wasnāt afraid of goblins or demons. The beautiful fox demonās seduction was a fantasy since the ancient times. However, Ye Yingzhi is a ghost spirit.
He is a ghost.
This fact was ingrained into him and impossible to ignore. At times, this fact would pop up with terrible timing.
At night, Chi Yan was originally nestled in Ye Yingzhiās arms, just about to fall asleep. He suddenly remembered that the person by his side had long since passed away, that the one holding him wasnāt actually human. It scared him wide-awake, sending shivers down his spine. He scoot back a little, wanting to escape from Ye Yingzhiās embrace, but not daring to make it too obvious.
Ye Yingzhi felt his movement and also opened his eyes. He slowly raised his free hand to caress Chi Yanās face: āAh Yan, donāt be scared of me.ā
āI wonāt hurt you.ā He lowered his head and touched his forehead to Chi Yanās. Under the moonlight, his eyes revealed how earnest he was. He was so serious that it seemed like he was making an oath.
This was the first time that he straight-up told Chi Yan āI wonāt hurt you.ā
Chi Yan blanked out for a moment, not knowing how to respond. After a long while, he seemed to be ashamed as he hung his head: āā¦Iām scared.ā
Even though Iām willing to give my life to you, Iām still scared.
āYe Yingzhi, Iām scared of ghosts.ā He hung his head like a guilty child, as he honestly admitted how he felt.
After Ye Yingzhi heard that, he muttered something to himself before smiling weakly: āItās okay. Isnāt there āThe Peony PavilionāĀ¹Ā and also Nie Xiaoqian from LiaozhaiĀ²? Even though I canāt become a beautiful seductive fox demon, I can try to be your Ye Xiaoqian.ā
āWe still have a lot of time together. You donāt need to worry,ā he said in a low voice. Who knew if he was talking to the other or to himself.
Chi Yan didnāt say anything. His body that originally shrank away was leaning into Ye Yingzhi, as Chi Yan quietly grasped his hand.
Logically speaking, he should break away, but his heart tells him to move closer.
āāāāāāāā
Just like this, 3 months passed by. It was almost autumn. Chi Yan was already used to life with Ye Yingzhi.
One day after work, Chi Yan was surprised to find a familiar face waiting by his workplace. It was Mr. Tang.
Tang Guangyuan waved after seeing him, wanting to speak with him.
His workplace was on a busy street, endless traffic passing through the area. Tang Guangyuan wanted to chat in a more suitable setting and brought him to the McDonaldās just across the street.
The fast food place was filled with childrenās laughter and yells. A couple of 3-4 year-olds were energetically making a racket. Chi Yan ordered 2 hot drinks and invited Old Master Tang to sit by the window.
Tang Guangyuan glanced to the small porcelain bottle on his chest: āThat thing is still there?ā
Chi Yan nodded, hesitated for a few moments before saying: āā¦if you came because of āitā then you donāt need to worry about it anymore. I already thought it through. Since I provoked him first, then I should take responsibilityā¦.. He has always been very good to me, protecting me from a lot of disasters. Even if he decides to take my life one day, Iām fine with it.ā
Since ancient times, people believed in spirits. In order to gain protection, they even tried using live sacrifices. During the era of slavery, human sacrifices were extremely common. During the era of feudalism, this type of thing was not rare either. In āJourney to the WestāĀ³a famous excerpt spoke of a legendāa carp lord demanded virginal sacrifices of both males and females. If it was satisfied, then it would bless the commoner with good harvest; if not, then it would bring about disasters.
He has no family and was born with such a poor constitution. With Ye Yingzhiās protection, at least he could live to see the next day. Besides himself, there was nothing else he could offer to Ye Yingzhi.
Besidesā¦these 3 months, he have been clear-headed. Ye Yingzhi, he wasā¦indeed very good.
When Tang Guangyuan heard him, his brows furrowed deeply: āYouāre so young, right at your prime. How could you have such unambitious, outdated rotten thoughts. For humans, to live is to struggle. Youāre so young but so passive. What could your elders make of this?ā
Hearing this, Chi Yan didnāt know what to say. Remembering how his grandmother used to take him everywhere, to Daoist and Buddhist temples, begging others, and praying to deities, braving all sorts of hardships just to save his life, Chi Yan couldnāt help but feel ashamed. But he still tried to justify himself: āā¦itās not what you think. Ye Yingzhi is different. If I was possessed by anyone else, I wouldnāt be so complacent.ā
As for how exactly Ye Yingzhi differed from other spirits, even he couldnāt explain.
Being good to him? Indeed he was good to him, but in the beginning, Chi Yan was caught in his illusion and deceived by him. If any other ghost or demon did that to him, he would definitely still be scared witless and keep searching for ways to escapeāheād probably have died from sheer terror by now. However, it was easy to make allowances for Ye Yingzhi. After the initial fear from realizing the truth, it was easy to accept their current living arrangement. As if his soul itself was already familiar with the otherās existence.
Chi Yan borrowed Ye Yingzhiās words and said to Tang Guangyuan: āThereās Nie Xiaoqian from Liaozhai. He said he wants to be my Xiaoqian.ā Saying something like this to an outsider, Chi Yan couldnāt help but turn red.
Tang Guangyuan was barely conscious that day at the villa study room. He could only vaguely recall that the reason that thing let him go was because the youth before him promised to go back with it. This saved his life, but he couldnāt remember the details. But seeing Chi Yanās expression right now, how could he not realize?
He and that thing hadĀ thatĀ sort of relationship.
Thanks to everyone for your concern. I will try to get well soon!
Footnotes:
1: āThe Peony Pavilionā is a play where a young lady who lived under strict rules had a dream about meeting her lover one day after sneaking out. She couldnāt forget about the person she dreamt about, causing her to fall ill and die of a broken heart. Years later, a scholar saw her painting and called out to her, thinking she felt familiar. They fall in love even though sheās a ghost. He digs out her body, and she comes back to life. A happy ending.
2: Nie Xiaoqing is the ghost from āStories of Liaozhaiā also adapted into the film āA Chinese Ghost Story.ā It tells of a love story between a ghost and a human. The ghost betrayed her tree-demon master in order to save the man she loves, which caused her banishment to the Underworld. The man and a priest go find her and save her. The two lovers are together despite their difference in status (living status, that is).
3: āJourney to the Westā is a popular work that tells of a Buddhist monk, Tang Sanās journey westward to India in order to retrieve scriptures. Also known as the stories involving the Monkey King, Sun Wukong. This is referring to one of the stories throughout their adventure west.