Chapter 9

Chapter 9

“The boy’s name was Xiao Ming, and he was the worst student in the Ninja Academy. He liked a girl named Xiao Ying, but Xiao Ying didn’t like him back; she only had eyes for the class genius, Xiao Zhu.”

“So, naturally, Xiao Ming and Xiao Zhu couldn’t stand each other. One time, the two of them got into a fight on the rooftop.”

“Xiao Ming unleashed a Rasengan, while Xiao Zhu countered with a Chidori…”

Shen Yutong was twenty-eight when he died.

He had been the most skilled thoracic surgeon at a top-tier hospital, a savior to countless patients.

And yet here he was, in the middle of the most romantic sunrise imaginable, roleplaying a fight between two anime characters for me…

I used to think he was so boring, but now, I found him both earnest and hilarious.

“Crack! Just as the two of them were about to collide, suddenly! Their homeroom teacher forced his way between them and sent them both flying with two punches.”

“Xiao Ming said, ‘Ow, that hurts!'”

“Xiao Zhu said, ‘Whoa, Teacher, you’re so strong!'”

I burst out laughing.

For the first time in many years, his anime stories actually made me laugh.

I called out to him, “Shen Yutong!”

He stayed frozen in his anime pose. “Yeah?”

“You’ve been lying to me this whole time, haven’t you?” I asked.

“Lying to you?”

“Yes, you’re lying. Everything we’ve done today-none of it was your actual dying wish.”

“Shen Yutong, why are you really still in this world? What is it you’re actually trying to do?”

He froze.

After a long silence, his expression turned serious.

“I wanted to make you happy.”

“My real dying wish was for you to be happy.”

After saying that, he started laughing again.

But it wasn’t the same goofy laugh as before.

His eyes crinkled and his lips curled into a beautiful arc. In the fading light of the sunset, that smile felt heart-wrenchingly warm.

My eyes stung, and a heavy ache settled in my chest.

I hurriedly wiped my eyes with my hand.

“You jerk, Shen Yutong!” I cursed at him through my laughter.

“I’ve been running around like a maniac with you all day while I have a fever! And after all that, it turns out you just wanted to make me happy?”

“Then why didn’t you just ask me!”

My voice grew louder as I shouted.

The more I yelled, the more aggrieved I felt, until the tears finally refused to stop.

He panicked.

He rushed over and knelt in front of me, apologizing over and over again.

He reached out, wanting to pat my head, only to realize he couldn’t actually touch me…

The light in his eyes instantly dimmed with loneliness.

“Xiao Tao, I was being self-righteous. So… what will make you happy?”

I sobbed.

“It’s simple! Marry me, and I’ll be happy.”

“What?” He jumped back. “I’m a ghost! That’s bad luck!”

I looked at him with red, teary eyes.

He immediately caved.

“Fine, if you’re not afraid, then neither am I.”