Chapter 6

Chapter 6

A sharp clink snapped me back from my wandering thoughts.

Jiang Zhao seemed to be in a daze as well, not even noticing that his spoon had fallen to the floor.

Subconsciously, I leaned down to pick it up, but my incorporeal hand passed right through the spoon. I froze for a moment.

Then, another hand picked it up.

“What are you eating?” Chen You’s soft voice echoed in the room.

I spread my palms, looking at these hands that were becoming increasingly blurred, almost unable to maintain their form, and then at Chen You’s long, fair fingers.

Suddenly, a wave of self-consciousness washed over me.

Before I died, my hands were beautiful too.

Now, I could cook a whole table of fine dishes and beat video games effortlessly, yet I couldn’t even touch a simple object anymore.

“What flavor are these dumplings? They smell strange.” Chen You brought over another spoon and slowly stirred the dumplings in Jiang Zhao’s bowl.

Jiang Zhao’s brow furrowed slightly, but he still answered, “Celery.”

Chen You nodded dismissively and tilted her head up to look at him. “Why did An’an say today is your birthday?”

Jiang Zhao was momentarily stunned.

Chen You smiled candidly. “Your phone was on the sofa just now. I took a look at your chat history.”

She then added, “I didn’t expect your lock screen password to still be the same. 0802-the day we first met.”

Jiang Zhao kept his head down, and I couldn’t read the emotions in his eyes.

My heart still stung a little.

In the past, I had acted spoiled and begged Jiang Zhao to change his lock screen password to the date we started dating, but he always refused.

So, it was because of her.

“Answer my question. Why did Su An say today is your birthday?”

I stared coldly at Chen You.

Jiang Zhao had promised me that this was a secret shared only between the two of us. He wouldn’t tell any-

“A lot of bad things happened on that day five years ago. She suggested moving my birthday back a week and found all sorts of ways to celebrate it for me.”

That familiar voice was as deep and cool as ever.

I bit the tip of my tongue hard. A metallic, sweet taste welled up quietly, spreading uncontrollably through my mouth.

Suddenly, I wanted to laugh-at myself.

Chen You was silent for a moment. “She really is good to you.”

“Did she make these dumplings too? Specifically for your birthday?”

“Yes.”

“You coaxed me into going to sleep early just to eat these? To keep your promise to her?”

Jiang Zhao didn’t answer.

Silence fell over the room.

Chen You quickly scooped up a dumpling and suddenly said, “I want to eat one.”

“No!” I screamed at the top of my lungs.

No one could hear me.

I reached out to grab her spoon.

I couldn’t touch it.

Jiang Zhao’s eyes darkened as he grabbed her wrist, warning her in a low voice, “Chen You.”

Chen You stared into his eyes and repeated each word deliberately, “I. Want. To. Eat.”

“Ah zhao, from now on, I will spend every birthday with you.”

She was forcing him to make a choice.

Jiang Zhao’s jawline tightened, a flicker of struggle passing through his dark pupils. After an eternity, he slowly released Chen You’s hand.

Chen You got her wish and ate the dumpling.

I watched blankly, tears streaming continuously from the corners of my eyes.

It felt as if blade after blade was carving into my heart, slicing until the flesh was raw and the blood flowed freely.

These weren’t just dumplings.

They weren’t just dumplings.

For the past few days, I drifted in the corner of the room, watching them with indifference. It felt as if all emotion had drained from my soul.

But I didn’t know if it was just my imagination; after that night, Jiang Zhao’s attitude toward Chen You had grown much colder.

Aside from playing games together, he didn’t share any intimacy with her, even intentionally avoiding her touch.

One day, Chen You suddenly asked, “I keep forgetting to ask, where is Su An?”

Jiang Zhao paused, his tone calm. “We had a fight a few days ago. She applied for a business trip with her company.”

Chen You laughed. “No contact for so many days? Maybe she’s been wanting to break up with you for a long time.”

Jiang Zhao’s eyes turned somber, his voice filled with certainty: “Impossible.”

As he spoke, he subconsciously took out his phone and looked at our chat interface. A rare hint of anxiety and restlessness appeared between his brows.

Oh, he still doesn’t know that I’m dead.

I suddenly began to wonder what his reaction would be when he finally found out.