Chapter 6
Behind us, Lan’er kept shouting that I was only pretending to be kind and putting on a show.
But what good did that do?
The Qi family’s downfall had caused an enormous stir, and plenty of people were watching the spectacle.
Soon, the entire capital knew:
I had put aside past grievances and taken Qi Sanyuan’s parents into my home.
As for Qi Sanyuan and Lan’er?
Sorry, don’t ask!
If anyone did, I was simply too heartbroken!
I could not bear to face true love!
I was weak and therefore in the right!
Since things between us were still a little awkward, I prepared a separate courtyard for the elderly couple.
That way, none of us would disturb the others. Perfect!
While moving their belongings, I ran into my “handsome but deranged” neighbor again.
In a good mood, I waved to him.
“Sorry, I haven’t seen any ghosts lately, so I never invited you over for mahjong.
“Truly, my apologies!”
He stared at me in shock.
His face practically screamed, Why hasn’t she moved out? and Not only did she stay, she brought two more people home!
At last, he swept his sleeves around and stormed off indignantly.
That night, just as I was preparing for bed,
an eerie voice drifted through the room.
“Give me back my life…
“I died so horribly…”
As a sinister wind blew around me, I yawned.
“How did you die?”
The “ghost” paused, then stammered after a long moment,
“Someone… murdered me, I suppose?”
I asked another question.
“Are you a male ghost or a female ghost?”
This time, the answer came quickly.
“A male ghost!”
I rolled over.
“Then you’re a grown man. Why aren’t you finding the person responsible and taking your revenge?
“Instead, you stand here muttering at me. Aren’t you an embarrassment to ghosts everywhere?”
The “ghost” fell silent…
After a while, he fled in disarray.
Some time later, just as I was drifting to sleep, another eerie voice sounded.
“Give me back my life…
“I am a female ghost!”
Well, well. This one knew how to answer before I even asked.
I sat up at once.
“Perfect. Could you come to the privy with me?
“It’s so dark outside. I’m scared…”
The female ghost fell silent too…
At length, she said,
“Fine.”
Near noon the next day, I set up a barbecue rack in the courtyard.
I lounged in the sun, waiting for Xiaomei to deliver each piece of grilled meat straight into my mouth.
Thus, when my parents came to visit with my brother, this was the scene they found:
Me, sprawled crookedly across a reclining chair with a large orange cat in my arms.
A hired musician sat to my left, playing a little tune.
A maid stood to my right, fanning me.
Xiaomei tirelessly grilled the meat nearby and was also responsible for feeding it to me.
Everyone stopped awkwardly when they saw my parents enter.
Without opening my eyes, I complained,
“Why did you stop?
“Keep playing! Keep dancing!”
An ominous voice replied,
“What happened to your gravely wounded heart and your inability to eat or sleep?”
I jolted in fright and opened my eyes.
My father’s livid face was inches from mine.
I sheepishly invited my parents and brother to sit, then picked up my brother’s legitimate son, Xuan’er, and casually set him on the swing.
“This is how I’m healing my wounded heart…”
My father’s expression said he did not believe one word of it.
I served everyone barbecue and played with Xuan’er for a while.
When my parents were about to leave, I held on to Xuan’er and refused to let go.
“You’re so adorable! Why don’t you stay with your aunt for a few days?”
My brother hurriedly snatched his son back.
“Do not learn from your aunt. Idling in pleasure ruins ambition!”
Xuan’er, who had been pushed to excel since the day he was born, looked longingly back at the swing.
“Father, I want—”
My brother showed no mercy.
“No. You don’t.”