“Miss Fourteen, Miss Yan will join you for dinner,” Wencui said gently, her body blocking the doorway without wavering.
Mei Jiu had no choice but to retreat back into the room.
An Jiu sensed her disappointment and heartache but, instead of offering comfort, angrily scolded, “Stop it! It’s not a big deal!”
Mei Jiu thought bitterly, “Can’t I even be sad anymore? Is that too much to ask?”
“Tell me, what exactly is worth feeling so upset about?” An Jiu, having undergone brutal training as a professional, was skilled at controlling emotions. When she wanted to, she could be calm and composed.
Mei Jiu was surprised to discover that An Jiu could hear her thoughts.
Though An Jiu’s tone wasn’t pleasant, Mei Jiu desperately wanted to confide in someone. She remained silent but thought, “I had hoped to see my father upon returning home, but he has already passed away.”
An Jiu immediately received memories of a man. She realized she could access Mei Jiu’s memories when prompted.
“Ha! You have the luxury to dwell on this? Why aren’t you grateful for escaping death? You only see hardships, not fortune. What’s the point of living if you’re going to complain about everything? Besides, how many times did you even see that man? He’s dead, so what?”
Mei Jiu retorted, “What do you know? Though I rarely spent time with my father, he was still my flesh and blood! How can I not care? If it were your father, would you speak so callously?”
“I’m trying to comfort you. Can’t you tell?” An Jiu felt frustrated. She had rarely comforted anyone in her life. “If you weren’t useful, I’d consider wasting a bullet on a weakling like you! I don’t know about flesh and blood, but I remember killing my first person at twelve – my father.”
“You… why did you kill him?” Mei Jiu’s spine chilled. Good heavens, this ghost was so vicious in life, and now as a spirit… She shuddered, not daring to think further.
“He was a doctor, often abusive, obsessed with drug research. He even secretly experimented dangerous drugs on my mother, which led to her death. Yet he faced no legal consequences! So I killed him.”
Afterward, An Jiu was sent to a juvenile detention center. After six months, someone got her out and arranged a good living environment for her. They even let her join a competitive archery team. It was one of the few happy times in her life after her mother’s death, but it also marked the beginning of a dark existence.
An illegal organization was interested in the inherent violent genes in her blood, inherited from the man called “father.” As time passed and the body count on her hands grew, she became numb to both love and hate. She didn’t hate her father, nor did she feel any attachment.
An Jiu’s matter-of-fact recounting of this shocking past left Mei Jiu pale-lipped with fear.
Realizing her attempt at comfort had backfired, An Jiu said with dissatisfaction, “Hey! Don’t be nervous!”
“You’re not human!” Mei Jiu exclaimed, terrified.
“You don’t need to remind me of that,” An Jiu replied.
She was now just a soul residing in someone else’s body, indeed no longer human.
Mei Jiu fell silent, curling up in the corner of the bed, burying her head between her legs, trembling all over.
When dinner time finally arrived, Mei Jiu burst into tears upon seeing Mei Yanran. An Jiu, worried that saying anything more might cause the girl to faint, remained silent, feeling the warmth and fragrance from the woman’s embrace.
Unlike holding hands with A Shun, despite her resistance, An Jiu felt a bit comfortable. It seemed… like the safest place in the world.
“Don’t be afraid, my child,” Mei Yanran said softly, patting her back. “As long as I’m here, I won’t let you suffer.”
“Mother,” Mei Jiu choked, wanting to tell Mei Yanran about the terrifying spirit in her body but fearing for her mother’s safety, she kept quiet.
Dinner was attended only by Mei Yanran, her daughter, and A Shun.
Under An Jiu’s influence, Mei Jiu began eating and drinking ravenously, behaving like an uncouth village girl. In contrast, A Shun ate slowly and quietly, appearing more like a well-bred young lady.
Shocked by recent events, Mei Jiu had forgotten about her morning promise until A Shun reminded her with several meaningful glances.
After dinner, she found an opportunity to speak privately with Mei Yanran.
As an experienced woman, Mei Yanran could see that A Shun was a cunning girl. Though she didn’t like it much, she knew the Mei family’s affairs couldn’t be kept secret for long. Since the truth would eventually come out, why should she bear her daughter’s resentment? So she agreed readily.
Relieved, Mei Jiu happily informed A Shun.
As darkness fell, Mei Jiu was already exhausted. Once the maid prepared her bed, she fell asleep immediately.
The night passed dreamlessly.
At dawn the next day, Wencui woke Mei Jiu. “We should go early to avoid keeping the Old Madam waiting. After visiting the Old Madam at Bixiang Residence, we still need to pay respects to the Old Madam at Chayun Residence. With all this back and forth, it’ll be past noon before we know it.”
Mei Jiu, not one for sleeping in, quickly got out of bed upon hearing this and let the maids help her wash up.
An Jiu, looking at the transformed young girl in the mirror, felt almost dazzled! With exquisite features and a spring-green pleated dress, even the large collar couldn’t hide her slender neck. The flowing ribbons of her dress were tied with a circular white jade pendant. Her dark hair was half-loose, half-up, exuding a unique clean elegance in her youthfulness, like a celestial crane by the water.
An Jiu couldn’t help but comment, “All that glitters is not gold.”
Mei Jiu was startled.
Wencui didn’t miss her momentary panic and asked softly, “Is something wrong, Miss? Are you not satisfied with your appearance?”
“No, no,” Mei Jiu quickly denied.
Wencui didn’t press further but found it strange. How could someone be scared by their own reflection? Or perhaps… she was stunned by her own beauty?
Mei Jiu remained tense until she stepped into the sunlight, gradually relaxing. Ghosts are afraid of sunlight, right?
Meanwhile, An Jiu was busy taking in the scenery of the courtyard, paying no attention to the young girl’s thoughts.
The Mei mansion was vast, with trees as far as the eye could see. Amidst the woods, the upturned corners of roofs peeked through.
It was the height of autumn, and withered leaves fluttered down like butterflies.
After a gentle breeze, the woods seemed to rain down dry leaves.
“Isn’t Mother coming?” Mei Jiu asked.
An Jiu, not yet satisfied with the view, grumbled as her gaze was suddenly shifted, startling Mei Jiu and causing her to stumble.
“Careful, Miss Fourteen,” Wencui steadied her. “Miss Yan won’t be joining us. Miss Fifteen will accompany you. Let’s go to the dock to wait for her.”
“Dock?” Mei Jiu was shocked. There was even a dock in the house!
The path from Yuwei Residence to the dock wasn’t far. After passing through a wooded trail, they emerged into an open area. The early morning sun hadn’t yet risen, and the vast lake surface was shrouded in mist. Water and sky merged in the haze, and through the gauze-like fog, lush green islands could be faintly seen. A pine wood dock extended into the lake, with several small boats moored nearby.
A Shun and her maid were already waiting at the dock. She wore a light pink cross-collared dress, her phoenix eyes slightly raised, every bit a beauty herself.