I clamped my mouth shut, trying to not be entirely dumbstruck by realizing what I had just encountered—and who that person was. I had this sick feeling inside my stomach. The feeling of being anxious. I knew it was obvious that Si Ming was pulling something, but the thought of meeting Li Ruman in a situation like this never crossed my mind.
"Well, well. I didn't know you two are acquaintances." Si Ming's eyes light up, I thought and I knew it.
Your head you didn't know. You damn knew it alright. But I favored them with a sweet smile. Lovely.
My inner voice whispered. Si Ming had used Goddess of Souls whereabout as a bargaining chip, just for me to meet Li Ruman. Why would he go on so much trouble for a matter as simple as that? No, this was weird. He wanted something from me. And somehow related with Li Ruman. More cold dread filled my stomach. But what could it be?
"What a surprise you have there, Si Ming," Li Ruman swiveled around, her eyes running over me. "You bring an old friend of mine. It's been a long time since I last saw my dear friend here. I wonder if I have time alone before we get into all business talk."
Seriously? Seriously. She had just called me an old friend? Her dear friend? Please, don't make me laugh.
I peered at her to see if she was joking. But she met my gaze with a full-on, pasting her utmost friendly smile. I felt a sudden pang of dread. For a moment I thought she was giving off horrid vibes.
"Sure, love," put Si Ming with a smirk. "Just don't take too long, we've got a show to roll on," he added, letting out a laugh.
"Oh, and that guy over there," Li Ruman pointed at Huashe. "Care to give us a moment too? A little privacy here."
"Why would I have to do that? None of my business'sss." The hiss in Huashe's word was barely detectable. If only I didn't know he was a serpent by nature, I would have thought he was speaking with a lisp.
I noticed the abnormality here—especially in a situation like this.
It might be a nightmare scenario where you bump into your worst enemy, wearing only understated print T-shirts with that why-do-you-always-complicate-things wordings and a pair of rusty jeans. My wavy deep brown hair was swept into a messy chignon, and I wondered whether I should let it down so it tumbled over my shoulders for not looking all crappy.
Meanwhile, Li Ruman was smokin' hot. Literally, spectacular even. On that dark red mini dress and black boots. Long legs, small waist, huge breasts, glowing skin, silver-blue contact lenses. Her long finely curled black hair bounced against her back as she moved. Four years was long enough to take her from the sweetheart athlete to a hustle bunny slut-like celebrity.
But all of those changes weren't the case. I could tell, something was off. I didn't know what exactly. For the most part, I noticed this Li Ruman wasn't the same as one I had known back in our school days.
Well, I appreciate Huashe's sense of protection. Just that I needed to search for the truth that has been plaguing my mind. I used my eyes to telepathically communicate with Huashe, I gave him orders: 'Go wait for me outside.'
Glancing up, he gave me a small frown. 'Are you s'sssure? This woman here is not as easy as well.'
As expected from my familiar, I knew we had a connection. If Huashe even stated his suspicion, then I had this huge urge to find out. Whether or not anything useful could do. I figured at this point Li Ruman was the starting point.
Be sure. Be one hundred percent.
Jie Moshu would also want that, I told myself. Or, for all I knew, he might never let me came here with no protection. Even for asking Huashe to aide me here.
I should trust him once, for his decision. Play along.
So, I nodded at Huashe. 'If anything happens, I can always contact you with my mind.'
He wrung his hands and then took a deep breath. 'Alright. Whatever. Just don't get yourself killed, my life is at stake as well.'
With everyone disappearing from the room, Li Ruman leaped out from her seat. She strolled over to the couch, as she gestured me to follow her. She reclined in the red heart couch behind the table, then poured the ceramic teapot on her teacup, letting it aside.
"Sit."
I did as told. There was no point in being stubborn.
"Oh, right," said Li Ruman, sipping her tea, sounding a bit smug. "I see that Si Ming finds you as a screenwriter. Congratulations."
I managed to paste a smile on my face. "Thanks."
"Cup of tea?" The mug she's offering was fancy with gold marble ceramic on the table. From sponsors, I was guessing.
I eyed her teacup with suspicion. It had been a long time, who knew if she still holds grudges against me. She might as well offering me poison with that innocent smile pasted on her face.
"No thanks," I grimaced, showed her my grey-colored water bottle. "I brought my own."
Li Ruman took a sip of her tea, looking at me expectantly, "Well, suit yourself. Pity. This is the Big Red Robe Tea, a present from my fans."
My hand froze on my water bottle. Big Red Robe Tea? (Okay, I had to admit that the tea had an amazing fragrance). Was she showing off how popular she had been, then? Did she try to make me feel a twinge of envy? She even actually congratulated me on finding a job. That was worth remembering. I supposed she had changed so much for the past few years.
Who knew? Maybe this Li Ruman had become nicer.
No. Definitely not in a thousand years.
Even if the Li Ruman I knew was there, she wouldn't have the pleasure of reminiscing about old days—this is such a repertoire. Others could have thought about that, but not me. Not that I had been a pretty good observant, but I had known her since the first day we entered the training class. She was that brat who would mock me over than congratulate me. Even from our first meeting, she would torture me. There was no need for her to play with time. Her response was crisp.
I met her eyes and bit my lip and suddenly I could feel giggles rising. It was extremely ridiculous. She may become an athlete turned actress, but that was her life, which was none of my concern. I tried to stop the laughter, really I did, but I soon gave up even though I was acting like the worst sort of cuckoo for meeting an old successful friend.
And most importantly, I suddenly realized what she was driving at. She wasn't trying to flaunt—she was imitating the Li Ruman from my memory. I had always assumed my meeting with Li Ruman would somehow be something like this. Looking back, I should have known something was wrong. Si Ming could read my mind back then, there was no way he would put on damper for on letting me slide. They had known our plan all along. This was a trap.
Jie Moshu had once again tricked me.
So, I laughed.
And laughed...
At first, her grey-blueish eyes narrowed. Only a moment later, her scarlet lips curled into a smile as though she looked amused as well.
"I'm sorry. I couldn't help it," I wiped away my tears of hysterical mirth.
"Ah, busted," she let out a faked frustrated sigh from her rouge lips. It was as if she also had read my thoughts with a single glance. "If you drink that tea, everything would be more ridiculously easy, don't you think?"
My instincts had been right, she had put something on the drink. I forced my lips into a smile, trying to act as calm as possible. "I believe you're not Li Ruman either?"
"Smart, but pity," she said in a frosty sort of voice, grazing her face with her long, scarlet nails. "This body called Li Ruman has made a contract with me. Humans are pretty much weaklings to their own greed. She asked me to grant her the charm to be at the top in this industry. I was only giving her what she wanted."
By taking away her soul and become the host of that body, I was guessing. What a high price to pay, that was so Li Ruman's clumsiness.
Fake Li Ruman watched me carefully, grabbing a napkin and pressing it to her lips as she continued, "I told Si Ming that you're not an easy one. And"—she sank back to the couch, folding her arms across her chest and resting her elbows on her crossed legs as her grin widened—" a wife of that god should be half as good as him."
"Where's the real Li Ruman?" I demanded.
"I think you'd want to know other things rather than the owner of this body." She paused and added a sidelong glance at me. "True, the Goddess of Souls is with me. I have her within my grasp."
I stared at her, horrified. Now, my palms were sweating. So much for my stances.
She chuckled, and her sound sent shivers down my spine. "Pity. I liked you. If you weren't his wife, I could have made friends with you. I'm afraid it'll be only in your next life, then."
I raised an eyebrow. Hang on, did she mean she's one of Jie Moshu's fans? Just how many maiden hearts did he have stolen? I sighed.
And again, did that no-brainer use me to block his pursuer? What an opportunist!
A part of me noticed that she didn't actually answer my question. I thought for a while longer, my brow deeply furrowed, then looked up at her. "What do you want from me? Si Ming is nothing but your hand."
"Careful there. Don't let your wits outsmarted you. I'm not the type to beat around the bush, so I'll go straight to the point." Her voice was too cheerful but reminded me of a purring, pleased cat. I hated cats.
I supposed this was where the trouble began. I called in my head, 'Huashe! Huashe! This Li Ruman is no goody. Get your ass over here!'
Bloop! Splash! Bloop!
Just as I thought of Huashe, my ears caught the sound of fighting outside. I could feel Huashe's magic clinging to the air. Splashes of water followed with sounds of people grunting of pain like those from zombie movies.
Since we were connected, I felt he detested my calling. 'Stinky female human! Your mighty mythical beast is fighting over here. All of these crews here aren't normal humans. They're an army of a bewitched marionette. It's endless—'
"There's no use of calling that familiar of yours," the copycat lady cut me off with her thick, drunken laugh, "it'll take time until he wiped off my marionettes. Bringing a bodyguard but occupied with something else. A little irony, wouldn't you say?"
I said through clenched teeth, "What do you want?"
Watching that copycat, my stomach clenched, and my blood pumped faster. There were too many emotions in my words. Too much anger and fear.
Still, she gave me a response, as if nothing had affected her. A smile merely stretched wider on her face. "Simple, I want you."
And so I found myself become a damsel in distress. I swallowed. Damn you shitty, Jie Moshu!!!!