"Hello? Hello?"
Lin Zhao sounded anxious after waiting for a reply that never came.
"Wait a moment. I'll ask where I am." I said, then walked out of the room in my hospital gown while holding my phone. I spotted a nurse nearby and hurriedly stopped her.
"Excuse me, could you tell me where I am?"
The nurse seemed startled at first but quickly regained her composure. "You're at Dongze Hospital."
"Dongze Hospital? The one that's always on the news?"
Dongze Hospital was a well-known facility in the neighboring city. How did I end up here?
Although Ye Cha had mentioned last night that a ground ghost could transport people hundreds of kilometers away in an instant, I was still shocked to find myself in a different city.
The nurse gave me a puzzled look but politely confirmed it.
Lin Zhao, overhearing the conversation through the phone, was incredulous.
"Cunxi, how did you manage to end up so far away overnight?"
Rather than addressing Lin Zhao's question, I was more concerned about who had brought me to the hospital. I quickly asked the nurse, "Do you know who brought me here?"
She thought for a moment before replying, "He didn't give his name, but it was a very elegant young lady. She seemed extremely wealthy, dressed head-to-toe in designer brands, exuding grace with every movement."
As she described the person, an image began forming in my mind. Could it have been Ning Manwan who brought me here? I remembered the faint scent of tuberose when we had dinner together before.
But why would she appear there at that time? Ever since that incident, she hadn't shown up again, and I couldn't even reach her by phone. Now, she had mysteriously appeared to save me. What was her motive?
"Oh, do you know where she went?" I asked.
The nurse shook her head, indicating she didn't know the lady's whereabouts.
Back in the room, I put the phone to my ear again. "Lin Zhao, you'd better stay away from me from now on. After what happened last night, I'm sure you've seen enough. There's no need for you to get involved further. The deeper you're entangled, the harder it'll be to get out."
Although Lin Zhao had initially been antagonistic towards me, we'd gotten to know each other through conflict. And last night, despite everything, he didn't abandon me. In my heart, I already considered him a friend.
But now, I didn't even know what kind of situation I was in. I might die at any moment, and I didn't want to drag him down with me.
Lin Zhao didn't respond. All I heard was the sound of the call abruptly ending.
"You woke up and immediately thought to reassure your friend?" A soft voice interrupted my thoughts.
I looked up to see Ning Manwan smiling brightly at me, leaving me momentarily dazed.
"Liu Cunxi, do I mean so little to you now?"
"Huh?" Snapping out of it, I noticed her playful pout. Embarrassed, I lowered my head. "No, no, it's not like that. He's not really my friend. I just got involved in a murder case, and he needed me to assist in the investigation and answer some questions."
"Is that so?" she teased.
She didn't press the issue, though. Instead, she poured porridge from a thermos and handed it to me. First, she had saved me. Now, she was bringing me food. The goddess I once admired from afar now felt oddly different.
Back in school, she had seemed unattainable, like a goddess perched on a cloud. Now, she was right in front of me, and it felt surreal.
We spent the entire afternoon together, immersed in an ambiguous atmosphere. I didn't ask her why she had suddenly appeared to save me, nor did she offer an explanation.
When night fell and she left, Ye Cha finally appeared.
"I've been calling you for so long. Why didn't you respond?" I asked, glaring at her as she casually ate an apple across from me.
"Are you made of tofu? Didn't I tell you before? By the time we got out, it was already daylight. Even though I'm not a ghost, I'm still a spiritual entity, and sunlight harms me. Escorting you out was already my limit. I didn't kill you to replenish my energy, so you should count yourself lucky."
What?! I had felt so grateful earlier, thinking that if I survived, I'd burn offerings for her. But now I realized she had been debating whether or not to kill me. Could anything be more brutally honest?
"Well… thank you for sparing me," I said sarcastically.
"But I didn't expect you to have such luck with women. A stunning beauty like that as your girlfriend? No wonder you're so scared of dying."
"Don't talk nonsense. We're just classmates. And besides, she saved me before. Do you think someone like me, in my current state, could even have a girlfriend? I'd only bring harm to whoever I got involved with."
All I could think about now was survival. Dating was the last thing on my mind.
Ye Cha suddenly appeared in front of me and grabbed my hand, inspecting it closely.
Her hand was icy cold, and I instinctively tried to pull mine back. But sensing my resistance, she didn't let go.
"What are you doing?" I asked warily. Even though we were supposed to be partners, I never forgot that she wasn't human. Who knew what she might do?
"If we're partners, then it's your duty to ensure your ally stays alert at all times."
Before I could figure out what she meant, her teeth suddenly elongated, and she bit into the back of my hand without hesitation. The pain was intense, and I wanted to shake her off, but my body wouldn't budge.
"Don't panic. I just need a little of your blood."
Easy for her to say! If she needed my blood, couldn't she at least have warned me?
Paralyzed, I was reminded once again of how powerless I was. If she wanted to kill me, it would've taken her no effort at all.
Later, back at the funeral home, Old Man Sun said nothing when he saw me. He simply patted my shoulder lightly.
"Young man, since you've already stepped halfway into this world, cherish your life even more."
"Mr. Sun, do you know… Never mind. Thank you for your concern."
I finally understood why he had said "What a pity" when I first applied here. Old Man Zhao had said the same thing. They must have always known that this job would expose me to things ordinary people couldn't see.
"Don't lose hope, kid. There's always a way out," he said, handing me a slip of paper. "If you ever hit rock bottom, call this person."
I didn't open the note right away. After thanking him, I returned to my dorm.
I couldn't stop thinking about Lu Zhiqiu. I had no idea what had happened to him after I was taken so far away, and I didn't have his contact information. I tried calling my mentor, but no one answered all afternoon, leaving me increasingly uneasy.
That night, my mentor finally called me back. Before I could say anything, he ordered me to meet him immediately.
He hung up before I could ask why.