《Grave Digger》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 ¡°Hey! Hurry up, why haven¡¯t you opened up the coffin yet!¡± Two figures holding flaming torches gave a vicious kick to the figure currently pushing against the coffin. ¡°Hey! You¡¯re really getting more and more useless!¡± Despite getting hit, the young male dressed in gray robes kept his slow and simple expression. He brushed against the crevices and chinks of the coffin before replying. ¡°It has, a mechanism, need to search.¡± ¡°And you still haven¡¯t found it! Worthless!¡± one of the men got angry and kicked the boy again. That man kept silent as he circled around the coffin before feeling something strange at the bottom. He slowly moved the object there back and forth before ¡®kacha,¡¯ various thin wooden strips fell from the coffin¡¯s four corners. Holding the coffin lid with his arms, the boy used strength from his waist to push aside the 100 jin[1] lid, where it fell heavily onto the ground. After the dust settled, the boy stood by the coffin to quietly peer at the girl within. Her once resplendent robes had rotted into black and smelly rags stuck to her skin. But more shocking than that was the fact that this girl¡¯s skin hadn¡¯t decayed at all. Her facial features were like that of a living person, carrying no hint of death. The torch flame waved about, causing the girl¡¯s eyelashes to flutter before she slowly opened her eyes. There was a flash of confusion in her eyes before they rolled in her sockets to stare at the boy beside her coffin. ¡°Ah, grave diggers?¡± The man stared at her without moving, his reply dull and simple. ¡°Mm. Zombie?¡± The two men standing behind the boy were alarmed as they asked, ¡°Song Sixteen[2], do you know who¡¯s talking?¡± Sixteen was stupefied. ¡°They¡¯re, asking, who, you, are?¡± ¡°Me?¡± the girl say up, her rotten clothes sliding down her shoulders to reveal skin as fair as white jade. Inside, she wore a red dudou[3] undergarment, her half-revealing form all the more enticing. But what kind of man would dare enjoy such a sight now? ¡°My name is Zhuning[4], princess of the Great Jin. Right now¡­I guess I¡¯m a corpse.¡± ¡°Z¡­zombie!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a ghost!¡± the two men throw aside their torches and half ran, half stumbled out of the tomb, shrieking and howling all the way. Seeing them leave, Sixteen bent down to pick up an abandoned torch before walking out as well. But before he took a single step, he felt his sleeve get heavy. An abnormally pale hand grabbed onto him as Zhuning¡¯s bright eyes looked up. ¡°Don¡¯t go, I want to eat you.¡± Then she bit down on Sixteen¡¯s wrist, only to knock her teeth painfully against the black iron shielding his skin. Unreconciled, she threw aside Sixteen¡¯s sleeve grabbed his arm with a large chomp. ¡°Arruuugh!¡± Sharp fangs sank into Sixteen¡¯s flesh, but Zhuning hadn¡¯t started drinking his blood before she choke and pulled them out. Holding her stomach, she suddenly threw up a black sticky substance before covering her mouth in disbelief. A finger pointed accusingly at Sixteen. ¡°How could you taste so bad?!¡± Sixteen stared at the beads of blood seeping from his wrist and replied, ¡°Because, there¡¯s poison.¡± Sixteen had been sold to grave robbers when he was a child and been forced to work in dangerous conditions. They treated him as a tool to scout graves and unlock coffins. Countless times, he¡¯d gotten poisoned from various tombs until he gradually became poisonous himself. Between him and the corpse, it was hard to say just who was less human. Sixteen turned to leave again, but Zhuning unexpectedly caught him a second time. He turned back to look at her. ¡°You, cannot, eat me.¡± ¡°Since you dug me out, you have to take responsibility,¡± Zhuning stared at him. ¡°I want to drink blood.¡± Looking at the girl dressed in a solitary dudou, Sixteen was suddenly reminded of a child in swaddling clothes he¡¯d seen once in the market, perched against its mother¡¯s chest as it yearned for milk. -o- [1] jin (½ï) ¨C Chinese unit of measurement equal to 1lb or about 2.2kg. [2] Song Sixteen (ËÎÊ®Áù) ¨C Song Shiliu. Songis the surname, Shiliu means ¡°sixteen.¡± [3] dudou (¶Ç¶µ) ¨C undergarment that covers the chest and abdomen of females, resembles a large oversized bib or tank-top. [4] Zhuning (ÖñÄþ) ¨C her name means ¡°peaceful bamboo.¡± Chapter 2 Chapter 2 When Sixteen left the tomb, those two other grave robbers had long disappeared. Zhuning jumped out from behind him, wearing Sixteen¡¯s filter outer robes as she stared up at the moon, then swept her eyes at the quiet woods nearby. She felt rather resentful. ¡°Aiya, those two edibles escaped. Big Head, your companions are gone, catch some things with blood in them for me.¡± ¡°Those aren¡¯t, companions,¡± Sixteen said expressionlessly, ¡°Are, masters.¡± ¡°They¡¯re really useless masters,¡± Zhuning hopped along[1] as she enjoined, ¡°Although you¡¯re not tasty, I already casted a spell when I bit you. If you dare to run off on your own, I¡¯ll activate the spell and have you explode from the inside out.¡± Only after Zhuning brought this up did Sixteen realize he could¡¯ve ran away. As it turned out, he¡­wasn¡¯t controlled by the grave robbers anymore. But he¡¯d already fallen from one abyss into another¡­ ¡ª When Sixteen brought back some hares, Zhuning was currently gnawing on a tree branch. He blinked and asked curiously, ¡°What, you doing?¡± Zhuning spotted the hares in his hands and cheerfully pounced, too lazy to even pluck the fur as she sank her fangs into its veins. Her voice came out garbled and unclear. ¡°Teeth itched, grinding them down.¡± When Sixteen saw her sharp teeth, he suddenly had the urge to get a whetstone and help her grind them down. Zhuning sucked dry two hares in a row before sitting down to rub her stomach in satisfaction. Sixteen cleaned up the two rabbits and started roasting them over a fire. The firelight flickered between the two figures before Zhuning suddenly spoke up. ¡°Oh, then let¡¯s do that.¡± Sixteen bit off a piece of rabbit meat as he looked blankly at Zhuning. ¡°Help me get my revenge.¡± ¡°What, revenge?¡± Zhuning gave an irrelevant answer. ¡°How long has it been since the Great Jin¡¯s 8th Year of Yuanwu?¡± ¡°323 years, and, two months,¡± Sixteen blurted out. ¡°Over 300 years, ah,¡± Zhuning said. ¡°My heart is full of indignation that didn¡¯t fade even when I died. Naturally, I need to satisfy my complaints before I can reincarnate. Right now, I¡¯m not familiar with this era, nor do I know where to find my enemy. So you have to stay with me. Otherwise, I¡¯ll blow you up.¡± Sixteen nodded. In any case, he had no idea where to go now that he¡¯d left the grave robbers. Zhuning stood up. ¡°I¡¯m a jiangshi[2],so I can¡¯t be exposed to sunlight. We¡¯ll travel at nighttime and rest in the day. Get up and get going.¡± He usually spent his nights grave digging and resting during the daytime, so Sixteen nodded again. Grabbing a rabbit, he started eating and walking at the same time. Zhuning hopped in front before seeing how much faster Sixteen was walking with the use of both his legs. Unhappy, she gave a pout. ¡°This won¡¯t do, you walk faster. Carry me.¡± In any case, he was strong and Zhuning didn¡¯t look all that heavy. Nodding once more, Sixteen obediently bent down so the jiangshi could clamber up his back and hold onto his neck. Seeing Shiliu¡¯s neck, Zhuning had to swallow the drool in her mouth. But once she recalled the disgusting flavor that made her want to upend the contents of her stomach, her head hung. She pulled at his shirt as she hung off his shoulders, grinding her teeth in dissatisfaction. ¡°Tomorrow, buy a shoulder pad for me to grind my teeth.¡± Again, Sixteen nodded, allowing the jiangshi to grind and grind her teeth behind his back. After a while, Zhuning couldn¡¯t bear her itchy teeth. ¡°Give me one of the rabbit¡¯s bones.¡± Sixteen did as she said, but couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°You a dog, or, a mouse?¡± Zhuning slammed her head against his own. ¡°Speak for yourself! Hurry up!¡± -o- [1] hopped along ¨C in Chinese folklore, zombies can¡¯t walk (because their legs won¡¯t separate), but they can hop. [2] jiangshi (½©Ê¬) ¨C a type of zombie found in Chinese mythology that drinks blood to survive. Chapter 3 Chapter 3 Going by Zhuning¡¯s words, they traveled by night and rested by day. Sixteen had to use his own resting time to buy something for Zhuning to grind her teeth with, such as bones, corncobs, or his own shoulder pad. He never realized that Zhuning¡¯s teeth were so formidable. In the course of five days, she¡¯d already worn through two shoulder pads. Sometimes, even the slow and dim-witted Sixteen thought of buying her a whetstone and stuffing it into her mouth so she could slow down a bit. On yet another evening, Sixteen had purchased the items Zhuning needed for her teeth when a hand grabbed him right beneath an inn. He turned around and recognized the two grave robbers who had ran off the other night. Stupefied, he asked, ¡°What, is it?¡± ¡°What is it?! I spent five taels of fine silver to buy you to work for me, but a mutt of a slave like you actually took the chance to run off! Follow me back and see how I¡¯ll break your legs!¡± Sixteen was dragged two steps away before he suddenly recalled Zhuning¡¯s words and how she¡¯d blow him up. He stilled his steps and stood as steady as Mt. Tai while the two men tried to budge him. ¡°Won¡¯t go.¡± When their previously obedient slave suddenly started to rebel, the two men grew furious. One of them took out the leather whip at his side and started beating Sixteen. He was used to getting beaten up, so he didn¡¯t resist. Instead, he stood stock-still and allowed the lashes to leave bloody welts on his skin. ¡°Who gave you permission to beat him!¡± a sharp voice cried out from above. Zhuning pushed open the second-story window of the inn and flipped directly down to land in front of Sixteen. A hand caught the whip and viciously tugged, catching its owner off-guard. He staggered forward to kneel in front of Zhuning. Zhuning crept closer to his face and opened her mouth wide, revealing her sharp white teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll bite you to death!¡± Her lips were black, her eyes like a cat¡¯s, scaring the man into backing up before crawling away from the scene. ¡°Monster! It¡¯s a monster!¡± The other man had also been frightened, his face turning green at the memory of Zhuning¡¯s expression. Those eyes rolled back into his sockets as he fell down in a dead faint. Zhuning grabbed Sixteen¡¯s hand as she hopped towards the city gates. ¡°Let¡¯s go, they¡¯re going to lock the gates soon.¡± ¡°Zhuning, teeth grinders¡­¡± When he was being whipped, he¡¯d dropped his things on the ground. Zhuning didn¡¯t give him any time to pick them up as she led him away. She seemed to be angry and fleeing from something at the same time. When Sixteen turned around, he saw a black-robed Daoist slowly stroll out from the inn. He touched the man who had fainted on the ground, then turned to look at them with a vague expression. One they left the city gates behind them and entered the forests, Zhuning finally released Sixteen. Right now, only the tip of the sun was peeking over the mountains, infusing the skies in a twilight glow. Zhuning squatted down and covered her face, closing herself off for a long time before speaking in a weak voice. ¡°The sun¡­is so beautiful.¡± Sixteen gave a start before he realized that jiangshi shouldn¡¯t be exposed to sunlight. This should be Zhuning¡¯s first time seeing the sun since she¡¯d woken up. He looked despondently at Zhuning until she raised her head. Her gaze pierced through the shade of the trees to stare at the multicolored sunset dying the skies. It seemed like her face had been injured by a burn, sporting terrifying red and white splotches. ¡°The sunlight¡¯s also very warm. I really¡­want to see it one more time.¡± Gazing at Zhuning¡¯s expression, the usually dull-faced Sixteen felt like he¡¯d suddenly been bitten. A strange feeling rose from his heart. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 They hurried on with their journey at night. Zhuning had nothing to grind her teeth on, so she started to babble instead. The first thing she did was to scold Sixteen. ¡°You¡¯re so strong, why don¡¯t you fight back with others hit you? Even ten of those men wouldn¡¯t be enough to win against you.¡± Sixteen piggybacked Zhuning with his head bowed, not daring to speak. It was only after Zhuning got tired of lecturing that he replied, ¡°When I was young, I didn¡¯t know, I could fight back.¡± His parents had sold him when he was a small child. He had spent his entire life either being sold off or beaten. No one had ever taught him how to fight back, or that he had the right to counter in the first place. Zhuning fell silent at his words before she sighed. ¡°In the past, one of my imperial brothers came back with a little tiger after his hunting trip. Because the tiger was too little, he left it to a mother dog to raise. That little tiger was always afraid of that dog. By the time it grew big enough to kill that dog in one bite, it was still afraid.¡± Zhuning reached out a hand and rubbed Sixteen¡¯s head. ¡°Actually, there¡¯s no need to be afraid. You¡¯re clearly strong, you just can¡¯t get past the demons in your heart.¡± Sixteen didn¡¯t speak, so Zhuning continued, ¡°See? There¡¯s already no one who can stop you from walking anymore.¡± Indeed, Sixteen¡¯s feet hadn¡¯t stopped moving, but he said, ¡°You can, make me explode.¡± Zhuning blanked out before her lips drew up into a smile. ¡°You actually believed that? I was tricking you. There¡¯s no such spell at all.¡± Sixteen nodded, silent as ever. Zhuning asked, ¡°Then aren¡¯t you leaving?¡± ¡°For where?¡± ¡°Hurry and escape from my side, ah. I¡¯m a zombie, I¡¯ll drink human blood.¡± ¡°I¡¯m poisonous,¡± Sixteen replied succinctly. ¡°And, if I go, no one help you, grind your teeth.¡± Zhuning tightened her grip around his neck. ¡°You¡¯re clearly a living human, but you¡¯re even more slow-witted than a zombie like me. In the future, can you stop speaking in bits and pieces?¡± Zhuning rubbed her teeth, which were beginning to grow itchy again. Sixteen grabbed one of his wrist bracers and placed it by Zhuning¡¯s side, indicating she could use it to grind down her teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll try, to talk smoothly,¡± he said. Zhuning simply chomped down on the bracer. Traveling by night was a dull affair. Soon enough, Sixteen¡¯s black iron bracers looked worse and worse for wear. Zhuning stopped chewing on the bracer and started babbling again, slowly telling Sixteen her story. There were tales of the former Great Jin Dynasty and its palace and her betrothed, the emperor¡¯s son-in-law. They¡¯d never gotten married, but Zhuning said she had adored him. ¡°In the end, I died by his hands,¡± Zhuning¡¯s face was expressionless at these words, but when Sixteen turned to look at her, he felt she should be very sad. Sixteen turned back and kicked a pebble at his feet. He couldn¡¯t help but ask curiously, ¡°How did, you die?¡± Zhuning shook her head, unwilling to say. She changed the topic instead. ¡°What about Sixteen? Have you run into any fun stories before? Tell me some.¡± ¡°Fun?¡± Sixteen thought it over. ¡°I¡¯ve run into you.¡± For some reason, Zhuning felt her face heat up from the careless remark. She soundly thwacked Sixteen on the head. ¡°Where did you learn to say such sweet things!?¡± Sixteen allowed himself to be beaten before he said, ¡°It¡¯s truth.¡± Zhuning¡¯s head drooped over his shoulder as she looked absently at his neck. On the one hand, she was excited by the sight. On the other, she was recalling the awful taste of his blood. The two conflicting desires combined until Zhuning stuck out her tongue and gave a vicious lick to Sixteen¡¯s skin. Sixteen¡¯s steps faltered, and Zhuning asked, ¡°What now?¡± Sixteen didn¡¯t understand the sudden impulse in his heart, but he did feel his body getting hotter. ¡°It¡¯s like¡­being bitten, by a mosquito.¡± Zhuning soundly thwacked his head again. ¡°Your heart¡¯s no better than snakes and scorpions! Hurry up and keep walking!¡± Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Zhuning had no idea where to find her former betrothed, so the two of them wandered aimlessly towards the south. Jiangnan, the regions south of the river, was filled with pleasant breezes in March. Once the sun set, Sixteen and Zhuning prepared their bags and got ready to leave the city. As soon as they stepped out of an inn, they saw a pregnant woman sprawled on the ground. Currently, the streets were cold and deserted, so there was no one around to assist her. Zhuning patted Sixteen¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Aiya, hurry and help her up.¡± Sixteen did as he was told, helping the pregnant woman to her feet. She¡¯d just given thanks when they suddenly heard a cry. ¡°Darling, darling!¡± A man dressed in blue robes with an oilpaper umbrella over his head quickly ran over. ¡°Many thanks to this sir, many thanks.¡± He saw Sixteen carrying a cloth bundle on his back and asked, ¡°Is this sir still looking for a place to stay? It¡¯s already getting dark, so why not stay with us tonight?¡± It was all pleasantries at most, since they were already standing next to an inn. Sixteen wanted to refuse as well, but a female voice suddenly said, ¡°Sure.¡± Zhuning jumped her way to Sixteen¡¯s side and grinned at the man with the umbrella. ¡°Sure, sure. We just happen to need a place to stay. Many thanks to this sir for your cordial treatment.¡± The man¡¯s expression stiffened, but he¡¯d already spoken up. There was nothing else for it, so he simply supported his wife and smiled. ¡°Since these two don¡¯t mind the offer, please come with us.¡± The couple led the way while Sixteen and Zhuning followed behind them. Sixteen had a puzzled look as he asked, ¡°Tonight, we¡¯re not journeying?¡± Zhuning was staring fixedly at the back of the man in front of them. ¡°Journeying? I¡¯ve already found the person I¡¯m looking for. The next journey I¡¯ll take is one of reincarnation.¡± Sixteen stiffened. She found him? So as it turned out, that man was the betrothed she wanted revenge on. The very man she¡¯d adored in the past, the one she¡¯d never forgotten. Sixteen glanced at Zhuning¡¯s eyes, which didn¡¯t leave room for anyone else but her target, and felt his fingers twitch. He suddenly had an urge to turn her head towards him so she could see his agitation. But¡­it didn¡¯t feel like he had that right. The two of them followed the couple to a small courtyard with three buildings. Husband and wife lived in one building while the kitchen took up another. Sixteen and Zhuning went to the remaining room. Late at night, the pair with a completely different work-rest schedule to the rest of the world exchanged glances with wide eyes. Sixteen asked, ¡°How do, you want, revenge?¡± Zhuning fell silent for a long time. ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­but I¡¯ll definitely make him suffer. I clearly loved him in the past, but he¡­he actually¡­¡± Zhuning¡¯s sharp teeth bit through the skin of her lips, revealing a trace of blood. She suddenly thought up a good idea. ¡°How about I force him to drink my blood so that he turns into a zombie too! This way, we¡¯ll be together forever and I can torment him as I like!¡± Sixteen¡¯s fists clenched by his sides. He lowered his eyes, trying his best to suppress the strange feeling getting stronger in his chest. ¡°I¡¯ll go do that right now!¡± Zhuning straightened up and prepared to jump outside, but Sixteen grabbed her by the wrist. She turned back and saw his bowed head. A vexed Sixteen said, ¡°Can¡¯t you, not go?¡± This was Sixteen¡¯s first ever request to Zhuning. In the past, he simply gave her what she wanted. Zhuning shot him an odd look. ¡°Why? Are there other ways to take revenge?¡± Sixteen shook his head. ¡°Can¡¯t you, not take revenge?¡± He didn¡¯t know when, but he had started to wish Zhuning would stop bringing up the past. He disliked it when she kept wanting to seek revenge. If possible, he¡¯d want her to forget all about those former days and simply spend them happily with him while gnawing on his shoulder guards. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Zhuning furrowed her brows. ¡°No way. I¡¯ve been holding my breath for this moment and even turned into a monster. If I don¡¯t do anything at all, then what was the point of me waking up at all?¡± Sixteen¡¯s grip tightened, his expression turning helpless. ¡°I, always thought¡­¡± Zhuning pried herself loose from his grip, finger after finger. ¡°If we wait any longer, it¡¯ll be daylight. There¡¯s no time to lose. Sixteen, you¡¯ll be free as soon as I turn my betrothed into a zombie. You won¡¯t need to waste any more of your life by my side.¡± Sixteen¡¯s face turned ashen. His grip increased in strength as his fingers wrapped around Zhuning¡¯s wrist. He was strong to begin with, so his true power made even a zombie like Zhuning helpless before his might. Stubbornly, he said, ¡°I¡¯m not going, I¡¯ll buy things, to grind your teeth.¡± Zhuning was starting to lose her temper as she raised her voice. ¡°There¡¯s no need for you to buy them. I can just gnaw on my betrothed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going. You can¡¯t go, either.¡± Zhuning smacked him upside the head. ¡°Have you lost your mind!?¡± Sixteen lowered his head and allowed himself to be beaten without a word. All he did was hold onto Zhuning¡¯s wrist without a mind to let her go. By the time Zhuning tired herself out, she asked him helplessly, ¡°Just what do you want to do?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want me, I don¡¯t know, where to go,¡± Sixteen finally lifted his head to look at Zhuning, the helplessness in his eyes making her heart inexplicably ache. She suddenly felt like a remorseful criminal. She wanted to lift her hand and comfort Sixteen with a rub on his head, but didn¡¯t know where the urge came from. It was obvious Sixteen who was getting in her way, but she was the one feeling regret. She sighed, before she heard someone knock on the door twice. The master of the house asked worriedly from outside, ¡°Is anything the matter?¡± At the sound of his voice, Sixteen grew anxious. With a tug, he pulled Zhuning towards him before wrapping his arms around her. Then he said, ¡°No nothing you can leave!¡± He had spoken so smoothly that Zhuning looked at him in astonishment. Then she heard the person outside turning to leave, and cried out in alarm, ¡°Hold it! Get back here!¡± The tone of voice was identical to her early days as a princess. Sixteen panicked, and held her even tighter. The door opened as the master of the house entered with a lantern in hand. When he saw Sixteen and the woman in his arms both glaring his way, he scratched his head. How did I offend these two. ¡°This is¡­?¡± ¡°Husband? What is it?¡± the mistress of the house had been jolted awake by the noise as well. Now she entered the room with a set of robes draped over her shoulders. Zhuning seemed to grow possessed as she struggled free and hopped out of Sixteen¡¯s shackles. With two great leaps, she threw herself at the woman. Alarmed, the man quickly drew his wife into his arms and backed into the courtyard to avoid the attack. Furious, he cried, ¡°What do you want to do?!¡± His wife was frightened as well, and hastened to ask, ¡°Miss, what¡¯s happened to you?¡± Sixteen hurried out after them. He stepped forward to stop Zhuning, but she simply avoided him to pounce at the woman again, her eyes bloodshot. Her mouth opened wide and shouted, ¡°Betrothed! Return my life to me!¡± Sixteen gave a start and staggered, nearly tumbling to the ground. The mistress of the house was even more surprised. ¡°Be¡­betrothed?¡± Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Zhuning pointed at the woman and boldly yelled, ¡°Don¡¯t think I can¡¯t recognize you just because you¡¯re a woman in this lifetime! I clearly remember your eyebrows, that mole by your ear, and the birthmark next to your nose! You¡¯re my betrothed from the Great Jin Dynasty 300 years ago, the man who was set to marry me, Princess Zhuning!¡± Sixteen gaped at the woman. So¡­the betrothed was someone else¡­ The husband and wife exchanged glances before they looked at Zhuning oddly. ¡°Miss, what are you talking about?¡± Each and every one of Zhuning¡¯s words sent tears streaming down her face. ¡°I was sickly since I was a child in my past life. When I turned seventeen years old, I fell so ill that I became bedridden. It was you! All you! After I fainted, you broke into bitter sobs and held me so tightly that I died from suffocation! You murdering assassin! I loved you in vain! I loved you so much and yet you¡­you still¡­you actually¡­¡± Sixteen was stunned. ¡°Dead from suffocation?¡± He was a simpleminded person, but even his expression was currently caught between laughter and tears. No wonder she said she¡¯d been holding her breath until now. Meanwhile, the couple had caught on something else entirely. ¡°Past life?¡± they asked. Zhuning fell silent before her hands clenched into fists. Her wrathful face held traces of sorrow. ¡°What¡¯s even more unforgivable is that you got married not long after I died.¡± Sixteen gave a start, before realizing this was the true source of Zhuning¡¯s hatred. Zhuning and her betrothed had been engaged since they were young. As a child, she loved to chased after her finac¨¦ and call him ¡®big brother Xiaoran[1], big brotherXiaoran.¡¯ Her body had always been weak, and a serious illness left her bedridden and unconscious when she was 17. Everyone had assumed that she died, but she still had a single breath left. Her betrothed had been so heartbroken that he¡¯d taken her into his arms and wailed with grief. She had trouble breathing to begin with, but his embrace effectively made her expire. After she was buried, her discontent soul kept lingering around Xiaoran. She assumed that he would still harbor feelings for her even after she died, but never expected her childhood companion would end up marrying another woman by next spring. ¡°You heartless, unfeeling man! Today I¡¯m going to make you regret everything!¡± Zhuning prepared to jump, but Sixteen grabbed her by the waist from behind. Furious, she cried, ¡°Let me go! I want to turn her into a zombie! How come she gets to reincarnate and spend each lifetime so happily! Why did I have to turn into something like this? I can¡¯t accept it!¡± Sixteen kept silent as the sound of Zhuning¡¯s sobs and screams filled the courtyard. ¡°Why did he forget me so soon? Why did I have to keep remembering him? How come he gets his happiness so easily!?¡± she struggled for a bit before realizing that Sixteen really was much stronger. Zhuning¡¯s head drooped before she murmured, ¡°I just¡­didn¡¯t want to be forgotten.¡± Her tone was akin to the day she said the sun was beautiful. Sixteen¡¯s breath caught, his heart aching painfully. ¡°This¡­Miss,¡± the wife¡¯s voice said quietly, ¡°Although I don¡¯t quite understand your words, I know that if I died, I¡¯d still want my husband to find someone who treats him well. Missing the dead is already painful enough. He shouldn¡¯t spend the rest of his life suffering because of me. If he can let go of his grief and spend days filled with hope again, it¡¯s not wrong. Even if¡­.even if I¡¯m afraid of being forgotten, too.¡± She turned back to look at her husband, and the two of two shared a smile. Zhuning hung her head and didn¡¯t speak. A long time later, she tugged on Sixteen¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± -o- [1] Xiaoran (ÏôÈ») ¨C ¡°desolate, empty.¡± Chapter 8 Chapter 8 After leaving the couple¡¯s courtyard, Zhuning rested herself against Sixteen¡¯s shoulders. She neither spoke nor ground her teeth. Sixteen piggybacked her for awhile before he suddenly spoke up. ¡°Actually, you can be happy too. Nobody will stop you, you just, can¡¯t get past the demons in your heart.¡± Zhuning¡¯s former words have carved themselves into his heart like a scar that would never fade. He didn¡¯t know how to comfort others, but he could bring out the words he treated as scripture from his heart to her ears. Sometimes he felt like he and Zhuning were similar. Or rather, maybe all people were the same when faced with difficulties: helpless, confused, and afraid. But people could learn to be stronger from those challenges, too. ¡°Sixteen,¡± Zhuning suddenly shuffled against him. ¡°Thank you for today.¡± It was a good thing he¡¯d been there to stop her. After a moment of silence, Zhuning added in a voice choked with sobs, ¡°But if I can¡¯t take revenge, where am I supposed to go now? How am I supposed to find my happiness?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give it to you!¡± The blurted words scared both Sixteen himself and Zhuning. He thought it over and added, ¡°I¡¯ll give you, teeth grinders¡­¡± At this, Zhuning patted Sixteen¡¯s shoulders, signaling him to put her down. Then she took out a purse and made a bitter expression. ¡°We won¡¯t even be able to afford teeth grinders in the future.¡± They¡¯d already spent most of the money they made from selling off things in her tomb. ¡°I¡¯ll dig up graves for you,¡± Sixteen said docilely. Zhuning looked up at Sixteen, seeing his earnest expression. Her heart softened as she enveloped him in a hug. ¡°I¡¯m glad you were the one who dug me out.¡± Sixteen¡¯s face reddened. His heart felt like it was about to burst out of his chest. He¡¯d never felt like this before. His hands hovered behind Zhuning, faltering over whether he should hug her back. ¡ª It was almost daylight, so Sixteen piggybacked Zhuning back to the inn they¡¯d stayed at yesterday. Zhuning was exhausted after all the fuss from last night and fell asleep gnawing on Sixteen¡¯s shoulder guards. Sixteen gave the inn waiter a reservation fee and prepared to head upstairs when he saw a pair of boots on the threshold emblazoned with a Yin-Yang symbol. His eyes trailed up until he spotted a solemn-faced daoist dressed in black robes at the top of the stairs. Zhuning murmured sleepily on Sixteen¡¯s shoulder as she smacked her lips. ¡°Mm, I want to drink blood¡­¡± Sixteen¡¯s hands tightened their grip on her as he gulped. Cold sweat broke out on his back. The expressionless daoist descended the stairs. As he walked past them, he said lightly, ¡°Humans and monsters walk different paths. She shouldn¡¯t be here.¡± Once the footsteps were far away, Sixteen expelled a sigh of relief. But he suddenly realized he couldn¡¯t heard Zhuning grinding her teeth anymore. When he turned around, he saw with surprise that he was piggybacking a giant log. The black-robed daoist had long grabbed Zhuning by the collar and dragged her into the streets. The sun was slowly starting to peek its way past the eastern walls of the city. Despite this, Zhuning didn¡¯t struggle in the daoist¡¯s grip at all, but kept sleeping peacefully. Sixteen was seized with terror as he chased after them with a shout. ¡°Give her back! Give her, back to me!¡± But no matter how furiously he chased, the black-robed daoist was always three steps ahead of him. He couldn¡¯t touch Zhuning no matter how he tried, nor pull her back to his side. The first rays of the morning sun shone upon Zhuning, revealing her porcelain white skin. Her eyelashes quivered before she slowly opened her eyes, those dark pupils glittering brightly with the light of the sun. Sixteen couldn¡¯t help but still his steps, only to see her shut her eyes and murmur, ¡°A spring sun in March really is good weather.¡± He knew that Zhuning had always loved the sun, and that she should go on to reincarnate, now that she understood her heart. But¡­ But, what about him? Epilogue Epilogue The black-robed daoist was chanting an incantation to send on Zhuning. Sixteen didn¡¯t know where he got the guts, but he picked up a brick and threw it at the daoist. It seemed to break through something, causing the air to shimmer. Sixteen next threw himself forward and pulled Zhuning into his arms. He made sure to cover her up so no sunlight would touch her. In the shadow of Sixteen¡¯s form, Zhuning¡¯s face slowly turned red before emitting a cloud of white smoke that resembled burning steam. Fortunately, the morning sun wasn¡¯t strong enough to take her life. Sixteen held Zhuning before he turned to flee, but the daoist grabbed him. ¡°If you stay with a zombie, it¡¯ll hurt you sooner or later!¡± ¡°I¡¯m willing to face that! ¡°Sixteen shook off the daoist with brute force and ran like mad. The city gates had just opened up when Sixteen rushed through them and into the forests. He dug out a hole and buried Zhuning in the earth, only exposing her head. Zhuning¡¯s injuries slowly recovered within the earth while Sixteen kept tight watch over her condition. When he saw that she wasn¡¯t seriously injured, he finally stopping worrying. But when he recalled how she didn¡¯t even struggle in the daoist¡¯s clutches, much less give him a call, he realized she almost¡­ Zhuning opened her eyes and looked at Sixteen. ¡°Eh? I haven¡¯t reincarnated yet?¡± Sixteen turned his head away and ignored her. ¡°Sixteen?¡± Sixteen stared off into the distance, feeling stifled. Zhuning had an inkling of why he was mad, and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I never expected you to be so worried about me¡­I won¡¯t do it again.¡± After she admitted her mistake, Sixteen gave up. He turned towards her and said angrily, ¡°You can lie down in the sun again if you want! I won¡¯t care, I definitely won¡¯t!¡± Then he glared at her some more and added, ¡°Next time? There won¡¯t be a next time!¡± Zhuning blinked. ¡°Sixteen, I realized that you¡¯re speaking much more smoothly now. You have more emotions than before, too.¡± Sixteen was stunned by her praise. He suddenly forgot he was angry and scratched at his head instead, his face flushing. Zhuning narrowed her eyes. ¡°I say, do you like me or something?¡± Sixteen was completely floored. Before Zhuning could laugh at him, he suddenly said, ¡°I don¡¯t know, whether or not, it¡¯s like. But, I dug you out, you¡¯re mine. No one can take you away, not even yourself.¡± Zhuning was rather stunned by the sudden confession. The next thing she knew, Sixteen¡¯s face had drawn close before he bit her neck and murmured, ¡°In the future, you have to grind my teeth, too.¡± ¨Cend.¨C