“Liu Huang, don’t you think that little girl just now was strange?”
Liu Qiu leaned close to Liu Huang’s ear as she spoke, the uniquely cold aura of a ghost seeping into Liu Huang’s body.
Liu Huang gave a low hum.
“She was strange indeed. Judging by her clothes, she should have come from a wealthy family, yet there was no servant following her. That’s suspicious.”
Liu Qiu felt a little uneasy inside.
“Liu Huang, let’s go back.”
Liu Huang lowered her gaze to look at her.
“Don’t want the paper trousers anymore?”
Liu Qiu fell silent.
Thinking of her torn trousers, she pressed her lips together.
“I want them.”
After all, she didn’t want to keep floating around in those ripped pants.
“Then let’s go.”
After that, Liu Huang took Liu Qiu to a paper effigy shop and bought several pairs.
From beginning to end, Liu Qiu’s wrist was held firmly in Liu Huang’s hand.
“We should head back now,” Liu Qiu said.
Liu Huang curled her lips into a smile.
“No. Sickly one, you don’t need to worry. I won’t let anyone take you away.”
“Relax. Take a good look around. You won’t be able to see this place again in the future.”
Liu Qiu had no choice.
If Liu Huang didn’t want to leave, she wouldn’t be able to stray too far on her own.
For now, no more strange people had appeared.
Liu Qiu took a deep breath.
“Alright then.”
Since that was the case, she would stay a little longer.
She wasn’t particularly eager to go back and see Liu Feng anyway.
Liu Feng had truly frightened her badly.
Her mood had been poor at first, but as they visited more and more shops, she gradually forgot everything that had happened.
[Wow, they already have pet shops this early on?]
Liu Qiu squatted in front of a kitten and refused to stand up.
“Meow~”
The kitten seemed able to see her and kept rubbing against the cage.
Liu Huang crossed her arms and stared at Liu Qiu watching the cat.
The sickly one really liked animals.
That fox last time, and now this cat.
“Like it? If you like it, we’ll buy it.”
Hearing the voice above her head, Liu Qiu looked up and shook her head.
“I’ll just look.”
She was a ghost now.
What would she do keeping a pet?
Squatting on the ground, she looked like a small bundle, her face even smaller as she tilted it upward, her eyes large and bright, her chin delicate and pointed.
She looked rather similar to the cat, Liu Huang thought, and couldn’t help laughing softly.
“That’s true. One is enough.”
There wasn’t just that one cat in the shop.
There were other kittens, puppies, and even birds.
After looking at the cat, Liu Qiu wanted to see the dog.
She didn’t feel tired as a ghost.
Every little animal was adorable, and she was reluctant to leave.
“Woof, woof.”
Now she was squatting in front of a black puppy.
The puppy seemed to see her too, its tail wagging happily.
“So cute.”
Liu Qiu’s eyes sparkled, and her lips curved upward unconsciously.
She looked genuinely delighted.
Every change in her expression was captured clearly by Liu Huang.
Liu Huang glanced at the puppy in the cage, then shifted her gaze back to Liu Qiu.
She found the sickly one even cuter.
When she had been alive, she had probably been driven nearly mad, her temper so bad.
Now that she had become a ghost and could finally come outside, her temper had improved.
It was strangely amusing.
“Hahaha.”
Liu Huang’s unrestrained laughter rang out.
Liu Qiu looked over curiously and found that Liu Huang was laughing openly and genuinely, not a perfunctory smile but heartfelt laughter.
She didn’t understand what was so funny.
But she wouldn’t ask, lest Liu Huang mock her again.
She turned her gaze away and continued looking at the puppy.
Time passed little by little.
After who knew how long, Liu Qiu carefully glanced at Liu Huang.
She had thought Liu Huang would grow impatient since she had stayed here so long.
Yet there was no trace of anger in Liu Huang’s eyes.
There was only a faint smile, and she didn’t urge her to leave.
Liu Qiu unconsciously clenched her fingers and stood up straight.
“Let’s go. We’re heading back.”
Liu Huang grabbed her hand and raised an eyebrow.
“Not looking anymore?”
Liu Qiu nodded.
“No more.”
If she kept staring, the shop owner would probably drive them out.
Hand in hand, they walked out the door.
As they reached the entrance, Liu Qiu heard the shopkeeper cursing.
“That lunatic finally left. Laughing for no reason and talking to cats and dogs. If she didn’t look so hard to mess with, I’d have thrown her out long ago. Bah!”
Liu Qiu nearly couldn’t hold back her laughter.
Her body trembled lightly.
She could hear it clearly.
Liu Huang definitely could too.
If she laughed now, would Liu Huang get angry?
She tried to restrain herself.
“If you want to laugh, then laugh.”
The moment Liu Huang said that, Liu Qiu couldn’t hold it in anymore and burst out laughing.
Her eyes curved into beautiful crescents, deep dimples appearing on both cheeks as if filled with honey.
“I told you not to talk to me. People will think you’re crazy.”
Her pleasant voice, tinged with laughter, flowed into Liu Huang’s ears and filled her mind.
Liu Huang’s expression darkened.
She tightened her grip on Liu Qiu’s hand and pulled her into a narrow alley.
The alley was dim.
Liu Qiu was pushed against the wall in a daze.
“W-What’s wrong?”
She frowned slightly, not understanding what Liu Huang intended to do.
Was she angry because she had laughed at her?
Liu Qiu clasped her hands together nervously and murmured, “I won’t laugh at you anymore.”
Liu Huang lowered her gaze and placed both hands around Liu Qiu’s waist.
Her hands were large and her fingers long, easily encircling her slender waist.
Liu Qiu grew tense, her lashes trembling as she called softly, “…Liu Huang.”
“Mm.”
Liu Huang’s voice was slightly hoarse.
Liu Qiu looked up at her, her clear eyes filled with easily readable timidity.
“What’s wrong with you?”
The hands on her waist were gripping too tightly.
Liu Huang’s gaze deepened further.
What was wrong with her?
She simply couldn’t control her heart anymore, nor her body.
She desperately wanted to do something to this ghost in front of her.
Her arms tightened, pressing their bodies together.
Her knee wedged between Liu Qiu’s legs, pinning her against the wall.
Liu Qiu placed her hands on Liu Huang’s shoulders and tilted her head back slightly, her lips, still faintly stained red from blood before, parting a little.
“Liu Huang, your leg is pressing on me.”
“Move back a little.”
Liu Huang stared at those opening and closing lips, feeling the cold aura unique to a ghost wrapping around her.
Yet no matter how cold it was, it couldn’t extinguish the fire rising in her heart.
She wanted Liu Qiu.
The moment that thought surfaced, it crazily occupied her entire mind.
Lowering her head amid the distant noise of people outside, Liu Huang kissed Liu Qiu’s cold yet soft lips.
Liu Qiu froze completely.
What was this?
Was she transferring energy again?
Her lips were pried open, Liu Huang’s tongue entering her mouth and tangling with her icy tongue.
A stream of warmth flowed from her mouth through her limbs, making her whole body feel comfortable.
No one noticed that black mist gradually surfaced in Liu Qiu’s eyes.
Even she herself didn’t realize it.
She only knew that being kissed by Liu Huang felt incredibly good.
Her mind grew sluggish, unable to think of anything.
“Mm…”
All her muffled sounds were swallowed into Liu Huang’s throat.
Her fingers rested weakly on Liu Huang’s shoulders.
Liu Huang was tall and broad-shouldered, completely shielding her from view.
Suddenly, she felt kneading from below.
Liu Qiu’s eyes flew open, and the darkness in them receded instantly.
She began pounding on Liu Huang with force.
Liu Huang pulled back from her lips.
Her lips had turned pale, and even her wheat-colored face looked wrong.
Liu Qiu pushed her away, disbelief filling her eyes.
“Liu Huang, I told you before, I’m a ghost. I’ll absorb your yang energy. Why did you still come close?”
Liu Huang laughed softly and lifted Liu Qiu’s slender fingers to her lips.
“So what?”
“If you want it, I’ll give you all of it.”
Liu Qiu opened her mouth to speak, but Liu Huang suddenly closed her eyes and collapsed to the side.
Liu Qiu stared blankly at Liu Huang lying on the ground.
She could feel her own soul brimming with strength, even the heavy chill inside her having diminished somewhat.
Anxious and angry, she didn’t know how things had turned out like this.
It seemed she had absorbed too much of Liu Huang’s yang energy.
Gritting her teeth, Liu Qiu returned to the wooden puppet and maneuvered it into Liu Huang’s collar.
She had to make Liu Huang carry the puppet.
She had tried before; she couldn’t touch the puppet directly, but she could inhabit it.
After ensuring it wouldn’t fall, she emerged again and grasped Liu Huang’s arms, pulling her up from the ground and controlling her body to make it look as though she were walking.
“I told you I’m a ghost who absorbs yang energy. Why wouldn’t you listen?”
The horse was tethered at the town entrance, where someone specifically watched over animals.
“Oh, miss, are you here to take your horse?”
Liu Qiu recognized the man as a stable hand.
She shook Liu Huang’s body slightly, making her lowered head nod.
Even with her head bowed, the stable hand recognized her.
In this place, most were common folk.
Someone with such bearing was unforgettable.
“Wait a moment, I’ll bring your horse right over.”
The horse was quickly led out.
Liu Qiu let out a breath of relief.
They had gotten through it.
She led Liu Huang and the horse to a secluded spot.
Then she maneuvered Liu Huang onto the horse, making her lie across its back.
Liu Qiu entered the puppet and, taking advantage of the lack of onlookers, climbed onto the horse’s head, gripping its mane.
“Take your master home quickly,” she whispered.
The horse’s ears twitched as if it understood and began running.
[System, scan Liu Huang’s body. How is she?]
The system replied: [There’s no major problem. She simply had too much yang energy absorbed by the host and fainted. She’ll wake up soon.]
Liu Qiu hesitated.
[System, next time something like this happens, shock me. I feel like I was influenced somehow.]
She didn’t know what had influenced her, but she had found herself unable to resist Liu Huang’s touch.
She was afraid that next time she might absorb someone to death.
The system quickly assured her: [OK, host, I’ll help you. And remember to read the professional manuals I gave you. If you remain a ghost too long, yin energy can erode you. There should be methods in the books to prevent that.]
[By the way, host, I feel like you’ve grown. In the last world you were still conflicted about the target kissing you. In this world you’re not conflicted anymore.]
Liu Qiu was silent for a long moment before replying: [Wasn’t she transferring energy to me?]
System: […Yes, haha, I guess that’s the only way to transfer yang energy.]
The host was still the same host, utterly clueless about feelings.
[Also, host, in this world you’re already dead. You’re not anyone’s partner anymore. You can take the initiative.]
[Um, I mean, you can increase that fox spirit’s green-hat value.]
[Host, don’t feel burdened. Don’t you want to go home?]
The system had analyzed that the host was strange.
She rarely formed attachments, but if bound by a specific identity, she would strive to fulfill that role perfectly.
In the previous world, because she had been partners with the snake demon, she refused to do anything resembling infidelity.
But in this world, her physical body was dead, the marital bond practically nonexistent.
If she wished, she could establish contact with the target.
Humans were too complicated for the system to analyze further.
[Besides, host, you know that in this world your wife is a fox. Compared to a demon, a human is clearly the better choice.]
The system believed it had calculated the most advantageous approach.
But it forgot that Liu Qiu didn’t want contact with either Liu Feng or Liu Huang.
Liu Qiu gripped the horse’s mane tightly, her tone listless.
[System, aren’t I the female lead? Why am I so passive?]
[Shouldn’t the world’s consciousness make the main characters follow the plot?]
[Maybe the little fox won’t fall in love with the Liu sisters, but shouldn’t she at least… do that sort of thing?]
She muttered like a complaint.
[Why does being the female lead always mean getting cheated on?]
The system replied: [Because this is green-hat literature. The core plot is to cuckold the protagonist.]
[Host, don’t be annoyed. Once this world ends, I’ll see if I can arrange a rich and beautiful persona for you. Even if you get cheated on, you’ll at least live better.]
If You Notice any translation issues or inconsistency in names, genders, or POV etc? Let us know here in the comments or on our Discord server, and we’ll fix it in current and future chapters. Thanks for helping us to improve! 🙂