Chapter 74: Accidentally Boarding the Hearse

The moment Tan Xueci finished shouting, every single ounce of his courage vanished into thin air. His face flushed a violent crimson to the point where he couldn’t even lift his head. Clasping that massive bouquet of roses tightly in his arms, he blocked half of his face, leaving only a pair of watery, mist-filled eyes to peer timorously toward He Xunye.

Within the deep shadows of the night, the fierce ghost’s complexion remained deathly pale, yet the crimson corners of its lips stretched upward in an uncontrollable smile.

It was actively trying to restrain itself, but the way its mouth pulled wide appeared slightly bizarre and exaggerated—as if its entire face were cracking open right down the center. Its infatuated, drooling gaze remained locked dead onto the beautiful youth, its eyes resembling a pool of thick, dark water flowing with a wet, sticky quality that was suffocatingly terrifying.

Tan Xueci was the only one capable of witnessing the expression on its face; in the eyes of everyone else, the man still maintained his tall, handsome appearance from just moments ago.

The comment section was bustling with absolute excitement.

[Marriage! Marriage!!! Wait, they’re already married, sob sob. Can I please join the bridal chamber tonight? I can just squat right between your pillows, I promise I won’t mind. *covers_mouth_and_weeps.jpg*]

[This is killing me, why on earth is it Xiao Qian? Little Xue, do you also think your husband gives off major ghostly vibes?]

[With this brother’s face, he truly could pull off A Chinese Ghost Story.]

Turning on his heel, He Xunye strode aggressively back toward Tan Xueci, sweeping both the youth and the flowers tightly into his embrace.

Tan Xueci was slightly startled by the expression on his face. Fortunately, He Xunye didn’t display this specific look while sleeping at night; otherwise, instead of being driven to death by a ghost, he would end up being frightened to death in the middle of the night upon opening his eyes, which would be far too pitiful.

Only after locking him in his arms did He Xunye realize Tan Xueci hadn’t reached out to return the embrace. The fierce ghost’s eyes instantly turned gloomy and resentful. Pulling back to establish a slight distance, his voice turned low and hoarse as he gazed at his wife and asked, “Has Little Xue regretted it so quickly?”

He was, once again, gnashing his teeth.

Tan Xueci wouldn’t dare utter a single word of regret, and in truth, he didn’t harbor any regret either—he was simply still slightly unaccustomed to it.

This dead spirit… moving forward, he truly is my husband. A husband I explicitly acknowledged myself, the kind I’m meant to spend a lifetime with.

Everyone present at the live broadcast venue tonight was also celebrating with absolute fervor. Lu Xi was the sole exception, his fists clenched incredibly tight; had Jin Chen not been actively pinning him down from the side, he likely would have rushed forward to drag He Xunye down with him in mutual destruction.

His face thoroughly flushed, Tan Xueci still had a performance to execute. Amidst the loud cheering and egging on from the surrounding crowd, he quickly pressed several wet kisses against He Xunye’s lips before turning completely cold, pushing the ghost away without a second thought.

Once the live broadcast concluded, several guests from the various production teams gathered together to ring in the New Year, and Tan Xueci ended up consuming a small amount of alcohol alongside them.

He Xunye had stepped away temporarily to answer a phone call, leaving Lu Xi to guard Tan Xueci from the side to ensure he didn’t overindulge. Tan Xueci’s eyes were bright and glittering as he eagerly sampled a bit of everything on the table.

The other celebrities attending this type of gala merely ate symbolically; on one hand, artists needed to maintain their physiques, and on the other, eating too aggressively didn’t look particularly refined, resembling a starving ghost.

Tan Xueci was the sole exception, acting like an absolute locust within the entertainment industry as he ate and drank with abandon. He still cradled the bouquet of roses He Xunye had presented to him, periodically tilting his head to bury his cheek within the petals for a soft rub.

“Little Lamb,” Lu Xi offered a small plate to catch the fish bones the youth spit out, his gaze softening considerably as he couldn’t resist reaching out to gently pat Tan Xueci’s head, asking, “Do you truly like him immensely?”

Tan Xueci was already slightly intoxicated, yet he still managed to process Lu Xi’s words. He offered a series of random nods. “Like… love Husband.”

“Then that’s good,” Lu Xi’s voice carried a hint of hoarseness.

In truth, he felt an immense reluctance to let Tan Xueci go—much like a parent who was unwilling to see their child marry off. Once a small family was established, they would naturally drift further apart, to say nothing of the fact that Tan Xueci wasn’t even his actual child.

“Brother Lu?” Tan Xueci turned his head. Noting that Lu Xi’s eyes appeared slightly bloodshot, he tilted his head and inquired, “What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing,” Lu Xi blinked aggressively several times, offering a warm smile as he replied, “I’m just incredibly happy for you.”

He truly felt an immense reluctance.

Yet Tan Xueci was simultaneously the wickedest and most well-behaved child in the world; he sincerely hoped the youth would never have to endure hardships again, nor would he ever have to live a compromised, meek existence alongside him. He wanted him to possess the absolute confidence to openly berate whoever he pleased.

Under normal circumstances, Tan Xueci undoubtedly would have noticed Lu Xi was on the verge of tears. However, he possessed absolutely zero tolerance for alcohol; after staring blankly for a moment, he lowered his head to resume eating in a daze. By the time He Xunye returned, the youth was completely dizzy and unstable, leaning heavily into He Xunye’s embrace as he locked his arms around the man’s sleeve.

“Husband,” Tan Xueci tilted his head up, utilizing the tip of his nose to nuzzle against the man’s freezing cheek as he murmured indistinctly, “Husband carry Little Lamb on his back.”

He Xunye reached out, preparing to hoist him onto his back. Yet Tan Xueci held onto the bouquet of roses, completely unwilling to set them down. Left with no other choice, He Xunye utilized one hand to help him secure the flowers while his other hand moved to firmly support his backside.

The fierce ghost’s palms were exceptionally broad, his fingers extending to a length far surpassing an ordinary human’s, allowing him to securely support his wife’s slight frame.

“Husband,” Tan Xueci buried his face deep into the nape of He Xunye’s neck, his warm breath sweeping over the skin. He was so drowsy that his long eyelashes drooped completely, yet his mind still retained a vague recollection of the question Lu Xi had posed earlier, offering a muddled reply to the void, “I love Husband the absolute most…”

Only Husband treats me like a precious treasure, cradling me in his arms every single day and calling me a good baby.

The crimson corners of the fierce ghost’s lips pulled upward in an uncontainable smile. With his broad shoulders and long legs, his walking pace was already exceptionally swift; now, he felt an even greater surge of energy.

Lu Xi followed closely behind the two of them while clutching Tan Xueci’s bag, only to discover that He Xunye was walking faster and faster, rapidly accelerating from a casual stroll into a brisk jog.

Lu Xi: “…”

What an absolute psychopath?!

The youth was thoroughly thrilled by the speed, even urging He Xunye to go faster. Beneath the boundless, dark night sky, He Xunye carried him on his back all the way back to the residence, the flowers in his hands thoroughly disheveled from the run.

By the time he finally set him down, the two of them were slightly out of breath, creating an exhilarating sensation akin to eloping.

Coiling his arms around him, He Xunye guided him back into the bedroom, depositing him onto the mattress alongside that massive bouquet of red roses.

The political landscape within the capital was currently in a state of immense turmoil. He Wuling and several clan elders had gathered inside the main hall to conduct a serious discussion; yet midway through their meeting, a sudden wave of laughter echoed from outside, and a series of vibrant red lanterns flickered to life across the estate.

Even the white candles resting before them suddenly transformed into vibrant crimson dragon-and-phoenix wedding candles, projecting an atmosphere of an absolute, grand wedding celebration.

It possessed a striking brand of aesthetic beauty that completely disregarded the survival of anyone else.

“What on earth is going on?!” One of the elders was thoroughly startled, the sudden flare of the candle nearly scorching his sleeve as he scrambled to his feet.

Several of the old men were completely pale with shock, initially assuming He Pinglan had finally had a change of heart and resolved to enter a second marriage, bringing some male model back home to hold such a festive celebration in the dead of night.

And this male model seemed exceptionally fond of laughing; one listen made it clear he possessed a thoroughly seductive nature.

They had all caught the sound of a man’s deep, resonant, and beautiful laughter echoing from outside just moments ago, leaving their complexions alternating between green and white.

The elder remarked coldly, “This is absolute nonsense!”

Clutching his severed arm, He Wuling lifted his ancient, gloomy face, choosing to remain completely silent.

Having consumed alcohol, Tan Xueci’s body felt exceptionally warm. Tonight, he was wearing an incredibly loose, white batwing-sleeve sweater featuring a particularly wide neckline—the exact type that could be pulled down to rest against one’s shoulders.

As the wedding candles flickered to life beside them, half of the youth’s shoulder and collarbone were pulled fully into view, flushed a delicate shade of pink.

“Didn’t Baby say Husband could touch you while you were awake?” The fierce ghost’s long eyelashes drooped as he cupped his wife’s beautiful little face, his voice muffled and low as he complained resentfully, “Why did you ignore Husband?”

Tan Xueci desperately wanted to sleep, but the entity’s head kept burrowing relentlessly into his embrace, pinning his waist as it slid straight beneath his sweater.

His already loose sweater was stretched completely out of shape; lowering his head, he caught sight of a massive bulge protruding right across his chest.

Tan Xueci’s entire body felt soft and weighted, his head spinning in a daze. He lowered his head to examine it in utter confusion, completely unable to comprehend why his chest had suddenly swollen up, even cautiously extending his hand to offer a soft pat.

Although He Xunye’s appearance at the production set tonight had temporarily deterred anyone from bringing up his lack of academic credentials, once the traffic surrounding the live stream settled down, there would undoubtedly be individuals looking for trouble, berating him for being an uneducated drop-out.

Lu Xi had coordinated with the agency, ultimately resolving to publish a official statement on Weibo asserting that the youth had consistently suffered from poor health and chronic illness, preventing him from attending a regular school, though private tutors had been retained to instruct him at home.

The comment section beneath that specific post was actually quite harmonious, with the vast majority of users expressing immense sympathy, inquiring exactly what illness Tan Xueci suffered from.

Once Lu Xi published the statement, he held it up to show the youth. Tan Xueci had managed to recognize a few words by now; his eyes caught sight of numerous users addressing him as “Mother.”

Little Mother.

Some individuals even commented that resting inside the Little Lamb’s amniotic fluid must feel incredibly warm and cozy.

Tan Xueci couldn’t make sense of the remarks. His eyes slightly bloodshot, he genuinely began to panic that his chest might have actually increased in size, utterly at a loss for what to do.

“Husband…” Tan Xueci began to whimper and cry out for his partner.

Only then did He Xunye peek his head back out to press a series of kisses against his lips, his voice hoarse as he murmured, “Baby, don’t sleep just yet. Shall we consummate the bridal chamber with Husband?”

Tan Xueci didn’t quite comprehend the terminology. His hair was completely disheveled, his eyes veiled behind a watery mist as he assumed whatever his husband offered must be an exceptionally good treat. Thus, he offered a series of random nods. “O-Okay.”

Perhaps because the room felt a bit too warm, He Xunye, fearing he might feel uncomfortable, hoisted him up into his arms and proceeded to feed him a popsicle.

He Xunye was an exceptionally kind-hearted ghost; not only did he feed him a popsicle, but he even presented him with two scoops of ice cream.

Tan Xueci had never sampled such a delicious treat before. Initially, he took tiny, delicate licks, eventually drawing it fully into his mouth. His pale pink lips were stretched wide, a fine layer of sweat breaking out across his white nose as his eyelids flushed slightly red. He worked incredibly hard to melt the scoops of ice cream within his mouth, yet despite his lips turning swollen and red from the effort, the treat showed barely any signs of melting away.

Tan Xueci felt a trace of grievance. He tilted his head up to engage in a wet, messy kiss with He Xunye, only to suddenly discover that the moment He Xunye pulled away, his chest had deflated back to its normal state.

He reached out in utter bewilderment to cradle the area, only to grasp a handful of empty air.

“Baby wants to become a mother,” the fierce ghost’s eyes were deeply weighted, resembling the dark, rolling tides of the night sea. A faint chuckle was laced within his deep, magnetic voice as he lowered his head to rub his lips against his wife’s wet, flushed mouth, inquiring, “Do you know what needs to be done before one can become a mother?”

The tip of Tan Xueci’s nose was flushed red, his eyes brimming with a watery sheen. He Xunye had ignited hundreds of red wedding candles throughout the bedroom, their vibrant glow reflecting across his face, painting a delicate crimson hue over his snow-white cheeks as he shook his head.

The fierce ghost’s pale, massive hand pressed firmly against his lower abdomen. Tan Xueci possessed a very slight skeletal frame and an exceptionally slender waist; the man’s hand was large enough to span across the vast majority of his midsection. A sudden tremor ran through Tan Xueci’s entire form as he tilted his head back.

He Xunye’s striking features were partially obscured behind the flickering candle flames, his voice low as he murmured, “One must eat a bit fuller to gather enough strength, isn’t that right?”

Tan Xueci had no idea whether that was correct or not. He felt he had already eaten his fill back at the gala; furthermore, He Xunye normally strictly regulated his diet, never permitting him to overeat.

Tonight, however, the ghost was exceptionally indulgent, assuring him that Little Xue could consume as much as he pleased.

Tan Xueci bit his lip, feeling as though he were being thoroughly submerged beneath a rolling tide, floating back and forth without the slightest sense of security. He was already immensely drowsy, his vision thoroughly blurred by tears to the point where he couldn’t discern anything clearly; yet he still couldn’t resist staring intently at He Xunye’s face, periodically reaching out to touch it.

Knowing the youth harbored a deep fondness for his face, He Xunye lowered his head to bury it within his palms, nuzzling into them like a devoted puppy.

His deep, sharp features were magnified before Tan Xueci’s eyes as he extended his tongue to meticulously lick between his wife’s fingers, one by one.

Tan Xueci couldn’t comprehend why He Xunye was so incredibly fond of licking him, leaving his entire body damp and coated in ghostly saliva. He endured it for as long as he could before finally snapping in a low whisper, “Are you a dog?”

“Whatever Little Xue requires,” He Xunye’s voice was deeply weighted and hoarse, displaying absolutely zero trace of shame as he replied, “That is exactly what I am.”

Tan Xueci had been thoroughly corrupted by him. The tips of his pale ears instantly turned a violent crimson; what kind of nonsense is that? He had called He Xunye a dog, so did that mean he currently required a dog to pin him down and nuzzle against him relentlessly?

He struggled to sit up, refusing to engage in further antics with He Xunye. Yet the fierce ghost’s traditional, archaic streak surfaced once more, as if firmly convinced that a couple mustn’t sleep for a single second throughout their wedding night.

The fierce ghost’s massive hand pressed over his entire face with an unyielding force. He let out a series of muffled whimpers but found himself completely unable to open his mouth, forced to rely on his nose to draw shallow breaths, ultimately surrendering his resistance in a thoroughly unprincipled display.

Following that, he heard the fierce ghost lean down to pin him beneath his weight, its voice hoarse and muffled as it whispered softly against his ear, “Woof.”

Tan Xueci’s sweater was twisted completely out of shape, and the surrounding roses had been thoroughly crushed, the red floral juice staining the crimson petals that clung to his tight, cold abdomen, obscuring his navel.

This specific sweater was exceptionally expensive, costing over eight thousand yuan. Fearing the youth might wake up and weep tomorrow morning, He Xunye manually changed his attire, gathering both the sweater and his underwear to wash them. Worried the noise might disrupt his wife’s slumber, he kept his movements incredibly light as he headed to the restroom down the hallway.

In the dead of night, the intermittent sound of rushing water continuously echoed from the restroom. The butler initially assumed the faucet had broken; unable to sleep through the noise, he resolved to rise and investigate.

Yet as he reached the entrance of the restroom, his eyes caught sight of a dark, looming silhouette inside. The figure was deeply hunched over, appearing to bury its face into an object to inhale deeply several times before suddenly letting out a low chuckle.

The butler was thoroughly startled, his mind instinctively flashing back to the night Tan Xueci and He Xunye had held their wedding.

He Wuling hadn’t been aware that the Tan family had substituted the bride back then, and had been actively waiting for He Xunye to consume his wife. Terrified the ghost might refuse to do so, he had instructed the butler to carry a protective amulet and peer inside the hall.

Yet the moment the butler reached the exterior of the mourning hall, a strange, raspy chuckle suddenly echoed from within.

Peering covertly through the crack of the door, he had witnessed a towering black shadow burying itself into the youth’s neck, appearing as though it were actively feasting—its entire face deeply submerged, looking exactly like the sight unfolding before him now.

He truly saw a phantom… The butler stumbled backward, fleeing the scene as fast as his legs could carry him.

The fierce ghost caught the sound of the retreating footsteps outside, yet chose to pay them absolutely no heed. With a faint crimson glint in his eyes, he retrieved the laundered underwear from the water, intending to bring it back to the bedroom to hang.

He kept a meticulous guard over all of Tan Xueci’s personal garments; otherwise, who knew if someone might attempt to steal them away.

The individuals of the He family were all deeply repressed and twisted, capable of committing absolutely any preposterous deed. He Xunye’s eyes were cold and dark; he truly wished he could manually peel the skin right off their ancient faces to see exactly how thick it was.

Given the immense accumulation of (yin energy) within his body, he had rarely experienced normal physiological reactions since his teenage years. Yet on the night he encountered Tan Xueci inside the parking lot, he had been entirely unable to sleep, his mind completely consumed by the image of Tan Xueci delivering that sharp slap to send the flying head spirit flying.

At the time, he merely found the display beautiful, vivid, and radiant like a brilliant wildfire. He desperately craved to ensnare that wildfire to bring a trace of warmth to his freezing existence.

On their wedding night, he had assumed he wouldn’t be able to restrain himself. Yet Tan Xueci’s small face had been completely covered in a messy trail of tears, continuously muttering to himself in a low whisper even after falling asleep, occasionally biting his own thumb.

While remaining rock-hard, he had spent the entire night simply watching over Tan Xueci from the side, refraining from committing any intrusive acts. It was only when Tan Xueci began biting his thumb that he couldn’t resist leaning forward to lick that specific finger.

Rather than locking the little flame away, he preferred to watch it burn with absolute freedom; if it could burn straight through his own form, he would welcome it with open arms.

Whether it brought warmth or agonizing pain, he craved it all.

Furthermore, they had both licked the exact same finger; what difference was there between that and an actual kiss? Every single time he licked his baby’s hand, it was essentially equivalent to sharing another kiss with his baby.

Reflecting on it further, Tan Xueci delivering a slap to his face carried absolutely no difference from a kiss either. His baby didn’t truly desire to strike him; he simply wished to kiss him but felt too embarrassed to do so openly, a fact he ought to understand and accommodate.

My wife loves me.

The butler didn’t dare sleep a single wink, lamenting his bitter lot behind the closed door of his room. What on earth is he laughing about? This eldest young master barely smiled once throughout his twenty-odd years of life, yet ever since he died, he can’t seem to stop laughing.

Tan Xueci slept soundly in a dizzy haze. When he woke up the following morning, his eyes caught sight of burnt-out red candles scattered across every corner of the bedroom.

He originally intended to track down He Xunye to cause trouble, but reminding himself that this was the husband he had explicitly chosen, he could only accept his lot. He sat obediently at the edge of the mattress, allowing He Xunye to manually pull his socks onto his feet.

The weather was quite poor this morning, with a thick blanket of dark clouds hovering over the direction of Qilian Temple. Yu He contacted He Xunye, reporting that the size of that sick ghost had increased yet again, requiring He Xunye to execute another seal.

He Xunye personally escorted Tan Xueci to the production set before heading out toward Qilian Temple.

Today, the production team was scheduled to shoot several outdoor scenes, with the location set to transition further down by evening. Tan Xueci, alongside Lu Xi, followed behind several main cast members as they boarded the shuttle van.

Tan Xueci heavily suspected He Xunye had drugged him; the man was exceptionally rough and heavy-handed while on the mattress, yet every single time he woke up, he never experienced physical pain aside from a trace of softness and intense drowsiness.

Tan Xueci leaned against the car window to catch up on his sleep. As night gradually fell outside, a thick layer of fog began to blanket the capital, turning this winter evening exceptionally damp and freezing.

He wrapped himself tighter within his down jacket, intending to continue sleeping, yet a vague sense of unease suddenly washed over his muddled mind.

Has this van been driving for this long?

Logically speaking, they should have arrived within half an hour; yet he had already woken up from a full cycle of sleep, and the vehicle was still actively driving forward without the slightest indication of stopping.

Tan Xueci rubbed his eyelids, finally opening his eyes fully, only to lock straight onto Lu Xi’s deathly pale face beside him.

Lu Xi hadn’t slept a single wink, yet he seemed entirely terrified to call out to him. Seeing Tan Xueci awake, a cold sweat finally cascaded down his neck, his eyes shifting rigidly.

Following the direction of his gaze, Tan Xueci realized that every other occupant within the van had completely vanished. Aside from him and Lu Xi, only the driver remained; the driver’s face was visible through the rearview mirror, his entirely black eyes devoid of any white sclera as he stared back at him with an absolute lack of expression.

Tan Xueci was instantly completely lucid. As the vehicle drove past the storefront glass of a shop, he caught a faint glimpse of a black character for 奠 (mourning/funeral) pasted against the chassis of the van.

Lu Xi felt a profound urge to weep. After boarding the vehicle, he had played on his phone for a short while—perhaps ten minutes at most—only to lift his head and realize everything had completely transformed.

The driver had been staring dead at him throughout the entire duration, leaving him too terrified to call out to Tan Xueci, cowering like a frightened quail until this very moment.

“Stop staring,” Tan Xueci suddenly spoke up. He offered a polite, gentle smile as he addressed the driver, “Kindly focus on the road, okay?”

He had just slept alongside He Xunye last night, his body carrying a trace of He Xunye’s ghostly energy. Although the accumulation wasn’t immense, the ghost driver’s pale, ghastly hands trembled slightly before he focused his attention fully back onto driving.

He Xunye was incredibly careful to avoid leaving too much ghostly energy across his form, knowing it was detrimental to a living person’s constitution; yet much like a dog marking its territory, he occasionally couldn’t restrain himself, invariably leaving a trace behind.

Tan Xueci could clearly sense a pocket of yin energy resting inside his lower abdomen, clinging tightly and affectionately against the soft lining of his abdominal cavity.

Consequently, he didn’t experience much terror.

Lu Xi, by contrast, was nearly frightened to death, shifting closer to Tan Xueci as he whispered in a trembling voice, “Little Lamb, since you can command him to drive, can’t you just tell him to let us off the vehicle?”

Tan Xueci felt that was practically impossible. Had the entity been willing to let them off, it wouldn’t have lured them onto a hearse to begin with; they could only wait until they reached the destination to assess the situation, though it likely wasn’t an exceptionally pleasant place.

The vehicle drove all the way toward the deserted outskirts of the capital, executing several sharp twists and turns before pulling into a gated courtyard. Lu Xi’s complexion turned increasingly unsightly; he had actually visited this specific location once before.

One of his friends had passed away previously, and he had traveled to this exact venue to deliver a funeral wreath—it was the capital’s municipal crematorium.

The ghost driver brought the vehicle to a halt before heading toward the rear to unload cargo. Tan Xueci gestured to Lu Xi with his hand, indicating they should exit, and the two of them quickly slipped out from the opposite door.

They initially intended to sprint toward the exterior gates, but a security guard with dark purple skin and a body continuously dripping with water was currently pacing back and forth while swinging a flashlight. Left with no other choice, they could only sprint back, hastily ducking inside a nearby structure.

It appeared to be a mourning hall.

At this late hour, there logically shouldn’t be any corpses laid out here; yet this specific mourning hall featured two separate cots, upon which rested two men dressed in deep blue floral burial robes, their faces fully made up with cosmetics.

Relying on the ghostly energy his husband had left inside his body, Tan Xueci knew these spirits could merely frighten him at most but couldn’t take his life. He stepped closer to take a look, freezing instantly.

Lu Xi also ambled over while shivering violently, peeking his head out from behind his shoulder as he blurted out in shock, “Xiao An? He Sui?!”

Although their faces were heavily coated in white powder and their lips were painted bright red, one could still vaguely discern their original features.

Xiao An displayed absolutely zero reaction, the exposed skin of his neck already crawling with post-mortem lividity, his flesh appearing soft and loose—as if a single poke might cause yellow pus to ooze out.

He Sui, by contrast, knitted his brows as he gradually regained consciousness. Locking eyes with Tan Xueci, his mind felt slightly muddled; yet the moment he caught sight of the burial garments covering his form under the silvery moonlight, his face darkened instantly as he let out a low curse, “Holy crap, what on earth is this?!”

Ever since he returned from Yanxia Village, his father had kept him locked inside the residence for days, only releasing him tonight. He had met up with Xiao An and several others to hang out at a nightclub, consuming a bit too much alcohol, only to open his eyes and find himself inside this venue.

As He Sui continued to curse and rant, Xiao An was finally startled awake by the commotion as well.

He scrambled to a sitting position, his face deathly pale and his expression immensely tense as he clasped his shoulders, trembling in sheer terror as he whined, “W-Where on earth am I?”

Tan Xueci and the others all turned to look at him with deeply eccentric expressions.

Xiao An possessed a darker complexion and a rather fierce countenance, yet at this moment, his long eyelashes trembled like a frightened fawn as he tightly hugged himself, delivering a display that was rather nauseating to witness.

Thoroughly disgusted, He Sui ripped off the burial robe and scrambled off the cot. “Xiao An, what the hell is wrong with you?!”

“X-Xiao An?” Xiao An’s lips trembled yet again as he replied in absolute bewilderment and terror, “I’m Lan Ke.”

Although his skin tone was naturally dark, one could clearly tell his face was exceptionally pale at this moment. Waking up in the dead of night to find himself resting beside another man’s pillow could only indicate that Xiao An had gifted him to the counterparty.

He appeared utterly incapable of bearing the revelation, clutching his chest as he shrunk back and wept, “Young Master He, can we please forgo the whip today?”

“?” He Sui, who had been actively wiping the cosmetics off his face, was completely dumbfounded and infuriated by the remark, his fists clenching tight as he immediately barked, “Make yourself clear, when the hell have I ever utilized a whip?!”

Tan Xueci didn’t care about his reputation in the slightest. He could sense the yin energy within his body was beginning to dissipate slightly compared to earlier, indicating they needed to exit this place immediately; yet the ghost driver and the ghost security guard outside had yet to leave.

Lu Xi stood by the side absorbing the drama, unable to resist letting out a series of silent clicks in his mind. He never anticipated these wealthy young masters engaged in such wild antics behind closed doors.

Unable to contain his rage any longer, He Sui delivered a resounding slap straight across Xiao An’s face, gnashing his teeth as he barked, “Get a grip on yourself!”

Xiao An was sent tumbling off the cot from the force of the slap. Clutching his head in utter bewilderment, he appeared to finally snap back to his senses, his expression darkening instantly as he spat, “That b*tch actually dared to drug me!”

He had met up with He Sui and several others to grab drinks earlier in the evening; finding it rather boring, he had summoned Lan Ke to accompany him.

Following that, Lan Ke had coaxed him into consuming several more glasses of alcohol. Despite the alcohol content being exceptionally low, he had blacked out completely.

Fortunately, there were other individuals present tonight; otherwise, after being laid out inside this creepy venue for a while, he would have been pushed straight into the incinerator for cremation!

Tan Xueci knitted his brows. He had consistently assumed the final victim would likely be Lan Ke, yet Lan Ke remained alive while Xiao An had been delivered straight to the crematorium. Furthermore, how did He Sui end up entangled in this matter?

“Stop overthinking it,” Lu Xi wrapped his arms tightly around himself, shivering as he muttered, “Let’s focus on getting out of this creepy place first.”

There was currently a piece of good news: the ghost driver had gathered several urns and was heading toward an unknown location, leaving his hearse completely vacant—and the keys were still dangling inside the ignition.

Lu Xi was shivering too violently to operate a vehicle, and Xiao An was equally paralyzed with panic. Given that Tan Xueci didn’t know how to drive, He Sui had no choice but to step up as the driver.

Yet just as he turned the vehicle around, before he could even clear the gates, the ghost driver spotted them. Its skin was a sickly green-white as it unleashed a furious roar, charging straight toward them and clawing frantically at the car window.

Tan Xueci still retained a few talismans Yu He had provided him. He retrieved one and slapped it straight onto the driver’s forehead; the ghost driver’s eyes turned bloodshot from the scorching heat, yet it absolutely refused to loosen its grip.

Left with no other option, He Sui attempted to shake it off, executing a sharp drift with the chassis. Yet instead of dislodging the spirit, the ghost driver’s hat flew right off, revealing that half of its skull had been completely pulverized. A mixture of red and white brain matter splattered right across He Sui’s face.

“You piece of…” He Sui’s lips trembled violently, his face covered in a foul, rancid stench as he turned his head straight out the window to retch.

Tan Xueci was thoroughly nauseated by the sight, harboringing a powerful urge to kick both He Sui and the ghost driver straight out of the van; yet if He Sui went down, no one would be left to operate the vehicle. Furthermore, several ghost security guards were actively pursuing them from behind.

He Sui utilized his hand to wipe the brain matter off his face, a wave of absolute despair washing over him as he realized there would never be a single possibility between him and Tan Xueci moving forward—the look Tan Xueci was currently directing toward him had transitioned from examining a prize pig to looking at pig slop.

Tan Xueci slapped another yellow talisman onto the ghost driver’s forehead. The spirit’s green, chaotic eyes appeared to regain a trace of lucidity as it clawed at the window and unleashed a pitiful wail, “My brains!”

He had been a heavy truck driver during life, plunging off a cliff to his death. The impact had concentrated heavily against his head, splitting his skull wide open, forcing him to watch his own brains leak out right before he drew his final breath.

He desperately attempted to claw at He Sui’s face, eager to reclaim his brains, his bloodshot teeth exposed as he roared, “Give them back to me!”

The vehicle had already traveled a significant distance away from the crematorium, yet the remainder of his brain matter was still actively spurting outward. Lu Xi truly couldn’t bear to look any longer; catching sight of a motorcycle helmet inside the van, he picked it up and jammed it straight onto the ghost’s head.

The ghost squeezed its way into the passenger seat, clutching its head as it began to weep pitifully, asking, “Where on earth are you taking me?”

“My brains…” Yet before the ghost driver could even finish weeping, Xiao An suddenly clutched his own head, murmuring in a daze, “My brains seem to have vanished as well… I was in a car accident…”

He suddenly recalled that he had previously been involved in a motorcycle accident; the wheels had rolled directly over his head, spilling his brains across the asphalt.

The moment a walking corpse realized it was already dead, it could no longer maintain its human form. Xiao An’s skull rapidly caved inward, causing He Sui’s pupils to contract violently, nearly losing control of the steering wheel.

Several ghost security guards pressed their green, pale faces against the car windows, resembling zombies far more than traditional ghosts. Their long fingernails scraped against the glass, creating a screeching sound that triggered a splitting headache.

A thick, white night fog enveloped the entire roadway. Within the dense mist, Tan Xueci vaguely discerned a towering figure holding a black umbrella standing at a crossroads, its pale hand raised as if attempting to hail a ride.

“Stop the car, stop the car!” Tan Xueci hurriedly barked at He Sui.

What kind of good entity could possibly be standing by the roadside in the dead of night? He Sui snapped impatiently, his voice filled with rage, “Stop for what?! That’s definitely a ghost!”

He Sui slammed his foot onto the gas pedal, eager to accelerate past the figure. Yet the harder he pressed the accelerator, the slower the vehicle moved, ultimately coming to a gradual halt right beside the man holding the black umbrella.

The fierce ghost leaned forward. Within the dense fog, one couldn’t discern its facial features clearly, leaving only its dark crimson lips visible through the ghostly energy. Completely ignoring the remaining occupants within the vehicle, it addressed Tan Xueci, “Sir, may I board the vehicle?”

Its gaze pierced through the damp, sticky mist, staring directly at Tan Xueci’s abdomen—where the physical trace of its existence remained anchored.

Tan Xueci: “…”

Stop acting.

Tan Xueci pushed the car door open. The fierce ghost offered a polite word of thanks before reaching out to grab Xiao An by the hair, tossing him straight onto the roof of the van before extending his long legs to slide into the seat.

Tan Xueci originally intended to roll his eyes, but the moment He Xunye boarded the vehicle, he noticed the man’s entire forearm was covered in blood. His small face tensed up instantly with worry as he clutched the arm, asking, “How did this happen?!”

In reality, it was merely the blood clinging to Xiao An’s form. The fierce ghost’s thin lips pursed slightly, his pale, handsome features shrouded within the shadows as he lowered his eyelashes and murmured, “I accidentally got grazed by a vehicle just now. It’s nothing.”

Tan Xueci hadn’t completely lost his senses to infatuation, but He Xunye’s complexion did indeed appear rather unsightly. He quickly coiled his arms around He Xunye, guiding the man to rest against his shoulder while delivering a sharp glare toward He Sui.

He Sui chose to swallow his resentment, not daring to utter a word. He knew He Xunye was shameless, but he never anticipated He Xunye could be this incredibly shameless.

How old is this ancient entity already, yet he’s out here acting like a manipulative green tea b*tch? Does he not find it nauseating?

Yet the fierce ghost harbored absolutely zero regard for familial ties—to say nothing of the fact that he and He Xunye never shared any genuine family bond to begin with. He Xunye was fully capable of ripping his head off at a moment’s notice to give to Tan Xueci to use as a football; he could only suffer in silence.

The vehicle finally cleared the dense mist, and the various ghosts vanished into the night sky amidst a chorus of agonizing shrieks. As traffic and human voices gradually materialized around them, they finally pulled the vehicle over by the roadside.

“What on earth happened to me…” Xiao An’s eyes were cloudy and vacant as he stared at his hands, which were heavily covered in post-mortem lividity. “How did I turn into this…”

He was clearly dead, yet hadn’t he returned home? He had even spent days alongside his parents.

Clutching his wife’s arm, He Xunye was clearly immensely pleased. Lifting his dark eyes, he remarked, “You ought to pose that question to your parents, or perhaps you could ask Lan Ke instead.”

“What exactly is going on?” Tan Xueci was utterly bewildered.

He pulled at He Xunye’s arm to examine it for a long while; finding absolutely no wounds, he concluded it was indeed another person’s blood, finally allowing his mind to settle slightly.

“The Xiao family can scheme against others, and others can naturally scheme against them,” He Xunye explained. “The Xiao family intended to murder Lan Ke, but Lan Ke discovered their plot, executing another life-swap ritual alongside Xiao An.”

The six individuals required for a body-double substitution weren’t strictly fixed; as long as they fulfilled the necessary criteria, they could be utilized. Lan Ke had likely consulted a practitioner, discovering that He Sui also met the requirements, and had managed to lure both Xiao An and He Sui out tonight.

His plan had been to murder He Sui, utilizing his life force to bring Xiao An’s walking corpse fully back to life. Then, before Xiao An could even comprehend what was happening, he intended to murder Xiao An directly inside the crematorium, pushing him straight into the incinerator.

Simultaneously, he would execute a life-swap with Xiao An, ensuring everyone else believed the individual who perished was Lan Ke, while he assumed Xiao An’s identity moving forward.

Remaining a canary held absolutely no appeal to him; he craved to become the eldest young master of the Xiao family.

However, Tan Xueci’s yin energy was exceptionally potent, heavily attracting these ghostly entities. The ghost driver had been entirely unable to restrain itself, luring Tan Xueci onto the vehicle as well, while Lu Xi had merely been brought along as collateral.

Lu Xi’s expression was immensely complex. He knew Lan Ke harbored immense ambition; otherwise, back when he and Jin Chen were members of the same boy band, Lan Ke wouldn’t have suggested drugging Jin Chen to send him to a producer’s bed.

Yet he never anticipated Lan Ke was capable of committing actual murder to execute a life-swap.

Since He Sui hadn’t perished, the body-double substitution failed completely. Xiao An’s corpse split apart, transforming into a pile of mangled flesh. Blood leaking from his eyes, his skin tone shifting into a sickly ghost-like green-white, his voice was raspy as he demanded, “Where is Lan Ke?!”

As they were speaking, the cloth doll scrambled out of He Xunye’s pocket, climbing up onto Tan Xueci’s shoulder to affectionately nuzzle its cheek against his.

Tan Xueci harbored absolutely zero concern for these individuals; yet catching sight of the cloth doll, his mind flashed back to the kitten ghost and the others. Having caused the deaths of so many individuals, there ought to be a proper conclusion to this matter.

Watching Xiao An’s soul stagger unsteadily toward his family residence, clearly intent on seeking vengeance against Lan Ke, he resolved to follow along to witness the outcome.

He Sui felt the entire ordeal was an absolute nightmare. After wiping the brain matter that had trickled down into his shirt, he prepared to head home.

Tan Xueci lifted his head, only to discover that He Xunye’s gaze remained locked dead onto He Sui. The fierce ghost’s eyes were veiled behind a cold, dark light, obscuring his emotions.

“What’s wrong?” Tan Xueci reached out to touch his dead spirit husband, terrified he might still be experiencing discomfort.

“Little Xue,” He Xunye leaned forward to wrap his arms around him, the fierce ghost’s towering frame lowering as he buried his icy lips within the youth’s neck, nuzzling against the skin as he murmured, “He currently possesses a piece of my corpse.”

Tan Xueci froze. “What?”

He Xunye’s eyes were dark and deep. He Wuling had divided his corpse into eight separate fragments; the main lineage retained the torso, while the various branch families were granted the limbs and skull to utilize as a means to suppress local malevolent spirits.

Aside from harming his own kin, He Wuling had consistently been dedicated to the clan’s external affairs and hadn’t utilized his corpse for any nefarious purposes; yet the same couldn’t be said for the remaining branch families. Once the pieces were divided down the ranks, certain individuals had secretly hoarded fragments for themselves.

Much like He Sui’s parents, who had hidden one of his fingers to serve as a protective amulet for their son. He could easily murder He Sui if he wished, but doing so would cause his own physical form to suffer severe burns, rendering him exceptionally hideous.

If that happened, how could he possibly continue sharing kisses with his wife?

The fierce ghost’s eyes were dark and freezing as he held tightly onto his wife’s waist. Since his wife didn’t permit him to sigh, he could only let out a silent sigh within his heart.

“Little Xue,” He Xunye spoke, “I truly wish to murder them all.”

He felt every single one of them was actively interfering with the relationship between him and his wife; a human’s capacity for jealousy was far more terrifying than a ghost’s.

Tan Xueci had no idea what thoughts were racing through He Xunye’s mind. He shifted his gaze toward He Sui. The yang energy radiating from He Xunye’s corpse carried a fiery, burning temperature; although it had significantly waned, he could still clearly discern a faint, glimmering flame pulsing within He Sui’s left chest cavity amidst the darkness of the night.

Tan Xueci wasn’t particularly eager to touch He Sui. The cloth doll resting on his shoulder rolled up its non-existent sleeves and strode directly toward He Sui, delivering a resounding punch right against his leg.

He Sui’s leg bone shattered instantly. Drenched in a cold sweat, he collapsed flat to the ground. The cloth doll dug into his chest cavity, extracting a single finger before heading back to present it to Tan Xueci with absolute glee.

It was an exceptionally pale finger, beautifully crafted like a fine piece of artwork, yet completely devoid of a single drop of blood—as if all the blood had been thoroughly drained away, leaving only white flesh. Objectively speaking, it looked slightly unsettling.

Furthermore, a knuckle was missing; it wasn’t even a complete, intact finger.

Tan Xueci bit his lip, completely unable to comprehend exactly how finely they had chopped He Xunye’s corpse. He intended to deliver a sharp kick to He Sui’s head, but He Xunye caught him by the waist, refusing to permit him to offer rewards to other men.

“If Baby doesn’t like it, I can retrieve all the remaining pieces,” He Xunye comforted him softly. “Then I’ll present them all to Baby, okay?”

He truly didn’t care about his own dismemberment; yet since his wife desired it, he would gather every single piece, reassemble them perfectly, and gift them to his baby.

“What about this piece?” Tan Xueci held up the finger.

“I’m terrified they might attempt to steal it away again. Will Little Xue help me secure it?”

Tan Xueci nodded in agreement, yet before he could formulate a plan on where to store it safely, He Xunye suddenly pinched his cheeks, jamming the finger straight into his mouth.

The fierce ghost’s dark, ominous eyes curved up as he watched his wife’s eyes widen in sudden shock. Forcing the finger deep into Tan Xueci’s throat, he murmured with absolute tenderness, “Baby, take a swallow.”

Tan Xueci let out a series of muffled struggles, completely unwilling to swallow the object. Yet the moment the finger entered his mouth, the bone seemed to dissolve entirely, transforming into a piece of soft, slick white flesh. The harder he struggled, the further the flesh slid down his esophagus, dropping into his stomach with a soft thud.

Tan Xueci’s face turned deathly pale, a powerful urge to retch washing over him.

He could clearly sense that the moment the flesh dropped inside, it instantly fused seamlessly with his own tissue, anchoring itself tightly against the wet, soft interior wall of his abdominal cavity like an absolute suction cup—becoming an inseparable part of him.

A wave of dizziness washed over Tan Xueci. The moment he consumed it, his entire body flushed with intense heat, breaking out into a heavy sweat despite the freezing winter air.

He pulled up his shirt to examine the area, only to discover that a slight protrusion was sliding affectionately against the interior of his smooth, white abdomen—resembling a physical thumb. At first glance, it bore an uncanny resemblance to a fetal movement.

The crimson corners of the fierce ghost’s lips pulled upward in an infatuated smile, its eyes laced with a ring of crimson born of absolute excitement as it gazed at Tan Xueci and murmured, “A mother’s belly is the safest place of all.”

“Isn’t that right? Mother.”

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