After Swapping Identities With My Archenemy - Chapter 47

Chapter 47: Stay, Stay Here, and You Will Have Everything You Desire

The City God’s face turned a sickly, ashen gray. Jiang Huaiyi continued to gaze at him with sparkling, sincere eyes, even adding a punchable follow-up question: “Can you do it? If you can, how about I sacrifice my soul to you right now?”

The City God’s expression darkened further. He asked in a low, strained voice, “Can’t you just… pick a different wish?”

Jiang Huaiyi smiled broadly. “Fine, fine. Maybe those requests were a bit too much for you. I’ll ask for something simpler.”

Color returned to the City God’s face. “I will surely satisfy you this time, as long as it concerns you personally.”

Jiang Huaiyi nodded, took a sip of tea, and spoke unhurriedly. “Of course it’s about me. You know, humans are naturally greedy.”

A warm, gentle smile bloomed on the City God’s face once more. Jiang Huaiyi opened her mouth and said: “I want to be ranked among the Immortals.”

City God: “…?”

Watching his smile vanish instantly, Jiang Huaiyi curled her lips. “What? Don’t tell me you can’t do this either? I’m not asking for eternal life; I just want to be ranked among the Immortals, like my Great Grandmaster. That shouldn’t be hard, right?”

The City God’s lip twitched. He was now certain that Jiang Huaiyi had never intended to make a real wish; she was purely playing him for a fool. If he had that kind of power, he wouldn’t be here running this shady business in a painting.

Jiang Huaiyi tried to suppress her grin, but the playful mockery in her eyes was impossible to hide. Her look practically screamed: So? Do something about it.

The City God could no longer endure it. He stood up abruptly. After his face contorted through several shades of rage, his refined appearance melted away, leaving behind a visage filled with the stench of death.

“You’re looking for trouble on purpose, aren’t you?”

Jiang Huaiyi instinctively shrank back. For some reason, a scene from an old TV drama flashed in her head she felt like the man was about to pull out a cleaver and start hacking. Her stomach turned cold as she stood up to put distance between them.

She noticed the female ghost nearby also taking a step back. A bad premonition spiked, but by the time she reacted, it was too late.

The City God stepped forward. A white funeral banner appeared in his hand out of thin air. With a sharp flick, he threw it, and the white fabric enveloped Jiang Huaiyi completely.

Her head was covered by the banner, blinding her. As she reached up to tear it away, she heard the City God’s eerie voice whisper: “Since you’re so bold, let’s see if your heart truly matches your words.”

She felt the light outside shift dramatically. When she finally ripped the white cloth from her head, her memories felt as though they were trapped under a hazy, blurred net.

Her mind was a chaotic fog. She opened her eyes to a familiar sight.

An old, carved wooden bed. White walls, cement floors. The familiar layout of her childhood room. Jiang Huaiyi lowered her hands, looking around in a daze. The room’s door was wide open, letting in the bright daylight that illuminated every corner.

On the wall, there was a faint mark where something used to hang. She walked to the desk, her mind spinning with confusion.

Then, a gentle voice called from outside: “Time to eat! I’ve called you several times, why are you still in there?”

Jiang Huaiyi recognized the voice instantly. It was the little old lady, her Master, Jiang Younian.

When her Master grabbed her hand, it was warm—so warm that it chased away the strange, lingering chill from her soul. Jiang Huaiyi smiled involuntarily and nodded softly. “I didn’t hear you. Let’s go eat.”

Sitting at the lacquered wood table were her Senior Sister and her Martial Uncle, setting out bowls and chopsticks. An old, bulky CRT television was playing the Spring Festival Gala. Joyful music poured into the room, making everything feel cozy and safe.

Jiang Huaiyi first lit a stick of incense for the Grandmaster, then sat down at the table. Before her sat her favorite dish: small yellow croakers—a delicacy she only saw during festivals or birthdays.

Her Senior Sister pulled out a gift and handed it to her. “Happy New Year, Xiao Yi. Master gave this to you.”

Jiang Huaiyi took the red-wrapped box. Inside was a brand-new flip phone. It looked expensive, exactly like the ones she used to stare at in the shop windows. She thanked her Martial Uncle, and her Master placed a yellow croaker into her bowl.

“Eat up, Xiao Yi. After dinner, we’re going out to light fireworks.”

She happily took a bite. The fish was tender, fresh, and salty. It was delicious. Yet, a nagging feeling that something was wrong persisted. Watching the little old lady reach for a distant dish, Jiang Huaiyi stood up to serve her. Jiang Younian beamed, patting the back of Jiang Huaiyi’s hand.

Martial Uncle glanced at Chu Lianxue, who was scarfing down food with her head down, and sighed. “Senior Sister, your disciple is quite… hearty.”

They exchanged looks while Chu Lianxue remained unmoved. Irritated, Martial Uncle kicked her under the table. Chu Lianxue looked up blankly, glanced at Jiang Huaiyi, and then returned to her bowl. “Junior Sister, do you want this fish? If not, I’m eating it.”

Martial Uncle choked on his words. Jiang Huaiyi kindly served some vegetables to her Martial Uncle’s bowl. Both elders smiled with deep satisfaction.

The New Year’s dinner was wonderful. Outside, the sound of firecrackers erupted in unison. Jiang Huaiyi leaned against the window, watching the vibrant red celebration. Neighbors were out in the street; kids were holding their parents’ hands.

After the countdown on TV, the four of them headed outside. The winter night in Rong City wasn’t too cold, and everyone was bundled up. The streets were decorated with lanterns—warm glows of yellow, green, and red. They carried a box of fireworks to an open space and lit them.

With a series of whooshes, colorful sparks bloomed in the sky.

As Jiang Huaiyi looked up, the feeling of unreality grew stronger. Her heart felt as though it were being squeezed by invisible hands. Instinctively, she knew this wasn’t right. It felt like standing in a dangerous place but being unable to wake up from a dream made of candy.

Jiang Younian was taller than her now—Jiang Huaiyi realized she was currently in the body of a young child.

Her Master patted her head and pressed a thick red envelope into her hand. “Xiao Yi, you’ve suffered these past few years while I was away. From now on, we’ll live together. We’ll never be apart again.”

A blurry memory flickered in Jiang Huaiyi’s mind—Jiang Younian was rarely home, so they hadn’t seen each other often. Yet, she felt a profound familiarity. Enveloped in this overwhelming happiness, a single tear rolled down her cheek.

The tear hit the red envelope, soaking the paper with a mixture of heat and cold. She felt she had found her anchor. In her actual memories of the New Year, when her Master wasn’t there, things were never this stable. Even though her Senior Sister and Martial Uncle were good to her, she never felt truly secure.

She had to rely on herself, and while neighbors were kind, it wasn’t the same. This was a peace she had never known the feeling of a lost child finally finding the person they can depend on.

In the face of bitter winters and rainy days, she would finally have a home.

Jiang Huaiyi nodded, quickly wiping her eyes with her sleeve, and flashed a wide smile. She took a sparkler from her Senior Sister and began to play. Her Master’s kind face flickered in the light of the fireworks, smiling back at her.

Suddenly, a little girl dressed in thick winter clothes appeared beside her. She wore a pale yellow jacket and a white plush skirt, looking like someone out of an ancient period drama. She looked to be about twelve or thirteen—roughly the same age as Jiang Huaiyi but her expression was cold and aloof. It was as if an adult’s soul were trapped in a child’s body.

She glanced at Jiang Huaiyi and walked straight over, standing silently beside her. Jiang Huaiyi felt uneasy but also felt that the girl’s cold gaze was strangely familiar.

After being stared at for a while, Jiang Huaiyi nervously handed her two sparklers. “Do you… want to play with us?”

A trace of an expression finally appeared on the girl’s stunningly beautiful face. She curled her lip slightly. Even a small movement made her look breathtaking.

She spoke softly: “So, this is what you looked like as a child.”

Jiang Huaiyi found the comment nonsensical. She gave her a strange look, but the girl was already focused on playing with the sparklers.

Chu Lianxue came over to pull her away. They were all wearing new clothes and playing carefully. Jiang Huaiyi asked the girl, “What’s your name? I haven’t seen you around before.”

The girl shifted her gaze from the fireworks to Jiang Huaiyi’s face. Those beautiful eyes made Jiang Huaiyi’s heart race. She realized she was nervous she never knew how to act around beautiful people.

Jiang Huaiyi looked away as the soft voice replied: “My name is Shen Wensi. We haven’t met much before.”

Jiang Huaiyi nodded, but the name sounded hauntingly familiar. It was as if the person possessed a strange magic that forced Jiang Huaiyi to search her mind where have I heard this? Have I seen her?

But soon, a child’s simple joy took over. The neighborhood kids gathered to play. At some point, the girl named Shen Wensi grabbed her hand. Despite supposedly meeting for the first time, there was no awkwardness.

Jiang Huaiyi’s childhood curiosity was peaked, and she kept staring. Shen Wensi didn’t show any impatience; she answered every question with a gentle tone. Jiang Huaiyi gathered that she was a new playmate in the neighborhood.

In the distance, she saw her Master chatting happily with the neighbors. Her heart was full. If life is always like this, I’ll never have to be alone in that cold, lonely house again.

Jiang Huaiyi smiled and squeezed the girl’s hand tighter.

Suddenly, a voice whispered in her ear: “Do you want to live here forever? All you have to do is make a wish a normal, simple wish…”

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