After Transmigrating Into a Cannon Fodder, I Got a Happy Ending with the Female Lead [Transmigration Into a Novel] - Chapter 20

Yue xi was stumped. She was certain the person she was holding was Qing he, but the question suggested something was wrong.

“Then what should I call you?” she asked, a hint of caution and even humility in her voice. The beautiful girl next to her didn’t seem to appreciate it.

Xiaoqing glanced at the increasingly eerie surroundings. “Let’s get out of here first.”

This was a mirage created by the evil spirit to trap Yue xi. The priority was to escape; other matters could be addressed later. Despite feeling a sense of unease, Xiaoqing knew what was most important.

Yue xi cast a talisman, and the cool moonlight vanished instantly, leaving them in complete darkness with only the sound of a cold wind rushing by. She held Xiaoqing’s hand tightly and instructed, “No matter what, don’t let go of my hand.”

Feeling her grip, an unusual feeling stirred in Xiaoqing. Are you so tense because you want to protect me, or because I share her face?

Enveloped in a dark mist, they were assailed by sinister whispers. Meanwhile, something from above was watching them. The evil spirit had planned to let this human cultivator “fatten up” before killing her, but this incomprehensible being was messing up her plans. Neither human nor ghost, unaffected by the mirage… what is she?

The two lost their way in the mist, and the temperature quickly dropped. A cold, chilling presence surrounded them, as if they were about to be swallowed whole. Yuexi turned in every direction, but it was all the same. She had no tools to help her find the way out.

“This way.” The girl’s voice was low, no longer as clear as before, as if covered in dust.

Without a second thought, Yue xi followed the direction she pointed. She had an absolute trust in the girl for some reason.

It was a long journey. The lesser spirits, unable to harm them, howled and shrieked, using every means to disturb them. Yet the two walked on, unwavering, as if they didn’t hear a thing.

“Hah! A variable indeed! Even that cultivator is about to slip away!” A pair of crimson eyes appeared in the black mist, darting around like surveillance cameras, fixed on Yue xi and Xiaoqing.

Then, they stopped, followed by a malicious, delighted laugh. “Since you destroyed the cultivator’s dream, it’s your turn now.”

The evil spirit closed its eyes, and the black mist surged, pulling the two who had walked far away back into a vortex. This act consumed a great deal of her power, and forcing them into a dream was strenuous. But she had to do it, or all her efforts would be for nothing. After scheming for so many years, she was determined to leave Mount Fuyu and get revenge on that scumbag!

Xiaoqing was originally immune to mirages, but the evil spirit’s forceful entry into her dream caused a strange change. While Yuexi’s dream had manifested the perfect Qing he in her heart, Xiaoqing’s dream was the real Yuexi.

Yuexi was still trying to resist the evil entity when she suddenly found herself in a small, very familiar cottage. “How did I get here again?” she wondered.

Xiaoqing looked down. She was wearing the same white, flawless dress Qing he had worn before.

“Yue xi,” her voice surprised her. She had never called Yue xi by her name before, and her voice was softer, as if she was addressing a loved one.

Yue xi walked over and asked, “Who are you? Are you Qing he, or… Qing he?” Afraid of calling her by the wrong name and making her angry again, she chose to go with the flow. A name was just a label, as long as she was happy.

Xiaoqing said softly, “My name is Xiaoqing.”

Yue xi repeated the name, and a smile bloomed on Xiaoqing’s face. The hem of her white dress fluttered, making her look as pure as an angel.

Yue xi’s outstretched hand froze. She simply couldn’t bring herself to touch someone so immaculate.

Xiaoqing took her hand. “Are you still dazed in front of me?”

Yue xi pulled her into a hug. “I was enchanted by your beauty.”

Xiaoqing found her words exaggerated but couldn’t help but feel happy.

“Are you so easily tempted?”

Yue xi chuckled, holding her hand tighter. “You know me, I’ve always been this way.”

Xiaoqing looked up at her, seeing her own reflection in Yue xi’s bright eyes. Her heart fluttered, and she stood on her tiptoes to kiss her.

It was a kiss lighter than a feather’s touch. By the time Yue xi reacted, the person in her arms had already walked into the house. Xiaoqing wanted to see what kind of house she and Yuexi lived in.

Yue xi followed, and everything indeed felt familiar. The evil spirit was running out of tricks; even the setting remained the same. Although Yue xi couldn’t recall what happened before she came here, from Xiaoqing’s earlier reactions and the strange events, she had a rough idea. The previous mirage trapped her, but now it was trapping Xiaoqing. And the mirage Xiaoqing created was of her.

Her heart felt a gentle warmth, like it was soaking in warm water, comforting and soothing. Yuexi walked behind Xiaoqing and hugged her tightly. Xiaoqing was startled, then turned to look at her.

“Easy, you’re squeezing the breath out of me.”

Yue xi didn’t speak. She just leaned in and kissed her. Xiaoqing’s lips were soft and warm, just like her. Yue xi felt like she was drowning in the kiss, her mind floating, forgetting her own name.

“Yue xi, Yue xi…”

Xiaoqing’s soft voice echoed in her ears. Yue xi came back to her senses and found them sitting side-by-side on a rattan chair. Xiaoqing’s white dress swayed in the breeze, and her long hair cascaded down her back like a black waterfall.

“What are you thinking about? I called you several times, and you didn’t answer.” Xiaoqing chided her playfully, a smile in her eyes.

Yue xi’s arm was being used as a pillow by Xiaoqing. With a slight lift, the beautiful girl fell into her arms.

“I wish it could always be like this,” Yue xi sighed, burying her face in the crook of Xiaoqing’s neck and smelling her faint scent.

Xiaoqing wrapped her arms around Yue xi’s neck, her voice soft. “It will be.” We’ll always be together; nothing can separate us.

The pagoda tree blossoms above them swayed gently, and their fragrance seemed to grow stronger.

Seeing her plan succeed, the evil spirit let out a wild laugh and walked to the other side.

After jumping off the cliff, Ji Shuang didn’t catch up with Yue xi and Xiaoqing but landed alone in a bamboo forest. She patted her gear. The food in her backpack was still there, as was her phone. She turned it on and entered her live stream. The picture was blurry, but it was streaming.

Ji Shuang cleared her throat and began. “Good afternoon, fam! Your beloved Sister Shuang is live! You didn’t expect this, did you? Today, we’re exploring the abandoned temple on Mount Fuyu.”

“Why can’t you see a temple? That’s a good question because I want to know where I am too.”

The fans thought she was joking for the sake of the stream, but Ji Shuang was genuinely anxious. Being alone in this eerie forest, she felt like something spooky could jump out at any moment. She started a live stream to have people keep her company and to build some hype, as she was certain something paranormal would happen here. For her, nothing was more important than making money right now.

Choosing a direction, Ji Shuang walked forward with her phone for over half an hour, but she still hadn’t found her way out. The fans started to get impatient.

[We came to watch you explore, not to watch you hike.]

[What? Did the streamer change careers again?]

[The person in front, if you want to watch an exploration, go outside. Ghosts are sleeping during the day; where are the paranormal events?]

[I gotta say, it’s pretty hypnotic. I already took a nap.]

Many people who came after seeing her ghost video from last night were disappointed and left after nothing happened for half an hour. The number of viewers plummeted from four digits to two. Some people were just jumping in and out, treating it like a game.

Ji Shuang no longer cared about popularity; she just wanted company. No matter how much she put her life on the line, she couldn’t help but feel scared in this environment. It was too quiet, making her hair stand on end.

After another half an hour, the person who kept jumping in and out came back and left a comment.

[Sister Shuang, something is following you.]

Ji Shuang glanced at it casually, then her hair stood on end, and a chill ran through her body. She laughed awkwardly and stammered, “You’re… you’re not supposed to scare me like that.”

[Listen closely, can you hear the sound of rustling leaves?]

Ji Shuang tried to stay calm and listened carefully. She really did hear a “shush shush” sound.

“Maybe it’s a snake or something?”

Some people in the comments had the same guess, but the commenter quickly denied it.

[This forest is ‘Kun-Duan-Gen-Li,’ a typical ghost realm. There can’t be any wildlife.]

Because of this person’s comment, the number of viewers went up again. Ji Shuang just wanted to save her life and quickly asked, “Then how do I get out?”

[Run northwest. It’s the least dangerous-looking direction.]

Ji Shuang quickly checked her bearings and took off running. Her phone bounced along with her, making the screen shake.

[Sister Shuang, what’s going on?]

[We can’t tell if you’re in danger like this!]

[If something happens, just scream, and I’ll call the police for you.]

[The person in front, calling the police is useless. Didn’t you hear the Taoist friend say this is a ghost realm?]

Ji Shuang knew it, which was why she was running for her life. All the exercise she had ever done in her life was being used up in the last few days. One hand held her phone, and the other held the talisman Yue xi gave her. Her backpack was about to fly off. If anything dared to get close, she would burn it with the talisman!

Running out of the bamboo forest, she reached a steep slope. Ji Shuang couldn’t stop and tumbled down, crashing into a black figure. They both rolled down together.

[What’s going on! What’s going on!]

[Sister Shuang has gone silent. Is she okay?]

[I just saw a black figure, did you?]

[Me too…]

The phone screen flashed with static and automatically shut down. The live stream was cut off, and the viewers’ guesses made the stream a top trending topic on the platform.

Ji Shuang had taken a hard fall, her head buried in the dirt. It took her a while to pull herself out.

“Miss Ji, are you alright?” A familiar voice rang out. Ji Shuang turned her head sharply and saw Pei Ying’s face.

What an encounter! Nothing good ever happened when she ran into her. Ji Shuang didn’t say anything. Pei Ying stood up and dusted herself off with an elegant and refined motion, as if she wasn’t running for her life in a ghost realm but attending a banquet.

“Get up first,” she offered a hand.

Ji Shuang refused her help and tried to get up on her own. A sharp pain shot through her ankle, and she fell back onto her butt.

“Hiss~” Oh no, I think I twisted my ankle. This was a fatal blow for someone trying to escape. Even a slight delay could lead to something catching up to her, let alone being unable to walk at all.

Pei Ying was silent for two seconds, then knelt down in front of her. “Come on, I’ll carry you on my back.”

Ji Shuang was surprised. She had only known Pei Ying for two or three days and had never given her a good look, so why would she help her? In this situation, leaving her behind and escaping on her own would be the rational choice.

“Why are you helping me?”

“No reason. I’d help a stranger too.”

Ji Shuang suddenly remembered that this wealthy heiress had grown up in a happy utopia and held good intentions toward everyone. With that in mind, Ji Shuang felt less of a burden and climbed onto Pei Ying’s back.

“Professor Pei, you’re a scholar. Can you carry me?”

Pei Ying stood up, seemingly with ease, and walked smoothly over the soft bamboo leaves. She’s not a complete bookworm, I guess.

After leaving the bamboo forest, the “shush shush” sound behind them disappeared. Ji Shuang thought, that person was right. The southeast direction isn’t dangerous. But soon, another problem arose. Outside the bamboo forest, they were surrounded by mountains on three sides with no way out. The danger was minimal, but there was no way out—that’s when Ji Shuang understood what the commenter meant.

Pei Ying stood with her on her back, looking at the mountains ahead.

“Professor Pei, what are you looking at?” Ji Shuang thought she was looking for a way out.

Pei Ying said calmly, “Looking at the geological features and if there are any rare plants.”

Ji Shuang was speechless. I’m still too young.

Ji Shuang poked her shoulder. “Put me down.”

Pei Ying turned her head and asked, “Can your foot stand?”

Ji Shuang felt it probably couldn’t, but since they couldn’t get out, she couldn’t let Pei Ying waste her energy. They didn’t know how long they would be stuck here. If those things came out of the bamboo forest, the single talisman she had would not be enough to save two people.

“Find a place to put me down. We need to figure this out and see if we can find a way out.”

Pei Ying found a clean stone and placed Ji Shuang on it. She looked down at her ankle and then took off her shoe.

“What are you doing?!” Ji Shuang pulled her leg back and looked at Pei Ying with caution.

Pei Ying’s expression was still calm, like a programmed robot. “Your ankle is swollen. It’ll be better if you take your shoe off.”

Ji Shuang’s curled toes relaxed, and she extended her leg. Her ankle was indeed swollen. Her foot was small, like a puffy bun. Who would have thought that a person who was nearly 170cm tall would have a size 36 foot?

Ji Shuang’s sweatpants were rolled up to show her ankle, revealing a slender calf. Before, she always wore loose-fitting clothes and was tall, so she only seemed thin. Now, Pei Ying realized she was too skinny. That calf was not much thicker than her wrist. How did it support her on her long journey?

Ji Shuang wiggled her calf and said playfully, “Professor Pei, your gaze is too obvious.”

Pei Ying looked up at her and asked, “Do you not eat?”

Ji Shuang was stunned, then laughed. “Sometimes I binge eat, sometimes I can’t eat anything.” It wasn’t up to her.

She said it lightly, but Pei Ying frowned slightly. Growing up, she lived a disciplined life, eating and sleeping on time, stopping when she was full, never hungry or overeating. She had never experienced what Ji Shuang described, and it didn’t sound normal, which explained why she was so thin.

“When we get out, I’ll treat you to a meal.” After a long thought, that was all Pei Ying could say.

Ji Shuang looked at her serious expression and found it a little funny. Just as she was about to speak, she felt a warm liquid coming out of her nose.

Pei Ying reacted quickly. “Miss Ji, you’re having a nosebleed.”

Ji Shuang took out a tissue from her bag and expertly held it to her nose. “I probably hit my nose when I fell. It’s nothing.”

Pei Ying found it strange. She had carried Ji Shuang for nearly half an hour, and the nosebleed was only starting now. The delay was too great.

Ji Shuang kept changing tissues as they got soaked. Soon, there were seven or eight of them piled up by her feet. Pei Ying’s eyes grew heavy with concern. She’s already as thin as a twig, and now she’s losing so much blood. Is she really okay?

Ji Shuang, on the other hand, thought, looks like I won’t be able to eat for a long time again. “Professor Pei, you said you’d treat me to a meal, right?”

Pei Ying nodded, still worried about her.

“Then I want to go to Ming yuan.”

Mingyuan was the most famous high-end restaurant in Mingcheng, a landmark with a very grand style. It was said to have a great ambiance, but Ji Shuang had never been there because people with no connections like her couldn’t get a reservation. Pei Ying must be different since Mingyuan belonged to her family.

Pei Ying nodded. “No problem. Whenever you want to go, we can.”

Ji Shuang smiled, her eyes curving into crescent moons.

After her nosebleed stopped, the two shared information but found nothing useful. Pei Ying was swept away by a black mist and woke up in the bamboo forest. Ji Shuang fell from a cliff and hadn’t encountered anyone—or any living thing—along the way.

As they talked, Ji Shuang felt a chill down her back. She turned her head and said, her voice a little choked, “Professor Pei, don’t you think something extra is here?”

Before Pei Ying could answer, they were both enveloped in a thick black mist. Ji Shuang spun in mid-air, her organs churning. She thought she was probably going to die here. In a daze, her hand was firmly grasped. Although she couldn’t see anything, she knew Pei Ying was by her side.

She felt a strange sense of security, and her tense heart calmed down a lot. “Professor Pei, if we make it out alive, can you give me half your money?” Ji Shuang was joking. With Yuexi gone, she felt her chances were slim.

Pei Ying was silent for a long time before replying with a quiet “Mhm.”

Ji Shuang laughed. She thought Pei Ying was too naive. Even if she knew she was joking, she shouldn’t have agreed to such an unreasonable request so easily. They had only known each other for three days.

The black mist sped up, and Ji Shuang was hit so hard she lost consciousness. Pei Ying held the hand in her palm tightly, thinking that they would surely get out safely.

The pagoda tree’s blooming season was almost over, and the courtyard was covered in a layer of blossoms. Yue xi picked them up, washed them, and made pagoda tree blossom cakes for Xiaoqing.

Xiaoqing sat next to her, resting her chin on her hand and watching her knead the dough. Her white dress remained spotless. It was always daytime here, and Xiaoqing didn’t know how long they had been there. She just felt that something was slowly being forgotten. Sometimes she would remember something suddenly, but her mind would tell her it wasn’t important, so she’d let it go. She was very, very happy right now.

“Yue xi, do you want to leave?”

Yue xi looked up at her and smiled. “Leave? Where to?”

“To where you belong.” Although she couldn’t remember where that was, Xiaoqing just knew that Yuexi didn’t belong here. Sometimes she would worry, what if Yuexi left her?

“I don’t have anywhere I belong. If I did, it would be by your side.” After saying that, Yuexi playfully tapped Xiaoqing’s nose, leaving a smudge of flour on it like a kitten.

Yue xi smiled at her, and Xiaoqing smiled back, leaning in to kiss her. They had been kissing every day, but Xiaoqing still felt it wasn’t enough, wanting to be with Yue xi all the time.

Yue xi stopped what she was doing and accepted her kiss, slowly taking the lead. Xiaoqing’s face turned red, and her eyes misted over, making her look so delicious Yue xi wanted to swallow her whole.

Outside the courtyard, the thick mist had taken over. The evil spirit’s crimson eyes watched them, filled with greed. She couldn’t wait to devour the two of them, but she was still a little short. Once they were fully immersed in the mirage, she could enjoy them at her leisure. As long as she ate them, she could get out. Finally, she could leave!

Soon, the evil spirit felt her power weakening. She had exhausted a great deal of energy by forcefully creating a mirage for Xiaoqing. She’d just have to eat an appetizer first. She rolled her eyes, sensing the situation in the bamboo forest, and smiled in satisfaction. “Two for the price of one again! What a good day!”

With a wave of her hand, the two people in the bamboo forest were swiftly pulled in, appearing before her in a flash. She reached out her demonic claws toward the woman who looked sturdier but was scorched by the protective talisman on her neck, leaving a large hole in her hand.

Damn it!

She reached for the other woman, who was unconscious. The woman rolled on the ground, and a talisman stuck to the evil spirit’s hand. The hand didn’t change at all, and the evil spirit laughed. Is this all you’ve got? But soon, she realized something was wrong. Her hand was stuck.

Seeing that the evil spirit was temporarily immobilized, Pei Ying quickly dragged Ji Shuang away. Ji Shuang was practically hanging on her, being pulled along.

“Professor Pei, are you really a scholar?”

“I used to be the national long-distance running champion.”

Ji Shuang was speechless. I underestimated her.

The evil spirit roared, her anger soaring. Her whole body shook, and the talisman on her hand was thrown off, flying into the cottage in the mirage.

Yue xi had just taken the pagoda tree blossom cakes out of the steamer when a piece of wood fell from the roof, smashing her cakes onto the floor. Yue xi looked up and saw that the roof beam had broken. The house was about to collapse. She didn’t care about the cakes anymore and ran in to pull Xiaoqing out in three strides.

The pagoda tree blossoms in the courtyard fell rapidly. The tree soon became bare, and the house began to crumble. Dust flew everywhere, wood shavings scattered, and the surrounding mist started to permeate toward them.

Xiaoqing’s head ached, and she remembered something. “Sister.”

Yue xi was surprised to hear Xiaoqing call her that, but what happened next was even more shocking. A pair of large, red eyes appeared in the black mist, chasing something. What was running in front of them seemed to be… people?

Once Xiaoqing regained her consciousness, the mirage targeting her instantly shattered. The evil spirit suffered a backlash from her own power, and her body shrunk considerably.

Damn humans, I have to kill them! The evil spirit roared. Pei Ying had already dragged Ji Shuang to Yue xi.

Seeing Yuexi, Ji Shuang finally felt secure. “Taoist priest, I finally found you!”

Just as they met, the protective talisman “poof” spontaneously combusted. The evil spirit could no longer hold on. Her body shrank into a ball, and the mirage completely collapsed.

A gust of wind blew through, and the women all squinted. When they opened their eyes, they were in a forest, and in front of them was an eerie-looking temple.

Ji Shuang: Give me half of your money. Pei Ying: It’s all yours (hands over a bank card). Xiaoqing imitates her: Sister, money money. Yue xi: My pockets are emptier than my face.

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