My Partner Always Wants to Dig My Grave - Chapter 12

The phone’s light illuminated the muddy path ahead, cutting through the cornfield swaying in the gentle breeze. The incessant chirping of unseen cicadas grated on the nerves, adding to the restless atmosphere.

The slender figure paused, her indifferent gaze drifting into the distance as if searching for something unseen. The faint tremor of fear in her downcast eyes went unnoticed by others.

The cornfield before her cast distorted, claw-like shadows under the harsh white light, resembling sinister specters poised to lunge at any moment.

Noticing Si Wan had stopped, Liu Yaoyao, who was leading the way, also halted and turned to look at her. Seeing the expression on Si Wan’s face, Liu Yaoyao tightened her grip on her phone and spoke apologetically, “Professor Si, although this path isn’t ideal, it’s the quickest way to the village entrance.”

The cool, silvery moonlight bathed Si Wan’s brows, veiling her emotions like a thin mist. All that could be sensed was the sharp, uneasy aura surrounding her.

Slowly, Si Wan withdrew her gaze from the distance and turned toward the two somewhat awkward figures. Beneath her detached expression, only she was aware of the frantic beating of her heart, driven by fear.

Seeing Si Wan press her lips together without speaking, the two inexplicably shivered. Liu Yaoyao hurriedly apologized again, “Professor Si, I’m sorry. If it’s inconvenient, we can reschedule.”

Si Wan looked at them with confusion, unable to comprehend why they seemed afraid of her. She tried to speak in as calm a tone as possible, “Your family has already prepared, and I’ve already agreed to come.”

She just hadn’t expected night to fall so quickly.

She couldn’t recall why she was afraid of the dark and ghosts. It seemed that ever since she could remember, she had been this way.

No matter how hard she tried to overcome it, she would still see vague shadows in the suffocating darkness, shadows tinged with a nauseating crimson, like the repulsive blood flowing from wounds inflicted by blades and spears.

As these thoughts surfaced, the rustling sounds by her ears suddenly morphed into the jarring clang of clashing weapons, as if closing in to claim her life.

A sudden chill enveloped her neck, like an icy hand gripping her throat, forcing Si Wan to snap out of her fragmented memories. A flash of red drifted before her eyes, different from the cold, bloody hues of her memories, softening her heart.

Sheng Zhen’s cold hands cupped Si Wan’s face. In her crimson eyes, the usual teasing and mockery were gone, replaced by deep concern. “Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid. I’m here.”

Her movements were practiced, her tone gentle, as if she had once humbled herself day after day, holding someone close to offer comfort. “You shouldn’t force yourself…”

Sheng Zhen wrapped her arms around Si Wan. The coolness of her touch soothed Si Wan’s fear-ridden, pounding heart. The voices of the other two faded into the background as Si Wan heard Sheng Zhen speak again, her voice soft, carrying a hint of proud yet awkward tenderness. “But I’ll stay with you.”

These words, light as a feather, brushed against her heart, stirring ripples of emotion in her otherwise impassive eyes.

Si Wan’s hanging fingers twitched slightly, wanting to lift her arms to embrace the female ghost in front of her. Yet reason held her back, forcing her to remain still as the ghost continued to hold her, her expression growing complex and inscrutable.

Over on the other side, the two who had called out to Si Wan several times without a response exchanged puzzled glances. After a moment of silence, Song Yan seemed to recall something, her face paling as she pulled Liu Yaoyao aside, turning their backs to Si Wan.

“What’s wrong? Aren’t we going to call Professor Si anymore?” Liu Yaoyao asked.

Song Yan looked tense, her eyes darting toward Si Wan as she whispered, “Remember what Professor Guan said? I think Professor Si is possessed by a ghost again.”

Hearing this, Liu Yaoyao also glanced at Si Wan’s current state. After a brief hesitation, she tugged at Song Yan’s sleeve and murmured, “Then what should we do? We can’t just leave Professor Si like this.”

Frowning, Song Yan forced herself to calm down while considering their options. It was already dark, and that meant it was the time when ghosts were most active… The thought made her uneasy, as human instinct naturally fears the unknown.

Just then, a hand suddenly rested on Song Yan’s shoulder. Liu Yaoyao, standing beside her, let out a soft gasp at the sight of the newcomer.

“Professor Si!”

Song Yan shuddered violently, turning stiffly to confirm that it was indeed Si Wan. She forced an awkward smile and said dryly, “Professor Si…”

Si Wan studied the two of them, a flicker of confusion rising in her heart. It had only been a few minutes, why did they look as if they’d seen a ghost? Sheng Zhen, the actual ghost, was invisible to them, so what was there to be afraid of?

“What’s wrong?” Si Wan asked.

Immediately, the two shook their heads like rattles, waving their hands frantically and insisting that nothing was wrong.

Their unusual behavior only deepened Si Wan’s puzzlement. Her eyes subtly shifted to Sheng Zhen, who was floating beside her.

Sheng Zhen rested her head on Si Wan’s shoulder, let out a soft giggle, and then adopted an expression of wounded innocence. “How could they suspect me? I conduct myself with integrity and would never stoop to frightening anyone.”

After hearing Sheng Zhen’s words, Si Wan fell silent for a few seconds. “Since everything’s fine, let’s keep moving,” she said.

Unbeknownst to her, the chilling aura emanating from the ghost beside her was what frightened the others.

The group continued forward, the cornfield now seeming more eerie and sinister. The two frightened individuals unconsciously quickened their pace.

Si Wan also walked with some urgency, while Sheng Zhen floated beside her, head held high and a hint of pride in her eyes. “My tomb is filled with gold, silver, and jewels. Among them is a luminous pearl so bright it can illuminate an entire room. If you can find it, I might generously bestow it upon you.”

She resembled a proud, aloof cat, eagerly showing off her most prized possession.

Si Wan wanted to retort that she didn’t need a luminous pearl, a lightbulb would suffice. But after a moment’s thought, she decided against arguing with someone from ancient times.

Sheng Zhen then drifted in front of her, leaning slightly forward with curiosity in her eyes. She extended a finger and poked at the phone in Si Wan’s hand. “This object of yours is quite peculiar. It even glows in the dark.”

Sheng Zhen didn’t block the entire path, leaving enough space for Si Wan to walk unimpeded.

Sheng Zhen kept chattering incessantly in Si Wan’s ear, spouting trivialities. Even though Si Wan hadn’t responded to a single word, she continued talking to herself, which, in turn, helped divert Si Wan’s attention.

Out of the corner of her eye, Si Wan caught a glimpse of a faint smile on the female ghost’s face. For a moment, she felt dazed, and a blurry figure flashed through her mind. Before she could get a clear look, her footing suddenly gave way. Snapping back to reality, she quickly steadied herself, narrowly avoiding a humiliating face-first fall.

Still, the hem of her clothes ended up stained with dirt. Hearing the commotion, the two people ahead hurried over. Before Si Wan could say anything, Liu Yaoyao anxiously blurted out, “Professor Si, there’s a small stream up ahead. Let me take you there to wash it off.”

“No.” Si Wan started to refuse, but the two, already convinced she was possessed by a ghost and afraid of angering it, grabbed each other’s hands and insisted on leading her to the stream.

The rural path was already winding and narrow, and the tall cornfields blocked most of the view. After just a few steps, Si Wan lost sight of the two ahead, unsure which way they had gone.

Si Wan: “…”

Sheng Zhen clicked her tongue twice beside her and remarked, “It’s all because you didn’t keep up. These mountain paths are full of twists and turns.” She paused, her gaze sweeping the surroundings, and continued almost as if muttering to herself, “This place… feels strangely familiar.”

Si Wan didn’t respond to the ghost’s words, but inwardly, she felt a flicker of relief that Sheng Zhen was by her side. Without the ghost, she wasn’t sure she could keep herself from breaking down. Listening to Sheng Zhen’s complaints, her heart unexpectedly calmed, and she coolly surveyed the path illuminated by her phone’s light, still an endless expanse of darkness.

Just as she was about to call Song Yan, she suddenly caught a faint whiff of alcohol lingering in the air.

A rustling sound emerged from the cornfield, and a shadowy figure reeking of strong liquor burst out from the side.

“Watch out!”

A cold glint flashed in Sheng Zhen’s crimson eyes as an overwhelming, chilling ghostly aura descended, its oppressive force leaving no room for defiance.

The phone’s light abruptly shone directly on the shadowy figure. Blinded by the glare, the indistinct figure cursed aloud. Before he could process why the surroundings had turned so cold, a swift shadow shot toward him with a sharp, cutting sound.

The shadowy figure was kicked several meters away by Si Wan, flattening a patch of cornstalks. Before the bone-shattering pain could register, a mud-stained shoe mercilessly pressed down on his face. Then, an icy voice demanded, “Who’s pretending to be a ghost here?”

Had Si Wan not reacted swiftly, she would have been the one knocked to the ground.

The stench of alcohol hung in the air, and Si Wan’s expression grew even colder. She raised her phone to shine the light directly on the man’s face.

Sheng Zhen watched the man on the ground, her eyes swirling with obscure emotions. A flicker of murderous intent passed through her gaze, her unrestrained, menacing aura evoking fear.

“You should kill him, Si Wan.” she said, each word dripping with undisguised malice, like a cruel command.

Si Wan couldn’t explain to her that murder was against the law. She merely narrowed her eyes, staring coldly at the man beneath her foot, and repeated, “Who are you, really?”

The man seemed to finally snap back to reality, but the excruciating pain that followed, spreading through his limbs, made him writhe in agony on the muddy ground like a maggot. His mouth, too, was far from idle.

“You son of a bitch! Just you wait, I’ll kill you! First, I’ll f*ck you, then I’ll chop you up and feed you to the dogs!”

Liquor might embolden a man, but clearly, his courage had been misplaced.

Si Wan had already lifted her foot from his face. As if deaf to his vulgar insults, she glanced at the mud staining his clothes, paused briefly, then lowered her head to continue fiddling with her phone.

“F*cking…”

Just as Si Wan finished setting up her phone, she heard this and abruptly kicked him hard in the stomach.

“I’m calling the police! Don’t think just because you’re from the city, I can’t do anything to you! Today, I’ll make sure you end up in jail! Either pay up or rot behind bars!”

Si Wan paid no further attention to his threats.

“How dare you threaten her?!”

But Sheng Zhen, upon hearing this, flashed a murderous glint in her eyes. Her icy hand clamped around his throat, tightening relentlessly, causing his words to break into fragments. The suffocating sensation filled him with terror. Through blurred vision, he saw Si Wan still holding her phone expressionlessly, yet there was clearly no one in front of him.

The fear of the unknown turned his curses into screams. He could only feel a pair of hands gripping his neck, impossible to break free from. His struggles were futile, and despair crept into his eyes.

Si Wan walked over, crouched down, and gently placed her hand on that cold wrist, speaking softly.

“Don’t kill him.”

With Si Wan by her side, Sheng Zhen finally reined in her murderous aura, though the coldness in her eyes remained undiminished.

“Why not? He insulted you!”

Si Wan remained calm and replied, “He’s drunk. If you kill him, I won’t be able to explain it away.”

Hearing this, Sheng Zhen relented but delivered a few more kicks to the man gasping on the ground. Crossing her arms, she said coldly, “According to the laws of my dynasty, drunken brawling and assault warrant fifty lashes. Add to that his intent to violate another, both crimes combined, he deserves execution.”

Her tone was lofty, every word dripping with boundless killing intent.

Sheng Zhen raised an eyebrow, her voice laced with displeasure and sarcasm. “What? After a thousand years, has the law regressed? Now it’s the victim’s fault?”

Si Wan was momentarily speechless before finally responding, “Being drunk is just their excuse…”

Before she could finish, Sheng Zhen cut her off. “Then his crime is even greater.”

Her gaze turned fierce as she stared at the man crawling on the ground, as if she wished she could tear him apart limb by limb.

“Why have you become so merciful?” Sheng Zhen asked, studying her as if trying to see someone else through her.

“This is a society governed by law now.” Seeing that she couldn’t reason with Sheng Zhen, Si Wan could only reply helplessly.

Sheng Zhen’s expression grew even more mocking, but her eyes couldn’t help but flicker toward Si Wan as she asked, seemingly offhandedly, “Are you hurt?”

Suddenly being cared for by a female ghost left Si Wan momentarily bewildered, but she still answered, “I’m fine. I’m not hurt.”

Not to mention that the man had been kicked to the ground the moment he tried to lunge at her, let alone the fact that only she knew the full extent of her strength from years of training. Right now, the one who should be more worried was the person lying on the ground.

Thinking of the man on the ground, Si Wan glanced over, turned on her phone’s recording function again, and walked toward him.

Faced with Si Wan’s steady approach, the man trembled like a leaf. He had just seen her talking to thin air, and he himself had almost been strangled by something invisible.

“A ghost? Are you a ghost?!”

Si Wan glanced at her phone, then spoke coldly.

“I’m not, but you are.”

“I’m dead…” the man muttered to himself, staring at Si Wan’s phone pointed at him.

Ignoring the man’s delirium, Si Wan spoke, her calm tone sending chills down his spine.

“You can still see clearly enough to know that I’m human, and a woman at that.”

“Next, I’ll ask a few questions.”

…