My Partner Always Wants to Dig My Grave - Chapter 15

“That belongs to me!”

Sheng Zhen’s voice was icy, like sharp wind blades ready to slice someone into a thousand pieces. The sudden oppressive aura she exuded sent chills down one’s spine and made hearts tremble.

Her cold, arrogant expression was akin to looking down at ants beneath her feet.

The crimson hem of her dress fluttered in the wind as her exquisitely embroidered red shoes, woven with expensive gold thread, stomped harshly onto the outstretched hand. Though no sound of bones cracking was heard, the owner of the hand felt as if a thousand-pound boulder were crushing it. His fingers barely managed to brush the corner of the cloth wrapping the object.

Si Wan, who had initially reached out, froze upon hearing Sheng Zhen’s sudden exclamation. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of the other’s current appearance.

Sheng Zhen had always disguised herself well, making Si Wan almost believe she was merely a ghost with a good temper, albeit occasionally stubborn and prone to fits of anger. She had forgotten that the dress Sheng Zhen wore was soaked in blood.

“What’s going on? Why can’t I move my hand?!”

The fake Taoist’s panicked voice snapped Si Wan out of her thoughts. Her gaze then fell upon Sheng Zhen, uncertain whether to pick up the object on the ground or leave it be.

After all, judging by Sheng Zhen’s tone earlier, this object must hold extraordinary significance to her. Si Wan dared not imagine what would happen if she touched it without permission, whether the female ghost would turn on her with the same ruthless killing intent she had shown toward the fake Taoist beneath her feet.

Sheng Zhen seemed to sense Si Wan’s hesitation. The cold murderous intent on her face vanished the moment her eyes met Si Wan’s, replaced by a cheerful smile.

“It’s our thing. Why are you afraid to take it?”

“Professor Si, what are you doing? What’s wrong with him?”

Song Yan walked over, puzzled. After observing Si Wan’s actions, she noticed the fake Taoist writhing on the ground and followed his resentful gaze to the long, slender object that had spilled out of the unwrapped cloth bundle.

“What is this?”

As she reached out to pick it up, Si Wan, reacting quickly, snatched it first and scolded her with a hint of sternness.

“Don’t touch it!”

Song Yan: ??

Although Si Wan didn’t acknowledge Sheng Zhen’s claim of it being “our thing,” she understood that Sheng Zhen only permitted her to handle it. Unsure whether Sheng Zhen would retaliate if someone else touched it, she acted swiftly to grab the object and the cloth bundle before Song Yan could.

“Professor Si?” Song Yan looked at Si Wan, even more confused.

Si Wan shook her head slightly. How could she explain such an absurd situation, that a female ghost was watching over them?

Her attention then turned to the hairpin in her hand. The pin was slender, and its design was not particularly rare among recently unearthed artifacts. However, it was made of flawless jade, free of any impurities. Under the light of her phone, she could see the intricate patterns carved into it.

This confirmed that the owner of such a hairpin was no ordinary person.

Lost in thought, Si Wan didn’t notice Sheng Zhen approaching her. A pale, elegant hand reached out and gently stroked the hairpin in her grasp, inevitably brushing against her own hand in the process.

The icy touch sent a shiver through her. Si Wan slightly lifted her gaze, only to see the person before her lower their head with an expression that seemed both earnest and nostalgic, stirring a flood of unfamiliar yet familiar images in her mind.

A crisp sound of something hitting the ground echoed, and from behind her came a familiar voice, tinged with impatience and frustration.

“I told you to wait! Are you deaf?”

The speaker seemed unreasonable, yet Si Wan felt not the slightest trace of annoyance in her heart.

“Found it at last…”

Sheng Zhen’s murmured words gradually overlapped with the memory of someone who shouldn’t exist, abruptly pulling Si Wan’s thoughts back to reality. When she looked at Sheng Zhen again, she heard the other speak with a gentle smile.

“Thank you. I’m very happy.”

Her demeanor was as if she had entrusted her most precious possession to the person she trusted most.

But the scope of that trust was something Si Wan couldn’t quite grasp.

Meanwhile, the fake Taoist priest, having discovered he could move again, flexed his wrist gleefully and scrambled to his feet. Spotting the object in Si Wan’s hand, his greed overshadowed the earlier eerie events, and he boldly accused her.

“Judging by your attire, you seem like a cultured person. How could you snatch someone else’s property right in front of them?”

A seasoned swindler, he lied without batting an eye. Knowing such people prized their reputation, he tried to smear Si Wan’s name, hoping to pressure her into handing over the item.

But the fake priest had clearly underestimated Si Wan. Instead of surrendering the object, she calmly slipped it into her pocket right before his eyes. Enraged, he glared, itching to snatch it back.

“Your property? What audacity!” Sheng Zhen coldly interjected beside Si Wan.

Sheng Zhen’s blood-red eyes flickered with killing intent once more, her words carrying the weight of an irresistible command.

“Si Wan, kill him.”

Hearing this, Si Wan’s expression shifted slightly. She shook her head at Sheng Zhen, only to be met with a displeased, icy snort.

As if accustomed to such reactions, Si Wan’s eyes softened with resignation. After carefully storing the item away, her gaze turned sharp and intimidating as she addressed the fake priest, her voice laced with a pressure that instilled fear.

“Sir, based on my observations, this appears to be a burial artifact from a thousand years ago. If you claim it’s yours, I must inquire about its origin. If it was obtained through tomb raiding, I ought to escort you to the police station.”

Her tone remained calm, yet each word bore down like a heavy weight, growing more terrifying with every syllable.

Sweat beaded on the fake priest’s forehead. Her words filled him with dread. Used to being respected, he was now at a loss facing such a formidable opponent. Forcing an awkward laugh, he quickly backtracked.

“I was just joking! How could this possibly be mine? I’m a law-abiding citizen, I’d never engage in such shady dealings.”

Stealing nervous glances at Si Wan, as if afraid she might actually drag him to the police, he shuddered upon meeting her eyes. Without hesitation, he grabbed his belongings from the ground and fled.

“How shameless! Slandering Professor Si, then running off when he couldn’t win the argument.”

Liu Yaoyao spoke indignantly and was about to chase after them, but Si Wan and Song Yan stopped her.

“It’s too dark, don’t chase them.” Si Wan said.

Song Yan and Liu Yaoyao could only grumble a few more times to themselves, but they knew it wasn’t safe to pursue someone in such darkness.

“Professor Si, what was that thing just now? It looked like an ancient hairpin to me.”

Song Yan only then remembered the object Si Wan had picked up from the ground and asked her about it.

“It’s a hairpin, the one he took away.”

Si Wan had no intention of hiding it. After speaking, she glanced at Liu Er’gou, who was lying unconscious on the ground.

“Ah? Did Second Uncle really hide something?”

Liu Yaoyao was surprised, but upon reflection, Liu Er’gou probably hadn’t been taken to the hospital by Liu Fang. After all, they all believed hospitals would swindle them out of their money, and being misers, they were unwilling to go anyway. It was only because Liu Er’gou seemed to be on the verge of death that Liu Fang took him to a small clinic in town for a quick checkup before bringing him back. Then, they hastily arranged for an exorcism ritual. During his frenzied episodes, it was difficult for anyone to get close to him, let alone discover he was hiding something on his person.

“Professor Si, how did you know it was on him?” Song Yan frowned, seemingly unable to figure it out.

But Si Wan didn’t offer a reasonable explanation. Instead, she fell silent, gazing thoughtfully in an unoccupied direction before finally speaking softly.

“Intuition.”

Song Yan and Liu Yaoyao: “…”

They had never heard such an absurd statement from Si Wan before. Instinctively, they thought she had been possessed by some unknown ghost and immediately looked at her in terror.

Si Wan met their frightened eyes silently and said, “Why do you look like you’ve seen a ghost?”

After speaking, she subtly glanced at Sheng Zhen beside her.

“Suspecting me again?”

Sheng Zhen looked innocent, reaching into Si Wan’s pocket to feel for something. Only when her fingers brushed against the warm, smooth texture did she relax. Then, she twirled a strand of Si Wan’s hair around her finger and said, “I’ve told you, I have no interest in scaring children, but…”

She paused, deliberately tugging the strand of hair and watching as Si Wan’s brow furrowed slightly. Leaning close to Si Wan’s ear, she chuckled softly, her tone teasing.

“I just enjoy scaring hypocrites like you.”

With others watching, Si Wan clenched and unclenched her hand, wanting to cover Sheng Zhen’s mouth. Her expression remained calm, but inwardly, she felt as if she were weathering a storm.

Just then, Liu Fang came out carrying several cups of water in disposable containers and apologized, “Sorry, Professor. There was some stubborn sand in my eye, took me a while to get it out. Come, come, since you’re all here, how could I let you leave without a drink?”

She brought the water over to Si Wan, which conveniently resolved Si Wan’s awkward situation.

“Thank you.”

After expressing her gratitude, Si Wan watched as Liu Fang went to check on Liu Er’gou on the ground.

“Oh my goodness! What happened here? I was only inside for a moment, and he’s gotten worse? That so-called mystic must be useless, just trying to cheat us out of our money!”

As she spoke, she remembered the money she had given away and began cursing angrily, even kicking the unconscious man on the ground a few times in frustration.

“You good-for-nothing waste of money! Why are you lying there playing dead?!”

Seeing it was someone else’s family matter, Si Wan thought it inappropriate to intervene. Liu Yaoyao stepped forward and said, “Aunt, it’s getting late. I should take Professor Si back now.”

Liu Fang gave the person on the ground two more kicks before responding to Liu Yaoyao, “So soon? I haven’t even had a chance to exchange a few words with the educated folks.”

Liu Yaoyao glanced awkwardly at Si Wan and the others. Then, Song Yan approached with a polite smile and said, “Perhaps another day. Besides, you have matters to attend to here, don’t you?”

Liu Fang didn’t press further and replied, “Well, make sure you come back. You scholars must know plenty of ways to make money. Remember to share some tips with your aunt when you return.”

This time, it was Song Yan’s turn to feel awkward, but she still nodded politely before leaving the place with Si Wan.

On the way back, led by Liu Yaoyao, Sheng Zhen beside Si Wan seemed somewhat excited and spoke in a cheerful tone, “Look, haven’t I preserved it well?”

Somehow, Si Wan sensed a hint of seeking praise in the other’s demeanor.

“I sought out the finest craftsmen and used the best materials to create this mechanical box…”

As Sheng Zhen elaborated on the immense effort and resources she had devoted to preserving a single hairpin, Si Wan listened quietly, unconsciously reaching into her pocket to touch the hairpin. In her mind, the words she had vaguely heard before resurfaced.

The voice had been Sheng Zhen’s, yet Si Wan was certain Sheng Zhen hadn’t spoken those words aloud at the time.

So why had Sheng Zhen’s voice inexplicably echoed in her mind?

Si Wan lowered her gaze, lost in thought as her fingers brushed against the hairpin in her pocket.

The hairpin felt smooth and warm to the touch, not cold in the slightest.

As she traced the intricate design of the hairpin, a dull ache inexplicably pierced her heart. It spread like a thousand needles pricking through her bones, tormenting her with unbearable agony.

Her vision grew blurred and distorted, and all she could see was the faint, smiling figure of a female ghost floating in the air, familiar yet strangely distant.

…