My Partner Always Wants to Dig My Grave - Chapter 16

Countless figures seemed to rush past her, yet not a single cold breeze stirred. The cacophony of voices blended together like scenes from countless settings, making it increasingly difficult for Si Wan, standing still, to distinguish reality from illusion.

Suddenly, the distant voices became clear in Si Wan’s ears, jolting her back to her senses.

She lifted her gaze, trying to locate the source of the sound, when a figure no taller than her waist dashed past, barely brushing against her clothes, yet she felt nothing at all.

“What is this…?”

The words caught in her throat as she took in the child’s attire. Stunned, she stared, unable to speak for a long moment.

The child was not dressed in modern clothing but in ancient garb, with long hair tied high and a bright red hair ribbon fluttering in the wind.

That flash of crimson brought Sheng Zhen’s image to Si Wan’s mind, though it vanished as quickly as it appeared.

The child held a spear taller than themselves, its cold gleam reflecting the sunlight and dazzling Si Wan’s eyes, a stark reminder of its sharpness.

But soon, her attention was drawn to the surrounding pavilions, waterside terraces, ponds, and rockeries.

Si Wan walked toward a pavilion and, upon closer inspection, determined that the carved patterns were crafted with techniques from a thousand years ago, preserved flawlessly, a genuine artifact worthy of study.

Excitement welled up inside her, a faint smile curling her lips, her eyes alight with unwavering enthusiasm.

Yet her rationality abruptly pulled her back. A sharp vigilance flashed in her eyes as she surveyed her surroundings with a critical gaze.

Having worked in archaeology for so many years, how could she not realize that none of these things existed in her world?

Then… where was this?

Si Wan felt bewildered, unable to recall even the slightest memory of this place from over twenty years of her life.

“Mother.”

A young, joyful voice shattered the silence, drawing Si Wan’s gaze. For a moment, her view was obscured by a fluttering red hair ribbon, and in that instant of crimson, she seemed to see a river of blood flowing before her, suffocating her with its oppressive weight.

When she looked again, another figure approached.

Dressed in ancient-style robes, with hair adorned in a chignon and hairpins, every movement exuded grace and composure, as if she were a noble lady stepping out of an ancient painting.

Si Wan couldn’t make out the noblewoman’s face, or rather, she couldn’t see anyone’s face clearly. Every person who appeared seemed veiled in a mist, blurring the line between reality and illusion.

The noblewoman stopped before Si Wan, as if locking eyes with her, and then let out a soft, resigned laugh. She bent down, holding a clean handkerchief.

Si Wan seemed to sense something and shifted slightly to the side, making way. She watched as the handkerchief descended toward the child’s face, but before it could wipe away the grime, the child threw themselves into the noblewoman’s arms, chattering excitedly.

“You’re so grown now, yet still so reckless.”

There was no reproach in the noblewoman’s tone, only resignation as she gently patted the child’s head. She spoke again, her voice tinged with emotion.

“Tomorrow, you’ll follow your father and brother to the frontier. As your mother, I never wanted this…”

Before the words could fully leave her lips, the child in her arms lifted her head and cut her off with a crisp, determined voice, her eyes shining with the fearless excitement of a newborn calf.

“I want to go.”

As if afraid the noblewoman would truly change her mind and refuse, the child tightened her arms around her, gazing up with a pitiful expression.

The noblewoman seemed amused by her demeanor and decided to tease her, saying, “But if you go, you won’t be able to take all the treasures you’ve collected over the years.”

At this, the child’s expression froze momentarily. She furrowed her brow, deep in thought, before finally making up her mind and speaking again with unwavering resolve. “I want to go. To serve my country and earn glory in battle.”

Each word was spoken with undeniable certainty.

The noblewoman sighed softly, her hand gently stroking the child’s hair as she tidied the strands. When she spoke again, she managed a faint smile. “I was only teasing you. I’ll keep those trinkets safe for you.”

Si Wan stood to the side, her initial vigilance gradually fading, though her gaze remained fixed on the child who stood only waist-high. The face before her, though blurred, evoked a strange sense of familiarity, as if she had seen it somewhere before.

“I only hope you grow up safe and sound, free from worries all your life,” the noblewoman murmured softly, her eyes drifting toward the distant mountains, white clouds, and the cranes soaring across the sky.

Hearing these words, Si Wan’s expression froze for a moment. She stood there, stunned, her limbs feeling numb and immobile. As she slowly regained her senses, the warmth on her face made her raise a hand to touch it. Her fingertips met with damp heat.

Si Wan couldn’t recall the emotions she had just felt, nor could she understand where the moisture on her face had come from.

She watched as the noblewoman removed a hairpin from her own chignon, holding it in her hand and gently stroking it. Though Si Wan couldn’t clearly see her expression, she knew the woman was sighing with regret.

The design of the hairpin suddenly caught Si Wan’s eye, and a flicker of surprise crossed her face. Instinctively, she reached into her pocket, only to find it empty. Nothing was there.

Realizing this, she frantically checked every pocket on her person, but still found nothing.

“Is this… that female ghost’s hairpin?” Si Wan whispered, as if talking to herself, her eyes fixed on the object in the noblewoman’s hand. She seemed to want to examine every detail of it, as if comparing it to something.

The people here could neither hear Si Wan’s words nor see her presence. Their voices and language felt like echoes from the deepest recesses of memory.

The noblewoman handed the hairpin to the child, her voice still carrying a gentle warmth. “This was pinned in my hair by your grandmother on my wedding day. Though you are not yet of age, you will soon journey far with your father and brothers. Since I cannot be by your side to guide you, let this accompany you instead.”

“If someday you meet someone you love, give this to them. No matter their background or status, I will not object.”

Every word was filled with her hopes and expectations for the child.

The voices Si Wan heard grew fainter, as if the two figures before her were drifting further away. She could no longer make out what they were saying. The world around her dissolved into a jarring cacophony, piercing her ears and splitting her head with pain.

The person on the bed suddenly opened her eyes, staring into the pitch darkness before her. After a moment of dazed confusion, her hands tightened their grip on the blanket.

The frantic beating of her heart echoed like drumbeats in her chest, each thump distinct and clear beside her ears, as if demons would soon follow the sound to drag her down into hell.

“Si Wan, you’re awake.”

A delighted voice reached Si Wan’s ears, but before she could relax even slightly, an extremely pale face appeared before her eyes, so close that she could feel its damp, cold breath on her skin. The smile in those crimson eyes was utterly terrifying.

Si Wan’s hand moved faster than her mind, and she slapped the female ghost leaning over to check on her off the bed.

Ghosts couldn’t feel pain, but the sudden fall to the floor left her dazed for a moment. When she looked up at Si Wan in confusion, she saw that the other had buried her head under the blankets, her voice cold and sharp as she spoke.

“Turn on the light.”

Asking a ghost to turn on the lights, truly something only Si Wan would do.

Sheng Zhen stared resentfully at the lump on the bed for a moment, then reached out to tug at the blanket. Finding it unmovable, she snorted and turned to find the light switch from memory.

“The light’s on. Come out and let me hit you back.” Sheng Zhen said indignantly.

Ignoring the latter part, Si Wan breathed a sigh of relief before pulling the blanket down. She observed the surroundings for a moment and realized she was back in the homestay again.

As if sensing Si Wan’s confusion, Sheng Zhen kindly explained, “You suddenly fainted. Those two kids were worried about your condition, so they brought you here to rest first.”

Si Wan trusted Song Yan’s judgment; she must have already contacted Guan Yue by now.

Just as Si Wan was thinking this, a cup of water was handed to her. The rim touched the tip of her nose, the temperature was just right for drinking.

“Here, I didn’t want you to die of thirst.”

Sheng Zhen turned her head away, seemingly still angry about what had happened earlier.

Si Wan took the cup, accidentally brushing against the other’s fingers. The icy coldness served as a constant reminder that this was a ghost, not a human.

Yet despite this, Si Wan only felt the fear one might have toward a ghost, not disgust.

Memories of the dream flashed through her mind, and as she looked at the ghost’s profile, she couldn’t shake the feeling of familiarity.

She suspected that the person in her dream was connected to this ghost, especially the hairpin.

Holding the cup, Si Wan lowered her gaze and spoke apologetically, “I’m sorry.”

“Apologies are useless.”

Sheng Zhen pinched Si Wan’s cheek, pouting as she said, “I’m petty. I want to hit you back.”

Hearing this, Si Wan didn’t say anything more, simply replying with a soft “Mm.” and made no move to stop the hand playing with her face.

Staring at Si Wan’s distorted face under her pinching, Sheng Zhen seemed to recall something, turned her head, and laughed.

“Fine, you owe me one.”

Just then, the door was pushed open, and Liu Yaoyao’s puzzled voice came through. “I remember turning off the light. Why is it on again?”

Song Yan saw that Si Wan was already sitting up in bed, holding a cup of water.

“Professor Si, if you’re not feeling well, you should have called us to handle these things.”

Si Wan didn’t explain that it was a ghost who turned on the light and poured the water, merely nodding in response.

“Professor Si, do you need us to take you to the hospital later?” Song Yan asked with concern.

Si Wan raised a hand to rub her temples, then replied calmly, “No need. Do you remember the place I asked you to note down earlier?”

Song Yan nodded and said,
“You mean that cornfield? At the time, some of the corn there had been flattened, so it was quite easy to locate.”

Si Wan’s eyes flashed with a sharp, fleeting intensity as she replied,
“Get in touch with Professor Guan and have her bring her team there tomorrow morning.”

After a moment’s thought, she added,
“You might also need to contact the police, sorry to trouble you with that as well.”

“Professor Si, I’ll handle the police.” Liu Yaoyao interjected eagerly, raising her hand like an enthusiastic student in class.

Si Wan didn’t object. Once she had finished giving instructions, she seemed to recall something and asked,
“Where is that hairpin?”

At the question, Song Yan and Liu Yaoyao exchanged uneasy glances. Finally, Song Yan answered,
“After you fainted, we brought you here to rest. When we took off your coat, we tried to retrieve the hairpin, but we couldn’t find it in any of your pockets.”

Afraid that Si Wan might blame Song Yan, Liu Yaoyao quickly stepped forward and explained,
“We thought it might have fallen out of your pocket, so we retraced our steps several times to search. But it was as if it had vanished into thin air, we couldn’t find a trace of it.”

Hearing this, Si Wan frowned slightly. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the female ghost had styled her hair into a bun, and tucked into the updo was the very hairpin they had been searching for.

Noticing Si Wan’s gaze, Sheng Zhen turned toward her, a smug smile playing on her lips. With a hint of provocation, she glanced deliberately at the two women who couldn’t see her and said,
“You gave it to me.”

…