My Partner Always Wants to Dig My Grave - Chapter 39

Si Wan’s ears were filled with the shocked and anxious voices of those around her. The piercing neigh of a horse echoed beside her, and the sight of hooves rearing high was alarmingly close.

Her expression sharpened instantly. She took a swift step back and turned sideways, narrowly avoiding the hooves that lunged toward her.

The onlookers, relieved to see Si Wan unharmed, had no time to catch their breath before chaos erupted again as the horse continued to rampage. Amid the noisy crowd, someone shouted frantically:

“Everyone, get out of the way! If you die, don’t expect compensation.”

The voice, eager to shirk responsibility, rose above the horse’s frantic neighing, drawing the animal’s attention. The horse charged madly toward the source of the sound.

The villagers who had been watching the commotion panicked immediately, pushing and shoving each other in a desperate attempt to escape. Many were knocked to the ground, cursing and shouting until they remembered the approaching horse. As the horse drew nearer, fear paralyzed those who had fallen, rendering them unable to stand, their bodies seemingly out of their control.

Si Wan’s eyes narrowed slightly, and a flicker of terrifying killing intent flashed in the depths of her indifferent pupils.

Though she had never studied horsemanship, the moment she saw the horse, a deeply ingrained memory surfaced, much like the time in the tomb when she had effortlessly picked up a spear and wielded it with ease.

A faint intuition told her she knew how to handle this, and she could even kill the horse on the spot.

Before Si Wan could act, Sheng Zhen, standing nearby, seemed to sense her intention. Initially unwilling to intervene, Sheng Zhen caught a glimpse of the emotion in Si Wan’s eyes.

Her expression shifted subtly, and she raised a hand to stop Si Wan. As Si Wan looked at her in confusion, Sheng Zhen spoke in a tone that brooked no argument:

“Let me handle this.”

Without waiting for Si Wan to react, Sheng Zhen’s figure swept past her. The crimson hem of her robe fluttered, brushing lightly against the back of Si Wan’s hand like a soothing gesture.

Si Wan frowned slightly, her gaze fixed on the retreating figure. Unconcealed worry filled her eyes, and she instinctively reached out, afraid the other might get hurt.

Her hand closed on empty air, leaving her momentarily stunned. The killing intent that had gleamed in her eyes moments earlier vanished without a trace.

Ear-splitting cries mingled with the horse’s sharp neighs, snapping the crowd back to reality. They stared fearfully at the out-of-control horse, while those on the ground had turned pale with terror, their sobs choked in their throats.

“Be careful,” Si Wan said, though no one knew whom she was truly worried for.

By the time her words were spoken, Sheng Zhen had already leaped gracefully onto the horse’s back. Her movements were fluid and precise. Realizing there were no reins, she gripped the horse’s mane firmly to control its movements, handling the situation with effortless ease.

Sheng Zhen’s intervention redirected the horse’s hooves just as they were about to strike someone.

The sudden turn made it seem as though someone was guiding the horse from its back.

Yet, only Si Wan could see any of this.

The figure on the horse glanced back, her eyes sparkling like a galaxy of stars, radiant and captivating.

In that distant, fleeting gaze, no mountains or rivers could hinder the pull drawing one toward the other.

The wildly galloping horse was brought under control as Sheng Zhen rode over. Si Wan looked up to see the figure backlit by the fading sunset glow from the distant mountains, which seemed to cast a halo around her, making her silhouette indistinct. All that remained clear in sight was the fluttering hem of her dress, so vividly striking that one couldn’t look away.

Everyone watched with bated breath as the horse grew docile, almost as if deliberately controlled, and moved to stand beside Si Wan.

“Si Wan, are you alright?” Guan Yue had hurried up from the tomb and anxiously inquired, not bothering to question why the horse had suddenly changed its temperament.

It was only then that the others snapped out of their shock from the earlier danger and began expressing their concern for Si Wan.

Si Wan shook her head slightly to indicate she was unharmed. Her cold eyes swept over the haphazardly placed caution tape and the villagers who had narrowly escaped death, now being helped to their feet by the police. With an indifferent expression, she asked, “Where did this horse come from?”

Her gaze was sharp and chilling, like a frigid river, evoking an involuntary sense of dread. Though her words were polite, they carried an intensity that made it hard to meet her eyes.

After ensuring the injured villagers were comforted, Nian Nian approached, her expression serious and apologetic. “My apologies, professors. It was my oversight in the arrangements. Thankfully, none of the staff were harmed.”

Si Wan nodded, her eyes scanning the crowd again, as if settling on a particular person.

Those who had just returned to the surface were unaware of what had happened above, while those on the ground had only seen the horse charge in suddenly, with no time to react. None knew who was truly responsible, but they had all heard the shouts during the chaos.

“If no one claims it, then take it away,” Si Wan declared.

The crowd exchanged uneasy glances. The person hiding among them, who had been stealing glances at Si Wan, grew nervous under her scrutiny. Seeing their horse about to be led away, they pushed through the crowd blocked by the police and shouted hoarsely, “It’s mine! My family bought it!”

Hearing the voice, everyone turned to look.

The person, red-faced, squeezed out from the crowd but was stopped by Nian Nian. Frustrated, they insisted, “It really is mine! We just bought it! The police can’t just take people’s things!”

Nian Nian smiled and replied, “We believe you, but you’ll need to come with us to assist in the investigation regarding the damages caused.”

Upon hearing this, the person widened their eyes and waved their hands dismissively. “I said I wouldn’t take responsibility earlier! You can’t pin this on me!”

Guan Yue had initially intended to avoid arguing, but at those words, she retorted, “How can you be like this? Even if no materials were lost, injuring people is serious…”

At the mention of compensation, the person’s expression shifted, and they interrupted Guan Yue forcefully. “But nothing happened, right?!”

Seeing their unreasonable attitude, Guan Yue grew even angrier and was about to say more when Si Wan stopped her.

Sheng Zhen smiled, her crimson eyes filled with coldness as she looked down at the person and said, “What an utterly unreasonable individual. To disturb me in my own domain and still argue so shamelessly.”

“Si Wan, kill her.”

Each word dripped with a sinister, eerie menace.

Si Wan knew Sheng Zhen was worried, if she had reacted even a moment slower earlier, she wouldn’t be standing here speaking now.

Helpless, Si Wan could only give an almost imperceptible shake of her head, signaling that it wasn’t acceptable.

No matter how intense Sheng Zhen’s killing intent was, she still listened to Si Wan. With a cold snort, she turned her head away, angrily tugging at the mane of the horse beneath her.

The pain made the horse retreat a few steps, startling the previously arrogant person into stumbling backward and shrieking, “You beast, stay away from me!”

Just then, Liu Yaoyao, who had been helping out here over the past few days, finished her tasks and walked over upon hearing the commotion. She frowned but spoke in confusion after recognizing who the person was. “Auntie, what are you doing here? And what’s going on with this horse?”

Liu Fang didn’t dare face Si Wan directly but rolled her eyes at Liu Yaoyao and raised her voice. “It’s all because of that deadbeat at home, still acting like a ghost. The master said we need horse urine. I thought it could cure everything, just like in those TV dramas, so I went through all the trouble to buy this old horse…”

Liu Fang rambled on without getting to the point. After picking up a few keywords, Si Wan interrupted her before she could continue. “Then why did you come here?”

Interrupted, Liu Fang looked displeased, but when she met Si Wan’s indifferent gaze, she immediately fell silent. When she spoke again, her tone carried a hint of guilt. “Well, you can’t blame me! No matter what I said or did, this horse just wouldn’t urinate. So, I gave it water, thinking it would work by evening. But the moment I looked away, that deadbeat somehow got up, holding a knife. He saw the horse tied in the yard, started shouting about ghosts, and chased after it, stabbing it…”

Si Wan frowned and cut her off, turning to look at the horse Sheng Zhen was riding. Indeed, there were several wounds on the horse’s belly that looked like knife stabs, bleeding steadily.

Her gaze drifted upward to Sheng Zhen, who sat atop the horse, looking down at everyone with an imposing and heroic demeanor. Her elegance, tinged with arrogance, only added to her breathtaking allure.

After a moment’s thought, Si Wan reached out and gently touched the horse’s back, but her real intention was to help Sheng Zhen dismount.

Sheng Zhen, being a female ghost, could naturally float down, yet she still followed Si Wan’s lead, descending with the same grace and confidence as she once had.

Once Sheng Zhen was standing steadily beside her, Si Wan lifted her eyes and spotted Ma Banxian hiding in the crowd. Recognizing him as the fake Taoist from before, she spoke calmly, “If you’re sick, you should go to the hospital.”

Liu Fang failed to catch the underlying sarcasm in Si Wan’s words and merely nodded repeatedly, about to complain again when Si Wan spoke once more. “Since everything’s settled, everyone should pack up and head back now.”

Seeing that there was nothing left to watch, the villagers dispersed and returned home.

Liu Fang struggled to lead the horse away, while Liu Yaoyao stood to the side, thinking for a moment before stepping forward to subtly advise her, “Auntie, Uncle’s condition isn’t something folk remedies can fix.”

Liu Fang waved her hand impatiently and said, “This isn’t just any folk remedy, it’s incredibly effective. You wouldn’t understand.”

Ma Banxian, who hadn’t left with the other villagers, hurried over and grumbled irritably, “You young ladies are so disrespectful. This is nothing short of slandering the divine!”

Liu Yaoyao wanted to say more, but Si Wan stepped forward to stop her, shaking her head slightly and speaking in a low voice.

“Forget it.”

By this time, Song Yan had already packed her things and walked over. Frowning as she approached Liu Yaoyao, she said, “They won’t listen. Even if you mean well, it’s useless.”

The title of “Half-Immortal” had been around for years. Even with annual efforts to educate people about the law, it couldn’t compete with the speed of brainwashing. Despite their good intentions, they were powerless.

Si Wan’s gaze fell upon Ma Banxian the Half-Immortal, who had been arrogant just moments before. She noticed him studying her intently. Perhaps because it wasn’t yet dark and there were many people around, he seemed emboldened.

Then, Si Wan realized he wasn’t looking at her but rather observing Sheng Zhen beside her. Without stopping to consider whether he could actually see Sheng Zhen, she instinctively stepped forward, shielding Sheng Zhen, and asked coldly, “Is there something else?”

Ma Banxian the Half-Immortal chuckled mysteriously. “You’ve dug something up, haven’t you?”

Guan Yue sneered and retorted sharply, “What? you fraud, trying to get your hands on cultural relics? Careful, or you’ll end up in prison for a few years.”

Ma Banxian the Half-Immortal gave Si Wan a malicious look and said, “That’s not what I meant.”

He was certain that with so many people and police around, Si Wan wouldn’t dare act. But he underestimated whether Sheng Zhen, standing beside her, would be restrained by such considerations.

…