My Sweet Little Flower Turned Out to Be a Sinister Ghost - Chapter 24

“I’ll go find her.”…

Early the next morning, the sound of knocking pulled Song Yuehua from her sleep. Rubbing her eyes, she opened the door, her hair still a messy tangle. She watched as the movers loaded cardboard boxes and bookshelves onto the truck, and between yawns, she reminded them, “Be careful!”

Only after the truck, loaded with most of her belongings, had driven away did Song Yuehua retreat into the now-empty old apartment. She stuffed the last few personal items into her backpack, then scooped up Song Xiaomi, who was curled up napping on the sofa, and tucked him into a translucent cat carrier. The little guy let out a dissatisfied “meow,” his paws pressing against the mesh as he peered out.

Standing at the doorway, Song Yuehua glanced back at the apartment she had lived in for several months. She took a deep breath, gently closed the door, and turned to walk toward the neighborhood entrance.

While waiting for the taxi, she watched the people coming and going around her, elderly folks carrying grocery baskets, students with backpacks slung over their shoulders.

Suddenly, Song Yuehua felt a pang of unease, as if someone was watching her from behind. She spun around abruptly.

Behind her stood a man holding a briefcase, startled by her sudden movement. His eyes were full of confusion, and he instinctively took half a step back.

“Sorry, I mistook you for someone else,” Song Yuehua quickly apologized with a bow, though her heart was racing. For a moment, she had thought he was someone sent by Song Yuelan. The man scratched his head, muttered “It’s fine,” and hurried away.

But the peace lasted less than two minutes before the feeling of being watched returned. Song Yuehua pressed her lips together, pretending to adjust the cat carrier while quickly scanning her surroundings.

She didn’t spot anyone suspicious, yet the inexplicable chill down her spine persisted.

She pulled out her phone and checked the ride-hailing app, the taxi was one minute away.

Tucking her phone back into her pocket, Song Yuehua lowered her head, pretending to wait for the taxi as usual.

When the taxi arrived, she practically flung the door open and slid inside, immediately changing the destination on the ride.

Song Yuehua remained on high alert.

For the rest of the morning, she took Song Xiaomi to several different locations, glancing back each time to make sure no one was following her.

It wasn’t until the sun was high overhead and the feeling of being watched had completely vanished that she dared to hail another taxi and give the address of her new apartment.

The taxi stopped at the entrance of the residential complex. After paying the fare, Song Yuehua carried the cat carrier and walked inside.

She followed the familiar path, but as she turned the corner lined with plane trees, her steps suddenly halted.

It was Bai Qingyu.

She stood not far away, holding several grocery bags, some filled with fresh greens, another transparent bag revealing half a carrot. She had clearly just returned from the market.

“Yuehua!”

Before Song Yuehua could react, her feet had already carried her in the direction of the voice.

As she drew closer, she noticed a few strands of hair at Bai Qingyu’s temples damp with sweat, clinging to her cheeks. She was holding three or four bulging grocery bags.

Song Yuehua hurried over and, without a word, took the bags from her.

“What are you doing here?” Bai Qingyu asked, puzzled.

Song Yuehua hadn’t expected to run into Bai Qingyu like this. Her mind went blank, and she could only stammer, “I-I…” Her eyes unconsciously drifted toward the nearby plane trees, avoiding Bai Qingyu’s gaze.

Bai Qingyu tilted her head, watching her with what seemed like patience.

Song Yuehua finally managed to utter a sentence, her voice as faint as a mosquito’s buzz, her eyes fixed stubbornly on the tips of her shoes. “It’s just… I have something to take care of. It won’t take long.”

“Alright,” Bai Qingyu shrugged helplessly and reached out to take the grocery bag back, her fingertips already brushing the edge. “Then let me have it. Go handle your business, don’t let it wait. These groceries aren’t heavy.”

“No, no need!” Song Yuehua quickly took half a step back. “I’ll help you carry them upstairs. It’s no trouble at all!”

Bai Qingyu watched her for a moment, observing how tightly she gripped the bag, then said, “Okay.”

The two walked side by side up to the sixth floor. Song Yuehua set the bag down by the door and, before Bai’s mother could lift the curtain to greet them, waved toward the inside and chirped brightly, “Auntie, I’m heading off now! I’ll visit again next time!” With that, she turned and dashed down the stairs.

By the time Bai’s mother stepped out, all she caught was a glimpse of Song Yuehua’s clothes disappearing around the stairwell corner. She couldn’t help but shake her head with a smile. “That girl runs faster than a rabbit. So full of energy.”

She turned to look at Bai Qingyu, who was bending over to pick up the grocery bag, and her tone softened with a mix of guilt and gentle persuasion. “I’m much better now. In a little while, I can go out and find some light work. You shouldn’t push yourself so hard either. Go out and have fun with Yuehua, go shopping or watch a movie like other young girls do. Don’t always focus on me and the house. Overthinking will only wear you out.”

Bai Qingyu stood at the kitchen sink washing vegetables, the water rushing over the leaves. At her mother’s words, her hands paused briefly, droplets falling from the greens into the sink with soft, scattered sounds. Her voice was calm. “You know I don’t care for those things.”

“There’s no harm in trying,” her mother said, walking to the kitchen doorway and gazing at her daughter’s slender profile. Though only in her early twenties, Bai Qingyu always carried a maturity beyond her years. Her mother’s voice softened further, tinged with self-reproach. “It’s my fault for holding you back. If you’d been born into an ordinary family, you wouldn’t have to work so hard. You could’ve studied and enjoyed yourself like other kids.”

Bai Qingyu said nothing.

She had heard these words many times since her mother fell ill. From a young age, she had understood, it wasn’t her mother’s fault, but that of the irresponsible man who had left them.

She turned the faucet to a gentler stream and picked up a kitchen knife to chop the vegetables. The rhythm of the blade against the cutting board slowed almost imperceptibly.

“By the way, before my surgery, didn’t Yuehua give me a red-string talisman for protection? Since the surgery went so well, why don’t you go with her to the temple to give thanks? It would also show our appreciation, she went out of her way to get that talisman for me.” Worried her daughter might refuse, she added cautiously, “Is that okay?”

The kitchen fell silent for a few seconds, the only sound the soft chopping of vegetables. Then Bai Qingyu’s voice came, quiet but clear. “I’ll go when you’re well enough to walk on your own.”

“Good! Good!” Her mother’s face immediately brightened, the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes smoothing out as her tone lifted with delight.

“And one more thing, don’t always wait for Yuehua to come to you. She has to climb six flights of stairs every time, it’s quite a trek. You should take the initiative to visit her too. Young people need to spend time together to keep their bond strong.”

“Mm,” Bai Qingyu responded softly but distinctly. “I’ll go see her.”

After fleeing from the Bai residence, Song Yuehua didn’t stop running until she reached the third floor in one breath.

She pushed the door open and entered the living room, where several packed cardboard boxes were stacked.

Song Yuehua placed the cat carrier on the sofa. As soon as she unzipped it a crack, Song Xiaomi eagerly squeezed out, arching his back in a big stretch. The tip of his tail brushed softly against the back of her hand.

Then, he began patrolling the living room with feline grace, sniffing at the sofa armrest one moment and pawing at the corners of the cardboard boxes the next, occasionally letting out a “meow” as if evaluating, “This place isn’t too bad.”

Since the original furniture wasn’t too old, Song Yuehua decided to keep using it, planning only to buy some additional decorations.

After a busy afternoon, she had unpacked and organized everything from the boxes. But when she opened the last one at the bottom, she paused.

Inside was the locked case. Though she still couldn’t remember the password to open it, she had brought it along anyway.

Maybe one day she’d remember the code, Song Yuehua thought optimistically.

She placed it under the main bedroom wardrobe, in the same spot as it had been in her old apartment.

Only after finishing the unpacking did Song Yuehua realize how hungry she was. The refrigerator in her new home was completely empty, not even a bottle of water inside.

She patted her stomach, changed her shoes, and headed out to buy groceries. But just as her hand touched the doorknob, she hesitated.

What if she ran into Bai Qingyu again? Wouldn’t that be too much of a coincidence? She reassured herself: How likely is that? She’s probably still at home chatting with her mother. Clinging to this bit of hope, she gently pulled the door open.

The supermarket at the entrance of the residential complex wasn’t very large. Song Yuehua headed straight for the vegetable section and bought enough ingredients to last her several days.

Just as she was about to check out, a promotional announcement suddenly came over the supermarket’s loudspeaker.

Song Yuehua pricked up her ears and listened carefully, it was a sale on cups.

Her eyes immediately lit up, and she hurriedly pushed her shopping cart in that direction.

The shelves were filled with all kinds of cups: cartoon-patterned mugs, transparent glass cups, and ceramic cups with tea infusers. She was dazzled by the variety and, after some hesitation, resolutely picked three.

As she placed the cups into her cart, she couldn’t resist glancing back a couple of times, restraining herself from taking more.

Suddenly, she heard a soft voice beside her.

“Sister Yuehua?”

Song Yuehua’s heart tightened, her expression instantly turning serious. Could she really have run into someone she knew by such a coincidence?

But when she turned around, she saw Qin Zhen standing by the shelves, holding a small shopping basket, her eyes sparkling as she looked at her.

Song Yuehua let out a sigh of relief, patted her chest, and smiled. “You scared me! I thought it was someone else! What are you here to buy?”

Qin Zhen’s ears turned slightly red. She clutched the handle of her shopping basket, lowering her head a little shyly, her voice soft. “It’s Qingyuan’s birthday in a few days. I wanted to buy her a gift, but I’ve been browsing for a while and still haven’t decided.”

“Oh~ I see!” Song Yuehua’s eyes lit up. She leaned over to peek into Qin Zhen’s basket, which only contained a bag of chips and a few pens, and immediately clapped her hands. “Then I should prepare a gift for Qingyuan too! It wouldn’t be right if I didn’t.”

“Do you know what she likes?” Song Yuehua moved a little closer.

Qin Zhen shook her head, resting her finger on her chin as she thought carefully. “I’m not sure. She’s never mentioned what she likes, and I’ve never seen anything special in her room.”

“So, what are you planning to give her?” Song Yuehua asked again.

Qin Zhen glanced back discreetly at the shelf filled with cups before whispering, “I want to give her a cup.”

Song Yuehua nodded thoughtfully. “Does she like dolls? The fluffy kind?”

Qin Zhen frowned in contemplation but ultimately shook her head. “I’ve never seen any. Her room only has books and workbooks, not even a trace of a plush toy. Maybe she doesn’t like them.”

“Alright, I’ll think of something else then,” Song Yuehua replied.

Just then, Qin Zhen’s eyes lit up as she stared at Song Yuehua’s shopping basket, her tone brimming with anticipation. “Sister Yuehua, you bought so many groceries, are you going to Qingyuan’s for dinner again today?”

Song Yuehua froze for a second, then quickly waved her hands. “No, no, it’s just… for my own household.”

“Oh.” Qin Zhen’s shoulders slumped in disappointment.

Seeing her dejected expression, Song Yuehua’s heart softened. After checking that no one was nearby, she leaned in and whispered, “Actually, I’ve moved into this neighborhood, I live on the third floor now.”

“Really?” Qin Zhen’s eyes instantly sparkled.

“Really,” Song Yuehua confirmed with a nod.

“Can I come visit you sometime?” Qin Zhen asked.

“Of course!” Song Yuehua smiled warmly but quickly added, “But you have to keep it a secret. Don’t tell Sister Qingyu, I want to surprise her once I’ve settled in.”

“Mm! I won’t say a word!” Qin Zhen nodded earnestly, her eyes full of determination.

Song Yuehua remembered something else and hurriedly added, “Don’t tell Qingyuan either, or the surprise will be ruined.”

Qin Zhen’s ears turned red as she scratched her head sheepishly. “But… I’ve never been able to hide anything from Qingyuan since we were kids. She always knows when I’m lying.”

“It’s fine, you don’t have to actively hide it. Just don’t bring it up yourself,” Song Yuehua reassured her with a pat on the shoulder. “Even if she figures it out, just don’t spill the beans, okay?”

Relieved, Qin Zhen nodded firmly. “Okay, I’ll remember!”

“Have you finished picking something out?” Song Yuehua asked.

Qin Zhen scratched her head awkwardly. “Not yet. There are so many cup designs, I can’t decide which one looks best.”

“Take your time. No matter what you choose, Qingyuan will love it,” Song Yuehua encouraged with a smile. “What matters most to her is your thoughtfulness, not how expensive the gift is.”

Comforted by these words, Qin Zhen’s eyes brightened as she nodded vigorously. “Okay! I’ll take my time and choose carefully!”

“I’ll head off now. Come visit me sometime!” Song Yuehua said.

“Okay! Bye, Sister Yuehua!” Qin Zhen waved goodbye.

…

After much deliberation, Qin Zhen finally settled on an expensive thermos cup, one that would last a long time.

As she watched the cup being wrapped, she couldn’t help but smile.

Her steps were light and cheerful as she headed home.

But the moment she pushed the door open, her footsteps halted abruptly. Bai Qingyuan was sitting on the sofa, flipping through a math workbook, and glanced up at the sound.

Qin Zhen immediately hid the cup behind her back.

“What were you doing just now?” Bai Qingyuan asked.