The Beauty with Terrible Luck Falls in Love with a Ghost - Chapter 17

Han Hai’er was in a good mood, and when she said she’d be measured, she truly was. Zuo Lihua drifted off to sleep trembling but without suffering any real distress.

This time, Han Hai’er was unbelievably gentle.

The next day, Zuo Lihua was awakened by her alarm clock, her head still resting on a pale, slender arm.

Her mind foggy, Zuo Lihua rolled over to check the wall clock, only to have her view blocked by skin as smooth and fair as jade.

Realizing in an instant what she was seeing, her eyes widened slightly. She then huffed and puffed as she turned over again, trying to banish the image from her mind.

Do not look at what is improper, do not look… she repeated to herself.

But she was caught. A hand gripped the back of her neck and turned her around.

A deep, magnetic voice sounded above her: “Trying to slip away? Was it not pleasing to look at?”

A question, yet the ghost made it sound like a statement.

Zuo Lihua tread carefully, afraid of touching anything she shouldn’t, not daring to let her eyes wander. “I was just turning over. It’s not… not that it wasn’t pleasing.”

“Then why won’t you look?”

Zuo Lihua: “…”

Holding her breath, she lifted her gaze.

Two seconds later, her eyes began to drift.

So big… and they felt so soft. Weren’t they smaller before? Wasn’t this ghost flat-chested?

What happened overnight? Did she… grow?

Han Hai’er was in high spirits.

She had picked up this person, whose face was lovely, even more so when flushed.

With her free hand, Han Hai’er grasped Zuo Lihua’s slender wrist. “Since you’ve already seen, why not test how they feel?”

Zuo Lihua stiffened all over, watching in horror as her own guilty hand was forced to cover a place that, by all logic, shouldn’t have grown so much overnight.

Beneath her palm, she felt something indescribably soft, like smooth, delicate cotton. An electric sensation shot from her hand through her entire body, and her breathing grew heavy.

Zuo Lihua froze even more.

Noticing her reaction, Han Hai’er curled her lips into a mischievous smile. “So, next… want a taste?”

Boom.

Zuo Lihua’s face flushed crimson. Summoning strength from who knows where, she pushed Han Hai’er away, slipped on her slippers, and bolted out of the room.

“It’s time! I need to take my medicine!”

Behind her, Han Hai’er’s delighted laughter echoed.

Zuo Lihua: “…”

What’s going on? That’s a female ghost! And a rogue ghost at that, completely improper! Get a grip, Zuo Lihua!

In the kitchen, she splashed cold water on her face.

Calm down, calm down…

…

A few days later, Zuo Lihua received a message from Zhang Shuo.

Zhang Shuo first apologized to her. Someone had approached him, and he could no longer help clear her name regarding Ling Mengwei’s matter, but the drama she had filmed could still be released.

Zuo Lihua fell silent.

[“Lihua?”]

“It’s fine. Regardless, I still want to thank you.”

After a few more words, Zuo Lihua hung up.

Someone was targeting her, but she didn’t know who.

She smiled at Han Hai’er. “It can be released.”

Han Hai’er raised an eyebrow. “Congratulations?”

“The slander against me won’t be cleared up anytime soon.”

Han Hai’er shrugged. “Aren’t you a trending female celebrity? Even negative attention is still attention, right?”

“But I can’t have the entire internet cursing me.”

“Weren’t you framed? Why care if they curse you or not?” Han Hai’er spat out the straw and tossed the leaf into the trash.

Zuo Lihua’s sharp eyes noticed that from the hole the straw had pierced, something pitch-black, like asphalt, had begun to seep out.

“That’s not exactly what I meant. I’m worried that because of me, the audience might give the show low ratings…” She scratched her head.

Han Hai’er said, “I still think Pleasant Goat is more fun to watch.”

Zuo Lihua listlessly replied, “I think Pleasant Goat is fun too.”

Han Hai’er asked, “Want to watch it?”

Zuo Lihua frowned, “Alright, it’s not like there’s anything else to do anyway.”

As the sun set in the west, the evening glow streamed through the large glass window, enveloping the two of them in its light.

Zuo Lihua dozed off while watching and now lay lazily on the sofa, not wanting to move.

Han Hai’er propped her head up with one hand, lying on her side next to Zuo Lihua, idly playing with Zuo Lihua’s light golden hair.

“Still planning to act in the future?”

“No.” Zuo Lihua puffed out her cheeks, frowning like an angry little squirrel. “I originally entered the entertainment industry to earn face for my adoptive parents, but now there’s no need for that anymore.”

“Terminating your contract with the company?”

Zuo Lihua froze for a moment, then covered her face with a pained expression. “No, I don’t have the money. I can’t afford the penalty.”

Her pitiful look made Han Hai’er laugh, so she asked, “Then what do you plan to do after you’re no longer a star?”

A good question, it stumped Zuo Lihua again.

She puffed out her cheeks for a while before replying dejectedly, “I don’t know…”

Han Hai’er pinched her cheek. “You have no plan at all.”

Zuo Lihua mustered all her strength but found the difference in power too great to overcome.

“Go cook, I’m hungry.” Han Hai’er said, giving Zuo Lihua a playful poke in the waist.

Zuo Lihua, tickled, curled up instantly like a shrimp.

“Stop poking me!”

“Ha, are you telling me what to do?” Han Hai’er made a move as if to reach out again.

“No, I wouldn’t dare!” Zuo Lihua said, rolling off the sofa, grabbing a piece of clothing, and scurrying into the kitchen.

A cool sensation slid down her leg.

“Tsk!”

Zuo Lihua blushed, lifted her leg slightly, and decided to ignore it.

…Well, it’s her own stuff anyway!

She clattered around in the kitchen for a few hours. By the time the moon rose above the treetops, she emerged with a plate of braised pork knuckle in soy sauce.

Han Hai’er curiously asked, “Breaking your diet today?”

Zuo Lihua opened a bottle of beer and, amid the fizzing sound, said, “I accomplished two big things today. Let’s celebrate.”

“First!” Zuo Lihua raised her beer bottle. “To the successful release of my new drama!”

Han Hai’er didn’t drink and didn’t clink glasses with her, merely looking at her as if she were an idiot.

Zuo Lihua didn’t expect a response from the ghost across from her anyway. She tilted her head back and took several gulps before raising the bottle again.

“Next, to me returning to being all alone. Well, no…” Her eyes suddenly lit up. “To having no friends or family to turn to!”

Then, she took several more gulps.

She was already drunk.

Han Hai’er thought that was the end of it, but Zuo Lihua raised the bottle once more.

“Finally!” Zuo Lihua wrinkled her nose and loudly declared, “To the braised pork knuckle in soy sauce!!!”

She then thrust the bottle toward Han Hai’er, stubbornly repeating, “To the braised pork knuckle in soy sauce!!!”

She looked determined not to give up until she got her way.

Han Hai’er looked at her and suddenly laughed.

She raised her glass of juice and clinked it against the beer bottle. “To the braised pork knuckle in soy sauce.”

“Braised pork knuckle in soy sauce!!”

Zuo Lihua downed the rest of her beer in one go.

She wobbled unsteadily, carefully setting down the liquor bottle, then leaned over the edge of the table to check if the bottle’s base was aligned with the table.

“Alright, it won’t tip over…”

Muttering to herself, Zuo Lihua picked up a braised pork knuckle.

Han Hai’er frowned. “Remember to take a bath later. You’re all greasy and dirty, you can’t get into bed like that.”

“Get into bed?” Zuo Lihua frowned, turning her face to focus her gaze on Han Hai’er.

“Hehe, you’re so pretty.”

Han Hai’er rolled her eyes disdainfully.

Zuo Lihua continued, “You’re so pretty, you must have lots of friends.”

Han Hai’er replied, “Ghosts don’t have friends.”

“Ghosts… don’t have friends?” Zuo Lihua seemed to have encountered something utterly incomprehensible. Her brows furrowed into a deep crease as she tilted her head and mumbled the words repeatedly.

After a moment, it clicked: “Oh, right! Ghosts don’t have friends!”

Han Hai’er picked up a peanut with her chopsticks, tossed it into her mouth, then spat it into the trash can.

“Did you have friends when you were human?” Zuo Lihua asked, sounding like an innocent child.

Seeing her like this, Han Hai’er grinned mischievously. “Of course I did. When I was alive, I had lots of friends.”

“Huh?” Zuo Lihua gasped as if sighing. “Lots of friends?”

“From childhood till now, I’ve never lacked friends.” Han Hai’er added.

“That’s so nice…” Zuo Lihua had already slipped off the sofa. She lay sprawled over the coffee table, her chin resting on her arm, her gaze unfocused as she stared blankly into space, murmuring, “That’s so nice… so many friends. People should have friends, after all…”

As she spoke, her pale red eyes welled up with tears.

“…I used to have one too, but not anymore.”

She lowered her eyes, her long lashes damp with moisture.

Mumbling softly, she closed her eyes, buried her face in the crook of her arm, and took shallow, shaky breaths.

Han Hai’er finished the pork knuckle, tossed the bone aside, stood up, and walked over to Zuo Lihua. She hooked an arm around her waist and lifted her up.

Sure enough, her face was streaked with tears.

“What are you doing?” Startled by the sudden lift, Zuo Lihua kicked her legs anxiously. “Put me down! I want to eat the pork knuckle, the braised pork knuckle!”

“You already finished it.” Han Hai’er lied without batting an eye.

“I finished it?” Zuo Lihua was easily fooled, widening her teary eyes as she tried hard to recall whether she had eaten the pork knuckle.

Han Hai’er carried Zuo Lihua over her shoulder and headed upstairs. “Mm, you already finished it. Be good. When the time comes, I’ll introduce my friends to you.”

“Your friends?” Zuo Lihua’s mind was muddled, processing everything slowly. After a pause, she said, “But aren’t you already dead? You don’t have friends anymore.”

“My friends are all still alive.”

“Oh.”

Zuo Lihua was placed into the bathtub, and warm water cascaded over her head.

She didn’t try to avoid it, letting the water pour over her as she scrunched up her face.

Only when Han Hai’er pulled her to the edge of the tub did she react.

The water seemed to sober her up a little. She grabbed Han Hai’er’s sleeve, her eyes burning with intensity as she stared at her.

Han Hai’er: “?”

“Do your friends secretly form discussion groups to judge my driver’s car? Do they make me pay when we go shopping?”

Han Hai’er replied expressionlessly, “Wake up. You don’t have a driver.”

“Oh right, I don’t have a driver.”

Zuo Lihua stared at her intently, then suddenly broke into a silly grin. “I don’t have a driver~”

Han Hai’er pushed her head down under the showerhead and rinsed her off once more.

Five minutes later.

“Awake now?”

Zuo Lihua obediently replied, “Awake.”

“Can you wash yourself?”

“Mhm, mhm.”

After Han Hai’er left and the door closed again, Zuo Lihua blinked, her eyes clear.

She cupped her hands and splashed water on her face, then wiped it off, patting her flushed cheeks.

Han Hai’er’s temper wasn’t that hard to figure out, she hadn’t gotten angry even when Zuo Lihua was that drunk, so they should be able to get along.

After finishing her bath and drying her hair, Zuo Lihua stepped out wrapped in a towel.

The bed was empty, not a ghost in sight, only her phone vibrating continuously, emitting a buzzing sound.

Zuo Lihua picked it up and saw: [Ning Dongbang].

She paused, then answered.

[“Lihua, are you asleep?”] A familiar voice came through the receiver, still as gentle and refined as ever.

“Not yet, just about to. What’s up?” Zuo Lihua said softly, her fingers twisting a corner of the blanket.

[“Well, I just wanted to check how you’re resting. Can you return to work tomorrow?”]

Zuo Lihua was a bit surprised: “So soon? The criticism against me hasn’t died down yet.”

[“Which entertainer hasn’t been criticized? Come meet your junior tomorrow.”]

Zuo Lihua hummed in agreement, “Got it.”

She hung up the call and looked up to find Han Hai’er standing at the doorway, leaning against the frame, watching her expressionlessly.

Their eyes met, and Han Hai’er’s lips curved into a smile: “Who were you talking to?”

Zuo Lihua tilted her head and smiled faintly too: “The one who killed you.”