The Beauty with Terrible Luck Falls in Love with a Ghost - Chapter 9

Her mind went blank with a roar, her heartbeat nearly ceasing.

Zuo Lihua stared wide-eyed in shock, her vision completely dominated by those deep blue pupils, like bottomless oceanic whirlpools threatening to devour her alive.

A cold hand trailed slowly down her skin, slender fingers tightening around her neck.

The “monster” tilted its head slightly, gazing down at her from above.

Zuo Lihua refused to meet its stare, gently closing her eyes.

Something sharp pressed against her skin, likely the creature’s claws. With just a bit more pressure, her fragile skin would tear, exposing the warm flesh beneath to intimate contact with the monster.

Am I going to die? Here? Today?

She kept asking herself internally, no longer able to restrain the tears. Soft, choked sobs escaped her lips.

Years of disciplined upbringing had taught her constant self-control, leaving her unable to even scream when death loomed.

She felt the monster’s icy fingertip tap her neck, then something cool and soft brushed against her eyelids, following the tracks of her tears in gentle pecks.

Simultaneously, the hand left her throat and traveled downward, sharp nails tracing paths across her skin. The cold sensation raised goosebumps all over her body.

“Mmph!” Zuo Lihua grunted involuntarily as she was unexpectedly squeezed, dark fingers digging deep into her flesh.

She immediately pressed her lips together, heart filled with terror and utter disbelief.

This ghost wasn’t trying to kill her, but… what was it doing?!

What’s happening?! A lecherous ghost?!

Since childhood, Zuo Lihua had never allowed anyone to touch her body. Even during exhausting work marathons, she never sought massages or used massage chairs, opting for baths at most. The reason was simple: her body was overly sensitive.

The slightest pressure would cause redness, cheap fabrics irritated her skin, and minor bumps that others wouldn’t notice left her bruised. Consequently, she detested being touched by others. Even with her fiancé, holding hands was the extent of their physical contact. Being touched from head to toe like this was unprecedented.

When it reached a certain area, Zuo Lihua couldn’t suppress her trembling.

Nervous about angering the monster, she desperately tried to stop shaking, but the more she fought it, the more violently she quivered. When those eyes met hers again, the trembling from external stimulation transformed into pure fear.

Zuo Lihua’s teeth chattered with terror.

Her heart pounded like a war drum, the prolonged psychological torment pushing her toward breakdown.

The monster’s face shifted upward, creating slight distance between them.

Then, a pair of hands gripped Zuo Lihua’s chin.

The flesh of her cheeks pressed painfully against her teeth and eyes, while tears blurred her vision.

“Hic…” Zuo Lihua emitted a tearful gasp.

Her teeth were forcibly parted as something cold pushed into her mouth, pressing down on her tongue root.

What… what are you doing…

Zuo Lihua wailed internally, completely baffled by the monster’s intentions.

It acted like it wanted to kill her, but didn’t. It seemed like it wanted to violate her, but hadn’t.

Why was it squeezing her face? To tear out her tongue? Torture her to death?

Zuo Lihua grew more despondent the longer she thought about it. Damn it, even being assaulted would be better than this!

“Your… cooking is delicious…”

A voice pierced her eardrums, somewhat raspy, but unmistakably female.

Zuo Lihua froze, thinking she must have misheard.

Her fingers twitched, and the pressure against the base of her tongue made it ache.

“What’s your name?” the voice spoke again.

Zuo Lihua: “?”

Zuo Lihua: “Mmmghgh.”

The ‘monster’ stared down at her expressionlessly, as if looking at a lifeless object.

“My name is Han Hai’er.”

Zuo Lihua’s pupils dilated slightly.

The fingers withdrew, and the monster straightened up, straddling Zuo Lihua’s abdomen.

“Cough, cough, cough…” Zuo Lihua’s throat itched intensely. Finally free, she turned her head to the side and coughed violently.

When the fit subsided, she noticed the ‘monster’ watching her intently, calm and composed.

Perhaps because of the increased distance, Zuo Lihua felt less afraid now.

She attempted to speak to it: “Your name is Han Hai’er?”

The monster nodded.

Zuo Lihua felt dazed, it really was this ghost speaking!

“That’s a beautiful name,” Zuo Lihua blurted out without thinking. After praising, she glanced at Han Hai’er and cautiously chose her words: “Is this your home? Do you have unfinished business in the human world? If you don’t mind, you can tell me. I’ll help you fulfill it.”

Sapphire-blue eyes, deep as the sea, fixed on her. No words, no reaction.

Zuo Lihua’s heart raced nervously. She licked her lips and said, “If there’s anything I can do to help, I’ll definitely do it.”

Han Hai’er leaned closer, her gloomy gaze falling on Zuo Lihua’s neck, where red finger marks, matching the size of her own fingers, stood out from the earlier choking.

Zuo Lihua gasped sharply and covered her neck with her hand. “If possible, I’d like to stay alive to avenge you.”

The moment she finished speaking, Han Hai’er suddenly reached out and grabbed Zuo Lihua by the throat.

Zuo Lihua: !!

In the next instant, her vision spun rapidly, and her body slammed onto a soft bed.

Zuo Lihua was pinned down on the bed, Han Hai’er’s hand still gripping her neck.

…What’s happening?

Zuo Lihua’s gaze was bewildered. Her body ached, the sharp pain from her clothes being forcefully torn open.

Trembling, she watched as the black smoke around Han Hai’er gradually faded, revealing smooth, cold-white skin as delicate as fine jade.

…

Late at night, Zuo Lihua slowly woke.

Exhaustion weighed her down so heavily she didn’t want to move a finger. Her muscles ached, her throat stung as if pierced by needles, and even her ears hurt.

Her cold had worsened, and her stomach felt terrible. It seemed she hadn’t eaten anything since arriving at this villa.

It took about twenty or thirty seconds of confusion before Zuo Lihua’s mind cleared.

Familiar, giggling laughter reached her ears, accompanied by a faint glow. She turned her head and saw Han Hai’er holding her phone, watching Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf.

The screen’s light was dim. At first glance, Han Hai’er almost blended into the darkness, with only the faint outline of two elegantly crossed, pale legs visible.

Her gaze traveled upward and unexpectedly met the legs’ owner.

The screen’s faint glow illuminated her face, deepening her already striking features. Her expression remained blank, eyes icy cold.

Fear gripped Zuo Lihua. Unconsciously, she tugged the blanket, burying half her face beneath it.

Han Hai’er stood up from the chair beneath the floor-to-ceiling window, phone in hand.

By the dim moonlight, Zuo Lihua finally noticed how remarkably well-proportioned this ghost’s figure was.

She must have been a great beauty when she was alive, Zuo Lihua thought silently.

By the time she snapped back to reality, the ghost was already standing at the foot of her bed.

Hiding under the blanket, she pursed her lips before reluctantly pulling the covers down, her expression reverting to one of bewildered confusion, submissive and unwilling to resist.

She lifted her gaze from below, meeting Han Hai’er’s eyes, and felt as though Han Hai’er was looking at her like a bag of trash.

Zuo Lihua, who had never been treated this way before, was furious but dared not speak up.

She watched as Han Hai’er raised a hand and reached toward the top of her head.

The closer it got, the colder her scalp felt.

Zuo Lihua flinched, and the next moment, Han Hai’er grabbed her by the hair and forcefully dragged her out of the bed.

Her entire body stiffened, and only after she sat up straight was her hair released.

Shaking her head and reaching up to touch the back of it, Zuo Lihua felt a sudden sense of wonder.

…It didn’t hurt at all!

The mattress beside her dipped as Han Hai’er knelt on the bed with one knee, pinched Zuo Lihua’s chin, and forced her mouth open.

Something that had been intimately close to her not long ago slipped back into her mouth.

A familiar voice sounded in her ear: “You’re too weak. Go eat.”

With that, Han Hai’er released Zuo Lihua and straightened up.

Zuo Lihua stared at her, unsettled and uncertain.

The bedside lamp, which had somehow turned on, illuminated Han Hai’er’s silhouette, pulling her out of the darkness.

She was a girl with deep, seaweed-like hair and eyes as blue as the profound ocean, young and exquisitely beautiful. If she were alive, Zuo Lihua would definitely have wanted to be her friend.

But she was dead, a ghost, and Zuo Lihua was terrified of her, so much so that she hadn’t dared to pay attention to her appearance.

Now, with Han Hai’er standing there openly for her to see, she finally mustered the courage to take in her full appearance, and the more she looked, the more familiar Han Hai’er seemed.

Where had she seen her before?

Her mind felt heavy and dull, unable to recall.

Seeing Zuo Lihua frozen in place, Han Hai’er lightly tapped the table with her finger.

Thump… The sound echoed loudly in the quiet night, even drowning out the video playing on her phone.

Zuo Lihua hurriedly lowered her eyes. “Understood, I’ll go right away.”

She scrambled out of bed, but as her feet touched the floor, a sharp pain shot through her. Her body felt weak, her legs gave way, and she stumbled.

In the confusion, she slapped a hand against the wardrobe to steady herself.

Smack! Compared to Han Hai’er’s earlier tap, the sound was earth-shattering.

Her eyelids twitched, and Zuo Lihua quickly glanced back, only to find Han Hai’er frowning, her expression shifting unpredictably as she stared at the hand Zuo Lihua had slapped against the wardrobe.

“!”

Zuo Lihua jerked her hand back as if electrocuted.

Holding onto the stair railing, she slowly made her way down, fumbled for the light switch, and walked to the kitchen.

Though she hadn’t eaten and her stomach was empty and cramping uncomfortably, she didn’t feel hungry. None of the food in the fridge appealed to her.

But to sustain the most basic functions of life, to ensure that the life she had temporarily bought at the cost of selling herself wouldn’t be lost to starvation, she had to eat something.

She took out some pasta sheets from the fridge.

Once the water boiled, she dropped them in.

After adding a single serving, she thought for a moment and poured in another half bag.

Then, feeling the meal was too plain and tasteless, and suspecting she might not be the only one eating, she tossed in a bouillon cube.

When it came out of the pot, it felt a bit too plain, so she opened a pack of fatty beef and tossed it in.

A rich, savory aroma instantly wafted through the air.

Zuo Lihua stirred with a spoon, gazing at the pot’s contents.

Though it didn’t look appealing… the taste should be… acceptable, right?

After all, she had never messed up before! And today wouldn’t be any different!

Remembering the earlier mishap with the cat food during the day, Zuo Lihua carried the pot directly to the living room. Sure enough, she spotted Han Hai’er sitting on the single sofa.

Her legs were crossed, her posture relaxed and comfortable, clearly, she was used to this spot.

With one hand propping her chin, her eyes followed Zuo Lihua until she set the pot down, then shifted her gaze to the pot.

Zuo Lihua knew that spot offered the best view of the window in the entire living room.

At this thought, she suddenly felt a pang of guilt.

…Could it be that she had taken someone else’s usual seat?

Lowering her head and pursing her lips, Zuo Lihua returned to the kitchen, fetched bowls and spoons, and served the first bowl to Han Hai’er.

Stirring the noodles in her own bowl, she cautiously took a small sip, then suddenly remembered, Han Hai’er didn’t use utensils; she always ate directly from the bowl.

So, giving her a spoon was probably…

Anxiously, Zuo Lihua looked up, only to see the other’s slender, pale fingers holding the spoon, gracefully bringing the porridge to her mouth.

Her movements were so elegant, it was as if she were dining in a high-end restaurant.

“…” Zuo Lihua blinked, her worries easing, and continued eating her noodles.

For a while, the only sound in the spacious room was the clinking of spoons against bowls, a silence so heavy it felt suffocating.

This was the first time Zuo Lihua had eaten a meal in such quiet.

Normally, she would be scrolling through her phone or watching videos by now.

Just as she was thinking this, something was tossed in front of her.

Zuo Lihua froze, it was a remote control, for the TV.

Setting down her spoon, she straightened up and looked at Han Hai’er.

Han Hai’er bit down on her spoon and raised an eyebrow at her.

Understood. She wanted her to turn on the TV.

The silent living room finally gained a different sound.

Zuo Lihua didn’t know what program Han Hai’er wanted to watch, nor did she seem inclined to ask for the remote, so she began flipping through channels one by one.

Unexpectedly, when she landed on a certain channel, a familiar face and voice appeared on the screen.

The face was streaked with tears, eyes weary and expression helpless. Holding a microphone, she addressed a room full of reporters: “I truly didn’t know before. Zuo Lihua and I were like sisters. I never imagined she would do such a thing. Now, I…”

Ling Mengwei choked back her remaining words, as if unable to bear it any longer, covering her face and sobbing. Her fragile body trembled slightly, a picture of utter pitifulness.

She didn’t need to say anything more, everyone understood exactly what she meant.

Silence spoke louder than words.