The Ghost Insists on Giving Me a Beautiful and Powerful Wife! - Chapter 51.2

The most pitiable were those who were originally spouses. After finding new love and having children, they would suddenly regain their original memories and realize their past-life lover was now their grandmother, their aunt, or even the child they just gave birth to.

A curse is only painful to those who remember. This reminded Yu Ruoyin of Lu Qichun, who had also regained past-life memories before her death.

What about herself?

Yu Ruoyin suddenly thought of her own death. She had once thought it was a curse on herself, but she had no past-life memories. Even after dying, she remembered nothing; the only glimpse she had was what she accidentally saw in the Ghost Market.

If it really was a curse, who was being cursed?

Her? Or… Jiang Huaining?

Yu Ruoyin’s heart skipped a beat. Before she could think further, she heard Kang Miaoxian pestering Kang Shuming: “Aunt, don’t you think the curse is cruel? Husbands and wives becoming aunt and nephew?”

Kang Miaoxian’s complaint reached Kang Shuming’s ears. Kang Shuming covered her ears. “Shut up. Regardless of what we were before, right now we are aunt and niece.”

Kang Miaoxian suddenly looked happy. “It seems Aunt remembers a bit too.”

Kang Shuming didn’t deny it, but her resistance was clear. “Kang Miaoxian, you’re being noisy.”

Yu Ruoyin was still confused about one thing: “Shuming-jie, neither of you has children. Why do you have memories?”

“Stupid.” Kang Miaoxian shot an annoyed look at Yu Ruoyin. “Didn’t your wife say it? I took something from Yingzhu. A strand of a lingering Po is enough to remember many things.”

Yu Ruoyin finally found an opportunity to ask. Her resentment toward Kang Miaoxian had evaporated, replaced by a touch of pity; she even softened her tone: “Sister Kang, why did you say Yingzhu’s things originally belonged to the Kang family?”

“The remnant spirit of the Kang family ancestor naturally belongs to the Kangs.”

“The soul belongs to your ancestor? Then why would Sister Yingzhu want to gather the soul for the Kang family?”

“Who knows?” Kang Miaoxian couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “I’d like to ask why she came to the Kang family in the first place. But I should thank her for coming. If I hadn’t accidentally discovered she was the reincarnation of the Wheel-Turning King, I wouldn’t have found a way to keep my Aunt here.”

She didn’t sound like she was addressing an aunt; her tone was mocking and transgressive. Her expression was irreverent, devoid of respect.

Kang Shuming looked at her coldly, but Kang Miaoxian didn’t change, continuing to herself: “If I ever have the chance to see Great-Aunt again, I’ll certainly burn plenty of incense for her.”

Yingzhu likely wouldn’t want to see Kang Miaoxian. Yu Ruoyin had heard that Yingzhu had practically been vexed to death by her.

She didn’t say it aloud, and the array gave them no more time for chatter. Yu Ruoyin’s feet suddenly moved uncontrollably toward the courtyard exit. When she spoke again, her address had shifted to fit the role: “Brother, Sister-in-law, must we go? I truly feel Sister Ruolian doesn’t seem like a demon.”

Kang Shuming took Kang Miaoxian’s arm as they walked out, replying to Yu Ruoyin: “The Village Chief has spoken; naturally, we must go.”

With one arm held by Kang Shuming, Kang Miaoxian used her other hand to take Yu Ruoyin’s: “Sigh, let’s go. Demon or not, once the Priest has spoken, she can only be a demon. You two shouldn’t treat her as a good person just because she gave us grain. If she wasn’t a demon, why doesn’t she age?”

Yu Ruoyin gave a muffled hum of agreement: “It is indeed strange. Last time, Xiao Yun’s scissors accidentally pricked Sister Ruolian, but not a single mark was left on her. Xiao Yun thought the scissors were broken and stabbed herself, bleeding everywhere—it scared us to death.”

Hearing about the blood, Kang Shuming leaned closer to Kang Miaoxian: “Then… let’s go quickly. Once the demon is dead, we can sleep in peace.”

They stopped talking, the three of them huddling together as they hurried out of the courtyard.

Once outside, Yu Ruoyin and Kang Shuming were tense, but Kang Miaoxian looked smug: “Ruoyin, your Brother and Sister-in-law will protect you.”

Kang Miaoxian had used her real name. Yu Ruoyin’s eyes widened in shock: “You… how…”

Yu Ruoyin suddenly realized their speech was free; as long as they fulfilled the scripted dialogue of the past scene, they could communicate normally when the “characters” weren’t required to speak. Their bodies followed the historical script, but they could converse as themselves. The ghosts passing them were immersed in their own plots, seemingly unable to hear them.

Kang Miaoxian seemed delighted with their family setting, looking as though she’d won the lottery. Kang Shuming’s face, however, was pale with fury; she gripped Kang Miaoxian’s arm so hard her knuckles turned white and veins popped on the back of her hand.

Yu Ruoyin winced just looking at it, but Kang Miaoxian didn’t react. She pointedly said it again: “Ruoyin, Brother and Sister-in-law will take care of you.”

Kang Shuming’s face went white with rage, but she said nothing.

Perhaps fearing she’d literally anger Kang Shuming to death again, Kang Miaoxian stopped gloating about their roles and turned to Yu Ruoyin: “I heard you and Jiang Huaining mention a Mountain Demon story. What does that have to do with Mingxia Village?”

Yu Ruoyin quickly recounted the story of the Mountain Demon and Ruolian, omitting her own theories.

But even as cynical as Kang Miaoxian was, she caught the point: “A Mountain Demon? The rumors outside are all about an Evil Priest. Where did Jiang Huaining come up with a Mountain Demon? Demons are naturally countered by Taoists. Even a strong one wouldn’t have the guts to collaborate with evil sorcerers. Those sorcerers are ruthless; one wrong move and they’d backstab her. You wouldn’t know who’s controlling whom.”

She found the Mountain Demon identity laughable: “What is your wife thinking? If she’s going to make up a story, make it plausible. It would have been better to just follow the crowd and blame the Evil Priest.”

Perhaps because demons are closer to “Spirits” than humans are, Yu Ruoyin thought. The Spirit of the Mountain was already called a Mountain Demon.

Natural Spirits and Mountain Spirits aren’t far apart. Assuming the identity of a Mountain Demon wouldn’t carry too heavy a price. What Yu Ruoyin hadn’t understood was suddenly connected by Kang Miaoxian’s casual remark. Jiang Huaining had told her to find Zhuang Huashu—not Xia Yu, who was stronger. To lay an array that trapped everyone required a skill few possessed, but Xia Yu happened to have it.

Could the mastermind be Xia Yu?

Yu Ruoyin recalled Xia Yu’s shock and anger upon learning about the ten thousand corpses in Mingxia Village—that expression didn’t seem faked. Was it Xia Yu, or another Spirit? But the other three Spirits were asleep.

While Yu Ruoyin puzzled over this, Kang Miaoxian kept guessing: “Do you think the Underworld gods did it? Given the relationship between the Four Spirits Shop and the Underworld, it’s possible Boss Jiang would lie to cover for them.”

As Kang Miaoxian spoke, three female ghosts ahead of them suddenly stopped.

Their movements were identical to theirs: the middle ghost had her right arm held and her left hand leading another. Kang Miaoxian reacted instantly: “Here they come.”

She went to strike but realized her hands were occupied. She froze: “Are we really going to have to fight like this?”

She was right. Not only was she stuck, but Yu Ruoyin and Kang Shuming were also locked in their poses. Kang Miaoxian, their primary combatant, had no free hands—terrible news.

Kang Shuming let out a sardonic laugh: “Good Brother.”

“Aunt, I could have been the Sister-in-law too.”

The three female ghosts were in a similar predicament, unable to let go of each other. However, the array designer had given them a “convenience”—their bodies could partially manifest ghost forms. Three long tongues lashed out simultaneously toward their faces. Kang Miaoxian lost her composure for a second; if those wet tongues licked Kang Shuming’s face, she would definitely break the array in a rage.

Fortunately, her strength remained. She jerked both arms upward, hoisting Yu Ruoyin and Kang Shuming off the ground.

Lifting them both steadily, she sidestepped to avoid the tongues. Her speed was incredible. She spun instantly, carrying them in a leap, and landed firmly on the three tongues. A stroke of luck: they were on the Yin side, surrounded by abundant Yin energy. They could harm ghosts even without techniques or talismans.

The three ghosts shrieked in pain and tried to retract their tongues.

Kang Miaoxian’s eyes darted. She began running in place while still holding the two women. Every time a tongue retracted an inch, she stepped on it again. By the time the tongues were fully retracted, they were thin as paper.

She didn’t stop there. She lunged forward while the ghosts were still reeling and used her own head—and Yu Ruoyin’s—to ram into the bellies of two ghosts. As for Kang Shuming, Kang Miaoxian had carefully pulled her back to keep her out of it.

Two ghosts were sent flying. The third ghost, still linked to them, tried to pull them back, but Kang Miaoxian delivered a jumping kick that sent that ghost flying even faster.

I want to throw up.

Yu Ruoyin, being held up and swung around by Kang Miaoxian, was experiencing something akin to severe motion sickness. The world was spinning too fast.

Where did Kang Miaoxian get this much strength? She treated Yu Ruoyin and Kang Shuming like two weightless accessories, using her head and legs to beat the ghosts into submission. No wonder Jiang Huaining wanted her to look after Yu Ruoyin. She was incredibly strong… though she was strong in a way that didn’t much care for Yu Ruoyin’s comfort.

She couldn’t bear to hurt Kang Shuming, so she used Yu Ruoyin as a weapon instead. Yu Ruoyin’s head collided with ghost bellies; her legs swept across ghost necks. Finally, Kang Miaoxian used her legs to kick the heads off two of the ghosts.

It didn’t hurt exactly, but the battle was chaotic. The poor ghosts were forced into a melee they couldn’t possibly win.

But Yu Ruoyin was dizzy beyond belief. She was either airborne or on her way to becoming a projectile. She didn’t dare complain—Kang Miaoxian was hard on her, but harder on herself. She headbutted, kicked, and even bit. Several times, Yu Ruoyin saw her tear chunks of Yin energy off the ghosts and swallow them.

In contrast, Kang Shuming’s treatment was luxurious. The right arm she held was kept almost motionless, angled back to ensure she remained clear of the main battlefield.

Yu Ruoyin was so nauseous she started making wishes: If I’m destined to be an accessory, let me hang somewhere else. She wanted to hang on Jiang Huaining; she would never “mistreat” her like this. No, wait… she shouldn’t be a burden to Jiang Huaining. Hanging here was fine. She could endure the dizziness.

She wondered if Kang Miaoxian would get indigestion from swallowing all that Yin energy. Her thoughts were a mess. She couldn’t think straight; she just missed Jiang Huaining.

And her grandmother. And her parents.

Yu Ruoyin had long since forgotten the faces of her parents and grandmother. There were no photos at home. It was hard to sharpen those blurred memories. Those relatives were so important to her, yet the only face she could perfectly recall was Jiang Huaining’s—the ink-black hair, the perfect features.

So dizzy. Her memories were blurring, her stomach churning.

Yu Ruoyin actually did vomit. She didn’t know what came out, but in her daze, she saw a black suit—sharp edges, dull gold buttons.

It looked like her father’s favorite suit. She chased after it, running and running.

The suit was on someone. The thin, tall silhouette was familiar. She ran faster and finally caught the hem: “Dad!”

The owner of the black suit slowly turned around. Yu Ruoyin couldn’t see the face—she only saw long hair falling to the chest…

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