Yin and Yang - Chapter 6

Hu Shengsheng had indeed vanished. The Female Ghost, still banging on the door a few meters away, clattered loudly. Yin Zheng hurried back and asked, “Where did you put him?”

“Here,” Shen Qingwei replied, gesturing toward the hallway with her chin. But Hu Shengsheng, who should have been lying there, was nowhere to be seen. “Do you think he left?” she asked.

Yin Zheng glanced at the elevator floor displays. One was stopped on the 24th floor, the other on the 27th. The building’s staircases had long been sealed off, leaving the elevators as the only means of vertical travel. It seemed unlikely he could have left on his own.

But they had been with the Female Ghost the entire time. There was no way she could have taken him without them noticing. So where had Hu Shengsheng gone? Was he still on this floor?

Yin Zheng frowned in confusion. “Let’s search the place,” she said.

There were only three apartments on this floor. The Female Ghost was currently banging on the second door. Shen Qingwei peered inside. “I’ll go in and look around.”

Yin Zheng nodded. “Be careful.”

Shen Qingwei smiled at her concerned gaze. “I will.”

The two parted at the doorway. Shen Qingwei returned to the apartment, finding it exactly as she had left it. She first searched the balcony, then the bathroom, and finally her daughter’s room, but found no one.

“Hu Shengsheng?” Shen Qingwei called out softly. The air was thick with the stench of blood, punctuated by the occasional drip… drip… drip… The crystal chandelier in the living room had been smashed, plunging the room into darkness. Shen Qingwei moved through the living room into the master bedroom, where a dim crimson light cast the bloodstains on the bed in a brownish hue. Chunks of flesh-covered bone lay scattered across the floor. The human head on the bedside table stared toward the doorway, blood trickling from the corner of its eye, winding down its pale cheek in a horrifying stream.

Just as Shen Qingwei was about to step further into the room, a hand tapped her shoulder. She turned to see Yin Zheng standing behind her. “Any luck?”

“No,” Shen Qingwei replied. “He’s not here.”

“I checked outside earlier too. He’s not there either,” Yin Zheng said, frowning. “Where could he have gone?”

Shen Qingwei analyzed, “There are only three apartments on this floor. If he hasn’t left, he must still be here. Should we search again?”

“Alright,” Yin Zheng agreed, then took Shen Qingwei’s hand. “Let’s stick together this time. No splitting up.”

Shen Qingwei lowered her gaze to Yin Zheng’s hand—slender, fair, and strong. The Yin-Yang Sect members traditionally followed a light diet and lived in a secluded paradise, resulting in exceptional physical and skin health. Senior Sister Yin Zheng, in particular, possessed unparalleled complexion and skin tone. She never wore makeup, yet her beauty surpassed even that of a lotus emerging from water.

Yin Zheng led Shen Qingwei outside to the second suite. This suite was strikingly different from the previous one, bathed in warm yellow light and exuding an elegant ambiance, as if designed for newlyweds. A wedding photo hung on the wall, the couple beaming brightly. Shen Qingwei stood in the living room, scanning the surroundings before entering the bedroom to search through drawers and cabinets, but found nothing. Behind her, Yin Zheng suddenly chuckled.

Shen Qingwei turned. “Senior Sister, what’s so funny?”

“I suddenly remembered when you were little, you always loved to hide.”

Shen Qingwei thought back. It was true. As a child, she was timid and would hide at the slightest provocation. Senior Sister Yin Zheng would always search for her, armed with her favorite snacks.

“Once, you refused to soak in the Yin Pool and hid. I couldn’t find you anywhere, and we missed the soaking time. When Martial Aunt found out…”

Martial Aunt severely punished Senior Sister, saying she hadn’t taught her properly. When Shen Qingwei crawled out of the box, she saw Martial Aunt whipping Senior Sister. Senior Sister frantically blinked at her, urging her to leave, but Shen Qingwei stood frozen, watching Senior Sister suffer.

From that day on, she never hid again.

Shen Qingwei murmured softly, “I’m sorry, Senior Sister.”

“Qingwei, I’ve never blamed you. I’m a few years older; it’s only natural for me to take care of you,” Yin Zheng replied, her expression softening in the warm light, losing some of its usual coldness. Shen Qingwei’s eyes instantly reddened. “Is it just because you’re older that you care for me?” she asked. “Senior Sister, do you…?”

Yin Zheng stepped closer, lowered her head, and gently brushed away the tears from the corner of Shen Qingwei’s eye. “Qingwei,” she said apologetically.

Shen Qingwei lowered her gaze, her eyes brimming with tears. Yin Zheng’s heart ached as she pulled her into a hug. “Senior Sister,” Shen Qingwei murmured.

“Qingwei,” Yin Zheng said, stroking her hair. “I understand what you mean. Don’t cry. It hurts me to see you like this.”

The corners of Shen Qingwei’s eyes were flushed crimson, her eyes shimmering with tears. She tilted her head slightly, looking up at Yin Zheng, who was now so close. Yin Zheng’s face, with its moonlit contours and ethereal, cool aura, was just inches away. Yin Zheng wrapped her arms around Shen Qingwei’s shoulders, their eyes locking. Slowly, Yin Zheng lowered her head, drawing closer.

Their breaths mingled, the familiar scent of Yin Zheng lingering in Shen Qingwei’s nostrils. Shen Qingwei’s lips parted slightly, as if waiting for Yin Zheng to claim them. Yin Zheng gripped Shen Qingwei’s shoulders, pulling her closer. Suddenly, a sharp fruit knife materialized in her other hand.

Upon closer inspection, it was unmistakably the same knife the Female Ghost had used to kill her husband and daughter!

Oblivious to the danger, Shen Qingwei closed her eyes and tilted her head back slightly, adopting a bashful posture as if willingly awaiting a kiss. Yin Zheng was thoroughly pleased. She tightened her grip, pressing their bodies together. As she lowered her head to kiss Shen Qingwei, she plunged the fruit knife viciously toward her!

“Couldn’t you at least finish the kiss before attacking? What’s the rush? You can’t even reincarnate,” Shen Qingwei suddenly snapped, her eyes snapping open with crystal clarity. Yin Zheng froze in shock, instinctively lunging forward with the knife. Shen Qingwei swiftly retrieved a yellow talisman from her sleeve and stabbed it through the knife’s tip. The blade sliced through her palm, drawing two beads of blood, which she flicked onto the knife. With a swift countermove, she seized Yin Zheng’s wrist, twisting it violently until the knife was forced to pierce Yin Zheng’s own skull!

The silver zither before them instantly transformed into a swirling mass of black mist, accompanied by a piercing scream: “Ahhh!!!”

The scene around Shen Qingwei shifted abruptly. She found herself still standing at the doorway of the room, never having left or entered another suite. The surroundings were pitch-black, and Yin Zheng stood beside her, her brow furrowed, a momentary daze in her eyes—clearly still recovering from the illusion.

Shen Qingwei suddenly felt curious. What kind of illusion could have ensnared her Senior Sister so deeply, preventing her from breaking free immediately?

“Senior Sister?” she called out.

Yin Zheng turned, her face slightly pale. “Are you alright?” she asked.

“I’m fine,” Shen Qingwei replied. It was just an illusion, after all. If she hadn’t been so captivated by Yin Zheng’s embrace, she would have broken free long ago. But the memory of Yin Zheng’s closeness—their bodies pressed together, their breaths mingling—made Shen Qingwei moisten her lips. “Hu Shengsheng must have entered the illusion too,” she said.

“It doesn’t matter,” Yin Zheng replied. “I’ve sealed the Female Ghost. If he’s trapped in the illusion, he’ll be forced out soon enough.”

As expected, the moment the words left their lips, they heard movement at the door. Shen Qingwei and Yin Zheng hurried over, and Hu Shengsheng, who had vanished moments before, reappeared, still holding the trapped Female Ghost. Clearly still trapped in the illusion, Hu Shengsheng mistook the ghost for Shen Qingwei, embracing her tightly and showering her with kisses. The Female Ghost struggled fiercely, but with her powers sealed, she was helpless against the man’s grip.

“Aww, a second spring,” Shen Qingwei teased under the Female Ghost’s resentful glare. “Should we give you two some privacy?”

“I’ve heard human-ghost romances can be quite thrilling!”

“Ah! Mmm! Ah!” The Female Ghost flailed her long tongue, unable to speak clearly, her face flushed crimson as she strained against Hu Shengsheng’s hold. Her struggles were futile, reduced to muffled, desperate writhing.

“Qingwei, hmm…” Hu Shengsheng murmured soothingly.

Shen Qingwei couldn’t bear to listen any longer. She raised her hand and struck Hu Shengsheng unconscious. The Female Ghost swiftly retreated from his side. Yin Zheng sighed helplessly, “What a mess.”

“Senior Sister,” Shen Qingwei whined playfully, “I was the one being harassed!”

Yin Zheng shook her head lightly, glancing at the other suites on the floor. “Is this entire floor abandoned?”

“They moved out long ago,” Shen Qingwei explained. “I heard they left the second month the haunting started. Not just this floor—the two above and below are empty too.”

“What are you thinking about, Senior Sister?”

“I’m wondering why this place was set up as a Yin Dwelling,” Yin Zheng said. “And who’s been feeding the Malevolent Spirit?”

Shen Qingwei had considered this question as soon as she arrived, but she hadn’t come up with any answers. Yin Zheng turned to her. “I need to meet the homeowner.”

“He should be here this morning.”

“Good.” Yin Zheng returned to the living room. Dawn was breaking, signaling the end of the night’s chaos. She entered the bedroom, finding it clean and tidy. Shen Qingwei followed her in, watching as Yin Zheng opened drawers, seemingly searching for something. “Senior Sister, what are you looking for?” she asked.

“The medicine bottle,” Yin Zheng replied. “The white one from last night.”

“What about it?” Shen Qingwei asked.

“Nothing, I just want to examine it.”

Shen Qingwei helped search, but after rummaging through every drawer in the room, they found no trace of the white medicine bottle. “Could it have been taken as evidence?” Shen Qingwei suggested.

It was possible. Yin Zheng nodded slightly. “If it’s not here, we’ll ask the homeowner later.”

Shen Qingwei hummed in agreement. Then they heard movement at the door. They hurried out to find Hu Shengsheng awake, sitting on the floor gasping for breath. Hearing their footsteps, he instinctively covered his head and screamed.

“Hu Shengsheng!” Shen Qingwei called out softly. Hu Shengsheng snapped out of his daze, looked up, and nearly burst into tears. “Shen Qingwei,” he choked out.

Shen Qingwei and Yin Zheng helped him into the living room. When he saw the Female Ghost trapped in the corner, he nearly fainted again. Only Shen Qingwei’s reassurance that everything was alright managed to calm him down. “I saw a female ghost as soon as I came in,” Hu Shengsheng said. “Then suddenly, I saw you. You took me away and… and…”

He blushed unexpectedly, which, combined with the fact that he had woken up hugging and kissing the Female Ghost, made it obvious to Shen Qingwei what his illusion had been.

“Enough,” Shen Qingwei said. “It was all an illusion.”

Hu Shengsheng steadied himself and finally noticed the extra person. He turned to Yin Zheng. “Who is this?”

“My Senior Sister,” Shen Qingwei replied. “The one who pulled you back from the brink of death!”

Hu Shengsheng immediately stood up. “Thank you, Senior Sister!”

Yin Zheng nodded slightly. Shen Qingwei glanced at her, suddenly wondering: My illusion was of Senior Sister because I like her. Hu Shengsheng’s illusion was of me because he likes me. But what about Senior Sister?

Shen Qingwei looked up and unexpectedly met Yin Zheng’s gaze. “Senior Sister,” she called out.

Yin Zheng’s voice was clear and crisp. “What is it?”

“Did you also enter the Illusion?” Shen Qingwei asked bluntly. Yin Zheng’s expression shifted slightly, and under Shen Qingwei’s unwavering gaze, she nodded. Shen Qingwei pressed on: “Then, Senior Sister, who did you see?”

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