Chapter 6: Not for Me

Chapter 6: Not for Me

His strength was immense; I stumbled under his push, feeling the world spin around me. When I regained my senses, I found myself still seated firmly in the chair.

I rubbed my temples, my head slightly dizzy, my vision blurred.

Silence surrounded me. Surveying my surroundings, I noticed the bowl of dumplings I had prepared untouched on the table, and no signs of the front door having been opened. It was as if nothing had occurred at all.

I began sitting here waiting for him at eight o'clock. Now it's ten. Thus, I had been sitting here alone for a full two hours!

What just happened seemed like a dream. Could it be that I had simply fallen asleep and dreamed it all?

Gazing at the fox tattoo on my wrist, I whispered softly,

"Li Fan, are you there?"

The tattoo flickered, as if responding to my question.

Alright, he's here.

With a newfound understanding, I realized that he had indeed come just now. However, during his visit, I seemed to have been in a half-asleep, half-awake state, so he likely couldn't leave any tangible traces in reality.

I poured out the failed attempt again and decided to go find Grandma. But as soon as I opened the door, I saw Grandma and Old Lady Qin walking towards me.

"Little Ci? Are you alright? Did you get hurt?" Grandma grew anxious upon seeing me. She then glanced behind me and whispered, "Did the fox spirit die?"

I gave a wry smile and recounted the events to them.

After listening, both Grandma and Old Lady Qin were momentarily stunned, but their expressions softened significantly.

"That's acceptable too. It's actually the best outcome. It's rare for that beast to do something like this. Girl, you must serve him well from now on. He holds a high status, so don't argue with him or provoke him," Old Lady Qin warned me with concern.

If you mentioned that he holds a high status, why would you still call him a beast? That's impolite.

I grumbled inwardly.

Then, I reluctantly mumbled softly, "I'm just helping him accumulate merits, not selling myself to him..."

Though I spoke softly, Old Lady Qin still heard my words.

She glared at me and said, rather discontentedly, "Child, let me put it bluntly, even if you sold yourself to him, beasts are still beasts - cold-blooded and lacking human sentiment. If he's displeased, he won't spare any feelings for you!"

Noticing Grandma's stern gaze on me, I lowered my head and acknowledged her silently.

Grandma Qin has never been fond of crowds. Now that the matter was settled, she bid her goodbyes and left.

Before leaving, she glanced at the tattoo on my wrist and suddenly scoffed, "Accumulating merits to revive your wife, huh... Hmph."

I sensed something was off with Grandma Qin's tone, but before I could inquire further, she had already disappeared from sight.

That night was the most peaceful sleep I'd had in a long time. No nightmares, no dreams about the great fox – I slept straight through until morning.

The next day, I had classes, so I woke up early. In the living room, I found a meal prepared on the table.

"Little Ci's up? Come, have breakfast," Grandma's voice echoed from the kitchen, accompanied by the clattering of utensils.

Suddenly, my nose tingled with emotion. This simple life was what I cherished, but it might not be mine anymore.

To prevent Grandma from noticing my sadness, I hastily finished my meal. As I was leaving the village, I saw Wang the Mad crouching at the village entrance, engrossed in catching ants.

He spotted me and immediately dropped the ant, falling to his knees on the ground and starting to bow repeatedly towards me.

In the past, I found it odd, but now I've figured it out. The villagers said he had the ability to see ghosts and spirits; hence, he was most likely bowing to Li Fan.

As I pondered this, a voice suddenly rang in my head, "He's not bowing to you..."

Li Fan spoke so softly that I couldn't make it out clearly, nor did I want to inquire further. Coincidentally, the bus arrived, and after bidding Grandma farewell, I boarded it.

My hometown was quite far from school. On the bus, I absentmindedly traced the tattoo on my wrist.

Tattoos were strictly prohibited for students, especially one as noticeable as mine, right on my wrist. It was easily concealed in winter, but in summer, it would be like a target on my arm.

If caught, I'd become the main attraction at the next school criticism session.

I decided inwardly that I needed to buy something like a bracelet to cover it up once I got off the bus. Just then, my phone in my bag rang with a message from the student council.

Speaking of the student council, here they were!

"Student Bai Ci, please rush to the city hospital immediately. Your sister Bai Zhi has suddenly fainted, but we haven't been able to reach your parents. Hence, we could only send you a message."

I agreed verbally, but inwardly, I was puzzled.

Bai Zhi is my younger sister from the same parents, only a year younger than me. She has always been in good health since she was young and never had any major illnesses. Why would she suddenly faint for no reason?

Although it was strange, I was still worried. After depositing my luggage with the security guard, I rushed to the city hospital without stopping, asking for directions along the way. Eventually, I found Bai Zhi's ward.

"You must be this young lady's older sister, right? You need to prepare yourself mentally. Your sister is currently in a state similar to a coma. Contact your parents immediately..."

After explaining the situation, I sat by Bai Zhi's bedside, keeping watch over her.

She usually relied on me a lot and loved following me around. Our sisterly bond was exceptionally strong. Seeing her lying in bed, pale and lifeless, my heart ached.

A cool breeze blew past, and I suddenly sensed someone standing beside me. Glancing instinctively, I realized it was Li Fan.

Startled, I thought, There are others in the room, and he suddenly appears as if to give someone a heart attack!

Before I could speak, he beat me to it, his tone detached as he said, "There's no point in looking anymore. Your sister won't last many more days. Start making preparations."

"Ahh? Why?" I hurriedly asked.

Back then, if anyone had come up and said something like that, I would have definitely given them a cold shoulder.

But now it was Li Fan who spoke. Ever since our encounter back home, my feelings towards him were peculiar. I was willing to trust him but also somewhat afraid of him.

"Each person has three lamps burning within them. If all three are lit, they are considered normal. Your sister has two extinguished, and the last one is about to go out," Li Fan replied.

"What can we do?" I looked at him eagerly, hoping for a solution.

However, Li Fan disregarded my gaze, appearing calm and composed. "There's no saving her. Just wait for death."

Me: "...."

I didn't believe he had no solution; he just didn't want to share it with me.

Scanning the surroundings, we were in a ward with multiple patients. Apart from Bai Zhi, there were two others, and their family members were watching us, whispering to each other with suspicious eyes.

Glancing at them and then at the leisurely Li Fan, I understood. My toes curled in embarrassment on the spot.

These people couldn't see Li Fan – only I could. That's why he dared to make such a sudden appearance.

But has he ever considered that my lengthy conversation with thin air might earn me a label as insane?

With this in mind, I promptly pulled Li Fan into the restroom without further ado. The hospital was swarming with surveillance cameras, leaving hardly any blind spots. Thus, the restroom seemed the safest option.

"What are you doing?" Li Fan frowned, surveying our surroundings.

I hurriedly explained, "Others can't see you, right? If I kept talking to thin air, they'd probably commit me to a mental institution. How could I then accumulate merits to save your wife?"

Li Fan's expression softened slightly but he still complained, "Next time, find a cleaner spot. This is disgusting."

I covered my face. As a pampered lady myself, I hadn't even complained, yet he was already picking faults.

No wonder Grandma Qin instructed me to serve him well. His status wasn't merely prestigious; it was as if I were tending to a living ancestor.