Chapter 41: She Fears Ghosts

"Help me... I'll... reward you..." With those words, the man completely lost consciousness.

Lin Jingyue looked at the last two flower petals in her hand, plucked them off with a swift motion, and muttered, "Since the heavens have decided to spare you, I suppose I can be reluctantly persuaded to help."

She dusted off her hands, examined the man, and then performed a simple bandaging of his wounds. The most serious injury was on the back left side of his waist, where someone had stabbed him viciously.

After checking his pulse, she shot him a glance laced with sympathy. Certain functions, she thought, would never be the same for him after this.

The medicine in her space was all bought when she was preparing supplies in An City for work in the countryside—just ordinary remedies. None of it was suitable.

Leaving her space, Lin Jingyue went to a large pharmacy in the county town where they sold medicinal herbs. She didn't bring a prescription, simply bought what she needed, and then returned to a secluded spot to re-enter her space.

Two hours later, seeing the man's breathing had steadied, Lin Jingyue finally let out a sigh of relief. From here, fate would have to take over.

She changed her clothes and hurried to the bus station. On the way, she found a rundown house, left the man there with some food and medicine, dusted off her hands, and walked away without a backward glance.

As for the bundle, she considered that her reward. No complaints there.

At the station, after much rushing, Lin Jingyue managed to catch the very last bus just in time.

By the time she arrived at the commune, dusk was already falling.

She gnawed on a meat bun as she made her way back on foot, resigned to her fate.

Next time, she swore, she would make sure to get a letter of introduction.

Halfway home, night had fully fallen.

Lin Jingyue...

"Heavenly spirits, earthly spirits..."

No one knew that Lin Jingyue, who feared neither heaven nor earth, harbored a lifelong terror of ghosts.

She kept giving herself pep talks, forcing herself to walk forward with feigned calm.

Suddenly, a gust of wind came from nowhere, rustling the corn stalks by the roadside.

Mother of mercy!

Lin Jingyue's hair stood on end. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was following her. She broke into a sprint.

"Jingyue..." In the darkness, someone seemed to draw out her name in a long, eerie call. Lin Jingyue was nearly in tears.

"Ahh! Don't come any closer—I have no quarrel with you, you can't come after me..."

"Jingyue—"

"Ah! Help! I've done nothing to be ashamed of, I'm not afraid! Hah, come any closer and I'll beat you to oblivion! Not even as a ghost will you find peace."

"Ah, I'll cast spells and make your ghostly existence a living hell!"

Though she shouted defiantly, Lin Jingyue shot toward the brigade like an arrow loosed from a bow—so fast not even a champion sprinter could have caught her.

"Jingyue, Lin Jingyue, it's me!" The man behind, riding a bicycle, sped after her.

Lin Jingyue had already vanished without a trace.

Jiang Xun...

He was left in the dust, a flush of embarrassment and worry on his face. He realized, belatedly, that he had probably frightened Jingyue just now.

At the educated youths' quarters, Lin Jingyue burst in, slammed the door, dove into bed, and pulled the covers over her head in one seamless motion!

Can't see me, can't see me...

Since her journey through time, Lin Jingyue had grown even more reverent—and fearful—of ghosts and spirits.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Mother of mercy, now they're following me home—how is anyone supposed to survive this? Lin Jingyue clutched the quilt tighter, on the brink of collapse.

"Jingyue, it's me—Jiang Xun." His brow was furrowed with concern, worry clouding his eyes.

Beneath the covers, Lin Jingyue thought she heard a familiar voice. Was that... Jiang Xun?

She listened carefully. It really did sound like him.

Cautiously, she pulled the covers down and grabbed a flashlight. With the light on, her fear lessened. She slowly cracked the door open.

The man stood bathed in gentle moonlight, his face filled with worry. "Jingyue, don't be afraid. It's me."

His gentle voice made Lin Jingyue's eyes sting with tears. "So, you’re not a ghost."

"Jiang Xun, I was so scared."

Her voice was soft and trembling, her nose tinged with red, eyes rimmed with tears, hair tousled, gazing at him with pitiful helplessness.

Jiang Xun felt his heart lurch. He suppressed the urge to pull her into his arms and softened his voice, comforting, "Don’t be afraid. There are no ghosts, it was just me. I was behind you just now..."

"It was you?!" Lin Jingyue exploded. "Why did you scare me?!"

Hands on hips, she glared at him fiercely.

"I was coming back from the commune and saw you—I just wanted to call out to you." Jiang Xun looked at her, guilt written all over his face.

But as soon as he called out, Lin Jingyue had panicked, shouting and running off like her legs were powered by an engine, vanishing instantly.

Remembering her own embarrassing display, Lin Jingyue's face flushed crimson. "I wasn't scared of ghosts—I was startled by you!"

"Just walking along and you had to call out? What, do you think your voice is that charming?"

"Don’t you know people can be frightened to death?"

Jiang Xun coughed lightly. "I know. It won’t happen again."

She said his voice sounded nice?

"Hmph." Lin Jingyue snorted, still a little shaken.

Seeing the pink tinge at the corners of her eyes, Jiang Xun's gaze grew gentle. "Next time you go out, remember to take the bicycle."

Lin Jingyue was about to protest—she didn’t have a bicycle—when he continued, "The bicycle is mine now. You can use it as much as you like."

His voice was impossibly gentle.

"Really?" Lin Jingyue sniffed. It was as if a pillow had been offered just when she needed to sleep. Having a bicycle would certainly make life easier.

"Yes."

"I won't take advantage of you. I'll pay you each time I use it."

"Alright."

Lin Jingyue glanced at him, catching the fondness in his gaze. Suddenly her face grew hot. She scowled at Jiang Xun. "Alright, alright, go back now. It's late, you're disturbing people's sleep."

With that, she slammed the door shut.

Jiang Xun looked at the tightly closed door and let out a quiet laugh before turning back to his own room.

Inside, Lin Jingyue flopped onto her bed, suddenly feeling mortified.

A strong woman, afraid of ghosts?

Nonsense!

The next day, Lin Jingyue finally had time to examine the bundle.

She eagerly opened it, only for her face to freeze. "???"

What on earth?

A bag of bricks!

No wonder she thought the weight was off!

Furious, Lin Jingyue dumped all the bricks out and searched the bag thoroughly, hoping there was something else. But to her disappointment, there was absolutely nothing. Nothing at all.

In her space, Lin Jingyue stomped her feet in a rage!

Meanwhile, the man she had saved had already woken up. Discovering the medicine and food beside him, he recalled the voice he had heard in his delirium and felt a wave of gratitude that he had been rescued.

He noticed the bundle was gone. He paused for a moment, then couldn’t help but laugh.

Jiang Xun noticed that Lin Jingyue was listless all day, assuming it was because he had frightened her the night before. He felt guilty.

"Jingyue, I made you some glutinous rice cake," he said at lunch. Instead of cooking a meal, he had made a sweet treat.

Zhou Yan, stuck with cold rice...

"Try it," Jiang Xun said, handing her a pair of chopsticks.

Lin Jingyue glanced at the rice cake dusted with white sugar and black sesame seeds. Her mood brightened a little. She took the chopsticks and picked up a small piece, putting it in her mouth.

Soft, fragrant, sweet, and not at all sticky.

"Delicious." Her eyes curved in delight, her gloom instantly dispelled.

Jiang Xun, seeing her smile, finally felt relieved.

[Extra]

Lin Jingyue: Stay away from me!

Jiang Xun: Jingyue—

Lin Jingyue: Ahhh, a ghost—