Longing After Wang Ye's Shadow

Chapter 15: The Clock Strikes when the Rooster Crows

A shining light causes me to look away from Wang Ye, but I hear a shriek that echoes into silence. When I look up, the ghostly figure behind Wang Ye is gone. The bead must have warded it away.

Realizing my hands were still holding his face, I immediately let go and look at the ground. My face rising in temperature, and my heart beating so loudly into my ears.

Footsteps right outside the abandoned home quickly put both of us on alert. Wang Ye peeks out the holes on the paper window. He pulls me by my wrist, and we retreat further into the small house. Showing his back to me, I watch Wang Ye guard the door with attentive eyes.

Back to the matter, how am I Xiao Gui?! I'm definitely in her body. I see the clothes I'm wearing are hers. Am I possessing her now? Where did she go? Have I pushed her out of her body or is she sleeping and unable to wake?!

"They're gone," Wang Ye sighs, turning to me.

"Oh, good." I didn't notice before, but the voice coming out of my mouth rings like hers too.

"Let's stay here for awhile then head back to the manor."

"Yes, Wang Ye."

Am I doing it right? Do I seem like Xiao Gui?

He walks around the bedroom, eyeing the dusts and cobwebs. Grimacing at the nature of abandonment, he asks, "How do you know about this place?"

"I lived here-" Cutting myself off, I was about to tell him my story. I can't have him question Xiao Gui, obviously she's not from around here. "Just a lucky guess."

The truth is I did use to live in this abandoned home. When I was thrown on the streets with horrendous from the entertainment house, this was the place I found refuge. Unbelievable that it did turn out to be truly haunted and yet I was able to live here not knowing. Perhaps ignorance was truly bliss in that situation.

Wake up, Xiao Gui! How do I leave your body?

"Wang Ye?"

"Hm?"

"Does Wang Ye think the assassins were after the Crown Prince?"

"Maybe."

From how vicious they were chasing after us, it's possible they were after Wang Ye too. I'm just glad Princess Si Ya was taken by the Crown Prince... and I hope Xiao Gui is okay.

"Are you all right?" Wang Ye takes a step toward me.

"Huh?"

Yes, the fall couldn't have left Xiao Gui unscathed. She fell over the railing onto the wooden floor. She could have sustained some serious head injury or broken bones. However, I feel fine. Just a bit sore from before.

Wang Ye turns me around, examining me closely. I can smell his pretty scent as he looks at the top of my head.

"Well, looks like you're okay. That was lucky."

"Yes, Wang Ye." Clearing my throat, I move away from him and look out the tattered window. Still dark, I watch for movement but see nothing.

This is the first time Wang Ye has taken such an interest in me. Of course he thinks I am Xiao Gui. When I was alive, he never stopped to look at me so closely. So as much as my heart is leaping joyfully, it is also aching with bitterness.

After a while, Wang Ye says, "Let's make our way back."

I nod and follow him.

No words shared between us as we walked back to the manor. Carefully, Wang Ye leads us back to the front entrance. His guards run up to him to make sure he is not harmed. They all bow in a apologetic manner for not being able to chase off the assassins right away. They captured one, but the assassin had taken poison to avoid leaking secrets.