Transmigrierte Kaiserinnen (männlich und weiblich)

Kapitel 12

"No way?" A chill ran through him. He rushed to the front of the car and saw that the ground was empty. There were no children there, only a beer bottle lying there alone.

He breathed a sigh of relief, only then realizing that bright red blood had seeped from his leg.

"Oh, sorry, it's nothing." He smiled awkwardly at the people around him, unsure how to explain.

The onlookers stared at him with strange looks before dispersing.

"That's strange. I clearly saw a child. But why would a child be carrying a red umbrella at night, especially when it's not windy or rainy? Could it be a ghost? How is that possible?" He patted his forehead and got back on his motorcycle.

When he arrived at the school, it was almost 11 a.m. He quickly parked his motorcycle, opened the trunk, and prepared to take out his textbooks.

Chapter 57: The Ghost Doll Returns (57)

Suddenly, his hand, which had touched the trunk, went slightly numb, like he'd been electrocuted. Incredibly, the art textbook was gone, replaced by a teru teru bozu (a Japanese doll shaped like a teru teru bozu). The little head stared at him, grinning, revealing empty eyes.

"A ghost doll!" A wave of fear washed over him immediately, his legs went weak, and he struggled to stay upright. He knew all too well about the tragedy that had occurred in the girls' dormitory, and he had heard the terrifying rumor that had circulated on campus ever since the female administrator died: anyone who received a ghost doll would die!

"Will I be next?" he asked himself.

The students had already finished class, and the classroom was empty.

That noon, from the moment Choi Jin-yang entered the classroom, he sensed an atmosphere of death. His gaze fell on the last two empty seats. On the desks sat two flowerpots, their white daffodils emitting a faint fragrance. These two seats had once belonged to Kim In-hyun and Shin Mi-hyun. Although the two were long gone, he had insisted on keeping these two seats.

He walked to Shen Meixuan's empty chair and stared at it for a long time, a wave of sadness washing over him. Memories flooded back; he remembered how long ago he used to sit here teaching Shen Meixuan to draw. Compared to Jin Renxuan, she wasn't naturally gifted, but she had put in a tremendous amount of hard work. From the first moment he saw this beautiful girl, he knew he would never forget her. Two years ago, he was just a 32-year-old single man, in the prime of his youth. Like everyone else, he longed for love. In his memory, Shen Meixuan was the first and last girl who had captivated him to the point of sleeplessness. But this taboo teacher-student romance was destined to be without an ending, or perhaps it had never even begun. He had once hated Jin Renxuan so much, hated him for taking everything from her…

“Meixuan, you died two years ago. Why didn’t you lie peacefully in the ground? Why did you come out to find me? Why…”

“After you left, sometimes I really wanted to end my life. The guilt I’ve carried for the past two years has tormented me to the point where I can’t bear it anymore. I’d rather be dead than alive.”

"Oh, what's wrong with me? She and he are both dead, it's all over. All the past and secrets have been buried with them, forget it all..." Cui Zhenyang murmured. He quickly cut off his thoughts and rushed out the door.

All afternoon, Cui Zhenyang locked himself in the school's art studio, diligently working on an oil painting. He had been working on it for several months, and in a few days it would be finished. He firmly believed it would be the most prized work of his life.

Night gradually enveloped the campus, and the evening breeze was somewhat chilly. Cui Zhenyang emerged from the art studio, exhausted, and hopped on his BMW motorcycle. Before leaving, he had drunk some baijiu (Chinese liquor) on an empty stomach, which had made him quite agitated.

The motorcycle sped along, leaving all the scenery far behind.

As dusk settles, neon lights begin to twinkle.

Chapter 58: The Ghost Doll Returns (58)

He discovered for the first time how mesmerizing the night view of the overpass could be, a dazzling spectacle. He floored the accelerator, hurtling towards the highest point. Pedestrians scattered in fright, curses swirling past his ears. He could clearly feel the wind whipping around him, the speed of the car amplifying its power. At that moment, nothing could be more exhilarating. He felt as if he had cast off all constraints, transforming into a soaring bird, spreading its powerful wings and hurtling straight into the sky.

After the initial thrill, a sense of loss washed over him, followed by fear and doubt. He remembered Shen Meixuan's face in the Buick. Now, the dead had returned. Was it real? Then, he recalled the false alarm of thinking he had hit a child. Comparing the two, he suddenly realized it was all just an illusion. What ghosts or spirits existed in this world?

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but laugh, inwardly cursing himself for being bewitched. All his anxiety, hesitation, and unease gradually disappeared.

Just then, his phone started buzzing.

When the call connected, Cui Zhenyang seemed to hear something terrifying. His face contorted in horror, his mouth gaped open, and the muscles in his face twitched uncontrollably, revealing an expression of utter terror and despair. His hands trembled uncontrollably, his whole body almost cramped, and finally, a voice choked out from his throat: "Help...me..."

What did he hear? What terrified him so much?

The motorcycles were still speeding along.

At that moment, he didn't notice that a small truck carrying steel plates was slowly driving in front of him.

In a fleeting instant, accompanied by a long, clear sound, he saw a dazzling shooting star streak across the sky. Heaven and earth suddenly lost their balance; he felt dizzy, as if his soul were leaving his body. The feeling was like mist, like rain, and like wind…

After that, he couldn't feel anything anymore.

The fleeting light and shadows have shattered.

The truck driver hummed a cheerful pop song, tapping his fingers lightly on the steering wheel to the beat. When his gaze fell upon the silver motorcycle silhouette outside the window, he was stunned. Good heavens, the motorcyclist's neck was bare. A long gash was gushing bright red blood—was it the color of white plum blossoms, or the flower of calamus?

At the same time, a black Buick screeched to a halt behind the pickup truck. A few seconds later, a girl stepped out of the car, her long white dress trailing almost on the ground…

(19)

Around 10 p.m., Song Xiaomo arrived at the "Home Alone" coffee shop carrying the mysterious box.

Perhaps due to its somewhat remote location, the café was doing poor business, with only a few scattered customers. Two not-so-pretty waitresses were leaning against the bar, watching the TV drama "Sad Love Song" starring Kim Hee-sun and Jeon Sang-woo.

Song Xiaomo's gaze swept around the hall, but she did not find the girl she was looking for.

"Miss, has a girl in white come here looking for this box?" he asked.

"No," a waitress replied casually.

Chapter 59: The Ghost Doll Returns (59)

"Oh, please give me an Irish coffee, no sugar, thank you." Song Xiaomo, holding the box, found the seat she had sat in last time and sat down quietly.

The atmosphere was somewhat somber. The television screen emitted a flickering blue light, making the two waiters look like zombies from a horror movie. Several students dressed as high schoolers sat together, silently drinking their coffee.

Song Xiaomo stared at the empty seat in front of her, trying hard to recall the girl's face.

Where is she now? Will she come tonight?

About half an hour later, fewer and fewer customers remained. The exciting TV programs had ended, and the bartenders were idly flipping through channels.

Song Xiaomo kept checking his watch and yawned several times. The tension of the past few days had made him feel tired.

Just then, the TV screen switched, flashing a picture of a beautiful female news anchor. Song Xiaomo's attention was immediately drawn to her.

"Dear viewers, we now have a breaking news report... At approximately 8:10 PM tonight, a serious traffic accident occurred on the XX Interchange in Seoul, resulting in the immediate death of a male motorcyclist traveling at high speed. At the time of the accident, the deceased was riding a silver-white BMW K1200R motorcycle... Police have launched a full investigation and have found an ID card in the deceased's pocket, preliminarily identifying him as a university professor... Meanwhile, the police urge all citizens to drive safely when out at night and never drink and drive..."

After reading the news, Song Xiaomo was stunned. He couldn't help but recall the astonishing scene that had unfolded on the overpass; in that life-or-death moment, it was Li Zhengzhen who had stepped forward to save him. Furthermore, after Li Zhengzhen got up from the ground, he uttered a mumbled question: "Is he dead?"

Did Lee Jung-jin foresee his death? Or was he already dead when Lee Jung-jin saw that person? Normal logic can no longer explain all of this.

After a moment, he remembered the terrifying woman in white and red high heels. She had been like a ghost, constantly waving towards the overpass. Was she summoning not him, but the man on the motorbike?

Thinking about all this, Song Xiaomo felt a chilling fear. He tilted his head back and drank a large cup of coffee, trying his best to calm himself down.

A sudden gust of wind sent a chill through him, though perhaps it wasn't the wind itself. Then, he heard a faint, almost imperceptible footstep behind him, the sound growing closer...

He turned around and saw a blurry figure in front of him.

—It's that girl.

She wore a long white trench coat, white trousers, and white high heels. Black sunglasses concealed her eyes, and her slightly updo black hair, combined with her snow-white face, gave her the appearance of a mysterious ghost messenger. However, her stunning beauty also took Song Xiaomo's breath away. She was too perfect, almost unreal.

He was now very close to her.

Chapter 60: The Ghost Doll Returns (60)

Song Xiaomo stood up from her seat, her mind blank as she tried to think of something.

She glanced at him expressionlessly a few times, then swept past his shoulder like the wind.

"Wait...wait a minute!" Song Xiaomo said, mustering her courage.

The girl stopped and tilted her head slightly, as if to ask: Is there something you need?

Song Xiaomo quickly stepped forward, handed the box to her with both hands, and said nervously, "Excuse me, is this yours?"

The girl stared blankly at the box for a few seconds before reaching out to take it and whispering, "Thank you." She didn't show any joy at having it back.

"I...I'm Song Xiaomo. If you don't mind, could I...could I have a cup of coffee with you?" He didn't know how long it took him to get those words out, his heart pounding and his face flushed red.

The girl looked him over carefully, and a faint smile appeared on her lips for the first time. She was probably amused by Song Xiaomo's shy and bashful appearance.

“Okay.” She nodded.

"Please come this way," Song Xiaomo said, unable to contain her joy.

The two pulled up chairs and sat down. Song Xiaomo asked, "What would you like to drink?"

"Irish coffee, no sugar, please."

Song Xiaomo smiled, her mood instantly improving, and said, "I never expected we'd have anything in common. You have the same tastes as me."

This time, the girl didn't respond; instead, she turned her head towards the darkness outside the window. Everything was shrouded in black...

Why was she wearing sunglasses in such darkness? What could she possibly see? Song Xiaomo was a little surprised. He was about to ask, but hesitated, knowing he wasn't close to her and needed to be careful what he said. He waved to the waiter and ordered an Irish coffee.

The surroundings were eerily quiet, and the two sat there awkwardly. After a few minutes, Song Xiaomo broke the silence and asked, "May I ask your name, Miss?"

"Song Yun'er." The voice was even, soft, and full of texture.

Song Xiaomo's eyes lit up immediately, and she said excitedly, "Ha, we have something in common again. I also have the surname Song, and my full name is Song Xiaomo."

"Really?" The girl turned to look at him and asked, "You're Chinese, right?"

"How did you know?" Song Xiaomo was speechless.

"Just a guess. Because your Korean pronunciation isn't always very accurate," Song Yoon-ah said with a smile, then slowly took off her sunglasses.

He saw those eyes again.

Song Xiaomo was shaken once again. For some reason, he suddenly remembered the oil painting on the antique shop wall; the girl in the painting seemed to have similarly clear eyes. But after a moment's hesitation, he felt something was amiss. Song Yun'er's beautiful eyes held a weariness and sorrow, her dark pupils appearing unfathomable and inscrutable. These eyes were unlike anyone he had ever seen before; in other words, they didn't seem like human eyes at all.

He felt a sudden pang of fear, a slight dizziness, and quickly averted his gaze. His heart was filled with an indescribable conflict—curiosity mixed with fear…

Chapter 61: The Ghost Doll Returns (61)

Song Yoon-ah put her sunglasses back on and slowly stroked the surface of the box with her hand. The veins on her pale hands were visible.

"Do you know what's here?" she asked softly.

He shook his head. Then, as if by magic, the box suddenly grabbed his gaze, making it hard for him to breathe.

"Didn't you open it and take a look?"

"No. I have never had a penchant for spying on other people's privacy!" Song Xiaomo replied somewhat angrily.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean that. In fact, I should thank you for keeping this box safe for me."

"Never mind, it's okay... I think this box must be very important to you, right?"

"Perhaps." She raised her eyebrows, clutching the box tightly to her chest as if afraid someone would snatch it away.

Song Xiaomo immediately became suspicious. If it was something so important, why did she lose it so easily? And after losing it, she didn't seem to have looked for it at the bar. What was going on?

Who exactly is this beautiful girl?

After a moment, Song Yoon-ah changed the subject of the box, saying, "I really like China, this ancient country. They have a very long history and have produced many excellent literary works... I forgot to tell you, I really like reading."

Upon hearing this, Song Xiaomo was overjoyed, and a sense of national pride welled up within her.

"So, what Chinese literary works do you like?" he asked with great interest.

She thought for a moment and said, "Gan Bao's *In Search of the Supernatural*, Pu Songling's *Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio*, *The Soul of the Maiden Leaving Her Body*..."

"So you like ghost stories!" Song Xiaomo exclaimed in surprise.

“Yes, I especially love the character Nie Xiaoqian. Her tragic love story with Ning Caichen is like an Eastern version of ‘Ghost,’ it’s really touching…” She raised her head, motionless, and quietly revealed something, as if her soul had left her body and transformed into the beautiful and cold Nie Xiaoqian.