Das Grab von Qin Shi Huang

Kapitel 23

A girl wearing a white winged mask and a long, bright red halter-neck dress was dancing gracefully in the center of the dance floor. The rotating colored lights cast ambiguous, flickering shadows on her face; the vibrant red skirt, like a fiery flower, flowed around her jade-like legs, exuding an indescribable charm and allure. Like everyone else, Shi Xiu's breath caught in his throat; he stared blankly at the breathtaking girl, the Spanish song "Nomeames" (Don't Love Me), a duet by Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez, playing in his ears.

Nomeames Don't Love Me

paraestarmuriendo for this made me gradually wither

Dentrodeunaguerrallenadearrepentimientos A battle raged within, filled with regret.

Nomeamesparaestarentierra Don't love me, this world is very realistic.

Quieroalzarelvuelo I want to fly freely

Contugranamorporelazuldelcielo Soars in the blue sky with your love...

The plaintive singing only strengthened his resolve. As the dance ended, noticing the girl had left her partner, Shi Xiu rushed forward and sincerely invited her to dance the next song. The girl's nimble, graceful movements froze the moment he reached out. He had a vague sense of déjà vu, as if that scene had happened long ago. He sensed the girl beneath the mask—unease, awkwardness, terribly nervous—but she remained silent, placing her soft little hand in his large palm. He pulled her close, leading her into the glittering center of the dance floor. His waltz was excellent, among the best of the boys, but the girl was clearly superior. Every arc her supple ankles traced was like flowing water, the beautiful rhythm simply breathtaking. For a smart, quick-witted, and determined girl, it would be truly strange if three years of arduous practice didn't result in a stunning performance. They were immersed in the wonderful world of dance, dancing tirelessly from one song to another until the music ended and everyone dispersed. He was still reluctant to leave, and at his repeated requests, she removed her mask with trembling hands, like a condemned prisoner facing a judge, anxiously awaiting his final verdict.

He simply breathed a sigh of relief, with a hint of surprise, "Oh, it was you."

There was no disappointment, nor any surprise. She had never expected to be compared to his ex-girlfriend—who was one of the top ten beauties at K University—but she still hoped to hear a compliment from him. Sure enough, he added, "I almost didn't recognize you—you're much prettier than before."

Yes, she looked much prettier because she used to be so ugly. Before the ball, she went to a hair salon and had her makeup done exquisitely. Year after year, she did the same thing; she couldn't guarantee he would appear at every ball, so she could only cast a wide net and wait patiently. This year at the Halloween ball, it seemed that heaven had finally rewarded her long-term efforts.

She became his girlfriend, and they lived a happier life than ever before.

He was indeed a rare and wonderful man, handling both his work ability and his character perfectly. He loved her without spoiling her, cared for her without indulging her, so much so that she constantly reminded herself not to recklessly indulge her passionate love for him. She carefully and gently released her affections little by little.

However, a shadow always lingered between her brows, keeping her awake at night, her face etched with sorrow. His ex-girlfriend, those stunningly beautiful photos, still remained in his album. Once, she had barged into his dorm room and found him frantically locking them in a drawer. "He can't forget her," she whispered to herself, standing before the mirror. In the mirror was a girl's meticulously sculpted face. Revlon's flawless foundation had perfectly transformed her dull, sallow complexion into a rosy, radiant glow. The luminous four-color eyeshadow not only made her small, single-lidded eyes appear larger and more expressive but also complemented the long-lasting lip gloss. This was the most beautiful face she had ever seen, and the only face he would ever see. Without such elaborate, meticulous makeup, almost to the teeth, she simply couldn't face him. She couldn't possibly be more beautiful than this, she thought; this was the limit of her beauty.

However, every single photo in Shi Xiu's drawer was more beautiful, more charming, and more alluring than she was now. She genuinely hated those photos; they reminded her of her beautiful ex-girlfriend, casting an ominous shadow over her. But she didn't have the courage to burn them, fearing that would anger Shi Xiu.

And her only source of pride—her stunning figure that even Shi Xiu couldn't help but admire, her only asset that could rival or even surpass her ex—had gradually faded away with the passage of time. She stroked her increasingly flabby body; approaching 25, a watershed moment in her youth had ruthlessly pushed her out of the picture. She had barely even grasped the tail end of a relationship—how cruel!

Volume Two: Degreased Lycoris Radiata (Part Three)

She was determined to lose weight and reshape her waist to a tiny 1.8-foot waist through exercise.

From then on, she stopped eating dinner and danced on an empty stomach every night. The closer it got to bedtime, the more her stomach burned, and the more frequent and intense her dance steps became, refusing to stop for a moment. Several times, due to low blood sugar, she even danced until she fainted—but when she opened her eyes again, she would grit her teeth and stagger to her feet. For her, whether this weight loss was successful was the best way to test whether her feelings for him were resolute. To please him, she would go through fire and water, let alone a mere weight loss!

No matter how hard she tried, her damn weight remained stuck at 49 kilograms, without any change. She was frantic, almost going crazy, and wanted to try the currently popular acupuncture body-shaping method, but thankfully her roommate dissuaded her in time:

“I think it might be because you’ve been having a run of bad luck lately, which is why you’re not being able to lose weight,” my roommate, a passionate astrology enthusiast with an outrageous obsession with astrology, said. “Why don’t you get your recent horoscope read? I heard there’s a really accurate astrologer living nearby.”

She never imagined that the vibrant astrology shop would be just one street away from K University, nestled within the labyrinthine buildings of Frozen Street. The astrologer with the yin-yang-like hair, after listening to her story, sighed with disappointment, “A trivial matter.” He said, his icy green eyes slowly scrutinizing her from head to toe. It was cold; she wore a thick sweater over a down jacket, yet her figure remained sleek and graceful, not at all bulky. “Excuse my intrusion, sir,” he suddenly asked, “what is your weight?”

Her face flushed red, but her roommate answered quickly, "49 kilograms, right?" She muttered to herself, "My weight has always been around 46 kilograms throughout college, with fluctuations of no more than 1 kilogram."

"You're almost 165 centimeters tall, right?" According to the astrologer's estimation, she was almost a head shorter than him. "At 165 centimeters tall and 49 kilograms, you're already quite slim for a woman. Why do you still want to lose weight?"

Even the most beautiful woman would rather become more beautiful for the one she loves, let alone someone who just wants to regain her former slender figure... So she honestly replied, "I've gained weight and want to go back to being as thin as I used to be."

The astrologer sighed, "To be honest, I don't quite agree. Isn't it better this way? Being too thin is not good for the body, especially for young girls like you. Maintaining a certain body fat percentage is best."

Especially when eating, the best meat is the perfect balance of fat and lean meat; pure lean meat is easy to get stuck in your teeth... Of course, he wouldn't dare say that out loud.

"But I've gained six pounds!" she screamed, enraged by his indifferent attitude. "I'm as fat as a pig, he'll definitely hate me!"

So it was all for a man… That's not surprising. For the men they love, women in the throes of passion would do anything foolish. A slight smile played on the astrologer's lips. "So, he fell in love with you because of your 46 kilograms?"

In other words, once he gained 6 pounds, did he no longer accept you at 49 kilograms and angrily abandon you?

"Could it be that the so-called switch to love is controlled and swayed by these mere few pounds of fat?" He stared sharply at the two girls in front of him and suddenly began to tell a story.

A story spanning lifetimes.

"Whether you are a god, a mortal, an Asura, a Yaksha, a tree, a flower, or a bird or beast, in the next life, I will find you again and be with you." After several reincarnations, the protagonist of the story stood on the banks of the River Styx, calling out these words to the dead woman on the opposite bank. And he did just that. In their past life, they were two birds soaring side by side; in the next life, they would be two intertwined branches blooming together. Inseparable, their beauty eternal.

"Do you think this kind of love still exists?" As the astrologer's deep voice faded into the dim candlelight, a questioning voice followed, which was naturally her own question.

The astrologer gave a wry smile; he understood, of course, the purpose of her question. What woman doesn't yearn for a fairytale-like, crystal-clear love, yet is forced by the pressures of reality to wear the glasses of the world, meticulously calculating the give and take of genuine affection? "In fact, that's precisely what I've been searching for all this time," the astrologer replied, "a pure, innocent heart."

Only by obtaining true love, a love that surpasses the blood oath sworn by "someone" years ago, can he be freed from the curse of a thousand years and attain the death he has longed for, eternal slumber...

He didn't even consult the horoscope for her before seeing them off. "Your wishes aren't firm enough, and the price you're willing to pay is too small," he said gently. "I'm sorry I can't agree to this deal. One day, when you're at a critical juncture where you have no choice but to fight," his gloves tightly encased her delicate fingers, sending that devilish whisper straight to the deepest part of her heart, "you're welcome to come and discuss it with me anytime."

Perhaps he was right; 49 kilograms was slim enough, and she had no reason to feel inferior. She cheered up and couldn't resist calling him, only to find his phone was off. Once her feverish excitement subsided, she noticed many oddities. She remembered how she'd been busy dieting these past few days, vowing never to see him again until she lost weight; yet, he seemed to be on her mind, not contacting her once for four days. She couldn't rest easy, so she called his lab and went to his dorm, but everyone there seemed to be in cahoots, unanimously saying they hadn't seen him for days. Not only that, they even asked her, "Aren't you his girlfriend? Why are you asking us?"

This is bad, extremely bad!

She frantically dialed his cell phone, and finally, as evening approached, she got through. His weary voice came from the other end of the line, and before she could ask any questions, he told her in an unquestionable tone to meet him at Fanghua Garden.

Volume Two: Degreased Lycoris Radiata (Part Four)

He wasn't the only one who came. Just as she was about to throw herself into his arms and pour out her heart, she suddenly noticed a woman's head peeking out from behind his shoulder. It was a face with exquisite and beautiful features. More than thirty copies of that face were now quietly scattered in Shi Xiu's drawer, each one smiling like a flower of happiness.

The original face before her eyes, now streaked with tears, looked exceptionally pitiful and moving.

Shi Xiu quickly told her the whole story. Yang Yan (his ex-girlfriend's name) had been dumped by her current boyfriend. That man was a complete philanderer, deliberately deceiving her—he was already engaged to the daughter of a high-ranking official, but didn't mind playing around with a few more naive women before the wedding. Only after Yang Yan was threatened by the official's daughter did she realize his true colors. Now she had returned to H City simply to confide in Shi Xiu, with no other intentions. Yang Yan said this last sentence while wiping away tears, though he secretly peeked at her expression from under his handkerchief.

She knew exactly what was going on. All she wanted to ask him was, "Where have you been these past few days? Have you been with me the whole time?" However, she couldn't bring herself to say it, only keeping her head down and meekly agreeing to every arrangement he made. To save money, Yang Yan moved into her dorm room, and she personally took care of everything. Even though she hated this task, she didn't dare refuse outright and had to grit her teeth and accept it.

After a reluctant farewell to Shi Xiu, the two girls went up to the graduate student building together. Before they even reached their dormitory door, Yang Yan's tears dried in the wind. When she opened the door, Yang Yan dramatically covered her nose:

"Ugh, it stinks!" she shrieked, fanning her nose in dissatisfaction. "Is your dorm a garbage dump? It stinks to death! I'd rather die than live here!"

"Nobody invited you..." She rolled her eyes at her ex behind his back and walked to the window. Winter is cold, and rooms are usually kept tightly closed, relying solely on heating. The air can get stuffy after a while, but it's nowhere near as bad as a garbage dump. She turned around to find Yang Yan already plopped down in her chair, unceremoniously squeezing the teddy bear cushion Shi Xiu had given her behind her. Her snow-white legs, peeking out from under her black leather miniskirt, were shamelessly shaking in front of her. This woman has no manners, she thought. "I'm sure I'll never be friends with her."

Despite her dislike for Shi Xiu, she couldn't disobey his orders. The graduate student building was equipped with a solar-powered hot water system, and every evening, the shower rooms on each floor would be filled with water for people to shower. She took Yang Yan to shower as well, and as the two were undressing face to face, Yang Yan suddenly exclaimed in surprise, "Oh my god!"

She took off her last undershirt and was puzzled to find Yang Yan pointing excitedly at her:

"I never knew you had such a great figure!" the ex ex exclaimed loudly, his eyes shining with ecstatic joy. "I wish I had it! It's such a waste that it's not good enough for your face!"

What does this mean?! She was so angry her hands and feet were shaking, and the shampoo bottles clattered loudly in the bathtub. That damned woman, just because she's a little prettier, she acts all arrogant! She doesn't even look at her own body!

No, actually Yang Yan's figure is quite good, very slender and well-proportioned, even thinner and slimmer than hers. The only drawback is her small breasts; she probably only barely makes an A cup... She shook her head to get rid of this pointless comparison. So what if Yang Yan's figure and looks are better than hers? The key issue is that she is Shi Xiu's current girlfriend, while Yang Yan only belongs to the past and memories.

To be honest, this is what worries her the most right now.

She'd finally managed to have a couple's meal with Shi Xiu when that damned phone rang again. Seeing his drastically changed expression and his frantic questioning of the person on the other end, his extremely tense demeanor, her heart skipped a beat. He put down the phone with a troubled look, clearly distracted from that moment on. She didn't dare ask any more questions, and the two finished their meal in silence. Only then did he seem to remember something and casually tell her that something had happened at the lab and he had to rush back.

"Going back is fine." Although she nodded silently, she was still worried. She saw him into a taxi, heard him tell the driver his destination, "K University," and then, as soon as his car started moving, she immediately jumped into the back of the taxi. "Follow the one in front, and hurry!" she ordered breathlessly.

He hadn't lied to her after all, leading her all the way to the imposing main gate of K University. She secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but then she caught sight of a slender girl flitting about like a butterfly towards the car carrying him. In that instant, her vision blurred; the whole world, the sky and the earth, lost their color in her eyes, leaving only one person, the only one. She saw him smile; he stretched out his arms, and nestled in them the woman she hated—Yang Yan. Her pointed chin was raised, and her eyes shone with the radiant light of love. It was the triumphant joy of a victor, emanating from her very being and bursting forth from her eyes.

Only at that moment did she break down in tears, sitting on the dirty back seat of the taxi, desperately trying to stifle her sobs with her hands, afraid of being discovered. She had loved more deeply, more enduringly, and more tenaciously than anyone else, yet in the end, looking back, she felt the whole world despise and hate her, as if fate was deliberately working against her, all for her plain and ordinary appearance. Perhaps only one place could, at this moment, become a haven for her wrecked boat, protecting her from the torrent of the storm.

An astrology hall with flesh and blood.

"It is said that the human soul weighs only 21 grams, and the rest is all flesh." The astrologer poured her a cup of "Shanlu" original flavor extra thick yogurt, but she glanced at it and was not interested. "Too high in calories," she told herself. "It's easy to gain weight, so I can't touch it easily."

"Where were we?" The astrologer shifted into a more comfortable position, taking a large gulp of yogurt. "Oh, the physical body. Did you know that for a healthy 25-year-old, muscle tissue accounts for about 47% of body weight, while fat accounts for about 20%? As we age, the ratio of muscle to fat gradually decreases. By age 75, muscle tissue will have decreased to 36% of body weight, while fat content will have increased to 36%."

"And the weight of the soul is always only 21 grams. It is so at birth and so at death." His icy green eyes pierced through the void, so ethereal and uncertain.

Volume Two: Degreased Lycoris Radiata (Part Five)

“If…” She was so focused on her own thoughts that she had no time to listen to his rambling, “If… I need your help… I’ve heard that for the right price, you can grant anyone’s wish…” She looked up at him helplessly with her not-so-beautiful eyes, “Really?”

“Sir, you are omnipotent!” a clear, childlike voice suddenly rang out. It was a doll with long, jet-black hair, its tiny head peeking out from the astrologer’s coat pocket. “Omnipotent!” she emphasized again.

The astrologer gazed at her sadly, watching as her dull eyes gradually brightened. She had placed all her hopes on him, hoping that with a mere flick of his wand, Shi Xiu would return to her side. Too naive, he told her, shaking his head; the price he demanded was high.

“It’s not the price, it’s the cost,” he repeated. “To a point that you simply cannot afford right now.”

“However, if you can endure all pain, there is something I can give you to try,” the astrologer said, picking up a cup of yogurt from the table. The thick liquid inside swayed with his wrist, emitting a milky white, bright light. “Fat-free yogurt, effective in one bite.”

"Just one sip will effectively remove body fat and expel it from your body. However, from the moment you drink it, your whole body will feel like it's being pierced by knives and scorched by fire, causing unbearable pain and making you wish you were dead." His transparent gaze swept over the girl in front of him, as if testing her resolve.

"I feel like I've become the Little Mermaid from Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale, begging a witch for medicine to get human legs..." she murmured to herself with a self-deprecating laugh. "But what does physical pain matter? Compared to getting Shi Xiu and then being abandoned by him, my heart aches a million times more!"

She tilted her head back and drank it down in one gulp.

"Well then, Maya and I wish you happiness, guest." The doors of the astrology shop slowly closed behind her, accompanied by the astrologer's soft blessing. She didn't pay any attention to his words; what mattered was that she had already drunk her nonfat yogurt. Soon, she would regain her slender figure and draw Shi Xiu's attention back to her!

Excited, she called Shi Xiu and asked him to meet her for dinner. Hearing his voice made her secretly smile, but after hanging up, she realized that the despicable Yang Yan was probably right next to him, having heard everything she said.

Who cares! Right now, immediately, she'll become even more shapely and slender under the influence of that low-fat yogurt. Sitting in the taxi, she felt her whole body gradually heating up, gradually becoming hot, the temperature rising steadily, like a scorching hot iron pressed against her skin, burning her, or like thousands of sharp silver needles piercing her body from every angle—pain, heat, ache, burning—is this what they call side effects? Starting so soon? She clenched her thighs tightly, her nails digging deep into her flesh to prevent herself from crying out in pain. Beads of sweat, large as beans, appeared on her forehead and temples, trickling down her cheeks like arduous streams. This way, she'll soon have the perfect figure! She comforted herself with this thought.

Not only her face, but her entire body was sweating. She felt the sweat had soaked through her thermal underwear and was spreading to her outer sweater and jeans. She freed one hand and quietly touched herself. Sure enough, even her sweater was soaked through, and judging by the rate, even her down jacket wouldn't be able to stop the sweat. So she quickly asked the driver to stop the car.

A wise decision. After getting off the bus, she noticed a clear stain on the back seat, a mark soaked with sweat, distinctly different from the dry white seat cushion. Her head buzzed; others might have thought she'd wet the bed! Her down jacket was soaked through, and when she stood still, sweat streamed down her sweater and trousers, forming small puddles on the floor. As she moved, the sweat dripped with each step, leaving a clear trail of water in her wake. Her leather shoes felt as if they'd been soaked in a downpour, incredibly heavy.

Wow, that's impressive! She ignored the burning sensation on her body and the strange looks she was getting; her only thought was her date with Shi Xiu. Her shoes, soaked with moisture, felt incredibly heavy, forcing her to use all her strength to run. She couldn't be late! She couldn't be late! She told herself, determined to make sure Shi Xiu saw her on time!

She finally arrived at the New York New York Cafe, where Shi Xiu and Yang Yan were already waiting for her at the door. She smiled with relief, slowed her pace, and greeted Shi Xiu.

The two men, who had been chatting and laughing, turned pale and terrifying the moment they saw her. Yang Yan stood there stunned for a long time, then suddenly screamed and hid behind Shi Xiu. She called his name three times before Shi Xiu finally answered in disbelief:

"Li Mei?"

She nodded repeatedly, so excited to see the face she had longed for day and night that she wanted nothing more than to throw herself into his strong chest. Shi Xiu coughed awkwardly and asked:

"What happened to you? You've lost so much weight in just a short time!"

What...? You've lost weight...? She only remembered sweating profusely after drinking "non-fat yogurt," but as for losing weight... Shi Xiu led her to the glass door and asked her in a warm tone:

"Look how thin you've become. Is it because I abandoned you just now? Listen, even if I'm wrong, you can't torture yourself like this, understand?"

Who was that slender woman behind the glass door? Her face and chin were sharp as a knife, almost piercing paper; her eyes, large and dark, were set in thin sockets; and her arms and legs were so thin they were practically skin and bones. Was this really Li Mei? She pinched her waist hard. It hurt, a burning pain combined with the sting of the pinch. But where her hand touched, all the excess fat was gone, leaving only a supple, boneless waist that could be grasped in one hand. Judging by the feel, it was less than 1.7 feet, probably only a little over 1.6 feet.

"Terrifying!" She suddenly remembered something and quietly reached for her chest. "Great!" she breathed a sigh of relief. "Fat-free yogurt" really worked! She'd lost weight where she needed to, and in other places, she'd actually gotten bigger... Now, with her more curvaceous figure, she could surely hold Shi Xiu's heart firmly, right?

Volume Two: The Degreased Lycoris Radiata (Part Six) - Complete

Shi Xiu reached out and supported her. The moment his hand touched her body, she clearly saw Shi Xiu's brows furrow slightly. "You..." He hesitated for a moment, then slowly moved his hand away, subconsciously examining his palm in the sunlight. A thick, yellow liquid clung to his hand, greasy and slippery, almost sticking his fingers together. He slowly brought it to his nose and smelled it.

It didn't have the salty taste of sweat, but rather a suffocatingly greasy smell.

What soaked her sweater and trousers wasn't just sweat; it was fat seeping from her body, liquid oil that seeped through her skin and trickled down her body, leaving a trail of grease as she walked. The road she traversed was a veritable grease road, with countless stray dogs following behind, their tongues lolling out to lick the nearly solidified grease from the pavement. For Li Mei, it was the excess fat she loathed and longed to get rid of, but for those stray dogs, it was a coveted delicacy. They huddled together, heads bumping and biting each other, fighting fiercely for that juicy, white, fatty feast.

"What's wrong?" Li Mei looked at Shi Xiu, completely unaware of his presence. Her eyes, accentuated by their sunken sockets, appeared even darker and larger. She looked at herself with alarm, afraid he would find her repulsive. "Is there a problem? Why are you looking at me like that?" Her voice trembled.

No, there's nothing there! Shi Xiu decisively pulled her into his arms, holding her head tightly to prevent her from looking around. In the short time it took them to answer each other, she had become even thinner, her body fat gushing out, breaking through the confines of her down jacket and gradually spreading outwards. Yang Yan didn't understand what was happening at first, but then she suddenly realized what was happening and let out a scream.

"Ah!" She grabbed Shi Xiu's arm, trying to separate them. "What's wrong with this woman? She's oozing blood, no, oil!"

"How terrifying!!!" she screamed repeatedly, her pretty face almost pressed against Shi Xiu's body. "Help me, Shi Xiu! This woman is so strange!"

"Don't make a sound." Shi Xiu shook his head. "Li Mei is just feeling a little unwell."

Just as Yang Yan spoke, Shi Xiu could clearly feel Li Mei in his arms deflate rapidly, like a punctured balloon. He hugged her even tighter, hoping to transfer his body heat to her.

But Yang Yan kept yelling, "You'll be killed by her!" She grabbed him frantically, refusing to let go. "I told you long ago, she's not an innocent girl, but you wouldn't believe me! Humph, with that ugly face of hers, how could she have such a stunning figure? She must have had surgery—the facts are right in front of you, so stop protecting her..."

"Have you said enough?!" Shi Xiu roared at her for the first time. "If you've said enough, get back to Beijing!"

What? Yang Yan could hardly believe her ears. The gentle, always gentlemanly Shi Xiu dared to scold her like this to her face, so mercilessly? "For that kind of woman...?" She gritted her teeth, her voice incoherent, her expression blank, barely managing to raise a finger to point at Li Mei in his arms, "For that ugly woman, you dare to scold me like this? Even my parents have never dared to scold me!"

"So what if I scold you?" Only now did Shi Xiu finally vent all his resentment. "You were the one who cheated on me and broke up with me, and you're the one who came back to me after being dumped—I've already made it very clear that getting back together with you is impossible! If it weren't for seeing you crying so pitifully, I wouldn't have asked Li Mei to arrange a place for you to stay!"