Love with ulterior motives

Chapter 6

Anzhu admired herself; her courage was born from fear.

Xian Jing sat on the sofa. Bai Mingqing's face floated in and out of her mind, Ye You's laughter echoed in her ears, and Yang Zizi's arrogant demeanor... Life ahead... was so annoying. Xian Jing pulled the blanket over her head and slept soundly until dawn.

"I'm going to work." Anzhu nudged Xianjing. "Don't sleep too soundly, or you won't be able to hear Ye You knocking on the door later."

"Okay." Xianjing felt that sleeping on the sofa was absolutely comfortable, so comfortable that she didn't want to open her eyes.

When Ye You came in, Xian Jing crawled back into the sofa blanket. "What time is it?"

"Ten o'clock." Ye You brought freshly baked bread, its aroma spreading freely throughout the room.

"Sleep a little longer. I'm so sleepy." Xianjing buried her head in the blanket.

Ye You took off his pants, and Xian Jing asked in surprise, "What are you doing?"

"I'll sleep with you. What's wrong?" Ye You's shorts were thrown accurately onto a stool some distance away.

The sofa was wide, and her skin was thin. Xian Jing rested her head on Ye You's arm, and her smooth body began to heat up.

Ye You's fingers gradually slid over every inch of Xian Jing's skin, and Xian Jing's ears turned bright red.

"You want it, don't you?" Ye You asked mischievously.

"Yes." Xian Jing took the initiative to move her body closer to the hottest part of Ye You's body.

"Are you still sleepy?" Ye You pressed tightly against Xian Jing's waist.

Xianjing shook her head.

"Then get up and go to the library." Ye You suddenly threw off the covers. The two cavemen were bathed in the early autumn sun, their skin was very white and their fur was very black.

Xian Jing covered Ye You's face with a pillow, "How can you wake someone up like that... You're a scoundrel..."

While covering her face, Ye You pulled on her pants, saying, "I'm doing this for your own good. We'll have plenty of time to do this in the future, so don't be in a hurry."

Xian Jing blushed and couldn't say a word. She could only smile as she accepted the underwear Ye You handed her and hurriedly put it on.

(Nine)

The library was nearly empty. The ancients said that books cannot be read unless borrowed, because in those days there was no internet and no incredibly cheap pirated copies.

Xian Jing sat in the reading room, flipping through the piles of newspapers. Ye You looked at the old magazines on display. She entered the archives without a library card and got the yellowed newspapers without any trouble. Money was her pass.

Ye You was moved by Xian Jing's serious expression. A few strands of hair fell down her forehead, and the corners of her mouth turned up slightly. She couldn't help but want to peck that little face.

"Found it," Xianjing said softly.

Last year's Legal Daily, October 5th, page D, featured a news report: "Our reporter Zhen Taoyan reports: A shocking case of sulfuric acid disfigurement has occurred in this city. The perpetrator, Tang Haobo, was driven to desperation by his girlfriend of many years' breakup, after numerous arguments. His narrow-mindedness led him to conceive the malicious idea of disfiguring her with sulfuric acid. In the early hours of October 4th, Tang broke into his girlfriend's rented apartment while she was showering and poured sulfuric acid on her body to destroy evidence. The perpetrator remains at large. Our special correspondent Zhen Taoyan will continue to follow the development of this case."

Ye You asked, "Is it your friend's?"

Xianjing continued flipping through the newspaper below, muttering to herself, "Why isn't there an address..."

Seeing that she ignored him, Ye You felt bored and continued flipping through the old magazine in her hand. "Really, there's a handsome guy right next to her and she's completely oblivious..."

Xianjing continued flipping through the pages. After having a full lunch, she suddenly felt drowsy at noon, and her vision gradually blurred.

"Hey, is this it?" Ye You tossed a magazine over, which landed right on Xian Jing's head, making it look like she was wearing a wig.

"Ugh, I almost fell asleep." Xian Jing took the magazine off her head; it was the December issue of "Zhiyin" magazine. The page with the folded corner contained the article Ye You had mentioned.

The title is eye-catching: <A Tragic Love Story Following a Shocking Acid Disfigurement Case> by Zhen Taoyan. Xian Jing finally learns the name of the female ghost who bathed in the toilet: Wu Bilian, and that her hometown is Mianyang, Sichuan. Zhen Taoyan is a good reporter, but her writing is too cheesy. It's nothing more than a story of childhood sweethearts going out to work—the man in a chemical plant, the woman in a nightclub—and ultimately, love turning to hate, yet it's written in a way that gives you goosebumps. Admirable. Such writing style is nothing new for Zhiyin magazine.

"Can we go now?" Ye You looked at Xian Jing smugly. "It feels a bit gloomy here. I'll take you for a drive."

"

"Where to?" Xianjing asked, looking up after copying down the address.

"Go wherever you want. Except for hotels," Ye You said seriously.

"Why can't we go to a hotel?" Xianjing wondered.

"I haven't been feeling well these past few days," Ye You said in a strange tone.

Xian Jing was both angry and amused. "Oh my god, who said anything about wanting that? You wish!"

Finally, they decided to go to the zoo. Xianjing had loved going to the zoo since she was a child, but she had never been to one in this city.

The advantage of being unemployed is not having to work; the advantage of not having to work is being able to spend time with your boyfriend. If you're unemployed and still don't have a boyfriend, that's truly unfortunate. You either need to find a new job or a new boyfriend.

The zoo was huge and smelly. The tigers and lions were sleeping, so all you could see were their nearly bald butts. The male monkeys were playfully fighting to please the females. The hippos were showing off their huge teeth. The chimpanzees were eating giant bananas. There were giraffe eyelashes and swan wings...

"Was it fun?" Ye You asked, holding Xian Jing's hand. "I'm so hungry, let's go get something to eat."

“Mr. Beaver.” Xian Jing shook off Ye You’s hand and ran to a cage, her face flushed with excitement. “Look, it’s the same as the one in the toothpaste commercial.”

The fat, clumsy beaver poked half its head out of the water and grinned at them.

Xianjing clung to the cage, lost in thought, her expression somewhat incredulous. Autumn was a short but beautiful season in this city; the sun was warm and gentle, illuminating the small ring of fine hairs on Xianjing's face, making them glow.

Ye You hugged Xian Jing and said, "Can you not be so cute?"

“Mr. Beaver…” Xianjing giggled in Ye You’s arms.

"You're just like a little kid." Ye You stroked her long hair. "You're so happy to see such an ugly animal. You're such a silly girl."

The setting sun shone on the two happy people.

We're having dinner at home tonight. Xianjing doesn't want to eat out. It's too expensive, and she needs to be careful with her money when she's unemployed.

Ye You liked Xian Jing's cooking; it tasted like home.

Xian Jing was a little surprised that Ye You was cooking today. "Is it edible?"

"Yes, I can." Ye You picked up the spatula. "My mother taught me when she was alive, so don't worry."

Two dishes and a soup: stir-fried pork with chili peppers, bitter melon and small fish, and vermicelli and daylily soup.

Xian Jing tasted it and thought it was pretty good. She nodded in approval, "You have a bright future, young man."

"As the saying goes, chili peppers should be spicy, and bitter melons should be bitter." Ye You was very happy.

I've never heard of such a proverb before. Xianjing turned on the TV. What else does the proverb say?

Chili peppers should be spicy, bitter melons should be bitter, and then, farts should be loud, and poop should smell bad.

Xianjing was laughing so hard her stomach hurt, and just as she was about to pounce on him and tear his mouth apart, Anzhu called and asked about finding the address.

“I’ll be back soon,” Anzhu said.

"Where are you?" Xianjing asked. Anzhu said she would be back soon, around midnight.

“I’m at Shi Tou’s house. He’s going to Japan in two weeks. I want to spend more time with him,” An Zhu pleaded.

"But you promised to return that thing to her, come back quickly!" Xianjing said anxiously, "You value lust over ghosts!"

Anzhu hung up the phone.

"What is that thing?" Ye You asked curiously.

"That's what it is, don't ask any more questions, let's eat." After Xian Jing finished speaking, she unconsciously glanced at the bathroom, and a chill ran from her head to her toes.

(ten)

Ye You swore he wouldn't make a loud noise, but An Zhu still ruthlessly refused his request to stay overnight. Xian Jing also didn't want him to sleep in the house, afraid that ghosts would scare her beloved man.

Ye You left dejectedly, leaving behind the words, "I'll come over tomorrow morning. Sweet dreams."

When deeply in love, one might even want to possess the other person's dreams. "Wishing you a good dream" means that you'd better dream of me and not someone else.

"Never mind, I'll go." Xianjing lowered her head. "You have to go to work, and Shitou is going to Japan soon. I don't have anything to do, so I can go home on my way."

"You're so kind." Anzhu felt grateful and lucky to be friends with Xianjing.

"I can't stay awake any longer, I'm so sleepy." Xianjing yawned widely. "Do you think she'll come out?"

The bathroom door was closed, and the toilet seat was just a stool. Xianjing and Anzhu sat back to back—neither of them had particularly large buttocks.

“They’ll probably come out. Are you scared?” Anzhu asked. “Look at those red eyes. They’re watching us every night.”

"I'm scared, but when I think of Ye You, I'm not scared anymore." Xian Jing stared at the movements inside the glass door.

"I'm not afraid. I'm thinking about my Shitou. From what you said in the magazine, Wu Bilian is actually quite pitiful." Anzhu sniffed; the evening air was slightly cool.

"Wow, if you tell Shi Tou you want to break up, I wonder if he'll throw sulfuric acid at you," Xian Jing worried.

"He wouldn't dare. He'd better throw money at me." Anzhu had absolute confidence in Shi Lei; their six-year relationship was rock solid.

"Why isn't she out yet? I'm sleepy." Xianjing rubbed her slippers impatiently under her feet.

"Let's sing, it's almost time." Anzhu clenched her fist.

The surroundings were quiet, and everyone was sound asleep. Two women were waiting for the ghost to appear—it sounds absurd, but once you experience it for yourself, you won't laugh at others for saying, "There are no ghosts in the world; it's just your imagination."

They sang, each humming their own tune. Xianjing's voice was soft and melodious, while Anzhu's was clear and loud. The combination sounded terrifying even to themselves. The faucet dripped water, and steam filled the air. Red eyes appeared in the makeup mirror, and a corrosive, pungent stench instantly permeated the entire bathroom.

Wu Bilian's face was even more grotesque than when Xian Jing had seen her last time. Her charred, blackened face was completely unrecognizable, and looking down through the two black holes in her nose, the pink flesh of her throat was gradually turning charred. She was completely naked, and her internal organs were constantly oozing yellow foam. There was a hollow in the lower part of her face from which fluid was flowing, which was probably her mouth. When she spoke, it was as if someone had covered her mouth, and her words were muffled, "Ymise me..."

"I..." Xian Jing tried to recall Ye You's smile to give herself courage, "Don't worry. I will transport your bones back to Sichuan as soon as possible. I'll pry up the floor tiles tomorrow."

Anzhu was so frightened that she couldn't say anything, and tears streamed down her face.

Even though Wu Bilian was standing inside the glass door, the resentment emanating from her made people feel as cold as if they were in a tomb.

"Last time I told you not to look back." Wu Bilian looked at her rotting flesh with pity, paused, and slowly said, "I used to be as beautiful as you, you wouldn't believe it."

Anzhu replied, "I...believe...I...believe..."

"He dissolved me completely. I can only go home after sending back the remaining bone fragments." The moment Wu Bilian sighed, Xian Jing felt a sharp pain in her heart. If they loved each other, why did they so easily say they didn't love each other? If they didn't love each other, why did they leave this pain in their hearts?

"You hate him, don't you?" Xianjing asked calmly.

"I will never hate him!" Wu Bilian said this very clearly. Her final cry was shrill and mournful, like a steam whistle, like the wail of an animal before its death.

A single, clear tear rolled down from the red eyes reflected in the makeup mirror. Blurred, gradually blurring.

Xianjing helped Anzhu, who was slumped on the ground and almost paralyzed with fear, to her feet. "She's gone. Wake up."

An Zhu stared blankly at Xian Jing, then suddenly rushed into the living room, opened the refrigerator, opened a bottle of beer, and poured it into her mouth. After drinking half of the bottle, she gasped for breath, "Xian Jing, I...I...saw her. I really admire you...you're so brave and calm."

Xianjing walked over, took the remaining half bottle of beer, and gulped it down. Her face was flushed. The alcohol made her feel lightheaded, but it also brought her back to reality. "What are you afraid of? Don't forget that she asked us to do her a favor."

"Where are you going?" Anzhu's adoring gaze was still fixed on Xianjing as she watched her collect the dried underwear on the balcony. "Take a shower? It's almost dawn, I'll do it tomorrow."

"I just peed in my pants." Xianjing stuck out her tongue and went into the bathroom.

There was no female ghost, nor red eyes. Xian Jing walked barefoot lightly on the bathroom floor tiles, and there was a special feeling. Each tile seemed to hide the lament of a wronged soul, and each humble bone fragment represented a once vibrant love.