Astrology Hall with Flesh and Blood

Chapter 29

Standing outside the first-floor dormitory window, Haiming hesitated for a long time before finally mustering the courage to call out to Bao Cancan. Soon, her beautiful face came into view, brimming with hope and longing, her large, watery eyes particularly alluring. Haiming was momentarily stunned; the words he had prepared shattered into fragments, unable to form a complete sentence.

Thanks to Lanlan, who explained the astrology shop matter clearly in just a few words. Disappointment clouded Bao Cancan's face, like a dark, murky cloud obscuring her ambiguous expression. "Never mind," she said calmly, "it seems I can only leave it to fate. Even so," she forced a bitter smile, "I still want to thank you all; you've done your best."

As she spoke the last sentence, her eyes were fixed on Lanlan, and for some reason Lanlan couldn't help but shiver.

Dinner was, as usual, shredded pork with garlic sauce over rice. Ever since Lanlan took it upon herself to order this dish for her, Bao Cancan seemed to have become completely obsessed with the flavor, demanding it every day. Lanlan clutched the money for the meal tightly in her pocket, determined to rush out of the school. Just then, a voice came from the boys' dormitory building across the street: "Lanlan!"

She looked up and saw Haiming's face flash briefly in the window at the corner of the stairs. The next second, his face disappeared, and a moment later, he was in front of her. A layer of sweat was slightly visible on Wenxiu's face.

"Where are you going?" he asked. "To the astrology hall again?"

She shook her head; she was just going to buy dinner. That's her answer.

“I’ve thought about it carefully,” he said, slowly turning his eyes. “Did that astrologer kick us out because he was afraid we poor students couldn’t afford the fees? Judging from his tone, the price must have been high.”

That's true. Her eyes suddenly lit up. How come I didn't think of that?

“Speaking of money…” His face flushed slightly, “I only have my living expenses for this semester, given by my family, not much, around two or three thousand yuan… Or, do you have any money you could lend me?” He couldn’t look her in the eye, and his words became increasingly stammering. This was understandable; asking a girl he’d never spoken to before for money was far too embarrassing for a boy.

"I..." Faced with his anxious gaze, her cheeks flushed instantly. Her family wasn't well-off; four hundred yuan a month for living expenses was already the limit of her parents' hard-earned money. How could they possibly afford to cover the potentially exorbitant medical bills for Can Can? Yet, she didn't dare refuse him outright. After much deliberation, she had no choice but to plead with him, "Can't... can't we think of other ways? Like getting everyone to donate or something..." What she really wanted to say was, "Bao Can Can is so rich, what's a little medical expense to her? Buying a few less bottles of skincare products would be enough." But she'd rather keep these words to herself than utter a single word.

However, her casual remark unexpectedly sparked a flash of inspiration in Heming. "That's right!" he exclaimed repeatedly, "How could I not have thought of that! Fundraising, many hands make light work!" He shouted excitedly, "You're so clever, I'll go right now!"

He rushed excitedly towards the boys' dormitory. Lanlan watched his retreating figure, once again feeling that intense gaze from behind. After shivering, she nonchalantly continued her journey to buy food.

Taking the lunchbox from her hand, Bao Cancan didn't immediately pounce on it like a wolf. Instead, she quietly savored the weight of the food in her hands. "So hot," she murmured, "it's as hot as if it just came out of the oven."

The food was truly freshly cooked and piping hot, and with Lanlan holding it warm in her arms, it was only by running all the way that the temperature was maintained. She gently coaxed Cancan to eat it while it was hot, but the latter lowered her head and remained silent. After a long, long time, a drop of crystal-clear liquid fell onto the white edge of the lunchbox, forming a small, silent puddle.

She cried silently.

Her slender shoulders trembled up and down in Lanlan's vision, tracing a lonely and helpless arc. Her emotional fluctuations were so intense that they caught Lanlan completely off guard. No matter how glamorous she appeared to others, the insect transformation in her lower body ruthlessly separated her from normal people. The thought of the terrible situation she would face after the truth was revealed—the onlookers, the morbid curiosity, the judgment, the ridicule, the mockery… she simply couldn't bear to imagine it. Up until now, she had remained strong, even if it meant deceiving others and herself. But she was, after all, a young girl. Once she lost all her "human" qualities, what strength would sustain her to live?

That's why she only dared to face her own heart in front of Lanlan; and only with her could she reveal all her secrets without reservation.

“Eat it while it’s hot,” Lanlan said quietly, with an unquestionable air of superiority. “It won’t taste good when it’s cold.”

Bao Cancan wiped her face haphazardly a few times, then a bright smile bloomed beneath her skin: "It's so hot," she said, her voice still trembling with tears, "It's too hot to eat, I wanted to let it cool down for a while—"

Sigh, what a hypocrite! Lanlan shook her head inwardly. It's true what they say, "Old habits die hard." The blow of illness had already revealed her true nature, and now she had locked it away tightly. Just like before, she had shut herself in a deep shell, arming her heart with that hard exterior and sharp thorns. Her sharp tongue and eccentric personality stemmed entirely from this shell she had intentionally or unintentionally erected in front of others. Lanlan understood this better than anyone else.

The night was deep and hazy. Lanlan stood by the window of the washroom, staring blankly out the dark expanse. She couldn't tell if that indistinct, black thing was bushes, a road, or simply the moonless, starless night sky. The deserted first floor was so quiet, save for the occasional slow dripping of a leaky faucet, a soft patter that would stop after a long pause. A white blur flickered outside the window, and Lanlan almost thought she was seeing things. Then, she heard a familiar voice, "Lanlan..."

Volume Two: The Metamorphosis of the Spider Lily (Part Nine)

Her heart pounded with fear until she remembered the owner of the voice. "Heming?" she asked in surprise, accompanied by a soft rustling sound.

“I went back and discussed it with everyone,” Haiming said, his white T-shirt standing out starkly in the darkness. “The reaction was unexpectedly strong. I think that even if the astrologer asks for a high price, we should be able to afford it.”

As he spoke, the rustling sound grew louder, but Lanlan paid no attention. She was preoccupied with whether or not to go to the astrology hall now. Haiming seemed to sense her thoughts, and the two decided to leave the next morning. Haiming left satisfied, and for a long time afterward, Lanlan could still seem to hear the rustling sound of him rubbing the branches.

Strange… She then realized something was wrong. The sound wasn’t coming from outside the window, but from somewhere much closer, right behind her… She turned her head slightly, and her gaze fell on the narrow mirror on the wall of the washroom. In the reflection of that mirror, she saw a stunningly beautiful yet distorted face looking up at her from the floor tiles. The anger emanating from those beautiful, large eyes was so intense it seemed to want to burn her to ashes.

There was no mistake. It was the face of a woman consumed by love and rage, and coupled with her body—Lanlan nearly fainted. A huge, fat green worm lay across the pristine white tiles, one end of it a bright, angry face. Her hands were firmly planted on the floor, her head and prominent breasts held high to prevent them from being defiled by the sewage in the washroom. The other end was a bluish-green, hairy, and constantly wriggling body, a yellowish-green stain extending from its tail into the bedroom.

Bao Cancan glared at her resentfully, taking two steps forward with both hands. Then, her entire insect body began to writhe alluringly, her muscles causing the layers of hair on it to ripple like waves—a soft rustling sound as her abdomen squeezed the water on the ground. It was faint, yet sent chills down one's spine. She narrowed her eyes, a chilling sneer on her face, and slowly raised a finger at her. "Very good," she nodded, "this is my good sister."

"Can Can!" Lan Lan cried out anxiously. She felt extremely wronged. They were clearly discussing important matters, so why did Can Can have to misunderstand them at this crucial moment? Besides, didn't Can Can dislike Hai Ming? She even said he was annoying. Even if Lan Lan and Hai Ming really had something going on, did she really need to get so angry?

Bao Cancan sneered as she slowly backed away, using her hands to support herself. Her crawling was extremely slow, but for some reason, Lanlan was terrified by her frightening appearance. She helplessly watched Cancan crawl back to her dormitory from the washroom, and then watched as she forcefully locked the dormitory door.

She was locked out, forever.

Ah, how foolish she was! She dared only bury her deepest secrets in her most profound dreams, never daring to utter a single word to anyone. Only in her dreams was she truly free and passionate; she loved him, she possessed him, he was hers, belonging only to her. But in reality, she remained a conventional, ordinary girl, forever a parallel line between herself and him, never to intersect, perhaps occasionally their eyes would meet—and that was all! He was a fragment of a dream she could never grasp; when she reached out to touch him, he ascended, shimmering with light, to the dazzling sun—Bao Cancan was the sun, constantly radiating boundless light and heat; she was also a black hole, luring men's hearts, once sucked in, there was no freedom.

She possesses a fatal attraction.

Lanlan knew all too well how dim a candlelight paled in comparison to the sun, so she could only silently watch and offer her blessings. She had noticed his eyes—fervent, blind, intolerant of any other girl but Cancan. But what did Cancan matter? She accompanied him to study, ate with him, and chatted and laughed with him—all of this was merely to suppress Ziyan, to hurt her; she was simply using his love to vent her frustration in the dormitory. When she hypocritically mentioned, "He loves me to death," Lanlan wanted nothing more than to raise her fist and slap her smug face a few times. A smile played on her lips, but her heart was bleeding. Her nails dug deep into her flesh, yet she felt nothing.

"Bao Cancan," she whispered to herself, "one day you'll get your comeuppance!"

“And so, she turned into an insect…” A deep, magnetic voice slowly rose from the bushes, startling her. In the pitch-black night, an excessively pale face emerged, handsome as a corpse, so striking it was impossible to look away. That sculpted silhouette belonged to the astrologer.

"Braised vegetables with pork..." As if on cue, Lanlan murmured the words, "There really was something wrong with that meal..."

"What's even crueler is that not only has her body turned into an insect, but she's also fallen horribly in love with the boy she used to despise. Is this the script you planned?" the astrologer recounted in an eerily slow voice. "The retribution you wanted for her, is that it?"

"She's hypocritical, cruel, and wicked!" Lanlan cried, tears welling in her eyes. "She never appreciates the devotion of others, simply because she has never loved anyone. She only mocks those boys behind their backs, toying with their naive hearts and loves. She never gives her heart, yet she always reaps more! Why? It's so unfair! I hate it!"

The astrologer slowly extended his finger and lifted her chin. "Tell me, girl," his voice was gentle, "since you keep saying you 'hate her,' why are your eyes filled with tears?"

Why did it turn out this way? Bao Cancan, fresh out of university, was as pure and beautiful as the air between the treetops. Like any other girl, she was charming and adorable, with a touch of arrogance, yet as refreshing as slightly sour lemon juice. Lanlan truly liked her then, and loved staying by her side, taking meticulous care of her. However, not long after, Bao Cancan gradually changed. She continued to joke with girls, but her eyes were no longer clear, filled with murky impurities; her attitude grew increasingly arrogant, frequently revealing a disdainful expression. Lanlan observed her; when no one was watching, she would coldly glare at the girls her age, a world-weary clarity devoid of emotion. One by one, the girls distanced themselves from her, intentionally or unintentionally isolating her, except for Lanlan. She felt sorry for Bao Cancan, who armed herself with sharp edges and thorns, all because of a phone call she overheard.

Volume Two: The Metamorphosis of the Spider Lily (Part Ten) - Complete

Bao Cancan's family was quite wealthy, but money doesn't necessarily bring happiness. Bao's father started from scratch as a factory worker, building a successful business with his wife through thick and thin. Bao's mother came from a prominent family, possessing stunning beauty and elegance. The couple had weathered many storms together, enjoying a happy and harmonious marriage. However, now that he had achieved success, Bao's father yearned for a life of extramarital affairs, keeping several mistresses. As the old saying goes, "Those who rely on their beauty will lose their beauty with age, and when beauty fades, love will wane." Bao's mother's pleas were useless; rather than becoming a nagging, haggard housewife and disliked by her husband, she simply turned a blind eye, content to maintain her position at home. In public, the couple presented themselves as an enviable, perfect couple, their deep affection a model of virtue. Even their only daughter remained unaware, growing up proud of her parents' unwavering love. It wasn't until she went to university that she was shocked to discover that her father, whom she had always admired, had done such a thing behind her back. She was shocked, angry, and humiliated by that phone call, and finally, she felt hopeless despair—that time, she secretly crawled into bed, covered her mouth, and sobbed all night.

Starting the next day, Bao Cancan, a hypocrite, selfish, ruthless woman who recklessly manipulates other people's feelings, makes her grand entrance.

"What's the use of all those vows of eternal love! They treat you like a treasure when they're pursuing you, but once they get you, they discard you like trash—and when you're old and faded, won't they still betray and deceive you twenty years later?! It's the same with girls. Don't be fooled by their innocent appearance now; in the end, they'll still sleep with all sorts of men for some money! Humph, whether it's a wife, mistress, or prostitute, in a man's eyes, they all have only one purpose!"

Lanlan seemed to hear the purest cry from Bao Cancan's heart. "Too extreme," she thought. Bao Cancan had severely lost her sense of security because of her father's actions, losing faith in men and treating life with an unbalanced and absurd attitude. Life shouldn't be as dull as Bao Cancan imagined. Sunshine, rain, smiles, songs… there are always joys and emotions. Even if Bao Cancan could turn black into white, manipulate events, and control others' destinies… would she truly be happy? In the deepest, darkest nights, didn't she also huddle under the covers, lonely, relying on her own body heat to soothe her desolate and empty soul?

Enough. A tear slid down Lanlan's cheek. Stop this foolish behavior. This won't get you anywhere; it will only cause more harm, hurting yourself and others. Most importantly…

"Can Can?" Lan Lan stood outside the dormitory door and gently knocked on the wooden door. "Do you understand what you really want?"

A long, despairing silence followed.

"You like Haiming, right?" For the first time, she mustered the courage to shout so loudly into the room, and she really enjoyed the feeling of shouting. "You just haven't dared to admit it! You've even gone so far as to reject him, hurt him... just to deny this fact! Bao Cancan!" She took a deep breath. "You're a coward!"

The door was yanked open, and Lanlan nearly stumbled inside. She saw only a pair of furious eyes reflected in the floor tiles. "What nonsense are you spouting?!" Bao Cancan roared, "I'll tear your mouth apart!"

The two girls glared at each other fiercely, their expressions so intense that the astrologer beside them couldn't help but curl his lip slightly. Ah, women—an eternal topic, whether adults or minors.

"Isn't this great?" Maya peeked out, "It seems that Mr. can finally have a good meal tonight."

The astrologer nodded silently. The two girls remained locked in a standoff, but it was clear that one's momentum was gradually being suppressed by the other. Bao Cancan had never seen Lan Lan like this before. When had Lan Lan, who had always been so obedient to her, suddenly found the courage to resist and dare to confront her head-on? Just for such a trivial matter as whether she liked Hai Ming or not, the timid Lan Lan was willing to tear off her facade and go against her in the middle of the night? Bao Cancan was stunned by Lan Lan's reckless spirit. Her thoughts churned like a vast ocean, gathering a few memories from the past.

When she saw Haiming and Ziyan walking together, she was indeed instantly enraged. Afterwards, she tried every means to get close to Haiming, bewitch him, capture him, and eventually win his heart—was all of this just to hurt Ziyan? Deep down, for whom was the raging fire that ignited in her heart?

“And tonight,” Lanlan glared at her mercilessly, her gaze seemingly piercing her heart, “does my being with him make you so unhappy?”

Bao Cancan's entire body trembled, and every hair on Lanlan's body shook with every word she spoke.

"Now that things have come to this, do you still want to deny the fact that you like him? You..."

"Stop talking!" Bao Cancan snapped. Lan Lan saw it clearly: a few clear drops of water silently slid down her face, which was hidden by her long hair. Then, she hugged her shoulders, looking so helpless.

"It's too late, everything is too late!" she sobbed softly. "Even if what you said is absolutely true, even if I really like him, so what? Now that I'm like this, will he still like me?"

A low laugh escaped from deep within her throat. She brushed aside the tangled hair covering her forehead and, with a hint of provocation, slapped the fat insect-like body beneath her.

“Let me tell you a fact,” she said, raising her head high, an expression that reminded Lanlan of the Sirens from Greek mythology. “Men are only attracted to a woman’s appearance. No matter how annoying I am normally, just a few words from me and they’ll melt, believing only my lies and ignoring the truth—a beautiful woman’s lie is worth ten truths from an ugly woman. As long as they can please me, they’ll swarm to me without me even asking—look, this time I’m bedridden, didn’t they all rush to come? But there’s only one condition.”

Lanlan held her breath, waiting for her to continue.

Bao Cancan's tone became ambiguous, "That is, I am still a beautiful woman."

"If I were as ugly as Sister Furong or as fat as Lydia Shum, would they still come to visit me in the hospital? Absolutely not! Not even if they paid me!" She burst into laughter from her chest. "That's reality! They don't love me at all, but my face, my figure, all the bits and pieces of my appearance! Stripped of that charming shell, all that's left is my naked soul. Who will care for me, who will love me?"

“Like this now…” Her slender fingers tenderly stroked her lower body. “Heaven has been kind to me, leaving me with a human face so I can continue to captivate the world. But if they saw this body, guess what would happen?” Tears seemed to glisten in her malevolent eyes. “Would they scream and run away?”

“But I didn’t,” Lanlan bravely met her gaze and said softly, “I didn’t scream or run away. Why don’t you try? This is the perfect opportunity to test Haiming.”

Bao Cancan slowly raised her head.

“The person who truly loves you is someone who can see through your appearance and embrace your heart directly.” Lanlan smiled at her, a smile so captivating for the first time. “Give him a chance, and maybe he’ll surprise you.” She reached out and firmly grasped Bao Cancan’s warm hands. “What do you think?”

"What the hell?!" Maya exclaimed in dissatisfaction. "I thought there would be a fierce battle between the two of them, with the loser becoming your meal, sir... and it's over just like that? I'm so angry!"

What an unexpected ending, the astrologer thought. When he first met Lanlan, he sensed a strong desire emanating from her, and so he easily granted it for her… But was he wrong? Did that desire truly come from Lanlan, or from Bao Cancan, burdened by her beauty and afraid to seek true love?

Forget it, there's no point in thinking about it. His stomach was growing increasingly empty, and even Maya noticed. She cleverly leaned closer and offered a suggestion, "Sir, how about we force ourselves on you? Force you to eat me?"

The astrologer pressed down hard on her head and gave her a wry smile. "An old saying goes, 'Treat food well.'"

"Ancestral precepts?" Maya blinked in confusion. "There are such ridiculous rules?"

The astrologer stopped answering, his elegant figure gradually blending into the darkness.

July 20th

Birthday flower: Obedient Plant

Flower language: Obedience

This is an interesting plant; if its blooming flowers bend in a certain direction, the entire plant will maintain that shape as it grows. Therefore, this flower is also called "Compliance Grass," and its flower language is—compliance.

People born under the blessing of this flower tend to be compliant, especially towards elders or superiors, to whom they are extremely obedient and well-liked. However, if they marry an elder or superior, they will surprise them, as it turns out that a strong sense of self is hidden beneath their gentle exterior.

Book Three: The Hell Record - Foreword

Hell Records

Do you want to see the "demon"?

For just one cent

The gates of hell will then be open to you.

Volume Three: The Hell Record - Earth, Water, Wind, and Fire Incidents (Part One)

The astrologer has a passion for things marked with ancient signs of age, especially antique furniture. This time, he had his eye on an old gramophone with double horns and embossed details, which he estimated to have been produced in the first half of the last century, no later than 1940. Unexpectedly, his attempt to buy it was met with a cold shoulder.

"I'm not selling! No price negotiation!" the owner yelled at him through the glass window.

The astrologer had no choice but to leave dejectedly. Just then, a young girl darted past him. The astrologer caught a glimpse of a black vinyl record tucked under her arm; the wooden box packaging looked very high-quality. He struck up a conversation, hoping to find out about the girl's financial situation.

“That’s right, only my family has a record player that can play these old records,” the girl said, half-bragging. “Now everyone listens to free MP3s, and even CDs and MDs are rarely used anymore, let alone these old records. My record player has been sitting idle for many years, covered in a layer of dust. But it’s strange, wasn’t it said that China stopped releasing vinyl records in 1993? I’m really lucky to be able to buy new ones this time…”

"What kind of song is it?" the astrologer asked her.

The girl shook her head. "I don't know. The person selling the records didn't say a word, just pointed to the sign, something about demons and hell, but I couldn't make it out. Oh well," she replied casually, "it's only a penny, might as well take it, it's a record after all!"

The astrologer walked in the direction she pointed. Indeed, the man who had been selling one-cent records was still there, but suddenly he shouted, "Limited edition, sold out!" and ran off with his sign. It must be some new idea for a rising star's promotion; these days, they'll come up with anything to attract attention. But why use old records? Wouldn't cassette tapes be better? The roadside vendor smiled happily as he said this.

Several months passed in the blink of an eye, and the astrologer had almost completely forgotten about the incident, along with his shameful failure. One evening, as the streetlights came on, he was carrying a bag of yogurt toward his front door when he noticed a young woman standing alone under the dim streetlights, her long, dark shadow trailing on the ground.

The woman was very beautiful, and looked no older than twenty-five. When the astrologer invited her into the studio and carefully examined her under the soft orange light, if one deliberately ignored the heavy dark circles under her dull eyes, she was undeniably a stunning beauty. "I think I'm in trouble," she said, her fingers twisting nervously together repeatedly. "I think I need help."

In just two sentences, with four "I"s and two "I think," she perhaps revealed an excessive sense of self. The astrologer smiled and pursed her delicate lips. "As you can see, this is just an astrology shop. If guests wish to have their fortunes told, I am always at your service. As for other matters, I'm afraid I cannot help you."

"No! Wait!" The woman hurriedly grabbed his hand, even though the cold touch through the glove sent a shiver down her spine. "Please let me continue! You'll definitely be interested!"

Something in her tone caught his attention. He slowly withdrew his long legs and gracefully extended his palm. "Then, please."

“I heard from some sources that I can’t disclose, that your place is just an astrology shop on the surface, but in reality you can grant any wish, as long as the customer can afford it? Any wish of mine will do?” Her eyes gleamed in the darkness.