Princesse mercenaire

Chapitre 5

I smiled faintly, about to reply, when a man's anxious voice called from outside, "Qianqian, Qianqian, where have you gone?"

Qianqian made a face at me playfully: "It's Uncle Mingran. He's so clumsy, he can never find me." She ran to the door, pushed open the glass door, and shouted outside, "Uncle, I'm here."

When I saw the man, my heart skipped a beat. It was him. This is fate that cannot be avoided in this world. I wonder how deeply it has hurt the witch. I stared blankly as he walked into the flower shop, picked up Qianqian, and complained helplessly, "Little witch, I'm scared of you. Don't scare me like that next time."

The little girl smiled smugly: "Who told you to be so stupid? Look how beautiful the flowers Aunt Luo gave me are! She can even do magic!"

He looked at me upon hearing this, paused for a moment, frowned, and a hint of doubt flashed across his face: "I think I've seen you before."

"Perhaps you've been here to buy flowers." I tried my best to downplay everything, but a strange joy welled up inside me. Even though we've been separated by lifetimes, he still remembered me; how could I not feel both heartbroken and sweet?

Before we parted in our previous life, he was on his deathbed, his eyes filled with regret, but he still held my hand tightly and said to me, "Xiao Luo, I don't want to forget you, but I'm afraid that after drinking the Meng Po soup, I won't remember our past. I'm also afraid that you'll harden your heart and not acknowledge me. Let me look at you carefully, I want to remember your face, so that I can recognize you in the next life." He was always so stubborn. I could only weep beside him, watching the light in his eyes gradually fade, but his tightly clenched hand never loosened.

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [16]: I have seen him off life after life, and each separation from him has caused me unbearable pain. I know he will be reincarnated, and I know that fate will bring us together again, but I also know that in the end I will lose him. Fate is like this, and I cannot change it. No, this time the witch has decided not to obey fate and has decided to set him free. She no longer wants his life to be entangled with hers, and she wants him to live a peaceful life. He has suffered too much for her, and she can no longer be selfish and only think of herself.

The witch, having made up her mind, pretended to be nonchalant, but her sharp gaze scrutinized me from head to toe, making my legs weak and almost unable to stand.

"Please give me a bouquet of lilies." He finally let me go, and I breathed a sigh of relief. I picked out a few of the most beautiful ones, wrapped them up, and gave them to him.

Qianqian skipped over to my side, watched me work, and asked curiously, "Uncle, is this for Aunt Xiaolin?"

Mingran chuckled and playfully pinched her nose: "Little witch, you guessed it."

My hand trembled, and the bouquet I was almost finished with scattered. I quickly gathered it up and tied it back together. A beautiful bunch of lilies was handed to him. He took it and praised, "You're very skillful." For some reason, I suddenly felt satisfied, just for that one compliment from him.

"Miss Luo is so capable, I'll have to trouble you to help with the flowers for my wedding." Mingran gently placed her business card on the counter.

I felt as if I had been struck a heavy blow, my heart shattered into pieces, but I kept a straight face and said: "My surname is not Luo, my surname is He, He Xiaoluo."

He said somewhat apologetically, "Oh, I heard Qianqian call you Aunt Luo, so I thought your surname was Luo. I'm really sorry."

Qianqian tugged at my sleeve, and I squatted down to avoid eye contact. "What is it, Qianqian?"

"Aunt Luo, are you unhappy?" The little girl was so perceptive in noticing my change in mood that I was surprised.

I glanced at Mingran quickly, afraid he would become suspicious, and smiled to cover it up, saying, "How could that be? With business to do, how could Auntie not be happy?"

Luckily, the doorbell rang, and another customer came in to buy flowers. I apologized and took the opportunity to greet the customer, escaping anything related to him. Mingran picked up Qianqian and politely said goodbye to me. I breathed a sigh of relief, but also felt a sense of loss.

I carefully kept the business card Mingran left me, but I never dialed his number. Since I'd made up my mind, I should face it bravely. I owe him so much, and I have no way to repay him, so I can only swallow my pride. From now on, he and I will each have our own worlds, and our paths will never cross again.

One afternoon two weeks later, Mingran walked into my flower shop again. I was bending over trimming thorns when I heard the bell and looked up to see him. We just stared at each other blankly. He snapped out of it first and coughed, "Miss He, you didn't call me. I'm getting married the day after tomorrow and I'd like to order some flowers from you."

I gave a bitter smile: "Yes, what kind of flowers do you want? Roses are the proper flowers for a wedding."

He nodded: "Rose is a must, of course, and the bride's bouquet should be lilies." Lilies are also my favorite, but he couldn't remember them. I felt a pang of sadness. I picked up my pen and carefully wrote down the flowers he wanted. That was probably the only thing I could do for him. I would give him the most beautiful flowers to decorate his wedding.

"Drug of sleep, how could it have such a name?" he suddenly said.

I was taken aback, then realized what was happening, and smiled faintly: "Love is a drug that makes people willingly throw themselves into it, even unto death." And you are my drug, but I insist on resisting your temptation. The witch wept bitterly in her heart.

"So the name of your flower shop is actually a metaphor for love." He suddenly realized.

It was a love that was unattainable; even though it was right in front of me, I had no choice but to let go.

I looked up at him, etching his image deep into my heart. From now on, he belonged to another woman; He Xiaoluo was just a thing of the past, dust brushed off his shoulder, leaving no trace. Why is it that even after I've made up my mind, my heart still aches?

"Don't worry, I'll have the flowers ready." I wrote, head down, trying to keep a calm demeanor.

Mingran glanced at me and suddenly asked, "So, are you ready?"

My hand trembled, and the pen rolled to the ground. I didn't even dare to look up. What did he mean by that? For a moment, my mind was in turmoil, and a thousand thoughts were tangled together.

"Xiao Luo, are you really going to be so heartless as to disown me? All that effort for refusing to drink the Meng Po soup was for nothing." Mingran sighed.

Tears finally rolled down my cheeks. Had he already recognized me? He came for me, but all I wanted to do was reject him and make his life better.

"Mingran." My face was covered in tears as I finally threw myself into his arms. We embraced tightly, never to let go again. This embrace had been so long ago, only ever appearing in the witch's dreams.

A curious face appeared before me—it was Qianqian. She seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, smiling at us. My face flushed, and I let go of Mingran.

"What about your fiancée?" I suddenly remembered and stared at him with wide eyes.

Mingran smiled slyly: "Xiaolin? She's just a sick colleague."

"But we..." The thought of separation made me anxious.

"Xiao Luo, cherish the time you spend together. As long as you can both be happy, why think about the ending so soon?"

Mingran was more open-minded than me, and I immediately felt relieved. Perhaps reincarnating with Mingran wasn't such a bad thing, because I knew that he would always be by my side. The witch wasn't alone. In that instant, the witch made a decision in her heart.

Qianqian was wearing a white princess dress today, looking as pretty and cute as an angel. She tugged at my skirt and begged, "Auntie, you have to teach me magic in the future!"

Mingran said with a mocking smile, "See, you have a successor."

I clapped my hands lightly, and in an instant, the flowers in the shop burst into bloom, a riot of colors, vying to release their fragrance. Qianqian skipped and laughed joyfully among the flowers. And the witch's life would be different from this moment on, I thought, and couldn't help but smile happily.

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [17]: After meeting Mingran, my life became more colorful. I experienced the joys and sorrows of an ordinary woman. I was overjoyed by a phone call and moved by a promise. Unlike a witch with hundreds of years of experience, love can make people stupid and simple, and they are happy for simple happiness.

The witch's memoirs continue online; they are my little secret, a secret belonging only to witches. On days when I'm working overtime, I've made it a habit to while away the nights at this "waiting for you" café. The café owner gradually became familiar with me, and every time he sees me, he smiles knowingly, serves me a rich latte, and lets me do my own thing.

Halfway through writing the story, the coffee shop owner quietly walked up to me and gently gestured, "Look at that girl in the corner, she's been crying all night." I had no intention of meddling in other people's business, but Mr. Lin was a good person, and I couldn't bear to disappoint him, so I turned around to look. In the dimly lit corner, a long-haired woman was sitting, staring blankly at the coffee on the table, and I could vaguely see the glistening of tears on her cheeks.

"Maybe it's unemployment, or maybe it's heartbreak." I turned back nonchalantly and continued typing.

Mr. Lin looked worried: "I just heard her arguing with her boyfriend. It seems she did something wrong in the past, and her boyfriend somehow found out and broke up with her. She's been crying ever since. I'm worried that she might..."

"What wrong thing did you do?" I stopped what I was doing and asked curiously.

Mr. Lin looked somewhat embarrassed, as if he found it difficult to say, "She used to be in prison."

I suddenly realized that many things in this world come at a price, and many mistakes are difficult to remedy, even with a hundred or a thousand times the effort. Everything has a cause and effect; when you taste the bitter fruit, why not reflect on your past actions?

“Everyone has their own sky above them. What she does is her business, and we can’t interfere.” I was uninterested and buried myself in my own story. Boss Lin glanced at me, hesitated, and finally sighed before getting up and leaving.

At midnight, the coffee shop closed. The woman and I were the last customers. Before leaving, Boss Lin gave me a wink, but I pretended not to see it. The witch didn't want to meddle in other people's business.

Stepping out of the shop, the air was fresh, tinged with a touch of chill. Looking up at the night sky, the stars shone brightly, gazing down upon the world. Suddenly, my phone rang. I glanced at the number and couldn't help but smile: "Calling so late?"

A familiar voice came from the other end of the phone: "I'm worried because you haven't gone home yet."

"I'm the one who makes others suffer, you know who I am." Despite saying this, I felt warm and sweet inside.

Mingran laughed heartily: "I'm just worried that others will suffer because of you." I chuckled and scolded him, then hung up the phone.

I turned around and saw the woman from before squatting in a corner not far away, holding a small white kitten in her arms and talking softly to it. I walked over quietly and watched her gently stroke the kitten's fur, murmuring, "Little kitten, you're so pitiful. Does no one want you? You must be an orphan, otherwise you wouldn't be left alone on the street so late. It's a pity I have to leave, otherwise I would have taken care of you."

At that moment, a tender feeling flashed through the witch's heart. She recalled her childhood long ago, when she had also been lonely and sleepless all night with her eyes wide open.

What's your name?

The woman looked up at me in surprise, then lowered her head to stroke the kitten, replying casually, "Yilian, my name is Yilian."

“I know your past, and I know you’ve been heartbroken and now you want to die, but I can help you.” I knelt down in front of her and offered her my advice.

A look of pain flashed across her jade-like face, a mixture of shame, indignation, and desolation: "I did wrong. I admit I was ignorant and vain before, tempted by money. But when I tried to break free from the past and start a new life, everything from the past clung to me like a venomous snake. It's my retribution. I blame no one but myself. I have no other choice but to die. My colleagues at the company all know now, and my boyfriend has broken up with me. What's the point of me living?"

The witch smiled faintly: "Trust me, I can help you." I chanted a spell softly, and my right index finger gradually glowed. I touched Yilian's forehead and withdrew my hand after a moment.

Yilian frowned, puzzled. "What did you do?"

"I took away your love. From now on, you won't care about those rumors and gossips, and you'll be numb to the accusations of others. Now think about your boyfriend, how do you feel?"

Yilian focused her attention, then looked somewhat surprised: "Just now, thinking about him still made my heart ache and I felt sad, but right now I just treat him like a stranger. How could I have thought of dying for him?"

The witch nodded, waved goodbye with satisfaction, and said, "You will live a good life. If you need anything, come find me. I own the flower shop over there called 'Drowning Potion'."

Elaine, holding the kitten, stared blankly as I left, looking so thin and frail in the night.

The witch yawned lazily and returned to the flower shop in a cheerful mood. A black figure appeared silently from nowhere, standing beside her and coldly saying, "You ruined my plans."

Is it her? I nonchalantly turned on the light: "It's okay to take one less, you already have so many souls."

The Grim Reaper, Lanxi, clad in a black cloak and wielding a long scythe, blocked my way in a fit of rage, his pale gray eyes filled with fury: "This isn't the first time. Why do you always ruin my plans?"

“She’ll die eventually. You’ll just have to wait a few more years. You’ve lived so long, you won’t care about these few years anyway.” I picked a few white roses that were in full bloom from the flower bucket and handed them to her.

Lanxi involuntarily took it, smelled the rose fragrance, and was quite intoxicated: "The scent of life and death coexisting."

---Magpie Bridge Fairy

Reply [18]: My encounter with Deathly Lanxi is a long story. In fact, we are old acquaintances, but she usually appears because I ruin her plans. While Lanxi was intoxicated, she did not forget to glance at me coldly and sighed softly: "Witch, you know that this line of work is not easy. There are so many people competing with us for business."

I suppressed a laugh and pretended to reply, "Yes, yes, you came here from overseas to expand your business, so you're a pioneer."

Lanxi said with deep feeling, "It's tough. Fortunately, the number of people who are tired of life has increased in recent years, so my business can barely stay afloat. Suicide is my first choice. Heaven won't accept them, and they can't be reincarnated. Today was supposed to be a good opportunity, but you had to come and ruin it for me."

The witch frowned, then suddenly realized something: "Did you interfere in Elaine's affairs?"

Lanxi's face immediately turned awkward, and she stammered in defense: "Just a little bit, only a little bit. Death itself is tempting to humans, so don't blame me."

Poor Lanxi, she'd stop at nothing for her business. And even more pitiful are the humans, whose souls, unable to resist temptation, became hers. After Lanxi disappeared, I stood among the flowers, pondering the question of life and death. In truth, from the moment humans are born, each day brings us one step closer to death. Time is truly finite, yet some cannot bear it, surrendering their lives to death. Thinking about this, I couldn't help but sigh deeply.

The witch led a very structured life. Her work at the flower shop was both a pastime and a hobby. In her spare time, she would observe Elaine's life through the water mirror, watching her blankly face the gossip behind her back, seemingly unresponsive to others' words, which secretly pleased her. Having lost her love, Elaine was single-minded, focusing solely on her work, and soon she was promoted. This was exactly what the witch had expected; one could tell how much effort someone put into something, and Elaine proved her worth through her own hard work.

I felt relieved about Yilian. It seemed that Lanxi's waiting was going to be in vain. Thinking of Lanxi's angry look, I couldn't help but chuckle to myself.

One evening, as I was packing up to close the shop, an unexpected person came to see me. Elaine, dressed in a light gray business suit, pushed open the door of the flower shop. She looked much more mature than I had seen her in the past few months.

"Hello."

I stopped what I was doing and smiled slightly at her: "How have you been lately?"

A hint of distress flashed across Elaine's face: "I'm doing alright, but recently a client has been hinting at his feelings for me. He knows about my past, but he doesn't mind. He just keeps being nice to me, which makes me not know what to do."

"Is that so?" I watched her calmly until an unnatural expression appeared on Elaine's face. "Why don't you just tell me the purpose of your visit?"

Elaine was somewhat embarrassed and pleaded in a low voice, "I want you to give me back my love. At first, I felt content without love; it saved me a lot of heartache and hurt. But I want to try, to start another relationship."

"Aren't you afraid of failure, afraid of getting hurt again?"