[Does host really think so?]
If even Saintess Na Lian could be called weak and kind, then how could this city have been cursed into a place of eternal damnation?
However, considering that all the capture targets her host had encountered so far were of this ‘white on the outside, black on the inside[mfn]White on the outside, black on the inside (白切黑): Báiqiēhēi is a popular Chinese internet slang for a character archetype that appears pure, innocent, and harmless on the surface but is actually dark, manipulative, or cruel underneath.[/mfn]’ type, Xixi, while feeling completely listless, also secretly marveled at how good her host’s luck was to have survived safe and sound until now.
‘Of course it’s true!’
Not understanding why the system Xixi would ask this, Youyou tightly gripped the hem of Wuyou’s sleeve, her clear, black-and-white eyes shining astonishingly bright.
‘Those ghosts outside are terrifying. I don’t want Wuyou to be bullied.’
The naive and childish words came straight from Youyou’s heart.
This was the first time since being bound that the host had taken the initiative to ask it for something. Xixi was silent for a long time, not daring—and not having the heart—to tell its host the truth.
It couldn’t do it.
As a ‘little white lotus’ female lead system that was once on the verge of being abandoned and destroyed by the Main God, a ‘chicken-rib[mfn]Chicken-rib (鸡肋): Jīlèi. This comes from a story about the warlord Cao Cao. I’ll attach a link if you’d like to read the story (scroll to the bottom where it says In Romance of the Three Kingdoms) The term is now an idiom for something of little value or a person in a useless position. Xixi’s self-deprecation here is strong.[/mfn]’ system that couldn’t be more of a ‘chicken-rib,’ Xixi knew full well that its host would suffer later, and that Na Lian was enduring endless pain every single moment. Yet there was nothing it could do, possessing a vast store of knowledge and experience for naught.
In an instant, dejection and frustration filled its core. Xixi covered its face with its cat paws, wondering if the highly-regarded seniors of the past had also once been as useless as it was now.
‘Xixi?’
Calling the system’s name in a soft voice, Youyou blinked her big eyes and guessed, ‘Is it because I don’t have enough points?’
She remembered Xixi saying that everything in the Main God’s Mall had to be bought with points, and her points only amounted to a pitiful few dozen.
Counting on her fingers, carefully calculating the difference between a few dozen and a few hundred thousand, Youyou whined and ground her teeth, complaining to Xixi in her mind: ‘If only Bai Qu and Su Ling were here, they would definitely have a solution.’
According to Xixi, Bai Qu and Su Ling were also task-takers, and what’s more, their level had already reached the peak of the advanced tier; they were the super duper powerful kind.
Dissatisfied that she was still a little good-for-nothing, Youyou bit the front of Wuyou’s dress and clenched her fists in determination: ‘I have to work hard to earn points! At the very least, I have to surpass that big jerk Su Ling, hmph! As for my brother, his points are practically mine.’
Knowing just how much Bai Qu doted on her, Youyou said this with complete self-assurance. Thanks to Bai Qu’s subtle, lifelong influence, the Youyou of today had instinctively accepted that Bai Qu was a presence from whom she could ask for anything, limitlessly.
Xixi: …
[W-well, you can do it, host.]
After forcing out this dry sentence, Xixi lay sprawled on the bed in the system space, looking somewhat melancholic, a rare trace of dimness flashing in its golden cat eyes.
‘Mhm, mhm.’
Cuddling softly in Wuyou’s embrace, Youyou gave a lazy yawn, feeling sleepy.
“Wuyou, Wuyou, how am I supposed to take a bath?”
Her soft and sweet voice passed through the red sleeve and into the female ghost’s ear. Wuyou didn’t stop walking. She pursed her lips, pondering for a moment before saying, “Wuyou can just cast a spell for my lady.”
But a bath, ah, it’s been a long time since I’ve heard that word. How novel. They always said that humans and ghosts walk different paths. It seemed that if she wanted to properly pamper this little girl, she would have to be more meticulous and put in more effort.
And so, when they returned to the dilapidated temple, Youyou watched with wide eyes as Wuyou performed a ghostly spell. Then, a clear, comfortable black light enveloped her, and when the light dissipated, her entire body was sparkling clean.
“Wow, that’s so magical!”
Gazing at Wuyou with an expression of pure adoration, Youyou clasped her hands together and praised her sincerely: “Wuyou, you’re too amazing.”
“But of course. However, my lady, you should eat something now. Night will soon be upon us, and the heavy rain will come. Wuyou will go and prepare a place for my lady to sleep, to prevent my lady from getting cold during the night.”
The ghost city’s predecessor was the Holy City. Although several hundred years had passed, Saintess Na Lian still had quite a few rare treasures hidden away. In fact, it wasn’t just her; those old relics in the Holy Temple also had many incorruptible, immortal items in their possession.
Using a spell, she cleared the center of the little temple. The female ghost then took out a specially-made bed, soft cushions, a silk quilt, red pillows, and other items to ward off the cold from her storage ring, leaving Youyou, who was gnawing on a mantou, and Xixi in the system space, completely stunned.
Heavens above! The system Xixi had never seen the female ghost take out these things before. Which meant… that in the past, the female ghost had always just watched with cold indifference as her host suffered and endured hardship, ahhh!
Its understanding of the female ghost deepened by another degree. The system Xixi glanced at its host’s foolishly sweet and happy expression and truly couldn’t bear to look directly at her.
Oh well, as long as my host is happy. She doesn’t have the memories of those previous cycles anyway. Her impression of the female ghost will always be rooted in this present moment.
Rumble—
The heavy rain began to pour down, and the world between heaven and earth abruptly darkened.
Youyou’s body trembled slightly. Biting her mantou, she shuffled over to the edge of the bed and sat down, her round, curious eyes darting back and forth over Wuyou.
As if to confirm when she would transform.
The little girl’s strange gaze made the corner of Wuyou’s mouth twitch. She wanted to stroke the little girl’s face, but upon realizing her own transformation was beginning, she abandoned the thought.
“My lady, you should sleep after you finish eating. Wuyou will take you out to play again tomorrow.” The chill intensified, and her body, following the curse, began to crumble into bone. Wuyou desperately wanted to cover the little girl’s eyes, to keep her from witnessing this horrifying scene firsthand, but in the end, a hidden, presumptuous desire took hold of her heart.
As a vengeful ghost who had been lonely for several hundred years, Wuyou wanted the little girl to accept and love every part of her. Whether it was the skin of a beauty or this frame of a skeleton, she would not tolerate even a hint of fear or resistance from the little girl.
“W-Wuyou?”
She was seeing the scene of a beauty turning to bone for the second time. Only this time, Wuyou’s bones were scattered messily on the ground, not forming a human shape.
“Wuyou?”
She called out many times, but Wuyou didn’t respond. Youyou chewed on the dry, tasteless mantou, suddenly feeling a bit cold.
The entire city was besieged by lightning, thunder, and a torrential downpour. The dilapidated temple was mottled and overgrown, with spiderwebs running rampant. Wisps of rot and mildew drifted to her nose. Youyou kicked off her shoes, quickly finished the mantou, and curled up completely on the red bed. Then, she poked her head out and quietly gazed at the white bones lying in the red dress on the ground.
[H-host, you’re not sleeping?]
Why is she staring at the female ghost? Isn’t she supposed to be timid?
‘Mm, I want to look at Wuyou a bit more. She’s really pretty.’
Xixi: …
What in the world… what kind of *brew[mfn](*湯): The original text censors the first two characters of this phrase. This line reminded me of a phrase in my native language that would’ve explained so well, but doesn’t hit as hard in English, sadly. The line is: ‘Kwani alimroga na nini?’ that can come out to, ‘How did she bewitch her?’ Xixi thinks Wuyou fed Youyou some type of enchanted brew to beguile/charm/seduce her[/mfn] did that female ghost feed my host?!
Just as Xixi was rendered speechless by this, it saw its host actually throw back the covers, get out of bed, gather up the female ghost’s white bones, and wrap them in the red wedding dress before placing them on the bed.
[H-host, are you really not afraid?]
Xixi’s voice trembled slightly.
‘Mhm, Wuyou is very pretty. So white and clean and perfectly smooth. Not ugly at all.’ Although she was timid, the moment she thought of it as Wuyou, Youyou wasn’t afraid.
She covered the red-robed bundle with the quilt and placed it on the pillow. Youyou gently patted it, then patted it again, her voice soft and coaxing as she soothed it.
“Be good now, Wuyou. Let’s sleep together. We can go play again tomorrow.”
TN: This arc is short, so it’ll end really soon. We have like 2 chapters left lol
(edit: I was so wrong lmao)
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