Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 79: Birthday Present

Bai Shuangying’s karmic pollution was flawless. No one else noticed any changes in the courtyard. Day after day, they mistook persimmons for jujubes.

Every time Fang Xiu woke up in “Grandma’s house”, he would space out for a few minutes.

Lately, he had found the “正*” character he carved into the old table as a child, and even the plastic figurines hidden at the bottom of the bookshelf. It wasn’t just these little trinkets; the unique smell of the old house had also been perfectly replicated.

*Clarity: Depending on usage, the character can mean positive, upright, correct. However, in this case, it’s most likely used as a way to keep count (tallying).

This place wasn’t the human world, and yet Fang Xiu felt even more relaxed than when he was alive. The room was tidy, just like how Grandma used to keep it. Standing here felt like returning to a time before everything began.

Grandpa and Grandma had gone grocery shopping, and his parents were off running errands in town. Everyone was still alive. The past was just a nightmare, and they could return at any moment.

Fang Xiu was good at deceiving others, and even better at fooling himself. It was just a small fantasy to suit the mood, so why shouldn’t he indulge?

As dusk fell, Fang Xiu ran out into the courtyard to watch the sunset.

The little black dog, thrilled to finally have playmates, stuck to Fang Xiu and Bai Shuangying every day. Recently, it had developed a new game: running in a figure-eight between the two of them until it was dizzy.

If the two stood close together, the dog would take them as the center point and spiral out and back again, over and over, endlessly entertained.

Like right now, they were openly standing close together.

They were hiding, waiting beside a net trap baited with fruits and vegetables for a wild rabbit to walk right in.

Fang Xiu had made the net trap himself, having watched his grandpa do it as a child. Bai Shuangying suggested using magic to catch the rabbit faster, but his proposal was ruthlessly denied by Fang Xiu.

“The fun of trapping isn’t about the catch,” Fang Xiu said solemnly.

Bai Shuangying didn’t quite understand. Half-embracing the warm Fang Xiu, the two sat among the fallen autumn leaves. After more than ten minutes, the net was still dead silent.

…He really couldn’t see what was so interesting about an empty net.

Bored stiff, Bai Shuangying absentmindedly fiddled with his human, occasionally casting binding spells on the net. After the time of an incense stick, the net was layered thick with spells, enough to earn the name “Ghostbane”, but still no rabbits came.

Bai Shuangying was faintly annoyed. Fang Xiu kept tricking him, and now Fang Xiu was being outwitted by a rabbit. Didn’t that place him below a rabbit? That was unacceptable.

He glanced sideways at Fang Xiu and stealthily cast a confusion spell. Fang Xiu clamped his mouth shut, clearly stifling his laughter.

The red sunset faded to blue-violet, and they hadn’t even caught a single rabbit hair. Fang Xiu stretched his numb limbs and squeezed Bai Shuangying’s hand. “Let’s go back and eat dinner.”

He patted the little dog carrying the remains of a spirit and looked unusually content.

Bai Shuangying didn’t budge, like he’d grown roots under his robe. He glared at the empty net like it was a lifelong enemy.

Fang Xiu: “…”

Fang Xiu coughed and said seriously, “Xiao Guan and the others have been catching rabbits lately. Maybe they’re all gone.”

Bai Shuangying frowned. “No, I can feel them.”

Just some wild rabbits; they were running in the distance, well within his range of sight.

“Maybe it’s just that they’re not hungry. It’s autumn. They have plenty to eat,” Fang Xiu tried to console him.

Bai Shuangying remained silent.

Fang Xiu: “The first time I set a trap with Grandpa, I didn’t catch anything either.”

Still no response.

Fang Xiu had a sudden inspiration. “If you really can’t let it go, just use your magic and grab one.”

“Mm.” Bai Shuangying responded immediately. He waved the Peach Bone Evil, and a cold wind rose from the ground.

Fang Xiu was speechless.

Really? He was using Peach Bone Evil over a rabbit? As Bai Shuangying began to emit a chilling aura toward the net, Fang Xiu could only think, ‘Well… it was kind of adorable.’

With the Peach Bone Evil enhancing him, Bai Shuangying’s spell worked almost instantly. A shadow darted in and was immediately snared by the enhanced net.

Fang Xiu leaned over to look and cautiously asked, “Did you use karmic pollution on me?”

Bai Shuangying: “No.”

“Because this rabbit looks exactly like Dian’er,” Fang Xiu said slowly.

Bai Shuangying: “…It does.”

“My grandfather works for the underworld!” the paper figure shouted, tightly tangled in the net. “How dare you—cough cough cough!”

Seeing that it was Bai Shuangying and Fang Xiu, the threatening tone instantly turned into coughing. It blinked innocently inside the net and greeted them eagerly. “Oh my, Mr. Fang! You’re all right!”

Fang Xiu hesitated. “Are you alright?”

Sensing a stranger, the little black dog dashed in front of Fang Xiu and bared its teeth at Dian’er.

“I’m fine, I’m fine. This net is quite sturdy,” Dian’er said, still testing whether Fang Xiu was genuinely concerned or just mocking it. “Well-packed with spells, huh?” it added, trying to play along.

No kidding. Bai Shuangying had spent the entire evening layering them on.

Fang Xiu stayed put. “The ritual’s not over yet. Did the Underworld send a notice?”

“The ritual’s overdue, so I came for an inspection. Heh heh, I’m just worried something might’ve happened to you.” The paper figure huddled in the net.

Fang Xiu gave him a long once-over and suddenly understood. “Ah, so you interfered again.”

“!!!” Caught in one second, the red paint on the doll’s cheeks faded to white.

Its pre-planned “official inspector” story went up in smoke before a word was spoken.

Fang Xiu turned to Bai Shuangying. “Wow, it really is interfering. I was just fishing for a reaction. It’s even easier to fool than you.”

He just found Dian’er’s entrance a bit too sleazy, since it usually descended from the sky.

Dian’er and Bai Shuangying: “…”

Dian’er said mournfully, “Boss, I really care about you! You were still breathing, but it’s been so long, and the E wasn’t resolved… I was scared it’d turn into another Huanxi E!”

Fang Xiu: “Oh. I’m fine. You can go.”

Dian’er: “…No!”

Going back now would make it look like a fool. If Fang Xiu mentioned it to Lady A’Shou, it’d be finished.

Anyway, the team it was watching wasn’t going anywhere. It might as well stick around and earn some favor.

Fang Xiu clicked his tongue loudly. “We’re not feeding you. Suit yourself.”

Dian’er puffed up its paper chest in the net. “Of course, you don’t have to worry about me.”

With an official here, could the E resolution really be far off?

……

And so, the paper figure eventually escaped the net and moved into the empty side room. It took out its notebook and began confidently recording:

Day 1.

Fang Xiu has stabilized the black dog spirit and gets along well with it.

Clearly, he wants to use the Fierce Wind E site to let his companions rest. During downtime, the sacrifices even practice dealing with spirits. How wonderful!

Day 2.

Fang Xiu is overly affectionate with the black dog, and inseparable from his seductive ghost.

While the others train, he busies himself with meaningless diversions. Maybe there’s deeper intent… I’ll observe further…

That black Taoist is rather honest, doesn’t stir much trouble.

Day 3.

Fang Xiu asked about E resolution. He does know the true nature of the Fierce Wind E!

I told him plainly: destroy the E, and the ritual ends. The black dog spirit will vanish within seven days. I said it sincerely. I hope he remembers the favor.

Still, even if he slacks off, he should know his limits. He resolved the Huanxi E. There’s no need to worry. Except… he’s spending more time with that seductive ghost than his teammates.

Sacrificial candidates like him are rare. Hopefully, he doesn’t lose himself in lust.

Day 4.

He’d better not lose himself in lust!!!

Every day they’re lovey-dovey… Do they plan to just live here?!

Day 5.

Damn it, I can’t persuade him…

……

Day 60.

Snow.

Wow. It’s winter now.

As the night deepened, the paper figure blankly laid on the windowsill, watching the first snow drift down.

In the courtyard, the black dog was joyfully rolling in the snow. Fang Xiu dug out an old padded coat and wrapped himself like a clumsy cocoon.

He and that ghost were practically conjoined, completely unhurried. The seductive ghost had endless patience, never once urging him.

This is bad. Are they actually planning to settle down?

One had a body that was protected by the Underworld, while the other was a seductive ghost. As long as they could endure loneliness, they could really live together here forever.

Could it ever go back to the Tower?

…Actually, it didn’t really want to go back anymore. Lady A’Shou probably already found out it deserted its post. As it thought this, the paper figure’s eyes grew wet.

Coincidentally, Bai Shuangying was thinking along the same lines.

For over two months now, he’d eaten and slept beside Fang Xiu every day. And honestly? It was pretty great… Fang Xiu always found some silly novelty to drag him into.

Life was peaceful and fun. And in Bai Shuangying’s eyes, Fang Xiu hadn’t really changed. But day after day, he realized he didn’t understand Fang Xiu any better.

As the weather turned cold, rabbits dwindled and wild greens vanished. Only conjured offerings remained on the table.

Even with fire and electricity indoors, the winter outdoors was brutal. Cheng Songyun had mild frostbite. Guan He and Lu Yang had stopped doing morning runs. After two months, their training was done.

Staying longer served no purpose. Fang Xiu surely understood that.

Lately, Fang Xiu spent more and more time with the little dog.

In autumn, they crunched leaves. In winter, they played in the snow. They both knew the day would come. Fang Xiu would have to destroy the E and let the dog go.

Fang Xiu was delaying it while Bai Shuangying was waiting for it.

Fang Xiu wasn’t versed in metaphysics. No matter how clever he was, he couldn’t solve the simple contradiction: the dog relied on the E and they had to destroy the E.

But slowly, Bai Shuangying began thinking differently. Ever since he’d gotten a taste for it, he was keen into “thinking”.

He realized he could pretty much predict what would happen next. No matter how much Fang Xiu loved the dog, his human would eventually end things and move forward.

Killing the dog would become an invisible scar; one Fang Xiu would remember, and grieve, and miss.

…Just like his grandmother.

Bai Shuangying reached out and rubbed the little dog’s belly. Oblivious to its fate, it rolled happily in the snow, snapping at snowflakes.

“Actually, in two months it’ll be my birthday,” Fang Xiu said out of nowhere.

Bai Shuangying turned to look at him.

“It just crossed my mind. I always celebrated at Grandma’s. We’d use snow to make a cake.”

Fang Xiu blew white vapor into his hands. “Don’t worry. I won’t be so selfish as to wait until then… It’s too cold.”

Looking down at them, his smile was lightly shadowed, with a tinge of sadness in his eyes.

After two months together, Bai Shuangying could already read that subtle emotion. He paused, and the black dog nudged his hand for more pets.

A stage forged by memory, a furry little prop, and his human fated to suffer.

The script was set. He just had to stand by and watch. But…

…No one ever said a prop had to be used only one way, right?

He’d seen tragedies like this before. But this time, he was part of the script, so…

Amid the snow swirling, Bai Shuangying slowly stood.

“I don’t know how to make snow cakes.” Bai Shuangying locked eyes with Fang Xiu. “But I can give you an early birthday present.”

“So formal?” Fang Xiu took it as a joke.

“If I want to give, I give,” Bai Shuangying replied casually.

Fang Xiu blinked. “Oh? What are you giving me?”

Bai Shuangying drew Peach Bone Evil, and white flowers touched white snow. Ripples spread through the space. The courtyard windows, especially the one near the paper figure, snapped shut.

At some point, the wind had stopped. Silence blanketed everything. The little dog flipped upright, shook off snow, and glanced between the two.

This little thing was trickier than the God of Weishan, but with his current power, it should be doable.

Bai Shuangying picked up the snow-dusted dog and looked it seriously in the eye.

“I permit it.”

The dog tilted its head in confusion.

The next moment, the world spun.

Air thickened like syrup, snowflakes flew upward into the clouds, and dim golden light enveloped the dog. In mere seconds, the vision faded. A single flake landed on its nose.

It sneezed, a stunned expression flickering in its round eyes.

Its head wobbled back and forth, as if trying hard to think.

“Don’t be scared,” Bai Shuangying said softly. “It’s normal when a spirit first awakens.”

The dog wagged its tail hesitantly and barked once.

It looked the same, but Fang Xiu felt something had changed.

He licked his cracked lips. “You didn’t just…”

“It’s still dumb. But at this level, it’s comparable to the lowest-tier Ghost Immortal,” Bai Shuangying said. “The Underworld wants to solve the E. If an E is refined into a ghost immortal, that also counts as ‘resolved’.”

“You don’t have to kill it. That’s my gift to you.”

He lifted the concealment and met Fang Xiu’s eyes directly.

Come on, I’ve seen your despair and pain. Let me see the other side too…

Before he could find the best viewing angle, he suddenly felt a tug at his chest. Fang Xiu had grabbed his collar and kissed him squarely.

In the heart of winter, a human’s lips were burning hot.

Fang Xiu’s movements were clumsy but resolute, like a drowning person, stealing life-saving air from him.

“Ghost Immortal energy…” Dian’er burst from the side room, then froze on the doorstep like an ice sculpture.

The little dog shook its fur, awkwardly revealing its true form and barked at Dian’er.

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