Watching Ah Jiao’s clever and mischievous demeanor, Liu Che could not help but let a trace of a smile touch his lips. "Alright, get up. Come and help me dress."
Ah Jiao’s gaze lingered for a moment on the white hair at his temples. Resigning herself to her fate, she picked up the clothes from the side and helped Liu Che up.
It seemed he had not yet realized he had aged. She couldn't begin to guess how he would react once he knew, let alone how the people around him would respond.
"Lift your arms, lift your arms. Move them yourself," Ah Jiao muttered as she wrapped Liu Che in layer after layer. Then, she manifested her form and called for the attendants outside.
As soon as she spoke, palace maids entered with lowered heads, carrying washing basins and toiletries, none of them daring to look around.
Ah Jiao took a few steps back to Liu Che’s side and whispered in his ear, "Have they been outside this whole time?"
Liu Che pulled Ah Jiao onto his lap, leaning against her with his eyes closed to steady himself for a moment. "Mhm, they’ve been waiting outside since dawn. Isn't it always like this? What is there to be surprised about?"
"Oh," Ah Jiao nodded.
A palace maid approached respectfully, holding a cloth soaked in hot water. She stole a cautious glance at the Emperor.
With just one look, she froze, her entire body turning rigid. The Emperor’s hair, which had always been jet-black, had sprouted a significant amount of white overnight; his temples were now dusted with the color of frost.
Seeing the maid’s lapse in decorum, a flash of displeasure crossed Liu Che’s eyes. Noticing this, Ah Jiao quickly took the cloth and handed it to Liu Che. "Hurry and wipe your face."
As she spoke, she gestured for the others to bring the rest of the items forward for the Emperor’s use.
Once Liu Che finished washing, he walked toward the dressing table. Upon the table sat a bronze mirror the size of a washbasin.
The Emperor raised his eyes and froze.
"A-Che?" Ah Jiao walked to his side. Seeing that her reflection did not appear in the mirror, she quickly stepped away to avoid causing a commotion among the palace maids.
Liu Che turned his head blankly and asked, "What are you hiding for?"
Ah Jiao pulled him aside, forcing a soft smile. "I have no shadow. Quickly, turn the mirror face down."
Liu Che stared at her for a moment before abruptly knocking the mirror over. The palace maids were instantly thrown into a state of panic.
Ah Jiao said coldly, "All of you, withdraw. Go prepare the meal."
"Understood," the maids bowed and retreated.
Only when the palace doors were closed did Ah Jiao step forward and embrace Liu Che. "A-Che, let me comb your hair." She took hold of Liu Che’s slightly trembling hand, her voice exceptionally tender.
"What is the meaning of this?" Liu Che’s gaze was fixed, his expression unreadable, neither sad nor angry.
"A-Che, everyone grows old. It’s no big deal."
Liu Che repeated those words in his mind several times before suddenly turning and gripping Ah Jiao’s shoulders. "What exactly happened to you yesterday?"
He backed away a few steps, muttering, "Is there some other ghost or demon by my side trying to harm me... Jiao-jiao, tell me the truth."
He did not believe he could age like this in a single night.
"A-Che, there isn't. Don't overthink it." Ah Jiao frowned, trying to pull him down to sit. "I’ll comb your hair. I can help you hide all the white strands."
"Shut up!"
Liu Che looked up at Ah Jiao, staring at her for a long time. "Jiao-jiao, why do you have a guilty conscience?"
"When did I ever have a guilty conscience?" Ah Jiao couldn't help but lower her head. *Pah,* it was hard to act bold when one was in the wrong.
The Emperor pulled Ah Jiao down to sit and set the mirror upright again. The bronze mirror reflected the silhouette of one person; the space beside him was empty.
"Jiao-jiao, have I... been trusting you too much lately?"
"Can one ever trust someone too much?" Ah Jiao looked at Liu Che, her gaze suddenly turning resolute. Her somewhat translucent eyes seemed to hide a mountain of ice, clear and firm.
Liu Che was momentarily speechless. He looked down at his hands; upon closer inspection, the fine lines on his skin seemed to have increased as well.
"Jiao-jiao, you are the only one by my side who is... not human."
Ah Jiao lowered her head in silence for a moment. She felt she should just switch identities again and use her ghost form to secretly stay near Lord Yunhe for protection. She must never expose her identity in front of Liu Che again—it was simply too difficult.
Liu Che struggled internally for a long time before finally speaking slowly. "Jiao-jiao, I want the truth."
Ah Jiao resigned herself. "And what if it was me?"
Liu Che glanced toward the weapon rack where his personal sword hung. It would take at least three steps to reach it. Then he remembered that when he encountered Ah Su before, sword techniques had no effect on her. He abandoned the thought.
The woman sat beside him with her head bowed. He could see her lovely features with a turn of his head; if he moved closer, it was as if he could smell her breath.
"Speak."
Ah Jiao leaned forward slightly, and Liu Che instinctively flinched back. She curled her lip. "I was injured and couldn't control myself... But, if you hadn't kept pressing yourself against me, we wouldn't have done anything, right? And if we hadn't done anything, I wouldn't have accidentally absorbed your yang energy, right?"
"You absorbed my yang energy?!!" Liu Che practically jumped up in shock. "No wonder I’ve felt so exhausted since yesterday!"
Ah Jiao nodded repeatedly. "Yes, yes, but I didn't do it on purpose. I was even punished by the Underworld." She touched her forehead; in a place Liu Che couldn't see, the character for "Punishment" was hidden by the Underworld’s power.
Truth be told, if it weren't for Father Shen’s sake and the fact that Lord Yunhe had personally requested her to accompany them, she probably wouldn't have been able to leave the Underworld this time. She would have had to finish atoning for her sins in the Bureau of Reincarnation first.
Liu Che was speechless. He didn't want to talk right now; his mind was in a state of chaos.
Reason dictated that he could no longer trust Ah Jiao.
A female ghost who should harbor resentment toward him and who had actually drained his yang energy—by any measure, she was not someone worthy of his trust.
Liu Che faced Ah Jiao and backed away several steps.
Ah Jiao sighed and stood up with a smile. "I know you no longer trust me, but I truly didn't mean it. Send someone to collect Chen Wan’s body; it’s just as well, I won't have to go back into it."
Constantly looking after Chen Wan’s physical shell was exhausting for her; using her ghost form was much more convenient.
As soon as she finished speaking, Ah Jiao’s figure began to fade.
Liu Che suddenly lunged forward and grabbed Ah Jiao’s wrist.
"What is it?" Ah Jiao asked in confusion, forced to retract her spell.
"I will send someone to collect Chen Wan’s body, but you cannot leave yet."
"Why? Your yang energy can't be recovered. Besides, you stole my Red Pearl before to extend your lifespan; this is just paying it back."
"..." Liu Che gave a cold snort. "Shut up. Regardless, you cannot leave right now."
Ah Jiao used a flicker-step to dodge to the side. "You think you can stop me?"
Liu Che managed to force a smile. "You can leave, but I can immediately order the imprisonment of Yan Zheng."
"..." Ah Jiao hurried back and grabbed Liu Che’s hand, pressing it onto her own. "Calm down, don't do anything reckless. Here, here, keep holding on. Oh my, I’m injured, I can't run away."
Liu Che: "..." He was becoming more and more curious about Yan Zheng’s identity.
Both were pregnant, yet Ah Jiao loathed and ignored Lady Xing, while being exceptionally close to and protective of Consort Yan.
If Ah Jiao were a man, he would certainly suspect that the child in Consort Yan’s womb belonged to her.
"Jiao-jiao, I am very curious. Why do you value Consort Yan so much? Is there something special about her?" Her looks were average; though she was gentle enough, she didn't stand out at all.
Ah Jiao opened her mouth, hesitating for a long time before saying, "I feel that she looks... quite pleasing to my eye."
Thinking carefully, Lord Yunhe’s appearance was indeed very handsome, with red lips and white teeth.
Liu Che: "..." Are you joking? The child hasn't even left the womb.
"Jiao-jiao, think carefully about how you should answer."
Ah Jiao was troubled. She wanted to tell him, but the rules of the Underworld forbade it. After considering for a while, she spoke up, "Just consider it a case of 'love me, love my dog,' alright?"
How annoying. Ah Jiao plopped down on the bed, then suddenly stood up and pushed Liu Che down to sit. "Stop talking. I’ll comb your hair. Your hair is all disheveled; you look like a madman."
Liu Che did not resist, letting her have her way.
Once her hair was finished, Liu Che summoned Huan Jiujun.
He remembered that Huan Jiujun was very biased toward Ah Jiao and was the first to say that Ah Jiao was a soul granted mercy by the Underworld.
But now, every single event indicated that Ah Jiao had not returned to life as he had claimed, and perhaps she had not... come for him, as he had said.
If Ah Jiao harbored ill intent, then Huan Jiujun was no longer trustworthy either!
Liu Che’s heart was in a tangled turmoil.
***
