Chapter 33: Take It Away, Quickly!
Hours passed before Lu Si Si trembled and regained consciousness.
Somewhere in the midst of casting the spell, she had blacked out entirely, unaware of what had transpired afterward.
“The spell has been completed. You can remove the bandages and move freely now.”
A voice, weak and lacking its usual strength, reached her ears. It was Chen Yan speaking.
Hurriedly, Lu Si Si reached up and peeled away the adhesive strips, removing the gauze from her eyes, then took out the cloth stuffed in her mouth. Sitting up on the bed, she turned toward the only chair in the room and saw Chen Yan slumped against it, his entire body appearing drained.
The sky outside had dimmed. No light had been turned on in the room, and Chen Yan sat by the window, his figure bathed in the last golden remnants of the setting sun.
At a glance, his face was pale, his breathing labored, his forehead covered in a sheen of sweat—as though he had just performed some backbreaking labor.
A chill ran down Lu Si Si’s spine.
[Did he… take advantage of me while I was unconscious?]
Her hands instinctively went to her clothing—neat and untouched.
Chen Yan immediately caught her movement and, realizing what she was thinking, shot her a glare.
“You’re still young, yet your mind is already filled with such nonsense!”
Grumbling, he retrieved a bottle of mineral water from his bag, twisted off the cap, and downed half of it in one go. After taking a few breaths, he turned to her and said, “Sit still and don’t move. Let me examine your aura.”
Tension seized Lu Si Si as she quickly settled herself properly on the bed, uncertain of what to do with her legs. Finally, she crossed them.
With Heaven’s Eye Qi-Observing Technique, Chen Yan focused his gaze on her, and his heart instantly steadied.
The effect… was remarkable!
The misfortune-laden dark aura that had long clouded her was already dissipating—nearly half of it had faded away.
The reason it had not vanished completely was simple: she had not been dead long enough.
For a living being, the dispersal of fate and fortune after death was a gradual process. It did not simply vanish in an instant—it needed time to fade.
At his current level of cultivation, Chen Yan could only sustain the Fake Death Technique for at most two hours, stripping away six senses.
Suppressing the ordinary five senses was manageable, but that elusive sixth sense—the spiritual perception—was beyond his ability to prolong.
Any longer… and what was fake death might well become real death.
·
A glimmer of excitement flickered across Chen Yan’s face. “The spell worked well. By my estimate, another two times—three at most—and your misfortune will be completely dispelled.”
Lu Si Si’s body shuddered slightly. She whispered, “Are you… telling the truth?”
“I am.” Chen Yan nodded firmly. “One more time tomorrow, and once again the day after. If all goes well, after the third spell, you’ll be free.”
Instead of joy, Lu Si Si slowly lowered her head.
Chen Yan frowned in confusion. Taking a step closer, he saw tears welling in her eyes, silently rolling down her cheeks and dripping onto her hands.
Startled, he turned back to his bag, pulled out a pack of tissues, and handed one to her. She clutched it but did not wipe her tears, merely bowing her head and weeping softly.
Minutes later, she looked up, her eyes red and puffy.
“Truly… just two or three more times?”
His voice softened. “Yes. Go home today, come back tomorrow, and then again the next day. If everything proceeds smoothly, after the third time, you will be completely free.”
A long silence stretched between them before Lu Si Si bit down on her lip and lifted her head, her gaze unwavering.
“I’m not leaving.”
“…What?”
“I said, I’m not leaving.”
The usual skittish look on her face—like a startled rabbit—was replaced with an unshakable resolve.
“I’m staying here tonight! And tomorrow! And the day after! I… I’m afraid. I’m afraid that if I leave, something will go wrong…”
Tears brimmed in her eyes once more, but she swallowed back her emotions and clenched her fists. “I’ve waited eighteen years… So many years…”
Chen Yan’s heart trembled.
He understood now.
Eighteen years.
Eighteen long years of fear and caution, of walking on thin ice, enduring cold indifference, and living in isolation.
Eighteen years!
Now that she saw a glimmer of hope, how could she dare let it slip away? Not for a second, not for a breath.
—It was an all-too-human feeling.
Like waiting outside an operating room where a loved one undergoes a major surgery that will take five or six hours.
No one would say, Oh, there’s still time. Let me go to an internet café to kill a few hours.
Any person with even a shred of emotion wouldn’t leave.
Even knowing that waiting outside was meaningless.
Still—they would wait. Every second. Every moment.
·
“If you won’t leave, then stay.”
Chen Yan let out a quiet sigh.
He had planned to return to his luxurious villa and enjoy a good night’s sleep.
Now it seemed that if he left, this girl would never know a moment’s peace.
Glancing at the time, he saw it was nearing five in the afternoon.
After some thought, he asked, “Are you hungry?”
“Ah? Uhm… I’m alright.” Lu Si Si blushed faintly.
Chen Yan pondered for a moment. The school cafeteria wasn’t far, and it had been a while since he’d eaten there…
Chen Yan had spent four years in that modest academy—not renowned for its prestige, nor famous for its teachings. Yet within its humble walls, the canteen hid a few dishes worthy of remembrance. They were simple yet hearty, priced with generosity, as though the chef wielded his ladle with a benevolent heart rather than a mercenary’s greed.
Without hesitation, Chen Yan lifted his phone and dialed Little Zhao. The call was picked up almost immediately.
“Brother Chen! Need something?” Little Zhao’s voice carried a familiar warmth.
“Are you at the academy?” Chen Yan asked.
“I am, I am,” came the hurried reply, accompanied by a clamor in the background. “One moment, Brother Chen, I’m handling some business.”
“What sort of business today?”
Little Zhao lowered his voice conspiratorially. “Some foolish young master from a wealthy clan has fallen for the infamous Green Tea of our Foreign Language Department. He’s hired us to set up a grand, romantic spectacle beneath her dormitory. Flowers, candles—the whole display. I’ve even gathered a crowd of twenty to serve as enthusiastic onlookers. A few of them are trained, you know, from our ventures to Hengdian World Studios. They’ll gasp, sigh, and whisper with awe at all the right moments. You get it, right?” He chuckled. “This gig pays well—better than queueing at milk tea shops as paid customers.”
His amusement was infectious, the thrill of easy money lighting his words.
“I need you to spare someone for a quick errand,” Chen Yan said. “I’ll pay separately, the usual rate.”
Little Zhao laughed. “Of course, Brother Chen. No problem. Got plenty of hands here.”
He never once suggested waiving the fee. He knew Chen Yan’s nature—he disliked owing favors.
Chen Yan pondered briefly before listing his request. “Have them go to the academy’s canteen and get me a portion of braised pork ribs, another of red-braised pork, a serving of soy-braised eggplant, and two boxes of rice. I’ll send a location; have them deliver it there.”
He paused. “Also, if it’s convenient, have them stop by a market and pick up a case of bottled water and a case of instant noodles. Any flavor is fine, just nothing spicy.”
Little Zhao repeated the order back, then ended the call, his laughter trailing in farewell.
Inside the small, rented dwelling, Lu Si Si sat quietly, her emotions more settled than before. Yet embarrassment crept back into her expression. She leaped off the bed, slipped on her shoes, hesitated for a breath, then darted to the corner to retrieve a broom.
“Stop,” Chen Yan said immediately.
“I just… The floor’s a little dusty.”
Chen Yan sighed. “I know what you’re thinking—you want to help, to do something useful. I’m not refusing out of politeness. But listen, this place isn’t mine. It’s a short-term rental. Do you understand? I’m only staying here for a few days. Once my matters are settled, I’ll be gone. No matter how spotless you make it, it still belongs to someone else.”
Lu Si Si bit her lip but remained stubborn. “Even if it’s just a few days, you’ll be more comfortable if it’s clean.”
Without waiting for further argument, she lowered her head and diligently swept the floor. Soon, she fetched a basin of water—where she found the cloth, he had no idea—and began wiping down surfaces with quiet determination.
It was winter. The tap water was frigid, and soon her hands turned pink with cold. Chen Yan watched, wanting to intervene, but she rejected his attempts with a firm shake of her head each time. In the end, he simply let her be.
As dusk fell and the sky deepened into twilight, a voice called from outside.
“Senior Brother Chen, are you here?”
Chen Yan stepped outside to see a rotund youth circling on a bicycle, scanning the unfamiliar surroundings.
“Over here.” Chen Yan raised a hand.
The youth pedaled over, beaming. “Senior Brother Chen, right? Boss Zhao sent me.”
Chen Yan took a quick measure of him. An ordinary-looking fellow, dressed plainly. Most likely a struggling student, making ends meet however he could. After all, no rich second-generation heir would be out braving the cold for side gigs like this.
The bicycle’s front basket held a large plastic bag, packed with the ordered dishes. The back seat, tied down with rope, bore a case of bottled water and a case of instant noodles—pork bone broth flavor.
Chen Yan carried the goods inside, then scanned a payment QR code on his phone. Aside from reimbursing the costs, he added a fifty-yuan delivery fee.
The youth glanced at Lu Si Si, who sat quietly on the bed. He hesitated before stepping outside with Chen Yan, rummaged in his pocket, and pulled out a small box.
“Senior Brother Chen, Boss Zhao gave special instructions. He said you ordered a meal for two, so there might be… certain circumstances. He asked me to bring this.”
“If I saw you with a brother or friend, I was to leave a pack of cigarettes. But since you’re with a young lady…”
With that, he pressed a small, discreet box into Chen Yan’s palm.
Chen Yan, the so-called Great Philanthropist, looked down.
A pack of ultra-thin TT.
He froze.
Little Zhao, that wily fox! All his cunning put to use in these absurd schemes!
Before he could react, the door creaked open. Lu Si Si stepped outside, head lowered. “Chen Yan, I—”
Then she stopped.
Her gaze locked onto the item in his hand.
A deep, stunned silence fell.
Then—
Whoosh!
Her face flushed scarlet. Without another word, she retreated, slamming the door behind her.
Chen Yan: “…”
His expression darkened. With a stiff motion, he shoved the box back into the youth’s hands.
“Take it back. Tell Little Zhao to keep it for himself.”
The youth blinked. “Brother, are you sure you won’t need it?”
“Take it! Now!”
Silently, he added in his heart—[Before I change my mind.]
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation