Striving for Science C27 pt2

"Sir." Leaving the bustling square, Shen Chang'an was looking for a shared bicycle when a middle-aged woman silently approached him, scaring him so much that he almost dropped the phone he was scanning.

"Hello?" Shen Chang'an felt that this woman looked familiar, as if he had seen her somewhere before.

Whether it was from the cold or fear, the middle-aged woman's shoulders trembled slightly. "Thank you for your help, sir, for avenging my daughter. Please accept my bow."

After saying this, the woman bowed to Shen Chang'an, kneeling on the ground. Shen Chang'an was stunned by the sudden change, and for a moment he didn't react.

"Ten years ago, my daughter went out and never returned. After searching for her for a long time, I learned that her soul had been taken by the earthbound spirits of Mountain Spring Valley. I am so helpless, I couldn't even enter the barrier set up by those evil spirits." 

The middle-aged woman bowed to Shen Chang'an again. "That day, I saw them lure ordinary tourists into the mountains, but I didn't dare to stop them. My ghost power is weak, I couldn't tell the police the truth, I could only watch helplessly as they were trapped. Unexpectedly, two days later, you suddenly appeared at the foot of the mountain. I dared to give you a fake travel brochure, please forgive me."

Shen Chang'an realized that this woman had no shadow behind her, she wasn't a living person. The woman said she was looking for her missing daughter, did she die before her daughter disappeared, or... after?

Shen Chang'an didn't dare to think about it, because no matter what the possibility was, it was a tragedy. It turned out that the staff at the Mountain Spring Villa were all ghosts. No wonder those tourists who were locked up were so terrified that they couldn't even speak for help.

"You..." Shen Chang'an saw the woman's body gradually becoming transparent. "Did you find your daughter?"

"She was enslaved by evil spirits for ten years and had long lost her sanity. Perhaps when you smashed the gate of the mountain villa, her soul had already returned to the underworld." The woman bowed to the ground. "Although you have merit upon your body and are not afraid of ghosts, I used you for revenge, which is my sin. Today, I am fortunate to thank you, my wish is fulfilled. May you live a life without worries, long life and good health."

The woman's body became increasingly faint, almost disappearing completely. A look of relief spread across her face, as if she was happy that her daughter's soul had been saved.

"Thank you," Shen Chang'an pursed his lips. "I wish you and your daughter a happy life in the next life."

The woman smiled faintly. A soul that should have gone to the underworld long ago had lingered in the human world for nearly ten years, and even used the merit of a human to take revenge. It was destined to be a soul scattered to the winds, with no chance of reincarnation.

However, when she looked up and saw the soul-guiding lamp suddenly lighting up in the air, the entire ghost was stunned. The light of that lamp was so insignificant compared to the lights on both sides of the road, but it could carry the dead souls back to the underworld.

She stared blankly at the dim blue soul lamp, then abruptly turned to look at Shen Chang'an. He stood beside a dilapidated shared bicycle, a gentle smile on his face.

"Thank you, sir. Your great kindness, I will never forget." The woman bowed three times and kowtowed nine times to Shen Chang'an, turning into a wisp of soul light and disappearing into the soul-guiding lamp.

Within a few short minutes, Shen Chang'an was a little embarrassed to be bowed to by a female ghost who was much older than him. He scratched the back of his head. This ghost lady was too polite. He had only said a few nice words, and she was performing such a grand ceremony.

He hoped that she and her daughter would have the chance to meet again in the Underworld. It's not easy to cultivate a mother-child bond in the vast sea of humanity, especially since she had put so much effort into her daughter's soul. If she couldn't even see her daughter one last time, it would be a great pity.

***

The female ghost followed the soul-guiding lamp to the underworld, and suddenly heard her daughter's voice coming from beside her.

"Mom."

"Mom."

She hastily turned back and saw her daughter standing at the end of the road. Her eyes welled up, and she wanted to cry, but as a ghost, how could she shed tears?

"The guilty ghost, Lu Yi, violated the Underworld's treaty, staying in the human realm for nine years and ten months, and using the ten-life merit body of a noble person for revenge. Her crime is unforgivable, and she should be sentenced to soul dispersal. However, due to the kind words of a noble person, her severe punishment is forgiven, and she is sentenced to five years of service in the Underworld, after which she will be reincarnated in the human realm." 

***

He huffed and puffed, riding his bicycle to Dao Nian's residential area. Shen Chang'an thought the security guard would ask him for identification, but when the guard saw him, he didn't say a word, just opened the gate and let him in, even helping him park his shared bicycle outside the community.

"Mr. Shen, the streetlights aren't very bright at night, be careful where you step." Even after walking a few steps away, Shen Chang'an could still hear the security guard's warm and friendly reminder.

"Thank you." Shen Chang'an thanked him and walked through the tree-lined residential area. The trees were so dense that they blocked the light from the streetlamps, making the path quite dim, but Shen Chang'an didn't find it eerie or scary, instead, he felt a unique sense of peace.

Walking through the tree-lined path, Shen Chang'an saw a light at the end of the road. He looked closer and saw Dao Nian sitting quietly in his wheelchair, holding a delicately crafted glass lamp, as if waiting for him to return.

In that moment, countless emotions surged through Shen Chang'an. He rushed to Dao Nian's side, squatting down beside him: "Dao Nian, were you waiting for me to come back?"

Dao Nian looked at him expressionlessly, his gaze fixed on the sweat on Shen Chang'an's forehead: "It's twelve o'clock."

"I'm sorry, I came back late." Shen Chang'an reached out and touched Dao Nian's back, finding it slightly cold. He stood up and said, "It's cold outside, I'll push you back."

"Wait." Dao Nian pulled on his sleeve, gesturing for him to stay squatting. "It's twelve o'clock, a new day."

Shen Chang'an looked up at him.

"Happy birthday."

On this dark night, Shen Chang'an felt a warmth spread through him, his eyes even starting to feel hot.

"Take it." Dao Nian placed the glass lamp in his arms, "I'll give you a wish."

"Can you wish for anything with this?" Shen Chang'an looked at the lamp in his arms. It seemed to be made of glass, with delicate patterns on the outside, and something inside was glowing, a bit like stars, very girly.

Unexpectedly, Dao Nian had such a little hobby. As a friend, of course, he had to cooperate.

Dao Nian looked at him for three seconds, "Anything."

"Then I..." Shen Chang'an rolled the star-like lamp in his hand, smiling at Dao Nian, "I hope Dao Nian can live happily, and we can celebrate each other's birthdays together every year."

The night wind brushed through the trees, making a rustling sound. Dao Nian was silent for a while: "That's it?"

"That's it." Shen Chang'an reached out and poked Dao Nian's back of the hand, "So, can my wish come true?"

"Okay," Dao Nian lowered his eyes to look at the glass star wish lantern in Shen Chang'an's hand. "I'll come see you every year on your birthday."

"It's not that you come to me on my birthday, it's that you spend my birthday with me, and I spend your birthday with you." Shen Chang'an stood up and patted Dao Nian's shoulder with a smile. "A man of your word, you have to keep your promise. I made a wish, you can't give me a discount."

Another moment of silence.

"Okay."

"So, are you going to give me a smile now?" He pointed to his own mouth. "Be happy, okay?"

Dao Nian stared at him, then lowered his eyelids after a long moment. "I think," he said, "I can give you a chance to make a new wish."

"Hey hey hey, don't don't don't." Shen Chang'an wouldn't allow Dao Nian to object, so he stuffed the beautiful little lamp into his pants pocket and pushed Dao Nian back. "Being a man, the most important thing is to be trustworthy. How can you go back on your word? I, Shen Chang'an, am not that kind of person."

Dao Nian silently touched his lips, his mouth twitching upwards in a stiff smile before quickly lying back down.

Smiling is such a hassle, I'd rather break my promise.

After all, he... isn't human.