IMGH Chapter 15

Accident

Early the next morning, Qiu Rui opened his eyes, took in the unfamiliar surroundings of the room, then closed them again. As if trying to escape, he was unwilling to accept that a living, vibrant life could become a cold ghost overnight. He hoped it was all a nightmare — that when he opened his eyes again, he would return to the familiar world he had known.

“Rui’er, are you awake? Breakfast is ready!”

The somewhat fawning voice drifted through the gap in the door. Qiu Rui wrinkled his brow in disgust and let out a resigned sigh.

Before long, the door was gently pushed open, and a fluffy-haired head peeked through the gap. Someone said with a cheeky grin, “Rui’er, did you sleep well last night?”

Qiu Rui paid him no attention whatsoever. He got out of bed, walked past him, and said coldly, “Eat breakfast yourself.”

“Rui’er, skipping breakfast is bad for your health! Eat at least a little!” Jiang Yi followed on Qiu Rui’s heels, earnestly urging him.

Unable to bear Jiang Yi’s endless chatter any longer, Qiu Rui turned around and said, “Have you ever seen a ghost that eats multiple meals a day? We can practice bigu!”

Bigu — wasn’t that something only immortals could do?

Jiang Yi stood there dumbfounded, unable to process what he had heard for a long moment.

The blank, dazed look on the man’s face reminded Qiu Rui of a small, adorable animal, and he couldn’t help but smile. That smile, set against the morning light, was dazzling and radiant — so brilliant that Jiang Yi couldn’t collect himself for quite some time.

Noticing that Jiang Yi’s face had taken on that lovestruck expression again, Qiu Rui frowned and said, “Idiot. When are you going to the City God Temple?”

The reminder jolted Jiang Yi into realizing he still hadn’t taken care of his business. He slapped his forehead and said, “I’m going right now, right now!”

Jiang Yi grabbed the car keys from the key cabinet and rushed out the door, but paused and turned back to call out, “Rui’er, there’s breakfast on the table — eat some if you get hungry. I should be back by noon!”

Qiu Rui gave a faint acknowledgment, and Jiang Yi flashed a wide smile before dashing out.

It was right in the middle of the morning rush. Jiang Yi stood in the slightly crowded elevator, watching the numbers on the screen count steadily downward, when he suddenly felt wave after wave of cold air behind him. He hunched his shoulders and instinctively turned his head — only to come face to face with a magnified, strikingly handsome face right beside him.

Under Qiu Rui’s murderous gaze, Jiang Yi snapped his head back and stared in astonishment at the frost-covered ghost. “Rui… Rui’er…”

The elevator was already a small space, and Jiang Yi’s exaggerated movements combined with his startled, flustered tone drew sideways glances from the other passengers. The looks on their faces all but said, Is this person out of his mind?

Under everyone’s stares, Jiang Yi realized that only he could see Qiu Rui. Afraid of being taken for a lunatic, he didn’t dare say another word to Qiu Rui. Once the elevator reached the first floor, Jiang Yi signaled to Qiu Rui, and the two of them — one living, one ghost — made their way to the stairwell.

Jiang Yi looked around in every direction to make sure no one was there, then turned to Qiu Rui, who still wore a dark expression, and asked, “Rui’er, why did you come out?”

“Could it be that the formation has been lifted?” Jiang Yi asked, his voice filled with surprised delight.

Qiu Rui fixed Jiang Yi with a furrowed stare. Jiang Yi could see his eyes brimming with undisguised contempt and helplessness. “Rui’er, why are you looking at me like that?” he asked, puzzled. “Shouldn’t you be happy that you can move around freely now?”

Qiu Rui exploded in exasperation, “Idiot! Did you really think that formation was so simple? The moment you stepped out the door, I felt a force pulling at me. The next thing I knew, I was in the elevator, and then—”

Qiu Rui’s words came to an abrupt stop. Both of them simultaneously recalled the small incident that had just occurred. If Qiu Rui weren’t a ghost, that kiss would have been entirely real.

Jiang Yi’s gaze drifted involuntarily to Qiu Rui’s tightly pressed lips, studying them carefully. His lip shape was beautiful — the curve of those thin, delicate lips carried an inexplicable allure.

Jiang Yi unconsciously raised a finger to touch his own lips, silently lamenting the kiss that had failed to land. If he could truly kiss lips as wonderful and tempting as those, the feeling would surely be utterly soul-stealing.