Chapter 008: Straw Sandals as a Guide, Where the Soul Returns in Dreams

“Jiang Huai! Jiang Huai! She, she, she…”
Principal Liu stared at Li Xuan’s face, which was growing increasingly twisted, and stammered for so long that he failed to catch his breath. His eyes rolled back, and he fainted once more.
Do not mock Principal Liu; his reaction was perfectly normal for anyone.
“Li Xuan!”
“No! He’s slandering my sister! Slandering my sister!”
A woman’s mood can change faster than flipping pages, and this female ghost was no exception.
“He…”
While Li Xuan seethed, I had already bitten my finger and traced another spirit ward onto my abdomen.
Before she could finish, I stepped forward and pulled her into my arms.
I looked at her with unwavering resolve and said, “No matter what your sister is like, I just want you to be alright. I don’t want to personally destroy your soul, my girlfriend.”
The word “girlfriend” made Li Xuan tremble ever so slightly.
I could sense her gradually calming down, so I loosened my grip.
She gazed at me, eyes full of longing. “You… you really want to be my boyfriend?”
Wasn’t she just thinking about her sister a moment ago?
I nodded, and repeated seriously, “I do. But you have to listen to me. If you don’t, I won’t keep you.”
Seeing Li Xuan completely soothed, I ran outside to retrieve my backpack.
Opening it, I smiled at Li Xuan. “Come in, I’ll take you home.”
“Alright…”
Whether a girl or a ghost, the difference is but a single word; in essence, they are no different.
Especially at Li Xuan’s age, when she yearns for love, romance, and security.
Obediently, Li Xuan turned into a wisp of blue smoke and slipped into my backpack. I put on my damp clothes and slung the bag on my back.
I roused Principal Liu again, pressing on his philtrum. He woke, blinking in alarm and let out a nervous scream.
When he saw me, he quieted, swallowing hard.
“Pick up the iron box and follow me.”
By the time Principal Liu reacted, I was already sprinting through the rainy night.
I brought Principal Liu straight back to the shop.
“Grandpa, I’m home.”

I stood on the welcome mat at the doorway, stamping my feet.
Looking up, I realized that Grandpa was not alone; Li Xuan’s parents were here too.
Li Xuan’s parents stood up as soon as they saw me, faces full of anticipation.
“Mr. Li? Mrs. Li? You’re here too?”
Principal Liu, right behind me, seemed surprised to see Li Xuan’s parents.
Likewise, Li Xuan’s parents appeared uneasy upon seeing Principal Liu.
“Alright, everyone who needs to be here is here, so let’s begin.”
Grandpa smiled and rubbed his hands together as he stood. “Jiang Huai, bring it over.”
Grandpa beckoned to Principal Liu as well. “Bring what’s in your hands.”
Principal Liu froze, then quickly placed the iron box containing the dead child’s body on the table. I set my backpack beside it.
Grandpa touched both the backpack and the iron box, nodded, then suddenly waved at me, his face full of disdain. “Jiang Huai, go wash up! Look at yourself, what a mess!”
Turning to Principal Liu, Grandpa grinned, “Principal Liu, you’ll have to wait until this is settled before you can wash up.”
Principal Liu had no mind for bathing; he insisted I go quickly instead.
Maybe Grandpa thought I was in the way, but he was right—I was in desperate need of a wash.
Enjoying the hot water, I pressed a warm towel to the back of my head.
As I reflected on everything that had just happened, Principal Liu’s words allowed me to finally understand why Li Xuan became the unfortunate target of the dead child.
Li Xuan was Li Ran’s younger sister, and because of their blood relation, the dead child mistakenly took her for his mother.
As for his obsession with dealing with Principal Liu, it was because Principal Liu was the one who stopped him from entering this world.
Not wanting children is not a big deal nowadays.
It doesn’t always result in the birth of a ghost baby.
After all, not every reincarnated soul was a heinous criminal in its previous life, but the risk exists.
Sometimes, you really can’t afford to take chances with these things.
Take Li Xuan, for example. Her death was so undeserved; she paid for her sister’s mistake with her entire life.
As the saying goes, if you don’t love, don’t hurt—letting go of others is letting go of yourself.
After my bath, as I dried my hair in front of the mirror, I heard Li Xuan’s mother wailing in grief.
Once my hair was dry, I stepped outside to find Principal Liu sitting quietly, Li Xuan’s parents huddled together in tears.
Li Xuan’s soul stood outside the window, afraid to come in.

Seeing I was done bathing, Grandpa beckoned to Principal Liu and the two approached me.
“Principal Liu, will you come inside and settle the account?”
“Ah? Yes, yes!”
Grandpa invited Principal Liu into the inner room, then patted my shoulder. “Let them see her, but not for too long. We all need to rest.”
I went up to Li Xuan’s parents, smiled and nodded, then turned to look at Li Xuan outside the window.
“You said you’d behave. You have only the time it takes to finish a cigarette.”
As I spoke, I walked over to the altar dedicated to the Three Immortals, pulled a red cloth from the side, and covered the altar.
I also took out a red seal and a lighter from beneath the altar.
Opening the shop door, a gust of cold wind tousled my hair.
I turned off the lights, stepped outside, and leaned against the doorframe as I lit a cigarette.
I held the cigarette between my fingers and watched it burn quietly, the aroma curling into my nose.
I exhaled, listening to the cries inside, thinking back to the way Principal Liu reacted upon seeing Li Xuan.
I recalled a phrase from the internet: every soul you fear is someone else’s beloved.
The time it takes to smoke a cigarette is long enough for family separated by life and death to say goodbye.
It is also short, ending almost as soon as it begins.
When the cigarette burned out, I walked in, expressionless, turned on the lights, and uncovered the altar.
“Aunt, Uncle, time’s up. Don’t ask me for more. If things are clear, please go home and prepare for Li Xuan’s funeral.”
My voice bore no emotion.
Li Xuan’s parents could not accept such a brief encounter, and knelt before me, weeping uncontrollably.
I sighed deeply and told them, “Go home. Sleep with Li Xuan’s favorite shoes under your pillow; you will see her again.”
Straw sandals lead the way, guiding the soul home in dreams.
It was all I could do. When they left, they took the iron box containing the dead child’s body. I didn’t stop them—it must have been Grandpa’s instruction.
“Boyfriend… thank you… for letting me feel warmth one last time… If there’s a next life…”
I watched Li Xuan outside the window, waved, but did not say a word. Silently, I watched her follow her parents away into the rainy night.