“That’s good, that’s good.” The old woman said happily, “I transferred some money to you. There really isn’t much I can give you.”
“Do you still remember the old district where you and your mother lived when you were little? That house had been sold before, but after your mother passed away, I bought it back. The property deed is under your name.”
“The last time I came back, I buried an iron box under the big tree in the courtyard. There’s a bank card inside, along with the contact information of some people I know. I thought perhaps one day you might need it.”
At the mention of that old district, some vague memories surfaced in Ji Xixing’s mind.
That was probably a very long time ago, back when her parents’ relationship had not yet fallen apart.
As their family’s circumstances improved, they moved from a small house into a large one, and her parents argued more and more often.
At some point, she never saw her mother again.
Ji Xixing sank into those memories. Mistaking her silence for an inability to remember where the old district was, the elderly woman simply recited the address.
“Grandma, thank you.” Ji Xixing came back to herself and thanked her.
In the past, money had never really meant much to her. It was only after Ji Lifeng froze her cards that she realized how suffocating it was to have no money and to be constrained in every aspect of life.
The old woman on the other end had no idea what she was currently facing, but hearing her gratitude filled her with indescribable joy.
“Grandma, when I have the chance, I’ll come visit you,” Ji Xixing promised softly over the phone.
“No, don’t come. If you do, your father will scold you.” The old woman hurriedly stopped her.
Of course, she wanted to see her Xingxing. After all, this was the treasure her daughter had left behind in the world. But she couldn’t let her own selfish wishes put Ji Xixing at risk of being discovered by Ji Lifeng.
“Grandma, trust me. He won’t scold me.”
She wouldn’t give Ji Lifeng the opportunity to do so.
She would grow stronger soon. She only needed a little time.
Before long, she would break free from those restraints and become someone capable of standing on her own.
“Good, good. Knowing you have that thought already makes Grandma very happy.”
The old woman’s laughter came through the phone. Though they were separated by such a great distance, Ji Xixing could almost see the little old lady smiling from ear to ear.
After hanging up, Ji Xixing leaned against the headboard. She gripped her phone tightly and let out a long sigh.
Her heart felt as though there were a gaping hole inside it, letting cold wind pour through.
She didn’t understand why the original Ji Xixing had chosen to distance herself from this old woman in order to pursue that insignificant bit of fatherly love from Ji Lifeng.
But now that she had come here, she would never repeat such a mistake.
Her thoughts were still drifting when she heard the sound of the living room door opening and then closing softly.
Someone had entered the suite.
Her emotions snapped back immediately. Tension surged through her body and she reacted swiftly, turning off the bedside lamp.
The room was once again plunged into darkness.
Ji Xixing quietly got out of bed and pressed herself against the wooden door. Slowly turning the lock, she secured it from the inside.
Hotels generally didn’t have such basic security issues, but when she checked in, the receptionist had shown obvious hostility toward her.
There was no guarantee that she wouldn’t do something extreme to mess with her.
A sliver of light appeared beneath the door. It seemed someone had turned on the light outside.
Ji Xixing found it strange.
Seriously, was this thief being that brazen?
She opened the call screen on her phone, already having entered the three digits 110. Then she unlocked the door and stepped out.
The living room lights were indeed on, but what terrified Ji Xixing was that there was no one there.
She looked around the entire room, yet couldn’t see a single figure.
The night was especially quiet, and under the warm yellow glow of the crystal lamp, the living room somehow radiated the atmosphere of a horror movie.
She stood there dumbfounded, countless horror and suspense films already flashing through her mind.
Then, from the other side of the suite, came the sound of a door opening.
Ji Xixing was so frightened that she didn’t even dare turn around. She shut her eyes tightly by reflex.
At that moment, she could only think that having a large house wasn’t necessarily a good thing. It felt empty and offered no sense of security at all.
Cold sweat continuously formed on her forehead. She swore she had never been this pathetic in her life.
But seriously, help!
Who could understand the terror of being afraid of ghosts?
Ji Xixing screamed internally, yet a familiar voice suddenly reached her ears.
“Why aren’t you asleep yet?”
She opened her eyes and whipped around.
The familiar man stood at the doorway of another bedroom. One hand rested against the frame, and his damp bangs hung messily over his forehead. Droplets of water continuously trickled from his hair.
They slid down his neck and over his sharply defined collarbones.
Gu Wangxuan had only casually wrapped a bath towel around himself, giving off the impression that it could be pulled off with a light tug.
Ji Xixing swallowed unconsciously, memories of that night surfacing in her mind.
After silently reciting a calming mantra several times, she finally said, “I couldn’t sleep, so I came out to enjoy the night view.”
She really hadn’t expected Gu Wangxuan to come back. But thinking about it, when he had handed her the card, he had only said he had something to take care of. He had never said he wasn’t coming back.
Ji Xixing sighed inwardly.
Although the excuse sounded flimsy, she couldn’t exactly tell him that after making a phone call, she had heard noises outside, suspected a thief, found no thief, and then started wondering if the place was haunted.
Not only was it embarrassing, it was absurd.
“What refined tastes.” Gu Wangxuan clearly didn’t believe her, but he didn’t press further.
He merely glanced at her and curled his finger slightly, about to close the door.
After everything she had just gone through, Ji Xixing was still frightened.
Reacting quickly, she wedged herself into the doorway and blocked the door from closing.
Gu Wangxuan’s hand was still on the doorknob. Her sudden intrusion shortened the distance between them instantly.
A complicated expression appeared on his face. Releasing the force he had been using on the door, he looked at Ji Xixing with amusement, silently asking what she was trying to do.
Ji Xixing regretted acting so impulsively, but since she had already done it, there was no taking it back.
She didn’t want to spend the rest of the night drowning in paranoia and fear. Squeezing through the gap, she stepped inside, placed both hands behind her back, and casually shut the door as she leaned against it.
“Good evening, Mr. Gu.” Ji Xixing blinked with a smile, carrying a hint of ingratiating charm.
Gu Wangxuan raised an eyebrow.
“Is this your way of courting me?”
The smile on Ji Xixing’s face instantly froze. Her eyes widened in disbelief, looking completely innocent.
“Mr. Gu, is that really how you see me?”
“You can’t blame me for thinking that.” Gu Wangxuan chuckled softly and said, “The last time you barged into my room, you were looking at me like this too.”