After Being Watched by My Paranoid and Gloomy Deceased Wife - Chapter 11

Who poured me the warm water?

I secretly took a breath, afraid that breathing too loudly would expose my timidity.

I picked up the phone next to the pillow, tucking my arms into the quilt, only leaving my hands outside to operate it.

The room was very quiet. I had turned off the air conditioner, and only the open window brought in sounds from outside.

The night was too deep, not even a dog barked. I wondered why those people who walk their dogs in the middle of the night don’t raise some noisy, yappy ones.

It would be better if it were noisy.

The phone has a scheduled power-on time and hasn’t turned on yet. I let my thoughts wander, trying to alleviate my tension.

A rustling sound came from under the bed.

Various horror movie scenes flashed through my mind. At this moment, I not only hated my sometimes-good, sometimes-bad memory but also blamed my past self.

Why did you watch so many horror movies for no reason?

Fortunately, Xi Rong’s bed is very low and couldn’t hide a person at all. Although empty, only a robotic vacuum could fit underneath.

Whatever noise is being made is not made by a person…

Mmm. Sometimes, I would prefer it to be a person. Although I can’t beat them, Xi Rong can.

“Snap,” “Creak,” “Rustle”…

The strange sounds became increasingly obvious, seeming to have moved away from under the bed.

I keep feeling like this sound is familiar, but I don’t dare to look toward the bedside, just in case some terrifying image jumps out at me.

“Rustle,” “Creak,” “Snap”…

The sound became clearer. I hugged the quilt, not daring to move.

I wavered between the thoughts of dying knowingly and what if I’m overthinking it?

Finally, I grit my teeth and decided that if I must die, I won’t be a confused ghost.

After preparing myself mentally, I tilted my head and looked at the floor by the bedside where the sound was coming from.

The American cockroach, also known as the unkillable pest, and with a unique new nickname in the South: the Southern Twin Tails.

I stared at it, and it stared at me. My heart first relaxed and then tightened. I gritted my teeth, grabbed the slipper by the bed, and smashed it down.

Very good. My aim hasn’t disappeared just because my new home doesn’t have cockroaches.

No Southerner can tolerate a cockroach appearing in their house. If there is one, it’s not me.

I quickly got out of bed. The cockroach’s long antennae, like strands of hair, were still swaying beneath the slipper.

Slick and shiny, with shifty eyes—it was clearly not a good cockroach.

So lively?

I can be sure it was only stunned or playing dead.

I grabbed the slipper and violently smashed the head of this audacious cockroach.

Heh, want to play military strategy with me?

Only when I was sure the cockroach’s head was separated from its body did I stop, wrap it up in a few pieces of tissue, and flush it down the toilet.

I washed my hands as well.

I washed my hands several times with warm water and hand soap, marveling at how convenient Xi Rong’s newly installed instantaneous water heater faucet was.

I should also replace the one in my bathroom at home when I get a chance. That way, I won’t have to deal with the bathroom water turning cold when someone uses hot water in the kitchen.

In the middle of winter, the wash would almost freeze me to death…

Wait, I live alone. Even when Guan Lan occasionally visits, she rarely uses water at the same time as me. She is very considerate. Why would I need to consider this?

How strange. What am I thinking?

After the cockroach incident, my tightly strung nerves eased.

Xi Rong’s house has a small garden, which is a paradise for insects. It’s inevitable to have some cockroaches when the weather is warm.

Since the cockroach’s tail didn’t have an egg sac, I didn’t have to worry about little cockroaches hatching. I used a few wet wipes to clean the area. I didn’t want the robotic vacuum to drag one dirty mop head all over the floor.

If that happened, wouldn’t it be equivalent to uniformly diluting and spreading cockroach bodily fluids all over the room?

That thought was quite disgusting. I stopped myself from dwelling on it.

The soles of my feet felt a little cold. I was agitated just now, and only now did I realize one of my feet was bare.

The slipper is dirty, and the floor is dirty. If I don’t want to go to the bathroom, should I just wipe my feet with a wet wipe and make do?

But I just washed my hands. My hands are clean and smell of hand soap.

The previous dream was too much. I was distracted the whole time I was washing my hands, afraid the dream would come true, and ready to run away at any moment. Luckily, I finished washing my hands safely.

Now I have to go back…

I was very reluctant, but no matter how reluctant, I had to go. One cannot stop eating for fear of choking, and I can’t sleep in bed with dirty feet.

Luckily, this time was also uneventful.

I breathed a sigh of relief, rinsed the slipper, washed my hands and feet again, and hesitated for a moment when turning on the shower.

Fortunately, nothing happened.

It was indeed a dream. I knew such an absurd thing couldn’t happen in reality… Mmm. Weak legs are probably because I exceeded my step count today. An aching, bloated stomach is probably because my period is coming soon.

I subconsciously looked at my exposed arms and legs.

Clean. No marks.

I knew it! It must have been a dream! If something like this happened in reality, I could directly contact the nation and turn myself in.

I quickly dried my hands and feet and rushed out of the bathroom at the speed of flight.

I habitually turned off the light when getting into bed.

After pulling up the quilt, I was belatedly scared. No more hallucinations, right?

But for some reason, I was so sleepy.

I slowly drifted off to sleep, vaguely feeling something cold wrapping around me, like a snake.

So, a large python appeared in my dream, its vertical pupils fixed on me, hissing and flicking its tongue. Its cold, soft body coiled around me, tightening and squeezing so tightly that I could barely breathe.

“Lu Lu.”

I vaguely heard someone calling me. The voice was somewhat familiar yet a little strange.

Since when did Xi Rong’s voice sound so good? I thought hazily, turning over and continuing to sleep.

The voice seemed to be right next to my ear, but it was very light.

It also sounded a bit gentle, not quite like Xi Rong’s speaking style; it was too sickeningly sweet.

Analyzing it sleepily, I pulled up the quilt to cover my head, rejecting the noise.

I slept until daybreak.

“Hiss,” I felt like my entire body had been run over by a rolling pin. The feeling was intensely sore yet satisfying. I supported my waist with one hand and massaged my back with the other.

Is this what getting old feels like?

Did I sleep with a crick in my neck?

In what situation does one sleep with a stiff neck where the neck is fine, but the shoulders and waist are the problem?

Too lazy to think too much, I stretched, and my bones and joints popped like a rusty old tin doll suddenly coming to life.

I really can’t fight aging, I sighed, then suddenly noticed something flash by. I quickly lifted my shirt to look.

When did I get this bruise on my waist?

How exactly did I sleep last night to bump myself like this… Wait a minute!

I looked at the bruise, which was shaped like three fingerprints, and casually pulled my clothes back down.

I probably pinched myself in my sleep. Anything is possible when you’re asleep. Humans are truly terrifying, capable of pinching themselves like this.

“Knock, knock, knock.” Xi Rong’s voice sounded along with the knocking.

“Lu Lu, get up. Are you okay? You didn’t pass out from a fever, did you?”

Tsk. This woman never says anything nice even when she’s concerned. If I didn’t hear the anxiety in her voice, I would definitely argue with her.

Afraid she would just barge in, I quickly answered loudly.

“Hey, I’m up, I’m up! Don’t open the door! I haven’t changed yet!”

I heard Xi Rong mutter something outside the door. It definitely wasn’t anything nice, probably something about how many years we’ve known each other and what parts we haven’t seen.

A gust of wind brushed past me, hitting the door with two “bangs.”

I didn’t pay much attention to the shadow’s change because I was changing clothes, and the cool breeze made me shiver.

“Hiss, it’s so cold.” My head was not clear just after waking up, so I couldn’t help but complain.

The wind suddenly stopped. I finally pulled on my clothes, adjusted the shoulder of my T-shirt, and tugged at the neckline.

T-shirts and big shorts are just convenient.

I really don’t want to wear anything else. Skirts are easily blown up by the wind, and I have to be extra careful when walking, which is annoying.

As soon as I opened the door, Xi Rong reached out to touch my forehead.

“The fever broke,” she said.

I rolled my eyes like she does. “Of course! I told you I was fine.”

Thinking of last night’s events, I subconsciously maintained a little distance from Xi Rong.

A bit awkward, huh.

It’s over. Just thinking about it… am I that desperate in middle age?

I thought that after breakfast, I would have to change into a fresh pair of underwear. I wondered where Xi Rong would have underwear for me to change into. I’d have to wash and dry a pair now.

“What do you want for breakfast? I just ordered steamed buns, mantou, and soy milk. Do you still eat brown sugar mantou?” Xi Rong asked me.

“Yes, I do. When did I stop eating brown sugar mantou?” I replied casually.

I was puzzled. My breakfast is always the same few things. We’ve known each other for so many years, how could Xi Rong still not remember?

So I accused her.

“After all these years, you still haven’t remembered what I eat for breakfast?!”

Faced with my accusation, Xi Rong seemed a little flustered, but she quickly composed herself and replied coldly and ruthlessly.

“So what?”

So heartless! I’m shattered, completely shattered. My glass heart can’t be pieced back together.

“When did you learn Northeastern dialect?” I asked her.

Xi Rong glanced at me. “So what?”

Before I could get genuinely angry, she quickly cleared her throat and made a fawning expression.

“Your Majesty, your breakfast is served. Please allow me to lead the way.”

Hmph. That’s more like it.

On the way to her dining room, I suddenly remembered her bedsheets, so I tentatively asked her.

“Rong Rong, your bedsheet is quite nice. Which online store did you buy it from? Could you send me the link?”

Xi Rong walked while keeping an eye on my feet, looking afraid that I would stumble and fall.

I was a little nervous, worried she would notice that my walking posture was off.

“That? Oh, I bought it online. Aren’t yours perfectly fine? Those are all ones you picked out with… me.” She stiffly corrected herself.

I was a little surprised. Those bedding sets were quite nice. I didn’t expect Xi Rong to have such good taste sometimes.

She used to sincerely compliment my mother’s choices, those Grand Riches and National Beauty sets, saying, “Aunty has such good taste. The duvet covers she picks are so artistic.”

I think her taste is quite artistic too, far beyond the ordinary person’s.

Perhaps I was too obvious. She glared at me in a fit of pique.

“What do you mean? Am I not allowed to choose that style? Just you wait! I’m sending you the link right now!”

I was amused by her expression, which looked like she was trying to redeem herself.

“Hahahaha—”

We had reached the dining table. She was furious, and as I opened my mouth, she quickly stuffed a brown sugar mantou into it.

I almost choked to death.

I quickly took it out with my hand. “What are you doing! Are you trying to murder your friend!”

As I was about to continue accusing her, my phone buzzed. I received the link she shared.

I clicked the link quickly. There was only one specification listed.

[Beige]

I licked my lips, feeling a little dry.

“Rong Rong, that bedsheet of yours… I sweated a lot last night and washed the sheet and duvet cover in the middle of the night. It accidentally got stained by some of my other clothes.”

Xi Rong ate her breakfast, too lazy to look up at me.

“So what if it’s stained? That room is full of your things. It won’t be used by anyone else.”

“Haha.” I gave two dry laughs, sharing my misery with a wry smile: “It was dyed a lotus-root pink, very evenly.”

“Tsk, tsk.” Xi Rong clicked her tongue. “You’re something else. Did you roll your bĕn mìng nián (zodiac year) underwear in with it? Otherwise, how could it have dyed that color?”

I didn’t reply to that. Instead, I asked her.

“Did you come into my room last night? There was a cup of warm water by my bed. I don’t know if I was so sleepy I poured it and forgot, or if you poured it for me.”

She finally condescended to roll her eyes at me. “I was asleep early. You definitely poured it yourself. Otherwise, was a ghost going to pour it for you? Are you dreaming in broad daylight?”

Oh. Oh well.

I took a breath and chose to take a big bite of the brown sugar mantou.

Fragrant, sweet. Brown sugar mantou is truly delicious.