After Being Watched by My Paranoid and Gloomy Deceased Wife - Chapter 12

Oh no, I forgot to brush my teeth.

But it’s fine, I brushed last night before bed, so I’ll just count it as done.

What’s wrong with Xi Rong? All this breakfast she ordered is what I like, but she has to ask specifically with that strange question.

However, there is one item I don’t eat.

“Your taste has changed?” I was a little surprised. Xi Rong, like me, never eats this kind of sugar and fat mixture in the morning.

Her expression was a bit awkward. She subconsciously tucked the stray hair behind her ear. I remember this little gesture of hers; she does this when she feels guilty and is about to lie.

“Uh-huh, Xi Rongrong!” I tapped my finger on her table, right next to that horseshoe pastry (mati su).

Even if I was going to interrogate Xi Rong, I had to swallow this mouthful first. I picked up the soy milk and took a big gulp.

It was warm, neither too hot nor too cold. I was lightly touched, but not excessively.

Xi Rong remembering me is what she should do.

You should know I also reserved a small room specifically for her, but she’s not one to move around. Aside from the period when she was taking care of me, she hasn’t stayed there for more than a few days.

Every week, when I strip off the sheets and duvet cover from her little room to wash and replace them, I ritually scold her for wasting my affection.

Scoldings aside, I still have to put on new ones, lest she decides to visit one day and finds none available.

It’s truly irritating. Although I haven’t visited the guest room she set aside for me many times since my recovery, people are just double standards, and I’m no exception.

She kept that guilty look. Later, perhaps she found an excuse. She gradually grew confident again, and with a roll of her eyes, she was ready to counter-attack.

Hmph, could I let her get the first word in?

A joke!

Quickly putting down the cup, I spoke first: “Clemency for those who confess, severe punishment for those who resist. Confess honestly!”

“Slap!”

I slapped the table hard. Hiss—

My hand hurts so much. I should have known not to use so much force. No, that’s not right. I should have known to slap with something else.

A breeze blew past my legs, gently circling. I didn’t pay attention.

It’s normal to have some wind; I’m not living in a vacuum.

Xi Rong was also startled by my slam. Just as I was feeling smug, I heard her ask:

“So much force, is your hand okay?”

She tutted, “This is the first time I’ve seen such violence and abuse happen right in front of me, and the abuser and the victim are the same person.”

I rolled my eyes, secretly putting my hand under the table to rub it. I slapped too hard, and now my palm is stinging and numb.

The weather seems quite nice today. The morning wind is very cool, passing through under the table from time to time, as if someone is gently blowing on my hand. I feel like my palm doesn’t hurt as much now.

“Don’t try to change the subject. Be honest, you were definitely about to lie to me. Speak!”

I put on a show of authority. I raised my hand, subconsciously ready to slap the table again, but a cool gust of wind blew across the injured palm. I sheepishly put my hand down gently.

It was a bit embarrassing. To avoid being discovered by Xi Rong, or rather, to rationalize and gloss it over if she did discover it, I cleared my throat.

“Ahem, ahem!” I strategically held up the soy milk. “Tell me. You’re acting strangely. You are absolutely acting strangely.”

I was completely sure about Xi Rong’s abnormality. “You definitely have something going on, which is why you subconsciously brought food for someone else! Good for you, Xi Rong! You didn’t even tell me about such a big thing!”

Xi Rong paused. I thought she must be surprised that the wise and mighty me could figure out so much from such a tiny detail.

Hmph hmph. She actually wanted to hide such great news from me? Doesn’t she know who I am?

The greatest… unlicensed, uncertified, zero-training, zero-experience… Detective Xin Lu of this century.

She gave me a look that was hard to describe, then probably decided there was no point in hiding it from me anymore and completely relaxed.

I always feel that she is heavy-hearted and a little reluctant.

What’s going on?

She acts as if I would stop her from having freedom in love.

Even if she became the backup or a sycophant for a hundred people, I would only offer a couple of words of advice, then record her sycophantic quotes and humble behavior from the time.

And then show them to her years later and ridicule her thoroughly.

“It hasn’t worked out yet.”

Xi Rong said, her expression complicated. She added, “Something that hasn’t even materialized yet, of course, I wouldn’t tell you.”

I was just casually testing her. “Wow, are you serious?”

I was shocked. It’s actually true? Xi Rong is finally having a late-blooming romance?

A marvel of the ages!

“If it hasn’t worked out and I told you, you’d definitely make fun of me!”

Xi Rong gave me a look of despair, picked up the horseshoe pastry, and took a vicious bite, as if she was chewing up her foolish little action along with it.

Tch, too late, I already know.

That is indeed something I would do, so no wonder Xi Rong didn’t want me to know. She must be trying to save face.

But before that—

I quickly stuck a straw into the other unopened cup of soy milk and handed it to her.

This cup of soy milk is really cold. This hateful person, she bought such a cold one for herself but a warm one for me!

Why should I be forced to be healthy while she enjoys herself?

“Cough, cough, cough—”

As expected, Xi Rong coughed as if she was about to pass out.

I don’t eat horseshoe pastry simply because oily food in the morning makes me feel sick, but she can’t eat it. If she eats it, she either coughs or throws up. She was too quick just now; I didn’t have time to stop her.

What kind of person who can’t eat horseshoe pastry insists on making themselves miserable?

I think she’s the real masochist, the kind who specializes in self-abuse.

Xi Rong coughed so hard that tears came out. She seemed to be venting her emotions through this fit of coughing, and she started crying as she coughed.

“Hey, what’s wrong? Did you fail to pursue her or something? If she’s no good, switch to another. If you really like her, go for it. I promise I won’t laugh at you even if you grovel!”

“Wuwu wah!” She cried even louder.

I quickly pulled out a tissue for her, telling her to wipe her face properly. She was crying with snot and tears, making me want to cry too.

I’ve known her for so many years, and besides when Xi Rong broke up with her ex of ten years, I’ve rarely seen her cry so hysterically. Before that, I’d have to trace it back to when I snatched her toy when we were kids.

She’s always been incredibly tough. Why is she crying today?

This must be something very upsetting, right?

Oh my goodness.

I didn’t quite know how to handle the situation. I put down the soy milk, picked it up again, wanted to say something, but was afraid my mouth would say the wrong thing and make her emotions even more broken.

What to do then?

I can’t pick up my phone and search on Baidu right now. I could only lean next to her and gently pat her shoulder, racking my brain until I finally came up with an idea.

“Rong, uh, how about I go with you to karaoke tonight? Didn’t you always say you couldn’t find anyone to go with?”

Xi Rong’s crying stopped instantly. I saw her blow her nose very quickly and wipe her face.

“Really? Liars have to swallow a thousand needles!”

When she looked up again, were it not for her extremely red face and swollen eyes, she would look like she was faking the whole cry.

No way? I haven’t been fooled, have I?!

My mouth twitched. I was a bit speechless. “You recovered quickly. Don’t eat the horseshoe pastry. I’ll take it and throw it away for you later. Sometimes, food has to be wasted; there’s no helping it.”

“You’re wasting food!” she protested to me.

“The best way to prevent waste is not to buy what you don’t eat or can’t finish.”

I snatched the horseshoe pastry from her hand and threw it into the trash can. I clapped my hands, feeling I had spoken very well.

Xi Rong immediately panicked.

“What are you doing! I have to sort my trash here, or I’ll get fined for mixing it up. Do you think it’s like your neighborhood where they pay aunties to sort it for you?”

If you ask me, trash sorting these days is also a business. Many of the aunties who sort are not short on money, and the property management pays low wages. Anyone willing to do this job is probably not doing it just for environmental public service.

Fortunately, Xi Rong’s trash can was filled with the skewers from last night’s barbecue. I just picked up the horseshoe pastry from the skewers. Since it had been in the trash can, I only dared to pinch the edge with two fingers.

“How long has your property management run away? Haven’t they found a new one to take over yet?”

At this topic, Xi Rong also sighed. “No, they’re still arguing. The property management is gone, but the cameras for fines and the people managing that have arrived. They watch the trash cans all day, just waiting to earn a few tickets.”

I also sighed, shaking my head, and finally pursed my lips, “Tsk.”

Xi Rong also sighed, showing the same expression, “Tsk.”

She took out a smaller trash can, indicating for me to throw the horseshoe pastry into it and the plastic bag into the other trash can.

After washing my hands, I saw the water flow seemed to change color, but Xi Rong would be back to wash her hands soon after taking out the trash.

I didn’t dare to make a sound, hoping to finish washing quickly and turn it off.

Just as I was turning off the faucet, the water flow suddenly turned completely bl00d-red. A slender finger condensed out of the water flow and hooked my pinky, like shaking hands to make a pinky swear.

My heart tightened. I was worried that last night’s dream was coming true… no, I was just afraid my illness was too severe and expensive.

“Lu Lu, why are you washing your hands for so long?”

Xi Rong’s voice came from outside the bathroom. The water flow quietly returned to transparent. I sighed in relief, quickly turned off the faucet, and answered her.

“What’s wrong? Can’t I even waste a little of your water bill? I’ll be done in a minute.”

I used the disposable hand towel nearby to dry my hands. Before turning the doorknob to leave, I glanced at the sink again. Only my own reflection was visible in the mirror, and the sink was normal.

It seemed I had just seen wrong.

Not daring to look further, I shifted my gaze, turned the knob, and hurried out, not seeing the hazy figure in the mirror.

The figure in the mirror did not leave immediately. Its face was blurry, its white dress seemed to be blown by the wind, and its bl00d-red lips moved, silently whispering.

“Lu Lu.”

Then He quietly turned towards the door, reached out of the mirror, and melted into the shadow on the floor.

I didn’t notice that my shadow had briefly become normal.

By the time I remembered to pay attention to the shadow again, the long-haired shadow was once again idly stroking His long hair.

It’s a good thing He is a shadow. Otherwise, how much trouble would that long hair be to manage?

Few people these days are willing to keep their hair that long. Apart from those exceptionally fond of beauty, most people just want a neat, refreshing hairstyle, celebrities excluded.

Although trends may change because of celebrities, many young women usually only keep their hair chest-length at most, long enough to tie up, but hair as long as the shadow’s is truly rare.

Xi Rong was washing her hands. I told her I was going back to wash my underwear. Since I couldn’t come out to see people without underwear, I could only sit on the chair and play on my phone.

I scrolled to a short video, seemingly promoting a charity event.

【Green Silk Campaign】Pass on beauty with your long hair.

It sounds quite nice, but why is it related to hair?

I’m not usually very curious. The reason I clicked in was because the person on the cover had rare waist-length hair. As soon as the video started, I saw her neatly snip-snip cutting her hair close to her scalp.

Oh my god, how could she bear to do that?

After carefully learning about it, I discovered that this event collects eligible hair to make wigs, which are then donated to cancer patients who lose their hair due to chemotherapy.

For some reason, I suddenly thought of the shadow’s long hair. I felt a dull ache in my heart, but I couldn’t figure out why.

Sigh, I sighed.

I felt a little regretful. A hallucination can’t donate hair. Otherwise, with the shadow’s hair volume and length, it could make several wigs if it was eligible.

I couldn’t shake the inexplicable low spirits. I attributed it to physical discomfort.

My lower abdomen and upper thighs are sore and tender. I guess my period is approaching. I always have some kind of anomaly, both mental and physical, around this time.

I felt a little dizzy. My underwear was still drying. I rested my head on the table, feeling sleepy, and looked out the window.

The wind blew a flower onto the table.

I vaguely heard someone standing in the depths of my memory saying to me, “Lu Lu, be happy.”

Could it be that I don’t have delusions or auditory hallucinations, but multiple personalities instead?

I was a bit tired. I rested my head on the table and fell asleep, missing the wind slowly pulling the open window shut and the flower being blown towards the bed.

In any case, when I woke up again, I was already in bed.