Chapter 24 Nothing Else

“Wen Jiubo is an unreachable person for me. I always stared at him from behind, and therefore I don’t blame him for not remembering me. I thought I would never meet him again, but thanks to you, I could look him in the eye. I’m satisfied.”

After hearing Chu Bai’s words, I felt awful, as if the sadness I felt in the dream had come back to haunt me again.

“Chu Bai, actually I——” I couldn’t help but open my mouth. I wanted to tell Chu Bai the truth, but surprisingly, she interrupted me.

“I’ve already known! You sneaky kid who likes to peep into the private life of other people.”

My face suddenly flushed. “Oi, I’m not a sneaky kid, you are!”

“I’m inside your body, how couldn’t I know what dreams you had every night,” Chu Bai said slowly. “But, you’re a nice kid. You never told me about it because you didn’t want to hurt me, right? However, you’re underestimating me. I’m a lonely ghost who has wandered in this world for hundreds of years; nothing can hurt me, let alone your dreams.”

“…” I was speechless.

“Although I was a little disappointed when he asked me who I was, I understood something as I lingered in the gap between the two worlds, day after day.”

“What is it?”

“We don’t live in the same world at all. Our viewpoints are different; we don’t even breathe the same air. We’re like two parallel lines that will never meet. Even though I yearn for him, the only thing I can do is look at his back.” Chu Bai smiled softly.

“I later found out that Mr. Wen, when he was alone in the courtyard would pass the time by talking to wandering monsters and ghosts. It’s better to say that rather than talking to us, it’s more like he was talking to himself through us. Chu Bai was the name of a bird he once raised. This name, which was so precious to me, was just a random one he came up with.”

“Is that so,” I muttered.

“Anyway, I’m happy, Gu Yu!” Chu Bai’s tone became gleeful again, and I could even see her blinking her eyes playfully. “You let me see a different Mr. Wen.”

“Dif…different Mr. Wen?” I stammered.

“No matter what, Mr. Wen always seemed very lonely. He was always alone. Ever since I started watching him a long time ago, I’ve never seen anyone stand by his side. His eyes were always looking into the distance as if he lost his soul.”

The Wen Jiubo that Chu Bai described, felt like a stranger to me. It seemed impossible for Wen Jiubo to be a lonely and soulless person.

Ever since our first meeting, the Wen Jiubo I knew was always a powerful and confident person. He often made fun of me and sometimes treating me like a child, frustrating me to no end.

“He has changed a lot. He smiles all the time, and his eyes glitter with light. He acts like a totally different person. So I think the one who he has been waiting for has finally come.”

“Who is this person he has been waiting for?” I stupidly asked.

“Are you really an idiot, or are you just acting like one?” Chu Bai angrily replied.

“Huh?” I was confused.

“Besides you, is there anyone else standing next to Mr. Wen?”

The one who stands…

…beside Mr. Wen?

Wait, I think this discussion is taking a weird turn.

“No, no, no, you’re wrong! You’re definitely wrong!” I shook my hands. “We only met through coincidence; it was just purely an accident. How can I be the one he has been waiting for all along?”

“Human kid,” Chu Bai chuckled. “You’ve been through so many things, and yet you still think it was a coincidence?”

I was suddenly stunned, unable to say anything.

“I don’t know why, but you must be very important to Mr. Wen. The way he looks at you is like…” Chu Bai thought for a minute and said seriously, “It’s like there is nothing else of importance in this world except you.”

I was totally dumbstruck after hearing her words and didn’t know how to answer.

“Ah, some things should be cherished before you lose them; otherwise, it’ll be too late for you even if you regret it.” Chu Bai smiled. “You’ll become like me, living the rest of your life full of regrets and never being able to reincarnate once you’re dead.”

I hesitated but replied, “Thank you, I get it.”

Chu Bai smiled. Her voice when coming from my mouth sounded weird but pleasant.

“Although I don’t know what’s going on between you guys, I believe you can achieve greatness as long as you stay together, just like when you two sealed that giant monster Gudiao. Isn’t it a good thing ?”

Chu Bai had a very simple logic.

She saw what she saw. What she believed was good, was good, and vice versa. There was no grey area in between. That probably was the reason why she could peacefully accept the fact that Wen Jiubo didn’t remember her.

However, the fact was that everything was way more complicated than she thought. Wen Jiubo was not a kind person, and I… was not a naive human kid.

But because of this, her words were particularly touching.

“Ah, it’s getting late. I should leave now,” Chu Bai whispered. “What’s your name?… Gu Yu, right? Gu Yu, I’m so glad I met you.”

“Wait, actually…” I said hurriedly. “You can stay longer; I’m okay with that! I don’t mind!”

“Are you really that stupid?” I felt Chu Bai took control of my hands to pinch my cheeks.

“Ouch…what are you doing?”

“I don’t belong here. If I stay here for too long, the yin aura coming from me will rot your body. A week is the longest that I can stay. I must leave now.”

“Well, where are you going?” I asked. “Are you going to the underworld? Will you reincarnate?”