To keep this precarious tower standing, Ning Zhe must secure its foundation—namely, Feng Yushu's mistaken belief that he was a ghost because of that phone call. All his advantages rested on lies. If Feng Yushu learned the truth and corrected her perception, his entire scheme would collapse.
He knew the urgent task: "I mustn't let Feng Yushu discover the truth or change her belief."
The swiftest way to ensure that was simple—kill her. Only a dead person's beliefs remain forever fixed. If Feng Yushu died, her error could never be corrected, and Ning Zhe would stand undefeated, with time and resources to outlast even the Rule-Ghost.
But…
"Auntie, do you want to live?" Ning Zhe suddenly asked as they hurried down the empty street.
"Huh? Of course—who wouldn't?" Feng Yushu replied, puzzled by the question.
"I mean you," he pressed. "You're not strong. Your upper-class life and sheltered upbringing left you without experience facing hardship or danger. Compared to Ye Miaozhu—who survived her father's bankruptcy and a broken home—you've never endured major blows. I saw that in your fearful eyes."
"In other words, you're the screaming damsel in horror films and the 'damsel to be rescued' in action stories. But this isn't fiction. The ghost isn't the director—it won't give you more scenes just because you look good."
"Surviving between unseen rules and witnessing inexplicable deaths demands immense mental resilience. I don't think you can bear this stress long. Frankly, you should have died already."
Yet, when death threatened, it was Ye Miaozhu and Zhang Yangxu—both stronger than Feng Yushu—who broke first. Only she, the most fragile, had survived.
"That means you want to live more than anyone." Ning Zhe continued. "Your will to survive is so fierce you'd do anything to leave here. You even hinted you'd sacrifice yourself for me—though I ignored you. Such thoughts are unimaginable for someone of your station."
As he spoke, Feng Yushu's wrist in his hand twitched. Ning Zhe added, "The drive to survive is basic, but yours overrides normal limits. It's rare."
"So why do you want to live so badly? What reason do you have?"
Feng Yushu bowed her head and was silent. After a long pause, she said, "Because I have a daughter."
"I see." Ning Zhe nodded.
A mother's strength exceeds her own fragility.
Feng Yushu spoke on: "My daughter's name is Bai Zhi. She's well-behaved."
"My husband is a workaholic who ignores home and child. I'm no expert at parenting, so she grew up like in a single-parent household. Poor child…"
"But she matured early. She's always taken care of herself in life and studies. I wanted to be closer, but didn't know how—teenage girls are sensitive. I feared causing harm."
"Bai Zhi is a wonderful child. I wanted to give her all my love—but she closed off early, stayed alone at school. I watched her grow more distant, as if a stranger. Sometimes I wonder, is this tall young lady really my daughter?"
Words poured out as she walked. Ning Zhe let her talk, guiding her through deserted lanes while watching each stone underfoot.
"Last winter her laptop broke. Her father was away, and I don't know computers. After repair, the login password was gone. I knew snooping was wrong, but I had to know her thoughts."
"I opened it and found bizarre erotic comics and gruesome horror games…"
"Then I saw her digital diary in WPS Notes."
(TL note: Citing a real product made me actually laugh)
Snooping diaries—an age-old Chinese parental tactic. Ning Zhe withheld judgment.
Surprisingly, Bai Zhi journaled—unusual for a wealthy girl. She stored diaries and strange comics in the cloud. Even in a sheltered household, her tastes were unique. Rich people are so perverse?
He'd taken Feng Yushu's rambling as light relief, but her next words chilled him to the bone.
Chapters in advance there: patreon.com/Thaniel_a_goodchild
Reference Glossary:
"A mother's strength exceeds her own fragility" – Adaptation of a Chinese proverb highlighting maternal resilience.
Single-parent household – Family structure where a child is raised by one parent due to separation, divorce, or absence of the other parent, often leading to greater independence in the child.