Chapter 5

“Last night, I read your fortune. It seems you still have an unfinished bond from a past life. It’s a promise made in the underworld, connecting you to a soul beyond the mortal realm.”

“In terms of appearance, this person has an elegant, otherworldly air. He’s gentle, thoughtful, and was devoted and loyal when he was alive. Even after reaching the underworld, he couldn’t forget you and refused to be reincarnated.”

I stared at him blankly.

“So what do I do now?”

He handed me a dream-guiding talisman.

“Put this beneath your pillow tonight and ask him yourself.”

13

After leaving the villa, I slowly walked along the riverbank.

If I really had a ghost marriage arranged for me, how was I supposed to explain that to Shen Yanli?

Would he be able to accept it?

A strong wind blew in. The sky was overcast; it was going to rain.

Though I wanted nothing more, I slowly turned back toward home.

I didn’t know how to face him.

I opened the door, lost in thought.

Shen Yanli had kept his promise from the day before. He’d prepared a whole table of food and was waiting obediently for me in an apron.

He followed behind me, chattering on and on, complaining that I’d gone out without saying a word.

“Big Sis, next time you go somewhere, can I come with you?”

“As soon as you leave, I don’t feel safe anymore.”

“Big Sis, I’m afraid you’ll suddenly not need me one day.”

“Why aren’t you paying attention to me?”

“Sniffle… Big Sis, don’t you like me anymore? I really will cry.”

He talked until my head hurt.

“Can you stop chattering so much?”

Shen Yanli froze, unable to understand why I was being so fierce with him.

The corners of his eyes turned red.

“Big Sis…”

I rubbed my temples and went straight to the bedroom.

He followed me.

“You haven’t eaten yet. Your stomach will hurt…”

I slammed the door shut.

“I’m not hungry.”

Before I closed it, I glimpsed moisture gathering at the corner of someone’s eye.

14

I deliberately got angry with Shen Yanli.

No one else could be nearby when I used the dream-guiding talisman, or it would affect the dream.

After this fight, he definitely wouldn’t come bother me tonight.

That would let me find out who the other man really was.

I hadn’t slept enough the night before, so I wanted to fall asleep quickly. I kicked off my slippers and flopped onto the bed.

I put in my earplugs. Everything was quiet, and before long I was asleep.

In my dream, a man standing behind me massaged my shoulders.

“Big Sis, you’ve worked hard~”

He gently swept the hair from my shoulder and tucked it behind me.

“Big Sis, let’s be together forever, okay?”

That voice…

I turned around in a daze.

The man behind me had sharply defined, cool features. When he lowered his eyes, I could see his long, thick lashes.

His face was blurry, but his gentleness and melancholy felt strangely familiar, as if I’d known him in a previous life. It touched my heart directly.

I couldn’t quite believe it, so I ventured a question.

“Are you… my boyfriend?”

The man frowned slightly and gave an unhappy little huff.

“Hey, Big Sis, what’s wrong? Do you have another puppy?”

“No, no.” I waved my hands repeatedly.

He retaliated by biting my lips.

“Hmph! I knew you wouldn’t dare. If you find another puppy, I’ll scare him to death!”

Our lips and tongues tangled. His tongue slipped deftly into my mouth. His breath was cool and fresh, with a faint hint of wine and sweetness.

The passionate, lingering kiss made my whole body go soft.

After a long while, I collapsed helplessly into his arms.

I looked up and caught his captivating jawline as he tilted back to drink some water.

After hesitating for a long time, I asked uncertainly,

“Shen… Yanli?”

15

The man looked down at me, his face full of affection.

“Have you still not had enough kissing, Big Sis?”

“It really is you!”

I jolted awake from the dream.

Shen Yanli was my destined partner. So his appearance a month earlier hadn’t been a coincidence?

I opened the bedroom door and stepped out.

Shen Yanli was curled up in the corner of the sofa, wiping his tears with the lace apron.

When he saw me, he was still sniffling.

“Big Sis, I’m sorry. It’s all because I talked too much…”

“Are you hungry? I’ll go heat up your food.”

I looked at the table. Not a single dish had been touched.

He must have still been waiting for me.

“Why are you so good to me?”

He seemed not to have expected me to ask.

“Because you let me stay…”

“Still lying!”

I walked toward him one step at a time and stared into his eyes.

“You came looking for me because… I’m your wife, right?”

16

The still surface of the lake rippled.

Shen Yanli’s expression stiffened slightly.

So I’d guessed right.

He nervously twisted the corner of his shirt.

“I’m sorry, Big Sis… I’ve caused you so much trouble…”

He lowered his head.

“I just… missed you so much.”

“Were you afraid I wouldn’t accept a ghost marriage, so you turned yourself into a human?”

His lips pressed tightly together. He nodded slightly.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

Shen Yanli’s body trembled a little. His voice caught with a sob.

“I… I didn’t dare.

“I was afraid you wouldn’t like me.”

His voice grew softer and softer. He didn’t even dare raise his head. Wet lashes hid the emotions in his eyes.

I sighed.

It wasn’t easy to be reborn as a human. I didn’t know how many times harder he’d had to work just to meet me.

Hearing me sigh, he grew even more panicked.

“Big Sis, are you going to kick me out?”

“I’m good… I promise I won’t make you angry again…”

“I’ve memorized the whole Code of Conduct for Men.”

“Big Sis… please don’t kick me out, okay?”

Seeing the pleading look in his eyes, I stepped forward and hugged him.

“Don’t leave me. I don’t want to be apart from you.”

I stroked his head.

“All right. We won’t be apart.”

Shen Yanli’s eyes immediately filled with joy.

“Big Sis! You’re not angry with me anymore?”

“I wasn’t angry in the first place.”

I told him everything about the dream-guiding talisman, from beginning to end.

“Good puppy. You’ve been so obedient. How could I be mad at you?”

17

Living every day under the same roof with a tall, handsome man who was obedient, did the laundry, cooked, and cleaned—and who occasionally wore a lace apron and turned red-eyed as he acted sweet with me…

Honestly, it would be strange not to fall for him.

Affection grew over time.

After I learned Shen Yanli was my destined husband, I began returning his passionate love. In fact, I grew even more attached to him.

“Sweetie, wake up, wake up! Play a game with me~”

“Sweetie, you look so sexy when you cry.”

“Cry a little more for me, or the little whip is coming out~”

“As expected, insecurity is a man’s best beauty treatment.”

“Sweetie, come here! I brought you the big White Rabbit milk candy you like best.”

Shen Yanli perked up his ears and rushed toward me with a mischievous grin.

“How big is this White Rabbit? Let me see…”

My face flushed red. I grabbed a throw pillow from the sofa and tossed it at him.

“Hey! You little brat! When did you learn to be so naughty?”

His hand climbed over me, gliding across the skin at my waist.

“Then… do you like bad boys?”

The soft yellow light spread through the bedroom. I wrapped my arms around his neck and gently kissed his lips.

Perhaps he hadn’t expected me to take the initiative. Shen Yanli paused for a moment.

Seeing how silly he looked, I smiled and pulled on his tie.

“Didn’t you say you wanted to see the rabbit?”

Once he came to his senses, he immediately supported the back of my head with one hand.

Then his kiss swept over me like a powerful tide, far more passionate than before, as if he wanted to pour all his feelings into it.

Clothes scattered beneath the bed.

The room was filled with springtime warmth.

Hehe.

He smells so good today…

(The End)

Enjoyed this story? Discover more completed short romance stories at NovelPotato.asia.