Bringing My Rival Back to Life (Accidentally) - Chapter 28
This was actually not their first kiss. Apart from a few instances of CPR, there was one that left a deep impression on Wu Jiu.
That day was supposed to be a friend’s birthday, and Zhu Xiao had gone along to have some drinks. The classmate had organized a grand birthday celebration. Although Wu Jiu was not part of their group, he had heard some details through others’ accounts. He had no interest in celebrating the day of one’s birth, but he was curious about Zhu Xiao’s participation in such an event. Could it be that they had a good relationship?
According to what he heard from his classmates, Wu Jiu found the place where Zhu Xiao was. When he arrived, Zhu Xiao had already had some drinks with friends. Wu Jiu wandered around for a while but couldn’t find which room Zhu Xiao was in. He paced outside, so annoyed that he considered leveling the place. Just as he was about to use his money to find a staff member to ask, he ran into Zhu Xiao, who had come out for some fresh air after drinking too much.
“Hey, Zhu Xiao!” Wu Jiu called out to him.
Zhu Xiao turned his head, his eyes a bit dazed as he mumbled, “Hmm?”
Zhu Xiao’s usually pale face was now flushed, adding some color to his always indifferent expression. Wu Jiu’s Adam’s apple rolled, and his heart rate unexpectedly quickened. After a moment, Wu Jiu realized, “You didn’t drink too much, did you?”
Feeling dizzy, Zhu Xiao was too lazy to speak and just lazily uttered a syllable, “Mm.”
He actually admitted it, which left Wu Jiu speechless: “Why did you drink so much?”
Zhu Xiao looked at him in confusion, as if he didn’t understand why Wu Jiu was angry. “You shouldn’t just drink anywhere. Don’t you know what you’re like when you’re drunk?” Wu Jiu, without considering whether he had the right to lecture Zhu Xiao, blurted out in frustration, “Look at you now; you’re all disheveled. Do you realize how dangerous that is…?”
Zhu Xiao stared at Wu Jiu’s lips, which moved rapidly as he spoke urgently, without even pausing for breath. “Hey, why are you staring at me like that? Did I say something wrong? Your behavior is very——”
Before he could finish, perhaps due to the alcohol rushing to his head, Zhu Xiao decided he didn’t want to listen anymore. He grabbed Wu Jiu’s collar, pulled him closer, and kissed him on the lips.
“Zhu Xiao, what are you doing?” Wu Jiu’s eyes widened in surprise. “I’m perfectly fine right now, and you’re taking advantage of me?”
He wasn’t dying, and that kiss didn’t seem like CPR either.
Zhu Xiao pulled back a bit, squinted to make sure it was Wu Jiu, then released his collar and said teasingly, “I mistook you for someone else.”
Wu Jiu was left speechless.
Who did he mistake him for?
Wu Jiu was instantly furious: “Who did you mistake me for?”
“I don’t know,” Zhu Xiao replied nonchalantly, then turned his head to see his friends coming out. He walked away with them.
Wu Jiu stood there, stunned, and after a while, he realized how angry he was. He had always said that Zhu Xiao’s friends were not trustworthy!
The next day, when Wu Jiu asked again, Zhu Xiao had completely forgotten about the incident and denied it outright. In the end, Wu Jiu, gritting his teeth, had no choice but to accept that he had been taken advantage of by Zhu Xiao. Since then, Zhu Xiao’s “frivolous” image in Wu Jiu’s mind had deepened even further.
Years later, Wu Jiu still couldn’t let go of the grudge and asked resentfully, “Who on earth did you mistake me for that time?”
He replayed the event in his mind, trying to figure out who among Zhu Xiao’s friends he didn’t know could have been mistaken for him, but he couldn’t come up with anyone.
Zhu Xiao had a habit of blacking out when he drank, and he truly didn’t remember the incident. Despite Wu Jiu’s detailed recounting, he couldn’t recall a single detail. However, based on his own understanding, he probably hadn’t mistaken anyone; he just said it that way.
“No one,” Zhu Xiao said.
“Then why did you kiss me?” Wu Jiu suddenly thought of something else. “Are you saying that you would also kiss other people who pass by? Zhu Xiao, you really can’t drink casually. This habit of yours of kissing people indiscriminately——”
His words were cut short as Zhu Xiao leaned in and kissed him on the lips.
“Wait, I’m talking seriously here. Don’t suddenly——”
Before he could finish, Zhu Xiao kissed him again.
Wu Jiu was dazed and almost pacified.
“I said I’m talking seriously…” His tone was no longer as firm as before. “Don’t just kiss me like that.”
“Alright, no one. It’s probably because I saw you,” Zhu Xiao said. “You were talking so much, and I just wanted you to stop.”
After all these years, this method of shutting Wu Jiu up still worked just as effectively.
When Wu Xingdong came to inspect the Yama’s residence and didn’t see Wu Jiu, he was delighted and asked Butler Bai, “Has he gone to date someone?”
Butler Bai replied, “Yes.”
Lately, whenever Wu Jiu returned from the human world, he seemed like he was under a spell, with a dreamy expression and floating steps, always talking to him about things he couldn’t understand, most of which were related to “Zhu Xiao.”
Especially yesterday was even more exaggerated. He came back as if he had just tamed a wild animal, and Butler Bai was worried that Wu Jiu might bump into a utility pole on the way and end up on the underworld news, forcing him to handle the public relations.
Wu Xingdong asked curiously, “What stage are they at? Can they get married tomorrow?”
Butler Bai recalled the things Wu Jiu had said yesterday, which he couldn’t understand, and after struggling to analyze and comprehend them, he reported honestly, “It seems they have confirmed their relationship and kissed yesterday.”
Wu Xingdong stroked his chin, thinking about how to report to his wife later to get the reward he deserved.
Seeing that Wu Xingdong was silent, Butler Bai thought he was worried about Wu Jiu’s backlash and quickly explained on behalf of Wu Jiu, “Sir, don’t worry. The young master will be back tonight.”
“What?” Wu Xingdong’s voice rose eight degrees. “He’s coming back tonight?”
Butler Bai said, “The young master comes back every night. You can rest easy.”
Instead of feeling relieved, Wu Xingdong’s heart almost froze. He said despairingly, “In that case, when will I ever get to enjoy some peace?”
Butler Bai cautiously replied, “But the young master’s current situation is not suitable for staying in the human world for too long…”
“Stupid!” Wu Xingdong said. “He’s forgotten all the wisdom of our ancestors. He doesn’t remember a single one of those wonderful remedies for balancing yin and yang!”
“They are one yin and one yang; they can just complement each other!”
Wu Xingdong was even more anxious for Wu Jiu than Wu Jiu himself was. “I give up. I have to teach him even the simplest things. When I was young, I learned everything on my own…”
He decided to speed up this match and said to Butler Bai, “Send a text message to Wu Jiu right now and tell him not to come back.”
In the blink of an eye, it was almost midnight again. Before leaving, Zhu Xiao asked Wu Jiu, “Are you coming tomorrow?”
“Of course!” Wu Jiu paused for a moment and added, “But I’ll come a bit later…”
Butler Bai was right; he couldn’t stay in the human world for too long at once. That way, it would be sustainable.
“Okay,” Zhu Xiao nodded. It didn’t matter if it was a bit later. “I’ll wait for you.”
A day was too short. Wu Jiu wished there were 240 hours in a day so that he could spend more time with Zhu Xiao. He sighed heavily, wishing he could see Zhu Xiao as soon as he opened his eyes. Now he had to go back and wait for another night plus several more hours.
Suppressing his low spirits, Wu Jiu said to Zhu Xiao, “See you tomorrow!”
“See you tomorrow,” Zhu Xiao replied.
Wu Jiu dawdled, taking three minutes just to walk from the living room to the door. Every time he left, he thought the same thing: If only there was a reason not to go.
Just as he was about to drift out of Zhu Xiao’s door, he suddenly received a message from Butler Bai.
Wu Jiu immediately stopped and didn’t continue to leave.
Butler Bai: [Young master, the Huangquan River is in flood, and the Yama’s residence is flooded with mud and water. Don’t come back these next few days.]
Wu Jiu didn’t expect such news. Although the latter part made him happy for a moment, the former part made him frown again.
He asked seriously: [Is it just the Yama’s residence? What about other places? What’s the situation now?]
Butler Bai didn’t dare to say that it was the old Yama who had played a trick, diverting the drainage system directly to the Yama’s residence. Everything outside was peaceful, while only the Yama’s residence was in chaos.
Butler Bai: [Yes, the master is handling it now. It’s under control. Don’t worry; you can stay in the human world for a couple more days.]
Butler Bai glanced at the old Yama, who was now making pottery with Huangquan mud—his trouser legs were both covered in mud, and he was having a great time—feeling a bit insincere about saying “under control.”
Wu Jiu was somewhat surprised: [The old man is back?]
The old man had quit when he reached a certain age, claiming that he was too old and had aches everywhere. He left the underworld to Wu Jiu and happily went to live with his wife. They traveled around and only came back once a year during festivals.
Butler Bai: [Yes, the master said that if you dare to come back, he will break your legs (just repeating the master’s words).]
Wu Jiu suddenly became alert: [Did my family’s place get flooded because of him?]
Butler Bai: [You brat, don’t suspect your father! Get out of here and go to the human world. If no one takes you in, just find a coffin to cool off. Don’t come down here and bother me!!]
Butler Bai: [Young master, the above message was from the master.]
Butler Bai: [In short, it’s suggested that you don’t come back these next few days.]
“Why haven’t you left yet?”
Zhu Xiao saw Wu Jiu standing by the door, looking down at his phone with a big smile on his lips. He rarely saw Wu Jiu so happy while messaging someone and couldn’t help but ask, “Who are you talking to?”
Wu Jiu replied, “Butler Bai.”
Could he be this happy talking to Butler Bai?
Zhu Xiao asked, “What are you talking about?”
Wu Jiu quickly sent a “okay” to Butler Bai, put away his phone, and grinned widely.
“My home is flooded!”
…Judging by his expression, you’d think he had just won a lottery.
Zhu Xiao didn’t understand what he was so happy about and frowned, asking, “So?”
“I can’t go back,” Wu Jiu’s smile almost reached his ears. “I have to stay in the human world for the next few days.”
“I’m a wandering ghost with nowhere to go.”
He coughed delicately, then revealed his true intention, “Zhu Xiao, take me in.”
Zhu Xiao remembered that all of Wu Jiu’s properties were right next to his place. He took out the key to the neighboring house and handed it to Wu Jiu, thoughtfully saying, “Your home is next door.”
Wu Jiu: […]
If he had known this would happen, he wouldn’t have bought the house next to Zhu Xiao’s in the first place!
“That place hasn’t been lived in for so long,” Wu Jiu made up an excuse, “I’ll get sick.”
Zhu Xiao reminded him, “You’re not human now.”
Wu Jiu lied through his teeth, “Ghosts can get sick too.”
He pretended to clutch his chest and cough violently, the smoke above his head turning into intermittent waves. “I died of sudden death in my previous life; my body was already weak.”
“And since you’ve always been the one to visit my grave, I can only follow you in the human world,” Wu Jiu said pitifully, “Zhu Xiao, I only have you.”
[…]
Although Wu Jiu’s words sounded like nonsense, Zhu Xiao thought for a moment and quickly agreed, “Alright, you can come.”
“I’ll just tidy up a bit.”
It was just a matter of adding another pillow. Zhu Xiao walked into his bedroom and took out a new pillow from the cabinet above. Just as he was about to put it on the bed, Wu Jiu stopped him.
He took the pillow from Zhu Xiao’s hand, pushed him to sit on the sofa, and poured a cup of hot water for him.
“No need, I can do it myself. You just sit there. I can handle these little things on my own.”
Then Zhu Xiao watched as Wu Jiu carried the pillow and happily went into the master bedroom… the next room, and began to make the bed.
Zhu Xiao: […]
Alright.
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Hate that cliffhanger, don’t you?
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