The Days I Spent With A Ghost

How does one live in harmony with a ghost? 

This was a difficult question faced by Le Xi at the present moment. More importantly, the said ghost had taken over her precious bed! Although it was just a shabby bed made up of piles of haystacks, it was still a proper resting place for a young woman like her. She was not mentally prepared to share it with anyone just yet! 

Besides, this shameless ghost seemed to be interested in taking over the rest of her home as well! 

“It’s just a bed. Why are you being so petty about it?” The ghost on the bed was leaning comfortably against a bamboo umbrella. His skin was paler than his pearl-white robe that he wore. His dazzling, almond-shaped eyes flickered over to her as he said, “Besides, I don’t mind being in the same bed as you. You are the one being insistent on not sharing.” 

“Have you not heard of the saying, ‘unmarried men and women’s hands are not allowed to touch’?” Le Xi emphasized. 

“But I am no human.” The ghost replied. 

“Even if you are not, it’s still a no! And could you not speak so nonchalantly about yourself not being a human?”

The ghost innocently shrugged. “I am merely speaking the truth.” As he spoke, he leaned further across her bed. “I am so bored recently, why don’t you go buy me some novels to read.” 

“To hell with that!” Le Xi was on the verge of falling apart. “You were not like this when I first met you!” 

The ghost she initially met on the day when she was praying at her Master’s grave was scholarly-looking and gentlemanly— but it’s the complete opposite of the ghost in front of her right now that seemed more like an arrogant young master from a rich family. 

“If I acted like how I am right now that day, would you still take me in?” 

“Never!”

“That’s exactly why.” 

“Exactly? My foot!” Le Xi placed her arms on her hips, glowering furiously at him. “So, everything you said that day was a lie? Including what you said about how you had waited for years for someone to see you, how you wandered alone in the graveyard with nowhere to go because you lost your memories, and upon laying your eyes on me you remembered that you rescued me…everything was just a made-up story, wasn’t it?”

Coincidentally, she was rescued by an unknown person once. 

She was picking herbs in the forest and ended up getting lost in the mountains. Due to the sudden heavy rain, she fell sick and fainted by the roadside. While drifting in and out of consciousness, she vaguely felt someone placing a cool towel on her forehead and feeding her water. When she finally woke up, she was all alone in an abandoned temple. She had always been grateful to whoever it is that saved her. So, when she heard the ghost’s story, she believed him like the silly girl she was because she naively thought he seemed like a righteous person. 

“N-no.” The ghost muttered.

“I knew it! You…Huh? What did you say?”

“I didn’t lie.” The ghost bit his lip for a moment. 

As the sunlight shone through the windows, leaving a warm, orange glow around his translucent spectral body, he suddenly seemed even more ethereal. “I truly did not recall who I was. Otherwise, why would I wander around that eerie graveyard? I was merely trying to find which gravestone belonged to me. There are many who came to provide offerings and prayers to the dead, but you were the only one that made me feel a sense of familiarity and the only person who could see me. If I do not go with you, who else should I turn to?”

“But you lied-”

The ghost interrupted her. “As I have said earlier, if I didn’t weave such a story, you wouldn’t bring me back with you.” Underlining his calm voice was a hint of helplessness and sadness. He lowered his eyes, scoffed mockingly at himself, then let out a deep sigh. 

Le Xi hated herself for giving into her own soft-heartedness once again. “Fine…alright. But, only this once! You are forbidden from lying to me ever again!” Le Xi sighed. “I’ll go buy you some novels. Stay here and don’t go wandering anywhere else!”

“Mm.” The ghost changed his posture once again. This time, he crossed his legs and shot a look of disapproval at the bamboo umbrella next to him. The heavy atmosphere earlier instantly dissipated. “Since you are going out, why don’t you buy me a new umbrella as well? You had nothing much with you that day apart from this umbrella, so it was the only thing I could possess. Still, isn’t this a little too shabby? How could something like this befit my breathtaking appearance and elegant aura? Tsk, the longer I look at it, the more I dislike this umbrella. Oh, yes, remember to purchase from the Shangjing Shop. The shaft and ribs of the umbrellas they sell are made of prestigious rosewood, whereas the canopy is made of high-quality cloth with Shu embroidery. Something like that would at the very least be…Hey! What is with that expression of yours? Aah…alright…I was just joking. Come home soon, alright? I won’t send you off then~”