Chapter 1- She’s a Ghost

◎ Pei Wenyu… his legs… ◎

Xue Huiyu was dead. Her final memory was of the moment when a massive truck slammed into her with a loud bang, flinging her into the air.

The truck had swerved erratically, like a drunkard, veering left and right.

The driver, realizing he couldn’t avoid the collision, yanked the wheel hard to the left. Still, within a split second, the car door was violently torn off by the impact, and the entire vehicle overturned and crashed into the guardrail of the bridge.

She had been sitting in the back right seat, and could only watch in horror as the door beside her was ripped away. She had reached out, trying desperately to grab onto something inside the car, but her hand just barely missed Pei Wenyu’s hand that was reaching for her.

The strange part was—when she regained consciousness, she wasn’t in a hospital.

She found herself standing alone under the bridge at the crash site.

The accident felt as if it had just happened a moment ago. Snow fell gently from a gloomy sky, mirroring the despair in her heart. But now, blinding sunlight beat down on her, and people walking or driving nearby wore short sleeves and summer dresses—it was clearly the middle of a scorching summer.

The bridge’s guardrail showed no sign of being hit.

Had it already been months since the crash?

Xue Huiyu’s mind was in a fog. She stared blankly at the ground, confused, noticing that she cast no shadow.

Just then, as if to confirm her thoughts, a fisherman walking nearby passed right through her.

Her body, which had felt solid, flickered and turned transparent from the disturbance. She gasped in disbelief.

She was dead. And not just dead—she had become a ghost, invisible and untouchable.

She had thought only a few months had passed since the accident, but when she looked up and saw a bright red banner hanging from a shopping mall that read “2021 6.18 Shopping Festival: June 1–20,” she realized—it had been three years.

Xue Huiyu had died on the night of January 18, 2018, at the age of 24.

But strangely, she felt no lingering attachment to the world. She couldn’t understand why she hadn’t reincarnated—why she remained trapped here as a ghost after three whole years.

She felt no longing because, quite frankly, her life had never been her own.

Forced into a business marriage, she’d had to marry a man she didn’t love—and who didn’t love her either.

They had signed an agreement before the wedding. For six months after marrying, they would sleep in separate rooms. They lived together like polite strangers, occasionally putting on a show of affection at family gatherings. It was all superficial—mutual respect, no interference.

But one drunken night, things got out of hand—and she unexpectedly got pregnant right before a major ballet performance. She had only agreed to the marriage to keep pursuing her dream of ballet. A child had never been in her plans.

She couldn’t have a child with a man she didn’t love. It would be a lifelong chain for both of them after the divorce. And their child would never grow up in a complete or happy family.

So she told Pei Wenyu the truth and decided to get an abortion.

But somehow, a secret only they knew was leaked by paparazzi, and suddenly the whole country knew she was pregnant.

Amid all the congratulations, she was forced into keeping the pregnancy.

The ballet company said they’d wait for her return after childbirth. But her body, swollen and misshapen, showed no sign of going back to its former state. Deep down, Xue Huiyu began to resent the child growing inside her. The carefully maintained facade of her marriage was torn apart.

She became increasingly irritated with Pei Wenyu, convinced he had broken their premarital agreement and leaked the news of her pregnancy.

After carrying the baby for ten months, she was finally “free.”

But giving birth wasn’t a release—it was the start of another nightmare. Once celebrated for her elegant figure, her body hadn’t recovered at all even after the postpartum recovery period. Her protruding belly made even simple dance movements feel clumsy.

The internet mocked her cruelly.

Meanwhile, Meng Yuwei—the copycat she had long surpassed—took center stage as the lead soloist in one performance after another.

Consumed by jealousy and resentment, she fought with Pei Wenyu constantly. She left their son entirely in his care and focused solely on getting her figure back. Strangely, Pei Wenyu became a devoted father—caring for their child as if he were a precious part of himself.

Even so, she couldn’t bring herself to like him. Every look, every word grated on her. Even right before her death, she was still yelling at Pei Wenyu, venting all her fury.

Looking back now, with the clarity only death could bring, Xue Huiyu realized—she had been suffering from postpartum depression.

Pei Wenyu and their child had done nothing wrong. But at the time, she had dumped all her bitterness and hatred on them.

When faced with unbearable pain, people often look for someone to blame.

She had fallen into that pit of resentment and couldn’t climb out.

Now, she wondered how Pei Wenyu and their child were doing.

Xue Huiyu sighed softly.

With her—the burden of a wife in a loveless marriage—gone, and no more screaming fights, he must finally be free.

And with three years having passed, he’s probably already remarried to the woman he truly loves.

Just the thought of her child calling another woman “Mom” made Xue Huiyu feel an inexplicable bitterness.

But truthfully, she had never been a good mother. During that one month after giving birth, she hadn’t shown the child any concern—barely held him even a few times. Even feeding was done by Pei Wenyu using a bottle.

So… after remarrying, Pei Wenyu probably wouldn’t be so cruel as to tell the child, “Your birth mother died shortly after giving birth to you,” right?

If she were Pei Wenyu, the ideal approach would be to lie—to tell the clueless child that the stepmother was his real mother. Let him grow up in a warm, loving family, never knowing the truth.

Thinking this, Xue Huiyu suddenly froze.

She hadn’t built any emotional bond with the child. He might not even know she existed, this unfit mother—but he was still her flesh and blood…

Could it be… she lingered in this world because she couldn’t let go of the child?

Actions speak louder than thoughts. Xue Huiyu took an hour to find the villa where she and Pei Wenyu had lived after getting married.

Being a ghost had its advantages—no one noticed if she hitched a ride, and walking long distances never made her tired. When she got lost, she could even ask other wandering spirits for directions.

Floating through the walls, Xue Huiyu entered the house—only to see that the once-bright and cozy interior had turned into a cold, gloomy palette of black, white, and gray.

All the furniture was black. Even the refrigerator, the couch, the dining table—everything was black. The oppressive atmosphere seemed to devour every ray of light, leaving the place void of warmth or life.

Pei Wenyu must have moved out… Makes sense. It had been three years. Of course he wouldn’t still live in the home they once shared.

It’s not like he was too poor to buy a new house.

Still… she found herself missing the original decor.

Back then, Pei Wenyu had handled all the renovation himself. And once they moved in, she was thrilled with how it turned out.

The warm color scheme had made the house feel especially homey. Even the private dance studio she had insisted on was arranged to perfection.

It was spacious, with mirrored walls and gorgeous floor-to-ceiling windows that opened to a sunken courtyard. Before her pregnancy, she had loved dancing there, alone and at peace.

What a shame…

As Xue Huiyu drifted upstairs, she suddenly heard a faint rustling sound from one of the rooms.

Someone’s here?

Curious, she floated into the room—only to see a little boy curled up in the corner, gnawing on his fingers.

He was pale, his small body thin and hunched. He looked about two or three years old.

He had an adorable face, but his eyes were tightly furrowed, lifeless and dim. His tiny fingernails were chewed ragged like withered mushrooms.

“Ah!”

As Xue Huiyu cautiously floated closer, the boy suddenly screamed in terror—like a kitten whose tail had been stepped on. He clamped his hands over his ears and began to tremble.

Xue Huiyu jumped in shock. Was it possible he could see her?

But just then, a middle-aged woman burst into the room.

“Quiet!” she hissed sharply.

The boy immediately fell silent. But only for a moment—because a shrill siren blared from outside, audible through the open door. The boy screamed again, this time in sheer panic, and began bashing his head against the wall with loud thuds.

The entire room was lined with padded wall panels. So thankfully, he wouldn’t get hurt doing that… but still, the sight horrified Xue Huiyu.

The woman, however, seemed completely unfazed. She calmly shut the door to block out the siren.

But the child kept crying.

Irritated, the woman roughly pressed down on the boy’s head to stop him from hitting the wall, then used her other hand to clamp his mouth shut.

This is abuse, isn’t it?!

Xue Huiyu had never had much tolerance for bratty kids. What happened to other people’s children wasn’t her business—she’d never been overly compassionate. But in that instant, headlines from the news flashed through her mind:

“Insane nanny abuses baby while parents are away”
“Caregiver kicks toddler and stomps his head—outrage over brutal treatment…”

Without thinking, Xue Huiyu shouted, “Hey! Stop that!”

She lunged at the woman out of reflex—only for her hands to pass straight through the woman’s body.

Stunned, she could only watch helplessly as the woman pinned the child down, pulled down his pants, took a syringe out of her pocket, and—without changing expression—jabbed it into his buttock.

Within seconds, the boy stopped crying. He collapsed like a deflated balloon, limp and motionless.

The woman dressed him again and laid him silently on the bed.

Furious, Xue Huiyu paced in circles, completely helpless. All she could do was watch.

Then the woman turned to leave—and Xue Huiyu finally saw her face clearly.

It was Zheng Huiwen.

Xue Huiyu had never lifted a finger to do housework. After marriage, she had hired a butler/driver and three live-in maids.

Zheng Huiwen had been in charge of cooking and laundry. She had taken good care of Xue Huiyu during her pregnancy and worked more diligently than the others. After giving birth, Xue Huiyu had even given her a big red envelope and promoted her to full-time nanny.

Who would’ve thought that this woman who used to bow and scrape in front of her… was secretly so heartless and twisted?!

A chill ran down Xue Huiyu’s spine.

That child… could he be…

No… no, that’s impossible…

But in the very next moment, as she followed Zheng Huiwen into the next room—

Xue Huiyu froze in place.

The layout was exactly the same! Even her ballet performance photos were still on the wall!

It was her bedroom! So… this was her home?!

And that child… wasn’t that… her son?!

Xue Huiyu’s eyes widened in disbelief—she was furious to the point of bursting!

Her child was being abused! Where the hell was Pei Wenyu, the man who had promised to take good care of their child?!

It had only been three years since her death, and he was already letting the nanny abuse their son like this?!

Was he not home right now? Off having fun with some woman? And what about the others?!

What was with this gloomy, deathlike interior design?!

Fuming, Xue Huiyu stormed up to the third floor.

She didn’t understand it—how was Pei Wenyu still living in their old home after three whole years? And yet this bastard had turned the house into such a depressing space, and let their child live in a room so lifeless it practically screamed misery. She had to see how he had “renovated” her bedroom and his study!

She rushed into the study—the room closest to the stairs—and there he was:

Pei Wenyu, expressionless, typing away at his computer.

Even with no emotion on his face, Pei Wenyu’s looks were striking.

His features were sharp and refined like a painting, his posture tall and graceful like bamboo. Xue Huiyu had rarely seen a rich heir with looks this good. Even in the entertainment industry, he could have easily debuted as the center of a boy group.

So back when she knew she couldn’t escape a political marriage, she’d at least chosen someone who was pleasant to look at as her live-in partner.

But now—seeing that cold, indifferent face—Xue Huiyu’s eyes nearly rolled into the back of her head!

Wow. So you are home! Your son is screaming downstairs, and you don’t care?! Are you deaf or what?!

Men are so useless—might as well hope for a pig to climb a tree!

Xue Huiyu was so angry she wanted to beat him up on the spot.

She threw a punch—only for her ghostly hand to pass straight through Pei Wenyu’s chest as he stood up from his desk.

Xue Huiyu: “……”

“Cough, cough.”

Pei Wenyu suddenly clutched his chest and started coughing. Xue Huiyu quickly retracted her hand, startled.

Now that she was up close, she realized just how pale he looked. His lips were bloodless, and his once-deep, radiant eyes were now dull and lifeless.

If Pei Wenyu used to be a glowing jade, now he was nothing but a rotting stone. What a waste of that pretty face.

It had only been three years—how had he let himself go like this?

He clearly couldn’t even take care of himself—no wonder he couldn’t take care of their son!

As Xue Huiyu bitterly criticized him in her head, she saw Pei Wenyu pick up a cane leaning beside the desk.

He walked forward, limping with practiced familiarity.

Xue Huiyu froze in place, stunned.

Pei Wenyu… his leg…

He was crippled…

In that moment, everything suddenly made sense.

Why he hadn’t remarried in three years. Why he looked so frail, so empty, so broken.

Because in that car accident three years ago—it wasn’t just her who had died.

Pei Wenyu had lost the use of his legs.

He was disabled now. A man who once strode with confidence could now barely walk.

For someone as proud as Pei Wenyu, the blow of becoming crippled must have been unbearable. No wonder he had turned into this shadow of a man…

Author’s Note:🗒️

The story has officially started!!!

The female lead has postpartum depression. On the day of the car accident, the male lead tricked her into seeing a therapist—this will be explained later.

This is a healing story about a broken family of three. Their child is the future villain of the novel—an orphan who grew up twisted. The male lead will go blind for a while later on.

The female lead starts off as a ghost and will be resurrected later. Both the male lead and the child will eventually recover. The main plot is about parenting and healing.

If you’re not into these kinds of settings, please think twice before reading.

The entire novel is already written—so feel free to dive in, it’s worth it!