On the way back, I bit my lip, holding back my sobs.

My brother stayed silent the whole time. After dropping Song Wei off, he floored the gas pedal, speeding down the road.

“Stop crying. I’m not even sure whether I should comfort you or feel relieved,” he said in a rare serious tone.

“Xiao Qiao, what exactly are you crying about? If you were forced to bear his spirit child, shouldn’t you be happy if you lost it?”

He banged the steering wheel, and the blaring honk showed how annoyed he felt inside.

“I’m not happy…” I said, my voice hoarse, fighting to keep my tears in check.

“We’re just not on the same level as him, do you get it? He can treat you heartlessly, like a tool. He’s the lord of the Underworld! Do you think he’d care about a mere offering?” My brother huffed angrily.

“Besides, he probably has loads of women; whether you’re there or not doesn’t make much difference! It’s just that your unique physique allows you to carry his spirit child!”

I bit my lip and lowered my head, silent.

Yes, he never showed the slightest hint of lowering himself to my level when we were together; perhaps even touching me was his form of mercy.

Maybe he was used to others serving him, which is why he was so dissatisfied with my stiffness.

He’d even said, once the seven days were up, even if I begged him, he wouldn’t want to touch me again. My stiffness had killed his mood.

Thinking of this, tears splattered onto my hands.

When I was sixteen, he broke my body.

When I was eighteen, he broke my heart.

He’d claimed I was his ghost bride, bound to follow him even in death, yet he could let me age quietly, without showing up in my life.

“Brother… if he’s angry, will he take revenge on our family?” I sniffed, thinking that I might as well spend my life alone; there was nothing to fear.

“Whatever. Our family hasn’t exactly been light on sins, has it?” My brother said with fearless defiance. “You’ve got me; no need to worry. Once Dad gets better, we’ll all live together.”

He reached out, ruffling my long hair.

》》》

The car arrived at an old residential building in the city’s old district, a three-story building with shops on the ground floor, one of which still had its lights on.

The glass door bore the words “Miao Shou Hui Chun” (Healing Hands, Rejuvenating Spring). Was this some kind of shady clinic?

I peeked at my brother. Why did he bring me here?

“Come on, the old doctor here specializes in tough cases.” He skillfully pulled out a Five Emperors coin, using the Three Mountains Hand Sign to pinch it, knocking on the glass door twice.

A cat’s meow echoed from inside, the sound like a baby’s cry, sending shivers down my spine.

It was the dead of night, after all that had happened. Why would he bring me here?

“I’m coming in!” he said, dragging me as he pushed the door open.

The inside reeked of herbal medicine, cramped and cluttered like an old traditional Chinese medicine clinic, with the most organized area being the herb cabinets.

A silver-haired old lady lay on a rocking chair, covered in a quilt, seemingly asleep.

“Hey, you old hag! Are you dead yet? At least give us a response!” my brother yelled rudely.

“Hehehe…” The old lady let out an eerie laugh. Her body remained still, but her head slowly turned toward us.

I shrieked in fright, and my brother cursed immediately, “Keep acting spooky, and I’ll call the Commerce Bureau to check your business license!”

The old lady paused, then gave a faint hum. “…You have no sense of humor.”

Her face was full of wrinkles, her back hunched, with only a few teeth left, making her smile even creepier, like an actual witch.

“My sister’s not doing well. Can you check on her?” My brother lifted me onto a small bed by the wall.

The old lady looked at me with cloudy eyes that suddenly glowed, as if I were a tasty morsel.

She sniffed, “Such heavy ghostly energy… has a powerful ghost set their eyes on you? Tsk, tsk, tsk, look at that pale skin, even whiter than a corpse… you’ll need to strengthen your Yang energy, or your soul might get snatched away, hehe…”

She reached out and touched my cheek, making goosebumps rise all over me.

Then, with her bony, claw-like fingers, she grabbed my wrist to take my pulse.

“This pulse is truly unusual… just how much dark essence did that ghost leave inside you? Hehe, it must’ve taken a lot of work to form a spirit fetus.”

My face flushed. This old lady was clearly an expert in the field.

My brother snapped, “You dirty old hag, you’re in your nineties, why are you still interested in young people’s love lives?”

The old lady rolled her eyes at him, closing her eyes to feel my pulse. “There are signs of fetal instability…”

I couldn’t help but ask, “What is fetal instability? Does that mean it’s… gone?”

She grinned wickedly. “What’s the matter? Worried your baby is gone, girl?”

“I had a rough day—scared, hurt—and I think… something might have leaked out. I was afraid it was… blood.” I admitted honestly.

She chuckled, “Take your pants off and let me check.”

My brother turned away, and I reluctantly lowered my underwear, my shirt just barely covering my thighs.

The old lady pinched my thigh with a grin. “Such smooth, round legs… that ghostly man sure knows how to enjoy himself.”

I shivered a bit, unnerved by her.

She examined my underwear, then grinned slyly. “Girl, do you want to hear the good news or the bad news?”

“Is there a difference?” I asked nervously.

“Of course there is. Pick one,” she chuckled wickedly.

I shrank back a little, whispering, “Then… let’s hear the good news first.”

She looked at me thoughtfully, her wrinkled lips curving into a surprisingly normal smile.

“The good news is, it’s just fetal instability… there’s minor bleeding, but it’s still there…”

I let out a tiny sigh of relief. “And the bad news?”

The old lady smiled again. “There’s no bad news. Judging by your expression, knowing that it’s still there is good news for you, not bad.”

This… this old lady was messing with me?

My brother yawned, saying, “Hah, so it was a false alarm, and you cried so much…”

My face turned red. I thanked the old lady quietly.

The old lady advised, “For the next two weeks, rest in bed, no intimacy, avoid smoke, alcohol, spicy food, seafood, and coffee… oh, and drink two doses of kidney-strengthening and fetal-nourishing herbs.”

As she gave her instructions, she wobbled over to the herb cabinet to grab the medicine. “Kid, the consultation fee and medicine cost are ten billion.”

“I know! I’ll burn it for you when I get home!”

W-what?! Ten billion? Burn?

Payment in spirit money? So this old lady… was a ghost?!

My scalp tingled. No wonder my brother had used Five Emperors coins to knock on the door.

“Don’t be scared, girl. I’m just stocking up in advance… oh, and I heard your father’s in trouble?”

“A housebound old hag like you hears news from outside?” My brother scoffed.

The old lady chuckled darkly. “It was bound to happen… he and your mother were too bold, hmph hmph… has Mu Yike, that old codger, said anything?”