When I reached the hall, Gu Yuan was already sitting upright there, with He Bi standing beside him.
Inside the hall, two old people, no one knew where they came from, were also sitting on the sofa, wailing non - stop. Their cries were heart - rending. Shen Xiaoya was kneeling on the ground.
"Xiaoya, you've committed a sin! Wuwuwu... Look at what you've done!"
"Mom..." Shen Xiaoya thought her parents would plead for her. She knelt on the ground and inched forward.
At the same time, a shrill voice came from the other end. He Bi released Shen Xiya's soul from the red umbrella.
"Mom..." Shen Xiya had regained her senses by now. As a fierce ghost, she couldn't be exposed to the daylight for long. He Bi held a red paper umbrella over her head to help gather her soul. But the time couldn't be too long.
When the two old people saw Shen Xiya, they could hardly believe their eyes. With tear - filled eyes, they stepped forward, wanting to touch their daughter who had been dead for two years. But Shen Xiya's soul was too weak for them to touch.
They cried even more miserably.
"Xiya, mom is sorry for you. I've made you suffer."
"Mom... I don't blame you. It's just that I'm born unlucky and can't be filial to you two properly."
Even as an onlooker, I was moved to tears by this scene. How much more the people involved must have felt!
However, Gu Yuan remained unmoved. He lowered his eyes and poked his finger. Seriously, he said, "We've already told the two elders about the matter. It's up to you to decide."
"They're both my flesh and blood. How can you ask us to make such a decision? Wuwuwu..."
Gu Yuan threw two talismans onto the tea table. There was not a trace of pity in his eyes.
"You gave them life. It's also up to you to decide who lives and who dies."
I understood what Gu Yuan meant. The twin sisters' soul veins were connected. That is to say, if Shen Xiaoya's soul left her body, Shen Xiya could take over and continue to live. As for which one to keep, the decision was in their parents' hands.
Hearing this, Shen Xiaoya immediately moved on her knees and pleaded with the two elders.
"Mom, Dad, I know I was wrong. I don't want to die. I'll repay my sister by being a cow or a horse in the afterlife. Please give me a chance to live."
Then she turned and kowtowed to Shen Xiya, apologizing.
"Sister, I'm sorry. I know I was wrong. Please, I don't want to die. Wuwuwu..."
Shen Xiya also knelt on the ground but remained silent. No one could forgive her.
Shen's mother looked at her two daughters, who she had raised with great difficulty, and cried until she was out of breath.
This was too cruel. Both sisters were the apple of the two elders' eyes. They didn't want to see either of them die.
Gu Yuan couldn't stand women crying like this the most. He frowned tightly, and Shen Xiaoya's eyes became dull. She fainted.
Shen Xiya knelt on the ground, saying nothing. The decision - making power was given to the two elders.
Gu Yuan flicked his finger, and Shen Xiya's soul entered Shen Xiaoya's body.
"Time is running out. If you don't make a decision soon, both of them may die."
Shen's mother's hands trembled as she picked up the two talismans. As long as she threw one of them into the brazier, the one left would be the person who could continue to stay in the world.
Time was passing by little by little. He Bi stood there, constantly picking at his thumb. At this moment, he was the most nervous one.
I walked up to He Bi and patted him on the shoulder, giving him the greatest comfort.
Shen's father looked up at He Bi. His voice trembled as he asked, "Thank you. My daughter owes you a debt of gratitude."
Hearing this, He Bi's eyes turned red. He tried hard to hold back his tears. He also knew that he was not qualified to make a decision for the two elders.
At the last moment, seeing that Shen's mother was still hesitating and just crying non - stop, Shen's father snatched the two talismans from her hand. With a determined heart, he threw one of them into the brazier.
Shen's mother watched the talisman burn with her own eyes. She knelt heavily on the ground, pounding her chest sorrowfully. She opened her mouth wide but couldn't cry out at all.
The talisman in Shen's father's hand fluttered without wind and slowly covered Shen Xiaoya's head.
As the talisman gradually disappeared, the daughter lying on the ground slowly opened her eyes.
She scanned the area. He Bi wanted to step forward to check but wasn't sure if this person was really Shen Xiya.
The girl didn't look at him. After sitting up, she called out to her parents. The three of them hugged each other and cried for a long time.
He Bi's breathing trembled. Even I had a bad premonition in my heart.
"He Bi, why don't you help me up?" The girl's gentle voice came as she looked at He Bi beside her.
He Bi opened his eyes wide. Overjoyed, tears streamed down his face. He rushed up and hugged the girl tightly.
This person was none other than Shen Xiya, the girl He Bi loved. The two elders finally decided to keep Shen Xiya.
Seeing that He Bi finally had a loved one, my nose twitched. I almost cried with him.
At the same time, Shen Xiaoya's soul left her body. She stood beside them, glaring at her parents.
"Even at this moment, you still like my sister. I hate you. I'll hate you forever."
But no matter what she said, the two elders couldn't hear her because Gu Yuan had already closed their yin - yang eyes.
No matter how loudly Shen Xiaoya shouted, it was useless. It would only quickly attract the ghost messengers to take her to the City of the Wronged Dead for trial.
This was a happy ending.
After seeing off the two elders, I walked up to Gu Yuan, threw myself into his arms, and buried my face in his neck, like a coquettish kitten.
"I was really worried for He Bi. What if the Shen family's parents had chosen Shen Xiaoya to live? He Bi would have cried himself to death on the spot."
Gu Yuan gently stroked my back and planted a kiss on my forehead.
"How could I let such a thing happen?"
"Ah?" I suddenly broke free from Gu Yuan's arms, my face full of disbelief.
"Did you tamper with it?"
Gu Yuan smiled and said, "No matter who they chose, the one who would be resurrected in the end would be Shen Xiya. This is the retribution that Shen Xiaoya deserves."
"Then who did the Shen family's parents actually choose?"
"Didn't you see it?"
They still had the ability to distinguish right from wrong.
"Parents are like this. They're all their own children. They'd rather suffer themselves than let their children endure hardship."
"Do you want to be a mom? Your tone has changed." Gu Yuan looked at me tenderly, as if looking at something special.
I looked down at my stomach and quickly covered it, not letting him see. "Hey, what are you talking nonsense about? Aren't you ashamed in public?"
"What's there to be ashamed of? Isn't this the normal development direction for a couple?" Gu Yuan didn't stop talking.
"You're so annoying. You think too highly of yourself. Do you think you can make me pregnant every time? Humph."
Since he wasn't ashamed, I wasn't either.
Gu Yuan picked me up and sat me on his lap. His voice was teasing. "Why? Don't you believe me? How about giving you a few more tries? I guarantee you'll have triplets or quadruplets. Then you'll have a big headache."
I pretended to be angry and pounded on his shoulder twice. "You're so bad. I'm ignoring you."
Just as Gu Yuan and I were flirting shamelessly, Dan Zhu suddenly appeared in front of us.
He bowed respectfully.
"Third Master, the three - day deadline has arrived. Dan Zhu is already prepared and is just waiting for your order."