The moment the thought flashed through my mind, my spiritual connection with Man Yue suddenly broke.
I thought Bai Qi had ended the connection because he saw me sad.
Just as I was about to ask him, Bai Qi frowned tightly and said, "Someone is interfering with the spiritual connection. Man Yue's spiritual consciousness has been taken away."
I was immediately shocked. "What should we do? Should we go and help her?"
Worry clouded Bai Qi's face. "Will some people really appreciate your kindness?"
I didn't understand what he meant, and Bai Qi didn't say any more. He promised to send a few spirit messengers to find out where Man Yue's spiritual consciousness had gone.
"Do you think I could be Man Yue's reincarnation?" I asked Bai Qi again.
Bai Qi gave me the same answer. "Maybe."
My high hopes were instantly dashed. All I really wanted was a definite answer.
You're Lan Chiyu. You're not anyone's reincarnation. Gu Yuan loves only you in this life, not the reincarnation of Man Yue or someone who looks like her.
Before I could start feeling disappointed, my phone rang.
It was my mom calling. Usually, we just chatted about daily life.
I composed myself and answered the phone. "Mom, why did you call?"
"Lanlan, your cousin is dead."
"What?" I was struck dumb by this shocking news, feeling as if I'd been struck by lightning.
I stood there in a daze for a long time, thinking I must have misheard.
"Mom, this isn't a joke you can make." I thought she was just joking and couldn't believe it at all.
My cousin's name was Wang Daidi. She was my aunt's daughter, from the same village as me. She was only one year older than me, and I'd followed her around like a shadow since childhood. We were like real sisters.
Later, when my aunt had a son, she became extremely biased towards sons. After my cousin graduated from junior high school, she wasn't allowed to continue her studies but was forced to work and earn money.
Two years ago, in order to save up a betrothal gift for her younger brother, she was forced to marry Zhao Youcai from the neighboring village.
Because of this, I complained to my mom about my aunt. I thought she was pushing my cousin into the fire pit.
That Zhao Youcai was a well - known hooligan in the area. He was into drinking, gambling, whoring and all sorts of bad habits.
But I was just a nobody. Besides, the betrothal money had already been received, so my cousin had resigned herself to her fate.
The year she got married, I was just starting college. After that, we had less and less contact. The last time I talked to my mom on the phone, she said my cousin was doing well. Zhao Youcai had changed a lot, and they were trying to have a baby.
But just a few days later, my cousin was dead?
My mom started crying on the phone, which meant she wasn't joking. I was really stupid just now. Who would joke about the life and death of their own relatives?
"Come back and see your cousin for the last time." My mom's voice was trembling.
"Mom, wait for me. I'll ask for leave and go home right away."
After calling my instructor, I rushed home in a hurry. Gu Yuan was already standing at the altar, with his luggage packed.
"Where are you going?" I asked.
"Home." Gu Yuan replied.
I was stunned for a second, and then he added, "Your home."
I didn't expect this guy to already know.
He gave the car keys to Gu Yuan, and we drove towards my cousin's house.
By the time we reached the village, it was already late at night.
As soon as Gu Yuan parked the car, I opened the door and ran inside.
At that moment, there was a dim yellow light bulb hanging in the mourning hall. A gust of wind blew, and the bulb swayed, making the light flicker.
However, outside, the lights at the feast were as bright as day. There were so many people eating, shouting and toasting each other. It was really lively. It didn't look like a funeral at all. It was more like a wedding.
Normally, since my cousin had died at the age of twenty - three, they shouldn't have held such a big feast, because she hadn't died of old age.
When my mom saw me come in, she immediately came over with tear - filled eyes and led me to see my cousin.
My cousin's body was actually lying in a messy factory shed.
They just casually found a broken basin to burn paper in. Since they didn't have children, normally it should have been my cousin's husband or my younger cousin who should have been keeping vigil here.
But both of them were outside, drinking with relatives and friends.
I was really angry. Just as I was about to go up and argue, my mom stopped me.
"This is their family's business. Don't ruin the harmony among relatives. Besides, your cousin died an unnatural death. She wasn't supposed to be placed in the ancestral house anyway."
I suppressed my anger, my palms turning white from pinching. I turned around and walked to my cousin's side. "Plop" I knelt down beside her, grabbed her cold and stiff hand, and burst into tears.
"Cousin, Lanlan is here to see you for the last time. Wuwuwu..." My cries were so shrill that the noisy people at the feast instantly fell silent.
My cousin's husband was completely drunk at this moment. Seeing me crying while hugging my cousin, he picked up a wine bottle and staggered to his feet.
"Cry, cry, cry. That's all you can do. You've been married for two years and haven't even given birth to a single child. You still have the nerve to cry. I'll teach you a lesson."
After saying that, he threw the wine bottle towards me.
The wine bottle made an arc in the air and suddenly flew back. Moreover, the force was obviously stronger than before, and it directly hit Zhao Youcai on the head.
Blood immediately gushed out from his head.
The words he'd just said must have been what he often said to my cousin. My cousin must have suffered a lot from his bullying in the past two years.
Thinking of this, I got really angry and was about to go up and question him.
"Ah, how dare you hit my son?"
Just then, Zhao Youcai's mother walked out of the room. Seeing that the wine bottle had flown from my direction and hit Zhao Youcai on the head,
She immediately flew into a rage. Like a madwoman, she threw away the dish in her hand and lunged at me.
My mom saw that she was about to hurt me and quickly stepped in front of me. She even tried to explain things calmly.
I got even angrier. There was nothing to explain. I stepped forward and pulled my mom aside, daring her to touch me. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain on my face, and my cheek instantly swelled up.
My aunt suddenly appeared out of nowhere and slapped me.
"You little bitch, who told you to come and cause trouble? If you hadn't said all those things to your cousin, would she have been so rebellious and insisted on getting a divorce? If she hadn't wanted a divorce, would she be dead?"
I was completely confused by my aunt's slap and felt extremely aggrieved.
"Lanlan, I'm sorry. I failed to protect you. I thought your aunt would be on your side." It was Bai Qi's voice.
I didn't respond to Bai Qi. I was so angry that I could explode. I covered my face with one hand and stared at my aunt with hatred in my eyes.
I shouted out all my pent - up anger.
"What were you doing before?" I asked my aunt with bloodshot eyes.
My aunt was stunned for a moment. She didn't expect me to shout at her like this.
"If you hadn't married my cousin off to this drunkard to buy a house for your precious son, would my cousin be dead?"
"You're so rude. How can you talk to your mom like that?" This was my cousin's younger brother, Wang Bao. For so many years, relying on the family's indulgence, he was also good - for - nothing and idle all day. He was going to be the next Zhao Youcai.
"Throw her out. It's bad luck to have a girl crying here. Don't let her come to your sister's funeral tomorrow. Do you hear me?" Zhao Youcai's mother ordered Wang Bao to throw me out.
This Wang Bao and my aunt were just like lackeys of the Zhao family. They were about to drive me out immediately.
I still wanted to take another look at my cousin, but Gu Yuan grabbed my hand.
"Let's go home."
"But..." I looked back at my cousin. I'd originally wanted to keep vigil for her. Now she was lying alone on the wooden board, looking so desolate. She must be so cold.
"Don't worry. They'll beg you to come back tonight."
Gu Yuan held my hand, and I held my mom's hand. The three of us pushed open the door and left.
When we got home, my dad was still busy with something. But when I pushed open the door, I saw Hu Qingluan and Han Mengyao in our house.
At this moment, my dad was inviting them to eat.
I frowned tightly and asked sternly, "Why are you here in my house?"
"I invited them." I turned to look at Gu Yuan. Knowing that Hu Qingluan and I were enemies, he still brought her to my house. What on earth was he thinking?