Ha, Karma! – Chapter 23

But what wishes could I possibly have…

The little water ghost hadn’t expected Chu Zhaoqiu to immediately notice that she had learned it from someone else.

Her eyes instantly became clear and curious: “How did you know I learned it from someone else?”

Chu Zhaoqiu sighed helplessly again.

“Because this statement carries too strong a personal color,” she thought for a moment and corrected herself carefully, “a demon’s color.”

The little water ghost, naturally kind and lovable, and afraid of demon hunters, would absolutely never say such things to a demon hunter on her own.

And she had been staying with Fu Lianxue… it was crystal clear.

The little water ghost seemed half-understanding: “Oh, I see…”

Chu Zhaoqiu walked to the window and looked outside.

That powerful force had already disappeared, which meant Fu Lianxue wasn’t around anymore.

It seemed she only came to deliver the little water ghost and had no intention of meeting her.

Though Chu Zhaoqiu knew the answer, she still couldn’t help asking the little water ghost: “Has she left?”

“Yes,” the little water ghost said, “jiejie said she’d leave after dropping me off, she said she doesn’t like staying long in demon hunters’ territory.”

Chu Zhaoqiu: “……”

Doesn’t like staying long, yet can freely barge in as she pleases.

Indeed, this is the free-spirited, fearless great demon Fu Lianxue.

However, right now, the little water ghost is more important.

The little water ghost is kind-hearted and has a request for her, so there’s no harm in listening.

Chu Zhaoqiu brought over a waterproof wooden chair, politely invited the little water ghost to sit down, so they could talk face to face.

The little water ghost was pleasantly surprised and sat down carefully yet expectantly.

Her impression of Chu Zhaoqiu improved even more.

“You mentioned earlier about wanting me to take you to see the Black and White Impermanence, ” Chu Zhaoqiu looked into her eyes, “do you want me to guide you over?”

The little water ghost nodded eagerly, like pounding garlic: “Mm-hmm!”

Seeing her enthusiasm for reincarnation, Chu Zhaoqiu felt relieved.

Ghosts and demons are different, demons are naturally born from heaven and earth, while ghosts are born from human death, and the little water ghost is the latter, not meant to linger long.

She had originally wanted to ask the little water ghost if she wanted to reincarnate, but since the other was more eager to return to Fu Lianxue’s side, she didn’t ask.

The little water ghost is kind-hearted, if she doesn’t want to reincarnate, being able to stay by Fu Lianxue’s side is also a good thing.

Fu Lianxue is a demon, no need to worry about physical harm from staying with a ghost for too long.

Moreover, Fu Lianxue isn’t evil by nature, she would certainly disdain making such a small child do bad things.

However, what’s more fortunate is that the little water ghost came to find her on her own.

And Fu Lianxue was the one who brought her here.

Compared to being a wandering, purposeless ghost, reincarnation is indeed the best destination.

Chu Zhaoqiu agreed without hesitation: “Alright, I’ll take you to find the Yellow Springs Gate, help you return to where you should go.”

The little water ghost instantly broke into a smile, exclaiming with delight: “What jiejie taught really worked!”

Chu Zhaoqiu: “?”

She couldn’t help but laugh, with a slight breath in her voice: “This has nothing to do with that.”

The little water ghost blinked in confusion: “Then why did you agree so easily?”

She thought while speaking: “Shouldn’t you set some challenges for me, make me atone for my sins or something, before taking me to the Yellow Springs Path?

“Or refuse to take me, and make me vanish into thin air with a single strike…”

Chu Zhaoqiu really hadn’t expected that she appeared so fierce in the ghost’s mind, finding it even more amusing for a moment.

“You don’t need to see me as some demon or monster, I’m not that frightening, nor that unreasonable.

“I help you without any conditions, simply because this is my duty.”

“Sending you back to where you should go, this is what a soul guide should do.”

The little water ghost sat still, eyes unblinking.

She saw sincerity in Chu Zhaoqiu’s face, saw seriousness.

She wasn’t lying to her, and wouldn’t lie to her—demon hunters weren’t as brutal and heartless as she had imagined.

The little water ghost smiled: “You’re truly a good person!

“You’re just like jiejie, you’re both so kind!”

Although she was deceived by Chen Hong, she also met people and demons like Chu Zhaoqiu and Fu Lianxue who would help her unconditionally, making her willing to believe the world is still beautiful.

Chu Zhaoqiu smiled gently, asking one more question: “Before you leave, do you have any wishes? I can try my best to help you fulfill them.”

The little water ghost hadn’t expected the soul guide to offer this service.

She couldn’t help but marvel: “Are you demon hunters this nice, even helping to fulfill wishes?”

Chu Zhaoqiu said: “It’s a simple kindness, doing good deeds, fulfilling wishes helps one journey better.

“But in life, eight or nine out of ten things don’t go as wished, even if we help, we can’t guarantee every wish can be fulfilled.”

The little water ghost made an “Oh” sound, understanding.

Try one’s best, can’t force things.

She hesitated again: “But what wishes could I possibly have…”

Chu Zhaoqiu saw her confusion and generously offered some directions: “It could be seeing family and friends, or visiting a place you want to go again.”

The little water ghost said: “But I don’t have friends, nor places I want to visit.

“Family… I don’t remember my family anymore.”

“Not even a bit?”

“Hmm… I can only say I remember a little!”

“Tell me about it?”

The little water ghost began to remember, encouraged by her words.

But her memories were too fragmented, like a shattered mirror, not only broken into pieces but many pieces were missing.

She only vaguely remembered a few scenes.

Someone following behind her, crisply calling her er jie [二姐 | èr jiě | second older sister].

That voice sounded like it belonged to a boy.

There was another scene, with withered yellow leaves and rushing river waters.

Faintly, there were loosened large hands, and a woman crying while kneeling on the shore.

This scene’s memory was a bit more complete.

There were additional sounds.

There were rushing water sounds, the plop-plop sounds of sinking into water, and thin, faint, useless cries for help.

Among those sounds, she heard a few very small, very small calls of “die, niang” [爹、娘 | diē, niáng | father, mother].

Whenever she thought of this, her head would hurt, her mood would inexplicably turn bad, and she would feel lost, so she didn’t like thinking about it, but she was still curious.

She clearly hadn’t done anything, so why couldn’t she remember anything?

“I can’t remember those things clearly, why?”

Chu Zhaoqiu gave the answer: “Because the necklace that trapped you has an obsession, you can’t control it, so you’ll be disturbed by it, memory becoming blurry is a common result of such disturbance.”

The little water ghost suddenly understood.

“Wow, you know so much!”

Chu Zhaoqiu shook her head modestly: “What I know is still too little compared to this world.”

The little water ghost adjusted her sitting position, her posture becoming much more relaxed.

“Ah well, blurry is blurry then, I don’t seem to have much desire to see them anyway, don’t have that kind of, that kind of strong feeling wanting to meet, you understand, jiejie?”

She didn’t know how to describe it.

Her family’s faces were already blurry in her memory, in her heart she only had strange confusion and bewilderment towards them, yet she wasn’t particularly attached to reuniting.

She didn’t remember anymore, and reunion wasn’t important anymore.

Fortunately, Chu Zhaoqiu understood: “I understand.”

——Not important, don’t care, doesn’t matter.

“Ah!” The little water ghost suddenly clapped her hands, as if finally remembering something, “I do have a wish I want to fulfill, jiejie, please help me!”

“What is it?” Chu Zhaoqiu asked.

The little water ghost’s face was full of innocence, her eyes clear.

“Before I go, I want to see Miss Lin one last time, is that possible?”

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