Chapter 255: The Beginning of Redemption
The little girl was slowly tidying up the mess on the ground, avoiding glancing in the direction where Zhao Mingyue and the others were. Her head hung low, with a strand of gray-white hair falling beside her cheek, which she casually tucked behind her ear.
It was then she noticed someone standing behind her.
Her eyes widened slightly, and out of instinct from the fear inside her, she made a small flinching motion.
Even though Zhao Mingyue’s face didn’t look as terrifying anymore, she still felt scared. She was afraid of any stranger coming too close.
She couldn’t figure out if these people were good or monsters.
“Sorry, little sister! I’ll pay for that door frame at your place and get you a brand new one,” Zhao Mingyue said, trying her hardest to soften her expression, only to remember she was wearing an evil ghost mask at that moment.
So, she had to make her voice sound sweeter, hoping the little girl might accept her a little more.
“I’m Zhao Mingyue, a friend of your sister!”
“Uh-huh.”
Little Moon took a step back, holding her broom tightly to her chest. From this tiny gesture, it was clear just how nervous and scared she was. Out of politeness, she forced herself to meet Zhao Mingyue’s gaze for a second before quickly looking away, giving a soft “mm.”
“I’m really sorry to bother you. Can you tell me your name?”
“I, I’m Xia Bingyue…”
Little Moon’s voice was faint and trembling, full of shyness and nervousness.
“Oh! So your name is Bingyue! Do you need my help with anything?”
Zhao Mingyue squatted down to pick up some larger stones and wood from the ground, placing them to the side. She continued speaking softly, “Even though most people wouldn’t say they’re good, I want you to know I’m not a bad person. At least, I’m not bad to you.”
“I’m probably around the same age as your sister, and I have a cute little sister just like you. Her name is Bai Yu.”
“We came here to help you.”
“Recently, a lot of bad people have been bullying you and your sister, right?”
Zhao Mingyue’s gentle voice eased Little Moon’s heart, making her tension slowly melt away. When she heard Zhao Mingyue’s words, images of the intruders who had fought with her sister flashed in her mind.
She nodded gently, offering another soft “mm,” and subconsciously loosened her grip on the broom.
“Those people are really bad. It’s hard for your sister to deal with them alone, so we’re here to help! We’ll keep fighting until we drive those bad guys away!”
“Once we’ve dealt with them, you and your sister can live peacefully!”
“You can bask in the sun together, read books, all that fun stuff!”
“What happened with your sister earlier? They were just sparring, like in the movies. Think about it—why would they stop after just one hit? Your sister didn’t say anything, right?”
“If we were the bad guys, would your sister let us in here?”
“Of course not! She wouldn’t let me talk to you like this!”
“But even if I were a bad person, I wouldn’t hurt you because you’re such a cute little girl. I couldn’t bear to.”
Little Moon was nearly fourteen, which really wasn’t that young. Zhao Mingyue’s way of talking to her like a child was mainly due to Little Moon’s small and fragile appearance, leading her to instinctively view her as a little kid.
In reality, Little Moon couldn’t be viewed through the lens of an ordinary person. She’d been sheltered at home her entire life, never being allowed to experience the outside world. For her, outside was fraught with danger. Her family knew her situation and kept her from going out.
Without school or friends, she spent her days watching TV or studying with her family. Her world consisted entirely of this small courtyard, so her mind was definitely not “immature,” but as pure as that of a child.
Her innocence lacked any ulterior motive; her feelings were almost always written on her face.
As Zhao Mingyue noticed Little Moon’s expression soften and her hands relax their tight grip on the broom, the visible veins on her little hands became less pronounced. The way she sighed was simply adorable.
If Bai Yu seemed like a porcelain doll, then this little girl was on the verge of turning into a living doll herself. So small, so cute, with an air of fragility.
Put simply, Bai Yu was the type you wanted to cuddle close and give a good squeeze, while Little Moon was the type you wanted to hold gently for fear that you might hurt her if you weren’t careful.
“Trust us; this will all be over soon,” Zhao Mingyue said, gently patting Little Moon’s head before heading back.
Little Moon looked back at her, blinking in confusion at Zhao Mingyue’s actions. Yet, she didn’t find this feeling unpleasant; in fact, it was quite comforting.
After finishing cleaning the yard, Little Moon had a few sudden coughs and slowly walked back to the door of the other half of the yard, picked up a book leaning against the table, and sat back down to read. From where Zhao Mingyue was standing, she could see her perfectly.
“This child probably thinks only the world in books is calm and normal.”
Zhao Mingyue noticed a detail: Little Moon walked very carefully, every step cautious as if she were at the edge of a cliff, where one misstep would send her crashing down.
She took tiny steps, deliberately leaping over certain spots.
Suddenly remembering something Spider had said, that the child was influenced by the Ghost Gate, and as the curse deepened, not only did the appearance of humans change, but the world itself transformed.
What must the world look like to this frightened child? It must be a place where she had to tread so carefully.
Noticing something in her line of sight, Spider seemed to be busy in the kitchen. Before long, a bitter scent of herbal medicine wafted out, and Zhao Mingyue realized that Spider was cooking up medicine.
Well, she’s probably stronger than Red Clothes, and in such a hurry earlier to brew medicine?
Seems normal enough; Little Moon really needs to be properly taken care of.
The weak and beautiful girl was definitely not just a metaphor.
“This child is truly pitiful. So weak and cursed by the Ghost Gate. These sisters sure have a loving bond.”
As a vengeful spirit emerging from the Ghost Gate, she seemed to be one of Bai Yu’s old friends, but she looked so aloof and frightening, a scene-stealing boss type, yet was so tender-hearted.
Why does this remind me so much of Bai Yu?
So cold on a normal day, yet acting all pampered when taking care of others.
At that moment, Lu Liangting and Li Tianan stepped out, wearing masks and peering at the little girl along with Zhao Mingyue.
Thinking staring too long would be rude, they decided to move some chairs and tables outside and found a chess set from who knows where, sitting down to play.
An hour passed, and Spider finally emerged, holding a bowl of herbal medicine, glancing toward the girl still reading under the sunlight, gently calling out, “Yue.”
Little Moon lifted her head, closed her book, and stood up without saying a word to put her chair back in the yard. Then she remembered something and hurried inside to bring out scissors and a comb, holding them up before Spider, tilting her face up and murmuring, “Cut, cut hair.”
“Alright, sit down and drink this medicine first.” Spider took the comb and scissors.
“Uh-huh.”
Little Moon sat on the chair, obediently holding the bowl of herbal medicine. After taking a small sip, her expression quickly turned to one of struggle and pain. It seemed this medicine was extremely bitter; her taste buds hadn’t changed due to the curse.
Squatting down, Spider held the comb and scissors with her four arms. Two arms gripped the tools, while the other two gently untangled the girl’s hair, carefully combing a strand down.
Once she had it all neat, she grabbed a gray-white strand and snipped about five or six centimeters off the ends.
The girl’s hair had reached past her waist, and once cut, it fell just right to her waist.
Spider was precise with every cut, measuring and double-checking before snipping, the outcome surprisingly good—not lopsided or uneven at all.
Seeing how tense and serious Spider was made Zhao Mingyue a bit shocked. Little Moon’s hairstyle turned out beautifully, a delicate princess cut.
So, this was Spider’s work? With those giant scissors?
Now that’s impressive attention to detail.
Honestly, this scene felt pretty heartwarming: the sickly white-haired girl sitting quietly drinking bitter medicine, not complaining at all, taking careful sip after sip, while behind her, a vengeful spirit tenderly sorted through her hair, equally focused.
At a glance, it felt like a moment of serene tranquility.
Hard to believe this was something a spirit, notorious for killing, could manage.
Never mind, it’d be unfair to compare; her chef husband wasn’t any less competent than Spider.
“Bai Yu, can you cut hair?”
“Nope.”
“Aw, why not?”
“If you trust me, you could give it a try. I can’t guarantee what the cut will look like after.” Bai Yu replied.
“Then, let’s skip it. If you cut it too short, it’ll take ages to grow back, and my hair’s already short,” Zhao Mingyue said, resting her chin in her hand, glancing at the sisterly pair. “How lucky they are; this is probably what redemption feels like.”
Time lazily passed in the afternoon, and Zhao Mingyue didn’t feel bored at all.
She observed the sisters as they finished their medicine and haircut, then began watering the vegetables in the garden together, sitting side by side reading, and getting dinner ready.
Throughout, their communication never exceeded ten sentences, often understanding each other with just a glance.
For some reason, Zhao Mingyue felt energized.
As night fell, she was determined to have a little chat with those troublesome folks.
It’d be such a shame if these loving sisters didn’t make it out alive.
“Yue and Bingyue, tonight, let’s go help them!”
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