Chapter 59 The Price of Touch

364 Tianhe Road, Mang City, 3:24 a.m.

In the end, Chu Ning couldn’t bear to give up the search for clues to the truth. What met her eyes was a standalone European-style villa, its front garden meticulously manicured, exuding a sense of leisurely, contented living.

Clusters of other villas surrounded this European-style residence, which Chu Ning thought was the hallmark of proper architectural planning. Her own home, by comparison, was an oddity among oddities—a solitary villa in the northern suburbs, standing alone near a funeral parlor. No matter how she tried to see it, it felt uncomfortable, inevitably conjuring up thoughts of ghostly happenings.

As she expected, the friends of the wealthy were, of course, also wealthy. If her own house could be described as the last vestige of a fading fortune, then this place was like the sun rising in all its glory—full of life, brimming with vitality.

Chu paused before the villa’s entrance, taking everything in with a mixture of observation and awe at Mang City’s hospitality. He was still caught up in the events that had just transpired, unable to extricate himself. Who would have thought that he, Chu Ning, could still encounter such kindness?

A timid voice sounded from not far away. “Is it really alright for us to ride without paying?”

Chu Ning was running his fingers across the embossed carvings by the villa’s door when he suddenly froze and slowly turned his head. Raising an eyebrow in surprise at the shrinking figure of Tanya, he replied, “Do you have any money to pay the fare? Besides, the driver himself said—free—of—charge!”

“But… isn’t this a bit shameful?” Tanya leaned feebly against the stone lion by the entrance, still unwilling to yield.

“Relax, the driver was sincere in his offer. You have to let people show their goodwill!” Chu Ning’s eyes lingered with fascination on the wall’s carvings, his body unmoving, only those ghostly eyes flashing with envy—this was what a real villa should be.

Tanya let out a helpless sigh and pouted in discontent. “Well, I suppose I’m just unlucky.”

Hearing this, Chu Ning felt Tanya was making veiled complaints. She had gotten a free taxi ride and yet still managed to look dissatisfied. He couldn’t help but shake his head—young people these days, never content.

Noticing his gesture, Tanya grew even more indignant. She felt tainted, as if her integrity had been compromised. After all, it was entirely thanks to her that they’d gotten a free ride, yet here was Chu Ning, standing there making snide remarks. Infuriating!

“Getting a ghost to play a ghost—he really is something else,” she muttered.

She really had hit the nail on the head! Life was full of twists and turns; no one could predict what would happen next.

Thinking back on what had just occurred, Tanya was so mortified she wanted to vanish into the ground and never see another soul again.

Ever since Chu Ning had received that call from Wang Jinkai, he’d remained silent, his eyes clouded as he stared at his phone, barely acknowledging Tanya’s presence, completely ignoring her.

He focused solely on leading the way, and Tanya, sensing his mood, wisely chose not to disturb him. It was clear Chu Ning was in no mood for trouble, and there was no need to provoke him now.

“No way, he’s actually reliable for once!” Tanya couldn’t help but grumble, rubbing her eyes in disbelief.

Chu Ning had managed to guide her out of the complex without any help—astonishing, considering how notoriously bad his sense of direction was. She’d expected to take several wrong turns, but surprisingly, they’d made it out smoothly.

“From here on, it’s up to you,” Chu Ning forced out a smile, speaking earnestly as he placed his hands on her shoulders, his eyes giving her an encouraging look.

Tanya avoided his gaze, stepping back uncertainly, and pointed at herself. “You mean I’m supposed to take charge from here?”

Having played the role of the inconspicuous sidekick and narrative prop all this time, she was amazed—almost flattered—to be handed the lead. She could scarcely imagine what could possibly require her to take on such responsibility.

“It’s better if you handle what comes next. It’s… inconvenient for me,” Chu Ning said, lightly licking his dry, chapped lips. He bent down slightly so that his eyes were level with her lively ones.

In Tanya’s mind, Chu Ning was nearly omnipotent—anything she could do, he could do, and anything she couldn’t, he could still manage. Except, of course, for certain things… As the thought occurred to her, a flush crept up her cheeks and her expression grew less natural.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Tanya whispered, her voice barely more than a mosquito’s hum. She hung her head, nervously fidgeting with her hands, unable to meet Chu Ning’s burning gaze.

“You’re perfect for this. This difficult task could only fall to you,” Chu Ning replied with utter certainty, looking over Tanya’s appearance with a satisfied nod.

Her long black hair floated on the breeze, the white dress sprinkled with crimson accents, her alluring figure glimpsed in the moonlight—she was the ideal choice for the job.

But what Chu Ning said next chilled Tanya to the bone, and she instantly realized the devious intent behind his words. Instinctively, she wanted to find somewhere to hide.

The task Chu Ning had given her was mortifying. She felt as if her reputation had been ruined in an instant.

Under Chu Ning’s intimidating gaze, Tanya numbly accepted her assignment. She muttered under her breath, “Wealth cannot corrupt me, nor power subdue me…”

Standing by the roadside, Tanya stared blankly at the empty street ahead. Snatches of muttered voices reached her ears, but she couldn’t locate their source.

The street was ablaze with lights and decorations, the city nightlife dazzling with its intoxicating brilliance. The only thing amiss was the complete absence of people. Yet it wasn’t the missing crowds that unsettled her most.

Jumbled, distorted voices echoed in Tanya’s ears. She clutched her head in pain; the sounds were like mischievous children dragging their nails across a blackboard—a shrill, piercing noise that kept her nerves on edge.

I have to stop this damned noise!

Swaying, she gripped a nearby lamppost for support. Images of bustling crowds flashed through her mind, the whispers of passersby reaching her ears—she could hear every secretive murmur, but understanding them was nearly impossible. It was as if the voices were warped before they reached her, transformed into grating static.

Though she’d braced herself, Tanya still couldn’t adjust to this new way of seeing the world. She understood now that she was completely severed from her old reality, as though a transparent film separated her from it. If she wanted to rebuild the bridge to the world of the living, she would have to use the supernatural as her medium, only then could she catch a glimpse of humanity.

Her body shuddered in pain as she fought against the waves of nausea brought on by the cacophony, but she did her best to steady herself. She knew that this disquieting world before her was the truest reality. If she wanted to touch the human world again, these torments were the price she would have to pay.