Chapter 53: The Choice

Evil people deserve retribution. In particular, the driver who killed the couple's two sons was simply maddened and devoid of conscience. If he is not dragged out into the light and instead allowed to remain at large, it would be a terrible injustice to good people.

To my utter astonishment, however, the couple's son seemed to harbor no desire for revenge. "Benefactor, I know you want to help me avenge my death, but there is no need. Being able to catch a glimpse of my parents is satisfaction enough; I do not want to cause them any more trouble."

His words stirred a quiet wave of emotion deep within my heart. What a profoundly filial son! How could those deranged fiends ever bear to lay a hand on him?

Yet the more moved I felt, the more intense my hatred grew toward the monsters who had ended his life.

"Just give me his license plate number. I will hunt him down myself, and your parents will never be implicated."

As I spoke these words, Jinyuan, standing right behind me, gave me another kick. Ignoring him entirely, I fixed my gaze solemnly upon the ghost of the couple's son. Under my steady look, he finally yielded. Abruptly, he dropped to his knees before me and burst into heavy sobs.

"Benefactor, you are truly my benefactor. It is only a pity that I am already dead and have no way to repay you. In the next life..."

I cut him short. "I am merely righting an injustice as I pass by, say no more. Give me the license plate number, and return to the netherworld. Do not dwell on the rest; I will resolve everything for you."

After leaving behind the license plate number, the couple's son gazed at his parents with eyes full of lingering reluctance. The parents, too, wept bitterly and uncontrollably.

The night sky was utterly silent, save for the wails that pierced the firmament. The couple's son stepped at last into the space of the talisman. Before crossing over, he looked at me, knelt once more, and struck the ground with a heavy kowtow.

I waved my hand to him. "Dust to dust, earth to earth. Once the physical form perishes, yin and yang are forever parted. Go on your way and be reborn in peace."

"Benefactor, your immense grace is beyond all repayment. Please accept another kowtow from me."

I waved my hand again. "There is no need for such courtesy. It is only what I ought to do. Go..."

Reluctantly, he looked at me one last time, then took a step onto the pitch-black ground. Then, right where he stood, he vanished from sight. The moment he departed, the Yin Ghost Path dissolved of its own accord, and the earth returned to its former state.

Sob, sob, sob...

Nearby, the couple clung to each other, weeping until their faces were drenched like two streaming pools of tears. I walked over and said to them, "Uncle, Auntie, grieve no more. The dead cannot be brought back to life. Your son's revenge—I will surely see it fulfilled for him."

The two of them stopped crying and turned as if to drop to their knees once again. I caught them, offering a continuous stream of comfort. After they had calmed down somewhat, I took the slip of paper with the license plate number and left in the company of Jinyuan.

Along the way, Jinyuan glanced sideways at me. "Are you really determined to track down that driver for them?"

I nodded and said, "Of course." Jinyuan shook his head at me. "Impulsive. How do you plan to help?"

I replied that naturally I would first find the car with that license plate, and then track down the driver. But Jinyuan shook his head again. "How are you going to look? Go to the vehicle administration office? You have no connections or backing; would anyone let you check a license plate? If you don't go there, the world is vast—how on earth will you find him?"

Jinyuan's words struck me like a sudden blow to the head. I woke up instantly, wondering how I could have overlooked such basic hurdles. I only had myself to blame for agreeing with such breezy haste; when it came time to actually carry it out, nothing was simple.

To my surprise, at that moment, Jinyuan snatched the license plate number from my hand, his tone turning cold. "To tell you the truth, you wouldn't even be able to find that driver. But though you can't, I can."

His words left me momentarily stunned. Without another word, Jinyuan turned and left, clutching the license plate number. By the time he had walked some distance away, I finally snapped back to reality.

I had almost forgotten that this kid Jinyuan was a wealthy second-generation heir; pulling off something like this was child's play for him. I called out to his back, "Hey, Jinyuan, I'll be waiting for your good news!"

In a flash, Jinyuan strode completely into the nocturnal shadows and disappeared. Recovering my wits, I felt a flicker of joy. I ran all the way back into the city and straight into the hospital. By then, the sky was already growing faintly pale.

Instead of heading directly to Cheng Keyan's ward, I sat down on a bench in the hallway outside.

The next day, when I woke up, it was already noon at twelve o'clock. I stood up and pushed open the door to Cheng Keyan's ward, only to find her inside entirely by herself. Her husband was nowhere to be found.

On the hospital bed, Cheng Keyan's complexion had improved quite a bit. However, her expression carried a coldness that was absent before.

I asked her with a puzzled tone, "Where is he? Where did he go?"

"His vixen called him, and he left last night. And what about you? Didn't you leave last night too? Why did you come back?"

As Cheng Keyan spoke, I saw her face brimming with utter disappointment. Remorse instantly welled up inside me. Cheng Keyan had just attempted suicide and was still unable to get out of bed; I was genuinely terrified that she might suffer another emotional blow and relapse into despair.

I hurriedly explained, "Teacher Cheng, I certainly didn't mean to. I genuinely had matters to attend to last night. I'm truly sorry for leaving without telling you."

"All of you just leave, leave me alone! Nobody wants me, nobody cares about me. You might as well let me die!"

I pleaded, "Teacher Cheng, please don't say that. I promise you, from now on I will stay right by your side and I won't leave. Please don't do anything foolish."

"Really?" Cheng Keyan asked me earnestly.

I nodded vigorously at her. "Of course it's true. I promise you, I will stay with you from now on, and I will never leave without your permission."

Cheng Keyan looked at me and suddenly smiled—a very genuine, happy smile.

Yet, to my dismay, just at that moment, Jinyuan called me on the phone. "Li Xi, I've already found the person you were looking for. Get out here right now."

Hearing Jinyuan's voice immediately brought the couple from the previous night back to my mind. Instantly, my anger flared. I hurriedly told Jinyuan, "Alright, wait right there. I'm coming out immediately to see what kind of heartless bastard could be so utterly depraved."

I hung up the phone and rushed out of the ward. As I hurried toward the hospital entrance, my footsteps involuntarily ground to a halt. A thought struck me—Cheng Keyan.

I abruptly spun around and sprinted back toward Cheng Keyan's ward.

Just as I was about to reach her door, Jinyuan's call came through again. "Li Xi, you'd better hurry up. Master is summoning me, and I have to head back to the school."

I blurted out anxiously, "Wait for me, I'm coming right now."

Hanging up the phone, I bolted breathlessly into the hospital room. Cheng Keyan glared at me with eyes that looked capable of murder. "You men are all the same, nothing but liars! Get out of here!"

I tried to reason with her. "Teacher Cheng, you've misunderstood, I..."

At that moment, I was burning with anxiety; Jinyuan was pressing me on the other end, while Cheng Keyan was proving impossibly difficult here. Feeling a pang of guilt, I told her, "Teacher Cheng, I really have an urgent matter. Can I leave for just a moment? I promise you, the moment I take care of it, I'll come right back."

"Get out! If you walk out that door, don't ever come back!" With that, Cheng Keyan hurled a pillow straight at my face.

"Teacher Cheng, this is truly urgent. Please, just give me a little while."

She threw a water cup at me next. "Get out! I don't want anyone's pity!"

Right then, Jinyuan called once more. "Li Xi, move faster! Master is calling for me!"

Feeling utterly helpless, I caught the water cup Cheng Keyan had thrown, hot water spilling all over my clothes. Looking at her, I bowed deeply. "Teacher Cheng, I'm sorry."

With that, I turned and walked out of the ward.