Ya She

Chapter 9 The Silent Shop: The Voodoo Puppet

The boss put down his knife and fork and elegantly wiped the corner of his mouth with a napkin.

Across from me, the doctor held a scalpel like a surgeon, deftly slicing a medium-rare steak: "Hey, you're not going to leave it, are you? What a waste!"

“I don’t like Western food. You should have brought someone else.” The owner picked up his wine glass and took a small sip.

The doctor forked the owner's steak onto his own plate and complained, "This restaurant just opened, and the coupon my friend gave me is only valid for two people. Do you think I wanted to drag you here?"

The owner, dressed in a black Zhongshan suit with a deep red dragon coiled on his left arm and its head resting on the back of its neck, had already attracted many eyes with his impeccable embroidery and the lustrous feel of the silk. Not to mention, two grown men dining in a sophisticated Western restaurant were already quite a spectacle.

The doctor started to regret it; he should have eaten it himself!

The boss narrowed his phoenix eyes. "Don't you have anyone to keep you company? How pathetic."

"With my job that keeps me working day and night, how can I have time to date? If I just invite a woman out to dinner, I'm afraid of being misunderstood. Women, oh women, they're such a hassle."

The boss raised an eyebrow but didn't offer any opinion; he simply swirled the wine glass gently.

The doctor smiled and lowered his voice, saying, "You don't believe me? Look at the couple at the table on the left. The woman is smiling sweetly, but the man looks annoyed. I think they're probably going to break up."

The boss, bored, swirled the wine in his glass and began to consider whether it was time to head home.

Before the doctor could say anything more, a loud slap suddenly rang out from the table to his left, drowning out the beautiful music in the Western restaurant and instantly making everyone turn their heads.

The man in the suit was slapped so hard his face turned to the side. He hurriedly threw down his napkin and fled in a disheveled state. The young woman, who had just been laughing heartily, stood there blankly for a long time before finally collapsing weakly into her chair.

The doctor was startled by his own jinx. The boss turned to look at the girl, and after a moment, he curled his lips into a smile and said to the doctor, "Hey, I'll give you a chance to be a hero and save the damsel in distress."

"What?" the doctor asked, puzzled.

"That lady doesn't look like she brought her wallet, and the gentleman who came with her has left. They must not have paid the bill, otherwise she wouldn't have been sitting here for so long."

The owner smiled and swirled the wine in his glass again. He seemed to prefer watching the blood-like liquid flow in the glass to drinking it.

The doctor followed his gaze and saw the young woman in the dress looking uneasy, holding the phone as if she wanted to make a call but hesitated.

"But why do I have to pay? I'll let you have this chance to be the hero and save the damsel in distress!"

"Hehe, because I didn't bring my wallet either!"

"..."

"What do we do now?" The doctor loosened his tie, looking at the girl who was still crying, with a helpless expression.

He thought that doing a good deed would be a good deed for the day, but he didn't expect the girl to keep crying. He was afraid that something might happen if he left her on the street late at night, so he had no choice but to take her back to the mute house with the boss.

"Let's wait until she calms down before we talk about it," the boss said calmly.

"Calm down? It's just a breakup! Why are you acting like the sky is falling?" The doctor couldn't stand this kind of drama and couldn't control himself, raising his voice a little.

"Waaah... I... I'll pay you back..."

The girl in the light purple dress looked up, her eyes red and swollen from crying, her light makeup ruined, making her look very pitiful.

The doctor scoffed, "You're still in school, aren't you? I just saw your student ID in your wallet. Oh well, consider it my treat. It's just a breakup, the next guy will be better!"

The young woman wiped away her tears with a tissue and sobbed, "No one can be better than him. I only want Xi in this life. Xi and I grew up together, we've known each other since we were four years old. Why did he break up with me?"

Hearing this nagging, the doctor could no longer offer any advice; matters of the heart are not for outsiders to interfere with.

Unexpectedly, the boss spoke up: "Do you want him to change his mind?"

The girl nodded hastily.

The doctor watched as the boss went behind the jade screen to look for something, and felt a chill, knowing that the boss was going to get some strange thing again.

A moment later, the shopkeeper came out with a small box, about the size of a palm, opened it, and placed it in front of the girl.

The girl forgot to cry for a moment and stared blankly at the wooden puppet lying quietly in the brocade box.

It was a puppet only the length of a palm, made of some kind of wood, but judging from the peeling paint, it was quite old.

The puppet is entirely made of wood, and judging from its angular features, it is a male puppet. His hair is styled in a bun at the back of his head, and he wears thick clothing underneath a wide-sleeved robe. His eyes are slightly closed, and his face is handsome. Even though it is carved from wood, the fine details are still visible. The carving is simple yet elegant, the proportions are balanced, and although concise, it is not crude—clearly the work of a master craftsman.

This doll is like a sleeping, handsome man, as if he might open his eyes at any moment, exuding an indescribable eeriness.

"This is Chen Ajiao's witchcraft doll." The shopkeeper's lips curled into a perfect smile. "When Liu Che was four years old, he made a promise to Chen Ajiao: if he could have Ajiao as his wife, he would keep her in a golden house. The phrase 'keeping a beauty in a golden house' does not have the common meaning nowadays, but rather it is a vow made by a man to his childhood sweetheart and legal wife."

"However, Liu Che, who later became Emperor Wu of Han, betrayed Chen Ajiao." Everyone is familiar with this history, and the girl said sadly, as if thinking of her own experience.

"Liu Che became infatuated with Wei Zifu. Chen Ajiao tried to win back Liu Che's love by using witchcraft, but was demoted to Changmen Palace and died alone."

The shopkeeper explained succinctly, "The witchcraft used by Empress Chen Ajiao was never intended to harm Liu Che, but rather to pray that he would one day change his mind. The doll in the box is the paulownia wood witchcraft doll used by Empress Chen Ajiao."

"How much does this doll cost?" the girl asked.

"Take it and use it first. If it doesn't work, you can return it. If it does work, you can treat us to a meal at that Western restaurant."

The shopkeeper smiled and said, "This witchcraft puppet is hollow. Just put his hair in through the small hole at the bottom, seal it with cinnabar, and place it in a dark place in the due north."

The girl held the tissue tightly, biting her lower lip. After a long while, she picked up the brocade box, stood up, nodded to the doctor and the shopkeeper, and said, "Thank you for tonight. I will pay you back the money I owe you next time I come here."

Watching the girl walk out, it took the doctor a long time to find his voice: "Hey, didn't you say you didn't like Western food?"

The boss nodded; he really didn't like it.

The doctor stared at him. "So, if it's supposed to be effective, then the girl should treat them to Western food?" he thought. Suddenly, it dawned on him, and he exclaimed, "You mean, that witchcraft puppet doesn't work at all?"

The shopkeeper poured a cup of tea, held it to his nose to smell the aroma, and smiled slightly, saying, "Did you see Chen Ajiao win back Liu Che's heart?"

Of course not... The doctor was utterly speechless.

He seems to have slept for too long.

So long that he even forgot his own name.

It's been so long...

"Woman, what do you wish for?" He stretched his still-unformed body in mid-air, looking down at the astonished girl.

“I…I want him back with me,” the girl said firmly, recovering from her shock.

He paused, as if deep in his memory, a woman had said the same thing to him.

He let out a heavy sigh, not knowing why his mood had suddenly turned sour. "My magic only works on the person who awakened me; it has no effect on others."

The girl fell silent.

He gave a silent, cold snort: Foolish woman, forever lost in the illusion of love.

He yawned in the air, his semi-transparent form resembling a shapeless mist. The girl hadn't answered yet, so he waited patiently, taking in the world around him.

So... he slept for two thousand years...

His face was grim; he couldn't remember anything that had happened before he fell asleep—not a single thing. Why was this happening?

Suddenly, the girl looked up and said in a clear voice, "I want to go back to my old life. Is that wish possible?"

He rested his chin on his hand, looking down at the expectant glint in the girl's eyes, and suddenly found it amusing. Well, he'd slept too long and been too bored; playing along with her wouldn't be a bad idea.

He exhaled, and the mist surrounding him slowly dissipated, revealing a tall, elegant figure who gently descended to the ground. He gracefully knelt on one knee, reached out to lift the other's skirt, and lightly kissed it. Then, he looked up and smiled softly, saying, "My master, I will grant your wish."

Just as he had expected, the girl went from panic to horror, her delicate face filled with disbelief.

This expression pleased him, and his smile became even more unrestrained.

Because he looks exactly like her boyfriend now.

He accompanied her for a walk in the park.

Wearing her favorite light green dress, she beamed with happiness in the autumn sunshine. "Xi, look, how beautiful this flower is!"

He smiled warmly and nodded at the opportune moment.

Yes, his current name is Mu Xi, and his identity is Pei Ying's boyfriend. Pei Ying is the smiling girl in front of him, a sophomore in college who lives off-campus due to family reasons. And the role he plays now is her boyfriend.

She awakened him; her wish was to have the life she once had, so he had no choice but to grant her wish.

He knew why she was so persistent in this relationship, and it wasn't just because she and Mu Xi had been childhood sweethearts.

Pei Ying's parents divorced when she was very young and both remarried, having other children. Therefore, she was the unwanted child, receiving only extra child support payments each month. In this context, Mu Xi's presence became especially precious.

Since the two confirmed their relationship in high school, Pei Ying has focused all her attention on Mu Xi. However, this wholehearted love, after becoming too pure, turned into immense pressure.

Mu Xi also had his own life, but Pei Ying was like a vine, tightly entwining him, robbing him of his nutrients and air, leaving him unable to breathe.

Time is a double-edged sword. Even the deepest feelings can be slowly torn apart by the little things that happen.

Finally, Muxi could no longer tolerate it and broke up with him.

Then, he was awakened by her.

Thinking of this, he smiled. He had read these memories through the hair he had placed inside his body. As a sorcerer spirit, it was his duty to fulfill his master's wishes within acceptable limits.

“Xi, do you remember? You celebrated my eighteenth birthday right here.”

Her voice drifted over softly, and she turned to give him a gentle smile. He vaguely remembered someone—that person, who also had such a lonely yet gentle smile.

Similarly, it wasn't a smile given to him.

"Of course I remember. I even gave you a necklace back then. Yingying, did you wear it well?" he said with a slight smile.

Now that he had accessed Mu Xi's memories, he naturally knew every single detail of their time together. What she wanted was to live happily with Mu Xi. Therefore, he naturally had to perfectly portray that Mu Xi.

Mu Xi, who deeply loved Pei Ying.

“Look.” She pulled a necklace from her pocket; the pendant was a sweet and lovely silver angel that shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight.

"It looks great, and you look a lot like me." He said with a smile, repeating what Mu Xi had said years ago, naturally and affectionately.

She smiled contentedly, reached out and took his arm, ignoring the horrified looks from those around her, and sweetly leaned on his shoulder as they walked forward.

Under the bright autumn sun, she didn't notice that behind them, there was only her own shadow.

Yes, in this world, she is the only one who can see him.

No, it seems... there is another woman.

He suddenly remembered.

Two thousand years ago, in the distant Han Dynasty, there was a palace called "Pepper Room" where the walls were coated with chili paste. The pungent taste of chili made the room warm and fragrant.

That was the residence of the Han Dynasty empress, representing the highest status in the harem. However, when he awoke in the Jiaofang Palace, it was nothing more than a magnificent palace and a woman who had lost her favor.

At that time, everyone called her Empress Chen.

"Archer, look at this dress, isn't it beautiful?" The stunningly beautiful woman, dressed in an elaborate skirt, twirled in front of him, her snow-white skin adorned with a captivating smile.

Archer? Who was she calling? He looked around and found himself in a vast palace, with wisps of sandalwood incense rising gently from the bronze dragon-shaped incense burner beside him. Everywhere there were walls decorated with gold, doors carved with jade, rafters carved from magnolia wood, and beams adorned with apricot wood. The palace was so spacious that even his voice echoed.

Although the furnishings and decorations within sight were exquisitely crafted, the red and black curtains made the place seem gloomy and terrifying, with only a few palace lanterns flickering dimly.

Where is this? It's a place I've never seen before, so why does a long-lost sense of familiarity well up from the bottom of my heart?
“It looks great. Ah Jiao, that phoenix-head jade hairpin should go with the begonia-colored dress.” He heard himself say this.

The woman, called Ajiao, smiled sweetly, took his hand, and sat down in front of a bronze mirror. She opened a drawer, picked up a jade hairpin, and handed it to him, saying, "Ache, help me put it in."

He stared blankly at the charming, smiling face reflected in the bronze mirror, unable to refuse as he accepted the jade hairpin. As he looked down, he noticed a long shadow cast by the palace lantern on the ground.

That was her shadow, but there was nothing beneath his feet.

He gripped the jade hairpin tightly in his hand, the icy coldness quickly spreading from his palm throughout his body, jolting him awake.

“…Xi, Xi?” A voice came from both near and far. He shook his head slightly. The boiling voices of people surged in like a tide, washing away the loneliness and desolation in the cold palace.

"...Xi, Xi? Are you listening? Do I look good in this dress?" the voice asked again.

He blinked, looking at Pei Ying in front of him. The surrounding noise made him feel somewhat at a loss.

They were currently in a boutique in a large shopping mall, the air conditioning blasting cold. There were no ancient, magnificent palaces, no women in period costumes, only the cacophony of voices and strange stares from all around. The bustling mall only intensified his longing for the spacious, quiet palace.

For a moment, he could almost still smell the lingering sandalwood scent on the tip of his nose. But in the blink of an eye, it was washed away completely by the Lancôme perfume on Pei Ying's body.

He suppressed his disappointment, smiled, and said, "It looks great, I'll buy this one."

She nodded happily and turned to go to the changing room.

He let out a deep breath. He was playing the role of Mu Xi perfectly, every word and action mirroring his interactions with Pei Ying, without the slightest flaw. Perhaps even if the real Mu Xi stood before her, she wouldn't be able to tell which was the illusion.

Mu Xi, who deeply loved Pei Ying, would patiently accompany her to the mall to buy clothes. However, as their feelings gradually faded, Mu Xi never accompanied her to that place again.

Therefore, this should be a very simple wish; he only needs to play the role of the affectionate Muxi well and create the illusion she needs.

But why did he get lost in another scene, and where did the sadness that kept surging in his chest come from?

"Xi, let's go. Let's have dinner at my place tonight. I'll make your favorite curry beef."

She changed her clothes and came out, paid by card, and walked over with a smile to take his arm.

He composed himself, gave her a smile, and said, "Okay, let's go."

They walked side by side past the fitting room mirrors in the mall, the mirrors reflecting Pei Ying's self-absorbed smile with a cruel yet honest gaze. She casually held onto the air, walking past in an odd posture under the astonished gazes of the crowd, completely unaware of it.

"Ache, it's time for you to go to the Xuan Shi Hall for the political discussion." She sat upright in the pavilion, and although she said he was leaving, her eyes clearly showed her reluctance.

He smiled slightly and said, "What? Didn't you want me to accompany you to admire the flowers? Look how beautifully these peonies are blooming."

She pouted and sighed in annoyance, "I've already taken up so much of your time. Now I'll be reported by the censors for being spoiled."

He found it amusing and couldn't help but utter the words that person had once said in his memory: "It is immoral for an emperor to excessively favor a certain concubine, but if I favor my empress, isn't that harmonious and what the country desires?"

Her expression changed, and her smile froze on her lips.

He couldn't help but feel annoyed, because he knew that the person who had said those words back then was now on the other side of this vast palace, excessively doting on a certain concubine.

She lowered her eyes and said softly, "You go first, I need to be alone."

He suddenly felt utterly bored and no longer wanted to pretend to be someone else. He turned and walked out of the pavilion.

He was nothing more than a puppet she had awakened, a puppet existing only to perform. Both the actor and the audience knew that no matter how beautiful the story, it was just a play.

As he walked down from the pavilion and passed by two palace maids serving in the outer corridor, he overheard them chatting.

"Look, the Empress actually had us set out two cups of tea; she's waiting for the Emperor to arrive."

Hmph, what a joke. That cup of tea was for him; it's just that no one else could see him.

"Alas, how could the Emperor possibly come? I heard that Lady Wei is already pregnant."

He was startled and couldn't help but turn around.

The solitary figure in the pavilion reached out and picked up the teacup opposite her, poured out the cold tea, and then picked up the teapot to refill it with fragrant hot tea.

He stared blankly as the wispy heat dissipated, secretly clenching his fists.

It turns out, she really was waiting for him...

She could tell the difference. She knew which was her illusion and which was the Liu Che she loved.

He couldn't help but sigh softly; everything before him seemed to dissipate like a thick fog...

"Xi, Xi? Why are you spacing out again?" He snapped out of his reverie, looked at the magazine in his hand, and realized he was holding it upside down.

He calmly closed the magazine, glanced up at Pei Ying who was busy in the kitchen, stood up and said, "No need to bother anymore, I have things to do tonight, I'll be going now."

His task was to play the role of Mu Xi well, which was also in line with Mu Xi's personality. In fact, for Mu Xi, Pei Ying was a part of his life, but the proportion of this part became very small over time.

Ultimately, it becomes something that is dispensable.

She rushed out of the kitchen, quickly wiped her hands on her apron, grabbed his arm and pleaded, "Isn't curry beef your favorite? You haven't eaten here in so long. If you're in a hurry, can I make some for you to take away?"

He looked down and saw that her clear eyes reflected the face of a strange man.

She wasn't Chen Ajiao; she couldn't tell the difference. Which was her illusion, and which was the Mu Xi she loved?

He froze, the words he should have said refusing hovering between his lips, but in the end he simply nodded.

Her smile was as bright as a peony in the sunlight in my memory.

He had never seen such a smile on that woman's face before...

"emperor……"

He turned around in surprise and looked at the woman lying on the ground. He quickly helped her up and asked, "What did you call me?"

Her eyes flashed, and she smiled bitterly, "You said you wouldn't let me call you Ache anymore, that I had to call you Your Majesty..."

He was stunned, realizing she was referring to the real Liu Che. A throbbing pain gripped his heart, as if ants were gnawing at it; he clearly understood that he was nothing more than a substitute.

Well then, an actor's job is to perform the plays that the audience wants to see.

His only audience was her.

"You don't need to call me Your Majesty. You know, in this world, only you can call me Archer." He held her in his arms and whispered in her ear, just like the words he spoke on the night he ascended the throne ten years ago.

She leaned against him gently, her hair smelling wonderful.

“Archer, why don’t you love me anymore? Why do you love other people?” She murmured. “Didn’t you say you would build me a golden house?”

He stood there, stunned, unsure how to answer her question. Because the person she was asking wasn't him.

He could only mimic the words and actions of the person she deeply loved, but he could never truly capture that person's heart.

He tried so hard to be the person she wanted him to be, but it still didn't work? He didn't want it to be like this, at least... this time, he didn't want to lose again!

He gritted his teeth inwardly, unaware that Pei Ying had put down her chopsticks and was looking at him with some concern.

"Xi, you seem different lately." She frowned slightly, puzzled, and asked softly.

"Oh? What's different?" He changed his expression with ease, a perfect smile playing on his lips.

She lowered her head, fiddling with the tablecloth, and mumbled timidly, "You've been... a little too nice to me lately..."

His smile deepened. He knew what she meant; given Mu Xi's personality, seeing her twice a week would be quite good, but he was coming almost every day now.

Mu Xi used to refuse to go shopping with her, but now he's willing to walk with her until her legs hurt. Mu Xi used to refuse to stay for meals with her, but now he's willing to wash the dishes afterward. Mu Xi used to refuse to listen to her complaints, but now he's willing to listen to her talk on and on…

He knew he had gone too far. What she needed was the happy life they had before, and someone exactly like the old Muxi.

But he went a bit too far.

"What? You're not satisfied with how good I am to you?" he said, sounding somewhat aggrieved, but deep down he couldn't hide his smugness.

This time, he would not give up easily again. He did not want to be Liu Che, nor did he want to be Mu Xi.

If trying to become someone else doesn't bring happiness, then let him be himself and find his own happiness in the people he plays!

"No, it's just that I'm too happy... a little... at a loss..." Her eyes showed confusion and unease, as if she remembered something, or as if she didn't want to remember something.

He stood up and gently separated her tangled fingers.

"Don't be at a loss. From now on, think of me all the time, okay? Don't talk to anyone else. I'll always be with you, okay?"

She raised her head, looked steadily into his eyes, and slowly nodded.

He began to wonder, and the more he spent with her, the more curious he became about why Archer could leave her alone in the empty palace without a word to her.

For several nights in a row, after she had fallen asleep, he would quietly come to the Xuan Shi Hall, stand there, and gaze at the person sitting on the dragon throne.

He looked exactly like her, and everything about her was the same as hers, but seeing how the bamboo slips she reviewed every day exhausted several eunuchs just from carrying them, and how she worked tirelessly for days on end to manage state affairs, he felt lost.

Watching him direct the army to attack the Xiongnu, watching him summon virtuous, upright and outspoken people to personally question them, watching him outwardly display benevolence and righteousness and implement virtuous governance, while at the same time governing the country with strict laws and severe punishments...

The man in Weiyang Palace was no longer the boy who would smash tables and chairs and berate a minister for making things difficult for him after court. Now, he only needed to give a cold glance to silence everyone.

He was no longer the man who would cling to her and insist on drawing her eyebrows himself. Now, he only needed to beckon with his finger, and several palace maids would come forward to serve him.

The man he is now is a truly qualified emperor.

High above, all alone.

How long is the night? The night is not yet over.

In the Weiyang Palace, there is always a long-lasting, brilliant light.

The man who vowed to "keep her in a golden house" has grown up. His world has become much broader, while she remains stuck in the beautiful memories of the past.

Ha, what a foolish woman... She knows perfectly well that the real him will never come back to her, yet she still wakes him up and gives him a beautiful but illusory dream.

However, this is not bad either. Since Liu Che has chosen a grander goal, then let him be the one to protect her.

With that thought in mind, he walked briskly back from Weiyang Palace to Jiaofang Palace, eager to return to her side.

However, when he pushed open the magnificent palace gate, he was greeted with a cold question.

"Where have you been?" She sat in the Jiaofang Palace, glancing at him indifferently with her slender phoenix eyes.

This is the kind of look a queen, the mother of the nation, gives when she looks down on her maids and attendants—a look of superiority and arrogance.

He met her emotionless gaze and instantly felt a chill run through him. She looked at the man who looked exactly like Liu Che, yet her eyes held a chilling clarity that terrified him. It turned out that it wasn't her who had been immersed in the illusion, but him.

"Why can you tell the difference?" he asked bitterly, even though he had played the role perfectly. He had the same appearance, the same build, and the same memories as her. Except for the lack of a shadow and the fact that no one else could see him, in her eyes, he should be no different from that Liu Che.

She slowly approached, stopping just inches away from him, and said softly, "He now refers to himself as 'I, the Emperor' when he talks to me, even though he never did before."

“Then I will too… no, then I will too…” he said urgently.

She looked up, her eyes filled with a sorrow he couldn't understand or comprehend, and then her gaze suddenly softened.

She held up a finger and gently pressed it to his lips, her voice trembling as she said, "Don't change it, don't change how you address me. I know... he's changed, but I don't want you to change along with him. I just want you to always be the same person you were back then... that's all."

He suddenly fell silent. He realized that he was actually imitating the Liu Che she loved, but she still hoped that Liu Che would change his mind.

She said in a soft voice, "You and him are easy to tell apart... The way he looks at me has never had that undisguised fervor..."

He wanted to reach out and pull her into his arms, who was so close to him.

But he can't.

Because he knew that he was never the one in her heart.

That's why this time, he wanted the person in Pei Ying's heart to be the complete and true him.

He heard Pei Ying's phone ring. She answered it and seemed to be talking to the other person. After a while, she put down her phone, looked at him hesitantly, and then timidly called out, "Xi..."

"What's wrong?" He leaned back on the sofa and looked up at her. This timid expression never appeared on Ah Jiao's face. She had always been a proud, clear-headed, and cold woman.

Two thousand years ago, he couldn't win her heart. But with Pei Ying, this weak and helpless girl, he felt confident of victory. These days, he appeared by her side even more frequently, deliberately taking up all her time, preventing her from going to class, from going shopping with her friends, and only allowing her to go out with him. No wonder her friends were puzzled.

“They…they said I might have a mental problem and advised me to see a doctor…” she said nervously.

“Nonsense, what right do they have to say that about you?” He frowned.

"They say you're something I imagined." She looked at him nervously, not daring to get closer.

"That's because none of your stupid friends can see me!" He scoffed, reaching out to pull her close. "Imagined? Then pinch your own face and see if it hurts?"

She actually pinched her own face hard, then winced in pain and smiled at him sheepishly.

"Don't overthink it, my friend. Your friends are just jealous of your happiness." He lied without batting an eye.

Since she can't distinguish between reality and illusion, why make her do it? Isn't his mission to make her happy?

"Really?" she asked, half-believing, just as her phone on the coffee table began to play beautiful music.

He picked up his phone, his eyes glancing at the name displayed on the screen—it was Mu Xi. So the rumors about her had reached her ears after all. But what good did it do? Who had pushed her away? Why bother provoking her again? He instinctively pressed the reject button and removed the battery. The music stopped abruptly.

"Ignore them. Weren't you going to cook me something delicious today?" he said with a smile.

"Hehe, that's right, I'll go make it for you right away." She jumped up without a doubt, tied on her apron, and headed to the kitchen.

A smile spread across his face. Just then, the landline rang. He raised his hand and, without batting an eye, unplugged the phone.

"Whose call was that?" she asked from the kitchen.

"Wrong number," he said.

"...The Empress has lost her composure and is misled by sorcerers; she is no longer fit to receive the Mandate of Heaven. She has been stripped of her imperial seal and ribbon and has been dismissed to reside in Changmen Palace."

The voice of the person announcing the decree echoed mercilessly in the empty palace, the reverberations rising in waves, making the desolation even more pronounced. She knelt on the ground, her face still tilted upwards, maintaining her last vestige of dignity as Empress.

Years of waiting, only to receive this decree. Years of affection, yet they wouldn't even grant a final farewell.

"Why?" he saw the question in her eyes as she looked at him.

He knew that she wasn't actually asking him, but rather, through his face, asking the emperor who wasn't even present.

He had countless reasons to answer her: spoiled, childless, related to the emperor's family... But that emperor used the excuse of witchcraft to deceive the world.

That's ridiculous! Is it because of his existence that she was demoted to Changgongmen?

He didn't want it to be like this... He just wanted to give her happiness. No... Actually, it's not so bad. From now on, there will be no emperor in her world, only him.

"Yingying! It's me! Muxi! Are you home? Yingying, come out quickly, everyone is worried about you!"

The knocking on the door startled him from his reverie. Pei Ying was snuggled up with him on the sofa watching TV when she heard the knocking and looked up blankly.

"Xi, you're here, so who's knocking on the door?" Her face was full of confusion.

"It's okay, no one's there. It's just your imagination." He saw her unease and smiled gently at her.

"Really? That person looks just like you, Xi!" She tilted her head and listened carefully.

"Honey, you're sick. Don't go to school tomorrow, stay home and rest. I'll stay with you, okay?"

"...Okay..." She closed her eyes contentedly, a beautiful smile curving her lips, though a single, glistening tear clung to the corner of her eye.

He held her in his arms and gently covered her ears. If she wished, he could stay with her for a lifetime.

"...The night stretches on like a year, my heart heavy with sorrow, which cannot be relieved. I lie languidly awaiting the dawn, and the desolate pavilion is once again bright. I grieve in secret, and will never forget this throughout the years."

She lay in bed, her young, pale face like a withered, fragile flower.

He put down the "Changmen Fu" he was holding, a piece he had bought for a fortune, only to receive Emperor Wu of Han's praise for it. He never even came to see her again.

He reached out and touched her cold cheek, the face of the man she loved most.

She could no longer laugh. Or rather, he had never seen her truly smile. She had stopped laughing a very, very long time ago.

He thought that possessing her exclusively would make her happier, but she knew perfectly well that it was all just an illusion.

Born into nobility and pampered since childhood, she never bowed or fawned, never set aside her pride, and had never been treated like this before. During the five years she lived in Changmen Palace, she was depressed and unhappy, and no matter how hard he tried, he could not bring a smile to her face.

"Ah Jiao, witchcraft isn't just about creating illusions. Its most important function is actually cursing." He spoke, looking tenderly at the dying empress in the cold palace.

“I know you won’t let him have any surprises. Even though he treated you like this, you never thought of harming him in the slightest.”

She looked at him weakly, but her gaze was still so clear it was heartbreaking.

“It’s alright, I won’t curse him to die young. He can live a very long time, and then witness all the people closest to him betray him. He will also kill everyone he cares about with his own hands, and die alone, just like you…”

"Ah Jiao, you still don't know my name..."

His figure slowly faded away, as if it had merged into the air, carrying an unsettling aura that quickly spread throughout the vast palace.

Finally, he leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Ah Jiao, my name is Yan Sheng. If... we meet again, please don't call me by the wrong name..."

In the darkest corner of the palace, a wooden doll fell to the ground without any wind.

At the same time, her beautiful soul also vanished in the cold palace.

"Xi, why did you bring me here? Isn't it nice and comfortable at home? I don't really want to go out." She squinted, clearly uncomfortable with the bright sunlight outside.

"It's good to go out for a walk once in a while." He led her toward the shopping street. He calculated that Mu Xi's lifespan was coming to an end today. If he could seize Mu Xi's body just as her soul left her body, then he could truly become Mu Xi and naturally stay by her side.

He didn't think he was being despicable; he just wanted her to be happy and wanted to give her happiness, that's all.

He missed his chance in his past life, and he will never let go in this one.

Everything was so beautiful under the sunlight. He stood beside her, looking down at her shadow.

Before long, he will stand proudly beside her, a real, living Muxi who will love her forever.

In his daze, he suddenly felt her shake off his arm.

"Xi!" Her heart-wrenching cry seemed to come from another world. She wasn't calling for him, but rushing towards Muxi, who was about to be hit by the truck.

He stood blankly in the sunlight, watching his world crumble little by little.

History repeats itself endlessly. In her past life, A Jiao failed to win back Liu Che's heart. In this life, Pei Ying also failed to win back Mu Xi's heart. Yet, she was willing to die herself to save him.

Everything is the same as before.

He was always a stand-in, always a puppet, always an actor, performing a play that only one person could see. It turned out that the one who had been immersed in the illusion all along wasn't her, but himself.

"Huh? Why is this doll back?" The doctor, sitting at the counter, immediately spotted the paulownia wood doll in the brocade box. He leaned closer to look and exclaimed in surprise, "How did it get cracked? Did that girl not take good care of it? Good heavens! Isn't this an antique from the Han Dynasty? How could she be so careless?"

The shopkeeper was gently wiping a red glaze vase in his hand, glancing at it casually and saying, "I heard it was a car accident, and this witchcraft puppet shielded her from it, which is why it cracked."

"Car accident?"

"Yes, I heard it was another rich kid driving drunk and running a red light. But no one was hurt, both of them are safe. It's just that the witchcraft talisman broke," the shopkeeper calmly recounted.

"What a pity..." The doctor felt a little sad for some reason. Perhaps it was because he had stayed in the Silent House for so long, but he vaguely felt that most of the antiques here had their own lives.

When he first took out the witchcraft puppet, he clearly felt a stirring of historical weight, but now, it was all gone, leaving only an indescribable sadness.

There was someone even more heartbroken than him beside him—the curator, leaning on his cane, sighed deeply: "This is Chen Ajiao's witchcraft doll! This is craftsmanship comparable to the Han Dynasty's eight-stroke jade carving! This is made of thousand-year-old paulownia wood! This is..."

"Here you go," the shopkeeper interrupted the curator's rambling.

The curator was immediately overjoyed. Ever since the incident with the Yue King's sword, he had often come to the Silent Shop to collect some good things.

"Well, it's a pity it cracked, but it won't be noticeable after it's glued back together. Look, there's even Liu Che's birth date and time engraved on the back of this witchcraft puppet... Oh dear, it seems we'll have to set aside the largest space in the Han Dynasty exhibition hall to display this witchcraft puppet..."

The doctor, unable to bear his nagging any longer, asked the shopkeeper in bewilderment, "This witchcraft puppet, you're just donating it to the museum like this? Didn't you mention to me before that this puppet was actually quite extraordinary? I think it even had a name, what was it called?"

The shopkeeper lowered his eyes and said calmly, "A puppet for cursing. But for now, it's just a puppet."

(End of this chapter)