Chapter One: I Am Dead

Page 1

South City, the Qiao Family.

Qiao Yunzhou sat on the sofa, wearing an ordinary suit and skirt, her expression dark and uneasy.

Beside her, Mother Qiao looked anxious, clutching a phone whose screen had already gone dark.

“On such a joyful day, where could Yunzhou be?” she fretted.

Looking at the familiar scene before me, a dull ache throbbed in my head.

No matter how I tried, I couldn’t understand why, after death, I would return to the Qiao family.

I was the adopted son of the Qiao family. Today should have been the day I married Qiao Yunxin.

Mother Qiao was still coaxing gently, “Yunxin, at least put on your wedding dress. If Yunzhou comes back and sees you like this, imagine how heartbroken he’ll be!”

Qiao Yunxin sneered, “What right does he have to be heartbroken? He used every trick to finally marry me. He should be overjoyed now.”

“How can you say such things!”

Hearing her words, rage made my whole body tremble.

Thankfully, Mother Qiao truly cared for me. Over the years, she’d always treated me as her own son. After that incident, her feelings toward me had grown tinged with guilt.

“How could you say that? Back then, if Yunzhou hadn’t risked his life to save you, you might have died!”

“Did I ask him to save me?”

Her cold reply froze me in place.

Qiao Yunxin kept chattering, “I admit he saved me and is my benefactor, but the Qiao family has treated him well all these years. Even if he saved me, that debt has long been repaid. What right does he have to use it as leverage against me?”

Bitterness welled up inside me, and I bowed my head, powerless.

Back then, when Qiao Yunxin encountered her enemies, I risked everything to save her, fighting those desperados with no thought for my own life.

Afterward, she held my blood-soaked body in her arms, hot tears falling one after another.

She begged me not to die, said that when I recovered, she would marry me.

I never forgot those words, but only a few years had passed, and she had forgotten all about them.

“Qiao Yunxin, now that I’m dead, you’re finally free to marry whoever you truly want.”

Standing before her, I mocked myself, “I never meant to use my act of saving you to force you. So, in your eyes, I’ve always been that kind of person.”

Qiao Yunxin pressed her lips together, silent, while Mother Qiao could only continue urging her.

“The people from before were released from prison today. Why don’t you call Yunzhou and check on him? The phone’s been unreachable, and I’m getting worried. Do you think something might have happened to him?”

She wiped her tears from the corners of her eyes.

Page 2

Seeing Mother Qiao like this, I felt as though needles were piercing my heart.

I walked to her, wanting to comfort the fragile woman before me, but my hands passed right through her body.

Staring at my translucent hand, I stepped back, a bitter smile curling my lips.

Qiao Yunxin, however, was visibly impatient.

She glanced at her watch, adjusted her clothes, and prepared to leave.

“Mom, don’t worry. Yunzhou’s a grown man, he won’t just get lost. He just doesn’t care about the wedding. At this point, he’s still not here—might as well cancel the whole thing.”

The next moment, the door slammed shut behind her.

…

I wanted to stay by Mother Qiao’s side, but my body moved without my control.

Qiao Yunxin wore urgency on her face, ran several red lights, and arrived at a luxury apartment complex.

She went upstairs with practiced ease, unlocked the door with a code.

“Tingchu, I’m here.”

The room was dim, the lights off.

Gu Tingchu sat by the window, his thin silhouette steeped in loneliness.

“Why are you here? Today is your ‘big day,’ isn’t it?”

Qiao Yunxin caught the jealousy in his voice and walked over, helpless.

“Tingchu, I had no choice. If he hadn’t saved me back then, I would never have agreed to marry him. You know, the only person I’ve ever loved is you.”

Gu Tingchu finally turned around, slowly.

“Is that true? What about Qiao Yunzhou?”

Hearing this, I felt it was laughable.

He openly consorted with a married woman, yet pretended to care what would become of me?

He was shameless!

Hearing my name from Gu Tingchu’s lips, Qiao Yunxin’s brow furrowed, annoyance showing.

“Why bring him up?”

“I heard Qiao Yunzhou’s missing. Is he alright? Should we send someone to look for him? What if something happened?”

Gu Tingchu spoke considerately.

Qiao Yunxin scoffed, “What could happen to a grown man? He’s just throwing a tantrum, thinks if he skips the wedding I’ll go beg him? Dream on! If he doesn’t come, let him stay away forever!”

Page 3

With that, she changed the subject.

“Tingchu, you’re always so kind. Despite all the trouble Yunzhou’s given you, you never hold grudges, and even speak up for him. Why can’t he learn from you?”

“Maybe Yunzhou likes you too much,” Gu Tingchu replied gently.

Seeing his false kindness, I wished I could tear off his mask!

I’d never caused trouble for Gu Tingchu. It was he, relying on Qiao Yunxin’s indulgence, who repeatedly made life difficult for me.

Now, after my death, he turned everything upside down.

Qiao Yunxin looked proud and dismissive of Gu Tingchu’s words.

“His so-called love means nothing. All it does is disgust me.”

Still, today’s wedding with Qiao Yunzhou was attended by many distinguished guests. With time running out, however reluctant, she had to leave Gu Tingchu’s home.

After hearing her words, I no longer had any expectations for this woman.

So this is how she saw me.

With a dead heart, I followed her, watching as she quickly changed into a custom-made wedding dress, then hurried to the venue.

Arriving, she immediately spotted Mother Qiao, anxious.

“Yunxin, Yunzhou still isn’t here. The wedding’s about to start. Maybe call him and check?”

Looking at the crowd of guests, Qiao Yunxin frowned, suppressing her anger.

She picked up the phone, dialed that familiar number.

“Sorry, the number you have dialed is switched off…”

Hearing the mechanical female voice, Qiao Yunxin bit her lip.

What on earth was Qiao Yunzhou doing?!

I floated above, a sense of satisfaction rising within.

“I’m already dead. How could she reach me?”

Before long, Qiao Yunxin’s phone rang.

She quickly answered. The voice was unfamiliar, a man.

“Hello, are you a relative of Qiao Yunzhou? We’re the South City Criminal Investigation Division. There’s been a homicide in the outskirts. We found Qiao Yunzhou’s phone and belongings at the scene. Please come to claim them.”