Eliza stood in shock, her heart pounding as she stared at Lance, who was now her proctor for the exam. She had never expected to see him in such a context. His smile sent a shiver down her spine, and she couldnt help but think of Edward Cullen and the chilling encounters she had with him.
After the exam, Lance approached Eliza and in a voice only she could hear, said, "Meet me in the infirmary at 2 pm."
Nodding silently, Eliza felt a mix of fear and curiosity. She had no idea what Lance wanted, but she knew she had to find out.
At 2 pm sharp, Eliza arrived at the infirmary. Lance was already there, holding an unmarked jar of what appeared to be a medicinal cream. "Let me see your eyes," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Wary, Eliza asked, "What are you going to do?"
Without answering, Lance grasped her chin gently and applied the cream to her eyes. "You have the Yin and Yang eyes; they require special care."
Yin and Yang eyes? Eliza was confused. She had only started seeing ghosts after that dream of her wedding. If she had Yin and Yang eyes, it should have been since birth, not something acquired later.
"Are you sure you never saw ghosts as a child?" Lance inquired further.
"I dont remember anything from my childhood," Eliza replied nonchalantly, adding, "But the eyes are not important. Tell me, how do I get rid of that ghost ship?"
Lance put away the cream and said, "Remember what I told you before, coming to me again wont be at the same price."
"How much do you want?" Eliza asked, her desperation evident.
"I dont want money. I need a small favor from you. The city of Qing Shui is not at peace these days. Help me capture forty-nine ghosts, and I will help you."
"How can I capture ghosts when I can only see them?" Eliza retorted, her frustration growing.
"Leave that to me. You just need to follow me; Ill do the rest," Lance reassured her.
Reluctantly, Eliza agreed. As she left the infirmary, she couldnt shake the feeling that something was off, but she also knew she was running out of options.
That night, Eliza slept soundly for the first time in days. In her half-awake state, she felt a cold touch on her cheek. Her eyes snapped open to see Edward Cullens chiseled face in the moonlight.
"Edward, what are you doing here?" she asked, her voice trembling with fear.
She remembered that the Ghost Gate was not due to open for over a month. Was he here to take her away early?
Edward didnt speak. Instead, he gently touched Elizas eyes and asked, "What happened to your eyes?"
His voice was soft, yet it sent a chill through her. She remembered applying the cream Lance had given her, and it seemed Edward had noticed it immediately.
"Im fine. Please leave," Eliza urged, trying to push him away, but he was as immovable as a boulder.
"You are my wife. Why would I leave?" Edward replied, pinning her hands down with one hand and kissing her forehead gently.
Panicking, Eliza thought of her roommate Lucy, who was fast asleep in the next bed. If she were to wake up and see this, it would be beyond embarrassing.
Edwards throat tightened, and he didnt move. Instead, he made a gesture in the air, and Eliza felt a bright light around her. Then, she watched as her soul detached from her body and was taken by him to the wedding chamber from her dreams.
"I was careless earlier," Edward said, brushing a strand of hair from Elizas ear.
Eliza, shocked at her semi-transparent state, asked, "Am I... am I dead?"
"Dont be afraid. Ive only temporarily separated your soul," Edward reassured her.
Relieved, Eliza looked around and hesitated before asking, "Are you really the man from my dreams?"
"This is our wedding chamber, so its natural that its me," Edward confirmed.
"Why do you enter my dreams and say Im your wife?" Eliza pressed on with her questions.
Edward paused, his eyes darkening, "You dont need to think about that. Just know that I am your husband and will not harm you."
With a wave of his hand, Elizas pajamas transformed into traditional clothing, and a white fox mask appeared in her hand.
Looking at the fox mask, which seemed so real, Eliza felt a shiver run down her spine.
"Put it on and close your eyes. Ill take you to a place," Edwards voice was hypnotic, and she found herself obeying without question.
Once the mask was on and her eyes closed, she felt his cold hand on her waist, and then all she heard was the sound of the wind.
After a while, she heard a cacophony of noises, and when her feet touched the ground, her body felt weight again.
Eliza opened her eyes to see ancient buildings and lantern-lit paths, with ghosts in both traditional and modern attire wandering about. There were even some ghosts setting up stalls to sell items, making the place look like a tourist attraction.
"Is this the underworld?" Eliza asked, surprised. Werent the underworld and hell supposed to be terrifying places?
"This is the outskirts of the Fengdu City, like a post station of old. The dead would linger here, and those unwilling to be reincarnated would stay," Edward explained as he led her forward.
Eliza followed, her interest lacking. All she wanted was to return, worried about what might happen if her soul was away for too long.
After a few steps, she caught sight of a large wooden building not far away, with several women dressed in traditional attire and looking seductively拦ing customers. The sign above the door read "Spring Breeze for Ten Miles."
So, even in death, some ghosts thought about running brothels to make money.
She was so engrossed that she forgot to keep up, and when Edward noticed her pause, he turned to look at her before immediately blocking her view.
"Do you know the saying, Do not look upon what is not proper?" Edwards masked face loomed large in front of Eliza, his eyes staring intently at her.
Eliza was startled and quickly averted her gaze, asking, "Why did you bring me here?"
"I saw that youve been in low spirits lately, so I wanted to take you out for a walk. Also, I wanted you to get used to life after death," Edward said calmly.
Get used to life after death?
A chill ran down Elizas spine.
"The items here are of the underworld and can only be looked at. Once youre dead, whatever you desire, your husband will buy for you."
His voice was soft, but each word hit Eliza hard. No one had ever spoken to her like that, except her father.
But soon, she snapped out of it, realizing she was almost swayed by his words. He was tempting her, trying to make her willingly give up her life.
"No, thank you. I dont want anything," she said firmly.
She didnt want anything; all she wanted was her own life.