A Chinese Ghost Story

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"So, how can you help Alexis become more lifelike?"

Charlize asked Christian after waking up, sitting on the floor, and having a simple sandwich that could be considered breakfast from a physiological standpoint but felt more like an afternoon snack given the time.

"There's so much to do here"

Christian was in the open kitchen of the apartment, brewing black tea using a simple tea bag, which, compared to spirits like vodka or the kvass in the refrigerator, was more suitable for the current atmosphere.

"Returning from the world of painting the wall and demonstrating her determination to live is only the first step. Later, we need to gather the skeleton and the demon tree that bridge the realms of life and death," Christian explained.

"What are those?" Charlize looked puzzled.

"There's a story behind it," Christian began but then noticed Charlize rubbing his knee.

"What happened to your knee?" Christian asked.

"Last night, or rather, I knelt on the floor for too long this morning, and now it might be bruised."

Christian wisely chose not to comment further on that topic and continued her story.

"Speaking of ancient China, there was a scholar named Ning Caichen who stayed in an abandoned temple. One night, a beautiful girl named Xiaoqian suddenly entered his bedroom, claiming it was a long night, and she was bored and wanted to be with him."

Christian felt a bit embarrassed for a moment, but Charlize, who knew him well, instantly understood the implications.

"Do you want to go to bed?" Charlize asked.

"Yes," Christian admitted.

"Christian, I've noticed something," Charlize interrupted.

"Whether it's the story of 'Painting the Wall' or this one, the heroes and heroines always seem to go to bed rather suddenly. Are you trying to suggest something to me?" Charlize's expression seemed playful, and there was a hint of satisfaction in her turquoise eyes.

Christian swallowed nervously. "No, I didn't mean that."

In the past, this response might have cost Christian an opportunity, but now he felt it was better to be honest.

"But if that's the case, why are the women in these stories so forward? I thought ancient China was known for being conservative."

As Christian pondered this, he couldn't help but wonder why Pu Songling always wrote such stories in "Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio" and why he always got straight to the point. Was it possible that his lifelong failure in the imperial examinations was due to investing all his mental energy in these explicit tales?

Christian silently criticized her predecessors in her heart, but she refrained from uttering any superfluous comments.

"The story goes like this. Can you still listen?" Charlize asked.

"Go ahead."

"...In short, Ning Caichen wasn't a lecherous person. He declined Xiaoqian's invitation, but she confessed that she was a ghost, a dryad monster sent to deceive the people in the temple and drain their vitality. If he didn't fall for her, other evil spirits would come to kill him"

"So, it's a choice between getting drained to death or shot to death?" Charlize offered a clever summary.

"You got it right," Christian admitted.

Though it didn't precisely match the story, Christian had no plans to elaborate further. She continued the tale.

"Because Ning Caichen was a good person, Xiaoqian hoped to save him from this predicament. She advised him to seek help from a man named Yan Chixia, who also resided in the temple. Yan Chixia was unafraid of ghosts. With his assistance, Ning Caichen not only avoided death but also saved Xiaoqian from the tree spirit's clutches and buried her remains near her home."

"Wait, remains?" Charlize exclaimed.

"Yes," Christian replied, rolling her eyes at Charlize's puzzled expression. "Don't forget, Xiaoqian is a female ghost. Naturally, she leaves remains after she dies."

As Charlize's face lit up with realization, Christian continued, "Later, Xiaoqian became Ning Caichen's wife and lived with him. None of Ning Caichen's friends ever discovered her true identity as a female ghost."

"Is that the end?" Charlize inquired.

"Yes," Christian replied. "As I mentioned before, there are usually hidden spells behind such legends."

Seeing Christian's silence, Charlize ventured to guess, "Does this mean that by using this spell, Alexis can live like a real person, just like Xiaoqian in the story?"

"Exactly," Christian confirmed. "And to achieve this effect, three things are required."

"What are they?" Charlize asked.

"Father's bone, servant's flesh, enemy's blood."

"What!?" Charlize exclaimed.

"I apologize; I misspoke," Christian said, rubbing his nose. He chided himself internally for accidentally mentioning Lord Voldemort's resurrection method from "Harry Potter."

"Three things are needed to achieve the effect in this story."

Christian raised her left index finger and continued, "First of all, it's my remains, as the story clearly states."

Charlize nodded in understanding. "Secondly, the demon tree that connects life and death, just like in the story. It controlled Xiaoqian but, unintentionally, gave her some vitality and ultimately provided the foundation for this strange spell."

"These three points don't seem easy to obtain, do they?" Charlize expressed her concern.

"It's hard to say. At least Alexis's remains should be traceable with some investigation," Christian reassured her. "As for the demon tree that bridges life and death, I have a vague idea that requires further research. Gathering a substantial amount of vitality... that might prove somewhat"

"If it doesn't work out, let's forget about it" Charlize interrupted.

"What?" Christian was taken aback.

"Alexis asked me to relay this message," Charlize explained, sticking out her tongue. "She understands that acquiring a significant amount of vitality can only come from living people. While she wants to experience being alive again, she doesn't want to harm others in the process, so..."

"I see," Christian nodded, his face composed but his eyes filled with relief.

"I'll keep thinking of a solution, but there may not be an alternative. In any case, tell her to await my update"

"Okay," Charlize replied with a slight smile.

"By the way, she also wanted me to thank you"

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References-

1. Pu Songling - was a Chinese writer during the Qing dynasty, best known as the author of Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio.