I am a Flower Vase in an Infinite World / I Am a Useless flower in an infinite

Chapter 80

From the beginning, he knew this village was rotten to the core, yet he futilely tried to hold onto something.

Perhaps it was because he always remembered the beginning: holding a worn-out porcelain bowl, passing by the lively households where those who gossiped behind his back would ladle him a spoonful of hot porridge. The warm steam enveloped his face, and he reached out to grasp that warmth, but no matter how tightly he held on, he couldn't retain the warmth on his fingertips.

"Ji Lianyun?" Warm breath brushed against his face, tickling him slightly. He opened his eyes to see those transparent eyes brimming with tears, pure and clear, capable of discerning any emotion.

From the moment he saw that photograph, he felt that this person's eyes were pure.

He was enamored with this purity and gentleness, hopelessly infatuated.

He saw genuine concern in this person's eyes, almost on the brink of tears.

Previously, he could never quite grasp the other's thoughts, but now, it seemed like this was a genuinely good person.

So good that one could exchange sincerity for sincerity.

He seemed to be slowly getting closer to this person's heart.

"Ning." Ji Lianyun's voice was like a murmur in a dream. "Take me home."

As the car returned to the Tang family village, darkness had already descended. Tang Ning couldn't carry the unconscious Ji Lianyun alone, so Han Ankang carried him on his back. Tang Ning anxiously held onto Ji Lianyun's limp hand, which tightly gripped a blood-stained handkerchief. Tang Ning unfolded the handkerchief and discovered some fragments of internal organs inside—what Ji Lianyun had coughed up.

Tang Ning trembled.

"His condition is deteriorating rapidly now. Let's try the method he mentioned before," Lin Yun said calmly.

"What method?" Tang Ning asked bewilderedly.

"Ji Lianyun said to place him in this coffin, and the other 'him' might appear, provided that thing wants to come," Han Ankang explained.

"But what about Ji Lianyun?" Tang Ning asked anxiously.

Han Ankang glanced at Tang Ning. "His condition will likely worsen. He mentioned that the longer he remains unconscious, the worse his condition becomes."

"That's right, didn't we mention before that he suddenly coughed up blood when the Ghost Groom possessed him?" Lin Yun interjected. "I guess his body couldn't withstand prolonged possession by the Ghost Groom, hence the sudden bleeding."

"In that case..." Tang Ning anxiously grasped Ji Lianyun's hand, his voice trembling. "His condition is already so poor now. If he's possessed by the Ghost Groom again, and his body can't endure it anymore, what should we do?"

Tang Ning didn't want anything to happen to Ji Lianyun.

Ji Lianyun was a very good person, he deserved a bright future outside this ignorant village.

"The key lies in you," Lin Yun said calmly.

"Me?"

Lin Yun and Han Ankang exchanged glances. "We discussed it earlier. The Ghost Groom gains some kind of vital energy through intimate contact. As mentioned, every time someone comes into contact with him, their body weakens, while he appears to be in better spirits, right?"

Tang Ning nodded quickly.

"If his visible improvement indicates that this vital energy affects not only the Ghost Groom but also Ji Lianyun's body."

Tang Ning paused for a moment, suddenly remembering a time when he met Ji Lianyun. After Ji Lianyun helped him soak his feet, Tang Ning felt very weak, but Ji Lianyun seemed to be in better spirits at that moment.

And at that time, they encountered Ji Ke delivering bridal attire. Ji Ke barged into the room carrying the bridal attire, and Ji Lianyun clearly saw it. If he were truly Ji Lianyun, wouldn't he have stopped Tang Ning from putting on that bridal attire, which clearly belonged to the Ghost Groom?

But at that time, "Ji Lianyun" didn't act that way.

He calmly let Ji Ke take Tang Ning to change clothes, just like the real "Ji Lianyun" would have done...

Tang Ning widened his eyes.

Although coughing up blood was a sign of the Ghost Groom logging out before, there were no obvious signals when the Ghost Groom possessed someone.

If it weren't for the Ghost Groom deliberately exposing a flaw, many times Tang Ning couldn't really distinguish between Ji Lianyun and the Ghost Groom.

How could there be such a well-disguised person, no, well-disguised ghost?

"So, the key to how long the Ghost Groom stays in Ji Lianyun's body depends on how much vital energy he takes from him," Lin Yun summarized. "Don't let him take too much vital energy from Ji Lianyun. Despite the Ghost Groom's power, it's still better to negotiate with the human Ji Lianyun."

Han Ankang nodded in agreement.

The seriousness with which these two discussed the absorption of vital energy made Tang Ning feel so awkward that he almost couldn't speak, as if he were being advised by a semi-stranger friend to restrain himself.

"I-I understand," Tang Ning said, forcing himself to nod.

The coffin disguised as Ji Lianyun's was placed in Tang Ning's room. Han Ankang rushed to the funeral parlor to meet up with Lin Guijing. Lin Yun said leaving Lin Guijing alone to watch over the funeral parlor was suitable because of his proficiency in such matters, but Lin Guijing couldn't hold out for long alone, at most, he could handle half of it, so Han Ankang went over there now.

However, Lin Yun stayed behind. He was in the kitchen reheating the meal that Ji Lianyun had made at noon, now cold.

Tang Ning's stomach was growling with hunger. He held the reheated meal in his hands, listening to Lin Yun recounting what happened after he was taken away. "Sorry, I heard some strange noises from the coffin carried by those people from Ji's village, but at that time, I didn't think about who might be inside."

Tang Ning crouched by Ji Lianyun's coffin, burying his head as he ate.

"Later, Ji Lianyun rushed over and asked us some questions. He said he was taken away in the coffin." Lin Yun's demeanor remained calm, but his voice sounded a bit melancholic.

Tang Ning continued to enjoy the delicious meal.

"I'm sorry," Lin Yun said. "If I had come a moment later, maybe..."

As he spoke, he looked up and saw Tang Ning, who had finished his meal with gusto, letting out a satisfied burp.

"Could you pour me a glass of water?" Tang Ning gestured towards the hot water thermos behind Lin Yun.

Lin Yun met Tang Ning's gaze in silence for a moment, finding no hint of blame or resentment in Tang Ning's eyes.

Back when he abandoned Tang Ning in front of the paper bride, and later when they reunited, Tang Ning looked at him with the same peaceful gaze.

Later, when he escorted Tang Ning to the bridal chamber and encountered the ghost child while picking pearls, Tang Ning, who narrowly escaped death each time, could still look at him with such clear eyes, devoid of any hostility.

It wasn't solely because this person had an exceptionally good temperament.

Lin Yun took the glass from Tang Ning's hand and heard the words, "Thank you, sorry for the trouble," from Tang Ning's lips.

Their relationship had always been about pouring a glass of water, about politely saying "thank you, sorry for the trouble," a plain and ordinary relationship.

There had never been expectations.

Nor would there be disappointments or resentments.

"You're welcome," Lin Yun said.