Chapter 147: I Remember Every Part of Niannian

Yin Buqi spoke as he carried Jiang Niannian to a chair.

His slender fingers brushed through her hair.

“I’ll help Niannian comb her hair.”

A few strands tickled Jiang Niannian’s face, making her itch slightly.

Before she could reach up to brush them away, Yin Buqi lifted his hand and gathered them into his palm.

“Don’t move, Niannian. I’ll take care of it.”

He was already good-looking, but the seriousness in his expression made him even more captivating.

His fingers deftly worked through her hair, precise and meticulous, making it hard to believe he was blind.

Jiang Niannian felt her heart go out of control.

Almost unconsciously, she reached out, wanting to remove the white cloth covering his eyes, but Yin Buqi caught her hand in an instant.

“Niannian, don’t mess around. It’s too ugly. You’ll get scared.”

For some reason, Jiang Niannian felt a twinge of heartache.

She withdrew her hand and sat quietly.

His fingers moved like a wooden comb through her hair for nearly half a stick of incense.

Now and then, his fingers brushed against her face, making her feel a little uneasy.

They were too close.

Jiang Niannian couldn’t help but glance at Yin Buqi’s rosy lips.

He seemed quite happy, the corners of his lips faintly curved into a smile.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a small black ball creeping closer.

The next moment, Yin Buqi kicked the black little head away.

The small black ball whimpered and tried to approach again, only to be pushed aside by Yin Buqi’s hand.

“Get lost.”

His expression darkened slightly, and he pointed toward the hall’s entrance.

“Out.”

“Awooo~” The small black ball let out an aggrieved whimper before slowly making its way outside.

The pitiful sight made Jiang Niannian’s heart melt.

Just as she was watching, a pair of hands covered her eyes.

“You’re not allowed to look.”

He adjusted her head back into position and said, “Niannian, just keep looking at me like before.”

Jiang Niannian: “…”

Why did this pretty boy seem a little childish?

Why did this feel like a boyfriend fighting for attention against a pet?

But… she wasn’t his girlfriend.

After another half a cup of tea’s time, her long hair was finally tied up with a jade hairpin.

Jiang Niannian casually made a hand sign, summoning a floating mirror.

Seeing her reflection, she pouted.

“You did a great job with my hair. Have you done this for someone else before?”

“I’ve only ever done it for Niannian. No one else.”

Lies!

He combed it so well—he must have practiced in secret. It’s not like he could tie a girl’s hair on himself.

Yin Buqi chuckled, his tone full of affection.

“Niannian is really beautiful.”

“You can’t even see.”

Jiang Nian Nian couldn’t tell if he was being sincere or just fishing for a reaction.

“I remember. I remember every part of Niannian.”

Jiang Niannian was momentarily stunned, her heartbeat skipping twice.

“Do we… know each other?”

Yin Buqi didn’t answer. Instead, he said, “Let’s go, Niannian. Time to descend to hell.”

Jiang Niannian gazed at him from his embrace, her expression full of grievance.

Wait, what?

Everything was fine just now—why was he suddenly telling her to die?

Did this pretty boy have two faces?!

As if sensing her thoughts, Yin Buqi said, “Not that kind of hell.”

With that, he carried her into the air, gliding like a butterfly, his silhouette flickering like a ghostly shadow.

When they landed, their clothes had changed into white battle robes.

The intricate gold threads traced exquisite patterns, making it look almost like… a matching couple’s outfit.

The underworld had no distinction between day and night.

The sky remained perpetually dark.

Ahead lay a pitch-black forest.

The deeper they went, the more grotesque ghosts they encountered, growing denser and noisier with each step.

Jiang Niannian: “…I don’t want to go anymore. Just kill me instead.”

Yin Buqi laughed.

“Follow me.”

He pulled her hand and led her forward.

At first, Jiang Niannian was scared, but as they walked, she gradually realized—these ghosts seemed afraid of her.

Every now and then, they’d glance their way before fleeing in panic.

She frowned.

“What’s wrong with them? Are we some kind of disaster?”

Yin Buqi thought for a moment before saying seriously, “Maybe Niannian is too cute. They’re dying from your cuteness, so they ran away… How about you try scaring them instead?”

Jiang Niannian: “…”

As they walked further, the path suddenly opened up, revealing a bridge stretching over a dark river.

The water was eerily still, yet a faint wailing sound rose from below like lingering ghostly cries.

At the bridge’s entrance, three dim yellow lanterns swayed in the wind, each bearing a large blood-red character. Together, they formed the words: Naihe Bridge.

On the other side, a stone tablet stood tall, inscribed with:

“On the Naihe Bridge, fate is sealed. Right or wrong, none may cross the Wangchuan River..
Before the San Sheng Shi, there is no right or wrong. At the Wangxiang Terrace, Granny Meng awaits.”

Beneath the lanterns, an elderly woman in tattered clothes ladled steaming soup from a bamboo basket, handing it to the ghosts in line.

One by one, they drank the soup and jumped into the river below.

Jiang Niannian asked, “What are they doing?”

Yin Buqi replied, “That river leads to hell. When people die, their bodies decay, but their souls are drawn into the underworld for judgment and reincarnation. To be reborn, they must descend into hell to gather the fragments of their three souls and six spirits. Each piece resides in a different layer of hell, but no one knows which layer they’ll end up in, or what horrors await them.”

“What if they don’t want to reincarnate? What if they just want to wander the underworld?”

Yin Buqi sneered.

“Ghosts who haven’t entered hell can only exist for a month. After that, they vanish forever.”

Jiang Niannian swallowed nervously.

“So you just brought me here to learn about this, right? I’ve learned enough. We can leave now.”

Yin Buqi’s smile deepened.

“No, we’re going down too.”

Just as Jiang Niannian was about to protest, a ghost suddenly crawled out of the river, drenched and wailing.

“I refuse to go back! I’d rather perish completely! It’s too terrifying! If this keeps up, I’ll die down there!”

The surrounding ghosts began whispering.

“Isn’t that Zhang Sheng? What happened to him?”

“Last month was his seventh descent. This time, his soul seems intact—so this must be his eighth.”

“Impressive! He only has one more layer to go before reincarnation. Giving up now would be such a waste.”

“Don’t pity him. He’s not a good person. I heard from others who returned that he tricked and sacrificed many souls in hell. Though he never killed with his own hands, others died because of him.”

A ghost with a melancholic expression sighed.

“Perhaps it’s for the best. Just as the living have their final curtain, so too do the dead return to the underworld… My fourth descent is in a few days. I hope I can make it back up again.”

“Take care,” another ghost said, patting his shoulder.

Jiang Niannian’s heartbeat pounded.

“So… hell is really dangerous?”

“Extremely. You could die at any moment,” Yin Buqi said lightly.

Jiang Niannian’s legs went weak.

“Then why am I going too?!”

“Don’t worry, we’re just going for fun.”

Jiang Niannian: “…”

Do you think you’re funny? This isn’t fun—this is risking my life!

Yin Buqi raised an eyebrow and met her gaze.

His tone turned firm. “Don’t worry, Niannian. I won’t let you die.”

Jiang Niannian stared at him for a few seconds before suddenly turning to run.

Excuse me, I’m leaving!

But before she could take a step, a hand grabbed her collar—then, with a powerful pull, she was yanked into his arms and dragged down with him.

Damn it, you little pretty boy! You ambushed me! You have no moral principles!