Fairy, Don’t Be Afraid, I’m Blind

Chapter 65: Halt! You Wicked Spirit!

“Junior Sister!”

You Su watched as Ji Lingruo writhed on the ground, utterly helpless. Panic surged through him, making him feel like an ant on a hot skillet.

Guilt gnawed at him. How could he have pretended to be in pain when his Junior Sister was truly suffering?

“Bro… ther…” Ji Lingruo curled up tightly, her voice strained as she forced out the words between agonized moans.

“Brother’s here! Brother’s here!” You Su responded anxiously.

He quickly grasped Ji Lingruo’s hand, trying to reassure her of his presence. In turn, she clung to him desperately, her grip tightening like ancient vines entwining around him.

Her trembling hands transmitted her pain directly to You Su, making him feel every ounce of her torment as if it were his own.

“Ahh!”

Ji Lingruo let out another sharp cry, her body wracked with agony. Suddenly, lumps began bulging beneath her skin, shifting erratically like burrowing moles, threatening to tear through her delicate pink robe.

Unable to bear it, You Su rolled over and pulled Ji Lingruo into his arms from behind. As though trying to suppress the grotesque protrusions with sheer force, he held her close.

“Junior Sister, don’t be afraid. Brother’s here! Just hold on a little longer… endure it just a bit more…”

His whispered words were filled with anguish. The thought of Ji Lingruo enduring such torment alone, still managing to smile for his sake, was like a thousand arrows piercing his heart.

Sensing his presence, Ji Lingruo weakly struggled, trying to turn her body and bury her face in his chest. Understanding her intention, You Su gently helped her shift.

As her face came into view, barely a fist’s distance away, You Su caught a fleeting glimpse—and his pupils contracted instantly.

Her exquisite features had grotesquely merged with Tai Sui’s hideous visage.

One pair of alluring eyes clashed with six bulging fish-like orbs; lips that invited desire intertwined with a spiraling maw lined with fleshy teeth…

There was no harmony in this face—beauty and monstrosity, humanity and evil colliding violently.

But You Su’s shock lasted only a moment. Without hesitation, he cradled the back of her head and pulled her into a tight embrace, their necks pressed together.

He held her fiercely, as if trying to merge her into his very being, to shoulder all her afflictions himself.

Tears streamed uncontrollably from his pitch-black eyes as he choked back a sob, murmuring softly:

“It’ll get better… it has to get better…”

Perhaps Heaven truly heard his desperate prayer. Ji Lingruo’s convulsing body gradually stilled, the bulging lumps subsiding, and Tai Sui’s monstrous face flickered twice before vanishing completely.

Tears slid down Ji Lingruo’s cheeks. You Su’s embrace was so tight it hurt her ribs—but she didn’t care. Instead, she clutched at his back, holding him even closer.

Though You Su realized she was improving, he couldn’t bring himself to let go, using the embrace to convey the depths of his emotions.

Their bodies remained entwined in silence, the damp and cold stone cave illuminated only by the dim yellow candlelight.

At the intersection of the rafters, a spiderweb still hung, looking more intricate than before.

The trapped insect, however, had stopped struggling. Its wings only fluttered faintly.

—

You Su rose, searching for the monster version of Junior Sister.

Finding no trace of her in the empty courtyard, he approached her room and knocked lightly on the door.

“Junior Sister?”

For a long time, there was no response. Just as he prepared to kick the door open, a soft murmur drifted out.

“Mmm…”

“Are you alright, Junior Sister?”

You Su had no idea what state the monster Junior Sister was in—perhaps she was resisting the forced return of her consciousness. All he could do was ask tentatively.

“Not good…”

“Huh? Then… then is there anything I can do to help?” he asked urgently.

“There’s nothing you can do. Don’t come in. Just leave me alone…”

You Su clenched his fists tightly. The rejection in her words twisted painfully in his chest, leaving him ashamed of his helplessness.

Standing silently outside the door, he remained motionless for a long while, unsure of what to say or do.

Finally, Junior Sister broke the silence, her voice softer:

“Brother… please go out first. I’m fine. Don’t worry about me.”

Before he could respond, his consciousness was abruptly swept away by a vortex.

When he opened his eyes again, his restored vision had vanished once more. Yet the warmth pressed against his body, the faint fragrance lingering around him—these sensations became even clearer.

Ji Lingruo stirred slightly, waking from sleep with a languid sigh.

“Mmm…”

You Su suddenly became aware of the softness pressing against his chest, shifting with Ji Lingruo’s movements. Feeling guilty, he hastily loosened his grip and pulled away slightly.

But the girl had already noticed.

Lifting her head from his neck, she studied his handsome face intently before breaking into a sweet, mischievous smile.

“Brother, no wonder your swordsmanship is so formidable.”

Caught off guard, You Su blinked in confusion. “What do you mean, Junior Sister?”

“You sleep with your sword never leaving your side. Who could possibly train harder than you?”

His face turned red.

Realizing belatedly that his treasured sword was indeed pressing against something warm beneath her clothing, he hurriedly detached Ji Lingruo—who was clinging to him like an octopus—and sat upright.

Ji Lingruo remained lying on her side, propping her head up with one hand, her mischievous gaze roaming over him. She teased:

“Brother isn’t… extremely angry again, is he?”

“What do you mean ‘again’?!” You Su feigned composure before exclaiming, “No! My heart is as calm as still water—I’ve never been angry!”

“Is that so? Last night, I could’ve sworn I felt your overwhelming sword intent.”

“Words without evidence don’t count.”

“Oh? Then why are you so tense right now?”

“Halt! You wicked spirit, don’t presume too much!” You Su put on a stern expression, raising two fingers in imitation of an old play. “How could Sun Wukong possibly be bewitched by you? My Ruyi Jingu Bang naturally swells every morning, absorbing the essence of the sun—it has nothing to do with you!”

Ji Lingruo burst into laughter, her melodious voice filling the cave. Her charming smile suggested that You Su’s antics had completely erased the memory of her earlier pain.

“Lucky guess, but it really is daytime now.”

She caught a beam of white light filtering through a crack in the rocks, watching as dust particles danced in the air.

You Su lowered his pretentious hand, recalling the nights when he’d recounted his altered version of “Journey to the West” to Junior Sister. They would always playfully reenact scenes, with him as Sun Wukong and her as the demoness.

Whenever he shouted, “Halt, wicked spirit!” she would immediately retort, “Halt, unruly monkey!”

Over time, it became their secret code.

Yet today, she hadn’t responded in kind. Perhaps the recent peril had caused her to forget…