"This..."
The moment they saw Guoguo's remains, an inexplicable ache filled their hearts. They stood frozen, unsure what to do.
If there was anything in the room they had yet to touch that could serve as a vengeful ghost's vessel, it was this tiny body before them.
Zhou You suddenly remembered what Duan Yuxian had said at the start: coffins and corpses were the most common vessels.
Her words had proved prophetic.
Zhou You suppressed his tangled emotions and reached out to touch the remains. A slender, delicate hand caught his wrist.
Duan Yuxian crouched beside him, but did not look at him. "Together."
They touched the remains at the same time.
Guoguo had always lived with Mommy.
Guoguo loved sleeping with Mommy, but Mommy always brought different daddies home, so Guoguo could only sleep in a room by herself.
Sleeping alone was dark and scary, but Mommy was right next door. Guoguo was a brave child. She wasn't scared.
Guoguo's favorite things to eat were candies in all sorts of colors: orange, strawberry, and apple. But Mommy said too much candy would ruin her teeth and wouldn't let her eat it. She even put the candy way up high, saying Guoguo could have one if she behaved.
Several daddies had asked Mommy to go away with them, but Mommy had turned them all down. When Guoguo asked why she wouldn't go, Mommy said those daddies only wanted Mommy, not Guoguo.
Were there any daddies who wanted both Mommy and Guoguo, then? Mommy stopped talking and just looked out the window. Was there something outside?
Guoguo was happiest at dinnertime, when she sat on the couch eating yummy food and watching cartoons, with Mommy beside her.
Though everyone else's mommy could cook, her mommy couldn't and only ordered takeout.
Mommy