The bride?
Who?
Shen Ru had wanted to grab a ghost and get some answers, but in the blink of an eye, everything before him emptied out. The bustling courtyard suddenly had not a single ghost left.
The clean courtyard fell into ruin in moments. The window frames were half-rotted, and the lone old tree in the yard had nothing left but withered branches. Yellowed weeds covered the ground, and even the red lanterns had been reduced to a few pitiful scraps of silk hanging from the eaves.
Creak-
Suddenly, the door directly facing Shen Ru slowly opened a crack. Perhaps its hinges had gone unrepaired for years; as it swung open, the door scraped hard against its frame.
The sharp, grating sound was particularly conspicuous, much like a teacher deliberately giving a hint during an exam, all but urging Shen Ru to come inside.
The young man obligingly played along and pushed the door open, revealing the furnishings within.
Compared with the dilapidated exterior, the interior seemed like another world entirely.
Deep, vibrant reds filled his vision. Candles burned high, bathing the room in light, and every furnishing spoke of extravagant luxury. Crimson satin hung from the beams, and festive decorative couplets adorned the windows.
A shimmering wedding gown lay on the bed, looking inexplicably eerie beneath the red candlelight.
The moment Shen Ru's gaze landed on the red garment, the only clothes left on his body vanished as the candles went out.
Faced with this awkward predicament, the young man had no choice, whether he liked it or not.
Fuck...
Shen Ru felt his fists clench.
His outstretched hand paused in midair, his knuckles gradually reddening. Finally, as though he had made up his mind, he grabbed the red garment on the bed.
At his touch, the red