Lin Fan looked at Lei Xiaojia beside him and covered his mouth with his hand, "I have a question for you."

"Go ahead." Lei Xiaojia, huddled in the corner, stared at him intently, "What is it?"

"Would you let a coroner perform an autopsy on your body?"

"Absolutely not!" Lei Xiaojia jumped up instantly. She was so agitated that her spirit passed through the subway, and the train immediately left. Lin Fan opened his mouth, watching Lei Xiaojia disappear before his eyes.

The next time he saw her was twenty minutes later. Lin Fan was standing at the entrance of the hospital as the sky darkened, looking like it was about to snow. The thick clouds pressed overhead, making the world feel narrow and confined.

Lei Xiaojia ran up to him, pointing at Lin Fan, "You're so inconsiderate."

If she were still alive, she would be exhausted by now and would have beaten Lin Fan up. Lin Fan said, "The police can't determine whether your death was homicide or an accident. I'm afraid you were murdered, and you don't remember because you're confused."

Lei Xiaojia glared at Lin Fan for a few seconds, "I don't agree. There's no way I'll let them cut up my body."

Lin Fan pursed his lips, "Eventually, you'll be cremated anyway, and once you're ashes, there's nothing left. You've already left that body, so it doesn't matter what happens to it, right? You won't feel any pain."

Lei Xiaojia opened her mouth slightly, unable to speak for a moment.

"Think about it."

Previously, Lin Fan had never seen a ghost kill anyone. Qin Feng once said that unusual events often have a supernatural cause, and she feared that someone had planned Lei Xiaojia's death. Lin Fan needed to confirm Lei Xiaojia's cause of death.

Lin Fan walked toward the inpatient department, and Lei Xiaojia caught up, "Lin Fan."

"Yes?"

"Where are you going?"

"To see your parents," Lin Fan said. "Do you have anything you want to say to them?"

Lei Xiaojia was stunned and fell silent for a moment. Her eyes turned red, "My mom fainted. She couldn't handle it—Lin Fan, this is too cruel for her."

"You leaving without a word was also very cruel to her." Lin Fan turned to look at Lei Xiaojia, "Have you thought about the possibility that you won't be able to reincarnate and will forever wander in this world?"

Lei Xiaojia was taken aback, "Isn't that a good thing? I can still see you and my parents."

"But I'm the only one who can see you. What if one day I can't see you anymore? What will you do then? No one will be able to see or hear you." Lin Fan sighed, "A wrongful death means you can't enter the cycle of reincarnation. Without knowing your cause of death, you can't move on. You'll suffer endlessly."

For some reason, Lin Fan shivered as she said this. She seemed to have experienced it before. Hundreds of years, drifting without support, unable to speak to anyone, no beginning or end, unable to feel the presence of life.

It was terrifying. This world had no end, and she could only float tirelessly.

"Have you thought about that?"

"Then let them cut up my body?" Lei Xiaojia almost cried. She was scared and confused.

"I just want to find out the cause of your death."

People passed by, looking at Lin Fan as if she were crazy. Lin Fan didn't want to continue being watched here, so she quickly moved to a quieter place, "Let's talk somewhere else—"

"Lin Fan?"

Someone called from behind. Lin Fan turned to see Zhou Jing approaching quickly, "What are you doing here? What are you up to?"

"Going to see Lei Xiaojia's parents."

Zhou Jing paused, her expression darkening before she nodded, "I see. You went to the school yesterday too?"

"I went last night after I heard about it."

As the class teacher, Zhou Jing also felt responsible for such an incident. The whole school couldn't escape the blame. Zhou Jing sighed and frowned, "You weren't with Lei Xiaojia yesterday? You two were pretty close, right?"

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"I had something to do and left early." Lin Fan saw Lei Xiaojia standing a little distance away, watching them. "I didn't know so much would happen afterward. Teacher Zhou, are you here to see her parents too?"

Zhou Jing hesitated before nodding, "Yes, you go ahead. I'll leave now."

"Goodbye."

After Zhou Jing left, Lei Xiaojia quickly ran over, glancing at Zhou Jing, "Why does Teacher Zhou seem strange? She looks so pale."

"I don't know." Lin Fan continued walking, "What do you want to say to your parents? I can pass on the message."

Lei Xiaojia's expression darkened again, "I'm afraid my mom will cry."

"Then should we not go? Should we go back?"

Lei Xiaojia said, "Let's go."

Lin Fan arrived at the inpatient department and found the room based on the address. It was a private room, and the hallway was quiet. Lin Fan knocked on the door, and a voice responded, "Who is it? Come in."

It was a man's voice. Lei Xiaojia burst into tears behind him, her emotions collapsing, "My dad—"

Lin Fan pushed open the door. Inside, a woman sat on the bed with her eyes closed, while a man stood smoking. He frowned when he saw Lin Fan, "Are you a classmate of Xiaojia?"

Lin Fan nodded, "Hello, uncle. How is aunty?"

The man seemed unwelcoming towards Lin Fan, frowning without saying a word. The woman on the bed opened her eyes and broke down into tears upon seeing Lin Fan. Behind her, Lei Xiaojia was also crying her heart out. Lin Fan closed the door to the hospital room.

"Her mother is not in a good emotional state right now. Come back in a few days," the man said, essentially asking Lin Fan to leave.

"I saw Lei Xiaojia," Lin Fan said. "Uncle, she wants to talk to you."

The man raised his head abruptly, looking astonished, "What are you talking about? Where is she?"

Lin Fan pursed her lips and said, "She is beside me. You can't see her." She turned to Lei Xiaojia, "Say what you want to say, Lei Xiaojia."

Lei Xiaojia was crying so hard that she couldn't speak. She squatted in the corner, sobbing uncontrollably. She was the apple of her parents' eyes and never expected to die so young. All her plans for prestigious schools, the future, and taking care of her parents were shattered.

Lei's parents were stunned, and her mother even forgot to cry. "What did you say?"

Lin Fan said, "I can see souls. Last night, Xiaojia's soul came to find me. That's how I knew something had happened to her. She passed away so suddenly and has many things she wants to say to you."

The man looked towards where Lin Fan was talking, but it was empty. "You're not making this up, are you?"

Lin Fan looked at Lei Xiaojia, "Do you want to say something? I can relay it."

"Dad, Mom, I'm sorry." Lei Xiaojia walked towards the bed. She wanted to hug her father but only passed through his body. She wiped her face fiercely and squatted by the bed, "Mom, please don't be like this. Don't get sick."

Lin Fan conveyed the message, "She's squatting by the bed, but you can't see her."

"I didn't want to die either, but I did. I have to leave you. Mom, Dad, I originally wanted to buy you a big house after graduation, take you on trips abroad, but now none of that can happen."

White-haired people sending off black-haired people is the worst kind of pain.

"Mom, you have to take care of yourself. Don't be too sad. You and Dad have to live well. I'm always watching you. I'm right by your side."

Her mother tried to hug Lei Xiaojia but held nothing but air. She covered her face and cried bitterly.

"I also want to know how I died. If possible, please let—" Lin Fan's voice suddenly stopped. She quickly looked at Lei Xiaojia, shocked, "What did you say?"

Lei Xiaojia stood up, "Lin Fan, you're right. I can't avoid this. Even though the last person I saw was her—" She gritted her teeth, still unable to suppress her fear, her voice trembling, "But only the police can figure out how I died."

"Where's my Xiaojia? Xiaojia, come to Mommy. Let Mommy see you one more time. How could you leave Mommy? I can't live without you! How can Mommy go on?"

Lei Xiaojia sniffled and wiped away her tears again, "Hurry up and relay this, Lin Fan. I'm telling you, you're just like a phone now. Hurry up and relay it."

Lin Fan looked out the window, gritting her teeth to suppress her emotions, "Okay, go ahead."

"You must live well. If you don't, I'll never find peace. I'll suffer even in hell." Lei Xiaojia scolded her, "Tell them quickly."

Lin Fan repeated the message.

"There's a delivery coming today. I hope you receive it. Merry Christmas." Lei Xiaojia wanted to touch her mother, but she couldn't. She looked longingly at the person on the bed, "Live well. Mom, you must live well."

Lin Fan didn't relay this part. It seemed she heard Lei Xiaojia's voice. She looked up at the direction of Lei Xiaojia, "Xiaojia, I heard you."

"Then listen to me, both you and Dad must live well! Live well." At this moment, any words seemed pale. "Let the police do the autopsy. The body is just a pile of ashes to me. My soul is here. Only if everything is clear can I leave peacefully. Mom, I'm sorry. I was too willful. I wasn't a good child. If there is an afterlife, I still want to be your child. You and Dad have to hang in there. Maybe I'll come back in a few years."

Lin Fan's phone rang. She wiped her face and went out to answer it. The call was from Qin Feng. Lin Fan answered, her voice still a bit hoarse, "Qin Feng."

"Have you been crying?"

"Yeah, I brought Lei Xiaojia here. She's too pitiful." Lin Fan covered her face, "I can't bear it. She's only seventeen—"

"Life is unpredictable." Qin Feng said, "I have something to do this afternoon and can't go to the crime scene. You shouldn't go alone."

"Why?"

"Don't go. This isn't an ordinary ghost." Qin Feng said, "I'll tell you more tonight."

"—Okay."

After hanging up, Lin Fan turned around and saw Lei Xiaojia. She was standing in the hallway with her head down, "My mom agreed. They should notify the police soon, right?" Lei Xiaojia said, "Where are you going now?"

Lin Fan felt a bit lost and shook her head, "I don't know."

"Where were you planning to go?"

"The school library." Lin Fan looked into Lei Xiaojia's eyes, "I want to find out who killed you and who that red-clad ghost is, and what she's doing!"

Lei Xiaojia's face changed instantly. She held her head, her eyes filled with fear, "I told you not to go! You can't go! You'll die. She's terrifying and will kill you. Why are you going to the library? You're not a police officer."

"Lei Xiaojia? What's wrong with you?"

Her face twisted. Lin Fan ran over to grab Lei Xiaojia, but she backed away. Her face turned into a look of crying again, almost begging, "Don't be reckless. You have to live well. Don't die. You need to live and see this world for me. That library isn't a place you can go. She'll kill you. She's terrifying... very terrifying."

Why is Lei Xiaojia so scared? What did she experience before she died?