Warning
3138 Words
The candle went out.
The old man didn’t move.
For several seconds, the room was completely silent.
Then the woman laughed.
It wasn’t a normal laugh.
It was soft.
Almost playful.
But there was something wrong with it.
Something that made the old man’s fingers tighten around the photograph.
“You came back,” he whispered.
A cold breeze moved through the room.
The old man looked toward the corner.
Nobody was there.
Yet the chair beside him slowly moved backward.
Scrape.
Scrape.
Scrape.
His breathing became uneven.
“I did what you asked.”
The darkness remained silent.
“I kept them apart.”
Nothing.
“I protected the secret.”
Still nothing.
The old man swallowed.
“Please.”
A whisper came beside his ear.
“You failed.”
He jumped to his feet.
The photograph fell from his hand.
When he looked down again, the photograph was gone.
In its place was a strand of long black hair.
The old man stared at it.
Then the woman whispered again.
“Bring me my groom.”
⸻
Wanning woke with a headache.
She opened her eyes slowly.
For a moment, she forgot where she was.
Then she remembered.
The village.
Her grandmother’s house.
The photograph.
The impossible diary.
Gu.
She sat up.
The cup of tea from the night before was still on the table.
She reached for it.
Empty.
She frowned.
She didn’t remember finishing it.
A knock came.
Before she could answer, the door opened.
Gu stood outside.
“We’re leaving.”
Wanning looked at him.
“Good morning to you too.”
“Good morning.”
“Much better.”
He waited.
She got out of bed.
“Why are we leaving so early?”
“Someone came to the house last night.”
She stopped.
“What?”
Gu’s expression remained calm.
“I found footprints behind the building.”
Wanning’s face changed.
“Why didn’t you wake me?”
“You were asleep.”
“That’s not an excuse.”
“You needed rest.”
“What if whoever came inside?”
“They didn’t.”
“How do you know?”
“I checked.”
Wanning grabbed her jacket.
“Where are we going?”
“The city.”
She frowned.
“Why?”
“I have something to show you.”
⸻
The drive back was quieter than usual.
Wanning sat beside the window.
Gu drove.
She kept thinking about the woman from the night before.
The voice.
The photograph.
The strange sentence.
She isn’t his bride.
If that was true, then who was?
She glanced at Gu.
He was focused on the road.
“You’re hiding something.”
“No.”
“You’re thinking.”
“Yes.”
“About what?”
“The same thing you’re thinking about.”
Wanning frowned.
“That isn’t helpful.”
“I know.”
She looked outside again.
After a few minutes, she asked,
“Did you find anything behind the house?”
“Yes.”
“What?”
“A footprint.”
“Whose?”
“I don’t know.”
“Human?”
“Yes.”
“Male?”
“Probably.”
“Probably?”
“The print was incomplete.”
Wanning sighed.
“Of course.”
Gu glanced at her.
“You’re becoming impatient.”
“I have been patient for several days.”
“You’ve known me for less than a week.”
“Exactly.”
He didn’t respond.
Wanning leaned back.
“Do you always talk this little?”
“Yes.”
“Were you like this one hundred years ago?”
Gu’s eyes flickered.
“Yes.”
She studied him.
“How do you remember everything?”
“I remember some things.”
“What things?”
“Important things.”
“What is important to you?”
He didn’t answer.
She waited.
Eventually he said,
“Promises.”
Wanning looked away.
That answer bothered her more than she wanted to admit.
⸻
When they reached the city, Gu didn’t take her to the mansion.
Instead, he drove toward the Gu family’s private archive.
Wanning looked around.
“This isn’t your house.”
“No.”
“What is it?”
“An old Gu family property.”
“Why are we here?”
“To find records.”
“Again?”
“Yes.”
“Your family must have an unhealthy obsession with old documents.”
Gu parked.
“Probably.”
Wanning smiled despite herself.
“That was almost a joke.”
“It wasn’t.”
“Sure.”
They entered the building.
Unlike the mansion, this place wasn’t designed to impress anyone.
It looked like a private library.
Shelves covered the walls.
Old books.
Documents.
Boxes.
Photographs.
Gu walked toward the back.
Wanning followed.
“You’ve brought me here before?”
“No.”
“Then how do you know where everything is?”
“My family kept records here.”
He unlocked a cabinet.
Inside were dozens of files.
He pulled one out.
The label read:
GU MINGYUAN
Wanning stepped closer.
“Your father.”
“Yes.”
He opened it.
The first document was a birth certificate.
Then school records.
Travel documents.
Business records.
Photographs.
Wanning picked up one photograph.
Gu Mingyuan looked young.
Very young.
Standing beside him was another man.
“Who’s that?”
“My father’s servant.”
“The missing one?”
“Yes.”
“What was his name?”
“Lin Wei.”
Wanning stared at the photograph.
“He looks familiar.”
Gu looked at her.
“From where?”
“I don’t know.”
She picked up another photograph.
It was taken years later.
Lin Wei looked older.
But something else caught her attention.
A woman stood behind him.
She was blurred.
Wanning moved closer.
“Who’s she?”
Gu took the photograph.
“I don’t know.”
“She’s in several.”
He looked through the file.
Three photographs.
Same woman.
Always standing far behind Lin Wei.
Never facing the camera.
Wanning frowned.
“That’s creepy.”
“Yes.”
“Does your family know who she is?”
“There are no records.”
“How convenient.”
Gu placed the photographs on the table.
Then Wanning saw something.
“Wait.”
She pointed.
On the woman’s neck was a necklace.
A half-heart.
Wanning touched her own gemstone.
Gu noticed.
“The same.”
“Yes.”
They stared at the photograph.
Wanning’s voice became quiet.
“That means she had one half.”
“Yes.”
“And I have the other.”
“Yes.”
“So who is she?”
Gu looked at the image.
“I don’t know.”
Wanning groaned.
“I’m going to start charging you every time you say that.”
He looked at her.
“How much?”
She paused.
She hadn’t expected him to answer.
“Five thousand.”
“Fine.”
Wanning blinked.
“You’re serious?”
“Yes.”
“You’ll pay me five thousand every time you don’t know something?”
“No.”
She narrowed her eyes.
“You just said fine.”
“I meant fine to your joke.”
“Oh.”
She looked away.
“Never mind.”
A tiny silence passed.
Neither mentioned the almost-smile that appeared on Gu’s face.
⸻
They searched for hours.
Most of the documents were useless.
Business transactions.
Old property records.
Travel permits.
Letters between family members.
Then Wanning found something.
A handwritten note.
She unfolded it.
The wedding must not happen.
She turned it over.
Nothing.
Another paper was attached.
If the bride returns, do not tell Chenyuan.
Wanning stopped.
“Gu.”
He took it.
His face changed.
“That’s impossible.”
“Why?”
“I wasn’t supposed to exist when this was written.”
Wanning looked at the date.
The paper had been written before Gu was born.
She stared.
“Then why does it mention you?”
“It shouldn’t.”
She looked at him.
“This is getting worse.”
“Yes.”
She picked up another letter.
The handwriting was different.
He will return through the bloodline.
“Who is he?”
Gu didn’t answer.
The next sentence made Wanning’s stomach turn.
And when he returns, the bride will remember nothing.
She dropped the paper.
“That sounds like me.”
Gu looked at her.
“Yes.”
“Why don’t I remember?”
“I don’t know.”
“Could someone have erased my memory?”
“Possibly.”
She glared at him.
“Don’t.”
He almost smiled.
“You told me not to say that.”
“Yes.”
“I remembered.”
“Good.”
She took the paper again.
At the bottom was a name.
Madam Shen Lian.
Wanning stared.
“The woman from the diary.”
“Yes.”
“Who was she?”
“We need to find out.”
⸻
Across the city, Liliana was preparing for another visit.
She stood in front of her mirror.
She had changed her hairstyle.
Nothing dramatic.
Just enough to look softer.
Her mother entered.
“Where are you going?”
“To see Wanning.”
“She isn’t home.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you going?”
Liliana smiled.
“I want to see Gu.”
Her mother sighed.
“Liliana.”
“What?”
“You’re becoming obsessed.”
“I am not.”
“You’ve mentioned him every day.”
“Because he’s Wanning’s husband.”
“That isn’t your concern.”
Liliana turned.
“He doesn’t love her.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Neither does she.”
Her mother frowned.
“Don’t do anything foolish.”
Liliana walked toward her.
“Mom.”
“Yes?”
“If I can make Gu choose me, wouldn’t that be better for everyone?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because Wanning is your sister.”
Liliana’s expression hardened for half a second.
Then it softened.
“Of course she is.”
She hugged her mother.
“I would never hurt my sister.”
Her mother smiled.
“I know.”
Liliana smiled too.
But once she walked away, her expression changed.
She had no intention of hurting Wanning physically.
She wanted something much more satisfying.
She wanted Wanning to lose everything.
⸻
Gu’s mansion was quiet when they returned.
Wanning entered first.
She dropped her bag on the sofa.
“I’m exhausted.”
Gu walked past her.
“You should eat.”
“I don’t want to.”
“You haven’t eaten since breakfast.”
“I ate a biscuit.”
“That isn’t food.”
“It had chocolate.”
“It still isn’t food.”
She looked at him.
“Why are you so strict?”
“Because you need to eat.”
Wanning sighed.
“Fine.”
She sat at the dining table.
A few minutes later, food arrived.
She stared at it.
“You had this prepared?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“Before we returned.”
She looked at him suspiciously.
“You planned this?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“You need food.”
She shook her head.
“You’re strange.”
“So are you.”
“I accept that.”
She began eating.
For a few minutes, neither spoke.
Then the front door opened.
Wanning looked up.
Liliana walked inside.
Her smile was bright.
“Wanning!”
Wanning immediately put down her fork.
“What are you doing here?”
Liliana ignored the question.
She walked over and hugged her.
Wanning stood stiffly.
Liliana pulled away.
“I missed you.”
“You saw me recently.”
“I still missed you.”
Wanning looked at Gu.
He hadn’t moved.
Liliana noticed him.
Her eyes softened.
“Gu.”
He nodded.
“Liliana.”
She smiled.
“I hope I’m not disturbing you.”
“You are.”
Wanning almost choked.
Liliana’s smile faltered.
Gu continued eating.
“I mean, we’re having dinner.”
“Oh.”
Liliana laughed softly.
“Of course.”
She turned toward Wanning.
“I brought you something.”
“What?”
Liliana opened her bag.
A box.
She handed it over.
Wanning opened it.
Inside was a bracelet.
“It’s beautiful.”
“I saw it and thought of you.”
Wanning stared at it.
She didn’t trust the gesture.
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
Liliana sat down.
Gu looked at her.
“You should go home.”
Liliana blinked.
“I just arrived.”
“Yes.”
“Is Wanning tired?”
“Yes.”
“I can stay quietly.”
“No.”
Liliana looked hurt.
“I don’t want to bother anyone.”
Gu’s voice remained calm.
“You are.”
Wanning covered her mouth.
She almost laughed.
Liliana noticed.
Her expression changed for only a second.
Then she smiled.
“Of course.”
She stood.
“I’ll leave.”
She walked toward the door.
Then turned.
“Gu?”
“Yes?”
“I hope you don’t mind me saying this.”
He waited.
“You should take care of Wanning.”
Gu looked at her.
“I do.”
Liliana smiled.
“I know.”
She left.
The door closed.
Wanning looked at Gu.
“She likes you.”
“I know.”
“You know?”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“And what?”
“Nothing.”
Wanning returned to her food.
“You’re impossible.”
⸻
Liliana got into her car.
Her smile disappeared.
She slammed her handbag onto the seat.
“He doesn’t even look at me.”
Her mother called.
Liliana answered.
“How did it go?”
“He hates me.”
“Don’t say that.”
“He does.”
“Maybe he is simply reserved.”
Liliana stared through the windshield.
“No.”
“What?”
“He isn’t reserved with her.”
Her mother went quiet.
“What do you mean?”
“When Wanning talks, he listens.”
Liliana’s jaw tightened.
“He doesn’t listen to me.”
Her mother sighed.
“Give it time.”
Liliana looked toward the mansion.
“I will.”
Then she smiled.
“But I don’t think I need much.”
⸻
That night, Wanning returned to her room.
She placed the bracelet Liliana gave her on the table.
She didn’t wear it.
Something about it felt wrong.
She opened the drawer.
Inside was the diary from the shrine.
She hadn’t told Gu she had taken it.
She turned to the final pages.
One page had been hidden beneath the leather binding.
She carefully pulled it out.
There was only one sentence.
The bride was never killed.
Wanning stared.
Then another line appeared beneath it.
Slowly.
As if someone were writing with invisible ink.
She killed herself.
Wanning stepped backward.
“No.”
Another line appeared.
Because Gu Mingyuan betrayed her.
Wanning’s mouth went dry.
Then:
And Gu Chenyuan was born from the consequence.
She stopped breathing.
“What?”
The ink continued forming.
Ask him who his mother was.
Wanning’s fingers trembled.
Gu had never spoken about his mother.
Not once.
She folded the page.
She was about to leave her room when she heard footsteps outside.
She opened the door.
“Gu?”
No answer.
She stepped into the hallway.
The mansion was silent.
Then she heard a woman’s voice.
Very close.
“Wanning.”
She turned.
A woman stood at the end of the hallway.
Long black hair.
White dress.
Bare feet.
Wanning couldn’t move.
The woman raised her head.
Her face was beautiful.
Too beautiful.
And terribly familiar.
Wanning whispered,
“Who are you?”
The woman smiled.
“You know me.”
“No.”
“You wore my necklace.”
Wanning touched the half-heart.
The woman’s smile widened.
“He gave you the other half.”
Wanning backed away.
“Who?”
The woman pointed behind her.
Wanning turned.
Gu stood there.
His expression had changed.
For the first time since Wanning met him, he looked genuinely shocked.
His eyes were fixed on the woman.
“Don’t move,” he said.
Wanning looked at him.
“Do you know her?”
Gu didn’t answer.
The woman laughed.
“Tell her.”
Gu’s jaw tightened.
“Leave.”
The woman’s smile disappeared.
“You still command me?”
The lights flickered.
Wanning stepped toward Gu.
“What is happening?”
He reached for her arm.
“Come with me.”
The woman suddenly screamed.
The entire mansion shook.
Glass shattered somewhere downstairs.
Wanning covered her ears.
Gu pulled her behind him.
The woman pointed at him.
“You promised me.”
Gu stared at her.
“I promised nothing.”
“You did.”
“I was not alive.”
“You were.”
Wanning looked between them.
The woman laughed.
“Ask him.”
She pointed at Gu.
“Ask your husband who he was before he became Gu Chenyuan.”
Then she disappeared.
The hallway went silent.
Wanning slowly lowered her hands.
Gu remained motionless.
She looked at him.
“Who were you?”
He didn’t answer.
“Gu.”
Nothing.
“You said you were one hundred and twenty-seven.”
“Yes.”
“Then who were you before that?”
He finally looked at her.
“I don’t remember.”
Wanning stared.
“You don’t remember?”
“No.”
She took a step back.
“Then maybe…”
She glanced toward the empty hallway.
“…she does.”
Gu’s expression hardened.
“Don’t go near her.”
“Why?”
“Because she isn’t what she appears to be.”
“Neither are you.”
He didn’t deny it.
And that frightened Wanning more than anything else.
⸻
In another part of the city, Liliana sat awake in her bedroom.
She had placed a photograph on her bed.
A photograph of Gu Chenyuan.
She had obtained it from one of her father’s contacts.
She stared at it.
“You’re going to be mine.”
Her phone buzzed.
A message appeared.
You are looking for the wrong man.
Liliana frowned.
She typed:
Who are you?
The reply came immediately.
Ask your sister about the first bride.
Liliana stared at the screen.
Another message appeared.
If you want Gu Chenyuan, you must first understand why he belongs to the dead.
Liliana’s expression changed.
For the first time, she wasn’t thinking about stealing Wanning’s husband.
She was thinking about something else.
Something much darker.
She smiled slowly.
“Interesting.”
Then another message appeared.
Do not trust Gu Chenyuan.
Liliana looked at the screen.
And for once, she didn’t know whether to believe the warning…
or use it.
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