Chapter 3: The Strange Soul
1269 Words
Bai Yuxuan was tumbling down the hillside.
Her hands flailed desperately, reaching for anything that might stop her descent. Regret churned in her chest—why had she thought taking the shortcut was a good idea? The sun had set before she realized it, and now the snow was falling thick and fast. One misstep, and here she was, rolling uncontrollably. Just as she managed to grab onto a brittle tree root, the heavy first-aid kit slung across her back swung forward with a cruel vengeance, smacking her right in the forehead. Darkness closed in.
Surely, this isn’t how I die?
How absurd would that be? A quick end to everything before she could figure out whether her future had any hope—and her ex-boyfriend, of all people, would be smugly admiring his foresight, knowing she’d always been a disaster waiting to happen.
Bai Yuxuan clenched her fist. No way. She wouldn’t accept it.
She blinked and realized something odd: a dead person shouldn’t be able to clench their fist. And she felt pain. If she were dead, she certainly shouldn’t still be aware, let alone feeling this sharp ache in her belly as if something had just punched her there.
With a startled cry, Bai Yuxuan bolted upright, clutching her stomach—only to see the offending first-aid kit roll off her.
Not this thing again!
It had hit her head and now her stomach. Of course, today, she’d restocked the kit so full it was practically bursting.
Anger surged. She lifted her foot to kick the offending kit away but froze mid-motion.
What on earth am I wearing?
A white dress? No, not just any white dress—a gauzy, ethereal gown that seemed completely out of place. When had she changed? And why would anyone in their right mind put an injured woman in a flimsy thing like this? It was winter, after all…
Wait. Winter. Snow.
Bai Yuxuan blinked again, realizing the noise she had assumed was in her head wasn’t just her brain rattling from the impact. No, an actual storm was brewing outside—rain pouring heavily against the windows.
Her mouth fell open in stunned silence.
Slowly, she turned her head, taking in the room around her. Wooden doors with intricate carvings, round windows, and a classic, ancient aesthetic that could’ve been pulled straight from a traditional painting. A bed draped in silken curtains stood in the corner.
She gingerly touched her neck, feeling a searing pain there—far more intense than anything else. Her fingers traced the rough lines of bruises like the marks of strangulation.
“Ligature marks…” she muttered, her professional instincts kicking in. But as she looked up at the exposed beams above her, she saw a long white fabric hanging down, swaying gently.
Footsteps, loud and hurried, broke through the sound of the storm outside.
Bai Yuxuan’s eyes darted to the doorway. A crowd of people—women of various ages—was rushing inside. Each wore their hair in intricate buns, their clothes like something out of a costume drama, flowing and archaic. It was as if they had stepped straight out of an ancient tomb.
Except they were breathing. And moving. And—crying?
"What... is this a dream?" Bai Yuxuan mumbled.
The group of women didn’t seem to notice her disorientation. They bustled closer, one of the younger girls weeping openly.
“The young mistress…!” she choked, her words cut off as her gaze locked onto Bai Yuxuan.
Bai Yuxuan stared back, wide-eyed, her lips parting in disbelief.
The girl’s sobs turned into a sharp scream. “A ghost!”
Chaos ensued. The women, who moments ago were rushing in, now stumbled over themselves to flee. One young maid collapsed, trembling on the ground. Bai Yuxuan found herself screaming, too, scrambling backwards on her hands and feet in a panic.
“You little fool!” The older woman at the front, clearly the leader, barely managed to catch herself from falling as she cursed at the girl who had screamed. She shot a sharp glance at Bai Yuxuan, sizing her up instantly, her face hardening as the pieces clicked together. Clearly, whatever she’d expected, this wasn’t it.
“Someone shut that girl up!” she barked, her commanding tone leaving no room for argument. Three or four other women immediately descended upon the trembling maid, slapping her into silence.
Bai Yuxuan could only watch in bewilderment. What on earth was happening?
The older woman turned her attention back to Bai Yuxuan, her expression unreadable. “Young mistress,” she said, her voice suddenly sweet, dripping with a mocking politeness. “Do you have any further instructions for us?”
Silence stretched through the room. Bai Yuxuan, barely understanding what was happening, didn’t answer.
The woman sighed dramatically. “If not, we’ll be going. There’s much to be done—what with the madam being unwell, the family’s mourning rituals, and all the household responsibilities falling to your sisters. You understand, of course.”
Still, no response from Bai Yuxuan.
The woman’s mouth curled into a cold smile. “We’ll leave you to your... rest. Call us if you have any needs.” She practically sneered the last word before gesturing to the hanging cloth above them. “Do leave that there. The young mistress might need it again soon enough.”
With a dismissive wave, she turned on her heel and headed for the door. The rest of the women followed her lead, their previous terror melting into amusement as they muttered among themselves.
“It took her long enough to try it…”
“Too scared to go through with it, I suppose…”
“If she’d succeeded, the young master’s troubles would be over!”
Their laughter echoed as they left, but the words stung. Bai Yuxuan stared after them, her mind spinning, trying to understand everything.
Before she could fully gather herself, the two trembling maids who had stayed behind came forward. One, her face streaked with tears, whispered nervously, “Young mistress, are you alright?”
Bai Yuxuan didn’t answer. The other maid stepped closer, glancing toward the bed where a corner of the mysterious gown peeked out from under the curtains.
“Young mistress?” she asked again, quieter this time.
From behind the bed curtains, a weak voice finally responded. “I’m fine.”
The two maids exchanged glances. Slowly, a pale hand emerged from the curtains, pulling them shut even tighter.
The maid who had spoken first sighed, shaking her head. “Shall I call for the doctor?”
“No need,” came the muffled reply. “Just leave me.”
Still shaken, the two maids nodded and backed out of the room, closing the door behind them. Only when Bai Yuxuan was certain they were gone did she dare step out from behind the bed.
She took in the room, its antique furniture, the cold light of the storm filtering through the window. Everything was unsettlingly real.
Her eyes finally settled on the bronze mirror in the corner. Taking a deep breath as if preparing for an execution, she stepped toward it, closing her eyes before quickly opening them again.
Staring back at her was not her face, but a stranger’s. Pale, with delicate features and wide, almond-shaped eyes, this face was entirely unfamiliar.
Bai Yuxuan’s hand went to her cheek, pulling at the soft skin. The reflection did the same.
“Oh… my…”
She leaned in, her breath catching as the realization hit.
She had crossed time itself.
- Writer
