Married to the Grim Reaper Against My Will

Spring had just begun, and the air was still cool, but Ji Mian walked quickly, a thin layer of sweat beading on her forehead. She wiped her forehead with the back of her hand, but her pace didn't falter. This wasteland behind the school was supposed to be used for a new laboratory building; building materials were piled up, but construction hadn't started, and even the old bungalows weren't completely demolished. Over time, it had become a gathering place for troublemakers from several nearby schools. Ji Mian had studied at the Second Middle School for five years and had never been near this area. If she hadn't been in a hurry today, she wouldn't have taken this shortcut. It was a languid afternoon, and the wasteland seemed devoid of troublemakers, shrouded in silence. Ji Mian quickened her pace; the wild grass brushed against her feet and ankles, rustling softly, giving her a chilling sense of unease. Not far ahead were the remaining bungalows, with wisps of white smoke rising from one of the half-collapsed walls. Someone was smoking behind the wall. Ji Mian's heart skipped a beat. She glanced at him, then immediately looked straight ahead, intending to hurry across the wasteland, but then she heard her name called— "Is your name Ji Mian?" The voice came from the other side of the wall, and she stopped in her tracks. There was clearly a group of people on the other side of the wall, laughing and talking— "Hey, Xu Ting, aren't you from No. 2 Middle School? Do you know this girl?" The boy called Xu Ting replied lazily, "How the hell would I know? Do you expect me to know every single girl in the school? That would take so much time!" "You're the one who can't resist girls, aren't you?" The group started joking again. Then, Ji Mian heard a familiar voice— “I don’t care, Zhao Tiancheng, you go after her, and dump her once you’ve got her. Go to the Sunshine Class on Monday and ambush her…” Ji Mian’s eyes widened upon hearing this voice. It was her cousin, Shi Man. Ji Mian had come to Jiang City five years ago and lived with her aunt, sharing meals and school with Shi Man. However, Shi Man didn’t like studying much and didn’t get into high school. She was now attending a vocational nursing school nearby, spending her days partying with a group of friends, living a very glamorous life. “The Sunshine Class?” asked the boy named Xu Ting. “Is it that girl, Te Bai? I always see her at the awards ceremony. She’s a model student who doesn’t dare to speak loudly. She’s from a different world than us. Why are you all ruining her life?” Someone laughed, “Isn’t it just that Sister Man’s crush has a crush on that girl…” Ji Mian’s heart tightened slightly. She pursed her lips, preparing to leave. But then, she heard someone mutter a curse under their breath. The boy's voice was languid, his enunciation slurred and lazy, "Are you even behaving like a human being? Grinding and torturing people like this, how immoral!" This boy hadn't spoken before; his voice, though weary, possessed a clear, distinctive quality. As soon as he spoke, the laughter and chatter on the other side ceased, as if no one dared to utter a sound. On the other side of the wall, the boy continued speaking, still nonchalant, "Quiet down, everyone. Who did this mess? I'm not finished with them." His tone wasn't serious, his voice carrying a casual laugh, ethereal and fleeting, like wisps of smoke. "What's going on, Wang-ge? Gone with the good work?" someone teased with a laugh. "I remember you were the number one scoundrel at No. 2 Middle School." "No, still a scoundrel." The person who spoke earlier turned hostile. "Then why the hell are you pretending—" Before the person could finish speaking, a muffled thud followed by a groan. Through the c***k in the broken wall, Ji Mian saw a boy being beaten to the ground. Another boy in black kicked him twice, then stepped on his arm. Silence fell. No one dared to utter a sound, except for the occasional groan from the beaten boy. The boy who had been beating the boy bent down, his sharp, clean-cut profile visible through the c***k. His voice still carried a laugh, casual and flippant. "Don't you know your dad has a bad temper?" Ji Mian turned pale with fright, covering her mouth and standing there, unable to move. Upon hearing the name "Brother Wang," she knew it was Jiang Wang from their school. Jiang Wang, the bully of Class 24 in the senior year, should have been a senior, but he dropped out last year after a fight and returned to repeat his junior year. Almost every student in the surrounding schools knew Jiang Wang's name. He had a bad temper, was wild and ruthless, and fought like a madman. Ji Mian naturally knew this, so she always avoided him, never having any interaction with him. However, through various rumors, she had formed a rough impression of him—if there was a group of rebellious students in the school, then Jiang Wang was definitely the worst of them all. A rustling sound of footsteps came from the other side of the wall. Ji Mian's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively ducked to the side. Two tall, thin figures emerged from behind the wall, one after the other; the one lagging behind was Jiang Wang. Ji Mian wanted to thank him, but her legs went weak. She hesitated for only a moment before Jiang Wang was already far away. Her gaze followed his, and she saw a crimson sunset had appeared on the horizon. In the overgrown grass, a tall, long-legged boy, his backpack slung over his shoulder, walked leisurely towards the sunset, his back to her. He wore a loose black T-shirt and black sweatpants, equally loose, and his pace was unhurried. He exuded a carefree air. The boy walked away against the sunset's glow, the intense light blurring and distorting his silhouette, making him appear unreal. Ji Mian was watching his back when, unexpectedly, he suddenly turned around. The sudden eye contact felt like being caught spying; a mixture of tension and shame overwhelmed her. She froze, unable to react. The fiery clouds stretched across the horizon, and the two seemed to be standing in a fire, exchanging a glance. He only looked at her for less than a second, then turned and walked away. Because of the backlighting, her facial features were difficult to discern, and she wasn't even sure if their eyes had truly met, but Ji Mian felt incredibly tense for that instant. It was probably an innate fear of delinquents, especially since he had just been in a fight. She stood there, clutching her chest, seemingly still able to feel the chaotic pounding of her heart from that brief moment. After Jiang Wang walked away, the murmurs behind the wall resumed— "That arrogant jerk, I've disliked him for ages." "Of all the people in the world, Jiang Wang is the most arrogant, he's f*****g annoying." Shi Man spoke up, "Zhao Tiancheng, don't you know those guys from the vocational high school?" "What for? You're going to mess with Jiang Wang?" Zhao Tiancheng paused, probably getting Shi Man's confirmation, before continuing, "Fine, a bunch of people can't handle one Jiang Wang? He should have learned his place long ago, I can't stand his attitude." Ji Mian had a thought, should she thank Jiang Wang and remind him to be careful? * When Ji Mian arrived at the platform, her uncle Shi Jiancheng was already waiting there. Ji Mian opened the back door, and on the seat was a large bouquet of white chrysanthemums and some fruit offerings, along with Shi Jiancheng's briefcase and various documents scattered around the seat. “I just got here from the company, it’s a bit chaotic, Mianmian, sit in the front.” She hesitated for a moment, then stepped back and obediently sat in the passenger seat, thanking him politely. Today was the anniversary of Ji Mian’s parents’ death. Her aunt, Ji Xiu’an, was originally supposed to go to the cemetery with her. However, her workplace had temporarily reassigned her to a business trip this morning, so Shi Jiancheng had to take her instead. Five years ago, Ji Mian’s parents were on a tour group when the bus plunged off a cliff, and both died from their injuries. Afterwards, twelve-year-old Ji Mian went to Jiang City with her aunt and lived with the Shi family for five years. Thinking of her parents, Ji Mian was somewhat absent-minded. When she finally snapped out of her reverie, she found the car already on a sparsely populated mountain road. The verdant mountains and cypress trees, their shadows looming, suddenly created a sense of eeriness under the dim sky. Ji Mian's heart skipped a beat. She asked cautiously, "Uncle, aren't we going to the cemetery?" Shi Jiancheng, gripping the steering wheel, glanced at her calmly. "Looks like it's about to rain. Let's take a shortcut." The car drove a little further before stopping, almost disappearing into the woods. Once the car stopped, Shi Jiancheng took off his glasses, wiped his face, and looked at Ji Mian, his small eyes gleaming with a chilling light. "Mianmian, your aunt is over forty, all wrinkled and flabby. I really have no interest in her." Ji Mian's eyes widened suddenly, her heart leaping into her throat. Shi Jiancheng smiled, revealing a set of slightly yellowed teeth. "Mianmian, you're smart and obedient, you definitely understand what your uncle means, right? I've raised you for so many years, consider this your way of repaying me. Your aunt and I have no feelings for each other anymore. If you come with me, I'll support you through university, and after you graduate, I'll divorce your aunt and marry you." As he spoke, Shi Jiancheng impatiently placed his hand on her leg, lightly stroking it. Ji Mian tensed, instinctively darting to the side, avoiding his hand. A wave of nausea washed over her; she felt so nauseous she almost vomited. Shi Jiancheng's expression changed. "Don't push your luck. Stay with me, and everything will be fine. If you don't listen, I'll take advantage of you, and you'll have nowhere to cry. You're all alone, can you sue me? Your aunt is over forty, she values ​​this family a lot, can you bear to destroy it and make her sad?" He grabbed Ji Mian's arm with one hand, forcefully dragging her towards him, while his other hand began to pull at her school uniform. Ji Mian tensed up, feeling both disgusted and terrified. She struggled and screamed, "Uncle! Uncle! Listen to me, listen to me first..." Shi Jiancheng leaned over the center console, close to her side. Ji Mian had never experienced anything like this before. Terrified, her face turned pale, tears streaming down her face. She trembled all over, "Uncle... Uncle, please wait until I finish, I... I'll be good..." Her throat tightened, her voice dry and hoarse, too frightened to speak, frozen in place, trembling uncontrollably. Shi Jiancheng backed away, saying, "I like obedient girls. This car is small; if you fuss, we won't be able to maneuver properly later..." The overweight man in his forties, slightly balding, with an oily face, was shameless, and every word he spoke was nauseating. A chilling nausea spread through her body, and Ji Mian's scalp felt like it was about to explode, but she choked out, "Uncle...Uncle, I...I'll be obedient, please...please don't rush me, I...I'm scared..." She was terrified and completely lost, but she bit her tongue, using the pain to maintain her last shred of sanity. She stealthily reached for the door handle with one hand and the center console with the other. Shi Jiancheng was blinded by lust; the girl's tearful, frail, and helpless appearance made his lecherous eyes unable to leave her for even a second, completely oblivious to Ji Mian's subtle movements. "That's a good girl. I could eat meat after raising a dog for five years. A good girl knows how to repay kindness..." Ji Mian couldn't hear him at all. Gathering all her strength, she decisively pressed the handbrake button, releasing it. Simultaneously, she pushed open the car door and jumped out without hesitation. Shi Jiancheng realized he'd been tricked and opened the door to chase after her. However, the car, stopped on the slightly sloping mountain road, rolled backwards after the handbrake was released. Shi Jiancheng cursed angrily and quickly chased after the rolling car, going back to put the handbrake back on. When he finished, he looked up, but Ji Mian was nowhere to be seen. Ji Mian, driven by sheer willpower, ran forward with all her might. Afraid that Shi Jiancheng would chase after her in his car, she didn't dare run along the road. Instead, she climbed over the low guardrail and ran into the mountains. She kept running forward, the scenery rushing past on both sides: the road, pine trees, mounds of earth, rocks… all receding behind her. Exhausted and with her legs giving way, she collapsed onto the grass. Ji Mian lay on her back, staring at the night sky torn apart by tree branches, breathing heavily. Darkness had fallen. The dense forest was filled with the crisscrossing shadows of trees, the mountain wind rustling softly, as if countless filthy ghosts lurked in the shadows. She lay in the dark forest for over half an hour before her trembling gradually subsided, but her face remained bloodless. Then her phone rang suddenly. A faint light appeared in the darkness, and the screen flashed the name "Auntie." Like seeing a lighthouse in the deep, dark sea, the breath she had been holding finally released, and her heart, which had been floating in mid-air, returned to its peaceful state. "Mianmian, where have you been? Your uncle said you didn't come home from school, and he went to the school but couldn't pick you up." As soon as the call connected, Ji Xiuan launched into a tirade of accusations. "It's already nine o'clock! What are you doing wandering around outside, a young girl like you?" Ji Mian held the phone, her heart brimming with words, but she didn't know how to express them. Only a wave of sadness welled up in her eyes. "Where have you been? Come home right away. I haven't finished my work yet. Be sensible and don't cause trouble." "Aunt... Aunt..." Ji Mian's voice trembled with tears, "Aunt... Uncle..." Ji Mian stammered, hesitating to speak. Ji Xiu'an, whether from something Shi Jiancheng said or from a premonition of what Ji Mian was about to say, interrupted her abruptly: "Mianmian, you can't just say things carelessly. Think it through before you speak!" Her heart, which had just settled, felt like it had been squeezed. She felt breathless, her mouth agape, unable to utter a single word. Ji Xiu'an waited a moment, then softened her voice, "Mianmian, it's good for girls to be thoughtful and cautious, but don't let it cause misunderstandings with your family." "Aunt," Ji Mian found her voice, saying each word clearly, "there's no misunderstanding." She was gentle by nature, but not foolish. "Mianmian!" Ji Xiuan raised her voice. "You're all grown up now. Living together will inevitably bring some inconveniences and misunderstandings. Don't make a big deal out of it and ruin the family. How about this, you go back first, and whatever it is, wait for me to come back before we talk. If it really comes to it, I'll rent you a place." Ji Mian's mind was a mess. She didn't know if her aunt genuinely didn't believe her, or if she was choosing not to believe her for the sake of so-called family harmony. The spring night was still very cold, especially in the mountains. Her thin coat was already soaked through with cold air, and coupled with the overwhelming despair, Ji Mian felt cold all over, her limbs numb and icy. "Auntie, today is the anniversary of my parents' death." The other end seemed stunned, and there was silence for a moment. Ji Mian ignored her, hung up the phone, and got up to walk out of the woods. She had only wanted to get rid of Shi Jiancheng; she didn't know where she had gone. She was surrounded by dense trees, and occasionally a flash of light could be seen through the gaps in the branches, probably from a car speeding by on the highway in the distance. She groped her way forward in the dark, following the direction of the flashing lights. It was pitch black, and there was no lighting on the mountain. She tried to be careful, but stepped on a loose patch of earth. The clod crumbled and fell, and she lost her balance, tumbling down the mountain. The world spun, darkness and dizziness overwhelmed all her senses. The change came suddenly; she couldn't even process what was happening before she felt a heavy blow to the back of her head. Her tumbling was halted, but a sharp pain followed, so intense it felt like it was going to shake her soul out of her body and make her faint. She didn't completely lose consciousness, but her vision blurred, and her mind raced with images, like a movie playing in rapid succession— Her mother taking her to kindergarten, kissing her forehead; her father hiding her new schoolbag behind the door, watching her search for treasure with loving eyes; her parents taking her to the aquarium, her twelfth birthday present… Is life just a revolving lantern? Is it over, and death is inevitable? The image in her mind continued. Her mother's pale, weak fingers grasped hers, telling her to say goodbye to her father, to live well, to live well for their sake… The image finally froze—a tall, thin figure walking against the crimson sunset, as if walking into a blazing, intense fire. A powerfully impactful image. Perhaps because that was the only person who had shown her kindness before death, this image was inexplicably etched into her mind, making her suddenly feel that the world still held warmth. She still wanted to live well, for her parents' sake. She wanted to be brave, at least to thank everyone who had shown her kindness, so as not to live with lifelong regret. But her consciousness was gradually fading, and the intense, impactful image in her mind vanished, leaving only utter darkness. As her last vestige of consciousness was about to be swallowed by darkness, she heard a sudden gust of mountain wind, and a distant, ancient voice echoed from the void. The voice, carried by the gale, was incredibly powerful and clear— "To become the bride of a god is to be reborn."