C17 You Should Sell Yourself

Changshun lay on his bed, lost in a daze, with no one to turn to for help.

"Could it really be that the heavens have abandoned me?"

"Pshaw! The heavens abandon you? You don't know how lucky you are, kid."

That voice was back.

Changshun bolted upright.

"Who are you, really? You claim my grandfather arranged some sort of arranged marriage, but who just appears and disappears like that? And where are you? Why won't you come out and talk to me?"

Instead of answers, Changshun was met with a cascade of silvery laughter.

"What's so funny?"

"Only now you're curious about who I am? You really are a fool."

"Then who are you, exactly?"

Changshun questioned the empty air.

"What could I be?" the belle teased, drawing out her words.

Changshun waited patiently, but the conversation seemed to end there.

"Come on..."

"I'm not telling! Hehehe..."

It was then that Changshun realized he'd been played.

"You're really something..."

"Don't be so mad. I've made myself invisible to save you two, and now I can't even show my face. I've got no place to argue my case. Once you gather the materials I need, maybe then I'll reveal who I am."

"I'm broke. Even if I sold myself, I couldn't afford the things you're asking for."

"Money, yes. It does seem to be quite important in this world."

"No kidding."

"Let me think about how you can make some money."

Changshun had little faith that this enigmatic being could offer any viable solutions. All he wanted was to find a job quickly and navigate through the immediate hardship.

Xiuxiu's tuition fee deadline was fast approaching.

"Aha, I've got it!"

"What?" Changshun asked on impulse.

"You're quite handsome; you could sell your services."

"What did you just say? Repeat that."

"Sell your services? I think it's a brilliant idea. Though you do look a bit rough at the moment. Alas! As much as it pains me, I suppose I'll have to expend a bit more energy for the sake of the future."

The belle rambled on, not allowing Changshun a moment to interject.

As the jade on his neck began to glow with a silver light, a sudden tiredness overcame Changshun, and within seconds, he was fast asleep on the bed.

As he slept, numerous tiny points of light streamed in through the window, eventually coalescing into a substance resembling silver gauze, enveloping Changshun's entire body.

Unconscious, Changshun was oblivious to the events unfolding around him.

After Xiuxiu finished cooking, she noticed Changshun hadn't emerged, so she knocked on his door to no avail.

"Xiuxiu, let's start eating. I think your brother is not in the best of spirits; it might be good for him to have some time alone. Men often need their own space."

Xiuxiu remained silent and reluctantly joined Du Yuewei for the meal.

Still, she was deeply concerned for Changshun, occasionally glancing at his door with peripheral concern.

Changshun stayed in his room all day. By ten o'clock that night, Xiuxiu's concern had grown; what if Changshun was contemplating something foolish?

Du Yuewei shared her concern and handed Xiuxiu the spare key.

Upon opening the door, Xiuxiu discovered someone lying in the bed.

She flicked on the light, instantly illuminating the room.

"Ugh! What is that awful smell?"

Overwhelmed, Du Yuewei covered her nose and mouth.

Xiuxiu was hit by the foul odor too, reminiscent of something rotten and overpowering.

"I can't handle this; I need to step outside."

Despite her discomfort, Xiuxiu's worry for Changshun compelled her to approach the bed, nose pinched.

"Changshun, are you okay?"

Changshun was hidden under the covers, concealing his condition from Xiuxiu.

Still without consciousness, Changshun offered no response.

Anxious, Xiuxiu flung back the covers, and the stench intensified. She couldn't help but retch beside the bed.

Changshun's state was dire.

He was coated in a layer of black grime, emitting an odor that was nauseating.

He appeared to be in a state between human and specter.

Despite feeling unwell herself, Xiuxiu was determined to rouse Changshun, fearing the worst.

As Xiuxiu's fingers nearly grazed the jade on Changshun's chest, she was abruptly repelled by an unseen force.

She tumbled to the ground, feeling disoriented.

Meanwhile, Changshun began to stir.

"What's going on with me?"

He sat up, but before he could make sense of the situation, he was nearly overwhelmed by a foul odor emanating from his body.

"It stinks, it stinks! What happened to me?"

Covered in a sticky layer of black grime, Changshun bolted from the room and into the bathroom.

He turned on the faucet and frantically scrubbed himself, hoping to rid his body of the filth.

Thankfully, the grime was washable. After Changshun had thoroughly cleaned himself and ensured the strange odor was gone, he dried off with a towel and made his way to the sink.

The mirror was fogged up with steam, obscuring his view. He wiped it with his hand, revealing a clean surface but reflecting a stranger.

"Who is this? Is this some kind of joke mirror with paper on it?" Changshun mumbled to himself.

But as he reached up to touch his hair, the reflection mimicked his movements. He instantly knew something was amiss.

After a few more gestures at the mirror, Changshun let out a terrified yell.

Outside, Du Yuewei and Xiuxiu shuddered at the sound.

"What's wrong with your brother? He hasn't lost his mind, has he?"

Xiuxiu looked on, anxious and clueless about what had transpired.

"Should we check on him?"

"We can't, Changshun is showering, and he didn't take any clothes in with him." Xiuxiu was holding a fresh set of clothes, clearly concerned that Changshun would need something to wear.

Just then, the bathroom door swung open.

A man, clad only in a towel, dashed out.

"Xiuxiu, quick, look at me. I..."

Xiuxiu paused, her gaze landing on a very handsome man before her.

Yet upon closer inspection, she recognized something familiar.

"You... You're Brother Changshun?"

Her eyes widened in shock.

At that moment, Changshun's height and build remained the same, but his skin tone had undergone a significant change.

Before, Changshun's daily outdoor labor had left his skin deeply tanned, and without much attention to skincare, he appeared much older than his years. At just twenty, he could easily be mistaken for someone in their thirties.

Now, however, Changshun's complexion has regained its youthful fairness and suppleness, with skin so delicate it seemed almost translucent, surpassing even the smoothness of a woman's.

Changshun was never unattractive; it was more that he hailed from a small town and didn't place much emphasis on grooming, which often left him looking rather plain and unpolished.