Chapter 143

Upon hearing this name, the netizens couldn't help but discuss it, because in domestic custom this term formerly meant a self‑reference after one's husband died, with a more blunt synonym: widow. Or bereaved wife.

【Widow, consultant—this name just won't do; this isn't… isn't that what it means?】

【Oh no, I have a bad feeling—where are the tissues, the tissue box?】

Some more rational viewers couldn't help but speak up: 【……Is it possible that the consultant is in this situation?】

After this comment was posted, the incoming comments suddenly stalled, as if forming a break in the flow.

【Host, if it gets any worse I really will cry for you to see—my eyes will cry blind, waa waa waa】

Ling Yue: "⊙﹏⊙"

What could she do? This is a system lottery, not something she can control.

Ling Yue could only withdraw her gaze from the comments, pretend she didn't care, and continue looking at the big screen.

In the half‑screen linked to the consultant in the live‑stream room, a haggard girl appeared on camera, looking at the screen with a layer of worry over her brow; anyone who isn't blind can tell she must have gone through something agonizing.

Ling Yue blinked slightly; the girl looked at her, her voice hoarse like rough sandpaper rubbing: "Hello, host, I am a widow."

Ling Yue furrowed her brow: "Hello, besides that title, do you have any other way to be called?"

The girl pressed her lips and said: "You can call me Qian Qian, anything is fine; I believe you've already guessed from my nickname—I just lost my partner, sorry, I feel this nickname isn't appropriate, sorry, host."

Before she finished, she couldn't help but close her eyes; tears slid down her cheeks, her already wan look turning even paler, making one wonder if she could really keep going.

Ling Yue: "!!!"

There's nothing to apologize for; hearing the girl's apology left her dazed, feeling as if she had said something hurtful.

Ling Yue wanted to say something, she glanced briefly at the girl's face; since her knot was in love and fate, she didn't look elsewhere—only at the Fate Line.

In the girl's Fate Palace there were two red lines, one her own, the other an outsider—presumably the other half causing her anguish.

One end of one of the two tightly entwined Fate Lines seemed to have been abruptly severed by something extremely sharp.

Meanwhile, the part where they were intertwined ahead had almost fused into one.

Normally only a true affinity produces this; she should have deeply loved him, yet fate is just so fickle.

Before Ling Yue could say anything, the girl had composed herself, looking at Ling Yue: "Host, sorry, I couldn't control my emotions earlier; now I'm fine, I can continue."

Ling Yue immediately composed herself, nodded upon hearing her voice: "Please go on."

Qian Qian said: "I want to consult about a butterfly."

When she spoke of the butterfly, her water‑moist eyes lit up, filled with tiny hopes like sparkling diamonds.

"It isn't my pet; I hadn't even seen it a day ago. This butterfly flew into my house yesterday out of the blue, host—you don't know, it's very human‑like, it's incredibly smart."

"So I want you to help me see whether it's really my boyfriend returned."

As soon as she said that, the netizens in the live‑stream felt their scalps go numb.

【!!!? My dead boyfriend came back? Miss, don't scare people—even in broad daylight that's too frightening!】

【Waa waa waa my goodness, I misread you—I didn't expect you to be like this, Miss; we were promised a gratitude program, how did it suddenly turn into approaching science!】

【Don't do that, if we don't say that word we're still good friends QAQ】

Many more doubted: 【Miss, did you get it wrong? A butterfly—how could that possibly be your… boyfriend?】

【I don't believe it—this isn't scientific!】

The netizens' heated debate kept Ling Yue glued, but she couldn't let it go on; after a few coughs she finally drew the audience's attention back.

【Right, the host is still here—whatever that thing is, the host will know at a glance.】

Qian Qian looked at the comments, smiling through tears: "Actually I didn't dare believe it at first, but my feeling tells me it's him—only he would do those things; he loves stroking my hair, he likes playing with glass cups, after I wash up he tells me not to keep my hair wet and to blow‑dry it… that sudden butterfly did all of that, it would land on the hair dryer to let me blow‑dry my hair, and more importantly——"

She covered her face, eyelids fluttering, tears spilling uncontrollably: "Yesterday was the day he returned on the seventh day after death, as elders say—on the seventh night the soul returns; he loved me so much, he surely would come back."

"I kept waiting and waiting, until night—only one butterfly landed on the ceramic lover doll we hand‑made together. That night I opened my eyes and saw it."

Her words were a bit tangled, yet they oddly evoked empathy; one could easily get drawn into her story, many netizens already had reddened rims, feeling sore and sad—like being unhappy, picking a random book from the shelf and only at the end discovering it was actually a BE novel.

Pain, so painful!

【Waa waa waa I'm obviously a single dog with no partner—why are you torturing me!】

Qian Qian didn't look at the comments, her vacant gaze falling into emptiness: "I asked it, I asked it if it was my boyfriend, and it just…… slowly……"

She touched her lips, suddenly lifted her eyelids, and smiled: "It stopped on my lips."

The horrified netizens, hearing Qian Qian's emotionally charged words, gradually relaxed their tension—if what she said were true, it had returned to keep her company.

Many instead felt a hint of warmth from it.

【Waa waa waa so is it really him or not? This butterfly is just too human‑like!】

【Good grief, I never imagined I'd one day listen to something so entrancing!】

【Throwing cold water on it—maybe the butterfly got lost, or it's just cold outside; not necessarily anything special.】

【I don't care, I don't care—definitely it's the miss's boyfriend returning!】

【Now it's time to call on the host—host, it's your moment to shine! 【Cheer】【Cheer】】

Seeing the netizens split into two camps, Ling Yue couldn't help but rub her forehead; as for that later comment, she nodded and looked at the girl: "Qian Qian, could you do me a favor—where is that butterfly now?"

Qian Qian gently curled her lips, then lifted her hand: "Here it is."

An orange‑yellow butterfly with black polka‑dot inlays landed on her left ring finger; as she moved, its large beautiful wings slowly opened and closed, the splendid feathers very lovely.

It rested on Qian Qian's ring finger like an exquisitely shaped ring.

The netizens in the live‑stream gaped, for hearing about it and actually seeing it are worlds apart; the multicolored butterfly struck every viewer's eyeballs.

Qian Qian looked at it, breaking into a happy smile.

"Li Xing, is it you who's come back to find me?"

"Do you know how long I've waited for you? How could you just leave without a word—do you realize I'll hate you for life?"

She said this, then couldn't help but sob and cry out.

Whenever she closed her eyes, that night's scene would replay over and over, stretched out each time, leaving her restless day and night.

That day she had just gotten off work, her boyfriend drove over in his car to pick her up; it was the most ordinary day after they had been together for five years.

In the pouring rain, she saw him get out of the car, a tall, slim boy holding a red umbrella, walking toward her step by step.

Only a street separated them.

Qian Qian couldn't help but quicken her steps; they were now only a tiny distance apart, she didn't realize the accident was imminent, still happily thinking how the cold, damp rain made a hot pot at home with her boyfriend the most comforting.

She still wanted to take a hot shower.

The girl was lost in her imagination; even the cold night rain couldn't dampen the flush on her face.

Cars flowed like water, lights flickered, and a huge, piercing screech of brakes suddenly sounded from behind.

Who would have thought, someone was driving drunk, a black car like a ferocious beast baring its fangs and claws, lunging out.

It bit the boyfriend.

In the wind and rain, that bright red umbrella was flung aside, and the boy in the camel-colored coat fell together with it onto the slippery ground, the downpour growing ever heavier; she saw so much blood for the first time.

So red, so glaring, the rain pouring on him looked like an endless river of blood.

Overwhelming chill and fear seized her heart and mind, leaving her unable to utter a word.

Qian Qian covered her face, tears continually slipping through her fingers, the girl's choked voice sounded indoors: "I wish the one who died were me; how could the dead one not be me!"

In the live‑stream room, everyone who heard this fell silent; Ling Yue stared at the butterfly and heard it emit a weak male voice: "Qian Qian, don't cry."

The butterfly grasped her fingertip, its voice so faint that if not for Ling Yue's astonishing hearing, she probably couldn't have heard it at all.

Ling Yue stared at the butterfly, a hint of surprise flickering in her eyes.

After all, Ling Yue's own attitude was one of half‑belief, half‑doubt; the folk tales circulating are countless, but if one believed them all, the world would probably already be packed with monsters.

But Ling Yue never expected this to actually be true.

She clenched one hand into a fist, held it to her lips, and greeted the butterfly: "Hello."

The butterfly suddenly fluttered up, showing extraordinary vigilance, and only then slowly landed on Qian Qian's hair, never relaxing: "Who are you? What do you want?"

Ling Yue sighed helplessly: "You're its boyfriend, Bai Lixing, right?"

The butterfly fluttered its wings, and in Qian Qian's expectant gaze it told Ling Yue: "I am."

In fact, he too had paid a great price to obtain these few days to spend with his girlfriend.

When the butterfly dies, he will also fully enter the cycle of rebirth; as for why he didn't just leave, it's because he couldn't bear to part from her.

But likewise, he didn't realize that his death would cause the girl he liked such pain.

The fragile, gorgeous butterfly suddenly fluttered up and landed on the girl's head; Qian Qian sensed it, hardly daring to move, clasped her hands, and nervously looked at Ling Yue: "Host, it must be my boyfriend."

She no longer questioned Ling Yue, as if drawing endless strength from within, she spoke firmly. ，：，.