Borrowing Yang Energy

【This work has been contracted for publication in simplified Chinese.】 Xue Ming, an overworked office worker, was hit by a drunk driver on her way home and died on the spot. When she opened her eyes again, a young man dressed as a scholar was saying to her, “Brother Chixia, if you’re rested, let’s get going.” Xue Ming was still wondering when she had started using the surname Yan. “Who are you?” The scholar replied, “I am Ning Caichen.” Xue Ming had a bad feeling. After confirming it several times, she learned that she had died and transmigrated into Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio. From Ning Caichen, she also learned that she seemed to be called Yan Chixia. She and Ning Caichen traveled together. They hadn’t gone far when they came upon a magnificent temple. Ning Caichen happily headed for the entrance, but Xue Ming’s alarm bells went off. Wiping away a cold sweat, she said, “This temple doesn’t look very auspicious.” Xue Ming had assumed that since she had transmigrated as Yan Chixia, she would at least have some treasures to her name, even if she couldn’t perform exorcisms. The original story had given him a particularly powerful sword, after all. She soon realized she’d vastly overestimated herself. On her very first night in the temple, she was chased by yaksha demons until she fled in terror. She stumbled into the depths of the building and found a remarkably handsome male ghost named Yu He living there. The other yaksha in the temple seemed to fear him greatly and didn’t dare disturb him. After nearly dying out there, Xue Ming steeled herself and went straight to Yu He with a deal: she would offer him a little yang energy each day, and in return he would let her stay in his room for shelter. Yu He gazed at her for a long while before finally agreeing. From then on, the male ghost hugged and kissed Xue Ming as he drained her yang energy. Her strength quickly ebbed, until she could barely walk without a cane. Figuring that she’d die if he kept draining her, she decided to end their deal unilaterally. At that, Yu He revealed his true nature, grabbed her, and pinned her to the bed. “It’s fine. I’ll give you some of my yang energy.” Xue Ming was stunned. “Wait a minute. Where would a male ghost get yang energy?” - Yan Yuhe, courtesy name Chixia, had been sent down the mountain by his master to capture his younger apprentice sister, who had deserted their sect. He calculated that she would enter the temple and waited there ahead of time. He had planned to retrieve the sect’s treasure after she died at the hands of the demons and ghosts. But when his junior sister barged in, shrieking, not only did she fail to recognize him, she mistook him for a male ghost and offered him her yang energy. Looking into her clear, jade-bright eyes, Yan Yuhe had a change of heart and agreed. 【A coward who’s terrified of dying x a shameless scoundrel who falls for her looks】 【A love-at-first-sight story. Both leads are sexually pure. Happy ending.】 【This story is inspired by Nie Xiaoqian from Pu Songling’s Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio, but includes a lot of original worldbuilding. It’s something I wrote for my own amusement. I’ve made the character dynamics clear, so please don’t read if they aren’t to your taste.】 The next story I plan to write: Cloud of Joy Blurb: - Shen Yunhuan was once a genius sword cultivator, praised by everyone. Then one day, she lost all her spiritual power. The position of head disciple went to a girl who appeared out of nowhere, while Shen Yunhuan was kicked out to the outer sect to fend for herself. She lost everything overnight. While she lay unconscious with serious injuries, a young man named Shi Lanye found her and took her home. When she opened her eyes, Shi Lanye said, “You’ve lost all your spiritual power and become a useless wreck. Stop making trouble.” Shen Yunhuan thought that was a nasty thing to say and was so angry she couldn’t eat. A little while later, Shi Lanye came over. “I made too much porridge. If you don’t eat it, it’ll go to waste.” Shen Yunhuan: “I’m not hungry, but since you’re worried about wasting it, I suppose I can help you eat a little.” Shi Lanye was quiet and taciturn, and the outer-sect disciples were always picking on him. He spent all day working, and when they bullied him badly, he couldn’t even get a meal. She heard people outside mocking him, saying that he was useless himself and had taken in another useless person with enemies everywhere. Two good-for-nothings together would get beaten to death sooner or later. Shen Yunhuan declared, “Once I’ve recovered, I’ll teach them a lesson for you.” But after she recovered, the bullying got even worse. They even chopped up her bed, so the two of them had to sleep on the floor. That night, as they lay on a pile of straw, Shi Lanye asked her, “Can you really teach them a lesson?” Shen Yunhuan: “I really can! I only lost on purpose today to make them let their guard down.” 【Too proud to admit defeat x Not what they seem】 Theme: Life is precious.