Chapter 3: Mother

“Let’s go…”

Shen Siyuan closed his computer and stood up slowly and deliberately.

The little one beside him was already impatient, her tiny bottom wiggling incessantly as if that could speed things up.

“All right, don’t be anxious. We’ll definitely make it on time,” Shen Siyuan said with a reassuring smile.

The finance department was located at the innermost part of the office. Whether taking the stairs or the elevator, they would inevitably pass by the operations department.

In an internet company, the partitions between departments were all large floor-to-ceiling glass panels, making everything clearly visible.

Shen Siyuan glanced back at the empty office. Everyone had already left. He switched off the lights, and the faint blue glow from several mainframes became clearly visible. The machines weren’t shut down; they were either idling or rendering.

He paid no mind and closed the door behind him. Across the way in the programming department, the lights were still bright and the noise of laughter and chatter drifted out—not the sound of work, but of a group playing games together.

The little one turned to walk inside, intending to find her mother, but Shen Siyuan gently stopped her.

“We’ll wait by the elevator. She’s not going to jump out of a window.”

That seemed to amuse the child, who giggled uncontrollably.

Seeing the little one confidently slip her tiny hand into his palm, Shen Siyuan smiled and asked, “I still don’t know your name. How old are you this year?”

“My name’s Dou Dou. I’m… three,” the child said, her speech a bit unclear, pronouncing “three” as “shan sui.” Shen Siyuan paused briefly before realizing what she meant.

“So your nickname is Dou Dou. What’s your full name?”

“My full name… full name… full name is Tao Hongdou. Am I impressive?”

She clenched her little fist with a look that seemed to say, “Go ahead, praise me.”

Shen Siyuan didn’t say anything but reached out to gently stroke her little head. The child immediately closed her eyes like a kitten and nuzzled against his palm.

Children were really no different from pets—they loved to be held and petted.

Dou Dou had passed away over two years ago, and no one had touched her like this in a long time. Even at night, when she secretly slipped into her parents’ embrace, they couldn’t see or feel her, so there was no sensation. This made her especially happy.

The two of them arrived at the elevator entrance. The rush hour had already passed, and the area was nearly empty.

Shen Siyuan waited quietly while Dou Dou grew restless, running back and forth several times before finally seeing her mother ambling out with a bag slung over her shoulder.

Dou Dou followed closely, reaching out to grab her, but each time she failed.

Eventually, she looked up at Shen Siyuan with a face full of grievance.

“Guo Guo…”

“All right… all right… I’ll make sure she sees you soon,” he soothed.

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Jiang Wenxin barely glanced at Shen Siyuan standing by the elevator and didn’t greet him.

Although they worked in the same company with hundreds of employees, it was impossible to know everyone, especially since they were in different departments with little interaction. So naturally, there was no reason to greet one another casually.

Shen Siyuan gave Jiang Wenxin a quick look. She was a woman in her thirties, fair-skinned, wearing a red dress that further highlighted her porcelain complexion. She was petite but curvaceous, with delicate features and an elegant aura—a well-cared-for lady from a wealthy family.

Yet her complexion was poor. Despite a heavy layer of foundation, she still looked exhausted.

Dou Dou bounced excitedly beside her, trying to get her mother’s attention, but Jiang Wenxin ignored her as usual.

Dou Dou shot Shen Siyuan a sideways suspicious glance, as if to say, “Are you lying to me?”

Amused by her expression, Shen Siyuan whispered, “Just a little longer.”

Dou Dou stared blankly at him, then sighed and obediently stood aside, occasionally glancing at her mother and then at Shen Siyuan, looking very well-behaved.

Though Shen Siyuan’s voice was low, it caught Jiang Wenxin’s attention. She glanced at him again.

He hadn’t expected her to look over, so he smiled at her gently.

Jiang Wenxin momentarily lost herself, captivated by the young man’s eyes, which seemed to hold a mysterious power—as if they could swallow one’s soul—deep, distant, like a tranquil deep pool.

Luckily, Shen Siyuan averted his gaze soon after, allowing her to regain composure.

He was unaware of the subtle changes within himself.

Even a broken ship still had a last nail to hold it together. The Nine Nether King, hailed as the strongest demon lord in the Wild Wasteland for a thousand years, had escaped heavenly lightning tribulations and righteous attacks, though now only a sliver of his soul remained—proof of his formidable power.

After an entire afternoon of merging and adapting, Shen Siyuan unconsciously radiated an unusual aura.

At that moment, the elevator arrived. Shen Siyuan stepped in first, pressed the button for the first floor, and moved to the back.

Jiang Wenxin entered without hesitation, pressing the button for the third basement level—she had come by car.

Suddenly, Shen Siyuan flipped his palm, and the Ten Thousand Souls Banner appeared in his hand. Following a hand seal from memory, a faint ghostly light emerged from the tattered banner, like a spiritual serpent flowing along his fingertip, landing on Jiang Wenxin’s shoulder, then slithering into the back of her neck and vanishing.

Dou Dou stood nearby, watching the scene with wide-eyed wonder.

“What are you daydreaming about?” Shen Siyuan signaled to Dou Dou.

Then, with a flick of his finger, a similar ethereal light settled on Dou Dou.

Jiang Wenxin’s ears were sharp. She had heard Shen Siyuan’s murmurs outside the elevator and certainly inside as well.

Curious, she was about to turn to look at him, thinking he was a decent young man but perhaps a little unwell mentally.

But just then, she felt a sudden grip on her hand and grew furious.

Thinking, “Not only is this guy crazy, but he’s also a creep,” she immediately turned to pull away.

However—

She froze, her face draining of color.

Because the small figure before her was someone she had longed for night and day.

“Dou… Dou Dou?” Jiang Wenxin stammered.

“Hee hee~ Mom, you can finally see me,” Dou Dou beamed a wide smile, but it soon faltered as tears welled up. She looked like she wanted to cry.

Then she burst into sobs.

Seeing her cry, Jiang Wenxin reflexively scooped her up.

“Dou Dou, don’t cry~”

“Dou Dou, be good~”

“You’re crying like a little kitten~”

These were the familiar comforting words from the past. Though overwhelmed with countless questions, seeing her daughter’s sorrow broke her heart into pieces.

“I’m so happy you can see me, Mommy, but… but I just want to cry,” Dou Dou pouted, choking on her words.

“Don’t cry… don’t cry…” Jiang Wenxin reached to wipe her tears.

But the tears vanished into thin air on her hand, leaving no trace of moisture.

Recalling what Dou Dou had said earlier, a vague understanding began to dawn in her heart.

Yet she felt no fear.

There’s a saying: every ghost you fear is someone else’s cherished memory.

Dou Dou was hers, the one she had yearned for. How could she be afraid now?

She hugged her daughter tighter, afraid she would disappear again.

At that moment, the elevator dinged and opened on the first floor.

Thankfully, it was after work hours, and no one waited outside. Even if there were, they would at most think Jiang Wenxin was crazy. What did that have to do with Shen Siyuan?

Shen Siyuan walked past them and exited.

Dou Dou, still softly sobbing, obediently waved her little hand and choked out, “Guo Guo, goodbye.”

“Goodbye~” Shen Siyuan waved back.

Jiang Wenxin suddenly seemed to understand something. As she opened her mouth to speak, the elevator doors closed and began descending.

Shen Siyuan stepped outside the building but was instantly stunned by what lay before him.