CHAPTER 588: CHAPTER 588: INNER WORLD

"And if things ever get really bad... I’ll even become a ghost if I have to. I’ll cultivate as a ghost, follow you wherever you go, and never let you be alone. That way, we will always be together."

Gu Jihu nodded quickly. "She’s right. Even if you’re far away, even if you travel to the ends of the earth, I’ll still follow. You’re our sister, and we’ll never give you up."

Gu Jishi grinned a little, trying to lighten the mood. "I actually found an artifact, Jin. With it, even if your soul wanders away, I can make sure you never go too far from us. So you see, no matter what happens, you cannot escape from us. We will keep you here, with us."

The three of them laughed softly, though the sound carried more sorrow than joy.

Gu Jichun leaned forward again. "So please, little sister, open your eyes. Don’t you want to see us? Don’t you want to laugh with us again?"

But there was no response.

The three siblings sat there for a long time, telling her little stories about the past few days, about the funny things they saw, about the food they wanted to eat together once she recovered.

Finally, after some time, they stood up. Their smiles faded as they looked down at her still face.

"We’ll come back again tomorrow," Gu Jihu said softly. "Don’t worry, Jin. We’ll always come back."

Reluctantly, they left the room.

Not long after, Mr. and Mrs. Gu entered quietly. The moment they saw their daughter lying weakly on the bed, their hearts ached.

Mrs. Gu sat by the bedside and carefully stroked Gu Jin’s hair.

"My daughter," she whispered, her voice trembling, "you must wake up soon. We have so many things to do together. Remember, you still promised to go shopping with me. There are dresses we have not bought, festivals we have not attended. How can I go without you?"

Tears welled up in her eyes. She quickly wiped them away, not wanting her husband to see, but he had already noticed.

Mr. Gu sat on the other side and took his daughter’s hand. His rough palms trembled as he held her delicate fingers.

"Jin," he said, his voice low but steady,

"I know that Long Yifan has been very good to you. I know he has stayed by your side through everything. But listen to me. I am your father, and I am not ready to let you go. Not now. Not for a very long time. Even if he comes to ask, I will not give you away for at least a hundred years."

Mrs. Gu nodded beside him, trying to smile through her tears.

"Yes, your father is right. We are greedy. We finally got you back, and we are not ready to lose you again. We want you by our side. There are so many days I still want to spend with you, so many meals we still need to share. I cannot let you marry and leave us just yet."

She held Gu Jin’s hand more tightly.

"So you see, you must wake up. Otherwise, how can we argue about dresses or tease each other at dinner? Who will I talk to if you are not here?"

Gu Jin did not move. Her face remained still, her breath shallow.

The silence grew heavier.

Mr. Gu lowered his head, his grip on her hand tightening. After a long pause, he suddenly spoke again. His voice was softer this time, almost like a confession.

"Jin, listen to me. Whether you want to go to Lightning Mountain or not, whether you want to travel to dangerous places or quiet ones, I will not stop you. We will not stop you. From now on, your choices are yours alone. We will not bind you with rules or promises. That is my vow to you as your father. You are free to walk your path, and we will always stand behind you."

Mrs. Gu nodded quickly, her tears falling again. "Yes, my daughter. We will respect you. Just... please come back to us every time. That is all I ask."

For a moment, the room was silent except for the faint sound of breathing.

And then, suddenly, Gu Jin’s pale lips moved slightly. Her eyelashes trembled. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open, revealing a faint gleam before closing again almost instantly.

Both parents gasped.

"Jin!" Mrs. Gu cried, her hands trembling as she cupped her daughter’s face.

Mr. Gu leaned closer, his heart pounding wildly. "Jin, did you hear us? Can you see us? Wake up again, please!"

Her body shifted faintly, as if she was fighting against something unseen. Her fingers twitched weakly in her father’s hand, but then her strength seemed to vanish. Her eyes closed once more, and she fell still again.

The hope that had risen in their hearts shattered in an instant.

Mrs. Gu bit her lip hard, her whole body shaking. Tears poured down her cheeks. "She tried... she really tried... but something is pulling her back."

Mr. Gu pulled his wife into his arms, holding her tightly as his own eyes grew wet. "Don’t give up. She heard us. She moved. That means she is fighting. Our daughter is strong. She will come back to us. She will."

But even as he said those words, his voice trembled with fear.

The two of them sat there by her side, their hands never letting go of their daughter’s.

..................

Inside her own inner world, Gu Jin floated in complete darkness.

It was so quiet that she could hear the sound of her own breathing. There was nothing around her, only emptiness that seemed endless.

She stared ahead with blank eyes, her face calm but empty, as if this dark world was the only thing she had ever known.

Her body did not move, and her mind felt heavy, like she was stuck in mud. Just when she thought this silence would last forever, a calm voice suddenly echoed in the darkness.

"Do you want to go out?"

The voice was neither male nor female. It was soft, smooth, and a little cold, like water touching stone.

Gu Jin blinked slowly. She hesitated, but then she nodded. Her lips moved, and her voice came out faint and fragile.

"Yes... I want to go out. I heard them. I heard my parents. They are waiting for me. I cannot leave them alone. I have to go out."

The voice chuckled. The sound was low, almost mocking, and it spread through the darkness like ripples.

"You are being stupid," the voice said. "Your parents are not waiting for you. They died a long time ago. What you heard was only your imagination. You are fooling yourself."

Gu Jin froze. Her eyes trembled a little, but she still whispered,

"No... I heard them. I really did. They said they would respect me. They said they would not stop me from walking my own path."

The voice laughed again.

"If that is true, then tell me this. Why do you not feel anything? Where is the warmth of their embrace? Why are you standing here in this cold darkness? If they were really here, you would feel it. But you feel nothing."

Gu Jin lowered her eyes. Her voice was calm, almost too calm. "Maybe it is because people have always kept their distance from me. Maybe that is why I cannot feel it clearly."

The voice became sharper, mocking her words.

"Or maybe what you think is reality is not reality at all. Maybe it is only your way of venting your emotions. You created them yourself, because you are lonely. That is all."

Gu Jin stayed quiet. Her lips moved a little before she spoke softly. "Maybe it is."

The voice suddenly grew defensive, as if her answer had startled it. "You are acting strangely. Very strangely."

Gu Jin lifted her head slowly. "How strangely?"

"You are trying to feel emotions," the voice said.

Gu Jin paused. "Is that wrong?" she asked in a small voice. "I just want to feel a little. I have my parents back now. Even if it is not real, I still want to soak in their warmth."

The voice scoffed.

"These emotions you want so badly will only make you weak. Do you not understand? One day you will lose them. Everyone will leave you. Then what will you do? When you are left alone, your heart will break. If you have emotions, you will suffer more. And if you suffer too much, you will die. If you die, you will never be able to keep the promise you gave your mother."

The words hit her like knives. Gu Jin lowered her head. For a long time, she did not speak. Finally, she asked, "Then what should I do?"

The voice’s tone turned gentle again, almost sweet and intoxicating. "You should suppress your emotions. Push them down as far as you can. Do not feel. Do not love. Do not trust."