PWE – Chapter 33 Something Happened to Zhao Zhao

“Move in a little, what are you spacing out for?”

After a two-second pause, she kicked him again — calm as could be, as if that earlier kick that had landed squarely on his backside had never happened at all.

Zhan Zeyan: “…”

He honestly didn’t know how to describe what he was feeling. This woman… was a bit fierce.

He shot her a glance, then obediently shifted inward on the bed.

But once he did, he froze again.
Wait — shouldn’t he, as the man, be sleeping on the outside?
Why was she on the outside, like she was the one protecting him?

He thought about switching back, letting her sleep inside — but by then she’d already climbed into bed.

She lay down quickly, pulled the blanket over herself, and quietly exhaled.

That had been so awkward — awkward enough that even her toes had curled up in embarrassment.

To stop herself from dwelling on it — and to save him from further embarrassment too — she calmly kicked him once more, this time squarely in the waist.

He cooperated without complaint, silently inching farther inward.

She decided this man was actually quite tactful. If he’d just frozen up instead of moving, that awkward air between them would’ve dragged on forever.

She pulled the blanket a little higher and got ready to sleep.

But then—

The man turned his head toward her. His voice, low and husky in the night, carried a sensual undertone that was unexpectedly magnetic.
“Xiao Wange…”

He called her name softly, every syllable distinct and clear.

Xiao Wange’s body went stiff for no reason.

Her just-closed eyes flew open, and she turned her head toward him. “What is it?”

Could it be that he wanted to… do that? If he really wanted to, then she—

“Forget it, sleep,” he said instead.

He’d originally meant to tell her to sleep on the inside, but since they were both already settled, there was no need to make a fuss.
He’d bring it up tomorrow night instead — tomorrow, she could sleep inside.

Xiao Wange: “…”

So that’s all? Just calling her name for no reason?

What, was he bored or something?

She gave him a speechless look and couldn’t help curling her lips in mild irritation.

Zhan Zeyan raised a brow at that little expression. “You look dissatisfied. Did you think I called you because I wanted to do something to you?”

Xiao Wange: “…” Do something, my foot!

She rolled her eyes and said coolly, “You suddenly called my name — I thought you’d seen a ghost.”

Zhan Zeyan: “…”

Knowing she didn’t mean it, his expression softened. He looked at her for a moment and said, “I’ve been traveling for two days straight, always on the road. I’m exhausted tonight, so whatever you’re imagining probably isn’t going to happen.”

Xiao Wange: “!…”

She shot upright and grabbed him by the neck. “Say one more word of nonsense and I’ll strangle you!”

Her face was fierce, but her hand barely applied any pressure — just a light grip around his throat.

Zhan Zeyan’s lips curved slightly, a faint smile lighting up his handsome face.

He gently removed her hand. “It’s late. Go to sleep.”

Xiao Wange: “…”

This man had completely misunderstood her — well, not entirely misunderstood, since she had been thinking in that direction.
But hearing him spell it out so bluntly still made her feel embarrassed.

Sure, she’d lived long enough to scold herself not to act like some coy maiden… but being thought of as a lust-starved woman? That was mortifying.

And now, after making her blush like that, he just threw out a casual “sleep” and planned to drift off?

How could he get off that easily!

She couldn’t help it — she kicked him again. “Move in a little more!”

This time she didn’t hold back, and when her foot hit him, he let out a muffled grunt.

He lifted his gaze toward her. This woman really did have a strong sense of revenge.

He suddenly reached out and caught her ankle firmly. “Enough, don’t mess around. I’m really tired.”

Xiao Wange gave him a cool look. “Who’s messing around? You’re the one who started it — you called me first!”

Zhan Zeyan gave a helpless chuckle and looked at her steadily. “Alright, I was wrong.”

Xiao Wange: “…”

So easily giving in?

The way he was compromising now was completely different from how he’d sternly scolded Zhaozhao earlier — it was like he was two different men.

But judging by the exhaustion in his eyes, he really was dead tired.

She withdrew her foot and decided to stop arguing.

Closing her eyes, she reached for the string hanging from the headboard.

The string was connected to the room’s light switch — a single tug, and the light went out.

The room fell into darkness.

In the dark, all her senses seemed sharper; she could clearly hear both of their breaths.

She’d grown used to sleeping beside Zhaozhao. Switching now to the boy’s father — honestly, it felt strange.

But since they were husband and wife, sharing a bed was normal.
If she kept insisting on sleeping separately, that would start to look abnormal.

She stared into the darkness for a while, her mind drifting through a jumble of thoughts.
Then she closed her eyes again — and gradually drifted off to sleep.

…

The next morning, just after dawn, Xiao Wange got up.

The first thing she did was check on the child, wanting to make sure he hadn’t kicked off his blanket.

But—

The moment she stepped into the room, something felt wrong.

There was no life energy inside — not even a trace.

Normally, if someone were in the room, she’d sense that vitality. But now it felt stagnant and still, like dead water.

Her expression changed, and she rushed toward the bed.

Zhaozhao lay there quietly, tucked neatly under the blanket. He hadn’t kicked it off at all.

Just then, Zhan Zeyan came in from outside.

He glanced at her, his cool voice a little rough from sleep, giving it a lazy edge.
“I got up three times in the night to fix his blanket. The last time was around five this morning. Don’t worry — even if he kicks it, it’s just his feet sticking out a bit.”

The kid was actually a pretty steady sleeper; the first two times he’d checked, the blanket had been fine. Only the third time had the boy’s toes slipped out.

“His soul is gone!” Xiao Wange’s face darkened after checking the child’s body.

Zhan Zeyan froze. “What did you say?”

She picked the boy up and turned sharply toward him. “I said his soul is gone!”

Zhan Zeyan stared in shock, then quickly rushed to the bed.

He touched the child — the body was still warm. But when he checked for breath, there was none.

He stiffened, pupils contracting sharply.

“What’s going on? He was fine when I covered him at five! How could—” His face turned cold, voice dropping low and grim. “Could it be some ghost? Something dragged his soul away? Or maybe a demon got in?”

Xiao Wange’s brow furrowed tightly. “I don’t think it’s a ghost or anything like that. If one had entered this house, I’d have sensed it — even asleep.”

So if the boy’s soul had left, it must’ve been of his own accord.

But a soul leaving the body voluntarily was almost unheard of — that was what truly shocked her.

Still, this wasn’t the time to ponder it. She looked at him. “Bring me a brush — and a knife!”

Zhan Zeyan nodded, asking nothing, and strode out to fetch them.

Moments later, he returned with both.

Xiao Wange glanced at the knife, then met his gaze. “I need to draw a charm using your blood — to track where the child’s soul went. So…”

“I understand,” he said before she finished.

Without hesitation, he slashed his own palm.

Blood welled up instantly, bright red and steady. Xiao Wange looked at him — indeed, a soldier’s decisiveness. No flinching, no hesitation.

She laid the child back down, picked up the brush, dipped it in his blood, and drew a talisman on the boy’s forehead.

When the symbol was complete, she formed a hand seal and began to chant a spell.

Zhan Zeyan watched as the blood-red lines on the boy’s forehead suddenly moved — like living serpents writhing.

After a few seconds, the markings lifted from his skin and rose into the air, shaping themselves into the faint outline of a small figure — clearly the child’s.

The shape hovered briefly, then darted toward the door and vanished outside.

“Follow it!” Xiao Wange shouted. “It’ll lead us to him!”

Zhan Zeyan didn’t hesitate for an instant — he turned and ran after it.

Xiao Wange bolted out as well.

From the courtyard gate, she could see the faint shadowy figure racing toward the mountain opposite the village — and Zhan Zeyan, just as fast, chasing right behind it.

She blinked in surprise. To move that fast, leaving only a blur — that was unnatural.
More like a spirit or demon than a human.

She hadn’t expected Zhan Zeyan to be capable of that kind of speed. He was supposed to be an ordinary man… wasn’t he?

There was no time to think it through. She quickly set up a warding formation inside the courtyard, another at the gate, closed it behind her, and then sprinted toward the mountain.

That mountain was called Red Pagoda Hill.
It was where most of the villagers’ dead were buried — the slopes dotted with graves.
The timid rarely went there.

Was Zhaozhao’s soul really on that mountain?
Why would he go there?

Surely not just out of curiosity — he wasn’t that kind of child.

Then… what had drawn him there?