Book 7: Chapter 3 - Don’t Leave Me

Xing Chuan’s lethargic figure walked out of the dark.

Standing in front of everyone, he supported himself with one hand against the wall while he held his mask with the other hand. Slowly, he removed his mask before everyone. He looked at Ghostie who hadn’t recognized him yet. “Harry, long time no see. I am Xing Chuan…”

At his words, Harry was instantly stunned. He stood dumbfounded and watched Xing Chuan’s expressionless face in astonishment.

“Brother… Xing Chuan…” Lucifer gasped in shock. He recognized Xing Chuan.

Raffles was surprised too. He seemed to be shocked at how Xing Chuan had turned into his current state.

“What Harry? What Harry?!” Hearing Harry’s name, Sis Ceci got agitated. She took a step forward and stood by our side. She stared at us palely with the white cocoon in her arms. “What are you talking about? What Harry?! Where’s Harry?”

“Ceci!” Uncle Mason dashed out and held Ceci. He urged, “Ceci, stay calm. Harry is alive but he doesn’t… look like how he used to…”

Sis Ceci stared at Uncle Mason in shock. “You knew?! Why didn’t you tell me? What about Harry? Where’s Harry?!”

Uncle Mason furrowed his eyebrows tightly and slowly turned towards Ghostie.

Sis Ceci followed Uncle Mason’s gaze and looked at Ghostie. She was instantly stunned. After being surprised and bewildered for a short while, tears started flowing down her cheeks and her hands fell to her sides. Fortunately, the white cocoon was in the baby bag. Otherwise, the cocoon would have fallen on the ground.

“Harry… Harry…” Sis Ceci ran towards Ghostie and hugged Ghostie’s stiffened body. She held his head. “You are still alive… still alive…. That’s great… That’s great… Why didn’t you tell me… Why… My silly child… My silly child…”

Raffles lowered his chin and secretly wiped his tears.

“Ha…Harry?” Xiao Ying was completely dumbfounded. She gaped at Ghostie in disbelief.

Ghostie slowly came back to reality at Sis Ceci’s sobs. He stared at Xing Chuan blankly. “Why did you… tell her…” Ghostie’s voice was shaking. He panicked and got flustered. He was afraid. He was afraid to face us.

Xing Chuan met his eyes calmly. “I didn’t tell her, she already recognized you. That’s why she came to look for me, to take revenge for you.”

Ghostie stared at me in shock. He slowly pulled away Sis Ceci’s hand. “When did you find out…” Tears glistened in his eyes. He was so anxious that he couldn’t focus on my face. His flustered expression showed that he wanted to run away as fast as possible.

I extended my hand and touched his mask. “Harry… You swam across half the world to look for me. Did you really think that I can’t recognize my own loved one?”

“No, no… No!” He stepped back. Then, he turned and ran.

“Harry!” Sis Ceci quickly handed the cocoon to Xiao Ying before she chased after him.

“Harry! Ceci!” Uncle Mason quickly followed behind them.

“Lil Bing!” Raffles looked at me anxiously. He held my hand and he wanted to go after Harry too.

I glared at Xing Chuan. “Watch over him. Don’t let him die as he wishes!” I spat, before I ran after Harry with Raffles.

Harry kept running. He seemed to be running forward without an end goal in mind. He only knew to run forward to get out of our sight. He ran through the corn field, past the city wall, into the wilderness outside the city, towards the pond at the end of the wilderness. With a leap, he dived into the pond, creating a big splash that looked like bits of shattered glass floating in the air.

As expected, he’d run away.

“Harry!” Sis Ceci fell onto the shore and cried in pain.

“Harry… How could you be hard-hearted enough to see your mom like this…” Uncle Mason shouted with sobs at the shore too.

Raffles and I reached the shore. Without hesitation, I jumped into the pond.

I began to sink continuously. I let the chilly pond water engulf me, as I shivered in the cold.

Rays of sunlight cut through the pond, lighting up the air bubbles I let out. Bubbles rose continuously as I sank.

I wouldn’t give up. I would just continue to sink if Harry didn’t come out to save me. I shall die before him!

Suddenly, someone hugged. At once I locked my legs around his body and wrapped my hands around his waist, hugging him tightly like a koala so he couldn’t leave me.

Slowly, he rose and finally pulled me above the surface of the water. I continued to hug him tightly. He struggled to shake me off but I locked my legs around his waist tightly and shouted in agony, “I restrained myself for so long, and didn’t resume our relationship because I was afraid that you would run away. Go ahead and run now! I will die before you if you run away!” I burst into tears with him in my arms. “Do you know how tough it was for me to not resume our relationship? Do you know how tough it was… Do you know…” I cried my lungs out on his shoulder. I couldn’t complete a single sentence. “How could you… How could you run away… you… bas… b*stard…”

My lover had been right before me but I hadn’t dared to acknowledge him. I’d been afraid that he would shatter into pieces like an illusion. All of us, Raffles, Uncle Mason and Ah Zong, had been carefully protecting this illusion so as to not let him disappear.

However, the process had been tough and painful.

Harry no longer struggled, instead becoming quiet in my arms. He slowly hugged me back and buried his face into my neck. His huge helmet pressed on my shoulder, heavy and firm. “Let me go…”

“No! You are my Harry! I won’t let you leave me!” I hugged him tightly as I choked with sobs, “You promised me! To not leave me forever! To not let me shed a tear forever. But in the past one year, all my tears were because of you! Harry, don’t leave me. I don’t mind that you are a water ghost.”

“But I mind…” He choked with sobs. “Please… let me go…”

“I found Xing Chuan! Why are you running away?!” I shouted at him, “What are you running away from?!”

His body stiffened. “Xing Chuan…” He seemed to finally come back to reality. “That was… Xing Chuan?!”

“Yes. There’s another one on Silver Moon City. I don’t believe that even two Xing Chuans can’t turn you back!” I hugged him tightly. “Harry, don’t leave me. I will definitely transform you back!”

His chest heaved up and down. Finally he nodded against my shoulder. My tears gave way to a smile. I slid my legs off and hung myself around his neck. Hugging his neck tightly, I said, “Harry, let’s go home.”

Harry led me towards the shore. I held his hand and he looked at me with a deep, affectionate gaze that only belonged to Harry.

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