"Mmm…"
Yun Zhenyue woke up and rubbed the corners of her eyes. Her head was still fuzzy, and she couldn't quite grasp the situation.
Feeling a warm presence beside her, she subconsciously snuggled deeper into the covers.
Like a little orange kitten, she nuzzled against the warmth.
Until her hand touched something hard.
Yun Zhenyue was instantly wide awake. Only then did she remember she wasn't in her small rental apartment.
Her hazy eyes focused slightly.
Beside her, Gu Yuan had also opened his eyes and was looking at her with a soft smile.
And her mischievous hand was resting on his abs.
"Morning... hubby."
A faint blush appeared on Yun Zhenyue's cheeks as the word slipped out unconsciously.
Being naturally dorky, she didn't think there was anything strange about it.
Gu Yuan was her husband now, so it was normal to sleep in the same bed with him.
Yesterday, they'd deep-cleaned the house and then played video games until late. She didn't even know when she had fallen asleep.
'He must have carried me to bed, right?'
Yun Zhenyue scrunched her nose and let out a small yawn, a tear forming in the corner of her eye.
"Want to sleep a little longer?"
Gu Yuan asked.
The young woman's misty, almond-shaped eyes opened a sliver, her pupils still heavy with sleep. Her dark hair, splayed across the pillow, framed half of her porcelain-white face, which was covered in a peach-like fuzz in the light.
Hearing Gu Yuan's question, Yun Zhenyue slowly propped herself up. The strap of her silk nightgown slipped halfway down her shoulder, revealing her delicate collarbone.
"No, I'm not sleeping anymore…" she murmured softly.
Of course.
The audience couldn't see this scene.
Private areas, such as bathrooms and bedrooms, were blocked from the live broadcast.
The Ghost Marriage system had procedures to protect the privacy of the matched couple.
...
Yun Zhenyue had slept very soundly.
It was even more comfortable than sleeping alone in her rental apartment.
As she walked out of the bedroom,
she started to feel a bit skeptical about the AI search results she had looked up earlier.
This Ghost Marriage didn't seem as dangerous as everyone claimed.
Gu Yuan was very good to her.
She didn't feel like anything was wrong while staying here.
All that talk about matched partners being bullies, abusive, or cold...
She hadn't experienced any of that at all.
After finishing breakfast with Gu Yuan,
Yun Zhenyue washed the dishes. When she saw him sitting on the sofa playing a video game—the same Stardew Valley they had played together yesterday—she quickly ran over.
"Hubby, can you not play this right now?"
Yun Zhenyue said anxiously.
She had just received a message from the Ghost Marriage system.
There was no time for games right now.
"Hm?" Gu Yuan was confused.
"Wait for me to do a mission and buy some groceries. We can play co-op tonight."
"Okay."
Gu Yuan nodded and picked another game.
Yun Zhenyue's Switch had a lot of games. He just picked a single-player one and started playing.
"Thanks, hubby!"
Yun Zhenyue said gratefully. Stardew Valley was only fun when they played together. If Gu Yuan played alone for too long, she wouldn't be able to keep up with his progress.
"It's nothing." Gu Yuan let out a soft, amused laugh. His wife wasn't scared of him at all, which was something he was happy to see.
'In fact, it's a good thing it's her!'
'If I'd ended up with some random wife who was constantly terrified and unquestionably obedient, what fun would that be?'
He didn't want a servant.
If he wanted servants, all he had to do was reveal his identity as the Ghost Emperor, and every ghost in the Ghost World would flock to him.
"By the way, do you need my help with your mission?" Gu Yuan asked.
Yun Zhenyue shook her head.
'This mission isn't that hard.'
[Ding! You have a new marital mission.]
[As a matched wife, you have an obligation to do what you can.]
[Please purchase today's required groceries at the Shadowy Shop.]
[Mission Reward: Items will be awarded based on the degree of completion.]
'It's just grocery shopping.'
'Gu Yuan has already given me a place to stay. It's only right that I do what I can to contribute.'
'If I need help with even this, wouldn't that just make me a kept woman?'
"Do you have any money?" Gu Yuan asked while playing his game.
"It's fine, it's fine! Don't worry, hubby!"
Yun Zhenyue refused. Although she was penniless, she could choose other ways to pay.
'Groceries can't be that expensive. I'll just find some part-time work!'
'I often worked summer and winter jobs back in the real world!'
'Besides, my hubby is so poor!'
'I don't want to spend his money.'
"..."
Gu Yuan looked back at her. Seeing her so full of confidence, he found it rather amusing.
This wasn't the real world. The ghosts here might look human, but they were monstrous, exploiting humans to the absolute extreme. They would lick every last drop of blood if they could.
Thinking of this, Gu Yuan proactively reminded her, "I happen to have a membership card for the shop downstairs."
"Huh?"
Yun Zhenyue blinked. 'A membership card?'
'Maybe I can get a discount. I need this.'
Following Gu Yuan's directions, she found the membership card under the living room table.
It was actually being used to prop up a wobbly table leg. 'There's probably no money on it anyway.'
"Thanks, hubby!"
Yun Zhenyue took the membership card and left happily.
Gu Yuan continued to play his game without looking back.
'With this membership card, the ghosts in the shop shouldn't dare to bother her.'
'Besides, the entire Ghost World is under my watch.'
He played for a little while longer.
Gu Yuan grew a little bored and put down the Switch.
"Oh well, I'll just wait for her to get back and play with her."
...
A short while later,
Yun Zhenyue arrived at the entrance of the Shadowy Shop.
The shop was located right next to Wansheng District, very close by.
The "Open 24 Hours" sign was stained blood-red with some unknown substance.
It made the name "Shadowy Shop" seem exceptionally sinister.
A bloodstained drag mark stretched from the shop's entrance, as if something heavy had been dragged inside.
The nine other female players from different countries had also arrived at the shop's entrance.
However, none of them looked to be in good shape.
Some had heavy dark circles under their eyes, while others were pale as a sheet. They must have had a rough day yesterday.
Han Sumei and Yamada Aiko, who had mocked Yun Zhenyue before, both noticed her.
Seeing Yun Zhenyue's clear, translucent skin, it was obvious she had rested well.
The expressions on the two exhausted women's faces turned ugly.
Han Sumei didn't bother to hide her displeasure. A shadow crossed her eyes as she said, "We all received the same mission: to buy groceries at this Shadowy Shop."
"Did you bring enough ghost coins?"
As far as she knew, Yun Zhenyue had only brought a pile of junk with her, and definitely no ghost coins.
As for whether her ghost partner would give her any, the chances were probably slim.
Yun Zhenyue didn't know why Han Sumei was asking her this, so she answered honestly, "I didn't bring any."
"Oh~"
Hearing this, Han Sumei gave a scornful laugh.
'Trying to buy groceries without ghost coins?'
'What a joke.'
"Why don't you beg me? My husband knows the ghosts at this Shadowy Shop."
"If I'm in a good mood, I might even help you out."
Han Sumei said this deliberately.
She wanted to see Yun Zhenyue crying and begging her.
And then she would mercilessly refuse.
To be fair,
her ugly husband was somewhat useful.
Even though she had given him the one hundred ghost coins she'd brought, he had still taken the initiative to give her a few when she mentioned needing to buy groceries.
It was probably thanks to those hundred coins.
They must have raised his affection level a little.
In the end, Piao Dagen had even mentioned that he knew the cashier at the Shadowy Shop.
This gave Han Sumei the perfect opportunity to show off.
When she had mentioned it just now, she had received envious looks from everyone.
The only one missing was Yun Zhenyue's.
But just then,
after listening to Han Sumei, Yun Zhenyue simply shook her head.
"No, thank you."
"I was thinking of working part-time at this shop. That should be enough to buy some groceries."