My wife is a witch princess

Chapter 83 Not giving away a single hair, not taking a single penny

Song Che didn't say much in his dream. Because the "Xia Li" in his dream seemed to be able to read his mind, always responding the moment a thought arose in his head. She took him out to play—it was summer, and they spent a long time at the amusement park, then went to see a movie, and finally went to the planetarium to look at the stars. The Xia Li in his dream seemed to know the area around the school like the back of her hand.

However, this was a dream, and Song Che simply regarded it as a disordered patchwork of fragments of his own memories.

But this dream is much better than that blood-soaked dusk from last time.

Even so, he was keenly aware that it was just a dream.

……

I didn't take a long nap.

Song Che opened his eyes. The dark clouds outside the window had dispersed a little, but that was all. Grayish-white wisps of cloud still clung to the sky, heavy and heavy, as if holding back a rain that was yet to fall.

It wasn't raining outside. But there was a slight dampness and coolness in the corners of Song Che's eyes.

Once he regained consciousness, those temporarily set aside problems surged back into the spotlight. He thought about the exam next Monday and for the first time had the thought that he "didn't want to go."

He was acutely aware of his current state—indecisive and hesitant to move forward. The problem was difficult, yet incredibly simple, so simple it was cruel, its outcome predictable at a glance.

There are only three possible outcomes.

Life and death, separation.

Life and death, separation.

It was still a separation of life and death.

No matter what choices you make, the outcome seems predetermined. If there's anyone to blame, it's the human body itself, which is too fleeting.

Song Che never really cared about "living a long life". Even if he said he wanted to live longer before he died, it was just a human's instinctive fear when facing the end, not a real desire for immortality.

He felt that living to be a hundred or two hundred years old would be enough.

But now, he truly wants to live longer. Long enough to spend more time with Xia Li, long enough... perhaps to see the day she truly understands "love".

He didn't dare ask Xia Li how she had spent those hundred years, or how she had been repeatedly swindled out of the gold coins she had painstakingly accumulated. He was afraid that if he asked, he would reveal his most vulnerable and helpless side to her.

He didn't want her to see it.

The hundred years Xia Li spent searching for him were equivalent to him living another lifetime.

He always verbally berated her for not repaying her debts, but deep down he no longer cared. Death is like a lamp going out; the moment he closes his eyes, he lets go of everything. He never even considered asking her to repay those thousand gold coins.

...She's such an idiot.

But that's just how Xia Li is. Even though she was once ignorant and mischievous, it couldn't hide the pure persistence in her bones.

Song Che glanced at the phone on the bedside table, and suddenly tugged at the corners of his mouth, revealing a self-deprecating smile.

The moment he saw the phone, he absurdly wanted to ask this thing that Xia Li called the "magic mirror" for help: What should I do if I fall in love with a girl whose lifespan is almost infinite?

I doubt anyone has ever encountered such an outrageous problem.

Before meeting Xia Li, Song Che had also imagined the difficulties he might encounter in future relationships.

For example, if a family is of modest means and the man is afraid that the girl will suffer with him, he may cruelly push her away.

For example, long-distance relationships often involve the pain of longing and separation.

Another example is when parents strongly oppose it.

He felt he could solve all these problems. If he didn't have money, he could work hard to earn it; he could study hard and find a good job, and he wouldn't let those who followed him suffer too much. Long-distance relationships? He'd find a way to move in together. His parents disagreed… well, he could always elope.

The problem now is that Xia Li has lived much longer than him. Unless he turns into a turtle—the thought itself seems ridiculous.

Damn it, he even decided to become a turtle, but he found he still couldn't survive as long as Xia Li.

He discovered that humans are like that—contradictory and complex. They can be brave, yet incredibly weak; seemingly resolute, yet actually indecisive. He spent his days teaching Xia Li this and that, but in the end, he himself became trapped first.

This is him, Song Che.

He suddenly developed a kind of "illness," and whenever he thought about the high-sounding words he had said to Xia Li, he felt waves of belated shame.

In the end... it's still my own fault for not being pure enough.

……

What is he thinking?

In the next room, Xia Li gently pressed her forehead against the cool wall, tucking a few strands of silver hair behind her ear. Her face was expressionless, but her slightly widened blue eyes and focused posture revealed a cautious, probing intent.

Xia Li was actually a little guilty.

"He said the time for not eavesdropping on thoughts was last night. So... listening today shouldn't be a problem." She justified her actions in her mind.

Actually, she hadn't rested at all; she'd been waiting for Song Che to wake up. But after waiting and waiting, there was still no movement. She was even prepared to wait until nightfall. If he still didn't wake up by then, she'd wait until tomorrow—tomorrow Song Che had his human exam, and he'd definitely wake up. Because he always studied so diligently, and he'd said he'd get into a good university and earn money to buy her delicious food.

Even if he doesn't wake up, she plans to go and wake him up.

Xia Li adjusted her posture, searching for the best angle to receive the message. Like spoken words, thoughts become more indistinct with distance, and through walls, they even sound muffled.

She listened intently, repeating the snippets of words she had caught.

"...She's an idiot." Xia Li pursed her lips.

"So they were secretly cursing me."

I barely heard any good words, but I heard the word "idiot" very clearly.

However, she wasn't very angry.

Being scolded by Song Che is nothing new. Back in the castle, he probably had even more complaints in his heart.

She continued to listen attentively, and finally tried to piece together the outline of Song Che's chaotic thoughts using her own direct and simple logic.

"The research on potions... needs to be accelerated. Ordinary life-enhancing potions won't work, so let's try... forbidden potions? But that seems immoral, unfair to others... Song Che needs some emotional guidance... He praised my determination, praised my courage... I'm a little happy... He said he won't let me pay back the money... I'm also a little happy... He's afraid of death... not afraid of death itself, but afraid of someone else dying... So if he dies this time, I'll die with him. Suicide." Xia Li took out her phone and started searching. Her thinking was simple: if it's suicide, how can it be successful immediately without pain? She searched for a long time, but the answers that popped up on the screen remained unchanged.

She read it aloud, word by word: "This world may not be perfect, but there are always people protecting you. Have suicidal thoughts? You are not alone. Nationwide 24-hour free psychological counseling, phone: ###"

She looked at the string of numbers and remembered that Song Che had taught her it was a "telephone" and had even left her a card with a similar number on it. She reached out her finger, hesitated for a moment, and then tapped it.

The call was quickly connected, and a gentle female voice came from the other end.

Xia Li spoke, her tone as calm as if she were discussing the weather: "I have a friend... he's terrified of dying. What can I do to help him?"

"Hmm... I understand." She listened for a while, then finally replied and hung up the phone.

……

Song Che didn't leave his room all afternoon.

As evening approached, a soft knock came from the door, followed by Xia Li's calm voice: "Song Che, dinner's ready. I've made porridge."

"Okay, okay." Song Che responded absentmindedly, only then realizing that half a day had passed.

Xia Li cooked the meal all by herself again.

Xia Li had already removed her makeup, and her clean face looked exceptionally refreshing in the warm kitchen light. She was still wearing her slightly oversized apron as she carefully placed the porridge on the table, next to a small dish of stir-fried vegetables and a plate of fried eggs. The eggs were a little overcooked, with slightly charred edges, but the vegetables looked much better than last time, vibrant green and glossy, without appearing greasy.

"Try it." She handed him the chopsticks as well.

"Um."

"Is it tastier than last time?"

"tasty."

Xia Li sat down opposite him, picked up her spoon, but didn't start eating immediately. She paused for a few seconds, then looked up at him: "Song Che, I have a question for you."

"Ask away." Song Che picked up another fried egg. Although it was a bit overcooked, the saltiness was just right.

"You said, if killing one person can save a thousand, but conversely, killing a thousand people can save that one person... what should you choose?"

The problem came as abruptly astounding, even strangely.

Song Che was stunned for a moment.

"The trolley problem, huh?" He looked up at her. "Did you see it in a magazine?"

"What is the trolley problem?" Xia Li's eyes showed genuine confusion. "No, I just suddenly thought of this, it's not a trolley problem."

"Oh..." Song Che put down his chopsticks, thought for a moment, and then explained, "Your question is very similar to a famous thought experiment. It goes something like this: A runaway train is heading towards the first track, where a thousand people are tied. You can choose to switch tracks and divert the train to another track, but that track has one person tied to it. The question is, would you switch tracks, sacrificing one person's life for the lives of a thousand?"

He didn't know why Xia Li suddenly asked this question.

No matter which side you choose, once you become the one making the choice, everything changes.

He didn't really want to discuss this cruel hypothetical scenario with Xia Li.

"Then...can you operate the switch?" Xia Li pressed.

"I... I wish I weren't the one making the choice. If I had to choose, I probably... wouldn't have made the switch." Song Che's voice lowered, carrying a sense of self-analysis. "There's a saying that goes something like this: I wouldn't pluck a single hair from my own head to benefit the world; I wouldn't take a little benefit from the world for my own benefit either. So, 'I won't pluck a single hair, nor will I take a single penny.' Maybe I'm a rather selfish person, and I don't quite agree with the idea that one must sacrifice oneself for the collective good... Of course, neither harming others for personal gain nor harming oneself for the benefit of others is a good thing. So, Xia Li, don't worry too much about this kind of issue."

"Not a hair's breadth, not a single penny's worth..." Xia Li repeated the sentence, a thoughtful light flashing in her blue eyes. She didn't continue the topic, but simply said, "Song Che, after dinner... I want to go out and play."

……

Meanwhile, in a cold corner of the stairwell, Tao Yao was irritably slapping the cement with her claws, cursing and using very vulgar language.

"Sister, do you think that crazy woman is insane? All she talks about is 'consecration' and 'not giving a single hair, not taking a single penny.' What does that even mean?"

"I don't know..." Tao Xiang answered softly, "Can we go back and eat first? Sister Xia Li seems to have cooked porridge, it smells so good... glug glug..."

"Eat, eat, eat! All you ever think about is eating! Didn't we agree to starve to death together as a sign of our resolve? And what are you gurgling about?"

"My stomach is growling, and I'm afraid you won't hear it, so I'm making it rumble for you to hear..."

"...You're only allowed to eat a tiny bit!"

"Sister," Tao Xiang suddenly thought of something, her eyes lighting up, "Did you notice? That wicked woman hits really hard, but she seems... to lack a real body? She feels cool to the touch and is somewhat transparent. Could she be a ghost or something? Let's go find Brother Song Che! Let him help us find a Taoist priest to exorcise that wicked woman, what do you say?"

"I'll allow you... to eat a little more." Tao Yao pondered for a moment, then reservedly agreed to her sister's suggestion, before raising her head again, "Actually, I already thought of this idea!"