The Lost Corpse

Chapter 9: Taking a Bath

Before my bones entered the bathtub, I hadn't realized how yellow they would appear... The small bathroom contained a somewhat cramped bathtub, and Lu Nan squatted beside it, using shower gel to rub on my ribs, seeming somewhat unsure of how to apply the right pressure. He said while washing, "Should I use a toothbrush to clean it?" 
Is he serious…?

Later, a lot of foam was produced from the shower gel. Lu Nan scooped some away and prepared to wash my sternum. His movements started casually but gradually slowed down. He touched my sternum, then withdrew his hand confusingly, turning to stare at me. "What's wrong?" I asked.

The corners of his mouth curled upward, but his brow furrowed, in short, he gazed at me with uncertainty. "I realized that I can see you now." This time, he finally smiled brightly. "Although it's somewhat blurry, like a projection, and I can't touch you. But you haven't changed at all." He caressed the face of my soul with his palm, and I closed my eyes, feeling a bit overwhelmed. Then, I immediately realized that he could see whatever expression I was making now, so I opened my eyes wide and looked at him. I thought of a question and asked seriously, word by word, "Can you hear me speaking?"

"Ah what, I can't hear you." He put his ear close to my face and chuckled, extending his hand to hug me, although he could only hug my bones. "But I heard a voice that I haven't heard for many years."

The sunlight outside was just right. When I step out of the bathroom, my shadow is cast on the ground, creating a skeletal silhouette. "Put on a bathrobe," Lu Nan drapes a piece of clothing over me from behind. Without turning around, I turned my face to him and said, "Take some clothes for me to wear."

He says, "I just realized now that your soul is much longer than your bones. It seems when you hunch over, it just shrinks. I think hunching is not good; why don't you stand up straight? Or better yet, come out of the body?"

"Don't change the subject."

"Okay." He walked in front}of me. "Let me take a good look at you." Then he gives me a hug, and I hold onto his shoulders, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. I don't know which woman's body I'm using, but regardless, I'm grateful to her for allowing me to genuinely embrace the person in front of me.

If this situation continues, will one day I will be able to truly hug him, experience life and death again, and then be buried with him? Do desires give rise to the existence of a body?

"I've heard people say it's hard to notice changes in someone you spend every day with, but why do I feel like you're getting thinner? And also you've lost your job, and even had a falling out with your younger brother." I release him from the hug and look up at his face.

"Umm... if I lose a bit more weight, I can become a beggar and the job situation will be sorted out. Then when Lu Bei sees me like this, he would not be able to bear it, and reluctantly forgives me for the time being. Isn't this killing three birds with one stone?" Is this kind of thought process normal?

"Okay, let's not talk about this for now. I'll try to burn some clothes for you. But it's even more inconvenient for a skeleton to move around wearing clothes." Lu Nan first experimented with a pair of underwear, but to our disappointment, it magically turned into ashes. "Let me try." I took another pair of underwear with my bone fingers and started to ignite it, wondering if my yin energy could help it. As a result, it also magically turned into a pile of ashes. The burnt smell filled the living room. Isn't it said that ancient techniques are not deceptive? How can the millennium old skill of burning to ashes be fake? Lu Nan had to clean up with a broom, but unexpectedly, when he swept the ashes, he found a faint pair of underwear underneath. Kudos to the ancients!

Since I couldn't feel hot or cold, I only burned a T-shirt and a pair of jeans. Life was actually quite boring, revolving around eating and sleeping. Food wasn't easy for burning to ashes, and I had no other needs. So, my daily routine consisted of waking up, chatting with Lu Nan, watching TV for a while in the evening, and going to bed before ten. Lu Nan completely adapted to my schedule. However, this night, I found it hard to fall asleep.

I asked him, "Aren't you uncomfortable?"

He opened his eyes, looking completely awake. "Uncomfortable about what? I don't have a cold."

I nudged him there with my leg bone, and he understood. "It's okay; I can wait." He closed his eyes and pulled me into his arms, unbothered by the potential discomfort. Why wait for something uncertain?