# 409
**Chapter 409: A Promise**
When Baili Pangpang saw Zhengzheng walk out of the room, he turned and waved to his three “good brothers,” then stepped directly into the ward.
Zhengzheng frowned, studying his profile as he passed, puzzlement flickering in her eyes.
Bang—!
Baili Pangpang shut the door behind him and locked it.
Zhengzheng looked oddly at Sun Luan and the other two seated nearby. “Who is he?”
“Oh, seems to be Molly’s friend,” Sun Luan explained, then added after a moment, “Pretty generous guy…”
……
Molly stared as Baili Pangpang entered, startled for a second before a helpless smile curved her lips.
“You’ve got guts. They’re all right outside—aren’t you afraid they’ll recognize you and beat you up?”
“Let them. Even if they break my legs, I’ll roll in here on a wheelchair to see you.” Baili Pangpang grinned.
Molly’s cheeks flushed; she turned her face away.
“I brought you a gift.” Baili Pangpang sat on the edge of the bed, pulled a delicate box from his pocket, and held it out.
She eyed the box suspiciously. “Don’t tell me it’s a Rolex or something.”
“No, no—open it and see.”
Molly lifted the lid. Nestled in sponge lay a weighty sandalwood safety talisman. She blinked, then looked up.
“I went to a temple today and got this specially for you.” Baili Pangpang chuckled. “Took a lot of sweet-talking to convince the monk to carve all those wishes. Only two like this exist in all Great Xia, and yours is the only one with your name.”
His smile made her gaze soften. She lifted the heavy plaque. Tiny characters covered the front like ants:
“Everlasting peace,” “Always happy,” “Youth eternal,” “All evil retreat”…
She stared, then flipped it over. Four neat words were engraved on the back:
—Molly wifey.
The carving wasn’t uniform. “Molly” was cleanly chiseled by a master calligrapher; the two childish scribbles below looked like a primary-school scrawl—an eyesore by comparison.
“Who says I’m your wife!” Molly set the plaque down and glared.
“Details, details.” He tried to play cute. “The monk refused to carve those last two words, so I only got ‘Molly.’ I added the rest myself with a pen.”
“Unnecessary!” She punched his chest, cheeks scarlet.
The blow wasn’t heavy, but it wasn’t light either; Baili Pangpang coughed twice, rubbing his chest while beaming. “So? Like your gift?”
“Hmm. If you delete ‘wife,’ it’s acceptable.”
“It’s just ink—wipe it off if you hate it.” He sulked.
“…That’s more like it.”
“Since you like this one-of-a-kind treasure, how about a return favor?” He leaned in conspiratorially. “Promise me one thing.”
“What?”
“Day after tomorrow is my dad’s birthday. I’m going home for the celebration.” He smiled. “Come with me. After the party, I’ll introduce you to him…”
“No way!” Molly refused flat-out. “I’m not meeting your dad…” She hesitated, then added softly, “If it’s just to visit Guangzhou-Shenzhen for fun… maybe.”
“It’s settled, then!” Baili Pangpang sprang up excitedly. “You’ll come with me and I’ll show you around!”
Molly eyed him, feeling vaguely trapped.
“I’m injured; I can’t travel. After your dad’s party, I’ll fly there myself—and come back the same day.”
He drooped, sighing.
“Fine, don’t go.”
“No, no—it’s a deal.” He feared she’d change her mind. “Fly in early that day. I’ll make sure you have fun before I send you home.”
Molly met his eyes, the corners of her mouth lifting.
“Alright.”
……
A rented flat on the outskirts of Gusu City.
Lin Qiye watched An Qingyu assemble an anatomy table and couldn’t help asking:
“So after dissecting the Ten-Slice Ghost Child, you gained the ability to make clones?”
An Qingyu considered. “Not an ability—just a method. Lots of limits: needs tons of scientific equipment, can’t be done anywhere, and each body takes ages. Also, I can’t split my psyche, so I can only transfer my full consciousness into one clone at a time.”
“That’s already incredible…” Lin Qiye marveled. “No wonder you said the Purification Chamber couldn’t hold you—you were just a clone inside.”
An Qingyu glanced up shyly.
“So, the you standing here now—is this a clone or the original?” Lin Qiye pressed.
“Guess.” An Qingyu smiled.
“I think I already know.” Lin Qiye gave a wry laugh.
“By the way, you kept Bell Cranel’s corpse, right?” An Qingyu’s eyes lit up. “Mind if I dissect it first?”
Lin Qiye’s mouth twitched. He sighed and handed over the body. “When you’re done, give it back. I still need it.”
“Understood!”