Die, Replay, Repeat

Chapter 4: Yikes! My Wife's Quite the Character

Here we go again, round five.

Fang Xiu realized running or succumbing to fear wasn't helping him at all. He knew he couldn't stay in bed with his eyes shut forever. If he was going to make it, he had to confront his 'wife' and ignore her completely; otherwise, he'd be trapped at home forever.

"Honey, breakfast is ready," his "wife" called.

Fang Xiu chose to ignore her, and with a blank face, he rose from the bed and started making his way toward the bedroom door. As he reached the doorway, his 'wife' stood there, blocking his path. However, Fang Xiu didn't even blink; it was as if he couldn't see her at all. He walked right 'through' her, and the expected bump didn't come. It felt as if Fang Xiu had just strolled through a breeze.

Fang Xiu had already suspected he couldn't touch her when she wasn't sure he could see her. The way she sank into the bed confirmed his hunch. He managed to make it out of the bedroom successfully. However, it seemed his 'wife' wasn't ready to give up. She fluttered around Fang Xiu like a teasing butterfly.

And then, Fang Xiu "lost."

He "lost" because he couldn't pretend well enough, "lost" because he couldn't overcome his natural reflexes. It was hard for anyone to keep their eyes open when a punch was coming, even if it stopped just an inch from the nose. The natural thing to do was to blink.

His 'wife' behaved just the same. The more he ignored her, the more she'd get in his face, even floating right up to him, so close that even a small pout could turn into a kiss.

Even the best actor would lose.

Now, round six.

Fang Xiu left the bedroom with a stone-cold face. He didn't run straight for the door, afraid that any weird moves would make his "wife" suspicious. Instead, he decided to head to the bathroom first.

His "wife" seemed "shy" and didn't follow him into the bathroom. Fang Xiu thought this was his chance to finally relax and take a breather. However, just as he started to feel at ease, a cute head slowly peeked out of the toilet.

Fang Xiu died again.

Round seven, eight, nine, ten

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Fang Xiu died over and over, in despair, in numbness, in complete meltdown.

He just couldn't do it, really couldn't. No matter what, he just couldn't suppress his natural reactions. His "wife" would unexpectedly appear in all sorts of ways, and he would flinch, eyes twitching. Once, she even popped out from his chest.

Running away wasn't an option; any strange behavior from Fang Xiu would prompt his 'wife' to transform immediately. The countless 'reset' had completely shattered his nerves. Nothing worked, no matter how he resisted, tried to escape, or gave up. It was as if he was doomed to "lose" to his "wife."

Round eleven, twelve, thirteen...

"Sweetheart, breakfast is ready."

"Yeah, you're the sweetest, honey."

Fang Xiu was losing his mind. He wasn't thinking straight anymore; his once rational thoughts had transformed into a jumbled mess. But his 'wife' wasn't one to show mercy just because he was falling apart.

The cycle of "death" continued, relentless and unyielding.

What happened when someone was pushed to the edge, and even when they had lost it, the source of their torment wouldn't quit? It remained an enigma.

Round eighteen.

Fang Xiu lay perfectly still in bed, the rise and fall of his chest barely noticeable. If one didn't observe the soft movement, one might mistake him for a lifeless body.

If anyone could see his eyes, they would be chilled to the bone. His eyes were eerie, devoid of human emotion. People often said eyes were the windows to the soul, but Fang Xiu's windows were tightly shut.

However, if anyone could break through that impenetrable wall and look past those lifeless eyes, they would witness an unimaginable madnessa madness held at bay and a hate so intense it could set his blood on fire!

The blazing flame of hate and insanity burned fiercely within him, ignited by the huge grudge from dying eighteen times! Fang Xiu teetered on the verge of insanity, yet he remained surprisingly clear-headed. Such was his state at the moment.

The endless cycle of dying had driven him to the edge of sanity, but ultimately, his overwhelming hatred restored his fractured sanity. His hatred for his "wife" became the foundation on which he rebuilt his sanity.

Suddenly, Fang Xiu sat up calmly in bed, whispering to himself, "Die, die, die. You deserve to die. As long as I live, you _will _die." His voice was flat, devoid of emotion. He spoke with the calmest tone, delivering the most chilling words.

"Honey, breakfast is ready." The soft voice rang out right on cue.

Fang Xiu didn't acknowledge her. He rose from the bed, slipped on his shoes, and walked straight through his "wife." He made his way to the bathroom to freshen up and change clothes. His "wife" persistently tried to get his attention, yet Fang Xiu's gaze never wavered, as if he really couldn't see.

After getting dressed, Fang Xiu sat down at the table and calmly ate breakfast.

Of course, he made the breakfast himself. He fried an egg and a sausage, placing them between whole wheat bread. He accompanied the meal with a cup of milk, keeping it simple yet healthy.

As it turned out, the prettier the girl, the more she was likely to fib. His "wife" was the samesaying it was time for breakfast, but there was no breakfast to be found.

After finishing his meal, Fang Xiu walked right up to the door. He wanted to leave, to go out and find clues about his 'wife,' to look for strange things in this world. Only then would he have a chance for revenge.

Just as he reached for the doorknob, his "wife's" pretty face appeared in the doorway, wearing a gentle smile.

"Honey, won't you stay home with me? Can't you skip going out?"

CLICK!

Fang Xiu twisted the doorknob and calmly walked out of the room.

BANG!

The front door slammed shut behind him. His "wife" didn't follow him out. After dying eighteen times, Fang Xiu finally got to leave his room, but he felt no relief. All he could think about was getting back at her. Nothing but revenge!

"No one gets to kill me eighteen times and get away with it! No one!"

***

Fang Xiu's footsteps echoed down the hallway. He lived on the fifth floor of an old building with no elevator, so he had to take the stairs.

Soon, he reached the end of the dark, rundown hallway, and the building's main door stood right before him. He slowly pushed the door open, allowing the bright, warm sunlight to slip through the opening. As he opened the door wider, the sunlight slowly filled the once dark hallway. It was like outside was a world full of warmth and radiance. The sunlight washed over Fang Xiu, and he relished the comforting heat.

After dying eighteen times, he finally beheld the sunlight outside the door while still alive. Stepping out into the world, the warm sunlight greeted him, shining down on his face.

However, Fang Xiu froze in his tracks, feeling as though his blood was turning to ice. Despite standing in the sunlight, he couldn't feel any warmth at all.

Looking at the world around him, he whispered to himself, "Am I in hell?"