Chapter 09: “Friends”

With the bracelet, Shen Xiaofan had seen many ghosts along the way to her school. Though she pretended not to see a thing, however, now she knows how Wei Xiu protected her. Whenever there is a ghost who wants to follow Shen Xiaofan, Wei Xiu immediately becomes fierce and scares the ghost away. Shen Xiaofan wasn't sure how she felt about finding a ghost scaring another ghost.

"Xiu, how old are you?",

"Judging by my appearance, how old do you think I am?",

Shen Xiaofan looked at Wei Xiu's pretty face and said, "Maybe twenty-four?",

"Hehehe, thank you. Yes, I'm twenty-four.",

It's obviously a lie, by looking at Wei Xiu's delighted face and her gratitude, it means she must be older than 24. Besides her pretty face, she wore a modern slim-fit dress, which means she's not that much older.

Wei Xiu looked at Shen Xiaofan who had gone silent to calculate her age. Wei Xiu couldn't help but smile at Shen Xiaofan's calculating behavior.

"Are you that curious about my age?",

"Yes, I think of you as a friend. Is it that strange for me to want to know more about you?",

Wei Xiu didn't expect such a passionate answer, she flushed a bit and tried to remain calm, "I suppose you're right. I'm twenty-seven, my birthday is on eighteenth December.",

"I see, I'm seventeen years old, I was born on twenty-second October.",

"I know~",

Shen Xiaofan was taken aback, she had never discussed anything that relates to her birthday. How come Wei Xiu knew about it?

Wei Xiu knew what Shen Xiaofan was thinking in her mind. She smiled and said, "I've seen your student ID card once.",

"O-oh, I see.",

"Why? Do you think I stalked you?",

"Aren't you?", Shen Xiaofan asked back.

Wei Xiu chuckled and nodded, "Yes, I am.",

The two continue to talk along the way. Shen Xiaofan didn't realize the two had arrived at the school. When talking with Wei Xiu, Shen Xiaofan often didn't realize how many times had passed. Shen Xiaofan entered the school building and met Hou Yang who was reading a letter in front of his shoe locker.

"Another love letter?",

Hou Yang nodded and sighed, "Yeah, I wonder when will they stop sending this thing.",

"Isn't that great? It's better to be loved than to be hated.",

"I guess you're right.",

Shen Xiaofan changed her shoes, then patted Hou Yang's shoulder, "Just do what you think is right.",

"Xiaofan, can you accompany me to reject this poor girl?",

"As much as I didn't want to, I'm not allowed to interfere with this. You have to do it by yourself, this is a private matter after all.",

"Ugh…", Hou Yang groaned and leaned his head on Shen Xiaofan's shoulder, "Why am I so popular...",

Shen Xiaofan patted Hou Yang's head and said, "You should blame your face for that.",

Looking at how these two childhood friends interacted, Wei Xiu could only cross her arms and protested quietly. This Hou Yang guy isn't right, he always flirts with her Shen Xiaofan!

"Oh, look at you mother and son bonding in front of the shoe locker.", Song Ehuang teased as she showed up and changed her shoes, "Honestly, if I didn't know what was going on. I would assume you two are going out.",

"Not gonna happen.", Hou Yang said.

"No way.", Shen Xiaofan frowned, she always thinks of Hou Yang as a brother, nothing romantic involved.

Hearing these two thoughts, Wei Xiu was overwhelmed with joy. Both of them are thinking of each other as siblings, nothing more than that. Later, the three went to the classroom together, talking about miscellaneous things along the way. When class started, the teacher announced a sudden test. It was no problem for a student like Shen Xiaofan. However, it was a total disaster for a student like Song Ehuang, who barely touched their books. During the test, Song Ehuang quietly asked for Shen Xiaofan's answer sheet. Shen Xiaofan just gave it to Song Ehuang to copy. Wei Xiu felt angry towards Shen Xiaofan and asked, "Why did you give your answer sheet to her?",

Shen Xiaofan answered inside her heart, "Because she's my friend and she's always available whenever she was needed.", Shen Xiaofan didn't lie about Song Ehuang. The two of them knew each other since middle school, back then, Shen Xiaofan was bullied for being too quiet. The only girl who has defended her was Song Ehuang. She and Hou Yang are Shen Xiaofan's only friends. Though, now she had Emily Chen as her new friend. However, they are not close enough, and Shen Xiaofan couldn't talk about everything with her.

"I see.", Wei Xiu hadn't expected that Shen Xiaofan used to be bullied. Now, she wishes to be Song Ehuang, so that she could protect Shen Xiaofan from bad humans too.

After the test was done, Shen Xiaofan and Song Ehuang ate lunch together as usual. Except that this time, Emily Chen approached them,

"Hey, can I join with you guys?",

"Sure.", Shen Xiaofan pulled another chair next to her, "Sit here.",

"Wow, we had a foreign student sitting with us for lunch!", Song Ehuang applauded happily.

"Ahaha, thanks. By the way, how's the bracelet, Xiaofan?",

With the sudden question from Emily Chen. Song Ehuang noticed that Shen Xiaofan was wearing that mystique bracelet.

"Whoa, I see you're wearing them. Can you see the ghost that following you?", Song Ehuang asked while holding Shen Xiaofan's hand, she touched the bracelet as if something bizarre was going to happen.

"Well, yes. In fact, we became friends.",

"Huh?",

"What?",

Both Emily Chen and Song Ehuang seemed to be surprised. However, the two had different reactions. Song Ehuang didn't mind it, instead, she was happy that Shen Xiaofan was finally doing some occult stuff. While Emily Chen was worried about her, she's afraid that Shen Xiaofan had become too close to the spirit and decided to end her life. There were such cases back in her hometown, and Emily Chen didn't want the same case to happen to Shen Xiaofan.

"Xiaofan, I know that this isn't my place to say this, but you shouldn't get too close to the spirit, even if they're harmless.", Emily Chen said as she glared at Wei Xiu who stood behind Shen Xiaofan. Shen Xiaofan knew that Emily Chen could see Wei Xiu without any supernatural media, so she replied, "Didn't you want me to talk to the spirit?",

"Yes, but only to straighten the misunderstanding you had yesterday. Not to mingle with her, the two of you live in a different world, Xiaofan. It's against the law of nature.",

Shen Xiaofan fell into silence, she knew about that, and she knew that it was wrong of her to communicate with Wei Xiu. However, deep inside her heart, she knew that she liked Wei Xiu just like a big sister. Shen Xiaofan was an only child, so she rarely spent time with anyone at home. Her parents were always busy with their own business, which left Shen Xiaofan to do everything on her own.

"Hey, hey, what are you two talking about?", Song Ehuang who was listening couldn't grasp what's happening. Shen Xiaofan rarely showed that upset look, and Emily Chen seemed to be concerned.

"Ehuang, you like occult stuff, right?", Shen Xiaofan asked.

"Yes, very.", Song Ehuang replied honestly.

"Do you think it's wrong for humans and spirits to be friends?",

Song Ehuang propped her chin and answered solemnly, "In the religion, it was wrong for humans and spirits to mingle together. However, in my opinion, I think it's fine if you just become friends and nothing more.",

Shen Xiaofan and Emily Chen were confused and asked together, "What do you mean?",

Song Ehuang took her smartphone and searched an article about a man wed a spirit on google, "This is what I meant, there were many people who love to practice dark arts by marrying a spirit. Honestly, I thought it was impossible, but some claimed that it can be done spiritually.",

Emily Chen slapped her forehead and grunted, "This is why I don't agree with humans and spirits to be close. You'll never know where those friendship are heading to.",

Shen Xiaofan was surprised, she never knew about stuff like this. She was thinking how could they produce an heir? And how could they do stuff like coitus?

"I don't know what you're thinking, but I think you should stop thinking about it, Xiaofan.", Emily Chen reminded.

Shen Xiaofan tilted her head and looked at Wei Xiu. She had been silent ever since Emily Chen joined them, and it turns out she was covering her face with her delicate hands. Shen Xiaofan blinked twice, she wanted to ask if Wei Xiu knew how spirits and humans had sex, so she asked, "Wei Xiu.",

"Don't ask!",

"Okay.",

Emily Chen wanted to laugh but this is a serious case, "Anyway, it is up to you. But I'll recommend you to not communicate with them too often.",

"Mmhm, I'll remember that. Thank you, Emily.", Shen Xiaofan expressed her gratitude, she felt blessed for having friends like Emily Chen and Song Ehuang. With them around, Shen Xiaofan felt like she could do anything, and not to worry about anything. Wei Xiu could hear Shen Xiaofan's thoughts, and she felt jealous of those two. She wished that Shen Xiaofan would think of her the same as she thinks of those two.