The murmur from up ahead made the woman, who had only just recovered from the remark, "If you're going to get drunk and make a scene, you'd better go home," freeze again.
Her face flushed red, then turned green. Embarrassment and anger mingled as one hand unconsciously tightened around the strap of her bag.
There was no hiding the smell of alcohol on her.
The people around them suddenly understood.
Hearing the whispers reaching her ears, the woman could no longer stand to stay.
She glared fiercely at the onlookers around her, then stormed off.
In a different direction from Xiao Xiao.
Her heels struck the ground with heavy, sharp clicks.
"Geh geh~"
Once they had left the noisy crowd behind, the Pipa ghost reached out and tugged at Xiao Xiao's clothes.
Xiao Xiao turned around and happened to meet the gaze of a passerby behind him.
Xiao Xiao: ...
Passerby: ...
Xiao Xiao naturally looked away, then turned back and slowed his steps, adopting a thoughtful expression.
The passerby glanced at him, then quickly walked past.
Only after the passerby had gone did he speak quietly. "What's wrong, Pipa ghost?"
His gaze dipped slightly, and he looked toward the Pipa ghost out of the corner of his eye. He saw the corner of its white shirt, untucked, fluttering gently in the breeze.
When the Pipa ghost didn't respond right away, Xiao Xiao felt a little puzzled.
He was just about to turn and look when he heard the Pipa ghost's voice beside him.
"Geh geh~ geh~"
The Pipa ghost's hoarse, dry voice brimmed with concern.
It asked cautiously—
Xiao Xiao, are you all right?
Xiao Xiao froze.
Then he realized that his reaction just now might have frightened the little demon.
He raised a hand to