Xiao Xiao walked out of the hot pot restaurant.
The Pipa ghost followed behind Lord Xiao Xiao.
When Lord Xiao Xiao walked straight, it walked straight; when Lord Xiao Xiao turned, it turned.
Xiao Xiao stopped behind a large tree.
He turned around.
"Pipa ghost."
His eyes curved into a smile.
"Is something the matter?"
The Pipa ghost stood three steps away from Xiao Xiao.
It held its pipa.
A trace of hesitation showed on its face.
Its fingers absently plucked at the strings.
Even though it was only plucking them casually, the notes should have been a broken, tuneless jumble. Yet whether the Pipa ghost had an extraordinary natural ear for music or there was some other reason...
What reached Xiao Xiao's ears was an exceptionally clear and lilting melody.
"Sit."
Xiao Xiao sat down in a round-backed chair beneath the tree.
A little sunlight filtered through the lush canopy.
It dappled the ground with scattered patches of light and shadow.
The Pipa ghost blinked.
It slowly walked over.
Then it sat down beside Lord Xiao Xiao.
Xiao Xiao braced his hands on either side of himself, leaned back, and raised his head.
A ray of sunlight fell into his eyes.
He narrowed them slightly.
Gradually, the outlines of the leaves above came into focus.
"...Heh-heh~"
The long silence made the Pipa ghost a little uneasy.
At last, it tentatively made a sound.
Xiao Xiao turned his head.
"Say whatever comes to mind."
"It's all right."
"If there's something you don't know or aren't sure about, I'll ask you."
"Say what you can."
"If you can't talk about it, we'll change the subject."
Xiao Xiao's eyes held a smile.
"Have we grown distant because it's been so long since we last saw