Little Jiu Shows Off Her Skills

His body looked lean but sturdy.

His skin was unusually pale, too.

Almost as pale as her own.

Song Yizhou could barely contain her curiosity.

There was no mistaking him.

It was Fang Xian.

Even the sight of Fang Xian reading with his head lowered now seemed shrouded in mystery.

"Hello..."

Song Yizhou thought for a moment and was just about to speak.

Clack.

The chair beside her was pulled out.

A tall young man sat down.

His hair was a little wet, and so were his clothes.

"Song, Lü Yaoyao told me you were in the library. I had quite a time finding you."

Song Yizhou gave a soft cough, a trace of helplessness flashing through her eyes.

Meanwhile...

"Damn."

"It's raining outside."

Fang Xian had been absorbed in his book.

When he saw a handsome, artsy young man sit down beside Song Yizhou, dripping wet, he hurriedly looked toward the window.

September was the tail end of summer, and the weather changed fast.

At first, only a few raindrops dotted the glass.

Within moments, rain covered the entire pane. Outside, it had become a downpour.

Little Jiu poked her head out of the backpack. Suddenly trembling, she scrambled onto Fang Xian's shoulder.

"Jiu! Jiu!"

"Jiu! Jiu!"

Her cries grew frantic.

Fang Xian gently stroked her head.

Little Jiu had died on a rainy day. As a lingering spirit, she had inherited some traits from when she was alive.

"It's the end of summer, and the air's so humid."

Fang Xian checked the forecast. It would rain for the next two weeks.

Two typhoons were even expected to make landfall.

"Just wait a little longer. We'll go back to the dorm soon."

Fang Xian spoke softly. He was also planning to rent a place off campus. He couldn't keep letting Little Jiu see him and his roommates naked.

Little Jiu was barely old enough to walk, yet she was already seeing naked men!

And she was terribly curious.

The more Fang Xian tried to stop her from looking, the more determined she became.

A few nights ago, when he wouldn't let her look, she had kept crying "Jiu! Jiu!"

He had been showering in the bathroom when she charged right in.

Lingering spirits had no physical bodies. The bathroom door couldn't stop her.

Was this really an urban legend?

Fang Xian looked at Little Jiu on his shoulder and patted her head again, soothing the tiny urban legend.

"Song, here's the thing. We'd like you to be the host."

Yu Feng flashed what he thought was a charming smile. "You have just the look to represent the School of Literature. I've already spoken to our advisor."

Song Yizhou gave a slight nod and replied politely, "I may not be up to it. Perhaps you should choose someone else."

Yu Feng froze. He hadn't expected her to turn him down.

He forced a smile and collected himself. "Song, we have complete faith in you... And..."

Song Yizhou waited quietly for a moment before gently cutting him off. "To be honest, I'd like to read while I wait for the rain to stop. Perhaps we could spend this time a little more quietly?"

"This is a library. I'd rather not disturb anyone else."

Her voice was warm and unhurried.

Yu Feng scratched his head and laughed awkwardly. "Right. Let's leave that for now."

"Oh, and Song, I wrote a poem recently. Could you take a look and tell me what you think?"

Yu Feng changed tack at once.

According to Lü Yaoyao, Song Yizhou was like him: she enjoyed reading, poetry, and films. If he wanted to pursue her, he needed to start with those shared interests.

Fang Xian was watching with growing interest.

Ha!

This is pretty entertaining.

It had just occurred to Fang Xian that Song Yizhou was remarkably tactful when she turned someone down.

She's got class.

She never made the other person feel slighted.

Fang Xian's impression of her improved a little. Who wouldn't like a gentle, beautiful woman?

Still, the scene was hilarious.

Fang Xian was trying desperately not to laugh!

With that thought, he unwrapped a lollipop and watched the handsome poet perform like a male migratory bird that had flown across the Pacific to court a mate.

Little Jiu looked up, apparently wondering what the man across from them was doing.

Song Yizhou lowered her head and pressed her lips together.

A little exasperated, she let out an almost imperceptible sigh. Then she raised her fair, oval face and glanced for no apparent reason at the pale face across from her.

Somehow...

Is that guy holding back a laugh?

Is he?

To everyone else, Fang Xian still looked like an utterly calm library patron.

He had an excellent poker face.

Little Jiu watched the performance across from them in confusion, then waited like a good child for Fang Xian to feed her.

Fang Xian figured a lingering spirit probably couldn't get cavities, but he decided to check anyway.

"Open your mouth first."

He held the lollipop off to one side and discreetly used his right hand beneath the table to squeeze Little Jiu's mouth into an O.

Little Jiu looked puzzled. "Oh... Jiu."

Fang Xian took a quick look.

Those tiny baby teeth...

They really do look like the teeth in that skull inside the concrete pipe.

"Jiu."

With Fang Xian's permission, Little Jiu was just about to receive a taste of sweetness when the artsy rooster across from them sprang to his feet, apparently ready to recite his poem. He knocked the lollipop right out of Fang Xian's hand.

The lollipop rolled across the floor twice.

Little Jiu immediately went after it, but Fang Xian stopped her firmly.

"Don't eat things off the floor!"

"Little Jiu!"

Fang Xian shouted silently, then looked up at the passionate artsy rooster.

Yu Feng was still lost in his poem. He hadn't noticed Fang Xian or his lollipop at all.

No.

Little Jiu's lollipop.

Little Jiu's brows drew together.

Fang Xian had told her not to eat things that fell on the floor.

She whipped her head around.

And stared at Yu Feng!

Her little mouth puckered into a full pout!

"Jiumi!"

Fang Xian knew this wasn't an ordinary jiumi!

It was an angry jiumi!

Little Jiu has a point! Fang Xian agreed silently.

In the blink of an eye, a strange aura poured from Little Jiu's body.

Fang Xian's eyes shifted.

Beginning with Little Jiu, the whole world seemed to sink into a lifeless gray.

Ding.

Skill [Interference] activated!

A huge question mark practically appeared over Fang Xian's head.

Wait.

Little Jiu, I'm your trainer.

Why are you using a skill on your own?

And another thing...

Fang Xian's expression gradually turned grave.

Little Jiu acted so much like a puppy that he had forgotten she was an urban legend with eerie powers.

Or perhaps dealing with a Lingering Fear-class urban legend without any casualties had made him complacent.

"Come back!"

Fang Xian's eyes hardened.

At the same time,

His remaining lifespan began to decrease.

Urban Legend Compendium activated.

Little Jiu flailed in midair and looked back at him with wide, innocent eyes, as if asking, Why, jiu?

Then her body gradually faded away.

No reason!

Fang Xian looked at Yu Feng, his nerves taut.

He had tested Stalking before. Other than frightening people, it caused no real harm.

But what about Interference...

Even the name sounds shady!