The lump beneath the quilt was small. The dolls might have covered some other object with it while venting their anger, but Li Xian still grew wary.
Could it be a doll?
He carefully bent down, pinched a corner of the quilt, and took a deep breath before abruptly throwing it back!
An all-too-familiar pale purple tentacle came into view, accompanied by a cry:
"Surprise!"
Li Xian fell silent for a moment, then flicked the quilt back over it.
"Hey!"
Ji Xie's disgruntled voice came from beneath the quilt. Then he threw it back himself-by then, he had already returned to human form.
"I waited for you under there for ages. It was stuffy, you know."
Li Xian ignored that remark and reached out to tug at Ji Xie, as though he had something to tell him.
The almost negligible force from his hand did little more than guide Ji Xie, but he followed that pull anyway, rising from the bed to stand on the floor.
Then he watched Li Xian flop straight down into the spot he had just vacated.
The bed was piled with books, coins, and other clutter. The spot where Ji Xie had been lying was the only clear space large enough for one person, so Li Xian had made him get up-just so he could lie there himself.
Great. Now I don't even have to clear the bed.
Li Xian thought this with heartfelt sincerity.
Standing on the floor, Ji Xie froze for a moment. He looked at the other half of the bed, which was piled high with things, and sounded a little hurt:
"Where am I supposed to sleep?"
Taking advantage of his small body, Li Xian had already sprawled spread-eagled across the bed. He glanced at Ji Xie and patted the mattress