"Don't worry, mister. The place where my brother and I live isn't actually far from Rainbow Locust Tenth Middle School, and I still have enough bullets on me. Even if something unexpected really does happen, we can get back to the school in time," Chen Xi said, reassuring Zhuang Anping. "Besides, it's daytime now. The freaks on the streets should have disappeared or hidden somewhere out of sight, just like the Fish-Head Freaks at school."
Not long after they left Rainbow Locust Tenth Middle School, Chen Xi noticed how tense Zhuang Anping was.
The morning sunlight filtered through the trees lining the street, casting dappled shadows on the ground.
Although daytime was relatively safe and there were plenty of pedestrians around, Chen Xi kept feeling an unusual stillness on the streets.
"I'm fine. It's just my first time experiencing this particular feeling, and I don't quite know how to deal with it." Zhuang Anping looked ahead, his voice tinged with bewilderment.
"A particular feeling? What feeling?" Chen Xi tilted her head and asked curiously.
"The feeling of knowing I'm still alive, yet nobody can see me or hear my voice." Zhuang Anping gave a bitter laugh. "I used to think the biggest difference between humans and ghost creatures was life and death. But now it seems our surroundings can affect us too, or even change us. If everyone believes you're dead, then even if you're still alive, you aren't truly alive anymore."
"You're almost halfway through your life, mister. Stop thinking about such serious philosophical questions," Chen Xi said with forced lightness, trying to ease Zhuang Anping's tension.
They passed rows of shops along the street. The goods in the windows were neatly arranged, but not a single passerby stopped to look. An eerie silence hung in the air.
"Leaving