A pearly mass slowly emerged from the blue-gray pillar. It was the ghost Zheng Qing had stuffed into the wall earlier. She looked like a fresh mushroom growing from a tree trunk, her loose hair forming an open cap. Though it was winter, the noonday sunlight was still rather harsh, so the ghost could only remain in the shadows beyond its reach.
The Female Ghost poked her head out and watched the young witches and wizards receding into the distance, looking thoughtful.
"You all heard that, right?"
She asked the seemingly random question.
Pop, pop, pop, pop.
As though they had received some signal, clusters of pearly shapes of varying sizes immediately emerged from the blue-gray pillar. They were young-looking ghosts, each sticking half their body out of the pillar like fruit hanging from a tree, chattering all at once:
"We heard it!"
"There's no mistake—someone's trying to steal Councilwoman Su away!"
"What do you mean, steal her away... he's cheating, that scumbag!"
"Right, that scumbag is cheating!"
"We have to let him know how formidable us Moonlit Aunties are!"
"Let's tell Councilwoman Su! Does anyone know Qingqiu Mansion's address?"
"I don't know the address, but I know one of the mansion's maids, a Little Fox Girl called Su Ya... she often goes to the Pet Garden to play with those Little Foxes."
"The Pet Garden? I'm going too, I'm going too!"
"Me too!"
Naturally, Zheng Qing had no idea that a group of little ghosts behind him were clamoring to go complain to Su Shijun about him.
After leaving the teaching building, he felt as though he were walking on cotton. Every step lacked solidity, and he seemed so light on his feet that the wind might carry him away at any moment.
On an ordinary day,