Compared to monsters, Lin Yue thought, people’s hearts were way scarier.
Huiqian, valiantly battling his rice with chopsticks, scowled and muttered, “Troublesome.” He looked at the chopsticks like they were tiny torture devices invented by bored humans.
Lin Yue rested her chin on her arms, watching him under the warm lamplight, her eyes full of gentle amusement. Who knew a supernatural being could look so tragically defeated by a bowl of rice?
Because Huiqian was a “black household” with no ID, he couldn’t even dream of boarding a high-speed train. Lin Yue had to borrow a friend’s ID to buy him a long-distance bus ticket and finally smuggled her supernatural companion into C City.
Huiqian was a disaster on wheels. He sat bolt upright in the back row, so stiff he looked like a mannequin someone had forgotten to pose. Every time the bus swerved, his face turned a shade greener, and his black eyes flickered with hints of gold, like a malfunctioning traffic light.
Lin Yue, eyes darting around nervously, leaned in and whispered, “Hey, Huiqian, you’re not going to wolf out on the bus, right? Please, I beg you, don’t! I can’t explain a werewolf transformation on the C City Express!”
Huiqian slumped against her shoulder, mumbling, “Uncomfortable…”
“We’re almost there, hang in there!” Lin Yue tried to soothe him, “Be good, and I’ll buy you something yummy when we get off—”
Before she could finish, Huiqian turned and kissed her, right there in the back row, siphoning off her spirit energy with the subtlety of a vampire at a blood bank. When he finally pulled away, he licked his lips, sighed, and promptly fell asleep like nothing had happened.
He was fine. Lin Yue, on the other hand, was about to pass out from embarrassment and residual supernatural energy. She pressed her hand to her chest, staring out the window, desperately trying not to light up like a radioactive glow stick and get them both thrown off the bus.
This semester, Lin Yue was starting her junior year. She’d gotten her friend Yu Tingting to rent an apartment off campus. After transferring the last of her precious savings for rent, she was officially broke—her bank account emptier than a vending machine after finals week. Her suitcases were scattered like casualties of war, and the apartment looked like a tornado had passed through.
Lin Yue ran downstairs for some basic supplies, then swept and mopped the floors, scrubbed the bathroom, and tackled the bedroom. Huiqian followed her everywhere, eyes wide, tail (thankfully invisible) metaphorically wagging, and looking like a lost puppy in a department store, terrified someone would ask him a question.
By 10 p.m., Lin Yue was so tired she could barely lift a finger. She showered, towel-dried her hair, and opened her bedroom door—only to walk straight into Huiqian, who’d been standing guard outside the bathroom.
“The living room’s still a mess, and I haven’t unpacked everything, so you’ll have to sleep on the sofa tonight,” Lin Yue mumbled, eyes half-closed. “There’s water in the tub. Go take a bath.”
“If only I could use my spirit power to clean up…” she sighed, shutting her bedroom door and leaving Huiqian in the hallway.
Huiqian stood outside her door, staring out at the neon city lights. It was loud, bright, and absolutely alien. He’d faced thunder, lightning, and dragons, but nothing felt as lonely as this.
Suddenly, a faint golden glow shimmered in the darkness. Huiqian closed his eyes, summoned his spirit power, and a gentle wind swept through the apartment. Dust vanished, suitcases zipped themselves shut, and even a withered plant in the corner perked up and bloomed. The place sparkled like a showroom.
Feeling accomplished, Huiqian decided to enjoy the city air. He walked straight into the glass balcony door with a loud thunk. He pressed his nose to the glass, then both palms, staring out at the city like a kid eyeing candy in a shop window. He let out a long, mournful howl at the moon—a sound that probably made at least three neighborhood dogs start barking.
After that, he shuffled into the bathroom, climbed into the tub, and let his spirit form slip. Silver ears and a big fluffy tail popped out. The tail got stuck in his shorts, so he just stripped everything off and shook out his wet hair like a giant, sulky dog. Then, dripping wet, he padded toward Lin Yue’s bedroom, leaving a trail of water behind.
The next morning, Lin Yue rolled over, stretching lazily—only for her hand to land on something warm and muscular. She patted it, frowning at the smooth skin, and then her brain caught up.
She opened her eyes and shrieked, scrambling backwards until she hit the headboard. “What are you doing in my bed?! Where are your clothes?!”
There, sprawled out and gloriously naked, was Huiqian—silver hair, beast ears, and a tail flopped over the sheets like a luxury rug.
“My clothes were wet. Uncomfortable,” Huiqian said, sitting up and showing off his abs.
“Don’t sit up!” Lin Yue squeaked, yanking the blanket over him. She was glowing again, practically lighting up the whole room.
“Why’d you turn back into your old self?” she managed, biting her tongue to keep from fainting.
“Cleaning… tired,” Huiqian mumbled, looking more exhausted than after a Black Friday sale.
He crawled closer, sniffed her shoulder, and mumbled, “Lin Yue, give me…” Then, following her breath, he kissed her, hungrily drawing in her spirit power. This time, it was less “borrowing” and more “all-you-can-eat buffet.” Lin Yue’s face turned crimson, and she glowed so brightly she could have powered half the city.
Before the semester started, Lin Yue decided to clear out her dorm before Xu Liuxia and her cronies returned. She left Huiqian downstairs—no way was she risking a run-in with the dorm supervisor.
She pushed open the door and found Yu Tingting standing inside, looking like she’d just watched a horror movie. “Lin Yue, Xu Liuxia totally lost it—she cut up all your clothes!”
Lin Yue rushed to her closet. Sure enough, her T-shirts, jackets, and pants were all slashed like they’d been attacked by a pack of angry scissors. Only a couple of winter coats had survived.
Yu Tingting patted her shoulder. “Let’s call the police. The more you give in, the crazier she gets. So what if her family’s rich? She can’t just go full Edward Scissorhands on your wardrobe!”
Lin Yue stared at the carnage, then sighed, “I guess this is what they call ‘fashion-forward’ these days…”
Yu Tingting snorted. “Yeah, if you’re a scarecrow!”
Lin Yue tried to laugh, but her voice wobbled. “At least now Huiqian won’t be the only one in weird clothes…”
Just then, her phone buzzed. It was a message from Huiqian:
[There’s a strange old lady staring at me. Should I eat her?]
Lin Yue nearly dropped her phone. “Oh no, I left him alone too long!”
Yu Tingting blinked. “Eat who?!”
“Never mind! I’ll explain later—just, uh, call the police, and if you see a naked guy with wolf ears, he’s with me!”
She dashed out, leaving Tingting gaping after her, and sprinted down the stairs—already composing her apology to the dorm supervisor, the police, and possibly the entire city.
Chapter 06
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