Chapter 42

Chapter 42

◎Spirit Possession◎

The Xiao family were very warm and welcoming. Xiao Ye's brother and sister-in-law weren't the strict, serious type, especially Xiao Ye's sister-in-law, who shared some juicy and amusing stories from the hospital, including some funny mishaps caused by patients. Xiao Ye added a few witty remarks to keep the conversation lively, making the dinner a fun and enjoyable time for everyone.

After dinner, Xiao Ye's older brother made the call: "You're staying over tonight. It's way too late for you to head back alone. Xiao Ye will take you home tomorrow. I'll call your older brother and let him know. Alright, you two can head upstairs and hang out."

He then turned to Xiao Ye and added, "Don't stay up too late. Lights out by midnight, got it?"

Xiao Ye hadn't counted on being able to keep Ji Nanxing overnight, but his brother's unexpected decision turned things around. He quickly saluted and said, "Yes, sir!"

Without waiting for Ji Nanxing to refuse, Xiao Ye grabbed his hand and dragged him upstairs, shoving him into the room and slamming the door shut. With a sly grin, Xiao Ye said, "Little beauty, you're not getting away tonight."

Ji Nanxing sat down on the sofa placed on the balcony of Xiao Ye's room. "It's only eight. I can call my driver to pick me up now."

Xiao Ye quickly reined in his exaggerated expression. "Come on! Look, my room's huge, and the bed's massive. There's plenty of space for a small and slim you. Plus, I've already prepared pajamas for you!"

Ji Nanxing turned to look at him. "Pajamas?"

Xiao Ye opened the wardrobe and pulled out a set of white cotton pajamas that were clearly a size smaller. "See? I've got everything ready for you. If you don't like pullovers, I also have button-up ones. I've prepared two sets for each season. Oh, and I also bought a box of underwear in your size. They've all been washed. Look!"

Ji Nanxing stared at the clothes spread out on the bed, puzzled. "I never agreed to stay overnight. Why did you prepare all this in advance?"

Xiao Ye hung the pajamas back in the wardrobe one by one. "Opportunities are for those who are prepared!"

They still had three years of high school ahead of them. He had plenty of time to rekindle the childhood bond he once shared with Ji Nanxing, back when they wore diapers together. By preparing in advance, he was sure it would come in handy sooner or later!

Ji Nanxing sometimes found it hard to understand Xiao Ye's thought process. He had no comments to make about the clothes, so he simply took out his phone to check if the two girls had found any information about the previous owner of the second-hand clothes.

Xiao Ye thought he was calling his driver and quickly leaned over. "Are you still planning to go home? I've even thought about what we'll have for breakfast tomorrow. Do you have trouble sleeping in unfamiliar places? If that's the case, don't call the driver. I'll take you home myself."

Ji Nanxing looked at Xiao Ye, who was squatting beside him. "So you're not forcing me to stay?"

Xiao Ye unceremoniously ruffled his hair and then pulled up a chair to sit down. "Do I look like that kind of person? I want you to stay because I want to spend time with you, not to make you uncomfortable or unhappy. The first time is awkward, but the second time will be familiar. Come over for dinner a few more times, and soon my home will feel like your own."

The Xiao family lived in a standalone three-story villa, surrounded by tall trees that provided ample shade. The cicadas chirping in the trees near the windows and balcony were particularly loud.

A cool evening breeze carrying the scent of green leaves wafted in from outside. The warm light inside the room shone brightly against the night, exuding a cozy, homely atmosphere.

Xiao Ye sat in the light, looking at Ji Nanxing with a gentle smile in his eyes.

Ji Nanxing felt a slight stir in his heart. He had met countless people and witnessed numerous life-and-death situations, so he knew all too well how precious it was to encounter someone with a genuinely good heart. It wasn't about talent or family background—it was about having a core that was both gentle and strong, someone who wouldn't lose themselves no matter what they faced.

In all his interactions with people, Ji Nanxing had rarely encountered someone who gave him this feeling. But now, he sensed it in Xiao Ye.

Looking at Xiao Ye, who clearly wanted him to stay but didn't want to force him, Ji Nanxing smiled. "What do you want to play?"

He had already decided to stay overnight. When Xiao Ye's brother made the suggestion earlier, he hadn't refused in time, and leaving now would be impolite.

He usually avoided staying overnight at other people's homes because he feared that deeper interactions might affect them. But if that person was Xiao Ye, the impact might not be significant, so it was fine to stay.

Xiao Ye's eyes lit up instantly. "There's so much to do at my place! Come on, I'll take you to the game room!"

Boys' entertainment options were limited—either playing sports outdoors or gaming indoors.

The last time Ji Nanxing played games like this with someone was when he was five or six years old, and it was with his senior brother. As he grew older, he spent more time with his master catching ghosts and exorcising spirits, leaving little time for games.

Xiao Ye guessed that Ji Nanxing didn't know how to play. With such good grades, he probably spent all his free time studying. So Xiao Ye dug out the simplest game, Mario. "Up, down, left, and right are like this. This button is for jumping. When the little guy inside hits a coin, it means you've collected it. There are small coins and big coins. The big ones require a bit more skill to collect, but you can only win by eating the mushroom."

Ji Nanxing looked at the screen: "Isn't this the game we played as kids? You still play this now?"

Xiao Ye: "Classics never go out of style, you know. I thought since you don’t play games, I’d take it slow and help you get into it. Nowadays, people mostly play tower defense and battle royale."

Although Ji Nanxing doesn't play games, he knows about the popular ones, as his classmates often gathered to chat about them, and he had heard bits and pieces: "How do you play tower defense and battle royale?"

Xiao Ye put down the game controller and took out his phone: "Let's play tower defense first. Battle royale is 3D, and many people get motion sickness from it. First, download the game, and I’ll hook you up with an account that has all the skins. You just chill, and I’ll take care of the wins!"

Then Xiao Ye discovered that being smart and good at studies doesn't mean being good at everything. After getting spotted and killed while hiding in the bushes again, Ji Nanxing got frustrated and threw his phone: "I'm done playing."

Xiao Ye, amused, picked up the phone and handed it back to him: "That’s not the way to play. First, come over and farm minions carefully. Just follow my lead. Don’t pop your ultimate as soon as it’s up; it’s a waste to use it on minions. I’ll tell you when to use it."

Xiao Ye led Ji Nanxing to clear a wave of minions and lured over an enemy who wasn’t very skilled. Seeing the timing was right, he called out to Ji Nanxing hiding in the grass: "Come out and grab the kill."

Ji Nanxing unleashed his ultimate, leaving the enemy with a sliver of health. Realizing there was an ambush, the enemy turned and ran, but Ji Nanxing chased and landed two more hits, securing the kill.

Xiao Ye smiled: "Feeling better now?"

Ji Nanxing didn't respond, but his frustration from being repeatedly killed earlier had clearly subsided.

After playing until around ten, Ji Nanxing, after Xiao Ye had helped him score several MVPs, decided to stop: "I’m ready to hit the sack."

Xiao Ye also put down his phone, placed the prepared new towel and toothbrush in the bathroom, and brought in the change of clothes: "You hungry? Wanna grab a bite after your shower before bed?"

Ji Nanxing shook his head: "I won't eat. If you're hungry, you can eat."

He had to take care of the second-hand clothes thing tomorrow, so he needed to sleep early.

While Ji Nanxing was showering, Xiao Ye busied himself, making the bed, placing tea by the bedside, and leaving a pile of snacks in case Ji Nanxing got hungry at night.

When he came upstairs with dessert, he was practically bouncing up the stairs.

Fang Li, who was stretching her neck and shoulders, chuckled at the sight: "You’re thrilled to have him staying over, huh?"

Xiao Ye hid the small bowl behind his back and smiled at Fang Li: "Night, sis." Then he quickly returned to his room.

Fang Li couldn't help but laugh again. Teenage boys always have this goofy vibe.

Ji Nanxing went straight to bed after his shower. Noticing water and snacks on one side of the bed, he guessed they were for him and naturally settled there.

When Xiao Ye came in, he saw Ji Nanxing wearing the pajamas he had prepared, leaning against the headboard playing with his phone. He walked over and handed him the small bowl: "Eat up, while it’s still warm!"

Ji Nanxing glanced at it: "Bird's nest?"

Xiao Ye picked up a spoon and fed it to him: "My sister-in-law’s prized possession. Even my brother and sister-in-law don't get it."

Ji Nanxing was forced to take a bite, and before he could speak, Xiao Ye added: "This won’t make you full. It's fine to have a little before bed."

Ji Nanxing sighed: "I've already brushed my teeth."

Xiao Ye, still sitting by the bed feeding him, said: "It's fine, just rinse your mouth later. How does it taste? If you like it, I’ll swipe some more from my sis next time."

Ji Nanxing caught the key word: "Swipe?"

Maybe it was because he had just showered, or maybe the sweet coconut milk bird's nest was too tempting, but Xiao Ye felt that Ji Nanxing, sitting on the bed obediently eating the bird's nest, looked particularly soft and delicious, like a strawberry-flavored mochi, with the sweet, tender strawberry wrapped in soft, pink mochi skin. Just imagining it made his mouth water.

Ji Nanxing waved his hand in front of Xiao Ye's eyes: "I asked you a question."

Xiao Ye snapped out of it and quickly replied: "Oh, that's just teasing my sister-in-law. She says my brother and I are too rough to appreciate such fine things, so sometimes I sneak half a bowl and share it with my brother. It's just some family banter."

Ji Nanxing handed the spoon to him: "Here, I'll leave half for you."

Xiao Ye chuckled: "You know I'm not really into sweets. Hurry up and eat while it's hot."

Watching Ji Nanxing eat bite by bite, the smile on Xiao Ye's face never faded. It was such a delight to watch someone so good-looking eat; Xiao Ye sighed at his own superficiality while staring unblinkingly.

The lights in the room were turned off before eleven, but the light from the street lamps and the moonlight outside cast a cool, silvery glow into the room.

Xiao Ye and Ji Nanxing lay side by side, each wrapped in their own blanket. Xiao Ye stared at the tree shadows reflected on the ceiling for a while, then whispered: "Nao Nao, what do you think we'd be like now if your family hadn't moved away when we were kids?"

Ji Nanxing slowly opened his eyes, thought for a moment, and said: "I don't know. I can't imagine."

Perhaps he would have one more childhood friend, or perhaps, because of his unique constitution and his need to deal with ghosts, he would have one more former friend who hated and turned against him.

But who knows about things that haven't happened.

Xiao Ye turned to face Ji Nanxing, holding his hand that was outside the blanket: "It proves that we are destined. Even after more than ten years apart, we still hit it off as soon as we meet again."

The warmth spread from his palm. Ji Nanxing closed his eyes, thinking to let go of his hand after warming up a bit more, or wait for Xiao Ye to let go first. But the warmth beside him was quite comforting, and his sleep quality was too good. Before Xiao Ye let go, Ji Nanxing had already fallen asleep.

After not getting a response from Ji Nanxing for a while, Xiao Ye slightly got up to look at him, then smiled and moved closer, tentatively holding his cold hand in his own.

Before he closed his eyes to sleep, what Xiao Ye thought was that there really are people who are so obedient and soft when they sleep, as beautiful as an angel.

The orientation of Xiao Ye's room was good. Bright light came in in the morning, but it wasn't directly exposed to the sun.

Ji Nanxing woke up around seven, feeling warm all over. He was momentarily reluctant to get up.

Realizing that this was not his own home, Ji Nanxing slightly turned his head and saw Xiao Ye, who had been sleeping well beside him last night, now curled up in the blanket and tightly pressed against him, with a long leg sticking out from the blanket, taking up half the bed.

Despite his twisted sleeping posture, he didn't squeeze Ji Nanxing, but because he had been pressed against him for so long, his yang energy seemed to have diminished slightly.

Ji Nanxing lifted the hand that was on him and sat up. His dark eyes sparkled as he confirmed that Xiao Ye was still a golden mass and hadn't been fundamentally harmed by prolonged contact with him. He sighed in relief.

Just as he was about to put on his slippers after lifting the blanket, Xiao Ye, who had woken up at some point, pounced over, hugged him tightly from behind, and gave him a little shake: "Good morning, Nao Nao. Did you sleep well last night? I didn't squeeze you, did I?"

Ji Nanxing, who rarely had such physical contact with others, pried off his hand, glanced back at the blanket on the bed, gave him a look that said 'figure it out yourself,' and went straight to the bathroom to wash up.

Xiao Ye ruffled his messy hair and looked around the bed.

Ji Nanxing's blanket was perfectly fine, just as it had been before he slept. But his own was a mess, not only tangled up but also leaving a large space as he squeezed over. If Nao Nao doesn't want to stay overnight at his house in the future, it must be because of his unrestrained sleeping posture!

In the morning, Xiao Ye's elder brother and sister-in-law had already left before they got up. When they got up, the housekeeper had already prepared breakfast and kept it warm in the pot.

Xiao Ye enthusiastically introduced: "Nao Nao, this is our Wang Ma. Wang Ma's cooking is superb; everything I've brought you was made by her."

Ji Nanxing smiled at the plump, cheerful-looking aunt: "Hello, Wang Ma. Thank you for the previous meals. They were delicious."

Wang Ma cheerfully took out the steaming breakfast from the pot: "In the blink of an eye, Xing Xing has grown so much. Your elder brother mentioned this morning that Xing Xing was coming. I was a bit surprised, but indeed, he was as beautiful as a doll as a child, and even more handsome now. Let Xiao Ye tell me what you want to eat in the future!"

Xiao Ye exclaimed: "Wang Ma also knows Xing Xing."

Wang Ma poked his forehead: "Are you sleep-stupid? How old are you? How many years have I been taking care of the old master at your house?"

Xiao Ye touched his forehead and said, "Oh." Wang Ma had been working at his house for almost thirty years. No wonder she also knew Xing Xing. So in this house, except for him who didn't remember, everyone knew Xing Xing!

Today's breakfast was thumb-sized pan-fried dumplings, fresh shrimp kimchi pancakes, a bowl of fruit salad, and sweet tofu pudding.

When Wang Ma served the breakfast, she also said: "Xiao Ye mentioned you're allergic to beef, so I didn't prepare any milk for you. Let me know if you'd like anything else; I can make more for you. But I remember you drank milk as a child, though your whole family avoids beef—probably it's hereditary."

Ji Nanxing shook his head and thanked her, "That's more than enough, thank you, Wang Ma."

Xiao Ye pulled him to sit down, "Quick, try these mini pan-fried buns, they're much better than the ones sold outside. After we eat, I'll take you home, and we can do our homework together later. We'll have lunch and dinner outside, and I'll see where there's good food."

Ji Nanxing took a sip of the soy milk pudding, "No, I have something to do later. You don't need to take me all the way home, just drop me off at the bus station."

Hearing that Ji Nanxing didn't plan to stay with him today, Xiao Ye was a bit disappointed but didn't insist, "Alright then, I'll take you to the bus station. Don't forget to text me when you get home."

The two growing boys quickly finished the not-so-small breakfast. As they were about to leave, Wang Ma ran after them with a lunchbox, "Xiao Ye said you like the shrimp dumplings I make. These were made fresh this morning. Take them home and freeze them. Just steam them when you're ready to eat."

Xiao Ye took the shrimp dumplings and stuffed them into Ji Nanxing's bag, then slung it over his own shoulder.

Ji Nanxing had no choice but to thank her once more. After finally saying goodbye to the enthusiastic Xiao family, Ji Nanxing breathed a sigh of relief as he boarded the bus. Interacting with people was really tiring.

Following the address provided by the two girls, Ji Nanxing transferred buses and got off at the university district. The male assistant, who had been waiting at the university gate, came over.

Ji Nanxing handed him the backpack, "There's a box of shrimp dumplings in here; please put them in the fridge."

The male assistant nodded and, seeing that Ji Nanxing had nothing else to say, drove off.

Ji Nanxing waited at the gate for a bit, and soon Wang Yiyi and Chen Zhi came out, "It's the weekend, so visitors are allowed in the dorm."

Chen Zhi glanced at Ji Nanxing. Although he wasn't short, his face was too young to convincingly pass as their older brother, so she said, "Just tell the dorm supervisor that you're my younger brother."

Ji Nanxing asked, "How's the investigation into the original owner of the second-hand clothes coming along?"

Wang Yiyi sighed, "Not going well. We made the purchase on a second-hand trading platform. Even though it was face-to-face, Ying Youyou handled everything herself. Yesterday, we tried to ask Youyou for the person's contact information, but she just shot us a cold look and walked off."

Thinking of Ying Youyou's gaze from yesterday, both of them still felt a chill.

Chen Zhi said, "But it's not entirely fruitless. Each piece of clothing has a serial number because they're authentic. We secretly copied the numbers yesterday. We're just not sure if we can track down the buyer using the numbers if we go to Sanyuanpu."

Ji Nanxing asked, "Is Ying Youyou in the dorm?"

They nodded. It was precisely because she was in the dorm that they had come out early.

Ji Nanxing said, "Give me the serial numbers, and I'll have someone look into it."

Chen Zhi quickly sent the serial numbers to Ji Nanxing, who forwarded them to the male assistant. Then he said to the two girls, "Let's go check the dorm."

As they walked to the dorm, Chen Zhi quickly filled Ji Nanxing in on their situation.

They usually have four people in a dorm, but one of their roommates started dating and moved off-campus with her boyfriend at the beginning of the semester, so now there are only three of them left.

The three of them share a love for cosplay, which brought them closer together. They often buy clothes and do makeup together, and their bond has grown stronger over time.

Chen Zhi said, "We're seniors now, and we'll be looking for internships in the second half of the semester. So we thought we'd make the most of this semester and do a few more cosplays. Who knew that trying to save money by buying second-hand would lead to this."

Ji Nanxing said, "It's rare for second-hand items to cause such issues."

The two girls exchanged a glance and sighed silently, blaming their bad luck.

The dorm was on the third floor. The dorm supervisor didn't even ask any questions. The girls' dorm was clean, with beds above and desks below, each bed adorned with pretty curtains.

Chen Zhi pointed to the one by the door and gave Ji Nanxing a meaningful look.

Ji Nanxing nodded at her. Chen Zhi took a deep breath and stepped forward, knocking on the railing, "Youyou, we have a friend here. We mentioned him before. Uh, are you dressed? Our friend is a guy."

Ying Youyou pulled back the curtain, dressed in an elaborate and ornate game costume, her eyes coldly landing on them before she quickly closed the curtain again.

Chen Zhi and Wang Yiye looked at Ji Nanxing with expressions that said, "I told you so." It wasn't that they were being overly suspicious, but their friend had become too strange. If it weren't for the talisman Ji Nanxing gave them yesterday, they would have preferred to stay in a hotel last night.

Ji Nanxing sized up the situation with just one look and said to them, "Grab your things and let's go."

They quickly realized that some topics were best not discussed in the dorm, so they picked up something from the table and hurriedly left.

The dorm door was gently closed. Sitting on the bed, Ying Youyou held a small comb, brushing her long wig in front of the mirror placed at the head of the bed.

After staring at the mirror for a while, Ying Youyou's expression twisted into something ferocious. The wooden comb flew out of her hand, shattering the small round mirror into pieces.

She touched her face, then her waist, feeling that she was still too heavy. She loosened the waistband of her clothes and pulled it tightly again until she was almost out of breath, then collapsed on the bed, fiercely pinching the flesh around her waist. Why was she so fat? Why couldn't she control her mouth and stop getting so heavy!

Once they had left the dorm building, Chen Zhi and Wang Yiye anxiously asked Ji Nanxing, "What's wrong with her? Is there something unclean attached to her?"

Ji Nanxing looked up at the window of their dorm room and said, "She's been possessed by a ghost."