Chapter 14: Witness

A few days later, in the morning.

“Shen Yao~”

A voice called out in the early morning, pulling Shen Yao out of his stupor.

He saw Cheng Cheng jogging over to him, laughing as she gave his shoulder a heavy slap.

“I heard you drove off a whole group of Class Three thugs by yourself yesterday. Is it true?”

Shen Yao was speechless.

“Who told you that?”

“Wang Yu, Chen Xiao, and a bunch of others said so too.”

She gave him a thumbs up.

“Amazing. Looks like you won’t need me anymore from now on.”

There was a hint of strange emotion in her words, so well-hidden that even she didn’t notice it.

Her gaze fell on the breakfast stall.

“The buns there taste better than the school’s. Let’s go buy some buns.”

Shen Yao nodded.

He wasn’t picky about food; as long as it filled his stomach, it was good enough.

Shumai and vegetable buns were fifty cents each, meat buns were one yuan, and the soy milk packaging had a Cool Cat print.

Actually, Shen Yao preferred the harmless Doraemon to Cool Cat.

Both were cats, but their personalities were completely different, just like Cheng Cheng and Qiao Yunxue…

Shen Yao shook his head.

Why was he even comparing them?

The TV in the shop was showing the news—again about the Guanglin Road female student disappearance case.

While waiting for breakfast, Shen Yao stared at the TV out of boredom.

As he watched, a flash of inspiration suddenly shot through his mind, as if he’d caught onto something.

He felt a warmth on his nose.

Cheng Cheng suddenly pointed at him.

“Shen Yao, you’re nosebleeding.”

Shen Yao wiped with his hand.

There was blood on his fingertip.

The Boss Lady selling buns saw it and handed him a pack of tissues.

Shen Yao thanked her, then used the tissues to stop the nosebleed.

Fortunately, it wasn’t much blood—probably just from being overheated.

With that interruption, the inspiration he’d just captured vanished without a trace.

“Hehe~”

A girl’s laughter seemed to echo.

Shen Yao turned around but didn’t see anyone laughing.

Was it an illusion?

Cheng Cheng asked in concern.

“Did those thugs hurt you yesterday?”

Shen Yao shook his head.

“It’s probably just heat.”

He looked up at Cheng Cheng.

He saw black smoke rising behind her back.

He rubbed his eyes, and the black smoke disappeared again.

Strange…what’s wrong with me?

From a certain day, he started having nightmares, then encountered Qiao Yunxue, experienced weirdness for the first time, then had hallucinations and auditory illusions…

It was like something terrible was taking root and blossoming inside him.

Is it because I stopped taking medicine?

But the doctor said I didn’t need it anymore…

A scene flashed in Shen Yao’s mind: in a sea of fire, two people staggered toward him, their eyelids burned away, exposing round, staring eyeballs, like evil spirits from hell.

He suddenly coughed.

Cheng Cheng quickly patted his back, looking worried.

“You’ve been in bad shape lately. Maybe you shouldn’t help out at the disciplinary office anymore? Why do those Teachers always need your help—you’re just a Student.”

These days, Shen Yao had been secretly meeting Qiao Yunxue after school, using helping at the disciplinary office as an excuse for Cheng Cheng.

Now, it only made Cheng Cheng worry more.

They were just one step away from finalizing the Ghost Hunting Plan—he couldn’t afford to falter now.

Since he’d promised Qiao Yunxue, he had to do his best.

“It’s fine, just busy for a while. After this week, things will settle down.”

One lie leads to another.

“…”

Cheng Cheng hesitated.

She could feel Shen Yao hiding something, and that made her uncomfortable.

He used to share everything with her.

Ever since Qiao Yunxue arrived…

Shen Yao took the breakfast, giving her one bag and keeping one for himself.

“Aren’t you going to find your best friends? You used to ditch me and run off at times like this.”

He spoke lightly, trying to distract Cheng Cheng.

Cheng Cheng saw her friends waving at her in the distance and froze.

In the past, to avoid gossip, she’d rather stay with her friends than be seen with Shen Yao at school.

Shen Yao supported this—an unspoken understanding between them.

Neither wanted rumors to affect their daily lives.

Shen Yao did it to focus on his studies—but why did she?

Cheng Cheng asked herself: why did she need to keep a distance from Shen Yao?

She couldn’t remember.

Maybe it was just a teenage girl’s shyness and pride?

Or some kind of blind herd instinct?

Or perhaps a ridiculous sense of vanity?

“Go on, go on.”

Shen Yao smiled and gave her a gentle push.

Cheng Cheng glanced back at him.

She had an odd feeling—as if once she walked away, she’d be far, far from Shen Yao, unable to return.

“I’m fine.”

Shen Yao saw her worried face and added,

“If you’re worried, treat me to roast potatoes this weekend, okay? There’s a roast potato stand at night in the Guangchang—eight yuan for all you can eat.”

Cheng Cheng relaxed a little.

“Then…okay. But if something happens, you have to tell me first.”

She punched his shoulder.

“Don’t forget—we’re best friends.”

“Definitely.”

Watching Cheng Cheng walk away, Shen Yao’s smile slowly faded.

Beep beep.

Two short horn blasts.

Shen Yao turned.

Qiao Yunxue was wearing a helmet, riding a small red electric scooter, honking behind him.

“Hey, you’re blocking the way. We’ll be late for school.”

She said.

Shen Yao was speechless.

“The road is so wide, why do you have to squeeze behind me?”

Qiao Yunxue pressed the horn a few more times in annoyance, attracting other Students’ attention.

“I said you’re in the way, so you’re in the way. You’re my underling now—you can’t talk back.”

From accomplice to helper to underling—this woman was truly unpredictable.

Shen Yao didn’t argue.

He’d noticed that Qiao Yunxue was a bit antisocial—she enjoyed provoking and irritating others.

Are all rich people so unreasonable?

Shen Yao reluctantly stepped aside.

Qiao Yunxue deliberately turned the scooter towards him.

“Hey, now you’re in my way again.”

Shen Yao was speechless.

“You have a car—why ride this electric scooter yourself?”

Seeing Shen Yao’s helpless face, Qiao Yunxue finally smiled.

Her amusement always seemed to come from other people’s suffering.

“The car’s in for maintenance, so I’m riding this to school.”

She pressed the horn.

“You’re blocking the way!”

Shen Yao shoved his hands in his pockets.

“I can’t move. Just run me over.”

“You’re not gentlemanly at all.”

“Even a gentleman turns into a scoundrel around you.”

Qiao Yunxue snorted.

She looked toward the direction where Cheng Cheng had just left.

“Say, are you close with that girl?”

Shen Yao raised an eyebrow.

“……”

“The more helpers for ghost hunting, the better. Want to bring her into the group?”

Shen Yao refused firmly.

“No way. It’s too dangerous—there’s no way I’m dragging Cheng Cheng into this.”

“How do you know she wouldn’t want to?”

Shen Yao frowned.

“If you try to bring Cheng Cheng in, our deal’s off.”

“Fine, fine, I won’t.”

Qiao Yunxue straightened her helmet, turned the scooter, and rode past Shen Yao.

“You’re really weird.”

After riding a while, she looked back.

“Don’t forget tonight!”

Tonight was when they’d carry out the Ghost Hunting Plan.

Of course Shen Yao wouldn’t forget.

He turned to look at the TV screen in the breakfast shop, where a photo of a victim was displayed.

He tossed the oily plastic bag into the trash after swallowing the shumai in one gulp.

What exactly are these strange things…?

Tonight, he’d find out for himself.