The pool urban legend at the Swimming Hall in Xilin City was confirmed as a false urban legend by Qiao Yunxue, so the two’s efforts this time ended in failure.
There are countless urban legends on the internet, and not every legend will trigger a supernatural occurrence.
After leaving Qiao Yunxue’s villa, Shen Yao thought carefully about the whole incident, feeling that something was amiss, as if something lacked connection and felt too forced.
First, he was diagnosed with Urban Legend Disorder. Then, Qiao Yunxue called him to investigate the strange event.
Next, he suddenly had an attack and nearly drowned, and finally, they returned empty-handed.
From start to finish, it was as if only one person was calling the shots.
What if… what if Qiao Yunxue was lying?
When Shen Yao returned home, he took out the Fluvoxamine Tablets Qiao Yunxue had given him.
He sniffed them first, then gently bit off a small piece. As expected, wasn’t this just milk tablets?
She never intended to cure his Urban Legend Disorder from the beginning—that was the only explanation.
That’s why she would call him to the scene of the urban legend despite knowing his condition was unstable.
What were her motives or intentions? And why would she hide things from Shen Yao?
Shen Yao shook his head. With the current clues, it was all just one-sided speculation.
There was no conflict of interest between Qiao Yunxue and himself, nor would she want to harm him; otherwise, he would have met his end at the Comprehensive Logistics Park long ago.
He was really exhausted lately—first fleeing from the Phone Urban Legend, then running all over the place with Qiao Yunxue, his relationship with Cheng Orange becoming strangely complicated, and, most importantly, this bizarre Urban Legend Syndrome.
All he wanted was to lie in bed and rest for a while, ideally sleep till dawn and not think about any of these messy matters.
He went to the bathroom and splashed his face with water, gazing at his reflection in the mirror, lost in thought.
It felt like he had forgotten something really important… What was it?
*
The next day, Shen Yao was woken by the sound of the doorbell.
He climbed out of bed, still half-asleep, only to find that the sun was already high—he had slept all the way till noon.
He thought his aunt had returned from her business trip and forgotten her keys again, so he hurriedly got dressed and went downstairs to open the door, but standing there was someone both expected and unexpected.
Expected, because it was Cheng Orange—his childhood friend and steadfast companion.
Unexpected, because of what she was wearing: Cheng Orange wore only a gray short-sleeved shirt and shorts, feet slipping in a pair of slippers—a total homey look.
Her arms and thighs were bare, especially those long, fair, straight legs, almost dazzling white in the sunlight.
Her already ample chest, wrapped in the gray T-shirt, made it even harder to avert one’s eyes.
Cheng Orange usually only wore long pants, never shorts or skirts; today’s outfit was quite rare for her.
She didn’t like others seeing her as just another girl and usually avoided showing off her feminine side.
Cheng Orange smiled like a blossoming flower. “What’s wrong? Got dumbstruck? Aren’t you going to let me in?”
Shen Yao blushed at her words and stepped aside. Only then did he see Cheng Orange carrying a mysterious square box as she came in.
Watching her back, Shen Yao noticed her hips swaying in those denim shorts.
Unlike Qiao Yunxue’s slender frame, Cheng Orange’s figure clearly belonged to someone healthy and regular in her cycle.
Those two fair thighs seemed like magnets, drawing his gaze again and again.
If it were someone else, he wouldn’t have cared, but this was Cheng Orange, who always wore long pants.
He quickly looked away, trying not to stare at her. “Why are you dressed so… casual?” The word “cool” was a bit too much for him to say, so he settled for “casual”.
Cheng Orange paused and glanced back at him. “It’s hot in summer. Isn’t it normal to dress casually at home? Anyway, never mind that—come see the good stuff I brought you. Ta-da~”
Shen Yao looked closer and saw a black machine inside the box. “A game console?”
“That’s right~ I rented it from Century City. A PS2.” Cheng Orange flashed a V sign, grinning in triumph.
Shen Yao was infected by her smile and momentarily forgot all his worries. “Why’d you rent a game console?”
Cheng Orange started unboxing as she answered, “Of course, to invite you to play.”
“I don’t really play games,” Shen Yao said.
“I know you don’t. But all you do is study every day, don’t you think you should have some other hobbies?” Cheng Orange said.
“And with me, your best buddy, I can play games with you. Whatever you want to play, I’ll play with you. Hey, where do I plug in your TV?”
Shen Yao couldn’t stand watching her bending over by the TV, so he stepped up and gently shifted the stand.
“Give me the cables, I’ll handle it. Which ones? Do I plug in red, yellow, and green?”
After quite some effort, the two finally got the console hooked up to the TV.
Cheng Orange collapsed onto the sofa, sweat beading on her skin. “So much work. I don’t know how those arcade workers do it.”
A light blush showed through her fair skin, and her shapely legs glistened with sweat, all the more eye-catching.
Shen Yao had to avert his gaze from his childhood friend. “What made you suddenly think of inviting me to play games?”
“Hehe.” Cheng Orange giggled. “It just came to me.”
A classic non-answer. Well, she’s not like Qiao Yunxue, who’s obsessed with controlling everything she owns.
Cheng Orange dug out a blue box from the package, emblazoned with “Street Fighter 3” in traditional characters.
She sat cross-legged in front of the console, waving the disc. “How about this? A fighting game—perfect for two players.”
Shen Yao helplessly accepted the controller and sat down beside her. “How do you play?”
“These are up, down, left, right; this is light punch, this is light kick, this is heavy punch, this is heavy kick…”
Cheng Orange leaned close, patiently explaining every button.
She was a bit too close. The scent of a girl, tinged with summer sweat, hovered at the tip of his nose.
The smell wasn’t unpleasant—nothing like any perfume in the world—just a humid, heated scent unique to summer, strangely addictive.
She was so focused on explaining the controller that she didn’t notice Shen Yao’s eyes lingering on her cheek.
How could Cheng Orange act as if nothing happened after that day?
As if their fierce argument at the Amusement Park never existed; along with it, her dissatisfaction, gloom, and those emotions hidden beneath the current, unknown to anyone, all seemed to have vanished.
If it was just about looks, Cheng Orange was no less attractive than Qiao Yunxue.
Qiao Yunxue’s mixed heritage gave her a more stunning appearance at first glance, but Cheng Orange was the type who grew more charming the longer you looked at her.
When did he start noticing that Cheng Orange was a girl too?
Was it when she got her first period? Or when she said she needed to wear a bra?
Cheng Orange lifted her head, her long lashes brushing Shen Yao’s cheek.
Their eyes met for a fleeting moment, and the distance between them brewed an atmosphere that was far from what friends should have.