Twilight Encounter

As dusk approached, the sun’s fading light filtered through the locust trees. Fu Ziqing appeared at the edge of the rooftop, her gray eyes gazing at the setting sun on the horizon. She wasn’t particularly afraid of sunlight; only the intense midday sun could cause her harm. In life, she had never truly appreciated the beauty of the sunset’s glow. Now, twenty years later, as she once again beheld this breathtaking sunset, she found herself unconsciously captivated. The sky, tinged with a soft red, was filled with the silhouettes of countless trees and birds flying home. Tranquility, beauty, and serenity reigned.

“What a beautiful sunset. If only it could stay this way forever…”

At first, Fu Ziqing was simply lost in the beauty of the scene. But soon, her thoughts turned darker: Though the view is lovely, I am already dead. How lonely. How miserable.

These negative thoughts grew until she felt it would be better to dissolve into nothingness. Fu Ziqing’s spirit trembled, and she quickly retreated into the wall. A moment later, a head emerged from the wall on the other side of the rooftop, cautiously looking around.

“Whew, that was scary!”

Fu Ziqing, though already lifeless, mimicked the action of taking a deep breath. The sun was treacherous, luring ghosts with its gentle, beautiful appearance, only to lead them to self-destruction!

“SUN OF A B*TCH!”

Fu Ziqing emerged from the wall, turning her back to the sunset and raising her middle finger. Looking down, the sunlight was completely blocked by the dormitory building, casting the courtyard below in shadow. In the center of the courtyard lay a girl—the one who had jumped from the building.

Fu Ziqing looked at the girl, whose round, bloodshot eyes stared back at her. “What are you staring at? I’ll gouge your eyes out next month!”

Fu Ziqing, feeling bored, grinned at the girl. The eyes she ‘borrowed’ from another ghost were only good for a month, while it would take the ghost she had taken them from about two months to grow new ones. She didn’t plan to keep ‘borrowing’ from the same ghost; she preferred to ‘borrow’ from multiple sources, maintaining a sustainable cycle.

“Xiao Yu, do we really have to go now?”

“It’s our class’s turn this month, so it’s better to get it done early.”

“But if we clean now, won’t it be full of leaves again by the end of the month?”

“You just don’t get it, Siu Yut. The school said we only need to clean once a month.”

“Yeah, so?”

“Think about it. If we clean in early May, there won’t be as many leaves, right? We won’t have to work as hard.”

“Oh! I get it now!”

“Hmph! I’m pretty smart, right?”

“Xiao Yu, you’re amazing!”

“Hehe…”

“But, I heard that place is haunted and really spooky… Can’t we go in the middle of the day?”

“Don’t be afraid! I’m here! And don’t forget what my dad does for a living!”

“Uncle catches people, not ghosts…”

“Siu Yut!”

“Mmm…”

Hearing the distant conversation of the two girls, Fu Ziqing looked down at the courtyard, which was surprisingly clean except for the jumping ghost. She decided to give them a big surprise. With a wave of her hand, the locust trees surrounding the courtyard began to sway without a breeze, and a shower of white blossoms fell to the ground.

“It’s snowing!”

Fu Ziqing clapped her hands in delight. With another wave, a few blossoms floated into her palm. She brought her hand to her mouth and gently inhaled. The white blossoms turned yellow instantly.

“So sweet!”

Fu Ziqing’s gray eyes, which could barely be called bright, sparkled. She tossed the yellowed blossoms aside and floated to a nearby locust tree, sitting on a branch and leaning against the trunk. She plucked a strand of blossoms, holding it between her thumb and index finger, and brought it to her lips, tilting her head back slightly. Her bare feet, smooth and pale, swayed gently beneath her white nightgown.

Chuanbei Middle School was nestled in the mountains of Chuanbei, and within the school, there were several small hills. This old-style dormitory had a more pleasant name in the past: ‘Huaixiang Courtyard.’ Located on a small hill, it was once the tallest building in Chuanbei Middle School, a landmark of its time. But now, newer and taller buildings had been constructed, with the 21-story New Science Building being the current symbol of the school.

The two girls, carrying cleaning supplies, labored up the long stone steps. When they reached the top, they were taken aback by the sight before them.

“Xiao Yu, what…”

“Damn, I miscalculated!”

Fu Ziqing heard their voices and glanced down. The girls were dressed in crisp white blouses with blue-and-white Peter Pan collars, blue-and-white pleated skirts, and white tights, completed with black round-toe oxfords. The ensemble perfectly captured their youthful vitality. Fu Ziqing’s eyes lit up; the school uniforms were getting prettier. They must be high school students.

The girl with shoulder-length hair had a round face and delicate features, giving her a soft, gentle appearance. That must be Siu Yut. The other girl, Xiao Yu, was strikingly beautiful, almost rivaling Fu Ziqing herself. With a standard oval face, exquisite features, and a healthy, slightly tanned complexion, she exuded a vibrant allure.

Fu Ziqing quickly shook her head, dispelling any immature thoughts. She casually tossed away the blossom strand she had been enjoying and focused intently on Xiao Yu, studying her features closely.

“She looks so much like me!”

Fu Ziqing nodded, her assessment complete. She suspected her parents had given birth to a third child. But given the age, it was more likely to be her brother’s daughter. But why the different last name, like her mother’s? Her mind whirred, but she was certain of one thing: “I’m an aunt now?”

There was nothing surprising about this; her brother was approaching forty, so having a fifteen or sixteen-year-old daughter was quite normal. Fu Ziqing tilted her head, her pale face expressionless. Yet, her bare feet seemed to sway with newfound lightness. She was a ghost, but in this moment, she felt a strange stir of connection. Twenty years ago, she had met her end here. Twenty years later, her brother’s daughter appeared in the same place, sharing a quarter of the same soul. Their encounter might be a gift from fate.

Fu Ziqing silently descended from the tree, calming her racing heart. She stepped through the blanket of white blossoms, approaching the soul that felt so familiar to her.

“Siu Yut, look over there!”

Xiao Yu suddenly pointed in her direction, her eyes wide with amazement. Fu Ziqing froze, offering a gentle smile.

“What is it, Xiao Yu? Don’t scare me!”

Siu Yut’s voice trembled with fear, clearly seeing nothing.

“You don’t see it?”

Xiao Yu furrowed her brow, saying, “How can you not see a person standing right there?” And with that, she pulled Siu Yut forward. “Let’s go over there!”

“No, Xiao Yu! There’s no one there! You’re just trying to scare me! Waaah…”

Siu Yut’s round face paled, her voice tinged with tears. Fu Ziqing watched the girls approach, her smile the most radiant it had been in twenty years.

“Hello! I…”

The girls passed right through her, and her greeting was cut short, her smile frozen. The soul she had longed for held no trace of her presence.

“Xiao Han, what are you doing here?”

“Bro, what are you doing?”

“Hehe, I came to help you guys… hehe!”

“Xiao Han, you should have come with us! It’s creepy when you hide like that, you know!”

“My bad, my bad! Should we start cleaning?”

“Xiao Han, please understand! We don’t need your help!”

“Xiao Yu, please understand! I’m here to help my sister, not you!”

“You said ‘us’!”

“Oh? I made a mistake, I apologize!”

“Xiao Han! You…”

“Xiao Yu, bro, please don’t fight…”

Fu Ziqing stood there, stunned. She didn’t turn to look. Whether it was their argument or their affection, it wasn’t for her. The world remained cold and empty. Never before had she felt the weight of those four words so deeply: Life and Death Are Separate!

“She can’t see me.”

She murmured to herself, her voice calm and detached. The ghost’s eyes were gray, cold, and lifeless. Of course, there were no tears.