The Ghost’s Deception

“Li Yu?”

Ming Zhong’s brow furrowed with a hint of confusion.

Fu Ziqing also glanced at the girl she had just made cry, a flicker of panic in her eyes.

Then, realizing the girl had come for Ming Zhong, she turned her gaze back to him.

“Tell her the truth,” she declared. “I don’t need you to take the blame for me.”

Ming Zhong remained silent, but the glance he shot Fu Ziqing held an uncomfortable undertone that made her squirm.

“What kind of look is that?”

Fu Ziqing’s eyes widened in challenge.

Ming Zhong, however, ignored her, as Li Yu had now approached him.

Li Yu seemed to be hesitating, grappling with something unspoken.

A hint of timidity flickered in her eyes. Her lips parted and closed several times before she finally bowed her head, speaking in a hushed tone.

“I’m sorry, Ming Zhong!”

“Huh?”

Before Ming Zhong could react, Fu Ziqing gasped in surprise.

“What’s going on? Why is she apologizing first?”

Ming Zhong grew even more bewildered. He asked,

“Li Yu, shouldn’t I be the one apologizing? You doing this makes me…”

“I’m sorry! My reaction was far too intense back then.”

Li Yu refused to straighten up, her gaze fixed on Ming Zhong as she spoke with a hint of agitation.

Ming Zhong appeared momentarily stunned, unable to respond.

“Li Yu, I should be the one saying sorry!”

Ming Zhong, looking somewhat troubled yet utterly sincere, continued. “There are some things I don’t know how to explain to you, but in this matter, it’s certainly not your place to apologize to me.”

Li Yu’s face suddenly paled, then flushed crimson. Her gaze drifted away, only to slowly return to Ming Zhong.

“I understand.”

Her eyes, still a little red, seemed to shimmer with unshed tears. With her lips gently pressed together, she resembled a small, timid rabbit.

At that moment, Fu Ziqing observed this ‘little rabbit,’ tilting her head, a peculiar sensation stirring within her.

The Miss Ghost unconsciously licked her lips.

“You understand?” Ming Zhong asked, glancing at Fu Ziqing, his expression turning strange in an instant.

Why is that Miss Ghost staring so intently at Li Yu?

“She looks… quite delicious, actually.”

The Miss Ghost’s sudden, murmured words startled Ming Zhong even further.

This was no joke; the Miss Ghost was already moving!

“Senior Sister, no!”

In that critical moment, Ming Zhong, abandoning all caution, cried out frantically.

“Mmm, I understand.”

Li Yu, her face still faintly flushed, was softly responding with her head down when Ming Zhong’s sudden shout made her look up in confusion.

“Senior Sister? What Senior Sister…”

The abrupt drop in temperature in the air sent a shiver down Li Yu’s spine, cutting her words short.

Fu Ziqing had already floated behind Li Yu.

Ming Zhong’s gaze swept past Li Yu’s shoulder, fixing on Fu Ziqing’s pallid face.

That face was utterly cold, yet it betrayed an undisguised greed.

“Senior Sister!”

Ming Zhong shouted again.

Fu Ziqing cast a cold glance at him, then slowly raised her hand, reaching for Li Yu’s head.

Li Yu’s face twisted in terror, but she couldn’t move an inch, nor could she utter a sound.

Her only recourse was to cast a pleading look at Ming Zhong.

However, Ming Zhong also found himself immobilized; a force pressed him into the chair. It wasn’t powerful, yet it was enough to prevent him from standing.

Gazing into Fu Ziqing’s cold, merciless eyes, Ming Zhong’s face was etched with anxiety. He sighed inwardly.

Is she still just a ghost after all?

“Senior Sister, calm down! Don’t let your instincts strip away your reason!”

Ming Zhong made a final, desperate effort.

Fu Ziqing displayed a sinister smile.

“So hungry… so hungry…”

She uttered a chilling, hoarse whisper, her hand already reaching into Li Yu’s head.

A chill settled in Ming Zhong’s heart.

Then, he watched as Fu Ziqing seemed to pull something from Li Yu’s head, causing Li Yu’s eyes to slowly roll back.

Ming Zhong, unable to bear the thought of the gruesome scene that would follow, prepared to close his eyes.

Ming Zhong paused, a slight surprise crossing his face.

What Fu Ziqing held in her hand was not a gruesome mass of brain matter, but a swirling, grey-black mist.

Then, Fu Ziqing opened her mouth.

“Ah~mm!”

The Miss Ghost devoured the mist in a single gulp.

The Miss Ghost licked her lips with satisfaction, then flashed him a cunning smile.

Ming Zhong opened his mouth, testing the waters.

“Senior Sister?”

Fu Ziqing remained motionless for a few seconds before breaking into a laugh.

“Haha, did I scare you? Did I scare you?”

“Phew~”

Ming Zhong let out a long breath.

She was a Miss Ghost, yet she was still his Senior Sister.

Li Yu’s eyes were closed, her entire body swaying precariously.

Ming Zhong stood up and steadied Li Yu.

It was an instinctive action, and only after supporting Li Yu did he realize he could move again.

Ming Zhong looked at Fu Ziqing, a hint of shock now gracing his face.

Is this truly the power of a ghost?

He believed this was likely just one of Fu Ziqing’s more mundane abilities…

The Miss Ghost appeared soft and lovely, but if she truly unleashed her power, she must be terrifying!

Ming Zhong felt a pang of apprehension.

Fu Ziqing offered a faint smile, then glanced at Li Yu, who was now slumped in Ming Zhong’s arms, before winking at him mischievously.

“Oh! You’re quite adept at holding girls, aren’t you?”

His arm stiffened, and Ming Zhong discreetly deposited Li Yu onto a nearby chair.

“Ouch!”

Li Yu instantly snapped awake, sitting on the chair with her face flushed crimson, her head bowed.

Silence. Only silence filled the classroom.

A moment later.

Li Yu looked up at Ming Zhong, then cast her gaze down again.

Her mind was a whirlwind of confusion, unsure how to face Ming Zhong.

She had to admit, Ming Zhong’s handsome features and diligent, steady personality made him quite popular among the girls, and Li Yu naturally harbored a good deal of affection for him.

Yet it was merely affection. With the immense pressure of the college entrance exams looming, any other romantic feelings had to remain buried deep within her heart.

But this morning, Ming Zhong had actually ruffled her hair! In that moment, though outwardly calm, her heart had surged with a wave of emotion.

Ming Zhong wasn’t a frivolous boy, yet he had uncharacteristically made such a lighthearted gesture as ruffling her hair. Was it a special message? Did he actually harbor feelings for her?

Her inner excitement wasn’t enough to make her immediately abandon her outward composure, so she had warned him not to touch her again.

And then, he actually stopped touching her… This had left her profoundly disappointed.

As disappointment mounted, she even began to feel resentful.

Later, she felt her hair being ruffled again.

Surprise, followed by a torrent of strange thoughts: wanting to punish him, wanting to isolate him, wanting to possess him entirely…

These baseless, dark thoughts had led her to actions she herself couldn’t believe.

Like a third party, she had observed her own actions, understood her own intentions, yet was powerless to control her behavior.

Even now, she still felt a sense of bewilderment.

What was wrong with me? What was wrong with Ming Zhong? What was he talking to? And what was this “Senior Sister” he mentioned?

Too many questions swirled in her mind, but she dared not voice them.