Tall and Thin Ghostly Shadow was like a clay figurine that wouldn’t fight back or talk back. Listening to Zhong Xiwang’s incessant muttering, his overly long arms tightened, wrapping this soft little toy—now dirtied—in his embrace.
Zhong Xiwang stopped her scolding and turned her head to carefully examine the grayish-white monster beside her.
He had no body temperature, and his head, rubbing against hers, was smooth, like a polished and waxed wooden carving.
“What on earth are you?”
Zhong Xiwang’s fingers slowly traced his face as she murmured.
According to online information, this guy seemed to appear out of nowhere, accidentally spotted by humans, but it was also said that he lived in remote forests, luring children to their cruel deaths.
The locations where he was discovered were all near the northern countries, so how did he end up near the equator?
He had no facial features but possessed the five senses. Where his eyes should have been, there were only two indentations, like an unfinished clay doll.
He was described as dark and cruel, yet now, in front of Zhong Xiwang, he was like a silent, well-behaved Big Doggie. Apart from his appearance, his personality was nothing like a terrifying monster.
“Is it just because of my hair?”
Zhong Xiwang voiced her doubt.
After being abducted by Tall and Thin Ghostly Shadow for the second time, she had noticed this: he seemed to like objects with colors other than black, white, and gray, especially red.
But there were plenty of people in the world with red hair, so why her?
Zhong Xiwang couldn’t figure it out, and Tall and Thin Ghostly Shadow couldn’t understand.
Forget it.
Zhong Xiwang pushed him away, got up, and went to clean herself.
Seeing her move, Tall and Thin Ghostly Shadow pressed his arm down, pulling her back onto the bed.
Zhong Xiwang immediately punched him.
“In my house, if you’re a tiger, lie down! If you’re a dragon, coil up!”
Zhong Xiwang’s sudden scolding stunned Tall and Thin Ghostly Shadow, who then looked up at the little toy warning him from above.
Her hair fell onto his face—cool, smooth, and carrying a faint fragrance.
Tall and Thin Ghostly Shadow couldn’t help but press her hair against his face and sniff it deeply, only for Zhong Xiwang to mercilessly yank it back.
Without Tall and Thin Ghostly Shadow bothering her, she soon emerged from the bathroom. Seeing the handle the guy had twisted off, she suddenly felt her hand itching again.
But she remembered there was something important to do and didn’t dwell on it.
When she returned, she saw Tall and Thin Ghostly Shadow wrapped in her large red quilt cover. With his long limbs, his entire body was curled and bent.
His bald head was covered by the red quilt, his face peeking out to look at her.
“Oh my, is this the new bride of the family? Can even pull off her own red veil?” Zhong Xiwang walked over gleefully, playfully shaking the monster who had wrapped himself into a large bundle.
Tall and Thin Ghostly Shadow lay quietly on the bed, letting her do as she pleased.
Once Zhong Xiwang had her fill of fun, she picked up her phone to reply to Captain Pike.
As she turned around, Tall and Thin Ghostly Shadow’s head tilted slightly.
“Hello? Captain Pike… Ah!”
As soon as Pike answered Zhong Xiwang’s call, he heard her sudden exclamation, followed by a crisp slapping sound.
“Xi? What’s wrong? Did something happen?”
Zhong Xiwang glared coldly at Tall and Thin Ghostly Shadow, who had wrapped his arms around her again, and adjusted her tone. “Ah, it’s nothing, nothing. I just got knocked over by the doggie.”
Parker asked in confusion, “Didn’t you say you don’t have any pets?”
Zhong Xiwang smiled, “Just picked up a stray dog.”
After casually inquiring, Parker shifted to the main topic, “So… have you thought about it?”
Zhong Xiwang had been waiting for this, “I’d be happy to join, but I accidentally fell down the stairs a few days ago, so I might not be able to go out to sea for a while.”
“Oh! I’m sorry to hear that. Are you okay?” Parker’s tone quickly turned to concern and apology.
Zhong Xiwang waved it off casually, “Just can’t do anything too strenuous. If you’re in a hurry, don’t worry about me.”
“Oh, Xi! We’re partners, and my crew really needs you too. I’ll wait for you to recover fully. Please don’t lose heart, okay?”
Zhong Xiwang replied with a smile, “Alright, I’ll recover as soon as possible and let you know. Thank you for the invitation, Captain Pike!”
“Don’t mention it.”
After hanging up, Zhong Xiwang felt a gaze fixed on her hand.
Looking down, she saw Tall and Thin Ghostly Shadow quietly facing her, curiously staring at the small talking object in her hand.
Remembering the ‘sudden death’ of the doorknob, Zhong Xiwang quickly protected her phone.
“If you dare touch this, you’re dead!”
Hearing her completely non-threatening warning, Tall and Thin Ghostly Shadow unceremoniously tried to snatch the thing from her hand.
Seeing that he was actually going for it, Zhong Xiwang turned sideways and hid it under her body.
To be honest, if this guy really wanted to take it, Zhong Xiwang wouldn’t be able to stop him.
After all, the difference in strength was there, but perhaps because he seemed good-natured, Zhong Xiwang grew increasingly bold and unrestrained.
However, after trying unsuccessfully to grab it for a while, Tall and Thin Ghostly Shadow gave up.
He curled up again and obediently stayed on the bed.
Zhong Xiwang immediately praised him with a beaming smile, “Good doggy, so well-behaved.”
Tall and Thin Ghostly Shadow watched her for a moment, then mimicked Zhong Xiwang’s action, placing his large hand on her head as if patting a ball. “Good… dog, doggy, um… good dog..”
“Go to hell!”
Zhong Xiwang swatted his hand away.
“Is that something you can say?”
As soon as she sped up her speech, Tall and Thin Ghostly Shadow struggled to keep up.
He had only barely remembered that phrase because Zhong Xiwang had said it several times.
Zhong Xiwang glared at him and pushed him off her bed.
“I’m going to sleep. Get lost.”
Tall and Thin Ghostly Shadow, curled up and unprepared, fell to the floor with a thud.
He sat up, turning his head in confusion to look at Zhong Xiwang, who now occupied the entire bed.
“Haha…”
Seeing his silly expression, Zhong Xiwang couldn’t help but laugh.
While patting Tall and Thin Ghostly Shadow’s head, she subtly pressed him back down. “Sleep, sleep, good dog, good dog.”
Tall and Thin Ghostly Shadow lay back down accordingly.
Just as Zhong Xiwang turned off the light, she heard a somewhat hoarse voice beside her eerily repeating, “Good dog… good dog…”
“!!!”
Zhong Xiwang immediately opened her eyes and turned the light back on.
She saw Tall and Thin Ghostly Shadow lying obediently on the floor, holding the red pig plushie against his chest with both hands, his abdominal mouth slightly open, repeating what she had just said.
Zhong Xiwang leaned over and slapped his mouth shut.
Tall and Thin Ghostly Shadow’s mouth immediately closed.