As she spoke, Feng Shuang Shuang let out another big yawn.
She was really sleepy, probably because the weather was getting hotter and hotter.
Shi Qing frowned and released her hand.
Feng Shuang Shuang carried a very strong ghostly aura, indicating that there should be a Ghost around her, or that she often stayed in places with dense ghost energy.
Shi Qing racked her brains trying to recall the original plot, but it seemed there was no part about Feng Shuang Shuang.
But that wasn’t surprising—the original plot didn’t have any Ghosts at all.
Before she knew it, the morning had passed. Throughout the morning, He Yan Ting hadn’t come to cause trouble.
And Feng Shuang Shuang had finally slept enough, her mind gradually clearing. Remembering what had happened in the morning, she couldn’t help but feel a little worried.
“Shi Qing, how about you ride in my car and come home with me at noon? My parents won’t be back…”
“Alright.”
Shi Qing agreed without hesitation.
Feng Shuang Shuang was one of the original owner’s few good friends, so she naturally couldn’t just stand by and watch something happen to her.
…
Although Feng Shuang Shuang’s parents weren’t home, some of her siblings were. When they saw her bring someone home, their faces all showed displeasure.
Feng Shuang Shuang didn’t dare say a word. After she and Shi Qing quickly ate lunch, the two went to her bedroom. Her attitude throughout was very cautious, as if she had done something wrong.
“Shi Qing, sorry about this… my family is just like this. Please don’t be angry…”
Feng Shuang Shuang scratched her head, somewhat embarrassed. Even though she had to live so cautiously in this house, she didn’t dare leave.
She had seen some children from mountain villages who grew up vigorously despite such harsh environments. Although her parents and half-siblings didn’t treat her well, they had never hit her.
They even gave her quite a bit of pocket money every month. She felt that compared to those village children, she was already living quite well. If she really left the Feng family, she didn’t know if she could stand on her own in society.
“Why be embarrassed? My situation is worse than yours.”
As she spoke, Shi Qing carefully examined Feng Shuang Shuang’s room and soon found the source of the ghostly aura.
It was a half-person-high plush rabbit placed by her bedside, its mouth strikingly bright red. Staring at it closely was actually somewhat frightening.
“This rabbit… is quite special. Where did you buy it?”
“This? Let me tell you, it was a gift from a child I’ve been sponsoring…”
Feng Shuang Shuang immediately perked up when talking about this.
Although Feng Shuang Shuang was timid and often bullied, she had a soft heart. After witnessing the hardships of mountain village children, she used her pocket money to sponsor one.
The child was only two years younger than her and was now in the first year of high school, with good academic grades.
Last year, after getting into a good high school, the child specifically came to see her, thanking her profusely. This rabbit was given to her at that time.
Shi Qing glanced at Suihua, who shook her head.
Although she was a Ghost, even she didn’t know what this thing was.
“But this thing is filled with intense resentment, and your friend has been exposed to it for too long. If we don’t deal with it soon, she probably won’t live much longer…”
Suihua whispered in her ear. Shi Qing picked up the plush rabbit.
“Shuang Shuang, I really like this rabbit. Can you give it to me?””Huh? You like it? But… maybe I can give you something else instead.”
This was a gift from the child she had sponsored personally, and she truly couldn’t bear to part with it.
“Oh, so you can’t bear to part with it…”
Shi Qing’s voice was faint and trailing off. In the next moment, Suihua suddenly materialized right in front of Feng Shuang Shuang.
Feng Shuang Shuang froze for a moment. Who was this girl, and how did she suddenly appear in her bedroom?
Looking more closely, why was the girl’s head detached?
“…Ah—”
Just as Feng Shuang Shuang’s scream started, Shi Qing covered her mouth.
“Don’t scream. She’s my friend and won’t hurt you…”
Shi Qing comforted her softly.
“Wah wah wah…”
Feng Shuang Shuang was so terrified that tears streamed down her face involuntarily. When Suihua reattached her head right in front of her, she promptly fainted in a dramatic fashion.
Shi Qing sighed and pinched the soft flesh on Feng Shuang Shuang’s arm hard.
Feng Shuang Shuang: “!!!! Ouch ouch ouch!!”
The frightened Feng Shuang Shuang was jolted awake by the pain. When she saw Suihua still there, she suppressed her fear and looked at Shi Qing with a pitiful, wronged expression, her eyes full of accusation.
“Don’t be upset. You should worry about your life instead.”
Shi Qing tossed the stuffed rabbit in front of Feng Shuang Shuang, then took out a pair of craft scissors and dismantled the rabbit until it was in pieces. Finally, she found a small cloth bag inside, which contained a clump of black soil wrapped layer upon layer in plastic wrap.
The ghostly aura in the room emanated from this soil.
“What is this?”
Feng Shuang Shuang was no longer afraid by now, just curious about what had been extracted from the stuffed rabbit.
“Nothing much. If you spend a little more time with this thing, you’ll end up just like me.”
Suihua chuckled mischieuously nearby.
Feng Shuang Shuang blinked her big eyes hard but still couldn’t figure it out.
“Like you in what way?”
Suihua: “…”
“I’ll take this for now. Don’t alert anyone yet; just keep in touch with her as usual.”
Shi Qing pocketed the plastic-wrapped soil and didn’t stay any longer.
Feng Shuang Shuang’s condition was already quite severe. Even removing the soil wouldn’t help. She needed to return to the shop to see if there was a solution.
“Shi, Shi Qing, am I going to die…?”
Finally catching on, Feng Shuang Shuang burst into tears, her lips trembling slightly.
She had been so good to her—sponsoring her education, buying her pretty clothes, sending her delicious snacks. Why would she want to harm her?
Shi Qing patted her head reassuringly.
“Don’t worry, I’ll think of a way. If it really doesn’t work out, I’ll definitely get you the most expensive urn.”
“…”
…
That afternoon, Shi Qing didn’t go to class. She hurried home and entered the Space-Time Shop.
Before she could place the soil on the shelf, the wind chimes suddenly jingled.
Another customer had arrived.
The door pushed open, and a kind-faced middle-aged man in a Taoist robe walked in curiously.
“Is anyone here?”
The middle-aged man looked around the room with curiosity.
Shi Qing emerged from behind the shelves, her eyes sparkling.
This customer’s timing was truly perfect.
“Hello, this is the Space-Time Shop. I’m the shop owner. How may I help you?Since she needed his help, Shi Qing’s attitude was especially courteous.
“Space-Time Shop? What’s that? A store that sells things?”The middle-aged man continued to curiously observe the blurry, mosaic-like figure of Shi Qing, yet felt no fear.
Shi Qing couldn’t explain her appearance either, so she simply led him to the shelves and began introducing the items, while casually inquiring about his identity.
Hmm, this man seemed utterly guileless, answering every question without hesitation…
His name was Liu Fengcheng, and he was a Taoist priest. He had been in the middle of capturing a ghost when his nephew accidentally ran into him on a bicycle, causing the ghost to escape.
After listening to his story, Shi Qing proceeded to introduce each item on the shelves one by one.
Aside from some instant noodles, drinks, and the apples she had placed there, the shelves also contained an Ancient Spirit Stone, the Dual Cultivation Technique, a one-time-use Space-Time Token, as well as mature Rejuvenation Grass and early-stage mature Ghost Hand Vine.
Although consuming the mature Rejuvenation Grass directly was less effective than taking a Rejuvenation Pill, whether it was because it was grown in the backyard of the Space-Time Shop or because she had never tried a Rejuvenation Pill before, she still felt its effects were quite remarkable.