"Could you refrain from looking at me when you say such things?" Mu Anxiao asked, chewing.
Feng Qishi pursed his lips and smiled, "No, I'm thinking about whether to have steamed buns or something else when we get back." He swallowed.
Mu Anxiao said nothing, popping the last bite of steamed bun into her mouth. After finishing, she asked, "How far is it to your old buddy's place?"
"Quite far," Zhang Yan replied.
"Quite far," Mu Anxiao repeated, looking left and right, then suddenly reached out.
"What are you doing?" Feng Qishi asked.
Mu Anxiao glanced at Feng Qishi and said, "What else? I'm getting a taxi."
"Alright, you get one," Feng Qishi said, eyeing a passing taxi. "Parking isn't allowed here, let's see how you hail one."
"Parking isn't allowed?" Mu Anxiao withdrew her hand and looked at Feng Qishi.
"How about the bus? It's convenient and cheap," Zhang Yan suggested.
Mu Anxiao hesitated for a moment, then, without another word, turned and walked towards the bus stop.
An hour later, Mu Anxiao found herself outside her old buddy's residential complex once more.
"Are you going straight in?" Zhang Yan asked.
"How could I? I don't know them," Mu Anxiao said, tilting her head back to look at the gradually changing sky. "They should be coming soon."
Feng Qishi glanced at Zhang Yan, whose expression had darkened, and thought about the weather change that only they could perceive. He said, "You noticed it that day too." As he spoke, he looked towards Zhang Yan from the past, who had stopped at the complex gate, also looking up at the sky with Mu Anxiao.
Zhang Yan looked at his past self and sighed, "After seeing this, I didn't go in. It wasn't until the day my old buddy's funeral pyre was lit that I went." As he spoke, his past self departed.
Mu Anxiao turned to look at the departing figure of Zhang Yan from the past and said, "Could you step aside?"
"Why?" Zhang Yan questioned.
Mu Anxiao replied, "Since you don't want to witness this scene, I won't force you. You step aside, and I'll convey your old buddy's words to you."
Zhang Yan shook his head, "No need. My old buddy can't see me anyway. I want to hear his words myself. That way, I'll be at ease."
"You don't trust me," Mu Anxiao narrowed her eyes.
"No, I just want to see my old buddy one last time," Zhang Yan lowered his gaze. "The real last time."
"Alright," Mu Anxiao nodded and exhaled, "Then we'll wait here."
"Mhm," Zhang Yan agreed.
Feng Qishi took a step back, indicating that this matter had nothing to do with him.
After an unknown amount of time, firecrackers suddenly sounded. Mu Anxiao, who had dozed off on the curb, instantly awoke. She then looked up at the modern yin messenger, who was walking out with her old buddy's soul, and hurriedly got up and ran forward.
"Hello," she said, blocking the way between the modern yin messenger and her old buddy.
"You can see me?" the modern yin messenger asked, surprised.
"I'm like you," Mu Anxiao said, pulling a token from her pocket.
The modern yin messenger looked down, tightened the rope binding her old buddy's hands, and asked, "What do you want?"
"Don't worry, I'm not here to steal your job. I just want..." Mu Anxiao glanced at Zhang Yan, who was standing nearby with tears in his eyes, looking at her old buddy, and continued, "to say a few words to him." She gestured towards her old buddy.
The modern yin messenger looked from side to side, "There are so many people here. Won't this attract too much attention?"
"Then let's find a secluded spot," Mu Anxiao suggested.
"People can see you. Even if you find a secluded spot, your voice will be heard," the modern yin messenger said. "If it causes trouble, you'll be responsible."
Mu Anxiao's train of thought was skillfully diverted by the modern yin messenger. She then looked around and said, "Then... why don't you come with me to the mall?"
"There's not enough time," the modern yin messenger said coldly.
"I'll give you spirit money," Mu Anxiao raised an eyebrow.
"I don't need it," the modern yin messenger said, completely disregarding Mu Anxiao's words.
Mu Anxiao clicked her tongue, "Are you doing this on purpose?"
The modern yin messenger nodded, "I am doing it on purpose. Looking at your unreliable face, you certainly don't have any good intentions. I advise you to leave quickly, or I'll take you back too."
"Sure," Mu Anxiao said excitedly.
The modern yin messenger's mouth twitched. "How can you be so thick-skinned, woman?"
"I really have something to ask this old gentleman. It's very important to me," Mu Anxiao said earnestly.
The modern yin messenger looked at Mu Anxiao's sincere expression, hesitated, and then said, "Let's go."
"You agreed?" Mu Anxiao was surprised.
"Yes," the modern yin messenger's tone softened.
"Thank you," Mu Anxiao nodded, glanced at her old buddy, and said, "Let's go together."
Her old buddy looked at the yin messenger, then at Mu Anxiao, and gave a faint smile.
Arriving at the mall, Mu Anxiao quickly found a restroom. "Wait here a moment," she said, standing outside the women's restroom.
"Go ahead," the modern yin messenger waved her hand.
Mu Anxiao nodded and hurried into the women's restroom, then quickly entered a stall. After confirming no one else was in the other stalls, she quickly cast a spell to become invisible.
Outside the women's restroom, the modern yin messenger asked, "Do you know that girl?"
"No, but yesterday... I think I saw her," her old buddy said vaguely.
Zhang Yan looked at her old buddy's serious expression with horror, thinking about the modern yin messenger's suspicion towards Mu Anxiao, and his heart sank.
Then, the modern yin messenger thought for a moment and said, "That's enough to prove that she has something real to discuss with you."
The moment Zhang Yan heard the modern yin messenger say this, he breathed a sigh of relief.
"You thought he'd suspect Mu the Fool?" Feng Qishi said, standing beside Zhang Yan with his arms crossed.
Zhang Yan nodded, "You know me best, little brother."
"Of course," Feng Qishi raised his eyebrows.
The next moment, Mu Anxiao appeared before the modern yin messenger and her old buddy. "I'm done."
"You went invisible," the modern yin messenger said.
"What do you think?" Mu Anxiao replied, glancing at her old buddy and asking, "Excuse me, could you step aside?"
"Alright, but no tricks," the modern yin messenger warned Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao smiled helplessly, "What tricks could I possibly play?"
"Better be that way," the modern yin messenger said, then turned and disappeared.
Mu Anxiao sighed and looked at her old buddy with a smile, "You saw me last night, didn't you?"
"Uh, she knows," Zhang Yan was surprised.
"Definitely. Last night, your old buddy was gradually..." Feng Qishi's words were cut short as he felt Zhang Yan's gaze on his face and asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"Why do I feel like you're not ordinary?" Zhang Yan asked.
Feng Qishi averted his gaze and said, "Would you believe me if I said I peeked at the books in your bedroom?"
"You looked at my books?" Zhang Yan's eyes widened abruptly. "You little rascal! Those books were for warding off evil, placed under my bed. And you actually peeked!"