Chapter 78

“That, uh, cough, boss, pack me a fried chicken combo.”

Lin Xu slipped into the small diner, hands in her pockets, chin slightly raised in a signal, coughing twice to indicate she had a cold.

To others, she looked just like a big brown bear from the deep mountains. The boss glanced at her, still wearing sunglasses indoors—could she be from the underworld?

The boss, wrapped in a white-and-green headscarf, stammered, “Customer, are your eyes okay?”

“This? I just had surgery on my eyes. Can’t be exposed to light.”

Of course. The middle-aged boss nodded with a smile. “Then, customer, please have a seat first.”

Lin Xu did as told. With only a few sparse customers, she propped her chin on her hand at an empty table, staring blankly at the mottled surface.

She had no idea how long she’d keep tailing her.

Just then, another customer entered with light footsteps, followed by a voice that sent chills down the spine.

“Boss, good afternoon. One bowl of udon, please.”

The newcomer’s speech was relaxed and casual, crisp like the cold wind blowing in through the window.

A coat wrapped around a slender figure, but even so, that unique pheromone scent, clearly discernible from one who had possessed her, was unmistakable.

It was too small here. She quickly glanced at Shu Qingyou, her back stiffening.

Alarms blared in her mind. Before Shu Qingyou could turn, she slowly rotated her body to face the wall, not even daring to breathe.

Lin Xu’s getup was truly bizarre. As Shu Qingyou turned to pick a seat, she couldn’t help glancing at Lin Xu’s back, her gaze freezing in place.

So familiar. Embarrassed to stare, she looked away with lingering doubt.

Seeing this, the boss sympathetically whispered to Shu Qingyou about Lin Xu, “This customer just had eye surgery. So pitiful.”

Shu Qingyou smiled. Lately, she might’ve been too tired—even at home, she couldn’t relax, as if gripped by something, like thorns at her back.

Seeing that person just now made the feeling even stronger.

Lin Xu didn’t dare move for a long while, her mind in turmoil. What a coincidence, but she shouldn’t be able to recognize her face or figure.

Oh no, she wouldn’t get exposed. No way.

“Customer, your fried chicken is packed—total is…”

The boss called her. The takeout box landed beside her hand as she huddled her body.

In extreme social anxiety, she yanked out a few bills and tossed them on the table. The boss took the money and walked toward the register.

Lin Xu didn’t care about the denominations or change. She grabbed the box, pressed down her hat brim, and fled in panic.

“Hey, customer, you overpaid…” The boss looked up, her hand with the change frozen mid-air.

Before the words finished, she wanted to chase after her. Though they were villagers, they had a strong sense of morality.

Shu Qingyou stood woodenly in place, her heart a mess. There were plenty of similar backs in the world.

Ever since Lin Xu, she no longer believed in coincidences—every one hid a web of connections.

Steadying her breath, she jogged after the boss.

The old cook took back the noodles, lifting his eyelids reluctantly. Ah, it was cold outside. He’d hear the gossip when the old lady returned.

The weather forecast had promised a few clear days, but the snow on the ground hadn’t melted, and scattered flurries continued outside.

Lin Xu ran for a few minutes, yanked off her mask to breathe the icy air, mist billowing before her eyes.

About to head home, she pivoted. No, going back now risked bumping into Shu Qingyou—ruining everything.

But in these deep woods, was she really going to play wildman and dive into the underbrush?

She sighed and shook her head. Suddenly, someone patted her back.

Lin Xu hastily donned her mask and whipped around in fright.

The boss, bent at the waist and panting, handed over the change. “Customer, your change.”

Lin Xu: “……”

Under her sunglasses, she was in shock. So full of vigor?!

“This…”

She mechanically took the money. As her fingertips brushed the bills, her peripheral vision caught Shu Qingyou approaching. She blurted in panic, “It’s a tip! Tip!”

The boss let out another “hey,” about to praise her American-style generosity, when the customer bolted with the box, sprinting away.

Was she that scary? The boss touched her old face, sighing at fleeting youth. Suddenly, a cold gust beside her—a figure flashed past.

The boss blinked, watching the shrinking beige silhouette. Slowly, a question mark formed. Why was Miss Baishi running too?

Shu Qingyou had only been testing at first, but that sprint confirmed it.

Lin Xu was tall with long legs; even out of shape from skipping workouts, she could run.

Mask on during intense exercise nearly suffocated her. She zigzagged through muddy goat paths for about half an hour.

She twisted her neck mid-run. Great, no Shu Qingyou behind.

The Japanese countryside roads were terrible, almost causing her to get lost. No concrete paths; her boots were caked in mud-and-snow slop, filthy.

Ahead, an abandoned wooden shack—familiar. She leaned on a roadside stone, hunched over, loosening her mask to gasp.

Hot and exhausted, sweat soaked her back, body sticky.

Just as Lin Xu let her guard down, Shu Qingyou approached calmly.

Moments later, Shu Qingyou’s white shoes loomed large in Lin Xu’s vision.

She jerked her chin up, stepping back in disbelief.

Shu Qingyou advanced a step; Lin Xu retreated another. Shu Qingyou matched her rhythm forward.

Luckily, Lin Xu’s hot sweat turned ice-cold instantly.

Unluckily, her bladder clenched—she was scared shitless.

Her legs trembled like jelly; she wanted to kneel and beg Shu Qingyou for mercy.

Shu Qingyou hadn’t run far at first and worried about losing her when Lin Xu turned a corner.

But in two minutes, Lin Xu looped back. Shu Qingyou paused in surprise, then followed.

Seeing her on her tail, Lin Xu sped up.

In a blink, Lin Xu vanished from sight.

Five minutes later, she reappeared, buzzing around like a headless fly.

Shu Qingyou stopped chasing, opting to stroll and wait for Lin Xu’s energy to burn out.

As expected, not two minutes later, Lin Xu passed by a third time, her black clothes dusted with unmelted snowflakes.

Lin Xu couldn’t utter a single word.

Shu Qingyou kindly pointed at her takeout box. “Miss… your fried chicken spilled.”

Ah, her fried chicken!

Lin Xu yanked up the bag. The box had opened; golden and crispy fried chicken had tumbled out, sauce container dumped into the rice and chicken.

The plastic bag reeked of cold fried chicken.

Tears welled up—no dinner, and caught red-handed.

After agonizing, her face was lost. She decided to find a rope in the woods and end it.

Resolutely, she turned toward the pitch-black forest.

Shu Qingyou didn’t stop her, mockingly saying, “Miss, are you going to hang yourself in the woods? I have very sturdy rope at home.”

Maybe the Japanese made it sting more; Lin Xu felt deeply offended.

Why the polite “miss”? Hadn’t she recognized her?

Shu Qingyou’s lips curved slightly. “Miss, are you okay?”

Lin Xu turned, arms crossed defiantly, refusing to speak.

“Why are you avoiding me?”

Shu Qingyou stood straight, not calling her out. Even without seeing her face, those hands—she knew them inside and out.

Months apart, no IQ gain, now playing stalker.

She recalled the new neighbor from a week ago, rarely seen, plus Lin Xu’s hiding.

Perverted enough, and it fits Lin Xu’s character.

Nonsense, who else to hide from if not you And was she pretending not to know me! Lin Xu’s guts twisted in regret—she shouldn’t have craved that chicken!

Lin Xu huffed arrogantly through her nose, eyes to the sky, legs spreading to run again.

Shu Qingyou wasn’t indulging her. She picked up a small pebble, about three centimeters, and flung it forward precisely.

Thanks to daily forest jogs for months, Shu Qingyou’s fitness had surged.

Abs still a ways off, but her once-soft flesh was firm.

“Ow!”

Lin Xu stumbled, clutching her smacked head.

Seconds later, another pebble hit her occiput.

“Grass!”

Lin Xu accidentally blurted a Chinese curse.

“Chinese?” Shu Qingyou feigned shock, her Japanese with standard Tokyo accent.

“No, no, I picked it up online.”

Lin Xu waved denial frantically, bag swinging wildly.

The box was useless now; the chicken a pitiful mess. She couldn’t even complain about Shu Qingyou’s ruthless attack.

Don’t laugh, don’t. Shu Qingyou suppressed her twitching lips.

Snowflakes dusted her nose tip; she wiped it. Better health had eased her cold sensitivity.

Pretending curiosity, “What’s ‘fuck’?”

Voice heard anyway, Lin Xu blurted, “A kind of plant.”

She ground the dry grass underfoot. “Goodbye.”

Lin Xu sauntered off dramatically, tone forlorn, back looking decades older.

Such an actress. Shu Qingyou rolled her eyes rarely, trailing a step behind unhurriedly.

Lin Xu’s throat parched; the sweet scent lingered inescapably. She warned herself to stay composed—like a criminal on parole.

No misbehaving.

Nice weather here; heavy snow tonight probably.

Lin Xu rubbed her occiput.

Ouch. How was Shu Qingyou so strong? Local food got hormones, mutating her?

Long time face-to-face; rosy cheeks, great spirits, unafraid, even teasing.

Sea is wide enough for birds to fly. Lin Xu’s mind wandered.

Shu Qingyou seemed happy here.

Why’s she following me?!

Lin Xu peeked fearfully through sunglasses at the shadowing Shu Qingyou.

Shu Qingyou stopped, patted her shoulder.

Lin Xu jolted like electrocuted, three feet high, neck shrinking, shivering.

Too funny. Shu Qingyou half-covered her lips, still holding back her laughter. “As compensation for scaring you, I’ll buy you fried chicken rice.”

Lin Xu highly suspected teasing, staying silent.

She weighed the chicken bag, head nodding pitifully.