Old friends reuniting always had endless topics to chat about.
There was no wine, but one glass after another of milk and orange juice fit the occasion perfectly!
Chi Yuliang and Ye Zhibai both had small appetites, too.
By the time they were full, the huge table of delicacies was almost untouched.
The two exchanged a glance.
A deep-rooted understanding from their childhood flickered in their eyes.
And their next decision came out simultaneously, word for word!
“Takeout.” “We’ll eat it slowly at home.”
Just as they said it, both burst into laughter (Ye Zhibai laughing inwardly).
Who would have thought?
After all these years, their rapport was still the same!
Thriftiness really was a great habit!
Chi Yuliang leaned back slightly against her chair.
Feeling a long-lost sense of relaxation, she let out a soft sigh and said emotionally, “Thinking back on it now still feels like a dream. I thought I’d never see Little Bai again… that we’d be parted forever by life and death. But who knew the heavens would play such a joke… Though that joke nearly scared the life out of your big sister. Little Bai, you have no idea how happy I am right now just to be chatting with you.”
I knew.
Because I felt the same.
Little Zhibai, who had seen through the vicissitudes of life, silently took a sip of orange juice.
Then voiced her profound life philosophy.
“Being alive is enough.”
“Pfft… Isn’t that the truth? Oh, right, Little Bai.”
“Hm?”
“You haven’t told me yet what exactly happened to turn you into… well, this captivating version of yourself?”
“Cough cough!!”
“Little Bai!”
Sister Liang!
Don’t drop the word “captivating” while I’m drinking orange juice!
Not just you—even I sometimes twirl in place in front of the mirror now!
This wasn’t narcissism; it was only natural!
Ye Zhibai took the napkin Chi Yuliang handed her and wiped the orange juice from her mouth.
With her peripheral vision, she glanced at Guang Yu, who was hiding under the table, dipping duck legs in wasabi paste.
The star of the table was always the little fox.
But right now, Ye Zhibai wasn’t dwelling on her appetite.
Instead…
—Could she answer Sister Liang’s question?
Explaining it without lying would inevitably involve Guang Yu.
As a scummy fox—cough—as a deity, didn’t she have confidentiality rules she couldn’t break?
Seeing Little Bai tilt her head to the side, staring off at something but not speaking,
Chi Yuliang added worriedly, “Does Little Bai have some hardship you can’t share? It’s fine—as long as you’re alive and thriving with a better life now, that’s all that matters. The reason doesn’t really matter; I don’t need to hear it.”
Wah… Even a true angel would feel inferior next to Sister Liang!
But that only strengthened Ye Zhibai’s resolve.
“Sister Liang, just wait a moment.”
“Mm… Okay?”
She had no idea what they were waiting for.
But since Little Bai had spoken, Chi Yuliang sat up straight obediently, waiting patiently.
Ye Zhibai wanted to ask Guang Yu directly.
Truth was,
She had no clue if it was allowed.
If she didn’t know, why not just ask?
Mind Transmission, activate!
“Guang Yu, stop eating for a sec.”
“Mmph mmph?!” (Are you finally confiscating the deity’s right to chow down?!)
Her mouth was stuffed full of duck meat; she even feared Ye Zhibai might yank it right out!
Ye Zhibai was floored.
You act like I bully you all the time and starve you!
Is that necessary?!
Every mealtime, you’re the one who sweeps through the food like a whirlwind!
“Eat slowly; I just want to ask—Sister Liang’s inquiring about how my soul ended up in this body. Are you okay showing yourself? Probably not, right? If not… I’ll just make something up and skip your part.”
“Oh, go ahead and tell her. Whatever.”
“Uh, if you can’t say it, that’s fine… Wait, Guang Yu, what did you just say?”
“Huh? Can’t Mind Transmission hear me clearly?! Is our divine power running low again? So lame.”
“That’s not it—I’m just shocked. So what did you say?”
“……”
If it’s not unclear, why ask over and over?!
Of course you’d confirm uncertain things multiple times!
Guang Yu flicked her fox ears in annoyance.
While continuing to gnaw on the duck leg, she lectured Ye Zhibai.
“Ow… Normally, we definitely can’t show up. Breaking Heavenly Realm rules would bring heavenly punishment from those old fogeys up there, obliterating our soul! We don’t want that… Just thinking about it hurts; we’re the most afraid of pain.” “Guang Yu…”
Was this even in the realm of mere “pain”!
“After all, we’ve still got so many human-world delicacies to try! Haven’t cleared stage two of Sheep a Sheep yet, and we can’t bear to leave the wasabi!”
“May lightning strike you.”
“Huh?!”
Ye Zhibai was just joking.
Guang Yu didn’t deserve that.
But look at her standards!
Tsk!
Such a disappointment!
Guang Yu finished the duck leg and pushed the plate aside, then got to the point.
“The key is, it’s not like we can’t show up ever. Take the one across from you—she already knows about your soul entering this body, so she’s in the know! As a deity, it’s our duty to remind her to keep it secret anyway.”
Guang Yu bobbed her head side to side and continued.
“Even without us saying it, she seems like she’d keep it secret forever. Ye Zhibai, do you still want us to show up? Up to you.”
Up to me?
Whoa, then I’ve got some real pull.
Ye Zhibai pondered for a moment.
And reached her answer.
Mm… Guang Yu rarely got a chance to appear, so why not?
Ye Zhibai often griped about Guang Yu being this or that—gluttonous, noobish and playful, troublemaking, wasabi-obsessed.
But sometimes, she felt sorry for her.
She could see this vibrant, colorful world, but the world couldn’t see her.
Ye Zhibai couldn’t comprehend the pain of having to crouch under the table at every meal.
“As long as you won’t get hit by heavenly punishment… come out and chat. A fox always hiding under the table must be so boring.”
“We’re a deity! Not a fox!”
That point was crucial!
With the deal struck here,
Under Chi Yuliang’s baffled gaze,
Ye Zhibai withdrew
her gaze from the side and met Sister Liang’s eyes.
“…Little Bai? You zoned out for a bit there. What’s up?”
“It’s nothing, Sister Liang. I’ve got a little fox… no, a little companion I want to introduce you to. Guang Yu, come on out.”
“Coming right up!”
“?!’
That sudden voice
startled Chi Yuliang!
But what came next was even more shocking!
The spot beside Little Bai should have been empty.
Yet under the table beside her, a “fox transformation act” suddenly unfolded!
A fox tail snaked upward.
It was Guang Yu, emerging backward from under the table after dropping her invisibility!
“Little Bai!! Watch out, there’s a fox!!”
“Sister Liang, calm down—yes, there is a fox, but it’s fine… she’s a fox and a companion.”
“……”
Seeing Sister Liang about to rush over protectively,
Ye Zhibai hurriedly explained to calm her down too.
Guang Yu! Crawl faster!
Can’t you see you’ve scared her?!
Guang Yu was stuck under the tablecloth!
Fuming, Ye Zhibai kicked her, finally speeding her exit.
Guang Yu stood beside Ye Zhibai.
She shook her fox ears, swished her tail, radiating ethereal charm.
The fox maiden loli patted Ye Zhibai’s shoulder, flashed a peace sign at Chi Yuliang with her other hand, bared her little fangs, and greeted her enthusiastically.
“Hey there, human! I’m Guang Yu, a deity from M78… cough, from the heavens! Love wasabi paste most, hate chili oil!”
Sorry.
Been binging too many cartoons and tokusatsu shows lately.
Fox brain’s got limited space—cut me some slack.
Chi Yuliang’s little mouth hung slightly open as she looked left at Ye Zhibai, right at Guang Yu.
Soon, she slowly rose, circled behind Ye Zhibai,
and pulled Little Bai into her arms.
Holding her close, she subtly put some distance between them and Guang Yu.
With those precautions in place,
Chi Yuliang asked tentatively, still shaken. “You… are you human or ghost? Or… a little monster?”
“Told you, a deity!”
This is infuriating!
We were afraid you’d ask that, so we introduced ourselves first!
And you still did!
You humans.
So rude!
