Chapter 34: Do You Have No Shame?

Qin Hongfei had no idea about the conversation between Old Lady Qin and her husband. Still, recalling Grandma Qin’s attitude tonight, she surmised that her grandparents were more partial to Wanwan from the Fifth Branch. Honestly, that was to be expected. People were always a little biased, especially when Wanwan stood out so much among her peers. She knew how to win over the adults, too. Between a child who cried all the time and one who always smiled, who would choose the one who cried? Certainly not her.

Come to think of it, she suddenly realized she’d forgotten something. Oh, right—the two strays she’d picked up who’d gone missing from the repair shop. “Brother Qin Yun, I need to stop by the shop. Why don’t you head home first?” she said.

Qin Yun refused flatly. “It’s so dark out; I’ll walk you over.” Why go home? To do homework? He’d have to be out of his mind to do that.

“It’s late,” Qin Hongfei argued. “By the time we get there and back, it’ll be very late.”

Qin Yun thumped his chest. “You’re girls, and I’m a boy. It’s my duty to protect you. Don’t worry—nothing, not even ghosts or monsters, would dare come near with me around.”

Qin Fei cut in, “You watch too many TV dramas. There are no such things as ghosts or monsters in this world.”

“How do you know if you’ve never seen one?” Qin Yun shot back, disgruntled.

Qin Fei retorted, “Well, you’ve never seen one either, so how do you know they exist?”

The two squabbled back and forth as they walked.

Qin Hongfei didn’t say a word, keeping her distance from them. She would never admit these two were her siblings.

Then, as if the sky itself decided to make things difficult, it began to rain, at first lightly and then in earnest. Qin Hongfei saw a bus approaching, flagged it down, and asked Qin Yun if he had any money on him. When he said no, she handed him fifty cents, and they all climbed aboard.

Qin Yun felt like he’d hit the jackpot tonight—not only did he get out of doing homework, he got to play around with a flashlight and now he was even riding the bus. When they got off, the streets were pitch black, rain pouring down relentlessly. Fortunately, the repair shop wasn’t far. The three of them ran through the downpour.

Qin Yun insisted on leading the way with the flashlight, when suddenly, something darted across their path. He shuddered as a glowing green object floated by. “Ghost!” he shrieked. Both he and Qin Fei turned pale and immediately scrambled behind Qin Hongfei, their knees knocking together.

Qin Hongfei felt hands clutch her shoulders on either side and could not help but think, Are you two older than me or not?

Well, fine. Mentally, I’m older anyway.

But on the outside, I’m the youngest here—one of you is three years older, the other a year older, and yet you both hide behind me. Aren’t you even a little embarrassed?

“What are you afraid of?” Qin Hongfei said, narrowing her eyes, unable to see clearly what the shadow in the rain was. “Didn’t you say no ghost or monster would dare come near?”

“Hongfei, I was just joking, you actually believed me? Are you stupid?” Qin Yun was genuinely shocked. How could she believe his tall tales?

“Shameless!” Qin Fei snapped.

Qin Yun said nothing—shameless or not, he was scared.

Qin Hongfei didn’t want to speak anymore. She snatched the flashlight from Qin Yun’s hand and shone it toward the dark figure, her voice steady. “Who’s there?”

The shadow flickered, then… moved closer.

Qin Hongfei’s heart skipped a beat. Behind her, Qin Yun and Qin Fei simultaneously took a step back.

“Are you children from the Qin family?” a hoarse voice called out. Soon, the figure jogged toward them—it was a person in a green raincoat. For some reason, the raincoat glowed with phosphorescence, casting an eerie green light in the darkness. It was, indeed, a frightening sight.