Chapter 38: The Spirit That Loves to Eat Chicken

"Ah!"

Qiu Yiyao woke up with a start. She pulled off her sleep mask, her forehead already glistening with a thin layer of sweat.

"Sister Yaoyao?"

Congcong’s voice came from nearby, and Qiu Yiyao froze. She scrutinized the child’s small face. There was no sign of white fur—just chubby, smooth, delicate skin that anyone would envy.

Qiu Yiyao let out a sigh of relief, realizing she had been dreaming. Yet, she couldn't fathom why such a bizarre dream had suddenly occurred. In the past, she wouldn't have given it a second thought, but here, she felt it must be connected to reality.

Suddenly, the image of the toddler she had seen in the small square in front of the ticket station flashed through her mind. At the time, the child had been scurrying on all fours, circling the adults around him. Then there was the little boy at the school who had known she was from out of town just by smelling her. If she compared them to animals, would everything suddenly make sense?

Was Yue-Li Town not a ghost town, but a place where supernatural beings gathered?

Thinking this, Qiu Yiyao felt as though all the mysteries were about to be unraveled. She reached out and gently touched Congcong’s cheek, tentatively asking, "Congcong, has your face always been this smooth?"

"What are you talking about, Sister Yaoyao?" Congcong didn't understand.

Qiu Yiyao brushed it off and continued, "Then why do you like eating chicken so much?"

"It’s delicious! Mom says I have to eat lots of chicken so I can grow big and strong, and protect her one day."

But wasn't that a bit too frequent? Every single meal had to include chicken. Could they be some kind of creature that craved chicken? Qiu Yiyao racked her brain, but she couldn't think of any animal that was particularly obsessed with chicken.

Then, a crucial question occurred to her. "Congcong, when did you and your mom arrive here?"

"Well, that’s..." Congcong blinked, seemingly struggling to think.

Just as he opened his mouth to speak, the door was pushed open. Qiu Shengming walked in. "Time to go home, Congcong. Your mom is waiting for you."

His timing was far too convenient, as if he had come specifically to stop Congcong from saying something. Qiu Yiyao felt even more certain of her suspicions. However, her primary concern at the moment was the truth behind Li Zhen's injury. She lifted Congcong off the bed and said, "Let's go home."

But just as they reached the door, Qiu Shengming blocked her path. "Bai has something to ask you."

"The one surnamed Bai?" Qiu Yiyao didn't believe Bai Peiyu actually had any business with her; if he did, it would only be some scheme to toy with her. She shook her head. "I'm not going."

"Miss Qiu, you certainly have a high opinion of yourself. You’re hard to invite." Bai Peiyu walked down from upstairs. His airy remark grated on Qiu Yiyao’s ears, and her competitive spirit flared up again.

"That's right, I do. Most people can't just invite me anywhere."

"And how many people does it take to invite you?"

"What’s it to you? If you’re the one inviting me, sorry, but I don't like to have anything to do with low-class people."

Bai Peiyu didn't get angry at all. His tone softened. "Didn't you say you wanted to buy a ticket last night? Come on, I'll take you."

Qiu Yiyao knew exactly what he was thinking. He didn't really want to take her to buy a ticket; he just wanted to prove to her once more that everything strange she had seen was merely a hallucination. She looked into his eyes, quickly formed a new plan, and nodded. "Fine."

The two left, one after the other, and found Qiu Shengming's motorcycle parked at the door. Bai Peiyu handed her a pink helmet and said with a straight face, "Take it. If you're afraid of falling off later, you can hold onto my waist, but don't go touching things you shouldn't."

He said it without a blush or a skip in his heartbeat. Qiu Yiyao, however, was mortified. Was he taking her for a pervert? She huffed and turned her head away. "Don't worry. What happened last night was an accident. Do you really think your body is so great that I'd want to touch it?"

Qiu Yiyao put on the helmet and sat on the back of the motorcycle, positioning herself as far toward the rear as possible. No matter how fast they went or how frightened she became, she didn't touch Bai Peiyu once. Even though they were on the same bike, the space between them was wide enough to fit two more people.

The bike stopped beside the ticket station. Inside the booth, a stout woman sat with her chin in her hands, staring blankly. Bai Peiyu walked straight to the window and asked politely, "Ma'am, are there any tickets for leaving town?"

The woman didn't even lift her eyelids. She pointed at the electronic screen to the side and said, "Look for yourself."

Hearing this, Qiu Yiyao couldn't help but roll her eyes. The attitude was incredibly poor. If they were going to hire someone to act in a play, they could have at least found someone capable. She pushed past Bai Peiyu. "Hey lady, what kind of attitude is that? Do I have to look at the screen if I want to buy a ticket? Then what are you even sitting in there for?"

The woman looked up, her face devoid of any smile. "How about you take over this job, then?"

"Fine by me. Who couldn't handle such a lazy job?" Qiu Yiyao wasn't afraid of offending her; it was all fake anyway.

The woman shot her a look of contempt. She stood up, clasped her hands together, and cracked her knuckles, making a loud, grating sound. Qiu Yiyao froze. The woman wasn't just broad and sturdy; she was nearly two meters tall, almost hitting the ceiling. She must have weighed at least three hundred pounds.

Qiu Yiyao knew she looked tiny compared to the woman, but she had already said her piece—she couldn't let herself be laughed at. She put her hands on her hips. "Are you giving me your seat? Good, move aside then."

The woman sneered and made a move to open the door. A passerby who had been watching for a few seconds stepped in. "Young lady, stop talking," the passerby whispered to Qiu Yiyao. "She’s the town’s famous 'She-Tiger.' Even the men are no match for her. You’d better leave now."

Hearing this, Qiu Yiyao became even more intrigued. She deliberately raised her voice at the woman. "A 'She-Tiger,' huh? What, you think you can bully people just because you’re big? Let me tell you, no way. I’m going to say it—you’re a She-Tiger. If you’ve got the guts, throw me out, otherwise, get lost."

The woman's expression darkened. She pulled the door open and stepped out. Standing in front of Qiu Yiyao, her sense of oppression was truly immense.

"You've got a sharp tongue. Go on, I’d love to hear what else you have to say."

"I have plenty to say," Qiu Yiyao said, looking her in the eyes. "You want to hear it? I’m not telling you."

Qiu Yiyao’s provocative tone was more than the woman could bear. She leaned down, eyes glaring. "Are you mocking me?"

As she spoke, she reached out to grab Qiu Yiyao by the collar. Bai Peiyu, quick as lightning, pulled Qiu Yiyao behind him. "We aren't here to cause trouble, but a person of your size bullying a young woman? Be careful, or I'll call the police."

"Ha, the police? Go ahead and call them." The woman couldn't have cared less.

Qiu Yiyao hesitated for a moment, then lunged forward and slammed her head into the woman's protruding belly.