Chapter 23: Huang Ying Exposed

I snatched the phone away. "Damn it! It’s just a picture from the internet, why on earth are you all fighting over it?"

I still clung to the hope that Chen Yuming hadn't caught a glimpse of the image.

"Let's go." With those words, they left, leaving only Chen Yuming, Li Yun, and me behind.

"I'm sorry!" Seeing that I was truly furious, Li Yun walked over to apologize.

"Damn it, this is all your fault!" If she hadn't been making such a scene, none of this would have happened.

"I really didn't mean to!" Li Yun lowered her head. I hadn't expected her to refrain from retorting; usually, if anyone else spoke to her like that, she wouldn't hesitate to throw a punch.

I ignored her and dragged a dazed Chen Yuming out of the school gates.

"What I saw that day wasn't a hallucination, was it?" Chen Yuming asked, staring straight at me.

"I don't know!" I couldn't answer him. I had never intended for anyone to know about Huang Ying. Even if I were to reveal her, it wouldn't be under these circumstances—I didn't want others to look at her with strange, fearful eyes.

"The day school started, the girl sitting on your bed was the same one in the photo. I remember it clearly; there's no mistake." Chen Yuming had been obsessed with Huang Ying ever since. He’d mentioned it in class several times, but everyone thought he was joking. Only he remained convinced that what he saw was real.

"Don't tell anyone about this!" I knew I couldn't hide it from him anymore, so I pleaded with him to keep it to himself.

"Does she really exist?" Chen Yuming asked instead of answering me.

I nodded with great difficulty. Lying was pointless now.

Chen Yuming swallowed hard, then widened his eyes and asked, "Where is she? Can you let me see her?"

Hearing this, I felt something was off. A normal person would be terrified, but he looked expectant.

"You don't seem scared at all?" I frowned.

"But she doesn't look scary at all."

I suddenly realized there was something wrong with Chen Yuming. The shock had vanished from his face, replaced by the look of a lecher.

Huang Ying was right there in my backpack, but seeing his expression, there was no way I was going to let him see her so easily. If anyone was going to be infatuated with Huang Ying, it was going to be me; it wasn't his turn.

"She’s gone. She’s not with me anymore."

"Ah..." Chen Yuming let out a long, disappointed sigh.

"By the way, how do you know her?" Chen Yuming asked again.

I let out a long breath and said, "It’s a long story. Anyway, we’re very close. Let me tell you, don’t you dare have any designs on her, or you might end up a ghost yourself!"

Huang Ying was only kind to me and my grandfather; she was very cold to everyone else. If Chen Yuming dared to lay a hand on her, I was certain she would deal with him herself, no intervention needed. Don't let her delicate appearance fool you—she was a ghost over a hundred years old.

Hearing the word "ghost" made Chen Yuming restrain himself slightly, though his face remained full of hope.

"You'll have a chance to see her later, don't worry!" I patted his shoulder. I had to give him hope; otherwise, if he blurted it out to others, the consequences would be troublesome.

"Then when she comes back, you have to let me see her!" Chen Yuming insisted.

I couldn't fathom it. He had only seen her once, yet he was so fixated on her—even knowing she was a ghost.

I had overlooked one thing: Huang Ying’s allure was simply too powerful. She possessed everything a man could desire. Her appearance alone could bewitch the world, and combined with her inner essence, almost no one could resist her. If not for that, why would I have agreed to help a female ghost in the first place?

If I were honest with myself, helping her was largely due to her appearance and that aura of hers that made one want to protect her. I know it sounds shallow, but it was the truth.

In the end, I forced Chen Yuming to promise to keep everything he knew about Huang Ying to himself, dangling the possibility of a future meeting as leverage. He quickly agreed.

Truthfully, seeing his lovesick expression didn't make me jealous; it made me happy. I knew Huang Ying wouldn't develop feelings for him—at most, it would be friendship, while for me, it was love. Moreover, through his eyes, I realized just how extraordinary Huang Ying truly was.

My mood shifted from tense to joyful, knowing there was no major harm done.

Back home, I sat beside Huang Ying and said, "You heard it, didn't you? That kid who saw you in the dorm when school started seems to like you too!"

I emphasized the word "too." If I were going to talk about others, I deserved a little benefit myself.

Huang Ying blushed slightly. I couldn't tell if it was because someone liked her or because of my choice of words, but I suspected the latter.

After a moment of silence, Huang Ying whispered, "Wang Yu, I... I... I think I like you!"

She kept her eyes fixed on the floor, not daring to look at me.

I almost burst with joy. She had finally said it!

If I weren't trying to act composed, I would have jumped for joy, but even then, my face was beaming like a blooming flower.

"Really? You said you like me?" I wanted to hear it again, so I asked intentionally.

"Yes!" She still wouldn't look at me.

"Actually, I really like you too!" Although I had confessed to her before, she hadn't responded then. Now that we had both spoken, we were truly of one heart and mind.

This feeling was wonderful, like finally holding something you had desperately wanted but couldn't reach—it was pure happiness.

Whoever says young people don't understand the happiness of love is just someone who hasn't met the right person and has drawn a flawed conclusion.

After she spoke, Huang Ying went quiet. The atmosphere was warm; you didn't have to speak for the other to understand. Sometimes, a single glance was enough.

After a while, Huang Ying said she wanted to rest. I was reluctant, but I agreed. If I could have kissed her, I would have rushed in without hesitation.

Once she returned to her room, I sat there savoring the moment. I called my grandfather to ask him to teach me some Taoist techniques, then headed downstairs.

Wu Song dared to fight a tiger on the mountain after drinking; after Huang Ying confessed to me, I dared to go catch a fierce ghost alone!

It was like a stimulant; I was so excited I kept giggling during the call. Sensing I wasn't focused, my grandfather said a few brief words and hung up. I didn't call back; I wanted to savor the moment.

At the roadside, I hailed a taxi with a flourish. "Take me to the outskirts!" I didn't dare say "the graveyard," or the driver would refuse.

My grandfather had said Huang Ying needed to absorb more souls to regain her former state, so I was off to hunt ghosts.

Half an hour later, the car arrived. I waited for the driver to leave before walking toward the graveyard.

The place was heavy with yin energy. My scalp tingled the moment I entered. If I hadn't applied the protective ointment to my face and body and carried dozens of copper coins, they would have torn my soul apart.

I took out my bottle and began to chant. Whether it was because my abilities had improved or because I was so exhilarated, the usual headache was much milder this time.

Soon, the bottle was filled with white mist. I gave it a shake; it was low-quality stuff, but my grandfather could have caught hundred-year-old spirits effortlessly.

Still, my grandfather always said to take things one step at a time; being too impatient would only hurt Huang Ying.