Hello everyone! I wanted to say happy Valentine's Day to those celebrating it! Here's another chapter for you. Enjoy!
-Chapter Seven-
"Gege!"
Turning, Xie Lian smiled as he saw San Lang running up the next morning while heading out to go to school. "San Lang. Good morning!"
"Good morning." The darker haired boy gave a smile as he slowed and stopped beside his friend. "Sleep well?"
"Yeah." He smiled before remembering last night. "Oh! You forgot your picture yesterday." Xie Lian slid his bag off his back, opened it, and pulled out the picture. "I put it in a protector for you. And I put the picture of your friend you drew facing the other way too."
Blinking, San Lang took the picture in its protector and flipped it over to see the picture he'd drawn on the other side. He gave a small smile. "Thank you, Gege."
Sliding it into his bag after he pulled it off his back, the two started heading towards school. "Um...I never did get to ask you what happened to your friend yesterday after dinner," Xie Lian spoke up quietly as he stared at the ground in front of him.
San Lang blinked as he glanced at the lighter haired teen then looked to the ground in front of him. "He….he was killed." Xie Lian looked his way with a blink. "Some thieves broke into the place we stayed and fatally wounded him." He clenched his fists at his sides. "And there was nothing I could do to help him."
Xie Lian could see the sadness and tension on his friend's face and in his voice that was quiet and somber. He reached his hand out and wrapped it around San Lang's fist. The other boy turned his gaze towards him with a somewhat surprised look on his face.
"I'm sorry he died like that," the lighter haired teen spoke softly, giving San Lang's hand a soft squeeze. The other boy slowly relaxed his fists so Xie Lian could thread his fingers through his. "That must have been hard to deal with."
"Y-yeah." San Lang gave a small squeeze of his hand to the other boy's. "I don't think I've ever been so grief stricken and pissed off at the same time." He gave a small pause. "I truly wanted to make each of the thieves suffer a slow, painful death."
Thinking back on the memory, he left out the part that he'd gone in search of them and ripped each of their hearts out after torturing them slowly, one by one. His anger and sorrow had transformed him from barely a ghost fire after being killed by the same thieves a few days prior when Xie Lian had gone out to gather some items needed for their home, to a Severe ranked ghost after witnessing his friend's murder. As ghost fire, there was nothing he could do to protect his friend.
Xie Lian gave a blink as he looked at his friend, feeling him still squeezing his hand slightly. He also felt him trembling a little. "Did they ever get caught?"
Golden hazel eyes glanced towards him then turned to look at the way in front of them. "Yeah. They're gone now." He gave a small pause. "Rotting in Hell like they should."
"If you want, we could find something to leave as an offering for your friend's spirit after school," the brown eyed teen suggested in a soft tone.
Golden eyes looked at him in surprise. "Y-you'd really do that?"
"Of course. I may not have known him but maybe it'll make him happy and let his spirit rest in peace," Xie Lian smiled softly. "And let him know that you're doing alright." He gave a soft squeeze back to San Lang's hand. "And that you have friends who care."
"T-thank you." San Lang felt his cheeks flush a little with warmth as he looked away. "I...I appreciate it."
"Xie Lian! San Lang!" Both looked up ahead as they saw Nan Feng and Fu Yao waving from the entrance of the school. "Hurry up already!"
Realising they were still holding hands, both boys felt their cheeks flush with warmth as they released their grip on the other. San Lang gave a small smile before they ran to catch up as the bell started to ring to signal school about to start soon.
"What's that?" Nan Feng asked as they sat gathered for lunch. Xie Lian had brought out his lunch, plus the container he'd put the four dumplings in from yesterday.
"It's some extra food," Xie Lian smiled as he opened the container to reveal the dumplings. He held it out to San Lang, who took one. Then he held it out for the other two after taking his.
"Dare I ask?" Nan Feng asked curiously as he eyed it.
"Is it poisoned?" Fu Yao added. Xie Lian gave an embarrassed laugh as San Lang took a bite.
"Nope. No poison," the golden hazel eyed boy said as he chewed it and swallowed.
Looking at each other, the other two darker haired teens took one before taking a bite. Both gave blinks then looked at each other.
"San Lang, you made these, didn't you?" Nan Feng commented as he looked at the darker haired boy.
"Nope. Gege did." Both boys nearly choked on their dumplings as they looked at the brown eyed teen across from them.
"H-how?" Fu Yao asked in surprise.
"And it actually tastes good," Nan Feng commented then looked at San Lang. "You've got to be joking. You really made them."
"I watched him make them," San Lang smiled. "Though I did show him how to make the first batch that we ate."
Both Fu Yao and Nan Feng gave blinks before looking at their friend that was eating his dumpling he'd made. They looked at their dumplings.
"If you don't want them, give them back," San Lang said before taking another bite of his.
"N-no. It's alright," both spoke together at the same time. They looked at each other before popping the rest in their mouths to eat.
"I wonder what next I could learn how to make," Xie Lian pondered aloud as he finished his dumpling before eating his lunch. He looked to the boy beside him. "Any suggestions?"
"Depends on what you want to learn," San Lang pointed out. "I know a variety of dishes to make."
"What's your favourite one?"
Golden hazel eyes blinked at brown ones watching him curiously. He remembered back to one of the dishes Xie Lian had made for him after taking him in all those years ago. Despite it tasting bad since he couldn't cook well back then either, he still liked it. It was what made him chuckle inside that this reincarnated Xie Lian still had the same issues of cooking as he did back then. He'd learned how to make it himself so he could still enjoy it.
"I-It was a soup." He looked down at his lunch. "It's been my favourite since I was younger."
Xie Lian gave a blink realising that he must have been talking about his friend that had passed away. He gave a small smile. "Then I'll learn that one next."
"Make sure you don't set your house on fire," Nan Feng chuckled. Fu Yao also snickered a little.
Golden hazel eyes looked towards the two as they went to take another bite of their lunches. As they started to pick up a piece of food, their chopsticks gave a cracking sound before the lower half to both of theirs broke.
"What the...?" Fu Yao exclaimed.
"Dammit!" Nan Feng said at the same time. "How the hell did that happen?"
"Guess luck is not on your side today," San Lang shrugged as he picked up his chopsticks and took a bite of his lunch.
"Here." Xie Lian pulled out a spare pair he had and held them out between the two. "I packed an extra pair. You'll just have to share."
"Share?" Both of them looked at each other with a small, unamused look then sighed before reaching for them at the same time.
"Let me use them first," Nan Feng spoke up.
"No way. I'm first," Fu Yao protested.
"You eat slower."
"Only because you eat too fast."
San Lang's lips twitched upwards in amusement as Xie Lian gave an embarrassed laugh at the two arguing. Sometimes they got along and sometimes they did things like this. But they were friends, nonetheless.
"So what do you think your friend would have liked for an offering?" Xie Lian asked after school had ended and they had walked to the shopping district near downtown. "Did he have anything in particular he liked?"
"Well….he liked a lot of things I guess," San Lang replied as they walked along looking at some of the outdoor displays along the street in front of different shops. He remembered the old Xie Lian liked collecting random stuff sometimes. It might have seemed like some old, useless scraps but that's where Xie Lian had said they were wonderful trinkets that could liven up the place a bit.
"What about these?" Xie Lian stopped in front of a flower shop and leaned down to smell some beautiful white flowers. Golden hazel eyes blinked at the flowers as the other boy smiled.
"Y-yeah. He would have liked those." He gave a pause as he reached out and picked up one of the stalks before bringing it to his nose and smelled it. "They were his favourite."
"Really?" Xie Lian gave a blink of surprise. "They're my favourite too." San Lang blinked at him again before the other boy grabbed a few. "Let's get them then."
Insisting on paying for them, San Lang handed the money to the florist before they turned and headed down the street together. They were looking at other items as they strolled along. Xie Lian pointed out a golden mask that covered the upper part of the face in one of the costume shops. He grinned, picking it up before holding it up to his face.
"It looks something like the one you drew in your friend's picture," he said with a smile as the dark haired teen blinked at the irony of finding something similar to the mask that the old Xie Lian had worn once for a festival.
"Yeah." San Lang gave a small smile. If only Xie Lian's hair was longer like it had been back then. That was the biggest difference about then and now. Back then, his hair had been very long. He'd sometimes braid it for the old Xie Lian. This reincarnated version had shorter hair down to his chin. But it was full, fluffy, and thick, just like the other Xie Lian had.
"I'm going to get it." Xie Lian gave a smile as San Lang blinked. "It's really pretty."
Going to the shop owner, the brown haired boy pulled out his wallet and handed the money for the mask. He gave a smile and thanked the shop owner before they headed on down the sidewalk.
"I blew all my allowance on this but I like it," the younger boy smiled, holding it up in front of his face again as they walked. "Maybe I can wear it for the Zhongyuan Jie coming up soon? To honour your friend?" After all, what better time to wear it than during the Ghost Festival.
Stopping a couple steps ahead of the other, Xie Lian blinked as he turned back to look at San Lang. The other boy had his gaze fixed to the ground while holding the flowers in his hands. Xie Lian lowered the mask and furrowed his brow at the other boy.
"Did I say something wrong?" The other boy remained silent. "San Lang?"
"N-no." Golden hazel eyes raised to look at the teen in front of him. "I'm sorry. I was just thinking about how he might have liked that; the honouring part."
"Ah okay. I just hope I didn't say something wrong," Xie Lian said with a softened look. "I mean, he was very important to you." He turned and they started walking along again. "I had someone that was important to me a long time ago too."
"Oh?" San Lang gave a blink as they continued along.
"Yeah. He was a good friend of mine when I was six. He was a couple of years older than I was. We used to hang out all the time." He paused before continuing quietly. "But shortly before my father left, he disappeared somewhere. I don't know if he moved or what. He never said goodbye. The only thing I have is a little gift he left me and the flower that was with it I let dry and preserved." He paused and looked at the flowers San Lang held. "It was actually that flower too, which was why I like them so much. They remind me of him."
Golden hazel eyes blinked in surprise at the information that he'd kept the flower and the gift. "What was the gift? If you don't mind my asking."
"A red pearl earring," Xie Lian replied as he gave a small smile. "Granted I don't have pierced ears but it was still a beautiful earring. So I kept it." He gave a pause. "I think you would have liked Xiao Hua if he were still around."
A small smile graced San Lang's lips at the name. "Xiao Hua?"
"Yeah. That was the name he went by." Xie Lian smiled. "You actually remind me a little of him."
"Really?"
"I mean it in a good way though." The brown eyed boy chuckled. "Though his left eye was dark."
"What about his other eye?"
"I don't know. He wore a bandage over it that I never saw him take off." He gave a shrug. "He said it got hurt once and caused him to go blind. He seemed to think it made him ugly though." San Lang tilted his head slightly. "I always told him it didn't matter what others thought about it. I thought he looked just fine. What mattered was inside."
"You're a really good friend for saying that." San Lang gave a smile. "I'm sure he took those words to heart."
"Yeah. I just wish I knew where he went." The brown haired boy sighed softly. "I would have loved to tell him that he meant a lot to me. After all, he was one of my only friends I had at the time."
"What about Nan Feng and Fu Yao?"
"I didn't meet them until middle school actually." He gave a small chuckle. "We got stuck doing a project together and ended up being friends afterwards. They're great friends too. I don't know what I would have done without them." He smiled at the other boy. "And now there's you. I'm really glad you're my friend."
San Lang gave a blink as he felt his cheeks flush a little with warmth. "I-I'm glad too, Gege."
Rounding a corner, Xie Lian looked down a ways across the street to see three guys harassing a young woman around their age. San Lang noticed it too. Xie Lian held out the mask to the other boy.
"Can you hold this for a moment?" San Lang gave a blink as he took it.
Watching the lighter haired teen make his way across the street, he also quickly crossed as the other boy approached the three guys.
"Leave her alone," Xie Lian spoke up, getting the attention of the three guys.
"What's it to you, scrawny punk?" one of the guys asked as they turned around to face him.
"It's not nice to go around picking on people." He gave them a glare.
"Then how about we pick on you?" another of the guys said with a sneer, grabbing Xie Lian by the front of his uniform and pulled him in close. Xie Lian tried to push him away but the guy had a good grip on him. The guy gave a sneer before shoving him backwards while tripping him so Xie Lian fell to the pavement. He was about to kick him while he was down when another voice caught his attention.
"Gege!" San Lang came running up and knelt down beside Xie Lian who was slowly sitting up, giving a small wince at his hand he'd scraped on the pavement.
"Another scrawny punk?" the first guy asked with a sneer. "Come for a whipping too?"
Narrowing his eyes on the three, San Lang handed the flowers and mask to Xie Lian before sliding his bag off his back and sat it beside his friend. He slowly stood facing them with a pissed off look on his face. The guys gave sneers and snickers at him.
Moving forward, the first guy gave a swing at San Lang. He easily moved to the side with a slight twirl as he brought his hand up and grabbed the guy's wrist. The darker haired boy yanked it backwards and up behind him; an audible popping sound coming from the guy's shoulder. He gave a yelp in pain as San Lang shoved him off to the side so he hit the wall of the building they were beside before falling to the ground.
"Why you little…." the second guy spoke up as he took a swing at San Lang. The golden hazel eyed boy easily dodged him as well, though the other guy was faster than the first and able to counter before swinging again. San Lang ducked down, sweeping the guy's feet out from under him. Just as he started to stand back up, he gave him a punch in the chest that caused the other to stumble backwards, tripping over the first guy still on the ground.
Turning to the third guy, San Lang narrowed his eyes as the guy pulled out a knife and waved it in front of him.
"S-San Lang," Xie Lian said worriedly.
"Let's see you dodge this one punk," the third guy spoke as he lunged at the darker haired boy. San Lang took a step back while trying to dodge. The guy swiped the knife at him, which easily was dodged by the teen before he grabbed the guy's wrist and twisted it. An audible popping sound came from his wrist as the guy dropped the knife before San Lang landed a blow on his side in the ribs, sending the guy towards his buddies. He tripped over them and landed on the ground sprawled out.
"Don't ever let me see your faces again," San Lang spoke angrily at the three still down on the ground in pain. He turned towards Xie Lian, still sitting on the ground, having watched in surprise. "Are you alright, Gege?"
"Y-yeah, I'm okay." Xie Lian started to get up, wincing at his hand he'd scraped.
Taking his hand gently, San Lang looked at it. It was reddened and had a little blood coming to the surface. Turning to his bag, he opened it and rummaged inside, using some of his magic to make some cloth bandages appear without the other noticing. Pulling it out, he took Xie Lian's hand again and gently wrapped the bandage around before securing it.
"A-are you alright?" the girl asked as she stepped forward towards the boys as San Lang helped Xie Lian to his feet. She looked at the lighter haired boy's hand.
"Yeah, it's nothing," Xie Lian replied with a smile. He looked towards the guys still laying on the ground groaning as did the girl.
"Um….t-thank you," she spoke up as she turned to look at the two. She gave a small bow in gratitude, especially to San Lang. "Thank you very much."
Giving a blink at the girl and not used to being thanked like that, San Lang gave a small shrug. "It was nothing." He paused looking at the guys. "Though they better never try this again." The guys gave groans as the darker haired boy turned and picked up his bag, flowers, and mask from the ground.
Blinking as San Lang took his uninjured hand in his free hand, not holding the mask and flowers, Xie Lian followed him as he gently pulled him along down the sidewalk to the next block and turned the corner. He gave a furrow of his brow at the darker haired boy before giving a small tug on his hand.
"San Lang? Are you okay?" he asked as the other boy stopped, his back still to him. He could feel the slight trembling of his hand as he continued to hold it. "San Lang?"
Turning, the long haired boy faced him before pulling him into his embrace, being gentle while still holding the flowers and mask. Xie Lian could feel him trembling a little as he stood there.
"I'm sorry. I just don't want to lose you again," he spoke softly, just barely a whisper by Xie Lian's ear as he held him.
Blinking, Xie Lian thought he must be talking about his friend he'd also lost during that event with the thieves. He brought his hands up around San Lang's lower back and held him. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise."
Feeling the other boy's trembling slow and stop, the other boy slowly released him. Xie Lian looked into the golden hazel eyes that still had a little anger left in them but also a hint of fear. He'd never seen him this way before. He brought his hand up and brushed some of the hair that had come loose from being pulled back out of his face. San Lang's cheeks flushed a little pink.
"Thank you." Golden hazel eyes blinked slightly confused. "For helping her out. I hope those guys learned their lesson." He gave a small tilt of his head. "Though I didn't know you knew martial arts."
"Yeah...well...I learned it a long time ago," San Lang pointed out. "I got bullied a lot as a kid."
"Really?" The other boy nodded. "I wouldn't have guessed that." He gave a soft smile before reaching his uninjured hand out and took the darker haired boy's. "Come on. Let's go get these flowers taken care of."
Nodding, San Lang turned with Xie Lian and they started back down the sidewalk together. He felt his cheeks flush a little as the lighter haired boy laced his fingers with his. Though he couldn't help glance back over his shoulder in the direction they'd come and those thugs. It had taken all his willpower not to just outright rip their hearts out for hurting Xie Lian. They were lucky he only did what damage he'd done to them. A dislocated shoulder, bruised ribs, and broken wrist would have to suffice.
"Where are we going to put them?" he asked after a moment.
"That's a good question," Xie Lian pondered as he paused in his step for a moment. "Do you think Hua Cheng will mind if we set them at his tree? I mean, since he's a Ghost King, do you think he could pass along to your friend's spirit we're thinking of him?"
"I don't think he could talk to spirits like that," San Lang pointed out but gave a small smile. "Though I don't think he'll mind if we leave them there."
"Alright. Then we'll leave them there."
Walking together back to Xie Lian's house, they went inside, seeing that his mother hadn't come home from work yet. They slipped their shoes off, went down to Xie Lian's room, where he set the mask down on his desk and his bag on the floor beside it. San Lang put his bag down on the floor beside the other one. Then heading to the kitchen, the brown eyed boy rummaged in the recycling bin for a glass jar. He found one and filled it with water before San Lang stuck the flowers in it.
Grabbing their shoes, they took them to the back door before slipping them on again. Heading outside, they made their way across the field to the edge of the forest and to the tree with the red ribbon tied around it. Xie Lian took the jar from San Lang and set it down in a little crook of the tree so it was protected from falling over easily. He gave a soft smile as he took a step back and looked at the darker haired boy.
"I forgot to ask but what was your friend's name?"
San Lang gave a blink as he looked to the younger teen beside him. He couldn't really tell him that it was Xie Lian, just like his name now. So instead he thought of one of the names Xie Lian had used once as an alias.
"Hua Xie," he replied. It had been ironic but also had inspired him to take the name Hua Cheng after becoming a Ghost King.
"Hua Xie." Xie Lian gave a smile before turning to the tree, brought his hands up and clasped them together the best he could despite his injury and closed his eyes. "Hua Cheng, I hope you won't mind San Lang and I leaving these flowers here for his friend, Hua Xie, that he lost a long while ago. I hope you will enjoy the flowers too. They smell so lovely."
Opening his eyes again as he dropped his hands back to his sides, Xie Lian looked to San Lang and smiled. The other boy gave a small smile in return before looking upwards.
"Look." He pointed up as Xie Lian raised his gaze up to see what his friend was looking at.
"It's one of those silver butterflies that was with Hua Cheng that night," Xie Lian gasped slightly as it fluttered down towards them. He gave a smile as he reached his injured hand up and it floated down to land on it. Its wings flapped gently as a sudden warmth radiated from his injury.
"Is something wrong?" San Lang asked as Xie Lian gave a small gasp.
"My hand feels warm where it's sitting," the brown eyed boy replied as the butterfly flapped its wings a few more times while continuing to sit on his hand. "And...it doesn't hurt as much anymore."
Fluttering back up into the air as Xie Lian looked to his hand, the butterfly floated around them a couple of times in the air before disappearing. San Lang reached up, taking Xie Lian's hand, and unwrapped the bandage from around it. Brown eyes blinked in surprise at his hand having been healed without so much as a mark left of where his hand had been scraped.
"I-it's healed," he said astounded as San Lang unwrapped the bandage the rest of the way. "But how did that happen? Did the butterfly.…?" He trailed off confused.
"Spirit butterflies," the darker haired boy spoke up as brown eyes looked to him. "They're known to do different things, even healing. Hua Cheng commands them."
"R-really?" Xie Lian gave a blink of amazement. "So he sent one here to heal my hand? How did he know I was injured?"
"I'm sure he knows a lot of things," San Lang chuckled. "I mean, as Ghost King, he's pretty powerful."
"Oh yeah." Xie Lian smiled then looked towards the tree. "Thank you Hua Cheng." The wind gave a small swish, rustling the leaves a little. "Please enjoy the flowers, both you and Hua Xie."
Turning, they headed back to the house and to Xie Lian's room after fixing some hot tea to drink. San Lang took care of the bandage before they started on their homework. It didn't take long to finish it and they headed to the kitchen to make some food together.
Opening the door after coming home from work, Xie Lian's mother furrowed her brow as the scent of cooking food filled the air. She could hear talking and laughing coming from down the hall from Xie Lian and another.
'It must be that one boy,' she thought to herself as she slid off her shoes and headed down the hall to the kitchen. As she peered around the corner, she saw them standing over by the stove.
"Think my mom will be surprised when she gets home?" Xie Lian asked as he stirred the vegetables that were being cooked in the wok as San Lang handed him some sauce he'd whipped up from scratch to add to the vegetables.
"I don't know. You should ask her yourself," the darker haired boy replied, glancing over his shoulder to see Xie Lian's mother standing there in the doorway.
Turning around, Xie Lian gave a startled blink. "O-oh hi Mom. San Lang and I were making dinner since you were getting home late."
"Did you do your homework?"
"Yes. We've already finished." He gave a smile. "Dinner should be finished in a few. Can San Lang stay again?"
Looking at the other boy, she gave a shrug of indifference. "I suppose so." After all, he had helped make dinner. Though she also wondered about his parents. He had said they didn't mind him staying yesterday. And the way it seemed, they obviously didn't care what he did. Parents just letting their kid run around doing whatever they pleased didn't sound like they were good parents.
Watching her turn and head towards the stairs, San Lang turned back to Xie Lian as he finished adding the sauce to the pan. While he did that, the darker haired boy checked on the rice in the cooker.
"All done here," he smiled as he turned the cooker off.
"I think this is done."
The darker haired boy went over to check. "Yup. It's done."
Turning it off, San Lang went over to grab plates, chopsticks, and glasses to put on the table. Xie Lian put the stuff in the pan into a bowl to be served up at the table while San Lang grabbed a bowl to put the rice in. Everything was set on the table by the time Xie Lian's mother came back down, changed from her work outfit.
Sitting down at the table together, they ate their food. Xie Lian's mother was a bit surprised again at how good it had tasted. Though she kept glancing at the other boy beside her son. When they finished, she started to clear the table.
"It's alright Mom. We've got it." Xie Lian smiled as he went to take care of his plate. San Lang also stood and took care of his plate. "I'm sure you had a long day at work so don't worry about it."
Dumbfounded, Xie Lian's mother watched them come back to the table to clear off more stuff. She didn't say anything else as she turned to leave, glancing over her shoulder just long enough as San Lang started rinsing the dishes off as her son went to put the food away. She went to the living room to relax on the couch and watch some television, though her attention was half diverted listening to them in the kitchen as they did dishes.
"San Lang, what do you want to do for the Ghost Festival coming up?"
"Hmm...I don't know, Gege. Was there something you wanted to do?"
"I don't know. I really didn't get a chance to go do anything last year or the year before. I was busy studying." He gave a pause. "Though they have part of the park nearby with booths set up for the event. I think I saw them having a costume contest this year too."
"That sounds like fun. Were you going to enter it?"
"I'd have no idea what to wear." The brown haired teen gave a small laugh.
"I might have an idea." San Lang gave a grin. "We should enter it together."
"R-really?" He felt a blush come up to his cheeks a little. "Okay. That sounds like fun."
Finishing up the dishes and putting them away, they started to head back to Xie Lian's room.
"Xie Lian."
Pausing at the entrance to the living room, the younger teen looked in as his mother looked back at him from over the couch. "Yes Mom?"
"It's getting late. You have school tomorrow."
"I know. He was just going to go get his bag."
"Alright." She turned back to the television as the two headed back to his room.
"Do you think I should wear this to the Ghost Festival like I mentioned earlier?" Xie Lian asked, holding up his mask he'd gotten earlier that day.
"You definitely should," San Lang smiled.
"I just don't have anything really to wear for the costume contest."
"Like I said, I have an idea." He gave a smile. "Leave it to me."
"Alright." Xie Lian gave a pause as he set the mask back down before looking out towards the woods in the distance as the sun started to set. "I wonder if ghosts come to the Ghost Festival?"
"They're more apt to do so after the sun goes down," the darker haired boy pointed out. "Though not all people can necessarily see them."
"See?" Xie Lian gave a puzzled look as San Lang picked up his bag and slung it up on his back.
"Yeah. Many of the spirits like ghost fires can't be seen by normal humans outside of the Ghost Realm. Only those with higher spiritual energy can usually see them. Or those with a connection to the Ghost Realm."
"Spiritual energy?" Xie Lian gave a blink in confusion. The other boy nodded. "How do I know if I have enough to see them?"
"You saw the spirit butterfly today."
"That's right. And you did too! So that means we both have higher spiritual energy then?"
"Yeah." San Lang gave a chuckle before heading towards the door. Xie Lian followed him out to the back door to grab their shoes before heading to the front door.
"See you tomorrow at school," Xie Lian smiled as San Lang headed outside after getting his shoes on.
"Goodnight Gege."
"Goodnight San Lang."
Shutting the door after watching the other boy head to the main sidewalk, Xie Lian headed in to get his bath and relax before bed. Before he got into bed, he looked back out at the woods in the distance, lit up by the moon's light above in the clear sky.
"Goodnight Hua Cheng. Hua Xie. Hope you enjoy the flowers. And thanks again Hua Cheng for your butterfly healing me."
Turning, he slid into his bed and curled up under the blankets, not seeing the silver butterfly that fluttered outside the window.
Well that's the chapter. Xie Lian finally gets a little bit of what happened to San Lang's friend. I couldn't resist the little argument scene with Fu Yao and Nan Feng. *laughs* And of course, San Lang must protect his beloved. We already know not to piss him off. But Xie Lian also gets to see his friend's vulnerable side as well. And what does San Lang have planned for the Ghost Festival? You'll just have to wait and see. *grins*
Anyways, thanks again for reading! I'll get another chapter up soon!