The Legendary Supernatural Student

Xiang Ri had just turned to re-enter the house when his phone rang. Seeing "Chuchu" displayed on the screen, his heart tightened, and he quickly answered. 

"Hello? Do you know where Xiang Kui is?" came a dazed voice from the other end, as if the speaker had lost their very soul. 

Hearing the lifeless tone, Xiang Ri felt a pang of sorrow and couldn't help but call out, "Chuchu, Chuchu—" 

"Who... who are you?" The voice remained devoid of vitality until, suddenly, it grew agitated, as if the speaker had been jolted awake. "Are you Xiang Kui? Sob… Xiang Kui, have you abandoned me? Have you abandoned me?" 

"Never, Chuchu," Xiang Ri clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white, as if swearing a solemn vow. "I will never abandon you!" 

"Then why haven't you come to see me? Why are you leaving the country?" The voice on the other end quivered with suppressed sobs. 

"I have something very important to take care of, but I'll be back in a few days. As soon as I return, I'll come to you immediately, alright?" Xiang Ri soothed her gently. 

"You'll really come to see me?" Her tone was filled with disbelief, tinged with the astonishment of sudden happiness. 

"Yes, I will come to see you," Xiang Ri reaffirmed. 

"Then… will you also come back to see Sister Qing?" 

"Chuchu," Xiang Ri sensed a deeper implication behind her question, as though it carried layers of unspoken meaning. 

"Xiang Kui, truly, I don't mind. If Sister Qing stays with us, I'll feel so happy too. Even if you want to see that other woman, I won't mind. I only ask that you don't leave me, alright?" Her voice shifted to a soft sob, an utter plea. 

Listening to her selfless words, Xiang Ri felt no relief, only an urge to punish himself for his failure. In a low voice, he replied, "Chuchu, I'll talk to you about this when I get back, alright?" 

"Okay, but please come back quickly, very quickly..." 

"Don't worry, I will. Maybe I'll be back in just a couple of days." Xiang Ri kicked at an invisible obstacle on the floor, his gaze fixed on the window, where a chilling glint flashed in his eyes. Perhaps tonight was the perfect opportunity to act. If it meant returning sooner, there was no choice but to send someone to hell a bit earlier. 

When Xiang Ri returned to the room, his friend was lounging on the sofa, engrossed in the television. 

"Back so soon? Did you get what I asked for?" Fang Yingying began to speak but paused as she noticed his empty hands. Her face darkened. 

"Didn't you say you'd help me buy something? Are you going back on your word, or did you make someone else run errands for you?" Her tone grew sharper, and she grabbed a nearby cushion, throwing it at him. To her surprise, Xiang Ri made no effort to dodge, letting the cushion hit his face as he walked forward listlessly. 

"Hey! Don't think you can shirk this by playing dead. Let me tell you, whether you want to or not, you're buying it for me today!" Fang Yingying's irritation gave way to concern as she noticed his forlorn state. Her voice softened. "Hey, are you alright?" 

"I'm fine." Xiang Ri let out a long sigh, sat beside her, and murmured, "I might have to leave earlier than expected." 

"Hmm?" Fang Yingying's heart tightened. She had never seen him like this before. Unable to hold back, she asked, "Did something happen?" 

"Just a small matter," Xiang Ri replied indifferently. 

"A small matter?" Judging by his expression, Fang Yingying doubted it was trivial. Knowing him, even if the sky were falling, he'd hold it up. Whatever could trouble him so deeply must be a matter of the heart. 

Tentatively, she ventured, "Is it about you and your girlfriend…?" She hesitated, then added apologetically, "I'm sorry about the other day. I didn't know..." 

"It's nothing. Don't overthink it," Xiang Ri dismissed her concern, clearly unwilling to linger on the subject. Suddenly, he looked at her and said, "By the way, can I hug you?" 

"What?" Fang Yingying was startled. Suspicion clouded her face as she asked, "You're not trying to take advantage of me, are you?" 

"Do I look like that kind of person?" Xiang Ri gave a bitter smile. In truth, he harbored no improper thoughts; his heart was simply weighed down by melancholy. Rising, he said, "Forget it. I'll go hug my blanket instead." 

"Wait," Fang Yingying called out, stopping him. "I'm worried you might do something reckless. If it'll help, I'll make a small sacrifice. Come on, hug me." She spread her arms, an act that only emphasized her ample bosom. 

Xiang Ri hesitated briefly, then leaned in for a brief embrace before stepping back. "Thank you." 

"What's that supposed to mean? I gave you permission to hug me, and that's all you do? Are you looking down on me?" Her irritation flared at his perfunctory gesture. 

"I fear I might have other thoughts," Xiang Ri admitted honestly. Fang Yingying's allure was not something an ordinary man could easily resist. Normally, he wouldn't mind holding her longer, but now his heart was preoccupied with another woman—a woman waiting for him back home. Doing so felt like a betrayal to the one yearning for him from afar. 

"You're such a scoundrel," Fang Yingying declared self-righteously. "I've already said we're like brothers. Can't you just stop seeing me as a woman?" 

"Impossible," Xiang Ri replied. "If you want me to stop seeing you as a woman, you'd have to slim down that part of yours first. Otherwise, every time I see them, how can I not see you as a woman?" 

"You—!" Fang Yingying gritted her teeth, then glanced down at her enviable curves. With a mix of exasperation and smugness, she retorted, "What can I do about it? Do you think this is something I can just shrink at will? It's not like I asked for them to grow this big!" She even gave them a light pat as she spoke. 

The sight almost made Xiang Ri choke on his own breath. "Not only are they big, but they also have other qualities." 

"What qualities?" Fang Yingying asked, momentarily taken aback. 

"They're soft... and very elastic." 

Fang Yingying immediately realized what he was referring to and, recalling the earlier hug, rolled her eyes. "You rascal! And you say you didn't take advantage of me? Even your 'brother' isn't safe from you. Are you even human?" 

"Hey, it's because you're a 'brother' that I'm being honest. If it were another woman—" 

"If it were another woman, your face would probably have a new set of handprints by now, wouldn't it?" she interrupted with a mocking tone. 

"True enough," Xiang Ri admitted. If it had been someone else, a slap would have been the least of his worries. 

"See? I knew it. You must've had improper thoughts while hugging me just now," Fang Yingying said smugly. 

"I swear I didn't!" Xiang Ri raised a hand solemnly, then suddenly gave her a peculiar look. "But tell me, are you overly self-absorbed, or is it because deep down you actually want me to have improper thoughts about you?" 

"Get lost!" Fang Yingying snapped, her cheeks flushing. "I was just testing whether you're a decent man. Turns out you barely passed the test. But there's one question I want to ask—have you ever had improper thoughts about me before?" 

"Well..." Xiang Ri hesitated, considering his answer. "I admit that I've had inappropriate thoughts about you before, but that was because..."