Seeing the female ghost and Pei Chiyao preparing to leave, Zhi Yao floundered and wrapped her arms around Pei Chiyao's neck, wrapping her legs around his waist. "I want to go too!"
"This..." The female ghost looked troubled, unsure whether to tell Zhi Yao about this.
"No way."
Pei Chiyao had made up his mind. He patted Zhi Yao's leg and said, "Yao Yao, stay here with Tang Tang. Tang Tang will be scared alone."
Tang Tang was about to say that she was a well-traveled ghost and wouldn't be afraid, but the next second, she felt the endless chill emanating from Pei Chiyao's body, and her words instantly changed to, "Ah... yes, I'll be scared. Sister, can you stay and keep me company?"
Looking at Tang Tang, Zhi Yao remembered how she had bullied her before.
The little girl immediately changed her mind, deciding to stay behind to teach Tang Tang a good lesson!
"Okay, you guys go ahead. I'll stay and chat with Tang Tang!"
Pei Chiyao and the female ghost left, and he kindly closed the door behind them.
Zhi Yao instantly pounced on Tang Tang, grabbing her messy little braids. "Tell me, why did you try to scare me!"
Tang Tang said a little embarrassedly, "Sister Zhi Yao, I didn't mean to scare you..."
At least, not the first time. The second time, she had to admit, she did it on purpose.
Because she thought Zhi Yao looked so funny when she got scared.
Zhi Yao snorted, and suddenly Tang Tang remembered something. She tugged on Zhi Yao's sleeve and said, "Sister, can you help me with something?"
...
After Pei Chiyao and the female ghost finished talking, it was already 11 o'clock at night.
The two ghosts did not stay in Zhi Yao's jade pendant anymore, as they didn't have much time left. They had to hurry and see the people they still lingered for.
When Pei Chiyao pushed open the door and walked in, Zhi Yao was sleeping soundly, hugging his pillow. Unlike before, the little girl was holding a paper slip in her hand.
The words on it were crooked and scribbled, with an ugly smiley face.
Needless to say, Zhi Yao must have written it.
The little girl only knew human writing, but she was not very good at writing. Pei Chiyao had seen her writing before, and he would never forget it.
Pei Chiyao carefully took the paper slip from her clenched hand and placed it aside, resigned to sighing. He then picked up a hair tie nearby and deftly weaved his long fingers through Zhi Yao's hair.
After about five minutes, two slightly messy braids were finally done.
He leaned down and gazed at Zhi Yao for a long time.
Suddenly, he recalled the words of the female ghost.
She said that Zhi Yao seemed to be sealed, with a part of her power locked away tightly. Thus, she could not freely transform into a human form like other foxes but needed to rely on the power of the jade pendant.
Moreover...
She could not do that kind of thing either. If she stirred any desire, she would turn into a fox cub and be unable to maintain her human form.
And the fox clan would never lay a hand on a cub.
This was also the reason why Zhi Yao had turned into a fox in the car earlier.
As for how to undo this seal, the female ghost didn't know either.
Pei Chiyao suddenly thought of someone—Zhi Yao's mother.
Pei Chiyao didn't know about Zhi Yao's past.
But there was one person who must know—the mother Zhi Yao constantly longed for.
From Zhi Yao's past remarks, Pei Chiyao could tell that Zhi Yao's mother had likely been captured.
As for whether she was still alive, even Zhi Yao herself might not know.
He had to find a way.
...
The next day, Zhi Yao was awoken with a start. She didn't even know when she had fallen asleep.
The little girl hurriedly crawled out of bed, searching everywhere for that paper slip.
"Where's my note!"
Yesterday, it had taken Tang Tang a long time to teach Zhi Yao to write down the things she wanted to tell Xiao Nuan.
For this, Tang Tang had not spared any mockery, saying Zhi Yao's writing was ugly.
Pei Chiyao was unusually still asleep. He pulled Zhi Yao back onto the bed, his voice hoarse with lingering sleep. "Little thing, can't you stay still so early in the morning?"
He then wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on her head.
Come to think of it, although Zhi Yao and Pei Chiyao had shared a bed for so long, this was the first time she had woken up to see Pei Chiyao in the morning.
Pei Chiyao kept a disciplined schedule, sleeping at 12 and waking up at 6. Even when he slept later, he would never sleep past 6 in the morning.
Zhi Yao was a lazy fox, needing at least ten hours of sleep every day before she would get out of bed.
So she had never seen Pei Chiyao when she woke up in the morning.
The little girl lay still in Pei Chiyao's embrace, staring wide-eyed at his bare chest, her entire face flushed red.
Finally, Zhi Yao couldn't take being held so tightly anymore and said in a small voice, "Pei... Pei Chiyao, can you let me go..."
She had to go see Xiao Nuan on Tang Tang's behalf today.
But the only response from Pei Chiyao was the steady sound of his breathing.
Zhi Yao began to squirm carefully, trying inch by inch to slip out of Pei Chiyao's embrace.
But as soon as she moved, Pei Chiyao tightened his hold on her again.
Zhi Yao wanted to cry but had no tears.
Her body was pressed tightly against Pei Chiyao's bare upper body, which for some reason felt exceptionally cool. Zhi Yao was forced to wrap her arms around Pei Chiyao's waist, her hands roaming restlessly on his back as she tried to escape again.
But her movements stopped abruptly the moment she felt the scars on Pei Chiyao's back.
The little girl's eyes widened in shock, her golden eyes filled with disbelief.
Wasn't Pei Chiyao an actor? Why were there so many scars on his back?
"Tsk."
Finally, Pei Chiyao couldn't take it anymore.
He suddenly opened his eyes and pinned Zhi Yao beneath him. "Why are you being so restless so early in the morning?"
The mornings were usually more sensitive times, and Zhi Yao was squirming in his arms, even running her hands over his body. This made it impossible for Pei Chiyao to sleep any longer.
However, the amorous thoughts in his mind vanished completely when he saw the tears welling up in the little girl's eyes.
"What's wrong?" He gently wiped away the tears from Zhi Yao's face, his voice soothing. "What's got my little thing upset this time?"
Suddenly, he remembered something. "Did I hold you too tightly and hurt you?"
Zhi Yao had always been delicate, but her skin was even more delicate than her temperament. He had sometimes barely used any strength and still left red marks on her snowy skin.
With that, Pei Chiyao leaned down to check Zhi Yao's body.
But the little girl suddenly hugged him tightly. "Pei Chiyao... you... were you hurt..."
Her heart ached, wondering which villain had dared to mistreat Pei Chiyao like this!
