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Book Description

• Title: Our Secret Base
• Original(Chinese) Title: 我们的秘密基地
• Author: Dream of a clockwork orange(发条橙之梦)

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Volume 1: Hordes of Demons

Chapter 1: Mermaid on the Highway

In the summer of 2005, Yan Jingxing returned to his hometown with his uncle.

The place was called Baiyue Town, backed by green mountains and facing the sea, with a port and fishing village along the coast. It was a typical seaside town.

Baiyue Town wasn't far from Jinjiang City. If you drove from the city center, the journey would take about three and a half hours, and there were buses and coaches running back and forth.

If he had only gone back to visit relatives or escape the heat for a while, he probably would have been happy. He could occasionally get away from the city and enjoy a leisurely rural life, and then he could share some stories with his classmates.

Unfortunately, Yan Jingxing had actually gone there to settle down. His uncle had already found a school for him to transfer to, and he had left in such a hurry that he didn't even have time to say goodbye to his high school friends. He couldn't help but feel a little resentful.

Yan Jingxing's parents lived abroad all year round and saw each other only once or twice a year. Since he was in the fourth grade of elementary school, he had been living with his uncle, Yan Yongzhi.

Currently, due to a job transfer, Yan Yongzhi moved from a city school to a town, and Yan Jingxing had to go with him.

...

The car was driving smoothly on the highway, and the inside of the carriage trembled slightly and rhythmically.

The man sitting in the driver's seat held the steering wheel and looked relaxed. The radio was playing old songs from Hong Kong and Taiwan, and he hummed along softly and out of tune. The warm summer breeze blew into the open car window with a "whooshing" sound;

The teenager sitting in the co-pilot's seat rested his chin on one hand and looked bored as he watched the monotonous highway scenery fly by outside the window.

After a period of silence without anyone speaking, Yan Jingxing couldn't help but bring up the topic that he had mentioned several times before.

"Uncle, I've actually said before that I could stay in the city. I can take care of myself. When you were working overtime, I wasn't..."

"That was temporary, it's not the same. You're still a minor, how can you not be with your guardian?"

Yan Yongzhi's finger tapped on the steering wheel as he observed the rearview mirror and comforted him casually:

"You don't have to be too sad. There are pleasures in the city and beauty in the countryside. Baiyue Town is where your dad and I grew up as children, and there are actually quite a few fun things to do in the town."

"Really? Like what?"

"Well, let me think about it. I remember when we were kids, there were markets and temple fairs in the town during festivals. I don't know if they still exist now. Because it's close to the sea, you can always run down to the shore to play, fish, swim, and so on."

"What else?"

"Well, there are several islands near the town. Some of them are tourist attractions, while others are places for worshipping Buddha. You can take the ferry to them on weekends, and when I have time, I'll take you around the island. When your dad and I were young, we often sneaked onto the ferry and spent the whole day on the island, and sometimes we almost couldn't come back..."

At this point, Uncle Yan suddenly realized that he shouldn't say such things to a child because it sets a bad example, so he stopped talking.

"That sounds pretty good. Will you come with me, Uncle?"

"Of course. I said when I have time."

"When will you have time?"

"Well...," Uncle Yan hesitated for a moment before telling the truth. "I just started my new job, so there will definitely be a period of time when I'm busy. I haven't even prepared my lesson plans yet."

"That's pretty much a waste of time."

Yan Jingxing pouted and leaned back lazily.

"You're not the only one who just transferred schools. Go and get to know your new classmates and make friends with them. In addition, you haven't studied much in a while, so don't let your grades slip. You can think about playing later..."

He no longer listened to his uncle's babbling as he curled up in his seat. He had wanted to sleep all the way to their destination, but he couldn't seem to fall asleep, so he continued to stare out the window at the scenery outside.

However, as he gradually emptied his mind, sleepiness naturally came over him. His upper and lower eyelids began to fight each other.

Meanwhile, ethereal singing faintly drifted from the distance. Graceful and ethereal, as clear as a mountain lake, it belonged to the pure and melodious voice of a girl.

In a haze, he initially thought it was the sound coming from a radio. Soon, Yan Jingxing realized that the voice was sometimes distant and sometimes near, clearly not originating from his surroundings.

But... singing?

This was inside a car traveling on a highway. Where could the singing possibly come from?

Suddenly, his entire consciousness woke up, and he subconsciously widened his eyes, gazing into the distance.

—What was that?

It seemed like a person...

He thought he might have been mistaken.

The scenery around the highway rapidly passed by the edge of his vision. Beside the guardrail was a cliff, and beneath the cliff lay the azure sea, with waves of white foam rising and breaking into countless water splashes on the dark rocks.

He grabbed the seatbelt on him, making an effort to turn his head and look back.

—There was a slender figure, seemingly from the depths of the sea, sitting quietly on a giant reef.

The figure leaned against the sky, with long hair resembling seaweed, and the brilliant sunlight shining on her, sparkling like fragmented gold.

She was singing an unknown ancient ballad, her clear and pleasant voice lingering in the air above the highway.

In a fleeting glance, the car had already swiftly left its original location, and the figure on the reef disappeared from sight.

However, he couldn't help but widen his eyes, feeling that this scene was unforgettable.

It was such a marvelous sight.

That person was just like the mermaids in fairy tales...

"Uncle, did you hear that sound just now?"

He turned around, unable to resist asking.

"Huh? What sound?"

His uncle, who was humming along with the music on the radio, seemed to have completely overlooked what had just happened.

"The singing, someone was singing."

"Singing?"

Yan Yongzhi reached out to turn off the radio and listened carefully for a moment.

"I didn't hear anything. What's wrong?"

"...Never mind, it's nothing."

Even though he said "never mind," his heart was still pounding uncontrollably.

The scene from just now was deeply imprinted in his mind, causing an inexplicable surge of excitement in Yan Jingxing's innermost being.

At this moment, he saw a building not far ahead on the highway.

"Uncle, I think there's a rest area up ahead."

"Ah... yeah. What's the matter?"

"I need to pee."

"Urgent?"

"Yeah, can't hold it anymore."

"Alright, I'll stop here for a while."

The car slowly entered the lane leading to the rest area from the highway.

"I'll smoke a cigarette. If you want to go, go ahead."

Yan Yongzhi turned off the engine, propped open the car door, and was about to say a few more words when he saw Yan Jingxing impatiently jumping out of the car and running towards the direction of the sea.

"You're about to reach the town. Don't run too far!"

"Okay—!"

Without looking back, the young man shouted in response.

"This kid..."

Yan Yongzhi lit a cigarette with a lighter, looking at his nephew's back with some confusion.

"He was just moping around a moment ago. Why is he suddenly so excited?"

...

"Hu... hu..."

As if driven by a strong premonition, he couldn't cool down his boiling thoughts.

Amidst the chaotic thoughts, Yan Jingxing had already left the rest area, spreading his arms and legs, running on the hillside by the shore, overgrown with wild grass.

He couldn't distinguish the specific direction, just putting all his strength into moving forward.

The fresh scent emitted by the vegetation mixed with the salty sea breeze brushing across his cheeks; beneath his feet was soft soil, like a vast and thick carpet extending endlessly.

The high-hanging sun generously poured down intense radiance, falling on his hair and shoulders. As Yan Jingxing ran, feeling the heat all over his body, he also experienced a sensation of dizziness.

Before long, he began to feel exhausted, sweat dripping down from his forehead.

After exerting all his strength in a mad dash, in what seemed like minutes, the young man's steps gradually slowed. Finally, he was exhausted, supporting his knees and panting heavily.

While taking deep breaths, Yan Jingxing turned his head, and the rest area was nowhere to be seen.

Next to him was the winding road built along the mountainside, with occasional cars speeding by.

"What am I doing..."

In fact, that fleeting glimpse earlier wasn't enough for him to determine the specific location of the "mermaid" and the reef. At the speed of the car, perhaps the distance between her and him was even farther than he imagined.

He straightened his body, shaded his forehead with his hand, walked to the edge of the cliff, and gazed into the distance:

The serpentine road, towering and steep mountains, and the vast sea stretching as far as the eye could see at the end of the field of vision.

At the horizon was the "line between sea and sky," where everything met, a vast expanse of white.

Apart from that, there was nothing.

The continuous sound of the sea tide echoed in his ears, and white waves kept rolling onto the shore, leaving moist traces on the muddy bank.

Yan Jingxing let out a sigh, putting his hand down.

"Let's go back; otherwise, I'll get scolded."

He was about to turn back, but at that moment—

"Drip, drip..."

He heard faint footsteps behind him, and the sound of water droplets.

Yan Jingxing suddenly turned his head and saw a girl standing behind him. He hadn't noticed her approach at all.

He was a bit startled.

She looked like she had just climbed out of the sea, slender and frail beneath the deep blue one-piece swimsuit. Her wet hair, long like seaweed, hung down to her waist and curled slightly.

The girl's bangs were impressive, long enough to cover her eyes. Despite that, Yan Jingxing could still feel her gaze piercing through the cover of her hair, staring at him intently.

This person... was she the same as the one he had just seen... that silhouette?

Although there was no evidence, Yan Jingxing had already believed in his own judgment.

He couldn't help but swallow his saliva.

Compared to the inexplicable excitement he felt when he heard the song in the car, he now suddenly felt a bit scared, and even the sunlight falling on him at this moment didn't seem so warm.

Why isn't she saying anything?

Yan Jingxing confronted her, staring at her silently, feeling uncomfortable all over.

Why is she staring at me like this?

Could it be... she's not a mermaid at all, but a drowned ghost, climbing ashore to seek revenge?

No, speaking of which, there are those monsters in myths that attract sailors with their songs, causing ships to run aground and sink. They look like mermaids, aren't they from some kind of mythology...

Yan Jingxing was lost in his wild thoughts and couldn't help taking a step back.

"You... um, excuse me, who are you...?"

He mustered the courage to ask stutteringly.

The girl in the swimsuit did not answer.

Cold droplets dripped continuously from her hair and body, spreading the wet marks on the ground.

At this moment, she seemed to realize that it was inconvenient to be observed like this, so she used her fingers to lift her hair, allowing Yan Jingxing to see her face clearly.

Perhaps due to being in the water for a long time, the girl's skin appeared pale. However...

She looks really good, he thought.

Like the actresses who glow on television advertisements, she was now a real person in front of him.

Compared to the people on the screen, she obviously had a hint of youthful innocence on her face, appearing to be close to his age.

The girl's eyes reflected his figure like crystal balls of ink, and her thin lips lacked a hint of color, slightly trembling.

Yan Jingxing couldn't help but swallow his saliva again.

For some reason, his emotions seemed to... become more tense after seeing her face.

At this moment, the corner of the girl's lips suddenly lifted into a brilliant smile.

Then, she stepped toward him.

"Wait, wait..."

Before he could react, she was already in front of him, grabbing his hand and forcibly stuffing something into his palm.

"What is this..."

Yan Jingxing was surprised, quickly opening his hand.

Several seashells and pebbles lay quietly in the palm, all adorned with beautiful colors or patterns.

"Gifts."

The girl spoke. Her voice was as clear as rippling water, with the same clear and wonderful tone as the song he heard in the car. This confirmed Yan Jingxing's belief that she was the "mermaid" he had seen on the reef.

"Gifts?"

He found himself unable to do anything other than repeat what she said, looking completely foolish.

"Yeah. I brought them from the sea."

"You... are you a mermaid?"

"No, well..."

The long-haired girl seemed to recall something and answered him with a smile.

"I'm the green-haired water monster."

"Huh?"

"One day, a water monster will crawl ashore from the depths of the sea."

"..."

Uh, what does that mean? Yan Jingxing was utterly confused.

"By the way, are you a tourist? Where are you going? Are you going to Baiyue Town? Just passing through? Do you plan to stay there?"

She showed no intention of explaining, firing off a series of questions like a string of firecrackers.

"Uh, yes, I'm going to Baiyue Town..."

"That's great. Baiyue Town is a beautiful place, although there's nothing special... Well, that's it. Consider this seashell as a souvenir for your trip."

Yan Jingxing completely couldn't understand her words, but she was already preparing to leave.

The girl turned around, shaking her wet hair, and under the sunlight, it sparkled. She took big strides toward the sea.

"Wait, wait..."

Before he could shout to stop her, she had already made a few nimble jumps, flipping over the reef. Then—

"..."

She jumped off the cliff edge like that.

Yan Jingxing hurriedly ran over, grabbing a nearby stone for support, cautiously leaning over and looking down.

A figure emerged from the water and swam forward. The slender figure moved as agile as a real fish and soon disappeared into the splashing waves.

Yan Jingxing stood on the edge of the cliff, staring blankly, his mind filled with various thoughts. After a long while, he remembered that his uncle was still waiting for him at the rest area, silently cursing, he quickly ran back along the same path.

However, that mermaid who sang on the cliff had already left an indelible impression on his heart like a storm, her figure sweeping through the heart of the fourteen-year-old boy.

—This was his first encounter with the girl named Ji Chunzao.

At that time, he had no idea that their second encounter would come so quickly and unexpectedly.

Chapter 2: The Weird Classmate behind My Seat

Yan Jingxing and his uncle lived in a three-story courtyard. This had been the home of their grandparents. After the two elderly passed away, they left it to their two sons to take care of. Besides the main building, there was also a house outside the gate used for parking and storing odds and ends.

There were two tall orange trees in the yard. With their abundant branches and leaves, they provided a shady spot for taking a break from the heat.

Every time the wind blew through the canopy, the overlapping leaves would rub against each other, creating a "rustling" sound like waves crashing on the shore.

Uncle said that in autumn, the oranges would be ripe. The two trees would yield enough fruit to fill three baskets, so much that they couldn't finish eating it all even if their teeth hurt, and they would have to share it with their neighbors.

He also said that when he was a child, the thing he looked forward to most every year was the oranges on the tree in the courtyard. The sweet taste of those oranges, whenever he thought about it now, still made his mouth water.

These words from Uncle were interspersed with personal childhood memories, making them vivid and interesting, and giving Yan Jingxing great anticipation.

However, the first thing they needed to do as uncle and nephew was to clean up the house.

Both of the Yan brothers had left for the city early on in their lives, and after the death of their elderly family members, the house had been left unattended, almost becoming a dilapidated and abandoned structure. It was only today that it was being put to use again, so there was a lot of dust accumulated in every corner of the house.

First, they cleared out all the unused clutter from the most frequently used living room, kitchen, and two bedrooms, swept and mopped the floors, and wiped down the rest of the house with buckets and rags.

Then they took out the old bed sheets, quilts, and damp furniture to air in the sun, threw away everything that was moldy, and made a list of things that needed to be repurchased, which they bought from the only supermarket in town.

Finally, they unpacked their luggage, put away their daily necessities, and made the beds with new quilts and pillows.

The uncle and nephew worked together tirelessly for two days and one night. They spent the first night back at the hotel in town and only settled into their new home on the second night.

Yan Jingxing took a shower, changed into clean clothes, staggered to his bed, and collapsed onto it, exhausted. Just then, he heard his uncle calling from outside the door.

"Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. You're going to school tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?!"

Yan Jingxing exclaimed in complaint.

"Can't we rest for a couple of days? We just finished unpacking."

"Tomorrow is Monday. You're a transfer student coming in mid-semester, so you need to catch up with the curriculum as soon as possible."

"I don't want to go to school..."

"Alright, I've already set the alarm clock in the living room. Remember to get up early, don't make me rush you every time."

With a sigh, the boy buried his face deeply into the pillow, not wanting to face reality.

...

The next day, his uncle drove him to the school.

Yan Jingxing was still sluggish in the car, but as soon as he got off the vehicle, he perked up and adjusted his expression.

Despite his dissatisfaction, he had taken his uncle's advice to "leave a good impression on the new classmates and teachers" to heart.

Simply due to the vanity of a pubescent boy, he was determined to face this first encounter seriously.

Yan Yongzhi looked at his nephew with a serious expression on his face and couldn't help but feel amused. He patted his nephew on the shoulder.

"I'm going to the administrative office first. Can you find the office by yourself?"

"Of course."

The uncle left in a hurry, leaving the boy with a backpack, staring at High sign in front of the school that read "Baiyue Town Experimental High School," feeling anxious.

As he built up his courage and followed the instructions of the security guard, he found the second-grade office along the stairs.

"Is Ms Gao here?"

"Oh, you're here. Are you Yan Jingxing?"

A middle-aged female teacher stood up from her seat. There was fatigue on her face and her black eye bags looked like she hadn't had a good rest in a long time.

"Yes."

"After the flag-raising ceremony, I will take you to Class 1 to meet your classmates. Is that okay?"

"Okay."

Yan Jingxing grabbed the backpack strap and nodded.

...

It seems that every city has a school called Experimental High School, and in some places, there are even multiple branches distinguished by numbers. But in a small town like Baiyue, there is only one.

After the flag-raising ceremony and before the start of the first class, there was a short break. The classroom teacher hadn't arrived yet, and every class in the corridor was noisy. The students sitting in front and back were chatting and laughing, while those sitting side by side were playing or simply leaving their seats to talk with friends.

The scorching sun shone through the windows, making the glass transparent and white. It also illuminated the damp marble floor that had just been mopped by the on-duty students, making it sparkle.

In front of the teaching building stood two tall southern magnolia trees. Their verdant branches and leaves gently swayed in the gentle breeze, casting shadows on the corner of the blackboard where someone had drawn stick figures with chalk. The warm and lively atmosphere floated in the air.

Until the bell rang, indicating the start of class, and the class teacher walked to the doorway. She put on a stern expression that the students were all too familiar with and ushered everyone back to their seats.

"I could hear you all from Class 5! You were making such a racket!"

After the students were seated, the teacher walked up to the podium. Instead of immediately asking them to take out their Chinese textbooks, she looked around outside the classroom, as if waiting for someone to come in.

The students in their seats were all curious. Then, a boy they had never seen before walked in.

"Introduce yourself," the teacher said.

"Hello everyone, I'm Yan Jingxing. I recently moved here from Jinjiang City. Yan is 'swallow'¹ and Jingxing comes from the phrase 'Gao Shan Yang Zhi, Jing Xing Xing Zhi'² in The Book of Songs..."

Yan Jingxing picked up a piece of chalk and wrote his name on the blackboard. When he turned around, he saw the faces of all his classmates for the first time.

Of course, since they were all meeting for the first time, everyone's faces were unfamiliar to him. His gaze scanned over them, and he couldn't possibly remember them all at once. But then--

"..."

Yan Jingxing's eyes widened in surprise.

In the last row, he saw a familiar figure.

She sat alone at a table, with her long hair covering most of her face.

He rubbed his eyes, wondering if he was seeing things.

It was the girl he had encountered at the rest stop in her swimsuit.

She had jumped into the sea and disappeared, so Yan Jingxing had thought he would never see her again, and he felt a bit regretful about that.

Turns out she wasn't a mermaid, but a high school student just like him...

Well, of course, Yan Jingxing thought to himself. He just didn't expect that they would meet again so soon, and even happen to be in the same school and same class.

The girl sitting in the back seemed to notice him at the same time. She looked up at the podium with a look of surprise and uncertainty before quickly lowering her head again.

"Jingxing, what's wrong?"

"Ah, nothing..."

Yan Jingxing, who was distracted by the unexpected reunion, didn't have the heart to say much. After a few random comments, he took his seat amidst the applause of his classmates.

"You can sit next to Yu Heyue. Heyue, remember to lend your textbook to the new student during class."

"Ah~ okay, teacher."

Yan Jingxing sat down next to the smiling girl.

...

The first class after that was math.

Half of Yan Jingxing's mind was on the lesson, while the other half was on the girl sitting in the back row.

After confirming that he could follow the lessons here, and exhaling in relief, all his remaining attention was on the girl.

His deskmate was actually quite interested in him, constantly sneaking questions about where he came from and what city life was like. Yan Jingxing gave brief and vague answers, waiting until the bell rang to immediately get up and walk towards the back.

...Was he coming across as too eager?

But it didn't matter much, after all, he was genuinely curious about her and had many questions to ask.

What Yan Jingxing didn't expect was--

The girl's long, slightly curly bangs blocked her face, making it impossible to see her expression. The moment she noticed Yan Jingxing approaching, she jumped up like a startled rabbit and scurried away to another spot.

"Hey, wait..."

Before he could even call out to her, the girl's figure had disappeared through the back door of the classroom, leaving him looking completely lost.

...

To put it simply, she's a bit different from what I imagined.

Yan Jingxing returned to his seat and wrapped his arms around himself, deep in thought.

Although he had only seen her once, the youthful vigor that radiated from her was truly impressive and not just for show.

However, in school, she gave off a quiet and reserved vibe...

And why was she avoiding him?

Some classmates noticed the minor awkwardness and asked with a smile,

"Are you looking for Ji Chunzao? Did you know her before?"

Ji Chunzao... That was her name. Yan Jingxing silently noted it down and nodded in response.

"I saw her on the road coming here. We only met once, so we don't really know each other. But did she try to avoid me just now?"

"Well, don't take it too seriously. She's a bit... I don't know how to describe it... a bit strange."

After hearing the name "Ji Chunzao", classmates who were seated nearby also came over to join in the conversation.

"Some people even think she's not normal in the head."

"Is that really incredible? She's still taking classes and passing exams like everyone else."

"That's because you haven't been exposed to her before. At first, she was quite enthusiastic, but after hearing her talk about 'water monsters', 'aliens', and 'UFOs' every day, everyone got fed up with her and started to keep their distance. She only became more withdrawn after that."

As his classmates chatted excitedly, Yan Jingxing realized that Ji Chunzao seemed to be an outsider in the collective of Class 1, Grade 2.

Even though he didn't know her well, he could sense a unique temperament in the girl; however, this also made her the center of attention in a way, so everyone had something to say about "Ji Chunzao".

As they continued chatting, everyone started to show more interest in the new student, and Yan Jingxing, who clearly wasn't someone who stood out, smiled and responded to their questions, memorizing their names one by one.

After joining a new collective, it often takes a "turning point" to truly blend in, and that turning point was now.

However, as he chatted enthusiastically with the others, Yan Jingxing's gaze occasionally strayed towards the empty seat in the back row.

...

The Baiquan³ Town Experimental High School has two main buildings. One is the teaching building where classrooms and teaching offices are located, and it is noisy during breaks. The other is used for other functions, with offices, labs, and a library, and it is usually quiet.

The staircase leading to the rooftop is often unlocked. Ji Chunzao ran out of the classroom, walked all the way to the roof.

When passing through the office building, the girl walked a bit furtively; but when she arrived at her destination, she stood up straight, with a hint of a smile on her lips, and walked confidently around to the back of the water tower.

There, in a space deliberately blocked off with brick walls on three sides, was a makeshift "base" with a woven paper mat, plastic bags used for trash, stacked newspapers, rain umbrellas, and raincoats.

What was most notable was the neat stack of magazines and books with titles about UFOs, aliens, the Loch Ness monster, and wildmen of Shennongjia, as well as various editions of "Unsolved Mysteries of the World".

In this unnoticed corner of the campus, Ji Chunzao had built a small, temporary "secret base" that belonged to her alone.

The long-haired girl sat by the wall and picked up a copy of "UFO Exploration" to flip through.

At this moment, in this place where she was alone, Ji Chunzao seemed to relax completely, her posture and expression lazy.

Golden sunlight like feather-light passed through the gaps between the stainless steel bars next to the water tower and landed on the blue and white high school uniform, the slightly faded sneakers, and the yellowed pages...

When it silently landed on the bright face of the fourteen-year-old girl, her snow-white skin seemed transparent and glistened with a luster.

The magazine in Ji Chunzao's hand looked like it had been flipped through countless times; the cover was even starting to come unstuck, but she still read it with great interest.

"Ah, this UFO...! It's similar to what I saw in my dream..."

She exclaimed suddenly, pointing at an illustration and speaking to herself in words no one else could understand.

Unfortunately, all the things in her dreams were in black and white, so she couldn't distinguish colors. The girl thought with a bit of regret.

The bell rang for class, but Ji Chunzao didn't get up.

She knew the next class was an activity period and she didn't have to go back to the classroom.

Anyway, even if she stayed in the classroom, there was nothing for her to do. She would just sit alone in the corner daydreaming and watching others have fun.

...

"Hey, isn't this 'UFO Exploration'?"

A voice suddenly spoke from behind her.

"Waaah!"

The unexpected greeting startled Ji Chunzao, and her entire body went stiff.

It wasn't until she heard footsteps approaching that she slowly turned her neck like a robot.

What she saw was the face of the transfer student.

Chapter 3: UFO Exploration

"Hello, I'm Yan Jingxing."

Seeing the girl before him with her big, round eyes wide open, staring at him without blinking, Yan Jingxing thought she didn't know who he was, so he repeated his introduction.

I know, she thought. I just heard your introduction in class.

"I'm... Ji Chunzao¹. 'Chun' is Spring and 'Zao' is Seaweed..."

"Mm, I heard from my classmates."

The breeze of early summer blew across the roof, gently moving the hair and clothes of the boys and girls.

After introducing themselves, the two were silent at the same time, and the atmosphere became awkward.

Yan Jingxing scratched the back of his head and pointed at the magazine in the girl's hand.

"UFO Exploration," he said. "I have a stack at home. I loved reading this when I was in elementary school."

"..."

"This magazine used to be circulated among the boys in my class. I never expected that girls would enjoy reading it too. May I sit down?"

"Sure." Ji Chunzao nodded. From the slightly stiff expression on the girl's face, it was evident that she was feeling nervous.

Yan Jingxing sat down beside Ji Chunzao.

The two sat side by side in the center of the small "secret base," and she instinctively huddled her shoulders.

"Can I borrow this to take a look?" Yan Jingxing asked.

Ji Chunzao silently handed him the magazine.

Yan Jingxing earnestly lowered his head to read, as if he was genuinely there to borrow and read the book.

Seeing him engrossed, there was a period of silence. Ji Chunzao's tense mood gradually eased.

She hadn't expected that the boy she had casually met at the seaside a couple of days ago would suddenly become her classmate today.

This is... just a coincidence, right? Anyway, since he's a new acquaintance, he shouldn't have any prejudices against me. And now, he's even actively borrowing a magazine from me...

Maybe he'll listen to what I have to say.

Ji Chunzao's heart skipped a beat. Unable to resist, she shifted her knee, slightly closing the distance between her and the boy. Carefully, she asked, "Do you, um, like this because you believe in extraterrestrial things?"

"Hmm?" Yan Jingxing replied without lifting his head.

"I used to like reading about it, but it was a long time ago. Probably around fourth grade? Later, the teachers confiscated these books, and it went out of style in our class. After some time, I lost interest as well."

"Oh." Ji Chunzao felt a bit disappointed and withdrew.

"Perhaps, tomorrow we'll be a step closer to the answers to these questions..."

After a while, Yan Jingxing finished reading the initial article, "Do UFOs really exist? UFOs in the eyes of ancient people," and read the last paragraph aloud.

"Are there really aliens? Let's continue to explore."

Putting down the magazine, he couldn't help but laugh.

"So familiar. I suddenly feel like what's written in this magazine, whether it's about aliens or UFOs, always repeats and never changes."

"Yeah," Ji Chunzao nodded in agreement. "It's true."

Indeed, she understands. Hearing her answer, Yan Jingxing realized that this girl is just like him—someone who likes peculiar and strange things. She's not "abnormal" as some classmates say.

Such prejudice is really unfair. He recalled the time in elementary school when, just because he enjoyed staying in the classroom reading books and talking to some female classmates, certain boys in the class despised him as "effeminate," creating a sense of sympathy.

"The content in this book feels largely fictional."

He nodded seriously again.

"I know it's fake."

Yan Jingxing smiled. Yeah, after all, we're both in junior high now, not kids anymore...

"—Because I've seen real aliens, and I know they're nothing like what's written in the magazine."

Yan Jingxing's smile froze.

"But even if it's fake, it still has reference value. In this world, I won't be the only one who has seen them. Someday..."

"Wait a minute, you're saying you've personally seen them?"

"Yeah!"

"..."

Looking at her nonchalant expression, not seeming like she was joking and not appearing to think she was lying, Yan Jingxing was still in a daze.

"By the way, we've met before, right? I thought you were a tourist at that time."

He snapped back to reality, quickly taking out the seashell and pebble from his pocket. It was something she had given him before leaving and had been with him ever since.

Seeing his reaction, Ji Chunzao probed, "You're not angry?"

"Why would I be angry?" Yan Jingxing held the shiny "treasures" in his hand, feeling a bit strange. "You're giving me gifts."

"I went to the beach that day to collect seashells and pebbles. I accidentally picked up a lot, but carrying them all would be too heavy. I was afraid I couldn't make it back midway. Then, I happened to see you. So..."

The girl embarrassedly pursed her lips.

"I just casually gave you the ones I didn't want."

Hearing these words, Yan Jingxing felt a complex mood.

How should he put it? On the day they met, the sun was just right, the sea was lively, and he, watching her wet and radiant under the blue sky and white clouds, momentarily felt like the human male chosen by a mermaid from legends.

The age of daydreams and fairy tales had passed, but he couldn't help but have whimsical thoughts about the outside world.

As a result, these subtle thoughts and ideas were shattered by the person involved a few days later.

The peculiar excitement and joy that drove him to run wildly by the sea that day and impulsively search for the girl's figure on campus after class gradually faded without him realizing.

It turned out that everything was just a coincidence.

"I have other books here. Would you like to read them?"

Yan Jingxing's gaze fell on the stacked books and magazines, and he could tell the content just by looking at the titles.

A few years ago, he found them interesting and was very enthusiastic about them. However, now they seemed childish and boring.

He still had a way to go before becoming a true adult, but people around him and the reality of society had already informed him: there are no extraterrestrials in this world, just like there are no mermaids.

"Thank you, but I'll pass."

Both of them remained silent.

After discussing these topics, it seemed there was nothing more to say.

Yan Jingxing stood up, preparing to bid her farewell.

...

Ji Chunzao secretly observed the profile of the boy beside her, knowing that he was just like the others she had encountered.

No matter who it was, no one would believe that she had truly seen aliens.

When she was younger, such talk could be dismissed as "childish innocence." However, as she grew older, her steadfast beliefs made her appear increasingly peculiar and out of place.

If, one day, she became an adult and refused to hide herself, she would likely be seen as a lunatic or a fool by others.

The girl lowered her eyelids, and her thick eyelashes trembled slightly.

"I'll go back to the classroom first."

"Sure, goodbye."

Ji Chunzao watched as he disappeared around the corner and then picked up the magazine again.

Sad thoughts lingered in her heart for a while, but they quickly dispersed. The girl immersed herself once again in the magazine that interested her, entering her own world.

After all, they had only met twice, and there was no reason for her to care too much. As for not being believed and being ostracized by peers, she had long been accustomed to it.

Until—

"Oh, classmate..."

"Wow!"

Once again, an unexpected sound came from behind, startling her.

Ji Chunzao turned warily, and there was his face again.

This time, she felt a little emotional and glared at him discontentedly.

"What, what do you want again?"

"Sorry, it seems I scared you again."

Yan Jingxing scratched his head, laughing a bit awkwardly. He hesitated before speaking.

"You said you've seen aliens. Where did you see them? What do they look like?"

Ji Chunzao turned her head away with displeasure, refusing to look at his face.

"You don't believe it, so why should I tell you?"

"I don't believe it..."

"Then that's fine."

"But, can't you find a way to make me believe?"

The girl still didn't turn around, but her ears subtly perked up, catching the boy's continued words from behind.

"If there were evidence, maybe I would believe."

Evidence, huh...

Ji Chunzao blinked.

She had thought about gathering information and had not been idle over the past few years. However, without seeing it with her own eyes, she remained skeptical.

"Also, I heard from other classmates that you used to talk about aliens every day, annoying people, and that's why others distanced themselves from you."

Hearing about her past embarrassments from others, Ji Chunzao's cheeks turned slightly rosy.

"But I seem to be spared from that treatment. Is it because I'm from the city?"

"...That was all back when I first started junior high."

The girl pouted, a bit embarrassed.

Since no one wants to acknowledge herself, it's better to give up from the beginning. Otherwise, She will just make herself look embarrassing, and others will feel awkward.

Yan Jingxing nodded.

So that's why she avoided me after class, already planning to give up on convincing others.

"But, if what you say is true and you're seen as a fraud, don't you feel unwilling?"

Certainly unwilling! She shouted in her heart.

Ji Chunzao finally turned her head, seriously assessing him.

"If you see evidence, will you really believe?"

"Only if the evidence can convince me."

"Good, then it's settled."

She stood up, hands on hips, exuding confidence.

"Settled?"

Yan Jingxing was a bit confused.

"What's settled? I asked you to show me evidence..."

"—Follow me, let's go find aliens together!"

Chapter 4: Let's Go Find Aliens Together

——"The aliens are hidden in this small town."

This is what Ji Chunzao said. But...

"Is it true?"

Yan Jingxing found it unbelievable.

"Then, can you take me there now?"

His voice unintentionally became louder, with a tone of doubt and excitement.

"Maybe you can't see them now."

The girl rolled her bangs gently with her fingers, looking like she was seriously contemplating, but her words sounded mysterious.

"According to my observation, the appearance of extraterrestrial beings is often related to the seasons."

"Ah?"

This was news he had never heard before.

On TV shows like "Animal World" and "People and Nature," animals often go into heat, reproduce, and migrate with the seasons.

Could it be that the habits of extraterrestrials are similar to Earth's animals?

He moved his mouth, feeling half-skeptical. No, more like ninety percent skeptical.

"Anyway, you just have to wait! When the time comes, I will naturally call you, and we'll go find the aliens together."

Ji Chunzao's tone was as if Patrick Star was telling SpongeBob, "Let's go catch jellyfish together," ridiculously casual.

"...Alright."

Hearing his agreement, the girl grinned, revealing a big smile and her white, snow-like teeth. She even patted his shoulder with force.

There was her identical radiant smile just like the first time he saw her at the beach.

Bathed in the generous and intense sunlight of summer, he felt a slight dizziness again, but didn't know why.

...

Time flew by, and it had been half a month since Yan Jingxing transferred to Baiyue Town Experimental High School.

Afterwards, Ji Chunzao, in front of him, showed a kind of "revealing true colors" feeling.

Similar to his first impression of Yan Jingxing, her real personality was indeed lively, even too lively.

After making the agreement to "go find aliens together," this girl immediately changed her attitude. She came to his desk every day after class, and none of the friends he was familiar with from his previous school seemed as annoying as her.

It was no wonder that she was so lively. After all, apart from him, the transferred student, Ji Chunzao isolated herself from the others in the class.

Yan Jingxing finally understood why some classmates found her annoying. This girl, as long as she started talking about her favorite topics, her little mouth would chatter endlessly, completely disregarding the reactions of her audience.

As for the so-called "favorite topics," there was only one—

Yan Jingxing doubted whether she repeated it so many times because she had no evidence, trying to brainwash him into believing in the existence of aliens.

However, he would not be fooled.

At this age, Yan Jingxing had not completely abandoned the childish fantasies of his childhood. The reason he came back that day was because he hoped he could really see aliens.

Ji Chunzao said she would take him to find them, but in reality, she just chatted with him every day, showing no signs of taking any action. This made him feel dissatisfied—

"Ji Chunzao, have you found them?"

As soon as class ended, the girl seating at the last row rushed over, holding a large-format hardcover book, with a hurried pace.

"Not yet."

Hearing his question, she replied nonchalantly.

"It's not time yet; you just have to be patient."

Saying that, she placed the book on his desk.

"What's this again..."

He almost blurted out "UFO Illustrated Guide to Earth" upon seeing the cover but swallowed it back.

"Never mind; I haven't finished reading the one you gave me last time."

Yan Jingxing said, moving the books that were almost covering his homework.

"You, you take it first."

Unexpectedly, Ji Chunzao showed an eager expression, trying to put the book in his drawer. This move left him puzzled.

Who forces someone to borrow books?

"Hey, what's going on?"

Pressed by Yan Jingxing's questioning, the girl finally revealed the truth.

"My aunt saw me reading light readings last time and got angry. She said she was going to throw away all my things. So..."

She complained with a dejected look.

"I clearly read it after finishing my homework."

Aunt? Isn't Ji Chunzao living with her parents? He was a little confused but felt it wasn't the time to ask.

"Are you giving me unwanted things again?"

He said without a good mood.

"No, no." Ji Chunzao shook her head like a tambourine. "I just put it here and asked you to help me keep it. I'll take it back later."

"Fine."

Yan Jingxing didn't mind and promised it shrugging his shoulders.

After Ji Chunzao left, he found classmates around him and those nearby were giving him strange looks.

On the first day, Ji Chunzao talked to him, and every day after that, she came to find him. Such things naturally couldn't escape the attention of others.

In this era, everyone regarded puppy love as a dangerous beast, and any slightly better relationship between a boy and a girl would attract attention in a high school environment, especially when one of them was the most prominent weirdo in the class.

Feeling the gaze of others, Yan Jingxing began to realize that he might be regarded as a fool, just like Ji Chunzao, who was fanatical about aliens.

Ah, what a carefree guy, he thought.

Maybe because she had no other friends in the class, Ji Chunzao felt indifferent.

The next day, Ji Chunzao forcefully gave him a book related to superpowers.

On the third day, she came with a bag containing three books. For some reason, the girl looked a bit nervous and a bit sad.

On the fourth day, she brought a bunch of water monster-shaped dolls and an exquisitely crafted plastic and metal spaceship model. She seemed reluctant to part with them. Yan Jingxing initially felt that his dormitory couldn't fit her things anymore, but seeing her expression, he softened and agreed again.

On the fifth day, Ji Chunzao didn't come to school.

For the next two days, she was absent. Yan Jingxing felt a little worried and couldn't help but ask the homeroom teacher. The teacher said she took sick leave with the help of her family.

On the eighth day, Ji Chunzao finally returned to school. However, that day, the girl did not come to find him as usual.

During class, he couldn't help turning his head several times, secretly observing the figure sitting in the back.

The hair, with a bit of natural curl, fell like water plants, and the bangs covering her eyebrows seemed as if they had never been combed.

No one could see her expression at the moment, but based on his impression and understanding over the past half month, plus a little intuition, he felt that there seemed to be a melancholic atmosphere enveloping her...

Was it because of a low mood?

Until after four classes, he didn't see the girl in front of him, and he began to feel uncomfortable.

During the self-study period at noon, Yan Jingxing couldn't help it. He tore off a corner of his notebook, wrote a caring question on it, crumpled it into a ball, took advantage of the classmate on the platform who was responsible for discipline not paying attention, and threw it toward the back.

The paper ball hit Ji Chunzao's head directly, burying itself in her dense black hair.

"Nice shot."

The students beside him marveled in a low voice, and there were also whispering and laughing sounds.

He marveled at the accuracy of his throw and then noticed that Ji Chunzao was giving him a fierce glare.

After a while, the paper ball was thrown back.

"All my collections in my room were thrown away by my family."

There was only this sentence on it, and nothing else.

...

The twilight cast a slanting glow, and the flow of people on the campus gradually diminished. The private cars that blocked the entrance dispersed, leaving only occasional students and faculty coming out of the cafeteria.

Yan Jingxing walked back to the dormitory with his backpack. The paths he stepped on had become familiar.

The lights in the teaching building went out one by one as the night fell, leaving only a few offices with lights on. The soothing yellow light penetrated the glass windows, casting a warm and bright glow inside.

Streetlight poles struggled to dispel all the darkness in the corners. Walking along the small path under the tree shadows, the tireless chirping of insects gradually filled the deep ambient sounds. Occasionally, a family of wild cats could be seen lightly passing through the grass, making no sound.

Yan Jingxing was a boarding student. The day his uncle helped him with the transfer procedures, he moved in. He usually only went home on weekends.

To prevent accidents, the school didn't allow boarding students to leave the campus gate during normal hours. Therefore, the liveliest place in the evening was the dormitory building.

The building was divided into male and female sides, although they were in the same building, each side's corridor was separated by an iron gate and could only be entered from their respective entrances.

After a day of classes, Yan Jingxing walked to the third floor, placed his backpack on the desk, and sat down to rest.

At this moment, his roommate sleeping on the upper bunk leaned out and asked, "Want to play cards later?"

Boarding students were prohibited from bringing any electronic devices and entertainment items. However, students always found their ways to deal with school rules and teachers, making a showdown against school regulations and teachers a necessary part of campus life.

"Aren't you afraid of getting caught by the dorm supervisor?"

"It's fine. As long as we put things away before the regular patrols, it's okay."

Yan Jingxing waved his hand. "I'll pass. There's quite a bit of homework assigned today, and I'll be back too late."

Although he had just transferred in, Yan Jingxing quickly became acquainted with his roommates. After all, they were all boys of the same age, with restless and unruly hearts, experiencing similar environments, and caring about similar things.

With six people in one dorm, and only two of them were from the same class, while the rest were from different classes, they coincidentally showed a sly smile.

"Is it really because of too much homework? Aren't you secretly going on a date?"

"...What are you guys talking about?"

He frowned.

"I heard you're quite close to Ji Chunzao."

"How do you guys even know about that?"

"Of course, it was me who said it." The roommate from the same class had no guilt about his gossiping behavior.

"But everyone has heard of Ji Chunzao's name before." Someone added, "A famous oddball in the whole school."

"Do you remember the most famous thing about her?"

They exchanged enthusiastic conversations, seemingly having quite an impression of the girl's outrageous behavior.

"Yeah, I remember. It seems like it happened last semester?" A roommate said, "She won an award in the aerospace model competition in the city. During the flag-raising ceremony, the school praised her and let her speak. But halfway through, she suddenly shouted into the microphone, 'UFO is coming soon! Everyone run!' Then she hastily jumped off the platform and ran away before anyone could react. That was in front of the whole school..."

"..."

Yan Jingxing was speechless. He had previously felt that Ji Chunzao had an air of ignoring others when she clung to him, but he never thought she could do such things in public.

Did she go too far?

Just imagining that scene was embarrassing enough to make his toes curl. If it were him, he might recall it every night and find it hard to sleep.

Ji Chunzao, this girl, surpassed his imagination in both her degree of nonchalance and thickness of her skin...

"So, are you two really dating?"

Someone asked.

"The things on your desk, aren't they hers?"

"Of course not."

Yan Jingxing immediately shook his head.

He began to doubt whether it was a correct decision to make an agreement with Ji Chunzao in a moment of whimsy.

It's fine to accompany her in her antics, but if he had to embarrass himself with her, it wouldn't be worth it.

"Really? I heard she's quite pretty."

"Really? I totally didn't notice."

"But aren't you in the same class as her?"

"But she always leaves her hair so long, covering her whole face, like a female ghost. Who can see it?"

"What about Jingxing? You should have seen what she looks like, right?"

"..."

Can I say that the first time I saw her, I mistook her for a mermaid in the sea?

But such words couldn't be spoken in front of others. So, he vaguely diverted the topic.

...

Today's math problems were more challenging than usual. Yan Jingxing stared at the light, lost in thought, but his mind had long wandered away from the homework.

Come to think of it, he didn't really meet Ji Chunzao much today.

Based on the sentence on the note and her recent behavior, it seemed that something happened on her side, like a conflict with her aunt, and things were thrown away at home. After returning to school, she looked dejected and spiritless.

Yan Jingxing hesitated; should he try to comfort her?

Speaking of their relationship, they were familiar, but they had only known each other for a little over ten days. Despite appearing close to others because Ji Chunzao always approached him in a lively manner, in reality, they were still a distance away from the term "friends."

As the saying goes, "Familiarity breeds contempt." Even a junior high school student like him understood this logic. They hadn't reached the level of discussing family matters yet.

"...I'll just take a shower."

After hesitating for a while without finding an answer, his head started to ache. He decided to temporarily shelve this question.

...

The dormitory's bathroom was communal, right downstairs.

After taking a refreshing shower, Yan Jingxing returned to the dormitory. Glancing at the clock on the table, it was already nine o'clock.

The school's designated lights-out time was ten o'clock, and the dormitory supervisors would come for patrols in half an hour. He prepared to climb into bed and sleep. The once noisy corridor gradually became quiet.

However, at this moment, there suddenly erupted a burst of commotion outside the room.

He was momentarily stunned, pushed the door open, and saw people from more than one dormitory coming out to see what was happening.

The corridor was already crowded with curious onlookers, and someone excitedly shouted:

"Yan Jingxing! Who's Yan Jingxing? Someone is looking for you!"

...Huh?

Yan Jingxing opened his mouth in surprise.

"Make way, make way!"

"Hey, wait, I told you to wait downstairs. How did you come up directly..."

A girl with long hair briskly took big steps at a time up the stairs, agilely weaving through the crowd of onlookers. Following that, under the enthusiastic gaze of a group of boys, she rushed to the corridor.

"Room 309, this is it."

She ran, panting, and quickly spotted Yan Jingxing, who was standing dumbfounded at the door.

"Come with me."

The girl grabbed his wrist, pulling him to go outside.

"W-wait, where are we going?"

"Do you even need to ask?"

She turned her head, wearing a strange expression as if saying, "What are you talking about?"

"—Of course, we're going to look for aliens! Didn't we agree on that a long time ago?"

...I knew it.

Ji Chunzao's voice was clear and unreserved, making everyone in the corridor hear her answer loud and clear.

Shouldn't have asked.

Under the astonished gazes of the onlookers, Yan Jingxing couldn't help but cover his face, feeling that he indeed asked a foolish question.

Chapter 5: A Wondrous Night in Baiyue Town

The night sky tonight had no stars.

The long and winding road was enveloped in the clear moonlight, and the swaying shadows of trees rustled in the wind.

Two figures, one in front and one behind, left the entrance of the dormitory under the gaze of onlookers. Then, they walked side by side.

The girl with long hair beside him hummed a cheerful tune, moving as lightly as a deer that had accidentally wandered onto the campus.

Using his peripheral vision, Yan Jingxing quietly observed the profile of Ji Chunzao. He noticed the curve of her mouth, with a small dimple.

During the daytime classes, she was silent, emitting a gloomy aura. At this moment, it seemed like the aura had never existed before.

"Chunzao, are you okay?" he couldn't help but ask, recalling his hesitation earlier.

"Huh? What could be wrong with me?"

Ji Chunzao turned her head, giving him a strange look.

"Today, you mentioned that things at home were..."

"Oh, that."

Her long and dense eyelashes covered the expression revealed in her pupils for a moment, giving off a sense of dejection. However, the feeling was fleeting. Ji Chunzao quickly lifted her face, wearing an indifferent expression.

"It's not a big deal. Actually, I feel lucky now." She said, "I have to thank you for that."

"Huh?"

"The most important things, I left them all in your care, didn't I?"

"..."

"You won't lose them, right?"

"No, I placed them all there nicely." Yan Jingxing sighed.

Those books, dolls, and models were essential to Ji Chunzao. However he didn't understand it at the time.

"Help me take care of them for a while longer. I can't bring them home right now."

"Sure."

The teenager nodded earnestly.

He decided to take all these things home and find a proper place to keep them. To others, it might be insignificant, but to Ji Chunzao, they were irreplaceable treasures—a sentiment Yan Jingxing had also experienced.

Understanding her feelings, he didn't want to disappoint her.

Ji Chunzao looked into his eyes. After a moment of silence, she suddenly smiled happily.

"Why are you laughing?"

"It's nothing. I just feel... even though we're not very familiar that day, I didn't make a mistake in my judgment."

"Don't casually establish relationships." Yan Jingxing frowned. "I still don't think we're very close now."

"Hey, you obediently came out with me. Don't say that." The girl nudged his arm with her elbow, smiling cunningly like a little fox.

As she approached him, he saw her pupils shining in the night. Yan Jingxing felt a bit uncomfortable and turned his head.

He remembered the gazes his roommates had thrown at him before he left, and his face felt warm.

"I couldn't react in time. You walked so fast, I feel like I lost face."

"Walk? I ran. It's the boys' dormitory; it was my first time going in. I really gathered up courage for that. If it weren't for pulling you out..."

"The boys' dormitory? Is that a problem for you?"

"Of course, it's a problem! I'd feel embarrassed."

"You can still feel embarrassed..." Yan Jingxing found her a bit more "imposing" after hearing about her "glorious deeds" from his roommates.

Because of being Dragged out of the dormitory by his arm in front of everyone, his tone carried a hint of sarcasm.

"For someone who can shout 'UFO is coming!' in front of the entire school, isn't this level of exposure easy?"

"How did you... know?"

Ji Chunzao stuttered.

"Others told you, right?"

Her momentum weakened.

"Well... at that time, I really had no choice. I saw it, but time was running out. Afterwards, I still felt a bit upset... especially since that day, no matter who I encountered at school, the way they looked at me changed."

That's for sure!

Yan Jingxing felt that from that day forward, Ji Chunzao had become a freak in the hearts of the teachers and students at Baiyue Town Experimental High School.

"And, I couldn't sleep for several nights."

The girl sighed quietly.

"Every time I lay down, the events of that day would unconsciously surface in my mind. I couldn't help but toss and turn clutching a pillow, and then I couldn't sleep."

So, you would really feel embarrassed.

Listening to this, she seemed a bit more like a normal person.

"But now, I've realized that these things were never my problem. It's because they couldn't see the aliens and treated me like a fool, which led to these consequences."

Ji Chunzao took a deep breath, her expression determined.

"I've decided to overcome this weak mentality and learn to ignore others' gazes. I'll do everything according to my own ideas from now on."

...It might be better if you don't overcome it, Yan Jingxing thought sincerely.

"Thanks to you, that day you asked me, 'If everything you said was true but people treated you as a liar, wouldn't you feel resentful?' Honestly, that question was really thought-provoking and made me determined."

The girl clenched her small fist, shook it forcefully, and her pretty face, hidden by her hair, blushed slightly, but this time it was due to excitement.

"..."

Yan Jingxing didn't know how to respond, so he decided to keep quiet.

...

Just as they were about to leave near the dormitory building, a girl's voice suddenly came from behind, stopping them.

"Wait."

Someone ran out from the entrance to girls dormitory, and her footsteps quickly approached. They were intercepted before they could leave.

Standing in front of them was a girl in pajamas, who probably didn't have time to change into her school uniform and hurriedly came down.

Yan Jingxing blinked.

"Did you get caught when you came out?"

He asked in a low voice.

"N-No, but considering the commotion just now, the dormitory supervisors might already know..."

Ji Chunzao also lowered her voice.

"No, the dormitory supervisors doesn't know yet."

The girl in front of them answered softly.

Her black, silky hair cascaded over her shoulders, and her almond-like pupils were large and bright. She is slightly taller than girls of the same age. Although she was young, she exuded a sense of pure and refined beauty, making her unforgettable.

After her appearance, Yan Jingxing noticed Ji Chunzao's surprised and bewildered expression.

It seemed like they knew each other.

In fact, even he, as a transfer student, recognized her.

She had delivered a speech on stage during Monday's flag-raising ceremony as the head of students. At that time, she stood out among her peers, giving Yan Jingxing enough reason to inquire about her name from his classmates. It turned out she was a well-known figure in the school.

Excellent in both academics and character, hailing from a wealthy family, trusted by teachers and students alike, she was said to be proficient in piano and ballet, presenting a perfect image resembling a character from a fictional story.

He couldn't help but glance at the girl by his side again.

If Chunzao took good care of herself, she could probably achieve a similar effect in a crowd. Even their influence seemed to be similar, although their paths differed.

"Yuzhi, wh-what are you doing here?"

Why are you starting to stutter again? Where's your momentum from earlier?

"What am I doing here? I should be asking you that."

She shook her head.

"It's already 9:20 in the evening, and the dormitory supervisors will be on patrol soon. Why did you choose this time to run out?"

""... I couldn't decide that." Ji Chunzao said softly.

"Why? ...Ah, I understand.' She sighed, 'It's because of the so-called 'alien' stuff again."

The girl's gaze fell on Yan Jingxing.

"Hello, I'm Xie Yuzhi. And you are...?"

"Yan Jingxing."

"I remember now. You're the new student who just transferred, right?"

"Yeah."

"Nice to meet you. However, I want to remind you of something."

She raised her eyebrows slightly.

"Don't let this person lead you. Your relationship with her may be good, but you don't have to break the school rules together, right?"

Yan Jingxing couldn't help but turn his head, coincidentally meeting Ji Chunzao's eyes.

Seeing her pitiful expression, he turned back and replied:

"This is my decision, and it has nothing to do with her."

To be precise, it was about the appointment.

Their connection was about the topic of aliens.

In the final analysis, it was because, although he didn't behave as outlandishly as Ji Chunzao, there was still a trace of innocence lingering deep in his heart.

If this time turned out to be false, he could completely let go of that impractical delusion. Yan Jingxing thought to himself.

If Deceived by her, he could smoothly become a member of the group that considered Ji Chunzao a weirdo.

"Is that so."

Xie Yuzhi nodded.

She seemed to have nothing more to say and was about to turn and leave.

"Are you going to tell the dormitory supervisors...?"

Ji Chunzao asked cautiously.

The black-haired girl glanced at her.

"No, I won't."

She said.

"I don't have time to report such trivial matters to anyone, and I think others wouldn't either. I'm tired and going back to sleep."

After leaving this sentence behind, Xie Yuzhi walked towards the dormitory building's door without looking back.

Watching her figure, Yan Jingxing couldn't help but ask in a low voice:

"Do you know her?"

"Yeah, she's my roommate."

In the refreshing night breeze blowing towards her, Ji Chunzao patted her cheeks and instantly regained her vigor.

"As I just said, it's not that I insist on going out at night, but aliens only appear at this time. Can you understand?"

"It doesn't matter. I came out with you. Just follow the agreement, and let me see when it happens."

"Very well. Then the only question left is..."

"Wait, how do we get out?" he asked, "The gatekeepers probably won't let us out."

"Don"t worry. There's a place near the playground where we can climb out. I'll take you there now."

Taking advantage of the night, the two quickly crossed the playground and arrived at the base of the wall that Ji Chunzao had mentioned.

There was a circle of trees planted next to the school, with branches and leaves flourishing and extending over the wall in some places. Among them, a section of branches drooped down, providing a convenient way for someone to climb up.

Ji Chunzao grabbed the branches and agilely climbed the wall in quick steps, showing a flexibility that seemed unnatural, clearly indicating she was experienced.

Yan Jingxing tugged at the branches a few times to confirm their strength, then stepped on the wall to leverage himself and successfully climbed over.

Next to the wall was the canopy of trees. He raised his arms to shield his face, avoiding being scratched by the branches.

Dim streetlight struggled to penetrate the thick foliage overhead, casting the street outside the wall into a deep and mysterious atmosphere.

He jumped down from the wall, landing on soft fallen leaves and soil.

"By the way, you just moved here recently, right?"

The girl who had landed on the ground stood up, clapped her hands, and turned to say to herself:

"I'm a local, and at the same time I'll show you around the town. Although the shops are closed at night, the scenery is still beautiful."

Her expression was so happy and sincere that Yan Jingxing swallowed the words "Quickly take me to confirm" that had come to his lips.

... Anyway, tonight, he would be able to confirm whether her words were true or false. There was no need to rush.

Yan Jingxing took a deep breath of the fresh night air, suddenly realizing the uniqueness of this evening.

He had always been a good student, never violating the teachers' instructions or the school rules. However, today, he left the school in the late night, about to stroll the streets with a female classmate.

Even Yan Jingxing himself, after coming to his senses, was surprised by his boldness, and this change happened so suddenly, unconsciously.

Just now, the classmate who was the head of the students said that he was "led by Ji Chunzao," and perhaps that was true.

Anyone who knew about it would realize his "fall" because originally only those irredeemable teenagers would do such things.

However, their purpose was so pure that it resembled the naive fantasies of children who had not yet gone to school.

"Then lead the way."

Yan Jingxing shook his head, shaking off those confused thoughts.

Since he had already come out, he might as well continue walking.

"Sure~ Follow me."

Ji Chunzao smiled and crooked her fingers to beckon him, taking the lead to leave this narrow street.

"Don't go too far. We still need to come back."

"Don't worry. I've got it."

Leaving the quiet campus, departing from the tree-lined street, the glass windows of the buildings along the street reflected the cold white moonlight. The dim yellow streetlights spilled over the sidewalk and bus stop signs, while people and cars on the road appeared and disappeared vaguely.

The boy and the girl walked in the night, like strolling in the dim underwater world untouched by sunlight. Shoulder to shoulder, they embarked on the journey to find extraterrestrials.

Chapter 6: Ghostly Leech

In the central part of Baiyue Town, there is a large supermarket and the only cinema in the town, making it the liveliest place at night. People who come out for entertainment are usually families or couples, strolling around in twos and threes.

As high school students, Yan Jingxing and Ji Chunzao didn't stand out too much in the crowd. After coming out of the supermarket, Yan Jingxing sitting on a chair in the bus stop held and ate an ice cream stick, chatting leisurely with Ji Chunzao.

According to the girl, the place where you can see aliens is near the movie theater. If the aliens appear inside the cinema, they just need to buy a ticket to get in.

... Do aliens really like to watch movies of human? He founds it hard to understand.

"I've always had a question. How did you discover aliens? You said it's 'related to the season' with such verity."

Yan Jingxing stared at the people coming in and out of the cinema entrance, taking a big bite of the melting ice cream stick.

"We're about to meet the real deal. Can you finally tell me now?"

"This is my secret."

Ji Chunzao sat beside him, swinging her legs, and answered with a smile.

"But for your sake, I can give you a little explanation."

What did she mean by "for my sake"? Yan Jingxing complained in his heart. Except for him, there's no one who would take your words seriously.

Even he was ninety percent skeptical, waiting for the moment when things could be confirmed.

"You can see things, so naturally, you can hear them too. Before they actually arrive, I confirm them through 'hear.'"

"Hear? Do they make sounds?"

"It's a bit different. It's more like an unconscious 'call.'"

Ji Chunzao shook her head and continued to explain.

"Just like how we can receive signals from thousands of miles away through a radio, but it doesn't actually let us 'hear' the voices of people far away, right? In reality, it has to be the machine itself that demodulates the radio waves into audio signals, and then the human ear can hear it."

"The 'sound' of extraterrestrial beings is like this; they may not actually make a sound but emit some kind of 'signal.' Can you understand?"

Honestly, it's kind of understood. But looking at her serious attitude, Ji Chunzao is probably not just casually making things up.

Even though she was the same age as him, she seemed to possess some peculiar knowledge that ordinary junior high school students wouldn't understand.

Yan Jingxing recalled the model she asked him to hide for her that day. When he received it, he was really surprised; it was quite large, and it was crafted beautifully, like a shrunken real biplane.

He originally thought it was bought, but later, he heard his roommates talking about how Ji Chunzao had won the award in the city's aeromodelling competition before, realizing that she made it herself.

"Do you know a lot about electronics?"

"Well, kind of." She explains a bit embarrassedly, "Since I noticed that the signals emitted by aliens might be affecting humans in the form of certain radio waves, I started working hard to understand the principles..."

Listening to Ji Chunzao talk about the process of self-study on various circuit principles and mechanical knowledge, Yan Jingxing's impression of her improved a bit.

Although this girl always talked about all sorts of nonsense topics non-stop, making her seem a bit annoying, judging by her series of performances, at least Ji Chunzao was not a fool who was immersed in unfounded fantasies. Instead, she had taken concrete actions and efforts.

"You're pretty impressive."

Yan Jingxing couldn't help but sigh.

"... Is that so, impressive huh? Well, let me think about it. I am indeed quite impressive! Haha."

After muttering to herself for a few sentences, she suddenly became spirited, puffing up her chest, and looking proud. The "sorry" from earlier had disappeared without a trace.

"..."

Yan Jingxing was a bit speechless. She's even outdone herself in arrogance.

"In any case, what you mean is that you can hear radio signals?"

"So, saying 'hear' is not very accurate; it should be more like 'sense.'"

"Similar to how bats can capture ultrasonic waves? "

"Yes, many animals, such as dogs, whales, giraffes, etc., can detect ultrasonic or infrasonic waves that humans cannot hear, even actively emit them, serving a function similar to sonar."

"As for receiving signals from extraterrestrial beings..."

She hesitated for a moment.

"Well, for now, it seems that I'm the only one who can do it. In other words, it's 'superpower.'"

You're still a superman, and your image was getting more complicated. Yan Jingxing originally wanted to tease her, but he found that the girl's expression suddenly changed.

"Wait a minute."

Ji Chunzao furrowed her delicate eyebrows and suddenly grabbed Yan Jingxing's wrist.

"Stay still for a moment."

"What's wrong?" He was startled.

The girl didn't answer but closed her eyes.

Her eyelashes trembled slightly, and the eyeballs under her eyelids were rotating fiercely.

"Get ready mentally."

After a while, Ji Chunzao opened her eyes. She exhaled a heavy breath and stared at the empty night sky.

"The aliens... no, extraterrestrial beings that came this time might be a bit dangerous. They have already descended into the movie theater."

"There's more than one kind?"

Seeing the girl's serious expression, Yan Jingxing can't feel nervous at all.

Up to now, he still lacks a real sense of it.

"Where is the danger? How do you know?"

"... Because I've seen them before. This nuisances is not the first time they've appeared in this small town. Every time they appear, they act in groups, treating the people living here as prey and turning the entire Baiyue Town into their hunting ground. They are reckless..."

Ji Chunzao never let go of his wrist. On the contrary, her fingers instinctively clenched, making Yan Jingxing almost cry out in pain.

"I call them 'Ghostly Leeches.' They are a dangerous creature specialized in sucking human brain marrow."

But what the girl said next made him swallow the complaint that was about to come out.

She turned her face and asked softly:

"So, do you still want to go in now?"

...

Yan Jingxing stood in front of the ticket counter, gazing at the posters on the wall, all featuring popular movies currently playing.

The ticket seller inside looked indifferent, while the girl behind him tugged at his clothes, whispering urgently, "They're about to appear."

"...Fine, let's go with this one."

In the cinema, there were ticket checkers, but only at the entrance. In other words, regardless of which movie you wanted to watch, buying a ticket for any ongoing show would allow you to enter. This was a little secret known only to locals who frequented the cinema.

Yan Jingxing clutched his thirty yuan allowance, finally deciding on a movie.

The poster of the movie depicted a tall man wearing a white mask and holding a sharp knife, with a group of actors below showing fearful expressions.

Even if everything was fake, at least it was an exciting horror movie, he thought.

The ticket seller took the money, glanced at the young couple who he recognized are young students holding hands in front of the window, shook his head as if sighing at "The world has really declined when kids this young start dating."

Ignoring the boring adult, the two big kids took their tickets and headed into the cinema.

"Jingxing, do you know what leeches is?"

As they walked, Ji Chunzao continued to explain in a low voice, "Well, around here, they're called 'mahuang.' They are a type of soft-bodied animal, abundant in rural rice fields. Tey feed on blood for survival and attache tightly to the skin, inserting their mouthparts into the flesh to suck blood. Rumor has it that they release some kind of anesthetic, so many people don't even feel them when they are attached."

"Yeah. I also heard that once someone is attached, it's hard to remove. You can't just pull it off; otherwise, their mouthparts will stay in the wound. You have to sprinkle salt on them, and then they will curl up and fall off..."

Imagining that scene, Yan Jingxing couldn't help but shiver. City kids like him were most afraid of disgusting bugs like these.

"Are you scared? Well, then the 'Ghostly Leeches' I'm talking about would be even more terrifying for you."

Holding onto his hand firmly, Ji Chunzao walked alongside him, speaking in a haunting tone, "Because they don't feed on blood; they feed on human brain marrow."

Yan Jingxing remained silent.

Although the girl's words were frightening, he still lacked a real sense of the so-called 'aliens.'

"If these extraterrestrial leeches are as terrifying as you say, would you still dare to come here?"

"It's the one you wanted to see."

Ji Chunzao muttered for a while, suddenly stopping. When Yan Jingxing looked at her curiously, she lifted her hair.

"Because I can see them."

The girl pointed to her bright eyes.

"If you're really unlucky and are chosen by the Ghostly Leeches, you just need to avoid them; they won't chase you. After all, others can't see or even sense them approaching. So, the 'Leeches' don't need to hunt and can just choose another target. But there's something you must remember."

Ji Chunzao raised her face, staring at him solemnly.

"When I say we leave, no matter what happens, you must leave with me. Can you promise that?"

"Sure." He replied casually.

"Are you sure?"

"I promise, okay?"

"That's good."

After wandering the dimly lit corridor of the cinema for a few laps, Ji Chunzao finally identified the target.

"It should be here."

She pointed to one of the entrances.

The two entered the projection hall, and Yan Jingxing, glancing at the screen, realized the movie had already started.

"Oh, it happens to be the one I bought a ticket for. Lucky me."

He and Ji Chunzao sat in the back row.

Then, at this moment, Yan Jingxing suddenly realized:

"Wait a minute, I can't see them? So, I can't see extraterrestrials?"

"Yeah. It can't be confirmed until they actually appear." Ji Chunzao replied in a low voice, "But you're most likely unable to see them. I haven't encountered a second person who can see them at school."

"...!"

He almost stood up, forgetting that his hand was still being held.

"What's wrong?"

Ji Chunzao looked at him in surprise.

"What's wrong? If I can't see them, how can you prove the existence of extraterrestrials to me?"

He angrily said. If it weren't for the need to lower his voice in the cinema, he would have started to get angry.

At this moment, he even felt that he could confirm that this girl was playing with him.

"Well, I've considered this."

However, the girl's reaction was very calm.

"From the beginning, I didn't think you could see extraterrestrials, but you still asked me for evidence to prove their existence. So, I had to consider other methods."

She raised her head and said deliberately:

"Jingxing, what do you think those people who have had their brains eaten by the Ghostly Leeches will turn into?"

...

In the projection hall, darkness enveloped like the night, and faintly visible were silent figures. In the quietude, only the dialogues of the actors on the screen echoed between the seats, and each spectator seemed to inhabit a secluded little universe.

Ji Chunzao's voice was deep and suppressed, audible only to him.

In the dim vision, the girl's pupils sparkled, giving an eerie feeling.

For a moment, Yan Jingxing was infected by the seriousness conveyed in her speech, and he could only stare blankly.

"What I want you to see is that."

After the last explanation, Ji Chunzao turned her head back, seemingly engrossed in watching the movie.

Yan Jingxing fell silent for a while. He returned to his seat and stared at the screen in silence.

...

The movie plot gradually intensified, victims began to appear. The murderer brandished a sharp knife, chasing the remaining survivors in the rainy night mansion. The actress who accidentally fell emitted a miserable scream.

However, Yan Jingxing couldn't fully concentrate on the screen.

He was waiting for that answer.

And the girl beside him was waiting as well.

A movie lasted only ninety minutes, and that moment would eventually come.

At a certain instant, Ji Chunzao, who was holding his hand, suddenly exerted force.

"They're here!"

Yan Jingxing widened his eyes, his gaze wandering around the projection hall.

"Where?"

"The bald guy in the front row. The ghosty leech has chosen him as the target! Can you see it? It's floating above his head—"

Following the girl's indication, he quickly found the back view of that audience member.

However, there was no anomaly on him or around him. In Yan Jingxing's eyes, he sat quietly in his seat, just like everyone else, with no special characteristics.

He looked around, even stood up to observe, but he couldn't see the so-called "extraterrestrial beings" floating in the air.

I really can't see anything...

Yan Jingxing sighed.

He felt that he might have been mistaken. Perhaps Ji Chunzao wasn't lying to him after all. She might be interpreting things she could see in her own way, something that only she could perceive.

After spending these days together, he knew the girl's attitude was sincere. Yan Jingxing really didn't want to treat her as someone seeking attention.

...But, this no longer mattered.

If he couldn't see or touch the same things, what difference did it make whether they existed or not?

Yan Jingxing felt quite disappointed.

At this moment, he let go of the childlike fantasy in his heart.

After this movie, here and now, he would part ways with Ji Chunzao. He didn't want to get involved anymore.

This didn't mean he would necessarily become one of those who mocked her in school. He just felt that even if he wanted to believe everything, believe that extraterrestrials were real, and Ji Chunzao was a genuine superpower possessor, could he really become her companion?

Unable to see the same things, they were destined to be people from two different worlds.

"Let go."

He quietly reminded her.

Ji Chunzao seemed to hesitate for a moment, but under Yan Jingxing's insistence, the girl eventually retracted her hand.

His gaze returned to the movie.

Then, his eyes couldn't move away—

"W-what is that?"

Yan Jingxing gaped, witnessing something incredibly surreal.

A white and bulky giant arm slowly emerged from the screen, like a drowned person rising from beneath the water, transitioning from the screen to reality.

A ghost? A specter? Or the extraterrestrial Ji Chunzao mentioned...

With only one hand occupying almost half of the screen, it was impossible not to see it with normal vision. However, the cinema remained silent, no commotion occurred, and every audience still sat in their original seats, as if nothing had happened.

This made Yan Jingxing understand: he was the only one who could see this giant hand, not some surprise prepared by the cinema.

His thoughts were in chaos, and the fear rendered him breathless.

However, when the "person" slowly crawled out of the screen, he found that the situation was even more absurd and surreal than he had imagined.

The colossal hand gripping the edge of the screen, the emerged figure wore a helmeted head, completely round and pitch black, reflecting a cold luster like a circular glass fish tank; the "white and bulky" arm was not the natural color of the skin but a suit enveloping the hand, more like a protective suit made from composite materials like rubber or sponge, with a huge white backpack on its back...

—Emerging from the screen was a giant wearing a spacesuit.

Chapter 7: Giant Astronaut

In the quiet and dimly lit movie theater, on the head of a bald man who was completely unaware of any abnormalities, there was a "cluster" formed by a gathering of soft-bodied creatures, floating and hovering.

These soft-bodied creatures had semi-transparent and phantom-like bodies. When exposed to the light in the space, they reflected colorful hues, resembling bubbles blown in sunlight.

They wriggled their fat bodies, intertwining with each other, forming a disgusting mass. At the front end, resembling a head or a mouthpiece, there was a crude and distorted face composed of three black holes, resembling a dwarf extraterrestrial.

This was the extraterrestrial creature named "Ghostly Leech" by Ji Chunzao. It couldn't be observed or sensed by ordinary people, as if it were a monster in another dimension.

Among them, several leeches had already inserted the front end of their mouthpieces into the unfortunate male audience member's head, starting to extract nutrients—namely, brain tissue and marrow.

The ghostly leeches' bodies moved and expanded, their semi-transparent skin revealing grotesque blood vessels, enjoying their feast.

A scene of real extraterrestrial beings preying on humans, an extremely horrifying image, more shocking than any horror movie...

However, the audience in the movie theater remained blissfully unaware. This eerie calm, juxtaposed with the predatory scene, made the world seem even more surreal.

Ordinary people living on Earth were unable to perceive the existence of extraterrestrial beings. They lived peacefully in ignorance, adjacent to the dark abyss.

—This was the world in Ji Chunzao's eyes.

It seemed as if only she alone was awake in this world.

The girl's chest began to rise and fall, her heart pounding, and her breath quickened.

Ji Chunzao tried very hard to maintain a serious and calm demeanor in front of her companion, aiming not to make him feel alarmed or tempted to flee.

But was she not afraid herself?

No, of course she was.

The calm appearance of her sitting in the chair was all an act.

Even though Ji Chunzao didn't lie, and those ghostly leeches indeed wouldn't chase people, as she had concluded through observation—watching a living person getting their brain eaten right in front of her, how could she not feel afraid?

It's them...

Ji Chunzao stared fixedly at the floating mass not far away, unable to blink. Her hand, placed on the armrest, involuntarily moved a little closer to grab the wrist of the boy beside her.

If she saw any tendency of them approaching, she would immediately grab Yan Jingxing and run away. Even if she was misunderstood or not trusted, she must do it.

Unsure whether to consider herself fortunate, the ghostly leeches, upon appearing, immediately locked onto their target and swarmed towards a middle-aged man in the front row.

Though she knew this was not very good, Ji Chunzao still breathed a sigh of relief quietly. However, on the other hand, her mood became even more somber.

Although the girl could see extraterrestrial beings, she had no ability to stop them from running rampant in the human world.

She couldn't even warn the other person. If she were taken as a fool or a lunatic, that would be fine; most importantly, once the mouthpiece invaded the brain, approaching recklessly would only lead to being entangled by the leeches.

From childhood to now, this sense of powerlessness accompanied her throughout, yet she couldn't confide in anyone.

The loneliness and weight that couldn't be understood by others made Ji Chunzao's heart continuously sink. Until today, it had already accumulated a tremendous amount—far beyond what a teenage girl could bear.

Not only did she have to watch someone being invaded by extraterrestrial beings, Ji Chunzao also had to let her companion witness the consequences of having their brain eaten. Only by doing so could she possibly gain trust...

With a guilty and uneasy mood, she whispered:

"Jingxing, you'll see it soon. Even if you can't see..."

Ji Chunzao rambled on, but found that there was no response from the boy next to her.

Turning her head, she saw that the boy's body was trembling slightly, as if seriously ill.

His forehead was covered in cold sweat, and his mouth opened and closed, like a fish that had just landed.

"Yan Jingxing?!"

...

Yan Jingxing stiffly clung to the back of the chair, mouth wide open but producing no sound, staring fixedly at the colossal astronaut gradually emerging from the screen.

The appearance of the astronaut was completely silent, as if everything occurred in a vacuum without air.

His feet touched the ground, and then he slowly straightened his body.

The astronaut's figure was so towering that when he stood up, he almost reached the height of the auditorium, casting a shadow that obscured all the audience in the theater.

This...

What on earth was this?!

Ghost, specter, extraterrestrial... Yan Jingxing could imagine these things, but he instinctively felt that the gigantic astronaut before him was something beyond the ordinary, not comparable to typical supernatural phenomena.

He felt more like he was dreaming, or experiencing a strange illusion.

Then, Yan Jingxing heard a muffled breathing, "Hu—Ha—," the kind of sound when oxygen was sealed inside the helmet, audible only to oneself.

The astronaut stood silently, breathing silently, overlooking all the people in the theater in silence.

The bright black mirror couldn't reveal any eyes inside, but Yan Jingxing still felt like "he" was looking at him.

Yan Jingxing dared not move.

Afterward, "he" slowly raised one hand, reaching out towards the audience.

The boy held his breath.

"His" hand didn't reach the back row but stopped when touching the air in the front row. The fingers began to make kneading motions, as if touching something invisible...

... No, that's not right. It's not nothing.

Yan Jingxing widened his eyes once again.

He saw, right in the center of the astronaut's palm, a twisting and squirming mass of bugs emitting a fantastical and illusory brilliance. Compared to "his" colossal body, it looked like a small cyst.

The astronaut's fingers exerted a slight force.

"Bang!"

Like that, the mass of bugs burst easily.

Yan Jingxing heard the explosion, like an overinflated balloon popping over his head, but he wasn't sure if it was just his imagination.

Afterward, the astronaut took a step, directly crossing over the audience seats and disappearing from his sight.

An indescribable and astonishing emotion surged, compelling Yan Jingxing to subconsciously stand up, wanting to look back.

"Wa-wait!"

He wanted to call out to the astronaut.

And at that moment, a severe pain struck Yan Jingxing's head.

"... Huh?"

Just when Ji Chunzao was feeling anxious, she suddenly sensed that something was wrong.

The girl naturally possessed the ability to sense the presence of "abnormal electromagnetic waves" in the air, a crucial skill for her to confirm the time and location of an extraterrestrial arrival.

However, at this moment, the previously continuous and noisy interference suddenly disappeared, and she returned to the normal world.

She turned her head and found that the transparent mass of bugs had vanished.

Had the ghostly leeches left after finishing their meal?

No, it's not the time to think about this now...

"Wa-wait!"

She heard the boy beside her suddenly shout.

Seeing him stand up from his seat, it seemed like he had been hit hard on the head, and his body swayed slightly.

He clutched his own face, emitting painful groans while crouching down.

"Jingxing, Yan Jingxing! What's happening to you?"

She grabbed Yan Jingxing's arm, shaking him forcefully, but he clearly was experiencing some strange abnormality...

At this moment, Yan Jingxing's unusual state had attracted the attention of the people around.

Ji Chunzao looked around, and even though the movie wasn't over yet, the gazes of the audience were already turning towards them.

She gritted her teeth, holding onto the boy's arms, supporting him to stand up from the ground.

"Hurry, we need to leave this place as soon as possible!"

...

Fifteen minutes later.

Ji Chunzao walked out of the store, holding a bottle of mineral water.

She saw Yan Jingxing sitting on a bench not far away, weakly waving at her. Subconsciously quickening her pace, she jogged over to him.

"Here, for you."

Yan Jingxing, leaning weakly against the chair, took the mineral water, unscrewed the cap, and gulped down a few big mouthfuls. Finally, he sighed and seemed to come back to life.

"What happened to you just now?"

Ji Chunzao sat down beside him, carefully asking, "Could it be... an illness? I mean, the hereditary kind..."

"Huh? Oh, no, it's not like that."

Yan Jingxing wiped his mouth and sighed.

"I just saw something very strange in the movie theater."

"What? Strange things? You saw them?"

Ji Chunzao widened her eyes, seemingly unable to believe her ears. Then she showed a joyful smile, her tone full of excitement.

"Did you see the ghostly leeches? Now you believe me, right?!"

"Not only that."

Yan Jingxing collected his thoughts.

"I didn't see aliens; I saw a person, or rather, a ghost?..."

Hearing this, the girl shook her head with a pitying look.

"Jingxing, there are no ghosts in this world, you have to believe in science."

I really don't want to be told this!

Yan Jingxing resisted the urge to retort. At this moment, he suddenly realized a problem: the audience in the movie theater didn't see the astronaut, nor did they see the ghostly leeches. What about Ji Chunzao, who had psychic abilities?

"Could it be that you can't see?"

"See what?"

"The gigantic astronaut that came out of the screen..."

"?"

Ji Chunzao tilted her head, showing a puzzled expression.

It seemed like she really didn't see it.

Could only he see it? What was going on?

...

Yan Jingxing explained everything he had witnessed. It was evident that he was encountering supernatural phenomena for the first time, hence the desire to find someone who could relate. In this regard, Ji Chunzao was naturally his senior.

However, the girl's feelings were quite complex.

Meeting someone of the same age who could see extraterrestrial beings and finding a companion with common topics should have been a great thing.

But why did she suddenly become the one who "can't see"?

Yan Jingxing didn't lie, she could see that. From the sudden disappearance of the leeches to the exact timing of the so-called "gigantic astronaut" crushing the bug mass, it all lined up.

But...

The astronaut?

What did "his" appearance mean?

Sitting on the chair, Ji Chunzao propped her chin on her hand, her eyes unconsciously staring into the distant dark and dim lights, like the drifting streets of the town in the night tide. She couldn't help but fall into contemplation.

Things seemed to become more complicated than imagined.

"Chunzao, what I said is all true..."

"I know. I believe you."

Ji Chunzao replied decisively.

For her, the two of them who could see the same things must be natural companions. As for the possible differences or disagreements...

"As long as we find out the reason, it'll be fine!"

The girl clapped her hands and stood up briskly. This sudden movement startled Yan Jingxing, who had been observing her reaction on the side.

"Uh, what did you say?"

Ji Chunzao turned around, revealing a happy smile.

"Let's not look for aliens anymore; let's go find the astronaut you mentioned!"

The flowing night breeze lifted the girl's long hair. Standing in the evening wind, she seemed like she could take off with this momentum—so cheerful, so free, so...

Enchanting.

Just with one sentence from him, she could make a decisive decision. That was her.

So, what about me?

Yan Jingxing lowered his head. He spread open his palm and slowly clenched his five fingers.

In that moment at the movie theater, besides the instinctive astonishment and panic when witnessing the giant creature, what he felt was...

A curiosity, an intense curiosity about something unprecedented.

Yan Jingxing always felt that "he" must have something to say to him, which was why he wanted to stop him at all costs.

This feeling was groundless but so vivid.

He vigorously waved the clenched fist, and from the chair, he stood up slowly.

"Alright, let's go!"

This would be a night that would change his life, an unparalleled and magical night—

At this moment of consensus with the girl in front of him, Yan Jingxing suddenly had this thought.