Feng Shui

Chapitre 20

"Yes, yes, I'll borrow this one." Xiongxiong hurriedly threw the book over. The thin book hit the counter, and a puff of smoke actually rose up. Heaven knows how many times this book had never been lent out.

Xiongxiong wailed inwardly, "What kind of bad luck is this?! I just skipped class to wander around, how did I end up in this weird market and then this bookstore, getting threatened by some weird fox?! Waaah, is this the karma of bad kids? If that's the case, next time, even if you beat me to death, I'll never dare to skip class again, waaaah!"

"That old bastard actually caused me trouble." The fox muttered angrily, looking at the blue-covered thread-bound book lying flat on the counter. The image of the "culprit" flashed through his mind.

"Shang Ci, I'll leave this marriage register with you for now. I'll come back to get it after the Queen Mother of the West's Peach Banquet."

"Come back and get it! Hundreds of years have passed, and you still haven't come back to get it." The fox slammed its paw on the counter in anger, startling the bear who was watching it cautiously from the side.

"This book...can't I borrow it?" Xiongxiong swallowed nervously. "Then, then, I'll borrow this one!" He randomly picked another book from the shelf. This one at least looked newer, and it was so cool. The black cover had a silver skull and two strange tokens on it.

"Ah, no, no, no, don't bite my sleeve!" The next second, the little black fox jumped out from behind the counter, bit Xiongxiong's sleeve, and hung on her arm, refusing to let go.

"I won't lend it, that's fine, just give in!"

Hearing this, the fox finally released its grip, took the book that Xiong Xiong had tremblingly handed over in its mouth, curled its big tail, and hopped back onto the counter with a few small leaps.

"What a joke! The Ghost Messenger's Book of Souls? Is this girl here specifically to cause trouble?!" Thinking this, the little fox secretly activated its Heavenly Eye. It was time to see the girl's true form.

"Huh, that's really a bit strange. It turns out this girl has some connection with the Book of Fate. No wonder the Old Man of the Moon has disappeared without a trace."

"I won't borrow either of them... Can I leave now?" Xiongxiong suggested timidly. In her eyes, the little fox was staring at her, staring at her very sinisterly, and that look was even more terrifying than Sadako's dead fish eyes!! Of course, she didn't know that what she called a stare was, in the little fox's eyes, a concrete manifestation of all the dense "lines" of her past and present lives, tracing them back to their origins.

"I'll lend you this one." After a long while, the fox finally spoke.

"Huh? Can't I refuse to lend it?"

stare.

"Okay, okay, I'll borrow it, can I leave my student ID as collateral? I don't have my ID card with me, or I can leave money as collateral!" Xiongxiong rushed to the counter, grabbed her backpack, and ran as far away from the scary "strange" fox as possible. She frantically unzipped her bag and took out her wallet.

“We don’t need those.” The little fox’s eyes darted around before settling on the bear. “We don’t rent books here.”

"Then...what do you want?" Xiongxiong started to get scared again, wondering if he should run out the door. But it seemed, probably, it seemed, that he couldn't outrun a fox, and this spot was so far from the door. Ugh, so unlucky. What if it wanted one of his legs or his eyeballs, like in those horror comics?

"I want your...meat!" the fox sniffed and uttered a shocking statement.

"Meat...meat meat..." Xiongxiong's mind went blank, and he stammered, unable to say anything.

Oh my god, a fox! A fox is eating people!

"Nonsense, foxes are carnivores by nature," Shang Ci retorted irritably. "Are you going to give it to me or not!"

"……ah?"

"I was referring to that 'delicious' pizza in your bag."

"……ah?"

"Are you stupid!" the fox roared irritably. "Do you really want me to bite off your arm before you're satisfied?!" With that, it flashed a set of gleaming white, sharp teeth. (Uh...fox, you might as well go do a toothpaste commercial!)

"Here you go! The second time the pizza delivery box was thrown, while it was still flying in the air, a black light flashed, and the fox had already leaped into the air, accurately biting the box in one bite. After spinning 720 degrees, it immediately did three somersaults and landed steadily back on the counter."

(9.85, 9.75, 9.99, 9.85, 10.0, judges collectively announce scores)

"The rental period is two weeks. If you don't return it by then, you'll regret it!" the little fox said fiercely. He raised his paw to his mouth, sniffed it, and then exhaled a long breath. With a "smack," he slammed his paw onto the page, leaving a dark plum blossom mark.

"Okay, take it."

"ah?"

"The paperwork is complete, you can take it now!"

"ah?"

stare.

"I...I...I'm leaving right now!" Xiongxiong rushed up in a panic, snatched the book, stuffed it into his schoolbag without even glancing at it, and ran away.

"Isn't this strange?" Xiongxiong gestured wildly as she described her "bookstore adventure" from yesterday in great detail to her best friend.

"Hmm, that sounds strange."

"And what's more, I went back and looked at that book, and it actually had the words 'Book of Marriage' written in huge letters on the cover!"

"Oh, that book is called the Book of Fate, it's a romance novel, right?"

"What romance novel? There's nothing in it at all, just a bunch of blank pages. Oh, right, there's a line of small print on the last page!"

"Huh? What did you write?"

"The Book of Fate, a single red thread, sustains love through three lifetimes, encompassing the three realms and all sentient beings. Be cautious, be cautious, and be extremely cautious!"

"What does that mean?"

"It seems to be saying that it can bring together certain people."

"It can't be that strange, can it?"

"So, I just wrote down two names randomly."

"Huh? Who did you write about?"

"Liu Dongliang and Huang Li."

"What?! Those two?!"

Liu Dongliang, a notorious troublemaker at Xuan Yan High School, was a renowned fighter throughout the school; Huang Li, a notorious troublemaker at the Third Girls' High School across the street, was known for her fierce and aggressive nature. These two were always at odds, otherwise they would definitely be fighting. A while ago, the two schools jointly organized a basketball tournament, but a minor incident led to a scuffle between the two, resulting in a brawl involving hundreds of students from both schools. The fight escalated to the point that the police had to be called in. A third of the students from both schools ended up in police custody, a third were hospitalized, and another third, severely traumatized, developed "school phobia" and all went to see a psychologist.

"You, you, you wrote those two people down?"

"Yes, the more impossible something is, the more it proves whether this book is useful or not, right?"

"...Uh...that's true."

"Are you looking for death?!"

"You're the one who's asking for it!"

“These two voices…” Xiong Xiong pricked up his ears and his earlobes twitched.

"Liu Dongliang!"

"Huang Li!"

Two names were called out at the same time, followed by a scream from a passerby.

"The king has met the king! Run!"

A sudden chaos ensued, like a tornado passing through. The two main school roads, which had been bustling with people just moments before, were now deserted, with even ants gone. A cold wind howled, whipping up a few fallen leaves.

"Wow, it's Ximen Chuixue vs. Ye Gucheng!" Xiongxiong dragged her best friend behind a clump of bushes and secretly peeked out half of her face.

"Let's run away." Miao Miao, Xiong Xiong's best friend, who had been ignored by the author and tried to get away with not giving her a name, finally seized the opportunity to introduce herself.

"What's there to be afraid of? They can't see it anyway."

How terrifying! Even though he was facing away from us, how could Liu Dongliang still deliver such a murderous glare so accurately?! Could they really not see us?! Xiong Xiong's legs started trembling again.

"Didn't you beat me enough last time?" Huang Li said fiercely, hands on her hips.

"I think you're the one who wants to get beaten up!" Liu Dongliang said nonchalantly, arms crossed.

"Hmph, since you're courting death, don't blame me for being impolite," Huang Li declared.

"Okay, then come on!" Liu Dongliang accepted the challenge.

"Smack!" Huang Li punched him.

"Click," Liu Dongliang grabbed Huang Li's wrist.

With a "whoosh," Liu Dongliang pulled Huang Li into his arms.

"What?!" Xiongxiong and Miaomiao's jaws nearly dropped.

"Stop arguing. I admit I was wrong this time. Please don't embarrass me in public."

"Hmm." Huang Li nodded. "You're so annoying."

"I hate you, yet you still like me."

"you!"

“...It really works.” Xiongxiong murmured to himself.

“...It really works.” Miao Miao repeated.

The two exchanged a glance.

"Quick, quick, list out all the handsome guys' names!"

“Movie stars, singers, novel protagonists, handsome guys at school,” Xiongxiong said, counting on her fingers as she walked haphazardly. “It’s such a hassle. There are so many people I like. Which one should I choose? This red thread of fate is tied for three lifetimes. If I tie the wrong one, it will be a disaster.”

"Good morning, Xiongxiong." Miaomiao walked towards us, looking smug, her right arm linked with Cao Lingdu, the school's most famous handsome guy, known at Xuan Yan High School as the "Number One Cold-Faced Girl Killer." But now, he was Miaomiao's trophy.

"Good morning!" Xiongxiong nodded to the two of them, watching the couple's tender and affectionate moments.

Xiongxiong knew that Miaomiao had liked Cao Lingdu for a long time, but Cao Lingdu didn't like Miaomiao; he didn't even recognize her. However, now, because of the Book of Fate, Cao Lingdu had fallen in love with Xie Miaomiao. Looking at the tenderness in Cao Lingdu's eyes, Xiongxiong suddenly wondered if what she was doing was right or wrong. The Book of Fate could bring together two completely unrelated people, but was doing this really the right thing to do?

People usually fall for someone because of superficial factors, but when they actually get to know them, they might find that the other person isn't right for them. Cao Lingdu and Xie Miaomiao—Xiong Xiong doesn't know if this red thread will be a blessing or a curse for them. And the girl truly destined for Cao Lingdu—now that the red thread on her pinky finger has been forcibly torn off—where will her future lead? Why hadn't she ever thought about these things before?

"What's wrong, Xiongxiong? Are you feeling unwell?" Cao Lingdu noticed Xiongxiong's unusual behavior and asked with concern.

"It's nothing, I... I just remembered I forgot something. Miaomiao, could you please ask the teacher for leave for me?" Without waiting for their reply, Xiongxiong ran off into the distance, leaving them speechless.

There's nothing wrong with it, is there?

It was just helping a good friend out.

There's definitely nothing wrong with it. Anyway, that girl will surely find a more suitable partner. What's so great about Cao Lingdu? He's so cold and aloof. There's no need to be hung up on him; there are so many good men in the world.

Why, why should I feel guilty!

Xiongxiong's mind was a jumbled mess, all sorts of thoughts surging uncontrollably, like a broken telegraph machine, with telegrams flying everywhere. When he passed the community guardhouse, Xiongxiong had no desire to hide anymore, and ran right past Old Yang in broad daylight. Old Yang, who always liked to tattle, was stunned, rubbing his eyes, thinking he was seeing things.

Furious, Xiongxiong rushed home and pulled out the marriage registry, which had been carefully hidden, from the bottom of the bookcase. The first page contained four names.

Liu Dongliang & Huang Li, Cao Lingdu & Xie Miaomiao.

Xiongxiong thought and thought, then took out a red pen from his pencil case and forcefully crossed out the two names with two big X's.

At first, nothing happened, but suddenly, a red flame shot up from the marriage register. Xiong Xiong screamed and frantically grabbed whatever was at hand to extinguish the flame. However, the flame grew stronger and stronger, expanding from a small ball into a raging inferno that shot straight up to the roof.

Retribution! This is retribution!

Xiongxiong thought pitifully that she shouldn't have skipped class, shouldn't have borrowed that book, and shouldn't have casually helped people find love.

"Who do you think you are, the matchmaker or the god of marriage?" Xiongxiong mumbled incoherently while wiping away her tears.