She Can See Ghosts

The weather was gloomy, and a torrential downpour was about to fall from Heaven. He Qing felt suffocated and irritable, her body shivering coldly as if catching a cold.

She was carrying a large bag of snacks, preparing to stay at home for a few more days as school was about to go on break, and had bought them as provisions.

Turning the street corner and passing by a small convenience store, a sudden thunder roared from the edge of the sky, bringing with it a sharp blade-like flash of lightning! The entire space seemed to have split open, and the "crackling" sounds brought by the lightning buzzed in her mind, unable to snap back to reality for a long while.

However, strangely, after the nine days of thunder struck, He Qing found herself feeling refreshed and breathing much smoother, her whole demeanor becoming more pleasant.

At the entrance of the convenience store stood a couple, the girl's eyeliner drawn skillfully, her large eyes twinkling and particularly spirited. The boy was holding the bag of snacks, complaining, "Ah, I told you this little store has limited, and all kind of dirty items... If only we had gone to the big supermarket ahead."

The girl wasn't really concerned about those things in such bad weather. Hearing this, she didn't speak but just smiled and watched him, just as a drop of rain "plip plopped" onto her boyfriend's head, she exclaimed "Oh!" and quickly unfolded a big black umbrella she had prepared beforehand.

The big black umbrella, also prepared in advance, was just the right size for two; it was a bit tight but kept them from being exposed to the rain. With the press of a button, the umbrella opened like a mushroom after rain, instantly forming a dome—perfectly timed. No sooner had it opened than the rain poured down, streaming along and dripping from the arc of the umbrella. The girl's eyes twinkled with laughter as she gracefully twirled the umbrella handle, the rain scattering like Crystal Beads, very poetic.

However, He Qing, exposed in the rain, shivered violently, and the large bag of snacks in her hand "splash" into a puddle. The young couple turned at the sound, only to see He Qing with her hair soaked and clinging to her cheeks, staring blankly at them, her face pale and very panicked.

Regaining her composure, He Qing looked at the couple in front of her, her gaze shifting uncertainly from the top of the umbrella down to their feet, suddenly pursed her lips, and ran. She swept by like a gust of wind, turning the corner and vanishing from sight in the blink of an eye.

The girl muttered discontentedly, "What kind of person was that? She looked so abnormal, it gave me the creeps…"

Before she could finish, He Qing returned to the corner, gathered her courage, picked up the snacks from the ground, and ran off again…

How awkward!

The girl bit her lip, realizing her badmouthing had been overheard…

Flushing, He Qing passed by them once more, casting them a glance. The girl looked back and let out a panicked "Ah," then sped up her pace and ran as if for her life.

"This person!"

The girl stamped her foot, a pair of expensive, crystal-studded, high heels on her feet, undeterred by splashing mud thanks to the water-resistant platform.

The neatly dressed boy beside her gently soothed her, "It's okay, it's okay, don't worry about her. She's probably just jealous seeing me, a poor young man, getting close to you, a princess. Just ignore her."

The boy was barely into his twenties, with fair skin and handsome features. Although he had single eyelids, many people now conformed to Korea's aesthetic standards, giving him a somewhat melancholic air that matched well with his humorous speech, instantly directing the girl's conversation elsewhere. "Oh, Ling Ze, I told you I'd buy you a suit but you refused, what's this about being a poor young man? Look at those rich kids with no substance, none of them are as ambitious and capable as you. They're all superficial."

The boy quickly raised his hands in surrender, not wanting to hear the girl complain further, half indulgently, half doting, he said, "Alright, alright! Fine, I'll take that watch you mentioned last time. I really can't argue with you."

Such gentle, soft-spoken words, no girl could resist. The beloved in his arms felt the same, nodding with a sly smile, "Then it's a deal, you can't take it back after accepting it!"

The boy helplessly nodded in agreement, "I won't take it back, alright, little princess?"

"You're the little princess!"

The girl retorted coquettishly, thinking in her heart, "I was afraid he wouldn't accept it before. The watch I bought cost only a little over two thousand, yet Ah Ling refused it. Throughout our acquaintance, anything I gave him, he accepted only when I insisted. Sigh, he's good in every way, just too principled, nothing like the usual wastrels."

The girl was half sorrowful yet proud: This, this is the kind of person worth my affection! Now that he finally agreed to accept the watch, I must buy a better one... If only my older brother would give me more allowance, a Patek Philippe would be perfect...

As she thought this, she watched her beloved, who was diligently holding her bag and umbrella, fill her heart with sweetness.

He Qing ran back to the dormitory drenched and in disarray, only to find Yu Dandan alone in the room, having just washed her hair. Seeing her, Yu Dandan frowned and quickly threw a large towel over her head, admonishing, "Didn't you bring an umbrella? Oh, you silly girl. Could you not have found somewhere to sit along the road when it started raining? To come back soaking wet... Come on, I've boiled some hot water, go take a shower and get into bed to warm up."

He Qing looked pale.

In reality, even in the peak of summer, the temperature would never drop below twenty degrees during a heavy rain, but somehow, she shivered violently. The image of blood spreading in the rain came unbidden to her mind, making her stiffen and rush into the bathroom instantly.

The gentle breeze outside felt particularly comforting as Yu Dandan lay on the windowsill blowing her hair dry. As the rain gradually lessened, He Qing emerged from the bathroom in her pajamas, distractedly drying her hair, and hesitantly asked, "Is Zhang Lingyan from the English department dating Ling Ze from the Finance department?"

The mention of this got Yu Dandan all riled up, "Yes! I mean, look at her, the beauty queen of the English department and a rich girl to boot. How many rich heirs couldn't get her? Yet she chose to take our ordinary-looking but charming guy... Awww! Doesn't she leave any opportunity for us ordinary girls?!!!"

She was deeply resentful. It was said that Zhang Lingyan's family ran a big business, and they had some influential relatives too. Her monthly allowance alone was enough to cover the entire year's living and schooling expenses for these poorer students... And yet, with such good prospects, instead of dating someone from her social circle, she ended up with Ling Ze, a humble, hardworking guy from a rural background... Couldn't she give a chance to ordinary girls like her?

Her hair now half-dry, she climbed up to her upper bunk, sighing, "But, Ling Ze's personal ability is undeniable. Being with Zhang Lingyan, he could save himself forty years of struggle... Sigh, why couldn't my dad have been wealthy!"