"Oh, by the way, I never asked—what's the name of that guy you have a crush on?"

"Huh? Why ask that all of a sudden? I-I'm not ready for this."

Seriously? It's just a simple question. Does it have to be this awkward?

Mengze, the ghost, actually blushed. Her rosy cheeks stood out starkly against her pale skin—a rare sight indeed.

"P-Prince."

"What? His name is Prince? If he's a prince, I must be a king!"

"It's his nickname. His full name is Wang Zichang. He's kind, a top student, and seriously handsome."

Watching Mengze gush like that, I felt a weird irritation. Not because I liked her—it was pure, instinctive jealousy. That male competitive streak. No guy wants to hear a girl praise another man right in front of him. (Except gay guys, of course.)

Still, she was my contracted ghost. Good deeds are hard these days. I had to finish this mission, tears and all.

Wang Zichang? What an interesting name. How about this...

*Knock knock knock*... "Aunt Mengmeng, you in there? I need to talk."

"Yuchen? What's up? Relationship trouble? I'm a heart-to-heart guru! Back in high school, they called me the 'Love Missionary'!"

What? I haven't even spoken yet. Aunt Mengmeng, are you glitching again? 'Love Missionary'? You don't even have a boyfriend.

"Listen, I need to handle something tomorrow. Can you cover half a day's absence for me?"

Aunt Mengmeng crossed her arms, looking stern but flustered.

"Yuchen, skipping class isn't right. Just because I'm your aunt doesn't mean—"

"Dinner at Pizza Hut tonight!"

"Deal. I've got this."

Damn, Aunt Mengmeng, is your integrity that cheap? But I like it.

Next day, lunch break. I sneaked into Haide Academy alone.

So hot! Wasn't there a cool, shady cave around here? Why do guys love sweating it out on basketball courts under the blazing sun? As a shut-in, I'll never get it.

Under a giant banyan tree, I grabbed an empty seat. I pulled out my pocket English vocabulary book, pretending to read while spying. Sure enough, among the sweaty, dark-skinned jocks, the only fresh-faced guy stood out. His ridiculously flashy shooting style had girls screaming.

Such an annoying show-off. If I played, I'd sink infinite three-pointers. But to avoid ruining the game—and getting dragged to a lab—I quit sports long ago. (Listen up! If I wanted, I'd dominate the NBA in minutes.)

"Prince, pass here!"

"Coming!"

Wang Zichang faked a jump, then spun smoothly into a layup for the win.

"Nice shot!"

"Eh, just a simple fake."

His teammates crowded him, praising that game-winning shot. He matched Mengze's description: athletic, popular.

"Time for class?"

"I haven't eaten lunch yet. You guys go ahead."

"When has Prince ever worried about lunch? Your desk will be stuffed with bread and milk when you get back."

*Gurgle*... Crap, I forgot lunch too. But this was my chance.

I dropped my vocabulary book, walked over, and clapped his shoulder like an old friend.

"Hey, Wang Zichang! Skipping lunch too? Perfect—let's grab a bite together."

"W-wait, I—"

"Come on! It's been ages. My treat—no arguing."

I grabbed his hand and dragged him straight to the cafeteria. Before anyone reacted, we were already inside the dining hall.

"Do I know you?"

"Of course not."

"So... you need a favor?"

Sharp guy. He saw right through me. For a human, he was above average IQ. (Probably from hanging around Shen Yufeng all the time.) Mengze crushing on him made some sense.

"Who I am doesn't matter. I need your help. Do you know a girl named Mengze?"

"Mengze? We're classmates. She's shy but kind. Heard she went missing recently—haven't seen her in weeks. What's this about?"

The school thinks she's just missing? No surprise. A gambling, money-grubbing dad; a grandma who passed away. No one cared enough to dig deeper. But that worked for us...

"How do you see her?"

"See her? She's a good girl. Doesn't fit in with the popular crowd, always buried in books. But she waters the classroom plants first thing every day. I don't dislike her."

I frowned slightly. Tricky. He said "I don't dislike her"—carefully neutral, like a stranger passing by.

"Actually, Mengze is moving abroad. It's sudden. She won't return to Haide Academy."

"Oh? That's... too bad. But abroad's great for opportunities!"

His tone held zero regret—just surprise, envy, and a trace of jealousy. No urge to hold her back. A confession would fail.

"Can't she say goodbye? Or tell me her flight day? I'll gather the class to see her off."

Mengze wasn't popular. They'd only come for Prince. Besides, ghosts are invisible. How would they send her off? Shout "Mengze, found you!"?

"Not necessary. But before she leaves, she wants to see you. Please don't refuse."

"See me? Why?"

"She wants to confess her feelings. I'm begging you—even if it's a lie, don't reject her. It's her last wish here."

Wang Zichang didn't reply. He just counted rice grains in his tray.

I knew his thoughts. Accepting a confession from someone you don't like is hard—even as an act. For a guy like him, rumors could ruin his rep. And we'd just met. Why trust a stranger?

"One more question. What are you to Mengze?"

"A friend. Like an older brother." (If you count past lives, I could be her great-great-great-grandpa.)

"But you're our age."

"Mentally, I'm way older. She can't take care of herself."

"Fine. But give me your contact. I believe you—but I don't fully trust you."

"Here's my number. I'll leave you to eat. Keep this secret, please."

"Obviously. Spreading it helps no one."

I handed him my number and left. Time to set the stage... Ugh, no school uniform meant climbing the wall again.

"Who's there!"

A figure in Haide's uniform darted past. Too fast to see his face. Almost class time—I didn't chase.

Tch. Some brat dared to tail me? Catch him, and I'd make him regret it.

Mengze's confession couldn't leak. One slip, and everything failed.

*Woof woof! Woof!*

Crap! That pesky dog's still guarding the gate! Good dragon doesn't fight stray dogs—I'm out!

Damn. Next time, I'm bringing a sausage.

Doggy, please! Let me go! Stop chasing!