“Urban legends? Since when did you start obsessing over such weird stuff?” Yi Xiao asked.

“Boredom, obviously. So—wanna hear it or not?” Luo Ling feigned impatience, nudging Yi Xiao to let him launch into his performance and actually listen to his nonsense.

“Go ahead.”

Though the sudden urban legend topic seemed random, Yi Xiao figured Luo Ling had a reason. He played along—unaware he’d just stepped right into the trap.

“Aren’t there that half-finished building over in Hexi?”

“What about it?”

“Rumor says: at dusk, stand on the second floor of the derelict building with your back to the sun, toss a coin into the darkness… and a demon will answer your call, granting your deepest wish…”

Yi Xiao could almost feel black lines of exasperation popping on his forehead. *This cringey, made-up classical Chinese—he totally improvised it, didn’t he…?*

“I get what you said, but can you just… speak normally?”

*Hey! These are treasures passed down from our ancestors! How dare you call it ‘not human language’?!* If Luo Ling weren’t rushing his plan, he’d have lectured Yi Xiao on the spot.

Truth was, he was just annoyed Yi Xiao dissed his hastily crafted classical bit.

“Fine, fine. Simple version: go to the second floor of that unfinished building at dusk, back to the sun, toss a coin into the shadows—you might meet a demon who grants wishes.” Luo Ling suppressed his irritation and rephrased it calmly.

“This screams ‘trap to make people look like fools.’ You’re a science student—how can you believe something with zero scientific basis?” Yi Xiao shot back without thinking. Little did he know, he was about to become that very “fool.”

“I never said I believed it. Listen: I’m not asking you to believe in wish-granting demons. I’m challenging you to *do* it.” Luo Ling shifted smoothly into persuasion mode.

“A challenge?”

“Yep. I dare you to go there today and follow the ritual. Will you?”

“Why would I?”

“Your reaction says it all—you won’t. Why? Pride. You’re too scared to do something that looks foolish, right?”

“Duh. Who’d do something that dumb?”

“So… you just lack the thick skin—or courage—to do it?”

“Mm… I guess you could say that.”

A triumphant smirk flickered across Luo Ling’s face. He quickly hid it with a deliberate sip of milk tea.

“Same reason you won’t confess. It’s not fear of failure—it’s lacking the courage to *act*. That’s the truth you need to face.”

Yi Xiao fell silent, hands clasped tightly under the table. After a long pause: “You’re right. Fear of rejection… hunting for a ‘guaranteed’ method… it’s all just excuses to run. So you want me to do this ritual to build courage?”

“Mm-hmm,” Luo Ling nodded. “Glad you get it. Sometimes people need a ritual for a mental breakthrough. Do this, and I bet you’ll find the guts to confess to Xiao Yue. You called it a ‘fool’s act’—if you can do *that*, confessing’s easier, right? And hey—aren’t lovers supposed to be fools? Why not be that fool?”

Yi Xiao was quiet again, then lifted his head, eyes steady. “Okay. I’ll do it. Head over at dusk.”

“That’s the spirit! Go all out for the girl you love—that’s manhood!” Luo Ling clapped his shoulder. “I’m counting on you. Don’t back out last minute.”

“If I can’t even do this… I’d have no face to confess anyway.” Yi Xiao offered a sheepish grin. “Oh—will you come with me?”

Luo Ling facepalmed. “Seriously? If I tag along, what’s the point of the trial? You *must* face it alone. You want me holding your hand on confession day too?”

“Sorry… I get it.” Yi Xiao scratched his head, flustered.

They dropped the topic, chatting instead about holiday life—mostly games. After years of high school restraint, freedom demanded a little indulgence.

They talked until past five.

“Time’s up. You head out; I’ll go home for dinner,” Luo Ling said, standing.

“Mm. I’ll do my best.”

“Then I’ll wait for your good news.”

They parted outside the milk tea shop—Luo Ling lived in Hedong; Yi Xiao was heading to Hexi. Not the same way.

Back in the empty alley, Luo Ling confirmed no one was watching, then drew the dispersed magic power back to his core. The nearly 1.7-meter youth shimmered—and shrank. Ling Luo stood there: a petite girl barely 1.4 meters tall. Gone was the casual outfit; now she wore her true form’s signature attire—a tube top, micro skirt, over-the-knee socks, and long gloves.

Wings and tail unfurled. Her hair swayed in beloved twin tails. The headset still hung around her neck—it wasn’t clothing, so transformation couldn’t stow it.

As precaution, the moment she reverted, Ling Luo cast invisibility over herself. No one would see this form.

“Phew… It’s been ages since I chatted with someone this enjoyably…”

Leaning against the wall, she exhaled deeply, joy glowing unmistakably on her face.

Since Gaokao ended, she’d barely left home. Face-to-face chats like today? Rare. She had few friends, spoke little—but deep down, she craved afternoons like this: talking for hours, laughing freely. Truly enjoying solitude? That’s the rare exception.

Joy aside, duty called. She stretched her stiff wings, patted her cheeks, and steadied her expression.

“Ready. I wonder what face Yi Xiao will make when he sees me like this… So exciting…”

A mischievous, little-devil smile curled on Ling Luo’s lips.