Chapter 158
Chapter 158
“Remember to get along.”
At some point, Director Qiao Shihui had appeared behind Qiao Yu. Her voice remained gentle, but the smile never reached her eyes.
Qiao Yu shrugged and ran before she could grab him.
The moment he spotted Shang Yan, his eyes widened. He stared maliciously at the undersized boy whose growth had lagged behind. “Well, who do we have here? Are you even four-foot-three yet? I was already four-foot-eleven at this age.”
It was true that Qiao Yu had been adorable as a child, but the moment he opened his mouth, he made every mother want to reach for a stick.
Shang Yan narrowed his beautiful eyes, tilted his head back, and held out his arms. “Carry me.”
Qiao Yu was speechless. “Get lost. I’m a child right now too.”
Shang Yan pointed to himself. “I’m more of a child than you are.”
Qiao Yu covered his face.
-An overwhelming victory. The big shot won this round completely.
-Painted Skin: What a devious, shameless man!
-Bloody Mary: Hahahaha.
-Sadako: Oh! I see an international friend! She didn’t hide her ID.
-Li Xiaoqin: So foreign ghosts laugh with “hahaha” too. I thought they’d go “happy, happy” when they laughed.
-Bloody Mary: …How do I hide my ID?
-Sadako: Mary upstairs, first tell me how you’re communicating without any trouble.
-Bloody Mary: There’s a translator in the bottom-right corner.
-Sadako: Thanks. Open your profile. There’s a privacy setting.
-Thanks from me too. Found it.
Director Qiao Shihui clapped her hands with a smile and announced, “Now that you’ve come here, we’re all one family. And members of a family should share the same surname, shouldn’t they?”
Han Yoon-sik rolled his eyes. He had expected an Instance in Huaxia to be difficult, but this was nothing more than playing house. He scoffed. “No! What kind of stupid surname is that? I’m not changing mine!”
Lucia glanced at him and cursed under her breath, “Fucking idiot.”
Clearly, she had studied Chinese. She had even mastered its national curse.
Even Azim’s mouth twitched as he quietly moved farther away.
Had this guy never heard of Huaxian ghosts?
Did he not know they could ignore physical attacks?!
“Refusing to change your surname will cost you points.”
Han Yoon-sik immediately closed his mouth when he heard Director Qiao Shihui’s words.
The Instance might not seem very frightening, but no one wanted to be punished for no reason. They would change their surnames. It was only inside the Instance, after all, not a real change.
Once they accepted that they would all bear the surname Qiao, the resident children crowded around and noisily introduced themselves. The more attractive streamers were especially popular.
Just then, Qiao Xiaowen stepped forward and poked Luo Yunmeng’s arm. “Hello, I’m Qiao Xiaowen. Can we be friends?”
Luo Yunmeng looked at her.
The little girl wore an orange dress and had her hair in two braids. She hugged a doll dressed in a kimono to her chest, and her smile was very sweet.
Perhaps her pretty appearance naturally inspired affection. Luo Yunmeng nodded. “Of course. My name is Luo… Doctor Qiao.”
She had changed her answer on instinct and somehow created a perfect name. The thought of everyone calling her “Doctor” whenever they saw her made Luo Yunmeng want to bare her brilliant white teeth in delight.
Qiao Xiaowen made a sound of acknowledgment. “Hello, Doctor.”
Ahhh! That sounded wonderful too…
The name truly combined beauty and brilliance. It was a name chosen by destiny!
Qiao Xiaowen stared at the foolishly grinning “little dark-skinned girl” before her and nearly lost control of her expression. It took a long moment before she carefully said, “By the way, Doctor, why do you play with Qiao Yu?”
Being called “Doctor” struck Luo Yunmeng straight in the heart again. Still dazed, she responded, “Huh?”
Qiao Xiaowen continued, “Doctor, let me tell you… Qiao Yu is extremely antisocial. This is the first time I’ve ever seen him speak to strangers. You should be careful. He’s acting very strangely.”
Luo Yunmeng had not heard a word she said. Still floating in a daze, she nodded. “That’s right, I’m a doctor. Make sure you introduce me that way from now on.”
Qiao Xiaowen was speechless.
*What a fucking lunatic!*
Qiao Xiaowen drew a deep breath and suddenly looked toward Qiao Yu. Her lips moved, but not a single sound emerged.
Qiao Yu lowered his eyes to the kimono doll in her arms, whose back was turned toward him. His lashes trembled faintly.
When Qiao Xiaowen finished speaking, she turned and ran toward another group. She chatted with the streamers while pointing in Qiao Yu’s direction, apparently telling them just how strange… and bad he was.
Just like before.
The doll in Qiao Xiaowen’s arms remained locked tightly in her embrace without shifting in the slightest.
Shang Yan narrowed his eyes at her. He had seen what she mouthed just now…
“Qiao Yu, welcome home.”
He hated the look in that child’s eyes. She was like a rat in a gutter staring at a flower blooming in the sunlight, her jealousy so intense it was suffocating.
Elsewhere, groups of children surrounded the streamers, tugging at them and issuing enthusiastic invitations.
“Come jump rope with us!”
“Want to play on the trampoline?”
Some streamers agreed, while others refused.
Then a system notification made the ones who had refused change their minds.
[System Message: Congratulations! Streamer Lucia earned 1 point. Current score: 61.]
[System Message: Congratulations! Streamer Azim earned 1 point. Current score: 61.]
With the system awarding points, everyone abandoned their aloofness and became warm toward the orphanage children.
Of course, although Qiao Xiaowen was jealous of attractive streamers, the rest of the children yearned to approach Shang Yan because of his exceptional looks. Qiao Beibei-the little boy who had helped Qiao Xiaowen throw a caterpillar onto Qiao Yu’s bed-came over.
He glared at Qiao Yu first, then forced a smile at Shang Yan and invited him, “Want to play dodgeball with us?”
Shang Yan blinked. “No. Get lost!”
Qiao Beibei froze. After a long moment, he pouted and snorted. “Sure enough, anyone who plays with Qiao Yu is sick in the head! What a waste of such a pretty face. With that rotten attitude, why would any kind person ever adopt you?”
Shang Yan yawned. “Oh. Whatever.”
Qiao Beibei stamped his foot, rolled his eyes, and ran away.
Games soon began all over the courtyard. The streamers’ smiles grew noticeably more sincere, as though they had rediscovered their childhood while playing.
Perhaps the children’s normal complexions and warm palms had lowered their guard, causing them to unconsciously treat the residents like ordinary children.
When the little boy playing with Azim nearly fell, Azim instinctively caught him.
The boy smiled at him. A system notification immediately followed, informing Azim that he had earned 3 points and now had a score of 64!
Azim’s gaze became fervent as he stared at the child.
Could… the number of points awarded depend on the orphanage’s resident children?
More strangely, after the first notifications, any points everyone earned were announced only to the recipient.
The initial public awards had felt like… bait.
Of course, everyone except Qiao Yu’s group of four had earned at least 1 point.
Most people had not worked out the exact scoring rules, but they could at least tell that points were connected to the children.
Naturally, the streamers unanimously isolated anyone the orphanage children isolated.
Which meant Shang Yan, Luo Yunmeng, and Kong Xianya were all excluded along with Qiao Yu.
“Come on. I’ll show you where we’re staying.”
After saying that, Qiao Yu turned and led the way.
Only then did Luo Yunmeng and Kong Xianya notice something strange.
Qiao Yu seemed… far too familiar with this place.