Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Just as I pulled Ling Ling toward me, the Class Monitor snapped out of it and quickly grabbed her arm.

“Qiao Moyu, what are you doing?”

“I know I’m a top student, handsome, six feet tall, smart, upright, kind, and filial, but you can’t fall for me.”

“I already have someone I like in my heart.”

Blushing, the Class Monitor glanced at Ling Ling. He mustered his courage, reached out, and pulled her behind him to protect her.

“There’s no possibility for us. You should give up.”

The Female Ghost was pressed against Ling Ling’s back, blood dripping from the corner of her mouth. Her pitch-black pupils were gradually turning red, as if a red mist were spreading through them.

“Crap, get out of the way!”

This Ghost Fiend was transforming way too fast.

I reached out to push the Class Monitor aside, but he didn’t budge. He let out a soft chuckle and brushed back his bangs.

“Qiao Moyu, I forgot to tell you-not only am I a good student, but I’m also in the school’s Taekwondo club. This little bit of strength you have is-ah!”

I launched a kick right into the Class Monitor’s chest. He let out a pathetic scream and fell backward, his body getting wedged perfectly between the driver’s seat and the steering wheel.

At that exact moment, Ling Ling had just leaned down to bite the Class Monitor, but the kick made her miss. She turned to glare at me, a flash of fear crossing her eyes, before immediately turning back to pounce on the Class Monitor again.

The Class Monitor opened his arms to welcome Ling Ling, a blissful smile on his face.

“Ling Ling, I knew you also-”

Just as the two were about to embrace, in a moment of desperation, I kicked off one of my flip-flops and hurled it at Ling Ling’s face.

With a loud *thwack*, Ling Ling’s head snapped to the side, a red mark appearing on her face. The Class Monitor was furious.

“Qiao Moyu, you’re crazy! Even if I rejected you, you can’t go around hitting people!”

He struggled to stand up from the chair. Ling Ling froze for a second before lunging at him again. I had already leaped forward, grabbing Ling Ling by her clothes, and the two of us went rolling onto the floor.

The Class Monitor panicked.

“Stop fighting! You two, stop fighting!”

We were making so much noise that the others heard and started heading our way.

Jiang Haoyan pushed open the cockpit door, eyes bleary with sleep, and was instantly stunned.

“What are you guys doing?”

“Jiang Haoyan, these two are fighting over me! Quick, pull them apart!”

The Class Monitor, his backside still stuck between the seat and the steering wheel, waved his hands frantically.

“What kind of behavior is this for two girls to be fighting? Ah! Qiao Moyu, how can you choke her?”

Jiang Haoyan stood there dazed, clearly not understanding the Class Monitor’s words. After a moment, he sucked in a cold breath and stammered, “Fighting over you? Qiao Moyu, you…”

Jiang Haoyan turned to look at me, the grievance in his voice palpable.

“You like the Class Monitor?”

I pried Ling Ling’s jaw open and stuffed one of the Five Emperors Coins inside. Simultaneously, I formed the Ghost-Subduing Fan Seal: my left hand was open and facing upward, while the index, middle, and ring fingers of my right hand were curled, with the thumb and pinky extended, placed at the base of my left palm.

I pressed the Hand Seal against Ling Ling’s forehead. Her entire body shuddered violently before she quickly went still.

I whispered a quick mantra, and the white spectral form soon dissipated into the air.

I breathed a sigh of relief. This Female Ghost was low-level and easy to handle. If the Class Monitor hadn’t been getting in the way, I would have finished it off long ago.

I clapped my hands, stood up, and hauled the Class Monitor out from under the steering wheel.

“Alright, Class Monitor. Carry Ling Ling back to her room so she can sleep it off. I’ll just need to perform a Soul-Calming Incantation for her tomorrow.”

The Class Monitor picked up Ling Ling, looked at me, then at Jiang Haoyan, and sighed.

“Sigh, matters of the heart can’t be forced. You two should have a good talk.”

He stepped away from the cockpit door but lingered for a few more seconds.

“Qiao Moyu, even though I am as outstanding as a firefly in the dark and you couldn’t help but be attracted to me… sometimes you need to open your eyes and look around. Your destiny might be right beside you.”

“As for me, I am destined to be the man you can never have.”

The Class Monitor strode away. Jiang Haoyan and I remained in the cockpit, staring at each other.

Jiang Haoyan asked, “Soul-Calming Incantation… you-were you exorcising something?”

I nodded and waved it off.

“Yeah, just a minor ghost. No big deal.”

“Alright, it’s late. Go back to sleep.”

I took a few steps before suddenly realizing something was off.

My attention had been so focused on the exorcism that I hadn’t noticed. Now that everything was quiet, I saw the gauges behind the steering wheel jumping and felt the vibration of the motor. The Class Monitor must have accidentally started the yacht when he got stuck earlier.

“Jiang Haoyan, do you know how to turn this thing off?”

Jiang Haoyan shook his head.

“Only Ling Ling knows. But we’re not going very fast, so it shouldn’t be a problem for a little while.”

Dawn broke soon after. I woke Ling Ling up and told her to go shut down the engine.

Ling Ling sat blankly in front of the steering wheel. Her face turned ashen as she tremblingly pointed out the front windshield.

“Up ahead… that’s Laoye Temple.”