This Christmas, a temporary amusement area called Fairy Tale Town had been erected on the vacant lot behind a certain kindergarten. Naturally, it had not been built for love and peace. Its purpose was to squeeze money out of other people and, while they were at it, advertise the kindergarten to prospective parents.
A reporter in a neat suit stood beneath the Fairy Tale Town sign. His name was Xia Qi. He wore glasses that suited his refined face. This was his first assignment shooting on location, and he was a little nervous and stiff before the camera.
(Incidentally, they had found this completely unknown reporter specifically to promote Fairy Tale Town.)
Xia Qi looked over his shoulder, frowning as he searched behind him. The cameraman tilted his head. “Hey, Xia Qi, what’s wrong?”
“N-nothing. I thought I heard someone say something nasty about me just now. Must’ve imagined it.”
“Hello, everyone. I imagine most young people know that today is Christmas. Behind me is Fairy Tale Town, which was reportedly built especially for the holiday. Quite a few visitors have already gathered inside. Let’s go take a look together.” Smiling, Xia Qi gestured toward the sign as he addressed the camera.
(He looked like an absolute idiot.)
A vein abruptly stood out on Xia Qi’s forehead. He whipped his head from side to side. “Who’s calling me an idiot?!”
The cameraman hurriedly stopped filming. “What’s wrong with you now?”
“Didn’t you hear it? Somebody just called me an idiot!”
“I didn’t hear a thing. It’s noisy here. You must’ve misheard. Get back to work.”
Had it really been his imagination? Or had he misheard?
Xia Qi adjusted the glasses on the bridge of his nose and flashed the cameraman an OK sign.
“As you can see, this area offers all sorts of snacks. Now I’ll choose a visitor at random and ask what he thinks of Fairy Tale Town.” Xia Qi approached someone from behind. “Hello.” The visitor ignored him. Xia Qi smiled awkwardly for the camera, then tapped the person’s shoulder. “Hello. May I interview you?”
The visitor turned with his mouth crammed full of food. At first he looked puzzled, but when he saw the camera, his eyes flew wide. He covered his mouth and mumbled, “Wait.” Turning away again, he struggled to chew and swallow everything stuffed in his cheeks.
“It seems our visitor is a little occupied, so let’s try interviewing someone else…” Xia Qi had not finished speaking when the visitor charged at the cameraman, grabbed the camera, and pressed his entire face against the lens. “Interview me! Interview me! Interview me!”
“Let go of that!”
“Is the whole world watching me right now?”
“Our ratings aren’t that high. Besides, you don’t want everyone turning on the television only to see a face plastered against their screen, do you? Let go, and I’ll interview you.” Xia Qi’s persuasion finally worked. The visitor stepped back beside him, thrust his hands into his pockets, struck a supposedly dashing pose, and fixed the lens with a piercing stare. Xia Qi decided to ignore all of that and began. “May I ask…”
“Hello, everybody! My name is Su Xiao Mi. I have many talents, including singing and ballet. Of all my many abilities, acting is my greatest strength. Allow me to perform a scene for you.”
“No one asked you that! And this isn’t a variety-show talent competition!” Xia Qi could barely restrain himself from throwing the microphone at him.
Su Xiao Mi looked dissatisfied. “Then what are you going to ask?”
“Fairy Tale Town’s theme this year is magic. Do you believe in magic?” Su Xiao Mi nodded solemnly at Xia Qi’s question. “Of course I do. Because, ladies and gentlemen, please direct your attention to me. I am magic. My acting is magic. Now allow me to perform a scene for you.”
“Stop dragging the conversation back to your performance!”
Su Xiao Mi patted Xia Qi’s shoulder. “Fourteen, why are you getting so worked up? Didn’t have any mayonnaise today?”
“What you’re doing isn’t acting. It’s incredibly amateurish cosplay!” Xia Qi’s words struck Su Xiao Mi like a bolt of lightning. Shaking his head, he protested, “Impossible! What about this one? Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!” His hands darted back and forth through the air.
“Amateurish cosplay.”
“Gum-Gum Fruit…”
“Amateurish cosplay.”
Su Xiao Mi pointed at Xia Qi, agitated beyond belief. “Are you trying to invalidate my entire life? Are you denying the talent I’ve worked so hard to develop?!”
“I’m only telling the truth.”
“You’ve got some nerve! Wait until I find Yan and make him deal with you!” Running off, Su Xiao Mi kept twisting around to shout threats. “Stay right there! Don’t run! Wait for me! You’d better wait! Don’t move!” He disappeared into the distance, still repeating himself.
Xia Qi let out a breath, waved at the cameraman, and walked on. After choosing a new background, he put on his professional smile. “Hello, viewers. Apart from the food stalls, Fairy Tale Town offers many other attractions worth visiting.”
The cameraman suddenly signaled with his eyes. Xia Qi turned and saw a young man frowning and eyeing his surroundings suspiciously. He hurried to explain to the camera. “Although the visitor behind me appears deeply troubled, I assure you Fairy Tale Town has nothing to do with it. Let’s ask him what’s wrong.”
Quietly, Xia Qi told the cameraman, “If it turns out to be related to Fairy Tale Town, cut that footage.”
“Hello. Would you mind answering a few questions?”
The visitor studied Xia Qi doubtfully, then gave a derisive snort. “Interview me? Hah! An Zi Yan sent you, didn’t he? He’s trying to get revenge for the trick I played on him last time. Don’t treat me like an idiot!” Xia Qi ignored the accusation, turned to the camera, and announced, “See that, dear viewers? This visitor is not mentally sound. It has nothing to do with Fairy Tale Town. Let’s look elsewhere.”
“Who are you calling mentally unsound? Explain yourself! What proof do I have that you’re really a reporter? No, wait, maybe this entire Fairy Tale Town is fake. But if it is, where did he find so many people? No, that’s not right. Maybe he really could find them…” The visitor rested his chin in his hand and sank into a complicated argument with himself.
“Viewers, let me emphasize once again: this visitor’s mental state is questionable, and it has nothing to do with Fairy Tale Town.”
“My mind is perfectly sound! You’re trying to slander me! I knew there was something shady going on!”
“May I have your name?”
“Mai Ding.”
“Very well.” Xia Qi turned aside and whispered to the cameraman, “Contact the medical station. We’ve got a patient here named Mai Ding. Make sure they get the name right.”
“I’m not deaf! I can hear you talking!”
“Tell the medical station his ears appear to be the only part of him functioning normally.”
“Everything else functions normally, too!” Mai Ding spat through clenched teeth. He inhaled deeply, calmed himself, and lowered his voice. “You’re not wearing a listening device, are you? How much is An Zi Yan paying you? I’ll pay you twice that. What do you say? Stop making signals at the cameraman! I’m mentally sound!”
“We only wanted to interview you.”
“You really are reporters?” Mai Ding still looked doubtful. Xia Qi nodded.
“Then what did you want to ask?”
“Nothing anymore. Perhaps we should interview someone else.”
“Why interview somebody else instead of me? Did An Zi Yan send you to make me feel inferior?”
“When I interview you, you say An Zi Yan sent me. When I don’t interview you, you still say An Zi Yan sent me. What exactly do you want me to do?” Xia Qi asked helplessly.
“Hah! You’ve given yourself away! How did you know his name was An Zi Yan?”
“Because you’ve been saying it nonstop!”
“What question were you going to ask?” To avoid going around in circles forever, Xia Qi decided to ask and leave as quickly as possible. He pointed the microphone at Mai Ding. “This year’s Fairy Tale Town theme is magic. Do you believe in magic?”
“If I say yes, you’ll all laugh behind my back and call me stupid, won’t you? Then I choose not to believe!” Mai Ding wore the smug expression of a man who had seen through everything.
“Thank you. That concludes the interview.” Once he and the cameraman had moved a little farther away, Xia Qi gave his closing remark. “Those words came from a patient who has not yet received treatment. Viewers need not take them seriously.” With that, he hurried away.
This time they arrived at a quiet spot. As usual, Xia Qi began his introduction. “This is the perfect place for visitors who need a rest. If you’ve been walking for a while, you can sit down here. Look, they even sell cakes. Every one of them looks delicious. Excuse me, did you make these yourself?”
“Mm.” The delicate-looking owner raised a hand to block the camera. “Please don’t film me.”
“Why not?”
“I’m not very good at this sort of thing, and I’m… not very good at talking to strangers.”
“So you’re shy. We only want a short interview. How about we buy some of your cakes in return?”
At the prospect of a sale, the owner hesitated, apparently changing his mind. “Only a little while, then.”
“Of course. You’re the only person selling food here. Why did you choose this particular spot?”
“Because I couldn’t get a vendor’s permit.”
“Isn’t that illegal trading? So you’re hiding here because you’re afraid security will catch you!” Xia Qi couldn’t help protesting. The owner took offense. “Illegal? Do you have evidence? Besides, Chen… someone has already gone to get the permit for me.” Xia Qi decided to take his word for now and glanced at the name displayed beside the cakes. Mo Ka, was it? If anything happened, he’d at least know whom to report to the police.
“Your cakes look lovely. You must sell quite a few.”
“A lot. Here, have a taste.” Mo Ka’s expression was oddly evasive as he offered him a slice. Xia Qi sniffed its pleasant aroma and opened his mouth.
(Eat that, you moron, and you’ll die.)
There it was again! That voice! Who on earth was it? Just let him find the culprit.
Xia Qi looked at the cake and passed it to the cameraman. “I’m full right now. You have it.”
The cameraman accepted it and shoved the whole thing into his mouth. A single second later, his face turned deathly pale. He glared at Mo Ka. “What have I ever done to you? Why the hell did you put shit in this?”
Mo Ka planted both hands on the counter. “Aren’t you the ones with a grudge against me? Why does everyone have to talk about the food I make like that?”
Xia Qi tried to smooth things over. “Do you ever eat your own cooking?”
“What kind of question is that? I always let my friends taste-test it.”
“Then your friends probably don’t have long to live.”
“Thanks for your concern. They’re all still alive and well! I don’t want to be interviewed anymore. Go away!”
“But we haven’t even started the interview. Please cooperate. Do you believe in magic?”
“I put my heart into everything I make. It’s all made with magic.”
“Sorry, perhaps you misunderstood. I said magic, not gu poison.”
Mo Ka glared at him. “You ass-selling reporter, get lost!” The man who’d seemed so shy a moment ago had turned into a complete thug. Evidently, having trouble talking to strangers didn’t necessarily mean you were timid.
Driven away, Xia Qi and the cameraman went looking for somewhere else to film. Suddenly, Xia Qi signaled for the camera and whispered to the lens, “Viewers, please look closely at the bench behind me to the left. Fairy Tale Town doesn’t just have amusement rides. It also has a bear. Apparently somebody has tamed it, and now it’s sitting there playing video games.”
The bear looked up at Xia Qi. “I’m a person.”
“The bear claims to be human.”
“Do you realize how rude that sounds?”
Afraid of startling the bear, Xia Qi approached on tiptoe. “Bears should be hibernating this time of year. So why is this one here? Let’s find out.”
A handheld game console flew at him. “I’m a fucking human being! I’ve got a name, too! It’s Ke Bu, not Bear!”
“So you’re human after all.”
“You look disappointed.”
“Then why are you dressed like a bear?”
“Because I’m cold and I’ve got a lot of layers on.” Ke Bu practically forced the words through his teeth.
“Would you mind answering a few questions?” Xia Qi asked. Ke Bu glanced at them and sank against the back of his seat. “Make it quick. I don’t want to waste too much energy in winter.”
“So it is because you’re supposed to be hibernating.”
“Did you come here to interview me or pick a fight?”
“To interview you, of course.” Xia Qi summoned his professional smile once more. “Then I have some questions. Do you believe in magic?”
Ke Bu snorted at the childish question. “No. I only believe what I can see with my own eyes.”
“So you’re a realist.”
“I live in reality. What else could I be?”
Xia Qi nodded and continued. “What do you usually like to eat?”
“Anything.”
“What are you most afraid of?”
“Summer.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s hot. My life could be in danger.”
“I see. Then…” Xia Qi tried to continue, but Ke Bu interrupted. “What exactly are you interviewing me about? Aren’t we just making idle conversation now? I’ve got nothing left to say to you.” Xia Qi nodded and instructed the cameraman, “Make a note: realist, not fussy about food, enemies appear in summer, bad temper. All classic bear traits.”
“You really are here to pick a fight!”
Having left the animal area, Xia Qi and the cameraman discussed their interviews. Everyone they’d spoken to so far was doing Fairy Tale Town’s image more harm than good. Adjusting his glasses, Xia Qi said, “Let’s find a refined lady this time.”
“Who called me?”
Xia Qi heard the voice but didn’t turn around. Any woman who volunteered to identify herself as a refined lady was almost certainly no such thing. Better not engage. He pretended not to hear. “Let’s go over there and see if we can find a lady.”
“I’m right here.”
“Let’s try a little farther away.” Xia Qi had barely lifted his foot when someone seized his shoulder. “Do I need to check your eyes and ears for you? The refined lady you’re looking for is right behind you.” Caught! Xia Qi realized he couldn’t escape and turned to the self-proclaimed lady.
“Then… we’ll interview you.”
“Is that such a hardship?”
“Not at all. Shall we begin?”
“Don’t think you can get rid of me with a sentence or two.”
“Very well.” His plan exposed, Xia Qi resorted to ordinary questions to get her out of the way. “Your surname?”
“Shan Ju.”
“Your age?”
“Sixteen.”
“But you look…”
“Sixteen.”
“All right.”
“Do you have any particular hobbies?”
“Embroidery, admiring scenery, and cultivating my inner refinement,” Shan Ju said shyly. Her cheeks even turned pink. Xia Qi studied the blush. This woman could apparently fake even that.
“Is there anything you’re particularly afraid of?”
“Cockroaches and things like that. They terrify me. I can’t help screaming whenever I see one.”
You look more like the sort who’d stamp a cockroach flat without changing expression, Xia Qi thought, but said nothing.
“Do you believe in magic?”
“More than anything! Magic and fairies are so dreamy. Every girl’s dream.”
“You do realize this is an interview? At least tell the truth once!” Xia Qi finally exploded. Shan Ju narrowed her eyes. “Are you accusing me of lying?”
“Consult your conscience, please.”
“Is that so? Where am I supposed to find this conscience? I don’t remember owning one. Why don’t you lend me yours?” Shan Ju extended her hand as though she truly intended to remove an organ called conscience from his body. Xia Qi hurriedly replied, “You’re a genuine lady after all. As far as I know, refined ladies don’t have consciences.”
“Glad you understand. Boring. I don’t want to play anymore.” She abandoned them and vanished somewhere out of sight.
Xia Qi’s head was beginning to ache. Where should they film next? He prayed they wouldn’t run into any more weirdos. A voice sounded behind him. “What are you doing?” He turned to find a curious-looking young man watching them.
“Interviewing people.”
“About what?”
“Well, whether they believe in magic,” Xia Qi explained. The young man tilted his head and asked in return, “Do you believe?”
“It’s only because magic is this year’s theme that we’re asking. Generally speaking, even children don’t believe in it much anymore.” Xia Qi gave his opinion. The young man nodded and asked, “Is magic a beautiful thing?”
It was a strange question, but Xia Qi answered anyway. The young man’s serious expression gave him the rare feeling that, for the first time today, someone was treating his job as a real job.
“I suppose you could call it beautiful.”
“Then I believe in it.”
“Why?”
“No special reason. I believe in all beautiful things. If magic is beautiful, then I believe magic exists.”
“That’s a rather strange line of reasoning.” Xia Qi was puzzled. So was the young man. “What’s strange about it? You asked whether I believe. That means you’re asking for my own thoughts and feelings.”
“I’ve heard a lot of strange answers today, but you’re the first person who’s seriously said yes.”
“Maybe there’s a problem with how you’re asking. If magic were something bad, I’d say I don’t believe in it. Why not ask the others whether they believe in beautiful things instead?”
“You think you’d get different answers?”
“I believe you would.”
“You really are an optimist.”
The young man flashed an immaculate smile. “Though someone often scolds me for being too optimistic. Well, good luck with your work. I won’t bother you anymore. Um, by the way…”
“I’m Xia Qi.”
“Then bye-bye, Xia Qi! Oh, and my name is Guo Zhi.”
“Bye-bye.”
Xia Qi watched Guo Zhi disappear, gathered his spirits, and resumed the interviews. This time he set his sights on couples. It was a job, after all, and they had to manufacture a romantic atmosphere even if the romance was fake.
His gaze settled on a husband and wife wearing wedding rings. The woman was extraordinarily beautiful, but the man beside her was handsome enough to match her. Xia Qi approached, only for the woman to take a cigarette from her bag and put it between her lips. As she flicked her lighter, she glanced at him. “Beat it, kid.”
Xia Qi instinctively retreated. The man beside her removed the cigarette from her mouth. “How many is that today?”
“I’ll quit someday.”
“Don’t waste my time with empty words.”
“Boring. Let’s discuss something important. I’m still preparing our son’s Christmas present this year, and you’re hiring Santa Claus. Zhi Zuo Si, the person you hired last year was terrible.”
“With the presents you give him, you have no right to criticize mine.”
“What do you know?” Lan Yin linked her arm through Zhi Zuo Si’s and walked right past Xia Qi. Better not bother those two. He would have to find another target.
The next couple looked promising: young, full of energy, and probably perfect interview subjects.
“Hello. Could I ask you two a few questions?”
“Why interview us? Has global warming finally brought about the end of the world?”
“No, we…” The young man wasn’t listening. He turned to the woman. “See, An Na? I told you we’d all die someday. While there’s still time to choose, let’s seriously discuss how we should die together.”
“If you want to die, go die by yourself, Kuang Li.”
With an utterly expressionless face, Kuang Li replied earnestly, “Don’t be ridiculous. How could I bear to let you stay alive? I’m asking you to die for your own good.”
“How touching.” As An Na spoke, she’d already raised her leg. Kuang Li didn’t even try to evade the kick. His stomach accepted it squarely. “All right, you’ve kicked me. Back to the serious matter. How shall we die?”
Xia Qi had ceased to exist as far as they were concerned. They ignored him completely. Were there any normal couples in the entire park? He decided against approaching anyone rashly and searched the crowd. Another couple spotted the cameraman and cheerfully flashed V signs. “What’s being filmed? Should we say something to the camera, Er Gou?”
“I don’t know. How about we declare our love on camera?”
“Sounds good.”
They turned to face each other, gazing deeply into one another’s eyes. “I love you, Liu Da Shan.”
“And I love you, Zhang Er Gou.”
Xia Qi blocked their path. “Please don’t interfere with my interviews.”
“Weren’t you looking for a couple? That’s us.”
“But your names…”
“What’s wrong with our names? Looking down on us? Hmph. Who cares!” Hand in hand, Liu Da Shan and Zhang Er Gou went on their way. Another couple were holding hands nearby. Xia Qi abandoned all caution and went straight over. “Are you two a couple?”
One of the young men nodded, tightening his hold on the other’s hand.
“May I have your names?”
“I’m Xiao Jue. He’s Yang Zuo.”
“You look very happy together.”
“Mm. We met on Christmas, so today is a kind of anniversary for us. Right?” Xiao Jue looked at Yang Zuo, who nodded.
At last, a normal couple!
When he’d finished interviewing those people for the moment, Xia Qi was exhausted. He sat down on an animal-shaped bench to rest and tipped back his head to drink a cola. A calm voice appeared beside him. “Finished interviewing people?”
Xia Qi sprayed cola out of his mouth. Assuming it was another auditory hallucination, he turned, only to discover a woman sitting beside him.
“It was you, wasn’t it? You’ve insulted me several times today.”
“That’s called a voice-over.”
“What do you mean?” Xia Qi froze for several seconds before understanding. “Could you be…”
“Don’t you want to interview me?”
“Then do you believe in magic?” he asked perfunctorily. The woman answered almost without thinking. “I’ve seen magic.” Xia Qi hadn’t expected that. Curious, he continued, “Such as?”
“For example, when I’m writing, there aren’t any typos. I reread the work and still don’t see any typos. But when I upload it and look again, suddenly the typos appear. If that bizarre phenomenon isn’t magic, what is?”
Xia Qi waved both hands emphatically. “No, no! Don’t blame your carelessness on magic and give everyone the wrong idea!”
“If it isn’t magic, how do you explain it?”
“I just explained! It’s because you’re la-la-la-la… Stop controlling what I say! So what if you’re the creator?!”
“Creator, hmm? Actually, lately I’ve been wondering whether your world might be the real one, while I was created to satisfy what you all need.” The woman spoke as calmly as before, though every decision and idea of hers seemed to come out of nowhere.
Xia Qi was still waving his hands. “Don’t go overturning the entire nature of reality on a whim!”
“Have you read Sophie’s World? Characters in the book escape from their author’s writing. They know perfectly well that the author’s consciousness created them, that the author will always know their futures first, and yet they still escape.”
The woman’s words actually shook Xia Qi’s beliefs. “Then I could escape if I wanted?”
“If you’re unhappy with me, I’ll have to revise the opening sentence: ‘A neatly dressed reporter with disabled legs sat in a wheelchair beneath Fairy Tale Town’s sign.’”
“That’s a threat! You’re telling me you’ll break my legs if I run away!”
“Not break them. You’ll be disabled from birth.”
“I’m very satisfied with my current treatment, thank you.”
“Good.”
Xia Qi cleared his throat, adjusted his glasses, and suddenly grew serious. “There’s something else I want to ask.”
“Go on.”
“Why does nobody else wear glasses? Of all those people, how is it none of them wear glasses? Do you have something against those of us who do?!”
“Nothing at all. Personal preference. Got a problem?”
“Yes!”
“You’re the only one. You should feel special.”
Xia Qi was overwhelmed with delight. “You mean you’ll start another story just for me…”
“Don’t dream. Your only function is to provide commentary.”
At last, Xia Qi hurled the microphone he’d wanted to throw so many times straight at the woman’s face. The microphone flew and flew, all the way beyond the horizon. He pointed after it. “Why didn’t it hit you? Why did it fly into the distance? You’re still controlling everything!”
The woman stood up with her back to him. “Before I go and indulge my own whim, I have three other pieces of writing waiting for me to work on. Yet here I am instead. How much time do you think I’ve spent coming here? Doesn’t that mean you’re controlling me, too? And, Reporter, isn’t your job still unfinished?”
The microphone flew back from beyond the horizon and landed in Xia Qi’s hand. He went berserk. “Stop adding such bizarre, unrealistic things! Seeing a microphone flying around the sky makes me feel terribly uncomfortable!”
Just then, calls of different names rose from every corner of Fairy Tale Town.
“Yan~~!”
“An Zi Yan!”
“Chen Ge!”
“Zhi Li!”
“Wei Ye!”
“Shi Xi!”
Su Xiao Mi ran up to Yan Yan, grabbed his wrist, and pulled him along. “Yan~~ Someone bullied me just now! Hurry up and punish him! He insulted my acting, insulted all the glorious achievements of my entire life! Can you tolerate something like that?!”
“I can tolerate your acting. What else couldn’t I tolerate?”
“See? Even you think it’s acting, not terrible cosplay!” Su Xiao Mi always interpreted Yan Yan’s words in whatever way benefited him. Yan Yan had long since stopped pointing it out, or perhaps had simply given up.
Su Xiao Mi babbled on. “I’ll perform the scene I did just now so you can judge for yourself.” There, in the middle of the crowd, he threatened to put on another performance. Calmly, Yan Yan pulled a hundred-yuan bill from his bag. Su Xiao Mi lunged at the sight of it like an animal spying food in a trainer’s hand, clinging to the hand that held the money. “Money again! Always money! Why do you always give me money? People will start suspecting there’s something between us.”
“Then forget it.” Yan Yan extracted his hand from Su Xiao Mi’s embrace and raised it. Su Xiao Mi reached for the money, so Yan Yan lifted it out of reach. Like a monkey, Su Xiao Mi jumped up and clung to Yan Yan, trying to snatch the banknote. Yan Yan tucked it inside the collar of Su Xiao Mi’s shirt. “Now people really will suspect there’s something between us.” Even after getting the money, Su Xiao Mi refused to climb down. He hugged Yan Yan. “Then let them suspect.”
Yan Yan patted his backside. “What do you want to eat?”
“Everything!”
Mai Ding, who’d been waiting impatiently, launched into a lecture the moment he saw An Zi Yan. “An Zi Yan! Why are you so late? I told you not to sleep in! When are you going to break that awful habit so I don’t have to worry about you so much?”
“I sleep in precisely so you’ll worry about me more.”
“Then I won’t worry anymore!” Mai Ding folded his arms. An Zi Yan shrugged. “If you won’t worry, there shouldn’t be any problem with me sleeping in, right?”
“Stop twisting my words! Do you have any idea how long I’ve waited? If you want revenge for the trick I played on you, just get on with it! Don’t go about it in such a roundabout way. I’m mentally prepared.”
“I’m not that petty. I’ve already forgiven you.”
The two walked side by side. Mai Ding didn’t believe a word. An Zi Yan had ground his trust down to powder. He watched every move his husband made. Everything seemed suspicious.
“I’ll ask one last time. You really aren’t taking revenge?”
“I’ve changed my mind. Perhaps I should after all.”
Mai Ding took a step back. “H-how?” An Zi Yan seized his coat, dragged him close, and examined his face. “Let me think how I’ll get my revenge. Where should I kiss you?” Mai Ding tried to prise him away, protesting, “It’s broad daylight! There are people everywhere! What do you think you’re doing? Behave yourself!”
“The more you talk, the less I want to behave.”
“Wait…”
Mo Ka’s nose could rival a police dog’s. The instant that sweet scent drifted into his nostrils, he knew the person who filled his heart was nearby. Without even looking up from decorating a cake, he asked, “Did you bring the permit?” Chen Ge leaned against the counter. “What permit?”
“Didn’t you go to apply for my vendor’s permit?”
“Mo Ka, you need to face reality. People can die.”
“My food isn’t deadly! Someone even bought some earlier!”
Chen Ge glanced at the ground. Mo Ka asked, “What are you looking for?”
“That customer’s body.”
“You pineapple-selling bastard, aren’t you finished yet?” Mo Ka lightly shoved Chen Ge’s arm, accidentally smearing cream on his sleeve. Chen Ge glanced at the stain. Mo Ka pursed his lips and apologized reluctantly. “I know you’re obsessed with cleanliness. I’ll wipe it off, okay? Don’t worry!” He picked up a wet wipe and bent his head to scrub the sleeve. That sweet scent slipped back into his senses, and he couldn’t help leaning closer.
“Are you a dog?”
“Mind your own business.” Mo Ka kept wiping. Chen Ge turned his wrist. His beautiful fingers brushed Mo Ka’s cheek and gently caught it. “That’s enough. You don’t have to clean it. I’m not a neat freak when it comes to you.”
“Zhi Li, pick up my game console, will you?” Ke Bu called to the newly arrived Zhi Li. Zhi Li retrieved the console and sat down beside him. Both sprawled lazily against the back of the bench. Zhi Li tilted his head up at the sky. “Hey.”
“What?”
“When’s Santa Claus coming?” Ke Bu was so astonished that several seconds passed before he could answer. “You think Santa Claus exists? I didn’t know you had such an adorable side.” His voice was full of barbs.
“Santa Claus. That’s the one in red, right?”
“Right.”
“Fat, with a white beard.”
“Right.”
“The guy who delivers condoms.”
“Right… NO! Where do you get your common sense? Santa Claus brings presents to children!”
“So after delivering presents to children, he brings condoms to adults?” Zhi Li asked, confused.
“Condoms aren’t part of the process!”
“Since I turned sixteen, that’s what Santa has always brought me.”
“Stop putting Christmas and that word in the same sentence! And stop defiling Santa Claus!”
“Can I defile you, then?”
Ke Bu wrapped his coat tighter around himself. “Don’t make me waste energy in this cold. Winter is the one season you can’t do anything to me. Go ahead, try it. I’ve got so many layers on that you could beat me without hurting me.” Zhi Li tilted his head. “If it wouldn’t hurt, why would I hit you?” He reached inside Ke Bu’s clothes. Ke Bu flopped about like a fish, shouting, “Cold! Cold! Get your hand out of there!”
“You told me to try.”
Moving was even more exhausting in all those layers. Ke Bu panted, “Let me rest.” He sank heavily against the bench again. Zhi Li tugged his arm so that Ke Bu’s head rested against him, then took out his phone and snapped a photo. Ke Bu asked in bewilderment, “What are you doing?”
“Taking a picture to send Ke Bu. There’s a bear leaning against me.”
“You want a fight?!”
Shan Ju and Wei Ye entered the haunted house together. As soon as darkness surrounded them, Shan Ju reached her wandering hands toward Wei Ye, who caught them. “What are you trying to do?”
“Whenever it gets dark, I want to touch you.”
“What kind of pervert are you?”
“The kind of pervert who came from you, of course. It’s rare for us to come somewhere like this. Nobody else is around, and it’s dark. Isn’t that the perfect chance to grope someone?”
“If everyone who came into haunted houses was like you, the authorities would’ve shut them all down.”
“What’s the problem?” Shan Ju pressed closer, smiling faintly. “Just one touch.”
“Just one? Where do you want to touch?” Wei Ye whispered by her ear, his voice low, teasing, and ticklish. All it took was Wei Ye making the first move for Shan Ju’s bravado to rebound on her. Her cheeks began to burn.
“Um… sorry to interrupt you…” said one of the ghosts nearby. They had intended to scare the visitors, but the conversation made them reluctant to approach. Instead, the ghosts gathered in a circle in the darkness and watched.
“Shi Xi!” Whenever Guo Zhi called Shi Xi’s name, his voice was filled with joy, like a lively song.
“Shut up.”
“Do you believe in magic?”
“That’s a question beneath my intelligence.” Shi Xi opened his fingers. Guo Zhi took a pen out of his bag and handed it over. “If you had magic, what would you do?”
“Use it to make you stop saying unrealistic nonsense.”
“Using magic on me would be such a waste. You could use it to do something else you like. Write stories with your mind, for example.” Squatting in front of Shi Xi, Guo Zhi smiled softly, untroubled by whether he answered, and continued, “If I had magic, I’d give it to you, so you could do what you love.” Shi Xi tapped him lightly on the head with the pen, then zipped up his jacket. “I’m telling you again: there’s no such thing as magic in this world. Make your idiot brain remember it.”
“What if I can’t remember?”
“Then I’ll tell you until you do.”
“What if I can’t remember for the rest of my life…”
“Didn’t you hear me? I’ll keep telling you until you remember.”
Christmas music drifted through the air, making people want to tap along to the rhythm.
The woman slipped her hands into her pockets. “Would you call it magic when one person meets another?”
Xia Qi paused for a long time. Instead of answering, he asked, “Will you let me encounter magic?”
And from that day on, Xia Qi lived happily ever after with a pig.
“STOP MATCHMAKING ME WITH RANDOM ANIMALS!”
The woman clicked her tongue impatiently. “So troublesome.”
And from that day on, Xia Qi lived happily ever after with the prettiest pig in the sty.
“HOW IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MAKE ME HAPPY?!”
The cameraman pointed the lens at Xia Qi. Xia Qi straightened his clothes. “Viewers, that concludes our Christmas coverage for this year. I hope all of you have a merry Christmas. I’m Xia Qi. I did not live happily ever after with a pig. If I appear again, I’ll see you then.”
“I will appear again, right?” Xia Qi turned to ask the woman.
And from that day on, Xia Qi vanished.
“CAN YOU STOP PLAYING WITH ME?!”