The Playground, "Lin Rui, someone's looking for you..."

Startled by a classmate’s call, Lin Rui looked up through the window toward the classroom door, where the person was already standing. He rose slowly and walked out, muttering under his breath, "So annoying, what is he here for now..."

Standing outside the classroom was Lin Rui's cousin, Lin Liwen.

The high school Lin Liwen attended was near Lin Rui's elementary school, so he would occasionally wander over to check on Lin Rui, sometimes bringing snacks, other times just saying a few words. Yet, the concern Lin Liwen showed for his younger cousin was something Lin Rui couldn't help but tolerate, pushing aside his impatience.

As Lin Rui stepped out of the classroom, wondering what new tedious lecture awaited him, he thought if it were food, fried chicken legs would be a better deal; if it were just empty talk, it would be unbearable. Why was a high school student so bothersome, like an old woman? What would he turn into when he got old? Thinking this, Lin Rui walked out, only to see Lin Liwen looking extremely distressed, rubbing his hands constantly, pacing back and forth. In the middle of winter, sweat beaded at his temples, and his face was a perfect mask of “anxious unrest.”

A jolt of panic shot through Lin Rui, and he rushed forward, asking loudly, "What happened to my mother? What happened to my mother?"

"Second Aunt? What happened to Second Aunt?" Lin Liwen looked bewildered by the question.

Lin Rui instantly realized he had jumped to the wrong conclusion. Seeing a relative rush to find him, he immediately thought something must have happened to his mother, the person he cared about most. He forgot the minor spell he’d placed on his mother; if she were in trouble, he should have been the first to know. This, he supposed, was what they called panic clouding judgment. Since it wasn't about his mother, Lin Rui quickly regained his composure and surveyed Lin Liwen, asking, "What is it?"

"Xiao Rui, quick, help your cousin out." Lin Liwen grabbed his hand as if seeing a savior. "Don't you have an amulet? Can I borrow it for a few days?"

"Huh?" Lin Rui was utterly confused.

Lin Liwen whispered with mysterious urgency, "Xiao Rui, I think... I think I saw a ghost... No, I definitely encountered a ghost. Xiao Rui, I know you have a consecrated amulet. Can I borrow it for a few days? You wouldn't want me to be killed by a ghost, would you?"

"A ghost? What ghost?" Lin Rui noticed the teacher standing nearby casting scrutinizing glances their way due to the frequent appearance of words considered detrimental to children's well-being and falling under the category of feudal superstition. So, he blinked innocently and asked, "The teacher said those are feudal superstitions and we shouldn't believe them. There are no ghosts in the world."

Lin Liwen said fretfully, "What do those teachers know? They only know how to lie to kids! Only honest people like you believe them."

The teacher nearby looked even more displeased, regarding the young man who seemed intent on corrupting their model student. Seeing she was about to intervene and chase him away, Lin Rui inwardly cursed his brother for having no sense of timing. He quickly pulled Lin Liwen aside and asked, "What is going on? Can you stop talking nonsense in front of the teacher?"

"The teacher... Oh, your teacher looks fierce..." Lin Liwen seemed to just notice the teacher standing there. "Xiao Rui, I’ve been encountering... I can’t tell you these things. What if I scare you? Just give me the amulet first; don't ask anything else." Lin Liwen repeatedly rubbed his hands.

"Alright..." Lin Rui pulled a small red cloth pouch hanging from his neck, took it off, and handed it over. This amulet was specially requested by his grandmother after his serious illness. It was said to have been consecrated by a master, capable of warding off misfortune, ensuring blessings, repelling demons, keeping evil spirits away, making him intelligent and beloved by all... In short, it was something his grandmother had gone to great lengths and expense to acquire. However, she didn't know that the real Lin Rui’s soul had long since passed into reincarnation. What now inhabited this body was merely the lonely little Nine-Tailed Fox craving maternal love.

Lin Liwen took it, immediately hanging it carefully around his neck, then patted Lin Rui's head. "If you feel anything strange after giving it to me, bring it back right away. And don't tell the adults when you get back, okay? I’ll handle things myself."

"As if that scrap would do any good," Lin Rui scoffed, watching Lin Liwen’s retreating back now wearing the amulet.

In his opinion, that amulet was purely manufactured to fool superstitious old people like his grandmother. Never mind real demons or monsters; even the residual spirit matter lingering in the air wouldn't fear it in the slightest. He wore it only to maintain the image of a good, obedient, and filial child. Still, sometimes he couldn't help but secretly laugh at the thought of a dignified Nine-Tailed Fox wearing an amulet supposedly capable of fighting off evil spirits, let alone the 'comic effect' it would have if the other yokai in Lixin City ever found out. He almost wished Lin Liwen would never return it.

But was something really wrong? Lin Rui wrinkled his nose and took a second look in the direction Lin Liwen had gone.

"Xiao Rui, your cousin came to see you again?" Shen Aixiang leaned in, looking slightly disappointed that Lin Rui wasn't holding any snacks. His cousin, who studied at the high school across the street, often brought delicious things for Lin Rui, and usually, Shen Aixiang got a share.

"No food," Lin Rui showed his empty hands. "He seems super nervous because exams are coming up, said he saw a ghost, and borrowed my amulet." He said this partly to Shen Aixiang and partly to explain to the teacher who was clearly eavesdropping nearby.

"See, saw... ghost... ghost..." Although Shen Aixiang had a yokai friend, he was terrified of all this supernatural nonsense. Hearing it in broad daylight made him stammer, "I-it's just the teacher telling us there are no ghosts, we should believe in science!" Lin Rui declared righteously and sanctimoniously as the teacher walked past them.

Lin Liwen was the son of Lin Rui's maternal uncle. Among Lin Rui's three older cousins, he was the one who cared for Lin Rui the most.

Perhaps out of sympathy for his younger brother who had lost his father at a young age and had poor health, he used the proximity of his high school to Lin Rui's elementary school as an excuse to pop over every few days. First, to declare to Lin Rui’s classmates that Lin Rui had him, this tall and mighty brother, nearby, so no one should dare bully him. Second, because he always thought Lin Rui was frail, he’d use his allowance to buy chocolate and other things for Lin Rui to eat.

Knowing Lin Qingping (Lin Rui's mother) was often busy with work, he frequently took the initiative to bring Lin Rui along to his outings and gatherings with friends. Although these activities sometimes included ghost stories unsuitable for elementary schoolers, and his friends often teased him about "babysitting," he persisted, demonstrating unwavering care for his brother Lin Rui. Thus, while Lin Rui complained about him being wordy, he did have genuine affection for his cousin. When he sensed something was genuinely amiss with him, Lin Rui took it to heart.

After dinner, seeing his mother had left for an evening study session with her students, Lin Rui, who had been feigning homework at his desk, immediately sprang up. He cast an illusionary double of himself onto his bed to appear asleep, left a spirit messenger on guard duty and as a liaison, and then dashed out of the house straight upstairs.

When Lin Rui burst into Zhou Ying’s apartment, Huo'er was sprawled across the entire sofa, drinking cola, popping mouthfuls of stir-fried diced meat, ice cream, and shelled melon seeds, completely engrossed in watching cartoons. This creature never needed to pretend to be a good child; it was always unrestrained, doing whatever it pleased.

Lin Rui snatched its drink and downed several gulps, then said, "I’m going ghost hunting. Are you coming?"

Huo'er blinked, "What ghost? Is it tasty?"

Lin Rui shook his head, "Don't know what ghost, but it probably won't taste very good."

Huo'er lost interest, "Then why go! Let’s go hunting men instead; I haven't eaten anyone in days."

Lin Rui pulled it up, "Alright, alright, accompany me on this important business first. Once we're done, I'll take you hunting."

Huo'er was shoved out the window. Lin Rui transformed into his Nine-Tailed Fox form and jumped onto its back. "Let's go to my clumsy cousin's school. He said he met a ghost."

"Oh... that cousin who always loves ghost stories. He must be thrilled now, finally meeting a real one." Huo'er vaguely remembered Lin Liwen as someone who really enjoyed ghost stories. It didn't realize that for humans, enjoying ghost stories was entirely different from enjoying an actual encounter.

"He’d be thrilled like hell..." Lin Rui muttered to himself.

Huo'er flew rapidly toward a corner of the city as directed by Lin Rui, haggling along the way: "Let's settle this now: I get seventy percent of all prey, and the rest is yours to eat."

"If we're talking about ghosts, I wouldn't mind if you took all of them."

"You said that yourself, no take-backs!"

"When did I ever go back on my word?"

"Last time, the time before last, the time before the time before last... Why are you jumping down? I wasn't finished counting!"

Lin Liwen lived in the school dormitory.

A small room was crammed with eight beds, housing seven students. With no air conditioning or fan, ventilation relied solely on a window that could only open halfway during this scorching season. Seven adolescent boys living together meant hygiene and habits weren't exactly pristine; the odor inside was quite... "thought-provoking."

Lin Liwen could have biked between home and school daily; a forty-minute ride wasn't considered too far in a large city like Lixin. He could even have stayed with Lin Qingping; her house was close to the school, and only she and her son lived there. Despite the slightly harder life, the environment would have been vastly superior to the school dorm. Lin Qingping would have gladly welcomed him. However, children in their rebellious phase crave freedom and liberation from adult supervision, leading Lin Liwen to reject these options and insist on staying in the school dorm. Once, after Lin Liwen's mother visited the dorm to bring him things, she remarked, "That place is not fit for humans. This child has been spoiled since birth; how can he endure it..." Little did she know how comfortably content her son was, loath to leave.

When Lin Rui landed on the windowsill of that dormitory, he saw four out of the seven boys lying on their beds smoking, exhaling clouds of smoke. And among these smoke-wreathed figures was his cousin, Lin Liwen. "Bad kids!" Lin Rui judged harshly in his mind. He had rushed over specifically to protect Lin Liwen, yet here the boy was, sneaking cigarettes—a complete betrayal of his concern.

"Where’s the prey? Where? I don't see any ghosts!" Huo'er landed on the windowsill, looking around. The smell in this room definitely didn't align with the word "tasty." Its initial enthusiasm diminished by nine-tenths. Huo'er’s sensitivity to ghosts was quite low. Perhaps because its abilities were so far removed from those of spirits, it was like human eyes failing to notice tiny insects; it was difficult for Huo'er to pay attention to mere ghosts. Lin Rui bringing it along was just a precaution; he hadn't truly expected its help in finding spirits.

Lin Rui swept his gaze across the room; there was indeed nothing unusual. This was different from the faint, icy ghostly energy he'd sensed on Lin Liwen that morning. Because the room was full of the vibrant yang energy of seven young men, even wandering spirits rarely lingered here. "Did I get it wrong?" Lin Rui muttered, twitching his tail.

"You definitely got it wrong. I don't see any ghosts here. Let's go, let's go hunt," Huo'er didn't want to stay in that place for another second.

Lin Rui nodded. Seeing Lin Liwen's demeanor, he felt his worry had been excessive. "Let's visit Nan Yu first. My mother hasn't been sleeping well lately, and I'm afraid using too much magic will alert her. Let's ask Nan Yu if there's another way."

"Great, great! I love visiting Nan Yu," Huo'er agreed enthusiastically, flapping its wings. Nan Yu's place was one of its favorites—yokai kept especially for it, unheard-of stories, exquisite little gifts; a visit always yielded rewards. If Lin Rui had suggested visiting someone like Liu Dizhi, Huo'er would have thrown a fit.

Lin Liwen, inside the room, had finished his cigarette at some point and climbed down from his upper bunk, fooling around with his classmates.

"I worried about this idiot? I must be the idiot!" Lin Rui curled his lip, hopped onto Huo'er's back, and they soared away.

As midnight approached, Lin Liwen's heart tightened further.

Would he be plagued by that nightmare again tonight? Would that ghost torment him again tonight?

Although he put on a brave face in front of his classmates out of pride, once the lights were out and everyone else was asleep, the feeling of helpless terror washed over him.

"Maybe it won't come tonight. Maybe Xiao Rui’s amulet will work. Maybe..." Lin Liwen thought frantically, completely covering himself with his towel blanket, yet daring not to fall asleep. He just kept praying silently that tonight he wouldn't be forced to experience that horror again. Despite his desperate effort to keep his mind alert and avoid sleep, he was at an age that demanded ample rest. Having gone without proper sleep for several consecutive days, he eventually drifted into a dream state without realizing it.

"Brother, let's go to the playground..." In the dream, Lin Liwen vaguely felt he was holding Lin Rui's hand. Lin Rui was running and jumping happily ahead, insisting on dragging him to the playground. This younger cousin was incredibly well-behaved since childhood, almost excessively so, never making demands of the adults, always acting the good child. Lin Liwen was quite fond of Second Aunt, and consequently, he loved and pitied his younger cousin who had lost his father early. He eagerly sought any chance to cheer him up. Now that his cousin wanted to play, Lin Liwen certainly wouldn't refuse.

"I was planning to take you on Sunday anyway. I told you long ago, whenever you want to go out and play, just say so! You’re always so good; the adults won't pay attention to whether you want to go out! I remember when I was little, if I wanted my dad—wanted my mom to take me to a park (he hastily corrected himself to consider Lin Rui’s feelings about his deceased father), I had to throw a tantrum and cry before they’d agree. Second Aunt is so busy; if you don't speak up, she won't have time to take you out. But it’s okay, just tell me where you want to go. If the adults won't take you, I will!" He tried to pull his hand back to pound his chest as a guarantee but found his grip wouldn't loosen.

"To the playground, to the playground..." The small figure ahead kept running and jumping, pulling his hand forcefully forward.

Looking at that small back, that hairstyle—that wasn't Xiao Rui! Lin Liwen yanked his hand hard, trying to break free. "Who are you? Where are you taking me?"

The child’s small fingers gripped like a mousetrap; Lin Liwen couldn't break free at all. The child ignored his questions and continued leaping forward, seeming intensely excited. As Lin Liwen struggled to get away, he looked around and realized he didn't know where he was. Being dragged by the child felt like running down a long corridor, dimly lit but shot through with a reddish hue. The ground was uneven, occasionally dotted with puddles. He was somewhat relieved that he couldn't see the surroundings clearly, as this place was likely not one that brought joy; perhaps not seeing was better than seeing.

Lin Liwen vaguely understood at this point that he was dreaming again, and he knew how this dream would unfold next. So he struggled repeatedly, trying to break free from the child's grasp, trying to escape this nightmare.

"Brother, why haven't we reached the amusement park yet?" The child seemed tired of running and stopped, turning back to ask Lin Liwen.

Lin Liwen let out a shriek. That was hardly a child’s face; it was clearly a skull, a skeleton encased in only a thin layer of skin. The child’s eye sockets were deep hollows, his lips so thin they barely contained his teeth; his pale white teeth and red gums were exposed as he grinned sinisterly at Lin Liwen, "Brother, take me to the amusement park quickly."

Lin Liwen dared not speak. He furiously batted at the hand holding him and kicked him hard with his feet.

The child's face grew increasingly horrifying. The skin, already pale, began to bleed, soon transforming into a bloody mess, while still chanting, "Take me to the amusement park, take me to the amusement park! You promised you would take me!" His other hand reached out towards Lin Liwen. Lin Liwen batted it away, preventing it from grabbing him. Initially in the shape of a child, as he wrestled with Lin Liwen, his appearance gradually changed. The thin layer of skin that barely covered him seemed to tear open during his struggles and cries. First, a bony finger waved out from under the skin, then another, then an arm, then the other arm, until finally, as his entire skeleton jumped out of the skin, his eyes, unprotected by eyelids, immediately streamed out of their sockets. He used one hand to hold them up and shove them back in, and when he extended that hand toward Lin Liwen again, Lin Liwen let out a cry of disbelief and bolted upright in bed.

Thank goodness it was just a dream...

The cold sweat on his face had streamed down his neck and soaked his pillow. Lin Liwen touched his limbs; they were ice-cold. He sat up in bed for a long time, lit a cigarette, and finally managed to shake off the lingering terror of the nightmare.

These dreams had started a month ago, occurring every night—always the same child, relentlessly demanding to be taken to the amusement park. In the beginning, the child's appearance was manageable, just a slightly odd boy. But as the days passed, his image grew more terrifying, forcing Lin Liwen to struggle in a nightmare every night.

"What useless amulet!" Lin Liwen angrily threw the amulet borrowed from Lin Rui aside, but after a moment of thought, he picked it up again and hung it around his neck, lying in bed staring blankly at the ceiling.

Lin Rui, standing by the head of the bed, blew a gentle breath toward Lin Liwen. Lin Liwen, who hadn't slept properly for days, immediately fell into a deep sleep. If nothing unexpected happened, he would sleep until the afternoon. Though it wouldn't fully compensate for the cumulative sleep deficit, it would allow his nerves to relax.

It was fortunate he had come back to check. Because the trick used by this ghost was so petty and relatively harmless, it nearly made Lin Rui overlook it. He watched Lin Liwen, a thoughtful expression settling on his face.

That nightmare was caused by a mark—an imprint—the ghost had 'planted' deep within Lin Liwen's mind. Tracking down that little ghost wouldn't be difficult for Lin Rui, and dealing with it would be easy; sending one spirit messenger would suffice. But after seeing the content of that dream, for some inexplicable reason, a sense of dread arose in him, making him hesitate to immediately pursue it.

The little ghost called Lin Liwen 'brother.' Could it be...?

An indescribable, heavy emotion welled up in Lin Rui's heart, rooting him to the spot.

He suddenly recalled that his name was originally Ming'er. Yes, he wasn't Lin Rui to begin with, but Bai Yiming, a somewhat feminine name. Yet, if someone were to call out "Bai Yiming" behind him now, he'd likely take a long time to even register who they were calling. Though he had used that name for a hundred years, the name Lin Rui had only lasted a mere year.

Sigh...

He let out a long sigh, drooping his head as he flew toward his home.

Huo'er chirped excitedly behind him, "Fox, Fox, where are you going? We haven't even started playing yet..." To his surprise, Lin Rui vanished from its sight without a word, infuriating Huo'er, who stomped its feet in frustration.

"Lin Rui... Lin Rui... Who exactly is Lin Rui..."

Lin Rui stood before the mirror, gazing at the handsome, fair-skinned boy reflected there. This wasn't Bai Yiming's face; it was Lin Rui's. But the one standing here—was it Bai Yiming, or was it Lin Rui? And who was he? Was he Bai Yiming occupying Lin Rui's body? Or was he Lin Rui wearing Bai Yiming's soul?

A sudden fear gripped him. With a wave of his hand, the mirror was shrouded in a thick mist, becoming blurred and indistinct, refusing to show the figure standing before it any longer.

"Mom... Mom..."

Lin Qingping was startled awake from her sleep, a small figure tumbling into her embrace.

"Mom, I want to sleep with you." Lin Rui's eyes were red, as if he had just been crying. Lin Qingping quickly held him close. "What's wrong, Xiao Rui? What happened?"

"I had a nightmare, I want to sleep with Mommy." Lin Rui buried his head in his mother's chest, his body trembling slightly.

Lin Qingping pulled him under the covers, letting him rest his head on her pillow. She gently stroked his hair, humming a soft song until he drifted into slumber. Gazing at Lin Rui’s sleeping face, Lin Qingping sighed with deep affection.

Perhaps due to enduring too much hardship in life, this child, Xiao Rui, was too well-behaved and understanding. Especially after that serious illness, the speed of his physical growth seemed much slower than that of his peers, yet his mind appeared far more mature. He never caused any trouble for the adults; instead, he constantly considered their needs in every situation. Unlike children his age, he never made material demands on his mother, choosing instead to take on household chores whenever possible. Lin Qingping was, of course, proud to have a child who excelled in studies, possessed excellent character, and was obedient and good. However, more than anything, she wished for her child to be happy and healthy—those two things were truly more important than anything else.

"I'm sorry, Xiao Rui. Mommy is always so busy with work, I haven't given you enough attention. You are my treasure, my baby... Mommy must make sure you live happily..."

Lin Rui felt his mother's kiss land on his face, and he clutched her arm tightly. This is my mother, my most important mother. For her, I can do anything. I must be 'Lin Rui'; I am Lin Rui. No one can take my mother away from me, absolutely no one. If anyone dares to disrupt my life, I will...

When Lin Rui got up the next day, his eyes were still red. According to Huo'er, he looked "even more like a fox."

He was absent-minded the entire day. He zoned out during class, walked into trees, and even used minor sorcery to fling away someone he got into a conflict with. Even his usually observant friend, Shen Aixiang, noticed something was amiss and persistently questioned him, "Lin Rui, are you sick? Why are you so strange today? Maybe you should go to the infirmary!"

Lin Rui refused to say anything. The moment the dismissal bell rang, he bolted out of school, quickly brushing off Shen Aixiang in a few clipped sentences before rushing straight to Lin Liwen's school.

Lin Liwen was sitting in the dormitory, yawning sleepily.

After that nightmare the previous night, he had somehow slept incredibly deeply, waking only around noon. He cursed the heartless roommates who hadn't bothered to wake him for class. Since he had already missed half the day, he decided to go all the way, climbing back into the soft bedding for another nap until his stomach began to rumble loudly, signaling hunger. Sitting there, chewing on a packet of instant noodles he’d dug out from the bottom of the dorm room's crevices, he stretched contentedly—he had finally made up for his sleep deficit these past few days. Had Xiao Rui's protective charm worked? He hadn't had that nightmare again, and he planned to take him to the amusement park on Sunday to thank him.

While Lin Liwen was happily indulging himself without a care in the world, slowly gnawing on the dry noodles, he subconsciously understood that this "ghost encounter" he experienced was now over.

Lin Rui stared at him, brimming with anger, genuinely wanting to curse him so that he would suffer even more terrifying nightmares for the next month. He located the faint trace deep within Lin Liwen's consciousness, severed its connection to Lin Liwen, and then Lin Rui lightly blew a breath onto it, watching as it snaked out the window, drifting into the distance.

"You got off easy this time. If you cause trouble again, we'll see who helps you!" Lin Rui directed the threat, which Lin Liwen—completely unaware of his presence—could never hear, toward the oblivious boy, before following the 'thread' onward.