The light in the classroom was turned on without anyone around and the figures in the corridor pictures could move, this sounded like a scene taken straight out of a spooky story. As a Tao Tie, catching a ghost was not his specialty.

So he recommended Zhang Tianxing, the cool guy in the office, to Wang Qing.” A colleague of mine was a professional ghost catcher. I will ask him if he has time to help you.”

Wang Qing was glad he could get help and get in his police car.

When he started his car, it suddenly occurred to him that Jiang Lan’s colleague must also work in the street administration office. So many great talents would choose to work in a tiny street administration office?

Wang Qing suddenly grew respectful towards this root branch of local government.

When he walked inside the door of the street administration office, his expression even became a little solemn.

On the excuse of working in the Qing Yang Lake ceremony site, Jiang Lan took a day off from his duty in the office. Tied down by the work assigned by Jiang Feiyang, Xue Meng didn’t join Jiang Lan on his adventure and returned early to the office. When Jiang Lan appeared in the office, Xue Meng couldn’t contain his curiosity.” What did you do with the body recovery team?”

Jiang Lan gave him a perfunctory reply.” Resolve a dispute and maintain the harmony between men and nature.”

Xue Meng????

If you don’t want to tell me, please don’t bullshit me.

I am not stupid.

Jiang Lan ignored him and asked Ying Qiao to rest in his chair. He greeted Zhang Tianxing, hinting he had some business to discuss with him outside of the office.

Zhang Tianxing unwillingly stopped his fun making with Nini and left the office with Jiang Lan.

The three of them had a short chat in the tea room and Wang Qing described the whole incident in the elementary school.

Jiang Lan said.” I assume catching ghosts is among your skillset.”

Zhang Tianxing didn’t decline to help.” When should I begin?”

“How about tonight? If you are otherwise occupied, we can do this another time.” Wang Qing said.

After last night’s incident, Wang Qing only told the school that he didn’t find the culprit and tonight he would try again.

Zhang Tianxing nodded.” Fine.”

Wang Qing was surprised that this master was so willing to help. Thanking him again, he said he will meet him at the school entrance.

After they finished talking, Jiang Lan hurried back to check on Ying Qiao and found him admiring the small aquarium on his desk. Jiao Tu was also in the tank, resting among a cluster of corals, blowing bubbles to amuse himself.

Feeling a bit nervous, Jiang Lan tried to keep calm and walked over.” Ten minutes and we can go.”

Ying Qiao pointed to the gemstones in the aquarium.” You arrange these stones?”

Jiang Lan gave a vague answer.” Jiao Tu loves these stones, so I just arranged them to look better.”

“You did a perfect job arranging them.” Ying Qiao nodded approvingly.

He had never noticed this small aquarium the last two times he was here. After admiring this for a while, he noticed a great deal of attention was paid to the arrangement and decoration of this small aquarium. Every gemstone was carefully selected and arranged.

As a dragon with exquisite taste, Ying Qiao appreciated the details in this small aquarium.

And he couldn’t help wondering if he placed his collection of gemstones in Jiang Lan’s disposal, would he show the same level of attention in taking care of them.

Jiang Lan of course had no way of knowing what’s going on in Ying Qiao’s mind. He was just relieved that Ying Qiao didn’t question how he could afford these gemstones. He shut off his computer and prepared to take his brothers out for dinner.

Xue Meng was about to get off work and after watching them for a while, he suddenly blurted out.” You guys look like a family of four.”

Two people with two pets.

And they had dinners together frequently after getting off work.

He detected something not very straight about these two.

Before Jiang Lan had time to say something, he quickly left them, leaving Jiang Lan and Ying Qiao facing each other, without a word.

Looking at Suan Ni in Ying Qiao’s arms and Jiao Tu in his arms, Jiang Lan said thoughtfully.” Maybe we indeed look like a family.”

Watching him, Ying Qiao said jokingly.” One more old brother for Nini and Jiao Tu, nice deal”

Suan Ni meowed in approval, he had been pampered by Ying Qiao for a long time.

Ying Qiao was so much greater than that rubbish fourth brother! He wanted Ying Qiao as a big brother.

Jiang Lan was about to nod in approval when he met Ying Qiao’s eyes. He was briefly lost in his eyes and when he recovered, he found his face was blushing.

He looked away and mumbled.” Yes, a nice deal.”

 ……

They had already spent countless evenings together,knowing every restaurant in the vicinity of the street administration office by heart. This time, they picked the nearest restaurant.

After the dinner, they walked past a Macdonald and saw many couples lined up here. A poster before the restaurant advertised a new pink strawberry-flavored ice cream cone with a title “Let the sweet strawberry ice-cream cone witness your celestial love.” There was also a string of pink colored words beside a giant QR code “Claim your love certificate and half price for the second ice-cream cone.”

All the couples were required to scan the QR code before ordering their ice-creams. With above-average height, Ying Qiao could see clearly that after scanning the QR code, a “marriage certificate” was displayed on the phone screen under a Macdonald logo.

Pausing before the Macdonald, Ying Qiao turned to ask Jiang Lan.” Do you want to try the new Macdonald ice-cream cone?”

“Sure.”

In the early June night, there was a palpable smell of summer in the air. Who can refuse a cold sweet ice-cream?

They walked to the end of the line.

Their presence attracted a lot of attention from the couples in front of them and some of them turned to look at two tall handsome guys in curiosity.

Jiang Lan didn’t pay any attention to what the poster said and instead, he focused on the pink ice-cream cone in people’s hands. Seeing the people’s reaction to them, he whispered to Ying Qiao.” Why do they keep staring at us?”

Ying Qiao was used to such looks.” Perhaps they find us very handsome.”

Jiang Lan accepted this explanation.

We are indeed very handsome.

You are welcome to look at us.

The line in front of them became shorter. While Jiang Lan’s attention was on the phone screen, Ying Qiao quickly scanned the QR code and a mini App within the WeChat popped up where he was required to upload their photos and a “marriage certificate” will be produced with their photos on it.

Checking Jiang Lan from the corner of his eyes, Ying Qiao quickly found the photo they took the last time they had dinner in that music restaurant and exported it to the mini app.

When Jiang Lan raised up his head, Ying Qiao had already shown the girl behind the counter his phone screen and ordered two pink ice-cream cones in a calm manner.

Pausing briefly before the photo, the girl’s face broke into a smile.” Couples and lovers can enjoy the second cone for half the price, please show the transaction QR code.”

Ying Qiao didn’t give Jiang Lan a chance to see the “marriage certificate” produced by the mini app. He calmly paid for the ice-cream and passed one to Jiang Lan.

With ice-cream in his hands, Jiang Lan was still confused about the “lovers can enjoy the second cone for half the price”.

Why did that girl think they were lovers without asking them?

He couldn’t find an answer to this question and was reluctant to ask Ying Qiao. Preoccupied with the question, he forgot to taste the ice-cream.

Ying Qiao was amused.” Taste the ice-cream, it’s melting.”

Jiang Lan tasted the ice-cream and the sweet flavor instantly dispelled any questions from his mind. After that, these two handsome guys holding pink ice-cream cones walked back home at a leisurely pace.

On the way, many people threw curious glances their way.

Jiang Lan had already accepted Ying Qiao’s explanation for their curious glances and didn’t mind. After finishing his ice-cream, he said he would take his brothers there tomorrow to buy it again.

Ying Qiao didn’t tell him the promotion price they just enjoyed was intended for lovers.” They offer the second cone for half the price. Remember to buy two.”

Jiang Lan approved his frugality. After indicating he had remembered his advice by heart, he said goodbye to him by the entrance to his apartments.

……

That night, his strawberry-flavored ice-cream induced a sweet dream filled with ice-cream cones.

Jiang Lan dreamed he had suddenly possessed an endless supply of ice-creams. He was so excited that he licked them all day long. But an ice-cream cone suddenly turned into Ying Qiao in snake form.

With a giant snake tail from waist down, Ying Qiao questioned him.”Did you just lick my tail?”

Jiang Lan’s cheek flushed and he struggled for an answer.

Frowning his brow, Ying Qiao said.” You just licked my tail, now I will lick yours.”

With this, he pounced on Jiang Lan.

Jiang Lan awoke with a start.

He touched his flushing cheeks in the dim light. Climbing off his bed, he walked to the bathroom to wash his face. His face was cooled, but somewhere in his heart, he felt some stirring.

Taking a deep breath, He pinched his face hard.

After this ridiculous dream, he found himself in the mood for a taste of Ying Qiao’s tail and wondered if the taste was the same as the taste in his dream.

There was still one hour left until his office hour, but Jiang Lan had trouble catching some sleep again. He spent the hour silently condemning himself for having this impure thought towards Ying Qiao.

This is so terrible

________

He appeared troubled when he arrived at his office.

Holding a boiled egg, Xiao Xiaoyu said.” Didn’t sleep well last night?”

Jiang Lan answered.” I had a nightmare.”

In sympathy, Xiao Xiaoyu offered him the boiled egg.” It will help you to get rid of the dark circle around your eyes.”

Jiang Lan peeled the egg and ate it. Because of this dream, he didn’t even remember to buy breakfast.

At nine o’clock sharp, the cool guy in the office, Zhang Tianxing arrived. Today it was he and Xiao Xiaoyu’s turn to come to the lakeside ceremony site to help.

Remembering his mission last night, Jiang Lan asked him.” Did you catch the ghost?”

Zhang Tianxing was putting some new snacks into Suan Ni’s snack box.” No, I think there wasn’t any ghost there, it was something else.”

Jiang Lan: ???

“What is it?”

Staying true to his nickname, Zhang Tianxing said coolly.” I don’t know. But I am sure there weren’t any ghosts there. Wang Qing will give you some details.”

After that, he patted Suan Ni’s head and left with Xiao Xiaoyu.

Jiang Lan was puzzled. If it wasn’t a ghost, then what is it?