The dark snake tail went around Jiang Lan’s waist and gently wrapped him. Only the tip of the tail carefully touched Jiang Lan’s knee.

Ying Qiao took care not to exert too much strength in case Jiang Lan felt suffocating. The smooth and cool touch of the tail, much like the touch of a jade, made Jiang Lan feel comfortable in this sultry classroom.

Jiang Lan watched the tail tip without blinking and swallowed hard. He now knew for certain that he found Ying Qiao’s tail……appetizing. Now he desired a taste of it.

Of course he didn’t want to eat Ying Qiao whole, just the tiny tip of his tail. Only for taste…it was supposed to be ok?

If Ying Qiao refused him, he could settle for a little touching and rubbing. Even this would be very satisfying.

Jiang Lan tried to stop swallowing. Looking at Ying Qiao, he asked.” Can I touch it?”

Ying Qiao didn’t reply. Instead, the tail tip voluntarily moved into his palm.

Jiang Lan widened his eyes in wonder. The touch of his scales was much superior to the best jade he could find. Cradling his tail, Jiang Lan found it hard to let it go.

He carefully moved his hand from the tip up, and was entranced by the touch and his expression was filled with enjoyment.

Ying Qiao silently wrapped him tighter and leaned closer to him.

With a voice filled with seduction, he asked.” Do you like it?”

Jiang Lan was very frank.” Yes.”

He complimented genuinely.” Your tail is very pretty. The most beautiful tail I have ever seen.”

Besides, its touch was so nice that I wanted to hold it while sleeping.

If I say it aloud, I might sound too frivolous.

Ying Qiao curved his lips. Beautiful tail could indeed enhance one’s sexual appeal and the Little Monster appeared to be charmed. It’s too good an opportunity to pass up. He rubbed his tail tip against Jiang Lan’s palm and lowered his voice to a whisper.” From now on, only you can see it.”

His murmur worked like a hairy brush, brushing against Jiang Lan’s eardrum.

Jiang Lan’s racing heart gradually slowed down and now felt a little itchy.

He wanted to own such a beautiful tail.

Just when he was about to respond to Ying Qiao’s offer, an incandescent light in the classroom suddenly went on.

The dark room was instantly lit and the ceiling fan started whirling furiously. Even the loudspeaker started blaring.

The charged atmosphere in the room was dispelled in an instant.

Pausing for a moment, Jiang Lan forgot what he was about to say. He said to Ying Qiao with a surprised voice.” I didn’t see it coming, do you?”

Ying Qiao’s face grew dark and grim, much darker than an inkwell.

“Me too.”

He seemed to squeeze these words from his lips.

Jiang Lan lamented.” It caught us off guard.”

He was too preoccupied with the tail to notice his surroundings.

“No problem, it must still be here. Let’s catch it.”

Ying Qiao sounded very casual and withdrew his tail in the same casual manner, but the concrete wall cracked under the impact of his tail.

He transformed back into his human form and straightened the wrinkles in his clothing. He extended his hand to Jiang Lan.” Let’s go out.”

Jiang Lan involuntarily took his hand. When they walked out of the classroom hand in hand, he sensed something wrong.

He glanced at their hands and a smile appeared in his heart.

Experiments is the only way to verify the truth

He now knew where his heart lay after trying.

Ying Qiao’s tail was both beautiful and powerful and it would be very comfortable to twist their tails together^[1]Translator’s note: the original text is 交尾, used to describe how insects or some animals mate. If Ying Qiao became his boyfriend, he wouldn’t mind if he tasted his boyfriend’s tail.

Thinking about this, a dimple appeared on Jiang Lan’s face.

His mood was so good that when the celebrity figures on the corridor wall pictures turned to look at them in unison with wicked smiles, Jiang Lan even managed to smile back friendly.

“…..”

The smiles on those faces froze.

The smiles vanished, replaced by the red tears dripping down from their eyes.

Jiang Lan clapped his hands.” Can you guys do other expressions?”

……

The blood tears dried and those faces became again expressionless with a hint of grievance in the eyes.

Above their heads, the sound of bouncing balls started again and the lights in the second floor were turned on, as if someone invisible turned them on.

Jiang Lan said.” It is just like Wang Qing described. Should we go up?”

Ying Qiao was trying to catch a whiff of the opponent’s scent in the air. But it looked like this opponent was very good at hiding. He could detect nothing.

He nodded.” Let’s go upstairs.”

Before they went upstairs, Jiang Lan sent a message asking Wang Qing.” From where you are, could you see the lights on the second floor?”

Wang Qing instantly replied.” Negative, only the ground floor was lit.”

Jiang Lan thought to himself: maybe there was a magical field on the second floor they haven’t discovered so far?

Pocketing his phone, he went upstairs with Ying Qiao.

The moment they climbed the first step, the lights behind them were turned off, shutting off the only source of light and plunging the whole building into darkness.

And a crisp little girl’s voice sounded.” One….”

Involuntarily, Jiang Lan grabbed Ying Qiao’s hand, comforting him.” Don’t be afraid, I am here.”

In the darkness, Ying Qiao was surprised and turned to look at him. Seeing the expression on Jiang Lan’s face, the look of a caring protector, Ying Qiao’s anger of being interrupted eased up a little. With a smile in his voice, he said.” Ok, I am not afraid.”

They continued to climb.

Just as Wang Qing said, every step they climbed was accompanied by a girl counting it. When they climbed the last step, the girl’s voice said.”…..fourteen!”

“One more step, I count one more step!” The crisp girls’ voice changed into a different tone, becoming shrill.

Ignoring it, Jiang Lan walked on.

From behind came a scream:” You counted one more step! Now you will stay here in my place.”

Jiang Lan didn’t pause and climbed to the second floor with Ying Qiao, ignoring that voice.

There were ten classrooms on the second floor and every one of them was lit. From the empty corridor came the rhythmic sound of a bouncing ball.

At first, there was the sound of only one ball, then another ball joined, as if another player came to bounce the ball.

Soon, more balls joined them. It sounded like those invisible students in the classrooms had come out to the corridor to play the balls.

Frowning, Jiang Lan complained to Ying Qiao.” They seem to be acting out a scene from a third rate horror fiction.”

It’s not frightening at all. Jiang Lan was even amused.

The sound of bouncing balls abruptly stopped, replaced by a total silence.

Ying Qiao was also amused.” You have hurt someone’s ego.”

Then the light was also shut off. Darkness swallowed them.

Jiang Lan joked.” Oh, I am so sorry.”

Ying Qiao looked at him and chuckled.

From their behind came the sound of desks colliding with chairs. Perhaps their opponent was offended?

There was no unusual scent in this building. Exchanging a look, they went downstairs together.

When climbing down the stairs, Jiang Lan complained again.” The part of a girl counting the steps is just a usual horror fiction trope, nothing original.”

Ying Qiao nodded in agreement.

Now there was no girl counting the steps as they passed.

When they left the building, they saw a portly figure with a white face running towards them. He was the security guard. When Wang Qing led them inside the school, it was this man who opened the door for them.

He stopped before the building, out of breath. He exclaimed in panic.” Help, help us. Something happened to Officer Wang. There was a ghost in the guard room….”

Jiang Lan was alarmed.” What happened? Tell us.”

The guard looked terrified, as if he just witnessed something truly frightening.” I don’t know, I saw a woman’s face outside the window….”

While striding towards the guard room, Jiang Lan prompted him.” What’s wrong with a woman’s face?”

Trembling, the guards said.” When Officer Wang saw this face, he seemed to be possessed and leaned against the window. Then….. the woman’s face was attached to his face…..”

At this time, they had reached the guard room. Jiang Lan pushed open the door and saw Wang Qing lying on the floor, unconscious. He squatted down beside Wang Qing.” Where is the woman’s face?”

The guard squatted down and whispered to Jiang Lan’s ear in a hushed tone.” Now take a look at me…..”

Jiang Lan turned to look at a woman’s face attached to the security guard’s face, as if wearing a mask. The guard had a big head and the woman’s face was too small for him. The delicate woman’s face looked incongruous with his head.

“So ugly.” Jiang Lan instantly grabbed his wrist and laughed.” Catch you.”

The guard was surprised and tried to run. But his exit was blocked by Ying Qiao.

“Want to run?” Ying Qiao’s laugh was even more wicked than the ghosts depicted in some horror fiction.” Too late.”