What It's Like Being a Vampire

Chapter 604: Chapter 604: Yang Lao San’s Thought Process

Upon hearing Yang Zhen’er’s words, both Little Fatty Girl and Little Apple turned their heads to “look” at Alice.

Little Fatty Girl even reached out to pinch Alice’s face: “Hehe, pig’s knuckle.”

Alice didn’t turn her head to swat away Little Fatty Girl’s hand, but did as she did in the car, reaching back to pinch Little Fatty Girl’s face herself, then saying, “If you call me ‘pig’s knuckle’ again, I won’t turn anything delicious for you next time.”

“Hehe, no way.” Little Fatty Girl giggled, reaching out with her other hand as well.

Little Apple also laughed and nodded: “Sister Old Fairy is really smart, she figured it out in an instant, um, I mean, Sister Zhen’er is really smart!”

Yang Zhen’er, who initially thought she had uncovered some amazing secret, blinked her eyes, glanced at the playful Alice and Little Fatty Girl, then at Old Xia who was still picking up food without any reaction, and suddenly felt like she was making a big fuss over nothing.

“Sister Old Fairy, don’t daydream, eat quickly! This fish fillet needs to be eaten while it’s hot!”

Liu Shiling’s clear voice woke Yang Zhen’er from her reverie. She saw Little Fatty Girl picking up a piece of fish with her chopsticks and then placing it in her bowl after circling half the dining table, as if worried she wouldn’t get enough to eat.

Yang Zhen’er was both amused and frustrated: “Just focus on eating! Are you worried I’ll starve?”

Then she looked at Alice and noticed the little girl was eating grilled chicken wings again, even though they hadn’t ordered any!

She understood now, both the crispy pig’s knuckle and the grilled chicken wings were conjured by Alice. Alice can eat it, they can too, but Alice can’t eat the ordinary food they can eat.

She glanced again at Old Xia, who was silently engrossed in eating, and suddenly felt that Alice’s sudden appearance in the car, her joining them for dinner, and her various behaviors at the dining table were all performed for her to see.

Because, from her observations, Old Xia, Little Apple, and Little Lingdang all seemed very accustomed to Alice’s existence. They even seemed like good friends or sisters, very close. Among them, it was obvious she was the one who knew the least about Alice.

So it seemed Alice’s “open” appearance today was meant to give her some hints?

That’s not right, these weren’t hints, they were explicitly telling her.

So… could the various illusions she had conjured possibly become as “real” as Alice, as real as the crispy pig’s knuckle?

Thinking of this, Yang Zhen’er once again instinctively raised her hand to pinch Alice’s cheek.

However, Alice directly opened her mouth and bit down on Yang Zhen’er’s hand.

Although Alice didn’t bite hard and Yang Zhen’er wasn’t hurt, when she pulled her hand back, she could still see a row of faint bite marks.

Yang Zhen’er burst into happy laughter: “It really is real, it’s real!”

While speaking, she suddenly raised her hand, pointed at Alice, and with a serious expression and authoritative voice, she said, “Alice! You are now a magician, I, as the Silver Armor Fairy, grant you the Dingling Magic Robe! Did you hear me, the Dingling Magic Robe!”

After finishing speaking, she gave Liu Shiling a look and whispered, “Little Lingdang, go lock the door of the private room.”

Little Fatty Girl, who had been eagerly watching Alice when she heard Old Fairy starting to “chant”, got up reluctantly from her seat and walked to the door of the room upon hearing the order.

Yang Zhen’er then turned her gaze back to Alice, seriously saying, “Alice! I grant you… a magic robe with a black base, red edges, and golden patterns! Uh… and there are two cat ears on the robe!”

Alice tilted her face slightly, her eyes round and startled, staring blankly as she sat in place, but no change happened, no magic robe appeared on her.

After two seconds, Little Apple asked Old Xia in a low voice, “Bing sister, what is Sister Zhen’er doing?” Although she couldn’t see, with the help of her various perceptual abilities, especially Alice’s perceptual assistance, she had a clear understanding of the situation in the booth. She knew, of course, that there was no magic robe appearing on Alice.

Liu Shiling, standing at the entrance of the box, also asked, “Old Fairy Sister, this door isn’t locked.”

Yang Zhen’er looked at Alice, who had not changed at all, looked at the puzzled Little Apple, and looked again at Old Xia who was still eating and dining attentively. She scratched her head, turned to Little Fatty Girl and said, “Xiao Lingdang, I… I bestow upon you the Dingling Magic Robe.”

Because Old Xia, Little Apple, and Alice were by her side, and after her confident “chanting” failed just now, Yang Zhen’er’s words were somewhat lacking in momentum.

But unexpectedly, the second her words fell, Liu Shiling’s body donned the iconic black magic robe with gold trim and two cat ears on the hood.

“Eh? This works too?” Yang Zhen’er was surprised that the illusion appeared even though she had only muttered a few words. She and Liu Shiling both quickly looked at Old Xia.

“Old Xia, did you see that?”

Yang Zhen’er did not specify what she saw, but Old Xia shook her head, “No,” then continued to scoop and drink soup, also scooping a bowl for Little Apple next to her.

Just as Yang Zhen’er was disappointingly giving up, Little Apple exclaimed in surprise, “There really is a magic robe? Did Sister Zhen’er conjure it?”

Yang Zhen’er paused, “Little Apple, can you see it?”

With a shy smile, Little Apple said, “It’s thanks to Alice. What Alice can see, I can also see. Well, I don’t really mean that I can literally see, just that… I know what is there, and what others are seeing. So I know that Xiao Lingdang’s robe isn’t real, it only appears to be there. It’s different from the pig’s elbow we just ate… um, the pig’s elbow we just ate wasn’t real either, but Alice is real. She’s not the same kind of real, she’s another kind of real. Sigh, I’ve confused myself…”

Little Apple understood that Alice’s direct appearance meant that Uncle Xiang’s circle of trust had expanded and that Sister Zhen’er was one of the trusted. They were forming a “team”!

And it seems that Sister Zhen’er also has a very special ability.

How nice.

Yang Zhen’er then sat next to Alice laughing and asked, “Alice, can you see Xiao Lingdang’s magic robe?”

Liu Shiling also came over, sat on the other side of Alice, pulled the drawstring of the illusionary magic robe, and the cat ears on the hat wiggled along, “Xiao Luosi, can you see it?”

Alice nodded, reached out and touched Liu Shiling’s head, and said, “Yes! But your robe is different from my pig’s elbow!”

Little Apple quietly supplemented, “It’s the pig’s elbow you conjured, not your pig’s elbow.”

“Right! The pig’s elbow I conjured!” Alice loudly repeated, “It’s not my pig’s elbow!” She deliberately looked up at Yang Zhen’er next to her.

Yang Zhen’er nodded repeatedly, “I understand, I understand, so… Alice, how did you conjure the pig’s elbow? Can you teach me? Or help me make Xiao Lingdang’s robe as real as your pig’s elbow?”

Liu Shiling also said, “Yes, yes, Xiao Luosi, teach me how to conjure a pig’s elbow! A delicious one!”

“I can’t teach this, you will have to find Old Xia.” Alice said helplessly.

“Old Xia?” Yang Zhen’er looked at Xia Libing, “Old Xia, you can also conjure pig’s elbow?”

“Yes!” The one who answered was Liu Shiling, “Roast Chicken Wings Sister can conjure so many, many, many delicious things! Crispy Pig’s Elbow, Roasted Chicken Wings, Ice Cream, Chocolate, Cake… so many! Roast Chicken Wings Sister is the second most formidable magician in this world!”

Yang Zhen’er was taken aback. Looking at Old Xia who was still sipping her hot soup leisurely, she suddenly understood why Little Fatty Girl called her “Roast Chicken Wings Sister”!

After a joyful and lively lunch, the group of five “people” left Youlong Restaurant. They strolled the streets, each holding an ice cream, eating, walking, and laughing all the way.

But after they finished the ice cream, they didn’t need to wipe their mouths or hands, perfectly clean.

It wasn’t until over three in the afternoon that they returned to the parking lot, but when they got in the car, Yang Zhen’er didn’t go to the passenger seat this time, but squeezed into the third row with Alice.

Yang Zhen’er is now determined to learn how to change the “hypnotic illusion” she creates into a “pig’s elbow.” She hopes that the illusions she creates can be perceived and touched realistically, like Alice’s crispy pig’s elbow, grilled chicken wings, and ice cream, even if it only exists for a short time.

Then she wouldn’t just be a Silver Armor Old Fairy who can only perform skits with Xiao Lingdang!

She would be a real Silver Armor Old Fairy!

No, a fairy.

Although Alice told her that she had to ask Old Xia to learn this ability, after asking Old Xia once and getting no response, she immediately gave up. Being cute and clingy only works with Nana, it’s simply useless with Old Xia. She knows her cousin too well, that kind of refusal means either this ability can’t be taught or shouldn’t be taught.

So Yang Zhen’er kept her eyes on Alice, because Alice’s existence itself exemplified that ability. Maybe playing and interacting more with Alice, she could find inspiration. Just like when she was bored and played with the eraser, and also played various coin games with Xiao Lingdang, she developed a “superpower” that she herself couldn’t believe in.

Soon after GL8 left the parking lot, Yang Zhen’er’s phone rang, followed by ringtones from Little Apple and Little Fatty Girl’s phones also.

She glanced at her phone and found out that their six-person group chat had a new message.

There are four of the six members of the group chat in the car, so they certainly didn’t send the message. That means the new message is either from Xiang Kun or Nana!

Yang Zhen’er quickly unlocked her phone, opened WeChat, and saw that it was indeed a message from Nana, a video, followed by a funny face emoji.

Seeing the emoji, Yang Zhen’er breathed a sigh of relief, confident that Nana must be alright, and so must Uncle Tang.

She directly sent a voice message asking, “Nana! Nana! What were you doing just now, why didn’t you answer the phone?”n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Tang Baona replied, “I was sleeping, my phone didn’t wake me up. Have you watched the video? Watch the video first!”

Then another comical emoji.

Yang Zhen’er curiously opened the video, then saw Tang Baona sitting strangely next to the door of her living room. The living room light was off, only the light from the corridor and other rooms cast a strange and gloomy tone.

“A song of broken intestines, where in the world can one find a bosom friend…”

As soon as Tang Baona deliberately mimicked the tone of a wise man, Yang Zhen’er burst into laughter.

Then she heard Little Fatty Girl, who had turned her head over the back of the seat to watch the video, mutter with a puzzled expression, “What is a beautiful sister chanting? A bowl of duck intestine noodles, field ducks, river pigs, rice… rice what?”

Yang Zhen’er laughed so hard she was in tears, but the music coming from the phone quickly drew her attention.

First came the sound of a piano, as if Nana was playing, but soon the sound of a guzheng, a pipa, and various drums started up.

“Did she pair it up in post-production?”

Yang Zhen’er was a bit confused, but soon noticed something odd in the video. Large waves of fog filled the room, even misting up the lens.

Thus, the music played by those various instruments seemed to come from a hidden orchestra in the fog.

Having lived with Tang Baona for a long time, Yang Zhen’er naturally recognized that these sounds were synthesized by Nana using software, not genuinely played by her. Yet, it still conveyed a vast and ethereal feel.

In an instant, as she stared at the fog-filled video, she suddenly felt she was not looking at the living room of Nana’s parents’ house but rather a majestic celestial palace. The one playing the music was not Nana, but a group of fairies with fluttering robes.

Suddenly, only the sound of the Pipa remained in the music, its sound becoming metallic and solid, like rock colliding. It resembled two armies facing off.

The fog dissipated in a few seconds. The sight of Tang Baona behind the electronic keyboard transforming into a pebble, which was squirming and forming shapes, made Yang Zhen’er jump. The phone almost flew out of her hand. That pebble, it seemed alive.

Liu Shiling was surprised, exclaimed, “The beautiful sister turned into a stone!”

Little Apple was also disturbed; she could not stop herself from grabbing Little Fatty Girl’s hand.

The video ended. Yang Zhen’er quickly recovered. Since Nana could send this video and even use funny emojis, she must be fine. It must be some special effect or gimmick she’s playing.

Or… does Nana also have some ability similar to hers? But why can Nana’s ability be captured on video while hers cannot?

“Nana! Nana! How did you do it?” After watching it, Yang Zhen’er immediately sent a voice message.

Tang Baona sent back a ‘Guess?’ emoji.

“Don’t you want to know whom I met today? Someone you want to meet! And I found out a huge secret!” After sending her voice message, Yang Zhen’er followed up with a wily laughter emoji.

“Not interested.”

“You definitely want to know, it starts with ‘little’!”

After a few rounds of exchanging wits with Tang Baona on WeChat, Yang Zhen’er received a surprising call; the incoming call was from Nana’s mother!

What’s happening? Shouldn’t Nana be with her parents? Could it be that the Nana I’ve been chatting with was fake? Did Nana truly turn into a stone?

Suppressing the various thoughts popping up in her mind, Yang Zhen’er answered the call. There came the voice of Mother Tang, “Zhen’er, are you busy?”

“Auntie, I’m not busy. Is uncle alright? I heard from Nana that uncle was hospitalized?”

“It’s nothing, just a little issue, he didn’t hospitalize, just went for a check-up, he’s already back. By the way, Zhen’er, aren’t you staying in Haixi Province? There’s something that auntie wants you to check. Can you help me see, is there a custom of gifting furniture… specially a tea table, when dating in Haixi?”

“Huh? Furniture? Tea table?!” Yang Zhen’er was utterly bewildered.

“Anyway, please help auntie ask around.” Mother Tang then lowered her voice, “I don’t know why, Xiang Kun just suddenly sent us a new tea table today. Nana said it’s a birthday present, but I find it strange. Nana also said that the tea table was handmade by Xiang Kun. However, I saw a factory label on the leg of the table. It’s from a furniture company in Fushan, Guangdong Province. There’s even a QR code… ”

After the call with Mother Tang, she video-chatted with Tang Baona for a while. Even if Tang Baona didn’t explain everything, Yang Zhen’er could guess the squirming stone-like object behind the electronic keyboard in the video, must be related to the original tea table in Nana’s home. Nana must have suddenly understood some kind of ability and ruined the tea table. That’s why she rushed to buy a new one but couldn’t find a valid reason, so she said it was sent by Brother Xiang, she was sure, Brother Xiang wouldn’t have sent the tea table!

Yang Zhen’er grew more curious. What ability had Nana acquired? So, she leaned on Alice’s shoulder, smiled, and said, “Alice, do you know how Nana got that fog and stone in the video?”

Alice was about to answer when she suddenly became aware of something. She closed her mouth and looked forward.

The GL8 stopped. The girls in the second and third rows realized that they’ve unknowingly returned back to Chongyun Village. The car had stopped in front of the courtyard where they lived.

After stopping the car, unlike the previous times, Xia Libing didn’t get out to open the sliding door but turned around from the driver’s seat and looked at everyone.

“Xiang Kun needs our help.”