"Ugh," Mu Anxiao resisted, but thinking of the help Zhang Yan had given her, she obediently walked towards the room where the lights were out, only the television casting a glow.
An hour and a half later, Mu Anxiao sat on the floor, leaning against the sofa, staring blankly at the television screen. Zhang Yan, grinning, stood up and turned on the lights, asking, "How was it? Want to watch more?"
"Continue," Uncle Chen, seated on the sofa, responded enthusiastically.
Mu Anxiao's expression was solemn. "I'm not watching anymore."
"Scared already?" Feng Qishi asked, sitting beside Mu Anxiao.
Mu Anxiao stared ahead blankly and said, "I'm not scared, I'm just sleepy." As she spoke, she supported herself with one hand on the ground and stood up unsteadily.
Feng Qishi looked up at Mu Anxiao's expression and deliberately hummed an "oh" with a slight upward turn of his lips.
Mu Anxiao ignored Feng Qishi. After taking two steps around the coffee table, Zhang Yan blocked her path. "I need to do an experiment, you go back and sit properly."
"What experiment are you doing?" Mu Anxiao frowned.
Zhang Yan glanced in Uncle Chen's direction and said, "You get it now."
"You don't trust me."
"No, I just want to see if he's really recovered," Zhang Yan said, pulling her arm as he worried she might leave.
Seeing that Zhang Yan wasn't going to let Mu Anxiao off the hook, Feng Qishi chuckled and said, "Old man, he's just a scaredy-cat. We just need to watch."
"Qishi, shouldn't you be going home?" Uncle Chen suddenly said.
Feng Qishi turned to look at Uncle Chen and smiled. "My mom doesn't care about me, I don't have to go home tonight."
"That's truly unusual. However, don't you have an exam tomorrow morning?"
Hearing that Feng Qishi had an exam, Zhang Yan said, "Since you have an exam, you should go to sleep quickly."
"I'll sleep here," Feng Qishi said, patting the carpet.
"No, if you're sleepy, go inside and sleep," Zhang Yan generously offered.
"Thank you, old man," Feng Qishi said with a hearty laugh.
And so, Mu Anxiao was forced by Zhang Yan to watch ghost movies all night. This experience made Mu Anxiao feel like she was back to the time she first saw a monster, even more stimulating than that. xxs壹贰
"Alright, I'm going to catch up on some sleep," Zhang Yan said. He bent down, turned off the television, and stood up. He walked out of the room, paused for a moment looking at Feng Qishi, who was already asleep on the bed, and then turned to Mu Anxiao, who was still sitting on the floor, staring blankly. "Mu Anxiao, come here."
Mu Anxiao was startled and looked up at Zhang Yan. "What for?"
"Your courage is too little. You're supposed to be someone who's been through storms," Zhang Yan said, pointing towards the room. "Go, wake that kid up."
"I won't," Mu Anxiao refused, shaking her head.
At this moment, Uncle Chen had also stood up. "I'll go wake him," he said, walking around the coffee table to Zhang Yan's side. He smiled, "No one has ever willingly watched ghost movies with me before. You're the first."
"It's also my first time watching a ghost movie. It's too fake," Zhang Yan chuckled.
Uncle Chen also smiled along with Zhang Yan. "I'm truly happy for your granddaughter to see you looking so spirited."
"Thank you," Zhang Yan said, patting Uncle Chen's shoulder.
Uncle Chen smiled and leaned forward, peeking at Feng Qishi and calling out, "Wake up, Qishi."
Feng Qishi wiggled his fingers and continued to sleep.
Seeing that Feng Qishi wasn't moving, Uncle Chen frowned and asked, "Can I go in?"
"Go ahead, but be careful, he might have morning grumpiness," Zhang Yan said, recalling Shen Yan's frenzy after being woken up by him, and swallowed.