The conversation, without any intentional lowering of volume, was naturally heard by all the surrounding classmates. Such a brief exchange aroused endless curiosity - do these two know each other or not?

Yu Zhenzhen was gossipy but too embarrassed to stare openly, her eyeballs nearly slanting to her temples.

The entire atmosphere plummeted to rock bottom right after Tan Xiao said those two words.

Kong Xuan looked at Tan Xiao with a gloomy expression. He never imagined someone could express such an outrageous message with just two words.

—His shaman actually didn't recognize him!

For a moment, Tan Xiao even doubted if he had mistaken his deskmate. Considering that Lin Yang and Kong Xuan had similar hairstyles, his confusion was genuine as he looked back at Kong Xuan with eyes as clear as water.

Tan Xiao glanced at the textbook on the desk, confirming this indeed wasn't his deskmate. Based on this, he should be that new classmate. He shifted his gaze to Lin Yang.

Receiving the signal, Lin Yang quietly reminded his deskmate, "This is the new classmate, called Kong Xuan."

But this name still didn't stir any memories for Tan Xiao.

Kong Xuan? Although Tan Xiao was face-blind, his memory was very good. He was certain he didn't know anyone named Kong Xuan. He suspected Kong Xuan had mistaken him for someone else.

Or...

Tan Xiao tentatively asked, "Have we met before?"

Kong Xuan had never encountered such an unimaginable situation. Moreover, Tan Xiao's sincere appearance made him both angry and unable to openly show his rage.

Hmph, come to think of it, he had only shown his eyes when meeting Tan Xiao before. Perhaps Tan Xiao couldn't imagine he would appear in the human world... It must be so, otherwise there was no reasonable explanation.

Kong Xuan withdrew his gaze. Even when angry, this face only appeared more handsome. He said coldly, "We haven't met. You've mistaken me for someone else."

Tan Xiao silently sat back in his seat, feeling the new transfer student had quite a temper. You mistook me but glare at me, what's with the black face?

After Lin Yang also retracted his eyes back to the textbook, he was really impressed. As expected of my deskmate! So cool! Like all the secretly watching classmates, he was quietly excited. How could someone so handsome possibly mistake/not recognize the other? There must be a story here!!

...

Right after morning self-study was physics class. As soon as the physics teacher stepped onto the podium, his gaze fell on Kong Xuan.

In a classroom of fifty or sixty people, Kong Xuan stood out as if glowing, making the teacher be unable to help but look at him for a few more seconds. He joked, "Oh, living up to the reputation. I heard early on that your class got a new handsome guy."

Not only his appearance, but his temperament was even more aloof and noble. The young phoenix eyes looked indifferently, appearing proudly above others.

By the end of the first period, their class corridor presented an unprecedented lively scene. Students from other classes and even grades came after hearing the news, calling out to friends. Their courage was also bolstered. At first they were just "passing by", but later it started to cause a traffic jam.

There were even some teachers mixed in, also running over to watch the commotion.

Yu Zhenzhen nearly passed out from the crowding just going to the bathroom. She had no choice but to stand at the door and shout, "Everyone please move in, don't block the front door, there's still space in the middle of the corridor..."

Laughter immediately erupted from the crowd at the door.

Tan Xiao couldn't help but glance at Kong Xuan. These people seemed to all be here to see the transfer student.

Kong Xuan was very used to being looked at. Even with the sea of people outside, he remained calm and composed. But from the countless gazes, he keenly captured that Tan Xiao was looking at him.

He's probably thinking it over and realizing something is off, right?

He knew the spirit master would regret it!

Lin Yang scratched his head in the back, wanting to call out to Kong Xuan.

He usually had a lot of guts, but this time he had to do some mental preparation.

Probably because Kong Xuan's appearance was not only superb, but also extremely aggressive, making people only dare to observe from afar. "Um... Kong Xuan, you have a cell phone right? Later I'll add you to the class group."

No. 1 Middle allowed bringing cell phones, but during class time they had to be collected by the class cadre. However, once class was over, they could be used during the lunch break.

Kong Xuan didn't have that kind of thing and didn't feel it was important. "No."

Since No. 1 Middle had many boarding students, the majority still had cell phones. Lin Yang didn't expect Kong Xuan wouldn't have one and said awkwardly, "Alright then, if you need anything just find me or the class monitor. You can also tell Tan Xiao, he's the physics class representative."

Kong Xuan didn't make a sound. If Tan Xiao didn't take the initiative to realize his mistake, he wouldn't seek out Tan Xiao.

In the blink of an eye, morning classes were over and it was lunch break.

Lin Yang invited Kong Xuan to the cafeteria, but he glanced at Tan Xiao and slowly shook his head.

Lin Yang felt even more that something was up with these two. He shrugged, "I'll go by myself then."

From what he saw, it seemed like Kong Xuan wanted to eat with Tan Xiao. But as his deskmate, he knew Tan Xiao also didn't like going to the cafeteria. He had a lot of pocket money and was picky, often eating out.

Tan Xiao indeed didn't go to the cafeteria, but prepared to get takeout. However, he noticed Kong Xuan was looking at him, and felt his gaze wasn't too friendly. This transfer student is really strange. He could only return a polite smile, "Bye. Going to eat."

Kong Xuan: "..."

Tan Xiao didn't feel his eating had anything to do with Kong Xuan. Didn't the guy already choose not to eat himself?

Tan Xiao walked alone to the edge of the sports field. No. 1 Middle had rather strict management. The school gate also wasn't opened at noon, not allowing students to go out to eat. Even getting takeout at the school gate wasn't allowed.

But with a policy from above, there were countermeasures from below.

Nanchu had many hills, with many buildings staggered. For example, there were residential buildings five or six floors high just above the edge of the sports field. When students ordered takeout, the restaurant would come here, let down a rope with a basket attached. Inside would be the takeout. Being far from the school gate, the security guards also couldn't see.

Tan Xiao waited for his own basket, put in the money, then took the takeout, quite skilled.

Tan Xiao ordered a portion of fried buns, each one plump and crisp, sprinkled with verdant green onions and sesame seeds.

This was also a time-honored brand. When Tan Xiao was little, he liked watching the master chef make fried buns behind the transparent glass window on his way home from school. With a push of the ladle, a pour of oil, smooth as clouds and water, the bottoms would be fried to a crisp golden brown.

Besides this, he also brought green bean soup in a thermos, the ice cubes inside not even melted yet. It was most refreshing in this weather.

On the way back with the takeout, he ran into Lin Yang coming out from the cafeteria again.

"Xiao Xiao, what exactly is the situation with you and the transfer student? Are you purposely pretending not to know him? Or did you really forget? That's impossible, right? How could you forget someone so handsome? Think carefully."

Lin Yang came over and asked. No matter how he looked at it, something was off. His deskmate here really wasn't great at recognizing people.

Tan Xiao heard this jumbled mess of names and knew it was probably Lin Yang. He shook his head, "Really don't know." He had face blindness but his memory was still very good.

Tan Xiao also calculated the time in his mind. He and Lin Yang had just left the classroom one after the other. What kind of whirlwind eating speed did Lin Yang have? Was it even five minutes?

Lin Yang tutted, "You and Kong Xuan were clearly at odds in the classroom. Actually, I can understand you. Two tigers cannot share one mountain, right?"

Tan Xiao didn't take it to heart, "By the way, I feel he looks a bit like you."

Lin Yang: "..."

Lin Yang: "You hate him that much, huh."

Tan Xiao: "..."

Lin Yang wanted to say don't scold anymore, wuwu, feeling like he was being used as a tool to attack Kong Xuan!

He was very self-aware, okay? He was about three parts handsome, but there was still too much of a gap with Kong Xuan... Anyway, there was enough of a gap to make people feel Tan Xiao was dissatisfied with Kong Xuan.

Tan Xiao's mouth was too tight. He really wanted to know what was going on between them. How could they still insist they didn't know each other?

When Tan Xiao and Lin Yang brought back the takeout, most of the classmates hadn't returned yet, and there was no crowd in the corridor. Kong Xuan was sitting in his seat, looking outside.

Lin Yang casually asked with concern, "You didn't go eat?"

Hearing this, Kong Xuan actually glanced at Tan Xiao, then said angrily, "Not eating."

Tan Xiao happily opened his fried buns and took a big bite.

The golden crispy fried buns exploded with deliciousness in the mouth. Crispy skin and juicy filling, yet not too greasy, making one can't help but eat one after another.

After eating two, he took a sip of mung bean soup. The mung beans were cooked until they bloomed. The dark green soup collided with the crushed ice, rippling with threads of coolness. The mung bean soup went down the throat refreshingly, the coolness just right.

Kong Xuan: "............"

The students of Class 3 returned one after another.

Yu Zhenzhen also rubbed her belly and walked in arm in arm with her bestie. The two were still chatting about tarot cards. She planned to take out her own deck again and practice spreads during the lunch break.

Lin Yang grinned and sidled up, "Class rep, why don't you do a reading for me? Can you interpret dreams?"

Yu Zhenzhen glanced at him, "Hard to say."

Lin Yang patted the class rep's shoulders, "Master."

Yu Zhenzhen: "What do you want to ask? Tell me in detail."

Lin Yang put on a half-serious, half-joking expression, "I've been dreaming these past few days, all night long, my spirit is not too good. Let your cards tell me, why is this?"

Yu Zhenzhen mocked, "You've just been reading too much on Jinjiang, right? Dreaming of plot points at night? No need for cards, I can interpret this too."

"Hey, you're the one who recommended it to me, why are you mocking me?" Lin Yang blushed slightly at having his new hobby of reading romance novels exposed. "Besides, I'm not dreaming of anything messy at all. I'm dreaming of my second uncle."

Second uncle? Hearing this, it indeed didn't seem related to romance novels.

Tan Xiao said, no wonder he was yawning all morning, and thought, "Didn't your second uncle just pass away?"

Lin Yang was shocked. He hadn't mentioned this to everyone, since he wasn't a direct relative. "...Damn, how do you know?"

Tan Xiao: "Connections."

Lin Yang: "..."

What the hell kind of connections!

Tan Xiao explained, "Your second uncle used to be in the funeral business. My mom knew him too."

Nanchu was just that big. The Tan family was a shaman family after all. Although they had been acting as a mascot for many years, it wasn't strange for them to have connections in this area.

"Uh, right, but it seems like he stopped after getting sick. And because he used to do these things, the family is thinking after cremation, they still want to do a burial and hold another ceremony." Lin Yang said.

After all, the Chu area had traditions. When many local elders passed, they would still find all kinds of troupes to perform rites.

Lin Yang's second uncle used to work in this business. He took his last breath at the hospital and was sent to the funeral home. They decided to first cremate him to ashes, then do rites according to old customs and rebury him.

The Tans no longer took on these kinds of private rites, but they couldn't help that peers all got supplies from the same factories and shops. When Tan Chunying wasn't home, Tan Xiao would manage and make contact. He even knew Lin Yang's second uncle's family funeral budget was probably around 100,000...

With Tan Xiao's interruption, Yu Zhenzhen felt a bit of a chill down her back. It didn't seem like a romance novel but a horror novel. She touched her cards. Before she could do a reading, she rubbed her chin and said, "My condolences. I think you must be thinking about it during the day and dreaming about it at night."

Lin Yang's relationship with his second uncle wasn't that close. He felt he hadn't been constantly "thinking". He had always had a carefree personality. "What? I didn't want to scare you guys originally - after my second uncle passed, not just me, our whole family dreamed of him. No one can sleep well!"

The scene fell silent for a moment.

"Don't scare people in broad daylight!"

"I'm really not trying to." Lin Yang rubbed his face. He felt this mood was half-real, half-fake, feeling a bit strange but not really believing it. "I originally thought it was just me dreaming. Turns out, from my parents to my aunt, my brother... everyone dreamed of him! Isn't the seventh day coming up? We suspect it's because the funeral home has been unable to cremate for a long time, causing second uncle to have objections. If not, then maybe the old man is unwilling to be cremated?"

These days, funeral homes also sometimes had days where they couldn't keep up and could only put the bodies in cold storage to wait in line for cremation.

If the old man didn't want to be cremated, that made sense too. Otherwise, why were there so many examples these days in the countryside of cremation followed by reburial, and even many still directly buried.

With Lin Yang saying this, everyone also felt how could it be such a coincidence?

Could it be that Lin Yang's second uncle really had objections...

It was clearly a summer noon, but Lin Yang's words made the surrounding classmates can't help but stroke the goosebumps on their bodies. The students who were just laughing, looked at each other strangely one by one.

A sound broke the strange atmosphere.

"Beep."

It was Tan Xiao. He walked to the air conditioner and turned up the temperature.

Turning his head, he found everyone looking at him. He said inexplicably, "What? You guys weren't really scared by him, right?"

Yu Zhenzhen: "...That's because you were just helping him add background settings."

It was only after Tan Xiao said it that they learned Lin Yang's second uncle used to live off business for the underworld and do funerals for a living. How could this not be creepy.

Tan Xiao looked at Lin Yang and said lightly, "There's nothing strange about this. Your second uncle was your shared relative to begin with. The mentality of a group can mutually influence each other. Your family atmosphere may be a bit more... um, more easily affected, leading you to dream similar content."

Lin Yang's mouth opened a little, dazed.

Tan Xiao: "If you're really worried, spend some money and come to my place for a ritual. Just consider it a mental massage."

Tsk, there aren't that many supernatural events in the world. In all these years, he had only encountered a Xiong Hui.

Lin Yang: "..."

Tan Xiao's explanation brought everyone into a scientific and commercial atmosphere. Yu Zhenzhen raised her tarot cards, "So are we still doing this or not?"

Lin Yang gloomily poked at his dark circles, "Forget it, forget it. This spirit master practically called me superstitious."

Everyone burst into laughter.

Kong Xuan, who had been silent on the side, frowned again. Was Tan Xiao doing this on purpose?

Unable to watch his own shaman dispelling superstitions any longer, Kong Xuan got up and left, his sleeves fluttering.

Yu Zhenzhen asked in confusion, "What's wrong with Kong Xuan?"

Tan Xiao was also puzzled. With his sharp eyes, he had seen the test paper on Kong Xuan's desk, which the teacher had handed out in the morning to be completed.

With a glance, Tan Xiao had more or less seen Kong Xuan's answers. He suddenly gasped.

Good grief, could he even get twenty-eight points?!

Tan Xiao said, "It's nothing, nothing. He's probably just upset with himself."