Chapter 195: Bikini

This outfit is also what he wore when Su Mian first saw him—a black-and-white suit, the Dean who appears and disappears mysteriously in the orphanage.

These words were like a trigger; the man, who had been lowering his head, slowly lifted it.

His nose bridge was straight, his jaw sharp, his lips thin yet curved in a faint smile; he placed one hand behind his back and floated to Su Mian's side.

Su Mian stared intently at her phone screen, but the man slapped it down, the screen instantly went black; she blankly lifted her head and saw nothing.

A light laugh came from beside her ear; Su Mian frowned, pressed her lips together, subconsciously thinking the person before her was familiar, so her mind unconsciously lowered its guard.

Added to her racing heartbeat, she couldn't think of a countermeasure.

She should have focused on completing the task instead of immersing herself in this half‑real, half‑false illusion—but… how to soothe? What counts as soothing?

She admitted, she panicked.

It wasn't because she saw a ghost, nor because she felt danger.

It was the person before her that made her lose all strength in an instant.

The ghost slapped the phone away; it fell onto the carpet‑lined carriage and made no sound.

"Long time no see, Mi Guo."

He spoke; Su Mian twitched her ears, and her hand instinctively braced against the seat back beside her.

"Long time no see, Dean…"

He played with Su Mian's long hair, lightly sniffed it, and said, "You look really beautiful, like a grown‑up girl."

Su Mian lowered her head to look at her suspenders and ultra‑short shorts, and faintly sensed something was off.

The tone was exactly what Si Shi would say; if it were an imitation, could it really be this similar? But if it truly were Si Shi, why would he call her Mi Guo instead of Su Mian?

Su Mian was lost in her thoughts, completely unaware of how dangerous that sentence just was.

Amber‑colored pupils flashed in the darkness for an instant, and he backhanded seized the girl's jaw.

"Who taught you to dress like this, huh?"

【Warning, warning! Please soothe the ghost promptly, please soothe the ghost promptly! Otherwise the mission will fail!】

The system's alert blared, making Su Mian's head buzz; unable to think, she blurted out.

"You…"

The warning cut off abruptly, and the ghost behind her gave a doubtful "Huh?"

Su Mian turned around, discovered she could touch the ghost, breathed a sigh of relief, then sharply stepped back and shoved the person onto the seat.

"I said… it's you."

She vaguely checked with her hand where the man's head was, then lightly rubbed her head against his neck.

Although Su Mian knew Si Shi's personality inside out—he was the high‑attack, low‑defense type—the character setting he played in each instance varied slightly, all giving a strong sense of oppression, yet in getting along she could always find a corresponding breakthrough.

As for the Dean's character setting, he obviously couldn't resist being coaxed.

"'Dean,' she said, neither smiling nor looking aggrieved, merely her eyes blinking, clear and lively."

"Mi Guo has grown up and wants to try different styles; if you don't like it, Dean, could you help me pick them out in the future? Could you forgive me, Dean?"

The person before her fell silent, merely vaguely supporting her leg, his breathing a little rough.

Su Mian thought he would lean in to kiss her, but he didn't; he just sighed.

"Your legs are too cold; wear more."

From his tone, the anger had already faded.

Su Mian: …

Seeing Si Shi so bland for the first time, she was still a bit unaccustomed; before she could even relax, she heard him speak again.

"I want to check your luggage."

Su Mian:?!

How could one wave not settle before another rose? Su Mian, trying to bluff her way through, felt her heart leap to her throat again.

She sat up, her expression guilty, "Dean, it's getting late…"

The man, however, said nothing and directly scooped her up in a horizontal hold.

Su Mian almost cried out, but immediately covered her mouth, seeing the man determined to go to her room.

Su Mian struggled to get down, but the ghost's arms were locked tight around her.

Upon reaching the room, Su Mian subdued and dared not struggle anymore.

Because struggling further might wake Wang Yan; if she saw Su Mian floating alone in mid‑air, even eight mouths couldn't explain it clearly.

The ghost flicked a fingertip, hooking Su Mian's chest out, then hooked again, spreading the luggage open.

Inside, aside from a small knife hidden deep within—the tool of the crime—what she saw made her face flush and her heart race.

If not for going to the beach, aside from pajamas and a sun‑shirt, she had brought who‑knows‑how‑many bikini sets, loosely covered by a straw hat, giving a distinct air of trying to hide what was obvious.

Su Mian could bear it no longer; she buried her face in the man's chest, inwardly seething with helpless rage.

Can't you at least say, in front of the player, don't let the ghost open the luggage, instead of just saying not to open it in front of the player?!

Damn it, this is too embarrassing, isn't it?!

"This is what Mi Guo said… wanting to try different styles?"

His voice gave no hint of joy or anger, his tone half‑smiling, "I actually don't see what's different about it…"

"Well, actually, they are quite different—look, there are bow‑tie ones, halter ones, strawberry‑star ones, and leopard‑print ones…"

Su Mian herself couldn't go on explaining; the more she explained, the more wrong it felt, so she finally shrank her neck and fell silent.

"Hah…"

"Those hands placed her on the bed, \"Will you wear it for me to see? \""

"Just wear it for me to see."

Su Mian swallowed, being forced to shift backward.

The bed is too small—it can't fit two people, and this ghost is huge, making the bed sway slightly.

She watched Wang Yan sleeping out of the corner of her eye, then turned her gaze to the Void, where warm, humid air brushed her neck.

"Pick a set."

"... Do you really have to pick?"

"You don't have to pick; I'll choose for you."

"Stop, stop, stop—I'll pick myself!"

Su Mian stopped a certain evil claw, tilted her head slightly, looked at that chest of unspeakable things, and casually picked a more conservative one.

"Just that white one."

After saying that, Su Mian regretted it, because upon picking it up and looking she discovered it was the only set with strings.

In any case, she got it on, though the process was arduous; Su Mian had to watch Wang Yan, who might wake up, and also check whether she had tied it correctly.

She deliberately hid under the covers, claiming she was cold, provoking someone to let out a rich person's laugh.

Su Mian, who thought changing clothes would solve everything, also realized she was wrong.

The carriage fell silent; the eerie children's song faded, and the kids' crying and laughter disappeared.

Perhaps some people had lost interest, or maybe they wanted to focus on other sounds.

"Good child, don't wake your companion."

"Just like that, right… may I cover your mouth with my hand?"

"Truly obedient."

"Hand, phone."

"What?"

"I… need to take a photo."

The girl's voice was hoarse, sounding as if she were struggling to breathe.

Soon, the hard‑sleeper carriage's phone flew in and landed in the man's hand: "At a time like this you can still think of other things? You seem distracted."

He lifted his eyelid, pressed the button against his face; a bead of sweat dotted his forehead, and a strand of hair stuck to his neck—but it wasn't his.

"Done shooting…"

"But our night is still long."

【Ding—this carriage's pacifying vengeful ghost task is complete.】

……