Little Pink Starfish

“What Imperial Ghost Command Seal? Isn’t this the Heirloom Seal of the Realm?” Zhang Qiu was confused. Had they really found the wrong thing? No wonder it felt so eerie.

The pale-faced man’s eyes stayed glued to the jade seal in Hua Ting’s hand. He gave a soft snort. “That’s what you humans call it.”
He paused, and his perpetually sour face softened a bit. “Let me take a look.”

The man always spoke with justified confidence, yet somehow didn’t come off as unpleasant.

Hua Ting glanced at his junior. The thing wasn’t his to decide. Zhang Qiu nodded slightly, and the pale-faced man didn’t comment. He was just about to take the seal when Zhang Qiu cut in. The man snorted, “I knew you wouldn’t be that trusting.”

“I just meant this thing’s super weird. You’ll see when you try it,” Zhang Qiu said with a laugh.

A flicker of embarrassment crossed the man’s face before he quickly concealed it. He reached out with caution. Even so, once the object touched his hand, his expression immediately changed. He quickly placed it on the table.

“This thing doesn’t seem to affect regular people much. But it drains power from beings like divine beasts. On the other hand, people with yin-heavy constitutions actually benefit from it. But like a full-strength tonic—it’s too much and easily causes problems,” Zhang Qiu recapped their observations.

The pale-faced man stared at the jade, his expression grave.
“After Qin Shi Huang unified China, he forged this seal from the He Shi Bi. It was said, ‘Whoever holds it rules the realm.’ But actually, it was used to summon layer upon layer of ghost soldiers. Every time dynasties changed and war broke out, this thing played a role. The boss has been searching for it for ages. This time, it’s gotten even more wicked. I have to bring it back—” He reached for a box.

Li Shu stepped in coldly to block him.

The pale-faced man started to flare up, but seeing Li Shu’s face, he hesitated slightly.

“Fine. But this thing belongs to the underworld. You mortals shouldn’t mess with it. I’ll report this truthfully. The boss will come get it.”
He turned to leave—then suddenly turned back.

Zhang Qiu blinked.

The man looked annoyed. “Pay up for earlier help.”
He handed Zhang Qiu a business card. Zhang Qiu accepted it quickly, stifling a laugh when he read the name—though the burning gaze above warned him not to laugh aloud.

Bai Shengsheng.

“Burn paper money to this address. I’ll show up. And remember—there’s inflation down below. Bring plenty. Cross-border cases cost extra,” Bai Shengsheng said grumpily.

Zhang Qiu nodded quickly. “Of course, of course.” He would’ve paid anyway—especially since Lin was under this guy’s command.

Apparently, even in the underworld, social ties mattered.

After Bai Shengsheng left, Hua Ting whispered, “White Wuchang?”

“Probably.” Zhang Qiu handed the card to Second Brother. He was in charge of burning money anyway.

As for the jade, Zhang Qiu was now more anxious than ever. “So what now?”

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to study it,” Hua Ting said. He felt something about the carving seemed familiar.

Everyone trusted Hua Ting. Since they’d be in Beijing for another day, and finally had some rest after two months of chaos, they agreed. Maybe they could even find out who was backing Christine.

Hua Ting thanked them. This time, he wouldn’t put it in his home safe. And since they were heading out to eat, and his house had been broken into before, he said, “I’ll give it back to you after dinner.”

Zhang Qiu smiled. “No worries. We’ve got Xiao Fei watching it. Once we get back, you can have it again.”

They split up to rest, planning to meet at a roast duck restaurant in the evening.

When Xiao Jiang heard about roast duck, his eyes widened adorably, and Zhang Qiu couldn’t resist kissing him.

“Let’s get you bathed and rested first. Then tonight, we feast.”

None of them had slept well for days. Pei Qing went home with Lingdang. Qi Xi, not far from the villa, shamelessly latched onto Qi Zhirong, swearing he’d behave if allowed to nap there. Qi Zhirong gave him a cold look, but ultimately let him follow.

Zhang Qiu saw Qi Xi in his tiny cub form bouncing on Qi Zhirong’s head, yelling directions. He covered his eyes. “I can’t unsee that…”

Yue Qin Cang, resigned as ever, pushed Kai Ming into a guest room. Soon, the living room was empty. Zhang Qiu carried Xiao Jiang upstairs.

Li Shu had already drawn a bath. Zhang Qiu stripped his son, who shyly covered himself. After touching the jade, Xiao Jiang had become warmer—closer to human. Before, he’d been like hugging a popsicle in winter.

“Go pack up while I give him a bath,” Zhang Qiu told Li Shu, tossing Xiao Jiang into the tub.

With a splash, Xiao Jiang laughed, hands on his hips. Zhang Qiu tousled his hair and pulled Xiao Fei from his coat. The little one always slept curled in his red mist.

The moment water touched, the mist dispersed. Xiao Fei lazily climbed onto a floating rubber duck, and Xiao Jiang cheerfully said, “Sissy, gege help you wash!”

Zhang Qiu: …

We really need to stop calling Xiao Fei ‘sister’.

He reached out and pulled the duck over, stroking Xiao Fei’s silky hair. But when he saw those watery, sparkling eyes, he couldn’t bring himself to say it.

“Xiao Jiang, you see that little birdie of yours?”
Xiao Jiang nodded.

“Xiao Fei’s got one too, so he’s your little brother.”

Xiao Jiang’s face went blank.

Outside, Li Shu heard a wail. He entered to see Zhang Qiu holding a sobbing Xiao Jiang.

“But I wanted a sister… you promised a sister…”

Zhang Qiu looked helpless. “But Xiao Fei is a boy!”

“WAHHHH—”

Li Shu leaned on the doorway. “Want a little sister?”

Sniffle. Nod.

Li Shu smiled. “Easy. Just help us look after your brother.”
He dragged Zhang Qiu out of the bathroom.

“Hey—what are you—he’s not even clean yet!”

Li Shu’s smile sent chills down Zhang Qiu’s back.

Outside, Xiao Jiang sighed at the washbasin, watching Xiao Fei floating happily.
“You’re my brother, huh…? Fine. You’re still pretty.”

The bath turned into playtime, and Xiao Jiang even listened for sounds from inside. When he heard nothing, he whispered, “Dad said he’d make us a little sister. Shhh…”

——

That evening at Quanjude, they gathered in a private room for roast duck. Qi Xi arrived fully disguised, and Lingdang’s cheeks were flushed.

Zhang Qiu saw the way she shyly looked at Pei Qing and whispered, “Must’ve been doing something naughty before we arrived.”

He elbowed Li Shu. “Don’t even think about it. I still haven’t recovered from our ‘sister-making’ session.”

Li Shu smirked. “Oh? So you were thinking about it.”

“Thinking what?!”

“Want me to prove it?”

“Prove what—bring me too!”
Qi Xi burst in, fully covered, striking a pose. Zhang Qiu rolled his eyes. “Wearing that you will get stared at.”

“Oh please. My face is enough to stay famous forever.”

The roast duck came quickly. Xiao Jiang happily munched duck wraps while pointing at the TV, “Pretty gege!”

Everyone turned to see a fantasy drama on air—Qi Xi playing a seductive cult leader.

“Didn’t expect it to air this fast,” Qi Xi grinned. “I play the evil sect master. All the righteous sects want me dead, but can’t kill me. Just the way I like it.”

Zhang Qiu: …

“Wow, you’re awesome!” Xiao Jiang beamed.

“See? This kid gets it!” Qi Xi pinched his cheeks. “Wanna visit the set sometime? You could be a mini-Qi Xi.”

“Hey, don’t corrupt my son,” Zhang Qiu warned. “Want a mini-Qi Xi? Go have your own.”

Qi Xi looked toward Qi Zhirong, who gave him a death stare. “Why are you looking at me?”

“No reason!”

Later, after dinner, Zhang Yu Shui gleefully fussed over Xia Pi Hui Wang, who seemed embarrassed.

“Phoenix egg,” Li Shu commented.

Zhang Qiu blinked. “Congrats!”

Yu Shui beamed. “It’s already been over a month!”

They said their goodbyes—Kai Ming and Yue Qin Cang also planned to return soon.

Zhang Qiu decided to return to Xi’an that afternoon. He’d skipped school for two months—definitely flunked.

Back in Xi’an, he didn’t feel like cleaning his dusty rental, so he and Li Shu stayed at a hotel.

That night, just as things were heating up, a nervous voice spoke from the shadows.

“Uh, Zhang Qiu… bad timing?”

It was Lin.

Li Shu glared daggers. Zhang Qiu sat up quickly, thankful they hadn’t undressed.

“What’s up?”

“Boss Bai asked me to see what you want in exchange for the seal.”

Li Shu immediately refused. “No deal. Let him come himself.”

“Oh.” Lin fled.

Zhang Qiu turned. “Still in a bad mood?”

He grinned. “How about this—we switch tonight? I ride, you rest.”

Li Shu’s eyes lit up. “You mean… riding position?”

“Ride your ass, I’m going to sleep!” Zhang Qiu huffed, burrowing into the blanket.

Li Shu stared at the blanket. Sleep? Not tonight.

——

Zhang Qiu went back to school the next day, suffering lectures and failing grades.

“Not even Fang Lao has returned…”

Zhang Qiu froze. “The professor still isn’t back? He’s been on this field trip for two months!”