Meng Po Gave Her a Bowl of Soup (GL) - Chapter 18

The room’s lights were glaringly bright, almost painfully so, completely unlike the usual frugal style of Old Lady Huang.

Song Wanyue and Xu Ruying stood against the wall like two elementary school kids, heads down, looking utterly pitiful as if they were being punished.

Huang Lan, her silver hair nearly standing on end with anger, had her hands on her hips, looking fierce and menacing: “Who gave you two the nerve to make fun of this old lady, huh?”

In the past, when Mingyu and Wanyue played pranks and occasionally got caught by the old lady, the outcome was almost the same as now. Moreover, Huang Lan had a very Sherlock Holmes-like habit—they both knew that no matter what, the old lady had the patience and determination to dig until she found the real culprit.

—Confession leads to leniency; resistance leads to severity.

Whoever admits their mistake early will suffer less, and everyone can be freed from this torment.

Under the bright lights, Wanyue looked utterly pitiful with her head down. She was already pale, and the light made her appear even more like a poor little rabbit, vulnerable and delicate. She bit her lip and glanced at Xu Ruying with a soft, pleading look.

This gaze clearly conveyed a plea for protection.

In the past, whenever Wanyue and Mingyu were punished, it was always Mingyu who stepped forward without hesitation.

So, out of habit, Miss Song expected that this time the person across from her would do the same.

But is this Mingyu still the same Mingyu from before?

It was clear she was no longer the same person. She had transformed from a loving, doting wife into a ruthless, cold, and shrewd businesswoman. Xu Ruying raised her head slightly and sincerely said to Huang Lan, “It was Wanyue who suggested keeping you company.”

Song Wanyue looked at Xu Ruying in shock, but Xu Ruying avoided her gaze. Actually, Mingyu was still innocent, but Xu Ruying had thought it through carefully. After all, Wanyue was practically Huang Lan’s daughter now, part of the family—how could an outsider like herself compare? Given Huang Lan’s personality, she would definitely be reluctant to blame Wanyue. But if the blame fell on her, who knows what could happen?

Perhaps Old Lady Huang would never want her to visit again.

Huang Lan was a bit surprised by Xu Ruying’s response. She pursed her lips and looked at Song Wanyue, “Wanyue, what do you think?”

With those words, half of Xu Ruying’s heart sank.

This biased old lady, ugh, ugh, ugh.

Are they ganging up on her now?

Sure enough, Song Wanyue, the one who caught the ball, slowly lifted her head. She “sadly” glanced at Xu Ruying, who had betrayed and calculated against her at a critical moment, and softly said, “Miss Xu is right; it was all my fault. I admit my mistake, Auntie.”

Miss Xu?

What does she mean by admitting her mistake?

A wave of disbelief washed over Xu Ruying as she looked at Wanyue in shock. This wasn’t the pure little rabbit she used to know; she had turned into a cunning, black-hearted rabbit.

On the surface, Song Wanyue maintained an expression of sorrow from being betrayed by her teammate, but her eyes gleamed with a hint of mischievous challenge.

For some reason, as she watched the two of them silently exchanging glares, Huang Lan suddenly wanted to pick up her phone and send a meme.

—”Eat shit.JPG”

—Feed her shit.JPG.

It was clear that neither of them were good people.

After enduring a ten-minute-long lecture on the traditional Chinese virtues of respecting the elderly and loving the young, Huang Lan shuffled towards the living room.

Both of them were a bit anxious. Could it be that she was going to get a prop and start corporal punishment? What would it be? A ruler? A whip? The broom used for sweeping the bed?

As soon as she left, the two didn’t forget to exchange one last round of silent attacks.

Song Wanyue raised an eyebrow at Xu Ruying, “Miss Xu really surprised me today.”

Xu Ruying smiled slightly, not to be outdone, and politely retorted, “And what about you, Miss Song? I used to think you were straightforward, but now I see I was wrong.”

Song Wanyue’s smile grew even gentler. “Of course you were wrong. I’ve always been a black-hearted woman. Is this your first day realizing that?”

••••

Is it her first day realizing it?

That question left Xu Ruying feeling a bit dazed. During that brief moment of distraction, Huang Lan, who was in the living room, turned around and waved at them, speaking earnestly, “Come here. Fortunately, I bought some poker cards. Don’t go; let’s battle until dawn.”

Xu Ruying: “…”

Song Wanyue: “…”

They really shouldn’t have let this old lady play games; she even picked up on the in-game voice lines.

That night.

The two of them kept the old lady company at the cost of their lives.

The fruit was sliced, the tea was brewed, and they accompanied Huang Lan for an hour of playing cards.

It had been a long time since Xu Ruying had seen Huang Lan smile so happily, and Wanyue too. Her happiness was tinged with a bit of bitterness.

If only Mingyu…

As the night drew to a close.

Out of courtesy, Wanyue walked Xu Ruying to the door ten meters away.

Standing under the motion-sensor light, Song Wanyue looked at Xu Ruying and said lightly, “I really have to thank you today, Miss Xu. Your great kindness will never be forgotten.”

Xu Ruying rolled her eyes. As if she didn’t know what Wanyue was thinking, she shook her head and said, “Go back and rest. Haven’t you been busy with classes lately?”

Speaking of which, Song Wanyue looked at her expectantly, “If you get off work early tomorrow, can you come to school to pick me up?”

Xu Ruying smiled slightly, “No, I’m very busy.”

There’s no way she’d go pick up Wanyue.

There were too many familiar colleagues there, and they all knew about Wanyue and Mingyu’s past.

If she suddenly showed up, it would inevitably cause gossip. She didn’t mind, but she didn’t want Wanyue to get hurt.

Wanyue looked a little disappointed. She lowered her head, and under the soft light, her neck appeared delicate, as if a faint layer of powder had been applied. “Are you really that busy? You come by every evening right on time for dinner, but you don’t have time to go to school?”

Xu Ruying: “…”

Even though she knew it was wrong, Song Wanyue couldn’t help but bite her lip and look up at Xu Ruying. “Can’t you really make it?”

Xu Ruying looked into her eyes and nodded slightly, “No, I can’t.”

She could sense Wanyue’s closeness.

She wasn’t sure if it was because of the familiar aura surrounding her or because she had appeared at a crucial moment to help her and Huang Lan out of a tough spot. In any case, this feeling was unsettling.

She wasn’t Xiao Mingyu anymore; she was Xu Ruying.

And who was Xu Ruying?

She wasn’t even a person.

She was a messenger from the underworld, and given how close she was to Meng Po, it was very likely she was the next Meng Po.

These thoughts left her feeling cold and numb. While Xu Ruying was lost in her thoughts, the motion-sensor light went out, and she heard Song Wanyue sigh softly, “Actually, I wanted to ask for your help.”

Xu Ruying: ???

Help?

She stomped her foot, and the light came back on.

Wanyue lowered her head and said slowly, “Mingyu left me, and I…”

Xu Ruying stared at her, thinking she was slipping into sadness again. She pinched herself hard. No, no, this might be Wanyue’s way of seeking sympathy.

Whatever she said next, she must not waver or feel any pity.

Wanyue continued, “I used to be quite popular. But now, people think I’m fragile and vulnerable, and many are trying to take advantage of this to pursue me. It would be fine if it were a mature teacher, but even students are doing it. I… it’s very troubling…”

Xu Ruying: “…………………”

The next afternoon, even before school was out, Xu Ruying, who had spent a sleepless night tossing and turning over Teacher Song’s vexing trouble of being pursued by suitors, showed up at the school with dark circles under her eyes.

Wanyue attended a high school where she taught second-year students. Nowadays, kids mature early, and Xiao Mingyu had long known that quite a few of the boys and girls there had a crush on Wanyue.

Back then, Xiao Mingyu found it unbelievable. When she came to pick up Wanyue, a girl followed them all the way and even ran downstairs to shout loudly, “I won’t give up so easily! I demand a fair competition. Teacher, wait for me for 10 years!”

Xiao Mingyu’s face turned green with anger at that moment, and she harshly muttered, “That brat is so annoying!”

Song Wanyue, always protective of her students, patted Xiao Mingyu’s face and said, “A jealous old auntie getting upset over a little brat is so cute.”

••••

At this hour, some parents had already started gathering at the school gate, waiting to pick up their children.

Xu Ruying’s flashy sports car already drew attention, and on top of that, she was dressed in a cool, black casual suit, her long hair loose, and sunglasses on her small face, looking like a celebrity straight out of a TV show.

Several parents couldn’t help but steal glances at her as Xu Ruying removed her sunglasses and, with a dark expression, walked confidently toward the school.

She swore to the heavens that she wasn’t jealous.

She just wanted to take a look, to confirm what kind of people were pursuing Wanyue.

She wasn’t selfish.

She just wanted Wanyue to be happy. If she was happy, she would be at ease.

The road ahead was long, and if… if there was someone who could be with her, she would feel reassured, right?

But for some reason, the more she thought about it, the more Xu Ruying felt like she was having a heart attack, the pain so intense it was unbearable.

Song Wanyue’s class had just ended, and she was carrying her books out when, not far away, a young girl in jeans and a pink shirt ran over, greeting her with a smile, “Teacher Song.”

Song Wanyue looked at her and nodded. The girl, who blended in perfectly with the students, was actually a new intern teacher named Qin Xiao. Qin Xiao had just graduated from university, and it was said she had a strong background. When she first arrived, the principal had specifically assigned her to be mentored by a senior teacher, but that teacher, with old-fashioned views, didn’t take kindly to Qin Xiao, suspecting she had connections and nitpicking her every move, leading to a tense relationship between them.

Now that Wanyue had returned, the principal specifically requested her to guide Qin Xiao.

Wanyue, who only acted tough with Mingyu, was gentle as a spring breeze with everyone else. To put it bluntly, she was like Chang’e descending from the moon palace, her grace successfully igniting Qin Xiao’s youthful heart in less than a month.

Qin Xiao vaguely knew about Song Wanyue’s affairs, which only fueled her compassion and desire to win her over.

To Wanyue, Qin Xiao seemed like a child. From the start, she felt the girl was innocent and romantic. When Qin Xiao first introduced herself, she said, “Hello, Teacher Song. I’m Qin Xiao. You can call me Xiao Qin. I came to this school to experience life and feel the warmth of the human world. I’m so happy to meet you.”

Song Wanyue: ???

Later, other teachers pulled Song Wanyue aside to gossip.

“That girl seems a bit off.”

“She’s from a prestigious school, though. Maybe she’s one of those high IQ, low EQ types?”

“Such a pity, so pretty, but what a waste.”

••••

Wanyue wasn’t one to follow the crowd. She didn’t believe that someone clueless could get a teaching position at a high school.

But after getting to know her for almost a month, Wanyue concluded that the girl indeed seemed a little dim-witted.

Qin Xiao had told Wanyue that her hometown was in a Miao village. She grew up with her mother, who later married her current stepfather, claiming he was a petty official.

But later, Wanyue found out that the “petty official” Qin Xiao mentioned held a position so high it was jaw-dropping.

Qin Xiao also said that her mother was an expert in a certain field in the Miao village, highly respected by everyone.

However, Wanyue later learned that her mother was a village shaman.

Everything Qin Xiao said seemed to flip-flop.

Wanyue became closer to Qin Xiao after one teacher mentioned something supernatural about how their cat had changed its personality after an accident, going from hating fish-flavored treats to diving into them headfirst.

Qin Xiao, who usually didn’t engage in such trivial discussions, smiled knowingly and said with an expert’s air, “That’s a case of soul possession.”

One sentence not only killed the conversation but also seemed to lower the room’s temperature by a few degrees.

Since then, everyone avoided Qin Xiao even more, except for Song Wanyue, who made a point of buying some sweets for her on the way home.

Qin Xiao was flattered. “Teacher Song, aren’t you afraid of me?”

Song Wanyue smiled, her eyes curving like crescent moons, making it impossible not to believe her. “Of course not. I believe you’re an expert in this field.”

With that one sentence, Teacher Song instantly boosted Qin Xiao’s pride and self-esteem to the sky. Qin Xiao patted her chest and said, “Teacher Song, ask me anything, and I’ll tell you.”

Song Wanyue looked at her with a smile. “I just want to hear more about the soul possession.”

Qin Xiao nodded, instinctively touching her chin as she thought, only to realize she didn’t have a beard like the elders at home. Embarrassed, she scratched her head and said, “In our Miao Village, such things do happen, but not often. Soul possession usually occurs when someone dies with intense resentment or unwillingness, desperately wanting to return to the human world. Then, by chance, they come across a body whose soul has temporarily left for some reason. But even with these factors, it won’t happen unless a certain condition is met, which acts as a catalyst.”

Song Wanyue listened intently, gazing at Qin Xiao with a look of admiration like a well-behaved child.

Qin Xiao instantly felt like she was 2.8 meters tall. With her hands behind her back, she continued, “To be honest, Teacher Song, since we’ve come to this point, I should reveal my true identity to you.”

Song Wanyue looked at her with a hint of surprise, “Your… true identity?”

Qin Xiao leaned in mysteriously, “I am the 170th generation descendant of my family, and our family is the renowned Soul Catchers in our region.”

Song Wanyue: “…”

Seeing the doubt in Teacher Song’s eyes, Qin Xiao became anxious, “Don’t you believe me? Most people think I’m ordinary in a crowd, but I actually have non-human abilities. I can instantly sense when any ghostly being comes near me. It’s just that I’m not of age yet, but when I am, I’ll be even more powerful.”

••••

Whether it was true or not, Song Wanyue didn’t know.

But Teacher Song was a firm believer in knowledge derived from theory.

If it weren’t for Xu Ruying’s arrival at that exact time, along with the subtle differences that only someone who shares a bed could notice, as a modern young woman of the 21st century, Wanyue wouldn’t have put much stock in the idea of “soul possession.”

To verify if this was true, Song Wanyue had pulled out all the stops yesterday to trick Xu Ruying into coming over.

As she chatted with Qin Xiao and walked toward the school gate, they had only taken a few steps when she saw Xu Ruying striding in with her head held high, like a leader inspecting their work, her face full of righteousness.

Song Wanyue smiled at the sight of her. Her heart softened; some people, no matter how they change, could never be mistaken.

But…

She missed the one who was beneath that body, her beloved.

She wanted to see her again.

But she was also afraid of any potential taboos.

Previously, she didn’t know whether Huang Lan had noticed something or was just chatting casually.

While picking vegetables, Huang Lan had once said, “I’ve been through so much in my life, seen many storms, and I can accept anything. But as the old saying goes, some secrets of heaven must not be revealed.”

Song Wanyue had looked at Huang Lan sensitively, and Huang Lan gave her a slight smile, “Don’t you think Xiao Xu has feelings for you?”

Song Wanyue: “…”

Was she overthinking it?

She always felt that the old lady’s true meaning was not what it seemed.

Yet that one sentence had hit her where it hurt.

Yes, some secrets must not be revealed. She had already lost Mingyu once, how could she lose her again?

From a distance, Xu Ruying had already spotted Teacher Song Wanyue and the girl beside her, dressed in pink with a sly expression and a thin figure that lacked any aura. Remembering Wanyue’s mention of a pursuer, her heart cooled a little, and she raised the corners of her lips in a mocking smile, her demeanor becoming even more fierce.

As they got closer.

Song Wanyue pulled at the so-called 170th-generation Soul Catcher descendant, Qin Xiao, and said, “Xiao Qin, look at her.”

She was nervous, her voice trembling, her palms sweating.

Although deep down, Wanyue believed that Qin Xiao was likely a fraud, at this moment, her heart was racing.

What if, what if she really was a Soul Catcher and recognized her Mingyu on the spot?

Hearing Song Wanyue’s request, Qin Xiao lifted her head and looked seriously at the woman in front of her.

By this time, Xu Ruying, in her 10-centimeter heels, had walked over as well, her black suit adding to her intimidating presence as she looked down at Qin Xiao, her eyes full of hostility.

In this critical moment, Teacher Song had already held her breath. Truly, at this moment, she believed that Qin Xiao had definitely noticed something.

Sure enough, Qin Xiao took a small step forward, pointed at the pale-faced girl beside Xu Ruying, who was wearing a white dress with a powdered face, white arms, and a white neck, and solemnly lowered her voice to ask, in a tone only the two of them could hear, “Teacher Song, is the woman you’re asking about—the one who was soul-possessed—her?”

Song Wanyue: “…………………………”