This is a work of fiction. All characters and events are imaginary.

The last bell rang, sharp and shrill, echoing through the narrow street outside the school gates. Students spilled out in noisy waves laughter, chatter, bags thumping against backs.

Xin-ye didn’t wait.

She bolted.

Her shoes slapped against the pavement as she sprinted down the crowded street, weaving past bicycles and slow walkers. The late afternoon sun burned warm against her skin, and the wind tugged at the ribbon in her hair.

Behind her came the familiar voice she both loved and despised.

“Xin-ye! Stop running like a criminal!”

She grinned despite herself.

Lin was right behind her.

Two minutes younger. Two minutes more annoying.

“I am not running!” she shouted over her shoulder. “You’re just slow!”

“Oh really?” Lin called back, speeding up. “Then why are you out of breath already?”

“I am not—!”

Her foot caught on an uneven patch of pavement.

The world tilted.

And then

Pain.

Xin-ye hit the ground hard. Her palms scraped first, then her knees. A sharp sting shot through her legs as skin met rough concrete. The sound of passing footsteps didn’t stop. No one cared.

For a second, she just stayed there, stunned.

Then came the shadow.

Lin stood over her, hands on his hips, breathing only slightly harder than usual.

“You seriously can’t run properly?” he said, shaking his head. “Should I call an ambulance for your two-minute seniority?”

Xin-ye shot him a murderous glare.

“I am older than you,” she snapped, pushing herself up carefully. Her knees burned. “Show some respect. Or I swear, next time you need help with math, I’ll pretend you don’t exist.”

“You’re older by two minutes. Congratulations. Should I bow?” he muttered.

“Yes.”

Lin crouched slightly to examine her scraped knee.

It wasn’t just a faint scratch. A shallow strip of skin had scraped away, leaving a raw red patch. Thin lines of blood gathered along the surface, one drop slowly sliding down before she wiped it away. Dust clung stubbornly to the open skin.

Lin’s teasing expression faltered slightly. “That actually looks bad.”

She winced as she stood fully. The pain was sharper now — throbbing, raw. She hated that her eyes felt slightly watery. Crying in front of Lin was illegal.

“Come on,” he said, turning away. “If you sit there any longer, grass might grow around you.”

She limped after him.

“Say ‘big sister’ once,” she demanded.

“In your dreams.”

They walked in silence for a few seconds. The teasing had softened, but Xin-ye’s knees still burned. She could feel the scrape every time the fabric brushed against it.

Then suddenly—

Her foot hit something solid.

She looked down.

Something shimmered between the cracks of the pavement.

Xin-ye bent down slowly, brushing dust aside.

A necklace.

Delicate. Silver chain. A small crystal pendant that caught the sunlight and fractured it into tiny sparks.

Her breath slowed.

It looked… expensive.

“Why did you stop again?” Lin groaned, turning back. “You’re not fainting now, are you?”

She ignored him.

“Look at this,” she whispered, almost to herself.

Lin stepped closer.

The crystal flashed as she lifted it.

His teasing expression faded slightly. “That’s not cheap.”

“It’s beautiful,” she said softly. The way it reflected light felt almost… alive.

“Where did you get it?” he asked sharply.

She blinked at him. “From the ground?”

“Don’t lie.”

She stood up straight. “Excuse me?”

“You didn’t take it from someone’s bag or something, right?”

Her eyes narrowed dangerously.

“Do you have a death wish?”

“I’m just saying—”

“I found it. Here.” She pointed to the pavement. “And since no one’s claiming it, it’s mine.”

“That’s not how law works.”

“Well, good thing you’re not a lawyer.”

Before he could argue further, she clasped the necklace around her neck.

The crystal settled against her collarbone.

For a second—

Something warm pulsed against her skin.

So faint she almost imagined it.

“How does it look?” she asked, spinning once despite her injured knees.

Lin tilted his head.

“It looks,” he began thoughtfully, “like trash wearing a diamond.”

There it was.

She lunged.

“LIN!”

He burst into laughter and ran.

She chased him, ignoring the sting in her legs, adrenaline drowning out the pain.

Neither of them noticed—

For a brief flicker—

The crystal glowed.

Just once.

Then went still.

Neither of them noticed.

By the time they reached home, the sky had darkened into soft shades of violet. The house lights were already on.

Their mother stood near the doorway, arms folded.

She had that look.

“Why are you two late?” she asked, her voice calm but edged with warning.

Lin didn’t hesitate. He pointed dramatically at his sister.

“Mom, she tripped on the road and almost cried like a two-year-old.”

Xin-ye smacked the back of his head.

“I did not cry!”

“You did”

Their mother’s attention shifted instantly. “You fell?”

Her tone changed. Softer. Worried.

Xin-ye nodded, suddenly feeling the sting in her knees again just from remembering it. “Yeah… my knees got scratched.”

“Show me.”

Xin-ye bent slightly and––

She froze.

Her skin was smooth.

No redness.

No scrape.

Not even dust.

Her breath hitched.

“That’s…” she whispered.

Their mother’s brows tightened. “Is this some kind of joke?”

“No!” Xin-ye looked up quickly. “I swear, Mom. It was––.”

Lin stepped forward. “I saw it. It was bad.”

Their mother’s patience snapped. “Then where is it?”

Silence filled the hallway.

Xin-ye touched her knee slowly, pressing hard.

Nothing.

No pain.

Her stomach dropped.

“I’m not lying…” she murmured, but it sounded weak even to her own ears.

Their mother sighed sharply. “This is the last time I tolerate this nonsense. Go to your rooms.”

They didn’t argue.

They couldn’t.

Xin-ye sat on the edge of her bed later that night, staring at her knees.

She pressed again.

Still nothing.

The memory of the sting was clear. The rough concrete. The warmth of blood.

So where had it gone?

Lin knocked lightly and walked into her room without waiting.

“So,” he said casually, leaning against the wall, “are you secretly Wolverine now?”

Xin-ye rolled her eyes. “Shut up.”

“I’m serious.” He stepped closer. “You were bleeding.”

“I know.”

“And now you’re not.”

She didn’t respond.

The silence between them felt heavier than usual.

Lin’s expression slowly shifted from teasing to thoughtful.

“I saw it,” he said quietly. “It wasn’t that small.”

Her stomach tightened.

“Then explain it,” she snapped. “Because I can’t.”

He looked around her room absently, eyes landing on her study table.

A small fruit knife lay beside a half-cut apple from earlier.

He noticed it.

He didn’t touch it.

But his gaze lingered.

Xin-ye followed his eyes.

“No,” she said immediately.

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You don’t have to.”

Another silence.

The air felt tense.

“What if,” Lin said slowly, choosing his words carefully, “we just check?”

Her throat went dry.

“Check what?”

“If it heals again.”

Her heart began pounding.

“That’s insane.”

“I’m not saying do something crazy,” he replied. “Just… a tiny scratch.”

She stared at the fruit knife.

It suddenly looked sharper than before.

“This is stupidity,” she muttered.

But doubt had already taken root.

If it heals…

Then something’s wrong.

If it doesn’t…

Then she just cut herself for nothing.

Her fingers slowly moved toward the knife.

“Xin-ye,” Lin said more firmly now, “don’t.”

She stopped.

“What if it doesn’t heal?” she whispered.

He didn’t answer.

That scared her.

She picked up the knife.

Her hand trembled slightly.

“This is crazy,” she said again.

“Then don’t do it,” Lin replied quickly. “Forget it.”

She nodded.

“Yeah. Forget it.”

She placed the knife back on the table.

Both of them exhaled.

For a moment, it was over.

Then—

As she turned, her hand brushed against the edge.

A sharp sting shot across her palm.

She gasped.

The knife clattered to the floor.

“Xin-ye!”

A thin cut had opened across her skin.

Not deep.

But enough.

Blood surfaced slowly.

Both of them froze.

Neither moved.

Neither spoke.

One second.

Two.

Three.

The blood didn’t drip.

It thinned.

Faded.

Like it was being erased.

The skin began to seal itself, the red line shrinking until—

Nothing remained.

Smooth. Untouched. As if it had never existed.

Lin took a slow step back, his face draining of colour.

“That’s not possible,” he said under his breath.

Xin-ye couldn’t stop staring at her palm. Her voice came out thin.

“It hurt,” she whispered. “I know it did.”

Silence settled between them, thick and suffocating.

Lin looked up at her, something uneasy flickering in his eyes.

“Xin-ye… that doesn’t just happen.” he whispered.

“I know,” she breathed.

Her pulse thundered in her ears.

And then—

A warmth bloomed at her collarbone.

They both looked down at the same time.

The crystal necklace shimmered faintly.

Not bright.

Not dramatic.

But alive.

Lin swallowed.

“That thing––Take it off,”

Xin-ye touched the pendant lightly.

It was warm.

And for the first time—

She wasn’t sure if she wanted to take it off.

— End of Chapter One —

–

–

The room still smelled faintly of antiseptic.

Xin-ye's heartbeat hadn't fully slowed down yet. She was sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at her palm. Just minutes ago there had been a clean cut - deep enough to sting. Deep enough to bleed.

Now?

Nothing.

Not even a line.

Lin stood a few feet away, shoulders tense, eyes locked on the pendant resting against her collarbone. The small stone in it seemed ordinary... except it wasn't.

"Take it off," he said quietly.

Xin-ye didn't respond.

"Xin-ye," his voice hardened, "take it off. Right now."

She finally looked up at him. "Why are you shouting like that?"

"Because I don't like this."

She frowned slightly. "Don't like what?"

He stepped closer, pointing at her neck. "That."

She instinctively covered the pendant with her hand. "It's just a pendant."

"No," he snapped. "It was just a pendant. Now you cut your hand and it disappears in seconds?"

Her eyes flickered with something - not fear.

Excitement.

She stood up slowly. "Exactly."

Lin blinked. "What?"

"Exactly," she repeated, almost breathless. "Did you see that? No scar. No pain. Nothing."

"That's the problem."

"No," she shook her head, pacing once in the room. "That's the miracle."

He stared at her like she'd lost her mind. "You think this is some blessing?"

"I don't know what it is," she admitted, but there was a smile trying to form. "But it's not normal. And not normal doesn't automatically mean bad."

Lin let out a dry laugh. "So what? You're just going to keep wearing it? Pretend this is a superpower phase?"

Her smile widened slightly. "You're telling me you're not even a little curious?"

"I'm terrified," he said bluntly.

That made her pause.

For a second.

Then she shrugged. "You overthink everything."

"And you don't think at all."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh please. It healed a wound. That's not exactly cursed-demon behavior."

"You don't know that," he shot back. "We don't know where it came from. Who owned it. Why it was on that road."

Her expression softened for a split second - then hardened again.

"Maybe it chose me."

Lin stared at her in disbelief. "You did not just say that."

She crossed her arms. "What if this is something big? What if life just got... interesting?"

His jaw tightened. "You're treating this like a game."

"And you're acting like we're in a horror documentary."

Before either of them could continue-

The door opened sharply.

"What is this noise?" their mother's voice cut through the tension.

Both of them froze.

Lin reacted instantly. He moved closer to Xin-ye and, without making it obvious, she adjusted the pendant under her shirt

"Nothing, Mom," he said quickly.

Their mother narrowed her eyes.

Xin-ye forced a nervous smile. "I just got scared."

"Scared of what?"

Lin didn't hesitate. "A lizard."

Xin-ye turned to glare at him - then immediately switched her expression. "Yes. It ran near the window."

Their mother sighed heavily. "You two are unbelievable."

"We handled it," Lin said calmly.

"If I hear one more sound, I will throw both of you outside. Understood?"

"Yes," they said together.

The door shut.

Silence.

The air felt heavier now.

Xin-ye slowly pulled the pendant back out from under her shirt.

It felt warmer.

Warmer than before and shined for a moment.

Lin noticed.

His voice dropped. "See that?"

She swallowed - but instead of fear, her eyes lit up again.

"It's reacting," she whispered.

"That's not exciting."

"It is."

"Xin-ye-"

"I'm not taking it off."

He stared at her.

"You're choosing this over common sense?"

She met his gaze without blinking. "I'm choosing not to be scared of something I don't understand."

"That's reckless."

"That's brave."

He exhaled sharply. "No. That's stupidity."

For a second, neither of them spoke.

But this time, the fight wasn't playful.

The pendant pulsed faintly.

And neither of them noticed that the room temperature had dropped.

–

–

Next Morning

The walk to school felt longer than usual.

They weren't walking together.

Just... in the same direction.

Xin-ye finally broke the silence. "Can you stop being dramatic?"

Lin didn't even look at her. "Me? Dramatic?"

"Yeah, you are."

He stopped walking.

"You're the one wearing something we don't understand. And I'm dramatic?"

She folded her arms. "You're acting like I summoned a demon."

"You don't know that you didn't."

She scoffed. "Seriously?"

"I should've told Mom," he muttered.

She turned sharply. "Don't you dare."

His eyes narrowed. "Or what?"

A small smirk appeared on her face. "I will disclose your secrets."

He froze for half a second. "You wouldn't."

"Try me."

He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "You're not getting it. This isn't one of your fantasy stories. This is real life."

She exhaled slowly. "I know."

"Do you?"

"Yes," she said firmly. "And if something bad happens, I'll take it off. Happy?"

His expression hardened. "So you want to wait for something bad to happen?"

"I'm listening to you," she replied. "Now you listen to me."

Silence stretched between them.

"Fine," Lin said finally. "One condition."

She raised an eyebrow.

"Don't cause any kind of trouble. And you don't tell anyone about the pendant. Not Mom. Not your friends. Not even Yang Ximi."

Her expression flickered at Ximi's name.

She hesitated... then nodded. "Okay."

"Promise."

"...Promise."

They didn't smile.

They just walked into their classes.

Xin-ye sat beside her best friend, Yang Ximi.

Ximi leaned closer. "You look distracted. What happened?"

"Nothing," Xin said quickly, adjusting her sleeve. Her fingers briefly touched the pendant under her uniform.

Before Ximi could push further-

Miss Zeng entered.

"Good morning, class."

"Good morning, teacher."

She nodded. "We have a transfer student joining us today. I expect you all to behave."

The whispers started instantly.

The door opened.

A boy stepped in.

Not flashy. Not smiling. Just calm.

He wasn't trying to impress anyone - and somehow that made people look at him more.

Miss Zeng gestured. "Introduce yourself."

He gave a small nod.

"My name is Lu Jing."

His voice wasn't cold - just controlled.

"I transferred due to family reasons. I hope we can respect each other."

That was it.

No attitude. No drama.

But he didn't look nervous either.

A few girls exchanged looks.

"Wow..." "He's quiet." "He is handsome."

Miss Zeng pointed. "Second last row, near the window."

He walked to his seat without rushing.

As he passed Xin-ye's desk-

Something subtle happened.

The pendant under her shirt grew slightly warm.

Not burning.

Just... reacting.

Lu Jing slowed for half a second.

Not enough for anyone else to notice.

His gaze flickered downward.

Not at her face.

At her collarbone area.

Then he continued walking like nothing happened.

Xin stiffened.

Ximi whispered, "He's so handsome."

Xin forced a casual tone. "He looks distant."

"Which makes him interesting."

"Or complicated."

From the second last row, Lu Jing wasn't staring.

He was observing.

Calm.

Measured.

And for the first time since entering the class-

His expression changed.

Very slightly.

–

–

Later that day, Xin-ye and Ximi went to the library during their free time.

Normally, Xin-ye isn't interested in books at all, but today she had a reason —

she wanted to see if there was anything about that strange pendant she was wearing.

Ximi noticed her wandering between the shelves. “What are you looking for?” she asked curiously.

Xin-ye smiled faintly. “Who knows… maybe something interesting....”

Ximi laughed. “Wow, now this lady is interested in books? Didn’t expect that Anyway, if you find something, do show me!”

Xin-ye nodded, excitement bubbling inside, but deep down she knew she probably wouldn’t find anything. Still, she kept looking, scanning the shelves for anything unusual.

That’s when she bumped into someone.

Lu Jing.

He was standing near a bookshelf, holding a book with a dark blue-black cover. Xin-ye opened her mouth to scold him, but then paused. Something about his calm, unreadable expression made her hesitate.

“Can I see that book for a moment?” she asked.

“No,” he said quietly.

Xin-ye frowned. “It’s not like I’m asking for something big… I just want to see the cover.”

Lu Jing didn’t answer. He turned and started walking away.

Xin-ye’s irritation got the better of her, and she snatched the book. But Lu Jing’s grip was firm enough to hold it back. He raised an eyebrow. “Are you serious?”

Xin-ye rolled her eyes. “I just wanted to see the cover. That’s it.” She let go, realizing there was nothing special about it.

The librarian, noticing the commotion, stepped over. “Either be quiet or leave the library,” she warned.

Xin-ye opened her mouth to apologize, and the librarian walked away. But Lu Jing didn’t move his eyes from her. Not exactly at her, but at something about her — something hidden.

Suddenly, he grabbed her hand.

“Let’s go outside,” he said.

Xin-ye froze. “Outside?... Wait why?

He gave her a sharp, unreadable look “We need to talk.”

Before she could reply, he started walking, glancing back just once. Xin-ye hesitated, but curiosity and a strange pull made her follow him.

Outside, the courtyard was quiet, the usual chatter of students dimmed by the building walls.

“You have that, right?” he said, his eyes sharp, almost dangerous, and fixed on her.

Xin-ye blinked. “What??”

“The pendant,” he said calmly.

“What pendant??” she asked, keeping her voice steady, trying to mask her nervousness.

Lu Jing smirked faintly. “The key. The reason I came here.”

— End of Chapter Two —

——

—

Outside, the courtyard was quiet, the usual chatter of students dimmed by the building walls.

"You have that, right?" he said, his eyes sharp, almost dangerous, and fixed on her.

Xin-ye blinked. "What??"

"The pendant," he said calmly.

"What pendant??" she asked, keeping her voice steady, trying to mask her nervousness.

Lu Jing smirked faintly. "The key. The reason I came here."

Xin-ye frowned. "Key??"

Lu Jing's lips curved into a small smirk.

"You might not know this yet," he said slowly, his eyes drifting toward her neck, "but that pendant isn't just a pendant."

He paused for a moment, then added casually,

"And I want it."

Xin-ye raised an eyebrow, clearly annoyed now.

"How do you know about this pendant?" she asked. "And why do you sound like you know so much about it?"

Lu Jing didn't answer her question.

Instead, he lifted his hand slightly and snapped his fingers.

Before Xin-ye could react, something strange happened.

The pendant she had carefully hidden under her shirt suddenly slipped out on its own, the chain shifting until the pendant rested visibly against her chest.

Xin-ye's eyes widened.

"What- wait... what just happened?" she stammered, instinctively touching the pendant. "How did you-"

But Lu Jing wasn't looking at her face.

His gaze was completely fixed on the pendant.

Slowly, he stepped closer.

Xin-ye felt a strange tension in the air, but before she could step back, Lu Jing reached out and touched the pendant.

The reaction was instant.

A sharp force burst out from the pendant.

Thud.

Lu Jing was violently pushed backward, as if an invisible wall had struck him.

Xin-ye also felt the shockwave and stumbled back a step, nearly losing her balance, but the impact on Lu Jing was far stronger.

He slid a short distance across the ground before catching himself.

For a moment, everything was silent.

Lu Jing straightened up slowly, his expression darkening.

"So," he said coldly, brushing the dust from his sleeve, "the pendant has already chosen a human as its guardian."

He looked at her again, irritation clear in his eyes.

"Seriously?"

Xin-ye stared at him, completely confused and now irritated as well.

She walked toward him quickly.

"Okay, what the hell is going on?" she burst out. "First of all, who are you? And how do you know so much about this pendant? What was that just now? What do you mean by key? And what the hell is a guardian?"

She didn't even pause for breath.

"Can you please say one thing that actually makes sense?!"

She crossed her arms impatiently.

"Speak!"

Lu Jing rubbed the back of his hand where the pendant’s force had pushed him away.

Then he looked at Xin-ye again, clearly irritated.

“So noisy,” he muttered under his breath.

He turned around as if the conversation was already over.

“Let’s meet tonight.”

And just like that, he started walking away.

Xin-ye stood there for a second, stunned by how casually he said it.

Then her annoyance took over.

“Hey! Stop right there!” she shouted, hurrying after him.

Lu Jing didn’t stop.

Xin-ye caught up to him and stepped in front of his path.

“Why would I meet you tonight?” she demanded. “And why are you suddenly leaving like this? A minute ago you were acting so confident with that snap thing—”

She narrowed her eyes.

“Now you’re just running away like a coward.”

Lu Jing stopped.

Slowly, he turned towards her.

“Coward?” he repeated, raising an eyebrow.

For a moment he simply stared at her, as if trying to decide whether to laugh or be annoyed.

“Seriously?” he said.

His gaze dropped briefly to the pendant around her neck before returning to her face.

“Who do you think you are?” he continued calmly. “You’re just a human who happened to get hold of a pendant you don’t even understand.”

His tone sharpened slightly.

“And you’re calling me a coward?”

Xin-ye clenched her fists, her temper rising.

“I don’t care about any of that,” she shot back. “I want answers. Right now.”

Lu Jing held her gaze for a moment.

Then he shrugged lightly.

“And I want that pendant,” he replied just as bluntly.

His eyes flickered toward the necklace again.

“By hook or by crook.”

Xin-ye frowned.

“That’s exactly why we should meet tonight.” —Lu Jing

Xin-ye scoffed.

“And you think I’ll just do whatever you say?” she said, making a face.

“Not happening.”

She turned around as if the conversation was over and started walking away.

But as she walked, the irritation on her face slowly faded.

In its place, a faint uneasiness settled in.

Her mind replayed everything that had just happened—the snap of Lu Jing’s fingers, the pendant revealing itself, the strange force that pushed him back… and the way he talked about keys and guardians as if it was all completely normal.

Xin-ye exhaled slowly.

That guy isn’t normal…

And the more she thought about it, the more one thing became clear.

This pendant isn’t normal either.

A slight chill ran down her spine.

Right now, there was only one person she wanted to talk to about this.

Lin.

——

—

A few minutes later, Xin-ye found herself standing outside Lin’s classroom.

She glanced through the door. Lin was inside, sitting at his desk while the teacher explained something on the board. The class was completely silent.

Xin-ye hesitated.

Should I call him… or wait?

Before she could decide—

“BOO!”

“AHH—!”

Xin-ye jumped back in shock.

She turned around quickly and saw Ximi standing there, laughing uncontrollably.

“Wow!” Ximi said between laughs. “That was unexpected. You actually got scared!”

Xin-ye pressed her hand against her chest, still trying to calm her racing heart.

“Are you crazy?!” she complained. “Why would you do that?!”

Ximi wiped the corner of her eye dramatically. “Relax. I only said boo. I didn’t summon a ghost.”

Inside the classroom, Lin briefly looked toward the door after hearing the noise.

He noticed Xin-ye and Ximi standing outside but since the lesson was still going on, he simply looked away and focused back on the board.

Meanwhile, Ximi linked her arm with Xin-ye’s.

“Come on,” she said. “Our class is starting soon.”

As they started walking down the corridor, Ximi suddenly narrowed her eyes at her.

“And by the way,” she added, “why did you leave me alone in the library earlier?”

Xin-ye blinked.

“Oh… that…”

She had almost forgotten about that.

For a moment, she opened her mouth to explain.

“Ximi, I—”

Then Lin’s warning suddenly flashed in her mind.

Don’t tell anyone about the pendant.

Xin-ye stopped mid-sentence.

“Okay fine,” she said quickly, forcing a casual tone. “I got distracted and left. Sorry.”

Ximi looked at her suspiciously.

“That’s it?” she said. “You just left?”

Xin-ye shrugged awkwardly. “Yeah…”

Ximi studied her face for a moment.

Then she sighed.

“You’re terrible,” she muttered, but there was no real anger in her voice.

Xin-ye smiled slightly, relieved that Ximi didn’t push the topic further.

But Ximi suddenly leaned closer to her face.

“Xin-ye,” she said slowly, narrowing her eyes again, “you’re hiding something.”

Xin-ye froze.

“What? No I’m not.”

“You are,” Ximi said confidently. “I’ve known you for years. Your face literally screams I’m hiding something right now.”

Xin-ye quickly looked away.

“I’m just not feeling well today,” she said.

Ximi immediately stopped walking.

“Wait—are you sick?” she asked, touching Xin-ye’s forehead dramatically. “Do you have a fever? Should I carry you to the nurse’s office?”

Xin-ye pushed her hand away.

“I’m fine!”

Ximi laughed.

“Relax, drama queen. I was joking.”

They continued walking toward their classroom.

The hallway slowly filled with the sound of students returning after the break.

When they finally entered the classroom, Xin-ye’s eyes instinctively moved toward the back rows.

Lu Jing was sitting at his desk.

Completely calm.

Completely normal.

As if nothing strange had happened earlier.

He was quietly writing something in his notebook, his expression unreadable.

Xin-ye frowned slightly.

How can he act like nothing happened…?

She walked to her seat beside Ximi and sat down slowly.

Her fingers picked up her pen.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

She stared blankly at her notebook while her mind replayed everything from earlier.

The snap of Lu Jing’s fingers.

The pendant revealing itself.

And his words.

“The key. The reason I came here.”

Xin-ye tightened her grip on the pen.

What exactly is this pendant…?

—

-

After School

After school, Xin-ye and Lin walked back home together.

The evening sky was slowly turning orange, but Xin-ye was unusually quiet the entire way. Normally she would be talking about random things, complaining about school, or teasing Lin.

Today, she didn’t say much.

Lin noticed.

He glanced at her a few times before finally asking,

“Is everything okay?”

Xin-ye forced a small smile.

“Yeah… why?”

Lin raised an eyebrow. “You’ve been quiet since afternoon. That’s suspicious.”

Xin-ye looked down at the ground while walking. For a moment, she thought about lying.

But she trusted Lin more than anyone.

She stopped walking.

“Lin… something weird happened today.”

Lin immediately turned serious. “What happened?”

Xin-ye took a deep breath and told him everything.

About the library.

About Lu Jing snapping his fingers.

About the pendant suddenly appearing over her shirt.

About the strange force that pushed him back when he touched it.

And about what he said.

By the time she finished, they had already reached home.

Lin stood there quietly for a moment.

He was definitely scared.

But he didn’t want Xin-ye to panic even more.

So instead of showing fear—

he started scolding her.

“You should take that thing off immediately,” he said firmly.

Xin-ye frowned.

“Relax, it’s just a pendant.”

“Just a pendant?” Lin repeated. “A guy who can snap his fingers and move things called it a key, Xin-ye!”

He pointed at her neck.

“Take it off. Right now.”

Xin-ye hesitated.

But seeing how serious Lin looked, she finally reached for the pendant.

“Fine.”

She tried to remove it.

But the clasp wouldn’t open.

She tried again.

Nothing.

Her expression slowly changed.

“Wait… that’s weird.”

Lin stepped closer. “Let me try.”

He tried unclasping it himself.

Still nothing.

They tried different ways.

Pulling.

Twisting.

Checking the clasp.

Even trying to slide it over her head.

But the pendant didn’t move at all.

It was as if it had become part of her.

After several attempts, both of them stopped.

The room suddenly felt colder.

“That’s… not what I wanted...,” Xin-ye whispered.

Lin ran a hand through his hair, frustrated.

“So he said he’ll meet you tonight?”

Xin-ye nodded slowly.

“Yeah… but he didn’t say where. And obviously I’m not meeting someone like him at night.”

She sat on the edge of her bed, staring at the pendant.

Earlier she had thought it would make life exciting.

Something like a fantasy story.

Now it felt more like danger.

Lin leaned against the wall, lost in thought.

“So what now?”

Xin-ye looked at herself in the mirror.

The pendant rested quietly against her collarbone.

“I… don’t know.”

Before either of them could say anything else—

their mother’s voice echoed from downstairs.

“Xin-ye! Lin! Come down right now!”

The siblings exchanged looks.

Lin whispered, “Should we tell Mom?”

Xin-ye immediately shook her head.

“Mom? No way. She’ll panic.”

Their mother shouted again.

“Are you two deaf?! Come down!”

They sighed and went downstairs.

When they reached the living room, they saw a woman sitting on the sofa.

Their mother smiled brightly.

“There you are! Come greet my best friend.”

Xin-ye and Lin politely greeted the woman.

Their mom looked excited.

“We were best friends in school. We just met again after so many years!”

The woman smiled warmly.

And just then—

someone else walked into the room.

A tall boy.

Lin barely paid attention.

To him, it was just some random guy.

But Xin-ye froze.

Her heart nearly stopped.

No way…

The woman spoke happily.

“And this is my son.”

She turned toward him.

“Lu Jing.”

Xin-ye felt like the floor disappeared under her feet.

Their mom laughed while observing him.

“He really has good genes. The height, the looks, everything.”

Lu Jing politely greeted Xin-ye’s mother.

But then—

he looked straight at Xin-ye.

And smirked.

Xin-ye immediately pinched Lin’s arm.

“Ow!” Lin whispered. “What was that for?!”

She leaned closer and whispered,

“That’s him.”

Lin blinked.

“What—”

Then he understood.

His eyes widened slightly.

Meanwhile their mom said happily,

“Why don’t you kids go upstairs and talk? We haven’t met in years, so we want to catch up.”

None of the three argued.

They quietly went upstairs.

Lin’s Room

As soon as they entered Lin’s room, Lin shut the door.

The air immediately felt tense.

He turned toward Lu Jing.

Before he could say anything—

Xin-ye spoke first.

“So this is what you meant by let’s meet tonight?”

Lu Jing leaned casually against the wall.

A faint smirk appeared on his face.

He nodded.

Lin stepped forward, placing himself slightly in front of Xin-ye.

“What do you want?”

Lu Jing answered calmly.

“The pendant she’s wearing.”

Lin’s expression hardened.

“For what?”

Lu Jing shrugged.

“That’s none of your business.”

Before Lin could respond—

something strange happened.

One second Lu Jing was standing near the door.

The next second—

he wasn’t there anymore.

Lin’s eyes widened.

“What the—”

And then he saw him.

Lu Jing was now standing directly in front of Xin-ye.

“So,” he said softly, his eyes fixed on the pendant.

“Are you going to give it to me yourself…”

Xin-ye crossed her arms.

“Or what?”

Lu Jing’s smirk deepened.

“Or…”

He snapped his fingers lightly.

Xin-ye turned toward Lin.

“Lin—”

But Lin wasn’t there anymore.

The spot where he had been standing a second ago was now empty.

Xin-ye’s voice trembled.

“Where… is he?”

Lu Jing looked at her calmly.

“It’s simple.”

His gaze shifted to the pendant again.

“It's either your brother…”

He paused.

“…or the pendant.”

“Bring him back right now!” Xin-ye’s voice trembled. The fear in her eyes was impossible to hide.

Lu Jing looked completely calm.

“First… the pendant.”

Xin-ye clenched her fists. “I—, I tried taking it off but I couldn’t!” Her breathing had become uneven. “Now bring him back!”

Lu Jing tilted his head slightly, as if studying her reaction.

“That’s because,” he said casually, “once it chooses its guardian… taking it off becomes almost impossible.”

Xin-ye froze.

“What…?” she whispered.

Lu Jing’s lips curved into a faint smirk. “But I do know a way.”

For a moment, hope flashed across her face—but it disappeared just as quickly when she remembered Lin was still gone.

Her voice shook. “Bring him back first… then do whatever you want.”

Lu Jing looked at her carefully.

“Are you sure?”

Xin-ye hesitated for only a second before nodding.

“Yes.”

Lu Jing’s smirk slowly widened.

“Good,” he said quietly.

And in the next moment—

— End of Chapter Three —