My Evil Wife Is a Nine-Tailed Fox

"To be honest, I wasn't expecting that I would see her again. After all, I rarely took that route going home as I'd always left the school late, but I couldn't help but see if I would be able to meet her again." Gu Liuxian continued, while Zhao Yichen remained silent as he observed his friend and the demoness standing behind him. 

To think that his friend would also encounter something paranormal while he wasn't around… Zhao Yichen didn't expect it at all. Anyway, he was aware that he wasn't the only human who could see these creatures. Gu Liuxian was two years older than him, so Zhao Yichen wasn't sure if Gu Liuxian was acquainted with another. 

"So I visited the place again after my midterm exams, and I found her seated on a nearby bench, looking after the flowers that were yet to bloom that season. I'd always found her in the same place around the same time." 

"Is she still dressed in a pink robe?" It was the first inquiry Zhao Yichen made since his friend opened up this story to him. No doubt Gu Liuxian never told a single soul about his encounter with the demoness. 

"En," Gu Liuxian affirmed.. "In fact, ever since our first meeting, I've never seen her dressed in a different outfit. I thought that she might be a priestess or a follower of some weird sect and that's why she was dressed like that."

"Did she tell you her name and what she was doing there?" Zhao Yichen continued to probe again. If he and Yu Yan were to cast this demon out, they better knew first what kind of creature they were dealing with. 

"She called herself Yulan, and I'm not even sure if it was her real name. You see, unlike other women I've met in the past, she barely talks, but she's a great listener. I was drawn to her, and I admit that I enjoyed her company, so our meetings never ceased. She became a good friend with whom I can open up my troubles, and she never judged me for my shortcomings." 

It was obvious to Zhao Yichen that his friend was enamored with the mysterious woman he met in the past. The helplessness in Gu Liuxian's tone as he talked about the woman somewhat made Zhao Yichen feel sympathy for him. Even the demoness behind Gu Liuxian looked pitiful as the latter talked about their encounter. 

"I trusted her, but I felt like she wasn't honest with me. As I get older, she remains the same, as if time has no effects on her appearance. Whenever I met her, she would always avoid being seen by other people. I realized something wasn't right and that I knew nothing about her, but I couldn't muster the courage to confront her about it."

"Do you think she's a ghost, then?" Zhao Yichen asked. 

"Yeah, I think so. There's something else that I noticed during our encounters." 

"What is it?" 

"She doesn't eat. Well, to be clear, I have never seen her eat nor drink anything, and we've known each other for over five years. She always declined my offer whenever I asked her to eat out," Gu Liuxian explained. "I know something was wrong with her. I didn't know what happened, but one day, she stopped showing up."

"Don't tell me you two had a fight?" 

Gu Liuxian shook his head. "No. That's not it. We rarely had disagreements, but Yulan would never leave without a word. She wasn't like that." 

The demoness behind him shook her head and shut her eyes. It looked like she wanted to say something, but she stopped herself midway. 

"Then, why do you think that happened?" Zhao Yichen probed. He could clearly see the demoness with Gu Liuxian, but why couldn't the latter see her? 

"I'm not sure. We were supposed to meet before I started my residency, but that never happened. She just disappeared without a word. Sometimes, I wonder if all our encounters were just figments of my imagination, and Yulan had never been there in the first place." 

However, obviously, that wasn't the case… because the woman he'd been yearning to see and talk to again was just standing next to him. 

"But, Brother Xian, why are you telling me this?" Zhao Yichen didn't beat around the bush and confronted the older man. He needed to know.

"To be honest, I was hoping that the rumors about you seeing ghosts were true. If only that meant that you could help me see her again. However, I realized that this is so selfish of me. 

"I want to know what happened and why we never met again. I wasn't able to tell her how much she meant to me and how happy I was to meet her. I don't know who she really is, but the time I spent with her is precious to me." 

Zhao Yichen didn't know what to tell his friend. Should he tell Gu Liuxian that the woman he was looking for had been with them all this time? That she didn't go missing? That somehow, it was Gu Liuxian who lost the ability to see her? 

"Forget it. It has been years since I saw her. If she really wanted to see me, she would have done it already," Gu Liuxian said. "Why don't you tell me how you feel now, so I can report something to your grandfather?" He added as he attempted to change the topic between them. 

Zhao Yichen nodded and allowed Gu Liuxian to ask a few questions and check his blood pressure. The older man also reminded him to take his medicines on time and to call anytime he felt any pain and discomfort. 

He could only watch as Gu Liuxian left his home, the demoness staying behind. 

"Why are you still here? Aren't you going to follow him?" Zhao Yichen asked the woman, whose eyes were fixed on Gu Liuxian's retreating figure.