Chu Hao got out of bed, a stabbing pain shooting through his waist. He looked utterly dejected. If I ever run into that fat man who jumped off the building again, I'll beat him to death.
He arrived at the faculty dormitory and knocked on the door. "Teacher Qiu, open up! Quickly!"
Chu Hao was burning with impatience. He stepped back and kicked the door, which only aggravated the pain in his waist.
The door burst open, and he heard Teacher Qiu's weak voice from the bathroom. "Chu Hao, I... I'm in here."
Chu Hao opened the bathroom door and saw Qiu Xueying lying stiffly on the floor, her flawless, pale skin fully exposed to him.
Chu Hao froze, instantly stunned.
Qiu Xueying was stunningly beautiful, her skin as lustrous as polished jade. Even lying flat, she radiated a unique sensuality.
What baffled Chu Hao the most was that Qiu Xueying was completely hairless.
This... What in the world is this?
Qiu Xueying trembled and stammered, "Save... save me."
Chu Hao was furious. "Still trying to harm people, are you?"
The reason Qiu Xueying couldn't get up was that four ghosts were pinning down her arms and legs.
One of the ghosts was very familiar to Chu Hao. Who else could it be but Wang Shan?
Wang Shan's ghost gave Chu Hao a sinister sneer.
Chu Hao was livid. That old bastard Wang Shan was enjoying himself with Qiu Xueying! Thank goodness I arrived in time, or he might have actually succeeded.
Chu Hao drew a Sword Finger Talisman and thrust it at Wang Shan.
He had just taken a step when his foot slipped—he'd stepped on a bar of soap.
I almost forgot—today is a day of terrible luck!
He lurched forward and crashed right on top of Qiu Xueying.
Chu Hao didn't have time to process anything. His back, already aching, screamed in protest from the fall. This was truly the pinnacle of bad luck.
Argh, damn it! Could this day get any unluckier?
Wang Shan and the other three ghosts let out bizarre cackles, as if mocking Chu Hao, then vanished from the room.
Mere Xiao Gui dare to laugh at this Taoist Master!
But he realized the ghosts—all five of them—had indeed vanished. Even summoning Sadako hadn't located them. How did they manage that?
Qiu Xueying found she could move again. She scrambled to help Chu Hao up, her voice laced with anxiety. "Chu Hao, are you alright?"
Chu Hao wanted to cry but had no tears; he felt utterly cursed. "My... my back is broken."
Qiu Xueying gasped and quickly helped him to sit up.
Then, *she* stepped on the soap, and down they both went again!
Qiu Xueying shrieked. Pain shot through her tailbone as if it had split in two, and tears streamed down her face. As for Chu Hao, he suffered the ultimate humiliation: his face smashed right into her body—buried... buried deep... so deep... in...
So, this is what it feels like to be unlucky... and it can feel this good?
Qiu Xueying quickly pushed Chu Hao away, her face burning red. She wanted to cry. What is happening? Today really is the epitome of bad luck!
After they finally helped Chu Hao to his feet, they both hobbled to the couch. Qiu Xueying then hurried to her room to change, calling out anxiously, "Chu Hao, are you okay?"
Chu Hao lay on the couch, feeling utterly dejected. It was the second time today he'd injured his back. When will this cursed day finally end?
"I'm fine, Teacher Qiu. Are you okay?"
Qiu Xueying looked down. "I'm fine. Thank you, Chu Hao, for saving me again."
As she spoke, she began to sob softly. If Chu Hao had arrived any later, she might have been... by that ghost... The mere thought sent shivers of terror down her spine.
Chu Hao reassured her, "Don't worry, Teacher Qiu. With me here, you'll be safe. As for Wang Shan and his ghosts, I'll make sure they turn to dust."
Chu Hao decided to stay there for the day, to wait for Wang Shan and the other ghosts to show up.
They sat in the living room, an awkward silence hanging between them. Qiu Xueying's face burned as she recalled Chu Hao saving her and everything else that had transpired. She had no idea what to say.
To break the awkwardness, Chu Hao suggested, "Let's watch some TV."
Then, he muttered to himself, "I just hope the power doesn't go out."
Qiu Xueying turned on the TV. Two minutes later, CLICK... the power went out.
Qiu Xueying stared at him in astonishment. "How... how did you know the power would go out?"
Chu Hao could only inwardly admire his own jinxed tongue; truly, nothing was going right today.
They sat in extremely awkward silence, both feeling an urgent need to say something.
Just then, Qiu Xueying broke the silence. "Can you... can you please try to forget what just happened?"
Can something really be forgotten so easily?
Chu Hao feigned a nod. "Teacher, I didn't see a thing."
Qiu Xueying's face flushed crimson. Biting her lip, she said, "Chu Hao, I heard you can read faces. Do you think... me being completely bare like that... is it a bad sign? I heard it's a sign of a husband-cursing fate."
Chu Hao rubbed his nose. "Were you born this way?"
Qiu Xueying, her face still flushed, decided to press on with the topic. "Yes, I was born this way. I don't know why. I've researched it, and it seems this kind of congenital hairlessness is mostly physiological."
Chu Hao asked, "Teacher Qiu, do you have a boyfriend?"
Qiu Xueying shook her head. "Not yet. I've had two relationships while I was abroad, but neither of them worked out."
Chu Hao then asked, "So, does that mean you're still... you know, a virgin?"
Qiu Xueying nodded, her blush deepening. "Please don't laugh. To be honest, I'm already twenty-five, and I really want a boyfriend. But my love life has always been a mess. An old fortune-teller once told me it would be very difficult for me to get married in this lifetime."
Chu Hao nodded. "It is indeed difficult."
Qiu Xueying's expression fell. "Is it really that difficult?"
Chu Hao explained, "Your name contains 'Xue,' which is a form of water. Combined with your White Tiger Facial Aspect, this creates what's known as an Extreme Yin Aspect. Without a man possessing the Extreme Yang Aspect to achieve balance, your life will be hard. Even if you were to marry, the union would be fraught with difficulties, and you could face great misery."
Qiu Xueying's face turned pale. "Then... what can I do?"
Chu Hao smiled. "For others, changing one's physiognomy and fate might be difficult, but I have a way to alter yours, Teacher."
Qiu Xueying was overjoyed. "Chu Hao, you must help me! Whatever the cost, I'll pay it!"
Chu Hao waved his hand dismissively. "Teacher, talking about money would strain our student-teacher relationship. There's no need for that. I'll help if I can."
Qiu Xueying was touched and felt a little embarrassed.
Chu Hao had been just an ordinary student in her class. Yet, after all that had happened today, Qiu Xueying saw him in a completely different light.
His manliness, particularly his reckless courage in saving her, had deeply moved her.
Chu Hao stroked his chin. "Actually, Teacher, you just need to find someone with an Extreme Yang Aspect to... overcome your condition. When Yin and Yang are harmonized, only then can your White Tiger Facial Aspect be resolved."
Qiu Xueying blushed deeply and whispered, "But... where would I find someone like that? And... how could I possibly bring myself to do such a thing?"