In July, the temperature in North City hit 38°C.This scorching heat had lasted for half a month now.The last trace of moisture in the air had evaporated.The asphalt road shimmered, sending waves of heat that could almost melt you.Even beneath the trees, the searing sunlight pierced through the wilting leaves, burning the skin like a laser beam.At 1:30 PM, the sun was at its peak.The streets were nearly empty.On the sidewalk, a lone figure walked slowly forward.She was holding a large black umbrella, wide enough to shade three people. Beneath it stood a small, slender figure.In such intense heat, she wore a black hoodie, black sweatpants, and sneakers, with a bulging black backpack slung over her thin shoulders.She held the umbrella with one hand, her pale, delicate fingers wrapped around the handle. A small portion of her wrist was exposed—so white it was almost startling—and so thin it seemed it could snap at any moment. Yet, this seemingly fragile hand effortlessly held the umbrella, and the heavy backpack didn't seem to hinder her light, graceful steps.Under the shade of the umbrella, the hoodie's hood was pulled over her head, casting a shadow over her face. Only her pale lips and sharp chin were visible.Two pedestrians walking nearby couldn't help but glance over.They thought she was strange, yet couldn't shake the feeling that she might collapse under the weight of the umbrella or the bag on her back.Jiang Changshui moved forward slowly, unfazed. Suddenly, there was a muffled thud, like something had fallen onto the umbrella. Her hand pressed down slightly, and then something bounced off the umbrella, landing right in front of her.She stopped and looked down.Two small, bare feet—plump and white—bounced on the hot pavement."Ah! It's so hot!"She lifted the umbrella slightly.What she saw was a child who looked about six or seven years old. He was like a normal human child, but sprouting from his dark hair was a small, tender green sprout that seemed to grow directly out of his skull.Jiang Changshui's heart skipped a beat.—A little demon.The two of them, one tall and one short, locked eyes beneath the umbrella.The little demon tilted his head and blinked his big eyes. "A demon?"Jiang Changshui's expression remained unchanged. She calmly turned her gaze away and walked around him, continuing down the road.The little demon, barefoot, hurried after her, walking backwards while still tilting his head to stare at her. "I saw you see me."Jiang Changshui acted like she couldn't hear him, walking on without a word."You're not a demon, right? I can't smell any demon aura on you. Are you human? I know you can see me… Why aren't you talking? Stop pretending, I know you see me." The child hopped around beside her, occasionally yelping when his feet hit the burning ground, but it seemed no one else could see him.The little demon suddenly asked, "Do you have water? I'm dying of thirst."With that, he stuck out his green tongue, panting like a dog trying to cool off. His big black eyes gleamed with an eager sparkle as he looked up at her.Jiang Changshui, unable to ignore him, finally stopped and warned him, "If I give you water, you're not allowed to follow me around anymore."The little demon immediately tucked his tongue back in and grinned, nodding eagerly.Persistent little demon.Jiang Changshui entered a nearby convenience store and bought two bottles of water.Seeing the little demon hopping around barefoot on the hot pavement, she bought him a pair of kids' sandals and tossed them to him.The little demon grabbed the sandals and smiled widely, revealing two sharp, white little fangs.She led him behind a tree and unscrewed the water bottle for him.The little demon guzzled the water down in one go, his stomach gradually swelling up. Once finished, he reached for the second bottle.But instead of drinking it, he poured the water over his head, letting it cascade down his body. He bounced around, making a satisfied, hissing sound.After finishing the second bottle, he shuddered in pleasure, and the green sprouts on his head shook slightly, looking even greener than before."Eh?"Before he could react, Jiang Changshui had already disappeared....Jiang Changshui, still holding her umbrella, looked back to see the little demon searching around for her. A faint smile tugged at the corner of her lips. She turned slowly into a narrow alley and walked about six hundred meters before stopping in front of an old house.This house was something of a legend in North City.Despite the rapid development around it over the last few decades, this place had remained unchanged. The surrounding high-rises seemed to trap the house in a pit, preserving the look of a bygone era.It was a two-story house, old and weathered, with its exterior walls peeling and covered in patches of ivy. Even in the scorching sun, the house exuded an eerie atmosphere.A chubby man carrying two bags of trash muttered curses as he walked out, when he turned and froze in shock.A slender figure stood motionless in front of the decades-old house next door, holding a large black umbrella, facing him.He instinctively clutched his chest, muttering, "Who the hell are you? Trying to be all mysterious in broad daylight!"A weak voice came from beneath the umbrella."Is anyone living inside?"It was a woman's voice!The chubby man froze, and his eyes quickly scanned beneath the umbrella, catching a glimpse of a pale, pointed chin. "Are you looking for Grandpa Sun?"Grandpa Sun had once said that if a young girl came looking for him, he wanted to be notified immediately.The figure beneath the umbrella nodded.The man took a few steps toward her. "Is Grandpa Sun not home?"She answered, "No, he's not here.""There's only ghosts in there, not people."The man said, "He's probably at the mahjong parlor. You want to wait here or come with me?"She replied, "I'll wait here.""Alright then, I'll go get him for you."...Grandpa Sun was nearly eighty.Neighbors often said that Grandpa Sun had become something otherworldly. At eighty, he looked no older than fifty. His eyes were sharp, his hearing clear, and he moved with the agility of someone much younger. His hair, too, was dark and thick. On the hottest days, he wore a green long robe, his lean frame and bright eyes still holding traces of his youthful handsomeness.The younger folks had all heard the stories about Grandpa Sun's past.He had once loved a woman who left him, and since then, he had lived alone in this eerie old house, never remarrying.When the chubby man entered the mahjong parlor, Grandpa Sun was already playing a hand of mahjong.The man approached and said, "Grandpa Sun, someone's here to see you."Grandpa Sun, unfazed, continued playing, his fingers gliding over the tiles with practiced ease. He was a well-known fortune-teller and had many visitors, so it was nothing new. "Let me finish this round.""It's a girl, just like you said—about sixteen or seventeen."The man couldn't see her face, but the voice made it clear.Grandpa Sun's hand faltered, and the mahjong tile he had just picked up fell. It was a nine-character tile.He didn't speak, but abruptly stood up, pulling out his chair and heading for the door."Hey, Grandpa Sun! Your money!"Grandpa Sun didn't respond. His steps quickened as he walked out. By the time the chubby man caught up, he was already far ahead.As he neared the entrance, Grandpa Sun's heart sank, and his pace slowed.It wasn't her...Even though the person was covered head to toe, their figure alone told him this wasn't Jiang Su.He slowed down and approached calmly, his heart now steady."Little girl, what brings you here?"The figure beneath the umbrella lifted her head. Her eyes peered out from beneath the hood, meeting his gaze. "Are you Grandpa Sun?"Her voice, despite being that of a seventeen- or eighteen-year-old, sounded oddly lifeless, as if the heat had drained all energy from her.Grandpa Sun felt an odd sensation in his chest. "I am."She removed her hood, revealing her face."My name is Jiang Changshui. Jiang Su is my master."Grandpa Sun's eyes widened in surprise.Her skin was as white as snow, almost without color, as was her lips—faintly pink, almost lifeless. Despite the scorching heat, she wasn't sweating at all. Her face, small like a doll's, had delicate features, but her eyes, dark and unfeeling, made her seem distant, emotionless.But her hair—dark as midnight, thick and glossy—looked as though it had absorbed the very essence of
