What It's Like Being a Vampire

As soon as the multi-person video chat on QQ was connected, “Xiao Pingguo” heard a very crisp, slightly nervous little girl’s voice: “Hello, Sister Apple! Hello, Old Fairy Sister!”

Then there was Yang Zhen’er’s somewhat frustrated “roar”: “Xiao Lingdang, it’s not old fairy! It’s fairy! Now, repeat after me, Xiyianxian, Nieyünu, Fairy Sister!”

The little girl on the other end was quiet for two seconds, then she recited a bit timidly: “Fairy Sister…”

Hearing their cheerful voices, “Xiao Pingguo” also smiled slightly, happily saying hello: “Hello, Xiao Lingdang.”

“Eh, Sister Apple, the bird on your shoulder is alive!” Liu Shiling suddenly noticed that the canary on “Xiao Pingguo’s” shoulder moved a little, and excitedly asked: “Is it your pet?”

“Golden Flash” seemed to know they were talking about it, cocked its head, and tweeted twice.

“Xiao Pingguo” lightly tapped “Golden Flash’s” head with her index finger, then smiled and said: “It’s my pet, my friend, my guide bird. I need it to guide me when I go out. Its name is ‘Golden Flash’… By the way, I hear from Sister Zhen’er that you used to live next door to Uncle Xiang, right? ‘Golden Flash’ was originally raised by him.”

“Golden Flash? Is that a ‘bling-bling’ Golden Flash? What a lovely name!” Liu Shiling said, suddenly picking up “Custard Pie”, which was already laying at the edge of the table, and holding it up to the camera, happily saying: “I have a pet, too. It’s a big kitty named ‘Custard Pie’!”

As she was speaking, Liu Shiling suddenly remembered, before the three of them started the video chat, Ms. Fairy sister told her about Sister Apple’s situation and the fact that Sister Apple is blind.

So she added: “‘Custard Pie’ and ‘Golden Flash’ look alike!”

“Xiao Pingguo,” who had been smiling, was dumbfounded by this remark. She learned about cats mostly from books and also from feeling the face of a friend’s pet cat when she was in a blindness school. Now she was kind of wondering how a cat that looked like a canary would look like.”

Cats have round and large faces, soft fur, and comfortable touch. They also have nice voices. She also occasionally heard the cries of wildcats when she listened to bird songs in the park next to the community.

But… what does a cat look like if it looks like a canary? She realized she couldn’t imagine it.

Fortunately, Yang Zhen’er exclaimed: “Wow! Xiao Lingdang, you have a cat too?! What kind of cat is it? Hold it farther away for me to see. Is it an English Shorthair? Golden shaded shade? My, it’s so chubby, so cute, I want to hug it! When you say it looks like ‘Golden Flash,’ you’re talking about the color, right?”

Liu Shiling nodded repeatedly: “Yes, yes, yes, both Custard Pie and Golden Flash are yellow. Golden Flash is a beautiful shade of yellow, while Custard Pie is an earthy yellow…”

“Golden Flash,” perched on “Xiao Pingguo’s” shoulder, suddenly started tweeting frantically at the screen, and “Custard Pie,” held by Liu Shiling, made a series of strange, bird-like noises after hearing it.

“Golden Flash” was calling even more fiercely, but “Custard Pie” no longer imitated the bird sound, but gave out a lower growl, even reaching out its paw to hit the IPAD screen.

Liu Shiling quickly held Custard Pie firmly, pressing her chin on the kitty’s head: “‘Custard Pie’ must behave, or I won’t let you play!”

“Xiao Pingguo” also lightly tapped “Golden Flash’s” head with her finger: “Don’t shout, or there’s no extra meal for you tonight!”

Seeing that both the cat and the bird were immediately disciplined by their owners and became “obedient” and “calm,” Yang Zhen’er looked around her own side and suddenly felt that the spacious living room was a bit chilly.

So she got up and went into the bedroom, looked at the glass cabinet where Tang Baona’s various figurines, merchandise, and wood carvings were displayed, and brought out the saber wood carving given to Tang Baona as a birthday present by Xiang Kun. She carefully placed it in front of the camera.

“Let me introduce you, this is my pet, my partner, Tang Bao Toliya!” Yang Zhen’er said, and also described the appearance of the wood carving for “Xiao Pingguo.”

Liu Shiling couldn’t help but say, “Old Fairy Sister, this is the beautiful sister’s wood carving. She showed it to me before.”

“I am Ms. Fairy!” Yang Zhen’er corrected, then added, “What she showed you were saber woodcarvings, whereas I showed you Tangbao Toliya. They’re not the same at all!”

“Oh.” Liu Shiling didn’t argue.

Then, the trio began discussing which children’s song they wanted to learn. Initially, this was a “weekend assignment” given by the kindergarten for parents and their children to complete together. But since Shiling’s Mom had gone out, and Liu Shiling was home alone playing with her cat and drawing, Yang Zhen’er, who was also bored at home, decided, during her video call with Little Fatty Girl, to teach her a children’s song. After realizing it wasn’t going well, she called for reinforcement from “Sister Apple”.

Ever since “Sister Apple” met Tang Baona through Xiang Kun’s introduction, she often sings with her, recording audio and making videos to post online. This sparked her own interest in music and unleashed her musical talent.

So even though she doesn’t usually listen to or sing children’s songs, she quickly found a suitable song for “Xiao Lingdang”. It’s the popular “Learning Cat’s Meow”, reputed as a brainwash song among kindergartens, integrating elements of ethnic style. Liu Shiling has never learned this song in her current kindergarten.

They practiced the song until dinner time when Shiling’s mom returned home and they stopped. Although Liu Shiling hadn’t learned the song in her kindergarten, she had heard it many times. Sister Apple taught it very well, and she learned quickly. Under the guidance of Sister Apple, she was already able to sing the whole song smoothly.

Their song-learning process was very joyful. Even Yang Zhen’er, who was just serving as a bystander, felt very happy. Hence, in saying goodbye to Liu Shiling, she inadvertently called her “Old Fairy Sister”. It wasn’t until after she exited the chatting screen that she realized her mistake. She slapped her forehead and murmured to Tang Bao Toliya, “Was this kid doing it on purpose?”

After closing the video, Liu Shiling ran to the kitchen to perform the song she had learned before her mother who had just come home and was preparing dinner.

Though she had forgotten one-third of the lyrics and replaced it with “meow, meow”, the song sounded quite fluent overall. Coupled with the pie called “Custard Pie”, who lay beside her keeping its head raised and meowed in intervals, Shiling’s mom couldn’t help laughing while cooking and praised her daughter’s performance.

Having received praise from her mom, Liu Shiling contentedly returned to her room with “Custard Pie”.

She began to wonder about Sister Apple who had taught her the song.

Before the video call, when she heard that Sister Apple couldn’t see, she initially felt sorry for her. But the moment she saw Sister Apple in the video, her pity turned into another feeling.

For some reason, Liu Shiling has a fondness for Sister Apple and wants to get close to her and play with her.

Even the bird on her shoulder named “Sparkly Gold” looks cute and adorable to her.

When Shiling said that “Custard Pie” and “Sparkly Gold” were similar, it was not just about the color but more about a feeling. But when asked to explain in detail, she couldn’t articulate it.

Moreover, in her opinion, Sister Apple is not pitiful at all, but instead, possesses an impressive aura.

When they were learning the song, she didn’t think much about it. But now back in her room waiting for dinner, playing with “Chocolate” and “Ice Cream”, the more she thinks about it, the stranger it feels.

Then she remembered what Sister Apple had said, that “Sparkly Gold” originally belonged to Uncle Bald. So she naturally attributed this strange feeling to Uncle Bald.

She speculated that perhaps Sister Apple is like the Roast Chicken Wing Sister, a person who “can do magic” or an “insider”.

Thinking like this, Liu Shiling became more and more convinced.

That’s right! It must be so!

So she guessed that maybe Sister Apple can’t see because the magic she practices is different, so Uncle Bald sealed her vision. When she regains her vision, it would mean that her super magic is completed. By then, Sister Apple probably would become very, very powerful.

Considering this, I need to work hard too. I can’t lag too far behind Roast Chicken Wing Sister and Sister Apple – a certain “super powerful & super cute Great Wizard” was worrying in her heart.

Liu Shiling, who was controlling two coins spinning and hopping in her hand, suddenly had an impulse. She ran into the living room in her slippers, looked at a cardboard box on the shoe cabinet, and after some thought, picked it up, then went to the kitchen door and asked, “Mom, what’s in this box?”

Shiling’s mom, who was cooking dinner, took a look and stunned for a moment, then laughed, “I almost forgot, this is a delivery I just got. It’s a gift from your Uncle Bald. I think it’s a coin bank. Ah, remember to video call and thank your Uncle … um, thank Uncle Xiang.”

The moment she finished speaking, she saw her daughter had already scurried back to her room with the delivery box. She couldn’t help but chuckle and shake her head before returning to her cooking.

Back in her room, Liu Shiling opened the box and indeed found a delightful round rascal rabbit coin bank. However, she wasn’t interested in the coin bank, but the crumpled newspapers inside the box.

Liu Shiling took out the clump of newspaper and spread it open. Seeing the three one-yuan coins lying on the inside, she revealed a joyous smile.

Earlier when she was in her room, she had a vague feeling. Now seeing these coins, she was delighted. Uncle Bald followed through, giving her more “magic coins”.

Liu Shiling held the coins in her hand, trying to make them levitate as she did with “chocolate” and “ice cream”, but the coins did not move.

Liu Shiling wasn’t surprised. She naturally believed that the magic of these three new “magic coins” had not yet been tamed and refined by her.

“Custard Pie” also hopped up onto the table, sticking its nose to the pile of coins, sniffing them.

The three coins in Liu Shiling’s hands suddenly shook, terrifying “Custard Pie” to the point it sprung out, its feline face fear-stricken. It dashed under the table.

It often wrestles and tussles with the two coins controlled by Liu Shiling. The sudden appearance of reinforcements “chocolate” and “ice cream” left it somewhat despaired.

Can it still hold up in the future?

Actually, Liu Shiling’s affection for Little Apple was reciprocated; Little Apple shared similar feelings towards Liu Shiling.

A person with normal vision would form a hypothetical image in their mind when they heard someone speak. If the speaker was someone they had met before, the image would naturally come to mind. If the speaker were someone they had not met before, they would form a vague image, connecting past experiences with the sound of the voice. For example, a coarse male voice might be imagined as a tall man, while a gentle female voice would usually be attributed to a pretty young woman.

However, for Little Apple, being blind from birth, her judgment and understanding of all things are based on listening, smelling, and touching, especially listening.

For an everyday person she meets for the first time, she can only establish the first impression in her mind through their voice from her phone speaker.

But for Liu Shiling, she didn’t know why, but as soon as she heard Liu Shiling’s voice, Little Apple felt an inexplicable sense of connection, although she was certain she had never heard this person before.

It felt as if she was lightly squeezing Liu Shiling’s cheek while she spoke, a very real and specific perception, a fuller understanding more than just by hearing.

However, she knew very well that she had never touched Liu Shiling’s face, they had no physical connection. They lived in different cities, miles apart. It was a kind of perception different from the past.

Why did she have such a unique feeling for a little girl unseen before?

By the way, this feeling reminded her faintly of when she first established a connection with “Old Twinkling Star”—of course, the feeling was much weaker compared to then.

She then remembered “Old Twinkling Star’s” reaction. Being able to feel its reaction because of their special connection, she could sense that when they first connected, “Old Twinkling Star” also felt a type of fondness when seeing Liu Shiling, just like her.

At first, she thought “Canary” sensed her attitude towards Liu Shiling, hence resonating the same feelings due to emotional symbiosis.

But later on, she found out it wasn’t the case.

When “Canary” and “Custard Pie” briefly “argued” across the screen, she couldn’t completely decipher the cat’s meow from “Custard Pie”, but she was very clear about the meaning of “Canary’s” chirps.

“Canary” was making threats at “Custard Pie” that seemed along the lines of “Respect! Or else I’ll beat you!” or “Don’t underestimate me! I’m quite a fighter!”

Though it appeared belligerent, there wasn’t actually much hostility.

“Xiao Pingguo” had a hunch that this bird and cat separated by screens and internet cables, seemed to intentionally perform in front of her and Liu Shiling.

It seemed that “Canary” was also a bit eager to please Liu Shiling.

While thinking, “Xiao Pingguo” sent a WeChat voice message to Xiang Kun, asking if he was available.

However, it wasn’t until after dinner, around eight o’clock, when Xiang Kun replied.

“Xiao Pingguo” called him and relayed Officer Wang’s conversation content picked up by “Canary” at the lake, asking, “Uncle Xiang, does the creature with many arms from Officer Wang’s friend’s dream have anything to do with our ‘multi-armed monster’?”

On the other side, in Xiang Kun’s home in Citong City, he had just completed a blood-drinking period and woke from deep sleep. He was surprised. He wasn’t expecting to know about the “dream invocation reporting” follow-up from “Xiao Pingguo” in another city for the first time.

It seemed Officer Wang had been concerned about the “multi-armed monster hallucination” seen by the suspects during “Xiao Pingguo’s” case and he had been in touch with Officer Xiao Zhao from Citong, which is probably how Officer Xiao Zhao had information about the “multi-armed monster” beyond the three car thieves from the Yun Gang Branch.

Xiang Kun hesitated for a moment while holding his phone, then chose to reveal part of the truth to “Xiao Pingguo”: “Yes, it’s our ‘multi-armed monster.’ It guided the officer to discover the corpse so the victims could be buried by their families.”

After receiving this answer, “Xiao Pingguo” was quite moved, feeling an inexplicable sense of pride as if she was on the side of “justice.”

Then, “Xiao Pingguo” detailed to Xiang Kun her increased contact with “Canary,” their exploration of this city together over this period of time, and the enhancement of her sensory abilities.

In the end, she spoke about teaching Liu Shiling to sing that afternoon, sharing her strange feelings with Xiang Kun, and curiously asked, “Uncle Xiang, are you familiar with Xiao Lingdang? Does she also… have… superpowers like me?” When she mentioned her own superpowers, Xiao Pingguo felt inexplicably embarrassed.

“Well… You could say that. Xiao Lindang is like my younger sister just like you, so you should treat her like your younger sister. She is a very well-behaved, cute, and gifted child.” Xiang Kun replied with a smile.

He reckoned that Xiao Pingguo’s special feeling towards Liu Shiling probably came from the fact that they both were in the “Super Sensory Item System,” sharing the same source at the endpoint of their powers.

After Xiang Kun ended his call with Xiao Pingguo, Xia Libing, who was sitting across him looking at something on her laptop, looked up at him: “Do you consider Xiao Pingguo and Xiao Lingdang as your younger sisters?”

Xiang Kun, puzzled replied: “Yeah.”

Xia Libing: “But they call you Uncle.”

Xiang Kun: