Brief Encounter In Front Of The Restroom

The last week of the semester entered and it was the most hectic one since exams, project submissions, and thesis defenses had to be done all at once. It was simply a nightmare. Many chose to just go with the flow and submit a subpar work when they could no longer deal with the pressure.

It was now the third Monday of June. Defense day for Chen Fang's department.

Chen Fang loosened his necktie since he felt like he was being strangled by it. The weather was also very hot, yet every male student had to wear formal attire. One could imagine how sweaty they were underneath their clothes as they sat nervously or stood in line outside the speech laboratory.

Chen Fang who had teamed up with a few competent classmates was not spared from this torture. Only when their turn ended and the result was quite satisfactory, did the weight on his shoulders finally got lifted.

"We survive. So we now have to drink till daybreak to our heart's content."

Several of his classmates talked after the thesis defense, their plans mostly about alcohol and dates.

"Chen Fang, our handsome normie. You coming with us?"

A cute short girl dressed in formal attire, that was an elaborate long-sleeved blouse and knee-length black pencil skirt, asked with a sweet smile. Her name was Meng Liling.

Who knew when it started, but women suddenly became drawn to him. At first, it was out of pity, since they heard he got dumped by Long Lingqing for a rich guy. The stares were always full of concern and when they talked to him, it was more appropriate to say that they were only doing so to not make him appear like a loner. But then, it all changed when they began to notice his looks and the unusual air around him.

His male friends from other classes and departments once asked if the breakup had been that cruel that he matured overnight.

"Honest thoughts bro, you sometimes sound like an old man." Gong Weisheng once joked to him.

To this, Chen Fang only smiled. Every time he did it, this examinee seemed to have no idea that to the women present, it held a unique charm.

"Chen Fang, come on. Don't give you're going to study stocks or whatever stupid excuses." The persistent Meng Liling waved a hand.

Students were leaving already. Those that hang out regularly with him or acquainted with him dragged Chen Fang in a KTV bar, one of the favorite nearby places of happy-go-lucky people on the campus. All his thesis groupmates came along. Although later in the evening, they found that almost everyone in the class eventually headed straight here.

Dishes and bottles of beers still on the cases were brought over. Happy talks and bursts of laughter filled the place. Music from the speakers also reverberated nonstop together with the singing voices of his classmates.

The happy Chen Fang etched the scene in his brain, not excluding the part where one of the boys almost shoved the mic inside his mouth. He was happy because this did not happen in his previous life. On this day that he was supposed to be carrying sacks of cement until past midnight, he was here partying with friends.

Several minutes later, Chen Fang felt uncomfortable and excused himself for the restroom. However, before he could push the door to the boy's restroom open, he heard a loud shout coming from his left.

"Demoness! I finally found you!"

The weird words made him turn his head in the direction of the girl's restroom.

Chen Fang's hand went still. He frowned since he did not like the scene that greeted his eyes.

'What's going on here?'

There were two people there. A beautiful girl with black, waist-length wavy hair whose face looked a bit familiar to him, and a man in his forties or early fifties dressed in a white dress shirt and loose cargo pants. The eyes of the latter were scarily red, hair as messy as a bird's nest.

Chen Fang had no way to judge whether that look on the man's face was lust or anger. But he did not view it kindly when the person jumped at the defenseless girl, ready to punch her in the stomach.

"What the-"

Chen Fang did not know that the other man was a cultivator due to his getup. He also did not see that the cultivator was aiming for the demoness' sea of qi, called dantian in other records.

In Chen Fang's eyes, what just took place was a shameless guy forcing himself on a beautiful woman. A decision was immediately formed in his mind.

"Help! Help!"

The voice did not come from the woman who was being assaulted. The demoness who had been caught off-guard was not stunned for too long and had immediately formulated a counterattack plan. Even if there would be a witness, she had already resolved herself to reveal her true form in order to lift the restriction to her actual strength.

However, before she could act out her thoughts, the mortal's shout reached her ears.

Chen Fang held his phone closer to his ears and yelled again, "Police! Help! Someone's committing murder here!"

The man purposely exaggerated.

The human cultivator was startled and momentarily looked up. Then, his expression changed. In the next two seconds, a piece of paper flew out of his hand and headed towards Chen Fang before burning into ashes midair.

Thinking the sleeping spell within it worked, the cultivator redirected his focus on the fox demoness.

"Now, not even King Yama can save you, demoness!"

The redness in the man's sclera was due to extreme grief from losing a disciple in one of their fights several weeks ago.

"Fool."

Unfortunately, the demoness was as slippery as a snake and managed to run away from them every time they met. After each escape, she would grow stronger and stronger. There was no need to guess she was able to power up quickly.

Chen Fang widened his eyes as a blinding light suddenly emerged in front. Unlike what the other guy had assumed, Chen Fang did not really get struck by the paper talisman.

It might be his stupid luck working on him again.

Because his voice distracted the cultivator, even if it was only for a split second, a very valuable opportunity presented itself to the fox demoness. Amongst the demonic creatures, she belonged to the race that specialized in speed, so escaping was her other specialty.

The burst of light came from her, specifically from the magical bead bracelet she always wore on her pale wrists. She then took that opportunity to escape from underneath the enemy cultivator.

When she passed by Chen Fang, she made sure to whisper 'thanks' to his ears. 'I'll definitely repay this favor.'

He did not hear the rest of what she said clearly. He also could not open his eyes for a while due to the sudden trauma. This was why he didn't see the annoyed cultivator glaring at him before also chasing the fleeing demoness.

From his phone that he had unknowingly dropped on the ground, unintelligible noises resounded. One of the people from the police station was still talking there. Since Chen Fang's eyes could not be opened for some time, he could only crouch down and fumble around blindly. When he finally managed to pick up his phone, the person on the other line already ended the call.

"Damn, what the hell's with that?"

He didn't know when the other two people nearby vanished. He also didn't know how on earth it all happened in less than three seconds.

Chen Fang felt unnerved when his vision returned.

His trainee guide also sported a conflicted expression.