The next morning, the sun had just risen on the eastern horizon as Jiu Fan and his parents prepared to leave for their vacation. The city was bustling with morning activity, the sound of birds mixed with the roar of vehicles passing by on the streets. Jiu Fan's father checked the items in the trunk of the car, while his mother made sure that all necessities such as food, medicine, and clothes had been brought.
They left at exactly 7:00 a.m. using a private car. Their destination was Guangzhou, a big city famous for its cultural and natural beauty. The trip took about three hours, and during the trip, Jiu Fan just sat in the back seat playing with his cellphone. He opened the messaging application and immediately contacted Wu Lixue.
Wu Lixue: "Have you left?"
Jiu Fan: "I left at 7 a.m."
Wu Lixue: "Okay, be careful on the road."
Jiu Fan: "Are you going to play with Xiao Zhen?"
Wu Lixue: "I don't know."
Jiu Fan: "Why don't you know?"
Wu Lixue: "Because I haven't seen Xiao Zhen since this morning."
Jiu Fan frowned. He felt something was wrong. Usually, Wu Lixue would immediately know if Xiao Zhen came to her house. But before he could type a reply, Wu Lixue sent a new message.
Wu Lixue: "Wait... Xiao Zhen just came to my house."
Jiu Fan hadn't had a chance to reply, but the notification showed that the message was closed. Wu Lixue went out of the house and was seen welcoming Xiao Zhen who was standing in front of the gate. Xiao Zhen's face looked calm, but his eyes stared sharply, as if hiding something.
"Come on, let's play in the park. There are many things I want to tell you." Xiao Zhen said.
Wu Lixue just nodded, although her heart was a little uneasy. She felt a different aura from Xiao Zhen.
Meanwhile, after three hours of travel, Jiu Fan and his family arrived in Guangzhou. They went straight to the hotel and booked a room. Jiu Fan felt tired and decided to take a short break. But his mind was not calm. He kept thinking about Wu Lixue and Xiao Zhen.
"What are they doing now? Are they playing as usual, or is there something else?" he thought.
Not long after, his mother called, "Jiu Fan, let's go on a picnic to Mount Baiyun! The scenery is so beautiful, they say."
Jiu Fan agreed to the invitation. Maybe the fresh air could help him calm his mind. They set off for Mount Baiyun, about 8 kilometers from the hotel. The road was quite busy, but they finally arrived. Mount Baiyun offered a stunning green view. Thin mist covered the tall trees, and the sound of a waterfall in the distance added to the serene atmosphere.
At the top of the mountain, Jiu Fan's family laid out a picnic mat and opened their lunch. But Jiu Fan instead stared eastward, toward the city of Shenzhen. He couldn't shake the suspicion from his mind.
He then called Taishe, the star creature in the magical brooch that always accompanied him.
"Can this star brooch be used to see someone from a distance?" asked Jiu Fan.
"Of course, sir." replied Taishe. "You just need to direct your gaze to the place you want to go, activate the see-through vision, and you can see whoever you want to see. However... you can't hear their voices."
"Okay, I'll try now."
Firmly, Jiu Fan directed his gaze towards the city of Shenzhen. He focused the energy from the star brooch into his eyes and in an instant, both of his eyes shone brightly, reflecting blue light that penetrated the clouds.
The scene changed. He could see Wu Lixue and Xiao Zhen sitting on a park bench. They were laughing, looking intimate. However, Xiao Zhen's expression seemed to be hiding something. Suddenly, the scene changed. Wu Lixue nodded and walked home.
Then, Jiu Fan saw something surprising — Xiao Zhen did not go home, but walked towards his house.
"What? He came to my house?" Jiu Fan muttered.
Xiao Zhen stood in front of Jiu Fan's locked door for a long time. But instead of leaving, he climbed onto the roof and opened the small window that was usually used for ventilation. Quickly, she slipped in.
"No way... He came into my room!" Jiu Fan stood up from his seat, clenching his fists. He stared intently at the vision of light projected by his brooch.
Inside the room, Xiao Zhen began to rummage through the cupboard, drawers, and bed. It was as if he was looking for something very important.
"Where is that thing?" Xiao Zhen muttered. "The star brooch... should be here."
But amidst the chaos, Xiao Zhen stopped. He stared straight at the wall. His expression changed.
"It seems... someone is watching me." he said softly.
Suddenly, the sky above Jiu Fan's house turned dark. Thick clouds rolled quickly, then... ZUUUMM!! A large object shaped like a flying saucer hovered above his house. Bright lights illuminated the roof and yard.
"U-UFO?" Jiu Fan's eyes widened.
From the light, a mechanical voice echoed: "Your Majesty, you have been on this planet for too long. Return to base!"
Jiu Fan paused. His breath caught.
"Wait... what does that mean?"
Inside the room, Xiao Zhen stared at the light and nodded. "Jiu Fan... Your life will end soon."
Jiu Fan closed his vision. His chest tightened. His trembling hands clenched tightly.
"All this time... Xiao Zhen... was an alien!?"
To be continued...