Goddess of All Spirits

"No need to thank me."

Xuan Xiong gently straightened the backpack strap that had slipped halfway off her shoulder, then brushed away a tiny piece of lint from her collar.

"It's getting late, little Wang Mo. You should head home before your family starts worrying."

"Mm. See you tomorrow, big sister."

Wang Mo waved at Xuan Xiong and jogged a couple of steps toward the end of the street. Then she turned and called out to her,

"See you tomorrow..."

"All right. See you tomorrow."

Standing at the entrance to the doll shop, Xuan Xiong rested her slender, graceful hand on the doorframe and watched the little figure gradually disappear into the distance. The orange streetlights had already come on, stretching Wang Mo's shadow long and thin. It grew longer and shorter as she skipped along, until she finally turned the corner and vanished into the depths of the dusk.