Qi Quan was accustomed to being served by others.
She calmly allowed Zhang Chengyan to hold the umbrella for her as she settled into the back seat of the Zhang Family's luxury car.
Zhang Chengyan's grin practically reached the back of his ears.
Under the murderous glares of the other two, he took the passenger seat and urged the driver, "To the Heartbeat Club."
A convoy of three cars made their way to the club.
Inside the car, Zhang Chengyan kept checking on Qi Quan.
"Master, is it too hot? Should I lower the AC a bit?"
"Master, are you cold? Should I turn it up?"
"Master, are you thirsty? I brought some drinks."
"Master..."
Qi Quan complained to her system: 【Why does he talk so much?】
The system remarked with feeling: 【This is the treatment of a top expert. You need to get used to it.】
【……】
"Be quiet," she said.
Zhang Chengyan immediately turned around and clamped his mouth shut.
The group chat was buzzing nonstop.
【Du Jiaming: You sly dog!】
【Yang Su: All these years, I misjudged you.】
Zhang Chengyan chuckled to himself: 【That's because you two lack vision.】
【Yang Su: Hmph, once we get to the club, you won't be so useful!】
Zhang Chengyan: …
The owner of the Heartbeat Club had some connections to the Yang family. If Yang Su just said the word, everything would be arranged perfectly.
But he wasn't worried. At least he had Du Jiaming below him in the pecking order.
The cars stopped at the club entrance. The club owner himself was waiting outside to greet them. Seeing the three young masters get out, he stepped forward, beaming:
"Young Master Yang, Young Master Du, Young Master Zhang, welcome, welcome. I've arranged for the best instructors and equipment. Please, this way."
The three young masters, however, didn't respond.
They raced each other to the rear door of the Zhang family car, their smiles even more ingratiating than the club owner's.
Zhang Chengyan personally reached out and opened the car door.
"Master, please step out."
Club Owner: ???
He wasn't part of their inner circle, at best having some ties to a relative of the Yang family, and knew nothing of the affairs in the upper echelons.
Witnessing this scene, he was utterly bewildered.
Was he dreaming?
Any one of these three young masters was a top-tier second-generation heir in Longjiang City. They were always the ones being flattered, never the ones doing the fawning.
Could there be a VIP in the car?
The owner immediately snapped to full attention.
The door of the luxury car opened. A foot stepped out, wearing comfortable sneakers. The pant leg was pulled up slightly, revealing a slender, pale ankle.
It was a woman.
The club owner squinted. Could she be the object of the three young masters' ardent pursuit?
The sole of the shoe touched the ground. Qi Quan bent forward and got out of the car.
She was tall and slender, wearing a loose tracksuit that made her seem even more lithe and willowy. Her hair was tied up in a high bun, with a few stray strands framing her temples, revealing a smooth forehead. Her features were exceptionally delicate and beautiful.
The owner had seen many beauties, but one with such a unique aura was a first.
Zhang Chengyan opened a parasol, respectfully shielding her from the sun.
The club owner's eyebrow twitched. This didn't look like courting a woman; it looked more like serving an ancestor.
Could this woman have a formidable background?
He suppressed his curiosity and focused on being a diligent guide.
"I've prepared some snacks and tea in the lounge. Young Master Yang, would you like to rest for a bit first?"
Du Jiaming was the first to ask, "What does the Master think?"
The club owner clearly heard the address: Master?
What the heck!
Qi Quan: "Unnecessary."
"Alright," Yang Su instructed the owner. "Take us directly to the bungee platform."
The bungee platform was built on a cliff face by the lake, over two hundred meters high. A narrow jump platform extended from the cliff like a fragile arm, capable of holding a maximum of five people at once.
"Who's first?" the bungee instructor asked.
Du Jiaming, who... loved extreme sports, immediately replied, "I'll go."
He was going to show off his heroic stance in front of the Master!
Zhang Chengyan was the most timid of them all. He didn't even dare look down, his legs turned to jelly.
"Scared stiff and you still dared to come," Du Jiaming said with a scornful look. "Coward."
Zhang Chengyan stiffened his neck. "Even if I'm scared, I'll still accompany the Master!"
He hoped the Master would see his sincerity.
His family had made it clear: the Master was his savior. He absolutely had to serve the Master well. An expert like her was a rare encounter.
Yang Su rolled his eyes hard, then turned back with a fawning expression: "Master, would you like to jump second or third?"
Qi Quan's gaze fell on the lake surface: "Second."
The lake shimmered with light. Standing over two hundred meters high, the view was expansive, offering a panoramic scene of the lake.
Her spiritual sense probed into the lake water.
"Ahhhhhhhhh—"
A scream, following the vertical drop of the tether rope, reached their ears from mid-air. Du Jiaming spread his arms, swinging back and forth high above, his expression one of extreme excitement.
The scream seemed to disturb something in the lake.
In a place invisible to the naked eye, a pale, bluish ghostly face emerged from the lake surface. The ghost watched the screaming Du Jiaming in mid-air with great interest, laughing and clapping as if interacting with him.
Even though no one could see him, he was having a great time.
Qi Quan: …
This was a first-level white ghost, one who hadn't harmed anyone.
She wondered, in the original storyline, when Qin Ruo used him to scare the true heiress to death, if it brought karmic debt upon this water ghost.
Qi Quan had come here to resolve the true heiress's death from the original book. Seeing that this water ghost was harmless, she didn't plan to disturb its self-amusing ghostly existence.
However—
This water ghost was clearly a victim of murder. Should she intervene in this case?
"Master, it's your turn," Yang Su called out respectfully.
Qi Quan walked to the edge of the platform. The staff equipped her with the harness. Looking down at the lake two hundred meters below, her expression remained utterly calm.
A staff member sincerely praised, "You're really brave, miss."
"Of course, the Master is a top expert!" Zhang Chengyan shouted.
The staff member took it as a joke and didn't pay it much mind.
The rope equipment was secured.
Qi Quan stepped to the very edge of the jump platform and, without the slightest hesitation, leapt cleanly into the void.
"Wow! The Master is so cool!" Zhang Chengyan's eyes shone with admiration.
Yang Su shared in the pride: "The Master definitely knows how to fly and move through the earth. What's a little height like this to her?"
The wind rushed past her ears. The view of the lake grew larger and larger on her retinas. Qi Quan clearly saw the water ghost looking at her enviously, flicking water droplets into the air with its fingers.
Faintly, she seemed to see epaulets on the ghost's shoulders.
Before, it had only shown its head and hands, everything below the neck submerged, unclear. Now, being closer, the ghost's movements were more pronounced, and the epaulets surfaced.
Looking at its overly young face, Qi Quan felt a pang of compassion.
The water ghost had been amusing itself, but gradually, it realized something was off.
It was looking at the female tourist swinging in the air, and the female tourist was also looking at it.
A coincidence, right?
It had been here for years. No one had ever been able to see it.
It ducked under the water. After a moment, a pair of eyes cautiously peeked back up at Qi Quan.
Qi Quan happened to swing directly above it. Human and ghost made eye contact.
"Ahhhhhhh—" The water ghost, terrified, plunged deep into the water with a splash.
Qi Quan: "..."
After swinging for a short while, she landed on a small boat on the lake surface.
The staff helped her out of the harness, put on a life jacket, and headed for the shore.
Qi Quan attached a strand of her spiritual sense to the water ghost, sensing that it was following behind the boat, just not showing its head.
"You really cut a dashing figure, Master!" Du Jiaming waved at her from the shore.
Qi Quan came ashore, and Du Jiaming immediately offered her drinks and fruit.
The club owner...
stood to the side, already numb to the young master Du's fawning attitude.
He glanced at Qi Quan's composed demeanor, and a sense of awe spontaneously arose in his heart.
This was definitely a VIP!
"Master, shall we head back now?" Du Jiaming asked with a smile.
He was quite handsome, just his demeanor was a bit greasy.
Qi Quan didn't look at him, her gaze fixed instead on a pale, bluish ghostly hand on the lake embankment.
"In a while."
"Right away!"
Another hand emerged.
The water ghost peeked out cautiously, stealing glances at Qi Quan, then whoosh—pulled back. After a moment, it looked over again.
After repeated verification, he finally confirmed that this female visitor could really see him.
They had made eye contact several times!
The water ghost became visibly excited. He waved his arms wildly at Qi Quan, shouting, "Hey! Can you see me?!"
He was wearing a police uniform.
Qi Quan lowered her eyes. Due to certain experiences in her past life, she held a certain fondness for those in police uniforms.
A young officer meeting an unjust death—she couldn't simply turn a blind eye.
She pulled a peach wood talisman from her zippered pocket.
Du Jiaming's eyes lit up. "Master, are you going to perform a ritual?"
The club owner: "..."
Wasn't that just an ordinary piece of wood?
Qi Quan didn't answer. Spiritual energy gathered at her fingertips and flowed into the peach wood talisman. The array inscribed on it activated, releasing a powerful suction force that pulled the water ghost into the wooden token.
Water ghost: ???
Qin Ruo was already inside the peach wood talisman.
The water ghost said belatedly, "Hiss, you look kinda familiar."
Qin Ruo: "..."
She had already reached a point of resignation.
"We met once before you died."
The water ghost was shocked. "You know me?! Where did we meet? Are you dead too? What is this place?"
Qin Ruo sighed. "I don't know you, but I saw you on your last mission. This is a place where a Taoist master keeps ghosts. The person who could see you just now is the master."
"Ah?" The water ghost scratched his head in confusion. "Last mission... I received a call, went to Huayuan No.1 Community, saw some people forcing a girl into some kind of ghost marriage, so I ordered them to stop, and then... then on my way home, somehow I ended up dead in the lake."
He paused, looked at Qin Ruo's aged spirit form, and said in surprise, "Were you there too?"
Qin Ruo was indeed there.
She was still a newcomer in the "Mystic Sect" back then, following a senior to fulfill a contract, going to someone's house to perform a ghost marriage ritual.
A young police officer suddenly barged in, interrupted their spellcasting, and gave them a verbal warning.
After the officer left, the senior immediately reported it. Qin Ruo faintly overheard instructions to have the young officer killed.
She couldn't understand it. Although they were the "dark practitioners" who operated in secrecy within the Mystic Sect, not to be discovered by so-called orthodox cultivators, and couldn't let word leak out, the young officer only thought they were engaging in superstitious activities. There was no need to kill him.
But the higher-ups believed it was better to kill by mistake than to let go.
The situation was indeed tense for dark practitioners at the time, so the young officer fell victim to an illusion spell, stumbled, fell into the lake, and drowned.
Qi Quan stood up at the right moment. "Let's go back."
On the diving platform not far away, Zhang Chengyan was still screaming in fear. Although Yang Su had gotten onto the speedboat, he hadn't come ashore yet.
Du Jiaming immediately seized the opportunity. "Alright, I'll drive you back!"
Club owner: To think a scion of a wealthy family also had a talent for being a lackey. My respects!
Yang and Zhang, left behind at the club: Damn! How sneaky!
The Du family car left the club, driving along the main road towards the lakeside villa.
The area was relatively remote, with little traffic. The plane trees lining the road cast dappled shadows.
"Master, are you hot?"
"Master, are you thirsty?"
"Master, you..."
Qi Quan: "..."
She had avoided Zhang Chengyan, but still couldn't...
escape Du Jiaming. No wonder they were brothers who had known each other for over twenty years.
"Master," Du Jiaming said with an ingratiating smile, "I heard your protective talismans are especially powerful. I wonder if you'd be willing—"
BANG—
A sudden sound of a collision came from ahead. The driver slammed on the brakes.
"Damn! What happened?!" Du Jiaming frowned.
About fifty meters ahead, a blue car had rear-ended a black car. Both vehicles had stopped.
It seemed like an ordinary traffic accident, but the next second, the blue car reversed dozens of meters, accelerated, and rammed into the black car again. The black car, unable to avoid it, lurched forward a few meters.
That wasn't enough.
The driver of the blue car seemed to have gone mad, repeatedly slamming into the rear of the black car with all their might.
Other vehicles and pedestrians on the road stopped, staring in shock at the absurd scene.
Qi Quan extended her spiritual sense.
"Die! You bitch, die!"
She performed a quick hand calculation and said to Du Jiaming in the passenger seat, "Lend me an umbrella."
Du Jiaming hurriedly pulled out an umbrella. "Master, are you getting out? Let me hold it for you."
"No need. You stay in the car."
She got out.
The blue car was still madly "rear-ending" the black car, which had no choice but to pull over to the side. Bystanders had already called the police.
The driver of the black car got out, intending to confront the blue car's driver, when suddenly three people jumped out of the blue car, holding glass jars, and sprinted towards the black car.
One person yanked open the rear door, another unscrewed the lid of a jar, and a third raised a phone.
"Yuan Qing! Get out of the entertainment industry!"
The liquid from the glass jar was suddenly flung into the car.
Before anyone could scream, in that critical moment, a delicate parasol snapped open, blocking the splashing liquid.
The liquid hit the umbrella's surface with a sizzling, corrosive sound. A foul odor wafted into the noses of the onlookers with the wind.
"Holy shit! Sulfuric acid!"
"It's sulfuric acid! That's too vicious!"
"They're insane."
Many people raised their phones to record the video.
This was a serious criminal case—first intentionally ramming the other car, forcing it to stop, then opening the door to throw sulfuric acid. This was utterly lawless!
They didn't look that old either. How could they do such a thing?
The girl who threw the acid, seeing her plan fail, glared fiercely at Qi Quan. She was about to hurl the remaining sulfuric acid in her jar at her when a sudden pain shot through her wrist. The glass jar fell to the ground with a smash, shattering. A small amount of sulfuric acid splashed onto her shoes. She stumbled back in terror, her face pale.
So she did know the consequences of getting sulfuric acid on herself.
The system was indignant: How could they do this! That's too malicious!
By now, Du Jiaming had also run over and, along with other bystanders, restrained the frenzied girls, waiting for the police to arrive.
Qi Quan glanced at the woman in the back seat.
She was wearing sunglasses and a mask, her body pressed against the opposite door, hands tightly crossed over her chest—a classic defensive posture.
"Th-thank you," the woman murmured, her voice extremely hoarse.
Qi Quan calmly withdrew her gaze and closed the car door for her.
She clearly saw that the woman's marriage fate line was tied to a third-level ghost, shimmering with a malicious blackish-red hue.
The third-level ghost had coarse, ugly features and a lewd gaze. It stared at the woman, emitting a creepy chuckle, leaning close to her ear and blowing icy cold breath.
Qi Quan stood outside the car. Du Jiaming dutifully held a new parasol over her.
She concealed her aura as a Celestial Master; otherwise, that disgusting third-level ghost wouldn't have dared to make such lewd gestures right in front of her.
The police arrived quickly.
The troublemakers, the victim, and the witnesses were all taken to the police station for questioning.
As the "hero" who acted bravely for a just cause, Qi Quan naturally went to the station as well, with Du Jiaming accompanying her.
It was only after arriving at the station that the onlookers learned the victim of the car collision and acid attack was actually the major celebrity Yuan Qing!
The perpetrators were several underage girls.
"She's harmed so many people, why does she get to stay in the entertainment industry...? Doesn't she know she'll hurt more people?" the girls argued vehemently.
The police: "..."
They were aware of the whole "Yuan Qing, the Jinx" incident. Just as the heavily criticized White Water True Person had said, what kind of jinx exists in this world?
They had investigated the case of Wei Xu's fall from the wire. While it was unclear why the wire snapped, there wasn't a single piece of evidence pointing to Yuan Qing as the culprit, let alone the absurd and laughable conviction of a "jinx constitution harming people."
Since the girls were all minors, the police contacted their parents.
When the parents arrived at the station, another round of commotion ensued.
However, the nature of this incident was particularly egregious. The charge of intentional assault was unavoidable, though the sentence could be reduced considering the attempt and their age. If they obtained the victim's forgiveness, they might avoid jail time.
But a criminal record was certain, affecting their entire future.
The parents of the perpetrators all knelt on the ground, begging Yuan Qing.
"They're still young, they don't know any better."
"Could you please be magnanimous and let them go?"
"You're a big star, why bother with them?"
"I'll kowtow to you!"
Qi Quan watched from a distance, neither too close nor too far, and said to the system: [Emotional blackmail, it really is everywhere.]
[Big Boss, you seem to be in a bad mood.]
[It's fine.]
System: It doesn't look like it's just fine.
Beside her, Du Jiaming seized the moment to say, "Master, the questioning is over. Shall we head back now?"
At that moment, Yuan Qing over there spoke up.
Her voice was very soft and gentle: "Alright, I forgive them."
She forgave the malice of her attackers, bearing the world's endless slander and harm with her slender frame.
Qi Quan responded to Du Jiaming, "Let's go back."
[Ahhhhhh so infuriating! Why did she forgive them! She's such a doormat!] The system howled in anger.
Qi Quan got into the car. [She's not a doormat.]
[How is that not being a doormat?]
[Perhaps, she also believes she is guilty.]
System: ?
At the same time, in a room of the lakeside villa, a children's educational cartoon played on the TV screen. Some books and writing utensils were placed on the desk.
Ling Sheng was bent over the desk, studying.
Suddenly, a "tap tap tap" sound came from the window. He looked up to see a sparrow pecking at the glass with its beak, tilting its head to look at him, its round, shiny eyes bright and alert.
Ling Sheng moved his fingers, and the window opened automatically.
The little sparrow flew onto the desk, chirped for a while, and the young man's brows and eyes curved slightly as he reached out to stroke its little head.
An invisible stream of spiritual power flowed into it. The sparrow, as if receiving a top-notch spa treatment, closed its eyes in comfort, its feathers puffing out slightly.
Ling Sheng moved his hand away and patted its wing. Understanding, the sparrow spread its wings and flew out the window.
The sunlight outside was blazing.
Du Jiaming drove Qi Quan back to the villa gate. Just as he was about to personally hold an umbrella for her, he saw a tall, slender young man already standing by the car.
He was holding a plain-colored umbrella, shielding Qi Quan from the scorching sun.
Du Jiaming took a closer look and was stunned.
Although he only loved beautiful women, this person's appearance could truly be called a peerlessly handsome man. The most beautiful women he had ever seen couldn't compare.
Of course, the only one who could hold her own against such a beauty was Master Qi, whose aura was as profound as the sea.
Du Jiaming, thinking of something, chuckled slyly: "Then I won't disturb you, Master."
Qi Quan: "..."
Ling Sheng's clear, bright eyes were fixed only on Qi Quan, not giving Du Jiaming a single glance.
Du Jiaming got into his car with a lecherous smile.
"Why did you come out?" Qi Quan asked, walking slowly towards the courtyard gate, her tone even.
Ling Sheng raised the umbrella in his hand slightly, his eyes brightening.
System: [Sniffle... Ling Sheng is so good!]
Qi Quan: ... This silly system.
Although no official information was leaked, some busybodies among the roadside onlookers uploaded the videos they shot to the internet, sparking numerous discussions.
Netizens, with their eagle eyes, quickly identified the owner of the black business van.
[Look at the license plate and that driver. It must be Yuan Qing in that car!]
[Right, those girls were telling her to get out of the entertainment industry. Probably some crazy fans.]
[Was that really sulfuric acid in the cup? That's too vicious!]
[Yuan Qing really has it rough.]
[Rough? If she weren't a jinx, would there have been so many accidents on set?]
[That girl who blocked the acid with the umbrella was so cool!]
[Thank goodness it was blocked, otherwise Yuan Qing's life would have been ruined.]
[That heroine is so pretty!]
[Beautiful and fierce, love it.]
Opinions varied online. Ning Zhi and Chen Feilu had staked out Yuan Qing's residence all day but hadn't seen her.
Prompted by Qi Quan, they had come to deal with that third-level ghost.
Unfortunately, with Yuan Qing absent, the third-level ghost was also missing, forcing them to head back empty-handed.
"Damn!" Chen Feilu, scrolling through Weibo, shoved his phone in front of Ning Zhi. "Isn't this the Master?"
Ning Zhi watched from the beginning.
The video briefly showed a woman in the car for about two seconds. With his sharp eyes, he immediately spotted the third-level ghost beside her.
His expression turned grave.
That's odd. Since Senior was present, why didn't she just capture that ghost right away?
He decided then and there to go to the lakeside villa first thing the next morning.
His question was also raised by the water ghost inside the peachwood talisman.
Being a ghost himself, the water ghost could naturally sense the presence of the third-level ghost, while the peachwood talisman prevented the third-level ghost from detecting him.
"Master, why didn't you capture it directly?"
Qi Quan took a sip of tea and said unhurriedly, "Let's talk about your story first."
Water ghost: "..."
Ten years ago, he had just graduated from university and become a community police officer. That day, he received a report. As he happened to be nearby, he went directly to a residential building.
A household in the building was engaged in feudal superstitious activities. He interrupted them and gave them a verbal warning. On his way home, for some inexplicable reason, he stumbled and drowned in a lake.
Actually, he knew how to swim, and his route home didn't pass by the lake.
After drowning, he became trapped in the lake, an unseen water ghost.
A young life had vanished from the world just like that.
Qin Ruo, having given up resisting by now, spilled everything: "The senior who initiated me placed a Confusion Talisman on you. The direction you thought was home was actually the lake."
Water ghost: "..."
He had only stopped a ghost marriage.
"Yuan Qing is also bound by a ghost marriage to that ghost," Qi Quan stated. "The scope of these dark practitioners' business is quite broad."
First the Peach Blossom Mark, now ghost marriages. Who knows what other forbidden arts haven't been uncovered yet.
Qin Ruo understood: "You want to use Yuan Qing as a lead to uncover this whole industry chain?"
Qi Quan curved her lips into a smile.
Many hands make light work.
At ten o'clock in the evening, the new chapter was updated on time.
[Bungee jumping was really fun, I enjoyed it thoroughly.
However, on the way back, I encountered an incident.
In broad daylight, someone was deliberately ramming their car into another vehicle and even used sulfuric acid to disfigure someone.
How could such insane things exist in this world?
I don't know where I found the courage, but I used a parasol to block the terrifying sulfuric acid.
The person throwing the acid kept hurling insults at the woman inside the car.
I glanced over. The woman was wearing sunglasses and a mask, so her face wasn't clear, but based on my experience in metaphysics, I could clearly see her marriage fate line.
So young, and already married.
From her full forehead and facial contours, one could tell she was a rare beauty.
I wonder who had the good fortune to marry such a lovely lady.
As an eyewitness, I...
went to the police station to give a statement.
Right after finishing, a huge commotion erupted outside.
The perpetrator showed no remorse, and their parents tried to plead and pressure by using their youth as an excuse.
Utterly pointless.
It's so strange how the wrongdoers feel entitled to demand forgiveness from the victim, even attacking the victim with accusations of "bullying a child."
What a twisted logic.
The victim stood alone before this madness, her figure slender yet resilient.
Under everyone's expectant gaze, she magnanimously forgave them.
I opened my mouth, but no words came out.
If I hadn't blocked the sulfuric acid, would these people still be so shamelessly begging for the victim's forgiveness?
The answer was obvious.
Leaving the police station, I suddenly heard an indignant voice: "This is too much! Really too much!"
I was surprised. It was a young man in a police uniform.
To my knowledge, police officers generally don't express personal opinions so bluntly in front of involved parties. Why was this young officer so forthright?
I got in the car and asked him, "What do you mean?"
He got in the car with me, snorting coldly, "Moral blackmail again."
Again?
I was about to ask when it suddenly hit me.
He had floated into the car.]
Luo Xiaoyu's pupils contracted sharply. She put down her phone, patting her chest.
She hadn't expected a ghost to suddenly appear at the end of the chapter. It was genuinely a bit scary, but... that cool and beautiful sister who blocked the sulfuric acid trending on Weibo today, could it be Master?!
Oh my god!
She hurried back to Weibo, clicked on the video, and watched it again.
Although only her profile was captured, she was really beautiful, with that unique, irreplaceable aura, particularly eye-catching and captivating.
Initially, netizens didn't know the identity of the rescuer, and the buzz was gradually dying down. Suddenly, late at night, someone posted excerpts from the new chapter of "The Heiress's Diary" online.
Bai Shui Zhen Ren had already been trending before, so many people knew about "The Heiress's Diary," with those fans still coming daily to check in and criticize the author.
As soon as the new chapter was posted, the internet exploded again.
At first, netizens' reactions were like this.
Male Celebrity Fan Club: [It's all Yuan Qing's fault, Yuan Qing deserves to die, and Bai Shui Zhen Ren who stands up for Yuan Qing deserves to die too.]
Yuan Qing's Fans: [Our goddess is so tragic! Please punish the intentional assailant severely. Thank you, Bai Shui Zhen Ren, for saving her! Going to send virtual gifts now!]
Bystanders: [Kids these days are too terrifying. Lack of education! The entertainment industry is insane. What era is this, 'jinx'?]
Regular Readers: [What? The rescuer, the stunning beauty, is the author? Wow! The author is amazing! Sending gifts!]
Longjiang City Second-Generation Heirs: [Master is truly the Master!]
Later, someone finally timidly asked: [Is no one paying attention to the marriage fate line mentioned in the novel? If Bai Shui Zhen Ren truly has such abilities, then doesn't that mean Yuan Qing is already married?]
Public opinion exploded.
Having a marriage fate line means being married, right?
Yuan Qing is married? Impossible!
Instantly, countless paparazzi sprang into action. Netizens heatedly debated, and many rushed to the comments section of "The Heiress's Diary" to ask Qi Quan. Her Weibo comments became even more lively.
Seeing the insults, the system felt indignant: [Yuan Qing is so pitiful!]
Not just the system, but Chen Feilu, who was in the know, felt the same way.
He asked again in disbelief, "Brother Ning, are you serious? Yuan Qing really... with a ghost... that?"
Ning Zhi frowned slightly.
"I hadn't met her before, only heard you say she was a jinx. Thinking about it now, it's probably related to the ghost beside her."
He rewatched the video. The fleeting ghostly shadow was indeed there, and the marriage fate line truly connected Yuan Qing and that ghost.
Such sinister arts are naturally also forbidden in the metaphysical world.
He never expected that coming to Longjiang City...
he would encounter so many evil techniques.
Or perhaps, someone deliberately lifted a corner of the darkness.
Thinking of that casual, languid Senior Qi Quan, and the seemingly brainless yet subtly pointed "The Heiress's Diary," Ning Zhi increasingly felt that Qi Quan was profoundly inscrutable.
Are such cases of witchcraft only found in Longjiang City?
Unlikely.
Ning Zhi's heart grew heavier.
Someone felt even heavier.
In a residence somewhere in Longjing City, a soul tablet symbolizing life had already extinguished. The young man tasked with tending the room saw it, his eyes widening in shock, and he hurried to report to the steward.
The steward was utterly astonished, "But that was a Level Six Heavenly Master!"
The man, full of anxiety and fear, asked, "What should we do?"
"What do you mean, 'what should we do'? It's not like we killed him. What's there to fear?" The steward steadied himself, adjusted his expression, and headed to the main courtyard with a solemn face.
"Ding Ji is dead?" The handsome man raised an eyebrow, then said carelessly, "Useless trash. Dead is dead."
A Level Six Heavenly Master, with no match in Longjiang City, died just like that, without a sound?
He carved into a piece of jade with a small knife, saying lightly, "Send someone to investigate the cause of death."
"Yes."
After the steward left, the man continued carving, but accidentally slipped, leaving a mark on the jade. A fierce look flashed in his eyes. He clenched his fist, and the priceless jade instantly turned to dust.
"Trash is trash."
The dust slipped through his fingers onto the floor. He lifted his head to look at the sky outside the house, where dark clouds seemed to be gathering ominously on the horizon.
Longjiang City.
All the informed second-generation heirs were staying up late following the drama.
Netizens did not disappoint them, quickly digging up the gossip about Yuan Qing's suspected marriage.
[Peng Peng: Damn, have you guys seen it? Netizens dug up that she was once crazily pursued by He Chao. Do you know who He Chao is?]
[Sun Yu: Yeah! The son of the clothing magnate. In our Longjiang City, he was considered quite wealthy, right?]
[Su Nuanuan: But he died five years ago.]
[Peng Peng: Exactly. Five years ago, Yuan Qing's career was booming; she was the goddess of many people. He Chao pursued her very aggressively. Then, once, on his way to visit her on set, he had an accident and died.]
[Sun Yu: Seems like Yuan Qing's career started going downhill from then on.]
Su Nuanuan: If Sister Quanquan says there’s a marriage fate line, then there definitely is. This matter isn’t that simple.
[Qi Yuan: Indeed.]
[Peng Peng: Brother Yuan is here! How's your health?]
[Qi Yuan: Pretty good.]
[Su Nuanuan: Someone else dug up that Yuan Qing goes to the suburban cemetery almost every year, but she doesn't have any close friends or relatives who have passed away.]
[Qi Yuan: If I remember correctly, He Chao's death anniversary is today.]
[Sun Yu: How does Brother Yuan remember so clearly?]
[Qi Yuan: Good memory.]
[Peng Peng: Damn! The car in front of Yuan Qing's car today was the He family's! The situation was chaotic at the time, no one paid attention, but a netizen just released a video, and it was indeed the He family's car!]
[Su Nuanuan: So they went to visit the grave together?]
[Sun Yu: Looking at it this way, Yuan Qing must have some connection with the He family. Could she have married He Chao? If she had married He Chao, he would have definitely made a huge deal about it.]
[Su Nuanuan: I've been reading a lot of books on metaphysics lately. I'm guessing the marriage they entered was definitely not a normal one.]
[Peng Peng: ?]
[Sun Yu: ?]
[Qi Yuan: If it were a normal marriage, my sister probably wouldn't have specifically pointed out this privacy in her novel. It should be a ghost marriage.]
[Peng Peng: !!!]
[Sun Yu: ...]
[Su Nuanuan: That makes sense then. The male actors who have scenes with Yuan Qing on set tend to have accidents. It's likely that her 'husband' doesn't like her having contact with other men.]
[Qi Yuan: Mhm.]
[Peng Peng: We believe your sister, but netizens definitely won't believe something like a ghost marriage.]
[Su Nuanuan: They don't need to believe it. Where's Qian Kun?]
[Peng Peng: Right, why hasn't Old Qian made a sound all day?]
[Sun Yu: Asleep?]
[Peng Peng: A gossip hound like him would give up on juicy news to sleep?]
[Sun Yu: Whatever, never mind him.]
Netizens had indeed uncovered countless connections between Yuan Qing and the He family, but they would never think of a ghost marriage. At most, they thought Yuan Qing had secretly married He Chao, still maintained close contact with the He family, and visited the cemetery every year to pay respects.
[So, Yuan Qing really is married?]
[Is what White Water True Person said true? I don't believe it!]
[This hurts. How could my beautiful goddess be tainted by some ugly guy.]
[The He family is rich. Aren't female celebrities just looking to marry into wealth? Looking at it this way, Yuan Qing really is a jinx, just marrying in and then 'overcoming' her husband to death.]
[Wow, can some haters watch their mouths? What era is this, still talking about 'overcoming husbands'?]
The online situation intensified. Even though netizens didn't think of a ghost marriage, the He family couldn't help but feel anxious.
The head of the He family was He Chao's father, He Jianshe. In his early years, he went to Hong Kong to privately transport clothing to the mainland to sell at high prices, earning his first pot of gold and making his fortune from then on.
Hong Kong places more faith in feng shui and metaphysics. He Jianshe, dealing with those big bosses, naturally picked up some of it. Moreover, he had done some not-so-small bad deeds, felt guilty in his heart, and started studying metaphysics with those bosses.
"I've said it before, that Yuan Qing is nothing but trouble! She caused Chao'er's death, and now she's stirring up all this trouble again!" Mrs. He said, her eyes full of hatred.
She could never forget the sight of her son lying in a pool of blood.
If it weren't for Yuan Qing, her son wouldn't have died.
Her son's death hit her too hard. With a heart full of pain and nowhere to vent it, Yuan Qing became the target of her venting and revenge.
He Jianshe, his features fierce and malicious, said, "So what if netizens think she was married to Chao'er? It doesn't affect us at all."
"Then why do you look like that?" Mrs. He frowned.
He Jianshe narrowed his eyes. "Don't you feel like there's a hand pushing this from behind?"
"You mean that White Water True Person?" Mrs. He sneered. "I asked around. It's just the Qi family's biological daughter who came from the countryside. She wrote a novel and is pretending to be a master."
He Jianshe: "If she were really pretending, would Su Linhai treat her with such respect? Don't you know what kind of person Su Linhai is?"
"What are you implying?"
"She definitely has a master guiding her from behind. What I'm afraid of now is that if this blows up, the metaphysical community will find out."
Ghost marriages are not accepted by the orthodox metaphysical community. Once they find out, they will definitely send someone to investigate. What will happen to our Chao'er then?
Mrs. He panicked. "Then let's go find Master Ding quickly!"
"Can't reach him." He Jianshe lit a cigarette.
Mrs. He: "..."
Where the hell did he go at a critical time like this?
The annual huge membership fee was really wasted!
Netizens were stuffed with gossip, but the fan clubs of the male celebrities were relentless.
[Who cares if she's married or not? Is this some new way to whitewash herself? Even if she gets married a hundred times, she's still a jinx who harms people!]
[That's right. Since she's already married into a wealthy family, can she just stop acting and harming people?]
[Yuan Qing, get out of the entertainment industry!]
[Yuan Qing, get out of the entertainment industry!]
Wei Xu was still lying in the intensive care unit. His fans had the strongest combat power, and his management company also released statements playing the victim card.
All of this added pressure to the police investigating the case.
They repeatedly studied the shooting video and the broken wire, but couldn't figure out how the perpetrator had done it.
As long as the case remained unsolved for a day, the mudslinging at Yuan Qing couldn't be washed away for a day.
"Captain Han, how on earth did the perpetrator do it?" an officer beside him asked, feeling rather stumped.
He had never investigated such a bizarre case before.
Han Mian frowned, his eyes fixed on the shooting video on the screen. Slowed down, it was clear to see some of the small actions Wei Xu had made towards Yuan Qing.
The originally sturdy wire suddenly snapped. Wei Xu fell freely from mid-air, blood spreading beneath him.
"Really damn spooky," the officer muttered.
Han Mian turned his head. "What did you say?"
"Ah, I was just talking to myself," the officer scratched his head. "Captain Han, I'm not superstitious, really."
Han Mian asked instead, "You know about the Su Rong abduction case, right?"
"Of course. It's spread all over Longjiang City. Su Linhai went to Longtan City and found his son's remains, from seventeen years ago. Everyone in the system finds it unbelievable."
"You find it unbelievable too?"
"Of course."
Han Mian tapped the desk lightly with his fingertip. "Wei Xu's case is similarly unbelievable."
The officer was confused. "Captain Han, you believe in... this?"
"I don't 'believe' in it." Han Mian sighed softly and pinched the bridge of his nose.
He was just reminded of something from the past.
"Captain Han, you seem to have some thoughts. Why not share them, and we can all discuss it together."
"Yeah, Captain Han."
Everyone wanted to solve the case sooner.
Han Mian gave a wry smile, his voice low and hoarse. "It's not really a thought, more like remembering an old case."
"What case?"
Han Mian lowered his eyelashes, his expression inscrutable.
"Right after graduation, a classmate from the police academy and I were assigned to the Nanhu District as beat cops. Once, we got a report, and he rushed over. Then..."
"Then what happened?"
"On his way home, he accidentally fell into a lake and drowned."
"Huh?" The officer was puzzled. "Didn't the police academy have swimming lessons? What did the coroner say?"
Han Mian said expressionlessly, "Natural drowning. I investigated for a long time, but all the evidence indicated he fell into the lake by himself."
"..."
The officers looked at each other. They all had some investigative experience and sensed the strangeness of that case.
"What case was he handling?" an officer got straight to the point.
Han Mian's eyes darkened slightly. "A girl reported that her family had sold her birth date and time for a ghost marriage ritual."
"Ghost marriage?" The officer was exasperated. "That's so superstitious. Even if it's harmless, it's just too creepy."
Han Mian looked up at the group. "But we pulled Yuan Qing's file. She was unmarried."
He had a strange intuition that Yuan Qing's case was somehow bizarrely connected to his colleague's accidental drowning.
"Captain Han, should we... go ask that Ms. Qi?"
Han Mian: "..."
An author who writes supernatural horror novels?
