Han Mian had just finished briefing the case from the school woods when he received another call and rushed to Anji Hospital.
By the time he arrived, Yuan Qing had already calmed down. The eldest son of the Du family was sitting by her hospital bed keeping her company. Both were looking down at their phones, muttering to themselves.
"I'm telling you, the master is amazing. If it weren't for the master, you wouldn't be sitting here so peacefully right now. The master even spoke up for you in her novel. A bunch of mindless fans went to curse at her, sigh!"
Yuan Qing was carefully reading "Diary of the Rich and Powerful," especially the latest two chapters, which she had already read several times.
During these days trapped in the He family's secret room, she had no idea what was happening outside, but she could imagine the torrent of abuse directed at her. She just never expected that someone would be willing to speak up for her.
Moreover, the person who wrote this article was her benefactor, the one who had shielded her from the sulfuric acid.
Yuan Qing had always wanted to thank her savior but was hindered by the He family's restraints and couldn't find an opportunity.
Without hesitation, she topped up her account and gifted "Diary of the Rich and Powerful" two thousand "deep water" torpedoes.
Under the He family's control all these years, she hadn't been able to save much money. Two hundred thousand was almost all of her savings.
She still needed to keep some for medical and hospitalization fees.
She would continue thanking White Water True Person once she earned more money in the future.
Han Mian knocked on the hospital room door.
"Officer Han is here." Du Jiaming, perceptive as ever, got up and left, giving Yuan Qing and the police officer space.
Han Mian, accompanied by another officer, began taking her statement.
The police statement wouldn't involve supernatural phenomena. His questions all pertained to He Jianshe and his wife.
After all, it was He Jianshe and his wife who had imprisoned Yuan Qing. He Chao initially had no physical form and couldn't commit crimes; everything was driven by the couple's "excessive love for their son."
Yuan Qing cooperated fully, recounting her experiences over the years.
Starting from being forced into the ghost marriage, to being frequently locked in the dark room and suffering abuse, she described the He couple's crimes in meticulous detail.
The junior officer taking notes was so angry his hand trembled.
So despicable! So utterly inhuman!
Meanwhile, a middle-aged man appeared outside the He family villa. He was dressed plainly, with an average appearance, the kind easily lost in a crowd.
The He villa was already cordoned off with police tape; officers were still searching the secret room for evidence.
Pretending to be an onlooker, he blended into the crowd for a while, then casually asked someone beside him, "What happened here?"
"I heard they got into some trouble. Not sure exactly what, but I saw the police come and take them away yesterday."
"I got a rough idea. The police rescued a woman covered in injuries. Probably a couple of sadistic torturers," another person clicked their tongue.
Those living in this area were all wealthy or influential; some even had competitive relationships with the He family, so they weren't afraid to speak plainly.
The middle-aged man nodded, then slipped out of the crowd and quickly disappeared.
He found a quiet spot and dialed a number.
"Check the list of ghost marriage clients in Longjiang City. See if there's anyone surnamed He."
A reply came quickly: "Yes, He Jianshe. Matched his deceased son, He Chao, with a female celebrity named Yuan Qing."
"Yuan Qing..." The man narrowed his eyes. "Also check He Chao's current status for me."
"He Chao is gone."
'Gone' meant he was no longer in the mortal realm.
Who could make him disappear from the mortal realm besides a Taoist master? It certainly couldn't have been the police, could it?
Was this righteous Taoist master who intervened justly connected to Ding Ji's death?
"Investigate further. See if any Taoist masters entered or left the He residence yesterday."
The other party quickly hacked into the villa district's surveillance system, sent a screenshot to the man, and attached identity information.
Ning Zhi, heir to a third-rate Taoist master family from Longjing City, twenty years old, fourth-level Taoist master, considerable talent.
A mere fourth-level Taoist master, how could he possibly have killed Ding Ji?
The man: "Continue tracking Ning Zhi's movements in Longjiang City."
A Taoist master from Longjing City suddenly showing up in Longjiang City must involve something fishy.
The other party: "Go to Weibo... search for 'Yuan Qing jinx,' and you'll understand the whole story."
The man hung up and started searching.
Topics about Yuan Qing on Weibo were already diverse, with the most frequent mention being of a novel called "Diary of the Rich and Powerful."
Was he too old to keep up with the times? How could a female celebrity be connected to an online novel?
[Please lock yq and bszr together forever!]
[Please get yq out of the entertainment industry!]
[Am I the only one wondering if jxz can continue filming?]
What on earth do these letters mean?
The man rubbed the back of his head and sighed inwardly. The internet really isn't friendly to old-timers like them.
Amidst the sea of curses, he finally pieced together a relatively complete story and found White Water True Person's "Diary of the Rich and Powerful."
The novel had only updated nine chapters, each with very few words. Sitting on a bench, he finished it in moments.
What kind of nonsense is this?
He scoffed and shook his head. How could a girl barely over twenty possibly break the Peach Blossom Seal?
It's nothing but a young girl's unrealistic fantasy.
Compared to that, he'd rather believe Ning Zhi had support from another powerful master behind the scenes or a family heirloom artifact, which allowed him to break the formation at Ding Ji's lair.
Ding Ji's cultivation was built on plunder and was quite hollow to begin with. This Ning Zhi was a promising young genius; defeating Ding Ji might have been a slim possibility.
Convinced he had found the truth, the man sent a text: [Find out Ning Zhi's current location.]
[Longjiang City First Hospital.]
The man put away his phone and headed towards the hospital.
Inside the hospital, Ning Zhi returned with Qian Kun's soul.
Ma Yinglan asked anxiously, "M-master, how is my son?"
Qian's father suddenly barged in, eyes red. "Quick! I've made arrangements with a hospital in the capital. We're transferring him now!"
He had spent the whole night making calls, begging and pleading, finally getting a connection to a top expert in the capital. They had to get there as soon as possible.
"Wait." Ning Zhi stopped him.
"Get out of the way!" Qian's father was so anxious blisters had formed at the corners of his mouth. "I won't argue with you because you're young. Don't engage in feudal superstitions at your age; go home!"
Ning Zhi glanced at Chen Feilu. Chen Feilu understood and quickly stepped forward to persuade, "Just five minutes! Give us five minutes!"
The soul is already back, why transfer hospitals?
Ning Zhi extended his index finger, pressed it against Qian Kun's glabella, silently recited a few incantations, then suddenly shouted, "Qian Kun! Return to your body!"
The living soul stood by the bedside, drawn by spiritual energy. It had been dazed, but upon hearing this shout, like a thunderclap in its ears, it jolted awake and instantly returned to the body.
Qian's father was still pushing and shoving with Chen Feilu, almost coming to blows in his urgency, when suddenly a familiar "Dad" made his movements freeze.
He looked up, disbelief written on his face.
Qian Kun was already propping himself up, sitting up, grinning a carefree, heartless grin, and said to him, "Dad, why that expression? Aren't you happy I'm awake? Look at Mom, she's crying with joy."
Qian's father: "..."
Ma Yinglan: "..."
The atmosphere in the room became strangely awkward.
Ning Zhi: "...I'll take my leave first."
If we don't leave now, we might get a front-row seat to witness the cooking process of bamboo shoots stir-fried with pork.
"Master, wait!" Ma Yinglan said with a devout expression. "You saved my son's life. No amount of gratitude from our family would be enough. May I ask where you practice, Master, and what your honorable name is..."
"It wasn't me who saved him," Ning Zhi said earnestly. "If you wish to thank someone, go to Lakeside Villa."
If it weren't for Qi Quan, they wouldn't have been able to find Qian Kun's living soul so easily.
As soon as he finished speaking, two more people entered the hospital room—Su Nuanuan and Qi Yuan, who had just gone out for a meal.
"You're finally awake!" Su Nuanuan exclaimed with delight.
Qi Yuan glanced Qian Kun up and down, and seeing him full of vigor, felt relieved.
...
"Didn't you guys go to register?" Qian Kun asked, scratching his head.
"It's all because of you," Su Nuanuan said, exasperated. "What on earth happened to you? Why did your soul suddenly leave your body?"
Ning Zhi was about to leave but was caught by the sleeve by Chen Feilu.
He also wanted to know why Qian Kun's soul had left his body. More precisely, why that female ghost had specifically targeted Qian Kun.
Qian Kun looked utterly bewildered: "I don't know. I was just walking normally with my roommate on the road, chatting, when suddenly I felt dizzy. Then I found myself floating in a forest. Let me tell you, these past two days have been miserable. That terrifying female ghost kept forcing me to do practice problems! I just finished the college entrance exams, I don't want to do more problems! If I got them wrong, she'd scold me, calling me stupid as a pig, saying I lacked ambition, and then she'd throw another pile of problems at me. I don't remember what happened after that."
Everyone: "..."
Su Nuanuan, having read many novels, had a more imaginative train of thought and asked, "Did you say something you shouldn't have?"
"At the time, I was just telling my roommate that once we get to university, we can play to our heart's content, date if we want to, no more piles of homework. It's going to be awesome."
He said with a pitiful look, "I didn't say anything offensive to her at all."
Su Nuanuan was amused by his bizarre ordeal and patted his shoulder. "Since you're better now, I'm relieved."
"By the way," Qian Kun then remembered to ask Ning Zhi, "Master, was it Sister Qi Quan who saved me?"
Qi Yuan suddenly looked up, then lowered his head again.
"Yes. Without her, I couldn't have saved you."
After saying this, Ning Zhi left with Chen Feilu.
As the two reached the hospital entrance, they passed by a middle-aged man. Ning Zhi keenly sensed a faint ripple of spiritual energy, but it vanished the next second.
"Brother Ning, where are we going now?"
Ning Zhi: "First, go to Anji Hospital, then back to Lakeside Villa."
"Brother Ning, do you remember we need to go back to school for classes?" Chen Feilu asked with a smile.
"..." Ning Zhi sighed inwardly. "Let's ask for leave."
Anji Hospital.
Through Du Jiaming, Ning Zhi easily met with Yuan Qing.
Her mental state was quite good now. Freed from the constraints of the ghost marriage, her whole person seemed to radiate a bright light.
"Thank you for saving me." Yuan Qing expressed her sincere gratitude and even insisted on getting out of bed to bow to them.
Ning Zhi stopped her and handed her a talisman paper.
It was a Shadow-Retaining Talisman.
Spiritual energy activated the talisman. Suddenly, a "screen" appeared in the hospital room. The edges of the "screen" were misty and hazy, like ethereal immortal magic, while the center, like a water mirror, played the scene of He Chao being punished.
Before Yuan Qing could marvel at this miraculous sight, she was drawn to He Chao's wretched state.
She stared fixedly at He Chao's agonized screams and cries, dark eyes burning with intense, excited flames.
The corners of her mouth lifted into a smile, the anger and pent-up frustration in her heart dissipating greatly as He Chao vanished.
But as she laughed, she then covered her face and began to sob uncontrollably.
Lakeside Villa.
Qi Quan released the female ghost from the peachwood talisman. Finding her patched-together limbs rather unsightly, she used her spiritual energy to repair them. In moments, the female ghost was completely renewed.
She was a rather beautiful woman.
She had a neat, chin-length bob, an oval face, thick and finely shaped eyebrows, slightly upturned outer corners of her eyes, and strong, defined facial contours. She possessed a kind of bold yet aloof beauty.
Qi Quan, being an appreciator of beauty, treated her a bit more gently.
"Su Rong, serve tea for our guest."
Su Rong smiled understandingly, floated to the tea room, brewed a pot of tea, and poured two cups.
The female ghost raised an eyebrow, staring straight at Qi Quan. Suddenly, the aroma of tea drifted into her nostrils. She looked down in surprise, puzzled, "How is this possible?"
Could a ghost also smell the scents of the mortal world?
Qi Quan's smile deepened. "Have a taste."
The female ghost hurriedly picked up the teacup and took a small sip, her eyes immediately lighting up.
"Aren't you afraid I might have tampered with it?"
The female ghost said candidly, "You're different from other Taoist masters."
"Other Taoist masters?"
"Hmph." The female ghost sneered. "In the past, when I couldn't control my yin energy, some Taoist masters sensed it and tried to destroy me without even asking for an explanation."
If I hadn't studied ghost techniques on my own and quickly advanced my level, I probably would have been utterly annihilated long ago.
"Today in the forest, your first action was to look for my remains. That's very different from others. I like you, and I like your tea."
The female ghost spoke sincerely.
Although she had died a tragic death, she had never harmed anyone. Her eyes were still as clear and bright as when she was alive.
Qi Quan admired her even more and asked, "Why did you capture Qian Kun's living soul?"
"I struggled greatly in my own studies back then. I can't stand seeing young people nowadays wasting their time and lacking ambition, especially students who are smug and complacent just because of their family wealth. I didn't mean to harm him. I originally planned to teach him for three days and then send him back."
Qi Quan said unhurriedly, "But regardless, your actions caused trouble for others."
The female ghost nodded. "That's true. So, how do you plan to deal with me?"
During their encounter in the forest, the female ghost knew she was no match for Qi Quan. She was a very pragmatic person. Moreover, Qi Quan had the police dig up her remains to seek justice for her. This was a debt of gratitude she had to repay.
"Since you enjoy educating people, then before your justice is served, you can work here as a tutor for free." Qi Quan held her teacup, smiling amiably.
The female ghost suddenly felt a chill run down her spine.
"Teach who?"
Qi Quan: "Teach a young friend, starting from elementary school level."
In the adjacent side room, Ling Sheng was using his spiritual energy to "eavesdrop" on their conversation. His hand holding the pen suddenly tightened, leaving a black mark on the test paper.
"Elementary school?" The female ghost widened her eyes. "I have a Ph.D., and you want me to teach elementary school?"
Qi Quan: "Keep teaching, and eventually, it'll be university level."
"..."
Su Rong, standing to the side, could barely contain his laughter.
"Of course, as payment, I can make you several beautiful little dresses."
Qi Quan had been itching to use her skills for a while.
Previously, she only had Su Rong as a ghost attendant. She couldn't make clothes for him every day. Besides, compared to men's clothing, she preferred making all sorts of women's outfits.
Especially since the female ghost had a striking appearance and a tall, slender figure—she would be an excellent model.
The smile on Su Rong's lips faded slightly. He glanced at the female ghost, who looked pleasantly surprised, and felt a sense of crisis.
The Master is a woman. Would she be closer to another woman?
If this female Ph.D. also chose to become a ghost attendant, would his own competitiveness decline?
Su Rong wasn't being unnecessarily anxious; his intuition was correct.
In her previous life, Qi Quan had raised quite a few ghost attendants, both male and female. Her relationship with the female ghost attendants was indeed more intimate, as women understood women's thoughts better and were more skilled at cheering her up.
Su Rong secretly resolved that he must guard his position as the villa butler well and not let any other ghost snatch it away.
"You'll make it for me?" the female ghost asked, surprised after her initial delight. "Not burn it?"
"Burned clothes have a charred smell. Do you like that?" Qi Quan subtly tempted her. "What floral scent do you prefer? I can perfume your clothes with it, lasting a long time."
Su Rong: "..."
His clothes had no fragrance.
The female ghost was completely won over. "Alright, I'll be the tutor. But don't blame me if I don't teach well."
"Of course, if the teaching isn't effective, it's not your problem, but his."
The female ghost smiled brightly. "Deal."
As soon as the words fell, two people entered through the door.
It was Ning Zhi and Chen Feilu.
Qi Quan had given them permission to enter, so they no longer needed to ring the doorbell for Su Rong to let them in.
"Senior, Qian Kun's living soul has returned to his body," Ning Zhi reported respectfully. "Also, regarding the—"
He saw Qi Quan's eyes suddenly turn sharp and cold. A needle-like burst of spiritual power shot from her fingertip. In a flash, the needle tip struck Chen Feilu's left shoulder. A shrill, piercing screech was heard as an invisible tracking beetle suddenly revealed itself and fell to the ground with a splat.
This was the Mystic Arts' insect control technique, specifically used for tracking.
Ning Zhi's face turned deathly pale.
He suddenly remembered the spiritual energy fluctuation he sensed at the hospital entrance and was filled with intense guilt and self-blame. "I was careless."
Qi Quan crushed the insect and said calmly, "The caster's cultivation level is higher than yours. It's normal you didn't notice."
"I've dragged you down, Senior," Chen Feilu also said regretfully. Having no cultivation himself, he was like a soft persimmon in the eyes of practitioners, easy to squeeze.
Qi Quan said lightly, "It's not a big deal."
It was just some members of a certain cult organization coming to Longjiang City to investigate the truth behind Ding Ji's death, who had mistakenly traced it to Ning Zhi.
Not far from Lakeside Villa, a middle-aged man swallowed a pill to calm the backlash and surging spiritual power within him.
From the tracking beetle, he had only heard a few inconsequential sentences.
Just who lived in Lakeside Villa? To be called "Senior" by a fourth-level Celestial Master, their cultivation level must be quite high. Otherwise, they wouldn't have so easily seen through and killed his tracking beetle.
He took a photo of the villa and sent it to the person on the other end: [Investigate who lives here, which Celestial Master.]
The other end replied: [Qi Quan.]
The man: [Who is Qi Quan?]
The other end: [Haven't you watched "Diary of the Rich"?]
The man: ...
He was completely unaware of the current situation in Longjiang City. Back when he was in Ding Ji's position, Longjiang City wasn't this developed.
Having not visited for many years, the place had long since changed beyond recognition.
He thought for a moment and headed to the Longjiang City branch of the Celestial Master Association. Pulling out his Celestial Master certificate, he went straight to the archives room.
The person managing the archives was a young man. Seeing the "Level Six" on his certificate, he couldn't help but feel a deep sense of respect.
“Senior Yan Wu, what would you like to check?”
"Information on a Celestial Master in Longjiang City named 'Qi Quan'."
The administrator: "Alright, please wait a moment."
He performed a search on the computer. The results appeared quickly, but—
"Sorry, zero results."
Yan Wu was somewhat surprised. Zero results meant this person named Qi Quan was not registered with the Celestial Master Association.
The Mystic Arts had a rule: whether from a sect, a family, or a wandering practitioner, as long as one was a Celestial Master, they must pass an assessment, register their personal information with the Celestial Master Association, and be granted a Celestial Master certificate by the association.
Only with a Celestial Master certificate could one officially take on cases.
Those without a certificate were not allowed to handle supernatural cases privately.
Yan Wu smiled slightly, tapped the administrator's computer, and said, "I want to report someone for working without a license."
The administrator: "..."
The discovery of a human skeleton dug up in the woods of Longjiang University quickly sparked heated discussion and was posted online by well-meaning individuals, climbing the trending searches.
[So terrifying! Died and no one noticed?]
[I heard it was dismemberment; the bones were broken in several places.]
[What a pervert!]
I just got into Longjiang University this year! Just finished registering! I'm totally numb now.
This old senior is also shivering.
Longjiang City Municipal Bureau.
Han Mian instructed his officers: "Now we'll split into two teams. One team will follow up on the He family ghost marriage case, while the other investigates the Longjiang University dismemberment case."
"Captain Han, He Jianshe, and Wang Cui insist that they were just being superstitious, arranging a ghost marriage between He Chao and Yuan Qing, and that Yuan Qing consented. He Chao and Yuan Qing were already dating when He Chao died. The reason Yuan Qing was at their house was because she was the He family's daughter-in-law. Her injuries were due to her self-harm tendencies."
"That's right, Captain Han. We just found out Yuan Qing once went to a psychologist, saying she had fairly severe depression. Depression can involve some self-harm and suicidal tendencies."
Han Mian pinched the bridge of his nose. "The injuries on Yuan Qing's body aren't something self-harm could achieve. Keep interrogating."
"Captain Han, the forensics report is out."
Han Mian took the report.
The deceased was female, aged between 28 and 30, height 1.68 meters. Time of death was approximately five years ago. Cause of death was a blunt force impact to the back of the head.
These were just preliminary findings. Genetic comparison to confirm identity would take more time.
Han Mian said: "First, investigate whether Longjiang University had any missing female teachers or female doctoral students five years ago."
"Yes, sir."
"Captain Han," another officer approached. "We just found out Wang Cui wires money to an overseas account every year. Ten million each time."
An officer beside him: "Ten million! I couldn't earn that in a lifetime as a cop."
"What kind of account?"
"An orphanage."
Someone joked: "Have they ever donated to any domestic orphanages?"
"Didn't see any."
"Well then, seems they prefer foreign children."
Han Mian: "Alright, enough joking. Keep investigating that orphanage."
He felt he had touched a corner of the iceberg. This business chain soaked in the suffering of girls might soon be dug up.
Lakeside Villa.
Qi Quan kept her word and entered the sewing room to make pretty little dresses for the female ghost. Meanwhile, the female ghost, led by Su Rong, came to the room where Ling Sheng studied.
Ling Sheng hung his head low. Even though the angle hid most of his face, the female ghost could still make out his excellent features.
However, she wasn't concerned with appearance, but rather—
"Him? Third grade?"
Su Rong explained gently: "He was imprisoned by someone when he was very young and was only rescued by the Master not long ago."
The female ghost reluctantly nodded. "Alright then."
It seemed the people or ghosts in Lakeside Villa all had their share of misfortune.
The female ghost didn't want to waste a single moment. "Then let's start right now."
Su Rong nodded and walked towards the door. Suddenly remembering something, he turned and asked: "What's your name?"
Female ghost: "Xue Hong. Hong as in rainbow."
"Alright."
Qi Quan stayed in the sewing room the entire afternoon and finally finished two sets of dresses before dinner.
And Xue Hong's teaching had also shown quite some effectiveness.
The two met, both quite satisfied with each other.
Xue Hong changed into a red dress, exuding a rich fragrance of roses. The skirt hem reached the bend of her legs, revealing slender, fair calves. She said excitedly, "I almost never wore dresses before for convenience's sake. I never thought I could wear such a beautiful dress even after becoming a ghost. Your craftsmanship is truly excellent!"
"As long as you like it."
Qi Quan was also quite satisfied with her own taste. Xue Hong had a striking, beautiful appearance that went very well with red. There was also a black one, which was even more mysterious and coolly elegant.
"Su Rong said Ling Sheng finished learning all the elementary school material in one afternoon," she said with a smile. "Teacher Xue's teaching skills are quite impressive."
Xue Hong's eyes brightened slightly. "He's very smart."
Before teaching him, she hadn't expected Ling Sheng's comprehension to be so strong.
Qi Quan smiled meaningfully. That's more like it. How could someone with a natural spiritual constitution be a fool?
"But... is he mute?" Xue Hong hadn't heard Ling Sheng speak all afternoon.
"Hmm, he's mute," Qi Quan agreed.
Ling Sheng, who was just entering the room, paused his step.
"Food's ready," Su Rong called from the dining room.
Currently, there were only two humans and three ghosts in the villa.
Qi Zheng floated over from some corner, looked at the full table of dishes, and felt so happy he could cry.
"I don't even want to reincarnate anymore," he said, stuffing a meatball into his mouth.
Xue Hong glanced at him. "No one's making you go."
"Ah? I don't have to reincarnate?" Qi Zheng asked blankly.
Xue Hong pointed at Su Rong. "He didn't go."
"But..." He hesitated and didn't continue.
Xue Hong was quite the thinker. She said, "Are you talking about the restrictions Su Rong faces from the Heavenly Dao? But think about it carefully, weren't you bound by the laws of nature and society when you were alive? Even if you're reborn into a good family in your next life, you'd still have to be a law-abiding citizen."
"That makes sense," Qi Zheng said, led astray by her words, adopting a thoughtful expression.
Xue Hong added, "Moreover, my life goal is to keep learning until I'm old. Even after becoming a ghost, I don't want to give up studying. I plan to embrace the boundless sea of knowledge with my endless ghostly life. After finishing this subject, I can learn that one."
"That really makes a lot of sense," Qi Zheng sighed. "But ghosts can't linger in the mortal world for too long."
...
"It's fine, just become a ghost servant," Xue Hong suddenly turned to Qi Quan. "Master, how about we make the contract after dinner?"
Qi Quan: "..."
The system was also shocked: 【She's so bold!】
Qi Quan chuckled inwardly: 【She's a very interesting person.】
She ate her food leisurely and said, "My standards for accepting ghost servants are very high."
Xue Hong was full of enthusiasm. "Let's hear them."
"Looks, both kinds of intelligence (IQ & EQ), and a special skill. None can be missing."
Su Rong raised the corner of his mouth, unable to suppress a smile.
"Am I not good-looking? Is my intelligence not high? Don't I teach well?"
The rosy glow of twilight shone in at a slant, coating the dining room in a warm, romantic hue.
A warm glow filled Qi Quan's eyes as she nodded with a smile. "You're good-looking, and you teach well. But how do you prove your intelligence?"
"I have a Ph.D."
"Hmm, a Ph.D. who was brutally murdered."
Xue Hong: "..."
She continued, "My relationships with my advisor and classmates were pretty good."
"Hmm, disappearing without a trace yet no one filed a missing person report. The relationships were indeed pretty good."
"..."
Xue Hong rested her head on her hand, fell silent for a moment, and said in a low, hoarse voice, "Everyone makes mistakes in life."
"Hmm, so think carefully before making a decision," Qi Quan said.
After dinner, Xue Hong didn't mention the contract again. Instead, she sat in the yard gazing at the stars, seemingly contemplating her ghostly existence.
Qi Quan left her alone and went to her room to write.
【Big Boss, "Qiankun Great Shift" threw two thousand depth charges, "Malan Flower Blooms Thirty-One" threw two thousand depth charges, "Wealth Flows In" threw two thousand depth charges.】
【Noted.】
【Big Boss, I won't disturb your writing.】
At ten p.m., Chapter 10 of "Diary of the Elite" was published.
[Ghost marriage is a forbidden art of the mystic arts, an extremely malicious and evil technique.
First, I need to figure out who she entered the ghost marriage with.
I don't know where she lives, but I shielded her from one disaster, creating a slight connection with her. Using mystic arts methods, I sensed her location.
She is currently in a high-end villa district. The people living there are all notable figures in Longjiang City.
I'm not familiar with Longjiang's elite social circle, so I specifically consulted a former client of mine.
It turns out she lives in the house of a major entrepreneur.
But, she has no blood or legal relationship with the entrepreneur couple. Why does she live there?
I feel inexplicably worried.
Fortunately, there's a police officer with an overwhelming sense of justice by my side. Hearing my concerns, he decided to go investigate personally.
He's a ghost, others can't see him, which is indeed convenient.
A moment later, he returned with a grave expression.
I hurriedly asked, "What's wrong?"
He said with self-reproach and anguish, "I'm so useless. I can't help her!"
He is a good person. Good people feel ashamed and upset when they can't help others, while bad people enjoy building their happiness on the suffering of others.
When bad people die, they become bad ghosts.
Bad ghosts are even more unrestrained. They can completely ignore the laws of the mortal world, disregard social morality, acting solely for their own selfish desires.
The just police officer choked up and said, "When I arrived, she was being brutally beaten. The one beating her was a ghost, the very one she's in the ghost marriage with. She was beaten terribly. I wanted to help, but that ghost seems to be under some kind of protection, much more powerful than me."
"This isn't your fault," I comforted him. "Blame those bad people and bad ghosts."
He lowered his head, his face full of desolation, and said, "But I'm a police officer."
I fell silent, my throat aching terribly.
I patted his shoulder. "Evil ghosts running amok naturally should be handed over to the mystic arts community to deal with."
Perhaps, my stumbling into the realm of mystic arts holds special meaning for me as well.
It just so happens I know a quite capable Taoist master. After hearing about it, he went without hesitation to...
handle it.
I hope everything returns to peace and well-being.]
Qi Quan fabricated a lot, but the core of the story remained unchanged. Anyone with eyes could tell the new chapter was about Yuan Qing.
【Lose 20 lbs in 3 Months: Caught up. It's good, helps with weight loss.】
【If You See Me, Tell Me to Prep Lessons: Domestic violence is truly intolerable! Even ghost marriages have domestic violence! Of course, ghost marriages are also intolerable!】
【Dying from Laughter (sarcastic): The author's writing is getting more and more absurd, and adapting real-life figures with wild twists might not be appropriate?】
【Passerby A: Reported.】
【Brother Xu is the Handsomest in the World: Due to the commenter having too many comments recently deleted for complaints, this comment is temporarily collapsed [Click to expand comment]】
【Today is Auspicious: So wicked! The Master is so righteous! Ten depth charges!】
【Good Fortune and Great Profit: She really was beaten terribly. Some people simply aren't human. Ten depth charges!】
【Great Profit Today: Truly the scum of Longjiang City! Ten depth charges!】
【A Tree of Red Plum Blossoms Blooms: Emmmm the author really shouldn't make wild assumptions. The official announcement hasn't been released yet.】
【No New Books is Deadly: Hahahahaha, Red Plum Building Owner, why don't you go check Weibo?】
【Scumbag, Get Lost: I really don't understand the comment section. It feels like another world, and I've accidentally stumbled in?】
【Does the Rich Lady Need Another Leg Accessory?: Be bold. Maybe this story is actually a real diary.】
Qi Yingxue had been staying at home recently because her film crew had suspended work and she had few schedules.
She had witnessed Qi Quan's method of reviving Qi Yuan and knew Qi Quan was extraordinary, but she wasn't afraid of being discovered for speaking online, so she continued posting nitpicky negative reviews as usual.
Moreover, she didn't think she was wrong.
Wei Xu's case wasn't closed yet, and the official investigation results hadn't been announced. What gave Qi Quan the right to write whatever she wanted?
Wasn't that spreading rumors?
Considering herself righteous, she thought it was only natural to confront Qi Quan in the comments.
It wasn't until she saw the comment from "Book Famine is Deadly" that she suddenly felt a pang of panic.
She hurriedly opened Weibo.
【Longjiang City Public Security V: Recently, an in-depth investigation was conducted into the case of Mr. Wei's fall from the wire. The investigation result is: the wire did break accidentally, not due to human intervention...】
Qi Yingxue didn't have the heart to read the rest.
The officially announced result felt like a heavy slap, stinging her face.
Not human intervention? Could it really be, as described in "The Rich Family Diary," that a ghost did it?
A chill crept up her spine like a snake.
The online sentiment also began to shift because of the official announcement.
【So why did the wire break? Was it the props team's responsibility? Should the film crew be held accountable for the injured actor?】
【Finally dared to speak after holding back for days. I really don't understand, in this day and age, some fans still blame the accident on the "jinx." It's laughable. If Yuan Qing were really that powerful, why is it only your 'gege' who had an accident? Targeted projection?】
【Maybe there really is targeting. Didn't "The Rich Family Diary" write that those who enter a ghost marriage are prone to bad luck, and those too close to them are easily affected? Did no one really notice Wei Xu deliberately hugging and holding hands in the video? So disgusting!】
【Watch your mouth. Our Xu-ge is still lying in the hospital. To slander a patient like this shows your character.】
【Exactly, that old woman Yuan Qing, our Xu-ge would never be interested in her.】
【Xu fans really crack me up. Are you really fans? How come you don't even know your Xu-gege has woken up?】
Wei Xu had indeed woken up.
He felt like he had had an extremely terrifying dream. In the dream, he saw a ghastly, pale ghostly face.
That ghost used sharp fingernails to cut his wire.
Excruciating pain swept through his entire body.
"Xu-ge, you're awake!" his assistant exclaimed joyfully.
Wei Xu's head was still foggy. He asked hoarsely, "What time is it? How long have I been asleep?"
"Xu-ge, you've been in a coma for over a week."
Wei Xu was startled. "Has... has the role been recast?"
"No, the whole production has shut down. Who would they recast?" The assistant said concernedly, "You rest well and recover. The role is definitely still yours."
"No, I don't want it anymore," he said, his face pale.
He was somewhat superstitious. The ghostly face he saw before the fall lingered in his mind, impossible to forget.
Assistant: "Xu-ge, you really don't want it?"
Wei Xu countered, "What are people saying online now?"
The assistant was a gossip enthusiast and quickly summarized the events of the past period.
"You just mentioned, the He family?"
"Yes, netizens dug it up. Yuan Qing has connections with the He family and even went grave-sweeping with them."
Wei Xu: "A real ghost marriage?"
"Pfft, it's all nonsense written by that Bai Shui Zhen Ren. Don't take it seriously," the assistant said, personally disbelieving in ghosts.
But then he heard Wei Xu ask in a trembling voice, "Is... is there a photo of He Chao?"
The assistant quickly looked down to search. "Yes, hold on."
He pulled out a photo. It was a picture of the eldest He son from his university days—unremarkable looks, short stature, really quite ordinary.
But Wei Xu's face turned deathly pale.
This was exactly the ghostly face that cut his wire!!!
He demanded in panic, "Where's my phone!"
The assistant hurriedly found it and handed it to him. "Xu-ge, here it is."
Without a second thought, Wei Xu logged into his main Weibo account and directly posted.
【Wei Xu V: I have safely woken up. Thank you everyone for your concern and support. I am now aware of the events of these past days. I apologize for not waking up sooner to clarify the situation. @Yuan Qing is an excellent actress. When acting opposite her, I was often drawn into the scene, feeling the emotions between the characters, but I failed to control it properly, leading to some unnecessary misunderstandings. I bow and apologize again! The wire breaking was truly just an accident, my own bad luck.】
As soon as the Weibo went live, fans and netizens exploded.
But Wei Xu felt a weight lift off his shoulders.
He had seen "He Chao" with his own eyes. He didn't have the courage to experience another "accident."
Therefore, he had to distance himself from Yuan Qing and could not throw mud at her.
【Oh my god, I'm dying of laughter. I don't know what Xu fans have been jumping around for these days. The man himself has come out to say there's nothing between him and Yuan Qing.】
【Feels like Wei Xu got injured and his EQ increased. Wasn't he always arrogant before?】
【It's so great that Xu-gege has recovered!】
【Xu-gege's acting is so good, he really gets into the character's heart.】
【Hey now, isn't it too early to say everything's settled? Who's gone to apologize to Yuan Qing?】
【No way, no way, people actually believe this? Before your Xu-gege was unconscious, I held back out of humanitarian concern. Now that he's awake, I can finally say it. Pictures below.】
This person's Weibo was pushed to the trending list.
The online wind direction completely changed.
Several GIFs were picked from various variety shows and behind-the-scenes footage.
In the GIFs, Wei Xu wore a "I'm the hottest" expression while making inappropriate physical contact with different female artists. He did it subtly, so people watching the videos usually wouldn't pay much attention.
But when clipped out separately, it became quite obvious.
Several female artists showed faintly repulsed expressions but, constrained by being on camera, couldn't make a scene. Even if they complained afterward, given Wei Xu's backing, it would likely come to nothing.
【OMG, he's so greasy and disgusting!】
【Holy crap, that includes my Tian Tian! Heartbroken, crying my eyes out!】
【So damn sleazy. And he's a star? More like bullshit!】
So, Yuan Qing was cursed so badly before, almost had sulfuric acid thrown at her to disfigure her. Has anyone apologized to her? Where are those people now?
【Don't call him Wei Xu anymore, call him the Perverted Ghost.】
【Unfollowed.】
【Unfollowed +1】
【Unfollowed +2】
Wei Xu never expected that his first trending topic after waking up would be "Wei Xu Get Out of the Entertainment Industry."
And he gained a new nickname—Greasy Pervert.
His face turned from pale to green, and he fainted again.
On the internet, some people rushed to Yuan Qing's Weibo to apologize, while others didn't take it to heart.
They didn't think harsh words online could really hurt anyone. If someone was hurt, it just meant they were too fragile.
Some also went to Bai Shui Zhen Ren's Weibo to apologize.
But among the flood of apologetic comments, one particular comment stood out.
【Can someone kind-hearted please help me: Master, can you really tell fortunes? Can you help me find out where my daughter is now? I've been searching for so many years, I'm truly at my wit's end. I would give everything I own if I could just find her! My profile picture is her photo.】
The blogger's profile picture was indeed of a girl, around her teens, with a somewhat lonely and cold expression.
The system, having nothing better to do, liked to help Qi Quan filter through messages. Seeing this comment, it came to ask Qi Quan:
【Boss, are you taking this job?】
Qi Quan clicked open the girl's photo, gave it a glance, and sighed: 【A life full of hardships.】
【You figured it out?】
【Mhm.】
【Will you tell him now?】
Qi Quan shook her head.
【Is it because you want him to pay a deposit first? Wouldn't that make netizens call you cold-hearted?】 The system was a little worried.
Qi Quan chuckled; this system's thoughts were quite human.
She said: 【Judging from the girl's facial features, her parents have been dead for a long time.】
System: ???
Chilling to think about it in detail!
