Chapter 074: Tomato and Eggs Without Sugar!

Chapter 074: Tomato and Eggs Without Sugar!

Chi Shen returned around noon. Under the eerie gaze of the others, he headed to the kitchen to prepare lunch, then retreated to his bedroom to change into his pajamas and lie down.

Blood congregated on the ceiling, forming a message: "You are despicable, yet you genuinely care for him."

With a blank face, Chi Shen looked up and calmly stated, "I don't remember."

The blood then transformed into a mocking smile before dissipating into the room's corners.

Chi Shen pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes.

Ten minutes later, Chi Shen opened his eyes, appearing slightly groggy but quickly regaining his clarity.

He stretched, yawned, and got up. Pulling back the bedroom curtains, daylight flooded the room. After some light stretches, he felt no discomfort, surmising that his other self must have taken good care of his body and hadn't done anything bizarre.

He had given the duplicate Chi Shen a hint the previous night, suggesting that he could use his body for some task. It appeared the hint was understood, and his body had indeed been used. Now, Chi Shen was rather curious about what had transpired.

Then, slowly dressing up, Chi Shen crouched beside the duplicate Chi Shen and confidently stated, "You're awake."

Ji Xingchen No.2 showed no response. Chi Shen didn't linger. If Ji Xingchen No.2 refused to communicate, he wouldn't push it.

As soon as he entered the living room, he was met with the gaze of ghosts from every corner. Even the ghost from the kitchen stared at him with a curious look, but when he met her gaze, she quickly retreated back into the cabinet. Before closing it, she wiped away a few drops of blood that had inadvertently fallen on the kitchen floor.

Chi Shen paid no mind to these minor occurrences. He proceeded to the dining area, his eyes landing on the tomato and egg stir-fry, tomato and egg soup, chilled tomatoes, scrambled eggs, and a bowl of white rice. He fell silent.

"Did the supermarket only have these ingredients?" Chi Shen couldn't help but ask.

A voice from his shadow replied, "This is all I know how to make."

Chi Shen's gaze then settled on a lease contract on the dining table. Ji Xingchen had directly signed a three-year lease with the landlord. Chi Shen grimaced, "You did all this in just one morning?"

In a calm tone, Ji Xingchen explained, "It's crucial, ensuring you have a place to rest."

Chi Shen paused for a few seconds, finding the logic irrefutable. He sighed, "Even if you don't want to investigate your own death, you could at least inquire about Bai's family intentions."

The voice from the shadow was cold and ruthless, "That's your problem to deal with."

Chi Shen… He took a sip of the tomato and egg soup, realizing that perhaps his plan to share duties with Ji Xingchen wouldn't work.

He had hoped that once Ji Xingchen got used to things, they could alternate work shifts, essentially working only 2.5 days a week. It was such a promising future. But now, it seemed unlikely. The thought left him melancholic.

Lost in thought, he took another bite of the tomato and egg stir-fry—

"Why did you add sugar?"

Chi Shen was taken aback.

"You put sugar in the tomato and egg stir-fry?!"

Ji Xingchen emerged from the shadow and adjusted his glasses, "Sugar enhances the flavor."

"No! Sugar doesn't belong in tomato and egg stir-fry! It's heresy!"

Ji Xingchen calmly replied, "You'll get used to it."

With fervor, Chi Shen defended his purist stance, "Tomato and egg stir-fry should only have salt and no other condiments!"

Ji Xingchen responded, "You should be more open to new things."

Chi Shen retorted, "I don't think I ever will…"

Twenty minutes later, Chi Shen looked at the empty plate and suggested to Ji Xingchen, "How about you do the dishes too?"

Ji Xingchen gave Chi Shen a cold, indifferent look.

Left with no choice, Chi Shen got up and washed the dishes himself.

After cleaning up, Chi Shen tidied himself, checked the time, and moved his selected lounge chair to the balcony. Even though it was an overcast day, he pretended there was sunshine and settled into it.

Since there was no sun, Ji Xingchen was free to roam and stood by the balcony, gazing at the distant business district.

"Xingxing seems reluctant to tell you how you died; he's completely ignoring me," Chi Shen commented while lounging and playing a game, evaluating the comfort of the chair and contemplating a return if unsatisfied.

Without turning his head, and still looking into the distance, Ji Xingchen responded, "Hmm."

Chi Shen inquired, "Do you still want to investigate? It seems you might not want to know yourself."

Ji Xingchen replied without hesitation, "I do."

As Chi Shen maneuvered his character to evade monsters, he continued, "Even if it might be an outcome you'd rather not confront?"

Ji Xingchen asserted, "Even if it's something I'd rather not know, I want to find out what happened."

"First, we'll head to the Special Security Bureau, then to Hong'an Trade in the evening." Chi Shen faced an in-game ambush but wasn't discouraged, opting for a restart.

Ji Xingchen brought his gaze back from afar, "Alright."

Since the morning's events ran late, Chi Shen had arranged to meet Yuan Yiping at 3 p.m. at the Special Security Bureau to see if they could awaken the soul separated from Lu Xiangyang.

Upon arriving, Chi Shen noticed that the bureau was busier than usual. Many turned their eyes to him as he entered.

With keen hearing, he picked up on hushed voices in a corner.

"Is that him?"

"He's pretty handsome. With a face like that, why return to the Bai family? He could make a fortune as a celebrity now."

"Isn't he the one who turned in that fake young master to the bureau?"

"Shh, that fake young master is no saint either. This time, he's just here to assist with the investigation."

"Has this young master of the Bai family, who has been living abroad, ever undergone formal training? Can he really handle it?"

"If Brother Yuan vouches for him, he should be competent, right?"

"Yuan Yiping? The stereotypical exorcist? Haha, even he's resorting to such means. Is this a desperate attempt to make a dead horse run?"

Despite being accustomed to such chatter, there wasn't a flicker of emotion on Chi Shen's face. Yuan Yiping awaited him in the hall. Chi Shen mentioned he'd bring two friends. One was Gui Lian, whom Yuan Yiping had met before, and the other was Ji Xingchen.

Given that they'd be collaborating in the future, Chi Shen decided to introduce Ji Xingchen to Yuan Yiping first to avoid potential complications.

As Ji Xingchen and Gui Lian appeared, the entire hall fell momentarily silent. Only Chi Shen's courteous voice echoed, "This is Ji Xingchen."

He subtly lifted his gaze, scanning the faces in the hall without missing a detail. Much to his disappointment, while they looked surprised, none cast a peculiar glance at Ji Xingchen. It seemed no one there recognized him.

Yuan Yiping turned to Ji Xingchen, who seemed slightly uneasy. Regardless, he courteously greeted, "Hello."

Ji Xingchen met his gaze, replying evenly, "Hello."

"Today, special agents from another division arrived, causing a bit of a commotion," Yuan Yiping explained, "Let me take you to Lu Xiangyang's room first."

"Hold on," a voice interjected suddenly, "Yuan Yiping, what are you up to?"

Chi Shen directed his gaze towards the speaker: a young man in his early twenties with a sharp, handsome appearance. The moment he appeared, Gui Lian's instinct was to hide.

The young man fixed his gaze on Chi Shen, his tone filled with suspicion. "You're letting an ordinary person into the room of a malevolent spirit? And with this person being haunted, you aren't assisting him?"

"He has a unique method of communicating with spirits. It could be beneficial for this case. Let's give it a shot," Yuan Yiping explained to the young man.

"They are my friends. I willingly allow myself to be haunted," Chi Shen said with a gentle smile.

Yuan Yiping introduced the young man to Chi Shen, identifying him as a descendant of the Zhong family, Zhong Yi. He had specially come to assist Hong City. As they spoke, many glanced over, their eyes filled with admiration and envy towards Zhong Yi.

After hearing Chi Shen's words, Zhong Yi's expression clearly showed disagreement. "Being haunted by malevolent spirits shortens one's lifespan. Even if they don't harm you, you should help them ascend. It's for your own good."

"I've actually been trying to help them ascend," Chi Shen pondered, "but for some reason, despite half a month of effort, there's been no progress."

His gaze drifted to Gui Lian, who immediately curled up, pretending she didn't exist.

Zhong Yi said gravely, "I can conduct a ritual for you, helping your friends ascend."

Chi Shen smiled lightly, "I'll need to consult them first."

Zhong Yi didn't press further. However, seeing that the duo were still heading towards the room where the malevolent spirit was held, he added, "Brother Yuan, can you ensure the safety of this interrogation?"

Yuan Yiping nodded, "I can."

Zhong Yi remained hesitant, his brows furrowed, as if contemplating further objections.

Yuan Yiping then suggested, "You can join us inside to oversee, just as a precaution."

After glancing at Chi Shen, Zhong Yi conceded, "Very well."

Yuan Yiping led the group to a door adorned with a ba gua mirror and talismans. Inside was a room plastered with more talismans, furnished with several chairs and a wooden table covered with a yellow cloth. Atop the table lay a paper effigy.

Upon entering, Gui Lian, frightened, attempted to hide within Chi Shen's shadow. Ji Xingchen, with an indifferent expression, pulled him out, forcing him to reluctantly take refuge behind Chi Shen.

"The fragmented spirit that was attached to Lu Xiangyang has been separated and now inhabits this paper effigy," Yuan Yiping explained. "She might have been a victim too. We hope to ascertain her identity."

"I'll give it a try," Chi Shen offered.

Yuan Yiping reassured, "Zhong Yi and I will be right here to ensure your safety."

Zhong Yi nodded in agreement, "If anything feels off, speak up immediately. We only need some basic information about her. Don't delve too deeply into how she died; it could provoke her. Always remember, your safety comes first."

Chi Shen smiled, "Understood."

Zhong Yi further inquired, "Do you need our assistance in any way?"

Chi Shen glanced at the paper effigy, "Just remain quiet, that'll be enough."

It seemed Zhong Yi wasn't accustomed to being spoken to in such a manner. He ran a hand through his hair but chose to remain silent. Yuan Yiping, on the other hand, calmly observed the paper effigy.

The paper figure was no bigger than a palm, its features drawn with a red pen. Beneath it lay some twigs. At a single glance, Chi Shen realized that not only was the spirit attached to the paper figure, but fragments of it also lingered on the twigs.

The fragments of the soul scattered among the twigs resembled shattered grit, utterly fragmented.

This could be tricky.

Chi Shen gently raised his hand. He could sense her pain. It was worth a try nonetheless.