Chapter 136

Chapter 136

Thus, it was reasonable for Shen Qiuji not to initially notice the significance of this mound.

He couldn’t help but admire, "Master, you identified it as a grave instantly; that's truly impressive."

"Actually, I wouldn't have noticed either," Xie Yinxue chuckled modestly, his gaze soft, "But your photo inadvertently included the grave's occupant, and that's how I saw it."

Shen Qiuji: "What?"

Did the photograph capture, aside from him and Duan Wenqian, a third "presence"?

Shen Qiuji, with a furrowed brow, inquired, "Is there a ghost in the photo?"

Xie Yinxue replied, "Yes."

Shen Qiuji: "..."

Fortunately, Shen Qiuji isn't an ordinary child and isn't afraid of ghosts. Otherwise, such words would have surely terrified him into tears. Duan Wenqian, on the other hand, would definitely cry.

"You should check on your classmate this Monday," Xie Yinxue returned the photograph to Shen Qiuji. "Usually, it's not auspicious for children's photos to capture graves, and they might fall ill for a few days. Especially in your case, where even the grave's occupant was captured."

There's an old saying that young children, with their spiritual vision still intact, might see certain unsavory entities, making them prone to malevolent spirits. Cameras, traditionally, have had the occasional ability to capture what the naked eye cannot. The photo Shen Qiuji and his friends took not only captured a grave but its inhabitant too. With all these factors stacked against them, it'd be hard not to attract misfortune.

If only Shen Qiuji were affected, Xie Yinxue would be pleased. However, since innocent children were involved, he couldn't stand idly by.

Shen Qiuji, recognizing the gravity of what had caught Xie Yinxue's attention, agreed, “Alright, I'll check on him as soon as I get to school tomorrow.”

“Oh, and here's the maple leaf I brought for you.” He then pulled out a book, extracting a few leaves tucked within to present to Xie Yinxue. “I noticed the gingko trees by the Maple Leaf Park bus stop have turned yellow. The color is striking, so I brought a few for you.”

Just as Shen Qiuji described, the golden gingko leaves shimmered brilliantly, akin to gilded jade. Extracted from the book, they radiated warmth, illuminating the room considerably.

Gazing at them, Xie Yinxue was involuntarily reminded of someone.

That individual once mentioned living in a place where such a warm hue was visible only one day a year. He loved it so much that even his name echoed a yearning for it. Since Xie Yinxue had accepted his Mid-Autumn Festival mooncakes, it was only right to prepare a return gift, perhaps to take with him the next time he visited “Locked Eternity”.

Accepting the gingko leaves, Xie Yinxue reached out to pat Shen Qiuji’s head, “You’re thoughtful, Ah Ji.”

Shen Qiuji deftly dodged the gesture, replying respectfully, “Please rest well; I'll go study now.”

“Ah, off you go.”

With his young disciple maintaining a distance, Xie Yinxue felt a pang of longing. It was a pity; this disciple had always been so reserved. All Xie Yinxue could do was nostalgically reminisce about the many "childhood" memories deep in his heart.

The next day, Shen Qiuji attended school.

Remembering Xie Yinxue's words, he immediately looked for Duan Wenqian upon arriving in the classroom.

Spotting him, Shen Qiuji called out, “Duan Wenqian!”

Hearing his name, Duan Wenqian stiffened, turning his head apprehensively, stammering, “Big brother, I don't have any money or snacks left…”

Shen Qiuji, exasperated, replied, “We’re not having a picnic today.”

“Oh.” Remembering he no longer had any pending requests from Shen Qiuji, Duan Wenqian's fear evaporated, “So, what do you want?”

Shen Qiuji inquired, “Did you feel unwell at all this weekend?”

Duan Wenqian shook his head vigorously, responding swiftly, “Not at all.”

“Shen Qiuji, since when did you start hanging out with Duan Wenqian?” Nana, the girl who had a crush on Duan Wenqian, was surprised to see Shen Qiuji actively talking and showing concern for him. “He's always with those poor kids.”

Nana didn’t mean to mock Shen Qiuji by calling him a "pauper", but ever since their spring outing, this nickname spread throughout the class. While it was occasionally used on other students and perhaps wasn’t meant maliciously, such labels can still leave emotional scars on children.

Even if Shen Qiuji didn’t feel hurt by the remarks, he still found them uncomfortable. Frowning, he said, "I don’t hang out with him."

"Nana, you might not know, but Shen Qiuji has 500 yuan now. He’s not a pauper anymore." Duan Wenqian pointed at himself indignantly, "I am!"

"What?!"

"Shen Qiuji has 500 yuan?!"

"Oh my god! How did he get so rich? I wish I had 500 yuan too..."

Duan Wenqian's words spread like wildfire, causing an uproar in the class. Everyone was talking about the newfound "rich kid" Shen Qiuji, unaware that his 500 yuan was already gone.

But after this incident, no one in the class called Shen Qiuji "pauper" anymore.

The nickname started with Duan Wenqian and ended with him. Shen Qiuji observed Duan Wenqian and felt that the boy might not have bad intentions. His mischief, sometimes to the point of parent-teacher meetings, could be an attempt to gain attention, maybe even from his biological parents.

After all, Duan Wenqian comes from a blended family.

The stepfather who treated them to the seafood feast on Friday was very kind to Duan Wenqian and to him. But Shen Qiuji noticed something: Duan never called his stepfather "dad", just "uncle".

If Duan could casually call Shen "dad", but not his stepfather, it shows he’s still attached to his biological father.

Shen Qiuji could relate to this because before becoming Xie Yinxue’s apprentice at Mingyue Cliff, he experienced similar emotions. He saw a reflection of his own past in Duan Wenqian.

Ironically, no matter what he did, his parents never paid him any attention until they found out he was Xie Yinxue's apprentice. Only then did they rush to please him, hoping to get money through their son's connection with Xie Yinxue, money they’d likely spend on gambling.

Not all of the Shen family is wealthy. For people like his parents to live comfortably seemed unfair to Shen Qiuji.

The Shen family wouldn’t favor them just because he became Xie Yinxue’s apprentice. On the contrary, the Shen family would let them be, ensuring they’d never appear before him again as long as they could maintain their current lifestyle.

It’s quite ironic. Who would have thought that after embracing a “life of poverty”, Shen Qiuji would finally have his first full meal?

So, when Shen Qiuji looked at Duan Wenqian now, he felt a brotherly compassion. Patting his shoulder with a “kind” expression, he said, "If there’s ever something bothering you, just talk to me."

But Duan Wenqian felt that Shen Qiuji had ulterior motives. Shen Qiuji wasn’t a doctor, so what could he do if he was feeling unwell? He’s probably eyeing next week's allowance!

Hence, Duan Wenqian quickly stepped back, cautioning, "I won’t have any problems."

Shen Qiuji raised an eyebrow, "That's even better."

After returning, he relayed to Xie Yin Xue the exact circumstances concerning Duan Wen Qian.

"I didn't notice anything amiss with him," Shen Qiu Ji said, "He seemed as lively as ever."

Xie Yin Xue, recalling the tomb owner she had seen in the photo, softly lowered her gaze, "Let's see again."

After speaking, he turned slightly and asked Shen Qiu Ji, "But Qiu Ji, you see nothing at all?"

Shen Qiu Ji looked puzzled, "See what? Ghosts?"

"Yes," Xie Yin Xue nodded, her brows slightly furrowed, "Given that you've entered the mystical realm and studied with me for a year, even if you don't have the ability to see the spirit world, under certain circumstances you should still be able to perceive some malevolent entities."

"But I truly can't see anything," Shen Qiu Ji scratched his head, "Didn't we play that ghost-summoning game? There wasn't even a shadow of a ghost."

Could it be that his disciple genuinely lacks the talent?

"Nevermind, go have fun," Xie Yin Xue, not wanting to stress her young disciple too much and realizing individuals with her caliber of talent were rare, sighed, "After all, you won't need to rely on this to earn a living."

Shen Qiu Ji responded to Xie Yin Xue's statement, nodding, "Indeed, Master, I've already decided on my future path."

Liu Bu Hua, curious, interjected, "Qiu Ji, what are you planning to do?"

Shen Qiu Ji, with a serious expression, firmly said, "Iron pumping."

Liu Bu Hua: "?"

Xie Yin Xue: "..."

What on earth had his disciple been learning at school?

"I'm going to get into fitness," Shen Qiu Ji explained, flexing a nonexistent muscle on his arm, "And if I'm ever short on cash, I'll work a few days on a construction site. Sounds good."

Xie Yin Xue couldn't help but reflect on her own stringent expectations, "I'll never let you reach such a dire state, but strengthening the body is beneficial, so working out isn't a bad idea..."

Upon hearing this, Shen Qiu Ji took it as a sign of Xie Yin Xue's support. He went back to his room and started using a chair as a weight-lifting tool, determined to lay a strong foundation from a young age.

Before sleeping, he took out the photo of him with Duan Wen Qian and looked at it once more. Seeing nothing unusual, he tucked it back into his drawer. The only picture on his desk was a "family portrait" taken last year when Xie Yin Xue first took him in.

In the family portrait, there were him, Xie Yin Xue, Liu Bu Hua, and Chen's mother. He wasn't smiling in the photo as he had just arrived and felt a bit out of place. He heard they'll take another one this year; he'll make sure to smile then.

As Shen Qiu Ji settled into bed, he caught a glimpse of the air conditioner he'd recently bought, which had strangely disappeared again. However, inside his blanket, Liu Bu Hua had tucked three hot water bottles, ensuring he wasn't cold at all.

Once he's physically stronger, he won't need a heater during winter. If in the future, Xie Yinxue becomes too frail to walk, he can carry him.

With these thoughts, Shen Qiuji gradually drifted off to sleep.

He was completely unaware of any changes happening to the photo he tucked in the drawer, the one with Duan Wenqian.

The next day, when Shen Qiuji went to school, Duan Wenqian, who had assured him the day before that he felt fine, seemed somewhat listless upon meeting.

During the break, Shen Qiuji approached him, "Duan Wenqian, are you feeling okay?"

"Had a nightmare last night, didn't sleep well," Duan Wenqian pouted, initially appearing agitated, then his mood brightened, exclaiming, "I'm going to sleep with my mom tonight!"

A classmate teased him, "Still sleeping with your mom at this age? How embarrassing!"

Annoyed and blushing, Duan Wenqian retorted, "None of your business!"

Nonetheless, Duan Wenqian seemed quite excited about the idea. After the final bell rang, his steps were notably lighter. As Shen Qiuji looked up, he saw a woman in a red skirt waiting in the shadow around the corner of the wall.

When Duan Wenqian approached, the lady in the red skirt walked away with him.

Is it his mother?

Shen Qiuji wondered.

She appeared quite beautiful, though her complexion was pale, indicating frail health – much like his own master.

Author's note:

Xie Lao: It's cold at the top.

NPC: Come, warm up in my embrace.

Xie Lao: ?