“Chapter 45.”

"Chapter 45."

"A gasp from someone broke the stunned silence, drawing everyone's attention to the young man in the box, whose condition, from a distance, was uncertain."

"The young man was recognized as Wu He Rong, a new intern doctor at the hospital. His youth, skill, and good looks had made him memorable to the staff."

"Despite being somewhat aloof, Wu He Rong was known for his willingness to help, often agreeing to shift swaps or assisting in emergencies."

"Everyone was aware of his disappearance due to the recent police inquiries, but no one had connected it to the sudden death of Xun Jin, who had suffered a heart attack a few days earlier."

"Xun Jin's death had seemed so abrupt, and the staff had sympathized greatly with his grieving parents, even organizing a donation. No one had suspected Wu He Rong's disappearance was related to the Xun family, avoiding questioning them to not disturb their mourning."

"Given the small dormitory size and the visibility under the metal-framed beds, a search hadn’t seemed necessary. But now, it appeared the Xun parents had cunningly hidden Dr. Wu."

"The suspicion fell on the Xun parents because Wu He Rong had still been around when Xun Jin had his incident."

"With the son gone, the only ones left to hide Dr.

But why?

This was the biggest question on everyone's mind. The Xun family parents hadn't even met Dr. Wu before the incident with Xun Jin. Although Xun Jin and Dr. Wu were from the same university and had a nodding acquaintance, there was no known animosity, yet...

Seeing their son lying motionless in a box, his fate unknown, the Wu elders' legs gave way, weakened by days of worry and lack of sleep. They collapsed, but were quickly supported by Xiao Li, who managed to catch them.

Regaining their senses, other colleagues rushed to help. Fortunately, the Wu couple had only fainted momentarily and quickly came to, pinched at the philtrum. With tears in their eyes, they moved towards the wooden box in the dormitory, but Xie Qingfeng raised his hand to stop them: “Don’t come closer yet, Mr. Wu is fine.”

Xie Qingfeng’s words successfully halted the Wu couple. They longed to see their son but feared hindering the master's rescue efforts, so they could only look sorrowfully at their son curled up in the wooden box.

Mu Zhang and Ai Ye Feng also breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing this. They had feared the worst, but now it seemed there was hope. Since the master said so, Wu He Rong's life must be safe.

Indeed, the next moment they saw Master Xie raise his hand, drawing a symbol in the air, and then lightly placing his fingertip an inch above Wu He Rong's forehead. Before their eyes, Wu He Rong’s previously pale complexion gradually returned to normal, and a drop of black blood even seeped from his brow.

Almost simultaneously, the photo of Xun Jin on the table, following Xie Qingfeng’s removal of the shared-life curse, scattered the residual soul of Xun Jin, causing the photo to fall loudly, shattering the glass into countless pieces.

"Jin'er!" Mr. and Mrs. Xun let out a heart-wrenching scream, struggling to lift the fallen photo, but were firmly restrained by Ai Ye Feng and Mu Zhang.

They felt no need to be polite to such people. Their son's life mattered, but didn't others’ sons' lives matter too?

Wasn't it not Wu He Rong who caused their son's death?

Wu He Rong, who was initially unconscious and nearing death, regained vitality as Xie Qingfeng removed the love curse from him. Now, all he needed was a good rest to fully recover.

As Wu He Rong slowly opened his eyes, Xie Qingfeng turned to the elders: "He's fine now; you can come over."

At his words, the elderly Wu couple stumbled forward, each holding one of Wu He Rong’s hands. Seeing their son slowly open his eyes, confused but alive, they were overcome with emotion, hugging their son and repeatedly thanking Xie Qingfeng.

If not for the master, they shuddered at the thought of what might have happened if they had been any later – their son might not have been alive.

Mr. and Mrs. Xun, seeing Wu He Rong open his eyes, showed disbelief. Turning to Xie Qingfeng with a foreboding sense, they asked, "Who are you? How could you... he was clearly, clearly..." The next moment, seeing Xie Qingfeng approach the urn, they screamed, trying desperately to stop him, but were firmly held back by Mu Zhang. They could only watch as Xie Qingfeng did something to the urn, which, adorned with intricate patterns, suddenly burst into flames. After the fire died, the urn turned grey, as if its original patterns had never existed.

This eerie scene left the onlookers stunned: "What just happened?"

Xie Qingfeng looked towards the invisible, sensing that the sealed yin energy in the urn had dissipated. He emotionlessly addressed the Xun parents, “Your son committed evils in life, but because of your selfishness, his debts will be repaid in his next life. It's already the best outcome that his soul hasn’t completely dispersed.”

This leniency was given because Xun Jing, in life, only harbored ill intentions to unite with Wu Herong through dishonorable means without actually intending to kill him.

The Xun parents, seemingly aware of some things, realized the implication of Xie Qingfeng's words and sank into despair, sitting on the ground lifelessly. They then lunged at Xie Qingfeng in a crazed manner, but were prevented by Mu Zhang and Ai Yefeng.

Xie Qingfeng simply watched them indifferently, leaving their fate to the special department’s punishment.

Although Wu Herong was free from the curses and life-threatening spells, his weak condition from being confined and barely fed led to him fainting from hunger. He was taken to the hospital for glucose treatment.

After thanking Xie Qingfeng and the others profusely, the Wu elders had to leave to tend to Wu Herong in the hospital.

The Xun parents were taken away by special department officers who arrived upon hearing the news. Mu Zhang and Ai Yefeng were relieved, grateful that they sought Xie Qingfeng’s help, or Wu Herong might have been killed by now.

Xie Qingfeng did not disclose the true reason behind the incident, involving Wu Herong and Xun Jing’s sexual orientation, in front of the crowd. The onlookers assumed Wu Herong and Xun Jing had a feud, with Xun Jing committing some evil act against Wu Herong but failing.

They believed Xun Jing’s parents, seeking to fulfill their son's last wish, tried to kill Wu Herong after Xun Jing's unexpected death.

Mu Zhang and Ai Yefeng, still confused, finally asked, “What exactly happened here? And what about Wu Herong's 'girlfriend'?”

Xie Qingfeng, having deduced the truth from Xun Jing's photo, Wu Herong’s facial features, and the Xun parents’ faces, shared the story with them.

Wu Herong and Xun Jing both studied medicine at the same university but were in different classes, though from the same batch.

Wu Herong, though solitary, was popular among both genders due to his unique charisma and good looks, which included Xun Jing.

Xun Jing, being average-looking and from a modest background, secretly admired Wu Herong without daring to confess. Their acquaintance grew during their hospital internship, but Xun Jing, envious and feeling inferior, resorted to his family's knowledge of curses, using Wu Herong’s personal items and biographical details to cast a love spell.

The spell worked, but Xun Jing altered his gender in his fate, causing Wu Herong, who was gay and had come out to his parents, to suddenly claim he had a “girlfriend.”

This “girlfriend” was an illusion created by the spell, which Wu Herong wholeheartedly believed in. Once the spell was broken, Wu Herong would regain his senses.

Xun Jing enjoyed the devoted attention from Wu Herong under the spell but kept altering his fate to maintain it, unknowingly trading it for his lifespan.

Eventually, Xun Jing grew jealous of his own fictitious creation, leading to his desire to die with Wu Herong after failing to revert the spell.

Even later, Xun Jing became jealous of this imagined “girlfriend,” leading to his resentment and final, failed attempt to reverse the spell, culminating in the desire for a shared death with Wu Herong.

However, he was only a novice in these matters. The ancient texts he had found were incomplete, and his method had not been successful. Instead, it left him increasingly weakened due to his tampering with fate. A few days ago, he returned to his dormitory and died suddenly of a heart attack.

With Xun Jin's death, the love curse on Wu He Rong was not lifted, and his "girlfriend" disappeared. Naturally, he was anxious and accidentally came across Mr. and Mrs. Xun.

Mr. and Mrs. Xun had just learned of their son's death and rushed over. Hearing Wu He Rong's strange words, they guessed something and sent him away before starting to investigate their son's belongings. They found his diary in the phone log.

Realizing their son was infatuated with this young man and had done something wrong, they not only failed to feel indebted to make amends for their son but instead harbored hatred, believing that if it weren't for Wu He Rong, their son, who had always been outstanding, would never have fallen for a man.

Even leading to the loss of his life?

Since this was their son's last wish, they decided to fulfill it for him.

Mr. and Mrs. Xun first took care of their son’s body. Then Mr. Xun alone went back to his hometown to find an elder skilled in such matters, who used Wu He Rong’s birth details along with his hair, blood, and nails to cast a shared-life death spell, along with Xun Jin’s.

They attached the obtained spell to a box, lured Wu He Rong over, knocked him unconscious, and hid him inside. Once the time came and Wu He Rong died, the spell would be complete, and they would be united in death, destined to be a couple in the underworld and in their next life.

Mu Zhang and the others were infuriated upon hearing this: "Not just in this life, but they even want the next life?" How disgusting would it be if this happened to oneself, not just for one lifetime, but two?

It was enough to drive someone insane.

No wonder Master Xie said Xun Jin had committed a terrible act. If Xun Jin hadn’t died suddenly, he might have ended up doing something similar, considering his heart condition and short life expectancy. Meanwhile, Wu He Rong was healthy, with a long life ahead of him.

Could this be considered a case of dragging someone to death if you can’t have them, to be together in the afterlife?

Mu Zhang broke into a cold sweat at this possibility. If someone else had come today, even if Wu He Rong had been saved, what if the shared-life death curse wasn’t broken? Wouldn't it be possible that in the next life, he would still be haunted by this curse?

Ai Yefeng, who despised evil, nudged Mu Zhang with his elbow: “After you get to know the Wu family better, remind Wu Herong to be more cautious. He shouldn't casually give away his blood or real birth details. It's safer to use fake ones, especially since he's a doctor working in a hospital where it's hard to guard against such things.”

Mu Zhang nodded in agreement: “I'll mention it to him.” If Wu Herong hadn't concealed his sexual orientation and if Xun Jing hadn't made several misguided attempts, and had used the love spell correctly from the start, the outcome would have been...

Thinking of this, both turned to Xie Qingfeng: “Master Xie, is there a way to prevent such things? We're in the special department and often encounter eerie stuff. We don’t want to fall prey to a female ghost and die young.”

Though they wouldn’t easily disclose personal details like their birthdates, constant vigilance was exhausting. Could there be a surefire way to protect themselves?

Xie Qingfeng glanced at them and suggested, “There’s a talisman called the Purification Charm. As long as your hearts are pure and you carry it with you, you won’t be affected.”

Their eyes lit up immediately: “Can we buy one? No, make it two, one for each of us.”

Xie Qingfeng replied, “Sure, ten thousand for each.”

They exchanged glances, pleasantly surprised at the reasonable price. They had expected it to be costly, recalling that Cold Young Master had paid millions for his life. “We’ll take three each!”

Mu Zhang looked at Ai Yefeng as if he were crazy: “Do you have three hearts? Why three?”

Unfazed, Ai Yefeng retorted, “What if one gets damaged accidentally? We can’t always rush to the Master for a new one. It’s better to be prepared.”

Mu Zhang, considering this, promptly said, “I’ll take three as well.”

Xie Qingfeng: “…”

In the end, he only sold one to each of them, refusing their offer for more, and left first. With their level of caution, they should invest in a Peace Talisman instead. Why worry about only this matter?

After earning some extra money, Xie Qingfeng got off at his residential area and ran into Hao Jixin. He got into Hao's car and they went to the underground parking garage, then headed upstairs together.

As they stepped out of the elevator, they caught the scent of cooking, making Hao Jixin swallow involuntarily: “Seems like we're in for a treat today! Hurry, Master, let’s go!”

Xie Qingfeng, indeed feeling hungry after expending a lot of spiritual energy in saving Wu Herong and breaking the curse, quickened his pace.

Just as they were approaching the end of the corridor, a door beside them opened and a person, head down, emerged carrying a bag of trash.

Hao Jixin didn’t pay much attention and stepped aside to let the person pass. After they did, he sniffed the air, then covered his nose, muttering, “What’s that smell? It's weird.” It wasn’t exactly foul, but it wasn’t pleasant either, resembling the scent of burning paper money but far worse.

Xie Qingfeng also glanced at the person but sensed no yin energy around them, just a bit unkempt. Without further concern, they reached their destination where the door opened from the inside.

As Xie Qingfeng and Hao Jixin looked up, they saw Jing Xi wearing an apron, unmasked, his face alluring under the backlight. Hao Jixin exclaimed in awe, “Truly worthy of being Jing Xi, always astonishing no matter how many times you see him.”

Especially in that apron, he appeared every bit the ideal domestic partner. “Whoever marries Jing Xi is really lucky.”

Hao Jixin quickly presented a cake: “Congratulations!”

Jing Xi thanked him, took the cake, and then turned to the silently standing Xie Qingfeng, smiling with a spatula in hand, hinting at a big surprise to come: “I’ll be back to help more.”

Xie Qingfeng watched Jing Xi leave with the spatula, rubbing his temples silently: Could they really eat the meal later? But considering Jing Xi's confident demeanor, perhaps he underestimated his culinary talents.

Hao Jixin, while changing shoes, peered through the kitchen glass door. Seeing Jing Xi cooking patiently beside his foster parents, he mused, “Who knew Jing Xi, seemingly aloof, is such a domestic guy? His fans would go crazy if they knew. Ha, I’m in for a treat today, definitely going to enjoy Jing Xi’s cooking and brag about it later!”

Finishing his musings, Hao Jixin turned to find Xie Qingfeng watching him, then silently changed his shoes and went inside.

Xie Qingfeng prepared the last two dishes, joining his foster parents who were already seated at a table full of appetizing food.

After changing and washing up, Xie Qingfeng couldn't help but glance frequently towards the food, clearly hungry.

Then, the kitchen door opened, and his foster parents, beaming, walked out with Jing Xi carrying two dishes, praising him, “Jing is so thoughtful, he cooks so well. He’ll surely be a loving husband in the future.”

Jing Xi responded quietly from behind: “Uncle, aunt, you’re too kind.”

Hao Jixin, observing the situation, whispered: “Do uncle and aunt not know about Jing Xi’s celebrity status?”

Xie Qingfeng nodded: “They don’t pay much attention to celebrities, so probably don’t recognize him.” Even if they feel he looks familiar, they probably can't remember his name.

Jing Xi was famous, but that was four years ago. Except for a recent advertisement, he hasn’t appeared publicly. The foster parents, being busy, rarely watch TV, so it's normal they don’t recognize him.

Understanding, Hao Jixin gestured that he got the message. Since they were unaware, he decided not to mention it, to avoid making them feel awkward around Jing Xi in the future.

As everyone sat down at the table, Hao Jixin's eyes were immediately drawn to the two dishes in the center, prepared by Jing Xi and specially placed there by the foster mother. Placed centrally, these dishes were evidently the highlight.

Both were simple home-cooked dishes: sweet and sour ribbonfish and fish-flavored shredded pork.

The dishes looked appetizing, with appealing colors.

The foster parents also admired the dishes, praising Jing Xi for his humility and modesty, saying he cooked well for a first-timer. Although they hadn’t seen him cook, as they were busy with other dishes, the dishes looked impressive when served.

The aroma was somewhat masked by other kitchen scents, but the presentation was definitely appealing.

Sitting beside Xie Qingfeng, Jing Xi looked at the dishes, feeling quite talented. He turned to Xie Qingfeng, seeking praise with an expectant look.

Xie Qingfeng calmly complimented: “Very nice, everyone worked hard.”

Hao Jixin, always creating a lively atmosphere, raised his glass of red wine: “Let’s toast to everyone here, wishing prosperous and flourishing days ahead, and great wealth!”

The foster parents, amused by Hao Jixin, raised their glasses for a toast, then started eating.

Jing Xi quickly used the serving chopsticks to pick two pieces, one from each dish, for Xie Qingfeng: “Try these, see if they suit your taste.” Encouraged by the foster parents' praise, he felt confident. For a first attempt, the presentation was a success – he truly was a talent.

“In the future, to win over Master's heart and stomach, success starts here.”

Xie Qingfeng smiled warmly at Jing Xi: “You should eat too. This wine is quite good.”

Hao Jixin had already started eating, praising the food prepared by the foster parents, “My dad’s private collection, heh. We have plenty more in the cellar. Drink as much as you like, Master!”

Jing Xi gave Hao Jixin a look: The National Master has him for wine.

Hao Jixin, misinterpreting Jing Xi’s glance, thought he was offended for not eating his food. He immediately sat up straight, eager to try Jing Xi’s cooking and give face to the foster parents.

Hao Jixin eagerly tasted the shredded pork with garlic sauce, taking a big mouthful.

Xie Qingfeng paused in his drinking, seemingly focused on the wine, but observed Hao Jixin’s reactions. He saw Hao Jixin, full of anticipation, eyes narrowing in enjoyment, take a big spoonful. As the sauce coated his tongue, Xie Qingfeng witnessed Hao Jixin’s face go through three expressions in an instant.

From stunned to disbelief, then to "how is this possible?"

Finally, it turned into a silent plea for help. But noticing Jing Xi's glance, he feigned indifference, forced a stiff smile, chewed hastily, and swallowed with difficulty, insincerely praising, “Good, it’s delicious!”

Jing Xi: "...If it's tasty, why are you trembling?"

Under Jing Xi's piercing gaze, Hao Jixin looked at the remaining sweet and sour fish. Although it was just the body of the fish, he felt that if the fish were still alive, it would die with its eyes open in disbelief.

Torn between eating and not eating, Hao Jixin finally decided to follow his heart. Pretending not to see Jing Xi's gaze, he buried his head in his bowl and started to eat furiously: "I can't see, I can't see!"

Jing Xi narrowed his eyes: "Is it really that bad? The color looks exactly like the recipe. Except for the unlabeled bottles and jars brought by the foster parents, I followed the recipe exactly."

Unconvinced, Jing Xi slowly tasted the shredded pork with garlic sauce. The moment it hit his palate, he understood: it wasn’t just bad, it was awful.

Bad taste could still be tolerated, but awful was completely inedible.