Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Little Fatty instantly felt that he had revealed something with his slip of the tongue and quickly covered his mouth.

Tuan Jieyi was dumbfounded. "What the hell, can't you guys get your act together? What kind of shady company are you running? Unprofessional staff, tax evasion, and harassing female customers on a daily basis?"

There was a pause in Little Fatty's sobs.

Tuan Jieyi then asked, "Do you even have a business license?"

After a moment of silence, he drawled with understanding, "So it's an unlicensed operation..."

Little Fatty: "...."

Upon hearing this, it indeed sounded very unorthodox.

But how could a group of amateur ghosts who had just entered the afterlife have any business experience? Besides, times were changing rapidly. For ghosts of their age to think about promoting the company online, considering some of their team members were from the Republic of China era, was already quite impressive.

Little Fatty felt somewhat wronged. "I really didn't know how to handle these things. As for hiring, the wages here aren't high, so usually, everyone just recommends people they know to each other. Who would've thought that someone like this would slip through..."

United Virtue has been browsing Zhihu recently and feels that he has significantly improved in his career planning. He couldn't help but marvel at how such a disorganized company could exist. Beside him, a young man named Lu Que said coldly, "With an environment as Yin and malevolent as this, filled with wandering spirits, even without actively seeking them, it's not strange that it would attract ill-intentioned Yin forces, is it?"

Little Fatty's face lit up with realization, only to be replaced by worry. If what this person said was true, how could they continue running the haunted house business? They had only been operating for less than a month before this incident occurred. If they accidentally offended an elderly person next time, they might be sued to bankruptcy.

He hung his head low and said dejectedly, "What should we do then? The customer surveys during our initial market research didn't mention anything about this. Starting a business is truly challenging."

Suddenly, an idea sparked in his mind, and his eyes shimmered as he looked at the knowledgeable Lu Que. "M-Master, you can catch ghosts, right? Could you perhaps perform a ritual for us?"

Lu Que, experiencing for the first time being asked by a ghost to perform a ritual: "..."

United Justice was astonished. "You still want to keep this haunted house running?!"

Little Fatty's ghost replied matter-of-factly, "Of course, we've already invested so much money. We spent a fortune on renovations and promoting it on social media! We have to recoup our costs."

At that moment, Wei Xi finished the last ghost leg, burped contentedly, and lifted his head.

Little Fatty's ghost immediately cowered, shrinking like a quail, afraid that he would be turned into spaghetti too.

Wei Xi ignored him. He couldn't eat him anyway; what was the point of being so fat? It was enough to make anyone angry just looking at him.

He was more intrigued by the person next to him, Lu Que. Not only had he not stopped him from eating just now, but he also hadn't tried to snatch his food. More importantly, this man exuded an abundance of yang energy that was truly tantalizing.

After pondering, he concluded that someone who could fight and wasn't greedy might be difficult to subdue. Thus, he asked, "Have you joined a sect?"

"..." Seeing the look in Lu Que's eyes, as if one eye said 'I want to be your master' and the other said 'come work for me for free', he fell silent for a moment before shaking his head under Wei Xi's gaze.

Wei Xi promptly declared, "From now on, you'll be my Taicang Sect's second disciple."

"..." Lu Que ignored him and turned to Little Fatty Ghost. "If I perform a ritual, it will be for transcendence. Do you wish to be reincarnated?"

Upon hearing this, Little Fatty Ghost's face paled. "No, no, no! I've bought so many items, and I haven't even trained Yueru well yet! Besides, I have a house in Beijing. Why would I want to be reincarnated?"

Lu Que's expression grew even more enigmatic. He stared at the ghost intently before calmly gesturing towards Wei Xi with his chin under the anxious gaze of Little Fatty Ghost. "Then you'd better ask him."

Little Fatty Ghost: "???"

Wei Xi: ??? Ask me to do what? Eat?

Half an hour later, a new majority shareholder arrived at the recently opened haunted house in the outskirts of Beijing.

Wei Xi unexpectedly found himself owning 51% of the technical shares, and at the same time, he met the shareholders and employees connected by Little Fatty – there weren't many, only a dozen or so ghosts, some of whom had just been peeping through the window and were now trembling as they stood before him.

Scanning the group, Wei Xi discovered that they were all timid minions. They wouldn't dare to do evil, let alone catch a live mouse. Besides, their deaths were peculiar in their own ways – electrocuted while bathing, crashed into a tree while driving, choked on food, and even one who fell into a manhole on a rainy day and died from the fall. When he saw the last one, a malnourished ghost from the Republic of China era with half his head missing and tears welling up in his eye sockets, Wei Xi couldn't help but frown in disappointment. Not a single one was edible?

Despite being reclusive, Little Fatty was perceptive. Seeing Wei Xi's dissatisfaction, he promptly stepped forward to introduce them, "Boss, this is Old Zhang. He's in charge of hiding in the corner of the stairs and popping out to scare people. His scare tactics are quite effective. Don't judge him by his appearance; back then, he was shot in the neck while protecting his parents and wife during the war. Unfortunately, his family didn't survive either, and without descendants to burn incense for him, he now has to support three ghosts at home. That's why he works extra hard."

Upon hearing the cause of the ghost's death, Unity Yi hurriedly tried to help stabilize his head, though his hand went straight through. Nevertheless, he received a tearful gratitude from the Republican-era ghost.

Wei Xi considered the situation: a family of four would require quite a lot to eat daily. He realized it truly wasn't easy for them.

Unity Yi whispered to him, "Master, I think this business has potential. Think about it – we already have the venue, and hiring ghosts doesn't involve social insurance or high salaries like college graduates. We can save a significant amount on labor costs every month."

Wei Xi had previously learned from Unity Yi about various expenses involved in starting a business, so he understood the significance of labor costs in daily operations. Agreeing with the logic, he also thought that managing the staff here might provide opportunities to catch food that came to him. Thus, he nodded and said, "Hmm, not bad. Since he has a heavy burden, let's have his family members come to work here as well."

The Republican-era ghost overheard this and was overwhelmed with joy, expressing his gratitude repeatedly.

Unity Yi left his contact information with them and then sternly reminded Little Fatty, "From now on, you're not allowed to secretly kiss female customers!"

******

The matter was settled, and Taicang Sect suddenly found itself with a new business opportunity. Wei Xi's impression of Lu Que, who had unexpectedly brought in profit, improved significantly. He couldn't help but tease Unity Righteousness, "Look at you, picky eater, disobedient. Your junior apprentice brother is much more capable."

Lu Que: "…."

Unity Righteousness was utterly confused. When did this happen? How did they become junior and senior apprentice brothers? Wasn't their master a bit hasty in taking in disciples?

It was already late, so after dismissing his new employees, Wei Xi glanced at the sky and announced, "Come on, apprentices, let's go back for dinner."

He then approached Ruan Shihang, who was lying on the ground, seemingly pondering where to start. After some thought, he finally grabbed one of Ruan Shihang's legs and dragged him out.

Wei Xi's actions were rough, and he paid no attention to obstacles. Unity Righteousness heard Ruan Shihang's head bumping repeatedly against the floor and furniture, producing dull thuds.

Unity Righteousness thought this might not be a good idea and was about to intervene when the unconscious Lu Wenqing, awakened by the noise, opened his eyes in confusion and fear. Upon seeing Wei Xi's actions, he immediately panicked and cried out, "Wei! Wei Xi! Stop!"

Wei Xi halted and looked at him.

Sweating profusely, Lu Wenqing rushed forward. Seeing Ruan Shihang's swollen face, which was twice its original size, his sweat increased. He cautiously tried to pry Wei Xi's hand off Ruan Shihang's ankle. "P-Possibly, let me do it?"

Wei Xi promptly released his grip, as Ruan Shihang wasn't one of their sect's VIP clients. As a result, Ruan Shihang's thigh hit the ground with another dull thud.

Lu Wenqing: "..."

The pain in the bite wound on his shoulder returned, reminding him of what had happened before he passed out. He nervously looked around the villa. "I-is everything taken care of?"

Not only was it resolved, but it was resolved through a merger, Wei Xi nodded. Lu Wenqing's eyes instantly filled with admiration. He still remembered Wei Xi fiercely pulling the vengeful spirit off Ruan Shihang – it was so cool. He had never seen such a straightforward and effective method of exorcism in his entire life!

Wei Xi had opened a whole new world for him!

Lu Wenqing was now completely in awe of Wei Xi. Satisfied with the answer, he carried Ruan Shihang and followed behind Wei Xi without asking any more questions.

As they stepped out the door, Ruan Shihang's brows twitched, and he finally regained consciousness. The moment he opened his eyes, he was met with the moonlight outside and an overwhelming ache all over his body.

He couldn't help but gasp, reaching up to touch his face, only to find that it was swollen.

Their friends waiting outside immediately swarmed the entrance upon seeing someone emerge. They didn't recognize the supported Ruan Shihang at first glance. Once they realized who it was, they were utterly shocked. "H-how did this happen?! What went on inside?!"

Wei Xi considered for a moment before briefly explaining, pointing at Ruan Shihang. "Just now, he was possessed inside and started fighting with Lu Wenqing, even biting him."

Indeed, that was precisely what had happened. The bite still hurt like hell, Lu Wenqing nodded in agreement.

His friends were all horrified, staring at Ruan Shihang's nearly unrecognizable face, each one of them feeling a chill down their spine. Just how powerful was this ghost to have done this to a person? ! Through the mirror handed by a friend, Ruan Shihang also got a clear look at his injuries, causing him to feel dizzy.

Damn it... This was actually the result of fighting with Lu Wenqing?

He had no recollection of anything that happened while he was possessed, and couldn't help but shoot a resentful gaze at his childhood friend.

Lu Wenqing: "..."

Look at this pot, it's big and round.

Just as he was about to say, no, no, no, it wasn't like that, please listen to my explanation, Ruan Shihang's gaze shifted to Wei Xi, who stood apart from the situation. He still remembered Wei Xi's domineering posture as he rode on top of him, causing his eyes to flicker slightly as he hesitantly spoke up, "Wei Xi..."

Wei Xi didn't seem too interested in responding, "Hm?"

Ruan Shihang whispered, "Thank you."

Wei Xi: "Hm."

Seeing this attitude from Wei Xi, Ruan Shihang felt anxious and a little regretful for being so cold towards him earlier. After some hesitation, not knowing what to say, he found himself blurting out, "... How about I get a membership card?"

The moment the words left his mouth, he wished he could bash himself to death for saying such nonsense.

Surprisingly, Wei Xi, who had previously been cold and distant, immediately turned his head. "Really?!"

"…" Ruan Shihang stammered. "… Of course, it's true."

"How much are you topping up? We have gifts for our membership card holders," Wei Xi said, suddenly more talkative. He called out, "Brotherhood! Brotherhood!"

Tuan Jie Yi sprang forward. "Would you like to pay via Alipay, WeChat, or cash?"

Ruan Shihang opened his mouth but didn't know what to say. He reached into his pocket in a daze. "I... My wallet and phone were stolen earlier. Can I pay with a card?"

Tuan Jie Yi responded, "Huh?!"

The master and disciple were at a loss for a moment. Then, a calm voice sounded from behind them. "It's possible."

Everyone turned to look, only to see Lu Que walking calmly to the front. His handsome face showed no emotion as he reached behind him and pulled out a...

mobile POS machine.

Everyone: "..."

Ruan Shihang: "???"

Didn't this person say he was here to investigate the haunted house? Why did he have this with him?

But his casual expression made it hard for anyone to question him. Ruan Shihang handed over the bank card in a daze, only to hear the man ask, "How much do you want to swipe?"

Him: "...Whatever you like."

As soon as he finished speaking, the man skillfully tapped a few buttons on the POS machine and passed it to him, gesturing for him to enter his PIN.

Ruan Shihang glanced at the amount.

One million yuan.

"..............."

He shot Wei Xi a complicated look. The membership card of Taicang Sect was indeed expensive. But at that moment, he couldn't haggle, so he ended up paying the full amount.

Having spent a million, Ruan Shihang felt somewhat dazed, but Wei Xi's attitude toward him had significantly improved. He even asked Unity Yi to hand over the gift for opening the card.

Ruan Shihang looked down and saw a brand new "Introduction to the Basic Principles of Marxism." Unity Yi had purchased it in bulk from a book market.

Well, whatever, he thought, feeling dizzy and disoriented. Let things take their course.

Wei Xi now understood that Lu Que's actions were aimed at collecting money on his behalf. He praised Unity Yi appreciatively, "Take a look at your junior apprentice brother."

With tears in his eyes, Unity Yi reflected on his inadequate preparations and, as he left, eagerly approached his junior apprentice brother, "Junior apprentice brother..."

However, just as he drew near, Lu Que's calm expression suddenly changed, and he pulled away with disdain and caution, "Stay away from me!"

Unity Yi halted at Lu Que's command, feeling even more dejected. He began to recall what he might have done wrong, why his junior apprentice brother had always been so resistant to him since their first meeting. Wasn't it just because he said that he resembled Shuo Zong? Was it not a compliment to be compared to the nation's handsome, rich husband?

Looking up again, he saw that his junior apprentice brother truly regarded him as a formidable beast, leaving only his fading shadow behind.

******

Wiping away his tears, Unity Yi sensed an ominous premonition. He feared that, from now on, he would be serving not one, but two demanding individuals.

On the way back, Lu Wenqing stood by the roadside for a long time but couldn't find an empty taxi. After hesitating for a while, he finally summoned up the courage to call for a ride-hailing service.

Before getting in the car, he carefully inspected the vehicle and even took a photo of the license plate before reluctantly boarding.

The driver was perplexed by his behavior and couldn't help asking, "Your friend is quite cautious, isn't he?"

Tuan Jieyi sighed, "He's a man with a story..."

A story... The driver was still feeling embarrassed when Lu Wenqing, in the backseat, suddenly jumped up in alarm. "M-Master! Where are you taking us?! This isn't the road we came on! What do you plan to do to us?!"

"..." Startled by his sudden outburst, the driver nearly lost control of the vehicle. He quickly steered back onto the correct path and explained apologetically under Lu Wenqing's accusing gaze, "S-Sorry, I really just wanted to take a different route..."

**********

The driver, who had attempted to detour, abandoned his plan at the sound of Lu Wenqing's fierce cry. At the Wei residence, the garden still looked like a mess with overturned soil.

When Lu Que entered, he observed the surroundings and recalled the previous state of the yard. He frowned and asked, "What happened here?"

Wei Xi replied, "I brought many plants and tree seeds from your grandmaster. They will all be planted here eventually. You and Jieyi are my disciples, so you don't need to concern yourselves with these mundane tasks. In the future, the members of our sect will handle them."

He then shouted, "Wanrong! Have you dug the nest hole I assigned to you?!"

Instantly, the furious roar of Wei's pitiful old father echoed from inside the house, "Vile creature! Do you have any manners left?! How dare you address your Aunt Shu like that?! Try it again if you dare!"

Wei Xi ignored him and spoke with an oppressive displeasure this time, "Wanrong!"

Following that, a beautiful woman dressed in luxurious silks and adorned with jewels emerged from the house. With her hands clasped around her sleeves, a hint of reluctance lingered in her sharp gaze as she stood on the doorstep, hesitantly looking at Wei Xi. "Little Xi, you..."

Wei Xi interrupted her, "Is the hole dug? Come here, I'll teach you how to manipulate the soil."

"..." The woman seemed somewhat dejected as she slowly approached in her Hermes and Chanel attire, her steps filled with resistance and unwillingness.

Wei Tianyi appeared next, dragging their youngest son along, and scolded, "Don't go! Come back! You're spoiling him!"

The woman hesitated for a moment, a glimmer of hope appearing in her eyes. Seeing Wei Xi look at her coldly, she asked her enraged husband, "You're just in time. Were there any clients at the sect today?"

Hearing this, Wei Tianyi was so angry he nearly stumbled, "Clients my foot! Is that what I'm talking about?! I'm asking you! What did you just call your Aunt Shu?! Do you still acknowledge me as your father? And this isn't your damn sect! This is the Wei family! When will you stop causing trouble at home?! Let me tell you, my tolerance has its limits! If you keep acting recklessly, believe me, I'll cut off your allowance right now and let you fend for yourself!"

Wei Xi seemed to live in his own world, completely oblivious to his father's fury. He only picked up on the part he wanted to hear and responded with a surprised tone, "So you actually give me money?"

"..." Upon hearing this, Wei Tianyi immediately felt his authority wane. Suddenly, he recalled that he had frozen his eldest son's bank card for quite some time since the photo incident.

After a moment of silence, he yelled fiercely but inwardly insecure, "So what! Don't forget I'm your father! I still have the right to discipline you! Do you believe I can beat you to a pulp right now?"

Wei Xi inquired, "Your eyes are fine now?"

Unconsciously, Wei Tianyi pushed up his sunglasses, then remembered something, ".................."

Wei Xi glanced behind him and asked, "Chengshu, were there any visitors today?"

Mike stood sullenly beside his father, casting a glance at him and then at his mother. Eventually, he noticed that the usually lethargic Mike had jumped with joy like he'd seen a deity and was now rushing ecstatically towards his elder brother. With a lackluster tone, Mike replied, "No."

Wei Xi let out an "oh," seemingly a bit disappointed. But after contemplating his own accomplishments of the day, his spirits revived. He stroked the affectionately rolling Mike and pointed to the garden, "Go dig some soil."

Mike bowed his body and whimpered twice, wagging his tail so vigorously that it seemed about to fly off. The moment Wei Xi finished speaking, he darted into the yard like an arrow, digging frantically with his front paws.

Shu Wanrong had initially hoped her husband would support her, but seeing that Wei Tianyi remained silent, she picked up a small trowel in disappointment and started digging alongside Mike. Wei Chengshu watched from the doorway for a while without comment before quietly joining his mother to lend a hand.

Wei Xi nodded, a look of satisfaction on his face.

Standing aside, Lu Que watched the family with a sense of inexpressible irony, as if he were observing a group of eccentric individuals.

With a bruised eye still tender to the touch, Wei Tianyi gritted his teeth. Uncertain of what else to do, his gaze eventually landed on the figure before him. "Who is this? Why are you bringing strangers home again?"

Wei Xi said, "My disciple, Lu Que."

Wei Tianyi: "Isn't your disciple Unity Righteousness?"

Saying this, he glanced at his eldest son's tall and muscular fair-skinned beau, who looked like a personal fitness trainer, with great dissatisfaction.

Wei Xi: "This is my second disciple."

As Wei Tianyi glared at Unity Justice, he caught a glimpse of the other fair-skinned young man's appearance, causing his expression to drastically change. Recalling the photo of his eldest son with Ruan Shihang, he erupted in anger, "This one is also a disciple, that one is also a disciple. Do you take your father for a fool? I forbid it!"

Wei Xi gave him a baffled look before turning to the trembling Housekeeper Zhou, "Is dinner prepared?"

Listening to his employer's enraged cries of "I forbid it!" "You good-for-nothing!" "Did you hear me?!" and "Look at me!", Housekeeper Zhou wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, "M-Master Wei, we bought quite a lot of ingredients today. It might take a little longer."

Wei Xi didn't get angry over this; instead, he let out a disheartened murmur. His gaze drifted to his quiet second disciple, who still exuded an alluring, heaven-defying yang energy.

He drew on his authority as a master and, standing on tiptoe, leaned in to sniff at the other's neck.

His second disciple looked at him with an expressionless sideways glance.

Wei Xi justified himself, "With no food at home, what's wrong with your master taking a sip of your yang energy?"

Before Lu Que could respond, Wei Tianyi, who was ahead, flew into a rage. He nearly flung off his sunglasses as he pointed at the two of them, yelling as if he had caught them red-handed, "What are you doing?! Why are you so close together?! Separate! Wei Xi, stay away from him! You little rascal! You still call him your disciple? Do you take me for a fool?! How dare you bring a kept man home with you!!"

Despite all the scolding, Wei Xi didn't understand a word and casually waved his hand at his second disciple, "Ignore him, he's just an insignificant person."

Lu Que: "..............."

Enraged, Wei Tianyi screamed until his head spun, "You little brat! Say that again! Do you still have any respect for me as your father?!"