Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Huang Jue, having had experience with girlfriends, was quite sensible and promptly apologized.

Unexpectedly, the female ghost, after being released by Shuo Zong, began to cry again upon hearing his apology.

The ghost infant, hanging upside down in Wei Xi's grip, stared fixedly at its mother as if it felt no empathy. Then, after receiving another slap on its bottom, its black, pupil-less eyes rolled around before turning back to look at Wei Xi, dull and slow.

"Doesn't he speak?" Wei Xi asked his second disciple curiously. "Could he be... mentally challenged?"

Ghost Infant: "..."

Outside, Huang Jue's parents and Ruan Shihang, having heard the crying, mustered their courage and entered the room. Upon seeing the tiny, dark-skinned infant in Wei Xi's grasp, they were about to be frightened when they heard the female ghost sobbing and scolding, "All of you Huangs are bastards!"

Her face was stained with blood, a scene that should have been terrifying. However, the atmosphere inside the room was too bizarre – the detached Shuo Zong standing by, the wilted intermediary ghost he was holding, Unity Yi patiently comforting the female ghost alongside Huang Jue, and Wei Xi, still smacking the ghost infant's bottom to elicit more cries.

This feeling of being on the wrong movie set made fear impossible. Ruan Shihang wiped his sweat, suddenly finding his previous nervousness awkward. He noticed Huang Jue's father, who had originally been standing beside him, now step forward, looking at the female ghost with dissatisfaction. "You're Feng Xiu's girlfriend, right? I remember you."

The female ghost squinted in his direction for a while but failed to recognize him. She answered, assuming he was like Huang Jue, trying to comfort her.

Little did anyone expect Father Huang to immediately lash out, "It really is you! What's wrong with you, child? ! Why did you suddenly show up at our house to scare my family, causing Huang Jue to have sleepless nights and affecting his work due to nervousness? I heard that you even attempted suicide by jumping off a building? How irresponsible of you! Quarreling and then threatening to jump – have you considered the child growing inside you? What about your parents? Such an ungrateful daughter! They raised you all these years, and you never thought about how devastated they would be if they found out about your suicide?"

The female ghost: "…."

Father Huang continued, "And what right do you have to call our Huang family members bastards?! Your conflict with Huang Fengxiu is between the two of you. I've taught Huang Jue since he was young to be an honest person and respect girls! Not only did you frighten him, but you also cursed him for no reason. What has my son done to deserve being called a bastard by you? You're practically his half-sister-in-law; do you have any manners at all?!"

The female ghost: "…."

Startled by the sudden scolding, the ghost stood stunned. Ruan Shihang wore a dazed expression, wondering how brave Father Huang was to dare insult a ghost.

To his surprise, Mother Huang nodded in agreement, her face filled with approval, "That's right, that's right!"

Ruan Shihang: "…."

This family... Were they just fearless or were their nerves truly thick as steel?

Even ghosts feared fierce people. The female ghost, having been reprimanded, began to sob softly and dared not vent her anger anymore, "Uncle, I was wrong..."

Father Huang finally huffed coldly, "Enough. The deed is already done, so what's the point of apologizing now? Speak – what exactly happened between you and Huang Fengxiu?"

The female ghost was a little afraid of him but, sobbing, she remembered the reason for her death and regained her fury. "That bastard Huang Fengxiu! I spent almost ten years with him, earning money together to pay the down payment on this house. He said he would marry me, but when I was pregnant, I found out that he was cheating on me with his boss's daughter. When I found out that day, we had a huge fight, and I asked him what he was doing. But not only did he not admit his mistake, he even suggested breaking up with me, telling me to get out of this house, saying that the property was under his name and had nothing to do with me. I was so furious that I lost my mind and threatened to go to his company to tell everyone about our relationship. Who knew that when that scoundrel heard this, he actually hit me! He hit me!"

As she spoke, she broke down in tears again. "I fought back, but how could I possibly win against him? Instead, I was kicked to the ground. I told him I was carrying his child and asked him not to kick my stomach, but he didn't care at all. He even told me to have an abortion and stop bothering him. He was so cruel, and I lost all sense of reason, wanting to grab the clothes hanger from the balcony to chase him away. But the balcony was cluttered with too many boxes, and it had rained the day before. My foot slipped on the pile of cardboard boxes..."

And just like that, she fell from the building.

With sobs, she sighed, "Ah! I shouldn't have been greedy and saved those delivery boxes to sell. I shouldn't have been so reluctant to spend the money to enclose the balcony. After I drifted around, when I entered the neighboring apartment, I realized that their enclosed balcony was much more useful, serving as a small study or a place for gardening. There was also less dust in the room. The dust in Beijing is really hard to clean."

Everyone: "...."

Realizing that she had veered off topic, she hurriedly returned to the main point. "That beast Huang Fengxiu! Even in death, I won't let him live peacefully!"

Haunted by her obsession, she couldn't transcend after death and instead wandered around the house she had once worked so hard for day after day. Unable to find her glasses, she couldn't see the world clearly, only knowing that her death had caused quite a stir, even drawing the police to repeatedly investigate the cause. At first, she felt relieved, knowing that her ex-boyfriend's life had been disrupted. However, her death was an accident, and after the police investigation, her boyfriend faced no consequences. He quickly resumed his normal life, even welcoming his parents and bringing back that boss's daughter, proudly showcasing the house as his own achievement.

Back then, with her big belly, she sat on the balcony, listening to the clinking of glasses and the harmonious family sounds inside, tormented by her hatred.

She thought, if she couldn't rely on society to expose his true nature, she would do it herself.

So, every night, she began to invade her ex-boyfriend and his parents' dreams, voicing her anger. Lo and behold, it wasn't long before the family started bickering daily, terrified by the nightmares.

However, her belly had grown significantly by now, and with the impending birth, she lacked the energy to handle everything herself. Through a referral, she employed a broker who claimed to do it all, using the engagement ring she wore when she died. The neighborhood ghosts called him Uncle Shen.

"Sigh," she exclaimed. "When Uncle Shen told me that there was no one at home, I didn't think much of it. I assumed Huang Fengxiu had moved out with his parents due to the scare. I never expected them to sell the house to you. His parents seemed nice when we met before. I can't believe they concealed my cause of death and even betrayed someone they knew. They're truly despicable. By the way, how much did they sell the house for?"

Huang Jue replied, "It was slightly below market value, but still close to ten million."

"Disgusting!" spat the female ghost in anger. "They sold you a house where someone committed suicide for such a high price. How shameless! That family is more heartless than ghosts."

Feeling equally frustrated after enduring this unnecessary ordeal, Huang Jue joined her in criticizing his uncle.

Ruan Shihang, listening on the side, couldn't help but intervene. "Let's put this aside for now. What do you plan to do in the future? Floating around like this isn't a solution."

Unity Yi hastily interjected, "Have you considered our Taicang Sect's painless transcendence service? My master and junior apprentice brother have great skills, and there are discounts for members who purchase packages!"

Shuo Zong: "…"

The female ghost remained unperturbed. "Transcendence? My child is still young, and I haven't finished what I set out to do. Am I supposed to let that unfaithful Huang Fengxiu use the money from selling this house to marry a rich beauty, become a CEO, and reach the pinnacle of life?"

Ruan Shihang: "…So you're planning to pursue him and seek revenge at his new home?"

The female ghost nodded and sighed again. "Ah, I just don't know where he's hiding now. Beijing is so big, and my vision isn't great. It would take ages to search every house."

Huang Jue was powerless to help, as he didn't usually interact with his cousin's family. At that moment, a cold snort echoed through the crowd. Everyone turned to see Huang Jue's father already pulling out his phone and making a call.

After a brief moment, the call was answered, and a male voice came through. "Hello? Uncle? Why are you calling me so late?"

The female ghost's eyes widened at the sound of the voice—Huang Fengxiu!

"Ah, Fengxiu," Huang's father asked calmly, "where are you living these days?"

Huang Fengxiu sounded a bit on edge in response. "Why... why do you want to know?"

"Oh, it's like this!" Huang's father explained with composure. "Your brother has moved into his new place. We're very grateful for selling us the house at such a reasonable price. Recently, I went abroad on a business trip and bought some gifts. I wanted to send them to you."

Huang Fengxiu's tone immediately shifted on the other end of the line. He sounded delighted. "How could I accept that, Uncle? You're too kind. So, how's everything at home... Nothing, nothing out of the ordinary, right?"

"Hahaha! Of course not." Huang's father chuckled sincerely. "Everything is going smoothly. Remember to send me your address."

"Okay, okay, okay!"

Father Huang hung up the call, and the loving expression on his face vanished in an instant. His phone pinged, and he glanced at it before tossing it to his son. "Read it out for her."

Everyone: "...."

Under the gaze of the crowd, Father Huang merely snorted coldly. "That little bastard, he abandoned his girlfriend, abused her, and even colluded with his parents to swindle their elders. He wouldn't know his own surname if we didn't teach him a lesson!"

Ruan Shihang stared blankly at the innocence that had returned to the elder's face as if nothing had happened. Recalling the Oscar-worthy performance just now, he felt like applauding.

The female ghost was deeply touched. "Thank you, uncle."

Father Huang still had a sour look on his face towards her. He scolded her the moment he opened his mouth. "You're grateful for this small favor, but have you ever thanked your parents for raising you for over twenty years? It's been so long since you jumped off the building, have you gone back to visit them even once?"

The female ghost felt ashamed and embarrassed. She burst into tears again under his reprimand.

Feeling awkward, Huang Jue tried to smooth things over. "Sister-in-law, you can't see clearly right now. If you go to someone's house and mistake them again, it'll be terrible. Should I get you a pair of glasses instead?"

The female ghost wiped away her tears, grateful. "Thank you. If it's convenient, could you also burn me a few pairs of contact lenses? Johnson & Johnson's are best; both Bausch + Lomb and HaiChang slide off my eyes."

Huang Jue: "...Okay."

Ghost Woman: "Also, when I came here the other time, I noticed you often lie in bed playing with your phone. You shouldn't do that anymore; it's not good for your eyes. Don't end up like me, a ghost with poor vision."

Huang Jue: "......Alright."

The ghost woman pondered for a moment and then turned to bow at Wei Xi and the others. Lifting her head, she said sorrowfully, "Once the matter with Huang Fengxiu is settled, I want to go visit my parents. The child is still young, I don't know if they can accept him. And I'm also unsure if we'll encounter any dangers on the way. I can't afford to hire anyone else, so I was wondering if any of you deities could help keep an eye on him?"

As soon as she finished speaking, the ghost infant, who had remained expressionless all along, blinked and suddenly burst into tears.

Upon hearing the crying, the ghost woman's expression changed, and she exclaimed happily, "Oh! He's actually crying! He hasn't opened his mouth since he was born, and I've been worried that he might be mute!"

Shuo Zong watched silently as she thanked the heavens, then glanced at Wei Xi, who was amusing the ghost infant with small rocks.

Tuan Yuyi looked speechlessly at Ruan Shihang and said, "This ghost woman... It seems like only a family member would understand another family member, doesn't it?"

**********

After the ghost woman started browsing Taobao with Huang Jue to pick out glasses, everyone's attention shifted back to the male ghost named Shen Shu, who had been caught at the beginning.

Shen Shu ran his fingers through his sleek black hair while his beady eyes darted around cunningly, revealing that he was no innocent ghost. He asked cautiously, "Great deity, since everything is settled, and I haven't done anything evil, can you let me go? I still have a lot of work waiting for me."

United Right was very curious about his occupation. "How do you still have work? What exactly do you do?"

Shen Shu complained bitterly, "I just run an agency, taking on a few jobs to scrape by. I usually introduce single ghosts to potential partners and do odd jobs myself. I don't make much money and have to rush between different venues every day. It's only just started for me at this hour. Immortal, please give me a chance, I have several employees relying on me!"

Shuo Zong ignored his plea. This old ghost was so careless in his business, not even bothering to verify the details of his targets before stirring up trouble. It would be best to put such a troublesome spirit to rest as soon as possible.

After chatting with Shen Shu for a while, United Right found it quite promising. He quietly approached Wei Xi and said, "Master, this old ghost has a keen business sense. Being able to start an agency from scratch in the capital city shows he has some management skills. Don't we still need someone capable to manage things at our Taicang Haunted House? Little Fatty, that shut-in, only knows how to play games. His ability to plan and develop a career is really lacking."

Wei Xi agreed, "You're right."

He then waved at Shuo Zong, "Apprentice, hand him over to me."

United Right noticed his junior giving him a cold glance, as if he were an empress glaring at a concubine spreading rumors.

Shivering under the gaze, he realized how inappropriate his thoughts were. What kind of analogy was that? Hahahaha...

Shen Shu had just been bitten, tossed around, and beaten by Wei Xi, so he was terrified of him. As soon as he was lifted up, he immediately put his hands over his head and pleaded, "Great... Great Immortal, please spare me! I know I was wrong."

United Right reassured him, "Don't worry, the misunderstanding is cleared. My master is always gentle and loving, he won't hit you anymore. Instead, we'll find you a job."

Gentle and loving...

Shen Shu glanced timidly at Wei Xi's eyes, which seemed to say "I really want to devour you," causing his legs to tremble wildly as he stammered, "W-What kind of job?"

Could it be that they wanted to refine him into a ghost card for servitude? He had heard of some cruel methods used by cultivators before.

To his surprise, Tuan Jieyi simply took out his phone, flipped through it, and showed him a page with a persuasive tone, "Just now, you mentioned that you run an agency, which I assume is operating illegally, right? With such an unconventional business model, no wonder you're not making much money. Look at our Taicang Sect's haunted house - it operates legally, transparently pays taxes, has a business license, and receives excellent customer reviews online. Even though it hasn't been open long, the potential for growth is immense. More importantly, we offer generous compensation and have a well-established promotion system, along with exclusive benefits provided by the sect that allow you to work during the day. Are you interested in learning more?"

Shen Shu: "..."

Tuan Jieyi called Little Fatty, who squeezed excitedly out of the phone's speaker gap, his excessive flesh requiring quite some effort to free his entire body, leaving everyone in the room astonished.

Unaware of his alarming entrance, Little Fatty proudly held up a ledger and approached Wei Xi to boast, "Patriarch, Brother Jieyi's recommended promotional package really works wonders. Many clients who came out of curiosity have become regulars. Thanks to word-of-mouth, our reputation has spread far and wide. Yesterday afternoon, we even hosted a group of students from Nanjing who came specifically after seeing a post on social media. They gave us high ratings in the customer feedback book, praising our props and saying they'd bring more friends next time. If this continues, we might be able to open a branch soon."

Wei Xi nodded appreciatively. As Little Fatty noticed Ruan Shihang nearby, he recognized him and greeted him amiably.

Seeing Little Fatty emerge from the phone, Ruan Shihang could guess what he was, his face turning pale as he watched their interaction, "Y-You are...?"

"I don't look familiar? Yeah, under those circumstances, you probably wouldn't have noticed me." Little Fatty smacked his forehead and promptly handed Ruan Shihang a business card, "Hello, hello! Technically, you were one of our first customers. Thank you for supporting us. Whenever you're free, bring your friends along. We have a new 'Single Dog' theme coming up in November, and it's going to be a blast."

Ruan Shihang studied the business card in his hand, which read "Welcome to Taicang Haunted House," and looked at Wei Xi in disbelief. What was the meaning behind this haunted house's name?

As Wei Xi met his gaze, he considered for a moment before addressing Little Fatty, "This Mr. Ruan is a VIP Gold Card member of our sect. In the future, when he presents his membership card, guests accompanying him will receive a... 99% discount on haunted house tickets!"

Little Fatty's eyes gleamed as he looked at Ruan Shihang. "So you're a Gold Card member! Nice to meet you!"

Ruan Shihang: "..."

Damn it! So not only did the Taicang Sect deal with ghosts, but they were now also partnering with them for business? What exactly did they do?

*****

Little Fatty got along well with Uncle Shen. After discovering that they both had been bitten by Wei Xi, they bonded over their shared experience.

After examining Little Fatty's business license and tax records, Uncle Shen felt that this company was more legitimate than his own makeshift operation. Moreover, with his abilities, he could easily join the management team during the company's early stages. After some thought, he decided to bring his current employees and join the company.

Unlike Little Fatty, Uncle Shen had years of experience in the outside world and had built connections within the ghost community. He expected to find many interested employees after a proper screening process.

Little Fatty was delighted. The company was progressing steadily, and while they lacked nothing else, manpower was in high demand. Uncle Shen's arrival seemed to solve their most pressing issue. In no time, the two were arm-in-arm, discussing their respective business strategies.

Unlike the unambitious Little Fatty, Shen Shu was a restless spirit who had started from scratch without any possessions. Over the years, he had pondered countless ways to make money. Upon learning that Little Fatty and his friends could indeed operate their business during the day, he slapped his thigh in regret. "Oh my! How could you have used such a great opportunity to open a haunted house? You can't earn much from just one haunted house ticket, and there are so many expenses for the venue and labor. Do you know what I've always wanted to do? Not these petty little assignments, but to become a private investigator!"

Little Fatty was taken aback. "What's that?"

Shen Shu explained, "Have you heard of paparazzi? It's similar to that. Nowadays, some married humans don't appreciate their good lives and engage in extramarital affairs. Wealthy mistresses or bosses might hire private investigators to keep tabs on their partners. If they can obtain evidence of infidelity or secret asset transfers, divorce becomes much easier! However, gathering such evidence isn't easy. It has to be legitimate and cannot violate privacy. Human investigators can easily be detected when tailing someone in public, but we spirits have a natural advantage!"

His expression turned melancholic as he continued, "I once had dreams, but the job hours were irregular. Every time I went to stake out a client, they'd already checked into a hotel. It was quite an eye-sore..."

**********

None of the ghosts Huang Jue had encountered were conventional. Wei Xi left the Huangs' residence excitedly but returned with an empty stomach, having only consumed a few useless bags of shrimp chips and potato chips. He wasn't in high spirits.

The old neighborhood was much quieter under the night sky. The Huang family respectfully sent them off with exceptional politeness. The female ghost even hugged her child and thanked Wei Xi repeatedly. "Thank you so much, Master. If not for your help, my misunderstanding with my younger brother might never have been resolved, and my baby wouldn't have learned to cry."

The ghost infant in her arms had burst into an uncontrollable wail, covering its slapped little member as its cries echoed like a wild beast's roar.

Seeing the gratified expression on the female ghost's face, Wei Xi felt that he might have done a remarkable good deed. He waved his hand and said, "No problem. Feel free to contact me if you need assistance in the future."

As they were exchanging pleasantries, someone hesitantly called his name from behind.

He turned around and saw a black sedan parked not far away. The driver's head popped out, his expression a mix of surprise and joy when he spotted Wei Xi. "Damn! It really is you! You bastard, when did you come back to Beijing? Not updating your Weibo or posting on WeChat is one thing, but why didn't you even give us a call? We're still classmates, you know!"

The man paused and noticed the group behind Wei Xi. He didn't say anything more, got out of the car, and handed Wei Xi a business card with a smile. "Forget it, you must be busy, right? No need to rush. We can chat another time if you're free." Lowering his voice, he whispered in Wei Xi's ear, "Brother, don't bear your troubles alone. We're your classmates, we'll find a solution for you."

With that, he waved and got back into the car, leaving with the same smile as before.

Wei Xi watched the car disappear in silence. Tuanyi Yi stepped forward and asked, "Master, who was that?"

Wei Xi didn't know, so he didn't answer. Instead, he pondered over the matter.

The man who had just left seemed to have an unfortunate fate, judging from the lines on his face.

Fortunately, this was just a brief encounter. After bidding farewell to the Huang family, he returned to the Wei family residence with his two disciples.

On their way back, Tuanyi Yi was still thinking about what the man they met had said. 'Wow, my master actually has a Weibo account? ' When they entered the courtyard, he was utterly stunned.

The previously messy garden mud had been transformed into a clean and orderly space. Rows of neat holes of different sizes lined the paths, and the loose soil was piled tidily beside them. The progress was like a genie suddenly summoning a thousand and eight hundred servants.

There were several small stools placed on the mud ground, where seven or eight women, now clean after their labor, sat elegantly sipping coffee. Tuanyi Yi squinted hard to recognize a wrist adorned with what appeared to be a diamond watch amid the mud.

Despite their disheveled state, they were chattering merrily. One girl, with mud in her hair, pointed at another girl with mud on her face and exclaimed, "Wow, you're so cunning! You must have secretly smeared it on your face!"

The one being pointed at retorted, not to be outdone, "And aren't you pretending to scratch your scalp to cure your hair loss?"

Unity Yi: "?????"

What was going on here?

Wei Xi nodded approvingly and turned to the woman in the group who looked the most dull-witted. "Wanrong, you're very clever. You did well."

Shu Wanrong turned her head slowly to look at him. "..."

Thank you so much for your compliment. I had such a delightful time digging mud all day.