Chapter 55

Chapter 55

◎The Hidden Killer by Your Side◎

After leaving the hospital, Xiao Ye finally asked, "What's going on with him? Is he haunted by something unclean?"

Ji Nanxing shook his head: "There's nothing unclean, but Mao Lu doesn't have the face of someone destined for a short life. Although facial features aren't fixed, they usually don't change drastically overnight. Such a sudden transformation must have a reason behind it. I warned them; it's on them now to get through this mess."

Xiao Ye frowned slightly: "Does your warning count as divulging celestial secrets?"

Ji Nanxing shook his head again: "No, divulging celestial secrets would be if I saw your destined death and told you about it to help you avoid the disaster, allowing you to escape death. That would count as divulging celestial secrets. In his case, I merely noticed something unusual and gave a warning. That's all."

The first scenario involves karmic causality, and too much involvement in such matters can lead to the five misfortunes and three deficiencies in one's own fate. So, mystics who read faces and geomancy usually keep their insights to themselves, rarely spilling celestial secrets.

The latter, however, is simply reasoning based on observed features and existing clues. A little heads-up doesn't really change anything. If the warned person becomes alert, it's their own success in self-preservation and has little to do with divulging celestial secrets.

Xiao Ye grabbed Ji Nanxing, who was walking ahead, and turned him around to face him: "You're in this line of work, so you should know the rules and taboos better than I do. I'll keep it short: no matter what, don't let your soft heart get you hurt. Don't go sacrificing yourself just because you feel sorry for someone."

Looking at Xiao Ye, who was earnestly advising him, Ji Nanxing smiled: "Don't worry, I won't."

He got into this line of work because his fate was incomplete. Helping spirits and doing good deeds were just his way of staying alive. Therefore, he always knew his limits and when to stop.

Xiao Ye pulled Ji Nanxing into a hug: "Good boy, Naonao. Here's a lollipop for you."

Ji Nanxing struggled a bit: "Don't jump on me like that. You're too heavy."

Xiao Ye laughed heartily: "That's what keeps you warm. Cold? You can stick your hands in my pockets."

When they returned to Xiao Ye's home, it was just lunchtime. Although it was the weekend, his older brother and sister-in-law were at work, leaving only his grandfather, Wang Ma, and a young woman at home.

Xiao Ye's grandfather wasn't the stern type. He was somewhat chubby but very kind. As soon as he saw Ji Nanxing, he smiled and waved him over: "I used to hold you when you were just a little baby. You used to cry buckets, with tears streaming like a fountain, and your wails were so loud your whole family was at their wits' end."

Xiao Ye clicked his tongue: "What a crybaby."

Ji Nanxing obediently sat next to the old man. Xiao Ye had been playfully half-hugging, half-squishing him, which kept his yin energy in check. Plus, with Xiao Ye's grandfather's strong energy field—just as potent as some younger folks'—this quick meet-up wouldn't do any harm.

Xiao Ye always made his grandpa out to be strict and quick to punish, but really, the old man was friendly, loved a good laugh, and even got some modern slang.

Xiao Ye whispered to him: "Don't let my grandpa's looks fool you. He's tough as nails."

The sharp-eared grandfather snorted coldly: "You smashed my vase, nicked my inkstone, and even used my prized tea cakes to boil eggs. I didn't break your legs out of the kindness of my heart! If I weren't tough on you, you'd be tearing the house apart!"

Ji Nanxing shot Xiao Ye a look, realizing just how merciful his grandpa really was.

Xiao Ye protested: "Grandpa! Why does he have to embarrass me like my brother? I've got some pride, you know."

The grandfather ignored his troublesome grandson and turned to Ji Nanxing with a smile: "It's getting chilly. Don't go running off later. You're at that growing age, so take a nap this afternoon. Stay for dinner and don't head out. The weather's been rough, so just stay home and relax."

Before Ji Nanxing could refuse, Xiao Ye quickly chimed in: "Don't sweat it, Grandpa. I've got him covered."

After lunch, the grandfather didn't keep them tied down and let them go play. Ji Nanxing followed behind Xiao Ye, watching as he carried a pile of snacks and several fruits, still trying to juggle everything while reaching out to hold his hand.

Ji Nanxing swatted his hand away: "Watch where you're going."

Carrying so many things, with three plates of fruit stacked on top, if he fell, Ji Nanxing would immediately take out his phone to snap a photo and post it on social media.

Xiao Ye, with a hint of regret, withdrew his hand: "I just thought you might feel shy in my house, so holding your hand would make you braver."

Ji Nanxing retorted: "Who was the one running around like a headless chicken when a ghost was after them?"

Xiao Ye: "First of all, I wasn't screaming like a maniac. If you don't believe me, we can check the replay. Secondly, I wasn't running aimlessly; I was trying to distract the ghost from you."

Ji Nanxing replied indifferently, "Oh, well, thanks then."

Xiao Ye: "Hey, you little brat."

This time, Xiao Ye had planned ahead, so when he went to find Ji Nanxing in the morning, he also took his schoolbag, insisting that he couldn't go home until he finished his homework.

However, after taking out Ji Nanxing's homework, he realized that it was already completed. Looking at the fully answered workbook, Xiao Ye said, "You finished this quickly? Why didn’t you say something when I took your homework?"

Ji Nanxing: "I figured you wanted to copy it."

Last night, Xie Paner had stayed up all night working and even borrowed an incense stick from him as a weekend work bonus. After finishing her homework, the mischievous girl had run off to play somewhere.

Xiao Ye flipped through his homework and confirmed it was all done, then put down his own homework: "Then I’ll keep you company and play games."

Ji Nanxing shook his head: "What about my pajamas? I want to take a nap."

The house already had underfloor heating. Since it was a standalone villa, the heating temperature could be set individually. The grandfather, being old, was more afraid of cold than heat, so the heating was usually cranked up high, making thick cotton pajamas unnecessary.

Xiao Ye had prepared thin fleece pajamas for Ji Nanxing, warm but lightweight.

After watching him change into pajamas and get into bed, Xiao Ye finally opened his homework. Ji Nanxing would take a nap while he did his homework, and by the time Ji Nanxing woke up, his homework would be done—just right.

Outside, the sky had turned gloomy at some point, and snowflakes began to fall. Their area was kind of in between the south and the north, so while they didn't get heavy snow, it still snowed in winter. This winter had come early, and it seemed it would be cold for a long time.

Xiao Ye, wearing comfortable home clothes, sat at the desk. Looking up, he saw the wind and rain outside the window; turning his head, he saw Ji Nanxing sleeping peacefully on the bed. The fruit placed by the bedside still emitted a faint fragrance, and everything felt just perfect.

Looking at the weather outside the window, Mao Lu's mother frowned as she peeled an apple. Bad weather made traveling a hassle. Mao Lu's father was a truck driver, and driving in such wet weather was the most dangerous.

Taking the peeled apple, Mao Lu couldn't help but ask his mother curiously, "What did my classmate want with you earlier?"

He actually wanted to ask if the classmate had given his family money. Though his pride made him feel a bit embarrassed, if they had indeed received something, he couldn't just ignore it. He had to show some gratitude.

Mao Lu's mother hesitated for a moment before looking at her son: "Has anyone ever given you food or drinks? I mean, has anyone consistently given you things like candies or any kind of food?"

Mao Lu frowned, "No, why?"

This was completely unrelated to what he had asked.

Mao Lu's mother was about to say something when Mao Lu's father walked in, bringing a chill with him. He removed his windproof coat and handed two warm sweet potatoes to his wife and son: "I passed by and smelled something sweet, so I bought these for you. Eat them while they’re still warm."

Mao Lu's mother handed him a towel to wipe himself: "Why are you home so early today?"

Mao Lu's father: "The weather's bad, so I left work early."

Unless it was an urgent delivery, they usually tried to avoid driving in snowy or rainy weather. They transported goods, mostly large items, so safety always came first.

Mao Lu peeled the sweet potato, took a bite, and blew out some heat before looking at his mother again: "Mom, what were you getting at with that question earlier?"

Looking at her husband and son, Mao Lu's mother recounted what the young boy had told her that morning.

Mao Lu's father frowned: "What do you mean? A talisman?"

He even leaned in to smell his son but only caught the scent of his unwashed hair and the disinfectant on his clothes.

Mao Lu's mother felt an inexplicable unease: "I don't know, but the boy seemed dead serious."

Mao Lu's father looked at his son: "What does that classmate's family do?"

If it's a Taoist temple or a place that specializes in funeral services, they might actually be able to discern something.

Mao Lu: "I don't know what his family does, but they are very wealthy, extremely wealthy, the kind that can call in a legal team at a moment's notice. He's also very smart, top of his class."

The older man in the next bed over from Mao Lu overheard their conversation and couldn't help but interject: "Isn't your report due today? Just wait for the results. But you should be careful; it might be a case of the thief crying 'stop thief.' Some kids are just too smart." So smart it messes with their head and causes problems.

Mao Lu immediately dismissed it: "That shouldn't be the case. I haven't even seen that classmate much."

So he was more inclined to believe that Ji Nanxing really smelled the scent of a talisman on him, although he had just sniffed himself and found nothing.

Soon, Mao Lu's attending physician arrived, looking quite serious. The test results showed chronic mercury poisoning, and he even suggested that Mao Lu's parents get checked as well.

Generally, chronic poisoning is mostly caused by environmental factors, but Mao Lu is just a high school student, so occupational exposure is out of the question. It's more likely due to everyday items he's been in contact with, which means his parents might also be affected.

Upon hearing about chronic mercury poisoning, Mao Lu's parents' faces changed. The older man in the other bed in the ward let out a soft hiss—could that young classmate actually be onto something?

Mao Lu's mother looked at her husband, her voice trembling: "Should we call the police?"

The classmate had suggested that if it was mercury poisoning, they should call the police.

Mao Lu's father scheduled a check-up with the hospital: "Wait for the results, then we'll call the police."

Mao Lu had Xiao Ye's WeChat and wanted to contact Ji Nanxing through him to ask more questions.

When Xiao Ye received Mao Lu's WeChat message, Ji Nanxing was still asleep. He stepped outside to take the call: "Did the results come out?"

Mao Lu put the WeChat on speaker: "Yes, the doctor said it's mercury poisoning. I want to ask Ji Nanxing how he knew. Can you give me his WeChat? I just want to ask."

Xiao Ye: "He already told your mother everything he knew. I can only say that Ji Nanxing has a master who knows a bit about these things, but Ji Nanxing is still young and doesn't know much. He just smelled the scent of a talisman and thought you didn't seem like someone with a short lifespan, so he gave a heads-up. What you need to do now is not to question Ji Nanxing but to look into your own situation. He's not some fortune-teller or anything like that. If you've been poisoned, I suggest you contact the police right away."

After hanging up, Mao Lu looked at his parents.

Mao Lu's father looked grim. Anyone who finds out their son, or even the whole family, might have been poisoned wouldn't look good.

Mao Lu's mother was even more panicked, seeing her son's sickly face, she couldn't hold back her tears. Who would do this? Who's out to get them?

The helpful older man in the next bed suggested: "You should all avoid going home for now. Go to the mall and buy new clothes, change out of what you're wearing, and take off any jewelry. Buy food from different places outside every day, and hire a professional to test for mercury levels at home to see where it's coming from."

The other bed's occupant comforted them: "At least they caught it. Now that they know what's wrong, they can treat him, and he'll get better."

Soon, the poisoning incident spread throughout the hospital. It's not like decades ago when lack of awareness and protection led to occupational poisoning. Cases of mercury poisoning are rare these days. Before Mao Lu's parents could call the police, the hospital had already contacted the authorities.

They had to figure out where the mercury was coming from and whether it could cause a widespread safety hazard. If it was intentional poisoning, the perpetrator needed to be caught.

Just like the older man in the next bed, the cops' first thought was to suspect Ji Nanxing. However, as soon as they called him to come to the station for questioning, they received a call from higher up.

Xiao Ye watched Ji Nanxing hang up the phone and whispered beside him: "Do you need to go to the police station? Don't worry, with my brother around, nothing will happen."

This matter had nothing to do with them, so Xiao Ye wasn't afraid of being investigated, just worried that Ji Nanxing might be scared.

Ji Nanxing wasn't scared at all; he had even anticipated the possibility of being questioned when he gave the warning: "No need, I've contacted the Management Bureau; they'll handle it."

Even though this wasn't a supernatural event, since it involved a Taoist, the Management Bureau had some jurisdiction.

They figured once the cops got involved, they'd find the source of the mercury fast, but things got messy. They searched their home thoroughly but found nothing contaminated with mercury. Mao Lu's parents were also checked and found to be healthy with no signs of poisoning.

So where did the mercury on Mao Lu come from?

Word of the incident also got back to the school, but Mao Lu's family had only mentioned Ji Nanxing's warning to the police and no one else. Therefore, the school was unaware of the other details, only surprised to hear that Mao Lu wasn't sick but poisoned.

Because of the bad weather, with continuous rain and snow, it was a bit far to go out of school for meals. So, at some point, a group of four had formed a meal group and went to the cafeteria together.

Xiao Ye wrapped Ji Nanxing in a scarf, covered him with a hat, and then held his hand in his own pocket: "Just follow me, you don't need to look at the road, it's freezing. The school rules are ridiculous—why don't they let us eat in the classroom? It's so cold, and we still have to go to the cafeteria."

Chen Shiyi, who also had his entire face wrapped in a scarf, said in a muffled voice: "Can you stand staying in a classroom filled with the smell of food all afternoon?"

With the classroom's air conditioning on and the doors and windows closed, the smell doesn't disperse easily, which is why eating in the classroom is not allowed.

Ji Nanxing is sensitive to the cold but not exactly afraid of it; he fears the internal chill, the perennial lingering coldness that is colder than the cold wind. But as long as he is in contact with Xiao Ye, this kind of physical temperature is nothing to him.

However, Xiao Ye always thinks he's cold and piles on all kinds of warm things, and there's no arguing against it. Ji Nanxing can only let him do as he pleases.

Hearing Chen Shiyi speak, Ji Nanxing just wanted to look up, but Xiao Ye pressed down the edge of his hat.

"Keep your head down; don't let the wind get you."

Finally reaching the cafeteria, the warm air immediately made their bodies relax.

Xiao Ye took off Ji Nanxing's hat and loosened his scarf: "Find a seat. What do you want to eat?"

Ji Nanxing looked towards the food serving area, first at the fried chicken legs and ribs, then at the braised meat noodles. While he was hesitating, Xiao Ye laughed: "Alright, I know what you want. Go find a seat." After saying that, he turned around to queue.

Chen Shiyi looked at him and then at Xiao Ye: "Has your tacit understanding already developed to the point where you can communicate by brainwaves?"

Ji Nanxing looked at Chen Shiyi: "Do you want me to take your scarf?"

Chen Shiyi's scarf, used to block the wind, was very large, and just a couple of loops could cover his entire face. Because it was so bulky, wearing the scarf to get food was awkward.

Chen Shiyi handed the scarf to Ji Nanxing: "Want some millet cake? I'll grab extra."

Ji Nanxing nodded, and Chen Shiyi went directly to the dessert area. Soon, the person who went for food returned with the meals.

Xiao Ye mixed the braised meat noodles and placed them in front of him, then pushed the dishes he had brought to him: "Eat the chicken leg first; it's no good cold."

Zhang Yuan couldn't help but laugh: "If your cousin saw you now, he'd probably cry and go home to his mom."

Chen Shiyi asked curiously: "What's wrong with the cousin?"

Zhang Yuan: "When his cousin was three and playing at his house, he still couldn't use chopsticks. He thought his cousin was dumb for still using a spoon at that age, so he only gave him chopsticks and no spoon."

Chen Shiyi: "And then?"

Zhang Yuan: "Then his cousin got so anxious he just grabbed the food with his hands. Later, he cried and told his mom he wanted to use chopsticks, scared he wouldn't get to eat if he went back to his brother's."

Looking at it now, if Ji Nanxing said he couldn't use chopsticks, Xiao Ye would probably feed him directly with a spoon.

Xiao Ye added a piece of rib to his bowl: "Can't eating keep you quiet?"

As the group's gossip king, Chen Shiyi said, munching on a bun: "What do you think about Mao Lu's case? Who do you think poisoned him? Why hasn't it been solved yet?"

Zhang Yuan: "It must be someone close; otherwise, it'd be acute, not chronic, mercury poisoning."

Chen Shiyi analyzed: "He's not particularly handsome, so it's unlikely to be a crime of passion. His family isn't very wealthy, so it's unlikely to be for money. Who would want to harm him?"

Ji Nanxing: "Since the police are on it, they'll figure it out."

After the initial confusion, Mao Lu finally accepted that he was not sick but had been poisoned. Yet, he couldn't figure out who would poison him. He asked himself if he had any enemies who would want to kill him, and it was a slow poison, meaning it was administered over a long period.

The police were also questioning him because they couldn't find anything containing mercury at his home.

"Think carefully again, anything that seems suspicious or unusual, whether it's food, items, or even clothes you wear, or if you frequently encounter someone, perhaps just a regular greeting between neighbors but someone you meet often."

Mao Lu thought hard for a long time but couldn't come up with anything. However, he thought of one thing, and his expression shifted slightly.

The police officer in charge of the case quickly asked, "Did you think of something?"

Mao Lu looked at his mother.

Mao Lu's mother's heart sank. "What is it, son? Did you think of something?"

Mao Lu's mother panicked slightly, fearing that she might have inadvertently done something or given her son something that harmed him. If that were the case, she could never forgive herself.

Mao Lu, holding back his worry, said, "Aunt, Aunt often comes to our house, and every time she brings a lot of food and drinks, she always brought one or two boxes of milk."

Hearing this, Mao Lu's parents' expressions changed. They didn't drink milk, so except for some fruits they would eat, the other food and drinks brought by his aunt were mostly consumed by Mao Lu.

If there was something wrong with the milk, it would explain why he and Mao Lu's mother were fine, but Mao Lu was affected, because Mao Lu was the only one in the family who drank milk!

With a lead in the investigation, the police went to the house immediately.

Mao Lu's parents hadn't been wary of their relatives, and they had informed their relatives about Mao Lu being poisoned as soon as they found out, since the main cause of the illness was found, and subsequent treatment would require a significant amount of money, which they would definitely need to borrow from others.

But this was not caused by pathological reasons, although the damage to the organs was irreversible, there was still hope for survival. Some relatives were very active in helping them raise money, which also gave Mao Lu's aunt time to cover her tracks.

So when the police came to the door, Mao Lu's aunt was very calm, even her surprise at being questioned seemed perfectly timed.

Unfortunately, everything done leaves a trace. Mao Lu's aunt's house was very clean, looking like an ordinary small family.

But the police made an important discovery on her: they seemed to understand the talisman smell mentioned by Mao Lu's classmate. They smelled the lingering scent of talismans on Mao Lu's aunt.