Chapter 142

Chapter 142

◎They Want Him◎

Anyone with half a brain could understand what Ji Nanxing was getting at, and there was no need for further explanation.

Xiao Ye couldn’t see Li Hongqian and didn’t know what expression he was wearing now, but he imagined the situation wouldn’t be good. Nobody would be okay with being replaced.

Imagining himself in that situation—if some unknown ghost took over his body, and his friends and family all accepted and acknowledged that ghost, with no one caring or investigating where the real him had gone—just the thought of it was too much.

With this thought, Xiao Ye couldn’t help but tighten his grip on Ji Nanxing’s hand.

When Ji Nanxing suddenly felt his hand being held, he turned to look at him: "What’s wrong?"

Xiao Ye shook his head, but his hand remained tightly clasped, and though he said nothing, his face clearly showed he was a little upset, which amused Ji Nanxing.

Clearly, Xiao Ye had imagined himself in that spot and was feeling sorry for himself.

Ji Nanxing reached up and ruffled Xiao Ye’s hair: "Who was the one telling me to stay strong? Why aren’t you holding it together now?"

Xiao Ye, like a sad, droopy-eared dog, said: "I do believe, it’s just that imagining myself in that spot just feels bad."

Li Hongqian was right there, and though he couldn’t see him, some things were better not said out loud, as it would be too much for the ghost. So Xiao Ye quickly shook off that mood and looked around the art exhibition: "Let’s grab some food first, and then figure this out after we eat."

Ji Nanxing glanced at Li Hongqian, who had fallen silent after Xiao Ye’s words, and nodded.

There was a very good Sichuan restaurant next to the art exhibition, and coincidentally, 'Li Hongqian' and Li Xin were also dining there.

'Li Hongqian' noticed them being led in by the waiter and smiled at them when their eyes met. Hearing Li Xin gasping from the heat, he immediately picked up a glass of water and handed it to her: "I told you not to eat such spicy food, you’re definitely going to have a stomachache later."

Li Xin stuck out her tongue, fanning it: "Yogurt, I want yogurt, water doesn’t cut the spice."

'Li Hongqian' wiped the spicy-induced sweat from her forehead with a tissue while picking up a small fan to fan her: "I ordered it, it’s on its way. Have some water first, and I’ll ask the waiter to change some dishes."

But Li Xin refused: "No, I like it, it’s so hot, and I’m loving it."

'Li Hongqian' really didn’t understand why she would keep eating even when her face was red from the spiciness. What a weird thing to like.

She wasn’t used to strong flavors, or rather, she had never eaten anything particularly good growing up, so now even a little flavor was a treat for her. With so many delicious options, she didn’t need to go crazy over spicy food.

Li Xin stuck out her tongue, panting, while smiling at 'Li Hongqian', who was completely disarmed and looked at her with nothing but affection and gentleness.

Xie Paner, standing next to Ji Nanxing, cautiously peeked at Li Hongqian’s expression, quickly pulling back after one glance. He looked so ghostly—it didn’t seem like a living soul at all, more ghostly than her.

But she could understand. Watching the brother and sister being so affectionate, if he could, he’d probably have ripped them to shreds.

Xiao Ye called the waiter to order, not even needing to ask Ji Nanxing what he wanted. He knew Ji Nanxing’s likes inside out and ordered all his favorite dishes.

While they were waiting for their food, the waiter seemed to have brought the wrong dish to the other table, serving a plate of fish-flavored eggplant.

Li Xin immediately said: "We didn’t order this."

The waiter checked the table number on the order slip, which showed it was indeed for their table, and quickly contacted the kitchen. 'Li Hongqian' said: "If it’s extra, it’s fine, just leave it."

But Li Xin stopped him: "No, no, we didn’t order eggplant, take it away, we don’t eat eggplant."

Then she turned to 'Li Hongqian' and said: "Second brother, you can’t eat eggplant outside, you’ve got to watch what you eat, you’re allergic to eggplant."

'Li Hongqian' visibly paused, his expression slightly unnatural as he smiled: "Oh, I forgot."

Li Xin smiled and pinched his cheeks with both hands: "You’re always forgetting stuff. You’re allergic to eggplant, milk gives you diarrhea, your stomach is bad from drinking too much before, and you can’t do overly strenuous exercise, or you’ll have palpitations. Remember that!"

'Li Hongqian' smiled and pulled her hands down: "I remember."

Only then did Li Xin let go of him and pushed some non-spicy dishes in front of him, placing the red, spicy dishes in front of herself. She kept eating while fanning her mouth.

Xiao Ye looked at Ji Nanxing and whispered, "So that girl was actually reminding him. Does she know he’s not him?"

Ji Nanxing: "Even we, who have only met him once, can see the difference at a glance. Do you think the people around him wouldn’t notice?"

What they could see, the real Li Hongqian could naturally see as well. He rushed towards the table with the man and woman, repeatedly colliding with Li Xin: "You backstabber! You know she’s not me, she’s an imposter! Yet you treat her like your own brother! Li Xin, you traitor! I’m your real brother! I am!"

No matter how furious Li Hongqian was, he was now a lingering ghost invisible to the living. Although Li Xin couldn’t see him, she felt something and rubbed her arm: "It feels a little chilly."

'Li Hongqian' reached out to test the air around her: "Are you sitting in a draft? Come sit over here."

Li Xin shook her head: "No, I’m just hot from eating. The breeze helps cool me off."

Although the living couldn’t see the lingering ghost’s impact, it still had some effect. The lingering ghost’s Yin Energy would disperse the Yang Energy, and the living’s Yang Energy would naturally be affected by the Yin Energy.

Seeing Li Hongqian’s rage spiral out of control, Ji Nanxing flicked his wrist, and the sound of a bell rang out. An invisible force spread, pinning the out-of-control Li Hongqian to the ground.

Ji Nanxing then shook the Golden Bell, capturing Li Hongqian inside. If he let him continue to rage, even if the ghost was willing to give up the body, Li Hongqian might not be able to return. So it was better to let him calm down inside the Golden Bell.

Xiao Ye saw him use the small Golden Bell and asked, "What happened? Is Li Hongqian causing trouble?"

Ji Nanxing nodded: "He was provoked by that situation."

After Li Hongqian was captured in the Golden Bell, Xie Paner also relaxed, no longer clinging to Ji Nanxing. She moved away a bit: "That really freaked me out. I can understand him, but his fury was terrifying."

Xie Paner then looked at the other table, where the fake Li Hongqian and his sister were happily eating. The fake Li Hongqian was even peeling shrimp for his sister. To anyone watching, they seemed like close siblings.

Looking at the real Li Hongqian, even though she could understand his situation and feelings, his earlier behavior, even cursing his sister, seemed more about hatred than the sadness of being replaced. It didn’t seem like he had a good relationship with his sister.

Moreover, based on the feelings they gave her, if it were her, she would prefer the fake Li Hongqian because he was so gentle. When he smiled and talked to you, it made you want to get close to him.

As for the real Li Hongqian, although he seemed to be trying hard to show kindness, there was an innate ferocity about him. Xie Paner had been wary of him from the start and didn’t really like him.

After capturing Li Hongqian, they could finally eat in peace. Knowing Li Hongqian wasn’t around, they spoke more freely. Xiao Ye directly asked, "Naonao, do you think there’s a good chance of him returning?"

Ji Nanxing shook his head: "Not likely. Look at Li Xin. She clearly knows the person in front of her isn’t her brother, but she accepts him and even indirectly reminds him of some basic facts about Li Hongqian. Although I don’t know the attitude of the rest of the Li Family, the soul and body of this 'Li Hongqian' are so fused that unless I use my spiritual sight, I can’t detect any issues."

If it had been earlier, when the ghost first entered the body, he could have easily pulled the ghost out.

But now they were fused, not just in body and soul, but also influenced by external recognition.

Xiao Ye: "Does recognition have such a big impact?"

Ji Nanxing: "Of course. You must have heard the story of the True and False Monkey Kings. The two identical monkeys were impossible to tell apart, and it took the Buddha to tell them apart. The story naturally had a happy ending, with no confusion between true and false. But what if the Buddha pointed to the fake one and said it was real?"

Xiao Ye: "Then the fake would become real."

Ji Nanxing: "So as long as the people around him believe he’s real, then he is Li Hongqian. Aura can nurture a person. Look at celebrities—the more famous they get, the better they look. That’s the aura nurturing them. Once the Li Family accepts and acknowledges him, the family’s aura will naturally accept him, and he will gradually become a part of it."

Xie Paner couldn’t help but ask, "If that’s the case, what will happen to the real Li Hongqian?"

That would be just too sad. His identity stolen, his family knowing it’s a fake but preferring the imposter, while the real him is left to wander as a lonely ghost?

Ji Nanxing: "Let’s see if we can negotiate. If he’s willing to relinquish the body, it’s not entirely impossible to extract the soul."

If the other party is unwilling, then this matter cannot be blamed on the imposter Li Hongqian, because he noticed the contractual bond between them, proving that the imposter Li Hongqian did not forcibly occupy the body; it was voluntarily relinquished by the real Li Hongqian. After giving it away, he regretted it and wanted to tear up the contract, making the real Li Hongqian the one at fault.

When 'Li Hongqian' took Li Xin out, he greeted them, and Ji Nanxing didn’t do much, just smiled at them.

From a distance, they could hear Li Xin asking, "Brother, who are they? They look so handsome."

'Li Hongqian's voice carried a smile: "Some folks I ran into at the art show today."

Because they were good-looking, she couldn’t resist stealing a few extra glances at the time. Although she is now a man, it doesn’t hinder her from appreciating male handsomeness.

Of course, she noticed that many modern women are also beautiful, generally more so than men. It’s just a pity that she is now a man and can’t openly or secretly admire them—that would just be creepy. Although she is grateful for the chance to be reborn, why did it have to be as a man? Sigh.

After they left, Xiao Ye signaled the waiter to bring the bill, only to be told that their table had already been paid for.

Xie Paner cupped her face in her hands: "Ugh, I know it’s wrong, but that fake Li Hongqian is just so nice, with a charming smile and gentle demeanor, and he even paid the bill!"

Ji Nanxing, seeing her conflicted expression, chuckled: "Let’s go, time to head home."

Xie Paner quickly slipped into the small wooden token Ji Nanxing carried. With the sun so strong outside, it was more comfortable inside the token, and she didn’t have to walk—being a domestic spirit was great.

Once they got home, Ji Nanxing let Li Hongqian out.

Inside the Golden Bell, Li Hongqian had calmed down. He looked at Ji Nanxing almost pleadingly: "I really don’t want to perish. That’s my identity, my family. Taoist, please help me. I really have no way out."

Ji Nanxing didn’t directly agree, only saying he’d arrange to meet the person and see what their attitude was.

Li Hongqian was worried: "What if she refuses to give my body back?"

Ji Nanxing laughed: "If he is unwilling, then there’s nothing you can do forcefully. He’s been in your body for over two months. What were you doing during those two months? Now that he has almost fully integrated with the body, don’t you think it’s a little late for regrets?"

Li Hongqian looked on the verge of tears: "I tried everything, but I was at a loss. If it weren’t for that day at the intersection when I met you and saw you could talk to ghosts, I..."

Ji Nanxing cut him off directly: "You’ve lied so much you’ve started to believe your own lies? Li Hongqian, I’m willing to help you now only because of my duty as a Taoist. If we can peacefully restore the yin-yang balance, it would be a chance for you to start over. After all, the body is yours. If he is unwilling, then I can only say, you had it coming."

From the first time he saw Li Hongqian, Ji Nanxing had already noticed many things. This guy was inherently selfish, full of spite, petty, cowardly yet vicious, lustful, had a chaotic private life, and even had several causal lines of offspring—probably from several abortions.

Today, seeing that 'Li Hongqian', because of the different soul, his facial features had also changed. His eyes were clear, his temperament resilient, his face radiated righteousness, and he even had an aura of merit. It was likely this aura of merit that preserved his soul and gave him this chance at life.

After meeting 'Li Hongqian', Ji Nanxing’s own feelings had already changed. But as a Taoist, he couldn’t act entirely on personal feelings. At least he had to go through this process. If 'Li Hongqian' was unwilling to give up the body, it was the contract that came first, and it couldn’t be blamed on others.

Hearing Ji Nanxing say this, Li Hongqian’s face stiffened. The previously helpless demeanor of having his body taken but being powerless to do anything was hard to maintain. Despite his efforts to control himself, the ghostly aura around him became unusually apparent: "You’re siding with her too? She took my body, and you all side with her?!"

Ji Nanxing crossed his arms, his expression turning cold: "You keep saying he took your body, but did he really take it?"

Li Hongqian was about the same height as Ji Nanxing, but as someone drained by indulgence, how could he match Ji Nanxing’s powerful aura? When Ji Nanxing’s face turned cold, the commanding presence of a Taoist immediately bore down.

Before Li Hongqian could speak, a powerful surge of Yang Energy slammed into him.

He was already a half-ghost, his soul not so solid. How could he withstand such a surge of Yang Energy? As the Yang Energy passed through his body, Li Hongqian’s soul instantly destabilized and scattered slightly. The burning sensation made him feel as if he would dissipate in the next second.

Xiao Ye had turned on the camera and could naturally see Li Hongqian. Hearing him question Ji Nanxing, he walked over and passed right through him. Xiao Ye was naturally strong in Yang Energy—what did he know? He knew nothing. He was just passing by Ji Nanxing.

He even held a fruit plate and asked: "Want some lychees? I’ll peel them for you."

Seeing Li Hongqian scattered by Xiao Ye’s Yang Energy, Ji Nanxing reached out to push Xiao Ye away: "Stop messing around."

But Xiao Ye didn’t leave. Instead, he turned to look at Li Hongqian, his expression cold but his eyes warning: "Do you even know how to ask for a favor? If you don’t know the rules, get out. There’s no one here to coddle you!"

He had never raised his voice at Ji Naonao. Under his watch, how could he let Ji Naonao be scolded? Not even by a ghost!

He initially thought the young Taoist would be easy to control, but now it was clearly different from what he had imagined. Staying here was no longer useful. He wasn’t one to put up with being humiliated. Realizing the Taoist might be tougher than he thought, Li Hongqian turned and ran away.

Xie Paner, engrossed in her phone game, blurted out, "He’s not looking for his own body anymore?"

Ji Nanxing wasn’t very concerned. "Let him go."

The more his heart darkened with hatred, the quicker his ghostly aura intensified. When the last thread of life connected to his body was completely severed, he would never be able to return.

Back at the Li household, Li Hongsheng, the eldest son, had just stepped out of the car when his younger sister leaped at him, clutching his hand and bouncing with her braids swinging. "Big brother, do you think it looks good? Second brother made it for me!"

Li Xin, only fourteen this year, was the youngest daughter of the family. Pampered from a young age, she grew up with a naive and carefree spirit. She used to cling to him the most, but now she’s all about her second brother.

As Li Xin pulled Li Hongsheng into the house, 'Li Hongqian' was coming out of the kitchen with a small cake. She greeted the siblings with a warm, eye-crinkling smile. "I made brownies today. I tried them—they’re not too sweet."

Li Xin ran over, took a piece, tasted it, and then gave a thumbs up to her second brother. "So good! Second brother, you should open a bakery someday."

'Li Hongqian' smiled. She wasn’t exactly a kitchen whiz, but she was curious about everything in this new era. The stoves and ovens in the kitchen were things she had never seen before. Given this second chance at life, she didn’t know when it might end, so naturally, she wanted to try more things in the limited time she had.

Li Hongsheng walked over. Not big on sweets, but he took a bite to be nice. "It’s really good."

'Li Hongqian' smiled and placed the dessert on the table, adding, "I made sugar-free ones too, perfect for Mom and Dad since they’re watching their sugar intake."

Li Hongsheng stepped forward and called out, "Xiao Qian."

'Li Hongqian' responded, turned to look at Li Hongsheng, and smiled. "What’s going on?"

Li Hongsheng took out a protective talisman from his pocket. "I had this specially made—one for each family member. Wear it for safety. This is yours, Xinxin. Make sure to keep it on you."

Seeing the talisman, 'Li Hongqian' was somewhat afraid. She knew she was a ghost inhabiting another’s body. What if the charm inside really worked and she was dispelled?

But since Li Hongsheng had handed it over, she had no choice but to accept it.

Even she didn’t notice the flicker of fear in her eyes when she looked at the talisman.

Her mind raced with fears that the charm might work and banish her, so naturally, she didn’t notice that Li Hongsheng didn’t hand it directly to her, but instead held it and approached slowly, even observing her. If she seemed uneasy, Li Hongsheng would pull back right away.

Only when the talisman was placed in her palm, without heating up or activating, did 'Li Hongqian' let out a tiny sigh of relief, then raised a sincere smile. "Thank you, big brother!"

Li Hongsheng also breathed a sigh of relief and rubbed her hair. "You’re welcome. By the way, that girls' school you talked about—is the plan done?"

'Li Hongqian's' eyes lit up immediately. "It’s done! Though it might not be super polished. Shall I get it for you to see?"

Seeing Li Hongsheng nod, 'Li Hongqian' skipped back to her room, her steps light.

Li Xin, holding the talisman, licked the crumbs from the corner of her mouth and said with a bit of worry, "Brother, is that talisman really useful?"

Li Hongsheng replied, "I specially asked a master to make a soul-stabilizing talisman. It’s said to have a certain stabilizing effect for those with unstable souls. We’re not experts in the mystical arts, but we’re hoping the charm does its job."

Hearing this, Li Xin felt a little guilty. "Brother, are we very bad, knowing he’s not..."

Li Hongsheng put his hands on her shoulders. "Do you want him to stay?"

Li Xin nodded very firmly. She did, even though she knew he wasn’t her second brother, but she wished he was.

Li Hongsheng smiled. "Then don’t think too much. Treat him as a brother, and he is your second brother."

The three siblings were born to the same parents, which should have been a harmonious thing, but Li Hongqian had a bad temper since childhood, with insufficient ability yet high ambitions.

He clearly liked painting, and the family was very supportive of his interests, but Li Hongqian thought they wanted to spoil him, so he gave up his own interests, learning whatever he did, competing with him since childhood, and when his abilities couldn’t keep up, he took it out on his family.

If it were just a matter of being competitive, that would be one thing, but his heart was naturally malicious.

Li Xin was the late-born daughter in the family. Her parents were older when they unexpectedly had her. They initially didn’t want to keep her, but when they found out she was a girl, they figured modern medicine could help them keep her safe with extra care.

However, while Li Xin was still in her mother’s womb, Li Hongqian deliberately acted mischievous. That day, if he hadn’t returned just in time to catch her, her mother might have fallen down the stairs, and it could have been a tragedy of two lives lost.

At the time, the family thought it was just an accident. Later, after Li Xin was born and was still in her crib, only able to drink milk, he fed her jelly, using the excuse of sharing.

At the time, Li Hongqian was nearly sixteen—way past the age of not knowing better. It was clearly intentional.

Luckily, the family’s servant discovered it immediately and managed to remove it. If she had choked, a baby just a few months old wouldn’t have survived long enough for help to arrive.

When Li Xin was three, Li Hongqian took her out to play and then left her alone outside. Fortunately, an old lady found her and took her to the police station. If she had been taken by human traffickers, they wouldn’t have known where to look for her.

The surveillance footage showed Li Hongqian had walked away on purpose. That day, their father almost beat him to death.

In the heat of the moment, people say things without thinking. That day, they learned that Li Hongqian couldn’t tolerate Li Xin because he had overheard their parents saying that since they were getting old and Li Xin was still young, they might not be able to protect her for long. Therefore, they planned to give her more shares in the company so she would have more financial stability in the future.

Li Hongsheng never expected his brother to be so cruel. Li Xin was their own sister. Moreover, if he hadn’t been older, Li Hongqian probably wouldn’t have tolerated him either, or perhaps he already didn’t, just lacking the ability to get rid of him.

Looking at the person who happily brought down the proposal, it was his brother’s face, but Li Hongsheng saw a different person in him.

Blood ties don’t define family bonds. Moreover, this body was originally their family’s own flesh and blood. Even though the inside had changed, if this new person truly treated them as family, they would rather have this one who came halfway.