Chapter 153

Chapter 153

◎None of Them Know Her◎

Mr. Lin's mind was racing. His son had a female spirit by his side, and during the car accident, the spirit had tried to protect his son. In that moment, he thought of many things.

He truly didn’t recognize the girl, nor had he heard of his son having a girlfriend. His son, already in his thirties, was completely absorbed in his career. He wondered if the girl his son liked was no longer alive. If that were the case, maybe they could arrange a posthumous marriage to ease his son’s heart.

In the face of life and death, nothing else mattered. If they lost their son, they would lose everything.

But judging from the self-proclaimed Taoist’s intention, he wanted to conduct a ritual to guide the girl’s soul to the afterlife. Mr. Lin wasn’t sure if he would agree to the idea of a posthumous marriage. If Taoists were meant to capture spirits, then he probably wouldn’t agree.

Mr. Lin thought to himself but didn’t say anything, only confirming, "This girl means no harm to my child, right?"

Ji Nanxing replied, "As far as we can tell, she doesn’t. But spirits are unpredictable, and they can be influenced by spiritual energy. Once they lose control, it’s hard to say."

Mr. Lin really had no useful clues to provide, and the conversation was brief. It seemed they could only wait for Lin Kai to come out of the emergency room.

The two returned to the entrance of the emergency room, and Xiao Ye immediately walked over to Ji Nanxing, "How did it go?"

Ji Nanxing shook his head, "He said he doesn’t recognize her and couldn’t provide any information."

Mrs. Lin also looked at her husband, "What did they want with you?"

Mr. Lin patted his wife’s back and simply said, "They were asking about our son’s condition. It’s nothing."

Mrs. Lin’s heart was entirely focused on her children in the emergency room. She had no extra energy to think about anything else. Her brilliant son, her adorable daughter—they had left the house fine in the morning. Why did this happen?

She was absolutely terrified. If heaven took her children away, she wouldn’t be able to live either.

Xie Paner, seeing the emergency room doors still closed, floated over to Ji Nanxing and said, "Should I go in and see what’s happening?"

Ji Nanxing looked around and, seeing no one paying attention, said, "Go outside and wander around instead."

After all, she was a spirit, and in a place like the emergency room, it wouldn’t be good if she accidentally affected anyone.

Xie Paner was understanding and just pouted, "Alright then, I’ll leave."

After a while, Xiao Ye asked, "Has Senior left?"

Ji Nanxing nodded, "Yes, I let her go first. A hospital isn’t an appropriate place for spirits to linger."

Glancing at the time, it had already been from noon to afternoon. Xiao Ye said, "Let’s grab something to eat. I’ll stay here, or I can order delivery and we can eat somewhere else."

This place was filled with anxious and grieving families in a life-and-death situation. They had to be considerate of others’ feelings.

Ji Nanxing also checked the time and said, "You go ahead and eat first, then just bring me something back."

He wasn’t just waiting here for Lin Kai but also for the spirit. If Lin Kai’s condition was critical, the spirit might come back to see him one last time or even wait for his soul after death.

Currently, the only information he had about the spirit was from the Lin family. He had sent the spirit’s photo to the management bureau, but identifying someone from a blurry spirit image was still quite difficult. He had no option but to wait here.

Xiao Ye thought about it and decided he couldn’t let Ji Naonao go hungry for too long, so he nodded, "I’ll hurry and be back soon. Let me know if anything happens."

Ji Nanxing acknowledged with a hum.

Not long after Xiao Ye left, the emergency room doors remained closed, but a middle-aged man walked out. His clothes were bloodstained, and he looked dazed. He was even a bit unsteady on his feet.

He walked out of the operating room and stood blankly at the door, seemingly confused as to why there were so many people here. It wasn’t until he saw his relatives in the crowd that he seemed to snap out of it and ran toward them, "Mom, Dad, why are you here?"

But his family could no longer hear or see him anymore. When he tried to help his mother, who was sitting on the ground crying, his hand passed right through her body.

The middle-aged man stared at his hand in shock, then looked up at the large doors he had just emerged from. The words "Operating Room" loomed over him like a heavy weight.

In that instant, all the remaining life force in him dissipated, and his ghostly form visibly paled.

Faintly, he seemed to hear a prolonged beep.

Ji Nanxing lightly twisted the beads on his wrist, observing without taking any action.

It wasn’t until medical staff pushed open the doors and wheeled out a gurney covered with a white sheet, calling out, "Family of Hu Wenjie," that the middle-aged man's mother, upon hearing her son's name and seeing the white sheet, collapsed on the spot.

Ji Nanxing lowered his gaze, silently reciting an incantation. The bell on his wrist hummed, and Hu Wenjie's figure became increasingly transparent before slowly fading away.

It was easier to send away the lingering ghost before its obsession took full shape. Letting him see his family one last time was hopefully a small comfort.

Emotions are contagious. Even though it wasn’t their own family member being wheeled out, many of the people waiting at the door were visibly shaken. Some had their children inside, while others had their parents. Among the three most severely crashed vehicles, one had been on a family outing.

And Hu Wenjie, the man who had just died, was the cement truck driver.

After his truck overturned, the car behind couldn’t stop in time and crashed into the front of the truck, causing extensive damage.

When Xiao Ye returned with two family-sized burritos, he saw many people crying and asked softly, "What happened?"

Ji Nanxing replied, "The cement truck driver didn’t survive."

Xiao Ye was silent for a few seconds, then pulled Ji Nanxing to a spot further from the operating room. "Eat while it’s still hot. I just watched the crash video. The cement truck ran a yellow light, and the car behind it either didn’t see it because the truck blocked their view or tried to follow the truck through the intersection without stopping. So the Lin family’s car, driving normally, collided with them."

He also saw in the video that one car behind had made a daring maneuver, narrowly avoiding the crash. There were vehicle parts scattered across the road, including a tire that had been thrown out.

A few nearby cars were struck by the tire, shattering their windows, but fortunately, only the vehicles were damaged, and the people were unharmed.

Xiao Ye naturally recognized the car that had made the daring maneuver. Watching the video, his heart was in his mouth. Despite the heat, he broke out in a cold sweat. Even though he knew Ji Nanxing was fine, seeing the video still made his legs feel weak.

Most of the comments below the video condemned the cement truck driver, while others praised the driver who had made the daring maneuver. It was likely that this video would circulate online for a while.

Later, more people emerged from the operating room. Another severely crashed vehicle had carried a family of five—a couple, grandparents, and their six-year-old child on their way to the museum. The child had been shielded by the mother and grandmother, sustaining only minor scratches, but the father and grandfather in the driver and passenger seats had suffered massive blood loss and didn’t survive.

Not long after, Lin Kai and his sister Lin Shan were wheeled out.

Lin Kai’s condition was severe, with a broken spine and a head injury that had left him in a deep coma. Lin Shan’s condition, however, was surprisingly mild—she had only sustained external injuries and a concussion.

She had been sitting in the passenger seat. Generally, due to a self-preservation instinct, passengers in car accidents tend to be more severely injured than the driver, so Lin Shan’s condition was somewhat of a miracle.

For the Lin parents, the fact that both their children were alive, and their daughter had only minor injuries, was already a tremendous relief. They didn’t have time to think about anything else—one went to settle their daughter, who, despite her minor injuries, still needed to be hospitalized for observation due to the concussion, while the other went to consult with the doctors about what to do next for their son.

The reason they had been in the operating room for so long was to confirm whether Lin Shan had any internal bleeding. In many car accidents, those who appear unharmed on the surface often have more severe injuries than those who are visibly bloodied. Only after confirming that Lin Shan was truly fine did the doctors dare to wheel her out.

Lin Kai’s condition was critical, and he might require a second surgery. It was also uncertain whether he would wake up.

The siblings were taken to different areas—one to the intensive care unit, the other to a regular ward.

Ji Nanxing glanced at the siblings’ faces and frowned slightly.

Xiao Ye asked, "What’s wrong?"

Ji Nanxing replied, "They both faced a fatal calamity. Those who were supposed to die are still alive."

Xiao Ye: "Is it the female ghost? If she helped them avert the death calamity, what would happen to her?"

Ji Nanxing: "She would be karmically entangled with them. If the Lin siblings do more good deeds and treat others kindly in the future, the karmic retribution would naturally be lighter. But if they do evil, the retribution would be doubled on the female ghost."

This is different from when they help others avoid death calamities. At most, they inform them how to avoid it and give verbal reminders. Ultimately, it is the person facing the calamity who breaks it through their own efforts to avoid the death calamity.

Although there is also karmic involvement, the entanglement is not deep.

But today, the female ghost clearly took their place in bearing the death calamity. So, the Lin siblings survived, and the female ghost had to bear the cost of altering their fate.

Xiao Ye sighed: "This is true love, right?"

How much must one love someone to be willing to die for them? Thinking about how they are already separated by life and death, it suddenly feels like the legendary tragic conclusion—unrequited love, separated by life and death, yet still giving their all to protect and ensure the other's survival.

Lin Kai's condition remained unstable. After seeing Lin Shan sent to the ward, Ji Nanxing left a small paper figure under her bed. If the female ghost came this time, he wouldn't let her get away.

After returning home with Xiao Ye, Ji Nanxing checked the messages on the Human Realm Network. The news of a female ghost escaping from the accident scene had already been posted, alerting nearby Taoists to keep an eye out, though there was no news yet.

Xiao Ye was also scrolling through his phone, puzzled: "Where do you think she’s gone? What is her relationship with the Lin family that she would take their place to avert the death calamity? By the way, I know someone in the clothing industry. I'll ask if they know Lin Kai. If they do, maybe we can find out about his love life."

Ji Nanxing nodded. Having a lead to investigate was good.

Just as Xiao Ye sent a message, he noticed something sharp and immediately put down his phone, grabbing Ji Nanxing's leg and placing it on his own lap: "Did you get this earlier? Why didn't you say anything at the hospital?"

Ji Nanxing glanced down. There was a long but shallow scratch on his calf that had already scabbed over, leaving a thin red mark.

Ji Nanxing touched it: "I don't think so. Maybe I got scratched somewhere without noticing."

Xiao Ye carefully checked other areas, but only this spot was injured. He then put Ji Nanxing's leg down and rummaged for the first aid kit: "You didn't have this scratch before you left this morning. It must have happened during the crash. Does it hurt?"

Ji Nanxing chuckled as Xiao Ye disinfected and applied medicine: "I didn’t even feel it. It doesn’t hurt. It's already scabbed over. Such a shallow mark doesn't need medicine. It's sticky, and it'll rub off after a few steps."

Xiao Ye: "Then don't walk. Disinfecting is still necessary. I didn't drag you to the hospital for a tetanus shot, which would have been better. Maybe we should still go, just in case."

Ji Nanxing pushed his hand away: "Don’t overreact."

To let the medicine dry quickly and form a protective layer, Xiao Ye held Ji Nanxing's ankle and gently blew on his calf.

Ji Nanxing watched Xiao Ye applying the medicine with such meticulous care, as if the shallow scratch were a major issue.

Although Xiao Ye had switched his morning runs to night runs to avoid getting too tanned, he still got some sun during occasional afternoon basketball games with the bodyguards. His skin had darkened from light wheat to deep wheat. His large hands held Ji Nanxing's calf, creating a sharp contrast between their skin tones, and his touch felt intensely hot.

Ji Nanxing squirmed uncomfortably, but Xiao Ye immediately pulled his leg back: "Don't move. It hasn't formed a layer yet. Once it dries, it won't rub off."

Ji Nanxing sat up, pushed him away again, and reclaimed his leg: "I'll just sit still. Stop blowing on it."

Xiao Ye paused, then covered his mouth and exhaled: "Does my breath smell? No, I brush my teeth three times a day."

He then exhaled again, unsure, and sniffed, thinking, "It can't be. I don't have stomach issues, and I'm very particular about oral hygiene. It shouldn't smell." In that moment, he even planned a hospital check-up and buying breath freshener.

Ji Nanxing touched his calf, where the warmth of Xiao Ye's palm still lingered. Seeing Xiao Ye's awkward self-doubt, he said: "Don't you know your body temperature is high? Your hands are very hot."

Xiao Ye first looked at his hands, then at Ji Nanxing's calf, belatedly realizing what he had just done, and his ears instantly turned bright red.

Earlier, he had been so focused on applying the medicine that he only now realized he had been holding Ji Nanxing's ankle and supporting his calf.

Ji Nanxing's ankle was slender and pale, and his legs were straight and long. Probably due to his lack of exercise, there wasn't much muscle, making them smooth and soft, like holding a bundle of soft cotton.

The sensation still lingered on his hands—slightly cool and unexpectedly delicate.

Xiao Ye pursed his lips, his gaze flickering away and then sneaking back, going back and forth a couple of times before feeling more and more like a creep. Xiao Ye suddenly stood up: "It's a bit hot, I'm going to take a shower."

Without putting away the first aid kit, he quickly ran back to the bathroom in his room.

Ji Nanxing sat quietly for a while, ensuring the medicine had dried, then put his leg down and slowly packed up the first aid kit on the coffee table.

Xie Paner drifted around the room, too afraid to make a sound. Although the house seemed normal, there was a strange atmosphere that made her afraid to speak, but she couldn't pinpoint what was strange, just feeling an odd sense of tension and discomfort.

Xie Paner tilted her head in confusion, awkward? How could it be awkward? The Young Celestial Master and Xiao Ye had been living together for almost a year, and Xiao Ye could casually walk around the house in shorts without a shirt, so familiar with each other, how could it be awkward?

How strange.

Xiao Ye didn't want to seem like a creep, but some things were really hard to control, especially when he thought about the scene where he had just held Ji Nanxing's calf, it was hard not to get worked up.

After taking a cold shower and brushing his teeth again, Xiao Ye checked himself in the mirror, making sure he was fresh and clean from head to toe, then put on his clothes and went out. Before leaving, he didn't forget to brainwash himself, pointing at his reflection in the mirror and saying: "Don't be so creepy, you're still young, Xiao Ye, calm down, don't think about those things."

Coming out of the bathroom, Xiao Ye headed straight to the kitchen, opened the fridge and asked: "What do you want to eat tonight?"

Ji Nanxing, staring at the computer without looking up, said: "I’ll eat whatever you make."

"Okay." Xiao Ye responded, then took out vegetables and meat from the fridge, muttering a mantra to calm himself. By the time the meal was ready, he had finally calmed down, then he clung to Ji Nanxing again.

After resting for the night, Lin Shan's condition had improved a lot, she was completely conscious, but knowing that her brother was still in the intensive care unit and unsure if he would wake up, she was filled with anxiety.

She didn't know why this had happened, they were driving normally, didn't run any red lights, and weren't speeding.

Now, with the situation like this, her father was still beside her asking: "Do you know if your brother had a girlfriend before?"

Lin Shan was puzzled: "Why do you ask?"

Her mother was also puzzled, with their son's condition still unstable, why care about whether he had a girlfriend: "Why care about this now?"

Her father sighed and told the mother and daughter what the young Taoist had said yesterday: "Look, the driver of the cement truck didn’t make it, the driver and the passenger in the other car couldn't be saved either, our car collided more severely with the cement truck, but Shan Shan only suffered minor injuries, our son is seriously injured, but he still has a chance, how can I not believe what the Taoist said, it must be that girl protecting you."

For a moment, Lin Shan and her mother didn't know whether to fear or be grateful for the ghost’s presence.

Lin Shan was more accepting than her mother, although somewhat afraid of the unknown, her curiosity outweighed her fear: "Dad, did you really see a ghost in the photo?"

Her father nodded: "They wouldn’t lie to us, they will come over later to ask some questions, tell them what you know, no matter what, if that girl really protected you and your brother, we should express our gratitude."

Whether it's to perform a ritual or to fulfill some wish for the girl, we should show some gratitude.

Lin Shan nodded, but her expression was odd, looking at her parents as if she wanted to say something but ultimately didn't.

Ji Nanxing and Xiao Ye, afraid of disturbing Lin Shan's rest, specifically chose to visit in the afternoon. Lin Shan was surprised by how handsome the Taoist was, feeling like he was on a different level from ordinary people.

Probably because of his face, Lin Shan had initially suspected they were frauds, although there was a photo, but with today's photo editing technology so advanced, a ghost story could easily trick her parents into spending money on superstitious practices, given her brother's current condition, her parents would treat it as a last resort.

But after seeing them in person, Lin Shan felt they probably weren't frauds, even using an online joke, if they had deceived her, wasn't she also at fault.

Ji Nanxing explained their purpose, then handed the photo to Lin Shan: "Do you know this girl? If you do, I hope you can provide some clues, after your car accident, she lost control and wanted to kill the cement truck driver, if we don't find her soon and she does something harmful, it would be very bad for her."

Lin Shan carefully looked at the photo, initially checking for any signs of photo editing, but the photo looked very real, and she thought of some things, previously she hadn't thought there was a problem, but now combined with the idea of a ghost being around, the possibility of a ghost seemed much higher.

Feeling more convinced about the matter, Lin Shan carefully looked at the girl in the photo, then shook her head at Ji Nanxing: "I'm sorry, I don't know her, I don't think I've seen her before."

Xiao Ye and Ji Nanxing exchanged glances, could Lin Kai have hidden it so well that even his family hadn’t met this girl.

Lin Shan's father said: "Then did your brother have a relationship before, could she be your brother's ex-girlfriend."

Lin Shan remained silent for a while, then shook her head again, her words firm: "No, she can't be my brother's girlfriend."

Xiao Ye: "You said you don't know her, so how can you be so sure?"

Lin Shan pursed her lips and glanced at her parents, feeling that if there was ever a right time to bring up certain matters, it would be now.

She turned to her parents and said, "Because he's gay. He doesn't like girls. He was in a relationship once, but that was back in high school. After graduation, that boy went abroad, and since then, my brother hasn't been in any relationships."

Lin Shan took her mother's hand: "I'm sorry, my brother has been keeping this from you. He was afraid you wouldn't accept it, and he felt that since he hadn't met the right person, he just didn't bring it up. He planned to tell you when he found someone he really liked."

Now, with my brother's condition still unstable and uncertain whether he will pull through, now seems like the right time to mention it. Compared to life and death, things like sexual orientation probably don't matter as much.

After speaking, Lin Shan looked at Ji Nanxing and Xiao Ye: "So, this girl couldn't possibly be my brother's girlfriend. He only ever had one boyfriend."