Chapter 52

The thief was practically skipping with joy as he was escorted to the police station. He couldn’t wait to leave, even if it meant going to jail-anything was better than staying in that eerie place for another second. The police officers chuckled at his unusual enthusiasm, commenting that it was rare to see a thief so eager to be locked up. Truly, the world was full of oddities.

One officer, Jiang Tian, frowned slightly as he glanced at the Long-haired Woman. There was something familiar about her.

With a sudden clap of his hands, Jiang Tian exclaimed, “That’s it! She’s the one who saved Sudi last month! Remember? We mistook her for a ghost and scared ourselves half to death.”

What a coincidence to run into her again.

Jiang Tian turned to the visibly shaken thief, who looked like he’d just survived a brush with death. “So, you really saw ghosts?”

The thief shot him a wary glance, as if doubting he’d be believed. “There’s a coffin in her room-that’s proof enough! That coffin is definitely for ghosts to sleep in. Who keeps a coffin in their house? That Long-haired Woman is seriously creepy!”

Jiang Tian raised an eyebrow. He had seen the coffin himself and had to admit it was… unconventional. “You said there were five ghosts. How do they all fit into one coffin?”

The thief froze, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. “…??” He hadn’t thought about that. Five ghosts in one coffin? That didn’t seem feasible.

“Besides,” Jiang Tian continued, “who’s to say people can’t have unique hobbies? Is there a law against keeping a coffin at home? If you really saw ghosts, it’s probably your own bad luck for being a lousy thief. Serves you right!”

The thief was speechless.

As Jiang Tian left, he couldn’t resist glancing up at the fourth-floor window. A faint, yellowish light spilled out, casting an eerie glow that made the place look cold and foreboding. He shivered, pulling his coat tighter around himself, and hurried away.

…

Meanwhile, Gu Feiyin was sitting inside the coffin, counting her money. If even one bill was missing, she’d make sure the thief paid it back. She carefully added the earnings from her two-day trip to her stash, but the thought of her little treasure trove being discovered by the thief made her uneasy. What if another one came back?

A small figure stood beside her, shyly saying, “Don’t worry, Big Sister Benefactor. I protected all your money. That bad guy didn’t get a single cent-he cried because I scared him, hehe.”

Gu Feiyin glanced at the blurry silhouette next to her and said sincerely, “Thank you.”

“No need to thank me.” The little one puffed out his chest proudly. “Bad people deserve to be punished. My mom always said that anyone who tries to take what they didn’t earn isn’t a good person. You don’t have to be polite to people like that.”

Zheng Jing reached out to gently stroke her son’s head, her eyes filled with a mix of tenderness and regret. If only she hadn’t married a man like his father, her son might have had a brighter future-a life not cut short by cruelty, a death so unjust. But at least now, things were better. Their enemy was dead, and perhaps in the next life, they’d have another chance to be mother and son.

Zheng Jing smiled softly. “Master Gu, we’ve come to say goodbye. Our wishes have been fulfilled, and it’s time for us to report to the Underworld.”

Li Ru hovered by the window, gazing out into the heavy darkness of the night. Her smile carried both sorrow and relief. “Master, I visited my parents. They’ve adopted a little girl now, and there’s even a dog in the house. I believe they’ll be okay… My vengeance is complete, and it’s time for me to go where I belong. Master, thank you for helping me escape this nightmare.”

Gu Feiyin wasn’t surprised at all. With their wishes fulfilled and no desire to linger as wandering spirits, heading to the Underworld was undoubtedly the best decision.

Wait, why didn’t she report to the Underworld back then?

She pondered for a moment but couldn’t come up with an answer. Maybe it was because being a ghost seemed better-after all, she had a stash of treasures that needed her protection.

The mother and son, along with Li Ru, bid farewell to Gu Feiyin and slowly faded into the darkness of the night.

Having not eaten properly while out, Gu Feiyin decided to treat herself to a bowl of instant noodles, specifically the pickled pepper beef flavor. Originally, she had planned to fry an egg and boil some greens to go with it, but given her current circumstances, she had to rely on Jumpy and the Old Lady for help.

The two ghosts got to work-one washing vegetables, the other frying the egg-while the highly nearsighted Master Gu sat at the dining table, waiting for her meal. “Please fry the egg until both sides are golden and puffy, with a fragrant runny yolk that oozes out when poked. And don’t pour out the last rinse water from the vegetables; save it for cleaning the pan. Thanks!”

Neighbor Miss: “…”

Old Lady: “…”

Gu Feiyin cheerfully shared, “I spent a thousand yuan on a wild boar. It’s super fat and strong. Xiao Zhang said he could help me butcher it and even make some cured meat and sausages. He’s so nice. In a few days, we’ll have braised pork trotters!”

The two ghosts turned their heads to glare at the woman with Long Black Straight Hair, but alas, she couldn’t see their expressions anymore.

Just then, Zhang Daoist called. Gu Feiyin was slurping her noodles, alternating bites of fried egg, noodles, and vegetables, and had already polished off half the bowl. She thought the call was to inform her that the wild boar had been butchered. Instead, Zhang Daoist delivered some rather unfortunate news: “Master Gu, I just found out that wild boars are a nationally protected species. You can’t kill them…”

Gu Feiyin blinked in confusion. “Protected species? What does that mean?”

Zhang Daoist wiped his brow. “It means wild boars are under national protection. You can’t hunt them, and you definitely can’t eat them.”

Gu Feiyin froze, her chopsticks nearly slipping from her hand. “You mean… I can’t eat wild boar??”

…So now even wild boars are off-limits? And they’re considered protected animals? Wild boars have such high status now?

She was utterly devastated. She had been planning to go into the mountains to hunt a few small wild boars, raise them for meat, and sell the surplus for profit. It was supposed to be a no-cost venture-earning money while saving on meat expenses for the rest of her life. But now she was being told she couldn’t eat wild boar?

Did that mean she’d wasted a thousand yuan? How was she supposed to find that ghost to get a refund? Even if she wanted to, the travel expenses alone would be a fortune, not to mention food and lodging. Going back simply wasn’t worth it.

Meanwhile, Jumpy and the Old Lady exchanged eerie smiles, their pale faces lighting up with a sinister glee. If they were still living in the unfinished building, they might’ve jumped three meters high, smashing through three ceilings in the process!

On the other end of the line, Zhang Daoist wiped his brow again. Even through the phone, he could sense an ominous chill emanating from Master Gu. “Master, while you can’t eat the wild boar, I’ve managed to apply for a domesticated mountain pig for you. Its meat is quite tasty too. What do you think?”

Gu Feiyin perked up immediately, her disappointment vanishing in an instant. “Really? That’s great! Mountain pig, wild boar-they’re all pigs. As long as I can eat it, I’m happy. Do I need to pay extra for it?”

Zhang Daoist let out a sigh of relief and chuckled. “No, no, you don’t need to pay. You’ve saved so many people; you deserve a reward, not a bill. Don’t worry, I’ve already submitted the application. It should be approved in a few days.”

“Wonderful! Thank you so much!”

“No need to thank me. It’s nothing, really.”

Neighbor Miss: “…”

Old Lady: “…”

The two ghosts turned their heads toward the window, lowering their chins in silence.

Gu Feiyin was genuinely delighted. Who would have thought the Special Unit had such generous perks? Solving a case and getting a pig as a reward-it was almost too considerate! She was even a little tempted to join… but on second thought, better not. While the few agents she’d encountered so far seemed pretty average in their cultivation skills and hadn’t noticed anything unusual about her, she’d heard that the Special Unit was a gathering place for the most talented cultivators in all of China. If she joined and ran into someone as formidable as the Handsome Monk, who might discover her secret as a ghost inhabiting a borrowed body, wouldn’t that be courting death?

Besides, her life wasn’t as stressful as it used to be. Her job was stable, and occasionally taking on a side gig to earn some extra cash wasn’t bad at all.

Better to stay focused on work and not overthink things.

…

After that day, visitors to the haunted house at the Amusement Park in City A reported being utterly terrified. No one knew exactly when it started, but a long-haired woman in a flowing white dress had appeared near the previously immovable coffin. She didn’t do much-just leaned on a cane and slowly circled the coffin. If you dared to look at her for too long, she’d fix you with a chilling smile, her lips curling ever so slightly, her cold, hollow eyes seeming to pierce right through you. It was as if she was looking at you and not looking at you at the same time, sending shivers down your spine.

In the past, the coffin had just sat there, and the braver visitors might have dared to take a closer look. But ever since this ghostly woman showed up, the coffin had become a forbidden zone. Even getting close to it was nearly impossible!

In the past few days, the internet had been in an uproar.

“The management of this haunted house is just plain evil! Did they send this ghost to guard the coffin because we said the coffin gimmick was getting old? Now you can’t even get near the coffin, let alone complain about it being outdated!”

“OMG, I went there today completely unprepared. I was already standing near the coffin when suddenly, a long-haired woman popped her head out from behind it. She didn’t say a word, just stared at me and smiled… I nearly wet myself!”

“Same here, same here! I went because I heard from other netizens that the haunted house at the Amusement Park in City A was super scary, especially the coffin section. So I was totally focused on the coffin when I got there, staring at it intently. And then, out of nowhere, this long-haired woman appeared right next to me-completely silent-and started looking into the coffin with me! She even asked, ‘Do you think it’s nice?’ I was so scared I collapsed on the spot, tears streaming down my face!”

“I was wrong, I was so wrong. I shouldn’t have said the coffin was boring and needed something new. This ‘something new’ is way more than I can handle!”

“Hahaha, you guys are just asking for it! You won’t know your limits until you’ve been scared out of your wits.”

“…”

Gu Feiyin was thriving in her new position. Meanwhile, the wild boar promised by Zhang Daoist had arrived. It had already been butchered and delivered, leaving her with about thirty to forty jin of fresh meat stored in the freezer for stir-frying. Additionally, two bags of frozen meatballs were included, perfect for making soup. On top of that, cured meats and sausages were hanging on her balcony, prepared in two flavors-one mild and the other spicy Sichuan-style. Zhang Daoist mentioned they had already been smoked and would be ready to eat after a few days of hanging.

It was incredibly thoughtful of him. Not only did it save her a lot of trouble, but it also cut down on her grocery expenses. Curing such a large amount of meat required a significant amount of salt-dozens of bags, in fact-and salt wasn’t cheap, costing two yuan per bag. The total cost would have been substantial, not to mention the expense of chili powder and pepper. Besides, her poor eyesight made it inconvenient for her to handle such tasks herself.

That evening, she took out a pig’s trotter and made a radish and trotter soup. She also prepared a dipping sauce with a few spoonfuls of chili oil, minced garlic, chopped scallions, and cilantro, topped with a splash of soy sauce and sesame oil. The tender, fatty trotter paired with chunks of radish, dipped in the flavorful sauce, was so delicious she couldn’t stop eating.

Absolutely divine!

Apart from the pork, Zhang Daoist also gave her a bonus, rewarding her for her contribution in capturing the Ghost King. The amount? A six-figure sum! Of course, after her donations, she was left with just ten thousand yuan.

Although her trip hadn’t led her to Mu Mountain, she still managed to earn over ten thousand yuan, a whole pig, and more than a hundred million in Paper Money. Quite the profitable venture.

Meanwhile, the Water Ghost was feeling increasingly uneasy. The Long-haired Woman hadn’t asked for fish, shrimp, or crabs for days now. Word had it she had bought a pig and was feasting on pork daily. The pig had become her new favorite, leaving seafood out in the cold!

The Water Ghost was in despair. Was he destined to never escape his fate of being sold?

In a panic, he sought advice from his ghostly friends. Water Ghost No. 2 and Water Ghost No. 3, having heard some alarming news, weren’t even concerned about what the Long-haired Woman might eat next. They were discussing a sensational rumor that had been circulating in the ghost realm: the King of Dalong Mountain had been eaten by a Long-haired Woman and sold for fifty yuan!

The Water Ghost was stunned. “What? As far as I know, that King had been ruling Dalong Mountain for decades! He was already there when I first became a ghost. I heard he was incredibly powerful, commanding dozens of Ghost Slaves. No ghost in the area dared to challenge him. How could he have been eaten?”

Water Ghost No. 2 explained, “Apparently, the King was eaten during his wedding. That Long-haired Woman was terrifyingly strong-she defeated him in just two moves! They say she has a gaping, blood-red mouth that can tear off your arm in one bite! And her ten long, sharp, black claws can pierce your skull and scoop out your brain!”

“She’s that powerful? If we ever run into her, we might not even have a chance to escape!”

“I remember hearing from other ghosts that the King arrived at Dalong Mountain around eighty or ninety years ago. He’s been cultivating for at least a century and was incredibly formidable. Who would’ve thought he’d end up captured and sold for fifty yuan? Truly pitiful.”

“Well, he kind of brought it on himself. In the past, when he married ghost brides, at least they were of the same kind, so no one said much. But this time, he reportedly imprisoned several humans in his manor and forced them into marriage… and look where that got him!”

“Yeah, running into a Ghost Trader was his downfall. Those guys are terrifying. We’d better watch out next time.”

The Water Ghost floated around for a while, twisting his slimy, green hair in thought. Something about this whole “sold for fifty yuan” situation felt oddly familiar. And the mentions of a Long-haired Woman and a Ghost Trader… could it be the same Long Black Straight Hair who had enslaved him?

The Water Ghost felt like crying. If even the King of Dalong Mountain couldn’t handle the Long-haired Woman, what chance did he have?

No, he had to come up with a plan!

“Brothers, hurry to the sea and bring me some abalones, sea cucumbers, and mantis shrimp! As many as you can find! If you don’t, I’ll be the next one sold!”

Water Ghost No. 2: “…”

Water Ghost No. 3: “…”

The two ghosts felt like they were turning into seafood vendors at this point!

Lobsters? They had to find those. Scallops and oysters? Also on the list. Hairy crabs? Still their responsibility. And now even abalones, sea cucumbers, and mantis shrimp? Her appetite was growing by the day.

Zhang Daoist was quite busy. With the Ghost King’s wedding attracting numerous ghosts to City D, the city was plagued by a surge of supernatural incidents. Even the police were overwhelmed with strange cases, leaving Zhang Daoist and his team with no time to rest. When delivering the pig to City B, Zhang Daoist personally made the trip, fearing that others might not handle Master Gu properly or might be intimidated by her unique aura.

He left in the morning and returned by noon, only to take on another case in the afternoon. A couple had reported strange occurrences in their home, claiming to hear footsteps at night as if someone were walking around. Initially suspecting a burglar, they called the police, but the officers found no one in the house. Naturally, such eerie matters ended up in Zhang Daoist’s hands. Upon investigation, he discovered the “intruder” was the ghost of the couple’s son, who had passed away from cancer. The reunion of the two grieving parents and their ghostly child was heart-wrenching, with all three crying uncontrollably. Zhang Daoist performed a Ritual Ceremony to send the ghost away after they had their final farewell.

After a long day of work, Zhang Daoist returned to the Special Unit’s City D branch in the evening, only to find most of the staff missing. Asking a newly arrived intern, he learned that something had gone wrong.

His heart sank as he rushed to the Daoist hall, where the main officers of the Special Unit had gathered. Minister Li was furious.

“That Zhuang was already in such a weakened state, and it was Master Gu who captured him and handed him over to you! And now you’re telling me he escaped? Escaped? Just yesterday, we securely handed the Ghost King over to you, and now you’re saying Zhuang has run off? How could this happen?”

“…”

No one dared to speak up or offer excuses. It was undeniably their fault, and there was no justification for such a blunder.

Zhang Daoist asked, “What exactly happened?”

It was then that he learned the Ghost King had somehow managed to escape. While preparations were being made to send him to the Underworld for punishment, he suddenly broke free from the copper coin chain binding him. In an instant, he shot up from the ground and vanished, leaving only the copper coin rope behind.

Zhang Daoist was incredulous. “How is that possible? We’ve set up so many restrictions in the Daoist hall. Ordinary ghosts wouldn’t even be able to enter, let alone leave. How could Zhuang possibly escape?”

Zhao Taoist speculated, “We’re not sure either. I suspect he might have some powerful spiritual artifact on him. Otherwise, how could he escape under such circumstances?”

“What do we do now? With the Ghost King on the loose, capturing him again will be incredibly difficult. And after what we’ve done to him, he’s bound to seek revenge! If he gathers a hundred ghosts to wreak havoc on the human world, it’ll be disastrous! By the way, did the Ghost Slaves manage to escape as well?”

“To prevent any further issues, we’ve already sent all the Ghost Slaves away.”

“That’s a relief.”

This was bad. That Zhuang had been tormented so thoroughly by them-if he managed to make a comeback, not only would they be in trouble, but he might also seek revenge on Master Gu.

Zhang Daoist quickly called Master Gu to deliver the unfortunate news. “Zhuang has escaped. I’m sorry, but you should be extra careful for a while, just in case. We’re worried he might come after you for revenge.”

Gu Feiyin hadn’t expected Zhuang to actually escape. The news brought to mind an incident from her past-she once encountered a particularly slippery little ghost. Back then, she’d just woken up, starving to the point of desperation, and had been scouring the mountains for something to eat. That was when she caught a whiff of something at the mountain’s peak-a scent that was, at the very least, appetizing. She immediately deemed it edible.

But that little ghost was as slippery as an eel, full of tricks and chatter. In the end, it managed to escape right out of her grasp. She hadn’t even had her fill.

Gu Feiyin replied calmly, “Hmm, I’m fine. He can’t really hurt me anyway. You all should be more cautious, though. Don’t let him catch you off guard.”

Zhang Daoist fell silent.

There was no arguing with her confidence; his own inadequacies left him with nothing to say.

Once the chaos in City D had settled down somewhat, Zhang Daoist remembered Master Gu’s eyes. Finally, he reached out to Ge Hong for another meeting.

Lately, Ge Hong’s business hadn’t been as booming as before. The Face Ghost incident on the plane had involved quite a few passengers, some of whom were rather influential. While they had agreed not to disclose the supernatural details, it seemed they had no qualms about spreading word that Ge Hong wasn’t as capable as his reputation suggested. The more people talked, the more it affected his credibility. Naturally, fewer clients came knocking, and his earnings took a hit.

When Ge Hong received Old Zhang’s call, he was genuinely surprised. “Well, this is rare. What do you need?”

Zhang Daoist wasn’t in the mood for small talk or beating around the bush. He got straight to the point. “Do you remember the Face Ghost hijacking incident?”

Ge Hong’s expression darkened. Of course, he remembered. Back then, he’d been of little help, and his lack of contribution had tarnished his reputation. Fewer people sought him out these days, and his income had suffered as a result. “What about it? What’s going on?”

Zhang Daoist said, “You passed out during that incident. The one who actually saved you was Master Gu. As someone in cultivation, you know more than the average person. You also know the rules of our field-don’t go around doing things that weigh on your conscience. It’ll only harm others and yourself. If you ruin your own life, that’s your business. But if you harm others, that’s where I draw the line.”

Ge Hong’s mind raced. “Has something happened to Master Gu?”

Back then, when your lives were hanging by a thread, it was Master Gu who saved you. You owe her a debt of gratitude. Do you still remember Shishu’s tragedy? How miserable his family was? Have you forgotten the horrors of the Five Defects and Three Shortages? You’ve seen it with your own eyes. Master Gu is in trouble now, and I hope you won’t act ungrateful.”

“I understand everything you’re saying. But I’m not as bad as you think. I’m just borrowing luck, that’s all. Borrowing luck won’t kill anyone-it just makes life a little harder.”

“Who doesn’t want to live a good life? If you’re okay with living a harder life, why would you stoop to such despicable acts to amass wealth? Ge Hong, let me warn you: those who commit too many injustices will meet their own demise! If I catch you, I won’t let it slide!”

“…” Ge Hong understood perfectly. He certainly didn’t want to live a miserable life, scraping by and enduring humiliation. What kind of life would that be? “Fine, I’ll donate a sum in Master Gu’s name to settle the debt between us.”

“And I wonder how much your life is worth?”

“…”

“Well, I’ll be watching.”

“…………”

Initially, Ge Hong planned to donate just one million, thinking that would be more than enough. But under Zhang Daoist’s pressure, one million seemed laughable.

Over the years, he’d made a fortune through fortune-telling, altering destinies, and changing names. The fact that he owned a villa in the capital was proof enough of the high-profile clients he’d served. Gritting his teeth, he finally said, “Five million. No more than five million. That’s all I can afford.”

“Ge Five Hundred, I’ve got you figured out.”

“…???”

Ge Five Hundred? What kind of nickname was that?

Ge Hong reluctantly donated five million, feeling the sting deeply. He then recalled a recent request from a rising business magnate who wanted to borrow luck. The offer had been too low, so Ge Hong hadn’t agreed. But with business slowing down lately, he reconsidered and decided to accept the deal.

…

Zhuang fled City D, vowing never to return. The place was terrifying enough to make him take a detour even if he were just passing by. Fortunately, he had his protective talisman; without it, he would have been doomed. For now, he’d focus on recovering. Revenge against the Long Black Straight Hair could wait… Actually, survival was more important than revenge.

A true man knows when to yield and when to stand tall. His century of life hadn’t been in vain.

“Well, well, look who we have here.” A woman’s voice came from the side. Zhuang looked up and, sure enough, it was his ex-wife, Yingying. She was still dressed in her signature red dress, sitting atop a wolf, smiling at him. “See? I knew you’d have plenty of life-saving tricks up your sleeve. Of course you’d escape. Didn’t I call it?”

Zhuang wanted to maintain his suave image, but his cultivation hadn’t recovered yet. His hand hadn’t even grown back, and his neck was barely attached to his body by a strip of flesh. He looked anything but dashing. Resigned, he said, “Yingying, I knew you’d still remember me. You couldn’t bear to see me die.”

Yingying chuckled lightly. “Oh, please. I just came to see how much you’ve sacrificed for your true love. Has your true love been moved to tears, begging those human Taoists to spare you for love’s sake?”

Zhuang: “…”

Zhuang: “Yingying, true love is unconditional. I don’t care how he feels about me.”

Yingying: “Ugh-”

“…Are you pregnant?”

“Get lost!”

“Alright, Yingying, look at me now. I’m so fragile. Could you take me in for a while? I promise I’ll repay your kindness in the future. After all, you’re the only one who cared enough to check on me in my time of need.”

“Yes, I’m the only one reckless enough to come see your sorry state.”

“…”

“Why don’t you go find your true love? I’m sure he’d be more than happy to take you in.”

“…”

“Oh, by the way, I’m getting married. My fiancé treats me wonderfully-he gives me everything I want and does whatever I ask. We’re so in love. When you get the wedding invitation, make sure to come. But if your gift is too cheap, don’t bother showing up.”

“…………???”

Zhuang, already devastated, felt his disfigured face contort even further. He nearly howled at the sky to vent his frustration.

Yingying laughed sweetly and left. Zhuang found a random cave in the mountains and hid there for ten days. By then, his body had mostly recovered, and he was back to his handsome self. At that moment, he thought of his true love again. He had never met anyone as adorable and beautiful as Shao Yizhou. Sure, humans and ghosts were worlds apart, but even ghosts needed something to hold onto.

Consumed by thoughts of his true love, he spent his days in longing.

Maybe he should go find him? Even catching a glimpse from afar would be enough.

…

Ever since their ghostly encounter, Shao Yizhou and Xia Yao had gone all out, buying seventeen or eighteen amulets for peace from Zhang Daoist. They wore some around their necks, stuffed others in their bags-basically ensuring they were always covered in Talismans. It was almost overkill, even compared to Shen Yue. Ideally, they would have preferred to buy from Master Gu, given her superior skills. Surely her Talismans would be more effective. But Master Gu didn’t sell such things, so they had to settle for second-best.

Especially after learning that the Ghost King had escaped, Shao Yizhou was practically begging Master Gu to become his personal bodyguard. He was too scared to sleep alone otherwise.

Since they had added her on WeChat, they even sent her a 99,999 yuan red packet after returning home. Of course, by the time it reached Gu Feiyin’s hands, there wasn’t much left, but it was enough for her to fund another round of advertising. Not a bad deal overall.

As the New Year approached, most people were already on holiday. Even the kind boss handed out New Year’s goodies-each employee received a festive gift package and an extra month’s salary. This motivated Gu Feiyin to work even harder, determined not to let her clients down.

On her way home from work one evening, she stopped by the riverbank to take a look. The Water Ghost was floating listlessly in the water, its long green hair swaying like seaweed. The moment it spotted her, it sprang up with a creepy, ingratiating grin. “You’re here! What would you like today? Carp, grass carp, catfish, mantis shrimp, snails, or crab?”

Gu Feiyin already had her dinner planned-corn and pork rib stew. She had even bought a single ear of corn, which was ridiculously expensive these days. Just one cost several yuan. She also picked up a few small mushrooms to toss into the stew. With some steamed rice on the side, dinner would be sorted. Hmm, she remembered there were mushrooms growing on the mountain too. Maybe she’d go foraging during her next day off.

Fish was tasty too, of course, but she needed to ration her meals. Tomorrow, she’d make spicy boiled fish.

“I’m actually here to ask you something,” she said. “Do you have many friends?”

The Water Ghost froze, shaking its green, slimy hair furiously. “No, no! I don’t have any friends at all!”

As soon as the words left its mouth, it noticed the disappointed look on Gu Feiyin’s face. Those cold, emotionless eyes seemed to be calculating whether it was worth selling him off for being so useless. A chill ran down his spine, and he quickly backtracked. “Well… maybe I have one or two. There are quite a few Water Ghosts in this river, actually.”

Gu Feiyin’s eyes lit up. “Great! Can you ask them if they know where Mu Mountain is? If they don’t, maybe they can ask their friends?”

This way, the information would spread from one ghost to another, and someone was bound to know. It would save her a lot of effort-and money. What a brilliant idea.

The Water Ghost was stunned for a moment. She wanted him to find Mu Mountain? After a brief pause, he realized he finally had a purpose beyond being a fish vendor. Overwhelmed with excitement, he eagerly promised to get all the details for her, clear as day.

Gu Feiyin nodded in satisfaction. Once she found Mu Mountain, she could sell the Water Ghost.

The Water Ghost: …………???!!!

This wretched Ghost Trader!

Gu Feiyin was on her way back when she unexpectedly saw the little boy who had been dragged by the Water Ghost before. He was holding a bowl-his own rice bowl, it seemed-with rice and some meat inside. He carefully placed the bowl on a stone by the riverbank and began mumbling to himself, “Uncles, aunties, old grannies, big sisters, have you eaten yet? Come and have some food.”

“Grandpa said your houses were taken over, so you became wandering ghosts with nowhere to stay. Now you all live under the overpass, and you probably don’t have anything to eat. That’s so sad. My mom’s cooking is really delicious!”

“Grandpa offered you lots of meat. Did you get to eat it?”

“Grandpa also said he’s going to burn a villa for you, and even a sports car. But I like excavators. Grandpa doesn’t like them, so he won’t burn one. Do you like excavators? They’re so cool-no ghost wouldn’t like excavators.”

“But Dad, Mom, and Grandma all say we should eat more fish because it’s good for the brain. They say it’ll help if there’s something wrong with your head.”

Neighbor Miss and the Old Lady were already crouched in front of the stone, staring at the boy and then at the bowl of food. They seemed to be contemplating how to take a bite.

Gu Feiyin glanced over and thought the kid had some guts. After nearly being dragged into the water by the Water Ghost, he still dared to wander by the river. And burning villas and excavators? What a thoughtful little guy.

She walked over quickly. “Hey, kid.”

The boy, squatting on the ground, looked up and saw the eerie-looking big sister. It was the same one who had saved him before. He still remembered waking up groggily and seeing how cool she was-taking down the Water Ghost with just a fishing rod. Grandpa was right after all. The uncles, aunties, grannies, and big sisters who saved them really had become wandering ghosts with nowhere to stay, now living under the overpass!

“Big Sister!” The boy looked a little scared as he held his bowl and tilted his head up to look at her. “Are you hungry? Do you want some food?”

Gu Feiyin glanced at the bowl. Inside were white rice, a few pieces of lean meat, and some florets of cauliflower. She picked up a piece of cauliflower and took a bite. It was crunchy and, surprisingly, quite tasty.

Neighbor Miss: “…”

Old Lady: “…”

The two ghosts stared at the Long Black Straight Hair girl, their jaws practically hitting the ground. Their eyes rolled so far back they were almost looking at their own skulls.

The boy watched her, his big eyes filled with amazement.

Gu Feiyin grinned. “Heh, thanks.”

The boy’s legs went weak, and he plopped onto the ground. He quickly scrambled back up, patted the dirt off his pants, and stammered, “…You’re welcome.”

Gu Feiyin was now intrigued by the mention of the villa from the little boy. A villa-now that was the kind of house only rich people could afford. Hundreds of square meters inside and out, with multiple floors to boot. Feeling whimsical, she imagined living in such a place. If she ever went back to her pit, she’d build a villa on the mountaintop. When the pit got boring, she could move up to the mountain to enjoy the sunrise, sunset, and seasonal landscapes-all conveniently accessible.

Of course, if someone gifted her a villa, that would be even better.

For now, though, she couldn’t live in one. But placing a villa by the riverside? That’d be prime real estate-a waterfront property, the kind people would kill for. Plus, she could have the Water Ghosts guard it for her.

“Hey, little guy, what does the villa you’re talking about look like?”

“Grandpa took me to see one. It’s five stories tall and super, super big!”

A five-story villa? Now that was impressive.

Gu Feiyin was delighted and patted the boy’s head. She signaled to the Water Ghosts, who obediently tossed up two fat, plump carp from the river. “Here, take these home to eat.”

The boy stared, wide-eyed, at the fish that had seemingly flown out of the water. “Are… are they for me?”

“Yep. Didn’t you guys come to fish by the river earlier?”

“Thank you, Sister!”

The boy handed her his bowl and chopsticks. The two fish were so large-easily weighing ten jin combined-that he needed both hands to carry them. Gu Feiyin held the bowl, casually taking another bite of meat. It was shredded pork cooked in soy sauce, all lean meat but tender and juicy. She thought it would taste even better paired with a sliver of green onion.

The boy finally managed to lug the two big carp home, while Gu Feiyin wandered back, munching on the food as she went. The boy’s bowl was too small, though; even after finishing it, she wasn’t full. She’d need to cook up a pot of corn and pork rib soup later, or she’d be hungry by nightfall.

Neighbor Miss: “…”

Old Lady: “…”

The two ghosts stared at the now-empty bowl, then at the Long Black Straight Hair who was happily devouring the meal with oil glistening on her lips. Their pale, gray eyes flickered with rare expressions of longing mixed with mild indignation.

…

Meanwhile, Old Man Wang’s family was stunned by the sight of the two enormous carp the boy had brought home. Wang Dad asked, “Where did you get these fish? Did someone give them to you?” He glanced toward the door but saw nothing.

Little Wang replied, “Sister gave them to me.”

“What sister?”

“The one who saved me!”

“…???”

Old Man Wang happily took the fish. “You saw her again? And she gave you these fish?”

“Yeah! I saw her by the river. She gave me the fish. Sister is amazing-she just waved her hand, and the fish flew out of the river, whoosh!” The boy gestured excitedly, his eyes sparkling. “But Sister is so pitiful. She really has nowhere to live and can only stay by the river as a wandering ghost.”

Old Man Wang sighed. “Well, there’s nothing we can do. The unfinished building is going to be torn down and rebuilt.”

“Sister and the others are so pitiful! Let’s burn a villa for her!”

“Alright, Grandpa will burn one tomorrow.”

Granny Wang: “…”

Wang Dad: “…”

Wang Mom: “…”