Chapter 65: The So-Called Old Acquaintance

The reason I felt something was amiss is simply because this old woman’s palace of children showed no fluctuation whatsoever. Such a sign indicates that no new addition will be brought into her household. Coupled with what she claimed—that her daughter went mad from the trauma of this ordeal, yet her physiognomy bears no trace of intellectual disability or derangement—her actual facial features and the story she tells do not match up in the slightest.

Could it be that my cultivation is still lacking? That my mastery of the craft is incomplete?

Subconsciously, I turned my gaze toward Yin Shuang. Yet she sat there without the slightest reaction, quietly reading her book as though she had been struck deaf, displaying no emotional fluctuations at all.

Left with no other choice, I had to brace myself and ask, "Then why did you say your daughter was entangled by an evil spirit?"

Wiping her tears, the old woman replied, "It was a Daoist priest I know who told me. He said that this delayed pregnancy happens because the one in her womb is an yin fetus—an evil spirit. The evil spirit refuses to come out, which is why it is tormenting my daughter."

"You simply must save my daughter! I can neither eat nor sleep anymore. Watching her suffer breaks my heart into a thousand pieces!" As she spoke, she made to kneel before me once more.

Seeing this, I reacted quickly, reaching out to grab her and preventing her from sliding off the stool to the floor.

"Please wait a moment."

Looking at me, the old woman pleaded, "Rest assured, as long as you are willing to help, I will pay whatever amount you ask. Even if I have to smash my pots and sell my iron, I will scrape it together for you..." She assumed I was holding out for money.

I shook my head immediately and said, "This isn't about money right now. I haven't even agreed to help yet. You need to answer two questions for me first, and only then can I decide whether or not to lend a hand."

Hearing this, the old woman nodded without hesitation. "Ask whatever you like! I will tell you everything I know!"

I pondered for a moment and asked, "Judging by your physiognomy, there should still be a son in your household, and he works in an official post. Why isn't he helping?"

That's right. In the old woman’s palace of children, there were a son and a daughter—both destined to eat the emperor’s grain, rather than just one child. Furthermore, her physiognomy clearly showed that both of them were bound to subsist on government stipends. Her daughter was a teacher, naturally fed by the state, so this son ought to be serving within some official department.

Hearing this, the old woman’s eyes instantly lit up!

"Little Master! You truly are a divine person! It seems I didn't find the wrong person after all. Everything you said is correct. She does have an elder brother who is just a minor clerk in the local government agency—he doesn't have much power, but he's already helped look for quite a few people, yet none of them can find that man..."

I nodded, then posed my second question: "Since a Daoist priest told you that your daughter is carrying an evil spirit, why didn't you have him handle it directly?"

The old woman was taken aback, then answered quite naturally, "He said he couldn't handle it. This evil spirit is extremely powerful, and he told me I had to come find you instead!"

"Find me?" I was startled once more.

I turned to look at Yin Shuang, pointed at her, and asked the old woman, "You're supposed to be looking for her, aren't you?"

However, the old woman shook her head. "Not her. That Daoist simply gave me an address; he didn't specify a particular person, only that there is someone here who can definitely handle this. That's why I came."

I furrowed my brows again. Wasn't this an old acquaintance of Yin Shuang's?

I looked at the old woman and asked, "What does this Daoist look like?"

The old woman thought carefully for a moment, then described him: "In his forties, dressed in ragged clothes, with a waxed mustache and a raspy voice. I couldn't hear what he was saying half the time—perhaps it's because I'm getting old..."

At that moment, I was rooted to the spot in shock.

*That waxed-mustache Daoist again!*

Did the fellow know I was here? Didn't we just buy this shop? What on earth is this guy plotting?

A chill ran down my spine. It felt as though I were constantly being watched. I stood up, walked to the entrance of the shop, and scanned the street, trying to catch a glimpse of the waxed mustache.

The old woman looked at me in utter bewilderment. "Little Master? Little Master? What are you looking for? You simply must help me, I truly have no other way out, I'll give you however much money you want..."

After scanning the street, I saw only ordinary passersby, with not a single suspicious figure among them. With no other option, I gave up and slowly walked back inside.

"This job, I cannot take. You should go find—"

Just as I was about to refuse, Yin Shuang's voice rang out: "Rest assured, old mother, we have taken this job!"

I froze instantly.

*What is this dead woman playing at?*

This was recommended by the waxed-mustache Daoist. Offering courtesies for no reason usually means either malice or theft! Would he be kind enough to throw business our way? Clearly, he had ulterior motives. I came to the city to find my family; what business did I have getting mixed up with him?

Therefore, my first instinct was to refuse.

Upon hearing this, the old woman immediately showered us with gratitude once again. "Thank you so much! You are truly living Bodhisattvas in the flesh! I thank you both!"

Speechless, I told the old woman, "Wait outside for a moment while I prepare some things."

The old woman hurriedly wiped away her tears and obediently stepped outside.

As soon as she left, I strode over to the counter and demanded of Yin Shuang, "Are you out of your mind? That waxed mustache is undoubtedly the one from the mountain! When we entered the city, he was the one playing tricks, almost leading us straight into the netherworld! This job was introduced by him, why on earth are you accepting it?"

"Huh? Didn't you say he was an old acquaintance?"

Even though I was furious, Yin Shuang showed no emotional fluctuation whatsoever, replying with serene detachment, "You were the one who said he was that Daoist from the mountain, weren't you? Doesn't that make him an old acquaintance?"

I stared at her blankly.

*What on earth?*

Is this your definition of an "old acquaintance"?

"Do you have some kind of profound misunderstanding of the word 'acquaintance'?"

Seeing that I was still interrogating her, she raised her head, her cold and striking eyes sweeping slowly across my body.

"Are you yelling at me?"

I knew what that look meant. The next thing that would happen is that I would spontaneously turn a somersault and crash hard onto the floor.

"Fine, fine, fine, you're amazing. Just wait until I surpass you, see if I don't beat you until you cry!"

With that, I turned and strode toward the back courtyard.

From behind me came a disdainful, cold snort.

"Hmph—"

I stopped in my tracks, pointed back at her, and challenged, "Who do you think you're looking down on? Do you think you're so invincible? There is always someone better, and heaven beyond heaven! The day I surpass you, I swear I'll torment you with my own hands until you wish you were dead!"

Yin Shuang still showed no emotional fluctuation. She turned the page of the book in her hand and let out another syllable from her lips:

"Hmph—"

I had been feeling utterly repressed and miserable these past few days, and yet this woman still dared to humiliate me like this!

Pointing at her, I shouted, "Do not bully a young man for being poor today; prosperity shifts after thirty years!"

In response to my impassioned and heroic vow, the female corpse simply laid her book down flat on the desk and began stretching her limbs.

"This old lady just loves men with a backbone. Let's see just how 'tough' my big man really is..."

Seeing her posture, I turned tail and ran!

Without looking back, I sprinted into the back courtyard and bolted up to the room Er Pang and I shared.

I kicked the door wide open!

*Bang!!!*

"Outrageous!"

"I'll discipline you sooner or later! I'll even drip hot wax on you! I'll make you cry! I'll make you..."

Cursing the whole while, I hurriedly gathered yellow paper and other ritual supplies. Er Pang was so startled he nearly tumbled right off the bed.

Annoyed by my commotion, Er Pang grumbled, "Tian Gang, what kind of madness has gotten into you early in the morning? Can't a guy get some sleep?"

"Sleep your grandfather's ghost!"

"Get up!"

"To work!"

I barked at him, then snatched my things and stormed downstairs, fuming.

Just as I reached the bottom, I bumped into Yin Shuang, who was pouring out some water in the back courtyard.

She looked at me and asked, "Are you very angry right now?"

With a deeply aggrieved expression, I spat out, "I... I'm constipated and miserable!!!"