Wait, wait—could that thing really be what I think it is?

My scalp tingled as I stared at the hunched old woman holding up a wooden object and sizing it against me with a knowing smile. “Why are you so shy?” she chuckled. “Between husband and wife, this is perfectly normal, isn’t it?”

“Normal?” I muttered quietly, “Is getting intimate with a ghost normal…?”

She paused, then nodded. “Some have ghost husbands, others ghost wives. Regardless, when they merge, the living person often ends up with some yin energy invading their body. At worst, they can even damage their yang energy, though mild cases might just cause a fever. So, it’s quite common for people to come here for these special ‘protection’ packs.”

I was a bit surprised. After that night when I was sixteen, I did fall seriously ill. Yet, after Jiang Qi Yun reappeared recently, he’s been leaving so much… stuff inside me every day, and I haven’t had a fever since.

“You’re young and beautiful; your husband must really love you. Better stock up on a few more boxes,” the old lady encouraged, enthusiastically promoting the packs. “These are made from talisman paper, so they’re not very stretchy. You’ll need to pick the right size, or it won’t be comfortable… And remember, you have to burn them for him after you buy them.”

My face flushed as I quickly got to my feet, waving my hands. “No, no… I don’t need any…”

As I practically bolted out of there, I saw my brother squatting across the street, bargaining with a street vendor using hand gestures.

I couldn’t understand their signals at all, but eventually, my brother managed to snatch up the entire stall, bundling it all up triumphantly.

Is this the kind of business acumen our dad has, too?

By the time we left the ghost market, I still hadn’t found a phone shop selling phones to burn for the departed.

On the way back, my brother suggested that maybe the West Market would have one, and that we could try entering from the highly yin area next time.

A little disappointed at not finding a suitable phone to burn, I went out the next day and bought some men’s clothes, then took the Fortune Gathering Furnace to a crossroad near home.

I scribbled “Lord Bei Tai” on a yellow paper, drew a circle, set the Fortune Gathering Furnace inside, and sneaked in the clothes to burn them.

Burning paper at a crossroad has its own rituals. You have to draw a circle, with an opening facing the direction of the yin person’s home. Then, sprinkle some burning spirit money outside the circle for the ghostly messengers in charge of delivery.

Just as I was finishing up, I looked up and saw a ghost messenger standing in front of me.

He was holding the yellow paper I had burned with “Lord” written on it, his face filled with a conflicted, pained expression—are they really that afraid of Jiang Qi Yun?

I quickly lit the remaining spirit money in my hand and scattered it outside the circle as a tip for his hard work. He sighed, shook his head, and disappeared.

Breathing a small sigh of relief, I realized that these ghost messengers are all pretty scared of Jiang Qi Yun…

“Mu Xiao Qiao.” Someone called my name from behind. I turned around, startled to see Zhao Xiaoru!

What was she doing here?!

I quickly closed the lid of the Fortune Gathering Furnace, trying to cover up my actions. “Oh, I’m just burning some paper for my deceased relatives…”

Zhao Xiaoru smiled faintly, nodding. “Ah, you’re quite skilled at this… Guess it runs in the family.”

The ‘family skill’ she mentioned must be my family’s knack for being sharp in business. My brother certainly inherited that part well.

She stepped closer to me, speaking in a low voice. “I heard your family sells antique feng shui items… I was wondering if you could help me with something. Do you have a moment?”

I studied her face closely; her expression seemed normal, though her eyes were slightly bloodshot and her face a bit pale, but her brow wasn’t dark.

“Well, I guess I have a moment… But what exactly do you need? I have to get home and cook soon; I don’t have much free time.” I responded cautiously.

“Why don’t we sit on that bench over there?” she pointed to a nearby bench on the roadside.

I nodded, thinking that in a public spot like this, there was nothing to worry about.

“I wanted to ask if your family has anything that can help calm the mind… My dad has been really harsh with me lately…” Her voice softened, and she looked down. “Last night, he even threatened to kill me with a knife… I…”

Tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke.

I was stunned. How old was she, and still being abused at home?

“You… shouldn’t you be going to the police for something like this? Why come to us?” I said, a little taken aback.

Lowering her voice and crying, she said, “But he’s my dad… If he gets taken away, what will happen to my life? And he’s… he’s been… trying to… touch me…”

For a second, I thought I’d heard wrong. This wasn’t just a simple abuse issue, was it?

“I heard from the aunt downstairs that her husband had a violent streak too, but a feng shui master changed the layout of their house, and it got better. But I don’t have the money to hire a master, so… A friend said your family sells feng shui items, and I was hoping you could help me…” She wrung her hands, staring at her clothes.

I noticed a faint bruise on her neck; she said her dad had threatened to strangle her last night.

“I… I only have a little over two thousand. I know it might not be enough, these things are usually expensive… Could you make an exception, or maybe let me pay you back over time?” She cried pitifully.

“I’ll go back and ask my family. I don’t know much about prices, but if there’s something suitable, I’ll set it aside for you.” I got up, Fortune Gathering Furnace in hand, and headed home. Glancing back, I saw her sitting there crying, then walking off in despair.

When I told my brother about it, his eyes widened. “I think what she really needs is Officer Lu’s number.”

I shook my head. “She hinted at things pretty gently today, but I think her dad isn’t just hitting her; he might’ve tried to… assault her. That’s why she doesn’t dare go to the police. If it blew up, it’d be over. But I don’t want her money.”

Just thinking about where that money might’ve come from made me shiver.

The next day, Zhao Xiaoru showed up to class with one ear bandaged! In the hallway, she tearfully explained that her dad tried to cut off her ear last night and ended up slicing it.

Oh, heavens, is her father even sane anymore?

I felt a pang of pity for her. “Look, why don’t I come to your place and check things out? Even if you do need some items, we’d have to make sure the setup is right.”

She gratefully nodded, covering her face.

I’d learned my lesson; I asked my brother to come along, just to be safe.

Her family was poor, renting the second floor above a small shop, where the upstairs rooms were all rentals. You had to climb up a metal staircase to get there.

The moment we reached the second floor, I felt the thick, murky atmosphere. I quickly pulled out my compass, and without a word, my brother slapped a talisman onto Zhao Xiaoru’s forehead.

“Huh? Wh-what’s this for?” Zhao Xiaoru was taken aback.

My brother was secretly shocked, questioning if she was truly human.

“Just to calm your mind, in case you get distracted.” My brother pulled off the talisman, making something up on the spot.

I glanced at the compass, knowing we were in trouble.

The compass needle pointed downward, trembling slightly before coming to a stop.

A sinking needle.

A place that gathers yin and hides corpses.

With Zhao Xiaoru living in a place like this, it’s no wonder she’s been affected.

In a daze, I heard the faint meow of a cat. Looking up, I spotted a green-eyed black cat staring at me from the balcony across the way…