“Mu Yi Ke? That’s my great-grandfather’s name.”

It seemed like I’d been kept in the dark about my family’s past.

My brother shrugged and said, “Great-grandpa called it karma, and grandpa says we need to exorcise it. But the materials for the exorcism could cost tens of millions. I’m trying to save up.”

The old lady frowned, “And I wanted to ask you—what’s with this aura of misfortune around your sister? You all didn’t come into contact with anything evil, did you?”

As soon as that was mentioned, my brother got irritated and explained that during his first business deal, he’d crossed paths with a sinister practitioner. He’d just sorted it out today.

The old lady looked grave. “Just because someone’s dead doesn’t mean it’s resolved. These people are spreading dark arts inland. Watch out for revenge. If you can’t handle anything, come find me.”

It was my first time meeting this old lady, yet she seemed quite familiar with my brother. Seeing my confusion, my brother explained.

Turns out, this old lady was a distant relative on my mom’s side. She’d been alone for years and liked my brother, so she had an informal contract to be his god-grandma, and my brother’s duty was to burn paper money for her… Weird.

“If she’s not a ghost… then why did you use Five Emperors coins to knock on her door?” I asked, puzzled.

My brother smirked, “Didn’t you hear that cat meow? That cat spirit’s ferocious. Anyone who barges in will end up cursed.”

“Then why does she want you to burn paper for her? She’s not dead…”

“She’s just storing it up at the Earthly Bank! In case something happens to me and I go before she does, she’ll have no one to hold a ritual or burn paper for her. Being broke in the underworld is miserable.”

So that’s why it’s good to have a living relative… I couldn’t help but remember Jiang Qiyun’s words.

“Where’s my phone? Did you burn it for me?”

Am I the one he’s keeping contact with in the living world?

》》》

When the old lady handed me a herbal packet, she said, “Girl, don’t waste what your mother left behind. If you want to make money, nothing works better than the Shen family name.”

I didn’t fully understand her words, but my brother stayed silent.

My mother’s family name was indeed Shen, but she passed away when I was young. I couldn’t even remember her face… And in all these years, I’d never seen a single relative from my mother’s side.

This bothered me, and I decided to keep pressing my brother until he told me everything.

My brother couldn’t resist for long. After all, he needed me to cook every day. By the third day of no meals, he couldn’t hold out anymore.

“Xiao Qiao, I beg you, please cook for me… Alright, I’ll tell you everything.” He took a delicate little compass out of his pocket.

This was something Dad treasured, an item Mom carried with her always when she was alive.

“The Shen family is matriarchal, each woman fiercer and more headstrong than the last.” My brother said between bites, “But Mom was different—gentle, beautiful, and elegant… and, well, she somehow ended up with Dad. Look at me, so handsome, and you, so stunningly beautiful—that’s all thanks to Mom.”

“Get to the point!” This guy just loved going off on tangents.

Turns out the Shen family was also a prestigious family in certain circles, specializing in spirit-summoning, geomancy, and feng shui. The family members, regardless of gender, were all famous. Women had a natural advantage in spirit-summoning and clairvoyance, so Shen women were generally more powerful. As a rule, men could marry into the Shen family, but daughters weren’t allowed to marry out.

My father, being the eldest son, couldn’t marry into the family, so my mother had eloped with him.

“Didn’t expect Dad had it in him, huh? I don’t know much about Mom’s side either, but if you’re curious, take this and study. Feng shui isn’t hard.”

He handed me the compass, cautioning, “Be careful. The edge is sharp; you could use it as a dagger.”

We were eating when a skinny young man knocked on the door and grinned, “Sorry to bother you.”

I looked closely and recognized him as the underworld messenger who helped me find Song Wei’s little brother!

He really was alive! Broad daylight, with a shadow underfoot.

“Little lady, I told you, I’m a living person. I just make a living at this. Why won’t you believe me?” He turned to show me his shadow on purpose.

“What… what brings you here?” I asked, secretly hoping maybe Jiang Qiyun had sent him.

He plopped down casually and leaned in, “I was assigned to handle the corpses of that sinister practitioner, the high school girl, and the male driver. When I reached that broken-down courtyard, I noticed that sinister practitioner had, just before his soul was devoured, bitten his finger to draw half a symbol on the kang bed. Not sure if it worked… It’s likely a signal for his faction. Just thought I’d give you a heads-up.”

“I’d rather never see another bald-head again,” my brother snorted, “I’ll avoid them in the future.”

The messenger laughed, “The female ghost draining the yang energy has been devoured too. The bronze statue you sold to the Hou family lost its power, and old man Hou was on the verge of going back to the boardroom, but now he’s sick again.”

Listening to his conversation with my brother, I got a bit bored and went to sit on the couch.

The messenger was just here to chat, never even mentioning Jiang Qiyun.

I figured as much. He was just a low-ranking errand boy; how could he know Jiang Qiyun’s whereabouts?

Just as he was talking about the Hou family, a long black car pulled up outside my house, and a cold-faced woman walked in with two bodyguards.

My brother and the messenger were chatting away over cold appetizers without a care, and the woman sneered in disdain, then turned to me and said, “Where’s your boss? Tell him to come out.”

My brother swung his leg leisurely, “The boss isn’t here. You can tell me if there’s something you need.”

The woman frowned, “Are you in charge here?”

A bodyguard whispered, “Miss, apparently it was this young man who gave the statue to the young master…”

I immediately understood. Another person from the Hou family. They must think we’re their tools.

The woman arrogantly introduced herself, “I’m Hou Zhi Yu. I need a favor from you.”

My brother shook his head, “Sorry, we’re done doing business with the Hou family.”

She didn’t even ask why, just curved her lips slightly and named a number, “One million.”

My brother looked at her seriously, “I’m a man of principles.”

“…Two million.” Hou Zhi Yu raised an eyebrow.

My brother stood up, came over to sit beside me, looking as if she were invisible.

Her brows knitted, and she said sharply, “Five million.”

“Miss Hou, please have a seat.” My brother gave a charming smile.

I rolled my eyes. Principles, huh? Just said you wouldn’t work with the Hou family, and now you’re selling out for five million?

Alright… fine. I was tempted too. After all, Dad’s exorcism costs at least ten million, and just like that, they offered five million!

The messenger also edged closer to eavesdrop, and Hou Zhi Yu took him as just a shop assistant and didn’t bother with him.

She got right to the point, “There’s some trouble at home, and I need some protective items.”

“What kind of trouble?” my brother asked, intrigued.

Hou Zhi Yu’s icy, proud face flashed with a hint of unease, and in a low voice, she said, “My dad’s been acting strange lately. At first, I thought it was because of my grandpa’s illness and all the pressure… But last night, I heard—”