Chapter 15: Only the Ghosts Know [Competing for Branches]

As Ling Yiran reached the entrance of the Ling Family Home, he heard footsteps coming from the mountain path. Turning around, he saw Xing Han jogging leisurely towards the mountain top in his sportswear.

Xing Han also noticed Ling Yiran and saw that he was still wearing yesterday’s clothes. “Just got back?”

Ling Yiran asked at the same time, “Are you working out?”

Both paused for a moment, then spoke in unison, “Yes.”

Xing Han’s gaze lingered on Ling Yiran’s face, stopping at his eyes. He noticed the dark circles around Ling Yiran’s eyes, which were actually due to yin energy—every ghost has darker circles around their eyes, but Xing Han didn’t know this. “Do you often stay out playing until this time?”

“Sort of.” Ling Yiran’s tasks usually ended around 5:30 to 6:00 in the morning, so he often returned to the dormitory to rest at this time.

Xing Han frowned. His health wasn’t great, and yet he was staying up all night. “Don’t you have to work during the day?”

“I don’t have a job.” Ling Yiran initially wanted to lie, but then he realized that lying would require more lies to cover up, which would be exhausting and require a lot of energy to maintain. It was better to just be honest.

Xing Han’s brows furrowed even more. “Do you want to work out with me? Your health is too poor; you need to exercise.”

Ling Yiran was about to agree when he saw the sun rising in the east. He quickly shook his head. “No, no, I don’t like exercising.”

Xing Han: “…”

Ling Yiran’s body was already weak, and if he stayed in the sun, he might not survive. He quickly said, “I’m still not feeling well. I’ll go rest first. Let’s catch up later.”

He hurriedly pushed the door open and closed it with a bang.

Xing Han: “…”

The guy had no job, was weak, didn’t like exercising, couldn’t be in the sun, and enjoyed nightlife, staying out until dawn. Is this the kind of person suitable for marriage?

But then again, he just wanted someone to marry to appease his family. Why was he being so picky?

Xing Han rubbed his temples, deciding to observe Ling Yiran’s character more. If his character was good, nothing else mattered.

Inside the Ling Family Home, Ling Yiran rushed back to his room before the sun fully rose.

Ling Sisong, upon hearing that Ling Yiran had arrived, immediately went to the ancestral hall’s backyard to see him. “Uncle, I heard from Xiao Zhen about what happened yesterday.”

Ling Yiran, lying on his side on the bed, looked at him. “Sisong, do you think I’m incompatible with the human world? Otherwise, why did I die young? And ever since I had that yin marriage, I’ve been pretty unlucky, even getting mistakenly arrested.”

Ling Sisong spat, “Don’t talk nonsense. If your early death was due to bad luck, Uncle wouldn’t have been unable to save you.”

“I’m just kidding.” Ling Yiran swung his legs and said, “It would be great if I could use spells freely in the human world.”

Ling Sisong chuckled. “Do you know what your dad’s favorite thing to do was when he was alive?”

Ling Yiran was curious. “What was it?”

“He loved to walk the line of rules, finding loopholes to do things.”

Ling Yiran sat up, looking at him. “You mean…”

Ling Sisong shushed him, “These things can only be understood, not spoken.”

Ling Yiran laughed, “I like doing that too.”

In fact, during his tasks, he often used spells in secret, just like in Jun Gui Bar.

“As long as you like it.” Ling Sisong took out incense and candles from a hidden compartment in the cabinet, lighting the incense first before handing the red candle to Ling Yiran.

Ling Yiran sniffed it, his eyes lighting up. “This is the Penglai brand incense.”

Ling Sisong looked at Ling Yiran with a grandfatherly smile. “No, this is incense made personally by your uncle.”

“My dad made it himself?” Ling Yiran quickly took a bite. “Why does it taste so similar to Penglai incense?”

“That’s because Penglai is a brand created by our Ling family, based on your uncle’s formula. Unfortunately, the effect isn’t as good, not even a tenth of his.” Ling Sisong’s eyes were always filled with admiration when he mentioned Ling Haochen.

Ling Yiran swallowed the candle, his eyes lighting up again. “My yin energy increased, and my stomach feels much better. My dad is amazing.”

Ling Sisong proudly said, “Of course, no one can compare to my uncle.”

Ling Yiran teased, “Is my dad your idol?”

“He’s the idol of idols. You don’t know about that time when the human and celestial… uh… never mind, it’s been so many years, no need to mention it. You rest well, I’m leaving. Call me if you need anything.” Ling Sisong left, leaning on his cane.

The incense made by Ling Haochen was incredibly effective, not only calming the mind but also increasing yin energy.

Ling Yiran felt refreshed after eating just half of the candle.

With the ghost festival in July approaching, followed by the upgrade exam, he didn’t dare delay and quickly took out his books to study.

“Haha—” Ling Zhen suddenly jumped in. “Little Ancestor, look who I brought to see you.”

Ling Yiran looked up to see Ling Zhen bringing Xing Han into the room.

Xing Han noticed the bitten candle in Ling Yiran’s hand and raised an eyebrow.

Ling Zhen, quick-witted, took the candle from Ling Yiran. “Our dog must have brought the ancestral hall’s candle to your room again. It seems to really like you.”

Ling Yiran quickly closed his book and stood up to ask Xing Han, “Why are you here?”

“I heard you weren’t feeling well, so I came to check on you. I was planning to come in the afternoon, but I have to return to the military district after lunch. I won’t be back until next weekend.” Xing Han’s workload wasn’t heavy recently, and as a commander in the military district, he could come and go freely.

Ling Yiran found Xing Han, though a bit serious, to be quite caring. “I’m much better now. Just need another day of rest.”

Xing Han placed the fruit he brought on the table and noticed a book on the bed with the title “Only the Ghosts Know.” “You’re reading?”

Ling Yiran nodded. “Yes, I’m preparing for an exam, so I need to review.”

“…” Xing Han was surprised. There was study material called “Only the Ghosts Know”? Curious, he picked up the book. “What exam are you taking?”

Ling Yiran didn’t expect him to see the book from the underworld and be able to read its contents, so it was too late to stop him.

Xing Han casually flipped to a page and saw a multiple-choice question: If your relative dies, what would you choose to do?

A: Revive them

B: Pretend not to know them and take their soul

C: Take their soul, persuade them to let go of the past, and reincarnate soon

D: Take their soul to complete the task, then revive them

Xing Han: “…”

What kind of question is this?

Ling Yiran rubbed his forehead. “If I said I’m taking a brain teaser test, would you believe me?”

Xing Han: “…”

Ling Zhen, who had been watching their interaction, couldn’t help but laugh. “I won’t disturb you two. You chat.”

Ling Yiran: “…”

Bro, you’re just going to abandon me like that? No loyalty at all.

Xing Han flipped through more questions, all about ghosts and soul-snatching. He put the book down and looked at Ling Yiran. “Your exam questions are quite interesting.”

Ling Yiran smiled back. At this point, all he could do was smile.

Xing Han said, “Rest well. See you next week.”

Ling Yiran got out of bed. “I’ll see you out.”

“No need.” Xing Han stopped him, noticing his body was a bit cold. “You’re not feeling well, so it’s better to rest more.”

Ling Yiran glanced at the blazing sun outside and nodded.

After Xing Han left the room, Ling Zhen slipped back in, grinning. “Little Ancestor, I think Major Xing is pretty nice. You shouldn’t rush to annul this marriage.”

Ling Yiran glared at him. “For him, it’s like he never got married. He can still find someone else to marry and have kids. What about me then?”

Ling Zhen’s eyes twinkled. “Then you should make it real with him.”

Ling Yiran was puzzled. “Make it real?”

“I mean, you could marry him in the human world.”

Ling Yiran paused, then shook his head. “I can tell he’s not interested in me. He’s only spending time with me because his family is pressuring him.”

“Then make him like you,” Ling Zhen suggested. “Of course, you have to like him too. Little Ancestor, do you like him?”

Ling Yiran laughed. “I’ve only known him for a few days. How could I like someone so quickly?”

“Then don’t rush to annul the yin marriage. Spend some time with Major Xing and see how it goes.”

Ling Yiran had been too worn out recently to have the energy to annul the yin marriage. “Let’s wait until he comes back next weekend.”

He thought he’d have to wait a week to see Xing Han again, but that night, Shi Yi told him, “Our first task tonight is at the First Military District.”

Ling Yiran’s head snapped up. “Whose soul are we taking?”

“A military dog’s soul.” Shi Yi noticed his reaction. “You seem a bit tense.”

Ling Yiran: “…”

His first thought had been of Xing Han.

Shi Yi leaned closer. “Do you have relatives in the military district?”

“No.”

“Really?”

Ling Yiran affirmed, “Really, no.”

Seeing he wasn’t lying, Shi Yi didn’t press further. “There’s nothing we need to bring back from the military district, so we’ll wait until five minutes before the task to go.”

Ling Yiran thought for a moment. “I want to go an hour early.”

Shi Yi was puzzled. “Why so early? Planning to steal a gun? The underworld rules say ghost officers can’t steal military guns. They’re for national defense, and besides, we’re ghosts. What would we need guns for?”

Ling Yiran rolled his eyes. “Who said anything about stealing guns?”

“Then why go so early?”

Ling Yiran felt a bit guilty and avoided Shi Yi’s gaze. “We usually can’t enter the military district due to the rules. It’s a rare chance to go in, so I want to look around, see the environment, and observe the soldiers’ lives.”

Shi Yi nodded. “Alright, we don’t have anything else to do anyway.”