Chapter 14

The Ghosts and Gods of the Underworld were not unfamiliar with the Beiyin Fengdu Emperor. Compared to the Ten Kings of Hell, the Fengdu Emperor was the supreme ruler of the entire Netherworld. The Fengdu Hell within Mount Luofeng, which she governed, suppressed countless evil spirits who were beyond redemption and not part of the Cycle of Life and Death. That place was even darker than the Netherworld Bureau.

The Underworld, on the other hand, was where the Fengdu Emperor managed the normal Cycle of Life and Death. She ruled over all Ghosts and Gods, but only a handful had ever seen her in the Underworld.

Among them were the three Ghosts and Gods present here. When they had seen her thousands of years ago, she was clad in a red and black Dharma robe, seated high on a platform, looking down upon countless ghosts, and no one dared to meet her gaze.

But now…

Looking at the “ghost” before them, who appeared even more destitute than those who had starved for thousands of years, the Ghosts and Gods fell silent.

Forget not daring to meet her gaze—if this were placed by the River of Oblivion in the Underworld, she would have been marked by the Ghost Messengers as a “potential troublemaker” to be closely monitored.

Faced with the indescribable looks from the Ghosts and Gods, the “female ghost” was displeased: “What do you mean by this attitude towards me, the Emperor?”

Finally, Su Wen stepped forward. He slightly raised his eyes: “How can you prove it?”

The “female ghost” glanced at him: “Are you the Judge?”

“It’s been a thousand years, and you’ve become so… unadorable.”

Un…adorable…

In the entire Underworld, no one had ever dared to use such a word to describe the Judge.

Su Wen’s temple veins twitched.

But before he could react, the “female ghost” moved. She kicked over the footstool and stood up: “Although I may be a bit down on my luck now, anyone who spends a thousand years at the Netherworld Gate would end up like this.”

“And as for proving my identity to you?” She chuckled, slowly walking into the midst of the Ghosts and Gods. “What do you think of the Imperial Seal of the Fengdu Emperor?”

With that, she raised her sleeveless arm and formed a seal in the air.

The Ghosts and Gods held their breath, but after a moment, all they saw was a fleeting trace of the seal, and then nothing more.

“…”

The “female ghost” hadn’t expected this either. She cursed under her breath and turned angrily: “Is this how the Underworld has been operating for the past thousand years? Not even a trace of Faith Merit?!”

She had been guarding the evil spirits at the Netherworld Gate for a thousand years, which had already drained her significantly. And now, upon emerging, she couldn’t even replenish her energy.

The “female ghost” angrily took another puff of incense and stomped back: “Where’s the new King of Hell? I want to see him!”

As she walked back, she kicked the footstool again in frustration. After all, she was the Emperor who guarded the evil spirits. If she wanted to use the power of evil spirits or Ghosts and Gods, she could. But the current state of the Underworld was highly unstable, and the Underworld was not like Mount Luofeng. Her Evil Aura was too strong, and if she used it here, it would likely disturb the peace of the Underworld’s ghosts.

This was also why she resided alone on Mount Luofeng and not in the Netherworld.

Although her seal was rather lackluster, the Ghosts and Gods were all too familiar with the Imperial Seal of the Fengdu Emperor.

“Emperor…” Jin Wen hesitated as she looked at her, “How did the Emperor end up like this?”

For the past thousand years, the Ghosts and Gods had tried to seek out Mount Luofeng to find the Fengdu Emperor to manage the Underworld, which was without the Ten Kings of Hell, but they had received no response. They never expected her to emerge from the Netherworld Gate now.

Recalling the scene when the Beiyin Emperor had emerged, the Ghosts and Gods were speechless.

At that time, the Netherworld Gate had been in turmoil. Kong Lin and Jin Wen immediately dropped what they were doing, promptly informed Su Wen, and rushed over.

The Ghost Messenger at the gate was terrified, fearing a repeat of the chaos from a thousand years ago. The current Little King of Hell was not as formidable as the previous Ten Kings of Hell and might not be able to maintain order!

As everyone stood on high alert, a female ghost emerged from inside, cursing and grumbling.

When this female ghost came out, other evil spirits tried to follow her, but she kicked them back, shouting angrily, “Still not behaving? Do you want me to beat you until your souls scatter?!”

After kicking one, she wasn’t satisfied and proceeded to kick several more evil spirits.

Jin Wen and Kong Lin, who were watching this scene, fell silent.

The female ghost then turned her head and said, “What are you looking at? Go and bring the new King of Hell to see me.”

At this moment, the Emperor was still fuming with indignation. She spat, “Those ugly things, you couldn’t hold them back, could you? If it weren’t for me, do you think the Netherworld Gate would still be standing?”

“The Ten Halls were all destroyed there. If it weren’t for me guarding it, do you think the Netherworld Gate could have lasted until now?”

All the Ghosts and Gods had thought that the Ten Kings of Hell had sacrificed themselves to suppress the chaos. They hadn’t expected this layer of truth, nor had they imagined that the proud, aloof Emperor would become so… so down-to-earth.

After learning the truth, all the Ghosts and Gods knelt down and said, “We pay our respects to the Emperor!”

The Beiyin Emperor waved her hand, “Enough with the formalities. Bring the new King of Hell to me.”

As soon as she finished speaking, all eyes turned to Su Wen.

Su Wen: “…”

“Lord Yama, she is in the Human Realm.”

The Beiyin Emperor’s eyes lit up, “The Human Realm?”

Meanwhile, Little Qi Wu was unaware of what was happening. Today, she had met many children in kindergarten who were willing to play with her, and she was happy to play with them too, as she had never seen children her own age in the Underworld.

The kindergarten also had many delicious foods she had never tasted before. So, this was how wonderful the Human Realm could be.

Her little friends asked, “Qi Wu, why are you putting the snacks the teacher gave you into your bag?”

Little Qi Wu zipped up her small backpack and tilted her head, “For Dad to eat.”

Dad must have never tried them before. Although he usually eats incense and candles, he can also enjoy delicious food.

Since Su Wen remained motionless in the fixed indoor camera and the Director’s phone was unreachable, the crew had no choice but to focus the camera on Qi Wu. This scene was also seen by the audience.

[“What a little angel on earth, my goodness.”]

[“Many children are like this; they want to share good things with their parents.”]

[“But it’s still so touching. It’s just some ordinary candies and cakes. Has Qi Wu never had them before?”]

[“You know about the child’s family situation. It’s heartbreaking.”]

[“Actually, there’s something I’ve been wanting to say. Su Wen is healthy and good-looking, so why is he living in such poverty?”]

[“I’ve been wondering that too.”]

[“Maybe there’s something he’s not telling us? He’s been good to Little Qi Wu, giving her the best of everything. Let’s wait and see.”]

One of the little girls, upon hearing Qi Wu’s words, ran back and piled her own snacks in front of her, “Then take these too, and bring them to your dad!”

This was Qi Wu’s new friend, Fan Meng, whom everyone called Mengmeng.

Little Qi Wu was content. She shook her head, “No need, thank you. Qi Wu has enough.”

But Mengmeng was very insistent, so Little Qi Wu had to say, “Mengmeng can bring it to your Dad to eat.”

Mengmeng pouted, “My Dad never eats snacks. He likes to drink coffee.”

Curious, Little Qi Wu asked, “What’s that?”

“It’s…” Mengmeng thought hard, “something very bitter. He says drinking it makes him not want to sleep.”

Little Qi Wu was surprised, “There are actually people who don’t want to sleep?”

She said enviously, “Qi Wu wants to sleep a lot every day.”

Mengmeng explained, “Dad has to go to work, just like we have to go to school, so he can’t sleep in.”

Now Little Qi Wu understood. Going to work was like going to school, which meant you also had to learn and grow up to be better. Yes, she had to do the same, so she couldn’t be lazy about sleeping.

She wholeheartedly agreed, “Mhm, your Dad is so amazing.”

“Mhm, Dad is amazing, but he also works very hard, so Mengmeng has to be good.”

[Is Little Qi Wu envious? Such an innocent child. Adults definitely want to sleep.]

[Every day at work, I’m so tired I feel like a dog, but I still have to be a corporate slave, wuwuwu.]

In the end, Little Qi Wu couldn’t resist Mengmeng’s enthusiasm and took a little snack from her. She silently thought: This is Mengmeng’s offering to Judge Dad, it’s Karma.

The children gathered together, and the teacher came over with a small speaker, “Come, come, kids, line up and sit down. We’re going to have music class now.”

Little Qi Wu learned quickly and already knew the rules of class, so she and Mengmeng quickly held hands and sat together.

She thought somewhat confusedly, she was here to learn and grow up, but why did the teachers here always teach her to sing, dance, and play on the slide?

Was this what growing up in the Human Realm was like?

But since it was learning, Little Qi Wu was still very serious. The teacher taught a line, and she sang a line, even clapping her hands to the beat.

The people present couldn’t quite tell, but Little Qi Wu was wearing a mic, so the audience in the livestream could clearly hear her voice.

It was a bit off-key, but surprisingly pleasant, soft yet comfortable.

Looking at the little dumpling on the screen seriously following the beat, the livestream audience’s hearts were instantly pierced.

[I was feeling drowsy, but now I’m wide awake. What kind of divine voice is this?]

[Ahhh, how can Little Qi Wu’s voice be so nice? Even when she’s off-key, it hits me right in the heart.]

Because the kindergarten had small class sizes, the teacher patiently had each child stand up and sing one by one, while the other children clapped along.

The teacher said, “When someone is performing alone, no one should talk or disturb them.”

“And try not to zone out. We should listen carefully because we’re all friends, right?”

The children responded in unison, “Right!”

The teacher guided, “So what kind of etiquette is this?”

The children answered together again, “Respect and politeness!”

The teacher nodded in satisfaction, “Great. Let’s all be polite kids from now on, okay?”

“Okay!”

Little Qi Wu sat among the children and also responded seriously.

It was only at this moment that she began to understand a little: Many ghosts in The Underworld weren’t like this.

They did whatever they wanted, especially the older ghosts. Only the Ghost Messengers could control them, and the City God always said they were disobedient.

Is it because they don’t understand manners? But many of them are big ghosts.

Little Qi Wu thought for a moment, recalling that Meng Po always said the Human Realm has changed a lot now, with all sorts of progress. Could this be what she meant by “different”?

But if we want the ghosts in the Underworld to learn this, how should we go about it?

Hmm? Should I teach them to sing, dance, and play on slides?

Thinking this, Little Qi Wu became even more serious. When it was her turn to perform solo, apart from the live audience, the barrage of comments in the live stream noticeably decreased.

The live audience was quiet because they all liked this new little classmate, and also because the teacher had taught them to be polite.

As for the live stream viewers, they wanted to hear her sing that song solo again.

Little Qi Wu stood in the middle of the children, encouraged by the teacher, and tried her best to keep in rhythm. Then she opened her mouth and sang in a clear voice: “The single-plank bridge, the single-plank bridge, take a step and it sways, the brave are not afraid, swaggering across the bridge…”

Afraid she might miss the beat, her little hands involuntarily clapped along.

After Little Qi Wu started singing, the teacher looked at her in surprise. Most children learn to sing by approximating the tune and need many repetitions to get it right, especially since many kids in the small class can’t read yet and their pronunciation is not very accurate.

When teaching songs, the teacher would use pictures to help the children understand what a single-plank bridge is.

But Little Qi Wu was different. This was her first time singing, yet she could pronounce the words better than many other children. Throughout the day, the teacher also noticed that she learned things very quickly and spoke much more clearly than the other kids.

What a little treasure, and so smart too. No wonder so many people liked her after just one day on the show.

Moreover, the teacher felt an inexplicable sense of relaxation after hearing Little Qi Wu sing.

Being a kindergarten teacher is quite stressful, as communicating with children requires a lot of patience. Some kids don’t understand the teacher’s reasoning and need to be guided step by step, and the teacher can’t lose their temper.

Even with training, and even though the children are adorable, teachers often feel some level of pressure.

But she found herself irresistibly drawn to Little Qi Wu, as if all that pressure had melted away.

After Little Qi Wu finished, the teacher snapped out of her reverie, let out a soft sigh of relief, and smiled as she asked the class, “Did everyone think Little Qi Wu sang well?”

“Yes!”

“Then let’s give her a round of applause, okay?”

Amid the applause, the live stream comments were frantic.

“Did anyone record that? My phone froze!”

“Right, right, I was so engrossed in listening that I forgot to record. It’s so strange, I couldn’t help but be captivated.”

“I’ve been recording the whole time! I’ll post it in the show’s super topic later, everyone can go listen!”

“Thank you, recorder person.”

“Lord Yama will bless you, haha.”

“How odd, why didn’t she keep singing? I’ve had insomnia for a long time, and I almost fell asleep just now. There’s some magic to it, right?”

“Whispering, I also think Little Qi Wu’s voice is really soothing. When she sings, I feel like I’ve become softer.”

“+ID number”

“But after this class, it’s almost time to go home, right? Is That One still meditating?”

“I admire Su Wen, in every sense of the word.”

 The production team had been closely monitoring the audience’s reactions. Seeing the situation, they switched the live stream camera to the indoor footage of the Temple of the King of Hell. This left not only the viewers speechless but also the director’s team at a loss.

Li Ke anxiously asked, “How is it? Still can’t get through on the phone?”

“No!” Huang Peng, holding his phone, was equally anxious. Initially, they thought that Su Wen, being a grown man, would be fine at home. Moreover, since it was a child-rearing reality show, the focus was primarily on the child. They had also confirmed with him beforehand that he would stay at home during the day, so the production team didn’t arrange for any daytime filming around him.

Who would have thought he would just stay at home like that!

He had been sitting there for half a day! The phone couldn’t even get through!

Huang Peng was furious: “We must go over the contract with him again later. Such a lack of effort.”

Li Ke sighed, “The main issue now is that Little Qi Wu is about to finish school. We can’t just leave her there, can we?”

Huang Peng immediately called for the staff: “You guys drive up the mountain right now and wake him up.”

Li Ke rubbed his head, “Dad fell asleep and forgot to pick up the child. That could actually be a highlight.”

Huang Peng looked weary, “What I’m afraid of is that if we don’t wake him up, he might keep sleeping. Then it won’t be a highlight; it’ll be an incident.”

That was true. The staff, having received their task, left immediately.

The live stream, however, was buzzing.

【Is he really asleep? Earning his fee by sleeping?】

【He said he was good with the child, but now he doesn’t even remember the school time. Forget it, I’ll go pick up Qi Wu.】

【Count me in for picking up Qi Wu, but should we first ask her what color of sack she likes?】

【If you’re going to steal the Little King of Hell, you’ll need a Qiankun Bag.】

【Jokes aside, we can’t really let Su Wen sleep like this. It’s Qi Wu’s first day at school.】

【Actually, I’m a bit worried. Was Su Wen always like this before adopting the child? Sleeping all day?】

【If he’s slacking off like this, I might have to reconsider my marital relationship with Su Wen.】

As the discussions in the live stream grew more intense, Li Ke had the camera switched back.

The kindergarten was indeed about to finish for the day. Many parents had already gathered outside, and the teachers, after finishing their classes, were organizing the children to pack up and leave the classroom in an orderly manner.

The viewers were deeply immersed at this point. Seeing Little Qi Wu obediently coming downstairs and even leaving snacks for her dad, they were already getting angry.

Huang Peng’s phone was ringing off the hook. Just as the staff hadn’t arrived yet, Su Wen suddenly opened his eyes, looking completely awake.

The director’s team was stunned and immediately switched the camera back to him.

After waking up, Su Wen didn’t say or do anything. Instead, he instantly stood up and hurriedly headed down the mountain.

When the staff received the director’s call, they anxiously said, “Director, I’m at the foot of the mountain. I… Hey, I see him! I’ll pick him up right away!”

Li Ke: “???”

What the hell? Didn’t he just go down the mountain?!

Li Ke couldn’t help but curse, “Damn.”

This guy is really something else.

However, he didn’t say much more and just instructed the staff to be careful.

There was no filming on this side, so once Su Wen went down the mountain, there was no more footage. Thus, the camera switched back to Little Qi Wu.

【He left just in time, or I would have divorced him.】

【His expression looks so scary. I wonder if he’s angry at himself for being late or for having to pick up the child.】

【But it’s so strange. As soon as he woke up, he rushed down without even checking the time. Is he going to pick up the child?】

【Right, how does he know what to do now?】

The Beiyin Emperor had delayed him for some time, and Su Wen didn’t even have a chance to explain the situation of the Little King of Hell in the Human Realm before he had to hurry to pick up the child from school.

As soon as he woke up, he knew he had neglected his duty. He immediately sent a Telepathic Seal to the Little King of Hell: “Lord, I apologize. I went to the Underworld and returned late. Could you wait for me at the kindergarten for a while?”

Little Qi Wu was lining up at the kindergarten, waiting for her Dad to pick her up. Upon receiving the Seal, she immediately replied: “Okay, Judge Dad, don’t worry. Qi Wu will wait for you.”

“Qi Wu even brought you something delicious.”

After many children at the kindergarten had been picked up, Little Qi Wu was still waiting there.

Although the teacher had already received a call from the child’s father, she was still a bit worried seeing how calm the little girl looked. So she went over to comfort her: “Little Qi Wu, don’t be scared. Your Dad was delayed by something, but he’ll come to pick you up soon. How about the teacher stays with you, okay?”

“Okay,” Little Qi Wu nodded, her voice soft and sweet. “Qi Wu isn’t scared. Teacher, don’t worry.”

After saying this, she looked over at the other child who was still waiting. It was Mengmeng. Mengmeng’s parents hadn’t come to pick her up either. She was sitting on a small stool, playing with her little toy.

Little Qi Wu said: “Mengmeng seems unhappy. Teacher, please stay with Mengmeng.”

【This child, even though her own Dad hasn’t come to pick her up, she’s still thinking about others.】

【Children who are left waiting should care for each other, after all.】

The teacher nodded: “Then how about Little Qi Wu comes with the teacher to sit with Mengmeng, okay?”

“Okay.”

Walking over to Mengmeng with the teacher, Little Qi Wu also sat down.

Hearing the noise, Mengmeng looked up and said in surprise: “Huh? Qi Wu, your Dad hasn’t come either?”

“Mm-hmm, Dad is busy with something. He’ll come soon!”

Mengmeng nodded, a bit dejected, and said: “My parents are also very busy. I don’t know when they’ll come.”

Little Qi Wu hugged her: “Don’t be sad. Qi Wu will stay with you.”

“Okay.”

Just then, Little Qi Wu heard an urgent voice: “Mengmeng!”

She turned her head and saw an elderly woman with graying hair standing outside the kindergarten, anxiously calling out Mengmeng’s name. Her voice was loud, but Mengmeng seemed not to hear her at all.

Little Qi Wu had learned today that someone of that age should be called Grandma.

She tilted her head slightly.

Grandma was still anxiously calling Mengmeng’s name, but neither Mengmeng nor the teacher responded. Just as Little Qi Wu was about to speak, she suddenly realized that the grandma was actually a ghost grandma.

She sensed the ghostly aura emanating from the grandma.

“Grandma is here to pick you up, Mengmeng. Why aren’t you coming over?” the ghost grandma continued to speak. “Oh, your unreliable parents still need Grandma to come and get you.”

She spoke anxiously, but she couldn’t enter the kindergarten, only able to fret from outside.

Little Qi Wu also felt her anxiety, but Judge Dad had said that people are afraid of ghosts, so she couldn’t say anything.

She was getting a bit anxious herself.

Thinking this, she used her Mystic Seal to say, “Mengmeng can’t hear Grandma.”

The ghost grandma was startled and looked at the little girl beside Mengmeng. Previously, she had only been able to see Mengmeng, but now she noticed another person. The little girl emitted a faint light that was impossible to ignore.

“Are you Mengmeng’s friend?” the ghost grandma asked. “Little girl, can you tell Mengmeng that her grandma is here to pick her up?”

Little Qi Wu was a bit troubled. “But, Grandma, you can’t pick her up.”

“Grandma is a ghost.”

These words seemed to act like a wake-up call for the ghost grandma. She stood still for a long time, somewhat dazed. “I’m a ghost… I’m a ghost.”

“Yes, I’m a ghost. I’m dead…”

The ghost grandma began to panic again. “I’m dead, I’m a ghost. What will happen to Mengmeng? No one is here to pick her up, my Mengmeng…”

Little Qi Wu comforted her, “Mengmeng said her parents will come.”

“They won’t. They only care about their work,” the ghost grandma lamented. “They always argue about who should pick her up. If they were going to pick her up, why would they leave Mengmeng alone until now?”

She looked at Little Qi Wu. “You can see me. Who are you?”

Little Qi Wu sat up a bit straighter. “I am the King of Hell of the Underworld.”

The ghost grandma was speechless.

This little ghost girl dared to say anything. “Quickly, spit it out. If Lord Yama hears this, it won’t be good.”

She then said angrily, “I’ll go find those two unfilial children. How could they leave Mengmeng alone here again!”

Little Qi Wu reminded her, “But they are also human. They can’t see you, Grandma.”

The ghost grandma anxiously paced in place. “What should I do? What should I do?”

Little Qi Wu said, “Mengmeng said her parents will come soon. I will stay with her.”

The ghost grandma, with red eyes, looked at Mengmeng. There was nothing else she could do. After a while, she said, “Little ghost girl, can you bring Mengmeng over to me? Grandma hasn’t touched Mengmeng in so long. I’ve been worried about her and couldn’t bear to go to the Netherworld. Let Grandma touch her.”

Little Qi Wu shook her head. “Grandma, if a ghost gets close to a human, the human will get sick. It’s not allowed.”

“Then how about you?”

“Because I am the King of Hell,” Little Qi Wu said, pursing her lips. “Now, I will have Black and White Impermanence come to take you back to the Netherworld.”

“This little ghost girl sure knows how to scare people…”

The ghostly grandma’s voice abruptly stopped as a gust of wind swept by. Soon, a Ghost Messenger dressed in the attire of White Impermanence appeared beside her. White Impermanence first bowed to Qi Wu: “Lord Yama.”

The ghostly grandma looked at Little Qi Wu in shock: “You really are…”

“I am indeed.”

At this point, the ghostly grandma couldn’t care less. She shook her head vigorously, refusing to go with White Impermanence, and pleaded: “My lord, please don’t make me go down. If I go down, my son and daughter-in-law won’t be able to take care of the child properly. I need to watch Mengmeng grow up!”

The ghostly grandma was deeply saddened, and Qi Wu was also affected by her sorrow: “Grandma, but you can’t take care of her now either.”

“I just want to see her, just see…”

At that moment, a stern voice rang out: “What are you looking at? The Cycle of Life and Death is not something you can bargain over!”

The ghostly grandma trembled in fear.

Little Qi Wu’s eyes lit up: “Dad!”

Su Wen had already arrived at the door. The teacher, not knowing what was happening, led Little Qi Wu to the door: “Mr. Su.”

Su Wen first apologized to Qi Wu, then said to the teacher: “Thank you for your trouble.”

“It’s no trouble at all.”

But as Little Qi Wu reached the door, she suddenly felt a gaze from behind. She turned around and saw Mengmeng waving at her: “Goodbye, Qi Wu. See you tomorrow.”

The ghostly grandma cried out: “Mengmeng, my Mengmeng.”

Little Qi Wu paused for a moment, then tugged at Judge Dad’s hand: “Dad, can we stay with Mengmeng until her dad comes?”

Su Wen, of course, wouldn’t say no.

The teacher wouldn’t keep the student’s parents waiting, so she invited Su Wen inside. Outside, only the ghostly grandma and White Impermanence remained.

White Impermanence said: “Then I’ll take this ghost back to The Underworld now.”

“Wait.” The ghostly grandma suddenly knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Qi Wu and Su Wen. “Lord Yama, my lords, could you let me see Mengmeng’s parents pick her up before I go? Otherwise, I won’t be able to rest in peace.”

Little Qi Wu had received many bows from ghosts before, but for the first time, she felt a deep sense of unease.

White Impermanence was in a bit of a dilemma. Since the lords were present, he had no say in the matter and could only look at Little Qi Wu.

Little Qi Wu thought for a moment and, for the first time, nodded without asking Su Wen’s opinion: “Alright.”

“But you can’t get close to her, or she’ll get sick.”

The ghostly grandma nodded gratefully: “Alright.”

Little Qi Wu said: “Grandma, please get up. Don’t kneel. If you have anything to say, I can relay it for you.”

Then she looked at her dad: “Is that okay, Dad?”

Su Wen: “Mm.”

The ghostly grandma was stunned for a moment, then said gratefully: “Is that really okay? There’s not much, I just want to ask Mengmeng if she misses her grandma.”

Huh?

Was it really that simple?

Little Qi Wu nodded, then tilted her head and asked Mengmeng, who was holding a toy: “Mengmeng, do you miss your grandma?”

Mengmeng paused her actions and looked at her in confusion.

[Why is my kid asking questions so suddenly? Haha, caught off guard.]

[Yeah, she hasn’t spoken for a while, and then suddenly asks this.]

[I don’t know why, but I feel like it’s not that simple. Not asking about mom and dad, but about grandma?]

[It feels like the delivery guy offering incense again.]

Mengmeng: “Grandma?”

Little Qi Wu nodded: “Mm-hmm.”

Mengmeng looked down again at the toy in her hands: “Grandma… Mengmeng misses grandma a lot. This is the toy grandma bought for me.”

Ghost Grandma was both crying and laughing: “Grandma misses Mengmeng too, my dear.”

Mengmeng asked, “Do you miss Grandma too?”

Qi Wu said, “I miss Grandma.”

Mengmeng: “Then did your Grandma also become a star?”

Qi Wu didn’t understand: “A star?”

Mengmeng nodded: “Grandma fell asleep and never woke up. Mom and Dad put her in a big box, and then a car took her away. I haven’t seen Grandma since.”

She pouted: “My uncle said Grandma became a star and will watch over me from the sky.”

So in the Human Realm, they say death is becoming a star, but ghosts are underground.

Little Qi Wu was about to correct her but was stopped by Judge Dad, who whispered, “Yes, she became a star.”

“Grandma can hear everything you say. You can talk to her.”

“Really?” Mengmeng immediately looked up, but it wasn’t time to see the stars yet. She wiped her eyes, “Actually, Mengmeng talks to the stars every day, but there are so many stars, I don’t know which one is Grandma.”

“I miss Grandma so much, and I know she can’t come back.”

“Grandma used to pick me up,” Mengmeng said, “She would never leave me alone here.”

With a tearful voice, she said, “Mengmeng really, really wants Grandma to come pick me up, to sleep with Grandma, and to give her snacks.”

Ghost Grandma stood far away, wanting to approach but unable to, sobbing uncontrollably.

At that moment, a man appeared at the kindergarten gate: “Mengmeng!”

Mengmeng looked up with teary eyes: “Dad!”

Little Qi Wu stood up, holding Dad’s hand.

Mengmeng, feeling very sad, quickly ran into her father’s arms. Ghost Grandma watched from the side, her mouth full of reproach, blaming the father for his negligence.

But she also realized that no matter what, her son and granddaughter couldn’t hear her words. She stood there dazed for a while, then fell silent.

Mengmeng’s Dad, holding his daughter, asked wearily, “Why are you crying?”

“Mengmeng misses Grandma,” Mengmeng hugged him and said, “Is Dad very tired today too?”

Her father was stunned, silent for a moment before picking her up: “Yes, let’s go home.”

Only then did he notice the two people, one big and one small, standing behind them, and nodded in acknowledgment.

Little Qi Wu suddenly asked, “Are you Mengmeng’s Dad who doesn’t like to sleep?”

Mengmeng’s Dad was taken aback: “What?”

Little Qi Wu blinked: “Mengmeng said Dad likes to drink coffee and works so much that he doesn’t like to sleep.”

Mengmeng’s Dad chuckled: “It’s not that I don’t like to sleep, it’s just that work keeps me busy. Uncle has to support the family, your Dad does too, right?”

Little Qi Wu nodded: “Qi Wu’s Dad works hard too, but Qi Wu’s Dad will apologize to Qi Wu.”

Mengmeng’s Dad was speechless.

Little Qi Wu said earnestly, “Dad and Mom never come to pick up Mengmeng, she’s very sad. Uncle should apologize.”

Mengmeng’s Dad didn’t know how to respond, so he explained, “But Uncle was late because of work, it’s for Mengmeng that I work.”

“Ah?” Little Qi Wu was a bit confused, “But Mengmeng wants to bring snacks for Dad too.”

“Mengmeng said Dad works hard, she wants to be good, and she even hugs Dad.”

“Can Mengmeng’s Dad feel Mengmeng’s sadness and say sorry to make her a little happier?”

Little Qi Wu was a bit puzzled: “My Dad said that even adults make mistakes and need to learn to grow up, so when Dad makes a mistake, he says sorry.”

She took a step forward: “Mengmeng also needs comfort, Uncle, don’t you want to comfort her?”

[That’s right, although Su Wen came late, the first thing he said was an apology to Zai Zai.]

[My love is back, Su Wen really respects children!]

[Really, I don’t like it when adults always say in front of children, ‘I do this all for you.’]

[One thing at a time, a simple word can make a child happy. Mengmeng is very well-behaved, but she also needs comfort.]

[Adults shouldn’t always think that children don’t understand anything. What children need is actually very little, but many people overlook this emotional companionship.]

Mengmeng’s Dad stood in place for a long time without speaking or getting angry. After Little Qi Wu finished speaking, she also remained silent. At this moment, Su Wen picked her up and asked, “Shall we go back?”

“Okay,” she hugged her Dad’s neck, “Dad, were you busy again today? Qi Wu hugs you, so you won’t be tired.”

Su Wen smiled: “Yes, I’m not tired.”

[You slept all day, what are you tired of?]

[Tired from sleeping.]

Mengmeng’s Dad watched this scene and then sighed softly.

At this moment, his neck was also hugged by his daughter. Mengmeng whispered, “Dad, I also hug you, don’t sigh.”

Her Dad looked at his daughter and suddenly felt a bit ridiculous. He hadn’t spent time with his child for so long, and he wasn’t even as good as a little kid. Then he lowered his head and touched Mengmeng’s forehead: “I’m sorry, Mengmeng, Dad came late.”

“Mengmeng knows.”

Little Qi Wu saw this and her eyes curved into a smile. She took advantage of her Dad walking over and said, “Dad, wait a moment.”

Su Wen stopped, and Little Qi Wu let go of him, leaning over to hug Mengmeng’s Dad’s neck: “Qi Wu also hugs Uncle, Uncle has worked hard.”

Mengmeng’s Dad looked at her in surprise. After she let go, he finally reacted: “Thank you.”

Little Qi Wu said again, “You’re welcome.”

She looked at Ghost Grandma, who hadn’t spoken for a while, and suddenly said to Mengmeng, “Mengmeng, don’t be sad, Grandma misses you too.”

“The stars twinkle in the sky, that’s her thinking of you.”

“The wind blows on the ground, that’s also her thinking of you.” Little Qi Wu blinked, “If you don’t believe me, listen.”

Mengmeng really listened carefully, and Ghost Grandma hurriedly said loudly, “Mengmeng, Grandma misses you! And your Mom and Dad too!”

Little Qi Wu nodded, and White Impermanence vigorously fanned the wind nearby.

Mengmeng opened her eyes in surprise: “There really is wind!”

“I think I heard Grandma’s voice!”

Mengmeng’s Dad didn’t stop his daughter because he also felt it and even seemed to hear it. He smiled helplessly, well, it was some comfort after all.

Little Qi Wu nodded: “So Grandma has been thinking of you all along.”

“Yes, yes!”

Mengmeng’s Dad’s heart had already softened because of the two children. He said, “Thank you, we’ll go now.”

“Goodbye, Uncle!”

“Goodbye, Qi Wu’s Dad!”

Su Wen nodded: “Goodbye.”

When Mengmeng’s Dad took his daughter to the car, she was still happily reaching her hand out the window to feel the wind: “Grandma has been thinking of me.”

Her Dad didn’t want to shatter his child’s fantasy, so he nodded: “Yes.”

Mengmeng said, “The kids at kindergarten all say Qi Wu is the Little King of Hell, so that’s probably how she knows these things.”

“Little King of Hell?”

“Yeah, Qi Wu is the temple keeper of the Temple of the King of Hell. Dad, let’s go visit her when we have time.”

Mengmeng’s Dad was stunned. The temple keeper of the Temple of the King of Hell?

He turned to look out the car window. The little girl and her father were still standing there, not having left yet. He watched for a while before turning back, but just then, it seemed like he really saw a familiar figure at the kindergarten gate. He froze for a moment, then looked more carefully, but there was nothing there anymore.

He thought to himself, whether it’s real or not…

It was also time to offer incense to her mother, so she said, “Alright.”

On the other side, after watching her granddaughter and son leave, Ghost Grandma sighed and stopped struggling. “My lord, please take me away.”

She looked at the little King of Hell, never expecting that this King of Hell would be so sensible and articulate.

With a sincere and kind smile, she said, “Lord Yama, your Karma is immeasurable.”

Little Qi Wu replied earnestly, “Thank you, Grandma.”

After Ghost Grandma left with White Impermanence, Little Qi Wu went home with her dad.

[Wuwu, Little Qi Wu, come and hug me, I’m so tired too.]

[Hey, you in the front, stop dreaming!]

[So romantic, the stars and the wind are all thinking of you.]

[So divine, but here’s the question: how did Qi Wu know that Grandma Mengmeng had passed away?]

[Don’t ask, just know that she’s the Little King of Hell.]

On the way home, Little Qi Wu asked Judge Dad, “Dad, are you done with your work? Did anyone bully you?”

Su Wen still remembered the time when he returned from the Netherworld Gate, and the Little King of Hell had earnestly said she would help him get back at anyone who bullied him. His expression softened, “No one bullied me.”

Little Qi Wu breathed a sigh of relief, “That’s good.”

[This conversation between father and daughter is really making me suspect that Su Wen has been up to something else during this time.]

[Don’t say it, I’m starting to suspect it too.]

[Someone, bring forth our socialist core values!]

Seeing that Little Qi Wu was about to fall asleep again, Su Wen patted her head and suddenly said, “Qi Wu.”

“Hmm?”

Su Wen: “There’s someone…”

His words took a turn: “There’s someone who wants to meet you.”