Chapter 117: Therefore, I exist (3)
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Yan Shixun rarely had such leisurely time.
Because of the severity of his injuries this time, not only did it frighten Zhang Wubing, but even Mother Zhang, who came to deliver chicken soup and check on her son, was also scared.
During their time at Binhai University, Zhang Wubing and Yan Shixun were roommates. If it weren’t for Yan Shixun, Zhang Wubing could have died a hundred times in that chaotic cemetery on the university grounds. Therefore, Zhang Wubing’s parents, along with their personal assistants, were very familiar with Yan Shixun. Mother Zhang, in particular, treated Yan Shixun almost as warmly as her own son after learning that Yan Shixun had no parents.
—No, it should be said that Yan Shixun’s treatment far exceeded that of Zhang Wubing.
Seeing the pot of nourishing soup that was brought to the hospital early in the morning, Zhang Wubing was dumbfounded. “I thought my mom finally remembered her son when she started cooking soup last night. I was so touched. I didn’t expect it to be for Brother Yan?”
In the brightly lit single patient room, Yan Shixun chuckled and glanced at Zhang Wubing. “It’s hospital treatment, would you like to have this injury instead?”
Zhang Wubing shivered and immediately closed his mouth, not saying another word.
The assistant who brought the soup was from Father Zhang’s office, and technically, someone of his level didn’t need to make this trip.
However, Father Zhang felt uneasy. Despite knowing that Yan Shixun was there, and Zhang Wubing would be fine for sure, he still secretly worried about his son, who had never been allowed out of the house. That’s why he sent his assistant to check on Zhang Wubing’s condition and instructed him to take a few extra photos.
As the assistant observed Zhang Wubing’s obedient and slightly silly demeanor while interacting with Yan Shixun, he couldn’t help but sigh silently, recalling the fierce arguments between Father Zhang and son a few months ago.
If Zhang Wubing showed half of his current demeanor in front of Mr. Yan to the chairman, the chairman wouldn’t have been so infuriated.
However, the assistant had another task in coming here this time.
“Mr. Yan, during the recording of the program, we received numerous requests from people wanting to contact you.”
The assistant said, placing a bulging briefcase on the table beside Yan Shixun. “Since you don’t have a fixed contact method, and these people don’t know your address, many of them used connections to deliver invitations to the Zhang residence.”
The assistant offered a formal smile. “Please rest assured, Mr. Yan, we haven’t agreed to any invitations on your behalf. We only stated that we would keep them safe without confirming your attendance. Whether you agree or not is entirely up to you.”
Yan Shixun paused, his hand gripping the soup spoon, his gaze fixed on the briefcase.
Seeing Yan Shixun’s intention, Zhang Wubing reached out and opened the briefcase, revealing the thick stack of invitations inside. Most of the names on them were familiar to Zhang Wubing, being well-known entrepreneurs who frequently appeared in newspapers and on television. Many of them were also friends of the Zhang family.
“So many?” Zhang Wubing was a bit annoyed. “Since you know that Brother Yan won’t agree, why did you accept them?”
The assistant smiled. “Perhaps, there might be some fate with Mr. Yan among them?”
He then turned to Yan Shixun and nodded. “My task is complete, so I won’t disturb Mr. Yan’s recovery any longer. Please rest assured, Mr. Yan, if you don’t want them, throwing them away won’t have any consequences.”
As soon as the assistant left, members of the production team entered, urging Yan Shixun to open his social media accounts as part of their routine tasks.
“Brother Yan, I know you don’t like social media accounts, but just the fans who have received the Yan Mai Medal are close to twenty million now, and those who tag us are almost reaching thirty million. If it were just a few people, it would be fine, but with so many fans, it wouldn’t be good to ignore them completely.”
The publicity staff might as well have burst into tears right then and there.
It had been almost a week since the recording in the ancestral village, but the fans’ enthusiasm hadn’t waned with time; if anything, it had intensified. Since Yan Shixun didn’t have an account, they directed their enthusiasm towards the official account of the program, leaving the staff there feeling overwhelmed. Every time they posted an official update, they felt immense pressure.
— After all, there was a side effect to how Yan Shixun handled the public opinion issue at the airport.
His popularity soared even higher.
What does it say when someone without a company, a plan, or even a debut, can amass a fanbase of thirty million with just a few appearances on a variety show?
Countless entertainment companies and studios had their eyes on Yan Shixun. If it weren’t for Zhang Wubing’s choice of a private hospital with excellent privacy, those intrusive entertainment companies and paparazzi would have barged in long ago.
But even so, because Yan Shixun had never publicly disclosed his contact information, and there were no accounts related to him on the internet, the director’s team’s work email was flooded with a plethora of invitations every day.
With such a huge number of invitations, the director’s team even had to assign a specific person to handle them.
Despite the staff’s daily pleas, Yan Shixun remained unmoved.
“Do I look like someone who’s soft-hearted and easily swayed?” Yan Shixun leaned back on the bed, amusedly watching the staff. “I advise you to give up early.”
Staff: “QAQ You could open an account, and you wouldn’t even need to manage it yourself, you could hand it over to Director Zhang. Or you could just take selfies like some celebrities, it’s easy.”
“I refuse.”
Yan Shixun said, “Having to face such a huge crowd means accepting more and more diverse influences, whether positive or negative, all eventually accumulating on oneself. In the end, one’s own strength gets overshadowed, overwhelmed by the burden, and collapses.”
He casually smiled and countered, “Everything comes with a price. Those who seek to gain love or hate from others, or even manipulate them, inevitably have to bear the negative power of their ‘fans.’ You’re much more familiar with the entertainment industry than I am. Tell me, what is the ultimate fate of those people?”
The staff was speechless.
Everyone who seeks something from their fans will ultimately face one path: backlash.
Sooner or later.
“Moreover…” Yan Shixun’s eyes dimmed slightly. “Today they love you, tomorrow they hate you. Emotions are fickle.”
As an exorcist, Yan Shixun had witnessed too many intense emotions.
Good or bad… One moment they’re thanking you profusely, the next they’re speaking coldly for other reasons.
When Yan Shixun was still a teenager, he didn’t understand why it was like that.
At that time, he looked in confusion at a woman who had clearly been saved by Li Chengyun, but after being rescued, she went crazy and chased after Li Chengyun, filled with anger.
“We helped you. If it weren’t for us, your daughter would have already been killed by the vengeful spirit. Why repay kindness with enmity?”
Li Chengyun remained indifferent, smiling gently, and told the still naive Yan Shixun, “Because compared to her daughter, we are the more distant party. She can plead with us a thousand times when she entrusts us, but she will also hate us when she finds that the outcome doesn’t align with what she wanted. But Xiao Xun, we don’t have to accept these emotions because we have no karmic ties with her.”
“Help others, but don’t expect excessive returns. If you’ve decided to embark on the path of an exorcist, what you’ll experience in the future will only increase, not decrease.”
Li Chengyun gave Yan Shixun many options.
After graduation, Yan Shixun could continue his studies, using his top-notch education from a prestigious university to find an enviable job in society—Li Chengyun was well aware that his disciple, with his innate ability to repel evil spirits, was not only gifted at suppressing them but also possessed intelligence far beyond the average person.
As Yan Shixun’s mentor, Li Chengyun had connections through his association with Haiyun Temple and his extensive travels, allowing Yan Shixun to return to Haiyun Temple as a formal Taoist or join any sect’s sect gate, if he wished.
Or perhaps, Yan Shixun could continue Li Chengyun’s style, becoming a wanderer who roamed the world and learned widely.
Either way, any path would be much easier and safer than that of an exorcist.
But Yan Shixun didn’t choose either path.
He firmly chose the path of an exorcist.
“Master, there are so many restless spirits in the world.”
The young Yan Shixun still had a hint of innocence in his face, with a smoothness that hadn’t yet faded, inviting one to pinch and feel the texture.
But he looked at Li Chengyun with a seriousness that belied his youthful appearance, displaying a determination far beyond that of a teenager.
He seemed more like a seasoned Taoist master, with a clear path in his heart and beneath his feet, never lost or confused, knowing exactly which direction to take.
“But as I followed Master across the country, I only saw those exorcists and masters who kill ghosts without asking questions, as if believing ‘us versus them,’ where humans are always right and ghosts are always wrong.”
“But it shouldn’t be like that, Master. Among those ghosts, there are mothers who are afraid their wandering children won’t find their way home, girls who were murdered and died with resentment in their hearts, and honest people who were falsely accused and couldn’t clear their names… They deserve a second chance. They deserve justice and fairness in this world.”
Yan Shixun gazed earnestly at Li Chengyun. “I may not be able to change the world, but I want to change the fate of every person and spirit I encounter. Even the smallest change will ultimately resonate in the grand scheme of things.”
“And if the heavens and earth approve of me, they will guide those people and spirits to appear before me.”
Li Chengyun never interfered with Yan Shixun’s decisions. From the beginning, he treated his disciple like an adult, respecting his choices and letting him do what he wanted.
—This was Yan Shixun’s own path, and those who didn’t walk it had no right to intervene.
However, Yan Shixun didn’t know that Li Chengyun had torn up the letter from Haiyun Temple.
Li Chengyun didn’t intentionally hide it from Yan Shixun; he simply didn’t care.
It was just a title. Haiyun Temple was not famous because of its name but because its disciples followed the great Dao.
As for the position of the headmaster of Haiyun Temple or other titles, they were just worldly names in Li Chengyun’s eyes. If Yan Shixun didn’t want it, then it didn’t matter to him even more.
——Later, Lu Xingxing learned about this matter from Taoist Song Yi.
He glanced at his thick books that he couldn’t understand, and heard that someone casually gave up the reward he had been dreaming of, and couldn’t help but feel tearful: “What weirdos! They really are a pair of weirdos! Are they unable to deal with fame, status, and money?”
You should know that any headmaster of Haiyun Temple would be eagerly sought after by wealthy merchants and businessmen. Even a simple divination could fetch a sky-high price, let alone elaborate and laborious rituals.
Like Taoist Song Yi, his schedule was already booked for a year ahead, and the timing had to follow his own arrangements.
The staff of the production team had no idea about Yan Shixun’s experiences. They simply looked at the tens of millions of fans on social media platforms associated with him and felt a deep sense of regret, as if their hearts were bleeding.
You see, even the guests invited by the show’s team, like An Nanyuan, had fewer fans compared to Yan Shixun, except for An Nanyuan, who had a higher number of fans due to the professional team operating behind him. As for people like Zhao Zhen and other variety show celebrity, their fan numbers didn’t even reach millions.
When even the guests on a popular variety show had this level of fan following, let alone those struggling between obscurity and fame in the entertainment industry.
If those lesser-known celebrities and internet stars knew that Yan Shixun would give up tens of millions of fans so easily, they would probably be so jealous that their eyes would bleed.
The staff member who had been working in the entertainment industry for years had a fixed mindset, deeply familiar with the ins and outs of the industry, knowing stars and entertainment companies like the back of his hand. However, precisely because of this, his perspective was confined within this circle.
Zhang Wubing had no concept of this at all. He was just listening to the staff’s analysis, saying that if Yan Shixun could manage social media accounts, it would elevate the influence of the show even more.
But if Yan Shixun didn’t want to, they wouldn’t force him, of course.
——Obviously, he’s my dad!
He even begged Yan Shixun to save his life.
“However, Brother Yan, because we ended the farm stay experience so hastily, the audience wasn’t too happy about it, feeling like it lacked a proper conclusion. So, other guests have started streaming on their own video platforms according to their own preferences, as a sort of compensation for the audience in the form of vlogs.”
Zhang Wubing scratched his head, feeling troubled. “But the audience is also clamoring to see you, Brother Yan. If you’re willing, you could show up and just let them know you’re okay.”
Yan Shixun looked up at Zhang Wubing with a half-smile. “Xiao Bing, I’m glad to see you’ve grown a lot from being a director.”
Zhang Wubing looked puzzled. “Huh?”
“And you’ve even learned some tactics?”
Yan Shixun leaned back lazily, his tone casual but his words piercing. “Well done. You understand people’s psychology now. You know that after rejecting someone once, most people won’t feel comfortable rejecting a second time. Even after turning down a more difficult choice, when faced with a relatively simple one, most people tend to agree.”
“Where did you learn that trick?”
Zhang Wubing could sense it. While Yan Shixun spoke those words, on the other side of the bed, lying with his eyes closed, leaving space for others visiting Yan Shixun, Ye Li slowly opened his eyes and glanced at him, looking like he was staring at a dead man.
Although Zhang Wubing didn’t know who this man constantly by Yan Shixun’s side was, over the past few days, he had deeply experienced the terror of this man!
Even though Zhang Wubing had encountered ghosts all his life, the sense of crisis he felt every time this man looked at him was the most frightening. It was as if at any moment he would be torn apart and devoured alive by a ghost.
“I didn’t do it, Brother Yan! I’m innocent! Please believe me!”
Zhang Wubing immediately showed remarkable insight, rushing forward and latching onto Yan Shixun’s arm with a loud sob, crying with such sincerity and pathos that it would surely move even the most callous of hearts.
“Brother Yan, you’re my dad, how could I do something so unfilial! Really, it’s all up to you, Brother Yan. I’m just making suggestions, I never intended to scheme against you. Maybe I’ve been dealing too much with the PR team and people from entertainment companies lately, and I haven’t switched my mindset. But I swear I have no ulterior motives towards you, Brother Yan. Please believe me, I’m your favorite Xiao Bing!”
Outside the door, Father Zhang’s assistant, who hadn’t left yet, stood speechless.
Inside the room, the staff remained silent, unsure how to react.
For a moment, the room fell silent, with no one speaking first.
Ye Li’s gaze lowered, watching Zhang Wubing clinging tightly to Yan Shixun’s arm, his eyes growing colder.
But it was Yan Shixun who finally expressed his disdain, pushing Zhang Wubing aside: “Move over, don’t get your snot and tears on me, it’s disgusting. You’re the most annoying Zhang Dabing.”
Zhang Wubing: “QAQ Sob.”
“But, indeed, we do need to do a live broadcast.”
Yan Shixun casually remarked, “I wonder if the live broadcasts in Family Tomb Village and Jia Village before were affected by ghosts, or if it’s safer to concentrate on driving away evil spirits during the broadcast.”
Zhang Wubing nodded vigorously, “Yes, yes, yes!”
Whatever the reason, as long as Brother Yan agrees, it’s all good!
The assistant outside the door felt conflicted: Fortunately, the chairman isn’t here, or else he would be furious. Why does the young master look so foolish in front of Mr. Yan?
“Has anyone from Haiyun Temple come?”
Yan Shixun glanced at the pile of invitations from wealthy and influential people nearby, suddenly remembering: “Has Lu Xingxing’s master, Taoist Song Yi, or any other Taoists come to see him? After all, his soul was injured.”
“They did come…”
Zhang Wubing hesitated, “But they were driven away again.”
Yan Shixun paused, raising an eyebrow in surprise.
The Taoists from Haiyun Temple were actually driven away? Normally, they only shoo away overly enthusiastic worshippers.
The nearby staff quickly covered their mouths, but couldn’t help but let out a “pfft” of laughter.
Meanwhile, Zhang Wubing covered his face, struggling to suppress the urge to laugh, and earnestly answered Yan Shixun’s question.
Taoist Song Yi and Taoist Ma were both staying in Family Tomb Village, assisting the officials in clearing away the lingering Yin energy in the mountain hollows and guiding the innocently slain souls to the afterlife. They were extremely busy and wouldn’t be able to come back for a while.
And then, Lu Xingxing sent a message to Taoist Song Yi, telling his master about his experiences.
Unlike Lu Xingxing, who spent most of his time on music, neglecting his studies and understanding only half of what he learned, Taoist Song Yi was the direct disciple of an old Taoist. Despite being criticized by his master for his poor talent and overly serious demeanor, Taoist Song Yi was still ahead among his peers, thanks to the exceptional standards set by his master’s reference group, geniuses like Li Chengyun. Furthermore, Taoist Song Yi had rich experience in exorcism and ghost-catching from years of working with official departments.
Taoist Song Yi immediately noticed Lu Xingxing’s condition and knew that his soul was injured by Yin energy. If left untreated, it would soon develop into a situation where his soul would leave his body.
By that time, losing one’s soul would be a dire situation.
Therefore, Taoist Song Yi quickly asked the other Taoists at Haiyun Temple to go and check on Lu Xingxing on his behalf.
As it turned out, the Taoist arrived just as the morning doctor rounds were happening.
In front of the doctor, Lu Xingxing’s eyes sparkled brightly, and he boldly shouted, “Master Uncle, where are the talismans? I’ve learned about them. Do I need to burn the talismans into ashes and drink them?”
Lu Xingxing wore an expression that screamed, “Quick, praise me!”
But the Taoist felt an indescribable sense of suffocation and embarrassment. His hands remained hidden in his Taoist robe, unable to retrieve the talismans he had stashed inside a small pouch. He froze in place.
Meanwhile, the doctor holding the medical records remained silent, his gaze shifting from Lu Xingxing’s face to the Taoist.
The two men remained silent, facing each other.
Then, the doctor, with an expressionless face, called for the security guard.
That poor Taoist experienced being treated as a charlatan and was escorted out with his arms firmly held for the first time in his life.
Meanwhile, Lu Xingxing endured a relentless scolding from the doctor, who insisted he believe in science rather than feudal superstition. Drinking talisman water for an illness? Was that even possible? What was the point of medical science if talismans were effective?
In the hospital, and right in front of a doctor, engaging in such things was simply asking for trouble!
Lu Xingxing had initially wanted to argue back, but faced with the doctor’s expressionless face and relentless barrage of words, he was lectured like a naive intern for the entire morning. The proud musician, who was fearless in all situations, ended up with tears in his eyes.
Besides his master and grandmaster, Lu Xingxing now had a new object of fear:
—— Doctors.
After listening to Zhang Wubing’s words, Yan Shixun couldn’t help but chuckle.
“The doctor is right. Lu Xingxing indeed should get his head examined,” Yan Shixun nodded, showing no intention of defending Lu Xingxing.
Did he not see him rushing to the hospital to undergo surgery when he was seriously injured?
For Yan Shixun, Taoism was the science of ancient times. However, after the collapse of the Dao of Heaven and Earth, contemporary science replaced the old Taoism and became one of the pillars of the Dao.
Blindly adhering to ancient science was just imprisoning oneself.
— Although many colleagues still reject or even disdain science to this day.
But in Yan Shixun’s view, this part had already been eliminated by the Dao and didn’t grasp the essence of Taoism at all.
“Alright, there’s no time like the present. Let’s livestream now. Get the equipment for me.”
Yan Shixun said as he got out of bed.
His sudden movement startled everyone in the ward, and Zhang Wubing instinctively reached out to support Yan Shixun.
Although he couldn’t accompany Yan Shixun to his surgery, he was well aware that one of Yan Shixun’s injuries was on his thigh. Would walking around so casually not affect his recovery?
But someone was quicker than him.
Ye Li’s hand firmly grasped Yan Shixun’s arm, not to pull him back to the bed, but to assist him, so that he didn’t strain his waist and abdomen too much, which could stimulate the healing wounds.
Yan Shixun glanced at Ye Li, his eyes seeming to say: Are we this familiar with each other?
Ye Li responded with a light smile: Who else has been taking care of you these past few days?
Although Yan Shixun’s injuries were healing much faster than others, he was still a human being. In the days immediately after the surgery, he couldn’t move easily, and to avoid infection and aid healing, he couldn’t bathe on his own.
Ye Li naturally took over these tasks. After scaring away the caregivers and assistants hired by the production team with his icy stare, he switched back to a candid expression and helped Yan Shixun undress.
Yan Shixun: “?”
Ye Li’s reasoning was also quite reasonable: “The wound on your waist hasn’t completely healed yet. Any sudden movements could cause it to rupture. Do you want to stay in the hospital for a few more months because of this? Or do you want to keep not bathing until you start to smell?”
Yan Shixun: “…”
Alright, it’s very reasonable, making one feel like there’s no reason to refuse.
Yan Shixun didn’t really mind, considering Ye Li was of the same gender, there was nothing to feel awkward about.
So, he openly took off the hospital gown, revealing his well-built and muscular physique to Ye Li.
Surprisingly, Ye Li, who had been calm just a moment ago, was now completely stunned in place, unable to take his eyes off the young man before him. It took him several minutes to regain his composure, hesitantly approaching Yan Sixun. After a few hesitations, his slender fingers finally landed on Yan Sixun’s skin.
Yan Sixun found Ye Li’s reaction quite amusing: “Have you never seen another man before? Why are you acting so awkward?”
—— However, he noticed something peculiar. That day, perhaps because Ye Li was afraid he would catch a cold, the air conditioning in the hospital room was turned up too high. Yan Sixun realized that Ye Li’s hand was surprisingly warm to the touch, almost feverish.
Even Ye Li’s Adam’s apple kept bobbing, as if the air around him was excessively hot.
Yan Shixun: “?”
After the first time, over the next few days, both Yan Shixun and Ye Li gradually got used to it, and Yan Shixun began to feel comfortable letting Ye Li help him.
Of course, only Yan Shixun felt that Ye Li had gotten used to it.
Every time Ye Li saw Yan Shixun’s body, it was like an extremely active volcano, as if it might erupt at any moment.
However, he kept these emotions suppressed, his expression remained calm, concealing them well.
Only his warm skin betrayed his inner turmoil.
However, there was one thing that Yan Shixun never agreed to, which made Ye Li feel a bit regretful.
“For things like going to the bathroom, I can handle it myself.”
On the first day in the hospital, Yan Shixun stood at the bathroom door and turned around, only to see Ye Li following him closely. He smiled and raised his hand, indicating that he was just injured, not a vegetable: “Besides, Mr. Ye Li, are you a bit too familiar? We’re adults, shouldn’t we keep a little social distance?”
Ye Li thought to himself: What I detest the most is having distance between us.
However, sensing Yan Shixun’s reluctance, Ye Li didn’t insist, but instead took a step back and compromised.
— Let’s take it slow. They still have plenty of time to spend together, allowing Yan Shixun to gradually get used to his presence. It’s not worth making him wary and distant just because of a moment of impatience.
…Of course, it would be great if that gods dislike, ghosts abandon Youbing* could never bother them again.
Ye Li really wanted to find a reason to immediately keep Zhang Wubing away from Yan Shixun. But alas, Yan Shixun was sharp enough, and he valued Zhang Wubing, his only friend, greatly.
He had to temporarily abandon that idea.
But Ye Li’s approach did yield results. The two of them sharing a room in the hospital for a week allowed Yan Shixun to gradually become familiar with his presence and not reject his closeness.
Now, Ye Li was lightly supporting Yan Shixun, preventing him from exerting too much force and hurting himself, as they walked out of the ward.
“I’ll livestream in the hospital garden. Broadcasting in the ward might lead to unwarranted associations and the sensory environment isn’t ideal.”
Yan Shixun suggested, tilting his chin towards Zhang Wubing. “Get the livestreaming equipment to the garden.”
“No problem, Brother Yan!” Zhang Wubing eagerly agreed.
His tail almost wagging frantically behind him.
“I’ll go announce it on the official program account!”
“No need,” Yan Shixun intercepted Zhang Wubing. “Those with affinity and in need of dispelling malevolent energy will naturally see it.”
…
Ever since watching the episode in the Family Tomb Village, Brother Goose had been having nightmares.
Despite making some money as a popular variety show vlogger, he had been living alone for years. However, every night as he was about to fall asleep, he would hear a clang coming from the living room, followed by his heart pounding as he woke up abruptly.
But when he cautiously turned on the lights and went to the living room to investigate, all he could see were some scattered items on the floor, as if they had been blown off by the wind.
Brother Goose initially just chuckled and didn’t pay much attention to it.
However, he soon realized—
He would dream about his own home in his dreams too.
In his dreams, Brother Goose saw himself sitting at the foot of the bed facing the bedroom door. Through the open bedroom door, he could see a woman with a knife stabbed in her chest walking aimlessly around the living room. Sometimes, she would bump into the coffee table and cabinets, knocking things off their edges, making noise.
Brother Goose was terrified, feeling stiff-necked and unable to turn around. All he could do was frantically chant in his mind, “Don’t see me, don’t see me!”
He wanted to close the bedroom door or hide in a place where he couldn’t be seen from the living room. But it seemed like he was rooted to the spot and couldn’t do any of those things.
The more someone fears something, the more likely it is to happen.
The woman stiffened and turned her head, locking eyes with Brother Goose.
In that moment, Brother Goose felt his blood run cold.
Then he began his frantic escape, desperately trying to run from his own home to the neighborhood, but he was always blocked by the woman. In the end, feeling hopeless, he had no choice but to leap out of the window—
“Thud!”
Brother Goose felt the pain coursing through his body and instantly opened his eyes.
Only then did he realize that he had fallen out of bed, jolted awake by the icy touch of the hard floor tiles.
If it had happened just once, Brother Goose could ignore it, dismissing it as a dream.
But night after night, Brother Goose’s suspicions grew, until he couldn’t resist anymore. During a casual chat with the neighborhood security guard, he finally asked about the woman with the knife in her chest.
“Hmm, so you want to know about that, huh?” The guard chuckled, taking a drag from his cigarette. “Bro, you bought your place last year, right? Then you probably don’t know. It was two years ago when the neighborhood just finished construction, and everyone moved in after renovations. There was this couple who had a big fight, and the husband, in a fit of rage, stabbed his wife. When he realized what he’d done, he panicked and rushed her to the hospital in the middle of the night, and turned himself in to the police.”
“It caused quite a stir back then, and the property prices in our neighborhood dropped sharply.”
Pointing at Brother Goose with a knowing look, the guard continued, “Otherwise, buddy, how do you think you could afford a place in the coastal area of the city at this price? In the past couple of years, young folks like you have been buying up these secondhand homes. You might not have much money, but you’re not afraid of ghosts, after all, everyone believes in science, right? So, these negative stories don’t bother you.”
Brother Goose felt a chill run down his spine.
No! I’m afraid of ghosts! And although I believe in science, I’m not entirely convinced. After all, I’ve seen Brother Yan kill ghosts!
Brother Goose screamed inwardly, but still stuttered as he described the woman he saw in his dreams to the security guard, asking for more information.
The guard nodded, looking puzzled. “Bro, you saw the news too? It’s really strange. When that poor wife died, our property management went to deal with it, and I saw it too. It’s exactly as you described.”
But Brother Goose couldn’t hear what the guard said next.
He stumbled back home, staring at the empty living room, suddenly feeling a chill.
He finally realized what he saw in his nightmares every night.
– It was a ghost.
Brother Goose was terrified and decided to go to Haiyun Temple to seek some peace of mind with an amulet. But then he noticed a notification from his special alert.
Yan Shixun is live.
Brother Goose: !! But isn’t the show not supposed to start yet? Why is Brother Yan live already?
Although other guests had started live streaming on their personal accounts, happily sharing their hospital stay VLOGs with everyone, the audience was still eager for Yan Shixun to go live. But deep down, everyone knew that Yan Shixun probably wouldn’t do it.
After all, he’s a completely non-commercial guy.
A Taoist idol, the ancestral type of idol, you deserve to have.
So it was a huge surprise when Brother Yan unexpectedly went live!
Many dedicated fans were pleasantly surprised to discover this, while others stumbled upon it unintentionally when browsing the streaming platform.
But for Brother Goose, this was like a godsend, almost bringing tears to his eyes.
In the live stream, Yan Shixun’s face appeared.
He was wearing loose-fitting white hospital clothes, but he looked energetic, showing no signs of the severe injury that some promotional posts had claimed. In fact, perhaps due to his recent stay in the hospital, he looked even healthier than when he was in the Family Tomb Village.
Behind Yan Shixun was a lush garden, bathed in perfect sunlight, with the sounds of birds and insects chirping, creating a soothing atmosphere.
When Yan Shixun smiled at the camera during the live stream, the audience was almost bursting with excitement.
Brother Goose also enthusiastically typed in the comments: “I was terrified, but when I saw Yan, suddenly everything felt calm!”
However, in the hospital garden, Ye Li stood far away in the corridor, watching Yan Shixun glowing in the sunlight. He silently sank into a low mood.
Beside him, Zhang Wubing shivered and quietly stepped aside.
Ye Li: So Shixun actually said I can’t appear in his camera shot because he can’t explain my identity… To him, am I just someone without an identity?
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