Chapter 152: No Way Back on This Journey (2)
When Yan Shixun received a call from Zhang Wubing and learned that the show’s vehicle would be picking up all the guests—also taking the chance to film brief segments of their home lives—he casually cast a divination and accurately calculated the crew’s arrival time.
He didn’t have much luggage. With just a simple duffle bag containing a change of clothes and some toiletries, he headed out the door immediately.
However, the biggest variable remained—the ghost child’s “Evil Spirit Bone Transformation.”
—Especially while he was still so young.
Yan Shixun didn’t find Jing Xiaobao in the courtyard and guessed that the child had once again run off to play with the other children in the alleyways.
So, standing at the courtyard gate, he calmly gathered his breath into his dantian and called out Jing Xiaobao’s full name.
In less than three seconds, Jing Xiaobao came bouncing and skipping toward him.
In his small hands, he held a bright red apple. With just a glance, Yan Shixun could tell it must have been a gift from the old woman next door, who had bought apples just the day before.
“Yan! Look!”
Jing Xiaobao was beaming with excitement. His cheeks were flushed, almost the same shade as the apple he held.
Like he was offering a treasure, he raised the apple high from a distance, proudly showing it off to Yan Shixun.
Though he carried the fearsome aura of a ghost child capable of subduing a thousand spirits, here he was—caring deeply about a simple apple from the human world.
Yan Shixun paused, a gentle warmth softening his gaze.
But the very next moment, his eyes turned cold.
—Jing Xiaobao had been running too fast and didn’t notice the stone under his feet. He tripped and lunged forward from the momentum.
Seeing he was about to fall, the child instinctively tried to catch himself. With a small push, he stabilized his body and stood firmly in place.
However, when he used strength to balance, his little hand also unconsciously clenched.
And the strength of a ghost child was not to be underestimated.
With a loud “splurt!”, the apple in Jing Xiaobao’s hand burst under the pressure, juice flying everywhere.
It sprayed directly onto Yan Shixun’s clothes.
Yan Shixun: “……”
A vein twitched at his temple as he caught the sudden burst of sweet and tart apple scent at the tip of his nose. At that moment, he genuinely felt the urge to smack the child.
But before Yan Shixun could react, Jing Xiaobao looked dazedly at the ruined apple in his hand—now reduced to mere apple fibers, its beauty gone. He sniffled, and tears started welling up in his eyes.
Then, as though suffering a great injustice, Jing Xiaobao suddenly let out a wailing, “Waaaah!”
“Granny gave me that apple!”
He sobbed with heart-wrenching sorrow, “I helped Granny talked to Grandpa, and Granny gave me that pretty, big apple. It’s gone, it’s all gone—wuwuwu!”
A few years ago, the old man next door had died, and the old woman had been grief-stricken.
One day, while Jing Xiaobao was wandering the alleyways out of curiosity, he happened to see the lingering spirit of the old man aimlessly hovering at the alley entrance. The ghost matched the one in the photo at the old woman’s house.
Recalling Yan Shixun’s teachings, Jing Xiaobao gently led the spirit back home and kindly told Granny what had happened.
She had first been overjoyed, then broke down crying.
After the old man finally moved on, the grateful Granny picked the biggest, reddest apple she had and placed it in Jing Xiaobao’s hands.
—Because young children, with their unstable souls and undeveloped spiritual barriers, could often see things that adults could not.
Since Jing Xiaobao belonged to Yan Shixun’s household, the old granny who had lived her whole life in the alley knew that Li Chengyun and Yan Shixun were someone with extraordinary abilities. So she simply assumed that Jing Xiaobao was a new disciple taken in by Yan Shixun and that he, too, could see spirits.
Because of that, she didn’t think too much about it.
She even praised Jing Xiaobao, saying he was a good kid and would surely grow up to be as accomplished as Mr. Yan.
Jing Xiaobao was so overjoyed that he almost couldn’t find his way home.
After finally rushing back, just when he wanted to show off his big apple to Yan Shixun, it ended up in such a sorry state.
Jing Xiaobao felt utterly heartbroken.
Like the sky had collapsed.
Yan Shixun’s expression went blank. “…Weren’t you the one who crushed it yourself?”
Then he coolly added, “Don’t you know how much strength you have?”
Even the fiercest malevolent ghosts couldn’t withstand a single squeeze from Jing Xiaobao—how could an apple possibly survive?
The moment he said that, Jing Xiaobao’s crying became even louder.
A vein twitched at Yan Shixun’s temple. He gritted his teeth and said, “Shut up.”
He was the one covered in apple juice, and yet the little troublemaker was bawling first.
Yan Shixun looked down at himself. The sticky juice had soaked through his shirt, clinging to his skin, making him extremely uncomfortable.
He needed to change.
With a sigh, Yan Shixun casually lifted Jing Xiaobao by the scruff of his neck, carrying the still-whimpering chubby bunny into the courtyard and tossing him into Ye Li’s arms. He told him to calm the kid down, lest the neighbors thought someone in the house was being slaughtered and came over.
Then he went to change clothes.
But when Yan Shixun took off his shirt, he realized that the plentiful apple juice had completely soaked through the fabric, covering his chest, waist, and stomach in a sticky mess.
Because the sugar content was so high, the juice was especially tacky. When he touched it with his fingers, he could feel the clingy texture beneath his fingertips.
He frowned at that, but could only let out a silent sigh. With practiced ease, his long fingers reached for his belt—planning to take a quick combat shower in the few minutes before the show crew arrived, just to wash off the stickiness.
But just as he reached for his belt, he suddenly sensed a sharp change in the breathing behind him—followed by an intense gaze that seemed to burn into his skin.
Alert and confused, Yan Shixun turned quickly—and saw Ye Li standing behind the open window, his gaze deep and fixed intently on him.
“Where’s Jing Xiaobao?” Yan Shixun noticed the crying had stopped and casually asked.
“Someone else is calming him down,” Ye Li replied indifferently, his attention entirely focused on Yan Shixun. As for Jing Xiaobao… he had already disappeared from his mind.
Right now, his whole world was filled only with the sight of Yan Shixun in the room.
The bright morning light fell across Yan Shixun’s back, casting shadows along the lines of his spine and the dip of his lower back, highlighting his perfectly sculpted physique—free of even a trace of excess flesh—like the most prized work of a master sculptor.
The interplay of light and shadow wrapped him in a soft, natural glow, giving the scene a subtly intimate, almost ambiguous atmosphere.
Ye Li unconsciously held his breath, as if his gaze had been caught by the sticky apple juice—unable to pull away from the contours of Yan Shixun’s body.
His eyes slowly trailed downward, from the tip of Yan Shixun’s nose, to the sharp jawline, down to his Adam’s apple, collarbone… and all the way to the belt under his fingers.
Ye Li’s throat bobbed. He suddenly felt his voice turn hoarse.
If he spoke now, he would definitely give himself away.
The scent of apples lingered in the air—and the source of that fragrance was none other than Yan Shixun.
Although Yan Shixun noticed Ye Li’s gaze, he didn’t think much of it.
—They were both men. What was the big deal?
Back in college dorm life, wasn’t it common to accidentally walk in on someone changing clothes?
Still looking composed, Yan Shixun continued talking to Ye Li about Jing Xiaobao, saying they needed to find a way to send him off. After all, with the Evil Spirit Bone Transformation Jing Xiaobao couldn’t reincarnate on his own. Especially in his unique case, it would take real effort and care to help him pass on.
If it had been any other day, Ye Li would’ve happily joined in the conversation upon hearing that Jing Xiaobao was being sent away, even offering to help clear up Yan Shixun’s confusion.
But at that moment, Ye Li didn’t hear a single word Yan Shixun said.
His entire field of vision was occupied by Yan Shixun, and the scent of apples blocked out all his other senses.
Yan Shixun, with the scent of apples…
Ye Li suddenly recalled the piece of apple candy Yan Shixun had placed in his palm over a decade ago.
Cheap, with the artificial sweetness of industrial saccharin.
Yet it had surpassed all the flavors of the mortal world.
Ye Li couldn’t help but wonder—did Yan Shixun taste just as sweet and fragrant as that apple?
Just like that piece of apple candy from ten years ago that gave him a reason to hope again in this world, could Yan Shixun be the new link that tied him to humanity?
The chilly late-autumn breeze blew in through the window. Yan Shixun shivered, his back muscles contracting as he sneezed.
Only then did Ye Li snap back to his senses.
He cleared his throat as if nothing had happened, then quickly shut the window.
“Remember to close the window when you bathe in autumn. Don’t catch a cold.”
Ye Li’s expression was barely passable as calm, but even through the glass, the flames in his eyes were clearly suppressed but present.
Yan Shixun: …
How were they supposed to chat without opening the window—shout at each other with megaphones?
Still, he didn’t let the little episode bother him and headed straight for the bathroom.
The sensation of fruit juice on his skin was seriously uncomfortable. He just wanted to wash it off as quickly as possible.
Once Ye Li heard the sound of hot water running from the room, his tall figure visibly stiffened. Then he turned and left the window.
Meanwhile, out in the courtyard, Jing Xiaobao—whom Ye Li had said was being “comforted by something else”—was sitting on a small wooden stool, sobbing. The troublesome apple that had caused the mess had long since been taken care of by Ye Li, not a trace of it left.
Jing Xiaobao was fuming but dared not speak up. Ghostly energy swirled chaotically around him.
Like a kid throwing a tantrum and smashing things.
But unlike ordinary children, when Jing Xiaobao threw a fit, his ghostly aura disturbed all the other spirits in the vicinity, making them tremble in fear.
The ghosts had been drawn here by the aura, but they dared not approach. In the courtyard were three distinct, equally terrifying presences. The spirits only dared to perch atop the wall, stretching their bodies long and thin, craning their necks to peek into the yard—trying to find a way to cheer up Jing Xiaobao.
They were terrified that if this scary and willful little being got any more upset, he might crush every last one of them into dust.
Ghosts with all kinds of deathly appearances racked their brains, desperately trying to make Jing Xiaobao laugh.
A ghost who had been decapitated in a murder case plucked his own head off with one hand and bounced it off the wall like a basketball, making rhythmic thump thump sounds, hoping to catch Jing Xiaobao’s attention.
Another ghost, killed in a car accident, tore himself open down the middle with a loud rip! and pulled out his already mangled intestines. After straightening them out, he handed one end to another ghost, and the two began jumping rope with them.
The intestines slapped against the wall with smack! smack! sounds, like a child’s clapper toy.
The rest of the ghosts pulled out all the stops, each showcasing every fun thing they had ever seen children enjoy while wandering around the world. They made use of whatever was available on hand, trying everything they could to make Jing Xiaobao smile.
After all, he was still a child—if his attention could be diverted, he might just forget why he had been crying in the first place.
When Jing Xiaobao died, he hadn’t even turned three. In the years since, he had been raised by Chi Yan as if he were still a young child.
So, even though he now had immense power and a mind that rivaled any adult’s, part of his mentality remained frozen at that early age. That’s why his behavior often resembled that of a real child.
The ghosts were scared out of their wits.
Ye Li’s overwhelming pressure made them want to flee far away, but as beings born of evil and steeped in malice, they were naturally suppressed by him—and that suppression forced them to stay put, trembling, and do their best to entertain the stormy little ghost child.
But most importantly…
The disturbance in Jing Xiaobao’s ghostly energy was horrifying for the other ghosts.
Some of the weaker ones had already collapsed in the shadows, barely clinging to existence, on the verge of dissipating entirely.
Seeing the pitiful state of their fellow spirits, the remaining ghosts were terrified and didn’t dare slack off. They poured all their effort into trying to make Jing Xiaobao laugh.
Just then, the production team’s van, led by Zhang Wubing, arrived at Yan Shixun’s little courtyard—and as soon as the door opened, they ran straight into this bizarre scene.
The ghosts lying flat on the courtyard wall hadn’t expected living humans to suddenly barge in. Under Ye Li’s overwhelming pressure, how could any human even dare to step in here?
Weren’t they afraid of being judged and executed on the spot?
Shocked by the arrival, the ghost that had been bouncing its head like a ball abruptly stopped.
Its head tumbled off the wall with a thud thud, rolled across the ground, and only stopped when it bumped into the tire of the van.
The round head rolled around a bit on the ground and finally came to a stop—perfectly positioned to face the open van door.
Its pale, lifeless face stared directly into the eyes of the guests inside.
From that long-dead face, a pair of dull, gray eyes—cloudy and devoid of any light—locked gazes with them.
Then, it blinked.
The guests: “……”
The guests: “AAAAHHHHHH!!!!”
“Holy crap! HOLY CRAP, THERE’S A GHOST!!!”
“Brother Yan, save us!!!”
Viewers: [It blinked! IT BLINKED! AAAAAHHHH!!!]
[Mommy!! The corpse moved! I’m done! I want to go home! Wuwuwuwu!]
[How am I supposed to face my life-sized detachable action figure after this?! I just took its head off yesterday and left it staring at me on my desk. After seeing this, I can’t even look at it now!]
Zhang Wubing also screamed in panic, completely at a loss.
He never expected his ghost-summoning skills to be this strong now—he had actually summoned ghosts right into Brother Yan’s house!!!
But the guests’ shrieks also startled the ghosts.
With a sudden jolt, they lost control of their bodies and parts began tumbling off the wall.
Intestines, hearts, livers, lungs…
It looked like a full-blown slaughterhouse, blood-smeared remains falling all over the place.
The long, several-meter stretch of intestines swung back and forth on the wall, swaying like a scene straight out of a horror movie.
It looked as if, at any moment, the slimy mass would whip out and strangle a passerby to death.
This, of course, triggered a fresh wave of terrified screams from the guests—so loud it was like they were about to tear a hole in the sky.
The noise even overwhelmed Jing Xiaobao’s sobs.
He hiccupped mid-cry and stared in wide-eyed shock at the people curled up inside the van. Blinking a few times, he suddenly remembered—these were the same people he’d dragged into the Jing Estate earlier, the ones he had planned to kill one by one.
Jing Xiaobao wanted to play hide-and-seek again.
He’d build a world, throw the living into it, then release the ghosts. Whoever the ghosts found would be killed.
That way, he could enjoy all sorts of entertaining scenes.
Just the thought of it made Jing Xiaobao want to clap and laugh. The grief he’d felt over losing his big apple was immediately tossed to the back of his mind.
But… these were Yan Shixun’s acquaintances. He couldn’t use them for games.
If he did, Yan Shixun would spank his butt.
Jing Xiaobao pouted, his rosy little lips trembling, and even the fluff on his head drooped down in disappointment.
The guests’ screams also alerted Yan Shixun, who had just finished his shower.
Even though he didn’t believe anything dangerous could be in his courtyard—after all, beneath the property lay a formation personally built by Li Chengyun back in the day—he still stepped out of his room in confusion to see what was going on.
“Why are you screaming?”
The door creaked open, and Yan Shixun’s voice came from inside the room.
His figure had yet to appear, but just his voice, like a reassuring charm, suddenly made the guests feel a sense of safety, causing their screams to abruptly stop.
The live audience also cried out in joy: [It’s Brother Yan! We’re saved!]
With a creak, the door opened to reveal a beautifully shaped hand pushing it. The long fingers, damp from the moisture, looked exceptionally elegant.
It was as if morning dew had fallen onto a lotus leaf, hanging by a thread, tempting one to reach out and touch it.
The audience: [What’s going on here!?]
[Could it be that Brother Yan is hiding someone in his house? Is there someone else here?]
[What…! No! Brother Yan is ours, not anyone else’s!]
However, the person who opened the door wasn’t in the mood for leaving suspense. He quickly stepped out of the room.
Since he had come out in a hurry, Yan Shixun hadn’t dried his hair yet. His damp hair stuck to the back of his neck, and water dripped down, following the line of his collarbone, disappearing between the firm muscles of his chest. It caught people’s eyes and made them want to follow the path of the water, watching it trace its route.
Droplets still clung to his long eyelashes, and after getting wet, his face lost some of its sharpness, giving it a more lazy and relaxed vibe.
He looked like a swift and powerful leopard playing in the water, shaking its head to drop water droplets off its fur, making one itch to reach out and stroke the big cat’s coat, wondering if it would feel as smooth as one imagined.
It was the first time the guests had seen this side of Yan Shixun, and they were momentarily stunned.
In their minds, Yan Shixun was strong, reliable, with a posture so firm that even collapsing skies could be supported by his back. There was nothing that could break him.
But the Yan Shixun in front of them now…
An Nanyuan felt a bit dazed, suddenly realizing that all those idol training courses he had taken, like how to display charm and make every movement captivating… were all nonsense!
The deliberately practiced gestures were nothing compared to the natural grace that Yan Shixun was showing in this unintentional moment.
It was precisely because it was so rare that it became even more precious and beautiful. The striking contrast made it hard to look away.
An Nanyuan even considered pulling the company’s body language coach over and loudly telling them — This is what top-tier charm and beauty looks like!
As for them, as idols, they paled in comparison, reduced to nothing more than a packaged commodity!
Yan Shixun had initially thought the guests were screaming because they had encountered danger. But when he grabbed his robe and stepped out in a hurry, he realized…
Everyone was just fine!
So why were they screaming?
Confused, Yan Shixun asked, “Why are you shouting?”
He turned his head to glance at Ye Li, who was staring at him, and asked curiously, “You’ve been in the yard this whole time. If there was danger, why didn’t you step in?”
Ye Li had already subconsciously cleared the guests from his line of sight. To him, they were merely air-shaped humans.
His eyes were entirely occupied by Yan Shixun.
Thump.
Thump…
Ye Li could feel the steady but forceful beat of his heart in his chest.
Each beat was strong, echoing in his ears.
He felt his soul and body trembling.
His entire being was screaming—Hold him close, grab his wrist, kiss the trail of water dripping from his hair down his neck and behind his ear!
In fact, Ye Li felt a heat rising in the corner of his eyes, the dark lines at his temples moving restlessly.
Yan Shixun was taken aback by Ye Li’s intense gaze. He frowned and instinctively took a half-step back.
Normally, he didn’t care about the guests looking at him.
After all, he wasn’t undressed. Aside from being a bit hurried and messy, his clothes were actually quite proper.
But Ye Li’s gaze felt as if it was stripping him, bit by bit, making Yan Shixun feel uncomfortable.
He vaguely sensed that this wasn’t quite the same as the feeling he had in his dormitory back in college.
But he couldn’t quite describe it, as he had never experienced it before, and no word in his mind could accurately capture the sensation he was feeling now.
Ye Li, who had been staring at Yan Shixun the entire time, naturally noticed Yan Shixun’s reaction. He realized that his gaze had crossed a line and startled Yan Shixun.
A jolt ran through Ye Li’s chest, and in the blink of an eye, he reined in his almost volcanic-like passion, suppressing it back into himself.
A smile returned to his face, softening the earlier forceful and invasive aura.
“There’s no danger.”
Ye Li’s voice was low and hoarse. “It was something else just now trying to soothe Jing Xiaobao.”
“Didn’t you say you told it not to cry anymore?”
Ye Li cast a cold glance at Jing Xiaobao beside him and said, “That’s why I didn’t drive those things away.”
The “things” on the wall instinctively shrank their necks and curled themselves into tight, tiny balls, desperately praying the terrifyingly powerful beings nearby wouldn’t notice them.
Among them, the ghost who had died in a car crash—the one who had previously tried to comfort Jing Xiaobao with “jump rope”—was now desperately wrapping its spilled intestines like tangled yarn, trying to reel them back in so it could make a quick escape.
The other ghosts, the ones missing their hearts, lungs, and livers, lay sprawled on the top of the wall, peering wistfully down at the organs scattered in the courtyard, then shot envious glances at the ghost who at least had something it could still reel back in.
If only they had known, they would have chosen something retractable too—like hair or fingernails—something they could’ve grown and controlled using ghostly energy.
So, under Yan Shixun’s puzzled gaze, the bloody organs snagged on bricks protruding from the wall and the soft, limp chunks of meat that had fallen to the ground all began to twitch and squirm, silently inching back toward the wall with all their might.
Meanwhile, the guests heard a low gurgling sound.
Looking down, they saw a disembodied head outside the car door. It had clenched its jaw tight and was gritting its teeth, fiercely trying to roll itself forward. The veins on its forehead bulged as its expression contorted in effort.
The guests: “!!”
They stood dazed, staring blankly at the horrifying scene unfolding in the courtyard. Their already fragile sense of reality was now crumbling to dust.
Bai Shuang immediately burst into tears with a whimper. “An Nanyuan said I had too much imagination—but no matter how vivid my imagination is, I could never have come up with this!”
“This is way scarier than a yard full of coffins!”
Judging by the guests’ reactions and the chaotic mess in the courtyard, Yan Shixun finally pieced together what had happened just moments ago. “……”
He looked at the people in the van, speechless. “Don’t tell me… you started the livestream already.”
The viewers: [???]
[That’s our Brother Yan—he really couldn’t care less about livestream popularity!]
[Wait wait wait! So Brother Yan really can exorcise ghosts?! Was he asking how much we saw just now? Wuwuwu, does this mean Brother Yan lied to us about believing in science all along?]
[What the heck!! Is the excorsit’s house always this intense? The poor kid’s going to be traumatized.]
Zhang Wubing and the production crew: “……”
Would telling the truth get them killed by Brother Yan?
Even though Zhang Wubing averted his eyes, Yan Shixun could still see right through him. He clicked his tongue and instantly regretted agreeing to Zhang Wubing’s so-called “need to protect the address” by leaving the courtyard door open and letting them in.
But it was too late now. What’s done was done.
So Yan Shixun forced a smile and said to the van, “Just props to calm the kid down. Don’t mind it.”
The guests silently lowered their eyes to the rolling head, then looked back up at the semi-transparent ghosts on the wall. Words failed them.
Yeah, sure. You’re the expert. If you say they’re props, they’re props.
The viewers: Everything feels… surreal…
Noticing the guests’ stares, Yan Shixun remained composed and continued, “Medical models. Helps kids learn about the human body early.”
He then pointed at the ghosts on the wall and calmly said, “Balloons.”
The ghosts: …Ah, so we’re balloons now.
The guests: Balloons, my ass!!
But Yan Shixun’s demeanor was just so calm and confident that even those who had been absolutely sure of what they saw began to waver. Maybe… maybe they were overthinking it?
After all, there was a child sitting nearby, red-eyed and sniffling like he’d just stopped crying.
If someone said all this was to comfort a child… well, it kind of made sense.
Especially for the viewers watching from behind their screens—since they were far away, they couldn’t really tell if what they were seeing was a real human model or not.
And honestly, kids’ toys these days were becoming more and more realistic. Some of the expensive ones looked indistinguishable from the real thing.
After thinking about it for a while, the audience also started to believe this explanation made sense.
[Brother Yan must be telling the truth, right? Normally, liars act all guilty, but Brother Yan looks totally calm—like he’s being completely honest.]
[Actually, yeah. I just bought a toy for my nephew the other day. That thing was so realistic and fun, it was only lacking in price, honestly.]
[If it’s for educational purposes, like a medical model, that does seem plausible.]
[Wait, but I thought I saw those balloons move? Am I seeing things?]
[Must’ve been the wind. I mean, they are balloons—wouldn’t it be weirder if they didn’t move? The fact that they moved proves they’re balloons.]
[So those props… are remote-controlled or something?]
[Probably. Nowadays, parents don’t even want to pick up after their kids—too exhausting. If it’s remote-controlled, they’d gladly pay for that convenience.]
[??? You people are wild! Brother Yan’s right there, looking gorgeous, and you’re actually talking about whether it’s ghosts or not?! I’m shocked. Unlike you all, I just want to lick the screen, hehe~~]
[Brother Yan’s words are law! The beauty is so charming, drooling, sobbing. Even though Brother Yan was wrapped up tightly, why does he still radiate such an allure? I thought Brother Yan was just good with his hands, but deep down, I’m a fan of beautiful people, so I wasn’t swayed. But now! I’ve realized! It turns out this is the peak of allure!]
[Tears streaming down my face, after seeing Brother Yan, I feel like I’ll never find a partner. My aesthetic has rapidly gone from the horizon to Mount Everest.]
[Damn, I don’t know who will end up with Brother Yan, I’m so jealous! Can we crowdsource a sack to silence that person? Cat smacks the table.jpg]
The late autumn wind blew by, and Yan Shixun’s hair, still dripping with water, made him shiver slightly.
Ye Li furrowed his brows and immediately took long strides to push Yan Shixun back inside the room, saying in a deep voice, “Go dry your hair before coming out, or you’ll catch a cold.”
Because they were standing so close, Ye Li’s gaze inevitably slid downward, landing on Yan Shixun’s chest.
When Yan Shixun emerged, although he had already put on his clothes and hastily wrapped himself in the Taoist robe that had been tossed nearby, he hadn’t had time to button up several buttons on his shirt. Now, with his movements, the Taoist robe loosened, revealing a large expanse of his toned chest.
Ye Li’s throat bobbed.
But he didn’t forget that Zhang Wubing was still broadcasting live. The thought of Yan Shixun being seen by so many people made him feel dangerously unsettled.
He even had the impulse to take Yan Shixun away right then and there, to keep him forever in his arms, not letting anyone—living or dead—see his treasure.
A treasure, naturally, had to be kept close for peace of mind.
But Ye Li held back, doing nothing.
He simply used his tall and muscular body to block Yan Shixun from view, shielding him completely.
The viewers in front of the screen could only watch helplessly as a back view blocked the beauty from their sight.
Suddenly, the screen was filled with wails.
Some even demanded that Zhang Wubing hand over Yan Shixun, or they would cry for him to see!
Zhang Wubing, looking at the barrage of comments on his tablet, shrunk his neck in fear, thinking: They’re still watching? I’m barely holding on to my life.
If Brother Yan saw these comments, he’d probably sneer and smash the tablet.
For the sake of the show’s smooth continuation, it was better if Brother Yan didn’t see these comments…
Zhang Wubing thought to himself, deciding that he wouldn’t give the tablet to Yan Shixun later.
On the other side, Yan Shixun quickly tidied up his appearance and came out of the room again.
The image of him as a beauty just out of the bath had already vanished, and what appeared before everyone was still the powerful and sharp youth they were familiar with.
Some viewers immediately let out another round of disappointed wails.
[This Yan Brother is also handsome, no doubt… but I still want the Yan Brother from just now!!!]
[I’ll pay! I’ll pay! Please, give me one more look, please! Sob sob.]
[Damn! Beauty is ruining my life! My fried egg is burned!]
[Waaah, I forgot to take a screenshot.]
Yan Shixun stepped into his Martin boots, his black boots and pants perfectly accentuating his long legs. The black shirt clung to his firm muscles, with smooth lines creating an attractive curve.
As the weather grew colder, he added a dark green coat over everything. The broad shoulders of the coat gave it a sharp, imposing look.
Even the other guests were momentarily stunned.
“Let’s go.” Yan Shixun casually took long strides towards the business car.
As for the ghosts perched on the courtyard wall, and the bloodstains in the yard, the spirits quickly cleaned them up before rushing off in a panic. They were afraid they would be casually destroyed by the three powerful figures in the courtyard.
—Someone really scared the ghosts to death!
But just as Yan Shixun was about to get into the car, a whimpering sound came from behind.
“What about me?” Jing Xiaobao looked longingly at Yan Shixun’s back. “Yan, I want to play.”
Before Yan Shixun could answer, Ye Li sneered, “While we’re gone, Jing Sheng will look after you.”
Although Jing Xiaobao’s presence had made Yan Shixun’s tolerance for him increase, and he had even smoothly moved into Yan Shixun’s house, just one wall away from him, Ye Li still couldn’t stand him.
He always felt that because they shared the same Evil Spirit Bone Transformation, Yan Shixun had been paying too much attention to Jing Xiaobao.
Something had to be done to make Jing Xiaobao leave quickly.
Ye Li thought coldly.
He was disturbing his and Shixun’s time together.
Early that morning, Old Master Jing had received a call and learned that Yan Shixun was going to record the show. He happily agreed to temporarily take Jing Xiaobao in while Yan Shixun was gone.
Although Old Master Jing’s health wasn’t ideal for long stays with the already transformed malicious ghost, Jing Xiaobao, he still wanted to spend more time with his brother.
Old Master Jing was very happy with this temporary arrangement.
Jing Xiaobao was devastated.
Though he loved his younger brother, he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of being abandoned.
It was like how his longed-for family and father always seemed to be pushed away by his stepmother, never allowing him to stay in the house.
The more he thought about it, the more pitiful he felt. His eyes reddened, and he looked utterly despondent.
Bai Shuang, unable to resist her soft heart, spoke up, “Brother Yan, such a young child… It’s not safe to leave him with anyone. It’s better to look after him yourself.”
“A university student just went missing in Binhai City a few days ago, and it caused a big stir. What if he’s been kidnapped, and the kidnapper comes here?”
Bai Shuang said anxiously, “Xiao Bao looks so frail, he has no ability to protect himself in front of bad people.”
The guests immediately looked at Bai Shuang in horror: This malicious ghost… frail??
Only Bai Shuang, who had been unconscious throughout, didn’t know about Old Master Jing or Jing Xiaobao’s true strength.
After all, even if others had told her about them, she hadn’t seen them with her own eyes, so she couldn’t imagine it. She was completely unaware.
Under Bai Shuang’s genuinely worried gaze, Yan Shixun quietly turned to look at Jing Xiaobao.
Jing Xiaobao, with his soft, round face, put on his best obedient look.
Yan Shixun: “…Xiao Bing, add a seat.”
Zhang Wubing: “!!!”
No! He didn’t want to!
But no matter how much Zhang Wubing struggled, Jing Xiaobao still got in the car.
—And sat right next to him.
Jing Xiaobao: Hehe~
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