ã€ŠThe little gluttonous child needs to eatã€‹


 Chapter 1 - Descending the Mountain

    **Heroic Mountain, Firecloud Temple**

    "Little Yao¡¯er, your master¡¯s time is almost up. Soon, I won''t be able to protect you anymore. You''ve always had a big appetite, and I¡¯m afraid you might starve once you climb down the mountain."

    "I recall your Uncle Qingyun in the capital is doing fairly well. I''ve written this letter for you. When you find him, hand it to him. Out of our shared past, he¡¯ll surely take care of you."

    In the backyard of the Taoist temple, inside a small side room, an elderly Taoist priest with a pale face was speaking earnestly to a little girl in front of him.

    The old priest''s voice was weak, and he could only speak in short, broken sentences due to his frailty.

    "No, Master! I don¡¯t want you to die! I don¡¯t want to!"

    The little girl, nicknamed "Yao Yao," had tears streaming down her face. She was wearing an oversized, patched-up gray Taoist robe. Despite their poverty¡ªso severe she only had five meals a day, sometimes entirely vegetarian¡ªthis old priest was the only family she had ever known.

    She couldn''t bear the thought of losing him. Ever since she could remember, she had been by his side.

    As her round, chubby face began to collapse into sobs, large tears fell like beads of pearls.

    "Yao¡¯er, don¡¯t cry. Life and death are part of the cycle of nature. As cultivators, we should understand this better than anyone."

    The old priest trembled as he reached out to wipe the little girl''s tears. His voice was gentler than ever, perhaps because he knew his time was running out.

    From instructions on how to handle the temple to reminders for Yao¡¯er to listen to her uncle once she found him, the priest left no detail unsaid. He even reminded her not to eat too much, as her large appetite might make others dislike her.

    Yao¡¯er nodded obediently, pretending to agree to comfort him, but her little face clouded over when she heard this part. She muttered under her breath, "Uncle probably isn¡¯t doing that well in the capital if he can¡¯t even afford five vegetarian meals."

    The priest couldn¡¯t know her thoughts. As he lay facing the heavens, a hint of fear flickered in his eyes¡ªfear of facing his ancestors in the afterlife.

    The Firecloud sect had dwindled to almost nothing in his generation.

    With his eldest brother traveling the world, and his own end approaching, only Yao¡¯er remained.

    He glanced at the small girl barely tall enough to reach the bed. Though her origins were unclear, her talent for Taoist arts was terrifyingly exceptional. Despite her young age, few ordinary cultivators could match her.

    When he first found her, he had been overjoyed, thinking that the heavens had sent him a disciple with unparalleled potential to revive the sect.

    But as he raised her, he realized her mischievous nature made her ill-suited for great responsibilities.

    Perhaps it was his lingering obsession. Holding her tiny hand, the priest gave his final instruction:

    "If you ever have the chance, remember to make the Firecloud sect flourish again. Should that day come, burn a paper offering for me so I can face our ancestors with pride."

    "I promise!"

    Yao¡¯er nodded firmly. Though she was too young to fully understand what "revive the sect" meant, she had heard her master repeat it so often that she roughly understood it to mean attracting many worshippers¡ªand, in turn, more donations.

    "Good, good!"

    The old priest sighed in relief. With her promise, his obsession faded, and his vitality ebbed like a receding tide.

    "Master!"

    Yao¡¯er called out softly, but this time, the priest didn¡¯t reply with his usual warm smile.

    Tears welled up in her big, round eyes and began to fall, one by one, like shining pearls.

    ---

    **Two Days Later, Outside Firecloud Temple**

    After burying her master, Yao¡¯er was ready to leave the mountain.

    She carried a small bundle filled with the dozen flatbreads her master had made before passing, along with a few basic utensils. The bundle bulged with its contents.

    Before leaving, Yao¡¯er kowtowed three times to the ancestral tablets inside the temple.

    She didn¡¯t close the temple gates because she had already taken all the valuables.

    The path down the mountain was unfamiliar. She had always followed her master before, but this time, she had to navigate on her own. After several wrong turns, she finally found her way.

    At last, she reached the foot of the mountain!

    Looking at the bustling road, Yao¡¯er¡¯s chubby face lit up with a rare smile.

    She had always heard visitors talk about how exciting life was down the mountain, and now, she could finally see it for herself. With no one to stop her, she was free to go anywhere.

    But first, she needed to find Uncle Qingyun.

    After all, her master¡¯s flatbreads wouldn¡¯t last more than a couple of days.

    She pulled a talisman from her bag and began calculating his location using his birth chart.

    This was a basic Taoist method for finding someone. Each person¡¯s birth chart corresponded to celestial patterns, connecting their life line to their earthly existence.

    Despite her age, Yao¡¯er¡¯s skill in Taoist arts was unmatched, which is why her master had entrusted her to make this journey alone.

    She slapped the talisman onto herself and recited: The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    "May mountains flatten and lands shrink. By the decree of the Nine Lords, hasten to obey!"

    A yellow glow enveloped her, and with a few quick steps, she crossed dozens of kilometers, arriving just outside the capital.

    She stopped short of entering, wary of startling people with her sudden appearance. The talisman dimmed slightly after the journey, and she carefully put it away.

    As she prepared to enter the city, a commotion erupted ahead.

    "Help! There¡¯s been an accident¡ªplease save my wife!"

    A woman¡¯s panicked voice cut through the noise, followed by the chaotic sounds of a crowd.

    ---

    **An Accident?**

    Yao¡¯er¡¯s expression shifted as she stepped forward. Her small size allowed her to easily weave through the crowd.

    Soon, she reached the scene.

    The accident had occurred at a busy intersection, a common site for crashes. This time, two cars¡ªone black and one white¡ªhad collided at a blind corner, leaving both vehicles¡¯ fronts badly damaged.

    Near the white car, a well-dressed man with a bloodied head and a young woman were tending to an older woman in her forties.

    The older woman looked pale and was cradling a visibly injured ankle, likely fractured.

    Yao¡¯er initially had no intention of getting involved.

    She turned to leave but froze when her nose caught a delicious scent. She had a weakness for good food and couldn¡¯t resist investigating further.

    Her sharp eyes quickly locked onto the source: the injured older woman.

    "Madam, don¡¯t worry. The ambulance is on its way," the young man reassured.

    G¨¡n Xi¨£oy¨ªng was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.

    She had been shouting for help for a long time, and while the crowd around them grew larger, not a single person stepped forward to help. This made her even more panicked.

    If anything were to happen to her lady under her care, given the temperaments of the young masters and their father, she could kiss her life goodbye.

    The woman, however, was gentle-natured. Despite her pain, she comforted G¨¡n Xi¨£oy¨ªng, ¡°Xi¨£oy¨ªng, don¡¯t panic. Keep your composure and don¡¯t lose your head.¡±

    Before she could say another word, a small child walked over, holding a two-finger-wide tree branch.

    ¡°Little girl, what are you...¡±

    The woman, bewildered, looked at the unusually vibrant and adorable little girl in front of her. The child crouched down and seriously examined her¡­ leg?

    Having a household full of sons, the woman especially adored little girls. Though unsure of what the child intended to do, her gaze remained soft.

    But before she could finish her sentence, the little girl¡¯s hands moved like lightning¡ªso fast that she couldn¡¯t even register what happened.

    A sharp, intense pain surged through her leg, and she let out a muffled groan.

    ¡°Madam!¡± G¨¡n Xi¨£oy¨ªng was horrified. She yelled, ¡°Where did this wild child come from? Don¡¯t you dare harm my lady!¡±

    This little girl had actually dared to touch the woman¡¯s injury. G¨¡n Xi¨£oy¨ªng accused her of malicious intent and reached out to push the child away.

    Unfortunately, she was too slow.

    Y¨¡oy¨¡o raised her hand, lightly hitting G¨¡n Xi¨£oy¨ªng¡¯s arm. ¡°Smack!¡± With an audible sound, G¨¡n Xi¨£oy¨ªng couldn¡¯t withstand the force from such a tiny hand and fell flat on her backside.

    The male bodyguard, standing protectively nearby, immediately prepared to intervene.

    However, the injured woman quickly intervened. ¡°Xiao Zhao, stand down!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Madam.¡±

    Though Bodyguard Zhao didn¡¯t understand why, as a bodyguard, he had to follow his employer¡¯s orders unconditionally.

    The woman had stopped him not out of kindness but because she felt the sharp pain in her leg subside. Considering what had just happened, it wasn¡¯t hard to deduce that her dislocated bone had been set back in place.

    But how was that possible?

    This little girl couldn¡¯t be more than four years old. A child this young knowing how to set bones? No one would believe it!

    Yet, the facts spoke for themselves.

    The woman wanted to ask something, but Y¨¡oy¨¡o quickly finished securing her leg with the tree branch.

    In her crisp, childish voice, she said, ¡°I¡¯ve set your bone for now, but don¡¯t move around too much until a doctor looks at it.¡±

    ¡°Set my bone¡­ just like that?¡±

    G¨¡n Xi¨£oy¨ªng, who had just gotten up, froze upon hearing this.

    ¡°Oh, thank you so much, little girl! I didn¡¯t expect you to have such skill at such a young age.¡±

    The woman responded more quickly, smiling warmly as she prepared to pull out some money to thank her.

    But before she could do anything, Y¨¡oy¨¡o¡¯s next words made her scalp tingle.

    ¡°I only helped set the bone. Nothing much. But don¡¯t thank me just yet¡ªyour troubles aren¡¯t over.¡±

    ¡°What¡­ what do you mean?¡±

    The woman looked at Y¨¡oy¨¡o in confusion.

    Y¨¡oy¨¡o¡¯s large, dark eyes were fixed on the thick shadow of yin energy shrouding the woman¡¯s midsection.

    So fragrant!

    Y¨¡oy¨¡o unconsciously swallowed and then revealed two sharp little canine teeth as she spoke.

    ¡°Because you¡¯re about to die!¡±

    Her soft, milky voice delivered words that left the three adults present completely dumbfounded.

    ---

    ¡°You¡­ you¡¯re spouting nonsense! My lady is blessed and destined for a long life. There¡¯s no way she¡¯ll¡­ she¡¯ll¡­¡±

    G¨¡n Xi¨£oy¨ªng faltered, unable to utter the ominous word. She glared at the little girl like a hedgehog with its quills raised.

    ¡°Don¡¯t think that just because you¡¯re a child, I won¡¯t dare to teach you a lesson!¡±

    Y¨¡oy¨¡o ignored her and extended her chubby little hand, lightly touching the woman¡¯s forehead.

    Although it was just a soft, small hand, the woman felt a chill shoot straight to her crown.

    ¡°Your midsection is clouded, and your life star is obscured!¡±

    ¡°The bridge of your nose bears a line¡ªcalamity has entered your health palace.¡±

    This tiny girl was babbling strange words like some kind of mystic.

    The woman, lost in her explanation, asked hesitantly, ¡°Is there any significance to what you¡¯re saying?¡±

    Y¨¡oy¨¡o didn¡¯t respond immediately. Instead, her small finger shifted, touching the bridge of the woman¡¯s nose.

    ¡°The bridge of your nose represents strength, yet it¡¯s marred by a break. Foul energy has drawn in misfortune. My master used to say, ¡®Where there¡¯s life, there¡¯s luck; where there¡¯s death, there¡¯s foul energy.¡¯¡±

    ¡°You carry the foul energy of death. That¡¯s why I said you¡¯re going to die.¡±

    Y¨¡oy¨¡o tilted her little head, her tone sincere and serious. ¡°But your spouse¡¯s palace is intact, and your children¡¯s palace is full¡ªyour fate is one of blessings and fortune.¡±

    ¡°Darkness has overwhelmed light, which points to¡­ possession by an evil spirit!¡±

    People¡¯s destinies are typically set at birth and rarely undergo significant changes unless a major calamity occurs.

    One of Daoism¡¯s five arts¡ªAppearance¡ªis about determining a person¡¯s fate through their facial features, predicting fortune or disaster.

    An unofficial saying in the field is, ¡°Disasters never come singly.¡±

    This means that when misfortune strikes, it often comes in waves. Individuals marked by ill fortune bring trouble not only to themselves but also to their spouses and children.

    But this woman was different¡ªher fortune didn¡¯t match that of someone plagued by misfortune.

    Adding the intense yin energy around her brows, Y¨¡oy¨¡o concluded it must be the work of a vengeful spirit!

    And vengeful spirits are delicious!

    Y¨¡oy¨¡o had initially been uninterested, but the prospect of this delicacy changed her mind.

    ¡°You¡¯re spouting nonsense! I¡¯ve seen plenty of frauds, but you¡¯re the youngest con artist yet!¡±

    G¨¡n Xi¨£oy¨ªng, frustrated by the little girl¡¯s cryptic chatter, was skeptical. Her words reminded her of shady fortune tellers claiming someone¡¯s life was in grave danger.

    Still, the woman hesitated. Despite her doubts, she couldn¡¯t ignore how this child had set her dislocated joint. This wasn¡¯t something just anyone could do.

    Seeing the woman¡¯s hesitation, Y¨¡oy¨¡o pulled a yellow talisman from her bag. With her chubby hands, she folded it into a triangle and placed it in the woman¡¯s hand.

    ¡°My master said that every meeting is fate. Take this talisman as my gift¡ªit¡¯ll protect you from one disaster.¡±

    ¡°The talisman only works once. When it¡¯s used, come find me, okay?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll be at¡­ hmm¡­ I¡¯ll be at the overpass up ahead.¡±

    The overpass was the endpoint of her fate line, where she believed her uncle-master Q¨©ngy¨²n would be.

    Vengeful spirits are rare delicacies, so Y¨¡oy¨¡o took her instructions very seriously.

    ¡°An overpass?¡±

    Was this really a scam?

    The woman tightened her grip on the talisman, inexplicably feeling that it might actually save her life.

    As for Y¨¡oy¨¡o¡¯s claim of fate, the woman didn¡¯t believe it. What she noticed instead was the way the little girl¡¯s eyes sparkled as she looked at her¡ªlike a predator eyeing prey¡ªand how she kept swallowing her saliva!

    Though the girl tried to hide it, her childish face betrayed her true thoughts.

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 Chapter 2 - Sister, Your Boyfriend Really Did Cheat

    Chapter 2: Sister, Your Boyfriend Really Did Cheat

    Yao Yao still didn¡¯t realize that her little schemes had already been exposed. But even if she did, she wouldn¡¯t care¡ªafter all, the other party would come begging sooner or later.

    The yin energy around her was so heavy that it could almost be described as an unending, life-or-death grudge!

    Her talisman could save her life, but it couldn¡¯t kill the powerful vengeful spirit that had become a formidable force.

    Still, the more vicious it was, the better!

    The deeper the cultivation, the more fragrant the spirit!

    She hadn¡¯t tasted the flavor of evil spirits for so long!

    Back in the mountains, there were old Taoist priests and ancestor statues to keep the spirits in check¡ªno reckless ghost would dare to cause trouble.

    Even if one did, she wouldn¡¯t be able to enjoy the hot meal, because it would definitely be taken by the old Taoist priest.

    That was the first time she had gone down the mountain with the old Taoist to hunt ghosts. She was fast and ended up eating an arm.

    Since then, she couldn¡¯t forget that taste.

    As Yao Yao drooled with hunger, her steps didn¡¯t slow, and soon she found the person she was looking for.

    But the situation seemed a bit different from what she expected...

    "Good for you, you swindler! You actually said my boyfriend only stayed with me for my money. If he really wanted money, why wouldn¡¯t he use the card I gave him?"

    "Good thing I didn¡¯t listen to your slanders! You nearly ruined my relationship. This can¡¯t go unpunished! Smash his stall, then break his legs!"

    A woman, around thirty, stood beneath a pedestrian bridge at a fortune-telling stall.

    She was strikingly beautiful, wearing a fiery red dress, with slightly wavy long hair, looking extra eye-catching.

    Behind her stood three large bodyguards, and as she finished speaking, the bodyguards immediately charged forward.

    "Crash!"

    The first bodyguard kicked over the fortune-telling stall, sending red slips of paper flying everywhere.

    "God help me!"

    The stall owner, seeing things were serious, quickly tried to slip away.

    He was as thin as a bamboo pole, his robe hanging loosely like it was drying on a rod rather than worn. His face was rat-like, with thin eyebrows and a mustache.

    Originally a shrewd, slippery man, he now had a look of panic.

    This woman meant business!

    Qing Yun never imagined that his ambiguous words, prompted by the woman''s suspicions, would lead to this. He had been successful with vague fortune-telling in the past, after all, women had an uncanny ability to sense infidelity¡ªalmost never wrong.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    However, he had underestimated this woman, who turned out to be a love-struck fool.

    Easily charmed by a man, she turned all her fury on him.

    What bad luck.

    Looking at the broken stall, Qing Yun''s heart bled, but there was nothing he could do. They had the numbers; saving his legs was the priority.

    If they caught him, it would all be over.

    The woman seemed to have predicted his attempt to trick his way out, as all the bodyguards were quick and nimble.

    With several burly men surrounding him, Qing Yun was soon outmatched.

    "Master, Master, let''s talk! If you think my fortune-telling is wrong, I can refund you! There¡¯s no need to go so far. Spare me, please, show mercy!"

    Pinned to the ground, Qing Yun was covered in dust, begging in a pleading tone.

    The woman sneered, "Do you think I¡¯m in need of your money?"

    She pointed at the overturned flag on the ground. "Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯re honest and trustworthy? Well, if you¡¯re a fraud, you should¡¯ve known this would happen."

    "Do it!"

    She coldly commanded, and the bodyguards restrained Qing Yun''s arms and legs while others grabbed wooden sticks.

    The sticks sliced through the air with a sharp whistle, and Qing Yun struggled in vain, his face paling like death.

    At that moment, he deeply regretted not learning real skills from his master. If he had, he wouldn¡¯t be in this mess, being pinned down and beaten like this.

    Sure enough, swindling and deceit always led to disaster.

    Qing Yun cursed his fate!

    A loud "crack" sounded.

    It was over! He was done for!

    Instinctively, Qing Yun closed his eyes, but after waiting for a long time, the pain never came. Confused, he opened his eyes.

    Before he could figure out what had happened, a childlike, melodious voice suddenly rang in his ears.

    "Pretty sister, it¡¯s wrong to break someone''s legs!"

    "And my master didn¡¯t make a mistake, either."

    Yao Yao blinked innocently at the woman in the red dress, her demeanor sweet and docile.

    However, the woman wasn¡¯t fooled by her act. After all, she had just seen the little girl break a bodyguard¡¯s heavy stick with her bare hands.

    Those chubby little hands didn¡¯t seem affected at all!

    The woman furrowed her brow¡ªthose weren''t hands, they were like iron plates!

    "This swindler is your master?"

    Yao Yao obediently nodded, "Yes, you can ask him if you don¡¯t believe me."

    "Yes... I¡¯m his master!" Qing Yun quickly cried out.

    Of course, he had no choice but to admit it. He didn¡¯t know where this little girl came from, but she was clearly powerful. Now, if he could cling to her, maybe he could save his legs. His face was already gone, so what did it matter?

    The woman sized the two of them up, growing cautious. Since they were from the same sect, this little girl surely wouldn¡¯t stand by while she dealt with the old swindler.

    "Qing Jie, what should we do now?"

    The bodyguards were hesitant, clearly shaken by the earlier display.

    The woman, called Qing Jie, motioned for the bodyguards to stay calm. After all, the child was only about three or four years old.

    She didn¡¯t want to make a move unless necessary, but she couldn¡¯t help asking with a furrowed brow, "What did you mean by that just now?"

    Yao Yao noticed the hesitation, her brow relaxing as she smiled, revealing two adorable dimples.

    "Didn¡¯t you say that my master made a mistake and that¡¯s why you wanted to break his legs? But he didn¡¯t make a mistake. Your boyfriend did cheat on you, and you even know the person he cheated with!"

    Qing Jie froze for a moment. She had expected the girl to speak in vague, empty terms, but she was surprisingly accurate, sounding like she actually knew something.

    Her brows knit¡ªcould it be that her boyfriend was really cheating?

    Yao Yao, seeing her doubts, continued, "Big sister, your fate has water in it; you must have been born by the sea."

    Qing Jie¡¯s almond-shaped eyes widened. She was indeed born in a coastal city, her father taking the family there to develop when he was young.

    He was lucky enough to ride the wave of the economic boom and made a fortune.

    Later, they moved to the capital, a story from many years ago that even she only heard from her elders.

    Yao Yao smiled, "It¡¯s not just that. Pretty sister, your mother passed away early because of illness, and with both Mercury and Mars in the Fifth House, your father remarried recently, didn¡¯t he?"

    Qing Jie¡¯s breath caught. Her mother had passed away when she was six due to illness.

    At only twenty-five, her mother had indeed died young.

    The girl had correctly guessed her coastal roots¡ªit could¡¯ve been a coincidence, but now she was hitting too close to home.

    But the real shocker was when she mentioned her father remarrying.

    Once she heard that, Qing Jie knew¡ªshe had met a true master!

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 Chapter 3 - Time for a Feast

    Chapter 3: Time for a Feast

    "Master... how... how did you figure this out?"

    Sister Qing herself didn''t even realize her voice was trembling.

    To understand, her father marrying a stepmother was considered a family secret¡ªsomething no one outside knew about.

    Her parents had a close and loving relationship when they were young, and over the years, her father had remained single. She had always felt a bit sorry for him, thinking that, as he grew older, there was no one around to care for him.

    So, when her grandmother started looking for a match for her father, she supported it.

    However, her father never seemed interested.

    But last year, something strange happened¡ªhe suddenly brought home a girl around her age and insisted on marrying her.

    That moment was a breaking point for Sister Qing. In her mind, her father was always the mature and steady man, but now he was marrying someone young enough to be his daughter.

    Wasn¡¯t this unbecoming of him?

    It seemed like the whole family felt it was a scandal too, and if the news got out, the company¡¯s stock would certainly drop. So, the matter had been kept under wraps.

    But Sister Qing didn¡¯t hold back. The father and daughter had a big argument, and in her anger, she ran away from home.

    It was also during this time that she met her boyfriend, who had the looks she liked, though his family wasn¡¯t well-off.

    Sister Qing didn¡¯t hide the fact that she was in a better position. Her boyfriend often said he didn¡¯t deserve her, but she didn¡¯t mind. As long as she liked him, money didn¡¯t matter.

    However, recently, she started to feel something was off with her boyfriend, suspecting he might be seeing another woman.

    To Sister Qing, a man might be poor, but he couldn¡¯t be dirty.

    She was desperate to find out the truth. So, she made an excuse to get some air and secretly planned to have someone investigate her boyfriend.

    Unexpectedly, she ran into this fortune teller. From his tone, she had a sudden impulse to have him read her fortune.

    But in the end, this so-called "master" was spouting nonsense, and it led to her boyfriend accusing her of doubting him and threatening to break up.

    Sister Qing still liked her boyfriend¡¯s face, and since there weren¡¯t any principled issues, she was willing to comfort him.

    But once she had done so, she made sure to settle this hidden debt.

    "Sister, didn¡¯t you know Daoist face-reading? It¡¯s your face that told me all this."

    "This..."

    Sister Qing was a bit incredulous. Could something so specific be known just by looking at someone¡¯s face?

    But the little girl was frighteningly accurate.

    "You said the woman he¡¯s cheating with, do I know her? Who is she?"

    Finally, Sister Qing couldn¡¯t hold back and asked the burning question she had been holding in. Her palm was clenched tight.

    Since this little master wasn¡¯t lying, then her boyfriend must be the one telling lies.

    Thinking of her boyfriend¡¯s aggrieved face from before, her anger flared up. This scoundrel really knows how to act!

    "Let me see... ah! She¡¯s at your house right now. Sister, you¡¯d better hurry. Who knows, you might run into her if you go back!"

    Sister Qing: ...

    "This damn woman!"

    She didn¡¯t expect the other person to be so shameless¡ªone moment promising to be faithful, and the next, bringing the mistress home.Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

    Was she being treated like a fool?

    At this moment, she couldn¡¯t care less about the fortune teller. All that was in her mind was one thought¡ªcatching these shameless scoundrels.

    When the bodyguards saw their employer leave, they didn¡¯t dare to stay and quickly followed. A large group rushed in and hurriedly walked out.

    "Wait... is this all?"

    At that moment, with the pressure lifted, Qing Yun rolled up from the ground. He patted himself down, checked his arms and legs, and, seeing he was still in one piece, a skinny face broke into a grin.

    After checking himself, his gaze naturally landed on the little dumpling in front of him. He searched for a while but couldn¡¯t recall who she was.

    He couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Who are you?"

    Just now, this child had called him ''Shibo'' (Master Uncle), but he was clueless. He didn¡¯t remember having any disciples.

    Yao Yao glanced at her disheveled master uncle. Her round eyes immediately turned into crescent moons as she cheerfully said, "Shibo Qingyun, I¡¯m Yao Yao. Qinghan is my master."

    "Mm?" Qing Yun paused for a moment, then seemed to recall. "You¡¯re the disciple my junior brother Qinghan accepted a few years ago?"

    "Yes, yes, that¡¯s me!"

    Qing Yun was now truly surprised. This child had only entered the sect a little over two years ago, yet already had such abilities?

    Qinghan¡¯s junior brother must be really fortunate!

    "But, why did you come down the mountain? What is Qinghan doing?"

    The disciples of the Fire Cloud Sect had a rule about leaving the mountain. Of course, the sect master was an exception because they had to guard the place. But usually, disciples could only leave when they reached adulthood or achieved a certain level of cultivation and discernment.

    Why would a three-year-old child be sent down the mountain?

    If she were kidnapped by someone with a candy, wouldn¡¯t the entire Fire Cloud Sect¡¯s teachings be lost?

    Qing Yun suddenly felt angry. Even though his own cultivation was poor, he truly considered the Fire Cloud Sect his family.

    Who didn¡¯t want the younger generation to succeed and revitalize the sect?

    But the Fire Cloud Sect¡¯s incense had always been weak, and it could never attract good disciples. It had always hung by a thread.

    Now, his junior brother had picked up a treasure, but they weren¡¯t properly protecting her? Instead, they were eager to send her down the mountain!

    What a fool!

    If it wasn¡¯t so hard to go back, he would have gone straight to scold them.

    But before he could vent his frustration, he saw the little dumpling¡¯s small mouth puckering up, her eyes red.

    "Shibo, my master... he... entered Nirvana."

    In the Buddhist and Daoist worlds, when a monk or cultivator passed away, they didn¡¯t say they "died," but rather that they "entered Nirvana," meaning their soul returned to the heavens, and their body returned to the earth.

    Qing Yun, who had been preparing to speak passionately, suddenly froze. He turned stiffly. "Entered... entered Nirvana?"

    "How could this happen!"

    Qing Yun knew his junior brother¡¯s abilities well. Though he wasn¡¯t yet a great cultivator, he had the help of the ancestral statues in the temple. Even a powerful ghost wouldn¡¯t be able to harm him easily.

    So, why did he die so early?

    Yao Yao shook her head. "Master didn¡¯t tell me the reason. I only know that one time he came back from a ritual on the mountain, covered in blood. After that, his condition worsened day by day."

    "A few days ago, he gave me his final instructions before passing away. He asked me to bring you a message, saying you¡¯d understand when you saw it."

    Yao Yao said, reaching into her bag to pull out a letter. Qing Yun took it and began reading.

    After a long while, his brow slowly relaxed.

    In the letter, Qinghan never explained how he was injured. He only mentioned one thing: to take care of his little disciple.

    He said this child could eat, but not let her indulge her appetite.

    There were also some other trivial instructions about taking care of a child. After reading it, Qing Yun couldn¡¯t help but sneer.

    What, just a three-year-old child?

    How big could her appetite be? My junior brother had become so stingy over the years, even with the sect¡¯s offerings.

    But he didn¡¯t need to say it. Yao Yao, being the only disciple with any cultivation now, was the future of the Fire Cloud Sect. Of course, he would take care of her well!

    Not to mention big money¡ªhe could afford to feed her, after all. He had some savings from his years of fortune-telling... I mean, from his career.

    Qing Yun adjusted his robes, dusted himself off, and didn¡¯t mention the earlier disgrace.

    He turned to the little dumpling and asked, "Are you hungry? Shibo will take you to eat."

    Yao Yao was stunned. She hadn¡¯t expected her master uncle to be so kind. She was immediately touched, and her image of him became even taller in her heart.

    She nodded her soft little head and asked, "Can I eat meat?"

    She had been eating flatbreads for days, and they tasted like nothing. It was hard to bear.

    Qing Yun frowned:...

    Couldn¡¯t my junior brother even afford meat? His management of the sect¡¯s offerings was truly a failure. It would have been better if he had stayed outside!

    "Of course, but let¡¯s have a little less, okay? If you eat too much at once, you can¡¯t eat it every day."

    Yao Yao nodded, "I understand, Master said life should be lived slowly, so I won¡¯t eat too much."

    Seeing how sensible she was, Qing Yun couldn¡¯t help but feel proud. He silently gave his junior brother another point.

    At least the child was being raised well!

    Not only was she obedient, but she had good manners too.

    Qing Yun looked at her with increasing fondness, then waved his hand toward the restaurant.

    Neither of them realized how important this meal was for both of them.

    [----------------¡ã-------------]

    Thank You for Reading!

    Translating these stories is my passion, and every chapter I bring to you is crafted with care and love. If you¡¯ve enjoyed the journey so far, I humbly ask for your support to continue sharing these adventures with you.

    By joining my Patreon, you¡¯re not just supporting me¡ªyou¡¯re helping these amazing tales reach more readers, ensuring faster updates, and unlocking exclusive perks like early access to chapters and bonus content.

    Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. Together, we can keep this journey alive and thriving.

    ??Join me on Patreon: Patreon.com/flokixy

    Thank you for being part of this story. Let¡¯s forge ahead together!

 Chapter 4 - Eating to Bankruptcy

    "Boss, I want more... wuuu..."

    Qingyun quickly covered his disciple''s mouth as soon as he saw her about to ask for another serving of noodles.

    When the boss''s gaze swept over, Qingyun awkwardly smiled and said, "It''s nothing... this child is just making noise."

    "Oh, I thought she wanted more!" The boss looked at the stack of empty bowls on the table and chuckled, "You know, your little one has the best appetite of any child her age I''ve ever seen."

    Hearing this, Qingyun''s face grew even more bitter. Indeed, what proper child asks for more food ten or more times during one meal?

    Once the boss walked away, Qingyun lowered his voice, looking sternly at his disciple, who he had just silenced. "Yao Yao, no more eating!"

    "Why? Didn''t Master say I could eat as much as I want? I''m still hungry!" Yao Yao blinked her big innocent eyes, patting her little stomach. "There''s still plenty of room!"

    Qingyun was momentarily at a loss for words, staring helplessly at the stack of bowls on the table.

    One bowl, two bowls, three bowls... five bowls... nine bowls!

    Nine whole bowls!

    Thinking of the price per bowl, Qingyun felt his vision darken. At this rate, he''d go bankrupt.

    When he said "eat freely," he meant it for normal people, not for a child who could devour nine bowls of noodles in one sitting!

    At first, his junior brother had said she could eat a lot, and Qingyun thought it was an exaggeration. Now he realized how wrong he was.

    No wonder his junior brother had inherited the temple and still lived such a frugal life¡ªhe was raising a bottomless pit of a child! If they saved money, that would really be a miracle.

    Straightening his neck, Qingyun said, "Master doesn''t have money left. If you eat more, I''ll have to leave you here to pay the debt."

    Though it was a bit embarrassing to admit, it was better than being caught later for not having enough money to pay the bill, only to be mistaken for someone trying to dine and dash.

    He didn''t want to end up being forced to wash dishes at the restaurant when he was older. That would be a loss of face, both inside and out.

    "Then... then I won''t eat anymore. Master, please don¡¯t leave me behind."

    Yao Yao quickly put down her chopsticks, looking genuinely full. She scratched her head in frustration, realizing she had forgotten her master''s warning in her moment of greed.

    Sure enough, greedy children get abandoned. She wouldn¡¯t be greedy anymore. From now on, she¡¯d only eat one-tenth¡ªno, maybe two-tenths full!

    At the same time, Yao Yao realized that when Master said "eat freely," it wasn¡¯t really as free as it sounded.

    The adult world was so complicated. She didn¡¯t know what to believe anymore.

    "Well, as long as you''re full," Qingyun said, seeing that she listened well. His expression softened a bit.

    However, seeing the little one still looking troubled, he thought for a moment and decided to salvage his image. "Next time, Master will bring you back to eat more."The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    "Okay, Master, you''re so kind."

    Yao Yao nodded obediently, though there was less enthusiasm in her eyes. Her own master often promised the same, but each time "next time" took forever.

    "Master, where are we going now?"

    Since there was no more food, continuing the walk felt pointless. Yao Yao covered her mouth sleepily.

    Normally, this would be her nap time, but today they had been traveling, so she missed it. Now that she was full, sleepiness hit her, and she struggled to keep her eyes open as she asked.

    Qingyun smiled when he saw this. "Let''s go home first. After you sleep well, we can talk about other things."

    Though his little disciple had nearly eaten him out of house and home, Qingyun, who was aging and lonely, found it strangely pleasant to have a child with him.

    Plus, if his disciple had real talent, didn¡¯t that mean he wouldn''t have to scam others anymore?

    Not only could they make money, but they wouldn¡¯t have to worry about people coming to cause trouble! Thinking this, the little bit of pain he felt over losing money disappeared.

    As for the fact that he, an elder, was far less skilled than the little child¡ªhe ignored that entirely. Don¡¯t ask. The answer was simply that the heavens hadn¡¯t given him the chance to eat.

    And when Yao Yao heard "sleep," she immediately cheered up.

    ...

    Qingyun¡¯s home wasn¡¯t far from the bridge.

    It was only about a ten-minute walk¡ªsmall and narrow, more like a coffin-sized room. It had just a bed and a desk.

    The bedclothes were grayish, not because they were dirty, but because of the color.

    Qingyun wasn''t a picky person in many ways, but he liked things to be clean. The desk had neatly arranged yellow papers, cinnabar, and a brush holder.

    "Give your little bag to Master. You must be exhausted from carrying it. Put it down and rest."

    Qingyun noticed the little one¡¯s bulging bag, obviously packed full of things. He had asked her earlier if she needed help, but she insisted it wasn¡¯t heavy. He didn¡¯t press her further. But now that they were inside, he thought she shouldn¡¯t carry it any longer.

    Yao Yao smiled and handed over the bag.

    Seeing her hold it so lightly, Qingyun didn¡¯t think it would be heavy, so he grabbed it with one hand.

    But the force nearly sent him to the ground.

    "Yao Yao, how much stuff did you pack in here? It''s so heavy!"

    Qingyun used both hands with all his strength, barely managing to hold it. His face turned red, and he grunted as he slowly shuffled it to the corner.

    There was a loud thud as the bag hit the floor. He took a moment to straighten up, his face full of disbelief.

    If his little disciple carried this bag every day, would it stunt her growth?

    When the temple holds its big meetings in the future, and they see their fiery-temple leader is just 1.3 meters tall, they¡¯d be the laughingstock!

    Qingyun suddenly had an idea¡ªhe couldn¡¯t let his little disciple carry this thing anymore.

    When asked what was in the bag, Yao Yao instinctively said, "Nothing much! Just some little things."

    Qingyun raised an eyebrow. What "little things" could be so heavy?

    Seeing her avoid his gaze, he suspected the little one didn¡¯t even remember what she had stuffed in there. But it didn¡¯t matter. There would be plenty of chances to find out later.

    "If you¡¯re sleepy, just sleep. Master has some business to attend to, so I¡¯ll take a walk."

    Qingyun, older and no longer accustomed to midday naps, was glad to let the child rest. The bed was small, and he wanted Yao Yao to sleep comfortably.

    Yao Yao nodded obediently, already struggling to keep her eyes open. After hearing Master¡¯s words, she quickly undressed, scrambled onto the bed, and curled up.

    She tossed and turned, realizing that Master¡¯s bed was much softer than the one at the temple. The pillow and blanket had a faint scent of soapwort.

    It was a smell she liked¡ªher own master also used soapwort to wash things, and their temple had several soapwort trees in the back garden!

    The familiar scent, the soft bed, and soon, Yao Yao fell into a light snore.

    Qingyun smiled, watching her fall asleep. He carefully adjusted the blanket around her, then quietly slipped out the door.

    Meanwhile, far away in the capital city, the prestigious Gu family was in chaos.

    [----------------¡ã-------------]

    Thank You for Reading!

    Translating these stories is my passion, and every chapter I bring to you is crafted with care and love. If you¡¯ve enjoyed the journey so far, I humbly ask for your support to continue sharing these adventures with you.

    By joining my Patreon, you¡¯re not just supporting me¡ªyou¡¯re helping these amazing tales reach more readers, ensuring faster updates, and unlocking exclusive perks like early access to chapters and bonus content.

    Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. Together, we can keep this journey alive and thriving.

    ??Join me on Patreon: patreon.com/flokixy

    Thank you for being part of this story. Let¡¯s forge ahead together!

 Chapter 5 - Encountering Evil

    Chapter 5: Encountering Evil

    The head of the Gu family was lying inside, with his private doctor helping Chen Hui stabilize her leg and check her other physical conditions.

    The doctor turned to Mr. Gu, who was standing by the side, and said, ¡°Mrs. Gu doesn¡¯t have any major issues. The injury on her foot was treated in time, and in a few days, it should be fine.¡±

    Gu Xuesong said, ¡°Thank you, doctor. Xiao Ying, see the doctor out.¡±

    He unbuttoned his suit jacket and sat beside his wife¡¯s bed, his expression filled with concern. ¡°I told you to rest at home properly, but you insisted on running around. Do you know how anxious I was when I heard about the incident? If something had happened to you, how would I go on?¡±

    Gu Xuesong, in his fifties, still looked well-maintained, without a single strand of white hair, and was one of the most respected Confucian businessmen in his circle.

    What outsiders didn¡¯t know was that, while the Gu family¡¯s patriarch had an unlimited reputation outside, he was a true ¡°wife slave¡± at home. When his wife had an accident, he was so scared that his heart rate became irregular. Fortunately, after the checkup, there was no problem, and his heart finally calmed down.

    ¡°I¡¯m fine, really. Don¡¯t worry too much.¡±

    Chen Hui reached out to pat her husband¡¯s hand, sighing a little at the experience of the day. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that at my age, a little child could save me. Xuesong, we can¡¯t be ungrateful. Please find that child for me. I want to thank her in person.¡±

    Gu Xuesong frowned. ¡°We will thank her, but with your current condition, don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ll have someone handle it.¡±

    For the Gu family, money and power were never a problem, and thanking a little child would be easy.

    However, Chen Hui shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s different. I have a connection with that child. If you don¡¯t agree, I¡¯ll find someone myself.¡±

    ¡°Fine, fine. I¡¯ll take care of it for you,¡± Gu Xuesong agreed reluctantly.

    He knew his wife¡¯s character well¡ªif he didn¡¯t agree, she would definitely go ahead and do it herself.

    Just as the couple was talking, a figure rushed into the room in a panic. ¡°Mom, I heard you had a car accident. Are you alright?¡±

    It was a young man of around seventeen or eighteen, dressed in a very youthful manner, with messy yellow hair. He was out of breath from running too fast.

    ¡°Why are you making such a fuss?¡± Gu Xuesong said, his refined face almost unable to hold back a grimace. He never expected that his son, who had returned, was not here to show gratitude, but rather seemed to be seeking revenge.

    Gu Yu, used to his father¡¯s sarcastic remarks, simply ignored them.

    ¡°Alright, you two, do you have to argue every day?¡±

    Chen Hui clearly understood that while her husband and youngest son could get along at first, after the younger son insisted on entering the entertainment industry and becoming a star idol, they had become enemies. Every time they met, they would clash, and nothing could stop them.

    ¡°Xiao Yu, I¡¯m fine. Weren¡¯t you filming out of town? Why did you suddenly come back?¡±

    ¡°I wrapped up filming yesterday. The company had some urgent matters, so they called me back.¡±

    Seeing that his mother was fine, Gu Yu finally felt relieved. He was about to sit down when his father stopped him.

    ¡°Everyone out, give your mom some rest.¡±Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

    Knowing his son¡¯s temper, Gu Xuesong knew that if Gu Yu stayed in the room, he wouldn¡¯t stop talking. His wife wouldn¡¯t be able to rest properly.

    ¡°Hey, old Gu, that¡¯s not fair. I just¡­ Hey! Hey, a true man never mentions the back of his collar!¡± Gu Yu protested, but was cut off.

    Gu Xuesong didn¡¯t want to waste time arguing. Despite his refined appearance, he was built like a bodybuilder and could lift his son as easily as picking up a chick.

    ¡°Rest well!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll get that child for you right away.¡±

    Before leaving the room, Gu Xuesong turned back and said.

    Chen Hui nodded. She trusted her husband to take care of things, and after such a long day, she was exhausted. Her head resting on the pillow, she drifted off to sleep, feeling groggy.

    Whether it was from exhaustion, Chen Hui dreamt in fragments, and in those dreams, a grayish-white figure appeared repeatedly.

    It was cold and resentful, staring at her.

    What was even more terrifying was that the figure kept getting closer until, in the final moments of her awareness, it suddenly appeared right in front of her. Its pale fingers tightly gripped her neck.

    The immense force made it hard for her to breathe. At that moment, she finally saw what the figure looked like.

    It was a woman with disheveled hair, but there was no face!

    Where there should have been a face, there was only emptiness. The skin of the face was writhing, even tearing open slightly. Through the gap, she saw an awful, suction-like mouth with sharp teeth, a hideous and terrifying sight. Just as the ghastly mouth was about to reach her, Chen Hui¡¯s palm suddenly felt a burning sensation.

    A flash of golden light appeared, and the faceless, gray figure seemed to be hit by boiling hot oil, immediately retreating with an agonized screech.

    ¡°Ah!¡±

    The pressure on her neck eased, and Chen Hui suddenly sat up in shock, cold sweat covering her forehead.

    Was it a dream?

    It felt so real!

    What was that white figure?

    Gasping for breath, she looked around in horror and realized she was in her bedroom. She instinctively let out a sigh of relief.

    But then, her fingers brushed against something, and her body froze in place. She remembered the burning sensation in her palm earlier.

    Trembling, Chen Hui pulled the blanket back and opened her hand. What she saw was the charm package she had held tightly in her hand before sleeping, now reduced to ashes.

    At that moment, she stopped breathing.

    ¡°Madam, what¡¯s wrong?¡±

    Gan Xiaoying had been standing outside. Hearing the noise inside, she hurried in. However, when she saw the condition of her mistress, her eyes went wide in shock.

    ¡°Madam¡­ your neck!¡±

    Chen Hui froze at her words. She quickly grabbed the mirror from the bedside table, flipped it over, and in the light, she finally saw the marks on her neck.

    The once fair skin was now covered with a purple-red strangulation mark. Just looking at the traces made it clear how much force had been used.

    ¡°Who was it? Who tried to harm you?¡±

    Gan Xiaoying was furious. She had been guarding outside, and with so many bodyguards in the house, who could have silently sneaked in to strangle the madam like this?

    If the force had lasted any longer¡­

    Her heart raced, and she couldn¡¯t imagine what her master would think when he saw his wife like this!

    It wasn¡¯t a dream!

    It was real!

    Chen Hui¡¯s heart sank. The gray figure in her dream definitely wasn¡¯t something good!

    It hadn¡¯t been able to kill her this time, but it surely wouldn¡¯t give up. After all, she clearly remembered the malicious stare as it retreated.

    She survived this time, but what about next time?

    Too many doubts flooded her mind, but suddenly, a little voice popped up in her head.

    ¡°Use the charm, remember to come find me!¡±

    Yes! The charm! The charm had saved her!

    It was the little child from earlier who had given it to her, and she had told her to find her. Did that mean she knew how to solve her current problem?

    Chen Hui felt like she had grasped a lifeline, and she hurriedly looked at Xiaoying, urgently asking, ¡°Where¡¯s my husband?¡±

    She remembered that before she fell asleep, her husband had gone to find someone.

    Gan Xiaoying was trembling from fear and said, ¡°Master¡­ he went out with the young master. They said they were going to find the little girl who saved you earlier. They¡¯ve been gone for a while, they should be back soon.¡±

    ¡°Madam, are you¡­ alright?¡±

    Chen Hui took a deep breath. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Go call him and have him come back quickly.¡±

    She then glanced around at the disordered room and suddenly changed her mind. ¡°Let someone else make the call. Stay here with me.¡±

    She wasn¡¯t sure where the gray figure was hiding, but just the thought that it might still be in the room made her body shiver.

    [----------------¡ã-------------]

    ?Thank You for Reading!?

    Translating these stories is my passion, and every chapter I bring to you is crafted with care and love. If you¡¯ve enjoyed the journey so far, I humbly ask for your support to continue sharing these adventures with you.

    By joining my Patreon, you¡¯re not just supporting me¡ªyou¡¯re helping these amazing tales reach more readers, ensuring faster updates, and unlocking exclusive perks like early access to chapters and bonus content.

    Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. Together, we can keep this journey alive and thriving.

    ?? Join me on Patreon: Patreon.com/flokixy</a>

    Thank you for being part of this story. Let¡¯s forge ahead together!

 Chapter 6 - The Gu Family, the Big Villa

    Inside the extended Rolls-Royce limousine.

    "You''re my mom''s little benefactor?"

    "Isn''t this too small? Are you four years old? Still drinking milk?"

    Gu Yu curiously observed the little girl sitting with her legs swinging in her seat, chatting endlessly without stopping.

    Before coming here, he hadn¡¯t expected that the little benefactor his mom spoke of would be this small. Could it be a mistake?

    "I''m not four, but I''ve been weaned."

    Yao Yao frowned. This big brother was being impolite. Babies who can''t walk haven¡¯t weaned yet. She was almost four years old, how could she not have weaned?

    She pressed her chubby little hand to her mouth. "This is the last question. If you ask me again, I won''t answer."

    Gu Yu was completely charmed by this little milk doll who not only ignored him but also gave a warning in advance. He was afraid she wasn¡¯t joking, so he unexpectedly didn¡¯t ask again.

    Gu Xuesong, witnessing the scene, was also a bit surprised. No one in the family could silence his son¡¯s chatter, but this little girl had done it.

    ¡°Sorry to trouble you for coming along. The main reason is that my wife wants to thank you in person. If there¡¯s anything you want, you can say it now.¡±

    Gu Xuesong¡¯s face showed some apology.

    It hadn¡¯t taken him long to find the person, or rather, he hadn¡¯t searched at all. He had arrived at the bridge following his wife¡¯s directions, and the little girl had just found her way over.

    "I''m a bit hungry. Can I have something to eat?"

    Yao Yao¡¯s eyes immediately lit up when she heard she could ask for something. She rubbed her little tummy, which had shrunk from hunger.

    She hadn¡¯t eaten for four hours. If she didn¡¯t eat something soon, she wouldn¡¯t be able to deal with that fierce ghost later.

    "Sorry, this child... has a big appetite and can¡¯t stand being hungry!"

    Qing Yun saw Gu Xuesong frozen and awkwardly scratched his head. He quickly gestured to his young apprentice.

    The man looked like a big spender who wouldn¡¯t lack money. This was a golden opportunity to ask for something. Why not ask for a few thousand or even tens of thousands? What¡¯s a snack worth?

    Yao Yao didn¡¯t understand his gestures at all. Her shiny black eyes blinked, full of seriousness and hunger.

    Gu Xuesong, however, was in a dilemma. He didn¡¯t have any food in the car, and the car was currently in a secluded location with no shops nearby. For a moment, he didn¡¯t know where to go to get something.

    ¡°If you¡¯re hungry, why didn¡¯t you say so earlier? I have some snacks in my bag.¡±

    At that moment, as the adults stared blankly at each other, Gu Yu, who had been trying to keep quiet, couldn¡¯t hold back anymore.

    He had returned to the company from a business trip and hadn¡¯t even sat down before rushing back. Of course, he had brought his bag with him.

    He always bought snacks during his trips, and seeing the little girl hungry, he quickly rummaged through his bag.

    Chips, cheese sticks, dried mangoes, Wangzai milk...

    The bag was small, but it had quite a few items inside.

    "Little benefactor, these are for you! If they¡¯re not enough, I have more at home. You can have them all when we go back."

    Gu Yu eagerly tore open a pack of chips and offered it to her.

    Yao Yao sniffed the air, her eyes immediately lighting up. She had never had chips before, but the smell was so tempting that she knew they would taste great.

    At that moment, she completely forgot about the harsh words she had just spoken. She quickly grabbed a golden chip with her chubby little hand and put it in her mouth.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    It was crispy, with a rich tomato flavor.

    Gu Yu, seeing her munching happily, quickly opened a can of Wangzai milk, its milky aroma making everyone¡¯s mouth water.

    This little brother was nice. She decided to forgive him. After all, her master had always said that one should forgive when they could.

    With that, Yao Yao continued munching chips and drinking milk, her little eyebrows lifting in satisfaction.

    ¡°Not bad.¡± Gu Xuesong couldn¡¯t help but praise his son for the rare occasion.

    Just then, his phone suddenly rang. He glanced at the screen. The number was from the villa.

    Gu Xuesong¡¯s expression froze for a moment before he quickly answered.

    ¡°Sir, something seems to be wrong with Madam¡¯s room. She was quite scared. You should come back quickly.¡±

    The voice on the other end of the phone was from the housekeeper. Hearing about the problem at home, Gu Xuesong instinctively tightened his grip on the phone.

    ¡°Take good care of her. We¡¯ll be back soon.¡±

    Gu Xuesong forced himself to calm down. After giving some instructions to the housekeeper, he hung up the phone and turned to the driver to speed up.

    ¡°What happened at home?¡± Gu Yu asked, noticing the change in his father''s expression. A bad feeling suddenly formed in his heart.

    Gu Xuesong shook his head.

    He wasn¡¯t sure what was going on. His wife hadn¡¯t given him any details, but at least he could confirm that she wasn¡¯t in serious danger.

    The father and son fell into an unusual silence, both wondering what was going on today. First, there had been the car accident, and now there was something happening at home. They were both atheists; otherwise, they might think they had disturbed something unclean.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry. It won¡¯t come after us right away today,¡± Yao Yao suddenly spoke out of the blue, causing both of them to look over at her.

    ¡°Little benefactor, what do you mean by ¡®coming after us¡¯?¡±

    Gu Yu furrowed his brow. He understood each word, but when they came together, he didn¡¯t quite get it. Gu Xuesong was likely in the same state.

    Yao Yao took a sip of Wangzai milk, swallowed it, then looked at them in confusion.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know? The thing that¡¯s been haunting Aunt Chen, it just went to your house, which is why something happened!¡±

    ¡°But the talisman I gave her worked. It ran away.¡±

    She had come here today to catch it herself.

    She wasn¡¯t afraid the ghost wouldn¡¯t appear. The reason ghosts existed was due to the unresolved obsession they had when they died.

    It had attached itself to Chen Hui, and only by killing her could its obsession be released and the karma resolved.

    Gu Yu: ...

    Gu Xuesong: ...

    Hearing this little girl¡¯s words, their first reaction was disbelief.

    How could there be ghosts in this world?

    But this thought wasn¡¯t as firm as before. After all, they couldn¡¯t find any reason why she would lie to them.

    Money? She had already saved their family once. If she wanted money, she could ask openly. Would they not give her some? So, there was absolutely no need for her to lie.

    At this moment, both of them felt that something was beginning to collapse!

    *

    The car quickly arrived at the villa, where the housekeeper had been waiting at the entrance. She hurried forward.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Madam?¡±

    After Gu Xuesong got out of the car, he directly asked about the unclear situation from the phone call.

    ¡°She¡¯s in the bedroom, with Xiao Ying keeping her company.¡±

    ¡°Okay.¡± Gu Xuesong nodded and turned around.

    ¡°Truly a well-known wealthy businessman in Beijing. It¡¯s so luxurious!¡±

    Qing Yun couldn¡¯t help but exclaim when he saw the enormous villa. He tugged at his faded Taoist robe, looking a little awkward.

    At this moment, Yao Yao had also stepped out of the car. She looked at the massive villa, and a flash of envy passed through her big eyes. She had heard her master say that the rich all lived in big villas, and now she could see it was true!

    Such a big house, she wondered how many delicious foods could be exchanged for it.

    The thought crossed her mind for just a second.

    But Yao Yao didn¡¯t forget the main reason for coming here. She walked straight towards the villa.

    The others quickly followed, clearly deferring to her.

    ¡°This¡­¡± The housekeeper stared wide-eyed. She never expected that Mr. Gu would come back with a child¡ªpure and clean, very cute¡ªbut she was also shocked by her own thoughts!

    How could Mr. Gu listen to a little kid?

    The car quickly arrived at the mansion, and the housekeeper had already been waiting at the entrance. She hurried over.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Madam?¡±

    After getting out of the car, Guo Xuesong immediately asked about the situation that hadn¡¯t been clarified on the phone.

    ¡°She¡¯s in the bedroom, Xiao Ying has been with her all along.¡±

    ¡°Alright.¡± Guo Xuesong nodded. He turned and said, ¡°Truly impressive, this is a mansion worthy of one of Beijing¡¯s wealthiest merchants.¡±

    Qingyun couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes as he looked at the large mansion. He tugged at his faded Daoist robe, looking a bit awkward.

    At that moment, Yao Yao also got out of the car. She glanced at the massive mansion, and a flicker of envy passed through her big eyes. She had heard her master mention that wealthy people lived in big mansions, and now she saw it was true!

    Such a big house¡ªshe couldn¡¯t help but wonder how much delicious food could be exchanged for a house like that.

    This fleeting thought flashed through her mind.

    Yao Yao hadn¡¯t forgotten the reason she came. She stepped forward and walked straight toward the mansion.

    The others hurried to follow, and it was clear that they were treating her as the leader of this situation.

    ¡°This...¡± The housekeeper¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. She never expected that when Mr. Guo went out, he would return with a child¡ªso clean and adorable.

    At the same time, she was surprised by her own thoughts. How could Mr. Guo be listening to a little child?

    [--------------------------------------------]

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 Chapter 7 - Exorcism

    The Gu family''s villa was large, winding and intricate. It was difficult to find the rooms on the first visit, but obviously, Yao Yao had no such problem¡ªshe didn¡¯t even need to calculate the path.

    Chen Hui¡¯s bedroom was filled with an intense, ominous atmosphere. In her eyes, it was like a giant lightbulb, too obvious to miss.

    ¡°Does the little benefactor know the way?¡±

    Watching the person smoothly find the room, Gu Yu was a little stunned. He was sure she had never been to their house before.

    The more impossible her actions seemed, the more uneasy he felt. It only confirmed that she was not ordinary.

    That made the earlier conversation in the car feel even more valid.

    The moment they entered the room, Yao Yao¡¯s gaze landed on Chen Hui, who was sitting on the bed. Her face was deathly pale, her eyes full of panic.

    She glanced towards the door from time to time, clearly waiting for something. As for the book in her hands? She couldn¡¯t make sense of a single word.

    She had looked up out of habit, only to meet a pair of round, grape-like eyes. She froze for a moment, then immediately recognized the person.

    ¡°Little benefactor, you¡¯ve finally come.¡±

    Chen Hui¡¯s entire demeanor became excited. If her legs weren¡¯t in plaster, she would have jumped out of bed by now.

    It looked like she had grabbed onto a lifeline, and on the side, Gan Xiaoying was completely stunned. It seemed she hadn¡¯t expected Madam¡¯s attitude to change so drastically.

    This couldn¡¯t really be blamed on Chen Hui. The events she had just experienced had completely shattered her previous worldview.

    When people are on the brink of danger, their emotions are most volatile.

    At this point, Gu¡¯s father and son entered the room as well, coming up to the bed.

    ¡°What¡¯s with the scarf all of a sudden?¡±

    Gu Xuesong immediately noticed the oddity around his wife¡¯s neck and frowned.

    Chen Hui¡¯s gaze shifted uncomfortably. She knew that her husband was an atheist, and this was something he might find hard to accept.

    ¡°Did you see that thing?¡±

    Yao Yao suddenly interrupted their conversation. Chen Hui immediately nodded at the question.

    ¡°Yes, I saw it, little benefactor. What exactly is that thing¡­?¡±

    She actually wanted to ask why it was clinging to her, but she understood that things had to be addressed one step at a time. Asking too many questions at once would only leave everyone unsure of which one to answer first.

    ¡°Mom, what are you talking about?¡±

    Gu Yu was speechless. It was clear that riddles were the most annoying thing in the world, even if it was his own mother.

    Gu Xuesong, however, remained calm, furrowing his brow as he listened seriously.

    Yao Yao: ¡°It¡¯s an evil spirit.¡±

    She had given Chen Hui a protective talisman, one that primarily dealt with ghosts and evil spirits.

    The latter were usually animals that had transformed, often feeding on blood and the essence of life, and they didn¡¯t carry the same kind of negative energy.

    Ghosts, however, were different. They had no physical form, existing purely as spirits.

    The yin energy and malice in the world could nourish them, even strengthen their souls. So, ghosts with a certain amount of power could gauge their own strength based on the amount of yin energy they could absorb.

    From the amount of negative energy in the room, it was clear that this thing had consumed humans.

    Yao Yao actually felt relieved.

    Because if it had consumed humans, it had karma attached to it.

    In Taoist teachings, there was an unwritten rule: ghosts without karma could not be killed!

    Once killed, one would incur the wrath of fate.

    Fate was invisible and intangible, but it was very real. If one crossed the line set by the heavens, they might not even know how they died.

    Yao Yao didn¡¯t understand all of this. Her own understanding was simple: ghosts who killed people could be eaten.

    And the one next to Chen Hui clearly fit the bill.

    Yao Yao smiled brightly, her small face beaming. She cheerfully said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I can handle it!¡±

    ¡°Then thank you, little benefactor!¡±

    Chen Hui had been afraid at first. After all, this was an evil spirit!

    But hearing the little benefactor speak with such confidence, she immediately relaxed.

    As for why she didn¡¯t doubt the other¡¯s abilities?

    The power of that talisman was more than enough to prove it.

    ¡°I know you have questions, but after you see this, you won¡¯t doubt anymore.¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Chen Hui glanced at the puzzled father and son, forced a smile, and then reached up to remove the scarf around her neck.

    The dark purple-black bruises and strangulation marks immediately became visible!

    Under the warm white light, they were especially horrifying.

    Both Gu Xuesong and Gu Yu jumped to their feet, their faces turning ashen.

    ¡°Damn!¡±

    Gu Yu¡¯s face immediately filled with anger. The marks were so shocking, he couldn¡¯t even bear to think about how much pain they must have caused.

    The Gu family usually couldn¡¯t bear to see someone hurt, let alone something this severe. He was so angry that his eyes were bloodshot.

    ¡°Did it do this?¡±

    Gu Xuesong had already started to waver on the way over.

    To think his wife had been hurt so badly at home without anyone noticing, he was now even more convinced of his suspicions. After all, the Gu family¡¯s security was top-notch, and not a single person had noticed anything unusual.

    Anyone capable of doing this was certainly no ordinary person.

    Seeing that his wife was accepting the truth, Chen Hui nodded without hesitation. ¡°Yes, it was the little benefactor¡¯s talisman that helped me escape, saving my life again.¡±

    Saying this, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit wistful. After all, anyone who was saved twice in one day would feel awkward about it.

    Upon hearing his wife¡¯s admission, Gu Xuesong¡¯s calm demeanor faltered slightly, and his gaze turned to the little one in front of him.

    ¡°Thank you, little benefactor. Since you have the ability to deal with it, please help our Gu family.¡±

    ¡°If there is anything I can do, I will never say no.¡±

    He understood that, although he was wealthy, he was still an ordinary person. When it came to dealing with ghosts and spirits, he was completely helpless.

    No wonder his wife insisted on having him find someone. It seemed that the important matters were here. He couldn¡¯t help but feel relieved that he had listened to her and acted quickly. Otherwise, he would have no idea how to handle things now. He absolutely couldn¡¯t accept anyone being harmed.

    ¡°Yes, yes, if you can save my mother, I¡¯ll give you all my snacks from now on.¡±

    Gu Yu, seeing how much the little benefactor seemed to like to eat, immediately promised with a promise he thought would appeal.

    And sure enough, compared to Gu Xuesong¡¯s promise, this one seemed to strike a chord.

    Yao Yao patted her small chest with her chubby hand and assured them, ¡°Leave it to me!¡±

    Seeing her so confident, Qingyun couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit anxious.

    Though he knew his young disciple was capable, they were still about to face an evil spirit. She was so young, what if something went wrong? Who would he turn to for an explanation?

    But the words had already been spoken, and he didn¡¯t want to go back on them. He could only ask in a low voice, ¡°Little girl, be honest with me. How sure are you?¡±

    The survival of their sect depended on her, so they couldn¡¯t afford to take a rash step.

    Yao Yao extended a hand and slowly opened it.

    ¡°Fifty percent?¡± Qingyun was so shocked, his voice faltered.

    Yao Yao smiled sweetly, her eyes twinkling with mischief. ¡°No, no, don¡¯t worry! I¡¯m actually about 70% sure. It¡¯s just a small one, nothing to be afraid of.¡±

    Her confidence was infectious, though Qing Yun still had his reservations. He watched as she stepped toward Chen Hui, who was still seated on the bed, her face showing a mixture of fear and hope.

    ¡°I can do it, don¡¯t worry.¡± Yao Yao¡¯s voice was soft yet firm as she addressed the Gu family. ¡°I¡¯ll have this taken care of in no time.¡±

    Qing Yun couldn¡¯t help but shake his head slightly. Her boldness and her carefree attitude made him both anxious and impressed. He understood that she was a talented practitioner, but this situation was different¡ªit was dangerous to face evil spirits, even if they weren¡¯t particularly powerful.

    Chen Hui, who had been nervously watching, seemed to trust Yao Yao¡¯s words. She took a deep breath and nodded. ¡°Please, little benefactor. We¡¯ve been through so much already, and I¡¯m truly scared.¡±

    Yao Yao nodded back, her face serious for a moment. Then, without further warning, she raised her hands in front of her chest, forming a series of intricate gestures with her fingers.

    The room grew cold again, and a faint hum filled the air. The temperature seemed to drop even further, and the very atmosphere in the room seemed to shift, as if something was stirring beneath the surface.

    Gu Yu and Gu Xuesong stood by, watching with wide eyes, as Yao Yao continued her chanting in a low, rhythmic tone. The energy in the room began to crackle as if charged with electricity, and a dark, oppressive presence seemed to press in from all sides. It was subtle at first, just a cold draft in the air, but soon, the shadowy figure of the vengeful spirit began to materialize in the corner of the room.

    The misty form was like a swirling cloud of darkness, its shape constantly shifting, sometimes taking the form of twisted, gnarled limbs, and other times flickering as though it was barely holding onto its shape. It oozed malevolent energy, its presence alone enough to make the air feel thick and suffocating.

    Yao Yao did not flinch, even as the mist thickened around her. Her hands continued to move in swift, precise motions, drawing symbols in the air. Her chant grew louder, more insistent. With each passing second, the spirit seemed to struggle, trying to push against her will.

    But Yao Yao was resolute. She raised her hands higher, and with a final powerful motion, she slammed her palms together.

    The room went silent for a split second, and then, with a sharp crack, the spirit screeched in rage as it was forced back, dissolving into a swirl of black smoke.

    Chen Hui gasped as the oppressive weight that had been pressing on her chest lifted. The coldness in the room dissipated, and the atmosphere lightened. The ghost was gone.

    The entire Gu family stood in stunned silence, processing what had just happened.

    Chen Hui¡¯s eyes were wide with disbelief. ¡°It¡¯s... gone?¡± she whispered, reaching up to touch her neck where the marks had been. The bruises and strangulation marks were no longer there, as if they had never existed.

    Yao Yao grinned. ¡°See? Nothing to worry about.¡±

    The Gu family exhaled in unison, relief flooding over them.

    ¡°You really did it!¡± Gu Yu exclaimed, his voice filled with awe. ¡°You actually got rid of it!¡±

    Gu Xuesong stepped forward, his face still pale but filled with gratitude. He bowed deeply to Yao Yao. ¡°Little benefactor, you have saved my family. We are in your debt.¡±

    Yao Yao, however, waved it off casually. ¡°No need to thank me. I¡¯m just doing what I promised.¡±

    Chen Hui, still in shock, placed a hand over her heart. ¡°You have no idea what this means to me. I don¡¯t think I could ever repay you.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s no trouble at all,¡± Yao Yao said with a bright smile. ¡°I¡¯m just happy I could help.¡±

    As she turned to leave, Qing Yun, still observing from the side, spoke up quietly, his voice filled with admiration. ¡°You truly are incredible. I can¡¯t believe you handled that so easily.¡±

    Yao Yao gave him a playful smile. ¡°It¡¯s all in a day¡¯s work! Just make sure to always keep your talismans ready, and you won¡¯t have to deal with any more trouble like that.¡±

    The Gu family watched as she made her way out of the room, leaving behind only a sense of calm and an aura of mystery.

    As soon as she was gone, Gu Yu turned to his father, a wide grin spreading across his face. ¡°Dad, I told you she was amazing!¡±

    Gu Xuesong chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°I have to admit, I was skeptical at first, but I¡¯ll never doubt her again.¡±

    Looking at the empty doorway, Gu Xuesong sighed, feeling a sense of profound gratitude. ¡°She¡¯s not just a little benefactor... she¡¯s a miracle worker.¡±

    Outside, Yao Yao walked alongside Qing Yun, who still seemed to be processing the entire event. She could feel his gaze on her, curious but cautious.

    ¡°Are you truly not afraid of ghosts?¡± Qing Yun asked after a long pause, his voice tinged with disbelief.

    Yao Yao glanced up at him, her eyes full of mischief. ¡°Afraid? What¡¯s there to be afraid of? They¡¯re just weak spirits that haven¡¯t crossed over yet.¡±

    Qing Yun was quiet for a moment, then sighed. ¡°I wonder if the world of ghosts and spirits is as simple as you make it seem.¡±

    Yao Yao chuckled. ¡°Of course not. But you¡¯ll learn to deal with them once you understand how they work. It¡¯s all about balance.¡±

    With that, the two of them walked off into the distance, leaving behind the Gu family in peace.

    [--------------------------------------------]

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 Chapter 8 - A Full Meal

    Qingyun¡¯s gaze was filled with a hint of resentment. How was it that this little nephew of his spoke in such a hasty manner? He almost ended up embarrassing himself.

    Yao Yao pinched her fingers together, feeling a little embarrassed. She hadn¡¯t expected Qingyun Shibo to misunderstand.

    ¡°Little benefactor, did you not eat?¡±

    Chen Hui had overheard her younger son¡¯s words, and it seemed like the little benefactor hadn¡¯t had any food. She was at an age where she needed to grow, so it was important not to delay her meals.

    Yao Yao perked up at once when she heard this: ¡°Are you inviting me to eat?¡±

    Chen Hui, whose face had been pale, now revealed a smile. ¡°Of course, no problem. We have plenty of food at home. You can have anything you want.¡±

    When Yao Yao heard there was plenty of food, she excitedly shook her little fist. After doing so, she hesitated and said, ¡°I eat a lot. Can I order enough to fill me up?¡±

    She had some experience with this now. After all, the incident where Qingyun Shibo had nearly gone broke from her eating so much still hadn¡¯t been forgotten.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You can eat as much as you want today. Our Gu family doesn¡¯t even bat an eye at it.¡±

    Gu Yu raised his chin slightly, speaking with utmost confidence.

    Before long, a table was set up in the room, covered with all kinds of food¡ªroast duck, qingtuan (green rice balls), pig knuckles, lobster, king crab¡­

    Yao Yao¡¯s eyes were glued to the spread. She carefully asked, ¡°These must be expensive, right?¡±

    She had only eaten a few bowls of noodles before, and that almost made Qingyun Shibo bankrupt. With so much food here, was the Gu family going to go bankrupt too because of her?

    ¡°No, not at all. We eat like this regularly,¡± Chen Hui said, sensing the little benefactor¡¯s concern. She explained kindly, putting Yao Yao¡¯s mind at ease, and she began to eat happily.

    The soft, savory pig knuckle and the crispy, oily roast duck tasted absolutely incredible¡­

    It wasn¡¯t surprising. The chefs in the Gu family were all highly skilled, or they wouldn¡¯t have been able to get the job.

    Yao Yao¡¯s mouth was covered in oil as she ate. She couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly, thinking that the Gu family¡¯s food was just too good. If she could eat like this every day, that would be so wonderful. Qingyun, who was sitting beside her, was also eating with similar enthusiasm. He hadn¡¯t expected that in his old age, he would get to enjoy such fine food, and he couldn¡¯t help but feel teary-eyed.

    Their Taoist temple didn¡¯t forbid meat, so they had no dietary restrictions.

    The reason they hadn¡¯t eaten earlier was simple¡ªbecause they couldn¡¯t afford it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If you don¡¯t have enough, there¡¯s more,¡± Chen Hui said, her tone gentle. She really liked this little one.

    It wasn¡¯t just because the child had saved her life. It was also because she found this little one¡¯s temper very likable.

    ¡°Little benefactor, did you just arrive in the capital?¡± Chen Hui remembered the way she looked this morning, and now that there was some free time, she couldn¡¯t help but ask.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Yao Yao replied, her voice muffled as she chewed on lobster meat. ¡°I used to live on a mountain. But since my master passed away, I had no choice but to come and seek shelter with Shibo.¡±

    The smell of the food was making her a little dazed. Those pilgrims weren¡¯t wrong¡ªthe mountain really did have a lot of good food.

    Yao Yao swallowed a piece of lobster meat and nodded slowly. At that moment, Qingyun¡¯s face turned a little awkward. ¡°I¡¯m not very skilled. I¡¯ve failed my senior brother¡¯s trust.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    He had thought that raising a child would be simple, but now he realized how difficult it was to take care of Yao Yao. It turned out he really couldn¡¯t afford to raise this nephew of his.

    Chen Hui looked at the two of them, both dressed in patched clothes, and quickly guessed that they were struggling. Thinking of the adorable little benefactor, she couldn¡¯t bear the thought of them going hungry. She held back her emotions for a moment, but finally, she couldn¡¯t stop herself from saying:

    ¡°Little benefactor, Shibo, you see, my family is actually missing a daughter. I feel like there¡¯s a special connection between me and the little benefactor. Would it be possible for me to adopt her as my daughter?¡±

    The moment those words left her mouth, both Qingyun and Yao Yao, who was busy eating, looked up in surprise.

    ¡°Am I being too forward?¡±

    Chen Hui noticed the looks on their faces and quickly realized that what she had said might not be appropriate. After all, they had real elders, and her words might have seemed like she was trying to take someone else¡¯s child.

    ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± Qingyun said, shaking his head. ¡°I don¡¯t mind. The main thing is whether Yao Yao agrees. If she¡¯s willing, I¡¯m fine with it.¡±

    Qingyun was very clear about his own abilities. If Yao Yao stayed with him, it would be a challenge to keep her well-fed, let alone live comfortably. But the Gu family, being wealthy merchants in the capital, had no such concerns. For Yao Yao to be adopted by them would be a great opportunity.

    Chen Hui¡¯s eyes suddenly brightened upon hearing this.

    She turned to Yao Yao, her hands clenched into nervous fists.

    ¡°Shibo, are you really going to abandon me?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll eat less in the future, so don¡¯t leave me¡­¡±

    Upon hearing this, Yao Yao immediately stopped eating. Her little lips pouted, and her big eyes began to redden with tears.

    Although Qingyun Shibo was poor, he carried the scent of her master, and she really liked that feeling. Now that he was telling her he might not want her, she immediately felt a deep sense of loss and began to cry.

    ¡°I¡¯m not abandoning you,¡± Qingyun said, his tone softening. ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­ I want to find someone who will care for you too. Don¡¯t you like Madam Gu? If you agree, she will treat you just as well as I do.¡±

    Qingyun hadn¡¯t expected that this little girl, whom he had known for less than a day, would already have such deep feelings for him. It made him feel unexpectedly moved.

    He tried to speak in a gentler tone.

    ¡°Really?¡± Yao Yao sniffled, wiping away a tear.

    ¡°Really, I couldn¡¯t be more sincere.¡±

    Once Yao Yao was reassured that Qingyun Shibo wasn¡¯t abandoning her, the sadness in her heart eased, and she asked the most important question in her mind.

    ¡°So, does this mean I can eat all the delicious food from now on?¡±

    Chen Hui was stunned for a moment, but then she understood what Yao Yao meant. She quickly nodded. ¡°Of course! You can eat whatever you want.¡±

    The Gu family might not have a shortage of money, but what they had in abundance was their willingness to provide for this child.

    Yao Yao nodded earnestly. ¡°Then, I will agree to become your daughter.¡±

    Chen Hui¡¯s heart swelled with joy, and she nodded in response.

    ¡°Good, that¡¯s great.¡± Chen Hui¡¯s face brightened as she spoke, and she looked as if all her worries had lifted.

    She had just blurted out the thought, not expecting it to lead to her gaining a daughter. If she could move, she would have hugged her new daughter right away.

    As she looked at Yao Yao¡¯s small frame, Chen Hui began to think about what beautiful dresses she could buy for her, as well as the dolls and small handbags she would get her.

    She had never raised a daughter before, but she had seen plenty of girls, so she knew exactly how to spoil one. When it came to raising a daughter, it was simple¡ªjust spoil her to the moon and back.

    Meanwhile, Qingyun couldn¡¯t help but look at his little disciple, who was blissfully eating without a care in the world. He felt a strange sense of unease. Somehow, it felt like the heir to his sect had been easily taken away with just a meal.

    Of course, the most shocked person was Gu Xuesong. When he came downstairs to answer a phone call, he suddenly found that he had gained a daughter.

    "Tonight, I¡¯ll sleep with Yao Yao. Xuesong, you go sleep in the study for now."

    The more shocking thing was that they were going to sleep in separate rooms. Gu Yu, who was nearby, overheard the conversation and was stunned, his eyes filled with disbelief.

    Was this new "little sister" really that important to their mother? The moment their father came home, he was promptly sent to the study!

    Gu Xuesong¡¯s eyebrows furrowed deeply. Chen Hui immediately realized that her words could be misinterpreted, so she quickly explained the situation.

    ¡°That thing still hasn¡¯t been resolved, and I¡¯m worried it might cause harm to you. That¡¯s why I want Yao Yao to stay with me for the night. If anything happens, she¡¯ll be able to notice right away.¡±

    According to her own understanding, the threat would likely not return after tonight, but who could be certain? After all, things like malicious spirits were unpredictable.

    And as for her new daughter, Chen Hui was absolutely delighted. She wanted to be as close as possible to her, and any excuse to do so was welcomed.

    As for her husband sleeping in the study? Well, that wasn¡¯t the first time that had happened!

    [--------------------------------------------]

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 Chapter 9 - Caught you!

    "That''s good. With a little benefactor around, I can feel at ease." Gu Xuesong''s furrowed brow finally relaxed upon hearing this.

    "So I''ll have a sister now?" Gu Yu still found it hard to believe.

    He was the youngest in the family. Compared to his other brothers, he actually wanted a sister more. However, Chen Hui had been injured during childbirth and couldn''t have more children. Since the Gu family already had many male descendants, the idea of having a daughter was never brought up again.

    Occasionally, only Chen Hui would mention it to herself.

    "Master, please stay as well. We have empty guest rooms," Gu Xuesong said to Qing Yun.

    "Thank you for your hospitality!"

    YaoYao was staying, and Qing Yun was reluctant to leave. Mainly because he was afraid the Gu family might kidnap her. The way the lady of the house looked at YaoYao was too frightening - she seemed to treasure her more than her own eyes.

    If he didn''t know YaoYao was picked up by his junior brother, he would have thought she was their long-lost daughter.

    As a sect disciple, the matter of inheritance was crucial. Qing Yun told himself that being vigilant could never be excessive.<ul><li>

    </li></ul>

    After settling the overnight stay, everyone dispersed. YaoYao was taken to bathe by the family''s maidservant.

    The Gu family''s bathroom was very large. Yaoyao immediately fell in love with the big bathtub, which was filled with bubbles and flower petals - a bathing experience she had never had before.

    She took off her small Taoist robe and played happily in the tub.

    After adding hot water twice, the servants, afraid her skin might get damaged, reminded her to come out. Yaoyao reluctantly ended her bath.

    Then, she secretly added "bubble bath" to her list of interests.

    After drying off, the servants helped Yaoyao change into a silk nightgown, which Chen Hui had specially sent over. The size was a bit small, but it would do for now.

    As for a proper fit, Chen Hui had already arranged for a designer to come and take measurements the next day, with clothes to be made immediately.

    The moment Yaoyao''s soft body lay on the bed, Chen Hui reached out and embraced her.

    "Was the bath comfortable?" Chen Hui asked softly, worried Yaoyao might not be used to the bathtub.

    "Mm, very comfortable. Yaoyao likes it very much," Yaoyao nodded.

    At this moment, she found being held by Chen Hui strange - this was the first time a woman had held her this way.

    The old Taoist priest had often held her, but it felt completely different from now.

    This mother who had accepted her was fragrant, soft, and spoke gently. She liked her!Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    She actually didn''t know much about her own origins, only remembering being with the old Taoist priest since she could remember. If she did have biological parents, they probably couldn''t have done better than Chen Hui.

    So she treasured this suddenly appearing mother, softly hugging Chen Hui''s arm with her small hand.

    "Is the bed too soft? Are you sleeping comfortably?"

    The baby-like movement warmed Chen Hui''s heart, understanding the little girl was willing to be close to her. Her voice became even softer.

    Because she liked soft beds, her husband had specially ordered the current bed when they married. Her younger son had complained more than once that it was too soft to sleep on.

    Yaoyao shook her head. "I''m used to it!"

    She wasn''t picky about beds and could sleep anywhere when tired. Qing Yun had once said this child was easy to take care of, except for her big appetite.

    Chen Hui casually cared for her, and mother and daughter got along quite harmoniously.

    "Are you scared?" Yaoyao asked, noticing Chen Hui''s exhausted, sleepless appearance after seeing a ghost.

    Ghosts were evil entities. Those with weak hearts could easily be scared out of their wits.

    Even the brave ones couldn''t help but have trouble sleeping, which was a sign of an unstable soul.

    "A little," Chen Hui didn''t try to hide it.

    She knew of Yaoyao''s abilities and indeed didn''t dare to sleep. She was afraid that once she closed her eyes, that thing would crawl into her dreams again. The feeling of almost suffocating made her scalp tingle.

    Yaoyao saw her face full of lingering fear and hesitated. Then she suddenly wiggled out from under the covers.

    "Hm? What''s wrong?" Chen Hui let her move, looking puzzled.

    Yaoyao''s grape-like eyes sparkled. "Let me help you!"

    She reached out and drew symbols in the air, reciting clearly:

    "Supreme Celestial Star, responding endlessly. Wisdom bright and clear, mind and spirit at peace, swift as the decree!"

    As the words fell, Yaoyao touched Chen Hui''s forehead with her hand in a lotus flower gesture. A cool spiritual energy directly entered her forehead - this was a Taoist calming spell, mainly used to soothe and stabilize a disturbed soul.

    The more powerful the spell-caster, the better the effect.

    Clearly, Yaoyao was top-tier.

    Chen Hui felt her previously tense nerves relax with this spiritual energy.

    Along with it came an overwhelming drowsiness. This wasn''t actually the spell''s effect, but because her body was already extremely exhausted. Her subconscious had been keeping her alert, and now that suggestion was erased, she could no longer resist sleep.

    She didn''t even have time to say goodnight before falling into a deep sleep.

    Yaoyao, seeing this, revealed a sweet smile and then dove back under the covers.

    "Goodnight!" she softly kissed Chen Hui''s cheek.

    Her master had told her that to show affection to elders who loved her, she could kiss their cheek.

    So many things had happened today - she''d found Qing Yun and gained a mother...

    Going down the mountain was really interesting. Tomorrow she would burn this good news to her master, Yaoyao thought happily.

    Her eyes slowly closed, preparing to sleep - she needed to grow taller.

    The large room fell silent with both the big and small ones resting.

    Near midnight, the Gu family was quiet.

    Suddenly, the paulownia tree outside the big courtyard inexplicably shook. The room''s temperature mysteriously dropped, and a distorted white shadow crawled out from the shadows.

    The white shadow gradually approached the bed. Just as it was about to act, a chubby little hand suddenly stretched out, firmly grabbing what seemed to be the shadow''s neck.

    "......"

    The white shadow clearly didn''t expect anyone to catch it. Choked, it couldn''t even screech, only struggling desperately.

    However, it was futile. The hand was like a branding iron, firmly gripping it.

    The white shadow was horrified, never expecting the Gu family to have such a strange creature.

    The hand''s owner was none other than Yaoyao, who was supposed to be sleeping soundly.

    At this moment, her pupils were black as a bottomless cold pool, causing chills down one''s spine.

    She sniffed, the dense sweet ghostly energy making her face show an intoxicated expression.

    She laughed softly: "Finally, I''ve caught you."

    In this moment, the playful look in her eyes showed a maturity far beyond her years.

    [--------------------------------------------]

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 Chapter 10 - The hidden mastermind

    Caught the troublemaking thing!

    The entire Gu family was startled by this news, with lights turning on in various rooms. Half an hour later, everyone gathered in the room.

    "Is this the thing that wanted to harm my mom?" Gu Yu looked at the creature trapped in the formation.

    The entity was suspended with its limbs spread out, body forming a large X shape, with a symbol nail pierced directly into its chest, scattering its ghostly energy. It couldn''t even muster the usual fierce ghost aura.

    "Mm, it tried to harm mom before. Didn''t expect it to be so bold as to come again, so I caught it," YaoYao nodded.

    She had originally planned to eat the ghost, but after taking a bite, she noticed something was off.

    The ghost bore marks left by Taoist practitioners and was a ghost slave. This immediately piqued her interest.

    "If you''re willing to tell me who sent you, I can keep you from being dispersed," YaoYao said seriously, propping her little head.

    In the Taoist world, privately capturing ghosts was forbidden, especially vengeful ghosts with blood debts. If discovered, such practitioners would be punished.

    YaoYao had initially thought it was a simple ghostly revenge, but now it involved the Taoist practitioners. If she didn''t investigate thoroughly, Chen Hui''s danger couldn''t be resolved.

    Taoist practitioners'' methods could be unpredictable.

    She liked her new mother Chen Hui and didn''t want anything to happen to her!

    YaoYao''s words were like a bomb, leaving everyone''s minds buzzing.

    "Little darling, could you be mistaken? Who would go to such lengths just to deal with me, a housewife who rarely leaves home?" Chen Hui''s face was still pale.

    However, compared to earlier, her emotions were much more stable. Hearing her daughter say the ghost was controlled to target her, her eyes showed disbelief.

    "Mom, I''m not mistaken," YaoYao pointed to the soul-locking mark on the ghost''s forehead. "This kind of soul-binding mark is written about in books."

    Seeing her conviction, the Gu family fell silent. Even the usually boisterous Gu Yu realized the seriousness and shut his mouth.

    Knowing someone who could control a vengeful ghost was targeting them was far more dangerous than the ghost itself.

    "YaoYao, can you help find out who did this?" Gu Xuesong asked, still somewhat awkward about calling himself her father.

    Since his wife liked her, and YaoYao had done great favors for the Gu family, adopting her was completely fine.

    Moreover, getting such a talented daughter for free was like their ancestors blessing them.

    At this moment, despite being only three and a half, YaoYao was the pillar of strength in the room.

    "Normal methods won''t work," YaoYao slowly shook her head.

    She had driven a heart-piercing nail into the ghost''s chest, with symbols constantly burning its soul, and the soul-breaking formation consuming it.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    Even so, the ghost remained silent. There was only one possibility - it truly couldn''t speak.

    "So what other abnormal methods are there?" Gu Heng, the eldest of the Gu family, raised an eyebrow and asked.

    He was truly following in his father''s footsteps. At just twenty-seven, he had already created several companies with significant scale, becoming a new elite in the business world.

    Today, out of the seven Gu brothers, only the eldest and seventh were at home. The other five were outside.

    Gu Xuesong had already called them, asking them to return in these two days. Besides the monthly family gathering, it was mainly to meet the new sister.

    Additionally, he planned to host a grand family banquet and invite friends from their circle. After all, their Gu family''s daughter deserved such recognition.

    Silently, without giving her a proper status, that wouldn''t be the Gu family''s style.

    "Well, if we can''t ask, I''ll have to do it myself!" YaoYao nodded, her little face looking conflicted.

    "But I haven''t used this method much. It''s very likely the ghost will die after I search its memories."

    By "die", she meant completely obliterated, with no chance for reincarnation. If she could find clues, that would be fine. If not, the investigation might end here.

    So, she didn''t take the initiative but gave them the choice.

    Chen Hui, lacking decisiveness, instinctively looked at her husband. Gu Xuesong squeezed her hand, making the decision for her.

    "YaoYao, go ahead." If they couldn''t even extract information, what use was the Gu family?

    Just for daring to harm their mistress, whether they got information or not, the ghost was going to die!

    "Okay, I''ll do it," YaoYao slowly walked towards the formation.

    The ghost sensed her movement and began to struggle violently, but with its cultivation gone, how could it break free from the binding formation?

    A chubby little hand landed on its head, and the next moment, a terrifying consciousness invaded its body, causing its soul to tremble.

    YaoYao''s cute dumpling face became exceptionally serious. Eyes closed, images flashed through her mind.

    These were the ghost''s memories. She quickly searched for content related to Chen Hui...

    "What if she, as Gu Xuesong''s wife, uses her money to hire capable people who might track me down?"

    "Master, I know you''re capable. If it wasn''t difficult, why would I come to you?"

    "Name your price! Whatever you want!"

    ...

    "Everything is prepared. As long as we get her birth eight characters and a personal hair, this matter will be done!"

    "Troubling you, master. Here''s your payment."

    Vaguely, YaoYao saw two figures conversing in a luxurious room. Just as she was about to see their faces clearly, the people seemed to sense something, and one sharply shouted, "Who''s spying!"

    Immediately, the scene in her eyes began to crack like an earthquake.

    YaoYao instantly withdrew from the soul-searching state. Opening her eyes, she saw the ghost suddenly erupting with golden light.

    The next moment, right before everyone''s eyes, it explosively shattered into countless fragments. YaoYao was quick, grabbing some fragmented soul pieces and sealing them in a small gourd.

    Shaking it, it barely filled half the gourd.

    "What a loss," she pouted, her little face full of regret.

    Originally, she could have eaten it whole, but the Taoist practitioner controlling the ghost had detected her soul-searching and directly triggered the slave mark.

    Once such a mark was implanted, life and death were no longer controllable. Many ghosts would rather be completely obliterated than be enslaved.

    "Did you find anything?" Gu Xuesong looked over.

    Because of the binding formation, the ghost''s self-destruction didn''t cause much disturbance. Everyone present remained relatively calm.

    "A little bit," YaoYao thought about how to explain to her father.

    "Um... he lives in a big villa too, a tall, thin man. He seems to know dad cares a lot about mom, so he targeted her."

    "And he stole mom''s hair and birth eight characters. I don''t know anything else."

    Though she didn''t see a face, she described the body, conversation, and other details precisely.

    Hair?

    Gu Xuesong''s face darkened. This was an intimate personal item. Only someone with close access or who could enter their room could obtain it.

    They hadn''t caught the culprit, but there was already an insider in their home!

    "Li Manager, investigate. Find out who has entered the mistress''s room recently. Interrogate everyone thoroughly," Gu Xuesong coldly instructed the elderly manager.

    He roughly guessed the opponent was likely a business rival. Unable to compete with him in the business world, they resorted to such despicable methods.

    Don''t let him find out, or he wouldn''t let them die easily.

    Clearly, reaching into his home had crossed his bottom line.

    [--------------------------------------------]

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 Chapter 11 - Eight Pieces of Brocade, Seventh Brothers Livestream

    "Don¡¯t worry, Master. I¡¯ll handle this right away," Manager Li said hastily, nodding repeatedly.

    He¡¯d been thoroughly frightened by the incident with Madam earlier in the day and was also furious. After all, the servants in the villa were under his management, and the presence of a traitor reflected a major failure on his part.

    As for the new young lady of the household, he held her in great reverence. This was someone who could crush ghosts and demons effortlessly¡ªhow Madam managed to coax her into the family was beyond comprehension.

    With her around, what ghosts or monsters would dare trouble the Gu family? Purely courting death!

    The old manager couldn¡¯t help but feel that the Gu family was now the safest place in the world.

    "This matter is resolved. Everyone, go back to sleep," Gu Xuesong said, glancing at the clock on the wall.

    It was 3:30 a.m., and the peaceful night had been completely ruined by that ghostly commotion.

    Yawning slightly, Yao Yao noticed Gu Xuesong¡¯s irritation and said, "Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve already broken the curse cast by that person. They should now be suffering from the backlash and won¡¯t be able to harm anyone anymore."

    In the metaphysical arts, many spells were classified as dark practices because they carried severe backlash. If the spell failed, the caster might even die on the spot.

    At the very least, failing would result in significant loss of cultivation¡ªone of the reasons such practices were forbidden.

    Yet many people, tempted by the power of these spells, still chose to take the risk.

    "Hm. You¡¯ve worked hard today. I¡¯ll tell the kitchen to prepare something special tomorrow so you can recover," Gu Xuesong said.

    "Mm-hmm!" Yao Yao nodded seriously, clearly in agreement.

    After all, the roast duck she was about to enjoy had been interrupted, and something delicious would definitely help heal her wounded heart.

    Seeing her so earnest, Gu Xuesong couldn¡¯t help but smile. This new "daughter" of his was surprisingly easy to please.

    The back-and-forth between them was unexpectedly harmonious. Watching from the side, Gu Yu¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.

    This was the first time he had ever seen his father coax a child. And, honestly, it was so clumsy that only someone like his little sister would fall for it.

    Back in his room, Gu Yu, a natural night owl, had no intention of sleeping after the earlier events.

    After tossing and turning for a while, he suddenly jumped up and opened WeChat, sending photos he had just taken to a group chat called "The Seven Sons of the Gu Family."

    [Gu Xiao Qi: Spoiler alert! Our new little sister is super cool and fierce¡ªshe tore apart a ghost with her bare hands. A must-have addition for every family!]

    [Gu Xiao Qi: Photo.jpg]

    The group had seven members, as the name suggested, representing the seven brothers of the Gu family. Naturally, the group¡¯s creator and admin was Gu Xiao Qi (Seventh Brother), while the remaining six were his elder brothers.

    Normally, no one would respond at this hour, but soon the group chat was buzzing with notifications.

    [Gu Lao Er: Seventh, are you crazy? Posting stuff like this in the middle of the night?]

    [Gu Lao Er: But wait, this is the new sister Dad mentioned? She¡¯s so adorable! Mom really has an eye for people!]Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    [Gu Lao Liu: Promoting ghosts and gods? You¡¯re spreading feudal superstitions. Don¡¯t think I¡¯ll overlook this just because it¡¯s family. If my performance stats drop one day, this chat will be evidence in court.]

    [Gu Xiao Qi: Sixth Brother, are you even human? You¡¯d arrest your own brother?!]

    Staring at the screen, Gu Yu felt his blood pressure spike. His intention had been to flaunt his proximity to the new little sister and make the others jealous.

    Instead, they were either scolding him or threatening to arrest him. Are these even my real brothers?

    [Gu Xiao Qi: Just wait! I can¡¯t wait to see your jaws drop when you realize the truth.]

    He had witnessed the supernatural firsthand and had completely abandoned his materialist worldview.

    Now, seeing his brothers¡¯ skeptical messages, he couldn¡¯t help but smirk coldly. They reminded him of his own initial disbelief.

    Feeling disheartened by their reactions, Gu Yu closed the chat and opened a game instead, intending to pass the time.

    Suddenly, a private message popped up on WeChat.

    [Sister Qin: Xiao Gu, why is your livestream time so low this month? The company has rules¡ªyou need to meet the quota. Starting tomorrow, you¡¯ll need to make up three hours a day.]

    [Light of Ultraman: What? Sister, it¡¯s 4 a.m.! Do you really need to squeeze me like this?!]

    The other side seemed surprised that he was still awake at this hour. The chat indicated that the user was typing.

    [Sister Qin: I didn¡¯t say you needed to stream now.]

    [Sister Qin: Considering you just got back from training, I¡¯ll allow you to livestream from home this time. But I¡¯ll have someone monitor your stream¡ªdon¡¯t you dare start rambling nonsense again.]

    Gu Yu¡¯s face turned green. What nonsense rambling?

    Sure, he had gotten a little emotional during his last stream and analyzed how to spot toxic partners, but how was that "rambling nonsense"?!

    Feeling utterly defeated, Gu Yu tossed his phone aside and pulled the blanket over his head. Fine. I¡¯ll just sleep. Enough torment for one night.

    Three hours later, Gu Yu stumbled downstairs in a daze.

    He had never thought insomnia would be the reason he¡¯d lose sleep.

    The villa was quiet except for a few servants busying themselves.

    When they saw him, one of the servants politely asked if he¡¯d like breakfast.

    "No need," Gu Yu waved them off. He had eaten too much the night before and didn¡¯t have an appetite yet.

    "Alright then, sir. I¡¯ll go prepare food for the Miss," the servant replied, turning to leave.

    "Little sister¡¯s up so early?" Gu Yu sat up straighter at this, his curiosity piqued.

    "Where is she? I don¡¯t see her."

    The servant hesitated, her expression a bit odd. "The Miss¡­ she¡¯s in the back garden practicing some martial arts forms."

    What now?

    Gu Yu, who could hardly keep his eyes open moments ago, was instantly wide awake. He almost thought his ears were playing tricks on him.

    A three-year-old practicing martial arts at the crack of dawn?

    Was she from one of those metaphysical sects? Couldn¡¯t they take it easy?

    "I need to see this," he muttered, getting up and heading outside.

    Sure enough, near the rose garden, Gu Yu saw his little sister dressed in the same tattered Daoist robe as yesterday, practicing a series of deliberate and precise movements.

    Gu Yu couldn¡¯t make sense of her technique but decided to approach her anyway. "Yao Yao, what are you practicing so early in the morning?"

    "It¡¯s the Eight Pieces of Brocade!" Yao Yao turned her head when she heard him.

    Seeing her tired-looking seventh brother, she eagerly explained her practice. The Eight Pieces of Brocade was a health-preserving martial art that relaxed the body and rejuvenated the spirit. Her old Daoist master loved it, often saying it could prolong life, and he always brought her along to practice it.

    Having done it daily, Yao Yao was long accustomed to practicing a set every morning. Coming to the Gu family hadn¡¯t changed that habit.

    "Does it really work? Could you teach me?" Gu Yu¡¯s eyes lit up.

    He figured it¡¯d be a good way to kill time since he couldn¡¯t sleep, and it¡¯d be a chance to bond with his sister.

    "Of course!" Yao Yao nodded enthusiastically.

    Practicing alone was boring anyway.

    "Wait a second!" Gu Yu suddenly remembered something and ran back to the house.

    A short while later, he returned with a tripod and his phone. Under Yao Yao¡¯s curious gaze, he set up the equipment and fiddled with it until his livestream was running.

    "Alright, let¡¯s begin!"

    Yes, Gu Yu intended to kill two birds with one stone¡ªspending time with his sister while making up his livestream hours.

    Didn¡¯t Sister Qin ban him from rambling nonsense? Fine, he¡¯d focus on learning martial arts during the stream. Perfectly safe.

    "Okay, let¡¯s start!" Yao Yao, oblivious to his antics, had no idea what a livestream was. After all, she hadn¡¯t even seen TV shows in the mountains.

    Gu Yu didn¡¯t bother introducing himself to the stream. After all, who would be online this early to watch?

    But Gu Yu, the Seventh Young Master of the Gu family, was in for a surprise: this particular livestream would be anything but quiet.

    [--------------------------------------------]

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 Chapter 12 - A Big Mistake Happened

    Gu Yu¡¯s account was verified, and thanks to his good looks, he had gained a large following of fans who adored him, even though his singing and dancing skills were mediocre at best.

    He didn¡¯t lack money and only dabbled in the entertainment circle as a hobby. This image of a genuine rich young master chasing his passion for the arts became a popular persona, heavily promoted by marketing accounts, keeping him a frequent topic of conversation.

    On top of that, his last livestream caused such a stir that many people had been keeping an eye on him, waiting for his next big reveal.

    As a result, the moment Gu Yu started his livestream, the platform automatically boosted his stream, and viewers quickly started pouring in.

    [Guan Yu Loves Zhang Fei: Look at what I¡¯ve found! Gu Shaoye (Young Master Gu) is live! My only connection to the entertainment industry is live, so let¡¯s hype this up with likes and comments! Get those numbers up!]

    [Cute Bunny is a Real Loli: Liked and commented! Sitting here obediently waiting! I wonder what juicy gossip the Young Master will spill this time. I was exhausted from working overtime, but now I¡¯m wide awake.]

    [Blooming Wealth: Bold of you to question the Young Master¡¯s stage presence, but how dare you question his gossip-revealing abilities! I guarantee it¡¯ll be jaw-dropping! Always reliable!]

    The comment section exploded with colorful texts flying across the screen, completely covering the livestream. Without turning off the comments, it was impossible to see what was actually happening on-screen.

    Many people grumbled as they turned off the comments, sacrificing some of the fun of interaction just to see the content.

    But when the comments were turned off, the expected scene didn¡¯t appear. Instead, they were greeted by a soft, childish voice:

    ¡°Raise both hands to the sky to regulate the Triple Burner, draw the bow left and right as if shooting an eagle¡­ clench fists with glaring eyes to increase strength, seven hops behind the back to cure all ailments.¡±

    ¡°Seventh Brother, that¡¯s the chant. Next comes the moves¡ªyou have to follow me step by step.¡±

    ¡°Alright, but Yao Yao, go a little slower. Seventh Brother might not keep up,¡± Gu Yu replied, his focus completely on learning every move carefully.

    He knew he wasn¡¯t good at dancing, but this was just some simple exercises¡ªhow hard could it be? Determined, he mimicked the movements earnestly.

    However, on-screen, his actions looked anything but graceful. His rigid movements were as stiff as a corpse, and just his opening stance was enough to stop a dozen taxis in their tracks.

    The viewers in the livestream, who came for juicy gossip, were left speechless. For a good ten seconds, the comment section froze in silence. Then the floodgates burst, and comments rolled in even faster.

    [What in the world did I do to deserve this first thing in the morning? My eyes are bleeding.]

    [Why the sudden change in livestream style? And what¡¯s with these moves? They look exactly like what my grandpa does during his morning exercise routine.]

    [Bingo! What you¡¯re watching is Baduanjin! Isn¡¯t it the classic exercise for the elderly to maintain health?]

    Once someone pointed it out, the livestream fell completely silent again. Everyone had rushed in with high expectations, only to witness¡­ this?Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    Was Gu Yu¡¯s entertainment industry clout gone?

    Or was he planning to leave the industry to focus on health and wellness?

    When someone floated the idea that he might be retiring, the viewers couldn¡¯t help but think it was plausible. After all, who else in the celebrity world gets up at 7 a.m. to practice health routines?

    Perhaps other celebrities were tied down by contracts or couldn¡¯t afford the hefty penalties for breach of contract. But Gu Yu? With his family¡¯s billions, he could buy out the entire company if he wanted to. Would he care about some petty penalties?

    The more they thought about it, the more they felt their suspicions were correct. And then, someone couldn¡¯t hold back any longer:

    [Bro, you can¡¯t quit the industry! Don¡¯t make me beg you!]

    [If the Young Master leaves, how am I supposed to find out about all the big scandals in the entertainment world?]

    [No way! The Young Master absolutely cannot quit!]

    The livestream chat spiraled into a frenzy of desperate pleas. Gu Yu, completely engrossed in following Yao Yao¡¯s moves, was unaware of the chaos. His silence, however, was interpreted by the viewers as tacit confirmation of their fears.

    This misunderstanding only added fuel to the fire!

    The discussion escalated rapidly, and before long, hashtags like #MyOnlyEntertainmentConnectionGuYuQuitsTheIndustry and #GuShaoyeExitMyWhiteMoonlightFalls began trending.

    Even when a lesser-known celebrity quits, it can generate significant buzz. With someone like Gu Yu, it was no surprise that the hashtags shot straight to the top of the trending charts.

    Curious onlookers clicked on the hashtags to see what was happening. After understanding the situation, they felt a strong sense of empathy.

    But the empathy wasn¡¯t for Gu Yu¡ªit was for the gossip-loving fans who felt their only source of insider entertainment news was being taken away.

    It didn¡¯t take long for the trending tag to gain the red-hot "Exploding" label next to it.

    Meanwhile, Gu Yu remained blissfully unaware of the storm brewing online. After clumsily finishing a set of Baduanjin, he felt refreshed and full of energy.

    "Wow, this really works!" He marveled at how his grogginess from the all-nighter had completely disappeared. He felt sharp and light, as though a weight had been lifted from his body.

    ¡°Master says if you practice every day, it can even prolong your life!¡± Yao Yao added earnestly.

    She remembered how her master, even after suffering severe injuries, had still been remarkably fit and full of energy thanks to his daily health routines. If not for his untimely injury, he could have easily lived past a hundred.

    ¡°Really?!¡± Gu Yu¡¯s eyes lit up at the mention of longevity.

    ¡°Yao Yao, can you do another set while I record it? I¡¯ll show it to Mom and Dad later so they can practice too,¡± he suggested.

    He wasn¡¯t just thinking about sharing the benefits¡ªhe also wanted to tease his other brothers. After all, unlike him, their only option would be to learn from a recording.

    Gu Yu, the self-proclaimed ¡°ultimate schemer,¡± looked expectantly at Yao Yao.

    ¡°Of course!¡± Yao Yao nodded enthusiastically. Practicing alone could get boring, so she didn¡¯t mind at all.

    ¡°Great! I¡¯ll go grab the phone to record.¡± Gu Yu, excited, rushed towards his phone. But as he prepared to switch to recording mode, his eyes accidentally caught the viewer count on his livestream.

    He froze in place.

    What the hell?! Over 100,000 views?!

    All he¡¯d done was practice a set of health exercises. How could this be more popular than his last livestream where he dropped gossip?

    Quickly, he scrolled through the comment section to figure out what was happening.

    When he saw the accusations about him "quitting the industry," he was dumbfounded.

    What the¡ªwhen did he say he was quitting? Why were the viewers so good at jumping to conclusions?

    He never intended to retire! He¡¯d just had insomnia, gotten up early, and wanted to spend time with his little sister. That was all!

    ¡°Seventh Brother, are we starting now?¡± Yao Yao asked, her stance ready. She frowned slightly when there was no response and turned to look at him.

    Just as Gu Yu was about to tell her they¡¯d record next time, his phone suddenly lit up with an incoming call. The name "Sister Qin" flashed prominently on the screen.

    It was over.

    He didn¡¯t need to guess to know why she was calling. After all, Sister Qin had said someone would be monitoring his livestream. She must have seen the situation unfold.

    But seriously? They were watching him at seven in the morning? Wasn¡¯t that a bit too dedicated?

    Knowing he couldn¡¯t avoid this, Gu Yu signaled to Yao Yao to pause the recording. With trembling hands, he answered the call.

    Before he could even put the phone to his ear, a thunderous voice roared from the other end.

    "GU YU, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!"

    The voice was hoarse from just waking up, but it didn¡¯t diminish the sheer anger behind it.

    [--------------------------------------------]

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 Chapter 13: A Lottery and Fortune-Telling

    Yang Qin could never have expected that just after she had explicitly told him not to stir up trouble, this guy would go ahead and create such a massive uproar.

    God knows how she felt when her assistant called her in a panic, urging her to check the trending topics. When she saw the hashtag #GuYuQuitsTheIndustry, her emotions were all over the place.

    If she weren¡¯t well aware of his powerful background, she would have already fired him.

    "I didn¡¯t know it would turn out like this! I was just doing some health exercises; I didn¡¯t say anything..." Gu Yu was similarly speechless, scratching his head in frustration as he detailed what had happened that morning.

    "That¡¯s really all you did?" Sister Qin asked, unconvinced.

    Still, she didn¡¯t think Gu Yu would lie to her¡ªhe had no reason to. Did he not already create enough trouble on a daily basis?

    Lying is a tactic for the powerless. Even if Gu Yu caused a massive uproar, it wouldn¡¯t matter much with his connections. He didn¡¯t need to stoop to that level.

    "It¡¯s all true. That¡¯s really it."

    Hearing this, Yang Qin let out a small sigh of relief. As long as it was just a rumor, it could be handled. "Are you still streaming?" she asked.

    "Yeah, I haven¡¯t had a chance to shut it down yet," Gu Yu nodded.

    "Good. Go explain everything directly on the livestream, and I¡¯ll have Xiao Mei write up a clarification post for your Weibo. Once it¡¯s ready, I¡¯ll send it to you."

    "It¡¯s trending anyway. Since it¡¯s not a negative topic, explaining it might even help you gain more followers."

    With a curt "beep," the call ended. Gu Yu¡¯s face turned pale. He had just scrolled through the comments section and seen countless people mocking him, saying his movements looked like those of a zombie.

    And now, he had to explain himself to them?

    They would definitely laugh at him. But Gu Yu knew he had no choice but to do it.

    His eyebrows furrowed so intensely they resembled two caterpillars.

    "Brother Seven, is something wrong?" a soft voice asked. Yaoyao shuffled over with little steps, her face concerned as she studied his strange expression.

    "It¡¯s just¡­ a little incident. I need to handle it," Gu Yu replied, unsure how to explain the situation to his sister, so he deflected her question.

    "Alright. Do you need my help with anything?" Yaoyao asked casually, not pressing the issue.

    Gu Yu instinctively wanted to refuse, but then a thought struck him, and he swallowed his rejection.

    "Actually¡­ yes!" He suddenly smiled brightly.

    Meanwhile, since Gu Yu himself hadn¡¯t addressed the situation yet, his livestream chat had descended into chaos. People were crying and wailing, and it looked like things were about to spiral out of control.

    Suddenly, the rear-facing camera went dark. When the video resumed, the stream had switched to the front-facing camera.

    Two figures, one tall and one short, appeared on the screen.

    "Good morning, everyone. I¡¯m Gu Yu," he greeted with a wave. His handsome face carried a warm smile, and his aristocratic air immediately came across through the camera.

    It had to be said¡ªGu Yu¡¯s combination of elegance and good looks was unmatched in the entertainment industry. There really was no substitute for someone like him.Stolen story; please report.

    The livestream audience, who had been eagerly waiting for him to address the situation, froze for a moment before erupting with excitement.<ul><li>

    "Young Master, please tell us it¡¯s not true! You¡¯re not quitting the industry, are you?"</li><li>

    "We can¡¯t lose you. Not even for a day!"</li></ul>

    "I¡¯m not quitting. I was just practicing some health exercises," Gu Yu explained. He had been unsure where to start, but the fans¡¯ concern gave him the perfect opening.

    Relieved, he quickly clarified the rumors about him quitting the industry.

    After all, he¡¯d only been doing some simple exercises, with no intention of leading anyone to misunderstand. There was no reason for fans not to believe him.

    Besides, if he were really planning to quit, why would he bother explaining it?

    As the saying goes, "Nobody takes off their pants to fart"¡ªthere¡¯s simply no need for extra gestures.

    The chat quickly filled with exasperated messages.<ul><li>

    "Seriously? So you were actually just doing health exercises?"</li><li>

    "Good grief. This guy is really committed to his wellness routine!"</li></ul>

    "That¡¯s pretty much the story," Gu Yu said. "I didn¡¯t realize things would blow up like this. I apologize for letting the situation escalate before addressing it."

    "As for quitting the industry? Not happening! At least not until I¡¯ve had my fill of fun. You can all relax!"

    Once the misunderstanding was cleared up, Gu Yu returned to his usual nonchalant demeanor.<ul><li>

    "Since you¡¯re not quitting, and you¡¯re streaming again this morning, shouldn¡¯t you give us something exciting to make up for this drama?"</li><li>

    "I was crying over this first thing in the morning. Don¡¯t we deserve some compensation?"</li><li>

    "Spill some tea! We demand a scoop!"</li></ul>

    "Uh¡­ that might not be possible," Gu Yu hesitated, the sound of Sister Qin¡¯s furious yelling still echoing in his ears.

    The mix-up he had caused was bad enough. If he ended up spilling something inappropriate in the stream¡­

    At that point, Sister Qin¡¯s resignation letter might hit the company¡¯s executive desks earlier than his rumored retirement announcement.<ul><li>

    "No tea? Then what¡¯s the point of watching your stream early in the morning? I¡¯m out!"</li><li>

    "Young Master, you¡¯ve changed. You¡¯ve gone soft. Unfollowing!"</li></ul>

    As the chat filled with complaints, the viewer count began to drop rapidly. Some even left comments about unfollowing him.

    Gu Yu wasn¡¯t particularly bothered by this. After all, he had entered the industry with a carefree attitude, treating it as a game.

    But calling him a coward? Now that was unacceptable.

    "Who says I wouldn¡¯t spill tea?" Gu Yu retorted, visibly annoyed. "Let¡¯s not act like cowards here. I¡¯ll set up a random video connection. Ask whatever you dare, and I¡¯ll answer!"

    This bold declaration sent the chat into a frenzy.<ul><li>

    "Holy crap, this is getting exciting! Only our Young Master has this kind of swagger!"</li><li>

    "I hope I get picked! I¡¯ve got so many juicy questions to ask!"</li></ul>

    Fueled by a surge of determination, Gu Yu ignored Sister Qin¡¯s earlier warnings and set up a random video call feature. He wasn¡¯t bluffing¡ªhe was ready for whatever came his way.

    The livestream audience, now buzzing with anticipation, received pop-up invitations for the random video chat. Many viewers had been prepared, frantically tapping their screens to try their luck.

    It didn¡¯t take long for the system to generate a match.

    The livestream screen split into two, and a new window appeared, revealing a young woman with a delicate face.

    She looked to be about twenty-three or twenty-four years old, with her hair tied in a high ponytail and wearing a white floral dress. Her slender willow-leaf eyebrows and peach blossom eyes gave her a charming appearance, and her dimples added a sweet touch when she smiled.

    In a crowd, her looks would definitely stand out. However, the dark circles under her eyes and the exhaustion etched into her features somewhat diminished her beauty.

    "Ah, I actually got picked!" she exclaimed, her eyes widening in surprise.

    After a moment¡¯s hesitation, she said awkwardly, "But¡­ I don¡¯t really have anything to ask."

    Unlike the eager fans in the chat clamoring for gossip, Shu Xiuxiu had only joined the stream to fill the silence in her room.

    She had recently moved into a new house, and the atmosphere felt oppressively eerie. Every time she woke up, she had the unsettling feeling that something was watching her. But no matter how thoroughly she searched the house, she found nothing.

    Far from easing her nerves, her mental state had only worsened over time. She was now waking up naturally before six in the morning and couldn¡¯t fall back asleep no matter how hard she tried.

    The soothing sound of someone practicing traditional exercises in the stream had been a rare source of peace for her, so she had stayed.

    When the sound stopped, she had instinctively picked up her phone and noticed the invitation for the video call. Without thinking, she tapped it.

    And out of tens of thousands of viewers, she was the one who got selected.

    [--------------------------------------------]

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 Chapter 14: Miss, Thereéˆ¥æªš Someone Under Your Bed

    <ul><li>

    "What? Did we seriously get someone who just wants to watch the excitement? Why so unlucky? Is it really this hard to get some juicy gossip?"</li></ul>

    The livestream chat erupted in a chorus of frustrated complaints.

    "Well, if there¡¯s nothing else, maybe ask about something different," Gu Yu suggested, clearly unprepared for this turn of events. Still, since he had already promised he wouldn¡¯t back down, he passed the microphone to the girl who had been randomly selected.

    "My most pressing question?" Shu Xiuxiu furrowed her brows and glanced at her empty room, the oppressive feeling of confinement washing over her.

    "How about you tell me my fortune, streamer? I saw in your bio that you¡¯re into singing, dancing¡­ and tarot cards."

    She spoke impulsively, recalling the many tarot streamers she had watched before. She¡¯d always found fortune-telling intriguing but had never been lucky enough to be selected in those streams. This stream, with its large audience, seemed like it would have someone skilled enough to give it a try.

    The livestream audience: ¡­...<ul><li>

    "What¡¯s with this question? Sis, are you okay?"</li><li>

    "We¡¯re here for gossip, not fortune-telling! Did you wander into the wrong stream?"</li></ul>

    Even Gu Yu was momentarily dumbfounded.

    Those who knew him well understood that his so-called "hobbies" were just that¡ªhobbies. His singing and dancing were infamously terrible, and tarot was no different. He only liked tarot cards because he thought they looked cool. If someone asked him for the actual content, he couldn¡¯t say a single word about it.

    Admitting his lack of knowledge in front of his entire audience would be utterly humiliating.

    Gu Yu¡¯s face was a spectrum of colors, like a spilled ink palette.

    Forget it. Losing face is better than lying.

    He took a deep breath, preparing to confess.

    But just as he opened his mouth, a crisp voice interrupted him.

    "Big sister, you were born in the year of Gengchen, during the Hai hour, weren¡¯t you? Your elements are metal and earth, and your brother¡¯s palace shows Ziwei Star presiding over your fate. You have an older brother who¡¯s been doing well in his career, right? Did I get that wrong?"

    The livestream audience froze in shock.<ul><li>

    "Wait a minute¡­ who¡¯s this little kid?"</li><li>

    "Wasn¡¯t this supposed to be Gu Yu¡¯s job? Why is this little girl stealing his thunder?"</li></ul>

    Regardless of whether the reading was accurate or not, this little girl was clearly not ordinary. The audience didn¡¯t even recognize terms like "Heavenly Stems and Earthly Branches," "Twelve Hours," or "Ziwei Star Astrology," yet this kid rattled them off like a seasoned fortune-teller.

    What stunned them even more was that the selected girl nodded in agreement.

    "You¡­ you¡¯re absolutely right. I do have an older brother. He owns a company that just made it through its startup phase and is doing pretty well now."

    Shu Xiuxiu¡¯s tired eyes suddenly lit up. She had initially thought the handsome young man would be doing the fortune-telling. Who would have guessed that the adorable little child sitting next to him was so skilled?

    "Little master, can you check my fortune for me? I¡¯ve been feeling really uneasy lately and just want to know I¡¯ll be safe."

    Shu Xiuxiu didn¡¯t dare address the little girl as "little sister," but calling her "master" felt odd. After some hesitation, she settled on a compromise.

    The chat went wild with disbelief.<ul><li>

    "No way. This kid can really do fortune-telling?"</li><li>

    "This twist¡­ I did not see this coming."Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.</li></ul>

    Gu Yu, meanwhile, was thrilled. He cursed himself for being so slow to realize that he had a hidden expert sitting right beside him. Thankfully, Yaoyao loved him enough to step in and save him; otherwise, he would have completely embarrassed himself. Now he was curious to see what else his little sister could do.

    "Big sister, don¡¯t worry about your fortune just yet," Yaoyao said seriously. Her round face suddenly took on a hint of authority. "Your three spirits and five souls are unsettled. You must have encountered something unclean recently. However, it doesn¡¯t seem malicious. There should be peach and willow trees in the small grove behind your neighborhood. Peach wood wards off evil, and willow wood suppresses spirits. Go break off a branch from each, and I¡¯ll teach you how to send it away."

    "But hurry! Yaoyao has other things to do later," she added, her voice firm.

    The audience was stunned.<ul><li>

    "Holy crap, what just happened? How did this turn into something out of a fantasy novel?"</li><li>

    "Can you even say stuff like this on a livestream? What if the platform shuts it down?"</li></ul>

    Some viewers were genuinely worried about the livestream being taken down. But at the same time, they couldn¡¯t help wanting to see how this bizarre situation would unfold. It was more thrilling than any gossip.

    "Alright, little master, I¡¯ll go right now," Shu Xiuxiu said, already feeling like she was sitting on pins and needles. She grabbed her phone and keys and rushed out the door without hesitation.

    "Yaoyao, is she really haunted by something?" Gu Yu asked, his curiosity piqued. He had been too intimidated to interrupt earlier, but now that Shu Xiuxiu was gone, he seized the chance to ask.<ul><li>

    "Don¡¯t whisper secrets! We want to hear too!"</li><li>

    "Exactly! Let us in on the conversation!"</li></ul>

    The viewers were desperate for details, but Yaoyao simply put a finger to her lips and made a "shh" motion.

    "Brother Seven, don¡¯t ask yet," she said.

    For the first time, Gu Yu saw a rare seriousness on Yaoyao¡¯s face, and it made his heart sink. Was the situation with that Shu girl really so grave?

    Shu Xiuxiu lived in a somewhat run-down apartment complex. Despite its age, the building had private bathrooms, which made it a decent choice. By all rights, she could have afforded better housing, but her pride kept her from asking her family for money. To her, the extra commute was a small price to pay for independence.

    After weaving through the narrow corridors and jogging out of the complex, Shu Xiuxiu was completely out of breath.

    She paused to catch her breath, glancing around for the peach and willow trees Yaoyao had mentioned. To her surprise, a voice came from her phone.

    "Big sister, you don¡¯t need to run!" Yaoyao¡¯s voice was calm.

    "Huh? Little master, but didn¡¯t you say this was urgent?" Shu Xiuxiu asked, confused. She had been rushing because she was afraid of wasting time.

    Watching through the stream, Yaoyao saw the ominous red aura around Shu Xiuxiu gradually fade. Clearly, whatever danger had been looming was now averted. Her stern expression softened, and her tone became lighter.

    "You¡¯re not actually haunted by an evil spirit, big sister," Yaoyao finally said.

    The revelation left both Shu Xiuxiu and Gu Yu completely stunned.

    "Then¡­ little master, why did you make me rush out here?" Shu Xiuxiu asked, bewildered.

    If there was no haunting, there was no need for peach or willow branches. So why had she been told to leave her apartment?<ul><li>

    "Is this kid a fraud after all?"</li><li>

    "No way, she was so accurate before. This has to be part of the plan."</li><li>

    "What if the girl in the livestream is just an actor? A plant to make all this seem real?"</li><li>

    "Impossible. No one would choreograph something this absurd. It¡¯d be way too obvious."</li></ul>

    "I¡¯m not an actor," Shu Xiuxiu quickly clarified upon seeing the chat. She didn¡¯t want anyone disrespecting Yaoyao and hurried to defend her.

    But Yaoyao ignored the chatter and looked directly into the camera. "Big sister, although you¡¯re not haunted, you do need to call the police."

    "Call the police?" Shu Xiuxiu froze.

    The audience was equally stunned.<ul><li>

    "What? Why drag the police into this?"</li><li>

    "Isn¡¯t that risky? What if she gets in trouble for making a false report?"</li></ul>

    Yaoyao¡¯s expression was calm but serious. "Earlier, I didn¡¯t tell you your fortune, not because I couldn¡¯t, but because I saw a red aura of death hanging over you. It was the sign of an imminent violent death."

    "If I had told you then, the person hiding in your house might have panicked and attacked you out of desperation."

    "You might not have survived."

    At this, Shu Xiuxiu froze completely.

    "H-hiding in my house? That¡¯s impossible. I¡ª"

    She stammered but couldn¡¯t finish her sentence. Memories of the unsettling feeling she¡¯d been watched flashed through her mind.

    "But¡­ but I¡¯ve searched my house! There¡¯s no one there!"

    "That¡¯s because he¡¯s hiding under your bed," Yaoyao explained bluntly. "Your bed is one of those old-fashioned ones with a gap underneath. From outside, you wouldn¡¯t be able to see all the way in. It¡¯s the perfect hiding spot."

    Hearing this, Shu Xiuxiu felt her breath hitch. Her mind raced with terrifying thoughts. Was someone really under her bed? Had they been crawling out to watch her while she slept?

    Her body trembled as goosebumps rose all over her skin. She grabbed her phone and dialed 110 (the emergency police number in China) with shaking fingers.

    Meanwhile, the chat erupted into chaos.<ul><li>

    "Holy crap! Real or fake, this is the scariest story I¡¯ve heard all year!"</li><li>

    "My God, it¡¯s like a horror movie come to life. Imagine finding out there¡¯s been someone under your bed the whole time."</li><li>

    "Please, police officers, hurry! This just went from supernatural to criminal investigation territory!"</li><li>

    "I¡¯m staying for this. I HAVE to know how this ends."</li></ul>

    [--------------------------------------------]

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 Chapter 15: A Request from Seventh Brother

    Chu Xiuxiu called the police and provided her address. Within minutes, a patrol car arrived.

    The police team consisted of six or seven officers, all dressed in uniforms with batons on their belts. Two of them were armed, given that the reported incident involved a home invasion.

    The leading officer spotted Chu Xiuxiu standing at the entrance of her apartment complex and approached her directly.

    "Are you Chu Xiuxiu? Did you make the report?"

    "Yes, that¡¯s me," Chu Xiuxiu nodded. Seeing the tall and imposing officers, she finally felt her heart settle down.

    After answering the officers¡¯ questions and providing the details of her apartment unit, four officers immediately formed a team to apprehend the suspect, while Chu Xiuxiu was escorted to the patrol car to rest.

    "Little Master, am I really safe now?" Chu Xiuxiu¡¯s voice was hesitant, her mind still in a daze.

    After all, such a terrifying event had taken place. She was fortunate to have been tricked into leaving her apartment earlier; otherwise, fear might have paralyzed her, leaving her unable to even step out the door.

    Yao Yao, who was munching on a piece of mung bean cake, nodded and said, "You¡¯re safe now, but living alone here isn¡¯t secure, Miss Sister!"

    From the earlier video footage, Yao Yao could tell that the complex was quite old, with overgrown trees casting shadows everywhere. In terms of feng shui, this layout was prone to attracting trouble and misfortune.

    Living in such a place could easily invite disaster if one wasn¡¯t careful.

    "Mm, I¡¯ll move out today," Chu Xiuxiu nodded firmly.

    She no longer dared to be frugal. She resolved to call her brother later and ask him to help her find an apartment in a better neighborhood.

    It didn¡¯t matter if it cost more¡ªstaying alive was more important than saving money.

    Seeing her willingness to change, Yao Yao¡¯s little face lit up with a smile.

    At that moment, the officers who had gone to apprehend the suspect returned. They had handcuffed a bald middle-aged man, whose beady eyes and slanted eyebrows gave him a sinister appearance. His face was smeared with dirt, as if he¡¯d just been dug out of a hole.

    The moment the man saw Chu Xiuxiu standing near the police officers, he began to struggle violently, swearing viciously.

    "You btch! You dared to call the cops? You¡¯re dead! You¡¯re fcking dead!"

    Earlier, while hiding under the bed, he had overheard the woman watching a livestream and being tricked into going out to collect tree branches. He had cursed her stupidity at the time.

    This man had lived in the area for a while and had once run into Chu Xiuxiu by chance. He found her beautiful and exactly his type. However, after several failed attempts to strike up a conversation, he grew angry and resentful.

    When he later discovered that she lived alone, he began stalking her.

    One day, when Chu Xiuxiu went outside to pick up a food delivery and forgot to lock her door, he seized the opportunity. Sneaking into her apartment, he secretly made a copy of her key.

    From then on, he would crawl under her bed every day before she got home from work.

    Once she fell asleep at night, he would crawl out and use her personal items, including her toiletries and other belongings.

    He didn¡¯t harm Chu Xiuxiu, not because he was afraid of getting caught, but because he physically couldn¡¯t. His long-standing frustrations and twisted personality had turned him into a deranged voyeur hated by all.

    He originally thought the unsuspecting woman would return soon, so he stayed under the bed. But as time passed, an unsettling feeling crept over him.

    His years of criminal experience made him cautious, so he decided to leave and hide for the time being.

    However, just as he crawled out from under the bed and looked out the window, he spotted police cars at the entrance to the complex. Realizing he had been exposed, he tried to escape but was caught by officers waiting at the door.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    Seeing the man, Chu Xiuxiu shrank back in fear, her face pale as a sheet.

    "Behave yourself!" one of the officers barked.

    He struck the man with an electric baton, eliciting a grunt of pain and forcing him to calm down. However, the man¡¯s eyes were still filled with venom as he glared at Chu Xiuxiu.

    Meanwhile, Chu Xiuxiu''s livestream was still running, and the viewers who had been eagerly following the drama were now witnessing everything.

    ¡¾WTF! Someone actually hid under her bed?!¡¿

    ¡¾This is horrifying. The look in his eyes screams murder. If she¡¯d discovered him that night¡­ I don¡¯t even want to imagine what would¡¯ve happened.¡¿

    ¡¾A real master by Young Master¡¯s side? This is way more interesting than celebrity gossip! Quick, quick, let¡¯s have another reading. I want to know my fortune too!¡¿

    Yao Yao¡¯s earlier actions had blown the minds of the livestream audience.

    Finding a genuine master was rare, and they weren¡¯t about to miss the chance to have their fortunes told. As for entertainment gossip? That could wait¡ªscandals didn¡¯t expire, after all.

    Some viewers even began speculating about the relationship between Yao Yao and Gu Yu. Sensing an opportunity, Gu Yu proudly introduced her:

    "This is my little sister."

    Though his expression appeared calm, Gu Yu was bursting with excitement inside. After all, they had just cracked a major case and saved a young woman.

    Even though he hadn¡¯t contributed much, wasn¡¯t it his suggestion to randomly pick someone from the audience? By that logic, he could count himself as the second most important hero of the day!

    Seeing the eager viewers clamoring for more, Gu Yu decisively refused:

    "No more selections today. Let¡¯s continue tomorrow."

    After all, he had already hit his daily livestream quota¡ªit was just a job requirement. Why would he willingly work overtime?

    Ignoring the pleas of his audience, Gu Yu swiftly ended the livestream.

    He then turned to Yao Yao, who still seemed a bit dazed, and gave her an emotional bear hug.

    "Yao Yao, you really are my lucky star!"

    "From now on, if anyone at home bullies you, just let me know. Your Seventh Brother will always have your back."

    As Gu Yu reflected on his earlier reckless decisions, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a lingering fear.

    Whether it was exposing scandals or reading fortunes, either could¡¯ve landed him in serious trouble.

    But now, everything had worked out perfectly¡ªhe¡¯d turned a losing hand into a royal flush.

    "Seventh Brother, you can¡¯t be so impulsive next time!" Yao Yao patted his shoulder, comforting him.

    Her words made Gu Yu feel a little embarrassed. Here he was, a grown man, needing his little sister to bail him out.

    Then again, considering how extraordinary his sister was, could she really be treated as an ordinary girl? Absolutely not.

    With that thought, Gu Yu¡¯s guilt vanished, replaced by a newfound sense of ease.

    "Yao Yao, Seventh Brother has a favor to ask."

    Seeing her curious look, Gu Yu quickly added, "I still have a few more livestreams to do. It¡¯s a work assignment from the company."

    "Today, a lot of viewers didn¡¯t get their fortunes read. They¡¯ll definitely come back tomorrow, and I¡¯m worried I won¡¯t be able to handle it. Could you join me again like you did today?"

    "Don¡¯t worry. If you agree, I¡¯ll let you have all my secret stash of snacks!"

    Knowing his sister¡¯s love for food, Gu Yu played his trump card. As expected, Yao Yao¡¯s eyes lit up at the mention of snacks.

    "Okay, sure!"

    Yao Yao loved her Seventh Brother¡¯s snacks. Spending a bit of time helping him out was totally worth it.

    Suddenly, a faint golden thread appeared out of nowhere, floating down into Yao Yao¡¯s hand.

    "What¡¯s this? It smells amazing!"

    Sniffing the thread curiously, Yao Yao¡¯s watery eyes sparkled with delight. Without a second thought, she popped it into her mouth and swallowed it.

    A warm and comforting sensation spread through her body, making her feel better than even a full meal could. Yao Yao couldn¡¯t help but squint her eyes in satisfaction.

    So this was what "virtue" tasted like!

    The golden thread had come from the young woman she had saved during the livestream.

    Realizing this, Yao Yao felt a surge of happiness. Since she had agreed to help with her brother¡¯s livestreams, it meant she¡¯d have more opportunities to gain virtue in the future!

    "What¡¯s got you so happy all of a sudden?" Gu Yu asked, noticing her mood.

    Of course, he couldn¡¯t see the golden thread and had no idea what had just happened.

    "I¡¯m happy to help you, Seventh Brother. You¡¯re my lucky star, too!"

    Yao Yao thought about all the snacks her brother had given her and how he had now provided her with a way to earn virtue. What else could he be but her lucky star?

    Gu Yu was stunned for a moment before his face turned red. He stammered awkwardly, "Seventh Brother isn¡¯t¡­ isn¡¯t¡­ that great."

    "You ARE that great," Yao Yao insisted firmly.

    Gu Yu didn¡¯t understand why his little sister was suddenly so insistent, but her words filled his heart with sweetness.

    "Alright, if Yao Yao says so, then it must be true. How about this? Let¡¯s take a ride in my sports car and cruise around the city!"

    Since his sister enjoyed his company so much, how could he not step up and show her a good time?

    "Yes! Let¡¯s go!" Yao Yao¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement.

    The siblings quickly grabbed the car keys and headed out for a carefree drive, completely unaware that their earlier livestream had already blown up on social media.

    The hashtags #GuYuTheEntertainmentWorld¡¯sDetective and #GossipStreamTurnsIntoCrimeBusting were trending, complete with photos and evidence.

    With Gu Yu¡¯s previous buzz about leaving the entertainment industry still lingering, this new development exploded into a massive news story, dominating the conversation online.

    [--------------------------------------------]

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 Chapter 16: The Seven Brothers Gather

    "Wait, since when did you two siblings get so close?"

    Chen Hui¡¯s suspicious gaze shifted back and forth between her youngest son and her newly adopted daughter. Starting from lunch, the two had been inseparable¡ªsitting next to each other while eating, watching TV together, and even going for a walk with her youngest son trailing closely behind.

    If she hadn¡¯t been the one to adopt Yao Yao just yesterday, she might¡¯ve believed the two had grown up together.

    "It¡¯s Seventh Brother," Yao Yao said with a bright smile. "He said he¡¯d help me make a lot of money."

    She didn¡¯t dare mention that he had also bribed her with snacks. Her master had always told her that snacks were unhealthy, and she remembered that adults didn¡¯t usually let children eat too many.

    So she had to keep it a secret¡ªif her new mom didn¡¯t know, she could eat as much as she wanted!

    As for the "virtue" she had been sensing, she didn¡¯t fully understand it herself, so she definitely wasn¡¯t going to say anything about that either.

    "Does Yao Yao need money?" Chen Hui was confused. She pulled out a bank card from her purse and said in a generous tone, "If you need money, just ask Mom. This card has 500,000 yuan on it, and there¡¯s no password. Take it and use it, and if it¡¯s not enough, come back for more."

    Yao Yao didn¡¯t have much concept of money, but she could tell from her mom¡¯s tone that this was a lot.

    She waved her hands and said, "I can¡¯t take it."

    Her new mom had already given her a big house to live in and let her eat delicious food every day. That was more than enough. Asking for more would be impolite, and impolite children weren¡¯t liked by anyone.

    "So, instead, you¡¯re running around with your Seventh Brother, working hard for nothing?" Chen Hui shot an annoyed glare at her youngest son.

    Gu Yu scratched his nose awkwardly, avoiding her gaze. He silently cursed his luck¡ªhis little sister had just thrown him under the bus!

    "Yao Yao, you¡¯re only three and a half years old. It''s far too young to be working, even as child labor. Now that you¡¯re part of this family, you¡¯ll have everything you need," Chen Hui said firmly.

    "Don¡¯t be shy about taking what¡¯s yours. The Gu family has no shortage of money. Be good and accept it."

    "Alright," Yao Yao finally agreed, seeing that she couldn¡¯t refuse.

    Still, she decided that she¡¯d repay her mom soon by making her a protective talisman as a gift.

    "That¡¯s better!" Chen Hui smiled, satisfied.

    "Tomorrow, your other brothers will be back. Let them take you out and play. Stop sticking with your Seventh Brother¡ªhe¡¯s the most unreliable of them all."

    Gu Yu felt a surge of indignation and frustration, but he held it in: "...Seriously? What kind of mother says that about her own son?"

    Yao Yao, on the other hand, was curious. She hadn¡¯t known until now that the house could be so lively.

    In the past, at the Daoist temple, it had just been her and her master. When her master was busy, she had to spend a lot of time alone.

    She didn¡¯t like being alone¡ªshe liked it when there were lots of people around.

    Now her mom had told her she had seven brothers, plus grandparents. Yao Yao started counting on her fingers, but quickly ran out.

    Her eyes widened in amazement.

    "So many people!"

    She imagined how lively it would be when everyone was together and grew more and more excited about meeting the rest of her brothers.

    Meanwhile, the upcoming Gu Family Banquet was less of a family dinner and more of an introduction ceremony. Its purpose was to officially announce Yao Yao as the Gu family¡¯s adopted daughter.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

    The invitations had been sent out to all the major figures in Beijing¡¯s elite social circles.

    At first, everyone was incredulous.

    After all, the Gu family was one of the most prestigious families in Beijing. Even the status of an adopted daughter within the family would be significant.

    "I don¡¯t know where Mrs. Gu found this girl, but her luck is incredible¡ªshe¡¯s gone straight from rags to riches."

    "Hurry! Prepare a good gift. We need to leave a great impression on the Gu family."

    Decades of navigating Beijing¡¯s upper social circles had taught these old foxes to be resourceful. They soon discovered that the little girl was not only officially adopted by Mrs. Gu but also deeply cherished and spoiled.

    Being favored in the Gu family made all the difference¡ªit was like night and day.

    Where they had once struggled to find an opportunity to curry favor, now they had a clear chance. There was no way they were going to let it slip by.

    However, the men had no idea what gifts to buy for a little girl. This responsibility naturally fell to their wives.

    High-end children¡¯s stores in the city were soon inundated with calls. Managers were sweating bullets, desperately trying to fulfill the countless requests.

    They couldn¡¯t afford to offend any of these powerful clients, so they bent over backward to accommodate them, offering endless apologies and compliments.

    At the same time, they couldn¡¯t help but wonder¡ªwhat on earth had happened in Beijing for so many big shots to mobilize all at once?

    As for the person at the center of all this, Yao Yao remained blissfully unaware.

    She was currently happily trying on a gorgeous dress.

    "It¡¯s so pretty!"

    The dress had layers of delicate tulle, intricate embroidery, and beautiful pearls decorating it.

    "Yao Yao, do you like it?" Chen Hui asked, her eyes filled with satisfaction.

    The dress was one of many pieces rushed out by designers overnight in preparation for today¡¯s banquet.

    When Chen Hui said she would give Yao Yao the best, she wasn¡¯t making empty promises. The overflowing wardrobe, the mountain of toys and accessories¡ªeverything spoke to how much she cared.

    "I love it. Thank you, Mommy," Yao Yao said happily, nodding.

    "Then let¡¯s head downstairs. Your brothers and dad are waiting for us!" Chen Hui said, taking Yao Yao¡¯s chubby little hand in hers.

    Her foot injury had healed, not thanks to medical treatment, but rather a healing talisman Yao Yao had given her.

    The icy, soothing talisman had worked instantly, erasing her pain and allowing her to walk freely again¡ªit was nothing short of miraculous.

    The rest of the family was overjoyed at her recovery. At the same time, they realized that Yao Yao¡¯s abilities went far beyond just catching ghosts.

    Yao Yao obediently let her mom lead her downstairs.

    In the grand Gu family hall, a large group of people had already gathered.

    Aside from the seven Gu brothers, even the children from the eldest and fourth brothers¡¯ families were present.

    Some stood, some lounged on the sofas, all in various relaxed positions. However, their eyes frequently darted toward the staircase, clearly curious about the new member of their family.

    "Seventh Brother, I heard you¡¯re close with Yao Yao. Tell me, what does she like?"

    Gu Li, the fifth brother, nudged Gu Yu, hoping to get some intel. After all, it was easier to win over children if you knew what they liked.

    "Ha! You think I¡¯d tell you?" Gu Yu sneered.

    He hadn¡¯t forgotten how Gu Li had teased him two days ago. Now he wanted to build a relationship? No chance!

    "Wow, Seventh Brother, you¡¯re so petty. I¡¯m your biological brother!" Gu Li said, pretending to be heartbroken.

    Gu Yu nearly lost his temper right then and there. Only the thought of the banquet stopped him from starting a fight. Still, he couldn¡¯t resist muttering, "Get lost!"

    Gu Li realized he wasn¡¯t going to get anything out of him and slouched back in defeat.

    The other brothers, who had been eavesdropping, also showed expressions of disappointment.

    It seemed they had truly upset Gu Yu in the family chat group last time. Now there was no shortcut to bonding with their little sister.

    The eldest and third brothers were slightly more relaxed. Having children of their own, they knew that kids were naturally drawn to other kids, so the process of getting along would likely be smooth.

    Seven brothers, each with their own schemes, were quietly pondering their next moves.

    Suddenly, there was movement at the staircase. All eyes turned in unison, and their gazes lit up.

    A little girl wearing a fluffy princess dress was being led downstairs. Her hair was styled in two ponytails, tied with crystal-like ribbons that sparkled under the lights.

    Her round face was like a luminous moon, with long, curled lashes, bright, watery eyes, and delicate cherry-like lips. She looked so perfect that she could rival any doll in a shop window.

    Holy crap!

    The Gu brothers were stunned.

    Their little sister was this cute and gorgeous?

    This was an unprecedented shock for the Gu family, which had always been like a monk¡¯s temple.

    They all shot accusing glares at Gu Yu.

    "You sly dog! You¡¯ve been hiding her! Afraid we¡¯d steal her from you, huh?"

    Gu Li mouthed the word "despicable" at him, though no sound came out.

    Gu Yu ignored them completely. He hadn¡¯t expected this either.

    After all, the Yao Yao he knew had always worn a simple bun and an old Daoist robe. She had been cute, sure, but nothing like this dazzling transformation.

    Clothes really did make the person.

    [--------------------------------------------]

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 Chapter 17: Nephew, Youéˆ¥æª™e Missing a Soul

    ¡°Yaoyao, you look beautiful today.¡±

    Gu Xuesong¡¯s voice carried genuine praise. After all, anyone chosen by his wife wouldn¡¯t be lacking in any way¡ªthis young girl really was outstanding.

    ¡°Of course, she¡¯s my daughter. How could she be anything less?¡±

    Chen Hui¡¯s eyes sparkled with pride. Her heart was as sharp as a needle, and with just one glance, she could tell that the men in her family were all impressed, their gazes filled with admiration. This gave her an overwhelming sense of pride¡ªlike she had stumbled upon a hidden treasure.

    ¡°You boys, don¡¯t just stand there like wooden poles. Quickly introduce yourselves to your little sister,¡± Chen Hui said, her tone teasing but firm.

    The Gu brothers exchanged glances before nodding in agreement. As they had previously discussed, they would introduce themselves according to their birth order.

    ¡°Yaoyao, I¡¯m your eldest brother,¡± Gu Heng said, stepping forward. He was dressed in an impeccably tailored suit, his hair slicked back, exuding the air of a polished businessman.

    ¡°I¡¯m your second brother, Gu Mian,¡± said the man next to him, who was dressed casually in a simple shirt. Thick glasses rested on his nose, giving him the scholarly aura of an academic.

    Yaoyao tilted her head slightly, remembering what her mother had told her. Her second brother was deeply immersed in the world of antiques. His eyes seemed to only have room for ancient relics, and if it weren¡¯t for the risk of damaging them, he¡¯d probably sleep hugging one.

    ¡°Yaoyao, I¡¯m your third brother. If anyone dares bully you, just tell me, and I¡¯ll drive my car over to collect them,¡± Gu Jinnian said with a grin.

    Third Brother¡¯s features were sharp and bold, with thick eyebrows and large eyes. He resembled their uncle¡ªChen Hui¡¯s brother¡ªand carried a natural air of righteousness.

    The fourth brother, Gu Qiao, worked in research. He hadn¡¯t even changed out of his lab uniform, the logo of his research institute prominently displayed on his chest.

    With his long, slender fingers, he waved and said, ¡°I¡¯m Fourth Brother. This is our first meeting, so I didn¡¯t have time to prepare much. Here, take this monocle¡ªit¡¯s the latest product of my research institute.¡±

    ¡°A gift!¡±

    Yaoyao¡¯s eyes lit up as she accepted the monocle from Fourth Brother.

    It was an elegant single-lens device, and with some assistance, she put it on.

    Gu Qiao explained, ¡°Yaoyao, you can rotate the lens to adjust its magnification. Its functionality rivals that of the most advanced telescopes and magnifiers. Additionally, you can switch modes on the frame. The monocle can scan and analyze the composition of objects and create 3D models, which will help with your studies.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s so cool! Fourth Brother, you¡¯re amazing!¡± Yaoyao exclaimed, her large eyes sparkling with excitement. She tried out the different modes and was instantly captivated. It was the first time she had seen something so high-tech, and she immediately fell in love with it.

    ¡°Damn it, Fourth Brother! That¡¯s cheating¡ªyou didn¡¯t tell us you brought a gift!¡± Gu Li, the fifth brother, couldn¡¯t help but stomp his foot in frustration.

    He had assumed that, as a lawyer, his eloquence would make him the most likable brother. After all, he was confident in his ability to charm anyone with his words.

    But now, Fourth Brother had pulled out a cutting-edge research product¡ªhow was he supposed to compete with that?This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ¡°People bringing gifts for their little sister is perfectly normal. How is that unfair?¡± Gu Qiao adjusted his glasses with a calm expression, his tone indifferent.

    His words left Gu Li speechless, and the other brothers¡¯ expressions became equally awkward.

    ¡°Fourth Brother is right. If you didn¡¯t prepare anything, don¡¯t blame others for being prepared,¡± Chen Hui chimed in, her face lighting up with amusement as she watched her sons bicker.

    Even though Gu Li was still fuming, he had no choice but to plaster on a smile and say, ¡°Yaoyao, I¡¯m your Fifth Brother. I¡¯m a lawyer, you know.¡±

    He expected Yaoyao to be impressed¡ªafter all, most children thought lawyers were cool, with their ability to argue passionately in court.

    However, Yaoyao was no ordinary child. She simply nodded and said, ¡°Oh,¡± before turning her attention back to the monocle.

    Gu Li: ...

    Why just ¡°Oh¡±? This wasn¡¯t how he¡¯d imagined things would go¡ªhe felt utterly defeated.

    Seeing Yaoyao¡¯s focus on the monocle, Gu Li shot a glare at Fourth Brother, looking like a rooster who had just lost a fight.

    Gu Yu, the sixth brother, was laughing so hard his face hurt. ¡°That¡¯s what you get for your overconfidence. Looks like you¡¯ve been completely humbled.¡±

    However, Gu Yu wasn¡¯t the only one who had come prepared.

    The sixth brother, Gu Hanzhen, reached into his pocket and pulled out a handgun.

    ¡°Damn it, Sixth Brother! That¡¯s way too much!¡± Gu Li exclaimed in shock. Even Gu Xuesong couldn¡¯t hide his surprise, his eyes narrowing as they swept over the weapon.

    ¡°What are you panicking for? It¡¯s not a real gun. I¡¯m in the military, not some outlaw gang¡ªI know what¡¯s appropriate,¡± Gu Hanzhen said calmly.

    Gu Li was speechless. He could understand giving a monocle, but a gun? How did that make sense? Did Sixth Brother not see Yaoyao as a girl?

    Gu Hanzhen explained, ¡°Yaoyao, I¡¯ve modified the gun¡¯s barrel to widen its caliber. It doesn¡¯t fire bullets but rather special clay pellets and smoke bombs. It¡¯s perfect for self-defense.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, Sixth Brother! I love it!¡± Yaoyao said happily, her eyes shining as she accepted the gun.

    She remembered how, during her trips to the mountains, she had to rely on stones to scare off birds. With this, everything would be much easier!

    However, since her dress didn¡¯t have any pockets, she had to tuck the gun into the handbag her mother had prepared for her.

    At this point, only the youngest brother, Gu Yu, hadn¡¯t spoken. All eyes turned to him.

    Everyone knew that Gu Yu had the advantage of being closest to Yaoyao¡ªthey were practically inseparable. The family was curious to see what he had prepared.

    Sensing the attention, Gu Yu remained calm, even giving Yaoyao a subtle signal. ¡°Yaoyao, my gift is a bit of a secret. Come to my room after the banquet to get it.¡±

    Yaoyao immediately caught on to the signal¡ªit was their secret code for sneaking snacks. Her smile brightened as she replied, ¡°Thank you, Seventh Brother. Seventh Brother is the best!¡±

    The Gu brothers were stunned. Gu Yu hadn¡¯t even revealed his gift, yet Yaoyao was already so happy.

    Gu Li nearly ground his teeth to dust in his jealousy.

    ¡°That¡¯s all your brothers. Aside from your Second and Sixth Brothers, who aren¡¯t home often, the others are usually around,¡± Chen Hui said, before adding, ¡°And don¡¯t forget your nephews! Xiaowei, Panpan, come say hello to your little aunt.¡±

    Yaoyao was pleasantly surprised to learn she was an aunt. Following her mother¡¯s gaze, she spotted two little boys.

    The sturdy, sun-kissed one was Panpan, Third Brother¡¯s son. Outgoing and cheerful, he grinned widely and called out, ¡°Little Aunt!¡±

    The other boy was pale and delicate, with a hint of sickness in his complexion¡ªthis was Xiaowei, Eldest Brother¡¯s son.

    Yaoyao¡¯s bright eyes lingered on Xiaowei, and she suddenly let out a soft ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Chen Hui asked, noticing the change in Yaoyao¡¯s expression.

    Turning to Gu Heng, Yaoyao asked, ¡°Eldest Brother, was Xiaowei born in the year of Yiyou, the month of Guiwei, on the day of Dingsi, at the hour of Wei?¡±

    Caught off guard by the use of heavenly stems and earthly branches, Gu Heng was momentarily confused. But after calculating in his head, he realized Yaoyao was correct.

    ¡°Yes, he was born at the start of the Wei hour. Is there a problem?¡± Gu Heng asked, his expression serious.

    Chen Hui¡¯s face also grew tense. Xiaowei, as the eldest grandson of the Gu family, had always been frail, but he was deeply cherished by everyone.

    Under the worried gazes of the family, Yaoyao nodded slowly. ¡°Xiaowei¡¯s birth chart is pure yin¡ªborn in a yin year, yin month, yin day, and yin hour.¡±

    ¡°In simpler terms, his constitution is light and vulnerable to unclean energies. At first glance, his condition seems like simple frailty, but that¡¯s not the case.¡±

    ¡°Why is that?¡± Gu Heng asked, his heart sinking.

    Yaoyao¡¯s tone turned grave. ¡°Because Xiaowei is missing one of his souls.¡±

    [--------------------------------------------]

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 Chapter 18: This Elder Is Cursed to End His Bloodline

    It¡¯s said that every person is born with three souls and seven spirits.

    The three souls¡ªY¨­uj¨©ng (Phantom), Shu¨£ngl¨ªng (refreshing), and T¨¡igu¨¡ng (Fetal light)¡ªare innate and exist even in the fetal stage. The three souls are indispensable; if even one is missing, the result is a stillborn child.

    In comparison, the seven spirits are more obscure. They are F¨²sh¨« (Hidden Arrow), Sh¨©g¨¯u (cadaver dog), Ch¨°uf¨¨i (Stinky lungs), F¨¥id¨² (Non-toxic), T¨±nz¨¦i (Swallow a thief), Qu¨¨y¨©n (Sparrow''s Shadow), and Ch¨²hu¨¬ (Remove filth). For instance, Ch¨°uf¨¨i governs the body¡¯s respiratory function, while Ch¨²hu¨¬ oversees metabolism and waste discharge.

    While losing one of the seven spirits won¡¯t immediately end one¡¯s life, it will cause significant physical defects.

    In the case of Gu Wei, the missing spirit was T¨±nz¨¦i, the one responsible for digestion and absorption. Without it, no matter how much nutritious food he consumed, his body couldn''t absorb anything. Over time, his body grew progressively weaker, and his appearance became skeletal¡ªskin and bones.

    ¡°...Y¨¡oy¨¡o, do you have any way to help Xiao Wei recover the missing spirit that he lost?¡± Chen Hui, looking at her grandson¡¯s emaciated face, felt her heart ache terribly.

    She had always wondered why things seemed off. Despite the family¡¯s endless supply of rare delicacies, all carefully prepared to nourish Gu Wei¡¯s body, his condition remained unchanged.

    ¡°Y¨¡oy¨¡o, your big brother is begging you. If you can do something to help, just tell me what you need. I¡¯ll make it happen, no matter what,¡± said Gu Heng, Gu Wei¡¯s father, his voice filled with urgency.

    Gu Heng doted heavily on his firstborn. Given the boy¡¯s frail health, his attention and care for him had only intensified over time.

    Initially, Gu Heng had resigned himself to thinking that Gu Wei¡¯s condition was due to some congenital deficiency, an unchangeable fate. But now, learning that his son¡¯s condition was caused by a lost spirit, he couldn¡¯t sit still.

    At this moment, the entire family turned their attention to Y¨¡oy¨¡o, eagerly awaiting her response. Even Gu Wei himself curiously watched his aunt with his round, dark, and glimmering eyes.

    ¡°Big Brother, Mom, if I can help, I definitely will,¡± Y¨¡oy¨¡o replied, shaking her head. ¡°But let me make something clear first: once a soul or spirit leaves the body, it doesn¡¯t last long in the outside world¡ªit dissipates quickly. If Wei Wei lost his spirit from birth, it might already be too late to retrieve it.¡±

    The world is divided into yin and yang energies. Souls and spirits are of pure yin. Without the protection of a physical body, they are obliterated by the yang energy of the human world in mere hours or, at most, three to five days.

    ¡°Let¡¯s try anyway. If we can¡¯t find it, we¡¯ll figure out a different solution,¡± Gu Heng said after a moment of silence, holding on to a sliver of hope.

    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll give it a shot,¡± Y¨¡oy¨¡o nodded. She instructed a servant to bring her some yellow talismans and cinnabar ink from her room.

    Once the tools were brought, she began drawing the talisman right in front of everyone.

    The Gu family held their breath, not daring to make a sound for fear of disturbing her. They watched intently, but the intricate symbols she painted on the talisman were incomprehensible to them.

    ¡°All done,¡± Y¨¡oy¨¡o announced, stopping her brush after just two breaths¡¯ time.

    Her mastery of talisman crafting was evident. From the talisman head to the tail and the infusion of spiritual essence into the talisman¡¯s core, every step was smooth and efficient.

    ¡°Will this really work?¡± Gu Li, one of the family members, couldn¡¯t help expressing his doubts, his eyes flashing with skepticism.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    He had always found the claims of Y¨¡oy¨¡o¡¯s extraordinary abilities hard to believe.

    ¡°This is a Soul-Searching Talisman. If Wei Wei¡¯s spirit is within ten miles of this talisman, it will sense it,¡± Y¨¡oy¨¡o explained.

    She didn¡¯t mention what would happen if the spirit was outside that range, but everyone was smart enough to understand the implications.

    To activate the talisman, she needed something personal from Gu Wei, such as a strand of hair or a piece of clothing, to establish the connection.

    ¡°Let¡¯s begin,¡± Gu Heng said without hesitation, plucking a strand of his son¡¯s hair and handing it over.

    Taking the hair, Y¨¡oy¨¡o wasted no time. She clasped the talisman, formed the Daoist Treasure Vase Seal with her fingers, and shouted, ¡°Ji!¡± (Hasten!)

    The yellow talisman ignited spontaneously, and trails of white smoke rose, lingering and curling as they floated away.

    ¡°This¡­ what¡­?¡± Chen Hui murmured in amazement, her eyes wide with surprise.

    Unclear whether the spirit had been found or not, she instinctively turned to her daughter. Seeing the grim look on Y¨¡oy¨¡o¡¯s face, her heart sank.

    ¡°Follow the smoke!¡± Y¨¡oy¨¡o commanded sharply.

    Had they really found it?

    Normally, a free-floating spirit wouldn¡¯t survive this long. However, if supernatural interference had occurred, it was a different story. This realization was the source of Y¨¡oy¨¡o¡¯s unease.

    The Gu family, unaware of these complexities, broke into smiles at the news of the discovery. Without delay, they followed the smoke trail as instructed, with a driver quickly starting the car to take them in pursuit.

    Not long after, they arrived at the destination and stepped out of the car. Upon seeing where the smoke had led them, the Gu family¡¯s expressions darkened.

    ¡°Why here?¡± Gu Yu couldn¡¯t help but exclaim.

    Before them stood a grand hotel. At the entrance, greeters and security stood dutifully, while a revolving door spun continuously.

    The nameplate above the hotel¡¯s entrance gleamed with golden lettering that read, ¡°Mingfu Courtyard.¡±

    This was none other than the banquet hall they had previously reserved.

    The area was already bustling with guests, and some who were nearby recognized the Gu family upon seeing them.

    ¡°President Gu, you¡¯re here early!¡±

    ¡°This must be your daughter¡ªsuch a beautiful young lady!¡±

    Normally, compliments like this about their family members would elicit polite responses from the Gu family. But today, none of them had the mind for idle chatter.

    Afraid of losing the white smoke trail, they gave only brief replies before stepping into the hotel.

    Upon entering, they saw the white smoke curling around a young boy in a neatly tailored suit.

    The boy was about the same age as Gu Wei, standing obediently beside a middle-aged man, silent and well-behaved. The white smoke, which had remained unbroken until now, merged into the boy and disappeared entirely.

    The missing spirit had clearly been found.

    ¡°Third Brother, why are you here so early?¡±

    Hearing the commotion, the middle-aged man turned around and, upon seeing Gu Xu¨¦s¨­ng, greeted him with a smile.

    This man was none other than Gu X¨ªngj¨±n, Gu Heng¡¯s elder brother and Gu Xu¨¦s¨­ng¡¯s second eldest brother.

    Gu Xu¨¦s¨­ng¡¯s generation of the Gu family consisted of three sons and one daughter. Gu Xu¨¦s¨­ng was the third son, with two elder brothers above him. After the family had split, however, the brothers didn¡¯t interact much. This event was an exception because it was a family celebration, and invitations had been sent to everyone.

    ¡°Y¨¡oy¨¡o, what¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± Chen Hui asked, her gaze fixed on the boy. She already had a sinking suspicion but refused to accept it without confirmation.

    ¡°Mom, this uncle¡¯s Palace of Descendants is dry and barren. He shouldn¡¯t have any successors. Are you sure this boy is really his grandson?¡± Y¨¡oy¨¡o replied coolly.

    Her words struck like a thunderclap, and Gu X¨ªngj¨±n¡¯s expression changed drastically.

    ¡°Where did this child come from? How dare you speak to your elders this way?¡± Gu X¨ªngj¨±n barked angrily.

    Realizing how Y¨¡oy¨¡o had been addressed earlier, he sneered, ¡°So this is the daughter you insisted on adopting, Third Brother? She¡¯s utterly ill-mannered!¡±

    His voice was filled with anger, but those who knew him well would recognize it as a sign of guilt. The louder he yelled, the guiltier he felt.

    ¡°Second Brother,¡± Gu Heng interjected coldly, ¡°whether Y¨¡oy¨¡o is well-mannered is none of your concern. What I want to know is this¡ªwhy is my son¡¯s missing spirit in your grandson¡¯s body?¡±

    Chen Hui might not have understood all the nuances, but Y¨¡oy¨¡o¡¯s words had made things clear enough. If she still didn¡¯t understand by now, she¡¯d truly be a fool.

    Her question hit Gu X¨ªngj¨±n like a thunderclap.

    ¡°What¡­ what are you talking about? Spirits? I don¡¯t understand any of this nonsense,¡± he said, his voice trembling as he instinctively avoided their gazes.

    But his evasive demeanor confirmed the Gu family¡¯s suspicions.

    Gu Wei¡¯s missing spirit was no coincidence.

    And it was clear that it had everything to do with this so-called "good uncle."

    [--------------------------------------------]

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