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墨書 Inktalez
I paused for a moment and said, "When will you be back in Guangzhou? I would like to discuss this matter with you in person, but please don't let your father know. You can choose the place and time; I have no ill intentions. I just want you to know some things that you should be aware of."
"Is it related to ghosts and monsters?" Chen Ying asked, her tone unchanged. With a father like Master Chen, she had little special reaction to such matters.
I replied, "Yes, it's because of these things. Please don't let Master Chen know; if he finds out, he definitely won't allow you to meet me."
"Sure, I understand. I never involve myself in his affairs, and he has no say over mine. I'm planning to stay here for a night before heading back. I'll contact you tomorrow morning, okay?" Chen Ying stated her timeline.
From her tone, I could tell she didn't particularly like her father. Perhaps in her heart, many of his actions were hard for her to comprehend, as evidenced by Master Chen's so-called disciples.
"Alright, I'll wait for your call. If you're taking the High-Speed Rail back, I can pick you up at South Station," I said. My home was very close to South Station; it only took about ten minutes by car.
Chen Ying seemed very happy. She smiled and said, "Great! Since you're asking for my help, you'll have to treat me to a meal then."
I felt uplifted by her optimism and laughed as well. "No problem! There are plenty of good places to eat in Panyu; you can choose whatever you like. Just as long as you're not afraid that I'm a bad person."
She replied, "If you're bad, then so be it. To me, that's not important; feelings are what matter most. I think you're a good person, and that's enough for me. Even if you sold me out, I'd still help you count the money."
What a simple girl she was. I said, "Then enjoy yourself! I'll wait for your call tomorrow morning. Bye-bye."
"Bye-bye! See you tomorrow."
After hanging up the phone, I felt relieved; this outcome was the best I could have hoped for. Chen Ying's optimism seemed to show me that there was nothing in this world that couldn't be let go of. At the same time, I felt pity for Chen Ying's situation. As for Master Chen, I didn't have much sympathy; I didn't believe he could be forgiven.
Master Wang mentioned that Master Chen's wife had passed away long ago, and now his daughter was also destined to leave him first—he was indeed pitiful. But there's an old saying: those who are pitiful must have something detestable about them. This saying fits Master Chen perfectly. As a Taoist, he should understand what Karma is and what the consequences of his actions entail; he brought this upon himself. And this was just the beginning; his future reincarnation path might lead him to a life of begging or even straight into the realm of beasts.
Chen Ying and her mother were unfortunate, but that didn't necessarily mean it would all fall on him. However, with all the karma he had accumulated, it was only natural that retribution would come his way. Everyone must bear the consequences of their actions—whether good or bad. Even if he could tread between the realms of yin and yang, he ultimately couldn't escape the clear laws of heaven. The moment he committed his first act against Heavenly Principle, it was destined that he would continue down that path and face subsequent suffering—something he couldn't evade or escape.
Perhaps he realized this and understood it well; that's why he sought to defy fate and rebel against heaven. But did he truly comprehend the final outcome? I thought he probably did; he just didn't want to face it or let heaven lead him by the nose.
In truth, all of this was meaningless. Throughout history, how many Taoist predecessors have defied fate only to meet unfortunate ends? How many truly achieved their desires?
...
Not long after hanging up with Chen Ying, Master Chen's call came through again. Honestly, I didn't want to answer; all he would talk about was that umbrella issue. However, after speaking with Chen Ying, my view of Master Chen had slightly changed. To raise such an optimistic and kind daughter meant that Master Chen must have some redeeming qualities as well.
I pressed the answer button, and Master Chen immediately said, "Two hundred thousand to rent the Soul-keeping Umbrella for forty-nine days. I'll give you three days to think about it."
Before I could respond, he hung up the phone. There was a hint of coercion in his tone, but I shook my head and didn't take his words seriously. In fact, it was somewhat of a relief for me. At least for these three days, he wouldn't disturb me. After three days, he would surely have other means, but by then I would have already met with Chen Ying. I believed that once Chen Ying understood the situation, she would find a way to stop Master Chen.
This matter seemed to be taking shape. I had never encountered such a convoluted situation before; it felt like my brain was struggling to keep up. So after dinner, I went to my study to play some computer games to relax. I was playing a very popular competitive game from recent years, but I had some shortcomings in gaming talent, so I often got criticized by my teammates—this time was no exception.
As I played, I heard Liu Bi's gleeful whispering behind me. Turning around, I saw Liu Bi and Old Zhang standing there. Liu Bi had a playful grin on his face while Old Zhang remained expressionless.
My study wasn't large, and suddenly having two more people made it feel cramped. It felt awkward to have two ghosts watching me play a game. Ignoring them, I turned back to the screen. Liu Bi chirped beside me, "Bro, they're all cursing you! Why don't you curse back?"
I replied that I was there to play games, not to argue.
Old Zhang spoke up quietly, "Master Liu, has there been any progress with my daughter's situation?" His voice was low, as if he hesitated to ask but couldn't help himself.
While focusing on the game, I reassured him, "Don't worry, Old Zhang. It's precisely because there's progress that I'm in the mood to play games. For the next few days, don't go anywhere or seek out Master Chen; just wait at home for news."
Liu Bi chimed in, "Exactly! Old Zhang, I'll help out; you just stay in the umbrella for a few more days. Once we retrieve your daughter's soul, my brother will send you both down."
I continued, "You don't need to help for now; I've thought of a more peaceful solution. Focus on your own matters. By the way, I noticed you weren't very happy earlier—if there's anything you need help with, just let me know."
Liu Bi paused before saying, "It's nothing you can help with right now; this matter is still uncertain. I'll see if there's any chance left. If not, I might need your assistance later."
I nodded and didn't press further; some things were better left unclear. I urged Liu Bi to leave so he wouldn't distract me from my game. Liu Bi laughed heartily and said, "What you're doing isn't playing; you're just asking for insults!"
"Good things are hard to come by; why do you care? Just get lost," I joked back.
"Alright then, I'll go handle my business," he said before feeling a chill pass by me. When I turned around again, both ghosts who had been standing behind me were gone; Old Zhang must have returned to the umbrella to continue nourishing his soul.
...
The next morning around nine o'clock, I received a call from Chen Ying. She said she was on the High-Speed Rail and would arrive at Guangzhou South in half an hour. I told her I'd head over right away and instructed her to wait by the roadside at the south parking lot while providing her with my car's color and license plate number. She chuckled and said, "The world is truly wonderful; there's someone here to pick me up."
After hanging up the phone and tidying up a bit, I went to South Station. After waiting for more than ten minutes by the roadside in the south parking lot, a girl in a bright red coat knocked on my car window.
I rolled down the window and she smiled while shaking her hand holding a question mark sign: "Is it you?"
I asked in confusion, "Are you Chen Ying?" The reason for my confusion was that she looked nothing like Master Chen; there was not a trace of him in her appearance.
"Yes, it's me. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting," she replied, still smiling, though her complexion seemed a bit off. Despite wearing light makeup, it couldn't hide the sickly pallor on her face.
I unlocked the car and said, "It's fine, I just arrived as well. How was Ocean Park? Was it fun?"
"Yeah, it's beautiful! I'll show you the photos I took later," she said proudly while fastening her seatbelt, completely unfazed by any awkwardness.
I started the car and said, "Great! It's still early; let's go have some dim sum."
"Sure! I'm actually a bit hungry. It's nice to be back in Guangzhou and have a Handsome Guy treat me to dim sum," she said with a grin.
I felt my face flush and focused on driving. I always got shy when girls complimented me directly; I was quite bashful about it.
Thank you all for your support of Soul Sending and the Soul Sending Crown. Good night, everyone, and thank you for your votes. Your efforts are appreciated.
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