FI CH25.1: Forceful Intervention!

The portrait was handed over.

Lu Yanzhou held the drawing paper in one hand, seemingly frozen.

Lin Su pondered for a moment, took the pen from He Zhenling’s hand, and added two teardrops. “If this was how he looked before he died, it should be like this.”

On the drawing paper: ..●皿●..

The hand holding the drawing paper suddenly tightened.

Lu Yanzhou stared at the portrait, his eyes slowly turning red. “These big, dark eyes… this tendency to cry… could it be… my Ah Qiu?”

He looked up eagerly. “Where did you see him!”

The two of them, “…”

He recognized him!

Lin Su turned his head and whispered to He Zhenling, “See, my drawing is quite evocative, isn’t it?”

After speaking, he said to Lu Yanzhou, “We met a ghost asking for help in Sanqingyan, Xuncheng. He has incomplete memories right now, so I’m not sure if he is your Ah Qiu.”

“Incomplete memories—”

Lu Yanzhou shot up!

But he couldn’t get up.

He fell back into his seat with a thud.

He was dazed for a few seconds, then regained his composure and asked, “You said he was asking for help. Is he not doing well?”

Lin Su thought for a moment and answered truthfully, “He signed a life-buying contract with someone, but it was torn up. The Feng Shui master on the other side planned to seal him in a jar and scatter his soul…”

Before he could finish, a “crack” was heard from the other side.

The knuckles of that pale, thin hand were prominent, and a crack had been forcefully made on the armrest of the seat. Lu Yanzhou’s face was pale, making his eyes look even redder. His chest heaved, and his knuckles trembled slightly.

A disciple beside him stepped forward. “…Sir!”

Lu Yanzhou seemed to compose himself for a few moments, then raised a hand and said hoarsely, “It’s nothing.”

“But,” Lin Su added, “he’s temporarily staying at my friend’s house now, so there’s no danger.”

Lu Yanzhou breathed a sigh of relief, then a hint of anxiety emerged.

He was clearly the head of the Lu family in his early thirties, yet at this moment, he seemed like a young man in his twenties.

“I beg you two, let me see him today. I want to know if that is my Ah Qiu.”

Lin Su nodded. “Okay.”

He Zhenling, beside him, said nothing, implying his consent.

Lu Yanzhou glanced at He Zhenling, then at Lin Su, seemingly surprised that the latter was the one in charge. But he didn’t show any strange expression, only respectfully thanking them.
—After all, when he took the position of family head with a frail body, he knew better than anyone not to underestimate anyone who seemed weak.

“Thank you, Mr. Lin. Then we…”

Lu Yanzhou paused and looked at the disciple beside him. “Have the two of them stay for dinner, then we’ll set off.”

With that, he gave a greeting and hurried back to pack.

After the person left, only Lin Su, He Zhenling, and that disciple remained in the hall.

The three of them looked at each other, and it was quiet for a moment.

Lin Su was the first to speak. “Is it convenient for me to ask something?”

The disciple was silent for a moment, then said with a bitter smile, “Actually… it’s not a secret. You can ask whatever you want.”

Lin Su said expectantly, “The Lu family’s dinner, is it delicious?”

“…” Disciple: ?

…

The disciple also left soon after.

He Zhenling gave him a meaningful look.

Lin Su pulled over a chair and sat down, leaning back with one leg crossed. A sliver of his fair ankle was exposed. He held a cup of tea and said seriously,
“There’s nothing much to ask. I can see everything.”

Fate can be deceptive, but it can be discerned at a glance.

He Zhenling also sat down. “Then when you spoke halfway earlier, wasn’t it to see his reaction?”

“I was testing how sincere he was.”

“And what was the result of the test?”

Lin Su praised, “He loves him so much… but think about it, he could even recognize that kind of portrait.”

There was a moment of silence. He Zhenling looked over:
“…You also know it’s that kind of portrait.”

“…”

Lin Su looked straight at him. “Saying that proves you know too.”

The two looked at each other for a few seconds.

An unspoken understanding quietly spread between them. Then Lin Su turned his head away. “But the two drops of water I sprinkled were quite evocative.”

He Zhenling’s throat moved. “The black eyes I drew were not bad either.”

There was still some time before dinner.

The two did not have the clan disciples accompany them. At this moment, only the two of them were sitting in the hall, with Xuenima curled up on Lin Su’s head.

He Zhenling asked, “So what’s the deal with the Lu family?”

Lin Su was quiet for a moment, then said, “Lu Yanzhou and Shen Qiu met when they were in their teens. They were childhood sweethearts. About seven or eight years ago, Shen Qiu passed away unexpectedly, but for a Feng Shui family like this… there are always ways. Lu Yanzhou sacrificed his own lifespan to keep his lover’s soul in the mortal world.”

A head drooped from above: [Then why did the person still die?]

A hand patted the dazzling Xuenima back.

“At that time, unfortunately, it coincided with the Lu family’s internal strife. Someone tampered with things, and Shen Qiu’s soul failed to return to his body.”

“Subsequently, the Lu family went through a major reshuffle, and the young Lu Yanzhou unexpectedly became the family head.”

“Body?” He Zhenling’s brow twitched slightly, catching the key point. “Shen Qiu’s body is still preserved?”

Lin Su nodded. “The soul was not successfully summoned back, but Lu Yanzhou must have always believed that the soul was still somewhere, and has preserved the body to this day. He has lit the soul-guiding lamp for seven years. As long as Shen Qiu’s soul is still there, one day he will find his way home.”

After he spoke, they were both somewhat silent.

If that ghost was Shen Qiu…

That was truly a twist of fate.

He had lost his memory, didn’t know who he was, and didn’t know that the lamp was lit for him.

No wonder Lu Yanzhou was so失态 earlier.

In the long silence, Lin Su sighed softly:
“This incident tells us that whether you’re a human or a ghost, you shouldn’t be too thin-skinned. If you see a soul-guiding lamp that no one wants, you can go.”

What if you discover that you belong here!

“…”

The tea lid was set down with a soft click.

He Zhenling commented calmly, “Then from now on, the soul-guiding lamp should just be renamed Tongfu Inn.”

Lin Su, “…”

Xuenima: […]

He turned his head slightly and said in his consciousness: See, I told you he’s very humorous.

[Heh heh, you two are both quite witty.]

…

Before long, the Lu family had prepared dinner.

Lu Yanzhou accompanied them for the meal.

At the dinner table, Lu Yanzhou was preoccupied and didn’t say much. Lin Su took the opportunity to grab a few pieces of butter pastry and quietly stuffed them into the wide sleeve of his outer robe.

Xuenima inside opened its mouth: [Ah—]

“…”

Opposite him, He Zhenling caught the movement, and his eyelid twitched.

After dinner, they got to the main point.

Lu Yanzhou had changed his clothes by now. He looked as elegant as an orchid tree of jade. Even in a wheelchair, his grace was not diminished. He was nervous yet formal, as if he were going to a long-awaited date.

“Shall we set off now?”

Lin Su nodded. “Let’s go.”

With that, he took out a black-jade-colored bamboo pen.

Lu Yanzhou, “?”

Lin Su, “It’s like this. My friend’s identity is a bit special, and the place he lives is also unconventional.” He paused and glanced at the person. “Are you mentally prepared?”

“I’m prepared.”

Lin Su, “Close your eyes.”

Lu Yanzhou vaguely guessed something, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes.

A damp brush swept across his eyelids.

The next moment, the brightly lit hall seemed to darken abruptly, and a yin wind blew through.

When he opened his eyes again, he was in front of an ancient-style mansion gate. White paper lanterns hung on both sides, and a faint blue light seeped through the cracks in the door.

Even though he was mentally prepared, Lu Yanzhou had to compose himself for a few moments. “This place is—”

Lin Su, “The Underworld.”

Lu Yanzhou’s hand tightened. He was about to raise his hand to knock on the door when he saw He Zhenling also standing to the side. The two in front of him had appeared in the Underworld so naturally.

He was slightly stunned, but didn’t dwell on it, instead turning to look at the door in front of him.

Lin Su reminded him again, “The person you want to see may no longer look like the person you remember.” He took out the portrait. “—He looks like this. Have you thought it through?”

Lu Yanzhou’s gaze fell on it, filled only with pity.

“It’s alright. I’m just afraid he’ll be wronged outside again.”

Lin Su nodded. He then pushed open the main gate.

Swoosh, the door opened—

Bang! A cannon of confetti sprayed him in the face.

Lin Su and He Zhenling quickly retreated. Lu Yanzhou, in his wheelchair, was covered in it.

The courtyard was lit up with disco balls, flashing a dynamic, faint blue light. The surroundings were decorated with lanterns and colored streamers, a sea of joy. White Impermanence held a confetti cannon, partying hard.

“Bilibala, hey! …Eh?”

He stopped abruptly.

A few steps away, a ghost covered in colorful lights also turned around curiously. ?

Lu Yanzhou, “…”

He was silent for a moment, then picked off the confetti streamers one by one, patiently saying, “It’s alright, it’s alright…”

Lin Su, “…”

He Zhenling, “…”

White Impermanence put away the confetti cannon and regained his elegance. “…Eh, it’s not Eighth Lord who’s back.”

The ghost squinted dirtily.

Lu Yanzhou met his gaze and held his breath. “You…”

There were five or six seconds of silence.

Lin Su couldn’t help it and gently kicked the wheelchair. Thump. The wheelchair slid right up to the ghost—

Lu Yanzhou, “!”

Ghost, “!”

The silence was broken.

Lu Yanzhou’s fingertips trembled. His gaze fell point by point on the skeleton before him. He stared at the two black, empty eye sockets, as if gathering his thoughts before speaking.

“Forgive my forwardness. May I… shake your hand?”

The ghost was dazed and reached out its hand. “Mm.”

The next moment, their fingers intertwined.

Knuckles slotted into the gaps between fingers, rubbing gently, as if confirming something. After a long while, the person slowly turned his face away, like a stone finally landing—

Lu Yanzhou wiped his eyes:
“It is… my Ah Qiu.”

…

Lin Su watched from the doorway and turned his head. “You can tell by touch?”

He Zhenling looked down. “Skeletons are different. Between people who are very familiar, perhaps it’s possible.”

Lin Su hadn’t paid much attention to skeletons.

Hearing this, his gaze fell on the person beside him. Because the inner clothes were close-fitting, the latter’s bone structure and muscle lines were very obvious, firm and smooth. Broad shoulders, narrow waist, hip bones…

As his gaze slid over, the knuckles of the hand hanging at his side seemed to curl slightly.

A deep voice came from above. “…What are you looking at?”

“Your proud bones.”

“…”

He Zhenling tugged at the corner of his lip and turned his head away. “Heh.”

As he turned his head, the ghost floated over and called out in a small voice, “Sir.”

Lin Su turned his head. “?”

A quick glance showed White Impermanence talking to Lu Yanzhou about something.

The ghost seemed a little shy. “That handsome man, does he know me?”

Yes, he’s your lover.

Lin Su didn’t speak, just nodded.

The bones in front of him turned a little pink. The ghost whispered again, “He’s not my fan, is he? He shook my hand and was so emotional he cried.”

Lin Su, “…”