FI CH25.2: Forceful Intervention!

Xuenima marveled: [What an amazing line of thought!]

Lin Su paused for a moment. “I suppose so.” A true love fan.

“Then how did he find me?”

“I showed him your portrait.”

As Lin Su spoke, he took it out. He Zhenling didn’t have time to stop him, and the portrait made its reappearance: ..●皿●..

Ghost, “…”

Ghost: ●皿●!

He held the drawing paper and studied it for a long while. “He can recognize me even from this? How did he recognize me? By default?”

Lin Su looked at him for a few seconds and shook his head. “No.”

The ghost looked up. “Hmm?”

The so-called childhood sweethearts wither, the bamboo horse grows old.

“It’s just that he hopes every ghost he meets from now on will be you.”

Having recognized this ghost as Shen Qiu, Lu Yanzhou prepared to take him home first. He could open his yin-yang eyes, so communication wouldn’t be a problem.

It was just that now, although the soul was found, he still had no lifespan.

“Mr. Lin,” Lu Yanzhou pleaded, “I, Lu, am unworthy of the title of Lu family head. My skills are not refined. I ask for your guidance, sir. How can I save Ah Qiu?”

Xuenima shook its head: [It’s not that he’s not refined, it’s that you are too inhuman.]

Lin Su ignored this remark, which could be taken as praise or criticism, and said, “A person who is already alive cannot be forcibly traded with again to take his life. I will find another way for this matter.”

As he spoke, he glanced out of the corner of his eye at White Impermanence, who was still partying not far away.

The latter seemed to sense something, and his back froze for a moment.

Lin Su retracted his gaze. “You can take the person… ghost, back first.”

Lu Yanzhou said solemnly, “Thank you, Mr. Lin.” He then called to Shen Qiu, “Shall we go home first?”

“Eh?” Shen Qiu said shyly, “Going home with a man I just met, that’s too forward…”

As he spoke, his body honestly floated over.

Lin Su, “…”

The two figures gradually receded into the distance.

Lin Su said to He Zhenling, “You see, I told you he was an indecent ghost.”

He Zhenling sneered, “Better than someone who sends me harassing text messages.”

Lin Su turned his head nonchalantly. “The boundaries of your chat are getting a little out of line, Xiao He.”

He Zhenling said calmly, “You still know about boundaries? I thought you started at 18.”

“I’m only 17 this year. Teacher He, don’t talk nonsense.”

The breathing beside him seemed to pause slightly. Then, “…Heh!”

…

Shen Qiu was fine for the time being.

What remained was the foreman’s situation.

After returning, Lin Su went directly to Sanqingyan and knocked on the foreman’s door. The person who opened the door was the foreman’s wife. She was stunned when she saw him, her expression slightly tightening.
“…Little sir?”

Xuenima: [Last time she saw you, she still called you “Master.”]

Lin Su said: They probably also have a one-master-per-household system.

He got straight to the point. “I’m here to see the person.”

“Eh… okay.” The foreman’s wife stepped aside and let him in.

Upon entering, he found them having dinner.

The foreman was holding a steamed bun in his hand. Seeing him come in, he stopped and glanced over. “Who is this?”

He had no knowledge of what happened during his coma.

His wife said, “He’s a Feng Shui master from Xuncheng, who also came to help.”

Hearing “Xuncheng,” the foreman’s brow furrowed. “What’s the matter?”

Lin Su glanced at his ‘bazi’.

It had indeed been altered. The Huicheng Association had forcibly torn up the contract and returned his lifespan. Although this was also “helping someone,” it came at no cost—

Where in the world is there such a cheap thing?

He said, “The ghost you traded with was not a malevolent ghost. You forcibly tore up the contract and need to make offerings to him for 10 years to accumulate merit and repay the debt.”

The foreman’s wife was shocked. “10 years? Wasn’t it already resolved?”

“You made the transaction knowingly, and then you backed out. Forcing a sale and forcing a return can easily lead to backlash.”

“Nonsense!”

The foreman slammed the table excitedly. “The master from Huicheng already said it’s over. I’m alive and kicking now, perfectly fine, and you suddenly come here talking about making offerings for 10 years. Bullshit! I don’t owe that ghost anything.”

The foreman’s wife said “Eh” to stop him.

Then she said to Lin Su, “That’s right, little sir. They said it was all resolved over there. The ghost has been sealed, and will never do evil again.”

Lin Su raised an eyebrow, a half-smile on his face. “Do evil?”

Seeing that the person was about to say more, he said directly, “That ghost could have taken your life.”

He could have even killed those people from Huicheng if he wanted to.

It was only because he always remembered not to become a malevolent ghost that Shen Qiu never truly made a move.

The foreman was a little intimidated by his words, then waved his hand. “Anyway, it’s impossible! To make offerings to a ghost in my house for 10 years—” He suddenly looked sideways, suspiciously.
“You’re not trying to take this opportunity to extort money, are you?”

Lin Su shook his head. “If you want to think that, there’s nothing I can do.”

Foreman, “…”

Foreman’s wife, “…”

Xuenima commented softly: [That sentence is indeed quite infuriating.]

Having said all he had to say, Lin Su turned and left.

The foreman’s wife hesitated for a moment, probably thinking of how he had saved them last time, and chased after him:
“Little sir, don’t take offense. It’s just that 10 years… that’s too long!”

Lin Su turned his head and looked at her. “Which is more important, your life or your money? Come find me after you’ve thought it through.”

With that, he left.

Back home, Lin Su sent another message to Meng Yuanping, saying he would take over the Sanqingyan matter and asking him to inform the Huicheng side as well.

Meng Yuanping’s call came quickly.

“Little friend Lin, wasn’t this matter said to be resolved?”

“It’s not that simple.”

It was inconvenient to reveal Shen Qiu’s identity.

Lin Su only said, “I will find a way to wrap things up.” He paused. “I’m kindly advising them not to interfere anymore.”

Now that he had just found his lover, Lu Yanzhou hadn’t had time to pursue the matter. It might not be the case later.

Meng Yuanping sighed. “Sigh, they’re even planning to hold a commendation meeting. I’m afraid they won’t pay any heed.”

Lin Su said gently, “Then tell them that success will be like Da Yu.”

“?”

“Passing his home three times without entering.”

“…”

After a long while, Meng Yuanping replied with a difficult “Okay” and hung up the phone.

This had been a long and dusty journey.

After hanging up, Lin Su went to take a shower. When he came out and casually wrapped his outer robe around him, he saw a reply had come.

Meng Yuanping sent a series of ellipses, along with a screenshot of the other party’s reply:
“Getting anxious?”
“We each do our own thing, each according to our ability.”

“…”

Xuenima, while drying his hair, let out a “heh heh”: [Arrogant and conceited, a petty person enjoying success.]

Lin Su looked up in admiration. “Rare for you to use an idiom correctly.”

[…What are you going to do?]

He turned off his phone, peacefully. “As they wish, then we’ll each do our own thing.”

…

The live stream of the commendation meeting was on Wednesday at noon.

Lin Su, as usual, sent a message to He Zhenling: “Wednesday noon, come to my residence for a gathering.”

He received a series of default ellipses in reply.

He then gave Lu Yanzhou a heads-up, saying there was a live stream in Huicheng and asking him to pay some attention.

After doing all this, he waited peacefully for Wednesday to arrive.

Soon, the day of the live stream arrived.

Lin Su took advantage of his lunch break to return to his apartment. He had told He Zhenling to just come in when he arrived. With his level of authority, he didn’t need a key anyway.

He returned to his apartment and pushed open the door.

A lively sound instantly rushed out of the living room—

“Gagagagagaga…”

“Don’t be shy, you guys have some of this too!”

“…?”

Lin Su’s gaze slightly hardened, and he walked in.

As soon as he reached the living room doorway, he saw a row of people sitting neatly inside.

Shen Qiu was sitting a little shyly on the sofa. Lu Yanzhou held his hand and nodded politely to Lin Su; He Zhenling sat on the side, his long legs crossed, leaning back coldly; and on the other side, White and Black Impermanence were tearing open a bag of Oreos as if they owned the place, letting out bursts of happy cackles.

…

In the not-so-large living room, he actually saw four words: the myriad states of all living beings.

He looked with a fixed gaze. “So the real Tongfu Inn is here.”

He Zhenling, “…”

Lin Su looked at the uninvited Black and White Impermanence. “Never mind them, why are you two here too? On annual leave again?”

Black and White Impermanence held their snacks and looked at him without speaking, just chewing.

Shen Qiu said shyly, “I told Seventh Lord there was a live stream, and Seventh Lord told Eighth Lord, and then they invited us together to be guests at your house, sir…”

Black and White Imperman-ence looked at him, and while chewing, patted the seat beside them. “What are you standing there for? Hurry up and sit.”

Lin Su, “…”

He took a deep breath. “Forget it.”

Then, following the principle of pairing up, he sat down next to He Zhenling. The person beside him glanced at him.

Lin Su looked back. “What are you looking at me for? Project the live stream.”

He Zhenling cast another deep glance, then took out his phone and skillfully projected a screen in front of them.

The living room was quiet for a moment, then a soft gasp was heard.

A light and airy voice came:
“…I knew it.”

Lin Su shook his head and sighed. “Everyone is overthinking.”

“Heh…”

The projection was quickly set up.

At this moment, the live stream had just begun.

The background was a plaza of the Huicheng branch. A stage had been set up at the front, with a banner for the “Commendation Ceremony” hung up with great fanfare.

A large wave of barrage comments flooded in:
—Here!
—I heard the Sanqingyan incident has been resolved.
—Master of Huicheng is awesome!
—It was hyped up to be so mysterious back then, I thought it was really unsolvable.

As the barrage scrolled past, the president of the Huicheng branch, Fang Ling, went on stage.

He signaled after going on stage and began to speak:
“I believe everyone is focused on this live stream because of their concern for the Sanqingyan matter. This matter has had its twists and turns, and in the middle, we have also experienced many misunderstandings and criticisms. These matters among peers… let’s not say more.”

Lin Su’s brow twitched slightly.

The barrage indeed followed:
—Peer competition???
—The water in the Tianshi Association is that deep too?
—He’s talking about the Xuncheng branch, right? They couldn’t handle this matter and kept saying they couldn’t manage it. [eating melon]
—Slap in the face, isn’t it resolved now?

Perhaps because the facts were right in front of them, the barrage was once again one-sided. Among the uniform comments, only a single “Hehe” floated by.

Lin Su caught a glimpse of it. Xuenima: [I guess Ge Lili sent that.]

“Be bold, maybe it’s President Meng.”

[Then President Meng is quite bold.]

In the span of a few words, the live stream was still going on.

By now, Cui Zhen had already gone on stage. Du Fan, as an assistant, also went on stage to clear his name.

As soon as the two appeared, Shen Qiu let out a low cry. “…Ah! It was them who sealed me in my little money jar.”

The coldness in Lu Yanzhou’s eyes was almost visible to the naked eye.

Probably for fear of scaring the ghost, he didn’t act out. He just patted him comfortingly and said, “It’s alright now.”

Lin Su glanced over and continued to watch the projected live stream.

The midday sun was at its peak.

Cui Zhen and the other stood on stage, and Fang Ling was presenting them with medals. The Tianshi certificate was once again hanging on his chest, its golden light shining brightly, very eye-catching.

Cui Zhen waved his hand humbly. “It’s nothing. Punishing evil ghosts and helping the people are all just small efforts, as it should be.”

Barrage:
—Awesome!
—Putting aside the previous mistakes, this is professional ethics.

Lin Su’s gaze fell on the words “ethics.”

A soft laugh suddenly came from in front of him. He looked up and saw He Zhenling turning to him, his voice low.
“They charged 120,000.”

“…” Lin Su: !

He glanced at the foreman who was preparing to go on stage to present the award. After a long moment, his lips moved, his words difficult to form.
“This is truly toiling for the sweetness of others.”

“…”

He Zhenling’s eyelashes were lowered, noncommittal.

Accompanied by rousing and uplifting background music, the foreman walked up, holding a silk banner with two bold lines of characters: “All wishes granted as I desired, boundless merits and thanks for divine grace.”

The barrage was also on fire: Pay respects to the master!

The person was already right in front of them.

A pen suddenly appeared in Lin Su’s hand. “They said we should each do our own thing.”

He Zhenling turned his head, and the gazes in the living room also followed.

As Lin Su spoke, he flipped open the Book of Fate with a swoosh.

A touch of light gold flowed in his eyes. He raised his hand, and the pen fell.

In an instant.

Fate was set in place—

Almost simultaneously, a clamor arose on the screen.

The foreman, who was just about to hand over the silk banner, suddenly turned pale and fell to the ground with a thud! He raised his hand to his neck, gasping for air. “Heh… ugh!”

The foreman’s wife let out a scream.

The scene and the barrage instantly descended into chaos:
—What happened!?
—So suddenly, it’s like he’s possessed. [shocked]
—Didn’t they say it was already resolved? Why did something happen???

In the midst of the chaos, a team of people suddenly rushed onto the scene. They were dressed in the uniforms of the Surveillance Association, their outer robes fluttering in the wind. A somewhat familiar female Tianshi strode onto the stage in long boots.

Lin Su blinked slightly and turned his head.

He Zhenling had one hand on his Tang knife, his profile cold as he spoke. “Since there was an ‘accident’ during the live stream…”

On the screen, a loud voice pierced through the scene:
“Now, the Surveillance Association intervenes!”

__

Author’s note:
Lin Su: Xiao He is even secretly preparing Easter eggs behind my back… (squinting)
*
Shen Qiu: ●皿● Oh!
Lu Yanzhou: Gloomily brewing…
*To avoid confusion for some darlings, the previously mentioned “underworld messengers do not reveal their true form” means they don’t do it proactively. If they are seen passively, there’s nothing they can do about it ╮(￣▽￣)╭