FI Ch7: Boomerang!

He Zhenling’s business card was boldly displayed on the table.

With a black background and silver trim, the bold characters “President of the Survalliance Association” were forceful and intimidating.

Ge Lili was stunned. Shu Yang was stunned. Even the gaze outside the door, waiting to watch the drama unfold, seemed frozen.

Meng Yuanping was momentarily taken aback and then carefully reexamined the young man before him. “May I ask your surname?”

“Lin Su, Su as in ‘destiny.'”

The surname was “Lin.”

Meng Yuanping silently reflected: Among the prominent Feng Shui families, none seemed to have the surname Lin. Even if there were, no one would dare casually call He Zhenling “Xiao He.”

Lin Su suddenly spoke, “The friend behind the door…”

The room and the hallway fell silent simultaneously. Meng Yuanping frowned slightly and turned toward the door. In the stillness, Lin Su spoke languidly,

“Let me see your hands.”

“……”

At the door, Feng Yin stepped out, a bit embarrassed. “President, I just came to check things out.”

Seeing Meng Yuanping’s furrowed brow deepen, he hastily added, “…To see if I misunderstood something.” As he spoke, Feng Yin glanced at Lin Su, offering a sheepish smile and looking quite deferential.

“I didn’t expect such an esteemed guest from President He’s side. Since Minister Ge brought you in, and I hadn’t been notified… it was a misunderstanding, my apologies.”

Lin Su maintained an expressionless face and said in his mind, “I was wrong. He’s not Cola.”

Xue Nima chimed in: [He’s tea.]

After Feng Yin finished speaking, Meng Yuanping fell into a thoughtful silence.

A mere business card alone indeed couldn’t confirm much.

He picked up his phone and said to Lin Su, “Forgive me for the slight. I’ll call President He to apologize.”

Lin Su’s eye twitched as he turned his gaze sideways.

Letting you make that call? Over my dead body!

Feng Yin held his breath, a hint of anticipation hidden in his eyes.

As Meng Yuanping was about to dial, Lin Su stopped him with one hand and shook his head. “It’s the weekend—his personal time. Xiao He usually doesn’t take calls from outsiders. Let me make the call instead.”

Saying so, he opened WeChat and dialed.

Several gazes locked on him as the dial tone rang twice before the call connected. Before the person on the other end could speak, Lin Su had already begun smoothly.

“Hello, Xiao He.”

“……” He Zhenling: ?

Lin Su was all smiles, “I’ve already arrived at the Heavenly Master Survelliance Association, and President Meng is right beside me. What? Oh, I’m not tired. Didn’t you send Lao Zhang to bring me over?”

[…] Xue Nima: [Who’s Lao Zhang?]

Lin Su maintained his smile: “In this narrative, he’s He Zhenling’s driver.”

The receiver remained silent for two seconds.

Then, He Zhenling’s calm and composed voice finally came through, “I see. As long as you’ve arrived.”

Recognizing the voice, Meng Yuanping’s heart finally settled. He greeted through the receiver, “President He, long time no see. I wasn’t informed about your distinguished guest’s visit earlier. Please pardon my negligence.”

“It’s because we didn’t want to make a big fuss and trouble President Meng in advance.”

The two exchanged polite pleasantries.

Even Lin Su hadn’t expected He Zhenling to be so cooperative—cooperative to the point of perfection. As the call ended, Lin Su felt a hint of guilt, his tone softening slightly.

“Alright, you carry on. I’m hanging up now.”

“Okay.”

Once the call ended, Meng Yuanping’s attitude had already shifted.

From the moment He Zhenling spoke, Feng Yin’s hopes had completely died. Now, his face flushed as he pressed himself against the wall, trying to minimize his presence.

“Xiao Lin, what brings you here this time?”

“To apply for a Heavenly Master certificate. My previous one was canceled.”

Meng Yuanping knew better than to pry further and simply turned to Shu Yang, instructing him to prepare the documents. While they were busy, Lin Su took the opportunity to send He Zhenling a WeChat message:

Lin Su Wakes Naturally: [Thank you, Inspector He. (Shy emoji)]

Zhenling: [No need. Thank Lao Zhang instead.]

Lin Su: “……”

He closed his phone and went on to complete the forms.

Certificates weren’t issued immediately. The process would take three to five days. Once Lin Su finished the paperwork, he prepared to leave, accompanied to the door by Meng Yuanping and Ge Lili.

Meng Yuanping said, “In the future, if you need anything, Xiao Lin, feel free to contact me directly.”

Lin Su didn’t refuse. “Thank you, President Meng.”

They walked toward the door together.

On the other side, Feng Yin clung to the wall, desperately hoping to remain unnoticed. Just as they were about to step out, Lin Su suddenly stopped.

He turned around and kindly called out, “Come with us.”

Feng Yin: “………”

Meng Yuanping’s gaze fell on him.

His brows furrowed. Today’s events were clear as day to him. Recalling past incidents, Meng Yuanping remarked,

“You’ve been too restless lately. Coincidentally, a warehouse is being built in the northern suburbs. Go there and settle your mind.”

Feng Yin’s face alternated between pale and flushed.

Meng Yuanping didn’t bother with him further and stepped out the door.

Lin Su followed closely behind.

After walking a few steps, he suddenly asked, “Is the northern suburbs location President Meng mentioned near Sanqing Dam?”

Meng Yuanping glanced at him in surprise. “Yes.”

Lin Su’s outer garment fluttered lightly in the wind. Looking ahead, he said, “Just a small suggestion: It’s best to fill in the well at the village entrance, change the village gate to face east, and if anything is dug up three miles north, deal with it immediately.”

The bright sunlight filtered through the trees, casting dappled green shadows.

For a brief moment, Meng Yuanping felt a chill down his spine.

He quickly regained his composure and nodded seriously at Lin Su. “I’ll have someone check it out. Thank you for the reminder.”

They didn’t speak further. In his consciousness, Xu Nima commented:

[Are you currying favor with President Meng?]

“Not entirely.”

Lin Su squinted, savoring the warm sun brushing against his eyelids. “Connections like He Zhenling’s might earn me a little leniency, but I still need to demonstrate some competence at the right moment.”

Xue Nima understood: [This is what they call a balance of grace and authority!]

“…”

Lin Su suggested, “Maybe when I’m at school, you could occasionally sit in on Chinese class?”

[…Heh heh.]

—

The weekend passed, and Monday arrived.

A gym class had just ended.

The afternoon sun was blazing, and students huddled in groups under the shade of trees, seeking refuge from the heat.

Lin Su, dressed in a short-sleeved athletic shirt and shorts, took a sip of mineral water. His bangs were slightly damp with sweat, and the arm he raised glistened starkly in the sunlight.

Chen You, standing nearby, couldn’t help but glance over. “It feels like lightning flashing in my peripheral vision. You’re ridiculously pale.”

As he spoke, he reached out to compare their skin tones but accidentally brushed against Lin Su’s arm. Chen You froze.

“Why is your skin so cold?”

Lin Su calmly lowered his hand and closed his eyes. “I’m at peace.”

“…”

[Your body still hasn’t fully recovered.] Xue Nima chimed in.

Although Lin Su no longer felt constantly drowsy, his body temperature remained abnormally low. If he ever exerted significant mental effort, he might fall asleep on the spot.

Lin Su was nonchalant. “There haven’t been any new orders recently anyway.”

Xue Nima began strategizing: [We could post QR codes around town. Maybe that’ll attract—]

“City inspectors and the police.”

[…]

As they spoke, the class’s publicity officer returned from the mailroom on the other side of the field, carrying a stack of letters. “Come on, everyone, time to pick up your mail!”

The officer started calling out names one by one.

Lin Su was about to head back to the classroom when he heard, “Lin Su—”

“?”

He turned around. Who would send him a letter?

The publicity officer had already handed him the envelope.

A pristine white envelope, its front addressed in printed characters. Lin Su narrowed his eyes slightly and stepped aside to open it.

He didn’t need to read the content; the emblem at the bottom was all too familiar.

“A letter of invitation from the Qi family.”

Xue Nima’s tone turned frosty: [Judging by the darkened seal, this letter reeks of bad luck. Burn it and pretend you never saw it.]

Lin Su folded the letter. “Why burn it? Didn’t you just say I’m low on mental energy?” He looked up at the bright midday sun.

“Time to eat, Nima.”

…

It seemed that after He Zhenling had dealt with the loose ends, the Qi family switched from hard tactics to soft ones.

Lin Su sent a message to He Zhenling, informing him of the development.

He quickly received a reply.

Zhenling: [I’ll visit you tonight.]

Zhenling: [At your residence.]

Lin Su: “…”

Xue Nima leaned over: [His weapon isn’t a Tang sword; it’s a boomerang.]

Lin Su calmly turned off his phone. “At his level, a bit of versatility is to be expected.”

At precisely 8 p.m., He Zhenling arrived.

It wasn’t too early or too late—a perfectly timed visit, giving Lin Su enough time to shower and tidy up, ensuring everything was in proper order.

As always, He Zhenling was impeccably dressed. His high collar wrapped up to his Adam’s apple, concealing the skin below, leaving only faint outlines of his contours.

Their gazes met briefly, but He Zhenling’s eyes remained indifferent.

In his consciousness, Lin Su asked, “…I don’t think I’ve done anything today, have I?”

Xue Nima reminded him: [Xiao He.]

Lin Su sipped his tea nonchalantly and raised his hand as if nothing had happened. “Inspector He, please have a seat.”

Fortunately, He Zhenling wasn’t one to harp on minor issues.

After a brief glance, he sat down and got straight to the point. “Are you determined to attend the Qi family’s event?”

“Of course.”

“Why?”

It wasn’t an interrogation—more like a consultation. Lin Su replied, “I want to know why they’re so fixated on me.”

There was a moment of silence before He Zhenling spoke. “Take me with you.”

Lin Su glanced at him. “?”

He Zhenling said, “I don’t feel at ease letting you go alone.”

The hand holding the teacup trembled! Lin Su was so startled he looked up: …Damn, is He Zhenling the kind of person to say something like this?

He steadied his emotions and was about to respond when He Zhenling continued, “The Qi family branch in question is already in decline. If something unexpected happens and you wipe them out…”

Lin Su: “…”

So it wasn’t that he was worried about him, but about the other party!!

His gaze sharpened slightly.

After finishing his sentence, He Zhenling sipped his tea, his long eyelashes lowered, hiding the color of his irises. Lin Su’s gaze paused suddenly. Was it an illusion? At the moment he lifted his hand, did He Zhenling’s lips curve ever so slightly?

The soft clink of the tea cup being set down pulled him from his thoughts.

He Zhenling had already changed the topic. “The invitation came from a branch family of the Qi clan in Li City. You’ll need to have your guardian excuse you from school… Since you’ve enrolled, you should have a guardian, right?”

As the words fell, both Lin Su and Xue Nima fell silent.

“What’s wrong?” He Zhenling asked.

Lin Su pursed his lips and asked internally: Nima, what do you think?

[To avoid surprises in the future, I think you should give him a heads-up.]

Lin Su cleared his throat, sat up a little straighter, and reached out to tap the air. A ball of white-glowing spiritual essence slowly manifested in front of He Zhenling.

“Let me introduce you—this is my spiritual essence, Xue Nima. You can also call it… A-Ma.”

Xue Nima took the form of a middle-aged man.

“…”

He Zhenling’s brow twitched as he swallowed back the auspicious greetings that had almost slipped out.

After a moment, he pieced the information together and looked at the spirit that bore some resemblance to Lin Su. “So when you registered for school, it pretended to be your… father.”

Lin Su said, “Equality between men and women—it could also be my mom.”

Xue Nima’s form instantly shifted, donning a flowing long dress.

Lin Su added, “It changes depending on the occasion.”

He Zhenling closed his eyes for a second, then reopened them, his expression impressively composed. “Got it. Let… your esteemed parent take their leave for now.”

Lin Su nodded, and the spiritual essence vanished instantly.

The room returned to just the two of them.

The faint scent of tea filled the quiet living room, evoking an unusual sense of peace.

He Zhenling rose to leave. “When do you plan to set off?”

“Tomorrow. I’ll request leave from school in the morning and depart in the afternoon.”

For Lin Su, being a student was just a cover; being a heavenly master was his real profession.

He Zhenling nodded. “Alright.”

—

The next day, Lin Su secured a few days of sick leave.

He didn’t have much to pack—just two sets of clothes, his magical tools, and a few talismans.

He stuffed everything into his backpack and left.

[How are we getting there?] Xue Nima asked.

Lin Su corrected, “How am I getting there. You’re staying in my consciousness and being transported as cargo.”

[I could also transform into your parent and go with you.]

The elevator chimed and the doors slid open.

Lin Su stepped out of the apartment, elegantly dressed, as he pinched the rebellious spiritual essence in his hand.

Xue Nima squeaked in protest: [Unfilial brat!]

Lin Su replied, “You’ve already lost yourself in your cosplay.”

They were bickering back and forth when a car slowly pulled up nearby and stopped in front of Lin Su. Its sleek black body gleamed, reflecting the light in smooth arcs.

Lin Su halted as the car blocked his path, then turned to the side.

The car moved forward slightly and stopped again.

Lin Su paused. “…Nima, someone’s picking a fight.”

Before Xue Nima could respond, the car door opened. A middle-aged man with a friendly face stepped out from the driver’s seat. He was dressed impeccably in formal attire and smiled politely at Lin Su.

Lin Su cautiously asked, “And you are?”

The middle-aged man responded courteously, “According to the script, sir says you may call me… ‘Lao Zhang.'”

“…”