The subway during rush hour was simply unbearable for humans, let alone for Bai spirits.
Even though Bai Wu hid in Lan He’s pocket, he felt like dying from the noisy surroundings. The hedgehog, who enjoyed quiet, felt extremely uncomfortable in such an environment. The subway was crowded, and from time to time, he could feel people bumping into Lan He, even touching his matchbox.
Bai Wu kept making sounds as if he was about to die, letting out intermittent groans of pain.
Lan He suppressed his laughter and stood in a corner with Song Futan. It wasn’t easy for Song Futan to get on the subway either, as he was carrying a sword on his back. Even though it was in a box, the security scanner could still detect it. However, since the sword wasn’t ordinary, he showed proof to the subway staff and they let him in.
Because there were so many people, when Lan He heard a girl’s voice saying, “Did you hear the crying?”, he couldn’t even tell where the sound was coming from, let alone see the person.
Lan He exchanged a glance with Song Futan. Well… If someone had a weak constitution or a rather eerie bone structure, much like him, they would naturally be more prone to hearing these things and could indeed hear Bai Wu’s low sobbing.
Luckily, he always made sure not to let the Bai spirit out carelessly, so even if someone heard it, they wouldn’t be able to see it.
When the girl said it the first time, nothing much happened. But when her companion said she didn’t hear anything, the girl earnestly insisted, “Really… it’s a broken, intermittent crying. It’s so pitiful…”
Given how packed the subway was, quite a few people around them heard and glanced in that direction.
Lan He also glanced over but saw nothing. There were simply too many people. Conversely, the girl couldn’t see Lan He either, but she kept staring in their direction, insisting she heard the crying and wondering why everyone else seemed so confused.
To give Bai Wu a little nudge, Lan He tapped the matchbox in his pocket. Bai Wu immediately started crying louder, sniffling as he said, “I-I’m already trying my best.”
Lan He: “…”
The girl asked her companion in terror, “Did you really not hear that? He said he’s trying, and he’s still crying…”
Her companion was freaked out, “You’re scaring me! Should we just get off?”
The girl panicked, “Let’s go, let’s go.”
They hurriedly got off at the next station, leaving behind some spooked passengers who began whispering. Was this a prank? Or maybe they were secretly filming a prank show? These days, there are quite a few people who do that kind of thing.
A guy standing by the door, seeing the girl with tears in her eyes, couldn’t help but say, “If this were really some vengeful spirit, I can already imagine the story. Maybe it’s someone who worked overtime to death, still crying about how they’ve tried their best, dragging their weary soul to continue working like a corporate slave.”
His girlfriend almost fainted, “Stop it, that’s the saddest ghost story ever!”
Everyone shivered in fear. Wasn’t that both scary and sad…
And because people were getting on and off the subway, the carriage became even more crowded.
Bai Wu was about to scream, and he said to Song Futan, “Can’t you just hold him?”
Song Futan: “…”
When he first got on the subway, he wanted to protect Lan He too, but Lan He, being a guy, casually said it was fine. Now Bai Wu had a request…
Lan He almost died laughing. He scooted closer to Song Futan, who took the opportunity to pull him into an embrace and shielded him from the crowd.
A couple nearby saw this and didn’t want to be outdone, so they quickly hugged each other tightly as well, saying, “Don’t be scared, don’t be scared…”
Lan He: “…”
What’s with couples these days? So competitive!
…And it’s not like he was scared!
By the time Lan He and Song Futan got off the subway, Bai Wu was down to his last sliver of health, but at least he made it out alive.
“You did it! Survived the battlefield on Line 2!” Lan He praised Bai Wu. “Remember, you’re now the pride of Bai Sect, Iron-Blooded Bai Sect!”
Bai Wu: “…………”
Though he wanted to bring glory to Bai Sect, it felt a little embarrassing being praised like this…
But no matter what… Bai Wu sighed softly. After this ordeal, he truly felt a sense of rebirth!
When they arrived at the restaurant, Lan He was already late, and everyone else had arrived.
“Lan He’s here!” Wang Mao, Zhang Qingyou, Shi Xuan, and the other three main creators, five or six people in total, greeted him warmly while glancing at the person following him in.
Song Futan took off his mask.
The originally lively private room instantly fell silent.
That face… even though it’s not often shown in public, it really does look like… Mr. Xuangguang?!
Everyone recalled the rumors they had heard and were dumbfounded.
Wang Mao, who knew more than most, exclaimed, “Whoa, how come Xuangguang is here too?”
He was one of the few who knew that Lan He and Song Futan actually got along quite well and were even collaborating on a project, though the news couldn’t be shared freely just yet.
And even Wang Mao didn’t know the full story…
So, Lan He couldn’t exactly say, “I’m living in the same building as Mr. Xuangguang, on different floors.” He carefully maintained a casual tone, saying, “Yeah, I just happened to run into Mr. Xuangguang coming here alone, so I invited him to join us. The more, the merrier.”
Zhang Qingyou was surprised. “See? I knew the media was just making stuff up. Lan He is such a good-natured person. How could he have beef with Mr. Xuangguang? Seriously, I was afraid to ask you about it earlier because I didn’t want to upset you.”
“No, no, both Mr. Xuangguang and I have clarified this multiple times, but people just think we’re being sarcastic. It’s so frustrating.” Lan He explained. Not just the two of them—Chen Xingyang had even spoken on their behalf, but no one believed it or cared.
No one ever pays attention to clarifications. Even in the final episode of *Beijing Seasonal Chronicles*, where they were shown eating together, people still speculated they were just colleagues pretending to get along, preferring to discuss the rumors about them almost getting into a fight on Miaogan Mountain. Even the director wrapped up the filming half-doubting whether the rumors were true.
Lan He had privately complained to Song Futan, saying that it was all because of Xuangguang’s long-standing public image! He suspected that if they posted a picture of themselves with their arms around each other, netizens would think someone had a gun to their heads.
Zhang Qingyou tried to console him, saying, “It’s always like this. Look at the two of us. My manager even sent me rumors that you pushed me into the water during filming because we didn’t get along.”
Lan He laughed, “I didn’t expect you to find out…”
Zhang Qingyou: “…”
Everyone had a good laugh, joking about how unfair it was that people believed every lie that came out of Director Wang Mao’s mouth.
“I don’t even bother anymore,” Lan He said. “If the wind shifts, people will just say I’m riding coattails.”
“That’s possible,” Wang Mao agreed. “You guys don’t get it. What the masses want isn’t the truth, it’s entertainment…”
“Come on,” Zhang Qingyou interjected, “just wait until the ending airs. Your comment section is going to be on fire.” She teased him, implying he had fooled the entire audience, and they would be coming for him soon.
As they reminisced and chatted, Bai Wu finally crawled out of Lan He’s pocket and squatted quietly near Zhang Qingyou and Shi Xuan’s feet, having his own quiet reunion.
Song Futan, as usual, didn’t talk much, and the others didn’t dare engage him in conversation. Partway through, Song Futan received a call from Song Qiyun and excused himself. Lan He noticed that Shi Xuan, who was sitting beside Song Futan, visibly relaxed, and it made him chuckle.
…
The restroom inside the private room was occupied, so Wang Mao hurried out to use the bathroom. When he returned, just as he was about to close the door, he saw an elderly man walking by. He paused and called out, “Mr. Jiang?”
The old man, Mr. Jiang, stopped for a moment and gave Wang Mao a cold glance.
“You’re dining here too?” Wang Mao, who had had quite a bit to drink, didn’t seem to notice the indifference. He cheerfully invited, “We’re having a little gathering. Want to join us?”
Mr. Jiang glanced into the room, his gaze lingering on the table for a moment, then nodded and strode in. Without saying a word, he grabbed a pig’s trotter and started eating, his teeth tearing at the skin and meat, chewing loudly. He quickly devoured one piece and stuffed another into his mouth.
His wild eating style left everyone exchanging awkward glances.
“Uh…” Wang Mao was also a bit confused. It looked like this guy hadn’t eaten in days, and he was eating with his hands. Wang Mao asked, “Mr. Jiang, how’s your health been lately?”
He had heard that Mr. Jiang hadn’t been out much lately due to health issues. Seeing him now, it seemed he was back to full strength—his appetite was certainly strong.
Without looking up, Mr. Jiang grunted a few times in response.
Wang Mao awkwardly introduced him to everyone. “Uh… this is Mr. Jiang from Lanshan Group. He’s invested in quite a few shows.”
As soon as he mentioned the company and the shows, most of the entertainment industry folks in the room recognized him. He was a big-time investor, which explained his aloof attitude.
Just a moment ago, everyone had found his behavior rude. Now they could only think, well, hand-eating pig trotters—it’s unique and bold, definitely stylish!
After quickly devouring half a bowl of pig trotters, Mr. Jiang finally slowed down a bit and wiped his hands with a napkin. “Sorry about that, I was starving. I’ve been on a vegetarian diet since I’ve been sick recently.”
Wang Mao laughed awkwardly, “Is that so? Well, don’t eat too much greasy food all at once.”
Shi Xuan suddenly remembered something and whispered, “Isn’t this… Jiang Hansheng? I’ve heard rumors about him…”
Zhang Qingyou nodded, “Yes, that’s him. Keep your voice down.”
Lan He, who was sitting far away but directly across from Jiang Hansheng, overheard the name with his sharp hearing. He raised an eyebrow because this name… he had just seen it last night in Old Bai’s *Soul-Reaping Register*!
Without drawing attention, Lan He discreetly looked up information about Jiang Hansheng from Lanshan Group on his phone. The birth and death dates and the location of his mansion all matched. It was definitely him.
So here’s the real question: if this man’s soul had already been taken by Old Bai last night, then who was this Jiang Hansheng sitting here, eating and drinking with them?
At first glance, Jiang Hansheng certainly seemed like a person, not someone possessed by a ghost. The room had a somewhat complex smell, but Lan He sniffed carefully and detected a faint, fishy odor. He wasn’t entirely sure yet.
He glanced down at Bai Wu, who was crouching at Shi Xuan’s feet, and nudged him with his foot.
Bai Wu looked up, confused.
Lan He gestured for him to stand up, wanting Bai Wu to take a look at Jiang Hansheng.
Slowly, Bai Wu got up. He had been so lost in his own world that he hadn’t even noticed someone new had joined the private room. Following Lan He’s signal, he looked over at Jiang Hansheng, and his face paled slightly.
Lan He gave a soft cough.
Bai Wu understood and remained silent, but he sniffed a bit, indicating that he had also caught a strange scent.
Lan He was now certain—there was definitely something wrong with Jiang Hansheng. As he continued to devour his food, Jiang Hansheng briefly glanced at Bai Wu before narrowing his eyes with a smile.
Shi Xuan, seeing Jiang Hansheng smile in her direction, was startled and whispered, “Is he trying to seduce me?”
Lan He: “…”
At that moment, Jiang Hansheng called out, “Bring me two bowls of yuanbao soup!”
“Yuanbao soup?” Wang Mao didn’t think much of it and asked the waiter to bring two bowls.
Normally, Lan He wouldn’t think too much about it either, but given that Jiang Hansheng was supposed to be dead, the mention of yuanbao soup made him recall what Song Futan had said yesterday. In ancient Jing funerary customs, families hosting a wake would often serve either willow leaf soup or yuanbao soup…
Jiang Hansheng grabbed a chicken leg with his hands, tore it apart as he ate, and said between bites, “Drink the soup, and don’t meddle in things that don’t concern you!”
His tone was sharp, and everyone felt a chill. They couldn’t make sense of his words or figure out whom he was addressing.
Shi Xuan now felt something was wrong. She noticed that Jiang Hansheng’s complexion seemed bluish, and his expression gave her an eerie, uncomfortable feeling. She couldn’t help but inch closer to Lan He…
Lan He was thinking of finding an excuse to leave and notify Song Futan and Old Bai, so he stood up.
Shi Xuan: “…”
Seriously? She had just moved closer for protection!
Just as Lan He stood up, the door to the private room opened. Someone peeked in and called out, “Excuse me… Mr. Jiang!” The person fully opened the door and turned around, shouting back, “He’s here, it’s Mr. Jiang!”
Several people rushed in, and the one in the lead sighed in relief upon seeing Jiang Hansheng. “Dad!”
Wang Mao recognized the man as Jiang Hansheng’s son. “Oh, it’s Little Jiang…”
Little Jiang had no time for pleasantries. He and his group nervously shut and locked the door behind them. “Dad, how are you?”
“You little bastard, mind your own business! You dog-born wretch, your mother’s dead…” Jiang Hansheng suddenly started cursing, each insult more vulgar than the last, as if Little Jiang were his mortal enemy.
What on earth…? Was this a father-son power struggle? Lan He could see his companions’ barely concealed excitement, and he quietly sat back down.
Only Wang Mao, who had known Jiang Hansheng for a long time, was left dumbfounded. What had gotten into him? Jiang Hansheng was usually a very refined person, so even if his eating had been wild today, this level of vulgarity was shocking. He was swearing non-stop, hurling insults down to the lowest level, seemingly forgetting that this was his own son. After all, they shared the same ancestors.
Little Jiang’s face turned pale at his father’s profane tirade. He turned to a middle-aged man he had brought along and said, “Mr. Li, what should we do? My dad…”
Without hesitation, Mr. Li slapped another man of similar age who had accompanied him. The man’s face immediately swelled, but he didn’t dare complain and instead dropped to his knees. “Master, I know I was wrong!!”
Little Jiang’s face darkened. “Mr. Li…”
Everyone else: “?”
They were all stunned. What kind of drama was unfolding here?
The moment the group had entered the room, Lan He recognized Mr. Li at once. He was the incense master they had encountered on Miaogan Mountain. Back then, Lan He had made a snide remark about protecting wildlife, which had left Mr. Li speechless.
Now that there was someone who dined with the dead here… Lan He held off on his plan to sneak out and burn some spirit money, instead quietly sending a text message to Song Futan.
Mr. Li addressed Jiang Hansheng, “Let’s talk.”
“Talk your ass, stop pretending, you filthy scumbag…” Jiang Hansheng cursed again, his expression growing more and more agitated. His behavior now made everyone wonder if he was having some sort of mental breakdown—he seemed almost crazed.
Mr. Li remained calm and addressed the group, who had no idea what was going on. “You’ve all been in close proximity to him, and I’ve already sealed this place off. Please stay in the corner and don’t leave for now. Whatever you see next, don’t panic. That young lady’s Bai spirit is here. If you’re scared, hide behind her.”
Since Mr. Li was the incense master and had a spirit on him, he naturally knew that there was also a Bai spirit in the room, guarding Shi Xuan by her side.
Everyone immediately turned to look at Shi Xuan. After all, she was always talking about supernatural things…
Shi Xuan’s eyes widened in shock as she looked at Zhang Qingyou and Lan He. “B-Bai spirit?!! Is it Yiping?!”
Back when they had posted a vlog about saving a hedgehog, the others had vaguely remembered it. As Shi Xuan mentioned it, the group began to piece it together. What had initially seemed like a bizarre family drama involving the Jiang family was now taking an eerie turn, especially after Mr. Li’s revelation. Everyone was on edge.
“Holy crap,” Zhang Qingyou exclaimed as she nervously glanced around. “I knew it! Yiping has become a spirit!!”
Lan He casually added, “Oh no, could it be that Mr. Li has also watched your vlog…”
Even so, he, too, subtly followed the others and hid behind Shi Xuan.
Shi Xuan: “…”
There was a possibility, but what happened next only made things stranger.
In addition to Mr. Li and his disciple, Little Jiang had brought two burly bodyguards. The guards moved forward to hold Jiang Hansheng in place, one on each side, but Jiang Hansheng remained calm and unmoved.
“I’m telling you, stop spewing nonsense. Disciple, invite the Lady of the Velvet Flowers, and prepare to break this spell and dispel the evil.” Mr. Li had already begun chanting incantations under his breath. “Spirits of the heavens and the earth, report clearly, when outsiders dominate the family, seize the soul that has taken possession!”
He removed his belt, which was a traditional red silk sash. He carefully dipped it into vials of cinnabar, chicken blood, and scarlet liquid before wrapping it twice around Jiang Hansheng’s wrists.
Still, Jiang Hansheng didn’t move an inch and continued to sit there.
Mr. Li twisted the sash into a knot, murmuring as he tightened it, “Spirits of the heavens and the earth, bind the form with cinnabar, the power of the rooster brings protection—Come down now!”
He tugged with all his might, but despite Jiang Hansheng’s frail and elderly appearance, he remained entirely unbudged. A cold smirk spread across Jiang Hansheng’s lips, which made everyone feel a chill down their spines.
Unable to bear it any longer, Little Jiang quickly darted to Shi Xuan’s side, joining the others hiding behind her.
Shi Xuan: “………”
Little Jiang squeezed into the small space beside Lan He, and the two made eye contact. Lan He politely moved aside, allowing Little Jiang to stand closer to Shi Xuan.
Little Jiang gave him a grateful nod.
Shi Xuan’s legs were trembling. She was standing in front of everyone, and on the verge of tears, she muttered, “What… what’s going on here? Is Mr. Jiang… possessed or something?”
Little Jiang didn’t respond.
Wang Mao was also starting to panic. “Little Jiang, shouldn’t you at least let us leave?!”
Little Jiang chuckled nervously. “Don’t worry, everyone. Once we’ve resolved the issue here, I’ll be sure to have a chat with you all.”
Everyone in the room—about six or seven people—could tell that something was seriously wrong with Jiang Hansheng. Even if Mr. Li hadn’t said anything about not opening the door, it was clear that Little Jiang wasn’t keen on letting them leave immediately.
Lan He cast a careful glance at him. It seemed like this was far more than just being possessed.
…
Jiang Hansheng crossed one leg over the other, smirking at Mr. Li. “You idiot. Don’t you know it’s easy to invite a god, but difficult to send one away? These little brats invited me here. Without me, do you think this old corpse could have escaped the Reapers?”
His words were jumbled, but Mr. Li understood. His face darkened as he turned to Little Jiang and his disciple. “You told me it was an accident, that you accidentally summoned a wandering spirit to trick the Reaper?!”
Little Jiang started to panic. Things were spiraling out of control, and there were so many outsiders present. “Mr. Li, please be careful with your words!”
Mr. Li’s disciple, however, dropped to his knees again, crying out, “It was an emergency! That Reaper was way too clever! He saw right through my setup and even mocked my poor acting skills…”
Lan He: “…………”
Disciple: “In my desperation, I summoned whatever wandering spirits were nearby to cover for him, but I had no idea that this… this thing would show up…”
This “thing” that even they couldn’t handle.
Jiang Hansheng’s lifespan had already come to an end, and they had taken the Jiang family’s money to help set up an elaborate ritual to deceive the Reaper. They had spent half a month preparing the scene, creating the illusion that Jiang Hansheng no longer existed. The goal was to hide Jiang Hansheng when the Reaper came to collect his soul and burn the soul-reaping register, allowing him to extend his life.
At the time, the Reaper had indeed been tricked, unable to find Jiang Hansheng, who had been hidden away. However, because of the disciple’s poor acting, the Reaper had managed to locate Jiang Hansheng. It had taken some effort to cover it up, and they thought they had succeeded. Jiang Hansheng had lived past his expected death date, but now the body that had been overtaken by this spirit was wandering around, eating and drinking. They had only managed to track him down using a locator.
The disciple knew he couldn’t handle it on his own, so he had called Mr. Li to resolve the situation, but he hadn’t dared to tell the whole truth.
Accidentally summoning something versus intentionally calling it forth were two very different things. And whatever this entity was, its malevolence was overwhelming, even putting strain on the spirit residing within Mr. Li.
Still, Mr. Li couldn’t just leave things as they were. He gritted his teeth, bit the tip of his tongue, and spat blood onto the red sash, his face growing noticeably paler. He wound the sash around Jiang Hansheng’s neck once more.
Little Jiang panicked. “Mr. Li, you can’t strangle my dad to death too!”
“You think this will save him?!” Mr. Li snapped back, clearly out of patience. He gave a strong pull.
Out of nowhere, Jiang Hansheng opened his mouth and spat out a thick, black liquid that landed on the red silk sash. Then, with a swift reverse yank, Mr. Li was sent stumbling backward, and the sash in his hand snapped into several pieces.
Jiang Hansheng, moving with the agility of a frog, leaped forward, completely defying the physical limitations of an elderly man. He clamped his hands tightly around Mr. Li’s throat.
Mr. Li’s disciple and the Jiang family’s bodyguards rushed forward, trying to pry him off. But despite being three large men, they couldn’t budge the elderly Jiang Hansheng, who was well over seventy years old!
Finally, it was Mr. Li himself who managed to pull out a metal ruler and wedge it between Jiang Hansheng’s hands. Only then did Mr. Li catch a breath, but when Jiang Hansheng tightened his grip again, the ruler began to bend. Despite it being one against four, the struggle remained a stalemate.
Wang Mao and the others were utterly shocked. One of the braver ones even considered recording the scene on their phone, but a sharp glare from Little Jiang quickly put an end to that idea.
Lan He suggested, “Should we go help? It seems like he’s having some kind of attack?”
—He made sure to include a hint of doubt in his voice, as if he didn’t fully believe what he was seeing but was willing to help in case there was some rational explanation. Either way, it was best to save the person first.
“Help, help… damn it…” Little Jiang, his mind racing, snapped out of his panic at the suggestion. He cursed a few more times before turning to Shi Xuan and pleading, “Miss, can your spirit—your Bai spirit—help us out?”
It was becoming clear that Mr. Li couldn’t handle this alone.
Shi Xuan, already terrified to the point of tears, was still trying to process the fact that there was a Bai spirit around her. “I don’t know… I really don’t know about any spirit! I set Yiping free a long time ago!”
In a fit of desperation, Little Jiang fell to his knees and kowtowed before Shi Xuan. “Please! Please, great spirit! Help us!”
Shi Xuan was completely overwhelmed. “Please don’t…”
Mr. Li’s disciple, drenched in sweat, shouted, “Forget it! She doesn’t have the spirit under control. That’s a wild Bai spirit, and it looks like one from Bai Sect, so begging won’t do any good.”
Bai Wu: “…”
Bai Wu felt a bit indignant. What’s wrong with Bai Sect? Today, I survived rush hour on the subway… He glanced at Lan He for guidance.
Lan He discreetly nodded: Go on, Bai Zhi Xian!
It was time to show them what Iron-Blooded Bai Sect could do.
Bai Wu gritted his teeth, possessed Shi Xuan’s body, and confidently took a few steps forward.
Mr. Li’s disciple, turning around, was stunned. “The Bai spirit has taken control!!”
In a commanding voice, using Shi Xuan’s body, Bai Wu declared, “I, the great spirit, will lend you all my assistance. Let it be known that Bai Sect is no ordinary lineage!”
The tone was imposing, and Bai Wu’s presence, borrowed through Shi Xuan, was indeed impressive. Wang Mao and the others gasped in astonishment. Who would’ve thought that Shi Xuan really had a Bai spirit spirit following her?
What was happening with Jiang Hansheng could be dismissed as theatrics—after all, who would expect a CEO to participate in some elaborate hoax? But Shi Xuan’s transformation was undeniable. Even those skeptical of the supernatural had to believe now, as her voice and mannerisms clearly differed from her usual self.
Lan He, feigning surprise and uncertainty, reached out as if to pull Shi Xuan back. “Shi Xuan, what’s happening to you…?”
Wang Mao quickly grabbed Lan He’s arm. “Don’t touch her! And don’t be scared!!”
Saying this, he and the others hurriedly huddled behind Lan He for protection.
Lan He: “…”
Meanwhile, Little Jiang was ecstatic. This sounded like some hidden power had finally revealed itself! He scrambled to his feet and addressed the Bai spirit, “Spirit, I beg of you…”
Before he could finish his plea, the spirit turned away from him, deliberately showing its back.
Little Jiang blinked in confusion and shuffled over a few steps, continuing, “Please, spirit, what tools do you need…”
But the spirit kept its back turned, sounding almost tearful as it said, “Just talk to me! Stop staring at me!”
Little Jiang: “…………….”
What?! Is this for real?
Author’s Note:
Bai Wu: And this is why I don’t like going out… What kind of people are these…?