The twelfth month, the thirtieth day of the lunar calendar.
Auspicious for: Marriage, travel, grave repair, moving into a new house, seeking favors... worship.
Inauspicious for: Prayers for blessings, groundbreaking.
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By noon, the Song family mbers had already returned from their ancestral grave after completing the worship rituals.
Naturally, Zhang Qianrui did not participate in this Song family event. After returning yesterday, she ntioned feeling unwell and hadn’t stepped out of her room all day.
Song Tianyou suspected it was because Song Haoran had taken a group of people on an outing the previous day, causing Zhang Qianrui to catch a cold. On the way to the ancestral grave, he dragged Song Haoran aside for a proper scolding.
Luo Qiu had never seen Song Tianyou seriously reprimand Song Haoran before and had no idea how he usually disciplined the eldest young master of the Song family. But he certainly got a firsthand experience this ti.
That must be what they call the iron fist of a father’s authority.
According to Uncle Wu, the master never scolded the young master in front of outsiders, fearing it would make him appear incompetent—especially in front of the villagers. But in private, he actually preferred this thod of discipline.
Uncle Wu was quite skilled with words. At the very least, Luo Qiu understood what he was implying.
Since it was the last afternoon of the lunar year, after returning ho, the old man rolled up his sleeves and announced that he would personally cook a feast.
Many tis, Luo Qiu felt that Song Tianyou was no different from any other retired elderly man, passing the ti playing chess in a park out of boredom.
Yet, he was also the founder of the Song family’s "empire."
Perhaps, for Song Tianyou, such simple and leisurely days were truly precious.
"I’ll help too," Luo Qiu said with a smile, making a request that delighted Song Tianyou.
As for Song Haoran, the mont he got back, he shut himself in his room again, acting sowhat mysterious. Then again, he had always been like that, so the Song family was used to it. In fact, if he ever acted normal, that would be strange.
However, what was truly odd today was that Miss Song Ying, who was usually the most "normal" in the Song family, had also beco rather quiet and even a bit strange. The bodyguards noticed that she kept pacing suspiciously outside Miss Zhang’s room.
Of course, no matter how strange the master's affairs were, they weren’t sothing outsiders should interfere with. The smart bodyguards didn’t ask or discuss it. Instead, they simply flicked a small stone at Miss Zhang’s window to get her attention before turning away, leaving without a trace.
The Song family's ancestral mansion was an old-fashioned building. The windows opened from the bottom up and were propped open with wooden sticks.
When Zhang Qianrui opened the window and saw Song Ying standing outside, it was at the sa mont that Song Ying saw her.
Zhang Qianrui froze for a mont, then felt her face heat up slightly. Song Ying hesitated briefly before nodding and casually saying, "Hi."
Song Ying was holding sothing in her hands.
"Do you need sothing, Miss Song Ying?" Zhang Qianrui, ever the well-mannered lady, suppressed the odd feeling in her heart and took the initiative to ask.
Song Ying quickly said, "I heard from Uncle Wu that you haven’t left your room all morning and that you weren’t feeling well. Is that true?"
She stepped closer to the window, with only the wooden fra between them.
"It’s just a bit of dizziness," Zhang Qianrui replied softly.
Song Ying said, "I brought so dicine. You should take it. Don’t worry, this dicine was developed by my family’s pharmaceutical company. It’s completely safe... I’ve taken it several tis myself."
"dicine?" Zhang Qianrui was surprised.
Song Ying explained, "It’s so antibiotics. According to the developer, it boosts the immune system and kills off unnecessary bacteria in the body... We ate so strange food yesterday. Even if we feel fine now, it’s better to be cautious. Also, just to be safe, I think we should get a full checkup. After all... we don’t know if there are any aftereffects."
"You... You didn’t tell anyone else?" Zhang Qianrui asked after a brief silence.
Song Ying shook her head.
Zhang Qianrui nodded. "Then... when should we go for the checkup?"
"There’s a won’s hospital nearby. I just looked it up online." Song Ying pulled out her phone and showed the webpage to Zhang Qianrui.
After glancing at the webpage, Zhang Qianrui frowned.
"Is sothing wrong?" Song Ying asked in surprise.
Zhang Qianrui shook her head. "It’s just... it’s a Putian-affiliated hospital, but since it’s just a checkup, I guess it’s fine. But... why a won’s hospital?"
"I figured there would be more female doctors," Song Ying answered casually. "I don’t really like male doctors."
Zhang Qianrui gave her a strange look and seed a bit flustered. Seeing her reaction, Song Ying was montarily stunned, then quickly added, "It’s not what you’re thinking! I’m completely normal!"
"I never said you weren’t," Zhang Qianrui said quietly. "Didn’t you say that overseas, this kind of thing is quite common..."
"T-That was just sothing I said to smooth things over back then..." Song Ying blushed and muttered, "It was such an awkward situation, I had to say sothing..."
"Pfft."
Zhang Qianrui covered her mouth and chuckled. Seeing her laugh, Song Ying couldn’t help but laugh too. The awkwardness between them seed to fade, replaced by a much more natural atmosphere.
Won really were fascinating creatures.
Both of them had the sa thought at that mont.
"What's so funny?"
Their laughter was interrupted by a voice, but it didn’t feel intrusive—rather, it was a pleasant interjection.
Both Song Ying and Zhang Qianrui turned to see Luo Qiu standing nearby, holding a basket filled with what appeared to be wild vegetables.
Both of them were used to a life of luxury, and though Song Ying had undergone survival training before, she wasn’t knowledgeable enough to recognize what was in the basket.
But that wasn’t the main issue—the real issue was that Luo Qiu was here.
"You? Why are you here?" Both of them spoke at the sa ti.
"I was helping the old man pick so wild vegetables to make a cold dish for dinner," Luo Qiu said with a wink. Then he smiled slightly. "You two seem to have a good relationship."
"Friendship!" Song Ying suddenly blurted out.
Zhang Qianrui nodded slightly in agreent.
Luo Qiu raised an eyebrow. "I know what friendship is. No need to emphasize it."
"Friendship!" Song Ying repeated, just as suddenly.
It was a little odd, but standing there in the courtyard, with Zhang Qianrui by the window and Song Ying outside, there was a comfortable atmosphere between them.
If there were spirits in this world that could manifest visibly, they would probably be fluttering between the two of them right now.
It was... a little dazzling.
"I’ll go drop these off in the kitchen first," Luo Qiu said, seemingly reluctant to leave but doing so anyway.
Watching him disappear around the corridor’s corner, Song Ying finally let out a breath.
She glanced at Zhang Qianrui, who was also looking at her. They both smiled.
"Are we still going to the hospital? If so, I’ll go get the car now," Song Ying asked.
"Let’s just treat it as a little road trip," Zhang Qianrui replied with a smile.
There was still an entire afternoon before dinner—a round trip should be just enough ti.
_____________________
Unlike the vampires commonly known in popular perception, Jessica was not afraid of sunlight. At most, she found it a bit dazzling—but then again, even as a human, she had experienced that feeling.
Drought Jiangshi and vampires must have fundantal differences… Perhaps it would be more accurate to call her a Jiangshi instead.
From her current master, Su Zijun, Jessica had heard so legends about Jiangshi—ageless and immortal, with emotions as their source of power.
Hatred could rapidly enhance Jessica’s strength, but at the sa ti, it would also make her more susceptible to destruction. Whether she should continue to hate or not, Su Zijun simply said one thing: "Do whatever you want."
She was probably an extrely irresponsible elder figure… After all, it was because Su Zijun had bitten Jessica that she turned into a Jiangshi.
At the mont, the two of them were at Jinan Airport. After days of continuous travel, Su Zijun had finally returned to this country on the last day before the New Year.
Jessica had once celebrated the New Year in a foreign Chinatown with Yè Yán, so she wasn’t unfamiliar with the festival decorations in this country.
But in truth, she didn’t like the color red. Even though it was a symbol of celebration and good fortune here, to her, red only reminded her of blood.
Jessica had a tall and slender figure, like a model. Dressed in a black, tight-fitting leather outfit, she exuded a cool and sexy aura. Her cold expression only added to her intimidating presence, drawing plenty of attention.
As for Su Zijun, she kept a much lower profile. She wore a baseball cap, a face mask, and sunglasses, her entire body wrapped in a large down coat. Even her hair was hidden away—so much so that, standing right in front of her, it would be difficult to tell her gender.
Jessica found this odd. As a forr Interpol officer, she had a strong sense that Su Zijun was trying to avoid being recognized. Could it be that soone as powerful as Su Zijun actually had enemies she feared?
“Don’t overthink it! I just don’t want to attract the attention of so troubleso people,” Su Zijun snorted coldly. “Would you be okay with having people constantly following you around? Even standing outside the bathroom while you’re inside?”
That kind of treatnt sounded like being a prisoner under surveillance.
As a police officer, Jessica had accompanied Yè Yán on many missions. When transporting criminals, 24-hour supervision was often required. Naturally, she wouldn’t enjoy being treated like that herself.
But Su Zijun, who rarely talked about herself, had just revealed sothing intriguing with that statent, sparking Jessica’s curiosity.
“By the way,” Jessica suddenly asked, “do Jiangshi even need to use the bathroom? I haven’t had the urge at all recently.”
Just then, Su Zijun abruptly pulled her cap down lower and spoke in a hushed voice, “Follow ! And use the breathing technique I taught you—make your heart beat. If you don’t breathe or have a pulse, people will notice.”
Jessica froze for a mont, frowning slightly before scanning her surroundings. She didn’t see anything unusual, but she vaguely sensed that there were eyes moving back and forth, watching them.
This wasn’t so supernatural ability—just a well-trained instinct from years of stakeouts as a police officer.
Su Zijun and Jessica quickly blended into the crowd and left the airport. They soon got into a taxi that they had booked through a ride-hailing app.
As soon as they got in, Su Zijun casually patted the driver’s shoulder. The driver imdiately lost all expression, his eyes going blank, as if he had turned into a puppet. Then, he silently started driving.
Seeing this, Jessica knew they had finally evaded the unseen watchers. Lowering her voice, she asked, “Who were those people?”
“People? Not necessarily.” Su Zijun twirled a strand of her hair between her fingers. “At the airport, I sensed at least three different groups. So from the Daoist world, so from the demon world, and others from a governnt agency.”
Daoist world… demon world… These were things Su Zijun had briefly explained to Jessica on the way.
“They were all after you?” Jessica asked in surprise.
Su Zijun shook her head. “Probably not. They’re likely just stationed there, like airport security. But… the level of security seems excessive. Sothing must have happened at Mt. Tai. Otherwise, the surveillance wouldn’t extend all the way to the airport.”
Jessica nodded, then said, “If they’re not after you, that’s a good thing.”
But Su Zijun suddenly said, “If they were after , that would actually be a good thing. If it’s sothing else… that would be much worse.”
Jessica’s expression turned serious. “Do you have a lot of enemies?”
This ti, Su Zijun didn’t answer directly. She only said, “Do you have many people who share your stance?”
People who share my stance.
But… I’m not even human anymore.
Jessica turned to look out the window. The sky was blue, with white clouds drifting by, but the wind was bitterly cold.
I wonder… is Yè Yán looking at the sa sky?
She thought to herself.
…
…
A black business car pulled up in front of a quiet tea house. Even on the eve of the New Year, the tea house remained open.
After getting out of the car, Gongsun Shiyu instructed Gongsun Zhishui to wait outside.
Gongsun Shiyu walked through the tea house, passing the main hall and entering the inner chamber. Finally, he arrived at a pavilion built in the center of a tranquil pond.
Inside the pavilion, soone was playing a guqin with delicate fingers.
The lody was somber, turning the already desolate atmosphere into one of true lancholy.
The person playing the guqin was Lai Caisheng.
(End of Chapter)
Jiangshi (僵尸) refers to a type of undead creature in Chinese folklore.
Putian-affiliated hospitals refer to private hospitals in China that are linked to businesspeople from Putian, Fujian Province. The Putian dical network is a large group of private hospitals, clinics, and healthcare businesses often owned or operated by people from Putian. These hospitals are known for aggressive marketing, heavy reliance on online advertising, and, in so cases, controversial dical practices.
While so Putian-affiliated hospitals provide legitimate care, others have faced criticism for overpriced treatnts, misleading advertising, and questionable dical practices. Because of this, many Chinese people are cautious about seeking treatnt at these hospitals and prefer well-established public hospitals.
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