Chapter 44: Hidden Dragons and Crouching Tigers Around Me
Trembling, I quickly looked up and exclaimed loudly, “So handsome! I’ve never seen anyone who actually looks like the beauties in traditional paintings. You know, it takes real quality to be vain!” I turned to the horned gentleman whose face twitched, “Would you dare to hang all your pictures up like that?”
“Absolutely not,” he quickly shook his head, understanding the hint.
I pulled out my phone, “Such handsomeness must be captured. Hey, who’s this?” I feigned ignorance.
Wiping sweat from his brow, his normally pale and somber face turned a shade of red under my gaze: “He is our supreme Underworld Emperor!”
“Really?” I feigned surprise, “I always thought the Underworld Emperor would look… well, unexpected! I have to take a picture for my phone’s wallpaper!” I promptly took a photo and set it as my wallpaper.
As I saved the image as my phone’s wallpaper, the entire corridor suddenly warmed up.
The chilling aura vanished as if sucked away by a vacuum, and even the lighting shifted to a warm yellow, emanating a special warmth.
The horned gentleman looked around in astonishment, then marveled, “Incredible…” He turned to me in disbelief, “He really likes you.”
I wiped the cold sweat, relieved that he wasn’t angry, though his liking was genuinely unnecessary.
“Please follow me,” said the horned gentleman, now more respectful than before.
Walking beside him, I asked, “Earlier you mentioned a ‘young emperor’ being under my care; who is that?” I couldn’t recall anyone by that title around me, and judging by his tone, this person seemed closely related to the Underworld Emperor, implying the emperor was showing me favor.
The gentleman stiffened, then forced a smile, “Miss Xià Xiǎo Lán, we’ve arrived; your client is inside.”
Darn it! old horn actually changed the subject! He must have slipped up!
Without waiting for my further inquiry, he pressed a spot along the corridor, and suddenly, a door appeared. He quickly ushered me in, clearly avoiding further discussion on that topic.
With a swish, the door closed behind me, turning into a wall. I stroked my chin, pondering. He mentioned the young emperor often received my care, which meant this person was close to me. Among those I knew—Jiàng Yǎn, Qīng Míng, Sī Yīnuo, Máo Máo, and Mo Míng—none were called the young emperor. And those who often took care of me, like Fēng Língcàn and Bái Yǐng, didn’t fit the title either.
Xuan Yuanchen, the ice prince? Unlikely, as he didn’t care for my attention and hardly spared me a glance, being the principal’s son.
The others in the group weren’t worth mentioning either.
Regardless, I had a foreboding feeling about the hidden dragons and crouching tigers around me, like Jiàng Yǎn who should be as powerful as the Light God, or Mo Yīng, who could switch to a dominant queen persona, and Qīng Míng, who would be a formidable dragon if not for his fear of heights, plus Xiǎo Nuo, who was somewhat introverted but possessed a majestic white snake.
I believed given the right stage, everyone would surely astonish all!
“You’re finally here!” A familiar female voice came from behind. I spun around, and upon seeing her, I was stunned: “It’s you!”
Indeed, the woman sitting in this white room was the female ghost from my entrance test. Now restored to her human form, she sat behind a table with a faintly spinning black magical array above it, separating us.
Curiously eyeing the rotating array, I slowly took a seat opposite her, scrutinizing her as if visiting a prisoner. She looked at me quizzically, “What’s with your face? Why the mask?”
“Uh… ate too much spicy crayfish.”
“oh~~~ shellfish allergy!”
See, explaining with spicy crayfish always simplifies things. Sometimes the things humans come up with really can be embarrassing for us all.
“I’m here to help you with something?” I asked apologetically, “I know I wronged you before, it must have hurt terribly, but I’ve thought of a way for you to get back at them. You can just… leave me out of it.” No living person would want to be haunted by a ghost.
She looked back at me with regret, “I know I shouldn’t have come to you, but I have no one else.”
I instinctively stepped back, “What do you want to do?”
She awkwardly brushed her hair, “I realized after coming here that suicide leads to punishment in hell. However, because I was selected by the immortal realm for the new life ability test before, I’ve compensated for my actions and can be reincarnated directly. You told me to be reincarnated as that jerk’s child.”
“Yes, so go ahead,” I replied, watching her slump in frustration, “They already had a child!”
“The country encourages having a second child now,” I mentioned, keeping up with national affairs as a patriotic citizen.
She scowled, “The mention of a second child makes me even angrier. Those two are sinful; they want a second child because their first was a girl and they want a boy. But I heard from the elders here that due to their sins, they are not destined to have a son.”
“What sins did they commit?” I inquired, puzzled.
Pointing at herself, she said angrily, “Me! My death was partly their fault. My husband’s betrayal and that woman’s interference in our marriage are their sins. That they have one child is fortunate enough.”
“I see… then, how about reincarnating as their grandchild?” Their daughter would eventually marry.
“But then I won’t be able to torment them,” she said, reluctant, then looked at me with a smile, “That’s why I need your help. The elders said if they genuinely repent for their role in my death, they can have a second child, and I can reincarnate!”
I stared at her, dumbfounded, “You want me to convince them?”
“Yes, yes!” she nodded eagerly, “I know it costs to ask for help in the immortal realm, but I have money! I have a lot! I have a big house here, luxury cars, money…”
“Big sister!” I nearly cried, and she looked at me blankly, “Are you trying to kill me?”
After a pause, she laughed awkwardly, “Well, you’ll come down here eventually. When you do, you’ll have a house and car waiting for you. It’s actually quite valuable down here because most people who come down are punished to some extent. Having wealth can reduce the punishment, so I’m leaving it to you.”
If I weren’t wearing a mask, my jaw would have dropped. Was I supposed to thank her for this?
Rubbing my mask, I conceded, “Big sister, I’ll take on the task, but really, I don’t want the stuff.”
She looked at me in surprise, “How can that be okay?” She frowned and bit her lip, “Then cash, when you go up, visit my mother and let her give you the money. And could you relay a message for me? Tell her I’m doing well.”
The situation felt bizarre.
She seemed restless, “If you don’t take my money, I won’t be at ease, and I can’t reincarnate peacefully. My stubbornness led to my downfall; I can’t let you help me without compensation. You must take my money!”
“Okay, I’ll take it!” I quickly agreed, hoping to reassure her.
She smiled with relief, stood up, and bowed deeply to me, “Then I entrust this to you.”
I hastily stood and bowed in return, jokingly saying, “Don’t mention it, serving the people, uh, the ghosts.”
By the time I straightened up, she had vanished, and the door opened with the horned gentleman ready to escort me back.
On the way to the elevator, he remained silent, seemingly cautious not to slip up again, then hastily ushered me into the elevator, eager to see me off.
Being rushed out by the underworld felt odd. Should I be happy about this?
I felt somewhat smug in the elevator, considering the task was easy—a breeze that seemed to hand me credits on a silver platter, oh ho ho!
