While continuing to eat, Yu Shuixin chuckled, “Your student is really interesting.”
Shen Mo didn’t respond, simply picking out some lean meat and placing it in her bowl. Yu Shuixin was a true carnivore, carefully removing any green onions or chili peppers.
“You’re still so picky with your food.”
A warmth spread through Yu Shuixin’s heart. She wanted to reach out and hold Shen Mo’s hand, but she only slightly moved her fingers.
“I’m sorry. After what happened back then, I fled abroad, leaving you to take care of Kou Dan alone. It must have been tough.”
Yu Shuixin’s face showed a faint sadness and guilt. She focused on Shen Mo, as if by doing so she could understand how he had been all these years.
Compared to before, he had changed a lot. He had become more mature, with a deep gaze that no longer carried the sharp, intimidating presence he once had. The contours of his face and the corners of his mouth had softened. Could time really change everything, even someone as stubborn as Shen Mo? Could time truly dull the pain, even when the person you loved the most had died before your very eyes, and you were powerless to stop it?
“I managed.” Shen Mo replied quietly, focusing on his meal.
“How is Kou Dan?”
“The same as always. She’s very capable, and I don’t need to worry about her. But for someone so young, her life is even more monotonous than mine. Besides catching ghosts and drinking, she has no other hobbies. Her appearance changes every day.”
“Poor thing, she was just a child back then.” Yu Shuixin glanced around, taking in the faint scent of mourning incense that permeated the room. “And you, how have you been?”
Instead of answering, Shen Mo said, “You’ve been doing well abroad with your family. Why did you come back?”
At the mention of this, Yu Shuixin’s face darkened. “Why did I come back? If someone hadn’t told me that you were investigating Meixin’s case, that he had returned, were you planning on never telling me?”
“What’s done is done. Why dwell on it?”
“Why dwell on it? Then let me ask you this: why do you burn this mourning incense every day? Why do you cling to the past?”
Shen Mo shook his head, his hands clenching slightly, his voice low and restrained. “It’s not that I won’t let go; it’s that I can’t.”
Yu Shuixin abruptly stood up, slamming the table. “Shen Mo! This grudge isn’t yours alone!”
Shen Mo remained expressionless, placing another piece of braised pork into her bowl.
Yu Shuixin seemed to deflate, collapsing back into her chair, holding her head in her hands.
“Shen Mo, all these years, I’ve had the same recurring dream. In it, Shen Liang is covered in blood, holding me as his body burns with flames that scorch me down to my bones. I’m filled with so much hate—hate that I wasn’t the one to kill Meixin with my own hands. Now that he’s returned, nothing will stop me from getting my revenge!”
Shen Mo was about to speak when the door suddenly burst open. He thought Jiang Xiaosi had come back but was surprised to see an unfamiliar woman standing there instead.
“Shuixin…” Shen Koudan said, her voice filled with excitement and joy as she gazed at Yu Shuixin.
Yu Shuixin turned in surprise to look at Shen Mo, who nodded.
“Koudan?”
Before she could fully process what was happening, Shen Koudan rushed forward and hugged her tightly.
The three of them sat down to eat, chatting about their recent lives but avoiding any mention of Meixin. The atmosphere was pleasant.
“How did you know I was back? I specifically told your uncle not to tell you. I wanted to surprise you later.” Yu Shuixin said, looking at the now grown-up Shen Koudan with mixed emotions.
“Jiang Xiaosi called and told me.”
Shen Mo’s chopsticks paused for a moment, but he remained silent. Yu Shuixin glanced at him with a smile. “Was that the student who came by earlier for dinner?”
Shen Koudan nodded and glanced at the extra bowl on the table. “Xiaosi just left?”
“Yeah. After hearing that Shen Mo and I were once engaged, she looked so disheartened and left right away. Such a child, she didn’t even wait to hear the rest of my story.”
Shen Koudan could imagine how devastated Jiang Xiaosi must have been, and she couldn’t help but smile. Xiaosi was too simple-minded. She’d explode with rage at the slightest provocation and would often end up playfully wrestling with Shen Koudan. Shen Koudan would tease her about Shen Mo, but Jiang Xiaosi was never shy about it and boldly declared that she would be her aunt.
However, Shen Mo’s attitude had been somewhat odd. Shen Koudan had tried probing a few times, but Shen Mo always evaded the topic. Shen Koudan actually thought that Shen Mo might have some feelings for Xiaosi. After all, she had never seen him treat anyone outside the family with so much care and concern.
But Jiang Xiaosi was a zombie, and if she didn’t grow up soon, her secret would be exposed. Jiang Liu had explained that as long as Xiaosi’s breath remained, she still retained some human qualities, making her half-human, half-zombie. Over the past two years, Jiang Liu and Shen Koudan had scoured countless texts, prepared various medicinal formulas, and even raided a few ancient tombs in search of treasures, all in an effort to find a way to restore Jiang Xiaosi to normal.
Of course, Jiang Liu hadn’t told Jiang Xiaosi about any of this. She only knew that her father didn’t want her to be with Shen Mo, so she tried to avoid mentioning it at home. What she didn’t know was that her father was secretly worrying and working tirelessly on her behalf.
The more time Shen Koudan spent with Jiang Liu, the more she realized what a good person he was. She had tried to resist the growing feelings in her heart, but eventually, she decided to just go with the flow. However, she still didn’t dare to take things further. Humans had limited lifespans, and having Jiang Liu as a friend to accompany her through a brief life would mean there would be no regrets or resentment when it ended. Besides, Jiang Liu had already watched the person he loved most die once before.
After dinner, Shen Koudan helped clean up in the kitchen. Shen Mo walked in at some point.
“Are you dating Jiang Liu?”
Shen Koudan was so startled that she nearly dropped the plate in her hands. She still remembered how, during her school days, she and Kou Qing had been stalked by a male classmate. When Shen Mo found out, he sent some ghosts to haunt the boy every night, scaring him so badly that he fell seriously ill. When it came to dealing with criminals, Shen Mo would break their legs without hesitation, and if it were demons or monsters, they’d be in even worse trouble.
Shen Mo was usually cold and indifferent to people, but Shen Koudan knew how fiercely protective he was. He wasn’t good at socializing and didn’t have many friends, so family was the most important thing to him.
Knowing that Shen Mo didn’t like Jiang Liu, Shen Koudan quickly shook her head in denial.
Shen Mo nodded slightly as if considering something before finally saying, “Don’t explain anything to Jiang Xiaosi about what’s going on between me and Shuixin.”
“Huh?” Shen Koudan hadn’t caught on.
Shen Mo didn’t repeat himself. He turned and went out into the courtyard to water the plants.
Shen Koudan furrowed her brow, thinking about it for a while before finally realizing what Shen Mo meant. She was quite shocked.
Uncle wants Jiang Xiaosi to misunderstand that there’s something going on between him and Shuixin? Shen Koudan smiled.
This was actually good news. Maybe Shen Mo himself didn’t even realize how deliberate he was being. Had he already lost the courage to directly reject Jiang Xiaosi? Was he resorting to such tactics instead?
Could it be that Uncle really had feelings for Jiang Xiaosi? Shen Koudan used to think it was impossible, but now, reviewing all the strange behaviors Uncle exhibited whenever Jiang Xiaosi was around, the more she thought about it, the more she began to feel hopeful. Could it be that Uncle had a bit of a… ‘thing’ for younger girls?
Yu Shuixin stood at the kitchen door, watching Shen Koudan quietly chuckle to herself. Then she looked over at Shen Mo in the courtyard, realizing that she had already drifted far from their lives.
“Jiang Xiaosi?” She smiled faintly.
Jiang Xiaosi dragged herself through the afternoon classes, her pen broken from excessive chewing. She still couldn’t reach Shen Koudan on the phone. But when she returned to the shop, she found Shen Koudan playing cards with Yu Chen and Difan.
The scene was bizarre: a Daoist, a zombie, and a vampire playing poker together…
Jiang Xiaosi let out a howl, temporarily forgetting her displeasure about her rival’s arrival, and excitedly joined the game.
After the game, Jiang Liu still hadn’t come home, so Yu Chen went to the kitchen to cook. Difan had become a frequent visitor at Tuogu Xiang, practically taking on the role of the second adult product sales clerk. Spending so much time with Yu Chen seemed to have deepened their relationship, and now Difan was in the kitchen, helping out as well.
Shen Koudan smiled. “They do make a cute couple.”
“Yu Chen has waited for my dad for so long, but she’s never gotten a response. Even zombies can grow tired and have their hearts die out.”
“Well, it’s good that she can see things clearly.”
“For a while, she thought you were dating my dad. She managed to get herself hired as a nurse at his hospital, but when she found out you were working as a janitor there, she thought you liked him too and came home crying, saying that as a zombie, she could never compete with a Daoist, and that you were bullying her.”
Shen Koudan laughed so hard she started coughing. “I was there to catch ghosts!”
“So do you like my dad or not?”
“Of course I do.”
Jiang Xiaosi grinned mischievously. “Want me to play matchmaker for you?”
“You want me to tell you about Uncle and Shuixin first, right?”
Jiang Xiaosi put her hands on her hips, laughing. “Exactly! I’ve been moping around all afternoon.”
“Xiaosi, the thing is, if you look at Difan, you’ll see that affection can change. Only by giving your heart to someone who loves you, someone who’s worth your devotion, can you find happiness. There are too many insurmountable barriers between you and my uncle. While I support you, I can’t help but feel a sense of foreboding.”
“My feelings for the professor won’t change.”
“Feelings alone aren’t enough. Shuixin once liked my third uncle too, but she later fell in love with my second uncle. She cried, threw tantrums, and even threatened to take her own life until the engagement was called off. But she eventually realized who could truly bring her happiness.”
Jiang Xiaosi was stunned. “Didn’t that hurt the professor?”
Shen Koudan shook her head. “I don’t know. Uncle never said anything about it.” Maybe he had forgotten about the engagement altogether. Shen Koudan sighed.
Jiang Xiaosi’s heart ached. “Poor professor.”
Shen Koudan mentally rolled her eyes. ‘Poor? He’s probably secretly happy!’
“So, does Shuixin’s return mean she’s rekindling her feelings for the professor?”
“That’s very likely.” Shen Koudan nodded vigorously. Uncle, I’ve delivered your message. I’ve successfully made Xiaosi misunderstand. But if you think this little obstacle will make her give up, you’re wrong—so very wrong! She’ll only grow stronger in the face of adversity. Uncle, you’re in for some tears!
Shen Koudan realized she was becoming more and more devious.
As expected, Jiang Xiaosi quickly shifted her focus back from schoolwork to Shen Mo. Lying in bed, Shen Mo looked at his phone, seeing an avalanche of selfies from Jiang Xiaosi posing playfully in front of the camera. He couldn’t help but feel both amused and exasperated. He hovered over the delete button for a while but never pressed it. Instead, he simply turned off his phone and went to sleep.
On Sunday morning, with nothing to do, Jiang Xiaosi and Jiang Liu played Chinese checkers at the shop. Suddenly, someone pushed open the door, and with the breeze came a familiar scent. As soon as Jiang Xiaosi caught a whiff of it, she had a bad feeling and looked up sharply, only to see that the visitors were Lin Qiang and Xiao Tang.
“Captain Lin, Xiao Tang, what brings you here? Business or pleasure? Have you had breakfast?” Jiang Xiaosi winked toward the adult products in the display window when she mentioned pleasure, causing Xiao Tang’s face to turn bright red. He was shy and even when he drove by to ask Jiang Xiaosi to hang out or eat, he was too embarrassed to go inside the shop.
Lin Qiang nodded slightly to greet Jiang Liu, glanced around at the store’s merchandise, and said, “There’s a case we need your help with.”
“A case? Isn’t the professor usually the one who assists with investigations?” Jiang Xiaosi had been so busy these past two years that she had significantly reduced her time helping with cases.
“No, this one’s different. It’s about a woman named Su Bi. She seemed to have taken some kind of drug. Her corpse emits a strange fragrance, and her death was mysterious and unusual. Professor Shen performed the autopsy and said it was the work of ‘Tuogu Xiang’, so we’ve come to ask for your assistance.”
“She’s dead again?” Jiang Xiaosi was shocked. “Didn’t she send money a while ago, saying she’d returned home?”
Xiao Tang scratched his head in confusion. What did she mean by “dead again”?
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