Chapter 100 - 99: Life Is Like a Play

Chapter 100: Chapter 99: Life Is Like a Play

Huo Xinghai: One Curse Doll, one Ghost Baby.

Gu Qingyin stared at the words "Ghost Baby" for a long time. To be honest, it wasn’t a complete surprise; she’d had a premonition the moment she saw the wooden doll. She was just hurt, and a little angry.

’Huo Xinghai was still hiding things from her!’

Gu Qingyin took a deep breath, her expression impassive as she continued her questioning. "I’m not in a very good mood right now. You’d better tell me where Lin Wu is, or I can’t guarantee what will happen to you."

"...I don’t know."

Gu Qingyin’s gaze darkened, and Yin Qi began to surge from Huo Yunjing.

Xia Zelin jumped, his voice involuntarily rising. "I really don’t know! He’s always the one who comes to find me. I have no idea where he usually is or what he does."

"Then contact him now. Tell him a Heavenly Master found out what you’ve been doing and that you need him to come rescue you." Gu Qingyin stared at him. "Don’t tell me you don’t even have a way to contact Lin Wu yourself."

Xia Zelin swallowed, visibly nervous. "I do, but..." He didn’t dare. He couldn’t imagine the consequences of betraying Lin Wu.

"Better make your acting convincing. Don’t slip up." Gu Qingyin suddenly grinned. "You definitely don’t want to experience a Mystic Association prison before you go to Hell."

Xia Zelin’s expression shifted several times. After weighing his options, he gritted his teeth. "Fine, I’ll contact him. But you have to guarantee my safety."

Gu Qingyin nodded. "Deal."

Xia Zelin wiped his face, saying wearily, "There’s an Array Plate in the bag. Hand it to me."

Gu Qingyin looked down and rummaged through the bag, finding the Array Plate in a small inner compartment. She studied it for a moment. It was a long-distance Sound Transmission Array Plate, similar to a cell phone but with a limited number of uses. Once the pre-stored energy ran out, the plate would be useless.

’So cautious,’ Gu Qingyin thought. ’He’s definitely guilty of something.’

She placed the Array Plate on the coffee table and gestured with her chin. "Activate it."

Xia Zelin leaned forward. "You two should step away for a bit. This Array Plate can show the surrounding environment."

Gu Qingyin was quite agreeable. She stood up immediately and said, "Mao Mao, go wait under the coffee table. If he makes any funny moves, bite him."

Mao Mao obediently ran under the coffee table and bared its teeth fiercely at Xia Zelin.

Xia Zelin: ...

Turns out, when you’re left speechless, you’re really left speechless.

Gu Qingyin went into the bedroom, and Huo Yunjing vanished right after her. Only Xia Zelin and the little monkey, Mao Mao, his supervisor, were left in the living room.

Xia Zelin first composed himself, then raised a hand to tap the Array Plate a few times.

The Array Plate emitted a faint glow. A couple of breaths later, the light condensed above the plate into the miniature figure of a young man—it was Lin Wu.

When Lin Wu saw the surroundings, his expression changed. He demanded in a low voice, "Why are you contacting me from outside?"

Xia Zelin’s face was pale, his eyes filled with panic. "I couldn’t wait that long, bro. I’ve been found out."

Lin Wu paused. After his eyes scanned the surroundings, he spoke again. "Explain."

"One of my previous clients was discovered by a Heavenly Master, and they traced it back to me." Xia Zelin was frantic. "If that client hadn’t tipped me off, I might have already been caught by now."

"What do I do, bro?" Xia Zelin’s eyes reddened, which made his already youthful face look even younger. "I just want to live. Help me."

Lin Wu studied him, not saying a word.

Xia Zelin knew Lin Wu suspected him, but this was exactly the time to stay calm. Lin Wu himself had taught him that.

He kept his composure, recalling how he’d acted when he was truly panicked before, and tried his best to replicate it.

Sitting on pins and needles, fidgeting restlessly—he looked busy, but he wasn’t actually doing anything.

Seeing this, Lin Wu temporarily set aside his suspicions and soothed him in a soft voice, "Don’t panic. I won’t let anything happen to you. First, find a place to hide. I’ll come find you in a couple of days."

This made Xia Zelin even more frantic. "I can’t! I have an event in Yun City. It’s a really important one, and I have to be there."

Lin Wu frowned. "Can’t you take time off? Just say you’re seriously ill."

Xia Zelin’s eyes grew moist as he pleaded, "I really can’t, bro. You know I don’t want to spend my whole life on edge. I want to build the life I want on my own. This movie is the first step. I’m begging you, bro..."

As he finished speaking, a single tear rolled from the corner of Xia Zelin’s eye, perfectly on cue.

Lin Wu stared at him and fell silent.

Xia Zelin lowered his head and covered his face, his heart sinking with each passing moment. He was gambling—gambling that Lin Wu wasn’t just using him, that there was at least some genuine affection between them. But now, it seemed he had overestimated his own importance.

"Fine."

Xia Zelin froze. He slowly raised his head, revealing red-rimmed eyes and tear-laden lashes.

Lin Wu sighed softly, resigned. "What can I do? I see you as my own little brother. Which hotel are you at?"

"Bro..." Xia Zelin wiped his tears and smiled with relief. "I’m at the Jun Sheng. You have to come quickly, bro. I’m really scared."

Lin Wu nodded. "I’ll book a ticket right now. Barring any surprises, I’ll be there tonight."

Xia Zelin felt a mix of emotions, but his face showed both happiness and gratitude. "Thanks, bro."

Lin Wu waved his hand and shut off the Array Plate.

As Lin Wu’s image vanished, the expression on Xia Zelin’s face disappeared along with it.

He knew that Lin Wu was walking right into a trap. If he had any conscience, he would have warned Lin Wu during the call. But for his own sake, he had tricked him into coming.

He really was a selfish person.

Mao Mao’s mission was complete. It scampered out from under the coffee table toward Gu Qingyin, who had just come out of the bedroom. It was about to return to her shoulder but was met with a warning glare from Huo Yunjing, who was clinging to her.

Mao Mao flinched and slowly backed away. It ran back to the sofa, looking aggrieved, and even hissed at Xia Zelin as it passed.

Xia Zelin, lost in his own thoughts, didn’t notice.

Mao Mao grew even more displeased.

’It didn’t like this male master who had suddenly appeared!’

Gu Qingyin returned to her original seat on the sofa and asked casually, as if making small talk, "How’s the food at this hotel?"

Xia Zelin slumped back into the sofa, half-dead and listless. "Don’t know. I had takeout for lunch."

"Hmm." Gu Qingyin gave an order as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "Order something up. I’m hungry."

Xia Zelin really wanted to beat her up, but he didn’t dare. So, resentfully, he dialed room service and ordered two afternoon teas.

Gu Qingyin glanced at him, surprised. "You still have an appetite?"

"I eat when I’m in a bad mood. Is that a problem?" Xia Zelin’s tone was a bit aggressive, but the words had barely left his mouth before Huo Yunjing’s Yin Qi pressed down on him.

Xia Zelin, both resentful and terrified, held out for two seconds before meekly apologizing.

He desperately wished for a fast-forward button to skip through this whole ordeal! Then he would never have to see them again for the rest of his life!