Chapter 108 - 107: Must Be Sent Away

Chapter 108: Chapter 107: Must Be Sent Away

Worried about keeping them waiting, Li Lu headed to the Sichuan restaurant for their meeting without even taking off her makeup.

When Li Lu arrived, the dishes were just beginning to be served. The table was a sea of fiery red that looked incredibly appetizing. But she had to watch her figure after joining her new project and basically skipped dinner. This huge spread... she could only feast her eyes on it.

"Have a seat." Gu Qingyin beckoned with a smile.

Li Lu naturally wanted to sit next to Huo Xinghai, but the seats on either side of him were already taken. After a moment’s hesitation, she sat down beside Gu Qingyin.

Everyone began to eat. Gu Qingyin and Huo Xingchen feasted with great relish, while Li Lu only drank tea. Huo Xinghai, for his part, only ate a few bites of vegetables and lean meat. The contrast was stark.

Gu Qingyin shook her head and lamented, "Being a celebrity really isn’t a job for just anyone. Having to look but not eat—it’s pure torture."

Li Lu had come with the goal of getting on Gu Qingyin’s good side. Hearing this, she gave a wry smile. "Every profession has its limits. Being a celebrity is certainly more demanding, but by the same token, we also receive more. It has its pros and cons, I suppose."

Gu Qingyin nodded in agreement. "Miss Li is very professional."

Li Lu smiled graciously. "You can just call me by my name, Sister Qing." She glanced at Huo Xinghai. "Xinghai and I are very close. You don’t have to be so formal."

Gu Qingyin’s lips curved into a half-smile. "I know. Xinghai has always considered you his idol. You could say you’re the mentor who inspired his dream."

Huo Xinghai recalled with a hint of nostalgia, "It was only after hearing your songs and seeing you on stage that I decided to become a musician."

Li Lu’s smile froze. ’What the hell is this "mentor who inspired his dream" crap?’ she fumed internally. ’It makes me sound ancient! I’m only ten years older than Huo Xinghai! We’re practically the same generation!’

Gu Qingyin nodded. "In the music world, Li Lu, you’re Xinghai’s senior. He’s young and inexperienced, so he’ll have to rely on you seniors to look after him." She raised her teacup in a toast to Li Lu, using tea in place of wine.

Li Lu could barely maintain her smile, but she had no choice but to drink the tea.

Having been in the industry for so many years, not to mention her two years married into a wealthy family, how could she not see that Gu Qingyin was doing this deliberately? This was Gu Qingyin’s way of warning her not to get any ideas about her son.

Li Lu sneered inwardly. ’That only matters if your son actually listens to you.’

She lowered her gaze, set down her cup, and adjusted her expression into a complex mix of melancholy, pity, and grievance, with an undercurrent of stubborn defiance. She looked for all the world like an innocent damsel being tormented by a wicked mother-in-law in a TV drama.

Then, she raised her head and looked past Gu Qingyin toward Huo Xinghai.

The look on her face startled Huo Xinghai so much he nearly spat out his food. He quickly ducked his head, pretending to eat, his heart pounding with a mixture of shock and fear. ’Li Lu actually likes me!’

And to think, he’d felt a little awkward when he heard Gu Qingyin’s words earlier, feeling like he might have been reading too much into things. But he never expected this... He had to admit, damn, his mom’s intuition was sharp as a tack!

Li Lu hadn’t expected that reaction from Huo Xinghai either. Her expression flickered before she nonchalantly lowered her head, but inside, her thoughts were in turmoil.

’Could I have been mistaken? Does Huo Xinghai not actually like me?’ Li Lu couldn’t help but second-guess herself. But then she dismissed the thought as impossible. ’If he wasn’t completely smitten with me, why would he have given me the Ghost Doll as a gift?’

’It must be because he’s too embarrassed to respond in front of Gu Qingyin. Yes, that’s it. It’s because Gu Qingyin doesn’t approve of us.’

Having convinced herself she’d found the reason, Li Lu’s anxious heart settled back down.

After everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, Gu Qingyin had the staff clear the plates and bring out a fresh pot of tea.

Once the server had left, she turned to Huo Xingchen. "Watch closely. I’m only going to show you this once."

Huo Xingchen immediately sat up straight, his eyes fixed on her with intense concentration.

Gu Qingyin raised a hand and began forming intricate hand seals, deliberately slowing her movements.

Huo Xinghai and Li Lu looked over as well, but after only two seconds, an unbearable, aching sensation forced their eyes shut. By the time they recovered enough to open them again, the demonstration was already over.

"Did you get it?"

Huo Xingchen nodded, full of confidence.

Gu Qingyin smiled. "Lay down a ward. Let me see."

Huo Xingchen rubbed his hands together eagerly, walked over to the door, and began to mimic Gu Qingyin’s movements, forming the hand seals.

Refusing to be beaten, Huo Xinghai kept staring, and his eyes began to ache again. It was much better than the first time, however; at least he didn’t tear up.

Li Lu was more sensible. Knowing she couldn’t watch whatever this was, she turned her head to Gu Qingyin and asked, her voice a mix of shock and uncertainty, "Sister Qing... are you a Heavenly Master?"

Gu Qingyin nodded with a pleasant smile, getting straight to the point. "We came here tonight mainly to save you."

Li Lu instinctively glanced at Huo Xinghai, her guard immediately going up. "What do you mean?"

Huo Xinghai scratched his head, looking both guilty and embarrassed. "It means we have to send away the little ghost you’re keeping. If we don’t, you’ll die by its hand sooner or later."

The color drained from Li Lu’s face. Her immediate reaction was to refuse. "No! That’s the Ghost Doll I’m making offerings to. What right do you have to send it away?!"

"But you’ll die if we don’t," Huo Xinghai reasoned, trying to appeal to both her logic and emotions. "I’m the one who gave you the Ghost Doll. I can’t just stand by and watch you die. I have to save you."

"I don’t need saving!" Li Lu shot to her feet, shouting her refusal. "Since I chose to make offerings to it, I was prepared to accept all the consequences. I don’t need you to save me!"

Huo Xinghai was taken aback. He then frowned, studying her. "You... you knew this would happen all along, didn’t you?"

A flicker of discomfort crossed Li Lu’s eyes. She wasn’t a fool. During her two years married into a wealthy family, she’d been exposed to plenty of things related to Xuan Techniques. Many rich businessmen made offerings to ensure smooth business dealings and great fortune.

She knew exactly what it was when Huo Xinghai gave her the Ghost Doll. She had been torn, but ultimately, her ambition won out over her fear. She wanted a career revival, to be a cut above the rest, and the little ghost could drastically shorten her climb to the top.

Huo Xinghai’s lips thinned. "Then did you know that you keeping a little ghost would have negative consequences for me, too?"

Li Lu’s eyes widened. "Wasn’t that your choice? You’re the one who gave me the Ghost Doll!"

Huo Xinghai nodded and sighed. "So you did know." ’And yet,’ he thought, ’she never mentioned it, not once. She just let me bear the karmic consequences with her.’

Li Lu was baffled. "You mean you didn’t know? Your mother is a Heavenly Master. How could you possibly not understand the risks involved?"

Huo Xinghai gave a bitter laugh and fell silent. The goddess-like image he’d had of Li Lu since he was a teenager now lay shattered on the floor.

"He really didn’t know," Gu Qingyin said calmly. "Of the three brothers, only Xingchen has studied Xuan Techniques. Xinghai had no idea about any of this before he brought that doll home."

Xia Zelin, just to make a buck, said whatever sounded good and didn’t mention a single one of the consequences.

Li Lu’s face turned pale. "How is that possible..." Her mind was in a complete turmoil, and she had no idea how to react.

"Therefore," Gu Qingyin stated, her tone leaving no room for argument, "for the safety of both of your lives, this little ghost must be sent away."