Chapter 111 - 110: Bonus - 1

Chapter 111: Chapter 110: Bonus Chapter 1

"...Sister Li, it’s time to get up."

Xiao Yuan gently nudged the person in bed, wondering to herself. Sister Li was usually a very light sleeper; the slightest sound would wake her. Why was she sleeping so soundly today?

Xiao Yuan glanced at the time. Worried they’d be late for the shoot, she pushed a little harder.

Li Lu’s brow furrowed first, and her eyes darted around under her lids, showing signs of waking.

After Xiao Yuan called out to her again, Li Lu’s eyes flew open and she shot upright, nearly bumping her head against Xiao Yuan’s.

"Sister Li!" Xiao Yuan jumped back in fright. After taking two steps back, she studied Li Lu’s expression and asked cautiously, "Sister Li, did you have a nightmare?"

"A nightmare..." Li Lu murmured unconsciously. She suddenly lunged for the nightstand and yanked open the drawer.

The spot where the Ghost Doll was supposed to be was empty.

Li Lu stared blankly for a moment, then tears began to fall, PLIP PLOP. A few seconds later, she broke into loud sobs.

Startled, Xiao Yuan rushed over, but she didn’t dare touch her. She could only ask anxiously, "Sister Li, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? I’ll go ask the director for a day off so we can go to the hospital. Can you walk? Should I call an ambulance?"

Li Lu grabbed onto her, shaking her head as she cried, her sobs unabating.

Xiao Yuan was at a complete loss, her face flushing with anxiety.

Li Lu didn’t know what she was crying about either. Was she crying for the career that would no longer be so smooth, for her misguided one-sided love, or for the fact that she was finally free from the potential threat of the little ghost?

After some time, Li Lu had cried her fill. She got up and called the director to ask for a day off.

Hearing how hoarse and stuffy Li Lu’s voice was, the director assumed she was seriously ill and gave her the day off without a second thought.

Li Lu thanked him, tossed her phone aside, and fell back onto the bed. She pulled the covers over her head and said in a muffled voice, "Xiao Yuan, you can go. I’m a bit tired. I want to rest."

Xiao Yuan was very worried. "Are you sure you don’t need to go to the hospital?"

"No, you can go."

Resigned, Xiao Yuan left, looking back every few steps.

’Wasn’t she perfectly fine yesterday? Why does she look so devastated today? Could it be... she got her heart broken?!’

Xiao Yuan’s eyes widened. She felt like she had uncovered the truth. After much thought, she decided to call the agent.

Heartbreak can really affect one’s mood, and it would be bad if it interfered with filming. While waiting for the call to connect, Xiao Yuan thought to herself, ’So the ship I was secretly rooting for ended up sinking after all. Sigh.’

Meanwhile, Gu Qingyin and the others didn’t linger. As soon as their business was done, they booked the next flight back to Yun City.

Because the little ghost had been dealt with, and Huo Xinghai had participated in saving someone—even if he was just a bystander along for the ride the whole time—he still earned a bit of merit.

This bit of merit counteracted the Karma entwined around him. The merit didn’t last long before it vanished, along with a small portion of his Karma. It was a truly tiny amount, so small that Huo Xinghai didn’t feel any different at all.

Gu Qingyin wasn’t very satisfied with this. So, after returning to Yun City, she immediately contacted Xia Zelin to act as a middleman. He put her in touch with numerous people who had taken home little ghosts or Curse Dolls, so she could help them get rid of the little ghosts and escape the influence of the Curse Dolls.

Huo Xinghai was present every time, and by accumulating small amounts, he eventually earned a decent amount of merit. Finally, they were seeing some results.

This continued until just before Gu Qingyin was due to go to the Mystic Association to retrieve the Divine Artifact, at which point it came to a temporary halt.

Huo Xingchen had been in the country for too long, and his manager was about to lose his mind. If Huo Xingchen didn’t return to Europe soon, the manager was going to fly over and drag him back personally.

Jian Xilin was also on the verge of insanity. He even told Huo Xinghai that if he wanted to quit the entertainment industry, he should just say so. Left with no choice, Huo Xinghai had to go back to work.

During this period, Gu Qingyin also felt exhausted. Every day, she was either getting rid of a little ghost or on her way to get rid of one.

When she finally got a day off, she slept until the afternoon. After waking up, tidying up, and eating a full meal, she felt refreshed and headed to the Mystic Association with Liu Ergou in the evening.

They went late this time, after the scenic area had already closed. The two of them snuck in like thieves, climbing over the outer wall, and were almost spotted by a patrolling security guard.

Gu Qingyin had never felt so much like a sneak thief. ’I should really give the Mystic Association some feedback,’ she thought. ’Can’t they use a different entrance?! Why make it so hidden? Are they afraid of being found?’

The Mystic Association was the same as always, with a constant stream of people and bizarre-looking stalls. But the closer they got to the main building, the heavier the atmosphere became.

Passing through a small alley, Gu Qingyin saw a group of Mystic Association elders standing in front of the main building. Among them was her former arch-nemesis—Dongfang Ran.

Why "former"?

Before she disappeared twenty years ago, Dongfang Ran had to compete with her over everything, which was endlessly annoying. ’Now that two decades have passed,’ she mused, ’Dongfang Ran can’t possibly be that childish anymore, right?’

And truth be told, Dongfang Ran had been quite beautiful when she was young. Now, despite being middle-aged, her figure and face hadn’t changed much. Standing among a group of old men and women, she looked even younger.

In front of the building, Dongfang Ran was also sizing up the slowly approaching Gu Qingyin.

Dongfang Ran felt a sense of daze. Gu Qingyin... she was exactly the same as in her memories. Her expression, her aura—nothing had changed. Twenty years had passed, yet Gu Qingyin looked just as she had back then, so dazzling it made one envious, and irresistibly jealous.

"Long time no see."

Gu Qingyin ignored Tuoba Yan, raising an eyebrow as she greeted Dongfang Ran.

Tuoba Yan, who had been about to speak, closed his mouth and also looked at Dongfang Ran. He had heard his master mention before that back in the day, Gu Qingyin and Dongfang Ran were known as the "Peerless Duo."

—Though he thought the title was very old-fashioned, his master’s generation was just that traditional.

But the title alone was enough to show how talented and highly regarded the two of them were back then.

He had also heard that they didn’t get along, clashing at every turn, with both wins and losses on either side.

Dongfang Ran’s lips curved into a smile. "Long time no see."

Tuoba Yan twitched the corner of his mouth. ’They’re just exchanging pleasantries, but for some reason, I can sense a hint of gunpowder in the air. It must be my imagination.’

He cleared his throat and took over the conversation. "It’s not too late to catch up inside."

Dongfang Ran nodded, turning slightly and taking two steps back. "Please, come in."

Seeing this, the other elders also silently made way.

Gu Qingyin showed no courtesy whatsoever. Acting as if she were the guest of honor, she strode in with a swagger, leaving even Tuoba Yan behind her.

Seeing this, Liu Ergou couldn’t help but break into a sweat. Gu Qingyin might not care, but he wasn’t nearly so bold. He put on a broad smile and gestured with his hand toward the elders, saying, "Let’s all go in together. No need to be so formal."

The elders took him at his word and, with a flick of their sleeves, entered the building without ceremony.

Dongfang Ran, however, gave him a slight smile. "Gu Qingyin is back. Liu Daoist must be very happy, yes?"

"Of course!" Liu Ergou completely missed the hidden meaning behind her words and said with feeling, "It’s not just me. A lot of people were worried about her. Everyone is thrilled that she’s back safe and sound."

Dongfang Ran sneered inwardly but nodded in agreement on the surface. Then, as if asking casually, she said, "Where exactly was she for these past twenty years?"

Liu Ergou shook his head and sighed. "They say it had to do with that mission. I don’t know the specifics either."

Dongfang Ran didn’t believe him. Just as she was about to press further, someone from up ahead called for her, so she had to drop it for the moment.

As soon as she left, a flash of contempt crossed Liu Ergou’s face. ’What league does she think she’s in, trying to pry information out of me? In her dreams!’