You wouldn't happen to have designs on me, would you?
Wen Dai didn't continue her perverted behavior for long. She turned her attention to find the building where Wei Ling was. Blindly searching was inefficient for her, as the immortals were currently providing her with absolutely accurate navigation.
Dealing with the ghosts for Wei Ling left her no time for leisure. Wen Dai was striding forward in the direction indicated by the spirit when the person she had selectively ignored suddenly sneered in her ear: "Heh. You wouldn't happen to have designs on me, would you? First, you came to my law firm and bothered me, causing others to misunderstand me, trying to get my attention? Now you're sticking to me... I shouldn't have doubted your abilities; to know my movements so accurately, you are indeed not to be underestimated. But you should give up on that idea; I will never like someone like you."
Wen Dai, who was focused on the building number, suddenly lost her sense of direction. She turned her head sharply to look at the man walking beside her, only to be met with his sarcastic gaze that seemed to say, "Stop pretending, I've seen through you."
The fire in her heart remained unburnt, and she laughed in exasperation. She tilted her head, her brow furrowed in bewilderment, and returned his mocking gaze. "No, why don't you go to a mental health center to get your brain checked? I don't have masochistic tendencies, how could I possibly like a slut like you? And isn't it possible I came here for a reason? So everyone who goes this way is interested in you? Are you suffering from a 'love-struck mania'?"
Unfortunately, her rebuttal seemed to have no effect on Chen Sizhe. The man leisurely shifted his gaze, his raised chin leaving Wen Dai only able to stare at his jawline. The words that fell from the gap between his red lips were light and airy: "People usually only react intensely when their thoughts are known. You know the answer in your heart."
Taking a step back won't open up new possibilities; she'll only develop breast nodules.
With her fists brimming with rage, she slammed them down when he was off guard. Wen Dai punched his arm several times in a row, then, following the route provided by the immortals, she took off running away.
The act of venting and then running away is immoral and childish, but it feels good. Wen Dai's heart-warming anger turned into a tool that made the corners of her lips curl up. She put her hands on her waist, hunched over, and stood downstairs at Wei Ling's house, panting heavily.
Her throat was dry and sore from the wind, so she swallowed and took out her phone to call Wei Ling via WeChat.
"Hey, I'm downstairs at your building; I can't open this smart lock, so I'll have to trouble you to come down here. Your neighborhood is so high-class." Wen Dai stood in front of the building entrance, holding her phone, her hands on her hips now resting on the wall. Her voice, sweet and clear, tinged with a bit of panting, reflected her good mood.
Unfortunately, her feelings for Wen Dai were fleeting, like lightning and morning dew; fate seemed determined to play tricks on her.
Just as I hung up the phone, that familiar cold laugh rang out from beside me again.
Subconsciously, she turned her head and faced the face that was driving her to PTSD once again.
Chen Sizhe's arm, still throbbing from the series of punches, glanced sideways at Wen Dai standing in front of the door, his eyes filled with mockery, which seemed to be a needle aimed at her. "It seems I overestimated you. You can do something as irresponsible as hitting someone and running away. Didn't your parents teach you what manners are? Calling you an adult is an understatement."
The corners of her mouth, which had been hanging limply beneath her cheekbones, were now drooping, and Wen Dai could no longer smile. The light in his dark eyes vanished in an instant, like a torch that had been blown out; she maintained her head turned to the side, but her eyes, which met his gaze, were cold, colder than ever before.
"And what about you? Didn't your parents teach you not to involve them in everything? From a young age, you were taught to take responsibility for your own actions. Do you think this kind of collective insult is a sign of good manners? You inexplicably use your subjective assumptions to slander others. What kind of person are you?" The hand that was propped against the wall fell down, returning to the shape of an irregular stone. Wen Dai suppressed the urge to throw the stone at him to death.
Rising anger and pain mingled, partly scorching her, partly tempting her reason to retreat.
The cat, who occasionally flashed its claws, suddenly transformed into a hedgehog with its quills constantly taut. No, not a hedgehog. She was a sandbox tree.
Another inexplicable stirring occurred, her soul becoming like a tightly wrung towel. Chen Sizhe's gaze seemed fixed on her by glue stronger than superglue, and he gleaned hatred from the depths of her eyes—
It wasn't hatred she felt for him; her hatred was too distant for him to perceive.
Wei Ling, rushing downstairs in the sweltering summer heat, wore long-sleeved pajamas. Her tousled hair bounced with her movements. She opened the smart door from the inside, her eyes, which seemed about to close at any moment, rolled over the two people who made the air feel stagnant.
She spoke cautiously, "Um... I'm sorry, I invited both of you masters just to be on the safe side. I didn't mean to mess with you. Don't worry, I'll settle the bill."
The sound was still intermittent, with a gasp at the end of each sentence.
"Hmm? What masters? Two masters?" The atmosphere that had been slowly freezing was shattered by Wen Dai. The person who had just been exchanging sharp words with Chen Muqing was nowhere to be seen. Now, she had a warm smile on her face. Dead eyes can come back to life. The light in her eyes, which had been turned off, shone again. Even the tone of her question was gentle.
Wei Ling opened the unit door, making room for the two of them to enter. Her gaze shifted from Chen Sizhe's somewhat unfriendly appearance to Wen Dai's smiling face. She explained, "Yes, yes, the master next to you is someone I met a few days ago after posting online for help. I also video-chatted with him, and what he said was the same as what you said—that I was being haunted by a water ghost, but unlike you… he saw through the reason why I was being haunted. Originally, I was going to have this master help me, but my cousin recommended you. I also think your abilities are outstanding, but after thinking it over… I felt I couldn't back out halfway, so I simply invited both of you."
Wen Dai glanced sideways at the man on the other side, whose chin was held high and who refused to look at her. She gave a cold laugh and said nothing more.
Wei Ling didn't notice the guns and clubs the two men were carrying. She led them into the elevator and upstairs. When she stood close to them, you could hear her soft breathing. "However, both of you masters are very good-looking, even more so than in the videos."
Inside the cramped elevator, Wen Dai and Chen Sizhe stood diagonally opposite each other, while Wei Ling, stuck in the middle, couldn't bear the silence as the elevator ascended.
"Thank you. I think I'm probably better looking than him."
"Thank you. But when it comes to dealing with people, judging situations, and helping others, appearance is not important; ability is the most important."
First was Wen Dai, who clearly demonstrated the power of the halberd; then came Chen Sizhe, who mastered the art of Yin and Yang.
The elevator doors opened with a "ding," and Wen Dai stepped out without turning her head. The air current carried her voice into the elevator: "I'm afraid some people are not only less attractive, but also less skilled."
If the previous attacks were hidden arrows, then this is an open attack; even if Wei Ling is slow to realize, she should be able to tell that the two are not on good terms.
She chuckled awkwardly twice, followed by a deep exhale and inhale, "They're both capable, and both are good-looking."
The apartment buildings in the complex all have a one-apartment-per-floor design. When Wei Ling opened the door, Wen Dai glanced at the environment inside and was surprised – the curtains were almost all tightly closed, with only a few wisps of light seeping in from the gaps, and the dark atmosphere floating in the dim living room was not to be ignored.
She heard the click of the door closing behind her. Turning her head, her pupils dilated slightly, she saw a wet head hanging on Wei Ling's shoulder; the hair looked as if it were made by plucking grass from the bottom of a lake and planting it on the scalp, and a hand shrouded in black mist was stuck in Wei Ling's chest, as if it were fiddling with something inside.
If it were just this one ghost, it would be manageable. However... black mist slowly rolled out from Wei Ling's back, a mist that was ingrained in her very bones.
The words that were about to come out of Wen Dai's mouth were interrupted by Chen Sizhe, who blurted out: "The spirit has entered her body."
He took out magical artifacts and talismans from the black bag he was carrying, and performed hand seals and incantations with ease, before striking Wei Ling on the back with a single palm strike.
The black mist trembled slightly before drilling straight into Wei Ling's body. Wen Dai hurriedly cried out in her mind for her protectors: "Teacher Cuiwei, Teacher Shicheng, hurry! Her acupoints are all opened; if it goes any deeper, she'll go mad!"
Chen Sizhe had already opened his third eye, which allowed him to see clearly the six-tailed fox and black python leaping out from Wen Dai's body. He was so shocked that he froze on the spot, his sword fingers frozen in mid-air. Before he could even begin to seal his acupoints, the six-tailed fox and black python joined forces to cast a spell and capture the wild ghost hiding inside Wei Ling's body. The slender, misty creature hung from the six-tailed fox's claws.
"Chen Sizhe, you must practice Taoist magic, right? I'm not sure if you learned it from civil law or the temple, but don't you know you can't be so violent with someone whose mind has been possessed by a ghost? What good is it besides injuring her soul? Oh, and maybe it'll let her get slapped a few times too. Professional matters should be left to professionals. As for you—"
Wen Dai stepped closer, placing one hand on Wei Ling's arm. Facing the water ghost so close at hand, she didn't even glance at it. With her other hand raised, her upturned eyes were filled with mockery. Before the murmured incantation, her sarcasm towards Chen Sizhe was finally finished: "Heh, go back to your law firm and be your materialist and atheist."
Then she recited the words from above that would make her work twice as well, and with her other hand raised, she fiercely slammed it onto the water ghost's head—though she couldn't physically touch it, the damage was real.
The burning sensation caused the water ghost to wail, and Wei Ling was the one who could perceive the hissing sound most clearly.
Hearing the strange noises in her ears, Wei Ling was so frightened that she dared not move.
Wei Ling, however, was an ordinary person unable to perceive ghosts or monsters, while Chen Sizhe, who could now see their forms clearly, understood them perfectly. His hand fell from the air, his gaze shifting between the water ghost and Wen Dai, finally settling on Wen Dai with a mixture of shock and complexity. He pursed his lips, thinking to himself: "They're really ruthless."
Without exception, all the souls in Wei Ling's body were captured by Wen Dai. She left the spirits that were disturbing the mortals to be dealt with by the immortals behind her. She gave Chen Sizhe, who was standing behind Wei Ling, a look of impatience in her eyes, "What are you standing there for? Seal your acupoints, brother."
Chen Sizhe, unusually, did not refute her. He lowered his head slightly, and his hand, which had been forming a hand seal, tapped on Wei Ling's back. The incantation he murmured was known only to himself.
Wei Ling raised her hand to her chest, a look of surprise spreading across her face. Her previously droopy eyelids suddenly perked up. "I don't have that tightness in my chest or shortness of breath anymore. You're amazing, Master Wen! Of course, I also owe a lot to Master Chen. I was thinking of pouring you two cups of tea first, and then explaining my situation in detail. I didn't expect that you would take care of me so soon after I came in."
Wen Dai gave her a gentle smile, her gaze shifting from Chen Sizhe to her eyes, which held a hint of pity. Her words chilled the heart that had just warmed: "You're welcome. It's not over yet. You went to the lake to contemplate life and brought back a house full of ghosts, didn't you? Many kind-hearted ghosts want to help you with your troubles. Next time, don't go to the lake in the middle of the night because of a breakup. Otherwise, while you're contemplating life, you'll have a bunch of other ghosts contemplating their own existence around you, and then they'll feel lonely and want to follow you home. Touched? You've given many homeless ghosts a home."
Wei Ling's smile froze, her surprise turning into horror; her eyelids were now really strong, almost opening up to reveal her entire eyeballs.
However, Wen Dai turned away without lingering, and didn't have time to comfort Wei Ling for the time being. She continued to investigate the black mist that stretched in the air. Chen Sizhe, who had been behind Wei Ling, also stepped forward to follow.
"...I'm sorry for what happened before." It was as if he had difficulty saying it, and each word seemed to be pushed out by Chen Sizhe through clenched teeth.
But Wen Dai didn't care how difficult it was for a proud person to bow their head. She ignored it and turned her body to go into the bathroom.
A cluster of souls had already piled up in the bathtub, their intertwined black mist thick and dense. The damp, cool air enveloped the exposed skin, sending shivers down one's spine.
Wen Dai, who was standing at the bathroom door, moved to the side. She glanced at Chen Sizhe and waved her hand, indicating, "It's your show now. You were so rough when you were helping that girl exorcise the ghost. Now you can unleash your violence to your heart's content. Don't make it seem like I have to do everything, and then you still get a share in the end."
Those who are obsessed with saving face are the most likely to lie.
Taking advantage of the fact that he had his back to her while dealing with the ghost in the bathroom, Wen Dai pressed her hand directly against her chest. The disordered beating inside her chest made her feel like Wei Ling before the exorcism, and her body became heavy.
To be honest, her physical condition is actually extremely weak, which is one of the reasons why she rarely takes on big, risky legal cases.
To be honest, she's really lacking a partner.
Her gaze, which had been fixed on the blue patterned tiles, slowly rose, and she watched his back.
The man's technique was indeed remarkable; his movements as he cast spells and lifted magical implements were fluid and skillful, visibly adept. But, without being modest, Wen Dai believed her own abilities surpassed his, only her mental fortitude held her back.
Recalling the apology he had just uttered, Wen Dai's heart stirred slightly.
Should we swallow our pride and try to negotiate with him?
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