Chapter 36 Part 1

Yun Chun turned back and casually reached out to close the door behind her.

The physical barrier shut out the chill.

Inside the room, Lu Qingxue fell silent. “…”

Yun Chun’s other arm was still around Qin Xing. After shutting the door, she guided Qin Xing toward her office. “Sister Xing, you’ve got a mountain of work waiting at the company. You didn’t need to come all this way with me.”

She had no intention of dragging Qin Xing along. What if Xu Lanmeng wanted to talk about her mom? She was heading into ghost territory as it was. Qin Xing was already worried sick over that marriage certificate. If she learned about any supernatural happenings, Yun Chun couldn’t guarantee she wouldn’t think Yun Chun was crazy—or worse, get frightened herself.

She couldn’t afford that kind of fallout.

Yun Chun said patiently, “You’re just worried about whether this ghost marriage will affect me, right? In a bit, I’ll have Master Xu send you a voice message to set your mind at ease.”

“That’s not the point,” Qin Xing replied. “Whether I’m worried or not isn’t what matters.”

Qin Xing removed Yun Chun’s hand from her shoulder and planted her feet, staring at the woman in front of her. She and Yun Chun had known each other for years now. Their meeting had been hot-blooded, clichéd, straight out of a movie.

It was a rainy summer night. Qin Xing had been drinking with a bunch of her buddies at a restaurant, the party in full swing, when a group of newcomers burst in. They were lowlifes from the Yi Family’s underworld operations. The Yi and Mo Families kept up a facade of peace on the surface, but their private feuds never ended. These guys had clashed with Qin Xing’s crew more times than she could count—plenty of brawls under their belts. Just a few days earlier, they’d had a minor run-in over some shop territory. Now it looked like they’d tracked Qin Xing’s group to this very spot for an ambush.

The rest was predictable. Words turned to blows in an instant.

Qin Xing was the only woman in her crew, but she fought like a demon. She’d started learning martial arts as a kid to protect Mo Yue. She’d figured she’d guard her for life, but as they grew up, Mo Yue ended up surrounded by bodyguards and didn’t need her anymore. Qin Xing’s skills were reduced to self-defense. Oh, and serving as muscle for the Mo Family.

Mo Yue had laughed and said even the Yi Family feared her fists, but Qin Xing didn’t buy that Mo Yue was clueless about how many Yi Family thugs she’d beaten down. It was just mockery. Mockery for leaving the Mo Family but still daring to tangle with the Yis—backed by Mo protection before, but now?

The fight hadn’t raged long before the other side started faltering, but why show up for an ambush without a plan? As Qin Xing kicked one guy flying and moved to help a teammate caught in a chokehold, two knife-wielding punks lunged from the shadows. She blocked one, but the other sliced her arm—a six-centimeter gash that bled instantly. It was nothing to her. She was about to counter when Yun Chun appeared.

Thinking back to that scene now, Qin Xing could only laugh.

A tall, skinny girl in shorts and a t-shirt charged out from a huddle of terrified restaurant patrons, chair raised high. Her arms trembled as she swung it with all her might at the knifeman, blocking the attack meant for Qin Xing and giving her the opening to take down the other attacker. The guy who got smashed was stunned; when he recovered, he raised his knife toward Yun Chun. Before she could react, Qin Xing sent him sprawling with a kick. She stepped in front of Yun Chun, shielding her despite the burning pain in her arm. Glancing back with a frown, she snapped, “Get back there.” Back into the crowd, where it was safe.

Yun Chun didn’t argue. She nodded, pulled a kitchen knife from behind her, and handed it over. “Got it, heroine. Kick some ass.” As she dove back into the huddle, she called out, “I’ve already called the cops. Stay safe!”

Later, Qin Xing used that knife to repay the arm slash. Before she could do more, sirens wailed…

The sound of a police car speeding past downstairs yanked her back to the present. Qin Xing’s deep red lips pressed into a thin line as she told Yun Chun, “What matters is your safety.”

Yun Chun blinked, then flicked her bangs with a fingertip and grinned. “Got it. Don’t worry, I’m clingy about my life. I won’t do anything that could hurt me or make me off myself.”

Qin Xing’s eyes filled with doubt. “Really?”

Yun Chun nodded firmly. “Of course!”

Qin Xing relaxed a fraction. As long as Yun Chun wouldn’t sabotage herself, she had no real cause for worry. Her only fear was that this stubborn woman might harm herself for the sake of her bond with Lu Qingxue. Qin Xing didn’t know the depths of their connection, but with one alive and one dead, tied by a ghost marriage… it didn’t sit right with her.

But she wasn’t Yun Chun. She could only offer advice, not make decisions for her. Whatever Yun Chun chose, she couldn’t interfere—as long as Yun Chun stayed safe.

Qin Xing turned toward her office, shooting her a sidelong glance. “Do whatever. But if things go south, don’t come crying to me.”

Ignoring the tough talk but soft heart in that last bit, Yun Chun smiled. “Okay.”

~~~

With Qin Xing placated, Yun Chun headed back to the conference room.

She figured Lu Qingxue had left by now and just wanted to double-check. To her surprise, Lu Qingxue was still seated there. As Yun Chun entered, she rose slowly.

Yun Chun rubbed her nose. “Sister Qingxue, you’re still here?”

Lu Qingxue hummed softly and smiled. “I knew you’d come back for one last look. I didn’t want you to miss me and feel disappointed.”

Yun Chun blinked. Would she feel disappointed if she didn’t see Lu Qingxue?

“I came back to say goodbye, actually.”

“Do we need goodbyes between us?” Lu Qingxue’s voice was gentle. “Don’t we see each other every day?”

“But even in those short times apart, we can’t see each other.”

Lu Qingxue lowered her gaze. “How do you know I can’t see you when we’re apart?”

Yun Chun blinked again.

She’d forgotten: her inability to see Lu Qingxue didn’t mean Lu Qingxue couldn’t see her.

That ethereal quality was part of what made Lu Qingxue feel so otherworldly to her.

The air hung quiet for two seconds before Lu Qingxue asked softly, “What did that Xu woman call you about?”

Without a second thought, Yun Chun answered while pulling out her phone to call Xu Lanmeng back.

When Lu Qingxue heard, she asked, “If you want to see Auntie Qin, why not tell me?”

Yun Chun looked startled. “Huh? Sister Qingxue, you can find my mom?”

“Ghost seeking ghost—isn’t that faster than a human searching?”

Seemed logical!

Yun Chun tsked. “I hadn’t run into you yet when I asked Master Xu for help. By the time I did, it slipped my mind to mention it.”

“So next time you have a problem, think of me first.”

Yun Chun tilted her head. “So, Sister Qingxue, how much will it cost?”

Lu Qingxue knew Yun Chun’s ways—she hated owing favors or troubling others. She didn’t press, just smiled. “One stick of incense will do.”

Yun Chun’s brows curved in a grin.

Xu Lanmeng picked up, but she was cryptic on the line—just that Yun Chun should come over since she was fine. It only stoked Yun Chun’s anticipation.

She skipped the bus, hailed a ride straight to Xu Lanmeng’s house.

The sign on the gate read “Not Home.” Yun Chun glanced at it and rang the bell.

A dozen seconds later, the door swung open from inside, and Xu Lanmeng’s face appeared.

Yun Chun’s eyes widened in surprise. Compared to two months ago, Xu Lanmeng looked even younger. Her hair gleamed jet-black, her once-gaunt face now flushed and healthy, free of that skeletal thinness.

Her old scrawny build had matched the chunky gold chain around her neck just fine, but now she truly looked the part of someone who belonged with it—a proper nouveau riche.

The greeting slipped out. “Master Xu, made a killing lately?”

Xu Lanmeng arched a brow. “What makes you say that?”

Yun Chun chuckled. “You look even more like a big shot now.”

Xu Lanmeng didn’t reply, turning to shut the door.

Yun Chun had already stepped inside. She scanned the room. It seemed much the same as before, yet little details had shifted. Potted plants lined the balcony, table, and tea tray, bursting with colorful blooms. The most eye-catching one on the table caught her eye—it was familiar, just like the little yellow flowers she’d seen on the hillside as a kid. Five petals, bright yellow, dotting the green stems.

The talisman papers that once plastered the walls were gone, replaced by Xu Lanmeng’s own calligraphy. The deity statue remained enshrined, and on the other side of the table, the incense burner still smoldered with a single stick, its wispy smoke drifting upward, gently nourishing… something.

These subtle changes gave off one clear vibe: the place finally felt like a home.

Something hollowed in Yun Chun’s chest for a moment, then filled just as quickly. The emptiness came from the word “home,” which she hadn’t felt in years. What filled it was the warmth she’d rediscovered lately.

Warmth that Lu Qingxue had brought her.

For Xu Lanmeng’s home, it was that pot of little yellow flowers. For Yun Chun, it was the coffee machine on the kitchen counter.

Thinking of Lu Qingxue brought an unconscious smile to Yun Chun’s lips. She pulled her gaze from the room’s layout back to Xu Lanmeng herself.

“No clients today?”

“Haven’t been taking business lately.”

“Why?”

Xu Lanmeng’s eyes drifted to the little yellow flowers. She’d bought the seeds two months ago; Yun Yueqin had planted them herself. Two months later, they were in full bloom.

“Enjoying life,” she replied.

“Fair enough.” Yun Chun set the fruits she’d bought on the tea tray and turned to Xu Lanmeng. “So, why’d you call me here? Is it…?”

Yun Chun trailed off. She hesitated to ask outright, afraid the answer wouldn’t match what she hoped.

In the end, anticipation outweighed disappointment. Yun Chun asked cautiously, “Is it… news about my mom?”

Xu Lanmeng walked over to the sofa and pointed at the seat beside her. “Sit.”

Yun Chun sat down. Xu Lanmeng didn’t answer right away. Instead, she picked up the teapot from the table and poured Yun Chun a cup of tea.

Yun Chun glanced at the ceramic teacup in front of Xu Lanmeng. “Where’s your porcelain jar?”

Xu Lanmeng paused mid-sip, then sighed with a smile. “It got thrown out.”

Yun Chun blinked. “Who would dare throw out your stuff?”

She had visited Xu Lanmeng’s house a few times and never seen any family members around. There weren’t even any photos on display. Yun Chun wasn’t sure if Xu Lanmeng had ever had a partner in the past, but she was definitely single now. Whoever had thrown out Xu Lanmeng’s things must have been a guest, which was why Yun Chun phrased her question that way.

Xu Lanmeng’s expression softened. She set down her teacup and gazed quietly at Yun Chun.

Yun Chun assumed Xu Lanmeng had something to tell her. She stared back without blinking, letting Xu Lanmeng look her fill.

But after a long moment, Xu Lanmeng still hadn’t spoken.