Wang Ya took Wang Cheng’an onto the plane. It was Wang Cheng’an’s first time flying, and he excitedly pressed himself against the window to look outside, clearly having forgotten all about the earlier incident.
Wang Ya sat beside Wang Cheng’an, lost in heavy thought. She hadn’t expected the people from the Lingnan Ghost Family to arrive so quickly. The minor clash at the airport gate was negligible; the real trouble lay in how she would safely escort her father out of the airport after the plane landed.
Not long after Wang Ya sat down, a middle-aged man took the seat next to her. He glanced at Wang Ya a couple of times before bringing up the incident at the boarding gate, as if eager to gossip with her. Wang Ya could tell from his accent that he was a local from the southern regions.
Wang Ya replied lazily, “That family practices Ghost Raising. I’m in the Ghost Catching business, and I got on their bad side while helping a real estate client recruit Ghost Catching practitioners.” With that, she clammed up, not wanting to say more.
Wang Cheng’an suddenly twisted around and shouted, “Yaya!”
Wang Ya turned to look at Wang Cheng’an and caught a glimpse of a ghost shadow flashing past outside the plane. She pulled a sheet of Vermilion Bird Evil-Suppressing Incense from her pants pocket and pasted it on the cabin wall beneath her seat, then closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair to rest. She knew that ghost shadow had only been sent by the Ghost Family to confirm whether she had actually boarded the plane. The Ghost Family wouldn’t send ghosts onto the aircraft—doing so would be like throwing a meat bun to a dog, never to return.
Wang Ya pondered with her eyes closed for a moment before pulling out her mobile phone and turning it on.
As soon as the mobile phone powered up, she saw dozens of missed calls from a landline and a mobile number. Though they showed as unknown numbers, Wang Ya suspected they were from Wang Chengzhi and his wife. The unknown mobile phone rang again, and Wang Ya answered. As soon as the call connected, Wang Chengzhi’s cursing erupted, so she promptly hung up and dialed Zheng Yanxia to reach Old Tang. She hadn’t saved Old Tang’s number and had to go through Zheng Yanxia. A minute later, Old Tang called back.
Wang Ya gave Old Tang her flight number and the approximate landing time at the destination, asking him to pick them up. She added, “The descendants of the Dead Old Lady cornered me at the airport. Get prepared.”
Old Tang exclaimed, “Fuck! Didn’t I hear you went back to your hometown?”
Wang Ya said, “Just because I went back doesn’t mean I can’t leave again. That day, when I performed Call Soul for Zheng Yanxia, you promised to help me once. Help me get out of the airport and shake off the Lingnan Ghost Family, and we’re square.”
Old Tang asked in surprise, “That’s it? Just that simple?”
Wang Ya countered, “What, do you want to help me wipe out the Lingnan Ghost Family too?”
Old Tang hurriedly replied, “We’ll come pick you up.” He paused briefly, then added, “I heard from Little Zhang that rumors are circulating online saying your grandma was Feng Yuqin, the Legitimate Eldest Daughter of the Feng Family?”
Wang Ya let out a light hum and said, “Zhang Qingshui’s intel is pretty sharp.”
Old Tang shouted, “You’re really a descendant of the Feng Family?”
Wang Ya said, “I’m not. I have no blood ties to the Feng Family whatsoever.”
Old Tang sighed and hung up.
Wang Ya also let out a heavy sigh, her heart weighed down like a massive stone pressing on her chest, making it hard to breathe. She turned to look at Wang Cheng’an, who was still glued to the window watching the scenery, and fell silent.
Her mobile phone rang again. Wang Ya glanced at the number—it was Wang Chengzhi calling once more. She answered and asked, “Are you done yet?”
Wang Chengzhi cursed loudly over the line, “Wang Ya, you rotten bitch, you got me arrested and won’t even pick up my calls—”
Wang Ya cut him off. “Did you give my Birth Chart to someone?”
Wang Chengzhi yelled, “You jinx born when the Ghost Gate was wide open on the fifteenth of July lunar—wait for those people to deal with you!” He cursed again.
Wang Ya snapped coldly, “Listen up, Wang Chengzhi. Ever since you tried to drown me in the piss bucket, ever since you sold me off for two pigs, we’ve had nothing to do with each other. Now you’ve handed my Birth Chart to my enemies to harm me. You better pray I come out unscathed. If anything happens to me, the fate of that pigsty you had five years ago will be yours! Take care of yourself! And a warning: if you mess with me again—” She spat the word through gritted teeth with murderous intent: “Die!” Then she hung up abruptly. She took a deep breath and leaned back in her seat with her eyes closed.
By notifying Old Tang, she had effectively told Zhang Qingshui that Wang Ya had arrived.
Back then, the Yunnan Zhang Family had been one of the instigators behind the Feng Family extermination. Tonight, the Lingnan Ghost Family wouldn’t let her go, nor would the Yunnan Zhang Family. But one thing was certain: neither family would stand by and watch her fall into the other’s hands—they would fight to seize her. Only when those two clashed could she find an opening to escape with her father.
A little past midnight, Wang Ya led Wang Cheng’an off the plane and strolled slowly toward the exit.
Danger lay ahead, life and death uncertain, but that didn’t mean Wang Ya was afraid. She hadn’t left Sichuan out of fear; she just didn’t want to turn her hometown into a battlefield and cause unnecessary damage there. If there was to be a fight, it would be on enemy turf, stirring up trouble for them. They wanted to deal with her? She wouldn’t let them have it easy. Her dad, on the other hand, was blissfully carefree. He spread his arms wide and ran back and forth shouting, “Fly, fly!” like a child. But Wang Cheng’an wasn’t a kid anymore—arms outstretched, he blocked half the aisle, drawing sidelong glances from passersby.
Wang Ya grabbed the still-excited Wang Cheng’an and said, “Look, you’re blocking everyone else’s way.”
Wang Cheng’an went, “Oh,” and asked, “Yaya, where are we now? I need to pee.”
Wang Ya took Wang Cheng’an to the restrooms. She pointed to the men’s and said, “The toilet’s in there. Go on your own.” After he entered the men’s room, she went into the women’s.
After finishing up and washing her face, Wang Ya emerged to find Wang Cheng’an already waiting at the door, his eyes darting around with a guilty look like he’d done something naughty. Wang Ya asked, “What happened?” as she led him onward.
Wang Cheng’an whispered, “I was peeing into the toilet when a hand reached out and grabbed my little pee-pee…”
Wang Ya’s eyes went wide. Without turning, she asked expressionlessly, “And then?”
