Chapter 105

Half an hour later, Chai Bo and Chai Tao, under Fang Yonghua's threat, tore up the IOU, then crawled away from Fang Qingyi's home.

They would never dare to come look for Fang Qingyi again in this lifetime.

After they left, Fang Qingyi also came out of her grandmother's room.

Because the earlier noise had woken her grandmother for a long time, the old lady called Fang Qingyi in to ask what was happening.

Fang Yonghua did not go in, afraid of frightening the old lady.

He just knelt at the old lady's bedroom door.

Tushan Jiu couldn't be bothered to talk to someone like him, merely waiting for Fang Qingyi to come out of the room, then she said, "My grandmother says she doesn't have a son like you."

Fang Yonghua guessed that would be the result; that was also one of the reasons he didn't go in.

His mother must be utterly disappointed in him.

Actually, those debts, if he just made a little effort, the family working together wouldn't be a big obstacle.

But he didn't want to face his own failure and those pressures, so he left all of it for the elderly, weak, and young to handle alone.

Fang Qingyi told him, Chai Meng had struggled for over two years, paying off most of the debt before she left.

In this whole matter, no one else can be blamed; only he himself is at fault—first being reckless and unprepared, then losing his mind, and finally retreating and fleeing.

Fang Yonghua stood helplessly before Fang Qingyi.

Fang Qingyi did not dodge; she faced him directly and calmly called out, "Dad."

Fang Yonghua's face lit up, his voice somewhat excited, "Qingyi, you, you've forgiven Dad?"

Fang Qingyi looked at him, with not a ripple in her eyes.

She shook her head, "I won't forgive you. Actually, I've wanted to ask you: the moment you jumped from the building, weren't you already completely free? Since you chose to abandon everything, what's there to agonize over whether to forgive or not?"

Fang Yonghua opened his mouth but couldn't say anything.

Seeing him silent, Fang Qingyi smiled, "You can't answer, so I'll say it for you: all you want is just the four words 'peace of mind.'"

Fang Yonghua was completely stunned, with nowhere to make excuses.

Fang Qingyi smirked, she said: "In this world there are no 'ifs', no regret medicine exists; nothing can be redone. I only wish my grandmother's health would improve, and I could be braver facing this new life, to repay those who love me and have helped me. You don't belong here—please leave."

Having said that, she walked toward the living room.

Tushan Jiu was playing a mini-game; seeing her approach, she put away her phone and gave her a thumbs-up.

What to forgive? There's nothing forgivable.

Can you let him suffer less down there?

He got off easy.

She patted Fang Qingyi's hand, nodded at her, then got up and walked over.

Fang Yonghua wore a listless expression; Tushan Jiu came up and said directly: "The deal is done—my fee is that your punishment be doubled. Go find a ghost official yourself and request it."

Underworld law allows one to request extra punishment, but no ghost would be foolish enough to ask for more torment, so over time people forgot this rule.

Fang Yonghua nodded, knowing that using the ghostly power on that knife amounted to tacitly borrowing the knife from its owner.

He had to give the reward even if he didn't want to, and endure the punishment even if he didn't want to.

Tushan Jiu said no more, marked him, opened the ghost gate, and let him walk in himself.

This was, as his being Fang Qingyi's biological father, the only dignity she could afford him by not sending him to the underworld.

She captured a ghost and, incidentally, sped up her third brother's romance; Tushan Jiu was overjoyed today.

A glance at the clock showed it was mealtime.

She went to Fang Qingyi's bedroom, grabbed her coat, then took Fang Qingyi's hand and said, "Come on, sis, let's go get some northeastern cuisine—I saw a northeastern restaurant when I came here, and I want that pot‑wrapped meat!"

Listening to her, Fang Qingyi's brows and eyes relaxed: "I should be the one treating you—thanks, Tushan... sis, for helping me."

"Fine, then you treat me—let's go, I'm starving!" She linked arms with her and pulled her out the door.

Tushan Jiu didn't argue; a meal was still affordable for Fang Qingyi—this showed respect and made her feel better.

The two left the house and headed straight for the restaurant.

The restaurant owner knew Fang Qingyi; she had done odd jobs for him before.

The couple were simple‑hearted northeasterners, warm and generous, always calling her "little sis."

As Tushan Jiu ordered, the owner's wife kept worrying they couldn't finish, saying it was enough.

Tushan Jiu ordered eight dishes because she has a big appetite.

Seeing she couldn't be dissuaded, the owner's wife said nothing and gave them a cold platter assortment.

Fang Qingyi unwrapped the utensils, rinsed them with hot water, and pushed them to Tushan Jiu: "Sis, use these—they've been scalded."

Then she poured her a glass of juice and handed it over: "Sis, their orange juice is freshly squeezed, made with fresh ingredients—give it a try."

Tushan Jiu took the cup, sipped, and her eyes lit up: "Delicious!"

She gulped down more than half a cup.

Seeing her like it, Fang Qingyi quietly noted her preference.

She likes sweet things.

The dishes she just ordered—pot‑wrapped meat, fish‑fragrant shredded pork, sweet‑and‑sour ribs, and candied sweet potato—are all on the sweet side.

They chatted for a while.

Mainly, Tushan Jiu gave her a rundown of her profession and also explained why her father had come running up.

After hearing that, Fang Qingyi recalled that the first time she met Tushan Jiu was when the latter was buying yellow paper and cinnabar at that funeral‑supply shop.

Now she knew what all that yellow paper was for.

Besides that, she remembered the last time Xie Jingting and she were surrounded by debt collectors, who were about to strike him when a staff was halted mid‑air by an invisible force—an unbelievable sight.

She must have given Xie Jingting an amulet or something similar.

Fang Qingyi thought she was incredibly cool and handsome.

A little fan who had completely transformed into Tushan Jiu gently blinked her big eyes at Tushan Jiu.

Little did she know, her cute appearance also made Tushan Jiu find it so adorable it was almost too much.

After a while, the proprietress pushed the food cart and came to serve the dishes.

Tushan Jiu gazed at the big plates being brought up one by one before her, and fell into contemplation.

"Are you sure this amount is correct?"

The proprietress seemed used to it, chuckling as she said: "I just said that, you two little girls can't finish it, you said you have a big appetite."

Tushan Jiu swallowed a mouthful of saliva, then pursed her lips, lifted her head, and told the proprietress: "I only need four bowls of the eight bowls of rice I ordered earlier, thank you!"