Chapter 35: 35

35 「A good show is about to begin. 」

「Who are you calling dirty? 」 Chen You nan really didn't expect that Tushan Jiu, who looked mild and easy to handle, would dare speak like that.

「Of course I'm saying you're dirty. 」 In Tushan Jiu's eyes, the heavy black aura on Chen You nan's body seemed about to swallow him whole.

She tilted her head slightly, narrowed her eyes, her gaze revealing danger, her voice tinged with ice:

「After one, two, not three—if you can walk out of your room alive, that's already a blessing; if you don't shut your foul mouth, I don't mind waiting for the Skinning Ghost to flay your skin and then take her. 」

Upon saying that, the glass room fell silent for a while.

Then came a burst of loud laughter.

That sound was practically deafening, even louder than the heavy metal music just before.

The loudest laugh among them was none other than Chen You nan standing in front.

「Hahaha, dying of laughter, and a Skinning Ghost? I even said I'd seen a Painted Skin Ghost before! 」

With Chen You nan leading, others also laughed without restraint: 「What do I do if I've never seen a ghost? But I have seen a monster! 」

「I-I-I! I've never seen a ghost, Young Master Xie—have your sister-in-law catch us one to look at! 」

The people speaking were all on the same boat as the Chen family.

Before any major reshuffle in Nan Cheng, the Chen family was the top noble house.

Even though the situation has changed now, with the Xie family rising to stably hold the top wealth position and opening a gap with some noble houses, the Chen family is an ancestral foundation, naturally having roots there.

On the Chen family's rope, there are many grasshoppers tied.

This is also why Chen You nan can act fearlessly against Xie Jingting.

Of course, between them it's just petty squabbles—you slight me a sentence, I make you lose a little face; it won't rise to family interests, after all, competition brings progress.

So the Chen family never manages Chen You nan; the younger generation's affairs are left to them to settle.

Coincidentally, Old Master Xie also thought this way, and he even told Xie Shiyu not to intervene, treating it as giving Xie Jingting an 'opponent' before entering society.

Although this party seemingly invited supporters of the Xie side as well as neutral people, most were still Chen family supporters, thus giving them the momentum advantage over Xie Jingting.

But unexpectedly, they laughed so loudly that Xie Jingting and Xie Jingzhou also joined in, their voices not small either.

Chen You nan immediately stopped laughing and retorted to Xie Jingting and company: 「Are you sick? I'm joking with you! 」

Tushan Jiu didn't laugh, nor did she answer his question.

She just found it boring—like a bunch of kids playing a game of shoving and stepping on each other.

Calmly, she took out a lollipop from her pocket, unwrapped it, and put it in her mouth.

Xie Jingting saw it and also wanted to eat.

Last time at the hot pot restaurant he had one, and he always felt that the lollipop Tushan Jiu gave him was especially tasty, leaving him feeling refreshed after eating it.

But later he bought several brands, yet couldn't find one with the same flavor as hers.

He felt embarrassed to ask, after all, a man wanting to eat a lollipop is a bit embarrassing, not manly at all.

Tushan Jiu naturally didn't know that Xie Jingting was currently torn up over the weird theory that a man eating a lollipop isn't manly, but she clearly saw his little gulp.

She pursed her lips, took out two more lollipops from her pocket, and handed them to Xie Jingting and Xie Jingzhou: 「Here, thank you for covering my sister-in-law just now; sister-in-law treats you to lollipops as a pastime—next, eat while you watch the show. 」

Chen You nan's right eyelid twitched.

How does this scene feel so familiar?

Last time at the hot pot restaurant, it was similar actions, similar dialogue, and then Tushan Jiu revealed his unknown secret!

So this time she...

Sure enough, the next second, Tushan Jiu turned and faced him provocatively, saying: 「The Skinning Ghost is in your room—you wanted to see a ghost? Then—lead the way so you can see how it differs from the Painted Skin Ghost you've seen. 」

As soon as Tushan Jiu's words fell, the Xie family side, who hadn't had a chance to speak earlier, immediately chimed in.

「Exactly, exactly—just look and you'll know! 」

「I think they're just all talk, claiming they've seen ghosts—if they actually saw one, they'd probably piss themselves on the spot! 」

「Whether it's true or fake is obvious at a glance—you guys aren't scared, are you? 」

「Oh, come on—Young Master Chen hasn't you seen a Painted Skin Ghost before... 」

Actually, the people saying these things don't really believe them either.

Their mouths spoke boldly, but inside they thought, if Young Master Xie's sister-in-law makes a mistake, then they'll be the Skinning Ghost itself!

In movies, it's easier to act when a horror film has a ghost possessing someone, isn't it?

Isn't it just rolling the eyes, shaking the body, then walking with a hop-hop?

They can do that too!

Anyway, no matter what, their side absolutely cannot lose momentum!

Chen You nan has a little flaw: he can't take provocation.

Last time racing, he was provoked by Xie Jingting and lost the silver Maserati he loved most.

Hearing them say that, he got a bit worked up.

He gritted his teeth and said: 「Fine, what's there to dare? But my bedroom isn't somewhere just anyone can just walk into—what if there's no Skinning Ghost as you said? 」

Xie Jingting was about to say, if not, then he'd satisfy him with a condition.

But before he could speak, Tushan Jiu interjected: 「No ifs! But if you really want a wager, fine—if your room has no Skinning Ghost, then I'll stand on my head and eat feces. 」

Chen You nan showed a hint of disdain: 「Forget it, no need for you to eat feces—I want Xie Jingting to eat! 」

He wasn't stupid enough to challenge Xie Shiyu; petty squabbles are fine, but if it blew up, it'd be enough to make him drink a pot.

Xie Jingting, lollipop in mouth, succinctly said one word: 「Okay. 」

Chen You nan's bedroom is on the third floor of the main building.

Today, the Chen family elders aren't home, so their group of nearly twenty people marched mightily to the third floor.

The butler saw them and hurriedly followed, afraid they might need something and not find it.

Chen You nan's bedroom is huge; basically half of the third floor is his bedroom.

He led everyone to the door of his bedroom.

A five-five split embossed armored door, Chen You nan stopped in front of it: "This is my bedroom, don't forget our bet."

Having said that, he was about to reach out and turn the doorknob.

"Wait." Tushan Jiu suddenly spoke.

Chen You nan snorted, turned to look at her: "How can you already not take it? It's fine; as long as Xie Jingting loudly shouts three times 'I am a puppy,' then I can consider this bet null."

Tushan Jiu ignored him, instead unhurriedly lowering her head to take out a talisman from her pocket and stick it on the door.

There are still so many people here; although she wanted to give them a lesson, she definitely couldn't let them get hurt, otherwise she would be penalized, which would not be worth it.

This talisman was also of her own creation.

It is a defensive talisman, adapted from a defensive formation recorded in ancient texts.

Its protection covers the entire main building, and this talisman also has another ability: it can prevent that skin-stripping ghost from escaping.

After sticking it on, Tushan Jiu clapped her hands: "Since it's a bet, what should we do if you lose?"

Chen You nan was just about to say how he could possibly lose.

But Tushan Jiu gave him no chance to speak, directly saying: "Like this, for fairness, if you lose, you also have to do a handstand and eat feces?"

Chen You nan is a staunch materialist; he firmly believes there are no ghosts in this world, so he readily agreed: "Okay."

Now Tushan Jiu was satisfied; she curled her lips into a smile:

"The show is about to begin."