Chapter 33: Tugging

"Sorry, I was just taking a shower."

Shen Siyuan sent Jiang Tingyu a WeChat message.

But Jiang Tingyu did not reply immediately, whether she hadn’t seen it or was deliberately playing games.

For boyfriend and girlfriend, if there’s mutual attraction, when the other doesn’t reply to a WeChat message promptly, it’s a terribly nerve-wracking, mind-twisting experience.

If one party has fallen for the other, they’ll sink into anxious uncertainty, falling right into the other’s trap.

But since Shen Siyuan wanted to control the situation, he naturally kept his composure, opened his game, and started battling.

After about two or three minutes, he finally received another reply from Jiang Tingyu.

Yet Shen Siyuan didn’t switch out to reply; he finished the match first, then calmly minimized the game.

"Want to come to my aquarium tomorrow to watch my performance?"

"Sorry, I was just playing a game. I can’t make it tomorrow—I’m back in my hometown now, and I won’t get back until tonight."

Shen Siyuan bluntly told her he’d been playing a game and hadn’t replied to her message, aiming to make her feel she wasn’t that important.

Saying he was back in his hometown was both stating a fact and testing her.

If Jiang Tingyu merely expressed regret and said something like “Maybe next time,” it would mean she liked him but not deeply.

But if, upon hearing this, she asked where his hometown was and whether it was fun there,

then Jiang Tingyu was either a “sea queen” trying to keep Shen Siyuan dangling,

or she’d genuinely developed feelings but didn’t want to date right now, yet didn’t want to lose Shen Siyuan either—caught in indecision, she wanted to “tie him down” first, then slowly decide whether to be with him.

"Oh right, you mentioned yesterday over dinner that your hometown is Qingshui Town—is it far from here? How long does the bus ride take?"

Seeing this, Shen Siyuan’s lips curled up—this was getting interesting…

So Shen Siyuan went along with her words and chatted with her.

He even said he’d invite her to visit when he had time.

Just as they were chatting enthusiastically, Shen Siyuan suddenly said: "A relative set me up with someone—I’m back home for a blind date."

Jiang Tingyu was clearly stunned by this WeChat message; it took her a long while before she replied again.

"You just went on a blind date with me yesterday, and tomorrow you’re going to meet another girl? Are you really that eager to find a girlfriend?"

This remark was somewhat inappropriate, but it precisely revealed that Shen Siyuan’s behavior had upset her.

Moreover, she ended with “a” instead of “ma,” making her tone softer—clearly, she didn’t want to cut ties with Shen Siyuan outright.

"I can’t help it—you didn’t like me, so I have to keep looking. Besides, it’s not me who’s in a rush, it’s my parents," Shen Siyuan said.

He directly shifted the pressure onto her. If Jiang Tingyu truly wanted to keep Shen Siyuan dangling, she’d have to seriously consider whether she could hold him, whether chatting alone was enough, and whether she needed to take things further—she’d feel urgency and weigh the costs.

Shen Siyuan was quite skilled at reading people. If Jiang Tingyu wasn’t a “sea queen,” her behavior wasn’t cruel.

Most people wounded by love become extra cautious and constantly test the waters when entering a new relationship—it’s perfectly normal, and Shen Siyuan wasn’t surprised.

They chatted a bit longer, then Shen Siyuan ended the conversation himself.

This also showed that Shen Siyuan didn’t care much about their relationship.

If Jiang Tingyu stopped here, they probably wouldn’t interact again.

But if Jiang Tingyu reached out to him again, she’d sink deeper, eventually unable to let go because she’d invested too much emotionally and the sunk cost was too high—forcing her to pay an even greater price.

Thinking this way, Shen Siyuan was rather cruel.

But Shen Siyuan actually had quite a liking for Jiang Tingyu—after all, she was so beautiful; how could he not have thoughts about her?

If Jiang Tingyu truly wanted to take their feelings seriously, Shen Siyuan would treat her well too.

"Right here?"

Under the moonlight, the old Daoist and Yu Youcai stood outside Shen Siyuan’s courtyard, carefully studying the building before them.

Yu Youcai nodded.

"Your nephew’s pretty well-off," the old Daoist said.

"He only made money these past few years. Before that, he lost a lot—I even used up my retirement savings to help him."

"You two have a good relationship."

The old Daoist turned back—those willing to spend their retirement money on a nephew were rare.

"I never had children or grandchildren—he’s like a son to me. Jianjun is filial; when I die, both he and his father will wear mourning clothes for me," Yu Youcai said with quiet pride.

The old Daoist nodded slightly, then said: "Go in. I’ll wait outside."

Hearing this, Yu Youcai walked straight through the courtyard gate and entered.

As for the old Daoist—why didn’t he go in? Was it because he didn’t want to?

No—it was because he couldn’t.

A house is equivalent to private territory; if someone lives inside, their qi flows as one. Only direct blood relatives, by birthright, may enter without the owner’s permission. All ghosts and spirits are barred from entering otherwise.

That’s why, the other day, Lu Guanchang merely paced outside Jiang Wenxin’s door without entering—he simply couldn’t get in.

As for Yin Xingyue, why could she follow Dou Dou into Shen Siyuan’s house? Because that house didn’t belong to Shen Siyuan—he was renting it.

That’s also why some people, when staying in hotels, knock three times on the door and then open it sideways—to tell any “entities” inside that the room is now occupied, and to make them vacate.

These customs all have their logic.

Yu Youcai entered the house, walked upstairs with ease, and went straight into Shen Siyuan’s room—he’d clearly been here before.

But upon entering, he was startled, because Shen Siyuan was sitting on the bed, watching him.

"Uncle Grandpa," Shen Siyuan said, puzzled. Why had he come so late at night?

"You knew I was coming?" Uncle Grandpa said, surprised.

Shen Siyuan nodded. He hadn’t just sensed Yu Youcai’s entry—he also knew another ghost was waiting outside the courtyard gate.

As the master of the Ten Thousand Souls Banner, even though it was mostly destroyed, he still retained this ability.

That’s why, the other day, he’d immediately spotted Yin Xingyue trailing behind Dou Dou.

"Your situation is strange. I’m worried something’s wrong. I’ve brought an old Daoist to take a look—he knows a lot. Would you like to meet him?" Uncle Grandpa said.

Hearing the man was a Daoist, Shen Siyuan became interested.

Since this world had ghosts, Daoists and monks were the most authoritative—they might answer some of Shen Siyuan’s lingering questions.

He immediately stood up. "I’ll go meet him."

But he sat back down quickly. "Better have him come in. It’s late—don’t want to wake up my parents."

Seeing Shen Siyuan agree, Yu Youcai turned and went downstairs to call the old Daoist in.