Chapter 71: Star and Moon Return

Shen Siyuan, who had been idle for two days, suddenly became busy.

First, Shen Siyuan, who was "working," felt a wisp of merit fall from the sky and enter directly between his eyebrows.

Before he could react, he saw Yin Xingyue ride a gust of cold wind, spiraling into the office.

Shen Siyuan put down his work, turned around, and walked toward the conference room nearby.

Such behavior, even if seen by others, would not seem strange, because many people go to the conference room to make private calls.

Dou Dou, who was "sneaking around" at the door of the finance office, saw Yin Xingyue and immediately ran over.

"Sister, sister... I miss you so much, where did you go..."

The little one, like a chatterbox, followed behind Yin Xingyue, talking nonstop.

Yin Xingyue smiled and reached out to pat Dou Dou's small head.

"You still haven't learned how to control the flame on your head?"

"I learned how to breathe fire, woof woof, woof woof..." Dou Dou answered irrelevantly, saying proudly.

Then she tilted her head back, staring straight at Yin Xingyue.

"What's wrong?"

"Sister, you seem a little different," Dou Dou said.

Even Dou Dou could see that Yin Xingyue was different; naturally, Shen Siyuan could see it too.

This time she returned, Yin Xingyue as a whole seemed much more cheerful; the frown that had always been tightly furrowed seemed to have smoothed out, and her demeanor seemed very different from the past.

When they arrived at the conference room, Shen Siyuan asked, "How is Grandma? Is her health okay?"

Yin Xingyue nodded, then spoke again, "Grandma is very well."

"That's good," Shen Siyuan said.

At first, Shen Siyuan had worried that Yin Xingyue's grandmother, upon seeing Yin Xingyue again, might lose her will to live and go with Yin Xingyue.

Now it seemed he had worried too much.

Actually, Shen Siyuan's thinking was not wrong, but Grandma Yin was stronger than Shen Siyuan imagined; she had experienced countless storms in her life, losing her husband in her youth, her son in middle age, and her grandson in old age.

She had long faced fate calmly; whether life or death, to her there was actually no difference; she felt neither joy nor excitement for life, nor sorrow or fear for death.

Her education was low; she didn't understand many great principles, nor had she ever thought about what life was; she had only passively accepted fate, letting everything follow its natural course.

Of course, seeing her granddaughter again was a very happy thing for her, but she had not thought of ending her own life; she still followed fate's arrangement and continued living.

Of course, if she suddenly died one day, she would equally accept it calmly.

This was her life; she didn't know if her life had meaning; she just walked through it according to fate's arrangement; even if no one remembered her, it didn't matter.

"So you, who have fulfilled your wish? Are you preparing to stay here with me, or..."

While Shen Siyuan was speaking, he reached out, grabbed Dou Dou's ankle, and pulled her down from the conference table, but soon, the little thing climbed back up, like a little monkey.

Seeing this, Yin Xingyue broke into a hearty smile.

This was the first time Shen Siyuan had seen her smile like this.

He didn't urge her but waited quietly for Yin Xingyue's decision.

Watching Dou Dou's amusing appearance, Yin Xingyue turned her gaze back to Shen Siyuan again.

"Does Brother hope I stay?" Yin Xingyue asked with a smiling voice.

She, having fulfilled her wish, should have, like other deceased souls, dissipated into the heavens and earth.

But the Ten Thousand Souls Banner bound her; only if Shen Siyuan released her would she return to nature, return to this world.

Shen Siyuan gave her the choice, but she gave the choice back to Shen Siyuan.

Shen Siyuan shifted his gaze to Dou Dou, who had climbed onto the conference table again, and said, "I naturally hope you stay; you can help me with some things in daily life; this little thing is just a mascot, not very useful."

Unexpectedly, Dou Dou actually understood; she scrambled up in one motion, stood on the conference table, put her hands on her hips, and said angrily, "I have already 'mountain-slept' oh, soon I will 'time-sleep', I can hear you saying bad things about me."

"No, I was praising you for being cute."

"Really?"

"Yes, giant pandas are mascots; are they cute or not?"

"Cute."

"That's right then; when I say you are a mascot, it means you are as cute as a giant panda."

"Oh~" Dou Dou showed a look of sudden realization, her face full of excitement.

"Sweet potato pot-pot, can I raise a giant panda?"

"You haven't even raised a dog yet; don't think about raising a giant panda first," Shen Siyuan said speechlessly.

Yin Xingyue, standing nearby, with curved eyebrows and eyes, smiled extremely happily.

Seeing Shen Siyuan's gaze return to her, Yin Xingyue said, "Since Brother needs me, then I will stay."

When she said this, her voice trembled slightly, tears welled in her eyes, but she still kept a smile on her face.

Since her father passed away, she had always been disliked, considered superfluous; classmates, teachers, her mother, even Grandma at first; this was the first time someone had told her that she was needed...

"Since that is so, then I entrust her to you."

Shen Siyuan pointed at Dou Dou, who was still crawling back and forth on the conference table.

"Mm."

Yin Xingyue nodded heavily, then reached out, grabbed Dou Dou's ankle, and pulled her close.

Dou Dou, like a little chick, was held in her hand.

"Sister~" Dou Dou called out pitifully.

"I will teach you how to control the flame on your head," Yin Xingyue said.

"Get along well."

Shen Siyuan gave one instruction, turned around, and left.

"Sweet potato pot..."

"Who is calling me?" Shen Siyuan walked out of the meeting room, very puzzled.

Then he hummed a little tune, returned to his seat, and continued to slack off and kill time.

Soon, time reached noon.

Ding Youguang and Zhou Zheng came looking for him.

"Is Li Qunfang not coming along?"

Several people were doing things together, yet Li Qunfang had not shown up until now.

"She ordered takeout; let's not worry about her for now, but she promised to have dinner with us tomorrow night," Zhou Zheng said.

Since the noon break was short, the three of them would just eat something casual downstairs; it wouldn't count as a gathering, only as sharing a meal, so whether Li Qunfang came or not didn't matter.

The three went downstairs, and Shen Siyuan immediately saw Lu Guanchang waiting at the company entrance.

"You two go order first; I'll go buy two bottles of drinks. What do you want to drink?"

Ding Youguang and Zhou Zheng didn't stand on ceremony; one said herbal tea, the other said cola.

Watching the two of them leave, Lu Guanchang finally showed some tact and walked up.

"How is it? Has your daughter come to Binhai?"

Seeing his face full of joy, Shen Siyuan also guessed a bit.

Sure enough, Lu Guanchang nodded, his face full of excitement.

"You came to find me just to see her?" Shen Siyuan continued asking.

Lu Guanchang nodded, then clasped his hands and bowed deeply to Shen Siyuan, saying, "Trouble you, Great Master."

Shen Siyuan nodded and did not refuse.

Thus, with a thought, the Ten Thousand Souls Banner appeared in his palm; then he formed a hand seal, and Lu Guanchang was directly drawn into the 【Ten Thousand Souls Banner】.

But immediately afterward, Shen Siyuan released him again; the time was very short, the speed too fast, and Lu Guanchang didn't even have time to react to what had happened.

However, at this moment, all the flesh lumps on his face had vanished, revealing his originally kind and benevolent appearance.

Although the time was short, Lu Guanchang, having come to his senses, also understood what had happened.

Thus, he felt even more awe and reverence toward Shen Siyuan; as a dead soul entered into the 【Ten Thousand Souls Banner】, the Banner Master was the deity who ruled over everything they were.

So he bowed deeply to Shen Siyuan once more.

"Go, and fulfill your wish," Shen Siyuan said, waving his hand.

"However, just explain the circumstances to your daughter; do not create any trouble," Shen Siyuan instructed.

Was him saying this out of kindness?

Naturally not; this was actually a form of insurance. As the Banner Master, Lu Guanchang could not go against his will; this way, it prevented Lu Guanchang from developing any other thoughts, for he was not as simple as Yin Xingyue and Watching Dou Dou.

"Yes," Lu Guanchang responded, then turned into a gust of yin wind and left, though there was not the slightest trace of nether fire on his body.

Not every dead soul entered into the Ten Thousand Souls Banner could obtain various abilities.

Even those entered into the 【Ten Thousand Souls Banner】 were divided into three, six, and nine grades.

The highest were the 【Great Generals】, who commanded all dead souls on the 【Ten Thousand Souls Banner】 and were subject only to the Banner Master's control.

Below them were the 【Eight Great Captains】; below them were various 【Vanguards】; and below the 【Vanguards】 were various troops and cavalry, namely the cannon fodder for charging into battle.

The overall structure was very simple; this method was done only to make it easier for the Banner Master to control the myriad dead souls and have them charge into battle for him.

And Lu Guanchang, although entered into the 【Ten Thousand Souls Banner】, was merely the lowest-grade soldier.

Controlling the yin wind and manifesting his form were all the abilities he possessed.

Because he controlled the yin wind, he quickly arrived at his daughter Zhao Hongxia's residence.