Chapter 63

Chen Yan asked curiously, “Still the same house?”

“Mm.” Fang Laoban answered with certainty.

Chen Yan fell silent.

Again with Luo Qing?

What did this guy do to Fang Laoban now?

Didn’t he just beg for forgiveness and promise to pay compensation yesterday?

Did he change his mind overnight? Could Fang Laoban have just found out Luo Qing cheated on him?

“Could I ask what happened?” Chen Yan frowned.

Fang Zong’s voice was dull: “He played me. Everything I told you yesterday before I left—he’s denying it all today.”

What kind of move is this?

Chen Yan was also puzzled.

He thought for a moment: “I need time to consider. I’ll get back to you later.”

After hanging up, Chen Yan walked along the roadside, lost in thought.

Dealing with Luo Qing again didn’t bother Chen Yan at all.

That guy was a scoundrel—he’d pulled countless scams and harmed many people. Just from how skillfully he handled that adulterated sandalwood incense, he’d surely victimized countless others!

But how to act—he needed to think it through.

Targeting Luoyunzhai’s shop again… wouldn’t mean much anymore.

As for Luoyunzhai’s business—its reputation was already ruined. Hitting the shop again wouldn’t hurt Luo Qing at all.

As he wandered, thinking all the way, Chen Yan decided to visit Luoyunzhai again and scout the place.

Maybe something would occur to him.

Just as he reached for his phone to order a ride, WeChat popped up with a message.

It was Lu Sisi?

Hmm, this rabbit-like girl hadn’t contacted him in days.

Lu Sisi sent a selfie.

In the photo, the girl was riding the pirate ship at an amusement park—her smile bloomed like a flower, her eyes brimming with pure joy.

Chen Yan’s expression softened involuntarily. He replied: “Went on the pirate ship?”

Lu Sisi replied instantly: “Mm, gathered the courage, finally tried it. Scary, but fun.”

Chen Yan smiled and sent: “What else did you try?”

Lu Sisi replied with several more selfies.

On the bumper cars, inside the Ferris wheel, on the log flume ride…

These were all things Lu Sisi had never dared to touch since childhood.

Well, this girl had been crushed by misfortune until eighteen—now she was making up for lost time.

“Didn’t try bungee jumping?”

“No, there’s no bungee jumping at the amusement park here in Jin Ling,” Lu Sisi answered honestly.

He remembered how, when they parted, she suddenly rushed forward and hugged him around the waist, then kissed his cheek.

On impulse, Chen Yan sent: “Where are you now?”

“Watching a movie,” Lu Sisi replied immediately.

Then, as if fearing he’d misunderstand, she added quickly: “I came alone.”

Chen Yan smiled. He didn’t call her out on her little lie, but asked: “What are you planning to do after the movie?”

Lu Sisi didn’t reply right away. WeChat showed “Typing…” for a long time.

After a long wait, she sent only a few short words: “Can I meet you after the movie?”

Chen Yan’s gaze softened. He took a deep breath and replied: “When does your movie end?”

Lu Sisi replied instantly: “It’s already over!”

·

Chen Yan arranged to meet Lu Sisi at the entrance of the great temple on Mount Qixia.

Since he’d planned to scout the area near Luoyunzhai anyway, and had no intention of taking action today, he felt no pressure—perfect timing to stroll with Lu Sisi.

Lu Sisi showed no objection to meeting at the temple entrance—perhaps in her eyes, someone like Chen Yan, who wielded magic, naturally belonged in a temple.

In the afternoon, the grand temple was still crowded with worshippers.

After meeting, Chen Yan took Lu Sisi inside.

At the entrance, Lu Sisi darted off to the incense stand, scanned a QR code for twenty yuan, exchanged it for twenty yuan in coins, and handed them all to Chen Yan.

Chen Yan, inexperienced, didn’t understand at first—but once inside, he bowed before every Buddha, from the main hall to the ancestral shrine, from the Buddha to every Bodhisattva…

As Chen Yan knelt to worship, Lu Sisi stood beside him, smiling, slipping coins into the merit box.

Chen Yan had never believed in such things—but now, having begun cultivation himself, he held them in quiet respect. There were no gods or Buddhas in this world.

But maybe in other realms?

After completing his rounds, Chen Yan looked curiously at Lu Sisi: “Why didn’t you worship? Don’t you believe in this?”

Lu Sisi stood close beside him, leaning slightly against him, whispering: “I used to worship constantly—begging gods and Buddhas to save me from my cursed fate…

I prayed countless times since childhood, but it never worked. So I stopped believing.”

Chen Yan studied her deeply, then reached out and ruffled her hair, messing it up, laughing: “You don’t need to worry about any of that anymore. Come on—I’ll take you to eat stinky tofu.”

Watching Chen Yan walk ahead, Lu Sisi gently smoothed her tousled hair, her expression tender.

Her eyes followed his back, glowing as if filled with starlight.

I no longer believe in gods or Buddhas…

Because in my heart, all the gods and Buddhas in heaven cannot compare to you…

·

Leaving the temple, the two young people wandered to the commercial street where Luoyunzhai stood.

Side by side, they ate their way down the street: fried stinky tofu, crispy grilled sausages, stir-fried yogurt…

They knew these foods weren’t clean or nutritious.

But it was the flavor of everyday life they craved.

Lu Sisi was the gentlest kind of girl—no matter what Chen Yan said or did, she’d always smile sweetly and say, “Okay.”

They’d bought far too much to finish, but as they walked, whenever Chen Yan saw new food, he’d turn back and ask: “Want to try this?”

Lu Sisi always nodded gently, beaming: “Okay.”

Even when Chen Yan acted childish—picking up a cheap plastic monkey bar from a toy stall, swinging it around—Lu Sisi’s gaze never lost its quiet devotion.

Unconsciously, they reached a corner where a shop called Guangshenghao stood.

Chen Yan had visited here days ago—he’d bought the paper, cinnabar, and ink here to draw the rat-summoning talismans that tricked Luo Qing.

This shop was a rival to Luoyunzhai on the same street, sizable and selling talismans, cinnabar, talismanic charms for warding off evil, as well as fortune-telling, feng shui, and geomancy.

With his cultivation deepening, Chen Yan naturally paused to browse such a shop, pulling Lu Sisi inside.

As soon as he crossed the threshold, a curtain parted at the back, and a woman stepped out slowly.

Chen Yan glanced casually—and froze.

His first thought:

This kind of stunning, mature beauty—with glasses… Holy shit, a new world, team leader…

A tiny face, sharp chin, her glasses perched on her nose not hiding her beauty, but strangely enhancing its allure.

Any man who looked at her would be stunned.

Some people are born with a peculiar aura in their appearance and figure.

Years ago, they called it sexy. Now, they’d say it’s naturally seductive.

Lu Sisi, with a girl’s instinct, caught Chen Yan’s gaze. She followed it—and felt his stare, and her heart lurched.

Why? Purely because Lu Sisi, a girl who could see her own toes, had just seen a woman whose feet were beyond reach—instinctive, primal alarm.

Chen Yan looked twice, then looked away.

It was his principle.

First glance: male instinct. Second glance: confirming his instinct hadn’t betrayed him.

No third glance: that’s restraint.

Chen Yan smiled, patted Lu Sisi’s shoulder—whose eyes were complicated—and pulled her to leave. But behind the beautiful woman, a voice spoke.

“Miss Zi, please wait.”

From behind the curtain, a middle-aged man in a jacket stepped out.

Hearing “Miss Zi,” Chen Yan paused, thoughtful.

He stopped walking, held Lu Sisi back, pretending to examine the love locks and talismans on display.

“Miss Zi, the talisman paper you brought is indeed from our shop. But you know—this street has heavy foot traffic. My business isn’t as big as Luoyunzhai’s, but it’s steady, and my sales volume is high. I simply can’t trace the buyer’s source.”

Chen Yan’s heart stirred—Luoyunzhai!

The beautiful woman smiled faintly and nodded: “Alright, I was just asking casually. Thank you, Mr. Zhou.”

“Don’t see me off. Please give us more business in the future.”

The shopkeeper spoke politely—but his actions were dismissive. After greeting her, he turned and walked back without waiting for her to leave.

The beautiful woman smiled slightly, unfazed—rivals were enemies, especially on the same street. With her deep ties to Luoyunzhai, no wonder he treated her coldly.

Standing outside the shop, she glanced at the crowd on the business street and sighed softly.

It wasn’t really that she wanted to find the rival shop to seek revenge.

It was the rune left behind—something never recorded in her studies. This rune stirred an irresistible curiosity in the woman who had trained since childhood, drawing her in against her better judgment.

Since she couldn’t find it… never mind.

Just as she was about to leave, her peripheral vision caught a young man and woman standing beside a counter inside the shop.

The boy was tall and slender, with a delicate, refined face. The girl’s cheeks were soft with affection, her eyes fixed on the boy as if glowing with light.

The way she stood clearly leaned slightly against the boy…

The boy seemed deeply absorbed in the items behind the counter, while the girl’s entire attention was fixed on him, her gaze lingering tenderly on his profile.

Seeing this scene, the woman couldn’t help but sigh softly inside.

Youth… is truly wonderful.

Many years ago, I too must have been like this girl—my whole world filled with that one person…

·

She was no longer young, yet now, for some reason, she felt a pang of sentimental longing and couldn’t help but stare a little longer.

Then she fixed her gaze on the boy and silently activated her spiritual light, using the Art of Observing Qi.

The moment she looked, the beautiful, mature woman’s expression darkened.

The girl’s gaze was so tender, yet the boy’s fortune revealed a string of recent romantic entanglements…

Pfft, so he’s a little scoundrel!

The thought of offering him a bit of good fortune vanished instantly.

Shaking her head, the woman walked away.

After the woman left, Chen Yan frowned slightly.

Just now… my vital energy sensed something—this woman called Zi Lao was using the Art of Observing Qi on me?

·