Volume One, Chapter 72: Miss Bai (6)

He worked overtime at the company every day, always surrounded by people. The anger clung to him so strongly that I couldn’t get near…” the woman stammered.

Qin Yu said, “I see. So you wanted to extinguish one of his soul lamps to weaken his anger, making it easier for him to see ghosts, isn’t that right?”

In the darkness, the woman nodded repeatedly, but then realized Qin Yu couldn’t see her, so she spoke up again, “I truly never meant to harm them.”

Her voice was plaintive, tinged with the threat of tears.

Qin Yu shook the silver hairpin in her hand. “Here, do you still want this?”

“Of course I do!” The woman, afraid Qin Yu would change her mind, suddenly reached out a ghostly pale hand in the darkness, snatching the pear blossom hairpin and pinning it to her hair as if it were the most precious treasure.

“Thank you,” the ghost said suddenly.

She had been to Song Weijia’s house, where she’d seen several members of the archaeology team. If they had taken the silver hairpin, she probably would never have been able to retrieve it.

Qin Yu was a little surprised. “I didn’t expect someone so timid and delicate could be so clever.”

The ghost girl slowly emerged from the shadows of the spirit realm, and as she did, the darkness receded inch by inch, light spreading from her presence.

In the brightness, she appeared to be a girl of about fifteen or sixteen, her hair done up in twin side-buns, her face unadorned save for the plain pear blossom hairpin. The pink butterfly atop the hairpin echoed the delicate blush of her lips, making her look fresh and charming.

She placed her hands gracefully at her sides, bowed slightly, and offered Qin Yu a respectful salute.

“Have you decided where you’ll go?” Qin Yu asked.

The tomb’s location had been exposed, and the archaeologists were surely on their way. It wouldn’t be wise for her to return.

The girl tilted her head with a gentle smile, dimples appearing in her cheeks. “I won’t go back. I’m afraid he wouldn’t be able to find me there.”

Seeing she had made up her mind, Qin Yu said no more.

She watched the girl leave, the spirit realm fading along with her. In the air lingered a peculiar fragrance.

Qin Yu took a deep breath and only then realized it was the scent of pear blossoms after the rain.

She glanced at the time; only two hours had passed with her eyes closed. Qin Yu lay down again and slept dreamlessly through the night.

The next day, Qin Yu didn’t rise until the sun was high. The housekeeper had tried to wake her for breakfast, but she refused.

Seeing the pile of antique treasures stacked in the corner, Qin Yu knew Mu Ling had already returned.

Fortunately, the Su family’s bedroom was large enough, or there simply wouldn’t have been space for all this.

Qin Yu found the painting of green bamboo, and as soon as she opened it, Xiao Qing darted out eagerly.

“Take me to find Miss Bai.”

“I just woke up. At least let me wash up, eat something, then we’ll go, all right?”

Xiao Qing shot her a disdainful glance. “Humans are so troublesome.” With that, she dove back into the painting.

If Mu Ling saw this scene, she’d surely laugh at Qin Yu for finally having a day like this.

Qin Yu took a deep breath, reminding herself that decent people don’t bicker with petty ghosts, then headed to the bathroom to wash up.

She glanced at her phone midway through.

Ye Puming had sent a message.

Qin Yu brushed her teeth with one hand while scrolling through her phone with the other.

Ye Puming: “Master, if anyone from Qingfeng Monastery comes looking for you these days, don’t respond to them.”

The message was sent two hours ago, likely right after his livestream ended.

Qin Yu’s eyes opened a little wider as she looked at herself in the mirror. It seemed there really was something wrong with Qingfeng Monastery.

After a moment’s thought, she replied: “Why? Qingfeng Monastery is a prestigious temple—could they really trouble an unknown little priestess like me?”

Knowing Ye Puming wouldn’t reply immediately, Qin Yu put away her phone and continued brushing her teeth.

She grinned into the mirror, pleased with her spotlessly clean teeth, then rinsed her mouth.

Qin Yu went downstairs and headed straight for the kitchen. The housekeeper hurried over, wanting to heat her food, but she refused. “Auntie, could you please ask Uncle Lin to come here? I can handle this myself.”

By the time Qin Yu finished warming up her meal, Lin Jian’an was already waiting at the dining table, looking so serious and earnest that Qin Yu felt a bit embarrassed.

“Uncle Lin, have you eaten yet? Would you like to join me?”

“No need, I already had breakfast at home.”

“Then please, make yourself comfortable.”

Lin Jian’an pulled up a chair and sat at Qin Yu’s side. “Miss Qin, are you hoping to hear about the master’s condition?”

Qin Yu’s expression didn’t change; she really was hungry and began eating heartily. In a pause between bites, she looked up and asked, “How is Mr. Su now?”

“He’s been moved out of the ICU. The doctor says he’s recovering well.”

Qin Yu nodded, her cheek bulging with food. “Did they say when he might wake up?”

Lin Jian’an hesitated. “Well… there isn’t a clear answer.”

Qin Yu’s eyelids drooped, and she didn’t pursue the topic.

“What about Mrs. Su? Did she come home last night?”

“Mrs. Su spent the whole night at the hospital with the master. I even took the second young lady to bring her breakfast this morning. But we didn’t know her friend was there, so we brought one less serving.”

Recalling the awkward scene, Lin Jian’an still felt a bit embarrassed.

Qin Yu arched her brows and sneered inwardly. She hadn’t expected the pursuit to extend even to the hospital.

“If you have time, you should visit Mrs. Su at the hospital more often. She may seem strong, but she still needs comfort.”

“Thank you, Uncle Lin. I’ll go once I’ve finished my work.”

Lin Jian’an looked at Qin Yu, hesitating as if wanting to say something more.

Qin Yu finished her last bite of greens before realizing he was still there.

“Uncle Lin, is there something else?”

“Miss Qin, I know I’m an outsider and probably shouldn’t say this. But I’ve been with the Su family for over twenty years, and some things just can’t be kept in forever.”

“I know you still blame Mr. and Mrs. Su for losing you all those years ago. But it really wasn’t their fault.”

“At that time, the master and mistress took you out to play. The weather forecast said it would be a beautifully sunny day. Who could have predicted a once-in-a-century solar eclipse would suddenly occur at Pengshui Bay?”

Lin Jian’an frowned as he recalled the event. “You can’t imagine how terrifying the sky was—it was as if someone had covered everything with a black cloth! It was darker than night!”

“And according to the reports, many children went missing at Pengshui Bay that day. All of them were found—except for you.”

Qin Yu wiped her mouth, surprised to learn there had been such a twist to her disappearance.

But…

“Why do you think I blame Mr. and Mrs. Su?”

Lin Jian’an blurted out, “You refuse to call the master ‘Father’ and the mistress ‘Mother.’ Isn’t that because you blame them for what happened back then?”