Chapter 37: The Restless House

As he spoke, Fatty’s complexion grew increasingly pale, his body swaying unsteadily as though he might faint at any moment.

Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, he stammered, “Boss, Teacher Su, what are you two whispering about… My head’s spinning. I think I’m coming down with a fever…”

Yan Yu turned away in silence, forming a hand seal. Suddenly, he smacked Fatty hard on both shoulders!

Bang!

Startled, Fatty jumped and cried out, “What the hell, Boss, what are you doing?”

Yan Yu glanced back. Su Han nodded at him and said, “That little ghost has been knocked off you.”

Only then did Yan Yu allow himself a faint smile. He gently brushed Fatty’s shoulder again. “I just saw a mosquito on your shoulder and swatted it.”

“It’s the dead of winter—where would a mosquito come from…” Fatty still looked doubtful. He hadn’t noticed anything, but after Yan Yu’s slap, his face regained some color.

“Hao Zhuang, Fatty’s not feeling well. I think you two should head home early,” Su Han instructed.

With the homeroom teacher speaking, Hao Zhuang dared not protest. He hurried over to support Fatty and assured Su Han, “Don’t worry, Teacher Su! I’ll personally see Fatty home. You and Boss, go wherever you need to go, do whatever you need to do!”

“...A three-thousand-word reflection, due by the end of school tomorrow,” Su Han said sternly.

“Ah?!” Fatty’s face, which had only just recovered, fell again.

“Well? Off with you now. This is an internet café, not a place for students,” Su Han added.

Hao Zhuang wasted no time dragging Fatty outside.

Yan Yu watched in astonishment. The speed at which this woman changed her expression was truly something to behold!

After Hao Zhuang and Fatty had left, Yan Yu asked, “And what about the simpleton?”

Su Han pointed to an empty corner. “You scared him off. He’s hiding there now.”

“Husband, are you going to help him move on?” Zhao Qingqing asked curiously.

“Those Rebirth Talismans aren’t unlimited, and I have no connection to that little ghost. Why should I help him move on for no reason?” Yan Yu shrugged. “I have other matters to attend to. If that ghost causes more trouble, I’ll deal with him then.”

Su Han and Zhao Qingqing nodded in agreement. They evidently didn’t think that simpleton ghost posed any real threat—especially Su Han, who had seen plenty of spirits like that. Most of them unconsciously drifted near the living and then left on their own after a while.

This, in fact, was often the real reason why some people inexplicably fell ill—not because they’d caught a chill, but because they’d caught the attention of certain “friends.”

As for why the simpleton ghost had targeted Fatty just now, well, that was something Fatty would have to answer for himself. What had he been doing at home to end up with such depleted yang energy? In the eyes of a ghost, he was like a five-thousand-watt spotlight—impossible not to notice.

“Qingqing can’t be away from my dorm for too long, so we have to get back. I have some things to deal with these days, but within three days at most, I’ll try to find the file on Qingqing for you,” Su Han said.

“Thank you, Teacher Su,” Yan Yu replied with a smile.

Zhao Qingqing gazed at Yan Yu, reluctant to part. “Husband, come see me often, okay?”

“Uh… Of course.”

After Su Han and Zhao Qingqing left, Yan Yu immediately hailed a taxi and headed to the Plum Blossom Police Station.

A police station, the gathering place of earthly righteousness, was just what Yan Yu needed. After lingering near Zhao Qingqing and accumulating so much yin energy, he felt a wave of relief wash over him as he stepped through the station’s doors.

Just then, a policeman approached from the other end of the hall and immediately recognized him. “It’s you, kid?”

Yan Yu studied him for a moment and recalled that he’d seen this officer at Xu Jin’s doorstep previously—if memory served, his name was Chen Chuandong.

“Hello, Officer. I’m here to bail someone out,” Yan Yu replied politely.

“What’s the name?” Chen Chuandong asked.

“Cao Youqian. He’s my second uncle.”

“Well, well! Old Cao has relatives after all!” Chen Chuandong looked mildly surprised, then said, “He’s not a first-time offender, you know. You'd better keep an eye on him… Come with me to do the paperwork. Pay the fee and you can take him home.”

“Thank you, Officer!” Yan Yu laughed good-naturedly.

“I suspect you’ll be coming here often, so just call me Brother Chen,” the officer replied.

“…Alright, Brother Chen.”

Yan Yu was speechless. The last thing he wanted was to be a regular here, bailing Master Cao out time and again.

After finishing the paperwork, Yan Yu gritted his teeth and paid a five-thousand-yuan bail, finally managing to spring Master Cao from the station.

The moment Master Cao saw Yan Yu, he grinned broadly, his golden teeth glinting in the light.

“Still smiling? What’s so funny?!” Yan Yu snapped. “You’re past fifty, aren’t you? Is that thing even still working?”

“Still as sharp as ever, still as sharp as ever…” Master Cao replied, his grin growing even more lecherous. “I’m just helping wayward women and boosting the real economy, that’s all!”

Yan Yu rolled his eyes. “The money I just spent bailing you out was meant for my rent. Now the money’s gone, but I still need a place to live. You figure it out.”

“Master, with your abilities, you still need me to find you a place?” Master Cao asked, genuinely puzzled.

“Of course I do! I’m no immortal—I still need to eat, drink, and sleep,” Yan Yu retorted. “Just tell me if you have any ideas.”

Master Cao grinned. “As it happens, I do! I just got a new job today. If we team up, not only will your housing problem be solved, but we might even make a tidy sum!”

“Oh? Let’s hear it.” Yan Yu was truly down and out now. Penniless was no exaggeration.

Rubbing his hands, Master Cao explained, “A buddy of mine called today. There’s a fully furnished apartment on Xinglin Street in a prime location—a real hot property. But lately, it’s been haunted by strange events, and no one dares live there. The landlord’s at his wits’ end and is looking for exorcists to restore peace. He’s offering fifty thousand yuan as a token of gratitude if we succeed.”

“That’s not a token of gratitude, that’s an intelligence tax!” Yan Yu scoffed.

“Heh, so, are you interested or not?”

Yan Yu considered it. Xinglin Street was just across from Rongcheng High School—an ideal location. Fifty thousand yuan would solve all his immediate concerns, and if he helped the landlord, perhaps he could rent the place cheaply afterward. It was perfect.

“Tomorrow’s the weekend. Meet me at 135 Jiangbin Road in the evening,” Yan Yu agreed.

Seeing Yan Yu accept, Master Cao beamed. “Great, it’s settled! By the way, will you be bringing your ghostbusting tools?”

“One blue-and-white porcelain bowl, one used wooden chopstick, and a red string. That’s all I need—the rest I’ll handle myself.”

“Got it!”