Chapter Ninety: Expert Guidance

After some maneuvering, the other side finally agreed to let Ren Qiyun come over tomorrow.

The middle-aged woman hung up and looked at us. "So they really ran off because they did something wrong?"

I nodded. "They never bought any new house at all. They just hid out back in their hometown."

Ren Qiyun had made her mistake by renting the place out. If she had simply left it empty, we would have had to think of some other way. But then again, the more I thought about it, the less it seemed like they were hiding from trouble. Otherwise, renting out the house would have been a pointless detour. Besides, if not for my interference, Zheng Xiao would have looked, to outsiders, like nothing more than a sick man. Even if he had "died of illness," no one would have thought of Ren Qiyun.

Could they really have some other problem? And perhaps that problem had something to do with Zheng Xiao!

"No wonder they didn't even bother taking their things with them. What bad luck, renting such a place!" the middle-aged woman said.

I asked, "Do you live here alone?"

Ever since I came in, I hadn't seen anyone else.

"My son came here to study at university. He's never been away from us since he was little, never traveled far on his own, so of course I worried about him. I came over and rented a place nearby, so I can wash his clothes and cook for him during the day," the woman said with a touch of pride.

I honestly didn't know what there was to be proud of. I'd been able to do those things since I was six, and her son still couldn't do them even after getting into university. And she didn't even feel embarrassed!

We left the residential complex. Zheng Lanxuan had to hurry back to visit Zheng Xiao. I said I would leave first and come to his place again in the evening, so as not to have last night's ghost come looking again.

I needed to go home and try drawing talismans again. In a strange place, I simply couldn't calm my mind.

Back home, I cleared off the table, laid out blank talisman paper, and mixed the vermilion cinnabar. Holding the brush, my impatience only grew. What if this thing didn't work? In the past I had met quite a few people from the trade, yet now I couldn't even find someone to help me.

"Brother Luo, you'd be better off changing to a new brush," Wang Yue suddenly said.

I looked at him. He froze, scratching his head, not knowing why he had said that.

Right. Since this fellow had been buried in a coffin and pinned with soul-binding nails, he must have had some background. Old Ding's son had at least been in contact with this line of work; this kid certainly couldn't be worse than him.

"What do you think we should do? Don't be afraid, just say whatever comes to mind," I said.

Wang Yue looked a little timid. "I... I think you should eat first, then rest a bit..."

After a pause, he added, "It would be best to buy an inkstone... a stone one. And a new brush, made of bamboo and wood..."

I set the brush down. "All right. Let's go out to eat now, then buy an inkstone and a brush on the way back."

After eating and drinking my fill, I took Wang Yue with me to pick out an inkstone and brush. I told him to trust his instincts when choosing; if that didn't work, he could even close his eyes and pick. After buying everything, I went home and flopped into bed.

When I woke, it was already half past four in the afternoon. There wasn't much time left, but my body felt much lighter.

I prepared everything I needed and started drawing talismans again, with Wang Yue beside me. I told him to speak up if anything felt off. He was terrified and flustered, never expecting me to value his opinion so much.

I picked up the brush, dipped it in cinnabar, and was about to begin.

"Brother Luo, you've dipped a little too little. You won't have enough by the end..." Wang Yue suddenly said.

I looked at the brush and saw that he was right. This talisman had to be completed in one uninterrupted breath; it couldn't be paused midway, and with too little cinnabar I wouldn't be able to finish.

I dipped it again, then lowered the brush and completed the Ghost-Suppressing Talisman in one flowing motion. Comparing it with Old Ma's original talisman, there were no obvious mistakes.

I handed the finished sheet to Wang Yue and asked him if he could see any problem with it.

"Did you write it too fast?" he said softly.

I looked closely and compared it again with the original. He seemed to be right. Old Ma's version looked as though it had been written, while mine looked more like a painting.

Taking the lesson to heart, I picked up the brush again and made sure to pay attention to every stroke while still keeping the writing continuous. This time the talisman actually looked decent.

I let Wang Yue take a look. He scratched his head, bewildered. "It should be okay, I guess..."

All right, then this one counted.

Using the same method, I wrote the protective talisman and the well talisman in turn. Having someone there to "advise" me really did make things much more efficient, though I had no idea whether those "advice" were correct.

Before I knew it, it was six in the evening. Zheng Lanxuan called to ask when I would be coming over.

I put down the brush and turned to the bathroom first to use the toilet before heading out.

When I came out, I saw Wang Yue standing by the table, holding the brush and writing something. I didn't disturb him; I waited until he finished before walking over. He had drawn an unfamiliar talisman.

"What is this?" I asked in confusion.

He hurriedly set down the brush, looking nervous. "I... I just drew it randomly. I don't know either..."

No matter. I would take it along as well. After gathering my things, I said to Wang Yue, "I'm heading out now. You stay here tonight."

"I'll go with you!" he said.

"No. Stay home. There are vegetables in the fridge, and I already taught you how to use the pressure cooker and the induction stove the day before yesterday. If you still can't manage, there's instant noodles and bread."

Wang Yue could only obey my arrangements.

At the door, I gave my final instructions. "No matter who knocks, don't open it, understand? And if you accidentally do open it, drive them out immediately, whoever they are. Especially the ones selling cockroach poison—remember that!"

By the time I reached Zheng Lanxuan's home, an hour and a half had passed. I first went to see Zheng Xiao in her room. Since that ghost had appeared last night, her condition had only worsened.

I took out a handmade protective talisman. I didn't know whether it would do anything, but it might as well serve as a comfort.

I folded the paper into a triangle and placed it in her hand. "Hold on to it. It will protect you."

Zheng Xiao's weak fingers clenched tightly around the talisman. The trembling in her body eased slightly, and she even recovered to the state she had been in when I saw her yesterday. I was a little surprised. Had the talisman actually worked?

"Brother Luo... thank you..." she said faintly.

"Xiao Xiao, tell me the truth. What happened when you went to find your mother?" I asked.

She turned her head away a little and closed her eyes, refusing to answer. She only held the talisman I had given her tightly to her chest.

She clearly knew what the consequences of this would be, so why wouldn't she say anything? From the very beginning, she had known what was going on, and still she had chosen to go there. Why would she do that?

"Xiao Xiao, do you have some hardship you can't speak of?" I asked.

Zheng Xiao still kept her head turned aside and gave no reply.

Zheng Lanxuan patted my shoulder and gently shook his head. I understood what he meant and said to Zheng Xiao, "Get some good rest. I will definitely cure you."

When I came out of Zheng Xiao's room, Zheng Lanxuan said, "I already asked her today. It was useless. She won't say a word."