Chapter 013: There’s No Need to Bribe Me with Money

The commission was complete.

Qiao Qiao had barely moved at all.

It was Asano Ariko who had done all the work.

She was sweating.

Qiao Qiao glanced at Asano Ariko. It looked like the exorcism just now had taken a toll on her. Perhaps it was a side effect of using that spiritual tool. Her face was noticeably paler than when they started. A few strands of her hair had stuck to her cheeks, damp with sweat.

Qiao Qiao didn't ask further; this wasn't his area. He was just an emotionless assistant.

He checked the time—half past eleven.

Six hundred thousand yen in hand.

Quite a windfall.

Originally, Qiao Qiao had expected the job to take all day. They’d meet in the daytime, investigate, strategize, go home, then work again at night. After all, vengeful spirits only showed up after dark.

He hadn’t anticipated running into a malevolent spirit, nor that the shrine maiden Asano would be so formidable, dispelling it outright.

There’s a saying in China: appearances can be deceiving.

Qiao Qiao found it entirely apt.

“Qiao-san, where are you headed next?” Asano Ariko asked casually. They had already added each other as friends on Line.

She was very petite, and standing beside Qiao Qiao, who was of average height, made for a curious sight.

It almost felt criminal.

They drew the attention of passersby.

“How cute.” “Is she a celebrity?” came the soft whispers.

To the unknowing, they might have seemed a pair of high school sweethearts—handsome and beautiful, an enviable couple.

“Me?” Qiao Qiao considered for a moment, recalling the academic book he hadn’t finished reading, and decided to head home.

“I’m going home.”

“I see. I think I’ll look around here for a bit before heading back,” Asano Ariko replied.

She rarely went out alone. Home and school—that was her life. After class, she practiced at the shrine; weekends, too, were spent helping there.

Exorcisms were rare chances for her to go out by herself.

As a young woman, Asano Ariko loved shopping. But she seldom had the chance to stroll around. She could only indulge in online shopping.

But, well, online shopping lacked any real sense of the experience.

Asano Ariko preferred the feeling of being able to say, “From here to there, wrap it all up for me.” Compared to that, shopping online lacked any sense of ritual.

A shrine maiden’s life was filled with rituals; so too should shopping be.

Qiao Qiao was different.

He had studying to do.

To Qiao Qiao, wandering around shopping was utterly pointless.

It not only reduced the efficiency of buying things,

but could also lead to unnecessary expenses.

He couldn’t understand it at all.

“So, let’s call it a day,” Asano Ariko said. She didn’t, as in most movies, invite Qiao Qiao to join her.

They weren’t that close. Besides, she preferred shopping alone to dragging a companion along.

Freedom.

Thinking of having an assistant, Asano Ariko spoke again.

“By the way, Qiao-san, I’ll need an assistant for my next exorcism. What do you think?”

Though she believed she could handle things alone, the Association’s rules stipulated that a senior had to supervise her first few exorcisms.

Rather than being assigned a meddlesome senior at random, she’d rather stick with Qiao Qiao.

He was strong, quiet, and never interfered with her exorcisms.

He also knew how to highlight her strengths in front of the clients.

Such a helper was rare indeed.

The senior she’d been assigned for her first exorcism had been so talkative she’d nearly gone mad.

So, Qiao Qiao had left a good impression.

“I think...” Qiao Qiao didn’t really have any strong feelings. In any case, the Asano family had paid for two jobs, so regardless of the shrine maiden’s wishes, he’d accompany her again.

“I can pay you. How about two hundred thousand?”

Noticing Qiao Qiao’s hesitation, Asano Ariko offered.

“No, Miss Asano, you don’t need to bribe me with money,” Qiao Qiao waved his hand dismissively.

Money or not, he had to fulfill his duties as an assistant.

No need for payment.

Qiao Qiao was not a greedy man.

“Is it not enough...?” Asano Ariko bit her lip. She didn’t have much discretionary money, but she felt it was worth the sacrifice for a smooth exorcism next time.

It just meant buying a couple fewer outfits.

“Then I’ll add another hundred thousand—three hundred thousand yen.”

“That’s not what I meant...” Qiao Qiao tried to explain.

But Asano Ariko seemed to think he was bargaining.

“Five hundred thousand! It’s settled then—see you next Saturday!” she declared resolutely, then turned and left.

She gave Qiao Qiao no chance to refuse.

She vanished into the throng before Shinjuku Station.

Qiao Qiao stood there, stunned.

Should he explain things to Miss Asano?

He hesitated for a moment.

If he were to be blunt, it would probably make her feel awkward.

It wasn’t about the money.

She was still just a child; she shouldn’t have to face such things.

Qiao Qiao was already an adult—at least mentally.

An adult must have an adult’s resolve.

The guilt children shouldn’t bear, adults should shoulder for them.

It was not about money.

There’s a saying in China: If I do not descend into hell, who will?

Moreover,

from the way Miss Asano spoke,

it seemed that five hundred thousand yen was nothing to her.

Even so,

Qiao Qiao couldn’t take the money in good conscience, not when it was given out of a misunderstanding.

It wasn’t about the amount.

Hmm?

He suddenly thought,

since there was another job coming up,

why not use the five hundred thousand to buy more equipment, and make sure nothing could go wrong?

He could use Miss Asano’s money to help her.

That was only reasonable.

With that settled, Qiao Qiao changed his destination.

He didn’t take the subway home.

Instead, he headed for another street corner.

......

Inside the Midnight Diner.

“Hm? Weren’t you assisting the Asano family’s young lady with her exorcism today? Haven’t started yet?”

The owner, seeing Qiao Qiao slide open the paper door and enter, asked.

“No, it’s already done,” Qiao Qiao replied, sitting in his usual spot.

During the day, the Midnight Diner was completely empty.

The owner looked as though he’d just woken up, preparing to go shop for ingredients.

“Already done?” The owner handed Qiao Qiao a glass of water and stroked his stubble.

Then he lit a cigarette, taking a deep drag.

“Come to think of it, there have been a lot of strange occurrences lately.”

Many exorcists used his place to rest.

They’d sometimes exchange information.

A commission resolved in daylight usually meant there was something unusual about it.

“Indeed—not a vengeful spirit, but a malevolent one. Looks like the Exorcist Association misjudged the case.”

Generally, malevolent spirits were more dangerous than vengeful ones.

A newcomer like Asano Ariko shouldn’t have been assigned such a job.

But then again, the owner was impressive, deducing today’s exorcism had been unusual before Qiao Qiao even explained.

Qiao Qiao sipped his water, surprised at the owner’s insight, and replied.

“A malevolent spirit?”

The owner opened his mouth as if to say something, then thought better of it.

He took the cigarette from his lips, seemingly deep in thought.

“By the way, Miss Asano is really something. She dispatched a malevolent spirit with just a spiritual tool—some kind of bell, I think.”

“You mean the Sword Bell?” The owner’s expression turned odd.

Speaking of the Sword Bell from Atsuta Shrine...

There was only one it could be.

“Yes, yes! When she shook the bell, I saw the shadow of a sword appear... Oh, owner, your ash is about to fall.”

Qiao Qiao recalled Asano Ariko’s bearing during the exorcism—the ethereal longsword had been breathtakingly beautiful.

“Ah! Ow, ow, ow...” The owner had burned the back of his hand with the ash and quickly stubbed out the cigarette.

“I’m hungry, owner. I’ll have the pork soup set meal,” Qiao Qiao said.

“And then, I’d like to buy a few things from you later.”