Chapter 12: A Cheap House

“Mom, it’s that big sister.”

“Master!”

The voices of Xu Zihang and his father, Xu Yunfei, rang out one after another. Rong Leying looked up, staring at them with a bewildered expression. “What are you doing here?”

*They didn't come here to have me perform some ritual or something, did they? Because I really don't know how to do that.*

Chen Wenxi looked at Rong Leying with some surprise. She had assumed a "Master" would be some white-bearded old man with an immortal aura; she hadn't expected a girl who looked like she was still in school.

If she hadn't already been holding the talisman paper and seeing the child, she would have definitely thought she was a fraud.

Xu Yunfei walked in quickly. “Master, I also want to buy a few more talismans from you. Eleven pieces!”

With the two elders plus the two of them, that made six people. Two talismans each would be twelve. Since they had bought one before and were now asking for eleven more, that made twelve in total.

Twelve talismans would only last for two days of seeing the child; they would have to come back again later.

Eleven pieces meant three hundred and thirty thousand yuan! A huge order! Rong Leying’s eyes instantly lit up.

“Let’s go outside to talk. My grandfather is asleep.” She hadn't figured out how to explain this to him yet.

“Alright.”

Just as the three of them reached the door, they ran into Liao Jiamu, who was coming in to check on the wards. Rong Leying asked the two of them to wait a moment, then went with Liao Jiamu to see her grandfather.

After Liao Jiamu stepped forward to perform a physical examination, he inquired about the patient's condition. Once finished, he gave her several instructions regarding patient care, all of which she noted down.

Liao Jiamu glanced at Xu Yunfei and Chen Wenxi waiting at the door and asked casually, “Are they also family members of the patient?”

“No...” Rong Leying thought for a moment. “They are my clients.”

People who bought talisman paper from her were considered her clients; there was nothing wrong with that logic.

*Clients?* A flash of surprise crossed Liao Jiamu's eyes. He hadn't expected that answer.

But he quickly remembered that Rong Leying was a college student and might have been the child's tutor previously. He thought for a moment and said, “My condolences.”

“???”

Rong Leying: “Is my grandfather dying?!”

Old Man Rong woke up groggily, and upon hearing those words, his eyes instantly bulged. “...Am I dying?”

“...”

Liao Jiamu explained the misunderstanding in a few brief sentences and then walked away rubbing his forehead.

*Work has been too tiring lately. I should take tomorrow off to rest.*

Rong Leying said a few words to the old man and went outside. She led Xu Yunfei and Chen Wenxi to the corner at the end of the hallway; she had already placed the order for the Ghost-Seeing Talismans while on the way.

She only ordered five.

“These talismans start taking effect from the moment they are sold. You should buy them one day at a time. Besides, I don't have that much stock on hand.”

This was noted in the usage rules of the talisman paper: they were effective from the moment they arrived. Buying more than necessary would just be a waste.

“Fine, then give me five, and I will come back to buy more from you tomorrow.”

Xu Yunfei transferred 150,000 yuan to her directly.

“Master, please give me your contact information. I’ll call you when I come tomorrow.”

“Sure.”

Rong Leying gave him her contact details. “My name is Rong Leying. Rong as in 'easy,' Le as in 'happy,' and Ying as in 'heroic.'”

“Master, your name is very beautiful.” Xu Yunfei immediately saved her number and added her on WeChat.

“Hehe, I think so too.”

With 150,000 yuan in her account, Rong Leying handed him the four Ghost-Seeing Talismans she had just ordered.

As Xu Yunfei took the talisman paper, he immediately saw the child standing to the side and couldn't help but smile.

One talisman was 30,000 yuan. Five talismans were 150,000 yuan. After deducting the 50,000 yuan cost, she had 100,000 yuan left.

Earning 100,000 yuan in less than ten minutes—Rong Leying felt an uncontrollable surge of excitement.

“Master, I want to ask, can we keep Hanghang by our side all the time?” Chen Wenxi asked.

Rong Leying looked at the youthful Xu Zihang, then at the visibly haggard Xu Yunfei and Chen Wenxi, seeing the hope on their faces.

She fell silent for a moment before shaking her head. “I'm sorry, I'm not sure either.”

She really wasn't a "Master."

The hope on the couple's faces faded visibly.

The little boy comforted them, “It’s okay, Mom. As long as that man in black doesn't come to take me away, I won't leave you and Dad.”

Chen Wenxi: “What man in black?”

*A man in black... could it be the Black and White Impermanence?* Rong Leying thought to herself.

The child said, “A very scary man in black. I saw other uncles go with him, and after that, I could never see them again.”

Chen Wenxi and Xu Yunfei also had a rough idea of who the man in black was. After people die, they must enter the cycle of reincarnation.

That man in black was likely the one taking them to be reincarnated.

But having finally seen their child again, they couldn't bear to let him leave.

The two decided to hide the child well at home so that the man in black wouldn't be able to take him away.

After confirming with Rong Leying that they would come to buy more talismans tomorrow, the two hurriedly left with the child.

Once they returned home, they immediately gave the talisman paper to the two elders. Upon receiving the talismans, the elders saw their deceased grandson.

The two elders wept with intense emotion.

...

“Little girl, I have a friend with a one-bedroom apartment in Zihua Community near the hospital. It's available for monthly rent, 1,000 yuan a month. Do you want to go take a look?”

“A one-bedroom in Zihua Community for only 1,000 a month?!”

Rong Leying said in pleasant surprise, “Really, Auntie?”

“Really. Let me show you some photos.” Auntie Wu handed her phone to Rong Leying.

Rong Leying held the phone and looked at it with the old man. It was a modern-style apartment, clean, bright, and simple, with complete furniture and appliances.

Old Man Rong looked very satisfied. “This place is quite good.”

“The house is indeed good...” Rong Leying voiced her doubt. “Auntie, how can this house be rented so cheaply?”

Near the hospital, a fully equipped one-bedroom apartment in a new residential area like Zihua Community should be at least 1,800 yuan on rental websites.

For this place to be offered to her for only 1,000 yuan—could there be something wrong with it?

Rong Leying thought of the female ghost from earlier. She glanced toward Zhao Yong, but saw nothing.

The female ghost was gone.

Zihua Community... a young woman... she felt like she had heard something about this somewhere.

Auntie Wu said, “It’s just that I saw you’re a young girl in a tough spot, and your grandfather had an accident and can't afford much, so I thought I'd do a good deed and give it to you cheaper.”

“If you think it's okay, my friend will bring you to see the house tomorrow.”

“If not, then forget it. It's not easy to find cheap short-term rentals these days.”

Rong Leying thought about it. “Alright, then please help me contact them, Auntie. I'll go see the house tomorrow.”

“Okay, I'll talk to her.”

Auntie Wu and Zhao Yong exchanged a glance. *It's a deal!*

Old Man Rong felt it was somewhat unreliable. While the mother and daughter were away, he said to Rong Leying, “Yingzi, why don't you look for somewhere else? Grandpa has money.”

They had only just met today and had barely spoken a few words; this auntie was being far too kind.

Sometimes, chasing small bargains can lead to big losses.

Rong Leying comforted him, “It's okay, Grandpa. I'll go take a look first.”

“Fine, look around thoroughly. Find somewhere good and safe. Grandpa has money.”

“Mm, I know.”

(End of Chapter)