Chapter 13: Why Is Teacher Xie Concerned About That?
Jiang Louqi listened as he walked, nearly colliding with Xie Jiuchen at the corner just as the latter finished closing a door.
He skidded to a halt. Seeing the person he had been thinking about, the gloom on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a slight look of surprise. “Teacher Xie, it’s so late. Why are you still lingering at school? It’s far too dangerous.”
“I…” Before Xie Jiuchen could finish his sentence, a rustling commotion erupted once more from the previously silent piano room behind him. Something was scratching at the door with its claws!
The sound grew sharper with every stroke, as if the thing inside was desperate to break out.
“Watch out!” Jiang Louqi reacted swiftly, grabbing Xie Jiuchen’s arm and pulling him close, shielding him with his own body.
Xie Jiuchen caught the scent of the man’s cologne.
That trace of warm fragrance felt like huddling by a fireplace in the dead of winter; the sweet scent of skin drifted into his cold, numb nostrils along with the rising heat of the flames.
Upon a closer sniff, it felt like the lingering warmth following an intimate encounter—a steady, unextinguishable current.
Xie Jiuchen knit his brows and hastily took two steps back.
Thump— Thump—
The ear-piercing sound of nails suddenly stopped, only for the wooden door to be violently split open by a fire axe, which then swung straight down.
The weapon carved a massive hole in the door frame. Dust billowed and wood chips flew everywhere.
The arm wielding the axe was wrapped in layers of blood-red bandages. The figure wore an ordinary school uniform, but the red women’s shoes on its feet made for a particularly soul-stirring and terrifying sight.
The red shoes were extremely worn, with mottled patterns and patches of exposed leather where the dark red color had been rubbed away.
Under the dim moonlight, the figure revealed itself—it was the ghost of Ren Yu!
She swung the fire axe, beginning to laugh maniacally. Damp, black hair clung to her skull, and half an eyeball protruded shamelessly from its socket.
The scar crossing the bridge of her nose split open, allowing bloody pus to slowly seep out.
The group barely dodged in time. A second later, the axe slammed heavily into the ground, the impact striking a deep, dark fissure into the concrete floor amidst a spray of sparks.
“Can’t we have a nice chat before we start swinging?”
Jiang Louqi patted the dust off his trench coat, a hint of disdain crossing his features.
With a flick of his fingers, he sent a dozen “Soul-Locking Talismans” flying through the air, wrapped in a gust of fierce wind.
The fluttering yellow talismans instantly formed a golden halo. Cold, pitch-black chains pierced through the void from within the charms, manifesting in the physical world. Like venomous snakes flicking their tongues, they coiled around Ren Yu’s arms.
The blood-wheel seal on her forehead began to deepen into a dark crimson. She gripped the axe tightly, refusing to let go, her struggles growing increasingly violent.
“Damn, these talismans are about to expire! Su Qian, move!” Jiang Louqi’s expression shifted. He pressed his tense fingers together, deciding to skip the hand seals entirely. “This ghost is far too gone. She’s absorbed too much yin energy; there’s no communicating with her at all.”
“Got it!” Su Qian quickly kicked off her high heels, arched her back, and took a step back, her eyes flashing with a fiery red light.
Behind her, nine white fox tails fanned out in mid-air, wrapping toward Ren Yu.
Xie Jiuchen stood with his hands behind his back, watching silently with a cold gaze and lips pressed into a thin line. He turned to Zhou Jiayi, who was busily throwing punches at the air, and asked, “Is this how you usually work?”
A voice suddenly appeared from behind—one carrying an aura of extreme cold.
Zhou Jiayi shuddered. He looked at the trembling Chen Peiwen before confirming that the voice belonged to Xie Jiuchen.
He was completely baffled, yet an inexplicable fear rose in his heart. He stammered as he spoke, “Ah… yeah, th-th-this is it.”
“Mhm.” Xie Jiuchen’s face remained devoid of emotion, his expression still a mask of icy indifference.
Seeing that the other man had no intention of asking more questions, Zhou Jiayi turned back stiffly, scratched his head, and returned his attention to the heated battle ahead.
Just as Jiang Louqi was about to pull an “Evil-Dissipating Spiritual Talisman” from his inner pocket to resolve the grudge, Ren Yu—who was being tightly constricted by the nine fox tails—miraculously regained a shred of lucidity.
Her split mouth moved, producing a sound like a chainsaw from her throat: “Give… the… photo… back to me…”
“A photo? She finally spoke.” Jiang Louqi shoved the talisman back and immediately looked toward Chen Peiwen, who was cowering in the corner of the stairwell. “Kid, what photo does she cherish?”
Chen Peiwen snapped out of his daze, his chin trembling with agitation. “The torn family portrait! It’s in the fourth-floor storage room!”
“Let’s go, let’s go.” Jiang Louqi marched toward the stairs, dragging Xie Jiuchen along with him, completely ignoring Su Qian, who was still actively fighting.
Su Qian looked incredibly displeased as she watched him leave.
So he was just going to leave her here alone with the ghost? Were her nine expensive, snow-white fox tails meant to be used for grunt work like this?
She was tired of this manual labor. Unable to suppress the irritation in her heart, she began to grumble loudly, “Director Jiang! How can you have the nerve to abandon me! What am I supposed to do if this ghost goes berserk?!”
“Sister, please. You’re a centuries-old demon; why are you afraid of a ghost who’s only been dead for a few dozen days? Work hard, and I’ll ask the Lord of the Underworld to give you a raise when we get back.”
Jiang Louqi gave her a two-fingered salute from his temple and patted Zhou Jiayi’s shoulder. “Don’t worry, Xiao Zhou won’t abandon you.”
Su Qian gritted her teeth. “Just hurry up and get back!”
A raise? Fine, Xie Jiuchen would remember that.
He lifted his narrow eyes, his pupils appearing unfathomably deep. “Director Jiang, I cannot help with your ghost hunting. I will take my leave now.”
“No way. It’s dangerous out there with ghosts around. I’ll let you go once we’ve settled this. For now, you’re coming to the storage room with me. I wouldn’t feel right leaving a beauty like you here alone.”
Seeing that he wouldn’t budge, Jiang Louqi shamelessly started tugging at Xie Jiuchen, taking advantage of the man’s refined nature.
He continued to spout nonsense: “Oh~ I get it. Is it because your arm hurts too much to walk? I can carry you on my back. You probably wouldn’t like it if I carried you in my arms—that’s a bit too soon.”
“You… How presumptuous! Unreasonable!” Xie Jiuchen was truly angry. He never expected that one day, he—the dignified Lord of the Underworld—would be openly teased by a subordinate. The man was simply shameless.
Driven to the peak of irritation, he couldn’t bring himself to say anything more insulting. He pushed the man away and headed upstairs with a dark expression.
He would remember this grudge. There was plenty of time; Jiang Louqi would have much to answer for later. After all, the man’s life was still in his hands.
Jiang Louqi couldn’t help but chuckle behind him. His thin eyelids cast shadows over his eyes, and his gaze traced the other man’s retreating back with blatant playfulness.
“Fine, even his anger is adorable. I’d be doing myself a disservice if I didn’t win you over.”
The fourth-floor storage room was located at the very end of the corridor. It was typically used for discarded textbooks and unclaimed items.
Perhaps because it was too narrow and dark, no one dared to enter.
The iron lock on the door was completely broken, and Jiang Louqi made quick work of it.
As the door opened, a cloud of dust and grit fell from the frame. Jiang Louqi quickly raised his arm to shield Xie Jiuchen’s head, terrified that the clean, elegant man might get dirty.
Xie Jiuchen reflexively pushed his glasses up to ease the awkwardness.
The storage room had seen no sunlight for years. A pungent smell of mold and decay hit their nostrils. The space was dim and damp, the wall plaster having long since fallen away to reveal an uneven surface.
Jiang Louqi brushed the dust off his hands and walked deeper into the room. Looking around, he saw junk piled in a chaotic mess, covered in cobwebs. “This much stuff?”
“It’s okay, Brother. I was the one who organized Ren Yu’s belongings after she died. I know where they are.” Chen Peiwen lifted a desk that was blocking the way and squeezed inside.
Jiang Louqi nodded, suddenly letting out a sigh of lament. “It’s good to be young.”
“Does Director Jiang mean to say that he is already old?” Xie Jiuchen was somewhat puzzled by the comment.
“Ahem.” A shallow smile played on Jiang Louqi’s lips. His clear, bright eyes held an infinite attraction as he leaned his handsome face inches away from the other man. His breath was warm as he spoke: “Why is Teacher Xie concerned about that?”
Translator’s Note:
- Wushan Clouds and Chu Rain (巫雲楚雨): The text mentions the scent of his cologne being like “warmth after Wushan clouds and Chu rain.” This is a famous Chinese poetic euphemism for sexual intimacy. Jiang Louqi’s scent is… well, let’s just say it’s very alluring!
- Soul-Locking Talismans (鎖魂符): These are spiritual charms used to bind a spirit’s movement.
- Red Shoes: In Asian horror, red shoes are a classic trope signifying a vengeful spirit, often linked to betrayal or a tragic death.
- Lord of the Underworld (冥主): This is Xie Jiuchen’s true identity. It’s quite ironic to watch his own employee flirt with him while he’s “undercover”!
- Presumptuous (放肆): A word often used by those in high positions (like royalty or deities) to scold someone beneath them for being too bold.
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