Chapter 7
When Luo Wenshu and Luo Xingyu returned home, it was already 2 PM.
She changed her shoes and went straight to the small bed in her room, collapsing onto it, not wanting to move a finger.
In one word: exhausted.
The amulet she drew for Jin Youqian was made with genuine effort, consuming a lot of spiritual energy. The finished product surpassed the high-grade category and was almost a precious item.
Furthermore, the aftermath of saving Fang Peng last night was unexpected.
And the appearance of the underworld ghost messenger was also unexpected.
Luo Wenshu wasn’t afraid, but interacting with him required focus.
Fortunately, everything turned out well.
The money was earned, 19,888 yuan, in Luo Xingyu’s account.
The karmic backlash ended; she didn’t encounter any accidents on her way back.
The opportunity she sensed for Luo Xingyu before leaving was successfully seized.
Thinking of this, she struggled to turn over and look at Luo Xingyu, who was standing by the doorframe.
The slender child’s face was complex, his dark eyes filled with unreadable emotions.
There was a hint of fear, but he tried to hide it.
He was only five; this level of composure was remarkable.
Even Luo Wenshu, with her high standards, had to commend him.
“Come here,” she softly beckoned.
Luo Xingyu hesitated for a second, then took small steps closer, stopping by the bed.
“Sit down,” Luo Wenshu pointed beside her.
Luo Xingyu stiffened slightly but obeyed.
“Look at me,” Luo Wenshu said.
This time, his stiffness was more noticeable; he slowly turned to face her, but kept his head down.
Luo Wenshu didn’t speak.
Just as Luo Xingyu was about to breathe a sigh of relief, she asked, “Are you afraid of me?”
Luo Xingyu’s expression crumbled; the fear he’d suppressed surfaced; he shook his head frantically, “No…I’m not…I’m not afraid!”
He was like a small animal caught in a trap, panicked, struggling in vain.
Luo Wenshu frowned slightly, “Why? Because I’m different?”
She noticed the child’s unusual behavior last night.
She had received some memories from the original owner, mostly about her son.
The original Luo Xingyu was smart, well-behaved, and sensible, seemingly possessing every virtue, leading the original owner to believe she must have saved the world in a past life to deserve such a wonderful child.
After Luo Wenshu’s arrival, Luo Xingyu’s good qualities remained, but something was different –
His gaze and tone were timid, as if afraid of something.
This was unprecedented.
The little fellow thought he was hiding well, but Luo Wenshu saw through him.
She guessed the child sensed his mother was different, causing his anxiety.
Seeing Luo Xingyu tremble slightly and look frightened, Luo Wenshu felt sorry for him and didn’t want to push him.
Unexpectedly, Luo Xingyu looked up; his expression changed, his eyes becoming firm; he looked into Luo Wenshu’s eyes, as if making a decision, “I know, you’re not Mom!”
“…You’re not her, not Mom, Waaah…”
The words seemed to drain his courage; his voice became small, and he started crying.
Tears rolled down his cheeks.
He was terrified and regretted it; the latter feeling had been suppressed since yesterday.
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Luo Xingyu was smart for his age, but he was still five.
Yesterday afternoon, he played with Xiaobao; his mother was sleeping, looking unwell, her face paler than usual.
Luo Xingyu intended to stay and care for her but went out to play anyway.
After a while, he felt uneasy and returned home.
He opened the door, whispered, “Mom, I’m back…”
There was no response.
He didn’t think much of it, assuming she was asleep.
He went to the living room, washed rice, cooked, washed vegetables from the fridge, making it easier for his mother later.
He swept and mopped the floor.
Much time had passed, but his unease lingered.
This was unfamiliar, but instinct urged him to check on his mother again.
“I…I called Mom many times, but she…she didn’t…answer me…”
His mother’s body was cold and stiff.
Five-year-old Luo Xingyu understood death.
He knew his mother was gone.
He sat beside her, terrified and helpless.
After a long time, he stood up to find Aunt Li.
She was his only family.
As he took his first step, he saw his mother’s finger twitch.
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Listening to Luo Xingyu’s choked account, Luo Wenshu felt complex emotions – mostly sorrow.
She never imagined his unusual behavior stemmed from seeing his deceased mother come back to life.
Luo Xingyu was terrified, but Luo Wenshu sensed he hoped his mother had returned.
That’s why he stood by the door, timidly asking if she was hungry, offering to buy food.
He cautiously tested by adding chives to the vegetables.
Luo Wenshu recalled Luo Xingyu’s behavior after her arrival.
She felt surprised, admiring, and heartbroken.
Her actions – drawing the amulet and talking to the underworld messenger – shattered his remaining hope, making him realize his mother was truly gone.
Suddenly, Luo Xingyu asked, “Are you…going to…eat me?”
Luo Wenshu was stunned, realizing he might think she was a monster.
A smart child still has limited understanding.
Luo Wenshu placed her hand on his head.
He stiffened but didn’t dodge.
“No,” Luo Wenshu tried to soften her voice, but it still differed from the original owner’s.
Luo Xingyu looked at her silently.
“I’m not your mother, but I’m not a monster; I won’t eat you,” Luo Wenshu chose her words carefully, “I’m…sorry to meet you this way.”
“My name is Luo Wenshu, the same as your mother’s.” Luo Wenshu smiled, trying to sound lighthearted, “We look alike.”
She remembered something, took out the original owner’s phone, unlocked it, opened the photo album, and found a picture of the original owner.
The girl was seventeen or eighteen, smiling brightly, “I looked like this, but there are differences, and my personality is unlike your mother’s; I’m a little annoying…”
Luo Wenshu shared her story with Luo Xingyu.
Perhaps due to familiarity with the body, his emotions stabilized; his tears stopped, and his fear lessened.
After a while, Luo Xingyu, eyes red, asked, “…You’re…so…powerful, can you bring Mom…back?”
The little boy’s eyes were full of hope.
Luo Wenshu shook her head slightly.
Life and death were fundamental laws, not to be easily interfered with.
The light in Luo Xingyu’s eyes dimmed.
Luo Wenshu said, “But I can let you see her again.”
“Really?!” Luo Xingyu looked at her nervously.
Luo Wenshu nodded, “The seventh day, the return of the soul. But I’ll say this beforehand, you can only see her this once.”
Luo Xingyu nodded, eyes red, “Okay!”
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After comforting the child, Luo Wenshu felt her eyelids heavy, unable to open them.
Luo Xingyu had been terrified and cried; he was also tired.
The two fell asleep on the bed.
Initially, Luo Xingyu was some distance away, but he moved closer as he slept.
His furrowed brows gradually relaxed.
Luo Wenshu woke up as the sun was setting.
A phone call woke her; she groggily looked at her phone; it was Yufen Jie.
“Hello…” her voice was sleepy.
Li Yufen’s voice was unusual, “Xiao Luo, are you home from work?”
“I’m home,” Luo Wenshu replied, “Yufen Jie, what’s up?”
“Um…I have something to ask you, about Pengpeng…are you free?”
Luo Wenshu said yes; a moment later, she heard a knock.
She opened the door and saw Li Yufen and Fang Dahao.
Luo Wenshu invited them in, closing the door; Luo Xingyu was still asleep.
Li Yufen sat on the sofa, her back straight, her hands clasped, her fingers fidgeting nervously.
Fang Dahao was similar.
Luo Wenshu found this strange but asked about Fang Peng, “Yufen Jie, how’s Pengpeng?”
“He’s fine, just a few more days in the hospital,” Li Yufen replied, “The doctor said we came in time; if it was later, Pengpeng would…”
Li Yufen couldn’t finish.
“It’s good that the child is alright,” Luo Wenshu comforted her.
Fang Dahao spoke, “Thanks to you, if you hadn’t insisted on checking, Pengpeng would be…gone. Thank you for saving him! We came because of Pengpeng.”
Fang Dahao explained the situation.
It began when Fang Peng woke up this morning.
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“Don’t you believe it, my relative’s child experienced this…”
Fang Peng was in a shared room; the next bed was a boy of similar age, hospitalized due to food poisoning.
The boy’s mother was speaking.
She began to tell a story about her relative’s child, Xiaobao, from two years ago.
“Xiaobao’s house is near a river; during summer, villagers bathe in the river; Xiaobao’s father often took him…”
That afternoon, Xiaobao’s father left him in the shallows; the water was below his knees, the current gentle.
It was fine initially, but when the father resurfaced after washing shampoo from his hair, something happened.
The child was sitting, his face submerged.
The father initially thought he was playing, but soon realized something was wrong; Xiaobao was underwater too long, struggling.
“What happened then?” Li Yufen asked anxiously.
The mother took a sip of water, continuing, “Luckily, Xiaobao’s father was attentive; he pulled him out. He’s strong, could lift dozens of kilograms, but that day, he couldn’t pull the child out.”
Two other men helped; with all their strength, they pulled the child out.
Xiaobao’s face was blue, his lips black; they rushed him to the clinic and saved him.
“Such a small child, his hands were hurt…” the mother still remembered, “But he survived.”
“Yes, it’s good he’s okay,” Li Yufen agreed.
But the mother said, “The story isn’t over!”
Xiaobao’s family was terrified; they watched him closely, but something else happened.
Their house was by the road, with a small ditch in front; the river was shallow, the ditch even more so.
“Barely any water,” the mother gestured, less than ten centimeters.
Yet, Xiaobao had another incident.
His mother was watching him, answered a phone call; in a few seconds, she noticed he was gone, found him face down in the ditch, his back dry.
She cried and tried to pull him out.
Like before, she couldn’t; neighbors helped.
He was saved again, but his old injuries worsened.
They sought a spiritual master.
“They’re from Yuhushu City, a famous master, Mr. Xu…”
Mr. Xu saw Xiaobao and said he was possessed by a water ghost, intending to use him as a substitute, mentioning the two incidents.
Xiaobao’s family was initially skeptical but was convinced and begged for help.
“Mr. Xu was amazing; he solved the problem; Xiaobao hasn’t had any incidents since!”
The mother finished, seemingly wanting to say more.
Noticing Li Yufen’s strange expression, she asked, “What’s wrong?”
Li Yufen hesitantly asked, “Is the Mr. Xu you mentioned Xu Dshan?”
The other mother was surprised, “You know Mr. Xu?”
Li Yufen, after her surprise, told them about Pengpeng, that Mr. Xu had treated him before, and that the girl downstairs had saved him last night, and that Mr. Xu’s grandson called last night to remind them to watch their child.
The other mother exclaimed, “Mr. Xu said so, your child was possessed, wanting a substitute!”
“Thank goodness!”
“The girl downstairs is amazing!”
Li Yufen nodded, about to speak, but the other mother’s expression changed, “But, Xiaobao was pulled out by several adults, your Pengpeng too, how was he found and pulled out?”
Li Yufen and Fang Dahao were stunned.
They thought Luo Wenshu saving Pengpeng was coincidence.
But now, it seemed unusual.
“The girl downstairs is likely not ordinary, probably a master!” the other mother said.
Later, the elders came to visit.
The couple told them about it.
Li Yufen’s parents believed in such things; they wouldn’t have sought Mr. Xu otherwise. They were afraid after hearing this.
They remembered last night’s call; after discussing, they decided to call back.
The young man answered; he politely asked about their concerns.
Mr. Li said they needed Mr. Xu.
After a pause, the young man said in a low voice, “Sorry, my grandfather passed away recently; about your grandson, I found it while sorting his belongings.”
This was unexpected; they apologized and hung up.
Mr. Xu was dead; that hope was gone.
They only had one option: Luo Wenshu.
It wasn’t that they looked down on her; she was just an ordinary girl, suddenly becoming a master.
Although she had a child, she was still young.
Spiritual masters, like doctors, age and skill often correlated; people trusted older ones.
“Yufen and I came to ask about Pengpeng, if you have a solution?”
Fang Dahao and his wife looked at Luo Wenshu expectantly.