Chapter 45 Dragon Tiger Mountain Demon Subduing Formation
Everyone rushed forward to greet him, and Xu Gongyi made a hand seal and said, "Senior Brother!"
Master Jingyang nodded slightly to him, making a hand seal.
Chen Cheng quickly made a hand seal and raised his hands above his head, saying, "Greetings, Senior Uncle!"
This is a sign of respect from juniors to seniors; when speaking to peers, the hand gestures are placed in front of the chest.
"Hmm, you must be Chen Cheng? Master Xiao's direct disciple?"
"It is indeed I, the junior!"
He dared not look at the smiling Master Jingyang, and raised his hand gestures above his head again in reply.
"Hmm, you're not bad, very good. Old Master Xiao has a discerning eye for talent!"
"This junior thanks you for your kind words, Senior Uncle!"
Ma Guangzu and the old man with white hair were not Taoists, but they simply clasped their hands in greeting and said, "Greetings, Master Jingyang!"
After everyone finished attending the ceremony, Fu Lei and Tao Ran quickly stepped forward to pay their respects. After exchanging pleasantries, they led the group to the dining area.
Master Jingyang did not sit with everyone, but instead invited Xu Gongyi and Chen Cheng to a small room. There were four small dishes on the table, but they were all vegetarian.
"I don't eat meat, and I'm making things difficult for you."
Jingyang Zhenren smiled and looked at Chen Cheng.
"It's alright. I'm happy to eat with my senior master. It's my good fortune!"
"Hehe, you little rascal, you're quite skilled in magic at such a young age, and your tongue is so sharp too!"
Chen Cheng dared not speak any more, lest he appear too attention-seeking.
Master Jingyang looked at Xu Gongyi: "Junior brother, Team Leader Tian has given me the general situation. Please tell me the details again!"
Xu Gongyi then recounted in detail how they entered the mine, encountered the black mist, met the ghost cultivators and a ghost general, how they broke through the encirclement, how they killed several ghost cultivators, how they were on the verge of death, and how the female ghost from Chen Cheng's dojo bought them time to save them at the critical moment.
"You are blessed by your ancestor. After a thousand-year-old vengeful ghost cultivates into a ghost cultivator, its strength is terrifying. I did not expect that you could join forces to kill five of them. This is a blessing for the Taoist sect!"
"To be honest, we were the main force in this battle, so much so that when we escaped, he was exhausted and unconscious for a whole day!"
Master Jingyang didn't speak, but stood up and walked to Chen Cheng's side. He reached out and grabbed Chen Cheng's wrist. Chen Cheng felt a powerful mental force being transmitted through his wrist into his body, filling the empty space in his dantian and instantly filling his whole body with power.
By the time he realized what was happening, Master Jingyang was already sitting in his seat and starting to eat.
Chen Cheng was both surprised and delighted. His master's move had helped his dantian reach its peak, making his mental power even more abundant than before the battle!
"Senior Uncle, I am extremely grateful. I will never forget your kindness!"
Chen Cheng hurriedly stood up, raised his hands in a mudra above his head, and bowed slightly.
"This is compensation for the sacrifice you made, and you still have to come to the mine with me tonight. Are you scared?"
"To eliminate demons and defend the righteous path, even at the cost of ten thousand lives, is also the responsibility of us Taoists!"
Chen Cheng said firmly.
"Alright, alright, tonight let's go and challenge that Yin Sha Formation again, and meet the Ghost Cultivator General!"
After finishing their meal, Master Jingyang set off with everyone before noon. This time, the same security guards as last time led the way and provided backup. They knew that the four people had real skills since they had seen them return alive last time, and the old man this time looked even stronger, which put them at ease.
This time, Chen Cheng led the way, since his eyes could see everything clearly in the dark, and he had been here before, so he was quite familiar with the route.
Following him was Master Jingyang, then Ma Guangzu, the old man with white hair, and finally Master Xu Gongyi!
After passing through the monkey cart passage, the group entered the flat alleyway. A little further in was the Yin Sha Formation. The air had already turned cold, and the electric lights were flickering on and off.
"Okay, this is fine!"
Jingyang Zhenren suddenly spoke up.
"Hmm? Senior Uncle, what do you mean?"
You all should pay attention to your surroundings first. I'll also set up a formation.
After speaking, Master Jingyang swiftly made hand seals with one hand, chanting incantations. Then, he extended his hand in the southeast, northwest, and southwest directions, sending out a golden light that disappeared into the ground and then settled in the center. He pointed his hand upwards, and instantly a golden light showered down, enveloping the group.
"The Dragon Tiger Mountain Demon-Subduing Formation"!
Master Xu Gongyi exclaimed in surprise, knowing the power of this formation. It could dispel all demonic obstacles and protect everyone within it, thus securing an invincible position.
Sure enough, when the chilling aura, like black mist, rose up last night, it all kept a safe distance from this great formation! Not a single wisp of black mist could linger within a ten-meter radius!
The ghost cultivator general seemed to feel uneasy and could not withstand such strong pressure. He had already appeared with two ghost cultivator subordinates!
"You wretched child, why don't you kneel down before this Heavenly Master?"
Due to the suppression of bloodline and under the powerful aura of True Man Jingyang, the Ghost Cultivator General trembled, while his two subordinates knelt on the ground and could not get up.
This ghost cultivator general had killed countless people in his lifetime, and his murderous aura had long been integrated into the depths of his soul. Under the pressure of Jingyang Zhenren, he suddenly stood up straight: "My fate is in my own hands, not in the hands of heaven. So what if my soul is scattered? Today I will definitely defy the heavens!"
After speaking, ghostly energy burst forth from his body, and the Yin Sha Formation he was in surged with black energy, exuding a chilling aura!
"Ghost Claw of the Underworld!"
The Ghost Cultivator General reached out and shot out black mist, which transformed into a huge claw that grabbed at the crowd. As soon as the ghost claw touched the Demon-Subduing Array shrouded in golden light, it instantly turned to ashes.
"Hmph, a mere ghost cultivator dares to be so presumptuous in front of me!"
As Master Jingyang spoke, he walked forward. Surprisingly, the golden light shield of the Demon-Subduing Formation moved with him. When it overlapped with the Yin Sha Formation, the chilling aura of the Yin Sha Formation was scattered and fled by the golden light. Dozens of wronged souls were howling, and their mournful wails were chilling to the bone.
Seeing the Yin Sha Array that provided him with Yin energy destroyed, the Ghost Cultivator General was enraged. His true form, which had been hiding in the miner's corpse, emerged from his body. He was a tall ghostly figure wearing a battle robe, but his eyes shone with a fierce red light.
It drew its sword and suddenly thrust it at Master Jingyang in the formation. Master Jingyang did not rely on the Demon Subduing Formation, but instead summoned a jade ruler called the Measuring Ruler, which is one of the most powerful Taoist magical artifacts of Longhu Mountain.
The measuring ruler floated in the air and began to spin rapidly. Then, bolts of lightning shot out from the measuring ruler and struck the black shadow of the ghost general. Instantly, the ghost general's shadow was shattered into countless pieces. This scene was exactly the same as when Chen Cheng subdued Lü Xiachan at Chu Tianqing's house, except that the ghost general was shattered even more miserably.
Master Jingyang withdrew the Measuring Ruler, and the scattered ghostly figures slowly merged together to form the ghostly figure of the Ghost Cultivator General. However, the ghostly figure had dimmed considerably and even appeared somewhat translucent.
But it still roared fiercely, though it dared not go any further.
"Xiao Cheng, go and destroy it!"
"Yes, Senior Master!"
Chen Cheng knew that this was Master Jingyang giving him the power of his mind, and he was deeply moved. He nodded in agreement and walked out of the Demon-Subduing Formation.
The ghost cultivator general seemed to be determined to fight to the death. When he saw Chen Cheng step out of the golden light barrier, he bared his teeth and claws and pounced on him.
"Five Thunder Palms"!
Chen Cheng shouted loudly, and a golden handprint shot towards it.
A few nights ago, the Ghost Cultivator General was able to hold on, but now his soul has been severely injured by True Person Jingyang. He is no longer as powerful as before, and he was instantly suppressed by the palm print and forced to retreat.
"Lin, Bing, Dou, Zhe, Jie, Zhen, Lie, Qian, Xing!"
With the last word, Chen Cheng completed his hand seal and struck the struggling ghost cultivator general. With a deafening boom, he shattered its soul...Chapter 46 The Celestial Master's Intimidating Power
Under the pressure of Master Jingyang, the two ghost cultivators kneeling on the ground trembled uncontrollably.
"You two have committed many evils with your general and have already accumulated karmic burdens. You cannot be allowed to live!"
"Jingyang Zhenren shouted loudly."
Chen Cheng immediately understood, took out a blue talisman he had drawn, lit it with his Taoist qi, quickly approached and stuck it to the kneeling miner's corpse. The talisman instantly ignited, and the ghost cultivator attached to the body screamed in agony before losing his life.
Seeing that death was inevitable, the other ghost cultivator stood up, its face contorted with rage, and lunged at Chen Cheng. Before it even got close, it transformed its fist into a claw, intending to crush his neck while he wasn't paying attention. Before the others in the Demon-Subduing Formation could warn him, Chen Cheng sidestepped the claw, grabbed its wrist, and swiftly flashed behind it. He then struck out its true form with a palm strike, drew his peach wood sword in a flash, and thrust it at the ghostly figure. Another scream rang out, and the last ghost cultivator vanished from the mortal world.
All of this was done cleanly and efficiently, without any hesitation. Master Jingyang couldn't help but nod in approval. When he heard Xu Gongyi say that he had only been taught to draw talismans for a few days and was already able to create blue talismans, he admired and liked him even more. However, this boy's fate was too cruel, destined to live a lonely life. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but sigh.
"Uncle-Master, what should we do next?"
"Break the Yin Sha Formation completely, let the wronged souls here re-enter the cycle of reincarnation, and the mine will be fine from now on!"
"What are those? And what about ghost cultivators?"
Master Jingyang looked at the miner's corpse that the Ghost Cultivator General had once occupied and said.
"Um"?
Chen Cheng also looked at the corpse lying on the ground. He had been so focused on killing the ghost cultivators that he hadn't noticed the lingering soul inside the corpse.
"Lü Xiachan"!
Chen Cheng cried out in alarm and hurriedly forced its weakened soul out of the miner's body.
"Is this the female ghost who allowed you to escape unscathed and helped you?"
"Yes, senior brother, if it hadn't been for it holding back the ghost cultivator general, the consequences would have been unimaginable!"
Chen Cheng suddenly knelt down and said, "Senior Uncle, it's not that I'm raising ghosts, but rather..."
"You don't need to explain. Junior Brother Xu has already told me that it also saved you. However, it seems that it has had a lot of ghost energy absorbed by the Ghost Cultivator General. Its soul is severely damaged at the moment. You should take it into your dojo first and make plans later."
"Yes, Senior Master!"
Chen Cheng silently chanted an incantation, drawing the elusive ghost of Lü Xiachan into the pendant on his chest.
At this moment, Master Jingyang had an idea in his mind, but he did not say it directly.
The rest was much simpler. When the golden light of the Demon-Subduing Array covered the Yin Sha Array, the Yin Sha Array completely collapsed. The souls of the miners trapped in the array emerged from the stone walls, wandering back and forth and wailing. There should have been 87, but now there were less than 20. This shows how ferocious the eight ghost cultivators were. After the souls were drained of their ghost energy and had no value, they were devoured by them. If Lü Xiachan hadn't been rescued in time, she would have been devoured by the ghost cultivator general sooner or later.
Master Jingyang used a talisman to gather the souls of over a dozen miners together, silently chanting a rebirth mantra. After a few minutes, he took out another talisman, cast a spell to ignite it, and flicked it into the air. One by one, the souls transformed into streaks of red light and vanished into the mine.
The next morning, upon learning that the mine had been cleared and could resume production, Liu Wenbo, the top official of Jichang City, along with Fu Lei and Tao Ran from the mining area, were overjoyed. Their flattering words made Master Jingyang frown. A reclusive master like him disliked such worldly pleasantries. Fortunately, Chen Cheng, being clever, shifted the focus of the leaders' flattery to the inspection of the mine, which allowed Master Jingyang to regain his usual composure!
Tao Ran selected dozens of veteran miners. Of course, in order to set an example, he had to personally lead the team down the mine with Chen Cheng and Ma Guangzu to conduct an inspection.
Seeing Tao Ran's anxiety, Chen Cheng said, "Vice President Tao, you can rest assured, I guarantee there will be no more problems with the mine!"
"Yes, yes, okay, we'll have to rely on you two for everything!"
Although I said that, I was still very nervous inside.
Chen Cheng and Ma Guangzu exchanged a smile. For ordinary people like them, even if such a strange thing is resolved, it will take them a long time to completely get over it.
The result was, of course, very smooth. Not only was the electricity in the mine stable, but communications were also restored to normal, and the conditions for resuming work and production were indeed met.
Master Jingyang and Daoist Xu Gongyi politely declined the local leaders' warm invitation to stay and prepared to return directly. The van that was supposed to pick up Master Jingyang was already waiting, and everyone respectfully saw him off. However, they then said:
"Chen Cheng, come up here with me!"
"Xiao Cheng, hurry up and go!"
Seeing Chen Cheng looking somewhat dazed, Xu Gongyi gently nudged him.
"Oh well".
Chen Cheng quickly bent down and got into the van. Amidst the waving of the crowd, the driver pressed the electric door switch, and as the door closed, the vehicle steadily drove forward.
"This kid is quite lucky!"
Xu Gongyi watched the van drive away and smiled to himself before getting into the jeep he had come from and following it.
Inside the van, the excellent noise reduction treatment makes it impossible to feel any noise at all. If it weren't for the potholes on the road and the slight shaking of the vehicle, it would feel like sitting in a quiet room.
"Chen Cheng, do you know the background of your master, Xiao Quansheng?"
"My nephew doesn't know, the old man never told me."
"Your master is considered a peerless genius. When he was young, he was just like you, born with ghost eyes and exceptional intelligence, possessing extraordinary aptitude for cultivation. At that time, the Heavenly Dao Master of Maoshan, the Grand Celestial Master Ding Zhen of Longhu Mountain, and the Taijia True Man of Gezao Mountain all took a liking to him and wanted to take him under their wing. However, since they were all from the same clan, none of them dared to forcibly take him away. Your master was still very young at that time and of course did not have the ability to choose for himself. Who knew..."
He paused here, seemingly lost in memories.
Chen Cheng's eyes widened, and he asked curiously, "And then?"
Master Jingyang sighed and continued, "Who knew that your master would be taken away by a rogue Taoist, and an obscure little Taoist temple became his sect. This temple is called Qingyun Temple, located deep in the Taihang Mountains, surrounded by a quiet environment, far from the hustle and bustle of the world. Although it is not famous, it is a legitimate Taoist sect, worshipping the same patriarch as the three sacred mountains. Later, I learned that the Taoist priest of Qingyun Temple was also a very powerful Taoist figure. However, he was indifferent to fame and fortune and rarely engaged in worldly affairs. His only hobby was studying Taoist methods and cultivation. Your master was his first and last disciple, so he imparted all his skills to him, which is why he has the skills he has now!"
After hearing this, Chen Cheng couldn't help but exclaim, "So that's how it is. I never imagined that my master had such a legendary experience. Uncle-Master, then you and my master... hehe."
Master Jingyang knew what he wanted to ask, and rolled his eyes at him, saying, "Do you want to ask who is more powerful, your master or me?"
Chen Cheng chuckled twice but didn't say anything.
"Let me put it this way: even if I dedicate myself to cultivating the Dao for another five years, I still won't be able to catch up with your master's current Daoist skills!"
Chen Cheng was taken aback: "Senior Uncle, you must be joking. The Dragon Tiger Mountain Demon-Subduing Formation you set up last night was already that powerful..."Chapter 47: I Can't Change Your Fate, But I Can Change Hers
"That's because your Taoist skills haven't reached a certain level yet, and your vision hasn't been fully opened. It's already quite remarkable that you can understand even a tenth of what your master taught you. Meditation and comprehending Taoist techniques are also very important ways of cultivation. When I was your age, I wasn't necessarily able to kill ghost cultivators. As long as you practice diligently and accumulate more spiritual power for the sake of Heaven, you will reach that level in the future. You only see your master's low-key side, but I have fought alongside him and witnessed his Taoist skills, so I know the gap between us!"
Looking at the pensive Chen Cheng, Master Jingyang continued, "I'm bringing you with me not only because of your master, but also because of your own affairs."
"My business"?
Chen Cheng looked surprised and somewhat confused.
"Yes, that's your destiny. Your master once said that I could tell the first time I saw you. You are destined to be a lonely star. If you don't change your fate, you are destined to grow old alone."
"I know that. My master also told me that fate is predetermined and cannot be changed."
Chen Cheng sighed softly, the pretty figure appearing in his mind—not Jiang Shuang, but Zhang Qian. From beginning to end, he had always treated Jiang Shuang as a younger sister, never thinking of anything else. As for Zhang Qian, if it weren't for this mischievous girl, who initially opposed him at every turn, and then suddenly developed feelings for him, even forcibly kissing him…
Thinking of this, the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up slightly.
The subtle changes on his face could not escape the discerning eyes of Master Jingyang.
"You have someone in your heart"?
"Ah! No way! I know my own destiny, how could I harm others? Besides, as a member of the Taoist sect, my fundamental duty is to subdue demons and monsters and act on behalf of Heaven. I have no other intentions!"
"Between heaven and earth, the two energies of Yin and Yang interact, generating all things and transforming them into their essence. Between men and women, Yin and Yang unite, giving birth to new life, and thus all things in the world are born. Humans live between heaven and earth, growing into human beings by following the way of Yin and Yang. With the interaction of Yin and Yang between heaven and earth, all things coexist harmoniously. People should also follow the laws of nature, engaging in normal interpersonal interactions and emotional exchanges, so that the treasures passed down from our ancestors can be passed down. This is both a natural law and in accordance with the Way of Heaven. You are in the prime of your life; haven't you thought about your future?"
Chen Cheng remained silent. How could he not yearn to experience the beauty of love like an ordinary person? Yet, he was determined not to harm other women because of his selfishness.
"Senior Uncle, you're right, but I can't..."
"Just tell me if you want to or not!"
"think"!
Chen Cheng spoke without hesitation.
"You brat, still pretending with me."
"I'll say this with a smile," Jingyang Zhenren said.
"At first, I felt sorry for you when I saw your fate, but now things have taken a turn for the better, hehe!"
"Uncle-Master, is what you're saying true?"
Chen Cheng was so overjoyed that he could hardly speak.
"I am your elder, why would I lie to you? However, this Celestial Master has no other hobbies, but I am particularly fond of wine, hehe!"
Chen Cheng then realized that Jingyang was quite the old rascal.
"Uncle-Master, as long as you can help me, I promise to give you plenty of good wine!"
"Hmm, he's a promising young man. Let's go back to the capital and report back first."
After saying that, he closed his eyes to rest and stopped talking.
This game of feigned indifference left Chen Cheng feeling restless and itchy, yet he dared not press the issue too hard, and could only wait in agonizing anticipation.
A few hours later, the two cars returned to the station one after the other. Jingyang went to his room to rest, while Xu Gongyi went to Tian Wenzhong to give a full report.
That evening, Tian Wenzhong invited everyone involved in the mine incident to dinner, but only Xu Gongyi, Bai Tou Weng, and Ma Guangzu joined in, while Chen Cheng and Jingyang Zhenren secretly slipped out and went to a small tavern.
Upon seeing Mr. Jingyang, the shop owner greeted him, "Master Jing, you've arrived! Please come in."
Chen Cheng knew immediately that he was a regular here. He chuckled to himself. When Master Jingyang was serious, he was like an enlightened immortal, but at this moment he was like a fortune teller who traveled the world.
The boss led the two to a quiet private room: "Master Jing, the usual?"
"Hmm, one more bottle of wine tonight!"
"Okay!"
The boss went out with a smile to make the arrangements.
A moment later, they came in carrying a few side dishes.
A plate of peanuts, a plate of braised beef, a plate of scrambled eggs, a plate of stir-fried greens, and two bottles of state banquet wine.
"Uncle-Master, aren't you a vegetarian?"
"Shh! Keep your voice down. The Buddhists also say that wine and meat pass through the intestines, but Buddha remains in the heart!"
As he spoke, he opened the bottle and poured himself a full glass. Chen Cheng quickly took the bottle and filled his own glass as well.
Chen Cheng stood up, first respectfully performed a Taoist disciple's salute, and then raised his wine cup, saying, "Uncle-Master, your junior brother toasts you!"
"Okay, okay, sit down and drink, sit down and drink!"
Chen Cheng didn't sit down, but stood up straight and drank it down in one gulp. The aroma of this state banquet wine was so strong that it made him choke, his face turning red and his neck thickening. He quickly picked up his water glass and took a small sip, which made Jingyang Zhenren laugh heartily: "Kid, this wine should be savored slowly, not like you chewing on a peony like a cow."
After saying that, he picked up his wine glass, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp.
Chen Cheng: ...
Halfway through the drink, Chen Cheng couldn't help but ask, "Uncle-Master, please tell me how you can change my fate?"
"Your fate is predetermined by Heaven and cannot be changed."
Chen Cheng was taken aback upon hearing this: "Then what about the turning point you mentioned this afternoon..."
"Haha, you finally couldn't hold back anymore, huh? Fine, I'll tell you what to do, since you're the kind of person I find pleasing to the eye!"
Master Jingyang drank another cup of wine and said, "You can't change your fate, but when your other half appears in your life, you can help her change her fate. That way, you won't be able to bring her bad luck."
Chen Cheng was completely confused: "How can her fate be changed?"
"I once saw a chapter about changing one's fate in one of my master's ancient Taoist scriptures. The person who wants to change their fate needs a substitute, provided that the substitute is willing and is a soul without a master, who has lived for more than a thousand years and has not done anything against the way of heaven. The person who wants to change their fate needs to establish a relationship with the soul without a master using their essence and blood. When their fate is in conflict, it will be transferred to the soul without a master. Since the soul without a master itself has no fate, it can withstand all conflicting fates!"
"Do you mean that this ownerless soul is like a puppet, able to shield the one who changes fate from disaster?"
"That's right!"
Jingyang Zhenren let out a burp and said.
"Master, the turning point you mentioned is Lü Xiachan in my temple?"
"That's right! But not now. I see that the soul of this thousand-year-old female ghost is unstable due to being absorbed by the ghost cultivator. She can't withstand the impact on her destiny. She needs to recuperate for at least half a year!"
"That's fine. We can wait a year, let alone six months!"
"Haha, you brat, you say you have no one on your mind? I bet you do."
"Nothing can escape your discerning eyes, Master Uncle!"
Chen Cheng gave a subtle compliment.
"I like hearing that, but there's an important step. I'll draw you a golden talisman and have the person whose fate is being changed drink the talisman water to enhance the power of their essence and blood, thus increasing the chances of a successful fate change. Also, you must choose your target carefully. A thousand-year-old soul can only change fate once. If you're fickle, I can't help you. Furthermore, if the soul is damaged by external forces, the person whose fate is being changed may also be in imminent danger, because their fates are linked!"Chapter 48 You Bullied Me Again
The next morning, Chen Cheng went to Tian Wenzhong's office to say goodbye, and said that he would come immediately if needed in the future. This made Team Leader Tian have a better impression of him. Chen Cheng also gained more spiritual power from this incident than before. After saying goodbye to Tian Wenzhong, Chen Cheng went to find the old man with white hair, Ma Guangzu and Taoist Xu Gongyi who were involved in the operation. They were all sentimental people and did not show reluctance like ordinary people. Instead, they exchanged phone numbers and said that they would keep in touch. Ma Guangzu even drove him to the train station and watched him go in before leaving.
Once on the train, Chen Cheng found his sleeper berth. It was a ticket that Team Leader Tian had arranged to book; if it were Chen Cheng, he wouldn't have been willing to give it up.
Lying on the sleeper berth, with his eyes closed, he recalled his conversation with Jingyang Zhenren last night. If this were possible, could he have a passionate and unrestrained romance? Then, who should he give this opportunity to? Zhang Qian or Jiang Shuang? Hehe, it must be Zhang Qian; Jiang Shuang is just his little sister.
As if on cue, Chen Cheng felt his phone vibrate. He took it out and looked at it, and a smile instantly spread across his face.
"You little rascal, haven't you come back yet? You said you'd help me get rid of the scar. Now the wound has healed, but it's left a long, ugly scar. If you don't keep your word, you're a little dog!" (A sad expression)
"How will you thank me for healing your scars?" (A smug smile.)
"Why did you reply so quickly today?"
"Once you're cured, you can do whatever you want!" (She looked shy.)
Reading these two messages warmed Chen Cheng's heart.
"I'm on the train now, arriving at Xijing Station at 2 PM. Pick me up, we'll talk then!" (A smug smile).
"Really? That's great! I'll pick you up on time. How about some skewers tonight?"
"That wouldn't be good, would it? If we rush back to Fengjiang, where will I stay tonight?" (Laughing expression)
A few minutes later, Chen Cheng had already put his phone down with the screen off, and then his phone beeped with a message:
"We'll talk about it when we meet!" A shy expression.
After putting down his phone, Chen Cheng closed his eyes to rest again.
Xijing City.
In a luxurious office on the 26th floor of the Jinhui Building, a handsome young man was throwing a tantrum.
"Mr. Qiao, stop getting angry. It's not worth it for a woman like that!"
A woman with long, wavy hair spoke in a sweet, coquettish voice, and gently reached out to his chest to help him catch his breath.
"You don't understand. This woman means nothing to me, but she has a great influence on my family!"
The man roughly shook off the woman's hand and said angrily.
"You've done everything you could. Today is her birthday, and you ordered flowers, a cake, and the best hotel. But what did she do? She just brushed you off with a 'I have a task' and clearly wasn't going to give you a chance!"
"Hmph, this shameless woman who doesn't know what's good for her. If it weren't for her father and uncle, I would have raped her long ago. Sooner or later, I will make her kneel down and serve me!"
"Mr. Qiao, calm down, Coco is right here," the girl said, then kissed his cheek, then his neck, and finally knelt down in front of him.
This man is Qiao Hui, who claims to be Zhang Qian's boyfriend. His uncle is Zhang Qian's father's colleague at the same level, and his father's business is a supplier for Zhang Qian's uncle's company. Therefore, the entire Qiao family supports Qiao Hui's pursuit of Zhang Qian. If the two families can get married, it will be a great help in both business and politics.
No matter how ardently Qiao Hui pursued her, Zhang Qian remained unresponsive. Although the Zhang family also thought that a marriage alliance with the Qiao family would be good, no one could do anything about Zhang Qian's lack of commitment. Forced into a corner, Zhang Qian spent two separate moments with Qiao Hui, but she was never attracted to him and disliked his hypocritical businessman persona.
A few days ago, Qiao Hui learned from the Zhang family that today was Zhang Qian's birthday, so he ordered flowers, a cake, and an engagement ring in advance, wanting to give Zhang Qian a surprise. Unexpectedly, she declined his kindness by saying that she had a mission tonight. How could he not be furious?
While enjoying the services his secretary provided, he was also thinking about how to win her over that night.
Around 2 PM, the train slowly pulled into Xi'an Railway Station. Chen Cheng, carrying a small cloth bag, walked out with the crowd. Upon reaching the exit, he immediately spotted Zhang Qian, who was standing at the front wearing a white top and blue jeans. She recognized Chen Cheng instantly and waved to him incessantly. Although her outfit was different from the last time, it was still rather plain and unremarkable, but this did not dampen Zhang Qian's spirits at seeing him.
As the two approached, Zhang Qian made no attempt to hide anything and directly took his arm, asking, "Are you hungry after sitting on the train all the way?"
This time, Chen Cheng didn't force a smile, because he had already learned from Master Jingyang how to resolve the conflict. So he said with a grin, "I was very hungry, but I feel full after seeing you!"
Zhang Qian was initially delighted, but then she suddenly sensed something was off and pinched him: "What, is seeing me enough?"
"Oh dear, that's not what I meant!"
"What does that mean?"
Zhang Qian stared at him with her beautiful big eyes and asked.
"What I mean is that when I see you, I feel so happy that all my hunger and sadness disappear!"
"That's more like it!"
Zhang Qian's expression brightened, and her eyes crinkled into crescent moons with laughter.
"So I got pinched for nothing?"
"It's an honor for you to let me pinch you, hmph!"
"Could we have fewer of these honors?"
"It depends on my mood!"
Zhang Qian used to get incredibly angry when she argued with Chen Cheng, but now she finds arguing with him a blissful experience...
Unbeknownst to the two, two furtive men were watching them from a distance.
Around two or three in the afternoon, when the weather outside was extremely hot, Zhang Qian drove him to a shopping mall. She coaxed and pleaded with Chen Cheng before he agreed to go shopping together. Two hours later, a satisfied Zhang Qian led a bitter-looking Chen Cheng out.
At this moment, Zhang Qian had forced him to change into a new outfit: a black T-shirt, light blue denim shorts, and Nike sneakers. He was already tall and slender, and with this well-fitting outfit, he looked both energetic and handsome.
"Isn't this better than your outfit? It didn't cost you any money, so why are you making that long face?"
Upon arriving at the underground parking lot, Zhang Qian couldn't help but tease him when she saw his expression.
"It's nothing, I just feel like you've mentally kidnapped me!"
"Haha, I've tied you up, you're mine now!"
Suddenly, Zhang Qian stopped and turned around to look at him seriously.
Being stared at intently made Chen Cheng feel extremely uncomfortable.
"What's wrong"?
"Chen Cheng, I feel like you've changed!"
"What's different?"
"You're no longer running away from me, are you?"
"Me, me,"
Before he could say anything, Zhang Qian stood on tiptoe, hugged him, and kissed him.
Their minds went blank for a moment.
"You're bullying them again!"
After a long while, Chen Cheng smacked his lips twice and said...
Zhang Qian blushed and lightly hit him: "He's mine, I can bully him however I want!"
After saying that, he couldn't help but laugh at himself.
The two walked side by side toward the parking lot. There weren't many people in the underground parking garage, but there were also quite a few. At this moment, six or seven men with fierce looks came up from behind them. One of them pulled out a machete a few meters away from Chen Cheng and quickly walked up to him, slashing at the back of his head.
"Master, watch out behind you!"
Lu Xiachan's weak voice echoed in Chen Cheng's mind.Chapter 49 Ambush
Chen Cheng was engrossed in his sweet moment with Zhang Qian and had no idea that someone would launch a sneak attack. By the time he realized what was happening, the cleaver was already close to his scalp. At that moment, Zhang Qian was still tightly holding his arm. He instinctively grabbed Zhang Qian and threw himself to the ground, dodging the fatal blow, but he was slashed hard on the back of his shoulder!
Zhang Qian, who had fallen to the ground, was protected by Chen Cheng and was not injured. She was unaware of what had happened until she saw Chen Cheng's face change into one of pain, at which point she realized something was wrong.
With his hands free, Chen Cheng kicked the man who came up to finish him off away. Then he stood up and caught a man's wrist that was about to be chopped off. With a forceful punch, the man released his grip on the knife in pain. Chen Cheng punched him in the chest, and the man fell backward.
Seeing this, the thugs brandished their machetes and pounced on him even more frantically. At this moment, Chen Cheng realized that these were ordinary people, and he could not use Taoist magic. He could only use it when his life was in danger and he had no other choice.
Fortunately, he was also very good at hand-to-hand combat. Although these people were fierce, they were not trained martial artists and were fighting with a reckless style. Chen Cheng could only defeat them one by one.
Zhang Qian never expected that thugs would attack them in broad daylight. She had no mission today and did not carry a gun. She spotted her target, rushed forward, and subdued one of them with a grappling technique. But the second one quickly rushed towards her. She had no choice but to let go of him and fight off the next attacker.
Chen Cheng knew that Zhang Qian was only good at dealing with ordinary thugs, but she would definitely suffer when dealing with these thugs. So after knocking down one of them, he quickly came to her side, kicked back the thug who was slashing at her, and protected her behind him.
"Brother Cheng, you're injured!"
Only then did Zhang Qian notice the wound on Chen Cheng's right shoulder and the blood staining his back, and she cried out in alarm.
"It's nothing, just a superficial injury!"
The man who led the attack on Chen Cheng shouted, "Don't hold back, attack the women too!"
He could tell that Chen Cheng was not easy to deal with, but he also had to protect the woman, which would definitely throw him into a state of panic.
Sure enough, as soon as these thugs changed their tactics, Chen Cheng felt immense pressure. One of them slashed at Zhang Qian, but he grabbed the man's wrist, snatched the machete with his other hand, and kicked him away. However, his back was exposed, and he was slashed again. Gritting his teeth, he turned around and slashed the attacker's face with his machete. Blood splattered everywhere, and the man covered his face and screamed in pain.
Chen Cheng no longer held back, brandishing his machete and slashing at the men. Although he had been stabbed twice, his body was protected by magic, so the wounds were only superficial, and his movements remained as agile as ever. However, these thugs were different; each had been stabbed in different ways, and they were about to perish. The leader, after being stabbed again, turned and ran, but Chen Cheng was not about to let him go. He caught up in two steps and slashed him to the ground. The surrounding crowd had already been frightened and kept their distance, but some people had called the police. At this time, the police cars patrolling nearby had entered the underground parking garage, and the sirens were getting closer and closer. Chen Cheng, like a war god, held Zhang Qian with one hand and held a machete in the other. The seven thugs were all lying on the ground, some groaning in pain, and some had already passed out.
Zhang Qian let go of his hand, took out her newly bought clothes from her pocket, and covered his injured back with them. Tears were already streaming down her face, and she kept sobbing.
Police cars sped in, and three or four officers got out. They were shocked by the bloody scene, not expecting it to be so serious. One of them immediately turned on his pager to call for backup, while the other three officers drew their batons and shouted at Chen Cheng, "Put down your weapons!"
With a clang, Chen Cheng threw away the machete in his hand and said, "Officer, I was acting in self-defense!"
Zhang Qian, clutching Chen Cheng's wound, shouted, "I'm Zhang Qian from the Criminal Investigation Team! Call an ambulance immediately!"
Two police officers recognized the policewoman and quickly said, "She's one of us, she really is a policewoman!"
The other two police officers then lowered their guard. One of them started calling for an ambulance, while the others quickly came over and asked, "How are your injuries?"
"It's nothing, just some minor injuries!"
Several police officers hurriedly brought the scene under control. An ambulance and a police car that came to provide backup arrived one after another. Zhang Qian didn't even have time to greet her colleagues she knew. She helped Chen Cheng into an ambulance and urged the driver to go to the hospital as soon as possible. At the signal of the police at the scene, the ambulance sped towards the hospital with its sirens blaring.
Upon arriving at the hospital's emergency room, Zhang Qian pulled out her police ID from her bag and shouted, "Doctor, doctor!"
A doctor stepped forward to examine the wound and then said, "Clean the wound first, then stitch it up."
While Chen Cheng was receiving treatment in the emergency room, Qiao Hui was in a panic. Today, he had first sent people to keep an eye on Zhang Qian. When his subordinates reported that she was with another man and sent him a photo, he immediately recognized the man as the rustic-looking guy Zhang Qian had encountered at the hospital when she was injured last time. He was furious and vowed to teach him a lesson. His driver, Chen Jian, knew a friend in the underworld. With Qiao Hui's permission, he contacted him. The friend said that a few ruthless people had come to his place for refuge, but they would charge a high price. Qiao Hui said that money was not a problem, as long as no one was killed, just crippled would be fine. So the people who were following Chen Cheng and Zhang Qian sent their location to the friend. The friend then decided to make their move in the underground parking garage of the mall. Unexpectedly, they encountered someone even more ruthless than them, who single-handedly killed seven people.
Qiao Hui paced back and forth in his office in a panic, muttering, "A bunch of useless good-for-nothings!"
He was worried that if things were exposed, he would be implicated. The Zhang family wouldn't break ties with the Qiao family over a nobody, but it would definitely affect the cooperation between the two families, and that wretched woman Zhang Qian would definitely hate him even more.
"Chen Jian!"
"President Qiao!"
Chen Jian's driver didn't dare to utter a sound in front of Qiao Hui because the person he hired had messed things up.
"Go to the finance department and get 100,000 yuan. Go to another place to lay low for a while. As long as we can't catch you, we won't be implicated. Before things are settled, you'd better disappear. If you don't obey, I'll make your whole family disappear with you!"
Chen Jian was shocked and hurriedly said, "Okay, okay, President Qiao, I'll disappear right away. Don't worry, even if I get caught, I won't betray you!"
Qiao Hui nodded in satisfaction, signaling him to quickly take the money and leave. Only after he left did Qiao Hui feel a little relieved. However, his neck had been hurting more and more these past few days, as if something was pressing on it, and he felt uncomfortable all over!
After Chen Cheng's wound was stitched up, at Zhang Qian's insistence, the doctor started him on an IV drip. Chen Cheng looked miserable. What had happened during this time? He had just finished an IV drip in the mining area and had to get one again in Xi'an.
Not long after, He Wenhui, Gao Yang, Xue Zhongchen, and two police officers from the criminal investigation team rushed to the scene.
"Captain He, it's so nice to see you again so soon!"
Chen Cheng gave a wry smile and said.
"You little rascal, I didn't realize you were so ruthless. Do you even know who those seven people you killed were?"
"have no idea"!
"They were the Seven Wolves of the Northern Desert, wanted by Inner Mongolia Province not long ago. They committed robbery and serious assault in many places in Inner Mongolia Province, resulting in one death and multiple injuries. I never thought they would be caught by you, the little detective. It's time for Xijing to show its face!"
"Well, Captain He, I've indirectly helped you this time, is there a reward?"
"Pfft!" Zhang Qian, who had just taken a sip of water, couldn't help but spit it out upon hearing this!Chapter 50 Those who reap what they sow
"Well, I'll ask around for you later!"
He Wenhui said awkwardly.
"Even if there's no bonus, those bastards have to pay for my clothes. They were a brand new dress that my little sister Qianqian bought for me, and it cost over a thousand yuan!"
Upon hearing this, He Wenhui and the others looked at Zhang Qian, whose face was flushed and who did not say a word.
Everyone nodded as if they understood something, finally realizing how the two had been attacked together.
"Captain He, did they confess who ordered them?"
Although Zhang Qian was flustered at the time, she was, after all, a police officer and knew that these people would not come to ambush her and Chen Cheng for no reason.
"Miao Jun, who is currently less seriously injured, admitted that they are the Seven Wolves of Mobei. They came to seek refuge with a former cellmate named Hei Pi in Xijing. Hei Pi introduced them to the job. Hei Pi has also been arrested. He confessed that a friend named Chen Jian arranged this ambush. When they went to arrest Chen Jian, the guy had already disappeared. They only found out that he was Qiao Hui's driver at Jinhui Company."
"It's him!"
Zhang Qian said through gritted teeth.
"Qiao Hui? Your boyfriend?"
Chen Cheng asked.
"He's not my boyfriend, but he's been pursuing me relentlessly. He even asked me out for dinner today, which I refused!"
"Captain He, have you arrested this bastard yet?"
Zhang Qian asked in a resentful voice.
"Sisi, you're a police officer too. What we need to arrest people is evidence. Now that we can't find Chen Jian, we can't interrogate him to find out who's behind it. How can we arrest him? If we go to his door now, he might turn the tables on us. His uncle is a high-ranking official, just like your father. It has too much influence!"
Zhang Qian understood that Captain He was right, but she was 100% certain that this incident was the work of that mad dog, Qiao Hui!
After He Wenhui and the others left, Zhang Qian sat on the edge of the bed, holding Chen Cheng's hand, feeling extremely remorseful. She hated herself for bringing Chen Cheng this trouble out of nowhere, and hated Qiao Hui even more for being such a madman with no manners and no bottom line!
That evening, after Zhang Qian had finished feeding Chen Cheng, she carefully wiped the corners of his mouth with a wet wipe.
"Sisi, are you alright? I just heard you had an accident. What happened?"
Just then, a sudden voice rang out. It was Qiao Hui, who walked in with three or four young men and women.
Zhang Qian was looking at Chen Cheng tenderly when suddenly her expression changed. She turned around and shouted, "Qiao Hui, you despicable person, did you have someone do this?"
After saying that, he was about to attack him, but Chen Cheng, who was on the hospital bed, grabbed him.
"What's wrong, Sisi? Is there some misunderstanding between us? I invited you to dinner to celebrate your birthday. I've been waiting for you at the hotel and haven't seen you yet. I asked your friends at the police station and found out that something happened to you, so I rushed over to see you. These friends can all testify for me!"
"You're really putting on an act. Where's your driver?"
Zhang Qian asked angrily.
"You mean Chen Jian? I fired him a long time ago. He wasn't focused on his work and spent all his time hanging out with shady characters. I told him what to do, but he wouldn't listen. I was afraid he'd get into trouble and drag me down with him, so I fired him. What happened?"
"you,,"
"Sisi, don't stoop to his level!"
Chen Cheng spoke slowly, then changed the subject: "Young Master Qiao, those who do many evil deeds will surely perish. If you walk on the dark road too much, you will definitely encounter ghosts. You know what you have done. You should do more to accumulate some good karma!"
When Qiao Hui saw Chen Cheng holding Zhang Qian's hand, he was filled with jealousy and anger: "Who do you think you are, daring to talk to me? At first I thought you were a policeman, but I didn't expect you to be just a little charlatan!"
Just as Zhang Qian was about to speak, Chen Cheng continued, "Heaven's sins can be forgiven, but self-inflicted sins cannot be forgiven. Qianqian, it's not worth arguing over someone who is about to die!"
Qiao Hui was about to retort when he saw the ferocity in Chen Cheng's eyes. Remembering that this guy had killed seven desperate criminals, he was startled, snorted, and led his men out.
"Why won't you let me slap him twice?"
"Why are you hitting him? He's already possessed by a vengeful ghost. If no expert saves him, he won't live for more than a few days!"
"What"?
"I told you the first time I met him that you shouldn't get too close to him because he's entangled in karmic retribution, do you remember?"
"Hmm, I think you mentioned it, but I was angry with you at the time, so I didn't pay attention. By the way, what did you see?"
Are you scared?
"With you here, I'm not afraid!"
"I saw a female ghost holding a baby riding on his neck!"
"Oh! Really?"
Zhang Qian immediately leaned closer to the bed and tightened her grip on his hand.
"Of course it's true, have you forgotten what I do?"
"Now that you mention it, I'm reminded of something. Just over a month ago, at a vocational school in Xijing, an 18-year-old girl jumped to her death late at night. Our team was dispatched to the scene. The final conclusion was suicide, but the forensic doctor said the deceased was five months pregnant. Later, through investigation, it was found that Qiao Hui had a close relationship with her."
"It is very likely that Qiao Hui played with the girl, got her pregnant, and then didn't want to take responsibility. The girl couldn't understand it and committed suicide by jumping off a building. Her resentment after death was hard to dispel, and such vengeful ghosts are the most difficult to deal with because they have formed a 'mother and child evil'!"
"Serves you right!"
Zhang Qian said angrily after hearing this.
"Is today your birthday?"
"Um".
"What a mess! I'll treat you to dinner after you finish your IV drip!"
"No, you'll stay here quietly tonight. It's not too late to invite me back when you're better!"
After Qiao Hui and his group came out, he became angrier and angrier. He had come to show off, but Chen Cheng's words made him feel uneasy. So he took his friends to a nightclub and partied until 1 a.m. before returning home with his secretary Zhao Ke. He had already been drained by alcohol and women. In the morning, Zhao Ke had served him on her knees, so he had no interest in anything and went straight to bed without even taking a shower.
I had just fallen asleep when I vaguely heard a childish voice calling out, "Daddy, play hide-and-seek with me!"
At first, Qiao Hui didn't pay attention, but the sound grew sharper and sharper until he finally screamed and woke up.
Seeing the sleeping woman beside him in the dim light, Qiao Hui felt relieved and turned over to continue sleeping. Suddenly, he heard the sound of the toilet flushing. Someone was in the bathroom? Qiao Hui thought it must be Zhao Keke who went to the bathroom, but he immediately realized something was wrong. If it was Zhao Keke in the bathroom, then who was the woman beside him? He quickly turned around to look, and what he saw almost made him die on the spot. It was Fang Ting, the college student he had once played with, who was now pregnant and had committed suicide by jumping off a building. She was now staring at him with wide, round eyes, but blood was flowing from her eyes, nose, and mouth. Behind her, a blood-soaked baby crawled up, its mouth full of crisscrossing canine teeth, saying, "Daddy, play hide-and-seek with me!"
"ah"!
Qiao Hui screamed and woke up again. Zhao Keke, who was next to him, quickly got up and asked, "Mr. Qiao, what's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?"
Qiao Hui rubbed his eyes and looked at Zhao Keke. He felt that her concerned face gradually turned into a smile, which became more and more strange. In the end, it even overlapped with Fang Ting's face!
"Ah! A ghost!"
This time he sat up, and this time he was really awake, while Zhao Keke was still fast asleep because she had drunk too much.
That night, Qiao Hui barely dared to sleep. Whenever he did, he was plagued by nightmares. He would dream of Fang Ting with her face covered in blood, or of a baby with a mouthful of canine teeth staring at him and laughing. He was so tormented that he couldn't tell whether it was a dream or reality.
When dawn broke and he heard some noise outside, he finally felt relieved. But then he remembered what Chen Cheng had said last night, and his heart sank again!Chapter 51 Bewitched
Does this charlatan know something? Impossible. Besides, Fang Ting committed suicide by jumping off the building because she couldn't think straight. It has nothing to do with me. I may have messed with her, but I also bought her clothes, bags, and a phone. We're even. Last night, she must have been having nightmares because of what Chen Cheng said. That damn guy, I have to find a chance. Next time, I definitely won't let him just suffer minor injuries. Thinking of Zhang Qian's tender feelings for Chen Cheng in the hospital, Qiao Hui gritted his teeth in hatred!
When Zhao Keke woke up, she wanted to snuggle up to him and act cute. She looked up and suddenly exclaimed, "Mr. Qiao, what's wrong? You have dark circles under your eyes. Didn't you sleep well last night?"
"You snore like a pig while you sleep, how can I sleep well?"
Qiao Hui glared at her and said irritably.
Zhao Keke was startled. She had drunk quite a bit last night and thought Qiao Hui was telling the truth, so she started to act coquettishly again, rubbing against him with her haughty air and saying, "I drank too much with you, I'll be more careful in the future!"
Qiao Hui wasn't in the mood to joke with her. He snorted and got up to go to the bathroom. Zhao Keke, who was lying on the bed, pouted and thought to herself, "Useless guy. If I didn't want more benefits, would I play with a piece of trash like you who only has strength because of taking medicine?"
On the hospital bed, Chen Cheng, equally miserable, was being gently fed porridge by Zhang Qian. He had a magical protective ability, so his external injuries were no big deal. However, Zhang Qian insisted on taking care of him. He had originally planned to run away after Zhang Qian went to work, but unfortunately, the girl asked He Wenhui for two days off in front of him. He Wenhui knew what was going on, and since there was nothing serious in the team, he readily approved it.
"Sisi, can we make a deal?"
"Tell me about it."
"I'm really fine now. I have things to take care of back in Fengjiang. Please let me be discharged."
"Other things can be discussed, but this is not."
Zhang Qian glared at him and said.
"On what grounds?"
Chen Cheng said with dissatisfaction!
"Why should I? Because you're mine now, and I've already left my mark on you!"
Zhang Qian leaned closer to him and spoke softly. Her gentle, sweet voice, as delicate as orchids, stirred Chen Cheng's heart, and he could no longer remain angry.
"Hehe, I've thought about it. I'm so happy to be with you, even if it means living a few years less!"
Zhang Qian said dismissively.
Now that Chen Cheng had developed feelings for her, he stopped deliberately avoiding her. Looking at her radiant smile, he thought to himself that having such a quirky and clever girlfriend in the future wouldn't be so bad.
Qiao Hui had a very difficult day. When he went to work in the morning, the police first questioned him about his driver Chen Jian. Then he was called in and scolded by his chairman's father. In addition, he hadn't slept at all last night, and he was as listless and dizzy as a frostbitten eggplant!
In the evening, his secretary Zhao Keke was still with him. He didn't need her tonight, but the nightmare from last night still haunted him.
He was sleeping soundly at first, but after midnight, he vaguely heard a baby crying, which grew louder and louder, startling Qiao Hui awake. The baby's crying stopped abruptly! He turned on the bedside lamp and saw Zhao Keke sleeping soundly, which reassured him. He got up to go to the bathroom. As he passed the mirror on the dressing table, he felt out of the corner of his eye that there seemed to be a figure following him in the mirror. He turned his head sharply, but saw nothing. When he returned from the bathroom, he deliberately turned his head to look in the mirror. What he saw terrified him so much that he felt the urge to urinate again right after he finished. The person in the mirror was not himself, but Fang Ting holding a blood-soaked baby. The baby's face was deathly pale, and blood was flowing from its seven orifices. What was even more chilling was that the baby was smiling and staring at him.
"Ah! A ghost!"
Qiao Hui yelled and ran out the door. When he returned to the bedroom, he saw Zhao Keke, who had been awakened by his scream, and said, "There's a ghost! There's a ghost in this room!"
"Mr. Qiao, it's the middle of the night, please don't scare me!"
Zhao Keke was startled by his state and stammered.
"I...I'm not joking..."
As he was speaking, his eyes glazed over again. Behind Zhao Keke, Fang Ting's pale face slowly appeared, and then she revealed a strange smile.
"You, you, behind you..."
Qiao Hui pointed at Zhao Keke and stammered.
What's behind me?
Zhao Keke turned her head in alarm, but saw nothing.
Chen Cheng opened his mouth wide, but couldn't say a word. At that moment, he felt a chill on his calf. He subconsciously looked down and saw a blood-soaked baby hugging his leg, looking up and showing a mouthful of canine teeth: "Daddy, play hide-and-seek with me!"
"ah"!
Qiao Hui forcefully lifted his foot and flung the baby away, then turned and ran. Zhao Keke didn't know what had happened, but reflexively jumped off the bed and ran after him.
When Qiao Hui opened the door, he saw Fang Ting standing outside, her face covered in blood, holding a small baby in her hand, sneering at him. Startled, he slammed the door shut again. Turning around, he saw Fang Ting reaching out to strangle him.
"I'll fight you to the death!"
In his despair, Qiao Hui suddenly found a surge of courage and grabbed her neck, squeezing harder and harder. He felt a strange pleasure as he saw Fang Ting's contorted face. His arms were being torn apart by Fang Ting, leaving marks on them. Suddenly, his eyes flashed, and he realized that he was actually choking Zhao Keke. Her eyes were rolling back, and her hands were gradually losing their struggle.
"cocoa"!
Qiao Hui was shocked and quickly let go. Zhao Keke fell to the ground like a limp noodle.
"Ah, Coco, you can't die! Open your eyes! Open your eyes!"
Qiao Hui shook Zhao Keke's shoulders frantically, then suddenly remembered first aid and started pressing on her chest. He also pried open her mouth and performed artificial respiration. After two minutes, Zhao Keke finally exhaled and slowly woke up.
When she saw Qiao Hui, she screamed and scrambled to the side, her eyes filled with terror. No wonder, this man had almost strangled her to death!
"Coco, I'm sorry, let's get out of here quickly, there's a ghost in this house!"
Without saying a word, Qiao Hui grabbed Zhao Keke and ran towards the door. Zhao Keke staggered as he pulled her, wanting to cry out in pain but unable to make a sound. She could only stagger along with him. This time, when the door opened, Fang Ting wasn't standing outside. Qiao Hui pulled Zhao Keke to the road outside the villa before he calmed down.
"You, you were crazy just now? You almost, cough cough, almost strangled me! Cough cough."
"I was just blinded by a ghost. Oh well, I'll deal with it later!"
The two had run out in such a hurry that they hadn't even taken their phones, and they were too afraid to go back for them. They had to rely on Zhao Keke, who was wearing sexy lingerie, to flag down a car. After much pleading, they finally convinced the driver to take them to the police station.
The next morning, when the doctor came to examine her, Zhang Qian discovered that, just as Chen Cheng had said, her wound had healed considerably and she was ready to be discharged and treat herself at home. However, Zhang Qian couldn't take him home, nor could she go to the police station dormitory, since it was occupied by female police officers. After much thought, she decided to find a hotel for the time being.Chapter 52 The young master has a stroke of good luck with women?
Chen Cheng kept insisting on going back to Fengjiang, but Zhang Qian naturally wouldn't allow it. After a combination of threats and coaxing, Chen Cheng finally calmed down. Just then, Zhang Qian's phone rang.
She took it out, frowned slightly, and replied, "Mom!"
A woman's voice came through the microphone: "Xixi, I heard you haven't been to work these past two days and have been taking care of someone."
"Mom, a friend of mine is sick. He doesn't have any relatives or friends here, so I'm taking care of him for two days."
Zhang Qian spoke guiltily, glancing at Chen Cheng as she did so.
"You're getting more and more of a worry to the family as you get older. You always stay at your workplace when you're at work, and you don't even come home to visit when you're not at work. If your dad hadn't come to your police station to inspect the work today, we wouldn't have known you took leave. Also, who are you taking care of? A man or a woman?"
"Mom, I'll tell you when I get back. I'm busy right now!"
"You child, sigh, we've spoiled you rotten. Your dad said you should come home for lunch, he wants to see you. You know his temper. Come back first, you can go out in the afternoon if you want!"
Chen Cheng heard this clearly and quickly nodded to her. Zhang Qian looked at him helplessly and said, "Okay, I'll go back for lunch, alright? I'll hang up now!"
He hung up the phone before his mother could say anything more.
Chen Cheng said with a grin, "Little sister Qianqian, can I leave now? Your dad must know about this. He just doesn't want your mom to worry, so he hasn't told her. He'll definitely ask you when he gets back at noon."
"Then I won't go back. I'll turn off my phone, and no one will be able to find me!"
"No, that will only make your parents worry more. As you can see, my wound is almost healed. When I get back, I'll apply my homemade magic medicine, and it will heal even faster. When you have time to go to Fengjiang, I'll treat your scars too."
"Do you really want to leave me?"
Zhang Qian pouted and said.
"No, that's not true. A beautiful girl like my sister Xixi is loved by everyone. Who wouldn't want to spend more time with you? But I can't be so selfish as to make your parents worry about you, can I?"
Zhang Qian looked at Chen Cheng, who was smiling broadly, and said, "We're about to part ways, and you're still smiling so enthusiastically. You clearly want to leave me as soon as possible!"
Chen Cheng immediately put on a bitter face and said, "Sister Qianqian, I don't want to leave you either, but I can't, hahaha, hahahahaha..."
As he spoke, he couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Hmph, big liar!"
Chen Cheng suppressed a laugh: "It's not like we'll never see each other again. Does parting mean we have to leave crying?"
"That makes sense, but you can't go back like this. You have a back injury, so you can't take a long-distance bus. Here's what I'll do: I'll ask one of your best friends to take you back."
After saying that, she took out her phone, but Chen Cheng grabbed her arm and said, "Are you serious? Don't worry, I'll go with your best friend."
"Tch, let's not even talk about your bizarre, cursed fate. Even if you didn't have it, my best friend wouldn't even look at you. Besides me, who else in the world would be foolish enough to risk their life to love you?"
Although the words were somewhat joking, they stirred up immense emotion in Chen Cheng. Even Jiang Shuang didn't possess such courage and perseverance.
Chen Cheng looked at her seriously, then reached out and stroked her face, saying, "Thank you, Qianqian, I understand!"
Seeing his serious and earnest expression, Zhang Qian was deeply moved. Taking advantage of the fact that no one was around, she tiptoed, hugged him, and kissed him. Then she let go of him, took out her phone, and started contacting her best friend, Lin Zihan.
Zhang Qian told him that she and Lin Zihan were high school classmates. Although they went to different universities, they have always maintained a good friendship. She is now a teacher at a middle school.
The two waited at the hospital for a while longer. Zhang Qian's message arrived. After reading it, she looked at Chen Cheng affectionately and said, "Let's go, she's here."
The clothes I bought the day before yesterday got ripped, so I had to wear my old clothes instead. His words made Zhang Qian burst out laughing: "I just won't wear nice clothes!"
Zhang Qian replied, "I'll buy it for you when I have time."
As the two exited the emergency room, a red Hyundai sedan rolled down its window, revealing a woman's delicate face. She waved and said, "XiXi, over here!"
"Thank you for your hard work, Zihan. I'll go if I'm free!"
Then he introduced himself to the two of them.
"Hehe, what's the big deal? It's not that far. Get in the car!"
Zhang Qian opened the passenger door and helped Chen Cheng inside, making him both laugh and cry, as if he were really seriously ill.
Lin Zihan watched all this with a smile. Zhang Qian saw Lin Zihan's smile and knew what she meant. She spat at her and said, "I'll treat you to dinner tonight!"
He gave Chen Cheng several more instructions before watching the car leave.
"I can tell that Sisi treats you very differently!"
"How is it different?"
Lin Zihan smiled and said, "Over the years, I've never seen her treat any man so well. At first, I thought she was that kind of man, hehe!"
Chen Cheng didn't respond; he already understood which one Lin Zihan was referring to.
"Hey, I'm curious, how did you two meet?"
"It was just a coincidence."
"When Sisi was in school, she was very cold to boys, and she's been a police officer for so long. I'm more curious about you. You don't seem to have anything special about you, so why is she so concerned about you?"
"Different strokes for different folks. Maybe she just likes someone like me who's not conventionally attractive!"
"Haha, you're so funny. You must be the one who makes her happy so that she's nice to you, right?"
"Hehe, do you think she's such a shallow person?"
"No, that's not it. Sisi is a very opinionated and independent girl, but I understand her. Although she has sharp words, she is a very kind person at heart. You'd better treat her well, or you'll regret it!"
After saying that, she raised her small, fair fist.
As they chatted, they unknowingly arrived in Fengjiang territory. Lin Zihan was impressed by Chen Cheng's talkativeness, even more so than her boyfriend Yu Wei, who worked in planning at a foreign company. He was also very down-to-earth, humorous yet elegant, and made her want to keep talking to him. Although he dressed rather plainly, he possessed a calm demeanor that most people lacked. Could this be what Zhang Qian liked about him? No, there must be something else she didn't know. Indeed, women's intuition is very accurate.
Upon arriving at the "Old Teahouse," Chen Cheng said to Lin Zihan, "Thank you for coming to see me off. It's almost noon, so how about I treat you to lunch before you leave?"
Lin Zihan really wanted to agree, but after checking the time, she said, "You can go to Xijing another day. I have classes at school this afternoon and I don't want to be late."
"Alright, goodbye, have a safe trip!"
After saying that, he opened the car door and got out.
So blunt? Doesn't he know how to be a little more polite? Lin Zihan thought to herself.
After saying goodbye to Lin Zihan, Chen Cheng turned and walked into the old teahouse. Old Zhang had already seen another beautiful woman escorting Chen Cheng back and wondered if Chen Cheng had recently been having a lucky streak with women.
"Uncle Zhang, is everything alright at home lately?"
After respectfully offering incense and kowtowing to the ancestral master, Chen Cheng asked.
Yes, but they are all minor matters. Most people come here to ask for talismans. Xiao Cheng, when you have some free time, draw some talismans for peace, protection, and exorcism. People of all ages in Fengjiang come here to ask for talismans when they have problems.
"good"!