However, the temple was only a disguise. Yang Jian did not dare destroy that old Republic-era residence, nor did he want this thing to be discovered, so he could only use another building to conceal the place.
The entire temple was enclosed by a ring of high walls. A red lacquered gate made in an antique style was locked tight, as though there was no one inside.
After finishing the cola in his hand, Yang Jian vanished from where he stood and entered.
“Yang Jian, you’re back?”
A cold, clear voice sounded. Wang Shanshan walked out from a room on the second floor, her calm gaze falling on Yang Jian.
That room had once been where the ghost cupboard was kept. After the renovations, it had become Wang Shanshan’s bedroom.
Beside Wang Shanshan stood a small child whose entire body was a bluish-black color. This was precisely the thing Yang Jian had come here for.
“Mm. I just got back, so I came to take a look.”
Yang Jian casually tossed the cola bottle into the trash can, while his ghost eye kept observing the little boy beside Wang Shanshan.
The Ghost Child.
This was something born during the Starving Ghost incident. The Ghost Child’s skin showed an extremely abnormal bluish-black hue, like a corpse that had been dead for a long time.
“Are we going to die soon?”
Wang Shanshan opened the refrigerator and took another bottle of cola for Yang Jian.
Yang Jian accepted the cola and said, “Why are you suddenly asking that?”
Wang Shanshan touched her forehead and said,
“Yesterday, a lot of cracks suddenly split open in my head. It felt as if my head was about to burst apart.”
A strange look flashed across Yang Jian’s face. In that village in Dahai City, he had indeed nearly died, and the cracking of the forehead Wang Shanshan described was exactly the same as when the Substitute Death Ghost transferred the certain-death attack Ye Zhen had suffered onto him.
“Could it be that when I suffer a supernatural attack above a certain threshold, Wang Shanshan receives the same injury? Then what if Wang Shanshan is attacked… After all, her current state isn’t that of an ordinary ghost slave. It’s not impossible for a fierce ghost to use her as a medium and then attack me.”
Yang Jian silently pondered this. He took a sip of cola and said, “Just a small bit of trouble. You don’t need to worry. We won’t die yet.”
Wang Shanshan pointed at the Ghost Child and said, “I’m not worried about myself. I’m worried about what happens to it after we die.”
At this moment, the Ghost Child was standing obediently in a corner of the room. Perhaps because it had not seen Yang Jian for some time, it was tilting its head curiously and looking at him. This thing was far too unusual. Yang Jian had never been able to determine whether it was a derivative ghost of the Starving Ghost, or his own ghost slave.
Yang Jian continued, “I’ll have someone make a golden box and lock it inside. Of course, if necessary, it can be released. For now, it isn’t particularly dangerous, but when facing the supernatural, I can’t guarantee it will always remain this obedient.”
Wang Shanshan said softly, “The decision is in your hands. No matter what you do, I’ll support you.”
Yang Jian nodded. Only then did he notice that something seemed slightly off about Wang Shanshan. The cold aura around her had grown even stronger, and it was difficult to see any emotion on her pale face. If one really had to describe it, Wang Shanshan’s current state was closer to that of a dead person.
“You should go out more. Make some more friends. Zhang Wei, Jiang Yan, they’re all pretty good people. No… forget Zhang Wei.”
Wang Shanshan sat down casually beside Yang Jian. She wanted to get close to him; this seemed to be a natural instinct.
“I think it’s pretty good here. Life is very convenient now. I can learn about many things without going outside.”
“As long as you think there’s no problem.”
Gently smoothing down a strand of her hair, Yang Jian knew that Wang Shanshan’s current state was no longer that of a normal ordinary person. She could not even be considered human. To be precise, she was a supernatural product that existed by relying on Yang Jian.
At that moment, Yang Jian’s phone suddenly vibrated.
Liu Xiaoyu’s voice came from the other end of the line. “Yang Jian, your mother called just now. She said she has something urgent to discuss with you and wants you to call her back as soon as possible.”
“My mom is looking for me?”
“Yes. From the sound of it, it should be urgent.”
“Alright, I understand.”
Yang Jian hung up and immediately dialed his mother’s number.
Yang Jian had not told his mother his own number. After all, after what had happened with Tong Qian, he had taken the possibility of certain special situations into account. This was a form of protection for his family.
The call connected, and Zhang Fen’s vigorous voice came from the other end. Wang Shanshan simply sat beside Yang Jian, quietly watching the exchange between him and his mother.
At times Yang Jian apologized, at times he made excuses, and at times he said he would do it as soon as possible. It was as if only when facing his family would Yang Jian reveal the faintest trace of humanity.
After speaking for about half an hour, Yang Jian finally said, as though very unwillingly, “Okay, Mom, I got it. I’ll come back this afternoon.”
Beside him, Wang Shanshan had roughly understood what was going on: the New Year was approaching, and Zhang Fen had given Yang Jian an absolute order. He had to bring a girlfriend home.
It was not that Yang Jian did not want to see his mother, but he was entangled with fierce ghosts, and there were still a great many future troubles waiting for him to handle. He did not want these things to affect his mother.
However, the reason he finally agreed was because of another matter: his father. Back at headquarters, Elder Qin had once told him that his father was suspected to be connected to a supernatural incident.
Yang Jian turned his head and said to Wang Shanshan, “There shouldn’t be any problem with meeting my mom, right?”
Wang Shanshan froze for a moment. She had not expected Yang Jian to take her to meet his mother, but she immediately nodded and said, “As long as Auntie doesn’t dislike me.”
Yang Jian stood up. Red light instantly covered the entire room, including the Ghost Child in the corner.
By the time Wang Shanshan reacted, they had already arrived beside a safe house made entirely of gold. This was the one Yang Jian had asked Zhang Wei’s father to build during the Starving Ghost incident.
“Go in.”
Yang Jian said to the Ghost Child.
After receiving Yang Jian’s command, the Ghost Child immediately trotted quickly into the safe house and stood in the middle, staring blankly at the two people outside.
“Bang!”
Yang Jian slammed the door shut. He could not possibly bring such a ghostly thing with him to see his mother. It was just that there was currently no more suitable gold container to confine it in, so he could only place it here temporarily.
Turning his head, he said to Wang Shanshan, “Let’s go. We’ll set off now.”
A luxury car sped along the countryside road. The two of them did not speak the entire way; only the scenery on both sides swept rapidly past.
After slowly turning onto a small road, the car stopped beside a stone stele.
Meishan Village.
“We’re here. The car can’t go any farther up ahead. Get out.”
The two of them walked side by side along the paths of Meishan Village. Occasionally, one or two motorcycles carrying goods passed by them.
Suddenly, a female voice came from not far behind them.
“Cousin?! When did you come back!”
Yang Jian abruptly turned his head. His ghost eye opened instantly, staring fixedly at the young girl not far behind him.
Just now, he and Wang Shanshan had walked here along this very road. With his powers of observation, it should have been impossible for him to miss a living person like that.