Chapter 29: Almost Lover
As Lin Feng and Nie Chuxia entered the security office, they were immediately treated as VIPs and ushered to the prime seats.
The head of security at Nanyang International Trade Center was trembling as he saw his employer's daughter being "escorted" in by a few guards. Meanwhile, a junior security officer and a cleaning lady were incessantly complaining, accusing the young lady of using her phone in the restroom to record an inappropriate video of the cleaner.
"Shut up, all of you! This is the chairman's daughter. Record you? You think you're worth it?!"
The head of security sprayed the cleaner with spit as he scolded her. However, the cleaning lady still looked unconvinced. "Impossible! The young lady is too dignified to be in the restroom with this man! What could they possibly be doing together?"
How would I know what they're doing? This entire building belongs to her family! She can go wherever she pleases. Mind your own business!
The head of security quickly ushered the two troublemakers out and put on a flattering smile. "Miss Nie, my name is Zhang. We met at last year's annual meeting! I take full responsibility for today's misunderstanding!"
Nie Chuxia couldn't recall who he was. After all, the Nie family owned more than just the Trade Center. But it didn't matter if she remembered; as long as he remembered her, that was enough.
As Zhang sneakily glanced at Lin Feng, his expression turned sly, speculating on their relationship and what they might have been doing in the ladies' restroom.
Blushing, Nie Chuxia cleared her throat and said, "Manager Zhang, my father mentioned that the building has been haunted lately. I hired Mr. Lin here as a ghost hunter."
Manager Zhang froze, realizing his imagination had taken a very wrong turn. His demeanor changed instantly. "Understood! And about the ghost…"
Nie Chuxia continued, "It's been dealt with. Oh, and make sure to seal off the third stall in the ladies' restroom. Stick this talisman inside."
"Got it!" Manager Zhang nodded hastily, stealing one last glance at Lin Feng.
Sitting in Nie Chuxia's car, Lin Feng couldn't stop yawning.
After a long night of work, the matter was finally resolved. Exhausted from the night's events, he felt the full weight of fatigue the moment he returned to the living world. His eyes could barely stay open.
The urn he carried contained the spirits of a Long-Tongued Ghost, a Starving Ghost, and a Wailing Ghost. Leading the charge were the Wailing Ghost and Starving Ghost, who brought along 12 ghostly minions to wreak havoc in the human world. Much to Lin Feng's surprise, the Long-Tongued Ghost was uninvolved. Those other two pathetic-looking ghosts turned out to be the real troublemakers.
Lin Feng managed to refine the 12 ghostly minions into Yin Candles, completing his task. Though he initially planned to befriend the one-eyed old ghost and recruit him, the old ghost politely declined with a smile.
This mission yielded two loyal subordinates for Lin Feng, along with a total of 1,900 merit points, which was quite the fortune. Additionally, he obtained a Three-Life Incense and a City God Token.
The description of the Three-Life Incense was vague, stating only that it should be used with a Three-Life Furnace. Lin Feng was skeptical of items with unclear functions and decided not to mess with it.
As for the City God Token, Lin Feng examined its details:
City God Token
Description:A token issued by the City God. Using it grants the title of Lieutenant Yin Enforcer for the local city. As a lieutenant, you may recruit and formalize ghostly subordinates into official positions. Each formalized ghostly subordinate will receive a monthly stipend of incense from the City God Temple.Function:Allows for the recruitment of a team of five loyal ghostly subordinates to activate its full potential. The token can also serve as a vessel for fierce spirits and contains residual spiritual power that enhances the wearer's physique with prolonged use.(Overall Evaluation:In Nanyang, the City God's forces are absent, leaving the region overrun by wandering ghosts. The City God has issued this token to enlist capable individuals to restore order. It contains faint divine power.)
A lieutenant?
The title sounded like a middling military officer. Lin Feng had been to the City God Temple in Nanyang before, which still enjoyed a decent amount of incense offerings. According to legend, the City God of Nanyang was originally a Song Dynasty scholar who was deified posthumously.
Of course, such stories were just folklore.
Lin Feng recalled reading that the City God, while appointed by the Celestial Court, governed human affairs and communicated with the underworld. Despite wielding divine powers, the City God primarily commanded ghostly soldiers. Lin Feng pondered: Does this mean I've been conscripted?
He put away the token, deciding to wait until he had five loyal subordinates before using it.
Before long, the car arrived at Lin Feng's apartment complex.
"We're here. Thank you for handling this matter on my father's behalf," Nie Chuxia said.
After experiencing such an extraordinary adventure with Lin Feng in the ghostly realm, Nie Chuxia felt closer to him. She realized that without his guidance, she might have made catastrophic mistakes multiple times. She hadn't expected the haunted building issue to be so complex.
She handed Lin Feng an envelope.
"It contains a platinum VIP card for Nanyang International Trade Center and ten 1,000-yuan vouchers," Nie Chuxia explained. "The VIP card covers up to 2,000 yuan of expenses per month without cash payment, valid for a year. Five-star shops offer a 10% discount. The vouchers can be gifted to others."
Lin Feng hesitated, seemingly frozen, which made Nie Chuxia think he was unhappy.
Having gained some insight into his character, she knew Lin Feng was a trustworthy friend.
"Lin Feng, I know it's improper to talk about compensation among friends, let alone measure friendship with money, but this is a token of my gratitude."
Lin Feng snatched the envelope with a grin. "Miss Nie! Please, feel free to measure our friendship in monetary terms! The more, the better!"
The heartfelt atmosphere Nie Chuxia had been trying to create was instantly shattered. Any notions of meaningful friendship were obliterated. Furious, she kicked Lin Feng out of the car. "Get out, you scoundrel!"
As Nie Chuxia drove off, Lin Feng cheerfully weighed the envelope in his hands, thinking, It pays to know rich people.
Over the next few days, Lin Feng requested leave from Director Wang at the funeral home, citing his sister Lin Xue's upcoming school term as the reason.
Initially, Director Wang refused, but after Lin Feng treated him and his wife to a seafood dinner and gifted them a lumbar massage device, Director Wang's wife praised Lin Feng as a thoughtful young man, leaving Director Wang no choice but to agree.
Lin Feng's life was colorful. Having dropped out of school early, he had experienced the glitter of society, but time with Lin Xue often drew him back to a more cultured side of life.
Together, they visited libraries, art galleries, and even attended a classical music concert. The tickets cost 1,100 yuan for two, leaving Lin Feng both pained and intrigued by the experience.
A dropout like me can appreciate art too, can't I?
By night, Lin Feng often roamed the city. Niu Meng, Flayed Ghost, Headless Ghost, and the female ghost Ah Chou followed him, marveling at the wonders of the mortal world.
The night before Lin Xue's school term began, Lin Feng's apartment was bustling with activity.
The windows were wide open, and the late summer breeze felt wonderfully refreshing. Lin Feng sat shirtless in front of his computer, watching WWE.
"Brother, what should I wear for the first day of school?"
Lin Xue, who had been out all day, lounged on the sofa eating snacks while watching a Korean drama on her phone.
Without turning around, Lin Feng replied, "Why are you so obsessed with dressing up? Just throw on anything."
Lin Xue protested, "Brother! There used to be a super trendy girl in my class who wore super short shorts. Sister Nie said I have a good figure, so I want to wear some too!"
Lin Feng choked on his drink and retorted, "With your stick legs? What are you trying to show off? If you dare wear those, I'll kill you!"
Lin Xue actually had a nice figure and was quite pretty, but her demeanor was less than elegant. She sprawled on the sofa wearing Lin Feng's oversized shorts, one leg propped on the backrest, munching snacks with no concern for appearances.
"Who says I have stick legs? I'm the school beauty of our county high school, thank you very much! Everyone says I have a great figure!"
Lin Feng scoffed, "Yeah, right. Your classmates must all be blind."
Fuming, Lin Xue clenched her fists and shook them at Lin Feng's back.
Suddenly, the phone rang. Lin Feng looked at the caller ID and whispered, "Shh, it's Dad calling."
He answered, "Hello? Dad, yeah, Lin Xue's with me. Don't worry; school starts tomorrow, and I'll make sure she gets there. How could she get lost? Come on, give me some credit! What? My tone is harsh? How am I being harsh? My voice too loud? ... Fine, here, talk to your precious daughter."
Lin Feng handed the phone to Lin Xue. "Dad wants to talk to you."
"Hi, Dad!" Lin Xue said sweetly. "I'm not causing any trouble for my brother. He's been taking me around the city, and we've had so much fun! He even bought me a few outfits!"
Lin Feng's father, known for his booming voice, could be heard clearly even through the phone: "That's not causing trouble? Your brother mentioned his workplace is planning to buy housing. You better stop making him spend so much!"
Lin Xue pouted, "He insisted on buying them for me; what could I do about it?"
"Your brother's just pretending to be rich! Make sure he keeps your tuition safe and doesn't lose it tomorrow!"
Exasperated by the nagging, Lin Xue handed the phone back. Lin Feng took it and asked, "Dad, can you ease up on her? By the way, where's Mom?"
"Son, found a girlfriend yet? When are you getting married?" his mother eagerly chimed in.
Lin Feng immediately regretted asking and pretended the connection was bad. "Hello? Hello? Ah, bad signal, Dad, Mom, I'll call you back after I drop Xue off at school. Oh, and I got a bonus recently—I transferred it to your account. Check it when you have time!"
Hanging up, Lin Feng and Lin Xue exchanged helpless glances.
Their father was loud and temperamental, while their mother, a reserved rural woman, only ever opened her mouth to nag about Lin Feng's marriage prospects.
"You haven't found a girlfriend yet, have you?" Lin Xue asked, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Lin Feng held up a finger. "Let me warn you one more time—don't bring that up!"
Lin Xue sighed dramatically. "I think Sister Nie would be a great match."
"She's out of my league," Lin Feng said. "We're better off as friends. If we were a couple, who knows how her family would look down on ours? You'll understand when you're older."
Lin Xue sighed again, this time like an old soul. "You really are a headache..."
Seeing her pretending to be mature, Lin Feng resisted the urge to throttle her.
A knock interrupted their banter. Lin Feng opened the door to find Li Xi standing there.
"Hey, you! I missed you so much!"
Li Xi hugged him tightly, only to realize awkwardly afterward that a pretty young girl was in the room, wearing Lin Feng's beach shorts.
"You're... cheating on me now?" Li Xi muttered under her breath.
Li Xi always kept her relationship with Lin Feng practical—friends with benefits, nothing more. She didn't want commitment or a future, so their arrangement was purely physical. She could accept Lin Feng having other women in his life, but seeing it still made her a little jealous.
"That's my little sister!" Lin Feng whispered urgently.
Lin Xue smiled sweetly and asked, "Sister, are you my brother's girlfriend?"
She studied Li Xi carefully. Compared to Sister Nie, this woman seemed more mature, but her demeanor softened immediately upon seeing Lin Feng. Lin Xue's sharp instincts told her that Li Xi must be one of Lin Feng's closest female companions.
Embarrassed, Li Xi realized the girl did bear a striking resemblance to Lin Feng. Her face turned red as she fumbled for words, relieved she hadn't said anything more provocative earlier.
To ease the awkwardness, Lin Feng said, "This little rascal is my sister, Lin Xue. Xue, this is Li Xi, a close friend of mine. I'm stepping out to grab a meal with her. You should go to bed early."