Pulling Strings

More than a month had passed since the "Faceless Demon" incident.

During this time, not only in Lexiang County but throughout the nine counties of Xiangzhou, peace and quiet reigned, with nothing out of the ordinary occurring.

Over the past month, Gu Ning'an spent most of his time in his courtyard, trying to divine the location of Shi Yi's wife and child's grave.

Despite using Shi Yi's blindfold as a focal object, all his efforts only yielded a vague approximation of their location.

Helpless, he resolved to finish handling the matters in Lexiang County before setting out to find his student's family. No matter what, even if Shi Yi's body no longer existed, Gu Ning'an felt obliged to return the blindfold to its rightful place as a gesture of closure.

Clink!

Gu Ning'an pulled out the homemade liquor gifted by Old Hu and filled two flasks to the brim. With the flasks in hand, he headed straight for the City God Temple.

Today marked the final day of Tailor Ma's remaining lifespan in the underworld, and Gu Ning'an had promised to accompany his old friend as his soul returned to the heavens and earth.

Winding through the streets and alleys, it took Gu Ning'an about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn to arrive at the back gate of the City God Temple.

The temple was bustling with people, so finding someone via the back gate was more convenient.

Moreover, Gu Ning'an had already informed City God Xu in advance. The latter had arranged for someone to send word that Gu Ning'an should wait for Tailor Ma at the back gate.

"Master Gu, you're finally here!"

With a creak, the slightly ajar back gate swung open. A middle-aged man of average build and somewhat dark skin quickly stepped out.

Seeing the man, Gu Ning'an couldn't help but pause.

It was indeed Tailor Ma, but instead of appearing as a spirit, he had "borrowed" a vessel to manifest!

The vessel, of course, wasn't a living body but rather a clay effigy resembling a divine manifestation.

Creating such a vessel for Tailor Ma wasn't just against regulations—it also required intricate materials and methods, making it an incredibly troublesome endeavor.

After giving Tailor Ma a once-over, Gu Ning'an smiled. "Not bad, Old Ma. You must be doing quite well in the underworld to have the City God himself grant you such a favor."

Tailor Ma waved his hand and leaned closer to Gu Ning'an, lowering his voice. "Let me tell you, this is all because of your influence. Without you, there's no way the City God would have gone through the trouble of setting me up with a vessel like this."

Hearing this, Gu Ning'an glanced at the back gate and cupped his hands respectfully. "Many thanks to the City God. I'll make sure Tailor Ma returns on time."

No response came from the gate, and Tailor Ma tugged at Gu Ning'an with a grin. "Let's go, let's go. Doing someone a favor is best done subtly. If you keep thanking him like this, he'll never admit to it."

Gu Ning'an chuckled. "I see now. So that's why I was told to wait at the back gate—it turns out you really did pull some strings."

"Exactly! As long as you understand. But don't take this favor to heart, sir," Tailor Ma said, lowering his voice again. "Consider it on my tab. Once my soul returns to the heavens and earth, who cares about favors or debts, am I right?"

Gu Ning'an shook his head with a smile. "You're as shrewd as ever."

Tailor Ma clasped his hands together. "Thank you for the compliment, sir!"

Gu Ning'an waved him off. "Enough flattery. Where do you want to go?"

"Of course, I want to visit my tailor shop." Tailor Ma rubbed his cheek. "Looking like this, my son probably won't recognize me, will he?"

Gu Ning'an nodded. "Not at all. As long as you don't reveal yourself, he won't suspect a thing."

"Good. Let's go, then!"

...

"Auntie, your waist is so slim! With this fabric, you'll look ten years younger!"

"Feel free to browse, everyone. Pick whatever you like… The fabric at Excellent Craftsmanship Tailor Shop is undoubtedly the best in all of Lexiang County!"

"Hey there, brother, that fabric is for women! You shouldn't…"

With the change in seasons, business at Excellent Craftsmanship Tailor Shop was thriving. Ma Mingtai, managing the shop alone, was kept on his toes but never without a cheerful smile on his face.

Outside the shop, Gu Ning'an and Tailor Ma stood shoulder to shoulder under the same eave. Tailor Ma smiled as he observed his son but couldn't help grumbling, "This kid talks a good game, but if his craftsmanship doesn't hold up, he might ruin the family's reputation!"

Gu Ning'an patted Tailor Ma on the shoulder and laughed. "It's your last day in this world. Go on, take another look."

"Ah, only you truly understand me, Master Gu!" Tailor Ma replied enthusiastically. He started toward the shop but paused after a step, turning back to say, "Master Gu, please stay here for now. Otherwise, I'm afraid this kid won't be able to act naturally in front of a… new customer like me."

Gu Ning'an nodded slightly. "All right, I'll wait here."

With a sheepish grin, Tailor Ma adjusted his attire and strode confidently toward the tailor shop.

Watching his deliberate and measured steps, Gu Ning'an chuckled to himself. "He's changed his appearance, but he's nervous visiting his own shop."

Inside, Ma Mingtai had just seen off a customer when he noticed Tailor Ma walking in. He stepped forward and greeted him, "Oh, a new face! Are you here today to order something custom-made or to pick out ready-made clothing?"

Hearing this, Tailor Ma stroked his chin and asked in return, "What do you think suits me better, custom or ready-made?"

Faced with this tricky customer, Ma Mingtai didn't answer directly. Instead, he led him to the section where ready-made clothes and fabrics were displayed. "Why don't you take a look at these fabrics and see if anything catches your eye?"

With just a glance, Tailor Ma picked up a short jacket and asked with a grin, "I think this looks nice. Do you think it'll fit me?"

Since he intended to "test" his son, Tailor Ma deliberately chose a jacket that was close to his size but obviously wouldn't fit him, aiming to evaluate his son's discernment.

"Sir, this jacket will fit you as is," Ma Mingtai began, eyeing Tailor Ma's broad shoulders. "But I can tell you've got a sturdy build, likely from regular physical activity..."

With that, he deftly took the jacket and continued, "If you really like it, I can make some adjustments for you."

Seeing his son's ability to respond with tact, Tailor Ma smiled with satisfaction and patted Ma Mingtai on the shoulder. "Never mind. I was just looking. You're doing well, kid. At least with you running this tailor shop, the family name won't be disgraced."

"Uh…" Ma Mingtai was momentarily speechless at the familiar yet strange praise.

Tailor Ma didn't linger, offering only a quick "I'm off" before striding out of the shop.

Ma Mingtai instinctively followed him a few steps but stopped at the doorway, hesitating for a moment before raising the short jacket in his hand. "Sir, the next time you come by, it'll be ready for you. I'll adjust it and set it aside."

Tailor Ma didn't turn back. He simply waved a hand behind him as he walked away.

4th and 5th chapters will be translated later. I'm tired from preparing for Christmas.