Chapter Four: Early Results

“Xu Si, what exactly are you causing a scene for? Do you think the Xu family isn’t already disgraceful enough?” Xu’s father’s face darkened like iron, his fierce gaze filled with such hatred that he seemed ready to devour his own daughter alive.

Seeing Xu Si’s dull eyes, laced with undisguised disgust, he spat, “How did I end up with such a shameful disgrace like you?”

“Old Xu!” Xu’s mother, who had remained silent until now, raised her voice. Although she didn’t care for this daughter either, there were reporters outside.

She frowned, showing a hint of reluctance, but took out a card from her bag and got straight to the point: “Xu Si, don’t blame us. If anyone’s to blame, it’s your bad luck.”

“The daughter of the Xu family must be outstanding.” She looked at the adopted daughter, Xu Yi, who was gentle, kind, and adored by the whole family. Her fiancé’s noble status promised great benefits for the Xu clan.

“Here are three hundred thousand yuan. Consider this the last we owe you in this lifetime.”

“Wait.” Xu Si, holding her phone, vaguely sensed that the family’s secrets shouldn’t be overheard by outsiders, so, in light of the three hundred thousand, she kindly warned them.

Xu’s mother gave a ‘just as expected’ look, her eyes growing colder: “What, you still think it’s not enough? Don’t forget, you’re already nineteen; we have no obligation to support you anymore. From now on, in front of the media, you should know what to say and what not to say, right?”

“Besides, every year there’s a top scholar from the province, but those who truly make something of themselves…” Her voice dropped to a whisper.

“Wait.” Finally realizing it was a threat, Xu Si quickly snatched the card back under her blanket.

Then, pulling out her phone mid-call, she said, “I told you to wait, so don’t blame me.”

...

The room fell into silence. Nan Xian, on the ceiling, laughed until he fell onto the bed.

“You?” Xu’s father glared fiercely at Xu’s mother. “Tell me, who’s on the other end?”

“I don’t know. There’s more than one person.” Xu Si shook her head sincerely. She wasn’t lying; from what she remembered, the person answering the call was called ‘customer service,’ which was a group, after all...

On the other end, the customer service representatives held their breath, heads clustered around the phone.

Clearly disbelieving Xu Si, Xu’s father raised his hand to strike her.

Nan Xian narrowed his phoenix eyes, placed one hand on his hip, caught Xu’s father’s arm with the other, and threw him forcefully aside.

“Wait!”

“Ouch!”

Both Xu Si and Xu’s father exclaimed simultaneously.

The latter was flung away by an unknown force, eyes wide with terror as he stared at Xu Si. “What was that?”

“Old Xu, what’s wrong with you?” Xu’s mother hurried forward to help him.

Xu Yi was the first to notice something was wrong. She took two steps back. “Sister, who... who were you just talking to?”

“I...” Xu Si looked up, blinking, then glanced at Nan Xian, who was eagerly seeking credit. “What are you doing?”

“Standing up for you, of course.”

Nan Xian stood with hands on hips, unashamed, utterly ignoring that only Xu Si could see him.

...

Only then did Xu’s father and the others realize something was amiss, their faces turning pale.

“Ghost! There’s a ghost, Mom, Dad!” Xu Yi screamed.

The customer service on the other end nodded repeatedly, knowing it was time to step in. They raised their voice, sounding as professional as possible.

“Hello, Ms. Xu. Based on the earlier conversation, we have analyzed that your parents are exhibiting significant symptoms of schizophrenia, paranoia, and irritability. We recommend you arrange for their hospitalization promptly to ensure your personal safety.”

“By the way, Ms. Xu, would you like the address of Hexi Third Hospital?”

The gentle, rational voice of customer service echoed in everyone’s ears.

Xu’s mother trembled. “Hexi Third Hospital?”

Xu Yi swallowed hard. “It’s a psychiatric hospital, Mom.”

“Ah!”

A scream, and the three burst out through the door.

Xu Si suddenly sat up. “Wait, the bank—”

“Bang!”

The ward door slammed shut with force, a cold wind blowing that chilled her to the bone.

Feeling utterly hopeless, Xu Si collapsed back onto the bed. Damn it, she hadn’t even told them the password for the card!

Behind her, Nan Xian bounced wildly. “Hey? Little fierce ghost, you’re not planning to go back with them, are you?”

Hearing his voice, Xu Si hung up the phone, took a deep breath, and turned seriously to look at Nan Xian.

“If you ever don’t want to live, you must tell me. I don’t want you to die at someone else’s hands.”

“Ah? Oh, okay, okay.” The scent of the young girl filled Nan Xian’s nose, making him dizzy. A blush crept quietly onto his face.

‘Hmm, little fierce ghost doesn’t want me to die at someone else’s hands, which means she doesn’t want me to die at all. So, just now when I risked my life to save her, little fierce ghost must have been so moved she wants to dedicate herself to me? But can gods and ghosts marry? No, what good could come from a god and ghost union?’

‘Ah, should the wedding be in heaven or on earth? Ridiculous, how could I, a god, like a little fierce ghost?’

Nan Xian shook his head wildly, opening his eyes to see Xu Si obediently and softly playing with her phone on the hospital bed, her ears quietly reddened.

He quietly leaned in to look at the screen.

“...”

Question: Can killing people be profitable? How to kill without breaking the law? How to dispose of a body properly? Can you rob a bank? What jobs are available for murderers?

‘Hmm? Killing? Robbing a bank? Soft and obedient?’

Nan Xian felt his mind go blank, as if about to gain some sense. So, when she asked me when I don’t want to live, she meant...?

Feeling noticed, Xu Si turned her head frankly. “What are you doing?”

“Ah!”

Nan Xian was startled and bounced up to the ceiling.

Xu Si couldn’t help but smile, tilting her head up. “Are you scared of me?”

“N-no way!” Nan Xian pouted and turned his head, hands behind his back, eyes flickering. “I just think the air down here isn’t very good; it’s much nicer up here.”

Saying that, he took a deep breath, instantly inhaling a cloud of dust.

“Ah-choo! Cough, cough, ah-choo...”

Watching the god sneeze repeatedly, Xu Si’s smile grew more genuine.

Suppressing a laugh, she continued typing.

Question: If you forget the password for a bank card someone gave you, can you still withdraw money?

Answer: No.

Xu Si’s smile froze, grinding her teeth.

Question: Really can’t kill a god?

Answer: Fantasies are also a sign of mental illness.

“It’s over. I’m going crazy!” Xu Si flopped on the bed, utterly lifeless.

Nan Xian rubbed his nose, feeling guilty, floated down, and cleared his throat twice.

“Ahem, actually, I have a way to make money.”

“What?” Xu Si’s eyes brightened.

...

Fifteen minutes later, the pair who had escaped from the hospital stood silently in a deserted neighborhood park, lost in thought.

“You mean, we can meet big clients here?” Xu Si asked again.

Nan Xian squatted beside her, nodding confidently. “Of course. Even I, the god, can figure that out.”

“Alright then.” Xu Si, still in her hospital gown, squatted till her legs went numb, then stood by the lake fanning the air.

After all, the entire park was surrounded by demolition sites... well, the dust was quite thick.

Yet, even this simple action attracted someone.

“Hey, over there! No suicides allowed here!”