Rebirth: Ghost Exorciser

Zhu Bocheng, wearing sunglasses, waited at the airport for half a day without seeing Qi Zhenbai. He made a phone call and learned that Qi Zhenbai would be leaving in another day, so he had to board the plane ahead.

Sitting in the first class seat of the plane, he sighed a little. In fact, after going home yesterday and listening to what Chi Shuyan had said, the more he pondered, the more uneasy he felt. He couldn’t be blamed for being suspicious. The timing of the chime’s delivery was too inopportune. Also, He Yuanzheng’s fervent attitude in repeatedly urging him to hang it up was just too strange.

He removed the wind chime and kept it in a box, thinking about asking Chi Shuyan about it the next day.

Before he had time to ask, however, the bloody life-threatening serial call came over, and Zhu Bocheng’s mother nagged at him until his whole head ballooned. He had no choice and reluctantly promised to go home early tomorrow.

Zhu Residence

“You brat, you still know how to come home.” Mother Zhu was both happy and reproachful.

Zhu Bocheng hastily hugged his mother and sweetly coaxed, “Mom, of course, I’ll come home. You don’t know how much I missed you. I couldn’t eat or sleep well outside, and I drool when I think of your cooking every day.”

“You still have some conscience left.” Mother Zhu chuckled and scolded. Noting that Zhu Bocheng had indeed lost a lot of weight compared to before, looking tired with dark circles under his eyes, she was terribly distressed. “I’ll make you a table full of your favorite food tonight to fill you up. Look how thin you are.”

Seeing Zhu Bocheng being lovey-dovey with Mother Zhu, Father Zhu coughed a few words to this conscienceless son and feigned majesty to lecture him, “When you come back, you’re not in good shape. You’re really a failure despite your mother’s loving care.”

“I say old man, it’s indeed the person who gave birth to you who should be distressed.” Mother Zhu had a toothache when she thought of the workaholic, Qi Zhenbai. That child was notorious for being aggressive and a perfectionist. As an elder, she was a bit scared of him. What’s more, her son, Chengcheng, had always been wayward. She couldn’t imagine how much he must’ve suffered under Zhenbai.

“You’ve just spoiled this boy, Bocheng. If he can’t stand even this much pain, how can he inherit the company?” Father Zhu snorted, “If he can learn three or four pieces of superficial knowledge of Zhenbai’s prowess, I’ll be satisfied.”

Mother Zhu gave it a thought. Although she had a thick filter on her child, Qi Zhenbai was indeed stellar among the younger generation of rich and powerful families. He was a rare personage who was hard to come by, with outstanding means. His company management was first-class.

Zhu Bocheng had long been accustomed to the little flirtations and bickering of his parents from time to time. He took out two yellow talismans and handed them over as if presenting a treasure. “Dad, Mom, I have a gift for you. I met a very powerful Master in Fuzhou, and these are the Peace Talismans she gave me. We happened to have three in the family, so one for each of us. They’re extraordinarily effective.”

“Master?” Mother Zhu looked suspiciously at her excited son. “Why did you buy talismans when you’re perfectly fine?

“Because they’re useful of course. Mom, you don’t know how expensive this one sheet is. The original price was 100,000. Master gave me a discount because of my friendship with her and I only paid 30,000.” Zhu Bocheng answered.

Father Zhu’s facial muscles twitched, finding it hard to express himself in just a few words while looking at his own son. His fleshy face ached at the sight of these rotten sheets of paper that cost 60,000! The more he looked, the more he wanted to smack this stupid kid. What a wastrel!

Mother Zhu was also somewhat dumbfounded. These three pieces of paper were that expensive? It would have been fine if they were really effective, but as soon as she heard Zhu Bocheng’s arguments, she thought it was impossible. The boy must have been tricked by that charlatan.

But looking at Zhu Bocheng’s oddly happy appearance, she didn’t want to splash cold water on him. Noticing her husband’s face, she hurriedly pinched him covertly. “Chengcheng, you just came back, so hurry up and take a shower. I’ll make you your favorite dishes tonight.”

“Oh, all right. Dad, Mom, remember to bring it with you.” Zhu Bocheng repeatedly instructed, watching Mom and Dad put them on with his own eyes before leaving.

At the dining table, Zhu Bocheng stuffed himself with food under his mother’s eager gaze.

“Eat slowly. Look how hungry you are. You must have not eaten well outside. Old man, our company isn’t for display. Why did you have to send Chengcheng to Zhenbai’s place for training? It would have been nice if he entered our company.” Mother Zhu looked distressed.

Father Zhu snorted. “Short-sighted. Do you know how many people want to get close to Zhenbai? I’d be perfectly satisfied learning smatterings.”

Mother Zhu still wanted to argue, but Zhu Bocheng hurriedly interjected, “Mom, there is actually nothing bad about being at Zhenbai’s place.”

Mother Zhu rolled her eyes at Zhu Bocheng and scoffed while smiling. “I’m only distressed because of you. You follow each other around like this and that who don’t know would think you two are brothers.” She just blurted it out, when she suddenly remembered something and sighed somewhat gloomily, “Sigh, if only your big brother was still alive. It would have been nice if you had a brother to help you out, so you wouldn’t have to be under so much pressure.”

When Zhu Bocheng heard her, he bounced out of his chair with a thud, almost overturning his chair in shock. “Mom, what are you talking about? What big brother?”

Zhu Bocheng had always thought that he was an only child. Upon hearing this information, he couldn’t believe his ears!

“Chengcheng, you’ve grown up and we have nothing to hide from you. You had a big brother who was born healthy. We never would have thought that… he would die before he was even a year old.” Mother Zhu restrained her sorrow.

Zhu Bocheng looked at Mother Zhu gingerly, changing the subject while he couldn’t help but anxiously seek confirmation, “Mom, did I hurt my hand playing with firecrackers once when I was a kid? And, did I encounter a fire accident?”

Mother Zhu was somewhat nonplussed. The subject had jumped too fast, but she still shuddered in retrospect at the memory of how dangerous those times were. “Yeah, I thought you’d forgotten. You weren’t even named Zhu Bocheng back then, but the character ‘Yan’. After these two incidents, your father hurriedly crossed out the Yan in your name and purposely chose an Earth character, Zheng, for you, which restrains fire.”

Zhu Bocheng’s eyes widened instantly, his face filled with disbelief and overwhelming excitement. Remembering how skeptical he was toward what Sister Shuyan had told him in the restaurant, he didn’t expect to confirm it so soon. She was too awesome!

Anything that Sister Shuyan said or did was extraordinary. Considering that this talisman also saved his life, Zhu Bocheng was completely convinced, so he told his parents right away, “Mom, Dad, you must carry the talisman I gave you properly every day. It isn’t just an ordinary item!”

Then, he remembered that Zhenbai didn’t believe her either and felt obligated to rectify Sister Shuyan’s name. Unable to withstand his parent’s skepticism, as if he’d been cheated, he hurriedly abandoned his rice bowl and made a phone call. “Zhenbai, Zhenbai! We’re wrong about Sister Shuyan. She’s a real expert, a Master! No, I’ve always believed that Sister Shuyan is a Master. Now, I believe in living celestial beings. She’s so accurate!”

When Zhu Bocheng called, Qi Zhenbai was sitting on the leather sofa, pondering the reason for Chi Shuyan’s desertion. His keen instinct told him that she had seen something, but concealed it.

Zhu Bocheng didn’t give Qi Zhenbai any room to speak at all and recounted everything that had just happened at home. Qi Zhenbai caressed the corner of his temples, listening to the crackling voice on the phone. He almost hung up, but when he heard the words concerning Chi Shuyan, he listened seriously.

Qi Zhenbai’s icy, slender eyes flickered with shock, then became dim, deep, and serene.

“Zhenbai, why aren’t you silent? Are you listening?”

“Hmm. Anything else?” Qi Zhenbai rudely hung up after listening.

On the other end, Zhu Bocheng was confused. Did Zhenbai believe him?

Zhu Bocheng hadn’t pondered it yet, but Mother Zhu couldn’t help but come and speak to him. “Chengcheng, these superstitions can’t be trusted. Nowadays, those who say they’re ‘Masters’ are all liars. Your dad and I have encountered many before. Don’t ever trust any ‘Master’.”

Just as Mother Zhu finished speaking, Father Zhu cursed in rage, unable to contain himself. “Rascal, did you forget everything you learned at school? Not only are you not focusing on your studies, but you are telling me that you are believing in some ‘Master’? You’re such a disappointment!”