WBICDPH Chapter 65 Part 2

He tugged again. No use.

With a sigh, he lifted the little pup from his shoulder. “Besides, my dog can see her too. Earlier, he scared her hand away. How do you explain that?”

He held the pup closer to Zhu Eryao. “Come on, Ball. Chase her off.”

The puppy didn’t move.

Ridiculous. I offered to help earlier, and you refused. Now you can’t handle it and want my help? Absolutely not.

Seeing his pet being stubborn, Lin Jin immediately lowered his voice. “Please?”

Hmph. That’s better.

Xiao Lanqi reluctantly bared his teeth at Zhu Eryao.

Lin Jin clearly saw her shudder.

“Waaah—”

She let out a soft sob, released his ankle, and once more dissolved into smoke, sinking into the earth.

The weight vanished instantly.

Lin Jin exhaled in relief and flexed his sore leg.

“She gone?” Hua Nanzhi asked.

“Gone.”

“What did she want? Did she say anything?”

“She… sort of did? She just whimpered.”

“Whimpered? Then—”

“Not that.”

Before Hua Nanzhi could finish, Xiao Yunkong interrupted.

“The problem isn’t Lin Jin. There’s something wrong with this place. Our perception is being affected.”

He formed a hand seal, attempting to summon spiritual energy.

Normally, frosty spiritual light would gather in his palm.

This time—nothing. Just empty air.

“Not only are ghosts hidden,” he said quietly. “Spiritual energy is too.”

Hua Nanzhi froze. She tried to summon energy herself.

Nothing.

“How is that possible? If our senses are affected, why can Lin Jin and his dog see Zhu Eryao?”

“Bond,” Xiao Yunkong replied firmly. “There’s some kind of bond between Lin Jin and Zhu Eryao. It breaks through the perceptual barrier, allowing her to appear before him and physically touch him. As for the dog, he’s bound to Lin Jin by contract and soul blood. The bond applies to him as well.”

“A bond?”

Hua Nanzhi widened her eyes and grabbed Lin Jin by the collar. “You know Zhu Eryao?!”

“I—”

“Who dares mention that wretched woman’s name?!”

A furious female voice exploded from behind a courtyard wall.

A middle-aged woman stormed out, kicking the door open. She wore simple village clothes. Her features should have looked plain and honest—but twisted by rage, they seemed venomous.

Lin Jin blinked in surprise.

They had already reached the Zhu residence. The woman must be from the neighboring Zhou household—the scholar’s mother.

But in Zhao Kang’s story, the Zhou family had been kind, treating Zhu Eryao like a daughter. This woman’s expression and tone told a very different story.

“S-sorry,” Lin Jin said quickly, patting Hua Nanzhi’s wrist so she would release his collar. He straightened his clothes. “Were we speaking too loudly?”

“It’s her name that disgusts me!”

Mother Zhou glared at the three of them and the dog. “New faces? More immortal fools here to die? Get out! Don’t mention that unlucky name! That slut! We fed and clothed her, and she dared covet my son! My son passed the exams at twelve—the youngest top scholar! He has a glorious future ahead—high office, maybe even marrying a princess! And she, a country girl, dared to dream of him? She deserved to die! You’ll all die too! Useless, can’t even kill a ghost!”

Her curses poured out indiscriminately.

Lin Jin felt something twitch inside him—a flare of anger rising unexpectedly.

He took a deep breath, trying to suppress it. “Madam, please calm down. Perhaps you could tell us more about Zhu Eryao. We’re here to help, but we need the full truth.”

Mother Zhou sneered. Veins bulged at her temples. Her eyes were bloodshot.

“The truth? The truth is that the shameless wench coveted my son! She clung to him, tried to ruin his future! What is she? Does she deserve him? Even dead, she won’t let go! Vicious, shameless whore!”

Lin Jin’s brow twitched.

“Madam, you—”

His voice suddenly rose.

“To hell with it—I’ve had enough! Who do you think you are? And who do you think your son is? A treasure? Pure gold that everyone wants?!”

Hua Nanzhi’s eyes widened.

Lin Jin pointed at the woman. “I’m sick of this place! Zhu Eryao doesn’t seem like the ghost here—you people do! Hiding the truth for seven years—seven years! You deserve—”

Before he could finish, Hua Nanzhi clamped a hand over his mouth.

“Lin Jin! Calm down! Didn’t you just say shouting solves nothing? Didn’t you say arguing is the worst way to communicate? What are you doing?!”

Her words were like cold water.

The fire in his chest extinguished instantly.

…What was he doing?

Why had he said that?

No.

Lin Jin pressed a hand to his chest.

His heartbeat was wrong.

Something was influencing him.

Those weren’t his emotions.