IMMFBCG Chapter 35 V2

Ye Xue thought for a moment and replied, “It’s very possible, but we need to go to the scene to understand the full situation.”

Ye Xue left Xu Zhou at the temple and went to find Bai Liu.

Xie Letian, seeing this young man, assumed Ye Xue had brought another capable colleague and began to discuss with her. “Daozhang, if the ghost possessing my son is my father, could you please show some mercy and deal with it gently?”

Ye Xue didn’t know where he’d gotten the idea that she was a powerful weapon and reassured him, “Don’t worry, I never harm good spirits.”

Then, Ye Xue turned to Bai Liu and said with a meaningful look, “Maybe there’s a connection between him and your father.”

Xie Letian relaxed a little but still didn’t understand, so he asked, “Daozhang, what do you mean by that?”

Ye Xue replied, “We’ll know once we get there.”

Xie Letian drove, and it took about 20 minutes for them to arrive at the ancestral home.

As they got out of the car, they noticed two figures not far away.

Wei Xiao immediately recognized them. “Mom, Zi’an?”

Ye Xue looked up and saw the young man carefully supporting the elderly woman, walking with her near the road.

Before she could get a better look at them, a sudden firecracker sound startled her.

If it startled the others, imagine how it must have affected the elderly woman.

Xie Zi’an angrily turned to the side, cursing in a dialect he spoke fluently, “These kids nowadays have no sense of public decency. They’re still setting off firecrackers in the city! Don’t they know that’s punishable by fines? They’re just being naughty and scaring old people!”

Ye Xue didn’t understand what he said, but Bai Liu translated for her.

The children playing with the firecrackers weren’t afraid of being scolded. They made faces at the adults and ran off.

Ye Xue closely observed the young man. It was clear that he was possessed by a spirit, but his original soul seemed well-protected and unharmed.

When Ye Xue saw the elderly woman beside him, she was taken aback.

The old woman was the same one Ye Xue had seen a few days ago, burning paper money in the alley.

Xie Letian frowned, seeing that the child wasn’t listening to them. “I’ll call the property management and file a complaint.”

The two figures ahead noticed the movement and looked over at them.

Bai Liu watched the young man’s figure and immediately understood why Ye Xue had called him over. He checked the time.

It was almost the seventh day.

The elderly woman, seeing them, looked surprised and asked, “Didn’t you say you were busy? Why are you back so soon?”

She looked at Ye Xue and Bai Liu, and after a brief pause, smiled kindly. “Who are these two?”

Before Xie Letian could explain, “Xie Zi’an” glanced at them and calmly interrupted, “You’re here? Just come back and we’ll talk.”

“Xie Zi’an” remained calm, as if he had expected this moment.

He turned his head to look at the elderly man, but smiled gently, speaking softly, “Let me help you back.”

Before anyone could react, “Xie Zi’an” had already helped the old man towards the alley.

The grandmother had a habit of napping every day, and she would always feel sleepy at the same time.

She looked at the crowded house, her expression hesitant, but the sleepiness kept coming in waves.

“Xie Zi’an” coaxed the elderly woman back to her room to rest, and a few minutes later, he walked out of the room and sat in the main seat.

Xie Letian watched him sip tea with that familiar gesture and finally confirmed his thoughts. Unable to help himself, he called out, “Dad…”

But “Xie Zi’an” sneered, “Finally recognized me, huh? I thought you guys wouldn’t notice until I left. All of you are never home, and didn’t even notice how your mom has been donating money to the charity box every day lately, just hoping to see me once.”

He paused for a moment, and his tone became sad, “But it’s not easy to see someone who’s gone, is it?”

Xie Letian asked in confusion, “Then how did you end up in Zi’an’s body?”

Hearing the mention of “Xie Zi’an,” “Xie Zi’an” became even more irritated, “What? Do you still have the nerve to ask me? This brat even dares to scam his grandmother’s money. After he found out that Zhengfang had been donating money to the charity box, he told her he knew a way to see ghosts. He got her to give him money to buy some tools, saying that would help him see me. I asked him what kind of tools, and it turns out he just used the money to buy skins and props for some game. When I saw him, all I could think of was how he scammed my wife’s money, I wanted to take a broom and kick this brat out!”

“Xie Zi’an” paused and tried to calm his tone, “But he did have some use. Late at night, he made a wish to see his ancestors. I happened to be nearby, and that’s how I got summoned.”

Ye Xue, upon seeing Xie Zi’an, immediately knew the boy had a special constitution.

He shared a blood relation with the old man, and since he had unknowingly agreed to let a ghost possess him, the old man’s spirit had easily merged with his body.

Wei Xiao’s face darkened as she listened, and she couldn’t help but curse, “This little brat…”

Hearing this, “Xie Zi’an” turned toward them, scolding the couple, “What? Do you think this is just his fault? You don’t have any responsibility at all? ‘A father’s failure to teach is his fault,’ you two are always so busy making money or playing on your phones, that you don’t even know how to educate your child. When he sees you on your phones, what does he do? He follows you! Do you think you have no responsibility for this? I’ve been at the ancestral house with this kid for days, and you didn’t even come to visit!”

Xie Letian and Wei Xiao lowered their heads, reflecting deeply. Xie Letian, feeling guilty, said, “Sorry, Dad. I’ll make sure to spend more time with the family from now on.”

“Xie Zi’an” looked at him with a face more serious than a boy his age should have. He sighed, “I’m not around anymore. I can’t rest easy knowing Mom’s alone at home. When she was burning paper money for me, I was so afraid she might hurt herself.”

Not paying attention to his son and daughter-in-law anymore, “Xie Zi’an” turned to Bai Liu and smiled, saying, “Mr. Wu Chang, thank you for being lenient with me, letting me stay a few more days with my wife.”

Xie Letian and Wei Xiao looked over, shocked.

Those who had heard folklore knew that Wu Chang was a ghost official, essentially a bureaucrat in the underworld.

No wonder Ye Xue had called him—this was her intention all along.

Ye Xue wasn’t surprised that Bai Liu knew the old man. She had guessed as much and had him called over for that very reason.

Apart from their shared history, the other reason was that they needed to send the old man to the underworld. Otherwise, once time passed, he’d become a wandering soul, and rebirth would be impossible.

Bai Liu raised his hand, speaking grandly, “It’s no big deal. Normally, I would wait until after the seventh day to send the soul, but now the timing is just right.”

Upon hearing this, Wei Xiao and Xie Letian lifted their heads to look at him.

Xie Letian understood they would soon be parting, and with sorrow, he asked, “Dad, are you leaving?”

Wei Xiao couldn’t hold back her tears either. They had already bid the old man farewell, but now they had to see him leave again.

“Xie Zi’an” glared at them. “Why should I stay here? Of course, I’m going to be reborn! What, you’re not comfortable unless I yell at you for a day?”

He then looked at Bai Liu and Ye Xue, turning to Ye Xue with a smile, “Little girl, I remember you. We met a few days ago, and you stood at the alley watching me and Zhengfang for a long time, right? Back then, I was curious why you were so fascinated by watching others burn paper money, but now I get it. You saw me, didn’t you?”

Ye Xue nodded, “Yes, I saw you.”

She had noticed the way he yearned for his family, which made her feel sad.

“Xie Zi’an” asked, “Do you have any way for me to see my wife again? I want to say goodbye to her before I go.”

He smiled helplessly, “She’s always wanted to see me. If I leave like this, she’ll regret it for the rest of her life.”

“There is a way.”

Ye Xue pulled a talisman from her bag and dropped some blood on it.

She walked over and gently pressed it against Xie Zi’an’s forehead, slowly drawing the soul out.

The old man’s soul left Xie Zi’an’s body. Thanks to the chair’s support, Xie Zi’an didn’t fall but remained seated.

Ye Xue placed the talisman on the soul, and it quickly solidified into shape.

Xie Letian and Wei Xiao finally saw the old man’s appearance and couldn’t help but cry, “Dad…”

The old man, though looking quite strong, glared at them, “Why are you crying? I’m not dying for the first time! What’s there to cry about? If you have the time to cry, just burn more paper money for me!”

The atmosphere that was once sorrowful was instantly lightened by this comment. Wei Xiao, unable to decide whether to laugh or cry, wiped her eyes and nodded, “We will.”

The old man, uninterested in further fuss, walked straight into the room where he had been.

Xie Zi’an suddenly groaned and woke up.

His situation was different from other possessed people because he had voluntarily allowed the possession. As a result, he still remembered the events of that time.

When he woke up, Xie Zi’an couldn’t help but marvel, “I was just joking, but it really works? I’m that awesome?”

Wei Xiao and Xie Letian wanted to scold him but held back since the two Taoist priests were still present.

Sometime later, the old man came out, his eyes red but with a relaxed expression. He looked at Xie Letian and his wife, saying, “Your mom just fell asleep. Keep it down so you don’t wake her up. Also, she’s agreed to move to the new house. Take good care of her and Zi’an from now on. Even if you’re busy making money, don’t forget to spend time with family.”

Xie Letian and Wei Xiao nodded, eyes red.

Although Ye Xue and Bai Liu hadn’t done much, they had allowed the family to see each other one last time. So, Xie Letian and his wife insisted on rewarding them.

Bai Liu took the red envelope and whispered to Ye Xue, “I’m going to find a place to leave my body temporarily. Make sure you watch over it for me.”

Thinking about how his body was retrieved from the police station, Bai Liu’s emotions were complicated.

Ye Xue, recalling the earlier mix-up, nodded and smiled, “Alright, I’ll keep an eye on it.”

The old man said his final goodbyes to his family and then approached Xie Zi’an.

He calmly reached for the vine from the bookshelf.

Seeing the familiar vine, Xie Letian shuddered, recalling his childhood fear.

Xie Zi’an, not understanding his father’s fear, looked up at his grandfather and asked, “Grandpa, are you leaving?”

The old man nodded kindly and before leaving, patted Xie Zi’an’s head, saying, “Do you know why your dad is so filial?”

Xie Zi’an asked, puzzled, “Why?”

The old man smiled gently, “Because when he was young, I used to beat him every day.”

He then handed the vine to Wei Xiao and her husband, saying, “Discipline your child well.”

With that, he left with Ye Xue and Bai Liu.

Inside the room, the elderly woman, who should have been asleep, suddenly opened her eyes and stared vacantly at the empty room.

She reached for the family photo frame, gazing at it deeply, then gently stroked it with a finger.

“He’s gone… He’s gone…” she murmured.

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Xie Zi’an looked up at the objects in his parents’ hands, and it was clear that he had realized what he was about to face.

He swallowed hard and, trembling, asked, “Dad, Mom, you’re not going to do this, are you?”

Wei Xiao held up the vine, pretending to swing it, with a fake smile as she said, “What do you think?”

With that, they slowly began to approach their child.

Throughout the process, Xie Zi’an’s cries of agony could be heard, but Xie Letian shut him up, saying, “Stop disturbing your grandmother’s rest!”

The couple worked together—one pulling down his pants, the other taking charge of the spanking—and gave the rebellious child a hard twenty swats on his backside.