After the Ghost Crone left, even Su Qing took a few minutes to recover. It seemed that she, like me, had never seen such mysterious dark arts before.
"No way!" Suddenly, Su Qing uttered firmly.
"What's no way?" I looked at her, puzzled.
"Absolutely not! Why should we listen to her? I want to get involved! Forcing someone to carry a zombie fetus is too much!" Su Qing pouted determinedly, as if her mind was set on seeking justice for Xu Meng.
"Can you handle that old crone, though?" I inquired.
Su Qing shook her head, evidently lacking confidence.
"I can't, but I have a senior brother!" She said before disappearing into the night, beyond recall.
That girl, didn't she promise to help me out with work? How could she just leave like that? And who is this senior brother? Zhang Qing?
"Boss, let it go. If she wants to help, let her. We shouldn't provoke that Ghost Crone," Aixing advised me, still fearful.
But how could I let it go? Xu Meng's life was already full of hardship; how could I ignore her plight and add to her suffering? Even Su Qing, a stranger, decided to stand up for her. Having met Xu Meng, could I turn a blind eye?
Aixing further pointed out that even if that Ghost Crone could be beaten, the Lin family patriarch was also a ruthless character. Maybe if my grandfather were still here, we could take a stand, but I was too inexperienced to confront them.
Out of curiosity, I asked Aixing about this patriarch of the Lin family. Having not been in Zhonghai City for long, I hadn't heard about many people, but thankfully Aixing knew.
He explained that the patriarch, Lin Lang, used to be involved in flipping houses with a violent past, known as 'fierce houses' – places marred by murder, accidental deaths, or hauntings.
Such houses usually sell for much less—for example, a house worth a million could go for three hundred thousand or even less if it's deemed a fierce house.
Lin Lang would buy these properties and then sell them at their original value, completely concealing their history. Once the contract was signed, there was no legal recourse against him. After all, in our times, you can't just sue someone for selling a fierce house, especially after signing a contract.
This flipping business allowed Lin Lang to make huge profits, multiplying his wealth many times over. However, such deceit harms one's moral integrity, and dealing with unclean properties comes with repercussions. By the time Lin Lang was in his forties, he still had no children.
He eventually sought a master's advice who told him to cease dealing in fierce houses and to engage in more charitable deeds; perhaps it wasn't too late to make amends.
Lin Lang heeded the master's advice, stopped dealing in such properties, and embarked on a legitimate real estate venture, making frequent charitable contributions. A few years later, he had a son named Lin Feng.
In addition to being blessed with a son, his real estate business also flourished, propelling him to the position of a top magnate in Zhonghai City.
Unfortunately, his son Lin Feng recently fell victim to a sudden illness and passed away. Now without the power to have more children, the Lin lineage was facing extinction.
With immense wealth and standing as one of Zhonghai City's most formidable figures, Lin Lang would go to great lengths to protect the last hope of his family line in Xu Meng's womb. If I dared to interfere, he might fight me with all his might.
As a newcomer to Zhonghai City, could I stand up to such a powerful tycoon?
Aixing's concerns were valid, yet, I wouldn't give up on Xu Meng's issue. If I could help, I was determined to see it through.
As the night grew deep, I set aside future worries for the time being. Aixing and I cleaned up and went to bed; there were three rooms on the second floor, one of which I gave to Aixing.
Aixing didn't disappoint me—he brought a client to see me early the next morning.
After the Ghost Crone departed, it took Su Qing several minutes to recover, indicating that the occult dark arts she had witnessed were as new to her as they were to me.
"No way!" she suddenly declared.
"What's no way?" I asked, looking at her curiously.
"Absolutely not! Why should we obey her? I'm going to get involved! Forcing someone to bear a zombie fetus is just too cruel!" Su Qing protested, her lips pursed in determination, as though she had made up her mind to advocate for Xu Meng.
"Can you really take on that old crone?" I asked.
Su Qing shook her head, signaling her lack of confidence.
"I can't, but my senior brother can!" she said, then disappeared into the night, leaving without a chance for me to call her back.
That girl—didn't she promise to help with work? Why did she rush off like that? And who is this senior brother? Could it be Zhang Qing?
"Boss, just forget it. If she wants to help, then let her be. We can't afford to provoke that Ghost Crone," Aixing, who was still scared, advised me to stay out of it.
But how could I just walk away? Xu Meng's life was already harsh enough. If even a stranger like Su Qing wanted to stand up for her, how could I, knowing Xu Meng, simply ignore the situation and turn a blind eye?
Aixing added, even if someone could overpower the Ghost Crone, Lin Lao Ye from the Lin family was also a fearsome character. Maybe if my grandfather were around, we might have stood a chance, but as a greenhorn, how could I go up against them?
Speaking of Lin Lao Ye, I had some curiosity: who was this person? I hadn't been in Zhonghai City long and wasn't familiar with many personalities, but fortunately, Aixing was well-informed.
He explained that Lin Lao Ye, named Lin Lang, started out dealing in haunted houses.
These haunted houses, typically selling for much less due to untimely deaths or other supernatural occurrences, were properties Lin Lang would buy at low prices and then flip at their market value, concealing their histories. Unable to sue for such transactions, buyers had no recourse once they signed the contract.
Flipping these houses earned Lin Lang a considerable wealth, but dealing with so much negative karma and the impurities attached to such properties likely had its consequences. By his forties, Lin Lang still had no children.
After consulting with a master, Lin Lang was advised to stop dealing in haunted houses and to do good deeds in the hopes of rectifying his life. Taking this advice, he switched to legitimate real estate ventures and philanthropy, which led to the birth of his son, Lin Feng, after a few years.
Beyond having an heir, Lin Lang's real estate business also prospered, making him a top tycoon in Zhonghai City.
However, his son Lin Feng had recently succumbed to a sudden illness, leaving Lin Lang incapable of having more children and the family line without a successor.
With his enormous wealth, Lin Lang was a formidable figure in Zhonghai City. If I were to meddle with the undead fetus in Xu Meng's womb, the last hope for the Lin family lineage, Lin Lang would likely go to any lengths to protect it.
Could I, a newcomer, really stand up against such a prominent magnate of Zhonghai City?
Despite the valid concerns Aixing had shared, I wouldn't give up on Xu Meng's situation. If I could lend a hand, I was determined to do so to the fullest.
As the night wore on, I decided to leave my worries for the future and went to bed. Aixing and I went to sleep after tidying up, with me assigning one of the three rooms on the second floor to Aixing.
Contrary to my expectations, Aixing did not disappoint me. Early the next morning, he brought a client to meet me.