The master gave me a reassuring look. "Don't worry, she'll be out soon, begging us to come in."
I didn't know where his confidence came from, but sure enough, not long after, Mrs. Xu came out with an apologetic look on her face.
"Sorry, master. I didn't explain things clearly to her. She thought you were..."
"Do we really look like ghosts?" I glared at her, somewhat displeased. What did he mean by that? We had come to help him solve the problem with the vengeful spirit, and yet he and his wife secretly treated us this way?
After all, I had only recently entered society, and I couldn't always hide my thoughts. Whenever I had an impulse, I blurted it out.
Xu Yishan's face showed some awkwardness as he realized he had failed to explain things properly.
He looked at me and the master awkwardly. "Master, what do you think about this situation?"
Since it was me who had spoken out, he turned to look at the master, who had remained silent.
It was at that moment I realized that, from beginning to end, the master was the one Xu Yishan had entrusted with the task, not me. I had no standing to question him, so I immediately lowered my head, feeling a bit embarrassed.
The master, perhaps noticing my awkwardness, reached out and patted my back, then turned to Mr. Xu. "Mr. Xu forgot to introduce her to you. This is my apprentice. After all, I'm getting old, and soon I won't be able to handle things well on my own..."
The master didn't continue, but anyone who knew him would understand what he was implying.
I was a little surprised by the master's actions. I hadn't expected him to stand up for me. Shouldn't he have scolded me for overstepping my bounds?
It wasn't until much later that the master explained to me that in our line of work, no matter how bad the situation, we always had to maintain our dignity. Otherwise, people would lose respect for you, and the spirits would become even more audacious.
When Mr. Xu heard the master say I was his apprentice, his attitude toward me changed 180 degrees. "So, you're the young apprentice! I didn't recognize your teacher's greatness. I'm sorry for the trouble we've caused you both."
Seeing this sudden change, I inwardly despised him. He was such a small-minded person, lacking any principles, but this time I wisely kept my thoughts to myself. I politely nodded and followed the master into the room.
As soon as we entered the room, I felt the temperature shift drastically. Outside, the sun was scorching, but inside, it was freezing cold.
I instinctively asked, "What temperature do you have the air conditioning set to? Why is it so cold?"
Mr. Xu and Mrs. Xu exchanged a glance before Mr. Xu spoke. "We didn't turn on the air conditioner. Lately, we don't know why, but the room has been especially cold. We haven't needed the air conditioning in this hot weather. If we did turn it on, it would feel like winter."
I frowned upon hearing this. If it wasn't the air conditioning, the only other explanation could be the excessive yin energy in the room. Uninformed people might think it was just a temperature difference between inside and outside, but after everything I had experienced, I knew better.
When the master saw my expression change, he knew I had figured it out. He nodded approvingly. "It seems my guess was correct. That woman wasn't just trying to seek revenge; she had been trapped for 30 years. Over those years, her resentment had accumulated enough to turn her into a spirit. It's no wonder she dares to come after you."
I was a little confused. What did he mean by "that woman dared to come after me"?
Wasn't someone like me, who barely understood these matters, an easier target?
The master didn't elaborate further. He scanned the room and then asked Mr. Xu and his wife for their birthdates. They knew this was a matter of life and death, so they didn't hesitate and provided the information.
"Master, why do you need our birthdates?" Mr. Xu, being a businessman, was cautious about such matters. He wanted to know why he had to give out such sensitive information. However, he didn't expect that the master would not only ask for their birthdates but also request their left little fingers.
Upon hearing this, Mr. Xu froze, and even Mrs. Xu, who had calmed down earlier, now stared at the master with intense suspicion, as though preparing for an attack.
I, too, couldn't understand this request. "Master, why do you need their fingers?"
The master looked at me, then at Mr. Xu and Mrs. Xu. Seeing the confusion on our faces, he finally spoke. "If I'm not mistaken, tonight is the time when she will come to claim your lives. At midnight, she will come on time. As for your lives, it's a matter of life or death. A little finger—do you want to sacrifice it, or your life?"
Sure enough, when Mr. Xu and Mrs. Xu heard the master's words, their faces changed drastically. Even I was startled. But at this moment, I wisely kept silent. After all, the priority now was not about me.
After a long silence, Mr. Xu finally broke it, trembling as he walked up to the master. "Master, isn't there another way? Will that woman really come tonight?"
The master immediately frowned, his face turning grim. "If Mr. Xu doesn't trust me, then you should find someone else to help you." He stood up and walked toward me. "Let's go."
Seeing the master's posture, Mr. Xu immediately grabbed the master's hand, desperately trying to prevent us from leaving. "Cut it off, we'll cut it off."
I was surprised. These wealthy people really valued their lives. At this point, they were willing to sacrifice a finger just to stay alive.
Mrs. Xu, who had originally been unwilling, was dragged along by Mr. Xu.
The hall was left with just the master and me. I took the chance to ask the master, "Why do you need their fingers and birthdates? And tonight—will that long-haired female ghost really come to claim their lives?"
"Do you think I'm the kind of person who jokes about such things? If I say that woman will come tonight, she will. I need their birthdates and fingers to find a scapegoat. A finger or a life—what do you think they'll choose?"
As I thought about the two of them in the kitchen, I realized that anyone, even the most foolish, would know which to choose between life and a finger. Even if they lost a finger, they could still live. Life was long, but if they lost it, no amount of money could help them keep it.
Suddenly, there was a heart-wrenching scream from the kitchen.