This woman was stunningly beautiful—the most beautiful I had ever seen. But after staring blankly for a while, I realized it was actually Xiao Ying!
"What are you standing there for? The ceremony is about to start. Let's go inside!" Xiao Ying gently nudged me. Her smile and every movement were elegant and perfectly timed, exuding an air of refinement.
I nodded dumbly. As she held onto my arm and we walked into the hotel, I felt countless envious eyes on us. For a moment, I felt a surge of pride, as if I had become a bigger man. Entering the hotel, Xiao Ying's beauty captivated everyone's attention. Judging from their expressions, I could tell they were all wondering, Who is this guy? He's so average, yet his date is drop-dead gorgeous. How did this happen?
Ha! Let them envy all they want. I took great pleasure in thinking, Look at the women beside you—they're nothing but second-rate knockoffs. You're the pigs rooting around for weeds while I've got the real treasure.
Feeling smug, I completely forgot to wonder how Xiao Ying managed to get the invitation, and even two of them.
We found a table and sat down amidst the admiring glances. Just as I was soaking in the glory, I caught sight of Old Zhang a few tables over. That scruffy janitor left an indelible impression on me—every morning during my runs, I'd see him sweeping away. I couldn't mistake his hunched figure for anyone else.
Old Zhang saw me too. His tiny, squinting eyes locked onto me, scrutinizing Xiao Ying and me. Today, though, he wasn't his usual shabby self. Dressed in a suit and tie, he looked unexpectedly sharp. Peering closer, I spotted Wu Long beside him. The guy had a sour expression on his face and seemed to have recognized Old Zhang as well—probably recalling their midnight clash.
Beside Wu Long sat two older men with superior, aloof expressions. They were likely the master-level exorcists Wu Long had mentioned earlier. What's the deal with these so-called experts? Does looking at the ceiling somehow enhance their spiritual senses? How are they going to eat or drink like that? Stuff their noses instead?
Suddenly, a chill ran down my spine. It all clicked. Why had Old Zhang been so cooperative with Yu Zixin's schemes to manipulate An Shengzhe and Xiaoxiang? His real goal wasn't to help Yu Zixin—it was to lure Feng Lan out. Feng Lan's emergence would either force him to reabsorb her or destroy her outright. No way would he let all his hard work be taken by someone else.
Meeting Old Zhang's gaze, I refused to back down. After a moment of staring, he smirked coldly and returned his attention to the ceiling like his colleagues.
Xiao Ying nudged me lightly. "Are you planning to expose the truth here? No one's going to believe you."
"I'm not here to expose anything," I replied in a low voice. "I just want to see what An Shengzhe looks like."
"Yeah, right," she said, narrowing her eyes at me.
"I'm serious! By the way, how did you even get the invitations?"
"Hmph, not telling you," Xiao Ying said, shaking her head playfully. Her movement was so graceful that the men across from us nearly passed out from ogling her.
Fine, I dropped it. But then I whispered to Yan Xiaoning, "Hey, little ghost lady, Old Zhang is here with the other two big shots. Today's going to be tricky."
"I noticed," she said before snapping at me, "And stop calling me 'little ghost lady.' It's gross."
"At your service, Lady Ghost."
She snorted. "Quit joking. This is serious. Fortunately, I didn't see any anti-ghost wards or formations in the hall. These masters are clearly too full of themselves to bother with preparations. Two of them didn't even expect Feng Lan to show up, so they're probably not carrying the right tools to deal with her. Even if they did, it might not be enough. Here's the plan: lure Yu Zixin to the northwest corner, the Five Ghost Position. Feng Lan will strike with lightning speed and escape into the netherworld before anyone can react. Not even Old Zhang can catch her then."
I laughed when I heard her also calling him Old Zhang. "Sounds good, but how am I supposed to get Yu Zixin to go there? She won't listen to me."
"Idiot, ask Xiao Ying to do it. She'll figure it out."
"How do you know she can?"
"Because I said so! Now stop arguing, or are you looking for trouble?" she snapped.
Fine, fine! I wasn't about to argue with her. I figured out where the Five Ghost Position was, but explaining it to Xiao Ying was a headache. When she pressed me again about my true intentions, I told her I just wanted to scare Yu Zixin so she'd reveal her true colors.
Hearing that Feng Lan was involved, Xiao Ying paled but then glared at me. "You didn't warn me in advance! I'm not helping."
"Please, Auntie, don't hold a grudge. I'm sorry, okay?" I said, feigning a pitiful look.
She burst out laughing. "If you're that sincere, I guess I can help you." She grabbed a pen, scribbled something on an invitation, and handed it to a passing waiter. "Give this to the bride," she instructed.
The young waiter, thrilled to assist such a beautiful woman, practically skipped over to deliver it, nearly tripping on his way.
I caught a glimpse of her note: "An Shengzhe is waiting for you at the northwest corner." Confused, I asked, "Why would she believe that?"
"You'll see," Xiao Ying replied smugly.
Not wanting to argue, I snuck out toward the northwest corner. Glancing back, I noticed Old Zhang had left his table and was heading in my direction. Clearly, he'd seen through my plan.