Ha, Karma! – Chapter 10

“You really believed that? Aren’t you afraid I might be lying to you?”

Fu Lianxue had nothing to do today and went out alone to clear her mind.

On a whim, she decided not to drive but to walk, and when tired, she secretly used magic.

But she didn’t know her way around.

She had only bought a house and settled in Zhou City at the beginning of the year, but after buying the house she was busy with work and hadn’t had time to properly explore the city until recently.

There was a place in her heart she wanted to visit.

A place she had visited many times thousands of years ago.

That place was in Zhou City, now converted into a scenic observation deck with a broad view.

When she arrived, not knowing the way, she asked a child for directions.

To her, a demon who had lived for thousands of years, all humans were children.

The child looked confused but still gave her proper directions.

Successfully reaching the observation deck, Fu Lianxue leaned on the black railings, taking in Zhou City’s prosperity in the cool night breeze.

Thousands of years ago, there was nothing here except wind and moon.

In the blink of an eye, it had become filled with towering buildings and endless prosperity.

She couldn’t help but sigh at how fast time passed…

Then, she remembered the wall at Tianhe Park and the writing on it.

A few seconds later, she couldn’t help but exclaim—

“Wow, the handwriting is really ugly.”

Each stroke was crooked, like a kindergartener trying to imitate adult writing.

But with the added effect of the font color, it looked quite intimidating.

Though it could only intimidate others, not a powerful demon like her.

She had lied about not seeing it in front of that girl to avoid revealing her identity.

How could an ordinary person see such supernatural things?

But that writing was truly ugly.

Her sighs merged with the wind as it gently brushed past her ears, seemingly mixed with a faint sound of water.

The observation deck was empty now. After viewing the scenery and feeling the breeze for a while, she got bored and headed home.

She walked back along the same path, wearing a baseball cap and face mask, making her way alone through the crowd.

When she got home, Baobao was already lying by the door, head raised, waiting for her.

Round eyes and an adorable face.

Its tail held high, swaying gently back and forth.

When their eyes met, it softly meowed twice.

Fu Lianxue was instantly charmed by her little darling again, immediately picking it up to shower it with kisses and pets.

“Did Baobao miss mama?

“Next time mama goes for a walk, she’ll come back earlier, or take Baobao along for the walk.

“Mama will go change clothes now, then get Baobao some cat treats, okay?”

Baobao gave a crisp meow in her arms, as if saying yes.

Fu Lianxue smiled, gently squeezed its pink paws, closed the door, and carried it along as she went to change clothes.

After changing and coming out, she first went to the kitchen for a glass of water, then got Baobao’s treats, and settled down in the spacious living room.

Fu Lianxue took a sip of water, put down the glass, placed the cat on her lap, and set the treats aside.

Her slender arms stretched along the sofa, then lazily bent to prop up her head, while her other hand gently stroked the cat who was now hissing at something in the living room.

“You’re scaring my cat.”

She suddenly spoke.

“Come out. You’ve been following me all the way and even snuck in through the door. Don’t think I don’t know.”

As her words fell, a faint water sound gradually grew louder, rippling through the living room.

In the dripping sound, a thin figure materialized.

Baobao’s fur instantly stood on end, as if facing a great enemy.

Fu Lianxue remained completely calm as she watched the ghost appear out of thin air in her home.

She picked up the cat treats and unhurriedly took Baobao into her arms, feeding it treats to calm it down.

She was curious about just one thing.

“Why are you following me?” she asked with sincere curiosity.

She had merely asked someone for directions, yet somehow ended up being followed by this dripping wet ghost with such audacity.

She couldn’t understand it and tried hard to think of a reason.

“Could it be… because I said your handwriting was ugly?”

The water ghost: “…”

After a moment—

“Is it really that ugly?”

Fu Lianxue said: “Yes, ugly.

“Like a child trying to imitate adult writing, inexperienced and clumsy.”

The water ghost scratched her head upon hearing this.

She had indeed been imitating adult writing…

No, wait!

She suddenly came to her senses.

She hadn’t followed Fu Lianxue and snuck in here to discuss whether the writing was good or not—there were more important matters at hand!

“Could you,” she looked at Fu Lianxue carefully yet hopefully, “help me?”

“No.”

Fu Lianxue rejected outright.

She didn’t even have the interest to hear what the matter was.

She tilted her head, calmly looking at the transparent female ghost before her: “Why would you ask for my help just because you saw me on the street?

“Are we close friends? Is this a charity organization?”

“Because I can sense that you’re very powerful.”

“And how is that any of your business?”

Fu Lianxue’s words completely shut down the other party.

“Little sister, you think too highly of my kindness.

“This isn’t my responsibility, and ‘the capable should do more’ doesn’t apply here.”

Her powers were for herself, not to serve others.

If she had such an enthusiastic and helpful heart, why wouldn’t she just become a demon hunter?

She lowered her eyes, picked up Baobao, scratched under its chin, listening to its comfortable purring, and said without looking up: “Leave. Don’t stay here. I don’t like people causing me trouble.”

“If you insist on staying…”

She raised her eyes, which flashed with an eerily beautiful purple light.

“Then I’ll just have to eat you.”

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Lin Yun needed good rest after being frightened.

With the paper talisman given by Chu Zhaoqiu, she had completely calmed down.

Mother Lin volunteered to stay with her, while everyone else left to avoid disturbing them.

Chu Yun followed Father Lin, politely comforting him, telling him and Mother Lin not to worry.

Bu Yu left the Lin household to complete the task Chu Zhaoqiu gave her, to investigate Chen Hong.

Chen Hong himself knew nothing, following behind Chu Zhaoqiu as they left, closing the door along the way.

Standing outside the door, Chen Hong watched the woman taking out her phone, and after a long silence, pushed his glasses and voluntarily asked: “Do you… really catch ghosts?”

Chu Zhaoqiu stopped what she was doing and turned to look him in the eyes.

Instead of answering, she counter-questioned: “Mr. Chen, are you in the same line of work?”

She could tell there was magic on Lin Yun’s copper coin, which was given by Chen Hong. Could he be a practitioner like her?

Could the “he” written on the wall by the female ghost really be referring to…

But Chen Hong flatly denied it.

“How could that be? I’m just an ordinary person, how could I possibly be a cultivator or demon hunter?

“That copper coin was really obtained from a temple for Xiaoyun, I didn’t make it myself.”

He strongly proclaimed his innocence, then looked at Chu Zhaoqiu.

She maintained her calm demeanor, merely raising an eyebrow slightly, her eyes showing no ripples of emotion.

“Then I misunderstood, please don’t mind.”

Chu Zhaoqiu finished speaking and walked downstairs, tightly gripping her phone as if there was something urgent.

Chen Hong stood there watching her departing figure, his brows tightly furrowed.

…does this person really have any abilities?

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Fu Lianxue was playing with Baobao using a cat wand [dòu māo bàng – cat toy].

Her phone rang beside her, she glanced at the contact name, swiped to answer, and spoke in an affected tone: “The young family head Chu personally calling me, what’s the matter?”

Chu Zhaoqiu got straight to the point: “Is there a female ghost on your end?”

The swinging cat wand paused for a moment, and Baobao immediately caught it.

Fu Lianxue watched Baobao biting the cat wand, her brows furrowing slightly.

“How did you know?” she thought for a moment, then added, “Are you looking for her?”

“Mm.”

Chu Zhaoqiu didn’t deny it.

Fu Lianxue asked: “What do you want with her?”

Chu Zhaoqiu counter-asked: “Do you know her?”

Fu Lianxue responded very frankly: “No, I don’t.”

Hearing this answer, Chu Zhaoqiu’s heart immediately relaxed.

It was good that Fu Lianxue didn’t know her; she really had nothing to do with this matter.

She believed Fu Lianxue wouldn’t lie to her about such things, because there was no need to.

When Fu Lianxue didn’t hear her voice, she gave a light laugh and teased: “What, do I need to know her to ask the young family head this question?”

“That’s not necessary,” Chu Zhaoqiu said, “I just have a case involving this female ghost.

“The client said you asked her for directions, and after you left, that female ghost disappeared too.”

Fu Lianxue understood, the cat wand gently swaying again.

“Ah, I get it, you suspect I’m the mastermind behind this, right?”

Just because she appeared there and when she left, the ghost followed—it did look like they were working together.

Chu Zhaoqiu’s steady voice came from the other end of the phone: “You’ve already proven you’re not.”

“Hm?”

“You don’t know her.”

Fu Lianxue heard these words and suddenly laughed.

“You really believed that? Aren’t you afraid I might be lying to you?”

“Would you?”

“Why wouldn’t I?”

“Because there’s no need to.”

A very familiar answer.

A week ago, she, Fu Lianxue, had answered her the same way.

Thinking of this, Fu Lianxue smiled, not from embarrassment or anger, but because she found this person quite amusing.

But the more amusing she found it, the more she wanted to be contrary.

“Well then, since you trust me so much, I’ll tell you something.”

“What?” Chu Zhaoqiu asked.

Fu Lianxue watched the cat wand swaying back and forth in her hand, a mischievous smile appearing in her eyes.

“That ghost, I’ve already eaten her~”

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