Always by your side

Ch 20. Of love and other demons

Past

Wei Ying

POV

When I told Lan Zhan that I promised the world to Madam Yu, I exaggerated a bit. She asked as payment six months of servitude to the Jiang's house. I gladly obliged.

As Meng Yao ended his internship, I finished helping Nie Mingjue. So I started to visit Jiang's business each day. First, they sent me to logistics and delivery, then as a personal assistant of Madam Yu. Although, the family business was food. She worked outside as a Feng shui expert and consultant.

People paid her to go to their house, assess the energy, buy plants, arrange mirrors, put fountains, etc. So in a matter of a few months, I have become an expert chef, a musician, a maid, an amateur detective, a messenger, a gardener, a painter and a construction worker. So if uncle Qiren throws me out of the house, I have a good set of skills to provide for Lan Zhan.

We haven't told him yet. We must, but we keep stalling. He will be furious. I know, and Lan Zhan knows it too. So for now, we keep our romance quiet, we hold hands when no one sees, and we hide to kiss and cuddle.

I have been working with Madam Yu for over a couple of months now, and she drives us to a remote location. The client is super-rich, but she hasn't stopped frowning the entire way. As we left the city and approached the mountains, she started talking, "This job might not be like the others. It will be too dangerous for you to come with me this time". Then we arrived at a big old house that looked abandoned. She stopped the car, opened the glove compartment, took a box and left saying, "I will enter first if I do not come back in fifteen minutes, call your uncle."

And then she was gone.

I started to look at the watch before ten minutes had passed; I heard a scream, and a window on the left of the house exploded. I rushed inside. Uncle won't make it on time.

There are things in this world for which I am not prepared. Seeing madam Yu forcibly levitating, kicking and screaming is one of those. It seems that the spirit is trying to take over. I look at the scene, and soon, something on the floor catches my attention: Chengquin.

I launch myself at the flute and start playing. This guy is strong, but soon it takes the shape of an older man. Again, I use empathy to see his desires.

An older adult brings a table inside the house, it is our ghost, and he looks satisfied. Then he sits on the couch and waits to look at the window, and waits and waits until two men in blue appear on the door. He then understands that no one will come. He makes several phone calls. Every time is more or less the same, he greets someone and asks when they will be coming, and the person apologizes and hangs out. He looks sadder each time. The vision vanishes.

He then speaks to me, "young man, maybe are you looking for a house? I am waiting for my grandchildren, but I have a few spare rooms. Would you like to stay here?"

I smile. Understanding dawns on me. I said, "Sure, it seems that this house is quiet, and the garden looks pretty. I will be honoured to join you. However, I think that your grandchildren won't be coming, they have already passed away. Maybe would you like to go and see them first?"

The ghost looks shocked and then sad. He shook his head. "I can't. I have to take care of the garden". I reply, "I will do it for you, now go". I draw a talisman and paste it on the ghost, and just like that, he is gone.

I help Yu Ziyuan to sit. She looks at me and asks, "Who taught you that melody? I am sure Cangse Sanren knows some of the basics of demonic cultivation, but the one who has to carry that burden is me."

I couldn't see her in the face. I gave her back the flute. "I am sorry, it was out of line, but I was worried about the spirit."

She sighs. "So I was right. When we talked at the orphanage, I felt something different in you. These objects are powerful, but only a few people know they are still functioning. My husband owns Chenquing, but he has little spiritual energy. It will pass to my boy when he comes to the right age. I have Zidian. My daughter will inherit it".

We walk together to the car. "I will drive", I offer, and she denies it. "No, I am not a fragile damsel in distress" I smiled. "Of course not".

We drove in silence towards home. So if she has Chenqing and Zidian, uncle Qiren also has a helpful instrument to combat spirits. I can only think of one thing powerful enough to do the job. Also, Madam Yu supposed that I learned a flute melody that controls spirits from Sanren, which means she has a powerful flute. "I would like to know something," I asked, "is Madam Sanren related to the Lan family?"

Madam Yu sighs, "Cousins, but they behave as master and disciple due to the age difference."

I nailed it.

Present

Wei Ying POV

As the doctor approaches, everybody becomes tense. Yu hugs her husband, and Fengmian bites his lips. I felt a hand in mine, and I held Lan Zhan as if my life depended on it.

The doctor said, "The surgery went ok, but they aren't out of danger yet. So we need to check them. Also, Mr Cheng needs a blood transfusion soon."

Lan Zhan and I get the drug prescription and buy the medicines needed. Then, Yu and Fengmian started calling every extended family member and asked them to donate blood. Finally, Qiren goes to pay the hospitalization bills.

An hour later, there is some more organization, but some people are missing. I wander around, and I hear Yu and Qiren talking. "We need to find them. They are our best hope to get our boys ok," says Qiren. "But, do you think that Xingchen will be able to wield Liebling?" asks Yu almost in whispers.

"He should be", states Qiren "however, we do not know where he is."

"Xue Yang must know", I cough to make them notice me.

Qiren shrugs. "We will find him. You have a job to do, don't you?" I nod. I left them to find my husband and drag him to interrogate Mo Xuanyu.