After the ghost-hunting master descended the mountain, his fame spread throughout the capital.

Wang Dazhuang wanted to plead again, but seeing this, he immediately shut his mouth and dared not make a sound to disturb her.

He glanced at Jiang Dusheng's tired sleeping face, then looked down at his own new, troublesome body, and a complex expression appeared on his face.

He sighed, quietly found a relatively clean and soft thin blanket in the room, and carefully covered Jiang Dusheng with it.

After doing all this, he waved to the female ghost, and they left the house together. He then gently closed the door behind him, leaving only a small crack for ventilation.

An hour later, the sun rose higher.

After finishing his official business, Xie Jinchen returned to the backyard of the Zhou residence and found the courtyard where Jiang Dusheng was resting.

As soon as he stepped into the courtyard, his gaze instinctively fell on the closed door of the side room, and then suddenly froze.

The figure guarding the door made his pupils shrink suddenly, and his aura instantly turned icy.

Shi Qinglian?

wrong.

Without stopping, he walked straight up and finally stopped in front of the paper figure. His gaze fell on the face that was too obtrusive, as if he wanted to see the soul behind the talisman.

Xie Jinchen watched silently for a few moments, seemingly confirming something.

He raised his hand and lightly tapped his brow with his index finger knuckle, as if trying to suppress some emotion.

After a moment, he finally spoke, his voice revealing no obvious emotion:

"This haircut... was it your master who gave it to you?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Dazhuang puffed out his chest, his tone laced with pride and smugness, "Yes! Young Master Xie, look at him, handsome, isn't he? Extraordinary, isn't he?"

"I think compared to you... well, I'm slightly inferior!"

He originally wanted to say "evenly matched", but seeing Xie Jinchen's face darken even more in an instant, he cleverly changed his words.

Xie Jinchen didn't respond to that, and didn't even bother to look at his eye-catching face anymore. He took a step to walk past Wang Dazhuang and went straight into the house.

"Hey! Young Master Xie, please wait!" Wang Dazhuang quickly moved a few steps to block the door again, trying his best to make a serious expression.

"The master has decreed that no one, not even a ghost, is allowed to enter and disturb her while she rests. Please don't make things difficult for me!"

Upon hearing this, Xie Jinchen paused and stopped.

He didn't force his way in; he simply stood still.

After a moment, he suddenly spoke, his voice flat and devoid of emotion:

"You look so new..."

He paused, then finally parted his thin lips slightly and clearly uttered two words:

"So ugly."

"What?!" Wang Dazhuang was struck dumb, clutching his chest with his hand, taking an exaggerated step back, his face full of disbelief.

"What's ugly about it?! Those eyebrows, those eyes, that bearing! Young Master Xie, are you blind?!"

Xie Jinchen ignored his wailing and howling, as if his previous words were just a casual remark.

He turned around and walked casually toward a path at the back of the courtyard, his steps unhurried.

Before leaving, he added, seemingly unintentionally:

"Don't believe me? Go ask around the kitchen. There are lots of people there, and you're sure to find a few who will tell the truth."

He slightly turned his head, glancing out of the corner of his eye at Wang Dazhuang, who was still blocking the doorway with a defiant look on his face:

"Oh, by the way, check on how today's lunch is going."

Upon hearing the words "kitchen" and "lunch," Wang Dazhuang's eyes immediately lit up.

"I'll go check out today's meals right away!" He immediately put his important duty of guarding the gate to the back of his mind and, controlling his brand-new body, ran out excitedly.

He had just joyfully dashed out a few steps and crossed the threshold of the courtyard gate when he suddenly stopped, turned around to face Xie Jinchen's retreating figure, and asked:

"Wait! Young Master Xie! You...you wouldn't have sneaked in and disturbed the Master's sleep while I was away, would you?"

Xie Jinchen had his back to him, his expression unchanged, his voice steady and calm, without the slightest flaw:

"No. I have urgent official business to attend to at the front hall, it's just on my way."

"That's good! That's good! Please take care, Your Highness! Official business is important!" Upon hearing this, Wang Dazhuang was completely relieved, and his last trace of doubt vanished. He cheerfully responded, turned around, and ran towards the kitchen.

The courtyard has regained its tranquility.

However, the moment Wang Dazhuang disappeared, Xie Jinchen paused, abruptly turning back from the path behind him and returning to the door of the room.

He raised his hand, his fingertips lightly touching the door panel, and pushed it open a crack almost without making a sound. He then flashed into the house.

He then gently closed the door behind him, shutting out all light and sound from the outside world.

The room was dimly lit, and Jiang Dusheng was fast asleep, wrapped in the thin blanket that Wang Dazhuang had covered her with.

Xie Jinchen walked to the edge of the couch and sat down, looking down at her for a moment.

He didn't say anything, but simply reached into the edge of the blankets, found her hand curled up beside her, and wrapped it around her hand.

Jiang Dusheng seemed to sense something in her sleep, her fingertips twitching slightly in his palm, but that aura was already familiar to her.

Instead of waking up, she leaned slightly towards the direction of the source in her hazy sleepiness.

Xie Jinchen felt the subtle movement in his palm and watched her unconsciously approach. The frost in his eyes seemed to melt away for a moment in a corner unseen by anyone.

afternoon.

When Jiang Dusheng woke up, the first thing he felt was the warmth from his palms and the soothing feeling of warmth throughout his body.

She slowly opened her eyes.

At first glance, Xie Jinchen was seen leaning against the carved bed frame, his eyes closed, seemingly asleep.

Even after a sleepless night and a hectic day, his aloof and cool demeanor remained undiminished.

Xie Jinchen seemed to sense something and suddenly opened his eyes.

Jiang Dusheng quickly looked away and tried to sit up.

Only when he moved did he realize that his hand was still firmly held in his palm.

"How did you get in?" Her voice was slightly hoarse from just waking up, but her tone unconsciously carried a questioning tone as she tried to pull her hand away.