With that, the matter came to a close.
Everyone was thoroughly impressed with Master Chu Tian, and some of the younger folks felt regretful that they had run away. If only they had known how powerful the Taoist Master was, they could have witnessed an epic battle against ghosts.
Mu Yufei laughed, "Thank you, Ah-Hao."
"It's nothing; those Xiao Gui are no big deal. I'm happy to have been able to help Sister Yu Fei," Chu Hao said with a beaming smile.
To the side, Mu Yuxun, seeing how close her sister and Chu Hao were, felt a strange discomfort inside.
「The next day.」
After being treated well by the villagers of Anli Village, Chu Hao returned to the city with the crowd.
During the journey, Chu Hao and Mu Yufei chatted and laughed together, causing the younger generation of the Mu Family to feel envious. They couldn't even join in the conversation, and even Mu Yuxun puffed her cheeks in sullenness.
「Anli City.」
After bidding farewell to the Mu Family, Chu Hao walked into a small alley. This was the old town, bustling with street stalls. After making a few turns, he arrived at his rented house.
He tiptoed upstairs, and a lazy voice rang out, "Chu Hao, where are you sneaking off to?"
Embarrassed, Chu Hao turned his head to see a seductive woman leaning against the wall. She had curly long hair and was wearing a beige dress that revealed her long, straight legs. Her bewitching eyes seemed capable of ensnaring souls, and she possessed an exotic and extremely beautiful charm. Her lips, thin and lightly colored, were tempting enough to make someone want to bite them.
Ya Xiao, also known as the Fresh Meat Killer, was Chu Hao's landlord. A woman in her thirties, she still looked as if she were twenty-three, taking exceptionally good care of herself.
With such a beautiful landlord, naturally, one would inquire about her background. According to other tenants, Ya Xiao had once been a pimp. After making some money, she returned to her hometown, bought this apartment building, and became a landlord. Whether this was true or false, no one really knew.
"Haha... What a coincidence, Sister Ya Xiao. I just finished work and am heading home," Chu Hao said, scratching his head awkwardly.
Ya Xiao glared at him, grinding her teeth. "You still have a home! When do you plan to pay the three months of overdue rent? If you don't pay up, get out."
He was indignant. After all, he was a man who had once turned down 200,000 RMB. How could she look down on him?
"How about this! I'll give Sister Ya Xiao a reading, and let's call it even for the three months' rent, how about that?" Chu Hao suggested.
Ya Xiao's mouth twitched. "Get lost! You might be able to trick the fools on the bridge, but you think you can deceive me? You've got some nerve."
Chu Hao glared. How dare she underestimate me!
"Sister Ya Xiao, did you happen to come into a small amount of unexpected wealth these past few days?" he asked.
Ya Xiao retorted disdainfully, "I've been rich for more than a day or two. You still want to fool me? Do you want to continue living here or not?"
Chu Hao hurriedly continued, "Let me put it this way, did Sister Ya Xiao find some money by chance, and was it quite a large sum?"
Ya Xiao was taken aback. How did this little rascal know? Indeed, she had found some money two days ago—a platinum diamond ring that was appraised to be worth 30,000 RMB. She had been over the moon with the find.
Ya Xiao accused angrily, "Have you been stalking me?"
Chu Hao replied disdainfully, "Stalking! That's not my style as a Taoist Master. Let me give Sister another reading. You haven't just stumbled upon unexpected wealth recently; there's also a very rich boss who wants to pursue you, right?"
Ya Xiao was surprised. The boss who wanted to pursue her hadn't shown his face yet. She was the only one who knew about it; she hadn't even told her best friends. How did he know?
Ya Xiao took another look at Chu Hao. He indeed seemed odd to her today. "Can you really read fortunes?" she inquired.
Chu Hao reeled off with eloquence, "Ancestral Taoism—bone touching, palmistry, character predictions, marriage matchmaking, destiny calculations, future outlooks, exorcising evil, subduing demons. If it's not accurate, there's no charge—honesty guaranteed for young and old alike."
With a cold laugh, Ya Xiao challenged, "Then take a look at my palm and tell me something accurate. If you get it wrong, pay the rent today."
Full of confidence, Chu Hao retorted, "And what if I get everything right? Does that mean the rent is on the house?"
"Deal."
Ya Xiao stretched out her beautiful hand—it was lovely, with fingertips like tender bamboo shoots, fair and rosy.
Chu Hao admired the woman's fingers, which seemed so flawlessly perfect.
Chu Hao had only been in a relationship once, and he hadn't even held hands with the girl. In this respect, he was quite naive and had even been teased by his friends.
Seeing Chu Hao inspecting her hand front and back, occasionally even making a swiping motion and revealing a face full of astonishment.
He looked just like a country bumpkin.
This made the thirty-year-old Ya Xiao's hands, and even her heart, itch a little, her cheeks blushing slightly.
Why am I feeling this? Could it be because I'm too lonely?
Looking at this kid again, this wasn't fortune-telling; he was clearly taking advantage!
Ya Xiao said coldly, "Have you had your fill of touching?"
Chu Hao coughed dryly, quickly withdrawing his hand, indeed having touched to the point of losing himself.
He said, "Were you born at 3:33 in the morning?"
Ya Xiao nodded subconsciously, saying, "That doesn't count; you must have seen my ID card."
Chu Hao laughed, "Look at an ID card? That's too crude. I don't just know when you were born. I also know that you grew up in poor circumstances. But as you grew older, you made money on your own and supported your whole family. And I also know that Sister Ya Xiao has an older brother, five years older than you."
"DING! Host has successfully shown off, gaining 3 Pretentiousness Points."
He had gotten everything right. Ya Xiao looked at him, her eyes full of surprise, then said mockingly, "Growing up in poverty, I did a lot of hard work. You must also find it strange how I managed to support a family, right?"
Chu Hao wanted to say something but hesitated.
Ya Xiao sneered, "Are you trying to say I went off to some other place to be a pimp!"
Chu Hao gasped in shock, shaking his head repeatedly. "It wasn't me who said that; it was Old Wang next door."
Ya Xiao snorted coldly. "You wouldn't dare. After I came out, I met a benefactor who showed me the way. I got into the clothing business and made some money."
Actually, Chu Hao had already deduced this from her palm.
Ya Xiao scrutinized Chu Hao carefully, saying, "You little brat, I didn't expect you to know how to read fortunes. I underestimated you before."
Chu Hao was proud and quickly pressed on, "Then, Sister Ya Xiao, about the rent!"
Ya Xiao smiled slyly. "No discussion. What's owed must be paid."
"You're playing with me," Chu Hao said, speechless.
Ya Xiao's lips curled up, her seductiveness blooming effortlessly. She lifted Chu Hao's chin and said, her breath like fragrant orchids, "Sister can give you a few days' grace on the rent. How about it! Little Chu Hao, come to sister's room, give my fortune a good look. You can touch anywhere you want, not just the bones. Maybe if sister is happy, I'll waive your rent altogether."
A goblin. A genuine goblin!
Chu Hao broke out in a cold sweat. He had long heard Ya Xiao liked her 'fresh meat' and could torture a man to death; he didn't want to die young, so he fled as if facing a great enemy.
Ya Xiao bent over with laughter.
Inside his room, Chu Hao said, "Sister Ya Xiao, I just took a look for you, and it's best if you don't go out for the next seven days. Be careful of a blood disaster."
"PFFT! Little brat." Ya Xiao didn't take it seriously at all.
Chu Hao returned to his little nest and started his money-making plan.
"WAHAHA... With the Pretentiousness System, maybe my dreams can come true."
He couldn't forget his dreams: endless money and driving a luxury car to school to show off.
Now that I have skills, the price has to go up. My worth isn't comparable to those charlatans on the bridge anymore.
「Bright and early the next morning, he arrived at the bridge.」