Chapter 14: Tonight, Leave the Window Open

A gust of cold wind passed through the room.

Yang Mao, sitting at the computer organizing spreadsheets, shivered.

 

His back stiffened.

He slowly turned his head, eyes wide, terror reflected in them.

“Master…”

Qianyang leaned back on the sofa, her expression calm, as if she were stating something utterly ordinary.

 

The connected netizen and the stream fell into dead silence at the same time.

 

A moment later, a dense army of question marks scrolled across the top of the screen.

 

– ?????

– Huh????

– Do you even hear what you’re saying??

– Damn…

– I’m home alone!

– Damn!!!

I’m in the shower!

The stream was playing in the living room.

I ran out without even putting on clothes!

– Qianyang!!

I’ll fight you!

– Don’t start at zero frames!

– You’re joking, right…

 

Qianyang said, “I’m not joking.”

 

– …

– (Through gritted teeth) You’d better be joking.

– Haha (bitter laugh).

How could ghosts exist in this world?

I don’t believe it.

– The little black cat’s reincarnation wasn’t…

– AHHHH!

Shut up!

– Hey… I, I work at a funeral parlor!

– Is it okay for the streamer to say this?

– Too unfriendly for timid people.

– Right!

She might have just been asking casually…

 

Just then, the long-silent connected netizen took a breath.

“I see…”

After a rustling of fabric, the screen brightened a bit.

The camera zoomed in.

Half of a young face occupied a third of the screen, deliberately aiming most of the frame at the space behind her.

 

The girl asked, “…Is it talking?”

 

Qianyang nodded.

“It’s talking.”

 

– ???

– Shut up!

– Are you two okay??

 

The girl took another breath and mustered her courage.

“What is it saying?”

 

Qianyang paused for a few seconds, as if listening carefully.

Then she said, “It says your egg tarts are burnt.”

 

The girl froze, then remembered something, and her expression lit up with realization.

“Holy shit… I still have egg tarts in the oven!”

 

“Master, wait for me!”

 

Qianyang nodded.

“Okay.”

 

The girl put down her phone.

The camera pointed straight at the dim ceiling.

 

– ?

– Really?

– Don’t do this…

– Scripted.

– I hate scripted stuff like this.

 

Yang Mao had been listening for a while.

He inexplicably felt gusts of cold wind behind him and unconsciously moved closer to Qianyang.

He swallowed.

“Master, th-there are really ghosts?”

 

Qianyang looked at him with confusion.

“You’ve never seen one?”

 

Yang Mao: “???”

 

“I’ve never seen one…”

As he said this, Yang Mao suddenly remembered something.

His expression turned to shock.

“The, the ancestor?”

 

Qianyang shook her head, looking skeptical.

“Given your constitution, you should be very likely to see ghosts.”

 

Yang Mao trembled involuntarily.

“Master, the direction you said I was suited for earlier… that couldn’t be…”

Qianyang said, “Mediumship.”

 

Seeing the expression on Yang Mao’s face gradually crack, Qianyang patted his shoulder and explained, “You have heavy resentment.

It’s easier for you to establish connections with ghosts.”

 

But Yang Mao’s face only grew darker.

Qianyang reassured him, “Don’t worry.

Mediumship isn’t as scary as you imagine.”

“…Master, can I not learn it?”

Yang Mao looked at her hopefully.

 

His master could see ghosts with her naked eye and hear them speak.

He didn’t want to become like that!

 

Qianyang’s expression turned serious.

She said coldly and relentlessly, “No.”

 

– Ah…

– I admit the streamer is amazing with Yingying and Little Black, and I believe ghosts exist in the world—too many things science can’t explain.

But…

– Ehh, I’m sort of a peer.

I’ve been lurking for a while.

This feels really far-fetched.

– My master is a well-known medium who often helps ordinary people connect with ghosts.

Every time, he has to go through complex rituals to speak with ghosts.

The streamer can see ghosts with her naked eye and talk to them directly?

How is that possible?

 

Qianyang saw this prominent comment and answered, “Ordinary mediums certainly can’t do that.”

 

– ?

– Awesome.

– I’ve wanted to say this before.

The streamer is really arrogant.

– Maybe it’s not arrogance.

Maybe she’s just stating the facts?

 

After a moment, the screen shook, and the girl’s voice sounded again.

“Master, I’m back!”

 

As the camera moved, a plate of pitch-black things appeared on the screen, completely unrecognizable.

 

The girl said with a mournful face, “The oven is too old.

Such a waste.”

 

– Wow, it really is burnt egg tarts.

– Could there really be a ghost beside her?

– …She doesn’t seem very scared.

 

Qianyang wasn’t interested in the blackened things in her bowl, but she was a bit curious about the girl’s attitude toward ghosts.

After all, most people avoided them.

 

Qianyang asked, “How did you know there was a ghost beside you?”

 

The girl put down the plate, sat down on the sofa, and revealed her full face.

She looked about twenty years old.

 

She sighed.

“Master, to be honest, I’ve connected with many occult streamers online.

They either say a bunch of high-sounding nonsense to fool me or don’t even believe ghosts exist.

You’re the first streamer who could tell at a glance that there’s a dirty thing following me.”

 

Hearing this, Qianyang’s voice hesitated. “…Do you feel anything?”

 

The girl shook her head, then realized something and looked left and right.

“What is it doing?”

 

“It seems it doesn’t like the term ‘dirty thing.’

It kicked you.”

 

The girl moved her body a bit and muttered, “I don’t feel anything.”

 

– What’s going on?

– Sounds so real.

 

Qianyang said, “So, how did you know?”

 

The girl slumped her shoulders and spoke slowly.

“About a year ago, I was working the night shift at a 24-hour convenience store.

One day, I was dozing off at the counter and accidentally knocked over a teacup, spilling water into a power strip that was plugged in.

Half-asleep, I heard a voice calling my name repeatedly.

I immediately woke up.

The power strip was already smoking.”

 

Hearing this, Qianyang narrowed her eyes and said nothing.

 

– Wow…

– That ghost saved her!

– Couldn’t it have been her own subconscious smelling something burning?

 

The girl saw the comment and shook her head.

“At first I thought it was a coincidence too.

But in one year, I’ve encountered nearly a dozen similar incidents.

Every time, it was the same voice that called out to me.

So I suspected there was something invisible beside me, like a guardian spirit or something?”

 

– ??

– How many times has it happened?

– …Have you considered that the problem might be you?

 

Qianyang asked, “You can hear its voice?”

 

The girl said, “Normally I can’t, but when I’m in danger, I can.

It’s pretty clear.”

 

Qianyang: “…”

“Have you never been suspicious?”

 

The girl looked confused.

“Suspicious of what?”

 

Qianyang said, “Suspicious of why you’ve encountered dangerous situations repeatedly over the past year.”

“…I haven’t, actually.”

The girl scratched her head sheepishly and gave a silly laugh.

“I’m naturally careless.

I’ve always made mistakes.

I’m used to it.”

 

– No wonder.

– So careless.

Nearly died a dozen times in a year.

I wonder how you’ve survived this long.

– My stupidity intolerance is acting up.

– You totally deserve it.

 

Many critical and harsh comments scrolled by.

The girl pressed her lips together and lowered her head.

After a moment, she forced a smile.

“Master, I watched your stream with Yingying and her father.

I believe you can help me.

I want to talk to the guardian spirit beside me and thank it.

Or if it wants something, I can burn it some offerings.

Can you help me?”

 

– You really should thank it properly.

– That ghost has worried itself sick over you.

You really should burn something for it.

 

Qianyang said, “I can help you.

But why do you want to thank it?”

 

The girl said, “I’m too careless.

Without it beside me, I might have died many times already.”

 

Qianyang glanced at the comments.

“Isn’t that putting the cart before the horse?”

“…Huh?”

The girl looked puzzled.

 

“It’s not your fault.”

 

The girl looked confused.

She didn’t understand.

 

Qianyang explained, “You have the cause and effect reversed.

It’s not that you encounter danger and it saves you.

It’s that because it follows you, you repeatedly encounter danger.”

 

The girl looked lost.

“Huh?

Is that so?”

 

– …

– Oh, right!

– The people who were cursing earlier, want to come out and apologize?

– Ghosts aren’t good things anyway.

 

“But, but… it saved me,” the girl stammered.

 

Qianyang said, “Yes.

It doesn’t want to harm you.

It just doesn’t know that staying beside you brings you bad luck.”

 

The girl gave a wry smile.

“Actually, I’ve been unlucky my whole life.

Just especially unlucky this past year.”

 

Qianyang glanced at Yang Mao outside the camera.

“Apprentice, you’ll have to learn mediumship too.

This is a good opportunity.

Let me explain it to you.”

 

“Interested viewers in the stream can also listen.

But whether you can comprehend and learn it depends on your own constitution.

Don’t force it.”

 

Yang Mao made a bitter face and reluctantly nodded.

 

During this time, Qianyang had been practicing the heart sutra daily with Yang Mao and the viewers, but she hadn’t taught anything else.

One reason was that Yang Mao’s temperament wasn’t steady enough.

Another was that the stream had too few viewers.

Qianyang didn’t want to repeat this content a second time.

Now was a good opportunity.

 

– AHHHH!

– You dare to say it, but I dare not listen!

 

“There’s no need to be so afraid.

In fact, not every person becomes a ghost after death.”

“Only those with unfinished wishes or unresolved ties will linger in this world after death, unable to move on.”

 

Qianyang spoke at a measured pace.

“After they die, they forget everything they experienced in life.

They have no desires or demands.

They don’t easily develop thoughts of harming people.

Moreover, the living are yang, the dead are yin.

Yin and yang are separate realms.

Under normal circumstances, you won’t encounter or feel them, and ghosts cannot touch you either.

So there’s no need to worry.”

“Some people with a yin constitution are more likely to attract them, but even then, they can only establish weak connections through dreams or during moments of weak willpower.”

 

Yang Mao asked curiously, “Master, do I have a yin constitution?”

Qianyang said, “You’re the second case.

Too much resentment.”

 

Yang Mao: “…”

The girl said, “And me?”

“Yes,” Qianyang nodded.

 

“After all, they are dead people.

Spending a long time with them leads to yin flourishing and yang declining.

Your luck will naturally become terrible.

In severe cases, you’ll experience dizziness, lethargy, and with a single misstep, you’ll die a violent death.”

After finishing, Qianyang paused briefly and continued, “Even if it doesn’t intend to harm you, but rather… needs something from you.”

 

Qianyang looked at the thoughtful girl on the screen and warned, “Your brow is dark with bad luck.

Your body is shrouded in misfortune.

If this continues, your luck will only worsen.

One day, you’ll die in the streets.

But I can help you drive it away.”

 

– Sigh.

– The ghost doesn’t mean any harm either.

– It doesn’t know it brings bad luck to others.

 

The girl hesitated for a few seconds, then said uncertainly, “Master, are you saying it might need something from me?”

 

“That’s right,” Qianyang said.

 

The girl pressed her lips together.

“Master, could you please ask for me what it needs me to do?”

Qianyang said, “It no longer remembers.”

 

Qianyang looked at her expression and asked, “Do you want to help it?”

 

The girl opened her mouth as if to speak, then hesitated. “…Yes.”

 

The stream was in full swing.

Netizens spread the news across various platforms.

The viewership approached fifty thousand.

 

Consider that on a new platform like Qing Ning, top streamers in other categories only had two to three thousand viewers.

Qianyang had effectively brought tens of thousands of downloads to the platform in a short time.

 

At this spectacle, streamers from other categories on Qing Ning flooded into the stream to watch the excitement.

 

– Eating popcorn.jpg

– I heard the streamer single-handedly boosted Qing Ning’s downloads.

Came to observe and learn.

– For those who don’t know, aren’t the Occult Zone all a bunch of charlatans?

– The person above, I suggest you watch all of the streamer’s replays before speaking.

– …Generally speaking, the Occult Zone isn’t this lively?

Master Qingsi’s streams average around a hundred thousand viewers.

– Is it possible our streamer actually has skill?

– Why are people still praising Qingsi?

Doesn’t everyone know he’s been riding on her coattails?

– That was his fans’ doing.

Qingsi himself never admitted it.

– Qianyang’s fans love to drag others down, huh?

Master Qingsi is also very skilled and has helped many people.

– With all due respect, I’ve never understood how Qianyang compares to Master Qingsi.

– Weren’t you the ones dragging her down first?

– Hot take: Qingsi was helpless to save Yingying.

Qianyang found a way to save her.

– No need to compare.

The difference is clear.

 

Amid the endless gift effects, some colorful subtitles appeared.

Signed streamers from the same platform showed gold names when they entered the room.

Viewers with differing opinions mocked and attacked each other, while some silently supported the stream with tips.

 

Qianyang advised, “Don’t quarrel carelessly.

It affects your own energy field.

You’ll encounter difficulties in life, work, and love.”

 

– (Shutting up)

– Really??

– …

As soon as she said this, the comments fell silent instantly.

 

Just then, a gold comment scrolled by: – So magical?

It suddenly went quiet.

 

– Dying of laughter.

– Qingsi’s fans, keep arguing.

– Didn’t you dismiss Qianyang?

Keep dragging her down.

– Hahahaha.

 

Qianyang ignored those comments and reminded them, “If you feel restless, you can listen to the edited version of the heart sutra in the collection.”

 

Since Yang Mao’s temperament had stabilized, Qianyang no longer led him through the heart sutra every morning.

But some viewers still loved it, so Yang Mao had edited past heart sutra clips into a collection in the stream’s featured section for others to learn.

 

– I suggest certain fans listen to it more and stop running wild on other people’s turf.

– Seconded!

 

“Hehe.”

Just then, a silly laugh came from the connected screen.

 

“Master, your stream is really lively,” the girl said with a smile.

 

Qianyang said, “Back to business.”

 

The girl with the ID Cangcang was silent for a few seconds, then spoke again.

“Master, I suspect she was murdered!”

 

– Holy shit?!

– This intense?

 

Qianyang was taken aback.

“Why do you say that?”

 

Cangcang looked hesitant, unsure whether to speak.

Qianyang said, “Say it directly.”

 

Cangcang pressed her lips.

“Is it still beside me?”

Qianyang nodded.

“Yes.”

 

“What does it look like?”

 

– …

– Wrapping myself in my blanket.

 

Qianyang could indeed see certain things with her naked eye.

Her master had once said that she might be the most gifted person of the Qian family in centuries.

 

“It’s a girl.

Looks about sixteen or seventeen… trying to eat your burnt egg tarts,” Qianyang said calmly.

 

Yang Mao sat nearby, swallowing hard, straining his eyes to look at the blackened egg tarts on the screen.

Unfortunately, he couldn’t see anything.

Not seeing was good!

Not seeing was good!

A talent for mediumship?

He would rather not have it.

 

Qianyang glanced at him.

“Don’t worry.

You’re far from seeing ghosts with your naked eye.”

 

Yang Mao: “…”

He felt a little deflated.

 

Hearing Qianyang’s words, Cangcang’s eyes lit up.

She said loudly, “Master, you really weren’t lying to me!”

 

Qianyang: “?”

“You thought I was lying to you before?”

Cangcang gave an awkward smile.

“No, I just didn’t expect you to be so amazing.”

 

– Sixteen or seventeen?

That’s too young.

– Wow…

– What’s going on?

– Waiting.

 

Cangcang continued, “Actually, I’ve dreamed about her several times.”

 

Qianyang said, “She’s been following you for too long.

She unconsciously sent you dreams.”

 

“In the dream, she’s a sixteen- or seventeen-year-old girl.

Although I’ve tried connecting with many occult streamers, I never told them that detail.”

 

– Hiss… come to think of it, I’ve seen Cangcang before.

– She’s been to many small streamers’ rooms on Shark and Xiaoyueliang.

– Why only small streamers??

– No kidding.

Big streamers cost hundreds or thousands just to connect.

Small streamers cost only tens of yuan.

 

Even though Qianyang could see ghosts with her naked eye, she couldn’t know things that even the ghost itself had forgotten.

 

Qianyang asked, “What did you dream about?”

 

Cangcang said, “The images in the dreams were blurry.

Her parents didn’t have a good relationship.

The atmosphere at home was especially oppressive.

Her mother was always crying.

Her father was always drinking at night…”

“Anyway, it was the same scenes over and over.

Her family neglected her, didn’t care about her.

It seemed like she was often locked in a room by herself.”

 

Qianyang lowered her brow and thought for a moment.

“Besides your innate constitution, there should be another reason she’s stayed with you for so long.

Are you sure you want to help her?”

 

Cangcang nodded.

“I want to help her fulfill her wish so she can reincarnate soon.”

 

“Even though she almost got you killed?”

 

Cangcang said, “But if I drive her away, she’d be all alone… no, a ghost all alone, and that would be too pitiful.

And she might follow someone else and bring them bad luck too.

If I help her do what she wants, then she should be able to reincarnate, right?”

 

“Yes.

Generally speaking, once the tie that keeps her in this world is untied, she will enter the cycle of reincarnation.”

 

Cangcang’s gaze was firm.

“She’s been with me for so long.

I want to help her.

But…”

Her voice grew weaker.

“But… I hope Master can help me.

I can’t do it alone.

And, and… I don’t have much money.”

 

Qianyang said “Oh.”

“Without money, I can’t help you.”

 

– …

– Well…

– You’ve received so many tips.

Can’t you help someone?

– Where is your compassion?

– Forget her.

Several big streamers offer one free connection per day.

Cangcang, you can try your luck there.

 

Qianyang said, “Since you’ve watched many occult streams, don’t you know that helping someone must be paid?

More from the rich, less from the poor…

Oh, there are also cases where no money is taken.”

“Want to know what they are?”

Qianyang gave a slight smile.

 

– What?

– What what?

 

Qianyang said calmly, “The dying are not charged.

Those facing unavoidable catastrophe are not charged…”

“Take my money!”

Before she finished, Cangcang quickly spoke up.

 

“I will definitely pay!”

Cangcang raised three fingers, looking utterly sincere.

“Master, take my money!”

 

Just then, Yang Mao had been tilting his head, thinking for a long time.

He suddenly realized.

“Holy shit?!

Master, you didn’t take my money that day!”

 

Qianyang said, “You wanted to become my disciple.

Naturally, it was waived.”

 

– There’s a rule like that?

– Yes.

And the beneficiary must do good deeds.

Otherwise, one day, disaster will strike.

– What if someone changes their mind?

Doesn’t pay?

Or pretends to be poor when they’re rich?

 

Qianyang saw this comment.

Her lips parted slightly.

“They will surely suffer sudden misfortune.”

“However, there is a difference between doing the job well or poorly.

If you encounter a charlatan, there are no side effects.”

 

– Got it.

Only masters with real skill are effective.

– That’s fair.

 

“Master…” Cangcang looked embarrassed.

“A while ago, I was fired.

Without a degree, I can’t find a new job.

I don’t have much money left.”

 

“Do you have one durian?”

Cangcang nodded.

“Yes.”

 

“Then that’s fine.”

 

“Thank you, Master.

Should I tip it now?”

“After the job is done.”

 

“Thank you, Master!”

 

– …

– Fifty yuan??

– How much did I think she was asking for!

– The god of cost-effectiveness!

 

Cangcang asked, “Master, what should I do?”

 

Qianyang said, “You need to establish a connection with her yourself.”

“Tonight, you must open your bedroom windows wide.

Place an empty chair by your bedside.

Remember, don’t put anything on the chair.

Also, don’t place any sharp objects on the bed.”

 

Cangcang nodded solemnly.

“Okay, I understand.”

 

Qianyang glanced at the screen and continued, “Don’t wear any jade or gold accessories.”

 

Cangcang pulled out the necklace around her neck, which had a small jade ring the size of a fingertip threaded on a black cord.

“This?”

 

“A stall item.

Five yuan.”

 

Qianyang said, “Take it off before sleeping.”

 

“Okay,” Cangcang agreed.

 

“Tonight, you must fall asleep before midnight.

Remember any details of what you dream, and tell me tomorrow.”

 

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