Chapter 15 Part 1: The Photograph and the Orphanage

Before long, Cangcang ended the connection.

 

Qianyang said to the other viewers in the stream, “Today’s stream ends here.”

 

– AHHHH is it over?

– Darn it, I wish I could fast-forward to tomorrow!

– Master, see you tomorrow!

– Master, was that the Ten Steps to Seeing Ghosts you just talked about?

 

Qianyang said, “More or less.

Under those circumstances, even ordinary people might be visited by ghosts in their dreams.”

 

“Don’t try this lightly.

Mediumship will definitely damage your yang energy.”

 

Qianyang turned her head to look at Yang Mao and said, “Tonight, my apprentice will attempt his first mediumship.

Tomorrow, I will also teach you all some methods to restore yang energy.

Interested viewers, remember to come learn at nine tomorrow morning.”

 

Yang Mao trembled all over.

“M-Master, can’t I not…”

“No.”

 

“Please no!!!

I’m most afraid of these things!!!”

 

“Not afraid of being broke?”

 

Yang Mao paused, then obediently revealed a smile.

“Then I’ll go with mediumship.”

 

***

 

The next day, at nine in the morning, Qianyang started the stream on time.

 

– Good morning.

– I like streamers who are punctual.

– Congratulations, Qianyang!

Your followers have exceeded forty thousand!

– Growing so fast.

Any follower benefits?

 

Qianyang looked up and saw the last comment.

She thought back carefully and seemed to recall hearing about follower benefits.

So she said, “Let’s do this.

When my followers reach one hundred thousand, I’ll draw one viewer for a free fortune reading.”

 

– Yay!

– Gaining seven to eight thousand followers a day.

At this rate, two weeks should do it.

– Streamer, have you considered opening an account on other video platforms for promotion?

You’d definitely gain followers faster than on Qing Ning.

– Agreed.

Many people simply refuse to download Qing Ning.

Edited clips of your stream on other platforms can easily get millions of views.

 

Qianyang glanced at her apprentice on the sofa and nodded.

“I’ll have my apprentice handle that later.”

 

– Speaking of which… Cangcang still hasn’t come in QAQ.

– After watching the stream last night, I woke up early, and she still hasn’t come in!

– By the way, did any of you try Qianyang’s method last night?

– I didn’t dare.

– Me neither.

– …

– Where’s Senior Disciple Brother?

Why isn’t he here today?

Isn’t he usually eager to appear on camera?

 

Looking at Yang Mao curled up in a blanket on the sofa, Qianyang explained, “Senior Disciple Brother isn’t feeling well mentally.

I’ll have him come over after Cangcang comes online.”

 

– Did Senior Disciple Brother do mediumship last night?

– Not feeling well mentally?

Sounds terrifying.

 

“It’s like that the first time.

He’ll get used to it,” Qianyang said.

 

– I really want to know what happened.

– Me too.

 

While waiting for Cangcang to come online, Qianyang chatted idly with the viewers.

 

After the events of the past few days, viewership had already exceeded five digits shortly after the stream started.

The comments were very lively.

 

Finally, around ten o’clock, Cangcang entered the stream.

 

– Here she comes!

– We’ve been waiting for you!

 

Qianyang directly invited her to connect.

 

Soon, Cangcang accepted the invitation and appeared on the screen.

 

She had just woken up, her hair messy, pillow creases marked on her face, but her eyes were exceptionally bright.

 

“Master, I really dreamed about her last night!”

Cangcang said with surprise and joy, the shock in her eyes evident.

“For the first time in a dream, I saw her so clearly!”

 

Cangcang sat by the bed.

Behind her was a simple, clean single bed.

As the camera moved, she got out of bed and poured herself a glass of water.

“Master, wait for me.

I’ll cook something.”

 

Qianyang nodded.

“Okay.”

 

Last night, the light had been dim, making it hard to see Cangcang’s living environment clearly.

 

She seemed to live in an old residential building.

The walls were mottled and yellowed.

A gust of wind blew through the open lattice window, lifting the faded curtains.

 

The room was filled with many things, neatly arranged, so it didn’t look messy, but the space was cramped.

 

Cangcang took a sip of water, then walked into the kitchen holding her phone.

The walls were blackened by oil smoke.

An old, broken oven sat in the corner.

 

“Sorry, my place isn’t very nice.”

 

Cangcang pulled out a pack of “Yuan Wang” brand instant noodles from somewhere and then began boiling water.

 

– What brand of instant noodles is this?

I’ve never seen it.

– Some off-brand?

– I searched online.

Wait, they still sell instant noodles for one yuan a pack these days?

– I see… your place is indeed pretty rundown.

 

As the water boiled in the pot, Cangcang walked out of the cramped kitchen.

 

“Strictly speaking, this isn’t my place.

It’s a rental.

Only 300 yuan a month!”

At this, Cangcang seemed quite proud.

“You basically can’t find a place this cheap anymore.

And it’s one bedroom, one living room, one bathroom.”

 

Qianyang asked, “Three hundred yuan?

That’s so cheap.”

 

Just a few days of not eating giant grab-and-go pancakes could rent a place.

 

“You think it’s cheap too?

You can’t find a place this cheap anywhere else,” Cangcang said happily.

 

“Yes!”

Qianyang nodded in agreement.

 

– …

– Seriously, you’re a streamer with tens of thousands of followers.

This is too shabby.

– This place is too small and seems inconvenient.

 

Qianyang continued, “Are there any two-bedroom places near you?

They can be a bit more expensive than yours.”

 

After all, she and her apprentice were two people.

The place they lived would definitely need to be bigger.

 

Cangcang saw the comments and thought Qianyang was joking.

She gave an embarrassed laugh and said, “Master, don’t joke.

Although the rent is cheap, the place is in poor condition and inconvenient.

Usually no one rents here.”

 

Hearing this, Qianyang sighed with some regret.

“Then forget it.

My apprentice probably wouldn’t like it.”

 

Before she finished speaking, Yang Mao, with dark circles under his eyes, had somehow walked to the balcony.

He looked at her with a resentful expression.

“Master, if you want to rent a two-bedroom place for a few hundred yuan, I’d rather sleep on the sofa every day.”

 

“Okay, okay.”

Qianyang waved her hand.

“If we’re not renting, we’re not renting.”

 

– Hahaha.

– Isn’t the streamer joking?

– Kind of cute.

 

“Let’s get down to business,” Qianyang said.

 

Cangcang nodded.

“Master, last night I dreamed she sat by my bed and told me something.”

 

“What did she say?”

 

“She said she wants a photograph.”

 

“A photograph?”

Qianyang raised her eyebrows in surprise.

“A photograph of what?”

 

“She doesn’t know either.”

Cangcang thought for a moment.

“She only remembers that the photograph is very important to her.”

 

Qianyang lifted her gaze and stared at Cangcang on the screen for a few seconds.

 

Cangcang continued, “Master, maybe I didn’t remember clearly.

Could you ask her now what kind of photograph she wants?”

 

Qianyang thought for a moment and then asked instead of answering, “In your dream, what did she look like?

What was she wearing?”

 

– AHHHH I still don’t believe in ghosts.

– I’ve asked other occult zone streamers.

They all say it’s impossible to see ghosts with the naked eye.

– Indeed.

Seeing ghosts with the naked eye is too outrageous.

– What about those Ten Steps to Seeing Ghosts?

Have any occult streamers said they work?

– Yes…

– Who?

– Master Qingsi.

– …

– ???

– He can speak human language too??

– Still trying to ride on her coattails?

 

The comments discussed various topics, mostly unrelated to the stream content.

 

Most viewers were still skeptical.

Moreover, as more and more people joined the stream, the mix grew more chaotic.

Some became stubborn and abusive, though most were chased off by Qianyang’s loyal fans.

 

During this time, Qianyang had accumulated a group of exceptionally loyal and steadfast viewers.

 

The two people in the connection, however, remained completely unaffected.

 

Cangcang said, “I dreamed she was wearing a blue-and-white school uniform, her hair loose around shoulder length.

Her face was very pale, but she looked quite cute.

She had a beauty mark right between her eyebrows.”

 

Qianyang lowered her gaze, puzzled.

“That’s strange.”

 

Cangcang immediately asked, “Master, what’s wrong?”

 

“The appearance you described is exactly the same as what I saw yesterday,” Qianyang said.

 

Cangcang looked confused.

“Is… is that a problem?”

 

– Huh??

– Why does something feel off?

– Yesterday…

 

Qianyang paused briefly and then continued, “But she’s gone.”

 

Cangcang’s expression visibly froze. “…What?”

 

Qianyang said, “She’s no longer in your room.”

 

“And have you noticed anything different about yourself today?”

 

Cangcang thought for a moment.

“After I woke up this morning, I felt especially energetic…

Actually, ever since I was fired, I’ve felt groggy and sluggish every day.”

 

Qianyang frowned.

“That’s because she was driven away.

Or rather, for some reason, she hasn’t been able to approach you recently.”

 

“Driven away by me?”

Cangcang looked shocked, her eyes confused.

“I, I didn’t do anything.”

 

Qianyang’s brow furrowed deeper.

“But not a bad thing for you.”

 

Cangcang looked stunned.

“No, I really want to help her!”

 

“I’ve, I’ve been alone since I was little.

At first, I was scared when I realized she was there.

But she’s never hurt me…”

As she spoke, Cangcang’s eyes reddened.

“I know you might not understand.

But she really means a lot to me.

She’s like my friend, my only friend.

I want to help her, I really do!”

 

“Even if I can’t help her, I hope she can stay by my side.

Even if, even if I die young.

Master, you said you lived alone on the mountain.

So you should understand how terrifying it is to live in this world all alone…”

 

– An orphan…

– Sob sob, my eyes want to pee.

– She’d rather die than be apart from her ghost sister…

– Doesn’t seem fake.

– Cangcang lives so poorly, renting a 300-yuan place, eating one-yuan noodles, going around to occult streamers to prove her ghost sister really exists.

She really values that ghost sister.

– Maybe she has nothing left to hold onto now.

– Streamer, help her, sob sob!

– …

 

Before Qianyang could speak, the comments erupted in various lamentations.

Some big spenders even started tipping like crazy.

 

Yang Mao looked at her with pleading eyes.

“Master, can we help her?”

 

Qianyang said, puzzled, “When did I say I wouldn’t help?”

 

– Ehh, wasn’t the ghost sister driven away because of the streamer’s bad advice?

– Exactly.

Everything was fine before.

Then she followed the streamer’s instructions, and the ghost sister got driven away.

– Can’t the streamer actually help the ghost sister?

Is she pretending to be something she’s not, driving the ghost away to save face?

– Unbelievable.

The girl already said she wants to be with the ghost sister.

– Do Qianyang’s fans have no brains?

That whole thing with the little girl was just luck, wasn’t it?

– I wanted to say this earlier.

Isn’t all this talk about spiritual energy, reincarnation, and seeing ghosts with the naked eye just too ridiculous?

– And how old is she?

Even if she started learning occult arts from one month old, she couldn’t reach this level!

– Fraud!

– Those giving money to a fraud, in the future when you’re old, I’ll sell you health supplements!

Suddenly, a flood of comments with nearly identical wording poured into the stream, appearing almost simultaneously and scrolling rapidly.

 

Qianyang looked at the comments of doubt, rebuttal, mockery, and abuse.

A faint, almost imperceptible twitch tugged at the corner of her mouth.

 

“Don’t talk nonsense!”

Cangcang suddenly spoke up to stop those comments.

“Master is not a fraud!”

 

Yang Mao said angrily, “My master is not a fraud!

What do you know?”

 

“Last night, Master taught me mediumship.

There was a hanged ghost who insisted I kneel and kowtow and call him Daddy!”

 

“Do you know how scared I was?!”

 

The stream fell into a brief silence, then was flooded with countless “haha” comments.

 

Those accusatory comments were all suppressed.

 

– Haha.

– Really?

– No wonder Senior Disciple Brother was so quiet today.

– Dying of laughter.

A hanged ghost?

Calling him Daddy?

– …

 

Yang Mao said indignantly, “What are you laughing at?

I kowtowed seven or eight times last night before he let me off!”

 

– Why?

– Curious.

– So funny.

 

Yang Mao looked aggrieved, seemingly unwilling to talk much about last night.

 

Qianyang explained, “That old man had many children and grandchildren, but no one was willing to support him while he was alive.

He hanged himself from his own roof beam.

Before he died, he just wanted to see one of his children.

My apprentice kneeling and kowtowing and calling him father fulfilled one of his wishes.”

 

– Wow…

– So that’s it.

That’s actually quite pitiful.

– Ehh, didn’t some studio send bots?

– So many black comments appearing at the same time.

It’s like they were prepared in advance.

– They don’t know anything yet they’re so eager to blame the streamer.

– Someone must be jealous of the streamer’s traffic.

– The streamer is pretty popular on other platforms too.

 

That wave of accusatory voices completely disappeared as the comments kept scrolling.

 

Nevertheless, Qianyang was used to the chaotic mix of comments.

Her mind wasn’t on those black fans.

 

Returning to the main topic, Qianyang asked, “Cangcang, did you notice anything unusual last night?”

 

Hearing her words, Cangcang fell into thought.

 

After a moment, Cangcang frowned.

“Master, in the later part of the night, I felt especially cold.”

 

Qianyang said, “That’s normal.”

 

– You’re right.

– Why?

– Fun fact: If you sleep with your window open at night, you get cold too.

 

“But how could she have disappeared?”

Cangcang looked lost.

“Does she not want to follow me anymore?”

 

Qianyang shook her head.

“Besides the photograph, did she say anything else in your dream?”

 

Cangcang seemed to have trouble remembering.

She looked helpless.

“I… I don’t know.”

 

Generally speaking, after a ghost chooses to stay in a place, it won’t change easily.

Unless Cangcang died or her wish was fulfilled, the ghost sister would not leave her side.

 

Qianyang thought for a moment, then asked, “Besides what I told you to do, did you do anything else?”

 

Cangcang froze for a few seconds. “…Yes.”

 

Qianyang said, “What?”

 

Cangcang seemed to remember something.

Her eyes grew redder and redder.

“After our connection ended last night, an occult streamer I had consulted before suddenly contacted me.

He said by chance he had seen your stream and knew I was going to establish a connection with a ghost.”

 

“He also said… my constitution easily attracts dirty things.

Making a connection with a ghost so easily might attract other dirty things.

So he told me to soak nine raw sticky rice grains in talisman water and put them under my bed…”

Qianyang pressed her lips together and nodded.

“That explains it.”

 

Cangcang was stunned.

“Master, did the sticky rice water make her disappear?”

 

“Yes.”

Qianyang turned her gaze to the camera.

“Since we’re on this topic, I might as well teach you all.”

 

“Putting sticky rice water under the bed is a ghost-repelling technique.

Ghosts like to eat raw sticky rice.

If the rice is soaked in talisman water, once a ghost eats it, it will be trapped in the water.

If it eats something prepared by a living person, it’s also considered accepting the living person’s request.

Then you pour the sticky rice water outside anywhere, and the ghost will no longer follow you.”

 

“People who frequently have nightmares or suffer from bad luck can try this.”

 

– I see.

– Learned something new!

– When I was little, I would sometimes get inexplicable fevers.

My family invited a master who seemed to do exactly this.

– What the hell??

So the ghost sister got driven away?

 

Qianyang continued, “Have you already poured out the sticky rice water?”

 

Cangcang tightened her lips.

The color drained from her face.

“That person told me I had to pour out the sticky rice water before dawn.

I got up at five in the morning and walked to a very far place.

Master, what do I do?

I didn’t mean to drive her away.

I just, I just…”

 

– Sigh… that streamer meant well.

– Meant well, my ass.

Putting sticky rice water under the bed is to drive away ghosts inside the house.

– Intentional??

– Oh, so that group of black fans earlier was in cahoots with him?

– Streamer, it seems like someone is targeting you!

– Who was that streamer?

 

Seeing the comments, Cangcang’s face turned pale.

She frantically opened her phone and explained, “He’s an occult streamer on the Xiaoyueliang platform.

We exchanged contact information, but I have many streamers in my list.

I don’t remember his stream ID…”

Then she froze.

“He’s already deleted me…”

 

– Ehh, someone deliberately targeted the streamer.

– A streamer on a big platform like Xiaoyueliang is jealous of Qianyang’s traffic?

That’s a stretch.

– Who says it’s a stretch?

Forgot about the head occult streamer on Shark riding on her coattails?

– Qing Ning barely has any viewers.

What are they even jealous of?

– Preventing her rise?

Qianyang is quite famous on other platforms.

– …

– Qianyang, what about the ghost sister?

– Can she be found again?

– Cangcang, be more careful.

How can you trust the words of some unknown small streamer?

– My stupidity intolerance is acting up.

– If you had just followed the streamer’s instructions, nothing would have happened.

 

With so many voices in the comments, Qianyang took matters into her own hands and kicked out all the abusive viewers.

 

“For viewers who are restless, I suggest you study the heart sutra for a few days,” Qianyang said sincerely.

 

“Master, what should I do?

Can I still find her?”

Cangcang said with red eyes.

 

“I’m sorry, I know I’ve caused you trouble,” Cangcang said guiltily.

 

Qianyang had a pretty good impression of Cangcang.

 

In fact, very few people would treat ghosts as calmly as she did, even knowing they had almost inadvertently caused her death, yet still wanting to help them.

 

Qianyang glanced at the sky outside the window.

The sun was strong.

 

“During the day, yang flourishes and yin declines.

After the sun sets, I’ll help you find her.”

 

“Really?!

Thank you, Master!”

 

Next, Qianyang told her to relax and taught her a very simple method to restore yang energy—bask in the sun for two hours.

 

As noon approached, Qianyang planned to end the stream.

 

“I won’t stream this afternoon.

The sun will set around six-thirty.

We’ll resume at seven tonight.”

 

“See you tonight.”

 

– ???

– That’s too much!

– She ends the stream as soon as she hits her hours every day!

– Qianyang, see you tonight!

---