Chapter 63: A Jealous Spirit, a Plump Thief, and a Frozen Mystery

“Old Charlatan, let’s get back to business. What exactly happened with the malevolent infant injuring people, as you mentioned?”

Upon hearing Aunt Xia’s inquiry, the Old Charlatan produced a slightly yellowed map, pointing to a specific spot on it.

“Last time, I took Hongniao to a place called Qingshan Town to eliminate a malevolent infant. That infant was brimming with malevolent energy, truly sinister, and it took a considerable effort for me to barely get rid of it.”

“Although Qingshan Town falls within Ning City’s jurisdiction, it sits at the border of other districts, and its terrain is entirely mountainous. Consequently, transportation is inconvenient, and information is difficult to access.”

“Had it not been for a series of incidents involving the townspeople and the death of the town’s old Taoist priest, the mayor wouldn’t have even reported it to the county. Back then, many ability users disdained the place for its remoteness, so no one would go. I, this old man, saw the reward was decent, which is why I made the trip with Hongniao.”

Aunt Xia nodded upon hearing the Old Charlatan’s words, then inquired with a hint of confusion.

“If you already eliminated that malevolent infant, why are there new reports of one injuring people? Was it not entirely destroyed, and has it returned for revenge? Or are there two malevolent infants?”

The Old Charlatan admitted his own uncertainty, then spoke.

“For now, we can only go to the town and investigate. Oh, and Little Zhiqiu, this trip will likely take several days. That place isn’t like a city; there are no hotels, so we’ll need to prepare thoroughly before we leave.”

Aunt Xia nodded, ultimately deciding to prepare first and depart early tomorrow morning.

Regarding her upcoming departure, Aunt Xia was unsure how to tell Xia Wei, and she felt that keeping it a secret much longer wasn’t a sustainable solution.

However, for the time being, she could only devise an excuse. Upon learning that her mother would be leaving again, Xia Wei this time appeared remarkably calm, merely letting out a low, somewhat downcast ‘oh’ before saying nothing further.

Aunt Xia felt a mix of surprise and, more profoundly, guilt at her daughter’s reaction, so she mused aloud.

“Xia Wei, let’s go out for hotpot tonight, to your favorite place.”

Xia Wei’s eyes lit up at the suggestion, and all her unhappiness instantly vanished as she threw herself into Aunt Xia’s embrace.

“Mommy, I love you to death!”

Aunt Xia felt her daughter’s joy, yet a bittersweet feeling lingered in her heart. After all, Xia Wei’s overwhelming happiness stemmed from a childhood where she often went hungry and lacked proper clothing.

Even after Aunt Xia adopted her, Aunt Xia herself had only just graduated from university at the time, and their life together remained quite financially strained.

Moreover, Aunt Xia’s work was demanding back then, often leaving Xia Wei alone at home. Whenever she had free time, Aunt Xia would take Xia Wei out for delicious meals.

However, Bai Hao, who had been invisible the entire time, witnessed this scene and felt a surprising surge of displeasure. After all, Aunt Xia’s embrace ought to belong to him!

In response, Bai Hao approached Aunt Xia and offered a subtle reminder, causing Aunt Xia to blush instantly and release Xia Wei.

“Let’s go now, or it will get too late.”

Xia Wei nodded, completely oblivious to her mother’s unusual behavior.

***

Inside the hotpot restaurant’s private room, as Xia Wei excused herself to the restroom, Bai Hao brazenly materialized beside Aunt Xia, his hand climbing onto her elegant leg.

Aunt Xia shot the young man a resentful glare, yet she dared not resist.

“Aunt Xia, you were so gentle feeding Xia Wei just now; I’m quite jealous.”

Upon hearing the young man’s words, Aunt Xia rolled her eyes in exasperation.

“Stop it, you’re jealous of Xia Wei too?”

‘Could this little rascal get any more outrageous?’

Bai Hao, however, let out a dissatisfied snort and spoke.

“Well, I don’t care. Aunt Xia, you have to feed me too.”

Aunt Xia could only reluctantly agree, picking up a fresh pair of chopsticks.

“What do you want to eat?”

At this, Bai Hao very naturally swapped the chopsticks Aunt Xia had used into her hand, then said with satisfaction.

“Anything is fine. As long as Aunt Xia picks it up for me, I’ll eat it. And I don’t mind Aunt Xia’s used chopsticks, you know.”

Aunt Xia was beyond words upon hearing the young man’s declaration, and she promptly picked up a meatball for him.

Watching the young man eat it in one bite, seemingly unfazed by the heat, Aunt Xia was momentarily stunned, then asked with a touch of curiosity.

“Can you actually taste it?”

‘After all, he was a malevolent spirit now; eating human food seemed quite illogical.’

Bai Hao smacked his lips and nodded.

“Yes, I can. Though I’m not sure why. Perhaps it’s because I’m just too handsome.”

Aunt Xia chuckled dismissively, then continued to feed the young man. Watching his look of pure enjoyment, a complex mix of emotions stirred within her.

In Aunt Xia’s eyes at that moment, Bai Hao was akin to a childish boy, and a flicker of maternal indulgence softened the beautiful mature woman’s gaze.

However, Xia Wei soon returned, and at Aunt Xia’s subtle signal, Bai Hao could only reluctantly revert to being invisible.

After finishing hotpot, Aunt Xia went to the front desk to pay the bill, while Bai Hao, bored, stood aside, admiring the graceful curves of Aunt Xia’s figure.

Just then, a slightly plump young man suddenly bumped into Bai Hao. The impact sent the young man stumbling back two steps, and he quickly apologized.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry…”

With that, he hurriedly left the restaurant. Bai Hao, meanwhile, narrowed his eyes.

‘Interesting, this plump boy can actually see me?’

However, a moment later, a woman’s panicked cry echoed through the restaurant.

“Where’s my bag? My bag is gone…”

By this time, Aunt Xia had finished paying and was preparing to leave with Xia Wei. Bai Hao, too, stepped forward to follow.

While he was somewhat curious about the plump boy from earlier, compared to Aunt Xia, that curiosity was negligible.

It wasn’t until the two humans and one spirit had left the hotpot restaurant that, in a corner unnoticed by them, a rather comical plump boy watched Aunt Xia’s receding back, shaking his head with a sigh.

‘Such a beautiful woman, yet she’s been targeted by a malevolent spirit. Fine, I, Fatso, have always been brimming with a sense of justice; I’m definitely going to do this good deed!’

Saying this, he excitedly opened a woman’s handbag, rummaged through its contents, and finally, muttering curses, threw it onto the ground.

“Damn it, this is too poor! There’s nothing valuable, not even the bag is authentic!”

***

Meanwhile, with Gu Chen and his sister.

From the start of the day, Gu Xin had felt something amiss with her body, though she couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was.

Wishing not to worry her brother, she kept silent, instead retreating to her room early to sleep.

However, when Gu Chen knocked on his sister’s door, holding a glass of milk, he received no response. He quickly opened the door, only to be stunned by the scene inside the room.

The girl’s formerly pink-themed bedroom had transformed into a landscape of ice! Everything was frozen solid, and at the very center lay the girl’s bed!