Chapter 72

Chapter 72

Around nine o’clock that night, Xia Sheng received a message from Wu Zhaodi saying that her parents had gotten into an accident and been admitted to the hospital. She also thanked Xia Sheng profusely for helping her.

Xia Sheng chatted with her briefly. Then Wu Zhaodi asked, somewhat worried, “Little Celestial Master, you redirected the Ghost Marriage and killed people. Will that harm your cultivation?”

Wu Zhaodi did not know much about the Mystic Sect, but from TV shows in the past, she had at least heard of things like karma.

For people like Xia Sheng and the others, having human lives on their hands would interfere with their cultivation.

Xia Sheng said casually, “It won’t. They won’t die.”

She had already calculated it. The Wu parents would come to her for help later.

There was also an immoral Xiangu behind those two, someone who specialized in Arranging a Ghost Marriage for people. Right now, Xia Sheng still did not know that Xiangu’s identity. She would have to use those two to drag the person out.

Hearing Xia Sheng say that her parents would not die, Wu Zhaodi also breathed a sigh of relief.

To be honest, if her parents had really been killed, she still would not have been able to bear it.

Letting them taste the suffering she had once endured was more or less enough.

Now, she had completely cut ties with the Wu family. From here on out, they would go their separate ways. Whatever torment their precious son put them through in the future had nothing to do with her.

As for all the money she had given her family over the years, she would just consider it the price of repaying them for giving birth to her and raising her.

…

Early the next morning, Xia Sheng was getting ready to head to school. Fang Rong also had to go to work, so mother and daughter went downstairs together.

When they reached the ground floor, they saw several elderly people sitting by the roadside, chatting and cracking sunflower seeds.

Their landlord was among them as well. Seeing Fang Rong and Xia Sheng come down from upstairs, his gaze fell on Fang Rong’s fair, lovely face, and he smiled as he praised her. “Little Fang, you seem to be getting prettier and prettier lately. Looking at you now, you’re almost as fresh and delicate as your daughter.”

After using Xia Sheng’s beauty cream, Fang Rong had been looking younger and younger lately. People often complimented her on her looks these days.

Even so, despite having been praised by so many people, Fang Rong still felt a little embarrassed when someone complimented her to her face. She said, “Uncle Li, you’re joking. I’m already forty. How could I compare with a young girl like Sheng’er?”

Uncle Li was about to say something, but before he could speak, Auntie Wang beside him said, “Exactly. I don’t think Little Fang is all that pretty either. Her skin is just in slightly better condition, that’s all. How is it as exaggerated as you make it sound?”

Fang Rong’s words had been modest self-deprecation. Auntie Wang’s words, however, sounded rather snide.

Uncle Li turned to look at Auntie Wang and frowned. “Is it really that hard for you to admit someone else is good-looking?”

Auntie Wang stubbornly said, “I’m just telling the truth.”

Uncle Li snorted and said, “What are you being stubborn for? What kind of person you are-do you think the old men and women around here don’t know?

“Back when Little Fang played mahjong with the elderly folks from the community, you were always finding fault with her for no reason. When you sold water to Little Fang at your supermarket, you charged her fifty cents more than other shops. To put it plainly, you’re just jealous of her.”

“Nonsense! What do I have to be jealous of?” Auntie Wang was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, instantly bristling. “You, on the other hand, old man. Lately you won’t even dance with me at the square anymore, and you’re looking for another dance partner. Tell me honestly, have you taken a fancy to Little Fang?”

“Hey, why are you spouting nonsense just because you’re embarrassed and angry? I only see Little Fang as a junior.”

“If you see her as a junior, why are you praising her for being pretty?”

“Didn’t I praise your daughter for being pretty before too?”

“That’s different. Anyway, the way I see it, you old fellow just like Little Fang. Otherwise, why would you only charge her one thousand yuan for rent?”
Uncle Li was rendered speechless by Auntie Wang’s unreasonable attitude. “Forget it. I can’t be bothered arguing with you. I’m taking my grandson to school.”

With that, Uncle Li left.

Auntie Wang glared at his retreating back and shouted after him, “When we go square dancing tonight, you’re not allowed to dance with any other old ladies!”

“I can’t be bothered with you!” Uncle Li tossed the words over his shoulder without looking back.

Auntie Wang was still fuming. The people around her laughed and teased, “Old Wang, if you like Old Li, just say so. You spend all day picking fights with him. Of course he’s sick of you. Why would he still want to square dance with you?”

Auntie Wang was so angry she nearly stomped her feet. “What nonsense are you spouting? My daughter is about to marry a diamond bachelor. Once she does, my status will rise right along with hers. Who would still be interested in a shabby old rent collector like Old Li?”

“Keep being stubborn. The way I see it, once your daughter has money, you might come back and spend it to keep Old Li as your boy toy.

“Last time you had a high fever, you clung to Old Li’s arm and refused to let go. You said you were going to buy every siheyuan courtyard in this area, collect rent to support him, and date him!”

Hearing her old friends bring up the nonsense she had babbled while feverish, Auntie Wang’s aged face reddened. She huffed and said, “How can nonsense I said when I wasn’t in my right mind count?

“Once my daughter has money and takes me to live it up in a rich neighborhood, I’ll find myself a few young guys. Wouldn’t that be better than Old Li?”

“Oh my, going after fresh young meat? How trendy of you.”

“Of course. Those old sisters I see on my phone are all so fashionable. Every one of them finds a younger man. Once my daughter has money, I’ll have her find one for me too.”

Everyone knew Auntie Wang only had a sharp tongue and no real malice, so they all burst out laughing at her antics.

Xia Sheng’s gaze swept over Auntie Wang’s face, and she paused slightly before saying, “Auntie Wang, I’m afraid your daughter’s marriage won’t happen.”

Auntie Wang had been in the middle of proudly bragging about her daughter’s good match. Hearing Xia Sheng suddenly throw cold water on it, she immediately grew unhappy. “You little girl, I only said your mother isn’t that beautiful. Why are you cursing my daughter?”

“I’m not cursing her,” Xia Sheng said, her expression cool and her voice unhurried. “This future son-in-law of yours is from out of town, isn’t he? Did he tell you his ancestral home is in Hai City and that he came here for business?”

Auntie Wang said, “All the old sisters I usually hang out with know that. Why are you bringing it up? Don’t tell me you’re going to say you calculated it.”

As she spoke, Auntie Wang’s tone could not help taking on a lecturing edge. “A while ago, I heard people talking about you. You’re such a young girl, but instead of learning anything proper, you went and learned feudal superstition.

“You won’t attend a perfectly good university, and every day you set up a stall under the footbridge to swindle fortune-telling money out of old men and old women. That kind of improper business won’t last long. One day, you’ll end up in the station.

“Young people should study more and learn less from those old frauds who cheat people out of their money.”

Although Auntie Wang had a bad temper, she was actually kindhearted. When Fang Rong had gotten into a conflict with someone around here before, it was Auntie Wang who had helped smooth things over.

Because of that, Xia Sheng gave her this warning. “Your future son-in-law already has a family in Hai City. His child is four years old.

“He isn’t some big boss at all. He wants to marry your daughter because your family owns two apartments in Beijing and because your daughter is an only child. He’s only after her body and her money.”