Chapter 53

Ke Xingzhou turned his head and opened the taxi app.

He had motion sickness. Just smelling the scent inside a car made him feel nauseous. Higher-end, smoother cars were slightly better, but every time he got into a driving school car, it made him feel sick. In the end, he gave up on the idea of getting a driver’s license altogether.

With the public transportation system so well-developed in modern society, where couldn’t he go?

However, it would cost at least 50 yuan to take a taxi from the Ke family home to the filming base. For someone like Ke Xingzhou, who used to pay just 10 yuan for a fortune-telling, and sometimes not even that, this was clearly a huge amount of money.

Ke Xingzhou, used to being poor, initially planned to save money by exploiting Zhu Chu’s labor. Who knew he’d end up squeezing out an ex-boyfriend instead?

Ke Xingzhou looked at the taxi app, which showed the message "During the New Year period, taxi fares start 10 yuan higher," and felt as if he’d been hit on the head — taxis were so expensive!

After hesitating for a moment, just as he was about to search for the subway route from the Ke family home to the filming base, Ke Yuanbai also received a message from Zhu Chu and came down from upstairs.

Seeing the strange atmosphere in the living room, he froze for a moment, confused. When had Ke Chenyi returned?

The second phase opening needed to be re-recorded, and as the chief contestant, he had to stand in the front row. He had been in his room practicing the moves for the past few days and hadn’t noticed what was going on outside.

Then he noticed that Nie Chen was also there. Ke Yuanbai shivered and secretly glanced at Ke Xingzhou.

As soon as he saw these two, he couldn’t help but recall the scene that had been haunting his mind these days.

The dimly lit train compartment, the ambiguous distance, and from his angle, the uncovered actions...

...and the soft humming.

Even now, thinking about it made Ke Yuanbai’s heart skip a beat. His ears and cheeks started to burn, and he quickly shifted his gaze to look elsewhere, awkwardly saying, “Nie, Mr. Nie, you’re here. Are you here to pick up Ke Xingzhou? Then, um, I’ll just take a taxi myself?”

Ke Xingzhou: “?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Ke Yuanbai, very self-aware, opened the taxi app.

Zhu Chu had just told him the big shot coming to pick them up had arrived. When he came down, this scene was all he saw. What else was there to say?

Ke Chenyi was lying there with a soul-dead expression, the girl beside him was someone he didn’t know, but also looked like her soul had wandered far away. There was no way that Taoist priest, who looked like he had lost 800 million, had sent them to the filming base, right?

Ke Yuanbai figured out who the big shot Zhu Chu mentioned was with just a casual thought.

However, when he saw the notification on the taxi app, Ke Yuanbai couldn’t help but hesitate for a moment.

The starting fare was an extra ten yuan...

As a child who had also grown up poor, Ke Yuanbai couldn’t help but hesitate, his finger unable to press the button.Fortunately, at that moment, Nie Chen spoke.

"It was Assistant Zhu who asked me to take you to the set."

Nie Chen glanced at Ke Xingzhou, who looked troubled, and knew that he had already checked the route.

This villa area was 3 kilometers away from the nearest subway station. With no transportation at Ke's house, Ke Xingzhou had no choice but to take a taxi. If you just looked at the fare, the starting distance was even more expensive than a longer trip.

And once he got in the car, he would also have to gamble on the driver's skill, hoping the ride would be smooth enough to avoid making him car sick.

"Sorry, I accidentally rear-ended Assistant Zhu's car. I'll compensate for the repair costs later." Although he said this, Nie Chen’s lips slightly curled up, and he looked at the time before letting his gaze fall on Ke Xingzhou without any concealment. "If you take a taxi now, there might be some traffic on the road."

Ke Xingzhou: "..."

Ke Yuanbai: "..."

In the end, the two "young masters" of the Ke family got into Mr. Nie's car.

Daoist Qian was also preparing to leave. Just as Ke Xingzhou was about to get into the car, he couldn’t help but speak up: "Daoist Ke..."

Ke Xingzhou stopped, turned around, and looked at him in confusion. "What is it?"

Daoist Qian’s face showed some embarrassment as he hesitated for a moment before, as if making a decision, he spoke up: "At the end of this month, we’re hosting a Dharma meeting at our Changsheng Temple. I’m wondering if you might be interested in attending?"

Seeing Ke Xingzhou’s surprised expression, he couldn’t help but cough awkwardly: "The little ghost you sent earlier... My skills are lacking, and I couldn’t figure it out. Maybe we could research it together during the Dharma meeting?"

After saying this, Daoist Qian nervously looked at Ke Xingzhou, feeling that what he said was rather shameless.

Earlier, when Ke Xingzhou had asked to join, Daoist Qian had dismissed him, feeling that the other’s temple was not well-known, so he deliberately changed the subject. Now that he knew Ke Xingzhou’s extraordinary talent and strength, he was shamelessly inviting him again.

If it had been anyone else, they would have gotten angry by now.

But who could believe that such a young Daoist could have such ability, unless they had witnessed it with their own eyes?

Fortunately, Ke Xingzhou only looked at him strangely. His dark eyes showed no sign of disdain or mockery, but he seriously told him: "No need. The temple master of Changsheng Temple already invited me. I’ll go if I have time."

Ke Xingzhou also wanted to see if his undisciplined master would show up.

Back then, because he had almost no merit, he could only hide in the countryside and couldn’t travel with his master. Now that his merit had increased, although he had developed a habit of not going out, he still wanted to let his master see him.

Speaking of which, he hadn’t seen his master in many years.

Ke Xingzhou’s gaze turned somewhat distant.

Daoist Qian, however, had no idea what he was thinking. He became increasingly embarrassed under Ke Xingzhou’s clear gaze, quickly saying he would be waiting for him at the Dharma meeting, then awkwardly left.

Sigh, he was already in his fifties, and his mindset was still not as clear as Ke Xingzhou’s, a young person...

No wonder his skills couldn’t compare!

Ke Xingzhou watched his retreating figure: "…???"

This Daoist was such a strange person.The butler watched the car leave, feeling a sense of satisfaction that the drama had unfolded once again today, and then he opened the old phone his granddaughter gave him to continue reading the CEO novel and learning.

In the luxury business car, Ke Xingzhou and Ke Yuanbai sat opposite Nie Chen, each feeling more uncomfortable than the other.

Nie Chen stared unblinkingly at Ke Xingzhou, his gaze was so direct it could no longer be described as blunt—it was outright bold!

Ke Xingzhou felt very uncomfortable under the stare, not even daring to meet Ke Yuanbai's eyes. He could only force himself to turn his face toward the window, leaving one ear red and trembling slightly under Nie Chen's unsettling gaze.

Unbeknownst to him, Ke Yuanbai had also turned his face toward the other side.

As a result, the driver in the front seat conveniently turned off the car lights, leaving only a dim light overhead. Ke Yuanbai, caught off guard, saw the reflection of the scene inside the car on the anti-peep window.

Ke Yuanbai: "…………"

He awkwardly lowered his head and scrolled through his phone. With hardly any friends on it, Ke Yuanbai quickly fell into a state of bewilderment, feeling as though he was suffocating under the oppressive atmosphere inside the car.

It was the same car, the same dim lighting, and every sound around seemed to overlap with that secret… well, what should he call it, from a few days ago. The slightest sound or movement sent a chill down his spine, and his mind automatically flashed back to a similar scene like a slideshow.

However, when he glanced to the side, both Nie Chen and Ke Xingzhou were sitting still, a distance apart with an aisle in between them, and there was no way that the intense scene from a few days ago could happen again.

Ke Yuanbai secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but he still couldn't relax.

—In the blind spot of his vision, where the night light didn’t reach, their legs seemed to have crossed.

Ke Yuanbai stiffly moved his gaze back to his phone.

His fingers aimlessly tapped on the screen, and the message from Zhu Chu remained at the top of the chat page, every word showing a kind of foolishness, like selling out one’s own artist while still counting the other person's money.

But at least he didn't have to endure this awkward atmosphere.

...So, was he really such a shameless person?

Ke Yuanbai thought helplessly.

Why was he the only one who had become part of the play!

Daoist Qian returned to Changsheng Temple and posted the new list of participants in the WeChat group.

The addition of "Xiaoyao Sect" immediately aroused the curiosity of the other Daoists in the group: [Xiaoyao Sect? A newly established temple? How come we've never heard of it before?]

[Ah? Isn't this the Taoist cultural experience base set up by the Beijing Cultural and Tourism Bureau in an abandoned temple? They even had me teach Taoist culture to a bunch of brats last month; it was so noisy.]

[Do they really need to involve the Cultural and Tourism Bureau in an internal exchange meeting like this?]

The Daoists in the group were all quite angry. After the country entered the new era, they were no longer allowed to openly promote religion. They could only rely on followers to seek them out, or it would be considered a feudal superstition activity.

The Beijing Cultural and Tourism Bureau's plan to develop a Taoist cultural experience base seemed like a good idea at first, but when the Daoists received the notice, they saw that it would only be about selling beads, amulets, and similar items. Any mystical content was strictly forbidden, or else they would face penalties.

Who would do such a thing!When the Cultural and Tourism Bureau pulled out a relic site and transformed it into an experience base, the Daoists all breathed a slight sigh of relief, now having a vague impression of the name "Xiaoyao Sect."

But transforming a relic site was one thing, and creating an experience base to sell souvenirs was another. But why did they want to involve their Daoist gatherings?

It was completely inappropriate!

The Daoists felt wronged, and the discussions in the group became heated.

Seeing this, Daoist Qian quickly explained: [No, no. This Xiaoyao Sect is not the same as that Xiaoyao Sect, it's a proper Daoist temple! The Daoists there are very powerful. Anyway, everyone, don't worry, Changsheng Temple will not let unrelated people in.]

The Daoists felt a bit more reassured.

However, it was true that there had never been a Daoist temple with such low recognition appearing at a gathering before. After some hesitation, one of them couldn't help but search for the name "Xiaoyao Sect."

The search results, aside from the cultural experience base in the capital, revealed a Weibo user by the same name, and it had a verified blue V account.

A verified blue V…

The Daoists fell silent for a moment.

But, wasn't Xiaoyao Sect supposed to be a newly opened small Daoist temple?

The Daoists were surprised; they had apparently developed to the point of managing a social media account. It must be a well-known temple!

With this curiosity, they clicked into the page and saw the pinned post:

[The lucky charms everyone’s buying! Repost this lucky charm, and bring good fortune in the new year, good luck will come your way!]

The post had been made a few hours ago, and earlier posts even included reposting for a lottery. The original post was certified by an entertainment company's artist.

And the lottery had already been drawn.

The Daoists: "…………"

This temple was crazier than the Cultural and Tourism Bureau!

Ji Han's studio.

The assistant rushed in holding a phone and shouted, "Han Ge! Han Ge, look at the trending topic! The lucky charm we drew is trending!"

Ji Han was on the phone, his expression full of enthusiasm. He turned around and made a shushing gesture.

"Alright, Wu Jie. I’ll be there on time tonight."

After hanging up the phone, Ji Han gestured for the assistant to continue, "What’s going on?"

"It’s hard to explain in just a few words, Han Ge, look at this Weibo post!"

The assistant placed the phone on the desk, and Ji Han took it, noticing the sign next to him reading "Founder."

The actions of the agency during the Mo Lili scandal had hurt Ji Han deeply. He originally planned to terminate his contract with them. However, since the contract wasn't expired yet, terminating it early would mean paying a huge penalty. After negotiations, they reached a compromise: Ji Han could open his own studio earlier, but he would still be under the agency for the remaining term.

With Ji Han's fan base, opening a studio was only a matter of time, but doing it earlier would definitely be more beneficial than harmful for his future development.After discussing with Wu Jie, Ji Han decisively chose the second option.

Now, Ji Han no longer carried the depression and confusion from a few days ago when he had just participated in the special episode of "All-round Idol." Having taken control of his own destiny, his face was filled with confidence, and even without any makeup, he still radiated with charm.

Glancing at the content on his phone, Ji Han raised his eyebrows in surprise.

The Weibo post that had gone viral was actually posted by a regular fan—

Mo Li could hardly believe that she had actually won the lucky charm Ji Han had bought.

The package was received from the police, and when the delivery guy saw the police officers inside, he was so frightened that he didn’t say a word and ran off.

Mo Li took the package and opened it, only to find a thin piece of talisman paper.

She froze for a moment.

The police officer in front of her asked, "What is this?"

"It's a lucky charm..." Mo Li’s eyes immediately turned red. She felt both incredulous and oddly sad, "It can dispel evil spirits, balance the Yin and Yang, turn bad luck into good, and even help with feng shui."

"..." The police officers fell silent for a moment.

They exchanged a helpless glance.

This young woman had posted a long Weibo post a few days ago, admitting that she had used hacking techniques to crack someone else's account and spread its contents. Today, they were here to take her back to the station for questioning.

The girl had kept insisting that she didn’t spread the information, that after reading it, she was disappointed and deleted it, but the IP address traced back to her home, so the police had no choice but to be skeptical of her statement.

There had been prolonged arguments over whether she had spread the information, and no one expected her to place her hopes on this kind of metaphysical item.

The police looked at Mo Li, who was crying and pressing the talisman to her chest, in confusion. The officer cleared his throat: "Alright, put the item down and come with us for investigation."

Mo Li nodded, reluctantly placing the talisman into a transparent plastic bag she had bought earlier, along with the various Ji Han merchandise she had recently purchased. She then stood up, preparing to follow the officers.

Just then, Mo Li suddenly felt a flash in her eyes.

She hesitated and stopped.

Female officer: "What’s wrong, do you feel unwell?"

Mo Li shook her head, feeling that her thoughts were unbelievable, but after glancing at the police officers and then at the talisman on the table, she suddenly gathered her courage and pointed to a direction: "Over there, there seems to be something. It just flashed in my eyes."

The officers frowned, thinking of the recent spate of supernatural incidents. They thought the girl had seen something sinister.

However, when they looked in the direction she pointed, it turned out to be a full-length mirror.

Another officer was about to relax, thinking that the mirror’s reflection had just flashed in her eyes, which was normal. But the female officer felt something was off, quickly walked up to the mirror.

After covering the mirror’s surface with her hand and observing for a moment, she suddenly froze, her face turning solemn as she turned back: "There’s a camera in this mirror."

Colleague: "!!!"