With the protective charm in hand, Director Luo felt reassured, and Shan Shan was happy to have protected the kind uncle she had grown fond of. Both were content and in good spirits.
The only one left feeling frustrated was Yin Kairui.
He felt more convinced than ever that his earlier assessment was right: small children were the most troublesome creatures in existence.
Now that he had the charm, Director Luo had calmed down considerably. He also realized it was not right to rely entirely on Shan Shan after all, she was only a little one of three or four years old. If he really asked her to face off against supernatural entities, not only might his own problems remain unsolved, but he could also end up putting Shan Shan in danger.
However, he was in no mood to stay on set any longer. He spoke briefly to the assistant director and then hurried away.
By this time, Shan Shan and Yin Kairui had already arrived at a private dining room in a restaurant.
There were many eateries of all sizes near the film studio complex, and people like Yin Kairui, who spent long periods working here, each had their own favorite spots some even held VIP memberships at their preferred restaurants.
As soon as they entered the room, Yin Kairui, doing his best to hold back his rising anger, turned to Xiao Liu and said, “Go out and order our food first.”
Xiao Liu set Shan Shan gently down on a chair. Before leaving, he hesitated for a moment before speaking up. “Brother Yin, Shan Shan meant well, and she’s still very young. We can talk to her about things calmly, right?”
Yin Kairui crossed his arms over his chest and asked, “Do you think I’m going to scold her or hit her or something?”
“Of course not!” Xiao Liu replied quickly.
“Then why are you still standing here instead of ordering the food?” Yin Kairui said.
Xiao Liu slipped quietly out of the room.
Only then did Yin Kairui turn his attention to Shan Shan, who was sitting quietly in her chair.
Like a small animal with finely tuned instincts, Shan Shan could sense that Yin Kairui was truly angry now. This was different from his usual irritation or dismissiveness this time, he was genuinely upset.
So she sat very straight, her small body held stiffly upright, trying her best to look as obedient and well-behaved as possible. But because she was so tiny, even with all her effort, only her round, bright eyes were visible above the edge of the table.
If anyone else had been there, they would surely have found the sight utterly adorable and would have been tempted to reach out and pinch her soft, chubby little cheeks.
But the person sitting there was Yin Kairui and an angry Yin Kairui at that. He simply fixed his gaze on her and said, “Child, who told you that you could use your abilities whenever you felt like it?”
Shan Shan blinked her eyes and tilted her head in confusion. “But Shan Shan didn’t use them for no reason. Shan Shan was saving someone’s life.”
“Just because you were saving someone’s life, does that mean you don’t have to talk it over with me first?” Yin Kairui had to keep reminding himself that he was speaking to a three-year-old, not a thirty-year-old adult. He couldn’t be too harsh, or she would surely burst into tears.
Shan Shan twisted her small fingers together nervously. “But what was I supposed to do? If I hadn’t helped Uncle, he would have died!”
Yin Kairui fell silent.
Shan Shan’s expression turned earnest and serious. “Shan Shan listens to everything you say, Brother. I didn’t say a single word about spiritual energy to anyone. All I did was draw a small charm for Uncle, just to keep him safe for a little while!”
Yin Kairui was at a loss for words.
What was the point of arguing with a three-year-old?
She clearly understood that certain things must be kept secret, but they had never specifically discussed drawing protective charms how was he supposed to know she even knew how to do such a thing?
“Tell me everything else you can do,” he said, forcing his temper under control.
Sensing that the tension in the air had eased, Shan Shan perked up immediately. “Shan Shan can only use spiritual energy to heal injuries, she only knows how to draw one kind of charm, and… she can beat up ghosts!”
Yin Kairui didn’t know how to respond.
It was true she only knew three things but none of them were abilities that ordinary people possessed.
Taking a deep breath, he asked her, “Just now… was there really a… ghost attached to Director Luo?”
“Yes, there was!” Shan Shan’s eyes darted around as she spoke, and she raised her hand enthusiastically. “Brother, Shan Shan thinks that ghost uncle was really weak. He couldn’t beat me in a fight. Can I help Uncle Luo then? He said he would give Shan Shan money!”
“I don’t need you to go out and earn money for me!” Yin Kairui said, his chest rising and falling with frustration.
Shan Shan frowned slightly. “But if I hadn’t helped him, that ghost uncle would have dragged him away and taken his life in his place!”
“The world is a big place, and you aren’t the only one who can deal with such things,” Yin Kairui said firmly. “Director Luo is a grown man; he has the means and the connections to find people who can help him. You just stay right here and promise me you won’t meddle in this kind of matter again, do you understand?”
“Okay…” Shan Shan mumbled, her lips pushing out in a small pout that betrayed her disagreement.
It wasn’t fair. In the past, her brother had always handled these kinds of things himself. He had even caught ghosts and shown them to her, explaining exactly what each type of spirit was and what they did.
Though, she recalled, right after that, Elder Sister Nine-Tailed Fox and Elder Brother White Tiger had dragged him away and given him a good scolding, saying he was teaching her all the wrong things and setting a bad example.
Yin Kairui noticed that Shan Shan was looking at him in a strange way, but he didn’t think much of it. He simply assumed she was upset because she felt he was being unfair.
This was exactly what he meant looking after small children was the most difficult job in the world!
Perhaps he should just give those two people who had been begging for a daughter a call and urge them to come back sooner.
Yin Kairui had no scenes scheduled for the afternoon. After all, according to his public medical records, he was still recovering from illness; the fact that he had filmed three scenes in a single day was already proof of his dedication to his work.
Besides, Director Luo had been too preoccupied with his own troubles to pay attention to filming that afternoon, and no one had seen him around the set at all.
For the first time in ages, Yin Kairui spent the entire afternoon resting and relaxing. He read through his scripts, played a few rounds of video games, and took some time to catch up on what was being said about him online.
The negative rumors and fabricated stories that had been circulating about him had finally been suppressed. For every supposed “compromising photograph” that had been released, the original images or clear timelines had been found to prove they were altered or fake. As for the claims made by the female celebrity who had spoken out against him, video footage had been discovered showing that she had been the one who sought him out, while Yin Kairui had ignored her advances and asked her to leave immediately.
That whole troublesome ordeal had finally come to an end.
That evening, Yin Kairui couldn’t be bothered to go out for dinner, so he simply ordered food to be delivered to his hotel room.
Small children tended to get sleepy early, and Shan Shan’s body had not yet fully recovered. Less than an hour after finishing her meal, she began yawning repeatedly. It was time for her to wash up and go to bed but when had Yin Kairui ever learned how to take care of a small child?
In the end, all he did was squeeze toothpaste onto her brush, hand it to her along with a cup of water, and tell her to brush her teeth by herself.
Shan Shan stood in front of the bathroom sink, her small face filled with confusion and helplessness. She looked up at Yin Kairui, waiting for him to lift her up so she could reach the basin properly.
Meanwhile, Yin Kairui stood there wondering why she hadn’t started brushing yet, seeing as he had already filled her small cup with water for her.
It was at that exact moment that someone knocked on the door.
Hearing the sound, Shan Shan immediately grew alert. “Is it that stinky bad lady from yesterday again?”
Yin Kairui knew very well that Zhuang Qinqin would not be foolish enough to keep showing up at his door like this. Anyone with half a brain could see how suspicious and inappropriate her behavior had been.
While everyone staying on this floor was part of the film crew, it didn’t mean they all got along perfectly or would keep quiet about what they saw. If someone were to take photos or videos of her coming and going, not only would the rumors about Yin Kairui flare up all over again, but Zhuang Qinqin would also become the subject of widespread criticism and ruin her own reputation in the process.
Amused by her reaction, Yin Kairui decided to tease her a little. “Well then, why don’t you go open the door and find out for yourself?”
Shan Shan took a step back and shook her head firmly. “I don’t want to! She’s stinky and mean!”
Putting on a look of exaggerated sadness, Yin Kairui sighed. “I suppose then I’ll just have to go open it myself… who knows what she might try to do to me…”
“I’ll go!” Shan Shan cut him off before he could finish speaking. She shoved her toothbrush and cup straight into his hands, not even caring that half the water inside sloshed out and spilled over his fingers. She raced quickly toward the door, took a deep breath, and jumped up to pull the handle open.
The moment the door swung open, the wary expression on Shan Shan’s face melted away into surprise, followed instantly by delight. “Uncle Luo!”