“Little sister carries a doll on her back, walks to the garden to see the cherry blossoms, the doll cries and calls for mommy, the little birds in the tree are laughing, haha, doll ah doll, why are you crying, is it because you remembered what mommy said……”
After going to 终详屋 to work, Gu Yi began living a life completely different from before.
Not long ago, he was still an ordinary high school student. Now, not only was he working in a coffin shop, when he got home he also had to handle all the housework, and if there were no customers in the shop, the big boss 薄司 also had to teach him how to draw talismans by hand.
About 薄司’s background, Gu Yi had been curious before. But now, after he had come to understand 薄司’s temperament, he knew that 薄司 did not like people prying into things endlessly, and besides, for many things, when the boat reaches the bridge, it will naturally go straight. Gu Yi, although not smart, was not stupid enough to keep challenging 薄司’s bottom line again and again.
To Gu Yi, 薄司’s temper could not be described as anything but rotten to the core. But what could he do? When living under someone else’s roof, one had to bow one’s head.
The coffin shop seldom had visitors. After working there for a while, Gu Yi discovered that what 薄司 said about this line of work having high profits was complete nonsense. At least 终详屋’s business was nothing like what he had imagined. He had once questioned 薄司 about it. Yes, people were cremated nowadays, so why still open a coffin shop? On that point, 薄司 had only thrown him one line: so we also sell urns and include feng shui consultation on the side.
Fine, that was as good as not asking. In any case, the boss did not worry about business. For a tiny employee like him, worrying about it was useless. It was enough to get a salary every month.
薄司 lived in a huge villa and spent money like water in his daily life. Gu Yi figured that he might be a rich second generation, and that opening a coffin shop was just entrepreneurship for the sake of independence, or maybe he was simply looking for something to do for fun. In any case, he seemed to be very skilled in yin-yang arts, so the salary he gave should not be too little either.
Thinking this way, Gu Yi quietly worked in the coffin shop. And right now, with no customers in the shop today, 薄司 was once again teaching him how to draw talismans.
Gu Yi had drawn it several times and still could not get it right. 薄司 directly gave his head several blows.
Half an hour later, Gu Yi’s forehead was already red all over.
Meanwhile, 薄司 wore a dark expression. “You brat, you can’t even learn such a simple talisman. I seriously doubt how you got into high school. Draw it again, and keep drawing until it’s correct!”
Under the pressure, Gu Yi said, “Boss, everyone else draws talismans with dragons, or divine beasts, or characters and things like that. Why do our talismans have to be strawberries?”
薄司 looked at him with some amusement. “You feel wronged drawing strawberries, do you? Is drawing strawberries harder, or is drawing divine beasts harder? Look at what you drew, it doesn’t look like a radish or an eggplant. Have you ever eaten strawberries like this? Which strawberry grows this fat? I’ll give you money, go buy some, all right?”
“… Boss, I was wrong. I’ll draw again.”
Gu Yi held the brush and carefully drew again on the pink talisman paper.
薄司 glared at him, then threw him a small pouch. “This is for you too. Take it.”
Gu Yi lifted his head. “What is this?”
薄司 sat across from him and lazily said, “Something for self-defense, all personally blessed by me. At a critical moment, just take it out and use it.”
Gu Yi opened the pouch and saw that inside were tiny pink beads, crystal clear and very pretty.
However…
Gu Yi’s expression stiffened a little. “Boss, your evil-warding items are all pink…”
“Don’t worry about it.” 薄司 said, “These talisman papers you ruined all have power infused into them by me. They can’t be wasted, you have to keep them. Even though the talismans weren’t drawn well, the effect may be rather ordinary, but for you, I can’t have too high of expectations. Keep these talismans. Practice more later.”
“Boss, I’ve seen other people using talismans and they all chant incantations. What incantation do our talismans need to recite in order to drive the power?”
薄司 patted Gu Yi on the forehead again. “Did you forget what I told you before? When they chant incantations, they need to borrow a path. My talisman papers are all condensed from my own power. What incantation do you need? Just toss them out.”
“But Boss, if you don’t chant an incantation when using talismans, there’s no sense of power.” Gu Yi said, “Look, otherwise why would those martial arts novels have every move and stance named, and when killing enemies they always have to shout it out? Exorcising ghosts is the same. Those two exorcists from last time, they each had their own incantation.”
薄司 laughed, looked at Gu Yi, and said, “You want a sense of power, right? Fine, the boss will satisfy you. Originally, I didn’t set any incantations on these talisman papers, but since you’ve said so, I’ll tailor one specially for you.”
As he said that, 薄司 looked at the pile of talisman papers on the table that Gu Yi had messed up all over the place. He formed a hand seal with one hand, silently recited something in his heart, and quickly withdrew his hand.
“All right.”
“So fast?” Gu Yi had not even reacted. “The incantation is set?”
“It’s nothing difficult.” 薄司 leisurely lit a cigarette. “Later, when you use talismans, as long as you recite the incantation correctly, the talisman paper can unleash its greatest power.”
Gu Yi picked up the talisman paper. “What’s the incantation?”
“The longer ones, I’m afraid you won’t remember, so I made the simplest one for you. Your ancestral grave has been dug up, evil spirits, disperse. Pretty imposing, right? I guarantee those little ghosts will hear it and run off in terror.” 薄司 was quite pleased with himself.
Gu Yi: “…”
After struggling for a long time, he said with difficulty, “Boss, change it…”
薄司 exploded. “Do you think you’re setting a phone password? That it can still be changed? This thing can’t be changed. Once it’s set, you can only use this incantation, and if you don’t recite it, the talisman paper is useless. Oh, right, I set the evil-warding beads as well. The incantation is, The representative of 终详 will eliminate you all! How nice, it can both protect you and advertise for our shop. In the future, we’ll definitely have lots of customers coming in!”
“Boss, can I resign?”
“Oh, right.” 薄司 looked at his watch and said, “It’s almost evening. I want to eat fish tonight, but there isn’t any at home. Go to the market and buy one back.”
薄司 placed the money on the table.
“Boss, can I resi…”
“Oh, right, buy a bunch of celery too. Fish doesn’t taste good without celery.” 薄司 continued smoking and said, “You brat can’t draw talismans, but your cooking skills aren’t bad. Just for that, if there’s money left over, keep it yourself. Count it as a tip from the boss.”
“…”
Gu Yi silently took the money.
When leaving, 薄司 did not forget to remind him, “Take some talismans and beads with you. I’m afraid that if you walk out, you won’t come back.”
Gu Yi steeled himself and put the talismans and beads into his bag.
If he could, he hoped these things would never be used…
That kind of incantation was really… too embarrassing to say…
In order to save time, Gu Yi jogged all the way. He turned out of the remote street, and before long he reached a relatively lively area.
It was not yet dark, and there were still many pedestrians on the road. Gu Yi walked with his eyes fixed straight ahead, when suddenly he heard an enthusiastic voice calling him, “Yi gege! Yi gege!”
This voice was very familiar, and the only person who would call him Yi gege was one.
“Wan’er?”
The car slowly moving beside him rolled down its window. Sitting in the front passenger seat and waving at him nonstop was the little loli, and if it was not Xia Wan’er, who else could it be?
Since the incident with Lin Ming, they had not seen each other again. Meeting now, Xia Wan’er was overjoyed.
She was naturally a very easygoing person. At this moment, seeing Gu Yi, she was so happy she practically wanted to fly out of the car. “Yi gege, what a coincidence, meeting you here. Where are you going? We’ll give you a ride.”
Gu Yi smiled and waved his hand. “Thank you, but there’s no need. The market is just ahead. I’m going to buy groceries for the boss.”
Xia Wan’er frowned. “Thin Boss? How can he be like this, making you go buy groceries by yourself? You’re his employee, not his servant. Hurry up, get in. If you don’t get in, I’m getting out to drag you in.”
“… Ah?”
“Are you getting in or not? I’m really getting out. Qing Sang, stop the car.”
Qing Sang nodded, and Xia Wan’er really began unfastening her seat belt.
Seeing this, Gu Yi panicked and quickly said, “No need to get out, I’ll get in.”
Xia Wan’er broke into a flower-like smile. “That’s more like it. I knew Yi gege was the nicest.”
After Gu Yi got in the car, sitting in the back seat, he asked somewhat strangely, “Wan’er, today isn’t the weekend. Don’t you need to go to class?”
The driver, Qing Sang, suddenly laughed.
Xia Wan’er looked shy. “Yi gege, you’re so讨厌!”
“…” Gu Yi was baffled. “What did I do?”
Qing Sang explained with a smile, “Wan’er graduated a long time ago. I grew up with her. We’re childhood sweethearts.”
“Childhood sweethearts?” Gu Yi was stunned, but gradually, he seemed to understand something. “So, Wan’er isn’t a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old middle school student?”
Xia Wan’er became even more shy. “Yi gege, I’m already twenty-five. I never said I was only fifteen. How can you judge a person’s real age by their appearance?”
“…”
What else could Gu Yi say?
“Already twenty-five, why are you still calling me gege…”
Gu Yi’s mouth twitched.
Xia Wan’er said sweetly, “Because calling you gege makes me seem cuter. But you’re younger than me, so by rights, you should call me older sister, and I should call you Yiyi.”
“… Then let’s still call me gege… Wan’er, uh, no, Miss Xia, I’m here. Let me get off up ahead.”
“Aiya, Yiyi, you’re being too formal. We’ve already fought ghosts together, and that thing was a matter of risking our lives. My fans online all know I make money with real ability. Since we’re fated to meet, from now on we’re friends. Don’t call me Miss Xia. Like Qing Sang, call me Wan’er.”
“All right, Wan’er, I…”
Gu Yi’s stomach suddenly growled.
Everyone in the car heard it.
Gu Yi felt somewhat embarrassed, but Xia Wan’er secretly laughed with her hand over her mouth. “Yiyi didn’t eat before coming out to buy groceries for Thin Boss. That Thin Boss really is something. It’s not like he’s only handsome, how can he bully you like this? Come on, Yiyi, come join us for a mixer tonight. Your sister will take you to eat your fill.”
Gu Yi was stunned. “Mixer?”
Xia Wan’er nodded. “Yeah, it’s called a mixer, but it’s actually just a class reunion. We’re only going to join the fun and have some amusement. Look, we happened to run into you. Come on, let’s go play together. Yiyi is around that Thin Boss every day, so he probably doesn’t even have a chance to meet excellent women. Follow us, and maybe tonight you’ll even have a good encounter!”
“That won’t do.” Gu Yi said a little helplessly, “If I don’t go back on time, my boss is going to kill people. He’ll deduct all my salary.”
Xia Wan’er burst out laughing. “Is that so? Thin Boss is really too interesting. I like men with a temper like that the most. Last time, wasn’t he the one who wouldn’t even give me his phone number? Then I’ll kidnap his employee. If he wants the person back, he can come find me on his own. Qing Sang, speed up!”
“You.”
Qing Sang curved his lips and shook his head, a little helpless, a little indulgent.
Gu Yi had a bad feeling. Sure enough, the next second, Qing Sang stepped on the gas.
At that moment, Gu Yi seemed to see poverty waving at him.