Gu-Gift

Kapitel 10

"Going out to sea again? What for?" Lu Hantian successfully put the piece of meat into his mouth and looked at me with a smug look in his eyes.

"Fishing," I replied irritably, putting down my fork.

"Really?" Lu Hantian asked, her face full of doubt.

"Fake," I replied dismissively. "It means go and exchange your strength for theirs, and return their primordial spirit to them," I had to explain further.

"Okay, when?"

"I'm not sure yet. I'll call you when I get back. Oh, by the way, give me your phone number so I don't have to bother your brother." I said, handing over the phone.

"Han Tian, Miss Zuo," Lü Liang said as he came out from the back hall.

"Mr. Lü," I stood up.

"Sit down, sit down, Miss Zuo, is my brother alright?" Lü Liang asked in a low voice, patting Lü Hantian's shoulder.

"Brother, sit down and talk," Lü Hantian moved closer to me, patting the chair to let Lü Liang sit down. Just now, he was so wary of his brother, but now he's so affectionate. Things in the Grand Mansion are truly unpredictable.

"Miss Zuo just checked on me and said I was just frightened and there's nothing wrong." Lü Hantian didn't give me a chance to answer; clearly, he wanted to cover it up.

"Also, I'd like Miss Zuo to stay tonight. Is that alright?"

I was stunned when Lu Hantian said those words. Given what his cousin had seen on the balcony, and my staying at the Lu family home tonight, would the gossip ever end? I quickly tried to object, but Lu Hantian held onto my cheongsam tightly, preventing me from getting up. I just shook my head and said, "Actually, Hantian, nothing will happen tonight. I don't need to..." Before I could finish, Lu Liang suddenly burst into laughter.

"Hantian, Hantian, haha, alright, second brother, you decide what you want to do. I won't bother you anymore." Lü Liang glanced at Lü Hantian, whose clothes were disheveled, and left without even looking at me.

I wanted to bite my tongue off. "Second Young Master," "Mr. Lü," or "Comrade Lü Hantian"—why did I have to call him "Hantian"? I was so frustrated I wanted to cry.

"Sister Weiyang" Lü Hantian brought over two glasses of red wine with a sly smile on her face.

"Sister my ass! Sister what? I want juice!" I was so angry I wanted to drown him in this red wine.

(IV) The Tragedy of the Game, Chapter Seven: Spending the Night at the Lü Family Residence

"Uncle Cheng, could you please prepare a room for Miss Zuo?" Lü Hantian said wearily. As one of the hosts, he naturally had to say goodbye at the door after the banquet. This farewell, involving hugs and handshakes, lasted for nearly an hour, and it was now almost midnight.

"No need to trouble yourself. Since you insist that I stay, I'll just stay in your room," I said, yawning.

"Huh?! Then, Uncle Cheng, why don't you add an extra blanket to my room?" Lu Hantian perked up immediately at my suggestion.

"Damn it, this spendthrift's room is over 100 square meters! Is there no justice in this world?!" I was almost shocked when I entered Lü Hantian's room. This doesn't look like a bedroom at all! At least the previous room was clearly a study, but this room doesn't look like a bedroom at all...

Upon entering, there's a huge sofa piled high with cushions of various colors. If you don't want to sit on the cushions, you have to push them aside. In front of it is a tiny coffee table with only one keyboard on it—and that's all it can fit. Judging by the keyboard's texture and color, it's clearly an Optimus 103. Looking at that keyboard, I suddenly felt my Logitech G15 was incredibly cheap. There's nothing in front of the coffee table except the wall, making it feel somewhat empty. But looking at this wall, it creates a stark contrast with the other walls. The other walls are covered in geometric prints, while this one is pure white, almost glaringly so. Below the wall are two large speakers and a glass cabinet containing tangled electrical boxes and wires of various thicknesses and colors. Above the sofa is a small projector on the wall; it turns out Lü Hantian uses this wall as both a computer monitor and a television.

Two or three meters away from the sofa was a glass sliding door. Walking through it, I assumed it was Lü Hantian's bed, so as I opened the door, I kicked off my nine-centimeter heels—they almost gave me a leg cramp. But after following Lü Hantian through that door, I realized—I looked like a complete country bumpkin…

This section contrasts sharply with the modern exterior, resembling more of a study. It's furnished entirely with rosewood furniture, and shelves are filled with various bottles and jars, along with rusty scrap metal—though I personally think they should all look like antiques. This section isn't large, but it possesses a solemn, museum-like atmosphere…

"Why did you take your shoes off?" I was already feeling embarrassed standing barefoot among a pile of antiques, and his question made me feel like I'd been punched in the face...

"Hot," I managed to utter only one word after holding it in for a long time.

This small collection is separated from the interior by a large screen, but the screen is just for decoration; behind it is still a glass sliding door.

The third part is the bedroom, which is very simple, with only a bed, a very, very, very big bed, and a very, very big bedside table.

The last section has a changing room on the left and a restroom on the right.

It's just one room, but it's almost 70% the size of my bookstore. This is the first time I've ever seen such a decorating style. Li Guandong's house is decorated in a very comfortable and luxurious style, while the prince's apartment, though small, has an extremely simple and modern style… This Lü Hantian is really starting to pique my interest more and more!

"What are you doing?" Lü Hantian asked, curious about my behavior. No wonder, I hadn't even had time to put on my slippers before I started circling the bed, opening and closing the dressing room glass repeatedly…

"I……"

"Knock knock knock—" Before I could answer, I was interrupted by a knock on the door...

"Greetings, Second Young Master!" A young girl knocked on the door. She looked quite young and seemed to have just arrived. Seeing that it was Lü Hantian who opened the door, she greeted him softly and somewhat awkwardly. Then she said to me, "Miss Zuo, is this what you wanted?"

"Thank you!" It was my toolbox. I was too lazy to run to the parking lot to get it, so I just told Uncle Cheng. I didn't expect the Lu family's servants to be so efficient, finding my car and bringing it back so quickly. But it's understandable; in a parking lot full of nice cars, a BMW X5 is actually quite easy to find. Thinking about that makes me a little resentful…

"Why are you carrying such a big makeup case?" Lu Hantian asked, patting my toolbox and squinting.

"Sigh—!" I could only sigh, shake my head, open the box, and continue circling the bed.

Lu Hantian stared blankly at the contents of the box for a while, then took out a bottle and asked, "What's this?"

"Black dog blood," I said after glancing at it.

What about this one?

"Flower-waisted rooster blood"

What about this one?

"ink cartridge"

What about this one?

"Spirit-Controlling Fluorite"

What about this one?

...

What about this one?

...

What about this one?

"Get out of here," I snapped, unable to bear Lü Hantian's endless questions any longer.

"Where do you usually sleep?" I felt my tone had been a little too harsh, so I tried to ask in a gentler tone.

"Bed," but Lü Hantian didn't seem to appreciate it. He just emphasized one word and leaned against the bed to flip through a magazine.

"Nonsense!" My gentleness vanished instantly. "Which part of the bed? Can you even fit in such a big bed? Do you think you're Kuafu, the legendary Chinese mythical figure?"

"Hmm, the left side is a little off." Lu Hantian narrowed his peach blossom eyes once again.

"Okay, stick the talisman I just gave you on the glass door on the left, then lie there and don't move."

"Amulets to ward off evil spirits, sixty yuan each," I said as I pasted them on the window.

"Tranquility talisman, one hundred yuan each," I said, slipping another one into Lü Hantian's pillow.

"Tiger-Scaring Talisman, 300 yuan each," "Soul-Gathering Talisman, 370 yuan each,"...

"There are nine exorcism talismans, one calming talisman, one soul-gathering talisman, and two tiger-frightening talismans in total... I'll put them in the account for now and settle the accounts later," I said, and Lu Hantian burst into laughter...

"Lie still and don't move!" I tried to recall Lü Hantian's power before the ghostly spirit within Lü Hantian's body could summon demons again.

"Wandering souls, where do they linger? In desolate wilderness, in graveyards and forests..." The embers in the porcelain dish glowed a vibrant green, and the blood of Lü Hantian on the talisman paper remained undissolved...

"What's wrong?" Lu Hantian asked, opening her eyes when she heard me sigh.

"Lie down!" I said, ready to try again.

"The three souls break through the seven gates and enter the soul aperture, the city god and the earth god send the soul here..." Before I could finish reciting, I heard a clap of thunder outside, and the fire in the porcelain dish went out in a flash.

"Ah..." A tooth mark inexplicably appeared on the hand I was casting the spell on...

(IV) The Tragedy of Games, Chapter 8: EVP's Ghostly Lament

Lu Hantian held my hand and looked at it for a long time, just frowning and not saying a word. Her peach blossom eyes were watery, making people feel a little sad.

"Has anyone in your family passed away in the last three years?" If I don't change the subject soon, I'm afraid I'll start crying under this kind of attention.

Actually, every time Li Guandong earnestly advised me to give up this line of work, I was deeply moved. Tell me, what woman in her twenties wants to deal with supernatural things every day? What woman wouldn't want to find a sense of security in a man's arms while watching a horror movie? But it's the Zuo family's rules that dictate that Zuo family women inherit the mantle, take the surname, and pass on the clan's traditions…

"My aunt passed away two years ago, what happened?" Lu Hantian asked hesitantly after taking an ice pack from the refrigerator and applying it to my hand.

"Answer my question first, and I'll tell you later; what's your relationship with your aunt like?" I said, pulling back the covers and crawling under the covers. The ice pack made me feel a little cold.

Lu Hantian nodded but didn't answer. Such a large family always involves many things; as the saying goes, every family has its own troubles, let alone such a big family. So I just waited and didn't try to urge him.

“Actually, I wasn’t born to my mother,” Lu Hantian suddenly blurted out, which startled me.

"Hmm? Oh..."

“But my mother is very good to me,” Lü Hantian said with a smile, then continued, “My biological mother died in childbirth, and my father brought me home. Actually, Lü Liang and I are half-brothers, but for the sake of the Lü family's reputation, this hasn't been announced publicly.” Lü Hantian paused, then turned his head and said, “Although my parents haven't mistreated me, Lü Liang doesn't seem willing to share the Lü family fortune with me.” Lü Hantian smiled helplessly and continued, “Actually, I don't care, but my aunt and my biological mother were college classmates, and they have a very good relationship. That's how my father met my mother; so my aunt is determined to give me the same inheritance rights as Lü Liang…” I didn't let Lü Hantian finish speaking. I had no interest in the intrigues and power struggles within these large families; and I certainly didn't want to pity Lü Hantian for it…

"So, you and your aunt have a pretty good relationship?" Lu Hantian paused for a moment, then chuckled and nodded. It seems I not only interrupted Lu Hantian's words, but also his recollection.

...

"I'm sorry to trouble you so late, Uncle Cheng!" Lu Hantian politely accepted the things Uncle Cheng brought.

A gust of wind blew by, and the talisman paper on the glass door rattled loudly.

"What do you need all this outdated recording equipment for?" Lu Hantian asked blankly, staring at the pile of recording equipment on the ground. When I ignored him, he continued to mutter to himself, "I thought ghost-catching involved setting up a Bagua formation and performing the Seven Star Steps ritual. Why do we need these?"

"Second Young Master, you've watched too many of Lam Ching-ying's movies."

“This is called asking the ghost’s voice, or the ghost’s complaint,” Lu Hantian said, his peach blossom eyes narrowing again.

"Is it EVP? I've heard of it."

"Not bad, you even know that. Here, connect the microphone." It seems this kid has a wildly interesting interest in these things, unlike the prince, who back then only knew how to argue with me, so stubborn…

"You even have a counter? Your family is really amazing, you even managed to find such an old counter," Lu Hantian said, yawning as he took the counter.

"Close the window, come on, we can go to sleep soon, hurry up!" I pulled Lü Hantian up from the bed.

"Read this from this paper," I wrote down everything I needed to say on the paper and handed it to Lü Hantian, then scrambled into bed.

"After you finish speaking, just leave it alone and let her keep recording. Oh, your pillow is so soft."

...

"Get up, Young Master Lü." When I woke up, it was already broad daylight.

"Hmm... Hey, why are you wearing my clothes?" Lu Hantian squinted at me again with his big, watery peach blossom eyes, a faint smile on his lips.

"Um, I'm sorry, my clothes weren't comfortable for sleeping, so I changed out. I'll wash them and return them to you. Let's see if your aunt has any hints."

"Okay, I'll have Uncle Cheng bring breakfast into the room."

...

"What sound? The sound of dripping water? It sounds like there's something else, what is it?"

"The dripping sound is the ice pack from yesterday melting, and the other one is—your snoring." I tore off a piece of bread and stuffed it into my mouth.

Lü Hantian chuckled a few times, then suddenly stopped. Me too, I forgot to chew the bread in my mouth…

"fast forward"