Translator: Dj22031
Editor: Dj22031
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Entering the hall of the Dharma assembly, many people greeted Xie Lingya.
Because Baoyang Temple was expanding, Hai Guanchao’s clinic had moved a few years ago, but it wasn’t far, just two streets away, and it had grown larger and larger. Xie Lingya’s current job was being the accountant for his clinic and pharmacy, which was quite easy. So he usually lived at Baoyang Temple and occasionally went out to catch ghosts.
Shi Changxuan’s main profession after graduation was still religious studies. He usually taught Wang Yuji’s newly accepted disciples along with Xie Lingya. Because Baoyang Temple had a good reputation, many people came to recruit new disciples from here. And they selected the best ones to become Wang Yuji’s disciples.
As for Fang Zhe, he still followed Hai Guanchao, but he could now work independently in his spare time, checking the feng shui of houses, breaking evil spirits, and researching devices such as doorbells and automatic ghost-repelling talismans.
Guo Xing had also officially taken over the mantle of Lushan Fa and was considered Xie Lingya’s junior brother. After graduation, he first worked for the company of Old Master Zhu’s daughter, but he didn’t like it, so he came to Baoyang Temple. Baoyang Temple had now grown so big that some lay people also came here to do daily work. So his family just felt that he was working in a Taoist temple scenic area.
Needless to say, Xiao Dian and Zhang Daoting were directly promoted to management. Xiao Dian even formally entered the Daoist path as a novice, completed his management studies through self-study in his spare time, and inherited Baoyang Temple.
The prayer ceremony lasted all day, and in the evening, preparations for the New Year’s Eve party began.
Although Xie Lingya didn’t have to preside, he was watching over the proceedings since it was Wu Liang’s first time presiding over such a large-scale ceremony. He went to the restroom midway through and asked the Taoist priest outside where Sisi was. The priest, who had been instructed by Xie Lingya to keep an eye on Sisi, replied confidently, “She’s over there at the flower bed looking at the flowers.”
Xie Lingya looked and indeed saw a small figure faintly visible behind the flower bed, so he went to the restroom with peace of mind. It was New Year’s Day, and there was no need to put the child to bed so early.
Xie Lingya was relieving himself when he suddenly sensed something amiss. Looking down, he saw the toilet ghost had silently entered and was squatting at his feet, staring blankly upwards…
“…” Xie Lingya felt a chill run down his spine. So he pulled up his pants and said gruffly, “What are you doing!”
The toilet ghost lowered its head and said weakly, “Teacher Xie, I’ve been asked by a ghost to plead to you.”
Xie Lingya, washing his hands absentmindedly, said, “Plead for what? It’s the New Year, who’s hungry?”
The toilet ghost shook its head and said, “No, a few little ghosts from East Street came looking for food and accidentally scared your sister. Their older brother wants to apologize and hopes Teacher Xie will have mercy and release the ghost.”
Xie Lingya was stunned. “Damn it, scared my sister?”
The toilet ghost was also sweating profusely. “You didn’t know about this?”
“I didn’t catch anything!” Xie Lingya realized something was wrong and rushed out of the toilet.
When he ran to the flower bed, Sisi was burying a thin male ghost, shoveling dirt on his head with a toy shovel while chanting, “Catch the big ghost, capture the little ghost, dig out a stupid ghost to see the King of Hell…”
Xie Lingya: “…………”
Xie Lingya grabbed Sisi by the back of her clothes and lifted her up. “Miss, can’t you learn from other children and just play in the mud?”
Sisi flailed in the air. “He tried to scare me first!”
The male ghost hurriedly said, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m really sorry, please let me go, I’ll never scare women and children again!”
“You deserve it too,” Xie Lingya looked at the ghost, disappointed. “You only scare women and children, what kind of male ghost are you!”
The male ghost lowered his head in shame.
Xie Lingya assigned the male ghost to patrol with Ding Aima and reform himself. He then spoke earnestly to Sisi, “I gave you the talisman for self-defense, not so you could use the ghost as a toy after you’ve protected yourself.”
“What’s wrong?” Shi Changxuan asked, seeing the two talking in the corner.
Xie Lingya recounted what had just happened, then said worriedly, “How can this child be so brave…”
Shi Changxuan hesitated, “…”
….
Half an hour before the New Year’s Eve ceremony began, Ning Wanlai arrived with his cousin and her family.
Ning Wanlai’s cousin, Liu Haixin, had gone to stay with her husband for two years after getting married because he was pursuing his doctorate in another city. She had only recently returned. Upon hearing this, Xie Lingya asked Ning Wanlai to invite his cousin to the New Year’s Eve ceremony.
Ning Wanlai found it strange that Teacher Xie seemed to care about his cousin, but he didn’t think it was a bad thing, so he invited his cousin and her husband to come along.
A little over a year after giving birth to her eldest son, Liu Haixin became pregnant with her second child, with her due date in six months. Her husband, carrying their eldest son, and the couple, along with her cousin, entered Baoyang Temple.
Inside, someone who recognized Ning Wanlai greeted them and also inquired about his cousin’s family.
The child, shy with strangers, immediately started crying.
“Alright, alright, don’t cry, Da Bao,” Liu Haixin said, taking the child from her husband to soothe him, but the baby wouldn’t stop crying, leaving the couple at their wits’ end.
Liu Haixin had always felt that her eldest son might be influenced by her constitution, making him somewhat susceptible to seeing unclean things, hence his heightened sensitivity. Her agreement to attend the Dharma assembly was partly a way of praying to the gods. Fortunately, Baoyang Temple had canceled incense burning this year, so there was little smoke and fumes, preventing any choking on the child.
Just then, a little girl ran over, who looked up and said, “Auntie, why is my little brother crying? Quickly play ‘Little Frog’ for him!”
Liu Haixin: “Huh?”
The little girl said, “My brother used to play ‘Little Frog’ for me when I was little.”
Ning Wanlai, upon seeing the child, exclaimed, “Sisi? Haixin, this is Teacher Xie’s sister, Sisi.”
Upon hearing that she was Teacher Xie’s sister, Liu Haixin felt a surge of respect. “Then this method might work. Little… Little Frog, right? Honey, can you look it up on your phone?”
While Liu Haixin’s husband was looking it up, Xie Lingya and Shi Changxuan came out from inside.
“Cousin.” As soon as Xie Lingya saw Liu Haixin, she warmly greeted her and shook hands with the couple.
Liu Haixin felt dizzy just thinking about how Xie Lingya’s sister had called her “Auntie.”
While Ning Wanlai joked, “Teacher Xie, our Da Bao won’t stop crying. Sisi just gave us an idea, saying you used to play ‘Little Frog’ to soothe her when she was little. We’re thinking of trying it out and seeing if you’re as authoritative in parenting as she thinks you are.”
Xie Lingya held out his hand, giving Liu Haixin a questioning look.
Seeing this, Liu Haixin unconsciously moved Da Bao a little closer, subconsciously trusting Xie Lingya.
And as soon as Da Bao was in Xie Lingya’s arms, he immediately stopped crying and even smiled through his tears!
Ning Wanlai and Liu Haixin were stunned; they hadn’t even had time to find “Little Frog” yet!
“Wow!” Sisi rubbed against him, “Why isn’t the little brother crying anymore?”
Xie Lingya said proudly, “Because your brother is even more effective than ‘Little Frog’!”
Ning Wanlai’s eyes were filled with awe. He hadn’t expected Teacher Xie to be so all-around capable, even a master at taking care of children…
Xie Lingya gave Shi Changxuan a look, and Shi Changxuan immediately went back to his room and brought out a wooden box. Inside, a small wooden figure lay, dressed in clothes that Liu Haixin recognized very well.
After Phytolacca God and Liu Lingtong were reincarnated, their original bodies became empty shells, which they carefully preserved.
“Give this to Da Bao,” Xie Lingya said with a smile.
Shi Changxuan placed the wooden figure on Da Bao, whose little hands clutched it, and he slowly fell asleep peacefully.
Liu Haixin remembered seeing this doll on them a few years ago, a personal item they kept, and it seemed they had treasured it, yet they gave it to her Da Bao. “How can I accept this? You like this wooden figure very much, don’t you?”
“It’s alright, your Da Bao likes it very much too,” Xie Lingya said.
Seeing Da Bao clinging tightly to the wooden figure, Liu Haixin couldn’t refuse and could only say, “Thank you.”
Ning Wanlai watched this scene, something flashing through his mind. So he looked at Xie Lingya in surprise, “Could it be…”
“Shh.” Xie Lingya winked at him, “Everyone, let’s go into the hall. New Year’s Eve is a day for family reunion.”
Liu Haixin’s husband chuckled and teased, “Does this count as a reunion?”
Ning Wanlai had already come to his senses and said meaningfully, “It does count. Relatives and friends, heaven and earth, gods and men— how do you know if we weren’t all one family five hundred years ago? Being brought together by fate is a reunion.”
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