Otherworldly Merchant

Although the grain pouch event had come to an end, Chuyi told me that the truth was, the item had actually affected my mind.

The resentment brimming in me could burst out at any minute!

Hence, Chuyi urged, “You must stay cautious for the timebeing. If you can’t control your anger, a disaster will happen!”

I was scared, so I asked him to stay with me for a prolonged period of time. Yet, he left the next day.

Prior to his departure, he gave me two pieces of advice.

Firstly, I had to recite the ‘sacred text of Daoism’ thrice every day; in the morning, in the afternoon, and in the evening. Secondly, it would be for the best if I didn’t accept any commissions in the following month.

I nodded and closed my shop, with my mind assured.

Even if Chuyi hadn't warn me, I wouldn’t have taken any cases without thinking it through. The last case had left a deep psychological trauma. And Death himself almost claimed the woman I love…

However, there were also good things that came out of it. There was the grain pouch, at least, and Li Meng became obedient; he even went back to school.

Although I had to avoid taking assignments related to otherworldly items, I needed to do something about the grain pouch. I didn’t want to keep it, even if its evil aura had been completely removed. My heart didn't feel at ease until I get rid of it.

The grain pouch was a relic from Boyi and Shuqi, and also a physical embodiment of their qualities and virtues. Government officials could benefit from it; it could help them be freed of malicious press or to ward off bad people from trying to frame them. It was a necessary divine tool to get promoted or to attain wealth.

Soon after, the grain pouch was sold. After all, it was a treasure that was hard to come by.

The price offered was enough to satisfy me, it was even more than what I had expected. Then, later on, I learned that the buyer had offered such a large sum not just to buy the grain pouch. He had another condition… He wanted to meet me since he had a business proposal he wanted to discuss with me directly.

I was just an ordinary citizen. How could I turn down some government official?

So, I had no choice. I had to go, even if I was unwilling.

However, I didn’t expect that I wasn’t going to see the official himself, but a woman who called herself his wife. She told me to complete the job without asking too many questions!

I could guess at first glance that there's something amiss with this woman. She clearly wasn’t the official’s wife but rather a mistress he was keeping on the side.

The woman was in her prime, appearing to be no older than thirty. Her foxy, charming eyes made people’s hearts stir with restlessness. Also, when she came to see me, she was dressed in her nightgown and wore a pair of slippers, which revealed her dainty little toes with the toenails being painted a bright shade of red. In all honesty, men would find it hard to resist her.

I was slowly being consumed by impulse. I couldn't help it as my hand stretched out on its own accord, wanting to touch her feet.

However, I culled that thought dead inside my head. I knew my mind was being influenced again. I excused myself and rushed to the toilet to chant the ‘sacred text of Daoism’ several times to calm down.

When I got out of the toilet, the woman was waiting for me right outside. She gave me a strange gaze that was accompained with a tinge of fear. “Master, could it be … there's something wrong with my toilet?”

I was stunned. “What?”

However, I immediately understood the reason why she had approached me… There had to be something foul in their house and they wanted me to ‘exorcise’ it.

I denied her claims and the woman became enraged all of a sudden. “Are you drooling over my beauty? You should watch your manners. My husband’s a government official!”

I understood right then. She had misunderstood that I had just gone to the toilet to masturbate while thinking of her. My face turned dark on the spot. Auntie, you are thinking too highly of yourself. Yin Xinyue is more beautiful than you! 

My impression of her declined drastically to zero, so I skipped the pleasantries and talked about the matter at hand. “Tell me, why did you invite me here?”

The woman replied, “Actually, you don’t need to do anything. Tonight, you just have to stay and sleep in my room.”

I was startled by this remark. What’s going on? First, she poses as a virgin martyr, and now she wants to get me under the sheets? 

The woman realized the undertone in her words and blushed. “Master, please don’t think too much about it. I just want you to stay here for one night. I’ll be staying in a hotel.”

“Don’t go beating around the bush. Tell me, what’s wrong with the room?” I couldn’t help but snarl as I questioned her.

The woman hesitated for a while before telling me anxiously, “There’s somebody in the room…”

“Somebody? Who?” I didn’t understand. I scanned the room and found nothing out of the ordinary.

“Haiz, I can’t explain clearly enough. Stay here for one night. My hubby will pay you handsomely.”

Then the woman picked her pused up and was ready to leave.

Of course, I didn’t want to stay there. Eventually, the woman called her big-official husband. I was rattled by his commanding voice, finding that I couldn’t communicate well with officials. I regretted that I didn’t ask Li Mazi to accompany me.

The thought of him allowed me to see the light in the otherwise, dark tunnel.

Right, how could I forget Li Mazi? Counting the days, he should be back from his honeymoon already! 

I immediately gave him a call.

He readily agreed after hearing that there would be a handsome reward. He even told me to not be anxious and he would have a conversation with that official to see what he wanted.

Shortly after, Li Mazi called me, absent-minded and flustered. He told me that the big official had evidence of him trading national cultural relics. If we couldn't resolve the case at hand, Li Mazi would be sent to jail.

Li Mazi didn’t even dare to say anything, so he agreed immediately.

I was infuriated after hearing that. I couldn't wish more than to strangle him to death. Now I don’t have a way out, do I? I can’t just stand by and watch Li Mazi go to jail, can I?

All right, we must bite the bullet. 

We accepted the case primarily due to Li Mazi. Hence, I called him to come over to the villa and pass the night there with me. We would share the commission with a 40-60 rate. Of course, I would get sixty percent and he would get forty.

For the whole time, the woman sat still on the sofa while the phone calls were made, looking quite restless.

After sunset, her face had fear written all over it. She wanted to leave the villa right away.

I pulled her back and forced a smile. “Big sister, even if you want to go, you should at least tell me what I should be expecting tonight. Otherwise, I can’t make any preparations. It’ll be very difficult for us.”

The woman was desperate. She lowered her voice as she said, “Every night, I’m pressed down on the bed by some ghost.”

“A ghost pressing you down on your bed? How long have this situation persisted? Have you been under much stress recently?” I asked instinctively.

“It has happened continuously for one month already,” the woman said, “It started as soon as I’ve moved to this house. And, when I wake up in the morning, my lower body is in pain. I think when the ghost presses down on me, it does that thing to me…”

"What?"

I couldn’t suppress my emotions. It also seemed like I couldn’t control my mood, either! I wore a perverted smile, and my devious hands stretched out. I somehow heard a voice in my head ordering me to ‘jump at her.’ 

It’s a great chance. She’s flirting with you.’

I lost my self control at that moment. I pushed her down onto the sofa so that I could straddle her. “Like this, ma’am?”

I attempted to take her night gown off as I spoke.

“Ah!”

The woman screamed. “What are you doing? Get off me!”

She frantically pushed me away and then curled up her body on the sofa, looking at me in fear.

I still felt quite aroused and bothered. My hands didn’t follow my head, reaching out again. My brain was numb and I wasn’t really aware of my actions.

The woman was petrified. She shrieked and tried to run away. I grabbed her by her slim waist and flung her onto the ground.

She eventually conceded. Her delicate and vulnerable state accompanied with her tear-stricken face made her look irresistible.

“Please… Please be gentle,” she bit her lower lip and said, “I don’t want to feel any pain.”

What’s going on? She agreed?

If she agreed, why would I try to be a gentleman? I pounced on her like a hungry tiger.

However, just as the situation rose to a critical point, someone knocked on the door. Li Mazi’s voice was coming from the other side, “Little Brother Zhang, open the door! Open the door!”