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Chapter 104 That Person
Translated by Nessie Lee
He had already left the Chi family. He wished he could reincarnate again and be completely separated from the Chi family. He wouldn’t even covet anything from the Chi family. But after all, he was the true eldest grandson of the Chi family. And precisely this, not to mention Chi Yuan Shan, would make Chi Rong feel uneasy.
In fact, he should have known that he was a thorn in Chi Rong’s heart. It was not enough to pull this thorn out. He had to be completely destroyed so that Chi Rong could live a stable life.
The opponent’s killing intent was already so obvious, and he couldn’t just sit there and wait to be killed. Since the opponent had decided to kill him, there would be a second time after the first time. He escaped once with the help of the unknown “god”, but he might not be so lucky the next time. He was just an ordinary human who did not have a lot of power and influence, it was still too difficult for him to deal with the mysterious and unpredictable aristocratic family of the Taoist clan. It was tantamount to telling an idiot about his dreams.
After returning to R City, Chi Yan thought about it for a long time, but he couldn’t think of a safe and feasible way to save his life. The only way that he thought of was that he had to at least return to that previous circle, so that more Taoist masters and people who studied magic arts would notice his existence, so that the Chi family would have to think twice about harming him because of his reputation. He could also take the opportunity to get more life-saving chips.
Chi Yan didn’t hesitate anymore. He immediately booked a ticket to L City, informed his grandpa, and set off after arranging all the matters at home. He would be graduating soon. Now that he had already written his graduation thesis, he was left with only a few finishing touches, so there were not many things in school left for him to do. His previous trip with Song Jin and his trip now to L City would not be any problem for him.
Translated by The Red Oak Tree
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It was not easy for ordinary people to locate the aristocratic Taoist family clans like the Chi family and see them around. Even if they see them, ordinary people wouldn’t be able to tell that they were Taoist masters that dealt with ghosts. After Chi Yan left the Chi family, he found it difficult to return.
But he could easily find someone. He knew that Xu Rui opened a cafe in L City.
The Xu family was similar to the Chi family. Both families were very traditional Taoist clan families. Xu Rui was half a year older than him. He knew Xu Rui since they were kids, but they couldn’t get along with each other in personalities and their relationship had always been average. Xu Rui’s father was the second son of the Xu family’s head, and he had a high status in the Xu family because of his talent in magic arts. Xu Rui also had a twin sister. According to the traditional saying, twins were ominous. However, because Xu Rui’s parents love their children, Xu Rui and his twin sister were treated like a little princess and a young master in Xu’s family when they were young.
Looking back now, Chi Yan felt that objectively speaking, part of the reason why he couldn’t get along with Xu Rui when he was a child might be that he was jealous of him, jealous that he could receive the blessing and love from his parents. Xu Rui couldn’t understand why Chi Yan kept entangling himself around that person and said that he was not even as tough as a little girl and not like a man.
Neither Chi Yan nor Xu Rui’s sister, Xu Xin, agreed with this point. Xu Xin disliked her brother’s gender prejudice that girls were supposed to be weaker than boys; Chi Yan disliked Xu Rui’s meddling and he liked entangling himself with that person. It was his and that person’s business about how they interacted with each other and no one else could care about it. Chi Yan was slow in temperament, gentle and patient in doing things, so his relationship with Xu Xin had been good.
Translated by The Red Oak Tree
www.theredoaktree.com
Until the age of fifteen, Chi Yan, Xu Rui and Xu Xin had an experience of escaping from death. It was because of this that both Chi Yan and Xu Rui felt sympathetic for each other and developed a rare, precious and trusting friendship.
After Chi Yan left Chi’s house, he naturally lost contact with Xu Rui and his sister. It was until he visited L City during his university days with a few classmates that he accidentally discovered that very popular cafe opened by Xu Rui. Xu Rui was not short of money and had opened the cafe in his spare time and as a hobby. It was all thanks to their parents’ connivance that Xu Rui and Xu Xin were able to “develop freely” in this way. Xu Rui said that the reason he came out to do business was because he hated the traditional and decadent atmosphere of the Xu family. He would rather open his own store than go back, and said that Chi Yan could look for him at the cafe if he had any problems. Chi Yan understood Xu Rui’s feelings, but because of Xu Rui’s father, the brother and sister certainly could not and would not be able to completely separate from the Xu family like himself. They were still connected to their family and the world of the Taoist clans. If Chi Yan wanted to return to that world, then the only way was to get Xu Rui’s help.
Xu Rui happened to be at the cafe when Chi Yan came.
Boss Xu entertained him personally, “What would you like to drink, I make one for you?”
Chi Yan looked at the menu and replied, “Chocolate milk, medium sugar.”
Xu Rui gave a “tsk”, turned around to boil milk for him and laughed, “You really haven’t been weaned, Master Chi.”
Xu Rui made a cup of black tea for himself and brought the drinks to his own rest room at the back of the store. “You wouldn’t visit if you had no problems, so, why is Young Master Chi coming here this time?”
Translated by The Red Oak Tree
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Xu Rui was aware of his matters with the Chi family very clearly. Since he wanted to ask the other party for help, Chi Yan did not hide it from him, and gave him a detailed account of the things that happened in He Jia Village.
“So you think that Chi Rong wanted to harm you? Now you want to make yourself known to all the Taoist masters and return to the world of Taoist clans, so that Chi Rong dare not act rashly?”
“Yes.” Chi Yan turned to the cup in his hand and nodded.
“But if you do this, it seems to the Chi family and Chi Rong that you want to go back to snatch your things back. Are you sure you won’t force Chi Rong to kill you in a hurry?” Xu Rui frowned.
“Going back is death, not going back is also death; robbing is also death, not robbing is also death. It’s better to go back and fight with him.” Chi Yan smiled bitterly, “Whether I go back or not, snatch my things back or not, he will still kill me. After all, I am still the rightful eldest grandson and am still part of the Chi’s family. When I go back, there will be many Taoist masters and clan elders watching, Chi Rong will more or less have to be cautious about harming me. This way, it is better than being an ordinary person and die for unknown reasons and even cause harm to my friends and relatives.”
“That’s true.” Xu Rui nodded thoughtfully, “It will be the Heavenly God Praying Ritual in just half a month’s time. It happens once every five years and this time the Xu family will be hosting it. My dad called me up two days ago to urge me to go back. Let me arrange for you a reasonable and attractive identity so that you can participate in this event.”
“Thank you very much.” Psychic people like Taoist masters who frequently asked for God’s help to exorcise ghosts, going against the heaven’s will and changing people’s fates, felt that they owed their successes to the Heavens. Therefore, they would perform rituals to atone their sins and pray for blessings every once in a while. Over time, almost all the Taoist masters would participate in this grand and important ritual together. This major ritual is called “Heavenly God Praying Ritual”. It was held once every five years, and each time it was presided over by a prestigious Taoist master. This time it was the Xu family’s turn to preside over so it was impossible for Xu Rui not to go back.
Translated by The Red Oak Tree
www.theredoaktree.com
Xu Rui didn’t speak for a long time, but drank the black tea in the cup slowly, apparently thinking about how to take Chi Yan back to participate in the ritual.
The tea in the white porcelain cup gradually emptied. Xu Rui asked Chi Yan to wait for a while, and went out to refill it himself. Five minutes later, he came in with a cup full of black tea. There was a hint of slyness in his eyes, “Young Master Chi, I’ve found a safe way, but it depends on whether you want it. Me and Xiao Xin are still single now, you can choose to pretend to be my boyfriend or Xiao Xin’s boyfriend, and follow me back this time for the ritual. This way we don’t have to find any other excuses and others also wouldn’t say anything. After all, we all knew each other since we were young and even if we suddenly get together, we won’t be too suspicious.”
This was indeed a way, and since Xu Rui and his sister were so willing to help him, of course he wouldn’t reject them.
“Then of course I choose to pretend to be Xiao Xin’s boyfriend. If I pretend to be your boyfriend, I don’t have to wait for Chi Rong to take action. Uncle would kill me on the spot.” Chi Yan smiled, “But have you talked to Xiao Xin? Will she be willing?”
An old family like the Xu family was very old-fashioned in all aspects. If Xu Rui had a “boyfriend”, it would definitely cause an uproar and opposition. Chi Yan didn’t want to get into trouble. In contrast, Xu Xin was a daughter and she would not be taken too seriously in patriarchal families. The advantage is that he would be less controlled. If he went back as Xu Xin’s boyfriend, he could achieve the goal of making Chi Rong more wary about harming him, and yet it won’t attract too much attention and trouble.
Translated by The Red Oak Tree
www.theredoaktree.com
Xu Rui also smiled, “It’s not that you don’t know her temperament, she doesn’t care about this kind of thing, and since it is to help you, she would be more than willing. She said that she will join us tonight so that we can go back together. You can confirm with her when you meet her.”
Xu Xin arrived at six o’clock in the evening. Having not seen her for so many years, Xu Xin’s appearance changed a little. He could still see that little girl in her and her personality had not changed at all. After hearing about Chi Yan’s request, she agreed to help immediately. Chi Yan  stayed with them in L City for two days and on the third day, they left for the Xu family together to participate in the ritual.
Before Chi Yan left for this trip, he had expected that he would be away from home for a period of time, so he hired an hourly worker for his grandpa. The worker would come every morning to cook lunch and dinner and clean up the house. In this way, he could feel more at ease when there was someone to take care of his grandpa. He would call home regularly every day.
Both Chi Yan and Xu Xin lived in Xu Rui’s house these days. The night before departure, Xu Xin went to bed first. The weather was good and the moon was shining. Xu Rui and Chi Yan ordered some barbecue takeaways and beer. They sat on the home terrace wearing their coats, enjoying the wind, drinking and a watching soccer match on TV.
After sitting outside for a long time, the wine was almost finished and Chi Yan felt cold. Just as Chi Yan was about to ask Xu Rui to return to the house, he heard Xu Rui say, “Young Master Chi, there’s one more thing that I haven’t told you about during the past two days. “
Chi Yan heard that his tone was not normal. He wondered if Xu Rui had drunk too much or it was really unusual, so he turned his head and looked at him, “What’s the matter?”
Translated by The Red Oak Tree
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“Do you remember the one you used to pester?” Xu Rui stared at him.
Thinking of that person, Chi Yan’s throat trembled involuntarily. He lowered his eyes, nodded, and smiled pretending that he was not affected, “Of course I remember. What about him?”
“When you met me for the first time in the cafe and tried to pry information from me about that person, I deliberately pretended not to understand. Actually, I was afraid that I would talk too much and didn’t know how to tell you. But you will definitely meet him this time when you go back, so I think I still have to warn you.”
Xu Rui looked like he was carefully considering his words, “These few years, I used the excuse of coming out to learn to do business and stayed away from the Xu family, so, many things are hearsay and I might not be totally accurate. I only know that three years after you left, two of his elder brothers died one after another, and he became the head of the Ye family. Now anyone who knows him is respectful and cautious when they see him or mention him. Not only my father, even my grandfather treats him very politely and cautiously.”
He carefully observed Chi Yan’s expression, hesitated and said, “So Chi Yan, time can change a person, not to mention that after so many years, you don’t know what he looks like now and his attitude towards you. He may… no longer be the Ye Yingzhi you know. This time, if there is nothing special that happened, just try your best to stay away from him, he is not someone we can afford to offend.”