The ghosts inside the vehicle were terrified of Zhao Yan, cowering in fear and refraining from approaching.
"Don't look at me like that. If I don't hurt you a bit, it won't seem convincing. Since Xiao Wan entrusted me with this, I have to make it look convincing," Zhao Yan said to them.
Xiao Wan let out a heavy sigh. Though she couldn't exhale, it was evident she felt significantly more relaxed.
"Brother Jing is too foolish, and I went too far, accidentally getting myself into this mess!"
"Actually, I knew I was a ghost long ago. I saw him at the station back then."
"He's truly so silly. He stumbled in here, got lost in a ghost wall formed by Yin energy, and then foolishly came to ask me for directions."
"I'm a ghost, and he asked a ghost for directions. It's really quite comical."
Xiao Wan said, wiping away her tears.
"But I really liked him. At first, I just wanted to tease him, trick him into getting on the bus, and then have the brothers and uncles in the vehicle play with him like a monkey, just for everyone's amusement."
"After all, we've been here for so long, we were incredibly bored."
"No matter how much I embarrassed him, Brother Jing would just smile good-naturedly."
"He even considered me a lot. For example, he thought it was too tiring for me to stand and collect fares on the bus, and that I should have a small stool so I wouldn't have to stand when the bus was full."
"I never expected him to actually buy me a small stool the next day. He also bought me many other things. Although I can't eat them, I just found him to be a very interesting person."
"He would come here to find me every day, share his happy moments, and even go as far as to tell his embarrassing stories just to make everyone laugh."
"Sister! I'm actually quite selfish. I felt that there was nothing wrong with things continuing this way. I could accompany Brother Jing, telling him about the things that had happened over the years."
"Although we couldn't get married and have children, I could still give him everything other women could."
"But last week, I saw him get a nosebleed, and I realized that being with me would only drain his Yang energy, leading to his death."
"I was clearly unwilling to die so early, but I thought that if Brother Jing died, then we could truly be together."
"I'm truly terrifying, just a selfish ghost."
"Brother Jing should have his own life, he should find a lovely girl, to cry and laugh with him. I'm just a ghost."
As she spoke, Xiao Wan sobbed softly.
The ghosts beside her came over to comfort her.
Zhao Yan took out a pack of tissues and handed them over. "So, you wanted to pretend to be the bad guy to make Zhou Jing give up, so he would let you go and stop looking for you!"
"You've been planning this for a long time, haven't you? I remember the anxious yet somewhat relieved expression on your face when you were waiting at the station."
"I guess you really thought Zhou Jing wouldn't come, and then this plan wouldn't be necessary."
"Mm," Xiao Wan nodded.
Zhao Yan said softly, "You were right. If you hadn't used this method, he wouldn't have lived to see next month."
"Humans and ghosts belong to different paths. I hope you can also let go of your obsession and reincarnate as a human."
"I understand. Thank you. I didn't expect you to help me," Xiao Wan bowed to Zhao Yan.
Zhao Yan waved her hand. "No need to thank me. Although my master isn't very serious, he taught me how to use my own strength to help others. If I hadn't been here today, I believe you would have handled it very well yourself."
Speaking of which, she asked curiously, "By the way, how did you know I was a Taoist priest? Was it obvious?"
To avoid being discovered, she also had a few talismans in her backpack to conceal her Yin energy.
"The aura on you couldn't be hidden from me. Your Yang energy is much stronger than others. No matter how you try to hide it, you're always special," Xiao Wan said.
Zhao Yan muttered softly, "Is that so?"
She sniffed herself vigorously but couldn't detect any strange scent.
"Well, if there's nothing else, I'll be getting off. If you guys are ever bored, you can come find me to hang out," Zhao Yan said.
If so many ghosts came, then if she couldn't find work in the future, she could take on a brick-moving job and have them help her, making herself the foreman.
Zhao Yan got off the bus.
As soon as she stepped off, she noticed Xiao Wan following her.
"Sister Zhao, I'm still a little worried about him. I want to spend one more night with him, just one night," Xiao Wan pleaded, holding up one finger.
Zhao Yan helplessly rubbed her chin. "So, you want him to let you go, but you can't let him go yourself."
"This love is truly messed up."
"As long as he's doing well, I'm content just being by his side," Xiao Wan said.
Zhao Yan waved her hand. "Alright then."
She didn't know what to say about this. After all, when it came to matters of the heart, she understood nothing and didn't want to understand anything.
"Thank you," Xiao Wan said gratefully.
Zhao Yan didn't say much more. She found her electric scooter still there, which was a relief.
She had initially worried that Zhou Jing might have pushed her electric scooter away.
Zhao Yan looked around but couldn't find Zhou Jing. She thought, "That kid really ran fast."
Riding the electric scooter, Zhao Yan glanced back.
Xiao Wan was talking non-stop to the ghosts inside the vehicle, bowing and thanking each one.
The ghosts all had kind faces and told Xiao Wan to relax.
Each ghost had their own story; they were all once living people.
Seeing Zhao Yan's gaze, they were all frightened and quickly retracted their heads back into the vehicle.
"Did I really go too hard?" Zhao Yan asked softly.
Xiao Wan replied, "They haven't encountered anyone as powerful as you."
"Then I did go too hard," Zhao Yan said.
In reality, she had only used a tiny bit of her strength.
Riding the electric scooter, she headed towards the shop.
Xiao Wan clung to Zhao Yan's back.
On the way to the shop, Xiao Wan kept talking about her time with Zhou Jing.
She could recount even the smallest details clearly.
"Sister, Brother Jing is actually my first love," Xiao Wan said softly.
"That's a shame," Zhao Yan replied with a sigh of regret.
Arriving at the shop, she saw Zhou Jing waiting anxiously.
She found a talisman and placed it on Xiao Wan, concealing her Yin energy so that Zhou Jing wouldn't see it.
Xiao Wan's Yin energy was still quite strong; she had died in the 90s, so it had been decades.
Frankly, hearing Xiao Wan call her "Sister" made Zhao Yan feel quite embarrassed. If one were to calculate their ages, she was more than old enough to be her mother.
"Sister Zhao, you're finally back. I'm sorry, Sister Zhao, for putting you in danger," Zhou Jing said self-reproachfully.
After speaking, he added in a low voice, "Sister Zhao, is she alright?"
Xiao Wan stood beside Zhou Jing, her gaze fixed intently on him.
Zhao Yan looked at Xiao Wan beside her and said, "She's fine. She managed to escape."
"Really?" Zhou Jing looked relieved. "Thank you, Sister Zhao."
"It's nothing," Zhao Yan said, pushing the electric scooter into the shop. She looked back and saw that Zhou Jing had disappeared.
She wondered where he had gone.
Then she realized Xiao Wan was also gone.
Half an hour later, seeing that Zhou Jing had gone somewhere unknown, Zhao Yan shook her head. She sent him a few messages, but he didn't reply. She opened her bag, intending to draw a couple of talismans before going to sleep.
Suddenly, the door burst open with a bang.
Wu Jiaxin poked her head in and exclaimed, "Sister Zhao, Zhou Jing is drunk!"
Zhao Yan stuck her head out the window. Zhou Jing had collapsed on the ground, with Xiao Wan following behind him.
"Z-Sister Zhao, have a drink with me!" Zhou Jing hiccuped, then burst into laughter. As he laughed, he began to cry.
He let out a roar, "Xiao Wan!"
Xiao Wan lowered her head and gently kissed Zhou Jing's lips. "Brother Jing, I truly love you so much..."