Chapter One Hundred Fifty-Three

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Fubao was led to a room by Lin Jiajia. Lin Jiajia’s boudoir was very beautiful, filled with delicate little objects. There were many small wooden figures, each in a different pose, with carving tools like small chisels placed nearby.

“Wow, I had no idea these were your carvings. So you actually like carving these things,” Fubao exclaimed, picking up a small wooden figure with delight.

“Hehe, of course! These were carved by my father and me together. I’ve loved these things since I was little, so I asked my father to get me these tools. It’s just a pity that my father fell ill,” Lin Jiajia said, her gaze darkening as she thought of Master Lin lying unconscious on his bed.

“Jiajia…” Fubao looked at Lin Jiajia, sensing her sadness but unsure how to comfort her. She knew a little about the young master of the Lin family.

Seven or eight years ago, he had fallen from a horse and slipped into a coma. They had consulted many doctors, even the imperial physician Wang was powerless.

“It’s fine. If you like any of these, just take them,” Lin Jiajia regained her composure and pointed to the wooden figures on the table.

“Really?”

“Mm-hmm, except for that black wooden figure, take whichever you want.”

“The black one? You mean the one covering its eyes?” Fubao noticed a larger wooden figure at the top of the wooden box, posed as if shielding its eyes.

“That little figure is strange,” Fubao frowned, feeling uneasy about it.

“That figure has been with me since I was born. My father bought it from a sorcerer. I grew very fond of it, so my father gave it to me,” Lin Jiajia said, gently touching the figure.

“Is that so?” Fubao lowered her eyes, staring intently at the figure and pursing her lips without speaking.

Lin Jiajia saw Fubao to the front gate. Outside, Fubao watched as a white dove flew by, leaving a fresh splatter of droppings right on top of Lin Jiajia’s neatly coiffed head.

Fubao was speechless.

Calmly, Lin Jiajia took out a handkerchief to wipe her head and waved goodbye to Fubao.

…

In the carriage, Fubao took out the two wooden figures and recalled the black one from Lin Jiajia’s room, frowning deeply.

“Hehe, cloaked in a stench of filth, thinking that covering its eyes will hide it from others. How naive,” a small ginseng doll nestled in the soft seat remarked.

“Hmm? What exactly is that thing?” Fubao turned her head to ask.

“That thing? Never seen it. I don’t know what it is either, but it’s definitely not good,” the ginseng doll muttered.

“You haven’t seen it either?” Fubao asked in surprise.

“Nope, never.”

“That’s really strange,” Fubao frowned.

…

Recently, Miss Chen discovered something incredible: the academic underachiever Lin Cenbao had suddenly developed a love for reading, spending entire days at the library.

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“Fubao, you’ve changed,” Miss Chen accused, her big watery eyes wide.

Fubao blinked.

“Are you abandoning me? We promised to be bottom of the class together, to enjoy the joys of being underachievers,” Miss Chen pouted.

Fubao felt both amused and helpless.

“What? I’m just researching some materials,” Fubao explained.

“Materials? What kind of materials?” Miss Chen asked.

“Stuff about ghosts and monsters.”

“Ghosts and monsters? Why are you researching that? Besides, this is the academy’s reading room—only the Four Books and Five Classics, historical records, and other orthodox texts are here,” Miss Chen said in astonishment.

“No wonder I couldn’t find anything,” Fubao said.

“Hehe, I’ll tell you, those kinds of books are only found in one place: the Book Nook. They have all kinds of books there.”

“Really?” Fubao said excitedly.

“Exactly. If you want books, just ask the owner there.”

“Alright, let’s go after school.”

“No problem.”

…

“Oh, those wooden figures? I saw something like them in a book. They’re said to be embodiments of evil spirits that reside in puppets, absorbing a person’s vitality,” the bookstore owner explained to Fubao as she browsed the Book Nook.

“So that means Lin Jiajia’s family has one of these things,” Fubao said, stroking her chin.

“Uncle, where do these evil things come from?” Fubao asked.

“Hmm, I don’t really know. I remember seven or eight years ago, a sorcerer was auctioning one off, and a young man bought it,” the bookstore owner said, stroking his chin thoughtfully.

That young man must have been the Lin family’s young master. But Lin Jiajia said the figure had been with her since birth. So why did the owner say it only appeared seven or eight years ago?

“Is there any way to get rid of it?”

“Don’t know, that’s all I know,” the owner shrugged.

“Alright,” Fubao pursed her lips and sighed.

After Fubao left, the owner turned and entered an inner room.

“My lord,” a figure faintly appeared behind a folding screen.

“Ugh, this is so boring. I’ve done so many things for that fat man, and it’s all pointless,” a woman’s complaining voice came.

“Those filth from the East dare come here? They must be tired of living,” she continued.

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“Go ahead, arrange to bring those two together. It’s best if the deal is sealed,” she ordered.

“Ah!” The bookstore owner was startled.

“What’s with the ‘ah’? Didn’t the fat fish want to find the Ice-Faced one? I’m just making them meet early,” the woman said.

“But, that’s Lord Koi, I dare not,” the owner stammered nervously.

“Tsk,” the woman rolled her eyes.

“Go now. Let me think this through,” she said.

“Yes,” the owner immediately fled.

“My lord, I don’t understand. You’ve finally ascended to the position of Demon King. Why would you still do this?” a maid massaging the woman’s leg asked.

The woman holding a round fan paused, then said, “Tsk, do you think this position is easy to hold? Now I understand why that fat fish was so eager to run away.”

The maid was silent.

The woman sneered: only a fool would want to sit on this throne with all these troubles.

Then she sighed. Back then, after being beaten so many times, she had stumbled into this throne. How to put it… it was quite the story.

…

Meanwhile, Fubao was getting anxious, her temper flaring. At the Bai residence, the atmosphere was joyous. Bai Zhuo still hadn’t figured out how he had been so carelessly betrothed, with an auspicious date chosen and even the emperor granting his blessing.

All this happened in less than a day. Normally, such affairs should be planned over many days.

Or rather, why was he so cluelessly about to get married?

Bai Zhuo was terrified.

Thus, a sinister plan was hatched: Bai Zhuo would escape the wedding. However, luck was not on his side. Just as he climbed over the wall, his foot slipped, and he tumbled right into someone’s arms.

“Tha… Thank you, miss,” Bai Zhuo stammered, terrified; he had run straight into his fiancée’s embrace. Heaven was surely against him.

“Bai Gongzi, why are you up so late?” Xie Linghan raised a delicate brow as she looked at the bundles Bai Zhuo carried.

“Uh, well…” Bai Zhuo didn’t know what to say. He had come out to look at the moon, but judging by the dark and windy sky, he decided against it.

“Ahem, Miss Xie, could you please put me down?” Bai Zhuo blushed and cleared his throat.

“Oh.” Xie Linghan released him, and Bai Zhuo fell to the ground.

Bai Zhuo: “...” My butt...

Xie Linghan: “...” Oops.