After Marrying the Lord of the Underworld

After getting into Jing Xian’s car, Lu Yingjiu fastened his seatbelt. “Let’s go.”

 

“How did the talk go?” Jing Xian stepped on the accelerator.

 

“No problem,” Lu Yingjiu said, “The only thing left is the Chen family…”

 

The Chen family was the most difficult to deal with.

 

He knew more people in the Ye and Chu families. But he was completely unfamiliar with the Chen family. The last time they had any interaction was when he was investigating the human skin mask.

 

If he had to say, the people he knew best in the Chen family were Chen Xiaoling and Chen Zheng.

 

He owed Chen Xiaoling’s mother a life-saving favor. If he asked, Chen Xiaoling would definitely be willing.

 

She could do the inviting the gods but she was not an exorcist by nature. If she really let her and her attendants go into battle, it would be tantamount to suicide.

 

So he didn’t consider Chen Xiaoling.

 

As for Chen Zheng…

 

They had worked together for many years and had tea and chats together. When Lu Yingjiu left the Green Lantern Association, Chen Zheng was the one who put the most pressure on him, and the two of them had a really unpleasant time.

 

After that, during the incident with Old Lady Chen, Chen Zheng was stabbed a few times by Chen Qi and ended up in the ICU. Lu Yingjiu brought some fruit to see him – this was the last time they met. When Lu Yingjiu came back from the ghost world, Chen Zheng also sent him a few messages asking his whereabouts and safety.

 

Apart from that, there was no other interaction.

 

But no matter what, he still had to give it a try.

 

Lu Yingjiu sent Chen Zheng a message, saying that he was near the Green Lantern Association, asking him where he was, and whether it was convenient to meet.

 

After a few seconds, Chen Zheng replied to him.

 

[I’m at the teahouse at the corner of the street, the one you’ve been to before.]

 

So Jing Xian turned the car around and drove there.

 

When they arrived at the teahouse, he asked Lu Yingjiu, “Should I wait for you in the car?”

 

“Hmm, thank you.” Lu Yingjiu kissed him.

 

Jing Xian was immediately overjoyed. “It’s not hard, I didn’t just wait in the car, I just took hairball out for a walk.”

 

Hairball in the back seat of the car: “Awoo awoo!” While licking the corner of its mouth.

 

Lu Yingjiu: “…”

 

Jing Xian must have fed hairball ghosts again.

 

He got out of the car and went up to the second floor along the stairs.

 

This teahouse was hidden in the bustling city, decorated very elegantly. As soon as one entered, there were rockeries and fountains, and various potted plants were lush. It’s a weekday afternoon, so there weren’t many people.

 

Following the guide, Lu Yingjiu arrived at the innermost room.

 

Pushing the door in, the tea fragrance was wafting, and a pot of flower tea was bubbling slightly. A middle-aged man with a beer belly was pouring tea, pushing a bamboo hat shaped tea cup towards him with a smile, “Come on, have a drink. This is the jasmine tea that someone just gave me.”

 

Lu Yingjiu sat down and said, “Why are you drinking tea alone?”

 

“I just had a sudden craving for tea.” Chen Zheng turned the cup in his hand, “I just came back from a meeting and passed by here, so I simply came to the teahouse to sit.”

 

Lu Yingjiu nodded and took a light sip of the flower tea.

 

Chen Zheng’s tea-making skills were still so good, coupled with top-grade tea leaves, he brought out the full fragrance of jasmine.

 

Lu Yingjiu liked flower tea, and Chen Zheng also knew this, and used to make it for him often.

 

After drinking half a cup, Chen Zheng spoke, “Xiao Lu, what happened that you had to come here so suddenly?”

 

Lu Yingjiu repeated the same opening remarks, saying that there was something concerning the Hundred Ghosts Night Parade and himself.

 

Sure enough, unlike Ye and Chu, Chen Zheng showed obvious hesitation on his face.

 

He put down his tea cup and sat up straight, “Can’t you let me hear what it is and then make a decision?”

 

Lu Yingjiu said, “No, just knowing about this matter will bring misfortune.”

 

The tea room fell into a long silence.

 

The tea cup was empty, and the boiling water was bubbling.

 

Chen Zheng re-brewed the tea and then poured himself another one. After a long time, he said, “But, we have been preparing for this Hundred Ghosts Night Parade for a long time.”

 

He took a deep breath, “For this matter, I haven’t been home for half a month, running around everywhere, urging progress. Now the defense line has been deployed, all kinds of talisman papers have been arranged, and there are different patrols in the city. Although this biggest Hundred Ghosts Night Parade in history is dangerous, I think we can handle it.”

 

The implication was that there was no need to take risks, no need to prevent the Hundred Ghosts through Lu Yingjiu’s method.

 

“Besides,” he looked at Lu Yingjiu, “didn’t you also say that you ‘can’t guarantee success’?”

 

“Right.” Lu Yingjiu nodded, “No guarantee of success.”

 

Chen Zheng was slowly rubbing the tea cup again, raising his head to drink tea.

 

After a few sips, he said, “At this most critical juncture, morale is very important.”

 

“Didn’t the head of the Ye family die in the last Hundred Ghosts Night Parade? That news was suppressed until the end of the Night Parade. If the news hadn’t been concealed at that time, I don’t know how much panic it would have caused the Ye family.”

 

“Xiao Lu… After all, I am the president of the Green Lantern Association and one of the mainstays of the Chen family. If something really happens, it will have a big impact on the Green Lantern Association and the Chen family. I believe they won’t fall apart, but we should avoid this risk as much as possible.”

 

Lu Yingjiu nodded. “I understand.”

 

He didn’t feel disappointed. From the beginning, he didn’t expect Chen Zheng to agree.

 

Chen Zheng rubbed his brow bone.

 

Unconsciously, a thin layer of sweat had appeared on his forehead, as if he was restless, and said. “Come on, Xiao Lu, you drink tea slowly, we haven’t sat down and chatted for a long time.”

 

“I’ll leave after I finish this cup.” Lu Yingjiu said, “Someone is waiting for me.”

 

“Oh, okay, okay.” Chen Zheng squinted and nodded, pulling out a smile, “I won’t delay your time.”

 

Lu Yingjiu finished the flower tea and stood up and said, “I’m leaving.”

 

But Chen Zheng said, “Xiao Lu, I want to ask a question.”

 

“What?” Lu Yingjiu stood still, thinking ‘you and Chu Banyang are really alike, always asking questions when people are about to leave’.

 

The steam made the lid of the pot rattle.

 

Chen Zheng asked, “Is this matter related to Chen Minlan?”

 

Lu Yingjiu was stunned for a moment, remembering that Chen Zheng was a disciple of Chen Minlan, and replied, “Yes, it is related to her. Did she mention it to you?”

 

“No.” Chen Zheng said, “I vaguely sensed something and knew that she was planning something with others. But I don’t know the specifics.”

 

He revealed an ambiguous smile, “Looking back now, there were a few times when she probably wanted to tell me something. She had the words on the tip of her tongue, but she didn’t say them. I wonder if she was worried about me suffering from the so-called ‘misfortune’.”

 

“Probably.” Lu Yingjiu nodded.

 

“She actually told me something else.” Chen Zheng said, “On the night of the massacre, she called me.”

 

Lu Yingjiu knew about this.

 

He heard the conversation in the mirror of Di Ting.

 

Old Lady Chen finally said that she hoped Chen Zheng could become a brave and kind person.

 

Chen Zheng said, “She warned me to be careful of Chen Qi, saying that he was suspicious. After her death, I was devastated for a long time. Do you know who came to comfort me every day?”

 

“It was Chen Qi.”

 

He clenched the cup in his hand, his fingernails slightly white, “He ran around for me every day, and single-handedly arranged Old Lady Chen’s funeral, settled her other relatives, and did everything without a hitch. Without him, the Chen family would have been in chaos.”

 

“And then?” Lu Yingjiu said indifferently, “So you gave up your investigation of him because of this?”

 

“Not entirely.” Chen Zheng sighed, “When I recovered, I started investigating him.”

 

“But I have to say, those illusions blinded me. Every late night, I would think that he is my only relative. No matter how close the other people in the Chen family are to me, they are not my real brother after all.”

 

“So, after some investigation and no evidence, I completely trusted him.”

 

Lu Yingjiu said, “If you hadn’t completely let your guard down, it wouldn’t have been my turn to catch him.”

 

“Right.” Chen Zheng nodded, “Right, you’re right. I should have caught him a long time ago.”

 

At this moment, there was a look of defeat on his face.

 

Lu Yingjiu had never seen him look like this.

 

The bamboo hat shaped tea cup turned a few more circles in his hand, and Chen Zheng slowly said, “Xiao Lu, although you won’t say it, you actually look down on me in your heart, don’t you?”

 

“No.” Lu Yingjiu said.

 

Chen Zheng was a little surprised, his hand stopped, and he didn’t even drink the tea.

 

Lu Yingjiu said, “Why wouldn’t I say it? I do look down on you.”

 

Chen Zheng: “…”

 

He held the cup, not knowing whether to raise it or put it down.

 

“I’m leaving,” said Lu Yingjiu.

 

He closed the door of the tea room, leaving Chen Zheng feeling awkward and uncomfortable.

 

Back in Jing Xian’s car.

 

Jing Xian asked, “He didn’t agree?”

 

“Well, it was expected,” Lu Yingjiu reclined his seat and lay comfortably, “I’ll think of other candidates.”

 

“Going home?”

 

“Home.”

 

****

 

As soon as they got home, hairball and the cow cat were fighting over the cat food, and furs were flying everywhere during the fight.

 

Jing Xian made dinner.

 

Lu Yingjiu rarely cooked, he rolled up his loose home clothes, and together they snapped vegetables, cut meat slices, brushed crabs, and there were endless sweet nothings and whispers.

 

By the time the hot food was on the table, it was already dark. They turned on the lights in the dining room, set the bowls and chopsticks, and started eating dinner.

 

While eating, Lu Yingjiu suddenly said, “During the Hundred Ghosts Night Parade, you have to go back to the ghost world, right?”

 

He had a reason for asking this.

 

Not only exorcists contribute to the Hundred Ghosts Night Parade.

 

Priests also prevented the Hundred Ghosts Night Parade, which was one of their duties.

 

One night before going to bed, Lu Yingjiu somehow brought up this topic with Jing Xian.

 

Jing Xian, holding him, said, “The essence of the Hundred Ghosts Night Parade is the eruption of yin energy in the ghost world.”

 

“Just like the human world has various natural disasters, earthquakes, typhoons, tsunamis, etc., the natural disaster in the ghost world is the eruption of yin energy. Every once in a while, the abyss of the eighteen layers of the ghost world will start to stir.”

 

“The abyss has no end, all the ghosts and little ghosts that fall into it die of hunger or old age on the way down. It is also the source of yin energy, once it stirs, the yin energy will start from the eighteenth layer, sweeping up layer by layer, eroding all the ghosts.”

 

“The ghosts in the Hundred Ghosts Night Parade are all wandering ghosts eroded by yin energy.”

 

Lu Yingjiu said “oh”, fiddling with one of Jing Xian’s buttons, and asked, “How many ghosts are killed off in the ghost world? We’ve asked many priests before, but they can’t tell.”

 

“Probably about sixty or seventy percent,” Jing Xian thought for a moment, “The rest can’t be stopped, so they come to the human world.”

 

Lu Yingjiu listened carefully while fiddling with the button.

 

As he fiddled, his hand was held.

 

Lu Yingjiu: ?

 

Then both their buttons were undone.

 

Now that the Hundred Ghosts Night Parade was approaching, Lu Yingjiu thought of this again.

 

Jing Xian was noncommittal about his question. “Maybe.”

 

“You should go back,” Lu Yingjiu said, “This time is extraordinary, you are a priest, you can only exert all your strength in the ghost world.”

 

Jing Xian wanted to say something, but didn’t.

 

Lu Yingjiu knew what he was thinking.

 

If he had a choice, he wouldn’t want to be separated from Jing Xian either.

 

The two were silent, and Lu Yingjiu put a chopstick of vegetables into Jing Xian’s bowl.

 

When they went to bed at night, they lay together.

 

Lu Yingjiu was still fiddling with that button – under his perseverance, the button finally showed signs of falling off.

 

Jing Xian said, “Is this button so fun?”

 

“Anyway, I’m bored, just picking it casually,” Lu Yingjiu said.

 

Jing Xian: “If you’re really bored, we can play something else.”

 

Lu Yingjiu: “…”

 

Lu Yingjiu: “Aren’t I ‘playing’ with you every day? You don’t sleep, but I need to sleep.”

 

Jing Xian regretfully clicked his tongue.

 

The surroundings quieted down, only the sound of the second hand could be heard.

 

Lu Yingjiu was a bit sleepy, after a while, he said to Jing Xian, “If it’s really necessary, you can go to the ghost world with peace of mind. The first half day of the Hundred Ghosts Night Parade is the most fierce, if you don’t stop the ghosts, we don’t know what the human world will become.”

 

Jing Xian said, “By then you will have activated the formation. If you really find the Heavenly Way, are you going to go alone?”

 

He added, “As long as I stop the first wave of frenzy, there will be a gap in the middle, and I can come back temporarily.”

 

“It may not work,” Lu Yingjiu shook his head, “As long as the formation is activated, the Heavenly Way will definitely notice us and will not give a chance to breathe. Once the formation is activated, I must act immediately.”

 

Jing Xian: “…”

 

He gently held Lu Yingjiu’s hand.

 

Lu Yingjiu smiled lightly, “But, I promised not to leave you behind anymore. No matter what happens, I will hold on until you come.”

 

In the darkness, Jing Xian stared at him, “Do you promise?”

 

“Um.” Lu Yingjiu kissed his hand, “I promise.”

 

Only then did Jing Xian look a little better.

 

After comforting the ghost king, Lu Yingjiu yawned and continued to pick at the button.

 

Suddenly there was lightness in his hand –

 

He looked down and the black button finally couldn’t hold on and was pulled off by him. The white thread broke open, the pajamas opened a gap, revealing a large piece of skin and the faintly visible muscle lines.

 

Lu Yingjiu subconsciously looked up and met Jing Xian’s gaze.

 

There was a dark and excited light in Jing Xian’s eyes.

 

Lu Yingjiu: “…”

 

This is not good.

 

That night he “played” another round with Jing Xian before he could sleep properly, thinking that in the future, only Jing Xian would be allowed to wear pullovers.

 

When he woke up the next morning, Lu Yingjiu ate breakfast in a daze.

 

After the dishes and chopsticks were cleaned up, he took out his phone.

 

Ye Feng still hadn’t replied.

 

Yesterday at noon, he wanted to call Ye Feng, but Ye Feng said he was a bit busy and it was inconvenient to talk, and that he also had to take a leave from the bar.

 

Lu Yingjiu also sent him a message last night, but there has been no reply until now.

 

He frowned.

 

“What’s wrong?” Jing Xian picked up hairball and placed it on the sofa, then he himself fell onto the sofa, just right to hold Lu Yingjiu, “He didn’t reply?”

 

“Yes.” Lu Yingjiu nodded, “I’m a little worried, let’s go to his house and have a look.”

 

Jing Xian: “…There’s someone at the door.”

 

“Huh?”

 

Jing Xian said, “There’s someone at the door.”

 

After five or six seconds, the doorbell “ding dong-” rang.

 

Lu Yingjiu went to open the door.

 

A middle-aged man stood outside, dressed in sportswear, with slightly white temples, but the muscle lines on his arms were still obvious. He was not tall, but he exuded a beast-like temperament, rugged and strong.

 

Ye Shou.

 

Ye Feng’s father.

 

When he was the chief, Lu Yingjiu had seen Ye Shou several times, but the two had no private contact.

 

He naturally knew that the father-son relationship between the two was tense, and they hadn’t had a good conversation for several years. This visit was really unexpected.

 

Lu Yingjiu: “…What can I do for you?”

 

He squinted slightly, “Is Ye Feng with you?”