Chapter 60

"Ahem, Sister Zhong, please take your time. I have to go and attend to other matters." Xia Yunjie hurriedly interrupted, then turned to busy himself with other things.

There's a term called 'gaining both wealth and beauty.' He suddenly realized that a woman like Sister Zhong, so openly inviting him to be her kept man, was indeed a rare opportunity to gain both wealth and beauty, which was very tempting! If he weren't secretly a wizard, if he were just an ordinary worker, he wasn't sure if he could resist such temptation at this moment!

There's another term called 'the more unattainable something is, the more one desires it.' This applies to both men and women. The reason Sister Zhong wanted to keep Xia Yunjie wasn't because she truly liked him, nor was it because she was so lonely that she desperately needed a man to play with. Mainly, it was because the nightmares had kept her from sleeping, and she suddenly had the idea of finding a man to sleep with, which could also satisfy her physical needs. Xia Yunjie, with his simple, clean, and handsome appearance, looked harmless and was the type she could accept. Thus, she had hinted at it a few times, thinking that with her beauty and money, it would be easy to get him. However, after several hints, Xia Yunjie didn't take the bait. This made her feel a sense of frustration, or more accurately, a sense of unwillingness, leading to her direct approach tonight. The result was the same as before, and not only that, Xia Yunjie even kindly gave her a talisman. Although she didn't believe in talismans, at that moment, holding the talisman, she felt not only surprise and absurdity but also, for the first time in many years, a sense of warmth.

After putting away the talisman, Sister Zhong sat quietly in a corner, savoring a glass of Hennessy worth hundreds of dollars. After finishing it, as usual, she left the bar.

Outside the bar, a champagne-colored Bentley was waiting for her at the intersection. The driver, a woman with a short haircut, dressed in black, and a stern expression, was about thirty years old. This woman was Sister Zhong's driver and bodyguard.

"Boss," the woman saw Sister Zhong come out and opened the back door for her.

"Back to Rose Garden," Sister Zhong said succinctly as she bent to sit in the back seat.

Rose Garden was the true wealthy district of Jiangzhou City.

After getting into the car, Sister Zhong took out the talisman Xia Yunjie had given her from her bag.

The talisman was drawn messily and didn't seem much different from those given by other "masters." However, the paper was much more wrinkled and of lower quality compared to the talismans given by the "masters," which were often placed in exquisite sachets or even carved on high-quality peach wood. The latter, called peach talismans, were said to have the power to drive away evil spirits, made from the core of a hundred-year-old peach tree. In comparison, the talisman Xia Yunjie gave her was like a street vendor's goods, and any fortune-teller at Immortal Bridge probably had a bunch of them.

Thinking about it, Sister Zhong's lips curled into a self-mocking smile. She had actually been moved by such a shabby talisman! When had she become so easily moved? Was she really getting old? Or was it the damned nightmares that had made her so vulnerable?

As she thought, Sister Zhong rolled down the car window, elegantly holding the shabby talisman, her gaze cold as she looked out the window. She wanted the young man and the talisman to disappear into the night. She wouldn't stoop so low as to纠缠 a young man, even though he was indeed special.

But for some reason, just as she was about to let go, she inexplicably pulled back.

Returning to her villa in Rose Garden, Sister Zhong placed the shabby talisman under her pillow. However, she still couldn't fall asleep, afraid that the evil spirit would come and press down on her as soon as she slept. The doctors said it was due to excessive mental stress and prescribed her sedatives. The "masters" said it was a ghost pressing down on her and gave her talismans to drive away evil spirits. But neither the sedatives nor the talismans worked. How could she possibly believe a talisman given by a bar server? It was just a last-ditch effort; since he had kindly given it to her, it would be a waste to throw it away, so she decided to try it for one night.

She kept her eyes open, afraid to fall asleep, but eventually, she couldn't resist the drowsiness and fell into a deep sleep. As Sister Zhong slept, a thin, invisible black smoke emerged from her sapphire necklace, forming a female ghost covered in blood, with a long tongue and a single eye. The moment the female ghost appeared, the room became suddenly eerie. Even in her sleep, Sister Zhong seemed to sense this and her eyebrows subconsciously furrowed.

Humans and ghosts are different; humans fear ghosts, but ghosts also fear humans because humans have yang energy. Humans are yang, and ghosts are yin. Yang energy can harm yin energy, so humans instinctively dislike graveyards and other eerie places, and ghosts instinctively avoid places with many people and yang energy. They usually stay in desolate mountains and wilderness. However, some powerful ghosts are not afraid of humans, just as people with magical powers are not afraid of evil spirits. But these days, people with magical powers are as rare as pandas, and powerful ghosts are similarly rare. Moreover, powerful ghosts usually don't attack humans without reason, as humans have yang energy, and ghosts without magical powers or talismans would be harmed.

But the female ghost that emerged from Sister Zhong's sapphire clearly recognized her. As soon as it came out, its single eye shot a greenish glow at her, and it pounced with its fangs and claws.

However, before it could reach Sister Zhong, a beam of light suddenly shone from under her pillow.

"Zap!" The female ghost's claws, unable to avoid the light, were instantly burned like dry grass catching fire, and its long-clawed hands were completely burned off. The female ghost, terrified, turned into a black mist and retreated back into the sapphire. After a while, it dared to come out again.

This time, the female ghost didn't dare to pounce on Sister Zhong again but circled around her with its greenish eye, hesitant to attack. Its claws, though regrown, were faint and seemed to be about to dissipate at any moment.

After a while, the female ghost mustered the courage to pounce on Sister Zhong again, but before it could reach her, the light shone again, and the female ghost quickly retreated back into the sapphire, this time not daring to come out again.

The eerie atmosphere in the room disappeared, and Sister Zhong's furrowed brows relaxed in her sleep.

Kyoto, Japan.

In a garden hidden behind a pine forest, covered with green grass and wildflowers blooming along a stream, Masaki Satoko, in her forties and at the peak of her career and energy, sat stiffly, watching as Chiba Kako slowly prepared tea, a hint of fear in her eyes.

Chiba Kako, with skin as white as snow, a voluptuous and sensual figure, and a dignified and noble appearance, would be mistaken by anyone as a noble lady, making men feel an urge to conquer her.

The first time Masaki Satoko met Chiba Kako, she also felt an urge to conquer her. At that time, she didn't take a shaman seriously. Like most Japanese, they acknowledged the existence of shamans but didn't truly believe in their mysterious powers, similar to how Chinese people often doubt and question fortune-tellers and shamans. Masaki Satoko sought Chiba Kako's help because her father strongly recommended her, saying she was a true shaman with mysterious powers. Moreover, she was at a loss on how to deal with Zhong Yangying, so she decided to give it a try and sought Chiba Kako's help.

Chiba Kako's method was simple: she only needed a strand of Zhong Yangying's hair, her birth date, and a jade accessory she wore. At first, Masaki Satoko thought Chiba Kako's method was no different from other shamans who pretended to be mysterious, but to please the beautiful Chiba Kako, she followed the instructions.

After doing these things, Masaki Satoko didn't think much of it, but after a while, her people in Chao Sheng Group reported that Zhong Yangying had been frequently visiting hospitals and temples, and even secretly performed rituals at home.

That day, the mature woman with the noble lady's aura, with her proud chest still rising, no longer aroused any improper thoughts in Masaki Satoko, only a sense of fear.

This was a true shaman who could communicate with ghosts and possessed mysterious powers!

"Please have some tea, Mr. Masaki," Chiba Kako finally finished preparing the tea and poured it for Masaki Satoko, her lips slightly parting.

Her voice was calm but carried a hint of mystery and allure, making her seem distant and mysterious yet full of temptation.

"Thank you, Master," Masaki Satoko bowed slightly, then solemnly picked up the tea and took a sip, feeling a refreshing stream flow down her throat, leaving a fragrant aftertaste.

"Good tea!" Masaki Satoko couldn't help but praise.

"Is your visit today about the Chinese woman?" Chiba Kako also took a sip of tea and asked.

"Exactly, Master is indeed powerful. Zhong Yangying has been frequently visiting hospitals and temples, clearly affected. When would be a good time to discuss cooperation with her?" Masaki Satoko, seeing Chiba Kako mention Zhong Yangying, subconsciously showed a hint of fear and bowed slightly to ask.