Ch7 – A corpse borrowing a ghost’s authority

Translator: Abo Dammen

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To keep up with the changing times, Jing Liansheng first decided to consult some materials and catch up on the history lessons he’d missed over the past century. Ying Zhili promptly sent over a batch of books covering ancient, modern, and contemporary history, along with some readings on popular culture. The pile of books on the table stood thick, resembling a small hill. Jing Liansheng casually picked one up, his fingertips lightly turning the pages, his gaze wandering between the lines, a pensive expression on his face. 

Bai Qing stood to the side, watching Jing Liansheng’s focused demeanor, a twinge of jealousy stirring in his heart. It seems Jing Liansheng won’t confide in me, but he lets Ying Zhili bring him books. It seems he trusts Ying Zhili quite a bit.

That won’t do. I must surpass Ying Zhili!

So, Bai Qing pointed at the dazzling array of books and said, “What’s so interesting about these heavy tomes? Besides, a lot of the information in them is outdated. Better to use a phone.”

As he spoke, Bai Qing took out his phone and enthusiastically explained its uses to Jing Liansheng. 

This modern technology brought no small shock to the handsome old ancestor. “Such a magical artifact… truly unprecedented.”

Seeing this, Bai Qing laughed inwardly but maintained a serious expression. “This is called a phone, a treasure modern people can’t live without. It can not only look up information but also read news, listen to music, play games, and even let you chat face-to-face with someone thousands of miles away. It’s practically omnipotent!”

Finding the sight of Jing Liansheng’s icy coffin-board face reacting with astonishment highly amusing, Bai Qing deliberately teased him, “There’s even more fun stuff.” Saying this, he intentionally opened a suggestive, ‘edgy’ video for Jing Liansheng to see.

Watching the NSFW male host on the phone screen writhing like a water snake, Jing Liansheng’s expression turned grave. “Does this person have a spinal condition?” 

Bai Qing: …When I confess to him, he says I have a mental illness. When someone acts suggestively, he says they have a spinal problem.

He really is a fierce ghost with an upright heart, compassionate like a healer. Truly worthy of being the ghost of my heart. Love it, love it! ❤

Bai Qing struck while the iron was hot, suggesting Jing Liansheng have electricity and WiFi connected to the house. “Otherwise, this phone will run out of battery quickly, and my data isn’t enough either. I’m afraid it’ll become unusable soon.”

Having just crammed knowledge about the internet, Jing Liansheng roughly understood what connecting to WiFi meant. He said, “Why is this house not connected to electricity?” 

Bai Qing shrugged. “I don’t know either. It was like this when I arrived. They probably wanted to maintain the old state.”

Jing Liansheng thought for a moment and found it reasonable. “Indeed.”

Bai Qing could imagine that Jing Liansheng, aloof as a ghost, was probably also very detached when he was human, unwilling to get too close to others. However, Jing Liansheng’s authority seemed exceptionally profound. Even after a hundred years, his instructions were still firmly remembered and followed by his descendants, with the current family head making arrangements for his soul’s return and the ghost marriage. This accumulated authority was extraordinary.

Seeing Jing Liansheng’s growing interest in the new topic and the atmosphere much more relaxed, Bai Qing felt secretly pleased, thinking the timing was ripe. He cautiously probed, “Then, when you initially instructed the Jing family head to arrange the ghost marriage for you, what exactly were your orders?” 

The moment the words left his mouth, Jing Liansheng’s red eyes suddenly sharpened, as if a tangible chill instantly swept through the room. Bai Qing felt an icy pressure envelop his whole body, his skin prickling as if lightly pierced by fine ice needles, leaving behind clear, cold stings of pain. He shivered involuntarily, inwardly cursing his misstep, and promptly closed his mouth, knowing his place.

Jing Liansheng spoke coldly, a note of warning in his tone. “I do not like curious people.”

Bai Qing put on a sincere face. “Yes, I understand.” Anyway, I’m not a person.

Seeing Bai Qing’s respectful attitude, Jing Liansheng’s expression softened slightly, but his gaze remained cold, as if warning him not to cross the line. 

Bai Qing, seeing this, secretly breathed a sigh of relief but also understood that Jing Liansheng’s wariness towards him was still very high. Asking even a little too much would invite an attack of yin energy. So, he said no more, simply standing silently to the side, his face still wearing that simple and honest expression.

Jing Liansheng withdrew his gaze and refocused his attention on the phone in his hand, as if the earlier chill had never existed.

Bai Qing stroked his chin and thought: Even ghosts can’t resist the charm of short videos!

It seems Tiktok is the irresistible new-era succubus! 

Bai Qing intentionally let Jing Liansheng indulge in the phone for a while. However, Jing Liansheng only fiddled with it briefly. The initial novelty in his eyes quickly faded, and then he unhesitatingly set the phone aside, picking up the heavy history book from the table again to continue reading. Seeing this, Bai Qing couldn’t help but feel somewhat surprised, even a little defeated. He couldn’t resist asking, “Eldest Young Master, this phone… don’t you find it interesting?”

Jing Liansheng didn’t look up, his tone unpertubed. “Although this object is novel, it is merely frivolous. Looking at it too much only feels dull. These books, however, between their lines lies the turmoil and changes of a hundred years, worth savoring in detail.”

Bai Qing was shocked: This dead ghost isn’t even attracted by Tiktok!

What else can possibly seduce him? 

Me?

Can I really do it?

Bai Qing began to feel uncertain.

Bai Qing then recommended e-reading to Jing Liansheng, but this old ancestor clearly preferred physical books. Undaunted, his eyes darting, he thought of another idea. Since Jing Liansheng enjoyed reading at night, getting him an electric lamp couldn’t be wrong, right? 

So, Bai Qing busily made arrangements and soon brought over a soft electric lamp.

He said to Jing Liansheng with a beaming smile, “Eldest Young Master, this electric light is very gentle, perfect for night reading. You no longer have to worry about candlelight being insufficient.”

However, Jing Liansheng merely glanced coldly at the electric lamp and said calmly, “I am a ghost. I have night vision.”

Bai Qing: … This old ancestor leaves me no room for flattery at all. 

Seeing Jing Liansheng’s complete lack of interest in both modern gadgets and nocturnal reading devices, Bai Qing had no choice but to grab at random topics to assert his presence. He asked, feigning casualness, “Eldest Young Master, since you’ve decided to go out, would you like to meet Madam Jing and the three young masters and ladies first?”

Jing Liansheng frowned slightly, his tone icy. “Why see them?”

It was clear he couldn’t care less.

Bai Qing swallowed nervously. Isn’t there a saying about grandparents doting on their grandchildren? Why doesn’t this great-grandfather seem to care about his great-grandchildren at all? 

 

Feeling a bit mischievous, and relying on his persona of “not knowing Jing Liansheng is the great-grandfather,” Bai Qing deliberately said, “Forget the three young masters and ladies, but you won’t even see Madam Jing? She’s our mother!”

Hearing the words “our mother,” the corner of Jing Liansheng’s mouth indeed twitched almost imperceptibly. Then he said icily, “She is not my mother.”

“Really?” Bai Qing feigned surprise, his face a mask of disbelief. “Then… you are…” He deliberately paused, pretending to have a sudden realization, and peered cautiously. “Oh, I see. I understand why the Eldest Young Master doesn’t want anyone probing into your background. Don’t worry, I won’t ask anymore.” 

His expression, his tone, practically screamed: I know you’re an illegitimate child. I won’t expose your shortcoming, haha.

Jing Liansheng’s face turned cold. He was indeed angered.

Seeing this, Bai Qing felt a quiet thrill. He had almost fully deciphered Jing Liansheng’s temperament: this dead ghost was proud and arrogant, like a giraffe—heads held high, noble in bearing, but structurally predisposed to high blood pressure.

Bai Qing watched with great delight the subtle cracks in Jing Liansheng’s icy, cold facade. 

Jing Liansheng snorted coldly but refused to justify himself. He casually picked up the phone and handed it back to Bai Qing. Perhaps because he gripped it a bit too firmly, the phone screen cracked silently.

Bai Qing inwardly cried out in dismay, but it was too late. He watched helplessly as the phone he had saved up to buy now had cracks spreading across its screen like a spiderweb.

Bai Qing nearly cried: Damn it! I worked a whole summer herding corpses for Shifu to save up enough for this phone!!!

Goddamn ghost, you have no idea how hard herding corpses is! 

It’s all in mountainous areas teeming with snakes, insects, rats, and ants, running on paths inaccessible by cart or horse. And Shifu even said sarcastically, “Anyway, you’re a corpse, and they are corpses too. Just treat it as a summer camping trip with your classmates. Such a fun thing, you should be grateful I’m not charging you. I’m even paying you!”

Holding the phone, Bai Qing wept openly. “My… my iPhone…”

Seeing Bai Qing crying over the phone as if mourning at a grave, Jing Liansheng found it hard tounderstand.… What ‘love‘ or ‘love crazy’… But given his mental state, crying over anything isn’t surprising.

Feeling a sense of tolerance towards the mentally challenged, Jing Liansheng’s patience increased considerably. He softened his tone and said, “What’s the big deal? I will grant you another one.” 

Upon hearing this, the sorrow on Bai Qing’s face instantly vanished. His eyes lit up, his smile as brilliant as spring sunshine. “The Eldest Young Master is so good! I knew you were the most generous!”

Watching Bai Qing’s face seamlessly switch from crying to laughing left Jing Liansheng somewhat dazed.

It felt so familiar… yet unknown.

Seeing Jing Liansheng’s distracted expression, Bai Qing’s heart stirred. He quickly restrained his smile, letting concern color his tone. “Eldest Young Master, what’s wrong? Are you feeling unwell?” 

Jing Liansheng returned to himself, his gaze turning cold once more, his tone calm and detached. “It’s nothing.”

He stood with his hands behind his back. His eyes seemed to fall on Bai Qing, yet not quite.

Bai Qing’s senses were keen, sharpened further by the fact that he faced the very ghost he had fallen for. He realized that the Eldest Young Master had never truly looked directly at him. It wasn’t entirely pride that kept him away, but a deliberate avoidance. Yet this avoidance was not born of disgust. It carried instead an elusive, subtle emotion.

It was as if… deep down, the Eldest Young Master did not wish to meet his gaze, and yet could not resist stealing glances all the same. 

So contradictory, causing his gaze to always skim lightly over Bai Qing’s cheeks in a hovering manner, only to snap back like a boomerang.

Feeling his knowledge cramming was almost sufficient, Jing Liansheng decided to go out with Bai Qing, taking the opportunity to buy him a new phone. Of course, they needed to change their clothes and appearance.

No matter how high one’s ‘two-dimensional concentration’ was, one couldn’t just go out freshly dressed in a set of burial clothes. Bai Qing volunteered to buy clothes for Jing Liansheng. However, picking up his (cracked) phone, he then asked, “Eldest Young Master, should we ask Madam Jing for a card to use for spending first?”

Jing Liansheng said, “That’s simple. You go find Ying Zhili. He will convey the message.” 

“Ying Zhili?” Bai Qing’s curiosity floated up again. “So, you’ve never spoken directly to Madam Jing? It’s always through Ying Zhili?” If that were the case, no wonder Ying Zhili could play pranks, adding appearance requirements for the marriage candidate.

But this also proved that the living person Jing Liansheng trusted most was Ying Zhili—a trust that even surpassed that given to his own blood-related descendants.

This made Bai Qing even more jealous.

He must surpass Ying Zhili! 

Therefore, Bai Qing immediately adopted a green tone to sow discord. “No wonder Madam Jing had so many strange requirements! I thought it was your taste! So it was Teacher Ying’s personal interpretation.”

As a living corpse spanning both Yin and Yang realms, Bai Qing was naturally quite skilled at being deliberately provocative.

Jing Liansheng listened, his face unchanged. It was unclear if it registered.

But Bai Qing knew he definitely had a chance. After all, Jing Liansheng had previously expressed dissatisfaction with Bai Qing’s face and had taken jabs at Ying Zhili’s “unsavory hobby,” indicating he already had grievances against his human spokesperson. 

As long as Bai Qing continued his clever and obedient persona, it would be easy to kick Ying Zhili down and replace him as Jing Liansheng’s most trusted living being!

Bai Qing smiled and said, “Besides, Teacher Ying seems to have his own matters to attend to, elusive like a divine dragon. In an emergency, who knows where to find him? How about this: let’s skip this intermediate step. You give me a token, and I’ll go directly to Madam Jing to explain the situation. Wouldn’t that be simpler?”

As he spoke, Bai Qing gazed intently at Jing Liansheng, simultaneously trying his best to make his eyes appear clear and bottomless, utterly guileless.

Yet, this version of Bai Qing made Jing Liansheng unconsciously avert his eyes. 

If it were Bai Qing’s usual grimacing, crying, or laughing expressions, that would be one thing. But now when he was this quiet and wordless, with clear eyes, he bore a startling resemblance to a certain someone.

That familiar feeling, like a tiny needle, lightly pricked the depths of Jing Liansheng’s heart, leaving him momentarily dazed.

Jing Liansheng tilted his head slightly, avoiding Bai Qing’s gaze, his tone distant. “Very well.” With that, Jing Liansheng took out a jade from his sleeve and handed it to Bai Qing. “Take this. She will understand.”

Bai Qing took the jade cicada and examined it carefully. He could tell it was a burial object. That wasn’t strange in itself, but judging from the coloration, this jade cicada was definitely not a recent item but an antique with a history of at least a thousand years. 

Jing Liansheng had only been dead for about a hundred years. Where did he get a piece of ancient burial jade from a millennium-old tomb?

How very strange!

But Bai Qing didn’t show excessive curiosity. He just weighed the jade piece in his hand and said, “Then I’ll directly ask Madam Jing to get us a card? Do you also need a forged ID for a living person?”

“They should have prepared everything thoroughly,” Jing Liansheng said after a slight pause, his tone steady. “Regarding my condition, do not speak to her about it much.” 

“Okay.” Bai Qing nodded.

Jing Liansheng continued his instructions, “However, you can ask her why she took it upon herself to have the marriage candidate consume yang-damaging food and perform yang-damaging rituals.”

“Okay, Eldest Young Master.” Bai Qing nodded.

Actually, Bai Qing was also somewhat concerned about this matter. He had long felt Madam Jing’s arrangements were peculiar. He privately planned to question her thoroughly when he saw her. 

Bai Qing left the west wing and walked back to the main house along the waterside corridor. When he reached the second floor, he saw the old butler standing by the door. Upon seeing Bai Qing, a flash of surprise crossed the old butler’s eyes, quickly replaced by a barely perceptible displeasure. But he swiftly adjusted his emotions, a polite smile returning to his lips. “Mr. Bai, shouldn’t you be in the west wing?”

Instead of answering directly, Bai Qing smiled slightly, his tone probing. “Is Madam Jing available to see me now?”

Seeing Bai Qing evade the question, dissatisfaction spread in the butler’s eyes. But he maintained surface courtesy. “The family head is currently occupied with important matters and I’m afraid she has no time to spare for you. If you have any needs, please feel free to inform me. For now, please return to the west wing immediately.”

The old butler clearly viewed Bai Qing as the “bride-to-be who doesn’t know they’re being set up for a ghost marriage,” someone who needed to be closely watched, preferably confined to the west wing. 

Seeing Bai Qing running around freely and boldly asking to see the family head greatly displeased the old butler.

Bai Qing noticed this. His eyes darted, and he took out the jade cicada Jing Liansheng had given him from his pocket. “The Eldest Young Master sent me.”

With one glance at the jade cicada, the old butler’s pupils constricted violently. He stood frozen on the spot, his tone mechanical, his expression dazed. “The… the Eldest Young Master… it’s the Eldest Young Master…”

Bai Qing remembered the old butler had been in a similar state on the first night of Jing Liansheng’s return. He originally thought the butler was possessed, but now it seemed more like the butler’s own mental state was poor, triggering PTSD whenever he encountered anything related to Jing Liansheng. 

Perhaps because the old butler’s voice was too loud, it disturbed those inside. The study door slowly opened, and Jing Shuizhi emerged. She was dressed in simple, elegant attire, her face wearing that trademark friendly smile, like a spring breeze. The old butler stammered, pointing at the jade cicada, and said to Jing Shuizhi, “Family Head, it’s… it’s the Eldest Young Master…”

Jing Shuizhi’s gaze fell upon the jade cicada, and her figure stiffened slightly. But only for a moment. She quickly adjusted her emotions, her face blooming with a smile again, warm and affable. “Wonderful. It seems you have gained the Eldest Young Master’s approval.”

Bai Qing smiled. “Exactly. May I come in and speak with you for a moment?”

“Of course, please, come in.” Jing Shuizhi enthusiastically welcomed him, stepping aside to clear the study doorway. 

Bai Qing entered the study and found that, unlike the antique west wing, it had clearly been renovated in a more modern style, appearing minimalist and contemporary. The wall was filled with open-shelf display cabinets without excessive decoration, the surfaces very neat. The open grids intersected, revealing various books illuminated by white light strips. In front of the bookcase stood a slim, lightweight matte black lacquer desk with a matching chair.

“Please, have a seat.” Jing Shuizhi gently indicated, elegantly pointing to the chair by the desk.

Her eyes seemed to casually sweep over the jade cicada in Bai Qing’s hand before naturally settling on his face, observing his expression carefully.

“The Eldest Young Master… he is indeed somewhat unique,” Jing Shuizhi probed. “I always knew you were a sensible child. I was worried that seeing the Eldest Young Master like that… you might feel uncomfortable.” 

The corner of Bai Qing’s mouth twitched: … ‘The Eldest Young Master is unique’… ‘worried you might feel uncomfortable…

Truly worthy of being the family head, deeply versed in the art of language. She can actually phrase ‘Did you discover the Eldest Young Master is a fierce ghost? Didn’t it scare you to death?’ so refreshingly and elegantly.

Remembering Jing Liansheng’s instruction not to reveal his condition to Jing Shuizhi, Bai Qing didn’t respond to the “Eldest Young Master is unique” part. Instead, he smiled calmly and composedly, “Ha! You had me eat head-of-the-corpse rice and open umbrellas indoors—I adapted to all that. What else couldn’t I adapt to?”

Jing Shuizhi didn’t expect Bai Qing to bring this up. For a moment, guilt and embarrassment intertwined in her heart, her face changing color. Not to mention, she also noticed Bai Qing’s attitude when speaking to her was different now. The respect and politeness were gone. He didn’t even use the basic formal “you” anymore. 

She naturally guessed: Has Bai Qing grown to resent me?

Her guess was wrong.

The reason for Bai Qing’s sudden lack of respect wasn’t resentment towards Jing Shuizhi. There was nothing to resent, as he had been willing all along. He started putting on airs because he thought: I’m the man who’s going to be your great-grandmother!

An old corpse like Bai Qing was, of course, quite feudal. He previously thought he was the daughter-in-law, so he was respectful. Now discovering he was actually the great-grandmother—a super-generation promotion—how could he not let his tail stick up! 

The fact that he wasn’t demanding Jing Shuizhi serve him tea already showed he was very approachable!

However, he didn’t expect Jing Shuizhi to serve him tea anyway. Because if she served tea, wouldn’t he have to give a red envelope?

For now, Bai Qing didn’t reveal this thought. He just swept his sharp gaze over Jing Shuizhi, his voice carrying a force she had never seen before. “The Eldest Young Master doesn’t seem to recall instructing you to do these things.”

His words were lightly stated, a faint smile playing on his lips, but behind that smile hid an authority not belonging to an ordinary young man. Even a strong, decisive leader like Jing Shuizhi, who controlled major family affairs, couldn’t help but be momentarily stunned under Bai Qing’s compelling presence, inwardly surprised. I fear I underestimated this young man. 

Bai Qing, however, simply smiled, leaning back leisurely in the chair as if waiting for a cup of tea to brew, awaiting her answer.