Chapter 183 - 182: Killed Her Husband and Ate Her Child?

Chapter 183: Chapter 182: Killed Her Husband and Ate Her Child?

The commission was completed with exceptional ease, but Gu Qingyin wasn’t quite ready for it to be over. As she left, she found herself curious about what would happen next with Song Qiweng and Yuan Shuyi.

But since the two of them were grieving, she was too embarrassed to ask and could only leave in regret.

To distract herself on the way back to the hotel, Gu Qingyin asked, "Xingye, how did you feel this time?"

Huo Xingye was very calm. "It was okay."

Gu Qingyin hummed in understanding. "You didn’t open your Yin Yang Eye. Were you that scared even though you couldn’t see the ghost?"

"Yes." Huo Xingye smiled. "And I’ve realized that not all ghosts hurt people."

Gu Qingyin nodded in agreement. "Exactly. Just as people can be good or bad, so can ghosts. In reality, most ghosts can only see their own lingering obsessions. They couldn’t care less about other people or things."

"The ones that go on indiscriminate killing sprees are just a small minority."

Huo Yunjing sat beside them silently, engrossed in playing with his wife’s fair, slender fingers, giving an occasional nod of agreement.

He was making her hand itchy, and Gu Qingyin couldn’t resist swatting him.

"I’ve never been to Lincheng City. Since our son is busy with work, let’s have some fun for the next couple of days. You can plan our itinerary."

Huo Yunjing chuckled. "As you wish." He held onto Gu Qingyin’s hand while pulling out his phone with the other to start his research.

Gu Qingyin also took out her phone. She messaged the Mystic Association to report that the commission was complete and it was time to settle the Fate Fee.

By the time they got back to the hotel, it was the middle of the night. Huo Xingye postponed his morning meeting by two hours, then washed up and went to sleep.

For him, a workday that wasn’t packed was practically a day off.

The next morning, Huo Xingye had already left for the branch office by the time Gu Qingyin woke up.

She snuggled in bed for a while longer with her eyes closed, but then Huo Yunjing pulled her up. Time to wash up, eat, and go shopping!

Lincheng City was famous for its gardens and ancient town. The garden was vast and beautiful. After they were done exploring it, the small breakfast Gu Qingyin had eaten was completely digested.

Fortunately, the ancient town was full of culinary delights. Much of it was traditional Lincheng City cuisine, perfect in color, aroma, and taste. It would have felt like a crime not to eat it.

Gu Qingyin had just turned around—stinky tofu in her left hand, cold skewers in sesame oil in her right, and a mouthful of fried rice cakes—when she spotted Chen Ling across the street.

At that same moment, Chen Ling saw her too.

The two of them stared at each other for a few seconds across the narrow street, then exchanged an awkward greeting.

Five minutes later, Gu Qingyin and Chen Ling were sitting in a roadside milk tea shop.

Gu Qingyin was trying her best to finish off the stinky tofu. After all, the smell was overpowering; it was best to get rid of it quickly.

Chen Ling sat across from her, watching her eat with a complicated expression.

They hadn’t seen each other in almost a year, yet Gu Qingyin was still as vibrant as ever, without a single fine line on her face.

She, on the other hand, hadn’t been eating or sleeping well since getting pregnant. Now, in her third trimester, her whole body was starting to swell, her figure was a mess, and it felt as if she had aged ten years overnight.

"How did you bounce back so well?" Chen Ling couldn’t help but ask. "You had triplets. It must have been even harder for you, right?"

Gu Qingyin’s mouth was stuffed with stinky tofu, so she couldn’t speak. She could only nod, then shake her head.

Chen Ling frowned. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

Just then, Huo Yunjing returned with two milk teas. One was a warm green milk tea with boba for Chen Ling, and the other was a fragrant lemon tea for Gu Qingyin.

Chen Ling thanked him and watched as Huo Yunjing sat down beside Gu Qingyin and thoughtfully inserted a straw into her drink for her.

Gu Qingyin took the drink and took a few large gulps, even using it to rinse her mouth. Only then did she elegantly wipe her lips and say, "It was fine at first, but it got much harder later. I didn’t make it to full term and had a C-section."

Chen Ling froze, her gaze instinctively darting to Gu Qingyin’s stomach.

Gu Qingyin smiled, unconcerned. "I have a strong constitution, so I recovered very quickly. I don’t even have a scar anymore."

Chen Ling stroked her round belly, considering whether she should also opt for an early C-section. She’d heard that a natural birth would widen one’s hips and make it difficult to recover.

"Senior Sister Chen," Gu Qingyin said, blinking curiously, "why the sudden decision to get married and have a baby?"

Chen Ling snapped out of her thoughts and lowered her gaze. "I’m at that age. If I don’t have a child now, I’ll be too old to try later, even if I wanted to."

"I thought you were committed to being single."

"People’s thoughts change with age. When you’re young, you think freedom is more important. When you get older, you envy others for having a family."

Chen Ling smiled. "You’re the one who really figured it out. Getting married and having children early, so you can just enjoy the rest of your life."

Gu Qingyin waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, it was just a happy accident. It’s not like I planned it."

Huo Yunjing glanced at her, his eyes soft and filled with affection.

After that, Chen Ling kept trying to indirectly probe Gu Qingyin about her life before and after her pregnancy, even asking about her husband.

Gu Qingyin found it strange, but it wasn’t as if these things were secrets, so she answered whatever came to mind.

Every mother’s pregnancy is more or less the same; there was nothing particularly special about hers.

Chen Ling listened, but was inwardly dissatisfied. ’Gu Qingyin must be hiding something,’ she thought. ’It’s probably her secret to staying young.’

"What about the placenta? What did you do with it?"

Gu Qingyin couldn’t remember and looked at Huo Yunjing instinctively.

Huo Yunjing said calmly, "Unless the family makes a special request, they’re usually left with the hospital for disposal."

Gu Qingyin’s eyes widened in surprise. "Why would anyone take the placenta home?"

Huo Yunjing smiled. "As a souvenir, I suppose." Although they hadn’t kept the placentas for Xingye and his brothers, they had frozen their umbilical cord blood. It was best if it was never needed, but it provided a safety net in case of illness.

Out loud, Chen Ling said they would also keep it as a souvenir, but inwardly, she scoffed at the idea.

’Gu Qingyin must have eaten it and is just pretending she doesn’t know.’

’Trying to fool me? Hah, not a chance!’

They chatted a little longer, but then Chen Ling started to look tired and said her goodbyes.

Gu Qingyin watched her walk away, thoughtful. "Is it because of the pregnancy? Senior Sister Chen’s aura is a complete mess."

Huo Yunjing picked up her unfinished milk tea. "Ready to keep exploring?"

Gu Qingyin’s attention was immediately diverted. "Let’s go, let’s go! Let’s see what other delicious things we can find."

「Three days later.」

Gu Qingyin returned to Yun City, and the Fate Fee from the Mystic Association was transferred to her account. Of course, the pay wasn’t as good as when she took on commissions herself, but the convenience made up for it.

She didn’t have to communicate with clients, negotiate prices, or worry about follow-ups. Within certain limits, the Mystic Association was responsible for any problems that arose.

Since Gu Qingyin wasn’t short on money, she adapted well to this one drawback. She settled into a routine: handling commissions when they appeared, and lazing around when they didn’t.

Life couldn’t be more blissful.

「Two months later.」

Gu Qingyin received an official commission targeting Heavenly Masters.

—Chen Ling has murdered her husband and eaten her child. Suspected demonic possession. Special-level Heavenly Masters are hereby summoned to the Mystic Association to discuss a capture plan.

When the message came in, Gu Qingyin was lounging on her rocking chair, eating watermelon. The moment she finished reading, she shot upright in shock.

’Chen Ling? Murdered her husband and ate her child? This has to be a mistake!’

’The last time I saw her, she was glowing with maternal love, so excited for her baby to be born!’