A Matchmaker Has No Future

Simply put, it was the story of a man who took money to break up, then saw his ex-girlfriend become famous and increasingly adorable, and suddenly regretted it.

The manager had come prepared. She even brought the agreement from years ago proving that the ex-boyfriend had accepted the money, nipping his arguments in the bud.

When the ex-boyfriend proposed breaking up back then, Kinoshita Yoko had begged him desperately. Lately, he kept recalling that scene, convinced that Yoko still loved him deeply. So he wanted to get back together with her in private, without letting the company know.

Who would have thought that after waiting so long for a "private meeting," he would be knocked senseless by the man in Yoko's home before he could say a single word.

Then the manager arrived too...

Although the Ghost Infant was still just a baby, it understood the Cause and Effect.

Suddenly battered by reality, the whole ghost wilted.

It was a little pitiful, but Jiang Xia felt relieved as he looked at it.

A Ghost Infant with shattered dreams was much easier to trick away than before.

It was fine if it had wilted. Once he took it home, signed the Contract, and fed it some Ghost Mint, it would perk right back up.

The thing weighing on his mind most had been resolved, and Jiang Xia relaxed.

Leaning against the sofa, he stretched lazily. Only then did he realize he was a little hungry.

The other three were still acting out a Dog Blood Drama, so it was not a good time to disturb them.

Jiang Xia glanced at the Coffee Table and reached toward a plate of oranges, intending to eat something to tide himself over.

Unexpectedly, Kinoshita Yoko noticed what he was doing and walked over to stop him.

With her eyes red and swollen from crying, Kinoshita Yoko took a box of prepared Bento from the Refrigerator, heated it in the microwave, and brought it over to Jiang Xia. "Eat this. Oranges are bad for your stomach on an empty stomach."

She also handed him a pair of Chopsticks.

Then she looked around the table, feeling as though something was missing. Wiping away her tears again, she asked in a muffled voice, "Would you like something to drink?"

Jiang Xia was almost too embarrassed to eat. "No need, thank you."

Kinoshita Yoko thought for a moment, then took a teacup and poured him a cup of Oolong Tea anyway.

Only then did she lower her head and return to the manager's side to continue handling her own affairs.

Looking at the steaming Bento and the tea beside it, Jiang Xia sincerely gave Kinoshita Yoko a Good Person Card.

Jiang Xia did not need to concern himself with Stalker Number One and Number Two. The manager was experienced and could handle everything cleanly.

In the end, the ex-boyfriend was dragged away by the Bodyguards, his mouth covered as he whimpered.

While the Bodyguards subdued the ex-boyfriend, Jiang Xia passed by Kinoshita Yoko amid the chaos, snatched the Ghost Infant off her wrist, and rolled it around in his hand a couple of times.

It still pricked his hand a little.

But it no longer had that painful sensation from last time, like "falling into a syringe and rolling around."

That big show earlier had probably left the Ghost Infant confused about its target, greatly weakening its obsession.

After obtaining the ghost, Jiang Xia slipped away quietly with his tool bag and the Ghost Infant while the manager was still busy.

If he stayed, he might have to help clean up afterward. Too troublesome.

Under normal circumstances, Jiang Xia would not have minded staying longer.

But not today.

Today, he had to go home and play with the ghost first.

At that moment, Jiang Xia felt like someone who had waited days after placing an online order and had finally received the package.

He wanted to unbox it now. He wanted to very badly. He was unwilling to wait even one second longer.

On the way home, the Ghost Infant struggled constantly, only to be ruthlessly suppressed.

Though its obsession had begun to waver, it still seemed unwilling to Give Up on playing Matchmaker for its parents.

Jiang Xia was in no hurry.

Over the past few days, while waiting for the stalkers to show themselves, he had also prepared PlanABCD for tricking ghosts away.

Jiang Xia returned home, carried the Ghost Infant into the Basement, and secured it in front of the TV.

The Ghost Infant kicked its legs. Looking at the pitch-black screen, it gradually developed a bad feeling.

It warily scrambled upright, only to see the human before the TV slowly turn around and give it a kind smile.

Then Jiang Xia clicked the TV on.

The TV began playing recordings.

They were news compilations Jiang Xia had specifically found: crimes of passion related to the Entertainment Circle.

—Some involved celebrities being assassinated by deranged fans after announcing a relationship.

Others involved ordinary Otaku shaking hands with their goddesses at fan meetings, only to be murdered out of jealousy by other fans...

There were already plenty of cases in this world, so similar examples were easy to find.

After pressing play, Jiang Xia left the Ghost Fetus there and walked away with his hands in his pockets.

The next day, Jiang Xia peeled an orange as he leisurely arrived at the Basement door.

He saw the Ghost Infant sprawled before the TV, looking as if its entire worldview had shattered.

Hmm, PlanA seemed to be working.

Jiang Xia walked closer and quietly fanned the flames. "Do you want them both to die?"

The Ghost Infant shook its head hard, its eyes brimming with tears.

Jiang Xia was satisfied.

But he still did not release it. Instead, he switched to another Videotape.

This time, it was a pile of pure romance dramas.

The two protagonists were sweet from beginning to end. And because they were aimed at women, every male lead was proficient at everything and utterly devoted to the female lead.

Between its father and mother, the Ghost Infant clearly liked Kinoshita Yoko more.

Therefore, when considering things, it was also more inclined to view them from Kinoshita Yoko's perspective.

The Ghost Infant was forced to watch dramas like that for several days.

After getting used to the godlike male leads in those dramas, then thinking about its dad...

A few days later.

The Ghost Infant watched the finale with relish. When the protagonists embraced and kissed, it excitedly clapped its little hands, completely abandoning any thought of bringing its biological parents together.

Jiang Xia turned off the TV, picked it up and placed it on the table, then extended the invitation at the right moment. "Young ghost, would you like to sign a Contract with me?"

Of course, the question was merely a polite formality.

At this point, it had to sign whether it wanted to or not.

The little Ghost Infant snapped awake from the sweet drama and shuddered sensitively, sensing danger.

But when it looked up at Jiang Xia's sincere face, it felt that Jiang Xia probably was not the problem.

The Ghost Fetus warily looked around for a while but found nothing.

It became even more convinced that the environment was dangerous and that it needed someone to rely on for protection.

Besides, its instincts told it that without someone to provide for it, it would not be able to live freely for long.

In the end, the little Ghost Infant nodded in agreement.

Jiang Xia gently patted its little head with a benevolent expression.

Many of a Spirit Medium's abilities could only be fully unlocked after obtaining a Ghost Fetus.

Thinking of his bright future, Jiang Xia suddenly no longer felt any ache in his waist or pain in his hands.

Moreover, aside from strengthening the Spirit Medium himself, a Ghost Fetus also had a chance of awakening a unique ability when the Contract was signed.

Such as teleportation, hardening, mind control...

Of course, there were also some bizarre abilities.

According to the research of spirit medium scientists in his previous life, these awakened abilities were often related to the ghost's own experiences and thoughts.

Jiang Xia lowered his head to look at the Ghost Fetus before him, recalling its obsession...

He had a feeling it would not awaken any proper ability.

Still, now was not the time to be picky.

Having one was better than having none.

Jiang Xia locked the Basement door, returned to the Ghost Fetus's side, and unbuttoned his shirt.

A black pattern appeared over his heart: an elaborate stylized "Z," decorated with numerous hollow lines. It emerged from nothing, looking strange and mysterious.

When every Spirit Medium awakened, they could choose their own unique Pattern Seal. Once chosen, it could never be changed.

When Jiang Xia had chosen his Pattern Seal as a child, he had been influenced by a movie and swiftly drawn three cool Knife Marks—two horizontal and one slanted.

Yet when it formed, the pattern was not the gleaming silver scar he had imagined at all, but a gaudy letter.

Fortunately, it was usually hidden and could not be seen. Only when he used ghosts would it emerge on his skin like a tattoo.

Recalling that embarrassing history, Jiang Xia sighed. He found a needle and jabbed it into the Pattern Seal.

A bead of blood slowly seeped out.

It did not slide down along his skin. Instead, it hung strangely from the needle's tip.

Jiang Xia held out his hand and let the blood drop onto the Ghost Fetus.

The moment they touched, there was a sizzling sound, sweet like roasting meat. The blood drop moved as if alive.

More than ten seconds later, it gradually stopped at the Ghost Infant's Neck Side and sank into its body. It became a Z-shaped seal identical to Jiang Xia's Pattern Seal, only several times smaller.

Once it was over, the Ghost Infant raised its little hands in confusion and touched its neck.

It did not feel uncomfortable. Instead, it instinctively realized that it seemed to have found a long-term meal ticket.

Jiang Xia tossed aside the needle, buttoned his shirt, and watched it with the expectant gaze of someone awaiting a miracle.

A moment later, some information appeared in his mind regarding the Ghost Fetus's ability.

Jiang Xia read through it carefully, his feelings complicated.

...The good news was that the Ghost Infant had done well and awakened an ability.

The other piece of news, which he did not know was good or bad, was that this ability...

As expected, it was damn outrageous.

—The Ghost Infant could force one person to confess to another person nearby.