A Cousin from the Wu Family

Wu Sihan stepped out of his car and happened to run into Jiang Hailin.

"Young Master Jiang, what are you doing here?" Wu Sihan asked in surprise.

"I'm here to see Young Master Ye," Jiang Hailin said.

Wu Sihan froze for a moment, then grew agitated. "You're here to see Ye Fan? Did that brat offend you? Can't he stay out of trouble for once?"

Jiang Hailin hurriedly shook his head. "No, no. There's something I'd like Young Master Ye to help me with."

Wu Sihan breathed a sigh of relief. "As long as that brat hasn't caused trouble. But what could he possibly help you with?"

Jiang Hailin hesitated, then admitted, "Young Master Ye knows Ghost Hunting!"

Wu Sihan rolled his eyes and said irritably, "Young Master Jiang, since when did you become so superstitious? There's no such thing as ghosts! It's all rumors getting passed around. The government has opposed feudal superstition for so many years. How can you still believe in this stuff?"

Jiang Hailin was speechless. He hadn't believed in ghosts either-until he'd run into one.

"Ye Fan's personality has changed completely lately. He's getting more ridiculous by the day. But while he's fooling around, you're actually going along with him," Wu Sihan said disapprovingly.

Jiang Hailin lowered his head and could only listen, though he dearly wanted Wu Sihan to meet a ghost and see whether he could still sound so righteous afterward.

Wu Sihan and Jiang Hailin arrived outside Ye Fan's apartment and knocked on the door.

Wearing Mickey Mouse pajamas and shuffling along in slippers, Ye Fan opened the door.

Wu Sihan stared at Ye Fan's clothes, utterly speechless. "Since when did you get into this style of clothing?"

"You mean these? They were a freebie during a supermarket sale. They're pretty good, and comfortable to wear," Ye Fan said.

Wu Sihan was speechless.

Jiang Hailin was speechless.

"Cousin, Young Master Jiang, how come you two arrived together?" Ye Fan took a carton of milk out of the refrigerator and served them a glass each.

The corner of Jiang Hailin's mouth twitched as he looked at the milk being served to him. It had been a long time since anyone had offered him milk as a guest.

"Cousin, what brings you here?" Ye Fan asked.

"Grandpa's seventieth birthday is in a couple of days. You should come too," Wu Sihan said.

Ye Fan rubbed his chin without saying anything.

Jiang Hailin's gaze shifted as his thoughts raced. Ye Fan had been thrown out by the Ye Family, and now the Wu Family patriarch was inviting him back for the birthday banquet. It looked as though he intended to back Ye Fan up.

"You don't want to go?"

"If I go, I'll have to bring a gift!" A gift for the old man couldn't be too shabby. That would be another expense!

"You... can't even bear to spend money on a gift?" Wu Sihan demanded angrily.

Seeing how angry Wu Sihan was, Ye Fan smiled. "Cousin, don't be mad! I'll go."

Ye Fan turned to Jiang Hailin. "Young Master Jiang, why are you here again?"

"I'd like to buy a few more Peace Talismans and Illness-Expelling Talismans," Jiang Hailin said.

Ye Fan rubbed his chin. "I don't have any right now. Come pick them up the day after tomorrow." His strength had improved considerably over the past few days. Drawing talismans had become much easier, and their power had increased as well.

"All right!" Jiang Hailin agreed readily.

"You little bastard!" Wu Sihan shot to his feet. "If you're short of money, I can lend you some, but you can't go around scamming people like this!"

Ye Fan blinked at Wu Sihan, looking utterly innocent.

Jiang Hailin hurriedly said, "Young Master Sihan, don't be angry. I'm doing this willingly. I trust Young Master Ye. Even if I get scammed, I'm willing to accept it. I certainly won't blame him."

Wu Sihan looked from Ye Fan to Jiang Hailin and inwardly rolled his eyes. How did I never realize my younger cousin was so good at scamming people? And how did I never realize Jiang Hailin, the Jiang family's young heir, was a brainless believer in superstition? One's happy to dish it out, and the other's happy to take it. Somehow, I'm the one who ends up looking bad to both of them.

"In that case, as long as you're both happy." Wu Sihan set down the invitation and left.

Jiang Hailin looked at Ye Fan. "Young Master Ye, what are you planning to give the Wu Family patriarch?"

"I'll just give him a jade pendant. I'll go out and find one later." Then he would carve a Protective Formation into it, and everything would be sorted.

"Young Master Ye, how come Young Master Wu doesn't seem to know about your abilities?" Jiang Hailin asked.

"Oh, he really doesn't. I've built up my abilities over time and kept them hidden. Most people can't tell that I'm actually a man of great ability," Ye Fan said.

Jiang Hailin looked at Ye Fan's cartoon pajamas and nodded in wholehearted agreement. "That's right. Most people really wouldn't be able to tell."