Chapter 6 : Thrives on Resentment

Xie Kunze wouldn’t dare keep that fire spirit with him for another day, so he decisively decided to have Shi Pengpeng handle it.

Shi Pengpeng didn’t mind at all. 

She casually found a sturdy bag, packed the jar inside, and carried it away as if she had just finished shopping at the market.

Xie Kunze was instantly impressed by her decisiveness. 

Not only did he add her on WeChat, but he also insisted on transferring 6,000 yuan as a thank-you fee.

Shi Pengpeng hadn’t expected to make some extra cash just by having a meal, so she happily accepted it. 

As she left the restaurant, she looked at Yan Jing with even more interest.

This guy might have terrible luck, but he sure attracts money. 

He was definitely a golden thigh worth holding on to!

Yan Jing felt uncomfortable under her gaze and snapped, “Why do you keep looking at me?”

Shi Pengpeng flashed a warm yet sincere smile and eagerly promoted herself: “Brother Jing, what do you think? I did pretty well just now, right? Don’t you feel even a little bit impressed?”

She was, of course, referring to her exorcism skills, but Yan Jing completely misunderstood her intentions.

His forehead throbbed as he asked incredulously, “Are you always this straightforward?”

“Am I?” 

Shi Pengpeng shrugged. 

“I’m just speaking the truth.”

Yan Jing: “……”

She really had no shame at all!

But her words did make him realize something. 

He had always wondered why his grandfather, who was usually open-minded, had suddenly arranged a matchmaking meeting between him and Shi Pengpeng. 

His grandfather had never interfered in his love life before, except for that one time when their feud got out of hand, and he jokingly paired them up out of frustration.

Now, he finally understood his grandfather’s true intentions—it was all for his safety.

But the more he realized this, the more he refused to compromise. 

Yan Jing firmly decided that he would never agree to a marriage based on convenience, let alone one with this terrifying little exorcist. 

Even if he had to be haunted by ghosts every day, he would never marry her!

And he was confident that if this short-tempered little exorcist ever found out the real reason behind the marriage arrangement, she wouldn’t agree to it either.

With this realization, his mind cleared up. 

He solemnly looked at the girl in front of him and asked, “Exorcist, do you know why my grandfather is so interested in you?”

“Yes.” 

Shi Pengpeng smiled sweetly, trying to leave a good impression. 

“Because I can protect you.”

Yan Jing: “……?”

For a moment, he thought he had misheard her. 

But seeing the rare warmth on her face, he was stunned. 

“You’re not mad?”

Shi Pengpeng looked puzzled. 

“Why would I be mad? I earned this opportunity with my own skills.”

Yan Jing: “………………”

She felt so unfamiliar all of a sudden.

After a long silence, Yan Jing let out a deep breath, looking exhausted. 

“But I don’t agree.”

His tone wasn’t forceful, but it carried an unshakable resolve. 

Shi Pengpeng had already heard from Yan Fengshu that he resisted his family’s arrangements. 

She had planned to talk to him about it, but she didn’t expect him to be so firm that he left no room for discussion.

She couldn’t help but wonder—was he still holding a grudge over their past conflicts? 

It wouldn’t be surprising, considering how petty he had always been.

“Oh well, forget it then.” 

Shi Pengpeng sighed. 

She really wanted the money, but she also didn’t like forcing people.

Seeing the disappointment on her face, Yan Jing felt a bit guilty. 

After all, she was still a girl, and being rejected so bluntly must have been embarrassing. 

He was about to say something to ease the tension when his phone lit up. 

His assistant had sent a message reminding him of his upcoming work schedule.

Looking at the densely packed itinerary, Yan Jing felt a headache coming on. 

Work itself wasn’t the problem, but for some reason, supernatural disturbances had become unusually active lately. 

Although he had protective talismans, as his workload increased, so did his exposure to risk. 

He couldn’t have an exorcist or master following him all the time—it would affect his professional image.

Wait.

A thought struck him, and he turned to look at Shi Pengpeng. 

She had just opened a ride-hailing app, preparing to go home.

Beside her feet was the bag containing the fire spirit. 

It looked just like an ordinary pickle jar, completely stripped of any mystical dignity.

“Hey, Exorcist.” 

Yan Jing hesitated for a moment before speaking. 

“Are you really that short on money?”

“Of course! Why else would I come to you?” 

Shi Pengpeng responded glumly.

Ignoring her resentful expression, Yan Jing continued seriously, “I don’t agree with my grandfather’s arrangement. But lately, I’ve been facing some issues. If it’s convenient for you, I’d like to hire you as a private consultant…”

Worried about any misunderstandings, he deliberately emphasized, “It’s purely a business arrangement, nothing else. Don’t overthink it. 

You won’t need to work full-time—just accompany me to certain events when necessary. If you agree, I’ll pay you according to Qinglian Temple’s standard rates.”

Qinglian Temple was a renowned Taoist sect in the province, and their fees weren’t cheap. 

Yan Jing’s offer was undeniably generous, yet Shi Pengpeng didn’t immediately accept. 

Instead, she fell into deep thought—Was it his way of expressing things, or was it her misunderstanding? Wasn’t this exactly what Grandpa Yan had wanted her to do? He had just firmly rejected it, yet now he was offering her the same job?

Or… did he realize how much she needed money, so even though he didn’t like her, he was giving her a chance out of pity?

Seeing her hesitate, Yan Jing assumed she was still reluctant and said, “If you don’t want to, forget it—”

“I want to! I want to!” 

Shi Pengpeng snapped back to attention and nodded rapidly, afraid he would change his mind. 

She even cupped her fists in a gesture of loyalty and declared, “If the lord does not abandon me, I am willing to call him father!”

If he paid her, then he was basically her sugar daddy now!

It didn’t matter if he doubted her skills or just didn’t like her—she was confident that he would be satisfied. 

He would definitely feel that her services were worth every penny!

Yan Jing: “……”

She really had no shame!

***

Luojin Tower was built in the 1990s and is a landmark building in the CBD of Xiluo City. 

Not only does it house the city’s first international five-star hotel, but many well-known enterprises also have their offices here.

“You don’t have to do anything today. Just stay by my side and observe. I’ll have someone get you a temporary pass so you can enter the venue with me. If anyone asks, just say you’re my friend.” 

Yan Jing instructed Shi Pengpeng while parking the car.

He had a meeting at Luojin Tower today. 

Given its prime location and bustling environment, there wasn’t really a need for Shi Pengpeng to tag along. 

However, since it was the weekend and she wasn’t working, he figured it was a good opportunity for her to familiarize herself with his work environment, so he brought her along.

“Got it, Brother Jing.” 

Shi Pengpeng agreed readily, then curiously asked, “What kind of meeting is it? You can even bring a friend?”

“It’s just a public training seminar, so the entry requirements aren’t too strict.” 

Yan Jing replied casually as he got out of the car. 

“But the meeting doesn’t start for another hour and a half. I have to meet a client first, so in the meantime, you can walk around or find a place to rest—”

Before he could finish his sentence, he noticed Shi Pengpeng’s expression suddenly shift slightly.

“Tsk, looks like resting is out of the question,” she muttered.

Yan Jing frowned. 

“What’s wrong?”

Shi Pengpeng glanced around, then tilted her head upward as if peering through the ceiling, observing the entire building. 

“There’s a heavy presence of resentment here.”

Yan Jing was stunned for a moment before instinctively refuting, “That’s impossible.”

Luojin Tower was one of the earliest commercial buildings in Xiluo City. 

Its location and design were top-notch, and the feng shui had been guided by experts. 

The building’s five elements were balanced, promoting prosperity and wealth—an ideal configuration.

Shi Pengpeng also found it odd. 

The tower had excellent feng shui and a constant flow of people. 

In such a place, even if occasional spirits appeared, they would quickly dissipate. 

Only a major incident could cause lingering malevolent energy to accumulate.

Yet, despite its decades-long history, Luojin Tower had never had any major accidents—just the usual newsworthy events now and then.

But at this moment, she could clearly feel the overwhelming resentment permeating the entire underground parking lot and even the whole building. 

It was so intense that the building’s otherwise favorable layout couldn’t suppress it. 

It had reached the level where spirits could start manifesting.

“You’re saying there might be spirits here?” 

Yan Jing’s expression changed slightly.

“I’m not sure yet. I need to check to confirm.” 

As she spoke, Shi Pengpeng pulled a red cinnabar lipstick from her canvas bag, dipped her ring finger into the pigment, and raised her hand to touch his forehead.

Yan Jing instinctively stepped back. 

“What are you doing?”

“A dab of cinnabar to clear your mind.” 

Shi Pengpeng explained, “I remember you have a natural spiritual eye. If you have cinnabar on your forehead, it’ll help stabilize your spirit in case of any supernatural encounters—”

“I don’t need it,” Yan Jing cut in, putting on a fearless front. 

“I won’t be affected—”

“You sure?” 

Shi Pengpeng smirked, eyeing him skeptically. 

“Cinnabar also repels evil spirits…”

Yan Jing: “……”

Damn it. 

She had him cornered.

With a resigned sigh, Yan Jing silently closed his eyes. 

“Fine, do it.”

A cool fingertip gently pressed against his forehead, soft to the touch, with a faint hint of bath soap fragrance.

At that moment, Yan Jing felt his mind clear instantly. 

He instinctively opened his eyes, and his pupils constricted slightly.

Everywhere he looked, wisps of gray mist drifted through the air. 

A heavy, oppressive aura of resentment and hostility lingered all around.

Spiritual energy was normally invisible, even to those with yin-yang sight. 

Practitioners like Shi Pengpeng typically sensed it rather than seeing it directly. 

But here, the lingering resentment was so thick it had become visible—proof of just how severe the situation was.

Yan Jing had protective charms on him, so he wouldn’t be affected immediately. 

But it was easy to imagine that the employees working here long-term would suffer from mental strain in such an environment.

“What the hell is going on here?” 

Yan Jing frowned and turned to look at Shi Pengpeng—only to freeze.

“…?”

She was casually pulling a palm-sized wooden… cigarette case from her bag?!

A vein twitched on Yan Jing’s forehead. 

Even though their relationship was purely professional, he still couldn’t help feeling a deep sense of disappointment.

“You picked up this bad habit too?” he asked in dismay.

“What?” 

Shi Pengpeng looked at him, confused. 

She opened the wooden box, revealing four neat rows of purple-red wooden sticks inside.

She pulled one out, revealing its lower half—a slender incense stick, slightly longer than a finger.

Yan Jing: “?”

He hesitated, then swallowed his pride and asked, “What… is that?”

“Oh, these are portable incense sticks I made myself.” 

Shi Pengpeng replied matter-of-factly. 

Then, remembering his earlier words, she raised an eyebrow. 

“What were you saying about me just now?”

“Nothing.” 

Yan Jing forced a smile and smoothly changed his tone. 

“I just think you have… a very broad way of thinking.”