"Master..."
No response.
"Could he have gotten drunk again?"
They say great masters possess a certain aura, but his master, as a master's master, was rather down-to-earth, unlike the common perception of great figures. He wasn't one for a carefree, reclusive life, nor did he exude an air of lofty virtue.
His life was devoted to two things: drinking and counting money. However, his most cherished activity was counting money after a drink, often falling asleep atop the money chest.
Having been away for a month, it was a lie to say I didn't miss home. But remembering that my master detested being disturbed while sleeping off his drinks, I first returned to my own room. After putting my belongings down, I then went to give the money I had earned to my master. Even if I got hit, it wouldn't be too severe.
"Ling'er, come back to my room first, and then I'll introduce you to Master."
"Back to your room with you?"
Bai Ling'er floated down from above my head, her anthropomorphic eyes regarding me with suspicion. "Don't you know that men and women should not touch?"
"Men and women should not touch? What are you thinking with that little head of yours?"
I felt an urge to spit blood. Men and women should not touch, but no one said men and female snakes shouldn't!
However, realizing that the more Bai Ling'er argued, the more agitated she became, I changed my approach. "Regardless, I still need to put my things down, then report to Master before arranging your living quarters. This is my master's home, not mine. Surely Fifth Sister hasn't failed to teach you basic etiquette?"
"Hmph, smooth talker. Fifth Sister was right, humans are indeed all bad..."
What the heck! What did that have to do with anything? Why were all humans bad? You should be scolding Fifth Prince, who forced you to be my spirit pet.
I hadn't done anything, so why was I considered bad? Before I could retort, Bai Ling'er continued, "Especially you, Fifth Sister said you're not a good person at all..."
"You..."
"What 'you'? They say northern wild immortals taste good. I'm going to try some. I'll be back later."
With that, Bai Ling'er vanished in a flash, leaving me no chance to curse her out.
Shaking my head in resignation, I wondered what Bai Ling'er was thinking. She had been clamoring to eat wild immortals on the road. Did she really think they were like sheep slaughtered by the roadside, to be eaten whenever she pleased? Wasn't she afraid of breaking her teeth?
But considering Bai Ling'er's strength, it was likely the nearby wild immortals who would suffer. Still, it wasn't a big deal. There were many wild immortals in the Northeast, and many without established altars. I just hoped she wouldn't eat those with altars, or it would be a big problem.
However, with my master's prestige here, even if she ate them, my master, as a future Ghost Emperor, would surely smooth things over for me, right?
The thought was nice, but I still had to inform my master. If Bai Ling'er caused trouble and ran back, and my master caught her, mistaking her for a wild immortal from outside, it would be troublesome if she ended up as a side dish.
"Master, I not only earned a lot of money, but I've also brought you a huge surprise..."
As I spoke the good news to my master, I pushed open his door. The room was empty, the bedding piled messily on the kang, a visible layer of dust on it, clearly indicating it hadn't been occupied for a long time.
"Where did Master go?"
It was normal for my room to have dust, as I hadn't been back for a month. But the bedding on my master's kang was piled haphazardly, covered in dust. Had my master also been away for a month?
Thinking this, I rushed out of the room and ran to the west room where my father stayed.
Indeed, upon entering, I found my father also absent. His bedding was also carelessly thrown on the kang.
This left me dumbfounded. It was possible my master was out attending to a case for someone, but why was my father also not home? Could it be that my master had taken my father to see a doctor?
I slapped my forehead. How could I be so stupid! I could just call my master and know everything!
I took out my phone and dialed.
"Sorry, the number you have dialed has been disconnected, sorry..."
No way?
What was going on?
Why was the phone disconnected?
Didn't my master say I needed to earn money to save my father? I hadn't even given him the money yet! With his stingy nature, would he use his own money to save my father?
When I first joined, I had pleaded with my master many times, hoping he would save my father first, and I would repay him when I grew up and earned money. But he had refused every time.
Not only did he refuse, but he also demanded that I earn the money for my father's life-saving medicine at the same speed I learned Yin divination. With my master's "stingy" mindset, how could he be willing to spend his own money to save my father's life?
Thinking of this, I ran out of the room again, preparing to check the underground room where my master kept his money. My master had told me I could touch anything, but not his money.
Upon entering the underground room, the entire space was empty. The boxes used to store money were also opened, and scattered footprints on the ground indicated a hasty departure.
This gave me a bad feeling. Could it be that my master was in trouble?
Just then, a series of hurried footsteps could be heard from outside, mixed with curses. Judging by the sound alone, there were quite a few people.
I quickly ran out of the underground room and saw a white figure flying ahead, followed by a group of neighbors, wielding hoes and scythes, chasing the white figure.
"You damned long worm, how dare you eat my chicken! I'll catch you and stew you into snake soup..."
Me: "..."
"Ouch, you idiot! Didn't you say you could eat any wild immortal in the Northeast? Why are they so fierce?"
Bai Ling'er, with chicken feathers around her mouth and a bulging belly, flashed and coiled above my head, complaining to me with a wronged expression.
Before I could ask what happened, the most shrewish widow in the village, Widow Ma, along with a group of people, rushed in.
"Song Qingyun, you've gotten bold after a month away. You brought back a wild immortal, and you dare let it steal my chickens? Do you really think I'm easy to bully..."
"Exactly, your master said you went to find a house immortal, but you brought back one that likes to steal chickens. Nothing like this has ever happened in our village..."
"How come you're not behaving yourself now that your master is gone..."
A bunch of villagers said a lot of things, and I finally understood what was going on.
Bai Ling'er was greedy, and since there were no wild immortals around in broad daylight, she went to steal chickens from someone's house and was caught red-handed. That's why they were chasing her.
At the same time, I also received another piece of news: my master had also been away for a long time.
"Aunt Ma, this is all my fault for not watching her. I'll compensate you for how many chickens she ate..."
"What about us then..."
"All of it, every single one..."
"That's more like it." Widow Ma put down her scythe and nodded with satisfaction.
One hundred yuan per chicken. In the blink of an eye, nearly ten thousand yuan was gone. It pained me to see it, and I glared fiercely at Bai Ling'er. This sucker punch was really not worth it.
Seeing Widow Ma about to leave with the crowd, I quickly called out to her.
"Aunt Ma, wait a moment..."