Chapter 2 The Next Day
The next morning, Fu Yao called her supervisor to request leave.
Her supervisor, aware of Fu Yao's poor mental state in the past few days, readily approved her leave and advised her to rest well.
"Your supervisor is quite kind," he remarked, noting that she was far better than his own boss.
"Mhm. She's a very good person."
He led Fu Yao to the entrance of a studio. After greeting the receptionist at the door, he brought Fu Yao inside.
"What the Madam is looking for is in the south. You can try searching in that direction. Your connection is not yet severed, and you will surely find it."
Lin Yan explained meticulously to the middle-aged woman before her.
The woman before her was somewhat haggard. Despite the undeniable exhaustion on her face, her attire suggested she came from a well-off family.
"Can I really find her?" She had been searching for what she sought for twenty years and had almost lost all hope.
Her visit to Lin Yan was merely because she had heard of Lin Yan's reputation and wanted to try her luck.
"You can. As long as Madam doesn't give up, your connection with her will never be broken," Lin Yan stated with certainty. Although her skills in physiognomy were not yet top-tier, she could still read the fortune of the person before her.
The middle-aged woman was nearing her breaking point. She needed encouragement and the courage to persevere.
"Thank you. I will continue searching diligently." She spoke with utmost sincerity and paid generously.
After the middle-aged woman left, he brought Fu Yao inside.
Upon seeing them enter, Lin Yan's gaze fell upon Fu Yao.
"Senior Sister Lin," he greeted before Lin Yan could speak.
"You are... Junior Brother Liu. Please have a seat. Are you here to see me about this lady?" Lin Yan asked her junior sister outside to bring some hot drinks.
"Senior Sister Lin has discerning eyes. This is a mission from the bureau. You can review the documents first." Junior Brother Liu handed the file in his hand to Lin Yan.
Fu Yao looked at the young girl before her, finding it hard to believe that this was the senior sister of Specialist Liu.
She appeared much younger than Specialist Liu.
Lin Yan took the file and began to read it with great attention.
"You say the face you saw in your dream is your own?" Lin Yan seemed to have encountered a difficult problem.
"Yes," Fu Yao nodded.
"Junior Brother Liu should have told you that there is no negative energy or lingering resentment on you," Lin Yan channeled spiritual energy to her eyes.
"Yes, they all say they can only see ill fortune on my face." Fu Yao could only trust the young woman before her now.
"Ill fortune only affects your luck; the real danger is your unstable soul." Lin Yan spoke directly, without concealment.
"Unstable soul?" Hearing Lin Yan say this, Junior Brother Liu immediately looked towards Fu Yao.
"Is it very dangerous?" Hearing Lin Yan's words, Fu Yao became very worried.
"Extremely dangerous. Your soul is at risk of leaving your body at any moment. Moreover, there is an unknown entity coveting your body."
"Are you saying something wants to possess her?" Junior Brother Liu also noticed the gap between Fu Yao's soul and her body, though he initially attributed it to fright.
Now, hearing Lin Yan's words, he felt something was amiss. He quickly handed the wisp of Yin energy he had collected to Lin Yan.
After receiving the wisp of Yin energy, Lin Yan called Wei Wanru to take it. "Miss Fu, would you mind lending me your hand?"
"My hand, this one?" Fu Yao extended her hand towards Lin Yan.
"Either one is fine." Lin Yan placed her fingers on Fu Yao's wrist.
"It's a Mei, a Mei has taken a liking to your body and wishes to replace you. However, this Mei seems to have obtained your consent, which is why no Yin energy or resentment could be detected." Lin Yan withdrew her fingers.
"Miss Fu, have you signed anything recently, or made any agreements with anyone?"
"I..." Consent? What consent? Who would consent to giving their body to a ghost?
"I can't recall." The more she thought, the more confused she became. She couldn't remember if she had signed anything or made any promises.
"It's alright," Lin Yan said softly, comforting her as she saw Fu Yao's anxious expression.
"Regardless of whether you've agreed to anything, this deal is unfair, so I will help you resolve it."
Lin Yan could tell that Miss Fu Yao was not someone who would break her word, nor was she someone who sought shortcuts.
Such a person wouldn't attract a Mei. However, regardless of whether she had sought out the Mei herself, she would do her best to help her.
Possessing a living person's body was a grave taboo. Since this Mei had violated the taboo, she wouldn't mind sending her to the underworld for punishment.
"Thank you, Master Lin!" Finally hearing someone who could help her resolve this matter, Fu Yao was overcome with emotion and tears.
"Then, Miss Fu, please rest for a while. I will enter your dream later and capture that Mei."
As Lin Yan finished speaking, a girl of fourteen or fifteen, with an innocent and lively demeanor and a perfectly exquisite face, walked in.
Her every movement and smile was naturally graceful.
"Shi Qi, escort Miss Fu to the lounge. I will join you once I'm ready."
"Yes, Sister." Hu Shi Qi looked at Fu Yao, her eyes curved like those of a fox, making Fu Yao feel an immediate sense of kinship. "Sister Fu, please follow me."
After the two left, Lin Yan looked at Junior Brother Liu, who was still seated.
"Junior Brother, don't tell me you didn't see it?" Lin Yan looked at Junior Brother Liu with a half-smile.
"Senior Sister saw through me?" Junior Brother Liu gave an embarrassed chuckle.
"Tell me, if you don't have a convincing reason, I will report this matter to the bureau," Lin Yan said in a business-like manner.
"Well, it requires entering a dream. A man and a woman alone... it's not appropriate. That's why I brought her here to Senior Sister."
He didn't reveal the deeper reason. In truth, he was somewhat unconvinced by the renowned Senior Sister Lin and thus brought Fu Yao here.
Firstly, he wanted to meet Senior Sister Lin in person, and secondly, he wanted to test her capabilities.
Upon seeing her, this Senior Sister Lin indeed seemed unfathomable. Not to mention the fierce ghost by her side, who was indistinguishable from a living person, but even the fox spirit who had just entered seemed more powerful than himself.
This made Lin Senior Sister even more formidable. However, judging by her expression, she probably didn't suspect him, did she?
Although he intended to test her, his attitude was respectful, and he followed the procedures. He shouldn't have offended her, right?
"Alright, I won't dwell on the specifics. This matter is now in my hands, and you can return to the bureau." Lin Yan waved her hand, signaling for Junior Brother Liu to leave.