Chapter 044

The commercial filming set.

Accompanied by the director shouting “Cut!”, Qiao Man hopped down from his chair and pitter-pattered into the studio.

While reviewing the footage behind the camera, the director made an “OK” gesture. He looked up to see a short child already appearing beside the male star in the studio. The boy was standing on his tiptoes, handing over a water bottle, his tender voice full of concern as he fussed over him. “Xingxing, are you tired? Do you want to take a break? You’ve worked so hard!”

Lu Jianxing helplessly took the small hand that was reaching up so earnestly, only to have his own hand grasped in return. The child solemnly led him over to a chair to rest.

It was just a commercial shoot, and it was all indoors within the studio. It wasn’t tiring at all, yet the child was incredibly attentive, running even faster than the assistant nearby.

Qiao Man had learned this from others.

Previously, when he accompanied Lu Jianxing to another commercial shoot, there had been a child star working with him. Every time the director shouted “Cut!”, the child star’s mother would run over to check on her child. Qiao Man had watched this and taken it to heart. Thus, every time Lu Jianxing finished a take, he would be the first to rush forward, fulfilling his responsibility as a “father.”

He didn’t care at all that there was a twenty-year age gap between him and his “son.”

The director was amused by the sight. “Xiao Man, you’re taking your role as a father very seriously today.”

Qiao Man lifted his chubby little face with confidence. “Of course!”

Lu Jianxing was speechless.

Indeed, as he and Qiao Man trended on social media, the fact that the five-year-old Master Xiao Man had calculated that he had a twenty-five-year-old son became known to more people. During this period of filming commercials, no matter which studio they were in, Lu Jianxing would be teased whenever people saw the child following him around.

Was he really a five-year-old father and not a five-year-old son? Of course, the paternity test results for the two of them were still pinned to Lu Jianxing’s social media homepage.

After checking the filmed content and confirming the shoot was over, Qiao Man took Lu Jianxing’s hand and waved his little hand at the staff in the studio. “Goodbye.”

“Bye-bye.”

“Thanks for your hard work.”

After saying goodbye to the staff one by one, Qiao Man held his head high and led his kiddo off the clock.

He did this every day at the drama set, picking up Lu Jianxing from the dressing room after work, to the point where even the makeup artists there recognized him. But today was different. As Qiao Man led Lu Jianxing out of the building, a car was already waiting outside.

President Zhang’s familiar assistant opened the car door for him. “Master Xiao Man, please get in.”

Qiao Man climbed into the back seat and skillfully buckled his seatbelt.

Today’s commercial was Lu Jianxing’s last scheduled event. Next, it was Xiao Man’s turn to go on a business trip!

The assistant, Maomao, stood outside with his bag, looking longingly at the two in the car. Qiao Man said to him, “Maomao, you can go home now.”

Lu Jianxing also said, “I’m giving you two days off. Go have some fun.”

“Brother Lu, Xiao Man…” Maomao looked at them, hesitating. He didn’t want a vacation at all. How could a vacation be more interesting than going on a business trip with Master Xiao Man? He heard the client this time was a big boss. Wealthy family secrets!

But neither of the two people he was looking at understood his gaze. Qiao Man waved his little hand, the car door closed, and the vehicle drove away.

President Zhang’s assistant opened the small refrigerator in the car and took out a carton of children’s milk and some pre-prepared snacks. “Master Xiao Man, please enjoy.”

“Thank you.” The car drove very smoothly, without even a hint of a bump. Qiao Man leaned back against the soft seat, blissfully gulping down his milk.

“President Zhang had a meeting to attend this morning and couldn’t come to pick you up personally. He said he would go directly to President Lin’s residence and wait for you there,” President Zhang’s assistant said. “We are very grateful that you were willing to come.”

As he spoke, he turned on the small television in the car, playing the most popular children’s animation.

Qiao Man watched happily.

Going on business trips was great. Not only did he get to fly on big planes and stay in big hotels, but except for when he was filming commercials, Xingxing would be with him the whole time to play. Everyone also spoke so kindly to him. Xiao Man really loved business trips.

The newly appointed assistant, Xingxing, opened the Little Yellow Duck Backpack, pulled out an arithmetic workbook, and flipped it open to see pages upon pages of blank space.

Lu Jianxing’s face darkened. “Xiao Man, didn’t you say you’d finish your homework today?”

Qiao Man went silent.

President Zhang’s assistant also went silent.

If there was anything bad about it, why was it that even on a business trip, the amount of homework didn’t decrease at all?

The small table in the car was set up, the workbook was spread out, a pencil was produced, and Master Xiao Man began to miserably catch up on his homework.

President Zhang’s assistant sat upright and still, glancing out of the corner of his eye. He saw pages filled with addition and subtraction within a hundred, and oh, Master Xiao Man even got a question wrong. He kept his expression serious and stiffly looked away.

After doing homework for the entire journey, the car gradually left the city center. The skyscrapers became fewer, and the scenery grew more beautiful until they reached a luxurious villa. The car stopped in front of two large iron gates.

Qiao Man pressed his chubby little face against the car window until it was flat as a pancake. His eyes were wide as he stared at the luxury villa, the kind he had only ever seen in television dramas.

The iron gates opened automatically. The courtyard was as large as the park in their residential complex, with a large fountain in the center. A statue of a bare-bottomed little angel stood in the middle, water pouring from a jar in its hands. The car quickly passed the fountain, and Qiao Man also saw a huge swimming pool, even larger than his and Xingxing’s home. A child was swimming inside, but before he could get a clear look, the car stopped.

He held Lu Jianxing’s hand as he got out of the car, tilting his head back as far as he could, nearly toppling over backward, but he still couldn’t see the roof of the castle-like house.

Was this the big house with a swimming pool that Pei Xiwang had talked about?

It was so, so big!

“Master Xiao Man, I’ve finally been waiting for you!”

Knowing he was arriving, President Zhang had been waiting at the door in advance. Seeing him arrive now, he was the first to run over, grasping Xiao Man’s small hand with both of his large hands and shaking it vigorously. Only then did he introduce the person beside him. “This is the friend I mentioned on the phone. He’s the one who needs your help.”

President Lin was a friend of President Zhang. He was equally successful, running a large listed company. In his forties, he was well-maintained and exercised regularly, lacking the beer belly common among other executives. Instead, he had a tall, upright posture and looked much younger than his peers. However, at this moment, his face was haggard, marked by two heavy dark circles under his eyes.

Upon seeing Qiao Man, he stepped forward impatiently. “You… you must be Master Xiao Man? I’ve seen you on the news. Zhang Juncai told me you were the one who helped him catch the ghost¹ in his company.”

Although the person before him was a child whose height only reached his waist, he didn’t show the slightest hint of disdain. He treated the five-year-old with the same seriousness he would accord any other master. Having specifically asked President Zhang for help, he naturally didn’t doubt the child’s abilities.

Qiao Man’s gaze moved from the large house behind the man to the man himself. “Is this your home?” he asked.

President Lin was stunned for a moment. “Yes, it is.”

“Your house is so big,” Qiao Man praised. “It’s so beautiful, just like the ones on TV.”

President Lin was completely bewildered, blankly accepting the child’s compliment.

“Let’s go inside first,” President Zhang said. “This is a long story. We should sit down and talk properly.”

President Lin agreed. “Right, let’s go inside. I’ve had the maid prepare some snacks for the child.”

Lu Jianxing held the child’s hand and started to walk inside, but after one step, he felt a tug. He looked down to see the child still admiring the luxurious villa with sparkling eyes.

“Xiao Man?”

Only then did Qiao Man reluctantly withdraw his gaze and follow them inside.

The interior was even more opulent. The living room alone was larger than their entire home. European-style crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, and a long spiral staircase rose through the hall. Every piece of furniture and decoration was exquisite and magnificent. Sitting on a soft leather sofa and looking through the large windows, one could see the entire courtyard, with its perfectly manicured lawn and flowers in full bloom.

Just as Lu Jianxing sat down, Qiao Man leaned in and whispered in his ear, “Xingxing, I want a big house like this too.”

Lu Jianxing: “…”

“I can’t afford it,” he said honestly.

While his income wasn’t low, a luxury mansion like this was far beyond his reach.

Qiao Man wasn’t discouraged. “I’ll buy it for you. I’ll earn money to buy you a big house.”

Thinking of the boy’s little treasury and the money he made from drawing talismans, Lu Jianxing patted the child’s head without dampening his spirits.

A maid in the mansion brought over tea and snacks. President Lin didn’t waste time on pleasantries and went straight to the point.

“I suspect my wife isn’t my wife,” President Lin said.

Qiao Man grabbed a piece of cake and nibbled on it, listening intently.

The story began several months ago.

President Lin had been married several times, and this was his third wife. A few months ago, due to a breakdown in their relationship, President Lin proposed a divorce. However, Mrs. Lin refused to agree. The two argued incessantly until, in a fit of pique, Mrs. Lin went on a trip for over two weeks to clear her head.

“But after she came back, I always felt something was wrong,” President Lin recounted.

Lu Jianxing asked, “What was wrong?”

“I can’t quite put my finger on it. She’s clearly the same person. Her appearance, her hobbies, nothing has changed. And yet, I just feel something is off,” President Lin recalled. “Around her, I always feel a chilling sensation. Every time I talk to her, my skin crawls. That definitely isn’t my wife, just someone who looks exactly like her.”

Lu Jianxing asked, “How could there be two identical people in the world?”

President Zhang chimed in from the side. “Exactly! How could there be two identical people? I think it’s just your imagination. You said yourself that your wife hasn’t changed, so how could there be a problem?”

“That’s why I think she might have encountered a ghost!”

President Zhang threw up his hands in exasperation.

Seeing the confusion on the faces of the two listeners, President Zhang explained, “At first, when he said there was something wrong with his wife, we believed him since we’ve been friends for decades. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have helped him contact Master Xiao Man. We were all very eager to help him come up with ideas, but as time went on, we realized the one with the problem seemed to be him.”

President Zhang continued, “He’s being completely unreasonable. One moment he says his wife has been replaced, the next he says she’s possessed. He’s even invited several masters to take a look, but when they came, none of them saw any problems. After all that fuss, there wasn’t a single ghost.”

“No,” President Lin said firmly. “Something is definitely wrong. It’s just that no one has noticed it yet.”

President Zhang shook his head, even more speechless.

“If you ask me, you’d be better off going to a hospital. Maybe you’re just overworked and under too much pressure, which is causing these delusions,” President Zhang said. “Master Xiao Man, you have no idea. He’s been acting crazy lately. Because he suspects his wife, he’s made everyone’s life miserable. I only called you because I was truly at my wit’s end.”

As a close friend, President Zhang was well-acquainted with the situation and provided the second half of the story from an outsider’s perspective.

President Lin had proposed a divorce, but Mrs. Lin had refused. They fought every day until Mrs. Lin went on her trip, which brought a brief moment of peace. After she returned, perhaps having had a change of heart, Mrs. Lin agreed to the divorce. However, just as they were starting the divorce proceedings, it was President Lin who suddenly refused to go through with it.

His reason for refusing was exactly what he had just stated: he felt the current Mrs. Lin was not the wife he knew.

First, he suspected someone had undergone plastic surgery to look like her, so he dragged her to the hospital for a paternity test with their youngest son. The results proved she was the same person. Then he suspected she was possessed by a ghost and brought in many masters, but they all confirmed there was no Yin Energy or supernatural presence.

Mrs. Lin had been cooperative at first, allowing herself to be taken to the hospital for blood tests and letting the masters perform exorcisms. But after being subjected to so much trouble, she became angry and refused to cooperate any further.

The woman showed no signs of any issues. Her body was fine, her soul was fine, and her memory was fine. She could recall many personal details that only she would know. No one else thought there was a problem. Yet, President Lin stubbornly insisted that something was wrong.

“I think you might have run into a ghost,” President Zhang said, pointing at his friend. He turned to Qiao Man and added, “Master Xiao Man, why don’t you check him out first? See if there is something wrong up here?” President Zhang tapped his own temple.

Qiao Man licked the frosting off his fingers and spoke truthfully. “Nope.”

President Lin gave his friend a cold snort. “What do you know?”

“I think you have lost it,” President Zhang said irritably. “Weren’t you the one who wanted a divorce? Now that she has finally agreed, you are the one dragging your feet. Even if something is wrong, you are getting a divorce anyway. What are you so worried about?”

“She is not my wife!” President Lin said urgently. “If I go through with the divorce…”

“Dad.”

A sudden voice cut President Lin off.

Everyone looked up to see a young boy in floral swim trunks standing at the entrance of the living room. He was draped in a large towel, his hair soaking wet and dripping. It was the same child Qiao Man had seen in the pool when he arrived; he had just finished his swim.

“Dad, do you have guests?” The boy was around the same age as Qiao Man. He scanned the people in the room before his gaze finally landed on Qiao Man.

Their eyes met across the room. Qiao Man blinked. “Hi there.”

“Hello,” the boy replied politely. Then he asked, “Dad, can I play with him?”

“This is my son, Xiao Jing,” President Lin introduced him to Qiao Man. Then he turned back to his son. “Xiao Jing, this is Daddy’s guest. Where is Teacher Cheng? Hasn’t he arrived yet?”

“It’s Saturday,” Xiao Jing said. “There is no piano lesson today.”

“…Right, Daddy forgot,” President Lin sighed. “I am busy right now, Xiao Jing. Go play on your own for a bit.”

The boy gave a soft “oh” and stole another glance at Qiao Man before turning to leave, leaving a trail of wet footprints behind him. A maid hurried after him with a towel, the sound of their footsteps gradually fading away.

“Anyway, regardless of whether there is a problem or not, just call her here and let Master Xiao Man take a look,” President Zhang concluded. “If something is wrong, Master Xiao Man will see it immediately.”

President Lin called for the maid. “Where is my wife?”

“The Madam went to the beauty salon,” she replied.

President Lin’s brow furrowed in displeasure. “Didn’t I tell her not to go out today?”

The maid stammered, unable to find an answer. It was not as if a nanny like her could stop the mistress of the house from doing whatever she pleased.

“Call her. Tell her to come home early.”

Having given his orders, President Lin turned back to the Little Master. “Master Xiao Man, my wife isn’t home yet, so I’ll have to ask you to wait a while. It’s getting late anyway, why don’t you stay for dinner?”

Qiao Man had come specifically to help him resolve his troubles. Since the matter was not settled yet, he readily agreed.

President Lin breathed a sigh of relief and immediately instructed the kitchen to prepare a lavish dinner to entertain the Master.

With Mrs. Lin still out and a few hours left before dinner, Qiao Man took the initiative to ask, “Can I look around your house?”

“Of course,” President Lin said, standing up. “Allow me to show you around-“

“Can I play with him instead?” Qiao Man pointed toward the doorway.

President Lin turned to see that his young son, who had run off earlier, had already changed into fresh clothes and returned. Their eyes met. President Lin chuckled and beckoned the boy over. “Xiao Jing, come here. Take good care of Master Xiao Man.”

Xiao Jing chirped a happy response. The two children then dashed out of the room, one after the other, their little feet pitter-pattering against the floor.

…

The Lin estate was massive, spanning several floors with countless rooms, each serving a different purpose. As the young host, Xiao Jing enthusiastically led his guest on a tour, explaining the function of every room.

There were rooms for watching movies, rooms for exercising, and rooms for music. This was the first time Qiao Man realized that rooms could be categorized in so many ways. There were even several different music rooms, one for the piano, another for the violin.

In fact, it was Xiao Jing who introduced him to the piano.

Before this, Qiao Man had only ever seen such an instrument on television!

Xiao Jing knew how to play. His fingers danced nimbly across the black and white keys, sending beautiful melodies drifting through the air. When he finished, Qiao Man clapped his small hands together in excitement. Not only could Xiao Jing play the piano, but he also knew many words and could even help Qiao Man with his math problems.

“My mom hired a lot of teachers for me. Every week I have to study piano, English, and painting,” Xiao Jing said as he tutored his peer in arithmetic. “All the kids in my kindergarten know how to do this.”

The two boys lay on the floor next to the piano, the afternoon sun streaming through the large windows and casting a warm, golden glow over them. An arithmetic workbook was spread out before them. As Qiao Man gripped his pencil and worked on his homework, he listened to Xiao Jing and felt a surge of sympathy. “You’re so pitiful.”

To think he had to learn so many things every single day.

Xiao Jing glanced at the answer Qiao Man had just written and corrected him. “That’s wrong. This one is six.”

Qiao Man grabbed his eraser and dejectedly rubbed out his answer.

Sigh. Maybe I’m the one who’s more pitiful.

“Don’t you study these things?” Xiao Jing asked, resting his chin in his hands as he watched him. “Don’t you have to go to kindergarten?”

“Nope,” Qiao Man replied. “I’ve never been to school. Xingxing said he’ll send me to elementary school when I turn six.”

“Then what do you do all day?”

“I’m very busy! I have to go to work with Xingxing, draw talismans, and earn money so Xingxing can buy a house.” Qiao Man carefully wrote out his numbers. “And I have so much homework. Sigh.”

“Drawing talismans?”

“Mhm! My Master says the ones I draw are really effective, even better than his,” Qiao Man said confidently, before returning to his struggle of counting on his fingers.

While Qiao Man was focused on his math, the boy lying next to him watched him intently.

“You’re the guest my dad invited,” Xiao Jing said after a long silence. “I saw you on the news. They said you’re really amazing, that you’re a Master.”

Qiao Man said, “That’s right, I’m super amazing!”

“…The answer to this problem is 11.”

Qiao Man hurriedly grabbed his eraser.

Xiao Jing looked at him with a conflicted expression. After a long silence, he asked again, “Then can you help me find my mother?”

“Your mother?”

“My mother seems to have disappeared.”

Qiao Man put down his pencil and tilted his head to look at him.

Xiao Jing scrambled up from the floor and ran over to the floor-to-ceiling window. Outside the piano room was a balcony. He pushed open the glass door and looked back to call Qiao Man. “Come over here.”

Qiao Man also got up and followed behind him. Looking out from the balcony, they could see a set of white tables and chairs in the courtyard. A large patch of shade was cast by a sun umbrella, and beside it was a vast expanse of flowers in full bloom. A gardener was currently pruning some overly vigorous branches.

“Every time I have my piano lesson, my mother sits there and has afternoon tea. Sitting there, she can hear the sound of me playing. Sunday is the time for my piano lesson.” Xiao Jing pointed downstairs and said, “But the Sunday before last, she didn’t come.”

Qiao Man asked, “Where did she go?”

Xiao Jing replied, “She went shopping.”

Qiao Man listened, only half-understanding.

Xiao Jing pursed his lips and emphasized again, “She really likes listening to me play the piano.”

The Sunday before last, while she was telling him a bedtime story as usual, he had asked her about his confusion. For a moment, his mother seemed very surprised. Then she leaned down to kiss his forehead and said apologetically, “Mommy forgot. Mommy will definitely remember to listen to Xiao Jing play the piano next time.”

His mother’s voice while telling stories was still very gentle, and the lullaby she sang to coax him to sleep was the same one he had heard since he was a baby. Even her tone of voice hadn’t changed at all.

However, he just felt that something had definitely gone wrong.

His mother loved shopping and loved beauty treatments, but she never missed his piano lessons.

His piano lessons were originally on Friday afternoons. Every Friday afternoon, when Teacher Cheng came to give him his lesson, he would open the balcony window to let the sound of the piano drift out. His mother was always outside, quietly enjoying the flowers and her afternoon tea. This was a silent understanding between mother and son.

That Friday, his mother had also had her afternoon tea and enjoyed the flowers all afternoon.

However, after kindergarten started, because he had classes on Fridays, his piano lessons had been moved to Sundays.

The Sunday before last, he had pushed open the balcony door as usual, but the seat below was empty. He waited all afternoon, but his familiar mother never appeared.

She only missed that one day. Last Sunday, she arrived as scheduled.

His mother seemed the same as before, with no apparent changes. She still told him bedtime stories and gave him goodnight kisses, but every night when she kissed his forehead, Xiao Jing couldn’t help but grip his blanket tightly, feeling that something was off.

Clearly, his mother was still the same mother, yet it felt as if something had changed.

In this house, President Lin wasn’t the only one who thought there was something wrong with Mrs. Lin.

In a place where no one knew, as a child who spent every day with his mother, he observed her daily. During the weekend before last, he had found a flaw.

…

Before Mrs. Lin returned home, a new guest arrived.

“Dad-“

A young male voice drifted in before the person even entered the house. Everyone in the drawing room stopped talking. Soon, a young man arrived, swinging a set of car keys on his fingertip. “Dad, where are you?”

Seeing that there were guests in the drawing room, the young man was stunned for a moment. He quickly tucked away his slouching, nonchalant attitude and stood up straight. He first greeted President Zhang, “Uncle Zhang.” Then his gaze drifted toward Lu Jianxing.

Lu Jianxing nodded to him.

“Dad, who’s this?” the young man asked with a cheeky grin. “Your illegitimate son?”

“Don’t talk nonsense.” President Lin looked at the young man sternly. “This is Master Xiao Man’s assistant.”

He then introduced him to Lu Jianxing. “This is my eldest son, Lin Yang.”

“Master Xiao Man? Dad, you’ve invited another master?” Hearing that he was just an assistant, Lin Yang quickly lost interest. “You still haven’t given up? I think you’d be better off just signing the divorce papers. You’re making more of a fuss than my stepmom.”

President Lin glared at his eldest son. “What are you babbling about now?”

“It’s the truth.” Lin Yang curled his lip. “Before, she wouldn’t agree to the divorce and made a whole scene in the news. Now that she’s fine, it’s turned into you not agreeing, and you’re even inviting masters back every few days to exorcise ghosts. My own mother even came to ask me what’s going on with you two, and if there really are ghosts.”

President Lin was speechless.

“You’ve invited so many masters already, why haven’t you given up yet? There are no ghosts in this world. Just sign the divorce papers as soon as possible.”

President Lin didn’t bother arguing with him and changed the subject. “What did you come back for?”

“I missed Uncle Wang’s cooking, so I came home to scrounge a meal.” Uncle Wang was the Lin family’s cook. Lin Yang looked around. “Where’s Xiao Jing?”

President Lin replied, “Your brother is playing with Master Xiao Man.”

“What kind of master needs my brother to keep him company?” Lin Yang was completely baffled, but he didn’t think too deeply on it. “Fine, I’m going to take a nap. When the food is ready, have the maid call me.” After saying that, he shoved his hands in his pockets and walked off in his usual carefree manner.

As a result, Lu Jianxing learned a bit more about the Lin family’s structure.

President Lin had married his first wife and had his eldest son, Lin Yang. However, both were workaholics in their youth, traveling everywhere for business and spending little time together, so they soon divorced to focus on their respective careers. After the divorce, the ex-wife vigorously pursued her career and built up a massive business of her own; she was now President Lin’s business partner. Their eldest son, Lin Yang, was about to graduate from university, and both his father and mother wanted him to inherit their respective family businesses.

After the divorce, in order to find someone to take care of his young son, President Lin quickly married his second wife and had his eldest daughter, Lin Qing. However, the second wife was busy playing mahjong² with her friends every day and left the two children to be cared for by nannies. Consequently, the second wife also became an ex-wife.

It was only several years later that the current Mrs. Lin came into the picture.

Just as the introduction finished, another young female voice called out from outside, “Dad-“

It was his eldest daughter who had returned.

Hearing his daughter’s voice, President Lin froze for a moment. “Why is she back too?”

The click-clack of high heels on the floor drew closer to the drawing room. Lin Qing’s voice drifted in from outside as she wheedled, “Dad, I’m out of money. Send me some cash… oh!”

Seeing that there were guests inside, Lin Qing quickly straightened her posture and greeted President Zhang first. “Uncle Zhang.”

Then she looked at Lu Jianxing. Being more well-traveled and knowledgeable than her brother, she recognized him instantly. “Lu… Lu Jianxing?”

Lu Jianxing nodded to her. “Hello.”

“What are you doing at my house?” Lin Qing hesitated for a moment, thinking of the entertainment gossip she usually read. Before her father could introduce him, she blurted out, “Wait, is Xiao Man at my house too?”

Lu Jianxing nodded.

Lin Qing’s eyes widened in surprise as she looked at her father. “Dad, why haven’t you given up yet? You’re looking for a master to perform an exorcism again? You even found Xiao Man? You don’t actually still think my stepmother is possessed by a ghost, do you?”

President Lin remained silent.

He didn’t feel like explaining things to his daughter, so he simply took out his phone and transferred some money to her. “Take the money and go back.”

After reaching adulthood, his eldest son and daughter had moved out of the family home to live in their own places, rarely returning.

A chime rang from her phone, signaling the arrival of the funds. Having received her allowance, Lin Qing was in no hurry to leave. Instead, she sat down with great interest.

“I want to see Master Xiao Man perform. I want to see if he’s really as amazing as they say online.” She tapped away on her phone, sharing the news with her friends that Xiao Man was at her house to drive out a ghost. As she typed, she added, “Even if he doesn’t find anything wrong with my stepmother, at least it’ll make my dad give up on this idea.”

President Lin said nothing.

“My dad is going crazy. Not only is he looking for masters to perform exorcisms, but he even had a paternity test done. It’s not like Xiao Jing could have any other mother, right?” Lin Qing turned to Lu Jianxing. “Lu Jianxing, don’t you agree?”

Lu Jianxing neither nodded nor shook his head, only saying vaguely, “I’m not entirely sure.”

“Oh, why are you saying that too?” Lin Qing said. “Actually, my dad can’t even point out what’s wrong. He insists it’s just his intuition. My stepmother is quite unlucky to be stuck in this situation.”

President Lin could only manage a bitter smile.

It was true. Everyone felt there was no problem, and only his intuition told him something was wrong. But his intuition had always been accurate, helping him avoid many risks in the past.

…

“Maybe she really just forgot,” Qiao Man suggested a possibility. “Didn’t she come back for it later?”

Xiao Jing pursed his lips and countered, “Impossible. Mama wouldn’t forget something like that.”

Qiao Man thought for a moment. “Then has she changed in any other way?”

Xiao Jing lowered his head and thought for a while. Instead of answering, he asked, “Do ghosts really exist in this world?”

“They do.”

“Then is it possible for my mama to be possessed by a ghost?” Xiao Jing asked. “My dad took us for a paternity test, and she really is my mama. My dad said she might have encountered a ghost, so that’s why…” He wanted to say she had become a different person, but in reality, his mother hadn’t actually changed much. Thus, he swallowed the rest of his sentence.

He muttered, “I just feel like that’s not my mama.”

Qiao Man blinked. “Why?”

“I don’t know… it’s just my intuition.”

Even as a small child, he knew that intuition didn’t count for much.

After staring blankly at the empty table and chairs in the courtyard for a while, Xiao Jing quickly cheered up. “Should I take you to see my mama’s paintings? My mama is a great artist. She used to be a designer at my dad’s company. I used to learn drawing from her before they hired a teacher for me.”

Qiao Man returned the favor. “Then I’ll let you watch the TV dramas Xingxing filmed.”

“Who is Xingxing?”

“Xingxing is my son,” Qiao Man said, puffing out his chest with pride. “He’s a big star and has acted in many TV shows. He’s very impressive!”

Xiao Jing was stunned. “Your son?”

“That’s right!”

Xiao Jing became incoherent. “But, but you’re just a kid…”

Qiao Man said as if it were the most natural thing in the world, “Even if I’m just a kid, Xingxing is still my son.”

Xiao Jing was speechless.

If a five-year-old could have a child, then it was probably normal for his mother not to be his mother, right?

…

While Qiao Man played with his new friend in the luxury mansion, President Lin took out a family portrait in the drawing room downstairs.

President Lin pointed to the woman sitting beside him in the photo. “This is my wife.”

In the family portrait, President Lin and his wife sat on the sofa with their youngest son between them. The two adult children stood behind the sofa. Mrs. Lin was gentle and beautiful, looking very young. She was more than a decade younger than President Lin, appearing more like an older sister to the stepchildren standing behind her.

The person listening to him was only a bit older than his eldest son. Meeting the young man’s clear eyes, President Lin’s face flushed slightly as he explained, “We married for love.”

Lu Jianxing nodded, signaling his understanding.

“We really did marry for love,” President Lin emphasized. “When we first met, she had just graduated from university and was an intern at our company. Her family wasn’t well-off, but she was very driven. She was a student from a prestigious university, beautiful and talented, with many suitors. Although I was the one who pursued her first, it took a lot of effort.”

Lu Jianxing nodded silently.

Sitting nearby, President Zhang couldn’t bear to watch. He turned his head away, appearing to seriously study the patterns on the nearby decorations, unwilling to listen to his old friend act like a lovesick fool at his age.

Lin Qing tapped rapidly on her phone, suddenly chiming in with a sharp comment, “An old cow eating tender grass³. You have the nerve to say it, but I’m too embarrassed to believe it.”

President Lin was at a loss for words.

“Since your relationship was so good, why were you going to get a divorce?” Lu Jianxing asked.

President Lin stroked the family portrait. Through the frame, he could only touch the cold glass. He gently brushed his wife’s cheek in the photo and said reminiscently, “We were very impulsive when we first got married. She was young, pampered, and had a bit of a temper. Since I was older, I naturally tolerated more. In truth, we fought quite often after getting married. If it hadn’t been for Xiao Jing, we might have divorced long ago.”

President Zhang sneered from the side.

“My stepmother isn’t an idiot. There’s no way she’d actually go through with a divorce, she’s just making a scene. She even made the news a while back.” Lin Qing set down her phone and spoke to Lu Jianxing. “Still, it’s fine if she’s finally agreed to it. My dad was quite generous to his ex-wife. Since she’s young and rich, she can totally go out and find herself a younger lover.”

Lu Jianxing said nothing.

In truth, he didn’t actually want to know the details of their family drama.

“Now the one who can’t bear to let go is you,” President Zhang said to President Lin in a sarcastic tone. “If you’re so reluctant, why did you bring up divorce in the first place?”

“I really did intend to divorce her,” President Lin explained. “She and I truly can’t make it work. But even if we divorce, I have to find the real her first.”

President Zhang could hardly bear to look at him.

They were of similar age and had achieved similar levels of success in their careers. When his friend first decided to marry a young girl over a decade his junior, Zhang hadn’t been particularly optimistic. Of course, in his social circle, it wasn’t uncommon to find men with young trophy wives; President Lin wasn’t the first.

But he was the only one who started acting like a lunatic the moment the divorce began.

President Lin continued his earnest explanation. “The person here now isn’t her. She’s disappeared to who knows where, and she doesn’t have a good relationship with her own family. If I agree to the divorce now, who will look for her? As long as we’re still married, I have to take responsibility.”

President Zhang rolled his eyes, and Lin Qing listened with a blank expression.

Clutching the family portrait, President Lin frowned. After a long silence, he said, “Once she gets back, let Master Xiao Man take a look at her. Then you’ll understand. There’s definitely something wrong.”

…

At dusk, Mrs. Lin finally returned.

She had taken a wonderful afternoon nap at the beauty salon and returned looking radiant. She looked even younger than she did in her photos, appearing not much older than her college-aged stepdaughter.

Hearing that there were guests and that her husband had invited another master to exorcise ghosts, she sighed helplessly. She handed her bag to the family’s nanny and asked, “Where’s Xiao Jing?”

“The young master is playing with the Master,” the nanny replied.

Mrs. Lin froze. “Playing with the Master?”

While she was still wondering, the tender laughter of a child drifted down from upstairs.

Xiao Jing had a toy car of his own, and it was a two-seater. The Lin family’s large house had long corridors, even allowing for the car to be driven indoors. The two children sat side by side in the toy car, whizzing through the hallway, circling around again and again.

The eldest son, Lin Yang, who had been trying to catch up on sleep, was woken by the car racing past his door. He yanked the door open and shouted, “Xiao Jing, don’t play inside the house!”

Xiao Jing apologized obediently, “Sorry, big brother.”

Before he could finish his sentence, Qiao Man stepped on the accelerator, whisking him away toward the end of the corridor. His small hands gripped the steering wheel as he executed a drift around the corner. By the time Lin Yang looked over, all he saw was the rear of the departing car.

When the toy car reached the spiral staircase, Mrs. Lin spotted her son at a glance. “Xiao Jing!”

Qiao Man slammed on the brakes, bringing the car to a halt.

Hearing the voice, Xiao Jing looked down and responded, “Mom.”

Then he immediately turned his head, looking at Qiao Man with expectant eyes.

Qiao Man also looked down at Mrs. Lin, who had just entered.

Mrs. Lin was young and beautiful, dressed fashionably. From his high vantage point, he took her in from a distance. He saw the body visible to the naked eye, and the spiritual entity invisible to ordinary people.

There was no problem.

He slowly shook his head at Xiao Jing.

No ghost.

No possession.

She was the original.

The light in Xiao Jing’s eyes instantly dimmed.

“Is it possible you’re mistaken?” Xiao Jing whispered. “Xiao Man, could you look again?”

Qiao Man took another look downstairs to confirm, then shook his head. “I’ve never been wrong.”

Xiao Jing lowered his head and forced a small smile. “Is that so… maybe Mom really did just accidentally forget.”

He climbed out of the toy car and took a deep breath, as if bracing himself. Only then did he grip the banister and run downstairs. “Mom!”

Behind him, Qiao Man also pushed open the car door and slowly climbed out.

On the way to the dining room, he encountered President Lin, who was looking at him for an answer. Qiao Man gave him the same conclusion.

President Lin was slightly stunned, but as an adult, he was more emotionally reserved than a child. He remained calm on the surface and even gave a relaxed smile. “It seems it really was just my imagination.”

Beside him, President Zhang was triumphant. “See? I told you so.”

“Xiao Man, it really is you!” Lin Qing hurried over, her high heels clicking rapidly. She crouched down in front of him and said with a beaming smile, “I’m a viewer of Wilderness Challenge. I’m actually a fan of yours!”

Qiao Man’s mouth dropped open in surprise. “My fan?”

“That’s right.” Lin Qing held up her phone and waved it. “Can I take a photo with you?”

Of course he could!

Qiao Man mimicked her gesture, holding up two fingers and showing two sweet dimples to the dark camera lens. Lin Qing pressed her face against his soft, chubby cheek and quickly snapped the photo.

Her fingers flew across her screen as she typed. “I’m sending this to my friends. They’re going to be so jealous, haha!”

As for the actual big star, Lu Jianxing, he wasn’t nearly as important right now.

At the long dining table, Qiao Man once again informed the entire Lin family that he hadn’t seen anything wrong.

Upon learning that he was the legendary “Master Xiao Man,” Lin Yang’s eyes widened. “Him? A kid? He looks about the same age as Xiao Jing! …Ow!”

Lin Yang turned and glared at his sister.

Lin Qing snapped, “Xiao Man is a real Master! Haven’t you seen the news? He even solved a serial killer case recently!”

Lin Yang scoffed. “Him?”

Lin Qing pulled up the old news report on her phone and held it in front of his face. Looking at the photo of the child holding a medal while posing with the police, Lin Yang looked at the phone, then at the living person right in front of him, and couldn’t help but give himself a light slap.

“Strange,” he muttered to himself. “Am I still dreaming?”

“But since Xiao Man said so, it means my stepmother really is fine.” Lin Qing glanced at Mrs. Lin, and seeing that she was still lost in thought, she turned to her father. “Dad, you should finally give up on that idea, shouldn’t you?”

President Lin’s expression was indifferent. “Mm.”

Mrs. Lin glanced at her husband sitting beside her. Perhaps because this divorce lawsuit had dragged on for so long, all emotions, good and bad, had been drained away. Now that they were actually starting the process, she felt no sorrow, only a light smile of relief. “There won’t be many chances to sit together and eat like this in the future. I’ll miss Uncle Wang’s cooking.”

President Lin said coldly, “Then eat more now.”

Mrs. Lin smiled.

She wanted to maintain her figure, so she put down her chopsticks after only a few bites of dinner.

Qiao Man, on the other hand, ate until his belly was round. When he hopped down from his chair, he didn’t dare walk too fast, feeling as if the food would pop out of his throat if he opened his mouth.

Xiao Jing’s house was not only big and beautiful, but the food was delicious too!

After the sumptuous dinner, it was dark outside.

Although there had been no earth-shattering ritual scenes, the worries lingering in his heart had been resolved. President Lin presented a check with many zeros. Qiao Man accepted it happily and tucked it into his backpack along with his completed math problems.

When Lu Jianxing took his child to say goodbye, Xiao Jing held his hand reluctantly. “Xiao Man, why don’t you stay at my house?”

“Huh?”

“I haven’t shown you my Transformers yet,” Xiao Jing said. “I have one that’s taller than my dad. It’s so cool! I also have an astronaut suit. I’ll take you on a spaceship!”

Qiao Man let out a “Wow,” his eyes lighting up instantly.

Transformers! Astronauts! Spaceships!

These were all toys Xiao Man had never played with before!

He looked up at Lu Jianxing expectantly. “Xingxing…”

Before Lu Jianxing could speak, President Lin smiled and urged them to stay. “It’s rare for Xiao Jing to have a friend over. If you don’t mind, why not stay another night? We have plenty of guest rooms anyway.”

Lin Qing’s eyes brightened, and she immediately said, “Then I’ll stay the night too. Baby Xiao Man, you can sleep with me.”

Xiao Jing grew anxious. “I, I want to sleep with Xiao Man!”

Lu Jianxing patted the child’s head and said apologetically, “Then we’ll be imposing on you.”

Xiao Jing couldn’t wait to pull Qiao Man’s hand toward his toy room. “Come on, Xiao Man, I’ll show you my toys.” He had an entire room full of them.

Qiao Man had almost never played with children his own age. Having finally met a friend around the same age, he and Xiao Jing went wild together. Xiao Jing had many toys and had even moved a slide into the room. Not only were there Transformers and spaceships, but they could even play on a swing inside.

The laughter of the two children continued late into the night. It wasn’t until Mrs. Lin came to urge her youngest son to sleep that the two children reluctantly left the toy room and rushed into the bathroom, drenched in sweat.

Xiao Jing’s bathtub was also very large, enough for the two children to have a water fight inside. The nanny who came to help them bathe was splashed all over. It was only when Lu Jianxing, feeling uneasy, came to check on his child that he managed to hold down the two splashing kids, one in each hand.

After finally finishing their bath, the two children lay together on the soft, large bed. Perhaps the playing had exhausted their energy, because when Mrs. Lin came to read a bedtime story to her son, she saw the two children buried deep in the soft bedding, struggling to keep their eyelids open, looking drowsy.

She smiled and put away the storybook. “Go to sleep early. No fighting, okay?”

“Okay, Mommy. Goodnight,” Xiao Jing said with his eyes closed.

“Goodnight, Auntie,” Qiao Man said, his eyes closed as well.

Mrs. Lin turned off the lights for the two children, quietly closed the door, and walked out.

In the dim room, stars twinkled on the starry ceiling, and the constellations rotated silently. Counting the stars above, the two children’s soft breathing soon became steady as they gradually fell into a sweet dreamland…

Suddenly, Qiao Man bolted upright and clicked on the bedside lamp with his small hand.

Xiao Jing rubbed his eyes and sat up. “What’s wrong, Xiao Man?”

By the light of the lamp, Qiao Man stared at him intently.

After a long moment, the child’s brow slowly furrowed, his small face full of confusion.

He said, “Why does one end of your Kinship Line still lead outside?”

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Translator’s Notes

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1. catch the ghost: In the context of Chinese urban fantasy, ‘catching ghosts’ (抓鬼) refers to the practice of exorcising malevolent spirits or resolving supernatural disturbances. This confirms that President Zhang’s previous encounter with Qiao Man involved a genuine metaphysical problem rather than a mundane issue. ↩
2. mahjong: A popular Chinese tile-based game typically played by four people. In this context, ‘playing mahjong’ (搓麻) often carries a social connotation of leisure or neglect of household duties, as it can be a highly time-consuming social activity. ↩
3. An old cow eating tender grass: A translation of the Chinese idiom ‘laoniu chi nencao’ (老牛吃嫩草), used to describe an older person—usually a man—pursuing or marrying a much younger partner. It often carries a mocking or derogatory tone regarding the age gap. ↩