I'm Ximen Qing, living in a ghost story!

"Was that... Miss Xiaoqian...?"

Simon Da brought up the very thing he shouldn't have said.

Nie Yunhai turned his face away, denying it three times: "No, no, you must have mistaken me!"

"That……"

"It's probably a friend of your son, after all, he has a wide circle of friends..."

Nie Yunhai couldn't keep up the story, so he laughed it off, made an excuse to pee, and chased after them.

What on earth is that brat doing?!?

Not to mention how dumbfounded Nie Yunhai and Ximen Da were as they watched the departing man and woman.

Take Ximen Qing for example. With his advanced second-level cultivation (although he doesn't know any magic, he still has physical advantages), he had already spotted Nie Xiaoqian long ago.

Letting her go was partly out of a desire to watch the show, to see what this goddess, famous in her previous life, was up to.

He even went so far as to say something empty and meaningless: "Miss Xiaoqian, please have some self-respect!"

These words made Nie Xiaoqian, who was running wildly while grabbing his sleeve, turn around and roll her eyes.

However, the girl's graceful glances did indeed leave Ximen Qing momentarily stunned.

No wonder she's a woman who can become the top hostess at the Tree Demon Granny's nightclub even after turning into a ghost!

Committing crimes with a beautiful woman by his side! Truly horrifying!

"Don't overthink it, I really do need to talk to you."

After turning past the artificial hill, the two arrived at a wall where a maid was already waiting with a ladder.

"Miss, over here!"

The maid propped the ladder up on the wall and waved to them.

"Let's go!"

Nie Xiaoqian pointed ahead.

"Where are we going?" Ximen Qing looked up at the sky, his face full of questions.

"Aren't you good at exorcising ghosts? I have a close friend, the young lady from the Cui family next door, and she's been in some trouble these past few days and needs someone's help!"

Nie Xiaoqian looked completely at ease.

"Oh? So this is how you ask for help? What benefits would I get from helping you, and that Miss Cui?"

Ximen Qing crossed his arms and began to speak.

"Um?"

Nie Xiaoqian seemed stumped by Ximen Qing's question; in her world, it seemed that everyone helped her for free.

Some were drawn to her because of her appearance, others because of her father; no one ever mentioned "compensation."

Ximen Qing looked at her stunned expression and couldn't help but chuckle.

The current Nie Xiaoqian is still a child. She will only grow into the well-educated, charming, brave, and resourceful Xiaoqian after she experiences death and is forced to endure hardship by the Tree Demon Granny for many years.

"You...you're supposed to be able to catch ghosts? The stories say that the great heroes and sword immortals who exorcise demons don't ask for anything in return. How come you're so mercenary!"

Nie Xiaoqian's cheeks flushed red as she asked.

"You said it yourself, it's just a storybook." Ximen Qing shrugged.

"You!" Nie Xiaoqian was so speechless that steam was practically rising from her head, giving her a rather adorable appearance.

It gave Ximen Qing a sense of pleasure from teasing a cat; it was so cute when it was angry, he wanted to pet it.

Thinking about it, I couldn't help but start doing it.

He pinched and rubbed Xiaoqian's two chubby cheeks with both hands, and then withdrew his hands with a clear conscience, while Xiaoqian looked on in shock.

It feels so good!

Nie Xiaoqian and the maid beside her stared wide-eyed, unable to believe their eyes.

Just as Xiaoqian was about to yell out, Ximen Qing quickly covered her mouth and said, "Alright, since you're my fiancée, and I can't disobey my parents, I'll help you this time!"

After saying that, he picked her up horizontally and, amidst the little maid's exclamation, activated the passive skill of "Gentleman on the Beam".

With one foot on the top of the wall, she flew over it like a wild goose, her sleeves billowing in the air: "Next time you climb over the wall, use your brain! You put down a ladder on one side, how are you going to get down to the other side?"

Magistrate Nie, who had just passed the artificial hill:

(ºДº*)？ ？ ？

Is this some kind of ghost? I just heard a sound, where are I, two grown men? Where did I go?

……

And you know what? Xiaoqian really does have the potential to be a female ghost. She's so light and soft when you hold her in your arms, like nothing at all.

"You still haven't told me what this Miss Cui is all about. I can't possibly help her without knowing anything, can I?"

Ximen Qing looked around. The Cui family mansion and the county government office were separated by only one wall. To occupy such a prime location, it was naturally impossible for them to be an ordinary family.

Compared to the nouveau riche Ximen family, this was a true local power, or rather, a prestigious family.

Many members of the Cui family held official positions in the prefecture, and the Cui family estate occupied one-fifth of the area of ​​Guobei County.

However, despite its large size, the garden was dilapidated and neglected. The vast mansion was overgrown with weeds, and the water in the pond had turned green and smelled foul.

"Aji... oh, that's Miss Cui's given name. If she didn't have some unspeakable trouble, I wouldn't have thought of asking you to help her! There are plenty of Taoist priests and monks who are better than you!"

Xiaoqian glanced at Ximen Qing.

Although her cheeks were still flushed, she stopped shouting and seemed to acquiesce to his actions.

"Oh? Let me guess, could it be that Miss Cui is dating a male ghost and is worried about damaging her reputation?"

As Ximen Qing spoke, he wandered around aimlessly.

"Pah! What nonsense are you thinking!" Xiaoqian spat fiercely, quickly denying, "Aji is very naive! Don't ruin her reputation!"

"What's going on? If you keep trying to cover it up, I'm going back."

"Hey! No! Ah Ji's situation is a bit complicated, but basically, she's pregnant..."

Click!

Ximen Qing used too much force and broke a dry branch under his feet.

He stared at Xiaoqian in disbelief.

Good heavens, the young ladies from wealthy families in the city are playing this game so extravagantly? He had only dared to guess it was a simple romance, but it turns out they're going all out?

Is the city really that full of tricks?

"Then—shouldn't she have found a midwife? What use would she be to me?"

Ximen Qing looked at Xiaoqian with suspicion.

"Oh dear! What are you thinking! Aji is still a virgin! She said that one day she dreamed of a child crying, and when she woke up her belly was getting bigger and bigger. These days, she looks like a woman who is four or five months pregnant, and she doesn't dare to go out! In the Cui family, Aji is born to a concubine and is not favored, so her parents sent her back to this old family mansion. The old Cui family mansion now only has an elderly matriarch who can't tolerate any nonsense. If that matriarch finds out about this, she will definitely harm Aji and protect the family's reputation. I had no other choice but to think of you."

When Xiaoqian saw that Ximen Qing had misunderstood, she quickly explained.

"Wow! This kid's got some fun!"

Ximen Qing frowned: "However, I am very pleased with your trust. Let's go, lead the way!"

Xiaoqian turned her head away. What she didn't say was that there was another reason she chose Ximen Qing: his reputation was bad enough that such gossip wouldn't affect him.

If it were someone else, she would worry that the other person would expose this and ruin Aji's reputation.

However, there was no need to tell him about this, Xiaoqian thought to herself, and subconsciously prepared to lead the way, but why was her leg still dangling in the air?

"Hey! Put me down first!"

"Oh? Oh! Sorry! I saw you were lying there quite comfortably, I forgot."

Ximen Qing looked at Xiaoqian in his arms and was about to let go when his hand slipped.

Huh? Why does my palm feel so soft?