"Master is also amazing," Man Man’s small face was flushed with excitement.
"Go wash your hands, and we’ll go eat together."
"Okay." After listening to Lin Yan, Man Man skipped towards the nearby restroom.
Zeng Xuan Ming accompanied the master and disciple for lunch, then returned to work.
"Then I’ll head back. I have a meeting this afternoon."
"Mhm, then work hard." Lin Yan said with a smile, "Man Man, say goodbye to Uncle Shi."
"Goodbye Uncle Shi Zeng!" Man Man obediently bid farewell to Zeng Xuan Ming.
"Goodbye Man Man." Zeng Xuan Ming waved at Man Man and got back into his car.
"Master, why isn’t Uncle Shi Zeng joining us?" Usually, after lunch, they would go shopping, or watch a movie together.
Sometimes he would even take her to an amusement park. Why did he leave directly today?
"Didn't you hear? Uncle Shi has a meeting this afternoon." Lin Yan walked towards the studio with Man Man.
"Oh, right. Uncle Shi is so busy, he doesn’t have time to date Master."
"Where did you hear that from?" Lin Yan asked, amused.
"Isn't that how it usually is?" Man Man asked, confused.
"What's usually like that? Who have you seen that’s like this?" Lin Yan reached out and ruffled Man Man’s small head.
"Lots of people. They all say it’s dating. Is Master dating Uncle Shi Zeng too?" Man Man asked curiously.
"You’re just a child, don’t worry about so much!"
As she said this, they walked into the studio together.
"Senior Sister, there’s a guest in the reception room waiting for you." A Lin family member at the front desk saw Lin Yan enter and pointed towards the reception room.
"I know. Take Man Man to my office and let her nap for a while." Lin Yan glanced towards the reception room, then handed the box of pastries she was carrying to the front desk person.
"These are for you. I thought they tasted good, so you should try them too."
"Thank you, Senior Sister." She took the pastry box along with Man Man and walked towards Lin Yan’s office. "Man Man, let's go take a rest."
"Okay." She obediently placed her hand in the front desk girl’s hand that was reaching for her.
After Lin Yan watched them leave, she walked towards the reception room.
"Hello, I'm Lin Yan. May I ask what brings you here?"
"Wuwuwu," a faint sobbing echoed in her ears.
The voice was so familiar. Who was crying?
She walked alone in the hazy mist. The sobbing was intermittent, but she couldn't find where it was coming from.
The mist shrouded her path ahead and concealed the direction she came from. She didn't know how long she had been walking, but she saw no one.
The sobbing continued, and the voice grew more familiar. The name was on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn't recall it.
"Is it you? Why are you crying?" she asked aloud, but no one responded. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
The sobbing paused for a moment, and then she heard the voice call her, "A Yao."
The person in bed suddenly opened her eyes. The sobbing was gone. She sat up. There was no one in the bedroom, nor any sound.
"Was it a dream?" After waking up, she felt a sense of loss. She tried to recall everything in the dream, but apart from the sobbing, she couldn't remember anything else.
The name that was on the tip of her tongue in the dream was completely forgotten upon waking.
Fu Yao lay back down, wanting to fall asleep, but a vague sense of unease lingered in her heart.
Such dreams continued for several days. The mist in her dreams grew fainter, and she could vaguely see a blurry figure.
Just as she finally saw the person clearly, she woke up again.
"Fu Yao, you don’t look well lately. Are you sick?" a colleague asked with concern.
"It’s nothing, I just haven’t been sleeping well these past few days." Fu Yao returned to her workstation and poured a cup of soy milk from her thermos. She drank it slowly while waiting for her computer to boot up.
"You should still take care. Your complexion is really poor."
"Thank you." Fu Yao smiled at her. A moment later, she spoke again.
"Sister Wang, what do you think it means to have the same dream every night?"
"You had a dream?" Sister Wang turned her attention to Fu Yao.
"Yes, I’ve been having the same dream for the past few days." Fu Yao's smile was full of fatigue.
"You dream of what you think about during the day. Aren't you worried about something?"
"I don’t think I’m worried about anything." Fu Yao thought for a moment. She genuinely wasn't thinking about anything. Her work occupied her time completely, and she had also called home.
She really didn't think she was dwelling on anything.
"Perhaps your subconscious is reminding you that you've forgotten something. Why don't you go to a Taoist temple or a Buddhist temple when you have time off to clear your mind, or get your fortune told? Whether you believe it or not, it might bring you peace of mind."
Seeing Fu Yao so tired, Sister Wang couldn't help but worry. She had worked with Fu Yao for several years. Fu Yao was generous and cheerful, and got along well with her colleagues.
Seeing her so listless now, Sister Wang found it quite unaccustomed.
"Mhm, I'll try that later." Going there might be good. Lately, because of the dreams, she had been very restless. Going there to clear her mind would be beneficial.
"Do you agree to these terms?" Lin Yan pushed a piece of paper towards a female ghost.
"I trust Master Lin." The female ghost didn't look at the contract in detail, but she had interacted with Lin Yan many times and trusted Lin Yan's character.
She picked up the special pen from the table, used her own Yin energy as ink, and signed her name on the contract.
"Then from now on, you are one of the employees of our studio. The contract will be valid until your resentment disappears and you accumulate enough merit for reincarnation. I hope we have a pleasant cooperation!" Lin Yan extended her hand.
The female ghost also extended her hand, and their hands briefly touched.
This female ghost was found by Lin Yan in a mountain. She had been cultivating in the mountains for many years, isolated from the world. She had never done anything bad, but her resentment was deep, and her malevolence was even stronger.
Lin Yan coaxed her out of the mountain by telling her about the changes in the outside world. Later, she experienced the prosperity of modern society and the convenience of the present, and she no longer wanted to return.
This led to the scene just now. Lin Yan was very satisfied to have gained a powerful addition to her studio, and the female ghost was also very satisfied with everything Lin Yan provided.
It was a mutually beneficial arrangement. The female ghost's work, in addition to protecting Man Man, was to guard the other few Lin family members in the shop.
Especially when they were on missions, she would protect them secretly. Of course, as long as it didn't involve life-threatening danger, she wouldn't have to intervene.