"Ah?"
Lou Yangzi looked at the girl in front of him, so shocked that he took two steps back.
Then he frowned, "What trick are you playing now?"
Given Lou Xiaoxiao's current status in the Lou family, she could have entered the Ghost Tower and chosen a contract ghost with excellent aptitude.
Contracting fellow disciples... it wasn't unheard of within the clan.
But there was no need for this.
He wasn't some peerless talent.
The girl's clear and cold face showed a rare hint of awkwardness.
She lowered her head, kicking at the ground as if there were small stones at her feet.
"I don't trust them."
Lou Yangzi: "Who?"
The girl tilted her head, lifting her chin towards the Lou family's direction.
"Them."
"Although I've mastered many spells now, if they tamper with the contract ghost, there's nothing I can do."
"Their calculations are so loud, they've reached my ears."
Upon hearing this, Lou Yangzi pondered deeply.
What Lou Xiaoxiao said was indeed not unreasonable.
Given the Lou family's past practices, this was entirely possible.
Although he didn't know what methods could be used to tamper with a contract ghost at present.
But since Lou Xiaoxiao could research so many new spells, the Lou family might have methods he didn't know.
As he was thinking, the girl in front of him looked up at him, her gaze focused.
"I only trust you."
"...Let me think."
Lou Yangzi didn't agree immediately.
After returning, he lay in bed and thought about it all night.
In any case, his aptitude was average, and he probably wouldn't be needed for fighting on the front lines.
From Lou Xiaoxiao's tone, as long as he didn't stand with the Lou family, she would be safe from any backstabbing.
Moreover, if the Lou family truly tampered with the contract ghost...
He wasn't at ease about that either.
With Lou Xiaoxiao's talent, she would surely have a broader future.
Moving towards a more distant place.
She shouldn't be confined here, much less trapped in the Lou family.
She was different from him.
When she spread her wings, she could fly to higher heavens.
...
The next day,
Lou Yangzi reported to the Lou family – becoming a contract ghost meant he could no longer contend for the position of family head.
Lou Yangzi didn't care about this, and Lou's mother seemed to no longer force him to make choices after this incident.
After reporting, he went to sign the contract with Lou Xiaoxiao.
They were both very familiar with the contract process, and both were willing.
So the entire process was quite smooth.
"...Tianjiao?"
Lou Yangzi sensed the characters appearing in his mind, his expression unreadable.
During the contract process, the true names of the contract ghost and the contractor would appear in each other's minds.
"When did you start calling yourself Lou Tianjiao?"
Lou Xiaoxiao's expression was cold, her eyebrows arrogant, and she said lightly,
"A couple of days ago."
"..."
Lou Yangzi wanted to speak but stopped.
Why the sudden name change?
The answer was naturally that she didn't like it.
Lou Xiaoxiao had said so before.
Tianjiao, Tianjiao...
"That's good. It suits you."
Lou Xiaoxiao-Tianjiao nodded slightly, "Mm."
She sensed the existence of the contract ghost, her heart settling slightly.
...
After becoming a contract ghost, Lou Yangzi was assigned fewer industries to manage by the Lou family.
Many of the direct descendants watched with amusement.
However, the ghost in question, Lou Yangzi, was happy to be at ease, gaining more time for himself.
Since he had become a ghost, his need for sleep was almost negligible.
During the day, he would go out for strolls, window shopping, and listen to music with Brother Sixi.
At night, he would go to the archives to help Lou Xiaoxiao find relevant spell materials.
And observe her process of researching spells.
As he watched...
Lou Yangzi felt like knocking open Lou Xiaoxiao's head to see what was inside.
Sometimes, while eating or looking at documents, she would suddenly have a flash of inspiration.
And run back to her room to continue her research.
Forgetting to eat or sleep.
But as soon as Lou Yangzi brought food into the room, the girl would be drawn by the aroma.
Without even washing her hands, she would start devouring it. After Lou Yangzi reprimanded her several times, she would frown and start washing her hands.
She also complained about Lou Yangzi: "So particular."
Who cared about such things when they were starving?
Lou Yangzi retorted: "You know you're starving? You haven't eaten in two days, I thought you had immortality."
"If only I had immortality..."
Lou Xiaoxiao muttered, then suddenly froze.
Her clear, cold eyes unconsciously drifted upwards, her thoughts wandering.
The next second, her ear was pulled.
"Hey, hey, hey... what are you doing?!"
Lou Xiaoxiao snapped back to reality, her head involuntarily tilting towards Lou Yangzi due to the force of him pulling her ear.
Lou Yangzi picked up a chicken leg and stuffed it into her mouth: "Eat."
Actually, Lou Yangzi really wanted to say that the current spells were enough for the Lou family.
There was no need to rush forward so quickly.
Lou Xiaoxiao slapped his hand away, chewing the chicken leg, "If you have something to say, say it, don't pull my ear..."
The oil lamp in the room flickered.
Illuminating the rows of bookshelves, the messy diagrams on the table and floor.
And also illuminating the two people eating in the corner.
With a hint of fiery warmth.
...
In the blink of an eye, two months passed.
This day, Lou Yangzi had just returned from shopping outside, still carrying a food box.
He was thinking about what Brother Sixi had just said when he turned a corner.
And bumped into someone.
Before he could say anything, the other party repeatedly apologized.
"Young Master, it was my fault for not watching where I was going. Are you alright?"
"I'm fine."
Lou Yangzi waved his hand, signaling the person to go about their business.
After taking two steps forward, he suddenly sensed something was wrong.
He stepped forward to stop the family servant and grabbed the person's wrist.
As the eldest son of the Lou family, despite his average aptitude, he had never lacked the resources he should have received since childhood.
Whether it was family businesses, spells, or medicine...
He had received corresponding guidance.
However, Lou Yangzi's action this time was not to examine the person's condition, but rather... their pulse!
This family servant indeed had no pulse!
What Brother Sixi had mentioned was actually happening in the Lou family too!?
"Young Master?"
The family servant didn't understand his actions and dared not move, his wrist held tightly.
He cautiously asked.
Lou Yangzi's gaze was sharp, "Why do you have no pulse?"
The family servant stammered, and after a long while, uttered a name.
Lou Yangzi was stunned, he let go of the servant's hand and flew directly towards the Lou family's interior.
—All the houses in the Lou family were equipped with formations to prevent ghosts from passing through walls directly.
After passing through corridors, he finally arrived at Lou Xiaoxiao's room.
There were two minor ghosts guarding the door.
Seeing Lou Yangzi open the door, they didn't ask anything.
In this room, except for Lou Xiaoxiao and Lou Yangzi, no one else was allowed in without permission.
—Even high-ranking members of the Lou family were the same.
Because Lou Xiaoxiao had plenty of ways to make them not dare to enter.
After Lou Yangzi entered, he closed the door.
Lou Xiaoxiao was contemplating a formation diagram on the table.
Hearing the sound, she casually said, "You're here?"
Lou Yangzi glanced at Lou Xiaoxiao and asked, "What's going on with those people who have no pulse?"
...