After Descending the Mountain, Seven Big Brothers Spoil Me - Chapter 55

Chapter 55: Ancestral Master Promises False Hope
Upon hearing someone calling her name, Zhouzhou quickly sat up and looked around in confusion. Her gaze finally landed on the statue of her Ancestral Master on the table.

She walked over, somewhat surprised, and asked, “Ancestral Master, are you the one speaking?”

“It’s me. Light a joss stick, and you’ll be able to see me,” a voice came from the statue.

Zhouzhou was amazed and quickly followed the instruction, while secretly tossing out a talisman. She then looked at him with a calm expression.

Ancestral Master didn’t notice her action.

Soon, a faint figure appeared in front of her. It was an old man with white hair, dressed in ancient robes, and holding a dust brush. He looked exactly like Ancestral Master in the painting.

Zhouzhou’s eyes lit up when they fell on his golden fingers. She exclaimed, “Wow,” confirming his identity, and asked, “Ancestral Master, why are your clothes so old and dusty? They don’t look good. Do you want me to burn you some nice clothes?”

As soon as Ancestral Master settled down, he heard her words and blew his beard, resentfully saying, “I became like this all because of someone.”

He stared straight at Zhouzhou, making her feel somewhat guilty. She pointed at herself with a weak voice, “Because of me?”

“What do you think?” The words almost squeezed out between his teeth.

Well, it was her.

Zhouzhou sat obediently on the bed, with her index fingers crossed, and pitifully said, “Ancestral Master, I will do good deeds and earn merits for you. I promise to make you shine like gold.”

“That will do,” Ancestral Master calmed down. He wasn’t really angry in the first place. Faced with such a soft little thing, he couldn’t summon any anger.

After all, he had watched Zhouzhou grow up. It was even more difficult to argue with her.

“Remember what you said.”

Zhouzhou nodded repeatedly, raising her chubby little hand and said, “I swear.”

After that, she curiously asked, “Ancestral Master, how can you appear now? Why haven’t I seen you before?”

Upon hearing this, Ancestral Master sighed deeply, “Since the temple lost its incense, my spirit also fell into silence. It was only because you earned merits that I was awakened again. But I’m still weak now and can’t appear for long. Zhouzhou, you must remember what I’m about to tell you.”

Zhouzhou nodded and also thought about the merits he mentioned. They should be the ones she earned by helping the spirits at Grandpa Cui’s house.

It turned out that merits really had an effect on Ancestral Master.

Ancestral Master said, “Our Mystery Sect has a history of thousands of years. Any talented fortune-teller has been favored and treated well by emperors throughout the ages. However, in recent times, our talents have dwindled, and the Mystery Sect has declined. Zhouzhou, your talent is exceptional. The responsibility of restoring the Mystery Sect falls on you.”

Zhouzhou listened attentively to his words and nodded solemnly.

Looking at her shining eyes, Ancestral Master’s heart also softened. He smiled and said, “Once our Mystery Sect is restored, you will be the most promising disciple. By then, power and wealth…”

He paused for a moment, remembering her situation, and added, “Accumulating merits can also improve your financial situation. Zhouzhou, do you want a lot of money?

“I do,” Zhouzhou nodded, then pouted and said, “But you took all my money, Ancestral Master.”

She counted with her short little hands, “Grandma gave me some, Uncle Liao gave me some, Grandpa Liu too, and Eldest Brother… You took all that money, and now I have none left.”

Upon hearing this, Ancestral Master’s face turned a bit awkward. He blew his beard and said, “Isn’t the golden light on my body also something you caused? Besides, what do you mean by ‘taking’? You were born with a shortage of money. You’re naturally at odds with money. If I had left that money with you, who knows what disasters might have befallen you? I’m doing it for your own good.”

Zhouzhou wanted to say something, but seeing him staring at her, she swallowed her words and said, “Okay then.”

Seeing her reaction, Ancestral Master hurriedly continued, “Once I have the golden light, it will completely remove your shortage of money. With your abilities, making money will be a breeze. Cars, houses, money, you can buy everything. You can buy an island for your grandparents, dad, and brothers. You can even renovate the Taoist temple and make it the biggest and most luxurious. Since you like gold, you can even buy a golden mountain and lie on it every day, counting money…”

As Zhouzhou listened, she suddenly hiccuped and burped, interrupting Ancestral Master’s words.

Zhouzhou herself was surprised by this. She shyly covered her mouth with one hand and rubbed her stomach with the other. Her face turned red, and she blinked innocently, saying, “Suddenly felt a bit full.”

How strange. It had already been several hours since dinner. Shouldn’t she be hungry now?

Ancestral Master, who was in the midst of painting a rosy picture, froze for a moment.

Luckily, children didn’t understand moral manipulation; otherwise, his true intentions would have been exposed, and he would have lost face.

Just as he was thinking about it, a voice suddenly sounded near the door, with an ambiguous meaning, “Moral manipulation?”

He was startled and turned his head. With a snap, the lights in the room turned on.

Qin Lie approached, looking at the apparition that had suddenly appeared in the room, then glanced at Zhouzhou. He raised his hand, calling her over, and while patting her bald head, he glanced at Ancestral Master askance and asked, “Bullying a child, is that for her own good?”

Ancestral Master choked, realizing that his power had indeed diminished. He hadn’t even noticed Qin Lie’s arrival.

He scowled, saying, “Nonsense! She is my disciple. How could I, as her Ancestral Master, bully a little girl?”

“That’s not necessarily true. There are plenty of disrespectful elders in the world,” Qin Lie casually remarked. After speaking, he didn’t waste any more time with him and directly said, “Since you’ve appeared, let’s talk about cooperation.”

Ancestral Master was about to say something, but his words were immediately swallowed back upon being attracted by Qin Lie’s statement. He asked, “What cooperation?”

“For example, Zhouzhou can work for you, and you can pay her a salary,” Qin Lie suggested.

“Pay her a salary?” Ancestral Master was almost about to jump up.

“Getting paid for work is a normal thing, isn’t it? How can a distinguished Ancestral Master like you, who has lived for thousands of years, bully a four-year-old child? Wouldn’t that ruin your reputation?” Qin Lie casually remarked. After speaking, he didn’t bother wasting any more time with him and said directly, “If you don’t agree, forget it. After all, Zhouzhou is a member of the Qin family. Even if she has a shortage of money, so what? The Qin family can support her for the rest of her life. She won’t lack anything to eat.”

As he finished speaking, Qin Lie carried Zhouzhou and began to walk away without hesitation. His footsteps didn’t show the slightest hesitation, as if he genuinely didn’t care.

At this moment, Ancestral Master, who had initially thought of a counter-argument, panicked and exclaimed, “Wait! I agree!”

Hearing these words, a faint smile appeared at the corner of Qin Lie’s mouth.

But in an instant, he returned to his expressionless state and tossed a document, saying, “Then sign it.”