Chapter 12 - Karma is a cycle, and this Great Lord will spare no one
Translator : KuroShinji
TL/Checker : VelvetCakeHat
Editor & Proofreader : Mariabel
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“He saved a city full of people, simultaneously stepping on the face of the XuanShu Society in the process.” The middle-aged man’s expression was complex and ugly, as if he was forced to swallow a mouthful of flies. Just one look at the paperman reminded him of Gu Ye, making his b.a.l.l.s ache. “You’re an outsider so don’t ask. It’s not him anyways. You take your time to figure out this case.” After he finished saying this, the middle-aged man stood up and left. His actions indicated that he didn’t want to talk any further about this matter.
“Achoo!” Gu Ye sneezed loudly.
“Brother, someone must have praised you for being handsome behind your back.” With time pa.s.sing by like water, tomorrow would be the start of school and Gu Yang, who didn’t do his homework, raised his head and gave a thumbs up to his brother with a serious att.i.tude.
Gu Ye smiled and patted the child’s head. “Little flatterer, it’s useless even if you praise me to the sky. Do your homework yourself and cover me, by the way.”
Gu Yang : “…”
Brother!
w.a.n.g QianQian’s remains were dug up that night, but it didn’t cause a commotion as there were no students around at that time. The forensic team found Li Rui’s hair on her body and the DNA result also proved that the child was his. When the picture of w.a.n.g QianQian’s corpse was thrown at Li Rui’s face, he finally couldn’t bear it and broke down before pleading guilty.
The truth soon came to light. The reporters who were concerned with this case soon wrote a report and posted it. The fans were suddenly enlightened to the truth and were dumbfounded, especially the fangirls. They had been stupidly and deeply enamored with a murderer for seven years! A murderer! That child was already nine months old when the woman was killed, how could he do that?!
However, there was more exciting news following that. Two days after his arrest, Li Rui started having drug withdrawals. He actually took drugs! Murdering w.a.n.g QianQian had put a huge psychological pressure on Li Rui, so he took drugs in order to relax. This made netizens even more disgusted. What a hypocrite! Go to h.e.l.l with your national idol or whatever! Murder! Drugs! What else do you not dare to do?!
Li Rui needed to take legal responsibility for his actions and it was an unchangeable fact. With solid evidence against him, no one would sympathize with him. Before the whole thing went down, he had also confessed his crime in a state of delirium at a concert. Netizens wrote this down as him exposing his deep dark secrets while being under the effect of the drugs he was taking. Only the people who handled the case knew that there was actually another person who secretly helped them quickly solve this case.
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The night before school started again, Gu Ye was packing his stuff when he felt three ghosts approaching. He stopped his actions and looked out the window. He saw three ghosts being halted by a golden light emitted at the gate. It was w.a.n.g QianQian and her son. The last ghost seemed to be a suspended soul, not far from death : Li Rui.
w.a.n.g QianQian saw Gu Ye standing by the window and she stopped trying to force her way in. She bowed deeply at Gu Ye, while also holding her son’s back to do the same. Then, they left with Li Rui’s soul in tow, chained by his neck. From a distance, they looked like a mother and son taking their dog for a walk.
Gu Ye watched their retreating backs and nodded slightly : A family of three should be neat and tidy.
Early next morning, the song king, Li Rui, once again made headlines. His name had occupied the major news sites lately, losing to none no matter how many splashes the other stars made. Unfortunately, this was the last time Li Rui would ever make big news because he committed suicide last night!
There were also some rumors that Li Rui’s death was exceptionally horrendous. It was said that he bit the artery in his arm and wrote a confession on the wall with his blood, bleeding to death.
As we all know, the arteries are not like the other veins which could be seen clearly through the skin. How much flesh did he need to bite his way through before getting to the artery? This suicide method was quite high-end!
Many regarded this as nonsense, only Gu Ye believed that it was true. w.a.n.g QianQian’s seven years worth of grudge coupled with her son’s was more than enough to drive Li Rui mad. For Li Rui who owed two lives, the XuanShu Society would close an eye to w.a.n.g QianQian’s revenge of taking his soul.
This matter has already concluded and what’s waiting for Gu Ye next is returning to school. Master Gu was going to take a mock exam soon and he placed last in the previous exam. If his score was still abysmal this time around, the great Master Gu will definitely be beaten.
Gu Ye and Gu Yang’s breakfast was still the “100 Marks” hand-made noodles by Mrs. Gu. After taking a look at his beautiful young stepmother, Gu Ye raised his eyebrows and asked, “Mom, you’re going to start a business?”
Mrs. Gu was surprised, “You can see that? Your father has made some moves against Li ShengKai’s business lately. They were in a lot of trouble, so Hu Yu wants to sell her shops. I think if she sells it at a low price, I’ll buy it and kick her while she’s down. Oh dear, I don’t know why their family got really unlucky recently, nothing goes well for them. Li ShengKai isn’t old but he’s already going bald. You know, like the Mediterranean?”
Gu Ye was speechless, he certainly was not interested in any sort of Mediterranean uncle.
Mrs. Gu’s expression suddenly changed and she happily held Gu Ye’s face and kissed his forehead. “Lao San, please calculate for Mom. Can I make money if I open a beauty shop?”
Gu Ye took a piece of tissue paper and rubbed the lipstick print off his forehead roughly while staring a bit disrespectfully at Mrs. Gu.
Mrs. Gu’s nicely trimmed eyebrows raised and she asked, discontentedly : “Why are you rubbing that off disgustedly for? I dressed you when you were still wearing crotchless pants. When you were a child and s.h.i.t all over me…”
“Mom!” Gu Ye covered his face embarra.s.sedly, “You can make a fortune, you will definitely make a fortune!”
Mrs. Gu was satisfied, “That’s good, then. If I don’t make money, you can make a wealth gathering array, give me a treasure bowl, or something along those lines. We can make loads of money every day.”
Gu Ye was once again rendered speechless. Does she think he’s Magic Brush’s Ma Liang?
Gu Yang looked at his brother with sympathy. Brother is done for, Mom had already regarded him as a cash cow.
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Returning to school, Gu Ye strode to the cla.s.sroom with his backpack as per usual. Unfortunately, he was stopped again just after he entered the school gate.
The students around looked at Gu Ye sympathetically, what a miserable guy. Gu Ye had already offended the No. 1 school bully, Qian Zhen, before and now was stopped by the No. 2. His small body was like a Barbie doll going against a t.i.tan that was Si HongXing. Gu Ye couldn’t even take a slap from him.
However, what happened next was a big surprise for everyone present. Si HongXing bowed deeply to Gu Ye and proclaimed, “Thank you for saving my parents! From now on, you will be my elder brother and my life will be yours to command! If Qian Zhen troubles you again, I will fight him for you!”
The students around gasped, What the h.e.l.l?!
Wanting Gu Ye to be his boss, is Si HongXing crazy? Can Gu Ye smoke, drink, punch perm his hair, go clubbing, pick up girls or even fight in a gang?
Gu Ye stared at him for a few seconds before seriously saying, “I’m sorry, I don’t need a younger brother nor do I want to form a gang. I only have learning in my heart.”
Si HongXing : “…”
“Pfftt!” Someone from the crowd was amused by the word “learning” that came out of Gu Ye’s mouth. It’s just so funny, weirdly enough.
At this moment, Qian Zhen walked into the gate with the few of his underlings that he had left. The students around them backed several steps away in fear. They were worried that Qian Zhen would suddenly attack Gu Ye. If that happened, Si HongXing would step in and if they fought, they might get dragged into the fight between the two.
What happened next defied everyone’s expectations. Qian Zhen looked slightly startled when he saw Gu Ye before turning his head away and pretending not to see him. He even trotted faster when leaving.
Everyone else : ???
Not long after that, the news that Si HongXing had become Gu Ye’s underling spread all over the school. What’s more, Qian Zhen had changed his usual bully demeanor, hiding when he saw Gu Ye. This meant that the boss of Wu Middle School is now Gu Ye? That idiot Gu Ye?!
For a while, Gu Ye became quite the miraculous existence in the whole school. Gu Ye distinctly felt gazes on him wherever he went, as if he was walking like an Abnormal t.i.tan.
After morning self-study, Zhao PengYu happily dragged Gu Ye and Xia Xiang to have a meal together. Ever since they moved into the same dormitory, the three hardly separated.
“Gu XiaoYe, I talked about you to my grandfather. When summer vacation comes, you must go visit him if he invites you!”
“Who’s your grandfather?” Gu Ye asked with a lack of interest.
Zhao PengYu answered with, “Head of Yu Family.”
Gu Ye’s eyes widened in surprise, “That Sir Yu?”
“Shh!” Zhao PengYu stuffed a tea egg into Gu Ye’s mouth to shut him up and nervously said, “Stop there. I just want to be a normal rich second generation!”
It wasn’t strange that Zhao PengYu was so careful about it. The reason being that Yu Family was too powerful and influential, not only in the business circle but also in the painting and calligraphy circle. A lot of people from all walks of life, even the metaphysics circle, respected the head of Yu Family. Once it was known that Zhao PengYu was his grandson, his life might not be as peaceful as it was now. What’s more, this guy was Yu Ze’s nephew who’s a legend in the business circle. Yu Ze built a business empire by himself. Mentioning Zhao PengYu, who never got more than a pa.s.sing mark in his exams, and Yu Ze’s name in one sentence was too embarra.s.sing.
Gu Ye thoughtfully and solemnly nodded, “Don’t worry. As long as your grandfather invites me, I will definitely go.”
When his Master was still alive, Sir Yu had helped him a lot. It might be a small thing for the old man, but for him and his master, it was a boon. Sir Yu doesn’t lack anything, but Master reminded Gu Ye before his death that if the old man needs anything, Gu Ye must help him, it was his responsibility. As a man, one must know how to be grateful and have a clear conscience.
Xia Xiang said with his cheeks puffed, “Before you can even think of summer vacation, you must take remedial lessons first. I’ll make a study plan for you. You must do at least five sets of questions in the practice workbooks every day, I’ll keep an eye on both of you all the time.”
Zhao PengYu was puzzled, “What’s wrong with you? What’s got you all worked up?”
Xia Xiang pursed his lips but didn’t explain. He then said awkwardly, “Think about it, when you go out for visits during summer vacation and some people ask you how your exams went, how do you want to answer them? In addition, we will consider which university we will go to according to this mock exam’s result. The teacher will give the corresponding recommendation at that time.” Xia Xiang looked at Zhao PengYu and Gu Ye seriously and said in a very concerned tone, like a mother hen, “Do you want Teacher Yu to recommend you guys a technical school and learn how to drive an excavator?”
Gu Ye leaned on the back of his chair and lazily said, “I don’t mind. I can do some grave digging with an excavator.”
“You, you, you!” Xia Xiang pointed his fingers at Gu Ye angrily, his cheeks puffing up.
After a long while, Xia Xiang still didn’t come up with anything to say. The little rabbit gritted his teeth, then took a big bite of a pie, and chewed on it angrily.
In fact, when he went home this time around, he told his parents that a powerful cla.s.smate gave him a charm that was far more effective than what those masters gave him. When his parents knew that the cla.s.smate he talked about was Gu Ye, they scolded him and seriously told him to stop befriending the boy. According to their words : “You must have been cheated! What a big joke, if you’re friends with that Gu Family’s third son, your studies will only get worse! He won’t get into a good university so he will rely on his parents’ money until old age! Do you want to become a waste like him too?!”
Xia Xiang was so angry with his parents and had a cold war with them for a while. In his mind, Gu Ye was not stupid. He must have deliberately not studied before.
Gu Ye supported his chin with his palm, looked at the pie with red bean fillings, and asked with a concerned att.i.tude, “Is it delicious?”
Xia Xiang paused his chewing before answering, “…Not bad.”
Gu Ye stood up happily, “Then I’m going to buy one too.”
Xia Xiang : “…”
With this kind of friend, who needs an enemy?!
Even though Xia Xiang was angry at Gu Ye’s apparent lack of interest in studying, he still brought the learning materials to Gu Ye after cla.s.s. “You can go through these first, I will help you with anything you don’t understand.”
The whole cla.s.s was curious. Even if Xia Xiang has always been in the top 10 students of the whole grade, can he really improve Gu Ye’s IQ?
Lin ZiHao and Liu YiWen also came over at this moment, “We can also help you with your studies.”
Gu Ye picked up the materials Xia Xiang gave him and looked at the two who had just come over before suddenly smiling, “Are you afraid of me?”
The two quickly shook their heads, “No.”
Gu Ye smiled. They both knew that Li Rui’s death had something to do with w.a.n.g QianQian. As people who were in the know, what would they think at this time? Gu Ye looked at Liu YiWen, who didn’t dare to look at him, before his gaze fell on Lin ZiHao and asked meaningfully, “You haven’t done anything that you need to apologize to me for, have you?”
Lin ZiHao’s expression suddenly changed, “No, of course not.”
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Kuro : Huge thanks to Velvet for doing the TL Checking for me. She’s a lifesaver, I don’t know how many times she saved my a.s.s, really. SilentDawn is studying for an exam so she can’t find the time to do the TLC for this chapter. Please check out Velvet’s translation, Part-time Taoist Priest, she’s amazing! It’s also a metaphysics novel.