Chapter 4

Word Test

Nan Shi hadn’t yet decided how to respond when the old man suddenly burst into laughter, the surrounding chill vanishing without a trace. He looked at Nan Shi’s slightly contracted pupils, awkwardly rubbed his nose, realizing he had gone too far with the joke: “Just joking! If Mr. Nan wants to do something, then go ahead! This old one comes from a clean background, doesn’t do unlawful things! Are you not very convenient today? Why don’t I come tomorrow instead?”

Nan Shi really couldn’t hold back anymore and raised his eyes to the sky—the so-called rolling one’s eyes at someone’s foolishness.

“No, it’s nothing. I just planned on going to the meat bone bathhouse up ahead for a meal, that’s why I locked the door,” Nan Shi explained.

The old man nodded repeatedly: “Then if you’re convenient? This old one will go with you… Got up early today, haven’t eaten yet either!”

With the words having come to this point, and considering that no one spits at a smiling face, Nan Shi gestured: “Please.”

The old man also gestured, walking shoulder to shoulder with Nan Shi: “Speaking of which, that meat bone bathhouse is still open? …This old one used to go there all the time, back when it was still a small shop, didn’t even have its own storefront, and it’s been a long time since going, wonder what it’s like now.”

“Have you also patronized their place?” Nan Shi asked with a smile. “They only became successful in the past two years, renting a street-front shop and even becoming a popular eatery on social media. I saw there were quite a lot of people… When I was studying, their place was also a small shop, renting the window of someone else’s shop. Who would’ve thought they’d become a big store in just a few years!”

The roasted meat and bone dish they were talking about was one of the signatures of this pedestrian street. It didn’t have many varieties, only chicken wings, pig hooves, rabbit legs, and pork riblets, but it just couldn’t be beat in terms of taste!

Speaking of the preparation method, it wasn’t actually anything major. First, steam the meat until cooked, then when the customer wants to eat, briefly fry it in hot oil. Once fried to a crisp exterior and tender interior, wrap it with a layer of secret sauce and it’s done. The focus was still on that layer of sauce, which was quite miraculous. If you talk about flavor, it wasn’t anything major either, just rich sauce. But I don’t know what else was added; it was just that layer of sauce that could completely mask the raw meat smell, leaving behind only the pure and strong aroma of meat.

Nan Shi had once chatted with the owner a bit, and the owner had said someone wanted to spend three million yuan to buy his sauce formula but he didn’t sell. Later, several imitations popped up on the pedestrian street, and Nan Shi had tried them all, yet every one of them was no match for the original.

This pedestrian street sees countless shops come and go throughout the year, but this Boiled Meat restaurant has stood tall for decades without faltering. It’s far more substantial than those shops that claim to be ‘centuries-old establishments’.

It’s currently mealtime, and Nan Shi was fortunate enough to snatch up the last table when he arrived—still on the second floor, facing the street and next to a window. The heating is ample, and the window is wide open. Red lanterns outside occasionally frame the view. The sound of footsteps from passersby, peddlers’ cries, and the aroma of green pepper and shredded pork wafting from somewhere nearby—all fill the air with the lively essence of everyday life.

The old man sat across from Nan Shi. He was, in short, a powerful old ghost. Taking advantage of this moment when sun and moon exchanged places, manifesting briefly wasn’t a difficult task for him. He picked up a piece of pork fanbone, took a bite, and slowly chewed. Only at the end did he sigh: “If only I had died a little later.”

Nan Shi was methodically gnawing on a pig trotter, with sauce gracing the corners of his mouth. At this remark, he raised his eyebrows and looked up, smiling. “In that case, I don’t quite understand. But this fanbone would require some serious chomp to tackle.”

“You’re right, Mr. Nan,” the old man chuckled softly. “Speaking of which, my humble surname is Chen, and I hail from Gusu. This time, my visit to Mr. Nan is because I have a request.”

Nan Shi picked up a tissue to wipe his mouth. “Let’s hear it, Old Chen.”

The present is different from the past. The souls lingering in the mortal world are no longer all malicious ghosts; some don’t even have any obsessions, purely because they feel the mortal world is more familiar, they’ve obtained visas to come to the mortal world on holiday, waiting for reincarnation—

He hasn’t been to the underworld, but it’s said that the underworld’s technology now leads the present by roughly three hundred years. Ever since Steve Jobs went down, in just a few short years, Apple has developed up to the 100th generation.

This is just one example. Moreover, throughout the ages, who knows how many national-level talents have gone down? If they continue their scientific research down there, the state of the underworld’s development is also unimaginable.

As for this “it’s said,” it was heard from the servants in his family.

His Shixiong wouldn’t bother to tell him these things.

Old Chen didn’t beat around the bush and got straight to the point: “This old one has lost an official seal during the war. For about fifty years, this old one has been searching for it, but there hasn’t been any trace. Could you please divine where it went?”

Nan Shi pondered slightly and asked: “Did you make it yourself?”

He knew that those who came to him for help rarely asked about serious matters like finding their enemies. They were all trivial issues.

Old Chen shook his head: “It was made for me by a friend. If he were still around, it’d be easy to find. I didn’t expect that old codger to rush off and reincarnate right away. It’s made this old one search so hard.”

“Alright, please give me a word?” Nan Shi said.

In cases of seeking lost items or people, divining the word is more accurate.

Old Chen thought slightly, dipped his fingertip in some tea water, and wrote the word ‘没’ on the table.

Nan Shi glanced at it twice: “Left with water, right with a few strokes and a dot, you’ve lost this seal many times yourself, haven’t you? Found it in the water?”

Old Chen was stunned for a moment, then a glint of deep thought flashed in his eyes. He slowly said: “You’ve really guessed it right. In the last few years of my life, I had dementia. Sometimes confused, sometimes lucid. This seal was also something I often carried with me. I did indeed lose it several times, and all were found in the well at home.”

“Umm…” Nan Shi said again: “It shouldn’t have sunk in the water. Since you used the word ‘没’, it must be in a relatively deep place. Think about it. Does your home or the surrounding area have a relatively deep well or lake, river, etc.? It must be inside that.”

Old Chen carefully recalled for a moment and shook his head, saying: “That’s not right. This time you must have guessed wrong. I have searched my home and surroundings countless times, it’s definitely not there. If it were, it would have been found long ago.”

Nan Shi sighed and, imitating Old Chen’s manner, dipped his finger into the tea to moisten it, then circled around that 几 mark: “Is it covered by something? You should go search again carefully. If it truly isn’t there, I definitely won’t charge you, and I’ll even apologize to you.”

Old Chen lowered his head and looked at that circle, mumbling a few words. Nan Shi couldn’t clearly hear what he was saying. The watery circle gradually evaporated, leaving behind only a bit that was precisely above that 几, turning into a proper mián (宀)!

Nan Shi took another look: “It’s still the top of a covering… It’s most likely fallen into the flood prevention pipes of a lake or river.”

The Kangxi Dictionary had an explanation.

[宀]: 《Guan Yun》: Pronounced “mǐan” (武延切).
《Ji Yun》: Pronounced “mǐan” (弥延切), both pronounced as “mián”.
《Shuo Wen》: Described as a structure that overlaps and forms a deep house. Tian Yiheng stated: In ancient times, people lived in caves and wild places. Before there were palaces and houses, there was the concept of “宀” (roof), and later, caves. The character “宀” seems to symbolize a raised mound with a hollow underneath that could shelter a person, which is why the character for “cave” (穴) includes this radical. The structures of homes, palaces, and places of tranquility all derive from this concept.

In simpler terms, it means that mián has to do with houses and buildings.

At first, Nan Shi thought the seal was merely covered by something—a common occurrence with items like plants and rocks, silt and such, especially when hidden in wells or lakes. But this stroke of divine inspiration hinted that the seal was likely concealed within something akin to a residence—a flood prevention pipe, perhaps.

A house, naturally, must have both entrances and exits. If there’s only entry and no exit, or vice versa, then it wouldn’t be a house.

So it’s naturally impossible within the well. As for places within the lake that have covers and allow access, there can only be flood prevention pipes.

The flood prevention pipes are built into the lake and river channels. When facing a flood season with rapidly rising river water, the pipe covers are opened to start pumping water. This seal should have been pumped into the pipe along with the water during one such episode.

Of course, it’s also possible that it’s hidden in ancient tombs or ruins at the lake bottom—but S City has already excavated almost all the burial sites and ruins it can. If there really were such places, it would be because their geographical location is too deep or due to other reasons. It’s unlikely that a small seal could fall into them.

But this isn’t the main reason. The main reason is that the old man has already searched everywhere and must have communicated with the local ruffians as well. If it really fell into someone’s home, there’s no way it wouldn’t have been found.

Ancient tombs are different from modern ones. Now everyone is cremated, turned into a handful of ashes and buried. Perhaps in some places, there are still quiet burials with earth, but they’re mostly thin coffins. Adding some gold and silver is already remarkable.

What were ancient, standardized burials like? Aside from two dynasties, it was considered abnormal to not include servants and slaves as sacrificial or accompanying burials.

For instance, take his shixiong Chi You—his home had a house full of servants, yet none were earnestly recruited through the BOSS Direct Hire Underworld Edition by the housekeeper with proper insurance and benefits. They were all his shixiong’s former loyal servants.

In such circumstances, even if the tomb owner had reincarnated eight hundred years ago, those loyal servants wouldn’t choose to reincarnate either. Instead, they would guard their master’s tomb year after year until their souls dissipated.

Thinking of this, Nan Shi silently rubbed his arms and was just about to urge the old man to hurry up and search, knowing that delay could lead to unexpected changes. But when he looked up, the person before him had already vanished. On the table, a half-chewed fan bone and a jade fan pendant remained. The tassel beneath the pendant had already turned dull, but the pendant itself was still lustrous, as if it had been longingly caressed in someone’s hands.

This must have been Old Chen’s token of appreciation.

Nan Shi looked at the two servings of meaty bone stew and sighed—what else could he do? Pack it up!

After this incident, Nan Shi no longer planned to return and open his shop after eating. Instead, he casually strolled through the pedestrian street and went home early.

---

“Young Master, you’re back.” Qinglan bowed to Nan Shi, who waved his hand, his gaze sweeping over her before he walked inside. Unfazed, Qinglan saw Nan Shi pass her and also stood up to follow behind him, trailing one step behind.

It was indeed somewhat disrespectful, but there was nothing to be done about it. Nan Shi was a coward, afraid of a heart attack, and simply dared not look too long.

Nan Shi, still holding a bag of cooled meat and bone stew, asked, “Has my shixiong used it yet?”

“Not yet,” Qinglan replied, lowering her eyebrows. “The Mountain Lord only got up recently and is taking a bath.”

Nan Shi thought for a moment, then turned his steps. “Then I’ll wait for him in the study.”

“Yes.”

When Chi You finished bathing and came out, he saw Nan Shi sitting by the desk with a stroke on the paper. It seemed like he had accidentally dropped ink there, yet also like he had casually drawn a vertical dot, as if contemplating something.

Seeing Chi You, Nan Shi’s eyes brightened, somewhat like a student who couldn’t solve a problem even after much thought, and the teacher had finally appeared. He stood up and bowed. “I greet my shixiong.”

Chi You waved his hand, his long hair loose and still carrying drops of water, which dampened a large part of his robes.

Chi You sat down on the long couch nearby, his brows slightly moving, and said lazily, “A-Nan, you’ve returned quite early today.”

His chief attendant, Qing He, entered holding a towel after chasing from behind. Seeing Nan Shi also inside, she gave a slight knee bend as a greeting, then quietly walked behind Chi You to wipe his hair.

Nan Shi had originally wanted to ask his shixiong for help to check if his interpretation of this character was correct, as a form of verification. But seeing his state, it wasn’t appropriate to mention it at this time, so he held back. Taking a step to the side of the long couch, he stood and replied, “I brought some pastries back today. Would Shixiong like to try some?”

“Sit.” Chi You lifted his hand, and immediately an attendant brought up a plate of warm spare ribs. The tip of his nose twitched, and he asked, “A-Nan, you call this pastries?”

Nan Shi strove to maintain a serious expression. “The amount I brought is a bit small, so they’re only enough to be snacks.”

Chi You remained noncommittal, but still showed grace in tasting a bit with his silver chopsticks before nodding and saying, “It’s passable.”

“As long as Shixiong likes them.” Nan Shi didn’t dare say that these things were still better to gnaw on raw. Seeing Chi You no longer moving his chopsticks, he began discussing today’s divination matters. After listening, Chi You neither said good nor bad, but his expression was somewhat peculiar. “You’re saying… by divine brushstroke, 冖 was transformed into 宀?”

“That’s right,” Nan Shi said. At the time, he also felt a bit unsure, but after seeing it, he said so, being quite certain in his heart. It was only after turning around that he began thinking it was becoming more and more odd.

After all, a divination of words measures the client, so what did it matter if he, as the one performing the divination, added a stroke?

This was not in line with the basic principles of word divination.

Nan Shi felt somewhat annoyed. “I’m not sure if it’s correct… Oh no, this time my reputation will be ruined.”

Chi You’s gaze fell upon the paper on the desk. That paper then floated up into the air of its own accord and landed in his hand. He stared at it for a while, then burst out laughing. He crumpled the paper into a ball and tossed it into his bosom, then reached out and tapped Nan Shi’s forehead. “It won’t be ruined. Mr. Nan, your reputation will be established.”

Nan Shi looked completely bewildered. “… Hah? I got it right? Or something else?”

“Think for yourself,” Chi You said. He shook out his sleeves. “Go back now. I have business tonight, so I won’t keep you any longer.”

“It’s not… Shixiong, please explain to me… hah?”

Nan Shi had not yet finished speaking when the scene before his eyes flickered. He found himself outside the door, the two carved window panels having closed together, hiding the figure inside.

Nan Shi grabbed at his hair, unfolded the paper ball, and examined that dot—the very stroke he had thought was the “divine touch.” He looked at it for a long while, then, in the end, despairingly crumpled the paper up again and stuffed it into his pocket. He couldn’t understand it.

---

Indoors, Qing He was still standing behind Chi You, wiping his hair.

Chi You suddenly burst out laughing softly, his features relaxing. It was clearly a joyful sight. His face was extremely good-looking, and coupled with the fact that he was no longer a living person, he possessed a certain aura akin to mountain mists. This laughter truly deserved to be described as radiant and brilliant.

He said leisurely, “A-Nan has made progress.”

Only then did Qing He softly reply, “Then why does the Mountain Lord still chase away the young master?”

Chi You shook his head, “This A-Nan person, he has plenty of natural talent but lacks patience. He still needs polishing.”

The unspoken implication was: This is not yet the time to praise him.

Chi You slowly rubbed the corner of his eye: When did I ever have this sort of divine stroke of genius?

…He couldn’t remember, but it was likely around this age, when Nan Shi was this old…