"Not appropriate."

Qin Feng didn't look for an ashtray; he extinguished the cigarette in his hand, staring at her. "Hmm?"

"I'm afraid of dying," Lin Fan's throat moved, she bit her lip, her fingernails scratching her palm as she gritted her teeth and said, "My life was indeed extended, but I don't know how. However, the fact that my health is deteriorating is undeniable." She was very conflicted, thinking for a long time. She didn't know how she got her life or what she was.

"Do you think it has something to do with me?"

Lin Fan pressed her lips tightly together, not knowing what to say. She felt very uncomfortable, tilting her head to look at Qin Feng, her eyes clean and clear, "Qin Feng—"

Qin Feng bowed his head in thought, his well-defined hand clenching and unclenching. After a moment, he spoke, "You stay at my place. I won't be going back there recently." Qin Feng said, "Once you arrange your dormitory at school, you can move out."

He stood up, looking down at Lin Fan for a while before turning to walk toward the door. "Be careful on your way back. Don't go back to that haunted building on Zhongming Road. You can't fully trust Ouyang Yu."

Lin Fan took a deep breath, her heart aching. "Brother Qin—"

Qin Feng's hand paused on the doorknob, stopping his steps but not turning back. "When I'm done with this, I'll find someone to look into your situation." Lin Fan's deteriorating health could be related to him. At least before she moved in with him, she was healthy and didn't faint so often.

Lin Fan felt she had said something wrong, but didn't know what to do. She was extremely distressed.

The door closed, Qin Feng left, and Lin Fan sat in the office for a while, staring blankly out the window. She got up and walked out the door. Go back to the haunted building? Ouyang Yu and she were not related. Why should she trust him? What was his motive?

The night was heavy, Lin Fan shouldered her bag and stepped out, standing on the street looking at the dim sky in the distance. Lin Fan suddenly felt lost, more than when her father had just died. At least then she had a goal. Now she had nothing.

The next day, Lin Fan called Ouyang Yu. Lin Fan had a good memory and hardly forgot numbers she had seen. "Mr. Ouyang, I want to meet with you."

"Where?"

Lin Fan gave the address, "I'll wait for you."

Ouyang Yu hung up the phone. Lin Fan put a dagger in her bag, put on a coat, and went out.

Twenty minutes later, she met Ouyang Yu in the square near the neighborhood. Ouyang Yu was sitting in a Mercedes-Benz. "Get in."

He was wearing a suit, his skin pale like a mannequin's. Lin Fan felt disgusted looking at his raised peach blossom eyes. For no reason, she was annoyed by Ouyang Yu. They hadn't interacted much, but she just found him revolting.

She tried to open the passenger door but couldn't. Ouyang Yu sat in the car like a statue.

Lin Fan took a deep breath, walked to the other side, opened the door, and got in. The car was cold, and Lin Fan shivered inexplicably. Ouyang Yu's cold gaze swept over her, and the driver drove off.

"Mr. Ouyang—"

"Shh—" Ouyang Yu pressed a finger to her lips, "Don't talk."

Lin Fan quickly pulled back, wiping her mouth hard, feeling extremely nauseated. Her whole body was covered in goosebumps. She thought she must look terribly twisted, so much so that Ouyang Yu showed a look of disgust.

He pulled out a white handkerchief, wiping his hands over and over like a maniac.

"About what you said last time—"

"Don't talk."

Lin Fan opened her mouth, swallowing all the sounds back down. The car stopped at a mountain estate after half an hour. Lin Fan looked around warily, suspicion rising in her heart.

Ouyang Yu got out and walked ahead, heading toward the tea house.

He was very thin, about 1.8 meters tall. Wearing a white shirt and black trousers, he looked noble and aloof, particularly unlike a good person. Lin Fan hesitated for a few seconds and followed. She couldn't show weakness in front of Ouyang Yu, or he would push his luck.

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On the second floor, a beautiful woman in a cheongsam was making tea. Lin Fan looked at the woman, who was unrealistically beautiful.

"Sit." Ouyang Yu sat down, his posture overly theatrical, like someone from a period drama.

Lin Fan pulled out a chair and sat down, the chair scraping the floor making a sound that suddenly felt satisfying. After holding back the whole way, she finally had a place to vent. She moved the chair and sat down, looking at Ouyang Yu. "What exactly are you?"

Ouyang Yu signaled the cheongsam woman to leave. The woman bowed gracefully before leaving, making Lin Fan's goosebumps rise again.

"Drink tea."

"I'm not thirsty." Lin Fan put her bag on her lap, "I saw you at the Sanyu Villa last time. Quite a coincidence, I also saw the ghost-repelling talisman, which smells a lot like you." Lin Fan forced down her fear and smiled, "Mr. Ouyang, can you explain?"

Ouyang Yu sipped his tea elegantly, "That's none of your business, is it?"

Lin Fan tightened her grip on her bag strap, staring at him.

Ouyang Yu chuckled, his refined features becoming more lifelike, less mask-like. Effeminate, Lin Fan mocked inwardly.

"You won't live long," Ouyang Yu said, "You should already know, your life is not yours."

His voice was like fine velvet, soft and noble, rare and precious. To Lin Fan's ears, it only felt eerie. She started to feel cold again, "Are you a sorcerer? What do you want?"

Ouyang Yu stared at Lin Fan's face, his gaze gradually infatuated. He reached out to touch her face, and Lin Fan slapped his hand away. She felt so nauseated she could throw up, her voice harsh, "What exactly do you want? What can you give me?"

"I'll give you life. I want you."

His eyes were dark, long and black like pure ink, almost magical.

Lin Fan touched the dagger in her bag and suddenly laughed, showing one of her canines. "How will you extend my life?"

"Give yourself to me, and I'll naturally tell you."

"How do I know you're not lying?"

"I don't lie."

"I can also say I don't lie. Do you believe me?" Lin Fan was scared of him but had to face him head-on. She raised her chin, like a warrior, fearless.

"Did you kill those people?"

"No." Ouyang Yu gazed at Lin Fan's face obsessively. "Will you give yourself to me?"

Lin Fan stood up, "Then I'll leave and pretend I never came."

As she stood, Ouyang Yu's expression suddenly changed. He flipped his hand and threw a teacup at Lin Fan. She sidestepped to avoid it and instinctively pulled out her dagger, attacking Ouyang Yu. In the next moment, Lin Fan was pressed against the table, her face against the wooden surface. She turned her head to look at Ouyang Yu and laughed again, "What exactly are you?"

Ouyang Yu held Lin Fan's arm behind her back with one hand, his fingers brushing across her face. "Move back in with me, and I'll give you life."

Before he finished speaking, Lin Fan kicked Ouyang Yu. For some reason, he didn't use his magic this time. He let go of her to block the kick, and Lin Fan flipped off the table, her dagger pointed directly at Ouyang Yu's throat.

Ouyang Yu leaned back, chair and all, crashing to the floor. Lin Fan's dagger pressed against his neck. "Who are you? What is this life-extension technique? How does it work?"

Lying on the ground, Ouyang Yu suddenly flipped over, pinning Lin Fan beneath him. He ignored the dagger cutting into his neck, his eyes turning blood red. He caressed Lin Fan's face, "I want this—"

"Bang!"

A gunshot rang out. Ouyang Yu stopped, raised his hand to brush Lin Fan's nose, his gaze turning unusually gentle. "He's here. You will cooperate with me eventually."

Hurried footsteps approached. Before Ouyang Yu could stand up, Qin Feng's gun was already pointed at his head. Ouyang Yu raised his hands. Behind Qin Feng were Xiao Wang and another police officer. Ouyang Yu stood up, "Captain Qin? What is the meaning of this?"

Blood flowed from Ouyang Yu's neck, staining his white shirt. Qin Feng holstered his gun, pulled Lin Fan up, and took the dagger from her, giving her a stern look.

Lin Fan wiped her face angrily, glaring at Ouyang Yu.

"Is she your girlfriend?" Ouyang Yu seemed completely unconcerned about the blood on his neck and sat down gracefully. "What brings Captain Qin to me?"

Xiao Wang approached and was stunned to see Lin Fan there. When he saw Ouyang Yu covered in blood, his eyes widened.

"Yesterday, there was a murder case. We are investigating it and happened to see Mr. Ouyang at the crime scene."

"Oh? Really?"

Qin Feng pulled up a chair, sat down, and handed Ouyang Yu a photo. "Is this you?"

The photo showed Ouyang Yu sitting in a car, but the surveillance camera had captured a blurry image of his face.

"It's me."

"Why were you in that neighborhood?"

"A woman came to me that day. I didn't want to take her home, so I went to her place. She lives there." Ouyang Yu casually wiped the blood from his neck, picked up the teacup in front of him, and drank it all, lifting his eyelids. "Is that a problem?"

"Where were you between eleven and one on the night of the second?"

"What else would I be doing in bed with a woman?"

Qin Feng frowned and gestured for Xiao Wang to take Lin Fan outside. After they left, Qin Feng put away the photo. "You didn't leave?"

"No."

"I heard from Lin Fan that you know magic."

"I know a bit about Feng Shui."

Qin Feng opened his phone and showed a picture to Ouyang Yu, "Do you recognize this talisman?"

"Yes, it's a ghost-repelling talisman. Anyone who studies Taoism knows this. It's basic."

Qin Feng stared at him, his eyes growing darker.

"She won't live long," Ouyang Yu said. "Your strong yang energy is shortening her life."

Qin Feng clenched his fists, squinting his eyes.

"Believe it or not, you can have someone else check on her. If you two stay together, she won't survive until the end of the year."

Qin Feng got up and walked out. At the stairs, Ouyang Yu said, "You can always come to me about this. It would be a shame if such a spicy girl died."

Qin Feng stopped and looked back, his gaze sharp. "A fox always shows its tail."

He strode downstairs. The smile on Ouyang Yu's face gradually faded, turning unusually cold. He leaned back in his chair, laughing coldly.

—

Lin Fan jogged to catch up with Qin Feng. Xiao Wang and the other officer got in the car. Lin Fan tried to get in too, but Qin Feng pulled her back by the shoulder. He pressed her against the car door. Xiao Wang started to get out to intervene, but Qin Feng kicked the door shut, pulled out a remote, and locked the car. His Adam's apple moved, gripping Lin Fan's hand tightly.

"Qin Feng?" Lin Fan was nervous. "I—"

Qin Feng wiped away the blood on Lin Fan's face, his voice hoarse with suppressed anger, "Can you behave?"