Mysterious Revival

Dawn.

Yang Jian opened his eyes and woke up from the bed.

He lived another day in this world, but he did not possess the vitality to welcome a brand new day, as it signified the reduction of his time to live.

The countdown of his life continued.

Fortunately, he was able to withstand the immense pressure of death, preventing him from a mental breakdown like others might have suffered under such stress.

"Now the mutual restraint of ghosts within my body has reached a certain limit, and it seems that some of the lost emotions have returned." Yang Jian contemplated, glancing over at his side with a hint of redness in his eyes.

A mature, soft woman was curled up in his arms, sound asleep.

Yang Jian didn't speak; instead, he gently pushed the woman away, sat up, and looked out the window.

Sunlight streamed in, adding a touch of warmth to the slightly chilly room.

Today was fine weather.

"So early? Why not rest a little more?"

Zhang Liqin woke up; she stretched her fair arm over the man's body in an attempt to hold him back.

Yang Jian said, "My physical condition is different from normal people; I don't need to sleep much."

Zhang Liqin propped herself up, her face still flushed as she leaned her cheek against Yang Jian's back and embraced him, feeling a bone-deep coldness that she could not dispel with her body heat.

"Then can't you spend more time with me? After all, I am your woman."

Her tone was gentle, with a lazy charm.

"You belong to me only for now. Once I'm dead, you'll have a new life, new emotions, and even new men. That day won't be too far; maybe next year, because most ghost masters have short lives, and I'm no exception. Even if I wanted to stop, it's impossible."

Yang Jian spoke harshly and indifferently.

Zhang Liqin tightened her embrace on Yang Jian and said, "I'm not that kind of person; I am willing to do anything for you."

"Time dilutes everything. It's the same for you and Jiang Yan; you're just ordinary people who come together for warmth. What you depend on is merely a bit of the fire of survival from me. Once this fire is extinguished, naturally, you will leave and then look for new warmth to rely on."

Yang Jian turned to look at her: "So strictly speaking, our relationship is just mutual exploitation, like a transaction, and moreover, a very brief transaction."

"Normal people can date for years, but our 'transaction' might not even span that length of time."

"You don't need to do anything for me; just do your job well while I'm still alive. Once I'm dead, you'll get a large sum of money, and then you can start over. The same goes for Jiang Yan."

Zhang Liqin was stunned; she hadn't expected Yang Jian to think this way.

No wonder Jiang Yan has been lukewarm around him for the past half year.

Because deep down, Yang Jian believed that his relationship with them was not sustainable and would soon end due to death, so he was never willing to invest much time and emotion in both her and Jiang Yan.

The foundation was crooked.

How could there possibly be a future?

"You really don't understand women at all."

Zhang Liqin felt hurt; she wanted to cry, but realized she had no right to do so.

Because she couldn't make Yang Jian believe that she could always be his woman.

"Whether I understand or not is irrelevant. What matters is that I won't live long; my crisis will come soon, I can feel it. You should remember the Hungry Ghost incident clearly; I almost died then, only surviving by luck, and such crises have occurred more than once. But I can't always be that lucky."

"There will be one time, and I will be completely gone."

Yang Jian said calmly.

"I know your hardship and pain. I just want to ask you, do you hate me?" Zhang Liqin asked.

Yang Jian said, "You are just ordinary women. You have your strengths, a good figure, attractive, conscientious, and ambitious. Of course, you have your weaknesses too, lack of security, love of money, vanity, a bit of scheming... but this is all very normal."

"Because this is what makes you human."

"The perfect woman without flaws only exists in fantasy, it's impossible, so I don't hate you."

Zhang Liqin pursed her lips, mustered up her courage, and said, "Yang Jian, I have decided."

"Decided what?" Yang Jian asked.

"I want to have your child."

Zhang Liqin boldly declared, her cheeks turning red and her heart pounding as she spoke.

Yang Jian's expression shifted slightly, he turned to look at her, sizing her up while also appearing reflective.

No matter the emotions or motives behind Zhang Liqin's words, they did remind him of something.

"You can say that when you manage to do it."

Yang Jian didn't refuse and casually responded before standing up and leaving.

He didn't go to the company but instead went to the first safe house to collect some items.

He needed to prepare for the upcoming survival.

The first safe house was small, storing various supernatural objects and imprisoned vengeful spirits.

There was the Ghost Mirror, the Ghost Skeleton from Wang Xiaoqiang's body, the Grave Soil separated from Feng Quan, of course, there were also bloodstained old newspapers, the bizarre Eight-Tone Music Box, red embroidered shoes, lifesaving dolls, Ghost Candle, Ghost Porcelain... and some specially made weapons.

Besides these, he also had the eerie Firewood Knife and Coffin Nail in his possession.

Strictly speaking, his personal resources were not scarce, in fact, quite abundant.

However, each item represented a terrifying supernatural event that Yang Jian had experienced.

Obtaining these items had its price.

"The Ghost Eye is on the verge of resurrection, and the messenger tasks of the Ghost Post Office are still ongoing, so to be safe, I'll need to bring the Eight-Tone Music Box," Yang Jian's gaze shifted, and he took down a golden box.

Upon opening it.

An old Eight-Tone Music Box with red lacquer appeared before his eyes.

Even before opening it, a chilling aura enveloped the surroundings.

In his mind, Yang Jian involuntarily recalled the terrifying and strange jingle of the music box.

The curse of the Eight-Tone Music Box is extremely troublesome.

He didn't bring it when he previously went to Dahai City for fear that he couldn't resist using it inadvertently.

If he were to open this thing again, Yang Jian did not believe he would survive.

The spirit tablet was gone, consumed by the Ghost Child.

Repeating Wang Xiaoming's experiment was almost impossible.

Although the Ghost Child also had the ability to transfer consciousness, do not forget, the Ghost Child itself is an anomaly—without an object to transfer into, Yang Jian opening the Eight-Tone Music Box again would mean he lacked a vessel.

And this vessel would require a supernatural photo.

In other words, Yang Jian needed a living person to be captured by the Ghost Camera, serving as a sacrificial existence to withstand the curse of the Eight-Tone Music Box.

And the ghosts within him needed to be suppressed as well.

However.

Even if these conditions were met, the problem is, even with the curse of the Eight-Tone Music Box resolved and the Ghost Eye resurrected, the problem of resurrection still remains.

This was also a dead end.

Unless... Yang Jian glanced at the rust-stained Coffin Nail.

Unless, in the end, using the Coffin Nail to nail himself, putting all the ghosts in his body into slumber, including the curse of the Eight-Tone Music Box.

All sorts of ideas surfaced in his mind.

Yang Jian felt that every plan was unfeasible, each with a fatal flaw.

And this flaw, fundamentally, was due to the resurfacing of vengeful spirits.

"Take the Eight-Tone Music Box, the bloodstained old newspapers, and a lifesaving doll—as well as a white Ghost Candle... Ghost Porcelain is quite useful at critical moments, bring that too. Now that my own abilities are insufficient, I'll have to rely on these items to stay alive," Yang Jian sighed reluctantly in his heart.

This meant a significant consumption of resources.

He felt like he was spending days chopping wood only to burn it all in a day.

"Headquarters still owe me three red Ghost Candles, and that pair of Ghost Scissors, need to remind them to deliver them soon," Yang Jian also remembered an outstanding debt yet to be reclaimed.

After organizing everything.

He prepared to leave the safe house.

But at the last moment, he couldn't resist uncovering the black cloth that veiled the Ghost Mirror.

The transparent mirror appeared in front of Yang Jian.

This mirror had a crack on it, a trace left from when he hung himself and there was a conflict with the Ghost Mirror.

But Yang Jian wasn't concerned about that; he looked inside the mirror.

He saw no reflection of himself.

There were no abnormalities whatsoever.

The interior was empty, nothing got reflected in it.

"As expected, one can't leave a shadow behind. Perhaps a person only has one chance at resurrection? It seems this object can only be used by Feng Quan and Tong Qian." Yang Jian thought to himself.

This supernatural item was of no immediate use to him, but it could grant his teammates an additional chance at resurrection.

"Take it out, put it in the company's office and reveal the existence of the Ghost Mirror," Yang Jian felt it was time to stop hiding this object.

It was time to put it to use.

As the team leader, he had to consider the survival of his team.

The reason he had kept it a secret before was out of fear that they couldn't keep it safe. Now, after fighting with Ye Zhen, he reckoned that there shouldn't be anyone daring to target him for it.

He covered the Ghost Mirror with a black cloth.

Yang Jian then took it out of the safe house.

In the afternoon.

When Yang Jian returned to the company, he disclosed the existence of the Ghost Mirror to its members.

"A bizarre mirror that allows the deceased to resurrect by leaving a shadow? Captain, you actually have such a thing?" Huang Ziya was shocked to hear about such a supernatural item for the first time.

And it wasn't just her.

Feng Quan, Tong Qian, Li Yang, and the others also widened their eyes in disbelief.

"The truth is exactly that, but everything comes with a price. The Ghost Mirror contains many terrifying and innumerable malevolent spirits. When a person is resurrected through the Ghost Mirror, in exchange, a ghost will be released. Additionally, the resurrected person's memory and state will be frozen at the time they looked into the mirror," he explained.

"That means, everything that happened in the middle will be missing."

Yang Jian continued: "This is the pattern I've found so far. Whether it has other strange abilities, I don't yet know. We will need to find out gradually."

"Brother Tui, have you used it before?" Feng Quan asked.

"I've used it once under some special circumstance. Oh right, my friend Zhang Wei has used it too."

"Zhang Wei?"

Huang Ziya's eyes shifted: "You mean that silly kid in the company who does nothing but wanders around all day?"

"Ah Wei is my classmate, and he has helped me a lot in the past. Don't speak of him that way. He's not dumb, just playful. At certain times, he's sharper than anyone," Yang Jian earnestly said.

"Sorry," Huang Ziya immediately apologized.

Yang Jian changed the subject: "The use of the Ghost Mirror comes with its risks. One must not stand in front of the mirror for too long, lest they get sucked into it. Also, there shouldn't be anything reflective near the place where the mirror is kept."

"Otherwise, the ghosts inside can escape through other reflecting objects."

"As for when and how you use it, I won't interfere. Everyone just needs to be careful with it," he said.

Tong Qian remarked: "Maybe it's not a good idea to bring out such a dangerous item. Resurrecting one person releases one ghost—that's too great a cost. Plus, there's no precedent for resurrecting a ghost manipulator without their powers. Maybe a person comes back to life, but the ghost inside them is stripped away, and a regular person might not be significant enough to bring back."

"In addition to that, we will need someone to guard the Ghost Mirror, otherwise, the person resurrected within it will soon be killed by the ghosts inside."

She pointed out many drawbacks and believed the disadvantages of the Ghost Mirror outweigh its benefits.

Feng Quan glanced at Tong Qian and said: "Tong Qian, this is resurrection, an actual return to life from death. Any costs, in my opinion, are negligible. Reversing life and death is taboo in itself, and the Ghost Mirror having such a bizarre ability is of inestimable value."

In this world, dying is easy.

To truly come back to life is something that even the top ghost manipulators cannot achieve.

Strictly speaking, Xiong Wenwen's case yesterday couldn't be considered a resurrection, only an awakening.

Because Xiong Wenwen's consciousness was still there.

But the Ghost Mirror can truly bring back the dead from nothingness.

"Then we must use it cautiously. It should not be used on meaningless individuals. We can't save one person and release a ghost, leading to more deaths," cautioned Tong Qian, who deeply cared about this issue. "Yang Jian, you wouldn't mind making me in charge of the Ghost Mirror, right? Honestly, I don't trust anyone else to manage it."

"If some ordinary person is allowed to look into the mirror, wouldn't that lead to chaos?"

She prioritized the bigger picture and did not want the resurrection capability of the Ghost Mirror to become rampant, causing one supernatural event after another.

Only those who were extremely important should be resurrected, warranting such a significant cost.

However, the temptation of resurrection was immense.

Those with selfish desires might even bring their pets to look into the mirror without considering the potential impact on the outside world.

The previous owner of the Republic Era Ancient House had a reason for keeping the Ghost Mirror locked away in a room.

He wanted to leave a bit of hope and help, but worried it might be misused by future generations.

"Alright, you'll be in charge of the Ghost Mirror." Yang Jian gave it some thought before nodding in agreement.

He trusted Tong Qian's character.

"Team leader, I want to be the first one to look into the mirror. I want to preserve my beauty, just in case I am resurrected after death and my body is stripped of its ghosts, then I can still become the most beautiful woman in the world," Huang Ziya hastily said.

She would go to extreme measures for the sake of her beauty.

"I don't think you're qualified yet," Tong Qian dismissed her request in a official manner.

Huang Ziya instantly turned to Yang Jian with a pitiful look.

Yang Jian said, "The right to use it should be kept for team members."

This was a method to increase team cohesion; he brought it out to stabilize the team.

The unity of interests was achieved yesterday, and now it's time for survival unity.

The Ghost Mirror is key.

Everything was considered; he wasn't acting recklessly.

Tong Qian frowned, pondered for a moment, and finally nodded in agreement: "You have a point, let her try it then, and let everyone get familiar with this dangerous item as well. What do you think, Yang Jian?"

"That's what I was thinking too," Yang Jian said.

"Love you, team leader,"

Huang Ziya threw Yang Jian a coquettish glance and then eagerly wanted to use the Ghost Mirror.

The others planned to observe and see what the Ghost Mirror was all about.

Very soon.

Inside the dimly lit safe house.

The Ghost Mirror was placed inside.

The cloth covering it was removed, and Huang Ziya, somewhat nervous, stood in front of the Ghost Mirror.

Even in this dim environment, the mirror's surface was clear and somewhat luminous.

In the mirror, there was no reflection of Huang Ziya.

"Failed?" Huang Ziya asked in doubt.

"No, it has arrived."

Yang Jian said solemnly, his slightly red eyes particularly conspicuous in the dim light.

Everyone saw it.

A strange figure appeared in the depths of the mirror.

It was as if a fierce ghost from the depths of hell was coming closer and closer, attempting to invade the real world through the mirror as a medium.

At first, the figure was unfamiliar, not like Huang Ziya.

But as it drew closer.

The figure distorted and reshaped.

The outline of Huang Ziya appeared, and then her head full of thick black hair grew out in the mirror—prior to this, the dreadful ghost shadow in the mirror had been hairless.

Everything changed as Huang Ziya stood in front of the Ghost Mirror.

"Unbelievable," Feng Quan's eyes narrowed.

This seemed just like the ghost inside the mirror was imitating, copying the person outside of it.

Very quickly.

The person in the mirror approached closer and closer, finally forming the complete figure of Huang Ziya.

However, the Huang Ziya in the mirror was expressionless, numb and cold, with a rigid body, like a walking corpse.

And what was most chilling was that the Huang Ziya in the mirror, differed completely from the bitingly nervous appearance of the real Huang Ziya.

The two people inside and outside the mirror had two different expressions.

But soon, the Huang Ziya in the mirror began to change again.

The numb and cold expression gradually changed, the cheeks twitching rigidly, looking very strange, but soon, the rigidity disappeared.

A living person's expression emerged.

Huang Ziya and the figure inside the mirror looked more and more alike.

Some details are continuously overlapping.

"Enough." Yang Jian suddenly shouted.

Tong Qian immediately reacted, quickly picked up the black cloth on the ground, and covered the Ghost Mirror with it.

The eerie changes stopped.

"In this world, there are no two people who are exactly alike. Once the shadow in the Ghost Mirror overlaps with your reality, you will be pulled into the Ghost Mirror, and the ghost inside the mirror will replace you in this world," Yang Jian said gravely.

"Indeed, it's dangerous. This Ghost Mirror has too many taboos. One misstep could be fatal," Tong Qian said, looking at the mirror beside her with a heavy heart.

This thing holds the temptation of resurrection, but also the terror of unleashing supernatural events.

It's just like a Pandora's box.

The others also fell silent, with lingering fear in their hearts.

At that moment.

Zhang Han suddenly spoke up, "Leader Yang, can I also use the Ghost Mirror? My child is only one year old. If resurrection is possible, I would like to spend more time with him."

"You can. As I said before, the team has the right to use it. This is the privilege I give to everyone as the leader. But just as Tong Qian said, we can't misuse it, so its use is limited to just the few of us," Yang Jian nodded and said.

"I understand, thank you, Leader Yang," Zhang Han said gratefully.

He had known Yang Jian for a long time, having met him back at the Xiaoqiang Entertainment Club, surviving the Ghost Coffin incident in Huanggang Village and the Hungry Ghost event together.

If it wasn't for Yang Jian's care a few times, he would have died long ago.

So, he had made his decision. With this chance of resurrection at hand, he feared nothing anymore.

Tong Qian sighed inwardly.

Sure enough, no one can resist the temptation of resurrection.

There's no helping it. Since Yang Jian brought out this item, they had to use it. She hoped that everyone would stay united to handle enough supernatural events in the future to make today's opportunity worthwhile.

The black cloth was lifted again, and the Ghost Mirror was used for the second time.

The mirror was now empty, with nothing inside.

As long as there's no reflection, there would be no anomalies.

"My shadow has disappeared," Huang Ziya said.

Yang Jian said, "It will appear when you die, and by the way, let's see if Zhang Han can try to store the shadows of two people in it at once."

"Wait, what is that?"

Suddenly.

Tong Qian's eyes moved, and she pointed to an inconspicuous corner of the Ghost Mirror.

Something foreign manifested within the mirror.

It looked like a leg, but not the leg of a living person, covered with a layer of black hair.

"There's something in the mirror," Tong Qian said.

"No, something is being revealed by the Ghost Mirror, this is not something inside the mirror," Yang Jian said. "If nobody is using the Ghost Mirror, no supernatural apparition would occur, I've confirmed it several times."

Feng Quan immediately walked over, turned the mirror from the back, and adjusted the direction of the Ghost Mirror.

The Ghost Mirror gradually turned, and everyone else stepped aside to avoid being reflected.

Soon.

The inconspicuous foreign object in the corner was fully revealed.

Immediately.

Everyone was shocked.

It was a crawling wolfhound, covered in thick black fur.

Yes.

A dog.

But the dog was asleep, motionless, as if a dead object.

"Brother Tui, the mirror is facing the coffin in the room," Feng Quan exclaimed.

The coffin was not shown in the mirror because it doesn't reflect light, it's a dead object, incapable of leaving a shadow in the mirror, but the object inside the coffin was projected into it.

No, it should be said to be revealed.

The dog was not inside the mirror, nor outside it; its shadow merely hovered on the surface of the mirror.

The Ghost Mirror seems capable of displaying spirits invisible to the naked eye.

This is yet another newly discovered ability.

"Team leader, did you keep a dog inside the coffin?" Huang Ziya asked, surprised.

Yang Jian was also astonished in his heart.

What was placed inside his coffin was not a dog at all, but a corpse, the body of a malevolent spirit, an entity codenamed Ghost Dream.

Why has the corpse turned into a dog?

And this was a dog he had seen before.

"It seems that the lingering memory of my deceased father really intends for a dog to control this unsolvable level of Ghost Dream."

Yang Jian's expression fluctuated, seemingly realizing the imminent events.

For now, the dog is still asleep, perhaps contending against the malevolent spirit in its dreams.

If it triumphs in the struggle.

The dog will awaken.

Then the dog will become the dominator of spirits, taking control of Ghost Dream and transforming into a malevolent specter.

Moreover, the most terrifying aspect is that this dog does not exist in the real world.

It is an invisible dog.

"Don't mind it, turn the mirror away, do not let it face the coffin; the anomaly is incubating, and when it awakens, you will understand," Yang Jian retracted his various thoughts.

"Since it's a false alarm, then there's nothing to worry about." Feng Quan shifted the Ghost Mirror, so it would no longer face that coffin.

Zhang Han heaved a sigh of relief, and continued to preserve his shadow following the manner previously demonstrated by Huang Ziya.

To preserve a chance for resurrection.

He hoped that after his resurrection, he would become an ordinary person and return to a normal life, watching his children grow.

Even if using the Ghost Mirror for resurrection involves certain taboos, he did not care.

Soon after.

Zhang Han successfully left his shadow behind.

The group, knowledgeable of the rules and taboos, avoided many crises and averted any possibility of losing control.

"Does anyone else want to use it? If not, I'll seal the mirror here," Yang Jian said.

The others shook their heads.

Feng Quan smiled sheepishly: "I would rather wait and see; no offense to you, Brother Tui, but this matter is a bit eerie."

He had his reservations, wanting to see if Huang Ziya and Zhang Han could successfully be resurrected.

If anything went wrong.

It would simply be asking for trouble.

Such supernatural items come with a price; they aren't without side effects.

"That's fine, being cautious is the right approach," Yang Jian did not feel displeased.

It's a normal way of thinking.

Only someone like Huang Ziya, who would risk everything for beauty, would be fearless.

Zhang Han was gambling on a future, hoping to strip away the specter within him using the Ghost Mirror and to then resume a normal life with his family, staying at home with his wife and children.

After the matter of the Ghost Mirror had temporarily come to a close.

In the following days, Yang Jian was somewhat idle, only busy with some trivial team matters.

Such as contacting the headquarters to send over a dozen satellite positioning phones for better coordination within his team, and also urging the headquarters to deliver three Ghost Candles and Ghost Scissors promptly—he was still waiting for them to arrive.

Then, he had the team members get to know each other's backgrounds.

To become familiar with each other's abilities.

And three days later.

Chen Shumei contacted Yang Jian, asking him to visit the second safe house.

Because, over the past three days, Xiong Wenwen had grown accustomed to the paper man's body and could now speak.

Yang Jian arrived alone at the front of the villa.

He saw that Chen Shumei was already waiting there early.

Today, Chen Shumei was wearing a light-colored long dress, with a silk scarf tied around her neck, giving off a gentle and virtuous beauty, just like a devoted wife and loving mother.

"Captain Yang."

She was in a very good mood today, her beautiful eyes twinkling with vitality, without any trace of the exhaustion and weariness from the past few days.

"Aunt Chen," Yang Jian greeted: "Has Xiong Wenwen returned to normal?"

"Yes, Wenwen is all right now. It's all thanks to Captain Yang's help that Wenwen was able to be safe and sound," said Chen Shumei politely.

Yang Jian said: "Let's go see him then. If Xiong Wenwen has indeed recovered completely, then we should let him out."

Chen Shumei's visit was not for the sake of reminiscing; it was to have him confirm Xiong Wenwen's condition and to release him.

"Captain Yang."

Inside the villa, Zhang Han was in charge of monitoring the situation. Seeing Yang Jian and Chen Shumei coming in, he greeted them.

"I'm going to check on Xiong Wenwen with her. You've worked hard these past few days. If everything is indeed safe and sound, I think we can stop being on alert," Yang Jian said.

To be safe, he had arranged for Zhang Han to keep watch these days.

Just in case any supernatural event occurred.

So, he had to nip any such possibilities in the bud.

Zhang Han had been rather homebound during this time. He seldom left the complex, preferring to stay in and spend time with his wife and child, so this task was right up his alley.

"Alright, Captain Yang, please be careful. If there's any trouble, call me immediately," Zhang Han said.

Yang Jian nodded and then proceeded to the third level of the underground safety room with Chen Shumei.

The door to the room where Xiong Wenwen was kept was still locked tight.

This indicated that Xiong Wenwen had not tried to come out these days.

Very cooperative.

The more he was like this, the more it proved his condition was normal.

"Wenwen, it's me, I've come to see you," Chen Shumei knocked on the door and called out.

"Mom, Mommy."

There was movement inside, and an odd voice came out, but from the tone, it was still possible to recognize it was Xiong Wenwen.

Chen Shumei said, "Captain Yang is here too; he says if you're completely normal, he'll let you out."

"Yang Jian, hurry up and let me out, you heartless man! I've been through life and death with you, and now you're locking me up," Xiong Wenwen shouted.

"Very lively, not bad," Yang Jian nodded in approval.

Xiong Wenwen shouted again: "You're not going to ask me what one plus one equals again, are you? I'll have you know, if you're going to ask next time, at least make it three-digit multiplication or division, or mixed operations. That way, it'll show I'm smart."

"A mere primary schooler, and yet you're so picky. Believe it or not, I'll make you solve equations," Yang Jian said.

This moment, he exuded the authority of a high school student.

Xiong Wenwen was suddenly at a loss for words.

He didn't know how to do those problems...

"Damn it, I haven't learned that yet. When I do, are you going to stump me?" Xiong Wenwen said defiantly.

In conversing with him, Yang Jian confirmed that he was indeed Xiong Wenwen, not some malevolent ghost.

"Alright, I'll let you out. But from now on, you need to obey me. The situation outside has changed. A kid like you without anyone to look after you tends to die especially quickly," Yang Jian said.

"However, I've always been a person with a kind heart, so I'll take the trouble to look after you."

With that said, he opened the door.

Instantly, Xiong Wenwen came out looking indignant: "You think you could be that kind-hearted? I don't believe it. Mom, are you dating him now?"

"No, no, Wenwen, don't talk nonsense," Chen Shumei gave her a stern look.

Xiong Wenwen disdainfully glanced at Yang Jian; "I knew you couldn't do it, I even gave you the chance, but you couldn't chase her down, worthless as a deadbeat, still a single dog, aren't you?"

"It seems this bratty kid needs a beating from an adult."

Yang Jian clenched his fist, his mouth twitching, unable to resist the urge to thrash the guy.

"I don't care whether you manage to chase her or not, but you better take good care of my mom, otherwise, I definitely won't listen to you in the future," Xiong Wenwen said arrogantly.

"Wenwen, don't talk nonsense. Team Leader Yang has taken great care of me, and it took a lot of effort to rescue you this time," Chen Shumei said, feeling embarrassed that her son was making her lose face.

Then she apologized to Yang Jian: "I'm sorry, Team Leader Yang. Kids don't know any better and just like to blurt things out. I will make sure to discipline him properly when we get back."

"Mom, I'm telling the truth. Only Yang Jian has the ability to take care of you," Xiong Wenwen asserted with confidence.

Though he is a bit of a brat, he still understands some things.

He also wishes that his mom could live a good life in the future, protected by someone.

And after going around in circles, Xiong Wenwen has recognized Yang Jian.

"You're still talking," Chen Shumei said, feeling somewhat embarrassed now. Despite being a mother, she was also a woman.

It was too much to constantly be matchmaking in front of someone else,

really lacking in propriety.

Yang Jian said: "I can take care of your mom, but first, let me hear you call me 'dad' a few times."

"Holy sh*t..." Xiong Wenwen's eyes widened, feeling like he'd been struck by lightning a thousand times over.

This time, he'd almost buried himself in the hole he'd dug.

"Why are you joining in on the child's nonsense?" Chen Shumei balled her fists, somewhat annoyed as she lightly punched Yang Jian.

It was a soft tap, which instead seemed somewhat intimate.

After realizing this, Chen Shumei's cheeks instantly turned red, her eyes flickering as she could no longer bear to look directly at Yang Jian.

The one who spoke was unintentional, but the listener might have taken it to heart.

At this moment, she had also considered this issue... luckily, Xiong Wenwen wasn't against Team Leader Yang and tended to obey his discipline.

Plus, Team Leader Yang was very caring towards her.

In fact, getting together wouldn't be unacceptable.

The more she thought about it, the more chaotic Chen Shumei's heart became, pounding uncontrollably.

What if Team Leader Yang really did make a move, should she reject or accept him?

She probably... couldn't reject.

"I just think Xiong Wenwen needs to be disciplined properly to prevent him from offending people all the time," Yang Jian said: "What do you think, Aunt Chen?"

Chen Shumei came back to her senses, blush still on her face: "If, if Team Leader Yang is willing to discipline him, that would be best, after all, Wenwen listens more to you, Team Leader Yang."

"Aunt Chen, just say the word, and I'll make sure to discipline him properly for you," Yang Jian offered with a smile, looking towards Xiong Wenwen.

"Mom, you can't do this, I'm your biological son, Yang Jian will surely beat me to death," Xiong Wenwen exclaimed in horror, envisioning his future life in darkness.

It was like being trapped in the photograph once again.

But Chen Shumei didn't side with Xiong Wenwen this time, instead she said with a bit of scolding: "If you're not disciplined properly now, what will become of you later? If Team Leader Yang has to hit you, I definitely won't stop him."

"Is it still possible for me to just go and focus on my studies now?" Xiong Wenwen asked cautiously.

Mom and Yang Jian have formed a united front.

It looks like I'm doomed.

He wanted to study, to go to school, to see his old friends again.

But alas, that bygone youth will never return.

"Team Leader Yang, you haven't eaten yet, right? Would you care to come over and have a meal at my place? You've helped Wenwen and me so much, and I haven't properly thanked you yet," Chen Shumei extended the invitation then.

Yang Jian didn't refuse: "That sounds good; I'll take you up on that, Aunt Chen."

"Don't be so formal; you've been such a help to Wenwen and me, and we might continue to need your help in the future," Chen Shumei said apologetically.

"These are just trivial matters; in times like these, just being alive is not easy, and there's no point fussing over such things."

Yang Jian shook his head: "Now that we've established Xiong Wenwen is alright, let's go outside. I'll let the others know that Wenwen has come back to life; he's going to be a very important member of our team."

"Mhmm," Chen Shumei nodded softly.

"By the way, I'm not sure what Team Leader Yang usually likes to eat..."

"I'm not picky; I can eat anything," he said.

Xiong Wenwen spoke: "I want chicken legs."

Chatting with each other, the three of them left the safehouse.

To outsiders who didn't know them, they did look quite like a family of three.