Tang Hao felt depressed—he had been badly misunderstood. It was clear that he did not do anything to her.
“Hey! Listen to my explanation. I didn’t do anything!”
“Who’d believe you?! Who else would do this if not you? Me?” Zhao Qingxue bit her bright red lips in a surge of furious embarrassment.
“Ironically, it was you who did it to yourself…” Muttered Tang Hao.
“What did you say?” Zhao Qingxue’s eyes widened into an angry glare as her voice shot up a few pitches.
“If you don’t believe me, ask them!” As he said that, Tang Hao gestured at the criminal police next to him. “You were possessed by a ghost just now. That’s how things ended up like this.”
Zhao Qingxue frowned as though she recollected bits of what had transpired. Her face blushed a tomato red.
“Then… Then, let me go! How long do you intend to hold me like this?” She was both embarrassed and anxious. Her soft body struggled slightly in Tang Hao’s embrace.
“Oh!”
Tang Hao finally realized what he was doing and released his grip.
Zhao Qingxue turned to her back to him and buttoned up her shift before standing up with her head lowered. She did not dare to look at Tang Hao.
Meanwhile, one of the police officers woke Captain Zhou up.
“Haha! It’s a mistake! A mistake! I was too nervous! If we bump into one again, I definitely won’t repeat it!” Laughed Captain Zhou loudly as he rubbed the back of his head.
“Captain, pray that there won’t be a second time. Once is enough!” An officer whispered.
“Heh! Coward! What is a little ghost before the eyes of the people’s police? Hehe! Lil Bro Tang, am I right?”
Captain Zhou slapped the police officer’s head and told him off before turning around to Tang Hao. Captain Zhou gave Tang Hao an ingratiating smile.
“Lil Bro Tang, you’re impressive! Oh, right, do you have any form of amulets for me? The kind that can keep spirits away? You must give me one.”
“I don’t have one. You should ask the Taoist master,” replied Tang Hao.
Taoist Master Chang Qing opened his fanny pack and retrieved a packet of amulets. He shouted, “Come check these out! Spirit-repelling amulets! You don’t need one or two thousand; you only need nine hundred and ninety-eight. Buy one to guarantee a good night’s sleep.”
“What? Nine hundred and ninety-eight? They’re that expensive?” Captain Zhou’s face scrunched up in pain.
“Captain Zhou, good things don’t come cheap. These amulets save lives.” The Taoist master snickered like a cunning businessman.
“Alright! Alright! I’ll buy it!”
Captain Zhou took out his wallet with a pained expression, bought an amulet, then carefully put it on.
“Alright. The culprit has been executed. Mission accomplished. We are adjourned!” Shouted Captain Zhou as he waved around with his open arms.
After this, Tang Hao and the Taoist master hitched a ride in a police car back to the county seat.
It was already dark when they returned to the city.
After dealing with the vicious ghost, the Taoist master was ready to leave. Tang Hao sent him to the station.
“Fellow Cultivator Tang, take care!”
The Taoist master held Tang Hao’s hand, reluctant to part with him.
“Master, you should take care too!” Laughed Tang Hao.
Tang Hao left after watching the Taoist master get on the long-distance coach. Only then did he return to his villa.
Over the next few days, everything returned to their plain, old ways. Other than his daily cultivation, Tang Hao went to Dragonrock Village everyday to check out the road repairs and simultaneously study sorcery relating to certain medicinal herbs and plants.
A few methods were recorded in the appendix of the Scripture of the Divine Herbalist. For example, there was a miraculous germination-boosting method that could increase the speed at which seeds germinate. Of course, there was also a ripening-boosting method that could shorten the time needed for herbs and plants to grow.
After careful consideration, Tang Hao came up with the first list of medicinal herbs that included ten types of medicinal herbs rarely found in the market.
At the same time, he got ready to open up a plantation specifically for the cultivation of lingzhi mushrooms*(TN: The lingzhi mushroom is a polypore fungus belonging to the genus Ganoderma. It is also known as the ancient “mushroom of immortality”.), ginseng, fleeceflower roots, and other precious medicinal herbs.
All of the medicinal herbs included could improve one’s cultivation base.
After all, items like lingzhi were rare. There was not even enough stock in the world to last ten years. With this considered, he bought over almost all the stock spanning a few counties.
If he wanted to continue cultivating, he had to consider planting his own medicinal herbs.
At the same time, he did not forget to produce some medicine and send it over to Liu Dajun and President Li.
After President Li spread the news, Zhang Hong was also delivered on time. Rumor had it that he was captured and thrown into jail. With that, everything seemed to be falling into place.
That morning, Tang Hao rode a tricycle to Sunshine Plaza to send some diet tea and Viagra to Liu Dajun, as usual.
Recently, there had been a growing demand for a type of Viagra that had sky-rocketed in popularity among the rich due to word-of-mouth via Liu Dajun’s channel.
Descending from the top floor of the huge building, Tang Hao was about to walk out the door when he heard someone shout his name.
“Tang Hao!”
He paused and turned around to see Ma Fangfang approaching her.
Ma Fangfang was still dressed in her usual OL attire—a sheath dress and black stockings. Her long, slender body was curvy in all the right places, especially around her beautiful, full, round hips.
When she was still in junior high, she was already a well-known beauty on campus. She had countless admirers with rumors that some of them even got into fights over her. Her position as the most beautiful girl in school was uncontestable.
Today, she appeared to be even more alluring and gorgeous after dolling herself up.
Even Tang Hao had to admit that she was a real beauty.
“What’s the matter?” Asked Tang Hao in shock.
He had visited Sunshine Plaza several times now. Although he met her a few times, they never spoke to each other. Today was the first time she had struck up a conversation with him.
Ma Fangfang stood there with all her charm as she looked at Tang Hao with an awkward shyness.
“Uh… Do you know about our student gathering?”
“Student gathering?” Asked Tang Hao with a frown before shaking his head. “I didn’t hear anything about it. Actually, I’m not really in contact with those classmates from junior high.”
“I know. You’re not even in the group. That’s why I’m asking you now. Recently, the class monitor has been organizing a student gathering. We’ve graduated three years ago, so it’s about time for us to meet up.”
Ma Fangfang said as she looked at Tang Hao expectantly. “What do you think? Are you coming? If you’re coming, I can help you to inform the class monitor.”
Tang Hao’s eyebrows were tightly knitted together as he contemplated the idea.
He was never a fan of student gatherings like these. When he was a Year 1 Junior, he was not an outstanding student in his class. Although his results were above average, few people looked up to him because he was a poor brat from the village in the mountains.
Therefore, he never participated in any of the student gatherings after graduating from junior high.
Initially, he wanted to turn her down. However, after further contemplation, he thought it was apt for him to make this trip after three years. He might not have had a lot of friends in class back then, but there were still a few of them that he could count on. He had no idea what was going on with them now.
“Who’s going?” Asked Tang Hao.
“Oh! Basically, everyone should be there. They’ve all agreed to it. You’re the hardest one to convince,” replied Ma Fangfang with a smile.
“Is that so? Alright, I’ll go!” Tang Hao nodded.
“That’s great!” Ma Fangfang clenched her fists in excitement and said, “I’ll let the class monitor know later. Oh right, the time is tomorrow night. The venue will be the East Shining Restaurant in the city center. Everyone will have to bring two hundred bucks each.”
“What’s your phone number? I’ll save your contact so it’ll be easier for me to contact you in the future.”
As she said that, Ma Fangfang walked up to Tang Hao and they exchanged numbers.