Volume One, Chapter 17: Show Them What You Can Do
Yu Wenqiang looked at Jiang Rui with a mixture of surprise and admiration. Such a young girl possessed such remarkable abilities—it left him deeply impressed. Judging by her age, barely in her early twenties, it was hard to believe she was a master of the occult.
Yu Wenqiang sized her up from head to toe. Jiang Rui glanced at him but saw nothing unusual in his eyes.
“Master Jiang, please come inside. I need your help to save my father. He’s like a different person now—just seeing him is frightening.”
Jiang Rui waved her hand. “I’m here to resolve your family’s issues. There’s one thing I must clarify beforehand—my services require... you understand, right?”
Yu Wenqiang had no doubts. Wasn’t it just about money? Though they lived in the countryside, they were not short on funds.
“Don’t worry, Master Jiang. You will be well compensated. As long as you fix my family’s problems, everything else is negotiable.”
“Good. Also, one more thing—do you mind if I livestream this? Many viewers are eager to watch.”
Even if the viewers hadn’t requested it, she would have done so anyway. It was a good way to build a reputation and attract followers.
“No problem at all. Master, you can start whenever you want,” Yu Wenqiang said. His only concern was solving his father’s condition; everything else seemed minor.
Jiang Rui smiled faintly. “Alright, that’s best.”
At that moment, Jiang Rui felt a surge of satisfaction—today was a day to earn well. Before stepping inside, she activated her livestream: “The streamer you’re following is now online.”
Fans who followed Jiang Rui flocked to the stream, some having waited patiently on the Douyu platform, certain she wouldn’t let them down after promising to broadcast on-site.
Walking alongside Yu Wenqiang, Jiang Rui greeted her online audience warmly.
“Hello everyone, I’ve arrived at Yu Wenqiang’s home. I decided to start the livestream immediately so you can get firsthand updates.”
[“The streamer is not only beautiful but kind-hearted—so friendly!”]
[“Exactly! We’re here to witness her exorcising demons—it feels thrilling!”]
[“This streamer is amazing! She can do anything. Other streams are all scams.”]
Jiang Rui glanced at the lively chat and smiled. Then she followed Yu Wenqiang into their courtyard. Rural houses were just like this—each with its own yard. It was much nicer than living in the city; having a yard was a blessing.
As she entered, a dense aura of negativity enveloped her, mixed with the stench of death. Jiang Rui frowned.
“This is getting interesting. Seems like this matter is no small thing... right?”
Just then, a middle-aged woman emerged from the house. Half her hair had turned white, and her gaunt face bore the marks of malnutrition.
“Son, where is this master you brought? Didn’t anyone come to meet us?” Yu Wenqiang coughed awkwardly, glancing sideways at Jiang Rui. He inwardly scolded himself—did his mother really not realize who stood before her?
“Mom, this is the master—the one I connected with through the livestream.”
Yu Wenqiang’s mother looked at Jiang Rui skeptically. She was just a young girl, hardly someone to be called a master.
Though she thought this, she smiled and approached Jiang Rui, extending her hand and grasping hers firmly.
“So you’re the master, huh? I wouldn’t have guessed. Are all masters so young now? And so beautiful.”
Her unspoken meaning was clear: what could such a young girl possibly do? Was this a waste of time? Surely a fraud.
Jiang Rui met her gaze knowingly but said nothing, only smiling gently.
“Water need not be deep if dragons dwell within; mountains need not be high if immortals reside there. Whether I can cure your husband has little to do with my age, don’t you think?”
Yu Wenqiang sensed the streamer was annoyed and quickly tried to smooth things over.
“Master, sorry about my mother. She didn’t mean anything by it—please don’t take it personally.”
Turning to his mother, he added, “Mom, Master Jiang came here specially to see my father. She’s very capable, so please don’t doubt her.”
Yu Wenqiang’s mother shot him a glance, thinking, “Can such a young girl really manage this? She hasn’t even fully grown. What a joke.”
Jiang Rui knew the woman didn’t believe her. She curled her lips, sat down, and crossed her legs.
Just as Yu Wenqiang’s mother was about to speak, Jiang Rui began.
“Xu Chunlian, you’re 55 years old. When you were eighteen, you dated a man from the same village named Er Hu. Later, when you became pregnant, Er Hu abandoned you. Your parents felt ashamed and insisted you terminate the pregnancy. Reluctantly, you did so. Afterwards, you went south to work in a factory, where you met your current husband, Yu Ping. You fell in love at first sight. You lived together and had your son. Am I correct? Oh, and you have a burn scar on your buttocks from when you accidentally fell into a stove as a child.”
Jiang Rui knew she had to prove her skills today.
Having heard this, even the simple-minded Xu Chunlian realized the young girl before her was undoubtedly a true master.
Jiang Rui fell silent, smiling at Xu Chunlian, whose face flushed with a mix of shock and disbelief.
She hadn’t expected that the master her son found was genuinely talented. Her secret about the abortion—known only to her deceased parents—had somehow been uncovered by this young girl.
“Master, I’m sorry for being rude. Please forgive me,” Xu Chunlian quickly apologized, now fully convinced.
Jiang Rui waved her hand. “It’s nothing. As the Buddhists say, the Buddha saves those with fate. Though I’m not Buddhist, Taoism also values the concept of destiny.”
Yu Wenqiang was stunned by her words. He hadn’t known his mother’s past contained such a secret.
But now wasn’t the time to dwell on that. The priority was to let the streamer save his father.
With this realization, Yu Wenqiang stepped forward to ask questions, but before he could speak, a voice called out.
“I’m so hungry! Hurry up and make me some food! I’m starving—I can’t take it anymore!”
It was Yu Ping’s voice. The desperation in his tone revealed how deeply he longed for nourishment.