Chapter 132: Uninvited Troubles and a Commission

"Why tell me?" The young girl asked before the screen, her face pale and her expression filled with doubt.

Yes, she truly wanted to know this information. But such information certainly should not come cheaply.

At least, it shouldn't be given away for free.

On the other side of the screen, Chen Qing glanced at Bu Zhaozhao and continued with his reply, "I need cannon fodder."

"Understood."

The avatar on the screen flickered for a moment before replying to Chen Qing: "If in two months, I have the opportunity to serve as cannon fodder for you, Sir.

I would be more than happy to oblige."

Her words were natural and sincere, carrying absolute honesty.

That title, full of humiliation, was at this moment like a crown—one that she desired yet could not reach.

She wasn't even qualified enough to be cannon fodder.

Watching the words on the screen, a smile began to form on his face.

This was a good beginning. From today onward, his plans were finally beginning to unfold step by step.

He shook his head. Bu Zhaozhao's figure swayed slowly under the glow of the streetlamp. She gazed down at the street below for a long time, watching the bustling crowds come and go, feeling utterly apathetic.

"This world seems to be growing turbulent," he murmured softly. Right at that moment, the doorbell of his home rang.

Chen Qing turned his glance toward the clock. It was around six or seven in the evening, so it probably wasn't Jiang Wan coming by.

He frowned. Bu Zhaozhao also heard the sound and turned around. Their eyes met, and as she saw Chen Qing make a couple of hand gestures, she immediately understood.

She floated forward, peering half of her head through the door panel. She saw two people standing outside—simple in their attire, young and tender, looking no older than the age of coming of age.

"Oh?" She whispered softly, pulling her head back through the door.

Floating all the way to Chen Qing's side, with a tone blending teasing curiosity, she asked him, "They look like students, maybe your classmates?"

"My classmates?" He lowered his voice.

"I have some impression of the uniforms they're wearing," she tapped the bridge of her nose and replied, "I think I've seen you wear one."

"My classmates..." Finding it strange, he still walked all the way to the door.

When he reached behind the door, a second knock sounded against the wooden panel.

The sound was very light, as if the person knocking was hesitating as well.

He stepped back a bit, putting a distance of two or three meters between himself and the door, before asking toward the outside, "Is something the matter?"

His voice was not loud, but it was enough for the people on the other side of the door to hear.

Yet, as his words trailed off, silence fell outside the door.

They remained silent, which instead made Chen Qing somewhat puzzled.

If the previous hesitation was caution toward the unknown, then this silence felt rather nonsensical.

"Who..."

Before he could ask a second time, two female voices rang out from the doorway.

"Is that... Chen Qing?"

Hearing those voices, he searched his mind to match them with two faces.

They truly were his classmates, but in his mind, those two faces could no longer be connected with their names.

Who were they? What were their names?

That felt like such a long time ago.

He let out an affirmative hum and took two steps forward. "Is something wrong? Are you looking for me?"

Curious, he pulled his phone out of his pocket and checked his blocked inbox for his head teacher's number.

That wasn't right. He was still sending text messages; if it were an urgent matter, he should have called.

As he wondered, he heard an affirmative murmur from outside the door.

"Can we... come inside first?" The voice was timid, a simple sentence that seemed to have exhausted all her courage, falling silent once again right after she finished speaking.

He pondered for a moment, glanced back into his living room to ensure there was nothing out of the ordinary, and then pulled the door open.

The moment the door opened, he saw two rather pale faces.

Their complexions were anything but natural, bordering on stark white.

He looked at the two of them, pondering for quite a while. Certain that he could not recall their names, he finally asked, "Is there something you need?"

He stepped aside slightly, gesturing for the two classmates to enter his home.

The three of them walked into the interior. Seeing that there was no one else around, their courage grew just a bit.

"You... We heard that you haven't been coming to school lately. Is it because you're helping the police department?"

The girl who had spoken first wore her hair in a high ponytail. Though she was nervous, it was clear that the dominant emotion in her heart was vigilance.

Chen Qing shook his head, then nodded. "I'm only helping them out incidentally. I don't work for them exclusively."

Shifting the topic, he asked the two young girls, "What brings you all the way here to see me?"

Hearing this, though it was merely a polite exchange between classmates, for some reason they felt as though Chen Qing was trying to drive them away.

The two exchanged glances, and the other girl, who looked more delicate, spoke up: "We heard that... you deal with some..."

She hesitated, seemingly struggling with her phrasing: "You often come into contact with ghosts and spirits, and that's why the police asked for your help."

She gestured vaguely, looking somewhat anxious, nervous, and impulsive: "We don't mean any disrespect! It's just... just those paranormal matters, we heard you have a lot of experience."

He watched the young girl in front of him stand up. Bathed in the dim, warm light, her figure appeared exceptionally slender.

For a high school student of seventeen or eighteen years old, she was far too thin.

Chen Qing hesitated, but ultimately nodded. Searching his memories of the past, he really couldn't recall the names of the two girls before him. After a moment of hesitation, he asked them, "Though it might be a bit presumptuous... I really can't seem to remember your names.

What are you called again?"

Hearing these words, the girl who had remained seated finally revealed a look of astonishment.

She tilted her head and asked Chen Qing, "Hey... Mr. Busybody... You couldn't possibly not even remember the names of the class beauties, could you?"

"Um..."

"Really?"

"Um..."

He tilted his head and changed the subject: "Who told you where I live? I'm pretty sure I never told anyone else."

They fell silent for a moment before the lead girl spoke up: "The director of discipline told us."

Hearing this, his brow suddenly furrowed: "The director of discipline? That old man told you my address..."

He hesitated, seemingly guessing something.

As they watched, their gazes drifted toward a few documents lying on Chen Qing's desk.