Chapter 6: Qiu Lao Liu

"Look at what you are saying—" Qiu Lao Liu became anxious: "How could I, Lao Liu, possibly commit such a wicked act! Even if others are unaware, Doctor Qin, do you not know? The night market I opened is indeed a ghost night market, catering to wandering souls and spirits passing by; there is no one else around"

"This time I'll let it go, considering your ignorance of the matter." Qin Mu finished a steamed bun in one breath, and only then did he remember that Qiu Lao Liu was still standing beside him, casually adding, "If there is a next time, I will not be polite."

Qin Mu wore a sorrowful expression that made Qiu Lao Liu's face twitch, nearly causing him to jump up and curse "shamelessly." What kind of client could make you feel such a headache? Qiu Lao Liu wished he could slap himself for the momentary curiosity that led to the current situation. Thinking of that steamer of buns, Qiu Lao Liu suddenly felt that Qin Mu had come with a premeditated intent to rob.

"That is demonic energy." Xiao Bai rolled his eyes, but what he thought in his heart was that it was an ignorant fellow

Qin Mu merely smiled upon hearing this, sipping the boiled water in his hand, and remained silent

"What do you mean by this?" Qin Mu raised an eyebrow

"Mu Mu, this guy has fallen asleep. Who invited you to dinner?" Xiao Bai asked curiously

Ignoring the kind or unkind gazes from others, Qin Mu waved his hand and said with a rhythmic intonation: "Bring me a steamer of buns"

No wonder his eyelids have been twitching since morning; Qin Mu came knocking on the door the next day

"Are you going or not? If you are not going, I will go, and you won't be included." Qin Mu felt helpless; how could this person be so curious

However, I am quite curious, what kind of deal did you make with that person?" Qiu Lao Liu could not contain his curiosity; he knew that Qin Mu usually had rather peculiar demands for consultation fees, and this time should be no exception, prompting a bit of gossip.

Are you really foolish or just pretending to be? Qiu Lao Liu said somewhat speechlessly: Can't you truly see the dark aura surrounding him?

Oh... alright. Qiu Lao Liu caught a glimpse of Xiao Bai standing on Qin Mu's shoulder, and with a hint of understanding, instructed his apprentice to proceed with the filling, while he himself left the kitchen counter and walked towards Qin Mu

Oh my ancestors. Qiu Lao Liu's face already bore a hint of pleading: This cannot be blamed on me...

Otherwise, I wouldn't even order. Qin Mu walked into the bun shop and found a temporarily unoccupied seat: Hurry up, you have several types of buns, just make a mixed platter, but no sweet buns

Qin Mu simply listened with a smile to Qiu Lao Liu's words, without responding. After Qiu Lao Liu had finished venting, he leisurely said: "What does it matter? I have received the consultation fee; whatever the employer asks me to do, I will do."

Alright—ah, no, a steamer of buns? Qiu Laoliu nearly choked on his own saliva, sizing up Qin Mu from top to bottom, gesturing with his hands to indicate the size: "Our steamer is as big as a wheel."

Qin Mu remained silent, staring at the teacup in his hand as if he were studying the patterns on the cup

Qin Mu seemed to smile yet not smile: "Old Qiu's business is getting more and more prosperous, even daring to operate at night, engaging in the business of living people." This voice was only audible to the two of them. As for Xiao Bai, upon hearing that there were buns, after consulting with Qin Mu, it had been lying beside the kitchen counter, wagging its tail and watching Old Qiu's apprentice fill the buns.

Qiu Laoliu's bun shop has always been bustling with activity and a continuous flow of customers. When Qin Mu arrived at this crowded little shop, a middle-aged man with a head full of curly hair enthusiastically called out, "Doctor Tian! Long time no see, what would you like to have?"

What?!

"Esteemed guest, your buns are ready." Qiu Laoliu's apprentice, who was very honest, brought a full steamer of buns to the table. Qin Mu and the little fox were all smiles, while Qiu Laoliu almost lost his temper on the spot... A sharp glance was directed at his usually favored apprentice, who had become... utterly oblivious.

However, in order to annoy Qin Mu, Qiu Lao Liu said: "As a friend, I would like to advise you, it is best not to get involved in this matter, regardless of the kind of reward."

Upon exiting the narrow alley, the street outside was particularly lively. In contrast to the small alley in front of Qin Mu's home, the street resembled a young man in his twenties, vibrant and full of energy. As one stepped out, several restaurants and breakfast shops lined the way, with office workers hurriedly entering and then quickly emerging with several packages. Meanwhile, the elderly, pregnant women, and children who remained at home became regular patrons of the breakfast establishments on this street—they had the time.

Qin Mu smiled and said, "Actually, it's nothing much, just thirty years of lifespan."

"Why do you have time today?" Qiu Lao Liu felt his eyelids twitching early in the morning, thinking that something might happen. To his surprise, this ancestor arrived. Who doesn't know that if Qin Mu comes directly to the door like this, he is unlikely to pay for his meal, especially for his basket of buns!

Doctor Tian, known as Qin Mu, is indeed a pitiable figure. Ordinary people are completely unaware of his abilities and often regard him merely as a doctor who treats minor ailments. Furthermore, the environment of Qin Mu's clinic is exceedingly poor; unless one is exceptionally idle, no one from the Flower Street would choose to seek treatment in such a dismal clinic. In contrast, there is another Doctor Han on Flower Street, whose clinic is clean and bright, attracting a considerable number of patients.

Old Qiu Liu is not entirely aimless; he simply finds it somewhat strange. In such matters, he would never take action himself. Although Qin Mu occasionally comes over to mooch a meal, friends are ultimately still friends.

Xiao Bai was filled with disbelief, but at this moment, there was no choice but to follow Qin Mu out. After pondering for a while, just as Qin Mu was about to leave, the little fox nimbly jumped onto Qin Mu's shoulder

Qiu Laoliu's expression changed. Indeed, when Zhu Panzai appeared in front of his stall, he had already realized that this was a person, even though at that time Zhu Panzai's aura was already very close to the state of a soul. At that moment, he was merely curious as to why this person had come here, so he provided Zhu Tian with food.

You said it... I certainly do not want to be embarrassed for dining and dashing at that time, " Xiao Bai hesitated for a while before speaking in a proud manner.

Old Qiu Liu saw Qin Mu like this and thought to himself that this fellow must have learned something. Suddenly, he felt a jolt in his heart, losing the confidence he had just moments ago. He said uncertainly, "Indeed, a fat man came last night. He gave the impression of being a wandering spirit. It was only when it came time to pay that I realized he was a person. I was quite startled. At night, ordinary people cannot see my stall."

"So what?" Qiu Lao Liu was probably infuriated by Qin Mu's expression of calmness, causing his voice to suddenly rise by an octave, drawing the attention of everyone in the shop. Upon being looked at by the crowd, Qiu Lao Liu became aware and lowered his voice: "Did you not see how heavy the dark aura on his forehead is? Such a person, if he had not committed a great sin, how could he have such a serious thing following him? Moreover, there is an indescribable malevolence about him."

Stretching as he stepped outside, Qin Mu realized that it had been quite a while since he had left home this early. The morning sunlight felt quite pleasant, and the air was refreshingly crisp, each breath filled with the essence of the sun.

Qin Mu's expression finally showed a hint of change: "After managing for several decades, do not tell me that you cannot even distinguish between a soul and a living person."

It is unclear when this street acquired its beautiful name—Flower Street. Perhaps it is because several renowned beauties from Ningcheng hail from here, or maybe it is due to the stunning scenery. In any case, by the time Qin Mu chose to settle here, the name Flower Street had already spread widely.

"... ... Qin Mu." Qiu Lao Liu was greatly astonished by Qin Mu's remarks, stammering as he asked, "What exactly did you take from him that you value this person so highly?"

The little one's ability to dismantle the platform has improved significantly. Qin Mu cleared his throat awkwardly, glanced at a certain chubby individual who was sound asleep on the table, stood up, and casually adjusted his attire: "While this guy is still in a deep slumber, I shall go out for breakfast."

Qin Mu feigned a sigh and said: "It is difficult to make money nowadays, as you can see. My client was already in a poor situation, and then you made him consume a bunch of food from the ghost market and even found him some ghost money, which scared him quite a bit. Now, looking at this client... I am really having a headache!"

"So what?" Qin Mu looked at him strangely. If Zhu Tian was perfectly fine, why would he come to find him?

Qiu Laoliu's buns are famous in Huajie for their thin skin, generous filling, and large size. A casual bite fills one's mouth with oil. In this small southern city, they have managed to capture the essence of northern flavors. Those who were born in Ningcheng and have spent their entire lives in this southern border town only realized when Qiu Laoliu's bun shop opened, ah, so this is how buns are made.

"Absolutely, absolutely..." Qiu Laoliu looked at Qin Mu with a sense of helplessness. In fact, Qin Mu's speed in eating buns was quite good, while Xiaobai over there was practically swallowing them whole. As for this fox, the people of Huajie were not surprised at all; they treated Xiaobai with even more enthusiasm than they did Qin Mu himself.

Qin Mu was enjoying his meal, while Qiu Lao Liu's heart was bleeding. Seeing that Qin Mu no longer pursued the matter, Qiu Lao Liu breathed a sigh of relief. If it had come to a serious confrontation, Qiu Lao Liu would have been at a loss both in terms of strength and argument, and it seemed that he would be the one to suffer in any case.

As Qin Mu took a few steps, he felt a tug on his sleeve. Turning around, he saw Xiao Bai biting his sleeve and holding on tightly. Qin Mu stopped and looked at it with a hint of amusement.

It is not something precious either Qin Mu smiled, by this time he was already half full, having left most of the buns for the little white beside him who was eating heartily.

"What’s going on? Is he your client?" Qiu Laoliu understood that Qin Mu was not the type to stubbornly cling to a dead end. With a slight shift in his thinking, he quickly realized that a stranger appearing here, looking like a wandering soul, was most likely seeking Qin Mu's assistance. Given the state of the person from yesterday, he could lose his life at any moment, which was quite concerning

"Alright, if you run out of money later, you can still make quite a bit by using it as collateral," Qin Mu said casually, showing no concern for the way Xiao Bai instantly pouted her lips.