Chapter 8: String Puppets, Earning Money with Elegance

Mo Mo sometimes talks to the air just like this classmate does

The merchant looked at him with a smile that seemed to be both genuine and mocking: "In the classification of humanity, you are considered ominous."

Yu Zhengdu had never seen such a scene before, and he was covered in goosebumps. Hiding behind his boss, he said, "Damn, what the hell is this? It's so creepy."

Yu Zhengdu hesitated for a moment. He glanced at Shang Que, who was resting one hand on his cheek, wearing an indifferent expression. In a tone that was neither warm nor cold, he said, "Just say what you want to say directly, no need to beat around the bush."

As for the classification in the underworld, especially in the presence of the King of Ghosts, it is clearly not the case.

As her voice rose, her hands and feet moved in unison.

There is a faint, indescribable strangeness.

Yu Zhengdu originally intended to casually brush off the matter with his usual rhetoric regarding fire safety, taking the thank-you fee and leaving. However, upon hearing this question, he suddenly felt a shift in his heart, realizing that Wei Xiao might have already sensed something.

Wei Xiaobian spoke while dialing a number: "Xiao Ni, bring Mo Mo over."

The refined servant spirit.

Meanwhile, Yu Zhengdu's head suddenly buzzed, and that indescribable chill became tangible

The little girl has two small braids, wearing a red suspender dress, with lace trim on her socks, and in her hand, she holds a marionette shaped like a doll

Yu Zhengdu gathered the general context from their conversation and couldn't help but feel concerned for Wei Xiao, but unfortunately, there was nothing he could do to help in this matter

He abruptly closed his mouth halfway through his suspicious words

Wei Xiao, despite having seen much of the world, was taken aback but did not rush to inquire further. Instead, he followed Yu Zhengdu and Shang Que to the stairwell. As he walked, he found it hard to believe: "Is she really here? Mo Mo used to hide in the stairwell and almost got found; after that, she became very afraid of the stairwell. She would never come to a place like this herself..."

Fortunately, Wei Xiao did not put him in a difficult position and did not press further. Instead, he changed the subject and said: "To be honest, I have a daughter named Mo Mo, who just turned five this year. She has not been in good health since she was little, often falling ill. Her mother and I have taken her to see many renowned doctors, but to no avail. Later, her grandmother sought guidance from a wise person, who suggested that Mo Mo's health issues might not be due to congenital deficiencies..."

She lifted her foot again: "Look, I lifted my foot—"

As soon as the words fell, Shang Que abruptly snatched the puppet from Wei Mo's hand and threw it directly to the ground. He then stepped on it, and a piercing scream echoed from the puppet, sounding particularly chilling in the empty stairwell

Her hand lifted slightly: "Look, raising my hand—"

Shang Que did not speak, but merely looked indifferently in the direction of the little girl

Yu Zhengdu was anxious for him and said, "Boss, at critical moments, one should put aside their image; capturing ghosts is what matters most."

The assistant's voice was tinged with a sob: "I am already looking, and I believe I will find it soon."

At that moment, the previously indifferent Shang Que suddenly spoke up and casually asked, "If I help you find the person, will there be a reward?"

Wei Xiao suddenly stood up with a start, the previous gentle demeanor completely vanished, replaced by a face full of rage. He said sternly, "What did you say?"

Yu Zhengdu: "... ..."

One can only blame the boss for being too handsome, often causing people to forget his primary role

So much fun—hee hee—

Shang Que looked at him and smiled: "Did we not part ways by the elevator? Why not ask that group over there and find out?"

Yu Zhengdu was furious, pointing at Wei Xiaohai's daughter in his arms and saying, "Dare to lie again? The witness is right here!"

The puppet's foot has been raised

He instinctively stopped Wei Xiao and said, "Mr. Wei, don't go over there just yet; this is not the time for your daughter to be playing with puppets..."

Raise hand - Raise foot -

Wei Xiao urgently said: "Mo Mo, Daddy saw it."

The term "Yuegui" refers to spirits that have been refined or contained by individuals skilled in Taoist arts, and are thus bound to serve under them. This practice is commonly known as the art of controlling spirits. The spirits that can be bound are usually more ferocious than ordinary ones, and after refinement, their abilities significantly increase, becoming even more formidable. Without genuine skill, it is indeed challenging to subdue them.

The company's secrets must not be casually leaked; however, if Wei Xiao truly has suspicions, it may not be easy to deceive him.

Although Wei Xiao still felt some fear of the puppet, at this moment he could not afford to be afraid. He hurried over to pick up his daughter and gently comforted her.

Upon hearing the explanation, Yu Zhengdu immediately became very anxious, feeling that his breathing had quickened. He resolutely hid behind his boss, not wanting to show his face, at most extending a hand to massage his boss's shoulders, saying, "Go for it, it's all up to you!"

However, Yu Zhengdu's emotions were very stable as he grasped the puppet's neck and scolded, "Bold evil spirit! How dare you come out in broad daylight to harm others!"

Yu Zhengdu nodded slightly and said to Wei Xiaodao at https://m.hetushu.com: "General Wei, this way please."

Yu Zhengdu glanced at him, his eyes revealing a sense of eager anticipation: "Is it dangerous?"

Hehe

In a state of urgency, Yu Zhengdu could no longer pay attention to Wei Xiao's gaze and directly asked, "Have you seen a five-year-old girl?"

Move forward

The light in the stairwell is somewhat dim, and the silhouette of the little girl is faintly cast onto the wall behind her, along with that of the small puppet, creating a neat alignment of one large and one small shadow

It is very fun

After cursing a couple of times, it was still not satisfying, so I grabbed the puppet's head and yanked it wildly: "Is it still not fun!"

Yu Zhengdu did not expect Wei Xiao to be so perceptive, feeling a bit surprised internally, but maintained a high degree of consistency with the boss in demeanor, quietly putting on airs without responding.

At the corner of the staircase leading down to the lower half of the floor, there stood a short and plump little girl

The sound, reminiscent of a puppet leaking air, was filled with sorrow: "I, I didn't, I was just having a bit of fun, I didn't harm anyone!"

Shang Que changed to a posture of resting his chin on his hand, looking at him and asking without shame: "What does it mean to earn money with grace?"

Wei Xiaodun paused for a moment, looking at Yu Zhengdu, and asked with a hint of meaning in his words: "May I ask how you opened the elevator?"

She raised her hand and lifted her foot

Yu Zhengdu, feeling helpless, could only pull Shang Que along and run down together

The puppet raised its hand and lifted its foot

And Wei Xiao was almost about to pounce: "How much do you want? Just say the word, as long as you can help me find Mo Mo."

Shang Que asked him: "Do you want to play with puppets?"

Yu Zhengdu and Wei Xiao both fell silent.

Yu Zhengdu picked up the puppet and violently swung it against the wall, as if he were tossing noodles: "Lift your hands and feet, lift your grandpa!"

Running down five or six flights of stairs, a shadow suddenly flickered before them, and they abruptly came to a halt.

Yu Zhengdu also looked at him in shock, never expecting that the boss would learn to make money so quickly. He said with some difficulty, "Boss, can we make money with a bit more elegance..."

Wei Xiao had completely lost the composure he had just moments ago, pacing back and forth in place.

Wei Xiao finally found his daughter and immediately shouted: "Mo Mo!"

Hehe

The puppet's hand was raised

Wei Xiao, who witnessed the entire process, was expressionless and said, "Please take it, please take it, no need to be polite"

She raised her hand and lifted her foot

Mhetushucom.com still appeared aloof and detached from the mundane world, elegantly leaning against the back of the chair, merely nodding in response to Yu Zhengdu's remarks: "Yes."

Look, it's really fun

Wei Xiao looked at Shang Que with confusion and said anxiously, "Mr. Shang, she is my daughter"

Yu Zhengdu suddenly realized

Yu Zhengdu squatted on the ground, looking at the puppet, and condemned, "Not even sparing the children, truly despicable!"

He had just finished giving instructions when an assistant-like person knocked and entered, looking flustered, and said: "Mr. Wei, Wei, Mo, Mo... Mo Mo is missing—"

Wei Xiao also solemnly said: "I do not mind if you all send ... ... "

Everyone is using honorifics

The puppet has suffered a great injustice, almost crying out to the heavens, exclaiming: "This is how it is; I am truly a good spirit, I am innocent."

He led the anxious Wei Xiao back to the elevator entrance, where that group of ghosts was still obediently standing in line facing the wall, not daring to disturb the passersby.

After they sat down, Wei Xiao once again expressed his gratitude for their bravery. Yu Zhengdu responded very candidly: "There is no need to be so polite; once you accept the thank-you fee, it no longer counts as an act of bravery."

It is really fun

It is uncertain whether the big boss of a well-established company like Shuangjiao Technology would buy into this approach

The assistant's makeup was about to be washed away by sweat, and her voice trembled uncontrollably: "Just now, Mo Mo kept insisting on looking for you. I couldn't refuse her, so I took her to the elevator. Just at that moment, a document was delivered, and I went to receive it. When I turned around, Mo Mo had... had disappeared..."

Yu Zhengdu's classification of ghosts was still not very clear, and upon hearing this, Wen Yan felt somewhat confused and asked: "Are they fierce?"

Only the faint sound of a little girl's laughter drifts through the empty stairwell: "Hee hee—"

The merchant still looked lifeless. Only when he noticed the gaze directed at him did he slowly say: "The child is fine; he must have bumped into that group of spirits by the elevator, causing a bit of instability in his soul, which is why he ended up here."

Yu Zhengdu: Can the boss's focus still improve

Yu Zhengdu suddenly felt a deep respect; despite their company's small size, the boss's presence is formidable

Wei Xiao spoke with determination: "I will definitely pay for this."

Yu Zhengdu, with a dignified demeanor, said: "General Wei, rest assured, we will not exploit the earnings of children"

"Please, this way." Wei Xiao led Yu Zhengdu and Shang Que into the company's reception room

Yu Zhengdu, adopting the tone of Kang Jin and the others in daily conversation, stated very professionally: "Nothing should be allowed to roam freely outside, especially since you have made a mistake. Although it does not reach the level of a crime, administrative detention for a few days is necessary."

But Wei Xiao just stared blankly at the wall behind her; from the shadow, it was clear that the puppet had raised its hand first, using the string to direct his daughter

The puppet also raises its hand and lifts its foot

Wei Xiao, having navigated the business world, maintained a composed demeanor and said gently: "I just noticed that not only did this student open the elevator door, but it was also your efforts that allowed the elevator to close later, wasn't it"

Yu Zhengdu, seeing the ghost speak so sincerely, cast a skeptical glance at Shang Que.

Shang Que淡淡说道: "Hmm, it is a puppet playing with your daughter."

Wei Xiao's voice was as cold as an ice cellar. He slammed the table and said, "How fast? Give me time"

Wei Xiao finally regained a bit of his voice and looked at Shang Que with a pleading expression: "Mr. Shang, as long as you can save my daughter, I can pay any amount."

Shang Que thought for a moment and said, "In the realm of ghosts, it is considered quite fierce."

Yu Zhengdu felt an inexplicable chill rise from the depths of his heart, while Wei Xiao was overjoyed beyond expectation. He ran down wildly towards the source of the sound, shouting as he ran: "Mo Mo, where are you? Don't move, wait for Daddy to come over—"

After Yu Zhengdu finished speaking, he glanced at Wei Xiao and said, "General Manager Wei, you can do without this puppet; just give it to us."

He clearly saw that as the little girl's lips curled up, the face of the doll, which should not have had any expression, also revealed a sinister smile

Wei Xiao suddenly turned his head to look at him

Yu Zhengdu hurriedly reassured, "Mr. Wei, you need not feel this way. Searching for lost children is something every citizen should do; there is truly no need to discuss money."

Wei Xiaomou stared in astonishment as he spoke to the air, then confidently pointed in a direction. This reminded him of how he had previously spoken to the empty elevator, after which the elevator doors had closed.

The puppet spoke while wildly gesticulating; had it not been for Yu Zhengdu holding it tightly, it would likely have performed a kneeling act on the spot

Yu Zhengdu: "... ... Oh."

The assistant could hardly mention the time; the entire company was aware of the great boss's fondness for his precious daughter. Otherwise, he wouldn't frequently bring her to the office. The more this happened, the more anxious the assistant became, tears welling up in his eyes, yet he dared not cry. He could only muster the courage to say: "Very, very soon..."

The puppet was in a terrible state, trembling in Yu Zhengdu's hands like a sieve: "I am wronged. I was originally a ghost driven by others, and I managed to escape with great difficulty. Fearing being captured and taken back, I had no choice but to hide in these corners. Just now, I saw this little girl suddenly rush in. Her seven souls were unstable, and having been driven by others for so long, I couldn't help but want to experience the feeling of being the one who drives. That's why I possessed her puppet to play around a bit. I was just feeling empty and lonely; I truly had no intention of causing harm..."

Wei Xiaomian, with a complexion like golden paper, a dignified big boss, was rendered speechless, merely turning his head to stare blankly at Shang Que and Yu Zhengdu.

The little girl is bowing her head, intently pulling the strings of the puppet, continuously saying: "Raise your hand—raise your foot—"

Raise hand - Raise foot -

In their resolute negotiation, one refusing to accept money and the other insisting on payment, Shang Que had already walked past. He stood tall, his steps measured, and approached Wei Mo with composure

Wei's expression changed suddenly, and he finally sensed that something was amiss. He asked, "What do you mean by this?"

The voice carried a unique crispness and softness characteristic of a young girl. It should have been adorable, yet perhaps due to the elongated final syllables, or perhaps because of the echo, it created a wondrous ethereal feeling in the empty stairwell, imbued with an elusive sense of transience

Before long, the puppet could no longer hold back and sobbed, "I can't take it anymore, I can't take it anymore, please don't twist my head."

Wei Xiao's face was dark to an alarming degree as he glared at his assistant and said, "Why aren't you quickly calling someone to find them?"

Yu Zhengdu faintly felt a bit worried about the gratitude fee that had not yet been received

Just as he was about to run over, he was stopped by a raised hand from Shang Que.

Fortunately, he still remembered that the boss was not a human and could not be measured by human standards. He said softly, "Boss, a child going missing is not a trivial matter. If you know how to find them, please inform General Wei as soon as possible."

A ghost by the side extended a hand, pointing towards the direction of the stairwell, and said: "She went that way"

Wei Xiao was taken aback, and then saw Wei Mo shaking her head from side to side, her two little braids swaying along with it. She said, "Daddy, come here and play with me."

Hehe

Yu Zhengdu asked expressionlessly, "Boss, wasn't it said that this ghost is very fierce?"

Not dangerous. "The merchant's path, by the way, move your feet aside

At this moment, the little girl finally lifted her head, the corners of her mouth turning upward, forming a slight arc of a smile, her voice crisp yet tinged with a sense of emptiness: "Daddy—"

The sound was like sandpaper, rough and hoarse, becoming even more terrifying in the empty stairwell

Raise your hand, raise your foot

The merchant turned back and said: "Alright"