"The poem 'Mountain Ghost,' from 'Songs of Chu: Nine Songs,' is essentially a sacrificial song for mountain spirits. If viewed from this angle, the Mountain Ghost as an ancient legend indeed has a long history. But the problem is..."

"Isn't she a woman?" Huai Shi's eyes widened.

"Dude, don't generalize," Raven sighed helplessly. "You can't assume all Mountain Ghosts are female just because someone wrote that a Mountain Ghost is a woman, right?" After saying this, she couldn't help but mutter under her breath, "Although it does account for a large part..."

"You just said it accounts for a large part!" Huai Shi glared and pulled out his phone, pointing to the text on the screen. "And no matter how you look at it, shouldn't Mountain Ghosts be something like God Spirits? Aren't these kinds of Stigmas at least Fifth Stage?"

"City Gods are also spirits, but do you think those guys up there would treat a City God as one of them?" Raven scoffed. "I told you not to generalize—although from its origins, the Mountain Ghost was indeed endowed with Divine Nature, it's only a demigod with godly blood or a naturally born soul. The former is just a fiercely competitive intern, and the latter is pretty much a temporary worker. Even though they are noble in status, at best they are on the level of a mountain deity. Moreover, most of the time, 'Mountain Ghost' refers to the spirits and ghosts of the mountains, not limited to gender. So what exactly are you thinking? Planning to become a top-tier cross-dresser?"

After listening to her explanation, Huai Shi felt there was something not quite right, but this person had recently upgraded her nonsense-talking skills so quickly that he couldn't keep up. It was a case of 'the righteous rise by a foot, the demonic by ten'; this woman was alarmingly wicked when she put her mind to it...

Seeing that she had bamboozled Huai Shi, Raven whistled triumphantly, spread her wings, flew into the living room, and called out loudly, "Uncle Fang? Uncle Fang? What's for dinner tonight? Do you still have those big lobsters from the day before yesterday? Bring me two more..."

"Dream on! You still want lobster?! Where's the money to buy lobsters now?!" When she mentioned that, Huai Shi thought of his own empty bank balance, and anger surged within him. "Tonight I'll cook myself, and I'll make you a bowl of 'Wasteful Woman Blew All the Money So We're Reduced to Eating Instant Noodles,' how's that?"

Saying this, he rolled up his sleeves and walked into the kitchen, ready to show off his diligently honed dark culinary arts, only to be chased out by Uncle Fang, who was glaring and huffing, obviously not amused. This was a first.

"Young Master, the kitchen is a place to bring happiness and joy. It's alright to mess around outside, but please don't bring that sort of crooked nonsense back home!" Uncle Fang's expression was stern and serious, his usual good humor gone. This was the first time he'd protested against Huai Shi's absurd behavior.

Huai Shi immediately caved, shrinking his neck and taking the lecture. Raven nodded in agreement from the side. "That's right, that's right! Uncle Fang, you tell him! If a kid keeps misbehaving, a good spanking will sort them out..."

"And you, Lady Crow!" Uncle Fang raised an eyebrow and stepped forward. "Next time, please don't use the ingredients I've marinated in advance for your drinks, and please stop egging the Young Master on to join such vulgar events! Otherwise, I might have to cut down your snack rations."

"Is this all my fault? I'm so innocent..." Raven blinked innocently and was about to say more, but she couldn't help but look away under Uncle Fang's steady gaze. Shrugging guiltily, she said, "I'll be more careful next time, okay?"

Seeing that both had made a promise, Uncle Fang nodded in satisfaction. Not saying much more, he turned and brought dinner from the kitchen to the table. "Today I made sour and spicy shrimp soup, used the leftover chicken from yesterday to make tacos, along with cheese-baked potato skins. The main dish is an Aztec-style pan-seared dragonfish I just learned to make... accompanied by a bit of champagne, just the right amount."

Uncle Fang took out two stemmed glasses and poured them a drink. He then sighed with emotion. "I must say, Americans really have something going for them when it comes to food, especially this chickpea mash—it's incredibly fascinating."

"Old Fang, are you an Angel?" Raven looked at the table full of high-calorie foods, so moved that she was about to cry.

"It's just a little hobby of mine. Please enjoy," Uncle Fang replied modestly, stepping back. He watched them indulge with satisfaction, smiled, and then turned to go back into the kitchen to clean up the dishes.

After spending an entire day in the cellar, Huai Shi was ravenous. Raven ate even faster, her beak opening wide like a bottomless pit as she devoured the food like a whirlwind. She consumed more than half of it and even directed Huai Shi to pass her the dishes she couldn't reach.

Huai Shi glanced at her, annoyed, and placed the dragonfish in front of Raven. "Here, eat. This is my flesh." Then he picked up the champagne and set it beside her. "And drink. This is my blood."

Raven paused, subconsciously glancing at the cream by Huai Shi's hand.

Huai Shi was silent for a long time, suddenly feeling an overwhelming urge to bang his head against a wall. To be stuck with such an unreliable Contractor, there probably was no hope for him in this lifetime! Thinking of the more than ten million US dollars he had spent flying around, his heart bled. That was more than ten million US dollars! Ten million US dollars that he would have to play his violin part-time for over a thousand years to earn back! And right after he got his hands on the money, before it even warmed his pocket, he'd only bought a monthly game pass and hadn't even had the chance to indulge in luxury before it was gone! Gone! Turned into a bunch of miscellaneous instruments and a few worthless books that were basically protection money. His heart was breaking. Last time when he dealt with the Savior Association, the gaming console Shen Yue promised him had just been delivered, and he hadn't even had the chance to buy games for it yet—gone!

"My money..." Huai Shi put down his knife and fork. As he looked at the empty plates on the table, which mirrored his bank account, he couldn't help the tears welling up in his eyes. Oh Leon, is life always this painful, or is it just childhood that's like this?

"Ah, about the money, the Young Master need not worry," Uncle Fang suddenly popped his head out from the kitchen, where he was washing dishes. He took off his gloves and reassured him.

"Hmm?" Huai Shi turned his head in bewilderment.

"It's a long story," Uncle Fang pondered for a moment before explaining. "Aside from the Huai clan's shipping business, before the Old Master passed away, he mortgaged all his pioneering equipment and achievements and entrusted the Dwarf from the Magic Gold Bank to manage and invest them on his behalf. Although the Huai clan's shipping business is no longer around, I made inquiries a few days ago and have reconfirmed that part of the Border assets." At this point, Uncle Fang suddenly looked a bit regretful. "Although due to inflation and other reasons, their value has shrunk significantly, aside from the principal that can't be withdrawn as it hasn't matured yet, the accumulated fixed dividends over the years amount to around forty million US dollars."

"What!" Huai Shi almost jumped up. "Forty? Million?"

"I have already applied for it in the Young Master's name. However, according to the Old Master's will, only six percent of the liquid funds can be used each year before the official heir comes of age." As he spoke, he carefully took out a black card from his pocket and placed it in front of Huai Shi. "After deducting the fixed daily living expenses, as well as the necessary expenses for the maintenance and operation of Stone Marrow Pavilion and so on, there's a total of one million four hundred thousand US dollars."

"One million four hundred? Thousand? US dollars?" Huai Shi looked down, staring blankly at the card with an unfamiliar bank logo, his mouth agape. And to think, once he turned eighteen next year, there would be forty million US dollars waiting for him. And then, there would be an even more terrifying amount of principal once the contract matured... He suddenly felt as if the world had become fantastical. Incredible.

"This is..." Huai Shi looked up, grasped Uncle Fang's hand, and couldn't help the 'kitty tears' from flowing. "Is this for me?"

"Precisely." Uncle Fang nodded with a smile and then reached out to pat a black wing that was sneakily extending towards the card, pushing the covetous appendage aside.

"I... I..." Huai Shi gazed at the card dumbly, feeling dizzy. Suddenly he had gone from penniless to rich at lightning speed. The whirlwind of life was too rapid; he was feeling a bit carsick. Although his heart was filled with innumerable shouts of exhilaration, in the end, Huai Shi couldn't help but swallow, extend his hand, and give the card back to Uncle Fang. "You keep it... for me, for now."

He was afraid. Not afraid of spending recklessly, but afraid that before he even had the chance to do so, some shameless woman would spend it all... He needed to plan carefully how he would spend this one million four hundred thousand US dollars.

Uncle Fang didn't insist further but solemnly pocketed the Black Card before nodding. "If you need it, you may ask at any time."

"I'll go rest for a bit... take a rest..." With a dazed smile plastered on his face, Huai Shi struggled to his feet, staggering towards his room as if floating on air.

"Silly kid, not used to being rich, huh," Lady Crow landed on Uncle Fang's shoulder and sighed helplessly. "I bet he's thinking about whether or not to buy another monthly game pass right now."

"Thriftiness is a virtue," Uncle Fang calmly defended his Young Master, as always.

"There are so many virtues in the world. How many of them truly bring happiness?" Lady Crow shook her head in wonder. Draping her wing over Uncle Fang's shoulder like a comforting arm, she pulled out her phone to show him. "You see, Old Fang, this professional-grade ultra-clean workbench produced by the Cavendish Workshop..."

"That's not in the budget, Lady Crow." Uncle Fang casually pressed down her wing, which was sneakily trying to reach into his pocket, and said sternly, "Besides, these are all the Young Master's assets. I suggest you consult with the Young Master first."

Lady Crow stared at Uncle Fang with big, watery eyes, while he remained unfazed, his expression calm.

Finally, she sighed dejectedly. "Alright, alright, I'll try to work on his thinking a bit later... Spending a bit of money seems as hard as taking his life. I bet he's definitely thinking about how to get another monthly pass right now..."

"I'm sorry I can't help you with that, Lady Crow, but I have prepared another gift for you." As he spoke, Uncle Fang bent down and pulled open a drawer. From between knitting needles and several balls of yarn, he carefully took out a small woolen vest, holding it up and presenting it to Lady Crow. It was a pure white little vest, lined with cashmere, and the back was meticulously embroidered with a raven's head.

"Please don't laugh," Uncle Fang said with a hint of shyness. "The weather's getting cool, and it's hard to find clothes in your size on the market, so I took the liberty of making one myself..."

"Old Fang..." Lady Crow held the little vest, dazed for a long moment, her eyes brimming with tears. "You really are an Angel, right?"

"It's just a little hobby of mine." The elderly butler smiled as always, watching Lady Crow depart.

After a while, he turned his head and curiously inspected the gaming console in the living room, his expression turning serious, as if facing a formidable foe.

Games, huh? I don't understand them... Are they really that fun?

He scratched his thinning, gray hair, a little puzzled. He then decisively took out his phone, awkwardly searching for related products, his eyes soon dazzled by the overwhelming array of choices.

"These... are all in stock?"

"'They're all in stock, dear,' the seller responded promptly."

Uncle Fang frowned, troubled. Finally, he selected all the games that had covers featuring scantily-clad women. "This one, this one, and this one..." he muttered. "Except for these," he then declared. "I'll take all the others. And make them the deluxe editions."

"..."

On the other end of the screen, the stupefied seller's mind filled with an impossible number of question marks.

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