Li Li quickly helped Sylvia up, stopping her before her knees could fully hit the floor.

  Although she was the temple's heir, she was *only* the heir—not a grandmaster ready to take disciples. Besides, she had only said Sylvia could join Taoism, not that she would become Sylvia's *Shifu*. How could she accept such a heavy bow?

  *That would shorten my lifespan!*

  Fortunately, Li Li practiced martial arts daily and had good arm strength. She steadied Sylvia firmly.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the onlookers in the hallway put their phones away in disappointment.

  *Phew. Almost became famous again.*

  "Watch less stuff from search engines," Li Li lectured. "Lots of fake info out there."

  Sylvia scratched her cheek, looking innocent. "I learned it from Chinese TV dramas."

  Li Li was puzzled. "What drama teaches *that*?"

  "***Journey to the West***."

  Sylvia’s logic was sound: If even the **Great Sage Equal to Heaven** (Monkey King) didn't hesitate to kneel when seeking a master, wouldn't it show insincerity if she knelt too late?

  Li Li: "..."

  "Watch less of that too," Li Li said. "You're mixing genres."

  Sylvia nodded, though she clearly didn't quite understand.

  "So, do we have club activities today?" Sylvia asked, eager.

  Li Li did a mental calculation. *No homework today, and the supermarket discounts don't start until 8 PM. Going home late is fine.*

  "Sure," Li Li said. "I'll teach you an important skill right now."

  Sylvia's eyes lit up.

  The swordplay Li Li had performed while exorcising the ghost in the gym had completely captivated her. She'd dreamed about wielding a peach-wood sword herself for nights.

  *Is she going to teach me the sword techniques?* Sylvia thought happily.

  Since the hallway was crowded, Li Li took Sylvia to a quiet corner. She pulled a stack of half-folded **gold foil paper** from her backpack, took two sheets, and handed one to Sylvia.

  "This is the most important skill."

  Then, Li Li’s fingers flew. In seconds, she folded a perfect **Gold Ingot**.

  Sylvia, confused but earnest, followed Li Li's movements and clumsily folded one too.

  Li Li guided her through two or three more until Sylvia could produce plump, symmetrical ingots on her own.

  "Mmm," Li Li made a satisfied sound, nodding like an old master. "**Rúzǐ kě jiào.** Teachable. Very teachable."

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  Sylvia didn't understand the Chinese idiom, but she guessed Li Li was praising her. She blushed with pride.

  "Take these back and fold them all," Li Li said, shoving the remaining stack of gold foil into Sylvia's arms. "When you finish, I have more."

  *Wait. Not teaching me Chinese swordplay?*

  Sylvia looked slightly disappointed holding the stack of paper. "Is this... really that important?"

  "Of course," Li Li nodded emphatically.

  *Don't we always need to burn spirit money when requesting help from the Reapers? I still don't know if I've paid off my debt to the Black and White Reapers yet.*

  "There's an old Chinese saying: **'Money makes the ghost turn the millstone.'**" Li Li said with a profound, mysterious expression. "Just keep folding. No amount is ever enough."

  Seeing Li Li's serious face and hearing an "Old Chinese Saying," Sylvia was convinced. This *must* be a vital foundation skill. Her expression instantly turned determined.

  "I will fold them well!"

  "Exactly!" Li Li almost wanted to applaud. "Once you finish these, I'll teach you something else."

  *Like folding paper figurines, cutting paper clothes, making Protection Charms—I can outsource all of it!*

  Hearing this, Sylvia's fighting spirit ignited again.

  *After joining a sect, you start with menial tasks to temper your character. Only after earning the Master's approval do you get to learn the secret arts. This is Li Li's test! She's testing my perseverance!*

  *That's exactly how they do it in the dramas!*

  Sylvia swallowed the **"Big Pie"** (empty promise) Li Li had drawn for her whole, without even chewing.

  Li Li didn't know what Sylvia was thinking, but the girl seemed to be steaming with enthusiasm, like a shōnen manga protagonist powering up.

  *Whatever. As long as someone is folding ingots for me, I can rest my hands for a few days.*

  Li Li looked at her own fingers, still stained yellow from the cheap foil. It wouldn't wash off.

  Having taught the "skill," Li Li had nothing else to impart. They said goodbye. Before leaving, Li Li gave Sylvia a newly made **Protection Charm**.

  *This is my free labor force. Can't let anything happen to her.*

  Sylvia was overjoyed, thanking her repeatedly. After the gym incident, her original charm had turned to ash and crumbled. She felt naked without one.

  Li Li waved it off. "No problem."

  Making these took seconds. During summer break, when she worked for free at the temple, she churned out hundreds a day.

  ---

  They went their separate ways.

  On her way home, Li Li spotted Jack from afar on campus.

  He looked completely different from the guy at the club fair. Shedding the goth makeup and black clothes, Jack now had a slight "nerdy but fit" vibe. He seemed to be hitting the gym, looking bulkier than a week ago. He was walking with classmates, chatting and laughing, heading to the cafeteria.

  He had fully transformed into a **Normie**.

  Jack seemed to sense someone watching. He glanced in Li Li's direction.

  Li Li slowly raised her hand to wave.

  Jack froze. He looked as if he'd seen a ghost—no, worse. He quickly averted his gaze, practically shoving his friends. "Let's walk faster. The good food will be gone."

  They speed-walked away.

  Li Li watched Jack's retreating back, awkwardly turning her wave into a face scratch.

  *Looks like he's cutting all ties with his dark past.*

  Li Li scratched her cheek. *But I'm not a ghost. Is he that scared of me?*

  What Li Li didn't know was that, in Jack's view, ghosts were terrifying. But someone who could make ghosts scream and disappear? That was a predator further up the food chain.

  ---

  Li Li returned to her apartment and lit incense for Xiao Mei as usual.

  She squatted before the cardboard shrine, hugging her knees, observing Xiao Mei's spirit. She nodded. "In a couple of days, try coming out of the figurine."

  "What for?" Xiao Mei was suspicious. She was comfortable inside. "Trying to evict me?"

  Li Li rolled her eyes. "I think your resentment is mostly cleansed. You can come out and move around. Staying cooped up in there all the time can't be good for your... mental health?"

  Xiao Mei grew a bit shy. Li Li had burned her many pretty paper dresses, and she wanted to try them on. "How long can I stay out?"

  "Come out during the day," Li Li said. "Stay in the figurine at night. Don't disturb my sleep."

  Xiao Mei was happy. "Then I'll guard the house for you during the day. Guarantee no bad guys get in."

  Li Li couldn't help but chuckle. "Everyone knows this place is a murder house. Who'd be bold enough to break in? People give me a **three-foot berth** when I walk through the hallway."

  "Ah?" Xiao Mei felt a pang of guilt. In her culture, socializing was paramount. "Then... you can't make friends because of me?"

  "It's fine," Li Li smiled slightly. "I made one at school today."

  **Glossary:**

  * **"Money makes the ghost turn the millstone":** (有钱能使鬼推磨) The Chinese equivalent of "Money talks," but literally involving ghosts and labor. Li Li is using it to justify her child labor exploitation. ??

  * **"Big Pie" (画大饼):** A Chinese slang term for making empty promises or painting a rosy future that may never happen. Bosses do it to employees; Li Li is doing it to Sylvia.

  ---