Chapter 145 Pyramid Scheme (ETL) Part 2
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Chapter 145 A Cure-All
In the middle of the night, several wandering ghosts came to the vicinity of the Gu family’s residence, circling around and around. Seeing Yu Ze’s car parked there in the distance, and gazing at the eerie purple aura surrounding it, they simply didn’t have the courage to approach.
After realizing each other’s intentions, the group of ghosts huddled together and began to chat politely. “I’m here to see Master Gu, and you are too, right?”
“Me too.”
“Yes, we’re all here to see Master Gu. You, you’re here to… to borrow money?”
“You too?”
“En.”
The ghosts paused for a moment. “Are you all here to buy that ‘putuan’ (meditation cushion)?”
“Yes, I’m missing an arm, and they say it can grow back after using it. I have no family, and I don’t have enough money, so I wanted to borrow some from Master Gu.”
“I came for that too, but that person is here, and we can’t get close. What should we do?”
The ghosts waited for 2 hours, but Yu Ze didn’t leave. Frustrated, they all left, deciding to come back tomorrow.
When Gu Ye woke up in the morning, he sensed a ghostly aura in the vicinity and asked doubtfully, “Were there ghosts lingering around here last night?”
Ling Ling jumped into Gu Ye’s backpack. “A few ghosts seemed to have something to do. I didn’t recognize them, so I didn’t go out to ask.”
Gu Ye smiled and said, “That’s right, don’t talk to those you don’t know, or you might get kidnapped.”
Watching Ling Ling hopping around right under Yu Ze’s nose, Gu Ye was a little puzzled. Wasn’t this girl afraid of Yu Ze’s purple aura?
At this moment, Ling Ling zipped up the zipper of the backpack herself. Gu Ye smiled and unzipped the zipper. Then he asked, “Daughter, can’t you feel the oppressive purple aura emanating from your Papa Yu?”
Ling Ling blinked. “I felt it, but I have this.” Ling Ling took out the red bead from the small pouch hanging at her waist, holding it in both hands. “It can help me block out some of the aura. Then I can wrap myself in resentment, and it won’t feel so bad.”
Gu Ye exclaimed in surprise, “This bead can be used like that? Interesting!”
Ling Ling showed off, “Feel it, it’s still warm.”
“It’s warm?”
“Yes, my hands are warm when I wear it.”
Gu Ye asked in shock, “You’re warm?!”
Ling Ling reached out her little hand and placed it on Gu Ye’s hand. Gu Ye was surprised to find that the child actually had a temperature! Compared to her previous cold and eerie appearance, she now possessed a more vibrant, living quality. Gu Ye said with delight, “You must wear this bead with you at all times; perhaps a miracle will happen.”
Though Ling Ling didn’t understand Gu Ye’s meaning, since her father told her to take it, she did. She carefully put the bead into her bag and patted it, saying, “Don’t worry, it won’t get lost.”
After breakfast, Gu Ye and Yu Ze went out together. In the car, Gu Ye said, “I have to be back here tonight. I sensed some wandering ghosts lingering outside the gate last night; they might be asking me for help.”
“How do you know they’re asking for help?”
“Then what do they want from me? Do they want to be annihilated?” Gu Ye said seriously, “They definitely won’t dare approach me with you here. I’ll come back by myself tonight; you’re not allowed to come with me.”
Despite his dissatisfaction, Yu Ze maintained a straight face and magnanimously let Gu Ye go, “En.”
…
That night, the wandering ghosts indeed returned. Gu Ye had Ye Li bring them in and asked inquiringly, “Do you need something from me?”
The little ghosts were embarrassed and hesitated for a moment before mustering their courage to say, “We want to borrow some money.”
Holding Da Hei, Gu Ye said unhurriedly, “I give you guys some pocket money every month on the fifteenth, enough to keep you going. What do you need money for?”
These wandering ghosts are either mutilated, with missing limbs or other disabilities. Fearing they’ll be reincarnated as disabled as before, they are unwilling to be reborn. Some are physically intact but have suffered hardships in life and haven’t yet been reincarnated to accumulate good karma. Others are spirits who died unjustly, but their time for reincarnation has not yet arrived. With no one to support them during this time, they are forced to roam the world as wandering ghosts. To prevent them from being forced to do evil, Gu Ye gives them some pocket money. When three ghosts suddenly came to borrow money, Gu Ye jokingly said, “Borrow money to get married (as a male)?”
The three ghosts shook their heads, embarrassed, and said, “No.”
Gu Ye narrowed his eyes. “Get married (married out, as a female)?”
“No!” The ghosts blushed at Gu Ye’s words. “We want to buy something.”
Gu Ye raised an eyebrow, asking curiously, “Buy what?”
The three ghosts hesitated for a moment. One of the younger ones whispered, “Buy something that will prevent us from becoming crippled.”
Gu Ye’s expression froze. He stopped teasing them. “You’ve been tricked. Where can you buy such a thing?”
“Yes, there is. It’s an instrument, like a meditation cushion. The old lady who sells it said it can cure any disease.”
Gu Ye’s lips twitched. “That sounds so unbelievable.”
“It’s true! The old lady said if she had used this sooner, she wouldn’t have died.”
Gu Ye frowned. “It sounds like a scam to me. Take me to see that old lady first. If it’s really that miraculous, I’ll buy one for each of you.”
The three little ghosts said excitedly, “We’ll lead the way. She sells it near the horse stall, very close by.”
Gu Ye followed the three little ghosts out the door and arrived at the roadside they had mentioned. There really was an old lady with gray hair, holding something that looked like a ‘putuan’, currently explaining it. A large group of ghosts surrounded her, mostly crippled, with missing limbs, blind, or crooked noses.
The old woman introduced it with great enthusiasm, “This stuff can cure all ailments! It cures arm pain, leg pain, rheumatism, hepatitis, sore throat, rhinitis, coughs—it cures everything! As the saying goes, ‘With three years’ worth of mugwort at home, there’s no need for a doctor.’ This cushion is made from mugwort. Just sit on it every day, and I guarantee it will cure your illness. Really, before I used it, my legs were always hurting, and this cured them! I won’t charge you much, just enough for the initial purchase price. There’s no afterlife for me if I dare to cheat you! I’m not a dishonest merchant!”
Watching the old woman closely, Gu Ye read her face. After realizing how the old woman had died, he was utterly speechless. What kind of mess was this?!
“This grandma!” Noticing the ghosts around him stirring restlessly1, Gu Ye interrupted the old woman’s introduction, “May I ask, if this thing is so useful, how did you die?”
“I died of illness!” The old woman wasn’t angry at all; in fact, she was quite kind. “Young man, if I had used this sooner, I would have been cured long ago. Look at you, so young and handsome…sigh!” The old woman looked at Gu Ye with pity. “Such a good child, how could you die so young?”
Gu Ye: “…”
The old woman kindly said, “Grandma won’t charge you extra. If you want it, I’ll give it to you at cost price. May you be reborn into a better life.”
Gu Ye pointed to his face, his lips twitching. “Grandma, I’m alive.”
“A living person?!” The old woman was startled. “How can you see me?”
Gu Ye said seriously, “I’m a Master, a ghost catcher.”
The old woman was terrified. “I’m a good ghost! I specifically introduced them to good products; I’ve done good deeds, so you can’t arrest me!”
Gu Ye was both amused and exasperated. “I won’t catch you. But where did you get this stuff from?”
Seeing Gu Ye’s amusing smile, the old woman, who didn’t seem inclined to attack, explained, “To treat their amputated limbs, I went to the person who sold me my products to get the goods. He was the one who sold me these products while I was alive.”
Gu Ye asked with mixed feelings, “So you went to him after you died?”
“Yes,” the old woman was quite talkative. “He said he would always guarantee after-sales service. If I sold them, he would give me a commission. If I ran out of stock, I would go to him for more.”
Gu Ye asked, his lips twitching, “Is that person still alive?”
“Look at what you’re saying. He’s perfectly fine. Or are you asking if he doesn’t want to deliver the goods to me? That won’t do. A person should be honest. He promised to deliver the goods once I sold them. If he doesn’t, I’ll go find him.”
“Pfft!” Gu Ye gave a thumbs-up in admiration. What goes around comes around, huh? He wonders what the person who brainwashed this old lady is thinking now.
The old lady said enthusiastically, “This stuff lasts a long time, really, believe me. My legs used to hurt so badly I couldn’t walk, and this cured them.” Then, she added regretfully, “If I had used this sooner, I wouldn’t be dead.”
Gu Ye tentatively asked, “What illness do you have?”
The old woman’s expression changed, and she looked distressed as she spoke, “Liver cancer.”
Gu Ye almost laughed, “Can mugwort cure liver cancer?”
The old lady gave Gu Ye a look like you young man, you’re so ignorant and said, “Why not? As long as you use it long enough, it can cure anything, even cancer.”
Gu Ye took a deep breath, “Okay, seriously, I’m very interested in your project. Can I recruit others?”
“Sure! You’re a perfect candidate, young man. Look at your face! Aiya, your natural advantages alone guarantee you’ll succeed!”
Gu Ye sighed. He realized the old woman genuinely wanted to do good and was convinced this thing could save lives. The more convinced she was, the more Gu Ye wanted to know: who had brainwashed this old woman? How many elderly people like this are there?
“Grandma, who burned this stock for you? Can you tell me?”
“No, we have rules. You can only contact us; you can’t see the people at the top.”
Gu Ye said helplessly, “You’ve been scammed by a pyramid scheme.”
The old lady was quite adamant, “How could it be a pyramid scheme? Pyramid schemes are all scams. This isn’t a scam; it really can cure diseases.”
Gu Ye was at his wits’ end. “Grandma, then please introduce me to that shop you used to work for when you were alive. I’ll start from the bottom and climb up the ladder. Let’s work together to contribute to the health of the people, okay?”
Gu Ye’s teeth ached after saying that; nobody believed it.
To her surprise, the old lady happily said, “Sure, I’ll take you! You can be a supervisor in a few months!”
Gu Ye: … Thank YOU so much!
The author has something to say:
Old lady: Supervisor, I’m here to stock up.
Raw word count: 7546 (whole chapter)
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