Chapter 28: The Time Shopkeeper vs. the Director of the Supernatural Abilities Bureau

The arrival of Yan Ye offered a glimmer of hope to Feng Zheng, who had been suffering under Zhuang Ruyin’s torment for nearly a month.

"Save me. Please, save me. She’s a lunatic, a pervert."

Feng Zheng’s accusations deeply wounded Zhuang Ruyin. She released him, staring at the man on the floor in disbelief.

"A lunatic? A pervert? Is that how you see me? Didn't you say you wanted a perfect girlfriend? Didn't you say a woman should stay home and serve her man? Now, you have everything handed to you—every psychological and physical need met. What more could you possibly be dissatisfied with? My dear, one shouldn't be too greedy. Otherwise, one day, when your desires explode, you’ll be like ash—gone with a single puff."

Upon realizing Feng Zheng was still alive, Zhuang Ruyin let out a sigh of relief. Yet, it was an eerie sigh, as if she were merely pleased to find her toy hadn't been dirtied and could still be played with.

With the sudden turn of events, Xu Zhiting finally noticed how scantily clad Zhuang Ruyin was. When she glanced his way, he instinctively averted his gaze. Yan Ye caught this, smiling inwardly; she hadn't expected Xu Zhiting to be so innocent.

Suddenly, two figures burst through the door.

"Boss, are you okay?"

Su Ran slapped Tang Shuo on the back. "What are you talking about? Of course, the Boss is fine."

Tang Shuo and Su Ran had been eating nearby when the incident occurred, making them the second group to arrive after Xu Zhiting. The living room suddenly felt crowded.

When Tang Shuo caught sight of Zhuang Ruyin’s attire, his eyes widened. Su Ran noticed, and in a fit of annoyance, kicked him in the backside. "Have you no shame?"

Tang Shuo felt wronged; the space was so small that it was impossible not to look, and even harder to look away. His eyes simply focused on their own accord. While Tang Shuo couldn't achieve a state of detachment, he noticed that Xu Zhiting truly seemed devoid of desire, treating the woman like a lifeless object.

Zhuang Ruyin intentionally shifted her body, her skirt swaying and her chest prominently displayed.

Zhuang Qingchun couldn't believe what her owner, whom she had grown up beside, had become. "How did you end up like this?"

Zhuang Ruyin only then noticed the timid young girl standing to the side, her large, shimmering eyes fixed directly on her. The gaze felt vaguely familiar, yet she was certain she had never met this person before.

"I am your..." Suddenly, Zhuang Ruyin spotted a strange crystal charm hanging from a bag on the cabinet. Feeling her status threatened, she excitedly grabbed the bracelet, the crystal turning warm in her palm as she demanded, "What is this? Where is the original charm you had? That beautiful one you loved so much?"

Though she didn't know how the woman knew about her previous charm, Zhuang Ruyin replied dismissively, "It broke, so I threw it away. Is it so strange to buy a new one?" She then snatched the charm back with an unnatural expression.

Zhuang Qingchun was on the verge of tears, her hands trembling. When the charm was snatched away, its sharp edges grazed her palm, drawing beads of blood. It hurt so much! Why did it hurt so much?

Wasn't she just a charm?

Her tears fell in rhythmic drops. This was the owner she had grown up with, watching her grow from a little girl into a woman. On countless walks to school, she had hung quietly on the strap of her schoolbag, listening to her chat and laugh with classmates. As her little owner skipped along, she had swayed right along with her. They had returned home together under the evening glow.

She had accompanied her through countless sunrises and sunsets. When she got dirty, her owner would sit on a stool and gently wipe her clean with a wet tissue. In the dead of night, when the owner missed her family, she would hold her tightly and whisper, "If only you were human, then you could keep me company!"

And now, she was told it was all a lie.

"So, I am something you can discard at any time."

Zhuang Ruyin could have countless beautiful charms, but she only had her! The affection they received was only for a limited time.

Zhuang Ruyin paused, slightly stunned. "What did you say?"

Zhuang Qingchun shook her head, looking aggrieved. "I don't want to be friends with you anymore. You don't want me." With that, she threw herself into the arms of Yan Ye, who was watching the scene unfold. "From now on, I’ll be with you. You take care of me."

Ah, the drama had landed right in her lap. Yan Ye tried to pull her arm away, but couldn't. "Don't touch me."

Tang Shuo, catching a signal from Xu Zhiting, stepped forward and patted Zhuang Qingchun on the shoulder. "Um... sorry to interrupt. Putting the 'taking care of' issue aside, Miss, you need to come back to the Paranormal Bureau with us." A charm had become a sentient being. Tang Shuo didn't want to imagine what would happen if he woke up in the middle of the night to find his room full of stuffed animals dancing in the living room.

Forget it. Tang Xu could dance in front of his own funeral altar; a sentient toy wasn't even that strange. The world had gone mad, anyway. It certainly wasn't his problem.

Zhuang Qingchun was fitted with a pair of shackles. As they touched her skin, they locked tight and slowly faded into invisibility. While ordinary people couldn't see them, Yan Ye saw everything—there were no keyholes on those cuffs.

Yan Ye was not happy. It was one thing to steal her prey last time, but now they were openly stealing her customer.

"She is a customer of my Timeless Grocery Store. No one is allowed to touch her."

"She is also a target of interest for the Paranormal Bureau. Her current energy fluctuations are abnormal and pose a risk. If she is cleared of any issues, we will release her after registration and verification."

Unexpectedly, Xu Zhiting did not back down this time. Yan Ye was well-acquainted with the Bureau’s auditing rules: sluggish, slow-moving, and filled with endless questioning. By the time the process was finished, the opportunity would have long since passed. It severely impacted her business.

In the past, when she pressed those old men for progress, they would play dumb or throw tantrums. They used every excuse: "Don't rush me, I have a heart condition," or "I'm old, don't panic, if you panic, I'll panic more." The most infuriating ones would lie on the ground, kicking and screaming that Yan Ye was bullying an old man. It had made her lose quite a few hairs in frustration.

The tension between the two was palpable. Tang Shuo didn't know who to listen to. *Why don't you two just fight and let the winner decide?*

Yan Ye righteously declared that she did not agree. Xu Zhiting walked toward her, his expression unreadable. Tang Shuo marveled inwardly: the Boss was truly the Boss, treating everyone equally regardless of gender when it came to official business.

*Timeless Grocery Store Owner vs. Paranormal Bureau Chief.* If this were a livestream, it would have at least hundreds of thousands of viewers!

Yan Ye gathered strength in her palm; if this man dared to make a move, she would strike first. Sensing Yan Ye’s hostility, Xu Zhiting looked at her with a hurt expression, seemingly unable to believe it.

"Do you think I would hurt you?"

Yan Ye said nothing, her silence serving as her answer.

Xu Zhiting stopped his advance and stood his ground. He spoke in a strictly professional tone: "The Paranormal Bureau is on official business. Interference by unauthorized personnel is prohibited. If the proprietor wants her back, come collect her in three days."

Without hesitation, he turned and left. Su Ran and Tang Shuo exchanged a look, quickly cuffed Zhuang Qingchun and Zhuang Ruyin, and retreated.

Yan Ye stomped her foot in anger. "He’s actually angry! He’s actually angry! What does he have to be angry about? If anyone should be angry, it’s me!"

Feng Zheng, lying on the ground and gasping for his last breaths, wanted to nod, but what he really wanted to say was: Could someone please call an ambulance?