Chapter 6: The Black Business Card Imprinted with the Shop's Name

"How many is that now?" A voice, raspy as if scraped by a blade, echoed dully through the warehouse.

"Three hundred and seventy-two." Yan Ye affixed a label and placed the jar into its designated compartment. She stepped back a few paces and looked up at the entire wall of glass jars. Three hundred and seventy-two in total; each glass container held a soul. Each soul emitted a different glow.

Together, they formed the only visible, kaleidoscopic display in the darkness.

Yan Ye finished the task in silence, turned, and left the warehouse without a moment's hesitation, never noticing the giant eye behind her watching her in silence. It wasn't until the darkness swallowed it once more that a heavy sigh resonated through the gloomy space.

Two days later, an uninvited guest arrived at the door.

Yan Ye opened it, frowning as she took in the visitor's appearance.

"You shouldn't have come here. Go back."

Xu Luo reached out to grab the door as it began to close, speaking with desperate urgency. A sickly, fragile air clung to her. "No, please, I beg you. I won't do anything; I just want you to pass these things to him. I won't bother him, I promise. I know the rules."

Only then did Yan Ye notice the bags the woman was carrying, filled with an assortment of odds and ends.

A black card printed with the shop's name was held out to her. Yan Ye took it and glanced at it; it was indeed one she had given out.

"We’ve met."

"Hmm?" Yan Ye’s gaze bored into the woman’s eyes, and fragments of the past surfaced in her mind.

Five years ago.

Yan Ye was on her way back to Jing City, carrying a large trunk, accompanied by a dog and a foolish-looking robot.

Walking the streets of Jing City in the dead of night, intending to go home, she ran into a group of drunken, arrogant men who thought they could harass her. Just as she was about to teach them a lesson, a dark figure darted out first, standing in front of her while waving a phone and threatening to call the police.

The result was that the woman almost got herself into trouble, and in the end, it was Yan Ye who had to step in and deal with the drunks. The consequence was that she ended up with an extra burden.

"It’s you." She hadn't expected the other party to be so obsessed that she would use the business card to find this place.

The living were not permitted to enter the shop, but it was a different story if they held a card issued by Yan Ye. It was equivalent to a free pass.

After accepting the items and sending the woman away, Yan Ye brought them inside.

Xu Luo walked down the alley, feeling unreconciled. Although she desperately wanted to enter the house, Yan Ye was simply too cold. Just as she reached the end of the alley, a hooded man appeared before her. He wore a loose hoodie, jeans washed to a pale gray, and a pair of low-end sneakers. A face mask covered most of his face, leaving only his eyes visible—an unnaturally reddish hue. He appeared to be a very young boy.

Xu Luo shrank back in fear, her lips trembling.

"I have delivered the items as you requested."

...

The card she had been clutching tightly in her hand turned to ash at that moment, scattering into the air.

A warning sound rang out through the courtyard.

Feeling a sudden heat at her fingertips, Yan Ye instinctively let go, watching as several items spilled from the bags Xu Luo had delivered.

A blood-stained talisman rose into the air as if possessed, flying toward Yan Ye with imposing momentum.

She stood her ground, her gaze indifferent, her posture completely unmoved.

The talisman hovered just three fingers' width away from her before it began to burn from one corner. Moments later, all that remained on the ground were some ashes, and within them, a note appeared. Jin Yuanbao, who had been lurking to the side for a long time, wiggled its round body over, picked up the note, brushed off the dust, and presented it to Yan Ye as if offering a treasure.

Pearl, the dog, circled nearby, barking.

The cursing was quite foul.

As she unfolded the note in her palm, a few lines of crooked, illegible scrawl were revealed.

An outsider might have thought she was contemplating some grave matter, but in reality, she couldn't make sense of a single word.

If she scattered some dog food, even Pearl’s paw prints would look more elegant than this handwriting.

"Useless. Throw it all away." With that, she went inside, changed into her pajamas, climbed under the covers, and opened a popular literature website. She began reading the novel she had been following lately, and as she read, the page stayed on a certain chapter until her eyes slowly closed.

Meanwhile, the person still waiting expectantly outside the alley waited night after night.

Before leaving, they cursed under their breath.

"Unsportsmanlike Yan Ye."

After sleeping for three days, Yan Ye went out to forage for food. It was the weekend, and the mall was crowded. She grabbed a number from the reception, estimated the wait time, and turned toward the second floor.

She found a pet supply store, intending to get a new bed for Pearl.

The transparent glass reflected her image, and she saw not only herself but also the person who had been staring at her from not far away.

Without a hint of embarrassment at being discovered, a short man in glasses wearing a baseball cap jogged toward her. He had a camera hanging around his neck. Wiping the sweat from his palms, he nervously pulled out a business card.

From a distance, he hadn't noticed, but face-to-face, he was struck by the inherent coldness radiating from the woman before him.

This face was going to be a massive hit.

"Hello, I’m Li Yue, an agent from Starry Sky Media. I’ve been observing you for a while. I find that you perfectly match our company’s image. I wonder if you have any interest in entering the entertainment industry?"

Ah! That rang a bell.

Wasn't Starry Sky Media the company she had founded out of boredom a long time ago?

Who was the manager now? What was his name again?

Right, Han Lü.

Yan Ye took the card and glanced casually at the name, phone number, and address. Seeing her accept it, Li Yue, thinking he had a chance, proactively invited her to sit at a nearby cafe to talk. "If you’re worried, I can take you to the company to see for yourself right now. Starry Sky isn't a small firm; the benefits are excellent. Top-tier stars like Dong Zhenzhen, Gu Sheng, Lu Chen, Tang Xu... they are all artists under our agency."

Dramas that became hits before they even aired, concerts that were impossible to get tickets for.

Everyone who came out of Starry Sky held a certain status in the industry.

Starry Sky was also known as the "North Star" and the "Star Factory" of the industry.

Yan Ye enjoyed the flattery from this agent; she listened with rare focus, and the coffee, once consumed, felt sweet rather than bitter.

"Very well. I’ll consider it. For now, I have other important matters. Mr. Agent, may we conclude this conversation?" Yan Ye ended the talk politely and rose to leave.

Still immersed in the woman's gentle tone, it wasn't until he reacted that he realized she had already reached the door.

Fearing that the golden opportunity would slip away, Li Yue quickly pulled out his phone, gesturing for Yan Ye to add him on WeChat.

Are you sure you want to add her? Once you are on her friends list...

...

Li Yue held his phone, showing off to his friends' group that he had added the goddess.

Yes, just one minute ago, he had declared in his heart that Yan Ye was his goddess. He could forgo being an agent, but he *had* to have the goddess's WeChat.