Bai Songyin felt his emotions of being touched completely shattered. Bewildered, he gave an awkward laugh and tentatively asked, “Ancestor, are you joking? You just don’t want us to feel too sad, right?”
Su Weisheng cast him a sidelong glance and replied unhurriedly, “Of course not. Back then, I pointed at my page in the clan registry and declared, ‘If that’s the case, let my bloodline end here. From this day forth, no descendants will appear on my page, nor will my lineage continue’.”
Su Ran, with a stiff face, refused to give up and asked, “But if that’s true… how did I, my dad, my grandpa, and my grandpa’s dad even exist?”
Su Weisheng smiled faintly. “What’s so hard about that? After choosing the heavenly punishment, I simply transferred my household registration from my page in the clan registry over to my brother’s section. I moved myself under his name—problem solved. My page is officially childless and my bloodline ended neatly.”
Bai Songyin was incredulous. “You could actually do that?”
“Not only that,” Su Weisheng continued with a smile, “I even forcibly titled my brother as the fifth-generation High Priest, recognized him as my father, and recorded his ten-year-old son as my own child—your great-grandfather.”
He clapped his hands cheerfully. “At the time, I only declared that my page would be childless and my bloodline severed. But I never said I couldn’t adopt myself into someone else’s lineage and claim a son. See? Perfectly balanced solution.”
He still vividly remembered his brother’s reaction back then—beating his chest and stomping his feet, endlessly regretting the moment he’d mocked him by saying, “Only a High Priest gets to move households.” That single comment had come back to bite him hard. By then, it was far too late.
Su Ran remained speechless, processing it all. “Does it make sense? It makes sense, but it’s absurd! Ancestor, you were truly a genius at exploiting the loopholes of divine punishments two hundred years ago.”
Bai Songyin’s expression was dazed. Initially, he had just thought Brother Ran was disrespectful and unfilial for stealing inheritance during a worship ceremony. Turns out, this behavior was genetically passed down!
After finishing his story, Su Weisheng appeared pleased. He waved to the two dumbfounded juniors. “Come, my great-grandchildren. Lead the way.”
Su Ran stammered, “W-where to?”
“To your house, of course. Didn’t I already say? Since you’re here for the worship, you can’t leave empty-handed.” Su Weisheng started walking out ahead.
Bai Songyin snapped out of his daze, staring at their ancestor’s retreating figure with tears in his eyes. He followed Su Ran and whispered anxiously, “Brother Ran, no way, right? Are we really bringing a ghost home?!”
Su Ran’s face was pale and stiff, his lips barely moving as he gritted out, “Shut up, you jinx! If you hadn’t been running your mouth earlier, maybe we wouldn’t have awakened the ancestor!”
Su Weisheng suddenly turned back, his voice calm and cold. “Still not coming?”
Under the moonlight, the gold patterns on one corner of his mask glimmered faintly, tracing an elegant line down his earlobe to his pale jawline. His lips curved slightly upward, forming a faint smile—but the sight was chillingly eerie.
The two timid juniors shuddered violently and scrambled to follow, stumbling over themselves as they cried out, “Coming, coming!”
Su Ran climbed into the driver’s seat and prepared to start the car, while Bai Songyin obsequiously opened the rear door. “Ancestor, please, have a seat.”
Su Weisheng bent down and entered the car. The backseat was soft and comfortable, with a faint fragrance lingering in the air. Though not as spacious as the palanquins he used in the past, it was exquisitely crafted.
Commenting on the modern conveyance, he nodded approvingly. “Not bad. Very comfortable. My great-grandson, buy one of these and bury it with me in my tomb for the future.”
Su Ran’s face turned crimson with humiliation, anger barely contained. “…Yes.”
Seeing how fascinated the ancestor was with the car, Bai Songyin eagerly chimed in, “Ancestor, this car is even endorsed by Brother Ran! If you like it, you could directly go to the brand and pick the latest model!”
The latest model.
Su Ran’s vision darkened. He nearly passed out from anger, wanting nothing more than to strangle this foolish “teammate”. Who was Bai Songyin? He should be renamed “Bai Song” for giving their ancestor ideas! Su Ran had invited him for moral support, but this idiot had immediately switched sides, currying favor with the ghost ancestor. Damn it!
Su Weisheng raised a brow at the unfamiliar term. “Endorsed?”
Bai Songyin immediately explained, “Endorsing means doing advertisements!”
Spotting Su Weisheng’s curiosity, Bai Songyin threw himself into his assistant role, speaking with great enthusiasm. “Ancestor, don’t underestimate Brother Ran! As the leader of the top boy band, he has absolute stage presence. He’s released seven albums, held five concerts, starred in three web dramas, and his commercial value and artistic achievements are both incredibly high!”
Hearing the words “commercial value”, Su Weisheng’s interest deepened. Nodding thoughtfully, he remarked, “Sounds like my great-grandson is quite capable.”
“Cough!” Hearing his ancestor’s praise, Su Ran modestly cleared his throat. “Not bad, not bad, it’s just a bit of fame. If it weren’t for the company suppressing me and forbidding me from acting and the fans forcing me back onto the stage to sing, none of this would’ve happened…!”
Bai Songyin’s facial expression twisted for a moment, but he quickly nodded emphatically, tears welling up as he lamented, “Exactly, Ancestor, you have no idea! Brother Ran has been completely exploited by the company. His dream of acting has been ruthlessly crushed, which is what drove him onto the wrong path of… inheriting the estate!”
Su Weisheng could see the genuine grievance on his great-grandson’s face and frowned slightly. “Such a thing exists?”
Seeing the old ancestor sympathizing with his plight, Su Ran blurted out, “Yes, yes! Ancestor, if you could just take that grandson of a boss of mine away, I could definitely get back on track!”
“If what you say is true, I will not allow my descendants to be bullied,” Su Weisheng said lightly.
The two showed joy on their faces, but it lasted only a moment before their ancestor added, clearly satisfied, “In that case, buying a mountain to rebuild my mausoleum should not be difficult for you.”
“Y-Yes… yes… wait a second!” Su Ran slammed on the brakes. “When did I ever say I’d buy a mountain?”
He turned around only to meet Su Weisheng’s misty, piercing gaze. Terrified, he immediately corrected himself, “Buy it! I’ll buy it, no matter how much it costs! Paying respects to Ancestor properly is only right!”
Su Weisheng chuckled softly, “Good boy.”
When he laughed, the corners of his eyes under the mask curved slightly, instantly dispelling all the chilling atmosphere. It was as if a tree had bloomed with vibrant flowers, his entire being exuding a brilliant and lively aura.
Su Ran was immediately struck dumb by the overwhelming beauty before him. After a brief moment of daze, he snapped out of it, realizing he had just been admiring the appearance of an ancestor who had been dead for nearly two centuries. Goosebumps rose all over his skin as a sense of horror washed over him.
Terrifying. Truly terrifying!
As the car pulled into the parking garage, the three of them got out. Su Ran warily instructed his assistant, “Bai Songyin, is everything clear outside?”
“…Brother Ran, my name is Bai Songyin1白=White; 頌=”praise” or “eulogy”; 音=”sound” or “tone”, not Bai Song2白=White or Free; 送=” to give,” “to deliver,” or “to gift”!” Bai Songyin protested indignantly but obediently ran out to check the situation. Moments later, he returned, jogging back to them. “There’s a situation! Brother Ran, your fans are outside the building holding up banners. News about your upcoming drama has already spread…”
Su Ran suppressed his irritation, muttering a curse under his breath.
“Fans?” Su Weisheng was unfamiliar with the term.
Bai Songyin quickly explained, “They’re admirers and followers of Brother Ran!”
With quick thinking and his honed skills as an artist’s assistant, Bai Songyin proposed, “Here’s what we’ll do: the three of us going out together will be too conspicuous. Let’s split up! Ancestor, I’ll go out first to draw their attention. Once I’m out, Brother Ran can follow. Your outfit is too eye-catching, so you’ll have to go last. We’ll regroup inside the building, okay?”
He looked toward Su Ran, who wore a sour expression but reluctantly nodded in agreement.
Su Weisheng observed the two acting as if they were facing a great enemy. The scene didn’t resemble dealing with admirers; instead, it looked more like debtors fleeing creditors.
Tsk, isn’t this quite entertaining?
Shortly after Bai Songyin left, the noise from outside gradually faded. Su Ran, now familiar with such situations, retrieved a janitor’s uniform from the trunk, donned a hat, and even took a broom and dustpan from the parking lot for good measure.
From a short distance, Su Weisheng watched the scene unfold with interest. He noticed a few young girls still lingering by the roadside, some holding up banners, others chatting animatedly.
The banner bore a line of bold text. Though the font differed from his era’s writing, he could still decipher its meaning: “Su Ran, stop acting! Squandering everything for a Golden Broom Award is not worth it!”
Janitor Su shuffled past them, muttering under his breath. He was not noticed by the girls.
Su Weisheng leisurely walked over, tugging slightly at the banner out of curiosity. “Why is a gold award not worth it?” he asked.
“Golden Broom? That counts as a gold award?” A short-haired girl replied absentmindedly, eyes fixed on her phone. When she finally looked up, she froze. The long-haired girl beside her let out an audible “Wow!” and asked curiously, “Hey, handsome, are you a cosplayer? Or an actor fresh from a costume shoot?”
“Wait, no way! Are you Su Ran’s new co-star?!”
This idea struck them like a thunderbolt. Su Weisheng noticed their expressions momentarily distort in disbelief and curiosity. Intrigued, he inquired further, “Does Su Ran act poorly? Why are you all so against it?”
The short-haired girl, noting his apparent ignorance, sincerely advised, “Handsome, you must be a newbie, right? Let me tell you, don’t trust Su Ran’s sweet talk. While he’s indeed a top star in the industry, his actual achievements are all in music and on stage. What does he know about acting?”
Su Weisheng was entirely approachable, nodding in agreement. “Oh, so that’s how it is?”
The long-haired girl, looking solemn, shoved a flyer into his hand while explaining, “Look at this! These are his film achievements. One film a year, three years in a row, all earning him the Golden Broom Award for Worst Drama Actor. He’s practically the ‘King of Flops’. He’s recognized across the entertainment industry as the worst actor. If you work with him, your career might end before it even begins!”
Su Weisheng took the flyer and examined it carefully, even grabbing a few extra copies. Sharing their indignation, he earnestly remarked, “With results like these, no wonder you’re upset.”
“Exactly! We’re here today hoping we could talk some sense into him. If we could meet him, we’d beg him to stop making bad films. Ever since he started acting, I can’t even explain to my friends and family why I follow someone like him!”
With a smile, Su Weisheng nodded in agreement, saying, “Yeah, that’s quite embarrassing.”
The group of girls exchanged looks of camaraderie, feeling like they’d met a kindred spirit.
Someone asked, “So, are you playing his new co-star?”
Su Weisheng replied nonchalantly, “No.”
“…Then who are you?” The girl was curious.
Su Weisheng slowly answered, “I’m his ancestor. It’s getting late now, so you should all head home.” With that, he waved them off and strolled toward the building.
The fans: ???
“Ancestor? Isn’t that the High Priest?!” The long-haired girl exclaimed, panicking. “Does this mean Su Ran is filming High Priest 2? Oh no, this actor is already getting too deep into character before filming even starts. What should we do, Zhu Zhu?”
The short-haired girl, Zhu Zhu, sighed deeply as she watched Su Weisheng walk away. “Such a good-looking guy, probably a complete newbie, pure and clueless. He’s going to be ruined by our idol. Just thinking about them winning another Golden Broom Award together next year… It’s tragic!”
The group pounded their chests and wailed, “Tragic!”
Meanwhile, Bai Songyin and Su Ran sneaked into the building one after the other without being noticed.
Su Ran was holding a flyer he had picked up, listing his “glorious achievements” from the past few years. His face darkened as he muttered curses under his breath. “Other idols’ fans worship them, go crazy for them, or would even run headfirst into a wall for them. My fans? What are they? Professional saboteurs? And they’re even handing out blackmail material about me everywhere to humiliate me?”
Bai Songyin hesitated, wanting to point out that the fans weren’t exactly wrong, but he held back, fearing a scolding.
Thankfully, Su Ran changed the subject. He looked around but didn’t see Su Weisheng. “Where’s great-grandfather? Did we lose him? You’re so useless. I remember there’s a secret passage from the parking lot to the building. Why didn’t you take that? And why did you suggest we split up…” He trailed off, suddenly realizing something and turning to Bai Songyin.
Bai Songyin excitedly confirmed his suspicion. “Brother, let’s go! You’re the useless one! If I hadn’t been smart enough to come up with a plan to ditch your great-grandfather, you’d have really brought a ghost home!”
What the—?! That was an option?!
Su Ran immediately panicked, “Quick, quick! Let’s get out of here! Head for the back door and run as far as we can before he catches up!”
The two of them stumbled and scrambled to flee. As they glanced through the glass doors, they spotted the fans surrounding their ghostly ancestor. One bold short-haired girl even tugged at his sleeve…
Su Ran was on the verge of a breakdown. “They even dare to stop a ghost?!”
Bai Songyin stuttered, “W-What do we do now? Should we let them keep your great-grandfather busy while we run? But what if something happens to them? They are our fans, after all…”
Su Ran fell silent for a moment, clearly grappling with an internal moral struggle. Finally, he gritted his teeth and decided to overcome his fear of ghosts, his face full of tragic determination. “You… You go bring great-grandfather back…”
Bai Songyin gulped. Though reluctant, a flicker of conscience made him steel himself and prepare to step outside.
At that moment, the building’s door creaked open, and a cool, calm voice drifted in. “No need to fetch me; I’m here.”
Under the moonlight, the slender figure approached steadily. The two of them shuddered simultaneously. Bai Songyin, on the verge of tears, realized their earlier conversation had been overheard. Trembling, he stepped forward. “G-Great-grandfather…”
However, Su Weisheng merely raised an eyebrow, showing no other reaction. Seeing this, the two of them exhaled in relief.
Bai Songyin, relieved to be alive, quickly tried to curry favor. “Well, since you’re here, great-grandfather, let’s head upstairs. This is where Brother Ran lives.”
“Here?” Su Weisheng glanced around casually, musing to himself. Was this entire building his great-grandson’s? Not bad—pretty spacious, he thought.
That notion shattered three minutes later.
The elevator stopped on the ninth floor. When Su Ran opened the door to his place, a shabby and cramped two-bedroom apartment came into view. The tiny, narrow living room, dingy gray walls, peeling coffee table, and torn-up sofa all painted a vivid picture of poverty.
Su Weisheng was silent for a second before he sighed with genuine wonder, “So this generation enjoys small, broken-down homes? I must truly be old. I can’t keep up with modern aesthetics.”
Su Ran: “…”
Bai Songyin: “…”
The statement was so ambiguous they couldn’t tell whether it was biting sarcasm or an honest observation.
With a dark face, Su Ran tried to salvage his dignity. “This isn’t my home. It’s just the company dormitory!”
“Then where is your home?”
Bai Songyin braced himself and explained, “Great-grandfather, you may not know, but Brother Ran used to be very wealthy. But recently, he invested in and starred in three web dramas, all of which flopped catastrophically. He even earned the infamous Golden Broom Award. Now, Brother Ran is broke and has no choice but to live in the dorms.”
Su Ran righteously retorted, “I’ve already picked my next project! My next film is going to be a huge hit!”
Bai Songyin timidly countered, “But, Brother Ran, even the CEO and your fans are saying they’d rather see you quit the industry altogether than watch you make another bad movie…”
Some people are still alive, but everyone wishes they were already dead.
Su Weisheng let out a cold laugh, staring at his struggling great-grandson. “So all those promises about buying a mountain and building a tomb were just to brush me off?”
He squinted dangerously. The chilling aura made the two of them scatter in terror.
Su Ran tried to flee but was grabbed and dragged back effortlessly.
From his corner, Bai Songyin watched his once-arrogant top star being pinned to the ground, completely immobilized. The ancestor, who looked younger than Su Ran, held the rolled-up flyer and began tapping it against Su Ran’s head.
“Exploitation by your boss, forced expectations from your fans, and no chance to pursue your dreams of acting? Hmm?”
With every line he recited from Su Ran’s earlier pity party, Su Weisheng gave him another tap on the head. Su Ran felt the thin paper hit his skull, yet it somehow sent a profound, soul-shaking pain coursing through him.
He squirmed and howled miserably, “Great-grandfather, have mercy!” He caught Bai Songyin peeking at him from the corner of his eye and roared, “What the hell are you looking at?! Come save me!”
Startled by the yell, Bai Songyin instinctively moved forward to help. But Su Weisheng shot him a calm glance. The assistant immediately shrank back. He looked between the furious Su Ran and the terrifying ancestor, then slowly—ever so slowly—sidled up to the coffee table.
Then Bai Songyin silently picked up a rag from the table and stuffed it into Su Ran’s mouth.
Under Su Ran’s disbelieving and murderous glare, Bai Songyin trembled as he raised a finger to his lips, motioning for silence. “Shh, Brother Ran, lower your voice. If you keep yelling, we’ll end up on the trending list!”
Su Ran: ?
What the!!!
