Following Han Sha’s suggestions, I upgraded Huangliang Yimeng’s menu sets.

The Yellow Talisman Set came with diluted strawberry jam as red ink, plus a complimentary brush-shaped cookie so customers could draw their own talismans. Meanwhile, the San Qing Ling Charlotte was served with red string gummy candy that customers could add sugar beads to for further DIY customization.

Finally, all customers who spent over 100 yuan in one visit could draw a fortune stick once. If they were unlucky enough to draw the bottom-tier bad fortune, they could get red string gummy candy or a 20% off coupon for their next visit.

Han Sha’s set of capitalist money-grabbing operations didn’t increase costs much, but the “exorcism” power certainly looked greatly enhanced. Originally he demanded an outrageous price increase straight to 80 yuan, but I really couldn’t stand it, so we finally settled on 65 yuan.

Before reopening, Han Sha expressed his inability to understand my conscience. While helping me write on the new menu, he said flatly: “Internet-famous shop customers aren’t short of this little money. You’re risking your life to open a shop yet still have leisure to worry about other people’s wallets… I really can’t figure out how Bai Yiming raised a son like you who doesn’t know how to take advantage of people.”

It could be said that after experiencing the daylight haunting incident two days ago, Han Sha had finally completely torn off his immortal sage mask in front of me.

In my sister’s words, his daughter’s medical expenses over the years had been pressing down on Han Sha like a mountain. The reason he hasn’t been crushed to death relies on eight words:

Single-minded money-making, utterly shameless.

When it came to money-making methods, Han Sha had never had any bottom line. As long as it wasn’t illegal, whatever made money fastest was what he did. Therefore, over all these years, he had accumulated a pile of certificates, and at the most ridiculous times had even worked as a male nanny.

Because he had worked part-time at a Daoist temple before, Han Sha also had excellent calligraphy. He quickly mounted the written new menu on the wall like couplets. Seeing this, I couldn’t help but be curious: “My sister said you also did restaurant business. Don’t tell me you can make cakes too?”

Hearing this, Han Sha gave me a cold look: “Just because I did restaurant business doesn’t mean I had to do everything personally… I also worked at nightclubs. Do I look like someone who serves people?”

“…”

However, this guy was so skilled at role-playing and never felt awkward taking photos with young ladies in the shop. If you told me Han Sha had no relevant work experience, I wouldn’t believe it.

After reorganizing the business model, Huangliang Yimeng’s other major issue was obvious.

The shop’s Daoist had transformed into a business consultant – what about the big sister upstairs?

Han Sha later admitted that precisely because he knew No. 29 was a haunted house, he chose to use a Daoist identity to cause trouble. And Han Sha never fought unprepared battles – before coming, he had done his homework.

“No. 29 is indeed haunted. Many people have seen things.”

During that confession session two days ago, Han Sha’s sudden statement almost made me choke on my own saliva.

I stared at him incredulously: “You knew it was haunted and still dared come?”

Han Sha looked at me strangely: “If it wasn’t haunted at all, it would be hard for me alone to pull off this act, right? Isn’t this exactly taking advantage of the haunting? People who don’t have babies don’t need nannies, and if you’re not haunted, would you need a Daoist?”

…How matter-of-fact he sounded.

Bai Liu snorted with laughter beside me: “Look at him – an iron-blooded money-making machine. It’s just that he’s gotten older these past two years, otherwise Daoist Han’s money-making methods would probably be even wilder than now.”

But I couldn’t be bothered with verbal sparring at that moment, saying urgently: “What did they encounter? Originally when you were a fucking Daoist I could still muddle through, but now you’re just a fraud – how am I different from all those previous people?”

“There is a difference – you have more people.”

Han Sha raised his eyebrows: “At first I didn’t want others involved, so during our first meeting, I originally wanted to advise you not to hire anyone else. But unexpectedly, Boss, your luck in this regard is decent – the people you hired actually helped block some things for you.”

He looked meaningfully at He Jian and Song Nanshi, who couldn’t get a word in. Just thinking about this made my anger flare up: “So them being a virgin and having a hard fate were also your made-up nonsense? Our only advantage now is having more people?”

Hearing this, Han Sha tapped his temple with amusement: “What do you mean made-up? Brains are good things, Boss. Little He is so young and still blushes when a girl gets close – if he’s not a virgin, what is he? As for Little Song, a young lady who dares work at a funeral parlor – if that’s not having a hard fate, what is?”

“…”

Damn it, old fox. My fists clenched.

I gritted my teeth in anger and said viciously: “Speak up! Since you’re living here yourself now, if there’s more haunting below, we’ll all suffer together.”

“You’ll be the main one suffering.”

Han Sha said flatly: “Before applying to work here, I asked several shop owners on Guan Yinli. No. 29’s haunting is actually quite well-known privately. Even when this house was empty, people heard sounds from inside… and not just one person heard it.”

Cold sweat broke out on my back: “Then how come I couldn’t find anything online…”

Han Sha looked at me like I was an idiot: “You’re opening a haunted house internet-famous shop and don’t want it confirmed that there are real ghosts in your store. Property developers creating a commercial district naturally don’t want people knowing there’s a haunted house where people die regularly… How would such news be allowed online?”

That’s why capitalists understand capitalists best.

I took a deep breath: “So No. 29 has actually been haunted for a long time?”

“Indeed… for a very long time.”

At this point Song Nanshi also quietly interjected: “This house… is quite famous at our Yu Jiang Funeral Home, which is why I came looking and happened to see your job posting, Boss.”

“Quite famous!”

I was shocked. Being quite famous at a funeral home sounded like Conan wanting to friend you – definitely not a good thing: “Don’t tell me all the previous landlords ended up going to your place?”

Song Nanshi nodded: “Because they were all accidents, they were indeed sent to our place before burial. I heard them mention that suicide tenant before… exactly like what Little He described. She was quite swollen from soaking, and her clothes were all stained red, like she was wearing red clothes…”

“So what Little He said before was completely accurate…”

I looked at the innocent-faced He Jian in shock.

If Song Nanshi and Han Sha both came with certain purposes, He Jian just graduated from university – completely a clean slate. My sister had verified this too.

In other words, what came from his mouth naturally had the highest credibility.

I asked: “Little He, you’re the only one who normally chats with big sister on QQ. Has she conveyed anything else to you? Like hoping we’d burn some luxury cars or mansions for her?”

He Jian thought for a moment: “If I had to say… I think she hopes you can help her, Boss.”

“Help?”

“Yes… She doesn’t want you to leave because she needs your help.”

He Jian hesitated: “She was also killed by this house… If you stay here, Boss, perhaps we can quickly figure out what exactly killed her.”

So—

To fulfill big sister’s wishes, this shop definitely had to keep operating.

The day before Huangliang Yimeng reopened, I made another trip to Luohan Temple, this time directly requesting a 2,088-yuan Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva statue.

Since the Daoist in the shop was unreliable, I couldn’t be blamed for seeking desperate remedies.

I set up a small Buddhist shrine in the corner near the bathroom on the second floor, devoutly bathing and burning incense. Before sleeping, I even offered the Bodhisattva a piece of cake. I had no other requests – I just hoped that under the Bodhisattva’s witness, big sister and I could communicate properly this time. As long as she let me run my business well, afterward if big sister wanted to order me around, that would just be a matter of one word.

The next morning, Huangliang Yimeng was ready to reopen after three days of closure.

As before, Bai Liu helped me set up some channels this time too. I had originally planned to continue the free giveaway route, but Han Sha absolutely refused, saying business wouldn’t be bad this time and telling me to prepare for overwhelming orders.

These past few days I’d been busy changing menus and had no time to pay attention to online public opinion. Hearing him say such things, I just thought he was bragging. Who could have imagined that on opening day, as soon as the security shutter was pulled up – before even hanging out the new menu – a crowd rushed over from afar. Before I could react, an old-fashioned uncle literally flew to my face.

“I want two tables for two people each! Give me a number first!”

I was dumbfounded. At this moment, Han Sha behind me immediately responded: “One number per person. Our shop has no online reservations – you must get numbers in person.”

“Then just one person – hurry up and give me a number!”

Regarding what happened next, Han Sha obviously adapted faster than me, skillfully directing the early arrivals to form a long queue, then summoning He Jian to give them numbers.

“What the hell is going on?”

Once inside, I immediately grabbed Han Sha: “Did you get my sister to use money power?”

Han Sha looked at me with amusement: “Your luck is changing, Boss.”

I thought to myself that with my luck of hiring three employees where one could still be a fraud, sudden good luck would be the real anomaly. I said suspiciously: “You knew this many people would come?”

Han Sha sighed: “Boss, use your brain to think about what that day’s incident publicized.”

“…What?”

“A: The shop has a Daoist who routinely uses chicken blood for exorcism, B: The shop owner’s sister is the Executive President of Bai Family Chili Sauce, C: The shop owner has a tear-stained but not ugly face… Now tell me which is the correct answer?”

“You…”

I thought, you have the nerve to bring this up, but meeting Han Sha’s calm gaze mixed with a bit of cunning, I suddenly realized: “So when my sister had the three of us go out together, it was for…”

Han Sha snorted: “This was a multiple-choice question. Speaking of which, your sister is quite formidable too. These past years she’s grown her wings strong. Bai Yiming can’t survive without her. Now directly jumping out to back you up means acknowledging this shop is under her protection – essentially openly opposing Bai Yiming.”

Hearing this, my heart couldn’t help but tighten. Thinking about how my sister hadn’t sent me many messages these past two days, she was probably dealing with family troubles.

All I could do now was keep this shop running.

I gritted my teeth, immediately stopped overthinking, and dove into the kitchen.

On Huangliang Yimeng’s first day of reopening, the shop prepared materials for 180 sets. By 4 PM, we had already used up 140 of them.

I never imagined Han Sha’s commotion could produce such results.

Not only did customer numbers surge, but after the past two days’ trials, Song Nanshi’s work dedication had doubled. Often without saying a word, she’d take over my work, resulting in me actually having idle time in the kitchen.

…Too comfortable.

What kind of magical life is this where money automatically flows into pockets?

Listening to the bustling sounds from the front, I was nearly moved to tears.

Not just Song Nanshi – He Jian and Han Sha also didn’t drop the ball during this high-intensity operation. After completely letting himself go, Han Sha’s acting skills even improved rather than declined. He handled cashier duties with one hand while having spare time to read fortunes for young ladies drawing lots with the other. With a cold face, he still managed to create a cheerful atmosphere throughout the shop, making me increasingly convinced this man had definitely done no good at nightclubs.

Just like this, Huangliang Yimeng operated bustling until after 5 PM.

As the sun set and ingredients in the refrigerator ran out, I had Little He disperse the customers still queuing outside. I was already single-mindedly ready to go count my money when suddenly, He Jian rushed into the kitchen urgently.

“Boss…”

Danger.

The moment my sucker radar sounded, the man behind He Jian had already angrily jumped in front of me: “How much do you know about my sister’s situation! Who told you to publicize her suicide all over the internet!”