A small family portrait

"The scent of this person is quite pleasant... I could have another bite..." Liu Di curled up on the sofa, murmuring in his sleep with a sated expression. Lin Rui smirked at the thought of what exactly this earth wolf was dreaming about eating - he often found that Liu Di's dreams sounded suspiciously similar to Feier's.

Lin Rui flipped through the ghost servants' homework spread before him and tossed it aside absentmindedly, slouching in his chair with boredom. His mother was away on a business trip, turning their home into an empty shell where no one could appreciate his efforts - utterly dull.

"Ahh... Xiao Rui! How could you let the dog onto the sofa!" A middle-aged woman screamed as she rushed forward wielding a broom, raising it overhead to strike Liu Di with wild abandon.

Liu Di had just drifted into a comfortable doze after giving Lin Rui lessons on Jiuwei fox techniques for hours (Lin hadn't been able to systematically learn his clan's arts growing up). The fox's biological father had left behind training methods but entrusted them to Liu Di, who selectively taught Lin based on his progress. While surprising in the Jiuwei clan's trust of Liu Di, this arrangement only bred unnecessary complications - Lin treated him less like a teacher and more like an adversary, causing more exhaustion after each lesson than a fight with Feier would bring.

Lying half-awake on Lin Rui's sofa while waiting for Zou Ying's dinner hour (his current cover as the neighbor's dog), Liu Di was startled awake by broom strikes and leapt up baring his fangs in a low growl toward the screaming woman.

"Liu Di, what are you doing? She's my aunt!" Lin Rui pointed at him warningly with his eyes.

"I'm a dog now - of course I'll act like one when someone attacks me!" Liu Di replied sleepily. If Lin Rui watched helplessly as the woman beat him without protest, he was clearly intentionally letting Liu Di take the punishment to create this moment where Lin could be anxious for once.

Their silent exchange was interrupted by shrieks: "Xiao Rui! How could you bring a dog home? Oh no, it bit me!"

Liu Di crouched down with his tail coiled around his paws, blinking up at the hysterical middle-aged woman to ask Lin Rui, "Would I really be that tasteless?"

"Xiao Rui! You've brought this crazy dog home while your mother's away? I'm going to tell her - your teacher - everyone!"

Lin Rui's aunt was normally kind to his younger sister Lin Qingping and doted on him excessively. But lately, perhaps due to menopause, she'd become emotionally unstable with strange compulsive tendencies that made her paranoid about diseases from animals. With Lin Rui's mother away for several days, she was assigned to look after him - but the constant nagging had nearly driven Lin Rui insane, making him appreciate his mother more and long for Qingping's return.

As she screamed, Liu Di shrugged indifferently, "Your aunt has some kind of nervous disorder."

Lin Rui's head throbbed as he struggled to maintain a good child's smile while placating her, watching as Liu Di promptly curled back up on the sofa and fell fast asleep again. With a frustrated kick, Lin Rui woke him: "Lunch time is here! You should be at Zou Ying's house now - why are you loitering in my home?"

"Your mother entrusted Xiaoguo to watch over you before leaving," Liu Di answered with languid energy. "Xiaoguo and Feier went on that undersea ten-day trip, so they asked me instead."

"I don't need your watching!" Lin Rui snapped furiously - not only had his mother sent this neurotic aunt, but apparently someone managed to drag this earth wolf into the mix too. Wait... Xiaoguo's away, meaning Zou Ying's cooking now? "You definitely won't get me to cook for you! I don't need your care - go find your fickle friends!" Lin Rui declared menacingly.

"The problem is I was drunk that day and casually agreed with Xiaoguo," Liu Di blinked innocently. "The key isn't whether you want watching or not, it's about keeping promises. Do you think I'm like Xiaoguo who freely breaks commitments? What are you having for lunch? No alcohol? I won't eat without it."

"Perfect - you'll starve if you don't,"

"Sima, go stir up some spicy chicken..." Liu Di ordered lazily.

No response after a long while.

"Sima, be the good child and ignore your rude owner."

Still nothing.

Sima was Lin Rui's smallest ghost servant - the only female one. The others resembled their master in being sly and disrespectful toward Liu Di, especially hating him. Only Sima remained gentle and polite to everyone. All of Lin Rui's familiar spirits - Feier, Liu Di, Xiaoguo, Nan Yu - loved this child. With his eclectic knowledge (even about ghost servant cultivation methods), Liu Di would casually guide her during lessons with Lin Rui. And when he asked her for something, as long as Lin Rui didn't object, she eagerly complied. Today however, after several calls, there was no sign of Sima at all.

"Sima left - you're wasting your breath,"

"Indeed! Such an adult just orders Sima around - shameless!"

"Lucky Sima isn't home or he'd be enslaved again."

"Master, make him leave! Make him leave!"

These small ghost servants had learned much from Liu Di's teachings through Sima, but that didn't earn them any respect. They constantly messed with Liu Di just like their master did.

Liu Di frowned at Lin Rui: "Don't let your ghost servants wander freely during the day - be careful about run-ins! When they do, it'll already be too late to retaliate." This little fox relied far too much on Feier's influence - even his servants acted similarly without realizing how easily they could be destroyed and their spirits scattered.

Lin Rui turned away: "I want to, you can't stop me."

Liu Di shrugged and got up to walk away.

After he vanished, Lin Rui suddenly exclaimed: "When did Sima leave home? I've told you countless times not to wander out during the day! What if something happens? Where could she have gone?"

The little ghosts all shook their heads: "She just said she'd go play for a while - didn't say where, probably went to the cinema." Lin Rui never prohibited them from going alone before so they treated it casually. Though normally they traveled in groups, this time Sima had left on her own.

"Go find her... No, Liu Di must already be looking. With Feier and I making many enemies among spirits, you all need to be more cautious - don't go out alone during the day." Lin Rui sighed before heading to help his aunt serve dishes as she called him. The little ghosts exchanged grins - who could possibly threaten their master and Feier in Lixin city?

Lin Rui lazily emerged from bed, instructing ghost servants to make the bed while stretching toward the bathroom. With school's winter break and his mother Lin Qingping away for a week (she'd just called saying she'd be back in three or four more days), he had nothing better to do than leave homework to his servants. His whole day was filled with mischief - last night's taxi ride with Feier left him feeling too sluggish to get up this morning.

"Onee, make breakfast; Er Xiao, fold the bed and bring me game discs from Feier; Sanzi you go... Xiaosi you go... Sima you go..." Lin Rui gave orders one by one until his final servant had disappeared.

The other servants all shook their heads - they hadn't seen her either.

Sima had returned late last night, earning a few scoldings from Lin Rui before he relented when she started crying. Now she was missing again first thing in the morning?

Ghost servants were bound to their masters by contracts that normally prevented them from moving without permission or venturing beyond certain ranges. But Lin Rui had long since lifted these restrictions, allowing his servants free movement. So where could this named Sima be?

"Did anyone see when Sima left?"

The other servants chattered: "I saw her last night."

"Nonsense! She just came back at night!"

"Oh right, the master scolded her too."

"She was even sneaking tears - girls cry easily."

"After that... Did she vanish later? When exactly did she disappear? I remember waking up and not seeing her anymore."

"Yes yes, after waking there was no sign of her."

"Maybe she saw something nice but didn't dare ask me to buy it so she got stuck lingering?" Lin Rui muttered.

Ghost servants wandering off twice in a row - Lin Rui grew worried. With Sima's abilities, being with him and Feier gave some protection. But alone? Even small spirits could destroy her easily! Reciting summoning incantations, five black smoke figures appeared before him. Four of the already-present servants just shifted positions while the fifth looked around dazedly for a long time: "Master called me?"

"Where did you go?" Lin Rui frowned. "With New Year coming, be careful about getting captured as holiday food."

After hesitating endlessly, Sima finally mumbled: "I... I just wandered..."

"You can't even lie properly? Truly unlike the ghost servant I raised!" Lin Rui scolded furiously.

Sima remained silent like last night, her lip quivering with an almost-crying expression.

"Did you see something special? No problem - tell me and I'll buy it for you. If I can't afford it, just call Feier to steal it." Assuming she'd fallen in love with some toy, Lin Rui planned to appease her by buying or burning it away.

"Bias is too much!"

"Indeed! Master is unfair - why only gifts for Sima?"

"Report master, I also saw a nice toy that costs 2000 yuan."

The other servants immediately erupted at the thought of gift-giving, hugging Lin Rui with all sorts of unreasonable demands.

"Go go go! You always use me to steal things from Feier - do you think I don't know? Sima is so obedient and never makes excessive requests. When can I get a gift for her? Don't listen to them - it's just for Sima. What would you like?"

Sima mumbled endlessly but said nothing, only looking at him timidly before finally whispering: "I... don't need anything..."

"Then I'll choose New Year gifts myself - no more wandering! Be a good girl and mimic your homework perfectly today!"

As Lin Rui leapt out the window on Feier's back, Sima's long-held tears finally spilled over.

Lin Rui lazily circled Lixin city with Feier flying above it. Without plans for mischief yet (i.e., no chosen victims), they were still searching for something to torment. Their reputation had reached legendary levels - even spirits now instantly fled when spotting them together, unwilling to risk any bad luck during the holiday season.

"Where are all the spirits..." Feier complained boredly.

They didn't know Lixin's spirit community had spontaneously organized an intelligence network. When a spirit in Taohuayuan residential area sent out "Feier and Lin Rui have left," within minutes every corner of the city received warnings about their approach. Hide or flee - who would risk New Year misfortune with these two?

"Boring..."

"Exactly!"

Fox, are your New Year supplies ready?" Feier suddenly had an idea, winking at Lin Rui. "Mine have filled four refrigerator spots already, but there's still four empty ones left."

Lin Rui pretended not to hear.

"Hey! My refrigerator..." Feier grabbed him angrily. With New Year coming soon and Guie traveling for her trip while Zou Ying was busy with taxi business (reporting it as unusually profitable), the burden of gathering holiday food fell entirely on underage Feier. "Time is tight and tasks are heavy!" With a few weeks until Spring Festival, he needed to start immediately! Deciding his next move: "We'll go to Lu Jiu's pig farm first..."

Sigh... Why always the same unimaginative plans?

Lin Rui sighed but decided to accompany Feier. First because he had no better schemes; second because following Feier often led to finding new mischief opportunities.

Suddenly Feier pointed toward a construction site: "Where would Sima have gone? Did you tell her to hide some food?" Lately Zou Ying's cooking habits had made even non-picky Feier develop an obsessive appetite for others' food.

"Could she hide something..." Lin Rui began before realizing, "Who are we talking about?"

"Sima! Your little one!"

"Where is she?" Lin Rui looked around. He'd clearly told her to stay home doing homework - how did this kid keep escaping? It must be Liu Di's influence corrupting her!

"She went that way," Feier indicated the nearby construction site with his wing.

Among scattered building materials, Sima struggled through obstacles like mountains, carefully navigating uneven ground while glancing around. Construction workers mostly ignored him or gruffly told children to leave - "Don't play here, it's dangerous!"

After circling the site without finding Sima, Lin Rui thought: She wouldn't come to such a place unless she was looking for something... Probably not anything nice given her character.

As he prepared to cross the construction area, a worker yelled at him: "Kid! Stop messing around or I'll hit you!" Other children often stole steel bars from sites and then caused trouble if injured - hence workers aggressively drove them away.

The worker barked threats until Lin Rui fled before resuming work. While partly due to protecting the site's safety, it also reminded him of his own son at home (whose academic performance he couldn't even confirm with a six-month absence) and whether he'd get paid for the year...

While pushing a cart, the worker tripped into sandpiles, hitting his nose against bricks. As he clutched bleeding noses in panic, he suddenly heard a childish voice whisper: "Deserved it."

Thinking the kid had returned, he looked around but saw only concerned colleagues - no one else.

Though slightly injured, the worker was ironically allowed rest by the foreman due to recent excessive work hours (sleeping 3-4 hours daily). Returning to his dormitory and sleeping with tissues in his nose...

A tiny shadow crept into his dream, rearranging it... but as he turned over muttering sleepily, the illusion dissolved.

Undeterred, the child created another more realistic dream. This time the man made a whimper-like sound before regaining calmness and loud snoring resumed.

"Bastard..." The child muttered angrily.

Lin Rui arrived just in time to see Sima twisting the screws on their makeshift dormitory's steel beams' supports. If he'd arrived moments later, the entire roof would collapse - crushing the worker underneath for sure (though likely not deadly).

"Sima! What are you doing?" Lin Rui scolded sharply.

Lin Rui rarely allowed these spirits to harm others. First, they had committed many violent acts in their original owner's hands and carried excessive wrathful energy; out of compassion for them, he didn't want to add more karmic debts. Secondly, all four were made into spirits at such a young age when they couldn't discern right from wrong, and he refused to let them become accustomed to solving problems through violence. Any task involving clandestine attacks, covering up murders, or disposing of evidence was always left for him and Huo'er to handle.

To see Xiao Xiao now doing something harmful to innocents despite all the care poured into their upbringing filled Lin Rui with rage.

Xiao Xiao fled at the sight of Lin Rui, her face pale from fear. He narrowed his eyes until she disappeared around a corner before pinching his fingers and whispering an incantation - no effort was needed to summon back any spirit; even if they reached the ends of the earth, their master's command could recall them in the blink of an eye.

Holding Xiao Xiao by the collar with her face ashen and eyes shut tight, Lin Rui glared at Huo'er peering curiously from his shoulder. "Tripartite inquisition..."

"What does that mean?"

"It means three parties judging - Master, Huo'er, and us."

"But there are four of us! It should be a Six Courts Trial!"

"Enough arguing," the eldest Xiao Yi scolded while maintaining order, "Xiao Si was with Master. You tell them."

"I don't know anything but it's definitely really bad!"

"It must be extremely terrible - normally Master is most lenient toward her, never scolds us but always her."

"That's because you're the bully! Of course Master scolds you more."

"So now?"

"She did something bad and needs to be scolded!"

"Perfect! Finally justice prevails!"

"You're a rotten kid. Even when Xiao Xiao is crying, you take pleasure in others' misfortunes."

Lin Rui paced the room with arms behind his back as Huo'er flapped her wings beside him. The other spirits hovered near the ceiling or perched on chandeliers, chattering incessantly while Xiao Xiao sat curled up on the sofa wiping tears.

After several circles Lin Rui stopped and glared at her: "Explain why you harmed someone. If you don't stop crying I'll swat your bottom!"

"WAH!" Her wails intensified as she rolled across the cushions.

Pacing again, he demanded answers with every rotation but Xiao Xiao only sobbed harder each time.

After a hundred such interrogations she finally whimpered: "I couldn't stand it... I was angry... I hate him... WAH..."

"You can't just harm people because you're angry! How have I taught you? Forgive mortals, don't let your wrathful energy grow, don't accumulate more sins - only then might I someday purify these curses and send you into reincarnation. Don't you want to be reborn as humans instead of staying as spirits until my death leaves you soulless?"

"Master... won't die! Master will become a god someday..." she blubbered.

Lin Rui waved dismissively: "Only Zhou Ying wants immortality! Why would I pursue that? Stop diverting - tell the truth!"

"You're not interested in it, but if you were, surely you'd surpass Zhou Ying and achieve godhood instantly," Xiao Xiao insisted.

"Who dares say they're better than me!" Huo'er leaned forward dangerously. No one in Lixin dared challenge his authority like this!

"Huo'er be quiet or I'll banish you! Flattery won't help - explain why you attacked that worker? Didn't you fear accidentally killing him?"

"He..." Xiao Xiao tried to speak but choked back sobs, "I hate him... I just wanted to teach him a lesson!"

"If you don't confess now," Lin Rui slammed the table violently, "tomorrow I'll make you serve Huo'er 24/7!"

Huo'er delighted in tormenting spirits with her flames - even incidental contact caused unbearable pain. Usually Lin Rui kept them apart but if forced to be with her constantly while having just insulted her...

Xiao Xiao panicked: "No master please no! I'll tell you...!"

"Are you saying you don't want me?" Huo'er needled, unamused by this unlikable child.

Terrified, Xiao Xiao dove into Lin Rui's pocket. Instead of stopping her, he yanked her out and held her up to stare at.

After prolonged hesitation she whispered: "Because the family portrait didn't include me..."

"What?" Lin Rui narrowed his eyes.

"He... he refused to put my photo in it! He only thought about boys..." Her sobs renewed as overwhelmed her.

Lin Rui furrowed his brow. "Is he... your father?"

Spirits were made from human children - their previous lives had families and loved ones, though Lin Rui never expected them to unexpectedly reunite with these people.

Tears streaming down her face, Xiao Xiao wailed: "He only loves boys! After selling me he didn't care!"

Softening his tone, Lin Rui gently coaxed out the story through her broken explanations. Born as a girl in a remote village's second child position where she was constantly called useless and cursed by elders, her father and older sister were exceptions - they secretly shared food/toys, and though her working father only returned twice yearly from city jobs, he always brought her special gifts to impress neighborhood children.

At six years old during New Year preparations, Xiao Xiao eagerly counted down days for his return. But on the fourth day before New Year, a strange man arrived with her father. This stranger fixed a piercing gaze upon Xiao Xiao that made her want to hide in fear.

Chaos erupted as parents argued and family members cried - though naive, Xiao Xiao sensed something dire was happening when she hid in a corner clutching her toy. Despite hiding efforts, the next morning her father announced her sale to this man for "a better life" in the city.

From fragmented memories Lin Rui deduced: Her mother's new pregnancy meant another chance for a boy - but instead they chose Xiao Xiao as target after being offered astronomical sums by this man seeking perfect spirit material. On New Year Eve, she was cruelly taken away from home with only her toy while still alive before being later killed and made into a tool of evil.

After breaking free under Lin Rui's care, the other spirits similarly remembered their tragic pasts: Xiao Yi ran from an orphanage and joined thieves; Er Xiao endured being passed between divorced parents' homes; Sanzi was kidnapped during school commute by this same man. Only Xiao Si refused to recall memories due to fear of reliving her death.

Though familiar with each other's backgrounds, they'd never heard such detailed accounts nor imagined encountering the father in Lixin City.

"I hate him! His family portrait doesn't have me!" Xiao Xiao rolled on the sofa while others angrily declared, "Too cruel! Selling one's own child for spirit-making material is unforgivable!"

"Kill him!"

"Xiao Xiao should teach him a lesson!"

"Just tell us what to do with him," they eagerly discussed methods like flaying skin or burning.

Huo'er enthusiastically chimed in: "Wanting perfect medium-rare roasting requires precise temperature control..."

"Silence!" Lin Rui barked. "Have I become wind in your ears? Disobeying me more and more - go meditate or you'll all be given to Huo'er! Don't think you can act so disrespectful!"

All spirits vanished instantly into mist.

"You always use me as a threat," Huo'er muttered, "I don't want these useless things. Hey Xiao Xiao where is that man? I could roast him now... Or better store in fridge for New Year snacks."

Lin Rui grabbed Huo'er's rapidly growing tail feathers (her body grew slowly but her tail accelerated requiring regular plucking by Nan Yu or Zhou Ying into dangerous "toys"). "One animation DVD - don't interfere with Xiao Xiao's father!"

"Plus ten storybooks and deal sealed," she bargained, then joyfully rummaged through his bookshelf.

"Xiao Xiao come here," Lin Rui called. Taking her in hand he said, "Let's go see him again."

She blinked up at him - spirit tears were merely mist leaving no marks.

"You've been sneaking there frequently these past few days?"

"Mm. When Master sent me to deliver something to Nan Daoren I passed by and saw him..." she answered with resentment.

That moment triggered memories returning sharply, making her compulsively return despite hating the man who sold her. Each visit revealed that cherished family portrait on his nightstand - a New Year photo where Grandfather wasn't present (she suspected he'd died). Her grandmother looked older but cheerful, mother had gray hair and wrinkles, sister taller and prettier wearing "Triple Good Student" badge. Father smiled holding a boy about her age with new toy in hand.

The entire family stood happily in newly renovated courtyard against backdrop of hung New Year goods and scurrying chickens - while she was sold to a killer on New Year Eve, dragged away crying as her toys were given to this boy instead.

Everything taken because father wanted a son. That made hatred inevitable whenever staring at the photo - thinking violent thoughts toward him.

Lin Rui examined the photo then sighed deeply. No child would be normal if they didn't resent such exploitation through their own death for another's happiness. Unlike Xiao Xiao who sulked, he'd simply destroy the building where this monster lived.

Now that man sat on his bed smoking and gazing at photos with content expression.

"Tell me," Lin Rui said coldly, "want to flay him? I'll do it."

Sobbing, she answered: "I... hate this photo! I want my face in there too... I want a family portrait..."

This wasn't hard - he ran his hand over the five-person photo and gradually revealed a sixth figure. In front of father's knee stood a red-clothed girl holding teddy bear - identical to her real life memory when father had given her that exact toy.

Xiao Xiao cheered but then stared at the "forged" photo with tears forming again. The actual teddy she'd claimed as precious (others couldn't touch it without her protest) now sat in her hands, placed into the photo by Lin Rui's magic.

Holding the bear on father's bed while gazing at this composite image made her content. Seeing her satisfied expression, Lin Rui quietly left assuming resolution achieved - he returned to studies and play with Xiao Xiao not coming back meant she'd accepted her past.

But later that day during dinner preparations when Auntie was cooking and Zhou Ying played with Huo'er (Gui'er had returned from ocean depths carrying strange gifts and ugly fish species for experimentation), Xiao Xiao suddenly burst in wailing: "Master he burned my photo! Hes me... Master I hate him...!"

She threw herself into his arms screaming so loudly even Gui'er rushed out from kitchen to see what happened.

Lin Rui couldn't soothe the child's weeping until Fire finally snapped, "Stop the noise! One more sob and I'll reduce you to cinders!" Xiaoxiao immediately stifled her tears, huddling behind Lin Rui. Though still hiccupping, she dared not make another sound.

"Hmph!" Fire clutched its wings as it sprawled across the couch. "Spill it - who's been bullying you? Pick your revenge: sizzle-fry, stew, steam, or roast?"

The ghost belonged to Lin Rui. To mistreat them was to slight Lin Rui himself, and Lin Rui was Fire's best friend. Disrespecting Lin Rui meant disrespecting Fire in Lixin City - an unforgivable provocation! If this toxic seed wasn't nipped now, who would take the rules seriously? This was a direct attack on social harmony, a threat to civilization itself. As Fire ranted, flames danced wildly around her green-glowing eyes, demanding answers with terrifying intensity.

Just as Xiaoxiao cowered helplessly, Jade called from the kitchen: "Fire! Lin Rui! Come set up the dishes!"

In an instant, Fire forgot all about the child. "Leave it to me!" she roared, "Fried foxes aren't on our menu today!" She rocketed into the kitchen at light speed, a blazing wall rising between rooms as if demanding double portions before allowing anyone else entry.

Lin Rui smirked, hearing Jade scold through the fire: "Fire! Sitting in the pot like that's disgraceful!" He turned to Xiaoxiao. "Well, while Fire isn't here... what happened?"

Tears instantly fell from Xiaoxiao's eyes as she wailed, "Master... he... he burned my family photo! Give it back! Give it back!"

That evening, workers trickled into their barrack for dinner. As usual, Xiaoxiao's father glanced at the framed photograph on his bed while eating. But this time, his breath caught mid-bite - there was an extra face in the picture! The little girl smiling up from within the frame sent chills through him. He knew exactly how many people were in that photo and their precise positions. How could someone long vanished just reappear?

Trembling hands removed the photograph from its frame. Wiping it repeatedly, he found the interloper still smirking defiantly across the surface.

How could this be?

How could this be?!

Smoke curled through his fingers as he lit cigarette after cigarette. Superstitions about ghosts and vengeance whirled in his mind like a carousel. After half a pack, he grabbed matches with shaking hands and set fire to the photo. Even when it turned to ash, he still stamped and ground the remnants until not even dust remained.

Curious workmates crowded around but he only mumbled excuses between drags.

Xiaoxiao watched this horror unfold nearby before bursting into wails.

Her precious family portrait - existing for just hours before being destroyed by her father. How could she not weep? She ran home crying to Lin Rui immediately.

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