Once a family member entered official life, the entire household ascended a social tier — and the old standards no longer applied.

Moreover, the political world was full of treachery and scheming. A young man newly entered into officialdom had to be especially careful, unable to afford any vulnerability.

The woman known as Li had lost her virtue and married a scab-headed village laborer. This would bring shame upon her family without question. As long as she felt even the faintest sense of obligation to her kin, she would have chosen to remain behind — and swallowed her suffering alone.

Shen Mo recalled another detail. He looked at Bai Youwei and said, “Li Laizi was killed shortly after the Mid-Autumn Festival.”

The Mid-Autumn Festival — the day for family reunion. And a certain woman, in a daze, had begun to realize how the years had slipped away. Without knowing quite when, she had spent the better part of her life bound to a scab-headed village laborer. Looking at her own reflection in the mirror — white hair — what might she have thought? What might she have done?

Bai Youwei let out a soft sigh. “In his younger years, Li Laizi could keep the woman in check because he was older and physically stronger. But as time passed… Li Laizi became an old man. He aged and weakened. That was the woman’s best opportunity for revenge.”

“She took her revenge, but her life was utterly destroyed.” Shen Mo said quietly. “Until death she could not go home. She could only linger in the village, venting her fury and resentment upon the villagers.”

The riddle was entirely solved.

“I know how to clear this game now.” Bai Youwei closed her eyes for a moment and said, “Let’s go back and find the old scholar.”

—

The old scholar was nowhere in sight under the bright midday sky, nor were the two paper figures.

Bai Youwei and Shen Mo made a circuit of the house and located the old scholar’s bedchamber.

The place had clearly been searched already. Bai Youwei found nothing remarkable, but sat for a long while in the main hall.

She came to stand before the long central altar table, blew gently at the dust on its surface, and said, “Fu Miaoxue is quite sharp. She took the most crucial item away.”

Behind the spirit tablet, there was a visible gap in the dust — a space where something had rested for a long time before being moved.

Shen Mo’s brow furrowed, his expression displeased. “They found the clue but didn’t come to meet up with us in the village, and they’re not here at this house either. It seems they intend to end our alliance.”

“How heartless~” Bai Youwei smiled. “Just like a cad — breaking it off without a second thought. But an alliance isn’t something they can exit just because they feel like it.”

Shen Mo looked out toward the exterior. “This place isn’t large. With a little time, it wouldn’t be hard to find them. Shall I go look?”

“Never mind~” Bai Youwei was unconcerned. She reached over and lifted down the spirit tablets of the old scholar’s parents, unhurried. “…They’ll come back sooner or later. No need to waste time looking for them.”

Shen Mo looked at the spirit tablets in her hands. “Making a move tonight?”

“I hope so. But…” Bai Youwei hesitated for a few seconds and said, “I need to guarantee at least that I won’t fall asleep tonight.”

—

“Bai Youwei will definitely fall asleep tonight.”

In a dense stretch of forest some distance away, Fu Miaoxue was explaining her plan to Du Lai.

“Her constitution is already weak, and in this game it’s even weaker! In the latter half of every night she’s practically already asleep — she simply can’t hold out. But the Corpse-Hauling Woman’s singing affects one person each night. Once Bai Youwei gets caught by it, she’s finished!”

Fu Miaoxue’s eyes narrowed, a hint of smugness in them.

“Just imagine — when she wakes up and finds she’s chopped her boyfriend to pieces, what will she feel? Struck by lightning? Or crushed by despair? Tsk tsk tsk… a cripple with no boyfriend — how will she go on? She might just lose her will to live and do herself in on the spot!”

Fu Miaoxue couldn’t help pressing both hands to her cheeks, giggling. “This is too much — how wicked I am~ hehehehehe…”

After laughing for a moment, she noticed Du Lai watching her in silence. She rolled her eyes immediately and gave a cold sniff.

“What? Do you think I spend every day in this testing game playing house?”

—