The Ji family’s ancestral burial ground was at the foot of Dragon Tiger Mountain in the eastern suburbs. Bright Moon Lake lay before it, Dragon Tiger Mountain behind—no matter how you looked at it, it was a feng shui treasure site.

If it were daytime, there would surely be birds singing and flowers fragrant, full of spring vitality.

But at night…

Even though Pei Xiao had already been here once, he was still very panicked, gripping Xie Zhifei’s arm tightly, unwilling to fall even one step behind.

“Look at your sorry state.”

Xie Zhifei lifted his chin toward the two people walking ahead: You’re not even as good as those young ladies.

Nonsense!

How can I compare with those two sorceresses!

Look at these two—walking faster than men, backs straighter than men’s, and that Li woman even whistling.

Pei Xiao tugged on Xie Zhifei’s arm: What’s a woman doing whistling? Is that proper?

Xie Zhifei narrowed his eyes and deliberately probed: “What tune is Miss whistling?”

Li Buyan turned back. “Mouse Loves Rice.”

Pei Xiao: “…” What the heck?

Xie Zhifei: “…” What rice?

Xie Zhifei felt an odd sensation. These words didn’t seem fake. If they were, she wouldn’t have blurted them out so naturally.

“Who did Miss learn this tune from?”

Li Buyan: “My mother!”

Pei Xiao smiled without warmth and added: “Your mother truly is a very special person.”

Li Buyan: “How did you know?”

What do you mean how do I know?

Pei Xiao hummed twice and rolled his eyes skyward silently, thinking: Is she stupid? Can’t she hear the sarcasm in my words?

Xie Zhifei took the opportunity to press further: “Then where is Miss’s mother now?”

Li Buyan pointed at the sky.

Pei Xiao was so frightened he quickly rolled his eyes back and silently chanted: Amitabha!

Xie Zhifei expressed condolences: “I’m sorry for bringing up Miss’s sad matter.”

Li Buyan turned back with a gentle smile: “Not sad at all. I’m happy she could return—it’s too late to be happy.”

Pei Xiao: “…” This sorceress has mental problems!

Xie Zhifei: “…” Probably another ancestral figure!

“Cough, cough!”

Yan Sanhe, who hadn’t spoken the entire journey, suddenly coughed twice. Li Buyan shrugged, turned back again, and smiled at Xie Zhifei.

“Third Master asks so much about me—do you have feelings for me?”

Pei Xiao: “…” This maid has no shame!

Xie Zhifei: “…” This maid is really smart.

Xie Zhifei’s mind sparked with inspiration. He covered his mouth. “Cough, cough, cough, cough…”

Li Buyan hooked Yan Sanhe’s arm. Though she lowered her voice, everyone could hear her.

“Miss, confirmed through eye contact—Third Master’s interest isn’t in wine but in the mountains and waters between—meaning you!”

Yan Sanhe’s voice was flat. “Mm?”

Li Buyan thought for a moment and said again: “Still confirmed through eye contact—it’s not romantic interest but curiosity!”

Yan Sanhe’s voice remained flat: “Mm!”

The air congealed.

Xie Zhifei had no defense and could only continue: “Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough, cough…”

Pei Xiao looked at the person beside him coughing as if to expel his lungs and felt satisfied: No shame is good—at least it cured my panic disorder!

…

As they spoke, they arrived at the Ji family ancestral burial ground.

Ever since Xie Zhifei and company dug open that tomb, Ji Lingchuan had assigned several bold old servants to guard it day and night.

“Miss Yan, the coffin is right there. Do you need to prepare anything?”

“No need!”

Yan Sanhe swept a glance at those old servants, then turned to Ji Lingchuan: “If you don’t want too many people to know, then…”

Ji Lingchuan glanced at his trusted aide, who quickly waved his hand and led those people far away.

Yan Sanhe then cast her gaze toward the two men, Xie and Pei.

Ji Lingchuan quickly said: “Zhifei, you should also step back.”

“Why should I…”

His mouth was covered again.

Xie Zhifei nodded to Yan Sanhe: “Then we’ll trouble Miss.”

Yan Sanhe’s face showed not half a trace of extra expression. Her pitch-black pupils met Xie Zhifei’s gaze for a moment before she turned around.

As the footsteps gradually receded, the wind suddenly stopped. Black clouds churned in the sky, layer upon layer, like ghosts and demons.

Everything around suddenly became quiet—not even a single insect or bird call. Everyone could only hear their own heartbeat: thump, thump, thump!

Though Ji Lingchuan was over fifty, seeing this strange phenomenon, he still couldn’t help his legs trembling.

Yan Sanhe took out a handkerchief from her bosom and wiped each finger, one by one.

She wiped very slowly and spoke very slowly. “How old is the Old Madam this year?”

Ji Lingchuan stammered: “Si-sixty-eight.”

Yan Sanhe: “Where is she from?”

Ji Lingchuan: “Native of Guangxi.”

Yan Sanhe: “What is her name?”

“This…”

Ji Lingchuan was stumped by the question. After thinking for a long while, he said: “I only know Mother’s surname is Hu.”

Doesn’t even know his own mother’s name—what a good son!

Yan Sanhe looked coldly at Ji Lingchuan. “Buyan, you go down first!”

“Okay!”

Li Buyan jumped into the grave pit. With a forceful push of both hands, the half-open coffin let out a creaking sound and shifted to the side.

Xie Zhifei and Pei Xiao hadn’t walked too far.

This sound made both men’s scalps tingle, raising goosebumps all over their bodies.

Pei Xiao reflexively jumped up with a start, wanting to leap onto Xie Zhifei’s back, but was nimbly dodged.

Before he could steady himself, Xie Zhifei grabbed his arm from behind and forcefully dragged him outward.

Pei Xiao was pulled so hard he nearly fell. “What are you doing?”

“Shh!”

Xie Zhifei made a silencing gesture, walked out another dozen zhang, then pointed at a large tree ahead and silently mouthed three words to Pei Xiao:

“Climb up.”

Pei Xiao: “…”

Still dare to peek?

He’s crazy. This person must be crazy!

…

The last finger finished wiping. Yan Sanhe covered her handkerchief and coughed once.

Li Buyan extended her hand toward her.

“Don’t move!”

Yan Sanhe instructed Ji Lingchuan to the side, bent down to grasp Li Buyan’s hand, and with her strength, lightly jumped.

Ji Lingchuan’s heart jumped along with her.

Old Madam Hu’s coffin was several times more exquisite than the one seen at the funeral clothes shop—clearly she had been very prominent in life.

The burial garments were properly worn, and the body wrapped inside showed no sign of decay. However, the old madam’s face was covered with a layer of black qi.

Yan Sanhe’s originally calm black eyes suddenly sharpened.

She rolled up her sleeves and reached her hand into the coffin.

A bizarre scene appeared. The black mist that had been coiled on the old madam’s face suddenly wrapped around Yan Sanhe’s jade-white forearm.

That black mist kept surging out, spreading wantonly, almost about to swallow her entire being.

Ji Lingchuan was so frightened he collapsed to the ground, both hands firmly covering his mouth, not daring to make the slightest sound.

“It’s okay, it’s okay.”

Yan Sanhe’s voice was unusually gentle. “I’m here, I’m here.”

The black mist seemed to understand human speech, slowly receding, finally gathering on Yan Sanhe’s hand.

“Tell me, what can’t you let go of!”

Yan Sanhe covered the old madam’s eyes with her hand, then slowly closed her own eyes.

When a person is dying, everyone they’ve met in life, everything they’ve experienced, will drift through their mind like fleeting shadows.

Happy moments, painful moments, sorrowful moments, resentful moments, unforgettable moments…

Some just flash by briefly, some linger for a moment, and some remain for even longer.

Those heart obsessions that cannot be spoken aloud remain entrenched in the deceased’s mind. Even after the last breath is exhaled, the obsession remains.

The black mist seeped in through Yan Sanhe’s fingertips. Gradually, an image appeared before her eyes.

When she clearly saw that image, her brow furrowed sharply.

“What you can’t let go of… is it?”