Chapter 58

Watching in disbelief as the Long-haired Woman casually finished her third and fourth plates, even letting out a satisfied burp without a hint of fear on her face, the Ghost Lady couldn’t take it anymore. Clutching the thousand-yuan gift, she looked even more sinister, her eyes wide like saucers, while the humans trembled more violently. But the Long-haired Woman seemed unfazed, noticing the Ghost Lady’s gaze and flashing a toothy grin, her chuckle oddly friendly, with a touch of innocence?

…Wait, innocence?!

Ghost Lady: …

Maidservants: …

Humans: …

Their eyes must be playing tricks!

Old Yang and Cai Jie were genuinely panicking. Although they couldn’t quite figure out the Long-haired Woman’s background, anyone who could calmly “celebrate” with the Ghost Lady and devour four plates of Black Blob couldn’t be ordinary, right? Besides, the Long-haired Woman seemed just as formidable as the Ghost Lady, equally terrifying. It was a classic case of deities clashing while mortals suffered, and they were the unfortunate mortals.

Having eaten her fill, the Long-haired Woman wiped her mouth and politely said, “Thank you for the hospitality, Ghost Lady. It was delicious. I wonder if there’s a parting gift?”

Oh!

The Long-haired Woman was really pushing her luck, daring to ask for a parting gift! Did she think her thousand yuan of Paper Money was a lot?

The Ghost Lady chuckled darkly, “No!”

Long-haired Woman: “Oh, well then, I’ll have another plate. I can eat a bit more.”

At that moment, everyone present, whether human or ghost, looked at the Long-haired Woman with expressions that were hard to describe.

The Ghost Lady scoffed, “Who are you? I didn’t invite anyone to my birthday. How did you get here?”

Although there was no more food coming, Gu Feiyin thought the Ghost Lady had been quite accommodating to her guests, not only providing food but having ghosts personally feed it to her. She had eaten her fill, which was quite satisfactory, and having given the gift and wished her well, it was time to discuss the real matter.

“I actually came to talk to you about something.”

The Ghost Lady didn’t expect the Long-haired Woman to have something to say, and even Old Yang and Cai Jie were puzzled. What could the Long-haired Woman possibly need to discuss with a ghost?

The Ghost Lady said, “What is it? Tell me, I’m listening.”

Old Yang and the others turned to look at the Long-haired Woman, curious about what she had to say.

“Well, here’s the thing.” The Long-haired Woman curled her lips, her expressionless face revealing a slightly eerie smile. “I know a kid who used to live here and stashed most of his belongings in this pit, planning to come back for them when needed.”

“Now, he’s about to die, and his inheritance falls to me. That’s why I came looking. I didn’t expect to find you living here, so I wanted to discuss with you whether I could take what’s rightfully mine. I don’t want anything else from this pit, just the inheritance I’m legally entitled to, haha.”

…What?

The Ghost Lady’s eyes widened, and so did those of the humans present. It wasn’t just the Ghost Lady who found it hard to believe; the humans were equally skeptical.

“You’re spouting nonsense!” the Ghost Lady exclaimed. “You’re just a mere human, and you dare to deceive me? How could you possibly know any little friend who would stash their assets in my tomb? Do you really think I’m that easy to fool?”

The Long-haired Woman blinked, her dark eyes following the direction of the voice, and earnestly explained, “Please don’t misunderstand, Ghost Lady. The little friend I mentioned is a ghost, just like you.”

…???!!!

Both the ghosts and humans present were stunned, incredulously staring at the Long-haired Woman. Who on earth could associate a little friend with a ghost?

The Long-haired Woman continued, “It’s that Zhuang from Dalong Mountain, the King. Do you know him? If not, it’s fine. He’s the one who was raided and had his home confiscated after an unauthorized marriage not long ago.”

Zhuang from Dalong Mountain, the King?

…Was it the King who got his wedding day ruined by the Long Black Straight Hair?

…Was it the King whose entire household was raided and wiped out on his wedding day?

…Was it the King who, on his wedding day, not only got his wedding ruined and his household raided but also lost his dignity, being forced to carry a wild boar down the mountain and almost got beaten to a pulp?

The Ghost Lady’s eerie eyes rolled. How could she not know this Zhuang? Wasn’t he one of her previous husbands from several lifetimes ago? She had laughed for days when she heard about his miserable fate, thoroughly enjoying it.

To say she had a history with Zhuang would be an understatement. When she first became a ghost, she stayed quietly in her tomb, too afraid to venture out, with only a few maids to talk to and relieve her boredom. Then Zhuang appeared, bringing flowers or wild fruits, stargazing or moon-watching. She, having grown up in a sheltered environment and never having ventured out much even in death, was completely swept off her feet. She married Zhuang and lived a few loving years together.

She thought they would be together forever, but one sunny day while they were out enjoying the scenery in front of the tomb, Zhuang told her he wanted a divorce. He said the life they were living was no longer what he wanted, and he needed to see more of the world. He promised they would meet again if fate allowed.

At that time, she felt as if her world had collapsed. She cried for days, begging Zhuang to stay and not abandon her. But in the end, Zhuang left, sneaking away on a dark, windy night, leaving her alone and completely forgetting their past vows.

After that, she didn’t hear from Zhuang for a long time. The next news she got was that he had married someone named Yingying. It was said that to please that little vixen Yingying, he had ghost slaves gather flowers from the entire mountain to present to her, which became a famous tale in the ghost world. Everyone said Zhuang was completely under Yingying’s spell.

She was truly furious, so much so that she almost went to confront Zhuang. That scoundrel was nothing but a smooth talker, thinking himself a master of romance.

But she had gotten used to it. After all, men were never any good. Her husband when she was alive had multiple wives and concubines, falling in love with every woman he saw. It was impossible to control him, and getting angry was pointless. Why bother? Arguing with those lousy men was just asking for trouble.

If Zhuang wanted to find someone else, she couldn’t be bothered to keep him. After that, she lived quietly in the pit. Eventually, she got tired of staying in one place and wanted a change of scenery. This pit was a recent discovery, spacious and filled with treasures, so they moved in quickly.

Who would have thought that after just a few years, a pesky man would come to dig up the grave? How could they agree to that?

And now, before they could scare these pesky men away, Zhuang’s heir had the nerve to show up and demand to inherit the estate? Was he dreaming?

Ghost Lady immediately distanced herself from any connection with Zhuang. “I don’t know him. I’m just a ghost who stays at home. How could I know such a despicable man?”

Long-haired Woman said, “Hmm, hmm, hmm, it doesn’t matter if you don’t know him. He’s almost dead anyway, and knowing him would only make you sad.”

Ghost Lady: “…”

Long-haired Woman gave a simple smile, “Hehe, don’t worry, I won’t take more than my share. Just what I’m supposed to inherit.”

Ghost Lady: “…………”

Ghost Lady was almost stunned by the audacity of the Long-haired Woman. She scoffed, slapping her hand on the stone table with authority, “What do you mean by this? Everything in this tomb is mine. There’s no Zhuang, and no inheritance. Don’t think you can trick me out of my wealth. Dream on.”

Long-haired Woman thought for a moment and said, “How about I pay you some rent? Just as a fee for using your space. We can coexist peacefully as outsiders. I take what’s mine, you take what’s yours, and we don’t interfere with each other.”

Ghost Lady and others: “…”

A few humans: “…”

“No way,” Ghost Lady said. “Since I’m here, everything in this tomb naturally belongs to me. No one can touch a thing. If you know what’s good for you, leave immediately, or you’ll regret it!”

Long-haired Woman said, “Huh? Not even that? I can add an extra percentage!”

“Absolutely not. Even if you offer more, it’s out of the question. Don’t even think about it.”

“…”

Long-haired Woman blinked her dark eyes, staring at Ghost Lady for a long time without speaking. Her expressionless face seemed to be contemplating some philosophical question, yet it was eerily sinister, looking quite terrifying.

Ghost Lady felt a bit uneasy but reminded herself she had nothing to fear. Wasn’t this her territory?

Seeing Long-haired Woman quiet down, Ghost Lady hummed with satisfaction. This Long-haired Woman was just a human, timid and easily intimidated. She stretched her nails and chuckled softly, giving Xiao Xi a look, signaling her to go out and check if anyone else had come in.

Xiao Xi-the female ghost who had previously gone to fetch Old Yang and the others-remained silently behind the Ghost Lady. Her vacant eyes gave her the appearance of a mannequin from a distance.

Xiao Xi acknowledged with a nod, her cold gaze sweeping over Old Yang and the others, causing them to shrink back and avert their eyes, their breaths cautious and shallow. She let out an eerie chuckle, then turned her attention to the Long-haired Woman. The Long-haired Woman, who had been looking elsewhere, suddenly tilted her head, her eyes following the movement, staring unblinkingly at Xiao Xi with a stiff and unsettling expression.

Xiao Xi: …

Long-haired Woman: …

The ghost and the woman stared at each other for a while before Xiao Xi turned away, her steps rigid as she walked off. Upon closer inspection, one could see her lips quivering.

The Long-haired Woman turned her head back, her entire demeanor vacant, her stiffness indistinguishable from that of the ghosts.

Several humans: …

…

Old Yang was utterly perplexed by the Long-haired Woman. If she had a shadow, she seemed human, but what kind of ordinary person would dare to eat the food of ghosts and negotiate with them about inheriting a legacy? Such actions were beyond the capabilities of a regular person!

Yet, if she wasn’t human, she certainly appeared to be one.

This world was indeed vast, full of strange encounters.

Fortunately, due to the sudden appearance of the Long-haired Woman, the maids had ceased their attempts to feed them those Black Blobs, allowing them to narrowly escape a dire situation. Lucky indeed.

At this moment, Cai Jie cautiously leaned closer to Old Yang’s shoulder, nervously whispering, “What’s the deal with this Long-haired Woman? Why isn’t she afraid of the Ghost Lady? And she can eat the food of ghosts! Is she really human? She seems so eerie to me!”

“I don’t know,” Old Yang hesitated, “Maybe she’s a master of Cultivation?”

“No, are there really people who cultivate in this world? And even if she’s a master, she doesn’t look the part-no ethereal grace or revered presence, just downright spooky.”

“There are ghosts in this world, do you think those above are unaware of such beings? They must know, and perhaps there’s a special department related to this… Remember the ‘Wawa Island fire incident’? Wawa Island was so infamous, with ten people disappearing in succession, yet half of them died on Wawa Island. The official explanation was that they got lost, but if that were the case, why burn all the Dolls on Wawa Island? If you fall off a mountain, would you level the mountain? I thought it was fishy back then. Now it seems Wawa Island is far from simple, but the specifics are kept from us ordinary folks.”

“…So ordinary people really don’t have the right to know?”

“Sigh, we’re out of options now. Let’s hope the minister notices our disappearance and comes looking for us.”

Truth be told, they had no means of escape now, especially after two days without food, leaving them weak and likely to faint after running only a short distance.

In the ghost’s lair, they had no choice but to bow their heads.

…

“Alright, enough chit-chat,” the Ghost Lady said with an air of elegance, raising her stiff arm slightly. “Let’s continue our banquet. Come on, everyone, dig in, don’t be shy.”

The humans who had been momentarily forgotten: “…”

Long-haired Woman: “Sure, could I have another plate? I’m full, but I can still manage a bit more.”

A feast that fills you up, saving tomorrow’s meal expenses.

Ghost Lady: “…???”

The humans: “…!!!”

All the ghosts turned their heads in unison to look at the Long-haired Woman, who grinned and said, “Thanks!”

Old Yang and Cai Jie desperately wanted to ask the Long-haired Woman for help, thinking maybe she could eat on their behalf too. Unfortunately, they hadn’t developed the ability to communicate telepathically, so they could only watch as she enjoyed her meal with gusto, which was quite terrifying.

…

Meanwhile, the Red-Dressed Ghost, Neighbor Miss, Old Lady, and Armless Ghost were still waiting outside. They hadn’t entered because the Long Black Straight Hair had suggested that since the pit was occupied, they should first inquire if Zhuang’s share could be given to them. If it could, everyone would be happy; if not…

The Red-Dressed Ghost, holding the tattered Zhuang, swung her whip idly and said, “I wonder how the negotiations are going over there. If they don’t work out, are we just going to let it go?”

Armless Ghost replied, “We can’t just let it go, right? That would be a waste. We just want what’s left by Zhuang, nothing else, and it’s not illegal.”

Headless Ghost chimed in, “Exactly, we’re not here to rob anyone. We’re here for legal inheritance. If they refuse… well, I’m not sure what we can do. What do you suggest?”

“Are we really going to fight for it?”

“But I can’t fight! I never fought when I was alive, and now you want me to fight? That’s asking too much!”

Red-Dressed Ghost: “…”

Neighbor Miss hopped onto the stone path, her head half-stuck in the rocks, while her body dangled below, looking quite carefree. The Old Lady hugged her broom, shrinking to the side, rolling her eyes, though it was unclear who she was rolling them at.

At this point, about twenty ghosts were crammed into the small stone path, passionately discussing how to inherit Zhuang’s estate.

Zhuang couldn’t help but want to wipe away his tears, but he had no hands to do so… This realization made him feel even more pitiful, wondering if he had wronged the Long Black Straight Hair in a past life and was now paying the price.

As the discussion heated up, a ghost suddenly came over and whispered, “Something’s wrong, something’s wrong, I saw a female ghost coming!”

“What? A ghost is coming? Who’s coming?”

“Forget about that, let’s hide quickly!”

“Yes, yes, let’s hide quickly!”

The group of ghosts hurriedly tried to hide, hoping not to disrupt the negotiations ahead. But the approaching female ghost had already spotted them, covering her bloodless lips and shouting, “Oh no, report to the Lady! A whole bunch of ghosts have broken in!”

The Red-Dressed Ghost realized this wouldn’t do. While negotiations were happening up front, the back was pulling them down. If they couldn’t secure the inheritance, what would they do? She quickly said, “Don’t misunderstand, don’t misunderstand. We actually heard that today is the Ghost Lady’s centennial birthday, so we came together to offer our congratulations. We were just worried about coming uninvited and being blamed by the Lady, so we gathered here to discuss how to proceed with our greetings.”

Xiao Xi stared at the Red-Dressed Ghost for a moment, “Are you serious? You’re here to congratulate? No other motives?”

The Red-Dressed Ghost replied, “Absolutely, absolutely, it’s true. What motives could we possibly have? Look at us, these little ghosts, how could we do such things?”

The Headless Ghost quickly added, “Yes, yes, Miss, don’t be afraid. We’re not bad ghosts; we don’t eat little girls. We’re genuinely here to celebrate your Lady’s birthday.”

The Armless Ghost chimed in, “If we were bad, why would we wait here? How could we be so easily discovered by you, and why would we explain so much? We’d have barged in long ago.”

“Exactly, Miss, don’t be afraid. We’re good ghosts, please don’t misunderstand us.”

“Look, we’ve even brought gifts!”

Xiao Xi looked closely and indeed saw these oddly shaped little ghosts rummaging through their belongings, selecting gifts ranging from ten thousand to forty thousand.

This was acceptable, much more than what the Long-haired Woman had offered. Who knew what was up with her, bringing only a thousand!

“Alright, since you’re here to celebrate my Lady’s birthday, follow me. Be careful not to startle the Lady, or if you anger her, I won’t be able to protect you.”

“Yes, yes, Miss, you’re right.”

A group of ghosts followed Xiao Xi, while Zhuang hid behind the Red-Dressed Ghost. The moment Xiao Xi appeared, he quickly ducked out of sight, not for any other reason but because he suspected the Lady mentioned might be one of his ex-wives!

He truly hadn’t expected, in his recent days of misfortune, to encounter two ex-wives in succession. When he was in his prime, why couldn’t he see even one?

But could he go out and acknowledge them? No way. His handsome and charming image was gone, now reduced to a floating head and body, barely getting by by entertaining Long Black Straight Hair. How could he have the nerve to reminisce with an ex-wife? He certainly wouldn’t dare seek help from her, fearing she’d enjoy watching his plight just like Yingying.

It was all Long Black Straight Hair’s fault!

If it weren’t for her terrifying grin, he wouldn’t be so miserable that he couldn’t even maintain his handsome and imposing image. Otherwise, he might have tried some charm…

Meanwhile, the humans were still being forced to eat the Black Blob, and it was almost at their mouths! The Ghost Lady’s cold gaze was fixed on them, causing sweat to drip from their foreheads and tears to nearly fall.

But compared to their silent struggle, the side was much livelier.

“Crunch-”

“……”

“Crunch-”

“……”

“Crunch, crunch, crunch-”

“…………”

The Ghost Lady’s head turned, her eyes bulging as she glared at the Long-haired Woman, seemingly wanting to devour her!

The humans were immensely grateful; the Long-haired Woman was drawing all the ire, giving them a bit more breathing room. Ideally, the Ghost Lady would forget about them entirely.

Just then, Xiao Xi returned and announced, “Madam, a few more guests have arrived to celebrate your birthday. Shall I let them in?”

The humans, who had just started to relax, were startled once again. Guests? More guests were coming? Just how many ghosts were there?! The few already present were more than enough to handle, and now more were arriving-it was as if their lives were at stake!

The Ghost Lady suppressed her anger, glaring at the Long-haired Woman with disdain, and said with authority, “Who are they?”

Xiao Xi replied, “They’re unfamiliar, likely Little Ghosts from the nearby hills. They’ve heard of your reputation and have come to offer their congratulations.”

The Ghost Lady nodded with satisfaction and said, “Though they came uninvited, their politeness warrants letting them in.”

Xiao Xi acknowledged with a nod and turned to say, “Come in.”

Old Yang and the others exchanged uneasy glances, swallowing hard, and couldn’t help but look towards the entrance. Suddenly, a Headless Ghost appeared in the dim doorway, standing upright in the air and slowly drifting into the hall. Following him was an Armless Ghost, then a ghost with two flattened legs, wobbling as it walked, and others with half-missing foreheads or steel rods piercing their chests. These ghosts clearly met untimely ends-some seemed victims of car accidents, others of construction mishaps. Rarely was there one that appeared intact, yet its face was covered in blood, bruised and purple, with blood oozing from every orifice, making it utterly terrifying.

One by one, these ghosts floated in, their pale faces twisted into stiff and eerie smiles, their chaotic appearances enough to make one’s skin crawl!

Old Yang was dumbfounded. “W-What do we do? These ghosts seem even more difficult to deal with.”

Cai Jie was nearly scared out of his wits, “I… I think we might really meet our end here today. We few humans probably aren’t even enough to fill their teeth.”

“This is so scary. Can I just die on my own? I don’t want to be eaten… If my mom finds me, there won’t even be a complete body left. She’d be so heartbroken, boohoo.”

“…”

Amidst their panic and helplessness, another ghost suddenly floated in from outside. Her forehead was embedded in a stone, and she slid in along the ceiling, her stiff body swaying side to side. She even spun around a few times, finally fixing her gray-white eyes on them.

“…………”

The ghost’s body wobbled, glanced at them, then turned entirely to face the Long-haired Woman.

Long-haired Woman: “Crunch, crunch, crunch-”

The humans: “…”

Just when they thought the Long-haired Woman was in trouble, the ghost with the stone-embedded forehead turned around, presenting her back to them.

…???

Wait, what does this mean?

Why does it feel like she’s angry?!

The humans were bewildered, but then the Red-Dressed Ghost spoke up, “Madam, we heard today marks your centennial birthday, so we came together to pay our respects. We were worried about intruding and disturbing you, so please forgive us. Here’s a small gift, we hope you’ll accept it.”

The Armless Ghost chimed in, “Indeed, Madam, happy hundredth birthday. May you have many more days like this and cherish every moment.”

The Headless Ghost added, “Wishing you endless blessings, longevity as vast as the heavens, and eternal life!”

A flood of free compliments poured forth, delighting the Ghost Lady immensely. She nodded graciously, “Hmm, you are thoughtful. Please, have a seat. Xiao Xi, serve the dishes.”

Xiao Xi acknowledged the order and went to instruct the maids to bring out the food.

“Oh, by the way,” the Red-Dressed Ghost stood up, glanced at the Long Black Straight Hair who was munching away, and smiled as she placed a gift on the ghost maid’s tray, “This is our present, please don’t take offense, Madam.”

Following the Red-Dressed Ghost, about twenty other ghosts took out their gifts and placed them on the tray.

The Ghost Lady said, “Hmm, you are considerate.”

…

Seeing the ghosts chatting happily, Old Yang grew increasingly anxious. This couldn’t go on; in the hands of these ghosts, they were doomed as humans. The only one who might stand a chance against the Ghost Lady seemed to be the Long-haired Woman.

Though she was mysterious, she was human after all. If she could enter, she must know the way out. If she agreed to help, their chances of escaping would greatly increase!

Moreover, this Long-haired Woman seemed to value money highly; otherwise, why would she venture into this tomb alone and negotiate with a ghost? They could offer her money, no matter the amount, as long as she was willing to help. This way, they had a glimmer of hope.

Old Yang shared his plan, and Cai Jie and Zhu Cheng thought it was risky but worth a try, as they had no other options.

Just as they attempted to approach the Long-haired Woman to speak with her, the Ghost Lady suddenly stood up. She slammed her hand on the stone table, leaving a blackened handprint on the hard surface!

“I smell a familiar scent. Who brought Zhuang here?” The Ghost Lady scoffed coldly, “Since you’re here, stop hiding. Come out, I know your stench well.”

Zhuang, hiding behind the Old Lady: “…”

Zhuang was determined not to move; going out was out of the question, forever impossible.

He peeked his head out from behind the Old Lady, glaring at the Long Black Straight Hair munching away.

The Red-Dressed Ghost’s eyes darted, “So Madam knows Zhuang?”

The Ghost Lady retorted, “I don’t know him. Why would I know such a scoundrel? Or are you all in cahoots?”

She raised her hand, and the seemingly harmless maids turned their sinister gazes towards them. The Red-Dressed Ghost quickly said, “Don’t misunderstand, how could I be in league with that lecherous ghost?” From this, it seemed she did know him, and judging by the looks of it, their relationship wasn’t good? That made things much easier.

The Ghost Lady clearly didn’t believe her, her eyes nearly bulging out.

The Red-Dressed Ghost tugged at the yarn string and pulled Zhuang out from hiding. Everyone saw a ghost missing an arm and a leg, half of his forehead gone, and his body in tatters being dragged out from the back.

Zhuang stumbled forward, becoming the center of attention for all the humans and ghosts present: ………:(

Ghost Lady: “…???”

Ghost Lady: “…!!!”

Her eyes nearly popped out in shock, not to mention the humans nearby who almost screamed in surprise. Whoa, Zhuang was in a terrible state! What kind of severe torture had he endured? Surviving was no small feat.

Zhuang looked pleadingly at Ghost Lady, hoping she would remember their past and save him.

Unexpectedly, Ghost Lady stared at him for a while and then burst into laughter, unable to contain herself. “Serves you right, truly serves you right! Never thought you’d see this day, haha, it’s killing me!”

Zhuang: “…”

He was on the verge of tears. “As the saying goes, a day as a couple means a hundred days of grace. I’m in trouble now, and instead of pitying me, you laugh at me?”

Ghost Lady rolled her eyes. “Pity a ghost? Seeing you in distress makes me happy, why should I pity you?”

Zhuang: “…”

Ghost Lady glanced at the Long-haired Woman and said, “I heard she’s your heir. You should have her pity you. As for me, dream on. Besides, seeing you like this, why hasn’t your heir reacted at all? Did you misjudge her?”

Zhuang looked at the Long Black Straight Hair and lowered his head, realizing he had indeed misjudged her, thinking she was easy to bully, only to be bullied himself.

The Long-haired Woman raised her head, her sinister eyes glinting as she said earnestly, “I don’t pity him either.”

Zhuang felt like his soul was about to scatter. Not pitying him was one thing, but did she have to say it again?

Ghost Lady scoffed, clearly not believing it. If she was inheriting his estate, what kind of relationship could they have? Did they think she was naïve?

The Long-haired Woman grinned with her crooked teeth, looking quite simple-minded. “His estate will soon be mine, so I’m very happy.”

Ghost Lady: “…” Was the Long-haired Woman really this ruthless?

The humans: “…” They were momentarily bewildered, questioning whether seeking help from the Long-haired Woman was the right decision.

Suddenly, Ghost Lady gestured, her face filled with malice, and the maidservants entered, holding trays, looking ready for a confrontation with the Long-haired Woman and the ghosts. The atmosphere suddenly became tense!

The Red-Dressed Ghost and the others couldn’t sit still either. Seeing the situation, they stood up, wary of their surroundings.

The humans huddled together, trembling. Was a fight about to break out? Well, that might give them a chance to escape.

Zhuang’s eyes suddenly gleamed with hope. Ghost Lady was indeed kind-hearted, appearing indifferent but actually caring. Her earlier words must have been a ruse to lower their guard and save him.

Zhuang was suddenly filled with excitement. Quick, quick, grab that Long Black Straight Hair, and he could finally have his revenge!

Ghost Lady spoke harshly, “You can’t inherit Old Zhuang’s estate.”

Zhuang: “That’s right, impossible!”

Gu Feiyin asked earnestly, “Why?”

Ghost Lady replied, “Because I was Zhuang’s ex-wife. When we divorced, I didn’t get anything. Now that Zhuang is about to die, if you really want to talk about it, I am the most legitimate heir. What are you? Are you also his ex-wife?”

Gu Feiyin: “…No, I’m not!”

Zhuang: “…!!!”

Several humans: “…”

The ghosts: “…”

Ghost Lady continued, “Since you’re not, why would you get any inheritance?”

Gu Feiyin widened her dark eyes at Ghost Lady, but couldn’t see anything clearly. “You, you want the inheritance?”

Ghost Lady said, “Of course I do. I was married to Zhuang, and do you know about shared property between spouses? He hid his assets and claimed he was broke, then ran off after saying a few words during the divorce. He ate my food, drank my drinks, and even lived in my house. The wedding house was in my name, and he didn’t even leave any alimony when he left. Now I’m just taking some inheritance, is there anything wrong with that?”

Gu Feiyin was completely stunned. Her inheritance was gone? No!

Red-Dressed Ghost was also stunned. Such a stingy king was truly a rare sight in her life; even the Old Lady couldn’t help but use her broom to sweep Zhuang aside, feeling embarrassed. The humans couldn’t bear to watch anymore; was Zhuang really that stingy? Wasn’t he a Phoenix man?

Headless Ghost said, “What’s the deal with Zhuang, living off his wife and then abandoning her? Is he even a man? This is too much; I can’t stand it.”

Armless Ghost added, “Exactly, as a male ghost, he has no responsibility at all. Marrying one after another, if he’s a player, just say so. What’s all this talk about searching for true love? It’s shameless!”

“That’s right. If you ask me, Zhuang deserves to be caught by our Master. Now he’s in for a tough time.”

Red-Dressed Ghost raised her hand and whipped him, “You shameless man, how dare you harass Shao Yizhou? Do you even see if you’re worthy?”

Under the disdainful and mocking gazes around him, Zhuang couldn’t lift his head. Did he want this? He didn’t want it either, but wasn’t it all because of that Long Black Straight Hair who gnawed on him many, many years ago? At that time, he was gnawed by Long Black Straight Hair until he was on the brink of death. He barely escaped with his life and had nowhere to go. While hiding and wandering, he met the lady, and it was fate; love came unexpectedly.

Back then, he was just a Little Ghost, severely injured, and he didn’t dare to go back for his belongings, nor did he have a place to earn money. It was a helpless situation. He had thought about repaying the lady, but then love left as suddenly as it came, and he had no choice but to part ways.

If you really think about it, those two Long Black Straight Hair who gnawed on him were quite similar, weren’t they?

He tried to recall, but unfortunately, he couldn’t remember what that Long Black Straight Hair looked like back then. Her hair was so long and straight that it almost reached her waist. She suddenly emerged from the woods, her head hanging low, walking stiffly towards him. He asked her what she was doing, and without a word, she pounced on him!

Thinking back now, it was terrifying, and the malicious Long Black Straight Hair in front of him was eerily similar.

But the former was a ghost, and the latter a human. There was no real connection between them. It was just that fate seemed to envy his carefree life, sending two Long Black Straight Hairs to punish him in succession.

…

At this moment, the wicked Long Black Straight Hair was truly shocked. She hadn’t expected an ex-wife to jump out halfway to claim the inheritance. Could she say no? No, she couldn’t, so she vented her frustration by stomping on Zhuang a few times.

“Madam, how about we split it evenly?” Gu Feiyin suggested, settling for a compromise. She calculated carefully and realized she should be content. Zhuang’s inheritance must be substantial, and splitting it with this little friend would still yield a considerable sum for her. Although it was less than she hoped, at least she wouldn’t be at a loss.

Ghost Lady toyed with her long nails and reluctantly said, “I’m Old Zhuang’s ex-wife. What right do you have to his inheritance?”

Gu Feiyin replied, “Because I caught him, and I’m the one who will kill him. Once Zhuang is dead, the inheritance naturally becomes mine, hehe.”

… Cough, cough?!

With a snap, Ghost Lady’s long nails broke.

With a thud, Cai Jie, Zhu Cheng, Old Yang, and Gong Shenghua all fell off the stone bench, struggling for a long time without managing to get up.

At that moment, everything flying in the sky and floating on the ground retreated a few steps. Especially Neighbor Miss, who clung to the ceiling and quickly shrank into a corner. Old Lady hid behind her broom, peering at the Long Black Straight Hair.

Zhuang rolled around a few times on the spot. Oh, heavens! Why haven’t you taken this heartless Long Black Straight Hair away yet?

…

Ghost Lady stared at her broken nail, speechless. She now realized that this Long-haired Woman was a formidable character. Suddenly, she had an epiphany. Could this Long-haired Woman be the legendary “Long Black Straight Hair”?

With her long, black, straight hair and her cold, malicious demeanor, she really did resemble her.

Even Zhuang couldn’t handle the Long Black Straight Hair; surely she couldn’t either.

Ghost Lady’s eyes darted around, and she said, “Alright, we’ll split it evenly.”

Evenly splitting was better than nothing. It was all Zhuang’s fault for causing such a mess. She couldn’t help but stomp on Zhuang a few more times, and Zhuang, lacking the strength to resist, merely shivered twice under her foot.

“Hey, what are you ladies discussing here? What’s this about splitting evenly?” A woman’s voice suddenly came from outside the stone house, accompanied by a coquettish laugh. A female ghost appeared inside the room, swaying seductively, and said, “Whatever you’re splitting, count me in for a share.”

Zhuang lifted his eyelids. It was one of his ex-wives-Yingying-and he suddenly felt a glimmer of hope. Would she save him?

The human kids huddled on the ground, peeking out with wide eyes to watch the spectacle. What was going on with this female ghost? How could there be so many ghosts?!

The Red-Dressed Ghost and the Headless Ghost both turned their gaze towards the newcomer. Who was this?

The Ghost Lady glared at Yingying, her expression hostile. “You little wretch, how dare you come to my house? Looking for a beating?”

Yingying covered her face and said, “Sister, don’t be angry. I’m a victim too. Even though I married Zhuang after you, he got tired of me in just a few years and went off to find true love.”

The Ghost Lady scoffed, “Don’t think saying that will make me let you off.”

Yingying replied, “Sister, I’m about to get married. If you have time, come join the festivities.”

The Ghost Lady: “Not coming.”

The humans huddled in the corner: “…”

The dozens of ghosts floating nearby: “…”

Gu Feiyin looked at Yingying, a sudden sense of foreboding creeping into her heart.

Sure enough, Yingying continued, “It’s been a long time since those days. Zhuang suddenly wanted a divorce, and I couldn’t stop him. I watched him leave, and I didn’t take any of our shared property, thinking his stuff would dirty my hands. I wandered the world alone as a ghost for decades before healing from that heartbreak.”

Gu Feiyin: “…?”

Yingying sighed, “Now I’ve figured it out. It’s not worth it for a man. Why shouldn’t I take what’s mine? If I don’t, he’ll use my share to pursue new love. Is that worth it? No, it just taints my money. Master, don’t you agree?”

Gu Feiyin: “…??”

Yingying: “So I’m here to reclaim what’s rightfully mine.”

Gu Feiyin: “…???”

Yingying: “How about we split it three ways, okay?”

Gu Feiyin: “…????”

The Ghost Lady: “…”

The ghosts and humans present: “…”

Zhuang: Wants to die. 🙁

As they continued to argue, suddenly, another woman’s voice drifted in from outside the stone house, “What are you dividing?”

The Ghost Lady, eyes wide with suspicion, asked, “Are you here for the inheritance too?”

“Of course, to commemorate my past love, I’d like a keepsake. Can we split it three ghosts and one human? I don’t mind.”

…

“Hey, what are you four dividing? Count me in.”

“And me.”

“And me too!”

…

Zhuang quietly closed his eyes.

Gu Feiyin’s eyes widened, fierce and menacing, her entire demeanor cold and ruthless.