Holding a lantern, guiding souls across, Lady Hou comes from the underworld.

After leaving the Duke of Du's mansion, Mu Tingting was somewhat absent-minded.

Sitting in the carriage, Lady Rong noticed something was wrong and couldn't help but ask, "Xi Mo, what's wrong?"

"Madam... I'm alright."

Upon hearing the name "Xi Mo," Mu Tingting instinctively felt nervous.

Although I have been trying to adapt to this name over the years and try not to give it away.

But... what's fake is still fake.

Will there ever be a day when a flaw is revealed?

Her hands, hidden in her sleeves, unconsciously clenched tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms, causing a slight ache.

"You said you were fine, but you look terrible."

Concerned for her, Rong instructed the nanny beside her, "When we get back to the manor, have Physician Zhang come and take a look."

The nanny agreed.

Mu Tingting forced a smile, "Madam, you don't need to worry about me. Perhaps I just caught a chill by the lake in the garden. I'll just have some ginger soup to warm myself up when I get back."

Rong touched her head, her eyes filled with heartache.

After returning to the Marquis's residence, Mu Tingting went straight to her room, but seeing that the half-finished brocade pouch by the windowsill was not yet embroidered, she couldn't help but pick it up again.

In the past, when she encountered unpleasant things at home, she liked to quietly do embroidery, sewing all her worries into the needle and thread.

Then I felt happy.

At this moment, Lady Hou's personal maid, Rong Shu, came in carrying ginger soup.

"Oh dear, Miss Xia, why aren't you lying down and resting?"

"She's clearly not feeling well, yet she still has to do all these troublesome things. If the young marquis saw this, he'd probably feel sorry for her."

Upon hearing her mention Ren Fengjue, Mu Tingting paused, a strange feeling creeping into her heart. She quickly asked, "Why did Sister Rongshu bring up the young marquis all of a sudden?"

"Miss Xia, you are unaware of this."

Rong Shu placed the soup bowl next to her and said with a smile, "The young marquis came back during the day and even made a special trip here."

"He told me that since I didn't see Miss today, I would come back to see you again next time."

Upon hearing this, Mu Tingting's expression grew even more unpleasant.

I just felt something was wrong.

On the day she first arrived at the mansion, after a brief conversation with Ren Fengjue, she already sensed that he was quite suspicious.

Although he had rehearsed his words countless times beforehand, they seemed flawless.

But it seems... that wasn't enough to convince him.

His sudden return home, accompanied by this message, doesn't seem like concern or consolation; it's more like... a test!

Mu Tingting's heart began to tremble, and combined with her experience at the Duke Du's mansion, she had a vague sense of foreboding...

Is she about to be exposed?

-

"Why are you crying like that?"

As soon as Xia Ximo stepped out of the Meng family's old house, he was annoyed by Wuyou's ghostly wailing.

"Don't you find it touching?"

While wiping away her tears, Wuyou said, "Lovers in this world all yearn for 'growing old together and being of one heart forever,' but unfortunately, they either face 'separation by death' or 'sharing a bed but dreaming different dreams'..."

"There are very few people like Mr. and Mrs. Meng Zhiyuan who can stay together until old age and grow old together in harmony."

"It's a pity Meng Zhiyuan died a few years too early; otherwise, they could have gone to the afterlife together, a truly moving and tragic story!"

Xia Ximo glanced at it and said coldly, "You seem quite eager to be human, so why not ask the Earth Lord to let you enter reincarnation? Why choose to be a wisp of a lamp-guarding soul instead?"

Wuyou stopped crying, thought for a moment, and said, "Since I became conscious, I have been guarding this soul-ferrying lamp, and I have never thought about becoming a human being..."

Then it added, "But of all the soul-ferrymen I've met, you are definitely the most heartless one."

"But then again, I'm curious, in your long-forgotten memories, is there perhaps a poignant love story?"

Xia Ximo paused in his steps.

Wuyou thought she was pausing to think, and even had a bit of hope.

Then, she gave him a cold look and retorted, "Do you think there's a spell that can shut you up?"

"..."

With peace and quiet finally restored, Xia Ximo put away the Soul-Crossing Lamp, but unconsciously glanced back in the direction of the Meng family's old residence.

Madam Meng was still watching her leave from the doorway. When she saw her turn around, she even waved.

After relaying Meng Zhiyuan's words, the elderly lady, who also had a full head of white hair, smiled and said, "He has never wronged me. How fortunate I am to be by your side."

Xia Ximo withdrew her gaze and inexplicably felt a touch of warmth from the sunlight on her body.

However, at that moment, a murmur of discussion arose from the street nearby.

"It's him again. Didn't we hear the authorities have closed the case? Why is he still insisting on finding the killer?"

"It's probably because the shock was too great that the person became abnormal!"

"How much reward did he say he'd offer this time?"

"Ten ingots of gold? That's insane! I heard his house was emptied long ago, where would he get that much money?"

……

Upon hearing "ten ingots of gold," Xia Ximo instinctively turned his gaze towards it.

Three or five men were gathered around a notice board, watching the commotion.

Under the railing sat a haggard-looking man, his face filled with dejection.

A short while later, two police officers came over, tore down the notice on the bulletin board, dragged the man to a corner, beat him up, and gave him a stern warning.

"Zhou Zigui, if you dare cause trouble here again, don't blame us for throwing you in jail for a few days!"

Men seem to have become numb to this kind of thing.

He was beaten up but didn't utter a sound. He just sat there blankly, muttering something to himself.

The onlookers couldn't help but point and whisper until the police officer shouted a reprimand, at which point they gradually dispersed.

Only Xia Ximo walked directly to the man in the corner.

"If I help you find the murderer, is there really ten ingots of gold?"

Judging from her voice, she was a woman. The man didn't seem to want to pay attention to her and didn't even raise his head.

Xia Ximo frowned, suddenly realizing that her question was somewhat ridiculous.

Just as she was about to leave, she heard the man muttering softly.

"The real killer is someone else. My wife's ghost said it wasn't Ada. Ada was just a scapegoat... I must kill the real killer and avenge my wife."

Xia Ximo stopped and turned back to examine him carefully.

The other party did indeed have a strong yin energy, but there was not a trace of malevolence or evil aura about them.

The naked eye cannot see ghosts.

At this moment, the spirit of the lamp, Wuyou, was floating nearby, completely unaware of his presence.

This is enough to show that his eyes cannot see between the living and the dead.

If that's the case, then his wife's ghost...

"Can you see ghosts?"

Xia Ximo asked another question coldly.

The man then looked up at her, and a hint of surprise flickered in his previously dull and lifeless eyes.

He seemed surprised that the person speaking to him was such a young and beautiful girl.

"I…"

The man hesitated, then suddenly gave a self-deprecating laugh: "I know you won't believe me..."

Then, clutching his wound, he struggled to get up, as if to leave, but then stopped.

"I do have ten ingots of gold, but you can't help me."

After saying this, he staggered away.