The real heiress is a fortune teller; her divinations are worth a fortune, and the whole internet is

"Chunying, what brings you here?" Li Mengdie was about to comb her hair when she was snatched away by Chunying.

Chunying explained, "Sister Xiaodie, there's a temple fair tomorrow, let's go see it!"

Li Mengdie shook her head, "No, it's not appropriate for a widow like me to attend such a lively occasion."

"Oh dear, let's go secretly," Chunying whispered, "and come back secretly. There are so many people at the temple fair, we won't be discovered."

Chunying spoke with such conviction that Li Mengdie was somewhat persuaded, and with a thought in her mind, she nodded slightly.

"It's a deal then, no backing out, whoever goes back on their word is a little dog!" Chunying laughed and ran away.

However, they hadn't gone far when they saw Chen Han.

Chunying held out her hand. "Give me the money."

"She's willing to go out for a walk?" Chen Han took out a few copper coins and placed them in her palm.

"Of course," Chunying said, puzzled, "why are you so insistent on letting Sister Xiaodie leave?"

Chen Han was a little worried. "The doctor said that she was depressed and that staying at home for too long was bad for her health. She should go out more and broaden her horizons. Once she does, all her worries will disappear."

"You're quite thoughtful," Chunying thought, only wanting to use the money to buy candied fruit to sweeten her mouth, and had no interest in their relationship.

【I hereby announce that you are now in your place, Young Master Chen!】

What's wrong with Zhou Sheng? Even if he suspects Li Mengdie, he can't just abandon his own parents, can he?

Where is this guy right now?

Zhou Sheng was preparing to go and collect grain, but he was caught in a downpour on the way and took shelter in a dilapidated temple.

The temple was dilapidated and drafty. A pretty girl, who had run into the temple to take shelter from the rain, approached him and said, "Young master, may I warm myself by the fire with you? It's so cold."

"Please sit down, young lady," Zhou Sheng said, still wearing his official robes, as he moved to the side.

"My name is Siluo. May I ask your honorable name, sir?" The girl's eyes were pitiful, and Zhou Sheng couldn't bring himself to say anything harsh to her.

"Zhou Sheng".

"Brother Zhou, do you need any maids? I can do anything," Silu said, her head bowed and tears streaming down her face. "My family was hit by a flood, and we all fled here. My parents died on the way."

If you, sir, would grant me a meal, I would serve you like a slave to repay your kindness.

"This," Zhou Sheng hesitated. He only had a servant boy with him, and servant boys are, after all, men, and they are not careful enough in doing anything. If there were a maid, he would be more comfortable. "Alright, you can come with us on the road."

Silu was so moved that she prostrated herself in admiration.

Shui Liuli rolled her eyes silently. When would he finally be able to get out of here? He really hated being trapped in a human body.

Li Mengdie hadn't participated in such an event in a long time, and the liveliness made her feel a little uncomfortable, so she held Chunying's hand tightly.

Unexpectedly, I ran into Chen Han here. He was sitting behind the temple, fiddling with bamboo strips and colorful paper.

"Chen Han," Li Mengdie said in surprise when she saw him after getting separated from Chunying, "What are you doing?"

"Paper effigy," Chen Han raised the object in his hand, "At temple fairs, some families make paper effigies for their deceased relatives to be burned in the afterlife. I was free anyway, so I came to practice and make a paper effigy for my parents to burn."

Li Mengdie covered her mouth and smiled, "Aren't you a tea merchant? You actually know how to make paper effigies? That's an old craft."

Chen Han raised his hand and wiped the dust off the stone steps with his sleeve, gesturing for her to sit down, and said, "This is what my father taught me. My mother died in childbirth. My father was illiterate and only knew how to make paper offerings, which supported my father and me."

I watched it every day, and eventually I learned it. Later, as I traveled all over the country doing business, I gradually became less skilled. Look at these two; they're the ones I wasn't satisfied with."

Li Mengdie picked up two small paper figures, only the size of a palm, with rough workmanship that didn't look like they were made by an experienced hand.

It's so ugly it's funny.

"You like it?" Chen Han peeked over. "Then it's yours."

"No, this is unacceptable," Li Mengdie said, as Chen Han was an outsider and Li Mengdie felt uncomfortable accepting his gifts.

"Just take it," Chen Han shoved it into her hand. "It's just a paper doll, nothing special. You don't go out often, so it's fine for you to keep and relieve boredom."

Li Mengdie actually liked them very much. Although the dolls were a bit ugly, they were the first gift she had ever received.

No one has ever given her a gift.

Inside her body, Chang Xi's eyes were practically bulging out.

Why do these paper dolls look so familiar?

[Isn't this the paper figure that chased Chang Xi and the others around the guesthouse?]

[My God, the paper figure was a gift from Chen Han?]

[Then why did the guesthouse owner say it was his wife's keepsake? Could the guesthouse owner be Chen Han?]

[That's incredibly long-lived! Living for hundreds of years, is it some kind of spirit?]

The audience's questions are exactly what Chang Xi wants to ask; perhaps only by watching on will they be able to find out the truth.

Li Mengdie lay on the bed, poking the paper figure's head with her fingers intermittently.

This was the only person she could talk to during her widowhood.

The audience watched as she used two paper figures to perform and sing, pouring out her heart in the melodious Huangmei opera style. Having an outlet was better than nothing.

"Why are there no eyes?" On a whim, Li Mengdie pricked her fingertip with a needle, squeezed out a little blood, and dotted it on the paper figure's eyes.

The two paper figures blinked and came to life in an instant.

"What a joke! What a joke! The paper doll has turned into a fleshy doll..."

The paper figure stiffly twisted its limbs, circling around Li Mengdie and singing, "...laughing all day long, laughing all day long~"

Wow, so that's how those paper figures came to life.

[Doesn't Li Mengdie know that paper effigies shouldn't have their eyes painted on? What's the difference between that and inviting ghosts into your own home?]

Perhaps she was too lonely, all alone. Her father-in-law was nearing his end, and her mother-in-law was wicked; only the paper effigy could keep her company.

"Who are you?!" Li Mengdie exclaimed in horror, cowering in the corner of the bed, trembling.

The girl's smile froze. "We are your paper dolls."

"Don't be afraid," the boy said, trying to put his hands by his sides.

She forced herself to remain calm and asked, "What are your names?"

"We don't have names, Master, please give us names," the girl suggested.

Li Mengdie hadn't read many books, and could only recall one sentence from her scattered memories: "I've only read the Three Character Classic, 'At the beginning of life, people are inherently good.' Otherwise, how about you girls are called Achu and boys are called Ashan, okay?"

"Achu, my name is Achu!" The girl spun around several times.

The boy clapped his hands and said, "My name is A-Shan!"

It's kind of weirdly funny.

Why is it that there's a hint of sadness mixed with humor?

I can't really describe what it felt like.

[From this perspective, Li Mengdie and Chen Han seem like a good match.]

[Exactly, Zhou Sheng was like he was dead; anyone who didn't know better would think Li Mengdie was in a ghost marriage.]

[But what I'm worried about is, what if Zhou Sheng comes back and sees that the two of them have developed feelings for each other? Will he go crazy?]

What right does Zhou Sheng have to criticize Li Mengdie? Li Mengdie is here widowed, taking care of his parents, while he's off enjoying himself with a beautiful maid.

It would be better for the two of them to talk things out and each find their own happiness.

I don't think it's that simple. Zhou Sheng doesn't seem like the type to give up easily.

Li Mengdie is going to suffer even more.