Chapter 62 Who is the ghost?
Guan Zhiwei stood there, staring at each other for a moment. In the darkness, something seemed to be quietly retreating, and a cabinet stood there silently.
She flipped over and jumped in through the window, landing with a loud, echoing sound.
It was a very simple little room with a long kang (heated brick bed) that served as a common sleeping area. It was empty and had nothing in it. The only table was old and dilapidated, with one leg broken off and collapsed on the ground.
You can see the whole thing at a glance; there's nothing ghostly about it.
I turned my head and came face to face with a dark face that looked like holes staring at me.
That hollow face was hideous, with malice lurking in its holes.
Guan Zhiwei raised her hand and slammed it down. With a snap, a wire broke, and the face fell to the ground.
Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be an exaggerated mask, lightweight and carved from wood, probably willow or peach wood, a type of wood believed to have the power to ward off evil spirits.
The face is sculpted in an exaggerated manner, with huge, protruding eyes that are extremely intimidating. Fangs are exposed on the mouth, used to devour evil spirits, and the forehead is decorated with a "Taotie pattern." It is said that the Taotie can devour evil.
A string was tied to the mask, indicating that it had been hung from a roof beam.
Guan Zhiwei sneered, about to ask whose prank this was, when suddenly, a faint sobbing sound rang out.
That delicate, almost imperceptible sound exploded in my ears—no, it wasn't crying, it was laughter.
Laughter came from all directions, like a dream.
Is it a ghost?
If an ordinary person encountered a ghost, they would definitely be so frightened that they would run away in panic.
But Guan Zhiwei has her own way of thinking.
She thought, "I didn't kill you, so what do I have to be afraid of?"
I didn't kill you. You come to me, do you want to complain?
Then you must be asking me, the upright and just official, to solve your case.
The female ghost didn't complain; she just cried there.
Guan Zhiwei was getting a little impatient. "Can't you speak properly?"
The ghost's wailing stopped abruptly, then ceased, and in the darkness, something seemed to bump into something.
She keenly sensed the source of the sound and immediately ran after it. The other person also reacted quickly, running all the way.
Only his back was left behind.
Logically speaking, it's impossible to see clearly in the pitch black of night; the other party was very well concealed.
But she is Guan Zhiwei.
She could clearly see the other person's back; it was Sui Ying, whose clothes were somewhat disheveled.
What's my brother-in-law doing here...?
Is he pretending to be a ghost?
Guan Zhiwei had been up all night and was a bit tired the next day, so she was somewhat absent-minded while attending to her at the hospital bedside.
In fact, there was hardly any work left to the young ladies in serving medicine at the sickbed.
The medicine was prepared by the maid, and the bowl was brought by the maid. Guan Zhiwei only needed to hold the bowl, feed her two spoonfuls of medicine, and say a few words to her to be considered filial.
When she's bored, she listens to gossip to pass the time.
Guan Nannan couldn't stand such words; if she heard them, she would inevitably have a fit.
Even from inside the house, you could hear her scolding the maids outside: "...If I hear anyone gossiping again, get out of the mansion!" After saying that, she went inside, her face still looking grim.
Guan Zhiwei felt that she had been particularly irritable lately, and suggested, "Big sister, you don't look well. Why don't you eat more green vegetables, such as green cucumbers, green cilantro, green chives, and green cabbage?"
Guan Nannan said, "Thank you for your kindness, but I don't like vegetables."
Guan Zhiwei sighed, "You haven't grasped the true meaning of those words."
The First Madam was sickly and said, "These people insist on stirring up trouble. If you don't let them talk, they'll think I'm guilty."
Taking the opportunity, Guan Zhiwei asked, "How exactly did A-Wu die?"
The accuracy of gossip is highest when asked directly to the person involved.
The First Madam choked for a moment; it was the first time someone had dared to ask her such a direct question.
She had a special feeling for this daughter who had been found. She felt very uncomfortable when a completely unfamiliar girl came to her and called her "mother".
The thought that her daughter was her own flesh and blood, and that her foolish mistake had caused them to be separated for so many years and that her daughter had suffered so much, filled her with an indescribable sense of guilt.
This guilt tormented her, making her subconsciously want to escape and avoid facing this relationship.
With this rift in place, it's impossible for the mother and daughter to interact as if nothing were wrong.
But she happened to meet Guan Zhiwei.
Guan Zhiwei is like a wild boar that grows wildly, thriving wherever it is. She feels at ease rolling in the mud and comfortable sleeping in luxury. She has no self-pity whatsoever, only a restless desire to knock you over.
"Don't pry into adults' affairs!"
"Mother, we've been separated for so many years, and I want to understand you. You won't even grant me this simple request. Don't you love me?"
The First Madam looked at her, opened her mouth, but couldn't say anything—her mind didn't seem capable of harboring resentment; she was as frank as a child. If you granted her a request, she would beam with joy, making up for any guilt she might feel. Of course, if you didn't grant her request, she would throw a tantrum.
How could I have such a daughter? It's my fault for not teaching her properly, sigh!
“She had a difficult childbirth and was in the servants’ quarters. No one dared to call for a doctor for her, so she was delayed all night. By dawn, she was already in critical condition. When I found out, I found a doctor for her. She was able to give birth, but her body was severely damaged. She was only able to recover for half a month before passing away.”
The first wife grew angrier as she spoke: "How can you blame me for this? When I gave birth to you, it was in the middle of nowhere, there were no doctors, only a peasant woman, and there wasn't even a basin of hot water."
“Ah Wu is hateful. She’s been dead for so many years, yet she still disturbs my mother’s peace.”
Guan Nannan paused, her face contorted with rage: "Even if she gives birth to a daughter, she'll be a lowly wretch, a worthless slut!"
The First Madam noticed something was wrong: "Nannan, what's wrong?"
Guan Nannan kept a straight face and forced a calm demeanor as she spoke, though her eyes were slightly red: "That little slut went to Sui Ying and acted all cute and charming. Sui Ying even praised her for being innocent and naive. The two of them were having a secret rendezvous under the trees in the garden when I caught them!"
Guan Zhiwei let out a long sigh of relief. Regardless of whether Guan Huaihuai cheated on you, it's good that you know you're being cheated on.
Guan Nannan complained: "I had a big fight with him, and he said I was overthinking it. He said it was just that the older brother cherished his younger sister. We happened to run into each other, exchanged a few words, and asked the maid about her recent situation."
Upon hearing this, the First Madam said, "That's where you're wrong. It's nothing serious, and there are other people around. Sui Ying is a good boy. You two haven't had children for so many years, and he hasn't mentioned taking a concubine."
Upon hearing that her mother wasn't on her side, Guan Nannan immediately turned to look at Guan Zhiwei.
"Sister, you also think I'm wrong."
Guan Zhiwei nodded: "How could you alert him? You should pretend you don't know anything about this, secretly gather evidence, then catch him in the act and ask him if he just happened to meet your sister in bed?"
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