Chapter 64 The real you is the one standing before me.
Chu Lian'er was born with a good life. The Xue family coveted wealth and wanted to use her fate to boost their fortune. The Xue family forced her to marry the second young master to bring good luck. On the day of her wedding, she was drugged by her twin sister Qiao Mo'er and married into the Xue family in her place.
The second young master of the Xue family died of illness. The Xue family strangled Qiao Mo'er to death and arranged a ghost marriage. Lian'er came to the door to take back her sister's body. At this time, Qiao Mo'er turned into a vengeful ghost to take revenge on the Xue family and tried to possess Chu Lian'er.
Chu Lian'er willingly sacrificed herself to resurrect her sister, but Xue Dashao intervened in time. Chu Lian'er was eventually rescued by Lu Shaoshuai and Li Qingyi. Amidst the chaos of war, Chu Lian'er's whereabouts became unknown.
The one who died was Qiao Mo'er. For the past hundred years, people have been disappearing in Xue Town, and it is related to Qiao Mo'er turning into a vengeful ghost.
How can the curse of a ghost marriage be lifted?
To break the curse, the resentment of the ghost bride in the ghost marriage must be dispelled.
The group left Xue Ershao's room and came to the courtyard of the old house. Gu Junsheng, Xia Yuqing, Lu Xubai, and Qiao Yimo came out from another room.
Xia Yuqing asked, "How's it going on your end? Have you found any clues?"
Chu Ruofu tells them clues about her identity: it wasn't her who died, but the twin sister played by Qiao Yimo, who returned to take revenge after being strangled and killed the entire Xue family.
Shen Wuyang looked at the silent Qiao Yimo and said, "Everyone should know Qiao Yimo's identity by now?"
Gu Junsheng recounted the intelligence he had just gathered.
The Xue family used Chu Lian'er's innate destiny to change her fate through a ghost marriage. Qiao Mo'er wanted to use her sister's identity to marry into the Xue family and enjoy a life of luxury. However, when the second young master of the Xue family discovered that her identity was different, he was so angry that he vomited blood and died.
Unaware that Mo'er was impersonating Lian'er, the Xue family cruelly murdered her and arranged for her to be married off to the second young master in a ghost marriage. Qiao Mo'er, who was killed by the Xue family, was destined to be a vengeful ghost and returned to seek revenge, wiping out the entire Xue family.
She wanted to possess Chu Lian'er's body and return to the mortal world, but Young Master Xue stopped her plot in time and buried her with her in the Xue mansion.
Girls keep disappearing in Xue Town, and ghost stories are rampant. A hundred years ago, a Taoist priest passed by and sealed Qiao Yimo'er. In recent years, the formation has failed, and people in Xue Town have started to disappear again.
They mistakenly entered Xue Town, and only by finding five items according to the mayor's last words could they resolve her resentment.
Qiao Yimo glanced around and said, "The eldest young master's pocket watch, the second young master's earrings, bracelet, and ring, and the bride's embroidered shoes—we need to find five things before midnight."
Chu Ruofu took out a pocket watch from her bag, and Song Yi found the bracelet in Xue Ershao's room. They were still missing three things: earrings, a ring, and embroidered shoes.
Lu Xubai: "There's still one room left to search. The earrings, ring, and embroidered shoes are probably in the bridal chamber."
Xia Yuqing said fearfully, "I'm too scared to go. Which of you will go with me?"
Qiao Yimo smiled slightly: "I'm not afraid. Who will go with me?"
Her smile was gentle and beautiful, and her face was pale in the moonlight, giving her an eerie beauty.
Chu Ruofu was somewhat shocked. Qiao Yimo had been terrified before, but now she seemed quite bold.
Gu Junsheng said calmly, "I'll go with you."
Li Yichen stood beside Chu Ruofu, showing no intention of leaving. Shen Wuyang held her hand tightly and did not let go. When Song Yi saw that Gu Junsheng was going, she offered to go with him to find something.
Qiao Yimo turned to look at Lu Xubai and said, "Young Marshal Lu, aren't you coming?"
Upon hearing this, Lu Xubai's gaze darkened, and he walked behind them with a cold expression.
Chu Ruofu looked at the room with its bluish-green ghostly flames. The group had gone in and hadn't come out for a while, so she didn't know if they had found them.
Shadows flickered inside the room.
After a while, they came out of the room, each holding an earring, a ring, and a red embroidered shoe.
Following the mayor's last words, the group placed the items in the five-element positions of the formation. However, the production team did not provide any hints about lifting the curse of the ghost marriage, and the mission was still ongoing.
Chu Ruofu murmured, "What's going on?"
Qiao Yimo smiled and said, "Of course it's because it's a matter of life for life."
"Do you think that by finding out the truth and taking a few old things, you can break the curse of the ghost marriage?" Qiao Yimo sneered. "Only by sacrificing blood to the formation can the resentment be completely eliminated."
Qiao Yimo looked around and said, "Some of you have already been infected by me. If I am wiped out, those who have been infected by me will die with me."
The live stream chat was filled with shock:
When did this happen?
Qiao Yimo is such a good actress; we were all fooled by her.
[My God, is the fourth female lead trying to drag someone down with her and use them as a scapegoat?]
[What a scary plot! I'll have nightmares if I watch it tonight.]
The show's rules state that only guests who survive to leave Xuezhen Ancient City will receive a date invitation card. This is a dead end, and someone has to make a sacrifice.
The guests looked at Qiao Yimo and were caught in a dilemma.
Nobody wants to lose a date invitation.
Chu Ruofu thought carefully. The whole thing about Xue Zhen's ghost marriage was that Qiao Mo'er was greedy for wealth and status and was forced to marry in place of another. She was killed by mistake and her huge resentment caused her to wreak havoc on the world.
As the twin sister, she bears some responsibility. In the original story, Lian'er couldn't bear to see her sister go to hell, so she volunteered to sacrifice herself to bring her sister back to life. If it weren't for Xue Dashao stopping her, Qiao Mo'er would have been reborn.
Logically and emotionally, she should be the one to step forward and offer sacrifices.
Chu Ruofu stepped forward: "Let me do it."
"Are you sure?" Qiao Yimo looked at Chu Ruofu's willing sacrifice and a hint of disdain flashed in her eyes. She hated this kind of innocent and pitiful naive girl the most. "You'll die if you trade your life for your life."
If she were Lian'er, she would rather sacrifice herself than let everyone die together, so that no one would have an easy time.
Shen Wuyang grabbed Chu Ruofu's hand and said, "I am the male lead in the ghost marriage. Without me, none of this would have happened. My blood should be used to sacrifice to the formation."
He hadn't dated Fufu yet, and the invitation was crucial to him, but he didn't want to see Fufu sacrificed.
Even if it's just a scripted story, he'll feel heartache. He is Second Young Master Xue, he is Shen Wuyang, he loves Lian'er, he likes Chu Ruofu, and he's willing to give everything for her.
Chu Ruofu stopped him from going, saying, "This is none of your business."
Xia Yuqing and Song Yi stood silently in place. If Chu Ruofu lost her date invitation card, the male guests would still choose to date her. But not them. If they lost their date invitation cards, they would face the situation where no one would choose them.
Lu Xubai pursed his thin lips. Last time he went on a date with Chu Ruofu, Li Yichen was involved, so he couldn't have a proper date with her. He wasn't sure she would choose to date him, so he had to take full control of the situation to get what he wanted.
Li Yichen frowned slightly. He also didn't want to lose the date invitation card. The unique date card was too important; no one wanted to lose it.
Qiao Yimo took in everyone's expressions. See? This is human nature. No one is willing to give up their own interests.
Live stream chat:
There's not much time left, just one minute.
[What a vicious plot! I'm so angry! The production team is so wicked!]
[Giving you up would get me the date invitation, but how can I just watch you 'die'?]
[This is such a difficult choice! Should I give up the date card, or send Chu Ruofu to the blood sacrifice?]
Qiao Yimo smiled with extreme pleasure. Faced with a life-or-death choice, true feelings and sincerity seemed utterly vulnerable.
A voiceover suddenly came through the air: [Young Master Xue has locked the gate, burying the century-old secrets of the ancient mansion. Congratulations everyone on successfully completing the Xue Zhen Ghost Marriage quest.]
Everyone looked toward the center of the formation, where the taciturn Gu Junsheng stood, having secured victory for everyone.
A narrator announced: "The curse of the ghost marriage has been lifted, the mist over Xue Town has dissipated, and all guests may now leave Xue Town."
Live stream chat:
Why did President Gu get up there?
[President Gu certainly couldn't bear to see Fu Mei sacrifice her life, so he chose to be her sacrifice.]
[Four men loved Lian'er, but the only one who sacrificed himself for her was her fiancé, Young Master Xue. I'm so moved I cried.]
[I never expected this ending. It feels like President Gu and Young Master Xue from the original story have the same identity.]
The show's director announced, "Congratulations to all the guests for completing this ancient city exploration mission. This episode's recording is now over. You may now return to the Heartbeat House to rest."
After a full day of recording, the guests were exhausted.
This topic is worth discussing, and the guests trended on social media a lot during the live stream.
Chu Ruofu released Shen Wuyang's hand and walked towards Gu Junsheng, saying, "How could you..."
Gu Junsheng looked at her and smiled faintly: "I later found clues about my own identity. You came to claim my sister's body so you could take it back for burial."
"When Xue's father discovered that you were the real Lian'er, he wanted to kill you and force you into a ghost marriage. In order to save you, I mistakenly killed my father and was unworthy of being a son. The Xue family has a tradition of ghost marriages. This old house is dilapidated and should be put to an end by me."
Gu Junsheng gazed at her jade-like face, reached out his slender fingers to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, and said in a deep voice, "If there is a next life, would you be willing to be my wife?"
Once you're immersed in a live-action murder mystery game and get emotionally distraught, Chu Ruofu was momentarily distracted when she heard his question.
Young Master Xue was buried in the Xue family mansion. Chu Lian'er was rescued by Young Marshal Lu. She did not stay with Young Marshal Lu, nor did she go far away with Li Qingyi. Perhaps her emotions, joys, sorrows and anger have gone with the two young masters of the Xue family.
In the midst of war, romantic love seemed insignificant, but the barbaric practice of ghost marriage did not disappear with the burial of the Xue family.
Lian'er never had a choice.
Chu Ruofu smiled faintly and said, "Let's not talk about the next life, let's seize the present."
Seeing her lowered eyes and shy, charming appearance, Gu Junsheng's Adam's apple bobbed, and his voice was low and husky: "You're right, we should live in the present."
No matter how moving the story is, the person in front of you is the real you.
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