"You are astonishingly arrogant," Gu's father said evenly, keeping his temper in check. "In families of wealth and influence, social parity is paramount. Are you not afraid your marriage to Long Yubei won't endure?"
"Whether my marriage will stand the test of time remains to be seen," she replied with a faint smile, "but this woman beside you… barely legitimized after years in the shadows… her path ahead seems far easier to predict." Her gaze slid coldly to Madam Gu. "Old lady, you've got a headless ghost clinging to your shoulders—tread carefully."
At those words, a chill ran down Madam Gu's spine, and goosebumps rose across her arms.
"You… you're speaking nonsense!"
Gu Lili rose calmly to her feet. "Nonsense or not, just find someone with the right sight, and the truth will become perfectly clear. After all these years as the mistress in waiting, you finally got the title once the rightful wife passed away. What a pity…"
She turned to Tang Qingli with a light smile. "Let's go."
"Stop right there!" Madam Gu cried out in panic.
But Gu Lili couldn't be bothered. Without a backward glance, she strode straight out the doors of the Gu residence.
Once seated in the car, Tang Qingli asked, "Young Madam, was that true? Is there really a headless ghost on Madam Gu's shoulders?"
Gu Lili replied lazily, "Of course not. I was just trying to scare her half to death."
"Aren't you afraid she'll find someone else who can see the supernatural…"
Gu Lili scoffed. "As if people born with the gift of spirit-sight grow on trees. They're exceedingly rare. Most so-called seers are charlatans—just frauds reading expressions and spinning stories. Even if she finds someone, they'll only echo whatever she hints at. They'll likely tell her she's indeed haunted."
Tang Qingli pressed her lips into a smile. "Young Madam, that little speech of yours really did terrify her. I saw the color drain from her face just now."
"She's spent years playing the mistress as if it were her birthright. I've long wanted to put her in her place."
…
"Long Fengxi? It's really you! I thought I was mistaken for a moment." A former high school classmate spotted her in the mall and called out excitedly.
"What are you doing here?" Long Fengxi recognized the face from a reunion but couldn't recall the name.
"I work here as a sales assistant. Shopping for clothes?"
Long Fengxi gave a polite nod. "Just browsing."
"This section has all the latest arrivals—feel free to look around. Oh, by the way, did you hear what happened to Zhou Wentong after our last class reunion? I heard someone beat him so badly he ended up in the hospital with a broken leg."
Long Fengxi's expression shifted. "I hadn't heard."
"Rumor has it he crossed Shen Congmo and got what was coming to him."
Long Fengxi immediately thought of the drugging incident at the reunion. It had to have been Zhou Wentong's doing.
"Must've done something disgraceful. Otherwise, why would anyone bother to lay a hand on him?"
"My thoughts exactly."
…
After buying two outfits, Long Fengxi returned to her car and sat silently, deep in thought. Why hadn't Shen Congmo mentioned any of this to her?
She pulled out her phone and sent him a message:
[Did you have Zhou Wentong beaten up and hospitalized?]
[Yes. He had it coming.]
[Because of me?]
He replied:
[Because of you. Where are you now?]
[Heading home. Just bought some clothes.]
[I'll pick you up at seven tonight. I want to take you somewhere.]
Long Fengxi promptly refused:
[Can't we go during the day? I don't go out at night.]
[Then I'll come to your place—and maybe tell your parents what happened between us that night.]
Long Fengxi wanted to strangle him. Threats again, as always.
[Fine, damn it. I got it.]
Shen Congmo's lips curled into a satisfied smile as he ended the conversation.