Chapter 1: A Narrow Encounter Between Foes

Ever since Xia Wuyou discovered her ability to communicate with spirits—in plain terms, to see ghosts—her life had become far more eventful than before. Though fate had once dealt her a fatal blow and her struggles in the real world remained, this newfound talent ensured that loneliness never touched her, for not every ghost existed to frighten.

When she was a child, an accident had taken both her parents. While other children found countless ways to be doted on in their parents’ arms, she racked her brains in her uncle’s house, pondering how best to curry favor with her aunt. This, in turn, had trained her to handle all manner of difficulties in society with effortless grace later on.

Bzzz… Bzzz… Her phone vibrated on the table.

The call could not have come at a better time, for at that moment Xia Wuyou was bowing her head before her desk, enduring her supervisor’s reprimand.

“Director, you see, I—”

She feigned a pitiful look, lifting her head and holding her phone out for the director to see.

“Before you leave today, you must cross-check all the clients’ information. If there’s another mix-up with the records, you’ll pack your things and go!”

The director’s anger was justified. Their real estate agency was no ordinary company; it was a well-known chain with several branches in the city. Yet, such a reputable and sizable enterprise had managed to muddle up client information, losing a major client’s trust in the process. And the culprit behind it all was Xia Wuyou.

Only after watching the director’s rotund frame spin away in a huff did Xia finally let out a long sigh of relief.

“Beggar Su.”

The name flashing on her phone made her frown again, despite her earlier gratitude for the interrupting call.

Su Tianmu, whom she had saved in her contacts as “Beggar Su,” was in fact a tall and strikingly handsome detective—the very one who had later been assigned to her parents’ case. Yet, his distant and unfeeling nature ensured that every encounter between them ended on a sour note. For Xia Wuyou, ever the cheerful optimist, he seemed to live on another wavelength entirely; thus, she had given him the moniker of a famous beggar.

“Hello, what is it?” Xia Wuyou asked flatly into the phone.

“Can you come over? There’s been a dismemberment case on Fule Street. Didn’t you always claim to have special abilities? See if you can be of any use.”

The voice on the other end was just as devoid of emotion.

Ha! Xia Wuyou scoffed inwardly. She was unmoved by Su Tianmu’s habitual rudeness and hung up without a second thought.

Even though she had just lost a client, Xia Wuyou still intended to visit that old house again. After all, the owner was a lonely old man with no children. His wife had passed away years ago, and he had lived alone ever since. He’d hoped to sell the house and use the money to move into a care home, but her own carelessness had cost him a good buyer. She felt truly sorry for that.

The house itself was an ancient residence, a two-story structure imbued with a sense of history. Surrounded by modern high-rises, it stood like a shy noblewoman of old, reserved amid the concrete and steel. Though a bit dilapidated, it had a charm that tugged at the heart.

Riding a shared bicycle, Xia Wuyou sped along and was just a street away when a crowd blocked her path.

“People these days really do love a spectacle. In this sweltering heat, why aren’t they minding their own business instead of wasting their lives here?” she muttered under her breath, her tone full of disdain.

Yet her actions betrayed her true intentions.

She pushed her bike forward, calling out “Excuse me, excuse me!” as she forced her way through the throng, soon finding herself at the very front.

“Oh…”

Even Xia, who prided herself on her nerves of steel and lack of fear toward ghosts, couldn’t help but gasp at the scene before her. Though shrouded in white sheets, it wasn’t hard to guess what lay beneath. One of the sheets had not been pulled tight, and a pale, slender hand protruded from beneath the covering.

“Everyone, please step back and cooperate—we need to secure the scene!”

A deep male voice rang out.

Xia Wuyou looked up and met the piercing gaze of the speaker, his striking features almost dazzling in the sunlight. Whether it was the glare or his otherworldly good looks, it was hard to say, but locking eyes with him was almost blinding. Regardless, his handsomeness left her utterly unmoved.

“Well, isn’t this a fine twist of fate,” she thought wryly. “All that effort to get to the front of the crowd, only to see him.”

Deliberately pretending not to see him, Xia Wuyou quickly averted her gaze.

“Step back, didn’t you hear? You’re practically over the police line!” Su Tianmu waved her away with an expression of distaste, giving her a sidelong glance before pretending not to notice her.

“My, such a good-looking officer, but what a rude mouth!” one of the old ladies in the crowd grumbled.

“Exactly! I was just admiring that handsome young man, and now I see it’s all for nothing—good looks wasted on him!” another echoed.

The complaints of these two busybodies were so vividly disgruntled, it was as if a succulent piece of pork had slipped from their grasp and, just as they bent to pick it up, they discovered the skin was still covered in bristles.

Ha! Any annoyance Xia Wuyou might have felt evaporated, replaced by amusement at the old ladies’ banter.

Still, her inner monologue was as sharp as ever.

“What kind of people are these? A murder this gruesome, and they’re still ogling handsome men? And at their age! Honestly.”

Finishing her mental tirade, Xia Wuyou lost all interest in the scene. Remembering her own errand, she turned away and squeezed back through the crowd.

One really ought to check their fortune before leaving the house, she thought. To run into the one person she least wanted to see, without warning and in such unpleasant circumstances. Yet, had she given Su Tianmu’s call a bit more thought, this encounter could have been avoided altogether—she could have simply taken another route.

It was the height of summer, the temperature soaring above thirty degrees. After pedaling so hard, she should have been drenched in sweat, not feeling cold. Yet as she sped along, a chill seemed to follow her despite the blazing sun and the stillness of the roadside trees. Though she found it odd, she was too preoccupied with meeting her client to dwell on it further.