Thick curtains blocked out all sunlight. Amidst the darkness, a woman in a red dress sat on the balcony, her knees bent, hands supporting her chin, her expression full of sorrow. When she noticed Dai Qing’s presence, her head turned stiffly towards her, staring intently. Aside from her pale complexion, nothing else seemed particularly alarming.

“Who are you? Are you here to drive me away too?” As she spoke, black mist surged violently from the ghost’s body, reflecting her agitation.

Surprisingly, Dai Qing didn’t feel any fear at seeing a ghost for the first time, which was, in itself, quite strange.

“Calm down. I’m just here to see why you’ve stayed here so long.”

“I’m dead. I can’t go anywhere else. I’m trapped here.”

As the ghost spoke, she swung her legs down, absentmindedly kicking them back and forth like she was on a swing. The eerie sight sent chills down one’s spine.

“Yang Wei deceived me. He already had a wife, but he lied and said he was single. I gave him everything, only to find out that I was the fool. When I confronted him, he called me crazy and offered me money to leave. Of course, I refused, and we fought. He called me insane.”

Listening to the ghost’s sad tone and looking at her pained expression, Dai Qing gripped the jade token in her hand and asked gently, “What’s your name? How did you meet Yang Wei?”

“My name is Zhou Qian. I was in my sophomore year of college when I met Yang Wei at a friend’s birthday party. He was such a gentleman, like an older brother, caring for me in every way. We quickly became a couple, and he became my boyfriend. But it was all lies… He lied to me…”

As Zhou Qian’s sobs filled the room, Dai Qing felt her ears buzz painfully. Now she understood why people said a ghost’s wail could be unbearable—it was enough to make her head throb.

“Yang Wei has already been imprisoned. He has paid the price, and you should move on. Your presence here has caused this hotel to go out of business. Humans and ghosts walk different paths. You’ve interfered with the living and created karmic consequences. You’ll have to pay for that.”

Zhou Qian stood up, her figure slim and her features delicate, standing about 1.65 meters tall. It was truly a shame that such a young life had come to an end.

“I didn’t mean to scare anyone. I never wanted to frighten people. But I can’t let go. Yang Wei lied to me first. I wanted to marry him, only to find out he not only had a wife but also a child. In the heat of the moment, I jumped from the building in anger. Now I regret it. I just wanted to scare him, but I lost my balance and fell.”

“But that heartless man only got four years in prison—it’s too light a punishment.”

As Zhou Qian spoke, she began sobbing again, seemingly heartbroken, though no tears fell from her eyes.

“Enough crying,” Dai Qing rubbed her ears, feeling irritated. “This is an emotional dispute. He didn’t push you, and the law won’t add extra years just because you lost your balance. You’ve already paid the ultimate price for your impulsiveness. Death is like the extinguishing of a lamp—you either leave on your own or come with me, and I’ll help you move on later.”

“If you remain fixated on this, it won’t benefit you. One day, you might fade away entirely, lost in the void with no chance of reincarnation. Why ruin your next life for the sake of a scumbag?”

Dai Qing planned to review the “Ma Yi Shen Xiang” and then help send Zhou Qian’s spirit away.

Hearing Dai Qing’s advice, Zhou Qian lowered her head in silence for a moment. When she looked up again, her face showed gratitude. After all, she was still just a student, with a simple heart—this was likely the reason she hadn’t turned into a vengeful spirit.

“Thank you for your guidance, Master. I’m willing to follow you.”