“Miss Gu, please come in, come in quickly.”

Hu Danyang opened the door, and when she saw Gu Xicao, her tense expression relaxed immediately. She quickly stepped aside to let her in.

Gu Xicao entered the house with Wang Laoshi and introduced him, “This is my assistant. I hope you don’t mind, Miss Hu.”

Hu Danyang waved her hands like a fan. “I don’t mind at all. Honestly, the more people, the better. I’ve been feeling on edge at home.”

Gu Xicao stepped inside. The apartment was a cozy three-bedroom, not very big, but the furnishings showed the homeowner was well-off. Hu Danyang was one of the affluent wives she had met at a recent gathering. Though wealthy, she was only in her thirties.

“You mentioned earlier that your house is haunted?”

Gu Xicao changed into indoor shoes, sat in the living room, and got straight to the point.

Hu Danyang brought out several cups of tea and nodded repeatedly. “Yes, it’s been going on for almost two weeks now.”

Wang Laoshi’s heart tightened. Haunted? If it really was a haunting, this case would not be easy to handle!

“What exactly have you experienced?” Gu Xicao asked calmly after taking a sip of tea.

Hu Danyang thought for a moment before replying, “It started ten days ago. Every night when I’m in my bedroom, I hear footsteps in the hallway and noises from someone eating in the living room.”

“You didn’t come out to check when you heard these sounds?” Wang Laoshi couldn’t help but ask curiously.

Hu Danyang rubbed her neck awkwardly. “I’m not brave. I… I was scared it might really be a ghost, so I didn’t dare to go out. And recently, I’ve been home alone.”

“Why do you think it’s a haunting, then?” Wang Laoshi frowned. “Couldn’t it be a burglar?”

“I thought about that, too. But yesterday, I saw blood in the toilet bowl. After seeing that, I’ve felt unwell ever since. I suspect it’s because of the ghost,” Hu Danyang said nervously, glancing around with a frightened expression.

Just as she finished speaking, there was a clicking sound of someone unlocking the front door.

Both Hu Danyang and Wang Laoshi immediately turned to look at the door.

Wang Laoshi whispered nervously, “Miss Hu, could it be a family member coming home?”

“Impossible. My husband and I had a fight. He hasn’t been home for a month,” Hu Danyang said, her face pale as she trembled and hid behind Gu Xicao. “Master Gu, it must be an evil spirit. Please save me!”

Gu Xicao: “…”

She glanced at the arm that Hu Danyang clung to, her lips twitching slightly.

With a soft click, the door opened. A man holding a briefcase stepped inside, removing his shoes in the entryway without looking up. He didn’t notice them until Gu Xicao dragged the terrified Hu Danyang into the hallway.

Startled, the man looked up abruptly. “Who are you?”

Gu Xicao patted Hu Danyang lightly. “Miss Hu, take a look. Isn’t this your husband?”

Hu Danyang hesitated before raising her head cautiously. She froze in place. “H-honey? Why are you back?”

Cao Yixing’s face darkened as he held his briefcase. “Why can’t I come back? This is my house. And who are they?”

“They? They’re the ghost hunters I hired! This is Master Gu, she’s very famous,” Hu Danyang explained, pointing at Gu Xicao.

“Ghost Hunters? Master Gu?” Cao Yixing was dumbfounded. “What nonsense is this? Don’t be ridiculous. Be careful not to get scammed.”

“You’re doing it again! Always accusing me of getting scammed. Do you think I’m that gullible?” Hu Danyang stomped her foot in anger, then turned to Gu Xicao. “Master, don’t listen to him. Please help us get rid of the ghost!”

Cao Yixing gave Gu Xicao a skeptical look.

Gu Xicao coughed lightly and patted Hu Danyang’s shoulder. “Miss Hu, there are no ghosts in your house.”

“That’s impossible! There were so many signs!” Hu Danyang frowned and protested, “I’m already feeling sick. There’s no way it’s not haunted.”

“Signs? What signs?” Cao Yixing’s expression changed slightly as he asked.

Wang Laoshi stepped in to explain, “Mrs. Hu said she’s been hearing footsteps and eating noises at night.”

“Yes! And yesterday, I saw blood in the toilet. If that’s not a ghost, what is it?” Hu Danyang declared adamantly.

Cao Yixing’s expression shifted, becoming more awkward.

Gu Xicao turned to him, her lips twitching as she tried not to laugh. “Mr. Cao, perhaps it’s best if you explain the truth to Miss Hu. You’ve scared her enough.”

Both Hu Danyang and Wang Laoshi stared at Cao Yixing in confusion.

Stubbornly, Cao Yixing put down his briefcase and replied, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Really?” Gu Xicao said, raising an eyebrow. “So it wasn’t you sneaking home at night, afraid your wife was scared to stay alone? It wasn’t you snacking in the living room? And it wasn’t you with hemorrhoids acting up, leaving blood in the toilet?”

???

Cao Yixing jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. He looked at Gu Xicao in shock. “H-how do you know all that?”

“Did you do all this?!”

Hu Danyang stared wide-eyed at her husband.

Cao Yixing opened his mouth, then lowered his head guiltily. “Yes, I did it. So what? This is my home too. Am I not allowed to come back?”

Hu Danyang’s face turned red with anger. “If you were coming home, you could’ve told me! You scared me to death—I thought it was a ghost. But lately, I’ve really been feeling unwell.”

Gu Xicao sighed, somewhat helpless. “Miss Hu, is it possible that you’re pregnant?”

Pregnant?

Hu Danyang froze. Cao Yixing was initially stunned, then asked incredulously, “Really?”

Gu Xicao replied, “This isn’t something you should ask me—ask your wife.”

Only then did Cao Yixing react, turning to look at Hu Danyang.

Hu Danyang slightly opened her mouth. “I… I think it’s been about two months since my last period.”

“Then it’s certain. Danyang, this is wonderful! Wonderful news!”

Cao Yixing hurriedly helped his wife to sit down. “Be careful, dear. Such great news—we have to tell Mom and Dad right away so they can share in our joy.”

At first, there was a faint smile on Hu Danyang’s face, but the moment she heard this, her smile vanished. She snorted and turned her back to Cao Yixing.

Cao Yixing’s expression became awkward, and he said softly, “Dear, they’re still my parents. I can’t just stop giving them money.”

“Did I ever say you couldn’t give them money? The issue is that you give more than 20,000 yuan every month. Is that money for your parents or your brother and sister-in-law?”

Hu Danyang pursed her lips, feeling anger well up as she spoke.

Cao Yixing was at a loss.

Just then, the doorbell rang. He had no choice but to answer it. When he saw who it was, he froze for a moment.

“Yixing, hurry up and open the door. Why are you just standing there? Mom and Dad said you quarreled with your wife, and that’s no way to resolve things. Today, I came specifically to accompany them and apologize to your wife.”

Cao Defeng waved the plastic bag in his hand, which contained quite a few items.

Cao Yixing’s expression stiffened. Of all times, why did they have to come now?

He glanced at the living room. Seeing his parents insistently urging him, and worried about disturbing the neighbors, he had no choice but to let them in.

The Cao family entered the house. When they saw two strangers, Gu Xicao and Wang Laoshi, they were momentarily surprised. Cao’s mother asked, “Who are they?”

“They’re Danyang’s friends. Mom, Dad, we have some matters to discuss right now. How about you leave the things here and we talk later?”

Cao Yixing wanted to avoid upsetting Hu Danyang, knowing that his family had always had conflicts with her. He hoped to keep them separated.

But Cao’s father frowned, sat down heavily, and said, “I can’t believe I raised such a great son. We’ve barely arrived, and you’re already kicking us out. Do we annoy you that much? Or is it that your wife can’t tolerate us? If that’s the case, we’ll cut ties with you and make it easier for everyone!”

“Dad!” Cao Yixing groaned in frustration.

Cao Defeng, in a serious tone, said, “Second Brother, let me tell you something. Even among relatives, there’s no reason to chase people out as soon as they come. I know you’ve made some money now and look down on us poor relatives, but we didn’t come here to freeload. We even brought gifts today.”

Cao Yixing glanced at the items. Though not expensive, they were still a gesture of goodwill.

He felt caught in the middle and helplessly looked at Hu Danyang for support.

Although Hu Danyang disliked Cao’s family, she couldn’t bear to see her husband in such a dilemma. She snorted, “Go to the kitchen and bring some drinks.”

“Alright, alright. What would you all like to drink? I’ll get it right away.” Cao Yixing hurriedly stood up. Gu Xicao smiled and said, “Can I get my own drink?”

“Sure, come with me.” Cao Yixing hesitated briefly, puzzled, but said nothing.

In the kitchen, as he opened the fridge, Gu Xicao took out a bottle of cola, opened it with a snap, and sipped it leisurely. “Mr. Cao, let me give you a reminder: your family hasn’t come with good intentions today. You’re going to lose a lot of money.”

“Lose money?” Cao Yixing, holding the drinks, chuckled. “Miss Gu, my parents came over. Giving them some money is perfectly reasonable, isn’t it?”

Gu Xicao shook her head with a smile. “A few thousand yuan might not be much to you, but what about tens or hundreds of thousands?”

Seeing the slight change in Cao Yixing’s expression, she smiled faintly. “Such a large sum is still just a drop in the bucket when it comes to gambling debts, Mr. Cao.”

Cao Yixing’s pupils contracted. Just as he was about to ask for clarification, Gu Xicao had already left the kitchen.

Left with no choice, he carried the drinks out, frequently glancing at Gu Xicao.

“Second Brother, why are you staring at the young lady? Are you interested because she’s young and pretty?” Cao Defeng teased with a laugh as he drank his cola.

“No, no! Brother, stop talking nonsense. I only have Danyang in my heart,” Cao Yixing quickly explained.

Cao’s mother remarked sarcastically, “I really don’t see what’s so great about her. Yixing, you’re so capable and hardworking. You could’ve found a better wife. Why marry someone so much older?”

“Mom! If you keep talking like this, you can leave right now!”

Cao Yixing’s face flushed with anger, and the veins on his neck stood out as he shouted.

Cao’s mother was startled and awkwardly replied, “Alright, alright, I won’t say anything more.”

Cao’s father interjected, “We don’t care about your personal matters. We’re here today because your older brother wants to start a small business, but he’s short on funds.”

“Small business?”

Cao Yixing was taken aback and instinctively looked at Gu Xicao.

Gu Xicao sipped her cola, ignoring him.

Biting his lip, Cao Yixing hesitated. Cao’s father, displeased, continued, “Your father is talking to you. What are you looking at? Your older brother finally has a business opportunity. As his younger brother, shouldn’t you support him? It’s not much—just four or five hundred thousand yuan will do.”