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"Let's go to the main hall for dinner," the middle-aged man said with a stiff smile, extending his straight arm to point towards the dining area. "I prepared a home-cooked meal especially since I knew you were coming today."

"It's so late, isn't it?" Although Yu Feiyang was accustomed to meeting Dan Dan at night, this was their first time having dinner together in the evening.

Dan Dan took his hand proactively, her veil fluttering in the breeze, partially revealing her captivating features.

At that moment, Yu Feiyang could also faintly see the curve of her lips lifting.

"You can consider it a midnight snack."

Her voice remained calm and level, yet it sweetened Yu Feiyang's heart.

He felt that the neighbors were right; he must have been blinded by ignorance before to not realize that Dan Dan had feelings for him too.

The family sat down in the main hall, around a large table placed in the center that could easily accommodate a dozen people.

They sat on either side, with Yu Feiyang facing Dan Dan's parents.

Servants emerged one by one, each bearing a single dish before being replaced by another.

Yu Feiyang observed the male and female servants moving about silently, their comings and goings producing not a single sound. The manor was eerily quiet. He glanced at his uncle and aunt, who sat expressionlessly in their high seats.

After a while, even Yu Feiyang couldn't help but feel a chill. He placed the roses and chocolates on the table and turned to look at Dan Dan, who was pouring tea for him.

"So many workers in your family's employment?"

Dan Dan twisted the teapot with her slender fingers, pressing the lid gently as her luminous eyes swept across the servants standing in a neat line against the wall.

"Yes. They're all servants who have signed lifetime contracts with my family. They have nowhere else to go if they leave."

"Lifetime contracts?" Yu Feiyang found it odd. "How can such permanent contracts still exist? Weren't they abolished long ago?"

Dan Dan didn't elaborate. Instead, she picked up a pair of chopsticks from the table, grabbed some greens, and placed them in Yu Feiyang's bowl. "Eat quickly, or the food will get cold."

"Alright."

Yu Feiyang was delighted to have dishes picked for him, and after finishing his greens, he reached for the pork on the tray, only to be stopped by Dan Dan's chopsticks.

Dan Dan picked more greens for him, "The vegetables are fresh, you can have more."

Looking at the meat in confusion, Yu Feiyang obediently continued eating the greens.

The middle-aged couple didn't bother with him either. Both were focused on their meals, their actions appearing robotic and stiff upon closer inspection.

Finally, the meal came to an end.

Dan Dan accompanied Yu Feiyang to the gate, her gaze lingering on the roses and chocolates in his embrace. This time, her eyes seemed filled with affection as she took the initiative to ask,

"Are these flowers and chocolates for me?"

Yu Feiyang could finally gift the roses, "Of course."

Dan Dan accepted the flowers, "Do you... have something you want to tell me?"

"Yes," Yu Feiyang handed over the chocolates as well. Usually straightforward and carefree, he felt a sudden bashfulness, scratching the back of his head, "It's just... we've known each other for so long."

"I hope that in the days to come, you'll give me the chance to care for you and cherish you."

As Yu Feiyang spoke, his face turned redder.

Dan Dan couldn't help but giggle, her laughter as melodious as a silver bell. The white veil fluttered with her movement.

Pressing the veil with one hand, she slowly lifted her head. Her beautiful eyes were glistening with tears as she lightly scolded, "What's so good about me, silly?"

"No, you're wonderful," Yu Feiyang confessed. "The master said I've missed many opportunities, but if missing them was all for meeting you, I'm more than willing."

"Dan Dan, would you give me a chance?" Yu Feiyang asked sincerely, holding her hand.

Just as he stepped back into the residence...

Time seemed to have reversed. The grayish-blue bricks were covered in cobwebs, and broken wooden planks littered the ground. The dining table, which was once used for meals, was also now draped in webs.

Aside from a fresh green vegetable dish, the other plates held several bleeding human heads.

A middle-aged couple sat side by side, their necks severed and blood flowing from the stumps.

Yu Feiyang felt a chill run down his spine, every hair on his body standing on end. He retreated a step but didn't let go of Dan Dan's hand.

"What... What's going on?"

Tears welled up in Dan Dan's eyes as she looked at him. She too had transformed; her once neat hairstyle was now disheveled, and her pink qipao had several rips. Her body swayed unsteadily.

"Dan Dan..." Yu Feiyang couldn't believe his eyes.

"Do you know why I always wear a veil when I see you?" Dan Dan asked.

"No," Yu Feiyang shook his head.

Slowly, Dan Dan reached out to lift her veil, tears still in her eyes. "Do I look familiar to you?"

Yu Feiyang released her hand, staring at Dan Dan's beautiful face. His hands trembled as he spoke with disbelief, "It's... you..."

"I remember you."

Three months ago, he had come to the bamboo grove with a colleague to fish by the lake. Not far away, there were a few gravestones, one of which bore a black and white photograph of a woman in a qipao.

The woman had an enchanting, delicate appearance, as if she were on the verge of a gentle smile.

She had passed away at only nineteen years old.

Yu Feiyang found it tragically unfortunate and shared his thoughts with his colleague, "It's such a pity that she died so young."

"If she were alive today, I would certainly have married her."

Soon after, he encountered Dan Dan.

Suddenly, a chilling gust of wind swept through, sending the heads within the mansion rolling to the ground, accompanied by eerie howls.

A dark shadow darted out swiftly.

Feeling a sharp pain in his chest, Yu Feiyang didn't have time to react before the yellow talisman in his pocket was consumed by flames. With a sudden burst of strength, Dan Dan pushed him out of the mansion. As they left, the stone lion's head tumbled down, causing the gate to collapse in a cloud of white dust.

Amidst the billowing dust, Yu Feiyang struggled to open his eyes. The sky was gradually brightening, but everything appeared hazy, making it impossible to discern what had just transpired.