When the Qi family returned home, Qi Quan had just finished writing a chapter.
Qi Yuan’s phone was turned off, and they couldn’t reach him.
Qi Changrong made several calls, using his connections to search for the runaway Qi Yuan. Qi Lin frowned as he contacted familiar friends, while Gu Qiao quietly sent a message in the ladies’ group chat.
[Gu Qiao: Lately, I’ve been feeling something’s off with me. The hospital checkup showed nothing wrong, but I’m still uneasy.]
[Fang Hui: What exactly feels off? What symptoms?]
[Gu Qiao: A bit dazed, sometimes feeling like I’m not myself.]
[Ma Yinglan: Oh dear, that sounds like a spiritual affliction!]
In Gu Qiao’s impression, Ma Yinglan was somewhat superstitious, often visiting Taoist temples and knowing many masters.
[Gu Qiao: What should I do then?]
[Ma Yinglan: Let me introduce you to a very powerful master. Why not consult him? Don’t dismiss it—sometimes we just need peace of mind.]
Gu Qiao had already been considering this and agreed. After receiving the master’s contact from Ma Yinglan, she hesitated briefly before sending a friend request.
The master’s WeChat name was “Master Xuanfeng of Lingxu Temple.” He was likely busy, as he didn’t accept the request immediately.
By 10 PM, there was still no news of Qi Yuan. Qi Changrong was frantic with worry and anger, Qi Lin’s expression was icy, and Gu Qiao was deeply troubled.
Only Qi Quan remained calm, slipping peacefully into sleep.
Chapter 3 was updated in real time.
Luo Xiaoyu clicked on the new chapter the moment it dropped, reading carefully.
[I racked my brains for a day and night, and finally, an opportunity presented itself.
Someone in the family had fallen ill—a madness illness.
I was shocked. I hadn’t seen anyone act crazy. I asked the housemaid Mei, who said it was the young master.
Who was the young master? Other than my elder brother, myself, and the fake heiress, were there other children in the family?
I grew a little scared. Listening to Mei’s description, I realized that the “ghost” I’d only heard but never seen was actually my biological younger brother!
It was utterly bizarre.
If he was my real brother, why did he harbor such hostility toward me? We’d never even met before.
Even with strangers, one could at least wear a polite mask.
Had I done something wrong?
Still, this invisible brother ended up helping me. He had a close friend, a beautiful girl, who came to visit him upon hearing of his illness.
This girl, surnamed Su, was Uncle Su’s daughter.
When Sister Su was about to leave after her visit, I mustered the courage to call out to her.
She turned around, her high ponytail sweeping a graceful arc in the air.
Her parents must love her dearly, I thought with envy.
“What is it?” she asked.
I told her about the dream I’d had. She didn’t seem convinced, but she didn’t scold me—instead, she promised to relay it to Uncle Su.
I hoped that little boy would return home soon.
Because of his madness, my invisible brother had to stay home.
But during dinner, while the servants weren’t paying attention, he leaped out the window, driven by his fervent love for his sweetheart.
Love makes people reckless—truer words were never spoken.
The house was thrown into chaos, and I lost my appetite. Mei dutifully came to clear the table, and when I glanced at her, I froze.
Beside her stood an elderly woman with graying temples, dressed in a plain floral cotton short-sleeve, blood trickling from her head. She gazed at Mei with gentle affection, murmuring…
“Mei, when are you coming home?”
Mei seemed oblivious, carrying the dishes to the kitchen.
I stared for a long while before the old woman vanished.
Suddenly, my heart felt as heavy as a stone.]
Luo Xiaoyu was deeply unsettled, a chill creeping up her spine.
She hurried to the comments section.
[Plum Blossom Tree: Madness illness? The female lead is being too harsh—just because her brother was cold, she calls him mad? So dramatic.]
[xx’s Dad: The boy’s issue isn’t resolved, and now a ghost? Was that old woman recently deceased?]
[Filial Piety LOL: The writing’s a bit amateurish, like a diary, but there’s a strange pull to it.]
[Where’s the Male Lead?: Is there a male lead? Are the leads each other’s first love?]
[Pear Blossom Rain: LOL why is the brother invisible?]
Luo Xiaoyu left a comment begging for more updates and tossed in a few virtual “thunder” tips.
She had no idea that, at that very moment, Mei was sobbing uncontrollably.
The Qi family’s servants lived in the first-floor staff quarters.
Ding Mei had been distracted during dinner, her heart uneasy. After finishing her chores, she showered and lay in bed, unable to sleep.
Moreover, with Qi Yuan’s escape, the servants feared pay cuts or even dismissal for negligence.
Ding Mei wanted to call her grandmother, but remembering the old woman’s early bedtime, she held back to avoid disturbing her.
By 10 PM, recalling Qi Quan’s novel update, she clicked in.
Having witnessed the Qi family’s true and fake heiress saga, she was curious about the protagonist’s perspective. Though skeptical of the supernatural elements, she couldn’t resist the drama.
Most of the villa’s staff were following the updates.
The sarcastic remarks about the younger brother in the early part amused her—Qi Quan had a sharp wit.
But when she reached the final paragraphs, her body went rigid.
She stared at the screen in disbelief. The words seemed to twist grotesquely, stabbing into her heart like needles. Her fingers trembled violently, and her phone thudded onto the bed.
A ringtone blared—her favorite singer’s song—but she recoiled as if seeing a ghost, too afraid to answer.
The ringing stopped after a long while, then started again.
Tears blurred her vision as she finally picked up. A familiar voice spoke—Auntie from next door, sounding distant.
“Mei, you should come back,” Auntie said solemnly. “Your grandmother’s gone.”
Ding Mei’s face drained of color.
Over the phone, Auntie sighed. “She had it hard, selling vegetables in the city at her age. She was hit by a car crossing the street. The hospital couldn’t reach the family—she didn’t have her phone. If not for Uncle Niu’s grandson recognizing her there, we wouldn’t have known…”
Ding Mei stopped hearing the words. The shock left her mind blank.
The other servants, after reading the update, wondered what grudge Qi Quan held against Ding Mei to curse her like that. They planned to console her in the staff group chat—until Ding Mei’s door burst open.
Holy crap, was she going to confront Qi Quan?
They rushed out after her.
Instead, Ding Mei, face streaked with tears, ran straight to Qi Changrong.
Was she going to complain to the boss?
Qi Changrong, along with his wife and eldest son, was waiting for news of Qi Yuan when the weeping maid appeared before him.
“What’s wrong?” He instinctively stepped back.
...
Ding Mei wiped her tears and said haltingly, "Chairman Qi, I—I’d like to request a few days off."
Gu Qiao chimed in, "Did something happen?"
"My—my grandmother passed away, wuwuwu," Ding Mei could no longer hold back her sobs. "I want to go back to see her off."
The other servants: !!!
No way?!
Ding Mei’s grandmother died? Could such a coincidence really exist?
They exchanged glances, their eyes involuntarily darting toward the second floor, a chill creeping up from their soles to the crowns of their heads.
The more they thought about it, the more horrifying it seemed!
