Volume 1, Chapter 2: Has the Madam Returned?

Upon hearing his friend’s words, Bo Congnan remained indifferent. "She isn’t by my side right now, so what?"

Jiang Ze had been Bo Congnan’s close friend since childhood and had always maintained a good relationship with me. The Jiang family was one of the top elite families in City A, yet Jiang Ze had no interest in inheriting the family business, determined instead to become an outstanding police officer. After graduating from university, he successfully joined the Nanjiang Branch of the City A Police Department.

The fact that I had been abandoned by Bo Congnan at our wedding ceremony had already caused quite a stir. Jiang Ze was naturally aware of this; perhaps he was only calling out of concern for my well-being.

Upon confirming my absence, Jiang Ze pursed his lips. "The woman who called the police sounded very much like Zhiyi. She said she was being hunted by a psychopathic killer. I haven’t been able to get through to her phone. Can you reach her?"

I never expected that after my death, the first person to show concern for my safety would be Jiang Ze. I didn’t share any deep bond with him, yet even a casual friend could offer immediate concern. I looked at Bo Congnan—we had been in love for so many years, yet he couldn't even compare to a mere friend.

Bo Congnan, you are truly selfish and cold-blooded!

"I think she did it on purpose, trying to scare me by calling the police."

"In this day and age, someone could sleep on the street all night and no one would care, let alone a psychopathic killer appearing in the middle of winter?"

"It’s just a little tantrum." Bo Congnan laughed lightly. "If you take it seriously, you lose."

Jiang Ze frowned. Having worked on the front lines for years, he had encountered many cases. Although the general environment was peaceful and safe, it did not mean there was no danger.

"Congnan, today is your wedding day. You were already in the wrong to leave Zhiyi behind; it’s only natural for her to throw a little tantrum. Send her an apology message right now and tell her to come home immediately."

Jiang Ze had already contacted his colleagues who responded to the call, and they had reported back that there was no sign of anything unusual at the location pinpointed by the phone. No woman, no killer.

*Could Zhiyi be safe?*

Though I was grateful to Jiang Ze, I couldn't help but sneer. I was already dead—what good would an apology message do? Yet, I had ultimately overestimated my standing in Bo Congnan’s heart.

As the eldest grandson of the Bo family, the top elite family in City A, Bo Congnan had been pampered since childhood. He had a temper, and every time we had a conflict, I was the one who always compromised. Everyone said that although my personality was cold and distant, I was infinitely tolerant toward Bo Congnan, as if I loved him above all else.

In the end, however, my love had become the very blade that struck me down.

When Bo Congnan heard the suggestion to apologize, his voice turned icy. "I didn't do anything wrong, so why should I apologize?"

"Jiang Ze, whose friend are you exactly? You’re helping her so much—don’t tell me you’re in love with her?"

Jiang Ze fell silent for a moment before sighing. "I’ve been busy with a case these past few days and couldn't attend your wedding. I already had my mother bring the red envelope."

"..."

Before hanging up, Jiang Ze couldn't help but add, "Zhiyi is delicate; it’s not safe for her to be out alone in the middle of the night. You need to contact her right away."

"Understood."

Bo Congnan tossed his phone aside, giving it no further thought. *Jiang Ze likes me?* I had never known that, and it was likely just a flippant remark from Bo Congnan. But Jiang Ze’s tone had been truly ambiguous. Despite my confusion, there was no way for me to find out the truth—after all, no one could see me now.

Meng Xiangyi asked, "My mother just texted saying that after you left, Zhiyi left too. She still hasn't returned home; she’s probably angry. Why don't you call her and swallow your pride?"

Bo Congnan parked the car at the entrance of the Shen family home. "Don't start with that nonsense like Jiang Ze. Shen Zhiyi has no backbone; she rarely even speaks, and she’ll be back safely within two hours."

I laughed. Bo Congnan, I’m already dead. I will never come back.

Meng Xiangyi opened the door and stepped out. Bo Congnan’s gaze fell upon her firm collarbone, his Adam’s apple bobbing. He reached out, pulled her toward him, and kissed her again. It was a sudden, unexpected kiss, yet Meng Xiangyi did not resist. Instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening the intimacy.

I sat to the side, watching their disgusting display, wishing only that I weren't a mere spirit. I wanted to capture their tryst on camera and show the world, exposing this pair of unfaithful lovers to public scorn.

I was the daughter the Shen family had raised from birth, cherished like a flower. But when I was thirteen, the family suddenly suspected I wasn't their biological daughter. A paternity test confirmed it, but it also revealed I was the offspring of Shen Yikang and his mistress. When Fang Lanru found out, she was so furious she wanted to kick me out—and that was when Meng Xiangyi appeared.

She claimed to be the true Shen daughter, swapped by the mistress at birth and raised in the mistress's home. Initially, the Shen family had doubts, but when the test results came back—confirming Meng Xiangyi was indeed Shen Yikang’s child and shared blood with Fang Lanru—they accepted her immediately.

I became the despised daughter of a mistress. If not for a master who predicted that Meng Xiangyi would face a great disaster that required a person born in the Year of the Pig to ward off, I would have been cast out of the family long ago.

Watching Meng Xiangyi and Bo Congnan kiss, the heartache I felt was beyond words. Not only had I lost my family, but now my lover was hers as well. I was nothing more than a bug rotting in a dark corner, cared for by no one, unable to find peace even in death.

Thinking of this, I couldn't stop trembling, my heart filled with rage that had nowhere to vent. Why was this world so unfair? What had I done to deserve this?

Bo Congnan reluctantly pulled away from Meng Xiangyi and licked his lips. "I'll watch you go in."

"Okay."

Meng Xiangyi, who was a bold and strong-willed woman to the outside world, now wore a shy, girlish smile. Their interaction looked more like a pair of young lovers in the heat of a new romance. Bo Congnan watched her enter, then slowly turned the car around to head back to our matrimonial home.

I sat in the passenger seat, watching him drive with focused intensity, showing no sign of wanting to call me. It was clear that Bo Congnan’s mind was entirely consumed by Meng Xiangyi; he had long since forgotten about me.

The car stopped in front of our home. Bo Congnan tossed the keys to the maid, shoved a hand into his pocket, and walked toward the villa. As he walked, he asked Auntie Wang, who had come out to greet him, "Is the mistress back?"

Hearing the word "mistress" from Bo Congnan’s lips made me feel nauseous.

Auntie Wang looked up at the bedroom light shining on the second floor. "She should be back, but the mistress doesn't seem... very happy."

When the wedding was only halfway through, Bo Congnan had abandoned me to go support Meng Xiangyi at her competition. Though I was usually cold and rarely lost my temper, I had been so angry that I returned home and smashed our wedding photo frame. Auntie Wang hadn't seen me leave, so she assumed I was still inside.

Bo Congnan curled his lips, walking toward the stairs with a swagger. He knew it: Shen Zhiyi couldn't live without him. This was just a little game she was playing. See? He hadn't paid her any mind, and now, feeling foolish, she had obediently crawled back home.

Heh.

Bo Congnan stood outside the bedroom door, working himself up, preparing to lash out at me to keep me in my place. He did this often—it allowed him to avoid apologizing while still securing my "forgiveness."

"Shen Zhiyi, aren't you tired of playing these little games to fool me?"