The candle flickered out, plunging the room into complete darkness, leaving only...

  "Ghost! Ghost! Ghost..." Xue Lian screamed as she continued to retreat, her face pale from sheer terror.

  Suddenly, a hand reached out from behind her, gently tapping her shoulder.

  "Ah!" Another high-pitched scream tore from her throat, and she nearly jumped out of her skin.

  "Young Madam, it's me," came a calm voice from behind.

  Xue Lian turned around and saw Shen Ma. Her face remained expressionless as ever.

  "Shen Ma, there's a ghost..." Finally seeing a person, Xue Lian felt a sense of relief, even if only a little.

  "A ghost? Where did that come from, Young Madam? It seems you're still not familiar with the rules of the Gong family," Shen Ma said, her voice rising an octave as she mentioned the "rules." Her face remained as cold as ever.

  "No, Shen Ma, it's a ghost. I saw it, right here in this room. Really?" Xue Lian insisted, still trembling with fear.

  "Young Madam, I think you haven't had enough rest recently. It's already so te. You should return to your room and rest," Shen Ma said, her tone now tinged with displeasure.

  "You don't believe me? Then how did the first five Xue Lians die? They all held a pair of embroidered shoes when they died! The ghost I saw just now, it was wearing a single embroidered shoe!" Xue Lian's voice grew frantic as her emotions overtook her.

  Shen Ma's face turned pale, and her body trembled slightly. "It's back... it's back again..."

  "Who?" Xue Lian asked cautiously, trying to probe further.

  Without answering, Shen Ma suddenly shoved Xue Lian aside and rushed toward the entrance of the tomb house. She began shouting frantically, "You're back again! How long do you intend to torment us? I've burned so much paper money for you, recited so many sutras... You should be reincarnated by now! Leave the Gong family, stop haunting us, and stop harming others!"

  "Shen Ma, what are you talking about? Do you know who that ghost is? Tell me what's going on!" Xue Lian rushed over and grabbed Mom Shen, asking loudly.

  Shen Ma's body was still trembling, her face slightly distorted from the loud shouting, clearly cking her usual authority.

  "Shen Ma, I have to know what's going on today." Xue Lian's voice was choked with tears; she had already been through too much fright.

  Shen Ma finally calmed down and sat down heavily on the steps, but her face looked very pale.

  Xue Lian sat quietly beside her, not saying anything. She knew Shen Ma needed to calm down first.

  After a while, Shen Ma finally spoke.

  "Sigh, what a sin," said Ma Shen, and tears unexpectedly flowed from her eyes.

  This was the first time Xue Lian had seen the usually stern Ma Shen cry, and she couldn't help but take out a handkerchief to gently wipe her tears.

  "The ghost you saw just now was Ah Xiu," Shen Ma said, completing her sentence.

  "Ah, Xiu?" Xue Lian asked.

  Shen Ma nodded, her voice a bit hoarse as she said, "Ah Xiu was originally a maid in the Gong family. She came to the Gong family when she was seven, so she practically grew up there. Because she was smart, cute, and had a unique skill, the old dy liked her very much and treated her like her own daughter." Saying this, Shen Ma wiped her tears with her sleeve.

  "What special skills does A-Xiu have?" Xue Lian asked.

  "Making...embroidered...shoes..." Shen Ma said word by word.

  Xue Lian gasped.

  "Sigh, who would have thought that Ah Xiu actually fell in love with the young master? And taking advantage of the old dy's affection, she was determined to become the young mistress of the Gong family, becoming more and more arrogant. Eventually, even the old dy couldn't stand it anymore and scolded her. On top of that, the young master frankly told her that he only saw her as a younger sister. As a result, she committed suicide in this room that very night. Since then, this room has become a 'tomb house,' and no one has dared to live here again. The old dy also ordered that no one should enter casually." Upon saying this, Shen Ma stood up and turned to look at the "tomb house."

  "How did she die? Where was she buried?" Xue Lian remained seated, not turning her head as she asked. Her voice sounded surprisingly calm.

  "She hanged herself, and when she died, she was still wearing the embroidered shoes she had made herself. Those are shoes only brides would wear, but she only wore one. The other one..." Shen Ma paused for a moment and then continued, "was in her hand. Her death was too inauspicious, so the old dy had her buried in a secret passage in this room." Shen Ma's voice became very soft by the end.

  "So, after she died, her spirit lingered on, causing harm to every woman who became the mistress of the Gong family," Xue Lian said, still sitting motionless in her spot.

  Shen Ma remained silent, watching Xue Lian.

  "Where is the young master? Why haven't I seen him yet?" Xue Lian raised her head and looked at Shen Ma.

  "The young master hasn't been feeling well tely, so he's been staying with the old dy. The old dy pns to let him consummate the marriage with you once he feels a bit better," Shen Ma said sincerely.