A grown man actually embroidering shoes? Xue Lian found it somewhat absurd, but she had to admit that his embroidery skills were exceptional—better than many women′s. He seemed pleased with his "work," always wearing a satisfied smile on his face.

  In less than a tea's time, a pair of embroidered shoes was completed in his hands. He stood up, moved the stool aside, and pressed a spot on the top corner of the mirror, causing the mirror door to open. He grabbed a candle from the table and walked inside.

  Xue Lian carefully crawled out from under the bed, quietly approaching the mirror door. She peeked out, cautiously looking inside…

  He gently wiped the coffin with his sleeve, softly muttering, "I'm back again. How have you been?"

  This sentence... Xue Lian felt a sense of déjà vu. Yes, she had heard something simir outside the "tomb." Could it be that the ghost she saw was him in disguise?

  "It's been a long time since I visited. Don't bme me. I'm afraid Shen Ma will find out." He continued wiping, as if fearful of leaving any trace behind.

  A long time since he visited? Then the ghost she saw the other night couldn't have been him... Xue Lian felt a wave of confusion wash over her once again.

  "I've sewn another pair of embroidered shoes for you; I'm sure you'll like them." As he said this, a gentle smile appeared on his face.

  To see a man wear such a tender smile, the person lying in the coffin must be the one he loved most—surely a woman, Xue Lian thought.

  He stopped wiping, extended his hand to open the coffin lid, and took out the old embroidered shoe from the coffin. He carefully pced the newly sewn pair onto the body.

  Xue Lian felt a wave of discomfort wash over her, instinctively wrapping her arms around her chest.

  "Who!" he suddenly shouted, his gaze darting toward the mirror door. Xue Lian was startled; her hand had accidentally made a slight noise, and now it was too te for her to hide.

  "It's... me," Xue Lian said, her voice steady despite the tension. She had made up her mind—no matter what happened, she wasn't going to hide anymore.

  He stepped out, his gaze nding on Xue Lian. "So it's you," he said quietly, his voice already regaining its calm. He sat back down on the stool, lowered his head, and spoke weakly, "Did you see everything?"

  Xue Lian nodded softly.

  "I'm a man," he said, lifting his head to meet her eyes. "But I've been lying to you all this time."

  Xue Lian looked at him, sensing that he didn't mean to harm her. In fact, he seemed somewhat mencholic.

  "Why... why are you doing this?" she asked, her voice soft but filled with curiosity and confusion.

  He shook his head, silent for a moment. His gaze dropped, as though he were deep in thought, unsure of how to answer her question.

  Xue Lian didn't speak, giving him space to gather his thoughts.

  Finally, he lifted his head again. This time, there was a certain determination in his eyes. "Can you promise me... you won't tell anyone?" He asked, his face filled with sincerity.

  Xue Lian only nodded, eager to know the truth.

  "Sit down." He gestured to the other stool beside him.

  Xue Lian sat down, sensing that he was about to reveal something important, something that would answer all the questions swirling in her mind.

  "Do you know who is lying in that coffin?" he asked, his voice serious.

  "Ah Xiu," Xue Lian replied, recalling the story about Ah Xiu that Shen Mad had told her.

  "Ah, Xiu?" He froze for a moment, then looked at Xue Lian, questioning.

  "That's what Shen Ma said," Xue Lian recounted the story she had heard from Shen Ma, telling him everything in detail.

  He suddenly burst into cold ughter. "She was lying to you. There is no such person as Ah Xiu."

  Xue Lian stared at him, her eyes gleaming with strange light.

  "The person lying in that coffin is... the young master of the Gong family," he said, emphasizing each word clearly.

  "Ah!" Xue Lian could hardly believe her ears. The person lying in the coffin, wearing the embroidered shoes, was the young master of the Gong family—her husband! She felt as if she couldn't calm herself down and reached up to hold her head. How could this be? A man liking to wear embroidered shoes? At the thought of it, Xue Lian felt uncomfortable all over.

  "How did he die?" Xue Lian asked, trying to calm her emotions before speaking again.

  "I also want to know," he replied succinctly.

  "So, you want to stay in the Gong family to investigate the cause of his death?" Xue Lian said.

  "Yes, that's why I disguised myself as 'Xiao Dun'er' and stayed in the Gong family," he said.

  "Because 'Xiao Dun'er' is innocent, with no scheming and not very intelligent, she would attract the least attention," Xue Lian continued.

  He nodded, standing up and walking to the side of the bed.

  "What about the real Xiao Dun'er?" Xue Lian looked at him, eager to hear his answer.

  "She's dead." His words were soft, as if he was trying to avoid something. He lowered his head and didn't speak further.

  Perhaps he killed Xiao Dun'er, Xue Lian suddenly thought. Maybe he had no choice, she tried to reassure herself.

  "Who are you?" Xue Lian realized she had forgotten the most crucial question.

  "I..." He hesitated for a moment before saying, "I am a servant of the Gong family, always serving the young master."

  Maybe he wasn't just a servant, but since he was unwilling to say more, Xue Lian didn't press further. However, she remembered something very strange: "Why does the young master wear embroidered shoes?" This question had always puzzled her.

  "Because she is a woman, a real woman!"

  A woman?

  The young master is a woman, her husband is a woman, but Xiao Dun'er is a man...