It had to be said, the nightgown's hem was so short that Xu Lai caught an eyeful.

Ruan Tang quickly realized this, her face heating up as she hurriedly covered herself with the blanket. Yet, she hadn't expected Xu Lai to be any less of a gentleman than usual.

Instead, he leaned close to her ear and teased, "Honey, are you questioning my manhood again? Is that why..."

The last time she'd doubted him, Ruan Tang had paid a painful price. If it weren't for her firm boundaries and the fact that the scoundrel Xu Lai hadn't gone all the way, Yiyi might have had a little brother or sister by now...

But even so, Xu Lai had already taken nearly every liberty he could.

Hearing his embarrassing words right by her ear, Ruan Tang said weakly, "Stop your nonsense and get out."

"I don't want to," Xu Lai said, lying down on the edge of the bed. "I want to sleep while holding our daughter. Is that okay, honey?" As he spoke, he reached over the blanket and hugged Ruan Tang.

"I'm not your daughter, I'm your wife! Your daughter is on the other side!"

Ruan Tang felt helpless. Yiyi was on the left side of the bed, but Xu Lai insisted on lying down next to her. He was clearly trying to bully her.

"Oh, so you're my wife, are you?" Xu Lai said meaningfully.

"..."

Ruan Tang's face felt scorchingly hot. "Th-that's not true! I misspoke! Get out! Get out! Hurry up and get out!"

She couldn't think about anything else. Ruan Tang scrambled up and pushed Xu Lai out of the room.

"Well then, goodnight, honey." Through the door, Xu Lai chuckled softly. "Oh, right. It's Saturday tomorrow. I'll pick you up at noon so we can go shopping together."

Ruan Tang didn't speak. Her heart was pounding erratically, and she couldn't help but bite her lip, annoyed with herself. Xu Lai had completely flustered her, making her speak so carelessly.

But then Ruan Tang froze. She realized that she only felt embarrassed, not angry or unwilling. Moreover, she discovered a serious problem—she no longer had any psychological resistance to Xu Lai calling her 'wife'! That's why she had subconsciously corrected him, stating that she, Ruan Tang, wasn't his daughter, but his wife...

"AHHH!" This realization made Ruan Tang bury her head in her pillow. She kicked her feet rhythmically, just like her sister Ruan Lan did on the sofa.

Ruan Tang sat up, tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, and fanned her heated face with her hand.

I absolutely can't let Xu Lai bully me anymore. So, about tomorrow's date... I'll leave it up to fate.

Ruan Tang took a coin from her wallet and tossed it into the air.

Heads, I go. Tails, I don't.

TING— With a soft metallic ring, the coin landed in her palm.

She looked down and saw it was tails.

Ruan Tang froze for a second before taking a deep breath. One flip isn't accurate. I should do it a few more times. Best of three!

Saying this, she tossed the coin into the air again.

This time, after the coin landed in her palm, Ruan Tang didn't look at it.

She suddenly remembered something Ruan Lan once said: How do you make a decision when you're torn? The answer is to flip a coin. Because the moment you want to flip it a second time, you already know your answer...

Ruan Tang walked to the window. She looked out at the magnificent moonlit sea, then turned back to her sleeping daughter. "So," she whispered to herself, "I... I want to go on that date tomorrow."

「That night.」

With only five minutes left until midnight, Old Jiang Ba and a very lean middle-aged man were standing at the entrance of the Liu City Funeral Parlor.

The middle-aged man said cautiously, "Eighth Master, the expert you've invited... can he really solve this problem?"

"Huang Zhen, you're doubting me," Eighth Master said, glancing sideways at the man. It wasn't a question, but a statement of fact.

"No, no, no, Eighth Master, you've misunderstood," Huang Zhen said, quickly waving his hands. "I'm just... I'm just terrified. That thing inside is too malevolent. I'm afraid it's some kind of unclean spirit!"

Eighth Master remained silent. Huang Zhen had dropped out of school at fifteen to help a then-penniless Old Jiang Ba conquer the world; he was Eighth Master's right-hand man. Now, Old Jiang Ba entrusted Huang Zhen with managing all of his businesses in Liu City. He had even given Huang Zhen a thirty percent share of this funeral parlor, their most profitable venture, not to mention the company's original stock.

The fact that both Huang Zhen and Old Jiang Ba were this frightened was a testament to how dire the situation was.

"...Besides, Eighth Master, entering at midnight..." Huang Zhen swallowed, his scalp prickling with unease.

In the funeral business, you couldn't believe in everything, but you couldn't disbelieve everything either. But at this hour, anyone would be terrified to linger in a funeral parlor.

"If Mr. Xu cannot solve it, then... this funeral parlor will have to cease operations temporarily," Eighth Master said gravely.

HISS!

Huang Zhen drew a sharp breath. He could hear the immense trust Eighth Master placed in this Mr. Xu.

Suddenly, a thought struck him, and his expression changed again. "Eighth Master, could this Mr. Xu be the powerful Martial Artist who vanquished the Ye Family of Hangcheng?"

"Mm," Eighth Master nodded.

Huang Zhen was suddenly filled with confidence. It doesn't matter if it's a demon or a ghost! In the face of absolute power, it'll be crushed to dust!

"Let's go."

A faint voice came from the funeral parlor doorway. The sound made both Old Jiang Ba and Huang Zhen shudder in fright. On the steps stood a figure with his hands clasped behind his back. His face was obscured, leaving only a silhouette standing against the moonlight.

It was Xu Lai!

Overjoyed, Old Jiang Ba hurried over. "Mr. Xu."

Huang Zhen checked the time. It was exactly midnight. A look of respect washed over his face. No wonder Eighth Master respects him so much. Appearing and disappearing like a ghost... truly a formidable existence.

After they entered the funeral parlor, Old Jiang Ba said gravely, "Huang Zhen, lead the way."

His initial fear gone, Huang Zhen strode toward the morgue where the bodies were kept. "Mr. Xu, let me brief you on the situation," he began. "It all started five days ago..."

BANG—

Suddenly, every light in the well-lit funeral parlor went out, plunging them into darkness.

WHIMPER... WHIMPER... WHIMPER...

Faint cries echoed down the claustrophobic corridor as a chill rose from the floor.

Huang Zhen's scalp prickled with fear. But, having seen his fair share of trouble, he continued, "Five days ago, strange noises started coming from the morgue. We..."

Before he could finish, Xu Lai stepped into the darkness, leaving only a single sentence behind, "You two stay here. Don't move."

Listening as the footsteps grew more distant, Huang Zhen whispered cautiously, "Eighth Master, should we..."

"Wait!" Old Jiang Ba said sternly. "We'll do as Mr. Xu says."

Huang Zhen nodded and fell silent.

In the darkness, Xu Lai walked alone toward the morgue. A small head poked out of his pocket—it was Beibei.

She sniffed the air with her little nose and muttered, "What a strong demonic aura."

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