Ye Shaohua only retained the original host’s memories—an orphan whose parents had left her a modest inheritance. On others’ recommendation, she’d purchased this one-bedroom apartment.
Yet the original host had always been plagued by misfortune. Those who got too close to her would inevitably suffer accidents. With her parents gone young, neighbors secretly called her the “jinx,” leaving her with no real friends.
College seemed to offer a fresh start when she began dating Cui Hao.
But instead of improving, her situation worsened. Her mental state deteriorated, waking nightly from nightmares.
Last Thursday at 9 PM after evening classes, they passed by the usually bustling lakeside—strangely deserted that night. When she turned, she saw a severed head perched on Cui Hao’s shoulder.
Her scream sparked campus rumors: “Beautiful campus belle suffers delusions?”
Cui Hao called to break up.
From that night on, the female ghost haunting Cui Hao tormented her relentlessly. Broken in spirit, the original host took her own life—and Ye Shaohua woke in her place.
Only after death did the original host learn the truth: Xu Yilin had orchestrated everything to steal her jade pendant, with Cui Hao playing her from the start.
Her mission was simple:
- Make Cui Hao and Xu Yilin pay.
- Uncover the real mastermind.
Because Xu Yilin clearly didn’t believe in ghosts…
As for why this was a mandatory task—
Ye Shaohua surveyed the now-haunted apartment. Without proper preparation, surviving this death trap would’ve been impossible.
After ordering takeout and bandaging her wrists, she analyzed the apartment’s layout.
The structure couldn’t be altered now, and moving wasn’t feasible—the original host’s savings were meager.
But Ye Shaohua had studied esoteric feng shui texts in the system’s archives. Though untested, the knowledge was etched in her mind.
She visited secondhand markets for a crimson partition screen, then a nursery for specific plants, arranging delivery.
Her final stop was an old street stall selling ritual paper, cinnabar, and calligraphy brushes.
The elderly shopkeeper eyed her briefly before dozing off again, likely dismissing her as another curious youth.
——
The aging residential complex had lax security. As a stunning young woman—the campus belle, no less—she quickly attracted three thugs.
Even with her current physical limits, they posed no threat. At the alley’s turn, she palmed three silver needles—
Thud! Thud! Thud!
A young man knocked the assailants flat before she could act.
“Apologize,” he drawled, nudging them with his shoe.
“S-sorry, miss!” The trio scrambled away, likely traumatized.
Ye Shaohua quietly pocketed her needles.
Ning Zhou turned, expecting gratitude—only for the beauty to say tonelessly, “Don’t take any vehicles this afternoon. Bloodshed awaits.”
His pickup line died in his throat. …Wrong script?
By the time he blinked, she’d vanished. Shrugging, he returned to his friend’s crowd-drawing Lamborghini.
Then paused.
“Screw this. I’m walking.”
Under the sweltering sun, Ning Zhou grew increasingly irritated. Why am I humoring that nonsense?
Yet when he finally called his driver, his friend phoned in panic:
“The car crashed! Passengers’ side got crushed—if you’d been in it…”
Cold sweat drenched Ning Zhou as frantic calls poured in from his family.
——
Back home, Ye Shaohua arranged the feng shui adjustments:
- Crimson screen between living room and bathroom: blocked foul energy while radiating warmth (auspicious “opening to red”).
- Plants in the west-facing living room: wood elements countered excessive sunlight while attracting wealth.
By dusk, the apartment’s oppressive aura had noticeably lifted.
Then—knocking.
Given her reputation, visitors were rare.
She opened the door to Lin Weiwei, one of her few lifelong friends, clutching textbooks.
“Shaohua! You’re… okay?” Weiwei gaped at her alert demeanor.
“I’m fine.” Ye Shaohua’s response was calm, detached.
Weiwei barely noticed, too busy marveling at the transformed apartment. The same space somehow felt… different, as did Shaohua herself.
“Good. About Cui Hao…” Weiwei eyed her bandaged wrists. “Don’t take it to heart. People like him were never our world. Just… don’t do anything drastic.”
“I won’t.”
No tears. No venting. Weiwei almost wondered if this was the same person.
“I brought food.” She hesitated. “The others… they’re scared. That video from the lakeside is still circulating, and the rumors…”
