Manual for Survival in a Strange World

At 7:00 AM, a bright yellow sun climbed into the sky, bathing the small village by the river in warm, gentle sunlight.

In the lunar calendar’s April, the height of summer’s blooming season, the back courtyard of the He Mansion was a vibrant sea of flowers. Soft and delicate dianthus bloomed on both sides of the cobblestone paths, and the lotus flowers in the water jars, awakened from their slumber, opened their pink-and-white petals into radiant smiles, while their golden stamens exuded a faintly sweet fragrance.

Several graceful pomegranate trees stretched lazily at the path’s entrance, their lush green canopies hiding fiery red buds that made the trees look as if they were laden with ripe pomegranates. Fallen flower buds hit the pond below with soft splashes, breaking the water’s calm surface before it settled once again.

The pond reflected a young woman with disheveled long hair hurrying along the bank. Her expression was urgent, as though she were racing against time.

Ye Miaozhu darted beneath the pomegranate trees, glancing at her phone screen again to confirm the messages sent by a contact saved as “Yunqing”:

[I climbed out of the river.]
[The water is so cold.]
[Where are you?]
[I want to see you. Come find me, I’m at…]

These texts were the reason Ye Miaozhu had come here, as though she were a fish lured by bait on a hook.

Even though Gu Yunqing had died right before her eyes, even though, as a medical student, she could confirm that his heart had stopped beating and his body had grown cold, the familiar name on her screen had shattered all her rationality. She had clung to the faintest glimmer of hope, no matter how impossible it seemed.

Even knowing that a ghost capable of stealing identities and disguising itself as a human roamed this village, she was willing to stake her life on a nonexistent chance.

A woman in love is never rational. Such creatures are inherently at odds with the phrase “seek truth from facts.”

Ye Miaozhu rushed along the rounded cobblestone path bordered by clusters of dianthus, her flowing hem brushing against the lotus in the water jar. Her hurried steps carried her around the back courtyard to the western side of the He Mansion’s main building. She lowered her head again to confirm the messages on her phone.

Following the instructions in the texts, Ye Miaozhu soon found the unlocked storeroom. After a few deep breaths, she nervously pushed the door open.

The sealed room was unlit, and its windows were tightly shut. Even in daylight, it was pitch black inside. Morning sunlight spilled in from the open door, faintly illuminating the floor at her feet.

Ye Miaozhu fully opened the door and cautiously called out, “Yunqing? Are you in here?”

No answer.

Puzzled, Ye Miaozhu took a few more steps inside, letting the sunlight help her survey the surroundings.

It was a dry, sealed storeroom. The bamboo-planked floor was raised to keep out moisture, and several shelves lined the walls, holding various items typically belonging to a young woman:

A red sash embroidered with golden threads and flying wings, meant to cinch the waist.

A white jade bracelet encased in a brocade box, marked by a streak of blood-red hue.

A pure gold hairpin stored in a sandalwood case, its tip carved into a pair of twin lotuses.

An intricately carved silver headdress, depicting a hundred birds paying homage to a phoenix.

A dressing table made of purple sandalwood, positioned directly opposite the storeroom’s entrance.

A copper mirror the size of a basin, embedded in the dressing table and also facing the door.

Several camphorwood trunks filled with clothes, emanating the scent of camphor.

These were most of the items in the storeroom.

Ye Miaozhu hugged her arms tightly, feeling guilty as she tentatively called out again, “Yunqing? Are you here? Is it really you?”

This time, a deep male voice broke the silence.

“You let a few messages lure you out here?” A man in a tailored suit emerged from behind the dressing table. The sunlight illuminated his face—it was Zhang Yangxu. “I didn’t think you’d actually be foolish enough to fall for this.”

“It’s you?” Ye Miaozhu gritted her teeth in anger, her gaze dropping to his hands. Sure enough, he was holding two phones—one was his, and the other belonged to Gu Yunqing. “You tricked me with Yunqing’s phone?!”

“Rather than tricked, isn’t it more that you convinced yourself to believe Gu Yunqing might still be alive?” Zhang Yangxu shook his head. “Or perhaps, you wanted to believe? That as long as it was Gu Yunqing speaking, you’d believe anything?”

Ye Miaozhu was livid. “I wanted to be tricked by him! What business is that of yours?”

Sure, sure…

After a while, as her anger subsided, Ye Miaozhu continued, “Fine, tell me. Why did you lure me here using Yunqing’s phone?”

Zhang Yangxu chuckled and gestured to the shelves around them, displaying the young woman’s items. “I wanted to tell you that I’ve found a way to leave Hejia Village and return to the real world.”

“You?” Ye Miaozhu looked skeptical. “If Ning Zhe or Yunqing said that, I might believe it. But you? Forget it.”

“Believe me or not, I’m just sharing what I know,” Zhang Yangxu said as he approached the shelves.

He picked up the embroidered red sash and held it lightly. “This is fabric for a waist sash. In Qincheng’s old traditions, brides wore extremely elaborate dresses on their wedding day, making them look bloated. So, they used sashes to cinch their waists and highlight their figures. That’s what this is for. It’s outdated in modern times.”

But not in Hejia Village.

“What’s your point?” Ye Miaozhu’s patience was wearing thin.

Zhang Yangxu set down the sash and continued with a grin, “Look at the other items—bracelets, hairpins, silver crowns. These are all part of a dowry.”

“A dowry?”

“Yes, a dowry.” Zhang Yangxu nodded. “The owner of this Mansion is marrying off his daughter. The servants told me Miss He is getting married tomorrow, and the groom’s party will come to fetch her. These items are her dowry.”

“So what? What does that have to do with anything?” Ye Miaozhu frowned.

“Miss He is leaving, isn’t it obvious?” Zhang Yangxu sighed in exasperation. “Her father will send servants and maids to accompany her. This group will leave tomorrow. If you can sneak into the entourage, you can leave Hejia Village.”

“Really? Sneak into the wedding party and I can leave?” Ye Miaozhu’s doubt deepened.

“Really.” Zhang Yangxu nodded. “Follow the wedding party, and you can leave Hejia Village.”

“Hmm…” Ye Miaozhu’s expression darkened. She didn’t ask where Zhang Yangxu had gotten this information.

If what he said was true, why wasn’t he hiding away to join the party himself? Why go out of his way to tell her?

The more she thought about it, the stranger the situation seemed. If the messages from Gu Yunqing’s phone had driven her to irrationality, then the truth behind the lie had brought her back to her senses. Now calm, she scrutinized Zhang Yangxu’s gentle smile, an inexplicable sense of unease rising in her heart.

Ye Miaozhu couldn’t help but ask again, “Are you certain? Follow the wedding party, and I can leave Hejia Village and return to the real world?”

Zhang Yangxu nodded. “Yes, follow the wedding party, and you can leave Hejia Village.”

“You…” A chilling realization crept up Ye Miaozhu’s spine. “I’ll ask one last time—following the wedding party will let me return to the real world?”

This time, Zhang Yangxu didn’t answer.

He stood where he was, still wearing that friendly, warm smile. His lips curved slightly, but he remained silent.

Ye Miaozhu’s fear came crashing down.

At that moment, she recalled something Ning Zhe had once said:
[The rules may be silent, but they never lie.]

“Answer me, Zhang Yangxu! Why are you silent?” Ye Miaozhu gritted her teeth and enunciated each word. “Or are you not Zhang Yangxu at all? Are you the ghost?!”