The next day, when Granny Lan was cleaning the classroom, she paused in surprise upon reaching the chair where Lin Fang usually sat. She circled the chair, squatting down and standing up repeatedly, running her hands over different parts, examining it over and over with a puzzled expression.
“What’s wrong, Granny Lan? Is there something amiss?” Lin Wu appeared at the classroom door, noticing her hesitation.
Granny Lan pointed at the chair. “Fifth Young Master, this old servant feels something is off. This chair isn’t the one Sixth Young Miss usually sits on.”
“Oh? How can you tell?” Lin Wu walked over, pretending to inspect it, running his hand along the back. “I don’t see anything wrong. I made this chair for my sister myself.”
Granny Lan shook her head, her expression still troubled. “At first glance, it looks the same, but upon closer inspection, there are differences. The original chair had been used for over a year, and the frequently touched parts were worn smooth. This one feels rough.”
She moved closer, tracing the wood grain with her fingers. “Even if a chair is perfectly replicated, the grain of the wood can’t be identical. This old servant cleans the desks and chairs every day and knows the grain of the original chair well.”
Lin Wu sighed and admitted, “You’re right. This isn’t the original chair. I replaced it today.” He had rushed to make this chair yesterday after returning to the Qi Estate, working tirelessly with the Qi family’s help. Despite careful sanding and aging, the differences were still noticeable.
Granny Lan was confused. “Why would you replace the chair, Fifth Young Master? Sixth Young Miss loved that chair. She always said it was a masterpiece of your woodcraft and insisted I clean it with a soft cloth to avoid damaging the wood, so as not to waste your effort.”
Lin Wu grew angrier. “Granny Lan, how can I make sure my sister doesn’t notice the difference?” If even Granny Lan could spot it, how could his clever sister miss it?
Though she didn’t understand his motives, Granny Lan sensed something serious was afoot. “If you apply lacquer, it might fool Sixth Young Miss.”
Two days later, a villager went missing. Only his shoes were found by the river, with no trace of his body.
Meanwhile, strange incidents plagued the Gui household. Chairs collapsed when sat on, beds gave way when slept in, and tables suddenly shattered before meals could be served, leaving the house in chaos.
A broken chair could be blamed on poor maintenance, a collapsed bed on weak construction, but tables disintegrating without warning was no coincidence.
Gui Cheng, furious, picked up a piece of the shattered table. The breaks were clean and deliberate—every piece the same. The table had stood firm until the moment dishes were about to be placed, suggesting the perpetrator was highly skilled.
Lost in thought, he looked up to see his wife, Dong Panyu, trembling in terror. He dropped the wood and embraced her. “Panyu, don’t be afraid. I’ll find out who’s behind this and punish them severely.”
Dong Panyu shuddered violently, muttering, “A demon… it’s really a demon…”
“Panyu, what demon? There’s no such thing. This is the work of humans.”
But she kept repeating the word, ignoring him.
Their daughter, Lin Yuan, murmured to herself, “Could it really be a demon?”
“Yuan’er, what do you know about demons?” Gui Cheng turned to her, stern.
His wife’s fear could be dismissed as shock—she was always timid—but their daughter’s words alarmed him. He dismissed the servants and questioned Lin Yuan gravely.
Dong Panyu snapped out of her daze and interjected, “Yuan’er is just repeating what I said. She’s only seven. What does she know about demons?”
Since overhearing their conversation days ago, Dong Panyu had grown paranoid. Now, she was like a startled bird, flinching at every sound. If Gui Cheng hadn’t noticed her odd behavior by now, he’d be a fool.
He glared at her. “Panyu, what’s going on? What demon are you talking about?”
Though usually gentle, Gui Cheng’s stern tone frightened her. She hesitated, lips trembling.
Lin Yuan, unfazed, spoke up. “Mother said Sixth Sister is too clever—almost like a demon.”
“Yuan’er, don’t lie! How dare you slander your elder sister?” Dong Panyu snapped.
Normally, Lin Yuan would have backed down, but with her father present, she stood her ground. “I’m not lying! Mother said it! She also said the Lin family’s misfortunes—late marriages, strife, even leaving our hometown—are all because of Sixth Sister’s demonic influence—”
A sharp slap from Dong Panyu cut her off, nearly knocking her over. The girl froze, clutching her cheek, tears welling.
Gui Cheng’s face darkened. “You’re confined to the house. I’ll inform Sister-in-law you won’t be at the workshop.”
Dong Panyu panicked. “Gui Cheng, you can’t do this! I worked so hard to become supervisor! I bled and strained my eyes learning to sew! If I stop now, someone else will take my place!”
He closed his eyes, heart aching. He knew she lacked talent for sewing, yet she’d pushed herself relentlessly, refusing to rely on nepotism. Her determination had once drawn him to her—she’d endured abuse rather than become his elder brother’s concubine.
But now, envy had consumed her. She resented his elder brother’s family, especially Lin Fang. If her poisonous words spread further, disaster would follow.
Shaking her off, he carried Lin Yuan out and ordered the servants, “No one enters or leaves this room. I’ll bring meals myself. Anyone who disobeys gets twenty lashes.”
Dong Panyu screamed, “Gui Cheng, you can’t do this! I didn’t do anything wrong! That Lin Fang is—” Her voice cut off abruptly, her mouth moving soundlessly. Neither Gui Cheng nor Lin Yuan noticed as they walked away.
The servants exchanged uneasy glances but stayed silent.
Outside, Lin Yuan sobbed softly. Gui Cheng stroked her back, wandering the fields until they reached the fish-drying shed.
He set her down and asked softly, “Yuan’er, what if we leave this place?”
She shook her head. “No! I don’t want to go back to Liangping Town. Mother will lock me up again. I like it here—Uncle and Aunt are kind, Second and Fifth Brothers bring me gifts, Sixth Sister tells me stories and never scolds me when I forget words. I have friends here. I’d be sad if we left.”
Her words twisted his heart.
A jealous woman could do the unthinkable. Lately, Qi Biao’s men had grown cold toward him, even wary. Given the recent sabotage, they must have discovered Dong Panyu’s malice toward Lin Fang. Leaving was the only way to save her life.
Resolved, he took Lin Yuan to find his elder brother, Lin Dalang.
After hearing the story, Dalang said quietly, “Go.” His voice was heavy with sorrow.
Gui Cheng opened his mouth but said nothing. He carried his crying daughter away.
Returning home, he found the servants in a panic. Dong Panyu’s maid stammered, “Madam was thrashing about, but we didn’t dare enter. Now it’s quiet—we don’t know if she’s resting or…”
He shoved her aside and burst in. Dong Panyu lay motionless on the floor, her clothes and hair disheveled. Brushing her hair aside, he gasped—her hands were clamped around her throat, covered in blood. Her neck was a mangled mess.
A faint pulse remained. He lifted her onto a daybed, but as he turned to fetch medicine, the bed collapsed beneath her.
Dong Panyu’s eyes fluttered open. “Panyu, what happened?” he asked.
She tried to speak but no sound came out. When she clawed at her throat again, he grabbed her wrists, understanding dawning. “We’ll leave. Now.”
Her eyes widened in panic. She struggled, mouthing silent words until she fainted again.
When she awoke, she was in a wagon, mute and motionless as a doll. Gui Cheng, carrying Lin Yuan and a purse of silver from Dalang, let the horse wander aimlessly, unsure where to go.
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