Yu Chen blinked, his vision hazy as he took in the anxious figure kneeling beside him. "Shizun—" Wei Yu's voice was tight with worry, his brows furrowed as he gently shook Yu Chen's shoulder. "Are you okay?"
"I-I'm fine," Yu Chen rasped, his throat dry. He coughed weakly and sat up, wincing as the world spun around him. "But… where are we?" His gaze darted around, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings.
"We're inside a memory," Wei Yu explained gravely, his tone laced with unease. "The memory of the ghost."
Yu Chen's breath caught as the scene before them unfolded like a painting brought to life. A beautiful young woman stood in a sunlit garden, her delicate fingers brushing over the petals of a flower. She laughed softly, her voice as gentle as a spring breeze, while a tall, handsome youth stood before her, scratching the back of his head in bashful awkwardness.
"You're very kind," the girl said, her eyes shimmering like clear water.
"Mei'er," the youth spoke with excitement barely contained in his voice. "I spoke to my parents about our wedding. They agreed!" His smile was radiant, filled with unfiltered joy.
The girl's smile faltered for the briefest moment, her gaze clouding as if caught in a storm of thoughts. But then, as though she forced herself back to the present, she tilted her head and smiled sweetly. Her long black hair danced gracefully in the wind. "That's wonderful, A'Yan."
Their conversation continued, filled with laughter and warmth, painting the image of a perfect, happy couple. But something about Mei Yue fleeting hesitation lingered in the air like a shadow, unseen yet palpable.
"'A'Yan,'" Wei Yu murmured, his expression contemplative. "Could the ghost be the second son of the Yan family who died?"
"Maybe," Yu Chen said quietly, though his gaze remained on the pair. The warmth in their shared moment felt fragile, like glass on the verge of shattering.
Wei Yu looked at the women and could sense some familiarity, as if he had seen this girl somewhere. But he could not remember when?
As the memory shifted, Wei Yu and Yu Chen followed Yan Bo as he made his way back to his family estate. The bright light of the garden gave way to the cold, oppressive atmosphere of the Yan residence. The moment Yan Bo stepped through the threshold, a sharp slap resounded through the air.
"Insolent child! Where have you been?" His mother's voice trembled with fury as her hand lingered in the air.
"Mother, what's wrong?" Yan Bo's voice quivered, a stark contrast to the joy he'd radiated earlier. Confusion and worry marred his features.
Before she could answer, a cold, authoritative voice cut through the air. "As a mere concubine, you truly don't know your place." Yan Kai, the patriarch of the family, strode into the room with an air of dominance. His gaze was sharp and unfeeling, like a blade. "Guards, take her away. She is to remain under house arrest."
"Master, no! Please!" Yan Bo's mother screamed, her voice breaking with desperation as the guards seized her by the arms. She kicked and sobbed, her cries echoing in the hall.
"Mother!" Yan Bo's voice cracked as he reached out, only to be held back by one of the guards. He could do nothing but watch in horror as his mother was dragged away, her wails fading into the distance.
"Father, what are you doing?" he demanded, his voice trembling with anger and disbelief.
Yan Kai waited until the room was cleared, gesturing for the servants to close the door behind them. Silence fell, heavy and suffocating, as the father and son were left alone.
"I met a fortune teller this evening," Yan Kai said, his tone eerily calm as he took a seat, his fingers steepled.
Yan Bo stood frozen, his muscles tense, his every nerve screaming for him to be on guard. "And what does that have to do with Mother or me?" he asked, his voice laced with suspicion.
Yan Kai chuckled, the sound cold and hollow. "Everything." He leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with an unsettling light. "The fortune teller warned me that the end of my wealth and legacy is near. It will come through my son… the one who is about to marry."
Yan Bo's heart sank as the pieces began to fall into place. "No," he whispered, his voice barely audible.
"Oh, but there's a solution," Yan Kai continued, his lips curling into a cruel smirk. "To bury him alive."
"You wouldn't dare," Yan Bo spat, his voice filled with a mixture of fury and disbelief.
"Wouldn't I?" Yan Kai's tone dripped with malice. "You will do as I say, or you will pay the price. You are my son, after all—your life belongs to me."
Yan Bo's fists clenched at his sides, his entire body trembling. His father's words weren't just cruel—they were a death sentence.
Wei Yu and Yu Chen stood frozen in the shadows, silent witnesses to the chilling memory. Yu Chen's hands tightened into fists. "What kind of father—" His voice broke, unable to finish the thought.
Wei Yu's gaze remained locked on Yan Bo, his heart heavy with sorrow. "This is why the ghost is bound here," he murmured. "This betrayal, this horror—it's the root of his anguish."
The tension in the room was suffocating, the air thick with unspoken fury and despair. Yan Bo stared at his father, his chest heaving with ragged breaths as he struggled to comprehend the monstrous words that had just been spoken.
"You think I'll let you?" Yan Bo hissed, his voice low but trembling with barely contained rage. "You think I'll stand by while you destroy me and Mei'er for some ridiculous fortune-teller's lies?"
Yan Kai leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. "You don't have a choice, boy. This is for the family. Sacrifices must be made." His calm demeanor only stoked the fire in Yan Bo's heart.
Yan Bo took a step forward, his fists clenched. "Family? You call this family? You don't care about anyone but yourself!"
Yan Kai's cold eyes narrowed. "Watch your tone. You are speaking to your father."
"Father?" Yan Bo's voice cracked, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. "You're no father of mine. A real father wouldn't even think about murdering his own son!"
Yan Kai rose slowly, his towering figure radiating menace. "You insolent brat! Everything you have—your clothes, your food, your life—is because of me! You will do as I say!"
"No," Yan Bo said firmly, his voice steady now. "Not this time."
Yan Kai's face twisted in fury. "Guards!" he bellowed, but no one came. The room was sealed, and the servants had been dismissed. It was just the two of them.
Yan Bo stepped closer, his muscles taut with defiance. "There's no one here to save you from your sins, Father. If you want to kill me, you'll have to do it yourself."
For a moment, there was silence, a stillness so heavy it felt like the world had stopped. Then Yan Kai moved, grabbing a ceremonial sword that hung on the wall. The blade gleamed in the dim light, its edge sharp and unforgiving.
"You leave me no choice," Yan Kai said, his voice shaking with a mixture of rage and desperation.
Yan Bo didn't flinch. Instead, he stepped forward, his fists raised in defiance. "Go ahead," he taunted. "Show me what kind of 'father' you really are."
Yan Kai swung the sword with a roar, but Yan Bo sidestepped, grabbing his father's wrist. The two struggled, the blade catching the light as it swung wildly in their grappling. Their movements were frantic, driven by fury and survival.
"You're a coward!" Yan Bo spat, wrestling for control of the sword. "You hide behind power, but you're nothing without it!"
"And you're a fool!" Yan Kai snarled, his face red with exertion. "You think defying me will save you? You're already dead!"
The fight escalated, each man pushing the other harder. The sound of their scuffle echoed in the empty hall, a cacophony of grunts, curses, and the scrape of steel. Finally, with a desperate shove, Yan Kai managed to throw Yan Bo off balance. The younger man stumbled, but his grip on the sword remained firm.
"Give up!" Yan Kai barked, his voice raw. He lunged, trying to wrest the weapon away, but his strength faltered. In his desperation, he pushed harder than he intended.
There was a sickening sound—metal slicing through flesh. Yan Bo froze, his eyes wide with shock. Slowly, he looked down to see the blade buried in his chest, his blood staining the steel a dark crimson.
Yan Kai's eyes widened in horror. "No… no, this wasn't supposed to happen." He released the hilt, staggering back as if the sight of his own deed repelled him.
Yan Bo's knees buckled, and he crumpled to the floor, his breath coming in shallow gasps. "You… you really did it," he whispered, his voice filled with disbelief and pain. "You killed your own son."
"Yan Bo…" Yan Kai's voice cracked as he dropped to his knees beside his son. He reached out, but his hands trembled, unsure whether to touch the dying boy. "I… I didn't mean to. It was an accident!"
Yan Bo coughed, blood staining his lips as he gazed up at his father with fading eyes. "An accident?" he rasped. "You… you were always going to… destroy me, bury me alive right?. This just… sped things up."
"No!" Yan Kai shouted, his voice filled with anguish. "I was trying to protect the family!"
"You protected no one," Yan Bo whispered, his voice barely audible. "Not Mother. Not me. Not yourself." His eyes began to glaze over, his breaths growing weaker. "You'll… die alone, just like… this house deserves."
With one final exhale, Yan Bo went still, his lifeless body crumpling into the growing pool of blood.
Yan Kai stared at his son's body, his hands stained with blood, his mind reeling. The weight of his actions crashed over him like a tidal wave, leaving him trembling and broken.
In the shadows, Wei Yu clenched his fists, his heart heavy with sorrow and anger. "Shizun," he whispered, his voice trembling. "This is it… this is where it all began."
Yu Chen's expression was grave, his voice a quiet murmur. "A betrayal this deep… no wonder his spirit cannot rest. We must bring this truth to light."
"I have a feeling that this is not all, what happened to the girl." Wei Yu pondered.