"Ulysses Spann did it on purpose! He and your wife conspired to murder my sister! You’re an accomplice, too! Your whole family are murderers! Oh, my dear Xiaonan... you died so tragically! Big brother will avenge you..."

Howard Thorne was shouting and screaming like a madman, beating his chest and stomping his feet as he wailed. He wouldn’t listen to a single word of reason. Clayton Xavier sighed, placed a check beside Howard Thorne, and left quietly.

Tang Xiaonan was deeply puzzled. According to the book, Tang Xiaonan had died in a car accident at Norcross Plaza. After Clayton Xavier made his fortune, he ventured into real estate, building plazas in many cities. He named all of them Norcross Plaza to express his love for Jacqueline Spann.

Tang Xiaonan couldn’t remember many of the details from the book. ’Why would my original self have suddenly run off to Norcross Plaza when it had only just been developed?’

’She got into a car accident the moment she arrived, and the driver was none other than Ulysses Spann. It’s just too many coincidences.’

’But Ulysses Spann couldn’t have done it on purpose. That coward grew up to be an idle playboy who indulged in every vice imaginable. He was a total chicken; there’s no way he’d have the guts to commit premeditated murder.’

’But if it was a coincidence, it was far too convenient. The moment my original self arrived at the plaza, a dead-drunk Ulysses Spann came crashing over in his car. It felt like some hidden hand was pulling the strings, making both my original self and Ulysses Spann victims.’ 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

’Whose hand was it?’

’Jacqueline Spann?’

’Or Clayton Xavier?’

Howard Thorne was crying and laughing at the same time, muttering Jacqueline Spann’s name to himself. Tang Xiaonan tried to get closer, hoping to overhear more. ’If Jacqueline Spann is really the one pulling the strings, that woman is absolutely terrifying.’

"Xiaonan, come home..."

A hoarse voice called out from far away. Before Tang Xiaonan could get any closer, she was yanked back by a powerful force and plunged into darkness again. A clamor of voices filled her ears. Tang Xiaonan tried to open her eyes, but her eyelids felt like they were glued shut, and she couldn’t open them no matter how hard she tried.

"Xiaonan... Daddy’s calling you, can you hear me?"

"Xiaonan, hurry and come back! Third Brother won’t snatch your candy anymore."

Jim Thorne tearfully gazed at his unconscious sister. His heart felt as if it were being squeezed into a tight ball, an indescribable anguish washing over him. He was terrified his little sister would never wake up to call him ’Third Brother’ again.

Phoebe Thorne and Amanda Chapman were also pacing anxiously to the side, unable to help at all. They decided to go pray to the Kitchen God. He was a deity, after all; praying was better than not praying.

Phoebe Huxley and Raina’s calls grew more distant as they unknowingly ran up the mountain. Adrian Hawthorne’s family was in the middle of dinner when they heard Phoebe Huxley’s soul-calling cries. Adrian Hawthorne’s heart skipped a beat. ’What’s happened to Tang Little Fatty?’

"I’m going to go have a look."

Adrian Hawthorne had no appetite left. He got up and went outside. Phoebe Huxley’s cries grew closer and closer, and the old master and Rosalind Green heard them as well.

"That sounds like Phoebe Huxley calling for Xiaonan. Hasn’t Xiaonan come home yet this late?" Rosalind Green asked, confused.

The old master’s expression turned grim. "She’s calling for her soul. It’s a local custom. Something’s happened to Xiaonan. I’ll go take a look, too."

Herman Morgan asked, "Is Xiaonan that pretty, chubby little girl, about six or seven years old? The one who’s a real sweet-talker."

The old master nodded. Herman Morgan muttered to himself in confusion, "The little girl was perfectly fine this evening. How could she have suddenly lost her soul?"

All three of them lost their appetite for dinner and went out together, wanting to ask what had happened. But Phoebe Huxley, her mother-in-law, and Adrian Hawthorne had already gone home. They had no choice but to return to their own house and wait, feeling uneasy.

Adrian Hawthorne followed Phoebe Huxley and the others back to their house. Tang Xiaonan was still unconscious. Phoebe Huxley’s commotion had been so loud that it had alerted many people. Even Shane Thorne had rushed over, along with some other close relatives from the clan.

Tang Xiaonan was still unconscious, lying quietly on the bed. Adrian Hawthorne was used to seeing Tang Xiaonan full of life and vigor, or else being a feisty little terror. Seeing her like this now was something he couldn’t quite accept, and a heavy feeling settled in his chest.