I walked aimlessly on the street, regretting my decision to invite disaster upon myself and land in such a predicament. At that moment, a voice caught my attention: "Miss, please wait."

I turned around and saw a fortune teller who set up his stall under the pedestrian bridge. He was quite famous and would appear at irregular intervals, only reading a few people each time. My colleagues had praised his accuracy in front of me, but I never believed in such supernatural things and would just laugh it off.

"Miss, I can sense the aura of a 'Jiān nǚ' on you. Has someone new entered your household recently?" the fortune teller asked.

"Jiān nǚ?" I looked at the fortune teller with confusion.

"Jiān nǚ is a vengeful spirit that arises from the dead. It appears like an ordinary person and can live a normal life under the sun. However, if it fails to find a substitute within a hundred days, it will vanish into thin air."

"It cannot harm people directly, but if it resides under the same roof, eats and lives together with someone for eighty-one days, it gradually takes on the appearance of the person until eventually replacing them. The person who has been replaced will turn into a vengeful spirit forty-nine days later."

I was shocked because it perfectly matched my situation at home.

Begging for a solution, I asked, "Master, is there any way to save me? I have already been replaced by the 'Jiān nǚ,' and she is now living in my house."

The fortune teller looked at me for a while and said, "No wonder the aura of the 'Jiān nǚ' is so strong on you. So, you have already been replaced. Tell me the whole story in detail."

I explained everything, and the fortune teller pondered for a moment. "It's not too late yet. According to what you said, today should be the first day she took your place. Listen to me carefully. Every day, drop seven drops of blood from your fingertips on this talisman paper. Hang it on your house door during the Zi hour and remove it during the Mao hour. After seven days, you and she will be able to switch back. Remember, don't let her find out."

After he finished, the fortune teller gave me a talisman paper with intricate patterns. It felt like staring at it for too long would draw me in.

I felt like I had grasped a lifeline.

I let my fingertip blood drip onto the talisman paper, and it quickly turned bright red. At midnight, I stuck the talisman paper on my door, and it emitted a fleeting red light.

After two days of sticking it, I secretly observed the 'Jiān nǚ' who went grocery shopping from a distance. I noticed she looked tired and seemed somewhat different from before, just like what the fortune teller had said—his method worked.

At that moment, a hand tapped my shoulder from behind, and I turned around in alarm, exclaiming, "It's you!"

The person who stood there was dressed casually and smiled as she looked at me. "A-Yu, long time no see. You still look beautiful, but you seem a bit different from before." She scanned me from head to toe.

"So, it's you. Long time no see, Zhuo Yun," I said, my expression complicated.

Zhuo Yun was my college classmate, and we had a close relationship back then, always together. After graduation, she went abroad, and we gradually lost touch. Suddenly, something crossed my mind, and I grabbed Zhuo Yun's hand excitedly. "Zhuo Yun, can you recognize me?"

"Huh? Although it's been a long time since we last met, I should still be able to recognize you," Zhuo Yun said, puzzled.

Since I was kicked out of my home by my husband, I had tried to find my colleagues, family, and friends. My colleagues didn't recognize me, and my family and friends believed the 'Jiān nǚ' and treated me like an ungrateful thief. This was the first time someone could recognize me.

I pulled Zhuo Yun to a corner and told her everything that had happened during this period.

She looked grave and worried as she gazed at me. "A-Yu, I won't hide it from you. You have also undergone some changes in my eyes. The reason I could recognize you is that yourvoice and the look in your eyes are still the same as before. I can sense the real you beneath the surface."

Her words struck me deeply. Despite the changes in my appearance, there was still something about me that remained unchanged.

"Zhuo Yun, I need your help. I've been trying to find someone who can see through the 'Jiān nǚ' and recognize me, but you're the first. Can you help me expose her and bring me back to my life?" I pleaded.

Zhuo Yun nodded without hesitation. "Of course, A-Yu. We were once best friends, and I won't abandon you now. We'll figure out a way to expose this 'Jiān nǚ' and prove your identity."

We spent the next few days devising a plan to gather evidence and reveal the truth. Zhuo Yun posed as a distant relative who had come to visit me. We set up hidden cameras in the house to capture any suspicious behavior from the 'Jiān nǚ.'

As the days went by, the 'Jiān nǚ' started to show signs of anxiety and unease. She seemed to sense that something was amiss but couldn't pinpoint what it was.

One evening, as she was preparing dinner, Zhuo Yun accidentally dropped a glass, causing it to shatter into pieces. The 'Jiān nǚ' immediately turned her attention towards Zhuo Yun, her eyes filled with suspicion.

"What's wrong with you? Can't even hold a glass properly?" the 'Jiān nǚ' snapped.

Zhuo Yun remained calm and composed. "I'm sorry, it slipped out of my hand. I'll clean it up," she replied, pretending to be flustered.

While Zhuo Yun cleaned up the broken glass, I discreetly checked the hidden cameras, making sure they captured the 'Jiān nǚ's' reaction. I felt a mix of nervousness and anticipation, hoping that this incident would finally expose her true identity.

As the days passed, more peculiar incidents occurred, and the evidence against the 'Jiān nǚ' started to pile up. Objects would move on their own, strange noises could be heard in the middle of the night, and the 'Jiān nǚ' would occasionally slip up, forgetting details about our shared memories.

One evening, as I was watching the footage from the hidden cameras, I noticed something that sent a chill down my spine. The 'Jiān nǚ' was talking to herself in front of a mirror, her reflection showing a distorted and sinister smile.

I immediately called Zhuo Yun and showed her the footage. We both realized that the time had come to confront the 'Jiān nǚ' and reveal her true nature.

With the evidence in hand, we confronted the 'Jiān nǚ' the next day. At first, she denied everything, claiming that we were conspiring against her. But when we presented the footage and the inconsistencies in her behavior, she couldn't maintain the facade any longer.

The 'Jiān nǚ' transformed right before our eyes, her appearance shifting and distorting until she resembled a vengeful spirit. She let out a blood-curdling scream before disappearing into thin air.

Relief washed over me as I realized that I had finally regained my life. Zhuo Yun and I embraced, grateful for each other's support throughout this ordeal.

From that day on, I vowed never to underestimate the power of friendship and the strength we can find in the people who truly know us. Together, Zhuo Yun and I rebuilt my life, ensuring that the 'Jiān nǚ' would never be able to harm anyone again.

The experience taught me the importance of staying true to oneself and the value of genuine connections. I realized that even in the face of supernatural challenges, the bonds we forge with others can be a powerful force that helps us overcome the darkest of circumstances.