Grandmother Ke burned a lot of joss paper for Mei, and also offered her many fruits and wine. This was the first offering Mei had received since becoming a ghost. She stayed in the estate next to her grandmother and grandfather throughout most of the day, and in the afternoon, she returned to the palace with her hands full of offerings. Finally, she didn't have to depend on Ling'er for joss paper and other offerings.
She looked for Ling'er in the throne room and couldn't find her there. She went around the palace but still couldn't locate her. Moving around, she approached a female ghost who usually carried swaddled clothes as if it were a baby, and asked if she had seen Ling'er. "She was chasing a handsome man in that direction," the ghost said, pointing towards the palace gates. Mei thanked the ghost and headed in the indicated direction. She didn't know the way to the General's house, but she just drifted along. Some ghosts approached her, asking if she was looking for Ling'er, and when she said yes, they would point her in the direction Ling'er had gone.
Mei realised that a lot of ghosts approached her today, unlike when she was with Ling'er. Eventually, she saw a residence with a big gate and guards standing outside. She floated right in. She looked around to find Ling'er sitting on a log in the General's training grounds, watching the General train shirtless with other soldiers.
Ling'er saw Mei, and surprise flashed in her eyes. "How are you here?" she asked.
"I couldn't find you in the palace. I asked a ghost, and she said you were following a handsome man. I knew it was General Gao, so I just floated around, and a few ghosts pointed me in the direction you went. That's how I ended up here."
"They approached you?" Ling'er asked, and Mei nodded. "Don't get too close to any of them," she warned seriously. "In our side of the world, there are no rules governing us, and it can get rough. So don't interact with them," Ling'er said, and Mei nodded.
"What's bulging from your clothes?" Ling'er asked, pointing. Mei opened her clothes, revealing where she hid her offerings.
"Wow!" Ling'er exclaimed. "Finally, Mei has offerings!" she said. "Who?" she asked, pointing at the items.
"My grandmother," Mei replied, and Ling'er nodded.
"She's very thoughtful to include wine. I missed drinking!" she said, taking a bottle and opening it. She took a gulp and sighed in satisfaction, patting her side for Mei to sit. She handed the bottle to Mei so they could share. Mei took the bottle and took a sip; she also sighed in satisfaction.
"My brother only burns me some joss paper and occasionally some fruits, but no wine. I needed this," Ling'er said. Mei hummed, taking the bottle and another sip. This was the first time she'd had anything to "eat" or "drink" after becoming a ghost. Although they could be just fine without eating, an occasional feast like this was much needed.
Ling'er held the bottle and glanced at it, then at the General, and said, "This is my understanding of heaven: shirtless men on sight and wine on hand!" She said, then added, as if remembering it last, "And of course, best friend on my side!" Mei laughed.
What did they discuss?" Mei asked, pointing at the General.
"Ooh, I didn't hear well. I was focused on looking at the General's face," Ling'er said, as Mei looked at her incredulously.
"Are you serious?" Mei asked.
Ling'er laughed. "I'm just joking," she said. "Your beloved asked my General to get him proof, and if not, to plant the proof," she said.
Mei rolled her eyes at the names Ling'er used but was happy the Emperor was keen on getting her justice, as she couldn't get any for herself.
They watched the sparring soldiers for a while, drinking, and left at sunset. Both of them were giggling and stumbling, the effect of the wine hitting them.
"Let's go see whaat youur stupid ex-husbaand is up to," Ling'er said, slurring her words. "We are going to haunt him!" Ling'er brandished her claws, trying to look scary, and Mei giggled. "You don't look scary. You look like the cat the Empress used to own," she said.
Then Mei started crying out of nowhere. Ling'er, confused, went to Mei's side, sniffling. "Sorry, Mei, I don't look scary, please don't cry."
"I'm not crying," Mei sniffled, "because you don't look scary. I'm crying," she hiccupped, "because I miss the Empress. She used to be a second mother to me," she said.
Ling'er too started crying, and Mei asked, "Why are you crying now?"
"Uuu... I can't touch the General's abs," Ling'er said.
Mei hugged her. "I can't touch my grandmother either," she said, crying, as they both hugged each other, bawling. A small crowd of ghosts formed around them, watching the spectacle.
"What are they crying about?" one asked.
"I don't know," the other replied.
"Something about not being able to touch abs," added a third ghost. The ghost looked at Ling'er, shaking his head. "The smaller one is a pervert," he said. "She's the one with the list, right?"
"Yes," the other replied.
"You see, when I refuse you wine," a mother ghost told her daughter, pointing to Ling'er and Mei, "it's because I don't want you to end up like them. It's not that I don't want to give you something sweet your father offered us," she said.
"But Mother, why do you drink?" the child asked.
And the mother replied with, "Don't ask a lot of questions."
Mei looked out at the ghosts and said, "Wow, look at all the white heads!" Ling'er looked at the ghosts, shouting, "What are you looking at? I'll jab you all in the eyes!" The ghosts dispersed fast, muttering something about "hot-headed" and "no wonder she died a virgin."
Mei and Ling'er moved across, stumbling while singing brothel songs toward the palace, creating a buzz within the ghost world, with some people feeling bad for Mei being corrupted by Ling'er.