She's a Passerby, But Can See the Protagonist's Halo-Chapter 74

Yan stared at the message on her phone, sent from Xie Zhen's personal WeChat account.

**[Xie Zhen (Lan Ruo)]**: Miss Yan, pardon the intrusion. We contacted Mr. Tu and learned that you and your partner returned to Ning City in January and are no longer in Bin City. Would you and your boyfriend be available to meet in Ning City in the coming days?

Though she wasn’t sure whether the phone used facial recognition or fingerprint unlock, given the polite tone of the message and the fact that the soul-swap still hadn’t been reversed, Yan was certain the person using this account right now had to be Lan Ruo.

After all, Lan Ruo had originally added her on WeChat using Second Young Master Xie’s phone—and his body.

But… why reach out now? And why involve Boss Tu of all people?

Yan’s phone was flooded with messages, and she deliberately avoided typing a response, careful not to trigger the "typing" indicator.

First, she scrolled through her chats until she found Boss Tu. Their last conversation had been back at the temple when they’d run into Xie Zhen and Lan Ruo—she’d asked Boss Tu for gossip accounts, and he’d sent her shipping info.

**[Boss Tu]**: Xiao Yan, Second Xie and his wife dropped by my shop today and asked about you.

**[Yan]**: Oh? What were they there for? Feng shui consultation?

**[Boss Tu]**: *Ahem*, I may be humble, but I do have some reputation in Bin City’s feng shui circles. President Xie came in, browsed around, and even bought a piece of Mount Tai stone. But I suspect they were actually in the antique district for something else and just remembered my business card from last time.

**[Boss Tu]**: I think they were just making small talk. President Xie mentioned running into you again by chance and how you returned the clothes, so you two must’ve left an impression. They probably assumed I was some kind of elder figure for you and brought it up casually. I told them you’d already gone back to Ning City for the holidays.

Yan replied with an "OK" sticker and fell into thought.

So, the two of them had actually gone to Boss Tu’s shop.

Yan rubbed her chin. Those two didn’t seem like the type to drop by randomly. Maybe, after their failed attempt at the Christmas church and exhausting other methods to reverse the soul-swap, they were now grasping at straws—even revisiting a small-time feng shui master they’d once met?

She showed Boss Tu’s messages to Zhu Jue, who had just finished tidying the tea table.

"Jue Jue, do you think Lan Ruo suddenly reaching out means they’re pinning their hopes on us now?"

The more Yan thought about it, the more absurd it seemed. Why else would Lan Ruo contact her? It couldn’t just be to thank her for returning the clothes, could it?

Zhu Jue thought for a moment. "That day at the temple, they mentioned something about a master’s divination."

Hearing this, Yan remembered too.

Back then, she and Zhu Jue had accidentally overheard Xie Zhen and Lan Ruo—trapped in each other’s bodies—talking about some master’s divination method at the temple.

The realization made Yan’s expression turn odd.

Swinging her legs on the sofa, she counted off on her fingers. "If that’s the case, then Xie Zhen and Lan Ruo’s temple ritual didn’t work, the church attempt failed too, and now over twenty days have passed. They’ve probably tried every Daoist temple and village shrine they could find. If nothing’s worked, maybe they’ve circled back to the master’s divination idea?"

Zhu Jue sat beside her, cracking hazelnuts for her as he nodded. "Very likely."

"The Fayan Temple was nearly deserted—if the abbot’s rituals didn’t help, they might’ve turned to anyone remotely connected to the supernatural, including Boss Tu… and even us."

Yan crunched on the freshly cracked hazelnuts. "Mmm, we definitely can’t solve this, but Ding Ling could."

She pulled up Ding Ling’s messages with one hand.

**[Ding Ling]**: Yan, I’m coming to Ning City tomorrow with the team to join the festivities. Are you going to this year’s Ascension Assembly? If you’re free, I’d love to meet up.

Her cheeks puffed up like a squirrel’s as she chewed. "Ding Ling says she’s coming for some ‘Ascension Assembly’ with her team. No idea what that is."

"Probably something related to the mystic arts. I’ll ask Da He," Zhu Jue said, switching to shelling pistachios as her hazelnut-eating slowed.

"If Ding Ling’s coming, we can just hand this over to her. She’s with the authorities—even if she says she’s just tagging along, she’ll have it handled."

When it came to supernatural dilemmas, Yan had long since mastered the art of passing them off to Ding Ling while she and Zhu Jue made a quick exit.

As a ghost king—and an official one at that—professional matters were best left to professionals. No objections there!

Still, they’d have to wait until they met the Xie couple.

Since returning to Ning City from Bin City, Yan and Zhu Jue had been busy reuniting with family and playing with the kids, leaving little time to keep up with Xie family gossip.

After sending Ding Ling a cheerful "Sure thing!", Yan quickly switched to Weibo, checking a few gossip accounts for any recent Xie family drama.

**"Exclusive! Since Second Xie’s return to domestic life, Temple Madam’s behavior has taken a drastic turn—insiders claim bipolar disorder suspected. Sources say Xie couple’s office dispute escalated to life-threatening ultimatums!"**

**"The Xie couple’s recent behavior is downright bizarre. Second Xie suddenly doting on his wife, only for Lan Ruo to spiral into self-harm. There’s definitely some rich-family drama behind this."**

**"My bet? Lan Ruo wants a divorce, the Xies won’t allow it, so she’s resorting to extreme measures."**

Yan easily decoded the gossip’s veiled references. In Xie family rumors, "Temple Madam" was Lan Ruo’s alias—but in this context, the one issuing life-threatening ultimatums was likely Xie Zhen in Lan Ruo’s body.

Of course, the truth wasn’t the divorce speculation floating around. Yan guessed this was the result of their unresolved body swap, compounded by Xie Zhen—now in Lan Ruo’s body—acting out in desperation.

"No wonder Lan Ruo’s in such a hurry to switch back. Second Xie is absolute trash—using his wife’s body to threaten suicide? Clearly, he doesn’t care when it’s not his own skin on the line."

The sheer audacity made Yan’s opinion of Second Xie plummet even further.

After a moment’s thought, she switched back to WeChat and replied to "Xie Zhen" succinctly:

**"Available. Time and place?"**

---

The next day, the twentieth of the twelfth lunar month.

Yan and Zhu Jue each carried a backpack when they left the house—inside were none other than the two antique bells Ding Ling had gifted them.

By sheer coincidence, the Xie couple and Ding Ling were all arriving in Ning City today.

So Yan decided to kill two birds with one stone: after confirming a meeting time with "Xie Zhen," she arranged for Ding Ling’s assistance.

These precious antique bells had been painstakingly transported from Bin City. Leaving them unattended in the dorm was too risky, so they’d resorted to hiding them at home.

Though unsure whether Ding Ling’s participation in that so-called Ascension Assembly would yield any results, Yan saw it as a good opportunity to return the item to her.

Last night, after Yan mentioned she was free to meet, Lan Ruo—using Xie Zhen’s account—eagerly confirmed the time and location with her.

That same night, Lan Ruo and Xie Zhen boarded the Xie family’s private jet, urgently coordinating a flight to the capital, Ning City.

On the plane, with attendants present, "Lan Ruo" had no choice but to sit closely beside "Xie Zhen," whispering in hushed tones.

"Are you sure these two are the ones? I’m warning you—if this fails again, I’d rather die than stay trapped in your body any longer."

A full month had passed since their souls had swapped, and Xie Zhen was on the verge of losing his mind.

Had he known that proposing a divorce would lead to such an absurd outcome, he would’ve resigned himself to a lifeless marriage with this dull, rigid woman—after all, she was just a decorative piece at home.

But now, living as "Lan Ruo" for over thirty days, Xie Zhen was experiencing the world’s malice for the first time.

From his mother to his mistress, even the household staff and his formerly obsequious father-in-law and brother-in-law…

Xie Zhen admitted he’d neglected his nominal wife due to their arranged marriage, never sparing her much dignity. A pretty but wooden woman, fit only to be a display piece at home.

Besides, wasn’t all this happening because Lan Ruo was simply incompetent?

These days, he’d tolerated her using his body to secure minor advantages—fine, they were still technically married. But publicly declaring him "incapable"? If they ever switched back, his reputation would be in ruins.

And because "Xie Zhen" had suddenly started treating Lan Ruo better, his own mother had been tormenting "Lan Ruo" nonstop, forcing him to swallow his fury.

He couldn’t take it anymore. Not a single second more!

This ordeal had revealed everyone’s true faces—those who fawned over him but despised Lan Ruo.

He’d endured it all, but the worst was the physical discomfort. Why did women have to bleed for seven days every month? Was that even logical?

And if he mishandled it, Lan Ruo would take over his body to deal with it herself.

What’s more… Xie Zhen wasn’t sure if it was his imagination, but after just over a month in a woman’s body, he felt his thoughts shifting.

Anger made his chest swell, his stomach churn. During her cycle, he had to drink warm water and keep his abdomen covered—when had he ever drunk warm water before?

The suffering he’d endured for Lan Ruo’s body! A single sip of something cold sent sharp pains through him, leaving him dizzy. Unbearable!

Xie Zhen had reached his limit. Given the inconvenience of Lan Ruo’s identity, the task of finding someone who could fix this fell to her—in his body.

From temples to churches, they’d visited every possible place in and around Bin City. Over the past few days, they’d rushed to seven or eight locations, spending millions on rituals, offerings, and donations—all for nothing.

They consulted the same fortune-teller again, and this time, the answer was slightly clearer.

"The solution lies in the land of the soaring dragon—the capital. The divination suggests you’ve already encountered it, linked to the previous reading."

Xie Zhen barely resisted rolling his eyes. Last time, the solution was at Fayan Temple; now, it was in the capital. How were these connected?

But Lan Ruo seemed convinced, recalling the young couple they’d met at both the temple and the church.

Xie Zhen scoffed. He barely remembered what they looked like, but a sliver of hope lingered.

Facing his skepticism, Lan Ruo’s gaze was icy. Her grip on her phone tightened slightly, her voice flat.

"I’ve been handling everything this whole time. If you’re not contributing, don’t question my decisions."

"Besides them, I’ve contacted others," she said coldly.

"Who?" Xie Zhen perked up. By now, he was used to Lan Ruo using his body and voice to mock him.

"I’m not sure. The master helped arrange it. No guarantee they’ll show, but I left the address. If they’re willing, they’ll come," Lan Ruo replied indifferently.

She had more information but saw no need to share it.

The master had told her outright—this time, the solution was in Ning City. Even if that young couple wasn’t the key, the capital held the answer.

He’d hinted that Ning City seemed to be gathering individuals with unusual abilities recently. If they found the right person and opened the right doors, their problem would be solved.

Lan Ruo’s eyelids flickered. These twenty-seven days of swapped lives had felt both endless and fleeting.

She’d moved as quickly as she could, but Xie Zhen—that idiot—had already used her body to threaten her, forcing her to accelerate the plan.

She stopped speaking to him, and Xie Zhen didn’t press further. In the deep of night, he fell asleep in her body.

Before turning off the sleep lamp, Lan Ruo glanced once more at the chat log with that girl—Yan.

After she’d sent her message, Yan had replied twenty minutes later without asking a single question, directly confirming the time and place.

Strictly speaking, they were strangers who’d met only twice, with no overlapping social circles.

Yet when she—posing as Xie Zhen—reached out, Yan had agreed without hesitation.

Lan Ruo’s eyes darkened. So, that young couple had known since their encounter at Fayan Temple.

That day in the church, she’d sensed something unusual about them, suspecting they might be the ones. That was why she’d asked to exchange contacts.

But when she’d visited the feng shui master who’d handed her his card, his demeanor made it clear he was just fishing for business, not someone who’d actually recognized their predicament.

She’d feigned curiosity and brought up the young couple—though she’d already seen from their social media that they’d returned to Ning City.

Fayan Temple, Ning City, the connected individuals… It had to be them.

Lan Ruo turned off her phone and the sleep lamp, pulling down her silk eye mask as she slowly drifted into rest.

Tomorrow would reveal whether they were the ones who could untie this knot.

…

Ning City, a siheyuan courtyard near Shichahai.

Yan and Zhu Jue walked with their backpacks, watching the ice-skating performances on Shichahai Lake.

It wasn’t the weekend, and though students were on winter break, the tourist crowds were still thin at this hour.

Originally, "Xie Zhen" had offered to send a car for them, but considering Ning City’s traffic, Yan had politely declined.

While the Xie family could easily uncover their backgrounds, neither she nor Jue Jue had any interest in being picked up by a luxury car right outside their residential compound.

The location sent by "Xie Zhen" was particularly notable—right at the foot of the imperial city, not too far from their home. Just a short walk from the subway station would get them there.

The area around Shichahai, Wangfujing, Houhai, and Nanluoguxiang was a maze of hutongs and had long been a tourist hotspot.

However, beyond the outer hutongs open to visitors, the deeper alleys were lined with private residences, their gates firmly shut to outsiders.

As locals of the newer generation, Yan and Jue Jue had often played here as children. Back then, before the tourist crowds swelled, some hospitable residents would even let kids inside. They had also visited relatives and old acquaintances who lived in the area.

"Wait, it’s this place?"

After walking quite a distance with their backpacks, following the map’s guidance, Yan looked up and spotted a golden halo hovering above someone’s head just ahead.

Confirmed—this was the spot.

Yan clicked her tongue. "Isn’t this a three or four-courtyard siheyuan? I remember it was listed for sale like seven or eight years ago, originally some prince’s residence."

"Probably four courtyards. We’ve been around here before—it was priced at nearly two billion back then, but no one bought it," Zhu Jue remarked.

"So the Xie family must’ve snapped it up. No surprise for a real estate tycoon. If they bought it recently, the deal would’ve easily cleared two billion." Yan suddenly felt a pang of resentment toward the ultra-rich.

Two billion. A two-billion-yuan siheyuan!

How could someone at this level of wealth not find a genuine metaphysical master and instead need her help? Ridiculous!

"Ding Ling’s coming this afternoon. We could take her around Shichahai, though I’m not sure if she’s been here before," Yan mused.

Ding Ling was arriving in Ning City today, but during their earlier chat, she mentioned that while she’d be there in the morning, she had some business to attend to first. They’d only meet in the afternoon to discuss things properly.

"Xie Zhen" watched as two young people approached. Their outfits were unmistakably couple-style—black and white, the tall and steady young man hand in hand with the slender, sharp-eyed girl. With their backpacks, they looked like any other young tourists passing by—unless one knew they were her expected guests.

"Please, come in. We’ll talk inside." "Xie Zhen" gestured for them to enter.

To avoid outsiders, the siheyuan had been temporarily cleared out, leaving only her and Xie Zhen as the hosts today.

Staring up at the imposing gates, Yan exchanged a glance with Jue Jue. Another day, another glimpse into the lives of the ultra-wealthy!

As they followed "Xie Zhen" inside, Yan discreetly checked her phone. Good—still had signal.

Though she doubted Xie Zhen and Lan Ruo meant them any harm, it never hurt to be cautious. Both she and Jue Jue had set up alerts—if they didn’t cancel them within twenty minutes, their emergency contacts would automatically receive their location, along with a call to the police.

"If it’s alright with you, we’d prefer not to go too deep inside," Yan said.

From the outside, the siheyuan had four courtyards. Traversing two or three gates and gardens would eat up too much time.

She pointed to the reception room near the entrance. "Is it okay to talk here?"

The reception room was close to the main gate—easier to make a quick exit if needed.

"Xie Zhen" was momentarily taken aback by the young girl’s assertiveness but inexplicably felt reassured.

"Of course. If you’re comfortable here, that’s fine—though it’s a bit plain."

She pushed open the door to the reception room, where chairs and a table were already set up.

"Xie Zhen" pulled out her phone. "One moment—I’ll call someone over."

After sending a message, she glanced up at the two young visitors and spoke politely:

"Miss Yan, Mr. Zhu, since you’ve come, I assume you understand the situation."

Yan studied "Xie Zhen." Her mannerisms and tone made it clear this was still Lan Ruo.

After a pause, Yan replied bluntly, "We have an idea, but there’s not much we can do."

"Xie Zhen" froze. They couldn’t help?

But then the girl continued, "Just call us by our names. ‘Miss’ and ‘Mister’ sound weird."

"And we’ll keep calling you Lan Ruo."

Lan Ruo’s heart skipped a beat. So they’d known all along.

Carefully, she asked, "What do you mean by ‘not much we can do’...?"

"Your situation—you and Second Young Master Xie—I have a friend who can probably handle it. She’s in Ning City right now," Yan said directly.

"The details are for you two to discuss."

Because this wasn’t something to explain over the phone, Yan and Jue Jue had made the trip today.

"Ah—yes, thank you." Lan Ruo stammered slightly, reassured by the girl’s firm tone.

It never crossed her mind to question why they hadn’t offered help earlier. They were strangers, after all—helping was a kindness, not an obligation. And given the Xie family’s wealth, if these two had approached them out of the blue, Xie Zhen would’ve suspected they were behind the body-swap in the first place.

Just as Lan Ruo was about to speak again, her phone buzzed with a flurry of notifications.

It was an alert from the siheyuan’s comprehensive security system.

Opening the app, she saw two new figures at the fourth courtyard’s main gate. Moments later, her phone rang, the caller’s name flashing on the screen.

This content is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

Lan Ruo answered, her expression shifting briefly into something unreadable as she listened.

"Please wait—I’ll be right there," she responded politely before hanging up.

Turning back to Yan and Zhu Jue, she said, "Excuse me for a moment."

But the moment Lan Ruo opened the reception room door, she heard Xie Zhen’s voice—coming from her own body.

"Where are they?"

"Lan Ruo, is this the master you hired?"

Yan and Jue Jue exchanged a look. Well, well—the Xie couple had hired someone else too? Maybe their help wasn’t needed after all?

With the door wide open, Yan caught sight of a familiar figure.

For a split second, their eyes met. Yan blinked. Ding Ling stared back, equally stunned.

"What a coincidence," Yan said.

"You asked me to help with... this?" Ding Ling asked.

Lan Ruo looked between them, baffled. They knew each other? And the master she’d gone to great lengths to invite was also this young?

Yan nodded. "Yeah. Really convenient timing."

With one glance, Ding Ling had grasped the body-swap situation between the man and woman. She’d been asked by a friend of her team leader to come—never expecting to run into Yan here!

Could this family really have the connections to bring Yan into the picture? But from the sound of it, Yan had planned to hand things over to her in the afternoon anyway.

"I see. But I’ll need to borrow those two things from you," Ding Ling said.

Yan and Zhu Jue immediately understood, shrugging off their backpacks. "We were going to give them to you today anyway. Might as well settle this now."

Ding Ling froze. You even brought both bells, having anticipated my arrival today. Did you foresee all of this, Yan?