Chapter 23

Song Dalong coughed heavily, his throat sounding like it was clogged with phlegm. He spoke to the system, “But… but she’s the wife of a high-ranking officer. Wouldn’t it be inappropriate to refuse?”

The system grew anxious. “No! Absolutely not!”

Li Li snapped back to her senses, glaring in the direction of Chief Chen and Qin Hua, her eyes turning red with jealousy.

That damn girl—how had she managed to latch onto such a powerful connection?

The more she thought about it, the more she realized: it was clearly because of their Nian Nian that this happened.

All of this should have belonged to their Nian Nian!

Fuming, she said aloud, “Then what should we say?”

The system, remembering how it had already been warned twice for military-related violations, panicked. If it let her acknowledge the military district chief as her godfather again, how could it and its host ever deal with that little slut Song Si?

After hesitating for a moment, it crackled and said, “Tell them that Song Si is no longer human—she’s possessed.”

Hearing this, Song Dalong and Li Li froze, especially Song Dalong.

He asked nervously, “You… you’re not serious, are you?”

The system was frustrated.

How had its host ended up with such a pair of useless, unreliable biological parents?

The warning was meant for Chief Chen and his wife, but it had ended up scaring them instead?

If it weren’t absolutely necessary, it would never have pulled in these two incompetent fools as support, to help its host become the heroine of the story.

Of course, the very reason they were needed was because they were so lacking.

The system calmed down for a few seconds and then described what had happened at the Baila Temple that day.

The events following Song Si’s reincarnation were supposed to follow its plan and arrangement—but everything had derailed!

Luckily, it was clever. Last night, it had casually bound itself to a villager from Baiyang Village and extracted that side character’s memories. In them, it had heard Song Si talking about Gu Chen and Lu Yancheng—and discovered a secret!

Because it hadn’t heard those words at the temple. Neither had Gu Chen.

That meant the words were likely Song Si’s inner thoughts!

But how could others hear her inner voice?

It had never given her any kind of golden cheat!

After Li Li finished listening, she turned to Chief Chen and Qin Hua and said, “I’m really sorry, but I’m afraid her father and I can’t agree to this.”

Qin Hua wasn’t surprised to hear that.

They were probably afraid that once Song Si became their goddaughter, it would be harder for her and Lu Yancheng to get a divorce, right?

Chief Chen’s expression darkened. “Why not?”

Li Li sighed lightly and replied with a strange expression, “Chief Chen, Comrade Qin, here’s the thing. Yesterday, when Song Si went to the Baila Temple, she fell and hit her head—she passed out. After she woke up, she started acting… strangely.”

Song Dalong chimed in, “That’s right, that’s right. After she came to, she was very odd. She clearly didn’t speak, but many people heard her voice. It’s obvious she’s been possessed by something unclean. We’re just worried she might bring bad luck to you and your wife—you’re both national pillars. If anything happened to you, we couldn’t bear that responsibility.”

Chief Chen and Qin Hua exchanged glances, finding it strange.

They had only just arrived in Baiyang Village today—how did these two know what had happened at Baila Temple yesterday?

Especially the part about everyone hearing Song Si’s inner voice—how had they heard about that?

Could it be that Song Si really had reincarnated after falling at the temple yesterday?

Song Dalong and Li Li went on, one after the other, sounding increasingly self-righteous. “Chief, Comrade Qin, really, we mustn’t take this lightly!”

Chief Chen’s face was growing more and more unpleasant. “Where’s Party Secretary Wang?”

Song Dalong replied, “He said he had other matters to handle. After settling us here, he left.”

Li Li remembered that Party Secretary Wang had told them that the brat Song Si had gone to the military district yesterday and hadn’t come back all night. Her heart jumped to her throat, and she asked indirectly, “Chief Chen, Comrade Qin, did Song Si stay at your place last night?”

Chief Chen and Qin Hua heard this and inwardly sneered.

So this was what Old Lu called “honest and sincere”?

Quite the schemers, weren’t they!

Clearly, she just wanted to know whether Song Si had spent the night with Lu Yancheng!

Qin Hua smiled and said deliberately, “Why would Song Si stay with us in the family quarters? The young couple finally got some time together—of course they stuck close. Yesterday, Xiao Chen took her shopping at the overseas Chinese mall in the city. Today they went out again.”

Chief Chen, seeing how skillfully his wife handled it, followed up, “That’s right. That kid came by early this morning, worried her butt would hurt from the bike ride, so he borrowed my car to take her.”

Song Dalong and Li Li had been forcing smiles this whole time, but now their expressions froze.

How could this be?

That brat Song Si had never liked Lu Yancheng!

She had only married him because they had forced her!

She had always had Gu Chen in her heart!

Li Li nodded stiffly. “Oh, I see… When will they be back?”

That morning, Party Secretary Wang had also told them that the young couple were very close and they shouldn’t worry.

They had felt uncomfortable hearing it then—and now even more so!

Party Secretary Wang had later called the military district and told them that Chief Chen said Song Si had gone out with Lu Yancheng and that they should wait here.

They had no choice but to wait!

Originally, they had planned to talk to Song Si privately, because the brat had always been soft-hearted and easily persuaded.

And since she had feelings for Gu Chen, they thought it would go even smoother!

Who could’ve predicted this curveball—Chief Chen and Qin Hua wanting to adopt her as their goddaughter?

Even more unexpected was how Song Si and Lu Yancheng’s relationship had suddenly improved!

Chief Chen didn’t want to look at their barely concealed thoughts anymore.

In fact, he found their faces downright unpleasant to look at.

Sure enough, no one had ever truly treated Song Si well. Just a bit of care from them, and she’d been overjoyed.

He turned to his guard at the door. “Xiao Liu, go call Secretary Wang over. I want to find out who in Baiyang Village is spreading this superstitious nonsense—this absurd talk of possession.”

Guard Liu saluted. “Yes, Chief!”

He jogged off.

Chief Chen called after him, “Bring that Gu Chen fellow too.”

Liu replied, “Understood, Chief.”

Chief Chen then looked at Song Dalong and Li Li. “It’s one thing if ignorant folks say such things. But surely Comrades Song and Li don’t actually believe it?”

Song Dalong and Li Li: “……”

Just one sentence, and they were speechless.

Qin Hua looked at them. “That’s right. Old Lu always tells us how progressive you two are—how hard you’ve studied and worked these past years. Surely you don’t buy into superstition, right?”

With that kind of flattery, Song Dalong and Li Li found it even harder to respond.

The system, having bound them as support-type side characters, could naturally extract any events from their lives.

This…

That little slut Song Si had really latched onto a powerful backer!

How had Song Si, who had been despised by both pigs and dogs in the previous life, suddenly managed to charm Lu Yancheng on the very first day of her rebirth—and even win the favor of the chief and his wife?

Was there some mistake?

It double-checked itself and confirmed it hadn’t accidentally given Song Si any kind of golden cheat.

Then what was going on?

…

Not long after, Party Secretary Wang and Gu Chen arrived with Guard Liu.

Before anyone could react, Chief Chen pointed at Gu Chen. “You’re Gu Chen, right?”

Gu Chen suddenly tensed. “Yes, Chief Chen.”

Chief Chen barked, “Do you know how many years you get for sabotaging a military marriage?”

Gu Chen’s face went pale.

On the side, Song Dalong and Li Li also turned ashen.

Chief Chen looked at his guard. “Xiao Liu, give him a legal rundown.”

Then he turned to Party Secretary Wang. “Secretary Wang, come with me. I have some questions for you.”