She’s a Passerby, But Can See the Protagonist’s Halo

On her phone, Yan was pursing her lips as she sent a message.

【Yan】: I’ve sneezed several times. Tell me, is someone secretly thinking about me?

【Jue Jue】: I’m thinking about you openly.

【Yan】: Such cheesy sweet talk! Hmph~~~ So corny!

She leaned against her pillow, her eyes curved into a smile. Being in the dormitory, making voice calls was always inconvenient. Even with headphones on, she was the only one in the dorm who had a boyfriend, while the others were all single. It felt awkward to be all lovey-dovey in front of so many people.

So, Yan rarely called or voice-chatted with her childhood sweetheart in the dorm. Respecting shared spaces was a basic principle.

【Jue Jue】: photo.jpg

【Jue Jue】: Is this open enough for you?

The photo Zhu Jue sent was a small painting. It depicted an ancient alley bustling with people, street vendors selling coins and jade artifacts, and at the center was a girl in a flowing purple dress with curly hair.

In the corner of the painting, a date and location were marked, making it clear that Zhu Jue had just painted this scene from their visit to the antique street earlier that day.

In the painting, the girl in the purple dress stood beside a tall boy who was slightly turned toward her, his gaze filled with affection. Yan couldn’t help but smile.

【Yan】: Since you’ve been thinking of me so much, I’ll consider this passable.

She rolled over in bed, saved the photo, and quickly posted it on her social media.

【Yan】: Today’s adventure at the antique street with Yan and Zhu. photo.jpg ^_^

They say showing off your relationship speeds up its demise, but she couldn’t help it. Besides, everyone around her was used to it by now.

Her and Zhu Jue’s posts appeared one after the other. While her caption was brief, Zhu Jue’s was even simpler—just two red heart emojis, giving off a very old-school vibe.

Within moments, her parents, aunts, uncles, high school classmates, and even neighbors from her old compound had all liked the post.

Huh? Yi Zhi had also liked it. That was fast.

At that moment, Yi Zhi was scrolling through Yan’s social media. In fact, she had checked Yan’s profile before, back when she first became suspicious of her.

But Yi Zhi hadn’t looked through much of it because Yan’s posts were almost entirely about her relationship.

Pictures of her and her boyfriend hiking, shopping, cooking, celebrating New Year’s, and surfing. In short, it was all about flaunting their love.

As the internet saying goes, anyone looking at her profile would think she was just a girl head over heels in love—and quite the romantic at that!

The last time Yi Zhi had looked, she had frowned and closed the app after just a few posts.

This time, however, her frown wasn’t due to the sweetness overload but because she was deep in thought.

Could this be Yan’s disguise?

Despite possessing abilities far beyond ordinary people, she still acted like a regular person.

If it weren’t for Yi Zhi’s accidental discovery, no one would suspect that Yan was anything other than a normal girl.

Yan seemed so different from her—full of life, like any other modern girl.

If she wasn’t from another world, could she be a native of this world with extraordinary abilities?

Yi Zhi’s eyes flickered with speculation.

“Oh, I almost forgot!” Yan suddenly sat up in bed.

“I bought everyone little Five Emperor Coins at the antique street. I was so busy unloading and handing out water that I nearly forgot.”

Yan climbed down from her bed and pulled out a few small gift boxes from her backpack. She handed them out to everyone except Ding Ling.

“Five Emperor Coins? Thanks, Yan.” Chu Bingbing, though puzzled, thanked her and immediately opened the box to find five copper coins strung together as a bracelet.

“Hmm, they’re for warding off evil and bringing good luck. You can wear them as a bracelet, hang them near your desk, or attach them to your bag,” Yan explained.

Yi Zhi, still in bed, reached out to take hers. Gu Jiasui opened hers right away and put it on. Ding Ling, however, didn’t receive one.

But Ding Ling seemed to understand something, giving Yan a knowing look.

Since Yan’s bed was next to Ding Ling’s, the other roommates didn’t notice that Yan hadn’t given Ding Ling a set of coins.

Though unsure what Ding Ling was imagining, Yan calmly nodded, washed her hands, and quietly returned to her bed.

Dorm 320 had always had a good atmosphere since the start of the semester, with everyone often exchanging gifts.

When they first moved in, Ding Ling had brought back a lot of snacks to share. Chu Bingbing had gifted everyone skincare products, sunscreen, and even stocked the shared sixth bed with extra masks, cosmetics, and daily essentials like tissues and wet wipes. Gu Jiasui had also given each roommate something from her jewelry box.

A set of high-quality Five Emperor Coins cost nearly four figures, and Yan had bought four sets, which still didn’t come close to the price of the eye cream Chu Bingbing had gifted on move-in day.

Well, there was no competing with someone like that.

At that moment, Yi Zhi realized something: out of the five roommates, she was the only one who hadn’t given anything to the others.

She looked at the Five Emperor Coins Yan had given her. Yi Zhi didn’t know much about them, so she searched online and found that a genuine set of high-quality coins could cost around 800 yuan, with variations depending on the specific coins.

Yi Zhi wasn’t short on money now, but figuring out what to give her roommates was another matter.

She rubbed her temples. In her past life, debts of gratitude might have been repaid with one’s life, but this kind of small gift exchange was something she hadn’t dealt with in a long time.

Perhaps she could wait until the spatial anomalies subsided. As a wood-elemental ability user, she could at least grow some fruits or vegetables to give as gifts.

That night, Dorm 320 seemed unusually quiet. Unlike other dorms that might stay up late chatting or gaming, everyone in 320 was lost in their own thoughts, except for Yan, who was giggling under her blanket.

Gu Jiasui was quietly examining her hands, which, despite over a year of care, still bore calluses.

Compared to the rough, scarred hands she had when she first arrived in this world, they had improved significantly, though they still couldn’t compare to her hands in her previous life.

Washing clothes, mopping floors—these basic life skills were things she, as a princess, had never done before.

She had gone to the antique street that day to find a birthday gift for her current body’s grandfather, Elder Lu.

Unlike her parents, who favored Lu Jianian, the elderly couple doted on her, their long-lost granddaughter, showering her with affection and gifts. The jewelry in her vanity, the paintings, real estate, stocks, and cash in her name—all were gifts from them.

No matter what decision she made, her grandparents supported her wholeheartedly.

Knowing the old man had a fondness for elegant calligraphy and paintings, Gu Jiasui had gone to the antique street to look for something suitable. She hadn’t expected to stumble upon a piece of Lan ink.

The sight of it stirred her emotions, bringing back memories of her past.

Her current life was incomparable to her previous one. Two societies separated by centuries—one a feudal monarchy, the other a modern world. As a princess, she had enjoyed the best resources, the pinnacle of what the empire could offer.

She should have missed it.

The power, the reverence, the ability to decide life and death with a single word, the vast gap between her and the common people—she had been Princess Jianing, a figure of awe and admiration.

When she first arrived in this world, Gu Jiasui had indeed missed it.

Night after night, she dreamed of returning to the Great Zhou Dynasty, only to wake up in a cold sweat, the soft bed and electric lights reminding her she was centuries away.

But at some point, the dreams had stopped. She had grown accustomed to waking up under the glow of the crystal chandelier.

If it weren’t for the Lan ink today, Gu Jiasui might not have thought about her past for a long time.

Perhaps her current life was simply too fulfilling. Even the antics of her younger sister in this world had become a source of amusement rather than annoyance.

In her past life, despite being the envy of all as the eldest princess, Gu Jiasui hadn’t been particularly happy.

In the capital, noble ladies still had a few close friends, but her unique status left her with few genuine companions. Most people approached her with reverence and flattery, bowing to her wherever she went—whether it was Su Jing, her consort, or even the cabinet ministers.

The princess was the embodiment of power and status. After her marriage, the ladies of the capital courted her favor, often with ulterior motives. Her consort was polite and respectful, but distant, lacking warmth.

Later, she witnessed her consort's affectionate gestures toward his cousin from his maternal family. Disheartened, she chose to separate from him entirely, retreating to her princess estate to immerse herself in the study of ancient artifacts, calligraphy, and paintings, distancing herself from worldly affairs.

Her cousin, the emperor, remarked that Jianing had become like an immortal, detached from mortal concerns. She merely smiled in response. It wasn’t that she had become immortal; it was the result of a long internal struggle between her desires and the teachings ingrained in her.

Though she had studied alongside her cousin, the crown prince, in the imperial study, while other princes were given official duties, she, as a princess, was barred from participating in politics.

Once, she had wanted to venture out without the usual pomp and ceremony, accompanied only by a couple of maids and guards. But as soon as her intentions were discovered, her uncle and cousin would dispatch escorts and prepare the full princess entourage.

Such outings were not only a burden on the people but also felt hollow to her. When she wished to try street food, her maids would first dissuade her, then test it for poison. By the time it reached her mouth, the flavor was no longer at its best.

As a princess, she had no true freedom. Every action was bound by ancestral laws and layers of etiquette, leaving no room for personal will. At its core, this was the foundation of imperial rule.

Over the years, she pondered many things, eventually choosing to dedicate herself to her interests to pass the long years.

Perhaps it was due to all this overthinking that her health deteriorated. Medicine provided no relief, and her life ended at the age of thirty—a time that, in today’s world, would be considered the prime of life.

But now, in this modern era, she had found freedom. She could act and speak as she wished, unshackled from the constraints of the past. It truly felt liberating.

The last time Gu Jiasui reflected on her past was half a month ago, when she encountered someone with the same name—a possible reincarnation of an old acquaintance.

At that time, she was so startled that her thoughts were in disarray for a long while, leaving her feeling deeply embarrassed.

Gu Jiasui touched the Five Emperor Coins bracelet on her wrist, a gift from Yan. She smiled faintly, recalling Yan’s expression when she returned the jade bracelet. Gu Jiasui had given Yan a handwritten letter, and in return, Yan had gifted her this bracelet. Though it was something anyone could have, this exchange felt like the essence of true friendship.

In her past life, she had been old enough to be a grandmother. Yet, in this life, she found joy in receiving a simple gift from a friend. Gu Jiasui thought to herself, perhaps this wasn’t so bad after all.

...

Chu Bingbing stared at her phone.

She had been added to a group chat by Elder Cui from the Palace Museum, a group specifically created for her as the donor of a royal scroll from the Zhou dynasty.

The flattery in the group chat made her curl up under her blanket, wishing she could hug herself tightly.

Elder Cui, you’re so old already—why aren’t you asleep at this hour?

Fortunately, the staff were all very professional. They only communicated in the group chat and didn’t try to add her privately on WeChat.

Chu Bingbing hated trouble. Dealing with this unpredictable, demanding system that forced her into spending tasks was already enough of a headache.

Today’s spending task of 360 million yuan—she had no idea when such a huge sum had appeared in one of her bank accounts.

The task was now complete, but unlike before, there was no massive cashback reward. Instead, the reward was a luxury penthouse in Bin City and a high-end sports car worth millions.

With limited time today, the rewards were still in the system’s storage space, and Chu Bingbing planned to claim them soon.

However, this sudden spending task left her with more questions than answers.

Compared to today’s 360 million, her previous shopping sprees were mere child’s play.

Why did the system demand she purchase the most expensive item at the auction? Why didn’t it stop her even after she donated it?

This was the first time something like this had happened, and Chu Bingbing felt that the system was revealing a hidden agenda. But the mystery behind it remained unsolved.

Fortunately, today’s auction at Furongju Shigu Hui was a private event, clearly tailored for billionaires.

After her extravagant spending, Chu Bingbing’s WeChat was suddenly flooded with friend requests from several billionaires. She also learned that the items auctioned today were part of a collection from a wealthy individual who needed liquidity and had no choice but to sell.

It seemed that the attendees had been carefully vetted, as Elder Cui from the Palace Museum was clearly there for the final item she had purchased.

After pondering for a while, Chu Bingbing called out in her mind, “System, system, there won’t be any more forced tasks for a while, right?”

Though she often cursed this wretched system in her mind, lately it had been considerate, only assigning tasks on her days off, so they didn’t interfere with her classes.

Chu Bingbing expected the system to ignore her as usual, but to her surprise, a mechanical voice replied.

“Host, the system cannot confirm. Forced tasks may be triggered based on your daily activities.”

Huh? What did that mean?

Chu Bingbing’s mind raced. Weren’t tasks supposed to be issued by the system?

“What do you mean, triggered by my daily activities? I didn’t do anything today that could trigger a task,” she pressed.

But the system fell silent, as if it had shut down.

“My daily activities…” Chu Bingbing muttered to herself.

The last time a forced task was triggered was on the day she moved into her dorm and met her roommates.

Today, there was even less going on—she had been lounging in bed like a lazy fish when the task appeared.

Her thoughts drifted, but she remained puzzled.

Still, she wasn’t in a hurry. She decided to quietly record any future forced tasks, hoping to uncover any patterns.

Chu Bingbing scrolled through her phone, noticing several trending news stories. She hadn’t expected so much drama in the local antique market in a single day.

The comments about Gu Jiasui and the bargain hunter on the trending page were unbearable. She felt even more relieved that today’s auction had been private and that Yan and her boyfriend were discreet.

She hadn’t explicitly asked Yan to keep it a secret, but after returning, no one had asked about it. Yi Zhi only inquired about the bottled water provided at the event, clearly because Yan had casually mentioned it without revealing anything about the auction.

Her roommate was a good person.

Speaking of which, Chu Bingbing considered herself lucky. Their dorm was designed for six people but only housed five.

She had been a bit worried at first, having read countless horror stories about college roommates online—copycats, freeloaders, manipulators, gossips, messy people, and hopeless romantics. But she had encountered none of that.

Yi Zhi was like a seasoned bureaucrat, waking up early to exercise and bringing breakfast for the whole dorm. She was frugal and straightforward, never hesitating to cover for everyone’s appetites. She also contributed to the dorm’s greenery with her potted plants, which somehow managed to absorb the bathroom odors, reducing potential conflicts.

Gu Jiasui, despite being a celebrity and a wealthy socialite, was down-to-earth. Though she spoke little, she participated in dorm chores and wasn’t picky about food, fitting in surprisingly well.

Chu Bingbing had initially assumed that, as someone in the entertainment industry, Gu Jiasui might only show up for the start of the semester before disappearing for filming. But to her surprise, Gu Jiasui attended classes and even participated in military training, making Chu Bingbing feel a bit ashamed of her preconceived notions.

As for Ding Ling, she looked like a fragile, pale beauty, but she was actually studying archaeology. She had a natural air of innocence, often zoning out mid-conversation, which was utterly endearing. Sometimes, Chu Bingbing didn’t even realize Ding Ling was in the dorm because she avoided sunlight due to a UV allergy and only went out at night, adding to her mysterious aura.

Yan, on the other hand, was like the perfect girl everyone in a small town would gossip about—the distant cousin from the capital. She came from a highly educated, cultured family and had grown up with her childhood sweetheart, who was from a similar background.

Their bond was strong. Yan had attended an elite private high school, excelled academically, was talented, and had a pleasant appearance. She was warm yet maintained a certain distance in her interactions.

Chu Bingbing thought, if possible, who wouldn’t want to be that kind of girl?

At the auction today, Yan wasn’t nosy, didn’t pry, knew when to keep her mouth shut, and when it came to meals, she didn’t recklessly order expensive dishes as if someone else was footing the bill, nor did she shower her with excessive flattery. The way she casually picked up a bottle of mineral water struck a chord deep within her.

Earlier, when it came to dorm cleaning or collective issues that needed discussion, Yan was always the one to step up and take the lead. She wasn’t afraid to speak up, could mediate between people, knew when to advance and when to retreat, and carried herself with dignity and composure.

If Chu Bingbing ever had a daughter in the future, Yan would be the perfect role model.

...

Ding Ling didn’t go to Mingzhi Hall tonight. She was feeling exhausted.

After handing over the remnants of the Liang Family Garden to other members of the Special Case Team and completing the necessary documentation, plus having searched the entire courtyard earlier and fought with that evil cultivator, even as a ghost, she was mentally and physically drained.

That evil cultivator had the advantage of the terrain today, and it was truly a grueling battle.

Ding Ling had noticed the Five Emperor Coins Yan had given to the other roommates earlier. Compared to the ones Yan had used during the day, these were of a much lower grade, likely only serving as basic protective charms.

It took Ding Ling a moment to realize that Yan had given them to the other three roommates to protect them.

After all, Ding Ling was a ghost who had only recently emerged from the ground.

This was something she hadn’t considered.

Although the leakage of her yin energy had decreased significantly, over time, it could still affect roommates with weaker constitutions.

Yan hadn’t said a word about it, simply taking care of things silently on her behalf. Thinking about this, Ding Ling felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude.

Late at night, with her phone on silent, Ding Ling was wide awake. She saw the message from the Special Case Team, informing her that the investigation into the Liang Family Garden incident had been completed.

That ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‍was fast! Ding Ling marveled at how everyone must have been working overtime.

She read through the series of messages sent by Xiao Gua, a member of the Special Case Team.

**[Xiao Gua]**: Sister Ling, regarding the surge of yin energy you mentioned sensing on the antique street today, we’ve got the investigation results.

**[Xiao Gua]**: Two incidents occurred on Bin City’s antique street this morning. First, a woman stumbled upon a Zhou Dynasty inkstone. Second, a man struck gold in a gamble, uncovering a piece of jade worth hundreds of millions. Both incidents quickly gained traction and spread through the antique street, causing a surge of human desires. This attracted the attention of a malevolent spirit that had been raised and controlled by the criminal Mr. Huang underground in the Liang Family Garden. The spirit attempted to break free from Mr. Huang’s control but was suppressed by the formation and Mr. Huang’s forceful measures.

So that’s what happened, Ding Ling nodded.

**[Xiao Gua]**: Video. Video. Video.

She clicked on the three videos Xiao Gua sent, which were clearer recordings of the two incidents.

The protagonist of the first video was her roommate Gu Jiasui, but Ding Ling’s sharp eyes caught a glimpse of Yan at the back, seemingly watching the commotion.

The protagonist of the second video was their roommate Yi Zhi in disguise, and Ding Ling immediately spotted Yan and her boyfriend nearby, also watching the scene unfold.

Ding Ling: !!!

Earlier in the day, once she had entered the Liang Family Garden, her phone had lost signal, so she had no idea about the other incidents on the antique street, let alone that her roommates were involved, both as protagonists and bystanders.

Wait, no!

Ding Ling recalled that when she had misspoken earlier, Yan had corrected her by saying Yi Zhi hadn’t gone to the antique street. Yan had been covering for her.

In reality, Yan had known full well that Yi Zhi had gone and was right there in front of her.

Because of this, Yan had likely foreseen the potential problems when she saw the surge of human desires caused by Gu Jiasui and Yi Zhi’s actions.

But that was in the morning, and the human desires on the antique street hadn’t yet reached their peak. So, Yan had done nothing and instead accompanied Chu Bingbing on her shopping trip.

By the afternoon, Yan must have sensed something was off after parting ways with Chu Bingbing and sent Ding Ling a message.

As someone skilled in divination, Yan could easily pinpoint locations with a simple reading. The sheer number of Five Emperor Coins Yan had used today was proof that she was never short of such tools.

Yan had then arrived at the Liang Family Garden, effortlessly resolved the most challenging issue, pretended to stumble upon the scene, and left gracefully after calling the police.

It was said that the top masters of the mystical arts possessed a pair of Yin-Yang Heavenly Eyes, capable of glimpsing the secrets of the heavens and divining fate. They walked the mortal world with humility, avoiding unnecessary entanglements and refusing offerings.

They did good deeds without seeking recognition, but when they acted, it was always for matters of great importance, involving countless lives and the well-being of the people.

It was clear that Yan had foreseen the events of the morning. She must have sensed the yin energy of the malevolent spirit’s outburst, deduced several possibilities, and even anticipated the formation!

This was why, upon arriving at the Liang Family Garden, Yan had seen through the core of the formation without even stepping inside and struck with precision.

From start to finish, everything had been under Yan’s control!

She never interfered with others’ fates unless absolutely necessary, but when the situation was dire, she would step in to turn the tide and avert disaster.

Yes, that must have been exactly what happened.

As for Gu Jiasui and Yi Zhi, they probably had no idea that their actions had nearly caused a catastrophe, almost allowing the malevolent spirit to break free.

Even if Ding Ling hadn’t intervened, Yan would have stepped in to protect the people.

Ding Ling knew that in cases like today’s, the person who contributed the most would receive significant recognition. Yan had clearly been the one to do the heavy lifting, yet she had left quietly and humbly.

By refusing to acknowledge her own contributions, Yan was avoiding karmic entanglements.

Ding Ling could say without hesitation that Yan had cleaned up the mess for all three of her roommates today, yet she remained silent, with only Ding Ling and her boyfriend knowing the truth.

Compared to the rewards from the Special Case Team, Yan had essentially gifted her a significant amount of merit. By resolving the crisis involving the evil cultivator and the malevolent spirit, Yan had indirectly prevented a potential ghostly outbreak on the antique street, saving countless lives.

Ding Ling could clearly feel the changes in her ghostly form. The leakage of her yin energy had slowed significantly, now half of what it had been before!

This was the effect of the merit she had gained.

As a ghost king, receiving merit was nothing short of miraculous.

When she had first been unearthed from her coffin, her yin energy had scattered like a raging storm. The Special Case Team hadn’t been able to determine the cause at the time, but there had been speculation.

It was said that the living belonged to the yang realm, while the dead belonged to the yin realm. Her revival as a ghost had defied the natural order, and the leakage of her yin energy was the price she had to pay.

But now, the heavens had granted her ghostly form merit, as if even the heavens had tacitly approved of her existence.

Had Yan foreseen this as well? She had seen through everything and decided to kill two birds with one stone—avoiding karmic entanglements while also addressing Ding Ling’s problem by letting her take the merit.

Yes, that must have been the case.

Ding Ling felt deeply indebted to Yan, unsure of how she could ever repay her.

Yan avoided karmic ties, but Ding Ling couldn’t just let this go unacknowledged.

After the case was closed, she would likely receive a substantial reward. She opened a special app on her phone. Yan might refuse to accept credit, but Ding Ling couldn’t take credit for something she hadn’t done. She began browsing the Special Case Bureau’s treasure vault, looking for something suitable to give Yan.

Truly, a saint among mortals!