Lin Ruochu's entire body stiffened, her hairs standing on end as if she'd seen a ghost, all color draining from her face.
Didn't the female ghost say she would be away for three days? Why had she returned after just one?!
She sprang away from Shao Mu's embrace, frantically clutching the diamond prayer beads on her left wrist, praying desperately in her heart: Don't let it be taken away, don't let it be taken away, don't let it be taken away!
She didn't want her body to be taken over again!
She had had enough of that dark prison where she could neither speak nor move!
Shao Mu was startled by her sudden movement and stood up to reach for her: "Aruo, what's wrong?"
Hearing this name, the woman in Lin Ruochu's mind screamed furiously: [Amu, are you stupid? I'm your Aruo! Who are you calling that?]
[System! Why didn't this body fall unconscious when I went to the Dimension this time? Why did she come out to steal my Amu? Are you malfunctioning?!]
[Hurry up and give me control of the body!]
As the woman spoke, a powerful force surged from within the body, bursting outward like a black swamp trying to suck her consciousness back into its prison!
Just like that morning on her fifteenth birthday when she came of age!
Lin Ruochu's eyes widened in terror!
No, no, absolutely not—she would never hand over her body again!
She clenched her fists, her nails digging deep into her flesh until blood beads formed and dripped from her fingertips onto the prayer beads.
The woman in her mind suddenly let out a surprised [Huh?].
[System, what's going on? Why can't I control this body anymore?]
[What do you mean it's affected by a seal? I'll exchange Points with you—quickly destroy this damned seal for me!]
[You can't do it? What kind of System are you? You can't even handle such a small matter?]
[If I can't get the body, how am I supposed to Capture the male lead? Hurry up and think of a solution for me!]
Scream after scream followed, clearly indicating that the situation had taken the female ghost by surprise, leaving her completely flustered as she shouted and yelled in her mind at someone called "System."
Lin Ruochu didn't know who she was talking to, but she felt the force trying to control her body growing weaker and weaker until it vanished completely.
All her senses had returned!
Everything happened very quickly.
Shao Mu only saw her push him away with a deathly pale face, completely unaware of what was happening.
So he assumed she was throwing a tantrum because she couldn't stand him speaking up for Sun Yiniang and the child in her womb.
Just like when she had argued with him before, calling him "someone who only makes excuses for his own scummy behavior."
Leaving aside what "scummy" meant, the fact that he was willing to explain the situation to her was already condescending on his part. He had even rushed overnight on horseback to fetch her, fearing she might feel wronged at the Taoist temple.
Hadn't he already spoiled her to the extreme?
What was she doing now?
Why did she always have to be difficult and make things hard for him?
A wave of weary irritation rose in Shao Mu's heart.
But Lin Ruochu was even more exhausted than he was.
There was a madwoman screaming in her head.
[Let me out!]
[He's my Amu! You're not allowed to touch him!!]
Fortunately, it was just screaming and didn't affect her in any way.
Lin Ruochu temporarily set the woman aside and, using her earlier movement as an excuse, bowed to Shao Mu again.
"Heir Apparent, the night is dark and the wind is high. You should hurry back. The young mistress is still waiting to adopt the eldest son born to Sun Yiniang."
Shao Mu frowned. She actually had so little consideration for him that she wanted him to return to the mansion overnight.
His heart grew cold.
He thought it would do her good to endure some hardships outside—he had spoiled her so much that she knew nothing of the world's sufferings, leading her to act so recklessly.
"Very well, since your mind is made up, you may stay in this temple for the time being."
With those words, he left with a cold expression, flicking his sleeve dismissively.
Outside, Shun'an and Shoucheng saw their master emerge with a dark scowl. Though full of questions, they dared not ask and hurriedly followed Shao Mu out of the courtyard, disappearing into the night on horseback.
Jinyu paced anxiously outside the room, too afraid to enter.
Whenever the Heir Apparent quarreled with Concubine, she would shut herself in and weep bitterly, lashing out at anyone who entered.
She hesitated, unsure whether to wait in the outer room or go in to attend to Concubine and offer some comfort.
As she wavered, Lin Ruochu's voice suddenly called from inside:
"Jinyu, it's getting late. Come in quickly so we can extinguish the candles and sleep."
The voice carried no trace of tears—instead, it held a note of cheerfulness.
Jinyu couldn't believe her ears. Peering into the room, she saw Lin Ruochu smiling as she unpinned her hair, her face radiant with a relaxed brightness Jinyu had never seen before.
What was going on?
How could she be happy after arguing with the Heir Apparent?
Baffled, Jinyu followed her in, and they both slipped under the thick quilts.
The warming pan Shao Mu had left behind had heated the bedding cozily, and Jinyu soon fell asleep.
So did Lin Ruochu.
She was utterly exhausted. Even though the Female Ghost kept roaring in her mind, it couldn't withstand the drowsiness that followed sudden relief.
She closed her eyes and, for the first time in three years, slept soundly.
She also had a long dream.
In the dream, she was still at the General Residence.
Her father and brother were practicing spear techniques in the courtyard, while her mother sat smiling nearby, picking osmanthus flowers to make osmanthus cakes for her.
Meanwhile, she sneaked to the unguarded section of the wall and, accompanied by Tao Yuan, who had grown up with her since childhood, climbed a tree to scale the wall, intending to slip out of the residence to play.
The warm sun bathed her face, feeling almost melting. As she jumped down from the wall, she suddenly collided with a passerby.
The person wore his hair in a high ponytail and was dressed in a dark, narrow-sleeved robe with golden-threaded qilin embroidery at the cuffs.
Backlit, his expression was unclear—a mix of anger and amusement in his eyes.
He reached out a hand to her, but Lin Ruochu jolted awake abruptly.
When she woke, her tears had already soaked the pillow.
Jinyu attended to her, watching with concern.
She thought to herself, so Concubine hadn't stopped crying—she had just learned to weep in secret.
After waking, Lin Ruochu washed up with Jinyu. The cool well water splashed on her face refreshed her spirits, sweeping away the gloom of the dream.
The Female Ghost, having likely stirred all night, fell silent upon waking this morning.
This further convinced Lin Ruochu that the beads on her wrist were effective, bringing her more peace of mind.
She and Jinyu ate, practiced, and cultivated alongside the Kun Dao practitioners in the temple. Amid the vast mists of Lianhua Mountain, they calmed their minds and focused their spirits, exhaling all worries and anxieties from within.
When she opened her eyes again, gazing at the endless mountains, her eyes were clear and lucid, as if she had outlined the path she must take in her heart.
By evening, after eating sweet potatoes dug from the mountain, the Female Ghost seemed to have woken up and began chattering noisily in her mind again.
[Why can't I still reclaim this body…]
[Am I going to be trapped in this body for the rest of my life?]
["System, can't you think of something? With dozens of Points and all this high-tech power, I still can't break this damn Seal from the feudal era?"
"What do you mean by 'priority adherence to contemporary Native Woman's rules'? What's the use of having you then?"
"Do I really have to wait until this Native Woman utters the forbidden word? If she never says it, am I supposed to wait forever?"
"Fine, System, you're really something…"]
Her words remained filled with phrases Lin Ruochu couldn't comprehend.
However, through three years of listening to these soliloquies, Lin Ruochu had gradually pieced together several key points.
First, this Female Ghost didn't seem to belong to this era. She frequently cursed their feudal backwardness and referred to them as "natives."
Second, the so-called "System" appeared to be someone who could assist her, but all "assistance" had to follow certain rules.
The phrases "priority adherence to native rules" and "forbidden word" she mentioned were clearly part of these regulations.
Third, Shao Mu was her "Capture target." The sole purpose of her occupying Lin Ruochu's body was to make Shao Mu fall wholeheartedly in love with her.
This explained the series of absurd actions she had taken previously.
Reputation, wealth, social status—none of these mattered to her.
She didn't even care about her own integrity.
All she wanted was Shao Mu's love.