"Miao Miao, since you're here, why not just accept it? Why are you so insistent on finding answers?"
"Because I don't like my life being controlled by others."
"Because I want to know why the original host swapped bodies with me, and why she can still come into my dreams from time to time to tell me this and that. Old man, I feel like I'm going to break down."
"Just because of that?"
Fang Miao Miao almost laughed in anger upon hearing this: "What do you mean, 'just because of that'?"
Her own body not being under her control was clearly a terrifying thing.
"Miao Miao, those things are in the past. Lingering on them is useless."
Fang Miao Miao: "..."
Did this old man not understand what she was saying?
"I know what you want to ask," the white-bearded old man sighed. "This matter, heavenly secrets cannot be revealed. You only need to know that cause and effect are predestined. Those caught in this cycle of cause and effect may escape for a moment, but not for a lifetime."
"Oh, I don't understand."
"Miao Miao, isn't your current life good?" the white-bearded old man countered. "Why are you so fixated on the past?"
It was the same sentence again. Fang Miao Miao took a deep breath and looked at the old man with seriousness and persistence.
"Why shouldn't I be fixated on the past? Because my current life is good? I finally had the confidence and capital to break my contract with that unscrupulous company in my previous life. You all brought me to this place without consulting me, did you even ask me?"
"Does the original host entering my dreams from time to time, disrupting my sleep and making Wen Yan An worry, also count as being good for me?"
"Why? Why would the original host give you a million dollars to let me swap bodies with her? Fine, it's swapped, but why does she still want to control me?"
"Miao Miao."
"I just want an answer, is that too much to ask?"
As she spoke, Fang Miao Miao's voice trembled slightly. She lowered her head, her dejected hands pinching her face. Then, feeling that this was not right, she raised her head to look at the old man.
Just a simple answer.
She didn't know what truth she was pursuing, or if she felt like she was just a puppet of the original host, and that once she completed the original host's unfortunate tasks in this world, she would somehow return to her original world.
If that were the case, her little darling would have to call the original host "Mom," and her boyfriend would belong to the original host.
Why?
This was completely unfair.
The white-bearded old man looked at Fang Miao Miao's stubbornness, her refusal to let tears fall, and sighed helplessly. "You, ultimately, are too fixated."
"But shouldn't things like this be dwelled upon, shouldn't they be reckoned with?"
"I know, but, Miao Miao, I want to tell you, the idea in your heart will never be realized. You are cause and effect, reincarnation, and also the end."
Fang Miao Miao sniffled, her expression aggrieved. "Senior, can you be more precise? I'm slow-witted, and I haven't read much in either of my lives, so I really don't understand what you're saying."
The white-bearded old man looked at Fang Miao Miao's aggrieved expression, with no trace of pity in his eyes. "Stop it. If you're not good at anything else, your acting is top-notch. The old man was almost fooled by you just now."
Saying so many heavenly secrets, it's shortening his life, shortening it.
"Then the original host's dreams."
"Consider it a warning."
"What do you mean?"
Hadn't all the scenes in the dreams already happened?
Could it be that the people in the dreams could still harm her?
"It means exactly what you think," the white-bearded old man said, his expression a little tired. "Alright, you know pretty much what you wanted to know. It's time to leave."
"Can you say a few more words?"
"Get lost." The white-bearded old man stood up from his wooden chair as if to chase her away. "This old man wants to live a few more years. Don't you go causing more trouble for me."
Fang Miao Miao raised her hand to wipe away her tears, and with ultimate shamelessness, she said: "I still have one more thing."
"Fang Miao Miao!"
"But I can't sleep! I have dreams every night, and I feel like I haven't slept at all."
Speaking of which, Fang Miao Miao became even more righteous. "Senior, you don't know, these recent dreams are tormenting me so much that I can't eat, I can't sleep, and I'm utterly exhausted, my eyes dull and lifeless."
"Heh heh."
The white-bearded old man looked at Fang Miao Miao's performance with a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Old senior."
"The time is not right. It's time for you to leave. If you don't go, do you believe I'll hit you with a broom?"
"Hmph, why be so stingy." Fang Miao Miao also returned to normal.
"Have some shame, will you? You're already fifty or sixty years old combined across both your lives, and you're still pretending to be young."
"I'm only in my twenties now, why can't I pretend to be young?"
The old man: "..."
Where was his knife? He wanted to kill this woman who shamelessly pretended to be young.
Oh dear, he was accumulating bad karma. This person was clearly here to torment him.
"Ahem." Fang Miao Miao, seeing the murderous look in his eyes, took a step back in fear. "Old senior, I just suddenly remembered I have something to do, so I won't disturb you any longer. If anything comes up in the future, I'll come to you for guidance."
With that, Fang Miao Miao turned and ran outside.
Qing Jiu, who was swinging on a swing,'s eyes lit up when he saw Fang Miao Miao, and he jumped off the swing.
This sight made Fang Miao Miao's heart leap into her throat. "Xiao Jiu, be careful when you get off the swing. What if you fall?"
"Thank you for your concern, donor Miao Miao. Xiao Jiu will remember."
"Don't go to your master's room later. I think I just angered your master."
"Donor Miao Miao, please don't worry. Master's temper flares up quickly and fades just as fast."
As he spoke, Qing Jiu took out a brocade pouch from his embrace and handed it to Fang Miao Miao. "This is a sachet that Xiao Jiu made. It aids sleep. Donor Miao Miao can take it if you like it."
The brocade pouch was exquisitely embroidered, with a lifelike white crane. "This sachet is embroidered so beautifully."
"Donor Miao Miao likes it," Qing Jiu said with a pleased smile.
"Then I will respectfully accept your gift. Thank you, Xiao Jiu."
"Donor Miao Miao likes it."
After sending Fang Miao Miao off.
Qing Jiu's demeanor changed from his usual docile self as he turned to face the old man behind him.
"You told her?"
The old man spread his hands. "How could I? This old man wants to live a few more years. Of course, I wouldn't reveal anything to her."
"It's my fault. They shouldn't have to bear this."
The old man was silent for a moment. "Let's hope everything can return to the right track."
If things didn't get back on track, it would be troublesome.
...
"Madam."
Fang Miao Miao glanced back at the Taoist temple in the woods behind her. "Let's go."
This trip, she felt as if she understood something, yet also felt as if she had been fooled by that senior again.
Old ginger is spicier.
Fang Miao Miao looked at the brocade pouch in her hand. The scent was faint, almost imperceptible.
Her phone rang.
It was an unfamiliar number.
She answered.
"Miao Miao."
A familiar voice, it was the original host's mother, Zhou Wen Jing.