Chapter 180: System Upgrade
"This one knew it... I remember... when the blossom tree was burned, I saw Young Miss watching from afar with a smile on her face..."
"Shh! Lower your voice!"
"But... that truly gave this servant an eerie feeling..."
Xie Rong and Wang Gege could hear the servants whispering among themselves as they made their way back toward their courtyard.
Since the truth about Xie An’an had begun to spread, it seemed the servants could no longer keep their thoughts to themselves.
Wang Gege remained silent for a while before opening her mouth.
"Eth—"
She suddenly stopped.
Xie Rong glanced at her.
Wang Gege pursed her lips. "I will just call you Husband. It sounds easier..."
A faint smile appeared on Xie Rong’s face.
Wang Gege continued before he could say anything.
"Shen Yurou is also reborn."
The smile on his face disappeared and Xie Rong’s steps gradually slowed.
Wang Gege looked ahead as they continued walking.
"If An’an truly meant that she had done all of this before, then we now have two people who might remember a previous life."
Xie Rong’s gaze darkened. "Shen Yurou and An’an..."
"Shen Yurou knew what was supposed to happen," Wang Gege said quietly.
Xie Rong’s gaze darkened, "And Xie An’an likely knew as well."
Wang Gege nodded, "If she truly had memories of another life, then she should have known Shen Yurou was the one originally meant to marry you."
Her brows slowly furrowed, "Which means... when I entered the Xie Residence as your bride, she must have realized something had already changed."
Xie Rong fell silent.
Wang Gege’s thoughts slowly became clearer. "No wonder she didn’t immediately get rid of me."
Xie Rong glanced at her, "You believe she was observing you."
"Perhaps." Wang Gege nodded. "She knew I wasn’t supposed to be here. Yet I was."
Her expression gradually darkened, "So, at first, she must have wanted to know what had changed."
Wang Gege slowed her steps. A question suddenly came to her mind.
"Do you think time will return if either of them dies again?"
Xie Rong looked at her.
Wang Gege frowned as she tried to explain her thoughts.
"I mean... Shen Yurou died once and was reborn. And now An’an clearly believed that if she died, she would return as well."
Her expression became serious.
"But what if they die again? Will they simply die, or will time return once more?" She pursed her lips, "I don’t remember reading or watching any drama with that kind of plot."
Xie Rong was silent for a moment. Then he shook his head slightly, "I do not think that would be possible."
Wang Gege looked at him. "Why not?"
"If death could continuously return a person to the past, then neither Shen Yurou nor Xie An’an would have needed to fear anything in this life."
Wang Gege slowly frowned.
Xie Rong continued, "Shen Yurou has already experienced death once. Yet throughout this time, she has been trying to preserve her own life. That could simply mean she does not wish to suffer again."
"Perhaps." Wang Gege bobbed her head.
He glanced at her, "But An’an’s actions are different."
Wang Gege remained quiet.
"Until yesterday, she had been trying everything possible to remain in this life. She only attempted to take her own life after realizing that she could no longer escape the consequences."
His gaze darkened.
"If she truly possessed the certainty that death would always return her to the past, then there would have been no need for her to wait until that moment."
Wang Gege thought about his words, "That does make sense."
"Besides," Xie Rong continued, "if they could endlessly return, then their memories would become increasingly difficult to explain."
"Why?"
"Because every time they returned, they would remember another life. Then another. And another."
Wang Gege blinked.
Xie Rong raised an eyebrow slightly, "Yet neither Shen Yurou nor An’an has ever behaved as though they have experienced countless different lives."
Wang Gege pursed her lips. "So you think they only returned once?"
"I believe it is more likely." Xie Rong replied calmly.
The two fell silent.
For a while, neither of them spoke as they continued walking through the courtyard, both seemingly lost in their own thoughts.
Wang Gege lowered her gaze. ’It would be good if I could ask Mini about this...’
Her steps suddenly stopped and her eyes widened. "Yes."
Xie Rong turned toward her.
Wang Gege’s expression brightened. "I should ask Mini!"
Xie Rong stared at her. "Mini?"
Wang Gege immediately nodded.
"My little bee system..." She smiled before closing her eyes.
’Mini...’
For a moment, there was no response. Wang Gege’s brows slowly drew together.
’Mini?’
Still nothing.
She opened one eye, "Don’t tell me you are ignoring me."
Xie Rong watched her curiously. "Why? It didn’t respond?"
Wang Gege’s eyes furrowed as she nodded, "Mini usually would answer fast, but it didn’t this time."
"Should I ask mine?" Xie Rong suddenly suggested.
Wang Gege immediately turned toward him. "Yours?"
Xie Rong nodded, "If Mini is not responding, perhaps Gemi will know."
Wang Gege’s eyes brightened again. "Right! Ask Gemi!"
Xie Rong closed his eyes.
’Gemi.’
Silence.
His brows slowly furrowed.
Wang Gege waited beside him, "Well?"
Xie Rong remained still for a moment longer. Before a familiar Ding rang on his head.
’Ding!’
A system notification suddenly appeared within his mind.
At almost the same moment, Wang Gege’s eyes widened.
"Wait..." Xie Rong opened his eyes. "You received something too?"
Before either of them could continue, a mechanical voice echoed inside Wang Gege’s mind.
[FORTUNE SYSTEM NOTICE.]
[A temporary system upgrade is currently in progress.]
Her smile froze.
Meanwhile, Xie Rong’s expression gradually became strange.
[FATE SYSTEM NOTICE.]
[A temporary system upgrade is currently in progress.]
Wang Gege slowly turned toward him.
Xie Rong looked back at her. "Yours too?"
Meanwhile, Xie Rong’s expression gradually became strange.
[FATE SYSTEM NOTICE.]
[A temporary system upgrade is currently in progress.]
Wang Gege slowly turned toward him.
Xie Rong looked back at her.
"Yours too?"
"Ah—great! At this moment, they decided to upgrade the system?" Wang Gege complained.
Before Xie Rong could respond, another notification appeared before both of them.
[SYSTEM UPGRADE IN PROGRESS.]
[ESTIMATED COMPLETION TIME: 48 HOURS.]
[ALL SYSTEM FUNCTIONS WILL BE TEMPORARILY UNAVAILABLE DURING THIS PERIOD.]
Wang Gege stared blankly ahead.
"Forty-eight hours?!"