She's a Passerby, But Can See the Protagonist's Halo-Chapter 90

Seven five-star reviews, all from special patrons—Chu Shen hadn’t encountered such a bountiful harvest in a long time.

Of course, Chu Shen silently glanced at the young couple. Yan and Zhu Jue were also special patrons, yet they remained stubbornly consistent with their four-star reviews.

Chu Shen: )

Truly no surprise there.

But even now, Chu Shen’s understanding of what defined a "special patron" remained somewhat vague.

Before meeting the young couple, Chu’s Family Eatery had only ever encountered two special patrons.

One was an elderly man who helped Chu Shen smoothly open his restaurant and resolve some troubles.

The other was a customer from his early days of operation, the very person who brought the first wave of clientele to his establishment.

So, with these two "special patrons" as references, Chu Shen had always assumed that special patrons were those who could potentially offer him meaningful assistance.

But then came the young couple, and later, two dormitory groups of friends who ordered his fried rice takeout—all labeled as special patrons—which left Chu Shen utterly baffled.

Not that these friends hadn’t helped him in their own ways.

Though the young couple had sent Chu Shen’s emotions on a rollercoaster, nearly driving him to the brink of frustration, it was precisely because of them that two previously unrelated dormitories became connected. Through them, he met the "big sister" who supplied the restaurant with premium agricultural products and fruits, elevating the quality of Chu’s Family Eatery’s offerings.

The young couple might have had a habit of freeloading meals, but they also pitched in at the restaurant and even invited him to Ning City for the New Year.

His own roommates had also helped him out plenty in daily life.

Yet, the exact nature of this "special" designation still eluded him. No matter how many times he asked the Chef God System, it couldn’t provide a clear explanation.

Now, the five uncles and aunties before him, along with the younger siblings Da Bao and Xiao Bao, had also been recognized as special patrons.

Was it because they, too, had been of help to him?

Chu Shen couldn’t say for sure, but in any case, it was a good thing.

Patron reviews could be converted into points, while special patrons’ reviews counted as special points, which had unique uses in the Chef God Space—greatly aiding his efforts to master the recipe for Yangzhou fried rice.

On the night of the 26th day of the twelfth lunar month, Chu Shen wrestled with himself before ultimately deciding not to spend the night at Zhu Jue’s place.

Though he insisted that a grown man like him could walk back alone, the less-than-two-kilometer distance didn’t stop Zhu Jue’s uncle from driving him back.

That night, lying on the hotel bed, Chu Shen entered the Chef God Space in his dreams. He exchanged his accumulated points for ingredients and began practicing Yangzhou fried rice.

……

The next day, Yan woke up early again, this time to hike the Great Wall.

A light snowfall the night before had left a fresh dusting of snow. The buses were too cold, so they had pre-booked a private van for the trip—after all, the Great Wall was quite a distance from downtown Beijing.

Both Yan and Zhu Jue had switched to shorter down jackets, as the long flights of steps on the Great Wall made longer coats impractical for climbing.

Inside the van, Chu Shen was full of energy, his eyes fixed on the scenery outside the window.

"Since it snowed yesterday and the day before, should we wear those snow cleats? I read online that they prevent slipping."

Yan thought for a moment. "Probably not necessary. With last night’s snow, the Wall should just have a layer of fresh powder. As long as it hasn’t turned to ice, walking on snow is easy enough."

"If it were icy, we wouldn’t even attempt the climb—every step would send us tumbling."

Chu Shen nodded, though not entirely convinced, and sighed. "The snow these past two days wasn’t heavy enough. I was hoping to build a snowman."

He didn’t mention that the real reason he’d wanted to walk back alone was because the snow near the hotel had been cleared, while the roads near Yan’s place still had some untouched patches. He’d wanted to play in it, but Zhu Jue’s parents hadn’t given him the chance.

"The closer we get to New Year’s, the less likely it is to snow. If you want to play in the snow, we could go skiing—though by then, the slopes will probably be packed," Zhu Jue suggested.

Yan added, "The beginner slopes will be especially dangerous, full of newbies who can’t control themselves. Even if you don’t crash into anyone, someone else might plow into you and send you flying."

Having witnessed plenty of overconfident skiers attempting intermediate or advanced runs only to end up with serious fractures, Yan wasn’t exaggerating.

Listening to their descriptions of winter sports, Chu Shen felt equal parts excitement and dread. Childhood winters in the north and south were truly worlds apart.

The Great Wall was windy, so all three wore windproof layers beneath their jackets to stay warm. They took the cable car up first.

With the Lunar New Year approaching and the recent snowfall, there were almost no other tourists. The snow on the Wall hadn’t been cleared, and their boots crunched softly with each step.

Chu Shen couldn’t resist stomping his feet occasionally. Just as Yan had said, the thick snow made for steady footing—no slipping.

But in areas where the snow was thinner, a single misstep could send him lurching forward or backward, sliding uncontrollably like a child on a playground slide.

Even with waterproof insulated boots and multiple layers of wool socks, the cold seeped through, making his toes tingle.

"Thank goodness there’s no wind today," Yan muttered, her face buried in her scarf and her gloved hands shoved deep into her pockets, leaving no skin exposed.

Without wind, the cold was far more bearable. The view of snow-capped mountains stretching endlessly under a pale sky was breathtaking—far more magnificent than any photo or video could capture.

"‘The northern scenery: a thousand leagues sealed in ice, ten thousand leagues of whirling snow.’ The great leader’s poem from our high school textbooks… No picture or video online can compare to seeing this in person."

Chu Shen spread his arms wide, as if embracing the Great Wall itself. The vast sky, the silent grandeur—it filled him with an urge to shout at the top of his lungs.

Despite the cold, his spirits were high, and he climbed carefully yet steadily upward, with Yan and Zhu Jue keeping pace beside him.

When they reached a higher vantage point, one side opened to a view of snow-laden trees glittering like silver blossoms. Yan had just removed her hat to pose when a voice called out in surprise.

"Senior Zhu, Senior Yan—you’re here?"

Yan turned, equally startled. "Da He?"

A tall, broad-shouldered young man stood there, decked out in full winter hiking gear. He had to be at least 6’3", his imposing frame accentuated by the absence of gloves. His dark-framed glasses perched on his nose as he regarded them with keen interest.

"Da He, what are you doing here?" Zhu Jue asked, just as surprised.

The young man was their junior from university and, since childhood, a fellow martial arts trainee in their family compound.

Born sickly, his parents had given him a name full of blessings—He Wuji, which sounded like something out of ancient times.

But now, when people looked at this young man, there was no trace of the frail, sickly kitten he had been in his childhood. Standing at six-foot-three with a burly frame, he resembled an iron tower, exuding an overwhelming sense of pressure.

Back when Yan and Zhu Jue had just started school in Bin City, they discovered Ding Ling, the "Ghost King," and Zhu Jue had reached out to He Wuji for help.

During high school, the two of them attended a private school, where He Wuji was also their classmate—mainly because he often needed to travel, and private schools were more accommodating than public ones. His hobby was dabbling in metaphysics, likely due to some unique constitution that had left him sickly since childhood. He practiced martial arts, had numerous godparents and sworn siblings, and even studied under masters—truly possessing some real skills.

However, Yan and Zhu Jue didn’t know the specifics. They only knew that over the years, He Wuji’s uncle and aunt had exhausted their connections and traveled all over the country for his sake. In front of them, He Wuji remained tight-lipped about these matters, rarely bringing them up.

This was the first time the childhood martial brothers had reunited since summer break.

He Wuji strode over in a few large steps, pointing behind him toward a section of the Great Wall that Yan and the others hadn’t yet climbed. A glance revealed quite a few people there, dressed in all sorts of attire.

"I came with the main group—had some business to take care of," He Wuji said, suddenly spreading his arms wide and pulling Yan and Zhu Jue into a bear hug.

"You’ve grown again—what, are you eating fertilizer or something?" Yan sighed in resignation.

Looking at childhood photos, the difference was shocking. He Wuji was only a year younger than her and Zhu Jue, but when he was first brought to the military compound, he had been even skinnier than Da Bao and Xiao Bao, looking as if he were on the verge of collapse.

"Training gains—swells up fast, fades just as quick," He Wuji said simply.

Yan introduced him to their companion: "This is Zhu Jue’s college roommate, Chu Shen. He’s visiting Ning City, so we brought him to hike the Great Wall."

He Wuji immediately understood.

"Nice to meet you, Brother Chu—just call me He Wuji. I’m these two’s junior brother."

He took in the trio’s fully bundled-up appearance and thought for a moment.

"Wait here while I send a message. If we join the main group, it’ll be warmer."

At this, Yan and Zhu Jue both paused in surprise.

Chu Shen, however, didn’t overthink it—more people meant more fun, and a crowd would definitely generate more body heat. Warmer, right?

A short while later, Yan, Zhu Jue, and Chu Shen followed He Wuji forward.

"This route might show you something a little different," He Wuji said.

Chu Shen perked up. "A less-traveled section of the Great Wall?"

As a guest, he was happy to follow their lead. With Yan and Zhu Jue by his side and now running into their junior brother by chance, the day was already interesting.

"Definitely fewer people," He Wuji confirmed.

Soon, they picked up their pace to catch up with the main group ahead.

Even though they were at the tail end of the large procession, Chu Shen could already feel the difference.

"Wow, more people really do make it warmer—suddenly I don’t feel as cold," he muttered.

"Hey, is this like a Great Wall hiking club? A snow-viewing group? Taking the road less traveled for better scenery?" Chu Shen asked curiously.

"Something like that. Just here to take a look today," He Wuji replied with a smile.

"You regular hikers are something else. Some of them are barely wearing anything—just windbreakers. If a strong gust hits, I’d be shivering and freezing to death," Chu Shen remarked.

He observed that He Wuji’s group didn’t seem very organized—no unified flags, a mix of young people, middle-aged folks, and even elderly, all dressed haphazardly. Some wore short coats or jackets, clearly prioritizing style over warmth. Chu Shen couldn’t help but shiver just looking at them, worried they might freeze.

"Don’t worry, they’ve been through the wringer—not like ordinary people," He Wuji said with a laugh.

Yan, however, was deep in thought as she watched the people ahead. She exchanged a glance with Zhu Jue, both noticing that some weren’t carrying trekking poles but something else entirely. Those dressed lightly weren’t shivering at all, effortlessly climbing the steps without a single slip.

Following He Wuji’s group, they soon reached a stretch of the Great Wall with even more breathtaking mountain ridges. The procession moved in starts and stops—sometimes individuals paused, sometimes small groups did, pulling things from their bags or tapping their fingers against their foreheads in an odd manner.

Meanwhile, Chu Shen was completely absorbed in the snow-covered Great Wall, excitedly crouching here and there, scooping up snowballs from the brick walls and tossing them outward.

Eventually, he even eyed the iron railings with mischief.

"I heard these are sweet?"

Yan and Zhu Jue facepalmed.

"Are you serious? Lick that, and your tongue’s sticking to it."

"Maybe you should go to the Northeast and try licking an iron gate instead," Zhu Jue said dryly.

"Ever think about how many people touch these railings every day? The bacteria?"

Chu Shen grumbled, "I was just joking—I’m not that dumb."

Yan and Zhu Jue: "…"

Brother Chu, you were practically salivating over it just now!

It’s like Chu Shen’s IQ has taken a nosedive today.

"Zhu Jue, doesn’t he remind you of a dopey deer frolicking in the snow?" Yan whispered.

"He is one," Zhu Jue muttered back.

Chu Shen, meanwhile, had found another snow-covered section of the wall and was happily molding snowballs into tiny snowmen, utterly delighted.

Yan couldn’t help but feel like she was watching a silly child playing in the snow.

"If Ning City’s winter snow is like this, imagine how fun the Northeast must be."

This content is taken from fгeewebnovёl.com.

Chu Shen proudly held up his two-snowball snowman (lacking any facial features) and asked Zhu Jue to take pictures, grinning like an idiot.

Despite his efforts to pack the snow tightly, the warmth of his gloves inevitably melted parts of it.

Wet gloves were hard to dry and made his hands colder, so he reluctantly snapped a few final photos of his little snowman before leaving it at the base of the wall.

"Such a shame. I should’ve brought a container—could’ve taken it back to the hotel fridge."

Yan said, "You can always make another one later."

"It’s not the same—this was made with Great Wall snow," Chu Shen lamented.

Thanks to his snowman detour, they had fallen behind again and hurried to catch up with the group.

But up ahead, the main group seemed to have reached their gathering point.

Chu Shen’s antics had at least given He Wuji a chance to talk privately with Yan and Zhu Jue.

Now, the towering young man hesitated before standing beside them.

"Senior Brother and Sister, Jiaojiao asked me to help send some messages earlier..."

At this, Yan couldn't help but burst into laughter.

The things Xu Jiaojiao had He Wuji send—like "three spins and one ring" or "a man as the main wife"—had her clutching her stomach in laughter.

"She really went and asked you out of the blue," Yan said, shaking her head in amusement.

"Actually, after Jiaojiao approached me that day, I casually cast a divination. Later, I happened to run into her again and felt something unusual—her Life Palace and Fate Star seemed a bit odd," He Wuji whispered to the two of them.

Knowing about Xu Jiaojiao's relationship with Yan, He Wuji felt it necessary to bring it to her attention.

Yan didn't even lift her eyelids. Had He Wuji's metaphysical skills really advanced this far?

Life Palace and Fate Star—could he actually sense Jiaojiao's rebirth?

"How so?" she asked.

He Wuji scratched his head. "Maybe I'm not skilled enough to see clearly. It's like... there's an extra layer of life-and-death markings. Did Jiaojiao undergo some kind of surgery?"

Life and death? Yan's eyes flickered slightly.

She hummed in acknowledgment. "I see."

...

This was Ding Ling's first time visiting the Great Wall.

She had just returned from Bin City the day before. On one hand, Xie Jin's condition had stabilized after days of her constant care, his fractured spirit gradually recovering in the Spirit Nurturing Pool under others' watch.

On the other hand, the New Year's Ascension Assembly was approaching. Yan had lent her two top-tier magical artifacts, and it wouldn't do to keep them indefinitely. With the situation there stable, Ding Ling hurried back.

The Ascension Assembly was a competition among the younger generation of the mystical arts community, where disciples from different lineages showcased their skills and competed for recognition—an opportunity for advancement.

For special cooperative units like the Special Cases Division, outstanding performers with upright ideologies could even secure official positions.

Today, on the 27th day of the twelfth lunar month, the assessment was held on the Great Wall.

With the Spring Festival drawing near and it being the Year of the Dragon, the dragon veins were particularly active. The day's test involved observing the geomantic currents of the land from atop the Great Wall!

As someone who had only been "unearthed" by the archaeology team last year, Ding Ling was naturally attending such an event for the first time.

She stood beside the team leader, watching as the disciples who had completed the assessment segment of the Great Wall arrived one after another.

However, four individuals lagged far behind, drawing curious glances.

The team leader beside Ding Ling spoke up. "Who are those stragglers at the back? Don't they know to hurry?"

"That's Xiao He with three tourists," someone quickly answered.

"Tourists?"

"They're Xiao He's classmates. He ran into them on the way and brought them to the back of our group to keep warm."

Hearing this, the team leader nodded.

But as the four drew closer, Ding Ling's pale face suddenly stiffened.

Yan, Zhu Jue, and Egg Fried Rice.

They were the "three tourists" the team leader mentioned?

For a moment, Ding Ling's expression turned peculiar.

Her eyes fixed on the burly young man she didn't recognize among the four. Recalling the team leader's mention of "Xiao He," she immediately asked,

"Who's Xiao He?"

"A disciple from Ning City named He Wuji. It's normal you wouldn’t know him, Ling. That boy gave countless experts headaches back in the day—his body and soul withered daily for no discernible reason. He was kept alive for years by desperate measures, and to this day, no one knows which master intervened to extend his life and completely alter his fate."

Listening to the team leader, Ding Ling's lashes fluttered.

Her ghostly form had recovered significantly, but today's assessment didn't require her to unleash her Yin Qi domain. Instead, she observed the participants with her spiritual senses, careful not to overextend and risk harming anyone.

Now, amid the faint whispers of the wind, Ding Ling overheard "Xiao He" speaking to Yan and Zhu Jue.

"Sis... Fate Star... life and death... altering fate," came the young man's voice.

"Got it," Yan replied.

Her eyes narrowed slightly. Moments later, the towering "Xiao He" strode forward to greet them. Ding Ling listened as the team leader inquired,

"Xiao He, are those young folks your classmates?"

He Wuji nodded. "That pair are my martial arts senior brother and sister from childhood—they're locals. The other one’s their friend, here for sightseeing."

The team leader gave an understanding "ah," but Ding Ling's brow twitched. This young man called Yan and Zhu Jue his senior siblings? And practiced martial arts with them?

From what she'd overheard—Fate Star, life and death, altering fate—and Yan's response of "got it," it was clear Xiao He was reporting something significant.

Considering the team leader's account of Xiao He's past—his inexplicable decline and the mysterious master who saved him—who else but Yan and Zhu Jue could have performed such a feat?

A realization dawned on Ding Ling.

Extending life and altering fate—these were acts of defiance against heaven.

She had always assumed Yan avoided karmic ties after attaining the Dao, shifting causality onto others even when resolving matters.

But now, she understood—there was another reason!

Those who walk the Dao receive a sliver of heaven's favor. But to "defy heaven's will" by altering fate? That invites its wrath and invites punishment.

Even if the two had reincarnated many times, carrying memories across lifetimes was already a loophole. Acting openly in this life would expose them to heaven's scrutiny and merciless retribution.

Thus, the couple, though all-knowing and meticulous, could not openly shoulder karma.

Any new karmic entanglement would invite even harsher suppression from this world.

That ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‍was why, ever since she'd known Yan, every achievement had been credited to her instead!

Like today—clearly, Yan and Zhu Jue had come for the Ascension Assembly, yet they had to play tourists with Egg Fried Rice to maintain plausible deniability, avoiding certain karmic threads.

To extend life and rewrite fate—this was true defiance of heaven's decree. Even under severe suppression, forced to erase their traces in every action, Yan and Zhu Jue still acted.

Breaking formations, saving lives, altering destinies—leaving no mark, yet staying true to their hearts.

Just as the team leader said, no one knew who that master had been.

Perhaps it wasn't that no one knew, but that they had been "forgotten"—just as they were now "veiled."

Over time, with so much left unsaid and unremembered, Ding Ling could scarcely imagine how many deeds they had performed in silence.

Perhaps only those who had truly walked the Dao could hold their true selves in memory—yet even then, never speak of it.

None know my true face. None know who I am.

And to the world, Yan and Zhu Jue were just an ordinary, strikingly beautiful couple.