Chapter 17: The Little Ghost Was Discovered

After breakfast, Song Yaoyao lazily rode on Xie Ningwan’s neck again as they headed out to work together.

Everything proceeded as usual. The driver took Xie Ningwan to the company. Once on board, Song Yaoyao sprawled over him. No one could see the little ghost, so he paid no mind to his image and lay there in a haphazard pose.

As he kicked his feet idly, humming a cartoon theme song absentmindedly, the System suddenly spoke up on its own:

【Due to the host’s involvement in the book’s plot, the butterfly effect has advanced the original storyline. The protagonist will be intentionally targeted on his way out today, resulting in a car accident and injury.】

A car accident!?

Song Yaoyao snapped awake.

He remembered this plot point. It happened when Xie Ningwan was close to uncovering the real culprit behind the accident that killed his parents.

After returning from the Xie Family Old Manor yesterday, Song Yaoyao had suspected they would target Xie Ningwan, but he hadn’t expected it to happen so soon, advancing the plot to now.

Although Xie Ningwan, as the protagonist of this world, would never face life-threatening danger even in an accident—and in the original plot, this crash only left him with minor injuries—Song Yaoyao still didn’t want him to get hurt.

Song Yaoyao flipped over and sat up. He grabbed Xie Ningwan’s hand, highly alert as he scanned their surroundings for anything suspicious.

The sedan stopped at a crossroad for a red light.

Forty seconds later, the light turned green.

At that moment, a large truck from another direction ignored the traffic light and barreled straight toward the black sedan carrying Xie Ningwan!

It was here! Song Yaoyao’s expression sharpened. There was no time to avoid the plot now; he could only meet it head-on.

Xie Ningwan had been resting with his eyes closed when he suddenly felt someone tug at the corner of his clothes. He frowned slightly and lifted his eyelids.

The driver noticed the oncoming truck too. He reacted quickly, yanking the steering wheel to swerve aside, but it still wasn’t enough to fully evade. He only minimized the impact.

The truck bang! collided with the black sedan! A piercing crash echoed alongside the screech of emergency brakes, and the car shook violently.

In the instant before losing consciousness, Xie Ningwan suddenly saw a figure appear before him. It was a clean-cut youth with clear brows and bright eyes, his teeth gleaming white, exuding a pure aura.

Before he could see clearly, he felt a soft body embrace him, blocking the heavy blow in his stead.

Ambulance sirens wailed on the road. Xie Ningwan and the driver were soon rushed to the hospital, accompanied by the little ghost Song Yaoyao.

The driver’s injuries weren’t severe—just a mild concussion, plus cuts on one side of his face and arm from the shattering glass. None were deep, and they were quickly treated.

Xie Ningwan’s condition puzzled the doctors. Given the damage to the vehicle, that truck had aimed straight for the rear seat. Anyone in his position should have been gravely injured or worse.

Yet after examination, Xie Ningwan only had a mild concussion. The rest of his body was virtually unscathed.

It was as if he’d been blessed by God.

They didn’t know that at the critical moment, a little ghost had shielded Xie Ningwan.

In a private hospital’s VIP ward, Song Yaoyao sat beside Xie Ningwan.

Before the crash, he’d wheedled and acted spoiled with the System to borrow some energy that would briefly give him a physical form, allowing him to block the blow for Xie Ningwan.

As a ghost without a physical body, Song Yaoyao was already in a state of death, so he couldn’t be injured further.

But that one move depleted nearly all the soul power he’d accumulated from all the cuddling, bed-climbing, and rubbing up these past days.

Song Yaoyao let out a small sigh and pinched his arm. Worst case, he’d just climb into bed more often afterward.

With that thought, he glanced at Xie Ningwan sleeping on the hospital bed and stealthily climbed onto it.

Though he’d blocked the final blow for Xie Ningwan, the massive impact had still knocked him unconscious.

Song Yaoyao gazed at Xie Ningwan on the bed, reached out to touch his bandaged head, then leaned against him, closed his eyes, and absorbed fortune to recover his soul power.

In no time, news spread outside that the eldest young master of the Xie Family and new head of the Xie Group, Xie Ningwan, had been in a car accident.

A steady stream of people wanted to visit—half sincere, half fake. But Assistant Lei turned them all away, citing Xie Ningwan’s weak condition and inability to receive guests.

Assistant Lei handled the calls methodically: “Sorry, President Xie’s injuries are severe. He can’t see anyone right now.”

“Severe injuries?” Various parties probed discreetly. They claimed concern for Xie Ningwan but were really testing how badly he was hurt, so they could plan accordingly.

Assistant Lei: “No comment for now.”

In the ward’s suite, Xie Ningwan actually woke up quickly.

He wasn’t badly hurt. Propped against the headboard, he even had the leisure to tease the little ghost.

He clearly remembered that during the crash, someone had protected him at the last second. That youthful figure could only be the little ghost; he couldn’t think of anyone else.

Unfortunately, upon waking, his recollection of that face had become blurry.

He wasn’t a strict materialist. At first, discovering the little ghost and allowing him nearby was just to probe and observe his intentions. Finding no hostility, only comical antics—and now help and protection…

Since the little ghost had followed him out, he must still be here.

Xie Ningwan casually scanned the entire ward, as if talking to himself, and slowly addressed the air: “Are you here?”

Song Yaoyao, who was lying right beside him, shuddered. He turned his head and widened his eyes, unsure if Xie Ningwan was calling him.

“Are you calling me?” Song Yaoyao asked hesitantly.

Though he’d guessed the crash might make Xie Ningwan sense his presence, it could also be chalked up to the chaos causing a hallucination.

Song Yaoyao held his breath, staring intently at Xie Ningwan without moving.

“I know you’re here,” Xie Ningwan said unhurriedly, exposing him. “I also know you’ve been living in my house.”

“The night before last, you stole my ice cream, didn’t you?” he added, hitting the nail on the head.

Song Yaoyao: !

He froze in place, not daring to move a muscle.

How did Xie Ningwan know? Had he realized the ice cream was gone long ago?

No—he hadn’t eaten any ice cream the night before last!

Xie Ningwan was suspicious, trying to bait him.

Song Yaoyao climbed up, held his breath, and watched Xie Ningwan cautiously.

Xie Ningwan continued: “I saw you. Come out.”

Seeing him talk to the empty air right in front of him, Song Yaoyao, sitting beside him: “……?”

Song Yaoyao waved a hand in front of Xie Ningwan’s eyes, then floated up and swooped down from above, testing if he could see.

He got right up close to Xie Ningwan’s face, their breaths nearly touching, but Xie Ningwan’s expression didn’t change.

He really was just bluffing!

Song Yaoyao flopped back onto the bed like a frightened quail, deciding to burrow under the covers and play dead to muddle through.

As long as he didn’t reveal himself voluntarily, Xie Ningwan absolutely couldn’t see him. Suspicion alone wouldn’t help.

After saying that, Xie Ningwan waited a moment with no response or movement in the room. He raised a brow slightly.

Had he hidden, or was he not here?

Xie Ningwan parted his lips, gazing at the empty room, about to say more when a knock sounded at the ward door.

“Come in.”

“President Xie, everything’s been handled,” Assistant Lei entered and reported. “The crash news has mostly been taken down, leaving just a few of our own. We’ve also sent people to investigate the perpetrator.”

“Good.” Xie Ningwan nodded slightly.

He didn’t even need to investigate to guess who was behind it this time.

It was so blatant; they weren’t even trying to hide anymore.

A chill flashed in Xie Ningwan’s eyes.

For now, though, he didn’t plan to divert attention to those lurking in the shadows.

“Keep my condition hidden from the public for now. Use this chance to purge all the disloyal elements from the company.”

After issuing the calm instruction, Xie Ningwan paused and changed tack: “Have someone send some pastries to the ward.”

Assistant Lei had been grave-faced, focused on the company matters, but his expression stuttered at that. He quickly composed himself: “……Yes, President Xie. I’ll arrange everything properly.”

As he left the ward and headed to order cake, Assistant Lei felt puzzled: President Xie never liked sweets. What was the point of pastries? And last time on the way home, he’d suddenly mentioned it too.

The thought passed fleetingly, and he pushed it aside, simply following orders.

Back in the ward, Xie Ningwan’s peripheral vision swept the surroundings as his fingers tapped lightly under the bedsheet at his side.

Bait for the little ghost.