For some inexplicable reason, Lu Zong felt a surge of pride when Han Chong called him a pervert. It meant Han Chong no longer saw him as an outsider, and his heart swelled with sweet joy, hehe.

He replied, "Being a pervert isn't so bad, as long as I get to tease such a beautiful woman every day. Even as a pervert, I'm content." Ma Xiong coughed, signaling Lu Zong's lapse in composure, but Lu Zong seemed addicted to it, still rambling on endlessly.

Ma Xiong finally couldn't stand it and roared, "Are you ever going to stop?! Shut up already!"

Only then did Lu Zong quiet his mouth, looking at the blushing Han Chong, feeling an immense sense of accomplishment. But his joy was fleeting, as Han Chong seemed to ignore him now, instead pressing her warm face against Ma Xiong's chest.

Remembering Han Chong's earlier scream, Ma Xiong asked, "Han Chong, why did you scream just now? Tell us about it."

Han Chong questioned, "Do you remember what I told you? I said I saw another me inside the tent. I was wondering then—if there was another me in the tent, who exactly was I? Plus, you guys kept calling me Han Chong, so I figured something must have happened to me. I ran into the tent to see what I had turned into. When I saw my alternative self, I got scared, so of course, I screamed."

Hearing this, both Ma Xiong and Lu Zong nodded. She spoke every word perfectly, without taking a single breath, only pausing to gasp after finishing her story. Her chest rose and fell rhythmically, a sight that sparked wild imaginings in every man present, including Ma Xiong and Lu Zong, who stared intently at the magnificent, surging spectacle. Ma Xiong, in particular, was drooling. Lu Zong immediately cleared his throat, snapping Ma Xiong back to attention.

It seemed the two men had developed a tacit understanding: if one lost control, the other was obliged to remind him. Such a flawless, seamless rapport was impossible unless they were exceptionally close friends—"fox-brother companions." Han Chong hadn't even suspected anything.

However, this arrangement couldn't last forever, because the truth, after all, couldn't be contained by paper; it would eventually surface, forcing them both toward madness. He glanced at the mottled colors on the other's face, already sensing the inevitable outcome. But he couldn't voice it now, or the situation would spiral into something unimaginable.

Suddenly, Lu Zong noticed several dusty bottles and jars scattered on the ground. Their intricate, clear patterns still showcased perfect artistry. Lu Zong was captivated by these ceramic vessels and crouched down, eager to examine what they were.

He picked one up, turning it over in his hands, examining it from all angles—up, down, left, and right. Then he asked, "Han Chong, where did you get all these things? The patterns look like relics from thousands of years ago. How did you acquire these antiques? It looks like we've struck it rich today."

But Han Chong wasn't concerned with getting rich at the moment. The most pressing matter was finding her original body. Remaining like this, she realized, would lead to truly unbearable consequences.

Ma Xiong thought that if the two of them didn't separate, and Han Chong insisted on marrying Lu Zong, what would happen to the girl residing inside Han Chong's body? If she didn't like Lu Zong, they would surely fight daily. Still, a soul isn't a child; for a man, having another person's child's soul inside his woman was a massive disgrace. But this situation was different because, as previously established, the soul wasn't a child's; existing within one person wasn't a huge deal. Anyway, this situation had nothing to do with that kind of entanglement. Lu Zong even considered that if they couldn't separate in the end, it wasn't a big deal—he'd simply marry Han Chong's body and the girl's consciousness. He wasn't particularly fond of Han Chong's own thoughts anyway. Though he was an academic researcher, he held little interest in another academic researcher. To enrich his married life, he needed someone in a different field, even a peasant woman would suffice.

But Han Chong was exactly like him—both obsessed with nothing but desk work. If they had a son, he'd probably lack personality. Thinking this, he felt a touch of pride, his vulgar, roguish nature resurfacing.

Ma Xiong coughed; their unspoken agreement had been reached. Their coordination was so seamless, no one would ever detect it. Lu Zong quickly quieted down and began closely studying the jars before him.

He asked, "Han Chong, where exactly did you get these things? Tell me quickly?"

Han Chong, however, didn't care about the answer. Her biggest concern now was how to return to her own body. She asked Ma Xiong, "Brother Xiong, please tell me, how can I get back into my body? I really don't want to stay outside anymore."

Ma Xiong looked at the pitiful Han Chong, then at Lu Zong squatting on the ground examining the pottery. He finally decided to yield priority to Han Chong—after all, ladies first. Only by putting the lady first could he prove his masculinity.

He replied, "This... First, I need to know why you two separated. Why did you split from your body?"

Han Chong looked at Ma Xiong with an embarrassed expression, hesitant to speak. Before she could say anything, her face had already flushed crimson like an apple.

Ma Xiong urged, "Hurry up and tell me! This is a matter of life and death for you. You absolutely cannot slip up!"

Han Chong nodded and said, "It all goes back to the strange events of a few days ago."

Ma Xiong anxiously asked, "What strange events? Tell me, I'll see if I know anything that might help you."

Han Chong obediently replied, "It was some time ago. I was doing my internship at school. My major is archaeology, you see, but since there were no local sites for us to practice, my classmates and I had to gather data from internet cafes to finish our graduation theses. But not long ago, my husband—Fatty—suddenly found me and said he was taking me to an archaeological site for an internship: the newly excavated Cao Tomb. I was puzzled then. My grades were mediocre; if I hadn't assaulted someone at school, no one would have recognized me. So why did this professor single me out? I suspected something then, and seeing as he was refined and polite to me, I agreed to become his graduate student."

What? You think Fatty is refined? I really doubt your eyesight right now. I suspect you might mistake a pile of excrement for ice cream.

Han Chong shot him an annoyed glare. "Do you want to hear the rest or not? If you don't, I'm genuinely walking away, understand, Lei?"

Ma Xiong quickly stopped his questioning. "Okay, okay, hurry up and speak."

Han Chong continued, "I went with him to Anyang, Henan. But when we arrived, we didn't go directly to the tomb site; instead, we rented a place outside. That night, I lost my virginity to him and became his puppet. Actually, I was forced from the very beginning, forced into it. There was no choice; people are often driven to extremes."

At the last sentence, Ma Xiong suddenly echoed with deep feeling, "That’s right, people are often driven to extremes." He believed that this timeless saying would influence generation after generation.

Han Chong went on, "At first, I thought this was just the beginning, that we were just waiting for the Cao Tomb excavation to start. I ate and slept there, waiting for the digging to begin, but a long time passed without it starting. During that period, Fatty wouldn't even let me leave the house. Then one day, I realized I wasn't in Anyang, Henan anymore; I was in a vast desert. I was groggy and didn't know what had happened, so I asked Fatty. He explained that the Cao Tomb had two main chambers—one in Anyang, and the other in this great wilderness. Of course, I knew Fatty was lying, but I trusted him; he must have had a reason for doing this. So, I stopped pressing him. As long as he was with me, what was there to worry about? But when I woke up this morning, I found Fatty gone, and just moments ago, I realized my body had disappeared along with him. I don't know when I turned into this. Look at this pedantic appearance—I detest this look the most. In school, the most terrifying thing was dreaming of turning into this bespectacled person. In reality, I'm usually quite fashionable."

Ma Xiong nodded. "I can tell from your nonstop chatter that you are truly magnificent."

Han Chong continued, "But I still don't understand how Fatty got me here, or where he's gone now."

Suddenly, Lu Zong, who had been silent, asked from below, "Han Chong, tell me now, where exactly did you get these things? Hurry and tell me! I think I've discovered a new fortune. Take a look—these items are ancient. If we could auction them off, we could certainly buy a Rolls-Royce."

Han Chong looked at Lu Zong with utter astonishment and asked, "Why are you holding my family's chamber pot and not letting go? I think there might still be some urine inside. Ugh, they’re as lazy as Fatty; they forgot to empty it. I was just about to do it. Wait, where did the urine go? Did you pour it out?"

Lu Zong stared at Han Chong with a look of amazement and continued to press, "What? Say what you just said again?"