Church Visitor

Chen Fan looked at Xu Huai standing before him.

In her lowered eyes, he saw a trace of sorrow, along with a faint expectation hidden in their depths.

Yi, do you think what she said is believable?

Unable to get a read on Xu Huai, Chen Fan could only send a plea for help to the Intelligent Terminal in his mind. Can that lie-detection function you mentioned earlier be used on her?

Yi's voice rang out in his mind:

What lie-detection function? This unit is equipped with the Vital Signs Monitoring Function!

...Is there a difference?

Of course there is.

Human nature is complex. Achieving true lie detection requires a great deal of specialized equipment.

This unit merely makes a rough assessment through a comprehensive analysis of the target's vital signs and microexpressions.

Its accuracy differs considerably from that of professional lie-detection equipment.

First of all...

All right, all right. We can discuss the specifics later. Give me the conclusion first.

Listening to the incessant synthesized voice, Chen Fan hurriedly cut off the increasingly talkative Yi.

Based on a comprehensive assessment, this unit believes the other party was telling the truth. However...

There's a however?!

Just as Chen Fan was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he quickly listened more closely.

As everyone knew, whatever came after "however" was the important part.

However, this assessment was made on the premise that the other party is a normal person.

*...???*

Sensing Chen Fan's confusion, Yi swiftly explained: Put simply, if the other party suffers from some latent mental illness and firmly believes in her own delusions... then the previous assessment would be invalid.

The corner of Chen Fan's eye twitched slightly.

He understood!

You mean... Xu Huai might not be normal?

It is merely an extremely unlikely possibility.

Hearing that, Chen Fan's expression quickly darkened.

Putting the facts aside, if he only looked at Xu Huai's behavior and that of the surrounding neighbors...

Well, damn. Now that Yi mentioned it...

Fuck, impossible! Absolutely impossible!

By that logic, wouldn't I have delusions too?

Yi silently added: Which is why this unit said it was only a highly unlikely possibility.

Chen Fan was instantly speechless.

While Chen Fan was immersed in his fierce argument with Yi, Xu Huai silently stepped half a pace closer and curiously studied his expression.

In just a few seconds, Chen Fan's expression had changed several times.

From bewilderment to understanding, from shock to anger—he could have been called an inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage of Face-Changing Opera.

Suddenly, Chen Fan snapped back to his senses.

Seeing Xu Huai standing so close before him, a huge question mark popped up over his head.

Miss, what exactly are you doing?

"Ahem."

Xu Huai gave a soft cough, and a flicker of shyness that others would have struggled to notice swiftly crossed her cheeks.

Under Chen Fan's gaze, she quickly returned to her original cool demeanor and raised her chin at him. "Well? Have you thought it through?"

"If you don't believe me, you can turn around and leave right now."

Chen Fan subconsciously turned his head to look. "..."

Well, if there were no surprises, judging by the layout of his own home, turning around would put him directly in front of Xu Huai's bedroom.

Xu Huai also realized her oversight from Chen Fan's movement. "..."

Just as the two stood silently looking at one another, his mother's shout came from the hallway outside.

"Xiao Fan!"

Chen Fan's expression changed slightly. His gaze swiftly passed over Xu Huai and fixed on the half-open front door.

After calling out several times, his mother's exceedingly humble voice came from next door once again. "Church Deacon, please wait a moment longer. Chen Fan should be back very soon..."

The next second, a dull sound of a door closing came from next door.

The previously clear conversation abruptly ceased as well.

"Someone from the Church came looking for you."

Xu Huai looked at Chen Fan with interest. "If I remember correctly, the Church is going to give all you God Chosen unified training, right?"

When Chen Fan nodded, she pressed further. "What are you going to do?"

"Let me remind you, the Church is no good. If possible, you'd better stay away from it."

Chen Fan sighed and spread his hands. "You make that sound far too easy."

"I'm just an ordinary God Chosen. What else can I do besides follow the Church's arrangements?"

He said half-jokingly, "What, do you expect me to overthrow the Church's rule?"

Seeing Chen Fan's resigned attitude, Xu Huai frowned unconsciously.

Chen Fan walked toward the half-open front door. As he passed Xu Huai, he added in a low voice, "I'll find a chance to read those history books you mentioned."

The tension between Xu Huai's brows eased slightly, and she nodded calmly.

"As for you..."

A sly glint flashed through Chen Fan's eyes. "I'm considering whether I should report you to the Church. What do you think?"

The calm expression on Xu Huai's face instantly vanished, and she snapped in anger, "Chen Fan! You!!"

Seeing how much more animated Xu Huai looked in that instant, Chen Fan felt thoroughly pleased. The frustration of being subdued in one move earlier also dissolved completely with his laughter.

"Just kidding. Don't panic."

As soon as he spoke, Chen Fan composed himself, reached out, pulled open the half-closed door, and left the room.

Click.

The front door shut tightly.

Xu Huai's expression returned to calm once more.

She looked at the tightly shut door and the statue with its back to her, an unusual light glimmering in her eyes.

"Church Deacon, for the Lord's sake, please be patient and wait a little longer."

"I believe Chen Fan will be back very soon..."

The moment Chen Fan pushed open his front door, he heard his mother's pleading voice, carrying a hint of ingratiation.

Considering the deductions Yi had made before he left home, Chen Fan's expression hardened, and a chilling thought immediately flashed through his mind.

Could it be that Mother had already told the Church...

If that were true, then his series of plans going forward would undoubtedly face unprecedented obstacles!

He steadied himself and slowed his steps as much as possible. Using the partition between the front door and living room as cover, he cautiously peered into the living room.

His mother, her hair mottled gray and white, stood at a loss in the somewhat cramped living room. A man draped in a voluminous white robe sat on a wooden chair in the living room with his back to Chen Fan.

In this world, there was no such thing as a mother rising in status because of her son.

Even as the mother of a God Chosen, her status had barely changed at all.

Among the neighborhood residents, she could earn some superficial respect through that identity.

But before a Church Deacon, she was merely an utterly ordinary middle-aged woman.

Before the white-robed man, Mother's attitude was humble to the extreme.

"Church Deacon, please believe me. Chen Fan will return shortly and go to the Church with you."

"Please wait a little longer."