Inner Thoughts Exposed: Reborn General's Farming Daughter Has a System

[What is it?] Xiao Qingya dipped the mulberry into the water and put it into her mouth, her eyes crinkling.

The Ling siblings glanced at the river, and then Xiao Qingya. [We need to go to the river for this...]

[Little Master, wait for a bit.] With that, Ling Bo disappeared and reappeared inside Xiao Jingran’s study.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t there.

Ling Bo returned with an anxious face, and there was no need for him to explain for Ling Yu to understand what had happened.

[What’s going on?] Xiao Qingya was bewildered that the two kept on glancing at the river and the house.

In front of the house, Xiao Yuyan was watering the plants. She was also keeping an eye on her little sister.

[You want me to go to the river?] Xiao Qingya asked upon seeing their hesitant faces.

Xiao Yuyan became anxious when she heard this. She put down the wooden bucket in her hand and went over to her little sister, picking her up. "Little Ya, what’s wrong?"

The little one pointed at the river. "Ling Yu said, going to the river."

[Little Master, we found Qiu Mu!] Ling Bo finally announced. [She is finally willing to get out of the deep river, but we don’t know how long she will stay. She doesn’t want to answer any of our questions.]

[Little Master, she looks so dazed. She might not realize she is already dead yet. If we go there, perhaps you can help her? But Master Jing isn’t home and it might be dangerous for you.] Ling Yu still added at the end, deeply worried.

Xiao Qingya clapped her hands. "Let’s go, let’s go!"

"Little Ya wait here for a bit, alright? Don’t go anywhere. Sister will call for Second Brother." Xiao Yuyan brought Xiao Qingya to the living room and let her sit on a chair before she went to find Xiao Fenghao.

Xiao Qingya nodded obediently, waiting for her sister to come back. [What method did you use to lure her out of the deep river?]

The Ling siblings looked at each other. [At first, we were trying to make her come out by having a small talk with her. The attempt wasn’t successful.]

[Only when we mentioned about her family did she finally be willing to resurface a bit. This time, we mentioned her husband’s name.]

Ling Bo gulped. [She looked really angry when she came to the water surface.]

Xiao Qingya scrunched her little nose. It sounded like this Qiu Mu had a lot of resentment against her husband. Half a month ago, she even wanted to drag her down.

Originally, the Ling siblings didn’t know about Qiu Mu’s existence since she hid so deep in the river water. Only when Sun Daniu’s drowning incident happened did they finally notice her.

Xiao Fenghao arrived at the living room with the twin sisters after that. "Little Ya wants to go to the river?"

The little one nodded furiously, and he picked her up. Xiao Yuxi was a little bewildered and whispered questioningly at Xiao Yuyan beside her.

Xiao Yuxi only joined them because the latter had told them Xiao Fenghao needed to bring Xiao Qingya to the river for something. And thus, they decided to halt what they were doing—chopping firewood.

The siblings arrived at the river not long after.

[Sister Qiu, are you still there?] Ling Yu called out cautiously.

At this moment, Xiao Qingya suddenly saw a thin woman floating above the river. She had a lifeless look in her eyes, appearing dazed just like the Ling siblings had described.

[Auntie?] Xiao Qingya called her through a telepathy link.

The woman still didn’t look at her.

The little one frowned, and she recalled the siblings’ words. [Auntie Sun?]

The ghost’s body jolted, and she turned to Xiao Qingya. An angry look decorated her face. The address seemed to evoke some kind of memory in her.

The Ling siblings became worried, and they flew to Xiao Qingya’s side.

Qiu Mu’s pale, ghost face became more and more distorted, as if she was enduring some sort of pain or unpleasant memory.

In the end, she clutched her head and dived back into the water. There was a flash of confusion on her face the moment she looked at Xiao Qingya before she went back deep into the water.

No matter how the Ling siblings tried to call her, she never resurfaced. Even when they used the names of her children and husband.

[I am sorry, Little Master.] Ling Yu immediately apologized.

They had come to the river for nothing.

The little one waved her hand. [It’s fine. It’s fine. If we failed today, we can try again tomorrow.]

She also became interested in communicating with Qiu Mu. Perhaps they could gain a clue from her.

Xiao Qingya’s presence near the river also drew the attention of other water ghosts. Some of them resurfaced. A few tried to get close while the rest stayed where they were.

Like bodyguards, the Ling siblings stopped them all before they could approach her.

[Little one, you can see me right? How about you help me...]

[Why did I have to die? I am so unreconciled. Please, help me!]

"Let’s go!" She tugged on her brother’s sleeve and scrunched her nose.

Although her siblings couldn’t hear the ghosts’ wailing since Xiao Qingya didn’t actively initiate telepathy contact with them, they could guess that they must have disturbed her.

Ghosts can occupy the body of water.

Xiao Fenghao nodded and led his sisters back.

Upon arriving home, Xiao Qingya began to explain to them. "I saw... Auntie Sun! She..."

They listened attentively. After she finished, Xiao Yuyan ruffled her little sister’s hair. "We will go to the river again in a few days, alright?"

Xiao Qingya looked at her in confusion.

"Little Ya, we will go to the county again tomorrow. Grandfather is going to build a bigger barn!"

***

At the same time, in front of the magistrate’s house, a luxurious carriage had stopped by.

A guard lifted the carriage’s curtain. "Your Excellency, we have arrived at the magistrate’s house."