[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-i-m-not-crazy-this-is-the-emperor-s-banner":3,"chapter-i-m-not-crazy-this-is-the-emperor-s-banner-i-m-not-crazy-this-is-the-emperor-s-banner-chapter-20":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","I'm Not Crazy—This Is the Emperor's Banner",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2291360,4480,"Chapter 20: Protector (Requesting Monthly Votes)","i-m-not-crazy-this-is-the-emperor-s-banner-chapter-20",20,"\u003Cp>Shen Siyuan did not refuse Jiang Wenxin’s kindness, stepped into the elevator, and took the breakfast she handed him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s from Nongxing Tang,” Jiang Wenxin said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nongxing Tang was a recently popular baozi shop in Binhai, advertising itself as using real ingredients, hand-made, with the taste of childhood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from its generous fillings, the texture was honestly inferior to Hex Tech, but its advertising was strong, and with people now paying more attention to health, it had become wildly popular in Binhai over the past two years—every morning, long queues formed outside each store, especially among the elderly, who loved their baozi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because the baozi were handmade and likely didn’t use yeast, biting into one didn’t yield a soft texture, but the filling inside was large and plentiful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Wenxin had bought meat baozi, oily and glistening, highly appetizing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Along with it was a cup of soy milk—soy milk paired with baozi was perfect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dou Dou stood beside them, staring longingly, clearly wanting to eat the baozi her mother had bought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Shen Siyuan lowered his wrist, letting Dou Dou take a sip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing Shen Siyuan’s action, Jiang Wenxin’s eyes lit up with surprise, her gaze dropping to her lap—clearly, she had realized Dou Dou was also in the elevator.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there were still two strangers in the elevator, so she couldn’t speak, and the elevator had already arrived, its doors opening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as the elevator doors opened, Ding Youguang and Zhou Zhengdao hurried out; Shen Siyuan followed, but Jiang Wenxin lagged behind, slowing her steps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once inside the company, Ding Youguang and Zhou Zhengdao exchanged glances, still intending to speak with Shen Siyuan, then walked straight to their offices without looking back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet before entering their offices, they couldn’t help glancing back—and sure enough, they saw Shen Siyuan talking with Jiang Wenxin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Wenxin wore a full smile, clearly extremely happy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two seemed to have discovered some great secret; without waiting for Shen Siyuan to suggest forming a group, they actively found each other on Enterprise WeChat, exchanged personal WeChat accounts, added each other, and began gossiping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dou Dou is right beside you…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She’s fine, you don’t need to worry…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You want to see her? No, previously I let you see Dou Dou because of a trace of spiritual energy—that thing is harmful to you; prolonged exposure will corrode your bodies and turn you into living corpses—it’s extremely dangerous…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t be disappointed—after a while, I’ll let her appear directly, and you’ll be able to see her again. But humans and spirits walk different paths; you must gradually move on. Constantly dwelling on her won’t benefit you…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Now? Not now—she’s gained some abilities but can’t control them yet; if she appears now, she might hurt you…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just one look? Alright then…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, Jiang Wenxin was not at ease about her daughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Siyuan checked the time—it was still early—so he walked toward the stairwell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Few people came here; usually, some employees gathered here to smoke, but early in the morning, no one would be around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, the stairwell still carried the smell of smoke, and beside it was a makeshift ashtray made from a soda can, packed with cigarette butts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, stand back a bit—I’ll let her appear for your mother to see, or she won’t feel at ease,” Shen Siyuan told Dou Dou.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Dou Dou ran to the stairs and manifested her form.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Jiang Wenxin widened her eyes, opened her mouth, and stared in stunned silence at her daughter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dou Dou was still Dou Dou, but her hair was burning—blue flames rose, licking the air, appearing utterly divine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What… what’s going on? Is Dou Dou okay?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She hurriedly asked Shen Siyuan, then moved to embrace her daughter—but he grabbed her arm and held her back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t get close to her—her flames are dangerous. When she’s invisible, it’s fine, but when she manifests, they can harm people…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why… why has she become like this?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dou Dou, however, showed no concern. She clenched her tiny fists against her chest and said proudly, “Mom, I’m really powerful now…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Siyuan thought for a moment, then explained to her: “I’ve temporarily taken her as my Protector, taught her some divine arts, but she hasn’t mastered them yet—she’ll improve after a while…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Jiang Wenxin’s pupils contracted slightly as she gave Shen Siyuan a deep look—what obscure words these were.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she quickly recovered and said, “Dou Dou is still so young.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her unspoken meaning: Dou Dou is still a child, she can’t help you—don’t involve her in dangerous things.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shen Siyuan smiled and replied, “Don’t worry—I’m only keeping her by my side temporarily. Making her my Protector brings her only benefits, no harm…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, Mr. Shen. Dou Dou is a bother to you,” Jiang Wenxin thanked him again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, she had always called him by his name, as they had agreed; now that no one was around, she reverted to “Mr. Shen.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Dou Dou, sensing her mother still doubted, emphasized again: “Mom, I’m really powerful now…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying this, she summoned a gust of yin wind and shot upward along the stairwell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Get down here,” Shen Siyuan said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The little girl seemed well-behaved, but she was still a child, naturally restless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dou Dou’s action startled Jiang Wenxin, yet seeing her ride the wind, she was both shocked and delighted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since becoming my Protector, besides the flames that protect her, she can now ride the wind and manifest her form.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you~ Thank you so much, Mr. Shen…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Wenxin now understood her daughter had gained a divine opportunity, acquiring supernatural abilities; stunned, she thanked Shen Siyuan repeatedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t thank me yet—this is only temporary,” Shen Siyuan waved his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Dou Dou had landed back at her original spot, proudly looking at her mother, waiting for praise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Wenxin knew her daughter well, so she immediately said, “Dou Dou is amazing~ You scared Mom half to death!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hehe…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dou Dou stuck out her waist, puffed out her little belly, beaming with pride—her tiny appearance was utterly adorable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright, hide your form again. Don’t manifest unless I tell you to—understood?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Got it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Dou Dou replied, her form slowly fading until she vanished before Jiang Wenxin’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If you ever miss Dou Dou, just call out—when a gust of yin wind stirs nearby, that means she’s beside you…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Wenxin bowed deeply to Shen Siyuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“We’re colleagues. Meeting Dou Dou was fate. Don’t thank me again…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He turned and walked straight out of the stairwell—he’d heard too many thanks and found them tiresome.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jiang Wenxin hurried after him, instinctively opening her mouth to thank him again, then quickly swallowed the words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, I’ve arranged a meeting with my cousin—when are you free? I’ll set it up.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Next Wednesday,” Shen Siyuan said after thinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Previously, others had introduced him to potential partners, but never one after another like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tonight he’d meet one, tomorrow he’d likely meet another at home—so he planned to rest for two days before meeting the last one.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Exiting the stairwell, Jiang Wenxin resumed her role as the understanding older sister.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, the elevator opened, and several company employees stepped out, including Zheng Can, General Manager of the Online Gaming Department.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the two emerge from the stairwell, his gaze lingered curiously between them.\u003C\u002Fp>",1230,"2026-06-20T03:53:08.657Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","3b8c820faf482d088c2e9701d670bb1b95b286b981035fc1bb76475e0a7f518f","i-m-not-crazy-this-is-the-emperor-s-banner-chapter-21","i-m-not-crazy-this-is-the-emperor-s-banner-chapter-19",623,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-m-not-crazy-this-is-the-emperor-s-banner-cover.jpg"]