Shen Nanzhi stood at the doorway, a complicated wave of emotions rising in her heart.
Memories from her past life churned violently in her mind, details she once ignored now becoming painfully vivid.
Before her marriage, Old Master Jiang would prepare her birthday every year. There was no cake, but at least it was properly celebrated.
But after her marriage in her previous life…
She never had another birthday again.
At that moment, a tired voice came from behind her.
“Zhizhi, you’re back.”
Shen Nanzhi’s body trembled.
She knew that voice too well.
Jiang Feng—her former husband.
The same man who, together with his mistress, had killed her and left her body in a deserted place.
She slowly turned around, her eyes dark and deep like an abyss, locking onto that familiar yet unfamiliar face.
A violent surge of hatred rose like a burning flame from her chest to her head.
Her fists clenched tightly, nails digging into her palms, as if she wanted to engrave that hatred into her very blood.
On her way back, she had imagined countless scenarios of meeting Jiang Feng again.
She would rush at him and strangle him.
Or smash him with something.
Or stab him to death.
Or expose his hypocrisy and his relationship with Su Mian, and take back her nursing school admission letter.
But she never imagined she would stand so calmly in front of him.
Jiang Feng felt a wave of panic under her gaze.
He had never seen Shen Nanzhi like this before.
Cold. Hateful. As if she wanted to tear him apart.
He didn’t understand.
He had only missed the wedding because he returned late—why did she hate him so much?
Moreover, yesterday she had publicly changed grooms and married a disabled man in a wheelchair, humiliating him in front of everyone.
They were even now.
Thinking this, the last trace of guilt in him disappeared completely.
He stepped forward, trying to explain, but Shen Nanzhi avoided him as if he were something filthy and walked straight into the courtyard.
Seeing her decisive back, Jiang Feng’s uneasiness grew stronger.
Before she entered the house, he blurted out:
“Zhizhi, do you really think Lu Xiangyang wants to marry you?”
“He’s just playing with you!”
“He’s disabled, impotent, psychologically twisted—he’s using you to vent! Saying he’ll marry you was just to make you a joke!”
He knew Shen Nanzhi well. Only by saying this could he make her stop and listen.
And indeed, she stopped.
She turned around, eyes full of anger and hatred.
But Jiang Feng didn’t care. He even felt a hint of triumph.
However, that smile froze instantly.
“Slap!”
A sharp slap landed on Jiang Feng’s face.
Half his face swelled immediately.
“Jiang Feng, you are disgusting!”
Shen Nanzhi’s voice trembled with hatred.
“What are you? Even if Lu Xiangyang is disabled, he is a thousand, ten thousand times better than you!”
“You are trash! Marrying you was the biggest stain of my life!”
She poured out every curse she could think of.
The Jiang family maid rushed out in shock, glaring at Shen Nanzhi.
Just as she was about to drag her away, Shen Nanzhi suddenly spoke again:
“I made a cake. I’ll go get it.”
Soon after, she returned with a large fruit cake.
The courtyard was instantly filled with the aroma of cream and fruit.
“Happy birthday, Zhizhi!” voices echoed everywhere.
Shen Nanzhi’s eyes reddened.
It had been too long since she heard those words.
Too long.
She took a breath and smiled softly.
“Thank you… thank you all.”
But before she could finish, everyone had already started eating the cake.
She didn’t mind. Instead, she happily handed out pieces herself.
Meanwhile, Jiang Feng stood upstairs, watching everything, his expression growing darker.
She never came to him.
Never apologized.
Never brought him a piece of cake.
Until a maid finally said:
“She said the cake would rather be fed to dogs than given to Jiang Feng.”
Crack.
The teacup in his hand shattered.
Blood dripped from his palm, but he felt nothing.
Only one thought remained:
Shen Nanzhi… you will come and apologize to me tonight.
But she didn’t.
Instead, she carefully kept a piece of cake, bought ice, and returned to her room.
She even transferred the money she earned today—1,894.6 yuan.
Her eyes lit up with excitement.
Electric appliances really do make money.
Then she focused on the system store, trying to explore its functions.
Suddenly—
A prompt appeared:
“Please enter delivery address:”
Her fingers froze mid-air, trembling slightly.
As if something unbelievable was about to begin.
At midnight, Lu Xiangyang returned.
Housekeeper Wang brought him a piece of cake.
“Sir, this is the cake Miss Shen made. She saved you a piece.”
Lu Xiangyang looked surprised.
“She can’t even cook… she made this?”
He took a bite. It was unexpectedly delicious.
Soon, Wang told him everything that happened that evening.
Lu Xiangyang’s eyes darkened slightly when he heard about Shen Nanzhi and the “foreign trader” man.
A sour feeling rose in his chest.
Later, he returned to the room.
Shen Nanzhi was already asleep under the dim light.
He approached slowly, gently touching her face.
“Nan Zhi…”
He leaned closer, breathing near her skin.
Then, as if possessed, he kissed her lightly.
Soft, careful, almost innocent.
Shen Nanzhi murmured in her sleep.
The sound made his heart tremble.
But suddenly, he snapped back to his senses and sat upright, pretending he had just arrived.
He glanced at her nervously.
She was still asleep.
He exhaled in relief.
But then—
She murmured again.
“Xiangyang… why won’t you let me take off your pants?”
Lu Xiangyang froze.
His mind went blank.
Then she murmured again:
“I can do acupuncture… really…”
Only then did he realize.
She wasn’t thinking of anything inappropriate.
She wanted to treat his legs.
A warmth slowly spread through his chest.
He gently touched her face.
“Silly girl… even the best doctors in Beijing can’t cure me.”
“But don’t worry… I’ll stand up again.”
He turned his wheelchair toward the wardrobe.
But after several attempts, he failed to reach the clothes and fell back into the chair again.
Shen Nanzhi, who had already woken up, quietly watched from the bed.
Her heart ached, but she didn’t move.
Then, suddenly, she blurted out:
“Xiangyang… what about our marriage registration papers?”
Lu Xiangyang froze.
His hands trembled.
And in that moment, everything shifted again.