Yuan Wei froze.
He immediately yanked his hand back and viciously wiped the saliva off with the handkerchief from his pocket.
Su Youtian stared at him.
He actually had the nerve to be disgusted by her saliva!
Back when they used to eat together, he could swallow food with cat fur stuck to it without changing expression!
No, wait. This wasn’t the time to think about that.
[System, what point in the story is this?]
【We’re currently at the main plotline, after Yuan Wei’s rise to success. Congratulations, Host. You can finally experience real suffering now!】
Su Youtian: “…”
Yuan Wei casually tossed the handkerchief aside and frowned at her.
“If you need anything, contact my assistant directly. I don’t want to see you again.”
His tone was so cold that it was as if Su Youtian were nothing more than an eyesore, a piece of trash standing in front of him. He rubbed the fingers that had touched her lips until they turned red, looking as though he wished he could soak them in disinfectant.
Su Youtian fell silent.
During the months she had spent with Yuan Wei, she had come to know just how gentle and considerate he was. Though he rarely said it aloud, she could always feel his concern for her. During the three years she had spent with the younger Yuan Wei, he had spoiled her so thoroughly she had nearly lost the ability to take care of herself.
She had long grown accustomed to Yuan Wei’s meticulous care.
But now, for the first time, she seemed to understand that the cold and ruthless man before her was the real Yuan Wei.
Staring at his hard profile, she could not find a single word to say.
Yuan Wei assumed she was frightened and said nothing more.
After straightening his sleeve, he turned and left.
Su Youtian pursed her lips and was just about to wipe away her tears when the System stopped her.
【No crying. I won’t spoil you this time. If you break character again, I’ll shock you.】
Su Youtian: “QAQ”
After taking two steps, she crouched down and picked up Yuan Wei’s discarded handkerchief, staring at it in her hands.
One look at the fabric told her it was probably worth as much as an entire outfit she used to own.
Yet Yuan Wei had thrown it away without a second thought.
On one hand, it showed just how much he detested her.
On the other, it proved that his wealth had reached a level others could only look up to.
Sniffling, Su Youtian clutched the handkerchief without speaking.
The System sighed.
【Stop pining over things and people. You need to pull yourself together and figure out the situation as quickly as possible.】
Su Youtian nodded.
Then she pressed the handkerchief against her face and blew her nose hard into it.
The System: 【…If I ever feel sorry for you again, I won’t deserve my name.】
Su Youtian: “……(: 」∠)“
She stood up and rubbed her arms.
“What do I do now? Where am I supposed to go?”
【Someone’s coming.】
Su Youtian paused.
She instinctively turned around and saw a woman in a white evening gown approaching slowly with a glass of red wine in hand. Seeing Su Youtian standing there blankly, the woman laughed.
“What are you doing standing here?”
Su Youtian looked her up and down.
“Yin Shan?”
Yin Shan smiled.
“What, am I so beautiful today that you couldn’t recognize me?”
Su Youtian hurriedly nodded.
“Yes, you look gorgeous today.”
Yin Shan looked at her in surprise.
“In all this time, I’ve never heard you compliment me before. What is it? Are you in such a good mood today?”
Knowing Sheng Xia’s personality, Su Youtian was certain she would never compliment another woman. Feeling awkward, she gave a stiff smile and resolved to choose her words more carefully.
Fortunately, Yin Shan noticed the handkerchief in her hand and immediately understood.
“So that’s it. You saw Yuan Wei?”
Su Youtian let out a startled sound.
How did she know?
Yin Shan said, “I noticed that handkerchief in his suit pocket earlier. Yuan Wei has always used that brand. Every actress in the industry knows it.”
The fact that his handkerchief was now in Su Youtian’s possession already said a lot.
Su Youtian lowered her head.
The now-soiled handkerchief was clenched in her hand. She neither knew whether to throw it away nor hide it.
Yin Shan pulled her aside and crossed her arms. Glancing at the half of Su Youtian’s chest exposed by her outfit, she smiled smugly.
“I told you, no man can resist this kind of temptation. If you want to conquer an iceberg like him, you have to use stronger methods. You really should thank me this time. Without me, would you have had any chance of winning Yuan Wei’s heart back?”
Looking down at the two scraps of fabric she was wearing, Su Youtian finally understood who had come up with this terrible idea.
Now the plot had returned to normal.
Although Yin Shan had awakened early and become the boss character, and had long since become indifferent toward men, she still dutifully played the role of Sheng Xia’s strategist, constantly devising schemes to help her win Yuan Wei back.
Su Youtian felt like crying.
Why did every transmigration happen at the worst possible moment?
Sighing, she decided it was better to tell the truth.
“No. He still despises me.”
The moment the word disgust came up, Su Youtian felt a heaviness settle in her chest again.
Yin Shan looked surprised. “He’s still disgusted by you? Then how did his handkerchief end up in your hands?”
Su Youtian shook her head. She had no desire to recount something so humiliating.
Yin Shan sighed.
“Then I’m really out of ideas. Before, I told you to move him with the feelings you shared in the past, but he couldn’t care less. Now you’ve tried seducing him physically, and he’s even more disgusted. Sheng Xia, I think you should just give up.”
Su Youtian shook her head.
She wanted to give up, but would the System let her?
Yin Shan pondered for a moment.
“Maybe the medicine wasn’t strong enough?”
A sense of dread instantly rose in Su Youtian’s heart.
She looked at Yin Shan nervously. “What do you mean?”
Yin Shan stroked her chin, her gaze sweeping over Su Youtian’s chest.
Su Youtian immediately covered her chest and shook her head frantically.
Late that night, she dragged her exhausted body home under the System’s guidance.
Over the past three years, Sheng Xia seemed to have earned quite a lot of money. When the System directed her to her new home, she stood there staring up at the rows of high-rise buildings, unable to process it.
“So I’m rich now too, hehe.”
She took the elevator up to the fifteenth floor and unlocked the door with her key. The moment she turned on the lights, she nearly jumped out of her skin at the sight of a figure sitting on the sofa.
“Ah!”
Luo Wanyun was leaning lightly against the couch. As she turned her head, the gentleness that had once softened her features had long been worn away by time. Her high cheekbones now gave her a somewhat harsh appearance.
“Why are you back so late?”
Su Youtian took a closer look.
Wasn’t this Sheng Xia’s mother?
She seemed to have aged significantly over the past three years, so much so that Su Youtian hadn’t recognized her at first.
Luo Wanyun frowned at her, and the sight inexplicably reminded Su Youtian of a time in high school when she had returned late after attending a classmate’s birthday party. Her mother had been waiting at the door holding a feather duster.
Back then, she had wailed all night. The next day, an elderly neighbor had come over and earnestly advised her mother:
“I know you’ve got a bad temper, but no matter how bad it is, you can’t abuse a dog like that!”
Luo Wanyun saw her zoning out and coughed impatiently.
“What are you daydreaming about now? I’m talking to you!”
Snapping back to reality, Su Youtian quickly replied, “I went to a cocktail party.”
Luo Wanyun leaned back, the corners of her mouth turning downward.
“Why go to some cocktail party for no reason? I told you to find Yuan Wei. Why didn’t you go?”
Su Youtian knew that after learning of Yuan Wei’s successful comeback, Luo Wanyun had regretted everything. That was why she kept pressuring Sheng Xia to win him back.
Thinking about Sheng Xia’s personality and what she would probably say, Su Youtian replied,
“I went to that party specifically to look for him.”
Luo Wanyun nodded in satisfaction and leaned slightly forward.
“Well? Has his attitude softened at all?”
Su Youtian shook her head.
Luo Wanyun’s expression darkened immediately.
“You can’t even win back one man. What’s the point of having you?”
Privately, Su Youtian rolled her eyes, though outwardly she maintained a meek and obedient appearance.
Rubbing her temples, Luo Wanyun said,
“He’s been back for nearly six months now. Not only has your relationship not improved, it’s gotten even worse. Don’t you have any idea why?”
Following the principle of saying less to make fewer mistakes, Su Youtian simply shook her head without speaking.
Luo Wanyun sighed.
“You really are hopeless. No wonder people online call you a brainless beauty. You were with him for so many years, and you don’t understand him at all?”
Su Youtian continued shaking her head.
Grinding her teeth, Luo Wanyun turned away.
“Stop irritating me. Go back to your room.”
Just as Su Youtian was about to leave, Luo Wanyun called out to her again.
Her expression was serious, but her voice became distant and slow.
“Sometimes, a woman’s greatest weapon isn’t those little tricks. It’s… herself.”
The deeper meaning behind those words startled Su Youtian.
Instinctively, she glanced down at her chest.
Over the next few days, Su Youtian rushed from one event to another. She counted money until her hands nearly cramped. Whenever she encountered problems she couldn’t handle, the System would help her muddle through.
By the end of those few days, she was utterly exhausted and had no opportunity to get close to Yuan Wei.
Then, after recording a variety show one day, she received a message.
“Tomorrow at 7 PM is our high school reunion at Shengyuan Hotel. Yuan Wei will be there too. But I bet you don’t dare come.
— Gan Wenwen”
Su Youtian froze.
A high school reunion?
Yuan Wei would be there?
A surge of delight welled up inside her.
To be honest, she hadn’t seen him for several days, and she really missed him.
Even though Yuan Wei had turned into an iceberg tyrannosaurus, she still wanted to know how he was doing.
Was being a CEO exhausting?
Was he eating his meals on time?
Was he taking good care of Tuotuo?
She had countless things she wanted to ask him.
But the moment she remembered her current identity, her spirits sank again.
If he saw her now, he would probably be disgusted by her presence.
And judging from the wording of the message, Gan Wenwen clearly no longer liked her. All their former classmates probably knew that “she” had dumped Yuan Wei. By now, Sheng Xia had likely become a complete joke.
Thinking about the possibility that tomorrow would be a battlefield of embarrassment and confrontation, she couldn’t help feeling intimidated.
She asked the System:
[Does this count as a mission?]
【No, but it is part of the plot. Just follow the storyline.】
Su Youtian gave up resisting.
“Fine. The sooner I die, the sooner I’ll be reborn.”
The next morning, she began rummaging through closets and drawers for clothes.
“This one shows too much skin. No good.”
“This one is too conservative. It won’t attract anyone.”
“This one won’t work either. Does it look too old-fashioned?”
The System sneered.
【Even if you showed up naked, Yuan Wei wouldn’t spare you a glance.】
Su Youtian gritted her teeth.
“How is that possible? I’m already a D-cup now!”
After saying that, she proudly puffed out her chest.
The System replied:
【’Big chest, no brains’ was invented for people like you!】
Su Youtian: “……”
That evening, she got out of the car in front of the hotel.
She was wearing a strapless red dress with a short leather jacket over it, oversized sunglasses, and high heels that clacked loudly against the floor.
Even the staff member leading the way couldn’t stop sneaking glances at her.
As she approached the private room, she had not even stepped through the door when laughter and conversation drifted out from inside.
“Out of all of us, Yuan Wei’s the most successful one, right?!”
“Who wouldn’t agree? I never would’ve imagined that the poor kid back then would become a big-shot CEO today. We’re all still working ourselves to the bone, while all he has to do is lift a finger and money and beautiful women come flocking to him. Tell me, isn’t that fate?”
“Fate my ass! Haven’t you heard what people are saying? Everyone in the Yuan family capable of holding things together either died or got sick. He was just some poor construction worker. He happened to get hit by a huge stroke of luck. Without that, who knows where he’d still be hauling bricks today!”
The voice was rough and hoarse. Listening to it, Su Youtian had the sudden urge to take a brush and scrub the man’s throat clean.
The others seemed to have a good relationship with Yuan Wei. Very soon, she heard Qian Liyuan’s voice.
“Lu Lai, stop spewing bullshit! Yuan Wei is a CEO now. No matter how jealous you are, you’ll never compare to him! If you’re really unhappy about it, hurry up and reincarnate into a rich family! Though looking at you, you might end up reborn as a pig!”
The room immediately erupted in laughter.
Lu Lai, with his gravelly voice, tried to argue back, but the others quickly drowned him out.
From the sound of it, he was not very popular. Their classmates were clearly on Yuan Wei’s side.
Su Youtian felt relieved.
Even though Yuan Wei had become rather withdrawn, there were still so many people who cared about him.
Perhaps sensing that the atmosphere had become somewhat heavy, someone continued:
“But the real lucky bastard is Sheng Xia. Back then she looked down on Yuan Wei because he’d been in prison. Yuan Wei won her back with his sincerity, only for her to dump him again because she wanted to enter the entertainment industry! Now Yuan Wei’s a CEO, and countless actresses are dying to throw themselves into his bed. Look at her now, she’s the one chasing after him, and he doesn’t even want her anymore!”
The room burst into even louder laughter.
At that moment, someone finally spoke up quietly.
“Enough already. What if Sheng Xia hears you?”
Gan Wenwen replied,
“So what if she does? Are we saying anything that isn’t true? If she dared to do it, she should dare to own it!”
Su Youtian was speechless.
Should she go in or not?
While she was hesitating, a tall figure suddenly walked past her.
Su Youtian froze.
She saw Yuan Wei, his short hair neatly styled, striding forward ahead of her.
He was dressed in a black suit that looked custom-tailored. The fabric fit his frame perfectly, outlining broad shoulders and long legs. Even from behind, he was so handsome that Su Youtian nearly lost her composure.
Yuan Wei was even more handsome than before.
And far more mature.
He passed by in a flash, not leaving her even a single glance.
A sharp pain struck Su Youtian’s heart.
Taking a deep breath, she hurried after him.
The moment they entered the private room, silence fell.
Everyone stood up.
Their eyes darted from Yuan Wei to Su Youtian, each face filled with bewilderment.
Qian Liyuan was the first to react. He led Yuan Wei to the center seat while the others automatically made room for him.
The moment Yuan Wei sat down, an empty space naturally formed around him.
Unbothered, he said,
“Everyone, it’s been a long time.”
His voice was calm and measured, yet it was like a hammer striking the opening gong of the gathering.
Immediately, smiles spread across everyone’s faces as they raised their glasses and began chatting with him.
Su Youtian stood awkwardly by herself.
Fortunately, the girls were softer-hearted. Besides, she was now a moderately famous celebrity. One after another, they used the excuse of asking for autographs to strike up conversations with her.
Among all the girls, Gan Wenwen was the most straightforward.
She rolled her eyes at Su Youtian and went to sit elsewhere.
Su Youtian did not blame her.
She knew Gan Wenwen was blunt and honest at heart. If she had a friend like “Sheng Xia,” not cutting ties would already be generous.
Lu Lai had been pushed to the edge of the crowd. Grinding his teeth unwillingly, he picked up a glass and squeezed his way over.
Yuan Wei sat calmly in his seat. Faced with everyone’s attempts to persuade him to drink, he simply said:
“I don’t drink.”
Immediately, the men scattered like a receding tide.
“Not drinking is good. Alcohol’s terrible for your health nowadays.”
“Exactly. A big boss like him isn’t the same as us. We can have a few drinks, but he’s got important business to handle!”
“How about the rest of us just drink a little? If Yuan Wei can’t drink, there’s no need to force him.”
Throughout the entire exchange, Yuan Wei only said that he didn’t drink. He did not even bother giving a reason.
Yet that alone was enough to make everyone obediently back off.
For the first time, Su Youtian truly understood what it meant when people said that money talks.
Holding a wine glass, Qian Liyuan sat beside him.
Throwing an arm around Yuan Wei’s shoulders, he lowered his voice.
“You can fool them, but you can’t fool me. What’s wrong? In a bad mood? You don’t even feel like drinking anymore?”
Yuan Wei did not seem bothered by the physical contact.
“Alcohol causes trouble.”
Qian Liyuan knew Yuan Wei couldn’t handle alcohol, but not drinking well did not mean never touching it at all.
Helplessly, he said,
“Fine, fine. You’re right! But even if you don’t want to give them face, can you at least give me some? How about the two of us have a drink together later?”
Yuan Wei nodded.
Only then did Qian Liyuan brighten up.
After a few drinks, his face grew slightly flushed. He glanced at Su Youtian.
“Hey, tell me honestly. Do you really not like Sheng Xia anymore?”
Yuan Wei leaned forward slightly, his fingers interlaced.
His lips pressed together, and he said nothing.
Qian Liyuan continued:
“Look at your status now. Why overthink things? Whether she likes you or not, who cares? Just sleep with her and figure the rest out later!”
Yuan Wei turned and looked at him.
Qian Liyuan immediately waved both hands.
“Don’t look at me like that. It feels like I’m being sliced to pieces.”
Yuan Wei turned back around, and the corner of his mouth seemed to twitch upward slightly.
Puzzled, Qian Liyuan said:
“This is what’s driving me crazy. If you like her, you won’t accept her. If you don’t like her, you keep supporting her anyway. Brother, you’re basically stabbing yourself in the heart.”
Yuan Wei’s fingers turned pale. He shook his head, unwilling to say more.
Yuan Wei was usually busy, and Qian Liyuan rarely got the chance to see him. Coupled with the fact that he had already drunk quite a bit, he stubbornly pressed on, determined to get to the bottom of things. He kept asking about Sheng Xia.
At first, Yuan Wei remained expressionless. Gradually, however, it seemed as though a layer of ice had formed over his face from all the questioning. Tilting his head back, he poured a glass of liquor straight down his throat.
Qian Liyuan burst out laughing.
“That’s more like it! Whether you’re happy or not, you’ve still got to drink!”
Yuan Wei narrowed his eyes and downed another glass.
In the end, his expression grew somewhat dazed. Supporting himself against the wall, he walked out.
Watching secretly from afar, Su Youtian felt uneasy and followed him.
Yuan Wei sat down in the hallway outside. His black shirt had become wrinkled from his movements, exposing a smooth section of his waistline to the air.
Su Youtian immediately covered her nose and hurried over.
His short hair was damp. His face was unnaturally pale, his eyes closed tightly, his brows knitted together. One leg was drawn up uncomfortably.
The moment she got close, she caught the scent of alcohol on him.
Heart aching for him, she gently touched his face and was just about to help him up when a beep sounded.
【Please choose and complete one of the following options within thirty seconds:
1.Kiss his lips
2.Touch his abs
3.Touch his face
4.Touch his chest】
Su Youtian: “!!!”
[…Excuse me, have you been possessed or something?]
【Stop wasting time! Choose!】
Su Youtian was so nervous she could barely control herself. Her face turned bright red, and even her palms began to sweat.
【25, 24, 23…】
Su Youtian stared deeply at Yuan Wei’s slim waist and long legs, then suddenly pondered aloud.
“System, can your tasks be stacked?”
【What do you mean?】
“I want to choose: 3, 1, 2, 4, 4, 3, 2, 2, 2, 1.”
System: 【…Go die!!!】