“We began with an accident, but I want to be true to the future, true to you.”
—Lu Xingzhi
*
Gu Suixin’s whole body felt weak and pliant. As though she were floating among the clouds, she surrendered to wave after wave of sensation, a muffled moan escaping her throat despite herself.
The man leaning over her, with his sharply defined, handsome face—and the memories that had surged into her mind the instant she opened her eyes—were telling her the same thing: she had transmigrated into a novel[1]In Chinese web fiction, transmigrating into a novel means entering a story’s world, often in the role of a character who already exists in that story. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3740772_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3740772_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });.
She was now in The Scheming Movie Emperor[2]In Chinese entertainment terminology, a “Movie Emperor” is an actor who has won a major Best Actor award; it is not a royal title. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3740772_1_2').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3740772_1_2', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });’s Charming Wife, as Gu Suixin: the great villain Lu Xingzhi’s troublemaking future ex-wife, who happened to share her name.
The Scheming Movie Emperor’s Charming Wife was a melodramatic CEO romance novel whose ending Gu Suixin had just finished reading before going to sleep.
As the troublemaking ex-wife of the villain Lu Xingzhi, Gu Suixin was naturally destined to be cannon fodder[3]In Chinese web-novel slang, “cannon fodder” is a character whose suffering or downfall mainly serves the story’s larger plot. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3740772_1_3').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3740772_1_3', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });. Before long, she would make such a fuss that Lu Xingzhi would have no choice but to agree to a divorce.
And after the divorce, her miserable life would begin.
First, someone would lead her astray until she became addicted to drugs. Then she would be drugged, something terrible would happen to her, and compromising photos of her would be taken and posted online. The pictures would even reach Shen Yanqing, the movie-star male lead in the original novel. Unable to bear the blow, Gu Suixin would get drunk and be hit by a car at the side of the road.
The one who came to claim her body was her ex-husband, Lu Xingzhi—the man she had hated from beginning to end.
And the only reason her life turned out so miserably was that she was in love with Shen Yanqing.
Even after the divorce, she merely kept up with Shen Yanqing from afar. She never once truly intruded on his life.
Gu Suixin: “…”
Fuck!
Other people transmigrated into novels as pampered darlings, or powerful hidden-identity bosses who crushed everyone in their path!
So why, when it was her turn, had she become a cannon-fodder ex-wife who made trouble for a living?
Realizing she was about to embark on a life of self-destruction, Gu Suixin’s eyes flew open.
Lu Xingzhi lowered his head, breathing unevenly, and met the eyes that had never once looked at him with tenderness or desire.
Aching with bitterness, he reached up, gripped her chin, and pushed her face to the side. He couldn’t bear to meet her gaze.
Feeling his strong, steady grip, Gu Suixin was overcome with tenderness for this villain she had loved ever since she first started reading the book.
She stopped holding back. Responding to her, Lu Xingzhi leaned down and pulled her tightly into his arms.
Feeling him stiffen and tremble, Gu Suixin lifted a hand, wanting to hold him.
【Hello? Can you hear me?】
【Hi? Gu Suixin, are you there? Hi, hi, hi?】
【Gu Suixin, if you can hear me, answer!】
【You’re dead, you know? You have to bind with me to stay alive!】
【Hello? Excuse me? こんばんは (kon ban wa), 안녕하세요 (annyeonghaseyo)?】
Gu Suixin: “…”
The hand she’d been about to wrap around Lu Xingzhi froze in midair.
The man in front of her, holding her as he caught his breath, also went still, as if someone had pressed an acupoint[4]Acupoints are points on the body recognized in traditional Chinese medicine. Chinese martial-arts fiction sometimes portrays striking or pressing them as a way to immobilize someone. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3740772_1_4').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3740772_1_4', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });.
The sudden, bouncy little-girl voice startled Gu Suixin, but she quickly recovered.
The transmigration-with-a-system setup was nothing new to an internet addict like her.
So she tried answering in her mind. “Are you a system?”
【Yep, yep! We’re finally connected! This is the Life-Extension System[5]In Chinese system novels, a “system” is a game-like interface that can assign tasks and impose rewards or penalties. “Binding” means formally linking the character to it. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3740772_1_5').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3740772_1_5', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });. You have to bind with the system to stay alive. Do you want to bind with me?】
Gu Suixin had never imagined that after finally finishing the novel, she’d cry so hard over Lu Xingzhi’s death at the end that she’d lose her breath and die—only to end up inside the book as Lu Xingzhi’s troublemaking wife, that damn woman she’d hated so much!
And now she’d even been bound to a Life-Extension System? It was obviously one of those task-based systems!
If she wanted to stay alive, she’d have to work her butt off for it!
But she was definitely dead now. There was no going back.
That left her no choice but to take over troublemaker Gu Suixin’s life and cherish Lu Xingzhi in her place.
“I accept the binding.”
【Ding! Congratulations, Host. Binding successful!】
A mechanical system voice suddenly rang out, making Gu Suixin’s scalp tingle.
Then the cute little-girl voice returned.
【Hello, Host. I’m your administrator, Meng Daqi. From now on, I’ll issue your system tasks and go over the important things to keep in mind while you complete them. Would you like to read the task manual now?】
“Yes. I’ll read it. And from now on, just call me Gu Suixin.”
【All right. Please read the host manual carefully, then let me know when you’re done. I’m about to issue your first task.】
Gu Suixin didn’t pay any attention to Meng Daqi’s shift from bubbly to serious. She skimmed through the manual’s important points.
It looked like there were a lot of rules, but they boiled down to this: the tasks had to be completed.
If she failed, she wouldn’t just miss out on life points—she’d lose the life points she already had, and could even be erased.
The first task was especially important.
Fail it?
Instant death!
Gu Suixin had always been the sort to take action. She couldn’t be bothered to pore over all the traps hidden in the fine print, so she told Meng Daqi, “Give me the task!”
【Since I only just bound with you, Sister Sui[6]“Sister” is a familiar or respectful form of address in Chinese; it does not necessarily indicate a biological relationship. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3740772_1_6').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3740772_1_6', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });, the task hasn’t been generated yet, so it’ll be assigned at random. For now, I’ll reactivate the plot. Just go with the flow and interact with Lu Xingzhi, the villain you need to save.】
Before Gu Suixin could answer, the man frozen in front of her regained his warmth and breath.
His head rested against her shoulder. Each breath sent warm air across her cheek and into the hollow of her neck, making Gu Suixin, who had just been through an intense bout of exercise, shiver with a tingling sensation.
Gu Suixin had read countless novels, but Lu Xingzhi was the one she’d loved above all others.
She might have spent her previous life in the entertainment industry, but she had no connections or backing, and her looks were ordinary. She’d debuted at eighteen and spent ten years working her way up to become a Best Actress. She had no romantic experience, either; in her spare time, she filled the emotional void by fantasizing about the men in novels.
Lu Xingzhi was her white moonlight[7]A Chinese literary and internet expression for someone cherished as an idealized, often unattainable love or figure of admiration. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3740772_1_7').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3740772_1_7', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });, the man she cherished above all others. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have fainted from crying over his death at the end of the novel and transmigrated into the book.
Now her beloved was right in front of her. How could she not be excited?
Lu Xingzhi! The man she’d loved so much she’d wanted to storm the author’s doorstep and demand justice for him!
Gu Suixin lifted a hand and touched his face, still unable to believe she’d really transmigrated into the book.
The man with his head buried against Gu Suixin’s shoulder went rigid. In disbelief, he opened his eyes.
He saw Gu Suixin blushing, her head turned as she looked at him.
He had never seen that look in her eyes before.
There was a hint of uncertainty, a hint of delight, and even… affection and tenderness?
Lu Xingzhi froze, clearly unable to believe that Gu Suixin, who had always loathed him, could look at him that way.
His throat tickled. Suppressing the desire surging within him, he asked in a low, magnetic voice, slightly hoarse from what they’d just done, “Should I carry you to wash up?”
Yes, yes!
Heaven knew how much effort Gu Suixin had to exert not to scream out loud.
Her fingertips twitched slightly, and her voice came out a little hoarse. “We…”
【Warning! Do not break character!】
【Task activated. For now, maintain the original plot. Do not break character or alter the story. Ask Lu Xingzhi for a divorce! You may not refuse the task, or you’ll be erased immediately! Complete it to gain one day of life. Fail, and you’ll drop dead on the spot!】
Gu Suixin: “…”
She felt awful!
Wasn’t she supposed to save the villain Lu Xingzhi?
Why did she have to divorce him? Wouldn’t divorcing him just hurt him even more?
Wasn’t saving him supposed to mean loving and being devoted to him, making sure he’d never become an enemy of the male lead, Shen Yanqing?
What kind of nonsense was asking for a divorce?!
【Waaah! This stupid system has no idea how to deal with people! I’ve suppressed it for now!】
【Sister Sui, let me explain!】
【It’s just the original plot at work! We’ll think of a way to save him after we survive, okay? For now, you just have to stay in character. I’m sure an award-winning actress like Gu Suixin can handle this kind of acting. It’s a piece of cake!】
【In the meantime, I’ll do my best to keep that stinky little system from interfering. You find a loophole and go all out romancing Boss Lu[8]“Boss” is a respectful or playful address for an influential man in Chinese popular fiction; it does not necessarily mean the speaker works for him. jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_3740772_1_8').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_3740772_1_8', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], });—cling to him, flirt with him, seduce him!】
【Once you’ve won his love, the divorce won’t matter so much!】
【You’re a spoiled little troublemaker of a wife, after all. By then, it’ll just be a bit of romantic teasing!】
“Romantic teasing, my ass! Stop trying to sweet-talk me!”
Meng Daqi piped up just in time, but even that couldn’t calm Gu Suixin down.
Gu Suixin wanted to yank Meng Daqi out at once and give the administrator a good whipping. And this was supposed to be cute?
Cute my ass!
But the most important thing now was staying alive!
Hubby, you’ll have to put up with this for now!
Once I’ve dealt with the system, I’ll make it up to you properly!
Kisses and cuddles, the whole works!
The turmoil inside Gu Suixin didn’t stop her from continuing to stroke Lu Xingzhi’s face and gaze at him with “deep affection.”
Lu Xingzhi seemed uncomfortable under the gaze and rare tenderness she was giving him.
He was just about to turn his face away when she shoved his cheek aside.
Then he heard the familiar voice of loathing, cold and merciless: “Let’s get a divorce.”
Lu Xingzhi’s expression stiffened, and his eyes turned cold at once.
He stared at Gu Suixin in silence for a full ten-plus seconds.
Then he released the woman in his arms, threw back the covers, got out of bed, and headed for the bathroom.
Gu Suixin kept her face cold while inwardly sobbing like a storm.
To make sure she came across as “heartless,” she turned onto her side and stared at the man’s perfect physique, resisting the urge to chase after him and touch the small of his back. Then she shouted furiously, “Lu Xingzhi, are you deaf? I said, let’s get a divorce!”
“Bang!”
The heavy slam of the door was her only answer, along with the system’s notice that she had completed the task and earned one day of life.
Gu Suixin stared at the ceiling, devastated and sobbing hysterically inside.
To stay alive for one day, I hurt my white moonlight!
This is so hard! Waaaah!
Hubby, I’m sorry!
I don’t want a divorce, waaaah!
…
By the time Gu Suixin woke up, the sun was already high in the sky.
She got out of bed, one hand braced against her sore lower back. Only when she was mechanically brushing her teeth in front of the bathroom mirror did a cool voice echo in her mind.
“You can ask for anything you want, except a divorce.”
Gu Suixin’s dazed eyes slowly cleared. Only then did she remember that the night before, she’d planned to wait for Lu Xingzhi to come out of the shower so they could talk properly—but she’d been too tired and fallen asleep.
In her half-asleep haze, she’d felt someone carry her to wash up. It was while she was being cleaned that she’d heard him say those words.
Gu Suixin sighed.
I don’t want a divorce, either. I just want us to keep stumbling along together, loving each other. But the system won’t even let me act like a decent person!
Gu Suixin spat out the foam, finished washing up, and went downstairs.
“Crash!”
“Lu Ao! If you’re not going to eat, stay away from me!”
Gu Suixin had just reached the top of the stairs when she heard a bowl shatter and a little boy’s ferocious, babyish voice.
Oh, right. She hadn’t only transmigrated into the villain’s troublemaking cannon-fodder ex-wife—she also had two devilish twin sons who were enough to give her a headache!
In the original novel, Lu Xingzhi wasn’t the only great villain. After Gu Suixin died, his two sons also let themselves go completely, becoming little villains who could destroy the world!
The two boys were only a little over ten, but they had the intelligence of geniuses and the ruthlessness of devils. They wanted nothing less than to destroy the protagonists—and the world!
In the end, good triumphed over evil, and the three villainous Lu men—father and sons—died in the final chapter!
Thinking about this whole nest of villains made Gu Suixin’s scalp prickle.
Fortunately, the two little ones were still young and hadn’t started down the path of world destruction.
【Side quest “Education” activated. Please properly discipline the two little villains who are about to go astray and set them back on the right path.】
【“Education” side quest 1: Spank the mischievous Lu Ao on the bottom at least three times. Complete it to gain one day of life.】
Gu Suixin: “…”
What a messed-up task.
Couldn’t they just let her and her sons be a loving mother and children?
This wasn’t education. It was practically turning her and her sons into enemies!
Fine! For the sake of staying alive—and their future—I’ll endure it!
Gu Suixin took a deep breath, then started down the stairs.
The battlefield… here I come.
References[+]