In the evening, Pei Yu continued her schedule, attending an event where several industry insiders had gathered. They stood together, chatting.
In the past, due to Pei Yu’s status in the circle and her position as Mrs. Shen, people were afraid to get close to her. Any attempt at conversation was strictly limited to professional talk, leaving Pei Yu alone for the majority of such events. Consequently, people called her the “noble black swan”—sacred and inviolable. She was a woman who belonged only to Shen Luoxi.
But today, when Pei Yu walked over, they didn’t avoid her. Instead, they welcomed her with smiles. They talked about work, life, and even Pei Yu’s relationship status.
“Hey, Sister Pei, are you happy after getting married?” a young girl, a junior in the industry, asked curiously.
The expressions of those surrounding them shifted instantly. They tried to warn the girl with their eyes; chatting with Sister Pei was one thing, but prying into her private life was quite another.
Sensing their signals, the young girl lowered her head guiltily. “I’m sorry, Sister Pei. I spoke out of turn.”
Pei Yu didn’t seem to mind. She replied with a gentle expression, “It’s alright. Marriage is something you have to experience for yourself; everyone has their own realization of it.”
“Oh, okay,” the girl nodded, still looking nervous as she fidgeted with her hands.
As the event continued, a coordinator walked over and said to Pei Yu with a smile, “Teacher Pei, do you have a moment? We’d like to take some group photos over here.”
“Of course.” Pei Yu turned to follow him.
“This way, please,” the coordinator invited.
The moment Pei Yu was out of earshot, the group huddled together to scold the girl. “Of all things to ask, you asked about her marriage? Don’t you know her wife is the eldest daughter of the Shen family, Shen Luoxi? If you provoke her, you won’t even know how you got kicked out of the industry.”
The girl still didn’t quite understand. She defended herself, “But isn’t Sister Pei a very nice person?”
“That’s Pei Yu. That isn’t Shen Luoxi,” the group muttered through gritted teeth.
In this day and age, no matter how big a star you were, you were worthless in the face of capital. They could laugh and talk with Pei Yu, but that didn’t mean they could pry into the private affairs of the Shen family. Shen Luoxi’s foul temper was legendary; provoking her meant gambling with one’s entire future.
The girl, properly chastised, didn’t dare say another word, only stealing glances at Pei Yu as she posed for photos. She had to admit—Sister Pei was truly beautiful.
The event ended late. As the venue cleared, the artists were led away by their managers. As the brand spokesperson, Pei Yu stayed behind for a bit to wrap up details with the organizers before leaving.
Finally finished, Pei Yu followed Zhou Jing through the main entrance and got into the car to return to the hotel. On the way, she checked her phone several times. Once she reached the hotel, she put it away for good.
On the third day of her business trip, Pei Yu’s Weibo followers officially surpassed 70 million. According to her promise, she had to release the milestone “benefit”—the dance video. Pei Yu had recorded it the day before and sent the file to the staff managing the company’s social media. At 5:20 PM, the account posted it on a scheduled timer.
Within five minutes of posting, likes and shares exceeded 10,000. The company didn’t even need to buy trending spots; the sheer heat of the video pushed it to the top of the charts. Within an hour, mentions of Pei Yu reached a million, and views were in the tens of millions.
The comments section was flooded with fans calling her “husband.”
“Heart for Baby Pei: AHHH! My husband is so cool! My husband is a total top!” “Meeting Moonlight: Husband is too handsome! Husband, divorce her and marry me!!” “Wen Liang: Holy crap, Pei Yu can dance like this?”
Shen Luoxi was in the library as usual. The quiet study area suddenly became restless as students whispered while looking at their phones. In the murmur, she caught Pei Yu’s name and phrases like “so handsome.”
Shen Luoxi looked around, then opened Weibo on her phone. Right at the top of the trending list was Pei Yu’s name followed by the word “Dancing.”
“70 million reward?” Shen Luoxi murmured. Only that could cause such a stir.
She clicked the tag. She didn’t watch immediately; instead, she took her Bluetooth headphones from her bag, put them on, and lowered the volume. Only then did she press play.
The video was set in a dance studio. Pei Yu wore cool, black loose casual wear. Her top was a black sports bra that highlighted her figure and a hint of abs. She wore a black baseball cap, with dancers behind her arranged in a V-formation.
As the music started, Pei Yu crossed her arms and moved fluidly with the beat. She stepped to the front, adjusting the brim of her hat with a sharp, cool motion. The dancers behind her fanned out, their limbs snapping and flowing in a style that was a mix of hip-hop and jazz. Pei Yu’s movements were smooth, her coordination perfect, and her rhythm impeccable. She looked like a professional dancer.
Wait, Shen Luoxi suddenly remembered. Pei Yu had originally been a dance major. Since she transitioned to acting, she rarely had the chance to perform, so many people only knew her as an actress.
The video was a minute long, and it ended before Shen Luoxi realized it. She hadn’t seen enough, so she dragged the progress bar back to the start.
Around her, the other students were watching too. After the librarian came in to hush everyone, it became quiet, but many were still watching with headphones and whispering in low voices.
Shen Luoxi watched it no less than ten times. Finally, she took a screenshot and messaged Pei Yu: I saw your video. Your dancing is incredibly cool.
Pei Yu replied almost instantly: Mhm.
Seeing the immediate reply, Shen Luoxi wondered if she had misread it. She figured Pei Yu must be monitoring the online reaction as well. She tapped her fingers on the table a few times before typing: When are you coming back? ‘As Such’ is ready to be finalized. We’re waiting for you to discuss the details.
Pei Yu: Tomorrow.
Coming back tomorrow? Shen Luoxi’s eyes widened slightly.
Shen Luoxi: Great. Message me when you’re almost home. I’ll meet you downstairs. Pei Yu: Mhm.
After the chat, Shen Luoxi closed her phone. Her mood didn’t lighten at the news of Pei Yu’s return; instead, it grew heavy. She had only been in this world for a few days, and the story had just begun. Why was Pei Yu’s change so significant, as if the past hadn’t happened?
By Shen Luoxi’s own logic, if someone had beaten and insulted her and hurt her parents, she would never make peace with that scumbag—she’d sooner see them ruined. Yet Pei Yu’s recent attitude was unexpected. Not only did she reply to messages, but she replied to every single one.
This didn’t fit the Pei Yu from the novel. In the book, even though Pei Yu feared Shen Luoxi, she had her own mind. She wasn’t a submissive person. In other words, Pei Yu was deep—she had “eight hundred hidden motives,” but she never showed them to outsiders.
So, what did this attitude mean? Feigned compliance.
Shen Luoxi suddenly understood. Pei Yu was deliberately pleasing her to find an opportunity to leave. She had never thought of forgiving her. This fit Pei Yu’s character perfectly.
Thinking this through, a sense of loneliness washed over Shen Luoxi, but she understood. Even if the soul had changed, the body was still Shen Luoxi’s. The trauma wouldn’t vanish just because the soul did. It was like a domestic abuser suddenly telling his wife, “I’ll never hit you again.” Would the wife believe him? She might pretend to, simply to keep him from hitting her while she looked for a way out.
Shen Luoxi gripped her phone tightly, her head dropping until her forehead rested against her open book. She could change the plot, but she couldn’t change Pei Yu’s heart.
The next day, early morning.
Pei Yu arrived home. Zhou Jing escorted her to the elevator. “Do you want me to help you up? The luggage is a bit heavy.”
“No need,” Pei Yu declined. “You should get home early. Tell the driver to take it slow and stay safe.”
“Alright, I will,” Zhou Jing nodded.
The garage was empty in the predawn hours, and the elevator was deserted. Pei Yu pulled her suitcase inside. “Bye-bye,” she waved to Zhou Jing.
“Bye!” Zhou Jing waved back. As the doors closed, she yawned and headed back to the car. She could finally get a decent night’s sleep.
The elevator climbed slowly. When it reached the floor, Pei Yu hauled her heavy suitcase out. She reached the door, let go of the luggage, and entered the passcode. The lock chimed and opened. She pulled the handle and stepped into the foyer.
Looking down, she saw the slippers she usually wore at home placed neatly at the entrance. But she remembered clearly that she had put them in the shoe cabinet before leaving.
Shen Luoxi. The name flashed in her mind.
When they messaged yesterday, Pei Yu said she was coming back today, but didn’t specify the time. It could have been morning, afternoon, or night. Yet this person had already set the slippers out.
If it wasn’t a deliberate act of kindness, it meant a woman had been to the house and worn Pei Yu’s slippers. The latter was a strong possibility; after all, Shen Luoxi had always been that kind of person.
Pei Yu chose not to wear those slippers. She took off her shoes, put them in the cabinet, and walked onto the floor in her bare feet, pulling her suitcase toward her room.
“Pei Yu.” A voice suddenly came from the guest room.
Pei Yu stopped dead in her tracks.