Calling someone “wife” was something Shi Wei Yue was getting increasingly comfortable with first time awkward, second time natural. Wen Ruxing had also gradually grown accustomed to the term of endearment, showing no resistance. She simply ignored Shi Wei Yue’s comment about missing her and lazily replied:
“Do whatever you want. No need to report to me.”
Seeing that Wen Ruxing didn’t seem to pick up on her underlying meaning, whether she was pretending or genuinely oblivious, Shi Wei Yue decided not to press further.
“You’ll be joining the filming crew soon, right?”
Wen Ruxing gave a faint “Mm.” “Next month.”
It was currently mid-month, meaning there were only about ten days left until then. Shi Wei Yue estimated that the custom-made diamond ring she had ordered should be ready soon and planned to follow up on it later that day.
There wasn’t much else to say between them, so after a brief exchange, Shi Wei Yue hung up.
**
As someone who had just graduated and started an internship in her original world, handling unfamiliar corporate affairs was a significant challenge for Shi Wei Yue. She spent nearly the entire day holed up in her office, poring over every available document from company introductions to operational models before diving into the backend management system to cross-check the employee roster.
The company was riddled with parasites, its culture rotten to the core. Turning things around wouldn’t be easy. She couldn’t just root out and fire every problematic employee in one go. Labor contracts prohibited unjustified dismissals, and even if she could, who would fill the gaps left behind?
These were complex issues, far beyond Shi Wei Yue’s experience and the original owner of this body hadn’t left her much to work with either. She would have to figure it out step by step.
Around noon, her secretary called to ask if she wanted lunch delivered. Shi Wei Yue declined, intending to check out the cafeteria instead. But just before lunchtime, a flurry of emails delayed her plans.
They were negotiation plans for a certain IP, usually handled by subordinates. However, since Shi Wei Yue was in the office today, a copy had been forwarded to her as a formality. The back-and-forth left her no time for lunch, and by the time she wrapped up, it was almost the end of the workday.
Then, her phone rang.
Seeing the caller ID display a single character, “Sis”, Shi Wei Yue hesitated for a moment before answering.
At first, she worried it might be one of the original owner’s lovers saved under that name. But soon, a gentle, cheerful voice called out her nickname:
“Yueyue, I heard you went to the company today? Just for fun? I just got back, should I come pick you up, or will you come to me? It’s been a while since we’ve seen each other. Let’s have dinner together.”
The familiar tone and soft voice belonged to the original owner’s biological older sister, Shi Xiang Ling.
Unlike the reckless and indulgent original owner, this sister had always been sharp-minded, top of her class since childhood, later studying abroad, and now pursuing a Ph.D. at a young age. Compared to the original owner, she was practically in a league of her own.
When two children with completely different personalities were born into the same family, whether the parents played favorites was one thing but outsiders would inevitably compare them as juicy gossip.
The original owner had grown up under her sister’s shadow but bore no resentment. After all, they were biological sisters, and her elder sister had always been protective of her. As adults, her sister even helped establish this company, ensuring she had a place to go instead of being unemployed.
Over time, the original owner became increasingly dependent on her sister, practically obeying her every word. Her sister, in turn, doted on her excessively, never criticizing her and forbidding others from doing so. She fulfilled nearly all of the original owner’s requests.
After a long, exhausting day, Shi Wei Yue was already quite tired. However, given the original owner’s close relationship with her sister, she didn’t want to dampen her sister’s enthusiasm. After some consideration, she decided to let her sister pick her up.
After sending Wen Ruxing a message saying she wouldn’t be home for dinner, Shi Wei Yue spent some time in the office carefully reviewing the IP. By the time Shi Xiang Ling arrived, half an hour had passed. Shi Wei Yue stood up, rubbing her slightly sore waist, and smiled at the woman who appeared at the door.
“Sis.”
Shi Wei Yue had sisters before, but their bond had always been weak, with little to talk about. From a young age, she knew that the sisters in her family were expected to work to support their brothers and contribute to the household. Her sisters had limited education and, influenced by outdated beliefs, saw it as their duty to sacrifice themselves for their brothers’ marriages.
Given such differences, it was no surprise they couldn’t connect. Her relationship with her family was distant, which was why she decisively left home as soon as she came of age.
Shi Xiang Ling was clearly different from her previous sisters. Even during the car ride, their conversation flowed effortlessly. Her sister’s concern for her was warm but not overbearing, and her gentle demeanor matched her appearance, a refined, educated woman with a distinct air of intellect.
Being around someone with such high emotional intelligence was inherently comfortable. As they chatted, the topic inevitably turned to her newlywed wife. Shi Xiang Ling was still single but extremely indulgent toward her younger sister. When Shi Wei Yue had decided to marry, Shi Xiang Ling hadn’t approved at first. It was only after Shi Wei Yue personally confirmed her decision that her sister reluctantly agreed.
“How are things between you and that Miss Wen now?”
Shi Xiang Ling never referred to Wen Ruxing by name, opting instead for the polite yet distant “Miss Wen,” as if denying any marital connection between them.
“It was a bit awkward at first, but I’m getting used to it now. It’s not bad.”
Shi Wei Yue didn’t speak ill of Wen Ruxing.
Her personal feelings about Wen Ruxing were one thing, but to outsiders, they were a married couple. Shi Wei Yue was mindful of the saying “loose lips sink ships,” so she maintained a consistent stance even in front of her sister.
She had to appear as though she didn’t dislike Wen Ru Xing.
If rumors spread that they were already at odds so soon after marriage, they would become the laughingstock of their social circle. Shi Wei Yue was cautious in this regard, well aware of the complexities of high-society life. She didn’t want to give anyone the slightest reason to criticize.
Shi Xiang Ling seemed genuinely dissatisfied with Wen Ru Xing. Her delicate brows furrowed slightly as she drove, and she reminded Shi Wei Yue:
“If anything makes you uncomfortable, you must speak up. As long as the Shi family stands, we won’t let you suffer any grievances.”
Her words made it sound as if Wen Ruxing had bullied her. Shi Wei Yue didn’t understand why Shi Xiang Ling would think that way, but she still tried to clarify:
“I was the one who agreed to it back then. There’s no grievance to speak of.” To prevent Shi Xiang Ling from asking further, she decided to pull out the “married person” trump card and turned the question back on her. “Sis, when are you going to find a partner?”
As a minor antagonist in the novel, the original character had little screen time, and her family was barely mentioned. But judging by her sister’s personality, she seemed more focused on her career than romance.
Sure enough, Shi Xiang Ling smoothly changed the subject.
When they arrived at the mall, Shi Xiang Ling took her to an upscale restaurant. From the outside, it looked even more luxurious than the one she had dined at last time. The menu featured poetic names for the dishes, but the ingredients were nothing special, just the prices were several times higher.
Shi Xiang Ling had worked as a model abroad for a while and still maintained strict control over her figure. She avoided anything too oily or heavily seasoned but enjoyed watching Shi Wei Yue eat. Moreover, Shi Xiang Ling had the habit of not speaking during meals, so the dinner was unusually quiet.
Whether others liked being taken care of like this was unknown, but Shi Wei Yue herself couldn’t stand being stared at like a child by someone her own age. After eating for a while, she finally looked up.
“Sis?”
Shi Xiang Ling had only eaten some salad and rye bread, yet she had ordered a table full of dishes, some of which she didn’t even touch. No matter how big Shi Wei Yue’s appetite was, she was still just an ordinary person and couldn’t possibly finish everything alone. Hearing her call, Shi Xiang Ling turned her gentle gaze toward her and asked softly,
“Are you full? If you are, let’s go shopping.”
Shi Wei Yue was nearly done, but Shi Xiang Ling had ordered so much even if the portions were small, the sheer quantity left plenty untouched. The woman paid the bill without hesitation, and Shi Wei Yue couldn’t bring herself to ask for a doggy bag, so she could only watch helplessly as the food went to waste.
Aside from the expensive restaurants, many shops in the mall specialized in high-end handmade goods, with prices often reaching six figures.
As an ordinary person, this was Shi Wei Yue’s first time experiencing such an extravagant lifestyle typical of the wealthy elite. In the past, she wouldn’t have even considered stepping into these stores just to “see the world.”
Shi Xiang Ling led her through these luxury boutiques with practiced ease and took a liking to a handmade leather bag. Its white surface had clear grain patterns, and the small tassels were strung with pearls and diamonds. Paired with her simple business attire, it gave off a chic, sophisticated urban vibe.
The bag was beautiful, but its price tag was equivalent to a well-paid ordinary person’s annual salary.
Shi Wei Yue had no habit of buying such high-end luxury items, and given the original character’s current financial situation, she couldn’t afford to splurge like this unless she planned to rely on her family’s wealth in the future.
But the original character’s position at home was somewhat awkward. After her mother passed away, she received little attention, and her father favored her sister more. The only one who truly cared for her was her grandmother, who had raised her but now elderly, she lived in a nursing home, and even the original character rarely visited.
Shi Wei Yue had no intention of buying these beautiful yet impractical luxury items, but Shi Xiang Ling had already picked one out for her.
“Let’s just go, sis.”
Under the enthusiastic gaze of the sales clerk, Shi Wei Yue suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her back slightly. Meeting the woman’s puzzled look, Shi Wei Yue didn’t hide her thoughts either, just lowered her voice a little and said bluntly:
“This stuff isn’t worth the price. Let’s call it a day for shopping.”
The original owner of this body wouldn’t have known better than to say such things, but Shi Wei Yue couldn’t possibly spend her whole life acting exactly like the original owner. She could only make changes little by little within what others could accept.
For instance, this time she simply didn’t want to buy these luxury items. The original owner had been vain, always chasing after such things before. Now that she’d given them up, perhaps her sister would see it as a kind of growth.
Shi Wei Yue was in a good mood, but the expected praise didn’t come. After a long moment, she instead saw Shi Xiangling unexpectedly furrow her brows:
“Why are you being so stingy now? You can’t even bring yourself to buy these little things?”
Shi Xiangling’s tone was reproachful, her gaze full of disapproval and concern. Just as Shi Wei Yue was about to say something, Shi Xiangling received a phone call. She stuffed her phone into her pocket first, then gave Shi Wei Yue a light push on the shoulder:
“You go pick something out first. I’ll pay for whatever you choose. If you’re short on money, just tell your sister.”