PANT - Chapter 28

Chapter 28

“We’re here.”

The car came to a stop in a beautiful arc, leaving a mark on the ground as it skidded.

Shi Ning had dropped Zhu Yu off at her apartment building.

After getting out, Zhu Yu, still not ready to give up, turned and leaned against Shi Ning’s car window, asking, “You and Su Tianxue, is there really nothing going on?”

Shi Ning gave her a faint look and laughed. “Zhu Yu, how come I never knew you were as much of a gossip as your fans?”

Zhu Yu wasn’t offended. She grinned back. “Because gossip is human nature.”

After her laugh, Zhu Yu’s expression grew more serious. “So you’re just friends?”

There was a reason she had gotten to where she was today. When she was serious, Zhu Yu’s face took on a quiet intensity, like the night wind, carrying a deep meaning. It was hard not to get lost in the night when gazed upon by such eyes.

If Zhu Yu’s fans saw this, they would surely go wild, screaming, “Zhu Yu, Zhu Yu, take me with you!”

But Shi Ning wasn’t buying it.

She avoided the depths of the night, refusing to answer directly. She said goodbye to Zhu Yu, then reached out, pulled the door shut, and sped away. The way the car drove off looked as if it were fleeing headlong into the deep night, trying to escape something… This only made Zhu Yu more certain of her guess.

The relationship between Shi Ning and Su Tianxue was definitely not that simple.

Interesting.

Zhu Yu took out her phone, found her most recent contact, and sent a message.

Zhu Yu: Wanxing, I’m home.

She found that ever since meeting Su Wanxing, her life had become much more interesting.

---

Meanwhile, Shi Ning finally managed to drive to the Shi Residence based on her memory.

The moment the loud, luxurious roar of her car was heard, before she even had a chance to honk, the main gate opened automatically.

The Shi Residence was located in an estate halfway up a mountain. This estate was where A-City’s top tycoons lived, and it was different from typical villa districts. Here, every family had its own large gate and an enormous garden. Cars could drive directly along the garden road into the garage.

The garage was packed with numerous luxury cars.

Shi Ning swept her gaze over them and understood.

The original owner of this body probably had a penchant for collecting luxury cars.

She cut the engine. Just as the car came to a steady stop, the old butler appeared.

The butler was in her fifties or sixties, with a stylish silver-white hairdo. She was full of vigor and looked quite fashionable. She was a Beta who had never married or had children. For as long as “Shi Ning” could remember, she had been working for the Shi family. In Shi Ning’s opinion, the old butler’s life was also one of freedom. At the very least, in the Shi Residence, she was a figure whose words carried weight and was considered family.

This old butler was also Ye Wanlan’s nominal adoptive mother. Ever since Ye Wanlan was adopted, she had been registered under the old butler’s household.

“Miss, you’re finally back.” The old butler was extremely enthusiastic. “Wanlan and Madam are both waiting for you.”

Shi Ning nodded. Upon closer observation, she noticed that the Shi family’s old butler looked very much like the housekeeper grandma from before she transmigrated—they were practically identical.

It was just that the grandma from her real life had resigned and left when she was a child. She would never have stayed with the Shi family until now, like in the world of this book.

After all, no normal person would be willing to stay at the Shi Residence.

It was a cage.

Seeing this, Shi Ning couldn’t help but speculate. Was it possible that the mother in this world had lived a different life from the one in her previous world?

She followed the old butler from the garage upstairs. There was an elevator to the upper floors.

When she stepped out of the elevator, Ye Wanlan and Qin Li were already waiting for her in the grand hall.

A TV drama starring Zhu Yu was playing on the hundred-square-meter high-definition screen. Qin Li was completely engrossed, seemingly unconcerned that today was the day Shi Ning was coming home. Ye Wanlan, on the other hand, kept looking back, as if wanting to confirm whether Shi Ning had arrived.

Just then, Ye Wanlan heard two different sets of footsteps. She quickly stood up and walked toward the sound, coming face-to-face with Shi Ning, who was slowly walking up.

Ye Wanlan was delighted to see Shi Ning return and hurried forward. “Xiao Ning, you’re back.”

Shi Ning smiled. “Of course. When have I ever not done what I said I would?”

Ye Wanlan quickly turned and called out to Qin Li, “Godmother, Xiao Ning is back!”

Qin Li, her eyes glued to the TV, spoke without a care. “So she’s back. What, does she think she’s the queen of the world? Does her own mother have to roll out the red carpet for her return?”

Hearing Qin Li’s words, Ye Wanlan gave Shi Ning a helpless look and patted her on the shoulder. Shi Ning understood Ye Wanlan’s meaning.

She thought to herself that this mother’s prideful nature was just like her own mother’s; they were practically cut from the same mold.

She walked over to Qin Li’s side.

Qin Li kept staring at the television, never once turning to give Shi Ning a glance.

Shi Ning plopped down beside Qin Li. “Mom~” she called out coquettishly. “Mom, I’m home.”

Qin Li rubbed her arms and then flicked her hands outward, asking Shi Ning, “See that?”

Shi Ning: “Huh? What?”

Qin Li sneered, “The goosebumps you just gave me.”

Shi Ning was exasperated. “Mom, is it really that bad?”

Qin Li scoffed. “Shi Ning, you still know how to come back? I thought you’d found a wife out there and disowned me as your mother.”

“Why would you say that?” Shi Ning quickly countered. “Mom is very important too, isn’t she?”

“I’m important? If I were important, you wouldn’t have gotten married without telling me.”

Shi Ning let out an exaggerated “Eh?” and cried foul. “How did I not tell you?”

“Didn’t I tell you on my wedding day? I told you the news first. Then you told me you were playing mahjong and to not bother you, and to let you know when I get divorced.” Shi Ning had caught Qin Li’s slip-up and chuckled smugly. “Mom, who’s the one not paying attention?”

Qin Li had completely forgotten about this. Hearing Shi Ning say it now, she suddenly felt a little guilty. She gave a fake cough, her eyes darting nervously toward Ye Wanlan, immediately summoning her for backup.

Seeing this, Ye Wanlan quickly stepped in to smooth things over. “Alright, alright, since Xiao Ning is back, let’s go eat.”

“What’s the hurry to eat?” Qin Li interjected. “Have Doctor Liu come and give her a check-up first.”

“A check-up for me?” Shi Ning was baffled, unable to figure out what new trick Qin Li was playing. She asked, puzzled, “I eat well every day and my body is in great shape. What do I need a check-up for? You, on the other hand, Mom, you’re getting older. You really need to take care of your health, and your mental health too. What if you get all worked up one day and menopause hits? I won’t be able to handle it.”

“Hey, you brat. Would I get worked up if it weren’t for you?” Qin Li’s temper flared at her words. She reached for a pillow on the sofa to throw at Shi Ning. Shi Ning dodged, laughing with a wild and punchable grin. The pillow grazed past her side, landed on the floor, and knocked over a painting Qin Li liked that was resting on the ground.

Seeing this, Qin Li grew even angrier. She unceremoniously grabbed the other pillows on the sofa and, like an octopus, hurled them all at Shi Ning.

Shi Ning was agile, but Ye Wanlan stood behind her like a wooden post. When Shi Ning dodged, all the pillows hit Ye Wanlan instead.

Qin Li froze for a moment, then asked with concern, “Wanwan, are you okay?”

Ye Wanlan shook her head, accepting Qin Li’s concern, then secretly gave Shi Ning an “OK” gesture.

Shi Ning saw it and shook her head with a smile.

Ye Wanlan and her mom were truly a case of one willing to dish it out and the other willing to take it.

---

Shi Ning was now certain that the mother in this world, although having the same appearance and even the same personality as her mother from the previous world, was ultimately a different person.

It was probably because they had different lives.

In her previous world, her mother would engage in this kind of normal roughhousing with her when she wasn’t having an episode. But once an episode began, she would only beat her with a stick. Crying out in pain was useless; wailing was useless. So, from a young age, Shi Ning learned to endure.

Her parents were not in love.

In that world, the Shi family was a legal dynasty. Her father was a judge, and her mother was a lawyer. Their union seemed like the perfect marriage in the legal world, but they were not happy. It was merely a business alliance based on mutual benefit.

Not long after the marriage, her father frequently brought people home. Her mother, not to be outdone, wanted to do the same, but she was ultimately not as heartless as her father. She had no feelings for the man she married, but she fell in love with an intern at her law firm.

Her love drove her to madness.

The other party was clearly just using her as a tool to climb the ladder at the firm, but this woman didn’t realize it. She was trapped in a delusion called love, using the word “love” to cast a haze over her eyes, obscuring all truth.

She threw herself in blindly, eventually losing herself, and could only vent all this hatred and madness onto Shi Ning, over and over again.

Shi Ning’s childhood was spent amidst constant verbal abuse and pain. Her favorite thing to do each day was to go to school, and her most hated thing was to go home.

Going home meant seeing different men and women in the house. Her father and mother used this method to escape the emptiness of their lives. And she could only hide, day after day, in her room, all alone, listening to the unbelievable, filthy, adult sounds coming from the next room, coexisting with her own loneliness.

At an age when she needed companionship the most, Shi Ning grew up alone.

All of this contributed to Shi Ning’s almost paranoid and abnormal view of love.

After her mother finally committed suicide for the sake of so-called love, collapsing in a pool of blood before her very eyes, and after the rescue attempt at the hospital failed, Shi Ning became firmly convinced of one thing: love is the most useless thing in the world.

Love could make people lose themselves, make them fall into an abyss.

But the Qin Li before her was not the same as the Qin Li in her memory.

She probably hadn't experienced that kind of pain.

From the memories left by this world’s “Shi Ning,” Qin Li had married the head of the Shi family, but he passed away not long after Shi Ning was born, leaving behind the vast Shi family and a mother-daughter pair.

Ye Wanlan, having been adopted long ago, began to shoulder all of the Shi family’s responsibilities at a very young age.

Qin Li had indulged “Shi Ning” when she was young, so all the tedious and strict matters were borne by Ye Wanlan.

Actually, the way things were now wasn’t bad.

Shi Ning rarely envied others, but now, she found herself a little envious of the previous “Shi Ning.”

Her childhood was spent with the companionship of others.

---

While Shi Ning was lost in thought, Doctor Liu arrived. She pulled Shi Ning over, opened her portable medical kit, and began the examination.

At first, Shi Ning thought the check-up was quite normal, nothing wrong with it. She even considered the possibility that Qin Li was just overly concerned about her, which was why she called a private doctor to the house so late at night.

But when Doctor Liu started asking about matters of the bedroom, Shi Ning sensed something was off.

“What’s the meaning of this?” she asked.

Doctor Liu was a very straightforward and honest person. Hearing Shi Ning’s question, she answered blankly, “Miss Shi, aren’t you… not performing well? I wanted to give you a full check-up to find out where the problem lies, what kind of ‘not well’ it is. That way, I can prescribe the right treatment and help you recover.”

“I’m not performing well?” Shi Ning’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Doctor Liu still hadn’t noticed anything amiss. She nodded earnestly. “Yes.”

Shi Ning forced an overly gentle smile. “Doctor Liu, tell me, who told you I’m not performing well?”

Doctor Liu finally realized something was wrong. She kept quiet, her eyes darting toward Ye Wanlan.

Ye Wanlan sighed inwardly, then explained with a smile, “Xiao Ning, it’s because you told me you were going to live separately from your wife. That’s why I…”

Shi Ning’s expression turned serious. She raised her hand and made an ‘X’ in front of her chest. “Stop. I’m fine. You don’t need to worry about this anymore. Doctor Liu, you don’t need to examine me either. Stay for dinner, consider it a welcome-home meal for me.”

Since she had put it that way, Doctor Liu couldn’t refuse and joined Shi Ning at the table.

The butler brought out the dishes and introduced them, “Miss, Wanwan cooked this entire meal today. Have a taste, is it the flavor you liked as a child?”

Qin Li was a pampered lady who never lifted a finger in the kitchen. Ye Wanlan, like her all-capable secretary, knew how to do everything.

When she was young, “Shi Ning” was a picky eater. They had hired many cooks, but she disliked them all. She only liked the food Ye Wanlan made, saying it had the taste of home.

Shi Ning took a bite of the golden sand chicken wings Ye Wanlan had cooked. The flavor was just right; she liked it a lot.

“Delicious,” she praised generously.

Seeing this, a weight lifted from Ye Wanlan’s heart. She said gently, “If you like it, eat more. There’s also sweet and sour pork ribs. Xiao Ning, see if it’s to your liking.”

Shi Ning smiled and said okay, but her eyes kept glancing at her phone screen beside her hand.

Qin Li nonchalantly shoveled a mouthful of rice, placed a piece of seared salmon in her mouth, and then asked, “Shi Ning, it’s dinnertime, why are you staring at your phone? You’re not even working at the company. Do you have that much business to attend to?”

Before Shi Ning could speak, Ye Wanlan tactfully replied, “Alright, Godmother, don’t worry about that. Xiao Ning has a wife now.”

Qin Li said, “Oh,” then added, “But Wanwan, look at her. Does she look like someone who has a wife and is in a relationship? She looks more like someone with a one-sided crush, waiting all day for a single message.”

Qin Li was very up-to-date with trends. She asked, hitting a sore spot, “Daughter, you’re not a simp, are you?”

Hearing Qin Li’s words, Shi Ning snorted. She picked up her phone and, quick as lightning, flashed it in front of Qin Li.

“See? She replied!”

Qin Li: “How come I only see a huge block of green from you, and she only replied with a single word?”

Shi Ning: “…Mom, just eat your food.”

Could she please stop stabbing her in the heart?

Shi Ning had been repeatedly checking her phone just now, waiting for Su Tianxue’s reply.

She had sent the message asking if she could pick up her things early in the morning.

But Su Tianxue hadn’t given her a definite answer after all this time.

Shi Ning’s heart was unsettled, fluttering nervously. Thankfully, just a moment ago, Su Tianxue had replied.

Just one word: Okay.

But that one word was enough to lift Shi Ning’s spirits.

If… it weren’t for her mom’s follow-up jab.

---

After dinner, Shi Ning couldn’t be bothered to stay in the living room and listen to her mom’s nagging. She went back to her room, washed up, and lay in bed. Unable to resist, she sent another message to Su Tianxue.

Shi Ning: Asleep yet?

Su Tianxue replied quickly this time.

Big Ice Cube: Getting ready to.

Big Ice Cube: Something up?

Shi Ning thought for a long time and felt that making small talk was a bit boring, so she replied with four words.

Shi Ning: Nothing, good night.

She waited for a moment. Just when she thought Su Tianxue wouldn’t reply, her phone lit up again.

Su Tianxue: Mm, good night.

How strange.

Just a few simple words, yet they could so easily lift Shi Ning’s somewhat gloomy mood.

Humming the tune of “You love me, I love you, Mixue Bingcheng is sweet as can be,” she got up and went to the bathroom, preparing to brush her teeth again.

How strange.

Why did she find the words “good night” so sweet?

---

On the same night, while some were brushing their teeth for the second time, others were sorting through the belongings of the deceased.

Jiang Ningran’s parents disapproved of her actions and did not hold a grand funeral for her. For a family like theirs, holding a funeral was tantamount to publicly announcing Jiang Ningran’s disgraceful deeds.

Jiang Ningran’s body had been burned beyond recognition in the explosion and was sent directly for cremation. Her parents didn’t even want the ashes.

The one who took Jiang Ningran’s ashes was a woman dressed all in black, wearing a sun hat and sunglasses so large they nearly covered her entire face. A faint scent of orchid always lingered around her.

It was the scent of an Omega’s pheromones.

She was also the one who came to collect Jiang Ningran’s belongings.

The Jiang parents didn’t like her either, especially Jiang’s mother. Upon seeing her, her face turned as black as coal.

Jiang Ningran’s things were thrown out and scattered at the entrance of the Jiang family home.

Then, with a slam, the main door of the Jiang residence was shut tight.

The woman lowered her eyes and said a word of thanks to the closed door.

She bent down to gather Jiang Ningran’s belongings, placing them all into a box. When she picked up one of Jiang Ningran’s photo frames, her hand paused. A teardrop fell onto the already shattered glass. In the frame, the heads of the Jiang parents had been scratched out, leaving only a young Jiang Ningran and another woman.

Besides that, a notebook caught the woman’s attention.

She opened it, and countless photos fell out.

They were all candid shots of Su Wanxing.

Su Wanxing napping at her desk during lunch break, Su Wanxing panting after being forced to run two kilometers in a university gym class, and even a moment when she was changing at the swimming pool…

The woman let out a soft laugh, but her voice was like poison coated in honey.

“Su Wanxing,” she murmured the name. “I will make you regret this.”

After collecting the items, the woman snapped her fingers. A group of men in black came forward to carry the things away. One of them reported, “W, we’ve found out. The ones who made a move on the young miss and had the club investigated were the Shi family.”

“This matter should be related to Shi Ning.”

The woman thought of the characters she had just glanced over in the notebook. She frowned, opened it again, and found a line written inside: Shi Ning likes Su Wanxing.

She closed the notebook. “Understood.”

Whether it was Su Wanxing or Shi Ning, anyone who had a hand in Jiang Ningran’s death—she wouldn’t let a single one of them go.

---

The next day, Shi Ning woke up early.

The old butler called her for breakfast. Just as she sat down at the dining table, she saw Ye Wanlan, dressed in a suit, ready to leave for work.

Seeing this, Qin Li started nagging Shi Ning again. “Look at your Wan’er Jiejie, she has to go to the company every day. And you? You’re idle all day long. And this is your company! How can there be someone as idle as you!”

Shi Ning took a bite of bread and said nonchalantly, “Isn’t it good to let the professionals handle professional matters? Besides, Mom, if you really think I’m not capable, why don’t you just hand the company over to Wan’er Jiejie?”

Ye Wanlan’s expression changed. “Xiao Ning, we agreed not to talk about this topic again.”

Shi Ning shrugged.

Ye Wanlan looked at Shi Ning. “Xiao Ning, if you’re free today, could you make a trip to Xuance Entertainment for me? I heard from Zhu Yu’s manager that you promised she could pick a project. I’m really too busy, so could you go and take care of it?”

Shi Ning finished the last bite of her bread, gulped down some milk, and stood up. “Okay, sis, I’ll leave with you.”

Ye Wanlan glanced at the reluctant Qin Li and gave Shi Ning a look, reminding her, “Xiao Ning, aren’t you going to stay home and keep Godmother company?”

Shi Ning and Qin Li spoke at the same time.

“Who wants her company?”

“Who wants to keep her company?”

Qin Li pouted. “Wanwan, having her keep me company is worse than you staying home with me.”

Ye Wanlan blushed slightly.

Shi Ning snorted. “That won’t do. Wan’er Jiejie is busy and has to go to work. Unlike me, who’s idle all day with nothing to do.”

Seeing that the mother and daughter were about to start arguing again, Ye Wanlan quickly intervened. “Alright, alright. We’ll be late if we don’t leave now.”

Ye Wanlan tugged on Shi Ning’s clothes, signaling her to stop bickering with her own mother.

Then she said gently to Qin Li, “Godmother, I’ll bring you some milk tea from Xilemen on my way home from work today.”

Qin Li was pleased. “Great! Then you two hurry off to work. Wanwan, remember to come back early.”

Ye Wanlan smiled genuinely. “Mm, I will.”

Seeing the two of them, Shi Ning shivered and rubbed the goosebumps on her arms. “I say, Mom, how come you’re not telling me to come back early?”

Qin Li: “Get lost! I wish you wouldn’t come back at all!”

After they left the house, Shi Ning spoke leisurely, “Wan’er Jiejie, I remember Xilemen’s milk tea shop isn’t on the way, is it?”

It would be a lot of trouble to go buy it after work and then take a detour home.

Ye Wanlan said calmly, “We acquired one. It’s opening today in the commercial street on the basement level of the company building. So, it’s not far.”

Ye Wanlan reminded Shi Ning, “Xiao Ning, don’t always bicker with Godmother like this. She actually misses you a lot.”

Shi Ning couldn’t agree. “Wan’er Jiejie, you really don’t have to play peacemaker between my mom and me.”

“I’m not. Xiao Ning, she was the one who told me to ask you to bring your wife home. She said that although you’re absurd, now that you’re suddenly married, she wants to see what the other person is like and if she treats you well. She’s afraid you’ll be taken advantage of.”

“And yesterday, although I was the one who asked Doctor Liu to come, it was Godmother who instructed her to give you a thorough check-up. She said that you, living alone outside, must have irregular meals, eating one meal and skipping the next, ordering takeout all day. She’s afraid you’re staying up late, afraid your body can’t take it.”

Ye Wanlan said seriously, “Godmother really loves you, she just doesn’t know how to express it.”

Shi Ning also smiled. “Wan’er Jiejie, I know. I think my mom loves you a lot too. Sometimes, I even feel like she treats you better than she treats me.”

Ye Wanlan coughed lightly. “Nonsense.”

Shi Ning raised an eyebrow but said no more.

Actually, she felt that every mother-daughter pair had their own way of getting along. Perhaps she and Qin Li, the bickering-nemesis type of mother and daughter, also existed.

In any case, they were both people who weren’t good at expressing their feelings, so they could only use arguments, revealing their concern through half-joking, half-serious words.

---

Before getting in the car, Shi Ning sent a message to Su Tianxue.

Shi Ning: Can I pick you up from work today?

Afraid Su Tianxue would refuse, she added another line.

Shi Ning: After all, we have to go through the three-month marriage review. It probably wouldn’t look right if I never even visit your workplace.

Su Tianxue replied instantly: Okay.

After seeing Ye Wanlan off, Shi Ning went to Xuance Entertainment. After resolving the script issue, she sat alone in her office, her legs propped up on the desk, playing a matching game on her phone.

When noon arrived, she was just thinking of asking Zhu Yu to lunch when a call came from Qin Li, asking her to eat together.

Shi Ning: “Who’s paying?”

Qin Li rolled her eyes. “Your mother, me. Satisfied? Now get your butt over here.”

Shi Ning: “Yes, Your Majesty! This humble servant is on her way. Empress Dowager, please don’t be anxious.”

Qin Li: “…Am I that old? Stop your nonsense and hurry up.”

When Shi Ning arrived at the restaurant, she found that besides her mother, there was another lady she didn’t recognize at all, along with another female Omega.

As she got closer, the mix of pheromones and perfume was particularly strong.

This made Shi Ning, who was used to Su Tianxue’s faint scent of snow, frown.

Shi Ning realized this person wasn’t even in the memories left by “Shi Ning,” so she figured she wasn’t particularly important. But to her surprise, after she sat down, the other person stared at her with eyes that seemed to glow, clinging to her and calling out, “Jiejie Shi Ning, long time no see.”

Her voice was soft and cloying, as if it could be squeezed for water.

Shi Ning forced a smile. After sitting down, she calmly arranged her tableware, then quietly spoke to her mother, asking, “What’s the situation? Who’s that across from us?”

Qin Li whispered, “Your second uncle-in-law’s sister and her daughter. We ran into them, and they insisted on eating together. I couldn’t refuse, so I had to agree. Yuan Yuyue, you don’t remember her? She used to follow you around like a puppy since you were kids.”

Shi Ning: …I really don’t remember.

It seemed that “Shi Ning’s” memory could only retain people she truly cared about, like family and friends.

Yuan Yuyue was very enthusiastic. “Jiejie Shi Ning, what have you been busy with lately?”

Shi Ning: “Busy being idle.”

Yuan Yuyue’s mother asked curiously, “But I heard that you, Xiao Ning, are in charge of the Shi family now?”

Shi Ning: “You must have heard wrong.”

Qin Li: “Mm, she’s just a good-for-nothing.”

Yuan Yuyue’s mother and Yuan Yuyue: …?

Yuan Yuyue’s mother forced a laugh. “Well, our little Yue, after returning from studying abroad this time, insisted on seeing her Jiejie Shi Ning. Oh, speaking of which, our little Yue has been fond of following her Jiejie Shi Ning around since she was a child.”

Shi Ning: “As she should, as she should. I’m quite good-looking.”

Qin Li coughed and picked up a napkin, glancing at Shi Ning: …You’re overacting.

Shi Ning smiled. “It’s all inherited from my mom.”

Qin Li: “Mm, that makes sense.”

Yuan Yuyue’s mother and Yuan Yuyue: …??

Yuan Yuyue’s mother, not giving up, tried again. “Xiao Ning, you see, you’ve reached that age, and our little Yue has grown up too. As an elder, as your auntie, let me be nosy and ask, what are your thoughts on our little Yue?”

Shi Ning picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork rib and sucked on it. “No thoughts.”

She finished gnawing on the rib and tossed the bone onto her plate with a clatter.

“Auntie, I’m married.”

As soon as she said this, Qin Li’s lips curled into a smile, while the mother and daughter sitting opposite her were utterly shocked.

That afternoon, the news spread throughout the socialite circle. And it was all thanks to Yuan Yuyue.

【Peerless Beauty O, Paging Online】

Yuan Yuyue: Ladies, I have some super explosive news.

Dongling Mountain’s Lin Zhiling: Forget it, there’s no gossip that can shock me anymore.

Yuan Yuyue: Shi Ning is married.

Dongling Mountain’s Lin Zhiling: ?

Dongling Mountain’s Lin Zhiling: ??????

Dongling Mountain’s Lin Zhiling: Am I seeing things?? Is it that ultimate scum Alpha Shi Ning??

Akina Road Driver: NOOO!!! I haven’t even slept with Shi Ning yet!!!! My friend said her skills are amazing sob sob sob!!! I was planning to have a fling with her before getting married.

Dongling Mountain’s Lin Zhiling: Your friend slept with her?

Akina Road Driver: Not really, she heard it from someone else.

A Savage Can Be a Beauty Too: Hahaha, that’s hilarious. Why does it feel like legends of Shi Ning are everywhere?

A Savage Can Be a Beauty Too: But don’t panic, sis. Given Shi Ning’s personality and reputation, she’ll definitely still cheat after getting married.

Little Cat Doesn’t Eat Fish: I feel sorry for the person who married her. How blind must they be?

Yuan Yuyue: Don’t say that. She’s very rich, good-looking, has a good personality, and no weird habits. I heard her skills are good too. Marrying her is actually pretty great. And what if she’s decided to settle down this time?

Little Cat Doesn’t Eat Fish: Not for me. How many prodigal sons actually return in real life? A fling with her is fine, but marriage? No way.

A Savage Can Be a Beauty Too: Little sister Yue, you’re too naive. When we Omegas get married, we should find someone honest. If you fall for someone like Shi Ning, you’ll just be left alone in an empty house every night.

Akina Road Driver: Has anyone figured out who she married? I really want to see which family’s Omega it is.

Dongling Mountain’s Lin Zhiling: Probably not from our circle. Shi Ning must be very picky. I’m so curious. If anyone finds out, be sure to share the news in the group.

---

Shi Ning had no idea that gossip about her was once again trending online.

She just found it strange that the number of people trying to chat with her on WeChat had suddenly increased.

The messages were all things like…

[Long time no see.]

[I miss you.]

[How have you been lately?]

Weirdos.

Shi Ning deleted them as they came in. She didn’t know them anyway.

The more she deleted, the more heated the discussion about whether she had settled down and turned over a new leaf became. Someone, not wanting to miss out on the fun, even started a betting pool in the group.

Betting on whether she had settled down.

Except for Yuan Yuyue, everyone else bet that she would continue her wild ways.

The reason Yuan Yuyue made this choice was because she had known Shi Ning for many years. She had seen her frivolous and dismissive side, her carefree and indifferent attitude toward everything. But on that one day, in the moment she said, “I’m married,” there was a seriousness in Shi Ning’s eyes that she had never seen before.

---

Shi Ning, the center of the betting vortex, was now waiting in her car at the entrance of Su Tianxue’s research institute.

At six in the evening, people getting off work started to trickle out, but Su Tianxue had yet to appear.

Shi Ning picked up her phone and confirmed that Su Tianxue had indeed replied with an “Okay” this morning.

Her eyes weren’t deceiving her.

Su Tianxue couldn’t have forgotten, right?

Shi Ning waited, bored. After about another hour of listening to music in the car, she was about to fall asleep when someone suddenly tapped on her car window.

Shi Ning drowsily rolled down the window. In the dim night, Su Tianxue’s eyes were probably the brightest stars in the sky. There was a hint of apology in her gaze. “Sorry, I had to work overtime. Have you been waiting long?”

Shi Ning shook her head. “It’s fine. Get in.”

Seeing Su Tianxue about to open the back door, she said, “Do me a favor and sit in the front. Don’t make me feel like a chauffeur, okay?”

Su Tianxue, resigned, got into the passenger seat. While handing a bag to Shi Ning, she said, “Isn’t your role today that of a chauffeur?”

Shi Ning laughed. “Su Tianxue, are you telling a joke?”

Su Tianxue: “Mm.”

She asked, puzzled, “Was it not funny?”

Shi Ning: “…Very humorous.” She used a Swiss army knife to open the package in the bag, then placed the contents in the back seat. Holding two clothing packages, she handed one to Su Tianxue. “This is for you.”

Su Tianxue tilted her head, not understanding.

Shi Ning explained, “I accidentally got the clothes you lent to Jiang Ningran dirty, so I bought you a new one. You don’t mind, do you?”

“I don’t mind.” Su Tianxue looked at the two identical but different-colored shirts and thought, is this what they call a couple’s outfit?

Hearing her say she didn’t mind, Shi Ning’s eyes curved. “I’ll take you home.”

Su Tianxue clutched the shirt and suddenly said, “Can I trade with you?”

Shi Ning was taken aback. “Huh?”

Su Tianxue looked at the small printed letters on the shirt in her hand: zero. Then she looked at the shirt in Shi Ning’s hand, which had the small printed letters: the one.

…She had done some cramming on the subject of women and women.

She knew they distinguished between things like top/bottom and 1/0.

So now—

When Shi Ning picked up her own shirt to hand it to Su Tianxue, she finally understood why. She teased, “What, the desire to be the 1 still burns?”

Su Tianxue hugged the shirt. “Last time was just practice. Next time will be different.”

Shi Ning’s smile deepened. “So, does this mean there will be a next time?”

Su Tianxue pressed her lips together. “Drive.”

---

Shi Ning had intended to take Su Tianxue home, but halfway there, she received a call from Qin Li. She wasn’t wearing an earpiece, so the call was broadcast through the car’s Bluetooth speaker.

Qin Li: “Little rascal, what are you up to?”

Shi Ning: “Taking my wife home.”

She said it so naturally that Su Tianxue, who was drinking water from her thermos, choked and started coughing. Hearing the commotion, Qin Li chuckled and quickly said, “Perfect. Wanwan and I booked a table at the Sky Garden for dinner today. You bring your… your wife along.”

Shi Ning glanced at Su Tianxue, worried she wouldn’t be willing, and tried to decline. “Let’s skip it, Mom. It’s so late. She has work tomorrow.”

Qin Li was insistent. “What’s the big deal? I have to get up early for mahjong tomorrow too!”

“It’s time you met. The ugly daughter-in-law has to meet the parents-in-law eventually, doesn’t she?”

Shi Ning was displeased. “Mom, who are you calling ugly? She’s very good-looking.”

Qin Li: “What, already so protective?”

Shi Ning: “Mom, you’re so annoying. I’m hanging up.”

As Shi Ning was about to hang up, Su Tianxue gently pressed her wrist, shook her head, and then said politely into the phone, “Auntie, see you in a bit.”

Qin Li was delighted. “Yes, yes, see you in a bit! Rascal, remember to bring her over.”

“Hanging up.” Shi Ning, thoroughly annoyed, ended the call.

Su Tianxue frowned. “You shouldn’t talk to your mother like that.”

Shi Ning: “I—”

Wasn’t she just afraid her mom would scare Su Tianxue?

Forget it. Shi Ning didn’t want to argue about it. She admitted her fault and then asked, “Why did you agree?”

Su Tianxue looked out the window. “I don’t want to make things difficult for you. Besides, you’re the one who agreed to marry me. It’s only right that I have a meal with you and your family.”

Shi Ning: “What about Su Wanxing?”

Su Tianxue: “I told her I’m working overtime today and to order takeout for herself.”

“Oh.” Shi Ning was actually happy but felt it would be silly to show it, so she feigned composure. “Then you’ll come with me to meet my mom.”

---

They drove toward the restaurant.

It was Su Tianxue’s first time dining at a place like this. Still dressed in simple clothes, she felt out of place standing at the restaurant entrance. The thought that she was about to meet Shi Ning’s mother made her even more nervous.

She said in a low voice, “I’ve never been very popular with elders.”

Shi Ning smiled. “That’s because they don’t know how to appreciate you.”

Shi Ning reached out her hand to Su Tianxue, intending to hold hers. Su Tianxue hesitated for a moment before placing her hand in Shi Ning’s. Their body temperatures were different, one cold and one warm, a stark contrast. But now, with their hands clasped tightly together, it gave Su Tianxue a bit of strength.

Shi Ning whispered beside her, “Why so nervous?”

“How about I turn around and run with you right now?”

Su Tianxue shot her a glare. “No need.”

Shi Ning chuckled. “Don’t be scared, really. You’re great. My mom, you know, don’t mind how fierce she is with me. She’s especially gentle with beautiful women.”

Su Tianxue: “…”

How could this person still say such things at a time like this?

When she actually met Qin Li, Su Tianxue realized Shi Ning hadn’t lied to her.

Qin Li didn’t put on many airs; she was easy to get along with and talk to.

Ye Wanlan had an urgent matter and arrived a little late. When she walked over, she handed the milk tea in her hand to Qin Li.

Shi Ning called out, “Wan’er Jiejie,” and then introduced Su Tianxue. “This is my mom, this is Ye Wanlan, my sworn sister. And this is Su Tianxue, my… wife.”

Su Tianxue nodded. “Hello, Auntie. Hello, Jiejie… Jiejie.”

Calling someone else “Jiejie” was a bit difficult for Su Tianxue, who had been the older sister her whole life.

Ye Wanlan spoke gently, “I’m in my thirties. It’s not wrong for you to call me Jiejie.”

Qin Li snorted. “Calling me Auntie won’t do. You’ll have to change it.”

Seeing Su Tianxue hesitate, unable to say the word, Qin Li smiled. “There’s no rush. Auntie is fine, Auntie is fine. Come, let’s eat. The steak at this restaurant is the best. Shi Ning, cut it for your wife.”

Shi Ning was helpless. “Yes, Your Majesty.”

She cut the steak in front of her and handed it to Su Tianxue.

Su Tianxue: “…I’d rather do it myself.”

Shi Ning: “Don’t be shy.”

Su Tianxue: “I’m not shy. It’s just that you cut it too unevenly.”

Shi Ning laughed in exasperation. She became a hands-off boss, looking at Su Tianxue. “You’re the expert, you do it.”

As it turned out, Su Tianxue was very skilled at cutting steak. The small pieces she cut were exceptionally neat, each one almost identical in size and shape.

…This person has OCD!

Seeing this, Qin Li burst out laughing. “Tianxue, my daughter is just useless and clueless. Don’t mind her.”

Shi Ning glared at her mom. “What are you doing, Mom?”

“In front of Su Tianxue, no less.” She shot Qin Li a look. “Watch what you say.”

Su Tianxue put down her knife and fork. “Auntie, although Shi Ning can be unreliable at times…”

Shi Ning thought: It’s over.

Is this dinner going to be a roast of me?

But then Su Tianxue said, “She’s a good person. Please don’t talk about her like that. It’s not good for a child’s self-perception.”

Hearing this, Shi Ning’s fox tail was about to wag all the way to the heavens.

She shook her head smugly at Qin Li. “Did you hear that, Ms. Qin? Don’t always be like that. It’s not good for my self-perception.”

Qin Li was speechless. “You think you’re a three-year-old!” She complained unhappily to Ye Wanlan, “Wanwan, look at her!”

Ye Wanlan was helpless. “Here, drink your milk tea.”

She inserted the straw and handed it to Qin Li.

The meal was lively. When it was time to pay, both Qin Li and Shi Ning went to settle the bill, leaving Su Tianxue and Ye Wanlan alone.

The atmosphere was awkward for a moment before Ye Wanlan spoke. “Miss Su, Xiao Ning and I grew up together. I’ve rarely seen her like this with anyone.” Ye Wanlan’s tone was gentle, but her eyes were filled with pressure. “I hope you understand what I mean.”

Su Tianxue didn’t back down in the slightest. “If you have something to say, you can say it clearly.”

“I don’t care what outsiders think of Xiao Ning. Xiao Ning is the Shi family’s treasure, and I won’t allow anyone to hurt her.” Ye Wanlan smiled. “Of course, I trust that Miss Su wouldn’t do such a thing.”

Su Tianxue frowned. She didn’t like the other woman’s protective attitude toward Shi Ning.

Just then, Shi Ning and Qin Li returned.

Shi Ning: “You guys go home first. I’ll take her.”

Qin Li: “Take her, take her. Wanwan, let’s go.”

As soon as Qin Li and Ye Wanlan left, Su Tianxue looked at Shi Ning, unable to describe the feeling in her heart. But it was just awkward, strange. It felt like something in her chest was twisted, making her a little uncomfortable.

Finally, on the way home, Su Tianxue couldn’t help but ask about Ye Wanlan.

Hearing Su Tianxue’s words, the smile on Shi Ning’s face deepened. She turned her head to look at her. “Su Tianxue, are you jealous?”

“Who’s jealous?” Su Tianxue said with a straight face. “I’m just curious.”

Shi Ning: “Haven’t you heard that curiosity is the beginning of love?”

Su Tianxue: “…Say it or don’t.”

Shi Ning shook her head with a smile and explained her relationship with Ye Wanlan. Then she added, “You don’t have to worry about me and Wan’er Jiejie at all. After all, Wan’er Jiejie has someone she likes. She’s just a very protective person.”

Su Tianxue: “She has someone she likes?”

Shi Ning: “I think you met her today.”

Hearing her words, Su Tianxue was lost in thought, and then, a flash of inspiration.

She said in disbelief, “Auntie Qin?”

Shi Ning smiled without speaking. Su Tianxue blinked blankly. “But aren’t they both Omegas?”

“And isn’t she your family’s adopted daughter?”

Shi Ning held the steering wheel and said nonchalantly, “We’re both Alphas, so what’s wrong with Omegas? And, to be precise, she’s not our family’s adopted daughter.”

Su Tianxue hesitated for a moment before asking, “Does Auntie know?”

Shi Ning: “That, I don’t know.”

“Alright, you’re home. Go on back.” Shi Ning pulled the car up to the entrance of the residential complex. “It’s getting late. Go back and get some rest. Thank you for having dinner with my mom today.”

Su Tianxue pressed her lips together. “It’s nothing. I should.”

She turned to leave, but Shi Ning handed her the shirt she had forgotten. Su Tianxue took it, but Shi Ning didn’t let go. Using this posture, she asked, “I’ll come pick you up from work tomorrow too, okay?”

Su Tianxue let out a soft “mm.”

She seemed to be fleeing in a bit of a panic.

She walked away quickly. Only after escaping Shi Ning’s smile and meaningful gaze did Su Tianxue catch her breath and compose herself.

Why… why did she feel a little happy when she heard Shi Ning say she would pick her up from work tomorrow too?

Su Tianxue bit her lip, walking in the darkness, pondering.

Suddenly, a notification from her phone broke the silence of the night.

A new message drained all the color from Su Tianxue’s face.

【Miss Su, hello. I am W, the person in charge of the Maoyue Club. I am honored to inform you that I will not be seeking compensation for the structural damage you caused to our club. However, there is a photo that I’m sure you’d be very interested in seeing.】

【Image】

【If you don’t want this photo of Su Wanxing to be known all over the internet, Su Tianxue, you have two choices. Either transfer three million to this account within three days. Or, bring Su Wanxing to the club. I promise you, I will only harm her, not you.】

【With such an indecent sister, I think the choice should be easy, right?】

---

In a dimly lit room, a bare-chested man held a woman in his arms. The man had a square face with a scar over his right eye. He had his eyes closed and appeared to be asleep.

The woman reached out a hand and carefully checked his breathing. After confirming that he was unconscious, she got up and left the man’s embrace.

Her smooth, bare back was beautiful, but on her neck, where the gland was, there was a hand-poked tattoo. The tattoo was clear and distinct: a single letter.

W.

She picked up the robe that had been tossed aside and walked into the bathroom.

While showering, she desperately scrubbed the parts of her body that had been touched. When she came out, soaking wet, she stood in front of the mirror, her lips curling into a seductive, gentle, and vibrant smile. But in just an instant, her smile turned cold again. W’s face was like ice. She reached out, tilted her head, stretched her neck, and then her fingertips dug into the skin of her neck. The next second, with a soft sound, she tore off the thin membrane from her face.

In the mirror, a face that was thirty percent similar to Jiang Ningran’s was revealed.

She looked at herself in the mirror and thought of Jiang Ningran dying right before her eyes, amidst her panic. In that roaring sea of fire, Jiang Ningran’s figure was long gone. All that was left for her was a charred corpse, its features unrecognizable.

At this thought, W bit her lip hard. The gentle look in her eyes from a moment ago had turned vicious and filled with hatred, like the wind and snow of December, thick and oppressive.

She softly murmured the names of those two people.

Shi Ning.

Su Wanxing.

W methodically put the mask back on, gently pressing the edges with her fingertips until it was perfectly smooth, showing no signs of abnormality.

She walked out of the bathroom. The man on the sofa was writhing like a maggot.

Drugged, lost in a dreamlike obsession, he was trapped, unable to escape.

He probably still thought he was having a spring night with the woman in his dream.

Little did he know, the woman had already left the room and was giving orders to the person waiting outside.

“Guard this room. Don’t let anyone in. Also, tell Teng She to see me.”

Three minutes later, the man codenamed Teng She walked up to the woman and bowed his head respectfully.

W toyed with the fountain pen in her hand. “You’re here?”

“There’s something I need you to do.”

Teng She knelt. “Please, please speak.”

“The Shi family has an entertainment company under its umbrella, Xuance Entertainment. You know about their variety show project with the highest investment and best expectations this year, right?”

Teng She nodded. “Boss, are, are you talking about the show Love Bus 2?”

Teng She had injured his tongue in a fight years ago, so not only did he stutter, but his speech was also a bit slurred.

W twirled the fountain pen between her fingers like a flower. “Mm. I want you to find a way to make sure that show can’t be filmed.”

As long as there was a problem with this show, she would have more opportunities to disrupt the Shi family’s other industries. Robbing Peter to pay Paul, it was the same principle. A feint to the east, an attack to the west, there was some of that to it as well. The Shi family was large and powerful. To make Shi Ning pay, she had to destroy the Shi family first.

But the Shi family was not so easy to deal with.

Even W could only resort to small tricks for now, to cause some trouble for the Shi family and divert their attention. Then, she would find other ways to look for a path to deliver a fatal blow to the Shi family.

Hearing W’s words, Teng She was curious. “Wh-why, Boss?”

W’s pen-twirling stopped. She caught the pen in mid-air just as it was about to fall. “I don’t like to hear questions.”

Teng She quickly lowered his head. “Yes.”

Teng She pondered. “I, I heard there are three pairs of guests in total. Filming is, is about to start. If a guest suddenly with-with-withdraws…”

W chuckled softly. “As you wish. It’s all up to you. I’m leaving this matter to you, Teng She. You know me. I only care about the results, not the process.”

“If you can’t do it well,” W took the fountain pen, and with its sharpest and most fragile nib, she slammed it onto the marble tabletop. The nib bent, and the ink from the cartridge sprayed everywhere. The woman was still smiling contentedly, as if enjoying the pleasure of destruction. “If you can’t do it well, you’ll end up no different from this pen.”

Teng She’s heart skipped a beat, and he quickly lowered his head and agreed.

W didn’t look up, just moved her fingertips slightly. Teng She, who had been watching her every move, saw this, nodded seriously at her again, and then silently withdrew.

The wind in the corridor blew over, drying the sweat on his back, leaving only a chill. His expression turned serious. He took out his phone to search for information about the variety show Love Bus 2 while trying to come up with a plan.

---

Because Su Tianxue had agreed to let Shi Ning pick her up from work again the next day, Shi Ning was in a good mood.

When she returned to the Shi Residence that night, she was at ease even when facing Qin Li’s nagging.

After a good night’s sleep, she woke up early in the morning. She had intended to stand on the balcony and welcome the bright and pleasant morning, but she saw Ye Wanlan standing below her balcony, seemingly on the phone with someone.

Ye Wanlan’s usually calm and composed face, which always seemed to have everything under control, showed a hint of dissatisfaction.

After Ye Wanlan hung up, Shi Ning called out from the balcony above, “Wan’er Jiejie.”

Ye Wanlan was startled, took a step back, and looked up at Shi Ning.

The scene was somewhat reminiscent of Rapunzel trapped in her high tower, talking to the person below. It was just unfortunate that Shi Ning was never a princess, and Ye Wanlan was not her knight.

Shi Ning rested her hands on the railing, a relaxed smile on her face. “Wan’er Jiejie, what’s troubling you so early in the morning?”

Ye Wanlan looked at her and smiled helplessly, raising her voice in reply, “Check your phone.”

Shi Ning patted her pockets and realized her phone wasn’t with her. She ran back into the bedroom and found it under her pillow. She must have been waiting for Su Tianxue’s “good night” reply before bed last night, holding her phone while lying down. After Su Tianxue replied, she must have just shoved it under the pillow.

She unlocked her phone. There was a message from Ye Wanlan.

It was several explosive entertainment news headlines.

【Big Trouble! All Three Guest Pairs Withdraw! With Only Three Days Left Until Filming, Will Love Bus 2 Be Canceled?】

【Is the Most Anticipated Romance Variety Show of the Year, Love Bus 2, Really Over? What Went Wrong?】

【Xuance Entertainment Facing Imminent Collapse, Years of Losses, Now Can’t Even Film a Single Variety Show!】

Online, news about the suspension of filming for Love Bus 2 was everywhere. Fans were furious.

Fan 1: What the hell? I’ve waited for over a year, and just three days before the live broadcast, they all quit?!

Fan 2: How could all the guests suddenly drop out? Is there something wrong with the production team, or is the production company not up to par?

Fan 3: I hate it when people flake out. Unfollowing, unfollowing!

Netizens also lamented: Well, that’s great. I thought I had a new show to watch during meals, and now it’s gone. I don’t know what to watch now.

Someone joked: You watch Love Bus during meals? Bro, can you even eat? Aren’t you already full from all the public displays of affection?

Amidst all this gossip and public opinion, Xuance Entertainment’s stock price was fluctuating.

Ye Wanlan decided to just call Shi Ning directly. “Are you listening?”

Shi Ning nodded. “Mm.”

Seeing that Shi Ning was interested in the matter, Ye Wanlan had the intention of teaching her step-by-step. After all, in Ye Wanlan’s view, the Shi family’s business would sooner or later be handed over to Shi Ning. Everything she was doing now was to protect this empire for Shi Ning.

Through the phone, Ye Wanlan’s gentle and quiet voice was digitized with a hint of coldness.

“Although the variety show Love Bus 2 isn’t a huge deal, it has a ripple effect. Xuance’s key project for next year is currently in investment talks, and we also want to partner with the government to secure a tribute film case. This sudden hiccup is likely intentional. I’m worried, not because there’s no solution, but because I’m wondering who is pulling the strings behind the scenes.”

“Xiao Ning, in the business world, the most taboo thing is for the enemy to be in the dark while we are in the light. The current situation puts us at a great disadvantage.”

Although Shi Ning didn’t know much about the ways of the business world, she had strong logical reasoning skills and an intuition honed from countless cases.

Holding her phone, she leaned against the railing, looking down at Ye Wanlan. “Is it possible that it’s related to the Maoyue Club?”

Ye Wanlan smiled with relief. “It seems you and I think alike.”

“In any case, the top priority now is to resolve the current situation. As for the boss of the Maoyue Club, I’ve already sent people to investigate. But there’s a big tiger behind this club, so it won’t be that easy to find out.”

Shi Ning comforted Ye Wanlan, “Sis, don’t worry. Although the enemy is in the dark and we are in the light, there’s still a move called striking second to gain the upper hand.”

Ye Wanlan: “I’m not worried. Xiao Ning, since you went to Xuance yesterday, why don’t I leave this matter for you to handle?”

Shi Ning agreed without hesitation.

She said nonchalantly, “So, that was your plan all along, Wan’er Jiejie.”

“Aren’t you afraid I won’t be able to solve anything and end up making an even bigger mess?”

Ye Wanlan smiled confidently. “With me here, it won’t be a mess.”

“Alright,” Shi Ning said with a smile. “Then you just wait and see.”

Although she was usually idle and seemed to do nothing, when she got serious, she was not someone an ordinary person could keep up with.

---

In the Xuance meeting room, everyone was mostly silent in the face of this suddenly-appeared big boss. The atmosphere was terrifyingly tense.

Shi Ning glanced at the documents in her hand, closed the folder, and began giving orders. “Legal team.”

“Here!” The head of the legal team almost shot up from his seat as if he had been called on by a teacher in class. Fortunately, the head of the publicity team next to him had some conscience and pulled him back down.

Shi Ning: “Collect the reasons for the withdrawal of the three guest pairs from the production team, then prepare the relevant documents. We need to demand compensation from them within these few days.”

The legal team was stunned. “Compensation?”

Shi Ning looked up, her eyes cold, a mocking smile on her lips. “They showed such a lack of contractual spirit, breaching the contract without reason. Why shouldn’t we demand compensation?”

“I don’t care what the status of these guests is. Don’t let a single one of them off. Also, if they are not prepared to pay the breach of contract penalty, I want to see your litigation strategy within this week. When in doubt, we’ll see them in court. Understood?”

The legal team quickly nodded.

For an ordinary person, fighting a lawsuit was draining. The further it went, the more time and money would be wasted.

Among the guests who had backed out at the last minute, one pair was a somewhat famous internet celebrity couple, and another was an eighteenth-tier couple. People like them were most afraid of lawsuits.

The more they feared it, the more Shi Ning would blow the matter up.

Why should the production team suffer in silence because of these flakes?

Bailing at the last minute, did they really think they were reincarnated pigeons?

Shi Ning: “Publicity team, work with the PR department. For now, try to publicly claim that it’s our fault. Then, once we have news from the legal side, have others leak some information. Understood?”

The head of the publicity team and the head of the PR department nodded repeatedly. “Understood, understood.”

Wasn’t this a classic case of playing down to build up?

Once the netizens’ anger toward the production team had built up to a certain point, they would reverse the narrative, proving that the production team had done nothing wrong. This would redirect all the deceived anger onto the ones who breached the contract.

“Production team, directing team.” Shi Ning clasped her hands and placed them on the table. “Your task will be a bit heavier. As quickly as possible, sort out the possibility of other people joining as guests and contact them. We must do our best to ensure that filming can still begin in three days.”

“On the business side, if any business partners want to breach their contracts and withdraw at the last minute, let them. The Shi Group will unconditionally support our show.”

“So,” Shi Ning smiled, a smile that seemed to have the power to calm and steady people’s hearts, “everyone, cheer up. This isn’t a dead end, it’s a challenge.”

With Shi Ning there, for some reason, the staff present felt a greater sense of confidence.

---

In the afternoon, Shi Ning went to pick up Su Tianxue from work as promised.

The difference was, she drove a different car today.

Yesterday’s car was too flashy, too eye-catching. Although Su Tianxue didn’t say anything, Shi Ning knew she didn’t want to become the subject of gossip at her workplace. So today, she specifically chose a low-key car from the garage. It was pure black, not as flamboyant as the silver one, and she didn’t park right at the entrance, but deliberately at the next intersection.

When Su Tianxue got off work, a group of onlookers followed behind her. Her most familiar junior, a graduate student, used the excuse of discussing work with Su Tianxue to follow her all the way to Shi Ning.

Shi Ning stood casually, her hands in her pockets. When she saw her appear, she subconsciously reached out to her. Su Tianxue clutched her canvas bag tighter and shook her head.

Shi Ning didn’t insist. She smiled at the graduate student. “An introduction?”

Su Tianxue: “My junior. We had the same graduate advisor.”

The junior looked at Su Tianxue, then at Shi Ning, her eyes darting back and forth several times, before saying in a low voice, “Senior, could you introduce me too? This is…?”

Shi Ning watched with amusement from the side, not helping her out.

She was very curious how Su Tianxue would introduce her.

Facing the gazes of both Shi Ning and her junior, Su Tianxue lowered her eyes, turned her head, and pointed at Shi Ning. “My family.”

Two words.

Those two words made Shi Ning feel like she had won the lottery. The smile on her lips grew wider and wider.

After hearing this, the junior exclaimed in surprise, “Senior! So this is that family member!”

Hearing the junior’s words, Shi Ning flicked her hair, took a step forward, and extended her hand to the junior. “Hello, I am that family member.” She was radiant, as bright as a burning rose. “Nice to meet you. I wonder what my wife has said about me before?”

The junior secretly glanced at Su Tianxue. Seeing the frosty look on her face, she quickly coughed. “Hello, hello.” She quickly shook Shi Ning’s hand and then pulled it back. “Senior, senior hasn’t mentioned you much.”

Ouch.

That hit a nerve.

In her inner world, Shi Ning dramatically clutched the shattered pieces of her heart. In reality, she maintained her smile. “Mm, that’s because our Tianxue doesn’t like to show her feelings.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Shi Ning felt a sharp pinch on her left waist. She sucked in a breath of pain, her smile almost faltering. She turned to look at the culprit who had pinched her. Su Tianxue raised an eyebrow, as if to say, “What are you going to do about it?”

Endure.

Patience is a virtue.

The key to a good marital relationship is the word “endurance.”

The junior was very enthusiastic. Seeing Shi Ning had come empty-handed, she thought she hadn’t driven and suggested, “Um, Senior, and… Senior’s family member, how about I drive you home?”

Su Tianxue spoke first. “No need, she probably drove.”

Shi Ning put her arm around Su Tianxue’s shoulder. “My wife, you know me best.” Shi Ning said to the junior, “Thanks, but no need to trouble yourself. I drove.”

The junior was curious. “What kind of car?”

When she came to work today, she heard someone say that yesterday, a super expensive, globally limited-edition sports car was waiting at the entrance to pick up Su Tianxue. She had been thinking that she would walk with her senior after work today to see what a limited-edition sports car looked like.

Shi Ning said calmly, “It’s nothing special, just a Little Bull.”

The junior was confused. “Is… is the horsepower of a Niu electric scooter that strong? Can it get from the research institute to Senior’s home?”

Shi Ning: “…Mm.”

The junior: “My mom wants to buy an electric scooter too, for grocery shopping. I was looking at Niu before, but I couldn’t make up my mind. Senior, um, can I go with you to see the Niu electric scooter? If possible, I’d like to test ride it, to get a feel for it for my mom.”

Su Tianxue looked at Shi Ning. Shi Ning shrugged, meaning it was no problem at all.

So the junior followed Su Tianxue and Shi Ning to the next intersection. Under the dense trees, the six o’clock evening light filtered through the gaps in the leaves, falling on the car parked beneath.

When the junior saw the car, she fell silent.

Shi Ning dangled the car keys. “How about it, want to give it a try?”

After a long pause, she spoke. “Thank you, Senior, and Senior’s family member. I think I’ll pass. Um, I’ll be going now. See you next time.”

The junior turned around like a robot, her arms and legs moving in unison as she walked.

Who would have thought…

The Little Bull Shi Ning mentioned was a goddamn Lamborghini.

The Huracán, meaning “hurricane,” is Lamborghini’s entry-level supercar, commonly known as the “Little Bull.”

To Shi Ning, it really wasn’t anything special.

But to the junior, it was a luxury car.

When she thought about how she had been talking about electric scooters and buying one for her mom, her pace couldn’t help but quicken.

Su Tianxue glanced at the smiling Shi Ning and said coldly, “Why are you teasing her?”

Shi Ning was innocent. “I’m not.”

“This car is really called the Little Bull.” Shi Ning whined pitifully to Su Tianxue, “Why are you being mean to me?”

Su Tianxue: “…I’m not being mean to you.”

That was just how she spoke, with a natural chill, as if it were fifty-two degrees below zero.

Shi Ning chuckled and opened the car door. “Alright, Princess Elsa, get in.”

Su Tianxue frowned. “What is Elsa?”

Shi Ning was amazed. “You don’t know?”

She got in the car, turned on the in-car tablet, and started playing the animated music video for “Let It Go” on a loop. On the screen, the noble, elegant, and ice-cold princess was performing on the ice, waving her hands randomly and creating all sorts of ice sculptures.

Su Tianxue’s verdict: “Childish.”

Shi Ning pouted, not caring what she said.

In the car, they were silent for a while before Shi Ning suddenly spoke. “Is something on your mind?”

Su Tianxue, almost caught off guard, shook her head.

Shi Ning murmured to herself, “You don’t seem very happy. I thought something was wrong.”

To dispel Shi Ning’s suspicion, Su Tianxue deliberately said, “You’re overthinking it. I look the same whether I’m happy or not.”

But in fact, she was indeed a little worried.

Three million was not a small sum for her.

She had already crossed a line for her grandmother’s illness before. Su Tianxue was unwilling to earn money that way again. She had to find a way to raise it. Today, she submitted a report to the research institute, requesting an advance on her salary, but she didn’t know if it would be approved within three days. She was also discussing the selling price of the old house with a real estate agent.

Because she and Shi Ning were already married and registered, although they hadn’t passed the review period yet, in a sense, she had already fulfilled her grandmother’s will. The inheritance right of the house naturally fell to her, with her name on the deed.

Su Tianxue was reluctant to sell the house, but she knew clearly that protecting her sister was more important than protecting a house.

The house was just memories; her sister was the future.

Su Tianxue didn’t want Shi Ning to know about this, firstly for Su Wanxing’s reputation, and secondly, she was certain that if Shi Ning found out, she would directly give her the three million. Her relationship with Shi Ning had started because of money, and after learning about the other’s family background, Su Tianxue became even more aware of the huge gap between them.

She didn’t want to take Shi Ning’s money.

If she took Shi Ning’s money, Su Tianxue always felt that something would change. She couldn’t do it, nor did she want to drag Shi Ning into this.

Su Tianxue didn’t speak, just looked out the window, letting the wind lift strands of her long hair, bringing a faint scent of snow to Shi Ning.

Shi Ning keenly sensed Su Tianxue’s mood but didn’t press further. Both of them fell silent.

It was a twenty-minute drive from the research institute to the Su family home. Just like yesterday, Shi Ning parked the car at the entrance, seemingly ready to leave after dropping Su Tianxue off.

They said their goodbyes. Su Tianxue took a few steps forward, but to her surprise, Shi Ning parked the car, got out, and followed her.

Su Tianxue stopped. “Hm?”

Shi Ning smiled. “A family member coming to freeload a meal, that’s not too much to ask, is it?”

This person was so thick-skinned that refusing was useless. Su Tianxue nodded and walked forward. Shi Ning stood where she was, her lips curling, then quickly caught up. She stepped on Su Tianxue’s shadow, like a child, having a great time.

When they arrived at the Su family home, Su Wanxing’s cat-like eyes widened upon seeing her. Her tone was a mix of surprise and shock. “Shi Ning?”

Shi Ning smiled and waved at the young girl. “Hello, it’s me. I’ve appeared again.”

Su Tianxue bent down to get slippers for Shi Ning, then explained to Su Wanxing, “Don’t mind her, she’s here to freeload.”

Shi Ning looked at the pair of bunny-eared slippers in her size that Su Tianxue had taken out, as if she had caught Su Tianxue’s secret. She pressed her tongue against the inside of her cheek, her eyes hiding her delight.

Su Tianxue was making arrangements. “Let’s order takeout.”

Shi Ning quickly interjected, “No way. It’s rare for me to come over. Let me cook.”

Hearing this, Su Wanxing shook her head like a rattle drum. “No, no, no.”

Shi Ning gave Su Wanxing a peaceful smile. “Su Wanxing, your refusal is useless. You have to listen to your sister.”

Both of them looked at Su Tianxue. Su Tianxue said helplessly, “Let Shi Ning cook.”

Although Su Wanxing didn’t understand, she was greatly shocked. “Sis! Aren’t you afraid of being poisoned?”

Su Tianxue: “Her cooking is okay.” After a pause, she added, “A bit better than ours.”

Su Wanxing was utterly astonished.

In her memories of the “future,” there was no mention of Shi Ning knowing how to cook.

This person was a high and mighty CEO. How could she possibly cook? Even in those memories, after Shi Ning became her devoted follower, she never cooked for her. At most, she would call a chef to the house and prepare a meal comparable to a state banquet.

…Could it be that this person really wasn’t the Shi Ning from her “future”?

Facing Su Wanxing’s probing glances, Shi Ning said gently, “Wanxing.”

Su Wanxing’s scalp tingled. She asked warily, “What?”

Shi Ning: “Come with me to the supermarket to buy groceries.”

Hearing this, Su Tianxue glanced at Shi Ning without changing her expression and said, “I’ll go with you.”

“No, no, no, no!” Hearing her sister say this, Su Wanxing was suddenly filled with a sense of heroic sacrifice, as if to say, “If I don’t go to hell, who will?” “I’ll go, I’ll go.”

“Sis, haven’t you been busy lately? You should just stay home. I’ll be back with Shi Ning… Jiejie after we buy the groceries. Text me what you want to eat.”

Afraid that Su Tianxue would object or that Shi Ning would change her mind, Su Wanxing quickly dragged Shi Ning out the door.

Su Tianxue watched the two of them leave in a hurry, frowning slightly. She thought that Shi Ning probably knew her limits. Su Wanxing hadn’t been out much these days, so it was good for her to go out for a bit. As soon as the two of them left, Su Tianxue’s faint eyebrows knitted together. She opened her phone and reread the message.

She had tried to trace it, but couldn’t find the owner of the number.

Su Tianxue pinched the bridge of her nose, her mind racing. She concluded that this person was probably related to Jiang Ningran. After all, the photo showed Su Wanxing and Jiang Ningran. She didn’t ask Su Wanxing about it. Asking Su Wanxing to confirm would be like causing a second injury. Even if the photo was photoshopped, Su Tianxue could only bear it.

She had promised her grandmother to protect Su Wanxing.

As for how the other party got her phone number… perhaps from Jiang Ningran?

---

While Su Tianxue was worrying at home, Shi Ning and Su Wanxing weren’t having a much better time.

As soon as Su Wanxing went out with Shi Ning and they got downstairs, she tilted her head up and asked, “Why did you ask me to come out to buy groceries? It’s not that simple, is it?”

Shi Ning hummed in agreement and asked, “Is your sister in some kind of trouble?”

Su Wanxing: “Why don’t you ask her?”

Shi Ning glanced at Su Wanxing. “Do you think she’ll tell me if I ask?”

Su Wanxing shook her head. “No.”

Her sister was strong-willed. When she encountered problems, she would only think of shouldering them alone and would never ask for help.

“Actually, I have that feeling too.” Su Wanxing bit her lower lip and said, conflicted, “My sister was a bit off when she came home yesterday. I asked her if something was wrong, but she didn’t say anything. But last night, I got up in the middle of the night to find something to eat and heard her on the phone, probably talking about selling the house. I don’t know what’s going on.”

“Su Tianxue is short on money?” Shi Ning hit the nail on the head, then asked, puzzled, “She was off when she came home yesterday?”

She was the one who drove Su Tianxue home yesterday, and everything seemed normal on the way.

…So, something happened after Su Tianxue got home?

Shi Ning grew worried.

Su Wanxing looked at Shi Ning, hesitated for a long time, and then said, “If my sister is short on money, could you lend us some? I, I promise you! I’ll work part-time and study hard to pay you back. We definitely won’t take it for free. We can even pay interest. This old house is really important to my sister and me. I don’t want her to sell it either.”

“I know,” Shi Ning said calmly.

Su Tianxue had married her precisely to save her grandmother’s house. What kind of situation would make her willing to sell it? Shi Ning’s gaze paused, landing on Su Wanxing. She had a feeling that the trouble Su Tianxue was in was related to Su Wanxing.

After all, based on her limited understanding of Su Tianxue, this person would never be afraid or worried if she herself was in danger. She had a do-or-die attitude. But if the person in danger was Su Wanxing… that was a different story.

Shi Ning searched her brain for memories but couldn’t find any plot points related to the current situation. So she guessed that the matter might be related to an unexpected event that had occurred outside the plot in this world.

For example, the death of Jiang Ningran.

As the villain in the original book, Jiang Ningran had exited the stage early in this world. Due to the butterfly effect, it was possible that someone else had appeared.

Shi Ning reached up and pinched her earlobe, an idea forming in her mind.

“I have a plan, but, Su Wanxing, I need your help with this.”

---

Half an hour later, Zhu Yu, acting like a thief, met up with Shi Ning and Su Wanxing at the entrance of the residential complex.

She pulled the brim of her hat down several inches, covering most of her face, and lowered her voice, speaking in the tone of a secret agent making contact. “Codename Zhu Yu, in position. Awaiting instructions.”

Su Wanxing actually played along, mimicking her tone. “Codename Wanxing, identity confirmed. Awaiting instructions.”

Shi Ning took two large green onions from the reusable bag and tapped them on their heads. “Can you two be serious?”

Zhu Yu and Su Wanxing replied in unison, “This is very serious!”

Shi Ning was speechless. She stuffed the onions back into the bag and said, “Here’s the situation. You both know about the show Love Bus, right? Recently, all the guests breached their contracts and withdrew. I have some connections with the production team and contacted them. As long as Su Tianxue agrees to be on the show, they’ll give her a five-million appearance fee.”

Su Wanxing was shocked. “That much!”

Zhu Yu glanced at Shi Ning but didn’t expose her trick. Hearing Shi Ning say this, she knew she wanted to hide her connection to Xuance. Xuance wasn’t directly registered under the Shi family’s enterprises, and Shi Ning wasn’t the legal representative. As long as she didn’t reveal her identity, no one would suspect.

But this five million…

Shi Ning was clearly using the company to give Su Tianxue money.

“In a bit, Su Wanxing and I will go upstairs first. Then, Zhu Yu, you call Su Wanxing for help, say you have an urgent matter to discuss in person. Then wait for ten minutes and come upstairs, understand?”

“Next—”

---

“A romance variety show?” Su Tianxue looked at Zhu Yu, who had suddenly shown up asking for help, a little bewildered.

Zhu Yu put on her best acting performance, saying with a troubled expression, “Yes, sigh. I owe the boss of this show a favor. This time, the show was suddenly ditched by the other guests, and they couldn’t find anyone on short notice, so they had to ask me to participate. But I don’t have a suitable partner. Being with someone from the industry could easily cause conflicts. I was thinking of finding someone from outside the industry to pretend to be a couple with me.”

Su Tianxue: “You mean?”

“I wanted to ask for your opinion. I was wondering if Su Wanxing could be on the show with me?” Zhu Yu was very sincere. “Don’t worry, I’ll protect her and make sure she doesn’t get hurt.”

Su Wanxing was too eager to get on with the act. Before Su Tianxue could even think, she immediately blurted out, “I’m willing! I’m willing! Is there money? How much?”

Seeing this, Shi Ning, who was standing to the side, tightened her grip on the water glass in her hand. She shot Su Wanxing a look, reminding her that she was overacting.

Su Wanxing gave Shi Ning a look back: Don’t worry, I’ve got this.

Zhu Yu coughed lightly and held up five fingers.

Su Wanxing pretended not to understand. “Five hundred thousand?”

Zhu Yu shook her head. “Five million.”

“The payment will be made on the same day the contract is signed.”

Su Tianxue was suspicious. “Is it that easy to make money in your entertainment industry?”

Zhu Yu recited the lines she had prepared earlier. “Actually, this is an inflated price. The production team is facing a crisis and is desperate to find people. They have no choice but to offer a high price.”

Su Tianxue was still a little hesitant.

Su Wanxing let out a “wow.” “Five million. With that money, I could direct my own low-budget movie.”

After saying this, she signaled to Shi Ning.

Receiving the signal, Shi Ning spoke up. “Can I be on this show?”

Su Wanxing quickly played her part. “No, no, Zhu Jiejie, you and Jiejie Shi Ning don’t look like a match. Pick me, pick me. I’ll definitely cooperate with you.”

Shi Ning snorted. “Who wants to be with her?”

“Hey, Su Tianxue, what do you think? Want to be on the show with me?”

Su Tianxue: “…Are you crazy?”

“You’re not short on money.”

Shi Ning: “I’m not short on money, but if there’s an opportunity for money to fall from the sky, I’m not going to turn it down.”

She leaned close to Su Tianxue’s ear. “Besides, don’t you think this is a good opportunity to earn money while getting through the marriage review period? We can turn a passive situation into an active one. Instead of waiting for them to come and inspect us whenever, we can stand in front of the screen and let them see how in love we are. That way, we won’t have to worry about the inheritance rights being revoked after three months.”

Su Wanxing deliberately pouted. “Why are you two whispering!”

Shi Ning coughed lightly. “Anyway, think about it, Su Tianxue. If you participate with me, I’ll take a small loss and split it with you fifty-fifty.”

Su Tianxue: “…”

She was actually quite resistant to participating in a variety show, putting her life on display for others’ entertainment.

But this was indeed a good opportunity.

Seeing Su Tianxue’s silence, Shi Ning pretended to be impatient. “Then, a forty-sixty split? Still not good enough? A twenty-eighty split, that should be fine, right?”

“Just come with me.” Shi Ning said pitifully, “I was even scolded by my mom when I went home yesterday. She said I was useless, only knew how to spend the family’s money, and didn’t know how to earn my own. Su Tianxue, please help me out and participate in the show with me?”

Su Wanxing prayed inwardly for her sister to agree, but on the surface, she said, “Sis, don’t listen to her! Pretending to be a couple with someone like her isn’t worth it!”

Zhu Yu: “So what’s it going to be? I need to give the production team a reply.”

Su Tianxue suddenly became the center of attention for all three of them.

Shi Ning held her wrist. “Ah Xue, little Xuexue.”

Su Wanxing held her other wrist, a look of resistance on her face. “Sis, you have to stand firm.”

Su Tianxue, helpless, raised her hands, took a step back, and gave her answer.

“I’ll participate.”

Su Wanxing was so happy she wanted to jump up and down. Shi Ning tugged on her clothes, and only then did she restrain herself, realizing her script didn’t call for happiness. She snorted and walked to the balcony alone to sulk. Her back looked angry, but her face was ecstatic.

Shi Ning hugged Su Tianxue and gave her a kiss. “Thank you.”

Zhu Yu couldn’t bear to watch. She pretended to make a phone call, and after hanging up, she said, “Contract signing at eight tomorrow morning, then the payment will be transferred. Is that okay?”

Tomorrow was Saturday, so Su Tianxue didn’t have work.

She nodded.

Shi Ning patted her chest and guaranteed, “No problem, I’ll be there at eight sharp tomorrow.”

---

The next day, after signing the contract, Shi Ning really did follow the twenty-eighty split. Upon receiving the money, she transferred four million from her own five million to Su Tianxue.

Su Tianxue was a little resistant. “You don’t have to do this.”

Shi Ning was serious. “We agreed.”

“The remaining one million is barely enough for me to buy a dress.”

Su Tianxue: …

In that case, she’d better keep it. Otherwise, with Shi Ning’s big-spending habits, four million could disappear in the blink of an eye.

Su Tianxue transferred three million to the account from the threatening text message. The remaining six hundred thousand, she planned to save and invest. It could also be considered saving money for Shi Ning.

Noticing Su Tianxue’s actions, Shi Ning got up to go to the bathroom, but was actually on the phone with someone.

“Immediately trace the money Su Tianxue just transferred. Find out which account it went to and notify the bank.”

In this world, there was something called phishing.

That night, Shi Ning received news.

“CEO Shi, we’ve traced the money through several transfers to an overseas account. We can’t find specific information for now. However, we contacted the police and found that they have information related to this account. This account seems to belong to a habitual extortionist with other criminal records. We plan to assist the police in their investigation.”

“Good.” Shi Ning blinked, the stars outside the window falling into her dark eyes. “Find a suitable time to have the police contact Su Tianxue. She should have other clues.”

“CEO Shi, there’s one more thing.”

Shi Ning pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to wipe away her fatigue. “Go on.”

“As you expected, our gossip submission account received indecent photos of Su Wanxing. They were photoshopped. We’ve already had our hackers counter-trace and destroy the original data.”

“Mm,” Shi Ning said softly. “Thank you for your hard work.”

“Anything else?” Shi Ning asked when she noticed the call hadn’t been disconnected.

On the other end, the usually serious male subordinate suddenly sounded a little nervous. He hesitated for a long time before asking, “CEO Shi, are you really going to be on a romance variety show?”

A hint of happiness finally appeared on Shi Ning’s face.

“That’s right. With my wife.”

Male subordinate: …Mm, got it, you have a wife.

“Won’t you lose money by spending so much?” the male subordinate asked cautiously.

Shi Ning chuckled. “You don’t understand.”

With that money, she had solved her own problem, solved Su Tianxue’s problem, and forced two people who were in an awkward situation to live together again.

Why wouldn’t she be happy about it?

Besides, she had told Ye Wanlan about this and had the Shi family’s businesses become the exclusive sponsors.

She could guarantee that this show would be a huge hit.

After all, Su Tianxue’s face was right there. And she herself wasn’t bad-looking either. A double-A couple was a hot topic. Zhu Yu was a money-making machine. Any one of these points could dominate the trending topics.

Sure enough, on the third day, the last day before filming began, after Love Bus 2 made its official announcement, Weibo’s trending topics were all taken over by the show.

@LoveBusV: In the scorching summer, a new journey of love is slowly beginning! We are honored to have guests @ShiNing and @SuTianxue, this newlywed couple, participating in our show. In addition, special guest @ZhuYuV and her love experience officer @SuWanxing will also be appearing! Let’s look forward to it!!

Zhu Yu’s fans went crazy.

IAmZhuYusLittleFriend: WTF!!!! How come the big fan accounts and the studio didn’t leak anything!! A sudden announcement for a show, and it’s a romance variety show?! What the hell is going on!

WishingYouASmoothJourney: Can someone explain what “special guest” and “love experience officer” mean?

WeakVoiceOfAPasserby: Who’s the other couple… I clicked on their Weibo and they have no fans. Did the show fail and they just randomly found people to film? I’m not watching this.

Face-ConPasserby: Are you sure you’re not watching? Look at these two faces. Can you really say the words “not watching”? [Image][Image]

Passerby: Shocked! Where did you find this picture? Could it be a mistake?

Face-ConPasserby: Fam, if only your phone had a refresh button. Scroll down on their Weibo page, see? They posted a new one.

@LoveBusV: Leaking two guest announcement photos~ With these visuals, this aura, are you not shipping them yet?? [Image][Image]

The photo was a behind-the-scenes shot captured by the photographer at the moment of the contract signing.

In the coffee shop, Shi Ning was leaning back against her chair, her arm draped over the back of Su Tianxue’s chair, loosely embracing her. Su Tianxue was sitting upright, looking down at the documents.

One of them was like fire, the other like frost.

Shi Ning’s eyes, looking at the camera, were brighter than the lights, like a deep pool under the sunset, from which flowed the dreams of a thousand clouds.

And Su Tianxue, with her head slightly lowered, although her eyes couldn’t be seen, had a sharp nose, translucent white skin, and an ethereal, transcendent temperament, like the peak of a snow-capped mountain surrounded by clouds.

Together, their atmosphere alone was enough to drive people crazy.

I’mReallyNotAThirstFollower: …I’m dying of thirst. If only I could have one of these Alphas.

ComeOnShipMeToDeath: Wherever there’s sugar, there’s this shipping addict. I love the new guests!! So much better than the recycled meat who’ve been on countless shows before. Support, support!

The internet was full of positive reviews.

W was furious, extremely displeased.

She had never expected that the trap she had set would be so easily turned around by Shi Ning.

She looked at the countless blessings for Shi Ning and Su Tianxue on her phone, gritting her teeth, her heart filled with displeasure.

She had to teach these two a lesson.

She called Teng She. “Contact that internet celebrity couple we had withdraw before. Tell them I’ll pay for them to participate in the variety show.”

Shi Ning wanted people to think she and Su Tianxue had a good relationship, did she?

Well, she wouldn’t let Shi Ning have her way!

She would let others shine on the show, and then, make Shi Ning and Su Tianxue the comparison group!

---

Before its broadcast, Love Bus 2 captured everyone’s attention with its explosive momentum.

Whether it was the buzz from Zhu Yu’s debut on a romance variety show, or the top-tier visuals of the Shi Ning and Su Tianxue CP, people were going crazy.

There was even a poll online, betting on who was the Omega and who was the Alpha between Shi Ning and Su Tianxue, based on the photos.

Zhu Yu retweeted this poll with a mysterious, hehe-ing smile.

Fan #1’s interpretation: I get it. Our little Yu’s smile has three parts recklessness, four parts coldness, five parts disdain, and six parts seeing through the mortal world. It’s mainly to show that she’s participating in the romance show for the money, not really to fall in love.

Fan #2: …Girlfriend fans, get lost!

Fan #3: @TodayIWatchTheStarsWithYou. Big sis, fansite master, say something. What do you think about little Yu participating in a romance show?

Su Wanxing watched as Zhu Yu’s fans kept tagging her fan account, and could only remain silent and play dead.

She had loved photography since she was young and had studied cinematography, so her photography skills were naturally better than the average person’s. She could often capture divine photos of Zhu Yu. She ran a small fansite herself, which was initially just for storing photos. But as she posted more and more, at some point, she became one of Zhu Yu’s major fan leaders.

Now, with the news of Zhu Yu going on a romance show, some anxious little fans, like headless flies, hoped to get some comforting words from the major fan leaders.

But what could Su Wanxing say?

Was she supposed to tell them, don’t be afraid, Zhu Yu definitely won’t fall in love?

Because the person participating in the romance show with her is me :)

Wouldn’t that be purely suicidal?

So Su Wanxing could only play dead.

Silence was the Cambridge of tonight.

---

Due to the show’s official announcement, besides Zhu Yu’s fans being greatly shocked, the socialites in Shi Ning’s circle also went crazy.

【Peerless Beauty O, Paging Online】

Yuan Yuyue: Ladies, look at this official announcement. Am I about to win the bet?

Dongling Mountain’s Lin Zhiling: ………Save me!! For the love of god, save me!!!

Akina Road Driver: Hmph, the Omega in this picture doesn’t look soft at all. Must be very boring. I don’t know if Shi Ning is blind, how did she fall for her?

Dongling Mountain’s Lin Zhiling: Is there a possibility that she’s not an Omega?

Akina Road Driver: Are you crazy? Shi Ning doesn’t like Omegas? The sky is falling!

A Savage Can Be a Beauty Too: This is so interesting. I’m definitely following this show.

Little Cat Doesn’t Eat Fish: @YuanYuyue, little sister, listen to your big sister’s advice. Give up the fantasy, face reality, and really stop dreaming about prodigal sons returning.

Little Cat Doesn’t Eat Fish: How could someone like Shi Ning really settle down? You might as well just watch for the drama and see how they act.

Aside from the two super-popular pairs of guests, Shi Ning and Su Tianxue, and Zhu Yu and Su Wanxing, the other pair of guests seemed a bit less prominent.

They had previously gained popularity online through their lovey-dovey videos, so it wasn’t surprising that they were invited to participate in Love Bus.

A small group of their fans were cheering for them, saying they looked forward to their performance on the variety show.

As for the main characters themselves… they were currently in a state of having taken money to withdraw from the competition, and then receiving money again to offer a groveling apology to the production team, asking if they could rejoin without pay.

In other words, being swayed by money was also a pretty good thing.

---

Qin Li wasn’t surprised that Shi Ning was going to participate in a variety show.

That day, with an expression that said, “I knew this would happen from the moment I gave birth to her,” she said to Ye Wanlan, “Wanwan, I told you. This person loves beautiful, shiny things the most. During her first birthday grab ceremony, she grabbed a snow mountain diamond. I knew there was no way she wouldn’t enter the world of fame and fortune.”

Ye Wanlan replied gently, “Xiao Ning doing this has also helped the company out of a tight spot.”

Qin Li snorted. “Don’t think I don’t know. She’s clearly doing this so she can be with her wife every day. Look at her, at home all day, either on her phone or on a call. I see it clearly. Her body is here, but her spirit is not. That girl’s heart has long flown away to someone else.”

Qin Li’s nagging, one sentence after another, annoyed Shi Ning.

She put down her phone and said bluntly, “Mom, how about this? Why don’t I create a dating variety show exclusively for middle-aged and elderly people, make you the star, and invite a dozen or two people for you to choose from, how about it?”

Qin Li was so angry she felt like the eyelashes she had just gotten done were about to fly off. “How did I end up with such a rascal daughter!”

Qin Li chased Shi Ning with a pillow, and Shi Ning ran for her life.

In this house, she chased, she fled, and they all had a bright future :)

---

When the people at the research institute saw the news that Su Tianxue was going to participate in a variety show, they all became concerned. Even though it was a holiday, they made several calls in a row.

Su Tianxue was numb from answering them all.

Professor Wang, who was closest to Su Tianxue, was highly respected and of a great age, still engrossed in science at retirement age. Professor Wang took the initiative to call Su Tianxue. “Ah Xue, you’ve grown up. You’re in a relationship and didn’t even tell your teacher. How about it? I’ll approve however long a vacation you want.”

Su Tianxue: “No need, Teacher. I can work remotely.”

Professor Wang sighed. “You child, you’re good at everything, except you love working too much. Ah Xue, listen to your teacher. In this world, there’s always something more important than work. Like the reeds outside the building, or tonight’s moon, and the person by your side.”

Su Tianxue replied, completely unaffected, “Teacher, the original quote is ‘I will give you two chances to skip class, there will definitely be something more important than class.’ And it doesn’t have that last sentence you added.”

Professor Wang laughed dryly. “You child, why are you still so blunt? Isn’t your teacher just happy?”

Perhaps because it had been a long time since he had a heart-to-heart with Su Tianxue, and because he was getting old, reminiscing about the past filled his heart with melancholy and emotion. “Ah Xue, tell me, from the time you entered university as my student until now, how many years have I known you? In my heart, I’ve always seen you as half a child of my own.”

“If it weren’t for my own son being a rascal and not good enough for you, I would have insisted on you truly joining our family. Where would that person now even get a chance?”

“But, Ah Xue, seeing you now, your teacher feels that you’re doing very well, very happy.” Professor Wang took off his reading glasses, folded them, and placed them on his chest. Holding his phone, he looked at the evergreen plant on the balcony as if he were seeing Su Tianxue’s youth.

“Since you were young, you were different from other children. In school, other students couldn’t wait to go out and play after class. But you, I had to urge you not to bury yourself in books, not to stay in the lab all the time, to go out more, to make more friends. Ah Xue, you always said it was unnecessary, that you were fine with just books.”

“But, Ah Xue, the world is so big. There are many things that books can’t tell you.”

Hearing Professor Wang’s words, Su Tianxue also thought of the past. Her faint eyebrows relaxed. Facing her respected teacher, her tone was a bit gentler than usual. “Teacher, why are you bringing this up again?”

“If I had gone out to play back then, not read books, not stayed in the lab, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”

“Besides, weren’t you the one who told us in the first class that people who do research should be like Einstein and keep their distance from others?”

Professor Wang remembered this and felt like he had just shot himself in the foot.

He said helplessly, “I meant that only by maintaining independence can one’s thinking be clearer, can one think more independently, can one be clear about the direction one wants to go, and can one truly reach the destination.”

“But, but I didn’t tell you not to make friends with others, did I? Even if you didn’t make friends, at that age, the school was filled with the hormones of youth. Didn’t you have the urge to like someone?” This question had been lingering in Professor Wang’s mind for a long time, and only today did he finally ask Su Tianxue.

Back then, Su Tianxue was considered the top Alpha of the astronomy department.

As soon as she enrolled, she successfully became the top Alpha on campus with her stunning looks, super-A aura, and near-perfect college entrance exam scores.

Professor Wang had even made a bet with teachers from other departments.

At that time, there were at least four or five people pursuing Su Tianxue, both male and female. Professor Wang bet that Su Tianxue would end up with a girl from the liberal arts department. After all, in his view, the fusion of liberal arts and sciences was what made for harmony.

Who would have thought that Su Tianxue would not accept a single confession, and in a manner that could be described as swiftly cutting off all romantic ties, she distanced herself from everyone.

Professor Wang lost three hundred yuan.

But a gambler never quits. He made another bet with someone, saying that Su Tianxue would definitely be in a relationship within four years.

Four years passed, and then another four. Su Tianxue graduated with her doctorate, still all alone. This time, he lost nine hundred yuan, a threefold increase.

Professor Wang was worried. He thought to himself, with all this spare time, he might as well just give Su Tianxue wedding gift money.

He finally understood why those aunties were so keen on setting people up on blind dates. Even he, as her teacher, felt a little anxious watching her.

Now, it was great. He thought he would die without ever seeing Su Tianxue in a relationship, but she, as if on a rocket, not only got into a relationship but got married without a word.

Professor Wang felt that he could finally rest in peace in his coffin.

He didn’t want his most beloved disciple to be living a solitary life, all alone, after he was old and gone.

Professor Wang gossiped, “Ah Xue, tell your teacher, you and this Shi, Shi…”

Su Tianxue softly added, “Teacher, her name is Shi Ning.”

Professor Wang said “oh” twice. “Right, right, Shi Ning. Shi Ning. How did you two meet?”

Su Tianxue: …She tried to sell herself and ended up in the wrong room.

“Ahem.” Su Tianxue didn’t want to lie to her teacher, but she couldn’t tell the truth either, so she tried to end the topic. “Teacher, it’s getting late. You should rest.”

Professor Wang, thinking he had seen through Su Tianxue’s little thoughts, said cheerfully, “You child, why are you so shy? You, you’re just thin-skinned.”

“Ah, seeing you like this, your teacher is really happy. As people, we need to connect with others. It’s in our interactions with others that we can see ourselves more clearly. You, don’t think your teacher is being long-winded. Actually, I’ve always wanted to say these things to you, but I never found the chance. Now that I know you’re in a relationship, you’re married, and you’re even going on a show, your teacher feels that this is the opportunity, Ah Xue.”

Professor Wang’s voice flowed slowly from the phone’s speaker, like a gentle stream rolling down a mountain, carrying the advice of an elder. “This matter is just like your love for astronomy. You feel that you can see another version of yourself in the universe.”

“Ah Xue, when you truly fall in love with another person, you will also find that she can help you open the door between you and the world. Because only when you love someone else will your focus shift from yourself to others, and you will not care about gains and losses, only wanting the other person to be happy.”

“This kind of pure experience is very rare.”

Hearing Professor Wang’s words, Su Tianxue was silent for a long time, then said, “Then Teacher, is your wife still the person you love now?”

Professor Wang’s old voice carried a hint of open-mindedness. “At my age, what’s there to talk about love? We’ve walked hand in hand through so many years, stumbling along the way. There are always feelings. Marriage is different from being in a relationship. Responsibility and feelings are never so clear-cut. Alright, I won’t talk about this with you. If your master’s wife hears this, she’ll start nagging me again.”

“By the way, what time does your show air tomorrow? I’m planning to watch it with your master’s wife.” Professor Wang was curious. “I’m an old fossil, I can’t figure out the broadcast time, so I have to ask you.”

Su Wanxing recalled the production team’s notice. “Live broadcast at 9 AM.”

“Good, good, good.” Professor Wang couldn’t stop smiling. “Then I’ll have to get a good night’s sleep tonight and wake up early tomorrow to watch the live broadcast. I’m also going to make those old guys from the economics and technology departments watch with me. Hmph! Let them keep saying my disciple will be single for life! Pfft!”

Professor Wang added another reminder, “Ah Xue, I’m looking forward to your performance.”

As soon as the call ended, Su Tianxue’s helplessness turned to bewilderment.

She couldn’t tell her teacher that she and Shi Ning weren’t actually in a relationship, let alone in love. The reason they had gotten to this point was purely because of their partnership.

Even going on the romance show was just to split the money.

This matter weighed on Su Tianxue’s mind, leaving her feeling somewhat at a loss.

Before going to bed that night, she was still thinking about it when she received a message from Shi Ning.

When she first started receiving casual chat messages from Shi Ning, Su Tianxue felt quite awkward, not knowing what to say. Now, she found it very familiar.

Big Liar: Asleep yet?

Su Tianxue: No.

Su Tianxue: I’m studying.

Shi Ning: ???

Shi Ning: What are you secretly studying so late at night?

Su Tianxue thought for a moment, then shared the books she was reading on WeChat Read with Shi Ning.

《How to Have a Good Relationship》

《Methods for Building Intimacy》

《This is What a Good Relationship Looks Like!》

《Learn This Trick and Be a Good Girlfriend!》

Su Tianxue had probably read them very seriously, as she even sent Shi Ning her reading notes, as well as a mind map and dating tips she had made herself.

1. Listen to your girlfriend.

2. Don’t say no to your girlfriend.

3. Don’t criticize your girlfriend in public.

……

The long list looked like some kind of bucket list.

Seeing this, Shi Ning couldn’t help but smile gently.

What to do? Oh, heavens. This woman really has a cute side to her sometimes.

When she didn’t reply, Su Tianxue even asked seriously: Can you understand it? Have you learned it?

Shi Ning really couldn’t take it anymore. She couldn’t help but call Su Tianxue. As soon as she spoke, her voice was filled with laughter. “Su Tianxue, are you a robot?”

Su Tianxue’s beautiful willow-like eyebrows furrowed. “I am a person.”

Shi Ning: “Mm, you’re a cute little robot.”

Su Tianxue: “…Why are you calling? Why didn’t you reply to my message? Did you not understand?”

Shi Ning teased, “Su Tianxue, am I illiterate in your eyes?”

Su Tianxue shook her head. “No.”

“But at most, you’re at a sixth-grade level.”

Shi Ning, not to be outdone, retorted, “Then your dating skills are probably at a kindergarten level.”

Su Tianxue blinked. “Have you been in many relationships?”

…Uh.

Oops.

Shi Ning quickly composed herself and replied, “Not really. I’ve never liked anyone before.”

Su Tianxue nodded in agreement. “What a coincidence, me neither.”

Beep, beep.

How strange. Hearing Su Tianxue say that, Shi Ning felt a small flower bloom in her heart, gently, suddenly blossoming just like that.

To prevent herself from being affected by this flower, Shi Ning snorted. She went on the offensive, turning the tables.

“Su Tianxue, are you looking at these things because you’re nervous?”

She thought Su Tianxue would be proud and deny it like before, but to her surprise, Su Tianxue hummed in agreement. She said, “Because we’re not a real couple, so I’m worried.”

The words didn’t need to be spelled out for Shi Ning to understand her meaning.

Shi Ning sighed softly, thinking: We may not be a real couple, but I’ve really fallen for you.

She switched to a lighthearted tone. “Su Tianxue, my personal suggestion is, why don’t you go to bed early today? Anyway, I’ll be there tomorrow. You just follow my lead, you don’t have to do anything, just be your usual self.”

“My usual self?” Su Tianxue thought about her usual attitude toward Shi Ning and felt it wasn’t very good. It didn’t look like a couple at all.

Su Tianxue was a very practical person. Since she had taken the money, she treated it as a job. And when it came to work, there was absolutely no room for half-heartedness.

She fell silent, so Shi Ning didn’t speak either. She stood up and walked to the balcony.

At this moment, with things on her mind, Shi Ning couldn’t help but light a cigarette. This was the first cigarette she had lit since transmigrating.

Just as she lit it with a lighter, she saw the crimson glow on the cigarette flicker in the night wind, just like her heartbeat.

Shi Ning brought the cigarette to her lips, just as she was about to gently take a drag, her lipstick smudging the filter, Su Tianxue’s voice came through the phone. She asked, “Are you smoking?”

Shi Ning was stunned for a moment. She placed her phone on the railing, holding the cigarette, and asked, “How did you know?”

Su Tianxue said, “I heard the sound of the lighter.”

Shi Ning looked at the cigarette burning between her fingers, not knowing whether to throw it away or continue smoking. It was just like the thoughts of Su Tianxue that had been on her mind all this time.

Her self-preservation instinct made her want to retreat, but seeing Su Tianxue in danger, she couldn’t help but want to step in and protect her. What was even more terrifying was a voice in her heart telling her that she liked the moments she spent with Su Tianxue. Even when this woman did nothing, just looked at her with a cold and indifferent expression, she felt that it was good enough.

She also wanted to get a little closer.

She also wanted to see that look of care on her face.

Thinking of this, Shi Ning let out a soft, self-deprecating laugh.

She was actually jealous of Su Wanxing.

Jealous that Su Wanxing had all of Su Tianxue’s care and concern.

The cigarette swayed in the wind, like a wavering girl.

Su Tianxue’s voice came from the phone. “I didn’t know you smoked before.”

Shi Ning thought, there were probably many things Su Tianxue didn’t know.

Su Tianxue then recited like a mantra, “Cigarettes contain nicotine, acetone, benzene, butane, carbon monoxide, and other components. In addition to the above harmful substances, cigarettes also contain benzopyrene, which is a strong carcinogen. In addition, the metal cadmium, benzidine, vinyl chloride, etc., in cigarettes will promote the formation of cancer cells. It’s addictive, not good.”

Shi Ning looked at the cigarette, and at the illusory beauty that appeared with the wisps of smoke, and murmured, “Did you hear that? Someone said you’re addictive, not good.”

Su Tianxue blinked. “Is there someone else with you?”

Shi Ning shook her head. “No, just you.”

She couldn’t get addicted to cigarettes, she wasn’t afraid.

She was afraid of getting addicted to Su Tianxue.

Shi Ning deliberately used a nonchalant tone to cover up the hint of probing in her heart. “Su Tianxue, you just said a whole bunch of things. Are you concerned about me?”

Hearing her question, Su Tianxue was silent for a moment, then explained, “I was just telling you the dangers of smoking.”

“Also, if you need me to, I will learn how to care for you like a girlfriend.”

Shi Ning found this person really annoying. How could a thirty-seven-degree mouth say such cold words? Talking to Su Tianxue was really annoying.

This person was really unlikable. What was she falling for?

“Forget it,” Shi Ning said lazily. “I won’t trouble our chief researcher to be distracted by such a small matter.”

Su Tianxue was very stubborn. “But I want to learn.”

She said, “I want to take good care of you.”

Oh no, again. Shi Ning felt her heart skip another beat when she heard that. If this continued, she would probably have to check into the cardiac ward.

Then, she heard her own voice, lighter than the wind, as if afraid that a little force would break something.

Shi Ning: “Then why do you want to do that?”

Su Tianxue replied without hesitation, “Because we’re going to be on the show.”

Hearing this, Shi Ning felt that the guess that had just risen in her heart was simply ridiculous. Was she an idiot?

Was she that dog from A Chinese Odyssey?

Shi Ning took another drag of the cigarette, then reached out and stubbed it out. The crimson glow disappeared. She tossed the cigarette butt into the trash can beside her.

“Then you study hard, and go to bed early after you’re done.”

She turned to go back into the room, wanting to hang up.

“Wait,” Su Tianxue stopped her.

Shi Ning: “What’s wrong?”

Su Tianxue pondered for a moment, then said, “Thank you.”

“Hm?” Shi Ning was confused. “I didn’t do anything.”

There was a hint of a smile in Su Tianxue’s voice, making her tone even lighter. “You really didn’t do anything. It’s just that after talking to you, I’m not so nervous anymore.”

“Shi Ning, good night. See you tomorrow.”

After saying this, she hung up first, leaving Shi Ning with a dial tone.

Shi Ning looked at the nearly ten-minute call duration on her phone, thinking that she seemed to be unable to understand this person, Su Tianxue.

Was this the trick of a straight woman?

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