Without a second thought, Lin Xi clicked "Yes."
In the world of domineering CEOs, at the very moment the bathroom door was flung open, a flash of white light swept through, and Ye Bingbing, who had been hiding by the sink, was suddenly enveloped by that beam of light.
Right before Lin Xi's eyes, an exquisitely beautiful girl appeared out of thin air—completely naked. Her appearance was so stunningly radiant, it hardly seemed human.
Lin Xi was startled, while Ye Bingbing, taking in the small but cozy room, felt an overwhelming warmth wash over her and stood there, stunned.
Her body reacted faster than her mind. By the time she came to her senses, Lin Xi had already neatly folded the blankets on the bed and draped them over Ye Bingbing. Instinctively, Ye Bingbing tightened her grip on the blanket.
Leng Mingchen was a pervert; he knew exactly how to shatter a person's pride.
A girl like Ye Bingbing, raised in a wealthy family, being forced to stand naked and denied food, even made to drink water from the bathroom—this was nothing short of trampling on her dignity.
At the same time, it was a form of taming. Cutting Ye Bingbing’s Achilles tendons was the second step in breaking her will. Next, isolating her so she could only come into contact with Leng Mingchen himself was the third step. Then, abandoning her to face the world's scorn alone was the fourth. And the final step was Leng Mingchen appearing like a god when she was being mocked and humiliated.
Once all these steps were completed, Ye Bingbing would become nothing more than Leng Mingchen’s personal pet.
Before kidnapping Ye Bingbing, Leng Mingchen had told her on the day he took her away that he would tame her. He told her to hold on and not be tamed too quickly—otherwise, it would be too boring.
Wearing Lin Xi’s pajamas and clutching a cup of warm water, Ye Bingbing sobbed so hard she could hardly catch her breath.
After what happened last night, Lin Xi understood the importance of stocking up. Today, while at work, she ordered a lot of supplies from a nearby supermarket—not just vegetables and meals, but all kinds of frozen foods too.
Knowing Ye Bingbing was hungry, Lin Xi asked what she wanted to eat. Following Ye Bingbing’s request, she cooked instant noodles—the very instant noodles Lin Xi had prepared for herself. She hadn’t expected Ye Bingbing to pick that from among all the food.
Lin Xi’s instant noodles were a deluxe version, loaded with meatballs, fatty beef, greens, and a fried egg. “I didn’t expect you to choose this,” Lin Xi said, a little embarrassed.
As soon as the instant noodles were served, Ye Bingbing stopped crying. She sat down at Lin Xi’s cramped little dining table. “It’s nothing. I used to love instant noodles too. But I can barely remember the last time I had any.”
Ye Bingbing’s eyes were red and swollen from crying, but after days of hunger, her attitude toward food carried an indescribable reverence.
Lin Xi poured her a glass of water. “In the world of domineering CEOs, no one eats instant noodles?”
“There are,” Ye Bingbing replied, “but in the eyes of those crazy, overbearing CEOs, instant noodles and pork are food for the lower class. Those lunatics eat meat flown in from overseas; some of them won’t even eat seafood caught in domestic waters. As for vegetables, forget it—they only eat organic.”
Lin Xi kept holding back, but finally couldn’t resist anymore: “There are cases of mad cow disease infecting livestock abroad every year. Aren’t the CEOs afraid?”
Ye Bingbing never expected Lin Xi’s train of thought to be so quirky. That sentence really struck a funny chord with her, and she let out a soft chuckle, which soon grew into louder laughter.
“That’s right, exactly! That’s what I thought back then. I figured those CEOs really have nine lives—mad cow disease can’t even kill them. Sometimes when I’m tormented beyond endurance, I truly want to buy some rat poison and wipe them all out. But unfortunately, the CEO world has strict social hierarchies, and I can’t even get near the kitchen.” Finally able to vent face to face, Ye Bingbing poured out all the frustrations she had been holding in. Saying it all out loud seemed to lighten the burden of her own suffering.
Lin Xi listened quietly, deeply moved by Ye Bingbing’s inner strength. Yet soon, a pang of sympathy welled up inside her. In such a CEO-dominated world, if you weren’t strong inside, how could you possibly survive? She probably would have smashed her head against the wall the moment she realized the whole world was full of lunatics.
After finishing a bowl of instant noodles, Ye Bingbing sat on Lin Xi’s small bed, cradling her cat, Cao’er. She rested her head on Lin Xi’s shoulder and said, “Xiao Xi, take me outside for a walk.”
She had been brought here temporarily through a chat group for emergency refuge. On the floating panel on her wrist, a clear red countdown was ticking down. Ye Bingbing felt that when the countdown ended, it would be time for her to leave. Lin Xi had a similar countdown on her side.
“Let’s go,” Lin Xi said to Ye Bingbing. She had come here for emergency shelter; when she would return to the real world next time was uncertain. Before Ye Bingbing left, Lin Xi wanted to take a good look at this world.
Lin Xi took a set of winter clothes out of the cabinet for Ye Bingbing. These clothes were bought by Lin Xi last year and only worn when she went home. Normally, they were washed and stored in dustproof bags inside the cabinet.
Ye Bingbing was roughly the same height as Lin Xi, and their builds were similar too, so the clothes fit her just right.
Ye Bingbing’s family hadn’t always been wealthy before she crossed over. Before she was eight, although her family never lacked food or drink, they certainly weren’t rich.
The older generation’s parenting philosophies differed from today’s. Back then, she also wore hand-me-down clothes. Setting that aside, after being treated so badly by Leng Mingchen, just having clothes to wear was already enough to give Ye Bingbing a sense of security.
After putting on the clothes and a mask, Ye Bingbing placed Cao’er back into the cat bed, grabbed her phone and flashlight, and gently closed the door. Cao’er jumped out of the cat bed and sat on the windowsill, watching Lin Xi and Ye Bingbing step out of the yard.
The snow that had fallen for a whole day and night had stopped at some point. Since it was nighttime, no one had shoveled the snow on the roads, and a thick, white layer had already piled up on the ground.
The two of them walked forward, their footsteps crunching in the snow. The street lamps on both sides glowed dimly, casting their elongated shadows on the ground.
“Xiao Xi, how about we go to my place?” Standing at the street corner, Ye Bingbing turned to look at Lin Xi.
Lin Xi agreed. Ye Bingbing’s home was also in the capital, just next door in the Wuxuan District.
The main road had been cleared of snow by someone, but Lin Xi took out her phone to book a ride. It was already past eleven at night, yet countless people were still out making a living.
Soon, a driver accepted the order. Due to the severe weather and crossing districts, the fare was a bit higher than usual. Lin Xi had money now, so she didn’t mind the extra cost.
Once inside the car, Ye Bingbing gazed out the window, unwilling to blink even once as the scenery slipped away behind them.
This world was truly different from the “CEO universe.” In that world, the streets were plastered with billboards advertising products from the Gong Family, and Gong Jiuyi—the CEO himself—had a massive portrait hung in the most prominent spot downtown all year round.
At night, walking past the roadside, gangs were always fighting over territory, just like Hong Kong before its return in the 1980s. Ye Bingbing had only dared to go out once at night there and never wanted to again.
From Guangyang District back to Wuxuan District, Ye Bingbing’s home required passing through a certain area. Even after walking far away, Ye Bingbing kept looking back.
Only after experiencing a society without order did Ye Bingbing truly understand how peaceful and prosperous China really was.
To grow up on this vast land was such a blessing.
A mix of pride and sadness welled up in her heart. Ye Bingbing blinked hard, trying to wipe away the tears that threatened to fall.
Because of the weather and the late hour, the car moved slowly. A trip that normally took an hour stretched to an hour and forty-five minutes. They arrived at a villa community, where Ye Bingbing led Lin Xi to the security office to register. In the logbook, they wrote they were visiting a man named He Fengrong.
Inside the gated community, walking along the spotless roads, Ye Bingbing lowered her voice and said, “My current appearance is very different from what I looked like before. Back then, at best, I was just a modest, simple girl.”
“Even with makeup, I could only be called pretty. But look at me now—if I say I’m a rare beauty, no one would argue.” Ye Bingbing spoke with obvious satisfaction.
No one disliked being beautiful. After all the hardships of time travel, amidst all the frustrations, the one thing she was most pleased with was this new appearance.
“You really are beautiful. Just a moment ago, I was completely stunned,” Lin Xi complimented sincerely, making Ye Bingbing laugh out loud.
“This is my home. The guy I registered as visiting is my ex and also my fiancé. He’s quite the playboy—he often brings groups of young girls to hang out at his place.”
“That's why the security guard didn’t question us much,” Ye Bingbing explained the situation at her home as she led Lin Xi further inside. One of the villas was brightly lit, and as they got closer, music could be heard. The song was lively and upbeat.
Ye Bingbing pointed at He Fengrong’s house with her chin. “See that? That’s where He Fengrong lives. His family is in the real estate business, and they have business dealings with my family.”
“Before I traveled through time, our parents had intended to match us. Neither of us had any objections. After all, if you’re going to marry someone, it wouldn’t get any better than each other. We agreed that after marriage, we’d each live our own lives. Who would have thought that before the wedding, while traveling, we’d get caught in a mudslide? He wasn’t at the hotel, and I never came out of it.” Ye Bingbing spoke calmly about her own death, and when she mentioned her fiancé He Fengrong, her tone was matter-of-fact.
Every family has its own troubles. Clearly, there was more to Ye Bingbing’s story with He Fengrong, but Lin Xi didn’t press for details.
The two of them wandered around the neighborhood in the dark, visiting many places Ye Bingbing had often played at as a child.
The wind picked up late into the night, cold and biting, but neither of them said a word.
Finally, they reached the southeast corner of the community, where many trees were planted. Ye Bingbing pointed to one by the wall.
“Xiao Xi, that’s an apple tree. Its blossoms are a mix of pink and white—I’ve always loved it. When I was ten, He Fengrong told me that apples taste so good, and apple blossoms smell so sweet. He said if you buried a bottle of wine beneath the tree, it would make the scent even better.”
Ye Bingbing slipped her hands into the pockets of her red padded jacket. Under the glow of the villa district’s incandescent lights, with the pure white snow behind her, she took off her mask. Her fair face was as beautiful as if she had stepped right out of a Taiwanese romance magazine cover.
As she spoke, her expression was filled with nostalgia for the past.
He Fengrong was their neighbor. When she was ten, her father—who was already quite successful—brought her to this villa. She loved playing outside back then, and He Fengrong did too, so they played together often.
She and He Fengrong were childhood sweethearts. When they were twelve or thirteen, still naive about love, they even dated in secret from their families.
But childhood love is innocent and fleeting. In the end, what began as inseparable friendship turned into silence and estrangement.
Ye Bingbing thought of that romance now, but even the details were hazy. “Back then, we dated secretly, following the older kids in high school. I listened to him a lot, especially after I read the story about Shaoxing Nu’er Hong. So I bought a bottle of wine, sealed it tight, and buried it late at night under this tree.”
“It’s been over ten years, and I still haven’t tasted that wine. I guess I never will,” she said with deep regret.
Linking arms with Lin Xi, she started walking away.
Lin Xi glanced at the spot and asked, “Why don’t we dig it up tonight?”
Ye Bingbing felt a flicker of emotion but, after some thought, she shook her head. "No, not yet. This memory is very special to me, and as I grow older, it becomes even more precious, as if a soft, beautiful filter has been laid over it."
"If I don’t dig up that bottle of wine, I might carry this longing for the rest of my life — a bottle I never got to taste, possibly with an apple flavor."
"These memories are quite beautiful to me. But if I drink that wine today, whether it’s apple-flavored or not, the filter will shatter. The beauty I recall will vanish."
"Then let’s go," Lin Xi said without trying to persuade her.
They retraced their steps on the way back, passing by the house still blasting loud music. Ye Bingbing glanced instinctively to the side and caught sight of a blurry figure standing on the balcony of the second floor.
How well did Ye Bingbing know He Fengrong? She recognized him at a glance. In her heart, she silently said her final farewell to him.
Then she looked toward her own home, her footsteps pausing for a moment.
Lin Xi asked, "Aren’t you going to see your parents?"
A flicker of struggle passed through Ye Bingbing’s eyes, but in the end, she shook her head. "My parents love me dearly. My leaving must have been a huge blow to them. Honestly, at first, I wanted to come back to see them."
"But the closer I get to home, the more afraid I become." Ye Bingbing’s hand touched her face. "I look so different now. What would I even say to them? Would they believe I’m really their daughter? It’s the middle of the night — would they even let me in? No normal person would."
"If I really saw them, I might never want to leave."
The old saying ‘near the village, the heart grows timid’ echoed in her trembling voice. On her beautiful face, there was a fragile kind of sadness. Lin Xi thought to herself, men in the world of powerful CEOs must be blind — how could such a stunning beauty be just a supporting character? The heroine must be breathtakingly gorgeous.
Not wanting to see this beauty so heartbroken, Lin Xi gently took Ye Bingbing’s hand and headed toward her house. "Go. Don’t let yourself regret it later."
"But it’s so late at night..." Ye Bingbing murmured, trying to protest, but she followed Lin Xi anyway.
The villa where Ye Bingbing lived was lit up. When she saw the light, her eyes suddenly brightened.
Lin Xi’s heart ached for her. She clearly missed home so much. How could she just walk away like this? When she reached that other world and remembered tonight, how painful would it be?
Lin Xi stepped forward and pressed the doorbell. Soon, someone came to open the door — a young man about twenty years old, probably just back home, still in the clothes he wore outside.
Ye Mingming looked at the two young women standing at the door, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Who are you looking for?"
Lin Xi was momentarily at a loss for words. It would have been easier to come up with an excuse during the day, but at night, especially so late, she felt a bit stuck.
At this moment, Ye Bingbing took a step forward: "We are friends of Ye Bingbing. I heard today marks three months since her passing, so we came to pay our respects. We came straight here from out of town."
When Ye Bingbing returned to the real world, she had already seen the current date. The flow of time between the two worlds was different. She had spent six months with the crazies over there, but only three months had passed in this world.
It was also a coincidence that Ye Bingbing’s family placed great importance on the "three" milestones after a loved one’s death: three days, three weeks, three months, three years.
Ye Mingming looked at Ye Bingbing and suddenly felt dizzy. The way Ye Bingbing was looking at him carried a familiar feeling he couldn’t quite put into words. He had originally wanted to curse these two as lunatics, but he involuntarily opened the door and stepped aside to let them in.
“Thank you for coming. My parents are still at home. It’s cold outside; let’s go in.”
Ye Bingbing gripped Lin Xi’s hand with surprising strength for a moment. Lin Xi gently patted her hand to comfort her.
The two of them followed behind Ye Mingming.
Ye Bingbing’s parents hadn’t gone to bed yet. Both dressed in black, with white flowers pinned to their elbows, they sat silently in the living room. The moment Ye Bingbing saw them, tears welled up and spilled over. She hurriedly lowered her head, afraid to look again.
But that one glance was etched deeply into her heart, impossible to erase.
Her parents—only three months had passed, yet they looked utterly worn down. Her mother had endured many hardships during her youth building her business. After gaining some wealth, her greatest passion became self-care.
Though nearly fifty, she still looked about thirty when she went out. She cherished her thick hair above all else, but now it was tied up, her temples streaked with gray.
Her father, also fifty, had always been meticulous about his physique. No matter how busy work got, he would spend two hours sweating it out in the villa’s gym every day. Last year he was featured in an interview magazine, and the host praised his physique as better than many young men.
Now his back was hunched.
As for her younger brother, he was born after the family had become prosperous—an unexpected blessing. His arrival hadn’t changed their lives much.
Their parents’ love for her had never diminished. When Ye Bingbing was alive, Ye Mingming had been at the very bottom of the family hierarchy—her pet hamster ranked higher than him.
Before Ye Bingbing’s death, he was a naive college student, his eyes always clear and foolish. But now, he had grown up and become steady.
Hearing footsteps, Ye Bingbing’s parents looked up. Their eyes were bloodshot. Seeing Lin Xi and Ye Bingbing, they turned to Ye Mingming with questioning looks.
Ye Mingming explained, “They said they are friends of my sister, from out of town.”
Ye Bingbing’s mother opened her mouth but said nothing. She stood and walked toward them. “Thank you for still remembering Bingbing. Thank you for coming to see her.”
Her voice was dry and hoarse. Ye Bingbing’s throat felt clogged with cotton, leaving her speechless.
Lin Xi held her hand and said, “I’m really sorry to disturb you all in the middle of the night. My friend and Bingbing are especially close, but she missed her so much that she just had to come and see her.”
Mrs. Ye let out a soft sigh, “You’re not disturbing us at all. We weren’t able to sleep anyway. We’re very happy you came to visit her.”
How could she not be happy? The fact that they came to see her daughter even on a snowy night proved how much her daughter was loved. It showed that those who looked down on her daughter were simply blind.
“Her memorial hall is over there. I’ll take you to see it.”
Mrs. Ye led the two of them toward the memorial hall. It was a room on the first floor. As soon as the door opened, a warm atmosphere mingled with the scent of flowers greeted them.
“Bingbing loved fresh flowers, so we bought plenty,” Mrs. Ye said as she turned on the lights. The memorial hall wasn’t frightening at all. The walls were lined with countless fresh flowers, blooming in a dazzling array of colors.
On the table at the center sat offerings and candles, though no incense was lit. The photo on display wasn’t black and white, but a vibrant portrait of Ye Bingbing dressed in traditional Dai ethnic attire. In the photo, Ye Bingbing smiled brightly, standing against the backdrop of Dai architecture at night. Her eyes sparkled like a brilliant starry sky.
“That’s Bingbing’s favorite photo,” Mrs. Ye said softly.
Tears welled up in Ye Bingbing’s eyes. Seeing her like this, Mrs. Ye wiped her own tears as well. Her gaze unconsciously lingered on Ye Bingbing, feeling an inexplicable sense of familiarity with the young woman.
It was already past three in the morning. Ye Bingbing wiped her tears. The word “Auntie” had been on the tip of her tongue for a long time before she finally spoke it: “Auntie, please accept my condolences. In her next life, Bingbing will surely be wealthy, prosperous, and free from worries.”
The Ye family believed in karma and the afterlife. Starting with Ye Bingbing’s grandparents, they had always been charitable, hoping their good deeds would benefit both themselves and future generations. By the time Ye Bingbing’s parents took over, having made money, they donated even more to charity. In fact, they were often the initiators and organizers of many charitable projects.
Years ago, when scandals erupted about the misuse of donations by various charity foundations, the Ye family’s foundation stood firm and unshaken. This had a huge impact, bringing their foundation into the national spotlight.
Their family’s products also began to have dealings with state-owned enterprises.
This development shook the Ye family deeply. They grew even more convinced of the wisdom passed down by Ye Bingbing’s grandfather, and became even stricter about managing their charitable work.
Since Ye Bingbing’s grandfather’s generation, their family’s ritual days differed from others. While most families observed memorials on the seventh day after death, the hundredth day, and the first anniversary, the Ye family held theirs on days divisible by three, because in Taoist texts, the number three is considered a supreme number.
Influenced by her parents, Ye Bingbing also believed in Taoism. After experiencing her own time-travel ordeal, her faith only deepened. She felt that her ability to travel through time was, in part, thanks to her parents’ years of good deeds; otherwise, she would have been lost beneath the mudslide long ago.
Moreover, her words were not lies—her next life would indeed be one of great wealth and comfort, free from want. But whether she would have the fate to truly enjoy such riches depended entirely on her own efforts.
Mrs. Ye nodded. They returned to the living room, where Mr. Ye brewed two cups of hot tea and called the housekeeper, Sister Xu, to prepare a bowl of wontons for them.
The Ye family of three joined in to eat. Mrs. Ye said, “These are Ye Bingbing’s favorite.”
Mr. Ye and Ye Mingming remained silent, their wonton-eating pace steady but unhurried. Lin Xi ate along with them. The fresh pork wontons were flavored with a touch of scallion. The broth was enriched with seaweed, cilantro, and dried shrimp—delicious beyond words.
Yet, except for Lin Xi, the other four found the meal hard to swallow.
Especially Ye Bingbing, who could barely eat a bite.
Because she knew this would be the last meal they would share together as a family.
Lin Xi finished her bowl quickly and politely declined Mrs. Ye’s offer for a second helping, then leaned back on the stool.
Outside, the night was dark and windy. On this night of memorial rites, sitting together with the family and the souls who had returned after reincarnation was a first for her in this lifetime.
It felt eerie, unsettling. Surely, in this life, she was the only one with such memories. After all, no one else in the group of transmigrators had experienced anything like this.
The clock struck three. After finishing the meal and reluctantly preparing to leave, Ye Bingbing had to go because once the memorial ended at three, any guests lingering would cause the departed souls to hesitate in leaving.
The Ye family did not keep the two guests. Mrs. Ye held Ye Bingbing’s hand tightly, urging her to visit often.
Though they were mysterious visitors arriving in the dead of night, any family would normally bar their entry, guarding themselves against such unknowns. Yet the Ye family—Ye Mingming and their parents alike—treated their arrival as if it were perfectly ordinary.
So ordinary it felt unnatural.
Ye Mingming watched as Lin Xi and Ye Bingbing’s figures disappeared into the night. A cold wind swept by, and she exchanged a glance with her parents. Their pupils dilated in shock.
Both were unable to comprehend what had just happened.
A thought surged into their minds. Mrs. Ye, overwhelmed, wanted to chase after them, but Ye Mingming gripped her hand tightly, refusing to let go. Mrs. Ye tried to break free, but Ye Mingming shook her head painfully.
“Mom, let sister go without any attachments,” Ye Mingming whispered, her voice barely audible over the rising wind.
Mrs. Ye’s feet felt nailed to the ground. After an unknown length of time, she finally ran outside the courtyard, staring at the empty alley that seemed as if no one had ever been there. She crouched down.
“Bingbing, Bingbing, slow down. Don’t look back. Mom hopes your next life will be filled with joy and peace, wealth with few worries, good health, and a lifetime of blessings,” Mrs. Ye murmured softly, reciting the passage her mother-in-law had taught her for guiding souls to the afterlife.
Her prayer choked in her throat, unable to continue. No matter how thick the snow, no matter how biting the cold wind, she seemed utterly numb—still crouching there, repeating the words over and over again.
The wind howled, as if answering her. Ye Bingbing’s father brought over a basin, and Ye Mingming held the paper and incense. The incense burned well, burning fiercely. The wind seemed to laugh, as if Heaven had granted Ye Bingbing’s mother’s prayers.
Not far from the Ye family, in the He household, the lively atmosphere had long since dissipated, leaving behind a mess scattered across the floor. He Fengrong held a bottle of wine, taking sip after sip, his eyes filled with nothing but pain.
People are just like that—only after losing something do they realize what truly matters most.
If time could rewind, He Fengrong would never have left Ye Bingbing alone in that hotel three months ago.
……
After leaving the Ye family, on the way to Lin Xi’s home, Ye Bingbing held Lin Xi’s hand tightly, never once looking back. She was afraid that if she looked back, she wouldn’t be able to bear leaving. She feared that when the time came to part, she would be unable to let go. In the ruthless world of domineering CEOs, she knew she could never endure such lingering sorrow for the rest of her life.
Snow began to fall, though no one knew exactly when. The footprints they left behind were already covered, erased by the gentle white blanket. Supporting each other, the two walked unsteadily.
Finally, they arrived at Lin Xi’s small cottage. They changed into pajamas and sat on Lin Xi’s narrow one-and-a-half-meter bed. Underneath was a warm electric blanket, and Ye Bingbing’s tears flowed uncontrollably.
“Xi, if you have time in the future, please help me send some things to my parents,” Ye Bingbing said softly.
“Okay.” It was not a difficult request, and Lin Xi agreed without hesitation.
‘Ding dong~’ A WeChat notification sounded. Lin Xi immediately pulled her phone from beneath the pillow.
The pinned chat group, which she had been unable to scroll past for a while, had a new message. Lin Xi clicked into it.
[System message: Domineering CEO and villainous supporting character Ye Bingbing has issued a long-term mission to Earth girl Lin Xi: ‘Send items to parents.’ Do you accept?]
A message prompt popped up, and Lin Xi chose “Yes” without hesitation.
This message instantly stirred Xu Huanhuan, Ah Huahua, and Lin Duxi. They all began chatting in the group.
At this moment, Ye Bingbing had already composed herself and briefly shared what had happened to her with the others.
Xu Huanhuan, who was also deeply loved by her parents, was immensely envious of Ye Bingbing’s ability to return home and have a meal with her family. She decided that once Ye Bingbing’s matter was settled in a few days, she would also send Lin Xi a similar long-term mission.
After crossing many years, there were so many things she wanted to send to her own parents as well.
Back in the group, Xu Huanhuan, Ah Huahua, and Lin Duxi offered many ideas for Ye Bingbing.
Lin Xi got up and took a backpack from the cupboard, packing all the items that Xu Huanhuan and the others had sent for Ye Bingbing inside.
Only after the backpack was packed did Lin Duxi’s delivery arrive—it was a beautifully crafted wooden-stock revolver. Ye Bingbing held it in her hands, reluctant to put it down.
The clock pointed to six o’clock. Outside, dawn had broken. The sky was as blue as if freshly washed, with clouds floating above, painting the heavens in a gradient of colors.
Lin Xi packed a few boxes of yogurt, a handful of chocolates, and several small delicate buns into Ye Bingbing’s backpack. Time was tight and rushed, so what she prepared wasn’t enough; these snacks were meant to help Ye Bingbing replenish her energy. Besides these, there was also a set of wilderness survival tools—something Lin Xi had casually bought last time when she was stocking up supplies for Lin Duxi. She had also sent a set to Ah Huahua.
Ye Bingbing’s world had already stepped into summer, but the mountain air remained chilly. She wore the camouflage clothes Lin Xi had bought from a safety gear store. As for shoes, Lin Xi had overlooked that detail and didn’t manage to buy any. So Ye Bingbing was wearing a pair of sneakers that Lin Xi hadn’t even worn yet.
Most of Lin Xi’s clothes were bought online, but all her shoes came from physical stores. Her life philosophy was simple: you can wear whatever you want, but not the shoes. After all, a good pair of shoes costing two or three hundred yuan could last a year or two without wearing out—and they were comfortable on the feet.
Cheap shoes costing just a few dozen yuan might be affordable, but they’d break down quickly. In the end, it wasn’t much different from buying one decent pair.
Ding-dong. Lin Xi picked up her phone, while Ye Bingbing reached for her wrist.
[System Message: Crisis of the domineering CEO’s villainous supporting female lead, Ye Bingbing, has been resolved. In ten seconds, Ye Bingbing will be forcibly returned to her original dimension.]
[Teleportation countdown: 10... 9... 8... 4... 3... 2...]
[1]
As the countdown ended, a white light appeared inside Lin Xi’s small room. A few seconds later, it vanished. Along with the white light, Ye Bingbing disappeared as well.
Lin Xi, holding Cao’er, told the group chat that Ye Bingbing had been sent away. Everyone silently prayed for her safety.
……
The Domineering CEO’s world.
Due to the different flow of time between the two worlds, while Ye Bingbing had spent eight and a half hours in the real world, seventeen hours had already passed in this one.
When the system took her away, it was just past ten at night. Now, it was exactly three in the afternoon. To ensure her safety, the chat group had arranged for her to be placed in a hidden cave deep in the mountains.
The cave resembled some kind of large animal’s den, filled with a foul stench. The entrance was right in front of her, only the size of a well’s opening, overgrown with weeds and thorns. Faint sunlight filtered through the entrance, preventing the cave from being completely dark. She curled up in a corner, holding her breath, not daring to make a sound.
Footsteps echoed on the ground outside her.
“Tell me, it’s been more than ten hours, and we still haven’t found a single clue. Where the hell did she go?” a man’s voice, rough like sandpaper, grumbled.
“Who cares where she went? The Young Master said we have to dig up the earth if we have to, but we must bring that woman back.”
Ye Bingbing sat quietly in the corner, listening to them call Leng Mingchen the “Young Master,” and couldn’t help but sneer in her heart.
Sure enough, this world was utterly brainless—how could anyone say something as stupid as “Young Master” with a straight face!
“Speaking of which, isn’t the missing Ye family’s eldest daughter supposed to be Gong’s fiancée? How did she end up locked away in that villa by the young master?” The rough-looking man seemed a bit slow, and the question he asked was downright foolish.
“Who cares whose fiancée she is? As long as it’s not your fiancée being kidnapped, that’s all that matters. Besides, everyone in the world knows that President Gong is crazy about Miss Su Rou. Didn’t he just buy her that diamond called the ‘Eye of the World’ for her birthday last time?”
“That’s the advantage of being a woman. If I were a woman, I wouldn’t have to do a thing—just spread my legs and have plenty of people throwing money at me.” The insult was extreme, yet no one dared to refute him.
The rough man’s phone rang. As soon as he saw the caller ID, he immediately straightened up respectfully, even standing at attention. His companions followed suit.
“Young Master.”
“Ada, I’ll say it again: no matter what it takes, you must find that woman. When you find her, make sure to teach her a lesson,” Leng Mingchen’s voice was cold and venomous, like a poisonous snake.
At that moment, Ye Bingbing felt an overwhelming physical and mental discomfort. Her stomach churned violently. She gritted her teeth and pinched the webbing between her thumb and index finger hard, forcing herself to calm down through the pain. It took a great effort, but she managed to stop herself from vomiting.
“Achen, tell Ada that Ye Bingbing is timid but cunning. He needs to be smarter about this,” another man’s voice spoke gently as Leng Mingchen’s words ended, but the coldness behind that gentle tone was even colder than winter snow.
Hearing that voice, Ye Bingbing steadied herself. She closed her eyes. The gentle voice belonged to her own brother, Ye Xuheng.
The book mentioned that because of his gentle voice and handsome looks, Ye Xuheng became Su Rou’s devoted admirer. Whenever Su Rou was sad or upset, hearing Ye Xuheng’s soothing voice would lift her spirits.
The reason he never became the second male lead was that his family background couldn’t compete with Gong Jiuyi and Leng Mingchen.
“Got it. I’m telling you, Achen, once we find Ye Bingbing, I’m going to give her a little extra something. Our overseas research lab has developed a new drug—just one drop can shatter even the strongest will.”
Outside, everything was silent. The young master refused to hang up, and Ada, out of respect, didn’t dare to either. He even dared not move away.
“Achen, after all, she’s my sister,” Ye Xuheng said.
Ye Bingbing, trapped in the cave, curled the corner of her mouth into a bitter, mocking smile.
“Yes, she’s your sister. But don’t forget how much Su Rou has suffered because of your precious sister!” Leng Mingchen’s voice suddenly grew colder.
“Ye Xuheng, are you sure you want to hurt Su Rou’s heart for your sister’s sake? Think carefully. If you stubbornly go down this path, you’ll lose any chance of competing in front of Su Rou from now on.”
As Leng Mingchen’s words fell, there was a brief silence on the other end of the phone before Ye Xuheng’s voice sounded again: “I never once fantasized about having anything with Arou. Being just friends is already good enough.”
After he spoke, Ye Xuheng sighed heavily. “Forget it, it’s her own doing.”
Hearing the utter disappointment in Ye Xuheng’s tone, anyone who didn’t know better might think the original protagonist had done something unforgivable to Ye Bingbing. Such hypocrisy—it was beyond comprehension why this world harbored people so disgusting. And not just one or two, but a whole bunch!
“Did you hear what President Ye said? Catch her. Just leave her with one breath left.” Leng Mingchen said coldly, then slammed the phone down with a snap.
Ada glanced at his companion. “So, what’s the young master’s meaning here?”
Ada’s eyes gleamed slyly, his hand making a vague fist motion sliding up and down below his navel along his thigh. His mind itched as if countless ants were crawling inside.
His companion chuckled, “I’ve never had the pleasure of tasting the young lady’s favor.”
“Who hasn’t? Hahaha.”
“Long live the young master!”
Echoes of flattering cheers rose up, followed by a group of men laughing lecherously as they walked away.
Once they were out of sight, Ye Bingbing finally relaxed and shifted to a more concealed spot.
She had eaten well before coming from Lin Xi’s place and wasn’t hungry at all now. In her hand was a spray made from a knockout drug that Xu Huanhuan had delivered. The antidote had already been chewed up and swallowed.
She waited quietly, occasionally chatting with group members on the floating screen.
Today, across different dimensions, no one had slept. Everyone was quietly waiting at home.
No one’s attempts at delivery would work today—they were all just waiting to support Ye Bingbing at the crucial moment.
Lin Xi, acting as the relay connecting all the dimensions, had confirmed there was no urgent work today and had called Sister Xiu to request leave.
With her resignation approved, this last month without commission was mostly spent on leave. Sister Xiu agreed.
Lin Xi still had two remaining clients from previous contracts, expected to finish installation within this week. Once that was done, she could leave.
Holding her phone, Lin Xi kept an eye on Ye Bingbing’s updates while packing.
After two years in Beijing, Lin Xi didn’t have many belongings. Things to take back were packed into a suitcase, and the rest into storage bags, planning to send them back by courier once Ye Bingbing’s situation was resolved.
At six in the afternoon, Lin Xi finally saw a message from Ye Bingbing.
She had been hiding in a cave for over ten hours, and it was already past midnight.
[Earth Girl Lin Xi: @Domineering CEO Villainess Ye Bingbing, stay safe. Waiting for good news.]
After Lin Xi sent her message, Xu Huanhuan and the others started flooding the chat.
Their words gave Ye Bingbing encouragement. She crawled out from the cave’s entrance.
The moon tonight was beautiful, its light spilling onto the ground like daylight. On Ye Bingbing’s floating screen appeared a golden arrow—something new since her return—called the Auto-Navigation feature.
Activating this function required sacrificing one-third of all the money she would earn over the next ten years.
Without a second thought, Ye Bingbing agreed. This crazy world—she never wanted to stay here again!
She was even more determined not to get tangled up with these idiotic, arrogant CEOs and brainless characters. She wanted to throw herself into the embrace of her motherland, to overthrow this wicked capitalism.
Step by step, she followed the golden arrow, moving cautiously, not daring to make a sound.
Suddenly, the golden arrow turned red. Ye Bingbing’s face changed. The golden arrow split off a smaller arrow. She followed the smaller arrow and hid in a bush.
Inside the bush was a pit, just big enough for a person to lie down in.
No sooner had she settled in than footsteps passed right beside her hiding spot.
“That woman sure can run. Brothers, we’ve been searching this mountain for ages and still haven’t found her,” one man said.
“Of course she can run. If she couldn’t, would the young master have sent us out here to look? Brother Bin, I heard she’s been driving the young master crazy,” another replied.
“To be honest, she’s pretty impressive. She managed to escape even with Brother Hong and the others guarding. It’s been a whole day and night, and she’s still nowhere to be found.”
“Brother Hong’s reputation is ruined. I heard the young master is furious and plans to throw him into some Thai cave to ‘train’ him.”
“Ha! Brother Bin, now that Brother Hong’s lost face, maybe we can take over that business deal he had? I heard it’s a big one—could make two or three million.”
“And it’s all about escorting people. Escorting able-bodied men and escorting women feels very different.”
“I don’t see the difference. When you escort able-bodied men, don’t you also pick out the good-looking ones to warm the bed?”
“Let’s move, let’s move. We’ve got to find that woman fast. Just so you know, brothers, when we make the money, I’ll give you two percent from my share. Tonight, I want to go first with that woman.”
“Sounds good to me, but I want to be second,” the men agreed, deciding the order in which they would assault Ye Bingbing once caught.
“Quiet! We’re close to the base. If you don’t want trouble, leave now,” a deep male voice cut through the chatter. The men instantly fell silent. The forest grew so quiet that even footsteps couldn’t be heard.
This showed just how strictly Leng Mingchen’s men obeyed orders. They were as disciplined as specially trained commandos.
No one knew how much time had passed before the red arrow on Ye Bingbing’s floating screen finally turned back to gold. Only then did she emerge from the bush and continue on her path.
She was in a primeval forest. Ye Bingbing had set out from the cave at midnight and didn’t reach the destination marked by the arrow until three o’clock.
Except for that one time she was bumped into, Ye Bingbing had never once encountered Leng Mingchen’s men.
It went so smoothly that Ye Bingbing found it unbelievable. But at this moment, she had no choice but to trust the chat group that had once brought her back home.
The building bearing the sign “People’s Liberation Army Third Military Subdistrict, 87th Independent Regiment” was right before her eyes. Two soldiers in camouflage uniforms, wooden rifles slung across their backs, stood firmly at the gate as sentries.
Everything was so close. So close that all she had to do was take a step forward.
The scene before her matched perfectly with every image of soldiers Ye Bingbing had seen before she crossed over.
A surge of joy welled up from the bottom of her heart. She lifted her foot, ready to take the final step. But at that very moment, her foot felt as heavy as a thousand pounds, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t set it down.
With every inch she lowered her foot, it felt like her body was being torn apart by knives. Cold sweat trickled down her temple, and her face instantly turned as pale as paper.
Her movements caught the attention of the sentry soldiers. One of them frowned in surprise, lowered his head, and spoke a few words into the walkie-talkie hanging from his chest.
Within moments, a group of soldiers came running over. The patches on their arms marked them as different from ordinary soldiers. The lowest rank among them was major.
They stopped about ten meters in front of Ye Bingbing, unable to advance any further. Their faces were filled with excitement as they looked at her, uttering words of encouragement.
But at this moment, Ye Bingbing heard nothing. She felt liquid running down her face. She reached up and wiped it away—blood was flowing from her mouth, nose, and ears.
Her head felt as if it had been violently split in two, the pain so intense it made her nauseous.
Without control, the foot she had been standing on wobbled to the side. It was this slight stumble that caused the pain to recede like a tide, and her ears finally caught sound again.
“Ye Bingbing, come back.” Leng Mingchen’s voice whispered in her ear. She turned to look.
Leng Mingchen stood not far from her, dressed in a suit. Ye Xuheng was by his side. Behind the two of them stood several burly men, all holding wooden rifles.
Their muscles bulged, and their fierce, bloodthirsty gazes were unapologetically fixed on Ye Bingbing. The cruel, evil look in their eyes was sickening.
Ye Xuheng looked at Ye Bingbing, his handsome face creased with a frown sharp enough to kill a fly. “Ye Bingbing, even if you’re going to cause trouble, there’s a limit. Before I lose my temper, you’d better come over here.”
Leng Mingchen touched the cheap silver ring on his right index finger. His usually smiling face had darkened.
“Ye Bingbing, be obedient and come over. That line must not be crossed. You can’t afford the consequences. If you come back, I’ll overlook what you did to Arou.”
“I’ll also let you go, let you return to your life as a young lady. As long as you stop competing with Arou and stop thinking about things that aren’t meant for you, I’ll pretend you never existed.”
As the Crown Prince of the □□, Leng Mingchen had defeated countless brothers and sisters by the age of twelve to become the young master. Since then, he had lived a life where he could command the wind and rain at will—except for one person before whom he had ever bowed: Gong Jiuyi.
But in Leng Mingchen’s eyes, his submission wasn’t to Gong Jiuyi as an individual, but to the immense financial empire behind her—the Gong Family conglomerate.
What he had just said to Ye Bingbing was, in his view, already an act of concession. Deep inside, he harbored intense resentment toward Ye Bingbing.
He was determined that once this matter was settled, Ye Bingbing would understand the true cost of his yielding!
Ye Bingbing remained unmoved. Ye Xuheng’s gaze toward her grew increasingly loathsome. By marrying into the Gong Family, the number one financial empire in the world of domineering CEOs, Ye Xuheng could stand shoulder to shoulder with Leng Mingchen. The influence of the Ye Family was not to be underestimated either.
Ye Xuheng’s parents were a loving couple, renowned as a model pair in the upper echelons of society. As their only son, Ye Xuheng had been the cherished darling of both his paternal and maternal clans since childhood.
It was no exaggeration to say that Ye Xuheng had lived a life like an emperor, commanding everything around him. Everyone thought his happiness would continue forever—until one day, his mother’s belly began to swell with a new pregnancy.
Children from wealthy families matured early, and Ye Xuheng, raised in a bubble of privilege, was no exception. At just six years old, he already understood what having siblings meant.
Their birth wouldn’t just divide the affection of their parents—it would also slice away the inheritance he was entitled to.
So, when his mother was about to give birth, he poured a cup of water onto the floor.
S City had four distinct seasons, and in winter, wind, rain, and snow would fall. That year’s winter was especially cold, and the water froze into ice upon hitting the ground.
The next day, his mother slipped on the ice, injuring herself. She suffered in pain for three days and nights before finally giving birth to Ye Bingbing. The mother, who had once eagerly anticipated this child, grew to despise her.
From that moment on, due to Ye Xuheng’s repeated schemes, Ye Bingbing became the person the entire family loathed.
With just a cup of water, Ye Xuheng had effectively pushed Ye Bingbing out of the running to inherit the Ye Family’s legacy.
Watching Ye Bingbing stumble about like a headless fly, he treated her like a joke.
For every bit of pain she felt, he felt an equal measure of joy.
“Bingbing, even mischief has its limits. Mom and Dad are already on their way, and Jiuyi is here too. They’re already deeply disappointed in you—do you really want to disappoint them further?”
Ye Bingbing calmly regarded the empty threats from Leng Mingchen and Ye Xuheng.
At hearing Ye Xuheng’s last sentence, she even sneered coldly. In this so-called world of the original story, her parents were worth less than garbage. And as for Gong Jiuyi—she was even worse.
A rotten, stinking cucumber thinking it was adorned with gold and jade. People like that were not even worth her liking. If it were her previous life, she would have kicked them twice just passing by.
She turned to glance at the soldiers of the People’s Liberation Army of China standing nearby. The excitement and fervor from moments ago had faded.
The man leading them was in his forties, holding the rank of Major General. His tall and sturdy frame now seemed slightly stooped. His gaze was calm, carrying a gentle kindness that a senior might show to juniors.
Since being transported to this damned world, Ye Bingbing had constantly endured the contemptuous stares of others—glances she had never once experienced before.
Ye Bingbing still hadn’t come over, and Leng Mingchen had completely lost his patience. He strode toward her, with Ye Xuheng close behind. They intended to flank Ye Bingbing, pulling her from both sides.
Just as they were about to reach out and touch her, Ye Bingbing suddenly took a step back. A sharp pain surged through her like a tidal wave.
Leng Mingchen and Ye Xuheng halted in their tracks, as if wary of something, unwilling to advance any further.
Though pain radiated from her back, Ye Bingbing’s face blossomed into a brilliant smile.
She understood now—the spot where the pain stabbed was the dividing line between this damn domineering CEO world and the normal world.
The brainless fools of the CEO world dared not cross it, and likewise, people from the normal world couldn’t cross over either.
But the reactions of the people on both sides to her crossing this line were completely different. Ye Bingbing knew this was her chance to break free from this world.
She looked at the grim faces of Ye Xuheng and Leng Mingchen, and at the rapidly approaching figures of the original owner’s parents and Gong Jiuyi.
The original owner’s mother, Su Xinhe, was always obsessed with elegance—no matter where she was, she acted like a lunatic, insisting on wearing evening gowns. But now, her gown was torn, and the delicate makeup on her face had been wiped away.
Ye Bingbing’s smile grew wider and louder as she shouted the oath she would never forget: “I solemnly swear to join the Communist Youth League of China, firmly uphold the leadership of the Communist Party of China, abide by the League’s constitution, implement its resolutions, fulfill my duties as a member, strictly observe its discipline, study diligently, work actively, endure hardship before enjoying comfort, and fight for the cause of communism.”
As she shouted, she continued to step backward. The faces of the brainless fools from the CEO world darkened further. In stark contrast, countless soldiers holding wooden rifles surged out behind her.
Her features bled, and her body ached even more than the day she was trapped under the mudslide.
Yet her heart was exhilarated.
Die, you idiots from the brainless world.
“Long live communism!”
