Lin Duxi's words ignited a surge of patriotism among the group members, who unanimously typed in the chat: "Those who dare to offend our homeland, no matter how far, shall be punished."
Their unwavering love for their country deeply moved Lin Xi. After all, they were all currently in different dimensions! Yet, it was precisely because they were in these alternate worlds that they truly understood the preciousness of their homeland. Lin Xi had already made up her mind—later, she would exchange some advanced weapons from Lin Duxi's world and anonymously contribute to the development and progress of their motherland.
As Ye Bingbing had said, Western nations' ambitions to harm their homeland never ceased. In this era where military might dictated respect, only a strong fist ensured that one's voice would be heard on the global stage.
Lin Xi noted this plan in her schedule.
With Ye Bingbing's situation resolved for now, Lin Xi finally relaxed. She placed an order online, and soon enough, a deliveryman arrived on his tricycle. After loading the items she needed to send, they exchanged WeChat contacts, and the courier rode off.
Lin Xi then headed out to the local market, calling Li Ying on the way.
When deciding between dining out or cooking at home, Lin Xi firmly chose the latter. It wasn’t that she was too frugal to treat them—she needed to add a few drops of genetic repair serum into the soup, something she couldn’t do at a restaurant.
During her years as a struggling migrant in Beijing, Brother Feng’s family and their elderly landlords, Uncle Li and Aunt Wang, had helped her immensely. This was her small way of repaying their kindness.
Thinking about it now, Lin Xi couldn’t help but regret not giving Ye Bingbing a dose of the serum before she left that morning. By the time she remembered, her daily delivery quota had already been used up. Thankfully, Ye Bingbing had managed to reconnect with the normal world—otherwise, Lin Xi would have been consumed by guilt.
After confirming with Li Ying that she and her family would come over for dinner, Lin Xi went to the market to buy groceries. On her way downstairs, she stopped by Uncle Li and Aunt Wang’s place, only to find they had already eaten.
It was then that Lin Xi recalled their winter routine—meals reduced from three to two a day. Breakfast at around ten in the morning, dinner by three in the afternoon, and bedtime by eight. Uncle Li would wake up twice during the night to refill the coal stove, ensuring their tenants never suffered from the cold.
The ordeal with Ye Bingbing’s narrow escape had distracted Lin Xi, making her forget their schedule. But she had a solution. She loved making soup, and whenever she did, she always shared a portion with Aunt Wang and Uncle Li, who adored it.
Returning from the market, Lin Xi rolled up her sleeves and got to work. Prepping the ingredients took quite some time, but once everything was ready, she finally had a moment to check the group chat.
At half past four, she started cooking. Soon, the small rented apartment was filled with the rich aroma of food.
By six, the rib soup was ready. Lin Xi ladled it out from the rice cooker, added two drops of the genetic repair serum, then filled a large bowl to take downstairs.
Aunt Wang was watching TV when Lin Xi arrived with the steaming soup. She immediately stood up to welcome her, calling for Uncle Li to fetch bowls from the kitchen. The soup, simmered with carrots, corn, and a sprinkle of scallions, smelled heavenly.
The genetic repair serum was a product of the post-apocalyptic wasteland, refined through countless iterations to safely enhance human physical resilience in the shortest time possible.
The version Lin Duxi had provided was the final, safest iteration—yet its effects were immediate. As he had explained, the body would respond almost instantly after ingestion.
Lin Xi excused herself, mentioning that she had guests waiting upstairs. As she left, she could hear the elderly couple praising the soup.
Aunt Wang took a sip and exclaimed, "Lin Xi, your soup-making skills have improved! This is absolutely delicious."
Uncle Li nodded in agreement. "On a cold day like this, a bowl of hot soup warms you right down to your bones."
Back in her apartment, Li Ying and her family arrived shortly after, bearing gifts of fruit and cold dishes.
With five extra people, the tiny space became crowded. They set up two small tables to accommodate everyone.
No alcohol was served—just hearty food and lively conversation. Everyone had a bowl of the enhanced soup. Brother Feng’s mother, Auntie Yang, felt unusually energized afterward. Even Lin Xi noticed relief in her lower back, which usually ached from long hours on her feet.
Li Ying, who had long suffered from painful menstrual cramps, had been dreading her upcoming period. But after the meal, she felt an unusual warmth in her abdomen, soothing the discomfort. Still, they dismissed it as nothing more than the comfort of hot soup on a chilly day.
The gathering lasted until around eight before Brother Feng’s family left. Lin Xi saw them off downstairs and ran into Uncle Li on his way to refill the stove before bed.
"Lin Xi, wait a moment!" Uncle Li called out, setting down his coal basket and hurrying back inside before she could respond.
He returned shortly, carrying a large bag. "Lin Xi, Aunt Wang just bought this. Don’t you dare refuse it!"
An unmistakable fragrance wafted from the bag—it was durian, an expensive luxury at this time of year.
"Uncle Li, what’s this for?" Lin Xi protested. "Durian is so nutritious—you and Aunt Wang should keep it. After all you’ve done for me, a bowl of soup doesn’t warrant such a gift!"
Uncle Li, a man of few words, wasn’t one for persuasion. Before Aunt Wang could come out and insist, Lin Xi—not wanting to stand around in the cold courtyard—dashed upstairs.
Just as she reached the second floor, Aunt Wang emerged, wrapped in a coat.
Watching Lin Xi flee, she chuckled. "That girl!"
The first-floor tenant, returning home, witnessed the scene and grinned. "Aunt Wang, if Lin Xi doesn’t want it, I’ll take it!"
Aunt Wang rolled her eyes. "Get yourself a job first. When you do, I’ll buy you a durian too."
The tenant smirked and pulled out his employee badge. "Well then, Aunt Wang, looks like I’ll have to eat that durian after all. See? Starting tomorrow!"
This tenant had also lived here for two years, moving in around the same time as Lin Xi. He was a programmer at an outsourcing company for a major tech firm, but recently, his company had gone under. Though he received a severance package, in a city like Beijing, being jobless left him restless.
Lately, he had been running between job fairs and interviews at various companies.
Aunt Wang scrutinized his employee badge carefully before nodding approvingly. "Alright, kid, you’ve got it. Aunt Wang keeps her word—here, take this."
The second-floor tenant grinned as he opened it. "Aunt Wang, you’re the best! Tomorrow night, don’t bother cooking. I’ll order a pot of lamb spine hotpot to celebrate my new job—we’ll all dig in together."
"Deal," Aunt Wang replied without hesitation.
By then, Lin Xi had already reached her room. Hearing the conversation in the courtyard below, she quietly closed her door.
Her apartment was tidy now. She began organizing the gifts Li Ying and the others had brought. Unsurprisingly, among the fruits was yet another durian—Lin Xi’s favorite.
She had first tasted durian in college, when a friend from Hainan brought some from home. The fruit’s creamy sweetness, tinged with a faint pungency, had captivated her from the first bite.
Back when her grandfather was still well, she would save up part of her monthly allowance to buy pre-packaged durian flesh from the supermarket. But after money grew tight, she could no longer afford it. On particularly strong cravings, she’d settle for durian-flavored ice cream or snacks instead.
At some point, everyone around her had learned of her love for durian. Now, whenever gifts were exchanged, hers always included the fruit—because they all knew she wouldn’t splurge on it herself.
In high spirits, Lin Xi grabbed a knife from the kitchen, extracted the durian flesh, and portioned it into bowls to share with Lin Duxi, Xu Huanhuan, and Ah Huahua.
Ah Huahua was meditating on her leaf bed when the durian appeared before her. She stared in disbelief—she’d never tasted such a luxurious fruit before. In her family, expensive treats like these were reserved for others; as the "worthless daughter," she was never allowed a bite.
With near reverence, she savored the durian, then carefully planted its seeds outside her cave. Only as she headed inside did she notice the meat left at the entrance—her parents’ usual peace offering since she’d stormed out.
This had become routine. After a silent pause, she carried the meat inside, then uprooted some wild vegetables she’d grown and delivered them to her parents’ home. Her mother in this world was pregnant again, and at her age, she hadn’t joined the foraging trips lately.
In the ancient world, Xu Huanhuan had already removed her makeup and changed into sleeping robes. She disliked having maids keep watch overnight. When the durian arrived, she studied it briefly before eating it bite by bite, ignoring her servants’ hushed whispers about the strange smell.
The velvety texture made her eyes light up.
In this era, transportation was arduous, and most fruits—unimproved by modern cultivation—were coarse and tart. The rare delicacies were reserved for the imperial court, leaving nobles like Xu Huanhuan with only occasional hand-me-downs or inferior varieties.
She’d heard of durian’s reputation in modern times but never tried it, always opting for less divisive luxuries. Now, as she ate, she fantasized about planting durian trees across the entire world.
Lin Duxi, in the post-apocalyptic wasteland, ate with equal care. After finishing, he placed the seed in a bottle and added a few precious drops of mineral water.
Lately, he’d been thriving in the ruins, but instead of amassing power, he’d chosen to collaborate with the remnants of the military. He knew too well the fate of those who flaunted wealth in desperate times.
After the collapse, warlords and factions had sprung up everywhere, preying on the weak. When Lin Duxi first arrived, he’d been forced into backbreaking, high-risk labor, still starving while serving as punching bags for those in charge. Ordinary people woke each day praying not to catch their rulers’ attention.
Only in military-controlled zones did order persist. The soldiers upheld their pre-collapse ethos, shielding the vulnerable like human shields. While scarcity plagued these bases too, the people never feared vanishing without a trace.
Post-collapse, it was also the military that spearheaded labs to develop genetic repair serums. The supplies Lin Duxi traded them were quietly mixed into rations and distributed across their shelters.
Lately, he’d been moving between bases. He Xin and Su Mingtao had observed discreetly—even the elderly and sick in these shelters were now fed. The sole regret was the absence of children. Years had passed since the last birth. It made sense; pregnancy drained mothers already starved of nutrients.
With no new lives and only relentless death, despair drove many to end themselves.
Lin Duxi kept staring at the bottle. An audacious idea had taken root: if he could grow plants, if green returned, perhaps humanity might find hope again.
Unaware of the others’ reflections, Lin Xi packed the remaining items. At midnight, she sent diluted genetic repair serum to Ye Bingbing.
Ye Bingbing was preparing to depart for City S, now under intense surveillance. Strangers entering were instantly marked by corporate spies, vanishing without a trace. As someone familiar with the city, she’d been urgently appointed leader of this makeshift team.
Ye Bingbing had just finished her makeup, applied by a special talent from the Special Abilities Team. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, momentarily lost in thought. The face looking back at her now bore little resemblance to her original appearance before her transmigration, and it was even further removed from the Ye Bingbing of this world.
She was certain that even if she stood right in front of those three lunatics—Ye Xuheng, Gong Jiuyi, and Leng Mingchen—they wouldn’t be able to recognize her.
Snapping out of her daze, Ye Bingbing followed her teammates as they set off for Europe and America. The moment they landed at the airport, they altered their appearances with the help of patriotic overseas Chinese and immediately boarded another flight to City S.
After receiving the gene-repairing serum Lin Xi had sent her, Ye Bingbing drank it without hesitation. Having been imprisoned once, she understood better than anyone that relying on others was futile—her only chance at survival lay in her own hands.
Before she could even process the effects of the serum, they touched down at City S’s airport.
The moment they stepped out, massive, eye-catching posters of Gong Jiuyi plastered across shopping malls greeted them. Groups of delinquent-looking, nonconformist gang youths loitered around the terminal, eyeing passersby with lazy arrogance. Whenever they spotted a pretty woman, they’d break into a chorus of wolf whistles.
Young girls would flee in fear, much to the amusement of the gang members, who burst into raucous laughter.
As they walked further, advertisements from various corporate conglomerates, posters of male and female celebrities, and countless audition flyers for talent shows lined the walls.
Just from the exit to the terminal, they passed at least twenty or thirty such audition posters. The members of the Special Abilities Team, disguised as an inspection delegation, kept their expressions neutral, but inwardly, their jaws had dropped.
They’d known City S had become a world of its own over the years, but the sheer scale of its entertainment infrastructure was staggering.
Ye Bingbing wasn’t surprised by their reaction. She’d felt the same way when she first arrived in this world. City S was a place entirely consumed by entertainment—a world wholly controlled by corporate elites.
Because fame equaled profit, and celebrities were the perfect tools for exploiting the masses, the conglomerates treated stars as mere commodities. Countless young men and women dreamed of becoming celebrities, believing it to be an attainable fantasy.
Driven by this illusion, hordes of hopefuls flocked to City S’s entertainment industry, only to be systematically exploited by the conglomerates. Many ended up as playthings for the wealthy.
Take Gong Jiuyi, Leng Mingchen, and Ye Xuheng—the male leads and supporting characters of this world. Which of them didn’t have a rotation of bed partners? And how many of those partners lasted more than a few months before being discarded?
Back then, Ye Bingbing couldn’t comprehend how these lunatics could claim to love Su Rou, swearing they’d marry no one else, while simultaneously keeping other lovers.
But after understanding City S’s true nature, it all made sense. How much of their affection for Su Rou was genuine? What they truly coveted were the benefits she could bring them.
It was no different from the story of Lin Airong decades ago. Among the upper-class women of City S, Lin Airong was scorned as promiscuous and licentious, her reputation dragged through the mud until she was practically equated with a prostitute.
In stark contrast, Grandpa Gong was praised for his magnanimity and devotion. People marveled at how deeply he loved Lin Airong, how he refused to let go of her despite her numerous lovers—even going so far as to maintain friendly relations with them.
But beneath the surface of these beautiful illusions, what was real, and what was fake?
Had Lin Airong truly wanted all those men? And behind the façade of harmony, how much of it was just carefully negotiated profit-sharing?
With every revelation, Ye Bingbing’s anger burned hotter. She sent Lin Xi a private message:
[Villainess Ye Bingbing: I once read political intrigue novels where the female lead was so exceptional that men fought over her. The story even claimed that “to win the heroine was to win the world.”]
[At the time, I was thrilled. I thought the female lead was amazing—so many men were obsessed with her! She was the epitome of a Mary Sue.]
[But what I failed to see was that the heroine was just a tool. Those men packaged themselves as love-struck saints, chasing and using her until she was left battered and broken. Only then did they have a sudden change of heart and let her go. But if you strip away the layers, how much of their so-called love was real?]
Ye Bingbing sighed. Before Lin Xi could reply, they arrived at their hotel.
Since Gong Jiuyi was the male lead in this world’s domineering CEO narrative—and the most “formidable contender” identified by the Special Abilities Team’s analysis—Ye Bingbing’s group made direct contact with the Gong family.
But City S’s unique status had made its corporate elites arrogant. The receptionist assigned to them couldn’t even be bothered to meet them at the airport, waiting instead at the hotel entrance.
After verifying their identities and handing out room keys, the receptionist left without another word.
Once in their room, Li Tian—Ye Bingbing’s roommate—scanned the surroundings before tapping the table in a seemingly random but deliberate pattern. It was a signal: the room was under surveillance, and they needed to be cautious.
This was one of the many skills Ye Bingbing had learned since recovering.
Li Tian grabbed her clothes and headed to the bathroom. When she returned, a glance at Ye Bingbing confirmed that the bathroom was safe—at least on the surface.
Ye Bingbing took her turn washing up. Afterward, both women pulled out their phones and opened an encrypted forum disguised as various apps. Using a special cipher, they communicated.
The other rooms were the same—cameras everywhere except the bathrooms.
After exchanging messages, Ye Bingbing touched her wrist. Lin Xi’s reply had come through:
[Don’t be angry. pats]
Ye Bingbing sighed inwardly. For some reason, her thoughts drifted back to Su Rou—those few, fleeting encounters they’d had, each one inevitably met with Gong Jiuyi’s misunderstandings, Ye Xuheng’s warnings, and Leng Mingchen’s disdainful glares.
She wasn’t sure what attitude to adopt when facing Su Rou again.
In the end, Ye Bingbing fell asleep with her heart tangled in knots.
Meanwhile, in a hillside villa in S City, Su Rou sat motionless on the sofa, staring blankly at the television like a lifeless doll.
Not far behind her, in the meeting room, Gong Jiuyi, Leng Mingchen, and Ye Xuheng were deep in discussion behind drawn curtains.
"I told you not to be so harsh on Ye Bingbing. You should’ve treated her better. See what happened? Even a rabbit will bite when cornered—you pushed her too far," Gong Jiuyi said, rubbing his temples in irritation as he glared at Ye Xuheng.
As the representative of the "white" faction in their world, Ye Xuheng was naturally aligned with Gong Jiuyi. Leng Mingchen, the embodiment of the "black" faction, was their common enemy when necessary.
Since the Gong family were direct descendants of Lin Airong, the previous "Chosen Woman," their status surpassed that of the Ye family. Thus, Ye Xuheng had always deferred to Gong Jiuyi in their interactions.
Ye Xuheng had spent the past few days drowning in regret. As the heir to S City’s ruling power, he was well aware of the city’s peculiarities. His pursuit of Su Rou, alongside Gong Jiuyi and Leng Mingchen, had been "advised" by his family’s patriarch.
"Who knew the barrier would be so easy to break? For years, all three of us have tried—our fathers, our grandfathers—none succeeded. So why could Ye Bingbing do it?" Ye Xuheng gritted his teeth at the mention of Ye Bingbing, as if she were his sworn enemy rather than his sister.
"Besides, this whole mess is ultimately the Gong family’s fault," Ye Xuheng stood, rapping his knuckles against the table.
The uniqueness of S City was first discovered a century ago, during a time of global chaos. Back then, the Gong family was merely a cloth merchant.
Gong Jiuyi’s grandfather was only twenty when he rescued a strangely dressed woman on his way back from inspecting his shops. She pretended to have amnesia upon waking but effortlessly demonstrated profound knowledge of global affairs and business strategies.
Her name was Lin Airong.
Grandpa Gong, a deeply suspicious man, exploited Lin Airong’s talents to expand his family’s business while secretly investigating her origins. Eventually, he uncovered the truth: she was a time traveler from a hundred years in the future.
Even more shocking—they were all characters from a fictional story. Grandpa Gong accepted this revelation almost instantly, and within a short time, his ambitions swelled uncontrollably.
He dreamed of ruling the nation. But first, he had to deal with the Ye and Leng families, who had been drawn to Lin Airong’s extraordinary nature.
Yet, Grandpa Gong wasn’t the only one who discovered Lin Airong’s secret. The Ye and Leng families soon learned the truth as well.
The three families clashed violently, their resources and manpower dwindling rapidly until they were forced to declare a truce. They agreed to share Lin Airong’s knowledge and, since Grandpa Gong was unmarried at the time, she became his nominal wife.
For a while, peace prevailed.
But beneath the surface, each family continued to expand their influence. With Lin Airong’s help, the Gong family established ties with Western nations, importing textile machinery that skyrocketed their production.
The Leng family seized control of eighty percent of the underworld’s operations. The Ye family, inspired by Lin Airong’s concept of "supermarkets," dominated the retail industry decades ahead of their time.
Over the years, all three families diversified their ventures.
By the time Grandpa Gong turned forty, they had amassed vast fortunes and stockpiled advanced Western weaponry. They were ready to expand their territories and fulfill their dreams of supremacy.
But as they advanced in different directions, an invisible barrier halted them. Crossing it brought unbearable agony.
The ruling elites, valuing their lives, refused to risk breaking the barrier themselves. Instead, they sent their subordinates as sacrificial pawns.
Yet, after decades, the barrier remained unbroken. Accustomed to dominance in S City, Grandpa Gong couldn’t tolerate this setback.
In a moment of sheer idiocy, he ordered cannons to bombard the barrier. Instead of breaking it, the attack drew the attention of outsiders. Armies gathered on both sides, but with neither able to cross, the resulting bloodshed forced a reluctant truce.
Humiliated, Grandpa Gong stepped down from power. The Ye and Leng families seized the opportunity to grow, but even in decline, the Gong family’s wealth remained unmatched, thanks to Gong Jiuyi’s father’s capabilities.
Gong Jiuyi, who idolized his ruthless grandfather, narrowed his eyes at Ye Xuheng’s disrespectful tone.
"Ye Xuheng," he said coldly, rising to his full height, "I’ll give you one chance to rephrase that."
Men like Gong Jiuyi, born into absolute privilege, were possessive by nature. And Su Rou? She was his—his woman, his property. He had despised sharing since childhood, and the mere thought of Ye Xuheng or Leng Mingchen coveting what was his made his blood boil.
Ye Xuheng, equally prideful, believed himself far superior to Gong Jiuyi’s arrogance. Though he played the role of Su Rou’s "close friend," resentment festered in his heart. He was convinced that Gong Jiuyi’s only advantage was having met her first.
Had she known him sooner, he would never have let her down. This thought only deepened his hatred for Ye Bingbing. If she had taken Su Rou under her wing earlier, why hadn’t she brought her home sooner?
From childhood, Ye Xuheng had been groomed to elevate the Ye family. Now, with Su Rou—the key to his ambitions—so close yet out of reach, frustration gnawed at him relentlessly.
Leng Mingchen's face darkened as he ignored the two men glaring at each other like fighting cocks, ready to brawl at any moment. He almost wished they would just start throwing punches—better yet, beat each other to death or cripple each other.
Right now, he was filled with regret. If he had known Ye Bingbing could break through the barriers, he would have treated her better. He would never have tried to tame her like a dog. After all, the world outside was vast, and the Leng family had already claimed all the territory they could in S City.
The Leng family desperately needed new territory to maintain their wealth and prestige.
"Enough. Arguing about blame is pointless now. The priority is finding a way to break through. The other side is watching us closely. If it weren’t for the civilians, we’d already be at war. We may have weapons, but they have endless soldiers and nuclear arms. If war breaks out, the West won’t side with us against them."
Leng Mingchen analyzed the situation coldly. Their generation hadn’t been born in favorable times. The outside world was politically stable, and they lacked the capability to develop nuclear weapons. Their only option was to slowly, methodically expand their influence outward.
They’d had time to scheme carefully—until Ye Bingbing forced a direct confrontation. Now, they had no choice but to face the situation head-on. Leng Mingchen didn’t know whether to be grateful that the outside authorities still hesitated to endanger civilian lives.
"Hmph." Gong Jiuyi snorted at Ye Xuheng after hearing this.
"There’s only one solution left." Gong Jiuyi’s gaze shifted to Su Rou, who sat stiffly on the sofa.
Leng Mingchen and Ye Xuheng also turned to look. Unlike Gong Jiuyi’s decisiveness, Ye Xuheng’s expression flickered with reluctance. Leng Mingchen, meanwhile, twisted the cheap silver ring on his finger—the one he had stolen from Su Rou’s family when he was twelve.
Back then, he had been left for dead in an alley after his half-brother ordered an attack on him. Su Rou had saved him. While recovering in secret at her home, he overheard her parents say the ring was her dowry. Taking it meant he would marry her someday.
But he never told her. His plan had been to reappear in her life when she was older, surprising her.
Then he returned to the Leng family, got caught in power struggles, and never went back to Hongzhou Bay. After securing his inheritance and learning about S City’s unique circumstances, he abandoned any thought of reuniting with Su Rou. Women were replaceable—he could always make her his mistress later and gift her a son.
Perhaps out of some lingering shred of sentimentality, he kept wearing the ring. And then he discovered Su Rou was the key. For a moment, he thought he had won.
But in the end, he still lost. His fingers clenched around the ring.
"Then it’s settled. And we need to act fast. The situation is tense—they’ve been sending scouts from all kinds of industries. We can’t guard against everything." Leng Mingchen knew the rules. If S City fell under outside control, families like theirs wouldn’t survive.
No one wanted to die if they could live.
"Agreed." The others nodded.
They might have some affection for Su Rou, but when it came to their own survival, that affection meant nothing.
In just a few words, they decided her fate.
Su Rou sat frozen, tears welling in her eyes. The wound from Ye Bingbing’s gunshot still throbbed beneath the bandages, fresh blood seeping through.
Fear and desperation clawed at her. If she didn’t escape now, she never would.
Once Gong Jiuyi and the others made their decision, they left to reassure their subordinate families. The meeting hall emptied quickly—no one spared a word of comfort for Su Rou.
Her heart sank. She had once reveled in the attention of powerful men, watching them crush anyone who slighted her. Only now did she realize how foolish she’d been.
To them, she was just a disposable object. They had pampered her because she was useful—and now that her usefulness had grown, she had to be sacrificed.
Her phone buzzed. Lin Minru’s name flashed on the screen. A flicker of hope lit in Su Rou’s eyes—Lin Minru might be her only chance. But she couldn’t fully trust her. After all, Lin Minru was also one of Gong Jiuyi’s mistresses.
Su Rou stared at the dark sky outside, pressing her lips together.
She would use Lin Minru to escape—just like Ye Bingbing had fled to "the other side."
...
After that night’s contact, Ye Bingbing grew quieter in the group chat. No one questioned it—war was looming on the other side.
Lin Xi returned to work the next day. Shortly after her shift began, a family of three entered her shop. Their arrival didn’t surprise her.
She had expected Ye Bingbing’s parents and brother to seek her out.
With Sister Xiu managing the store, Lin Xi spotted them from a distance and led them to the customer lounge in the building materials market.
Ye’s mother said nothing at first, only tightening her grip on Ye Mingming’s arm.
Before Lin Xi could fetch water, Ye’s mother grabbed her hand. "Xiao Lin—is that your name? The person you brought home that night… was it… was it…?"
She couldn’t bring herself to say the name, as if speaking it might disturb the dead. But she couldn’t bear the uncertainty any longer.
The day before, she had obsessively reviewed the surveillance footage of Ye Bingbing and Lin Xi entering the neighborhood, analyzing every movement, every detail. The way she walked, the little mannerisms—how could it not be her Bingbing?
She had her husband track down Lin Xi’s workplace. After hesitating all night, she finally came, just to ask one thing: Had her daughter suffered at the end? Had she blamed her?
"Auntie, you already know the answer, don’t you?" Lin Xi sighed inwardly. She had only realized it herself on the way back from Ye’s house—under the light indoors, she cast no shadow.
But outside, her shadow appeared just like anyone else’s.
Ye's Mother blinked her eyes, which felt sore and dry from crying too much lately. "Really? Really? Did she blame us when she left? If it weren't for us pushing her and Feng Rong together, she wouldn’t have..."
"No, she didn’t blame you," Lin Xi replied immediately.
Her reassurance lifted the heavy weight in Ye's Mother's heart. Gazing at Lin Xi's face, it was as if she were seeing her own daughter. "Will she be alright?"
"Great fortune and boundless joy, free from all worries." These words were Lin Xi's greatest blessing for Ye Bingbing.
"That’s good, that’s good." Having achieved her purpose for coming, Ye's Mother seemed somewhat dazed. Ye Mingming held her hand to steady her, preventing her from stumbling.
Having gotten the answers they sought, they prepared to leave. Before departing, Ye's Mother handed Lin Xi their family’s private contact number and WeChat QR code. "Lin Xi, if you ever need help in the future, don’t hesitate to reach out. Whatever we can do, we’ll do it for you."
The Ye family didn’t care to dig into Lin Xi’s true identity—they simply wanted to preserve this fragile connection. If only for the sake of their daughter.
Lin Xi accepted the gesture and escorted them to the entrance of the building materials market. Upon returning to the shop, Sister Xiu greeted her with news: "Xi, all your previous orders have been installed and approved by the customers without any issues."
Lin Xi broke into a wide grin. "Does that mean I don’t have to come to work anymore?"
"Yes. Your commission and salary will be deposited on the 15th of next month." Across the entire building materials market, payday was fixed for the 15th, though individual shops might delay it slightly based on their circumstances.
Overjoyed, Lin Xi immediately called her grandma. Her grandma, who had already heard from relatives that Lin Xi had repaid most of their debts, had been counting the days until her return. The moment she learned Lin Xi was coming home, she laughed heartily and declared she’d buy beef to make Lin Xi’s favorite dried beef jerky.
As Lin Xi chatted excitedly with her grandma, He Chun returned from outside. Seeing this, her face darkened, and her hand unconsciously drifted to her wrist.
When quitting time arrived and He Chun heard Lin Xi wouldn’t be returning to work the next day, she panicked. Forgoing her usual ride with Manager Wang, she hurried after Lin Xi.
"Xi-jie, I need to talk to you."
Lin Xi turned around. "I have nothing to say to you. Keep your little schemes to yourself—I only tolerated them before out of professional courtesy. But now that we’re no longer coworkers, don’t expect any mercy from me."
She held up her phone. "I’ve already activated the recording function. If you say anything out of line, this recording will end up online and at the police station. Think carefully."
The winter wind howled, whipping the hair beneath Lin Xi’s hat into wild strands, making her icy gaze seem even colder, like a frozen spring. He Chun’s words died in her throat.
In the end, she had no ground to stand on. Seeing He Chun halt in her tracks, Lin Xi turned and walked toward the bus stop.
Before she could reach it, a woman in her forties burst out of the building materials market entrance, grabbing He Chun by the hair and yanking her to the ground. Behind her trailed three or four women of similar age.
"You little bitch! Did you think I was some pushover? Using underhanded tricks to seduce my husband into divorcing me—only to find out he never planned to marry you? Just wanted to play with you, huh?"
Within moments, He Chun was on the ground, slapped repeatedly. Lin Xi didn’t linger to watch. She boarded the bus without a second glance.
By the time she got home, the incident had already set every group chat in the building materials market ablaze. The outcome? He Chun had been beaten so badly she was hospitalized. Videos showed her clothes torn off in the scuffle.
Lin Xi felt no sympathy. As the saying went: what goes around comes around.
Without hesitation, she left a few irrelevant group chats, packed up the remaining kitchenware, and gave the house a thorough cleaning.
A WeChat notification chimed. It was Ye Bingbing posting in the group:
[Villainess Ye Bingbing, the Domineering CEO: Everyone, I’ve got news. The Gong, Ye, and Leng families are planning to sacrifice Su Rou in a live ritual.]
[The Special Abilities Division said if the female lead is sacrificed, the barrier might close. We have to save her.]
Without waiting for replies, Ye Bingbing threw on her coat, grabbed her weapons, and followed the Special Abilities team out the door.
At two in the morning, a car sped down from the hillside villa. Just before reaching the base of the mountain, the trunk popped open. A woman seized the moment as the car slowed to turn, leaping out and rolling onto the road. Gritting her teeth against the pain, she sprinted toward the back hills.
