After My Death, Everyone Repented (Transmigration) - Chapter 13

Feng Cinian was cooking in the kitchen, with Jian Qing assisting by her side.

They prepared homely dishes, catering to the tastes of all four present.

Xie Shaojun sat motionless on the sofa. When the food was ready, she went to the dining table and sat down without lifting a finger to help set the table or arrange the dishes.

Xie Guangqi frowned at the sight. He fetched two bottles of wine from the nearby cabinet, and after everyone was seated, he called for Xie Shaojun to join him for a drink.

Xie Shaojun remained as indifferent as ever and refused without a second thought. Xie Guangqi’s temper flared, insisting she drink with him.

Xie Shaojun yawned, suppressing her discomfort as she explained, “I’m not feeling well. If you want to drink, ask Jian Qing to keep you company.”

Jian Qing had just had a miscarriage three days ago and was still in a weakened state. To Xie Guangqi, Xie Shaojun’s words felt like a deliberate jab.

“Xie Shaojun.” Xie Guangqi’s face darkened as he slammed his bowl down. “There should be limits to your tantrums. Look at other people’s daughters, they come home obedient, filial, and mindful of propriety. Your mother prepared this feast to celebrate your birthday. Do you feel even an ounce of gratitude?”

“Can you stop being so childish? You drink with strangers at bars, but you can’t with your own father? Holding grudges against your own family have we raised you for nothing?”

Xie Guangqi’s words were harsh. Most of the time, he was a refined man, an intellectual whose posture was textbook-perfect. But that same ingrained propriety was something he demanded from every member of his household.

And Xie Shaojun was the only outlier in this family.

“Lao Xie!” Feng Cinian emerged from the kitchen, grabbing Xie Guangqi’s arm and signaling with her eyes that he had gone too far.

Jian Qing stood up as well. “Uncle, I’ll drink with you, okay?”

The noise around her was overwhelming, her ears ringing with echoes.

Xie Shaojun found it hard to focus. She didn’t want to eat anymore couldn’t stomach it.

Leaning on the table, she stood up and met Xie Guangqi’s gaze. “Jian Qing volunteered. Why are you still going on about it? Drinking is best enjoyed with people you’re close to. Ask yourself honestly, between Jian Qing and me, who are you closer to?”

Xie Shaojun was speaking the truth. Xie Guangqi’s face turned an odd shade of red, and he stammered, “You ! How could she? She’s a girl who just had a miscarriage…”

“Oh, so a miscarriage is a terminal illness now?” Xie Shaojun suddenly lifted her eyelids, speaking slowly. “She’s a girl…”

Locking eyes with Xie Guangqi, she asked softly, “And I’m not?”

The dining room fell silent. Xie Guangqi froze under Xie Shaojun’s gaze.

He seemed at a loss for words. Feng Cinian pulled him back, stopping him from saying anything more hurtful. “Enough. Our daughter barely comes home to eat. If you want to drink, drink by yourself.”

“Let’s eat, let’s eat.” Feng Cinian forced a smile, shooting Xie Shaojun a look to ignore her father.

If the two continued to clash, it would only damage their relationship. Feng Cinian changed the subject.

She pushed a dish Xie Shaojun had loved as a child toward her. “Junjun, I made your favorite spicy pork slices. Try them. Xiao Qing, serve your sister some more.”

A piece of fatty pork drenched in chili oil landed in Xie Shaojun’s bowl. Jian Qing nudged it closer. “Want another piece?”

The bowl of pristine white rice was quickly drenched in bright red oil as slices of meat soaked in chili oil were poured over it. Xie Shaojun lowered her gaze, said nothing, pushed aside Jian Qing’s arm, and rushed to the bathroom.

Ten minutes later, Xie Shaojun still hadn’t come out.

Jian Qing stood by the door and asked how she was doing. Xie Shaojun pressed her back against the bathroom door, locked it, and then hoarsely snapped, “Mind your own business.”

Twenty minutes later, the food was nearly cold.

Feng Cinian rapped her knuckles against the bathroom door, urging her to hurry up.

Xie Shaojun’s voice was even raspier now. “Mom, I’m constipated. I don’t have much of an appetite tonight. You guys should just eat first.”

Feng Cinian stood outside the door, silent for several seconds, and didn’t press further.

“Is my cooking not good?”

“Of course it is,” Xie Shaojun replied, pressing the toilet flush. Amid the sound of rushing water, she added, “Could you save me a couple of dumplings, though?”

Feng Cinian said, “Alright. Don’t squat for too long you’ll get hemorrhoids.”

When Xie Shaojun didn’t respond, she lowered her voice and continued, “Junjun, I’ll have Xiao Qing eat first. Once she’s done, she’ll go upstairs, and I’ll reheat the food for you when you come out, okay? Don’t be angry with your dad”

Xie Shaojun had no energy left to be angry. She was practically dying. As the saying goes, the dead are to be respected. With each passing day, she had one less to live, so she refused to do what she didn’t want to do and eat what she shouldn’t. Was that really anger?

Feng Cinian lingered outside the bathroom, lost in thought. She didn’t know Xie Shaojun was vomiting blood inside, she simply assumed her daughter was throwing a tantrum over her parents’ favoritism.

In Feng Cinian’s eyes, Xie Shaojun had always been petty-hearted, never warming up to Jian Qing. The two had never gotten along.

The root of it all lay in their upbringing.

Xie Shaojun wasn’t like the child two professors would raise. She was fiercely independent and unruly, always running with a crowd of good-for-nothings.

The two professors had spent countless hours trying to discipline her, to no avail. Burdened by work and stress, relatives would often remark, “How could two such outstanding people have a daughter like this?” All their frustrations were inevitably taken out on Xie Shaojun.

When Xie Shaojun was six, a fire broke out at Sichuan University. Professor Xie was rescued from the flames by Fire Captain Jian, who died in the act. Later, Xie Guangqi brought Jian Qing home to raise alongside Xie Shaojun.

Originally, it was meant as an act of gratitude, hoping the two girls would grow up together and temper each other’s personalities. Instead, Xie Shaojun’s rebelliousness only worsened.

That same year, six-year-old Xie Shaojun took five-year-old Jian Qing to the park, then returned alone. It was the first time Xie Guangqi had ever hit her.

After the beating, Xie Shaojun ran away in a fit of anger. And then, she disappeared too.

Both children were missing for an entire year.

By the time they were found, Xie Guangqi and Feng Cinian had spent a long time reflecting. But reflection was useless. Deep down, they couldn’t reconcile how their supposedly superior genes had produced such a stubborn, mediocre child, while the adopted Jian Qing grew into the daughter they had always envisioned.

Prejudices piled up over time, and by the time Xie Shaojun grew older, even basic communication became strained.

Feng Cinian didn’t know what to do. She assumed Xie Shaojun’s infuriating behavior tonight was all because Jian Qing had been invited to stay for dinner.

So, as a compromise, she decided to keep the two from crossing paths at the table.

Feng Cinian returned to the dining room, forcing a smile as she urged Jian Qing to start eating.

Xie Guangqi’s bushy eyebrows knitted together as he snorted heavily in the direction of the upstairs. “Spoiled brat.”

But aside from that remark, he didn’t lose his temper further. Instead, he bent down, picked up a piece of braised fish with his chopsticks, and dropped it into Jian Qing’s bowl.

Under the watchful eyes of the two professors, Jian Qing took small bites of rice, chewing slowly.

She didn’t ask why Xie Guangqi and his wife hadn’t touched their chopsticks, nor did she question why the visibly upset professors refrained from saying anything negative about Xie Shaojun in her presence.

Everyone assumed Jian Qing had effortlessly replaced Xie Shaojun, inheriting all the love of the Xie couple. But in reality, that wasn’t the case. The discomfort of living under someone else’s roof was something only she truly understood, she had never been truly accepted.

Like now, for instance. She couldn’t voice her desire to wait with them for Xie Shaojun to emerge from the bathroom, to sit beside her, and listen to Xie Shaojun’s haughty scolding.

Jian Qing could have stealthily slipped food onto her plate, only for Xie Shaojun to unknowingly eat it.

But that imagined scene had been ruined by the couple’s blatant favoritism.

Lost in thought, the skull pendant necklace hidden beneath her dress slipped out. Jian Qing bent down to pick it up, cradling it in her palm for a long moment before smiling faintly, her expression complicated.

A short while later, her bowl was empty. Jian Qing looked up and, as if casually, asked Feng Cinian, “Auntie, after my sister lost her memory at six, did she ever remember anything later?”

Feng Cinian replied, “Why bring that up now?” She added, “It’s normal not to remember things from that age. After all these years, those memories haven’t affected her life since.”

Jian Qing smiled obediently. “Oh, I was just curious. I worry that this intermittent amnesia might still trouble her.”

The living room was adorned with two renowned contemporary paintings. Emerging from the bathroom, Xie Shaojun glanced at them casually and noticed Xie Guangqi had once again indulged his extravagant tastes.

A newly added piece titled “Elegy of the Buried Flowers” hung on the wall, one Xie Shaojun had never seen at home before. The artist’s signature was particularly amusing: “Xie Good Luck.”

She joked with the system, [System, this old lady’s style looks a bit like the iris tattoo on my leg.]

The system fell silent for three seconds before responding with a mocking tsk. [How’d you figure she’s an old lady? Good, keep calling her that.]

Xie Shaojun: [Did I misjudge her age?]

[Not at all. Feel free to address her like that from now on, sweetheart.] The system added, [Though she was only twenty-four when she fell into a coma.]

[She’s not dead?] Xie Shaojun was momentarily surprised. A painting that had caught Xie Guangqi’s eye was actually the work of a young, comatose sketch artist.

The system replied, [Nope.]

It spoke as if personally acquainted with the artist, its tone smug. [Honestly, the painting’s just passable. Don’t overpraise it young artists shouldn’t get too full of themselves.]

The phrase “full of themselves” didn’t even fit the context here.

Xie Shaojun couldn’t be bothered to correct the system’s poor word choice and lazily retorted, [Just passable? What do you know about art?]

The implication was clear: what could a machine possibly understand about painting?

[Oh, you’re the expert, huh? Then why’d you end up as a tattoo artist after graduation, huh? Teacher Xie.]

Xie Shaojun was momentarily speechless. In her first transmigration role as a villainess, she had played a tattoo apprentice. Thanks to her natural talent for drawing and color composition, she excelled.

She had once asked the system what her original profession was, only to be told that her current work was “industry-aligned.”

So was having a knack for tattooing something to be ashamed of?

Xie Shaojun retorted, [No profession is inherently noble or humble. Her painting style isn’t any worse than mine.]

[Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever,] the system replied dismissively. [Then I wish you all the best in becoming Xie Good Luck.]

Xie Shaojun flashed a deathly smile. [Sorry to disappoint, but there’s no good luck here. I’m about to bravely march to my doom.]

For some reason, this struck a nerve with the foul-mouthed system. It suddenly fell silent before hypocritically cursing Xie Shaojun: [Laugh your ass off, dumbass!]

The barrage of profanity was so dense that Xie Shaojun didn’t even need to report it the system was automatically flagged by the main system for verbal abuse, docked points, and muted for half an hour.

Xie Shaojun lit a metaphorical candle for it in her heart: [Serves you right for running your mouth.]

The dining room was empty by now.

Jian Qing had finished her meal and rushed back to her room for a private meeting with her artist team.

Xie Guangqi and Feng Cinian had originally waited in the dining room to have dinner with Xie Shaojun, but Xie Guangqi’s lawyer handling the lawsuit against Twilight Studio arrived unexpectedly. The lawyer discussed with Xie Guangqi the possible outcomes of tomorrow’s legal proceedings.

“The other party has agreed to all our compensation demands.”

Feng Cinian served hot tea, but the lawyer left it untouched on the table.

Instead, he handed Xie Guangqi a document, subtly hinting at the possibility of a private settlement.

“We’ve discovered that the other partner of Twilight Studio is a renowned tattoo artist in the industry comparable in fame to the painter whose work you recently purchased at the charity gala. She rose to fame young and holds significant prestige in the field. Every tattoo design she posts on Instagram garners millions of likes. Shutting down the studio seems unrealistic.”

Xie Guangqi harbored deep-seated hatred for the tattoo profession, not just because of Jian Qing’s miscarriage but also due to ingrained prejudice. His resentment stemmed from Xie Shaojun, a graduate of a prestigious university, who had abandoned further studies to be lured into the tattoo industry by societal influences.

In his eyes, those people were unforgivable.

No matter how much the lawyer tried to persuade him, Xie Guangqi remained unyielding. “If civil litigation doesn’t work, we’ll go to the police. A living embryo was destroyed by their negligence, resulting in death. This isn’t about compensation that studio must face consequences.”

The lawyer hesitated, set down his teacup, and said haltingly, “And also…”

“Also what?”

“We’ve found out that this partner’s surname is Xie. Her full name is Xie Shaojun, she’s your direct relative. Knowing that, do you still intend to report this to the police?”

Xie Guangqi escorted the lawyer to the door, his face dark with fury, before storming back into the living room. Xie Shaojun happened to be coming downstairs at that moment, her complexion still sickly pale.

Her puppy-dog eyes drooped, making her look more like an invalid than anyone else present.

Yet neither of the two people in the living room noticed. The atmosphere was thick with tension.

Xie Guangqi sent his wife away, telling Feng Cinian to check on Jian Qing in her room, then called Xie Shaojun into the study alone.

Once the study door was locked, Xie Guangqi turned around, his rage palpable as it lashed toward Xie Shaojun.

Furious beyond words, he didn’t even ask for an explanation. Instead, he grabbed a dusty rattan cane from the bookshelf and swung it at Xie Shaojun, demanding to know if she admitted her wrongdoing, if she hadn’t deliberately taken Jian Qing to the tattoo studio, Jian Qing wouldn’t have miscarried.

Strangely enough, Xie Shaojun felt nothing in the face of Xie Guangqi’s baseless accusations and immediate resort to corporal punishment.

With swift reflexes, she dodged the whip before it could land, avoiding the violence entirely.

The rattan whip sent a teacup crashing to the floor, splashing water onto the brand-new LV backpack, which made Xie Shaojun extremely uncomfortable. That backpack cost 130,000 a limited edition.

It was worth half a year of Xie Guangqi’s salary. She wasn’t sure if demanding compensation would make him faint from rage.

As she pondered, Xie Guangqi finally tired himself out from hitting her.

“Are you even human?” he roared. “Even if Jian Qing isn’t your biological sister, four years ago, because she went to a bar with you, she was beaten until her kidney ruptured. She’s already lost a kidney for you, how much longer are you going to keep being jealous?”

“For me?” Xie Shaojun almost laughed at the absurdity of his words. She lifted her weary eyelids and met Xie Guangqi’s furious gaze head-on. Suddenly, her hand shot up, gripping the whip and slamming it to the ground.

With biting sarcasm, she retorted, “How does ‘facing the consequences of her own actions’ get twisted into ‘for me’? The moment she puts on an act, you all believe her instantly. But when I tell the truth, no one listens. From where I stand, losing one kidney and having a miscarriage neither of those things would kill her. But right now, if you keep hitting me, you might actually beat me to death on the spot!”

Xie Guangqi’s veins bulged with rage. Pointing a trembling finger at her, he stammered, “You” before finally spitting out, “You’re utterly vicious by nature.”

“Think whatever you want,” Xie Shaojun said.

The whip landed with a sharp crack beside her feet. Xie Guangqi braced himself against the desk, gasping for breath.

He stopped his tirade, collapsing back into his swivel chair. Staring at the shattered cup and the tea leaves floating in the mess, he spat out vehemently, “Get out. I’ll just pretend I never had a daughter like you.”

The night air was bitingly cold. Xie Shaojun lit the bloodstained tissues one by one, watching them burn to ashes, but not a single ember brought her even a sliver of warmth. Goosebumps prickled along her arms as she rubbed them absently, strolling leisurely out of the Xie family villa.

At this hour, taxis were hard to come by.

Xie Shaojun called Damei, asking her to pick her up.

The streetlamp stretched her shadow into a distorted silhouette. Standing beneath its glow, she asked the system, “So? Did I do a good job playing the villainess?”

This time, the system didn’t respond with its usual “Laugh your ass off.” Instead, its voice was subdued. “Don’t be like this.”

“Feeling sorry for me?”The system first hummed in agreement, then, as if embarrassed by its own sentimentality, abruptly switched to its usual irritable tone, cursing her out: ‘You absolute dumbass!” Why did you have to break character in the first place? Would it have killed you to just play the damn NPC and finish the role-playing mission like you were supposed to?”

Xie Shaojun tilted her head, actually considering the question seriously. “System, this is my tenth role-playing mission. Out of all the villainesses I’ve played, with all their different personalities, maybe you machines can’t understand human emotions, but constantly immersing myself in these roles, constantly outputting emotions that aren’t mine… It’s gotten to the point where I can’t even remember what kind of person I used to be. Until I met Chi Yi…”

Chi Yi was a strange one. She never questioned whether Xie Shaojun’s personality was rotten. No matter how much Xie Shaojun ignored advice, no matter how the Xie parents lamented that she was a hopeless failure

Chi Yi never gave up on her. Like an annoying little bee, she’d buzz in Xie Shaojun’s ear, insisting,

“This isn’t you. You should be someone as brilliant and dazzling as me.”

Even if Chi Yi’s phrasing was always, “You should,” “You will,” always correcting Xie Shaojun in the most irritating way

It might have seemed like Xie Shaojun was indulging Chi Yi’s defiance of the script, but in truth, she was also indulging herself.

The malicious voice in her mind merged seamlessly with Chi Yi’s controlling ways.

Bit by bit, it gnawed at Xie Shaojun’s thoughts, tempting her: “Xie Shaojun, just be yourself.”

This was the only world where Xie Shaojun hadn’t become someone else, she was truly herself.

Free-spirited and true to her heart, she wore the shell of a villainess yet never wronged anyone. She lived boldly, loving and hating without restraint.

She traveled across the country, befriending those she genuinely wanted to, living freely and unrestrained.

“So I don’t regret this outcome at all.”

The system fell silent for a long time before asking, “Then will you ever reconcile with Chi Yi?”

“Probably not,” Xie Shaojun replied. “Let’s each live our own lives.”

Hearing this, the system seemed to grow even angrier for some reason, cursing, “You absolute dumbass.”

It kept repeating the same insults until, minutes later, it finally ran out of steam and turned its ire on Chi Yi: “That one’s a dumbass too. Everyone in this world is a dumbass.”

Xie Shaojun found the system rather amusing and reminded it, “Stop cursing, or you’ll lose points again.”