After My Death, Everyone Repented (Transmigration) - Chapter 17

After Jian Qing left.

The expected interrogation, arrogance, and anger never came.

“Xie Shaojun.” Chi Yi stood at the door, her expression calm as she asked, “May I come in?”

Xie Shaojun slowly looked up, her gaze settling on Chi Yi.

Chi Yi was different today. She wasn’t wearing her usual monotonous work attire from the wardrobe.

Instead, she had on a black blazer paired with ivory-white trousers and strappy nude heels with slender stilettos. Her long hair was pulled up, save for a single strand that fell over one eye, resting against the gold-rimmed glasses. This made it impossible for Xie Shaojun to discern what Chi Yi was thinking in that moment.

Beyond the change in appearance, even the stiff, awkward demeanor Chi Yi usually displayed when scolding Xie Shaojun seemed to have vanished.

She exuded an air of composed adulthood that felt entirely unfamiliar to Xie Shaojun.

“If it’s convenient,” Chi Yi said straightforwardly, “let’s talk.”

“Fine.” Chi Yi had clearly moved on from their relationship faster and more decisively than Xie Shaojun had anticipated.

This irritated Xie Shaojun. She arched an eyebrow and said pointedly, “Say whatever you need to say from there.”

“Teacher, what are you doing? Your wife finally came to visit!”

This was Chi Yi’s first time at Xie Shaojun’s studio, and her striking looks and demeanor instantly won everyone over.

Xie Shaojun’s apprentices crowded the hallway, all oblivious to the situation, welcoming Chi Yi’s arrival and chastising Xie Shaojun for mistreating her wife.

“If you don’t scram right now, don’t ever call me ‘teacher’ again. Not a single day of peace around here.”

Xie Shaojun walked out, expressionlessly shooing the crowd away before turning back to Chi Yi. She stepped aside, letting Chi Yi enter, then slammed the door shut.

“Ask whatever you want.”

Xie Shaojun didn’t give Chi Yi a warm reception either. She sat back down on the tattoo chair, already guessing what Chi Yi wanted to discuss.

The matter of impersonating “No. 1” no matter how Xie Shaojun spun it, was indefensible in Chi Yi’s eyes. At its core, Xie Shaojun had deceived Chi Yi’s feelings.

So even if Chi Yi wanted to hit her after learning the truth, Xie Shaojun had nothing to say in her own defense.

But she sincerely hoped this confrontation wouldn’t drag on. A quick resolution would be best.

Just then, the front desk called in, notifying her that her last scheduled client had arrived.

Covering the receiver, Xie Shaojun negotiated in a measured tone, “I can only give you ten minutes. Deal?”

“Not a deal.” Chi Yi flatly rejected the suggestion, stating she could wait until Xie Shaojun finished her work before they talked.

Xie Shaojun mulled it over, her thumb rubbing against the tattoo machine grip.

Eventually, she agreed. Then she watched as Chi Yi took a seat in the lounge area and casually picked up Xie Shaojun’s sketchbook.

The client was the same A list celebrity from last time.

Chi Yi sat in the outermost partition, the sofa positioned with its back to the tattoo bed. Even though she couldn’t see inside, out of consideration for the celebrity’s privacy, Xie Shaojun drew the curtain closed.

“Ah… ah… it hurts…” The starlet’s voice was delicate and coquettish. Barely a few minutes into the touch-up, she started whimpering in pain.

Normally, Xie Shaojun wouldn’t have thought much of it. But with Chi Yi just outside, paired with those breathy, tearful moans…

Xie Shaojun paused her work. “Do you need another two-minute break?”

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly waste your time, teacher.” The idol smiled sweetly, a faint dimple appearing at the corner of her lips. “How about you chat with me for a bit, hmm?”

“Sure. What do you want to talk about?”

“Last time, I gave you concert tickets, but you didn’t show up,” she deliberately leaned in closer to ask, “I waited for you in the VIP section for so long.”

Xie Shaoyun had forgotten all about it and was just about to apologize when the ringing of a phone sounded from outside.

“What is it?” Chi Yi quickly answered the call, her voice coming from the adjacent room.

At this point, the female celebrity finally realized there was someone else in the tattoo studio. For the rest of the time, she stopped her flirtatious behavior and instead glared angrily at Xie Shaoyun.

It seemed she was blaming her for not keeping their confidentiality agreement.

Xie Shaoyun wasn’t in the mood to placate anyone. With her cancer-ridden mind, she distractedly pondered for a long time but couldn’t figure out how, in just half a month, Chi Yi’s alarm ringtone had changed to a phone ringtone.

So after breaking up with her, not only had Chi Yi’s fashion sense improved, but even her phone ringtone had started to sound pleasant.

After seeing off the female celebrity, the rest of the studio staff had already left for the day.

Xie Shaoyun weakly leaned against the wall to rest. Finding the outer room empty, she went to the first-floor art studio and found Chi Yi there.

Chi Yi was intently admiring the paintings in the studio.

“Did you paint all these?” Chi Yi pointed at the large traditional Chinese paintings on the wall, a hint of admiration in her tone.

“The traditional Chinese paintings are mine. The pencil sketches and drawings are custom orders for clients. Those are compiled in portfolios and not displayed.”

Chi Yi’s expression was hard to read, whether pleased or displeased as she turned to stare into Xie Shaoyun’s eyes and said, “It feels like I’m meeting you for the first time today.”

“Likewise,” Xie Shaoyun retorted bluntly, throwing the words right back at her.

She noticed Chi Yi’s smile falter for a fleeting moment, but by the time Xie Shaoyun tried to get a closer look, even that strained smile had vanished.

However, as the one who had deceived her, Xie Shaoyun was inevitably at a disadvantage compared to Chi Yi.

She first asked Chi Yi if they could now discuss matters.

Chi Yi said the conversation would take a while and suggested finding a quiet place.

Before Xie Shaoyun could even consider whether her body could handle it, she silently followed Chi Yi out of the studio.

There was a Western restaurant nearby, so Xie Shaoyun called to reserve a private room.

But they were fully booked for the day. Xie Shaoyun tried several other nearby restaurants, but strangely, all were full.

Only after Xie Shaoyun had exhausted all known restaurant options did Chi Yi finally speak up. “Where do you live?”

“Biguiyuan in the West District,” Xie Shaoyun answered without thinking.

“Get in the car.”

The driver pulled up in front of them.

Chi Yi said to Xie Shaoyun, “I’ll take you home.”

It was an offer she couldn’t exactly refuse.

The subway station was two kilometers away from the studio, and it was raining outside.

She couldn’t afford to joke around with her cancer-stricken body.

Xie Shaoyun got into the car first, followed by Chi Yi.

She sat on the far right seat, maintaining a necessary social distance from Xie Shaoyun.

Xie Shaoyun didn’t feel like talking, and Chi Yi didn’t attempt conversation either.

The entire ride passed in silence.

The car was stopped at the entrance of the underground garage. The residential security wouldn’t allow outside vehicles to enter, so the driver had to park outside.

Holding an umbrella, he opened the car door for Chi Yi.

The umbrella unfurled, raindrops pattering into shallow puddles.

Standing in the rain, Chi Yi’s peach-blossom eyes half-lowered as she gazed at Xie Shaoyun through the drizzle. Xie Shaoyun met her gaze briefly.

Their eyes locked, and Chi Yi said to Xie Shaoyun, “I’ll walk you home.”

“It’s not necessary,” Xie Shaoyun stepped out of the car and reached for the umbrella in Chi Yi’s hand, but Chi Yi avoided her.

“You didn’t think it was inconvenient when you called me your wife,” she said. “Xie Shaojun, you should understand,we need to talk privately.”

Since the conversation had reached this point, and Xie Shaojun wasn’t the one at fault, she offered a half-hearted assurance: “Jian Qing is an eyesore to me,can’t I say that? Fine, fine, rest assured. By my standards, someone who plays both sides during a marriage doesn’t deserve to be called a wife.”

Xie Shaojun didn’t look at Chi Yi’s expression. The temperature outside had dropped suddenly, and her cancer-weakened body had little strength left to argue further.

She walked ahead in silence. The distance wasn’t long.

Chi Yi struggled to walk in high heels while holding an umbrella in the rain. Xie Shaojun noticed but didn’t take the umbrella from her as she had done every time before.

Chi Yi pressed her lips tightly together, maintaining her distance the entire way. Even though the faint scent of freesia from Chi Yi occasionally drifted to Xie Shaojun’s nose, and Xie Shaojun’s breath brushed against Chi Yi’s cheek, neither of them looked at the other. The closeness of sharing an umbrella was replaced by the damp, earthy smell in the air.

It felt as if their lungs were filled with thick, leaden soil.

Xie Shaojun’s home was small, a cramped space with plush carpets covering the floor.

They sat on the balcony, a narrow area where they faced each other across a small tea table. Xie Shaojun took the largest apple from the fruit tray, unpeeled, so she didn’t bother asking if Chi Yi wanted any.

They sat in silence until half the apple was gone.

“Go ahead,” Xie Shaojun said after washing her hands. Without looking up, she busied herself with her teapot, pouring freshly boiled water into it and tossing in some flower buds.

The petals unfurled, swirling in the amber tea inside the transparent glass cup. Xie Shaojun found it beautiful and stared intently.

But before long, Chi Yi took the teapot away and met Xie Shaojun’s eyes. “Let’s talk seriously,” she said.

Xie Shaojun finally looked up, giving her a lazy smile as she leaned back on the tatami. “Talk,” she said, her tone devoid of sincerity.

Her dismissive attitude didn’t sit well with Chi Yi. “Running into Jian Qing in Shanmian County was a coincidence. I’m not as cheap and careless as you think not just anyone can get me to hold an umbrella for them.”

Xie Shaojun paused. “You saw me?”

“You were with a man,” Chi Yi said flatly.

Xie Shaojun suddenly didn’t know how to respond. “…”

Fortunately, Chi Yi was rational and steered the conversation back. “I stayed in Shanmian County for fifteen days.”

“Don’t you have anything to say to me?” Chi Yi asked.

“Not really,” Xie Shaojun replied evasively.

Chi Yi wasn’t having it. In a matter-of-fact tone, she told Xie Shaojun she had investigated her records. “The year you went missing, you were six, not five.”

Xie Shaojun had no memory of that time, so she didn’t comment, nodding for Chi Yi to continue.

“Jian Qing told me you’re not a ‘1,’ but I trust evidence.” Chi Yi fixed her gaze on Xie Shaojun. “Are you? I want to hear it from you.”

Under the light, Xie Shaojun lifted her head. Only then did Chi Yi suddenly realize how painfully thin she had become, her chin so sharp it could almost prick a finger.

Instinctively, Chi Yi reached out to touch Xie Shaojun’s face, but Xie Shaojun avoided it, leaving Chi Yi’s hand suspended in midair.

“No,” Xie Shaojun answered Chi Yi’s question honestly, then asked her to wait a moment.

She retrieved a yellowed notebook and a smooth river stone from her room.

Placing both items in front of Chi Yi, Xie Shaojun explained, “The notebook is locked. I never opened it.”

“And the stone it chipped a little when I moved. These were all found in Jian Qing’s room.”

Chi Yi stopped looking at Xie Shaojun. She took out a satin handkerchief and wiped the dust off the notebook, then carefully cleaned the river stone. The stone had a small chip, but Chi Yi treated it with reverence, tucking it into her pocket.

Curled up on the tatami, Xie Shaojun didn’t want to watch. The warmth of the room made her eyelids heavy, and they drooped shut.

So when Chi Yi looked up and saw Xie Shaojun’s indifferent, drowsy reaction

She overturned the tea stove in front of her, grabbed Xie Shaojun by the collar, and pinned her down on the tatami. Xie Shaojun was willing to comply, closing her eyes and bracing for a beating.

But the pain never came. Instead, Chi Yi’s breath fanned across Xie Shaojun’s face, making her uncomfortable. Reluctantly, she opened her eyes to look at her.

Chi Yi was staring back, her soft lips pressed tightly together as she asked, “If you weren’t going to say it before, why say it now?”

No matter the reason for the divorce, Chi Yi was the biggest victim of the fraudulent marriage. Xie Shaojun couldn’t treat her with the same shameless indifference she had shown Jian Qing.

Now that things had reached this point, the only way Xie Shaojun could think to make amends was to help Chi Yi reunite with the true love of her heart and give them a happy ending.

Guiltily averting her gaze, Xie Shaojun said, “I didn’t say anything before because I was selfish, I wanted to keep you for myself. Now that we’re divorcing, I’m telling you. If you and Jian Qing can reconcile, it’ll be a good thing.”

Aside from that insincere blessing at the end, Xie Shaojun didn’t lie. She admitted outright to deceiving Chi Yi into marriage.

Then, obediently, she tilted her face closer to Chi Yi and said earnestly, “If you’re really angry, go ahead and hit me. But only tonight.”

A tea leaf swirled in the cup beside them before sinking with a soft plink. To Chi Yi, the sound was heavy, like something shattering.

“So, I’m just something you’re throwing away.”

That was how Chi Yi described herself, and Xie Shaojun already felt restless.

Her lips pressed together tightly, Chi Yi spoke in a flat tone. “Because you don’t want me anymore, you’re returning me to Jian Qing, like returning lost property, to ease your guilt.”

“Don’t talk about yourself like that,” Xie Shaojun murmured weakly.

“Then how should I talk about myself? Do you still want me?”

Chi Yi didn’t miss a single flicker of emotion on Xie Shaojun’s face. She pressed closer, her slender arms bracketing Xie Shaojun’s body. The proximity made Xie Shaojun nauseous again. Watching Chi Yi loom over her with false bravado, Xie Shaojun feared she might vomit blood all over her.

She retreated toward the wall though she didn’t have much strength left. Late-stage cancer had drained her body.

When her back hit the cold wall, Chi Yi, determined to hear an answer, leaned in to kiss her. Xie Shaojun turned her face away in discomfort.

At that, even the mocking smile on Chi Yi’s lips vanished.

She gave Xie Shaojun no further chance to read her expression, shoving her to the floor.

With a cold, detached gaze that looked down at Xie Shaojun as if she were a stranger, Chi Yi said, “You’re right. How could you possibly be Number One?”

“You can lie without batting an eye, splash water on Jian Qing without a shred of remorse, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t make you even pretend to be a decent person. I never understood what the problem was, but now I see. You’re not her. I should have realized it sooner.”

Xie Shaojun stifled a yawn, fighting off exhaustion.

All emotion drained from Chi Yi’s eyes as she stood up.

None of the awkward, socially inept behavior she usually displayed around Xie Shaojun was visible now. Whether in demeanor or posture, she carried herself with a poise and distance Xie Shaojun had never seen in their four years together.

This version of Chi Yi Xie Shaojun hated her.

So she smiled without remorse and said, “Yes,” and “I’m just inherently cruel.”

Chi Yi couldn’t remember if she had said anything else to twist the knife deeper.

For many nights afterward, she relived this moment in fragments, Xie Shaojun’s subtle expressions, the sounds around them: the rain, the sharp breaths of their argument, the slam of the door as Chi Yi walked away without looking back, the flush of the toilet, and the muffled sound of retching from inside the room.

At that moment, standing at the door, Chi Yi thought: Xie Shaojun, you’ve made a mockery of our four years together. There’s no going back now.

Chi Yi was different. Even in leaving, she remained composed.

A week later, she signed the divorce papers.

Three days after that, Jian Qing was attacked.

A recently released convict kicked her in the abdomen, causing her remaining kidney to fail.

When the hospital urgently called for a transplant, Chi Yi was away on business. She pulled strings to secure the best hospital and exhausted every resource to find a viable donor.

The next day, she cut her meeting short and flew back from South America. As soon as she landed, she received a call from Professor Xie and his wife.

On the other end of the line, there was nonstop crying, first from Xie Guangqi, his scholarly voice strained with anguish: “Xiao Chi, do you… do you still have any way to contact Xie Shaojun?”

Chi Yi’s eyelid twitched violently. She blinked before answering, “We’re divorced. I haven’t spoken to her recently.”

Xie Guangqi’s voice broke into a sob. “I see… I’ll ask someone else, then.”

Sensing something was wrong, Chi Yi pressed, “What happened?”

A loud wail followed, and the phone clattered to the ground.

Three seconds later, Feng Cinian’s voice came through, hoarse and desperate: “I’m not leaving! My daughter hasn’t come out yet! Doctor, why isn’t she among the patients who were wheeled out?”

“Jian Qing was brought out 24 hours ago.