After My Death, Everyone Repented (Transmigration) - Chapter 2

Leaving the hospital, a long line stretched outside the consultation room. Xie Shaojun squeezed through the crowd, tossed her test results into the trash, and turned around, only to bump into someone she never expected to see here.

They collided head-on, and the other person spoke first: “Miss Xie?”

“Xiao Wang?”

Running into Chi Yi’s personal secretary in a place like this left Xie Shaojun momentarily blank, her expression faltering.

Her eyes instinctively scanned the surroundings.

“President Chi is on a business trip in Tainan. She didn’t take me along this time.” Secretary Wang forced a smile and stepped aside slightly.

Only then did Xie Shaojun notice the gaunt, pale, bald little boy standing beside Secretary Wang.

“Zhuangzhuang, say hello to Auntie.”

Secretary Wang didn’t explain what illness the boy had, and Xie Shaojun didn’t ask. But from the strained smile on Secretary Wang’s face, too many unspoken sorrows were already evident.

Putting herself in their shoes, Xie Shaojun made a decision in that moment no one needed to know about her cancer.

The resolution took only three seconds. Unable to resist, she reached out and touched the boy’s protruding skull, his head shaved bare from illness. Then she dug out all the lollipops Chi Yi had replaced in her bag and placed them in the child’s palm.

Zhuangzhuang stared at the candy, reluctant to look away. Though he clearly wanted it, he obediently said, “Thank you, Auntie. The doctor says I can’t have candy.”

“Hey, kid, being too well-behaved will make other kids bully you, you know?”

“Doctors’ words, listen if you want, ignore if you don’t. Sneak one, it’s fine. Try it, is it sweet?” Xie Shaojun crouched down, like some shady candy-peddling villain, unwrapping the lollipop and popping it into the child’s mouth.

Zhuangzhuang instinctively looked at his mother, only opening his mouth after she nodded.

Perhaps Xie Shaojun’s reckless act of forcing candy on a child was too much for onlookers. Several fellow patients who recognized the mother and son but didn’t know the full story frowned, about to speak up.

Secretary Wang quickly explained to them, those lollipops were sugar-free, with zero additives.

Xie Shaojun had developed a bad habit since childhood: whenever she was in a bad mood, she’d suck on a lollipop. But the Xie family had strict rules candy was forbidden. So as a child, she’d often get scolded or even spanked, only to eat even more afterward.

She lost count of how many cavities she’d gotten. Eventually, Professor Xie and his wife gave up trying to control her, only for Chi Yi to take over.

Chi Yi didn’t ban Xie Shaojun from eating candy. Instead, she took it to the extreme, casually ordering Secretary Wang to acquire a candy factory that produced sugar-free lollipops exclusively for Xie Shaojun.

The packaging was over a dozen times more refined than Chupa Chups, mimicking the shape and color of real lollipops.

The only flaw? No matter how convincing the imitation, it still wasn’t real candy.

Xie Shaojun tucked the lollipop into the little boy’s mouth, smiling as she whispered to him, “Next time you’re feeling down, have one. Pretend it’s sweet, okay?”

Only after the boy nodded did Xie Shaojun stand up, bid Secretary Wang farewell, and leave.

The day had been nothing but bad luck.

Driving her G-Class out of the hospital, she got rear-ended.

The other driver was at fault, but the officer handling the accident still slapped Xie Shaojun with a ticket.

Chi Yi had been right, driving a massive G-Class that occupied two lanes in congested traffic was deemed a disruption to public order. Turns out, there really was such a rule in Nan City’s traffic regulations.

It was absurd, yet not entirely surprising. In the world of the book, logic followed its own rules. For all she knew, she herself might just be a string of data.

Xie Shaojun was thinking about this when the system’s mute period just ended. Unlike usual, it didn’t start with a string of curses like “F*ck this” or “You screwed me over.” Instead, it remained silent before finally asking: 【Are you okay?】

【I’m fine.】

After calling a tow truck for the G-Wagon, Xie Shaojun noticed a subway station just ten meters away and followed the crowd inside. Since getting together with Chi Yi, she rarely took the subway.

The card-swiping process had changed in recent years, and she wasn’t entirely familiar with it. With the help of a station attendant, she scanned her code and entered.

The system stayed quiet the whole time, as if carefully choosing its words.

It wasn’t until Xie Shaojun boarded Line 2, standing tall amidst the packed crowd, her long legs steady as she stared blankly at the dark subway tracks, that the system finally spoke again, its tone laced with concern: 【Actually, if the plot returns to normal, the host won’t be reset.】

Xie Shaojun’s expression remained unchanged: 【I’ve read the role-playing agreement.】

The implication was clear the system was talking too much.

Even after being shut down, the system didn’t get angry.

【You’re not usually like this.】

【Then tell me, how am I usually?】

The system kept nagging, and Xie Shaojun snapped: 【Bored much?】

【I’m really fine!】

With that, she turned her head and spotted a guy with dyed yellow hair sprawled on the left side of a nearby bench, legs spread wide, hogging two seats while shaking his leg.

Xie Shaojun strode over, tapped him on the shoulder, and lazily said, “Move over. Give me a seat.”

The guy looked like a troublemaker. He sized up Xie Shaojun’s outfit before asking, “Which gang you with?”

Without missing a beat, Xie Shaojun replied, “Sakuragi Hanamichi’s gang.”

“Pfft!” The people around couldn’t help but laugh.

Several onlookers started filming with their phones. In a public space, the guy didn’t dare throw a punch, but he glared fiercely and shook his leg aggressively. “You here to joke? Why should I give you my seat? You pregnant or disabled or something?”

Xie Shaojun didn’t even blink. “Worse than that. Brain cancer.”

“Pfft!”

The guy thought she was messing with him and was about to lose his temper when he suddenly got kicked, stumbling backward. Veins bulging, he spun around, ready to fight, only to freeze when he saw the tattooed, muscular guy sitting across the aisle.

The tattooed guy, who could usually knock someone out with one punch, was now grinning and waving at Xie Shaojun, his thick arms trembling slightly.

Wisely, the guy shut his mouth.

“Teacher Xie!” The tattooed man called her over.

Xie Shaojun walked over, glanced at his arms, then at the half-exposed bulge of his belly.

“Tsk. Been feasting on midnight snacks, huh? Getting this fat.”

The entire subway car mentally lit a candle for Xie Shaojun, but the tattooed guy didn’t get mad at all.

Calmly, Xie Shaojun told him he had to lose weight.

“Your last touch-up’s probably ruined. Come see me next Sunday.”

She sternly lectured him about dieting before their next session, and the tattooed man obediently pulled out his phone, taking notes like a diligent student. The scene was so absurd that someone filmed it and uploaded it online.

Xie Shaojun got off at Shuiyang Lake station.

Her studio was in a bustling district, surrounded mostly by bars. The area was inevitably chaotic, but its prime location meant all kinds of people passed through.

Only the “Weihuanghun Tattoo Studio” stood out its decor was distinctly artistic, more like an exhibition hall than a tattoo parlor.

When Xie Shaoyun arrived, the receptionist Xiao Qin was scheduling an appointment for a new client.

“I heard your tattoo studio has the top tattoo artist in Nan City. Since my tattoo is a lifelong commitment, I’d like to book her.”

“Sir, are you talking about our Sister Yun?”

Seeing the man nod, Xiao Qin didn’t even lift her eyelids before refusing. “She’s unavailable.”

“Hey, you didn’t even ask, how do you know she’s not free?”

“Since you know Sister Yun is the best, you should also know her schedule is booked solid until 2025. No chance.”

The man was about to argue when Xiao Qin spotted Xie Shaoyun at the entrance.

She grinned. “Right, Sister Yun?”

Xie Shaoyun lazily hummed in agreement. “Not as exaggerated as you make it sound. I’m planning to take a break soon, cancel all my appointments two months from now.”

Xiao Qin’s face stiffened. She could already imagine the backlash from turning down those high-profile clients.

Swallowing hard, she tried negotiating. “Can we reschedule instead of canceling outright?”

Xie Shaoyun lifted her eyelids and gave Xiao Qin a flat look.

“On it.” Xiao Qin surrendered.

“Good girl.” Xie Shaoyun patted her head with a benevolent smile and headed upstairs.

Only after Xie Shaoyun left did Xiao Qin rush to the boss’s office.

She complained to Damei, the studio’s owner. “Goodness, Damei, you’ve got to talk some sense into her! That’s a fortune she’s throwing away just canceling everything like that. Who turns down easy money? What’s wrong with Xie? Did she fight with her wife?”

Damei sighed. “Probably. I’ll go check on her.”

Upstairs, Xie Shaoyun was working on a client’s shading.

Damei stood by, handing her tools and trying to probe subtly, but got nothing.

Xie Shaoyun was getting annoyed. “What do you actually want to ask?”

Damei: “Bad mood?”

Xie Shaoyun nodded. “Yeah.”

End of conversation.

As the studio’s co-owner, Xie Shaoyun was Damei’s partner. More like family than just friends, they had both graduated from art school, with Damei being ten years older and entering the industry earlier.

They’d known each other longer than Xie Shaoyun had known Chi Yi. If Xie didn’t want to talk, no one could make her. Damei knew that well.

With a flick of her wrist, Damei dropped the subject, figuring Xie was just nursing a broken heart.

Since Xie only had a small butterfly tattoo to finish, she’d be done by closing time.

A new bar had just opened nearby. Damei tentatively asked, “Chi Yi’s not home, is she?”

“What’s it to you?” Xie Shaoyun arched a brow, working the tattoo gun over the client’s skin while shooting Damei an irritated look. “Since when do I need her permission to go drinking?”

“The sun must be rising from the west today,” Damei thought. What kind of fight did you two have for you to dare defy your wife like this?

Of course, she didn’t voice that. Instead, she forced a smile. “Ever since you met Chi Yi, when haven’t you gotten caught sneaking off to bars? Not that it’s my problem, but every time you do, you end up getting ”

Damei abruptly cut herself off before the word “punished” slipped out.

But the client on the tattoo bed couldn’t resist looking up. “Damei, what happens when Sister Xie gets caught?”

Xie Shaojun tattooed a circle around the other person’s waist with the tattoo gun, eliciting a pained cry of “Ow, hey, take it easy!” She shot Dami a glare.

Dami stuck out her tongue. “Not my fault.”

Xie Shaojun couldn’t argue. Chi Yi did hit people. Just moments ago, after Xie Shaojun had pleased her in bed with her hands, Chi Yi turned into a completely different person the second she got up. Professor Xie and his wife had granted Chi Yi the supreme right to discipline Xie Shaojun.

It wasn’t that Xie Shaojun couldn’t win a fight, she’d fantasized countless times about slapping Chi Yi back. But faced with Chi Yi’s flawlessly pale skin, Xie Shaojun just couldn’t bring herself to do it.

In the end, she was magnanimous. Any other woman would’ve long divorced someone as two-faced as Chi Yi.

At that thought, Xie Shaojun’s lips curled slightly, but the smile vanished almost instantly.

Because she realized her thoughts had spiraled out of control, not only was she overthinking, but she was even absurdly worried that if she died, would Jian Qing be able to endure Chi Yi’s overwhelmingly aggressive beatings? Or worse, what if Jian Qing fought back and hurt Chi Yi…

Stop it! Jian Qing didn’t have the stamina for that.

In the original story, Chi Yi was the top, and Jian Qing was the bottom.

Her mind was a jumbled mess, jumping from one thought to another.

Chaotic.

Despite her lack of focus, Xie Shaojun’s hands moved with practiced ease. The tattoo gun was steady in her grip, a natural talent, like a golden finger bestowed by the heavens. Before becoming a role-player, her profession had been as a tattoo artist, so by rough estimation, she was practically a seasoned veteran.

After finishing the job, Xie Shaojun took off her gloves and went to wash her hands.

When she came out, she had a nagging feeling that she’d forgotten something important today.

Dami stood by the door, urging her, “Hurry up! While your Chi Yi’s away and your parents are in a meeting, let’s get wasted with the girls ”

“Wait” Xie Shaojun suddenly widened her eyes. “What did you just say?”

“Let’s get wasted with the girls tonight.”

“The line before that.”

“Your parents are in a meeting…”

Before Dami could finish, Xie Shaojun jolted, grabbing her phone from her bag. She’d completely forgotten about picking up Jian Qing. her cancer had distracted her all afternoon.

Xie Shaojun didn’t think she was at fault. She had brain cancer; memory lapses were understandable. Just like how the blond guy had given up his seat for her, she was someone who deserved special treatment.

Still, logic aside, Xie Shaojun pulled out her phone, expecting it to be flooded with messages. But there wasn’t a single text.

Even as she walked into the newly opened bar with Dami, Xie Shaojun couldn’t shake her unease. She tentatively dialed Feng Nianci.

The seminar had ended, and “Feng Xiaoqing” was at a dance party, laughing as she scolded Xie Shaojun to get to the point and stop interrupting her mother’s dancing.

“Mom, don’t you have anything to scold me for?”

“Looking for a scolding?” After five seconds of silence, Feng’s voice lowered. “Sweetheart, have you been under a lot of stress lately? Or did your dad lecture you again? Us asking Xiao Chi to discipline you was our idea. If it’s too much, I can talk to her later.”

Xie Shaojun: “…”

Feng had missed the point entirely. Xie Shaojun stopped beating around the bush and asked directly, “I didn’t pick up Jian Qing today. Don’t you have anything to say to me?”

“Xiao Chi already told us you were busy.” Feng’s voice was warm and affectionate. “She came back early from her business trip and picked up Qingqing for you. It’s the same as if you’d gone yourself.”

“Alright, your dad and I are in the middle of a ballroom dance. We’ll talk later.”

The phone clicked off with a sharp snap, and Xie Shaojun narrowed her eyes, feeling as if her heart had been slammed down to the bottom of an abyss in that instant.

Jian Qing had met Chi Yi alone!

In the depths of the night, the glimmering lights cast the towering skyscrapers under the dark veil like devouring ghosts.

Xie Shaojun barely had a glance before Dami slung an arm over her shoulder, leading her into the neon-lit dance floor.

Since marrying Chi Yi, Xie Shaojun hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol. Yet now, as Dami kept toasting, she kept drinking.

No matter how much she drank, she couldn’t get drunk. Until the flickering lights blurred, and amidst the revelry, she seemed to see a familiar face pale, beautiful, composed, exuding an aura of restrained desire.

“Xie Shaojun!” the voice called out. “Can you still stand?”

Xie Shaojun thought, The voice is lovely, but it feels too calm, like the eerie stillness before a storm.