After My Death, Everyone Repented (Transmigration) - Chapter 43.2

Chi Yi forced a faint smile, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. She replied, “Don’t make things difficult for Xie Shaoyun.”

Then she added, “I can’t make things difficult for her.”

Lin Dan didn’t understand and sent back a string of question marks. Chi Yi didn’t explain. She turned off her phone screen and tossed it onto the bed.

Then she walked to the desk and sat down, opening her laptop. After a while, Chi Yi clicked open a password-protected folder.

Inside was a video and a recently uploaded audio clip.

The video was an edited subway recording, showing only Xie Shaoyun’s face blurred, but her vivid eyes and brows were still discernible.

The clip was only fifty seconds long. Chi Yi muted the video, paused it, then clicked on the audio.

Playing them together, it almost felt as if the person in the video was talking to her.

The audio played on repeat.

“Xie Shaoyun, did you ever like me?”

Amidst the sound of rustling wind, Xie Shaoyun’s voice replied, “I did.”

Chi Yi replayed it many times, and only when the ache in her chest dulled slightly did she finally go to shower.

After stepping out of the bathroom, Chi Yi wrapped herself in a robe and called her secretary.

She asked Wang Mi to book her a flight to Nan City for the next morning.

Wang Mi hesitated due to weather conditions, all flights from Lyon to Nan City the next day had been canceled.

“The day after?”

“The day after, Young Master Sui has invited you to attend the Lancy Media show.”

“Cancel it,” Chi Yi said.

Wang Mi sounded surprised. “Is there something urgent?”

“This year, we have a crucial contract negotiation with Ning Sui Electronics. That day is also Young Master Sui’s birthday, Jian Qing has put a lot of effort into it. The main event is to celebrate his birthday. There are rumors that after the show, the two of them will publicly announce their engagement. And Young Master Sui is Lin Dan’s cousin, If you don’t attend, wouldn’t it?”

Chi Yi: “No.”

“There’s one more thing,” Wang Mi said. “The private investigator’s report on Jian Qing’s movements today showed that she went to the LB Building in Sijiu City this afternoon and met with Miss Xie”

Even now, Wang Mi’s tone stiffened slightly when mentioning “Miss Xie.”

“They met.”

“Jian Qing wouldn’t seek out Qin Wan without a reason,” Chi Yi cut in before Wang Mi could continue.

“No,” Secretary Wang said. “It’s pretty much as you guessed. She brought roses, but they weren’t given, they were thrown in the trash. When she came out, her expression wasn’t good.”

“Hmm,” came the reply. “Got it.”

As Secretary Wang finished her report and was about to hang up, Chi Yi seemed to remember something. Her peach-blossom eyes narrowed slightly as she said, “Wait a moment. Look into who was in charge of the logo design for Lancy’s show.”

That evening, Xie Qingcheng enthusiastically chatted with Xie Shaojun about her friend Chi Yi.

“Two weeks ago, Chi Yi said she’d never come back to Sijiu City again, and I knew something was up,” Xie Qingcheng said, spreading her hands. “I thought, no wonder I couldn’t find the real culprit it’s Lin Dan, those two little troublemakers.”

Upon hearing that Chi Yi’s rumored girlfriend was Lin Dan, Xie Shaojun took a slow sip of tea and ate a small piece of cake.

Unable to resist, she subtly reminded the staunchly single Xie Qingcheng: “They don’t seem like a match.”

“How so?” Xie Qingcheng laid out what she called “evidence.”

“Lin Dan has been busy with your exhibition and arrived in Sijiu City right after Chi Yi.”

“Coincidence. Doesn’t prove anything.”

Xie Qingcheng continued, “To make Lin Dan happy, Chi Yi bought her a 20-million-yuan traditional painting at an auction in Paris a few days ago.”

Xie Shaojun tilted her head, lifting her eyelids. “Twenty million?”

“Yep,” Xie Qingcheng confirmed.

A terrible premonition settled over Xie Shaojun. When she got home, she checked the name of the buyer who had purchased her painting. Fortunately, it wasn’t “Chi *,” but the buyer was named “Lin *.”

Xie Shaojun decided it must be a coincidence. Given Chi Yi’s emotional intelligence, she wouldn’t go through such roundabout means to buy her painting. Chi Yi wasn’t the most reliable in relationships, she wouldn’t sacrifice a chance to make a statement by using Lin Dan’s name just to make Xie Shaojun feel comfortable accepting it.

Chi Yi, in Xie Shaojun’s eyes, often behaved like an emotionally stunted elementary schooler. Many of her actions and words were blunt expressions of her straightforward intentions.

But she also made sure Xie Shaojun knew she cared.

Like when she once asked Xie Shaojun during a confession, “Why don’t you use your tongue when kissing?”

If Chi Yi wanted to give Xie Shaojun money, she’d just hand over the safe directly.

And demand a kiss in return.

Truthfully, Xie Shaojun and Chi Yi had broken up once, but Chi Yi, in her obliviousness, refused to acknowledge it as a breakup.

Xie Shaojun couldn’t remember the exact day, but it was about a week after Chi Yi came out to her family.

Mrs. Chi called Xie Shaojun, teaming up with Xie Guangqi and Feng Cinian to pressure her, taking turns bombarding her with demands to “return the normal Chi Yi.”

When Xie Shaojun refused, Mrs. Chi grew vicious on the phone, spewing plenty about whether the two were even suited for each other.

The next day, Xie Shaojun’s studio was vandalized. She spent the entire day dealing with the mess, comforting her employees late into the night. She didn’t report it to the police, the culprits had been sent by Chi Yi’s mother.

Exhausted after handling the chaos, Xie Shaojun called Chi Yi.

No answer. It wasn’t until evening that Chi Yi called back.

“I was in a meeting earlier. Did something happen?”

Xie Shaojun replied, “Then let’s talk when you’re free tomorrow.”

Chi Yi said, “I’ll be busy tomorrow too.”

“The day after?”

“Next Monday. I’ll be back in the country.”

That was the first time Xie Shaojun firmly insisted on breaking up because Chi Yi was too busy 365 days a year, Chi Yi’s time could only be pieced together in fragments.

There were scattered evenings, or the sight of her back when Xie Shaojun opened her eyes, and sometimes she’d come home for two days, only to disappear for an entire month.

Xie Shaojun was mostly angry. In a fit of frustration, she told Chi Yi, “Do you ever not have time?”

Chi Yi hesitated, silent on the other end of the phone, probably thinking Xie Shaojun was just emotional and waiting for her to calm down before talking.

Xie Shaojun hung up.

Chi Yi returned to the country that same night and called Xie Shaojun, but she didn’t answer. Growing anxious, Chi Yi waited for her at the school gate.

The winter wind was biting. She stood at the entrance of Nan University, her long black hair whipped wildly by the cold.

Through the gaps in the green-painted vertical fence, Xie Shaojun met Chi Yi’s eyes. Chi Yi pressed her lips together, stepped closer, and placed her ice-cold hand into Xie Shaojun’s.

She said, “Can you not ignore my calls?”

“Don’t be like this, Xie Shaojun,” Chi Yi complained. “You’re so clingy, I can’t focus on work.”

Xie Shaojun let go of Chi Yi’s hand, watching it drop limply to her side.

“Chi Yi, we”

“Let’s go home.”

Chi Yi cut her off, as if unaccustomed to Xie Shaojun’s distance. She leaned in, took Xie Shaojun’s hand, and said something she’d only say in bed: “Don’t be mad, my puppy.”

Chi Yi stared straight at her. Xie Shaojun wasn’t actually a puppy,she just had a temper. Once, she had bitten Chi Yi, who loved calling her that, especially when her usually cool voice took on a breathless tone. “My puppy” made Xie Shaojun fall silent and grow more pliant.

When Chi Yi saw Xie Shaojun still unmoved, she thought for a few seconds, then took off her coat and draped it over both their heads.

At the entrance of Nan University, people passed by constantly.

With the trench coat covering them, the sky darkened, their vision narrowed, as if they’d been cut off from the world, enclosed in a secret space of their own.

Chi Yi showed no embarrassment. Tilting her face up, she offered her soft lips and said, “Bite me.”

Xie Shaojun studied her for a long time. Unable to hold back, Chi Yi opened her eyes, her peach-blossom gaze wide, pupils filled with nothing but Xie Shaojun. Nothing else existed.

Staring into Xie Shaojun’s eyes, Chi Yi said with deep sincerity, “I haven’t seen you in five days.”

“My mother won’t trouble you anymore,” Chi Yi murmured. “I’m sorry.”

“I haven’t grown strong enough yet. Just wait for me a little longer.”

When Chi Yi said, “Just wait for me a little longer,” her eyes shimmered with emotion. She took off her glasses, leaned in, and kissed Xie Shaojun’s cheek.

Then she wrapped her arms tightly around Xie Shaojun’s waist, as if it were her only safe harbor.

Xie Shaojun tangled her fingers in Chi Yi’s long hair, capturing her tongue in a deep kiss though it didn’t last long because Chi Yi was too lightly dressed. Xie Shaojun pulled the coat from their heads and draped it over Chi Yi’s shoulders.

She took Chi Yi’s ice-cold hands, zipped the coat up to her neck, and asked how long she’d been waiting.

Chi Yi said, “A long, long time 3,452 seconds.”

Xie Shaoyun didn’t have time to calculate how many seconds that was, but she was stunned by the number. Deceived by Chi Yi’s flushed lips and straightforward words, she led her home.

Xie Shaoyun thought Chi Yi was the one acting like a pitiful little dog.

When making mistakes, she was adept at avoiding blame, pinpointing the soft spots in her owner’s heart and pressing down hard on them making Xie Shaoyun fall for the deception.

So, based on Xie Shaoyun’s past experience, Chi Yi wouldn’t pass up the chance to show off. She wasn’t the type to do good deeds anonymously, like buying a painting under Lin Dan’s name.

Lancy’s fashion show was scheduled for 20:00 the next day.

Qin Wan, worried about any mishaps, had arrived in Nancheng the night before.

Xie Shaojun landed on a morning flight and went straight to the venue. She inspected the set, promoted the theme, greeted the main organizer, and made on-site adjustments.

Her assistant helped out on the side, pulling out the exhibition program. After comparing it with the logo design, Xie Shaojun thought it was decent and aligned with the show’s main theme.

Lunch was boxed meals. Xie Shaojun had no interest in joining Qin Wan’s gathering, so she ate with the backstage crew instead.

She had no airs about her, lazily drooping her eyelids, her appearance even more striking than the runway models. Yet, after a morning of helping set up structures and handling logistics, she carried none of the pretentiousness of a CEO or an esteemed artist.

Apart from the curator, no one knew her real identity, everyone else assumed she was just another studio employee.

About twenty people sat in a loose circle, chatting casually without bothering to avoid Xie Shaojun’s presence.

“Did you hear? A bunch of investors and big-name CEOs are coming to this show.”

“Director Jian is impressive, her connections just keep growing.”

“Of course they are. She’s hooked up with the eldest son of the Sui family. Word is, after this show, they’re getting engaged.”

An older model among them turned to the envious younger ones and said, “Jian Qing? Hard to judge. Think about it we debuted around the same time, and while we’re still walking runways, she’s already a fashion director and an international supermodel, even though her height doesn’t meet the standard. Why do you think that is?”

The other models exchanged knowing glances. “Do we even need to say it? Let’s just drop it.”

Xie Shaojun took the lunchbox her assistant handed her, snapped apart her chopsticks, and started eating. Then she noticed the older model who had spoken first suddenly turning to stare at her intently.

“Is there something on my face?”

The woman hesitated, then said no. She moved closer and whispered, “Are you a Lancy employee?”

Xie Shaojun replied, “No,” then tied up her hair while still holding the chopsticks between her teeth. “Why?”

“Then you…” The woman glanced around cautiously before lowering her voice further. “Stay away from Jian Qing. You look way too much like her dead first love from her wallet. Lu Xi, just because her eyes resembled hers later, later ended up”

Before she could finish, the main curator called out from a distance, “Teacher Xie! Oh my, why are you slumming it here with boxed lunches? Director Qin’s been looking everywhere for you!”