After My Death, Everyone Repented (Transmigration) - Chapter 58

Ignition, seatbelt on, clutch in, shift into gear, release the handbrake.

The car started, and as it drove out of the underground parking lot, there was a slope. Xie Shaojun sat in the driver’s seat, leaning back slightly.

For a moment, a vivid image flashed through her mind, the driver’s seat tilting backward, her body flipping upside down, tempered glass shattering, fragments embedding into her flesh like darts.

But it didn’t hurt much. It seemed there was someone beside her, lunging toward her.

The barrier lifted, and Xie Shaojun silently drove out, pulling over to the side of the road.

She couldn’t remember. She punched the steering wheel.

The scene that had flashed through her mind didn’t connect to any of her experiences before or after her rebirth. Yet, such an image couldn’t have come from nowhere.

It was like the fragmented memory from when she was six disjointed, impossible to piece together, and with no way of knowing why she had ultimately chosen to deceive Chi Yi and steer the plot back on track.

Xie Shaojun was acutely aware that there was a segment of her memory still locked away. Perhaps those were the secrets the system had hinted she must uncover before solving the cause of her soul displacement.

Stepping out of the car, Xie Shaojun decided not to drive any further. She called Xie Qingcheng to come pick her up.

Xie Qingcheng said she was already on her way and told her not to drive herself superstitions were like that, believed if acknowledged, ignored if not. Years ago, her car accident had happened on December 26th.

Xie Shaojun agreed and hung up.

Looking up, she saw Chi Yi sitting inside the jewelry store across the street.

The transparent tempered glass reflected the light. Chi Yi was seated on a sofa by the window, facing her mother. Xie Shaojun had seen her in the skull video, but they had never met face-to-face like this.

Xie Shaojun had been planning to pick up Chi Yi anyway, intending to ask about the car accident.

Now that she saw Chi Yi right outside her company building, she could skip that step.

She parked the car and leaned against it, waiting.

That afternoon, Chi Yi had been at the jewelry store picking out a gift for Grandma Xie when she ran into her mother.

This encounter was purely coincidental. Since Chi Yi had last visited her mother in Beicheng months ago, they hadn’t seen each other.

“What brings you to Sijiu City?” Mrs. Chi removed her scarf, handing it to the sales assistant behind her. Her long, meticulously manicured nails rested gracefully on her knees, her posture poised, exuding the elegance of a noblewoman.

Chi Yi’s looks were partly inherited from her mother, though her features were more striking in comparison.

While she shared her mother’s grace, her demeanor carried more authority, a trait inherited from her father.

“And you?” Chi Yi sat beside her mother on the sofa. Several jewelry boxes were laid out before them. Chi Yi had picked out a few emerald jade bracelets and asked the assistant to wrap them, then inquired if Mrs. Chi had seen anything she liked.

Beside Mrs. Chi was a blue velvet box, something she had been eyeing before Chi Yi arrived. She mentioned she would be accompanying Mr. Chi to a banquet later.

“Emeralds suit older women. Are you buying so many to give as gifts?” Mrs. Chi’s conversation with her daughter felt somewhat distant. She paused, then, seeing Chi Yi nod, asked, “Are you attending Grandma Xie’s eightieth birthday banquet tonight?”

Chi Yi nodded. “Yes.”

Sunshine Automotive was highly renowned in the country. Though Grandma Xie’s birthday banquet was billed as a family gathering, business partners close to Xie Cheng would also receive invitations.

Chi Yi receiving the invitation was no surprise. In fact, she had already instructed Secretary Wang to prepare gifts beforehand. However, since she would be attending as Xie Shaoyun’s family member, it required more formality. Chi Yi made a last-minute selection of a few emerald gemstones.

After a brief exchange, learning they were attending the same birthday banquet, Mrs. Chi was visibly delighted, her smile revealing pronounced crow’s feet. “Yiyi, come with Mom and Dad,” she said.

Chi Yi declined, saying she had already made plans with someone else. She then quietly sipped the tea her mother had poured for her. After a while, she set down the cup, checked her phone, and saw that Xie Shaoyun hadn’t called yet.

Wiping her lips with a napkin, she sat across from Mrs. Chi, looked up, and called out, “Mom.”

It had been a long time since she’d heard that address. Mrs. Chi had to blink hard to keep her tears from falling. “What is it?” she asked softly.

“I need to tell you something,” Chi Yi said. “Xie Shaoyun and I are back together.”

At this, Mrs. Chi blinked twice, and tears splashed onto the back of her hand. She cried with restraint, each drop falling deliberately. Chi Yi handed her a tissue, which Mrs. Chi folded neatly before dabbing at her eyes.

Chi Yi watched in silence, unsure why her mother was crying like this.

Outside the window, Xie Shaoyun saw Mrs. Chi suddenly raise her hand and slap her own cheek.

During her travels in Sri Lanka, Xie Shaoyun had learned some lip-reading and knew what they were discussing. But Mrs. Chi striking herself was unexpected.

Since this was Chi Yi’s mother, Xie Shaoyun chose not to intrude.

Five minutes later, Xie Qingcheng arrived, shooting Xie Shaoyun a glare before telling her to get in the car.

“Chi Yi is in the jewelry store,” Xie Shaoyun pointed across the street. “Let’s wait for her.”

Xie Qingcheng scrutinized her for a long moment.

“Why is Chi Yi here?”

Xie Shaoyun didn’t hide it. “I asked her to come.”

Xie Qingcheng’s gaze turned stern, filled with scrutiny.

Xie Shaoyun didn’t elaborate, turning her attention back to the jewelry store.

Inside, Chi Yi’s expression remained impassive. She had little emotional resonance with anyone other than Xie Shaoyun.

Even facing her own mother, Chi Yi spoke calmly. “If living with Xie Shaoyun is something you find unacceptable or hurtful, then please refrain from saying or doing anything to her. Before, it was my decision not to bring her home to meet you. I thought she might not adapt to our family’s dining etiquette or the rigid routines of eating, drinking, and sleeping according to strict customs. The atmosphere at home is stifling, it’s not suitable for her.”

“Yiyi,” Mrs. Chi stopped crying, insisting she hadn’t meant it that way, and reached out to touch Chi Yi’s sharp chin.

Her expression pained, she said, “It’s Mom’s fault. When she was alive, I didn’t accept her. After she died, you were barely hanging on by a thread. The last time I saw you, there was nothing left in your eyes. Every day, I prayed for time to reverse, for her to stay alive, to save my daughter. But now, there’s light in your eyes again. Do you truly believe, in your heart, that she’s come back?”

Chi Yi replied, “She was always here.”

“That’s good then. Even if I’m conflicted, unsure whether to tell you that the dead don’t return, as long as you’re happy now, then stay happy. Whose child is she?”

“It’s Xie Shaojun. It’s always been her.”

Mrs. Chi was talking at cross-purposes, asking when they had gotten together.

The phone vibrated. Chi Yi glanced at it, stood up, and told Mrs. Chi, “A long time ago. We once made a notarized promise at the public notary office to always be together.”

Mrs. Chi covered her face with her hands and let out a quiet sob.

Chi Yi bid her farewell. Through the glass window, she caught sight of Xie Shaojun standing outside on the asphalt road, with a high-clearance Land Rover behind her.

It wasn’t her car it belonged to Xie Qingcheng.

But Xie Shaojun was waiting for Chi Yi by the car door, her hair softly curled and cascading down her back. Her lips were inexplicably pale. Perhaps seeing Mrs. Chi covering her face in tears, she didn’t rush Chi Yi. Instead, she unhurriedly took a step back, leaned against the car, closed her eyes, and spoke to Xie Qingcheng in the driver’s seat.

Chi Yi paid for Mrs. Chi’s expenses today and left in a hurry.

So she didn’t have time to tell Mrs. Chi: Xie Shaojun was still the same Xie Shaojun. No matter how the world changed, whether it was the six-year-old Xie Shaojun, the grown-up Xie Shaojun, or the reborn Xie Shaojun only she, in her truest form, could make Chi Yi’s heart beat with life.

By the time Chi Yi reached the entrance, Xie Shaojun had already gotten into the car without waiting for her. Still shaken by the car accident, Xie Shaojun was feeling dizzy and somewhat upset with Chi Yi.

Perhaps Xie Shaojun herself couldn’t accept the thought of Chi Yi being in danger in front of her, which was why her emotions were running high today.

Jian Qing had once said Xie Shaojun was Chi Yi’s weakness, but the truth was, Chi Yi was also Xie Shaojun’s weakness, especially after the images that had flashed through her mind.

Xie Shaojun was filled with anger and helplessness.

She ignored Chi Yi, who sensed it and silently took the seat beside her. Chi Yi looked up, offering Xie Qingcheng a faint smile in greeting, then, right under Xie Qingcheng’s nose, she clasped Xie Shaojun’s cold fingers and tucked them into her trench coat pocket.

“I saw you on Global Financial News yesterday. My dad couldn’t stop praising you.”

Xie Qingcheng, focused on shifting gears, didn’t turn around and remained oblivious as she said, “Chi Yi, I have to say, are we sisters or not? With our relationship, you really didn’t give me even the slightest hint about the 6nm chip?”

“Don’t talk nonsense. We don’t have that kind of relationship,” Chi Yi immediately retorted, then explained, “The chip matter was an internal setup within the group. The overseas production line was just being established, so we kept it under wraps. Normally, you wouldn’t have found out until a few days later.”

“Just a bit of insider info, but only a few trusted people know about it, and higher-ups have been notified. My dad already renewed orders with you guys over this. Remember to cut us some slack later.”

At this point, Xie Qingcheng suddenly stopped mid-sentence and glanced at the two through the rearview mirror. She called out Xie Shaojun’s name, “Xie Shaojun, why are you sitting so close to your sister Chi Yi?”

“The seats are just this small,” Xie Shaojun shot her a look. “Or should I get out?”

Xie Qingcheng glared at her and stepped on the accelerator.

Her hand remained in Chi Yi’s pocket, and soon her fingertips warmed up.

Xie Shaojun didn’t pull away, but she didn’t speak to Chi Yi either.

As the car reached the overpass, Xie Qingcheng got distracted answering a call from home.

Chi Yi hesitated for a moment before softly calling Xie Shaojun’s name, asking why she wasn’t speaking.

Xie Shaoyun felt irritated with herself for not being able to remain cold-hearted. She answered perfunctorily, “Dizzy.”

“Then will you take some medicine?” Chi Yi made a move to ask Xie Qingcheng to stop the car. Xie Shaoyun grabbed her and whispered, “Do you think Xie Qingcheng is your family driver? She already suspects you have ulterior motives toward her sister. Once she confirms it, she’ll probably kick you out of the car right now.”

“Let her do as she pleases,” Chi Yi insisted. “But you’re not feeling well right now you need medicine.”

“Worry about yourself.” Xie Shaoyun shot her a sidelong glance, then after a brief silence, lowered her eyes and said she was fine. She asked Chi Yi, “Why did the watch break?”

Chi Yi froze. In the dimly lit car, she met Xie Shaoyun’s gaze. “You already know?”

“Yes.” Xie Shaoyun felt Chi Yi tighten her grip on her fingers, her eyes filled with insecurity. Xie Shaoyun didn’t pull away but slowly said, “But I want to hear it from you.”

Chi Yi explained that she had planned to tell her, but their conversations kept getting interrupted throughout the day, leaving no opportunity.

“At 8:08 a.m., I was in a black car on my way to your company when I got into an accident. The private investigator I hired had been following Jian Qing, so I knew about this premeditated murder in advance and reported it to the police. There’s a special task force investigating Jian Qing privately now.”

Chi Yi answered quickly, but Xie Shaoyun frowned.

“So…” Xie Shaoyun’s voice turned cold as she asked slowly, “You used yourself as bait?”

“No.” After a pause, Chi Yi defended herself. “I changed my flight last minute. I wasn’t in the sabotaged Audi, the driver was from the task force.”

“But you still got into the car Jian Qing arranged specifically for you.”

Chi Yi pressed her lips together and told Xie Shaoyun she hadn’t been hurt, it was all staged for Jian Qing’s benefit. The driver was one of her own people, not Jian Qing’s.

“You were… worried about me.” For some reason, after Chi Yi finished her long explanation, her words slowed. A beat later, as if realizing something, she turned to face Xie Shaoyun, staring into her eyes as she restated the fact. Then, uncharacteristically, she didn’t argue further.

Instead, she listened as Xie Shaoyun scolded her.

Xie Shaoyun lifted her eyelids slightly and finally said, “Chi Yi, Jian Qing said I’m your weakness, but you’ve become mine too. Tell me how you plan to deal with Jian Qing from now on.”

Chi Yi agreed. The two leaned their heads together, but before they could exchange more than a few words, a magazine was flung toward them from the front.

Xie Qingcheng, who had apparently hung up her call at some point and had been watching them for who knew how long, looked displeased. She sternly ordered Xie Shaoyun to move to the passenger seat.

Xie Shaoyun glanced up at Xie Qingcheng but didn’t argue. When they got out of the car, she whispered to Chi Yi, “Let’s text.”

Like students sneaking around under their parents’ noses, Chi Yi’s ears turned slightly red, though she still didn’t seem to approve of Xie Qingcheng’s interference.

She was slow at texting. Xie Shaoyun, still dizzy, dozed off briefly but was soon woken by the cold, her fingers icy. She missed the warmth of Chi Yi’s pockets.

She hadn’t slept for more than a few minutes, but her inbox was already full of unread messages.

The first one was Chi Yi explaining why she hadn’t been able to return during the two months Xie Shaoyun was in a coma at the hospital.

It wasn’t because of those scandals, but rather a deliberate setup by Chi Yi: allowing Jian Qing to falsely accuse Haimi with baseless charges.

By doing nothing on her end, Jian Qing lived up to expectations with her effective marketing, to the point that even members of the Sui family began to believe it was true.

So they got the idea that Chi Yi couldn’t produce counter-evidence and would have to face them in court.

Once investigated, such actions would fall under financial crimes like trade secret theft, defamation, and malicious marketing. Of course, that alone wasn’t enough, Jian Qing would get a maximum of ten years. But ten years later, she’d still be a menace to society.

Chi Yi had no intention of letting Jian Qing off easily.

But the timing hadn’t been right until recently. A few days ago, because Xie Shaojun agreed to be with Chi Yi, it provoked Jian Qing, who then developed the intent to kill Chi Yi. Her movements against Chi Yi became more frequent, and Chi Yi had already gathered nearly enough evidence.

However, without substantial harm, she had been biding her time.

Xie Shaojun continued scrolling.

Chi Yi said, “I once had Jian Qing blacklisted, a year after you died. But strangely, the day the blacklisting succeeded, your presence seemed deliberately erased. I realized only I remembered you, even Secretary Wang had forgotten you. So I let Jian Qing go.”

“But now it’s different. You’re alive, and Jian Qing must be brought to justice. She’s a ticking time bomb, responsible for multiple lives. I don’t care if she provokes others, but she’s targeted you twice already.”

Chi Yi said, “I have to make sure she dies.”

Xie Shaojun couldn’t help but ask, “Aren’t you worried my presence might disappear again?”

“Then I’ll disappear with you.”

Chi Yi had nothing to hide. She said bluntly, “Xie Shaojun. I’ve watched you vanish twice already ”

“If there’s a third time, I won’t survive it.”

“A long time ago, we promised we’d always be together.”

“I decided to see the ocean because you never appeared again,not even in my dreams. But now you’re back, so I can control myself, be better, and stay with you.”

Xie Shaojun finished reading the messages and looked up at the brilliantly lit villa ahead. The car had stopped at the entrance.

A burst of fireworks scattered across the sky. Xie Shaojun turned and saw Chi Yi’s eyes reflecting the shape of a petal, bright and curved with emotion. Perhaps a little embarrassed, her lips trembled slightly as she spoke.

It was as if Chi Yi was never meant to be an unfeeling, high-level robot of a person, but rather someone capable of pure sincerity and joy, just like this.

Something flickered in Xie Shaojun’s mind, a long time ago, they had indeed made promises, promises that had spanned years.

Those promises were etched into their genes, a bond that was always meant to be.

Xie Qingcheng turned off the engine and glared at Xie Shaojun, urging her to stop staring and get out of the car.

For some reason, under her sister’s sharp gaze, Xie Shaojun called Chi Yi’s name.

“Chi Yi.”

Chi Yi met her eyes, perhaps puzzled, and replied, “Hmm?”

“Let’s get out.”

Chi Yi agreed and stepped out from the back seat. Xie Shaojun circled to the rear of the car.

Away from the dazzling headlights, in the shadowed darkness, their gazes locked. Chi Yi looked at Xie Shaojun and called her name.

Her lips bore the hue of roses as fireworks exploded across the sky. Xie Shaojun wrapped her arms around Chi Yi’s waist, trapping her against the car’s rear hood. Suddenly, she felt an overwhelming, reckless urge… to kiss her.