After My Death, Everyone Repented (Transmigration) - Chapter 61

The surroundings fell into an eerie silence.

Everyone was frozen in place.

Each face was grim after all, it was the old lady’s birthday. Even if they didn’t care about the occasion itself, they had to at least respect the host.

On such a joyous day, misnaming the birthday girl’s granddaughter especially her favorite one, was nothing short of adding insult to injury.

The old lady coughed heavily and asked, “Did you call the wrong person?”

Feng Cinian didn’t answer, only staring at Xie Shaojun.

Her behavior was shockingly rude, almost bordering on deranged, as if she were forcing Xie Shaojun to respond.

A faint smile lingered at the corners of Xie Shaojun’s lips, her gaze sweeping over the two with an inscrutable expression.

Feng Cinian’s heart burned with urgency. Ignoring Xie Guangqi’s attempts to stop her, she parted her lips, ready to blurt out some ill-timed words about recognizing her daughter.

This time, Xie Shaojun didn’t give her the chance to speak.

“Hello, Professors. My surname is Xie,” Xie Shaojun cut her off. “We meet again. Ah, Professor Feng just called for her daughter. I’ve met her once before.”

She theatrically glanced around and asked, “Where is she? I don’t see her.”

Xie Guangqi and Feng Cinian remained silent. The aunt standing between them smoothed things over, saying, “She was here just a moment ago. That girl is quite impressive, she’s downstairs entertaining guests.”

Xie Shaojun hummed in acknowledgment and said she’d see her when she went downstairs later.

“She’s a famous model, isn’t she? I saw her at the Nancy show a few months ago. Her professionalism is remarkable wearing so little, strutting down the runway in a sheer dress, singing and dancing. Truly admirable.”

The tears welling in Feng Cinian’s eyes were forced back in shock. She stared at Xie Shaojun in disbelief, as if unable to accept that her own flesh and blood could become so heartless not only refusing to acknowledge them but also coldly shutting them out.

Xie Shaojun saw right through her thoughts. She wasn’t particularly angry because, as she gradually detached herself from the role she had played in her past life, she had come to understand that people are different, parents are different.

She had made peace with herself.

In her past life, as a character playing the role of a villainess, her tragic end wasn’t without logic.

Her parents’ psychological manipulation, her father’s chauvinism, her mother’s passive complicity, all of it had created a toxic family environment. It wasn’t that they didn’t love their daughter, but they certainly loved themselves more, treating their child as an extension of their own lives.

In their many lessons, reputation and face were valued even above their child’s health, life, and freedom.

Anyone would suffocate under such conditions.

Xie Shaojun had suffered too. In her past life, as a bound task-taker, she couldn’t escape the shackles of such a family. In her moral code, she owed them for bringing her into this world, so she had obediently fulfilled their wishes in many things.

Fortunately, in that life, she had repaid that debt with her own life. Thus, they were even.

For some unknown reason, they had crossed paths again. Xie Guangqi, Feng Cinian, and Jian Qing were stuck in the past, but the truth was, the Xie Shaojun of the past was dead.

Before her death, she had owed no one anything. The debt of life had been repaid. The dead do not return to life, how could they have the audacity to seek her out again?

If they truly cared, they should have left her alone. But since they had gone out of their way to chase her down and disturb her peace, they shouldn’t expect to gloss over the past.

With a faint, mocking smile, Xie Shaojun spoke words only Xie Guangqi and Feng Cinian could fully understand.

Fen glanced at the two of them and said in a calm tone, “You two are truly blessed to have raised such an outstanding daughter. Unlike my parents, who spared no effort in nurturing me despite my lack of talent in painting and my lazy disposition. In comparison, Miss Jian is so exceptional, you must have poured a great deal of effort into her upbringing.”

Noticing Feng Cinian’s inability to meet her gaze, Xie Shaojun let out a light chuckle and asked, “So what more could you possibly want?”

“You reap what you sow. Miss Jian is the daughter you meticulously shaped, breaking your own bones to stay connected to her. Now that she’s so outstanding and has achieved her desires, isn’t that”

“Jun-Jun!” Feng Cinian suddenly interrupted. “Don’t speak like that.”

“From an outsider’s perspective, this is all I can think of when reflecting on your past actions as parents. This is the most accurate, fair assessment of parental love.”

As Xie Shaojun spoke, a faint smile played on her lips. She turned to Xie Guangqi, who stood silently leaning on his cane.

“Did you ever whip Miss Jian with a cane?” she asked him. Without waiting for an answer, she continued, “No, right? My father wouldn’t hit me either. He said a daughter is a treasure bestowed by heaven one strike, and she might shatter, gone forever.”

Xie Guangqi had indeed never laid a hand on Jian Qing, nor had he ever uttered a harsh word toward her. Because they believed Jian Qing wasn’t their biological child and had lost her parents at a young age, they were careful with her feelings, never speaking a single harsh word. Even when they noticed signs of her harboring ill intentions during her upbringing, they would turn a blind eye with tolerance.

But if those same mistakes had been committed by Xie Shaojun, it would have been unacceptable. Because she was their flesh and blood, they believed they could scold and strike her freely, never considering that such actions might fracture the bond between parent and child.

So the daughter they had beaten and berated multiple times was no longer their daughter.

That was only fair.

Xie Guangqi was rooted to the spot under Xie Shaojun’s gaze, unable to utter a single word. A dry, hoarse sound escaped his throat. He staggered slightly, swaying two steps to the left before steadying himself. Then he asked Xie Shaojun, “We regret it. We don’t expect to return to the past, but could we ”

“No.”

“Why?” Xie Guangqi pressed. “Even if no one speaks of what happened in the past, it still exists. Doesn’t it?”

Xie Shaojun agreed it did exist.

“But it’s all just bad memories. Why should I dwell on them?”

Xie Guangqi’s expression twisted in pain. He closed his eyes, as if on the verge of collapse. Feng Cinian stepped forward to support him but didn’t dare look at Xie Shaojun again.

The elderly woman tugged at Xie Shaojun’s hand and stood up, brushing the dust off her gray-blue qipao. With a cheerful smile, she said, “Your father is urging you to go downstairs and open the champagne. Come now, Xiao Xie, Xiao Feng, let’s all head down together.”

Though she said this, the old woman extended her hand to Xie Shaojun, who helped her up by the arm. Without another glance at the other two, she walked straight out, leaving no opportunity for them to approach or ingratiate themselves.

Once downstairs, the crowd separated them from the pair. The old woman patted Xie Shaojun’s hand and asked, “Jun-Jun, they”

“They ” Xie Shaojun said without emotion, “When their daughter was alive, they could scold and hit her as they pleased. After she died, burdened by deep regret, they thought of turning to me to atone for their past mistakes. But why should their mistakes be my burden to bear?”

The old lady straightened her collar and glanced at Xie Shaojun, muttering, “That makes sense.”

“But why come to you”

As they walked down the corridor, stepping over scattered pebbles, Xie Shaojun reminded the old lady to watch her step and sneered, “They think I can replace their dead daughter and return to their side, as if time could erase the wrongs they committed.”

The old lady’s expression shifted to sudden understanding, her eyes widening as if she had realized something, her face darkening several shades. “No wonder Feng Qianqian had such a sour face all morning,” she said.

“How foolish of me. After hearing so much talk about adoption, it turns out this was their scheme all along.”

The old lady blamed herself, saying, “Granny was blind.”

“It’s not your fault,” Xie Shaojun reassured her. “Mom and Dad tried to stop them many times before. It was useless, they had to see for themselves and hear it clearly.”

After a while, the old lady took Xie Shaojun’s hand and called her name softly, “Junjun.”

“Don’t meet with them again.”

“Alright,” Xie Shaojun replied. “Don’t worry. Soon, they won’t have time to come around.”

Last month, Xie Guangqi and Feng Cinian, retired professors from their former school, had visited the Artists’ Association to discuss a nationwide volunteer teaching program they were organizing. Xie Shaojun, as the nominal vice-chairman of the association, had joined them for a meal.

The school lacked young, qualified professors, and the principal had proposed rehiring retired professors for the program.

Xie Shaojun agreed with the suggestion and casually recommended Feng Cinian and Xie Guangqi, both retired professors from their school.

With simple family lives, they could devote themselves wholeheartedly to the cause.

Still in their prime, full of energy and integrity, they might as well set the right example and contribute to society.

Xie Shaojun escorted the old lady to the banquet hall, which was already packed by then.

The walls were adorned with bronze-hued diamond-shaped mirrors, and the overhead incandescent lights cast a dazzling glow across the room.

The gathering was filled with familiar, distinguished faces. As the old lady entered, the crowd naturally parted, clearing a path ahead.

At the far end of the room, a towering cake and a champagne fountain stood atop a lavishly decorated table.

Chi Yi stood at the head of the long table beside Xie Cheng, holding a wine glass. Though people around her spoke to her repeatedly, she only responded occasionally with a word or two.

Yet, no matter how one looked at her, she was impeccable graceful and composed, neither warm nor cold to anyone, her emotions unreadable.

By her side were Wang Guangcheng, a real estate magnate from the capital, and Zheng Siyan, the shipping heiress from Hong Kong.

Xie Cheng stood to Chi Yi’s right, followed by the rest of the Xie family Feng Qianqian, Xie Qingcheng, and Xie Zangxing.

Xie Shaojun’s gaze swept over them one by one.

Damei was among them, dressed in a horse-face skirt paired with a striped blouse and draped in a shawl, standing beside Xie Zangxing.

Her hair, dyed the same subtle shade as two years ago, was neatly tied up, giving her an air of sophistication.

Damei was deep in conversation with someone behind her, her expression far from pleasant. She held a glass of baijiu, still as capable a drinker as ever, downing one glass after another with the woman standing further back.

Only when Xie Shaojun drew closer did she see that the woman drinking with Damei was Jian Qing. Surrounded by her own group, it was unclear why she had positioned herself behind Damei.

However, compared to the two standing before Chi Yi, the General Manager Jian and Manager Luo who had gathered around Jian Qing seemed rather insignificant in status.

Xie Shaojun took a quick glance, committing the scene to memory, then supported the elderly lady as they made their way from right to left, greeting each guest in turn.

When they reached Chi Yi, Xie Shaojun looked at her.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Chi Yi asked. “Don’t recognize me?”

Xie Shaojun hummed in agreement. “That’s right, I don’t.”

“It’s been so long, I forgot about you.”

Chi Yi couldn’t help it, she seemed like the type who was easily amused and let out the first genuine smile of the evening.

The friends standing nearby, who had been chatting among themselves, glanced over in surprise, eyeing Xie Shaojun with curiosity and praising her for her wit.

Xie Shaojun merely smiled, and Chi Yi lowered her eyes, smiling as well.

The only one who knew they had just parted not long ago, Xie Qingcheng, couldn’t bear to watch and glared at Xie Shaojun, signaling with her eyes for her to stop.

But her father, oblivious, raised his glass and called his sister over, saying, “From now on, spend more time with your sister Chi Yi and learn from her.”

Xie Shaojun agreed meaningfully, “Yes, I’ll be sure to meet and communicate with Sister Chi Yi more often.”

Then she extended her hand, clasping Chi Yi’s, her fingertips brushing lightly against her palm. “So, Sister Chi Yi, take care of me from now on.”

Chi Yi felt an uncharacteristic surge of emotion, wanting to hold on a little longer, so she paused for a few seconds before slowly echoing Xie Cheng’s words, promising to meet Xie Shaojun more often in the future.

Only then did she lower her hand, lingering for a few extra seconds by her thigh before finally letting go.

She then took a couple of steps to the side, making space between herself and Xie Cheng, naturally allowing Xie Shaojun and the elderly lady to step in.

With Xie Shaojun standing beside her, their hair occasionally brushing against each other, Chi Yi found that tonight’s banquet wasn’t quite so dull after all.

Xie Shaojun hadn’t yet greeted the guests on the right side, where Jian Qing was standing. Xie Guangqi and Feng Cinian had already made their way over.

Truthfully, Xie Shaojun didn’t want to go over, but tonight’s family banquet was for the elderly lady’s birthday. As the host, she couldn’t just follow her whims. Chi Yi had stepped aside for her, so Xie Shaojun walked over and stood in place, then turned to ask her father,

“I haven’t finished greeting everyone. Would it be rude if I stood here?” She made a move to go over, but Xie Cheng stopped her.

“Your eldest sister, second sister, and sister-in-law are handling it. Tonight, just help your father entertain President Chi.”

Xie Shaojun glanced at Chi Yi, who met her gaze as if she hadn’t just helped her out of a tight spot.

Xie Shaojun’s puppy-like eyes curved into a smile. “Okay.”

Then she stood close to Chi Yi, her arm brushing against hers, and let her hand drop, giving Chi Yi’s a little tug.

Softly, she called her name: “Chi Yi.”

“Hmm?”

“Thanks.” Xie Shaojun told her, “I really didn’t want to go over and greet them.”