After My Death, Everyone Repented (Transmigration) - Chapter 62.1

Cutting the cake, popping the champagne, the alcohol fizzing as it cascaded down the tower of glasses guests mingled, chatting in small groups.

The banquet hall was filled with classical music, the lighting warm, the atmosphere elegant. The family gathering was entering its latter half.

The elderly lady had stayed downstairs for less than half an hour before Feng Qianqian helped her leave.

Xie Zangxing had brought his girlfriend home. Originally, Damei had come to see Xie Shaojun.

But unexpectedly running into Jian Qing reignited old grudges. Unable to hold back, Damei grabbed a bottle of liquor and squared off against her.

Xie Zangxing tried to intervene but couldn’t stop Damei, who was seeing red in the face, completely irrational. Both of them fell right into Jian Qing’s trap.

Damei ended up downing several bottles of brandy in quick succession.

By the time Xie Zangxing texted Xie Shaojun, Damei was already too drunk to stand, slumped against his shoulder. No amount of persuasion worked, Jian Qing refused to let her go.

Damei had been the one to pick the fight, intending to drink Jian Qing under the table. But Jian Qing didn’t actually drink much herself, with people eagerly stepping in to take the shots for her. Damei, on the other hand, only had Xie Zangxing.

So, it was inevitable that she’d be the one to end up flat on her back.

Ten minutes earlier, the drunken Damei had challenged Jian Qing to a drinking contest, and Jian Qing had happily agreed. Given her current status, offending her meant there was no backing out, she wouldn’t let Damei leave until the agreed-upon drinks were finished.

Glass after glass of brandy was poured down Damei’s throat until she was nearly unconscious.

Xie Zangxing was at a complete loss.

After reading the text, Xie Shaojun briefly explained the situation to Chi Yi.

Chi Yi turned her head slightly and asked, “Do you really have to go?”

Xie Shaojun said yes. Chi Yi fell silent for a few seconds before muttering in a reproachful tone, “After all these years, why is Damei still so annoying? Can’t she handle her own problems without dragging you into them?”

There was no good response to that. In the past, Chi Yi had always been vehemently opposed to Damei calling Xie Shaojun out for drinks or needing to be picked up. She’d interfered so often that Xie Shaojun had grown frustrated with her.

But now, with Chi Yi peeling back the suffocating layers of her love, Xie Shaojun could clearly see that Chi Yi wasn’t stubbornly forbidding her from engaging in pointless socializing.

She was jealous. She just didn’t seem to know how to express it and had never said it outright, so Xie Shaojun had carelessly never dared to consider that possibility.

Now that she could, Xie Shaojun suddenly realized how many times she’d rejected Chi Yi for Damei’s sake. The words stuck in her throat.

She opened her mouth but couldn’t find the right thing to say.

Chi Yi glanced at her and sighed before asking again, more earnestly this time, “Do you really have to go?”

“I’m sorry, Chi Yi,” Xie Shaojun said, interlacing their fingers. “Don’t misunderstand Damei is with my second sister.”

Chi Yi looked at her, her expression unreadable, showing no trace of jealousy. She carried herself with the poise of a mature woman, dressed in a white suit with an intricately patterned brooch pinned to her lapel. Xie Shaojun leaned in closer and saw that it was a meticulously crafted iris.

Just then, Chi Yi’s parents, along with a few wealthy businessmen, approached and stopped in front of them. Xie Shaojun let go of Chi Yi’s hand.

Chi Yi raised her wine glass, greeting her parents with polite detachment before introducing Xie Shaojun.

For a brief moment, Mrs. Chi and her husband’s expressions flickered with discomfort, but with Xie Cheng standing nearby, they didn’t let it show.

Instead, their gazes toward Xie Shaojun softened, no longer carrying the same rigid insistence on separating the two of them as before.

It was as if Xie Shaojun had never left Chi Yi’s side as if they were still partners.

At this moment, they were attending an evening party. Chi Yi was dressed in a white suit with her long hair loosely tied up, while Xie Shaojun wore an off-shoulder rose-red gown, its hem pooling on the floor. They stood side by side.

Xie Shaojun couldn’t help but follow Chi Yi for a couple of steps.

She really wanted to hold Chi Yi’s hand, or press close to her, wrap an arm around her waist, and bury her face in Chi Yi’s shoulder.

Or, after Chi Yi introduced her as Xie Shaojun, she wanted to introduce Chi Yi in return: “This is Chi Yi. The person I’ll be with from now on.”

But these words remained unspoken. Xie Shaojun’s phone vibrated.

Xie Zangxing had texted: Jian Qing won’t let her go. Little sister, call Dad over too.

After reading the message, Xie Shaojun turned off the screen and glanced toward the crowd. Xie Cheng’s face was flushed red as Manager Wang pulled her into a toast, leaving her no time to spare.

Xie Shaojun didn’t continue walking forward with Chi Yi.

Hesitating, she parted her lips and called Chi Yi’s name: “Chi Yi.”

Looking up, she saw Chi Yi dismiss a wealthy businessman who had approached to chat before naturally stepping to her side and saying, “Let’s go.”

“Go where?” Xie Shaojun hadn’t quite processed it.

Chi Yi looked at her, speaking gently, “Jian Qing is too dangerous. Last time you interacted with her, you experienced soul separation. There’s no guarantee she won’t take another opportunity to get close to you. Xie Shaojun, don’t put yourself in danger again. If you really have to go, we’ll go together.”

Xie Shaojun stared at Chi Yi for a long moment before grasping her hand and saying, “Okay.”

Then, arm in arm, they walked forward a few dozen steps until, at a corner, they ran into Feng Qianqian. Xie Shaojun still hadn’t let go of Chi Yi’s hand.

Feng Qianqian’s gaze lingered on their intertwined fingers several times. Xie Shaojun realized she really wanted to introduce her.

“Mom. This is Chi Yi.” And, “We’re together now,” Xie Shaojun told her.

Shock flooded Feng Qianqian’s eyes as her scrutinizing gaze landed on Chi Yi’s face and their clasped hands. With many guests around, she didn’t say much, only asking Xie Shaojun if she was serious.

Xie Shaojun replied, “Very serious.”

“Are you leaving now?”

“No.” Xie Shaojun explained, “Second Sister’s girlfriend is drunk. She asked me to help smooth things over.”

Feng Qianqian fell silent, observing her daughter’s clingy demeanor. Wisely avoiding any unpleasant remarks, she waved them off. “Then go ahead.”

“Remember to come home tonight.”

Jian Qing had planned this tonight. Damei had invited her to drink, and Jian Qing accepted every glass, fully expecting Xie Shaojun’s personality to eventually bring her personally to the rescue.

But she hadn’t anticipated Chi Yi coming along.

Jian Qing glanced at them. Chi Yi’s left arm pressed against Xie Shaojun’s right, standing close together. Xie Shaojun’s bright features made her seem like she was smiling even when she wasn’t, while Chi Yi was coldly elegant, aloof yet her gaze softened whenever it met Xie Shaojun’s.

They weren’t holding hands, but standing together, they made a striking pair.

For some reason, something inside Jian Qing ignited. Her smile vanished as she slammed her wine glass onto the table.

Tilting her head, she looked at Chi Yi and greeted, “President Chi.”

Chi Yi gave a faint acknowledgment. Jian Qing then turned her gaze to Xie Shaojun, calling her “Sis,” before correcting herself after a pause: “Miss Xie… Third Young Miss. After all that talk on the phone this afternoon, I didn’t expect you’d still”

She left the sentence half-finished.

Xie Shaojun narrowed her eyes and cut in, “I could say the same to you.”

When looking at Chi Yi, her eyes held a multitude of emotions, but the moment she turned to Jian Qing, her expression became indifferent, as if she were looking at trash. She said, “Afraid there won’t be another chance later, so I’ll wish you an early Happy New Year, Director Jian. I’m here to pick someone up.”

“Damei is drunk.”

Jian Qing’s expression darkened. She lightly tapped her wine glass against the table and said firmly, “You can take her, but drink two glasses first.”

With that, she waved to a waiter nearby, signaling for vodka to be brought to the table.

Her attitude was clear: if you want to take someone, you’ll have to drink two glasses as an apology. Otherwise, no one gets to walk away from this.

Xie Shaojun chuckled, eyeing Jian Qing lazily. “No more pretending?”

Jian Qing froze for a few seconds before raising an eyebrow. “Not used to me being cold to you? Maybe I was too gentle before, and you lost sight of reality.”

“Is that so?” Xie Shaojun retorted casually, stretching her long leg to kick the table in front of Jian Qing. With a half-smile, she said, “You really think you’re something, huh? In the capital, if I want to take someone, I don’t need your permission. You’ve got some nerve.”

Their gazes locked, and Jian Qing still smiled, she had the leverage now. So, she sneered, saying the rules here were set, and she’d love to see them broken.

Then, looking past Xie Shaojun’s shoulder, she met Chi Yi’s eyes and raised a brow. “What do you say, President Chi? Or would you like to drink two glasses in Xie Shaojun’s place?”

Chi Yi smiled uncharacteristically so. A waiter approached with a tray, and Chi Yi casually picked up the fullest glass at the edge.

Xie Zangxing was struggling to hoist Damei over her shoulder but spared a glance at Chi Yi, only to see her holding the vodka.

“Chi Yi!” she shouted. “Are you insane?”

“Even people with high alcohol tolerance can’t finish a whole glass of that. Stay out of this listen to me, call my dad over.”

Chi Yi reassured her it was fine, then told the waiter to step aside.

But before she could move, a shadow fell over her. Xie Shaojun turned and pressed a hand against Chi Yi’s shoulder blade, stopping her.

Standing face-to-face, Xie Shaojun was far more stubborn than Chi Yi had anticipated. She didn’t ask why Chi Yi had taken the drink she simply reached out to snatch the glass of vodka from her hand.

Chi Yi looked at her and said, “Trust me. I won’t do anything reckless.”

Xie Shaojun lifted her eyelids slightly but didn’t respond, though her grip loosened.

The two stood in silence for a while. Just when Xie Shaojun thought Chi Yi wouldn’t explain further, Chi Yi suddenly sighed and said, “You’ve been too good to me lately. I might be getting spoiled.”

Xie Shaojun gave her a strange look. “How so?”

“Don’t laugh at me,” Chi Yi said, then asked for her phone.

Unsure of what she intended, Xie Shaojun hesitated but handed it over.

Chi Yi pulled up Jian Qing’s contact and, right in front of Xie Shaojun, deleted it in a few taps.

“Is it okay if I delete her?”

“Sure.” Xie Shaojun was amused. “That’s what you call being spoiled?”

Chi Yi offered earnestly, “Don’t talk to her. She’s not important. If there’s anything, I’ll relay it to her for you.”

With that, she slowly returned the phone, then moved Xie Shaojun’s hand from her back to hold it instead.

With her free hand, she picked up the full glass of vodka, took two steps forward, and stopped in front of Jian Qing.

Having witnessed Xie Shaojun’s indulgence toward Chi Yi, Jian Qing’s face twisted in displeasure. The mocking words she’d prepared died in her throat.

Chi Yi raised her hand, the wine glass suspended in mid-air as she tilted her wrist, letting the high-proof transparent liquid trickle down Jian Qing’s meticulously styled hair.