After My Death, Everyone Repented (Transmigration) - Chapter 8

By the end of September, the weather had turned cooler.

Xie Shaojun finished her last appointment, took off her gloves, and went to wash her hands. The water running over her fingers carried the chill of autumn.

She never used to dry her hands with a towel, but later, Chi Yi had forced her into the habit. Now, without even thinking, she reached for one.

After drying her hands, Xie Shaojun stood still for a moment before returning to her workstation.

Her phone lay in the storage basket beside the tattoo bed. As she approached, it began to vibrate.

She picked it up without checking who was calling.

“Hello,” Xie Shaojun said.

There was silence for about three seconds before the other person finally spoke, their tone stiff: “I never disagreed with the divorce, but breaking up is one thing putting me on your blocklist is just childish.”

Xie Shaojun didn’t respond immediately.

She pulled the phone away from her ear, returned to the home screen, and checked the missed calls. Chi Yi had indeed called three times while she was working.

After waiting for Chi Yi to finish speaking, Xie Shaojun thought for a moment before replying, “You’re not on my blocklist.”

Normally, Xie Shaojun didn’t answer calls while working.

But before, Chi Yi’s number had been in the priority contacts list. Whenever she called, Xie Shaojun’s assistant would immediately connect the call and hold the phone to her ear.

Yesterday, however, Xie Shaojun had moved Chi Yi’s number to the regular contacts.

Chi Yi paused, the faint trace of hope in her voice vanishing completely.

“I didn’t mean to contact you first,” she said. “This morning, Secretary Wang received your inquiry about purchasing a mattress and took it upon herself to inform me.”

“That mattress is a custom order from Australia. From placing the order to delivery, it takes at least two months. If you’re having trouble sleeping, you can move back in. But don’t worry, I’ll be traveling to the Americas soon and probably won’t be home.”

Chi Yi meticulously laid out her schedule and, at the end, emphasized that the purpose of this call wasn’t to reconcile.

Xie Shaojun felt exhausted listening to her and cut in, “Got it.”

“Then will you consider my suggestion?” Chi Yi’s voice softened, pressing the question.

Xie Shaojun replied, “Thank you,” and then, “No.”

With that, she hung up.

Secretary Wang entered the office. During her three-minute work report, Chi Yi remained standing with her back turned, gazing out from the floor-to-ceiling windows on the 68th floor of the tech park’s tallest building, refusing to look back.

Her silhouette, outlined by sunlight, appeared strikingly frail.

This made Secretary Wang hesitate, her voice growing increasingly cautious as she continued her report.

Ten minutes later, the report ended, but Chi Yi still didn’t speak. Secretary Wang stood awkwardly, unsure whether to stay or leave.

Chi Yi was a formidable businesswoman, widely recognized in the internet industry as a software prodigy.

When Microsoft, one of the world’s most powerful software companies, dominated the market in 1975, Chi Yi hadn’t even been born yet.

By 2015, when the U.S. imposed sanctions on China’s chip exports, Chi Yi had just graduated early from a top-tier domestic university.

She came from a prestigious family, the Chi Group was a long-established real estate developer in Beicheng. Yet after graduating, Chi Yi didn’t take over the family business. Instead, she pursued a Ph.D. in Computer Science at Harvard.

Later, in Silicon Valley, New York, she founded her first tech company, specializing in computer hardware, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and blockchain.

Twenty years ago, when domestic 5G chips faced import restrictions and suppression, Chi Yi established the country’s first 5G chip manufacturing plant, investing heavily in research to replicate Swedish lithography machines.

Even after three years, the lithography machines still couldn’t be fully replicated. However, thanks to Chi Yi’s relentless financial backing and research efforts, they managed to produce compliant 5G nanometer chips for use in computers, smartphones, and other hardware.

Of course, alongside Chi Yi’s youthful ambition and fearless success, she carried countless flaws typical of high achievers, efficiency-driven work ethics, ruthless hiring practices, and exploitative, grueling work hours.

In the business world, even her own father couldn’t penetrate her commercial empire, making her the only independent entrepreneur in the industry completely detached from her family’s legacy.

Secretary Wang often thought Chi Yi was better suited to be an emotionless, iron-willed business tycoon until four years ago, when that perception shifted.

Chi Yi’s life focus had been partially diverted. She was no longer just the architect of her empire; she began channeling her boundless energy toward another person.

And the woman who had apparently saved the entire galaxy was Chi Yi’s partner the carefree, sunshine-smiling socialite, Xie Shaojun.

Thinking of this, Secretary Wang glanced around and spotted her phone on Chi Yi’s expansive desk.

“Ms. Chi, should I call Ms. Xie back?”

“Do you want to contact Xie Shaojun privately?” Chi Yi pressed her lips together, clearly displeased with Secretary Wang’s wishful thinking.

This is bad.

Secretary Wang hurriedly clarified, “No, no, you misunderstand!”

“Good.” Chi Yi replied, sounding like an emotionless robot that never needed rest. “The Tainan collaboration proposal should be finalized by tonight. Notify everyone, we’re holding an overtime meeting in five minutes.”

At 8 p.m., when Chi Yi demanded overtime, Secretary Wang wished even more fervently than Chi Yi herself that the galaxy-saving woman would quickly get over her anger and take Chi Yi home.

As Secretary Wang trudged toward the door with a defeated expression, Chi Yi suddenly called her back.

“Tell the mattress factory to rush the order,” Chi Yi said. “Once it’s done, I’ll contact Xie Shaojun myself.”

In previous years, Xie Shaojun would have already been traveling far and wide by this season.

She’d usually head to the Northwest for sketching or invite friends on an Antarctic expedition.

As a tattoo artist, she needed an abundance of creative inspiration, and staying too long in her comfort zone wasn’t an option.

She made sure to see every corner of the world’s mountains and rivers, not just for herself, but she also encouraged the other tattoo artists in her studio to travel and broaden their horizons.

But this year, she showed no signs of leaving.

When Huabi returned for a touch-up on his sleeve tattoo, he found Xie Shaojun diligently working in the shop.

Unable to resist showing off, he bragged, “The weather in Gansu is way better than here. The wilderness up there is just so… uh, what’s the word?”

He racked his brain but couldn’t dredge up the right adjective from his limited vocabulary. Unfazed, he continued enthusiastically, oblivious to his own lack of eloquence. “Hey, Teacher Xie, ever heard of mules? You won’t see ’em around here. Riding those beasts is wild.”

Xie Shaojun lifted her eyelids and corrected him flatly, “Vast.”

“Huh?”

The little apprentice helping Xie Shaojun couldn’t hold back anymore and chuckled behind her hand, saying, “Brother Flowery Arm, that ‘great wilderness’ you mentioned is a place our teacher trampled flat years ago. And then there’s Dunhuang’s Mogao Caves, Qinghai Lake, Mount Everest… further out, the Alps, Antarctica…”

The more the apprentice listed, the more deflated Flowery Arm became. He waved his hand in surrender, lowering his once-boastful head. “Can’t compete, can’t compete. No wonder your designs are so hard to book turns out you’ve been gallivanting around all over the place at such a young age…”

“Hahahahaha!”

Flowery Arm’s complaint sent the few annoying onlookers in the studio into fits of laughter. Watching them laugh, Xie Shaojun’s lips curled up slightly too.

Truth be told, life didn’t have so many grudges or dramas worth holding onto. Xie Shaojun was an easygoing person, living in the moment. Some things were just done, no regrets. As long as she could shoulder the consequences of her actions, that was fulfillment enough for her.

By the time Jian Qing arrived, Flowery Arm’s session had just finished. Twisting his waist, he asked Xie Shaojun, “Teacher Xie, how’s it look? Cool or what?”

Eye-searing.

Xie Shaojun shot him a sidelong glance. “Why must you torture me? What’s cool about a barrel waist?”

“I meant the feathered serpent you tattooed.”

“Cool or not depends on whether you work out. Otherwise, it’s all wasted effort.”

Half-lidded, Xie Shaojun yawned, her tone dripping with disdain as she shooed him away. “You’re holding me up.”

Flowery Arm didn’t take offense. He liked talking to Xie Shaojun because there was no condescension in her eyes, she treated everyone the same, engaging as much or as little as she pleased.

Grinning, Flowery Arm pulled up his payment QR code and handed it to Xie Shaojun. Too tired to bother, she motioned for her apprentice to handle the transaction.

As she turned back, she spotted Da Mei walking in with someone in tow. The woman behind her wore a fitted long dress, her collarbones and calves strategically exposed. Her delicate features, though not as striking as Xie Shaojun’s or Chi Yi’s, were accentuated by soft, alluring makeup. She stood poised at the entrance.

Flowery Arm let out a wolf whistle.

Xie Shaojun asked casually, “Like what you see?”

Flowery Arm gave a thumbs-up. “Smoking hot.”

“If you’re that into her, I’ll introduce you.”

Seeing Flowery Arm nod eagerly, Xie Shaojun turned to Jian Qing. “Hey, gorgeous, why just stand there? Can’t you see Brother Flowery Arm’s interested?”

Da Mei broke into a cold sweat, shooting Xie Shaojun a glare. This damn troublemaker, she thought, deliberately riling up my client who’s here for tattoo removal. She forced a smile, ready to smooth things over.

But before she could, the young woman stepped forward, approaching Xie Shaojun.

With a sweet smile, she called out affectionately, “Sis.”

“Hello, everyone. I’m Jian Qing.” She greeted the room, then extended a hand to Xie Shaojun. “Finally meeting you.”

Xie Shaojun didn’t even glance at her, let alone shake her hand. She stripped off her gloves and went to wash her hands, ignoring Jian Qing the entire time.

While serving tea, Da Mei couldn’t help but sneak glances at Jian Qing’s expression. Thankfully, the woman didn’t seem offended, Da Mei mentally tagged her as good-tempered.

Relieved yet puzzled, Da Mei wondered why Xie Shaojun, usually so laid-back with everyone, turned frosty only with Jian Qing. And yet, they addressed each other as sisters.

After washing up, Xiao Cui handed Xie Shaojun an apple.

“I still have some peaches in my bag, bought by my boyfriend,” Xiao Cui said, offering to wash a few for Xie Shaojun. Xie Shaojun patted her shoulder and replied, “Don’t bother. Chances are, we won’t even need to lift a finger the client might back out on their own.”

Unable to resist her curiosity, Xiao Cui followed Xie Shaojun into the tattoo room.

Xie Shaojun muttered, “Got nothing better to do?”

But she didn’t stop her.

Jian Qing had been seated in the consultation area, with Damei keeping her company. Xie Shaojun pulled the tattoo chair over and sat across from them, separated by a coffee table, sizing up Jian Qing.

With a neutral expression, Xie Shaojun asked, “When did you get back to the country?”

Jian Qing’s voice was soft. “The day before yesterday. You didn’t come to pick me up.”

“Yesterday, I wanted to invite you to walk the dog, but you didn’t show up either.”

Xie Shaojun had no intention of explaining herself or entertaining Jian Qing’s questions.

So she cut straight to the point. “Who told you to get a tattoo?”

Jian Qing smiled sweetly, like a white lotus and scooted two seats closer on the couch, reaching out to take Xie Shaojun’s hand in a placating gesture. Xie Shaojun dodged her touch.

Her irritation with Jian Qing had been obvious from the start, even Damei could see it.

But Jian Qing acted as if she hadn’t noticed at all. Lowering her gaze, she explained, “I rushed back to see you.”

Half-joking, Jian Qing told Xie Shaojun that she had canceled all her overseas work and barely managed to secure a modeling gig at the Haicheng Tattoo Expo. That’s why she needed a tattoo done.

“Seeing me isn’t necessary. What made you think I’d agree to tattoo you?”