Helping My Ex-Wife Find Love Every Day - Chapter 3

Dear, don’t worry. Our Jinjiang Abandoned Novel Self-Rescue System is also called the “Pit-Filling Project.” Rousseau once said that all men are born equal, and we believe that every abandoned work has its own value, and every character within the text possesses an independent personality and should enjoy corresponding human rights.

Yao Xiangyi asked: So, what exactly is the Abandoned Novel Self-Rescue System?

It’s like this, dear. Because many authors, such as Wu De Wu Neng (Incompetent and Immoral), have the bad habit of abandoning their works, in order to satisfy the readers who are following the stories, we awaken the characters in each abandoned novel. The characters then propel the plot forward themselves, following the original outline, so that the novel can be smoothly completed.

Yao Xiangyi: Why should I do that?

It was truly ridiculous. Why would she give up her comfortable life just to make her wife fall in love with someone else?

Dear, we have rewards, you know.

I don’t need them.

It can change your death ending! We have detected that you already know you will die in a plane crash.

I can simply never fly again.

Your character is a CEO. How can a CEO not fly? It would be so inconvenient for business trips.

I can simply stop taking business trips.

Wuu, well, dear, are you automatically giving up the opportunity for self-rescue?

Yao Xiangyi rubbed her aching neck and went to the bar counter to pour a glass of red wine: Uh-huh.

We are helping you register here, and you will soon be sent to the recycling station along with this abandoned novel.

Yao Xiangyi: Recycling station?

That’s right. The world within this text, including every flower, every blade of grass, every tree, and every person, will cease to exist. Commonly known as mutual destruction.

Where was that promise about all men being born equal?

Yao Xiangyi choked on her red wine: [Wait, I’ve changed my mind.

Excellent, dear! I have already canceled your registration. Now, I will inform you of the game rules. Please accept them.

Yao Xiangyi reluctantly pursed her lips, tapped her wine glass, and began lightly tapping the bar counter rhythmically with her fingertips, as if skipping across black and white piano keys.

With a “ding-dong” sound, the relevant documents were received.

Yao Xiangyi had a busy work life, and practice makes perfect, so she had mastered the ability to read ten lines at a glance. In a short while, she had gone through most of the document and extracted the key information one by one.

The abandoned novel she existed in was titled The Stand-in: My Priceless Little Wife.

Just look at the classic, outdated vibe emanating from the synopsis.

Based on the blurb, the story roughly tells of a film queen who, after divorcing her ex-wife, remains obsessed with her. She then happens upon an obscure 18th-tier actress who looks similar to her ex-wife and begins a series of forced love plotlines, including casting couch arrangements, sponsorship, and imprisonment…

Evidently, “ex-wife” refers to her.

However, the specific story details remained unknown unless she accumulated Sweetness Points. For every ten points accumulated, she would receive a spoiler reward to help the Awakened push the plot forward.

The so-called Sweetness Points required Qiu Qing Shi to interact with the female lead. Dialogue, eye contact, and physical interaction were all acceptable because this was a sweet romance novel.

Yao Xiangyi truly hadn’t expected such a melodramatic, dog-blood-splattered story to be written as a sweet romance. It failed to convey the correct socialist core values at all.

No wonder it was abandoned—the author must have been unable to continue writing it.

Pure-Hearted Loli: [Dear, you can tell me if you have any questions.]

A subtle light flickered in Yao Xiangyi’s pupils, and she calmly said: [How many Awakened characters are participating in this plan?]

[You are exactly the hundredth Awakened! In order for us at Jinjiang to ensure our Awakened feel our unique humanistic care, the first hundred Awakened can receive one free spoiler reward without needing any Sweetness Points.]

[Can I choose the content of the spoiler?]

[Of course, but you won’t be able to in the future.]

[Good. Tell me: Who is the actress female lead in the original text?]

Not long after, there was another “ding-dong,” and the information was received.

[Original Female Lead: Bai Meng Zhao]

Hiss—

Yao Xiangyi frowned; the name sounded a bit familiar.

She picked up her phone and typed “Bai Meng Zhao” into the search bar. The page content quickly popped up. Scrolling down, she saw a stream of negative comments.

She remembered now.

This was an actress from Tian Ji Film and Television Company who debuted last month with a danmei (BL) adaptation drama.

In the drama, she played the female supporting character who interfered with the beautiful romance between the two male leads.

Playing an interferer in a danmei adaptation was guaranteed to attract hatred.

She had been trending on the hot search for being cursed at for three consecutive days. Her popularity was so high that she became a “black-and-red fried chicken” (famous for being hated), which even a busy person like Yao Xiangyi had heard about.

She found it strange; only an idiot would accept such a role.

Also!

How did she look like her? Why should she be her “stand-in”?

While she was deep in thought, a phone call came in.

At four o’clock in the afternoon, a plane landed smoothly at Hai Shi Hongqiao Airport. Since the itinerary was last-minute, it hadn’t been publicized. The arrivals hall was peaceful, with not a single fan in sight.

Qiu Qing Shi led everyone through the VIP channel, walking quickly until they got into the chauffeur’s car.

Jing Hong Entertainment was in Hai Shi. The driver turned to Qiu Qing Shi: “Madam, are you going to the company or home?”

“Where is CEO Yao?” Qiu Qing Shi’s speech sped up by a notch.

The driver was one of the company’s long-time drivers. He was responsible for picking up and dropping off Qiu Qing Shi whenever she returned to Hai Shi. Qiu Qing Shi’s first question was always about Yao Xiangyi’s whereabouts, which was so sweet.

He chuckled: “CEO Yao hasn’t been to the company for the past few days.”

“Then let’s go home.”

The driver received the instruction, smoothly stepped on the accelerator, and the wheels turned, merging into the traffic on the main road.

Tao Zi twisted open a bottle of mineral water and handed it to Qiu Qing Shi: “Sis, quench your thirst.”

Qiu Qing Shi took it. She took a sip and instantly lost her appetite, collapsing into the wide seat like a deflated ball, letting out a long sigh.

Su Ti La looked at her tightly clenched jawline. After pressing the partition to separate them from the driver, she advised: “Maybe you’re overthinking it. CEO Yao is famously abstinent; she wouldn’t be seduced by just any vixen.”

Tao Zi, sitting in the back row: Oh my god, I feel like I just heard something important.

Qiu Qing Shi lowered the window, and a light breeze ruffled her slightly curled, ink-black hair.

She muttered gloomily: “We’ve been in the cold war for four months.”

Su Ti La sat up straight: “A cold war! You never mentioned it!”

“Couples always have times when they argue.”

Su Ti La choked: “My dear lady! You’ve been filming, doing long-distance with CEO Yao for four months, and you’ve been in a cold war? Aren’t you worried about someone taking advantage of the vacuum?”

“…I’m worried now.”

Su Ti La: “…………”

Su Ti La was somewhat frustrated by her lack of fighting spirit. After a long silence, she asked, “What did you argue about?”

“She complained that I wasn’t diligent and thrifty in managing the household.”

Actually, on the first night she joined the film crew, Yao Xiangyi came home from a social dinner and saw the walk-in closet floor covered in shoes, bags, and clothes—there wasn’t even a place to step. So, she asked Qiu Qing Shi to tidy up.

Perhaps because she had been drinking, her tone wasn’t very pleasant. Qiu Qing Shi had been spoiled by her for years and had long been pampered. She maintained a cool and reserved demeanor outside but always showed a bit of a pampered, spoiled temper around Yao Xiangyi.

She immediately refused to comply, and their words clashed, resulting in a successful argument.

This argument lasted for a surprisingly long time, strictly following the pattern of women bringing up old grievances: starting from “that night last month when I asked you to pick me up and you wouldn’t,” all the way back to “the summer vacation in high school when you traveled abroad without me.”

If not for the inherent good manners they possessed… they would definitely have resorted to domestic violence.

Qiu Qing Shi recounted the story, making Su Ti La terrified. She couldn’t stop imagining the scene of their argument, and she said tremulously, “You dare to argue with CEO Yao…”

Qiu Qing Shi slightly lifted her chin, full of stubbornness: “What’s there to be afraid of?!”

Su Ti La: “Woman, you are playing with fire.”

Tao Zi swallowed and nodded silently, agreeing.

It was more than playing with fire; it was absolutely dancing in a sea of flames.

CEO Yao was looking for new love, and the mistress was about to enter their home.

In short, this was bringing fire upon oneself.

Qiu Qing Shi turned her head to look out the window, secretly pouting with grievance where they couldn’t see: I regret it too, you know.

The car drove into the underground parking lot of the Riverside Mansion.

It was a prime location where every inch of land was precious. The people who lived there were either rich or powerful, so security was naturally extra strict, meaning there was no need to worry about paparazzi lurking around.

Qiu Qing Shi got out of the car openly. She had already taken off the jewelry and was only wearing the black dress. Her high heels clicked crisply against the ground.

Su Ti La and Tao Zi escorted her up to the 22nd floor. Before parting ways, Su Ti La was truly worried and earnestly advised, “You’re wives; argue in bed and make up at the foot of the bed.”

Qiu Qing Shi curled her lips into a smile, reassuring her.

Tao Zi, however, was honest and turned back every three steps: “Sis, why don’t we wait for you here? If you and CEO Yao get into a fight, we can rush you to the hospital in time.”

Three dark lines appeared on Qiu Qing Shi’s forehead.

Su Ti La pinched Tao Zi’s ear and scolded her: “Why are you speaking such inconvenient truths!”

With that, she ushered her into the elevator like a little chick.

Qiu Qing Shi watched them leave, adjusted her breathing, and only entered the house after her emotions had calmed down by inputting the security code.

The house was still the same house.

The familiar entryway mural, the familiar warm-toned wallpaper, the familiar sweet aroma of white fungus and lotus seed soup.

This was Aunt Mi’s specialty. Every spring and summer, she would cook two bowls daily for Yao Xiangyi and her, to nourish their lungs and stomach and reward them for their hard work.

“Oh, the Madam is back!” Aunt Mi was over fifty years old and had been working for the Yao family for twenty years. Yao Xiangyi had been raised by her since childhood, neglected by her parents. Four years ago, after Yao Xiangyi and Qiu Qing Shi married, they moved here together.

She was busy in the kitchen and thought the sound was Yao Xiangyi, but when she rushed out and saw it was Qiu Qing Shi, she was pleasantly surprised.

“Aiyoyo, you didn’t even call ahead to let me know you were coming back.”

Qiu Qing Shi changed out of her high heels and smiled: “It was a last-minute decision. I have to leave the day after tomorrow.”

Aunt Mi wiped her hands on her apron and said with concern: “Since you managed to come back, you should stay for a couple more days. You can never earn all the money in the world; your body won’t be able to handle it.”

She was a chatterbox, and once she started talking, she wouldn’t stop. Qiu Qing Shi listened with a smile, as if her mouth held a flower. She only replied after Aunt Mi finished: “I know, don’t worry.”

Aunt Mi was very satisfied, praising her in her heart as being worthy of the title of Hai Shi’s number one socialite—elegant, proper, educated, and sensible: “You must be tired. Go rest, and I’ll bring you a bowl of white fungus and lotus seed soup to help you unwind.”

Qiu Qing Shi hadn’t eaten much all day from traveling. The moment she smelled the fragrance, the craving in her stomach began to roar, and she sweetly agreed.

She then stopped Aunt Mi and asked: “Aunt Mi, is Xiangyi home?”

“No, she went out after lunch.”

Qiu Qing Shi’s first thought was that she had gone to meet her little lover.

She pressed on: “Where did she go?”

“It seems the Old Man called for her; she went back to the old family residence.”

Qiu Qing Shi felt marginally relieved, but her expression was still not good.

Aunt Mi asked worriedly: “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, you go on.” Qiu Qing Shi sent her back to the kitchen. “I’ll give her a call.”

However, the phone call still went unanswered.

What was the meaning of this? A dignified CEO, with so little tolerance. She had even called first to try and make peace.

Qiu Qing Shi frowned tightly, angrily grabbing the remote control and carelessly pressing the TV on—

There was Murong Yunhai, with his slicked-back hair, yelling at Chu Yu Xun: “I really hate the boring self-esteem of you common-class people.”

Chu Yu Xun was speechless and ran off in anger.

Murong Yunhai shouted at her back: “Hey! Is it my fault that I’m rich and handsome?!”

Qiu Qing Shi froze for three seconds…

A storm of conflicting emotions brewed inside her…

Who is she secretly watching idol dramas with behind my back?!