How Did the Female Lead in the Angst Novel Become My Ex-Wife’s Sister? - Chapter 2

It was midday, and the accumulated snow was beginning to melt. Cen Juexing entered the main courtyard, a bright smile on her face as she clung to another woman’s arm.

That woman possessed a face that could put flowers to shame. Dressed in moon-white robes that felt as cool and crisp as the midwinter air, she stood amidst the vast, bleak December landscape looking like an immortal who had descended to the mortal realm. This was her elder sister, Cen Xianyue, a woman who was perfect in every conceivable way, save for her atrocious taste in partners.

Cen Juexing hadn’t missed the whispers of the servants. The manor was a hive of gossip, and she hadn’t expected Shen Zhao to be so heartless. It had been two years, yet the man wouldn’t even deign to play his part for a single day. Juexing found herself chattering incessantly, desperate to keep the ugly rumors from reaching her sister’s ears.

To her surprise, her sister seemed entirely unbothered by the gossip. Instead, she fixed Juexing with a steady gaze and asked, “I’m only asking you this, Juexing: where is Linlang?”

Her tone was as sharp as an interrogation.

Cen Juexing felt a surge of annoyance. “Why does Sister bother herself with that wild child from a concubine’s…” The word “seed” caught in her throat as she saw her sister’s expression turn even colder. She reluctantly corrected herself: “Where else could she be? In that remote courtyard of hers, of course.”

“Juexing, Mother’s head maid came to see me at my manor yesterday. We talked about you, and she mentioned you two had another ‘disagreement.'”

“Mother didn’t want to tell me the details out of a desire to protect you, but I trust that you wouldn’t hide anything from your elder sister, right?”

“Uh…” Cen Juexing mentally retracted her statement about her sister being perfect. Her elegant, refined sister became an entirely different person the moment that other person was involved. Just like now—she still had that gentle, serene face, but there wasn’t a trace of a smile, and it made Juexing’s skin crawl.

It was utterly nonsensical. I’m her flesh and blood, her own little sister! What on earth did Pei Linlang count for?

Cen Juexing was full of resentment, but when she opened her mouth, all that came out was a fawning laugh. She tugged at her sister’s sleeve, acting spoiled to diffuse the tension.

Right then, Jixiang and Ruyi rushed toward them, looking frantic. They leaned in and whispered urgently into her ear…

“What!” Before they could even finish, Cen Juexing let out a shriek. “You… you said…”

Pei Linlang was gone!

That brat had actually managed to escape!

How? The windows were boarded up, and the door was locked. Had she learned how to tunnel through the earth?

“Juexing?” Her sister looked at her, puzzled.

It was that look again, the one that felt like it was seeing right through her. Cen Juexing hurriedly steered Cen Xianyue toward the main hall. “Oh, Sister, let’s not talk about her. It’s been so long since I’ve seen you; I have so much to tell you!”

She prattled on about two bolts of fine fabric she’d ordered, mentioning who had gifted this and who had sent that, insisting Cen Xianyue pick one as a small token of her affection.

Cen Xianyue’s mind was clearly elsewhere. Taking advantage of her distraction, Cen Juexing hissed a command to Jixiang and Ruyi: “Take some men and find her! If you don’t bring her back, don’t bother coming back yourselves!”

The two maids’ knees buckled, and they nearly collapsed. “Y-yes, Miss!”

******

As the year drew to a close, the long streets began to take on a festive air.

At the eastern side gate of the Cen Manor, two gatekeepers were huddled together swapping stories. They talked about this year’s snow, the crops in the fields, and the Eldest Miss who had returned for her visit, sighing and tutting all the while.

Outside the gate, the Shen family’s carriage sat waiting. Its blue silk curtains were brand new and eye-catchingly bright, as if Shen Zhao wanted to ensure everyone knew just how much she was flourishing.

Pei Linlang arrived there after a series of twists and turns. She listened quietly for a moment, and once the conversation died down, she stepped forward as if she didn’t have a care in the world. “Good day, Uncles.”

“Oh, Young Master Pei is awake! You’re a lucky one, truly!”

“Yes, well, not dead yet.”

She moved past them and out the gate smoothly, meeting no resistance.

Pei Linlang breathed a sigh of relief and gave them a nod. “I’ll be back in a bit,” she said, quickening her pace.

Originally, her plan had been to find the female lead directly, either by throwing herself at her feet or putting on a tearful performance to garner sympathy. One way or another, she’d get the heroine to take her away. But after hearing the maids’ gossip, a seed of doubt had been planted in her mind.

She had almost forgotten that the female lead was essentially a “soft persimmon”, someone easily squeezed and manipulated. She was kind and gentle to a fault, possessing no real schemes or ruthlessness. Even the manor servants felt comfortable speaking ill of her.

Because she had returned home alone, she had already endured a harsh scolding from Madam Cen. If Pei Linlang were to rush in now and add to the chaos, it would only drag the heroine down further.

Besides, Linlang remembered that in the original book, the heroine had a friend who owned a tavern. According to the plot, Cen Xianyue wouldn’t leave until evening. Rather than spending the entire afternoon lurking in the manor, Linlang figured it was better to head out, gather some information, and maybe snag a free meal while she was at it.

As an expert in manual crafts, Linlang thought it would be ideal if she could use the heroine’s reputation to secure herself a job.

After slipping out of the Cen Manor, Pei Linlang wandered aimlessly through the streets. Since Cen Xianyue was a proper lady who rarely ventured out, her friend’s shop had to be nearby. The book hadn’t specified the exact location, so Linlang could only circle the neighborhood.

By the time she found a clue, half the day had vanished. Staring up at a lintel that read “Revolving Lantern Club,” Linlang shouted to an old man nearby, “Are you sure you heard me right? I’m looking for the Chunxi Tavern!”

The Chunxi Tavern was the most critical location in the original novel. Every significant scene, the Scum Alpha getting drunk, the heroine caring for her, the Scum Alpha’s social schemes, and the heroine’s misunderstandings, happened there, aided by the tavern keeper NPC who lived to stir the pot. It was burned into Linlang’s memory.

“This is Chunxi Tavern!” the old man shouted back. Before Linlang could stop him, he hobbled forward, calling out, “Shopkeeper Qin! Qin! Someone’s looking for you!”

“Stop screaming! You’re waking the dead!” an impatient female voice barked from inside. Steps approached rapidly. Linlang looked left and right, but with no place to hide, she had to brace herself.

The door creaked open. Linlang gave an awkward smile as she faced the owner.

The shopkeeper’s face instantly soured. “Well, if it isn’t Young Master Pei. It’s been a while. I’m surprised the debt collectors at the gambling den haven’t beaten you to death yet.”

She curled her lip in a mocking sneer.

Gambling den?

Linlang felt something was off, but before she could process the words, her stomach let out a thunderous growl.

“Um… I’m so hungry my legs are shaking. I’m about ready to eat my own arm. Could you spare a bowl of noodles?”

Linlang looked at her with puppy-dog eyes. The shopkeeper froze, then let out a sharp, incredulous laugh.

“Did that fever actually scramble your brains? Or is this just another one of your new tricks to pester Xianyue?”

The shop was not a tavern at all; it was a Go club and tea house. Linlang didn’t know when the name had changed or why it differed from the book. All she could tell was that despite being a decent-sized shop in the prime real estate of the capital’s inner city, business was abysmal. With no customers inside, the shopkeeper simply bolted the door and pulled up a chair opposite Linlang.

Starving, Linlang didn’t care about the woman’s judgment. As soon as the noodles arrived, she began to wolf them down. Truthfully, the cook’s skills were even worse than the shop’s sales.

“I heard a rumor recently that the little tag-along at Minister Cen’s place fell into the lake and burned his wits out. I didn’t believe it at first, but looking at you now, it’s clearly true.” The shopkeeper watched her eat with a cold gaze. “Serves you right. That’s what you get for refusing to let go of Xianyue. It’s karma!”

This woman was Qin Yufeng. In her youth, she had been a singer on the Qinhuai River before buying her freedom and moving to the capital to open this shop. She was about thirty, and every flick of her brow carried a practiced, flirtatious charm, though her current spite was far from charming.

Given the original owner’s reputation, Linlang wasn’t surprised to be hated. But Qin Yufeng had referred to the heroine as “Xianyue.” Why was she accusing Linlang of pestering her?

Linlang pondered this in confusion, her head down as she continued to eat.

Taking her silence for a snub, Qin Yufeng slammed her hand on the table. “Oh, you’ve forgotten, have you? Fine, let Big Sister remind you!”

“Two years ago, you started obsessing over Xianyue out of nowhere. All that ‘love’ and ‘devotion’ nonsense. You even came to work for me just to make money to stay near her. You nearly ruined her marriage prospects! She had to rush into a wedding just to escape you!”

“And you? When you couldn’t have her, you became a pathetic degenerate and ran up a mountain of debt at the gambling den! Do you have any idea how much it cost me to pay that back for you?”

Qin Yufeng was genuinely livid, leaning in close with eyes that shimmered with murderous intent.

Linlang was stunned, nearly choking on her noodles. She coughed violently, washing them down with a gulp of water.

Was this in the book? How does a useless cannon fodder like the original owner have a romantic backstory with the heroine?

She looked around the room in a daze. What was wrong with this shop? What was wrong with this woman?

It was only now, amidst these bizarre deviations from the plot, that Linlang felt a true chill of panic. She had fallen into a world she didn’t recognize.

She gripped her fingers nervously, her lips trembling as she tried to find words. But as she looked up, she saw the sky outside had already turned dark.

Time had flown! To catch the heroine’s carriage back, she had to leave immediately. But Qin Yufeng was already moving like a clockwork toy. After finishing her rant, she marched back behind the counter, giving Linlang no room to breathe. “Since you’re here today, take this thing back and finish it.”

“I’ve had nobles trying to buy this for two years, but since it’s unfinished, I’ve had to turn them down every time. If we can sell this for a good price, we’ll call our debts even.”

“What thing?”

“Your final work from two years ago.”

…Final work?

“Found it!” Qin Yufeng cried. She pulled an object from the back of a drawer and placed it solemnly in front of Linlang. Her eyes glittered with an almost manic light.

******

The street felt miles long. The bitter wind had glazed the ground in a layer of ice—wet, slick, and seemingly endless.

Pei Linlang ran, slipping and gasping for breath, the bundle in her hand clattering as she moved. The bundle was from Qin Yufeng, containing what she called Linlang’s “final work”—

A solid wooden Rubik’s Cube.

No, Linlang wasn’t crazy. It was a Rubik’s Cube. 24k pure wooden puzzle.

Holding it sent a shiver down her spine. The terrifying part was that as bizarre as it seemed, it explained everything.

Linlang guessed that before she had transmigrated, the “original” owner of this body had actually been another transmigrator. That’s why the shop was different and why the history was warped.

As for why that person had vanished only to be replaced by her, she could only blame the fall into the lake.

In the bundle was also a letter Qin Yufeng had handed her at the door. Her words had been: “I’m an outsider, so it’s not my place to comment on what happened between you two. Xianyue asked me to give this to you before her wedding. Maybe you’ll understand once you’ve read it.”

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