The Cannon Fodder Ex-Wife Changes to Take the Black Moonlight Script - Chapter 49

As the car drove onto an unfamiliar road, Shang Shiqian realized something was amiss. “Aren’t we going back?” she asked.

Wei Yixian replied, “We’re going for a stroll.”

But she didn’t specify where.

Shang Shiqian assumed she meant shopping, but after about ten minutes, the surroundings began to look familiar.

“This road…”

Though many storefronts had changed names and renovations, the road itself and the greenery lining it remained largely the same.

Soon, a very familiar building came into view.

The Weiqi Culture Museum!

Shang Shiqian turned to Wei Yixian. “Why did you want to come here?”

“It’s been a long time,” Wei Yixian said.

Shang Shiqian thought to herself, if Wei Yixian’s last visit had been during their blind date, that would make it nearly a decade ago.

“I don’t have my ID,” Shang Shiqian pointed out.

“It’s already closed for the day.”

Shang Shiqian was about to ask how they could possibly get in, then realized Wei Yixian likely had unconventional means and fell silent.

Though unnecessary, Wei Yixian still explained, “The Weiqi Culture Museum has been taken over by a private owner.”

Shang Shiqian was taken aback.

“The original Weiqi Culture Museum has merged with the Board Games Culture Museum, becoming just one section of it, and has since relocated to Linjiang District. The current Weiqi Museum is privately run.”

The Weiqi Culture Museum had been established in 2010 by the Weiqi Association and the Eastern Branch of the Xia National Chess Academy, with preparations starting in 2008.

Since its opening, it had operated at a loss, relying entirely on donations and government subsidies.

But after Shang Shiqian’s murder, Lin Shizhang then honorary president of the Weiqi Association resigned from his positions and rarely attended weiqi-related events.

Many donors, who had contributed primarily for the sake of the Shang family, withdrew their support.

With government subsidies alone insufficient to sustain operations, and the Board Games Culture Museum in the works, the decision was made to consolidate resources by merging the Weiqi Culture Museum into the larger institution.

In 2018, the original museum was privatized and renamed the Weiqi Museum.

Shang Shiqian said nothing.

Wei Yixian expected her to feel disheartened and was about to offer comfort when, unexpectedly, Shang Shiqian smiled. “So, that means more people are paying attention to weiqi now.”

Though there was a fleeting sense of loss, she chose to see the silver lining someone willing to invest in keeping the museum alive meant the torch of weiqi’s legacy would continue burning.

The light in her eyes warmed Wei Yixian’s heart.

Wei Yixian nodded with a faint smile.

Privately run museums tended to have more relaxed visitor policies.

Wei Yixian had made a reservation, so no ID was required for entry.

The building was just as Shang Shiqian remembered, but many of the exhibits had changed.

Unlike the government-run museum of the past, this private one carried a distinctly commercial atmosphere.

Outside the exhibition halls, there was a shop selling weiqi equipment, books, and small merchandise, as well as dedicated game rooms. The entrance was also lined with advertisements and brochures for weiqi classes and schools.

Shang Shiqian took it all in stride.

After all, as a privately funded institution with no admission fee, it had to rely on product sales to stay afloat unlike its predecessor.

Immersed in exploring the exhibits, Shang Shiqian suddenly realized Wei Yixian was nowhere to be seen.

At this point, there were only a few people left in the exhibition hall. She craned her neck to look around and soon spotted a familiar figure in the cultural merchandise store.

Shang Shiqian walked into the store and was stunned by the dazzling array of Go-related products on display.

Postcards, bookmarks, rulers, pendants, USB drives, bracelets, fans, cushions, tote bags, badges… practically every item that could be turned into cultural merchandise was available here.

The products were also quite exquisite. Take the pendants, for example, their material was identical to that of Go stones, giving them a far more premium feel than the plastic trinkets from discount stores.

The comparison instantly made Shang Shiqian feel that the black-stone pendant hanging from her backpack had lost its charm.

Before she could decide whether to make a purchase, Wei Yixian emerged from the checkout counter and handed her a shopping bag.

“This is for me!?”

“A thank-you gift for taking care of me the past few days.”

“Taking care of you was only natural…” Shang Shiqian paused, realizing how ambiguous that sounded, and quickly added, “After all, you let me stay at your place.”

“Also, thanks, Wei” She remembered they were in public and, though there were few people around, switched to a more casual address, “Ah-Hang!”

After expressing her gratitude, she eagerly unpacked the gifts.

The first gift, housed in a small box, was a coin-sized alloy Go Stone Jar pendant. Not only did it have a lid, but the base also doubled as a cat-shaped stamp.

Shang Shiqian suddenly thought of her grandmother’s long-haired cat, Lanke.

She wondered how little Lanke was doing whether it still frequently barged into the Go room to cause mischief.

Shaking off the thought, she opened the second gift.

It was a bracelet made of strung-together Go stones. Due to its bulky size, it was better suited for people with thicker wrists.

In addition, there were two badges, one black and one white.

Shang Shiqian attached them all to her backpack.

After a moment of silence, she remarked, “It’s a bit flashy.”

Wei Yixian said, “Take off the bracelet, and it won’t be flashy anymore.”

Shang Shiqian glanced at her, a ridiculous thought crossing her mind.

Had Wei Yixian deliberately come here to buy these products just to make her remove the bracelet?

But she quickly dismissed the idea as absurd Wei Yixian would never do something so trivial!

Curious, Shang Shiqian peeked into Wei Yixian’s palm. “Didn’t you buy anything for yourself?”

Wei Yixian replied, “I did. Pu Feifei already took them to the car.”

When Shang Shiqian returned to the car and saw the passenger seat piled high with shopping bags, she suspected Wei Yixian had bought one of every product available.

Wei Yixian told Pu Feifei to pick one.

Shang Shiqian added, “And for Sister Chu and the others too.”

Wei Yixian chuckled. “You sure know how to borrow flowers to offer to Buddha.”

“Since you bought them, of course they’ll be given in your name,” Shang Shiqian said. “What time do you finish work tomorrow? Maybe I can pick you up after work?”

Wei Yixian fell silent for a moment before answering, “I have to go back to the Wei family tomorrow.”

It had been so long since Wei Yixian last mentioned the Wei family that Shang Shiqian had almost forgotten she was part of it.

Shang Shiqian said, “Tomorrow’s Friday. You might not work over the weekend, so I’ll have to wait until Monday to pick you up after work.”

Wei Yixian smiled. “.Alright.”

The next day.

Another rainy day.

After Shang Shiqian left the house, Wei Yixian changed into a black formal dress and returned to the Wei family.

The Wei family owned numerous properties, but after Wei Da took control, he acquired a luxury mansion in the affluent district of the city’s eastern downtown.

This luxury mansion covers only 7 acres, which can’t compare to Wei Yixian’s villa in Tianhao Garden, but its geographical location and supporting facilities are something Tianhao Garden can’t match.

Not far from here is Linjiang Port, the landmark attraction of Dongcheng.

This area was once a tidal flat, later developed into a harbor and dock lined with commercial firms, where half of Dongcheng’s wealth converged.

Later, to transform Dongcheng into an international metropolis, the old docks were relocated.

It then became a tourist attraction and a harbor for the yachts and cruise ships of the wealthy.

Surrounded by commercial buildings, it’s just separated from Dongcheng’s CBD by a river.

Each villa here starts at a minimum of 300 million yuan, with the crown jewel being the Wei family’s mansion, valued at 980 million.

Every villa here has a unique architectural style. The Wei family’s mansion is in British Georgian style, with a single-floor area reaching 1,500 square meters.

Before Wei Da passed away, besides his immediate family, over a dozen relatives from his nephews’ and nieces’ families also lived here.

After his death, his will granted them the right to continue residing here.

Wei Yixian moved out of the Wei family home precisely to avoid seeing them every day.

When Wei Yixian returned to the Wei family home, a large crowd of media reporters had already gathered at the entrance.

They recognized Wei Yixian’s car and frantically pressed their shutters, not missing any opportunity to capture her face.

If they could capture the scene of the Wei siblings’ conflict today, their trending headlines would be guaranteed.

A rookie entertainment reporter asked, “Isn’t Wei Yixian firmly seated as the crown princess? Can there still be a fight?”

A veteran entertainment reporter replied, “As long as Wei Yongkun hasn’t made a will and hasn’t divided the assets, her position as crown princess isn’t secure. Just like back then, when Wei Da passed away, even with a will, Wei Yongkun and his brothers still fought several lawsuits!”

Now, everyone considers Wei Yixian the heir of the Wei family, primarily because she serves as the president and CEO of the Wei Group.

Secondly, she had previously acquired a significant number of shares through other channels and now holds 5.3% of the Wei Group’s equity.

More crucially, several key companies affiliated with the Wei Group are directly or indirectly under her control.

“To put it simply, she has allies in the cabinet, and several of the six ministers are her people.

For the emperor to ensure smooth governance, he must keep her stable. Otherwise, if she rebels, the court will collapse.

But for the other princes and princesses, beyond the six ministries, there are still the Hanlin Academy and the Nine Courts and Five Directorates, they can still vie for their support.

As for whether the court will fall apart if she rebels, that depends on whether they want to be emperors ruling a unified realm or warlords carving out their own territories.”

The rookie entertainment reporter said, “I thought her position as heir was very secure.”

“If Shang Si hadn’t died, with the Shang family backing her, her position as crown princess would indeed be secure.”

Another person remarked sarcastically, “Who told her to prefer beauty over power back then!”

“Speaking of beauty, I think I just saw Yin Zaishui.”

–

“Xiao Shang, heading back?”

The administrator greeted Shang Shiqian as usual when she went to the locker to retrieve her backpack.

“Yes, Teacher Lin.”

The administrator pointed toward the lobby and said, “Your friend is here to see you again, waiting outside.”

Shang Shiqian’s heart leaped with excitement.

Without even wearing a mask, she grabbed her backpack, bid a hasty farewell to the administrator, and walked out of the Go Room.

Upon reaching the lobby, she saw her younger sister instead.

“Shang Xiaowu.”

“What’s with that expression? Disappointed to see me?” Shang Shidai pouted.

Shang Shiqian smiled and said, “Not disappointed at all. It’s nice to see you too.”

Shang Xiaowu muttered, “The way you say that makes it sound like.”

She narrowed her eyes, “Were you expecting someone else? Wei Yixian?”

Shang Shiqian didn’t answer and instead asked, “Why do you have time to come here again today?”

Shang Xiaowu replied, “Tomorrow is East City University’s graduation ceremony.”

“You didn’t graduate from East City University. What does the ceremony have to do with you?”

“Li Xiao’s girlfriend is hosting the graduation ceremony. Li Xiao came to accompany her for the rehearsal and also to rent a venue from the university to shoot a short drama. She said the Treasure Pavilion was donated by our family, so I might have some influence, and dragged me along.”

Shang Xiaowu paused mid-sentence and steered the conversation back, “Oh, you’re changing the subject. The person you were really hoping to see was Wei Yixian, wasn’t it?”

Shang Shiqian: …

She hadn’t expected Shang Xiaowu to be so sharp.

Shang Xiaowu snorted and said, “Last time, you confidently told me Wei Yixian and Yin Zaishui weren’t rekindling their old flame. From what I see, you’re just lovestruck and being fooled by Wei Yixian!”

Shang Shiqian was baffled, “What do you mean?”

Shang Xiaowu said, “You don’t know yet? Today is the anniversary of Old Man Wei Da’s death. The Wei family held a memorial event, and Yin Zaishui attended too.”

Shang Shiqian blinked. Wei Yixian hadn’t told her it was Wei Da’s death anniversary, so she truly hadn’t known.

Thinking she didn’t believe it, Shang Xiaowu took out her phone and opened LeDou.

Given the Wei family’s inheritance battles and the scandals involving its members, they were a constant source of gossip that fueled public curiosity, making them regulars in entertainment headlines.

Many people followed them closely, and videos and photos from the memorial event held that morning were already circulating by the afternoon.

Moreover, plenty knew Shang Xiaowu disliked Wei Yixian, so many sent her the videos, eager to stir up drama.

Little did they know Shang Xiaowu had grown indifferent to such matters.

What did it matter to her if Wei Yixian and Yin Zaishui were involved?

Thinking this had a lot to do with Shang Shiyu, she decided to come and comfort her, while also making Shang Shiyu see Wei Yixian’s true colors.

Seeing Shang Shiqian remain silent, Shang Xiaowu said in frustration, “If I were you, I’d have some pride and leave Wei Yixian’s house.”

After a moment of thought, Shang Shiqian said, “You’re right.”

But not because Yin Zaishui attended Wei Da’s memorial. It was because she had noticed her feelings for Wei Yixian changing recently.

As Shang Xiaowu had pointed out, she had indeed hoped Wei Yixian would appear like yesterday.

For a fleeting moment, she had even mentally planned their date for today.

Previously, she hadn’t denied Shang Xiaowu’s guess that she liked Wei Yixian because there were many types of affection romantic love, familial love, friendship…

But today’s anticipation clearly crossed the boundaries of friendship and family.

She needed to figure out exactly what her feelings for Wei Yixian were.

Wei Yixian was the first person she had encountered since her rebirth, the only clear and familiar landmark in this strange new world she found herself in.

Wei Yixian’s presence soothed her restless heart remarkably well.

After nearly a month of living together day and night, she wasn’t sure if what she felt for Wei Yixian was akin to imprinting behavior (like a baby bird’s attachment), the thrill of the suspension bridge effect, or if she had genuinely fallen for Wei Yixian.

Perhaps some time apart would help her understand her own heart better.

Shang Xiaowu had assumed Shang Shiyu was stubborn and that persuading her would take a lot of effort. To her surprise, Shang Shiyu agreed with her reasoning the moment she spoke.

This left Shang Xiaowu momentarily stunned.

At the same time, she felt a twinge of guilt was she driving a wedge between the little stand-in and Wei Yixian’s relationship?

But she truly didn’t want Shang Shiyu to become a substitute for Wei Yixian’s own sister in his heart.

She asked, “Do you have a place to stay after moving out? Do you need me to help arrange something?”

Shang Shiqian chuckled, “Do you have a place outside?”

“No, but I have plenty of friends!”

Shang Shiqian shook her head. “I have somewhere to stay.”

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