The Cannon Fodder Ex-Wife Changes to Take the Black Moonlight Script - Chapter 78

Shang Shiqian was going to have dinner with Xiao Luomeng in the evening. Taking advantage of Wei Yixian’s return, she informed her.

Wei Yixian didn’t object, nor did she ask to tag along. She only reminded Shang Shiqian to choose a restaurant with a good environment and high safety standards.

Shang Shiqian wasn’t sure which restaurants met those criteria, so in the end, Pu Feifei pulled out a directory of all the restaurants in East City for her to peruse.

She picked one where the per-person cost didn’t exceed a thousand yuan.

Wei Yixian, unusually, offered to help her choose, but Shang Shiqian declined: “Your spending level is different from ours. I’m afraid my wallet can’t handle it.”

Wei Yixian: “…”

Her face darkened as she snorted. “When we go out to eat, I don’t see you putting this much effort into picking a restaurant.”

Shang Shiqian felt wronged.

Every time she went out to eat with Wei Yixian, wasn’t it Wei Yixian who made the decision and took her there directly?

There had never been a moment where she needed to participate in choosing a restaurant.

But for the sake of domestic harmony, she swallowed those words.

Instead, she said, “That depends on whether President Wei would grace me with the opportunity to invite you to dinner.”

Since the two of them officially got together, Shang Shiqian’s way with words had improved considerably.

The corners of Wei Yixian’s lips lifted slightly as she pulled out her phone and sent Shang Shiqian a copy of her schedule. “I don’t have any drinking engagements these few evenings.”

Shang Shiqian glanced at it, only Wednesday and Friday nights had drinking events.

Wei Yixian casually mentioned the nature of these gatherings: “Wednesday is just a private dinner with a few friends. Friday is a company management drinking event. I’ll leave after a couple of drinks.”

At company drinking events, it was usually the superiors who pressured others to drink, while subordinates had no choice but to indulge.

But Wei Yixian was already the CEO and president of the group, no one dared to pressure her into drinking.

Shang Shiqian faintly detected a certain expectation in her tone. After a moment’s thought, she asked, “When the drinking event ends, do you want me to pick you up?”

Wei Yixian’s mood was somewhat complicated. Shang Shiqian, as a girlfriend, was much more considerate than Shang Shiqian as a wife had been.

She kissed Shang Shiqian’s lips. “I’ll call you when I’m about to finish.”

Shang Shiqian licked her lips, savoring the kiss, and replied, “I’ll give you an answer tonight.”

Dinner plans weren’t just about eating, the act itself was essentially a date.

She needed enough time to prepare for the date, so she couldn’t casually decide on a day just yet.

Wei Yixian didn’t rush her either.

After resting together for half an hour, Wei Yixian returned to the office.

–

That evening, Shang Shiqian arrived at the reserved restaurant first.

About ten minutes later, Xiao Luomeng showed up and sat directly across from her. “Not too early, not too late, just on time.”

She didn’t stand on ceremony with Shang Shiqian, and Shang Shiqian didn’t bother with unnecessary small talk either. Instead, she asked, “What would you like to eat, Sister Xiaomeng?”

“Anything’s fine, as long as the portions are big.”

The server recommended a few dishes, and after confirming she could finish them, Xiao Luomeng ordered them all.

While waiting for the food, Shang Shiqian chatted with her to catch up.

Xiao Luomeng said, “Don’t worry about causing me trouble. Because of my act of bravery and my usual outstanding work performance, not only am I getting a promotion, but I’ve also been recommended for an individual excellence award.”

In early July, the Forestry Bureau had opened public recruitment.

Aside from new hires, there were also changes in titles and positions for existing staff.

Lately, aside from dealing with various inspections and research from higher-ups, she had been busy with her promotion.

She had only been officially employed for two years, so being nominated for an “Outstanding Individual” award was something that normally wouldn’t have come her way.

In the past, those who received such honors were invariably senior engineers, researchers, or section chiefs who had worked for many years.

Thus, she knew very well that her current nomination was likely the Shang family’s way of repaying her for successfully preventing Shang Xiaowu from unknowingly consuming popping candy.

Of course, Wei Yixian’s influence had also played a significant role.

The purpose was naturally to thank her for appearing in time that night to save “Shang Shiyu” from being assaulted by a drunkard.

After her promotion, her duties shifted to a supervisory role, meaning she would have much less fieldwork.

After discussing her recent situation, Xiao Luomeng brought up another matter: “A few days ago, Shang Shixing came to see me.”

Shang Shiqian waited quietly for her to continue.

Seeing Shang Shiqian’s indifferent reaction, Xiao Luomeng explained how the dashcam had recorded their first encounter and how she had later handed the footage over to Shang Shixing.

Shang Shiqian suddenly understood.

No wonder her eldest sister had been so certain she was Shang Shiqian there had been so much evidence she hadn’t been aware of.

Xiao Luomeng had shared all this with Shang Shiqian because she wanted to know one thing, who exactly was “Shang Shiyu”?

She thought Sun Wei’s choice to feign ignorance was wise, as this matter had indeed entangled both the Shang family and Wei Yixian. As someone who had personally experienced it, the mystery in her mind only grew deeper.

But pretending not to know was something she couldn’t bring herself to do.

The last time “Shang Shiyu” had been attacked by a drunkard, they later learned it might have been because Wei Yixian had offended someone, leading to her being targeted. Xiao Luomeng couldn’t help but feel this bore an eerie resemblance to what had happened to Shang Shiqian.

Sun Wei joked that perhaps Wei Yixian was simply fated to bring misfortune to her partners.

Xiao Luomeng said, “I don’t believe in fate. Wei Yixian has only had three relationships in all these years. When she was dating Yin Zaishui, everything was peaceful nothing happened to Yin Zaishui. Then she married Shang Shiqian, and Shang Shiqian died. Shang Shiyu is Wei Yixian’s lover, and she nearly met with disaster too.”

Sun Wei added, “Maybe Yin Zaishui’s birth chart was just more compatible with Wei Yixian’s.”

Xiao Luomeng: “Master, you’re a police officer. Can you stop with all this superstitious nonsense?”

“Then what’s your brilliant theory, ‘Officer’ Xiao?”

Xiao Luomeng said, “I’ve thought about it and realized that when she was dating Yin Zaishui, she had defied Wei Yongkun, and the Wei family didn’t even hold a coming-of-age ceremony for her. The outside world saw her as having no hope in the succession battle.

“After she married Shang Shiqian, Wei Yongkun smoothly took control of the Wei Group, and she suddenly became the most promising candidate to succeed him. Not long after, Shang Shiqian died.

“This year, Wei Yixian fought her way back through her own efforts and became the publicly acknowledged heir to the Wei family. Then her lover, Shang Shiyu, was attacked.”

Sun Wei asked, “What are you trying to say?”

“Was Chen Baoming’s reason for killing Shang Shiqian really just because he thought Wei Yixian had been wronged?”

Sun Wei couldn’t help but pull out a cigarette and light it. “His motive was very clear. You have to understand, back then, the Criminal Investigation Division, the Public Security Division even experts from other regions were called in. It took repeated investigations to uncover the truth.”

Xiao Luomeng said, “I don’t doubt his motives. I’m just wondering why he unilaterally believed that Shang Shiqian was the one who wronged Wei Yixian. Could there have been someone else inciting him?”

Sun Wei replied, “That aspect was thoroughly investigated during the case back then. It was mostly those baseless rumors online that misled him, along with his activity in various alumni groups, gossip circles, and places related to Wei Yixian.”

“Plus, his mental illness made him more prone to fixating on things, leading to extreme behavior.”

“As you know, we investigated those people and found they were just idle chatterers who never considered the consequences of their words. There was no evidence of deliberate incitement to crime.”

Xiao Luomeng couldn’t quite articulate her unease.

But she understood she lacked sufficient evidence to support her suspicions.

Connecting Shang Shiyu’s assault to some hidden truth about Shang Shiqian’s murder case years ago would be too far-fetched, so she decided not to mention it to others.

“Xiao Meng-jie? If you don’t start eating, the food will get cold.”

Shang Shiqian noticed Xiao Luomeng had been spacing out ever since mentioning the dashcam footage.

She often zoned out too, so she hadn’t interrupted.

But seeing the food growing cold while Xiao Luomeng remained distracted, she finally spoke up.

Xiao Luomeng snapped back to attention and asked between bites, “You wouldn’t happen to be from the Shang family, would you?”

Shang Shiqian paused her chopsticks. “Most likely.”

Xiao Luomeng didn’t doubt her honesty on this matter.

Had she been suspicious, she wouldn’t be sitting here peacefully having dinner tonight.

“How old are you now?”

“Twenty-two,” Shang Shiqian answered.

She’d died at twenty-one. When she came back, her body remained twenty-one, with no memories of the intervening eight years. Physically and mentally, she was still twenty-one no, wait, her birthday had passed recently. Twenty-two now.

Xiao Luomeng thought: What kind of genetics does the Shang family have? To produce two children eight years apart who look identical?

After dinner, with no further topics between them, Shang Shiqian and Xiao Luomeng went their separate ways.

Stepping out of the restaurant, Shang Shiqian suddenly received a call from Shang Shixing.

“Big sis, have you eaten?”

On the other end, Shang Shixing’s cheerful voice came through: “Just finished.”

“Me too.”

Hearing background noise, Shang Shixing asked, “You ate out?”

“Yeah, with friends.”

“Do you have people with you?”

Knowing her sister’s concern, Shang Shiqian said, “The two bodyguards A-Hang arranged are literally one meter away. Don’t worry.”

The mentioned Chu Fei and Ying Jia pretended not to hear.

Shang Shixing fell silent for two seconds at the “A-Hang” endearment before choosing to ignore it.

“When are you coming home?”

Shang Shiqian countered, “Did the paternity results come back that fast?”

“Whether there’s a report or not, you’re my sister.”

Shang Shiqian’s eyes welled up.

She stepped aside, signaling Chu Fei and Ying Jia not to follow, then lowered her voice. “Does Grandma know yet?”

“I haven’t told them.” Shang Shixing hesitated before asking tentatively, “Do you want me to tell them?”

Shang Shiqian paused uncertainly.

Her grandmother and grandfather were in their seventies. Although they had annual check-ups and the family had signed up for a family doctor, as they aged, chronic illnesses began to creep in.

She feared that in two years, they would have to endure the pain of losing her all over again, and her grandmother might not be able to bear it.

Shang Shiqian’s hesitation only confirmed Shang Shixing’s suspicion that her younger sister had other concerns.

She took a deep breath: “Xiao Qian, be honest with me. Is there a chance you might leave again after coming back this time?”

Shang Shiqian was startled, her scalp tingling.

Her eldest sister truly lived up to her reputation as a highly intelligent person, she had guessed it.

She hadn’t planned to tell her sister so soon, but since the latter had already figured it out, it was better to give her a definite deadline rather than let her suffer the agony of another sudden separation.

After careful consideration, she said, “At the very least, I won’t leave within these two years.”

Shang Shixing clenched her phone. Her heart felt split in two, one half sinking into silence at the thought of Shang Shiqian leaving again, while the other half stirred back to life at the promise of those two years.

“Why two years?”

Why could Xiao Qian provide such a precise deadline?

And why say “at the very least”?

Was there a way to extend the time?

In an instant, countless thoughts raced through Shang Shixing’s mind.

But Shang Shiqian couldn’t explain.

If she said she had to win Wei Yixian’s affection and gain his Love Points to extend her life, her family might very well do something drastic to Wei Yixian.

She awkwardly changed the subject: “Eldest Sister, this is the first time I’ve realized how impossible it is to get by without an ID card!”

Shang Shixing: “…”

Knowing her sister didn’t want to elaborate, Shang Shixing didn’t press further.

There would be time. She would eventually uncover the secret behind her sister’s resurrection.

Shang Shixing asked, “Do you want to restore your identity?”

Shang Shiqian refused without hesitation: “Better not. It’s too hard to explain. I’m afraid I’d get taken away for dissection.”

Though it was a pity she couldn’t live under her original identity, sometimes you had to give up something to gain something else.

“I understand.”

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