The Female Lead Insists on Being My Wife [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Stealing the Wife in a Stand-in Novel (Part 11)

Those reports had even been categorized by Shen Chuli, with every date recorded in great detail. Pressing down Chen Suihe’s curious head, Shen Chuli helped her export the files.

“How do you want to say it?” she asked.

In truth, Chen Suihe didn’t know how to write it either. In the past, leave aside whether she would have dared; even if she had posted it, whether anyone would believe her would have been a massive question mark. But now, it was a case of everyone pushing over a falling wall with Xu Hao.

After a long while, Chen Suihe looked up: “Write… the truth.”

She took the laptop to the side and typed for a long time. The document was densely packed not just with evidence, but with the journey of her heart.

“Once, I thought this was just how my life would be.”

“At the very beginning, I hoped someone would save me, or that he would quickly find someone else. Fine, the truth is I was too weak; I didn’t dare resist Xu Hao, who back then seemed like a mountain pressing down so hard I couldn’t breathe.”

“I thought about ending it all, but I wasn’t willing to go like that. I wanted to turn to ash with him, to perish together.”

“Why should he be allowed to ruin my life yet continue living in this world with a clear conscience?”

Shen Chuli browsed the self-narrative in silence, her heart aching uncontrollably. She stole a glance at Chen Suihe, who was playing a mini-game, before suppressing the bitterness in her soul.

“But someone pulled me back. I am very lucky.” Chen Suihe wrote at the very end.

Shen Chuli volunteered to post it for her. Because it was sent from Shen Chuli’s account, Chen Suihe couldn’t see the private messages, so she kept running over every few minutes to ask how it was going.

Shen Chuli held her head still: “Check it tomorrow. Mom is throwing you a graduation banquet, did you know?”

“Graduation banquet?” Chen Suihe was stunned. “This… throwing a banquet… for me? Isn’t that… usually for… parents to do for… their children?”

Seeing Chen Suihe’s face turn red with conflict for the first time in a while, Shen Chuli intentionally teased her to distract her: “What, you don’t see Mom as family?”

“Of course not!” Chen Suihe denied flatly, covering Shen Chuli’s mouth. “Auntie is so good to me, how could I not see them as family!”

“It’s just…” Chen Suihe hesitated, her ears turning bright red. “I don’t know… how to… accept it.”

Shen Chuli laughed. Although Chen Suihe got along great with the elder Shens, there was still a hurdle in her heart she couldn’t quite cross. Shen Chuli leaned in and whispered something in her ear, earning a reproachful glare from Chen Suihe, who then ran away with a flushed face.

Once she left, the smile on Shen Chuli’s face faded. Her mouse refreshed the trending searches, monitoring the direction of public opinion every second.

No matter how conflicted Chen Suihe felt, the next day arrived. Mother Shen woke her up early and sent her to a professional makeup team. Chen Suihe wasn’t fully awake yet; her eyes were squinted as she dozed off, her head swaying like a little Antarctic penguin.

When Shen Chuli came over, a thin layer of foundation had already been applied to the girl’s face. Seeing her wobbling from sleepiness, Shen Chuli walked over, picked her up, and sat her in her own lap to hold her steady for the makeup artist.

By the time Chen Suihe was fully awake, it was nearly noon.

“Awake?” Shen Chuli smiled at the exquisitely dressed person in the mirror. “Hurry up and change. The guests have arrived.”

Guests?

Chen Suihe’s eyes widened. “What… guests?”

She was confused. She had always thought it was just a small gathering with Shen’s parents and Shen Chuli. Where did these guests come from?!

“Mom started preparing before your exams,” Shen Chuli said, minding the makeup as she restrained herself to a light pinch on the cheek. “I went abroad back then, so just consider this as helping me fulfill her wish.”

Hearing this, Chen Suihe nodded. She had always wanted to ask why Shen Chuli went abroad. Most of the gossip she’d heard claimed it was for studies, but that was just groundless rumor; it wasn’t as certain as hearing it from the person herself.

Before she could speak, Mother Shen knocked and entered with a smile. She was dressed very elegantly today, wearing a qipao as a symbolic wish for Chen Suihe’s success. Seeing Chen Suihe’s appearance, Mother Shen’s eyes lit up, and she stepped forward to take her hand: “Xiao He is so beautiful today!”

After all this time, Chen Suihe was still not used to such blunt praise: “Au… Auntie… too.”

Mother Shen smiled, looking Chen Suihe up and down before finally letting her go to change. As the dressing room door closed, Mother Shen looked at Shen Chuli.

Shen Chuli was still in her professional suit. If there was anything different, it was the ruby brooch pinned to her chest, and her pocket looked bulged as if it held something. Mother Shen had sharp eyes; one glance was enough for her to know.

“If she isn’t willing, you cannot force her,” Mother Shen instructed.

Shen Chuli smiled at the words: “I won’t force her, but she will be willing.”

Looking at her smile, Mother Shen shook her head; the words of dissuasion circled her lips and were swallowed back down.

“Accompany her down in a bit; she’s shy,” Shen Chuli stood up. “I’m going down first.”

When she finished changing and came out, Chen Suihe panicked slightly at not seeing Shen Chuli. Fortunately, Mother Shen stepped forward in time and took her hand, tucking it into her arm.

“You are the most beautiful girl today, don’t be nervous,” Mother Shen comforted her softly. “Chuli will be watching you from below.”

On the spiral staircase, Chen Suihe held Mother Shen’s hand, descending step by step. Her eyes instinctively searched the crowd for Shen Chuli. Mother Shen wasn’t lying; in just a moment, she spotted her. Shen Chuli gave her a small smile, which settled the unease in her heart.

In the crowd, people whispered: “Who is this girl? The Shen family threw a graduation banquet just for her.”

“I don’t know. Did you see the invitation? Father, Mother, and the Eldest Miss Shen invited her personally.”

Most of those who received invitations were business partners or people of the same social strata. They racked their brains trying to recall anything about the Shen family to decode Chen Suihe’s identity.

Mother Shen didn’t elaborate on Chen Suihe’s identity. Once the opening remarks were over, she left Chen Suihe to find Shen Chuli. Chen Suihe lifted her cumbersome long skirt, wove through the crowd, and grabbed Shen Chuli’s hand. Only by her side did she feel safe.

The socialites in the ballroom chatted on the surface, but in reality, everyone was keeping a sharp eye on their every move. Shen Chuli reached out to tuck a stray lock of hair behind the girl’s shoulder and pulled a square box from her pocket.

Chen Suihe held the box, puzzled. “Open it and see.”

Under Shen Chuli’s prompting, Chen Suihe opened the box. The moment people saw the red velvet box, they assumed it must be a ring. Before they could even be shocked that the Shen heiress had “turned,” they saw Chen Suihe take out a key.

“A home for you,” Shen Chuli looked at her, her eyes filled with an intensity of affection. “The interior isn’t decorated yet. When you have time, go check it out and decorate it however you like, okay?”

Holding that string of keys, pea-sized tears rolled down Chen Suihe’s face.

A home.

This had been her wish since childhood. Although she didn’t go hungry or cold in the orphanage, everyone lived in one room. That small bed was slept in by turns; nothing truly belonged solely to her.

“I love it!” Ignoring her makeup, Chen Suihe lunged into Shen Chuli’s arms. “Thank you.”

Shen Chuli had gambled that Chen Suihe would love this gift. Seeing the gift clearly, Mother Shen was actually a bit surprised. Like the guests, she had thought it would be a ring to tie Chen Suihe to her daughter’s side forever.

“Mrs. Shen,” a lady she knew walked over and inquired softly: “Who is this girl? For you all to arrange such a grand event.”

“The person Chuli loves,” Mother Shen smiled and clinked glasses with her. “And also my other daughter.”

Having cried her face messy in front of everyone, Chen Suihe felt embarrassed and refused to go back down once she went upstairs. Mother Shen didn’t push her; she gave Shen Chuli a few instructions and went down to host the guests.

Watching her mother leave, Shen Chuli turned to Chen Suihe, who had already washed her face clean, and said temptingly: “Want to sneak out together?”

Sneak out? Chen Suihe thought of the guests downstairs and felt conflicted.

“Let’s go, let’s run together,” Shen Chuli stood up and reached out to her. “Let’s elope.”

Hearing her talking nonsense again, Chen Suihe slapped her playfully, but eventually placed her hand in the woman’s palm. The cumbersome gown was shed and replaced with comfortable sneakers. Shen Chuli took the girl she loved and “eloped” from her own graduation banquet.

Hearing the roar of the sports car, Mother Shen realized what she had planned, but it was too late. She shook her head with a helpless smile and let them go.

Although the banquet started at noon, by the time they got out, it was already afternoon. Shen Chuli took her wandering through the streets, accompanying her as she bought many small, trivial items. As they walked, the lights of the city began to flicker on. The orange sunset draped the street in a veil, looking exceptionally beautiful.

“Don’t move.” Shen Chuli held up her phone and snapped a quick photo of Chen Suihe. In the photo, Chen Suihe’s face was full of smiles, without a trace of bitterness, depression, or sadness.

Today, Chen Suihe was very happy. In one day, she gained a home and a wealth of love. Lying in bed that night, she toyed with the keys as if they were rare treasures, her dreams filled with plans for her home.

Tonight, someone was bound to lose sleep. The matters regarding the “Garden” slowly climbed the trending searches, being exposed to the public. Alongside Chen Suihe’s long, narrative Weibo post, Sherlock-like netizens discovered connections through minute clues.

Using Xu Hao’s name as cover, Li Meng had already temporarily left the Garden and was staying in one of Shen Chuli’s properties.

“Can we release the evidence now?” She stared tensely at the climbing trending searches, her whole body trembling with excitement.

“Wait a little longer,” Shen Chuli said. “Let’s see how your ‘Father’ deals with it this time.”

Support The Female Lead Insists on Being My Wife [Quick Transmigration]