Time Travel Begins the Moment I Divorce My Wife - Chapter 20.1

After bidding farewell to “Ultraman No Light,” Ji Xunchi received a glowing review.

“Big sis, you acted so convincingly! Our teacher didn’t suspect a thing,” said the girl whose username was Ultraman No Light, looking up at her with her backpack slung over her shoulder.

Ji Xunchi tossed her hair and grinned at the little girl who had dared to use her allowance to hire someone to fool her teacher. “Of course! My acting skills were taught by professionals. Handling a simple parent-teacher meeting was a piece of cake.”

The precocious child pulled out her phone. “Big sis, I’ll transfer the remaining balance to you.”

After Ji Xunchi accepted the payment, the girl added, “Big sis, are you free tomorrow afternoon around this time?”

Ji Xunchi raised an eyebrow. “What’s up? Got another job for me?”

The girl nodded, her voice sweet and childish. “My cousin also has a parent-teacher meeting, but she doesn’t get along with her dad, so she wants to hire someone to go in his place.”

Ji Xunchi quickly checked her schedule for the next day and realized she could take the afternoon off. She agreed immediately.

“Great! Send me her contact info.”

She clicked on the digital business card the girl forwarded, added a note, and sent a friend request. The other party accepted almost instantly.

Ji Xunchi sent a quick greeting message, then waved at the girl with the backpack. “Head home early, okay? Bye!”

“Bye, big sis!”

On the bus, Ji Xunchi glanced at her phone.

[L: Yingying says you’re really good at impersonating parents?]

[Butterfly of Flowers: A master’s guidance makes for a skilled apprentice. You can trust my acting 100%.]

[L: I don’t really care about your acting. What I want to know is how strong your mental fortitude is.]

Ji Xunchi: “?”

[Butterfly of Flowers: How about above-average?]

Having endured countless absurd script rewrites on set due to actors’ petty squabbles, Ji Xunchi considered her workplace-honed mental resilience pretty solid.

[L: Since you’re so confident, come tomorrow afternoon.]

[L: Transfer: 1000]

[Butterfly of Flowers: You don’t have to pay it all upfront just a deposit is fine.]

[L: This is the deposit + startup funds. Use it to buy some gear.]

[Butterfly of Flowers: ?]

[L: I’m in ninth grade. Yingying said you’re in high school. If you’re playing my elder, you’ll need to look more mature. Go buy some props.]

[L: Don’t worry, I’m generous. If you meet my conditions, one job with me will be worth ten of Yingying’s gigs.]

Ten gigs?

Ji Xunchi did the math and decided this one job could be her last.

She typed rapidly.

[Butterfly of Flowers: Deal!]

Ever the professional, Ji Xunchi spent the evening scouring the internet for advice.

After reading up on common adolescent issues and teacher-handling strategies, she felt fully prepared and began assembling her disguise.

That’s right! The silicone chest and hip pads she’d bought recently, plus the wig she’d picked up on her way home.

A light brown, wavy wig that instantly multiplied her mature charm.

L had asked for “as mature and glamorous as possible,” so sophisticated and alluring had to be close enough.

[Strawberry Tip: Close to what?]

Upon seeing the message, Ji Xunchi realized she had accidentally spoken her inner thoughts aloud.

She quickly glanced at the beginning of the next story collection she was about to read and tried to cover it up: “I was saying that this story’s ending is surprisingly bordering on heartwarming.”

【Strawberry Tip: ……】

Hua Jiangyu flipped through the book in her hands and fell silent when she saw the ending of the story: “Xiao Hong was furious and strangled and crushed the unfaithful and disloyal Xiao Shuai.”

【Strawberry Tip: Isn’t our relationship nearing its two-month expiration date?】

Ji Xunchi didn’t know why she suddenly brought this up: “Yes, there are ten days left.”

Ten days.

Hua Jiangyu’s eyes lingered on the words “unfaithful and disloyal” at the end of the page.

【Strawberry Tip: Do you think what we have is a normal relationship?】

Of course not!

But Ji Xunchi thought about how the original owner of this body would answer.

“Perhaps we’re on the path to finding the right kind of love.”

A vague response that seemed to answer the question while actually dodging it.

【Strawberry Tip: You’re still not being sincere, even now.】

Hua Jiangyu pointed it out bluntly, a mocking smile curling at the corners of her lips.

But it didn’t matter, she had long stopped expecting anything from a liar.

Ji Xunchi raised an eyebrow, surprised that Strawberry Tip had chosen to confront the issue tonight.

This didn’t seem like her usual style.

Ji Xunchi had assumed the other woman would treat her as nothing more than a custom voice actor, coldly dropping a “We’re breaking up” at the end of the contract period before deleting and blocking her in one swift move.

After all, judging by the subtle clues, Strawberry Tip’s sleep quality had been pretty good lately.

But since the other party had already accelerated the process to this point, how could Ji Xunchi not play along?

By now, maintaining the original owner’s persona came naturally to her.

Ji Xunchi feigned ignorance: “I don’t know what you mean?”

【Strawberry Tip: No need to pretend. You’re just a fraud.】

Suppressing a laugh, Ji Xunchi adopted a sorrowful tone: “I don’t understand why you’d say that? If I were a fraud, why would you have kept up with me for so long?”

For some reason, this struck a nerve with Hua Jiangyu. Remembering the brief emotional turmoil she had felt after realizing she’d misjudged the situation, her face flushed red.

【Strawberry Tip: I had too much free time and nothing better to do.】

【Strawberry Tip: Listen, sis, I’m calling you out tonight because I don’t want to keep up this act anymore. But don’t worry, I won’t ask for the gifts or money I sent you back.】

【Strawberry Tip: Money can’t buy happiness, so let’s just end things here.】

Hua Jiangyu didn’t need to think hard to guess why Paradise was being stubborn either she was reluctant to lose her cash cow or worried about being asked to return the money.

By stating her intentions upfront, Hua Jiangyu hoped Paradise would take the hint and part ways amicably. She had no desire to drag things out.

But if the other party insisted on clinging on, Hua Jiangyu wouldn’t hold back.

For a fraud like this, nothing was more effective than exposing the truth within their circle.

Ji Xunchi stroked her chin, surprised by Strawberry Tip’s generosity.

“You’re not about to delete me next, are you?”

Hua Jiangyu, who had been about to enter her profile to delete and block her, paused.

Ji Xunchi’s eyes curved into a smile, her heart fluttering with barely contained excitement, though she kept her voice deliberately tinged with reluctance: “Don’t delete me yet. Wait two days by the afternoon after tomorrow at the latest. I’ll transfer some things to you first, then you can delete me.”

By then, we’ll block and delete each other in one swift move, going our separate ways forever, never bothering each other again.

Hua Jiangyu hesitated for two seconds.

She detected no malice in Strawberry Tip’s words. Considering the complex emotions she’d harbored toward this person before, Hua Jiangyu decided to trust her just this once.

[Strawberry Tip: No later than the afternoon after tomorrow.]

Ji Xunchi relaxed slightly. “Don’t worry, I keep my promises.”

“You’re taking leave again?”

Jiang Yu eyed Ji Xunchi suspiciously. “Two days in a row? What for?”

Ji Xunchi slung her jacket over her shoulder and grabbed her backpack, tossing out, “Going to work off a debt!” before briskly slipping away before the next teacher arrived.

Jiang Yu called after her but failed to stop her.

Last night, Zhou Qingyi had asked for Ji Xunchi’s WeChat. Jiang Yu hadn’t given it, saying she’d ask Ji Xunchi first, but she’d forgotten all morning and only remembered just as Ji Xunchi left.

Twirling her pen, she muttered to herself, “Zhou Qingyi wanted it? If she really did, she would’ve asked for it herself that day.”

So was she asking for someone else?

But who?

Without even needing a second guess, Jiang Yu absentmindedly nibbled on her pen, grinning to herself.

Before heading to L’s school, Ji Xunchi made a quick detour home. She swiftly changed into her outfit and, while Grandma Ji was napping in the bedroom, tiptoed out the door with exaggerated caution.

The moment she stepped out of the neighborhood, her posture straightened, her demeanor transforming entirely mature, alluring, radiant, and confident.

After hailing a cab to the middle school gate, Ji Xunchi lowered her sunglasses and scanned the crowd outside the school before texting L.

[Flower Butterfly: Where are you? I’m here.]

[L: Are you the one in the red dress and sunglasses? I’m diagonally behind you.]

Ji Xunchi turned around.

Under the shade of a tree to her left stood a girl in a school uniform, arms crossed, exuding a somewhat aloof vibe.

Sun Xiangnan approached, sizing Ji Xunchi up. “Damn, sis, you’ve got a killer figure.”

Her eyes narrowed skeptically. “Are you really a high schooler?”

Since when do high schoolers look this good?

Ji Xunchi: “You’re L?”

“Don’t underestimate high schoolers.” Ji Xunchi flashed a smile, her bold red lips striking under the sunlight. She adjusted her sunglasses, exuding effortless cool. “Today, I’ll make sure you get more than your money’s worth.”

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