Transmigrated as the CEO's Top-Tier Stand-in - Chapter 64

Chapter 64

Meng Rendong’s embrace was very warm, almost instantly driving away the chill Ji Yu had acquired while standing in the alley. This hug should have been somewhat overbearing and dominant, yet Ji Yu could only feel a trembling born of terror in her actions.

She moved her lips, and a strong, almost explosive emotion surged in her heart, but in the end, Ji Yu only raised her hands very lightly and grasped the hem of Meng Rendong’s shirt at her sides.

This was the biggest action she could offer.

She lowered her eyes, her gaze fixed on the shirt Meng Rendong was wearing, noticing a slight crease mark on the collar.

In the past, Meng Rendong would never have such an oversight. She was always neat and clean; whether in person or in attire, she always gave the impression of a noble celestial being.

And this kind of hurried rush…

It was all because of her.

Moreover, thinking of the connection between the other person and Si Tian, Ji Yu’s grip on the corner of Meng Rendong’s shirt involuntarily spasmed. After a long while, Meng Rendong, who was also anxiously waiting for her response, heard a very soft sentence emerge from the hug:

“Why… are you so kind to me?”

Meng Rendong was momentarily stunned.

Ji Yu looked up at her, her curved peach blossom eyes no longer bearing the false impression of gentle affection. Instead, they were filled with sorrow, like fine rain falling upon an autumn lake, as if she could burst into tears again at any moment.

Meng Rendong instantly became tense under her gaze, thinking she had said something wrong again. But then she heard Ji Yu ask persistently, as if desperately wanting Meng Rendong to fiercely scold her:

“I clearly didn’t recognize you and said so many excessive things to you. Why aren’t you angry?”

Meng Rendong heard her clearly this time.

A sense of unspeakable bitterness arose in her heart. Ji Yu’s self-reproach instantly made her recall the time when she inexplicably disappeared in Si Tian’s world and returned here with no memory of it. Was the Ji Yu of that time… also carrying pain and regret like this, day after day? Otherwise, how could she explain this practiced self-blame?

Involuntarily raising her hand to press Ji Yu’s head against her shoulder, Meng Rendong’s voice was slightly husky due to suppressed emotion. She didn’t dare to delve deeper, or every detail of their time together in the other world and here over the past seven years, whether sweet or sad, would turn into fine knives, slowly carving her up.

“What was excessive?” She softened her voice, speaking soothingly: “It was I who didn’t recognize you. I wore Si Tian’s body before, and now I’ve changed my name and the world. It’s normal for you not to recognize me, but you haven’t changed… yet I treated you poorly. It’s my fault.”

Ji Yu shook her head. She thought she had shed all her tears while talking with Chu Nanxing’s mother, but now, hearing Meng Rendong mention their four-year relationship, she felt like crying again.

That familiar impulse was stirred up. When she lowered her head, her eyes grew red again, and when she spoke, her voice was already choked with a sob, voiced along with her slight head shake: “It’s okay…”

Ji Yu emphasized heavily: “It’s okay.”

Meng Rendong had mentally listed a long letter of repentance, wishing she could sequentially list her mistakes and make amends, but sensing Ji Yu’s emotional fragility, she wanted to divert her attention.

So, she pondered for two seconds, feigning nonchalance, and said to Ji Yu: “Then let’s call it even on this matter for now. Promise me you won’t be sad about this anymore, okay?”

Ji Yu’s eyes were filled with tears. She looked up and heard her words, momentarily distracted. Then she truly realized that the person who would tease her, make her happy, and easily pull her out of the emotional swamp when she was sad.

Was really right in front of her.

Her mood soared like drifting catkins, but the tears in the corners of her eyes gently fell as she blinked.

Then she kept nodding, afraid that if she was a moment too slow, Meng Rendong would have to spend more effort comforting her. She was like a sensible and thoughtful older child who had fallen, gotten hurt, held back tears for a while, and finally met someone who offered gentle care, only to quickly raise her sleeve to wipe away her tears and flash the most beautiful smile at the person.

Because this care was too precious, she didn’t dare show any hint of willfulness.

Seeing her like this, Meng Rendong couldn’t believe her past foolishness in finding Ji Yu’s neediness annoying. Now, she raised her hand to gently wipe away the moisture from the corner of Ji Yu’s eye with her slightly warm fingertip, sighing:

“Good girl, don’t cry anymore.”

“If you cry again, I might have to jump into the river nearby to atone for those four years.”

She only meant it as a playful way to stop Ji Yu’s guilt. To her surprise, upon hearing this, Ji Yu, who had only been restraining herself by holding the corner of her shirt, instantly moved her forearms up and tightly hugged Meng Rendong’s waist. Her lips turned white with fear, and she shook her head vigorously, clearly reminded of her traumatic experiences of falling into the water.

Meng Rendong gently bit her tongue, inwardly scolding herself for being so inarticulate.

After being a blockhead for a few years, did I really forget how to properly console someone?

Sensing Ji Yu’s tension, she soothingly stroked the other person’s back and quickly added: “I shouldn’t joke like that. Forget I said that. Let me rephrase—”

“If you cry again…”

Ji Yu looked up at her, the corners of her eyes still stained with moist tear tracks, slightly tilted outward, making Meng Rendong feel her focused seriousness. At the same time, a slight, unseasonable wicked thought was stirred by the hazy look in her eyes as the mist of tears cleared.

The countless times in the past when Ji Yu allowed her to dictate her emotions on another level, becoming joyous or tense at her touch, suddenly resurfaced, then vanished in a blink—a secret and restrained impulse.

Meng Rendong involuntarily moved her lips and continued: “I’ll want to kiss you.”

Ji Yu’s throat moved.

She felt a slight tension for no apparent reason.

Belatedly, she also recalled some inappropriate images. Many times before, she didn’t dare to look at Meng Rendong for too long, afraid her body would recall feelings that shouldn’t be remembered. But now, knowing Meng Rendong’s true identity, thinking about the intimacy of those four years, she felt a slight warmth at her collar.

She had…

Unknowingly.

Already been in a relationship with the person she longed for, even intimately sharing moments and merging souls.

Ji Yu lowered her gaze. A moment later, she blinked hard, squeezing out another trace of tears, then looked up at Meng Rendong.

For some reason, now staring at Meng Rendong, her throat felt a little dry, perhaps from crying for too long or for some other reason.

So, she subconsciously made a swallowing motion again.

She even licked her lower lip.

A shallow sheen of moisture immediately coated her lips.

Meng Rendong naturally noticed the tear hanging from the corner of Ji Yu’s eye.

It was about to fall, but hadn’t yet.

The sight alone made one want to taste it, not to mention that Ji Yu coincidentally gave off that alluring, inadvertent scent right then. Meng Rendong’s gaze skimmed fleetingly over the person’s red-rimmed eyes and slightly moist lower lip, but she dared not genuinely associate Ji Yu’s action with her previous statement—

If you cry again, I’ll kiss you.

She had just finished speaking, and the corner of Ji Yu’s eye became moist again, as if…

It was an insinuation, a provocation to her.

But Meng Rendong wasn’t sure.

She had often misinterpreted things during those four years. Even when they separated, she had arrogantly thought that Ji Yu’s every move, even her unwillingness to continue the pretense of coldness, was a method to entice her and recapture her attention.

She didn’t want to leave that bad impression on Ji Yu again, so she repeated her actions, using her fingertip to wipe away the excess moisture from the corner of the other’s eye. She slightly curved her lips, and just as she was about to say something, she suddenly heard her phone ring.

Meng Rendong took the opportunity to take a small step back, allowing the slight haze and ambiguity that had just arisen to be dissipated by the cold air, helping her clear her head. At the same time, she checked her phone. The caller ID showed: Kong Rufan.

It was her manager urging her to bring Ji Yu back.

Meng Rendong hung up the phone, moved her fingers, unlocked the screen, and typed a very brief message: Will bring her back in five minutes.

After Meng Rendong stepped back, Ji Yu suddenly felt the embrace become empty.

She lowered her eyes and was very quiet, but the warmth that had been lingering near her collar abnormally spread upward, only stopping when it reached her ears, causing a faint pink blush to suddenly appear on her face.

Ji Yu nervously clenched her empty fingertips, feeling ashamed of her deliberate yet failed attempt to solicit intimacy.

The more she thought, the more nervous she became. She glanced sideways at Meng Rendong’s reaction, seeing that the other was seriously replying to messages on her phone. Sensing it was important, Ji Yu couldn’t straightforwardly voice her intention from a moment ago. She had to swallow it down, but her mind couldn’t help but wonder:

Did Meng Rendong actually… understand her hint?

Was her expression too subtle?

Or is Meng Rendong recalling the events of a few years ago and thinking it’s better to just be friends, thus rejecting her?

While Ji Yu was lost in speculation, Meng Rendong put away her phone and smiled at her: “Your powerful manager is hurrying me. If she can’t find you, she might call the police—”

“Let’s go. I’ll take you back to film the show first.”

As the words fell, noticing Ji Yu’s slightly red face, Meng Rendong immediately changed her expression, thinking she was cold from the extreme emotional fluctuations in the alley today and her thin clothes. She stepped forward and placed the back of her hand against Ji Yu’s forehead. After a moment, she sighed in relief:

“No fever…”

Ji Yu: “…”

Her blushing cured itself in one second.

For some reason, although Meng Rendong’s personality was much better than when they first met a few years ago, showing concern and thoughtfulness, Ji Yu still felt something was off. She followed behind Meng Rendong out of the alley, subconsciously looking up towards Meng Rendong’s head, feeling that a curved hand on a clock in the transparent air above was gradually straightening.

At the Program Recording Site.

Rong Bai and the others had returned. Ling Lan somehow acquired a cool black fanny pack. Jiang Lianque held six or seven portions of snacks in both hands, skillfully distributing freshly bought local delicacies like a juggler. Chang Xue nudged her shoulder, constantly peering at what delicious food she had…

Among the group, only Chu Nanxing hovered at the edge, staring at Meng Rendong and Ji Yu with undisguised scrutiny.

Kong Rufan sighed in relief when she saw Ji Yu return. She wanted to ask what she had been doing, but considering it was private, she opened her mouth and then closed it. However, noticing Ji Yu’s slightly red-rimmed eyes and the somewhat wrinkled collar of Meng Rendong’s shirt, a horrifying association abruptly sprang to mind.

She took off her sunglasses, letting Meng Rendong clearly see her wide-eyed anger and the reproachful distress in her eyes.

Meng Rendong: “?”

She laughed awkwardly: “It’s not what you think. Anyway, I brought the person back to you. I’m leaving now.”

Hearing that she was leaving, Ji Yu’s regained sense of security immediately plummeted. For a moment, she wanted to follow Meng Rendong, but Ling Lan cheerfully approached with a bowl of savory tofu pudding: “Where did you go just now! Quick! Try this, this tofu pudding is so delicious!”

Although she asked about Ji Yu’s whereabouts, it was more of a casual concern. Before Ji Yu could speak, Ling Lan had already pushed the spoonful of tofu pudding to her lips. She almost choked, her attention slightly diverted. When she swallowed the food without tasting it, she turned back eagerly to look…

The person she thought had left was still standing next to Kong Rufan, looking somewhat relaxed. The coldness in her usually bottomless, seemingly frozen black eyes had melted, replaced by a deep warmth.

It wasn’t until Ji Yu met her gaze that Meng Rendong gave a slight nod, wordlessly conveying two characters to her. Only after confirming that Ji Yu looked normal did she turn and leave.

But Ji Yu, watching her back, was somewhat stunned.

This time, she didn’t need the System’s translation; she already knew what Meng Rendong had mouthed.

She was telling her, Don’t be afraid.

It was as if she saw all of Ji Yu’s fear and insecurity, knowing that Ji Yu was extremely insecure right now, so even such a brief separation had to be communicated to Ji Yu.

The two short characters silently calmed the dust that had just been stirred up in Ji Yu’s heart before it could turn into a sandstorm. It was like a gentle spring rain, silently nourishing Ji Yu’s heart.

She suddenly smiled.

At the same time, the System, which had received a lot of information from Si Tian but had been silent for a long time as if it had crashed, finally pieced together the source of everything and couldn’t help but shout in Ji Yu’s mind:

“Ah ah ah ah ah!”

“This! How can this be!”

Little Corgi couldn’t accept the fact that it had shipped the wrong couple and had even been unreasonably critical of Meng Rendong all along. Even now, thinking about Meng Rendong’s sluggish and inconsiderate behavior during those four years of dating Ji Yu, the System still couldn’t connect this person with the gentle, glowing Si Tian Ji Yu had described.

However, hearing the System’s somewhat collapsing voice, Ji Yu laughed even happier where she stood.

She didn’t know why she was so happy.

Ling Lan, seeing her laughing happily by herself, had already accepted the tissue Jiang Lianque handed her, ready to secretly pass it to Ji Yu, as the more observant girls had noticed Ji Yu’s poor emotional state when she returned.

But what was going on now?

Ling Lan tentatively asked: “You’re in a good mood now?”

Ji Yu nodded, squinted her eyes, and looked at the scenery in the direction Meng Rendong had left. The antique wooden teahouse had upturned eaves, looking as if it could spread its wings and fly to the clouds in the next moment. The clouds in the sky were thin, layered like oil paint extending endlessly backward, making the sky look vast and occasionally revealing a clear, bright blue base.

She looked at the sky and replied with a smile: “Yes, the weather is really good today.”

While Ji Yu and the others were preparing to film the variety show, Meng Rendong chose not to go back to sleep. Instead, she took the opportunity to meet with Si Tian.

Ji Yu’s departure had scared Si Tian, but she didn’t dare to chase after her herself. She could only anxiously message Meng Rendong. She was still sitting in the early morning teahouse, facing a table of cold breakfast dishes. She had no appetite to eat and didn’t know what to do if she left, so she could only wait blankly.

When Meng Rendong walked in, Si Tian suddenly jumped up from her chair, eagerly ran to her, and anxiously questioned:

“How is it?”

“Is Ji Yu okay?”

“Did you find her?”

Meng Rendong was suddenly faced with so many questions, but she wasn’t in a rush. She slowly pulled out a chair and sat down. Seeing her composure, Si Tian felt a sense of relief. No one was more anxious about Ji Yu than Meng Rendong. Since she could relax, Si Tian also relaxed a little.

Pulling a chair to sit beside Meng Rendong, Si Tian subconsciously pushed her basket of leftover buns toward Meng Rendong. However, Meng Rendong only glanced at the pleats of the buns and showed a slight look of disdain. Then, she called a waiter and ordered a basket of hot custard buns, and only then briefly summarized the situation.

Si Tian was overjoyed: “She believed it?”

“Then you two can be together again, just like before!”

She was like a fan watching her favorite couple quarrel and then reconcile. After the emotional turmoil, her mood quickly brightened again, and she was genuinely happy for Meng Rendong.

Hearing the words “be together,” Meng Rendong raised an eyebrow, and indeed, expectation arose in her heart—

However, this was not something to rush.

She still had many things to do.

For example, helping Ji Yu regain some self-confidence and stop being so emotionally insecure. Also, figuring out exactly what Chu Nanxing wanted. Assuming Chu Nanxing was indeed involved in the events of that year, Meng Rendong couldn’t stand by and allow such a dangerous person to remain near Ji Yu… Furthermore, she needed to prepare how to court Ji Yu.

The previous inappropriate ‘sugar baby’ tragedy could not happen again. Ji Yu deserved every step a normal couple takes before dating. She needed to make sure Ji Yu understood her sincerity.

Meng Rendong systematically planned things in her mind, then took out her phone and carefully typed out an outline. After thinking it over, she added another task to the “professional personnel” she had previously hired:

Investigate Chu Nanxing.

From today onward, everything Chu Nanxing had done since childhood that left a trace would appear on her desk. Furthermore, every subsequent action, who she met, and what she did each day, Meng Rendong wanted to know in detail.

Si Tian watched Meng Rendong’s remarkably steady demeanor on the side and was somehow reminded of how Meng Rendong, when she first transmigrated into her body, had also taken her step-by-step toward the peak of her life.

Although she didn’t know how different Meng Rendong had become over the past four years, looking at her like this, Si Tian vaguely realized that as long as it was this Meng Rendong…

She would surely make Ji Yu fall in love with her again.

The name of the travel variety show Ji Yu and the others were participating in was simply “Let’s Go Out Together.” It was the first domestic show to film celebrity group travel. The first season featured high-profile celebrities, and the unexpected events during the journey were highly engaging, keeping it at the top of travel shows in terms of clicks.

This season, the production team initially planned to have an older guest lead them, but the celebrity’s schedule couldn’t be coordinated, so only the nine trainees from Dream Chase 100 were invited to film—

The nine people were given a total travel fund of 400 yuan. All their personal property and snacks were confiscated. Over the course of two days, they not only had to use the 400 yuan for food and drink, but also had to visit and check in at three scenic spots in the ancient town that day, and then travel to Lincheng the next morning to receive the travel fund for the next location.

As soon as the director finished announcing the result, the entire group was stunned.

“Four hundred?”

“If we go into any decent restaurant, a meal for this many people costs more than four hundred!”

“Is this a test of my dieting skills?”

“The production team is inhumane again!”

Chang Xue and the others complained one after another. Only Ji Yu and Jiang Lianque didn’t join in. Instead, they looked around, seemingly seriously considering a plan.

However, the director didn’t give them any time to negotiate and announced through a megaphone:

“Now! Your trip begins!”

The girls had no choice but to start dividing tasks. They first nominated a leader, unanimously choosing the most thorough, Jiang Lianque, and then voted for Chu Nanxing to be in charge of managing the travel fund.

There was Ling Lan, responsible for finding accommodation, and Rong Bai, responsible for inquiring about the ticket prices to Lincheng tomorrow…

After all the tasks were assigned.

Jiang Lianque pulled out a travel guide for the ancient town from somewhere and calmly spoke to her groupmates: “There’s one scenic spot here that doesn’t charge an entrance fee.”

“And another slightly smaller garden, the entrance fee is twenty yuan per person.”

Even so, this instantly allocated one hundred and eighty yuan.

Chu Nanxing’s eyes widened upon hearing this.

She somehow moved near Ji Yu. After quietly listening to Jiang Lianque’s allocation for a while, she suddenly spoke to Ji Yu in a seemingly familiar manner:

“You were walking around nearby just now, did you find any good scenic spots…”

“Sister Jianyu?”

Ji Yu initially intended to ignore her passive aggression, but upon hearing the term of address at the end, she frowned and looked at Chu Nanxing with suspicion.

“What did you call me?”

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