Transmigrating As The Scummy Ex-Wife Of The Cold And Aloof Tycoon - Chapter 1

No vibration, no vertigo, and no…

No vibration, no vertigo, and certainly no bright, pixelated cracks.

Ye Yichi knew she had failed again.

Failure is failure. As that “someone” once said, failure is the beloved mother of success. She had already met the “baby” five, six, seven, eight times now; after a few more visits, the “mommy” was bound to show up, right?

After calculating her bright future in her head, Ye Yichi opened her eyes.

Everything was pitch black.

The sound of a suona (traditional trumpet) drifted in her ears, sounding sometimes near and sometimes far. Judging by the rhythm, it was wrapping up it was almost time for her grand entrance. She had to hand it to Old Man Ye for his foresight, he had forced her into a suona crash course at the Children’s Palace back in the day. Otherwise, with her “exquisite” musical talent that turned every song into an “original” arrangement, she never would have been able to hit the cue.

The music stopped abruptly. Ye Yichi sat up the moment the coffin lid opened.

Her gaze was heavy and still, staring into the distance.

One second, two seconds, three seconds… Director Li shouted “Cut,” looking satisfied.

“Xiao Ye, your timing was perfect! The emotional impact was strong that desolation and sorrow after being backstabbed by a lover was all in your eyes.”

“Next scene is wirework. Crew, get ready!”

While waiting for the wire harness adjustments, Ye Yichi popped a piece of chocolate into her mouth.

The sweet aroma of strawberry mingled with the thick richness of the chocolate on her tongue. Once it was down, Ye Yichi licked her canine tooth, craving more.

She popped in another piece.

It really pays to be a good person. Setting aside her life before she transmigrated, the body she occupied now was simply perfect.

Cake, milk tea, chocolate, burgers, salad, fried chicken, and even the Haagen-Dazs she never dared to indulge in before she could eat them all now without a hint of stress. Even if she spent the whole day lounging on the sofa after eating, her stomach remained flat and her abs stayed defined though, of course, the parts that were meant to be curvy and soft remained curvy and soft.

See? What does that prove?

It proves that being a good person brings good rewards, and doing good deeds brings good fortune.

The bliss of eating without exercising had finally descended upon her.

If Old Man Ye knew that his star pupil (and biological daughter), who used to train in the freezing winters and scorching summers, had fallen into such depravity, he’d surely roll his eyes, whip out a copy of the I Ching, and make her balance it on her head while walking on stilts all while reciting hexagrams and incantations.

Ye Yichi was convinced that her transmigration into this book had something to do with Old Man Ye’s dabbling in feudal superstitions.

Unfortunately, Old Man Ye only knew the basics, and what he passed down to her was the “basics of the basics.” Trying to transmigrate back using that tiny bit of knowledge was no easy feat.

Ye Yichi could only rely on luck, specifically looking for acting roles where she had to lie in a coffin since that’s exactly where she was before she arrived here.

However, back then, she wasn’t filming a drama; she was participating in one of those superstitious rituals.

Truly, one should strive to be a good person. Looking back, Ye Yichi wished she could travel back in time and slap herself. The very first time she helped Old Man Ye with his “schemes,” she had the misfortune of transmigrating into a book.

And then, even more unfortunately, she met Xin Ning.

“Xiao Ye, get ready, we’re about to shoot. Your current vibe is great, keep it up.”

Ye Yichi responded, pursing her lips and silently mouthing the name Xin Ning.

Work wrapped up around 3:00 AM.

“Thanks to Xiao Ye bringing that heartbreak to life, we finished early,” Director Li praised her for a good while.

Once he was done, he handed over a traditional style mask. “I recall you live at the foot of the mountain? Tomorrow’s scenes are in the mountains, so don’t bother coming to the meeting point; just wait at the base. Take this mask home and get used to it. Try to see if you can still convey emotion while wearing it.”

“Got it, Director Li.” Ye Yichi took the mask.

It covered half the face, made of thin plastic with jagged burrs along the edges likely a cheap find from Pinduoduo.

She used Pinduoduo a lot before transmigrating. Most of Old Man Ye’s superstitious trinkets were sourced from there; the quality was mediocre, but the price was unbeatable.

She hadn’t used it since coming here, though.

Xin Ning was too refined. Buying things from Pinduoduo for Xin Ning felt like an insult.

Not that Xin Ning would mind.

In fact, Xin Ning wouldn’t even notice. Ye Yichi sometimes secretly wondered if Xin Ning was an ice sculpture carved by a master that had come to life. How else could a face be so breathtakingly beautiful yet eyes so chillingly indifferent, as if nothing in the world could enter her sight?

Many times, Ye Yichi felt she might have finally warmed Xin Ning up, only to find in the next moment that Xin Ning was still that same frost carved statue.

Ultimately, she had to thank Old Man Ye for forcing her to train in the dead of winter.

That was the only reason she was so resistant to the cold.

When Ye Yichi strolled back to the small courtyard clutching her mask, she found the old Grandma giving instructions to Su Fanxing to pick someone up from town.

“Ye Yichi has been in town these past few days, let her pick them up on the way back,” Su Fanxing said. Her voice was youthful, but her demeanor had a sharp, clear headed chill to it like ice shards crashing onto the sea.

Given time, she might just become “Xin Ning 2.0.”

Ye Yichi pushed open the gate and waved at Su Fanxing. “I’m already back.”

“You can go again,” Fanxing countered.

“I don’t want to.”

“Then I’m not going either.”

“You two…” Grandma pouted, looking like she was about to cry.

“One bag,” Ye Yichi quickly said to Su Fanxing.

“For real?” Su Fanxing’s phoenix eyes widened. She looked Ye Yichi up and down for a few seconds before bolting toward the gate. “I’ll go, I’ll go! It’s just picking someone up from town, I’m on it!”

After a few steps, she turned back to confirm: “One bag, right? Deal. I don’t want a new one. I get to pick whatever I want from your limited edition collection.”

Ye Yichi nodded.

“Understood! Rest up, Sis, your humble servant will be right back.” Su Fanxing turned and ran off like a rabbit.

Ye Yichi decided to retract her earlier judgment.

No matter how much time passed, with that obsession for bags, this little brat would never become an icy beauty like Xin Ning.

Before meeting Xin Ning, Ye Yichi believed there was no problem that couldn’t be solved by buying a bag. If there was, you just bought two. Bags cured all ills.

After meeting Xin Ning, she learned that for some people, even if you piled every beautiful bag in the world in front of them, they wouldn’t spare them a second glance.

Aloof, indifferent, detached, cold, stern…

Ye Yichi had tried to find the perfect word for Xin Ning, but no matter how she searched, the image that surfaced was Xin Ning from three years ago resembling a white plum blossom braving the cold.

Even now, though that plum blossom had lost its youthful innocence and every petal held the sharp edge of an icicle.

But on second thought, Xin Ning hadn’t really changed. Whether it was innocence or sharpness, it was likely just Ye Yichi’s imagination. From beginning to end, Xin Ning was as silent as snow whether it was when she first agreed to the political marriage or when she later handed over the divorce papers, that cold, beautiful face never showed much expression.

Was Xin Ning unwilling or aggrieved during the marriage? Was she happy or relieved during the divorce?

Ye Yichi didn’t know.

If the day ever came when she returned to her original world and the “Ye Yichi” who had stayed by her side for three years simply vanished from this book, would Xin Ning be surprised? Would she feel even a tiny bit of reluctance to let go?

Ye Yichi didn’t know that either.

To be honest, she hoped Xin Ning would be surprised and reluctant. To see any other emotion on that cold face would be something worth looking forward to.

It would be even better if she felt a bit of sadness or longing, Ye Yichi thought mischievously. Maybe even shed two or three crystal-like tears. That would make this whole transmigration worth it.

But one shouldn’t dwell in fantasy.

If there were truly longing or reluctance, where did that black and white divorce agreement come from?

Ye Yichi curled her lip, fished a bag of potato chips out of the snack basket, and headed up to the second floor.

By the time the chips reached the bottom of the bag, the sound of the courtyard gate opening drifted up. Grandma Su muttered a few words, then tilted her head back and shouted toward the second floor: “Yue~ Yue, come down and pick up the guests!”

Ye Yichi nearly choked on a chip.

“Grandma, is your memory acting up again? I’ve told you so many times, the person upstairs isn’t Sister Yue. Also, don’t say ‘pick up guests,’ say ‘receive the visitors’!” After correcting her, Su Fanxing shouted up toward the balcony with a sycophantic tone: “Sis, I’ve brought the guests back! Could you trouble yourself to come down and arrange the rooms? I can’t open the checkout system.”

Ye Yichi gave a muffled response, swallowed the chip, and stepped out of her room.

On the narrow corridor, the wooden floorboards groaned slightly with her movements creak, creak. The warm sunset hit the railing, casting mottled shadows. Ye Yichi looked over the railing and into the courtyard.

The same sunset bathed the thick canopy of the trees, filtering through the overlapping leaves to create shifting patterns of light.

Standing in that half-light was a tall, cold figure.

How exactly could one describe this kind of “cold”?

Ye Yichi had thought about it for a long time without finding a concrete word. She only remembered a hexagram Old Man Ye had made her memorize. Kanyin lines on the top and bottom with a yang line in the middle. It was an internalized darkness, a deep-seated lock, a vast body of water covered by thick ice and snow.

It might ripple, but it remained bone chilling.

Perhaps sensing the gaze, the figure in the courtyard looked up toward the second floor.

Ye Yichi reflexively grabbed the cheap mask and shoved it onto her face.

The burrs on the edge of the mask pricked her finger, making her hiss in pain. Cold air rushed into her lungs, and she realized she had been holding her breath.

The person took one look, then looked back down, eyes devoid of emotion.

Ye Yichi pouted. Belatedly, she realized So what if she sees me? This is my territory. If anyone should be hiding, it’s her.

But would Xin Ning ever hide?

Ye Yichi shook her head. No. Even if Xin Ning had recognized her just now, she wouldn’t hide. Of course, she wouldn’t approach her either. To Xin Ning, Ye Yichi and the three years they spent together was nothing more than a light breeze. The wind blows in, the wind blows out. That’s all.

Perhaps the wind could ripple a pond in spring, but it couldn’t move a frozen sea.

“Sis! My good sister, my dearest sister, could you please descend? The guests are waiting,” Su Fanxing urged.

“Coming,” Ye Yichi replied, tightening the mask.

Old Man Ye always praised her for being quick-witted. Look at this meeting an ex while wearing a mask. How much trouble did this avoid? Who else could come up with such a brilliant plan?

But speaking of which… what was her ice cold ex doing here at a time like this?

Upon reaching the first floor, Ye Yichi found her answer.

Beside her ice cold ex stood a beautiful woman as radiant as springtime. The ex was currently thoughtfully holding the beauty’s bag. Though her expression remained cool, her soft black hair was tied high, and a ruby stud glittered on her rounded earlobe. Xin Ning only wore that earring when she was in an exceptionally good mood.

Traveling with a beauty and carrying her bag… was it really that joyful?

If I knew Xin Ning loved manual labor so much, I should have thrown all my bags at her back then.

Ye Yichi stared at the earring, silently chanting “calm” three times.

She walked behind the front desk to program the key cards.

When she handed the card to Xin Ning, Ye Yichi’s grip didn’t loosen immediately.

Xin Ning looked up, studying Ye Yichi.

The jujube wood safety talisman hanging from Xin Ning’s watch strap swayed slightly with her movement back and forth, making Ye Yichi’s eyes sting.

Will she recognize me? Will she ask why I’m here? Will she question why I’m wearing a mask? Ye Yichi’s heart began to race.

After a moment, Xin Ning showed no curiosity toward the mask or the person wearing it. She lowered her eyes and redirected her gaze to the key card.

“Is there a problem with this card?” Xin Ning asked.

Ye Yichi shook her head and let go.

It was both hilarious and miraculous that someone she lived with for three years couldn’t recognize her just because of a mask. She swore she would never criticize historical dramas again the “mask disguise” trope was definitely a case of art reflecting life.

Since she didn’t recognize her, then let it be forgotten entirely.

The past three years should be treated like a dream. Now that the dream was over, it was time for them to part ways. Both she and Xin Ning had the right to make new choices.

And Xin Ning was clearly already doing so.

Only… if she had decided to move on, why was she still wearing the safety talisman Ye Yichi had given her?