TNSFC – Chapter 82

It was only Thursday, still a long time until next Wednesday.

Que Yining sighed and sent Gu Shanxue a cute cat sticker pack showing a cat acting coquettishly.

Her phone vibrated again; Gu Shanxue had sent a video.

Ningning was lying on her lap, eyes narrowed in pleasure from being petted. Its two little ears looked soft, and its paws were kneading the air, extending and retracting.

Ever since Ningning was neutered and became a ‘eunuch cat,’ its personality became even more clingy. And because Gu Shanxue was often busy and not at home, Ningning became even more attached to her.

The video was only fifteen seconds long. Que Yining watched it again, but this time her focus wasn’t on how cute Ningning was; her gaze was entirely on Gu Shanxue’s hand.

Those long, fair fingers looked even more slender and white against the fur, the fingertips round and clean.

Que Yining glanced at her own nails, which had grown quite long during her recovery, and wanted to trim them right away.

【Que Yining】: Ningning is so cute, it’s getting better and better at acting spoiled.

Que Yining sent the message, placed her phone on the table, took out nail clippers, and began to trim her nails. Although she couldn’t do much in her current state, necessary preparations still had to be made.

Gu Shanxue saw Que Yining’s message and agreed wholeheartedly.

Not only was Ningning becoming more clingy and fond of acting spoiled, but Ningning (Que Yining) was also becoming more fond of acting spoiled.

Gu Shanxue sent a few more videos for Que Yining to ‘get her cat fix.’ Que Yining replied while fiddling with her fingers, and before she knew it, the sky had darkened.

Que Yining said goodnight to Gu Shanxue and reluctantly closed the chat window.

She opened another WeChat account and started looking at the message list.

After she arrived, she had already gotten a new number for exclusive communication. She hadn’t touched the original WeChat account much; it mostly contained the original owner’s contacts.

After clicking into it, Que Yining saw messages Que Zixi had sent a few days ago.

Que Zixi had actually sent quite a few messages to this WeChat account—inquiries, expressions of concern, and some casual chat—but she hadn’t replied to any of them. For several days in a row, the chat window only contained Que Zixi’s monologues.

Que Yining had always rather ignored her, not feeling the need to deal with her perfunctorily. So, she hadn’t replied to any of Que Zixi’s calls or texts. It would be difficult for Que Zixi not to notice.

No wonder during her hospitalization, Que Zixi didn’t often appear before her. Most of the time, she would just glance from a distance and then leave.

At that time, Que Yining had only thought that she and the original owner didn’t have a good relationship, so Que Zixi seemed rather cold.

Que Yining let out a soft breath, deciding not to think about these things anymore. Apart from some complex emotions about how to deal with Papa Que and Mama Que, she didn’t care much about anyone else.

The night was dark and heavy. Outside the window, tree shadows intertwined, like countless sinister eyes hidden within.

Que Zixi sat in her room, her eyes somewhat vacant.

Her desk was cluttered with miscellaneous items. The computer screen was lit, and words like ‘summoning spirits’ were reflected in her pupils, agitating her sensitive nerves. She moved the mouse, blinking very slowly.

She suddenly stood up from her chair and paced back and forth anxiously for a few steps. Her phone flashed with a message. She immediately ran over and grabbed it. Her heart sank when she saw the reply.

【That’s right, I was in a relationship, but I didn’t know he was your brother back then. We broke up a long time ago. What’s wrong?】

She threw the phone onto the bed, clutched her head, and squatted on the floor, on the verge of a breakdown. Never before had she felt the sorrow of being an ordinary, mediocre person so acutely.

She had to be able to do something, she definitely had to be able to do something!

Her lips trembled. She stood up, slammed the laptop shut, picked up the phone from the bed, and hurried out.

The next day, the sky was bright; it was a rare day of good weather.

Que Yining was wheeled out of her room by a maid and sat at the dining table.

The maid was setting out bowls and chopsticks, placing a bowl of soy milk on Que Yining’s table.

The Que family was accustomed to Chinese breakfast: soy milk, xiaolongbao, white porridge, pickles, shrimp dumplings. Steam rose continuously, exuding a warm, homely atmosphere.

“Where’s Xixi? Why haven’t I seen her? She’s not the type to sleep in.”

You Lanqing looked upstairs and asked, somewhat puzzled.

“Third Miss has already left. When I went to knock on her door just now, there was no one in the room.”

The maid stood by and replied. Thinking of Que Zixi’s somewhat messy room, she guessed her mood might not be good, but she opened her mouth and then closed it, deciding not to meddle in the family’s affairs.

You Lanqing murmured, “Is that so? Why did this child leave so early in the morning without saying anything?”

“Maybe she had something urgent. You can call her later and ask.”

After Que Hanyi spoke, You Lanqing agreed, and the family sat down at the dining table for breakfast.

When Que Yining heard that Que Zixi wasn’t home, she guessed the reason. She hesitated for a few seconds, wondering if she had admitted it too quickly yesterday—such a fact was too impactful. But she only thought about it for a few seconds, kept an eye on Que Zixi’s movements, but didn’t pay close attention.

After breakfast, Que Yining returned to the company to work. Because she had more and more things to deal with, she had to expend more mental energy to manage them. When she was tired, she would send messages to Gu Shanxue to relieve her boredom, and Gu Shanxue would reply in her spare moments from her busy schedule.

Seeing those words on the screen, Que Yining suddenly felt much more vulnerable. In the past, she had shouldered so many things without feeling tired, but now that she had someone to confide in and act spoiled with, it seemed that things she could have endured before now felt like an added burden.

However, even though she felt this way, every time she saw Gu Shanxue’s reply, it seemed to give her a bit more motivation.

Que Yining finished reading the document. The phone beside her hand vibrated. She initially thought it was Gu Shanxue replying to her message, but saw it was about the matter Lin Zhen was investigating for her.

Three days had passed since Que Zixi left home. She hadn’t returned to the Que residence, and her replies to Papa Que and Mama Que’s calls were vague, only saying she had business outside. Que Yining had Lin Zhen check her movements; she wasn’t completely at ease with Que Zixi, after all, Que Zixi cared a lot about the original owner, and it was hard to predict what she might do.

Lin Zhen sent Que Zixi’s travel records and a few photos. Que Yining pursed her lips slightly upon seeing them.

That night, Que Zixi had bought a plane ticket to a city thousands of miles away and gone to a Buddhist temple alone. In the photo, Que Zixi was kneeling before the long steps of an ancient temple, her figure thin and frail.

Que Yining transferred money to Lin Zhen and told him he didn’t need to keep an eye on her anymore. Gazing at the dusk outside the window, she rubbed her temples.

Although she had experienced such strange things, she fundamentally still didn’t believe in gods or Buddhas, so she had never thought of engaging with such things. Seeing it now, she only felt a bit desolate in her heart.

Would those things really be useful? As beliefs within a book, could those gods and Buddhas truly give their followers answers that transcended the rules?

Que Yining didn’t know, but regardless, she felt that the original owner couldn’t come back.

Initially, she had harbored the thought that the original owner might one day return to this body, but gradually that thought faded—not because of the passage of time, but because the premonition in her heart grew stronger.

Que Yining withdrew her gaze from the window, stopped thinking about those things, and continued to deal with the matters at hand.

There was a banquet at eight o’clock. She had received an invitation earlier and planned to attend.

Her phone rang again. Que Yining looked at the caller ID and answered. It was a call from Qiao Yuchu.

“Ningning, the gown you were looking at before, I’ve had someone rush it. It’ll be at your company soon.”

“Okay.”

When Que Yining received the invitation, she happened to be on the phone with Qiao Yuchu, so she also told Qiao Yuchu about needing to prepare a gown. Qiao Yuchu volunteered to take on the task, ordered the gown Que Yining had chosen, and had it altered according to Que Yining’s current situation.

Qiao Yuchu arrived quickly, took the gown out of the box, and even ironed it smooth for Que Yining on the spot.

“Is my service up to par?”

“It is,” Que Yining replied with a smile. “But did something happen? You personally delivered the gown and insist on going with me tonight?”

“It’s just… oh dear…”

Qiao Yuchu stammered for a moment, then spoke with indignation.

“I don’t know who’s spreading rumors, and they’re getting worse and worse, saying there’s little chance your leg will heal, and your face is disfigured and so ugly, and so on. You know those gossipy bitches are relentless. I argued with them before, but it was useless. They’re just slandering you. I was so angry I wanted to complain to you earlier, but Bian Ji’an told me you were recovering, and hearing these messy things would just upset you. After you were discharged, those bitches were still spreading rumors. I went to argue with them again and wanted to tell you, but you seemed really busy, so I didn’t. But you’re going to a banquet later, and I don’t know if someone will pick on your leg. I’ll go with you. If you can’t scold them, I’ll scold them for you.”

Qiao Yuchu poured out a torrent of words, her teeth itching with anger at the thought of the nasty things those people said.

Rumors tend to escalate, becoming unbearable in the end. Those people were even joking about Que Yining’s car accident. Qiao Yuchu wanted to slap each one of them when she heard it.

“Just clowns jumping around. No need to pay too much attention.”

Que Yining wasn’t angry when she heard this. Anyway, the truth was there. Once her leg healed, those rumors would naturally dissipate.

The original owner’s reputation in their circle was indeed not very good. Since she arrived, that reputation had become even worse, but it didn’t matter. After all, it was just within the circle of rich second-generation kids. The business circles she had come into contact with since her arrival were beyond the reach of those playboys, so she naturally didn’t care what they said.

“Alright, but I just get angry hearing those people slander you,” Qiao Yuchu huffed, then asked, “Are you going to change clothes first? Or do your makeup first and then change?”

“I’ll change later. I’m going to the lounge first.”

Que Yining actually had makeup on, but for the evening banquet, she needed to reapply it.

“Okay.”

Qiao Yuchu agreed and pushed Que Yining to the lounge, watching her sit down in front of the dressing table mirror.

Que Yining removed the makeup she had applied in the morning, revealing the white scar on her face.

“When will this finally fade?”

Qiao Yuchu stared at the white scar, wishing it would quickly disappear from Que Yining’s beautiful face.

“It’ll still take some time.”

Que Yining applied medicine every day and had gotten used to the scar on her face. She applied foundation and concealer, watching the scar gradually get covered.

She also wanted to recover quickly. She felt she was getting too used to looking ‘ugly’ in front of Miss Gu, and that wouldn’t do.

Thinking of Gu Shanxue, Que Yining’s mind wandered a bit, wondering what kind of makeup and clothes she should wear when she met Gu Shanxue next Wednesday.

Qiao Yuchu had wanted to say something else, but seeing Que Yining’s calm demeanor, the words took a detour at her lips, and she started telling Que Yining about recent interesting events.

“Ningning, did you know? Wanwan Jiejie has a partner recently. It’s a university student, the kind who looks quite innocent.”

As a gossip expert, Qiao Yuchu recounted gossip vividly, gesturing as she spoke, and voiced her own questions.

Qiao Yuchu: “Wanwan Jiejie, as a big shot in the lesbian circle, a famous charming older-sister type, has had many exes. But she’s been single for a long time, becoming pickier and less willing to settle. I don’t know how she ended up with a little girl this time. For Wanwan Jiejie, she must be a little girl, right? She seems to be ten years younger than her. When I asked, Wanwan Jiejie even told me you know her too, but I don’t know that person.”

“I know her?”

Que Yining’s makeup application paused. She mentally reviewed the people she knew who might belong to the lesbian circle but couldn’t find a match.

“Wait a minute, let me check her Moments. I remember seeing a photo.”

Qiao Yuchu searched through Jiang Xiaowan’s WeChat Moments and found a photo.

The photo was taken in a bar, the lighting somewhat dim, but Que Yining recognized the other person in the photo at a glance. She couldn’t remember this young woman’s name, but she had indeed had someone contact her. It wasn’t quite ‘knowing’ her; it was the young woman who looked very similar to Jiao Shanyue. Initially, Jiang Xiaowan had shown her this photo.

Que Yining wasn’t surprised that this girl had separated from Que Chuling. After all, before she stopped paying attention to the matter, she had someone who was in contact with this young woman tell her the truth about being a substitute. What happened after that was their own business.

Qiao Yuchu: “When did you meet this friend?”

“Not very familiar.”

Hearing this, Qiao Yuchu lost interest and talked about other things.

“What about your little girl? Are you still in touch?”

Que Yining asked while applying lipstick in front of the mirror, as if just remembering.

“Her family member is better now. She has excellent grades and went abroad with an offer.”

When Qiao Yuchu spoke of this, there was a hint of pride, as if sharing in the honor.

“So, are you in contact with her?”

“Of course, how could I not be? If she dared not contact me without a word, I’d immediately find someone new, okay? She didn’t contact me for a few months before. I got drunk and blocked her. Although it’s childish to bicker with a kid, who told her to make me unhappy? Then she suddenly came looking for me. Anyway, it’s like this and that, now it’s a long-distance relationship.”

Qiao Yuchu’s face showed a little sweetness, her coyness unconcealed, a completely different person from the woman who had just offered to scold people for her.

Que Yining saw that her relationship was going smoothly. She had finished her makeup, turned her head, and teased her with a smile.

“Wow, sister, you look stunning! Look at this unparalleled beauty! You’re definitely the brightest star of the whole event! This makeup look is simply too charismatic! Paired with the gown, you’ll definitely be the most beautiful one there. Hmph, let’s see who dares to spread rumors that you’re ugly!”

Qiao Yuchu was stunned for a moment when she saw Que Yining’s face, then praised her delightedly.

She remembered the makeup she used to think looked good, feeling a sense of shame recalling her past ‘dark history.’ Fortunately, under Que Yining’s influence and guidance, her aesthetic sense had improved, and her own makeup skills were advancing by leaps and bounds. Every day, she felt as beautiful as a fairy.

Que Yining gladly accepted her sister’s ‘rainbow farts,’ took a selfie, and also managed to get the gown she was about to wear into the shot, sending it to Gu Shanxue.

【Que Yining】: Going to a banquet later. The gown is ready. Does it look good?

【Cutie Gu】: Looks good. Be careful tonight.

【Que Yining】: Okay, I know. You too, take care of yourself. I won’t disturb your work.

Gu Shanxue had gone abroad again yesterday and would only be back in two days.

Que Yining sent a cute ‘kiss you’ sticker and put down her phone.

When she changed clothes, Qiao Yuchu considerately turned aside and helped Que Yining adjust the gown after she put it on.

The gown’s length was just to her ankles, a result of Qiao Yuchu having it altered. The name of this gown was ‘The Queen’s New Clothes,’ and its name hinted at its grand style. The main colors were red and black, fully displaying a domineering aura.

Que Yining took her clutch and headed to the venue.

Although Qiao Yuchu was worried about Que Yining, Que Yining still didn’t let her come.

People who could enter here all had a certain status; most were shrewd individuals. If Qiao Yuchu came along, Que Yining would instead worry about her emotions being provoked and her being used as a pawn.

This banquet was hosted by the local chamber of commerce. Those attending were all wealthy merchants. Perfumes and elegant attire filled the air, and the crystal chandeliers flickered over numerous figures.

Wu Anzhi was exchanging pleasantries with acquaintances and colleagues, discussing market changes and recent situations. As they chatted, they inevitably started talking about a recently popular game.

“I’ve played that game too. It’s indeed good, but it has quite a few problems. For a mobile game, convenience and speed are key. The four-versus-four-versus-four format is very innovative, but it’s also a bit too complicated. It would actually be more suitable as a PC game.”

“Indeed, and the graphics are excellent, but it’s demanding on phones. It’s too detailed for some phones to handle; it can’t suit all models.”

“It’s probably just the novelty. People are playing it for fun. Who can say how far it will go?”

“That’s not necessarily true. Aren’t games developed through gradual exploration? They’ve come up with something new; maybe they can stabilize it later. I think it can be popular for at least three years.”

Everyone had their own opinions: some were full of praise, some were not optimistic, some praised overtly but criticized covertly, and some analyzed objectively. Wu Anzhi swirled his wine glass, listening to them with a smile, not participating in the discussion.

As the topic continued, it shifted to the founder.

“I heard she used to be an ignorant person who chased after men. It’s really strange that someone like her could make such a game.”

“Well, didn’t she poach Xie Yanhuai? That guy is quite talented. Maybe her family just gave her money to build it. A team can do it, right? I don’t think she knows much about games.”

“Didn’t we hear recently that she was disabled and disfigured in a car accident? It’s hard to say if she can still make good games and occupy market share after this,”

Someone said with a chuckle, eliciting silent, smiling agreement from others. They exchanged knowing glances.

“Old Zhang, watch your words.”

Wu Anzhi patted the shoulder of the person who had just spoken, pressed down slightly, and responded with a smile.

When he said this, everyone’s expressions varied.

Wu Anzhi was one of the early entrants to share the pie in the game market. His game company had a wide variety of games under its belt and could be said, without exaggeration, to be a leader in China’s gaming industry. Although he hadn’t produced any blockbuster games in recent years, he still held significant influence in the industry. His words carried a weight that made people ponder his attitude.

“Just kidding, just kidding. It’s all hearsay, maybe not true.“

The person who had spoken ill of her earlier smiled to smooth things over, and others who had spoken up also chimed in.

“Some rumors really can’t be taken seriously. Look, she’s here.”

Someone spoke, and everyone’s gaze turned towards the entrance. They were stunned by what they saw.

This was undoubtedly a special guest, as she was in a wheelchair.

But somehow, she didn’t evoke any sense of ridicule; no one felt she was inferior. She wore a red dress, and her black wavy hair gave her an extremely feminine and alluring charm, yet she also carried a sharp aura like a sword, resembling a queen on her throne, her presence commanding.

The earlier ‘Old Zhang’ looked embarrassed, somewhat regretting his words. Whether she was disabled was another matter, but at least her face was far from disfigured—it was even more beautiful than many female celebrities. He really didn’t know who was spreading such vivid rumors behind her back; he had actually believed them.

Wu Anzhi picked up his wine glass and walked over. Que Yining saw him and greeted him.

“Big Brother Wu, you look great tonight. Your presence is admirable.”

“Haha, you’re just a sweet-talker. You’re the one who’s radiant tonight. How is it, is your leg better?”

Wu Anzhi laughed and asked with concern.

“It’s better. I’ll be able to run and jump in a while. I’ll definitely hop around a couple of times in front of you then.”

Que Yining tapped her leg and said jokingly.

“Alright, alright, you should still take it easy. Many people are here tonight. I’ll introduce you to some later.”

“Okay, thank you, Wu Ge.”

Although she called Wu Anzhi ‘Ge,’ Wu Anzhi was actually over fifty, old enough to be her current body’s uncle.

When she first decided to enter this industry, Que Yining had gotten his business card and had a talk with him. At that time, it was just a simple acquaintance, and he had mainly talked to her more because of her family background. But that opportunity was enough for Que Yining to seize and develop.

In terms of game philosophy and market concepts, the two of them had quite a bit in common. Plus, Que Yining had given him advice that solved a difficult problem for him, so their relationship improved further. Que Yining was good at socializing, got to know Wu Anzhi’s eldest daughter, and they got along well, establishing good connections. Thus, their friendship became even better.

Actually, he wasn’t the only big shot in the market; Que Yining knew others too. But in the end, she decided to cultivate a deep relationship only with Wu Anzhi, showing sufficient sincerity. Wu Anzhi was also a very far-sighted person and reciprocated with enough sincerity. Both sought profit, but some still retained their initial passion and appreciation for talent, while others had become purely businessmen.

Que Yining followed Wu Anzhi and met many people. Her attitude was neither servile nor overbearing, poised and generous, which surprised some.

“I’d heard a lot about you before. Indeed, seeing is believing. I used to think you were a spoiled little girl. It seems rumors are truly unreliable.”

Que Yining smilingly agreed and exchanged business cards with the person.

People also came to toast Wu Anzhi. He said a word to Que Yining, raised his glass, and walked to the other side to chat with them.

Que Yining found it slightly inconvenient to move through the crowd in her wheelchair, but fortunately, she was conspicuous enough to attract people to come over and ask a few questions. Coupled with her remarkable appearance, more people gathered around her. But with more people, some annoying ones also appeared.

“I was wondering why she’s so popular. Turns out it’s because she has a pretty face. It seems being a woman has its advantages; she can get people to pave the way for her with just a crook of her finger.”

The person spoke loudly but not directly towards Que Yining, standing near her and snickering to someone else.

Que Yining looked up, her gaze first falling on the man who spoke, then on the person beside him.

The young man standing next to the speaker was not old, appearing to be in his twenties or thirties, wearing a black suit. Hearing what the man said, he used his wine glass to hide the smile at the corner of his mouth, then pretended to reprimand him.

“You can’t say that. You’ll cause misunderstandings. People are looking over; they might think you’re talking about them.”

“Oh dear, look at my mouth. Miss Que, I wasn’t talking about you just now. Please don’t misunderstand.”

The man immediately put on an apologetic smile, but his eyes still carried a hint of malice.

“No need for misunderstandings. However, since you envy the status of women so much, it’s not impossible for you to gain this ‘dividend.’ Medical technology is very advanced now; you can change anytime. But I would suggest that after you leave the hospital, you should also visit a plastic surgery hospital. Otherwise, you won’t be able to enjoy this ‘dividend,’ don’t you think?”

Que Yining replied with a smile, her tone gentle, but every sentence was barbed.

She didn’t need to show them any mercy. They were clearly putting on a show in front of her. Moreover, she recognized the man next to the speaker, or rather, they had a feud.

That man was Min Jiazhi, the son of Wu Anzhi’s old rival. He was already taking over the family business. Que Yining had interacted with him initially, but after a brief conversation, she had no intention of further contact. It wasn’t that he was stupid, but a matter of temperament—arrogant and conceited without the strength to match. Such a person was bound to run into trouble in the business world sooner or later.

In the early stages of the game’s release, many people had approached Que Yining, proposing to participate or buy it outright. Min Jiazhi had also expressed his intention to acquire it and, quite ostentatiously, asked Que Yining to name her price. After Que Yining refused, he had looked at her body with an interested gaze, the meaning of which was self-evident, and was unceremoniously shown out by Que Yining.

Someone nearby couldn’t help but laugh at Que Yining’s words. The man (who made the initial comment) wasn’t ugly, but not particularly good-looking either. He hadn’t expected Que Yining to be so sharp-tongued. He was somewhat annoyed but couldn’t lash out due to the occasion, merely glaring at Que Yining.

Min Jiazhi: “Miss Que, isn’t it inappropriate to mock and attack someone based on their appearance?”

“Does Mr. Min think it’s right for him to make assumptions about women based on gender?”

Que Yining retorted coolly, having no intention of continuing the conversation with Min Jiazhi.

Regardless of her personal feelings about him, simply because he was the son of Wu Anzhi’s rival and represented Wu Anzhi’s rival family, she didn’t want to interact with him.

Que Yining turned to others and began to socialize with them.

Seeing her attitude, Min Jiazhi couldn’t help but tighten his grip on his wine glass.

Halfway through the banquet, Que Yining parked her wheelchair in a corner and rubbed her face, which was a bit stiff from smiling.

She took out her phone from her clutch and saw a message from Gu Shanxue, asking if things were going smoothly.

Que Yining replied that it was going smoothly and took a selfie to send to Gu Shanxue.

On the other end, Gu Shanxue looked at the photo on her phone and couldn’t help but frown.

Although the gown wasn’t a low-cut design, the embellishments that crossed horizontally towards the center greatly accentuated Que Yining’s cleavage, making Que Yining’s already impressive figure even more visually striking.

【Cutie Gu】: It’s getting cold at night. Remember to wear a jacket.

【Que Yining】: Got it.

Seeing Gu Shanxue’s concern, Que Yining’s face lit up with a cheerful smile.

The French window reflected an approaching figure. Que Yining turned her wheelchair and met his gaze.

“I was wondering why you looked down on my offer before. Turns out you’ve latched onto Wu Anzhi’s big ship. It seems his terms are very generous, otherwise you wouldn’t even overlook his age.”

Min Jiazhi’s words were full of sarcasm and mockery, yet he maintained a gentlemanly smile, the epitome of affectation.

“A dog’s mouth can’t spit out ivory tusks.”

Que Yining wasn’t provoked by him. For someone like Min Jiazhi, getting angry was just a waste of emotion.

She didn’t believe Min Jiazhi was unaware of her family background or that she wasn’t short of money. He said this merely to humiliate her. Getting flustered and trying to prove herself would only give him more to laugh about.

Que Yining prepared to wheel herself away, but Min Jiazhi blocked her path.

“Why don’t you reconsider? What we at Zhizhen can offer you will definitely not be worse than what Wu Anzhi gives.”

“Your company’s attitude when discussing cooperation is as annoying as ever.”

The polite smile on Que Yining’s face vanished; anyone could see she was very impatient now.

“You can state any demands you have, but I hope you won’t refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit.”

Min Jiazhi’s voice held a hidden threat. Que Yining coolly twitched the corner of her mouth.

“Oh, I’m so scared.”

Que Yining pushed her wheelchair, brushing past Min Jiazhi and leaving.

Min Jiazhi watched her disdainful posture and angrily started making a call.

Que Yining returned to the banquet hall and happened to see Wu Anzhi looking around.

“Xiao Ning, I finally found you. Where did you go just now?”

Wu Anzhi looked a little worried, but not grave.

“I felt a bit dizzy from drinking, so I went to get some air. What’s wrong, Wu Ge? Were you looking for me urgently?”

Que Yining explained and asked curiously.

“I just heard something. Come.”

Wu Anzhi beckoned, found a quiet spot, and began to speak.

“Are you being targeted by someone? I just met an old buddy of mine. Seeing that I have a relationship with you, he told me about something that happened before. He said that not long after you started, someone used connections hoping to block your path. But he didn’t do such an unscrupulous thing. If you hadn’t gotten your publication number quickly, you might have been stuck.”

Wu Anzhi also found it quite strange. At that time, Que Yining’s game should have just been starting up, right? It hadn’t even been promoted. He had contacted Que Yining and knew that she only started promoting it when the publication number was confirmed.

So, how could such an unknown game under development be targeted at that time?

“I was targeted. I have someone in mind. I’m fighting a tough battle.”

Que Yining replied with a calm expression. Who else but Que Linyang would target her so deliberately in the early stages, planting ‘landmines’ in her company?

“Alright, if you need my help, don’t hesitate to ask. I still have some influence with others.”

“Don’t worry, Big Brother Wu, I won’t be polite with you. If things really get difficult, I’ll ask you then.”

Que Yining was chatting with Wu Anzhi when, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a somewhat familiar person.

A sudden pain bloomed in her heart, like a balloon being squeezed tightly, throbbing on the verge of bursting.

It felt as if she had been struck hard on the back of her head. A persistent ringing in her ears made it difficult for Que Yining to hear what people around her were saying; her mind was buzzing.

It was Fu Wenjing.

Que Yining wasn’t surprised to see Fu Wenjing here. After all, he was also a currently trending and highly sought-after new elite. But she didn’t want to encounter him recently.

She planned to deal with Que Linyang first and then figure out the original owner’s matters. By then, even if she found out the culprit was Que Linyang, he would have already been brought down by her, and it wouldn’t be too late to settle scores. But plans rarely go according to one’s wishes.

“Xiao Ning, what’s wrong? Are you okay?”

Wu Anzhi was a bit frightened by her instantly pale face and asked with concern.

“Big Brother Wu, my leg suddenly hurts. I might have to leave first.”

“Okay, okay, fine, no problem. Your health is important.”

Que Yining called over a nearby bodyguard and forced herself to bid farewell to Wu Anzhi.

By the time she reached the car, Que Yining’s back was soaked with sweat, and even her lips had lost their color.

“Boss, to the hospital or…?”

“Just drive first. Take a few detours on the road.”

Although the bodyguard was worried, he didn’t disobey Que Yining’s words and started the car.

Que Yining closed her eyes and rested for a good while before her complexion gradually returned.

The memory fragments in her mind seemed to become clearer under this stimulation. She clearly heard the original owner’s voice echoing in her mind, repeating what she had seen last time, but everything seemed to have progressed a bit further.

A solitary easel on the balcony, a half-finished painting, a paintbrush fallen to the ground spilling red paint, a twisted corpse on the floor, a white sheet covering it, and the sound of wailing.

The scene flashed by, changing to the original owner fiercely arguing with Fu Wenjing. She smashed things, looking at Fu Wenjing with despair and anger.

“Yes, I deserve it! I shouldn’t have thought of harming Gu Shanxue! It’s all my fault! But why should others bear the blame? My third sister is innocent! My family is innocent! I’m the mastermind! Kill me!”

“You almost killed her. Do you think I don’t want you to pay with your life?”

“I don’t care! I was stupid, I was bad, I was vicious! I admit it all! But why did you target them? It’s all my fault! Do whatever you want to me, but why did you retaliate against them?”

She roared, her face somewhat contorted.

“Do you think they bear no responsibility for you becoming like this? If I wanted someone dead, that person would be you.”

Fu Wenjing’s expression was sarcastic and disgusted, seemingly unwilling to discuss further.

The memory in her mind shifted again, back to that road, being knocked unconscious, sudden darkness, and then continuous sinking.

Desolate moonlight, dark river water, everything slowly blurred and disappeared.

Que Yining suddenly opened her eyes and wiped the thin layer of sweat from her forehead with a tissue.

She sorted through the memories. After clearly hearing those words, she understood why the original owner’s body reacted so strongly to seeing Fu Wenjing, why the resentment was so deep.

The timeline was: Que Zixi died, fell from the balcony. The original owner believed she died because of Fu Wenjing’s revenge, went to argue with Fu Wenjing, Fu Wenjing spoke sarcastically, the original owner left in anger, and then was knocked unconscious and thrown into the river.

Combined with Fu Wenjing’s sentence, ‘If I wanted someone dead, that person would be you,’ the original owner believed she was killed by Fu Wenjing. But her resentment didn’t just stem from this; it likely also came from Fu Wenjing killing Que Zixi and retaliating against the Que family.

But from an observer’s perspective, Que Yining felt that wasn’t the case.

According to the memories, the preceding events should be that the original owner targeted the Gu Shanxue in the book and almost caused her death, fitting her villainess persona.

It was normal for Fu Wenjing to resent her and want revenge. However, Fu Wenjing’s words, while sounding like he wouldn’t let the original owner off easy, also implied that Que Zixi’s death wasn’t his doing. But the original owner, consumed by anger and trusting her own judgment, wouldn’t have analyzed this; she only fixated on the outcome.

Que Yining increasingly leaned towards Fu Wenjing not being the murderer. For someone of Fu Wenjing’s status, if he were to take revenge, he wouldn’t let his enemy die so simply and easily. Moreover, he would definitely let the enemy know clearly who did it.

Also, why was the original Que Zixi murdered?

Que Yining pressed her temples, feeling that things were becoming clearer, yet also more complicated.

She could only access limited information from the original owner’s perspective, but fortunately, the indications were also quite clear.

Que Yining never shied away from bold hypotheses. She even leaned towards the idea that Que Zixi was also killed by Que Linyang.

Firstly, this was a book centered around the male and female leads. The original owner was the villainess, so she would do her utmost to cause trouble and target them. If she was ultimately retaliated against but not killed by the protagonists, then it must have been done by someone who had a grudge against her and was determined to kill her. Que Linyang was one such person.

Que Zixi had a good relationship with the original owner and wasn’t as foolish as her. Could it be that in the original world, she discovered something and was silenced?

Que Linyang, oh Que Linyang. Que Yining had originally planned to let the line out a bit longer, but now it seemed she had to speed things up.

The phone beside her vibrated. Glancing at the contact name, Que Yining picked it up.

【Cutie Gu】: It’s already night over there. Did you put on a jacket?

【Cutie Gu】: You just recovered not long ago, your immunity is still very low. Should I have my assistant send one to you?

【Cutie Gu】: It will match your gown, it won’t look bad.

Que Yining wondered why Gu Shanxue was so concerned about her wearing a jacket tonight.

She didn’t feel cold. The gown wasn’t completely off-shoulder. Did the picture she sent her look cold?

Que Yining scrolled up to look. Staring at the picture, she discovered the key point and couldn’t help but bend over laughing. She pressed a button, raising the partition between the driver’s seat and the back seat, sealing off the space.

She picked up her phone, opened the camera, leaned forward slightly, pulled down her evening gown a little, found a good angle, took a photo, and sent it to Gu Shanxue.

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