《Time Travel: The Heroine Has Arrived!》 Chapter 1 - Chapter 1: Chapter 1 Systems and Tasks Chapter 1: Chapter 1 Systems and Tasks In a pure white space, a woman wearing ornate robes stood with her eyes tightly shut. Her face was nearly perfect, as if carved from jade, and her expression was somewhat stern. Not far in front of her was a halo about the size of an adult¡¯s head. After a long while, the woman¡¯s eyelids trembled slightly and slowly opened. At first, she seemed somewhat puzzled, as if the sudden influx of massive information in her mind made it difficult for her to adapt, but she quickly became clear-headed. The white light had been quietly floating not far in front of her. Seeing her like this, it suddenly flashed and emitted a human-like voice, ¡°Hello, Host Number One. I am your partner, you can call me the Guide, or the System.¡± The woman known as Number One nodded and said, ¡°System.¡± It was easier to call it that. By now, she had fully absorbed the information in her mind, and naturally understood what was in front of her and what her task was. ¡°So my task is to go to various task worlds, become the female lead of the original world, suppress the supporting characters who want to take over the identity of the Fate¡¯s Maiden, and ensure the female lead lives the glorious life she was meant to have?¡± The System¡¯s light seemed to shine even brighter, ¡°Exactly. Nowadays, I don¡¯t know where those supporting characters, mere cannon fodder, came from, each one wanting to take the place of the female lead. Little do they know that every protagonist is approved by the world¡¯s laws. Forcibly stripping away Fate¡¯s Maiden¡¯s fate will only disrupt the world¡¯s laws and cause instability in the world. The consequences may not be apparent initially, but over time, frequent natural disasters are just the beginning; the severe consequences might even lead to the collapse of the entire world.¡± ¡°You were created with the purpose of protecting the female lead¡¯s fate and maintaining the stability of the world.¡± The woman nodded, then suddenly asked, ¡°Is that lifetime of memories in my mind real?¡± In her memory, she became a woman named Gu Shengyin, who ought to have lived a life of honor and wealth, but was eventually tragically killed by an Outsider who took everything from her. Even with her resilient nature, thinking about it still inevitably stirred up intense feelings of resentment and the urge to kill. The System answered, ¡°That was a fictitious world. I simply brought your consciousness into the body of the world¡¯s female lead, Gu Shengyin, and experienced a lifetime with her. You are both Gu Shengyin and not Gu Shengyin.¡± The System said, ¡°Number One is just a code; the host can choose a name for herself.¡± The woman thought for a moment, ¡°I like the name Gu Shengyin; let¡¯s go with that.¡± The System¡¯s light flashed white, ¡°Alright, all the information has been transferred into your mind. If there are no issues, we can start the task immediately.¡± Number One, no, Gu Shengyin nodded. She smiled coldly, her eyebrows raised, and with her perfect face, it exuded a compelling beauty, ¡°Of course no problem. Indeed, I¡¯m quite curious about those who incessantly scheme to overthrow the female lead and ascend to her position.¡± Ultimately, carrying the memories of ¡°Gu Shengyin¡±, she was inevitably influenced, developing a deep-rooted aversion and disgust towards those Outsiders. The System inexplicably felt a bit cold and suddenly wanted to light a candle for those Outsiders who were about to face Gu Shengyin. This host seemed not to be trifled with. But then again, it was expected, since she was personally created by¡­ ¡°Ready to enter the world, three, two, one¡­¡± Gu Shengyin only felt a wave of dizziness, and then lost consciousness. Chapter 6 - Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Miss Generals Mansion Versus Time-Traveled Younger Sister (Part 5) Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Miss General¡¯s Mansion Versus Time-Traveled Younger Sister (Part 5) Jiang Lingzhen sat inside the carriage, peering through the slight gaps made by its gentle swaying. Eldest Princess Wen Cheng was a devout follower of Buddhism, and this time, her daughter had faced great adversity, leaving a knot in her heart. Seizing the opportunity when Jiang Lingzhen¡¯s health greatly improved, she immediately took her daughter to the most famous temple of the Tianqi Dynasty¡ªQianlong Temple¡ªto offer incense. Gu Shengyin was naturally happy to go. Qianlong Temple was known for its beautiful scenery, and even on ordinary days, it was worthwhile to visit for leisure. What¡¯s more, on this visit, Gu Shengyin was set to meet that legendary individual at Qianlong Temple. Jiang Yunsan¡¯s carriage followed behind. Somehow, she had convinced the usually dismissive Eldest Princess Wen Cheng to accompany them to Qianlong Temple. Jiang Yunsan certainly had her own motives. In the original story, it was precisely in Qianlong Temple where the Crown Prince and Jiang Lingzhen¡¯s romance was affirmed. Having finally gained a sliver of the Crown Prince¡¯s favor, she absolutely could not allow Jiang Lingzhen any opportunity to get close to the Crown Prince. Feeling a cool touch to her index finger, Jiang Yunsan caressed the smooth Jade Vial hidden in her sleeve, her lips curling into a smile that spoke of her determination to succeed. After paying respects to the Buddha with Eldest Princess Wen Cheng, Jiang Lingzhen, using the excuse of needing fresh air, informed Princess Wen Cheng and, accompanied by the maids Hu Zhu and Lin Lang, set off toward the back mountain. She was well aware of the plot of this world and knew that there resided in Qianlong Temple a recluse of extraordinary status¡ªthe legitimate son born to Empress Yuen, the true eldest Prince, Ji Yu. In terms of status, no other Prince could compare to the preciousness of Ji Yu. However, shortly after Ji Yu was born, Empress Yuen passed away from an illness, and the Emperor, believing his son to bring misfortune to his kin, grew cold towards him. When Ji Yu was ten, the Emperor, under the guise of ¡®praying for blessings for all under heaven,¡¯ sent him to Qianlong Temple in a veiled exile. In the original plot, this eldest legitimate Prince had very few scenes, and he indeed lived out his life in Qianlong Temple, just like a secluded member of a religious order. Gu Shengyin instructed Hu Zhu and Lin Lang to follow from a distance and slowly enjoyed the scenery of the temple¡¯s back courtyard. Although she had the memories of Gu Shengyin¡¯s entire life, she could only be considered a spectator; she had not truly experienced what Gu Shengyin had seen or lived through. The scenery of Qianlong Temple¡¯s back mountain captivated her so much that she became somewhat entranced. Hu Zhu and Lin Lang watched from afar as their Commandery Princess, as if she had never ventured outside before, stopped here and looked there, and simply assumed that after being cooped up for so long, their princess was more excited than usual to be out. Curious as Gu Shengyin was, she had not forgotten her mission and slowly made her way toward her intended destination. She remembered that Ji Yu¡¯s little courtyard was hidden within a secluded bamboo forest in the back mountain. As she ventured deeper, the surroundings became ever more serene. All Gu Shengyin could hear was the sound of the wind rustling through the bamboo leaves and the echo of her own footsteps. Lin Lang tugged at Hu Zhu¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Sister Hu Zhu, should we persuade the Commandery Princess to go back? This place is eerily quiet.¡± Hu Zhu, looking at the clearly excited figure of Gu Shengyin ahead, shook her head slightly. ¡°It¡¯s rare for the Commandery Princess to be this happy. Let¡¯s not dampen her spirits. This Qianlong Temple is a sacred place of Buddhism; no miscreants would dare to cause trouble here.¡± As Gu Shengyin walked among the bamboo, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder: What kind of person would live in such a place for over a decade, day in and day out? Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Miss Generals Mansion Versus Time-Traveled Younger Sister (Part 7) Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Miss General¡¯s Mansion Versus Time-Traveled Younger Sister (Part 7) Gu Shengyin began with a blush, even though she hadn¡¯t experienced it herself, everyone present knew what that sound meant. But soon, Gu Shengyin¡¯s face turned pale. She recognized the two voices, which were surprisingly familiar! Without caring about her shyness, she glanced in that direction, and with just one look, her face turned deathly white: the woman with her gown half-open, revealing her fragrant shoulders and her cheeks flushed with the promise of spring, was none other than her half-sister, Jiang Yunsan, and the man leaning over her was the Crown Prince Ji Ye, to whom she was verbally engaged! Ji Yu watched Gu Shengyin who seemed to have received an enormous blow, her expression distressed and her figure staggering. A wave of pity rose uncontrollably in his heart, and without regard to propriety, he steadied her, ¡°Do you know these two people?¡± Gu Shengyin felt it might have been an illusion, but she sensed a faint scent of lotus coming from Ji Yu. This season was not the time for lotuses to bloom. Hearing Ji Yu¡¯s question, Gu Shengyin just clenched her lips and shook her head slightly. Seeing this, Ji Yu asked no further. He gestured to the two equally shocked women behind him, and they quietly withdrew. The group walked in silence, with Ji Yu escorting them to the exit at the back of the mountain. By then, Gu Shengyin¡¯s expression had returned to calm, and she gave Ji Yu a bow, ¡°Thank you, member of a religious.¡± Ji Yu saw her calm demeanor but noticed her eyes were somewhat unfocused, knowing her mind must be in a haze. Without further talk, they exchanged a few words and said goodbye. Back inside the Bamboo Building, Ji Yu closed the door, and his expression changed abruptly. He had very fine features and usually wore an indifferent expression that suggested he was the Exiled Immortal, content to live with nature, far from worldly strife. But now, the compassionate smile was gone, and his gentle eyes unexpectedly showed an intimidating sternness. ¡°Find out who the women who came today are, and also, who is that woman who has had improper relations with my Imperial Brother without a matchmaker,¡± his voice was cold and firm, devoid of emotion. From a corner came an almost imperceptible ¡°Yes,¡± followed by a breeze that seemed to sweep through, returning the Bamboo Building to peace. Ji Yu poured himself a cup of tea and slowly sipped it as he sat in a wicker chair. He thought back to the woman he had encountered during the day. In fact, long before Gu Shengyin arrived at the Bamboo Building, he had noticed her, captivated by her eyes. It wasn¡¯t feigned innocence or naivet¨¦, but a genuine curiosity about all things that shone through those eyes. He watched her alone, marveling at a strangely shaped plant, startled by a small insect that suddenly jumped out of the flowers, and then observing it intently with interest¡ªall seen through the expression in her eyes, for Gu Shengyin¡¯s behavior had been impeccable from start to finish, even maintaining the perfect composure of a high-born noble lady. It was this contrast that piqued Ji Yu¡¯s interest. Of course, he didn¡¯t know that there was a term for this phenomenon in a faraway world, called ¡°gap moe.¡± By nature indifferent and having been thrown into this place by his biological father to live alone for over a decade, he had developed an emotionless disposition, seldom stirred by people or things. Gu Shengyin was one of the few who did. However, considering her reaction today, it seemed she had some connection with his second brother. Ji Yu furrowed his brow. Chapter 9 - Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Miss Generals Mansion Versus Time-Traveled Younger Sister (Part 8) Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Miss General¡¯s Mansion Versus Time-Traveled Younger Sister (Part 8) Gu Shengyin and her two servants all looked somewhat dazed. ¡°Commandery Princess?¡± Hu Zhu looked at Gu Shengyin worriedly. Although outsiders weren¡¯t aware of her own Commandery Princess¡¯s betrothal to the Crown Prince, those who had been attending her from a young age like herself knew it very well. Today¡¯s actions of the Crown Prince and Jiang Yunsan were nothing short of a blatant slap in Jiang Lingzhen¡¯s face. Gu Shengyin¡¯s face was still somewhat pale, with Jiang Lingzhen¡¯s temperament; she would certainly not have informed her parents upon discovering such a matter and would have even strictly ordered her maids not to leak this out. But Gu Shengyin was unwilling to do so! Why should she allow that shameless couple to get off so lightly! Eldest Princess Wen Cheng noticed immediately that something was wrong with her precious daughter¡¯s complexion after she returned. ¡°Ah Zhen, what¡¯s wrong? Did something unhappy happen to you outside?¡± Eldest Princess Wen Cheng asked, her face full of heartache. Upon seeing her mother, Jiang Lingzhen¡¯s earlier forcibly restrained emotions suddenly burst out, and she threw herself into Eldest Princess Wen Cheng¡¯s arms and started crying. Eldest Princess Wen Cheng immediately panicked. She had always been noble and unapproachable outside but was incredibly tender to the bone with this only daughter of hers¡ªher heart¡¯s flesh, her palm¡¯s pearl. Besides, Ah Zhen was always emotionally reserved; when had she ever cried so bitterly? But no matter how she tried to coax her, Gu Shengyin just kept crying and refused to speak. Of course, Gu Shengyin wouldn¡¯t speak; the more aggrieved she appeared, the greater Eldest Princess Wen Cheng¡¯s rage would become. Although it felt somewhat like exploiting Eldest Princess Wen Cheng¡¯s love for her daughter, thinking of the original Jiang Lingzhen and the fate of the Jiang Family, Gu Shengyin could only force herself to harden her heart. ¡°You two were with the Commandery Princess today. What exactly happened!¡± Eldest Princess Wen Cheng¡¯s gaze was as piercing as a drawn sword as she turned it toward Hu Zhu and Lin Lang. Hu Zhu and Lin Lang naturally dared not hide anything, and, trembling with fear, they knelt on the ground and relayed the shameful affair they had encountered between the Second Prince and the Second Miss today. ¡°Rubbish!¡± Eldest Princess Wen Cheng didn¡¯t know whether she was cursing the Second Prince or Jiang Yunsan, ¡°This is simply¡­ simply too outrageous!¡± She never would have imagined that right here in this peaceful Buddhist land, under her own eyes, they would commit such a disgraceful act. ¡°Ah Zhen.¡± Eldest Princess Wen Cheng gently pulled Gu Shengyin, who was buried in her arms, back up. ¡°Tell your mother, do you actually like the Second Prince?¡± Gu Shengyin was stunned for a good while, her bewildered eyes paired with her red eyes and nose made her look especially pitiful. She shook her head and said softly, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The original Jiang Lingzhen naturally liked him, but it was only after the grand wedding. The current feelings Jiang Lingzhen had for the Second Prince were still lingering at the stage of a faint fondness. As for Gu Shengyin, it was even less likely she would have any fondness for such a scoundrel. Seeing her like this, Eldest Princess Wen Cheng actually felt relieved. This appearance of her daughter clearly indicated that she had not yet fallen for him. Today¡¯s grievance was probably nothing more than feeling that the Second Prince¡¯s behavior was a great affront to her own dignity. She breathed a sigh of relief; this was much easier to handle. If Ah Zhen had really developed feelings for the Second Prince, it would take much more effort to persuade her daughter. No matter what, the Second Prince, a person of such character, would definitely not be a good match. She stood up straight and instructed the maids to bring up hot water, then turned to face the still bewildered Gu Shengyin, ¡°Ah Zhen, look at your mother.¡± Gu Shengyin looked over with some confusion. ¡°You are the daughter of the Grand Princess, the only legitimate daughter of the Great General, and the Princess Lang Hua personally titled by His Majesty.¡± Eldest Princess Wen Cheng looked at her proudly, ¡°At any time, you can proudly hold up your head, the likes of the Second Prince and Jiang Yunsan aren¡¯t worth your tears!¡± Chapter 11 - Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Miss Generals Mansion VS Time-traveling Younger Sister (Part 10) Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Miss General¡¯s Mansion VS Time-traveling Younger Sister (Part 10) Eldest Princess Wen Cheng looked towards her husband and noticed that the Great General too was also full of surprise and confusion. This matter had come about so suddenly that it had completely caught the couple off guard. Eldest Princess Wen Cheng took a deep breath and forced a smile, saying, ¡°Could it be that Your Majesty has been overworking recently, leading to some hallucinations?¡± This was almost a blatant challenge to the Emperor! No matter what, Eldest Princess Wen Cheng could not simply watch her daughter fall into the trap that was the Eastern Palace. The Emperor immediately glared at his own sister, ¡°I am not yet so senile! Moreover, the Empress has had the same dream these past days. Could it be that the Empress too is hallucinating from overexertion?¡± It was only because of this one sister that the Emperor would let it pass so lightly. Had it been someone else, questioning His Majesty would constitute a grave disrespect. Seeing the Emperor¡¯s determined expression, the hearts of Eldest Princess Wen Cheng and the Great General turned cold. As the Emperor looked at them, Eldest Princess Wen Cheng managed a forced smile to avoid any improper behavior, and said, ¡°Then may I know what plans Your Majesty has in mind?¡± Now it was the Emperor¡¯s turn to hesitate. He looked at his own sister, his expression unusually apologetic. Little did he know, this look caused even more panic in the hearts of the princess and her husband, fearing that there might be some complications in this matter. The Emperor rarely felt this embarrassed. He looked at his sister, ¡°Wen Cheng, I have a matter I haven¡¯t discussed with you. Regardless, as an Imperial Princess, you must understand that whatever decision I make, it is for the good of the Imperial Family.¡± Eldest Princess Wen Cheng¡¯s heart grew even more tangled in panic. ¡°Imperial Brother, what exactly is the matter?¡± In her urgency, she even reverted to the term of address they used years ago. ¡°The residence in the Empress and my dreams is not the Secluded Bamboo Court where your legitimate daughter, Ah Zhen, lives, but a place called Begonia Court. I have made my decision, on the eighth of next month, the Crown Prince will welcome your concubine-born daughter into the mansion with the ritual due to a concubine.¡± The Emperor deeply felt this decision was somewhat unfair to Eldest Princess Wen Cheng and the Great General, as he knew about the Crown Prince¡¯s engagement to Princess Lang Hua Jiang Lingzhen. Now, though, he was arranging for the Crown Prince to marry her concubine-born sister. Such an occurrence of sisters serving one husband was unprecedented in the Tianqi Dynasty, and besides, doing so would also dishonor Jiang Lingzhen. This meant that the engagement between Jiang Lingzhen and the Crown Prince must be canceled. At this, Eldest Princess Wen Cheng had frozen, thinking the Emperor¡¯s news was too much for her to accept, unaware that it was not discomfort she felt, but joy. Indeed, it was divine mercy! Eldest Princess Wen Cheng was both shocked and overjoyed, never expecting that one moment she had been anxious about her daughter¡¯s fate, and the next, she received this wonderful news that even resolved the problematic engagement that had troubled her for some days! Coming back to her senses, she then heard the Emperor continue, ¡°¡­I know this is unfair to Ah Zhen. She has grown up under my watch, I cherish her deeply, and had always hoped she could marry into our Imperial Family. Alas, this time, it is our Imperial Family who has done her wrong. I will issue a decree tomorrow to appoint Ah Zhen as Princess Qingyang, and the Qingyang Commandery near your Wen Cheng fief will be granted to her as her own.¡± Eldest Princess Wen Cheng was stunned by this grand gift. Granting a fief? Ordinary Commandery Princesses were not eligible for their own fief, and even for princesses, it depended on the level of favor they received. Eldest Princess Wen Cheng, as the legitimate daughter of the late Emperor and a sister of the current Emperor, held such high honor that she had her own fiefdom. She had never expected that the Imperial Family¡¯s compensation would be so generous this time! A Commandery Princess with her own fief was indeed more prestigious than an ordinary Imperial Princess! Chapter 6 - Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Miss Generals Mansion Versus Time-Traveled Younger Sister (Part 5) Chapter 6: Chapter 6: Miss General¡¯s Mansion Versus Time-Traveled Younger Sister (Part 5) Jiang Lingzhen sat inside the carriage, peering through the slight gaps made by its gentle swaying. Eldest Princess Wen Cheng was a devout follower of Buddhism, and this time, her daughter had faced great adversity, leaving a knot in her heart. Seizing the opportunity when Jiang Lingzhen¡¯s health greatly improved, she immediately took her daughter to the most famous temple of the Tianqi Dynasty¡ªQianlong Temple¡ªto offer incense. Gu Shengyin was naturally happy to go. Qianlong Temple was known for its beautiful scenery, and even on ordinary days, it was worthwhile to visit for leisure. What¡¯s more, on this visit, Gu Shengyin was set to meet that legendary individual at Qianlong Temple. Jiang Yunsan¡¯s carriage followed behind. Somehow, she had convinced the usually dismissive Eldest Princess Wen Cheng to accompany them to Qianlong Temple. Jiang Yunsan certainly had her own motives. In the original story, it was precisely in Qianlong Temple where the Crown Prince and Jiang Lingzhen¡¯s romance was affirmed. Having finally gained a sliver of the Crown Prince¡¯s favor, she absolutely could not allow Jiang Lingzhen any opportunity to get close to the Crown Prince. Feeling a cool touch to her index finger, Jiang Yunsan caressed the smooth Jade Vial hidden in her sleeve, her lips curling into a smile that spoke of her determination to succeed. After paying respects to the Buddha with Eldest Princess Wen Cheng, Jiang Lingzhen, using the excuse of needing fresh air, informed Princess Wen Cheng and, accompanied by the maids Hu Zhu and Lin Lang, set off toward the back mountain. She was well aware of the plot of this world and knew that there resided in Qianlong Temple a recluse of extraordinary status¡ªthe legitimate son born to Empress Yuen, the true eldest Prince, Ji Yu. In terms of status, no other Prince could compare to the preciousness of Ji Yu. However, shortly after Ji Yu was born, Empress Yuen passed away from an illness, and the Emperor, believing his son to bring misfortune to his kin, grew cold towards him. When Ji Yu was ten, the Emperor, under the guise of ¡®praying for blessings for all under heaven,¡¯ sent him to Qianlong Temple in a veiled exile. In the original plot, this eldest legitimate Prince had very few scenes, and he indeed lived out his life in Qianlong Temple, just like a secluded member of a religious order. Gu Shengyin instructed Hu Zhu and Lin Lang to follow from a distance and slowly enjoyed the scenery of the temple¡¯s back courtyard. Although she had the memories of Gu Shengyin¡¯s entire life, she could only be considered a spectator; she had not truly experienced what Gu Shengyin had seen or lived through. The scenery of Qianlong Temple¡¯s back mountain captivated her so much that she became somewhat entranced. Hu Zhu and Lin Lang watched from afar as their Commandery Princess, as if she had never ventured outside before, stopped here and looked there, and simply assumed that after being cooped up for so long, their princess was more excited than usual to be out. Curious as Gu Shengyin was, she had not forgotten her mission and slowly made her way toward her intended destination. She remembered that Ji Yu¡¯s little courtyard was hidden within a secluded bamboo forest in the back mountain. As she ventured deeper, the surroundings became ever more serene. All Gu Shengyin could hear was the sound of the wind rustling through the bamboo leaves and the echo of her own footsteps. Lin Lang tugged at Hu Zhu¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Sister Hu Zhu, should we persuade the Commandery Princess to go back? This place is eerily quiet.¡± Hu Zhu, looking at the clearly excited figure of Gu Shengyin ahead, shook her head slightly. ¡°It¡¯s rare for the Commandery Princess to be this happy. Let¡¯s not dampen her spirits. This Qianlong Temple is a sacred place of Buddhism; no miscreants would dare to cause trouble here.¡± As Gu Shengyin walked among the bamboo, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder: What kind of person would live in such a place for over a decade, day in and day out? Chapter 33 - Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 1) Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 1) The noisy Hua City International Airport. Every day people from different countries and with different skin colors hurriedly pass by. Many passengers subconsciously glance in a particular direction as they pass. It was a man in a suit, his custom-made pure black suit perfectly outlining his sturdy physique, and a slight frown on his handsome face. His gaze fixed firmly in the direction of a certain part of the airport, clearly, he was waiting for someone. A few ladies who weren¡¯t in a hurry quietly stood nearby, curious about who could be important enough to make such an enchanting man wait. They soon got their answer. The man¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up, his expressionless face softened instantly, and he quickly walked forward. ¡°Xi Xi!¡± Gu Shengyin, amidst the crowd, subconsciously looked up and saw the man walking towards her. She was looking at the man, and the people around her were looking at her. Because she was traveling, Cheng Xizhi was dressed simply, in a light green waist-fitted dress that perfectly highlighted her figure. Large sunglasses covered half of her face, and her light brown wavy curls added a touch of enchantment to her. Slim waist, long legs, fair skin, and beauty were the truest depiction of Cheng Xizhi. ¡°Big brother,¡± Cheng Xizhi gave the man a big smile, then unceremoniously handed over her luggage to him. Cheng Boxuan doted on his sister with a glance, reluctantly taking on the role of a porter. That tender look would certainly astonish the employees at the company, making them wonder if their general manager had been possessed. ¡°Big brother, didn¡¯t second brother come?¡± asked Cheng Xizhi, now Gu Shengyin. Cheng Boxuan replied, ¡°Qi Xuan has an art exhibition today and really couldn¡¯t get away.¡± Gu Shengyin pouted, ¡°No matter how busy he is, how can he be more important than his little sister? Wait till I get back, I¡¯ll make him suffer!¡± Gu Shengyin, playing the role of Cheng Xizhi, was image of a pampered little princess, born into wealth and showered with love, so she could whimsically act spoiled and capricious. Cheng Xizhi was the youngest child of the Cheng family, dearly loved by her parents, Cheng Zhensheng and his wife. After having two sons, they were overjoyed when their daughter was born. They even personally visited a renowned fortune-teller to choose the name Xizhi for her. Fearing she wouldn¡¯t have a playmate, they adopted a girl from distant relatives who was not much older than Cheng Xizhi to raise together. The adopted daughter of the chairman of the Cheng Group was a status many could not even dream of attaining, and the couple was naturally more than willing. The adopted girl¡¯s name was Cheng Yiru, nominally Cheng Xizhi¡¯s older sister and the female rival in this world. The original Cheng Xizhi had an arranged marriage at the age of eighteen with the second young master of another important family in Hua City, the Yuen Group¡¯s Yuen Hang. It was a match seemingly well-suited in social status, but unexpectedly, Yuen Hang fell in love with Cheng Xizhi¡¯s sister, Cheng Yiru. Cheng Yiru also had feelings for Yuen Hang, and the two secretly continued their flirtations even after Cheng Xizhi was married to Yuen Hang, never breaking off contact. Cheng Xizhi, after getting married, found herself neglected by her husband, only to discover one day, while out with friends, Yuen Hang and Cheng Yiru kissing in a parking lot. That was when she realized her husband was having an affair with her own sister! Chapter 8 - Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Miss Generals Mansion Versus Time-Traveled Younger Sister (Part 7) Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Miss General¡¯s Mansion Versus Time-Traveled Younger Sister (Part 7) Gu Shengyin began with a blush, even though she hadn¡¯t experienced it herself, everyone present knew what that sound meant. But soon, Gu Shengyin¡¯s face turned pale. She recognized the two voices, which were surprisingly familiar! Without caring about her shyness, she glanced in that direction, and with just one look, her face turned deathly white: the woman with her gown half-open, revealing her fragrant shoulders and her cheeks flushed with the promise of spring, was none other than her half-sister, Jiang Yunsan, and the man leaning over her was the Crown Prince Ji Ye, to whom she was verbally engaged! Ji Yu watched Gu Shengyin who seemed to have received an enormous blow, her expression distressed and her figure staggering. A wave of pity rose uncontrollably in his heart, and without regard to propriety, he steadied her, ¡°Do you know these two people?¡± Gu Shengyin felt it might have been an illusion, but she sensed a faint scent of lotus coming from Ji Yu. This season was not the time for lotuses to bloom. Hearing Ji Yu¡¯s question, Gu Shengyin just clenched her lips and shook her head slightly. Seeing this, Ji Yu asked no further. He gestured to the two equally shocked women behind him, and they quietly withdrew. The group walked in silence, with Ji Yu escorting them to the exit at the back of the mountain. By then, Gu Shengyin¡¯s expression had returned to calm, and she gave Ji Yu a bow, ¡°Thank you, member of a religious.¡± Ji Yu saw her calm demeanor but noticed her eyes were somewhat unfocused, knowing her mind must be in a haze. Without further talk, they exchanged a few words and said goodbye. Back inside the Bamboo Building, Ji Yu closed the door, and his expression changed abruptly. He had very fine features and usually wore an indifferent expression that suggested he was the Exiled Immortal, content to live with nature, far from worldly strife. But now, the compassionate smile was gone, and his gentle eyes unexpectedly showed an intimidating sternness. ¡°Find out who the women who came today are, and also, who is that woman who has had improper relations with my Imperial Brother without a matchmaker,¡± his voice was cold and firm, devoid of emotion. From a corner came an almost imperceptible ¡°Yes,¡± followed by a breeze that seemed to sweep through, returning the Bamboo Building to peace. Ji Yu poured himself a cup of tea and slowly sipped it as he sat in a wicker chair. He thought back to the woman he had encountered during the day. In fact, long before Gu Shengyin arrived at the Bamboo Building, he had noticed her, captivated by her eyes. It wasn¡¯t feigned innocence or naivet¨¦, but a genuine curiosity about all things that shone through those eyes. He watched her alone, marveling at a strangely shaped plant, startled by a small insect that suddenly jumped out of the flowers, and then observing it intently with interest¡ªall seen through the expression in her eyes, for Gu Shengyin¡¯s behavior had been impeccable from start to finish, even maintaining the perfect composure of a high-born noble lady. It was this contrast that piqued Ji Yu¡¯s interest. Of course, he didn¡¯t know that there was a term for this phenomenon in a faraway world, called ¡°gap moe.¡± By nature indifferent and having been thrown into this place by his biological father to live alone for over a decade, he had developed an emotionless disposition, seldom stirred by people or things. Gu Shengyin was one of the few who did. However, considering her reaction today, it seemed she had some connection with his second brother. Ji Yu furrowed his brow. Chapter 9 - Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Miss Generals Mansion Versus Time-Traveled Younger Sister (Part 8) Chapter 9: Chapter 9: Miss General¡¯s Mansion Versus Time-Traveled Younger Sister (Part 8) Gu Shengyin and her two servants all looked somewhat dazed. ¡°Commandery Princess?¡± Hu Zhu looked at Gu Shengyin worriedly. Although outsiders weren¡¯t aware of her own Commandery Princess¡¯s betrothal to the Crown Prince, those who had been attending her from a young age like herself knew it very well. Today¡¯s actions of the Crown Prince and Jiang Yunsan were nothing short of a blatant slap in Jiang Lingzhen¡¯s face. Gu Shengyin¡¯s face was still somewhat pale, with Jiang Lingzhen¡¯s temperament; she would certainly not have informed her parents upon discovering such a matter and would have even strictly ordered her maids not to leak this out. But Gu Shengyin was unwilling to do so! Why should she allow that shameless couple to get off so lightly! Eldest Princess Wen Cheng noticed immediately that something was wrong with her precious daughter¡¯s complexion after she returned. ¡°Ah Zhen, what¡¯s wrong? Did something unhappy happen to you outside?¡± Eldest Princess Wen Cheng asked, her face full of heartache. Upon seeing her mother, Jiang Lingzhen¡¯s earlier forcibly restrained emotions suddenly burst out, and she threw herself into Eldest Princess Wen Cheng¡¯s arms and started crying. Eldest Princess Wen Cheng immediately panicked. She had always been noble and unapproachable outside but was incredibly tender to the bone with this only daughter of hers¡ªher heart¡¯s flesh, her palm¡¯s pearl. Besides, Ah Zhen was always emotionally reserved; when had she ever cried so bitterly? But no matter how she tried to coax her, Gu Shengyin just kept crying and refused to speak. Of course, Gu Shengyin wouldn¡¯t speak; the more aggrieved she appeared, the greater Eldest Princess Wen Cheng¡¯s rage would become. Although it felt somewhat like exploiting Eldest Princess Wen Cheng¡¯s love for her daughter, thinking of the original Jiang Lingzhen and the fate of the Jiang Family, Gu Shengyin could only force herself to harden her heart. ¡°You two were with the Commandery Princess today. What exactly happened!¡± Eldest Princess Wen Cheng¡¯s gaze was as piercing as a drawn sword as she turned it toward Hu Zhu and Lin Lang. Hu Zhu and Lin Lang naturally dared not hide anything, and, trembling with fear, they knelt on the ground and relayed the shameful affair they had encountered between the Second Prince and the Second Miss today. ¡°Rubbish!¡± Eldest Princess Wen Cheng didn¡¯t know whether she was cursing the Second Prince or Jiang Yunsan, ¡°This is simply¡­ simply too outrageous!¡± She never would have imagined that right here in this peaceful Buddhist land, under her own eyes, they would commit such a disgraceful act. ¡°Ah Zhen.¡± Eldest Princess Wen Cheng gently pulled Gu Shengyin, who was buried in her arms, back up. ¡°Tell your mother, do you actually like the Second Prince?¡± Gu Shengyin was stunned for a good while, her bewildered eyes paired with her red eyes and nose made her look especially pitiful. She shook her head and said softly, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The original Jiang Lingzhen naturally liked him, but it was only after the grand wedding. The current feelings Jiang Lingzhen had for the Second Prince were still lingering at the stage of a faint fondness. As for Gu Shengyin, it was even less likely she would have any fondness for such a scoundrel. Seeing her like this, Eldest Princess Wen Cheng actually felt relieved. This appearance of her daughter clearly indicated that she had not yet fallen for him. Today¡¯s grievance was probably nothing more than feeling that the Second Prince¡¯s behavior was a great affront to her own dignity. She breathed a sigh of relief; this was much easier to handle. If Ah Zhen had really developed feelings for the Second Prince, it would take much more effort to persuade her daughter. No matter what, the Second Prince, a person of such character, would definitely not be a good match. She stood up straight and instructed the maids to bring up hot water, then turned to face the still bewildered Gu Shengyin, ¡°Ah Zhen, look at your mother.¡± Gu Shengyin looked over with some confusion. ¡°You are the daughter of the Grand Princess, the only legitimate daughter of the Great General, and the Princess Lang Hua personally titled by His Majesty.¡± Eldest Princess Wen Cheng looked at her proudly, ¡°At any time, you can proudly hold up your head, the likes of the Second Prince and Jiang Yunsan aren¡¯t worth your tears!¡± Chapter 36 - Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 4) Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 4) ¡°Big brother, I don¡¯t want to go and see anymore,¡± Gu Shengyin whined, clinging to Cheng Boxuan¡¯s hand. ¡°You¡¯re a major shareholder of Cheng Group after all, the people under you should at least get to know you,¡± Cheng Boxuan was clear-cut. Cheng Zhensheng and his wife loved their daughter dearly. They left twenty percent of Cheng Group¡¯s shares for Cheng Xizhi. Cheng Xizhi was not interested in business, nor did her parents intend for her to become a businesswoman. Just the dividends from those shares were enough for Cheng Xizhi to live a princess-like life for the rest of her days. The headquarters of Cheng Group was located in a commercial office building in the center of Hua City. The new receptionist, with a perfect smile, watched the general manager enter the elevator and then excitedly said to her colleague, ¡°My gosh, the general manager is so handsome! But who is the girl with him? She looks so young, yet so pretty! She even managed to make the usually serious general manager smile so tenderly. She couldn¡¯t be some fianc¨¦e or something, could she?¡± Another girl took out a mirror to check if her makeup was smudged and scoffed at her colleague¡¯s words, ¡°What fianc¨¦e? Haven¡¯t you heard that our general manager has a sister?¡± The new receptionist asked in confusion, ¡°Didn¡¯t the general manager¡¯s sister come to the company a few days ago?¡± A few days ago, Cheng Yiru did visit the company. An old employee smiled and said, ¡°One is his biological daughter, the other is adopted. Which one do you think is the general manager¡¯s sister?¡± Cheng Zhensheng and his wife had never hidden the fact that Cheng Yiru was their adopted daughter, so when Yuen Group was choosing a partner for an arranged marriage, they never considered Cheng Yiru. ¡°Who is that girl with your general manager?¡± A man dressed in a suit, exuding an intimidating aura, watched Gu Shengyin, who was holding Cheng Boxuan¡¯s arm, with a calm gaze. The laid-back PR manager sighed in relief; he had been assigned by the company to host this young master from Yuen Enterprise. The man¡¯s imposing presence was so frightening, it even made the normally unfazed manager feel short of breath. Seeing the young master of Yuen Enterprise distracted by something else, he let out a sigh of relief and hurriedly answered, ¡°That¡¯s our chairman¡¯s younger daughter, the general manager¡¯s sister, Miss Cheng Xizhi.¡± Cheng Xizhi. Yuan Xu repeated the name in his mind a few times. He always felt there was a strange familiarity when he saw Cheng Xizhi. After thinking it over, he was certain he had never met her before. Upon recalling further, wasn¡¯t Cheng Xizhi from Cheng Group the girl his family was interested in for an arranged marriage? So she was to be Yuen Hang¡¯s future wife? For some reason, thinking about this possibility made Yuan Xu feel a slight irritation. It seemed that once he finished with his current business, he would need some good rest. Yuan Xu attributed his irritability to being overworked. As if sensing something, Gu Shengyin turned around curiously in that direction but saw only a figure walking away. Shaking her head, Gu Shengyin laughed self-deprecatingly; she had actually felt like Ji Yu was watching her. But how could that be possible? That person, unlike her, was gone long ago. Thinking of Ji Yu, Gu Shengyin¡¯s mood instantly fell. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Xi Xi?¡± Cheng Boxuan noticed his sister¡¯s mood was off. Gu Shengyin shook her head: ¡°I¡¯m just a bit tired.¡± Seeing his sister¡¯s listless expression, Cheng Boxuan didn¡¯t doubt her and said, ¡°Then go sit in my resting room for a while. I¡¯ll have someone take you home later.¡± Gu Shengyin nodded. Chapter 11 - Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Miss Generals Mansion VS Time-traveling Younger Sister (Part 10) Chapter 11: Chapter 11 Miss General¡¯s Mansion VS Time-traveling Younger Sister (Part 10) Eldest Princess Wen Cheng looked towards her husband and noticed that the Great General too was also full of surprise and confusion. This matter had come about so suddenly that it had completely caught the couple off guard. Eldest Princess Wen Cheng took a deep breath and forced a smile, saying, ¡°Could it be that Your Majesty has been overworking recently, leading to some hallucinations?¡± This was almost a blatant challenge to the Emperor! No matter what, Eldest Princess Wen Cheng could not simply watch her daughter fall into the trap that was the Eastern Palace. The Emperor immediately glared at his own sister, ¡°I am not yet so senile! Moreover, the Empress has had the same dream these past days. Could it be that the Empress too is hallucinating from overexertion?¡± It was only because of this one sister that the Emperor would let it pass so lightly. Had it been someone else, questioning His Majesty would constitute a grave disrespect. Seeing the Emperor¡¯s determined expression, the hearts of Eldest Princess Wen Cheng and the Great General turned cold. As the Emperor looked at them, Eldest Princess Wen Cheng managed a forced smile to avoid any improper behavior, and said, ¡°Then may I know what plans Your Majesty has in mind?¡± Now it was the Emperor¡¯s turn to hesitate. He looked at his own sister, his expression unusually apologetic. Little did he know, this look caused even more panic in the hearts of the princess and her husband, fearing that there might be some complications in this matter. The Emperor rarely felt this embarrassed. He looked at his sister, ¡°Wen Cheng, I have a matter I haven¡¯t discussed with you. Regardless, as an Imperial Princess, you must understand that whatever decision I make, it is for the good of the Imperial Family.¡± Eldest Princess Wen Cheng¡¯s heart grew even more tangled in panic. ¡°Imperial Brother, what exactly is the matter?¡± In her urgency, she even reverted to the term of address they used years ago. ¡°The residence in the Empress and my dreams is not the Secluded Bamboo Court where your legitimate daughter, Ah Zhen, lives, but a place called Begonia Court. I have made my decision, on the eighth of next month, the Crown Prince will welcome your concubine-born daughter into the mansion with the ritual due to a concubine.¡± The Emperor deeply felt this decision was somewhat unfair to Eldest Princess Wen Cheng and the Great General, as he knew about the Crown Prince¡¯s engagement to Princess Lang Hua Jiang Lingzhen. Now, though, he was arranging for the Crown Prince to marry her concubine-born sister. Such an occurrence of sisters serving one husband was unprecedented in the Tianqi Dynasty, and besides, doing so would also dishonor Jiang Lingzhen. This meant that the engagement between Jiang Lingzhen and the Crown Prince must be canceled. At this, Eldest Princess Wen Cheng had frozen, thinking the Emperor¡¯s news was too much for her to accept, unaware that it was not discomfort she felt, but joy. Indeed, it was divine mercy! Eldest Princess Wen Cheng was both shocked and overjoyed, never expecting that one moment she had been anxious about her daughter¡¯s fate, and the next, she received this wonderful news that even resolved the problematic engagement that had troubled her for some days! Coming back to her senses, she then heard the Emperor continue, ¡°¡­I know this is unfair to Ah Zhen. She has grown up under my watch, I cherish her deeply, and had always hoped she could marry into our Imperial Family. Alas, this time, it is our Imperial Family who has done her wrong. I will issue a decree tomorrow to appoint Ah Zhen as Princess Qingyang, and the Qingyang Commandery near your Wen Cheng fief will be granted to her as her own.¡± Eldest Princess Wen Cheng was stunned by this grand gift. Granting a fief? Ordinary Commandery Princesses were not eligible for their own fief, and even for princesses, it depended on the level of favor they received. Eldest Princess Wen Cheng, as the legitimate daughter of the late Emperor and a sister of the current Emperor, held such high honor that she had her own fiefdom. She had never expected that the Imperial Family¡¯s compensation would be so generous this time! A Commandery Princess with her own fief was indeed more prestigious than an ordinary Imperial Princess! Chapter 38 - Chapter 38: Chapter 38 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 6) Chapter 38: Chapter 38 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 6) ¡°Miss Cheng?¡± Gu Shengyin was dazed by the familiar scent until Yuan Xu called out to her. She snapped back to reality, quickly steadied herself, and thanked Yuan Xu. ¡°Mr. Yuen, do you like the scent of lotus in perfume?¡± Gu Shengyin asked, unsure of what prompted her to inquire. Yuan Xu chuckled, ¡°No, I never use perfume.¡± As he finished speaking, he nodded toward Gu Shengyin, indicating he had to leave, as they had started calling his name in the hall. Gu Shengyin was left sitting there, lost in thought. ¡°System.¡± Gu Shengyin¡¯s voice carried a hint of hope, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s possible¡­ could Ji Yu have reincarnated just like me?¡± The system was silent for a moment before responding, ¡°Theoretically, that possibility does not exist.¡± ¡°But he smells exactly like Ji Yu!¡± Gu Shengyin grew excited, ¡°In the previous world, Ji Yu always had a lingering scent of lotus, and when I was with him, I was certain that he never used anything that smelled like lotus.¡± The system remained silent; it had no explanation for this phenomenon. Suddenly, Gu Shengyin felt alive again. Since arriving in this world, her demeanor had been somewhat strange¡ªas if lacking vitality. Although she completed her tasks as usual, it always seemed as though she was struggling to find a reason to continue. Gu Shengyin was not the system¡¯s first host. Before her, there had been several other hosts, who, like Gu Shengyin, had fallen in love with someone in a particular world. But as one world passed, their lovers vanished forever, while the hosts themselves continued to travel through world after world. Over time, even the most resolute wills struggled to endure. An eternity without hope was more cruel than anything else. Two of the system¡¯s first three hosts had requested self-destruction. But Gu Shengyin was different from them. Gu Shengyin was personally created by that Person. In terms of status, even ten systems could not compare to one Gu Shengyin, she just didn¡¯t know it herself. Gu Shengyin felt her body surge with fighting spirit anew. She stared at Yuan Xu, who was speaking confidently on stage, pondering how to verify whether he was the reincarnation of Ji Yu. That¡¯s right! Gu Shengyin suddenly remembered. Ji Yu had a lotus-shaped mark on his left shoulder. In the previous world, during moments of affection, she had teased him that he might be the reincarnation of a Lotus Fairy, otherwise why would his body not only have the scent of lotus but also a lotus mark. At the time, Ji Yu had taken it as a joke; aside from Gu Shengyin, no one else could smell the lotus scent on him. So, about Yuan Xu¡ªdid he also have the same mark? Gu Shengyin watched Yuan Xu intently, contemplating how to undress this man and confirm her suspicions. After Yuan Xu, as the heir to the Cheng Group, Cheng Boxuan naturally shared some thoughts. ¡°Lastly, please allow me to introduce my sister, the little princess of the Cheng Group, Cheng Xizhi.¡± Cheng Boxuan smiled as he looked over at Cheng Xizhi. Xi Xi disliked the business world, but that was okay, as her older brother had the capability to protect her and ensure she lived a carefree life. However, networking was something Xi Xi would have to develop on her own; after all, it would be her wealth in the future. Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Gu Shengyin elegantly stood up. Chapter 39 - Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 7) Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 7) Cheng Yiru watched Cheng Xizhi stand on the stage, the center of everyone¡¯s attention. Those who had just surrounded her now had all their attention fixed on Cheng Xizhi. It had always been this way, whenever Cheng Xizhi was around, nobody could see Cheng Yiru¡¯s existence. Her fingernails dug fiercely into the palm of her hand. Suddenly feeling warmth, Cheng Yiru looked up to find Yuen Hang draping a shawl over her shoulders. Looking at this man with handsome features, her heart felt warm. This man, in both her past and present life, only ever had eyes for her. For a moment, Cheng Yiru wavered, thinking maybe it would be quite good to let go of the resentments from her past life and focus on being with Yuen Hang. However, glancing again at Cheng Xizhi on the stage, radiant and the focus of the crowd, she suppressed that thought. No, how could she rest unless she saw Cheng Xizhi fall into the dust, the Cheng family in ruins? Thinking of her own arrangement, she smiled slyly. Yuan Xu stood among the crowd, frowning at the intimate scenes between Yuen Hang and Cheng Yiru, as if they were alone in the world. Both brothers knew about the family¡¯s plan for Yuen Hang to form a marital alliance with the Cheng clan. Because of his non-cooperation, the family had decided to let Yuen Hang, the second son, marry into the Cheng clan. The marriage partner designated for the union between the Yuen Group and the Cheng clan could only be Cheng Xizhi. After all, Cheng Yiru was just an adopted daughter; to form a strong alliance, a daughter without the direct bloodline of the Cheng family clearly wasn¡¯t significant enough. Yet, looking at Yuen Hang and Cheng Yiru together, they obviously seemed to be in mutual love. Yuan Xu watched Cheng Xizhi, poised and graceful on the stage, like a noble white swan, and he couldn¡¯t help feeling that his brother, already affectionate with her sister, seemed somewhat unworthy of her. A woman like that should have a lover who loves her wholeheartedly. She deserved the best affection. Yuan Xu shook his head, feeling strange about the thoughts that had crossed his mind, sensing that his emotions had been abnormal these past few days. Gu Shengyin stepped off the stage, feeling a bit thirsty, and happened to catch an attendant passing by, from whom she took a glass of champagne and took a sip. Her gaze, searching subconsciously for Yuan Xu, discovered that the man had already disappeared without a trace. Had he left early? She suddenly felt bored and decided to return to her previous seat to wait for the banquet to end and go home with her elder brother. Why is it so hot? Gu Shengyin had been sitting for a while when she distinctly felt the air temperature rise. That¡¯s not right! It¡¯s impossible for a top-level hotel to make such a mistake. Gu Shengyin quickly realized the problem wasn¡¯t with the hotel, but with herself. She had been drugged without noticing! Reflecting on the events that had happened prior, the only possibility was when she had just left the stage and taken a glass of champagne from a passing attendant. That very glass of champagne now in front of her! Damn it! Gu Shengyin cursed her own carelessness, feeling an increasingly intense heat inside her body, and hurried toward the restroom. She couldn¡¯t afford to lose composure in this hall! Not far away, Cheng Yiru, while chatting and laughing with the people around her, glanced out of the corner of her eye at Cheng Xizhi heading unsteadily toward the restroom. A cryptic smile played on her lips as she apologized to her company and stepped aside to pick up her phone. ¡°Hello¡­ You can come over now.¡± Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Noble Lady of Wealthy Family VS Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 8) Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Noble Lady of Wealthy Family VS Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 8) Gu Shengyin stood in front of the washbasin, splashing cold water on her face. It was useless. Feeling the wave of heat growing hotter inside her, she took out her phone, wanting to call her older brother to come and take her home quickly. The turmoil inside her made her hands unsteady; she pressed several times before she managed to unlock her phone¡¯s screen, found her older brother¡¯s contact, and was just about to dial when someone snatched the phone from her hand. Gu Shengyin looked up to see the face of a strange man. An inexplicable panic seized her, and she forcefully demanded, ¡°What do you want? Give me back my phone now!¡± The man greedily looked at Gu Shengyin¡¯s face. He had received a call from his employer who told him the person was in the restroom on the twenty-ninth floor of the hotel; his only task was to take the person away, then later¡­ Even if he hadn¡¯t succeeded, just having this woman appear disheveled before everyone else would have meant his mission was accomplished. That would allow him to receive a substantial amount of money. Gu Shengyin, seeing the man¡¯s expression becoming increasingly wrong, sensed alarm bells ringing inside her, but unfortunately, the soundproofing here was excellent; even if she shouted, the people outside wouldn¡¯t hear her. She spoke sternly, ¡°No matter who has instructed you, that person definitely hasn¡¯t told you who I am. I am the young lady of the Cheng Group; you should know what kind of existence the Cheng Group is. If something happens to me here today, no matter where you flee, my father and brothers will not let you off!¡± The man paused, realizing his employer indeed hadn¡¯t mentioned the identity of this girl. The Cheng Group¡­ If what she said was true¡­ Seeing his hesitation, Gu Shengyin was encouraged and continued, ¡°If you leave now, I can assure you, I will pretend today¡¯s incident never happened. Whatever amount your employer is paying you, I will double it.¡± Her breathing was unstable at this moment, and under the influence of the drugs, she no longer had the strength, forced to lean against the washbasin to prevent herself from collapsing. The man was clearly hesitating. In her mind, Gu Shengyin called out to the system, ¡°If this man does not compromise, do you have the ability to help me get out of this smoothly?¡± The system immediately responded, ¡°Host, please rest assured, as your Guide, I am obliged to ensure your personal safety around non-mission targets.¡± Gu Shengyin no longer had the energy to discuss the scope of this ¡°non-mission targets¡± with the system. ¡°No! I nearly fell for it! As if I don¡¯t know what you wealthy people are like? Fair words face to face, yet a stab in the back once you turn around.¡± The man had clearly made up his mind. As soon as he finished speaking, his hand was already reaching toward Gu Shengyin. ¡°System!¡± Seeing the man¡¯s hand coming closer, Gu Shengyin urgently shouted. However, the system¡¯s actions weren¡¯t as fast as another¡¯s. A black figure dashed toward them and fiercely punched the man in the face who was restraining Gu Shengyin. A familiar scent of lotus flowers filled the air around Gu Shengyin. All of a sudden, she felt so aggrieved, turned, and threw herself into the man¡¯s arms, tears rolling down her face as she did. ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Yuan Xu didn¡¯t have time to care about the man crying out in agony on the ground. He was a bit irritable and was walking around outside, preparing to have a cigarette in the restroom when a strange feeling overwhelmed him. He always felt as if something bad was happening. From childhood, his sixth sense had been very accurate, and this special intuition had helped him avoid several disasters. Following his intuition, Yuan Xu walked toward the women¡¯s restroom. At first, Yuan Xu hesitated whether to enter or not, but as soon as his hand touched the doorknob, he knew something was wrong¡ªit was locked from the inside! This sort of restroom usually had individual stalls, meaning the outer door, unless under hotel maintenance, shouldn¡¯t be locked. With a growing sense of foreboding and no time to think further, Yuan Xu kicked open the door. Then, he saw a scene that made his eyes fill with rage. Gu Shengyin, who had been dazzling in the hall just before, was now blocked by a sleazy-looking man! Yuan Xu felt, at that moment, all his blood rushing to his head; he had never been so out of control. After knocking the man to the ground where he couldn¡¯t get up, he took off his own suit jacket and draped it over Cheng Xizhi. Who knew, as soon as Cheng Xizhi saw him, she burst into tears and threw herself into his arms. The girl crying in his arms felt so wronged, Yuan Xu felt like his heart was being crushed by her sobs. Seeing the man on the ground, Yuan Xu knew that Gu Shengyin¡¯s current state was not fit for others to see, so he bent down, picked her up, and left the place. As he passed the man on the ground, he paused to take the cellphone from his hand and stepped hard on the man¡¯s right hand. ¡°Crack!¡± The sound of bone fracturing echoed as he ignored the pig-like wails of the man behind him, Yuan Xu walked out carrying Gu Shengyin. By the time the crowd in the hall heard the commotion and rushed over, all they saw was a broken door and a man lying on the ground, rolling around and crying incessantly in pain. Cheng Yiru was annoyed: she hadn¡¯t expected that under such circumstances, Cheng Xizhi would still manage to escape. Yuan Xu directly carried Cheng Xizhi away through a special passage. The hotel belonged to Yuen Group, and only a select few knew of this passage. He brought Gu Shengyin to his private room in the hotel, placed her on the bed, and went into the bathroom to run a bath. Thinking about the young lady¡¯s age, Yuan Xu wrapped her in a blanket, picked her up, and placed her in the already prepared bathtub. Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Noble Lady of Wealthy Family VS Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 9) Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Noble Lady of Wealthy Family VS Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 9) Yuan Xu had no time to deal with the man wailing on the ground. Feeling somewhat irritable, he had taken a walk outside and was about to smoke a cigarette in the restroom when an inexplicable sensation overwhelmed him. He always felt as if something bad was happening. Since childhood, his sixth sense had been remarkably accurate, allowing him to avoid several calamities. Following his intuition, Yuan Xu walked towards the women¡¯s restroom. Initially, Yuan Xu hesitated about whether to enter, but the moment his hand touched the doorknob, he noticed something was off¡ªthe door was locked from the inside! All the stalls inside were separate, and theoretically, this main door should not be locked unless for maintenance by the hotel. With a growing sense of foreboding and no time to think further, Yuan Xu kicked the door open. Then, he witnessed a scene that nearly made his blood boil. Gu Shengyin, previously dazzling in the hall, was now cornered by a sleazy man, her expression dazed and cheeks flushed¡ªclearly drugged! Yuan Xu felt as if all his blood had rushed to his brain at that moment, and he had never been so out of control. After punching the man to the floor, where he couldn¡¯t get up, he took off his jacket and covered Cheng Xizhi with it. Little did he know, as soon as Cheng Xizhi saw him, she frowned and then burst into tears in his embrace. The girl in his arms cried so pitifully that Yuan Xu felt as if his heart was being crushed by her sobs. Looking at the man on the ground, Yuan Xu knew that Gu Shengyin¡¯s current state wasn¡¯t fit to be seen. He bent down, picked her up, and left the place. As he passed the man on the floor, he paused to take the man¡¯s cellphone and deliberately stamped on the man¡¯s right hand¡ªthat was the hand he had seen touching Gu Shengyin. ¡°Crack!¡± the sound of bone breaking echoed, ignoring the man¡¯s pig-like wails behind him, Yuan Xu carried Gu Shengyin away. By the time the crowd in the hall rushed to the scene, they only saw a broken door and a man lying on the ground, rolling around and crying in pain. Cheng Yiru felt annoyed: she hadn¡¯t expected Cheng Xizhi to be able to escape under such circumstances. Yuan Xu carried Cheng Xizhi straight through a special passage; the hotel was owned by the Yuen Group, and only a select few knew about this passage. He brought Gu Shengyin to his private room in the hotel, placed her on the bed, then turned around and went to the bathroom to draw a bath for her. When he came out, he was momentarily stunned by the sight of the person on the bed. At that moment, Gu Shengyin¡¯s mind was blurry, and all she felt was heat. What appeared before Yuan Xu was a body too painful to gaze upon for long. Yuan Xu felt a rush of blood heat to his head; despite his status, he was no stranger to women throwing themselves at him, but none had ever driven him as madly as Cheng Xizhi did. Thinking about the girl¡¯s young age, Yuan Xu cursed himself as a beast, wrapped her in a blanket, and placed her in the bathtub already filled with water. Little did he know, just as he managed to resist his impulses, Gu Shengyin in his arms was not cooperating at all. In her dazed state, Gu Shengyin sensed Ji Yu¡¯s presence, felt utterly secure, and sensed his attempt to leave and naturally clung to him desperately, refusing to let go. Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 10) Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 10) Yuan Xu looked helplessly at the little woman clinging to him, unwilling to let go, with a doting smile on his lips that even he himself hadn¡¯t noticed, as he dutifully played the role of a caring old nursemaid. Fortunately, the drug that Gu Shengyin had been exposed to, although an aphrodisiac, did not necessarily require release to be neutralized. After Yuan Xu gave Gu Shengyin a bath, her cheeks were still flushed, but she no longer looked as obviously drugged as before. Yuan Xu took out his phone and made a call to Cheng Boxuan. Cheng Boxuan¡¯s face changed the moment he answered the call, and he spoke briefly to someone before leaving in a hurry. After Yuan Xu hung up the phone, he silently gazed at Gu Shengyin¡¯s peaceful sleeping face. After a while, he bent down and tenderly kissed her forehead. ¡°Little girl, once you¡¯ve provoked me, it won¡¯t be so easy to get away,¡± he whispered. Cheng Boxuan almost ran all the way there, and the first thing he said upon seeing Yuan Xu was, ¡°Is Xi Xi alright?¡± Yuan Xu wasn¡¯t nearly as gentle with someone else, his voice deep and serious, ¡°She¡¯s fine now, but if I had been even a moment later, she wouldn¡¯t be.¡± Cheng Boxuan didn¡¯t care about his tone; bending down, he saw his sister sleeping soundly. He immediately noticed Gu Shengyin was not wearing the same clothes she had on when she left, and his expression darkened. ¡°Xi Xi¡¯s clothes?¡± Yuan Xu¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, ¡°When I found her, her clothes were in tatters, so I changed her into something else.¡± Cheng Boxuan: It felt like a punch to the gut, knowing his own sister had been taken advantage of, and yet he could find no words to refute. But in the next moment, his attention was captured by Yuan Xu¡¯s words. What did he mean by her clothes being in tatters? Yuan Xu could tell what he was thinking from his expression, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Xi Xi is unharmed.¡± Cheng Boxuan: Wait, are you and my sister close? You say ¡®Xi Xi¡¯ quite fluently. ¡°But you should still have her checked out after you take her home. She was drugged with an aphrodisiac. Even though she looks fine, it¡¯s better to have her examined just in case.¡± Cheng Boxuan nodded, not bothering to wake Gu Shengyin, and simply carried his sister away. Yuan Xu suddenly realized that he felt jealous, which was ridiculous¡ªthey were siblings! He watched Cheng Boxuan carry Gu Shengyin away through a private exit, which was for the best given Gu Shengyin¡¯s current state and not being fit to be seen by others. Only when their figures disappeared from his sight did Yuan Xu take his eyes off them and casually made a call, ¡°Hey, in half an hour, pull up all of today¡¯s surveillance footage for me.¡± His gaze was icy. Whoever it was that dared target the person he had his eye on had better be prepared for the consequences. When the big boss gave an order, people moved quickly. In less than half an hour, all the information that Yuan Xu requested was laid out before him. ¡°Cheng Yiru¡­¡± Yuan Xu said coldly, his voice so frosty it could freeze, looking at the footage from surveillance cameras that were usually not accessible to outsiders. ¡°Brother, that¡¯s impossible! You must be misunderstanding Yiru!¡± Yuen Hang said vehemently as he watched the footage his brother showed him. ¡°How could Yiru, so gentle and kind-hearted, do something like framing her own sister?¡± Yuen Hang refused to believe it, even suspecting that the whole thing might be a plot orchestrated by Cheng Xizhi herself. ¡°Is this what that woman Cheng Xizhi told you? Let me tell you, brother, don¡¯t be fooled by her appearance. She¡¯s a vile woman, and you have no idea how she¡¯s been treating Yiru¡­¡± Yuen Hang had clearly been profoundly influenced by Cheng Yiru¡¯s narrative. The mention of Cheng Xizhi alone brought a look of disgust to his face. Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: Chapter 43 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 11) Chapter 43: Chapter 43 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 11) Gu Shengyin woke up to find herself back in her own room at home. ¡°System,¡± she called out to the system, ¡°what happened after I passed out?¡± The system directly played a series of images in Gu Shengyin¡¯s mind, starting from when her consciousness became blurred until Cheng Boxuan carried her away. My God! Gu Shengyin wanted to cover her face. Not only did she cling to someone unwilling to let go, but she even let Yuen Hang give her a bath! She felt awkward just watching the playback and could imagine what Yuen Hang must have felt at the time. Gu Shengyin decided that since she had passed out then, she knew nothing about it. ¡°However, I still don¡¯t know if Yuen Hang is really Ji Yu or not,¡± Gu Shengyin felt a bit troubled. ¡°Xi Xi, baby, you¡¯re awake?¡± Mrs. Cheng pushed the door open and came in, very happy to see Gu Shengyin awake, ¡°Boxuan said you drank too much, and he was worried you would feel uncomfortable, so he even insisted on calling Doctor Jiang over to have a look. This child, making a fuss over such a trivial matter and having Doctor Jiang come all this way in such hot weather.¡± While Mrs. Cheng complained, her eyes clearly showed satisfaction with her eldest son¡¯s actions. Doctor Jiang is the private doctor of the Cheng family. Gu Shengyin understood that probably Cheng Boxuan didn¡¯t tell Mrs. Cheng about the drugging incident. ¡°I¡¯m fine now,¡± Gu Shengyin quickly got up from the bed and even deliberately turned in a circle on the spot to show she was in good condition now. Mrs. Cheng said with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s good. The Yuen family¡¯s two sons have come to visit your father. You should take some time to get along with Yuen Hang.¡± The matter between Cheng Xizhi and Yuen Hang was an open secret in both families, and Father Cheng and Mrs. Cheng never thought of hiding it from Cheng Xizhi. In their eyes, Yuen Hang was handsome and polite to elders, making him a good choice for a husband. But it would be best if Xi Xi liked him too. If Xi Xi really didn¡¯t want to, they wouldn¡¯t force their precious daughter to marry a man she didn¡¯t like. Gu Shengyin¡¯s eyes lit up. Yuen Hang was here too? Mrs. Cheng saw her daughter¡¯s eyes sparkle at her words and thought her daughter was looking forward to meeting Yuen Hang, feeling greatly relieved in her heart. It seemed the person they chose for their daughter wasn¡¯t wrong after all. Gu Shengyin went to the front hall and indeed saw Yuen Hang and Yuan Xu sitting there, with her brothers Cheng Qixuan and Cheng Yiru also by their side. ¡°Xi Xi, you¡¯re awake?¡± Cheng Qixuan immediately got up and came over to Gu Shengyin as soon as he spotted his sister descending the stairs, stretching out his hand to touch her forehead and only relaxing when he felt she didn¡¯t have a fever. Gu Shengyin greeted both men. Yuan Xu was indifferent to everyone while Yuen Hang, on the other hand, was somewhat indifferent to Gu Shengyin. Cheng Qixuan frowned at this. ¡°Cheng Xizhi, I have something to say to you.¡± While Gu Shengyin was on the balcony admiring a new flowering potted plant, she heard Yuen Hang¡¯s words. ¡°If Second Young Master Yuen has something to say, feel free to speak,¡± Gu Shengyin said indifferently without turning her head. The tone of Yuen Hang was not pleasant, and Gu Shengyin was not one to repay evil with kindness. ¡°My older brother said Yiru drugged you, trying to harm you. Yiru is so kind, how could he possibly do such a thing? Did you say something bad about Yiru to my older brother?¡± Yuen Hang questioned. Gu Shengyin straightened up, seriously sizing up Yuen Hang for the first time since she arrived in this world for her mission. Cultured and elite, indeed he looked like a top-notch gentleman; he didn¡¯t seem to be someone with a problematic mind. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Yuen Hang felt uncomfortable under Gu Shengyin¡¯s gaze. Chapter 44 - Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 12) Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 12) ¡°I¡¯m wondering where Second Young Master Yuen got the confidence to say such words.¡± Gu Shengyin spoke unhurriedly, ¡°As for relationships, I¡¯ve just returned from abroad and only met your elder brother once at a banquet. Why on earth should Eldest Young Master Yuen trust the word of a stranger like me?¡± ¡°Moreover, my engagement with you is acknowledged by both our families. I don¡¯t believe you, Second Young Master Yuen, are unaware of that. So, your fianc¨¦e almost gets drugged at a banquet and you say nothing, and setting that aside for now, you actually come to question me on behalf of someone else?¡± ¡°Not to mention, where does Cheng Yiru get the audacity to think that I, Cheng Xizhi, would go as far as to drug myself just to frame her?¡± ¡°Second Young Master Yuen, please bring your brain next time you speak. Otherwise, I might be calm and patient in explaining so much to you this time, but next time, I¡¯ll just walk away!¡± Yuen Hang was left red-faced with shame by her barrage: ¡°Cheng Xizhi, you!¡± ¡°I have a beauty appointment this afternoon with someone. Second Young Master Yuen, if you¡¯ll excuse me.¡± Gu Shengyin didn¡¯t even glance at him. Such a man, easily deceived by women, was really not someone she, Gu Shengyin, could respect. After Gu Shengyin had left, Yuan Xu emerged from around the corner. His eyes were startlingly bright. Such a quick-witted and eloquent young woman; he, Yuan Xu, had never seen one before. She was infuriatingly¡­ captivating. ¡°She¡¯s not wrong, Yuen Hang, you really have been bewitched by that woman Cheng Yiru!¡± Yuan Xu spoke coldly to his brother. ¡°Also, since you¡¯ve already set your heart on someone, I will personally discuss the matter with father. An alliance through marriage with the Cheng family is no longer suitable for you,¡± Yuan Xu said. ¡°Big brother?¡± Yuen Hang was somewhat taken aback. Yuan Xu¡¯s expression darkened: ¡°What? You don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re planning to keep things ambiguous with that woman Cheng Yiru while still taking Cheng Xizhi as your bride?¡± Yuen Hang¡¯s face flushed. He had indeed thought this way, reasoning it was just a family alliance and marrying Cheng Xizhi was just a formality. Yuan Xu felt a surge of anger in his chest. How had he never noticed that his brother was such a scoundrel? ¡°Miss Cheng, we meet again.¡± Yuan Xu said to Gu Shengyin with a gentle smile. Gu Shengyin was silently speechless. Over these ten days, they had ¡°coincidentally¡± run into each other six times. With Hua City being so vast, if there wasn¡¯t some trickery from this man, she, Gu Shengyin, would not believe it. ¡°Mr. Yuen, what a coincidence,¡± Gu Shengyin replied with a smile. Ever since she suspected that Yuan Xu could very likely be Ji Yu¡¯s reincarnation, her attitude towards him had always been favorable. ¡°Meeting by chance is fate, so why don¡¯t we have a meal together?¡± Yuan Xu extended the invitation further. Gu Shengyin naturally wouldn¡¯t refuse. The venue was one selected by Yuan Xu, a well-known local Chinese restaurant famous for its exquisite dishes and authentic flavors. As they headed out, Gu Shengyin coincidentally saw Yuen Hang and Cheng Yiru entering, hand in hand, intimately. Yuan Xu glanced at Gu Shengyin¡¯s expression, and seeing no change, felt relieved. Although he had overheard her conversation with Yuen Hang and broadly guessed that she had no romantic interest in Yuen Hang, he still felt somewhat uneasy. Therefore, he went out of his way to ensure Gu Shengyin witnessed his brother¡¯s intimacy with Cheng Yiru. From his observations over the past few days, Gu Shengyin was someone extremely proud at heart. A man with someone else in his heart wouldn¡¯t have any chance with her, no matter any previous affection she might have felt. Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 13) Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 13) Gu Shengyin had certainly noticed Yuen Hang and Cheng Yiru together, and being well-versed in the plot, she naturally knew that these two had been mingling in secret for some time. However, with Yuan Xu still by her side, she turned her head and said to him, ¡°I believe, Mr. Yuen, you are aware of the situation between Second Young Master Yuen and me. It seems now that Second Young Master Yuen prefers my sister.¡± Yuan Xu understood her implication immediately. He was secretly delighted but only nodded, ¡°Xi Xi, don¡¯t worry. Our Yuen family will give the Cheng family an explanation.¡± He paused, then spoke again, ¡°Qi Xuan and your elder brother are very good friends. You always calling me Mr. Yuen makes us seem distant. Why don¡¯t you call me Big Brother Yuen instead?¡± Gu Shengyin: ¡°¡­ Big Brother Yuen.¡± Yuan Xu felt completely contented when she called him that. Yuan Xu acted swiftly, and naturally, the parents of the Yuen family were not pleased with their son giving up the little princess of the Cheng clan to marry a foster daughter instead, but they were persuaded by their eldest son¡¯s argument. ¡°Yuen Hang has someone else in his heart; he won¡¯t be able to be wholeheartedly devoted to Xi Xi after marriage. If something happens in the future, it won¡¯t be an alliance through marriage but rather a feud. Besides, it¡¯s not just Yuen Hang who can form a marital alliance with the Cheng clan.¡± Mother Yuen was surprised, ¡°Haven¡¯t you always been unwilling?¡± Yuan Xu smiled and quirked his lips, ¡°That was in the past. I now find Xi Xi quite appealing.¡± Seeing this, Father Yuen and Mother Yuen didn¡¯t say much more. Initially, they preferred their heir, the eldest son, to be the one joining in matrimony with the Cheng family, but at that time, Yuan Xu was firmly against marrying a woman whose background was unknown, and as a last resort, they switched to the younger son. Now that Yuen Hang had someone in his heart and the eldest son was interested in Miss Cheng, if the Cheng family was willing, they too had no objections. Just that Cheng Yiru, she was absolutely not to enter the Yuen family. Father Yuen and Mother Yuen were people accustomed to ups and downs. Knowing full well that Yuen Hang had an arranged marriage with her younger sister, Cheng Yiru still got involved with him in an ambiguous manner. Such a woman was someone the Yuen family could not afford to have. This is the way of the world¡¯s parents; although such a matter could not be caused by Cheng Yiru¡¯s efforts alone, they fully placed the blame on her. During this period, Gu Shengyin had been preparing for a significant event. Father Cheng, Cheng Zhensheng, was celebrating his fiftieth birthday at the end of the month. In the original storyline, Cheng Xizhi spent a large sum to obtain a White Jade Guanyin from a master jade carver, which Cheng Zhensheng then ordered to be well preserved and placed prominently in the main hall of the house. At that birthday celebration, Cheng Xizhi became the center of attention. This time, Gu Shengyin also did not plan to change the gift but spent even more effort in selecting the materials and overseeing the craftsmanship herself to ensure it was even better. Father Cheng¡¯s birthday arrived quickly. Because his beloved younger daughter had early on boasted in a particularly proud tone about preparing a grand gift for him, Cheng Zhensheng specifically declared that the gifts from his several children would be publicly presented in front of all the guests. Cheng Boxuan didn¡¯t need to mention; he has always been generous with his wealth, and his gifts were as lavish as ever. The gift from Cheng Qixuan was a portrait he painted himself, depicting Father Cheng and Mrs. Cheng. Then it was Cheng Yiru¡¯s turn. Cheng Yiru was meticulously dressed that day, her pure white dress outlining her voluptuous figure, and her slightly curled hair added a touch of allure. She noticed all the guests¡¯ eyes were on her, and she couldn¡¯t help but give a subtle and smug glance in Cheng Xizhi¡¯s direction, gently clapping her hands. Two bodyguards in suits carried an item covered with a red cloth into the hall. Cheng Yiru personally stepped forward and lifted the red cloth. Chapter 46 - Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 14) Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 14) The red cloth used to cover the item gracefully fell to the floor, revealing the object carried by two bodyguards in front of the guests. A chorus of exclamations arose. Yet Yuan Xu¡¯s face turned ashen the moment he saw what had been hidden beneath the red cloth. The gift presented by Cheng Yiru was none other than a White Jade Guanyin Statue! Cheng Xizhi had been busy preparing a birthday gift for her father, which Yuan Xu knew well, and he was aware of just how much effort Cheng Xizhi had put into this gift. He had stayed by her side, watching her run to the master sculptor every day, personally overseeing every detail and refusing to settle for anything less than perfect. But now, Cheng Yiru¡¯s presentation of a Guanyin statue made Xi Xi¡¯s nearly two months of hard work seem like a joke. She had pondered over how to surprise her father, only to be preempted by someone else. With Cheng Yiru¡¯s impressive presentation, if Cheng Xizhi were to offer the same gift, it would only be perceived as bland and uninspired. Cheng Yiru continued to speak, ¡°¡­ This White Jade Guanyin Statue was completed in half a year by a master overseas, and I especially asked the venerable Master Huijing to consecrate it. I wish for my father¡¯s fortune to be as vast as the Eastern Sea and his life as enduring as the Southern Mountains!¡± The guests lavished praise upon Father Cheng for having such a filial daughter, and Father Cheng himself was grinning from ear to ear. Cheng Yiru smiled triumphantly; she was of course aware of what Cheng Xizhi¡¯s gift was. In her previous life, it was a White Jade Guanyin that had brought Cheng Xizhi great acclaim, and this time, she had deliberately outpaced her by presenting the White Jade Guanyin first. Cheng Xizhi, can you still hold your gift with confidence now? Yuan Xu looked at Cheng Xizhi with some concern, surprised to find that she didn¡¯t seem to mind too much. Cheng Xizhi was communicating with the system: ¡°It was my oversight. I forgot that Cheng Yiru possessed memories of her previous life. She obviously wants to use this to humiliate me thoroughly.¡± The system hadn¡¯t anticipated this either: ¡°Host, you must quickly think of a solution.¡± At this point, only Cheng Xizhi¡¯s gift remained to be presented. Rumors had it that Cheng Zhensheng¡¯s most¡­cherished¡­daughter was this youngest one, and the guests at the event were all secretly speculating what gift Gu Shengyin would bring. Cheng Yiru sneered internally: Cheng Xizhi, what will you do? If you bring out the White Jade Guanyin you¡¯ve prepared, it will surely disappoint everyone. If you change to something else at the last minute, I don¡¯t believe you can come up with anything decent in such a short time. She was feeling quite pleased with herself, waiting to see Cheng Xizhi make a fool of herself. All eyes were on Gu Shengyin, but she remained silent. The atmosphere became somewhat awkward, and Cheng Zhensheng also sensed something amiss. Smiling, he said, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Does my Xi Xi not want others to see the gift she¡¯s prepared for Dad and wishes for Dad to see it alone later?¡± If Gu Shengyin hadn¡¯t really prepared a gift, a simple agreement with his words would have dissolved the awkwardness. This obvious attempt to smooth things over nearly made Cheng Yiru grind her teeth in frustration. Before Gu Shengyin could speak, Cheng Yiru said with a smile, ¡°Little sister, you can¡¯t be so selfish, ah! We¡¯re all eager to see what great thing you¡¯ve secretly prepared for Dad!¡± Mrs. Cheng looked somewhat displeased with Cheng Yiru. Cheng Yiru knew her remark had been abrupt, but she couldn¡¯t help herself. Why was it that Cheng Xizhi, even when she made a mistake, had so many people rushing to her aid? Today, she intended to embarrass her in front of the prestigious guests of Hua City. Gu Shengyin gazed at Cheng Yiru with an inscrutable look, and for some reason, it made Cheng Yiru feel a tinge of fear. She had the feeling that something was beyond her control. Gu Shengyin finally spoke, ¡°Since my sister is so keen to see, then I shall embarrass myself in front of everyone.¡± Chapter 47 - Chapter 47: Chapter 47 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 15) Chapter 47: Chapter 47 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 15) As Gu Shengyin spoke, people began to bring things up one by one. Yuan Xu looked carefully and saw that these were clearly not the White Jade Guanyin that had been prepared earlier. Soon, a table was set up in front of Gu Shengyin, upon which a sheet of fine Xuan paper was spread¡ªit was none other than the Four Treasures of the Study! What is she trying to do? Cheng Yiru¡¯s brows furrowed tightly, she had never heard of Cheng Xizhi making any contributions to the national studies in her previous life. It¡¯s nothing more than an attempt to attract attention and please the crowd. She comforted herself in order to suppress the ominous premonitions rising in her heart. Clearly, quite a few people were intrigued by Gu Shengyin, curious to see just what she was up to. The Cheng family members were also quite curious; they had never known that their youngest daughter had such a skill up her sleeve. Gu Shengyin did not care what others thought. Since her creation, whether it was in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, wine, flowers, of various skills she could be deemed a master. Moreover, she had a special interest in ink painting, and in her previous world, Ji Yu had specifically invited Elder Bai Shan, a famous painting master of the Tianqi Dynasty, to teach her personally in the palace. In his later years, Elder Bai Shan himself admitted that in terms of painting, the Empress¡¯s mastery was no less than his own. As she ran her hand over the Xuan paper, Gu Shengyin was somewhat unsatisfied. Although she had already had the best quality brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone brought over, compared to what she used in her previous world, it was still of considerably poorer quality. However, it was passable. She closed her eyes and centered her mind. Upon opening her eyes again, Gu Shengyin¡¯s brush danced across the paper, quickly covering the Xuan paper with strokes of ink. Initially, the guests were just crowding around for the excitement and did not hold much expectation. How much could one expect from a teenage girl? Even if Gu Shengyin¡¯s paintings were only at an amateur level, as long as Cheng Zhensheng said he liked them, they would still offer praise. But soon, their skepticism was overwhelmed by astonishment; such brushwork, such an artistic conception¡ªhad they not witnessed it with their own eyes, who could imagine it came from the hand of a seventeen-year-old girl? Among the guests, there were not a few who had a deep understanding of national studies; as the painting neared completion, their gaze went from admiring to almost mesmerized. ¡°Excellent!¡± As Gu Shengyin finished her last stroke, someone finally couldn¡¯t hold back and praised aloud. Many were still immersed in the artistic conception of the painting when they were suddenly interrupted, feeling displeased, only to turn and see who spoke and immediately swallowed their complaints. ¡°So it¡¯s Old Mr. De.¡± Someone recognized the elder who had spoken. ¡°The brushwork is gentle without losing strength, the artistic conception is lofty and rich, and the characters are lifelike without being exaggerated. Excellent, excellent, excellent!¡± Old Mr. De said the word ¡®excellent¡¯ three times before finally directing his gaze towards Gu Shengyin. ¡°May I ask under whom did Little Friend Cheng study?¡± Old Mr. De¡¯s gaze was intense. Gu Shengyin brought out the explanation she had prepared beforehand: ¡°As a junior, when I was studying abroad, I met an old master named Bai Shan and studied traditional Chinese painting with him for several years.¡± This Elder Bai Shan was Gu Shengyin¡¯s painting teacher. However, not abroad, but in another world. As expected, Old Mr. De pondered for a long time but could not remember where exactly this Elder Bai Shan came from. It seems he was a reclusive master residing abroad. Old Mr. De exclaimed internally that such a teacher capable of educating Cheng Xizhi was truly a master of a generation. ¡°Old Mr. De, this painting?¡± Someone couldn¡¯t help but ask. The painting Gu Shengyin had created was a Birthday Celebration Painting, depicting a kindly old immortal holding a Peach of Immortality, coming to offer birthday congratulations. They could only be considered laymen, feeling that the painting was very good, but they couldn¡¯t articulate exactly why. Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: Chapter 51 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 19) Chapter 51: Chapter 51 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 19) ¡°I¡¯ll talk with your mom. You all go back to your rooms,¡± Father Cheng looked somewhat exhausted. After all, he had raised Cheng Yiru for eighteen years. Father Cheng and Mrs. Cheng truly cared for her, so naturally, they were also heartbroken at this moment. Gu Shengyin stepped forward and hugged her parents. To the Cheng family, Cheng Yiru was nothing but a disaster, and she could not allow her to stay with the Chengs. Carrying her bag, Cheng Yiru left the Cheng family home, but instead of heading back to her own place, she moved into a small apartment that Yuen Hang had bought for her. Yuen Hang was frantically consoling Cheng Yiru. Cheng Yiru cried poignantly, utterly without sympathy. After a lot of questioning, Yuen Hang finally managed to get the ¡°story¡± of what happened from her. Of course, what Yuen Hang heard was the version where the Cheng family discovered the affair, and how Cheng Yiru remained unwavering in her love, defending it unto death, only for the enraged Cheng family to kick her out in the end. ¡°The Cheng family has gone too far, Yiru. For now, you stay here. Rest assured, I¡¯ll definitely seek justice for you!¡± Yuen Hang tenderly comforted Cheng Yiru. ¡°Mmm, I believe in you,¡± Cheng Yiru snuggled sweetly into Yuen Hang¡¯s embrace. ¡°Big Brother Yuen, where are you secretly taking me?¡± Gu Shengyin sat in the passenger seat, looking askance at Yuan Xu. Today, Yuan Xu had unusually shed his suit for casual clothes, making one realize that he was just a young man in his twenties. ¡°Taking you to a special place!¡± Yuan Xu replied with a mysterious smile. About half an hour later, just as Gu Shengyin was about to doze off, she heard Yuan Xu say, ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± As Shengyin got out of the car, the beautiful landscape immediately caught her eye. Vast patches of unknown flowering plants bloomed all around, making one feel as if they were in another world. ¡°This is a private hot springs resort owned by a foreign friend of mine. It never opens to outsiders,¡± Yuan Xu said, pleased by the look of admiration in Shengyin¡¯s eyes. ¡°Welcome, lovely lady!¡± As soon as Shengyin entered, she was engulfed in a warm embrace. Yuan Xu pulled the person away with a dark face: ¡°Richard, don¡¯t mess around.¡± The handsome foreign man winked playfully at Cheng Xizhi: ¡°Hey! Xu said he was bringing a cute girl, and I guessed it had to be you. Just as beautiful as a Barbie doll, what¡¯s your name, adorable girl?¡± Yuan Xu pulled Gu Shengyin by the hand and walked inside, ignoring the fellow called Richard. ¡°Hey! Hey! Xu, you can¡¯t just forget the bridge after crossing the river. I came here especially for you¡­¡± Yuan Xu shut the sliding door behind him with a slap, leaving Richard¡¯s exasperated voice behind. ¡°Don¡¯t mind him, he¡¯s always this noisy,¡± Yuan Xu told Gu Shengyin. ¡°The hot springs here are exceptional. You can take your time to enjoy. Everything you¡¯ll need is clean and sterilized, so you can use them with confidence. I¡¯ll be next door, just call me if you need anything,¡± Yuan Xu instructed Gu Shengyin. Seeing Gu Shengyin nod to indicate she understood, Yuan Xu left with a trace of regret. ¡°Hey, Xu, with such a beautiful girl soaking in the hot springs, you actually came here to hang out with a strapping man like me. You really don¡¯t know romance!¡± Richard looked at Yuan Xu disdainfully, then added quite proudly, ¡°Hasn¡¯t my Mandarin improved a lot?¡± Yuan Xu naturally ignored the latter remark, sparing Richard a glance: ¡°Xi Xi is still underage. Do I look that deplorable to you?¡± ¡°Wow!¡± Richard looked at Yuan Xu in horror. ¡°I never thought you were like that, Xu! To make a move on an underage girl! God, this world is terrifying!¡± Yuan Xu disregarded his friend¡¯s habitual absurdity: ¡°She will be my future wife, my only partner.¡± Richard¡¯s expression turned serious: ¡°Are you for real, Xu?¡± Yuan Xu smiled slightly: ¡°Of course.¡± Richard snapped his fingers: ¡°Then I wish you happiness.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a certainty,¡± Yuan Xu smiled confidently. Chapter 24 - Chapter 24: Chapter 24: General¡¯s Mansion Eldest Lady VS Transmigrated Younger Sister (Part 23) Jiang Yunsan, having become the Crown Prince¡¯s Side Consort, had been quite active recently, hosting several banquets. Since they had already fallen out, Gu Shengyin no longer felt the need to endure, feigning illness each time to avoid attending. In the circle of prominent families within The Imperial City, everyone understood the strained relationship between the Crown Prince¡¯s Side Consort and her elder legitimate sister, Princess Qingyang, which also made people ponder the consort¡¯s relationship with the Grand General¡¯s Mansion. The Crown Prince had expressed more than once his dissatisfaction¡ªwhy had he agreed to marry Jiang Yunsan? Beyond the emperor¡¯s decree, the primary reason was her affiliation with the Grand General¡¯s Mansion, backed by the Eldest Princess and the Great General! If Jiang Yunsan did not gain the affection of these two, then this move was a complete mistake. Jiang Yunsan¡¯s days within the Crown Prince¡¯s Mansion were far from as glamorous as outsiders imagined. The Crown Prince was currently very troubled, as his mother had aged and her beauty faded, reducing her influence over the emperor, who had recently taken several young and beautiful concubines and had long ceased visiting the queen mother¡¯s palace. Gu Shengyin couldn¡¯t care less about their troubles; she continued her daily routine of eating and playing, occasionally dealing with young talents smitten with her, while also placating a certain jealous individual. ¡°¡­Ah Zhen¡¯s charm is as usual, surrounded by a pack of wolves, I toss and turn, unable to sleep¡­¡± Gu Shengyin, reading the letter in her hand, was somewhat speechless¡ªsuch a celestial-like man was actually capable of uttering such words. On the other hand, she felt a slight sweetness in her heart¡ªthat such a celestial-like man would say these words for her. It was not until the system alerted her that Jiang Yunsan had run into trouble. ¡°She¡¯s been poisoned,¡± the system said. Exact news soon reached the mansion. Jiang Yunsan had been hosting a flower-viewing event for ladies and misses from prominent families when she suddenly felt an unbearable itch on her face. Upon returning home, numerous densely packed red bumps had formed on her face. When seen again, her head was covered with a thick scarf, revealing only her eyes. It was said that the Imperial Physicians from the Imperial Medical Bureau came and went in waves at the Crown Prince¡¯s Mansion, and the items in the consort¡¯s room needed to be replaced every few days, with Jiang Yunsan never removing her headscarf. ¡°Side Consort, it¡¯s time for your medicine,¡± Lv Yi said cautiously from outside the door. ¡°Come in,¡± it took a while before Jiang Yunsan¡¯s voice could be heard from inside the room. Lv Yi gently pushed open the door and placed the tray on the table, not daring to look at the person sitting on the couch, then quietly exited. ¡°Creak~¡± It was only long after the door had closed that Jiang Yunsan reached for the scarf on her head. Her hands trembled, yet she still removed the cover. In the smooth mirror was a face resembling that of evil ghosts. The red bumps had now turned into pus, oozing black blood, filling the air with a strange odor, leaving no intact part on her entire face. Even she, looking at her own face, felt a desire to vomit, and yet those useless wastes at the Imperial Medical Bureau couldn¡¯t even determine the cause. The Crown Prince¡­ Ha, her so-called beloved husband, had never stepped foot in this room again after seeing her once, believing he would be her devoted partner, only to realize he was merely enamored with her beauty. Looking at the repulsive face in the mirror, Jiang Yunsan quickly applied the medicine and replaced her scarf, revealing only a pair of resentful eyes. Jiang Lingzhen, it must be her! She knew of her previous actions, and surely this disfigurement was her revenge! Jiang Yunsan clenched her tee th bitterly: Jiang Lingzhen, since you are so malevolent, do not blame me for being ruthless. I am already close to hell; how can you enjoy peace in this world alone! Chapter 53 - Chapter 53: Chapter 53 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 21) Chapter 53: Chapter 53 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 21) Gu Shengyin still hadn¡¯t recovered from the reality that Yuan Xu was actually Ji Yu. Meanwhile, Yuan Xu, watching the little girl staring blankly at him, felt he could no longer restrain himself. A wave of warmth flooded Gu Shengyin¡¯s lips. When the two left the Hot Spring Villa, Richard even gave Yuan Xu a thumbs-up behind Gu Shengyin¡¯s back. Seeing the little girl¡¯s flushed cheeks and affectionate gaze, Richard was certain that Yuan Xu had made his move while they were alone. Looking at the situation, it seemed the result was not bad, Richard thought, stroking his chin. Yuan Xu, ignoring his old friend¡¯s look, bade him farewell. After bending down to help Gu Shengyin fasten her seatbelt, he drove her back to Hua City. They soon arrived at the Cheng family mansion. Gu Shengyin prepared to get out of the car but Yuan Xu held her hand. ¡°Have you forgotten something?¡± Yuan Xu asked her solemnly. Gu Shengyin blinked, then blinked again, resigned to her fate. She turned and gently kissed the man¡¯s face. Yuan Xu returned her kiss and then contentedly let her get out of the car. This man really is something! After getting out of the car, Gu Shengyin silently criticized him for being improper, yet her hand involuntarily touched the spot where she had been kissed, and a sweet smile spread across her face. Before Gu Shengyin had time to figure out how to explain to her parents that she was with Yuan Xu, the Yuen family arrived at her door. ¡°Brother Cheng, our second son was in the wrong towards Xi Xi,¡± Father Yuen said earnestly to Cheng Zhensheng and his wife, who didn¡¯t look very pleased. They had all grown up together as close friends when they were young, and their relationship had always been good over the years, which was why they had the idea to become family through marriage. ¡°We have already severely reprimanded Yuen Hang, and you can rest assured there won¡¯t be a next time,¡± Mother Yuen also said. Father Cheng spoke coldly, ¡°We wouldn¡¯t give him a second chance either. Younger Brother Yuen, the marriage arrangement that was decided before between our two families, let¡¯s call it off.¡± Mr. and Mrs. Yuen looked at each other, understanding that this was indeed the Cheng family¡¯s stance. ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Brother Cheng. I know our Yuen Hang is thoughtless, but I have another son, don¡¯t I? What do you think about Yuan Xu?¡± Mother Yuen, encouraged by her son¡¯s gaze, spiritedly suggested to Father Cheng. ¡°What do you mean by this, Yuen family?¡± Before Father Cheng could respond, Mrs. Cheng was already irate, ¡°Xi Xi isn¡¯t someone who can¡¯t get married, what¡¯s this about if the younger brother doesn¡¯t work, then the older brother will do? What do you take our Xi Xi for?¡± Yuan Xu knew this was bad, Mrs. Cheng must have misunderstood his mother¡¯s intention. Mother Yuen was also regretful for her momentary lack of consideration in speaking, realizing that her previous remarks were indeed improper. Looking earnestly at Father Cheng and Mother Cheng, Yuan Xu said, ¡°I like Xi Xi, not because she is the daughter of the Cheng family, nor because I feel guilty and want to compensate. Uncle and Aunt should also know what kind of person I am. If I didn¡¯t like Xi Xi, I definitely wouldn¡¯t have come here with my parents today.¡± ¡°I hope Uncle and Aunt can give me a chance to take care of Xi Xi.¡± Father Cheng and Mother Cheng looked at each other, when had Yuan Xu developed such deep feelings for their daughter? Mrs. Cheng hesitated, ¡°You and our Xi Xi ¡­¡± Yuan Xu maintained his composure, ¡°I fell in love with Xi Xi at first sight and am willing to devote my whole life to taking care of her.¡± Mrs. Cheng was somewhat moved. Yuan Xu was a good candidate for a husband in terms of character and ability, and there had been no rumors of any scandals about him. Chapter 54 - Chapter 54: Chapter 54 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 22) Chapter 54: Chapter 54 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 22) ¡°The previous marriage arrangement between the Yuen family and our Cheng family shall thus be abandoned,¡± Father Cheng said. ¡°As for your desire to pursue our Xi Xi¡­¡± Father Cheng looked at the spark in Yuan Xu¡¯s eyes due to his words, ¡°I won¡¯t interfere with the young people¡¯s affairs.¡± Yuan Xu felt his heart settle down, as Father Cheng¡¯s words meant that he wouldn¡¯t stop him from being with Xi Xi. Gu Shengyin was not interested in business, so she accepted Old Mr. De¡¯s invitation to join an organization that was said to be the Hua Country Classical Culture and Arts Association. In the entire organization, aside from her, the youngest members already had snow-white hair. When she first arrived, Gu Shengyin was questioned by others, but after she painted a landscape with a flourish, no one doubted her again. After pursuing Gu Shengyin for a year, Yuan Xu finally gained the Cheng family¡¯s approval. The two held a grand engagement ceremony at the largest hotel in Hua City. Nowadays, Gu Shengyin lived a free and easy life, flying abroad several times a year for international cultural exchanges, and was quite unbridled in her daily life. Yuan Xu pampered her, acting very much in a manner that ¡°Xi Xi is always right.¡± Even Mr. and Mrs. Cheng, who loved their daughter dearly, found this hard to watch, candidly remarking that it was a good thing they lived in modern society, as in ancient times, Xi Xi might have been considered a calamitous beauty of disaster. Gu Shengyin could only silently retort in her heart: Not at all, even in ancient times Ji Yu would have been a sage monarch known for kindness and wisdom, and she was not some red-faced source of calamity but a noble lady of virtue, alright? ¡°Hello, I¡¯m here to see President Yuan,¡± said Gu Shengyin, holding a shopping bag as she approached the front desk at Yuen Corporation. Today was Mother Yuen¡¯s birthday, and she had promised to accompany Yuan Xu to the Yuen family head¡¯s mansion for dinner after his work. The front desk was staffed by a very pretty girl, although Gu Shengyin found her unfamiliar and thought she must not have seen her before. ¡°May I ask, madam, do you have an appointment?¡± the receptionist asked with a radiant smile. Gu Shengyin shook her head, ¡°No, you can tell your general manager¡¯s secretary that Cheng Xizhi is here, she¡¯ll know.¡± The pretty receptionist¡¯s eyes flickered with impatience. The Yuen Corporation was a large enterprise with many seeking favors. She hadn¡¯t been working there long, but she had seen countless people come with excuses to try to see the general manager. ¡°I apologize, madam, but I can¡¯t notify them without an appointment.¡± The general manager¡¯s secretary? That was a person she could not easily contact. Gu Shengyin, of course, noticed the disdain in the receptionist¡¯s eyes. She sighed silently to herself, not wishing to make her job tougher, turned, and walked to the rest area to call Yuan Xu on her mobile phone. ¡°I¡¯m downstairs at your company¡­ Yes, the new girl doesn¡¯t recognize me¡­ Okay, bye.¡± Gu Shengyin hung up the phone and waited for someone sent by Yuan Xu to pick her up. ¡°Miss Cheng!¡± Gu Shengyin looked up to see one of the directors from Yuen Corporation. ¡°Mr. Zhang.¡± Gu Shengyin stood up to shake hands with him. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you going up?¡± Chairman Zhang wondered. The receptionist, upon seeing the usually aloof chairman interact kindly and personally greet the unfamiliar woman, realized things were not good. Fearing that Gu Shengyin might use this opportunity to complain about her, the position she had fought hard to secure could be gone in an instant. However, Gu Shengyin merely smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m a bit tired and decided to rest a bit before going up.¡± Chairman Zhang nodded understandingly and left with a laugh, having matters to attend to elsewhere. The receptionist was about to come over to apologize to Gu Shengyin when she saw a man walking towards Gu Shengyin. Chapter 55 - Chapter 55: Chapter 55 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 23) Chapter 55: Chapter 55 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 23) Yuan Xu strode towards Gu Shengyin and smoothly took the items from her hands. ¡°Come sit in my office for a while. Wait until I¡¯m done with the work at hand, then we¡¯ll go home together,¡± Yuan Xu said as he held Gu Shengyin¡¯s hand and approached the reception. ¡°This Miss Cheng is my fianc¨¦e and shall be my future wife. When you see her in the future, let her pass without notification.¡± The receptionist nodded frantically. It wasn¡¯t until the two entered the elevator that she finally heaved a sigh of relief. At this time, another colleague who had just left temporarily for a while came back, and the receptionist hurriedly relayed the incident to her. ¡°You actually stopped Miss Cheng?¡± The colleague¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°God! Don¡¯t you know that the general manager and Miss Cheng are famously affectionate towards each other? You¡¯re lucky Miss Cheng is good-natured. If it were someone else who was more calculating, you¡¯d have nowhere to cry!¡± The receptionist took this to heart and became even more cautious in her interactions, which actually led to some achievements in her work. While Gu Shengyin¡¯s life was satisfying, Cheng Yiru was not having such a comfortable time. After being kicked out by the Cheng family, Cheng Yiru lost her financial support. Despite having some savings, her spendthrift habits from a young age quickly led to her squandering what money she had. She tried to find a job, but having been raised as the noble lady of the Cheng family, Cheng Yiru couldn¡¯t tolerate the office politics. Originally, Yuen Hang used to visit her often and provide for her living expenses. But ever since his actions were discovered by the Yuen family, they forcibly curtailed his movements and even cut off his financial support, leaving Cheng Yiru struggling to get by. It wasn¡¯t long before she couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and began to associate with some wealthy individuals in society. ¡°Slap!¡± Yuan Xu threw the item in his hand onto the table in front of Yuen Hang. ¡°Take a good look for yourself. This is the Cheng Yiru you insist on marrying!¡± The protagonist in the photos was always Cheng Yiru, the difference being, each time there was a man beside her, it was a different unfamiliar face. And clearly it was not the same person. Cheng Yiru appeared intimate with these men in the photos; it was obvious what kind of relationships they had. Yuen Hang, looking as if his eyes were about to split open, still insisted, ¡°Impossible, Yiru can¡¯t possibly be that kind of woman!¡± Yuan Xu felt a mix of frustration and amusement at his brother¡¯s obstinacy. He pulled him up, ¡°Believe it or not, go see for yourself with your own eyes.¡± Yuan Xu drove to the small apartment Yuen Hang and Cheng Yiru had bought. ¡°Take a good look for yourself and see what the woman you hold dear is really like when you¡¯re not around!¡± They didn¡¯t have to wait long. Soon, they saw Cheng Yiru and a man who looked to be in his thirties holding hands and walking out. They got into a car, and in the moment before the car window closed, Yuen Hang clearly saw the two kissing. Yuan Xu observed his brother, noticing his heaving chest and bloodshot eyes, obviously greatly distressed. He said nothing more, knowing that at times like these, it was best to let him cool off on his own. ¡°Do you want to go home with me, or?¡± Yuen Hang closed his eyes, ¡°Just take me back home, big brother.¡± He feared he might not be able to restrain himself from killing that woman now. After arriving home, Yuen Hang locked himself in his room for three days. On the fourth day, he drove out alone. Mother Yuen was somewhat worried and planned to have someone follow, but Yuan Xu stopped her. ¡°He¡¯s grown up, Mom. You should trust that he can handle his own affairs.¡± That evening, Yuen Hang returned, looking somewhat dispirited but with a hint of relief in his eyes. Yuan Xu knew that Yuen Hang had let go. Chapter 60 - Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Noble Lady VS Reborn Foster Daughter (28) [Completed] Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Noble Lady VS Reborn Foster Daughter (28) [Completed] The Cheng Group and Yuen Corporation alliance has become the hottest topic in Hua City recently. Of course, even though the invasive news media got wind of it early, the secrecy measures taken by both families were so stringent that no media successfully infiltrated the venue until the wedding took place. Yuan Xu and Cheng Xizhi exchanged rings before all gathered witnesses. ¡°Xi Xi, I¡¯m so happy. I¡¯ve finally reached this day,¡± Yuan Xu spoke softly as he touched foreheads with Gu Shengyin. Gu Shengyin blinked, ¡°Dear, I¡¯m thrilled too.¡± Yuen Hang watched the perfectly matched couple, their flowing affection and happiness visible to everyone. Suddenly, he felt a bit sour inside. He had once loved a woman so genuinely, fought against his family to marry her, but what was the outcome? Yuen Hang thought vaguely, suddenly realizing that Cheng Yiru¡¯s face had begun to blur in his memory. Forget it, he thought. He would walk a different path in the future, accepting his family¡¯s arrangements, marry a woman who matched him in both looks and background, and then become a qualified husband, a qualified father. Hua City International Airport. As soon as Gu Shengyin stepped off the plane, she saw the man who had been waiting for her. Yuan Xu took her hand with slight dissatisfaction, ¡°Why is it so cold?¡± As he spoke, he wrapped his scarf around Gu Shengyin and stole a kiss on her lips. Gu Shengyin glared at him, but she couldn¡¯t suppress the smile on her lips. ¡°Click!¡± Unnoticed by them, a photo was stealthily taken. Thus, the next day when Gu Shengyin woke up from bed, complaining about a certain man¡¯s lack of self-control, she received a call from her mother. ¡°Xi Xi, seeing that your affection is as strong as ever after all these years reassures me!¡± That was Mrs. Cheng¡¯s voice. ¡°Xi Xi, although I know you and your brother-in-law are very loving, it¡¯s not right to flaunt it as soon as you come back,¡± said her second brother Cheng Qixuan, who, despite being over thirty and single, never settled down with any woman despite having a continuous stream of female companions. ¡°Little Auntie, shy, shy, shy!¡± This was from the little princess of the eldest brother¡¯s family, Cheng Lingxi. Gu Shengyin was puzzled about what had happened, walked into the living room, and heard the news broadcast on TV. Hers and Yuan Xu¡¯s kissing photo was glaringly on display! Gu Shengyin blushed, realizing that yesterday¡¯s scene at the airport had been captured. No wonder her family commented as they did. She called Yuan Xu to tell him about it, and Yuan Xu was frankly unconcerned, ¡°I¡¯m kissing my own wife, what about it? Is that not allowed?¡± Gu Shengyin: ¡­ she was left speechless. Shaking her head, she thought about it carefully, what was she even worrying about? ¡°My goodness, the affection between this president of Yuen and his wife is really strong.¡± Inside a department store, a few salespeople gossiped while no one was around, ¡°The news says they¡¯ve been married for ten years! Look at this, picking her up, scarves, passionate kisses, it¡¯s more romantic than a TV drama!¡± A warehouse staff pushing several large boxes passed by; the saleswomen quickly stepped aside. Her hands, each missing two fingers. Cheng Yiru listened as those people continued to speak nonstop about the couple¡¯s happiness. Meanwhile, her work did not stop. She still had about a dozen boxes to unload before she could clock out. She glanced up at the LCD TV on the wall, where a man and a woman were deeply embracing, not disguising the love in their eyes as they gazed at each other. It felt like a different world. Chapter 33 - Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 1) Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 1) The noisy Hua City International Airport. Every day people from different countries and with different skin colors hurriedly pass by. Many passengers subconsciously glance in a particular direction as they pass. It was a man in a suit, his custom-made pure black suit perfectly outlining his sturdy physique, and a slight frown on his handsome face. His gaze fixed firmly in the direction of a certain part of the airport, clearly, he was waiting for someone. A few ladies who weren¡¯t in a hurry quietly stood nearby, curious about who could be important enough to make such an enchanting man wait. They soon got their answer. The man¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up, his expressionless face softened instantly, and he quickly walked forward. ¡°Xi Xi!¡± Gu Shengyin, amidst the crowd, subconsciously looked up and saw the man walking towards her. She was looking at the man, and the people around her were looking at her. Because she was traveling, Cheng Xizhi was dressed simply, in a light green waist-fitted dress that perfectly highlighted her figure. Large sunglasses covered half of her face, and her light brown wavy curls added a touch of enchantment to her. Slim waist, long legs, fair skin, and beauty were the truest depiction of Cheng Xizhi. ¡°Big brother,¡± Cheng Xizhi gave the man a big smile, then unceremoniously handed over her luggage to him. Cheng Boxuan doted on his sister with a glance, reluctantly taking on the role of a porter. That tender look would certainly astonish the employees at the company, making them wonder if their general manager had been possessed. ¡°Big brother, didn¡¯t second brother come?¡± asked Cheng Xizhi, now Gu Shengyin. Cheng Boxuan replied, ¡°Qi Xuan has an art exhibition today and really couldn¡¯t get away.¡± Gu Shengyin pouted, ¡°No matter how busy he is, how can he be more important than his little sister? Wait till I get back, I¡¯ll make him suffer!¡± Gu Shengyin, playing the role of Cheng Xizhi, was image of a pampered little princess, born into wealth and showered with love, so she could whimsically act spoiled and capricious. Cheng Xizhi was the youngest child of the Cheng family, dearly loved by her parents, Cheng Zhensheng and his wife. After having two sons, they were overjoyed when their daughter was born. They even personally visited a renowned fortune-teller to choose the name Xizhi for her. Fearing she wouldn¡¯t have a playmate, they adopted a girl from distant relatives who was not much older than Cheng Xizhi to raise together. The adopted daughter of the chairman of the Cheng Group was a status many could not even dream of attaining, and the couple was naturally more than willing. The adopted girl¡¯s name was Cheng Yiru, nominally Cheng Xizhi¡¯s older sister and the female rival in this world. The original Cheng Xizhi had an arranged marriage at the age of eighteen with the second young master of another important family in Hua City, the Yuen Group¡¯s Yuen Hang. It was a match seemingly well-suited in social status, but unexpectedly, Yuen Hang fell in love with Cheng Xizhi¡¯s sister, Cheng Yiru. Cheng Yiru also had feelings for Yuen Hang, and the two secretly continued their flirtations even after Cheng Xizhi was married to Yuen Hang, never breaking off contact. Cheng Xizhi, after getting married, found herself neglected by her husband, only to discover one day, while out with friends, Yuen Hang and Cheng Yiru kissing in a parking lot. That was when she realized her husband was having an affair with her own sister! Chapter 34 - Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 2) Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 2) Cheng Xizhi had been pampered by the Cheng family since she was a child and never suffered such grievances. She caused a scene at Yuen Group and then returned to the Cheng family to inform them of the incident. Cheng Zhensheng and his wife were furious, not only did they kick Cheng Yiru out of the Cheng family, but they also made their daughter divorce Yuen Hang, severing all business ties with Yuen Group. After being expelled from the Cheng family, Cheng Yiru lived miserably. She was accustomed to a life of luxury within the Cheng family, and transitioning from extravagance to frugality was difficult, her earnings were nowhere near enough to satisfy her living needs. Moreover, Yuen Hang was closely watched by the Yuen family, who did not allow him any contact with Cheng Yiru. Eventually, Cheng Yiru reluctantly resorted to selling her body, ended up contracting a severe disease, and died in misery. When she opened her eyes again, she had returned to the year she was eighteen. The reborn Cheng Yiru loathed Cheng Xizhi and the Cheng clan. She schemed and seduced Yuen Hang. How could Yuen Hang, a naive young man, withstand a woman who had experienced the harshness of life in her past life? Very soon, Yuen Hang became completely obedient to Cheng Yiru. Cheng Yiru spoke ill of the Cheng family both overtly and covertly to Yuen Hang, which made him despise the Cheng clan, especially Cheng Xizhi, and even sabotaged an important project of the Cheng clan, leading to their bankruptcy. Cheng Zhensheng and his wife died in a plane crash while traveling abroad for business; the elder brother was mistakenly injured by a group of drunks in a bar and lost his life; the second brother, engrossed in art, was falsely accused of plagiarism and committed suicide under the pressure of public opinion. Cheng Xizhi went from being a pampered young lady to an employee burdened with huge debts, who had to work to pay them off. However, Cheng Yiru was still not satisfied and even hired a thug to assault her, leading to Cheng Xizhi taking her own life in humiliation. Yet, Cheng Yiru and Yuen Hang held their wedding under the blessings of everyone. Gu Shengyin had come into Cheng Xizhi¡¯s body to revert the changes in the world caused by Cheng Yiru¡¯s rebirth. Originally, Cheng Xizhi remained the cherished young lady of the Cheng clan even after divorcing Yuen Hang, pampered by her family for life, glorious and limitless. Upon receiving the storyline from the system, Gu Shengyin felt an inexplicable disgust towards Cheng Yiru. The Cheng family could be said to have never wronged Cheng Yiru in the slightest, providing her with clothes, food, housing, and travel equal to Cheng Xizhi. In contrast, what did Cheng Yiru do? Not only shamelessly seduced her sister¡¯s husband, but everything that followed was her own fault. After her rebirth, she treated the Cheng family as her lifelong nemesis, causing the family to be shattered. Gu Shengyin¡¯s mission was to protect the Cheng family, expose Cheng Yiru¡¯s deception, and kick Yuen Hang, who betrayed Cheng Xizhi, to the curb. Cheng Boxuan drove his sister back to the Cheng clan¡¯s main residence. ¡°The young lady has returned.¡± The butler, who had been waiting at the gate, instantly recognized Cheng Boxuan¡¯s car. Once Gu Shengyin got out of the car, she was embraced by a noble lady. ¡°My precious Xi Xi, I haven¡¯t seen you in a year, and you¡¯ve become even more beautiful,¡± the noble lady scrutinized Gu Shengyin and added, ¡°You seem a bit thinner.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not leaving this time, are you? Mom will make soup for you every day, and I must fatten up my darling Xi Xi.¡± Gu Shengyin looked at the noble lady, Bai Feiya, who was Cheng Xizhi¡¯s mother, with a wry smile. Mrs. Cheng, Bai Feiya, was nearly fifty but maintained her grace and beauty excellently. ¡°Mom, are you planning to raise me like a pig,¡± Gu Shengyin said with a pained expression, which elicited laughter from everyone. ¡°Dad.¡± Gu Shengyin then turned to the man standing next to Mrs. Cheng, her original father, Cheng Zhensheng. Having learned the storyline, Gu Shengyin knew that when it came to cherishing his daughter, Cheng Zhensheng was no less devoted than his wife; it was just that a man¡¯s emotions are more restrained, and he¡¯s less skilled at expressing them. She stepped forward and gently embraced her father. ¡°Dad, I¡¯ve missed you so much!¡± Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 3) Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 3) Cheng Xizhi had always been studying abroad; at just seventeen years old, she had already obtained dual bachelor¡¯s degrees. ¡°Second brother went to an art exhibition, what about sister?¡± Gu Shengyin asked. Hearing the name Cheng Yiru, Mrs. Cheng frowned, ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s gotten into Yiru recently? She¡¯s always so secretive, sometimes she doesn¡¯t even come home at night.¡± After all, she had raised this child for over ten years; Mrs. Cheng truly cared for Cheng Yiru. Gu Shengyin thought to herself: Cheng Yiru is busy ¡°exchanging feelings¡± with Yuen Hang right now, of course she has no time to come home. Indeed, Cheng Yiru had been reborn; she was a year older than Cheng Xizhi, just turned eighteen, and had just come back to life last month. ¡°Xi Xi!¡± Just then, a voice came from behind her, and before Gu Shengyin could turn around, a big hug enveloped her. It was second brother, Cheng Qixuan. Unlike the reserved and steady eldest brother, Cheng Boxuan, second brother Cheng Qixuan embodied the term ¡°passionate.¡± Perhaps as artists, only by maintaining such a fervent spirit could they find endless inspiration. Gu Shengyin looked at her family with a smile, silently swearing in her heart: In this life, she absolutely would not let that woman, Cheng Yiru, ruin such a perfect family. ¡°Mom and Dad, I¡¯m back.¡± Cheng Yiru walked in, noticing the other people in the living room. ¡°Big brother, second brother.¡± Cheng Yiru¡¯s eyes swept over and caught sight of another person sitting on the sofa. ¡°Little sister, you¡¯re back?¡± Cheng Yiru struggled to suppress the hatred churning inside her, and called out with a smile. Gu Shengyin slowly turned around, and their gazes collided. Cheng Xizhi examined Cheng Yiru: She was wearing a tight-fitting shirt, and at just eighteen, she already had impressive assets; the shirt stretched tight. Below, a pair of denim shorts perfectly showcased her long legs. Although her looks couldn¡¯t compare to the perfect Cheng Xizhi, they were enough to attract men. Cheng Yiru was also examining Cheng Xizhi. Her impression of Cheng Xizhi was still based on memories from her past life, when Cheng Xizhi was married, mature, and beautiful, like a ripe and tempting peach, easily driving people mad. At seventeen, she, compared to the memory, had some differences, her skin as clear as snow, clearly raised in a life of luxury, unburdened by toil. Cheng Yiru herself was raised in similar luxury but had never been able to maintain such delicate skin as Cheng Xizhi; it seemed, some things are truly inborn. The current Cheng Xizhi had a hint of greenness in her expression, but her delicate features were already fully apparent, especially the proud look in her eyes, which clearly showed she was a little princess adored by all. The thing Cheng Yiru hated most was Cheng Xizhi¡¯s naivet¨¦ and pride; she was always like this, never needing to consider anything. The Cheng family protected her too well, always taking care of everything for her, allowing her to forever be a little princess in a lighthouse. ¡°I told the family about my return a month ago, sister, you didn¡¯t know.¡± Gu Shengyin pouted unhappily, half-jokingly complaining. Cheng Yiru smirked to herself: This past month, she had been caught up sorting through memories from her past life, with hardly enough time to remember when Cheng Xizhi was coming back. Cheng Xizhi was like that, just a minor matter of returning to the country, and she wanted the whole family to pick her up. Chapter 36 - Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 4) Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 4) ¡°Big brother, I don¡¯t want to go and see anymore,¡± Gu Shengyin whined, clinging to Cheng Boxuan¡¯s hand. ¡°You¡¯re a major shareholder of Cheng Group after all, the people under you should at least get to know you,¡± Cheng Boxuan was clear-cut. Cheng Zhensheng and his wife loved their daughter dearly. They left twenty percent of Cheng Group¡¯s shares for Cheng Xizhi. Cheng Xizhi was not interested in business, nor did her parents intend for her to become a businesswoman. Just the dividends from those shares were enough for Cheng Xizhi to live a princess-like life for the rest of her days. The headquarters of Cheng Group was located in a commercial office building in the center of Hua City. The new receptionist, with a perfect smile, watched the general manager enter the elevator and then excitedly said to her colleague, ¡°My gosh, the general manager is so handsome! But who is the girl with him? She looks so young, yet so pretty! She even managed to make the usually serious general manager smile so tenderly. She couldn¡¯t be some fianc¨¦e or something, could she?¡± Another girl took out a mirror to check if her makeup was smudged and scoffed at her colleague¡¯s words, ¡°What fianc¨¦e? Haven¡¯t you heard that our general manager has a sister?¡± The new receptionist asked in confusion, ¡°Didn¡¯t the general manager¡¯s sister come to the company a few days ago?¡± A few days ago, Cheng Yiru did visit the company. An old employee smiled and said, ¡°One is his biological daughter, the other is adopted. Which one do you think is the general manager¡¯s sister?¡± Cheng Zhensheng and his wife had never hidden the fact that Cheng Yiru was their adopted daughter, so when Yuen Group was choosing a partner for an arranged marriage, they never considered Cheng Yiru. ¡°Who is that girl with your general manager?¡± A man dressed in a suit, exuding an intimidating aura, watched Gu Shengyin, who was holding Cheng Boxuan¡¯s arm, with a calm gaze. The laid-back PR manager sighed in relief; he had been assigned by the company to host this young master from Yuen Enterprise. The man¡¯s imposing presence was so frightening, it even made the normally unfazed manager feel short of breath. Seeing the young master of Yuen Enterprise distracted by something else, he let out a sigh of relief and hurriedly answered, ¡°That¡¯s our chairman¡¯s younger daughter, the general manager¡¯s sister, Miss Cheng Xizhi.¡± Cheng Xizhi. Yuan Xu repeated the name in his mind a few times. He always felt there was a strange familiarity when he saw Cheng Xizhi. After thinking it over, he was certain he had never met her before. Upon recalling further, wasn¡¯t Cheng Xizhi from Cheng Group the girl his family was interested in for an arranged marriage? So she was to be Yuen Hang¡¯s future wife? For some reason, thinking about this possibility made Yuan Xu feel a slight irritation. It seemed that once he finished with his current business, he would need some good rest. Yuan Xu attributed his irritability to being overworked. As if sensing something, Gu Shengyin turned around curiously in that direction but saw only a figure walking away. Shaking her head, Gu Shengyin laughed self-deprecatingly; she had actually felt like Ji Yu was watching her. But how could that be possible? That person, unlike her, was gone long ago. Thinking of Ji Yu, Gu Shengyin¡¯s mood instantly fell. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Xi Xi?¡± Cheng Boxuan noticed his sister¡¯s mood was off. Gu Shengyin shook her head: ¡°I¡¯m just a bit tired.¡± Seeing his sister¡¯s listless expression, Cheng Boxuan didn¡¯t doubt her and said, ¡°Then go sit in my resting room for a while. I¡¯ll have someone take you home later.¡± Gu Shengyin nodded. Chapter 33 - Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 1) Chapter 33: Chapter 33 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 1) The noisy Hua City International Airport. Every day people from different countries and with different skin colors hurriedly pass by. Many passengers subconsciously glance in a particular direction as they pass. It was a man in a suit, his custom-made pure black suit perfectly outlining his sturdy physique, and a slight frown on his handsome face. His gaze fixed firmly in the direction of a certain part of the airport, clearly, he was waiting for someone. A few ladies who weren¡¯t in a hurry quietly stood nearby, curious about who could be important enough to make such an enchanting man wait. They soon got their answer. The man¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up, his expressionless face softened instantly, and he quickly walked forward. ¡°Xi Xi!¡± Gu Shengyin, amidst the crowd, subconsciously looked up and saw the man walking towards her. She was looking at the man, and the people around her were looking at her. Because she was traveling, Cheng Xizhi was dressed simply, in a light green waist-fitted dress that perfectly highlighted her figure. Large sunglasses covered half of her face, and her light brown wavy curls added a touch of enchantment to her. Slim waist, long legs, fair skin, and beauty were the truest depiction of Cheng Xizhi. ¡°Big brother,¡± Cheng Xizhi gave the man a big smile, then unceremoniously handed over her luggage to him. Cheng Boxuan doted on his sister with a glance, reluctantly taking on the role of a porter. That tender look would certainly astonish the employees at the company, making them wonder if their general manager had been possessed. ¡°Big brother, didn¡¯t second brother come?¡± asked Cheng Xizhi, now Gu Shengyin. Cheng Boxuan replied, ¡°Qi Xuan has an art exhibition today and really couldn¡¯t get away.¡± Gu Shengyin pouted, ¡°No matter how busy he is, how can he be more important than his little sister? Wait till I get back, I¡¯ll make him suffer!¡± Gu Shengyin, playing the role of Cheng Xizhi, was image of a pampered little princess, born into wealth and showered with love, so she could whimsically act spoiled and capricious. Cheng Xizhi was the youngest child of the Cheng family, dearly loved by her parents, Cheng Zhensheng and his wife. After having two sons, they were overjoyed when their daughter was born. They even personally visited a renowned fortune-teller to choose the name Xizhi for her. Fearing she wouldn¡¯t have a playmate, they adopted a girl from distant relatives who was not much older than Cheng Xizhi to raise together. The adopted daughter of the chairman of the Cheng Group was a status many could not even dream of attaining, and the couple was naturally more than willing. The adopted girl¡¯s name was Cheng Yiru, nominally Cheng Xizhi¡¯s older sister and the female rival in this world. The original Cheng Xizhi had an arranged marriage at the age of eighteen with the second young master of another important family in Hua City, the Yuen Group¡¯s Yuen Hang. It was a match seemingly well-suited in social status, but unexpectedly, Yuen Hang fell in love with Cheng Xizhi¡¯s sister, Cheng Yiru. Cheng Yiru also had feelings for Yuen Hang, and the two secretly continued their flirtations even after Cheng Xizhi was married to Yuen Hang, never breaking off contact. Cheng Xizhi, after getting married, found herself neglected by her husband, only to discover one day, while out with friends, Yuen Hang and Cheng Yiru kissing in a parking lot. That was when she realized her husband was having an affair with her own sister! Chapter 34 - Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 2) Chapter 34: Chapter 34 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 2) Cheng Xizhi had been pampered by the Cheng family since she was a child and never suffered such grievances. She caused a scene at Yuen Group and then returned to the Cheng family to inform them of the incident. Cheng Zhensheng and his wife were furious, not only did they kick Cheng Yiru out of the Cheng family, but they also made their daughter divorce Yuen Hang, severing all business ties with Yuen Group. After being expelled from the Cheng family, Cheng Yiru lived miserably. She was accustomed to a life of luxury within the Cheng family, and transitioning from extravagance to frugality was difficult, her earnings were nowhere near enough to satisfy her living needs. Moreover, Yuen Hang was closely watched by the Yuen family, who did not allow him any contact with Cheng Yiru. Eventually, Cheng Yiru reluctantly resorted to selling her body, ended up contracting a severe disease, and died in misery. When she opened her eyes again, she had returned to the year she was eighteen. The reborn Cheng Yiru loathed Cheng Xizhi and the Cheng clan. She schemed and seduced Yuen Hang. How could Yuen Hang, a naive young man, withstand a woman who had experienced the harshness of life in her past life? Very soon, Yuen Hang became completely obedient to Cheng Yiru. Cheng Yiru spoke ill of the Cheng family both overtly and covertly to Yuen Hang, which made him despise the Cheng clan, especially Cheng Xizhi, and even sabotaged an important project of the Cheng clan, leading to their bankruptcy. Cheng Zhensheng and his wife died in a plane crash while traveling abroad for business; the elder brother was mistakenly injured by a group of drunks in a bar and lost his life; the second brother, engrossed in art, was falsely accused of plagiarism and committed suicide under the pressure of public opinion. Cheng Xizhi went from being a pampered young lady to an employee burdened with huge debts, who had to work to pay them off. However, Cheng Yiru was still not satisfied and even hired a thug to assault her, leading to Cheng Xizhi taking her own life in humiliation. Yet, Cheng Yiru and Yuen Hang held their wedding under the blessings of everyone. Gu Shengyin had come into Cheng Xizhi¡¯s body to revert the changes in the world caused by Cheng Yiru¡¯s rebirth. Originally, Cheng Xizhi remained the cherished young lady of the Cheng clan even after divorcing Yuen Hang, pampered by her family for life, glorious and limitless. Upon receiving the storyline from the system, Gu Shengyin felt an inexplicable disgust towards Cheng Yiru. The Cheng family could be said to have never wronged Cheng Yiru in the slightest, providing her with clothes, food, housing, and travel equal to Cheng Xizhi. In contrast, what did Cheng Yiru do? Not only shamelessly seduced her sister¡¯s husband, but everything that followed was her own fault. After her rebirth, she treated the Cheng family as her lifelong nemesis, causing the family to be shattered. Gu Shengyin¡¯s mission was to protect the Cheng family, expose Cheng Yiru¡¯s deception, and kick Yuen Hang, who betrayed Cheng Xizhi, to the curb. Cheng Boxuan drove his sister back to the Cheng clan¡¯s main residence. ¡°The young lady has returned.¡± The butler, who had been waiting at the gate, instantly recognized Cheng Boxuan¡¯s car. Once Gu Shengyin got out of the car, she was embraced by a noble lady. ¡°My precious Xi Xi, I haven¡¯t seen you in a year, and you¡¯ve become even more beautiful,¡± the noble lady scrutinized Gu Shengyin and added, ¡°You seem a bit thinner.¡± ¡°You¡¯re not leaving this time, are you? Mom will make soup for you every day, and I must fatten up my darling Xi Xi.¡± Gu Shengyin looked at the noble lady, Bai Feiya, who was Cheng Xizhi¡¯s mother, with a wry smile. Mrs. Cheng, Bai Feiya, was nearly fifty but maintained her grace and beauty excellently. ¡°Mom, are you planning to raise me like a pig,¡± Gu Shengyin said with a pained expression, which elicited laughter from everyone. ¡°Dad.¡± Gu Shengyin then turned to the man standing next to Mrs. Cheng, her original father, Cheng Zhensheng. Having learned the storyline, Gu Shengyin knew that when it came to cherishing his daughter, Cheng Zhensheng was no less devoted than his wife; it was just that a man¡¯s emotions are more restrained, and he¡¯s less skilled at expressing them. She stepped forward and gently embraced her father. ¡°Dad, I¡¯ve missed you so much!¡± Chapter 35 - Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 3) Chapter 35: Chapter 35 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 3) Cheng Xizhi had always been studying abroad; at just seventeen years old, she had already obtained dual bachelor¡¯s degrees. ¡°Second brother went to an art exhibition, what about sister?¡± Gu Shengyin asked. Hearing the name Cheng Yiru, Mrs. Cheng frowned, ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s gotten into Yiru recently? She¡¯s always so secretive, sometimes she doesn¡¯t even come home at night.¡± After all, she had raised this child for over ten years; Mrs. Cheng truly cared for Cheng Yiru. Gu Shengyin thought to herself: Cheng Yiru is busy ¡°exchanging feelings¡± with Yuen Hang right now, of course she has no time to come home. Indeed, Cheng Yiru had been reborn; she was a year older than Cheng Xizhi, just turned eighteen, and had just come back to life last month. ¡°Xi Xi!¡± Just then, a voice came from behind her, and before Gu Shengyin could turn around, a big hug enveloped her. It was second brother, Cheng Qixuan. Unlike the reserved and steady eldest brother, Cheng Boxuan, second brother Cheng Qixuan embodied the term ¡°passionate.¡± Perhaps as artists, only by maintaining such a fervent spirit could they find endless inspiration. Gu Shengyin looked at her family with a smile, silently swearing in her heart: In this life, she absolutely would not let that woman, Cheng Yiru, ruin such a perfect family. ¡°Mom and Dad, I¡¯m back.¡± Cheng Yiru walked in, noticing the other people in the living room. ¡°Big brother, second brother.¡± Cheng Yiru¡¯s eyes swept over and caught sight of another person sitting on the sofa. ¡°Little sister, you¡¯re back?¡± Cheng Yiru struggled to suppress the hatred churning inside her, and called out with a smile. Gu Shengyin slowly turned around, and their gazes collided. Cheng Xizhi examined Cheng Yiru: She was wearing a tight-fitting shirt, and at just eighteen, she already had impressive assets; the shirt stretched tight. Below, a pair of denim shorts perfectly showcased her long legs. Although her looks couldn¡¯t compare to the perfect Cheng Xizhi, they were enough to attract men. Cheng Yiru was also examining Cheng Xizhi. Her impression of Cheng Xizhi was still based on memories from her past life, when Cheng Xizhi was married, mature, and beautiful, like a ripe and tempting peach, easily driving people mad. At seventeen, she, compared to the memory, had some differences, her skin as clear as snow, clearly raised in a life of luxury, unburdened by toil. Cheng Yiru herself was raised in similar luxury but had never been able to maintain such delicate skin as Cheng Xizhi; it seemed, some things are truly inborn. The current Cheng Xizhi had a hint of greenness in her expression, but her delicate features were already fully apparent, especially the proud look in her eyes, which clearly showed she was a little princess adored by all. The thing Cheng Yiru hated most was Cheng Xizhi¡¯s naivet¨¦ and pride; she was always like this, never needing to consider anything. The Cheng family protected her too well, always taking care of everything for her, allowing her to forever be a little princess in a lighthouse. ¡°I told the family about my return a month ago, sister, you didn¡¯t know.¡± Gu Shengyin pouted unhappily, half-jokingly complaining. Cheng Yiru smirked to herself: This past month, she had been caught up sorting through memories from her past life, with hardly enough time to remember when Cheng Xizhi was coming back. Cheng Xizhi was like that, just a minor matter of returning to the country, and she wanted the whole family to pick her up. Chapter 36 - Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 4) Chapter 36: Chapter 36 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 4) ¡°Big brother, I don¡¯t want to go and see anymore,¡± Gu Shengyin whined, clinging to Cheng Boxuan¡¯s hand. ¡°You¡¯re a major shareholder of Cheng Group after all, the people under you should at least get to know you,¡± Cheng Boxuan was clear-cut. Cheng Zhensheng and his wife loved their daughter dearly. They left twenty percent of Cheng Group¡¯s shares for Cheng Xizhi. Cheng Xizhi was not interested in business, nor did her parents intend for her to become a businesswoman. Just the dividends from those shares were enough for Cheng Xizhi to live a princess-like life for the rest of her days. The headquarters of Cheng Group was located in a commercial office building in the center of Hua City. The new receptionist, with a perfect smile, watched the general manager enter the elevator and then excitedly said to her colleague, ¡°My gosh, the general manager is so handsome! But who is the girl with him? She looks so young, yet so pretty! She even managed to make the usually serious general manager smile so tenderly. She couldn¡¯t be some fianc¨¦e or something, could she?¡± Another girl took out a mirror to check if her makeup was smudged and scoffed at her colleague¡¯s words, ¡°What fianc¨¦e? Haven¡¯t you heard that our general manager has a sister?¡± The new receptionist asked in confusion, ¡°Didn¡¯t the general manager¡¯s sister come to the company a few days ago?¡± A few days ago, Cheng Yiru did visit the company. An old employee smiled and said, ¡°One is his biological daughter, the other is adopted. Which one do you think is the general manager¡¯s sister?¡± Cheng Zhensheng and his wife had never hidden the fact that Cheng Yiru was their adopted daughter, so when Yuen Group was choosing a partner for an arranged marriage, they never considered Cheng Yiru. ¡°Who is that girl with your general manager?¡± A man dressed in a suit, exuding an intimidating aura, watched Gu Shengyin, who was holding Cheng Boxuan¡¯s arm, with a calm gaze. The laid-back PR manager sighed in relief; he had been assigned by the company to host this young master from Yuen Enterprise. The man¡¯s imposing presence was so frightening, it even made the normally unfazed manager feel short of breath. Seeing the young master of Yuen Enterprise distracted by something else, he let out a sigh of relief and hurriedly answered, ¡°That¡¯s our chairman¡¯s younger daughter, the general manager¡¯s sister, Miss Cheng Xizhi.¡± Cheng Xizhi. Yuan Xu repeated the name in his mind a few times. He always felt there was a strange familiarity when he saw Cheng Xizhi. After thinking it over, he was certain he had never met her before. Upon recalling further, wasn¡¯t Cheng Xizhi from Cheng Group the girl his family was interested in for an arranged marriage? So she was to be Yuen Hang¡¯s future wife? For some reason, thinking about this possibility made Yuan Xu feel a slight irritation. It seemed that once he finished with his current business, he would need some good rest. Yuan Xu attributed his irritability to being overworked. As if sensing something, Gu Shengyin turned around curiously in that direction but saw only a figure walking away. Shaking her head, Gu Shengyin laughed self-deprecatingly; she had actually felt like Ji Yu was watching her. But how could that be possible? That person, unlike her, was gone long ago. Thinking of Ji Yu, Gu Shengyin¡¯s mood instantly fell. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Xi Xi?¡± Cheng Boxuan noticed his sister¡¯s mood was off. Gu Shengyin shook her head: ¡°I¡¯m just a bit tired.¡± Seeing his sister¡¯s listless expression, Cheng Boxuan didn¡¯t doubt her and said, ¡°Then go sit in my resting room for a while. I¡¯ll have someone take you home later.¡± Gu Shengyin nodded. Chapter 37 - Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 5) Chapter 37: Chapter 37 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 5) ¡°Miss Cheng, I¡¯ve long admired your reputation.¡± A young gentleman with a glass of red wine in hand approached Gu Shengyin. Gu Shengyin smiled at him, picking up her glass and sipping lightly. After dismissing that man, Cheng Xizhi looked around and found an inconspicuous corner to sit down. This banquet was held to celebrate the major joint project between the Cheng clan and the Yuen Group, both of which were behemoths in the business community of Hua City. Almost every prominent figure in the city¡¯s business circle was present. As the Cheng family¡¯s only daughter, Cheng Xizhi naturally received a lot of admiration. Moreover, her father, Cheng Zhensheng, was famously devoted to his daughter. For many a young master of modest worth, marrying Cheng Xizhi would mean securing a tie with the towering Cheng clan. Gu Shengyin was quite impatient with these overtures; in her previous world, she had given her heart to Ji Yu. As someone ¡°created,¡± Gu Shengyin¡¯s view on affection was quite straightforward¡ªher heart was small and could only accommodate one person. At the moment, she sat in a hidden corner, watching with a cold eye as Cheng Yiru mingled effortlessly among the guests. As the adopted daughter of the Chengs, Cheng Yiru¡¯s popularity couldn¡¯t match Cheng Xizhi¡¯s, but she was still flattered by most people there. Cheng Yiru enjoyed this kind of attention. She thought back to the last days of her previous life when she was unable to entertain guests due to a severe illness and had no financial means to continue living in a upscale neighborhood, thus moving into a dilapidated low-rent apartment. Every day, the hallways were filled with a cacophony of dialects cursing, children¡¯s crying, and honking cars below; the environment was filthy and chaotic, a veritable nightmare! And now? She was still the illustrious Miss Cheng of the Cheng family. Her previous life¡¯s despair seemed like a distant nightmare, and she vowed never to let herself fall into that state again in this lifetime. ¡°Miss Cheng,¡± a deep voice interrupted Gu Shengyin¡¯s reverie. Gu Shengyin lifted her head to see an unfamiliar man. She frowned slightly¡ªhis aura was so aggressive it made one involuntarily tense. However, Gu Shengyin merely furrowed her brow. In her previous life as Empress, what kind of person had she not seen? This man wasn¡¯t enough to make her lose her composure. Yuan Xu was somewhat surprised; he had trained for a time in his youth with his military uncle and had developed a formidable presence, honed in the heat of conflict, which generally overwhelmed others. Yet, this delicate-looking young lady appeared unfazed. Yuan Xu raised an eyebrow. It seemed that Miss Cheng of the Cheng family was not as innocent and harmless as she seemed. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Yuan Xu.¡± Yuan Xu extended his hand. So he was Yuen Hang¡¯s brother, the young master of the Yuen Corporation. Gu Shengyin understood. ¡°Mr. Yuen, a pleasure to meet you.¡± Gu Shengyin extended her hand to shake hands with Yuan Xu. So smooth. That was Yuan Xu¡¯s first thought. The warm touch in his hand stirred something within him, as if he was holding a piece of warm jade. No wonder the ancients spoke of ¡®gentle jade and warm fragrance¡¯; indeed, such women did exist. There wasn¡¯t much conversation between the two, just the occasional remark here and there as they sat quietly; the atmosphere was surprisingly comfortable, a stark contrast to the liveliness of the main hall, evoking a sense of ease amid the tumult of life. ¡°I should go make my speech now.¡± Yuan Xu stood to leave, feeling an unexpected reluctance to do so. Gu Shengyin stood out of politeness to see him off, but the long hem of her dress hindered her movements. She stumbled, and her whole body tilted towards the ground. ¡°Be careful!¡± Gu Shengyin fell into a set of broad arms, and at the same time, a familiar scent of lotus reached her nose. Chapter 38 - Chapter 38: Chapter 38 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 6) Chapter 38: Chapter 38 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 6) ¡°Miss Cheng?¡± Gu Shengyin was dazed by the familiar scent until Yuan Xu called out to her. She snapped back to reality, quickly steadied herself, and thanked Yuan Xu. ¡°Mr. Yuen, do you like the scent of lotus in perfume?¡± Gu Shengyin asked, unsure of what prompted her to inquire. Yuan Xu chuckled, ¡°No, I never use perfume.¡± As he finished speaking, he nodded toward Gu Shengyin, indicating he had to leave, as they had started calling his name in the hall. Gu Shengyin was left sitting there, lost in thought. ¡°System.¡± Gu Shengyin¡¯s voice carried a hint of hope, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s possible¡­ could Ji Yu have reincarnated just like me?¡± The system was silent for a moment before responding, ¡°Theoretically, that possibility does not exist.¡± ¡°But he smells exactly like Ji Yu!¡± Gu Shengyin grew excited, ¡°In the previous world, Ji Yu always had a lingering scent of lotus, and when I was with him, I was certain that he never used anything that smelled like lotus.¡± The system remained silent; it had no explanation for this phenomenon. Suddenly, Gu Shengyin felt alive again. Since arriving in this world, her demeanor had been somewhat strange¡ªas if lacking vitality. Although she completed her tasks as usual, it always seemed as though she was struggling to find a reason to continue. Gu Shengyin was not the system¡¯s first host. Before her, there had been several other hosts, who, like Gu Shengyin, had fallen in love with someone in a particular world. But as one world passed, their lovers vanished forever, while the hosts themselves continued to travel through world after world. Over time, even the most resolute wills struggled to endure. An eternity without hope was more cruel than anything else. Two of the system¡¯s first three hosts had requested self-destruction. But Gu Shengyin was different from them. Gu Shengyin was personally created by that Person. In terms of status, even ten systems could not compare to one Gu Shengyin, she just didn¡¯t know it herself. Gu Shengyin felt her body surge with fighting spirit anew. She stared at Yuan Xu, who was speaking confidently on stage, pondering how to verify whether he was the reincarnation of Ji Yu. That¡¯s right! Gu Shengyin suddenly remembered. Ji Yu had a lotus-shaped mark on his left shoulder. In the previous world, during moments of affection, she had teased him that he might be the reincarnation of a Lotus Fairy, otherwise why would his body not only have the scent of lotus but also a lotus mark. At the time, Ji Yu had taken it as a joke; aside from Gu Shengyin, no one else could smell the lotus scent on him. So, about Yuan Xu¡ªdid he also have the same mark? Gu Shengyin watched Yuan Xu intently, contemplating how to undress this man and confirm her suspicions. After Yuan Xu, as the heir to the Cheng Group, Cheng Boxuan naturally shared some thoughts. ¡°Lastly, please allow me to introduce my sister, the little princess of the Cheng Group, Cheng Xizhi.¡± Cheng Boxuan smiled as he looked over at Cheng Xizhi. Xi Xi disliked the business world, but that was okay, as her older brother had the capability to protect her and ensure she lived a carefree life. However, networking was something Xi Xi would have to develop on her own; after all, it would be her wealth in the future. Under everyone¡¯s gaze, Gu Shengyin elegantly stood up. Chapter 39 - Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 7) Chapter 39: Chapter 39 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 7) Cheng Yiru watched Cheng Xizhi stand on the stage, the center of everyone¡¯s attention. Those who had just surrounded her now had all their attention fixed on Cheng Xizhi. It had always been this way, whenever Cheng Xizhi was around, nobody could see Cheng Yiru¡¯s existence. Her fingernails dug fiercely into the palm of her hand. Suddenly feeling warmth, Cheng Yiru looked up to find Yuen Hang draping a shawl over her shoulders. Looking at this man with handsome features, her heart felt warm. This man, in both her past and present life, only ever had eyes for her. For a moment, Cheng Yiru wavered, thinking maybe it would be quite good to let go of the resentments from her past life and focus on being with Yuen Hang. However, glancing again at Cheng Xizhi on the stage, radiant and the focus of the crowd, she suppressed that thought. No, how could she rest unless she saw Cheng Xizhi fall into the dust, the Cheng family in ruins? Thinking of her own arrangement, she smiled slyly. Yuan Xu stood among the crowd, frowning at the intimate scenes between Yuen Hang and Cheng Yiru, as if they were alone in the world. Both brothers knew about the family¡¯s plan for Yuen Hang to form a marital alliance with the Cheng clan. Because of his non-cooperation, the family had decided to let Yuen Hang, the second son, marry into the Cheng clan. The marriage partner designated for the union between the Yuen Group and the Cheng clan could only be Cheng Xizhi. After all, Cheng Yiru was just an adopted daughter; to form a strong alliance, a daughter without the direct bloodline of the Cheng family clearly wasn¡¯t significant enough. Yet, looking at Yuen Hang and Cheng Yiru together, they obviously seemed to be in mutual love. Yuan Xu watched Cheng Xizhi, poised and graceful on the stage, like a noble white swan, and he couldn¡¯t help feeling that his brother, already affectionate with her sister, seemed somewhat unworthy of her. A woman like that should have a lover who loves her wholeheartedly. She deserved the best affection. Yuan Xu shook his head, feeling strange about the thoughts that had crossed his mind, sensing that his emotions had been abnormal these past few days. Gu Shengyin stepped off the stage, feeling a bit thirsty, and happened to catch an attendant passing by, from whom she took a glass of champagne and took a sip. Her gaze, searching subconsciously for Yuan Xu, discovered that the man had already disappeared without a trace. Had he left early? She suddenly felt bored and decided to return to her previous seat to wait for the banquet to end and go home with her elder brother. Why is it so hot? Gu Shengyin had been sitting for a while when she distinctly felt the air temperature rise. That¡¯s not right! It¡¯s impossible for a top-level hotel to make such a mistake. Gu Shengyin quickly realized the problem wasn¡¯t with the hotel, but with herself. She had been drugged without noticing! Reflecting on the events that had happened prior, the only possibility was when she had just left the stage and taken a glass of champagne from a passing attendant. That very glass of champagne now in front of her! Damn it! Gu Shengyin cursed her own carelessness, feeling an increasingly intense heat inside her body, and hurried toward the restroom. She couldn¡¯t afford to lose composure in this hall! Not far away, Cheng Yiru, while chatting and laughing with the people around her, glanced out of the corner of her eye at Cheng Xizhi heading unsteadily toward the restroom. A cryptic smile played on her lips as she apologized to her company and stepped aside to pick up her phone. ¡°Hello¡­ You can come over now.¡± Chapter 40 - Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Noble Lady of Wealthy Family VS Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 8) Chapter 40: Chapter 40: Noble Lady of Wealthy Family VS Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 8) Gu Shengyin stood in front of the washbasin, splashing cold water on her face. It was useless. Feeling the wave of heat growing hotter inside her, she took out her phone, wanting to call her older brother to come and take her home quickly. The turmoil inside her made her hands unsteady; she pressed several times before she managed to unlock her phone¡¯s screen, found her older brother¡¯s contact, and was just about to dial when someone snatched the phone from her hand. Gu Shengyin looked up to see the face of a strange man. An inexplicable panic seized her, and she forcefully demanded, ¡°What do you want? Give me back my phone now!¡± The man greedily looked at Gu Shengyin¡¯s face. He had received a call from his employer who told him the person was in the restroom on the twenty-ninth floor of the hotel; his only task was to take the person away, then later¡­ Even if he hadn¡¯t succeeded, just having this woman appear disheveled before everyone else would have meant his mission was accomplished. That would allow him to receive a substantial amount of money. Gu Shengyin, seeing the man¡¯s expression becoming increasingly wrong, sensed alarm bells ringing inside her, but unfortunately, the soundproofing here was excellent; even if she shouted, the people outside wouldn¡¯t hear her. She spoke sternly, ¡°No matter who has instructed you, that person definitely hasn¡¯t told you who I am. I am the young lady of the Cheng Group; you should know what kind of existence the Cheng Group is. If something happens to me here today, no matter where you flee, my father and brothers will not let you off!¡± The man paused, realizing his employer indeed hadn¡¯t mentioned the identity of this girl. The Cheng Group¡­ If what she said was true¡­ Seeing his hesitation, Gu Shengyin was encouraged and continued, ¡°If you leave now, I can assure you, I will pretend today¡¯s incident never happened. Whatever amount your employer is paying you, I will double it.¡± Her breathing was unstable at this moment, and under the influence of the drugs, she no longer had the strength, forced to lean against the washbasin to prevent herself from collapsing. The man was clearly hesitating. In her mind, Gu Shengyin called out to the system, ¡°If this man does not compromise, do you have the ability to help me get out of this smoothly?¡± The system immediately responded, ¡°Host, please rest assured, as your Guide, I am obliged to ensure your personal safety around non-mission targets.¡± Gu Shengyin no longer had the energy to discuss the scope of this ¡°non-mission targets¡± with the system. ¡°No! I nearly fell for it! As if I don¡¯t know what you wealthy people are like? Fair words face to face, yet a stab in the back once you turn around.¡± The man had clearly made up his mind. As soon as he finished speaking, his hand was already reaching toward Gu Shengyin. ¡°System!¡± Seeing the man¡¯s hand coming closer, Gu Shengyin urgently shouted. However, the system¡¯s actions weren¡¯t as fast as another¡¯s. A black figure dashed toward them and fiercely punched the man in the face who was restraining Gu Shengyin. A familiar scent of lotus flowers filled the air around Gu Shengyin. All of a sudden, she felt so aggrieved, turned, and threw herself into the man¡¯s arms, tears rolling down her face as she did. ¡ª¡ª ¡ª¡ª Yuan Xu didn¡¯t have time to care about the man crying out in agony on the ground. He was a bit irritable and was walking around outside, preparing to have a cigarette in the restroom when a strange feeling overwhelmed him. He always felt as if something bad was happening. From childhood, his sixth sense had been very accurate, and this special intuition had helped him avoid several disasters. Following his intuition, Yuan Xu walked toward the women¡¯s restroom. At first, Yuan Xu hesitated whether to enter or not, but as soon as his hand touched the doorknob, he knew something was wrong¡ªit was locked from the inside! This sort of restroom usually had individual stalls, meaning the outer door, unless under hotel maintenance, shouldn¡¯t be locked. With a growing sense of foreboding and no time to think further, Yuan Xu kicked open the door. Then, he saw a scene that made his eyes fill with rage. Gu Shengyin, who had been dazzling in the hall just before, was now blocked by a sleazy-looking man! Yuan Xu felt, at that moment, all his blood rushing to his head; he had never been so out of control. After knocking the man to the ground where he couldn¡¯t get up, he took off his own suit jacket and draped it over Cheng Xizhi. Who knew, as soon as Cheng Xizhi saw him, she burst into tears and threw herself into his arms. The girl crying in his arms felt so wronged, Yuan Xu felt like his heart was being crushed by her sobs. Seeing the man on the ground, Yuan Xu knew that Gu Shengyin¡¯s current state was not fit for others to see, so he bent down, picked her up, and left the place. As he passed the man on the ground, he paused to take the cellphone from his hand and stepped hard on the man¡¯s right hand. ¡°Crack!¡± The sound of bone fracturing echoed as he ignored the pig-like wails of the man behind him, Yuan Xu walked out carrying Gu Shengyin. By the time the crowd in the hall heard the commotion and rushed over, all they saw was a broken door and a man lying on the ground, rolling around and crying incessantly in pain. Cheng Yiru was annoyed: she hadn¡¯t expected that under such circumstances, Cheng Xizhi would still manage to escape. Yuan Xu directly carried Cheng Xizhi away through a special passage. The hotel belonged to Yuen Group, and only a select few knew of this passage. He brought Gu Shengyin to his private room in the hotel, placed her on the bed, and went into the bathroom to run a bath. Thinking about the young lady¡¯s age, Yuan Xu wrapped her in a blanket, picked her up, and placed her in the already prepared bathtub. Chapter 41 - Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Noble Lady of Wealthy Family VS Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 9) Chapter 41: Chapter 41: Noble Lady of Wealthy Family VS Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 9) Yuan Xu had no time to deal with the man wailing on the ground. Feeling somewhat irritable, he had taken a walk outside and was about to smoke a cigarette in the restroom when an inexplicable sensation overwhelmed him. He always felt as if something bad was happening. Since childhood, his sixth sense had been remarkably accurate, allowing him to avoid several calamities. Following his intuition, Yuan Xu walked towards the women¡¯s restroom. Initially, Yuan Xu hesitated about whether to enter, but the moment his hand touched the doorknob, he noticed something was off¡ªthe door was locked from the inside! All the stalls inside were separate, and theoretically, this main door should not be locked unless for maintenance by the hotel. With a growing sense of foreboding and no time to think further, Yuan Xu kicked the door open. Then, he witnessed a scene that nearly made his blood boil. Gu Shengyin, previously dazzling in the hall, was now cornered by a sleazy man, her expression dazed and cheeks flushed¡ªclearly drugged! Yuan Xu felt as if all his blood had rushed to his brain at that moment, and he had never been so out of control. After punching the man to the floor, where he couldn¡¯t get up, he took off his jacket and covered Cheng Xizhi with it. Little did he know, as soon as Cheng Xizhi saw him, she frowned and then burst into tears in his embrace. The girl in his arms cried so pitifully that Yuan Xu felt as if his heart was being crushed by her sobs. Looking at the man on the ground, Yuan Xu knew that Gu Shengyin¡¯s current state wasn¡¯t fit to be seen. He bent down, picked her up, and left the place. As he passed the man on the floor, he paused to take the man¡¯s cellphone and deliberately stamped on the man¡¯s right hand¡ªthat was the hand he had seen touching Gu Shengyin. ¡°Crack!¡± the sound of bone breaking echoed, ignoring the man¡¯s pig-like wails behind him, Yuan Xu carried Gu Shengyin away. By the time the crowd in the hall rushed to the scene, they only saw a broken door and a man lying on the ground, rolling around and crying in pain. Cheng Yiru felt annoyed: she hadn¡¯t expected Cheng Xizhi to be able to escape under such circumstances. Yuan Xu carried Cheng Xizhi straight through a special passage; the hotel was owned by the Yuen Group, and only a select few knew about this passage. He brought Gu Shengyin to his private room in the hotel, placed her on the bed, then turned around and went to the bathroom to draw a bath for her. When he came out, he was momentarily stunned by the sight of the person on the bed. At that moment, Gu Shengyin¡¯s mind was blurry, and all she felt was heat. What appeared before Yuan Xu was a body too painful to gaze upon for long. Yuan Xu felt a rush of blood heat to his head; despite his status, he was no stranger to women throwing themselves at him, but none had ever driven him as madly as Cheng Xizhi did. Thinking about the girl¡¯s young age, Yuan Xu cursed himself as a beast, wrapped her in a blanket, and placed her in the bathtub already filled with water. Little did he know, just as he managed to resist his impulses, Gu Shengyin in his arms was not cooperating at all. In her dazed state, Gu Shengyin sensed Ji Yu¡¯s presence, felt utterly secure, and sensed his attempt to leave and naturally clung to him desperately, refusing to let go. Chapter 42 - Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 10) Chapter 42: Chapter 42 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 10) Yuan Xu looked helplessly at the little woman clinging to him, unwilling to let go, with a doting smile on his lips that even he himself hadn¡¯t noticed, as he dutifully played the role of a caring old nursemaid. Fortunately, the drug that Gu Shengyin had been exposed to, although an aphrodisiac, did not necessarily require release to be neutralized. After Yuan Xu gave Gu Shengyin a bath, her cheeks were still flushed, but she no longer looked as obviously drugged as before. Yuan Xu took out his phone and made a call to Cheng Boxuan. Cheng Boxuan¡¯s face changed the moment he answered the call, and he spoke briefly to someone before leaving in a hurry. After Yuan Xu hung up the phone, he silently gazed at Gu Shengyin¡¯s peaceful sleeping face. After a while, he bent down and tenderly kissed her forehead. ¡°Little girl, once you¡¯ve provoked me, it won¡¯t be so easy to get away,¡± he whispered. Cheng Boxuan almost ran all the way there, and the first thing he said upon seeing Yuan Xu was, ¡°Is Xi Xi alright?¡± Yuan Xu wasn¡¯t nearly as gentle with someone else, his voice deep and serious, ¡°She¡¯s fine now, but if I had been even a moment later, she wouldn¡¯t be.¡± Cheng Boxuan didn¡¯t care about his tone; bending down, he saw his sister sleeping soundly. He immediately noticed Gu Shengyin was not wearing the same clothes she had on when she left, and his expression darkened. ¡°Xi Xi¡¯s clothes?¡± Yuan Xu¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, ¡°When I found her, her clothes were in tatters, so I changed her into something else.¡± Cheng Boxuan: It felt like a punch to the gut, knowing his own sister had been taken advantage of, and yet he could find no words to refute. But in the next moment, his attention was captured by Yuan Xu¡¯s words. What did he mean by her clothes being in tatters? Yuan Xu could tell what he was thinking from his expression, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Xi Xi is unharmed.¡± Cheng Boxuan: Wait, are you and my sister close? You say ¡®Xi Xi¡¯ quite fluently. ¡°But you should still have her checked out after you take her home. She was drugged with an aphrodisiac. Even though she looks fine, it¡¯s better to have her examined just in case.¡± Cheng Boxuan nodded, not bothering to wake Gu Shengyin, and simply carried his sister away. Yuan Xu suddenly realized that he felt jealous, which was ridiculous¡ªthey were siblings! He watched Cheng Boxuan carry Gu Shengyin away through a private exit, which was for the best given Gu Shengyin¡¯s current state and not being fit to be seen by others. Only when their figures disappeared from his sight did Yuan Xu take his eyes off them and casually made a call, ¡°Hey, in half an hour, pull up all of today¡¯s surveillance footage for me.¡± His gaze was icy. Whoever it was that dared target the person he had his eye on had better be prepared for the consequences. When the big boss gave an order, people moved quickly. In less than half an hour, all the information that Yuan Xu requested was laid out before him. ¡°Cheng Yiru¡­¡± Yuan Xu said coldly, his voice so frosty it could freeze, looking at the footage from surveillance cameras that were usually not accessible to outsiders. ¡°Brother, that¡¯s impossible! You must be misunderstanding Yiru!¡± Yuen Hang said vehemently as he watched the footage his brother showed him. ¡°How could Yiru, so gentle and kind-hearted, do something like framing her own sister?¡± Yuen Hang refused to believe it, even suspecting that the whole thing might be a plot orchestrated by Cheng Xizhi herself. ¡°Is this what that woman Cheng Xizhi told you? Let me tell you, brother, don¡¯t be fooled by her appearance. She¡¯s a vile woman, and you have no idea how she¡¯s been treating Yiru¡­¡± Yuen Hang had clearly been profoundly influenced by Cheng Yiru¡¯s narrative. The mention of Cheng Xizhi alone brought a look of disgust to his face. Chapter 43 - Chapter 43: Chapter 43 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 11) Chapter 43: Chapter 43 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 11) Gu Shengyin woke up to find herself back in her own room at home. ¡°System,¡± she called out to the system, ¡°what happened after I passed out?¡± The system directly played a series of images in Gu Shengyin¡¯s mind, starting from when her consciousness became blurred until Cheng Boxuan carried her away. My God! Gu Shengyin wanted to cover her face. Not only did she cling to someone unwilling to let go, but she even let Yuen Hang give her a bath! She felt awkward just watching the playback and could imagine what Yuen Hang must have felt at the time. Gu Shengyin decided that since she had passed out then, she knew nothing about it. ¡°However, I still don¡¯t know if Yuen Hang is really Ji Yu or not,¡± Gu Shengyin felt a bit troubled. ¡°Xi Xi, baby, you¡¯re awake?¡± Mrs. Cheng pushed the door open and came in, very happy to see Gu Shengyin awake, ¡°Boxuan said you drank too much, and he was worried you would feel uncomfortable, so he even insisted on calling Doctor Jiang over to have a look. This child, making a fuss over such a trivial matter and having Doctor Jiang come all this way in such hot weather.¡± While Mrs. Cheng complained, her eyes clearly showed satisfaction with her eldest son¡¯s actions. Doctor Jiang is the private doctor of the Cheng family. Gu Shengyin understood that probably Cheng Boxuan didn¡¯t tell Mrs. Cheng about the drugging incident. ¡°I¡¯m fine now,¡± Gu Shengyin quickly got up from the bed and even deliberately turned in a circle on the spot to show she was in good condition now. Mrs. Cheng said with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s good. The Yuen family¡¯s two sons have come to visit your father. You should take some time to get along with Yuen Hang.¡± The matter between Cheng Xizhi and Yuen Hang was an open secret in both families, and Father Cheng and Mrs. Cheng never thought of hiding it from Cheng Xizhi. In their eyes, Yuen Hang was handsome and polite to elders, making him a good choice for a husband. But it would be best if Xi Xi liked him too. If Xi Xi really didn¡¯t want to, they wouldn¡¯t force their precious daughter to marry a man she didn¡¯t like. Gu Shengyin¡¯s eyes lit up. Yuen Hang was here too? Mrs. Cheng saw her daughter¡¯s eyes sparkle at her words and thought her daughter was looking forward to meeting Yuen Hang, feeling greatly relieved in her heart. It seemed the person they chose for their daughter wasn¡¯t wrong after all. Gu Shengyin went to the front hall and indeed saw Yuen Hang and Yuan Xu sitting there, with her brothers Cheng Qixuan and Cheng Yiru also by their side. ¡°Xi Xi, you¡¯re awake?¡± Cheng Qixuan immediately got up and came over to Gu Shengyin as soon as he spotted his sister descending the stairs, stretching out his hand to touch her forehead and only relaxing when he felt she didn¡¯t have a fever. Gu Shengyin greeted both men. Yuan Xu was indifferent to everyone while Yuen Hang, on the other hand, was somewhat indifferent to Gu Shengyin. Cheng Qixuan frowned at this. ¡°Cheng Xizhi, I have something to say to you.¡± While Gu Shengyin was on the balcony admiring a new flowering potted plant, she heard Yuen Hang¡¯s words. ¡°If Second Young Master Yuen has something to say, feel free to speak,¡± Gu Shengyin said indifferently without turning her head. The tone of Yuen Hang was not pleasant, and Gu Shengyin was not one to repay evil with kindness. ¡°My older brother said Yiru drugged you, trying to harm you. Yiru is so kind, how could he possibly do such a thing? Did you say something bad about Yiru to my older brother?¡± Yuen Hang questioned. Gu Shengyin straightened up, seriously sizing up Yuen Hang for the first time since she arrived in this world for her mission. Cultured and elite, indeed he looked like a top-notch gentleman; he didn¡¯t seem to be someone with a problematic mind. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that?¡± Yuen Hang felt uncomfortable under Gu Shengyin¡¯s gaze. Chapter 44 - Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 12) Chapter 44: Chapter 44 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 12) ¡°I¡¯m wondering where Second Young Master Yuen got the confidence to say such words.¡± Gu Shengyin spoke unhurriedly, ¡°As for relationships, I¡¯ve just returned from abroad and only met your elder brother once at a banquet. Why on earth should Eldest Young Master Yuen trust the word of a stranger like me?¡± ¡°Moreover, my engagement with you is acknowledged by both our families. I don¡¯t believe you, Second Young Master Yuen, are unaware of that. So, your fianc¨¦e almost gets drugged at a banquet and you say nothing, and setting that aside for now, you actually come to question me on behalf of someone else?¡± ¡°Not to mention, where does Cheng Yiru get the audacity to think that I, Cheng Xizhi, would go as far as to drug myself just to frame her?¡± ¡°Second Young Master Yuen, please bring your brain next time you speak. Otherwise, I might be calm and patient in explaining so much to you this time, but next time, I¡¯ll just walk away!¡± Yuen Hang was left red-faced with shame by her barrage: ¡°Cheng Xizhi, you!¡± ¡°I have a beauty appointment this afternoon with someone. Second Young Master Yuen, if you¡¯ll excuse me.¡± Gu Shengyin didn¡¯t even glance at him. Such a man, easily deceived by women, was really not someone she, Gu Shengyin, could respect. After Gu Shengyin had left, Yuan Xu emerged from around the corner. His eyes were startlingly bright. Such a quick-witted and eloquent young woman; he, Yuan Xu, had never seen one before. She was infuriatingly¡­ captivating. ¡°She¡¯s not wrong, Yuen Hang, you really have been bewitched by that woman Cheng Yiru!¡± Yuan Xu spoke coldly to his brother. ¡°Also, since you¡¯ve already set your heart on someone, I will personally discuss the matter with father. An alliance through marriage with the Cheng family is no longer suitable for you,¡± Yuan Xu said. ¡°Big brother?¡± Yuen Hang was somewhat taken aback. Yuan Xu¡¯s expression darkened: ¡°What? You don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re planning to keep things ambiguous with that woman Cheng Yiru while still taking Cheng Xizhi as your bride?¡± Yuen Hang¡¯s face flushed. He had indeed thought this way, reasoning it was just a family alliance and marrying Cheng Xizhi was just a formality. Yuan Xu felt a surge of anger in his chest. How had he never noticed that his brother was such a scoundrel? ¡°Miss Cheng, we meet again.¡± Yuan Xu said to Gu Shengyin with a gentle smile. Gu Shengyin was silently speechless. Over these ten days, they had ¡°coincidentally¡± run into each other six times. With Hua City being so vast, if there wasn¡¯t some trickery from this man, she, Gu Shengyin, would not believe it. ¡°Mr. Yuen, what a coincidence,¡± Gu Shengyin replied with a smile. Ever since she suspected that Yuan Xu could very likely be Ji Yu¡¯s reincarnation, her attitude towards him had always been favorable. ¡°Meeting by chance is fate, so why don¡¯t we have a meal together?¡± Yuan Xu extended the invitation further. Gu Shengyin naturally wouldn¡¯t refuse. The venue was one selected by Yuan Xu, a well-known local Chinese restaurant famous for its exquisite dishes and authentic flavors. As they headed out, Gu Shengyin coincidentally saw Yuen Hang and Cheng Yiru entering, hand in hand, intimately. Yuan Xu glanced at Gu Shengyin¡¯s expression, and seeing no change, felt relieved. Although he had overheard her conversation with Yuen Hang and broadly guessed that she had no romantic interest in Yuen Hang, he still felt somewhat uneasy. Therefore, he went out of his way to ensure Gu Shengyin witnessed his brother¡¯s intimacy with Cheng Yiru. From his observations over the past few days, Gu Shengyin was someone extremely proud at heart. A man with someone else in his heart wouldn¡¯t have any chance with her, no matter any previous affection she might have felt. Chapter 45 - Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 13) Chapter 45: Chapter 45 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 13) Gu Shengyin had certainly noticed Yuen Hang and Cheng Yiru together, and being well-versed in the plot, she naturally knew that these two had been mingling in secret for some time. However, with Yuan Xu still by her side, she turned her head and said to him, ¡°I believe, Mr. Yuen, you are aware of the situation between Second Young Master Yuen and me. It seems now that Second Young Master Yuen prefers my sister.¡± Yuan Xu understood her implication immediately. He was secretly delighted but only nodded, ¡°Xi Xi, don¡¯t worry. Our Yuen family will give the Cheng family an explanation.¡± He paused, then spoke again, ¡°Qi Xuan and your elder brother are very good friends. You always calling me Mr. Yuen makes us seem distant. Why don¡¯t you call me Big Brother Yuen instead?¡± Gu Shengyin: ¡°¡­ Big Brother Yuen.¡± Yuan Xu felt completely contented when she called him that. Yuan Xu acted swiftly, and naturally, the parents of the Yuen family were not pleased with their son giving up the little princess of the Cheng clan to marry a foster daughter instead, but they were persuaded by their eldest son¡¯s argument. ¡°Yuen Hang has someone else in his heart; he won¡¯t be able to be wholeheartedly devoted to Xi Xi after marriage. If something happens in the future, it won¡¯t be an alliance through marriage but rather a feud. Besides, it¡¯s not just Yuen Hang who can form a marital alliance with the Cheng clan.¡± Mother Yuen was surprised, ¡°Haven¡¯t you always been unwilling?¡± Yuan Xu smiled and quirked his lips, ¡°That was in the past. I now find Xi Xi quite appealing.¡± Seeing this, Father Yuen and Mother Yuen didn¡¯t say much more. Initially, they preferred their heir, the eldest son, to be the one joining in matrimony with the Cheng family, but at that time, Yuan Xu was firmly against marrying a woman whose background was unknown, and as a last resort, they switched to the younger son. Now that Yuen Hang had someone in his heart and the eldest son was interested in Miss Cheng, if the Cheng family was willing, they too had no objections. Just that Cheng Yiru, she was absolutely not to enter the Yuen family. Father Yuen and Mother Yuen were people accustomed to ups and downs. Knowing full well that Yuen Hang had an arranged marriage with her younger sister, Cheng Yiru still got involved with him in an ambiguous manner. Such a woman was someone the Yuen family could not afford to have. This is the way of the world¡¯s parents; although such a matter could not be caused by Cheng Yiru¡¯s efforts alone, they fully placed the blame on her. During this period, Gu Shengyin had been preparing for a significant event. Father Cheng, Cheng Zhensheng, was celebrating his fiftieth birthday at the end of the month. In the original storyline, Cheng Xizhi spent a large sum to obtain a White Jade Guanyin from a master jade carver, which Cheng Zhensheng then ordered to be well preserved and placed prominently in the main hall of the house. At that birthday celebration, Cheng Xizhi became the center of attention. This time, Gu Shengyin also did not plan to change the gift but spent even more effort in selecting the materials and overseeing the craftsmanship herself to ensure it was even better. Father Cheng¡¯s birthday arrived quickly. Because his beloved younger daughter had early on boasted in a particularly proud tone about preparing a grand gift for him, Cheng Zhensheng specifically declared that the gifts from his several children would be publicly presented in front of all the guests. Cheng Boxuan didn¡¯t need to mention; he has always been generous with his wealth, and his gifts were as lavish as ever. The gift from Cheng Qixuan was a portrait he painted himself, depicting Father Cheng and Mrs. Cheng. Then it was Cheng Yiru¡¯s turn. Cheng Yiru was meticulously dressed that day, her pure white dress outlining her voluptuous figure, and her slightly curled hair added a touch of allure. She noticed all the guests¡¯ eyes were on her, and she couldn¡¯t help but give a subtle and smug glance in Cheng Xizhi¡¯s direction, gently clapping her hands. Two bodyguards in suits carried an item covered with a red cloth into the hall. Cheng Yiru personally stepped forward and lifted the red cloth. Chapter 46 - Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 14) Chapter 46: Chapter 46 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 14) The red cloth used to cover the item gracefully fell to the floor, revealing the object carried by two bodyguards in front of the guests. A chorus of exclamations arose. Yet Yuan Xu¡¯s face turned ashen the moment he saw what had been hidden beneath the red cloth. The gift presented by Cheng Yiru was none other than a White Jade Guanyin Statue! Cheng Xizhi had been busy preparing a birthday gift for her father, which Yuan Xu knew well, and he was aware of just how much effort Cheng Xizhi had put into this gift. He had stayed by her side, watching her run to the master sculptor every day, personally overseeing every detail and refusing to settle for anything less than perfect. But now, Cheng Yiru¡¯s presentation of a Guanyin statue made Xi Xi¡¯s nearly two months of hard work seem like a joke. She had pondered over how to surprise her father, only to be preempted by someone else. With Cheng Yiru¡¯s impressive presentation, if Cheng Xizhi were to offer the same gift, it would only be perceived as bland and uninspired. Cheng Yiru continued to speak, ¡°¡­ This White Jade Guanyin Statue was completed in half a year by a master overseas, and I especially asked the venerable Master Huijing to consecrate it. I wish for my father¡¯s fortune to be as vast as the Eastern Sea and his life as enduring as the Southern Mountains!¡± The guests lavished praise upon Father Cheng for having such a filial daughter, and Father Cheng himself was grinning from ear to ear. Cheng Yiru smiled triumphantly; she was of course aware of what Cheng Xizhi¡¯s gift was. In her previous life, it was a White Jade Guanyin that had brought Cheng Xizhi great acclaim, and this time, she had deliberately outpaced her by presenting the White Jade Guanyin first. Cheng Xizhi, can you still hold your gift with confidence now? Yuan Xu looked at Cheng Xizhi with some concern, surprised to find that she didn¡¯t seem to mind too much. Cheng Xizhi was communicating with the system: ¡°It was my oversight. I forgot that Cheng Yiru possessed memories of her previous life. She obviously wants to use this to humiliate me thoroughly.¡± The system hadn¡¯t anticipated this either: ¡°Host, you must quickly think of a solution.¡± At this point, only Cheng Xizhi¡¯s gift remained to be presented. Rumors had it that Cheng Zhensheng¡¯s most¡­cherished¡­daughter was this youngest one, and the guests at the event were all secretly speculating what gift Gu Shengyin would bring. Cheng Yiru sneered internally: Cheng Xizhi, what will you do? If you bring out the White Jade Guanyin you¡¯ve prepared, it will surely disappoint everyone. If you change to something else at the last minute, I don¡¯t believe you can come up with anything decent in such a short time. She was feeling quite pleased with herself, waiting to see Cheng Xizhi make a fool of herself. All eyes were on Gu Shengyin, but she remained silent. The atmosphere became somewhat awkward, and Cheng Zhensheng also sensed something amiss. Smiling, he said, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Does my Xi Xi not want others to see the gift she¡¯s prepared for Dad and wishes for Dad to see it alone later?¡± If Gu Shengyin hadn¡¯t really prepared a gift, a simple agreement with his words would have dissolved the awkwardness. This obvious attempt to smooth things over nearly made Cheng Yiru grind her teeth in frustration. Before Gu Shengyin could speak, Cheng Yiru said with a smile, ¡°Little sister, you can¡¯t be so selfish, ah! We¡¯re all eager to see what great thing you¡¯ve secretly prepared for Dad!¡± Mrs. Cheng looked somewhat displeased with Cheng Yiru. Cheng Yiru knew her remark had been abrupt, but she couldn¡¯t help herself. Why was it that Cheng Xizhi, even when she made a mistake, had so many people rushing to her aid? Today, she intended to embarrass her in front of the prestigious guests of Hua City. Gu Shengyin gazed at Cheng Yiru with an inscrutable look, and for some reason, it made Cheng Yiru feel a tinge of fear. She had the feeling that something was beyond her control. Gu Shengyin finally spoke, ¡°Since my sister is so keen to see, then I shall embarrass myself in front of everyone.¡± Chapter 47 - Chapter 47: Chapter 47 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 15) Chapter 47: Chapter 47 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 15) As Gu Shengyin spoke, people began to bring things up one by one. Yuan Xu looked carefully and saw that these were clearly not the White Jade Guanyin that had been prepared earlier. Soon, a table was set up in front of Gu Shengyin, upon which a sheet of fine Xuan paper was spread¡ªit was none other than the Four Treasures of the Study! What is she trying to do? Cheng Yiru¡¯s brows furrowed tightly, she had never heard of Cheng Xizhi making any contributions to the national studies in her previous life. It¡¯s nothing more than an attempt to attract attention and please the crowd. She comforted herself in order to suppress the ominous premonitions rising in her heart. Clearly, quite a few people were intrigued by Gu Shengyin, curious to see just what she was up to. The Cheng family members were also quite curious; they had never known that their youngest daughter had such a skill up her sleeve. Gu Shengyin did not care what others thought. Since her creation, whether it was in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, wine, flowers, of various skills she could be deemed a master. Moreover, she had a special interest in ink painting, and in her previous world, Ji Yu had specifically invited Elder Bai Shan, a famous painting master of the Tianqi Dynasty, to teach her personally in the palace. In his later years, Elder Bai Shan himself admitted that in terms of painting, the Empress¡¯s mastery was no less than his own. As she ran her hand over the Xuan paper, Gu Shengyin was somewhat unsatisfied. Although she had already had the best quality brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone brought over, compared to what she used in her previous world, it was still of considerably poorer quality. However, it was passable. She closed her eyes and centered her mind. Upon opening her eyes again, Gu Shengyin¡¯s brush danced across the paper, quickly covering the Xuan paper with strokes of ink. Initially, the guests were just crowding around for the excitement and did not hold much expectation. How much could one expect from a teenage girl? Even if Gu Shengyin¡¯s paintings were only at an amateur level, as long as Cheng Zhensheng said he liked them, they would still offer praise. But soon, their skepticism was overwhelmed by astonishment; such brushwork, such an artistic conception¡ªhad they not witnessed it with their own eyes, who could imagine it came from the hand of a seventeen-year-old girl? Among the guests, there were not a few who had a deep understanding of national studies; as the painting neared completion, their gaze went from admiring to almost mesmerized. ¡°Excellent!¡± As Gu Shengyin finished her last stroke, someone finally couldn¡¯t hold back and praised aloud. Many were still immersed in the artistic conception of the painting when they were suddenly interrupted, feeling displeased, only to turn and see who spoke and immediately swallowed their complaints. ¡°So it¡¯s Old Mr. De.¡± Someone recognized the elder who had spoken. ¡°The brushwork is gentle without losing strength, the artistic conception is lofty and rich, and the characters are lifelike without being exaggerated. Excellent, excellent, excellent!¡± Old Mr. De said the word ¡®excellent¡¯ three times before finally directing his gaze towards Gu Shengyin. ¡°May I ask under whom did Little Friend Cheng study?¡± Old Mr. De¡¯s gaze was intense. Gu Shengyin brought out the explanation she had prepared beforehand: ¡°As a junior, when I was studying abroad, I met an old master named Bai Shan and studied traditional Chinese painting with him for several years.¡± This Elder Bai Shan was Gu Shengyin¡¯s painting teacher. However, not abroad, but in another world. As expected, Old Mr. De pondered for a long time but could not remember where exactly this Elder Bai Shan came from. It seems he was a reclusive master residing abroad. Old Mr. De exclaimed internally that such a teacher capable of educating Cheng Xizhi was truly a master of a generation. ¡°Old Mr. De, this painting?¡± Someone couldn¡¯t help but ask. The painting Gu Shengyin had created was a Birthday Celebration Painting, depicting a kindly old immortal holding a Peach of Immortality, coming to offer birthday congratulations. They could only be considered laymen, feeling that the painting was very good, but they couldn¡¯t articulate exactly why. Chapter 55 - Chapter 55: Chapter 55 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 23) Chapter 55: Chapter 55 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 23) Yuan Xu strode towards Gu Shengyin and smoothly took the items from her hands. ¡°Come sit in my office for a while. Wait until I¡¯m done with the work at hand, then we¡¯ll go home together,¡± Yuan Xu said as he held Gu Shengyin¡¯s hand and approached the reception. ¡°This Miss Cheng is my fianc¨¦e and shall be my future wife. When you see her in the future, let her pass without notification.¡± The receptionist nodded frantically. It wasn¡¯t until the two entered the elevator that she finally heaved a sigh of relief. At this time, another colleague who had just left temporarily for a while came back, and the receptionist hurriedly relayed the incident to her. ¡°You actually stopped Miss Cheng?¡± The colleague¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°God! Don¡¯t you know that the general manager and Miss Cheng are famously affectionate towards each other? You¡¯re lucky Miss Cheng is good-natured. If it were someone else who was more calculating, you¡¯d have nowhere to cry!¡± The receptionist took this to heart and became even more cautious in her interactions, which actually led to some achievements in her work. While Gu Shengyin¡¯s life was satisfying, Cheng Yiru was not having such a comfortable time. After being kicked out by the Cheng family, Cheng Yiru lost her financial support. Despite having some savings, her spendthrift habits from a young age quickly led to her squandering what money she had. She tried to find a job, but having been raised as the noble lady of the Cheng family, Cheng Yiru couldn¡¯t tolerate the office politics. Originally, Yuen Hang used to visit her often and provide for her living expenses. But ever since his actions were discovered by the Yuen family, they forcibly curtailed his movements and even cut off his financial support, leaving Cheng Yiru struggling to get by. It wasn¡¯t long before she couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and began to associate with some wealthy individuals in society. ¡°Slap!¡± Yuan Xu threw the item in his hand onto the table in front of Yuen Hang. ¡°Take a good look for yourself. This is the Cheng Yiru you insist on marrying!¡± The protagonist in the photos was always Cheng Yiru, the difference being, each time there was a man beside her, it was a different unfamiliar face. And clearly it was not the same person. Cheng Yiru appeared intimate with these men in the photos; it was obvious what kind of relationships they had. Yuen Hang, looking as if his eyes were about to split open, still insisted, ¡°Impossible, Yiru can¡¯t possibly be that kind of woman!¡± Yuan Xu felt a mix of frustration and amusement at his brother¡¯s obstinacy. He pulled him up, ¡°Believe it or not, go see for yourself with your own eyes.¡± Yuan Xu drove to the small apartment Yuen Hang and Cheng Yiru had bought. ¡°Take a good look for yourself and see what the woman you hold dear is really like when you¡¯re not around!¡± They didn¡¯t have to wait long. Soon, they saw Cheng Yiru and a man who looked to be in his thirties holding hands and walking out. They got into a car, and in the moment before the car window closed, Yuen Hang clearly saw the two kissing. Yuan Xu observed his brother, noticing his heaving chest and bloodshot eyes, obviously greatly distressed. He said nothing more, knowing that at times like these, it was best to let him cool off on his own. ¡°Do you want to go home with me, or?¡± Yuen Hang closed his eyes, ¡°Just take me back home, big brother.¡± He feared he might not be able to restrain himself from killing that woman now. After arriving home, Yuen Hang locked himself in his room for three days. On the fourth day, he drove out alone. Mother Yuen was somewhat worried and planned to have someone follow, but Yuan Xu stopped her. ¡°He¡¯s grown up, Mom. You should trust that he can handle his own affairs.¡± That evening, Yuen Hang returned, looking somewhat dispirited but with a hint of relief in his eyes. Yuan Xu knew that Yuen Hang had let go. Chapter 60 - Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Noble Lady VS Reborn Foster Daughter (28) [Completed] Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Noble Lady VS Reborn Foster Daughter (28) [Completed] The Cheng Group and Yuen Corporation alliance has become the hottest topic in Hua City recently. Of course, even though the invasive news media got wind of it early, the secrecy measures taken by both families were so stringent that no media successfully infiltrated the venue until the wedding took place. Yuan Xu and Cheng Xizhi exchanged rings before all gathered witnesses. ¡°Xi Xi, I¡¯m so happy. I¡¯ve finally reached this day,¡± Yuan Xu spoke softly as he touched foreheads with Gu Shengyin. Gu Shengyin blinked, ¡°Dear, I¡¯m thrilled too.¡± Yuen Hang watched the perfectly matched couple, their flowing affection and happiness visible to everyone. Suddenly, he felt a bit sour inside. He had once loved a woman so genuinely, fought against his family to marry her, but what was the outcome? Yuen Hang thought vaguely, suddenly realizing that Cheng Yiru¡¯s face had begun to blur in his memory. Forget it, he thought. He would walk a different path in the future, accepting his family¡¯s arrangements, marry a woman who matched him in both looks and background, and then become a qualified husband, a qualified father. Hua City International Airport. As soon as Gu Shengyin stepped off the plane, she saw the man who had been waiting for her. Yuan Xu took her hand with slight dissatisfaction, ¡°Why is it so cold?¡± As he spoke, he wrapped his scarf around Gu Shengyin and stole a kiss on her lips. Gu Shengyin glared at him, but she couldn¡¯t suppress the smile on her lips. ¡°Click!¡± Unnoticed by them, a photo was stealthily taken. Thus, the next day when Gu Shengyin woke up from bed, complaining about a certain man¡¯s lack of self-control, she received a call from her mother. ¡°Xi Xi, seeing that your affection is as strong as ever after all these years reassures me!¡± That was Mrs. Cheng¡¯s voice. ¡°Xi Xi, although I know you and your brother-in-law are very loving, it¡¯s not right to flaunt it as soon as you come back,¡± said her second brother Cheng Qixuan, who, despite being over thirty and single, never settled down with any woman despite having a continuous stream of female companions. ¡°Little Auntie, shy, shy, shy!¡± This was from the little princess of the eldest brother¡¯s family, Cheng Lingxi. Gu Shengyin was puzzled about what had happened, walked into the living room, and heard the news broadcast on TV. Hers and Yuan Xu¡¯s kissing photo was glaringly on display! Gu Shengyin blushed, realizing that yesterday¡¯s scene at the airport had been captured. No wonder her family commented as they did. She called Yuan Xu to tell him about it, and Yuan Xu was frankly unconcerned, ¡°I¡¯m kissing my own wife, what about it? Is that not allowed?¡± Gu Shengyin: ¡­ she was left speechless. Shaking her head, she thought about it carefully, what was she even worrying about? ¡°My goodness, the affection between this president of Yuen and his wife is really strong.¡± Inside a department store, a few salespeople gossiped while no one was around, ¡°The news says they¡¯ve been married for ten years! Look at this, picking her up, scarves, passionate kisses, it¡¯s more romantic than a TV drama!¡± A warehouse staff pushing several large boxes passed by; the saleswomen quickly stepped aside. Her hands, each missing two fingers. Cheng Yiru listened as those people continued to speak nonstop about the couple¡¯s happiness. Meanwhile, her work did not stop. She still had about a dozen boxes to unload before she could clock out. She glanced up at the LCD TV on the wall, where a man and a woman were deeply embracing, not disguising the love in their eyes as they gazed at each other. It felt like a different world. Chapter 119 - Chapter 119: Chapter 119 Entertainment Circles Best Actress VS Lucky Newcomer (Part 4) Chapter 119: Chapter 119 Entertainment Circle¡¯s Best Actress VS Lucky Newcomer (Part 4) The Snowy Domain collection had left a deep impression on Gu Shengyin, mainly because of its tremendous fame. The male model was the international top supermodel, Ludwig Gardner, and the female model, Cecilia, originally not very famous, had shot to fame because of this fashion show, becoming one of the hottest female supermodels. At that time, Song Xixi wasn¡¯t very famous, and though it was unclear why Ludwig, who had already become a major international icon, would choose this collection, Gu Shengyin was not willing to give up this opportunity. ¡°Xixi, are you planning to attend this year¡¯s Qinghua International Fashion Week?¡± Gu Shengyin asked as she watched Song Xixi hold up clothes against her for comparison. Song Xixi paused in her action, ¡°Keke, how did you know?¡± She was somewhat surprised, as she had never discussed this matter with anyone; Qinghua Fashion Week was one of the top international fashion events. Although she was encouraged by her mentor, Kevin, the creative director of the luxury international brand CCRU, to bring her designs to the spotlight at the fashion week, she hadn¡¯t told anyone. The girl was still somewhat lacking in confidence, fearing that people would say she was overestimating her abilities. Gu Shengyin smiled and said, ¡°We grew up together; how could I not know what you¡¯re thinking?¡± She continued, ¡°When the time comes, let me be your model, okay?¡± At this moment, Song Xixi was not just surprised, she was overjoyed. She knew how gifted Ruan Keyi was in the modeling field, how many international fashion powerhouses had vied to invite her as their global ambassador. However, ever since she shifted to acting four years ago, she had never appeared at any fashion week again. Was she actually willing to step onto the runway once more for her sake? Gu Shengyin, watching Song Xixi as if she were about to cry from being moved, said amusingly, ¡°Alright, I am only doing this because I believe in your talent. I am betting that the outfit you have designed this time will make a great splash. But if the clothes you¡¯ve designed are too ugly, then I reserve the right to change my mind!¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.§ã¦Ï Song Xixi let out a sigh, her eyes shining with starlights as she spoke of her design, ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll show you!¡± She pulled Gu Shengyin straight toward the inner part of the workshop until they reached the innermost room. Song Xixi took out a key to unlock the door, and Gu Shengyin then realized how astoundingly large the room was, yet it contained only two sets of clothes. Song Xixi walked over to one of the racks, lifted the cloth covering the clothes. Gu Shengyin¡¯s eyes widened in an instant. ¡°So beautiful!¡± What appeared before her was a silver-white evening gown for women, with an elaborate lace V-neck design at the neckline, made of light and flowing real silk, both the touch and drape were perfect. The transparent sleeves were adorned with snowflakes, and countless tiny diamonds decorated the tiered skirt, like many snowflakes had fallen around, blooming with elegant colors under the light. Luxuriously unparalleled. Gu Shengyin was amazed, immediately noticing that the dress was inlaid with at least hundreds of rhinestones, without exception, all authentic. Song Xixi, seeing the look in Gu Shengyin¡¯s eyes, was also extremely delighted, ¡°What do you think?¡± Gu Shengyin took a deep breath and sincerely told her, ¡°Xixi, you will definitely dazzle the whole world!¡± Song Xixi, possibly not expecting such high praise, was nonetheless pleased, ¡°Then I¡¯ll take your word for it!¡± Gu Shengyin asked, ¡°Have you decided on the male model?¡± Song Xixi shook her head, ¡°The mentor has seen my work, he said he already has a suitable candidate for the male model.¡± Gu Shengyin understood, so it was Kevin who had intervened, no wonder Ludwig had chosen Song Xixi¡¯s work back then. Chapter 51 - Chapter 51: Chapter 51 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 19) Chapter 51: Chapter 51 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 19) ¡°I¡¯ll talk with your mom. You all go back to your rooms,¡± Father Cheng looked somewhat exhausted. After all, he had raised Cheng Yiru for eighteen years. Father Cheng and Mrs. Cheng truly cared for her, so naturally, they were also heartbroken at this moment. Gu Shengyin stepped forward and hugged her parents. To the Cheng family, Cheng Yiru was nothing but a disaster, and she could not allow her to stay with the Chengs. Carrying her bag, Cheng Yiru left the Cheng family home, but instead of heading back to her own place, she moved into a small apartment that Yuen Hang had bought for her. Yuen Hang was frantically consoling Cheng Yiru. Cheng Yiru cried poignantly, utterly without sympathy. After a lot of questioning, Yuen Hang finally managed to get the ¡°story¡± of what happened from her. Of course, what Yuen Hang heard was the version where the Cheng family discovered the affair, and how Cheng Yiru remained unwavering in her love, defending it unto death, only for the enraged Cheng family to kick her out in the end. ¡°The Cheng family has gone too far, Yiru. For now, you stay here. Rest assured, I¡¯ll definitely seek justice for you!¡± Yuen Hang tenderly comforted Cheng Yiru. ¡°Mmm, I believe in you,¡± Cheng Yiru snuggled sweetly into Yuen Hang¡¯s embrace. ¡°Big Brother Yuen, where are you secretly taking me?¡± Gu Shengyin sat in the passenger seat, looking askance at Yuan Xu. Today, Yuan Xu had unusually shed his suit for casual clothes, making one realize that he was just a young man in his twenties. ¡°Taking you to a special place!¡± Yuan Xu replied with a mysterious smile. About half an hour later, just as Gu Shengyin was about to doze off, she heard Yuan Xu say, ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± As Shengyin got out of the car, the beautiful landscape immediately caught her eye. Vast patches of unknown flowering plants bloomed all around, making one feel as if they were in another world. ¡°This is a private hot springs resort owned by a foreign friend of mine. It never opens to outsiders,¡± Yuan Xu said, pleased by the look of admiration in Shengyin¡¯s eyes. ¡°Welcome, lovely lady!¡± As soon as Shengyin entered, she was engulfed in a warm embrace. Yuan Xu pulled the person away with a dark face: ¡°Richard, don¡¯t mess around.¡± The handsome foreign man winked playfully at Cheng Xizhi: ¡°Hey! Xu said he was bringing a cute girl, and I guessed it had to be you. Just as beautiful as a Barbie doll, what¡¯s your name, adorable girl?¡± Yuan Xu pulled Gu Shengyin by the hand and walked inside, ignoring the fellow called Richard. ¡°Hey! Hey! Xu, you can¡¯t just forget the bridge after crossing the river. I came here especially for you¡­¡± Yuan Xu shut the sliding door behind him with a slap, leaving Richard¡¯s exasperated voice behind. ¡°Don¡¯t mind him, he¡¯s always this noisy,¡± Yuan Xu told Gu Shengyin. ¡°The hot springs here are exceptional. You can take your time to enjoy. Everything you¡¯ll need is clean and sterilized, so you can use them with confidence. I¡¯ll be next door, just call me if you need anything,¡± Yuan Xu instructed Gu Shengyin. Seeing Gu Shengyin nod to indicate she understood, Yuan Xu left with a trace of regret. ¡°Hey, Xu, with such a beautiful girl soaking in the hot springs, you actually came here to hang out with a strapping man like me. You really don¡¯t know romance!¡± Richard looked at Yuan Xu disdainfully, then added quite proudly, ¡°Hasn¡¯t my Mandarin improved a lot?¡± Yuan Xu naturally ignored the latter remark, sparing Richard a glance: ¡°Xi Xi is still underage. Do I look that deplorable to you?¡± ¡°Wow!¡± Richard looked at Yuan Xu in horror. ¡°I never thought you were like that, Xu! To make a move on an underage girl! God, this world is terrifying!¡± Yuan Xu disregarded his friend¡¯s habitual absurdity: ¡°She will be my future wife, my only partner.¡± Richard¡¯s expression turned serious: ¡°Are you for real, Xu?¡± Yuan Xu smiled slightly: ¡°Of course.¡± Richard snapped his fingers: ¡°Then I wish you happiness.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a certainty,¡± Yuan Xu smiled confidently. Chapter 52 - Chapter 52: Chapter 52 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 20) Chapter 52: Chapter 52 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 20) Gu Shengyin hadn¡¯t had such a comfortable bath in a long time. She came out wearing a bathrobe, and Yuan Xu was arranging lunch. Seeing her, he smiled and said, ¡°Just in time, I was about to call you. You must try Richard¡¯s cooking, his spaghetti is second to none.¡± Richard immediately squinted at Gu Shengyin with pride. Gu Shengyin twirled a bit of spaghetti with her fork and put it in her mouth. ¡°How is it? Do you like it?¡± Richard¡¯s eyes sparkled as he looked at Gu Shengyin. ¡°Delicious!¡± Gu Shengyin gave Richard a thumbs up. Richard immediately beamed with joy, ¡°I really like you, Xi Xi.¡± After lunch, Richard disappeared somewhere, and before leaving, he made suggestive gestures at Yuan Xu, hinting for him to seize the opportunity. Gu Shengyin and Yuan Xu lay under a flowering tree, basking in the sun. ¡°How could you just trust me and come out with me like this? Aren¡¯t you afraid I might sell you?¡± Yuan Xu joked. Gu Shengyin smiled at him, ¡°I know you wouldn¡¯t.¡± Yuan Xu was curious, ¡°You trust me so much?¡± Gu Shengyin nodded, ¡°I trust you.¡± Suddenly, Yuan Xu fell silent. A complex feeling surged in his heart¡ªa bit sour, a bit astringent, a bit swollen, but incredibly comfortable. He knew this was called being touched. The little girl he liked trusted him wholeheartedly. In fact, he really misunderstood Gu Shengyin. The reason Gu Shengyin trusted him so much was two-fold: one was because the scent of lotus on him was exactly like Ji Yu¡¯s, which confused her; second, with the system in hand, Gu Shengyin wasn¡¯t afraid of anyone doing anything harmful to her. Suddenly, Gu Shengyin stood up in front of Yuan Xu, ¡°Big Brother Yuan, don¡¯t move!¡± Yuan Xu was puzzled, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Gu Shengyin chuckled slyly, ¡°Close your eyes and keep your pose without moving.¡± Yuan Xu, somewhat baffled, obediently closed his eyes. Click! Yuan Xu opened his eyes and saw Gu Shengyin put away her phone with a satisfied smile. ¡°You had a flower on your face, Sleeping Beauty!¡± Gu Shengyin teased, planning to run away before Yuan Xu could react. But the hem of the bathrobe was too long, and she accidentally stepped on it. ¡°Ouch!¡± Gu Shengyin instinctively grabbed something nearby but still couldn¡¯t prevent herself from sitting on the ground. The ground was covered with thick carpet, so Gu Shengyin didn¡¯t feel any pain, only, it seemed, something was off? Gu Shengyin looked blankly at the white bathrobe in her hand, her gaze traveling upward. Wasn¡¯t this bathrobe on someone else? Gu Shengyin swallowed nervously and turned to look in the man¡¯s direction. Her eyes met a male body brimming with power, solid abs neatly arrayed above the man¡¯s lower abdomen. They weren¡¯t the exaggerated muscles one saw in gyms; Yuan Xu¡¯s muscles were not overblown, yet their sleek lines left no doubt about the strength they contained. Glancing further up, Gu Shengyin¡¯s gaze froze. On the man¡¯s left shoulder, near the armpit, a lotus flower quietly bloomed. Gu Shengyin suddenly felt her eyes heat up as her heart, which had been adrift for so long, finally found a place to settle. Until a pair of strong hands pulled her up from the ground. Gu Shengyin faced Yuan Xu¡¯s visage, starkly different from the one in her past life. ¡°Are you pleased with what you saw?¡± Yuan Xu asked the little woman who seemed somewhat dazed, his voice hoarse. Chapter 53 - Chapter 53: Chapter 53 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 21) Chapter 53: Chapter 53 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 21) Gu Shengyin still hadn¡¯t recovered from the reality that Yuan Xu was actually Ji Yu. Meanwhile, Yuan Xu, watching the little girl staring blankly at him, felt he could no longer restrain himself. A wave of warmth flooded Gu Shengyin¡¯s lips. When the two left the Hot Spring Villa, Richard even gave Yuan Xu a thumbs-up behind Gu Shengyin¡¯s back. Seeing the little girl¡¯s flushed cheeks and affectionate gaze, Richard was certain that Yuan Xu had made his move while they were alone. Looking at the situation, it seemed the result was not bad, Richard thought, stroking his chin. Yuan Xu, ignoring his old friend¡¯s look, bade him farewell. After bending down to help Gu Shengyin fasten her seatbelt, he drove her back to Hua City. They soon arrived at the Cheng family mansion. Gu Shengyin prepared to get out of the car but Yuan Xu held her hand. ¡°Have you forgotten something?¡± Yuan Xu asked her solemnly. Gu Shengyin blinked, then blinked again, resigned to her fate. She turned and gently kissed the man¡¯s face. Yuan Xu returned her kiss and then contentedly let her get out of the car. This man really is something! After getting out of the car, Gu Shengyin silently criticized him for being improper, yet her hand involuntarily touched the spot where she had been kissed, and a sweet smile spread across her face. Before Gu Shengyin had time to figure out how to explain to her parents that she was with Yuan Xu, the Yuen family arrived at her door. ¡°Brother Cheng, our second son was in the wrong towards Xi Xi,¡± Father Yuen said earnestly to Cheng Zhensheng and his wife, who didn¡¯t look very pleased. They had all grown up together as close friends when they were young, and their relationship had always been good over the years, which was why they had the idea to become family through marriage. ¡°We have already severely reprimanded Yuen Hang, and you can rest assured there won¡¯t be a next time,¡± Mother Yuen also said. Father Cheng spoke coldly, ¡°We wouldn¡¯t give him a second chance either. Younger Brother Yuen, the marriage arrangement that was decided before between our two families, let¡¯s call it off.¡± Mr. and Mrs. Yuen looked at each other, understanding that this was indeed the Cheng family¡¯s stance. ¡°Don¡¯t say that, Brother Cheng. I know our Yuen Hang is thoughtless, but I have another son, don¡¯t I? What do you think about Yuan Xu?¡± Mother Yuen, encouraged by her son¡¯s gaze, spiritedly suggested to Father Cheng. ¡°What do you mean by this, Yuen family?¡± Before Father Cheng could respond, Mrs. Cheng was already irate, ¡°Xi Xi isn¡¯t someone who can¡¯t get married, what¡¯s this about if the younger brother doesn¡¯t work, then the older brother will do? What do you take our Xi Xi for?¡± Yuan Xu knew this was bad, Mrs. Cheng must have misunderstood his mother¡¯s intention. Mother Yuen was also regretful for her momentary lack of consideration in speaking, realizing that her previous remarks were indeed improper. Looking earnestly at Father Cheng and Mother Cheng, Yuan Xu said, ¡°I like Xi Xi, not because she is the daughter of the Cheng family, nor because I feel guilty and want to compensate. Uncle and Aunt should also know what kind of person I am. If I didn¡¯t like Xi Xi, I definitely wouldn¡¯t have come here with my parents today.¡± ¡°I hope Uncle and Aunt can give me a chance to take care of Xi Xi.¡± Father Cheng and Mother Cheng looked at each other, when had Yuan Xu developed such deep feelings for their daughter? Mrs. Cheng hesitated, ¡°You and our Xi Xi ¡­¡± Yuan Xu maintained his composure, ¡°I fell in love with Xi Xi at first sight and am willing to devote my whole life to taking care of her.¡± Mrs. Cheng was somewhat moved. Yuan Xu was a good candidate for a husband in terms of character and ability, and there had been no rumors of any scandals about him. Chapter 54 - Chapter 54: Chapter 54 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 22) Chapter 54: Chapter 54 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 22) ¡°The previous marriage arrangement between the Yuen family and our Cheng family shall thus be abandoned,¡± Father Cheng said. ¡°As for your desire to pursue our Xi Xi¡­¡± Father Cheng looked at the spark in Yuan Xu¡¯s eyes due to his words, ¡°I won¡¯t interfere with the young people¡¯s affairs.¡± Yuan Xu felt his heart settle down, as Father Cheng¡¯s words meant that he wouldn¡¯t stop him from being with Xi Xi. Gu Shengyin was not interested in business, so she accepted Old Mr. De¡¯s invitation to join an organization that was said to be the Hua Country Classical Culture and Arts Association. In the entire organization, aside from her, the youngest members already had snow-white hair. When she first arrived, Gu Shengyin was questioned by others, but after she painted a landscape with a flourish, no one doubted her again. After pursuing Gu Shengyin for a year, Yuan Xu finally gained the Cheng family¡¯s approval. The two held a grand engagement ceremony at the largest hotel in Hua City. Nowadays, Gu Shengyin lived a free and easy life, flying abroad several times a year for international cultural exchanges, and was quite unbridled in her daily life. Yuan Xu pampered her, acting very much in a manner that ¡°Xi Xi is always right.¡± Even Mr. and Mrs. Cheng, who loved their daughter dearly, found this hard to watch, candidly remarking that it was a good thing they lived in modern society, as in ancient times, Xi Xi might have been considered a calamitous beauty of disaster. Gu Shengyin could only silently retort in her heart: Not at all, even in ancient times Ji Yu would have been a sage monarch known for kindness and wisdom, and she was not some red-faced source of calamity but a noble lady of virtue, alright? ¡°Hello, I¡¯m here to see President Yuan,¡± said Gu Shengyin, holding a shopping bag as she approached the front desk at Yuen Corporation. Today was Mother Yuen¡¯s birthday, and she had promised to accompany Yuan Xu to the Yuen family head¡¯s mansion for dinner after his work. The front desk was staffed by a very pretty girl, although Gu Shengyin found her unfamiliar and thought she must not have seen her before. ¡°May I ask, madam, do you have an appointment?¡± the receptionist asked with a radiant smile. Gu Shengyin shook her head, ¡°No, you can tell your general manager¡¯s secretary that Cheng Xizhi is here, she¡¯ll know.¡± The pretty receptionist¡¯s eyes flickered with impatience. The Yuen Corporation was a large enterprise with many seeking favors. She hadn¡¯t been working there long, but she had seen countless people come with excuses to try to see the general manager. ¡°I apologize, madam, but I can¡¯t notify them without an appointment.¡± The general manager¡¯s secretary? That was a person she could not easily contact. Gu Shengyin, of course, noticed the disdain in the receptionist¡¯s eyes. She sighed silently to herself, not wishing to make her job tougher, turned, and walked to the rest area to call Yuan Xu on her mobile phone. ¡°I¡¯m downstairs at your company¡­ Yes, the new girl doesn¡¯t recognize me¡­ Okay, bye.¡± Gu Shengyin hung up the phone and waited for someone sent by Yuan Xu to pick her up. ¡°Miss Cheng!¡± Gu Shengyin looked up to see one of the directors from Yuen Corporation. ¡°Mr. Zhang.¡± Gu Shengyin stood up to shake hands with him. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you going up?¡± Chairman Zhang wondered. The receptionist, upon seeing the usually aloof chairman interact kindly and personally greet the unfamiliar woman, realized things were not good. Fearing that Gu Shengyin might use this opportunity to complain about her, the position she had fought hard to secure could be gone in an instant. However, Gu Shengyin merely smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m a bit tired and decided to rest a bit before going up.¡± Chairman Zhang nodded understandingly and left with a laugh, having matters to attend to elsewhere. The receptionist was about to come over to apologize to Gu Shengyin when she saw a man walking towards Gu Shengyin. Chapter 55 - Chapter 55: Chapter 55 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 23) Chapter 55: Chapter 55 Noble Lady vs. Reborn Foster Daughter (Part 23) Yuan Xu strode towards Gu Shengyin and smoothly took the items from her hands. ¡°Come sit in my office for a while. Wait until I¡¯m done with the work at hand, then we¡¯ll go home together,¡± Yuan Xu said as he held Gu Shengyin¡¯s hand and approached the reception. ¡°This Miss Cheng is my fianc¨¦e and shall be my future wife. When you see her in the future, let her pass without notification.¡± The receptionist nodded frantically. It wasn¡¯t until the two entered the elevator that she finally heaved a sigh of relief. At this time, another colleague who had just left temporarily for a while came back, and the receptionist hurriedly relayed the incident to her. ¡°You actually stopped Miss Cheng?¡± The colleague¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°God! Don¡¯t you know that the general manager and Miss Cheng are famously affectionate towards each other? You¡¯re lucky Miss Cheng is good-natured. If it were someone else who was more calculating, you¡¯d have nowhere to cry!¡± The receptionist took this to heart and became even more cautious in her interactions, which actually led to some achievements in her work. While Gu Shengyin¡¯s life was satisfying, Cheng Yiru was not having such a comfortable time. After being kicked out by the Cheng family, Cheng Yiru lost her financial support. Despite having some savings, her spendthrift habits from a young age quickly led to her squandering what money she had. She tried to find a job, but having been raised as the noble lady of the Cheng family, Cheng Yiru couldn¡¯t tolerate the office politics. Originally, Yuen Hang used to visit her often and provide for her living expenses. But ever since his actions were discovered by the Yuen family, they forcibly curtailed his movements and even cut off his financial support, leaving Cheng Yiru struggling to get by. It wasn¡¯t long before she couldn¡¯t stand it anymore and began to associate with some wealthy individuals in society. ¡°Slap!¡± Yuan Xu threw the item in his hand onto the table in front of Yuen Hang. ¡°Take a good look for yourself. This is the Cheng Yiru you insist on marrying!¡± The protagonist in the photos was always Cheng Yiru, the difference being, each time there was a man beside her, it was a different unfamiliar face. And clearly it was not the same person. Cheng Yiru appeared intimate with these men in the photos; it was obvious what kind of relationships they had. Yuen Hang, looking as if his eyes were about to split open, still insisted, ¡°Impossible, Yiru can¡¯t possibly be that kind of woman!¡± Yuan Xu felt a mix of frustration and amusement at his brother¡¯s obstinacy. He pulled him up, ¡°Believe it or not, go see for yourself with your own eyes.¡± Yuan Xu drove to the small apartment Yuen Hang and Cheng Yiru had bought. ¡°Take a good look for yourself and see what the woman you hold dear is really like when you¡¯re not around!¡± They didn¡¯t have to wait long. Soon, they saw Cheng Yiru and a man who looked to be in his thirties holding hands and walking out. They got into a car, and in the moment before the car window closed, Yuen Hang clearly saw the two kissing. Yuan Xu observed his brother, noticing his heaving chest and bloodshot eyes, obviously greatly distressed. He said nothing more, knowing that at times like these, it was best to let him cool off on his own. ¡°Do you want to go home with me, or?¡± Yuen Hang closed his eyes, ¡°Just take me back home, big brother.¡± He feared he might not be able to restrain himself from killing that woman now. After arriving home, Yuen Hang locked himself in his room for three days. On the fourth day, he drove out alone. Mother Yuen was somewhat worried and planned to have someone follow, but Yuan Xu stopped her. ¡°He¡¯s grown up, Mom. You should trust that he can handle his own affairs.¡± That evening, Yuen Hang returned, looking somewhat dispirited but with a hint of relief in his eyes. Yuan Xu knew that Yuen Hang had let go. Chapter 60 - Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Noble Lady VS Reborn Foster Daughter (28) [Completed] Chapter 60: Chapter 60 Noble Lady VS Reborn Foster Daughter (28) [Completed] The Cheng Group and Yuen Corporation alliance has become the hottest topic in Hua City recently. Of course, even though the invasive news media got wind of it early, the secrecy measures taken by both families were so stringent that no media successfully infiltrated the venue until the wedding took place. Yuan Xu and Cheng Xizhi exchanged rings before all gathered witnesses. ¡°Xi Xi, I¡¯m so happy. I¡¯ve finally reached this day,¡± Yuan Xu spoke softly as he touched foreheads with Gu Shengyin. Gu Shengyin blinked, ¡°Dear, I¡¯m thrilled too.¡± Yuen Hang watched the perfectly matched couple, their flowing affection and happiness visible to everyone. Suddenly, he felt a bit sour inside. He had once loved a woman so genuinely, fought against his family to marry her, but what was the outcome? Yuen Hang thought vaguely, suddenly realizing that Cheng Yiru¡¯s face had begun to blur in his memory. Forget it, he thought. He would walk a different path in the future, accepting his family¡¯s arrangements, marry a woman who matched him in both looks and background, and then become a qualified husband, a qualified father. Hua City International Airport. As soon as Gu Shengyin stepped off the plane, she saw the man who had been waiting for her. Yuan Xu took her hand with slight dissatisfaction, ¡°Why is it so cold?¡± As he spoke, he wrapped his scarf around Gu Shengyin and stole a kiss on her lips. Gu Shengyin glared at him, but she couldn¡¯t suppress the smile on her lips. ¡°Click!¡± Unnoticed by them, a photo was stealthily taken. Thus, the next day when Gu Shengyin woke up from bed, complaining about a certain man¡¯s lack of self-control, she received a call from her mother. ¡°Xi Xi, seeing that your affection is as strong as ever after all these years reassures me!¡± That was Mrs. Cheng¡¯s voice. ¡°Xi Xi, although I know you and your brother-in-law are very loving, it¡¯s not right to flaunt it as soon as you come back,¡± said her second brother Cheng Qixuan, who, despite being over thirty and single, never settled down with any woman despite having a continuous stream of female companions. ¡°Little Auntie, shy, shy, shy!¡± This was from the little princess of the eldest brother¡¯s family, Cheng Lingxi. Gu Shengyin was puzzled about what had happened, walked into the living room, and heard the news broadcast on TV. Hers and Yuan Xu¡¯s kissing photo was glaringly on display! Gu Shengyin blushed, realizing that yesterday¡¯s scene at the airport had been captured. No wonder her family commented as they did. She called Yuan Xu to tell him about it, and Yuan Xu was frankly unconcerned, ¡°I¡¯m kissing my own wife, what about it? Is that not allowed?¡± Gu Shengyin: ¡­ she was left speechless. Shaking her head, she thought about it carefully, what was she even worrying about? ¡°My goodness, the affection between this president of Yuen and his wife is really strong.¡± Inside a department store, a few salespeople gossiped while no one was around, ¡°The news says they¡¯ve been married for ten years! Look at this, picking her up, scarves, passionate kisses, it¡¯s more romantic than a TV drama!¡± A warehouse staff pushing several large boxes passed by; the saleswomen quickly stepped aside. Her hands, each missing two fingers. Cheng Yiru listened as those people continued to speak nonstop about the couple¡¯s happiness. Meanwhile, her work did not stop. She still had about a dozen boxes to unload before she could clock out. She glanced up at the LCD TV on the wall, where a man and a woman were deeply embracing, not disguising the love in their eyes as they gazed at each other. It felt like a different world. Chapter 119 - Chapter 119: Chapter 119 Entertainment Circles Best Actress VS Lucky Newcomer (Part 4) Chapter 119: Chapter 119 Entertainment Circle¡¯s Best Actress VS Lucky Newcomer (Part 4) The Snowy Domain collection had left a deep impression on Gu Shengyin, mainly because of its tremendous fame. The male model was the international top supermodel, Ludwig Gardner, and the female model, Cecilia, originally not very famous, had shot to fame because of this fashion show, becoming one of the hottest female supermodels. At that time, Song Xixi wasn¡¯t very famous, and though it was unclear why Ludwig, who had already become a major international icon, would choose this collection, Gu Shengyin was not willing to give up this opportunity. ¡°Xixi, are you planning to attend this year¡¯s Qinghua International Fashion Week?¡± Gu Shengyin asked as she watched Song Xixi hold up clothes against her for comparison. Song Xixi paused in her action, ¡°Keke, how did you know?¡± She was somewhat surprised, as she had never discussed this matter with anyone; Qinghua Fashion Week was one of the top international fashion events. Although she was encouraged by her mentor, Kevin, the creative director of the luxury international brand CCRU, to bring her designs to the spotlight at the fashion week, she hadn¡¯t told anyone. The girl was still somewhat lacking in confidence, fearing that people would say she was overestimating her abilities. Gu Shengyin smiled and said, ¡°We grew up together; how could I not know what you¡¯re thinking?¡± She continued, ¡°When the time comes, let me be your model, okay?¡± At this moment, Song Xixi was not just surprised, she was overjoyed. She knew how gifted Ruan Keyi was in the modeling field, how many international fashion powerhouses had vied to invite her as their global ambassador. However, ever since she shifted to acting four years ago, she had never appeared at any fashion week again. Was she actually willing to step onto the runway once more for her sake? Gu Shengyin, watching Song Xixi as if she were about to cry from being moved, said amusingly, ¡°Alright, I am only doing this because I believe in your talent. I am betting that the outfit you have designed this time will make a great splash. But if the clothes you¡¯ve designed are too ugly, then I reserve the right to change my mind!¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï??¦Ï.§ã¦Ï Song Xixi let out a sigh, her eyes shining with starlights as she spoke of her design, ¡°Let¡¯s go, I¡¯ll show you!¡± She pulled Gu Shengyin straight toward the inner part of the workshop until they reached the innermost room. Song Xixi took out a key to unlock the door, and Gu Shengyin then realized how astoundingly large the room was, yet it contained only two sets of clothes. Song Xixi walked over to one of the racks, lifted the cloth covering the clothes. Gu Shengyin¡¯s eyes widened in an instant. ¡°So beautiful!¡± What appeared before her was a silver-white evening gown for women, with an elaborate lace V-neck design at the neckline, made of light and flowing real silk, both the touch and drape were perfect. The transparent sleeves were adorned with snowflakes, and countless tiny diamonds decorated the tiered skirt, like many snowflakes had fallen around, blooming with elegant colors under the light. Luxuriously unparalleled. Gu Shengyin was amazed, immediately noticing that the dress was inlaid with at least hundreds of rhinestones, without exception, all authentic. Song Xixi, seeing the look in Gu Shengyin¡¯s eyes, was also extremely delighted, ¡°What do you think?¡± Gu Shengyin took a deep breath and sincerely told her, ¡°Xixi, you will definitely dazzle the whole world!¡± Song Xixi, possibly not expecting such high praise, was nonetheless pleased, ¡°Then I¡¯ll take your word for it!¡± Gu Shengyin asked, ¡°Have you decided on the male model?¡± Song Xixi shook her head, ¡°The mentor has seen my work, he said he already has a suitable candidate for the male model.¡± Gu Shengyin understood, so it was Kevin who had intervened, no wonder Ludwig had chosen Song Xixi¡¯s work back then. Chapter 124 - Chapter 124: Chapter 124 Entertainment Circles Best Actress VS Lucky Newcomer (Part 9) Chapter 124: Chapter 124 Entertainment Circle¡¯s Best Actress VS Lucky Newcomer (Part 9) Chen Rong arrived quickly, and as Gu Shengyin expected, the script she brought was ¡°Divinity.¡± After looking at it for a while, Gu Shengyin took a deep breath, ¡°Sister Chen, tell Director Li in a moment that I¡¯ll take this script.¡± Chen Rong wasn¡¯t surprised, she nodded, ¡°I¡¯ll reply to them in a bit, and we¡¯ll discuss the specific process later.¡± ¡°Sister Keyi, hello.¡± ¡°Sister Ruan, hello.¡± Walking around the company, many artists took the initiative to greet Gu Shengyin. Gu Shengyin responded with a friendly smile to everyone. Some newly signed artists privately discussed, ¡°Oh my, the Queen of Film Ruan is so approachable, she doesn¡¯t put on airs at all.¡± As artists who had just signed contracts and were not well-known, they had gained a lot of insight these past few days. Many popular first and second-tier artists acted as if they were invisible, not sparing them a glance. To their surprise, Ruan Keyi, the actress with the highest status, turned out to be so amiable. The agent in charge of them glanced at them and said, ¡°Queen of Film Ruan is famous for her good temper in the entertainment circle; she never makes things difficult for newcomers.¡± Star Entertainment, where Ruan Keyi was, is one of the largest entertainment companies in the country, with several Best Actor and Best Actress winners and many A-list artists. However, even here, Ruan Keyi was rightfully the top actress. ¡°Keyi,¡± a clear voice called out. Gu Shengyin smiled at him, ¡°Brother Fang.¡± Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã0 The newcomer wore a light gray trench coat, tall and slender, with a gentle face. Fang Ming, thirty years old, had won Best Actor twice and was one of the male artists who had worked with Ruan Keyi the most in films. The two were known as the perfect screen couple, and many fans hoped they would turn their on-screen romance into reality, collectively calling themselves the Fang Ke CP fans. Fang Ming had always liked Ruan Keyi, but she had always considered him just a good friend and partner and had even clearly rejected him once. However, it seemed Fang Ming had never given up hope. The two of them were here this time for the promotion of a blockbuster movie that the company was heavily promoting this summer. Neither Fang Han nor Ruan Keyi were the main leads; Fang Han played the protagonist¡¯s brother, barely qualifying as an important supporting role, while Ruan Keyi, made only a brief appearance. The movie started filming when both of them had tight schedules, and the company asked them to make time just to leverage their fame to hype the movie. It¡¯s undeniable that the company¡¯s move was a success; many of their fans were willing to spend dozens of dollars on a movie ticket just to catch a glimpse of their idols, even if it was only for a few minutes. ¡°Why should they, when I¡¯m the lead? Those two dressing rooms are my favorites, why should they give them to someone else?¡± The two had just reached the makeup room entrance when they heard this voice complaining. Then came a voice similar to that of an agent comforting her, ¡°My dear Miss, what status do Ruan Keyi and Fang Ming have? Just bear with it for now. When you become more famous than both of them one day, the best resources will naturally become yours¡­¡± As the agent spoke, she seemed to open the door to come out and grab something but saw Gu Shengyin and Fang Ming standing at the door with a half-smiled expression. Her face instantly stiffened. She forced a smile, ¡°Sister Ruan and Brother Fang are here? Are you here for makeup to prepare for the press conference?¡± She swiftly stepped aside to make way for them. Neither of them spoke, and Chen Rong, following behind, slowly opened her mouth, ¡°What grade of amenities an artist is provided with is regulated by the company. If Miss Lin has any objections, she can raise them with the company.¡± Without looking at the pained expression on the agent¡¯s face, she walked in gracefully. Chapter 145 - Chapter 145: Chapter 145 Entertainment Circles Best Actress VS Lucky Newcomer (Extra) Chapter 145: Chapter 145 Entertainment Circle¡¯s Best Actress VS Lucky Newcomer (Extra) ¡°` ¡°Let¡¯s get rolling, let¡¯s get rolling!¡± In a shabby studio, a disheveled man with a cigarette in his mouth was yelling. ¡°Hurry up, Ming Shujia, what are you dawdling for?¡± Ming Shujia had barely slowed her pace when she was cursed at by name by the man. She numbly stood up. Her face was heavily made up, and she wore a vulgar bright red dress. If anyone came to see, no one could recognize her as the once pure and lovely Ming Shujia. She was now a popular porn star in the world of male homebodies. Put plainly, she was that low-level type of performer who relied on selling sex to attract attention. ¡°Where¡¯s the expression? You aren¡¯t being punished, you know. Ming Shujia, don¡¯t you feel like shooting anymore?¡± the man with the cigarette stood up and cursed loudly. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re still the Crown Prince¡¯s woman from Star Entertainment? Act properly for me! If it wasn¡¯t for that popular face of yours, I would¡¯ve wanted to replace you long ago.¡± Ming Shujia walked through her scenes like a zombie and returned exhausted to the small apartment she rented temporarily. Turning on the TV, the trailer for Ruan Keyi¡¯s new film was playing. Ever since she got married, her popularity didn¡¯t decrease but increased even more than before. Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ?¦Ï¦Í??.§ã? It was often reported on the internet about the loving daily life between her and her husband. Every time Ruan Keyi filmed, if Ludwig had the time, he would personally come to the set to pick up his wife. Even their child bore Ruan Keyi¡¯s surname. Did Ming Shujia hate Ruan Keyi? Undoubtedly, she did. Her present wretched state was all thanks to Ruan Keyi. The explosive scandal back then had been leaked by her. She couldn¡¯t stand Ruan Keyi¡¯s glamorous lifestyle and simply wanted to smear her. However, she hadn¡¯t expected the Gardner Family to be so powerful that they put direct pressure on Star Entertainment, and Yu Siyang discarded her without a second thought, effectively blacklisting her. Her past interactions with various investors were exposed in detail: the times, places, and with whom, leaving her no ground for rebuttal. No entertainment company within the country was willing to sign her anymore. With no other choice, she turned to small productions from little studios. Because her reputation was thoroughly ruined, the roles she could get were also those of venomous, promiscuous characters, and the pay was barely enough to make ends meet. Standing in the bathroom, letting the icy water pour over her head, Ming Shujia hazily thought back to when she first arrived in this body. Back then, she was confident, proud, and full of ambition, believing that with her ¡°Golden Finger¡± of foreseeing the future, she would be able to make a mark for herself in the Z country entertainment circle. But why had everything turned out this way? She couldn¡¯t understand. Rushing through her shower, without even taking the time to dry her wet hair, she collapsed onto the bed. There was no time now to dwell on such matters; she needed to sleep quickly. She had to get up early tomorrow and rush to the set. Ming Shujia closed her eyes, exhausted. ¡­ After returning to her space, Gu Shengyin didn¡¯t stay long before she hurriedly proceeded to the next world. However, the moment she opened her eyes, she was completely baffled. Anyone who opened their eyes to find themselves lying in a coffin¡ªeven if the coffin was exceptionally spacious and luxurious¡ªcouldn¡¯t hide the fact that it was indeed a coffin, and would undoubtedly be baffled. ¡°`