Chapter 05
Those eyes were still as beautiful as ever, yet for some reason, they held a very unfamiliar coldness. Yun Shu was still the same Yun Shu, but for reasons he couldn’t grasp, he felt like something about her had gone wrong, though he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. The medical staff standing nearby, along with Yan Meili and Li Lifang, all wore expressions of sheer astonishment.
The medical staff knew Yun Shu. After all, they worked in the same hospital and had heard more or less about Yun Shu’s infatuation with Troupe Leader Duan of the art troupe. There were quite a few rumors about the two of themāthings like a fait accompli, mutual affection, a match made in heaven, and so on… as well as Yun Shu making a life-and-death fuss about getting a divorce for Duan Jianguo’s sake. Logically speaking, since Duan Jianguo was injured, Yun Shu should be distressed and anxious for him. How could she hit him the moment they met?
Yun Shu massaged her wrist, her gaze toward Duan Jianguo cold and tinged with a hint of anger. “Who do you think you are to me? How dare you touch me so carelessly. I am a married woman; be careful, or I’ll report you for hooliganism.” “Yun Shu, what’s wrong with you?” Disregarding the pain in his body, Duan Jianguo forced himself to sit up.
He looked at Yun Shu as if he didn’t recognize her at all. “I was just… I was just happy to see you. Besides, didn’t you like me the most? I was afraid that if something happened to me and you couldn’t see me, you would be heartbroken, so I endured the pain just to wait for you, yet you…” Could it be because others were present, and Yun Shu was afraid of being misunderstood, which was why she was keeping her distance from him? But that made no sense. Yun Shu’s character setting in the novel was arrogant and domineering, someone who never cared about other people’s opinions. She used to talk and laugh with him in broad daylight. Even if people gossiped right to her face, she wouldn’t care and would choose to stand by his side and speak up for him. “Isn’t it only natural that I admire him? He is so outstanding. You’re just saying bad things about us out of jealousy. Watch out, or I’ll sue you.”
Yun Shu burst out laughing as if she had heard a joke. “You really are amusing. This young lady likes you? Do you think I’m blind?” Duan Jianguo: “…” Yan Meili’s hand involuntarily tightened around her shawl. She was terrified that in the next second, Yun Shu would say something scandalous to Duan Jianguo right in front of all these people.
Then she heard Yun Shu speak again, “This young lady merely admires your good opera singing. Don’t think for a moment that I am interested in you. If you dare to harbor improper thoughts about me, I think you must be tired of living. Take a good look at who my husband is. You should know that disrupting a military marriage carries very severe consequences.” Yan Meili’s heart instantly settled. She stepped forward to support Yun Shu, looking at Duan Jianguo with utter disdain, and warned him in a cold voice, “You heard her now, didn’t you? Our Yun Shu has never liked you from the very beginning. From now on, if you dare to harass our Yun Shu again, I will make sure you pay for it.”
Duan Jianguo still refused to believe that Yun Shu no longer loved him and continued to test her, “Yun Shu, were you threatened by your family? Is that why you dare not admit you like me? It’s fine, I understand. No matter what you say, my heart for you will never change. In this lifetime, I, Duan Jianguo, will marry no one but you, Yun Shu.” “Miss Yun, we all see how devoted Troupe Leader Duan is to you.” Li Lifang took the opportunity to help Duan Jianguo. As long as the two of them ended up together, she would reap plenty of benefits, so wasting a bit of breath was nothing to her.
Before Yun Shu could speak, Yan Meili looked at Li Lifang with a dark face. “Don’t talk nonsense here. Our Yun Shu made it very clear: she merely admires Duan Jianguo’s good singing.” “That’s just because Miss Yun doesn’t want people to misunderstand,” Li Lifang said. “She even made a fuss about divorce for our Troupe Leader Duan. Who doesn’t know about this? How can she dare to do it but not dare to admit it? Didn’t Miss Yun openly declare before that she wanted to grow old together with our Troupe Leader Duan?” “You…” Yan Meili was so angry she couldn’t find her words.
Yun Shu pulled Yan Meili to her side and turned her gaze toward Li Lifang. Li Lifang’s heart shuddered inexplicably. That gaze felt as sharp as a knife. “Do you have proof?” Yun Shu’s tone was neither warm nor angry, but her eyes were ice-cold. Li Lifang was at a loss for words for a moment. “I… I heard it with my own ears, doesn’t that count as proof?”
Yun Shu laughed, took a step forward, stood right in front of Li Lifang, and delivered a swift slap across her face. With a sharp “Smack,” Li Lifang stumbled backward. Clutching her cheek, she glared at Yun Shu. “You dare to hit me? On what grounds are you hitting me?” “I’m hitting you precisely because you’re a malicious gossip.” After speaking, Yun Shu backhanded her with another slap. “Stirring up trouble without a shred of evidenceāthis is defamation and slander. You are spreading rumors and ruining someone’s reputation. If I don’t beat you up, am I supposed to keep you around for the New Year?” “Everything I said is the truth, you and Troupe Leader Duan have already…” “Smack, smack!” Several slaps rained down in succession, leaving Li Lifang completely defenseless as her face swelled up rapidly before everyone’s eyes.
Yun Shu had also just remembered that Li Lifang was one of the women Duan Jianguo had played around with. She had been jealous of the original host’s beauty and had secretly hired people to scheme against her. Seeing Li Lifang being beaten, Duan Jianguo hurriedly tried to get up to stop it. “Yun Shu, stop hitting her. This has nothing to do with her. She only meant well, hoping we could be together sooner, which is why…” With another sharp “Smack,” Yun Shu backhanded Duan Jianguo right across the mouth. “If your mouth doesn’t know how to speak properly, shut it. If you dare to talk nonsense and spread rumors about me again, I won’t be polite. There are plenty of prison cells out there, and there’s definitely room for the likes of you.”
Duan Jianguo was utterly bewildered. If Yun Shu’s initial remarks could be interpreted as her trying to avoid suspicion, her actions now made her intention to cut ties with him crystal clear. “Yun Shu, are you truly being this heartless?” He still refused to give up hope. Yun Shu rained down a few more slaps. “When did this young lady ever have feelings for you? Talking nonsense like thatāyou deserve to be beaten.”
Duan Jianguo was handsome with a scholarly air, and his tall, slender build made him the ideal type for many women. In particular, when he put on a pitiful, deeply devoted act, almost no one could resist him. The original host’s ideal type happened to be someone exactly like Duan Jianguo, so it would have been stranger if she hadn’t fallen for him. But since the original host was naturally arrogant and domineering, Yun Shu didn’t have to worry about appearances at all, making the beating immensely satisfying.
Seeing that her goal had been achieved, Yun Shu looked over at her colleagues who had been watching the drama for a while. Thinking that Yun Shu was going to settle scores with them, they hurriedly declared they wouldn’t spread any rumors. “Don’t worry, our lips are sealed.” This woman is terrifying when she goes crazy! Yun Shu smiled and said, “Look how scared you all are. I am a reasonable person.” “Yes, yes, Dr. Yun is the most reasonable person,” they nodded in agreement repeatedly. It seemed the original host’s arrogant and domineering reputation was deeply ingrained in everyone’s minds. No matter, she would just take it one step at a time.
On the way back, Yan Meili kept staring at Yun Shu, unable to hide the excitement in her heart. This girl had finally seen the light. Thinking about how she had misunderstood Yun Shu earlier made her feel incredibly guilty. “Stepmom, you’re about to melt me with that stare.” Yan Meili’s gaze was just too intense as she stared at her.
Yan Meili sighed, took Yun Shu’s right handāthe one she had used to hit peopleāand blew on it tenderly. “It must hurt, right?” “…” Yun Shu’s heart was deeply touched. She had grown up without parents and had always longed for a complete family. Yan Meili was only the original host’s stepmother, yet she treated her with even more affection than her own biological children.
Yun Shu’s eyes welled up with tears. Leaning against Yan Meili’s shoulder, she said in a muffled voice, “Stepmom, you are so good to me.” “…” Yan Meili’s body shook violently. It took her quite a while to snap out of it and gently pat Yun Shu’s shoulder. Her eyes grew red as well. “What silly things are you saying, child? If I’m not good to you, who should I be good to? Although you aren’t my biological child, you are still my daughter.” Yan Meili was the kind of person who would pour her heart out to anyone who showed her even a shred of kindness.
Thinking about the plot in the novel, Yan Meili and Yun Guoliang died of carbon monoxide poisoning before they could be sent down to the countryside. Of course, the couple’s death was by no means an accident; it was orchestrated by Duan Jianguo to eliminate future troubles. As for Yan Meili and Yun Guoliang’s own son and daughter, they also met with an accident on their way back and lost their lives. Now that Yun Shu had transmigrated into this world, she naturally wouldn’t let those tragedies happen again.
Upon returning home, Yun Shu was so hot that she immediately went to her room to sit in front of the fan. Yan Meili, on the other hand, dragged Yun Guoliang into their bedroom and recounted everything that happened at the hospital in detail. Thinking about how Yun Shu had finally come around, Yan Meili’s tears fell again. Afraid of being heard, she quickly covered her mouth to stifle any sound. “It’s a good thing that Yun Shu has seen the light. Stop crying, it’s bad for your eyes.” Heartbroken, Yun Guoliang pulled her into his arms, gently patting and comforting her. “If she lives a good life with Bai Zhan from now on, she will have nothing but endless blessings.”
“Yes, Bai Zhan is a good man worthy of a lifelong commitment.” Yan Meili wiped away her tears. “However, I always find it a bit strange that Bai Zhan went back so suddenly this time.” Not only was Yan Meili suspicious, but Yun Shu was also quite puzzled. At the very least, he should have told her, his wife. But she had always been the type to stop thinking about things she couldn’t understand. Either way, she was absolutely determined to cling to the male lead’s thighs. As long as they didn’t get a divorce and the baby was still in her belly, everything would be fine.
To avoid any complications arising from delays, Yun Shu approached Yun Guoliang and asked him to help her get a letter of introduction, as she wanted to join the military as a dependent. “Have you thought this through?” Yun Guoliang was worried that with her temperament, she wouldn’t be able to handle the hardships over there and would cause a fuss to come back. Yun Shu was as certain as could be. “I have thought it through. Life goes on, and living apart can easily affect our relationship, so I have decided to join the military.” That very morning, Yun Guoliang went to sort out the paperwork for her, while Yan Meili busied herself with preparing items for her relocation. As for Duan Jianguo, Yun Shu had already written a letter of report against him. However, before she could even send it out, a wave of rumors and gossip spread like wildfire. Auntie Zhang from next door came rushing in panting, grabbed Yan Meili’s hand, and said that the bulletin board outside the neighborhood committee office was covered with love letters exchanged between Duan Jianguo and Yun Shu. “It’s spreading like crazy right now. Goodness, the things they are saying are incredibly nasty.”
