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After Shao Cixin made her decision, she eagerly awaited the day when she returned home.

Since Wen Zhihan said that she was busy with work recently, Shao Cixin didn’t want to bother her on the phone.

Their work and personal lives must be handled separately.

But Shao Cixin wouldn’t let Lin Mumu off easily. She made Lin Mumu stay back a little longer so she could ask some more burning questions.

She even cut a plate of fruit so that she could talk while eating.

Now that every sign seemed to indicate Wen Zhihan’s interest in her, Shao Cixin wanted to discover even more clues about Wen Zhihan’s feelings.

Today would determine whether she could turn three years into a lifetime!

Before she began, Shao Cixin pulled on Lin Mumu’s sleeve and made her promise, “You can’t tell anyone what we discussed today, including Wen Zhihan.”

Lin Mumu was puzzled. “Why?”

Since Shao Cixin had just contacted Wen Zhihan, Wen Zhihan must already know that she had been exposed. Since everything was out in the open, what else was there to hide?

But Shao Cixin had her own considerations.

She was still afraid to reveal her feelings before Wen Zhihan. Not only that, but she also wanted to see Wen Zhihan’s reaction with her own eyes when Wen Zhihan found out that Shao Cixin reciprocated her feelings.

Shao Cixin didn’t want to miss anything about Wen Zhihan anymore.

Lin Mumu scratched her head in confusion.

Today, she discovered that Shao Cixin and Wen Zhihan were the same. They were both hiding facts from each other, and they both wanted her to be their undercover agent.

She was too pitiful. A mediocre little assistant like her suddenly became a double agent!

“Tell me,” Shao Cixin said, “How did she ask you to be my assistant?”

Wen Zhihan had already admitted the truth herself, so it was pointless for Lin Mumu to stubbornly hide the details.

So Lin Mumu obediently told Shao Cixin what she knew.

“I have experience in the film industry—you’ve already seen my talents—so she paid me to be your assistant,” Lin Mumu explained. “She said you would need me.”

Shao Cixin did not deny this.

Lin Mumu was capable and down-to-earth, and her sudden appearance really helped Shao Cixin solve a big problem.

“Then how did she insert you into our company?”

“She knows your boss, President Ming!”

“?”

“President Wen knew that you were looking for an assistant, so she personally brought me to President Ming and recommended me to her. Based on her trust in President Wen, President Ming signed me on and transferred me to you as your assistant.”

“…”

Shao Cixin remembered carefully.

It seemed that…Wen Zhihan did once tell Shao Cixin that she knew the boss of her company?

But Shao Cixin didn’t think much about it at the time. It was not unusual for leaders in all walks of life to have far and wide connections.

Her father, Shao Heng, also knew many big shots in the film industry.

But when she thought about it again, she felt her heart swell with pride.

Wen Zhihan once again used her connections to help Shao Cixin out in a timely manner.

Her wife was so amazing. Her wife was the number one in the world!

“Keep going, keep going.”

“What do you want me to talk about?”

“Um…How about… Since you don’t know if she likes me or not, then why have you been saying good things about her in the past? Why did you want me to find her when I got into trouble?

Lin Mumu answered without hesitation, “Because I think President Wen is really good to you.

“Although I don’t know why President Wen helped you, I know she doesn’t have any bad intentions, so I hoped that the two of you could at least become friends and that you wouldn’t let down her good intentions.

“Besides, she told you the same thing: If you encounter any difficulties, you must let her know. President Wen wants to help you as much as possible. But I think that, as an outsider, my words count less than your own, right? Not only that, but since I am an outsider, there are some things that I can’t know about, so I don’t have the full picture either.”

Lin Mumu was a smart and discerning person. This was why Wen Zhihan chose her.

Shao Cixin blinked slowly.

Wen Zhihan did have good intentions towards her, but it was a pity that Shao Cixin discovered them too slowly.

If it happened sooner…Shao Cixin would have no choice but to surrender and confess her love. Even if her fate resembled that of a moth flying into the flame, she would still risk her own safety for a chance to have a special place in Wen Zhihan’s heart.

Seeing that Shao Cixin didn’t have any more questions, Lin Mumu asked in return, “Cixin, you wouldn’t happen to owe a favor to President Wen, do you?”

Shao Cixin came back to her senses. “What? A favor? No.”

Wen Zhihan did not need Shao Cixin to repay a favor, but Shao Cixin owed Wen Zhihan a lot for her kindness…

It was the type of kindness that Shao Cixin was willing to pledge herself to Wen Zhihan for, to repay her whole life, and the next life after this one.

Shao Cixin turned to stare out the window.

Outside, a bright and warm sun illuminated the clouds, and the cold air had dispersed.

Shao Cixin suddenly missed Wen Zhihan.

She wanted to go back to see her, to hold her and kiss her, and to tell her how much she loved her.

She really wanted to finish her job here and return to Fengcheng as quickly as possible!

On the last day of December, the crew finally wrapped up the film production.

Everyone rushed to wish each other a Happy New Year, and they were all immersed in the joy of being able to go home and celebrate with their loved ones.

After Shao Cixin celebrated and took photos with everyone, she happily followed Rong Ya into the car to go to the airport.

Rong Ya looked at the seat next to Shao Cixin and asked, “Where’s Mumu?”

Shao Cixin said while playing on her phone, “Oh, I sent her away on vacation early so that she could go back and see her girlfriend. It’s a holiday anyway, so it’s not a big deal to have one more day off. I can pack my luggage myself.”

Rong Ya raised her eyebrows but said nothing.

Shao Cixin was looking forward to returning to Fengcheng.

And she was especially looking forward to seeing a certain person.

She couldn’t help but share her feelings with Liang Xuefei on WeChat.

As Shao Cixin’s childhood friend, Liang Xuefei made sure to give her plenty of encouragement and affirmation.

[Fei Fei]: Our big star Shao is so beautiful, Wen Zhihan definitely can’t refuse. And she must like you—like you very much.

[Fei Fei]: How could she do so many things and work so hard to silently protect you from behind if she didn’t like you?

Shao Cixin needed Liang Xuefei’s affirmation more than ever so that she could gather enough courage to boldly confess to Wen Zhihan face-to-face.

So she was very grateful for Liang Xuefei.

[Shao Cixin]: That’s right, that’s right. What our Fei Fei said makes sense.

[Shao Cixin]: Even if she doesn’t like me a lot, she definitely likes me a little bit.

[Fei Fei]: Don’t say something like that! She just really likes you!

[Shao Cixin]: I have to stay humble, I have to stay humble. Even if you’re a narcissist, you still need to leave some room for reason. Otherwise, it will be embarrassing if you’re rejected.

[Shao Cixin]: [Sorry.JPG]

[Fei Fei]: I really don’t think she will reject you.

[Fei Fei]: If she only liked you a little, then why did she travel so far to visit the set last time?

[Fei Fei]: The financial summit she was attending was a full hour’s drive from where you were filming!

Shao Cixin was stunned.

[Shao Cixin]: What did you just say?

[Fei Fei]: Oh, I’ve been so busy these days that I forgot to tell you I’m attending a financial summit with my boss. I did some research on all the places where it’s been held over the years.

[Fei Fei]: Guess what?

[Fei Fei]: The event that your President Wen was attending at the beginning of the year was thousands of miles away from where you were filming, and there were plenty of hotels around the summit. But she chose to find you instead of staying at a nearby hotel.

[Fei Fei]: Why do you think she did this?

After connecting all the dots, Shao Cixin was completely dumbfounded.

It turned out that Wen Zhihan really went out of her way to see her that one time…

It turned out that Wen Zhihan really did all the things she did for her sake…

It turned out that Wen Zhihan really liked her back!

Her sudden realization was like a joyful spring breeze, quickly filling her heart.

Her smile quietly bloomed on her face like the first branches of spring, bright and beautiful.

Shao Cixin saw hope—the hope that two people could be happy together for a lifetime.

She pressed her finger on the chat room that she shared with Wen Zhihan.

But then she hesitated.

She wanted to say something, but she didn’t know what to say.

Eventually, she gave up.

Forget it. What was the point of typing?

Wasn’t it better to say what she meant in person? She didn’t want to miss Wen Zhihan’s expression.

Besides, Lin Mumu already told her that Wen Zhihan had been very busy before the New Year. She was probably still in a meeting and had no time to reply to her.

Shao Cixin just had to wait until she got home.

They would see each other in person when she got home!

Why was this road so long? Why couldn’t she teleport back to Fengcheng in the blink of an eye?

This was the thought process of one Mrs. Wen, who was eager to return home.

Shao Cixin had no choice but to watch videos of her wife to relieve her lovesickness.

It actually worked quite well.

Looking at the beautiful and perfect person on her screen, her mood eased, and the corners of her mouth raised subconsciously. Her heart was filled with happiness, as if the two of them had already crossed thousands of mountains and rivers and officially become a couple.

But her happiness did not last long.

—Her flight was delayed.

In the airport lounge, Shao Cixin sat in a chair like a salted fish^[1] that had lost its will to live.

She picked up her phone and silently sent a message to Wen Zhihan: [My flight got delayed. You don’t have to come pick me up. We will meet at home later.]

After thinking for a while, she added: [Be careful while driving.]

Wen Zhihan did not reply.

Shao Cixin stared at the screen and waited for two minutes. Then she compromised and returned to watching videos, mindlessly consuming her battery.

By the time Wen Zhihan saw Shao Cixin’s message, two hours had passed.

She had been in a meeting during that entire time.

It was the end of the year, and all the major companies were getting busy.

Standing in her office, she looked up at the sky outside.

It was seven o’clock, and night had fallen. A long blanket of silence enveloped the entire city.

Withdrawing her gaze, she sent casually: [Where are you?]

Shao Cixin did not reply.

Wen Zhihan’s fingertips traced upwards, and her eyes stopped at Shao Cixin’s previous messages.

Shao Cixin had refused Wen Zhihan’s offer to pick her up at the airport, and she even asked her to wait for her at home.

Seeing this, Wen Zhihan remained silent, as if she was facing a trial and all the paths before her were shrouded in darkness.

These days, they were both busy and rarely had the opportunity to chat.

She didn’t know what Shao Cixin’s attitude towards her was, and she didn’t know how Shao Cixin planned to deal with their relationship. She only knew that she herself couldn’t hide it anymore.

Whether it was the matter of arranging an assistant or her secret love, she couldn’t hide it anymore…

She sent another message: [I’ll be waiting for you at home. Let me know when you arrive.]

Then she packed her handbag, opened her office door, and left without looking back.

—Walking forward into the unknown.

Shao Cixin slept her way through the entire plane ride. Not only was she beyond exhausted from filming these last few days, but she was also about to see her wife. So she took the opportunity to catch up on her sleep and meet Wen Zhihan with a fully charged battery.

She was still drowsy when she finally got off the plane at nine o’clock.

When they arrived in Fengcheng, a special car came to pick them up.

Rong Ya and the driver helped Shao Cixin store her luggage.

The three of them got into the car, fastened their seatbelts, and set off on their way.

The car drove smoothly on the road, and the people inside were quiet.

After a moment, Rong Ya said, “The General will be released in January.”

Shao Cixin slowly recovered from her absent-mindedness. “It’s been decided?”

Rong Ya nodded. “Yes. Should I get two tickets for you and your family’s President Wen?”

Shao Cixin grinned. “Okay. It’s best to book the entire venue so that we can enjoy the movie in our own world, just the two of us.”

Rong Ya gave Shao Cixin a funny look. “Your fate hasn’t even been decided yet, but you’re already thinking so much.”

Shao Cixin didn’t care about this.

She hummed a little tune and returned her gaze to her phone. She mused, “Who said Wen Zhihan and my fates haven’t been decided? Our fates are about to become intertwined with each other~”

“Look at yourself, you little brat.”

“Hey-hey.”

Shao Cixin saw the message Wen Zhihan sent to her.

She looked up at the road, then lowered her head to type, sending Wen Zhihan her location.

[Shao Cixin]: I just got out of the airport not too long ago, I’m on my way to Chengbin Avenue.

[Shao Cixin]: I’ll tell you when I’m home.

[Beautiful Mrs. Shao]: Okay, be safe.

This time, Wen Zhihan responded to her texts quickly.

Shao Cixin couldn’t help but smile. She replied, “I know,” and then she continued to watch videos of her wife.

On the pixelated screen, just like in her heart, Wen Zhihan was a flawless beauty. Shao Cixin was entranced by her every move and smile, forgetting to charge her battery even after her phone sent her a reminder.

After a while—

“Sister Rong, do you have a power bank? My phone ran out of power and shut down.”

Wen Zhihan sat in the living room, gripping her phone tightly.

On the coffee table was their agreement, written in black and white. Every line and term were stated clearly and succinctly.

Since she broke the contract, it was up to Shao Cixin to decide how to deal with it.

From time to time, Wen Zhihan would tap on Shao Cixin’s location to take a look, calculating the time and path in her mind.

Ten minutes had passed, and Shao Cixin should almost be at the intersection of Chengbin Avenue.

After a while, she would arrive at the Street Garden, then at the Century Bridge…

—Wen Zhihan was waiting for news that Shao Cixin had returned home safely.

But unexpectedly, the message Jiang Yanqing sent to their friends’ group chat came faster than the news of Shao Cixin’s safe arrival.

[Jiang Yanqing]: Fuck, there was a car accident on Chengbin Avenue.

[Jiang Yanqing]: I just saw it, and it scared me to death. Everyone, please be careful when driving. Pay attention to safety and obey the traffic laws. Your life is at stake!

Wen Zhihan was stunned for a moment, her eyes locked on the words “Chengbin Avenue.” Her body temperature suddenly dropped.

There was a car accident on Chengbin Avenue.

Shao Cixin was now on Chengbin Avenue…

Almost on autopilot, Wen Zhihan picked up her car keys and walked out of the room. As she walked, she quickly dialed Shao Cixin’s number. Panic had begun seeping into the calm facade she usually maintained.

No one responded, her phone stopped ringing.

She called Lin Mumu and learned that the other party was not with Shao Cixin.

Desperation hit Wen Zhihan like a hammer, sending chills all over her body.

She didn’t want to think about the worst.

Without regard for clarification, she drove her car to Chengbin Avenue.

When she reached the site of the accident, her vehicle wasn’t allowed to pass, so she got out and walked along the sidewalk toward the scene where people had gathered.

In her panic, her footsteps became increasingly anxious, and she stopped caring if she bumped into anyone. Her gaze was fixed on the place where the car accident occurred, her eyes not daring to blink.

Cixin…

You’re fine, you’re safe…

The police were pushing away the crowd.

The scene of the incident gradually unfolded before her eyes.

Wen Zhihan saw—

—A black car that had been contorted into unnatural, contorted shapes.

—Medical staff performing rescue operations.

—A mobile stretcher being pushed into an ambulance.

—Rotating police lights screeching into her vision, like fire burning into her flesh and blood.

Wen Zhihan couldn’t help but freeze in her steps and stare blankly forward.

Her surroundings suddenly deafened, the wind and noise were stolen away, leaving only the sirens of ambulances and police cars overstimulating her every nerve.

At this moment, she seemed to have returned to the most desperate day of her life.

The black car, stained with blood, and her beloved, who closed her eyes forever.

Cold memories rushed forward like a tide, strangling her. She couldn’t breathe. She was choking. Her thoughts raced, her pulse unsteady. There was no way for her to calm down. Her eyes tinged with red.

She was too late again…

She lost her again…

Why? Why was fate so cruel? Why did it do this to her…

A tear fell quietly, carrying her regret as she plunged into the silent abyss of despair.

At this moment, she heard a voice coming from behind her. “Zhihan?”

Wen Zhihan whipped around.

She saw Shao Cixin standing not far behind her, her eyes bright as stars.

—Alive and unscathed.

Shao Cixin stood in place, not expecting Wen Zhihan to appear before her.

The car accident had happened so suddenly that their car became stuck in the ensuing chaos, unable to advance or retreat.

In order to not cause trouble, they quietly pulled over and waited for the police to secure the area. None of them had gone anywhere until now, when Shao Cixin left the car to check on the situation, hoping that everyone was okay.

But she didn’t expect to meet Wen Zhihan.

A devastated Wen Zhihan.

This was the first time she saw Wen Zhihan looking like this.

Her eyes red, as if she was on the brink of collapse.

All of her usual composure and gentleness were gone.

Shao Cixin felt as if she was gazing upon a Wen Zhihan deprived of life.

“Zhihan,” Shao Cixin said, “What’s wrong with you?”

Why did her gentle Wen Zhihan look so sad…

As soon as Shao Cixin finished speaking, Wen Zhihan suddenly rushed forward.

—She was tightly embraced into her arms.

The emotions of having lost and recovered something tightly wound in Wen Zhihan’s heart.

Her eyes red, she urgently hugged the person in her arms, never wanting to let go again.

Her tears fell silently, and her voice was full of fear and humility.

“Cixin, don’t leave again…I can’t lose you for a second time.”

Shao Cixin’s eyes widened in surprise.

Her eyes passed over the scene of the incident not far ahead, past the rotating police lights, and finally landed somewhere in the air. Her mind became muddled with confusion.

She recalled the day of her car accident, how Wen Zhihan always disliked her cold hands, and what Wen Zhihan had just said.

Her very complicated thoughts suddenly converged into an exceptionally clear line.

A question slowly emerged in her mind that she had never considered before—

“Wen Zhihan…are you also reborn?”

The author (热到昏厥) has something to say:

You didn’t expect it, but she fell off the horse^[2] first!

Wasn’t there someone who said before that they wanted to read Xin Xin seeing how President Wen reacted in their previous life after her death?

You saw it in this chapter OvO!

^[1] 咸鱼 (xián yú) is a common Chinese internet slang that refers to “ordinary people” who have, in one way or another, given up on their life. Common descriptions of salted fish include people who don’t want to move, people who have no dreams, or people who do not or rarely spend time and energy to improve themselves. It is also a metaphor for a “dead person” in Cantonese.

^[2] “掉马” (diào mǎ) or “falling off a horse” is an internet buzzword that describes when a disguised identity is exposed, i.e. someone suddenly finding out about your secret Weibo account.

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