Chapter 101.1: I'm Back (1)
The corners of Chen Yunsheng's lips curled upwards but they were humbly ironed out, together with his dimples, as quickly as they appeared. He replied, "Mm."
Ji Fanyin took a look at the time on her phone and said, "As for what happens after, we will discuss it later."
Chen Yunsheng let out a moan of disappointment which was duly ignored by Ji Fanyin.
Ji Fanyin: "Shall we watch a movie after the meal? Or do you wish to go outside?"
Chen Yunsheng's eyes widened. "I was under the impression that you're going to leave after the meal."
"I came over earlier just in case."
The youngsters replied enthusiastically, "I'm fine with doing anything as long as it's with you. But let's stay in. It'll take too long to get there and back. I don't want to waste your time."
After which, he happily got up to clear the table, sternly rejecting Ji Fanyin's help when she tried to do so.
"No," He said coldly, "Go over there and watch something on the television. I'll handle this."
'Handle'.
After a few months of internship, he had even picked up professional terms.
Ji Fanyin raised her hands amusedly to indicate her unwillingness to interfere with his quest to become a househusband. She asked, "Can I look around?"
"Please feel free."
As though reminded of something, he quickly turned back and said, "Oh, the bedroom…"
Ji Fanyin had no intention to barge into the youngster's room in the first place. Therefore, after confirming which room was his bedroom, she nodded and headed for the living room.
The place Chen Yunsheng was living in was an ordinary two-room apartment. Apart from a living room, a kitchen, and his bedroom, he had a spare room which he used as a mini office.
It was definitely large compared to the apartment size of other fresh graduates.
The entire house was pretty clean and tidy. Even the handles on the cupboards were free of dust.
Is the house always this clean, or did that youngster do an emergency cleanup right before I arrived?
After she was done touring the living room, she made her way to his mini office. On a shelf, she found a stack of cookbooks with a notebook filled with details of the cooking techniques beside it.
Chen Yunsheng was truly a studious kid.
Ji Fanyin did not touch anything. When she was done, she turned back into the living room to read the texts from Zhang Ning.
Zhang Ning was expressing her shock after finding out Cen Xiangyang was the person brought back to the police station with Father Li: 【Is he crazy? Even if his family has links in the law enforcement field, that does not mean he could kidnap someone and not face the consequences! 】
Now that it had come to this, there might be a clash between the Li and Cen Family.
Even though Zhang Ning's overall tone was surprised, the ending 'eating popcorn' emoticon had exposed her true intentions.
Ji Fanyin scrolled through her Weibo feed.
In this fast-paced interconnected age, there was basically no secret that could be kept. Apart from gossipy netizens like Zhang Ning who had 'eyes' everywhere, the news of Cen Xiangyang's arrest had been widely reported on all entertainment and gossip websites.
Even though he was not the one only involved in the drama, as a public figure, he was the only one being widely discussed by the society. The Li Family and Ji Xinxin, on the other hand, were temporarily shielded from the press.
But it was merely temporary. Who wouldn't want to know about the life of the rich and famous?
Finally, Ji Fanyin took one last look at the progress bar in the app before putting her phone down.
Coincidentally, Chen Yunsheng was walking over with a plate of nicely cut fruits. He sat down nervously beside her but left a person's space between them.
Ji Fanyin glanced at the space between them with her peripheral vision.
A sudden realization hit her, she had never sat side-by-side with Chen Yunsheng before.
Chapter 101.2: I'm Back (2)
Ji Fanyin reached for a cherry from the plate and casually asked, "What are we watching?"
"You must have already seen all the newly released films," Cheng Yunsheng pondered, "How about an old film?"
He listed a few movies that ranged from a decade to a few decades old. They ranged from blockbusters to indie films.
But as a walking movie player, Ji Fanyin had already watched all of them.
Chen Yunsheng blinked at her blankly. "Then let's watch something you like. Do you have any films you would recommend to me?"
Ji Fanyin thought about it and keyed 《Big Fish》into the search bar.
The movie was about the life of an elderly man.
He was someone who loved to brag about the exciting adventures he had gone on in his younger days. However, his son strongly detested his vanity, and could not wait to leave him the moment he got married.
They were only reunited a few years later on his deathbed.
Having matured over the years, his son could finally believe his father's stories to be true, just that they were beautifully embellished with strange and mystical creatures.
Then it came the time for the son to tell his dying father a story, a bizarre story that included all of his father's friends and family gathering to send the elderly man on his last journey.
It was a movie that slowly built up.
Ji Fanyin had picked this movie out of a list of movies in her mind.
There were many reasons for why she picked it, but they were not important. Because Chen Yunsheng fell asleep halfway through it.
She watched him tilt little by little to the side through the reflection on the television. By the time she turned to look at him, his eyes were already shut tight.
As gently as possible, Ji Fanyin removed the plate of fruits on his lap. She was worried he might overturn it accidentally and wake himself up.
Chen Yunsheng slept peacefully on the sofa, as though he had not slept a wink the night before.
… Ah, that might really be the case.
Ji Fanyin turned the volume of the television down and continued to watch the movie.
This was a movie with an explosive ending. Therefore, the closer she was to the ending, the more excited she became. When the movie came to the part where everyone was there to send the father off, Ji Fanyin's hands had stopped working on her plate of fruits.
And as if to emphasize the end of the movie, Ji Fanyin's handphone vibrated which immediately pulled her back to the present.
To prevent waking Chen Yunsheng, she grabbed her phone and took the call in his mini office.
The call was from Li Mingyue.
Before she accepted the call, Ji Fanyin was already aware of what was happening on Li Mingyue's side. However, as a direct participant of the incident, Li Mingyue's account was still more detailed.
In her usual concise manner, Li Mingyue recounted, "Ji Xinxin planned to raise the child by herself. She had engaged Cen Xiangyang's help to pull some strings in the hospital for her to escape. When we found her, she had already sustained an impact to her stomach. We were unable to save the child."
"Mm," Ji Fanyin replied monotonously.
"My brother is not planning to marry Ji Xinxin." The flicking sound of a lighter being used sounded from Li Mingyue's end of the phone. "Because of his health condition, I'll be taking over all his professional duties from now on."
"En."
"As expected, you are not surprised at all." Li Mingyue asked calmly, "Have you predicted this ending?"
Ji Fanyin laughed. "Is there anything else you want to tell me?"
Li Mingyue had no intention to dwell on this matter but she had already gotten her answer the moment she had posted the question. "Yes, my brother wants to talk to you. He said it'll be the last time."
This is definitely his last opportunity to do so.
But she would never give him the satisfaction of this last chance.
"I'll pass on that. The person he really wants to talk to is not here."
Chapter 101.3: I'm Back (3)
Li Mingyue let out a soft sigh.
Without trying to convince Ji Fanyin of anything, she bid her farewell.
Ji Fanyin removed the phone from her ear and launched the 【Temptation of Home 】 app to monitor her progress.
She was still two hundred million points away from her goal.
Two seconds later, the progress bar suddenly jumped two spaces forward.
Li Mingyue had probably passed on her rejection to Li Xiaoxing.
Half a minute later, the progress slowly eased into the 100% position.
A second later, the fully charged progress bar disappeared from the screen and was replaced by a fireworks animation to celebrate the achievement of her final goal.
Next, a series of numbers appeared on her screen.
【01:00:00】
When the number became 【00:59:59】in the blink of an eye, Ji Fanyin understood it was a countdown timer.
Even though she had expected this, she still could not help but let out a soft sigh.
She tapped on the little question mark at the corner of the timer to launch a small box of description: 【This is the countdown for you to return to your own body. It cannot be disrupted. Please move to an empty area with no one around and wait for your transmigration home. 】
It cannot be disrupted…
Ji Fanyin tightened her grip around her phone and slotted it back into her pocket. She made her way back to the living room and stared at the sleeping Chen Yunsheng for a while before leaning down to wake him.
The youngster woke up in a daze. He rubbed his eyes. "I'm sorry for dozing off… When I heard you were coming over today, I was so excited that I could not sleep last night."
Ji Fanyin ran her hand through his hair, rustling it. "I have something on, I need to go now."
"Ah, is it work-related?"
Chen Yunsheng was a little disappointed. "You've always been busy, it can't be helped."
"I've already witnessed the results of your cooking lessons." Ji Fanyin smiled at him and asked, "You have always behaved obediently in front of me. Is it because you know I don't reject such people?"
The blunt question of hers stunned him. He blushed. "... It was just a guess…"
"I'm not saying it's bad."
Ji Fanyin straightened her back and stuffed her hands into her pockets. "My heart did soften a little for you."
"... You have always been soft-hearted towards everyone in the studio."
Chen Yunsheng pouted.
Ji Fanyin laughed. "I really need to go. I'm going to be late."
It was then did Chen Yunsheng realize she already had her bag on. He stood up with her. "Is it that urgent?"
"Did you drive here?"
"Yes."
Ji Fanyin made her way to the entrance to change her shoes. Before she left the house, she took another look at Chen Yunsheng.
The youngster was standing at the foyer, watching her change her shoes. They were only an arm's length apart. If she reached her hand out now, she would be able to touch him.
Sensing her gaze, he looked up into her eyes questioningly, his dark brown eyes glittering.
Ji Fanyin took a step forward and pulled him into her embrace. "It's regrettable. But there's no choice, what I have to do now is more important."
Chapter 101.4: I'm Back (4)
"Can we meet again next time?" Chen Yunsheng asked in a soft voice.
Ji Fanyin loosened her grip and took a step backward to look at him.
"En, if there is the chance," she chuckled.
Chen Yunsheng stared at her for a moment and frowned. "Are you in a bad mood? Let me send you to the parking lot."
As he said that, he already began taking his shoes out of the shoe rack.
True to his words, he sent her all the way to her car. Even her car door was closed by him.
Chen Yunsheng stood by the side of the car and hesitated, before bidding her farewell. "See you again next time."
Ji Fanyin smiled. "Good bye."
The trip home took forty minutes.
Ji Fanyin walked back to her apartment, closed the door, sat on the sofa, rejected a call from Ji Xinxin, and finally looked at the countdown timer.
There were still six minutes left. There was still ample time.
The goal she had worked toward for nearly an entire year was right within her reach. Her heart started racing like it had never before.
It was probably the jitters people experience before returning to their hometown.
As the timer approached 【00:00:00】, Ji Fanyin took a slow deep breath.
… Will I be able to get home safely?
The moment the timer finally hit 【00:00:00】, Ji Fanyin felt a force lightly tugging her from behind, followed by darkness.
In the endless darkness, a door appeared.
It was like it was waiting there for her to open it.
Ji Fanyin instinctively felt that she would return back to her world the moment she opened that door.
The app had not lied.
Before she took another step forward, she subconsciously looked back.
Behind her was a lady who looked exactly like her… No, to be exact, some who looked exactly like 'Ji Fanyin'.
They had the same face but totally different dispositions.
The lady looked like an introverted young girl. She had a set of side bangs that were pulled downwards to cover her helpless eyes.
Ji Fanyin instinctively knew who she was.
"...Thank you." The young girl took a deep breath and raised her head to look straight into Ji Fanyin's eyes. In a soft voice, she thanked her.
Ji Fanyin wanted to say something but she could not muster up her voice. In the end, she could only return her thanks with a smile and walk toward the white door.
The moment she pushed the door open, her floating soul seemed to get heavier and heavier and before finally sinking back into the shell which was her body.
Slowly, Ji Fanyin regained senses in her toes, then her fingers, then her body and finally her face.
When she finally opened her eyes, a white ceiling came into view. The smell of disinfectant gushed into her nose, characteristic of a hospital.
Turning her head slightly to her side was her tongue-tied assistant.
"Boss Yin!"
Her assistant leaped in the air belatedly. "You're awake!"
The loud scream pained her ears but she still could not resist laughing.
"... That's right, I'm back."
Chapter 102.1: I Am Allowed To Be Selfish Too, Right? (1)
After regaining her senses, Ji Fanyin's soul seemed to have carried over some memories from previously. Her first reaction was to take in a deep breath, like the final struggle of a person on the brink of death.
Her lungs were instantly filled with fresh air, bringing her back to life.
She opened her eyes and in front of her was the television wall in her living room. At the back of eyes, she could still see the shadow of the other Ji Fanyin, leaving in a confident and carefree manner.
She touched the sofa she was sitting on uneasily. This was the sofa the other Ji Fanyin had specially selected and paid a huge price for.
Even though she knew that Ji Fanyin had extraordinary money-making capabilities, the price of the sofa still made Ji Fanyin's heart ache.
She slipped into a daze, unsure of what to do now.
But the moment she let her thoughts run free, her brain automatically started to think about some inconsequential things.
Things a normal person would never need to know.
…
Ji Fanyin had regretted her actions the moment she jumped into the river.
She had tried to get back onto shore but the currents were just too strong. After struggling with the currents for a while, she was finally sucked under.
By the time she regained consciousness, it was already December. The other Ji Fanyin in her body had already begun doing great things in her body.
In the subsequent months, she had been staying in a room where she did not feel tired or hungry, merely watching the other Ji Fanyin live out a totally different life with her body.
Until one day, the other Ji Fanyin finally garnered enough power to go back to her world.
In their first and possibly last meeting, she could only muster the courage to thank her.
The other party smiled at her. Even though it was nonchalant, there was a shred of acceptance and encouragement for her.
It was only with this courage did she manage to return back to her body.
But now that she had woken up in her own body, Ji Fanyin was at a loss of what to do with it.
She was too used to doing nothing, and saying nothing.
But the other Ji Fanyin had left so many things in her wake.
The amount of money, the number of houses, the number of cars… They were riches that she would never be able to finish spending.
Moreover, these were the other Ji Fanyin's hard earned money. It was not right for her to spend them freely.
She was suddenly reminded of something. She hopped up from her seat and ran to the study. On top of the keyboard was an envelope. It was purposely placed in an eye-catching spot to make it easy to be found.
… That was the will of the other Ji Fanyin, a legally verified will.
It was stipulated there that if she were to pass away, her current holding shares of the studio would be equally split into two and be transferred to Zhang Ning and He Shen. As for the rest of her assets, she had appointed a lawyer to liquidate them and use the proceeds to set up two trust foundations, one to support research, the other to support movies.
As long as sufficient money was paid, there would be someone there to carry out the contents of the will.
But this would only be applicable if Ji Fanyin, as a person, was pronounced dead.
Now that she had come back to life, the will would not be exercised.
But as she looked at the will, an urge to carry it out rose in her.
Chapter 102.2: I Am Allowed To Be Selfish Too, Right? (2)
(Translator's note: the Ji Fanyin referred here is the original Ji Fanyin, owner of the body)
Ji Fanyin did not feel like she had the right to handle the other Ji Fanyin's finances.
As she was stuck in the dilemma, her phone rang.
Ji Fanyin was originally a social recluse. Coupled with the fact that she had not picked up a phone in a year, the ringtone sent chills down her spine. She ran towards the handphone and took a look at the caller ID. It was Shen Qi.
Ji Fanyin knew who Shen Qi was. Possibly even more than the other Ji Fanyin.
She took a deep breath before picking up the call. "Hello."
"Hello, Ji Fanyin." Shen Qi did not use honorifics. "Can we talk face-to-face?"
"Ok." Ji Fanyin agreed but continued to clench her fist uneasily. "Where shall we meet?"
"I am below your apartment," Shen Qi said.
Ji Fanyin quickly granted his access into the building. Within two minutes, he was standing at her doorstep, looking at her.
His gaze unnerved her, so she took a step back. She could not shake the feeling that those eyes behind the spectacle lenses were staring straight through her soul.
"I still owe you an apology," Shen Qi said. "What happened to you was mostly my fault."
Ji Fanyin was about to invite him in. Hearing his apology, she looked towards the ground. "Is that because you are 'God'?"
"You've noticed that."
Shen Qi walked into the apartment nonchalantly, like he was walking into his own home.
"It's…" Ji Fanyin whispered, "It's obvious enough from your name."
"She didn't notice that," Shen Qi said.
Ji Fanyin: "... She merely did not consider it from this perspective. She thought you resembled one of her old friends."
This seemed to please him. When he finally turned to face her, there were still remnants of a smile in his eyes, making him look less intimidating.
Based on her memory of the place, Ji Fanyin poured a cup of water for Shen Qi. They stood facing each other, separated by the coffee table, when she asked in a quiet voice, "Are you here to tell me what happened?"
Shen Qi nodded. "If we really pursue the matter, I am the main culprit."
Ji Fanyin took a breath and tried to remember how the other Ji Fanyin handled such nerve-wracking situations. She stuttered, "T-take a seat first."
Shen Qi pulled out a chair beside him and sat down. "We've known each other for many years in that world."
Ji Fanyin quickly took a seat, keeping a distance of two seats between them.
"But I had failed to prevent her car accident."
Shen Qi took off his glasses. He appeared a little desolated. "When I realized that, I lost control of myself."
"..." Ji Fanyin had caught on to what he was trying to say but she did not interrupt him.
To join in the conversation on such a topic, it was still too difficult for her.
"That's why your sister had that dream she shouldn't have had." Shen Qi lowered his eyes. "I was busy looking for a way to help Fanyin recover. When I finally found it, tragedy had already befallen you…"
"That's why I tried to thread both matters together. It would not only give her time to recover, but also help you get back on track in life.
He paused, like he was suddenly thrown into deep thoughts.
Ji Fanyin waited for a moment. Sure that Shen Qi had no intention to continue, she pinched her wrist and asked, "If Xinxin never had that dream, what would have happened to our family?"
Shen Qi's eyelashes fluttered slightly. He looked up at Ji Fanyin. "She would remain strangers with the other two and marry Song Shiyu, and you would not have died."
Chapter 102.3: I Am Allowed To Be Selfish Too, Right? (3)
"... I am partly responsible for this too."
Ji Fanyin rubbed her fingers uneasily. "If I was just a little stronger, I wouldn't have forced myself into that state. I should have resisted earlier on, right?"
"There are many kinds of people in this world," Shen Qi said, "To me, whatever any one of you does is the same."
"But that Ji Fanyin is an exception?"
The words had escaped her mouth by accident. She quickly covered her mouth, shock written all over her face.
… If there's really God in this world. I think I just took a swing at him.
I didn't just come back to life, I had even grown the guts to joke with God.
Ji Fanyin thought distractedly.
"Yes, she's an exception."
Shen Qi replied matter-of-factly, "I am allowed to be selfish too, right?"
"Selfish?"
Ji Fanyin repeated his words subsciously.
Shen Qi did not explain his words any further. As he raised his hand, an envelope appeared in between his fingers.
Ji Fanyin recognised that at first glance. It was the will the other Ji Fanyin left behind. It was still in the study just a moment ago.
"You will not be needing this," Shen Qi said, "You can utilize whatever she left behind freely."
"That won't do!"
Ji Fanyin protested, "Hasn't she already decided on their use?"
She had still not detected the improvement in her speaking ability and attitude compared to when Shen Qi first arrived. She could even look squarely into Shen Qi's eyes when she spoke.
"That was preparation for a scenario where you couldn't make it back after she left."
Shen Qi kept the envelope and stood up. "She doesn't care about this money. She just doesn't want to let certain people benefit from it. In fact, she would be more than willing to leave it to you."
"... Do you know what she's thinking because you are God?"
"I know what she's thinking because I like her, " Shen Qi corrected her.
Ji Fanyin looked at him in surprise. "In that other world, are you lovers?"
Shen Qi's face froze.
Ji Fanyin immediately understood the situation. She lowered her gaze, feeling like God's wrath would tear this luxurious apartment apart in the next moment.
"It doesn't matter if she doesn't accept me once or twice."
Shen Qi's voice sounded from in front of her. "I have all the time in the world to wait for her."
… All the time in the world?
To wait for her?
This triggered Ji Fanyin's thirst for science. She looked up and asked, "Does that mean reincarnation is real?"
Shen Qi did not answer.
To be exact, other than Ji Fanyin herself, there was nobody left in her living room.
Ji Fanyin: "..." This reminds me of the superheroes in one of the movies the other Ji Fanyin had watched.
Ji Fanyin searched the study room. Shen Qi had really taken the will away with him. The only item in her itinerary had been cleared out…
She lay on the sofa like a salted fish, not knowing what to do next.
Although this sofa is expensive, it really is comfortable…
Chapter 102.4: I Am Allowed To Be Selfish Too, Right? (4)
As she slipped into another daze, her brain started to compute the end of the periodic table.
Her eyes popped open.
There was one thing she had been talented in ever since she was young. It was something that did not require much effort from her, and was as easy and natural as breathing.
I can study.
She ran into the study room excitedly and typed in the password the other Ji Fanyin had set to unlock the computer. Within a few minutes, she was preparing the materials to apply for a phD program.
Since she had graduated less than a year ago, it was not hard for her to find a job.
But the question was, what kind of job should she find, and in which industry?
She had too many choices to choose from.
With both the cash and the brains, she had an endless list of possibilities.
By the time she switched off the computer, it was already past midnight. She took a look at her phone. There were so many missed calls and messages. For a social recluse like this, the mere look of that was enough to send her into a moment of panic.
Ji Fanyin: "..." I almost forgot the other Ji Fanyin was a social butterfly.
Despite sharing the same name, they were polar opposites in terms of their social skills.
She held her phone in her hands like a hot potato. Which message or call should she start from? And what should she say?
She had watched the other Ji Fanyin do it so many times over the past year, but it was not a skill she had managed to pick up.
While she was battling her inner demons, the silent phone jumped into action, causing Ji Fanyin to jump in shock, nearly losing her grip on her phone and dropping it on her laptop. There was an incoming call.
Especially since there were 15 missed calls from this number. The caller ID showed Ji Xinxin.
She contemplated picking up the phone for a few seconds, and eventually decided to do so.
Avoiding this was not a solution. That was something she had learnt from the other Ji Fanyin.
"Hello?" Ji Fanyin greeted Ji Xinxin quietly.
There was a short pause, as though Ji Xinxin had not expected her call to go through, before she asked in an eerily cold tone, "I'm sure you've heard the news. Now that I have nothing left, are you satisfied?"
Ji Fanyin closed her eyes and clenched her fist to muster some courage.
"Staying silent? Feeling guilty?" Ji Xinxin pressed on aggressively.
Ji Fanyin: "You've just been through a miscarriage. Is your stomach still hurting? It would not do you good to be angry."
Ji Xinxin: "..."
Ji Fanyin cleared her throat. "Xinxin, she has already gone back. I'm back."
This time, there was an even longer pause. It extended longer and longer, to the point Ji Fanyin started to suspect whether the call had been cut off due to signal loss. She removed the phone from her face to check.
But the call time was still increasing, second after second.
"Hello?" Ji Fanyin called out in confusion.
"... Sister?" Within her surprise and disbelief, there was also an element of fear. "She allowed you to come back? You are not dead?"
Ji Fanyin did not know how to explain the matter to her. In the end, she settled for a simple "En."
Ji Xinxin's breathing got more and more erratic. After god knows how long, she let out a blood curdling scream. "That's not possible! Ji Fanyin, you are just trying to trick me! Aren't you already dead? How can you not be dead?!"
Her questioning was followed by a series of muffled sounds. Next, the call was taken over by another person.
This time, the female on the other end was much calmer. "Ji Fanyin?"
Ji Fanyin recognised her voice. She swallowed nervously. In a soft and polite tone, she greeted the respectable career woman, "Hello, Ms. Li."
"..." Li Mingyue was speechless. She asked, "You have switched back to your original personality?"
"It's not a personality switch…"
"They mean the same thing," Li Mingyue said, "It's rather interesting to hear you speak in this tone. The doctor just injected her with some sedatives, she will not be harassing you for the time being. I will get someone to hold on to her phone so you can have a good rest."
"... Right, do you have plans to contact Cheng Lin?"
Ji Fanyin pulled in her shoulders reflexively. In a tiny voice, she said, "I'll think about it. I'm afraid she will cry when she sees me."
As though it was just a passing remark, Li Mingyue asked, "En. One more thing, if it was your other personality, I would not bother asking but since it's you, I'll just ask. Your parents are on their way here to care for Ji Xinxin. Do you plan to visit her too?"
Ji Fanyin took a moment to think about it before replying, "Ok, please send me the address."
Jokingly, Li Mingyue said, "I know you have a totally different personality as compared to your alter ego. I'll assign a bodyguard to you when you're here so don't worry."
Once again, Ji Fanyin corrected her, "Thank you… But she's not my alter ego…"
Li Mingyue smiled. "En, they mean the same thing."
Chapter 103.1: Be My Friend! (1)
Ji Fanyin thought Li Mingyue was joking about assigning a bodyguard to her.
But when she saw Cheng Lin at the hospital, she realized she was being serious.
To make things worse, this bodyguard had a temper, and that scared her…
"..." Cheng Lin blinked. "Ji Fanyin."
"Hello," she mustered some courage to greet her. After a short pause, she pleaded, "Could you please… return my diary to me?" And braced herself for Cheng Lin's anger.
However, the latter merely looked at her wordlessly. Then, with an elevated chin, she said, "I'll return it to you next time."
Ji Fanyin heaved a sigh of relief. It was as though she had escaped a disaster.
On second thought, Cheng Lin is not such a bad person.
After all, she had witnessed Cheng Lin bawling her eyes out for her previously.
Cheng Lin shifted her weight around nervously. After much deliberation, she said, "About last time…"
"I didn't see anything?" Ji Fanyin said with uncertainty.
Cheng Lin: "..." She sighed deeply and looked at Ji Fanyin as if she was looking at a young and naive girl. "Forget it, let's go in. Ji Xinxin isn't someone to be afraid of."
"I'm not afraid of her."
Ji Fanyin felt the need to clear the air. "I am only…"
"I don't want to hear your explanation." Cheng Lin was already walking into the building. "You can prove your words to me when you see her."
They were approached by Li Mingyue's assistant once they got out of the lift. From how she greeted Cheng Lin first, it was obvious they were acquaintances.
With a smile, the assistant addressed Ji Fanyin, "Ms. Ji Fanyin, please follow me."
"You are free to leave anytime you feel uncomfortable," the assistant warned when they were at the entrance of the ward.
Ji Fanyin took a deep breath. "Ok."
Cheng Lin looked at her. "Are you ready?"
"Mm."
Cheng Lin opened the door.
The first person Ji Xinxin saw was Cheng Lin. However, her attention was quickly drawn to Ji Fanyin who soon emerged from behind.
She immediately straightened herself in bed, while still staring at the latter with bloodshot eyes.
Ji Fanyin met Ji Xinxin's gaze. This was the first time she had felt such unfamiliarity upon laying eyes on this face that was identical to hers.
Is it because she had revealed her true colors?
Or is it because of something else?
"... Are you here to trick me again, Ji Fanyin?"
Ji Xinxin croaked, "Did you think I would believe your lies if you appeared as my sister?"
Am I actually the one who has changed?
She had been looking at things from the other Ji Fanyin's perspective for so long and was used to her line of thinking. Now that she had regained control of her body, she could not help thinking…
What would the other Ji Fanyin do in this scenario?
Laugh…?
"What are you laughing at?!" Ji Xinxin shouted.
Ji Fanyin touched the corner of her lips. It did seem like the area was slightly upturned.
She quickly recomposed herself. "I was just thinking about what the other Ji Fanyin would do in this situation. I am not here to make fun of you."
Chapter 103.2: Be My Friend! (2)
Cheng Lin who was watching the scene unfold from the side with crossed arms: You might as well not explain it.
Doesn't 'not here to make fun of you' imply 'I am here to piss you off'?
Ji Xinxin smirked. "There must be some hidden agenda for you to visit me. What is it? Are you lacking money again, and here to exploit Xiaoxing?"
Ji Fanyin shook her head. In an extremely truthful and worried tone, she replied, "I already have too much. The four mansions gifted by the Li family is also another source of worry. I still have to engage someone to clean them. It's so troublesome."
Cheng Lin quickly covered her mouth. However, it was not before she let out a peal of laughter.
Ji Xinxin glared at Cheng Lin. She roared at Ji Fanyin, "Are you here to show off?"
"No. I am here to see how you're doing."
Ji Fanyin babbled on softly, "You should not be so uptight, it will hamper your recovery. Women who have just gone through a miscarriage are often weak, physically and emotionally."
。
Cheng Lin could finally no longer take it. She broke into a fit of laughter, instantly drawing out Ji Xinxin's hate for Ji Fanyin.
Grabbing the cup of water on the table beside her, Ji Xinxin threw it on the ground. "Cheng Lin, what are you doing here? To mock me? Where was this 'chivalry' of yours when we were in high school?"
Ji Fanyin was picking up the stainless steel cup that had rolled towards her when the conflict between Ji Xinxin and Cheng Lin broke out. All traces of smile were instantly wiped off Cheng Lin's face.
To break the tension, she walked towards Ji Xinxin and lightly placed the deformed cup on the cabinet beside the bed, all the while under Ji Xinxin's disbelieving watch.
Ji Xinxin's nerves were wound up tight. Even the slightest sound of the cup coming into contact with the cabinet top was enough to make her jump and shiver in shock.
"I am telling you the truth. She has already left."
Ji Fanyin turned to look at her sister. In a slow and steady tone, she iterated, "And I never thought you would still be alive."
"This is impossible," Ji Xinxin mumbled under her breath.
"That was what I thought so too."
Ji Fanyin studied Ji Xinxin's features. Hesitantly, she stretched out a hand towards her, to which Ji Xinxin cowered away in fear. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly, like a child who was about to receive a beating from their parents.
However, Ji Fanyin merely wanted to stroke her dry and frizzy hair.
Ji Xinxin opened her eyes and stared at Ji Fanyin with wide eyes, as though she was looking at a ghost.
"I'm here because I haven't seen you in such a long time."
Ji Fanyin retracted her hand. "Moreover, I felt like it was necessary for me to share the news of my return with you."
Chills ran down Ji Xinxin's back.
"I have also reflected on what happened in the past. I was the one who gave you and others the opportunity to harm me. If the same thing happened to that person, those little tricks of yours would never have worked. Therefore, it's partly my fault… I'll work hard to improve myself."
Ji Fanyin paused for a moment. She was still not used to speaking such harsh words to others. She turned her head away and took a deep breath to muster some courage.
"... But, even if you realize your wrongdoings one day, and apologize to me, I'll still not forgive you."
Chapter 103.3: Be My Friend! (3)
Clatter!
Behind them, Cheng Lin's phone accidentally slipped out of her hand and fell on the floor.
As Ji Fanyin turned to look at her, she awkwardly cleared her throat with her phone in hand. "I'm sorry, please go on."
"It's alright. I'm done here," Ji Fanyin replied.
Hearing that, Cheng Lin rubbed her earlobe nervously. "Oh… Oh, then let's go. The hospital smells bad."
Ji Fanyin nodded her head and made her way to the door.
"Sister…" Ji Xinxin sobbed behind her.
Ji Fanyin halted her steps.
Ever since they were children, everytime Ji Xinxin pleaded with tears in her eyes, Ji Fanyin would always agree to whatever she asked for.
It was like her tears were an omnipotent weapon that had never tasted defeat.
But like other weapons and tools, there was a usage limit.
Ji Fanyin only hesitated for a split second and quickly caught up with Cheng Lin, who closed the door behind them.
"You did well," Cheng Lin said rigidly.
Ji Fanyin looked at her curiously. Thinking she was being praised for not going with the flow this time, she nodded her head. "En, I tried to imitate what the other Ji Fanyin would do."
Cheng Lin: "... That teacher of yours was truly formidable. Learn more from her and you will surely not lose out."
As they alighted from the lift at the ground floor, a group of people flowed in.
From her peripheral vision, Ji Fanyin caught sight of Father and Mother Ji amongst them.
Father Ji's luscious black hair was now populated with white hair, and Mother Ji was dressed in simple and plain clothing. It was a far cry from the glamorous branded clothes she used to wear.
To think they were both such attention seekers in the past...
Ji Fanyin could not help taking a second look.
Father and Mother Ji did not notice her. With two large suitcases behind them and another bag on Father Ji's back, it seemed like they were planning on an extended stay.
Cheng Lin had only noticed the latter lagging behind after she was two steps in front. Curiously, she asked, "What did you see?"
"Mm… I saw my parents."
Ji Fanyin scratched her cheek and smiled sheepishly.
"Their company is facing bankruptcy at the moment. You'd better stay out of their way," Cheng Lin cautioned her.
Ji Fanyin retreated to the side of the lift and stared at the closed door for a while. After some thought, she said, "I will never go back to how I was previously."
"Then what are your upcoming plans?" Cheng Lin stared at Ji Fanyin.
Ji Fanyin's eyes lit up on the mention of this topic. She turned towards Cheng Lin with excitement. "I have been looking at some schools and have decided to continue my studies at the University of Oxford."
Cheng Lin had never been a front runner nor a tail-biter in terms of studies. As a mid-range student, she could not fathom Ji Fanyin's words.
"..." Is Oxford somewhere you can go just because you decide to?
"It's not easy to get enrolled there… But I've already emailed their physics professor and got a reply and an invitation to join them."
Ji Fanyin babbled on enthusiastically, "Last night, I caught up with the science journals published in the past year by the top three universities specializing in science and the area she is currently researching interests me the most. Even though our majors are different, she seemed to be interested in my thoughts on her research."
Cheng Lin: "..." I'll never understand the world of geniuses.
Chapter 103.4: Be My Friend! (4)
"Once I get my entry visa, I'll visit her lab in Oxford and discuss what to do next with her."
Ji Fanyin drew the flight path with her finger. "If things go well, I'll be learning in her lab for some time."
"... All the way in England? So far away from home?" Cheng Lin pouted.
"Yes, I heard the weather in England is not very good," Ji Fanyin grimaced.
Cheng Lin cleared her throat, "Mm, can I visit you in England when you're there?"
Ji Fanyin was stunned. "Would you really go that far to visit me?"
Cheng Lin was stunned too. Slowly, her cheeks turned pink. "What do you mean? Can't I even do that? We need to maintain social contact to be friends!"
"Ah!" Ji Fanyin exclaimed in surprise. Her face, too, turned red. With suppressed excitement, she asked, "Are you saying you want to be my friend?"
Cheng Lin covered her burning red face. With a clench of her teeth, she agreed, "That's. Right. If you're still not ready to forgive me for what I've done to you previously, I'll find a way to make amends with you before we become friends."
"Let's be friends!" Ji Fanyin blurted out then looked down at the tip of her shoes. "Erm… Because… I've never had a friend before. No one wanted to be my friend."
Cheng Lin was about to explode from this kindergarten level friend making process. Pushing Ji Fanyin out the door, she said, "To celebrate, let me treat you to a meal. Let's go, where did you park your car?"
"Erm, I took a taxi here."
Cheng Lin's voice instantly shot up. "But you have so many cars?!"
Even though she had no idea of how the other Ji Fanyin had amassed so much wealth, she was sure she was not an innocent lamb after hearing about how she had gotten four luxurious mansions from the Li family, just to meet Li Xiaoxing once. Needless to say, the meeting with him only lasted fifteen minutes.
With these sorts of money making methods, Cheng Lin was sure Ji Fanyin's bank, investments and financial accounts must all be in the VVIP class.
Fun fact: If you deposited one hundred million dollars in the bank, even if the interest rate is 0.03%, you would still receive an annual interest of three hundred thousand.
But Ji Fanyin had still not realized that. With a worried face, she complained while showing off her newfound wealth, "The new car she bought is so luxurious! I'm sure the repair fees will be exorbitant if I even scratch it… I'll need to spend her money again if that time comes…"
"Isn't her money also yours?"
Ji Fanyin shook her head furiously. "The money she earned is hers. It was not easy for her to amass such wealth… Ah! I still have somewhere I have to go, her studio."
"What studio?"
Thinking about the socialite, Zhang Ning, Ji Fanyin felt butterflies in her stomach. She grabbed Cheng Lin's hand. "It's a film studio the other Ji Fanyin started with some partners. One of them is a really capable lady and the other is someone she could talk comfortably with. That's something beyond me."
… Looking at the time, the email the other Ji Fanyin had scheduled for Zhang Ning should have been sent to her. But Ji Fanyin was still nervous… No, thinking about Zhang Ning's temper, she was more than nervous.
She was not used to handling matured ladies like Zhang Ning.
Cheng Lin looked at Ji Fanyin's hand on hers. "Both of you are going to talk business, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to interfere. I'll wait for you outside."
Ji Fanyin called out in a suppressed voice, "Friend!"
Cheng Lin: "..." She took a deep breath.
"That partner of hers, what's her name?"
"She's called Zhang…" Ji Fanyin was interrupted by the sudden ring of her phone.
She took it out and took a look at the caller ID, 'Zhang Ning'.
Ji Fanyin felt her vision tunneling. With a shiver, she stuffed the phone into Cheng Lin's hands. "H-h-help me."
Cheng Lin: "..." What else are friends for, right?
Chapter 104.1: This Is Santorini (1)
Ji Fanyin had run through how she would apologize to Zhang Ning many times in her head, but before she could bow, the latter passed her a chocolate ice cream cone.
Confused, Ji Fanyin took the chocolate ice cream cone and thanked her for it, but she dared not to eat it.
"Aren't you going to eat it?" Zhang Ning asked with upshot eyebrows. "She told me that unlike her, you prefer chocolate."
Ji Fanyin finally took a small bite of the ice cream cone before meekly asking, "You're talking about the other Ji Fanyin?"
"That's right."
Zhang Ning rested her back on her office chair and said, "The two of you are different identities of the same person anyway, so you should know what she wrote in the email she sent me."
Ji Fanyin frowned as she hesitantly explained, "… I know, but she clearly wrote in the email that we are two different people."
"I am a devout believer of science." Zhang Ning coolly shook her finger. "I did some research online. I read that the second identity tends to take on a more forceful demeanor when an individual seeks to escape from reality. It's the subconscious mind's way of solving problems. I find that to be a satisfactory explanation for the situation concerning the two of you."
Cheng Lin revealed a contemplative look upon hearing those words.
Ji Fanyin had a feeling that it was impossible for her to convince them of the truth anymore. She knew better than anyone else, that other 'Ji Fanyin' had come from another world. She had seen how the other 'Ji Fanyin' worked hard to fulfill the goal set by the mysterious app on her phone, and she even personally saw the other 'Ji Fanyin' off. She had also met Shen Qi too…
The only problem was that she didn't have any evidence of any of that.
Even she would have thought that it was utter nonsense if she didn't know better. Who would possibly believe her if she told them the truth?
Not to mention, the 'dissociative personality disorder' explanation happened to be a fitting explanation for her circumstances.
Li Mingyue was one example who bought into the 'dissociative personality disorder' explanation.
Looking at Zhang Ning's 'You can continue weaving whatever story you want, but I'll only look at scientific evidence' expression, Ji Fanyin swallowed down her explanation and said, "I came here today to talk about my shares in the studio…"
"Oh. You can keep that," Zhang Ning replied with a wave of her hand. "It doesn't matter. It's not as if your other identity has done much for the studio anyway."
Ji Fanyin shook her head and insisted on her stance. "I wish to split it equally between you and Mr. He."
Zhang Ning looked at her and asked with a chuckle, "What's your other identity's take on this?"
Having given up on convincing them otherwise on this matter, Ji Fanyin licked her chocolate ice cream cone and replied, "That's also how she intended to deal with it in her will."
Zhang Ning raised her eyebrows. "But you aren't dead. That means that the will is voided. You should also know that she told me to take care of you in her email, and this is how I take care of people. She requested me to keep an eye on your spending, so I'll be managing your bank account from now onward. You can freely withdraw up to 50,000 RMB from your bank account everyday, but you'll need my approval for anything beyond that. It's a safety measure, just in case you get scammed."
Cheng Lin nodded in agreement. "That's a good suggestion. I'm worried about that too."
"I'm not that naive. I won't get scammed by others that easily…"
"Your ice cream. It's melting," Zhang Ning interjected.
Ji Fanyin could only lower her head and continue licking her ice cream obediently. She wondered what the ice cream was made of, for it to melt that easily.
Zhang Ning made use of this opportunity to caress her head. She couldn't help but remark in amazement, "Babe, I never thought that a day would come where I'd see such an obedient look on your face. Speaking of which, will your other identity be able to come out from time to time to catch up with me?"
"She's probably…" Ji Fanyin hesitated for a moment before answering sorrowfully, "… not coming back."
She felt bad for Zhang Ning.
Zhang Ning lowered her hand and silently nodded in response. It was hard to tell what she was feeling at the moment.
"I'm sorry." Ji Fanyin raised her head and earnestly apologized. "I'm so sorry about this,"
Zhang Ning patted her head with a smile. She grabbed Ji Fanyin's shoulders and pivoted her toward the common working space outside the office. With a mischievous glint in her eyes, she asked, "How do you intend to deal with your other identity's relationships?"
Looking at Cheng Yunsheng, who had just returned to his desk, Ji Fanyin suddenly found that the chocolate ice cream cone in her hand didn't taste as good anymore.
Chapter 104.2: This Is Santorini (2)
Cheng Yunsheng's trial turned out to be even easier than Zhang Ning's one.
Zhang Ning called Cheng Yunsheng into the office and locked him up with Ji Fanyin. Ji Fanyin was so nervous that the chocolate in her mouth started tasting bitter. Before she could say a word, Chen Yunsheng had already spoken up.
"I met Shen Qi," he said. "He told me that the two of you aren't just different identities in the same body."
Ji Fanyin looked at Chen Yunsheng in astonishment, only to see that the latter wasn't smiling. It was just like how he wouldn't smile at Ji Xinxin even though the two of them shared the same face.
"You don't have to worry about our relationship. There's nothing between us that needs to be settled," Chen Yunsheng said as he casually adjusted an accessory on Ji Fanyin's desk.
His calm attitude allowed Ji Fanyin to regain her composure.
"What did Mr. Shen tell you? When he visited me, he explained everything to me and told me that I can use the fortune left behind by the other 'Ji Fanyin' as I deem fit," said Ji Fanyin.
"He explained the situation to me too, and we made a bet," Chen Yunsheng replied with a shrug. "I was the one who proposed it. He didn't want to accept it, but I provoked him."
Ji Fanyin was shocked to hear that. "Mr. Shen doesn't seem to have a good temper."
"I don't know if I can win the bet or not, but I went ahead knowing that there would be no hope at all if I don't try," said Chen Yunsheng. "As of now, I think that I stand a pretty good chance."
Ji Fanyin nodded. "You're the last one she bade farewell to."
Chen Yunsheng looked at her and asked, "Aren't you the last one she bade farewell to?"
Ji Fanyin widened her eyes in surprise. Then, she lowered her head in embarrassment and replied, "Ah, yes. I thanked her, although a single word of thanks isn't enough at all."
"That depends on what you do from now onward," said Chen Yunsheng. "I believe that she would have found her efforts worthwhile if you can walk away from your past trauma and find your own path."
With those words, he nodded at Ji Fanyin before heading out.
Ji Fanyin subconsciously called out to him, "What about you?"
Chen Yunsheng pointed to the sky and replied, "For the time being, I'll try winning my bet with Shen Qi."
Ji Fanyin offered her earnest well wishes. "I don't know what the bet is, but I wish you the best of luck."
"You too."
…
In the following three months, Ji Fanyin had made five to-and-fro journeys between China and the United Kingdoms. On her fifth flight, she decided to apply for a visa in the United Kingdoms.
With a dramatic swipe of her credit card, Zhang Ning bought her a house that was a ten minutes' walk away from her lab. It was in a safe neighborhood, making it the ideal accommodation.
Ji Fanyin swiftly got immersed in her studies. It was only a month after arriving in Oxford that she finally found time to get on the phone with Zhang Ning. It took mere moments for her to realize that Zhang Ning was a gossip girl through and through.
Zhang Ning: "Your father's company has collapsed, but they still have a house, a car, and some savings. They should be able to survive as long as they tighten their purses and work a normal job."
"Mm," Ji Fanyin replied as she left her lab and locked up the doors behind her.
Zhang Ning: "The Li Family fully sponsored Ji Xinxin's medical bills, so your parents were spared from that additional expense. Speaking of Ji Xinxin, she's in a more troubling position. She's in no condition to work at all."
"Does it take that long to recover from a miscarriage?" Ji Fanyin asked as she made her way down the corridors.
"That's not it. She's suffering from a mental breakdown. I heard that her hallucinations are quite severe; she would cry at one moment and laugh at the next. She doesn't even remember how old she is. She's currently warded in a nursing home." Zhang Ning suddenly recalled something and added, "Ah, what a coincidence. It's the one where she stayed back when she was a child."
Ji Fanyin: "…"
"You shouldn't feel sorry for them. Don't worry, I've already sent a fruit basket over in your name," said Zhang Ning.
"Thank you?" said Ji Fanyin hesitantly.
"No need to thank me," Zhang Ning accepted the gratitude candidly. "Also, Song Shiyu is currently in the hospital. His heart problems are quite serious, and he'll need surgery soon. Even if the surgery is a success, I reckon that he'd be squeezed out of his own company by the time he recovers."
"…" Ji Fanyin fell silent. "Everyone doesn't seem to be doing well physically. You have to take good care of yourself."
"I haven't even gotten to Li Xiaoxing yet." Zhang Ning laughed. "Li Xiaoxing hasn't regained feeling in his hands yet. I'm not sure whether he's faring better from his phantom pains or not… Ah! I nearly forgot. I didn't just call to tell you what's happening here. I also wanted to tell you that your birthday present is already on its way over."
"Ah!" Ji Fanyin exclaimed in realization. She looked at the date. "My birthday is coming up soon."
She had been so busy that she completely forgot about this.
This was the first time in her life that she had gotten so busy over something. On top of that, the Ji Family would always get lively half a month before their birthdays, so there had never been any need for her to remember her own birthday.
"It's the day after tomorrow, right? Screw the time zone difference; I paid for the most expensive delivery service to make sure that the company delivers my present straight to your doorstep. Don't get too busy in your lab and forget about your own birthday, alright?" Zhang Ning said. "Alright, that's all from me. I still have things to do. Byebye, sweetheart. Take care of yourself."
"Mm…Thank you." Ji Fanyin thanked her with a smile.
Chapter 104.3: This Is Santorini (3)
Two days later, Ji Fanyin received not just Zhang Ning's present, but Li Mingyue's international package and a huge living person―Cheng Lin.
It was almost ludicrous, how the first miss of the Cheng Family was sitting on a bench in front of her house, looking after her packages with a bored look on her face. When she finally arrived on bike, Cheng Lin stood up and stomped her feet impatiently. "Why didn't you pick up my calls?"
Ji Fanyin whipped out her phone and took a look. With a guilty look on her face, she muttered, "It's out of battery."
Cheng Lin wasn't surprised at all. She harrumphed coldly before saying, "Happy birthday."
"Thanks!" Ji Fanyin opened the door, and the two of them slipped into a pair of slippers and spent some time toiling to drag the delivery packages into the house.
"These are all presents for you? So many?" asked Cheng Lin as she settled down on the carpet. She casually picked up a delivery receipt lying on the ground and glanced at it, only to exclaim with a shrill voice, "Bai Zhou?!"
"Bai Zhou?" Ji Fanyin was confused. "I haven't been in contact with him."
Cheng Lin picked up the delivery receipt and sneered, "Why am I not surprised at all? I was still wondering why Bai Zhou would appear in Li Xiaoxing and Ji Xinxin's engagement ceremony…"
She took out her key and asked, "Why don't I open it for you?"
"Alright. Be careful of your fingers," Ji Fanyin said as she stood up and headed for the kitchen.
She already knew that the gift from Bai Zhou wasn't intended for her.
Cheng Lin decisively slit the tape, tore open the cardboard box, and carefully took out the item inside. It was a model of a place. "This island looks familiar. I think I've seen it before on my traveling apps…"
Ji Fanyin returned with two cups of water. She settled down beside Cheng Lin to examine the model. Then, she let out a sigh and said, "It's Santorini."
"Looks not bad. But why is he giving this to you?" Cheng Lin looked at the island model from various angles.
It was a scaled down model of Santorini and its buildings and natural scenery. The details were made with a delicate touch, making it an exquisite art piece. It came with a small postcard that contained the words 'Happy Birthday' that was signed off by Bai Zhou.
Ji Fanyin picked up the postcard and flipped it to its front, revealing the scenery of Santorini's sunrise. She immediately recognized the familiar angle.
That was the sunrise from Bai Zhou's secret hideout that he had shared with the other 'Ji Fanyin' during their Greece trip. They had previously made an agreement to visit Greece and watch the sunrise from the secret hideout every year.
… though the other 'Ji Fanyin' has never intended to hold her end of the promise.
Cheng Lin glanced at the postcard and remarked, "This postcard has quite an interesting texture. Is this impasto or what?"
"… It's oil painting. It was hand painted," Ji Fanyin said as she flipped the postcard back down.
She was feeling a little distressed. She didn't know how she should deal with the model.
Should I accept it on behalf of the other 'Ji Fanyin', or should I reject it and send it back to Bai Zhou?
While she was deep in thought, she caught sight of the delivery slip Cheng Lin had previously pushed to the side in her peripheral vision. To her astonishment, she noticed that while the sender was indeed Bai Zhou, the package wasn't sent from China.
It was a local delivery from within the United Kingdoms.
Frowning, Ji Fanyin took out her phone and scrolled through her contact list. She soon found Bai Zhou's name. There was a moment of hesitation, but she eventually decided to press the 'Call' button.
When the call finally went through, Ji Fanyin unconfidently asked, "Are you near my house right now"
There was a brief moment of silence before the young man on the other side of the call answered, "I'm not."
Ji Fanyin walked to the window, pulled open her curtains, and looked out on the streets. With a sweeping glance, she quickly spotted a black Benz and Bai Zhou leaning next to it.
That very moment, they met eyes.
"… Sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you," Bai Zhou apologized hoarsely. He opened his car door. "I'll leave right now."
Chapter 105.1: No One Can Put It Down (1)
"Wait!" Ji Fanyin subconsciously called Bai Zhou to stop. "I can't accept this gift. You should take it back with you."
Cheng Lin was sipping her tea when she heard those words. She stood up and walked over to the window, where she quickly spotted Bai Zhou, and let out a "Hmm" sound.
"Throw it away then," Bai Zhou said as he slipped into his car.
"I am not the person you like!" Ji Fanyin cried out.
Bai Zhou froze up when he heard her. He slowly turned around to look at Ji Fanyin from his car.
Since Ji Fanyin was at a distance, she couldn't see his face clearly, but she knew that he must have been feeling discomposed.
Looking at Bai Zhou's earlier reaction, no one would have thought that he used to be a hot-tempered youth who didn't hesitate to hit others.
Ji Fanyin firmly repeated her words, "I'm not the person you like, so I can't accept your gift."
"… What do you mean?"
"I mean…" Ji Fanyin was about to blurt out the truth when she suddenly found herself hesitating whether she should go with that. In the end, she decided to go with the fictitious 'dissociative identity disorder' explanation. "I am the Ji Fanyin you despise. I am not the same Ji Fanyin you like."
She thought that the explanation made much more sense to others. From the window, she could see Bai Zhou lowering his head.
Several seconds passed before he asked, "Where can I find her?"
"…" Ji Fanyin took a deep breath. It was difficult for her to tell him the truth. "You won't be able to see her anymore."
Bai Zhou raised his head. He stood beside his open car for roughly half a minute, not saying a single word at all. After a prolonged silence, he said, "You can throw it away."
He hung up the call afterward and got into his car. The black Benz reversed for a little before doing a u-turn. Within moments, it had already quietly vanished at the other end of the street.
Ji Fanyin stared at the hung up call in distress.
"What did he say?" Cheng Lin asked as she prodded the little model of Santorini on the table.
Ji Fanyin finally snapped out of her daze and muttered, "He told me to throw it away."
Cheng Lin wasn't surprised by his answer. She candidly said, "Let's throw it away then. Do you need to sort your rubbish here?"
"Forget it. I'd better not throw away things that don't belong to me." Ji Fanyin thought about it for a moment before asking, "Can you help me bring it back with you when you return to China?"
Cheng Lin rolled her eyes, but she didn't voice her complaint. Instead, she asked, "Where do you want to put it?"
"I'll send you my house passcode. You can put it in the other 'Ji Fanyin's' study room." Ji Fanyin picked up the postcard and placed it together with the model. "This way, the other 'Ji Fanyin' will be able to see these gifts if she ever returns."
"Yeah, I bet that she'll be really moved when she sees all these," Cheng Lin replied sarcastically.
"I know, but still…"
Ji Fanyin had chosen to preserve the house in its original state, only requesting for a house cleaning once every fifteen days. Till now, it still had traces of the other 'Ji Fanyin's' lifestyle.
I'll place Bai Zhou's gift there too. Speaking of which, when is the other 'Ji Fanyin's' birthday. Is it today too?
While Ji Fanyin was having such thoughts, Cheng Lin walked over with another two packages. She patted the two packages and asked, "How do you intend to deal with these two?"
Ji Fanyin leaned over to take a look. One was from Song Shiyu and the other was from Li Xiaoxing.
Ji Fanyin: "…" It feels weird to have so many people remembering my birthday all of a sudden.
For reasons unbeknownst to her, everyone in the lab had wished her happy birthday earlier today. Her boss even gave her a half-day leave. There were also various people who sent their blessings through the phone.
Ji Fanyin placed her phone on her chest and murmured happily, "I have a lot of friends now."
Cheng Lin snorted in response. "So what about these two?"
Ji Fanyin hesitated for a moment, but she eventually suppressed her unneeded curiosity. "Help me and take Song Shiyu's present away please. As for Li Xiaoxing's gift… I want to see what's in there."
Cheng Lin quickly tore open Li Xiaoxing's thin package. It contained a single envelope.
"A cheque?" Cheng Lin remarked half-jokingly as she shook the envelope.
Ji Fanyin: "…" For some reason, I feel like Li Xiaoxing is completely capable of that.
Chapter 105.2: No One Can Put It Down (2)
But she soon found what was inside the envelope wasn't a cheque but a slightly old photo. She didn't hold it well and it nearly fell to the ground, if not for Cheng Lin's fast reflexes catching it in mid-air.
Cheng Lin took a look at it and asked, "Is this a photo you took when you were younger?"
Ji Fanyin leaned over to take a look.
The slightly yellowish photo showed a boy and a girl chatting with each other beside a swing in a playground. The boy was seated in a wheelchair whereas the girl was hugging a thick book titled 'Exoskeleton'.
"Yeap," Ji Fanyin said with a smile. "It sure brings up memories."
"… He has been maintaining that cold expression since that age?" Cheng Lin clicked her tongue in annoyance. She flipped the photo over and saw that someone had labeled the photograph's date and location. She scoffed, "What a tearjerker. He must be emotionally jerked off sending this photograph to you as a birthday present. Hah, a cheque would have been so much better from someone like him."
Ji Fanyin quietly walked off and began organizing the other packages.
In truth, she knew what Li Xiaoxing was up to. He was trying to stoke her memories of their childhood in hopes that she would remember her previous promise to treat his legs.
What appears to be a heartwarming reminiscence of the past suddenly doesn't look as innocent anymore. It's all filled with selfish thoughts.
"Song Shiyu gave you a painting," Cheng Lin said.
By the time Ji Fanyin snapped out of her daze, she saw that Cheng Lin had already tore open the other few packages.
"What? It's much easier for me to bring the items back like this!" Cheng Lin replied defiantly.
Ji Fanyin didn't say a word. Instead, she glanced at Song Shiyu's painting and recognized it right away.
Indeed, it was the painting that Song Shiyu had given to the other 'Ji Fanyin', only to buy it back and gift it to Ji Xinxin afterward. It looked like he had ended up buying it back a third time.
He really thinks that it's the item that matters. Not to mention, the other 'Ji Fanyin' doesn't like this painting at all. She thinks that it's too abstruse.
Ji Fanyin was honestly confused by Song Shiyu's maneuver. She shook her head and said, "Please bring this painting back for me too."
Cheng Lin agreed to the request.
This was only the gifts for the first year. In the three years she spent studying in Oxford, she received yet another three waves of presents.
After three and a half years, after publishing over twenty scientific journals and becoming a leading figure in her two key research topics, she was finally ready to return to China.
Oxford had offered her the generous terms in order to keep her with them. By this point, Ji Fanyin had already become a top-notch researcher that all universities wanted to recruit. It was just that money was never a concern to her. The fortune left behind by the other 'Ji Fanyin' was more than enough for her to live comfortably for the rest of her life.
In fact, the studio the other 'Ji Fanyin' had co-founded had grown to become a powerhouse in the film industry, such that just the dividends she received every now and then was enough to make her a rich madam.
After careful consideration, she rejected Oxford's offer and decided to enter the Chinese Academy of Sciences. From the moment she entered the organization, she was already classified as a rank four researcher.
Six years later, she was nominated for the first time as a fellow.
The study room that she had specially reserved to park gifts for the other 'Ji Fanyin' was starting to run out of space, so she had no choice but to spend some time organizing them. Even though she had never responded to any of the gifts, they still arrived punctually every year.
There were times that Ji Fanyin wondered if the gifts were some sort of nostalgia trip down memory lane or just a simple habit.
It should stop when they're finally able to put it down. It's just that so many years have passed, but no one has been able to put it down.
The Chinese Academy of Sciences worked in a way where it was impossible for an individual to apply for fellowship. They could only be recommended by an organization or existing fellows. By the time Ji Fanyin learned that she was a candidate for fellowship, she had already received over forty nominations from other fellows.
As always, the Chinese Academy of Sciences posted an official announcement congratulating those who were awarded fellowship online. Such announcements rarely caused a stir on the internet, but Ji Fanyin surprisingly went viral.
She was the youngest ever person to be awarded fellowship, not to mention that she was pretty. It was inevitable that she would catch the eye of marketing accounts and ordinary netizens.
The students of Lakeside University fully expressed their astonishment on the forums.
"Woah, this incredible figure actually came from our school's English Faculty?"
"She squandered twenty years of her life and only started walking on the path of research after she graduated from university. Even so, she still managed to become the youngest fellow of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. On the other hand, I'm desperately praying hard to the deities to pass my theoretical biology exam tomorrow…"
"I've already been kneeling in front of my laptop for an hour now. Maybe I should start praying to Ji Fanyin instead. Her intelligence might just rub off me."
"I just want to scream: How can that big sis be so beautiful! "
"Oh! That name sounds familiar to me. I think she has a twin sister, but her twin sister was always the one who performed better academic-wise. In comparison, she was the normal one."
"You must be kidding me! She's the normal one?! God, I just want to be normal for once too!"
Ji Fanyin's social anxiety disorder had improved significantly after the fantastical experience she had through the other 'Ji Fanyin', but even so, she avoided socializing wherever possible. Not to mention, she had been so busy recently that she didn't have time to surf the web at all.
In fact, it was from others that she learned that she had become the youngest ever fellow of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
"This won't do. We have to celebrate this joyous occasion!" Zhang Ning spoke with charismatic decisiveness that left no room for negotiation. "I'm already on my way to the Chinese Academy of Sciences. I'll be waiting as long as it takes for you to come out."
Ji Fanyin froze up upon hearing those words. She glanced at her research assistant, who was holding up her phone for her, and saw that the latter was on the verge of bursting into laughter.
Ji Fanyin sighed softly. She took off her gloves and said, "Alright. I'll be coming out in twenty minutes' time."
"Good. Hurry up." Zhang Ning hung up the phone.
Ji Fanyin meticulously explained the remaining tasks to her research assistant before she changed her clothes and left the research center.
As soon as she walked out from the research center, Zhang Ning honked at her from the road.
Ji Fanyin walked over and opened the car door, only to find that it was crowded inside. There was Zhang Ning, Li Mingyue, and Cheng Lin.
No wonder Zhang Ning isn't driving her usual two-seater race car.
As soon as Ji Fanyin got in, Zhang Ning stepped down on the gas pedal and drove off. From the back seat, Li Mingyue spoke with a serious voice, "I finally have a friend who is a fellow in the Chinese Academy of Sciences."
Ji Fanyin fastened her seatbelt before she turned around with an embarrassed smile and said, "And I have a friend who is the CEO of one of the Top Thirty International Companies."
Zhang Ning joined in the fun from the driver's seat. "What about me?"
"Hm…" Ji Fanyin spent a moment in thought. "I also have a friend who dominates half of the entire film industry."
Cheng Lin snorted from the back seat, "What about me? I'm practically a rent-collecting salted fish compared to the rest of you."
"And you're the very first friend I made in my life," Ji Fanyin replied without any hesitation.
Cheng Lin was stunned for a moment. She awkwardly propped her chin up on her arm and looked out of the window as she murmured, "Hmph. You sure have a way with words."
Li Mingyue knocked on her head and teased, "Please. You're already an old woman, but you're still as haughty as ever. We don't buy that anymore."
Cheng Lin wasn't one to be taken advantage of. She immediately retaliated by tickling Li Mingyue. Zhang Ning merrily fanned the flames under the pretense of mediating between them.
Ji Fanyin watched their tomfoolery before leaning on her chair and chuckling to herself. She felt that she was really living a wonderful life now.
I pray that the other 'Ji Fanyin' who brought me this miracle, is living a life as good as mine, if not better.
Chapter 106.1: "So He Can Smile!" (1)
I feel like I have much more free time ever since returning to this world.
Ji Fanyin had already had half a foot in retirement. She had more than enough money to spend for a lifetime, not to mention, she had a life outside of work anyway, so she decided to just take a step back and live her life easy.
Even though she had spent almost an entire year in the other world, she realized that it had only been a few days in her current world. It was almost as if it was just a dream. No one realized that she had traversed into a different world and returned.
That being said, she still felt the mental exhaustion from having to socialize with so many people during her time as 'Ji Fanyin'.
She had gotten into a car accident prior to her transmigration to the other world, so understandably, she woke up in a hospital ward. There was a moment there where she hated herself for reaching her goal too quickly. If only she had stayed unconscious a few days longer, she could have been spared from the painful phase of the recovery process.
Is the 10 billion I have painstakingly earned not enough to fast forward me a few days into the future?
Her original plan was to head home and gobble up all of the movies that had been released over her past year of absence, but the time contraction between the two worlds robbed her of her opportunity to binge on movies.
In fact, the movie that she had been anticipating on the silver screen all this while hadn't even been released yet!
So, she spent three days lazing around in the hospital ward till the test results reflected that she was fine and could be discharged. When she returned home, she spent another three days immersed in games. It was only on the seventh day that she finally recovered from her lazy streak and started accepting calls from her friends.
There had actually been many calls from friends and associates to check if she was fine, but she heartlessly dumped them all in her work studio.
Just returning all of these calls took her an entire day. There were even a few over-concerned friends who wanted to pay her visit to check on her, but she turned all of them down.
Another call suddenly came in. Ji Fanyin looked at the caller id, and realization slowly struck her. It just so happened that she was particularly trusting of her intuition right now. So, she picked up the phone and naturally called out, "Shen Qi."
The person on the other end of the phone naturally answered, "Mm."
Then, he realized that something was amiss and fell silent.
"Shen Qi, huh?" Ji Fanyin murmured with raised eyebrows. "You sure are good at coming up with aliases. Why didn't you tell me your true identity? We have known each other for more than a decade now, but I'm only realizing now that you aren't human."
"… I can explain."
"You don't need to explain. It doesn't matter to me, who or what you are. All I need to know is that you're a friend of mine," Ji Fanyin interjected. "This works fine with me too. There are a few things I want to ask you about that other world. Will you answer them?"
"Of course."
The first question Ji Fanyin thought of was: "Is the other 'Ji Fanyin' fine?"
"Why wouldn't she be fine?" asked Shen Qi.
"With that meek personality of hers, I can imagine everybody taking advantage of her again."
Ji Fanyin couldn't help but worry about the other 'Ji Fanyin'. Even though she had already cleared all of the obstacles in her path for her, it was still possible for the other 'Ji Fanyin' to tread down the same path again, if she couldn't pull herself together.
"She's doing fine." Shen Qi paused for a moment before adding, "You prepared a way out for her."
Ji Fanyin spent a moment in contemplation.
There's Cheng Lin, Li Mingyue, and Zhang Ning. None of them are to be trifled with. Besides, I also gave her all of the money I have earned, so it's unlikely that anything would happen to her.
"Rather, it is…"
Shen Qi suddenly stopped halfway through his words.
"What is it?" Ji Fanyin asked lazily.
"No, it's nothing," replied Shen Qi. He was particularly inept at lying. "You'll know in a few months' time if it happens."
Ji Fanyin couldn't be bothered to probe into it, so she replied with a nonchalant "Oh" before hanging up the call. The grinding she had done in the other world had made her feel more lethargic than ever. She felt like she had expended a year's worth of exercise.
She laid down on her sofa and began scrolling through webtoons on her phone.
She would still think about the other world from time to time, but she had already ba farewell to everyone she needed to. She didn't have much regrets, if any at all.
To her, this was no different from a long work trip to another world.
Chapter 106.2: "So He Can Smile!" (2)
Shen Qi had cryptically told her that she would know in a few months' time, but Ji Fanyin had simply tossed that matter to the back of her mind on the very same day. She was too lazy to bother.
It was around six months later when she finally understood what his words meant.
That day, her assistant knocked on her door to deliver food to her. She brought with her a box of gifts from her movie fans.
Ji Fanyin wouldn't just accept any gift from her fans.
She turned down all expensive gifts, be it houses, cars, cheques, watches, accessories, electronic devices, and so on.
She also rejected handmade food and drinks, given the messy nature of the entertainment industry. There were precedents of enemies posing as fans sending spiked food to actors and singers.
Last but not least, she didn't accept things that were dangerous or disturbing in nature.
It was her studio's job to sieve out the appropriate presents and reject everything else, so the gifts that eventually reached Ji Fanyin's hand were all opened and checked beforehand. They collate all of the gifts and deliver them to her in a box once in a while.
As her assistant placed the food in her refrigerator, Ji Fanyin leaned against her dining room table and casually took out a white envelope from the box. Ji Fanyin's name was written at the top of the envelope, but her thumb happened to be covering the signature below.
She moved her thumb away, only to stiffen up when it revealed the name 'Chen Yunsheng' underneath.
… But this isn't a unique name. There are at least a few hundred people with that name on the internet.
Two seconds later, Ji Fanyin tore open the envelope and retrieved the letter.
The letter started off with a formal 'To Miss Ji Fanyin' before proceeding to explain that he was her new movie fan. He mentioned that he had watched all of her movies recently. There were a few more sheets of paper that contained his personal thoughts about those movies.
His writing feels mature. It doesn't seem to be from someone young.
Yet, at the bottom of the letter where he signed off with his name, he childishly drew a circular object.
"I'm done packing everything in your fridge. I'll come back in three days. Drop me a call if you need anything," the assistant said. She was particularly lively as it had only been a few years since she graduated from school.
Ji Fanyin was still looking at the same letter. She rubbed the corner of the letter before suddenly asking, "Has it been a long time since I last held a fan meeting?"
"Er…" The assistant was stumped for a moment. "I think so. You told us that you were lazy and it'll suffice to just host a few online meetings here and there. Are you planning to hold a physical fan meeting? Your fans will be overjoyed to hear that! How should we pick out the participants for the fan meeting? Lucky draw?"
"You can decide," Ji Fanyin replied with a smile as she folded the letter up. "But I want a slot for myself."
"… Ah?"
Their studio had never hosted any physical fan meetings for Ji Fanyin for a single reason: She was too lazy. Her change of mind was welcomed by everyone in the studio, and they quickly did up the announcement post and released it lest she suddenly backed out on it.
There were fifty slots in total, but only 49 of them would be picked fairly. Ji Fanyin was going to choose the last one by herself.
"Y'know, they say 'the great dao is complete at fifty, fate accounts for forty-nine, and the final one comes up to humans'," someone said abstrusely. "Friends, I think that there's something fishy going on with the final slot."
"You don't say? We can tell as much!"
"What nonsense are you spouting…"
"I've looked at the information submitted by Chen Yunsheng, but he looks normal."
"… Is that sour grapes I hear? Normal, you say? Just his face is more than enough for him to debut on the silver screen!"
"I never heard of him before… Is he Boss Yin's relative or something?"
Chapter 106.3: "So He Can Smile!" (3)
On the day of the fan meeting, all of the staff members couldn't resist the urge to look toward the entrance. They were all curious to know just who exactly the legendary Chen Yunsheng was.
Even the backstage crew was dying with curiosity. They couldn't head to the front to check out Chen Yunsheng themselves, so they could only resort to finding an alternate source of information.
Faced with countless curious eyes, Ji Fanyin calmly explained, "He wrote me a good letter. His bootlicking made me feel satisfied and accomplished, so I decided to give him a ticket for this fan meeting. Is there a problem here?"
"… Of course not. You're our boss, so anything you say goes…"
Ji Fanyin didn't spend too much time on her clothes since this was really just a fan meeting for her to play around. Wearing just a simple knitted loose top and a pair of jeans, she confidently began making her way toward the stage.
The host for the event quickly ran after her while exclaiming in a fluster, "Wait, Boss Yin! Wait! It's not time yet! You should at least let me go on stage and warm up the crowd first!"
From afar, Ji Fanyin shot a sweeping glance at her excited but nervous fans seated on little stools.
"Ah! Boss Yin, are you looking for Lil' Chen? He's seated at… Let me take a quick look at the seating arrangement." The host quickly flipped through the cards in his hand.
"There's no need for that." Ji Fanyin smiled. "I see him."
The young man whom she had parted ways with half a year ago was seated quietly by the corner with an upright posture. He was wearing a black hoodie, but the words, 'cool guy', were practically scribbled on his face.
Some of the fans near the makeup room swiftly noticed Ji Fanyin and screamed with pent-up excitement, "Ahhhh! Our big sis is here!"
The crowd quickly turned their feverish eyes over, including Chen Yunsheng. His calm eyes visibly wavered a little, rippling as if a pebble had been thrown into an old well.
While Ji Fanyin looked different from Ji Xinxin and the other 'Ji Fanyin', Chen Yunsheng's appearance was the same as ever. It was just that his disposition and demeanor felt different from before.
He feels… more mature?
Her gaze didn't linger on Chen Yunsheng despite her intrigue. She waved her hand and greeted the crowd, which induced a series of excited screams.
It was a small-scale fan meeting consisting of just fifty fans, and all of them had cleared the security check. The atmosphere was comfortable and light-hearted, and Ji Fanyin made sure to interact with everyone.
When it finally came to Chen Yunsheng, he picked up the microphone and hesitated for a moment before asking, "Do your young movie fans… all call you big sis?"
Amicable laughter broke out in the room.
"You can also address me so too," Ji Fanyin replied with a chuckle.
Chen Yunsheng stared at her for two seconds before his lips curled into a smile, revealing two little dimples. "Mm, big sis."
Ji Fanyin noticed some of her staff members lurching in shock in the shadows. Then, they gossiped amongst themselves. "So he can smile too!"
The final event for the fan meeting was an autograph session. Chen Yunsheng awkwardly queued at the back of the line, allowing everyone else to go ahead of him.
Ji Fanyin paid him no heed and continued signing for her fans. She would patiently ask each of them for their names and their favorite line before writing them down. As a result, it took her a while to finish giving out autographs to the first 49 fans.
When it finally reached Chen Yunsheng, Ji Fanyin took his Blu-ray disc and perfunctorily scribbled her name on it. There was an indignant look on Chen Yunsheng's face as he took back the disc and popped it back into its container. He was just about to say something when Ji Fanyin suddenly grabbed his wrist.
"Now that the fan meeting is over, it's time to go about my private business." Ji Fanyin blinked her eyes at him. "You want to get some ice cream?"
Ji Fanyin's manager: "… Boss, I'm begging you here! Are you really going to go out for ice cream? Just how many times do you want to get photographed on the street?"
Ji Fanyin put on a baseball cap and requested a mask from her assistant. She then turned to her manager and coolly replied, "Let them take pictures all they want."
Ji Fanyin's manager: "…? Hold on for a moment. What do you mean by that? Boss? Hello?"
Ji Fanyin didn't answer her. She grabbed Chen Yunsheng's hand and quickly ran away.
Ji Fanyin didn't mind being photographed, but it was still annoying to be surrounded by others. Thus, she peeked out of the side entrance first, to check if the coast was clear.
Behind her, Chen Yunsheng placed his hand over her eyes and gently pulled her back. "There's a guy with a camera in that black Buick over there."
Ji Fanyin couldn't see a thing with her eyes blocked. The back of her head ended up bumping into Chen Yunsheng's chest. She couldn't help but chuckle. "Since you've blocked my sight, I guess I have no choice but to believe whatever you say."
"… Big sis," Chen Yunsheng called out. "I was worried that I might have gotten the wrong person."
Ji Fanyin didn't tear his hand off her eyes. Instead, she closed her eyes and teased, "I thought you were equipped with a special radar that identifies me?"
"But this is another world," replied Chen Yunsheng softly.
"That's why you deserve to be praised." Ji Fanyin reached for the top of Chen Yunsheng's head, but she missed the first time and touched his forehead instead.
She adjusted her hand and then finally patted his head.
Then as a bonus, she lightly caressed his hair.
…
Chen Yunsheng lowered his head to look at Ji Fanyin, but all he could see was her baseball cap. He could feel Ji Fanyin's eyebrows fluttering against his hand, inducing a seemingly insignificant itch that persistently clawed at his heart.
The head pat wasn't the reward that Chen Yunsheng had wanted, but he was already satisfied by it.
Ji Fanyin soon withdrew her hand and casually said, "Forget it, let them snap whatever photo they want. Let's head out."
She pushed the door and headed out, but Chen Yunsheng grabbed her arm tightly and stopped her. "Let's leave by the underground parking lot. I drove here."
Ji Fanyin was a big deal in this world. It hadn't been long since she went into retirement, and Chen Yunsheng didn't want to turn her into the talk of the town over mere gossip. More importantly, he didn't know whether he was qualified to be in a rumor with her or not.
Ji Fanyin closed the half-opened door behind her and asked, "Do you have any family members in this world?"
She spoke in such a natural manner that it was as if they had never parted ways.
Chen Yunsheng withdrew his hand from her eyes, but he could still feel the lingering sensation from her fluttering eyelashes as if it had been imprinted in his palm. "I don't have any family members here."
Ji Fanyin looked at him with a frown. "What about your original family members?"
"They're doing well." Chen Yunsheng changed the topic with a smile. "Big sis, do you know of any good ice cream stores in the vicinity? I have one I would like to recommend."
"Let's go to the one you recommend. I'll treat you." Ji Fanyin turned around to look at the path behind them. "The lift should be at…"
Chen Yunsheng pointed out the way. "It's over at the corner there."
Ji Fanyin took two steps in the direction he pointed toward before she belatedly realized that she was still grabbing his wrist. She jokingly said, "I'll let go of you if you don't catch up with me."
… What kind of remark is that?
Chen Yunsheng looked at her as he pressed his lips together hesitantly. In the end, he bucked up his courage and murmured, "I'll run with you."
Ji Fanyin burst into laughter. "You're always able to find a way to humor me."
As promised, she didn't let go of his wrist. It was only until they arrived at Chen Yunsheng's car in the underground parking lot that she finally released her grip.
Being exposed to the winter air after prolonged physical contact brought about a sudden tingling chill to his wrist. Chen Yunsheng subconsciously curled his fingers up as he walked over to the driver's seat.
Chapter 107.2: Are They a Couple? (2)
After he entered the car and fastened his seatbelt, he suddenly heard Ji Fanyin say, "You need to keep both your hands on the steering wheel at all times while driving. Otherwise, you might get into an accident."
"Hm?" Chen Yunsheng looked at her in confusion.
I haven't even revved up the engine yet.
Ji Fanyin looked at him with a smile. "Didn't you just look at my hand?"
Chen Yunsheng didn't even realize that he had done that. He immediately understood what she meant with her earlier reminder, and it made his face burn up.
"I was just thinking, you have gotten more mature, but you're still as innocent as I remember," Ji Fanyin teased.
Chen Yunsheng took a moment to calm himself before earnestly asking, "Does it mean that I can hold your hand when I'm not driving?"
Ji Fanyin cocked her head ambiguously and returned the question to him, "What do you think?"
Chen Yunsheng honestly couldn't figure out what she meant by that.
Just like how he had never been able to figure out what she was thinking. Just like how he didn't dare believe that he would be able to meet her again. Just like how he was worried that he wouldn't be able to win his bet against Shen Qi.
He had never been a match for Ji Fanyin.
Chen Yunsheng licked his dry lips and started driving the car out of the parking lot.
"If you have an ice cream shop to recommend, I'm guessing that you're familiar with this district?" Ji Fanyin asked.
Chen Yunsheng glanced at her and replied, "Mmhm. I have been here for some time now."
"And you only thought of contacting me now?" asked Ji Fanyin. "Are you currently working or are you still a student?"
"I'm interning. I sent my resume to your studio a while back, but I didn't get a call for the interview. It's probably because I have no relevant experience in the field."
Ji Fanyin nodded. "Good. You aren't suited to join my studio."
Chen Yunsheng fell silent. Those words, reminiscent of a rejection, induced a wave of pessimism within him.
However, Ji Fanyin soon added, "A lot of my staff members believe that I'm showing special favor to you. If you join my studio as an intern, people might start saying that I'm an immoral boss who has no qualms about laying my hands on a suave young graduate."
Then you should hurry up and lay your hands on me! Chen Yunsheng thought. He couldn't resist the urge to glance at her once more.
"Watch the road," Ji Fanyin suddenly said.
Guilty, Chen Yunsheng thought that he had been caught in the act and apologized right away, "… Sorry."
Ji Fanyin burst into laughter. She patted his head and gently said, "You're so easy to dupe."
Chen Yunsheng: "… Big sis, you seem to be treating me differently from before."
In the past, she always seemed much more restrained in terms of both physical and emotional distance. She would never easily grab my hand, lean her head on my chest, or pat my head so naturally.
"Yeah." Ji Fanyin lightly tapped on the car window to indicate the world outside. "That's because I'm in my world now."
"Does that mean that there's nothing holding you back now?" Chen Yunsheng decided to dive straight into the question. "Big sis, are you still against dating like you used to be?"
Ji Fanyin raised her head and pondered for a moment.
Those few seconds felt as long as eternity to Chen Yunsheng. Time suddenly became so unbearably slow that he thought that this moment would be prolonged till the end of time.
Then, Ji Fanyin said with a chuckle, "I'm fine with dating now."
Chen Yunsheng nearly stepped down on the brakes in the middle of the road. He bit on his lips in hopes of suppressing that emerging smile, but it was all in vain. Nothing could stop the lips from inching upward. "Then…"
"Is that the shop you were talking about?" Ji Fanyin suddenly pointed out of the window and asked.
Chen Yunsheng realized that he had nearly driven down the wrong path, so he quickly steered the car accordingly.
"Such topics are forbidden from now onward while you're driving." Ji Fanyin crossed her two forefingers into a 'X'. "You'll get distracted."
Chen Yunsheng couldn't refute those words. He pressed his lip tightly together as he made another right turn. He soon found a parking spot near the ice cream shop and stopped the car.
Chapter 107.3: Are They a Couple? (3)
Just as he was about to unbuckle his seatbelt, Ji Fanyin suddenly leaned over from the passenger seat and pressed a marshmallow against his lips.
"Ah." She urged him to open his mouth.
Chen Yunsheng felt like his heart was going to explode.
He used to think that the feeling of liking a person was sweet yet scary, but he was starting to think that the adjective 'scary' was an understatement. 'Terrifying' would be more apt.
Taking advantage of the moment Chen Yunsheng obediently opened his mouth, she quickly popped the marshmallow into his mouth. "You're just like a child, pouting whenever you're unhappy."
She unbuckled her seatbelt and alighted from the car.
Chen Yunsheng suckled on the cloyingly sweet marshmallow as he thought unhappily to himself: I'm not a child.
He raised his hoodie a little to look at his washboard abs and thought in self-affirmation: Definitely not a child.
After the short bout of self-motivation, he got down too. He was a little worried about Ji Fanyin's massive fame in this world. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that there was a 100% chance that she would be recognized in the ice cream store.
The ice cream store was unique in the sense that their products were all homemade, so they only sold a limited quantity each day. Due to that, the store wasn't too big. Other than the counter, there were only three round tables.
By the time Chen Yunsheng entered the store, Ji Fanyin was already signing autographs for the store employees. "I want the ice cream ball. I want it exxxx~tra large."
She emphasized the 'ex' syllable of 'extra large'.
Chen Yunsheng was amused.
It's more like she's the wilful child here.
It might be due to the understanding and adoration of the people around her; that's why she is always able to do whatever she wants. Her life has been smooth-sailing, such that despite her emotional maturity, she still retains the willfulness of a little child.
"No problem! You can eat as much as you want!" The store owner nodded fervently with a furious blush on his face.
Ji Fanyin glanced at Chen Yunsheng before gesturing toward him with her pen. "Give him one too."
Like a row of sunflowers, the store owner and his employees suddenly turned their heads over all at once to look at Chen Yunsheng.
Chen Yunsheng silently closed the door behind him.
By then, Ji Fanyin had already finished signing all of the autographs and had started browsing through the available flavors. It took her a while to decide what she wanted.
After the two of them received their ice cream and were just about to leave, one of the bolder employees suddenly asked, "Are the two of you dating?"
Ji Fanyin was taking a bite off her ice cream when she heard the question, so she looked at Chen Yunsheng. Chen Yunsheng thought that this was a gesture for him to answer the question on her behalf, so he reined in her smile and solemnly clarified, "We aren't dating. We only came here to have ice cream together."
The employee who asked the question revealed an indescribable expression. If someone took a video of him right now and made it into a GIF, it would be labeled ' '.
Chen Yunsheng answered this question with the intention to not trouble Ji Fanyin, but he wasn't certain if this was the right answer. Thus, he lowered his head to study her response, only to see that she had stopped eating her ice cream altogether.
She had raised her head and was staring at him intently. The smile that had been lingering on her lips vanished without a trace.
For a moment there, Chen Yunsheng thought that her impassive expression was a sign of anger.
However, Ji Fanyin soon shrugged and said, "It's as he said."
Then, she took a big chomp out of her triple scoop of ice cream.
Chapter 108.1: You Close Your Eyes First (1)
For a brief moment, Chen Yunsheng thought Ji Fanyin was angry, but her expression reverted to normal so quickly that it felt as if he was overthinking. Nevertheless, he chose to trust his instincts.
He took his time gathering his courage while driving Ji Fanyin back, and it was only when the car stopped that he abruptly stopped her from unfastening her seatbelt.
Ji Fanyin looked at him and asked, "You have something else to say?"
"Big sis, are you angry?" Chen Yunsheng asked meekly.
He had a feeling that he had done something wrong, but he had no idea where it was that he had erred. As a result, his question came out terribly unconfident.
"I am," Ji Fanyin answered with a smile.
Chen Yunsheng saw everything go dark for a moment there. He felt like an avid gamer who had finally gotten his hands on a long-awaited dating sim sequel, only to trigger a death flag right off the bat.
To make things worse, this game didn't have any walkthroughs and allowed for no redos.
Chen Yunsheng decided to lower his head and humbly admit his mistake for the time being. "Big sis, can you tell me what's wrong with my answer?"
"No, there's nothing wrong with your answer." Ji Fanyin leisurely rested her back on the chair as she eyed him with a glint. "You couldn't have given a more accurate answer."
Chen Yunsheng felt like he understood her words yet not really so.
While he was still trying to figure out what she meant, Ji Fanyin had already shaken his hand off and released her seatbelt. She opened the door, and right before stepping out, she casually asked him, "Where are you interning at?"
Chen Yunsheng subconsciously reported the name of his company, but before he could say anything else, the car door had already closed on him.
Chen Yunsheng puffed up her cheeks and shouted, "Byebye, big sis!"
He could see a mansion right outside the car window.
The place where Ji Fanyin lived was unapologetically upscale. The old Chen Yunsheng might have still been able to buy it without batting an eyelid, but the current he, who had just started making money in this world, was still a long way off from buying such a mansion.
I need to work hard on earning money! Chen Yunsheng told himself.
He was just about to drive off when it struck him that he had missed out on an extremely important detail. He had forgotten to exchange contact numbers with Ji Fanyin!
Slapping his own forehead in remorse, he quickly whipped out his phone and sent a message to the staff member who contacted him for the fan meeting. The other party replied quickly, politely informing him that Ji Fanyin's private contact number was confidential.
Chen Yunsheng considered two choices: he could either chase Ji Fanyin right now and ask for her contact number or give up and drive back home. It didn't take him long to make up his mind.
He got out of the car and sprinted in the direction where Ji Fanyin left. Barely after he took a few steps, the phone in his hand suddenly rang. He glanced at the screen and saw that it was a foreign number.
He accepted the call without slowing down. Before he could say a word, he heard Ji Fanyin asking him from the other end of the line, "You seem to be in a rush. Did you forget something?"
Shocked, Chen Yunsheng looked at the windows of the mansion but he didn't see Ji Fanyin anywhere.
"I have CCTVs here, dumbo."
Chen Yunsheng finally slowed his footsteps. While gasping for air, he said, "I forgot to ask you for your contact number."
"Come here then. I'll give it to you," Ji Fanyin said.
Chen Yunsheng didn't notice anything amiss at all. With a slightly happy "Orh", he obediently marched toward the entrance of the mansion. It was only when Ji Fanyin opened the door and recited her phone number that it belatedly struck him.
If she has already dropped me a call on my phone, why do I need her to recite her phone number for me again?
He raised his head. As expected, Ji Fanyin was trembling with laughter.
Chapter 108.2: You Close Your Eyes First (2)
He sent her a friend request through WeChat before asking, "Are you that amused?"
Ji Fanyin nodded in response, her laughter hardly abating at all.
Chen Yunsheng smiled along with her. "As a reward, I want to ask big sis a question before I leave."
This exchange was almost like a tradition between the two of them. Ji Fanyin gestured with her chin, indicating for him to shoot off.
"Big sis, you met with a car accident and was unconscious for quite a few days. Are you feeling better now? Are there any side effects?" Chen Yunsheng asked.
He thought that this was a perfectly normal question. Shen Qi had already told him the truth of the incident, and he could figure out the rest on his own. Not to mention, there was plenty of online information regarding Ji Fanyin in this world.
Yet, his question surprised the smiling Ji Fanyin.
For a moment there, Chen Yunsheng thought that he had unwittingly tripped over a second death flag, which immediately sent his brain into overdrive as he fumbled for a way to salvage the situation. However, Ji Fanyin suddenly stepped forward and wrapped her arms around his waist, embracing him.
For the first time in his life, Chen Yunsheng thought that his arms were utterly useless. This should have been the moment for them to show some initiative and reciprocate, but they suddenly froze up at this crucial moment.
What use do I have for you two?!
"I'm doing fine," said Ji Fanyin. "I thought that you would blame me instead."
Chen Yunsheng looked at the whorl at the top of her head and asked, "What makes you think so?"
"Hmm… Why indeed?" Ji Fanyin murmured as she quietly released her arms.
Chen Yunsheng was slightly disappointed by that. It would have been great if you could embrace me for a little longer.
His desire was so strong that he inadvertently spoke his thoughts aloud.
"You want me to embrace you a little longer?" Ji Fanyin asked.
Chen Yunsheng was horrified at how he had let his thoughts slip out, but thinking what's done was done, he gritted his teeth and decided to go along with it. "Yes, that's right."
"Then I'll have to ask you something first." Ji Fanyin raised her head and looked into his eyes. "Didn't I tell you not to entrust your precious sincere feelings to a bad woman?"
"You aren't a bad woman," Chen Yunsheng answered right away.
"There are many paths that can diverge out of feelings of fondness," said Ji Fanyin. "Most of them don't lead to 'love'."
Chen Yunsheng quietly waited for her to finish her words.
His bet with Shen Qi was actually really simple.
After Shen Qi was done explaining the matter to him, he asked Shen Qi whether he was in love with Ji Fanyin. Shen Qi acknowledged it.
It was not a stroke of wit that Chen Yunsheng provoked Shen Qi into making a bet with him. On the contrary, his initial goal was to reason it out with Shen Qi, but his words somehow provoked Shen Qi.
"How long do you think you'll like her for? You'll soon forget her once she disappears from your life," said Shen Qi.
"There would have been no need for you to pay me a visit me if you really thought so. Do you visit everyone whom big sis came into contact with?" Chen Yunsheng answered calmly.
The entire sky seemed to have darkened along with Shen Qi's complexion.
The result of their conversation was the bet between the two of them.
If he could hold onto his feelings for Ji Fanyin with a heart filled with hope till the end of his life, he would be allowed to traverse over to her world.
Many doubts had emerged in his long years of waiting.
What if Shen Qi doesn't hold to the end of his promise?
What if he was right? What if I slowly forget about her and regret it?
Will the day I'm hoping for really come?
It wasn't an easy wait for Chen Yunsheng at all, but by overcoming these doubts one at a time, he eventually managed to make his way into Ji Fanyin's world.
Just as the famous inspirational quote often written in chicken soup books: Be grateful to the old you who once worked hard for his goals.
Chen Yunsheng didn't think that his feelings were beneath anyone else's, which was why he persisted no matter how Ji Fanyin persuaded him to give up…
Chapter 108.3: You Close Your Eyes First (3)
"There's no saying where the feeling of fondness I harbor for you will lead to," said Ji Fanyin. "It might lead to something indescribably ugly and hideous. You might regret it."
All of the thoughts, plans, and words that Chen Yunsheng were formulating in his head suddenly shattered along with what Ji Fanyin said.
I always thought that she didn't like me. At the very least, not in the way a woman likes a man.
"Even so, do you want to give it a try?" asked Ji Fanyin.
Chen Yunsheng's mind was still hazy from the emotional impact he had suffered, but his body was far more honest. He blurted out without thinking, "Of course!"
It was only after answering that he forced himself to calm down, and he further clarified, "I've said it before. We have to take risks. We can't tie ourselves down just because there's a possibility of failure. I'm not that kind of person."
Ji Fanyin looked at him with a tilted head. Without the slightest change in her expression, she said, "Wait here for me."
She turned around and walked away.
Chen Yunsheng replied with an "Orh" as he nervously watched by the mansion's entrance as she walked away. He wondered if this was how a pet dog watching his owner leave for work felt.
Rationally, Chen Yunsheng knew that he had only waited at the doorway for two minutes, but every second in these two minutes felt incredibly long. It was similar to how the clock hand seemed to slow down whenever class was about to come to an end.
It was when he had counted up to 214 that Ji Fanyin finally returned. She peeked out from the back of a wall, revealing just her head and her shoulder. She blinked her eyes at him and said, "Close your eyes first."
Chen Yunsheng did as he was told.
He wouldn't naively think that Ji Fanyin was going to kiss him, but he couldn't help but think of a meme he had seen in his previous life.
a_boy_thinks_that_you're_going_kiss_him_when_he_closes_his_
He could hear Ji Fanyin's footsteps slowly closing in on him. There was a tinge of amusement in her voice as she said, "Lower your head."
Chen Yunsheng lowered his head.
Then, he felt something passing through his head and falling around his neck.
This feels like… a necklace?
Just as Chen Yunsheng subconsciously reached for the item, Ji Fanyin said, "You can open your eyes now."
Surprisingly, he didn't look toward his chest the moment he opened eyes. Instead, his eyes fell upon her face to study her expression, hoping to figure whether his earlier botched confession had made a mess of things.
Unfortunately, he couldn't read her at all.
As expected of a film empress.
The deflated Chen Yunsheng turned his attention toward the item hanging in front of his chest. He could clearly feel an irregularly-shaped metallic coldness in his hand.
What necklace is this? It seems to be peculiarly shaped.
Chen Yunsheng lowered his head to take a look. It was a key strung up by a leather string.
Taken aback, he asked, "What's this?"
"Why don't you give it a try?" Ji Fanyin asked.
"What do you…" Before Chen Yunsheng could finish his sentence, Ji Fanyin had already closed the door on him.
Chen Yunsheng alternated his gaze between the key hanging around his neck and the tightly shut door in front of him. Baffled, he took off the key necklace and stared at it.
Is this a gift? I guess it isn't too surprising for someone of big sis' wealth to give away a house just like that. But I don't even have the address, so how am I supposed to try the key?
It took a long while before an utterly bewildering interpretation of the situation finally struck him.
It can't be that this is the key to the door right in front of me… is it?
With eyes widened in incredulity, Chen Yunsheng slotted the key into the keyhole beneath the electronic lock. As if divine favor was shining on him, he got it within a single try. All he had to do now was to twist it in order to open the door.
The thought of it made his legs wobble, and he landed on his bum. He touched his own face and it felt it burn. A silent scream escaped from his throat.
It! Is! The! Key! To! Her! House!
Chapter 109.1: That's Right, There's Someone I Like. What About It? (1)
Chen Yunsheng took a couple of deep breaths to calm down. Then, he rubbed his cheeks and rose back up to his feet before twisting the key.
Tak!
The lock was released.
Ji Fanyin opened the door from the inside.
Before she could say a word, Chen Yunsheng naively tried to explain, "I'm not used to this key."
Ji Fanyin pointed upward. Chen Yunsheng looked up and saw a 360-degrees CCTV.
"…"
"I shouldn't have hung it around your neck. That's what little kids do," said Ji Fanyin. "But I lost the medal you gave me. I ransacked my room for a string and strung this to make up for that."
Chen Yunsheng still remembered it as if it was yesterday. Back then, he had tiptoed to place the champion medal he had won from a basketball match around her neck. In fact, he had drawn an abstract picture of that medal as a secret code when he sent his fan letter to her studio.
Chen Yunsheng immediately put the key necklace back on and said, "I'll continue wearing it."
"That key is just a formality," Ji Fanyin said amusedly. She flicked the electronic lock above the keyhole. "It's biometric. You can register your fingerprint here."
Five minutes later, Chen Yunsheng successfully registered his fingerprint with the electronic lock and even tested it twice. He nervously asked with pursed lips, "Can I come in and have a cup of tea?"
Ji Fanyin thought about it and replied, "You can make dinner."
Chen Yunsheng clenched his fists tightly.
I knew that it was the right decision not to give up on cooking after graduating from my cooking class!
…
Even after he bade Ji Fanyin farewell and left her mansion, he still felt as if he was walking on clouds. He thought that he would be more mature and composed in front of Ji Fanyin, but somehow, he reverted back to that flustered youth whenever she was around.
He had lived many years in the other world and learned many new things, but he was still a newbie when it came to romance. Theories were paper-thin. No matter how many couples he had seen in his previous life, there was only so much he could learn without personally experiencing it.
Chen Yunsheng exhaled deeply as he returned to the apartment he was sharing with someone else.
His roommate was a graphics designer. His job could be done through remote communication, so he didn't have to meet anyone and socialize. It was particularly suited for homebodies like him.
It had been a while since they started cohabiting. One was a social recluse whereas the other was cold in nature; they surprisingly got along well with each other.
His roommate was just walking out of the kitchen with cup noodles and a pair of disposable chopsticks when Chen Yunsheng entered the house. He lethargically greeted him, "Hi."
Chen Yunsheng responded with a nod. He was never fond of talking, and his roommate had already gotten used to it.
The roommate was just about to return to his room when he suddenly froze on the spot. He stared at Chen Yunsheng with a look of horror, exclaiming, "What's wrong, Brother Chen?"
Chen Yunsheng, who had slipped into a pair of slippers, subconsciously touched his own lips, but it didn't seem like he was smiling uncontrollably like before. It was a relief to him that his expressions only went out of control when he was with Ji Fanyin.
"What do you mean?"
"I know that you major in music and I've seen you writing scores, but this is the first time I'm hearing you hum a song!" The roommate's hand was trembling even though he had cup noodles in his hands. "Are you possessed?"
Chen Yunsheng had no recollection of humming a song. Just as his roommate had said, he had no such habit.
"What did I hum?"
His roommate fearfully retreated into his room as he tried to imitate the melody Chen Yunsheng had subconsciously hummed. "I'm tone-deaf, but I'm pretty sure this is the melody they play at weddings…"
Chen Yunsheng: "… I hummed that?"
His roommate gulped. "Yeap."
Chen Yunsheng: "…"
His roommate stared at him for a moment, and his desire for gossip eventually overcame his fear and appetite. He walked over with his cup noodles and gestured with a tip of his head. "Brother Chen, is there good news? Are you graduating from singlehood? Come, you should share the news with me."
"Not yet. It isn't confirmed." Chen Yunsheng coldly cut the conversation short. "I'll go bathe. I still need to work tomorrow."
He ignored his roommate's gossipy eyes and headed to his own room.
Chapter 109.2: That's Right, There's Someone I Like. What About It? (2)
Before entering the bathroom, Chen Yunsheng took out the key Ji Fanyin had given him and stared at it for a good minute. While he understood that this was just a formality in this era of electronic locks, it still meant the world to him.
He picked up the key necklace, only to put it down a moment later. He racked his brain, and an idea soon came to him. He carefully folded the necklace and slotted it into the back of his phone cover. Then, he brought his phone with him into the bathroom.
After he was done bathing, he laid down on his bed but found himself more awake than ever. He felt no urge to sleep at all.
He had always been consistent with his sleeping cycle, to the point others called him a disciplined old soldier. He was the type who could fall asleep as soon as it was time.
It didn't make sense for him to suffer from insomnia.
Chen Yunsheng flipped and rolled around his bed, even punching his pillow to vent his overflowing energy. In the end, he took out his phone and sent a message to Ji Fanyin: 【Big sis, are you asleep?】
Ten seconds later, Ji Fanyin dropped him a call.
Chen Yunsheng quickly accepted the call and placed his phone against his ear.
"Are you going to tell me a bedtime story?" Ji Fanyin asked.
"I can play some sleeping music for you." Chen Yunsheng quickly stood up and rushed to his study table. "I stayed with my job after you left and composed music for quite a few movies afterward. I recorded some of them on my laptop."
With the intention to boast, he clicked into a file and quickly scrolled through his collection of songs, hoping to find the most suitable one for the occasion.
"Have you considered trying your hand at something else now that you're in a new world?" Ji Fanyin asked.
Her lazy voice tickled Chen Yunsheng's sensitive ears, causing them to turn red.
"I like this job. There'll be different movies to work on in this world. I don't think I'll get bored of it," replied Chen Yunsheng.
He finally found the OSTs he had received critical acclaim and awards for. He took in a deep breath before nervously playing one of them.
Many people in the other world adored these OSTs, but there was no guarantee Ji Fanyin would feel the same.
"You must really love your work," Ji Fanyin said as she listened to the music. A moment later, she added with a smile, "Me too."
"That's why I have to thank you for bringing me into this industry." Chen Yunsheng placed his phone on speaker before placing it next to the laptop. "Otherwise, I wouldn't have known that I could feel so passionate for a job."
Shen Qi had thought that his feelings would quickly fade given how short they had known each other for. Chen Yunsheng had also doubted himself for a long time.
But Ji Fanyin had seeped into all parts of his life in this short period of time. He started composing music for movies because of her. He started learning cooking because of her. She was everywhere even when she was no longer around.
While some feelings faded with time, some were obstinately clung on.
By the time the music player moved on to the second song, Chen Yunsheng cleared his throat and nervously asked, "How is it?"
There was no response.
Stunned, Chen Yunsheng paused the music and leaned closer to his phone. "Big sis?"
It was a while before Ji Fanyin's murmur sounded through the phone, "Mmm. Don't stop the music."
Her words were slurred like a lazy cat drifting into the dreamland.
Chen Yunsheng resumed playing the soundtrack, but he couldn't help but wonder what she meant.
If she's feeling sleepy after hearing my music, does it mean that she's bored or that she feels secure?
Chapter 109.3: That's Right, There's Someone I Like. What About It? (3)
In the company Chen Yunsheng worked at, his superior's office.
"… My great maestro, before I answer your question, can you first tell me what you played for her?"
Chen Yunsheng opened his laptop and replied with a frown, "Faraway Dream."
His superior breathed a sigh of relief and said, "There's no problem then! Isn't that kind of music supposed to be calming and sleep-inducing?"
"…" Chen Yunsheng didn't answer right away. He stared at the semi-complete score sheet on his laptop and fell silent.
"W-what's wrong?" His superior gulped worriedly. "Is there a problem with your progress on the project?"
Chen Yunsheng selected several files on his laptop while replying, "I got a sudden rush of inspiration. I'll redo the score sheets."
Then, he deleted those files without any hesitation.
His superior clutched his own forehead and screeched in horror, "Chen Yunsheng! The score sheets are due tomorrow!"
Chen Yunsheng looked at his superior. "I'll make it in time."
His superior's expression slowly reverted to normal. "Are you certain? Well, you do look like you're bursting with inspiration."
Chen Yunsheng picked up his phone and laptop. He subconsciously touched the back of his phone and replied, "Mmhm."
His superior: "… Did you just smile?"
"I have always been able to smile."
Right after saying those words, he suddenly received a text. He glanced at his phone and saw that it was from Ji Fanyin. She said that she had slept well last night and asked if he could send those songs to her.
Chen Yunsheng immediately placed his laptop back onto his superior's table to type out a response on his phone: 【That's not a problem. I have the copyrights to those songs. Shall I make a phonograph record for you?】
His mind had already started considering what kind of phonograph would suit Ji Fanyin.
When he finally put down his phone, he saw his superior staring at him in amazement. His eyes were practically screaming 'gossip!'.
Several other colleagues outside who appeared busy or were in the midst of breakfast also subtly leaned in his direction with pricked ears.
Chen Yunsheng had the least impressive resume in this room, but that was only in this world. If he could include the long list of accomplishments he had accrued in his previous life, it was doubtful whether this company would have the resources to hire him.
Two short months into his internship, Chen Yunsheng had already become a core member of his team.
Noticing all of the nosey ears pointed in his direction, he picked up his laptop and harrumphed. "That's right, I have someone I like. What about it?"
Chapter 109.4: That's Right, There's Someone I Like. What About It? (4)
After Chen Yunsheng left, everyone in the common working space immediately started gossiping amongst themselves. It was almost as if they were a group of voyagers spotting new land.
Ji Fanyin witnessed everything that happened from an office roughly ten meters away.
The person behind her said, "Miss Ji, is he the one you're interested in? I wouldn't be surprised that others would want him given his skills, but you could have just told your assistant to drop me a call. There's no need for you to personally come down."
Those who had been in the industry for a long time would naturally become acquainted with others in the same field. Take the boss of this company for example, he had once received Ji Fanyin's help, so the two of them were on fairly good terms with each other.
Thanks to that, Ji Fanyin could march right through the company's doors and demand for Chen Yunsheng.
"I want to know more about him." Ji Fanyin turned the rotating chair back and sat down on it. She then looked at the other party and smiled. "He's reluctant to tell me."
"… May I know what's the relationship between the two of you? Is it just a game or…"
Ji Fanyin rested her head on her arm and replied, "You should direct that question at him. To me, he's someone who has my house key."
It was impossible to tell how a relationship would turn out till it finally reached that step. Ji Fanyin was only giving Chen Yunsheng the chance she had deprived him of back then. This was not the first time she had given out chances to others, but no one had been able to stay on till the end.
The boss stretched his chubby cheeks. "… I understand. You can take him with you. What do you want to know about him?"
"Tell me everything you know." Ji Fanyin shrugged. "I'll treat you to lunch."
The boss sighed deeply from the other side of the office table. "He came to our company two months ago. Like most university graduates, he didn't have much on his resume. Our company doesn't expect much out of our interns, so we hired him. However, his performance so far surpasses our wildest imagination. You're also a veteran in our industry; you should know how even the most talented music composers can stumble over subtle details."
Ji Fanyin rested in her chair and nodded in comprehension. "But that's not the case for him."
"Right. He always speaks in an unhurried manner, enunciating every word and syllable clearly… Sometimes I wonder whether it's his upbringing or the experiences he has been through. It's just that he gives off a distant feeling. A person with his looks is bound to be popular, but no one dares to confess to him."
Out of sheer curiosity, Ji Fanyin asked, "Really? How popular is he?"
"… Nowhere on par with you, of course. If I may ask, how many people knows about your relationship with him?"
Ji Fanyin did a quick count. "Four, including you." I don't know whether Shen Qi can be considered as a 'person' or not, but I'll just add him into the count.
The boss breathed out a sigh of relief. "That's good. I think the best thing I have done in my life is not falling for you."
Ji Fanyin chuckled as she straightened the nameplate on the other party's office table. "Let's bring the topic back to Chen Yunsheng. There should be plenty to talk about since he's been in your company for two months now."
Lunchtime, the boss called Chen Yunsheng's superior over.
"He's Chen Yunsheng's direct superior. He'd know more than me." The boss slyly unloaded the burden on his subordinate.
Ji Fanyin smiled at the superior, who was showing a series of animated expressions. "Pleased to meet you."
The superior hurriedly calmed himself and returnd the greeting. "P-pleased to meet you too!"
"I want to know more about Chen Yunsheng." Ji Fanyin gestured for the superior to take a seat. "Can you tell me what you know about him in detail?"
The superior quickly took a seat near the boss. "Chen Yunsheng? Is he your relative?"
"No," Ji Fanyin refuted the claim.
The superior alternated his gaze between his boss and Ji Fanyin, and a look of horror slowly appeared on his face.
Well, I guess if there are people born with stiff faces, there's bound to be people born with flexible facial muscles too. He sure knows how to put them to good use.
The boss cleared his throat and said, "Hurry up and get on with it."
The lunch session turned out to be an interrogation, where Ji Fanyin questioned them about every single detail. By the time they left the hotel, both the boss and the superior felt like their souls had left their bodies.
Before Ji Fanyin got into her car, she suddenly recalled the calendar she had seen on the boss' table earlier and asked, "Are you having a celebration dinner tomorrow night?"
"Ah, yes. If everything goes well, we should be able to wrap up our project tomorrow and receive our renumeration." The boss paused for a moment before adding, "Chen Yunsheng is the main contributor to the project."
He discreetly glanced at Ji Fanyin's expression and immediately understood her intention. So, he obediently gave her the time and location of the celebration dinner.
After receiving what she wanted, Ji Fanyin waved her hand. "See you tomorrow."
The boss: "…" Do we really have to see each other again tomorrow?
Chapter 110.1: Another One? (1)
Chen Yunsheng took pride in his sense of responsibility. Despite having deleted everything he had worked on thus far, he still managed to rush out his work within a single day and make it in time for the deadline. On top of that, his revised work received a high degree of approval from the client.
Thanks to that, the celebration dinner went ahead as planned.
It was early autumn, the season of crabs, so the boss generously brought everyone to a high-class restaurant that served succulent plump crabs.
It went without saying that delicious crabs had to go with huangjiu.
While huangjiu was low in alcohol content, the group was able to get high on the atmosphere. Some goaded weaker drinkers to down their cup whereas others challenged their colleagues to drinking competitions. Yet, no one dared to push a drink in Chen Yunsheng's direction.
Other than him, the only ones who didn't drink were those allergic to wine, barred from drinking by their spouses, the boss, and the superior.
"Boss, I thought that you're a hearty drinker?" one of the employees asked.
"My stomach isn't feeling well today," the boss replied.
It was an excuse.
He knew Ji Fanyin would be arriving soon, and he wouldn't dare to welcome her in an intoxicated state. So, he ordered a cup of red date wolfberry tea instead. While sipping on his tea, he couldn't help but assess Chen Yunsheng out of curiosity.
He's good-looking, but there's no lack of handsome faces in our industry.
He's talented, but there are plenty of talented people out there. There's no lack of prodigies in Ji Fanyin's long list of suitors.
What's so special about him that caught her eye?
"Is she really coming?" the superior discreetly leaned toward the boss and asked. "It's getting late."
"I think so," the boss replied in uncertainty.
He picked up his phone to check the time, only for Ji Fanyin's call to come in right after. He nearly dropped his phone into a bowl of crab vinegar out of shock.
It's a small matter to change phones, but if I don't pick up this call right now, it might just be the end of me.
As the boss picked up the call, the superior subconsciously put down his cup and sat upright. It was almost as if Ji Fanyin was already standing before him.
The boss discreetly covered his own mouth and the speaker as he asked softly, "Have you arrived?"
"I'm at the entrance. Is your celebration party ending soon?"
"I don't think…" There was a moment's delay before the boss understood what she was getting at. He sharply changed the tone of his words and said, "I mean, I was just about to foot the bill. We'll be out in a jiffy."
The first thing he did after hanging up was to call the waiter and have him pack some of the store's specialties into a thermal bag.
"Boss, you're still hungry?" one of the employees teased.
"It's a gift." The boss stood up and waved his hand. "It's already getting late. You should start heading home now. It's Saturday tomorrow. You don't have to come in for work. Sleep all you want and recharge yourselves!"
The intoxicated crowd sluggishly rose from their seats and staggered out with their arms on one another's necks as they discussed their plans for getting home.
Chen Yunsheng trailed behind the crowd with his backpack. As the boss walked by him, he suddenly stopped him and offered him a thermal bag filled with takeaway dishes freshly packed by the waiter. "Lil' Chen, this is for you."
Chen Yunsheng didn't take the thermal bag. "Thank you, but I'm already full."
"It's not for you. You'll know soon enough." The boss adamantly stuffed the thermal bag into Chen Yunsheng's hand. Then, he waved his hand and said, "Now go! A young guy like you shouldn't be walking so slowly like a tortoise!"
Chen Yunsheng stared at the thermal bag in his hand quizzically, but he decided not to think too much into it. He nodded and walked out.
The boss turned to the superior beside him and quietly asked, "I'm just asking out of curiosity, but how much do you think this information is worth if I sell it to the press?"
"It'll be worth something, but I reckon not much. It's not the first time she's in a relationship," the superior replied. "Besides, do you think that it's likely for the two of them to walk to the very end?"
The boss thought hard about those words. "You have such low hopes for them? I think that they might be a surprising match for each other."
"Why don't we make a bet? If you lose, you have to give me that new watch of yours!" the superior goaded.
The boss scoffed in response, "You've been eyeing my watch, huh? Fine! If I win, you have to give me that treasured racing car of yours!"
"Heck! Aren't you being too vicious here?"
"Are you taking this bet or not?"
"Of course! This is my chance to earn an easy sum!"
Chapter 110.2: Another One? (2)
While the group was heading out of the restaurant, one of Chen Yunsheng's colleagues noticed the thermal bag in his hand and teased, "Looks like our boss is worried our money tree will get hungry, so he got an additional portion for you."
Chen Yunsheng eyed the thermal bag in his hand again.
Something was amiss here. It was weird that the boss had ordered this takeaway for him, and the words he said when he passed this thermal bag over were also perplexing.
What did he mean by it's not for me? The boss doesn't know my roommate. Even if he does, there's no reason for him to pay for his meal.
Chen Yunsheng walked toward the roadside with many doubts floating in his mind when he was suddenly blasted by a pair of headlights. He instinctively raised his head and saw that the other party had already turned them off.
The car, however, looked extremely familiar.
It resembles the model Ji Fanyin used to drive in the other world…
As this thought surfaced in his mind, Chen Yunsheng widened his eyes. He began sprinting toward the car, oblivious to his colleagues shouting behind him. When he finally got to the race car, the door opened and a woman stepped out from within.
"Don't run so quickly. You might fall down," said Ji Fanyin. "Did you drink?"
"I didn't drink." Chen Yunsheng professed his innocence. He lifted the thermal bag in his hand and said, "I think my boss bought this for you, big sis. You should have it while it's hot."
Ji Fanyin glanced at the thermal bag and said, "Let's go home."
She said that we're going home!
Chen Yunsheng could hardly repress his smile upon hearing those words. He felt like a flower of joy had blossomed in his heart. He nodded vigorously and replied, "Mm!"
Ji Fanyin amusedly caressed his head.
Chen Yunsheng obediently lowered his head and allowed her to do as he pleased. Then, he suddenly heard a ruckus behind him. To be exact, the ruckus had been ongoing for a while now, just that his ears had filtered them out.
He turned around and saw his colleagues swiftly approaching them. Startled, he nervously told Ji Fanyin, "Big sis, you should return to the car first. Someone might see you."
Ji Fanyin raised her eyebrows.
Before she could say a word, one of the colleagues had already arrived at the scene. While gasping for air, he said, "Bro, I haven't… returned your charging cable… to you yet… Ah? Did I drink too much? Why do I see Film Empress Ji Fanyin in front of me? And her hand seems to be on your head…"
Chen Yunsheng: "…"
He instinctively grabbed Ji Fanyin's wrist and moved her hand away from his head.
He knew that he ought to let go of Ji Fanyin's wrist right after to avoid bringing unnecessary trouble to her, but his fingers defied his rational mind and instead grabbed her hand even tighter.
He secretly glanced at her to assess her reaction, only to see her leaning against her car, staring at him. It looked as if she was waiting for his response.
… What does this mean?
Chen Yunsheng licked his lips nervously. He could feel his heartbeat racing.
He first took the charging cable from his colleague with feigned composure. Trying his best to speak in his usual voice, he replied, "You didn't see wrongly."
"Uh?" The colleague's hand froze in mid-air. Shock rippled across his face. "You… I… This… Huh?"
"We need to return home now. See you on Monday."
Chen Yunsheng took a deep breath before pulling Ji Fanyin toward the driver's seat. He opened the door for her, escorted her in, and closed the door behind her before heading for the passenger's seat himself.
While the car was driving out of the parking lot, he noticed his colleagues standing dazedly in a row as they saw him off. He tightened his grip on the thermal bag in his hand, thinking that he had just done something incredibly bold.
Chapter 110.3: Another One? (3)
Ji Fanyin drove roughly a street away before stopping once again by the roadside.
Perplexed, Chen Yunsheng looked at her and asked, "Big sis?"
"Put the thermal bag on the back seat," Ji Fanyin instructed.
Chen Yunsheng obediently did as he was told and stuffed the thermal bag into the back seat. Just as he was about to turn his body back forward, he heard a click coming from the side. It was the sound of a safety belt being released.
He instinctively turned to look at Ji Fanyin, only to see her leaning forward and lightly kissing him on the lips.
"This is the reward for your earlier honesty," she whispered into his ear.
Chen Yunsheng suddenly realized how ignorant he was two days ago.
This is what it really feels like for my heart to be on the verge of exploding.
"Another one?" Ji Fanyin asked with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.
Chen Yunsheng blinked.
They were so close that he was afraid that his breathing might scald her. He suppressed his embarrassment and obeyed with his heart. "… Yeah."
Ji Fanyin chuckled softly before leaning in once more.
The second was a whole new experience. She playfully suckled on his lips while caressing his hair. She taught him how adults could express the intensity of their feelings through a passionate kiss.
This intimate exchange between lovers intoxicated Chen Yunsheng. Time seemed to fly past him in this magical moment. It was only when Ji Fanyin pressed him back onto his seat that he finally snapped out of his reverie.
Ji Fanyin fastened her seatbelt before checking her lips in the rearview mirror. "Call your roommate."
Chen Yunsheng took out his phone and looked up his roommate's number. It was only after he pressed the 'Call' button that he belatedly asked, "Why?"
"You need to inform him that you aren't going back today lest he lodges a police report," Ji Fanyin calmly replied as she stepped on the accelerator.
Chen Yunsheng failed to catch her drift. "Are we going somewhere?"
Ji Fanyin laughed. "Didn't I already tell you? We're going home."
His phone slipped through his hand and dropped to the ground. While he was picking up the phone with a furiously reddened face, the call got through.
"Is there a drunk man I need to pick up?" his roommate asked with a yawn.
Judging from the background noise, he appeared to be playing computer games as usual.
"No need," Chen Yunsheng refuted his question. He glanced at the driving Ji Fanyin.
"Oh. Are you bringing supper back for me?" The roommate suddenly sounded a little excited.
"Nah." Chen Yunsheng closed his eyes and desperately clawed for any inner composure he had left. "I won't be coming back tonight. I'm calling to tell you that."
"You aren't coming back tonight…?!"
Before the roommate could kick up a fuss, Chen Yunsheng hurriedly ended the call. Two seconds later, he switched off his phone.
Chapter 111: Only I Can Do It
The sun was already high up in the sky when Ji Fanyin woke up. She was the only one in bed.
She reached for the charger placed on her bedside table, but this simple stretching movement was more than enough to trigger all of her sore muscles. She gave up halfway through and collapsed on the bed in this unseemly position.
… Is this the prowess of youths who are good at studying? He was still learning the ropes at the start, but the tables were turned on me an hour later.
That's not what I have expected!
Ji Fanyin laid on the bed for a while longer before dragging her feet to the bathroom. Standing in front of the mirror, she lifted her oversized T-shirt and examined her front and her back. Then, she quietly pulled her T-shirt back down.
I must have a good meal to make up for it, she thought to herself while brushing her teeth.
The aroma of food wafting in from the kitchen told her that Chen Yunsheng was whipping up something for her. Even so, she still took her time brushing her teeth and washing her face.
I can't hurry even if I wanted to. Side effect of intense exercise.
While walking out of the bathroom after washing up, she noticed a mysterious small box sitting on top of the bedside container. Out of curiosity, she picked up the box and shook it around. It sounded empty, though a lonesome packet fell out several seconds later.
Ji Fanyin: "…"
Flipping the box over, she saw the label: Five packets . She recalled how she had stopped the car and instructed Chen Yunsheng to buy it, and her back felt even more sore.
Not bothering to put on a coat since her house was well-heated, she headed straight for the kitchen and saw Chen Yunsheng focused on his cooking. The way he skillfully prepared the ingredients looked effortless and pleasing to the eye. It also showed that his body wasn't aching like hers.
That left Ji Fanyin with some suspicions.
Does he recover fast simply because he's young?
Feeling perplexed, she stepped forward and greeted Chen Yunsheng, "Morning."
Upon hearing her voice, Chen Yunsheng turned around and immediately broke out into a radiant smile. "It's already two in the afternoon."
Unbothered by his comment, Ji Fanyin walked over and squeezed his upper arm. Chen Yunsheng was confused, but he relaxed his muscles and allowed her to do as she pleased.
Ji Fanyin moved on to rub his waist. At the end of which, she decided to flip his hoodie up.
Chen Yunsheng: "!"
Ji Fanyin was finally satisfied when she saw that her scratches and bite marks were still there.
I guess his metabolism rate is higher due to his young age, so he doesn't get tired that easily.
She put his hoodie back down and soothed it before asking nonchalantly, "When can we eat?"
"There are some dishes inside the thermal bag," Chen Yunsheng replied with as much composure as he could muster. "You can grab a bowl of rice and eat right away."
Ji Fanyin felt completely drained of energy. She rested her head on Chen Yunsheng's back and grumbled, "Tired. Can't raise my arm."
Chen Yunsheng softly defended himself, "I asked you if you were fine with it each time before carrying on."
Ji Fanyin: "…" Me and my darned obstinacy.
Probably because this was one of the rare times that he managed to render Ji Fanyin speechless, Chen Yunsheng let out a soft chuckle. He deftly lifted Ji Fanyin up on his back as he said, "I'll double confirm next time."
Ji Fanyin slumped on his back like a spineless fish.
I shan't squabble with a youth. Well, I guess his aftercare is on the dot. He bathed me, changed the bedsheets, and even prepared food.
… Wait a moment. Did I sleep too long, or does he sleep that little?
While slowly eating her meal, Ji Fanyin made up her mind to start working out again.
…
As an avid fan of cooking, Ji Fanyin's hobby was reflected in her huge kitchen. With all sorts of kitchen utensils in her arsenal, it was no surprise she had a dishwasher too. It was the latest model with all sorts of functions.
As Chen Yunsheng placed the bowls, plates, and pots into the dishwashers, Ji Fanyin casually asked, "Are you able to tell me now what happened after I left?"
Chen Yunsheng halted for a moment before asking, "What do you want to know?"
"Let's start from 'Ji Fanyin'." Ji Fanyin decided to first ask about the things she was the least worried about. "How is she?"
Till her last moment in that world, Ji Fanyin didn't know if 'Ji Fanyin' was still around. They only crossed paths while she was returning to her original world. Her will was written in vain since 'Ji Fanyin' was still alive, but at least her preparations weren't in vain.
"She became a national-level researcher," Chen Yunsheng said in admiration. "She became so famous that her name appears in the textbooks. My older sister and I would talk about her from time to time."
It was awkward for him at first, but it became easier once he started speaking.
"She became good friends with Cheng Lin. Zhang Ning is the same as ever, sharp and decisive. I doubt that anyone has really been able to take advantage of her. Li Mingyue took over Li Xiaoxing's position as the successor of the Li Family.
"As for Ji Xinxin, she has been staying in a nursing home. I visited her once, but she wasn't able to discern between her hallucinations and reality. Mr. Ji and Mrs. Ji didn't fare well either. They tried to sue the other 'Ji Fanyin' for a hundred million RMB, but the court rejected their demand…"
As Ji Fanyin listened to his stories, she soon noticed that Chen Yunsheng had only been talking about the women thus far, much to her amusement. However, she didn't interrupt him. She would occasionally acknowledge his words with a nod.
Only when he finally came to a stop did she mischievously ask, "What about the others?"
"Who else is there?" Chen Yunsheng asked with feigned composure as he began scrutinizing the buttons of the dishwasher.
Ji Fanyin squatted next to Chen Yunsheng and stared at him. "He Shen?"
Chen Yunsheng pursed his lips. Without turning around, he replied, "Filmed movies, did well."
Entertained by his response, Ji Fanyin continued asking, "Bai Zhou?"
"Inherited his family business. His father's illegitimate son tried challenging his position, but he was swiftly defeated." Knowing that it was futile, Chen Yunsheng decided to just pour everything out and get it over with. "Li Xiaoxing has been recuperating in a local hospital; I didn't pay him too much heed. Song Shiyu died young. It was his heart problem… Have I missed anyone out?"
Ji Fanyin pretended to spend a moment in thought. "There's one more."
"Who?"
"Chen Yunsheng." Ji Fanyin easily handled the dishwasher's settings with the press of a few buttons. She grabbed Chen Yunsheng's hand and said, "You haven't talked about Chen Yunsheng. I've heard bits and pieces from your boss and colleagues, but I want to hear from you."
"…"
"You said Song Shiyu died young?" Ji Fanyin gently pried open Chen Yunsheng's clenched fist. "What about you? You seem to know quite a lot."
For a brief moment, Chen Yunsheng's face revealed a 'Crap, I gave myself away' frustrated look.
After prying open his clenched fist, Ji Fanyin raised his hand up high and started comparing his palm size with hers. The direct comparison made it obvious that his hand was much larger than hers.
Ji Fanyin stared at it for a moment before tightly interlocking her fingers with his. At the same time, she nonchalantly urged him, "Continue on. Why aren't you saying anything?"
"… I don't have anything much to share…"
Ji Fanyin's eyebrows shot up. "You won't share your story with me?"
"… That's not it. You might not like me anymore once you know." Chen Yunsheng's voice was suppressed incredibly low. "I might not be able to call you big sis anymore."
"Because you're older?" Ji Fanyin prodded Chen Yunsheng's cheeks where his dimples usually showed.
His dimples really disappear without a trace when he doesn't smile.
Chen Yunsheng's head drooped lower and lower. "You might feel that I'm old…"
Is he averse to talking about himself just because of this?
Ji Fanyin kissed his finger and half-jokingly said, "Don't worry, I only look at appearances."
His skin felt hotter on her lips than she had expected, so she examined his finger and found that they were slightly red. It was almost as if he had just gotten scalded by something. Curious, she prodded his finger and soon concluded that it was the result of his rising temperature.
What kind of person would have his finger heat up when he's feeling nervous? He sure has the weirdest talents.
Ji Fanyin chuckled to herself as she rubbed Chen Yunsheng's fingers. "There's no rush. You can take your time. Did Shen Qi bring you here?"
Chen Yunsheng obediently opened up his fingers for her to fiddle with as he softly answered with an "Mm".
"You made a deal with him?"
"… I made a bet with him."
In the following hour, Chen Yunsheng told Ji Fanyin everything that had happened in his previous life. The timeline was all over the place; he poured out everything that came to mind, much like idle chatter.
It brought up many thoughts in Ji Fanyin's mind, the most important one being…
"So you have never dated before?"
Chen Yunsheng looked at her with intense eyes, only to lower his head in embarrassment a moment later. "I never thought of dating anyone aside from you."
Ji Fanyin added, "You lived an abstinent life."
"… Mmhm."
Ji Fanyin rubbed her sore waist.
Good. I cracked the case.
…
A mere day was all it took for the news that Ji Fanyin was dating a man outside the industry to explode on the internet. The studio swiftly released an official response, and movie fans offered them their blessings.
Chen Yunsheng scrolled through WeChat and saw plenty of online posts taking bets on how long he would last. "…"
Ji Fanyin was sprawled on his back, reading off the same phone screen. She commented in amusement, "You'll have to work hard so that we can get an all-kill, Lil' Chen."
Chen Yunsheng tabbed out his WeChat.
Ji Fanyin spotted a familiar app on his phone screen. Out of curiosity, she tapped on it and discovered that it was the same game she had downloaded and played back then.
But there's no way he would have been able to bring a phone from the other world over.
It had been half a year since she last played this game, so her hands were itching for some action. She swiped his phone over and embarked on the first stage while casually asking, "You remade it?"
"It has special meaning to me," replied Chen Yunsheng.
"Your first pot of gold?"
Chen Yunsheng shook his head. "This game is the reason why I approached you that day and became who I am. If I didn't participate in the production of this game; if you didn't play this game, I probably wouldn't have noticed you that day at the bus station."
Ji Fanyin had already cleared the first stage by then. She looked at him and asked, "You're saying that this is the token of our love?"
Chen Yunsheng was stunned. His ears soon started to redden again. "Shouldn't that be the key you gave me?"
Ji Fanyin teased him with a mischievous smile, "That's the one I gave you. Where's mine?"
Surprisingly, Chen Yunsheng did have something. He took out his laptop and showed Ji Fanyin a folder. "Here are all of the music copyrights I possess. Be it my past works or my future works, you'll have the rights to them too."
Ji Fanyin burst into laughter. "That would be worth a lot of money."
Chen Yunsheng pressed his lips together. "I know that you don't lack money, but my music compositions are the most valuable thing I can give you."
"No, it isn't." Ji Fanyin closed his laptop. "I told you. The most valuable and precious thing is your sincere heart."
"But there are other people who have sincere feelings for you too."
"Like who?" asked Ji Fanyin.
"… Like Bai Zhou." Chen Yunsheng quietly muttered a name that had bugged him for the longest of time.
He was particularly sensitive about that because Bai Zhou and him had similar personas.
Ji Fanyin put down the phone in her hand and chuckled. "Bai Zhou? Even if the person who came over to this world wasn't you but Bai Zhou, do you think that I would have allowed him into my house, use my kitchen, and sleep on my bed?"
Chen Yunsheng thought about it, and his dimples soon returned. "Shen Qi can't as well. It should be my privilege."
"Yes, it's your privilege." Ji Fanyin patted his head with a mirthful chuckle. She couldn't help but wonder what the future had in store for them.
Who knows? He might just be able to make an all-kill.
— THE END —
