Chapter 143: Player 15

Is it me who’s gone crazy, or has the whole world lost its mind?

Tang Xiuyi suddenly felt incredibly bitter. It was already bad enough that his sister’s wife was seducing his own wife, but now he was getting scolded by both his wife and his sister at the same time. Was there no justice left in this world? Was that little Fox Spirit who gave birth to a kid, Jian Yin, really that amazing?

Tang Shiyu and Nan Xu sat facing each other. Their last conversation about the acquisition had ended in disagreement. Now, half a month later, Nan Xu had somehow managed to double her company’s business like she was on cheat mode. But even that couldn’t stop Tang Shiyu’s determination to acquire the Nan family company and make Nan Xu work under her for the rest of her life.

To her, this was the fastest way to redeem herself in Jian Yin’s eyes, and also the best way to defeat her romantic rival and prove her own strength.

“CEO Tang, long time no see. I hope you’ve been well,” Nan Xu said with a gentle smile, her voice laced with teasing. “Last week, I happened to run into Xiao Yin on the street. I only meant to say a quick hello, but she warmly invited me out. I couldn’t possibly refuse, so I ended up spending a whole day with her at the amusement park.”

Tang Shiyu’s knuckles gave a soft crack. She smiled faintly, her eyes narrowing with ill intent. “Is that so.”

“But I doubt CEO Nan will have such free time in the future.” She reached out her hand, and her secretary immediately placed a contract lightly into her palm. Tang Shiyu casually tossed it in front of Nan Xu. “Nine hundred million.”

“I believe, faced with bankruptcy, CEO Nan would much rather sign this contract.”

Nan Xu remained composed. She picked up the contract unhurriedly and skimmed through it quickly, her expression unchanged. “Naturally.”

She signed without hesitation. Only after closing the contract did she let out a breath and say with a radiant, intimate tone, “It’s my honor to provide some formula money for Xiao Yin and Yuyu.” She gathered her things and stood up. “CEO Tang, rest assured. I’ll set aside our differences and work hard with you, to become the strongest harbor in Xiao Yin’s life.”

Tang Shiyu: “?” About to die of rage, and she was the one who got reborn.

Tang Shiyu knew Nan Xu would stop at nothing when it came to love, but she hadn’t expected her to be this insane. To protect someone else’s wife and someone else’s child, she was actually willing to give up the business her ancestors had built with blood, sweat, and tears. Tang Shiyu quietly thought to herself: if she were Nan Xu’s ancestor, she’d probably be so furious she’d burst out of her coffin just to crack open her skull and see what the hell was going on inside.

Thanks to Nan Xu’s provocation, Tang Shiyu was in a terrible mood the entire day. As a result, everyone in the company was terrified to discover that their once gentle CEO Tang had become decisive, ruthless, and vicious. Just last week, a young woman had accidentally wandered into her office and was immediately fired on the spot.

While panic spread through the office, Tang Shiyu sat in her office eagerly waiting for Yu Liuxue to show up unannounced.

She knew Jian Yin didn’t trust her and constantly suspected her of cheating with other women. In her previous life, Jian Yin used to storm into the company all the time, yelling and making scenes. Back then, Tang Shiyu hadn’t yet seen through Nan Xu’s schemes, so she often got caught red-handed, making Jian Yin cry and run out of the office every time. In this life, Nan Xu had left the company early on, and Tang Shiyu was finally on the verge of redeeming herself in Jian Yin’s eyes. She absolutely wouldn’t let any other women come between her and Jian Yin.

But she waited over fifty days. Not only did Jian Yin not come to check on her, she was out partying and living it up.

Tang Shiyu sat on the sofa, frowning. A few nights ago, she had dropped all kinds of hints to Jian Yin, but Jian Yin acted like she didn’t understand a word and completely ignored her. She looked around her office. It was empty, minimalist, and cold—completely devoid of any warmth.

Suddenly, she understood.

After finishing her work, Tang Shiyu immediately picked up her phone with a pitiful expression. “Yinyin, you haven’t come to the office to see me in two months. I want to eat your braised pork.”

Yu Liuxue was trying on new shoes. When she heard this, she blinked and didn’t think much of it. “I’ll come by in a bit.”

Ever since she had given birth, Tang Shiyu’s attitude toward her had done a complete 180. No matter how unreasonable or argumentative she got, Tang Shiyu never got angry. Every time she pinned her down in bed and punished her thoroughly, she would always be incredibly gentle afterward, kissing and coaxing her. It was like she had turned into another Lu Ling.

Yu Liuxue had tested her several times, and the results showed she had been overthinking things.

Tang Shiyu rarely asked for anything, and when she did, it was something this trivial. Yu Liuxue immediately ran home, tied on an apron, and personally cooked her favorite braised pork. The little one was being well taken care of by the nannies and had grown into a chubby, rosy-cheeked, porcelain doll of a baby. She looked like a little fairy untouched by the mortal world, with big, dark, grape-like eyes that looked just like Tang Shiyu’s.

Before leaving, Yu Liuxue kissed the baby and said to the System with a self-satisfied tone, “This child must have saved the entire galaxy in her past life. That’s the only reason she could be born as my daughter in this one.”

“She’s so lucky. Just counting moms, she already has six.”

The System perked up. “How did it become six again?”

“Oh, I just met a girl today. She said she liked me and wanted me to be her sugar mommy.” Yu Liuxue smiled blissfully. “Her background is so tragic. She’s so beautiful and smart, but because she’s poor, she has to work part-time jobs. Her grades have plummeted, and on top of that, she’s constantly harassed by disgusting men. How could a kind-hearted fairy like me just stand by and watch her suffer, right?”

“So I agreed on the spot…” Yu Liuxue paused for a few seconds before continuing, “to sponsor her tuition for both college and grad school.”

The System let out a long sigh of relief: “……”

Yu Liuxue hadn’t stormed into the company in quite a while, so the employees found it odd. Seeing her suddenly show up today, and thinking about CEO Tang’s recent volatile behavior, everyone instinctively backed away and respectfully watched her open the door to Tang Shiyu’s office.

The door opened a crack, revealing the scene inside. Everyone craning their necks to snoop was instantly dumbfounded as they stared at the massive family portrait behind the boss’s desk—two meters tall and three meters wide, taking up nearly the entire wall. A full-blown family-of-three photo.

Yu Liuxue was nearly blinded by her own giant photo. She stood at the doorway, her feelings complicated. Even someone as quick-witted as her didn’t know what to say for a moment. Tang Shiyu heard the commotion and immediately stood up. With her long legs, she crossed the room in a few strides and stopped in front of Yu Liuxue. Yu Liuxue noticed the look in her eyes—clear and cool, but tinged with a hint of anticipation, like a good student waiting for praise from the teacher.

Yu Liuxue: “……”

What was this…? She suddenly couldn’t make sense of Tang Shiyu’s bizarre behavior. Before she could respond, Tang Shiyu explained, “Family and children are the entire motivation and support behind my work. To give you and the baby a better future, I had our photo printed and hung on the wall of my office. Whenever I feel tired or drained, just one look at this photo fills me with energy again.”

The eavesdropping employees collectively dropped their jaws. Since when did CEO Tang become the devoted-wife type? And what about Nan Xu? Did she just get heartlessly tossed aside like that?

Yu Liuxue suddenly understood, but the first thing she said was, “Won’t Nan Xu be angry if she sees this?”

Tang Shiyu clenched her back teeth. As soon as Yu Liuxue left, she immediately ordered her secretary to run several errands.

Tang Shiyu suddenly summoned Nan Xu, insisting she had something important to discuss. Nan Xu didn’t suspect a thing and brought her people straight into Tang Shiyu’s office. But the moment she looked up, she froze mid-step, her emotions surging with complexity. The once pristine white walls were now completely covered with large and small photos of Tang Shiyu, Yu Liuxue, and the child. Even the smallest photo was at least half a meter tall. At first glance, the sight was utterly overwhelming.

“Sorry to make you laugh,” Tang Shiyu said with a bright smile. “I just miss my wife so much. The moment I leave her, I feel empty and drained. I had no choice but to surround myself with her beauty at all times.”

Nan Xu: “…” Are you insane?! You called me here just to show off that your office is plastered with Jian Yin’s photos?

Nan Xu pressed her lips into a smile. “I understand how you feel, CEO Tang. Back when Xiao Yin gave me a ring, I wore it every day and didn’t dare take it off. Seeing the ring felt like seeing her. With Xiao Yin’s presence, even work became enjoyable, as if she were always by my side.”

Tang Shiyu quietly clenched her fists, her expression calm as she countered, “Exactly. Luckily, after work every day, I can still go home and cuddle under the covers with my wife and whisper sweet nothings.”

She lifted her eyelids slightly. “President Nan, I hope you’ll find your destined one soon too.” So you’ll stop trying to steal my wife every day.

Nan Xu gave a charming smile. “Xiao Yin is that person. If CEO Tang doesn’t mind…”

“I mind.”

Nan Xu: “…”

From that day on, rumors of Tang Shiyu’s crazy antics spread throughout the company. But not only did Tang Shiyu not feel ashamed, she took pride in it. She even encouraged employees to compliment Jian Yin more often—it was more effective than flattering Tang Shiyu herself. One employee once accidentally bumped into Tang Shiyu and dirtied her suit. In a panic, the employee blurted out a stream of praise for Jian Yin. Tang Shiyu immediately forgave her and even smiled and praised her for doing well.

Some smaller companies, hoping to secure a partnership, even spent ten minutes at the negotiation table praising Jian Yin. Tang Shiyu didn’t even look at the proposal before agreeing to the deal and signing the contract on the spot.

In less than a month, the whole world knew that Tang Shiyu had become a wife-obsessed maniac.

But no matter how glorious Tang Shiyu appeared outside, the moment she stepped into her home, she instantly became the most humble woman in the house. She ran around tirelessly for Yu Liuxue and their child without a single complaint. When Mi Rou occasionally came to visit, she looked at Tang Shiyu—who resembled a border collie—with the same expression as an old man on the subway staring at his phone.

Mi Rou couldn’t help but sit beside Yu Liuxue and point at Tang Shiyu. “What happened to her? How did you train her to be so obedient?”

Yu Liuxue smiled faintly, her eyes sparkling as she turned to look at her. “Sister Mi, if you’re that curious, why don’t you come to my bed tonight? I’ll tell you everything, in full detail.”

As she finished, she even winked at Mi Rou and threw her a flirtatious glance.

Unfortunately, this scene was caught by Tang Shiyu. In an instant, Mi Rou felt a sharp gaze pinning her in place. When she instinctively turned her head and saw Tang Shiyu’s jealous, unhappy face, she thought, “…”

You little brat, by age alone, you should be calling me ‘big sister.’

Mi Rou thought the saying “birds of a feather flock together” was spot on. Crazy people really do attract other crazies. Tang Shiyu was one, and so was Nan Xu. She didn’t know why these two, who once had ambiguous feelings for each other, had suddenly turned against each other over Jian Yin, but she had absolutely no interest in finding out.

Mi Rou quickly found an excuse to leave. Only then did Tang Shiyu’s expression ease a little. She hurried over to Yu Liuxue’s side. “Yinyin, was she trying to seduce you just now?”

Yu Liuxue stared into her eyes for a moment, then straightened her back and replied, “No, I was seducing her.”

The next day, her back gave out and she couldn’t straighten it again. Yu Liuxue sat on the sofa with a miserable expression. “System, I still think there’s something wrong with Tang Shiyu.”

“Could she be another transmigrator, and her mission is to capture my heart?” Yu Liuxue mulled it over, then shook her head in disdain. “If she’s doing a mission like this, she probably wouldn’t even get a B rating.”

The System was momentarily speechless. It could only say, “She’s just Tang Shiyu. Nothing’s wrong.”

She was merely a reborn Tang Shiyu. But in the end, still Tang Shiyu.

Yu Liuxue lifted her eyelids slightly. Like hell I believe you. Who Tang Shiyu is, she knew all too well. Though she was suspicious, Yu Liuxue hadn’t found any evidence yet, so she temporarily suppressed the unease stirring in her heart.

The wedding date between Yu Liuxue and Tang Shiyu was fast approaching. During this period, Yu Liuxue was busy trying on wedding dresses—nothing but wedding dresses. With a grand gesture, Tang Shiyu prepared dozens of gowns for her to wear during the photo shoot. Every time Yu Liuxue tried one on, Tang Shiyu would sit quietly on the nearby sofa, watching her with eyes full of tenderness, as if she wanted to etch that beautiful figure into her very bones.

But the more she watched, the more Tang Shiyu kept recalling how, before her rebirth, Yu Liuxue had thrown herself into the arms of her younger self. Back then, her eyes crinkled with laughter, her lips curved in a smile, her gaze bright and full of charm. Just thinking about those moments filled her heart with sweetness.

Yet ever since she was reborn, she hadn’t received that kind of affection again.

Tang Shiyu gently clenched her fingers. Was she still not doing enough? Her past self had been hot-tempered and foolish, but now she was calm, gentle, and considerate, putting Yu Liuxue at the center of everything. Didn’t she deserve at least a kiss or a hug in return for all her efforts?

After trying on the last dress, Yu Liuxue turned around and immediately noticed something off about Tang Shiyu’s expression. Sure enough, the moment they got in the car, she was pinned to the seat. Tang Shiyu held her tightly, nuzzling against her as she unbuttoned her clothes one by one with one hand. “Yinyin, have I been too busy with work lately and neglected you?”

Yu Liuxue thought for a moment, then shamelessly replied, “Mm.”

Afterward, Yu Mosaic-Liuxue deeply regretted it, while a very satisfied Tang Shiyu gently pulled her clothes back into place. “Yinyin, it’s been a long time since you took the initiative with me.” She paused, then pressed her nose against hers with a pitiful look. “You didn’t used to be like this. You used to kiss me, hug me, rub against me.”

All the good stuff had been claimed by her younger self. After spending a lifetime praying to be reborn, she hadn’t even gotten a taste of the benefits.

Could it be that Jian Yin only liked her younger self?

Did I just get cheated on by myself?

The more Tang Shiyu thought about it, the more jealous she became, and she couldn’t help but bully Yu Liuxue a second time. Yu Liuxue brushed the hair from her face, utterly confused. “???”

And that wasn’t the end of it. A few days later, Tang Shiyu discovered that even little Yuyu didn’t like her. Every time she got close, the child would cry and fuss, leaving Tang Shiyu scrambling to calm her down. It wasn’t until Yuyu cried herself to sleep that peace was restored. Tang Shiyu originally thought Yuyu was like that with everyone—until Nan Xu shamelessly walked in carrying gifts and went straight to the child playing with toys.

Tang Shiyu sneered coldly in her heart. Just wait, you’re in for it.

As it turned out, the expected wailing and tantrums never came. The little one broke into a beaming smile the moment she saw Nan Xu, letting out a crisp, bell-like laugh. Tang Shiyu immediately grew jealous again. It was one thing for Jian Yin to prefer her younger self, but now even her own biological child didn’t like her, and was cozying up to her romantic rival right in front of her.

So what was the point of being reborn? Just to rush headlong into being cuckolded?

Tang Shiyu mentally jotted down a note in her little black book against the child. In the future, she would make sure to train her in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Let’s see if she still dared to smile at Nan Xu after that.

Nan Xu, holding the child in her arms, turned back casually and raised an eyebrow at Tang Shiyu, her smile laced with a hint of provocation. Tang Shiyu’s face darkened, and she immediately got up to make a phone call. Less than twenty minutes later, a large truck pulled up steadily at the door. Four workers carefully carried a massive picture frame into the living room and swiftly mounted it on the wall. It was the family portrait that was supposed to hang in Tang Shiyu’s office.

Tang Shiyu smiled faintly. “President Nan, don’t you think this photo is beautiful?”

Nan Xu glanced at Yu Liuxue, who stood on the stairs with a complicated expression, then lowered her eyes and smiled gently. “It is. I like it very much.”

Tang Shiyu grinned wider. “Since you like it so much, why don’t I reluctantly part with it and gift it to you? No need to be polite with me. I can call them back right now to deliver and mount it at your place. I’ll make sure you’re satisfied.”

Nan Xu: “…” Childish, much?

Yu Liuxue silently watched Tang Shiyu, then walked over and took the child from Nan Xu’s arms. Nan Xu immediately smiled and said, “Xiao Yin, didn’t you want the latest CD bag? I brought it for you.”

As she spoke, she picked up a gift box and handed it to Yu Liuxue, praising her without holding back. “Even if Xiao Yin carried a plastic bag, she’d still look stunning.”

Yu Liuxue instantly lit up with joy. “You’re making me blush.”

Tang Shiyu stared at the two of them chatting happily, sneering coldly inside. The very next day, in a fit of pettiness, she exiled Nan Xu abroad. She created a mountain of trouble for her, so much so that Nan Xu couldn’t make it back in time for Yu Liuxue’s wedding in June. Tang Shiyu finally breathed a sigh of relief and cheerfully awaited the start of the ceremony.

She was about to have her. The person she had begged for decades in her past life—this time, her dream was finally coming true.

A smile crept into Tang Shiyu’s eyes.

Far away in Africa, Nan Xu curled her lips in disdain. So what if they got married? As long as Jian Yin got divorced, she still had a chance.

You can run from the monk, but not the child. At least the child was hers.

The wedding was about to begin, but both Tang Shiyu and Tang Xiuyi’s faces darkened when they saw Yu Liuxue sobbing uncontrollably in Lu Ling’s arms. The siblings exchanged glances and started blaming each other.

“Why can’t you even handle your own woman?”

Tang Shiyu shot back with a blank expression, “Aren’t you the same?”

Tang Xiuyi: “…” That’s called respecting your sister-in-law.

After crying in Lu Ling’s arms, Yu Liuxue threw herself into Mi Rou’s embrace and continued bawling. Mi Rou, looking utterly defeated, held her while watching her blind date shoot her a look of scorn and storm off without a word. She was on the verge of tears herself. Just as she was considering pushing Yu Liuxue away, Yu Liuxue suddenly whispered, “Sister Mi, your blind date is two-timing—no, three-timing. She’s only with you for your money.”

Mi Rou lowered her eyes. Yu Liuxue blinked and smiled brightly. “Sister Mi, I’m the only one in this world who truly loves you. So, Sister Mi… how about crashing the wedding later?”

Mi Rou: “…” I knew you were up to no good.

Yu Liuxue’s much-anticipated melodramatic wedding-crashing scene never happened. The ceremony proceeded smoothly. When the diamond ring slid onto Yu Liuxue’s finger, she couldn’t help but glance at Mi Rou and frantically tried to signal her. But Mi Rou immediately averted her gaze and said to the person beside her, “The weather’s really nice today.”

Yu Liuxue, disappointed, looked away and said to the System, “System, why don’t you turn into a woman and crash the wedding yourself?”

The System shut down on the spot.

Yu Liuxue: “…”

After the wedding, Yu Liuxue officially became Mrs. Tang. But she couldn’t muster any joy. As Tang Shiyu removed the decorations from her hair, she discreetly observed her expression. Seeing her downcast face, Tang Shiyu grew jealous again. Was Jian Yin missing her sister-in-law? Or Mi Rou? Or maybe even Nan Xu, who was still in Africa?

She suddenly felt so wronged. It was bad enough being jealous of herself, now she had to be jealous of others too.

A night of passion was worth a thousand gold coins¹, and Tang Shiyu stretched that night into a full twenty-four hours. The moment Yu Liuxue got up, brushed her teeth, and finished breakfast, Tang Shiyu scooped her right back into bed. She claimed it was the irresistible passion of newlyweds, but in truth, she just wanted to exhaust Yu Liuxue so she wouldn’t have the energy to think about other women.

When Tang Shiyu finally left for work, Yu Liuxue let out a long sigh of relief. She couldn’t help but ask the System, “Are all childhood sweethearts in melodramatic novels such beasts?”

The System thought for a moment and answered seriously, “Not really. Perhaps it’s because your methods of stringing people along have started to work, so things evolved into this.”

Yu Liuxue immediately corrected it. “I wasn’t stringing people along to make Tang Shiyu jealous. I genuinely want to be with all four of my baby’s moms.”

The System didn’t want to talk to her anymore and coldly slapped a “1V1” label across her face.

By the time Nan Xu finally made it back from Africa, Little Tang Yu was already three years old and had started kindergarten. Nan Xu first met up with Yu Liuxue for a proper meal and catch-up. During their chat, she learned that Little Tang Yu had a parent-teacher meeting the next day. Nan Xu blinked and picked up on Yu Liuxue’s hint. “I’ll come pick you two up after the meeting tomorrow.”

Yu Liuxue immediately beamed. “Great! That way Tang Yu can get to know you.”

After the meeting, Little Tang Yu held Yu Liuxue’s hand, tilting her head. Her eyes, which looked exactly like Tang Shiyu’s peach blossom eyes, blinked several times. “Mama, is Aunt Lu picking me up today?”

Yu Liuxue shook her head. “No, someone else today.”

Little Tang Yu blinked in confusion. When she looked up and saw Mi Rou’s car parked by the roadside, she immediately ran over happily. “Mama!”

The other kids in her class instinctively followed her voice with their eyes. “Tang Yu’s mom is so pretty.”

Before the admiration could fade, halfway through her run, Little Tang Yu suddenly spotted Tang Shiyu’s car. She paused for a moment, then joyfully ran toward her. “Mama!!”

The other kids: “?”

Just as Tang Shiyu was about to pick up Little Tang Yu, a pair of hands suddenly reached out and effortlessly scooped her up. The person said gently, “Tang Yu, don’t call everyone Mama. I’m your real mom.”

Tang Yu stared blankly at Nan Xu, whom she was seeing for the first time. “?” Sister, who are you?

Tang Yu’s classmates: “???”

Suddenly, they all came to a realization—oh my god! Tang Yu has four moms!!!

Translator’s Notes