Chapter 129: Player 1

Police cars and uniformed officers surrounded the Tang Family’s villa, sealing it off completely.

A girl sat barefoot on the sofa, her long, slender legs pale and delicate. Her toes idly traced circles on the smoky gray carpet. Her thick, curled lashes cast shadows as they lowered in unison, and her lips, full and red like ripe cherries, were pressed together in a faint smile. If one looked closely, they could even spot a trace of amusement she was trying hard to suppress at the corners of her mouth.

Yu Liuxue had transmigrated into the novel “The Stand-in Lover” as the female lead Tang Shiyu’s delicate little fiancée, Jian Yin. “The Stand-in Lover” was a cliché and melodramatic story, but its intense emotional torment and physical suffering had won over a large readership, propelling it to the top of the site’s annual bestseller list.

Tang Shiyu was two years older than the supporting character Jian Yin. The two had grown up together—kindergarten, elementary school, middle school, high school, even the same university. They were rarely apart, so it was only natural that they got engaged right after graduation, with plans to marry within two years.

However, even an engagement couldn’t ease Jian Yin’s deep-seated insecurity. The Tang Family was a prestigious household known far and wide, and countless girls dreamed of marrying into it. From childhood to adulthood, there had never been a shortage of girls around Tang Shiyu. Even if Tang Shiyu never responded to any of them, there were still hordes of admirers flocking to her like fish swimming upstream.

Jian Yin was extremely possessive. She couldn’t stand the thought of her fiancée being watched by so many people. It gave her a constant, gnawing fear that Tang Shiyu would be taken away. Under the weight of that fear, Jian Yin’s personality grew increasingly erratic and unstable. She would often go from calm to furious in the blink of an eye, dragging Tang Shiyu into arguments over the smallest things. At first, Tang Shiyu would patiently try to soothe her, but over time, her patience wore thin.

Now, whenever Jian Yin threw a tantrum, Tang Shiyu would simply stare at her with a blank expression, letting her vent however she pleased. Once Jian Yin calmed down, Tang Shiyu would quietly straighten her clothes, then turn and leave with her hands in her pockets, emotionless.

To Jian Yin, that coldness was unbearable.

Every time Tang Shiyu didn’t reply to a message on time, Jian Yin’s mind would spiral. She would imagine Tang Shiyu falling for someone else, already being with someone else. She doubted everyone who got close to Tang Shiyu and wished she could chase them all away with an electric fly swatter.

Tang Shiyu was supposed to belong to her, and her alone.

At first, Tang Shiyu had genuinely treated Jian Yin as her fiancée. But after years of constant conflict, she began to see Jian Yin as completely unreasonable. Whenever problems arose, Jian Yin would retreat into her own world and refuse to listen to a single word of explanation. To her, explaining meant guilt and wrongdoing, while not explaining meant silent admission and cowardice.

After two years of endless fighting, Tang Shiyu finally had enough. In a fit of frustration, she broke up with Jian Yin face-to-face. The shock caused Jian Yin to faint on the spot. Tang Shiyu had intended to walk away, since this wasn’t the first time Jian Yin had pulled such a stunt. But after a few steps, she sighed and turned back, calling an ambulance to take her to the hospital.

What she didn’t expect was that the hospital would discover Jian Yin had a heart condition.

Tang Shiyu didn’t dare tell Jian Yin the truth, afraid it would make her even more unstable. The doctor warned that Jian Yin couldn’t be emotionally agitated, so Tang Shiyu apologized and did everything she could to keep her calm and happy. But less than three months later, Jian Yin found out the truth.

Knowing her days were numbered, she cried day and night and became even more aggressive in her arguments with Tang Shiyu. “You’re just waiting for me to die so you can be with that Fox Spirit, aren’t you?! I saw it! I saw you drive her home!”

“Her head was resting on your shoulder, and she was smiling. You didn’t push her away. You even took off your jacket and covered her with it.” Jian Yin sobbed like a weeping willow in the rain, her pale lips trembling. “Tang Shiyu, I’m telling you, even if I die, even if I become a vengeful ghost, I won’t let her win!”

To Tang Shiyu, she was being completely irrational. The so-called Fox Spirit Jian Yin referred to was someone she knew—Nan Xu, a classmate from high school. Nan Xu had been dragged to a drinking party by her male manager and nearly harassed. As her boss, Tang Shiyu had felt sorry for her and offered her a ride home. Who would’ve thought Jian Yin would twist the situation so wildly?

In the past, Tang Shiyu might have tried to explain everything clearly. But looking at Jian Yin’s hysterical face, she suddenly didn’t feel like explaining at all. After so much fighting, she was exhausted and had lost all hope in the fiancée she had grown up with.

In truth, Jian Yin’s hysteria wasn’t without cause. The girl who had rested her head on Tang Shiyu’s shoulder was none other than Nan Xu, the other female lead in “The Stand-in Lover.” Nan Xu had been their classmate in both high school and university. Back in high school, Jian Yin had once heard from her deskmate that Nan Xu had cornered Tang Shiyu in an alley and confessed to her.

Jian Yin had been furious, ready to storm over and confront Nan Xu on the spot. But her deskmate had stopped her in time. “Jian Yin, you don’t have any proof. Don’t do anything rash. Otherwise, everyone will just think you’re making a scene.”

Back then, Jian Yin still had some sense and managed to swallow her anger.

But every time she saw Nan Xu, it felt like a fishbone was stuck in her throat. So she openly told her friends not to speak to Nan Xu or acknowledge her existence. She would deliberately hold Tang Shiyu’s hand and walk past Nan Xu, savoring the look of disappointment on her face. Every time she saw that expression, Jian Yin felt a twisted satisfaction, like she had finally gotten revenge.

After high school, Jian Yin thought she would never have to see Nan Xu again. But then she discovered that Nan Xu had applied to the same university and even chosen the same major as Tang Shiyu—though she wasn’t ultimately accepted. Jian Yin had her own studies to focus on, and since her and Tang Shiyu’s departments were on opposite ends of campus, she couldn’t keep an eye on her all the time.

Yet somehow, whenever she was deeply focused on something, she would always hear news that Tang Shiyu and Nan Xu had appeared at the same place at the same time.

No matter how much she tried to lie to herself, she couldn’t ignore the truth. Once could be a coincidence. But ten times? Twenty? A hundred?

Eventually, rumors began to spread on campus that Tang Shiyu had broken up with Jian Yin and gotten together with Nan Xu. Jian Yin was so furious she nearly ground her teeth to dust. After analyzing the situation with her roommates, she began to understand—Nan Xu was doing it on purpose. She was trying to push Jian Yin out of the picture so she could have Tang Shiyu all to herself.

But Jian Yin would never let her succeed.

She had sworn it in her heart. But every time she saw Tang Shiyu, all her reason would be swallowed up by rage. The more she tried to control her emotions, the more she ended up fighting with Tang Shiyu. After every argument, she would be filled with regret, wanting to apologize but too proud to do it. And so the misunderstandings piled up, one after another, until they became impossible to untangle.

Jian Yin hated her own cowardice and uselessness. So she simply curled up and cried, thinking, “Fine, let it be this way.”

She began to numb herself with studying. Jian Yin was a medical student. She had originally been admitted with the highest score in her major, ranking first in the entire program. But due to personal emotional entanglements, her grades plummeted to the bottom. Fortunately, through her hard work, she managed to reclaim her spot at the top.

As soon as Nan Xu heard about it, she panicked.

Her strategy was: first, sabotage Jian Yin’s grades, then replace her as the campus belle¹ of the medical school and become a renowned figure in the university. Second, provoke the jealousy buried deep in Jian Yin’s heart. Jian Yin had a fiery temper—if she argued with Tang Shiyu even once, Tang Shiyu would grow a little more tired of her. Over time, that frustration would build up until the day Tang Shiyu grew completely sick of her. Meanwhile, Nan Xu would gently win Tang Shiyu over, and naturally take Jian Yin’s place as Tang Shiyu’s girlfriend.

Her plan was perfect. Although there were a few bumps along the way, the final outcome was more than satisfactory.

She seized the four years of university to become close friends with Tang Shiyu, sharing everything with her. After graduation, she directly joined Tang Shiyu’s company, carefully creating opportunities to win her sympathy. When a woman begins to feel sorry for another woman, she instinctively pulls her into her own circle and does everything she can to protect her.

Tang Shiyu was exactly that kind of person.

Every time Nan Xu encountered danger or trouble, Tang Shiyu would instinctively step in to help. As this happened again and again, the two became increasingly close, to the point where rumors began to circulate within the company.

Nan Xu was very pleased with how things were going.

Especially when she saw the scratch marks on Tang Shiyu’s neck—her heart bloomed with joy. She couldn’t help showing a look of concern. “CEO Tang, what happened to you?”

Tang Shiyu was already irritated. She frowned and waved her hand. “It’s nothing.”

Nan Xu gave a bitter smile, her voice low and sorrowful. “CEO Tang, is it because of me? Did Jian Yin misunderstand our relationship? Is that why she argued with you?”

“I’m sorry. It’s all my fault. I didn’t expect things to turn out like this.” Nan Xu gently bit her lower lip. “Actually, I’ve always wanted to be friends with Jian Yin, but she’s always so fierce toward me…”

The more Tang Shiyu listened, the more annoyed she became. She waved Nan Xu away. “Nan Xu, I want to be alone for a while.”

Nan Xu immediately panicked and said quickly, “CEO Tang, I know this is all my fault. Please don’t fight because of me anymore, okay? I’ll keep my distance from you from now on. If it really doesn’t work, I can go talk to Jian Yin myself and explain everything…”

“No need,” Tang Shiyu interrupted her. “Just go.”

After Nan Xu left, Tang Shiyu sat there, clutching her head in frustration. A sense of retreat began to take root in her heart. Not only was she not happy being with Jian Yin, Jian Yin wasn’t happy either. If that was the case, maybe it was better for them to part ways and find their own happiness.

Maybe after leaving her, Jian Yin would meet someone truly right for her and live a life even happier than when she was with Tang Shiyu.

After a month of agonizing over it, Tang Shiyu finally made up her mind. She planned to talk things through with Jian Yin as peacefully as possible. But this was a melodramatic novel, after all. Just as Tang Shiyu was heading to the Jian Family to do so, she was suddenly in a car accident. Her car was hit and overturned by an out-of-control truck. Blood spilled everywhere. Though she was rushed to the hospital in time and saved, she lost all her memories.

She couldn’t remember her name, nor her identity. The only thing she remembered was that there was something very important—something about marriage—that she needed to tell another woman. As for what exactly that was, she didn’t know. She only had a vague impression that the other person was a young, beautiful girl.

As soon as Nan Xu got word of the accident from within the company, she rushed to the hospital and stayed by Tang Shiyu’s side day and night, caring for her without sleep. Sure enough, when Tang Shiyu woke up, she saw Nan Xu and found that she matched the image in her heart perfectly. Instinctively, she assumed Nan Xu was the woman she couldn’t forget, even in her amnesia.

With Nan Xu bringing her tea and meals, caring for her meticulously, even shedding tears when she saw the gruesome wounds during bandage changes, Tang Shiyu became more and more convinced that Nan Xu was the one she had been looking for.

After a few days together, Tang Shiyu gradually developed feelings for Nan Xu.

When Jian Yin heard the news and rushed to the hospital, she saw her fiancée smiling brightly and tenderly at Nan Xu—the very woman who hated her to the bone. Her fingernails dug deep into her palms. She pushed the door open and stormed in, slapping Nan Xu hard across the face. “Shameless!”

She raised her hand for a second slap, but was suddenly shoved aside. Caught off guard, she fell to the floor. Stunned, she looked up—and when she saw Tang Shiyu standing protectively in front of Nan Xu, her face full of displeasure, she broke down. “Tang Shiyu, what is the meaning of this?!”

“Do you not want to marry me anymore?!”

Jian Yin didn’t know what had happened. She thought Tang Shiyu would still be like before—not one to coax her, but at least not someone who would speak to her so harshly. But today, that familiar face seemed to have changed completely. Tang Shiyu looked at her coldly and said, “You’re overthinking it. How could I possibly marry a crazy woman like you?”

Jian Yin felt like she had been struck by lightning. For a long moment, she couldn’t even react.

Behind Tang Shiyu, Nan Xu gave her a victorious smile.

Jian Yin trembled all over, her lips quivering, her face full of disbelief. Yet deep down, a part of her felt like maybe this was how it was always meant to be. She felt like she was the extra one, the third wheel who had come between Tang Shiyu and Nan Xu. Looking at the two of them, so deeply in love, Jian Yin climbed to her feet expressionlessly. She leaned against the wall, feeling that everything before her was unbearably ironic.

“Fine, Tang Shiyu. I wish you happiness.”

As she slammed the door and disappeared from view, Jian Yin crouched down outside, covering her face and sobbing uncontrollably. She had always known this day would come, but she had still held onto hope for Tang Shiyu. She had always believed that Tang Shiyu wouldn’t abandon her, that they would bicker and argue their way through life together. But…

In the end, she had been wrong.

She returned home with a heart full of despair, fell gravely ill, and never recovered. She spent her days in sorrow and gloom.

Tang Shiyu had been her everything. She was her entire world. Now that Tang Shiyu was gone, Jian Yin no longer knew what meaning her life had.

After being discharged, Tang Shiyu gradually recovered with the female lead by her side. Nan Xu was highly competent. Staying close to Tang Shiyu, she gradually became her most capable assistant. She would prepare in advance to prevent any mishaps in Tang Shiyu’s work. She would take time to cook porridge and meals, nursing Tang Shiyu back to health. Her display of the perfect, gentle wife made Tang Shiyu begin to seriously consider marrying her.

But then, all of a sudden—

Tang Shiyu’s memory returned.

Nan Xu’s deception—pretending to be Jian Yin—was exposed. Tang Shiyu frowned, thinking of all the care Nan Xu had given her during this time, and asked calmly, “Why didn’t you tell me the truth?”

Although Nan Xu was panicking, she quickly came up with an excuse. “I’m sorry, Shiyu. It’s all my fault. I know I shouldn’t have done this. I’ve wanted to tell you the truth more than once, but… but every time you smiled at me, my heart just melted. Shiyu, I like you. I’ve liked you for seven whole years. So even if it was just a fleeting moment of happiness, I still wanted to have it.”

She sobbed uncontrollably. “I’m sorry. I just couldn’t bear to watch the person I love most smile at another woman. I couldn’t bear to see you holding another woman so intimately in your arms.”

Tang Shiyu’s temples throbbed violently.

She took a deep breath, her mind filled with the image of Jian Yin collapsing to the floor, utterly despondent. She knew Jian Yin was prone to tears, so even without seeing it, she could imagine just how hard she must have cried that day. The thought made Tang Shiyu’s heart suddenly grow restless. Jian Yin had a weak heart. If she’d been triggered again because of this…

She couldn’t sit still any longer. She grabbed her suit jacket and rushed to the Jian Family’s home.

Nan Xu chased after her, but even though Tang Shiyu was running in high heels, she vanished in the blink of an eye. Nan Xu stood helplessly at the office door, tears streaming down her face.

Why did Tang Shiyu recover her memories so quickly? Couldn’t she have stayed amnesiac for a few more years?

When Tang Shiyu arrived at the Jian residence, the heavy black-and-white decor stabbed painfully at her eyes. She stared blankly at the black-and-white photo in front of the mourning hall. “Auntie, Yin Yin… what happened to her?”

Jian Yin’s mother had already found out the truth. She could never come to terms with her daughter’s death from depression, so she said nothing. Instead, she immediately had someone throw Tang Shiyu out of the house. Standing on the steps, she said coldly, “Our Jian Family is just a small household. We’re not worthy of mingling with your kind of prestigious clan.”

The sound of the door slamming shut was deafening to Tang Shiyu’s ears.

Tang Shiyu had never imagined that Jian Yin would leave her. In her mind, she kept seeing that solemn face in the funeral portrait, tinged with illness. A flood of regret surged in her heart.

Jian Yin became a knot in her heart.

And in the eyes of others, she became Tang Shiyu’s eternal white moonlight².

Though some speculated that Nan Xu and Tang Shiyu were already together, more than ten years passed and the two never got married or registered their relationship. Even after Tang Shiyu became a fabulously wealthy Overbearing CEO, her profile still listed her as single and unmarried.

Nan Xu had always been proud of her beauty, but she knew deep down that the only reason Tang Shiyu kept her around despite everything was because her smile bore a slight, three-part resemblance to Jian Yin’s.

And even that three-part resemblance had taken her ten full years to master.

To outsiders, she was Tang Shiyu’s confidante, the woman most likely to become Mrs. Tang. But only she knew that it would never happen in this lifetime.

After reading the story summary, Yu Liuxue’s foot-tapping came to an abrupt stop. “…?”

“Why is this story even more melodramatic than all the previous ones?”

The System immediately replied with utmost respect, “Because recently, there’s been a retro trend sweeping through the System world. Host, I also have a script where the male lead digs out the female supporting character’s kidney to give it to the female lead. Would you like to try that one?”

Yu Liuxue shuddered on the spot. “No thanks, I’ll stick with this one.”

“This time, the supporting character must have a ton of wishes, right?” Yu Liuxue asked.

Watching another woman steal Tang Shiyu’s heart, receiving her unconditional love and meticulous care—anyone would be furious, even if they weren’t the one involved. If it hadn’t been for Nan Xu, perhaps Jian Yin could have reconciled with Tang Shiyu and lived happily ever after. Instead, she ended up lying alone in bed day after day, sinking into sorrow, and ultimately dying of depression.

Who could stand watching happiness within reach get snatched away by another woman?

If it had been someone with a worse temper, she’d have clawed that woman’s face off.

“Host, you guessed wrong this time.” The System puffed out its chest proudly. “This time, the client has only one wish. And it’s very simple.”

Yu Liuxue’s interest was piqued. “Oh? Let’s hear it.”

Jian Yin couldn’t possibly be some kind of saint, planning to forgive the female lead and bless her relationship with Tang Shiyu, right?

The System cleared its throat. Then, in a serious and precise tone, it said, “The client never got to have Tang Shiyu’s body. So her wish is: get Tang Shiyu’s body, and then dump her!”

Yu Liuxue dug at her ear in disbelief. “???” What kind of wild, savage wish was that?

The System explained, “The client suddenly had a moment of clarity. She realized that she and Tang Shiyu really weren’t suited for each other. So she decided to let go—for her own sake and for Tang Shiyu’s. She wants to entrust you with living a new life: date a different woman every day, savor the sweetness of love, and as soon as you get bored, move on to the next one. Then fall in love again.”

After a pause, the System added, “The client said that meeting you was a kind of fate. So she wants you to live freely and never wrong yourself.”

Yu Liuxue: Confused.jpg

A strange new piece of knowledge had been unlocked.

“Alright!” Yu Liuxue was delighted. “If every client from now on is this understanding, life would be perfect!”

At this moment, Yu Liuxue had just entered the story at the point where Jian Yin had a huge fight with Tang Shiyu, and Tang Shiyu had been missing for over ten days. Her phone couldn’t be reached, and everyone around her said they hadn’t seen Tang Shiyu in days. Worried for her safety, Jian Yin had panicked and called the police. A whole squad of officers had shown up.

A righteous old police officer sat across from Yu Liuxue, with an assistant beside him taking notes, and countless NPCs collecting samples and inspecting the villa.

Yu Liuxue’s mind was entirely occupied with the client’s mission. She was already planning: once this was over, she’d head straight to a bar to meet a long-legged beauty, then spend a wild, passionate night together—not getting out of bed for three days and nights.

She was so deep in thought that she completely tuned out the officer’s questions.

The old officer glanced at his assistant, who immediately knocked on the table, exasperated. “Miss Jian, please take this seriously!”

“If you keep grinning like that and don’t give us any leads, we won’t be able to help you find your girlfriend, who’s been missing for half a month!”

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Translator’s Notes

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1. campus belle: A common term (xiàohuā, 校花) in Chinese schools and universities referring to the most beautiful and popular female student. ↩
2. white moonlight: A popular Chinese romance trope (bái yuè guāng, 白月光), referring to an unattainable, perfect first love or lost love who remains idealized in the protagonist’s memory. ↩