Chapter 140: Player 12

Yu Liuxue was utterly shocked by what she just heard. Could it be that even NPCs in these melodramatic worlds could evolve?

She stared blankly at Nan Xu, who was smiling radiantly. Her eyes were like shimmering water, so beautiful that every frown and smile tugged at Yu Liuxue’s heart. Remembering her mission, Yu Liuxue couldn’t help but show a shy expression. She lowered her gaze with a soft smile. “Okay…”

Okay, my ass!

Tang Shiyu had just brought over a jacket to drape over Yu Liuxue’s shoulders, but she was so furious she nearly regained her memory on the spot. The weather lately wasn’t too cold, but the temperature difference between day and night was significant. Yu Liuxue was only wearing a thin sweater, and Tang Shiyu had been worried she’d catch a chill standing out on the balcony for too long. She had come all this way out of concern, only to overhear her assistant and her wife having such an earth-shattering conversation.

With a dark expression, Tang Shiyu pushed open the balcony’s glass door. Yu Liuxue and Nan Xu looked up at the same time. Upon meeting Tang Shiyu’s gaze, Nan Xu immediately looked away. “You two talk. I’ll be going.”

Yu Liuxue reached out, trying to stop her, but under Tang Shiyu’s oppressive glare, she cautiously drew her hand back. “???”

Weren’t we supposed to want both the fish and the bear’s paw? Female lead, how can you give up so easily? You have no willpower at all!

Yu Liuxue noticed the jacket in Tang Shiyu’s hand. She had originally wanted to soothe her, but then she remembered—wasn’t her mission to break this woman’s heart? So she gave a light snort and raised her chin defiantly, her tone self-righteous despite lacking any justification. “See that? Even without you, there are plenty of people lining up with love tokens to chase after me.”

“I’m so charming, even your assistant is hopelessly infatuated with me.” Yu Liuxue was practically glowing with smugness. She felt that all her recent nonsense had finally paid off. But before she could revel in her triumph for long, Tang Shiyu swiftly wrapped her in the jacket and pushed her into a corner. The cold aura radiating from Tang Shiyu instantly enveloped Yu Liuxue.

Yu Liuxue nearly forgot how to breathe. She squirmed a little in Tang Shiyu’s arms, then tapped her freshly kissed lips with her fingertip, frowning in displeasure. “You almost wiped off my lipstick.”

Tang Shiyu stared at her for a moment, then suddenly kissed her again.

The two of them didn’t return for a long while. Mi Rou glanced worriedly toward the balcony and asked Nan Xu, “Why aren’t they back yet?”

Could it be that she’s seducing Tang Shiyu again under the cover of darkness? Mi Rou thought bitterly to herself. She had never seen such a wild and unrestrained pregnant woman before. Oh well, it was the final three months anyway. Let Jian Yin indulge her one last time.

The welcome banquet had originally been arranged by Yu Liuxue for Mi Rou, but Yu Liuxue herself only showed up right when dinner was about to start. And when she did appear, her hair was messy, her clothes disheveled—anyone could tell at a glance that she had been secretly up to something indecent.

Tang Shiyu sat beside her, expression unchanged, posture upright and proper. Yu Liuxue didn’t even glance at her. Her eyes bounced between Nan Xu, Lu Ling, and Mi Rou. She rubbed her belly with a beaming smile. “Once these four babies are born, we’ll each get one! Everyone gets a share!”

Mi Rou: “…” What do you think this is, a phone plan bonus?

Tang Shiyu stared at her expressionlessly, but Yu Liuxue paid her no mind. She stroked her belly with a melancholy look. “These four little ones are wearing me out. They’re fighting in there every day. Do you think they’re fighting over who gets to be Mommy’s favorite?”

Tang Shiyu nearly blurted out, “Fighting over what, my ass!” Jian Yin can’t possibly be carrying more than three babies! No more than that!

And they’re all mine!

Just thinking about this made Tang Shiyu narrow her eyes and cast a dangerous look at Nan Xu. Nan Xu gave her a gentle smile, as if completely unaware that Tang Shiyu had already uncovered her shameless little scheme. She even turned slightly to ask, “CEO Tang, is there still work left to finish?”

Tang Shiyu sneered inwardly. This woman was clearly trying to use work as an excuse to send her away so she could sneak around with her wife.

To think she had trusted her so much before. She never expected this. Truly never expected it! You can’t judge a book by its cover, and you can’t measure the sea with a bucket. This woman nearly fished away both her wife and her children in one swoop.

Tang Shiyu was in a terrible mood, and that mood persisted all the way until after she had showered and climbed into bed with Yu Liuxue. Yu Liuxue grew anxious when she saw her lying there motionless. The final trimester was about to begin, and it was just as important as the first. That meant she’d soon be back to a life of strict abstinence. These next few days were her last chance to indulge.

Tang Shiyu held a book in her hand, but her mind was elsewhere. She kept thinking about when exactly Nan Xu had started having feelings for her wife. When had she begun pretending to like her just to throw her off guard, while secretly sneaking around with Jian Yin? Could it be… from the moment she woke up with amnesia, Nan Xu had been acting in front of her?

What a scheming woman! So deep, so calculating!

A woman like that absolutely couldn’t be kept close, especially not near Jian Yin.

She was just about to call someone to transfer Nan Xu to a remote branch office when a sudden gust of wind brushed past her ear. Tang Shiyu instinctively turned her head, stunned to see Yu Liuxue glaring at her with narrowed eyes.

She dodged it?

No matter. Yu Liuxue immediately switched to a spoiled, domineering tone and stared at her darkly. “Tang Shiyu, are you thinking about Nan Xu again?!”

“You stared at her the whole time during dinner, even making eyes at her. What’s your deal? Are you trying to piss me off so I’ll miscarry, and then you can run off and live happily ever after with her?” Yu Liuxue spoke so fast it made Tang Shiyu’s ears ache and her brain throb. Here we go again.

Tang Shiyu couldn’t take it anymore and asked, “Then what was that conversation between you and her on the balcony? You…”

Yu Liuxue quickly seized the upper hand. “What do you mean, ‘what conversation’? If you can flirt with her, why can’t I exchange a few meaningful glances? She’s one of the mothers of the babies in my belly!”

A vein throbbed on Tang Shiyu’s forehead. She seriously began to consider whether she should take Jian Yin to see a psychiatrist. Why did she keep insisting she was carrying babies from multiple women?

Suddenly, her eyes widened in disbelief. Could it be… during that time, she had slept with all of them?!

And she… had been turned into the Hulunbuir Grassland?!

Tang Shiyu was still reeling from the shock when Yu Liuxue furrowed her brow. Why wasn’t this working? Even after all that provocation, there was no reaction? Was this tactic no longer effective?

Yu Liuxue blinked, then excitedly rolled up her sleeves. “I never thought I’d live to see the day I’d be the one forcing myself on someone!”

【System】: “…” You really only dare bully this paper tiger¹ with amnesia.

Tang Shiyu hadn’t even recovered from her daze when she suddenly felt a pair of hands grab her collar. As she instinctively raised her hands to stop the other woman, her clothes were violently torn apart. Then Yu Liuxue closed her eyes and kissed her.

Tang Shiyu was horrified, but her hands obediently wrapped around Yu Liuxue’s waist.

The scent on Yu Liuxue’s body was as sweet as ever. With a single breath, it felt like she was surrounded by a sea of blooming flowers. Her hair and skin exuded a fragrance that overwhelmed Tang Shiyu, leaving her stunned and unable to react.

Yu Liuxue thoroughly ravaged her lips, but when she noticed Tang Shiyu still hadn’t responded, she wiped her mouth and asked the System in existential doubt, “Could it be… I’m the problem?”

The System immediately cheered her on. “Host, a heartbreaker can’t say no!”

Greatly encouraged, Yu Liuxue promptly pushed Tang Shiyu down. Tang Shiyu finally realized what Yu Liuxue was trying to do. “?”

Could it be that Nan Xu had already won her heart and was now in a spiritual relationship with her, while she herself had been reduced to nothing more than a vessel for base desires? Just a lowly tool?

Tonight, Yu Liuxue had taken the initiative. Tang Shiyu had struggled hard to regain the upper hand. She clutched her chest, dazed and flustered, staring at the pristine white ceiling. She had actually been forcefully taken by Jian Yin—a pregnant woman with a big belly who usually toppled over from the lightest push, like a porcelain doll.

Even though she had eventually regained control, Tang Shiyu couldn’t help but cover her mouth, on the verge of tears. She looked nervously at the sleeping Yu Liuxue. Wasn’t it said that women in their forties were like tigers? Why did it feel like this twenty-something Jian Yin was too…

The next day, Tang Shiyu finally found out what had happened. After seeing the marks on Yu Liuxue’s body, Mi Rou immediately stopped Tang Shiyu, who was about to leave for work. Her tone was stern and brooked no argument. “Jian Yin is in the final critical stage of her pregnancy. Even if you want it again, you’ll have to hold back.”

Tang Shiyu felt utterly wronged. It really hadn’t been her yesterday. It was clearly Jian Yin—Jian Yin had picked a fight with her first, then suddenly and without warning, pounced on her.

Mi Rou noticed the faint shimmer in her eyes and frowned in disgust. “It’s just a few months of abstinence. Is that really worth crying over?”

Tang Shiyu gave a faint smile. “…” What do you know? These are tears of joy.

Although Yu Liuxue usually acted without rhyme or reason, when it came to following rules, she didn’t miss a beat. She never again tried to force herself on Tang Shiyu, but she became very fond of teasing her. Every evening, when Tang Shiyu dragged her exhausted body home from work, Yu Liuxue would have a delicious meal prepared and everything neatly arranged. Then, once Tang Shiyu climbed into bed, Yu Liuxue would immediately snuggle up with her big belly. Sometimes she kissed her on the lips, sometimes she deliberately brushed her waist, or ran a hand along her thigh.

With every touch, Tang Shiyu’s breathing grew more ragged. Yu Liuxue clearly enjoyed it, grinning from ear to ear every night as she watched Tang Shiyu struggle to restrain herself, practically bursting with glee.

Tang Shiyu often wanted nothing more than to just take her right then and there, but the sight of Yu Liuxue’s swollen belly always made her fall silent. Most of all, whenever she tried to settle the score, Yu Liuxue would snuggle into her arms with a pained expression and say pitifully, “My belly feels so tight and uncomfortable.”

“And I threw up several times again today.”

Thanks to Mi Rou’s care, Yu Liuxue wasn’t lacking in nutrition, but her face still thinned visibly, though the puffiness made it hard to tell. Tang Shiyu’s heart softened instantly. She gently held Yu Liuxue in her arms, awkwardly massaging her hands, legs, and back. “Feel a bit better now?”

She had secretly learned this from Mi Rou.

Yu Liuxue blinked. “Being a mom is really tough.”

Just as Tang Shiyu thought she was about to launch into a heartfelt monologue, Yu Liuxue suddenly changed tone. “If it weren’t for these damn babies I mysteriously ended up pregnant with, I could’ve already had wild nights with two hundred gorgeous women by now.”

In this world, she hadn’t accomplished anything—just spent all her time being pregnant. Once she gave birth, she was determined to live it up, so wild she wouldn’t need oars to row the bed—her sheer aura would do the job!

Tang Shiyu: “?”

Time passed in this daily teasing, and Yu Liuxue was due for another prenatal checkup. Her future mother-in-law was particularly attentive to the babies, so she arranged for the most reputable doctor at the best hospital to examine her. Early that morning, Tang Shiyu, Mi Rou, and even Nan Xu showed up uninvited to accompany Yu Liuxue to the appointment.

Though it was a new hospital, Yu Liuxue wasn’t nervous at all. She strolled in like she was walking through her own backyard.

The hospital director personally came out to greet her. Yu Liuxue was flattered and shook his hand, then asked anxiously, “Director, is it okay that I’m carrying four babies from three different women all at once?”

The director, a man seasoned by years of experience, was momentarily stunned by her outrageous statement. “?!”

He instinctively glanced at Tang Shiyu, then noticed the subtle expressions on the faces of the women accompanying Yu Liuxue. He immediately understood. Glancing at her belly, he heard Yu Liuxue add, “They fight in there every day and won’t listen to a word I say.”

The director chuckled. “Fighting? Fighting out of boredom?”

He figured his friend’s daughter’s wife probably had a few screws loose, so he didn’t press the issue. He casually asked, “Have you looked at your prenatal test results?”

A confident voice replied, “No.”

So what if it was four babies? As long as there were no major issues, it was fine. She was already thinking about which baby would call which NPC ‘mom.’

The director: “…”

Since the family members didn’t react, the director kept his mouth shut too. Maybe this was just their… dynamic.

The babies were healthy, but before they left, the director repeatedly reminded Yu Liuxue, “Watch what you eat, stay active, eat healthy, and don’t snack on random things.”

Although the due date was still a while off, her mother-in-law had already booked a delivery suite, just in case anything unexpected happened. Lu Ling, Mi Rou, and Nan Xu even sat down together and peacefully prepared everything needed for the birth and postpartum care.

Ever since that night when Nan Xu had spoken those earth-shattering words, she had been playing both sides—openly expressing her affection for Tang Shiyu while also being incredibly gentle and attentive toward Yu Liuxue. She took over everything Mi Rou hadn’t yet done for Yu Liuxue. What Mi Rou couldn’t do, she did. What Mi Rou overlooked, she covered. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say she treated Yu Liuxue like a living deity.

Yu Liuxue couldn’t help but feel a little guilty. “The female lead is being so good to me, and I’m still deceiving her like this.”

The System thought, At least you’re aware. But just as that thought crossed its mind, Yu Liuxue clenched her fist with conviction. “Once I give birth, I’ll be the first to use my body to apologize to her!”

The System died on the spot. Honestly, this might be even worse…

When Tang Shiyu returned from a business trip, she was greeted by a picture-perfect scene of domestic bliss. She couldn’t help but feel confused. This was clearly her home, yet everyone else acted more natural here than she did—each one more like the host than the last. She felt like the outsider.

Nan Xu heard the commotion and turned to smile. “CEO Tang, make yourself at home.”

Tang Shiyu paused, ignored her, and walked straight over to Yu Liuxue, who was lying on the sofa reading. She glanced at the book and saw the title: Postpartum Care for Sows.

Tang Shiyu: “?” Was this an indirect insult to her or to herself?

Yu Liuxue noticed Tang Shiyu’s arrival too. She couldn’t move much, so she flipped the book face down and clutched her belly. “I think I’m about to give birth.”

Tang Shiyu immediately tensed up. Sure enough, not long after, her water broke. Fortunately, Mi Rou was well prepared and rushed her to the hospital right away. Soon after, Tang Shiyu’s parents, Jian Yin’s parents, and a whole group of people arrived at the hospital in a panic. Tang Shiyu waited outside, her emotions complicated. Jian Yin’s child was already being born, yet she still hadn’t regained her memories.

She couldn’t help but feel lost. How exactly was she supposed to remember everything from before?

While she was lost in her wild thoughts, the doors of the operating room finally opened. Tang Shiyu was the first to rush toward the doctor. “How is Jian Yin?”

The doctor removed his mask. “Everything went smoothly.”

Tang Shiyu immediately charged inside, followed closely by Mi Rou and Nan Xu. Yu Liuxue lay on the hospital bed, her face pale as she asked the doctor, “How many did I give birth to?”

The doctor looked up at her. “You gave birth to loneliness.”

Yu Liuxue was instantly filled with question marks: “???” What happened to the promised pack of wolves and tigers?

Next to her lay a single baby girl, all alone. She seemed to have been startled by the noise of the people entering and was now crying at the top of her lungs, her voice thunderous and earth-shaking. Yu Liuxue was nearly scared to death by the baby’s wailing. The doctor glanced at the child again. “Looks like she got plenty of nutrients in the womb.”

Yu Liuxue burst into tears. Of course she did! She thought she was carrying several babies, so she desperately stuffed herself with nutrients—only for this little brat to absorb it all.

Weren’t baby girls supposed to make your belly look smaller? Then why was hers so huge?

Mi Rou and Nan Xu had already gathered around. The elders entered as well, fussing over Yu Liuxue while trying to calm the especially noisy little girl. Only Tang Shiyu stood awkwardly in a corner, completely out of place, her face blank with shock.

Suddenly, she looked up at Yu Liuxue on the hospital bed, then quickly turned and walked out of the room.

Her whole body was trembling. If one looked closely, they would see the shimmer of tears in her eyes. She never imagined there would come a day when she could be reborn! At this point in time, Jian Yin was still alive—and even pregnant with her and Mi Rou and Nan Xu’s… What a mess. Tang Shiyu paused. No matter whose child it was, as long as Jian Yin gave birth to it, she would raise it with all her heart.

Tang Shiyu sat alone on a bench in the hospital garden, covering her face as she cried from overwhelming emotion. Back then, she had been too clueless about love, and Jian Yin had been too stubborn. That’s how they ended up missing out on each other for so many years. If she hadn’t gone to break up with Jian Yin, then Jian Yin wouldn’t have gotten into the car accident, and Nan Xu wouldn’t have had the chance to step in.

It was all her fault that things spiraled out of control.

She had never felt anything for Nan Xu. So after regaining her memories, she kept her distance from her. She couldn’t stand Nan Xu’s deception, nor could she forgive her own mistakes. But even so, she couldn’t bring Jian Yin back. When she learned of Jian Yin’s death, she was wracked with regret. She wanted to prove that her love had always been genuine. So she never married, never even looked at another woman.

She knew Jian Yin would be watching her from the heavens, so she often burned incense and prayed, begging Buddha to let her see Jian Yin one more time.

By the time she had wealth rivaling a nation, she was already old. Power, money, and women were nothing but fleeting clouds to her. Yet even at the end of her life, when she saw the line on the monitor flatten into a straight one, Jian Yin still hadn’t returned.

She never expected that the heavens would grant her a second chance—a chance to make things right!

The System detected an anomaly in Tang Shiyu. After a careful scan, it suddenly let out a surprised “Huh?” and stared seriously at its massive database. “Someone’s been reborn?”

Not only that, but Tang Shiyu’s brainwave activity repeatedly showed signals related to the Host. The System rubbed its eyes, then stared at the data for a long time. Once it confirmed that the unremarkable data connection wasn’t from the client Jian Yin, but from the Host, it couldn’t help but wonder—when did Tang Shiyu meet the Host? Could it be that a fragment of her past soul had awakened?

But those signals quickly vanished without a trace. The System had no way to investigate further, so it made a mental note to remember this anomaly.

Tang Shiyu disappeared for two whole days. No one knew where she went. Yu Liuxue, holding her baby while lying in bed, frowned in displeasure and asked the System, “She didn’t run away at the last minute, did she?”

“Even though I talk nonsense all the time, this baby really is hers, you know!”

The System thought to itself: She’s busy adjusting to life after rebirth. Who has time to deal with your little baby?

Overwhelmed by joy, Tang Shiyu didn’t know how to face the person she had yearned for her entire life. So she wandered home in a daze and slept for a day. When she woke up the next morning, she stared at herself in the mirror for four straight hours before finally coming to her senses. She went out to get her hair and skin done, then bought a mountain of new clothes. Standing helplessly in her walk-in closet, she picked outfit after outfit, determined to appear before Jian Yin looking her most beautiful and radiant.

The closer one is to home, the more timid one becomes. Though she missed Jian Yin so much it drove her mad, Tang Shiyu still couldn’t bring herself to step through the hospital doors.

Until a day later, when she arrived holding a massive bouquet of fiery red roses, dressed in a white suit that made her look elegant and gentle. Her long hair was carefully styled, and every detail of her makeup had been meticulously planned, making her face look flawless.

Tang Shiyu clutched the engagement ring tightly in her hand. She stared at the bustling crowd ahead, but her feet felt rooted to the ground. Just then, someone punched her hard. Furious, she turned around—only to see her own brother. Tang Xiuyi snorted coldly, then gave her a fake smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “If you don’t keep your wife in check and she keeps trying to seduce my wife, I swear I’ll make you pay!”

Tang Shiyu was stunned. “?” What on earth?

Jian Yin would never do something like that!

But now that she’d been caught holding flowers and a ring, Tang Shiyu had no choice but to follow her brother into the hospital. Tang Xiuyi was there to pick up Mi Rou. Yu Liuxue was already out of bed and slowly walking around to help with postpartum recovery. The older women were all nearby, encouraging her.

Tang Shiyu looked at that petite figure, watching her clumsy but determined steps, and her gaze softened.

That was the woman she loved. The one she could never forget, even in death. She was the gentle, luminous moonlight that lived in the deepest part of her heart—the other half of her soul that she could never live without.

Tang Shiyu tightened her grip on the bouquet. All she had to do now was walk through that door, give her the flowers, kneel down on one knee, and present the engagement ring she had prepared. Then she could finally have her forever.

Taking a deep breath, Tang Shiyu’s trembling fingers reached for the door.

But the moment she pushed it open, a thunderous, earth-shattering fart rang out. “Bu——”

Short and powerful, like it could shatter the windows.

Yu Liuxue instantly froze in embarrassment. Everyone had told her she needed to pass gas after giving birth², but she hadn’t expected it to be so loud—and right as Tang Shiyu walked in. She turned her head and locked eyes with Tang Shiyu…

The two stared at each other in silence.

Then, like spectators in a martial arts drama, the elders suddenly burst into loud applause. “Bravo! Well done! What a fart—loud and proud! A once-in-a-lifetime masterpiece!”

Tang Shiyu stood frozen at the door, stunned.

Her white moonlight…?

Translator’s Notes