Chapter 145: Jiang Lai and Shen Ruxue

Shen Ruxue’s original name was Chi Yingxue, and there was only a one-character difference between her and her younger sister. In the moment she died and closed her eyes, all she felt was endless darkness. Shen Ruxue didn’t know how much time had passed; by the time she regained consciousness and could gradually sense her surroundings again, everything was no longer the same.

Before she lost consciousness, her hand was tightly held by her husband, her younger sister, and her daughter.

At that time, she had wished desperately in her heart for time to pass a little more slowly, hoping the heavens would give her just a bit more time. Every second in those moments, she wished could be counted in years.

Only then could she stay a little longer by the side of those she loved.

Shen Ruxue felt the heavens were so unfair. Her family was just heading toward happiness, so why did the heavens have to take everything away from her?

Yet all her regrets and dissatisfaction, in the moment her consciousness dissipated, all turned to smoke and vanished.

Until her awareness returned again, she found herself unable to control her body—her limbs wouldn’t move as she wished, her eyes were hard to open, but she was tightly wrapped in a warm quilt.

Shen Ruxue didn’t know her current situation, but as long as she still had consciousness, whether she had gone to hell or ascended to heaven, or even if she’d become a wandering ghost after death—

As long as she still had the sense of existence, as long as she could think, she was sure she would get to see her family again.

The very first moment after her rebirth, the only thought in Shen Ruxue’s mind was of Jiang Lai and the others. But as she pondered her current state, a pair of strong hands patted her back a bit too heavily.

“This child isn’t crying, is there something wrong? I’ve patted her several times, but she still doesn’t react at all.”

“Let me try. I know how to hit so it hurts but won’t injure her.”

Feeling the stinging slap on her back and hearing the words of the two women nearby, Shen Ruxue finally realized her situation.

She was a baby now?

Although the strength of the slaps was still within what she could tolerate, in her confusion, Shen Ruxue burst out crying loudly.

When she heard the baby’s wailing coming from her own throat, even the slowest-witted Shen Ruxue understood at last: she had become a newborn baby.

Rebirth—a thing that only happens in novels—had happened to her. With her heart filled only with thoughts of her family, Shen Ruxue did not consider this a good thing for herself.

Since even rebirth could happen, a huge worry surfaced in Shen Ruxue’s heart: was she still in her original world, and how was she going to find her family?

The first two years after her rebirth were the hardest and most unbearable time for Shen Ruxue. Unable to move freely, she simply couldn’t get the information she so desperately wanted.

Although she could piece together from snippets of conversation around her that this world was very similar—almost identical—to her original one, Shen Ruxue still dared not be certain in her heart. She was terrified of hoping too much, only to find out this wasn’t her world at all. What would she do then?

Not until Shen Ruxue could move freely did she search the computer for news about Jiang Lai and her younger sister, and finally confirm that she hadn’t been reborn into some chaotic world, but was still in her original world.

That instant, overwhelming joy filled her heart. Her husband, her sister, her daughter—all were waiting for her.

The urgent desire to return to her family filled Shen Ruxue’s heart. It had been the motivation and goal driving her for more than ten years: no matter the price, no matter her identity, she would return to her loved ones.

But this idea, which had kept her going for more than a decade, wavered in her heart. The reason was not that she no longer wanted to return home, but… did that home even need her anymore?

Did her daughter need a mother younger than herself?

Did her sister still need her protection as an elder sister?

And what about her husband, Jiang Lai? Did he still have a place for her in his heart?

Thinking of this, Shen Ruxue took a deep breath, her eyes growing red again. She inhaled deeply, but now was not the time for such thoughts; she had things to deal with in her current life.

As for her present family, Shen Ruxue was grateful to them for raising her. She would always remember their kindness in her heart, but only to that extent.

Her current family situation was complicated. The family she was born into now was a prominent clan; her Grandfather, the current head of the family, was also the Chairman of a vast corporation.

Even Shen Ruxue hadn’t expected to be a member of such a large family. Her parents were nearly invisible figures in the clan, so inconspicuous they didn’t even qualify to compete for the inheritance.

But even without access to the core interests of the family, just the scraps they could enjoy in daily life were things ordinary people couldn’t even imagine.

Shen Ruxue’s current parents had raised her with a hands-off approach. Sometimes, she even suspected they’d forgotten about her; she’d only see them two or three times a year.

No matter how wealthy, Shen Ruxue didn’t feel much genuine affection for them as parents. In fact, she was much closer to the nanny who’d taken care of her since she was little.

As for her parents before she died—Jiang Lai’s parents-in-law—Shen Ruxue had found many chances to secretly visit them. They were living well under Jiang Lai’s care, and seeing them still healthy and strong put her heart at ease.

No one could have imagined the burdens Jiang Lai had to bear. After Shen Ruxue’s death, she was left with a daughter who had just learned to talk, an underage sister-in-law still in school, and elderly parents from both sides who needed care.

All that pressure landed squarely on Jiang Lai’s shoulders. Both sets of parents were already old by then, and even their minor ailments had to be handled by Jiang Lai, who also had to visit and care for them.

Managing all this would be tough for two people, let alone just Jiang Lai.

Shen Ruxue, to this day, still didn’t know how her husband had managed to get through it all, step by step, to become the pillar everyone depended on.

Without her, their lives had only gotten better and better. Shen Ruxue was painfully aware that she had not fulfilled any of her duties as a mother, daughter, or sister—what right did she have to simply enjoy it all again?

Shen Ruxue wanted to go home, but she was afraid she had already become dispensable. That was the truly fatal thought.

When she realized her family might not need her anymore, it took Shen Ruxue a long time to pull herself out of that desperate mindset.

Whether she was still needed or not, Shen Ruxue decided to leave that question for the future. For now, she had the most troublesome Family Banquet of the year to deal with.

Now an adult, Shen Ruxue could control over 90% of her time as she pleased. Her parents were already transparent figures in the clan, and she herself had never attracted anyone’s attention.

Shen Ruxue was very satisfied with her current situation; this way, she didn’t have to get involved in any messy relationships. All she wanted to consider now was her old family—everything else was in the past.

But this banquet was mandatory for every member of the family. Even if Shen Ruxue didn’t want to attend, to avoid unnecessary trouble, she had to show up no matter where she was.

The Family Banquet was held every year on a Private Island, where it felt like spring all year round. Even in the coldest January, the lowest temperature never dropped below the teens.

At this moment, Shen Ruxue sat on the clean beach, gazing at the moonlit sea. On the other side of the sea was the home she longed for. She would have to stay here from New Year’s Eve until the fifth day of the new year.

Thinking of spending an entire week putting on a fake, polite smile for others made Shen Ruxue feel disgusted. She sat on the beach now because she couldn’t stand the fake warmth and greetings in the Banquet Hall and needed some air.

It wasn’t just Shen Ruxue’s family celebrating the New Year on this island. Anyone with close relationships or business interests would show up. The so-called Family Banquet was more like a gathering of interest groups, a place for ambitious people to show off in the Banquet Hall.

But all that was far removed from Shen Ruxue. She just wanted to live a peaceful life.

As Shen Ruxue sat quietly by the sand, waiting for the banquet to end, a tall figure appeared before her.

She looked up at the woman by the sea, glanced once, then looked away. She’d seen this woman introduced in the Banquet Hall: Si Yina, the only heir of the Si Family.

Unlike those with many rivals, she was the undisputed shining star, the center of everyone’s attention since birth, the person everyone in the Banquet Hall tried to curry favor with.

But the one everyone tried to cling to, Shen Ruxue treated as air—just a glance, and she was no longer interested, only slightly curious how Si Yina had managed to escape the crowd.

Her curiosity lasted only a moment, as she had no intention of interacting—but she couldn’t stop Si Yina from approaching her.

“Pretty lady, why are you sitting here so late at night?”

As Si Yina came closer, Shen Ruxue was first drawn to her stunning dress. A breeze carried over the scent of alcohol, and seeing the wine bottle by her side, she realized Si Yina was drunk.

Could Si Yina actually be a drunkard?

“I’m just here to get some air…”

Shen Ruxue replied politely, then got up to leave. She didn’t know that after she left the Banquet Hall, there had been a heated argument—because Si Yina’s preference for women had been exposed, specifically by someone tactlessly bringing it up.

Si Yina was too dazzling, attracting admiration and also jealousy. Anyone wanting to see her embarrassed would find no better way than exposing her secrets in public.

Si Yina handled everything with her nearly flawless appearance, until a jealous woman came forward, speaking sarcastically and exposing Si Yina’s orientation.

Liking women wasn’t a big deal—but Si Yina was an only child and the sole heir to a massive corporation. If she liked women, the entire family line would end. The consequences were monumental.

Si Yina’s parents, having heard some rumors, rushed over to confirm the truth.

As for Si Yina’s personality—once she set her mind on something, she rarely changed.

A fierce confrontation ensued. That Si Yina could still stagger out drunk was already the best result. At this moment, her heart was clouded to the extreme.

Si Yina sat here hoping to find someone to talk to about her feelings, right or wrong, but didn’t expect the person would just leave.

Frustrated, Si Yina stared out at the vast ocean, then lowered her head to open her phone and looked at the pinned number in her contacts.

It was just after midnight. Normally, no matter how willful she was, Si Yina wouldn’t call at this hour—even the most heartless person wouldn’t do something so outrageous.

But it was New Year’s Eve, and just past midnight. Even the earliest sleepers would stay up tonight, wouldn’t they?

With the intention of finding someone to talk to, Si Yina dialed the number…

“As long as you speak up, there’s always a solution. Haven’t we always gotten through everything this way?”

Back then, all the hardships they’d faced had been overcome together, supporting each other step by step.

“There’s nothing that can’t be solved—don’t you trust your brother-in-law? When have I ever lied to you…”

Chi Yingyu knew that if her brother-in-law promised something, he would keep his word. But even so, she couldn’t bring herself to bet on it.

How could she ask her brother-in-law whether she was more important than her own sister? She couldn’t ask that at all…

Just as Jiang Lai was hoping Chi Yingyu would share her worries, her phone, lying on the bed, started ringing.

Jiang Lai never expected her phone to ring at such a moment, making the recently eased atmosphere between them awkward again. Chi Yingyu, being closer to the phone, intended to pick it up and hand it to her brother-in-law so he wouldn’t have to climb back onto the bed.

But just as Chi Yingyu reached for the phone, Jiang Lai moved even faster, snatching it up in a near panic.

When she saw the number, the calm expression on Jiang Lai’s beautiful face instantly went pale—impossible to describe in words.

“Yingyu… wait here in the room for me. I’ll take this call and be right back.”

Jiang Lai gripped the phone tightly as if making some unspeakable decision, then left the room.

She could never have imagined that Si Yina would call her during the New Year. In the past, if Si Yina called, she wouldn’t even pick up—she’d just hang up immediately. But now… even though it was so late, she hesitated.

Once outside, Jiang Lai stared at her phone, her thoughts in chaos, not knowing whether to answer. But if she didn’t, would Si Yina use it to threaten her?

Whether she answered or not, Jiang Lai felt there was no good outcome. What she dreaded most was Si Yina causing trouble at such a time.

To keep the call secret, Jiang Lai wrapped herself in a thick down jacket after leaving her bedroom, knowing that her home was not a safe place for this conversation.

Even though it was freezing outside, Jiang Lai stepped out into the cold and answered Si Yina’s call.

“Happy New Year~~”

Jiang Lai, feeling the biting cold wind and clutching her jacket tighter, listened to the drunken voice on the other end, her mood hard to describe. “It’s so late—just get to the point, or I’m going to bed.”

“Don’t be so cold—I have good news to invite you to.”

Though the voice on the other end tried to sound proud and excited, Jiang Lai still caught the hidden hoarseness beneath the noise. At the very least, Si Yina’s current state was nowhere near as relaxed as she pretended.

But so what if she heard it?

Jiang Lai wouldn’t care about her mood. Her only concern was how to comfort her sister-in-law; nothing else mattered. Even if Si Yina cried to her on the phone, she wouldn’t be interested.

Not only would she not care, if she disliked someone, Jiang Lai wouldn’t even want to listen, finding it all just troublesome and irritating.

“What is it? If you want to use one of your three chances now, I hope you can delay it. I don’t want to argue with you during the New Year.”

“How did you know that’s exactly what I wanted to say? But whether you agree or not, shouldn’t you at least hear me out first?”

Si Yina’s ears were sharp; just hearing the howling wind over the phone, she knew Jiang Lai was not in her bedroom.

“Don’t rush me off so quickly. Since you’re already outside, why not talk to me a bit longer?”

“But I don’t want to talk to you.”

“But I do!!”

Drunk Si Yina was simply unreasonable. Even after being flatly refused, she stubbornly insisted on her own way.

“Book a ticket to Haicheng as soon as you wake up! I want to see you. Don’t worry, I’ll cover all your travel and island expenses.”

“Haicheng?”

Jiang Lai wasn’t sure if she understood Si Yina correctly. “That’s the southernmost city in the country, and it’s the New Year… Even if I wanted to go, could I even buy a ticket now?”

She only said this to make it clear she didn’t want to go. As long as Si Yina had any sense, she’d hear the refusal in Jiang Lai’s words.

But a drunk Si Yina couldn’t pick up on that—she just wanted someone to come and be with her.

After the huge fight at the banquet about her orientation, Si Yina was in a foul mood and needed someone to vent to.

“It’s fine, I’ll buy the ticket for you tomorrow. Just come keep me company for a day or two, that’s all I want. I promise I won’t lay a hand on you, and I’ll use up one of your three chances. Deal? I just want you to come, give me a hug, and chat with me.”

Right now, Si Yina desperately wanted someone who could understand her. On this Private Island, her loneliness had reached its limit, and Jiang Lai seemed like the only person she could talk to.

Even with such generous conditions, Si Yina could feel hesitation on the other end. She waited a long time, and though Jiang Lai didn’t answer, her hesitation and slowness were answer enough—even to a drunken Si Yina.

If soft words wouldn’t work, she’d have to get tough. “If you don’t agree, I’ll make your life hell. And if that doesn’t work, after these days I’ll go cause trouble for them—both that girl and her too…”

“That’s enough!”

Jiang Lai finally understood: Si Yina had found her weakness and could use it to threaten her any time.

Jiang Lai was utterly miserable now, wanting to curse at her, then hang up.

“If you dare touch them, I…”

Jiang Lai felt as wretched as she ever had; even if she wanted to sound threatening, she didn’t know how. If the other side simply broke her promise, what could Jiang Lai do in retaliation?

With the power dynamics so lopsided, she didn’t even have the chance to take the upper hand—she couldn’t even get out a harsh word.

“If you break our agreement and go after them, even if I can’t make you pay, I’ll make sure to bite a piece out of you.”

Jiang Lai knew well she didn’t have the strength to defeat the other, but she did have the courage to protect the people she cared about.

“I’ll do what you say—but you have to keep every promise you made me. I can’t make it tomorrow, but the day after tomorrow, alright?”

That was the soonest Jiang Lai could accept. Tomorrow was too soon; Xu Ruobing was still at her house, her sister-in-law’s problem was unresolved, and Jiang Lai wished she could split herself in two to handle it all.

Jiang Lai hung up. No matter how tightly she wrapped herself in her down jacket, she was still only wearing pajamas underneath and was already chilled to the bone; even the relatively cold living room now felt warm.

Sitting on the sofa, Chi Yingyu saw her brother-in-law return from outside, wrapped in her coat, face stiff with cold. Who could have called her out into the night like that?

Was it really something she couldn’t hear?

Jiang Lai saw her sister-in-law on the sofa and awkwardly took off her down jacket. It had only been a few minutes—how had Chi Yingyu come out already?

Chi Yingyu tiptoed over to Jiang Lai, moving lightly so as not to wake Xu Ruobing and Jiang Leyi in the other rooms. The rooms were well-insulated, but a noisy commotion could still be overheard.

So Chi Yingyu spoke softly, “Don’t take me with you next time—let me help you warm up, alright? Your face is all white from the cold…”

She didn’t ask who had called just now. Instead, she focused on her task, using her own warmth to heat up Jiang Lai.

Feeling the warmth from her sister-in-law’s body, Jiang Lai felt an inexplicable sense of comfort. Pressing her lips together, she thought of Si Yina’s demand that she go over. Going alone to a strange city—Jiang Lai really didn’t dare. But she couldn’t let Xu Ruobing find out, so she only had one choice left.

“Yingyu, would you like to go on a trip with me? Just the two of us.”