Chapter 25
Shen Yishu placed the signed agreement into a document envelope, then found herself unsure where to put it.
There were certain clauses inside that Zhu Li could not be allowed to know about. Shen Yishu was not particularly close to her yet and did not dare take that risk.
Zhu Li was currently confirming several work-related matters with the lawyer. Ordinarily, those things should have been handled by a manager, but since the manager could not arrive anytime soon, Lawyer Li, who was also part of the team, had to handle them temporarily.
Before coming here, Zhu Li had thought that as long as she had not signed anything yet, she could at least complain to Shen Yishu about how heartless their garbage company had been.
But ever since the door opened, she had been too shocked to say much.
Before arriving, she had assumed Shen Yishu had casually pointed her toward some random job that might earn her money and might not even be reliable.
Now, with an employment contract from Ji Xiangyu’s personal studio in her hands, Zhu Li suddenly felt as though she were dreaming.
For an ordinary assistant who had only entered the industry a few years ago, joining the company of a top celebrity could be considered ascending to heaven in a single step.
From today onward, Shen Yishu was practically her second parent.
If Shen Yishu told her to go east, she would never go west.
While Shen Yishu was still hesitating over where to put the agreement, Ji Xiangyu suddenly leaned toward her and asked,
“Do you like this apartment?”
Shen Yishu did not know how to answer.
She could not bring herself to say that she disliked such an expensive home.
But if she said she liked it, that would not be entirely true either.
The style was too cold.
It felt like staying in a hotel—arrive with a suitcase, leave with a suitcase, and never form the slightest emotional attachment.
“If you don’t like it, I have another apartment in the city. Whichever one you prefer, we can stay there whenever we return to Beijing.”
Ji Xiangyu realized Shen Yishu was hesitating over how to phrase her answer.
“Living here feels too much like staying in a hotel,” Shen Yishu said tactfully.
She preferred a home with signs of ordinary life, somewhere that felt warmer and more lived-in.
“Next time we return, I’ll take you to stay at the other place,” Ji Xiangyu said softly, understanding what she meant.
“All right.”
“After we’re married, move into our home. You won’t need to return to the Shen residence.”
Ji Xiangyu lowered her eyes and spoke so quietly that only the two of them could hear.
Shen Yishu nodded.
She had no desire to speak with anyone from the Shen family again. In only the few days since transmigrating, she had already clearly realized that not one of them was decent.
Half an hour later, all four of them were inside the SUV, heading toward the Civil Affairs Bureau.
Lawyer Li did not dare let her employer drive, so she took the driver’s seat.
Zhu Li hesitated over where to sit, and Lawyer Li made the decision for her.
“Passenger seat.”
Zhu Li practically scrambled into the front seat and fastened her seat belt.
Ji Xiangyu and Shen Yishu sat in the back.
Each had their own thoughts, and they departed in silence.
Shen Yishu was somewhat nervous and even slightly dazed.
At this exact time yesterday morning, she had still been waking up inside a hotel near the production set.
Today, at this same hour, she was about to get married.
Unable to resist, she turned to look at Ji Xiangyu.
Ji Xiangyu was gazing out the window with a calm expression, revealing no emotion whatsoever, as though this were merely an ordinary commute to work.
Shen Yishu turned back and thought that a senior who had experienced countless storms was truly different.
It was only a fake marriage, not a genuine relationship between wives.
What was there to be nervous about?
What she failed to notice was that Ji Xiangyu’s fingers, hidden beside her body, were unnaturally scratching at her thigh.
By the time their car arrived at the Civil Affairs Bureau, Ji Xiangyu’s manager was already waiting in a nearby parking lot.
Because of Ji Xiangyu’s special identity, they could not take their photographs at an ordinary studio nearby. Her manager had therefore brought a trusted photographer.
The moment she saw Ji Xiangyu step out wearing a mask, she could not stop herself from nagging.
“How could you register a marriage so casually? Every day, I hear other managers complain about their artists acting recklessly, and I always thought you had your own plans. But once you finally act recklessly, you do something enormous. And you even chose someone who only just entered the industry and already has scandals. You really…”
After finishing that long string of complaints, she noticed Shen Yishu behind Ji Xiangyu.
“…”
She awkwardly fell silent.
Shen Yishu followed Ji Xiangyu innocently and pretended she had heard nothing.
Ji Xiangyu ignored her manager completely.
Her manager simply talked too much. Once she said a few sentences, she would eventually return to business.
“Go take the photographs.”
The manager released a long sigh, feeling that her profession required extraordinary psychological resilience.
“I’ll keep watch for you.”
She had already cleared the area before they arrived. Apart from the people they had brought, only the photographer remained at the studio.
The glaring lights switched on, and Ji Xiangyu and Shen Yishu sat side by side.
“Closer together.”
The photographer frowned and directed them to move nearer.
This was Shen Yishu’s first time sitting so close to Ji Xiangyu in front of an outsider, and she inevitably became nervous.
She shifted to the right, while Ji Xiangyu moved to the left.
They had already signed the agreement and done everything else required. Only the certificate remained.
Neither woman wanted to make a mistake at this final stage.
They could hardly release their marriage photograph someday only for everyone to ask whether the marriage was fake.
That would defeat the original purpose of getting married.
Their shoulders finally touched, bringing them close enough.
The photographer’s frown deepened.
“Are you here to get married or merely take a photograph together? You both look more miserable than my neighbor after losing a hundred thousand yuan in mutual funds.”
Shen Yishu thought she looked rather happy.
She glanced sideways at Ji Xiangyu.
After a full night, the pheromone scent surrounding Ji Xiangyu had long since disappeared. Only her faint natural fragrance and the scent of her hair remained.
Her expression was cold, without the slightest hint of a smile.
Shen Yishu could only ask softly, “Sister?”
Ji Xiangyu: “…”
Her thoughts had wandered far away, and she had rarely become so distracted that she forgot to manage her expression.
“Think about something happy involving the other person,” the photographer said bluntly. “If you’re genuinely unhappy, then don’t get married.”
Shen Yishu suddenly remembered the brief pleasure of the previous night.
Yet in the end, what came to mind was Ji Xiangyu tearing apart her IOU and telling her she was priceless.
Ji Xiangyu, meanwhile, remembered the first time they met, when Shen Yishu had said,
“Sister, this may hurt a little. Bear with it.”
Smiles appeared on both their lips.
The shutter clicked, freezing the moment.
The photographer lowered his camera with a sigh and criticized them.
“Now you finally look like two normal people in love. Your expressions are much better. Why get married if it makes you so unhappy?”
Ji Xiangyu’s manager nodded rapidly beside him, agreeing repeatedly.
Zhu Li stood nearby clutching her bag, frightened out of her mind.
She felt as though she had returned to the moment when Shen Yishu interfered in the conflict between Ji Xiangyu and Jiang Wu.
She was terrified that Ji Xiangyu might become displeased, fire Shen Yishu, and dismiss Zhu Li along with her.
When they left the studio, Shen Yishu walked at the back and quietly asked Ji Xiangyu,
“Sister, are you unhappy?”
Ji Xiangyu shook her head.
Resolving the enormous problem of her heats was already something worth celebrating.
She was merely somewhat afraid of walking into the future beside another person.
Once the photographs were developed, even the manager fell silent.
Ji Xiangyu’s beauty was usually too sharp and commanding. Very few people could avoid being overshadowed when photographed beside her.
Yet in this marriage photograph, that sharpness had miraculously softened.
The smile on her lips was genuine rather than the practiced expression she used for work.
Her manager even somehow detected a trace of affection within Ji Xiangyu’s dark eyes.
Shen Yishu was younger and less capable of hiding her emotions. Her smile was more open and appeared completely heartfelt.
Whether judged by appearance or presence, the two women looked extraordinarily compatible.
Even though the manager did not like Shen Yishu at all, she had to admit that purely in terms of appearance, they suited each other remarkably well.
The marriage registration process also went smoothly.
Every required document had already been prepared, including their pheromone compatibility report.
The entire procedure passed without difficulty.
While their marriage certificates were being printed, Shen Yishu finally received a call from the Shen family.
Seeing that the contact name had already been changed to Shen Gaozhuo’s full name, she frowned and answered.
“Xiao Shu, go apologize to the Ji family.”
Shen Gaozhuo did not even bother with a falsely affectionate greeting.
“I’m not going.”
Shen Yishu walked toward a quieter corner.
In the distance, newly married couples held their certificates happily. Their genuine smiles influenced Shen Yishu, softening her tone slightly.
Shen Gaozhuo mistakenly believed the softness in her voice came from fear.
He sighed.
“Is what happened between you and Best Actress Ji real?”
Ji Xiangyu approached while holding two red booklets.
Before answering the call, Shen Yishu had shown her the screen, so Ji Xiangyu knew someone from the Shen family was calling.
She said nothing and merely placed one of the booklets into Shen Yishu’s hand.
Her fingertips lightly brushed Shen Yishu’s palm, leaving it faintly numb and tingling.
Shen Yishu lifted her eyes and met Ji Xiangyu’s gaze.
“It’s fake. Someone is spreading rumors.”
Shen Gaozhuo still believed Shen Yishu was the same fool who obediently listened to everything they said.
He intended to follow the same strategy her company had considered.
“You could tie yourself to Ji Xiangyu and use the scandal for publicity. Once you become famous, Ji Xiangyu will have to beg you.”
His reasoning was simple.
The Ji family could push the scandal from behind and use it to threaten Ji Xiangyu, while the Shen family could take advantage of the situation and profit.
“I already said we’re ordinary colleagues. I still have to film with her this afternoon. Threaten her? I’m lucky she hasn’t kicked me out of the production.”
Shen Yishu denied everything.
“Film? Your company already terminated your contract. What are you still filming?”
Shen Gaozhuo sneered, convinced that Shen Yishu was hopelessly useless.
“Then pay my penalty for me. You should at least let me finish this drama.”
Shen Yishu’s voice sounded innocent.
When she turned around, she happened to meet Ji Xiangyu’s teasing gaze.
“Go apologize to the Ji family, and I’ll pay for you.”
Shen Gaozhuo was furious at Shen Yishu’s response.
He knew nothing about what had happened the previous night.
He only knew Shen Yishu had angered Ji Wenbin, who had then demanded that Shen Gaozhuo control her—or else the Shen family would suffer.
No matter what, Ji Wenbin was still part of the Ji family.
He could use this matter to threaten Ji Xiangyu. Once she submitted, he could immediately clarify everything.
But if he revealed the matter between Shen Yishu and Ji Xiangyu to outsiders and they exploited it, the situation might become impossible to explain.
Ji Wenbin did not care much about Ji Xiangyu’s reputation.
However, if the scandal became serious enough to damage the Ji family’s name, Ji Wenrui would not remain uninvolved.
As long as a father’s punishment of his daughter appeared reasonable, Ji Wenrui would not intervene.
“I’m not going. Why should I apologize to him?”
“If you refuse, I’ll freeze your cards. You can pay every penalty yourself. The moment you’re willing to apologize, I’ll restore them.”
Shen Gaozhuo was nearly driven mad by her stubbornness.
He could already imagine Ji Wenbin calling him useless if he failed to handle this matter.
“You live on my money and spend my money. I’ve given you plenty over the years. After your parents died, wasn’t I the one who took care of you? What’s wrong with asking you to lower your head once?”
The angrier Shen Gaozhuo became, the more recklessly he spoke.
Something in his words suddenly seemed wrong to Shen Yishu.
She tentatively pretended to become angry.
“That money belonged to my parents. What does it have to do with you?”
Even if she guessed incorrectly, it did not matter.
She was about to sever ties with them anyway.
Shen Gaozhuo’s arrogance immediately disappeared, and he failed to respond.
From those few seconds of silence, Shen Yishu heard the unspoken question:
How did you find out?
She had not found out.
She had guessed.
Neither Shen Gaozhuo nor his son looked capable of managing a business.
Shen Yishu had investigated before and learned that several Shen family companies had continuously declined over the past two years. One had even begun laying off employees because of losses.
With people this incompetent, the money either came from the previous generation or from the original owner’s parents’ inheritance.
“What money from your parents? Where did you hear that rumor? Your parents didn’t leave you a single cent when they died. I even paid for their funeral. You ungrateful wretch!”
Shen Yishu silently moved the phone several centimeters away to protect her ears from the fury on the other end.
“Mm. I’m ungrateful. I’m still not apologizing.”
Shen Yishu could barely suppress her laughter.
“Do whatever you want! If you refuse, then never come home again!”
Frightened, Shen Gaozhuo even forgot the task Ji Wenbin had assigned him and hurriedly expelled Shen Yishu from the Shen family.
“Give me money.”
Shen Yishu was determined to continue portraying the spoiled original owner until the very end.
“You can discuss money again after apologizing to me and the Ji family.”
Shen Gaozhuo believed he had finally found Shen Yishu’s weakness.
“Let’s see how arrogant you remain without money.”
The Ji family would blacklist Shen Yishu.
He would expel her from the Shen family.
He would also frame her for what happened to Lin Luosheng.
On top of that, she had forcibly attached herself to Ji Xiangyu, who would certainly become furious and intensify the punishment.
He refused to believe Shen Yishu could endure for long.
Once she returned crying and begging for help, he would humiliate her thoroughly.
“All right,” Shen Yishu said lightly. “I hope everything goes the way you want.”
The call ended.
Ji Xiangyu had remained beside her and heard the entire conversation with Shen Gaozhuo.
“Now I truly can’t return to the Shen family.”
Shen Yishu felt completely relaxed.
The thought that those unfortunate relatives no longer had anything to do with her instantly improved her mood.
“Return to our home.”
Ji Xiangyu handed her another piece of paper.
It contained a complete address, including the building and floor number, as well as an electronic access code.
It was the other apartment in Beijing that Ji Xiangyu had mentioned earlier.
Shen Yishu froze slightly as she accepted it.
As someone who had transmigrated into a book, she naturally felt no sense of belonging toward the Shen family.
She had no memories of them. Whether she returned there or not made no difference.
Without Ji Xiangyu, she probably would have rented somewhere to live alone.
But the marriage certificate in her palm and the paper Ji Xiangyu had handed her clearly proved that Ji Xiangyu was planning Shen Yishu’s future rather than merely coveting her pheromones.
She had carefully considered Shen Yishu’s circumstances and arranged everything she could think of.
This was Ji Xiangyu’s sincerity.
“All right. Next time, we’ll return to our home.”
Shen Yishu tightly held the note.
She was deeply moved.
Ji Xiangyu treated her so well that even ordinary couples might not organize each other’s lives so thoughtfully.
Perhaps it was precisely because Ji Xiangyu was so extraordinarily capable that she could still account for every tiny detail, making her consideration even more touching.
From the moment Shen Yishu accepted the red booklet, she would be living her life beside the woman before her.
She suddenly felt fortunate.
Not everyone could encounter love.
Shen Yishu had not found love, but meeting Ji Xiangyu was already the luckiest thing that had happened since she entered this novel.
Outside the Civil Affairs Bureau, Ji Xiangyu’s manager, Zhu Li, and Lawyer Li stood together.
The manager expressionlessly interrogated Zhu Li about Shen Yishu’s private life.
“Is her private life chaotic or not? Don’t forget that you belong to our company now, not to Shen Yishu.”
She folded her arms, making the implication obvious.
Zhu Li had only just sworn that if Shen Yishu told her to go east, she would never go west.
Besides, she had merely heard that Shen Yishu was flirtatious.
Ever since the company assigned Zhu Li to accompany her to the suburban film base, she had never actually seen Shen Yishu meet any beautiful women.
At most, Shen Yishu occasionally asked her to buy barbecue late at night.
“Our artist is completely respectable,” Zhu Li denied firmly.
“My investigation says she enjoys bars. I’ve also heard that she had several girlfriends at the same time—Alphas, Betas, and Omegas.”
“Hearing is unreliable. Seeing is believing!”
Under immense pressure, Zhu Li fought to prove her artist’s innocence.
“You…”
The manager genuinely had not found any more convincing evidence.
After learning the previous night that Ji Xiangyu intended to marry Shen Yishu, she had investigated until morning.
Everyone claimed Shen Yishu was promiscuous, yet not one person could provide a photograph.
“Stop asking.”
Ji Xiangyu emerged and ended the farce.
Shen Yishu led Zhu Li to one side.
Ji Xiangyu stood beside her manager and said seriously,
“I don’t want you investigating Shen Yishu again. The fact that I chose her means I accept everything about her.”
Standing nearby, Lawyer Li silently tightened her hold on the agreement inside her bag.
Shen Yishu had told Zhu Li that she and Ji Xiangyu had signed documents concerning premarital property.
Therefore, only three people in the world knew that their marriage was contractual.
Ji Xiangyu had said that if a fourth person discovered it, Lawyer Li might need to reconsider whether she was suited to practicing law.
Lawyer Li decided she would protect the agreement as though it were a family heirloom.
“But her character…”
The manager still wanted to continue.
She had not stopped Ji Xiangyu because she knew words alone could never change her mind.
She believed that if she found proof of Shen Yishu’s poor character, she could persuade Ji Xiangyu.
“That has nothing to do with you.”
Ji Xiangyu rarely allowed her emotions to show, but now she sounded angry.
“I understand.”
The manager sighed.
She had touched Ji Xiangyu’s forbidden boundary.
Ji Xiangyu had always disliked others interfering in her private life. The manager had overstepped.
They had already obtained the marriage certificate.
Apart from publicly announcing it, their interests, honor, and disgrace were now bound together.
Saying anything more would be useless.
From now on, Ji Xiangyu Studio would no longer be responsible for only Ji Xiangyu.
It would also need to manage her wife.
On the road back to the production, Ji Xiangyu’s manager left separately, while Zhu Li and Lawyer Li accompanied them to the set.
Zhu Li would continue serving as Shen Yishu’s personal assistant.
Lawyer Li’s primary purpose was to negotiate Shen Yishu’s situation with the production team.
As the car left the city, Ji Xiangyu finally received the call she had been expecting.
“Hello, Dad. Good afternoon.”
Ji Wenbin nearly lost his mind upon hearing her tone.
The previous night, he had been delighted while watching everyone insult Ji Xiangyu and Shen Yishu.
Many friends had called to ask about Ji Xiangyu’s scandal.
He had answered evasively, deliberately leaving room for speculation.
“The child was disobedient and made a mistake. It’s nothing serious.”
Those who understood the implication advised him not to argue with a younger person, saying that once she grew tired of playing around, she would return home.
He had felt extremely satisfied while listening.
No matter how capable Ji Xiangyu became or how high she climbed, she still had to obey him.
As long as he was unhappy, she would never live comfortably.
He had no idea that Ji Xiangyu and Shen Yishu had enjoyed an exceptionally pleasant night and knew nothing about the chaos online.
Both women had silenced their phones, so the outside commotion had not disturbed them in the slightest.
Before he could call Ji Xiangyu to gloat, a sobbing Ji Wenhua contacted him first.
Ji Wenrui intended to remove Ji Wenhua from the family registry and expel him from the Ji family.
After drinking all night, Ji Wenhua had panicked the moment he received the call and rushed to Ji Wenbin, begging him to plead for mercy.
When Ji Wenbin reached the headquarters and found Ji Wenrui, the other man merely threw printed copies of the evidence Ji Xiangyu had collected against him and asked how much he had participated in.
At that moment, Ji Wenbin knew he could no longer protect Ji Wenhua.
“Have you lost your mind? Ji Wenhua is your uncle! He even looked after you for several months when you were young!”
Ji Wenbin spoke through clenched teeth, as though Ji Xiangyu were the true villain.
“Don’t say something so disgusting.”
Ji Xiangyu frowned at the words.
The way Ji Wenhua had treated her in the past was no different from how he treated his daughter now.
Back then, Ji Xiangyu had loved dancing.
Ji Wenhua mocked her every day, saying her limbs were uncoordinated and she danced like an ape.
The teacher she found at the time did not know she belonged to the Ji family and sincerely praised her talent, saying that with proper training, she could become an accomplished dancer one day.
When Ji Xiangyu repeated those words to Ji Wenhua, he laughed for several minutes until he could barely straighten his back.
Then he mocked her, claiming the teacher only said that to trick her into continuing to purchase lessons.
From that day onward, Ji Xiangyu began to hate dancing.
Had Ji Wenbin not mentioned it, she might have let the memory remain buried.
Now that he had, she wanted Ji Wenhua gone even sooner.
“What about his daughter? She’s only seven or eight. If Ji Wenhua falls, who will support her and her mother?”
Ji Wenbin continued trying to morally blackmail her.
“He barely gave his family any money to begin with. Or perhaps you could give them some of your shares?”
Ji Xiangyu smiled mockingly.
“You’re truly vicious. I taught you kindness from childhood, yet you grew into someone so cruel.”
“A tiger father does not produce a dog daughter.”
Ji Xiangyu suddenly felt disgusted with herself.
Hearing Ji Wenbin panic had given her immense satisfaction.
But how did that make her different from him?
She had meticulously planned to escape Ji Wenbin, yet in the end, she might be the person most like him.
She instinctively turned her head.
What she saw instead was Shen Yishu’s shining eyes, filled entirely with admiration.
Shen Yishu admired Ji Xiangyu immensely.
Despite growing up in such a filthy environment, she had remained so kind and courteous toward both people and things.
Even when asking Shen Yishu for a mark, apart from the first time when she had no alternative, Ji Xiangyu always endured everything herself rather than forcing her.
Ji Xiangyu’s heart softened into water.
Whatever anyone else thought, Shen Yishu would at least be the person sleeping beside her in the future.
And Shen Yishu seemed willing to stand unconditionally on her side.
That was enough.
“As long as you ask your eldest uncle to spare him, I’ll immediately clarify the scandal for you.”
Ji Wenbin believed he had offered his greatest concession.
“There’s no need.”
A smile appeared on Ji Xiangyu’s lips as she looked at the red marriage certificate in Shen Yishu’s hands.
What clarification did they need now?
She and Shen Yishu were legally married wives.
Forget entering the same room—they could share the same bed, and no one had the right to criticize them.
“Aren’t you afraid I’ll blacklist her?”
After all his other methods failed, Ji Wenbin used his final threat.
“You can try.”
Try and see whether Ji Wenbin’s methods were stronger, or whether everything Ji Xiangyu had carefully arranged over the years would prevail.
She had placed Shen Yishu beside her because she was confident she could protect her.
As long as Ji Xiangyu had a role to film, Shen Yishu would have one as well.
“Then just wait and see!”
Ji Wenbin ended the call.
Ji Xiangyu stretched in satisfaction.
The car passed through a tunnel.
Brilliant midday sunlight greeted them on the other side, fierce and dazzling.
Shen Yishu placed the red booklet into her bag and turned toward Ji Xiangyu.
“Sister, where am I sleeping tonight?”
She understood from Ji Xiangyu’s words that Ji Xiangyu slept better when Shen Yishu was nearby.
But if the two of them shared a bed, their pheromones would inevitably interact. Once something happened, they might lose even more sleeping time.
It was difficult to determine which arrangement was better.
Without hesitation, Ji Xiangyu replied,
“Move upstairs and live with me. Your original room can go to your assistant.”
Zhu Li: “…”
Did that mean she would often need to knock on the Best Actress’s door in the future?
Would the Best Actress personally open it for her every day, just as she had that morning?
What virtue had Zhu Li accumulated to deserve this?
Shen Yishu did not overthink it and nodded immediately.
They already possessed the marriage certificate.
Continuing to hesitate would be inappropriate.
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