A Self-Cultivation of a Stand-in [Transmigration GL] - Chapter 1

“If there are no other questions, please sign the agreement.”

Hua Luoyue had just regained her senses when she heard these words.

The voice was unfamiliar—polite, yet devoid of warmth, as if performing a routine, business-like task.

Subconsciously, Hua Luoyue looked up. A woman sat directly across from her.

She looked to be about twenty-five or twenty-six, with long black hair draped over her shoulders. The ends were slightly curled, complementing her fair skin. Her makeup was exquisite but not heavy. With thin lips and “peach blossom” eyes, she looked like the type who would be incredibly charming if she were to smile.

However, at this moment, her expression was cold. Through the faint, rising steam of a drink, she appeared somewhat icy and elegant.

I didn’t expect to run into such a rare beauty even in a dream, Hua Luoyue thought.

A textbook “visual lover,” Hua Luoyue instinctively let out a smile, observing the stranger with an appreciative gaze.

But the moment she smiled, the woman across from her knit her brows slightly.

The woman reached out toward her. Hua Luoyue instinctively tried to lean back, hitting the back of her chair. Cool fingertips touched her cheek. After a brief pause, the woman pressed down on the corners of Hua Luoyue’s upturned mouth.

“Don’t smile like that,” the woman whispered, her brow furrowed. “It doesn’t look like her.”

The icy touch sent a shiver through Hua Luoyue—this didn’t feel like a dream.

She looked up, the smile naturally fading into a mix of surprise and confusion. This look caused the woman across from her to daze for a split second, as if she were looking through Hua Luoyue’s face at someone else.

But that almost obsessive trance was fleeting. Realizing her lapse in composure, the woman’s expression grew even colder. She withdrew her hand, leaned back slightly, turned her head, and signaled the person beside her with a look.

“Miss Hua, please sign,” the female assistant standing nearby said, glancing at her watch and urging her again. “President Yu’s time is very precious. She has to head back for a meeting soon and doesn’t have time to waste with you.”

Hua Luoyue already had a faint inkling of what was happening. Her gaze shifted downward as she blurted out, “Sign what?”

The assistant pushed the paper documents toward her and spread them out in order.

A marriage application form and a prenuptial agreement.

Two names were clearly printed on the paper: Yu Zhezhi and Hua Luoyue.

The moment she saw those two familiar names, Hua Luoyue’s heart skipped a beat. She quickly scanned the personal information on the application.

Yu Zhezhi, 26 years old, from City A.

Hua Luoyue, 20 years old, from City X.

The ID photos showed faces identical to the woman across from her and herself, though the “Hua Luoyue” in the photo looked younger and a bit greener, like a student who hadn’t yet entered society.

The contents of the prenuptial agreement were even clearer. Yu Zhezhi and “Hua Luoyue” were entering a marriage of convenience. Below was a list of various terms involving words like “debt,” “tuition,” and “living expenses.”

The more she read, the more familiar it became.

The assistant reminded her in a monotonous tone: “President Yu has already helped you pay off half of your father’s debts. Your mother’s medical expenses, as well as your tuition and living expenses for these five years, are all covered by President Yu. The rest depends on your performance.”

“Besides the requirement for public confidentiality, you only need to attend one etiquette class and one piano lesson per week. You’re a university student; surely you can find that much time…”

Hua Luoyue felt her vision go dark as memories from before she “fell asleep” came rushing back.

She had lost consciousness in a car accident. No matter how much of a medical miracle occurred, she shouldn’t be sitting in this strange place completely unharmed. Moreover, she had suddenly shrunk several years in age.

Looking at her fair, delicate fingers, she dazed into the realization of the truth: She had transmigrated.

Furthermore, the current plot development was shockingly similar to a novel she had read a few months ago.

The original work was a melodramatic “sweet pet” novel. The female lead was a pianist from a poor family who went abroad to chase her dreams. Later, she was forced to return home in disappointment due to a wrist injury, only to face ridicule and exclusion. At that point, the second female lead—who had loved her secretly for years—stepped in. With an overbearing, protective attitude, she slapped the faces of the detractors and turned the female lead into a top-tier celebrity, finally winning her heart.

Yu Zhezhi was, naturally, the affectionate, wealthy, and powerful CEO “Top” in that story.

Unfortunately, “Hua Luoyue” was merely her “ex-wife” cannon-fodder.

Calling her an “ex-wife” wasn’t even accurate. After all, the original character and Yu Zhezhi only had a clearly-priced contract marriage with no substantive relationship.

However, whether she was blinded by a life of luxury or truly fell in love with Yu Zhezhi, the original “Hua Luoyue” refused to let go even after the divorce. When the female lead returned to the country, she constantly lashed out, framing the lead and causing trouble until Yu Zhezhi lost her patience and sent her straight to prison.

The good news was that Hua Luoyue seemed to have transmigrated to a point before the plot truly began.

I guess I should be glad I finished that novel, Hua Luoyue thought with a bit of dark humor.

Initially, a younger colleague had joked that she shared a name with the cannon fodder in the book and suggested she read and memorize the whole thing. Since her business trip was boring, she had skimmed through it in her free time and then tossed it to the back of her mind.

Who would have thought…

Hua Luoyue flipped through the contract from beginning to end. Fragmented memories of the original host surfaced in her mind. She could only sigh.

Other than signing the contract in front of her, she didn’t seem to have a better choice. Her mother was seriously ill, kept alive only by expensive medical equipment. Her father had fallen into a gambling pit, racking up massive debts in his wife’s and daughter’s names before squandering his wife’s life-saving money and being sent to prison recently.

Relatives and friends all turned them away. The original host was only a sophomore with below-average grades and no special skills…

The most rational decision would have been to stop treatment, but the original host was willing to drop out of school, work, and even sell everything to treat her mother. Hua Luoyue couldn’t go against those wishes.

Right now, besides Yu Zhezhi—who looked like a total “big spender” (sucker)—there was no one else who could help her.

Unlike the panicked and anxious original host, this Hua Luoyue knew the plot. She knew Yu Zhezhi had approached her solely because of her face. Whether it was the original host or the current Hua Luoyue, they both looked remarkably like the female lead.

Only their temperaments differed, making them easy to tell apart at a glance.

Yu Zhezhi’s choice to marry the host was partly for business reasons, but mostly to “see the person through the object.” Aside from the slightly unethical nature of finding a substitute, Yu Zhezhi was otherwise a “gentleman.”

She was generous with money, had no violent tendencies, and had no physical demands. All she needed was for Hua Luoyue to pretend to be an exquisite substitute doll for her to observe when she visited.

It lacked warmth, but for a young woman with no other options and no romantic intentions, these conditions were already luxurious.

When the contract ended and they divorced, Yu Zhezhi even gave the original host a large sum of money to start a new life. It was just that the original host had grown too attached to the lifestyle provided.

But the current Hua Luoyue would not.

Looking at it from another angle—putting the marriage certificate aside—their relationship was like that of an actress and a generous audience member. If she didn’t force any emotional connection, it should be a win-win situation for both.

By the time the real female lead appeared, she would have already made it through her difficulties. She would honestly and proactively step down—and might even feel grateful to Yu Zhezhi.

Isn’t it just acting? I’m very practiced at that.

After finishing her mental preparation, Hua Luoyue finally picked up the pen. But just before the nib touched the paper, she paused and looked up at Yu Zhezhi, looking hesitant. “President Yu…”

Yu Zhezhi had been waiting for a long time and was already somewhat impatient. However, the moment her eyes met Hua Luoyue’s face, all that dissatisfaction was swallowed back down.

“Is there another problem?” Yu Zhezhi asked coldly.

“I wanted to ask about what happens after signing the contract,” Hua Luoyue said.

Simply put, Yu Zhezhi chose Hua Luoyue because she was a look-alike substitute. But before that, Yu Zhezhi first needed a “wife.” Before the contract was prepared, they had already discussed the marriage of convenience.

Yu Zhezhi’s corporate headquarters were in City A, while Hua Luoyue’s home and school were in City X. There was a branch of the Yu family’s company in City X, so Yu Zhezhi would visit once a week at most.

After Hua Luoyue finished her etiquette classes, Yu Zhezhi might occasionally take her to banquets. The probability of the latter was low, however—it was only for potential emergencies—and Yu Zhezhi had stated outright that such events would come with an “additional fee.”

So, for Hua Luoyue, the key was Yu Zhezhi’s visits to City X.

She couldn’t just take the money and do no work.

Thinking about the massive debts and medical bills that had already been paid, Hua Luoyue felt a bit guilty. Consequently, she became exceptionally proactive regarding her work in caring for her “benefactor.”

For instance, did she need to cook? Did the benefactor sister need any extra services besides chatting? Excluding physical relationships, of course—but a massage or shoulder rub would be fine.

As Hua Luoyue’s thoughts drifted further, Yu Zhezhi misinterpreted her meaning.

“I’m not going to stare at you all the time like a psychopath,” Yu Zhezhi’s voice grew even colder. “And I won’t force you to do anything you’re unwilling to do.”

“If I touch you, that will also be an additional fee.” Yu Zhezhi paused and tapped the contract on the table. “If you’re worried, you are more than welcome to add that clause.”

There was a hint of sarcasm in her voice, but it sounded somewhat ambiguous.

Hua Luoyue wasn’t the type to blush at such a subtle accusation. Instead, she asked curiously, “What counts as ‘touching’?”

Yu Zhezhi’s breath hitched. She seemed genuinely annoyed by Hua Luoyue’s persistence. She leaned forward slightly, her gaze fixing on Hua Luoyue’s face.

Her eyes slid down from the forehead, lingering for a second on the lips, then pointed through the air toward her shoulders and hands.

“If I hold your hand, if I hug you, if…”

Yu Zhezhi’s gaze returned to Hua Luoyue’s face.

“Kissing?” Hua Luoyue instinctively finished the sentence.

“No…” Yu Zhezhi rejected the idea stiffly.

“Hmm?”

“This is the limit.” Yu Zhezhi pointed to Hua Luoyue’s shoulder, indicating that their relationship could only go as far as an extremely occasional hug.

As for anything more…

“I could never kiss you,” Yu Zhezhi said with absolute certainty.