A Self-Cultivation of a Stand-in [Transmigration GL] - Chapter 13

The gazes of the onlookers nearby snapped toward them in unison.

Realizing her voice had been a bit too loud, Cai Xinyue quickly covered her mouth and offered an embarrassed smile.

Hua Luoyue finally found the opportunity to de-escalate the situation between the mother and son. She retrieved the package and turned to leave. Behind her, the young mother pulled her son’s hand, apologizing repeatedly, clearly relieved that Hua Luoyue hadn’t pursued the matter further.

Cai Xinyue followed Hua Luoyue with her lunchbox in hand, coming to a halt as they reached the elevator.

Hua Luoyue glanced back at her and asked, “Want to come up for a bit?”

Cai Xinyue’s eyes lit up. “Can I?”

Hua Luoyue nodded. Previously, she might not have invited anyone, but since Yu Zhezhi had expressed her stance, Hua Luoyue readily adapted her attitude. It was her “home,” so she could certainly invite people in.

Even if it was only temporary. She was, after all, very obedient.

As Cai Xinyue followed Hua Luoyue into the elevator, her gaze drifted uncontrollably toward Hua Luoyue’s hands. The cardboard shipping box was already half-torn, revealing part of the brand logo on the inner box.

The parent of the child who stole the package hadn’t noticed the extra delivery at first, assuming it was just some trifle bought by another family member. It wasn’t until the child tore the box open that she realized it couldn’t belong to them. She hadn’t even waited for the courier station to call; she had immediately dragged her son downstairs to find the owner.

If it had been some cheap trinket, it wouldn’t have mattered, but someone who could afford such an expensive diamond ring was clearly no ordinary person. Neither Hua Luoyue nor Cai Xinyue recognized the specific brand, but based on the mother’s reaction, they could guess it was worth a fortune.

Cai Xinyue was bursting with curiosity, her heart feeling as though it were being scratched by a cat’s paw. She stole several glances, unsure if she should ask more.

She held it in until Hua Luoyue opened the door. When Cai Xinyue stepped inside behind her, she froze.

The entrance opened directly into a living room that was spacious, bright, and fully equipped with brand-new, high-end appliances. At first glance, the impression was “exquisite,” followed immediately by “expensive.”

Cai Xinyue’s family was reasonably well-off, but even if she were renting a place on her own, she would never have the heart to rent an apartment this nice. Her curiosity began to subtly shift into other speculations:

Is Hua Luoyue really married? Or…

Cai Xinyue sat down on the living room sofa. Hua Luoyue poured her a glass of water, then turned back to the entryway to finish unpacking the delivery. Inside the box was indeed a ring. And it truly looked expensive.

Hua Luoyue stared at it, momentarily speechless. She didn’t know whether to say Yu Zhezhi was incredibly careless or if this was some new method of showing off and warning her. She took a few photos of the ring and sent them to Yu Zhezhi, explaining the sequence of events as concisely as possible.

Predictably, she received no response. Yu Zhezhi was likely still on the road.

Hua Luoyue put the ring back into its original box. When she turned around, she met Cai Xinyue’s gaze, which was brimming with curiosity.

“I suppose… I am married,” Hua Luoyue said, finding the words somewhat surreal even as she spoke them. She smiled. “We’ve registered.”

“Really?” Getting a confirmation made Cai Xinyue even more shocked. “Who is it? Someone from our school? How long has it been? Is he handsome?”

Hua Luoyue only smiled.

Cai Xinyue snapped back to her senses and said apologetically, “Sorry, is it inconvenient to say? Just pretend I didn’t ask. I’m just a bit stunned.”

Hua Luoyue hesitated over whether to speak, but the more one hid such things, the easier it was to invite wild speculation. Moreover, after spending several days together, she quite liked this warm-hearted girl. She decided not to hide too much.

“We didn’t marry because we were in love,” Hua Luoyue said.

“Huh?” Cai Xinyue dazed.

“It was just because someone needed to get married, and I happened to be suitable,” Hua Luoyue continued.

Cai Xinyue fell silent for a moment. This answer was almost unbelievable to her. Could marriage really be handled like a game?

“Then… do you like him?” Cai Xinyue instinctively assumed the person was someone Hua Luoyue had known for a long time.

Hua Luoyue shook her head.

“Then why?”

“For the money…”

“…” Cai Xinyue sat frozen in place. The way she looked at Hua Luoyue was almost helpless.

To be with someone you don’t like for money—even if there was a legal marriage, wasn’t the essence of it just…

Cai Xinyue didn’t want to pin the words that were automatically jumping into her mind onto Hua Luoyue. And because Hua Luoyue was so candid, she felt a pang of guilt for her own subtle shift in mindset.

Noticing her restlessness, Hua Luoyue proactively changed the subject: “Are we still going to practice?”

“Ah?” Cai Xinyue looked at her, then nodded frantically upon realizing. “Yes, yes. I already arranged to meet the others at the school at 9:30.”

Hua Luoyue checked the time; it was already nine. Including the time to go up and down the stairs, it would take at least twenty minutes to get to the school.

“Then let’s head out early.”

As Cai Xinyue stood up, she remembered the lunchbox she was holding. She set it down and told Hua Luoyue, “These are some dishes my mom made. Since it’s been cold lately, you don’t even need to put them in the fridge. Just heat them up when you get back tonight.”

Hua Luoyue smiled and said, “Thank you…”

Her demeanor was as usual, and Cai Xinyue breathed a small sigh of relief, though the guilt in her heart deepened for some reason. It was wrong of her to think of Hua Luoyue that way.

But…

Cai Xinyue stole a glance back at the room that was now closed. Hua Luoyue acted as naturally as if it were truly her own home—but that was clearly not an apartment she could afford with her own assets. Yet she accepted it so calmly.

Could marriage and emotions really be traded away so casually?

Cai Xinyue felt as though her long-held beliefs were being challenged, leaving her feeling a bit stifled.

It was already night by the time Yu Zhezhi saw the message from Hua Luoyue. After spending most of the day finishing up work at the company, it was quite late before she had any leisure to check her private messages.

Hua Luoyue’s message was the last one she clicked on. Scanning through it and seeing that the ring had been found, Yu Zhezhi felt a slight sense of relief—it saved her the trouble of buying another pair. In the end, she only replied with a single word, “Okay,” and closed the dialogue box.

It wasn’t that she didn’t know the value of that ring; no matter how rich she was, she wouldn’t want to throw such a valuable item in the trash. She simply didn’t want to make such a big deal out of it that Hua Luoyue would think she cared deeply about the object.

A wedding ring is a “wedding” ring; the first word defines its greatest significance. Yu Zhezhi didn’t deny the existence of love, but she didn’t view the institution of marriage as something sacred or inviolable. In essence, it was just a piece of paper protecting the interests of both parties on a legal level. It had, in reality, nothing to do with “love.”

It was only that society habitually conflated the two.

Yu Zhezhi could marry Hua Luoyue for profit, but she could never love her. However, perhaps not everyone was as clear-headed and rational as she was; the fewer confusing signals she gave, the better.

Assistant Li happened to message her, asking how the meeting with Hua Luoyue went and if she needed help purchasing anything else. She was afraid Yu Zhezhi would be uncomfortable staying at Hua Luoyue’s place.

Yu Zhezhi typed a two-word reply: “No need…”

After replying, Yu Zhezhi was about to put her phone down when she noticed a reminder for a banquet in a few days. Recalling something, she clicked the message box to continue typing.

“Is Hua Luoyue still working part-time jobs outside?”

Assistant Li likely took a moment to recall or confirm before replying: “It seems not. I’ll check with her again tomorrow.”

Yu Zhezhi replied: “If she is, tell her to cancel all of them.”

It would be completely improper if people saw her wife still working as a waitress or handing out flyers.

Assistant Li immediately replied: “Understood…”

Yu Zhezhi thought for a moment and continued: “Send her a few sets of newly released clothes. If she has to meet people in the future, she shouldn’t look too shabby.”

She paused, then added: “Send them in your name. Don’t say it was my order.”

Assistant Li replied knowingly: “Got it…”

Outside the music room.

When Cai Xinyue came out of the restroom, Hua Luoyue was already gone. Since everyone happened to be free today, the practice session had run long, and it was already dark by the time they finished.

The other band members were packing their things, preparing to leave. Someone saw Cai Xinyue and waved her over, holding up an item.

“Is this book Hua Luoyue’s?”

“I think so,” someone nearby said. “I remember seeing her bring it at noon. She said she was going to the library to return it.”

In the end, she had been too busy and accidentally left it behind. None of the others were from the same college as Hua Luoyue—some weren’t even from the same school—so their gazes naturally shifted to the just-returned Cai Xinyue.

“Xinyue, you take it back to her.”

“Okay…” Cai Xinyue hesitated for a moment and nodded. She instinctively looked toward the exit. “Where is she?”

“She just left,” someone said. “She said she was going to the hospital to see her mother.”

Cai Xinyue was stunned. The senior carrying a guitar looked at her and asked, “Did you guys have a fight?”

“No. Why do you ask?” Cai Xinyue replied instinctively.

The senior said, “It seemed like you were deliberately avoiding her today.”

Another person added, “Yeah, I thought it was strange. Didn’t you use to love sticking to her? You didn’t even say goodbye when we finished tonight.”

Since the previous lead singer had quit, Cai Xinyue had been the only permanent female member of the band. Hua Luoyue was the second. Although they were only temporary teammates, Cai Xinyue was the one who recruited her and they were classmates; their relationship was naturally close. Usually, they came and went together—even going to the bathroom in pairs. Yet today, Cai Xinyue had come and gone alone, as if they had reverted to the time before Hua Luoyue arrived.

Hua Luoyue was always quiet, but Cai Xinyue usually loved talking to her, so her silence didn’t show. Today, she had been a bit too quiet. Even the clumsy boys noticed the change, let alone Hua Luoyue herself. The others in the band had known Cai Xinyue longer, so they instinctively sided with her.

Taking advantage of Hua Luoyue’s absence, someone asked directly, “Did she do something to upset you?”

Cai Xinyue frowned. “No…”

She wouldn’t casually tell them about Hua Luoyue’s marriage. But she knew they were asking out of concern, and she couldn’t find a suitable excuse. She snatched the book from her senior’s hand and turned away hurriedly.

“I happen to be going that way; I’ll drop it off for her.”

The others didn’t have time to ask more. Once she was outside the school, the cold wind snapped Cai Xinyue back to her senses. She looked at the dim streetlights, then at the book in her arms, feeling momentarily awkward. She could have just gone home and given the book to Hua Luoyue in class the next day.

But after pacing under the streetlight for a bit, she checked the time and finally headed toward the bus stop. She had heard Hua Luoyue mention which hospital her mother was in.

At this hour, it was just dinner time, and the hospital was getting busy. Cai Xinyue hesitated at the hospital entrance, only then realizing she had no idea which ward Hua Luoyue’s mother was in. Just as she was debating whether to leave, she caught a glimpse of Hua Luoyue’s figure.

Hua Luoyue hadn’t left long before her and had likely arrived by bus as well. She was carrying a bouquet of flowers, walking slowly toward a certain building. By the time Cai Xinyue realized what she was doing, she had already followed.

Hua Luoyue entered the building with practiced ease. Before she could head upstairs, she was stopped by a doctor walking toward her. Seeing the flowers in her arms, the doctor understood immediately: “Visiting your mother again?”

Hua Luoyue nodded. “I promised her last time.”

Even though Mother Hua was still in a coma at that time.

It was only later, through the original host’s fragmented memories, that Hua Luoyue recalled the only place Mother Hua had ever shown a hint of softness: her love for flowers. In the host’s childhood memories, there were always fresh flowers on the dining table. When they were well-off, it was carefully arranged bouquets from the florist; when money was tight, it was plum or peach branches snapped from the roadside. When she was first hospitalized, the original host often brought flowers to see her.

The first few times, Hua Luoyue had come empty-handed out of ignorance, and she felt a bit guilty looking back. So this time, she had specifically gone to a florist to buy a bouquet.

The doctor didn’t discourage her from bringing the flowers; instead, he let out a regretful sigh.

“Are you sure… you want to continue the treatment?” the doctor led her to the side and asked in a low voice.

This wasn’t the first time he had asked her this. If there truly wasn’t a shred of hope, the doctor would never say such a thing to a family member. And Hua Luoyue was all alone—a young university student who previously struggled even to afford food just to pay for treatment. It was hard to imagine what she had sacrificed to sustain this incredibly expensive and hopeless effort.

However, no matter how many times the doctor asked out of kindness, Hua Luoyue’s answer remained the same.

“Yes…” Hua Luoyue stood there, her expression unreadable. Her tone was calm, but her attitude was unquestionably resolute. “She is my only relative left in this world.”