Chapter 126: The Toyed-With Goddaughter (1)
The feeling of souls merging was unique. Su Mingxiu hadn’t expected to remain in the imperial tomb until the little emperor’s death. During Xiao Miyun’s final years, spent painting and reminiscing, Su Mingxiu had been by her side, witnessing every imagined future—
She even clearly remembered the moment Xiao Miyun’s soul dissipated in her arms.
“System,” she said, certain that according to both the rules of cultivation and this world, the little emperor should have been reincarnated. How could her soul simply vanish? “Where did her soul go?”
“Haven’t you already guessed, now that you’ve regained your memories?” the system replied coldly, not even bothering with pretense.
Heh.
She chuckled softly. “She’s just like me, destined to meet me in countless worlds. You want her to be perpetually deceived into loving me, to have us separated tragically again and again, what’s the point?”
“You’ll know when your soul is fully restored,” the system replied after a moment of silence.
Su Mingxiu had once considered it the ultimate villain, the obstacle between her and her beloved. But after extracting and interrogating it in several worlds, she realized that it didn’t seem to have any intention of torturing them, at least not with any real malice.
It seemed more… annoyed, angered by their defiance of its rules and order, like a stubborn old fool, insistent on forcing them back onto its predetermined path.
But what was its purpose?
Su Mingxiu had suspected that the “soul restoration” was just a bait, but after regaining her memories and the ability to linger in these worlds, she knew that her soul was indeed growing stronger. This feeling couldn’t be faked.
“But before that, I will expose your deception—”
“The agreement.”
A slight dizziness, and Su Mingxiu realized that she rarely experienced the sensation of her soul entering a new body so clearly. Before she could react, her body, still following its original trajectory, her chin suddenly hurt.
“Hmm?” She opened her eyes, her senses on high alert, thinking she had entered a dangerous world, only to be met with a pair of white slippers.
An impatient voice came from above, accompanied by a stack of papers thrown at her. The sharp corners of the freshly printed A4 paper grazed her cheek, causing a stinging pain.
“I’m telling you one last time, I’ve been more than generous to you, a member of the Su family, for the past three years. If you don’t sign this divorce agreement, I have plenty of ways to get you out of this Pearl Manor.”
“Hmm??” Su Mingxiu, hearing the slightly aggressive female voice, didn’t even bother rubbing her chin. She pushed herself off the floor and looked up, taking in the appearance of the woman who wanted a divorce.
Unfamiliar features met her gaze. The narrow, upturned eyes and slender eyebrows gave her a sharp, imposing aura, the look of a leader.
After a moment of staring, a flicker of disappointment crossed Su Mingxiu’s eyes. Confirming that this person wasn’t her beloved, she decided to see what this so-called divorce agreement was about.
Just then, the sound of a door opening, the rolling of a suitcase, and approaching footsteps. A cool voice called out from the entrance: “Wang Ma.”
“Miss… y-you’re back?”
“It’s winter break.” After a brief reply, the newcomer’s footsteps, muffled by slippers, approached. Stepping into the living room, she saw the two people there.
Su Mingxiu’s gaze shifted from the Divorce Agreement on the floor to the newcomer. Seeing the slender figure in a white turtleneck sweater, Beats headphones around her neck, her eyes scanning the newcomer’s features, the person she was looking at stopped and greeted them coldly.
“Mom, Little Mom.”
“Uh…” Su Mingxiu’s smile froze.
[Damn system—]
Her inner cursing was interrupted by the system’s mechanical voice: “Host deployment successful… Loading world storyline…”
Countless images flooded her mind, cutting off her thoughts. Su Mingxiu reluctantly started processing the information.
Her identity in this world was straightforward. When she was young, her parents had saved a girl named Yu Wanru. Later, her father became addicted to gambling and accumulated massive debts. Her parents, driven to despair, committed suicide. Afraid that their child would also be implicated, they entrusted her to the Yu family.
Having witnessed her own family’s struggles with poverty, Su Mingxiu was shocked by the Yu family’s wealth. She had desperately wanted to marry into a rich family. After learning about Yu Wanru’s sexual orientation, she devised a plan, using the life-saving debt as leverage, and proposed marriage.
Yu Wanru agreed, but she saw through Su Mingxiu’s true intentions from the start. Not only was there a prenuptial agreement, but Yu Wanru also controlled her spending, frustrating Su Mingxiu, who had hoped for a lavish lifestyle. Especially after Yu Wanru brought home a child—
She finally realized that she was just a dispensable accessory in Yu Wanru’s life.
She constantly tried to attract Yu Wanru’s attention, wanting her affection, but watching the child grow up, every time she heard the name “Yu Nian,” she felt a surge of madness.
She constantly tried to use the Yu family as a stepping stone to climb higher, but she was always ignored. Over time, the Yu family became a laughingstock in high society, Yu Wanru’s tolerance for her dwindling, until they reached this point.
But this wasn’t what truly frustrated Su Mingxiu.
What made her want to extract the system from her mind and crush it… was that this child, Yu Nian, shared the same face as the person she had loved in all her previous worlds.
[Storyline deployed. Ultimate mission issued: To get revenge on Yu Wanru for abandoning you, and because you have no place in high society, you, who loves money above all else, decide to seduce your goddaughter, Yu Nian, making her fall deeply in love with you, offering you all her wealth, becoming obsessed with you, then, when she’s completely devoted, you will cruelly abandon her.]
The system, as if hearing her curses, added fuel to the fire, taking advantage of Su Mingxiu’s current setting as a gold-digging, good-for-nothing.
Su Mingxiu, her anger turning into laughter, was about to unleash a torrent of torture scenarios in her mind when she was brought back to reality by a voice.
“Are you two getting a divorce?”
Yu Nian, lowering her headphones, her gaze also fell on the papers on the floor, the bold black font on the cover hard to ignore.
She picked them up, looked at Su Mingxiu, her brow furrowing slightly as she scanned her overly beautiful face, then turned to look at Yu Wanru.
But Yu Wanru didn’t seem to want to discuss this in front of her. She simply said, “Go upstairs and do your homework, don’t come down before dinner.”
The red headphone cord stood out against her white sweater. But Yu Nian’s personality was just like Yu Wanru’s. Sensing her mother’s reluctance to talk about this, she put her headphones back on, placed the papers in Su Mingxiu’s lap, and headed upstairs without a word.
Just as she reached the stairs, she turned to Yu Wanru and said: “Then, I wish Mom a happy life in the future.”
After a pause, she turned to Su Mingxiu, her light brown eyes cold and indifferent under the light, her appearance resembling neither of the two women present.
“And I also wish Little Mom success in finding a new… sugar “daddy”.”
This child—
Truly knows how to use her words.
Su Mingxiu accepted her blessing with a calm expression, her gaze lingering on the headphones around Yu Nian’s neck, thinking, I accept your blessing, and I hope you’re prepared, because the “high branch” I’m about to climb is you.
She watched until Yu Nian disappeared from sight, then heard Yu Wanru speak.
“What, are you going to tell me again that you and Niannian are so close that she can’t live without you, so you can’t get a divorce?”
Her voice was laced with sarcasm.
Having lived through so many lifetimes, Su Mingxiu had always been the one dishing out the sarcasm, not receiving it. She raised an eyebrow slightly, looking at the woman who was about to become her “ex-wife,” then lowered her gaze and opened the Divorce Agreement.
“You misunderstand, Ms. Yu.”
Her expression turned cold, her already striking features now even more imposing, even the usually alluring tear mole at the corner of her eye seemed to exude an air of aloofness. Her sudden change in demeanor was startling. Like a meticulous lawyer, she scanned the document and said, “I just remembered, I forgot to ask you before, whose child is Yu Nian exactly?”
Yu Wanru paused, the coldness in her eyes seeming to thaw slightly, but her tone remained indifferent. “It doesn’t concern you, there’s no point in asking.”
Seeing Su Mingxiu still slowly reviewing the agreement, Yu Wanru, surprised by her lack of usual clinginess, eager to end this quickly, said: “According to our prenuptial agreement, you’re not allowed to take any of the luxury goods, properties, or collectibles you acquired during our marriage.
But I’m giving you the apartment in the Sunshine Complex by the river, and a Ferrari. You can also take any jewelry, bags, and clothes worth less than 100,000 yuan each.”
As she spoke, Su Mingxiu flipped to the last page of the agreement, confirming that there were no traps, then extended her hand.
“Thank you. After I earn some money, I’ll repay you in cash.”
Yu Wanru paused, wondering if she had misheard.
The system also chimed in: “OOC(Out Of Character) warning.”
“I suggest you keep quiet, or you won’t like the consequences when I extract you,” Su Mingxiu warned the system briefly, then said to Yu Wanru patiently: “Pen.”
Thankfully, a nearby maid, quick-witted, handed over the prepared pen and inkpad. Su Mingxiu didn’t bother choosing a specific spot and simply signed the agreement on the nearby dining table, then pressed her fingerprint and handed it back to Yu Wanru.
Her straightforwardness was a stark contrast to her previous desperate pleas, making Yu Wanru wonder if Su Mingxiu had been acting all along.
But remembering how this airhead had tried to enter the entertainment industry before, failing miserably and resorting to being a stereotypical rich social media influencer, she thought that Su Mingxiu couldn’t possibly possess such acting skills.
Convinced, she signed the agreement, then, her thoughts wandering, she looked up at Su Mingxiu. “If you get married again, find someone who truly loves you, and someone you truly love. If you’re too focused on personal gain, I’m a cautionary tale.”
Finally free from Su Mingxiu’s entanglement, Yu Wanru’s usual sarcasm was replaced by a genuine piece of advice.
But after saying this, she noticed a strange look on Su Mingxiu’s face. After a few seconds, a faint smile appeared.
“Okay,” she said, “my next marriage problem will probably be how to get along with my mother-in-law.”
For example…
Whether Yu Wanru, her ex-wife, could adapt to her new role and not become a meddling mother-in-law who opposed their relationship.
Hearing this, Yu Wanru guessed that she probably already had a target in mind. She glanced at Su Mingxiu briefly. “I have no experience in this area to offer you, good luck.”
Half an hour later—
The efficient maids had packed all of Su Mingxiu’s belongings. As she was leaving, Yu Wanru even sent a driver to take her to her new apartment.
The Sunshine Complex by the river had a nice view, and her apartment was on the top floor, a penthouse. Compared to the opulent villa, the simple, modern space felt more comfortable. After entering, Su Mingxiu had the driver place her luggage by the door, then she went into the bathroom, filled the tub with hot water, and enjoyed a long soak.
She tried to see if her strengthened soul could influence this world, perhaps granting her special abilities to extract the system from her mind, but unfortunately, she failed.
Instead, her attempt left her exhausted. She fell asleep in the cooling water and almost missed her appointment to finalize the divorce the next day.
“Who says a hero has to stand in the light!”
Her phone’s ringtone blared in the bedroom. Su Mingxiu, startled awake, instinctively reached out to strike the source of the noise, then remembered that she was in the modern world, her powers gone. She grabbed her phone.
“Hello?”
“Hello, is this Yu Nian’s guardian? This is her homeroom teacher, Zhou Yiming. She got into a fight outside of school and is currently at the police station on XX Road. If it’s convenient, could you come and pick her up?”
Su Mingxiu’s drowsiness vanished.
Her first thought: Why is my number listed as Yu Nian’s emergency contact? Where’s Yu Wanru?
Then, she remembered that the original owner, to curry favor with Yu Nian, had always accompanied her to school at the beginning of each semester, leaving her contact information with the teachers.
“Thank you, Teacher Zhou. Is she injured?”
“No.”
“Okay, I’ll be there shortly.”
Su Mingxiu hung up politely and, in the dimly lit bedroom, searched her contacts, wanting to call Yu Wanru or her assistant.
“The number you dialed is currently busy, please try again later…”
Beep.
She hung up and called the manor’s housekeeper. “Yu Nian is at the police station on XX Road, I can’t reach Ms. Yu or her assistant. Are you free to pick her up today? I’ll send you her teacher’s number.”
After that, she went back to sleep.
Finally recovered from her exhaustion, Su Mingxiu started unpacking, thinking about how to extract the system, when she was startled by the gaudy, brightly colored bags in her luggage.
So ugly.
How could they be so ugly?
As a former CEO in the entertainment industry, she couldn’t stand the original owner’s taste. She immediately listed the bags on a secondhand website, then continued unpacking and selling her belongings.
Although the designs were average, they were still new, branded items. Someone from the same city contacted her, wanting to inspect the goods in person. They agreed to meet at a shopping street.
The shopping street had high-end restaurants and chain stores, connected to an older, less developed part of the city, offering a wide variety of food, and it was always crowded.
In front of a coffee shop…
The person about to enter suddenly paused, looking at the window display. She nudged her friend. “Niannian, that woman looks familiar, isn’t that your Little Mom?”
Yu Nian glanced over, remembering the call from her homeroom teacher a few days ago. She hadn’t seen this woman come to pick her up.
So, having found a new target, she doesn’t need to pretend to care anymore, right?
A coldness flickered in her eyes. She looked away from the woman by the window, whose beauty could make heads turn, and said indifferently: “Let’s go somewhere else.”
Her friend nodded and turned around with her, bumping into someone. As she looked up to apologize, she saw the newcomer staring at Yu Nian with a hostile gaze, a cigarette dangling from their lips, a sinister smile curving their mouth. “Well, well, well, isn’t this the little miss who played hero last time?”
“What a coincidence, we meet again.”
Yu Nian’s lips tightened. “Didn’t you get beaten up enough last time?”
The thug cursed, and his companions surrounded them. Their aggressive stance in the crowded street drew attention.
One of the thugs suddenly pointed at Yu Nian and shouted: “You thief! Don’t think we won’t touch you just because you’re a girl! Hand over my boss’s wallet, or you’ll regret it!”
The passersby who had initially wanted to intervene backed away.
Yu Nian’s friend was furious. “Who are you calling a thief?! Call the police if you dare! Let’s see if you can still slander us at the police station!”
The thug rolled up his sleeves, his voice equally aggressive. “We’re not afraid of the police! Stop pretending! But before that, you have to return my boss’s wallet—”
He reached out, his hand grabbing for Yu Nian’s collar. With her back against the shop window, there was nowhere for her to dodge.
Last time, she had managed to scare them off by hitting one of them with a brick first. This time, surrounded and accused of being a thief, she wasn’t sure if she could win in a direct confrontation.
Suddenly…
A pale hand, adorned with a gold watch, reached out from behind her and effortlessly twisted the thug’s fingers. A scream, and a slow, mocking voice rang out beside her: “Who are you calling a thief?”
“Little brother, my child here is an honor student. You, however, don’t look like you’re telling the truth. Who’s the real thief here?”
The thug, his fingers twisted, fell to his knees in the crowded street, his face red with pain, cursing, then begging for mercy. “I was wrong, miss, I was wrong, I have bad eyesight… please, please let go!”
Su Mingxiu looked at his companions. “Oh, a misunderstanding?”
Her beauty, at such close proximity, was stunning. The thug with the cigarette unconsciously dropped it, his mouth agape, speechless. Realizing the crowd gathering around them, hearing his underling’s cries, he finally mumbled: “Y-yes, we… we mistook her for someone else, we’ll be going now.”
After they left, Su Mingxiu took out a tissue and meticulously wiped her fingers. Glancing at Yu Nian, who was turning to leave with her friend, she said slowly: “Stop.”
Yu Nian stopped and turned around, looking at her warily, wondering what she wanted.
Su Mingxiu crumpled the tissue and, her dark eyes smiling, said: “Little one, who taught you to be so rude? Not even a thank you to the person who just helped you?”
The girl’s lips moved. After a few seconds, she said loudly: “Thank you, Little Mom!”
“Uh…?” Su Mingxiu’s expression turned cold.
I told you to thank me, not to call me Mom!
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