Both witnesses and evidence were present. Shi Shi was sentenced to jail. On the other hand, Father Shi called her a stupid fool. But he spent the entire night trying to rescue her through his connections. Shi Shi's mother had passed away. Her step-mother wasn't a nice person either. She was already displeased with Shi Shi spending money like water and acting condescending in front of people. She had no manners at all. Hearing her husband trying to please people in order to beg them to help, she couldn't help but pour cold water on him and say, "If it were up to me, I think it's better if she stays in jail for a few years. That way, she can reflect upon herself! You won't need to spend all this money on her."
"Can't you talk like a human being?!" Father Shi had been worried constantly and extremely busy, trying to deal with this matter. Upon hearing her words, he angrily scolded her.
"If I'm not talking like a human being, how could you even understand my words?" She sneered. "Do you not know how your daughter acts like? If she could hire people to murder someone, who knows if she might hire someone to murder me one day if she dislikes me. Of course, maybe she will become a lunatic and hire someone to murder her own father as well!"
"Shut up!"
"I won't! Why don't you think about it? Do you know who she was trying to kill? Lu/Bai and Zhan Family. She implicated four people. Are they even people she could touch? Heh. This time, she was lucky that she wasn't dead. If Lu Bai really wanted to take revenge, do you think we would still be alive? Do you think you could stand here and make calls? You should be satisfied!" Once she finished, she didn't even look at Father Shi. She walked off.
Shi Family will probably meet its end sooner or later.
Her words made Father Shi calm down. More or less, he knew that this was just a fruitless effort. But she was his daughter. No matter what, he couldn't just watch her go to jail without trying to rescue her.
He knew that since Lu Bai personally sent her to jail, despite throwing the entire family's fortunes in to save her, it was impossible. He bowed down and dejectedly stood there. In the end, he called Lu Bai and requested to meet him.
Lu Bai naturally didn't have time to see him. When Assistant Wang mentioned this, Lu Bai replied, "no" without looking up from his work. He added, "If he called again, tell him that Shi Shi got what she deserved. I was already being merciful. If she doesn't behave, don't blame me for destroying her."
Assistant Wang remembered his words.
Lu Bai paused and asked, "What's the situation in jail?"
"There aren't any issues. But besides President Shi who came to visit Shi Shi, Miss Chu Hua and Miss Lai went as well."
"Hm?" Lu Bai's gaze deepened. It seems like Chu Hua has a pretty good relationship with Shi Shi.
Miss Lai went to visit Shi Shi purely to hit her while she was down. In the past, she had suffered because of Shi Shi. Because of that, she wasn't that close to her anymore and stopped talking to her. Her impression of her changed when she went to question Shi Shi as to why she gave her a rotten idea. Shi Shi had mocked her and said, "You don't have any abilities so you wanted to blame this on me!? With an IQ like yours, how do you expect to climb on Lu Bai's bed? Why don't you look in the mirror and take a look for yourself? Plus, why would you act according to my words?! You're such a fool!"
As a child, Miss Lai had never been humiliated like this before. She clenched her teeth and glared at Shi Shi, "Stop acting so proud! I can't have Lu Bai but it's the same for you! Don't think that I don't know you're going after Lu Bai as well! Humph. We're about the same. You're not any smarter than I am!"
Shi Shi replied in disdain, "Just watch and see."
When Miss Lai thought of this, she couldn't help but smile pleasingly. When Shi Shi said "just watch and see," who would've knew it was this scene?
After seeing her, she mocked, "How is it? Are the meals in jail tasty?"
Shi Shi squinted her eyes. "Humph! No wonder you're a cannon fodder! Look at your manners!"
"What did you say?"
"Are you deaf? You specially came to make fun of me, right? But what a pity that I never placed you in my eyes. Now that you've seen me, you can scram now!"
Miss Lai was quite infuriated. "I came to visit you out of kindness and this is how you treat me?!"
"Heh. Are you really being kind? You know it best yourself." Shi Shi said this and laughed. Then she continued, "How is it? After being dumped by Lu Bai, you plan on shifting this hatred on me? Are you bored?"
"You!" Miss Lai suddenly stood up. Her expression was ugly.
"Take care and I won't bother seeing you out."
Shi Shi didn't even spare her another glance. Humphed. She was the one who created her, an irrelevant character. She thinks that she's the main female lead? What a joke!
But two days later, Chu Hua who was originally supposed to be the main female lead came to visit her.
She wore a black coat and Shi Shi smiled at her. But her smile was cold. "I'm not dead yet! You don't need to mourn for me."
Chu Hua didn't expect that although she went from a young wealthy miss to a criminal, she hadn't cried or anything. Instead, she had laughed. She helplessly said, "It seems like you knew you would have landed yourself a consequence like this when you had done those things in the past."
Shi Shi's handcuffs bumped against the table and made a bang.
She raised her chin and said, "Who would want to be in jail? Would you? But when I was doing those things, I wasn't thinking too much about it. Didn't you just want to be with Lu Bai? I'll grant your wish! After all, you're the female lead that I've created. More or less, I have some feelings regarding you."
Chu Hua's expression changed. "What are you talking about?"
"Many people think that I'm crazy but I'm fully awake. Chu Hua, let me tell you the truth. This world isn't real. This is a virtual world that is supported by the novel I had written."
"Impossible!"
"You find it to be unbelievable, right? But this is the truth. In my book, Lh Bai is the typical romantic male lead. He is wealthy, handsome, and powerful. Many people love him and you're one of the many. Of course, you're also the female lead. Male lead and female lead CP, male side lead and female side lead CP, etc.
(T/N: CP in Chinese means a couple or a 'character pairing'...in English we'd use the term 'shipping')
Mo Bei liked you without any reasons and he couldn't control his love for you. I purposefully created him like this. You admired Lu Bai and this was a one-sided love. On another hand, you used Mo Bei to climb higher up the social ladder and used him to get closer to Lu Bai Plus, you used Zhan Yu's stupid cannon fodder methods and successfully made yourself seem kind and innocent in front of Lu Bai.
But what was different from now was that you were successful and became Lady Lu/Bai. You used the numerous miscarriages and made Zhan Yu your scapegoat. In the end, Zhan Yu lost his entire family and married a slag man, and then died in his hands. You and Lu Bai had a son two years after your marriage. There was your happy ending."
Chu Hua listened to her shocking and stunning words. Her face turned pale. "You...You're crazy!"
"I'm not crazy." Shi Shi smiled and continued, "Do you need me to tell you what happened to your family from the start to end? Need me to tell you what happened between you and Mo Bei abroad? Chu Hua, why do you think I found you in the first moments you returned back in the country? Why do you think I gave you advice? It's because I realized that because of Zhan Yu, the plot had drastically changed. He wasn't the original Zhan Yu from the book. He transmigrated, earlier than me."
"You...you guys...so you guys are from another world? You're the author?"
"Yes, you didn't expect this, right?" Shi Shi exaggeratingly laughed. "This world is quite interesting!"
"It's absurd!"
"It is absurd!" Shi Shi chuckled. "But I'm not scared. This world will come to an end sooner or later. I am waiting for you guys to go to the underworld with me. Hahah!"
Once Shi Shi finished her words, she couldn't control her sinister laughter.
Chu Hua was stunned for a few moments and she ended up escaping. She originally wanted to visit her and tell her that what comes around will come back around. In the end, she never expected Shi Shi to say something absurd and ridiculous like that.
So she was saying the truth? She wasn't Shi Shi and Zhan Yu wasn't Zhan Yu either. From the start, everyone was like a puppet living in this world? They were controlled and couldn't do anything they wanted?
The more Chu Hua thought of this, the more absurd it was!
But this absurd thought tortured her day and night. In the end, she finally couldn't hold it in. She decided to call Lu Bai and hoped to meet him.
Lu Bai didn't wanted to see her at all. "I'm busy."
Chu Hua hurriedly exclaimed, "I am free to talk anytime. A-Nan, I can wait for you."
Lu Bai seemed to be displeased by this endearment.
When Chu Hua heard no response, she was scared that he might reject her offer. She added, "It's about Zhan Yu. A-Nan, I think you have the right to know."
Lu Bai raised his eyebrows slightly but gave her an address. He said, "Four in the afternoon. I will only give you ten minutes."
"Ok!" Chu Hua grabbed her phone and thought: ten minutes. It was enough. It was enough. As long as he agreed to see her.
Chu Hua's thoughts were on their meeting in the afternoon so she seemed to be uneased in her office. In the end, she decided to go for a spa and then intentionally picked a pink dress that made her seem gorgeous but attractive at the same time.
But Lu Bai didn't even spare her a glance after he walked in. The makeup she spent a few hours doing went to waste. He cut straight to the chase and said, "Quickly say what you have to say. I only have ten minutes."
After seeing Chu Hua, he needed to see a few partners. After that, he needed to pick Zhan Yu up too.
Chu Hua who had prepared a stomach full of gentle sentiments was thrown off by his indifferent attitude. She stared at him with her wide and watery eyes. She blinked and it felt like tears were about to pour out, but she needed to hold it in.
"A-Nan..."
"Miss Sheng, please change the way you address me." Lu Bai pulled their distance apart again.
Chu Hua said, "...ok."
Chu Hua hesitated for a moment before agreeing. Then, she looked up bitterly at him and called out, "Mr. Lu Bai."
As soon as that unfamiliar greeting was let out, Chu Hua's eyes turned red. They couldn't go back anymore, they really couldn't.
Her Lu Bai had long drifted further and further away. His heart was no longer with her at all, nor did his gaze pause on her anymore. Even the simple glance from before was something she was unable to keep.
Chu Hua, you've lost. You've really lost to Zhan Yu. Even if this world had been created for you and Lu Bai from the start, you still lost!
When Lu Bai saw how pitiful she looked, biting her lip, he lost his temper instead. "Miss Chu Hua please speak up if you have anything to say."
Chu Hua paused for a moment. Once she managed to swallow that lump in her throat, she began softly, "I went to see Shi shi. She told me that this world doesn't really exist. It's just a book she wrote. You and I are the male and female leads in this world, but because of Zhan Yu, the orbit of this world had a dramatic change. So, Ah Nan, Zhan Yu isn't even the real Zhan Yu at all!"
Lu Bai listened as she spat that all out while still retaining the air of a gentleman. Once he heard her shouting the name "Ah Nan", he raised his brow slightly and his pupils darkened. Chu Hua immediately understood what went wrong and corrected herself, "Mr. Lu Bai...Everything I said is true!"
"Heh, if what you say is true, does that mean what Shi Shi says must be true as well? Chu Hua, you admit that you've been in contact with Shi Shi, do you? So does that mean you're also involved with the things she did?"
"No!" Chu Hua cried out immediately. "You have to believe me! Lu Bai, please!"
"Do you think I would have ended up investigating Shi Shi if I weren't suspicious of you?" Lu Bai stood up. "If you wish to continue on this madness with Shi Shi, then you better think about the consequences. As for what you said earlier, I don't want to hear it a second time. I also do not want to hear it from anyone else. Miss Chu Hua, I hope your intelligence will not be dragged away by that imprisoned Shi Shi. You better watch yourself." After he finished speaking, Lu Bai got up.
Chu Hua quickly got up and chased after him, pulling his sleeve. "Lu Bai, is it really impossible between us?"
"It's impossible."
His response to her was definite.
Chu Hua let go. She covered her face with her two hands and cried, sobbing so hard that she was no longer coherent. Gone, gone, everything is gone! She really couldn't get Lu Bai back anymore. She cried her heart out, but she had no idea that a young man in a blue suit was watching the two of them from the railings on the second floor, nor the fact that his gaze never left Chu Hua's person.
Not far away from him was Zhan Yu with his hair in a bun, dressed in a white Pant and a black shirt. He had invited Mo Bei to meet with him so they could talk about the show. Halfway through, he came out to pick up a call. Seeing that he had not returned despite waiting for quite a while, he told his assistant he was going to the bathroom but did not expect to see him leaning halfway over the railing, staring fixedly at a certain area downstairs, seeming extremely immersed. Among crowds, he always seemed to stand out. Without the need to look for him deliberately, Zhan Yu could still notice his traces at first glance into a crowd. He was also looking curiously at where Chu Hua were. Except, unlike Mo Bei, Zhan Yu's posture was clearly more relaxed, and his expression was also not as tight as his.
From what Zhan Yu could see, Chu Hua had likely come seeking out Lu Bai to talk about the old times, then tried to find a way to pull Lu Bai back after that. However, Lu Bai must have shown no pity to the fairer sex and made the beauty cry.
Zhan Yu couldn't help but shake his head. He had to make Lu Bai sleep in the guest room tonight! Who asked him to accept Chu Hua's appointment?
After Mo Bei's complex gaze lingered on Chu Hua who was sobbing with her shoulders shrunken for a moment, he finally said, "Host Zhan, does this scene make you happy?"
These words were filled with an explosive taste.
Zhan Yu came back to his senses. To him, Chu Hua was someone he was afraid of doing wrong even if he cared for her in the palm of his hand. Thus, Zhan Yu quickly put away his smile and responded simply, "My apologies, Mr. Mo, I do not have any intentions of feeling happy over someone's misfortune."
Mo Bei stood there without moving and only turned around to look at her. "Even if you wish to, you have no right to do it."
Zhan Yu smiled and explained, "I am only smiling about something else, I have no intentions of making fun of Miss Chu Hua. As for being happy over someone's misfortune, I'm very sorry but I really do not have that intention."
"So, Mr Zhan, how does it feel to see your fiance still entangled with his ex?"
"Lu Bai had no ex." Zhan Yu corrected him, "He has never been together with her officially. If we had to name someone an ex, I would be the only possibility."
Mo Bei's mouth moved, his lips curving into what seemed to be a smile.
Zhan Yu glanced at him and said after some thought, "If you really wish to obtain her to the point where you really can't bear to be without her, then isn't this situation good for you?" Taking advantage of this situation right now would be easy as cake.
Mo Bei did not answer that question. Instead, he asked him, "So you really believe that Lu Bai would not betray you and rekindle his old flame behind your back?"
When Zhan Yu heard this question, He could not help laughing. Following that, he said in a cheerful tone, "Then, do you really believe that Chu Hua can rekindle that flame?"
What Zhan Yu got in response was Mo Bei's focused gaze.
Zhan Yu could guess his intentions and said, "You believe that, but I believe in Lu Bai's character. If he really had someone he liked, he would never betray him. So, if he liked Chu Hua, then he definitely would not get mixed up with me out of pretense. Similarly, he and I are about to be married. He definitely wouldn't give me up on our hard-won relationship."
"Mo Bei, I trust him because he can give me a sense of security. But you don't believe in Chu Hua because your hearts aren't linked together. Perhaps, when you meet someone you truly love, and someone who truly loves you, you'll be able to experience that."
After saying that, Zhan Yu finally realized he may have been speaking too much and quickly said, "I've said too much, I'm sorry. About today..."
"That's alright. It's a special experience, talking to you." After he said that, Mo Bei turned around and said, "I seem to be able to understand why Ah Nan chose you over her."
Zhan Yu smiled and did not ask the reason. Instead, he said, "I hope you think consider the interview. If it's possible, I hope I can receive an answer by tomorrow. Thank you."
"Mm, alright."
Before Zhan Yu left, he turned back just to glance at him and found him staring focusedly at the person downstairs.
Zhan Yu sighed silently and went downstairs with light feet. While reading his book, he actually quite admired Mo Bei. He was handsome, talented, and dedicated. It's just a pity that much of that is covered up by Lu Bai's male lead aura. And because of his obsession with Chu Hua , he just felt sorry for him. He was such a good man, and he deserved someone better to love him. He deserved happiness. Zhan Yu felt a lot of emotions. After going downstairs, he was just thinking to drive home when he remembered Lu Bai. So, he stopped his actions of reversing his car and gave Lu Bai a call.
Lu Bai picked up after two beeps. "What is it?"
Due to what happened with Mo Bei earlier, Zhan Yu felt a little affected by his emotions. So, when he spoke, his voice was softer than usual. "Have you gone back?"
Lu Bai's pupils paused. "Huh?" He said.
The voice speaking with Lu Bai became softer and softer. Zhan Yu spoke a little powerlessly, "I saw you earlier." After Zhan Yu said that, he added on deliberately, "I saw you with Chu Hua, so go sleep in the guest room tonight, President Lu Bai." After Zhan Yu said that, he was just about to hang up when he heard Lu Bai's slightly anxious voice from the receiver. "Where are you?"
Zhan Yu looked around him and told Lu Bai where he was. "I'm in the parking lot."
"Wait for me!" After Lu Bai said that, he immediately turned his car around and rushed back.
Zhan Yu did not expect that Lu Bai would come this quickly. He had clearly shut his eyes to rest for a few short minutes after the call was hung up.
Tap tap. Someone was knocking on the car window.
When Zhan Yu heard the sound, he turned around and saw Lu Bai's handsome face, laced with a slight hint of anxiety.
Zhan Yu could not react to the situation for a moment and did not move.
Lu Bai thought that Zhan Yu had gotten angry so he tapped the window another two times and ordered, "Open the door!"
Zhan Yu was sitting on the driver's seat. Lu Bai bent down to give Zhan Yu a glance, and immediately, Zhan Yu climbed over to the front passenger seat obediently.
After Lj Bai shut the door, his complexion seemed rather bad. He was gloomy, and also kept silent.
Zhan Yu observed Lu Bai's eyes carefully, and thought, he should've been the angry one! What is Lu Bai being angry about?!
"Lu Bai, what are you doing?" Zhan Yu asked, his voice revealing his slight irritation.
What's with this guy's aura? It's not like he's hiding a private lover!
Lu Bai turned around to look at Zhan Yu and still remained silent.
Zhan Yu snorted. "Oh, President Lu Bai, so you're going to pull that look on me, are you? I haven't even asked you about meeting up with your ex, and you're angry at me? I..."
"I'm not sleeping in the guest room." Lu Bai sighed as he spoke in a solemn tone.
Zhan Yu who was halfway through his sentence was stunned. What?
Lu Bai looked intently at Zhan Yu. "There's nothing between me and her. I was thinking of picking you up after your work and explain things to you, but since you happened to see us, I'll just explain everything while we're on the road."
After he said that, Lu Bai went on, "But as for sleeping in the guest room, I strongly disagree with that suggestion."
Zhan Yu could not help but laugh out loud. While laughing, he said, "If you're not sleeping there then I will, is that fine with you?"
"No. I've never seen a couple who are about to get married sleep in different rooms."
Zhan Yu, "..." Hm, so you still have reason!
After Lu Bai emphasized for the third time that he would not be sleeping in the guest room, Zhan Yu no longer wanted to deal with him.
Lu Bai did not wait for Zhan Yu's to respond either. Either way, no response means a yes by default.
Lu Bai started up Zhan Yu's car, and only then did Zhan Yu reminded Lu Bai, "What about your car?!"
"I can just wait for Assistant Wang to come deal with it."
Huh, fine. Whatever makes you happy.
Zhan Yu adjusted himself on his seat and looked out the window, letting his mind wander. With Mo Bei's attitude today, it was unlikely for him to agree to be on the show. It's likely that Zhan Yu will have to re-plan the show again tonight.
Zhan Yu was absorbed in his own thoughts, having no idea at all that Lu Bai who was driving inattentively had been glancing over to him several times without leaving any trace. By the time Zhan Yu finally caught Lu Bai looking at him, Zhan Yu asked craftily, "What're you looking at me like that for?" What's with this situation? Is he going to talk or not?
Lu Bai clutched the steering wheel leisurely and said, "The reason why I met up with Chu Hua was because she went to see Shi Shi several days ago."
When Zhan Yu heard this, a frown emerged on his brow.
Lu Bai caught those subtle movements and smiled, asking, "Is there something you want to say to me?"
Zhan Yu looked at Lu Bai seriously and pondered deeply on it.
Lu Bai raised the corners of his mouth silently. "There's something I've actually always wanted to ask you."
Zhan Yu seemed to be able to guess what Lu Bai wanted to ask, so he brought it up first. "About me?"
"Yes."
"Actually, I've always been thinking about whether I should ask you this, because I can't be sure. How would you react if I asked you? That's why I never asked after so long."
Lu Bai went on and said, "After Shi Shi was taken into custody, I had Assistant Want collect all the videos on the scene. Later, I found many of what Shi Shi had to say quite shocking. I'm not going to hide it from you, but I know everything about what she said to you when you went to see her as well."
Zhan Yu's gaze changed. So, after him meeting with Shi Shi last time, that captain sent him a copy of the recording as well?
"Why? Do you not trust me or what?"
Lu Bai explained, "Many of Shi Shi's actions are beyond our logic, but every time she sees you, she seems to become very agitated. Moreover, she only targets you. I'm just worried about you."
Zhan Yu shook his head. He said, "So you met Chu Hua today because she found out from Shi Shi that I'm not the original Zhan Yu?"
"That's right."
"It's true, I'm not him. You should be clear about that as well. However, the reason why I didn't want to tell you that is because I think that statement is too ridiculous. I live in another world, so all the people I know in this world are from the contents of a book I've read before transmigrating here. I accidentally fell down the stairs while going down and hit my head. By the time I woke up, I was already in this world. Lu Bai, I know about all of you inside this world, and I also know how the story of this world is going to develop. That was why I tried to escape at the very beginning."
When I tried to stay far away from you, I was only worried that I would destroy myself once I get close.
Lu Bai's gaze moved slightly, motioning for Zhan Yu to continue.
"I don't know from when Shi Shi became the author. In this world, I am not the only person possessing Zhan Yu's body. Shi Shi is the same. She wrote this book, but I don't know why she turned into that. After thinking about it, the only possibility is because of me being in this world. She knows me and even hates me to no end. Otherwise, why would the supporting male lead have the same name as me? And he even ended up in a tragedy."
Even though Lu Bai could guess a few things from the dialogue between them, hearing Zhan Yu admit it himself still felt a little strange.
"So, what is the ending in the book?"
Zhan Yu smiled. "You and Chu Hua got together, and because of an accidental miscarriage of your first child with Zhan Yu, you got angry and made the Zhan family perish. Meanwhile, because Zhan Yu ended up getting married to that scumbag, he finally died on the day he was caught with another man."
After some thought, Lu Bai understood. "So, that Lin Hui is the man he ended up marrying at the ending of the book?"
Zhan Yu nodded.
Lu Bai no longer had anything to say. He just looked forward.
If they had to talk about this, then it's better to make everything clear all at once but Zhan Yu went on, "The timeline in the book stops two years after your marriage. You had a child with Chu Hua."
Lu Bai was silent.
Zhan Yu continued, "I don't know how much of what Shi Shi said is real, and how much of it is fake. If this world really is as she says, stopping two years after you get married, does that mean we only have two years of happiness together?"
"That won't happen." Lu Bai was certain. "This world is real."
"I hope so as well." Zhan Yu smiled and replyed.
"However, I often wake up feeling unsure whether I'm actually in this world or the other one. I've even wondered. What if we just never got married? Will the world never end if we keep going like this? But, I couldn't do that to you, Lu Bai. I want to walk by your side as your official wife. Even if it's only two years, I'll still feel blessed."
The car stopped. Lu Bai heard Zhan Yu say, "No matter what happens in the future, meeting you and loving you is already enough for me. As for our future, let's just leave that up to God to decide. Okay?"
"We'll definitely stay together until we grow old." Lu Bai took Zhan Yu's hand and leaned over to pull Zhan Yu into his arms. He lowered his head down and kissed Zhan Yu on the lips before saying in a soft voice, "Don't think too much about it."
To be continued...
...