Shi Yaoguang awoke in an environment thick with the smell of alcohol.
As she opened her eyes, she came face to face with a lascivious and sinister expression.
The man confined her wrist above her head with one hand, while his rough fingers were trailing down her spine, and she could faintly hear the sound of him salivating.
"Ah? Awake?"
The raspy voice of the man, boastful at her ear, shamelessly pried her legs apart.
"To think you look down on me with your high and mighty attitude, wait until I make you beg for mercy. Then you'll realize how formidable I am..."
The man knew that Shi Yaoguang was drugged and was consequently off his guard, feeling triumphant.
Seizing the opportunity, Shi Yaoguang mustered her strength and delivered a kick.
"Aow——"
A squeal like that of a pig being slaughtered erupted, and the man curled up like a shrimp.
Watching Shi Yaoguang slowly sit up from the bed, his face wore an expression as if he'd seen a ghost: "You, you..."
Shi Yaoguang paid no attention to his astonished look. She pulled out a small knife from nowhere and pressed it to his throat, her voice ghostly, "Speak, who sent you?"
The moment the man saw this, he didn't dare to delay, stuttering out a name: "Lin, Lin Ruixue."
Receiving the anticipated answer, Shi Yaoguang no longer bothered with him.
She carefully sorted through her memories; today was supposed to be the day she got engaged to her fiancé.
It was also—
The beginning of hell.
In her past life, she had also awakened in this room.
She fought desperately but couldn't escape the fate of being ruined and disgraced.
On the same day, her supposedly caring sister took her place at the engagement banquet that should have been hers, receiving the blessings of the entire family and getting engaged to her fiancé.
How ironic.
At this moment, a cellphone lying on the ground suddenly lit up with a message.
[Sister, Mom and Dad and I have gone ahead to the hotel to prepare. Don't sleep in and miss the engagement ceremony.]
Shi Yaoguang glanced at it casually and then called the police. She waited for them to arrive and take the man away.
It was only eight o'clock; the engagement ceremony was at eleven in the morning.
Right now, she had more important matters to tend to.
The world she found herself in was derived from a brainless romance novel.
And she was a cannon fodder female character within it.
It was bad enough being a stepping stone for the female lead, but she even served as an "experience pack."
A premeditated case of 'The Prince and the Pauper' allowed the would-be Cinderella female lead to gain princess-like proper manners and education while she herself was reduced to a country bumpkin, clueless about everything.
Of course, that was only the surface.
In actuality, she was born with a photographic memory, and she understood many things at a glance.
But every time in front of her, her body acted as if possessed, uncontrollably creating various jokes to her detriment, turning her into a contrast group for the female lead.
Only at the end of her life, did she break free from the shackles of this invisible force.
She died a tragic death riddled with a thousand wounds, and because of her deep obsessions, was captured by the Quick Transmigration Bureau, where she completed many missions, and finally earned a chance to travel back in time.
Collecting her thoughts, she found herself standing outside the intended destination.
Quan Mansion.
Upon learning of Shi Yaoguang's arrival, the butler immediately reported to his master.
"Third Master, Miss Shi is here."
Quan Jinbei sat in a wheelchair, his movements exuding an air of haughty grace. Hearing the butler's words, he raised an eyebrow slightly, "Which Miss Shi?"
Butler: "The fiancée of the fourth young master."
"Her?"
Quan Jinbei showed a hint of surprise, "Let her in."
The butler personally ushered her inside.
"Third Master."
Shi Yaoguang glanced at him, withdrew her gaze, and took a seat across from him.
He was undoubtedly outstanding, whether it was his capabilities, his schemes, or his ethereal appearance.
The man's face was in profile, his jawline smooth and perfect. Just a side view was enough to be captivating.
With gold-rimmed glasses concealing his naturally sharp, phoenix-like eyes, a silver eyeglass chain studded with diamonds hung down his cheek, his entire being emanated an aesthetically pleasing sense of abstinence.
His face was delicate but not effeminate, and even she, who had traveled through many small worlds and seen countless beautiful men and women of various styles, couldn't help but marvel at him.
Perhaps God was fair after all, giving him a face that could bring a nation to its knees, but dooming him to die young.
And this was why she had come here.
Shi Yaoguang thought about the man's fate, not destined to live past thirty, and sighed.
An experience package for male and female leads, compared with her own, his end wasn't much better.
This was Quan Jinbei's first encounter with Shi Yaoguang; he knew the Shi Family had found their true lost daughter, but he had never met her before.
He had heard quite a few unsavory rumors about the true daughter of the Shi Family, but seeing her clear-eyed appearance, it seemed the rumors were overly exaggerated.
Seeing her silent, he had to take the initiative to speak, "What do you want from me?"
"I would like to propose a trade with Third Master."
Shi Yaoguang said with a confident tone, "I can offer something that the Third Master needs most right now."
"Oh?" Quan Jinbei didn't ask how she knew what he wanted but instead asked, "What do you want?"
Shi Yaoguang's proposition was startling, "My fiancé has betrayed me, and I want—"
"To make him call me 'mom'."
Quan Jinbei: "..."
Girls these days are really wild, daring to propose marriage to him just for a moment of satisfaction...
Even though he was only six years older than Quan Sicheng, by name, he was his godfather.
Seeing him silent, she added, "All I want is the status of Mrs. Quan, as for how we interact in private, that's entirely up to the Third Master."
"Nonsense."
Quan Jinbei felt she was gambling on a momentary impulse.
He could never agree to such an absurd condition.
Shi Yaoguang knew it wouldn't be easy to convince him, but she was not discouraged.
"I have a way to extend one's life, just give me a chance to prove it."
As she spoke, she took out a small Auspicious Cloud Pendant from her pocket and handed it over to him.
"How about a wager, Third Master? Do you dare?"
Quan Jinbei's brows furrowed slightly as he reached out to take the pendant.
Holding the pendant in his hand, he felt as if his body had been cleansed by celestial air, experiencing an unprecedented sense of relief.
Seeing his brow relax, Shi Yaoguang knew her pendant had taken effect.
She watched him steadily, not rushing him.
Three minutes later.
He ordered the butler, "Prepare the car."
Seeing this, Shi Yaoguang's eyes curved into a smile.
...
At the Mingzhu City Civil Affairs Bureau.
For nine yuan, Shi Yaoguang became the freshly minted Mrs. Quan.
Looking at the red marriage certificate in her hands, she smiled with satisfaction.
Quan Jinbei looked at the contented young woman and voiced his inner question, "Your marriage to me is just to become Mrs. Quan and to make Quan Sicheng call you 'mom'?"
"Mhm."
Shi Yaoguang nodded cheerfully, "Since he dared to wrong me, I'll marry his father and give him a hard time."
Quan Jinbei, watching her unreliable demeanor, began to regret his rash decision.
Seeing this, Shi Yaoguang hurriedly said, "Don't worry, Third Master, with me around, I guarantee you'll live longer than anyone!"
Fearful he wouldn't believe her, she reassured him, "If you want, you can live long enough to become an old demon!"
Quan Jinbei: "No, I don't want that."
Fearing she would say something even more shocking, he quickly changed the subject, "What do you plan to do next?"
Shi Yaoguang's lips slowly curved into a smile, "Of course, I'm going to officially announce this great news right away."