Can I still be saved? [Transmigration] - Chapter 23

Su Yunjing ended his life early.

He had planned to live as long as he could, but after Song Wenqian and her husband transferred him to the city hospital, he realized that every day he lived, they spent more money.

So, when no one was watching him, he pulled out his own ventilator, hoping to lessen their burden.

He didn’t expect Song Wenqian to catch him in time. His condition worsened because of it.

Su Yunjing was transported to the operating room in a coma.

When he opened his eyes again, he was back at the starting point, the system’s white, featureless space.

Looking around at the vast whiteness, Su Yunjing let out a sigh.

The system tried to comfort him.

“You didn’t complete the mission, but it’s not entirely your fault. After all, healing a yandere isn’t that easy.”

True enough. Failing the mission wasn’t all on him…

Wait a minute.

Su Yunjing suddenly caught on.

“You’re saying I didn’t complete the mission?”

System: “Isn’t that obvious?”

Su Yunjing: “…”

Obvious where?

He’d done a great job. Fu Hanzhou had opened up, reconnected with his biological father, and their relationship was steadily improving.

How was that not a completed mission?

The system, unaware of Su Yunjing’s thoughts, continued analyzing the failure.

“I thought about it, it really wasn’t your fault. The identity we gave you had a limited lifespan, so you didnt have enough time to bond with Fu Hanzhou.”

Lu Jiaming’s life was always going to be short. Even though the system had done its best to adjust Su Yunjing’s physical state and reduce his suffering in the hospital, it couldn’t change the fact that he was dying.

Originally, Lu Jiaming was supposed to pass away two days later. But seeing Su Yunjing had lost hope, the system helped shorten his remaining life.

Hearing the truth, Su Yunjing’s head was full of question marks.

When did I ever lose hope and choose to end the mission early?

He had only wanted to save money so that the baby Song Wenqian was carrying could have formula after being born.

Still, at least now Su Yunjing understood.

It wasn’t that the system had “used the donkey and then killed it” Lu Jiaming just didn’t have much time left to begin with.

Sigh.

Well, at least Song Wenqian was pregnant again. That might ease her grief a little.

Seeing that the system hadn’t marked his mission as complete, Su Yunjing said,

“I think you might misunderstand what a ‘yandere’ really is.”

System: “And I think host misunderstand what a ‘yandere’ really is.”

Su Yunjing: “…”

System: “…”

An odd silence passed between the boy and the string of code.

Even though Su Yunjing was convinced Fu Hanzhou was just a little cool cub and not a yandere, the system’s words hinted he might still have a chance to return to the novel world and continue ‘reforming’ Fu Hanzhou.

Su Yunjing didn’t argue anymore.

If you could stay alive, why choose to die?

“Okay, fine. I failed,” Su Yunjing admitted quickly. “So, what now?”

“Now you continue the mission, of course.”

That was exactly what Su Yunjing wanted to hear.

He perked up and asked excitedly, “Am I going back as Lu Jiaming?”

“Lu Jiaming is already dead. You can’t use that identity again. I’ll assign you a new one.”

“The host must remember that no matter what,you must not reveal your past vest.”

Su Yunjing was confused. “Why not?”

“No reason. It’s the rules.”

“…Alright then.”

Even though he wasn’t thrilled about it, Su Yunjing figured every world had its own rules.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to him.

“Oh right, if I complete the mission this time, is there any kind of bonus?”

The system replied flatly, “If it weren’t for us, you’d already be dead.”

Su Yunjing: …He couldn’t even argue with that. It wasn’t wrong, after all.

“I mean,” Su Yunjing tried negotiating, “if there was a bonus, I might be even more motivated.”

The system was quiet for a while before finally saying,“I can’t make decision on this matter, I’ll submit a request on your behalf.”

Su Yunjing was stunned. “You have superiors?”

“This is confidential content, the host has no right to know.” The system had gone back to its cold, robotic self.

“If you have no further questions, I’ll now send you back to the novel world.”

Su Yunjing swallowed his curiosity and shook his head. “No more questions.”

When he opened his eyes again, he was sitting in the passenger seat of a car.

The man driving glanced at him and explained, “Your aunt was supposed to pick you up, but something came up. So she sent me to get you instead.”

At the same time, the system had implanted a set of unfamiliar memories into Su Yunjing’s mind.

He hadn’t had time to process them yet, nor did he know the current situation, so he just smiled and nodded along.

When the man wasn’t paying attention and switching lanes, Su Yunjing looked down at his hands.

They were long and clean, with a thick callus around the third knuckle.

The mark of someone who wrote a lot.

Seeing the teenage hands, Su Yunjing finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Thank god. Not a seven- or eight-year-old this time.

While the driver was busy, Su Yunjing started sorting through the implanted memories.

This body’s name was Wen Ci, a high school sophomore.

His parents had died in a car crash when he was in elementary school. Since then, he’d lived with his grandparents.

Though he’d grown up without parents, the family was well-off. His aunt, Wen Yanlai, was a actress who held the title of queen in the film industry.

She entered showbiz at 19 and, through hard work, won many prestigious awards and was very popular among the people.

Because she was focused on a career, it wasn’t until she was 37 that Wen Yanlai finally wanted to settle down and get married.

What surprised Su Yunjing the most was, Wen Yanlai’s marriage partner turned out to be Shen Nianyun.

So, the original owner’s aunt is Fu Hanzhou’s stepmother?!

From a legal standpoint, he and Fu Hanzhou were about to become stepbrothers.

Becoming brothers? Great. But becoming the in-law of his former good brother’s stepmother?

That was… complicated.

For Su Yunjing, it had only been a few minutes since he’d left that world.

But when he returned, ten years had passed in the story’s timeline.

Now, both he and Fu Hanzhou were seventeen, in the same grade.

Wen Yanlai was afraid that the old couple would have a hard time taking care of Wen Ci, so she brought him to the capital to finish high school.

Su Yunjing had only one word for the system’s work: professional.

Last time, he was Fu Hanzhou’s next-door neighbor. This time, he’d be living in his house.

The man who came to pick him up was Wen Yanlai’s assistant, named Chang Jian.

This name is very interesting, and he is also talkative and humorous. He chatted nonstop during the drive, sharing all kinds of juicy entertainment gossip.

After more than an hour on the road, they arrived at a TV station.

“Your aunt’s doing an interview inside,” Chang Jian checked his watch.

“She should be wrapping up soon. Let’s wait somewhere nearby.”

Su Yunjing obviously had no objections.

They found a fast-food place and waited nearly two hours before Wen Yanlai finally came out.

Su Yunjing had not expected Changchang’s ‘wrapping up soon’ to be such a huge understatement.

Chang Jian had a pass, so he drove the car into the TV station’s parking lot.

Soon, a beautiful woman walked out the front entrance.

She wore sunglasses that hid half her face, her graceful demeanor reminiscent of a classic 1930s beauty.

Thia was the original owner’s aunt  Wen Yanlai.

When the car door opened, she got in. Su Yunjing greeted her. “Auntie.”

“Mm.”

She removed her sunglasses. Though nearly forty, she looked young and elegant, with striking features and a cool aura.

Maybe sensing her tone was too cold, she asked,“Was the flight tiring?”

“Not really,” Su Yunjing replied.

To be honest, he felt a little awkward sitting next to such a famous actress.

First, there was no bl00d relationship with the other party.

Second, the original owner didn’t seem to have a close relationship with Wen Yanlai.

She’d been busy with work for years and only visited home a few times a year. They hadn’t spent much time together.

Even Wen Ci had been surprised when she suddenly decided to bring him to the capital.

Wen Yanlai pulled a cigarette from her bag, placing it between her lips, lipstick- painted lips.

She casually asked,“How are your grandparents?”

Cool and aloof as she was, even smoking gave off an air of cold sophistication.

Feeling slightly overwhelmed by her presence, Su Yunjing answered honestly,

“They’re doing well.”

“Good,” she replied, with no further comment.

The car fell into silence. The flick of the lighter echoed sharply in the quiet.

Chang, who was driving in front, saw Wen Yanlai was about to smoke in the rearview mirror and couldn’t help reminding her.

“Sister Wen, it’s not good to smoke in front of the kid. Besides, don’t you have to have dinner with Mr. Shen later?”

Wen Yanlai paused, then pressed her fingers to her temples, her pale hands trembling faintly.

Her brows pinched together, stress and frustration showing beneath the fatigue.

Su Yunjing had heard the entertainment industry was brutal. Even someone like Wen Yanlai, with her status, must be under tremendous pressure.

Especially female stars, who have to face the outside world’s scrutiny about their figure and appearance.

Aging is a hurdle that everyone cannot overcome, but actresses are more likely to be criticized than male actors.

So he could understand why she smoked to relieve stress. Still, this is not a healthy way to relieve stress.

“For the sake of your health, you should smoke less in the future.” Su Yunjing offered quietly.

Wen Yanlai seemed surprised by the comment. She glanced at him.

A hint of a smile touched her eyes, softening them, and a few fine lines of time appeared at the corners of her eyes.

Giving him face, she tucked the cigarette back in its case and tossed it to Chang Jian.

He caught it smoothly.

“Sister Wen for me?” Chang Jian  smiled and smelled the cigarette box, “These are good cigarettes.”

“We’ve been trying to get you to quit for years. Seems like nothing works as well as one word from little Ci.”

“Just drive.” Wen Yanlai scolded Chang Jian, but he didn’t seem angry.

They hit a red light, and Chang Jian stopped the car. He turned his head and continued to joked,“Still, I hope we can count on little Ci to help keep you in check from now on.”

Thanks to him, the atmosphere lightened noticeably.

Even Wen Yanlai seemed to relax.