Accidentally Sold Myself (Rebirth) - Chapter 2

2: The Capitalist

Gu Xi flipped open the contract, and upon seeing that she would be paid 20,000 yuan a month, her eyes lit up instantly. Without even glancing at the rest of the terms, she grabbed a pen and swiftly signed her name.

Luo Ningshuang was slightly surprised, giving a faint nod of approval. “…Quite decisive. I underestimated you.”

Well, could she admit she was just dazzled by the money? Who could blame her when she was broke, with some funds tied up on Jinjiang that wouldn’t be available until next month? She had no idea how much was left in her account either—she’d have to check when she got home. Pretending to be composed, she asked, “Is this alright?”

A bodyguard took the contract and handed it to Luo Ningshuang. She glanced through it, confirmed there were no issues, and said, “Gu Xi… nice name. These two will go back with you. Pack your things, and they’ll bring you to me afterward. Then, we’ll head to the Civil Affairs Bureau.”

What? The Civil Affairs Bureau? What was going on?

Her calm facade shattered instantly. Gu Xi felt like she’d been slapped in the face but forced herself to ask, “What are we going to the Civil Affairs Bureau for?”

“To get married!” Luo Ningshuang’s previously approving gaze turned to disdain.

What?! Marriage? Had she just jumped into a fire pit without even realizing it? Gu Xi, holding back tears, stammered, “Um…”

“The contract’s already signed. If you want to back out now, I’m afraid…” Luo Ningshuang’s eyes narrowed, her tone carrying a hint of threat.

“No, no, I’m not backing out, haha!” Gu Xi forced a laugh.

Fine, for the money. She hadn’t even read the contract properly, but whatever the “sugar daddy” said, went. Dejectedly, she muttered, “I’ll head back first then.”

As soon as Gu Xi stepped out, Luo Ningshuang sighed, rubbing her temples. “I don’t know if this is the right move. I can only hope it is.”

But soon, Gu Xi came back, scratching her head awkwardly. “Um, I forgot my phone, heh.”

God, how embarrassing! Gu Xi flashed an awkward smile at Luo Ningshuang, then darted into the room to search for her phone. “Where is it?”

Lifting the bedding, she found her phone—and a glaring patch of crimson. Last night’s events were fuzzy, but fragments lingered: dim, intimate lighting, smooth skin… She shook her head, banishing the images from her mind.

Grabbing her phone, she left the room, only to meet Luo Ningshuang’s cold, piercing stare, as if she could see right through her. Terrified, Gu Xi bolted out.

Bang! The door slammed shut. Gu Xi patted her chest, suddenly regretting her impulsiveness. Why hadn’t she read the contract? Why had she signed so recklessly?

“Are you ready to go?” one of the bodyguards asked impatiently.

“Uh, yeah, let’s go.” Gu Xi gave a sheepish smile and followed them. Oh well, she didn’t have a choice now. But the thought of living with this ice queen sent a shiver down her spine.

At the hotel entrance, two cars waited: a Mercedes and a Rolls-Royce. Gu Xi’s eyes sparkled at the sight. The bodyguard opened the Mercedes’ door, staring at her expressionlessly.

Gu Xi got the hint and hopped in, giving her address. Everything felt different after her rebirth. Since she’d been given a second chance, she’d make the most of her past life’s resources. She hadn’t written in ages and wasn’t sure which story she’d been working on. Time to check her phone.

Opening her phone, she realized she was still locked in the “little black room” on Jinjiang. No choice but to wait until she got to her rental to check on her computer.

At her rundown apartment, Gu Xi told the bodyguards to wait downstairs, but they ignored her and followed her up. The landlord, seeing them, thought Gu Xi had been kidnapped or crossed some mafia boss.

After some frantic explaining that they were just “friends,” the landlord relented. “Alright, but be careful.”

Back in her apartment, Gu Xi immediately booted up her computer while the bodyguards rummaged through her things, as if searching for something.

She logged into Jinjiang Literature City and found an email waiting. Opening it, her eyes widened in shock.

Dear Author,

Due to the system detecting your tragic death, we’ve expended energy to grant you, our unfortunate author, a chance at rebirth. As a Jinjiang author, how can you live so miserably? Thus, the system reminds you: you only get one shot at rebirth, and you must complete the following tasks to replenish the system’s expended energy.

1. Finish all your incomplete stories to dispel your readers’ resentment and boost the system’s energy. (If you don’t finish your stories, your readers’ resentment will bring you terrible luck!)
2. (As the rebirth system is newly developed) Ensure you live a high-quality life to inspire other rebirth participants.
3. Avoid your impending death and cling to a powerful ally to prevent another bad ending.

“What the heck?” Gu Xi closed the email and checked her author page. Five unfinished stories. She wanted to cry. Why had she started so many projects and finished none?

Opening her oldest story, she saw it had only 20,000 words before she’d abandoned it for a new one. Checking her account balance, she found a measly 3,000 yuan.

With only a few hundred yuan in her pocket, how was she supposed to live a “high-quality life”? She wanted to sob.

Closing the page, she searched for Luo Ningshuang online. No wonder the name sounded familiar. Luo Ningshuang, the eldest daughter of the Luo family, graduated from H University in Country M. During her school years, she’d single-handedly created her own fashion brand, LS. Rumor had it she also had a fiancé.

In her years as a wandering spirit, Gu Xi had heard of Luo Ningshuang’s legendary achievements. Everything she touched turned to gold, and her fiancé was perfect in both background and looks—a true golden couple. Yet, until her rebirth, Gu Xi hadn’t heard of their marriage. Maybe they’d had a secret wedding? After all, if the world knew Luo Ningshuang was married, countless hearts would break.

“Miss Gu, please hurry,” a bodyguard urged, holding her ID and household registration.

Alright, fine. Gu Xi shut down her computer and started packing. There wasn’t much value in her place—most of her stuff had been bought for Huang Lejia, who’d taken it all when she left. Packing lightly, she eyed her computer, thinking to take it apart, but a bodyguard stopped her. “Miss Gu, you don’t need to bring the computer. Let’s go.”

Wait, she could at least sell it for some emergency cash! But seeing the bodyguard’s impatient look, she didn’t dare argue. She grabbed her backpack and headed downstairs.

Since she hadn’t read the contract, she didn’t know how long she’d be staying there, so she couldn’t cancel her lease. Rent was due next month, and she had no idea when Luo Ningshuang would pay her.

As she was about to get in the car, a bird dropping landed squarely on her head. She froze, the stench hitting her as she scrambled into the car, frantically wiping it off with a tissue. Talk about bad luck!

Wait—bad luck? Was the readers’ resentment already kicking in? No way, she wasn’t about to become a jinx! She opened her phone and started writing.

Her “little black room” lock had lifted. She decided to tackle her oldest story first—a clichéd, melodramatic “CEO falls for me” tale.

Time ticked by. In half an hour, she managed only 500 words.

The car soon pulled into an upscale neighborhood called Yiyuan, a property owned by the Luo family—meaning the entire place belonged to Luo Ningshuang. Gu Xi couldn’t help but marvel: Curse you, filthy capitalist!

The car stopped at a villa. Gu Xi, backpack in tow, followed the bodyguards inside, still feeling like she was in a dream.

The villa’s interior was surprisingly minimalist, clashing with its lavish exterior. Luo Ningshuang, dressed in casual home clothes with slightly loose cuffs, was elegantly flipping through documents.

The bodyguards handed her Gu Xi’s ID and household registration, then left. Luo Ningshuang placed the documents on the coffee table and said, “Let’s eat first. Then we’ll head to the Civil Affairs Bureau.”

She sat at the dining table, where three dishes and a soup were already laid out.

Gu Xi set her backpack on the sofa, looking around curiously.

Luo Ningshuang frowned. “What are you looking at?”

“Uh, nothing!” Gu Xi was just checking if anyone else was around. Surely a rich heiress like Luo Ningshuang didn’t cook this herself?

“The food is made by Aunt Lan. She prepares two meals a day, but you’ll have to handle breakfast yourself.” Luo Ningshuang explained coldly, as if reading her thoughts.

Ugh, so cold! Gu Xi picked up her chopsticks and ate quietly, already regretting her drunken mistake. Drinking really messes things up!

Then she remembered the Jinjiang system’s tasks: cling to a powerful ally. Wasn’t Luo Ningshuang the perfect “big thigh” to hold onto? Maybe this wasn’t so bad after all?

“Is Aunt Lan’s cooking good?” Luo Ningshuang asked, her eyes narrowing as she stared at Gu Xi.

Gu Xi’s heart skipped a beat under that icy gaze. Not sure why she asked, Gu Xi nodded eagerly. “It’s delicious.”

“You don’t have to eat the bowl too.”

Luo Ningshuang noticed Gu Xi’s empty bowl, scraped clean, yet she was still poking at it absentmindedly. A teasing smile tugged at her lips.

Gu Xi snapped out of it, staring at her empty bowl, mortified. She wanted to crawl into a hole. Setting down her chopsticks, she said solemnly, “Can’t help it. Even your bowls are so fragrant, I couldn’t resist licking them a couple more times.”

Luo Ningshuang: “…” Is she a dog?

“Done eating?” Luo Ningshuang stood up.

Gu Xi nodded, standing to clear the table. She wasn’t cooking, so the least she could do was wash dishes. But Luo Ningshuang shook her head. “Leave it. Aunt Lan will handle it. Wait for me.”

Gu Xi dropped the dishes instantly. Why waste time on pointless chores if she didn’t have to?

When Luo Ningshuang came downstairs, she’d changed into a sharp business outfit: a short blazer with rolled-up sleeves, a slightly open collar, and fitted trousers that accentuated her long legs. Probably because of her height—or maybe because she’d be driving—she wore flat shoes instead of heels. Gu Xi estimated she was at least 175 cm tall.

“Let’s go.”

Gu Xi snapped out of her thoughts and followed Luo Ningshuang out. This time, they got into a Maserati. Gu Xi couldn’t help but grumble inwardly: Filthy capitalist!