Failed to Transmigrate, I’m Back Again - Chapter 32

Pei Yinxi listened to the two in the back seat analyze the situation for over ten minutes, their theories growing increasingly absurd. She pressed her hand to her forehead, closed her eyes, and said with exasperation, “Cohabitation? She just casually mentioned having an apartment there. You two are taking this way too far.”

Unable to resist adding, “Get a grip.”

They’re just daydreaming.

Bai Jin shook her head with a tsk, chiming in, “Good analysis, but maybe next time you should analyze something else.”

They haven’t even taken the first step, and they’re already planning to sleep together? Who else would dare to dream like that?

Tang Wuyun’s phone lay carelessly on the seat as she fidgeted restlessly. In the cramped car, Lu Ya, sitting beside her, couldn’t avoid being bumped and jostled several times.

It’s hard not to suspect she’s doing this on purpose.

Lu Ya shoved Tang Wuyun, who was squirming like a pancake on a griddle, with a hint of annoyance.

“Is the back seat suddenly too hot for you?”

After being told off, Tang Wuyun finally stopped moving around, but then she started sighing heavily.

Lu Ya: “……”

She could probably guess why Tang Wuyun was so restless.

“Shi Shuwu’s phone is on airplane mode. She’ll contact you as soon as she lands. What’s the rush?”

Tang Wuyun held back for a long moment before finally saying, “I don’t understand.”

Lu Ya had initially resisted punching Tang Wuyun, but now she couldn’t hold back any longer. She landed a solid punch in Tang Wuyun’s lower back.

Pei Yinxi, distracted for a moment, turned to find the two already brawling in the back seat.

She patted the seat to remind them, “Can’t your seatbelts restrain you two?”

Tang Wuyun immediately straightened up, her expression instantly becoming mature and her voice serious. Turning to Lu Ya, she began lecturing, “Don’t cause a ruckus in the car.”

Lu Ya: “……”

Half an hour later, the five of them arrived at the airport.

Shi Zhimiao dropped them off and left immediately, as she was very busy. After giving Tang Wuyun a few instructions, she departed.

Although Bai Jin, Tang Wuyun, and Lu Ya shared the same destination, they weren’t on the same flight. Bai Jin was pressed for time and had to start filming her show as soon as she landed. She boarded her plane with her assistant, who had been waiting for her at the airport, ahead of the others.

In the waiting area, Tang Wuyun found herself staring at Pei Yinxi and Lu Ya’s assistants, who had arrived earlier.

After greeting them, she felt something was off.

Something was wrong, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it.

It wasn’t until Pei Yinxi asked, “Where’s your assistant?” that Tang Wuyun snapped out of her daze.

“Huh?” Tang Wuyun responded, bewildered.

Lu Ya rolled her eyes. “Ji Wen! Jiang Jiwen! Where is she?”

Who would have thought Tang Wuyun would actually lose her own assistant?

“Isn’t Ji Wen still on vacation?” Tang Wuyun asked, genuinely confused.

Jiang Jiwen was her former assistant, the one who had vowed to stay by her side.

Back then, Tang Wuyun had two assistants assigned by her previous agency.

Due to Tang Wuyun’s reckless actions, both assistants were left without work after she was blacklisted. The agency deliberately targeted them, refusing to assign them to new artists.

Tang Wuyun felt immense guilt and offered to continue paying their salaries, but they refused to take advantage of her.

Knowing they were simply embarrassed, Tang Wuyun recommended them to Shi Zhimiao’s company to work with new artists. One accepted, but Jiang Jiwen declined.

Jiang Jiwen declared she needed two years of rest, implying she would return to work for Tang Wuyun afterward.

The very next day, she packed her bags and left for a vacation, scolding Tang Wuyun for her lack of foresight. “After finally getting two years off,” she complained, “you still want to treat me like a workhorse?”

Tang Wuyun knew Jiang Jiwen was trying to comfort her, but she also knew the other woman was determined not to work with other artists and had even said she would wait two years for her. Guilt and a warm sense of gratitude filled Tang Wuyun’s heart.

The choices made by her two assistants weren’t entirely unexpected. One was working hard to support herself, while the other, free from financial pressures, spent money freely when she had it and earned more when she didn’t, living life more spontaneously.

“…Ji Wen wouldn’t be here too, would she?” Tang Wuyun’s voice trembled slightly.

A terrible premonition gripped her.

Pei Yinxi and Lu Ya exchanged exasperated glances.

Pei Yinxi reminded her, “She mentioned recently that you had contacted her about resuming work and joining us here for the variety show.”

Tang Wuyun mentally lit a candle for herself. She shakily pulled out her phone, reluctant to face reality.

“You really did contact her before?” Tang Wuyun asked again, hoping for a different answer.

Lu Ya nodded. “Yeah, she told us she had already arrived before Sister Pei and I got here. She even warned us not to forget to cause trouble for you.”

Tang Wuyun’s last shred of hope vanished. She frantically scrolled through her message list, but there was no trace of Jiang Jiwen’s name.

Her friend list was empty too.

Tang Wuyun had an idea. She quickly opened her call history and, after a few seconds, found the previous call information.

She immediately dialed the number.

The call was answered quickly.

Tang Wuyun chuckled awkwardly, taking the initiative to greet, “Awen…”

“Jiang Jiwen here,” the other woman replied. “Not only have I finished recording, but I’ve also eaten, and my flight is about to take off.”

After a two-second pause, Tang Wuyun asked, “Where are you?”

“At the airport. You told me to wait for you here.”

Tang Wuyun said guiltily, “Then… I’ll come to the airport now.”

There was silence on the other end for several seconds.

Just as Tang Wuyun wondered if the call had been disconnected, Jiang Jiwen’s voice burst through the receiver, no longer calm as before. “You can’t just abandon me here! What kind of person does that?!”

“You told me to wait for your message, and then you just forgot about me?!”

“Seriously?! Is that reasonable?!”

“You dragged me all the way here, and we didn’t even get to meet! Is that! Fair?!”

Tang Wuyun, feeling wronged but unable to explain herself, could only listen to Jiang Jiwen’s furious tirade.

How pathetic, she thought bitterly. Who’s the boss here, anyway?

This is so unfair! I just got here myself! I didn’t know!

Tang Wuyun waited for Jiang Jiwen to vent completely before offering a placating, apologetic smile.

She quickly arranged a car for Jiang Jiwen and booked her a first-class flight, instructing her to go ahead and wait for further instructions.

The onlookers secretly pitied Jiang Jiwen, wondering what kind of boss she had.

Jiang Jiwen left with a curt, “It’s my honor,” and hung up.

Tang Wuyun: I’m truly impressed!

Look at this mess!

Watching Tang Wuyun scramble to arrange her assistant’s departure, Pei Yinxi found it amusing.

“You really are something,” she said. “How could you forget something like this?”

Lu Ya: “If we hadn’t brought it up, you wouldn’t have remembered at all.”

Tang Wuyun: “……”

Tang Wuyun sighed deeply, no longer caring what they thought or whether they believed her. She stated bluntly, “That wasn’t me.”

“I didn’t contact Ji Wen. I have no idea about any of this.”

I’m the biggest victim here, Tang Wuyun thought.

Pei Yinxi paused, exchanging a glance with Lu Ya. The unspoken suspicion in their eyes confirmed their earlier, uncertain guess.

Alright, so they’ve figured out what Tang Wuyun meant by “that person.”

Pei Yinxi’s heart sank. She pressed her lips together and fell silent.

The situation seemed to be getting more complicated the more they talked about it.

Lu Ya didn’t want to believe her own guess. She tugged on Tang Wuyun’s arm and asked, “Orange juice?”

Tang Wuyun looked blank for a moment, then her lips twitched as she quickly caught on. “Yeah, that orange juice.”

Lu Ya frowned. “The evil orange juice.”

Tang Wuyun chuckled. “Right, the evil orange juice.”

They waited in the boarding lounge for nearly two hours. Just minutes before boarding, Shi Shuwu finally sent a message.

Shi Shuwu: Just got off the plane.

Shi Shuwu: Heard you dumped your assistant on the show’s crew?

Tang Wuyun’s eyes widened as she read the message.

What the hell? How did news travel this fast?

Shi Shuwu just landed!

Tang Wuyun: How did you find out?

Shi Shuwu: Luo Zhuo told me. She said your assistant is complaining to her right now.

Tang Wuyun: “……”

Luo Zhuo’s gossip network is truly impressive.

Tang Wuyun tried to explain: I didn’t know Ji Wen was there. I’m genuinely being framed.

Shi Shuwu: Okay, I get it. You just forgot about her, not dumped her.

Tang Wuyun: […]

Just as they stepped out of the airport terminal, Shi Shuwu was typing on her phone, her eyes curving into crescents beneath the brim of her hat.

She had suddenly discovered how amusing it was to tease Tang Wuyun.

“Watch where you’re going,” Luo Zhuo said, tugging Shi Shuwu’s arm.

She added, “Sister Tan said we should get there ourselves. She’ll be waiting at the entrance.”

Shi Shuwu: …

She had almost forgotten that Tan Qingyu was waiting for her.

Suddenly, her playful mood vanished.

“Didn’t she say she was going to pick us up?” Shi Shuwu asked.

Luo Zhuo chuckled. “If she actually came, you’d be annoyed.”

“She probably just cooled down and didn’t bother coming,” Shi Shuwu replied.

Luo Zhuo nodded with a smile. “Congratulations, you guessed right. But no prize for you.”

They hailed a taxi. Since Tang Wuyun had boarded her flight shortly after their conversation, Shi Shuwu didn’t continue chatting with her.

Not that they could have talked much longer anyway. Shi Shuwu’s apartment wasn’t far from the airport, and they soon arrived at the entrance where Tan Qingyu was waiting.

As soon as Shi Shuwu and Luo Zhuo stepped out of the elevator, they spotted Tan Qingyu standing expressionlessly by the door.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Tan Qingyu deliberately adopted a sharp tone and said to Shi Shuwu, “Well, well, look who finally decided to show up.”

Shi Shuwu’s expression remained unchanged, as if she didn’t understand the sarcasm. She replied matter-of-factly, “Well, I live here, so of course I’d come back.”

She opened the door for the two women, then retrieved two bottles of water from the refrigerator, handing one to each of them.

The three settled onto the living room sofa.

Shi Shuwu casually asked, “Sister Tan, did you skip dinner? Should we order something?”

She pulled out her phone and naturally opened a food delivery app.

Tan Qingyu snatched the phone and flipped it face down.

“Don’t try to change the subject.”

Shi Shuwu glanced at the phone but didn’t resist further. “Fine. But I have something to say first. Please hear me out.”

Tan Qingyu nodded. “Go on.”

She wanted to hear what infuriating words Shi Shuwu would utter next.

Shi Shuwu said with a straight face, “I want to move to Xiangyun for a while.”

Tan Qingyu slammed the water bottle Shi Shuwu had just handed her onto the coffee table. “You’re saying you want to move to another city?”

She thought she had mentally prepared herself, but it seemed she hadn’t.

Shi Shuwu, unfazed like a pig unafraid of boiling water, repeated, “Xiangyun… you know I have an apartment there.”

Luo Zhuo, who had been silently observing, finally burst out, “I told you she’d be lured away!”

Shi Shuwu wasn’t “finally coming to her senses”; she was here to move out.

Tan Qingyu turned to Luo Zhuo, asking, “What does she mean? Tang Wuyun is in Xiangyun?”

Luo Zhuo nodded vigorously.

Shi Shuwu chimed in, “That’s right.”

Tan Qingyu clutched her chest in exasperation.

She now had to accept the reality that in just two days, Shi Shuwu had been lured away by Tang Wuyun…

“I remember you swore you didn’t like her!” Tan Qingyu exclaimed.

She had even breathed a sigh of relief that day.

Turns out, she had relaxed too soon.

Shi Shuwu nodded. “I did.”

Then, with an innocent tone, she declared confidently, “I wasn’t very sure back then.”

Tan Qingyu stared at her, speechless.

Fortunately, after years of dealing with Shi Shuwu, Tan Qingyu was a seasoned veteran. She recovered in a few minutes.

Forget it, forget it. It’s all Tang Wuyun’s fault.

Before she could finish mentally condemning Tang Wuyun, Shi Shuwu added, “Actually, I’m still not very sure now. It’s just a feeling.”

She emphasized, “Just a little bit.”

Tan Qingyu’s eye twitched. “Oh, just a little bit…”

That “little bit” had already made her move out. What would happen if it grew even slightly more?

Seeing Tan Qingyu’s skepticism, Shi Shuwu stood up and moved closer, saying earnestly, “I’m telling the truth. I just think maybe I should try it out.”

“Besides, Tang Wuyun only liked me romantically. She doesn’t even want to be friends with me.”

Tan Qingyu grew even angrier.

“Then why are you still chasing after her?!”

She doesn’t even want to be friends with you anymore!

Shi Shuwu explained defensively, “But I don’t think she completely dislikes me. She had some misunderstandings about me before.”

“I just want to say that we’re not even close yet. Let me observe her first.”

Tan Qingyu frowned, letting out a long sigh as if all her energy had drained away. She couldn’t even muster the strength to retort. “If your method of ‘observing’ didn’t involve throwing yourself at her, I might believe you.”

Now she’s about to run off with her!

Shi Shuwu pursed her lips. “I need to clarify some things. I need to make my presence felt in Tang Wuyun’s mind before it’s too late.”

To prevent her impression of me from fading, to make sure she remembers who I really am.

Tan Qingyu’s headache grew worse with each word.

Remembering something, she asked, “Wait, does she still misunderstand you?”

Shi Shuwu nodded obediently. “Yes. The person she mentioned on Weibo who rejected her confession wasn’t me at all. She mistook someone else.”

Tan Qingyu was speechless. “How could she mistake someone like that? That’s ridiculous!”

Shi Shuwu sighed deeply, feeling wronged and unable to explain herself.

“Ah, wait…” Luo Zhuo suddenly spoke up, realizing something important. “So, she confessed to someone else?”

Shi Shuwu froze, then frowned. Right! Tang Wuyun confessed to someone else! Not me—it wasn’t me at all! I didn’t even hear the confession, yet I’m the one taking the blame!

Shi Shuwu ground her back teeth together, her mood souring instantly.

Tan Qingyu rolled her eyes. “So, you just want to go flirt with Tang Wuyun now, right?”

The words were blunt, but she wasn’t wrong. Tan Qingyu was absolutely certain this was Shi Shuwu’s intention.

Shi Shuwu tried to correct her again. “What are you saying? It’s not flirting. I just want to get to know her better, see what happens.”

She hadn’t even sorted out her own feelings yet. Isn’t that exactly why I want to get closer? Shi Shuwu felt her reasoning was sound.

“Besides,” she added, “I can sense that Tang Wuyun has something more important on her mind than our relationship. Something very important.”

Love isn’t everything in life, she understood that.

Tan Qingyu fell silent, having run out of arguments. Shi Shuwu had said it all.

Luo Zhuo smirked. “In the end, Tang Wuyun still managed to steal you away. Every word you say is secretly defending her.”

Shi Shuwu calmly regarded her. “You just love stirring up trouble.”

Tan Qingyu raised a hand to interrupt them.

“Alright, enough arguing,” she said dismissively. “You’re right, you’re right, and you’re right too. It’s all Tang Wuyun’s fault.”

Looking at Shi Shuwu, Tan Qingyu couldn’t help but think of her own sister, who constantly video-called Tang Wuyun, calling her “wife.”

A shudder ran through her as the memory resurfaced, her expression a mix of exasperation and resignation.

Tang Wuyun! Deserves ten thousand deaths!

Yes, she definitely had a problem with Tang Wuyun!

Luo Zhuo chimed in, “Exactly! It’s all her fault!”

Shi Shuwu had initially wanted to defend Tang Wuyun, but the thought of Tang Wuyun mistaking someone else for her and confessing to the wrong person made her lose the will to defend her.

“Well… she did make a slight mistake.”

The three women continued their irrational condemnation of Tang Wuyun, who wasn’t even present.

Meanwhile, the utterly clueless Tang Wuyun sneezed several times on the plane.

Ah, my irresistible charm. Someone must be thinking of me.

She was watching the live broadcast replay with Lu Ya.

“When does this show air?” Tang Wuyun asked casually, tapping the screen idly. She glanced at the progress bar—still three hours to go.

The live broadcast was just a teaser.

Judging by the online buzz, the teaser had clearly worked. The comments section beneath the official Weibo post was buzzing with activity.

There were so many highlights: Lu Ya and Shi Shuwu, Lu Ya and Pei Yinxi, and Shi Zhimiao’s appearance—every moment was captivating.

Lu Ya checked the date on her phone calendar.

“It airs on October 18th,” she said calmly, “a month from now.”

Tang Wuyun gasped. “A month? Will the audience even stay interested that long?”

Lu Ya nodded calmly, giving Tang Wuyun a look that suggested she was hopelessly naive.

“Reality shows always release teasers and live streams to build hype.”

Tang Wuyun retorted, “Of course I know that! I just think a month is too long.”

Mostly because she was eager to watch it herself.

Lu Ya counted on her fingers. “Post-production editing takes time. Plus, we need to film the second and third episodes this month, and those involve outdoor locations that require preparation. So the schedule is actually pretty tight.”

Tang Wuyun nodded along as she listened.

Finally, she sighed, “Filming three episodes in a month? That sounds exhausting.”

Lu Ya already had two regular variety shows, and now she was adding another. Tang Wuyun wondered if she could handle the workload.

Lu Ya looked at her, puzzled. “Have you forgotten you’re filming too?”

Tang Wuyun pointed at herself, her finger curling. “Me? I’m still doing it?”

She’d almost forgotten to ask if she was also a regular cast member!

Lu Ya opened her mouth, a thought occurring to her. “The person who signed us up for this variety show isn’t human either, right?”

Hearing Lu Ya ask this again, Tang Wuyun paused, slightly taken aback.

Does Lu Ya… believe what I’m saying?

Tang Wuyun pondered for a moment, then nodded slowly. “No, they’re not. They only arrived at the filming location a few minutes before yesterday’s recording began.”

Thinking she might have misheard, Lu Ya whipped her head around to stare at Tang Wuyun, her expression stunned.

They only arrived yesterday?

Then…

Afraid of frightening Lu Ya, Tang Wuyun offered a reassuring smile, nodded, and turned back to watch the live stream of the recording.

Lu Ya wanted to press Tang Wuyun further, but Tang Wuyun clearly didn’t want to continue the conversation, so she abandoned the idea.

She resolved to slowly, bit by bit, pry the truth out of Tang Wuyun. She was certain Tang Wuyun was hiding a great deal from them, and she sensed that the hidden parts were deeply unsettling.

She desperately wanted to know where the discarded cup of plain boiled water had ended up. Had it simply vanished, or was it still lying forgotten in the trash can?

Lu Ya drifted into a daze, her mind blank.

When her focus returned, she noticed Tang Wuyun repeatedly swiping through a particular segment on the screen—the part where they were playing games during dinner the previous night.

“What are you doing?” Lu Ya asked.

Tang Wuyun pointed at Lu Ya. “Look here! Isn’t Shi Shuwu sneaking glances at me?”

Lu Ya: “…Doesn’t she always look at you?”

After a moment’s thought, Lu Ya realized Tang Wuyun was right.

Shi Shuwu is definitely acting strange!

Tang Wuyun nodded, her eyes curving into a smile. “Exactly!”

This was right after they’d agreed not to be friends anymore, yet Shi Shuwu was still secretly watching her.

Tang Wuyun’s mood instantly lifted.

She murmured to herself, beaming, “I knew she couldn’t bear to let me go.”

The livestream was getting more interesting by the minute—the more she uncovered, the happier she felt.

Tang Wuyun watched, giggling foolishly.

Lu Ya: ???

This girl’s hopeless, isn’t she?

I can’t believe it.

Lu Ya tried to grab Tang Wuyun’s attention, intending to fill her in on everything she’d missed during her absence.

She paused the video.

Tang Wuyun immediately turned, glaring at her.

“What are you doing?” she demanded. “I haven’t even finished watching!”

Lu Ya slapped Tang Wuyun’s arm impatiently and cut straight to the point. “Qiao Mian, Sister Xiting, and I are permanent cast members on this show. You and Zhang Rui are only signed for three episodes. Sister Pei and Jin Jin cleared their schedules to visit me for one episode.”

She added, “And the rookies with plenty of free time will rotate appearances to get exposure. They’re basically permanent too.”

Tang Wuyun immediately asked, “Where’s Shi Shuwu?”

It seemed Shi Shuwu had also come on short notice.

Lu Ya shrugged, a hint of schadenfreude in her voice. “No idea.”

With no reason to see Shi Shuwu, Tang Wuyun couldn’t help but feel anxious.

Her spirits visibly dampened.

She pressed on, “What about Sister Pei and Jin Jin…?”

Lu Ya replied regretfully, “They really couldn’t make it. Too busy. Isn’t one enough?”

Unwilling to give up, Tang Wuyun waved frantically at Pei Yinxi, who was sitting across the aisle.

It was impossible for Pei Yinxi to ignore the commotion. She turned her head, her gaze questioning, and then caught sight of Lu Ya smirking behind Tang Wuyun.

Pei Yinxi: “……”

These two can’t even stay quiet on a plane.

Adopting a pitiful expression, Tang Wuyun directly pressured her: “Sister Pei, aren’t you going to join me on the next variety show episode?”

Pei Yinxi had thought Tang Wuyun wanted something else. She immediately withdrew her head, waved dismissively, and thought, Tang Wuyun’s already clinging to me like a leech. Why would I bother looking for her on the show?

Only a fool would voluntarily increase their workload.

Tang Wuyun’s spirits completely collapsed.

Lu Ya mocked her, “Are you really this upset just because you can’t flirt with Shi Shuwu?”

Tang Wuyun retorted, “I’m upset because Sister Pei and Jin Jin aren’t here!”

“It has nothing to do with Shi Shuwu, okay?!”

Lu Ya ignored her stubborn denial, her eyes twinkling as she whispered in Tang Wuyun’s ear, “I have a plan to get close to Shi Shuwu. Want to hear it?”

Tang Wuyun fell silent, torn between her desires and her pride. Finally, she lowered her head, her heart winning out.

“Tell me quickly!”

Lu Ya grinned. “You said Shi Shuwu doesn’t live with Xiangyun anymore, right? Go ask if her apartment is for rent. Tell her you want to rent it.”

“Just rent one bedroom and leave the rest for her. Maybe she’ll even come back to live there!”

That’s how it always happens in the novels she reads.

Her secret crush turns out to be her landlord…

Hehehehe.

Lu Ya grew more excited with each thought.

Tang Wuyun’s forehead creased with black lines. “Heh, just one bedroom?”

Why would Shi Shuwu rent to her under those conditions?

Going all the way there just to rent a single room? That’s ridiculous!

Lu Ya paused, realizing her mistake. “Okay, I’ll rent the whole apartment, then tell her she can have one bedroom back and come back whenever she wants.”

Tang Wuyun: “……”

To be honest, she was actually tempted.

But had Lu Ya really read too many novels?