Failed to Transmigrate, I’m Back Again - Chapter 36

Tang Wuyun was finally convinced by Shi Shuwu’s twisted logic.

“Fine, I’ll take advantage of you.”

The thought of doing a split earlier now seemed like a pure bonus to her.

And hearing Shi Shuwu so generously declare that Tang Wuyun was the one taking advantage made it feel like she was just teasing her.

Tang Wuyun didn’t mind playing along.

Seeing Tang Wuyun finally come to her senses, Shi Shuwu nodded in satisfaction and lifted her chin with righteous indignation. “Hmph, as long as you know you’re the one benefiting.”

Tang Wuyun patted the hand that had been ruffling her hair, her tone ambiguous. “Yes, I understand now. So why aren’t you off washing up and waiting for me?”

Shi Shuwu snatched her hand back with a whoosh, inwardly grumbling that Tang Wuyun had taken the opportunity to touch her hand and try to take advantage.

She eyed the suddenly assertive Tang Wuyun warily.

Tang Wuyun tilted her head back and raised an arrogant eyebrow at Shi Shuwu.

Shi Shuwu narrowed her eyes, paused for two seconds, and finally said, “You really have no shame.”

Tang Wuyun lifted a hand and casually tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Oh, come on. You’ve already called me a pervert. What shame do I have left to lose?”

Shi Shuwu pondered for a moment. “So… you were trying to sleep with me?”

“Ahem… You, you, you, you!”

Tang Wuyun nearly died of shock at Shi Shuwu’s outrageous remark.

She immediately averted her gaze, her eyes instinctively darting away, unable to meet Shi Shuwu’s. Her entire face flushed crimson, a wave of heat surging to the tips of her ears.

Tang Wuyun raised a hand to cover her vividly red ears.

Who’s the shameless one here?!

Tang Wuyun’s reaction made it clear that Shi Shuwu had once again spoken too quickly and blurted out something inappropriate.

Shi Shuwu pressed her lips together in regret, gently tapping her mouth with her fingers.

Tang Wuyun’s mind was still reeling from Shi Shuwu’s unfiltered words, impossible to ignore. So stimulating!

Realizing she’d eaten enough, she turned away from Shi Shuwu, her voice strained with awkwardness. “Um, I’m done eating. You… ahem… you can do whatever you want. I’ll go back to cleaning up.”

Shi Shuwu responded with a barely audible “Oh,” sounding utterly dejected.

It was obvious she was embarrassed too.

Tang Wuyun desperately wanted to turn around and see if this brazen, outrageous chatterbox was blushing.

Tang Wuyun touched her burning cheeks and decided against turning around. She already felt humiliated enough, reduced to this state by a single remark from Shi Shuwu.

Back turned, Tang Wuyun slowly walked away. The more she thought about it, the more agitated she became. She couldn’t resist throwing a parting shot: “Your habit of making shocking statements… you should really have your agent send you to learn the art of language.”

Shi Shuwu huffed softly. “I’m trying to change, but it’s really hard.”

If it weren’t for wanting to avoid angering Tang Wuyun to death in the future, I wouldn’t bother with any of this.

Hearing Shi Shuwu’s aggrieved tone about trying to change, Tang Wuyun paused.

“Look, the most important thing is for you to be comfortable with yourself. Don’t force yourself to change if you don’t want to.”

Tang Wuyun didn’t want Shi Shuwu to actually change, becoming overly cautious with her words. That would be so stifling for her.

She glanced back at Shi Shuwu, then added, “I only said that to tease you. Don’t take it seriously.”

Shi Shuwu propped her cheek on her hand and shook her head. Instead of the distress or guilt Tang Wuyun expected, she looked utterly unconcerned. “You’re overthinking it. I want to change myself, mainly because I’m worried about angering you to death in the future.”

“You don’t seem to handle stress very well. It wouldn’t be good if you got sick from getting angry.”

After all, she always clutched her chest whenever Shuwu said something.

Tang Wuyun took a deep breath, pressed a hand to her chest, and gritted her teeth. “Just stop talking to me.”

Seeing her gesture, Shi Shuwu deliberately remarked, “Oh? You’ve finally stopped hitting yourself, huh?”

Tang Wuyun huffed, shook her head, and turned to leave.

It wasn’t that Shi Shuwu’s words would kill her with anger, but they might very well choke her to death.

Shi Shuwu really knew how to talk.

Over the next few hours, Tang Wuyun unpacked and arranged various decorations and furniture.

After finishing dinner, Shi Shuwu came to help.

As they were finishing up, Tang Wuyun pulled out a pile of small figurines from a storage box. The more she looked at them, the more familiar they seemed, until it finally dawned on her.

“How do you have figurines of me?”

These were her chibi-style figurines. No wonder they looked so familiar—they were of herself! Shi Shuwu had been collecting her!

Hearing this, Shi Shuwu glanced over and met Tang Wuyun’s bright, questioning gaze.

“Oh, these? I saw them on a secondhand website and bought them.”

Her tone was casual, showing no hint of embarrassment.

Tang Wuyun’s expectant gaze dimmed instantly as she dejectedly set down the figure. “Fine,” she muttered.

She had imagined Shi Shuwu would become flustered and blush upon seeing her with the figures, but it seemed she had been overly optimistic.

Tch.

Tang Wuyun pouted.

She snatched up the figure, cradling it in her arms, and darted upstairs while Shi Shuwu was distracted.

Then, with a mischievous grin, she carefully hid the figure under the bed.

Hehe.

Tang Wuyun giggled to herself, her hands moving swiftly as she rummaged through the remaining two storage boxes.

Shi Shuwu, whom Tang Wuyun had accidentally bumped aside, watched her with folded arms.

“What are you looking for?” Shi Shuwu asked, puzzled. “Are there treasures in these boxes?”

Besides, these were her belongings. Even if there were something, Tang Wuyun wouldn’t know about it, would she?

After thoroughly inspecting the remaining items, Tang Wuyun straightened up with satisfaction, clapping her hands. “Nothing,” she said. “Just looking around.”

Now that she had confirmed there were no other figures in Shi Shuwu’s belongings, Tang Wuyun felt refreshed and utterly relieved.

By the time they finished unpacking the last box, it was past eleven at night.

Tang Wuyun returned to her room to wash up. Everything she used here had been provided by Shi Shuwu, but she used them without the slightest hesitation or embarrassment.

After her shower, Tang Wuyun emerged in a silver-gray striped pajama set. She had planned to relax with her phone before bed, but froze in her tracks when she saw Shi Shuwu lying on her bed.

No… is she serious?

Tang Wuyun asked hesitantly, “You…?”

Shi Shuwu glanced up from her tablet, lifting her chin toward the empty space beside her. “Hurry up and get to bed.”

Tang Wuyun felt her heart pounding. She was relieved she had changed into her pajamas earlier.

It was surreal. Since returning, her days felt like she had won the lottery. Now she was even sharing a bed with Shi Shuwu?

Seeing her still standing motionless, Shi Shuwu frowned and urged, “Hurry up, I’m tired.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Tang Wuyun finally climbed into bed.

She lifted her air-conditioned quilt and pulled it over herself, her hands gripping the thin blanket tightly. Her heart raced so loudly she could practically hear it.

Tang Wuyun focused intently on her own blanket, deliberately avoiding looking at Shi Shuwu beside her.

But as she stared, her initial relief at not sharing a blanket with Shi Shuwu quickly turned into contradiction.

We’re sharing a bed anyway, what’s the big deal about sharing a blanket?

Tang Wuyun’s increasingly bold thoughts were abruptly cut off by the snap of the lights being turned off. Yet, moments later, the darkness emboldened her again, her mind racing with a thousand possibilities.

After an indeterminate amount of time, Shi Shuwu noticed Tang Wuyun beside her had stopped moving entirely. She couldn’t tell if Tang Wuyun had fallen asleep or was simply too afraid to move.

Tang Wuyun: Too afraid to fall asleep.

She feared she might dream something scandalous, blurring the lines between dream and reality, and then do something to Shi Shuwu.

Tang Wuyun’s body was tense. Even the simple act of scratching her face with a finger became a source of inexplicable anxiety. After the lights went out, she felt as if she had been sealed in place, afraid to draw Shi Shuwu’s attention and suddenly falling silent.

But why am I pretending to be asleep and not moving at all?

Who falls asleep that quickly…?

Having remained motionless for too long, Tang Wuyun now worried that any sudden movement might make things even worse.

In reality, no one cared about her internal turmoil.

Shi Shuwu fell asleep almost immediately.

She had woken up early that day, rushing to catch the bus and then cleaning the house. The long, busy day had left her exhausted.

Meanwhile, Tang Wuyun, who had only gone to bed at dawn, struggled to stay awake until late into the night before finally drifting off.

Shi Shuwu was jolted awake in the early morning by a sudden movement beside her. Tang Wuyun had kicked her in the calf—a swift, involuntary motion, like someone stumbling in a dream.

Shi Shuwu blinked groggily, rubbing her eyes and taking a moment to fully wake up.

In the dim light filtering through the window, she turned her head and saw the culprit of the kick: Tang Wuyun, her brow furrowed in a tight frown. She looked like she was having a nightmare, a truly terrible dream.

Shi Shuwu gently lifted her head and tentatively tugged at the air conditioning blanket Tang Wuyun had somehow pulled off her. She glanced at Tang Wuyun, who had pinned both blankets halfway beneath her body, leaving herself completely uncovered, and sighed in exasperation.

After a painstaking effort to carefully pull the blanket free from under Tang Wuyun, Shi Shuwu let out a long breath. That was tough.

Now properly covered again, Shi Shuwu found herself wide awake, tossing and turning for several minutes.

Would it be wrong not to cover Tang Wuyun?

But she’s got my blanket pinned down so tight!

Shouldn’t they share the blanket?

Shi Shuwu quickly suppressed the upward curve of her lips.

Forget it, forget it. This is getting too intimate.

Shi Shuwu cautiously flipped and turned on the bed again, like a pancake on a griddle.

Finally, she resolved to give half of her blanket to Tang Wuyun.

In the dim light, she had to lean closer to see the subtle expression on Tang Wuyun’s face. Her brow was still furrowed.

Shi Shuwu’s indecision returned. Should I hug her to warm her up?

Her thoughts raced, and sleep completely eluded her.

As she wrestled with her thoughts, Tang Wuyun suddenly stirred, curling up slightly and tightening her brow even further.

Unable to bear seeing Tang Wuyun in such discomfort, Shi Shuwu tentatively reached out and gently patted her arm through the blanket in a soothing gesture.

Her chaotic thoughts were swept away by her concern.

Finally, Shi Shuwu wrapped her arm around Tang Wuyun, patting her back lightly as she whispered, “You’re the one taking advantage of me, you know.”

She irresponsibly blamed her stolen hug on the soundly sleeping Tang Wuyun.

The innocent Tang Wuyun woke up the next morning in a state of utter shock.

Feeling the person in her arms and her own hand draped across Shi Shuwu’s waist, Tang Wuyun froze completely, afraid to move even a muscle.

I told her we shouldn’t sleep together!

And sure enough, we ended up sharing a blanket!

I must have done something unintentionally last night!

Tang Wuyun wanted to cry but couldn’t. Afraid of waking Shi Shuwu, she didn’t dare move her hand.

Did I… did I do anything inappropriate to Shi Shuwu?

Tang Wuyun tried to recall her dream from the previous night, searching for any intimate actions. But the moment she woke up, the dream had already faded into a blur, leaving only the vague impression that it hadn’t been a pleasant one.

If it wasn’t a pleasant dream, then surely I didn’t…?

Clinging to a sliver of hope, Tang Wuyun cautiously turned her head and glimpsed the face so close to hers. Her heart sank, and her suspicion that she had done something wrong grew stronger.

Yet, simultaneously, another part of her heart began to stir with excitement.

I actually slept while hugging Shi Shuwu!

Torn between separating and pretending nothing had happened, or staying put and enjoying the embrace a little longer, Tang Wuyun chose to remain awkwardly entangled.

Her internal conflict persisted until Shi Shuwu opened her eyes.

Shi Shuwu had woken up several times, never falling into a deep sleep. She had simply been waiting for Tang Wuyun to wake up, then continued to doze in bed.

The sounds of Tang Wuyun stirring had already roused her considerably, and she was now fully alert.

The two women stared at each other, wide-eyed.

Shi Shuwu blinked slowly. Taking advantage of Tang Wuyun’s momentary confusion, she pushed herself up on her elbows and seized the initiative. “I told you you were taking advantage of me!”

Her eyes remained fixed on the quilt, too embarrassed to look at Tang Wuyun.

Unaware of being falsely accused, Tang Wuyun shyly pulled the quilt up to cover half her face, leaving only her eyes visible.

“I, I didn’t know… cough, I’m sorry,” she stammered.

Hearing the apology made Shi Shuwu feel even more guilty. She casually smoothed her slightly disheveled hair and feigned magnanimity. “What’s the big deal? We hugged, so what?”

With that, she scrambled out of bed. “I’m going to wash up first. You should get up too.”

Shi Shuwu fled the scene.

Tang Wuyun barely managed an “Oh” before Shi Shuwu had already left.

They had woken up quite late, and by the time they finished washing up and came out, it was nearly eleven in the morning.

Shi Shuwu returned to Tang Wuyun’s bedroom. “Here’s some clothes. Wear mine for now, and we’ll head out once you’re ready.”

Their figures were nearly identical, wearing the same size, so there was no need to worry about the clothes not fitting.

Tang Wuyun nodded, took the outfit Shi Shuwu handed her, and maintained her usual calm expression, revealing no outward change. Inwardly, however, she was giddy with excitement, thinking, This is Shi Shuwu’s clothes!

Shi Shuwu suddenly warned, “I just grabbed this randomly, so don’t complain. I won’t change it even if you do.”

She hadn’t forgotten Tang Wuyun’s muttered comment yesterday about wanting a stylist to coordinate her outfits.

Tang Wuyun obediently shook her head.

“Of course not.”

She wasn’t that ungrateful.

Tang Wuyun quickly went to the bathroom and changed into the black shirt dress Shi Shuwu had given her—a very understated style.

Once they were both ready, they put on masks and headed out together to Pei Yinxi’s place.

On the way, Shi Shuwu asked if Tang Wuyun had decided where she wanted to stay today.

Tang Wuyun decided to check if Pei Yinxi was home. If not, she would move to Shi Shuwu’s apartment with Lu Ya.

If Pei Yinxi was home, she would consider where to stay.

They arrived at Pei Yinxi’s apartment complex after only a few minutes of conversation.

“Oh, you two finally decided to come back?” Lu Ya squinted at them from the doorway.

Tang Wuyun avoided answering directly, deliberately ignoring Lu Ya and focusing her gaze on Pei Yinxi, who opened the door for them.

She bent down to change her shoes, pulling Shi Shuwu with her, and asked with a grin, “Sister Pei, is lunch ready? I’m starving—we didn’t even have breakfast today.”

Pei Yinxi withdrew her complex gaze from Tang Wuyun’s face and replied warmly, “A’Miao is cooking.”

Tang Wuyun tilted her head, craning her neck to peer inside. “Miaomiao? She’s back in the country?”

Shi Shuwu glanced at her instinctively, teasing, “She’s back to collect you.”

Tang Wuyun pursed her lips, thinking Shi Shuwu really didn’t understand anything. Shi Zhimiao had clearly returned for Pei Yinxi.

Meanwhile, Shi Shuwu, equally convinced Tang Wuyun was clueless, knew perfectly well that Shi Zhimiao had rushed back specifically for Tang Wuyun.

Their presence here today was all part of a plan to force Tang Wuyun to “confess.”

Oblivious to the tension, Tang Wuyun cheerfully headed to the kitchen.

“Oh, Miaomiao, is that really you?” she exclaimed, spotting the figure in an apron. Her voice dripped with exaggerated sarcasm as she declared, “Good heavens! The domineering CEO is actually cooking for me!”

She grabbed Shi Shuwu’s arm, feigning emotion. “This is truly an honor for us!”

Shi Zhimiao’s face twisted in disgust at her performance.

“Come set the table,” she ordered flatly. Then, turning to Lu Ya, who was stifling a laugh, she added darkly, “You’ll serve the soup.”

Tang Wuyun struck a pose of mock obedience. “Yes, President Shi! Your wish is my command, President Shi!”

Lu Ya mimicked Tang Wuyun’s antics, giggling, “Your humble servant is on it!”

Shi Zhimiao: “……”

Shi Shuwu: “……”

Only Pei Yinxi, accustomed to such scenes, took it in stride.

“Jin Jin still isn’t coming for dinner?” Tang Wuyun asked, sipping her soup and glancing at Bai Jin’s empty seat.

Why can’t we ever gather everyone at Sister Pei’s place? she sighed inwardly.

Pei Yinxi explained, “Jin Jin’s work is too demanding. She can’t just leave the filming schedule, so she’ll be back late tonight.”

Tang Wuyun then turned her gaze to Shi Zhimiao, whose every movement radiated effortless elegance even as she ate.

Tang Wuyun teased, deliberately asking, “So, what did Miaomiao come all this way for?”

Shi Zhimiao had been abroad just yesterday, and now she was suddenly here.

She’s really… Oh my~

Tang Wuyun feigned being moved, so moved, I could cry myself to death.

But the next moment, Shi Zhimiao’s voice cut through the air, cold and clear: “For you.”

Her serious tone made it sound like Tang Wuyun was in deep trouble. The spoon in Tang Wuyun’s hand clattered into her bowl.

Now Tang Wuyun was neither moved nor dared to move.

She asked blankly, “What’s wrong with me?”

Shi Zhimiao: “You…”

Pei Yinxi interrupted, “Let’s eat first.”

She shot Shi Zhimiao a disapproving look, insisting that Tang Wuyun should at least finish her meal properly.

Shi Zhimiao’s imposing aura vanished instantly. She obediently lowered her head and focused on her food.

Meanwhile, Tang Wuyun felt an even greater sense of foreboding. What could be so serious that it had to wait until after dinner?

In the brief seconds of her confusion, Shi Shuwu and Lu Ya had already piled her bowl high with food.

Tang Wuyun: “……”

She was convinced they were doing this on purpose.

“You guys…”

Lu Ya: “Eat up!”

Shi Shuwu: “Don’t go hungry.”

Tang Wuyun: “……”

Tang Wuyun ate her meal with a suspicious mind, even wondering if it might be her “last lunch.”

After lunch, Shi Zhimiao seemed to have broken some kind of seal. Unwilling to wait any longer, she immediately dragged Tang Wuyun to the living room.

Perched on the sofa with her legs crossed, Shi Zhimiao tilted her chin imperiously and declared, “Come on, tell me everything.”

Tang Wuyun couldn’t help but exclaim, “Wow, such a powerful CEO aura!”

The other three, who had just sat down, exchanged awkward glances.

Are we even going to have a proper conversation?

Shi Zhimiao’s eye twitched, but she forced herself to maintain a stern expression, resisting the urge to glare at Tang Wuyun. “Tell me what you didn’t finish saying that day. Everything you’ve experienced.”

She knew that if Pei Yinxi or Lu Ya asked, Tang Wuyun would likely sweet-talk her way out of it. So Shi Zhimiao decided to take charge and get straight to the point.

Tang Wuyun glanced at the group and mumbled, “There’s nothing else…”

Shi Zhimiao narrowed her eyes. “Really nothing?”

Tang Wuyun licked her lips. “No…”

Shi Zhimiao lowered her crossed legs and leaned forward, her gaze piercing into Tang Wuyun’s eyes with intense pressure. “Is it that you’ve never attempted suicide, or that you’ve never been trapped in that room of yours for extended periods, or that you’ve never been reborn again and again during typhoon season?”

Upon hearing the last sentence, Tang Wuyun’s pupils dilated sharply. She bolted to her feet, staring at Shi Zhimiao with shock and disbelief.

Her gaze swept over the other three, who showed no surprise. Her mind went blank, and her breathing quickened involuntarily.

Pei Yinxi’s heart sank. Tang Wuyun’s reaction confirmed their suspicions. She opened her mouth and called out softly, “Wuyun.”

Tang Wuyun instinctively took a half-step back, her voice hoarse. “You, you all…”

Shi Zhimiao watched Tang Wuyun with concern. “We were just guessing. We don’t know if we’re right.”

Shi Shuwu couldn’t stay seated. She stood up, took Tang Wuyun’s hand, and gently pulled her back to sit beside her.

She patted Tang Wuyun’s back with practiced ease, her soothing voice full of reassurance. “Did we guess right? Don’t keep it to yourself. You can tell us.”

Tang Wuyun lowered her head, her mind still reeling. She swallowed hard and nodded almost imperceptibly.

Her voice was tinged with hurt: “Didn’t you all doubt me?”

Shi Zhimiao sighed deeply. “We did doubt you at first. Because of that, we wasted so much time yesterday trying to deduce the truth. When we couldn’t figure it out, we had no choice but to try believing you.”

Indeed, without believing Tang Wuyun’s account, the puzzle remained completely illogical.

Once they accepted her version, their deductions fell into place, leaving them with no choice but to believe her. As they continued to analyze, their conclusions grew increasingly bold.

Lu Ya huffed softly. “Jin Jin and I believed you from the start. Miaomiao and Sister Pei were the ones wasting time.”

Tang Wuyun remained stunned.

They figured this out through deduction?

When did my friends become master detectives?

And…

Tang Wuyun turned to Shi Shuwu. “How did you know?”

Shi Shuwu glanced at Pei Yinxi. “Sister Pei told me.”

Tang Wuyun: “……”

Still reeling from the shock, Tang Wuyun remained silent for a long time.

Under the watchful eyes of the four women, Tang Wuyun recounted her experiences verbatim.

“That’s all there is to it. It’s not as serious as you think—just ten times.”

Tang Wuyun forced a lighthearted shrug and handed another tissue to Lu Ya, who was still sobbing against her shoulder.

Lu Ya: “Waaah…”

Pei Yinxi felt equally distressed. How could this not be serious?

Shi Shuwu and Shi Zhimiao stood before the whiteboard, now covered in their frantic notes, struggling to compose themselves. Their hearts felt heavy with dread.

Shi Zhimiao frowned deeply. “A System? What’s that?”

Tang Wuyun nodded emphatically. “Yes, I’m certain of it.”

Shi Shuwu looked puzzled. “What does it do?”

After a moment’s thought, Tang Wuyun replied, “It probably assigns capture missions to the character I’m inhabiting.”

Pei Yinxi asked, “Capture Lu Lin and Qiu Mo?”

Tang Wuyun’s shock returned. “You know about that too?”

These women are incredible! Sisters, why aren’t you detectives?

Pei Yinxi nodded. “Just as I suspected.”

Shi Shuwu scoffed, her face darkening with displeasure. “They don’t deserve her.”

Tang Wuyun nodded furiously in agreement. “Exactly! Exactly!”

Shi Zhimiao, who hadn’t participated in their conversation, remained deep in thought, her brow furrowed.

Tang Wuyun didn’t interrupt her. Instead, she turned her attention to Lu Ya, patting her shoulder gently and soothingly, “I’m fine now, don’t cry.”

But saying that only made Lu Ya cry even harder.

As everyone’s attention was drawn to Lu Ya, Shi Zhimiao suddenly asked, “Why?”

Pei Yinxi looked at her, puzzled. “Huh?”

Shi Zhimiao’s gaze was serious. “Before Wuyun experienced all this, the transmigrator and her System hadn’t arrived yet.”

Shi Shuwu’s eyes narrowed, instantly understanding. “Then who was behind this?”

Could it be that Tang Wuyun’s suffering was purely bad luck, without any reason?