Failed to Transmigrate, I’m Back Again - Chapter 37

“Stop guessing like that, it’s creepy.”

Tang Wuyun felt a chill run down her spine as she listened to their deductions.

“They can even travel through time and space to get to me. Their abilities must be immense.”

Tang Wuyun tried to dissuade Shi Shuwu and Shi Zhimiao from speculating further. If another entity emerged, she wondered if she’d even have a life left.

The others merely glanced at her before ignoring her and continuing their discussion. Pei Yinxi patted her shoulder. “It’s just speculation. Don’t interrupt A’Miao and Shuwu’s train of thought.”

Tang Wuyun pouted and gave up on thinking altogether.

Lu Ya, who had been wiping away tears, joined the group deep in thought, leaving Tang Wuyun as the only one lounging around.

Shi Shuwu pointed to her name on the whiteboard. “In these scenarios, why does this version of me always appear? Is there any significance to it?”

Tang Wuyun blurted out, “Just to insult me.”

Shi Shuwu ignored her and continued, “Since we know this person isn’t me, their repeated appearances must have a purpose. It feels like they’re specifically targeting Tang Wuyun.”

The others nodded in agreement.

Sprawled on the sofa, Tang Wuyun stomped her foot in defiance, stubbornly insisting, “Ha! Targeting me? I don’t feel a thing, okay?”

Lu Ya turned to glare at her. “Stop being so stubborn. Shut up and quit stirring up trouble from the back.”

Shi Zhimiao, who had been deep in thought, also turned to look at Tang Wuyun.

“Actually, I have a theory about the other Shi Shuwu,” she said. “I wanted to discuss it with you to see if it holds up.”

Tang Wuyun perked up immediately, straightening her posture. “Tell me! Tell me now!”

Shi Zhimiao pressed her lips together and inexplicably turned her back to Tang Wuyun. After a moment of hesitation, she turned back, her indecision clear on her face.

“Just say it already! What’s making you so hesitant?” Tang Wuyun urged impatiently.

With everyone’s eyes on her, Shi Zhimiao hesitated again before settling back into the sofa. “It’s nothing much. I just get the feeling it might be connected to your family.”

“But if it’s a private matter, I’m not sure I should say anything.”

Tang Wuyun’s expression shifted rapidly, clearly disliking any mention of her family.

Seeing Tang Wuyun’s sudden sour mood, Shi Shuwu couldn’t help but wonder: what exactly was going on with her family?

Moreover, the hostility radiating from Tang Wuyun was even stronger than when she had first met Shi Shuwu.

Tang Wuyun frowned. “What’s so private about it? It just seems like there’s no connection between the two Shuwus.”

Pei Yinxi glanced at Tang Wuyun, then at Shi Zhimiao, and asked, “How did A’Miao know about Wuyun’s family?”

Tang Wuyun had never mentioned her family to them, at least not the details of her home life. All they knew was that she had cut ties with her family.

Shi Zhimiao looked at Tang Wuyun, waiting to gauge her reaction. If Tang Wuyun didn’t want her to share, she would respect that.

Tang Wuyun’s expression was complex. After a moment’s hesitation, she nodded at Shi Zhimiao. There was nothing particularly embarrassing to reveal.

Shi Zhimiao continued, “About three years ago, I met someone from Wuyun’s family at a banquet abroad. She approached me herself, claiming to be Wuyun’s younger sister—her biological sister.”

“That’s when I learned that the company seeking a partnership with me was actually owned by Wuyun’s family.”

The four women in the room stared intently at Tang Wuyun.

Tang Wuyun had somehow managed to hug a cushion to her chest. She sat cross-legged, half her face buried in the cushion.

Lu Ya asked incredulously, “You have a biological sister?”

Tang Wuyun scratched her head, shifting uncomfortably and trying to turn her back on the group surrounding her.

Pei Yinxi added, “You’ve never mentioned her before.”

After knowing her for years, she had no idea.

Tang Wuyun didn’t want to talk about it at all.

Shi Zhimiao cut off their questions about Tang Wuyun and said, “That’s not the point. What really matters is what I meant by direct lineage.”

She clicked her tongue. “Her family is… ridiculously old-fashioned.”

Shi Shuwu frowned in thought. “Direct lineage… don’t tell me they still make a distinction between di—legitimate heirs—and shu—illegitimate ones?”

Lu Ya choked. “No way…”

Shi Zhimiao scoffed, her face full of disdain. “Some wealthy families pride themselves on these archaic customs. They have endless rules.”

“I was invited to their estate for a business meeting, and I only went out of respect for Wuyun. But what I saw there… even ancient servants had more dignity. The maids had to kneel to mop the floors and serve tea, their backs never straightening.”

“After that one visit, I never wanted to go back. I felt like my spirit had been tainted.”

The others fell silent, stunned. Tang Wuyun’s family was like this? It was completely unimaginable.

Tang Wuyun covered her face, feeling deeply ashamed.

Now that Shi Zhimiao had started, she intended to finish. “And there’s more. While they were seeking my help, they couldn’t hide their contempt for me, all because I used to be a celebrity. It was truly disgusting.”

Tang Wuyun was clearly not well-regarded in her family.

Shi Zhimiao sneered, “They wanted to use my relationship with Wuyun to gain favor, while simultaneously trying to subtly control me.”

“I’m telling you this because… well, because they said some really nasty things, similar to that lie.”

The first thought that crossed their minds was: Tang Wuyun’s family actually knows about her sexuality? She’s so brave to come out in a family like that.

Could this be why she fell out with them…?

The room fell silent for several seconds before Shi Shuwu couldn’t resist speaking up. She asked Tang Wuyun, “But how did you develop such a rebellious personality in a family like that?”

Tang Wuyun seemed remarkably normal.

The other three were equally curious.

Tang Wuyun closed her eyes briefly and took a deep breath. “Because I was rebellious. The more they tried to stop me from doing something, the more I wanted to do it.”

“They forced me to learn useless etiquette and rules, demanding I become skilled in various arts and crafts, and master all sorts of things. But my rebellious nature led me to sneak out and spend hours online. Perhaps because I rebelled so much, I never got brainwashed by their rules. And the more time I spent online, the more I realized how wrong their values were.”

Lu Ya couldn’t help but mutter, “Looks like spending too much time online actually did you some good.”

Tang Wuyun curled her lip. “You have no idea. Being there felt like being in prison. Since I refused to obey their rules, they saw me as a washed-up prodigy.”

“As for my sister… she’s hard to describe. She was always kind to me, probably because the elders only cared about her and worried I’d feel it was unfair. Every time she saw me, she avoided talking to me, feeling guilty that she’d stolen the elders’ attention from me.”

Pei Yinxi nodded thoughtfully. “Then why haven’t you ever mentioned her before?”

It seemed Tang Wuyun didn’t actually hate her sister.

“Hah…” Tang Wuyun lifted her head, her expression blank. “Because she also believes the family’s arrangements are always right. I tried to persuade her, to reason with her, but she wouldn’t listen. Instead, she insisted I apologize to the family.”

Tang Wuyun slammed her fist into the sofa. “She pities me. I pity her.”

“She’s been completely brainwashed. I can’t help her, and frankly, I don’t want to. She thinks my ‘unhealthy’ mindset and ‘misguided path’ stem from the unfair treatment I received at home, so every time she sees me, she feels guilty.”

Her guilt wasn’t solely because I was struggling; it was because she believed I had “strayed from the right path.”

The atmosphere in the room grew slightly heavier.

“Ugh,” Tang Wuyun groaned, patting her chest to catch her breath. Her serious tone suddenly turned flippant. “I can’t think about it—the more I do, the more suffocated I feel. Thank goodness they moved overseas, or they’d be polluting our motherland’s air.”

The group’s tense expressions instantly relaxed.

Tang Wuyun certainly had some stories.

Shi Shuwu couldn’t help but exclaim, “I never imagined you’d been through something like this!”

Even Pei Yinxi, who had seen her share of drama, found the situation utterly absurd.

Shi Zhimiao chimed in, “Right? I heard Wuyun’s sister is supposed to marry into some foreign royal family.”

Tang Wuyun rubbed her temples, her head throbbing at the mere mention of her family. So annoying.

Shi Shuwu asked again, “The Tang family is a major clan, both domestically and internationally. But their family traditions seem quite normal, nothing like the stories you’ve been telling us.”

Tang Wuyun replied, “Oh, you mean that? I changed my name myself, including the surname.”

Shi Zhimiao suddenly chuckled, “Her original surname was Shangguan.”

Silence fell over the room once more.

Tang Wuyun curled up even tighter, burying her face completely in the cushion.

Lu Ya held back as long as she could, but finally burst out, “Holy moly! Our Wuyun-jie is totally a female lead with a rich family background!”

“Shangguan Wuyun—major clan, big star, and a film queen! Wow, no wonder people are targeting you and trying to force you into some plotline.”

Lu Ya grew more animated with each word, convinced she was making perfect sense.

Shi Shuwu nodded vigorously. “Maybe it’s a ‘face-slapping’ revenge story, a Mary Sue female lead.”

“Honestly, Shangguan Wuyun sounds pretty good too, but Tang Wuyun is even better, right?”

Tang Wuyun’s face flushed crimson with embarrassment.

Clenching her jaw, she kicked Lu Ya, who was standing beside her, and hurled the cushion in her arms at Shi Shuwu.

Completely enraged, Tang Wuyun glared at Shi Zhimiao, gritting her teeth as she snapped, “So how does any of this relate to what we were just discussing?”

All you’ve done is expose my dirty laundry!

Pei Yinxi chuckled at Tang Wuyun’s reaction. She reached out and gently pressed her hand on Tang Wuyun’s shoulder, softly reminding her, “You’re too busy being furious to notice they’re treating you exactly the same way that fake Shuwu did—with the same venomous attitude.”

Tang Wuyun didn’t immediately grasp the connection, but Shuwu was the first to react. She slammed the pillow Tang Wuyun had thrown at her back onto the sofa.

“Yes! Finally, we’re getting somewhere!”

I’ll grind that person to dust!

Tang Wuyun was speechless with exasperation. Her voice dripped with weary resignation as she said, “Get a grip, you two. That person’s face is Shuwu’s, and my family has always avoided me like the plague—’out of sight, out of mind.’ They’d never go out of their way to confront me and hurl insults. They’ve already done that a million times.”

Lu Ya, who had been about to join Shuwu in her outrage, quietly sat back down. “Oh, right. You make a good point.”

Shi Zhimiao shot them all a disdainful look.

Pei Yinxi shook her head with a smile. “You guys just aren’t on our wavelength.”

Shi Shuwu puffed out her cheeks and pointed indignantly at her name on the whiteboard. “My personality has completely changed! In novels, that’s the classic ‘body-snatching’ trope, you know! You know?!”

She was practically pointing her finger at Tang Wuyun’s nose, calling her an idiot.

Shi Zhimiao interjected, “While that’s a possibility, the real issue isn’t the body-snatching itself. The key is Shi Shuwu’s existence. It’s more like a deliberate attempt to undermine Wuyun, to crush her spirit and torment her until she learns to behave.”

“Uh, to put it bluntly, they want Wuyun to ‘turn over a new leaf.'”

Tang Wuyun frowned, spreading her hands in confusion. “What’s the point? I’m still going to be possessed in the end.”

Shi Shuwu poked her forehead. “You idiot! Seriously, you’re such an idiot! We’ve been explaining this for ages, can’t you use your brain for once? Don’t you realize that with your background, you’re more like the female lead?”

“Huh?” Tang Wuyun blinked, her clear, clueless eyes staring blankly at Shi Shuwu.

Lu Ya also poked Tang Wuyun’s forehead, mimicking Shi Shuwu’s tone. “Idiot, idiot! Even I figured it out!”

Tang Wuyun seemed to be on the verge of a tantrum.

Pei Yinxi glanced at Tang Wuyun, who was sulking and clutching her forehead. “Do you think Wuyun is like those characters in novels who develop self-awareness and then deviate from the plot?”

Pei Yinxi had been reading a lot of such novels lately.

Shi Zhimiao nodded, then shook her head. “Maybe she is, but maybe not.”

“Wuyun is more like a defective product that’s been rejected. She’s not perfect enough.”

“To the entity that’s been watching her, she’s deeply flawed. Her ‘rebelliousness’ has angered it, so she’s being punished and tormented. It’s trying to force her to conform, and if she doesn’t, it’ll simply replace her.”

“Shi Shuwu, on the other hand, seems like something the entity deliberately fabricated. After all, it has that kind of power.”

“And this entity that’s been watching Wuyun… it feels somewhat similar to the people in her family, in a certain way.”

Shi Zhimiao gradually revealed her deductions, carefully phrasing them to be less direct.

Tang Wuyun suddenly stood up, hands on her hips, pacing back and forth in front of the group, taking deep breaths.

Finally, she blurted out, “I’m a little angry.”

Shi Shuwu nodded. “You have every right to be very angry.”

Tang Wuyun froze, speechless.

Shi Shuwu added, “Because I’m very angry too.”

The lump in Tang Wuyun’s throat instantly dissolved.

She bit her thumb and continued pacing back and forth.

So angry! So angry! What do I do?!

The others didn’t know how to comfort Tang Wuyun, so they simply shared her anger. In the end, they watched helplessly as she stormed back to her room and locked herself in.

Tang Wuyun declared she needed some peace and quiet.

Shi Shuwu stared anxiously at the door, worried that she might be scared alone in the room.

Pei Yinxi said gently, “Don’t worry. She’ll come out once she’s calmed down.”

That is, as long as Tang Wuyun doesn’t get stubborn. Otherwise, she could lock herself in for a whole day.

Shi Shuwu nodded slowly.

Shi Zhimiao remained deep in thought, trying to extrapolate further from their earlier assumptions.

They still had many unresolved questions; their theory was just a hypothesis.

By the time Tang Wuyun emerged from her room again, the night outside had completely darkened. Bai Jin, who had been busy with work, had returned half an hour earlier.

“Wuyun, I have a question for you,” Bai Jin said, rushing over to Tang Wuyun, who had just emerged from her room and was trying to wait for everyone to finish their work. Bai Jin pulled her over to the whiteboard.

Tang Wuyun, who had been looking dejected, now stared at Bai Jin with a dark, brooding gaze.

“Jin Jin, shouldn’t you at least comfort me before asking questions?” she said. “I’ve been cooped up in that room for hours!”

Bai Jin’s behavior made her carefully maintained silence seem pointless. Not only did Bai Jin fail to comfort her, but she even dragged her over to continue the conversation.

Bai Jin patted Tang Wuyun on the back, her tone righteous and firm. “I know you’re not that fragile.”

Tang Wuyun nodded inwardly, thinking, Hmm, she has a point.

Bai Jin continued, “And you’re not that dramatic either.”

Tang Wuyun: “……”

You jerk!

Shi Shuwu and the others, who had been planning to comfort Tang Wuyun, froze, then completely abandoned the idea.

She’s right.

Seeing everyone’s indifferent expressions, Tang Wuyun felt a chill run through her.

She huffed softly, her face stiff. “What do you want to ask?”

Bai Jin stared intently at Tang Wuyun, her gaze burning. “Each time you rewound, did you notice anything different?”

Tang Wuyun’s long lashes fluttered as she furrowed her brow in thought.

“Well, Shi Shuwu used to come to my door to yell at me, but after the fourth rewind, she stopped coming and just yelled at me over the phone. Does that count?”

“Another thing I found strange was that every time I tried to contact you all, I either couldn’t reach you or you’d all say you were too busy. But this last time, you replied instantly when you were yelling at me, even commenting on my Weibo posts. You didn’t seem busy at all.”

“Oh, and at first, I always rewound to 9 AM. After the fourth time, it was 10 AM, then 12 PM, 1 PM, and 3 PM. Each rewind pushed the time back by about an hour.”

“But the biggest difference was this time. The time I was taken over was earlier. Instead of being possessed seven days later, I was possessed right after I went crazy trying to get myself committed to a mental hospital. And this time, there was no rewind. I was just released back.”

Tang Wuyun finished speaking and gulped down a large mouthful of water from her glass.

The five people in the room stared at her, their gazes so intense they seemed ready to devour her whole.

Feeling flustered by the intense stares, Tang Wuyun weakly set down her cup and tentatively asked, “Is there… something wrong with the water?”

The others exclaimed in unison, “Why didn’t you say so sooner?!”

Shi Zhimiao’s face remained cold. “Do we have to pry every detail out of you?”

Bai Jin grabbed Tang Wuyun by the shoulders and shook her vigorously. “You pig-headed idiot! Why didn’t you mention all these suspicious things earlier?!”

Pei Yinxi rubbed her forehead, her voice weary. “Just tell us everything you’ve been holding back. Get it all out now.”

This girl is really slowing us down, she thought.

It was only after Bai Jin returned and kept pushing that they finally realized something was amiss.

Shi Shuwu gently pinched Tang Wuyun’s delicate, fair cheek. “You don’t seem concerned at all.”

Tang Wuyun forced a dry laugh.

Bai Jin slapped Tang Wuyun hard on the shoulder.

“Alright, you look fine. Just answer our questions honestly. If you remember anything, tell us right away—don’t wait for us to ask.”

Tang Wuyun nodded obediently.

As the others let her go and resumed their deductions, she raised her hand again.

“Um…”

The moment Tang Wuyun spoke, the others, who had their backs to her, immediately turned around.

“What is it?” Shi Shuwu asked.

Tang Wuyun cleared her throat and said, “I just remembered something crucial. In that final iteration, I made a different choice than before. Unable to endure the torment any longer, I abandoned all resistance and willingly surrendered my body. But I refused to let them follow their script, so I went completely mad…”

The breathing in the living room grew noticeably heavier.

No one spoke, yet the sound of their breathing filled the room, almost deafening, accompanied by gazes that seemed to pierce through Tang Wuyun.

Shi Shuwu’s voice turned icy. “I’m getting angry now.”

The others chimed in: “Me too!”

How could anyone forget something so vital?

Pei Yinxi stared intently at Tang Wuyun. “You clearly didn’t take this seriously.”

Tang Wuyun lowered her head, offering no rebuttal.

Pei Yinxi’s tone turned stern. “What are you thinking?”

Tang Wuyun opened her mouth, then exhaled softly. “Sister Pei.”

“That means nothing.”

Tang Wuyun kept her eyes fixed on the floor, unable to meet the others’ gazes. Her voice was barely a whisper. “Even if we find the answer, it won’t matter. I can’t fight against that kind of existence.”

“Sister Pei, a hopeless struggle is utterly meaningless.”

Pei Yinxi slowly turned her face away, her eyes red.

Shi Zhimiao reached out and patted Tang Wuyun’s shoulder, her voice firm. “But you’re here now. There’s no need to struggle anymore.”

Tang Wuyun shook her head, quickly wiping her eyes. “For me, this whole experience has been like an incredible dream, a gift. And death would be a gift too.”

“I’m not naive. I can’t be sure that the other side won’t return after I clean up this mess.”

An indescribable tension filled the room, suffocating them.

Tang Wuyun wasn’t wrong.

Until they understood how Tang Wuyun had returned, none of them could be certain whether the transmigrator would come back, or what the entity watching Tang Wuyun might do next.

Tang Wuyun lowered her head and sighed softly. She hadn’t meant to create such a heavy atmosphere, to make everyone worry with her.

“What nonsense are you spouting?” Shuwu’s sharp voice cut through the air.

Tang Wuyun’s chin was gripped forcefully, her lowered head jerked upward.

Tear tracks were clearly visible on her face. Shuwu’s sudden action caught her off guard, and she didn’t even think to flinch.

Tang Wuyun stared blankly at the furious Shuwu before her.

Shi Shuwu’s voice was sharp with displeasure. “What’s with all this talk about dying? Say that again and see what happens.”

Tang Wuyun gaped, her mouth opening and closing soundlessly. She seemed either intimidated by Shi Shuwu’s fierce demeanor or simply unsure how to react.

The other four, equally dejected, froze at the sight of this exchange.

Shi Shuwu reached out and wiped the tears from Tang Wuyun’s face, her forceful gesture tinged with unmistakable tenderness. “Don’t be so down. That filthy thing can’t hurt you.”

Tang Wuyun’s lips trembled. She wanted to say, “Stop comforting me,” but feared Shi Shuwu’s wrath.

Sensing the unspoken thought in Tang Wuyun’s eyes, Shi Shuwu pinched her ear, her tone exasperated. “I’m not coddling you.”

The sensation on her ear made Tang Wuyun bite her lip. It stung a little, yet she found herself strangely enjoying it.

Seeing Tang Wuyun’s sudden blush, Shi Shuwu frowned. What’s she thinking?

Releasing Tang Wuyun’s ear, Shi Shuwu tapped her head twice, like testing a watermelon, her voice still annoyed. “Were you even listening to me?”

Tang Wuyun nodded frantically.

The other four: “……”

They feel so redundant, Shi Zhimiao thought, stealing a glance at the dejected Pei Yinxi. Suddenly, she felt a pang of envy for Tang Wuyun.

Shi Shuwu pulled Tang Wuyun to her feet and dragged her to the whiteboard.

“Look at this carefully. Really look.”

“Each time you relived the past, there was a one-hour gap. That hour was likely when they were observing you, gauging how you’d react after each torment.”

The other four immediately crowded around.

Tang Wuyun nodded thoughtfully.

Shi Shuwu tapped the whiteboard emphatically. “In your earlier attempts, you resisted. You refused to be possessed and refused to change.”

Tang Wuyun nodded again.

Shi Shuwu continued, “But in the final attempt, you gave up.”

Tang Wuyun murmured, “Yeah, because I couldn’t take it anymore. I broke down and willingly abandoned my body, leaving a sticky note for whoever possessed me.”

Shi Shuwu: “So, could it be that your consent was the key? That’s what finally allowed them to cross over?”

Tang Wuyun: “What?”

“But I’ve been transported here before, and I didn’t agree then,” Tang Wuyun protested.

Shi Shuwu replied, “I suspect those previous experiences weren’t in the real world. Only the hour we waited for your reaction each time was the true reality.”

Tang Wuyun stared in disbelief.

Lu Ya blushed and said, “Um, could you explain that more slowly?” Her mind was struggling to keep up.

Shi Zhimiao clarified, “The idea is simple: they were observing Wuyun’s reactions to those experiences. If Wuyun chose options that displeased them, they’d throw her back into the torment until she gave up.”

Bai Jin added, “I get it. We can think of the worlds Wuyun experienced as illusions specially prepared by the entity watching her, designed to torture her.”

Shi Shuwu patted Tang Wuyun, who was still dazed.

“The point is, perhaps only this time is real. You’ve truly been possessed. The prerequisite for someone to possess you is your consent. The previous attempts were all fake, designed to force you to willingly surrender your body. Only after you agreed could they pull someone over to take you.”

Tang Wuyun: “!”

Shi Zhimiao nodded, summarizing, “So, Wuyun, you were the key to their plan. The torture you endured wasn’t just about ‘correcting your ways,’ but also about eroding your will, making you believe that any further resistance would only lead to endless repetition, forcing you to willingly relinquish your body.”

In the end, they succeeded. The stubborn Tang Wuyun finally gave up.

But now, Tang Wuyun had returned.

It seemed their plan hadn’t been entirely successful after all.

Shi Shuwu gripped Tang Wuyun’s hand tightly, finally offering a gentle word of comfort: “So, don’t lose hope.”

Heaven knew how frantic her mind had been racing just moments ago, only to hear Tang Wuyun talking about death and meaninglessness. It had nearly broken her.

Tang Wuyun swallowed hard. “But these are just your guesses.”

Pei Yinxi offered her a pill. “We can be certain of this: your willingness is crucial. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have gone to such lengths.”

The entity could have simply replaced Tang Wuyun outright. Yet, despite possessing that power, it chose not to. This alone spoke volumes.