Failed to Transmigrate, I’m Back Again - Chapter 4

Tang Wuyun’s moments of clarity were growing shorter, and her perception was limited to the same few things. She knew the other party was still ignoring the friends she had offended, but she didn’t realize they hadn’t even responded to the online backlash. As a result, she had lost a significant number of her career-focused fans.

While she claimed she hadn’t posted the Weibo message, she neither confirmed nor denied whether her confession had been rejected or whether she genuinely liked women. This ambiguous response infuriated netizens. For those who suspected they had been fed false gossip, the lack of clarity was agonizing. Just tell us the truth, Tang Wuyun! they demanded. Is that all you’re going to say—that you didn’t post the Weibo message?

Driven to desperation, many netizens and fans began digging into her past.

Tan Qingyu was equally frustrated. Tang Wuyun’s silence had successfully shifted public attention to Shi Shuwu, leaving them in a passive position. The agency that had terminated Tang Wuyun’s contract merely claimed she was “acting crazy” and refused to disclose any further details.

How ridiculous! Tan Qingyu thought. As if I couldn’t tell Tang Wuyun was losing her mind!

In her mind, she cursed Tang Wuyun eight hundred times. Rude bastard! she thought. You came out to clarify things, why didn’t you clarify everything? Why did you have to drag Shi Shuwu and me into the trending topics?

In the office, Tan Qingyu threw her phone down in frustration and asked Shi Shuwu, “Still no contact with Tang Wuyun?”

Shi Shuwu shook her head dejectedly. She had even gone to Tang Wuyun’s house, but no one answered. She couldn’t tell if the place was empty or if Tang Wuyun was deliberately avoiding her. Either way, they were cut off.

Without Tang Wuyun’s cooperation, any response from them would be futile. Moreover, the company’s proposed response strategy clashed entirely with Shi Shuwu’s wishes. With no agreement reached, the best course of action was to continue playing dead.

Tan Qingyu sighed, rubbing her temples. “I heard she’s offended quite a few people. They can’t reach her either.”

This wasn’t news. Tang Wuyun’s behavior had become so erratic that everyone in the industry knew she had genuinely lost her mind—it wasn’t just a hacked account. Now, marketing accounts were buzzing with speculation, and rumors even suggested someone was buying up dirt on her. The internet was a chaotic mess.

Shi Shuwu felt utterly helpless. She never imagined that in this age of instant communication, clarifying a simple misunderstanding would be impossible.

Tan Qingyu rarely saw Shi Shuwu looking so troubled. She reassured her, “Don’t overthink it. We haven’t done anything wrong. The internet has no memory. People will forget about this soon enough.”

After all, Shi Shuwu hadn’t done anything wrong in this situation, regardless of whether the allegations were true or false.

Shi Shuwu murmured, “…Is that really the point?”

Was that what she was worried about?

Tan Qingyu shot her a sideways glance. “To me, that is the point!”

Since they couldn’t reach Tang Wuyun anyway, Shi Shuwu’s brooding was pointless.

Shi Shuwu: “……”

Unlike the two women’s gloom, Luo Zhuo, who had been silently playing on her phone, suddenly seemed to have discovered something. Her excitement was impossible to hide as she surreptitiously nudged Shi Shuwu.

Tan Qingyu: “……”

Is she blind?

Seeing Luo Zhuo still winking and gesturing at Shi Shuwu, Tan Qingyu demanded, “What are you doing?”

Shi Shuwu, who had been staring blankly for ages, asked, “What do you want to say?”

Luo Zhuo blinked repeatedly at Shi Shuwu, but Shi Shuwu completely missed the signal.

Luo Zhuo finally relented, sighing with her head bowed. “I heard a rumor that Tang Wuyun signed on for Director Shi’s variety show.”

Shi Shuwu immediately straightened up, declaring decisively, “I have the availability. I’m going too.”

She didn’t even know what the variety show was about, only that Tang Wuyun would be there.

Luo Zhuo forced a strained smile. I knew you’d want to go, but have you seen Sister Tan’s expression?

Sure enough, Tan Qingyu’s face darkened as she flatly rejected Shi Shuwu’s decision. “Absolutely not!”

She’d be a fool to let Shi Shuwu participate in a variety show. Shi Shuwu lacked the cunning and tact needed for such events, blurting out whatever came to mind. Her bluntness would inevitably offend people. Moreover, Shi Shuwu’s playful nature meant she’d likely treat the show as a vacation rather than work, unlike the other participants.

Luo Zhuo sighed heavily, her shoulders slumping. I knew it.

“Do you think telling her privately would make me let you sneak off?” Tan Qingyu glared at Luo Zhuo, exasperated by their rebellious streak.

Then, she asked suspiciously, “By the way, where did you even get this information?”

She herself hadn’t heard anything. How Luo Zhuo managed to get such accurate intel remained a mystery.

Shi Shuwu was also curious: how had her assistant gotten this information?

Luo Zhuo tilted her chin slightly, a hint of pride in her voice. “Tang Wuyun’s former assistant is a good friend of mine. She told me Tang Wuyun had contacted her again.”

This wasn’t a secret; Tan Qingyu would likely hear about it within days.

Hearing that Tang Wuyun was in contact with others, Shi Shuwu’s stiff back slumped, and she curled back into the sofa, her mood darkening further.

She and Tang Wuyun will never be friends again, she thought resentfully.

Although Tan Qingyu wouldn’t let Shi Shuwu participate in the variety show, she still managed to obtain the guest list for her.

The three of them sat together and reviewed the list.

Shi Shuwu pointed at the names one by one, blurting out, “How dare Tang Wuyun do this?”

Luo Zhuo clicked her tongue and shook her head in amazement. “Wow, what a lively lineup!”

It was Tang Wuyun’s inescapable nightmare.

The list included several of Tang Wuyun’s former teammates, singers she had collaborated with, and actors she had worked with on film sets.

So many people…

Because Tang Wuyun was pretending to be dead and refusing to emerge, her teammates had been angrily tagging her on Weibo these past few days, likely out of a mix of concern and resentment.

Luo Zhuo speculated, “Could they have secretly reconciled?”

Otherwise, where would Tang Wuyun get the courage?

Tan Qingyu waved her hand dismissively. “Impossible. Lu Ya’s manager contacted our company this morning, asking about the situation between Shuwu and her.”

Tan Qingyu smiled and patted Shi Shuwu’s shoulder, adopting an uncharacteristic tone. “…Want to go? Should I sign you up?”

Any normal person would want to witness this spectacle.

Especially Tang Wuyun’s spectacle.

Shi Shuwu retorted, “You weren’t saying that just now.”

Tan Qingyu scoffed, revealing the truth. “Do you think you’d actually stay home if I told you not to go?”

If Shi Shuwu insisted, Tan Qingyu’s attempts to stop her would be futile.

“Just record one episode and see. Just keep your mouth shut.”

It was just that Shi Shuwu tended to be too blunt. If they could get her to keep quiet, they wouldn’t need to record for long.

Shi Shuwu nodded obediently. “Okay. I think you’re overthinking this. My emotional intelligence isn’t that low.”

Tan Qingyu forced a strained smile. “…Let’s hope so.”

After all, few artists who had worked with Shi Shuwu looked pleased when they saw her.

Shi Shuwu remained completely oblivious.

Tang Wuyun, the woman everyone was thinking about, was herself eagerly anticipating the spectacle.

More than anything, she wanted to know how the Tang Wuyun who had recklessly assumed her identity dared to act so recklessly.

Her head must be made of iron, she thought. Daring to join this variety show lineup? She’s truly courting death.

After an unknown number of days had passed, Tang Wuyun regained consciousness. Eager to resume “screen-peeking,” she discovered she could open her eyes.

Open… her eyes?

Before her was a camera already mounted in the car.

Tang Wuyun was utterly stunned.

Frozen in shock by the sudden scene for several minutes, she silently closed her eyes again.

An illusion, it must be an illusion…

She felt as if the world had mercilessly elbowed her in the gut.

Tang Wuyun didn’t dare open her eyes again.

This is terrifying! What kind of horror movie is this?

Is this… right?

I think I might be dead.

I really just… died.

The car cabin was as silent as a graveyard.

“Ms. Tang, we’ll be there in ten minutes. Please hand over your phone,” the cameraman in the passenger seat reminded her, timing his words perfectly.

Tang Wuyun opened her eyes again in disbelief, her lips trembling. “R-recording… the show?”

Her voice was breathless.

What should I do? I kind of want to die…

The staff member paused, wondering if Tang Wuyun was still half-asleep.

“Yes, yes, some of the teachers have already arrived.”

Tang Wuyun pressed her lips together and bit her tongue hard. She bit too hard, and tears welled up in her eyes from the pain.

Oh God, that hurts! Why isn’t this a dream…?

Through tear-blurred eyes, Tang Wuyun clung to the car window, staring out.

Can I just not go?

No…

The scenery outside the car window rushed past mercilessly, bringing her closer to her destination. Tang Wuyun’s heart felt like cold ashes.

I could just die, really. I’d be willing!

In her final minutes, Tang Wuyun went online. What she found there froze the remaining warmth in her heart into icy shards.

The sky is falling! The internet is in such chaos.

Though she couldn’t understand why she had suddenly returned, Tang Wuyun was certain she had been played.

The Tang Wuyun who had replaced her had done it deliberately, swapping back only at the program’s entrance to deny her any chance to regret it.

No wonder she dared to take on this variety show with such recklessness. I thought she was capable, but all she wanted was my life.

Tang Wuyun gritted her teeth, silently cursing the other person’s sudden escape.

Where’s the protagonist’s courage? Where’s their heroism?

They can’t even face this minor setback? How dare they call themselves a transmigrator?

What am I supposed to do now?

That guy vanished without a sound, leaving me without a word!

Before Tang Wuyun could process her panic, the production crew’s car mercilessly came to a halt.

The cameraman who had warned her earlier spoke again, his voice strained, “Ahem, we’re here. The phone…”

Tang Wuyun had been clutching the phone, on the verge of tears, for ages.

If they hadn’t arrived, the cameraman wouldn’t have even dared to speak to her.

With a bitter expression, Tang Wuyun handed over the phone and followed him out of the car.

As soon as her foot touched the ground, she looked up and met Lu Ya’s gaze, who was also stepping out of another vehicle.

Tang Wuyun’s face instantly tightened. She suppressed all emotion, resolving to become a stone-faced statue from that moment on.

Daring not to greet Lu Ya, Tang Wuyun dodged the woman’s narrowed, dangerous gaze and turned to flee. But as she spun around, she found herself staring into another pair of eyes scrutinizing her.

Tang Wuyun’s pupils dilated sharply, and she froze in her tracks.

Why is Shi Shuwu here too?!

Tang Wuyun was so startled she nearly choked. She instinctively stumbled back two steps, her composure completely shattered, her heart trembling uncontrollably.

With resolute determination, she turned and strode toward Lu Ya, her expression grim, as if marching to her doom.

Shi Shuwu, who hadn’t even blinked, stared in stunned silence. Am I really that terrifying?

Tang Wuyun felt like she was trapped in a horror movie, her mind blank with panic. She forced a stiff smile, let out a dry laugh, and asked Lu Ya, feigning ignorance, “Ya Ya, what are you doing here?”

Lu Ya grinned at her, her tone dripping with sarcasm. “Huh? Who are you? Are we close?”

Without waiting for Tang Wuyun’s reaction, she turned and called into the car, “Sister Yinxi, do you know this person?”

Pei Yinxi stepped out of the car, about to tell them to stop bickering, but when she looked up, Tang Wuyun had already turned and fled, her retreating figure resolute and unwavering.

“Hmph…” Pei Yinxi scoffed coldly.

Tang Wuyun: Turning away even a second later would have been disrespectful to Sister Pei.

Shi Shuwu followed Tang Wuyun at a leisurely pace.

Tang Wuyun felt a chill creep down her spine. She quickened her pace, afraid to even glance back.