Mistakenly Married a Substitute Wife, Falling in Love with the Movie Queen - Chapter 45

As the dinner party concluded, Shen Shuangjing and Sang Baili stepped out of the hotel’s revolving doors.

A biting wind swept through the air, its icy chill scraping against their cheeks like a dull blade.

With New Year’s Eve approaching midnight, the pedestrian street was packed with revelers. Traffic police patrolled every few meters, assisting with crowd control.

Sang Baili was bundled up tightly, a knitted hat pulled low over her ears and half her face buried in a camel-wool scarf. Blending into the crowd with Shen Shuangjing, they looked like any ordinary couple.

To avoid being recognized by fans, they moved against the flow of the crowd, stopping at a convenience store to buy the last box of sparklers.

Finding a secluded alleyway, Shen Shuangjing struck a match and lit the first sparkler.

Golden sparks erupted, dancing with light. In the distance, the LED screen flashed the final ten seconds of the countdown, and the crowd’s voices swelled in a roaring crescendo.

“Ten!”

“Nine!”

“Three.”

“Two.”

“One.”

“Happy New Year!!!”

A wave of cheers erupted as fireworks burst across the night sky. Countless balloons, carrying people’s hopes for the new year, slipped from their fingertips and floated skyward.

The brilliant firelight reflected in Shen Shuangjing’s eyes, her face bathed in a luminous glow.

Smiling, she said, “Happy New Year.”

The white mist of her breath hung like a veil, blurring the delicate red mole at the tip of her nose.

Sang Baili returned her gaze. “Happy New Year.”

In past years, she had spent New Year’s Eve working, without excessive emotion or anticipation. Now, she let Shen Shuangjing press a fairy wand into her palm.

Her steps were reluctant as they turned to leave.

The crowds who had come out to celebrate began to disperse, clogging the streets.

Streetlights and car headlights intertwined, making the sky as bright as day.

Shen Shuangjing glanced down at her navigation app. “2.3 kilometers. Time to initiate the New Year’s escape plan.”

Their original plan was to go straight home, but traffic was backed up, with the driver stuck on a road in a neighboring city. The estimated arrival time was three hours away, so Sang Baili made a last-minute decision to stay overnight and leave early the next morning.

All the nearby hotels were fully booked. The closest one with available rooms, rated above 9.0, was two kilometers away according to the navigation app.

Not too far.

The road narrowed, the bustling street scene gradually faded, and residential buildings became more frequent. Children were playing with handheld sparklers by the roadside.

A gust of cold wind blew a child’s sparkler onto the road. As she ran to retrieve it, a sharp bicycle bell suddenly rang out.

The young cyclist had nowhere to swerve and shouted, “Where did this kid come from? Get out of the way!”

“Watch out!”

Shen Shuangjing instinctively leaned forward and scooped the child into her arms.

The bicycle grazed the corner of her coat, a close call.

The child’s parent, who had been standing nearby, was stunned by the near-miss. Realizing Shen Shuangjing had saved the child, they rushed over to express their gratitude.

The frightened child burst into tears, mumbling, “Thank you, Sister.”

Shen Shuangjing replied, “It’s okay.”

She shook her head, watching the parent pull the sobbing child around the corner and out of sight.

Only then did she realize her right wrist was being held tightly.

Sang Baili’s deep indigo eyes were like surging currents. “Good thing you reacted so quickly,” she said.

Shen Shuangjing nodded, her heart still racing from the adrenaline of saving the child.

“It was all instinct,” she replied. “When danger strikes, you don’t have time to think.”

“You seem to have experience with this,” Sang Baili said, her porcelain-like fingers pinching the edge of Shen Shuangjing’s scarf and tugging it down to reveal her graceful jawline.

She turned her head, her gaze intense. “Has something similar happened before?”

Shen Shuangjing pressed her lips together, her gaze shifting to the ground. “I once rescued a child who had fallen into the water.”

She paused, then opened her palm, the soft moonlight bathing it. “I can’t just stand by and watch someone die,” she whispered.

It had been a long time since she’d dreamed of her past life. When she tried to recall those memories, they slipped away like sand, leaving only fragmented images floating in her mind. Yet Shen Shuangjing’s character remained unchanged: she wouldn’t abandon her kindness, even after sacrificing herself once.

Sang Baili felt a sudden, inexplicable pang of bitterness, and she wanted to kiss the corner of Shen Shuangjing’s eye.

Her lips parted slightly as she murmured, “Was the child rescued?”

Shen Shuangjing replied with a hint of pride, “Yes, they were.”

Sang Baili lowered her lashes, casting delicate shadows across her cheeks, her expression obscured by the veil of concealment.

Abruptly, she said, “It’s a bit cold.”

“Let’s hurry. We’re almost there.”

The hotel was easy to find, smaller than she’d imagined, nestled beside a residential building and illuminated by garish neon lights.

They checked in using their ID cards.

Pushing open the room door, they were greeted by yellowed, peeling wallpaper that revealed mottled patches of mold beneath. The damp, camphor-scented air carried the musty odor of dust and rust.

Sang Baili went to the bathroom to remove her makeup, while Shen Shuangjing hung her coat on the rack by the door. As she straightened it, she noticed an odd, angular bulge in the pocket.

Reaching inside, she pulled out a thick red envelope.

Sang Baili had given her all her good luck after all.