The Beautiful, Strong, and Miserable Ex-Girlfriend [Quick Transmigration GL] - Chapter 18

Shen Sujie got away fast. The moment she was on the plane, Jiang Bieyuan’s meeting was still in session.

As the plane took off, Shen Sujie slowly and deliberately sent Jiang Bieyuan a message under the system’s watchful gaze: “Yuan Yuan, I’m so sorry I had to break our date, but I have to rush back for an emergency work matter.”

“So, about dinner… let’s reschedule once I’m not so busy.”

“I’ll treat you next time.”

Ding— The text message came through. It was exactly halftime during the meeting, and Jiang Bieyuan absently picked up her phone. But then she saw the message.

The calmness in her eyes vanished instantly, replaced by a deep, dark frost. Her long, pale fingers clenched around the phone so tightly it looked like it might shatter. Qiao Weiwei had run off. That was the only thought in her mind. Despite their plans, she had run off for Fu Yanzhou and left her behind. And on a Sunday, no less.

A sudden, fierce rage surged in her chest, nearly incinerating her last shred of rationality. Jiang Bieyuan took a deep breath, trying her best to control her emotions. Alongside the anger, a bitter, sour feeling slowly crept up her throat, spreading to her nose and eyes. She felt a burning in her eyes and a heavy ache in her chest.

What was she to the other woman? A one-night stand? Or even less? Did she really like her? Or was it all the same as before, just a casual distraction for when she was bored? When she felt like it, she’d come on strong and flirt, then ghost her when she got tired of the game. Did it make her feel good to see her trip up and fall for her again and again?

Jiang Bieyuan closed her eyes, trying not to think about it, trying not to analyze the true intentions behind the girl’s decision. But she couldn’t. She cared about her; she cared about her every move. So there was no way she could ignore the unspoken, unpredictable thoughts that her small actions revealed.

The system was thrilled to see Jiang Bieyuan on the verge of a breakdown. It thought, “As long as the host breaks Jiang Bieyuan’s heart completely, then Jiang Bieyuan will give up on her, turn against her, and never have anything to do with her again… right?” This was a good thing!

A woman with a freshly broken heart was incredibly vulnerable. If only Fu Yanzhou had a bit of common sense now, and showed Jiang Bieyuan some tenderness and care, how long until their relationship flourished and they became inseparable? Fu Yanzhou would pull Jiang Bieyuan out of a toxic relationship and be her gentlemanly savior. As a result, Jiang Bieyuan would come to see Fu Yanzhou as her light, become utterly dependent on him, and be so moved she would offer herself to him…

The system’s heart began to race. It looked at Shen Sujie, unsure. The host’s move was brilliant, so brilliant that for a moment it couldn’t tell if Shen Sujie had done it on purpose or by accident. If she did it on purpose, it gave Fu Yanzhou a perfect opportunity. If it was an accident, it had so directly triggered Jiang Bieyuan that she was showing signs of losing control and turning dark.

The system shook its head, staring at Shen Sujie’s calm, unhurried demeanor. It truly couldn’t understand her plan. Still, it held a small hope that Fu Yanzhou would rise to the occasion and not be completely useless.

The system’s staring was blatant, but Shen Sujie didn’t even bother to lift an eyelid, ignoring it completely. Covered in a blanket she had asked a flight attendant for, Shen Sujie put on a sleep mask and was soon fast asleep. A good rest after the battle. She still had to face Fu Yanzhou, after all, so she needed to rest up.

All afternoon, Fu Yanzhou grew more and more irritable as he waited for Shen Sujie’s reply. After he was done with the rich women, he went to the balcony and, in a last-ditch effort, called Shen Sujie again and again. The call was always met with the same robotic voice: “We’re sorry, the number you have dialed is temporarily unreachable…”

The monotonous female voice and identical replies finally wore out Fu Yanzhou’s patience.

He furiously put down the phone, and as he was about to roughly put it away, the signal on his phone changed, and a nervous voice suddenly came through. “Hello?”

Fu Yanzhou froze, then realized who it was. He quickly raised the phone back to his ear. “You finally decided to answer?”

“I’m so sorry, my phone broke, and I just got it fixed,” Shen Sujie explained apologetically, subtly changing the subject. “Is there something you need?”

“What’s going on with you and Jiang Bieyuan?” Fu Yanzhou asked, his grip on the phone tightening as he finally addressed the question that had been bothering him all afternoon.

“Well, you see,” Shen Sujie answered in a slow, gentle tone. “I went out of town to see a friend and happened to run into Miss Jiang. I kept your instructions in mind the entire time, so I struck up a conversation with her and made sure to put in a good word for you, Fu-ge…”

A smile involuntarily crept up Fu Yanzhou’s face. “Is that so?”

“Yes,” Shen Sujie said, nodding with conviction, lying without a second thought. “We were just talking about some private things, so…”

“Alright, that’s enough,” Fu Yanzhou said, already satisfied with her answer. Just then, his assistant came over to rush him, so he turned and quickly said into the phone, “Be here at nine a.m. sharp tomorrow. I need to see you.”

Shen Sujie obediently replied, “Okay.”

After Fu Yanzhou hung up, Shen Sujie played with her phone, a smile on her face. “I’ve never seen anyone so impatient.”

“Your hero and heroine will be reunited by tomorrow morning at the latest. Are you excited, System?”

The system’s eyelid twitched. “I should be, but with you as a conniving ticking time bomb, I don’t think I can be.”

“Bingo,” Shen Sujie said, smiling radiantly. “We’re starting to understand each other.”

The system choked. It wasn’t interested in this kind of understanding, thank you very much. It would much rather they go back to how they were when they first met: innocent and kind, with no plots or schemes, just the two of them getting along harmoniously.

********

The next day, Shen Sujie appeared in front of Fu Yanzhou on time. The moment he saw her, Fu Yanzhou immediately began to chew her out. He wasn’t even specifically angry at Shen Sujie; he was just in a bad mood from work, and Shen Sujie, by showing up at the wrong time, had become his innocent punching bag.

The man’s rage was so palpable that the staff around him fell silent, their heads bowed, afraid to make eye contact lest they become a casualty. Even through the thick door of the dressing room, Fu Yanzhou’s angry voice could be heard. Jiang Bieyuan’s steps faltered, and she stopped. She stood in front of the door, not yet having decided whether to go in and check if Shen Sujie was there. Then, the voice she was thinking of spoke meekly, “I’m so sorry, I won’t ever do it again.”

“It’s all my fault. Please calm down. Don’t ruin your health. You still have a photoshoot to do.”

The moment Jiang Bieyuan heard the slight tremor in the girl’s voice, a surge of uncontrollable anger shot through her, straight to the top of her head. Her rationality was completely gone. She watched herself grip the doorknob with all her strength, her face a cold mask as she pulled the door open. Her expression was more frigid than any other she had worn in over two decades. Her gaze swept over the room before it zeroed in on Shen Sujie, who had turned to look at her in surprise.

The next second, Jiang Bieyuan ignored the dozens of shocked and confused eyes in the room and strode over to pull the girl, who had red eyes and a red nose, behind her. She stared icily at Fu Yanzhou. “You were just yelling at her, weren’t you?”

It wasn’t a question, but a statement.

Fu Yanzhou’s angry tirade was interrupted. The moment he saw Jiang Bieyuan, he panicked. “That’s not it, Yuan Yuan, let me explain.”

“Fine,” Jiang Bieyuan said, smiling a cold, empty smile. “Go on.”

Fu Yanzhou was speechless. Now that Jiang Bieyuan was giving him the chance to explain himself, he had nothing to say. He stared blankly at Jiang Bieyuan’s furious expression, unable to understand.

Why was Jiang Bieyuan standing up for Qiao Weiwei?