The Entire Harem has Transmigrated - Chapter 21

Fu Yeqiu placed her hand on Ruan Qingqing’s shoulder and drew her to stand before the massive floor-to-ceiling mirror.

The beautiful, innocent young woman was still struggling with the gown’s ties, completely unaware that her reflection in the clear, pristine mirror had been entirely enveloped by another woman’s figure.

“Why is this so complicated?” Ruan Qingqing pouted, muttering to herself. “If I’d known, I wouldn’t have worn it.”

Fu Yeqiu’s lips curved into a smile as she slowly gathered Ruan Qingqing’s long, slightly curled hair, brushed it forward to reveal the nape of her fair, graceful neck, and murmured in a husky voice, “Don’t worry, let me take a look.”

Ruan Qingqing obediently stood still, allowing Fu Yeqiu to adjust her.

“It seems the tie accidentally got knotted,” Fu Yeqiu said, her expression darkening but her voice softening. “But don’t worry, I can fix it for you.”

Ruan Qingqing glanced back, still completely oblivious, and thanked her innocently, “Thank you, Qiuqiu. I’m so glad you’re here to help.”

Fu Yeqiu’s eyelid twitched slightly.

For a fleeting moment, she considered stopping. Her Little Majesty had once been so kind to her, and now trusted her so completely. By both reason and emotion, she shouldn’t take advantage of her.

But when Fu Yeqiu looked at that face, she found herself unable to resist.

Years of suppressed longing mingled with a surging desire, like a wild beast newly released from its cage. It would not rest until it had tasted flesh.

Fu Yeqiu lowered her head.

Her breath ghosted across Ruan Qingqing’s nape, tickling her skin and sending a strange sensation through her. Ruan Qingqing instinctively tried to pull away, but Fu Yeqiu’s hand tightened around her soft waist.

It was only a fleeting touch.

Fu Yeqiu quickly released her grip.

With a hint of sternness, she said, “Don’t move.”

Ruan Qingqing, confused and slightly dazed, stood obediently still.

Afraid of startling her, Fu Yeqiu added gently, “It’ll be over soon.”

“Oh,” Ruan Qingqing replied.

True to Fu Yeqiu’s word, the back ties came undone. But the dress, with its peculiar design, slipped completely off Ruan Qingqing’s body the moment Fu Yeqiu released her grip.

Ruan Qingqing stared blankly at the crimson layers of fabric pooling at her feet. It took her a few seconds to fully process what had happened before she belatedly crossed her arms protectively across her chest.

Ruan Qingqing didn’t look at Fu Yeqiu directly, but she could feel her burning gaze fixed on her through the full-length mirror in front of her.

It was a stark contrast to Fu Yeqiu’s earlier gentle and composed demeanor. The look in her eyes carried a predatory intensity that Ruan Qingqing couldn’t quite decipher.

“Stop staring!” Ruan Qingqing hugged herself tightly, a hint of annoyance in her voice.

“I’m sorry,” Fu Yeqiu said, quickly adjusting her expression as if the intensity Ruan Qingqing had glimpsed had been a figment of her imagination. Yet she continued to watch Ruan Qingqing without turning away.

Forced to free one hand, Ruan Qingqing poked Fu Yeqiu’s shoulder, her ears flushing slightly. “Then turn around!”

“Alright,” Fu Yeqiu replied, turning her back and closing her eyes. But her mind remained filled with the image she had just seen.

When they emerged from the bathroom, both felt a little awkward. Fu Yeqiu picked up Ruan Qingqing’s little dress from the floor and sent it to the dry cleaner with her assistant. Ruan Qingqing settled into the rocking chair by the window, swinging her legs as she gazed at the night view.

By the time Fu Yeqiu returned, Ruan Qingqing had completely recovered and even apologized. “I’m sorry, Qiuqiu,” she said. “I shouldn’t have reacted so strongly earlier. It wasn’t your fault—it was all that dress.”

Fu Yeqiu chuckled softly.

Ruan Qingqing continued, “Besides, there’s nothing wrong with looking between close friends. I’m not embarrassed, so you shouldn’t be either.”

Fu Yeqiu’s smile froze.

She felt a surge of dopamine and her breath caught in her throat, but this had nothing to do with embarrassment.

Qingqing actually feels embarrassed?

Fu Yeqiu forced another smile at Ruan Qingqing.

It’s okay, she thought. We’ll take it slow.

Donning her gentle facade once more, Fu Yeqiu sat down in the chair opposite Ruan Qingqing and said, “It’s all my fault.”

Ruan Qingqing stood up and patted her shoulder, saying magnanimously, “I told you, it’s fine!”

Fu Yeqiu smiled faintly, looked up at her, and asked, “Qingqing, have we met before? I always feel a strange sense of familiarity and warmth when I see you, even though today is clearly our first meeting.”

Ruan Qingqing hesitated, looking troubled. “I’d like to tell you, but I doubt you’d believe me…”

“I’ll believe you,” Fu Yeqiu said, her gaze unwavering and her voice firm. “Qingqing, if you tell me, I’ll believe you.”

Ruan Qingqing hadn’t expected this reaction.

Fu Yeqiu rose from her chair, her high heels clicking against the floor as she walked to the floor-to-ceiling window.

Her voice was wistful. “For years, I’ve been haunted by a recurring dream. In it, I’m dressed in a phoenix crown and ceremonial robes, my hand held firmly as I’m led up a long flight of stairs to a towering building. I hear the ceremonial chants and the harmonious music of zithers and lutes, yet I’m filled with a disorienting sense of not knowing where I am. Countless nights, I’ve woken in a cold sweat from this dream, desperate to understand its meaning, but I’ve found no answers.”

Turning to face Ruan Qingqing, Fu Yeqiu spoke with earnest sincerity. “Until I met you today, I don’t know why, but I felt instinctively that you could unravel this nightmare that has plagued me for so long.”

Ruan Qingqing took a deep breath and stepped forward. “What you’re dreaming about,” she said earnestly, “is likely a memory from our past life—the scene from our wedding ceremony.”

A perfectly measured expression of confusion crossed Fu Yeqiu’s face. “Past life? Wedding?”

Ruan Qingqing quickly explained the situation in broad strokes.

Fu Yeqiu sank back into her chair, propping her head in her hand as if deep in thought.

After a long silence, she finally looked up at Ruan Qingqing. “So,” she asked, “we were originally husband and wife?”

Ruan Qingqing nodded, then shook her head, quickly explaining, “Well… to be precise, we’re more like a married couple on the surface. In reality, we’re just really close sisters.”

Fu Yeqiu raised an eyebrow. “Close sisters?”

Ruan Qingqing blushed slightly but felt compelled to clarify. “Yes, our relationship is like that of close sisters—completely platonic. We’ve never… you know… done that kind of thing.”

Fu Yeqiu feigned ignorance. “What kind of thing?”

Ruan Qingqing whispered, “Consummating the marriage.”

Fu Yeqiu couldn’t help but laugh.

Ruan Qingqing rubbed her cheeks and asked, “What are you laughing at?”

Because you’re so adorable.

But Fu Yeqiu didn’t say it, only shook her head.

Ruan Qingqing sighed, smoothed her skirt, and said, “I do believe in past lives, but I have no memory of any of the things you’ve told me. If only I could remember everything, I wouldn’t have to suffer from insomnia, constantly jolted awake by that dream.”

Hearing this, Ruan Qingqing’s heart ached for her. Without hesitation, she rushed over and vowed, “Qiuqiu, don’t worry! I’ll definitely help you recover your memories.”

Fu Yeqiu asked, “Do you have any ideas?”

Ruan Qingqing shook her head. “I don’t know for sure, but we can try things out slowly.”

Fu Yeqiu paused thoughtfully before speaking. “I do have one idea.”

“Tell me,” Ruan Qingqing urged.

“It’s a rather clumsy method,” Fu Yeqiu said casually, suppressing his true intentions. “Since my past life is connected to you, perhaps spending more time with you might help?”

Before Ruan Qingqing could reply, Fu Yeqiu added, “I just don’t want to waste your time.”

“It’s no problem at all! I have plenty of time,” Ruan Qingqing said with a cheerful smile. “When I get back, I’ll talk to Qianxuan and A-Yun about it. Maybe if they come over and keep you company, sharing stories from the past, it might be even more effective.”

There’s no need for that, Fu Yeqiu thought.

Aloud, he said, “I’ll leave it all to you.”

Cleaning the little dress would take time, so Fu Yeqiu thoughtfully had the banquet’s delicacies brought up. After they finished eating and chatting, the dress was ready. Fu Yeqiu carefully packed it up and led Ruan Qingqing downstairs.

Li Qianxuan was beside herself with worry. The moment she saw Ruan Qingqing, she pulled her into a tight embrace, then gripped her shoulders, anxiously asking if anyone had bullied her.

“Who could bully me?” Ruan Qingqing replied dismissively, pulling Li Qianxuan and Yu Yunfei over to Fu Yeqiu. Seizing the opportunity while no one was nearby, she said, “These are Consort Shu and the Noble Consort I told you about.”

Fu Yeqiu nodded politely to the two women.

The three exchanged glances, the air thick with unspoken tension. Ruan Qingqing, oblivious to the undercurrents, chirped, “Qiuqiu, I’m going back to research now. I’ll see if I can create a talisman to help people recover their memories. See you tomorrow!”

Fu Yeqiu suppressed the urge to keep her there, replying calmly, “Alright, see you tomorrow.”

Back at their residence, Ruan Qingqing announced her plan to help the Empress regain her memories. Li Qianxuan was hesitant, but Yu Yunfei pulled her aside while Ruan Qingqing was drawing talismans. Leading her onto the balcony, Yu Yunfei said, “The Empress’s amnesia might not be genuine. We shouldn’t refuse outright. Let’s go with Qingqing tomorrow and investigate properly.”

Li Qianxuan looked puzzled. “You think the Empress is faking amnesia? But what would she gain from that?”

Yu Yunfei rolled her eyes.

“Don’t you know Your Majesty’s temperament by now? Why do you think she wouldn’t stay comfortably with you and the Virtuous Consort, and instead insisted on coming to me? It’s not just because I haven’t bullied her too much. It’s also because she sees me as weaker, currently in a difficult situation, and in need of help.”

Li Qianxuan: “So?”

Yu Yunfei, unusually patient with her, explained, “Still don’t get it? If Fu Yeqiu were just a successful, carefree CEO, Your Majesty might have glanced at her, reminisced briefly, and then gone back to setting up her street stall. But with this amnesia, what happens?”

Li Qianxuan: “What happens?”

Yu Yunfei rolled her eyes so hard they nearly flipped. “With this amnesia, Your Majesty will obsess over finding a cure, circling around her constantly! Fu Yeqiu doesn’t need to resort to forceful tactics or clingy persistence. She can effortlessly bind Your Majesty to her side.”

Li Qianxuan finally understood, clenching her fists and pounding the wall in fury. “The Empress is as shameless as ever!”

Ruan Qingqing, naturally unaware of these machinations, spent the night as usual, lying between the Noble Consort and Consort Shu. After they fell asleep, she quietly rose, grabbed her small pillow, and moved to the sofa, where she spent the rest of the night peacefully.

The next morning, she woke up early again, washed up, and went downstairs to exercise.

To her surprise, a familiar figure was standing by the bushes below.

Ruan Qingqing paused, slightly startled.

The short-haired girl with a refined, cool face was walking toward her. She wore a moon-white suit over a black T-shirt, the streamlined tailoring sharp and precise, accentuating her extraordinary aura. As she approached, anyone would find her both beautiful and dashing.

But Ruan Qingqing couldn’t appreciate it.

In her heart, Jiang Li was still frozen in time—the image of her with long, flowing hair and fluttering robes.

That Jiang Li had been a powerful figure who could manipulate court affairs with a flick of her wrist, a Metaphysics Master whose every move shook heaven and earth, and the greatest source of support and comfort in an era where Ruan Qingqing had no control over her own fate.

Now, the still-youthful Jiang Li stood before her, tentatively beginning, “Um…”

“Don’t speak yet,” Ruan Qingqing said, her gaze fixed on Jiang Li’s captivating peach blossom eyes, yet her expression remained unfocused, as if looking through her to reminisce about someone else.

Her voice was clear despite her somewhat dazed expression: “When you speak, you no longer resemble her.”

Jiang Li: “……”

What is this?

Is substitute romance literature coming to life?