Transmigrated As The Villainous Scumbag Wife Of A Disabled Tycoon - Chapter 64
64
Cheng Xing naturally didn’t choose to write a letter to Jiang Ciyi.
Firstly, this matter couldn’t be shared with anyone, especially not Jiang Ciyi. Secondly, writing a letter felt like something special.
After cutting contact with Wa Pian, Cheng Xing hadn’t written a letter to anyone else. Buying envelopes was just a habit, but she hadn’t put pen to paper since. Occasionally, when she felt restless, she’d jot down her thoughts in a memo.
It had become a conversation with herself.
Seeing that she couldn’t get any information from Jiang Ciyi, Cheng Xing brushed her off with a few vague responses, her mind clearly elsewhere. She forced herself to act calm, saying it was nothing.
Only after leaving the study did she let out a sigh of relief.
While she was brushing off Jiang Ciyi, the latter’s gaze pierced her like needles, probing and making her feel uneasy, as though thorns were pricking her back.
Later, Cheng Xing went online to search and found that Wang Tingwan was the former president of Wanfeng Pavilion and an alumnus of Cheng Zijing’s school.
The news of her death a year ago had dominated the headlines of major financial news outlets, but the details were tightly sealed. Very little insider information leaked out, and the official statement was that she died in an accident.
While Cheng Xing was digging through information and piecing things together, Xu Zhaozhao called her, asking if she’d made up her mind—would she help or not?
Cheng Xing paused. “What do you have to threaten me with? What happens if I help you? What happens if I don’t?”
“Sister Xing, don’t forget it was me who helped you make those connections back then.” Xu Zhaozhao said through gritted teeth. “Did you really think I wouldn’t leave myself a backup plan?”
“I only believe in evidence,” Cheng Xing said, trying to keep her steady to avoid pushing her too far. “If you want to expose me, you’ll need proof.”
“Once that evidence is out, you might end up in jail.”
“That doesn’t matter,” Cheng Xing said calmly, as if she didn’t care. “Show me the evidence, and then I’ll decide whether to help you—and how much.”
“Fine.” The sound of a mouse clicking came from Xu Zhaozhao’s end. “I’ve sent it to your email. There’s a golden window for PR. If we miss it, I’ll never recover. Sister Xing, I know you wouldn’t want to see that, right?”
Cheng Xing: “…”
She very much wanted to see it.
“Sure,” Cheng Xing said dismissively. “Losing a job can hit hard.”
“You know I never cared about fighting for the Cheng family’s fortune.” Xu Zhaozhao said. “I’ve always stayed by your side because you gave me a sense of security. If possible, I’d want you to protect me forever.”
Her tone turned affectionate, a stark contrast to her earlier sharpness.
Cheng Xing didn’t know why the shift was so drastic. She continued to placate Xu Zhaozhao while checking her email.
Xu Zhaozhao had sent a few photos and a screenshot of a bank transfer.
The photos showed Cheng Xing talking to a man wearing a black baseball cap, his face barely visible. But seeing the photo triggered a sharp pain in her head.
Along with it came a flood of memories—
In a dimly lit room, a man sitting on a leather sofa, smoking, asked, “This woman?”
“That’s her,” Cheng Xing replied coldly, her eyes dark and shadowy.
“This is a tough one,” the man said.
“Five million.”
The room fell silent for a moment, with only the ticking of an old wall clock breaking the stillness. The man stubbed out his cigarette in a glass ashtray and chuckled lightly. “What kind of grudge do you have against her?”
“No grudge.”
“No grudge, yet you’re paying five million to have her killed?”
“You talk too much.”
“Is it because you don’t want her stepping into your family?”
“…Are you taking the job or not?”
“I’ll take it.”
A few simple words sealed a life’s fate.
In their eyes, a life was worth no more than straw.
Cheng Xing furrowed her brow, lost in the memory. She clearly knew that the person speaking with the man wasn’t her, despite sharing the same face.
As the memory neared its end, the figure in the darkness suddenly looked up, as if they saw her. Those shadowy eyes stared directly at her, and a slight smirk curled their lips, sending a shiver down her spine.
In an instant, Cheng Xing snapped out of the memory.
The sensation had felt so real. She raised her hand to touch her forehead, finding it slick with cold sweat.
Closing her eyes, she could still see the original host’s cold, sinister eyes and that eerie smile.
…
“So? Will you help me, Sister Xing?” Xu Zhaozhao’s voice pulled her wandering thoughts back. “I don’t want to take it this far unless I have to.”
“A few photos?” Cheng Xing steadied herself, refusing to be easily manipulated. “How do they prove I’m connected to Wang Tingwan’s case? Don’t accuse people in broad daylight.”
“How could I accuse you, Sister Xing?” Xu Zhaozhao said. “If I hand these photos to the Jianggang Police Station, someone will definitely recognize this man as a fugitive on death row. And you met with him. It wouldn’t be hard to dig up the deal between you two.”
“What’s in it for you?” Cheng Xing asked.
“Nothing,” Xu Zhaozhao paused. “But I have nothing left to lose, so I’m not afraid.”
“Xu Zhaozhao,” Cheng Xing lowered her gaze and said in a low voice, “I’ve always believed you shouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket. Like your dependence on me before, or your obsession with this job now. Even if you don’t make it in the entertainment industry, Big Brother would arrange another position for you. Or you could just be an idle young lady of the Cheng family, like me—no one would judge you. Trying to take me down with you like this…”
“Frankly, it’s not very wise.” Cheng Xing said.
Xu Zhaozhao fell silent for a moment. “So you’ve decided not to help me?”
Cheng Xing: “…”
Cheng Xing had always thought of herself as a skilled communicator, but in this world, she kept stumbling time and again.
Finally, she said helplessly, “It depends on how you see it. We used to be close, didn’t we? There’s no need to throw your life away over a job.”
“Yeah, we were so close before.” Xu Zhaozhao said wistfully. “When you went abroad, you’d only bring back souvenirs for me. You took me to amusement parks. When I first came to the Cheng family, you were the only one who was kind to me. You even said that even if you got married, nothing would change… but you changed.”
“People change,” Cheng Xing said. “Am I not allowed to try to be better?”
“What about me?!” Xu Zhaozhao snapped.
Cheng Xing thought, How should I know? Who told you to mess with that devil, Gu Qingfeng?
“I just wanted your attention. What did I do wrong?” Xu Zhaozhao demanded again.
“Nothing,” Cheng Xing said. “But your approach wasn’t quite right. You tried to create a CP with Gu Qingfeng, piggybacking on her fame and popularity. How was that supposed to get my attention?”
“You promised me that if I became a dazzling star, you’d take me to Iceland to see the aurora.”
“…”
Cheng Xing scoured the original host’s memories but couldn’t find any trace of that promise.
It was probably some offhand comment the original host made, which Xu Zhaozhao took as motivation to strive forward.
In the novel, Xu Zhaozhao was written as a brainless, malicious side character, existing solely to stir up trouble. Because the original host had never fallen out with her and treated her as a backup option, these issues hadn’t surfaced before.
But now that Cheng Xing refused to play along with her, the gears of fate had veered off course, dragging up this old baggage.
Cheng Xing, at a loss, could only stay silent.
Just then, Jiang Ciyi pushed open the door and asked if she’d finished washing up. Sister Zhou had instructed the maid to make sweet fermented rice dumplings with osmanthus syrup, perfect for warming the stomach on a chilly evening.
Cheng Xing looked up and replied, “I’ll have some. I’m coming.”
Jiang Ciyi glanced subtly at her phone. “I’ll head downstairs first, then.”
“Okay,” Cheng Xing answered. Before Jiang Ciyi could leave, Xu Zhaozhao’s hysterical voice exploded through the receiver: “I know! It’s all because of Jiang Ciyi! Everything was fine before she showed up!”
Cheng Xing’s eardrums nearly shattered. Afraid Jiang Ciyi would hear, she hurriedly covered the receiver.
Jiang Ciyi, already at the door, turned back and gave her a thoughtful look.
Cheng Xing forced an awkward smile. Jiang Ciyi didn’t ask anything, quietly leaving and closing the door behind her.
Cheng Xing let out a breath and tried to calm Xu Zhaozhao. “Even without Jiang Ciyi, there’s no way we could be together. I’ve always seen you as a little sister.”
No way. You were just the original host’s plaything, a backup option.
“Impossible,” Xu Zhaozhao said. “If you want me to give up acting, fine. But you have to divorce that cripple Jiang Ciyi and marry me.”
“What’s so great about that cripple? Back in school, she was bullied by everyone. When Lu Qi hit her, she didn’t even dare talk back. Why does she get to have you now?! No way! You can be with anyone, but not her, Sister Xing…”
Cheng Xing was baffled. “What are you talking about?”
“Divorce Jiang Ciyi and marry me,” Xu Zhaozhao said, nearly unhinged. “I’ll never betray you, Sister Xing. I’m not like Su Manchun or Jiang Ciyi. I’ll listen to you.”
Cheng Xing: “…How about you calm down a bit?”
“No, I’m very calm. I want to marry you. I want you. Come find me now, okay? I’m so scared, alone in this hotel.”
If Cheng Xing went to her, she’d be an idiot. Pretending the signal was bad, she said, “Hello? What? Huh? I can’t hear you… static…”
She hung up with a snap.
Tossing the phone onto the nearby table, she felt like she’d just been dragged out of water, soaked through.
Cheng Xing couldn’t fathom what kind of mindset Xu Zhaozhao was in to say those things.
She didn’t even know if Xu Zhaozhao was a real person or a character conjured by the system.
Her role was to like the original host, stir up trouble, and be malicious. Even after everything that had happened, she could still say those “forgiving” words.
It made Cheng Xing suspect she was following a scripted program.
Lost in thought, her phone buzzed, startling her. She thought it was Xu Zhaozhao again, but it was just a message from Jiang Ciyi: [Still not done?]
Cheng Xing wiped her forehead and palms with a tissue, let out a sigh, and headed downstairs for the fermented rice dumplings.
On the way, she prepared an excuse for Jiang Ciyi.
But when she got downstairs, Jiang Ciyi only mentioned that the dumplings weren’t sweet and suggested adding sugar if she wanted them sweeter. She didn’t bring up anything about what happened in the room.
Cheng Xing’s prepared excuse went unused. She sipped the sweet, fragrant dumplings absentmindedly, barely tasting them.
After finishing, Jiang Ciyi set her bowl aside and said softly, “There might still be a mastermind behind Wang Tingwan’s case who hasn’t surfaced. The Jianggang Police Station has been investigating for a year, but new evidence keeps emerging, delaying the trial. Cheng Zijing is determined to fight this case, but Su Lengyue, the defense lawyer for the suspect, is doing everything to get a reduced sentence. Cheng Zijing previously targeted Su’s company, but because of your connection with Su Manchun, you mediated, so he spared them. But he won’t back down on this case. He’s hired the best legal team in Jianggang to push for a death sentence. The second trial is set for the 30th of next month. Unless new evidence comes up, the case should be finalized.”
Cheng Xing was slightly stunned. “They’re going to trial without even identifying the killer?”
That didn’t make sense.
“They’ve identified one,” Jiang Ciyi said. “But there are still some doubts in the case. Plus, Su Lengyue has been tirelessly gathering evidence to reduce the suspect’s sentence. During the first trial, the suspect suddenly recanted all previous statements in court, but after another round of investigation, the police found no new suspects.”
“Without conclusive evidence, they can’t convict.” Cheng Xing said.
“But the pressure from Cheng Zijing and the Wang family is overwhelming the police. They just want to close the case quickly,” Jiang Ciyi explained. “A lot of people are watching this case, so it’s being handled differently from others.”
Cheng Xing: “Alright.”
“That’s everything I know.” Jiang Ciyi said, preparing to head upstairs.
Cheng Xing, as if struck by a thought, asked, “Were you close with Wang Tingwan before she died?”
Jiang Ciyi was silent for a few seconds before nodding. “She was a good person.”
Evening
Sister Zhou called Guan Linmin to mention the conversation between Cheng Xing and Jiang Ciyi.
Guan Linmin sighed. “Tingwan was a good kid. If she hadn’t died, I might already be holding a granddaughter.”
“Miss never cared about this before,” Sister Zhou said suspiciously. “Why is she suddenly interested now?”
“She’s learning to care for others,” Guan Linmin said. “She was closest to her second brother back then. When her second brother brought Tingwan home, she sulked for days. Even when Tingwan passed, she didn’t attend the funeral. My second son was upset with her for a while but still treated her like a little sister. We’ve spoiled her too much over the years.”
Sister Zhou chuckled. “She’s your only daughter. Who else would you spoil?”
“Sigh.” Guan Linmin asked about Cheng Xing and Jiang Ciyi’s recent interactions, and Sister Zhou answered truthfully.
After hanging up, Guan Linmin opened a drawer and took out a family photo.
When the second son brought Wang Tingwan home to discuss marriage, Cheng Xing threw a tantrum, running off to Las Vegas and then to Antarctica to see penguins, cutting contact with everyone. They were so worried about her.
It was the second son who personally went to Antarctica to bring her back.
As a child, Cheng Xing always clung to Cheng Zijing, trailing behind him like a little shadow.
Guan Linmin loved seeing the siblings get along, but she hadn’t expected Cheng Xing to react so strongly to her brother’s engagement.
When Cheng Zimo married Qin Zhiyun, Cheng Xing just offered a casual blessing.
But after Cheng Zijing coaxed her, the whole family took a photo together. Cheng Xing wanted to invite Su Manchun, but Guan Linmin stopped her.
Guan Linmin had always found Su Manchun unreliable. She’d met her a few times at home, always evasive. But since Cheng Xing liked her, and they’d grown up together with families that knew each other well, Guan Linmin didn’t interfere with their relationship.
Still, Su Manchun wasn’t family photo material.
In the photo, Cheng Xing’s face was sour, while Cheng Zijing looked at Wang Tingwan with a doting smile.
Since Tingwan’s death, Guan Linmin hadn’t seen Cheng Zijing smile so brightly. He always carried a faint, indescribable sadness.
Guan Linmin video-called Cheng Zijing, chatting casually before probing about his dating plans. The dead were gone, but the living had to move on.
Cheng Zijing brushed it off, saying he was too busy to date.
But when Wang Tingwan was alive, he’d fly across three cities in a day during his startup phase, rushing back at 2 a.m. to drag Tingwan out of bed for late-night snacks.
Guan Linmin knew he hadn’t moved on from Tingwan’s death, so she didn’t press too hard. She only mentioned a potential blind date, suggesting he meet the girl—not to date immediately, just to expand his social circle and make a friend.
“Aren’t my friends enough?” Cheng Zijing said self-deprecatingly. “Four or five events a day—I can barely keep up. Let’s not waste the girl’s time.”
“Fine,” Guan Linmin said. “It’s up to you. It’s just that Xingxing’s settled down now, and first son’s family is happy. You’re the only one still alone, and I can’t help but worry.”
“Come on, I’m free as a bird.” Cheng Zijing said, redirecting her to focus on Cheng Xing and Jiang Ciyi, especially Jiang Ciyi’s legs. He suggested she network with medical experts, both Western and Chinese, in case Jiang Ciyi could walk again someday.
That way, there might be new life in the family, fulfilling Guan Linmin’s wish for grandchildren.
Guan Linmin sighed. “Mr. Cheng, you’re managing up now, aren’t you?”
“Just giving you something to do,” Cheng Zijing said bluntly. “So you stop hovering over me.”
After hanging up, Guan Linmin thought for a bit and messaged Mrs. Lu, whom she’d met at a card game: [My son’s clueless about romance. Let’s not hold up Miss Lu’s future. Lu Qi’s gentle and lovely—too good for my son. We’ll find someone even better for her.]
After the polite exchange, Guan Linmin sighed inwardly.
She genuinely liked Mrs. Lu’s daughter. The Lu family was in the jewelry business, the father in politics, and their daughter was beautiful—on par with Wang Tingwan. She spoke softly and sweetly, clearly a well-raised girl, without being overly ingratiating.
If Guan Linmin hadn’t truly approved, she wouldn’t have suggested the match to Cheng Zijing.
But he didn’t have that luck.
Guan Linmin cared about her children’s marriages but didn’t obsess over them.
Love depended on fate. You couldn’t just throw two people together and expect feelings to grow.
More often, they’d just grow to resent each other.
She’d bustle about, and if the kids ended up unhappy, they’d blame her.
She wasn’t about to do something so thankless.
With that clarity, Guan Linmin let it go. But the next morning, she had a new idea and asked her sister-in-law if she’d mind her son dating someone older, suggesting Lu Qi for Xu Chongyu, who’d just graduated college.
After some discussion, they thought it could work.
Guan Linmin felt a bit more at ease.
Xu Zhaozhao, however, spent a sleepless night.
She stayed up all night in the hotel, waiting for Cheng Xing, sending messages that went unanswered. When she called, all she got was an automated voice: “The number you have dialed is switched off…”
No.
It wasn’t supposed to be like this.
Xu Zhaozhao felt there had to be a better ending for her and Cheng Xing, not this.
She had to see Cheng Xing.
So, in the morning, she put on simple makeup and went straight to Wenxing Media, only to hear that Cheng Xing had taken the day off.
She then went to Tinglan Mansion, but Sister Zhou deflected her with smooth pleasantries, refusing to reveal Cheng Xing’s whereabouts.
Xu Zhaozhao tried to barge in but didn’t find Cheng Xing or Jiang Ciyi.
She could only conclude one thing: Cheng Xing was with Jiang Ciyi.
Was that why she wasn’t answering her calls or meeting her?
Was she not even afraid of Xu Zhaozhao exposing her for hiring someone to kill Wang Tingwan?
But how could Xu Zhaozhao bear to destroy her?
Sitting in her car, Xu Zhaozhao’s long nails dug into her flesh, her teeth biting her lower lip so hard it nearly bled.
She kept thinking: How can I get Cheng Xing back to my side?
Her car stayed parked outside Tinglan Mansion all day. As night fell, Cheng Xing drove back.
Seeing an unfamiliar car on the road, she didn’t think much of it. She got out, opened the passenger door for Jiang Ciyi, but the wheelchair’s track malfunctioned, and Jiang Ciyi nearly fell. Cheng Xing quickly steadied her, asking softly if she was okay.
Her face showed a tenderness Xu Zhaozhao had never seen.
How could this be?!
Xu Zhaozhao seethed with jealousy. That was the look Sister Xing used to give her.
How could she look at a cripple like that now?!
Jiang Ciyi had stolen her spotlight since high school, and now she was stealing Sister Xing.
No way.
Xu Zhaozhao finally knew what to do…
If Jiang Ciyi disappeared, like Wang Tingwan, Sister Xing would be hers forever.
In her car, Xu Zhaozhao’s eyes gleamed with a bloodthirsty light.
At the same time, Jiang Ciyi, who’d just returned home, shivered suddenly. She sniffed, and Cheng Xing, thinking she was shaken from the near-fall, asked gently, “You okay? Want some hot water to calm down?”
“I’m fine,” Jiang Ciyi said, pursing her lips. “It feels like someone’s watching me.”
Cheng Xing looked back. The courtyard of Tinglan Mansion was empty, not even a shadow under the streetlights. But seeing Jiang Ciyi’s conviction, she touched her forehead. “Are you running a fever again?”
Her hand was too cold to tell.
Jiang Ciyi shook her head. “Probably not.”
That morning, Cheng Xing had noticed she had a fever and called the family doctor to give her an IV. Cheng Xing wanted her to take the day off, but Jiang Ciyi insisted on going to work.
In the end, Cheng Xing accompanied her to the lab for half a day.
Jiang Ciyi started to say, “Maybe…”
Before she could finish, Cheng Xing leaned in, her forehead touching Jiang Ciyi’s. Her breath brushed Jiang Ciyi’s face, and her words stopped abruptly.