Chapter 49 – The Female Supporting Character Whose Life Was Taken Away by a Transmigrated Woman

After waking up, Su Quihe lay in bed as if she had become foolish, as though she had experienced another life in her dream. That dream had felt so real. In the first half of the dream, she had been so triumphant, while in the second half, she had been so miserable. Life in prison had been much harder than her current life.

Su Quihe resigned herself. She thought, let it be. One day, when this dream ended, she would return to the modern world. That would be fine. Although she wasn’t as good-looking as the character in the book in her modern life, she had the technology and people she was familiar with. Though her life wasn’t particularly good, it wasn’t bad either. At least she didn’t have to worry about food or clothing. If she worked well, her year-end bonus might even allow her to take a domestic trip.

Even if she hadn’t become someone extraordinary, it was still pretty good.

Now that she had lived this way, as the female protagonist in the book, Wen Xin’s life was probably hard as well, wasn’t it? Her remaining years were certainly spent under surveillance, right?

“How nice.”

The days under surveillance were no different from usual. In the blink of an eye, it was August, and the peaches in Wen Xin’s orchard were about to ripen. The variety of peaches was the Shui Mi Tao (honey peach), with pink tips and pale green at the bottom. Wen Xin picked a few peaches, washed them under the faucet, then cut them into small pieces with a fruit knife and brought them to the chess table under the tree.

Old Zhang was playing chess with an old man from the nursing home, while a poor chess player like Grandpa Qin could only stand on the side, watching and offering advice.

Wen Xin brought the fruit, and everyone took it without hesitation. The peaches she grew were crisp and sweet. After one piece, they all wanted more. While eating, they all praised her peaches.

Some people who especially liked fruit bought several kilograms to take home. Wen Xin didn’t want to charge them, but they refused to let her give it for free. Wen Xin had no choice but to take the money, though when weighing, she gave them a few extra kilograms.

The old men and Aunties from the nursing home didn’t lack money, but taking advantage of others was human nature, and they were no exception.

The orchard had a bumper harvest. Wen Xin woke up early in the morning when the sky was still dim. She took a basket and went to the orchard to pick fruit. Grandpa Qin, who woke up early with little sleep, came to help. Not long after, Old Zhang, who had been out for his morning walk, joined them at the fruit-picking scene.

By the time He Xiunian arrived with his small tricycle, Wen Xin and the others had already filled two large baskets. As a strong young man, it was his job to carry the baskets.

Around 8 o’clock, Wen Xin and the others had already filled four baskets with peaches. Wen Xin went to the kitchen and cooked a pack of instant noodles, adding tomatoes, scallions, cilantro, and chives for seasoning, and served it with sour chili paste. Everyone ate their fill.

Of course, such a fun task as selling peaches couldn’t be without Grandpa Qin and Old Zhang. They naturally had to come along.

When they arrived at the vegetable market, they unloaded the peaches. The peaches, just picked from the trees, were incredibly fresh. These peaches had ripened over a month earlier than other peaches. It had been over a year since anyone had seen peaches before. When they saw these fresh peaches, and the price was not too high, they bought them, two kilos for one person, three kilos for another. Grandpa Qin and Old Zhang handled the money and weighed the fruit, so Wen Xin didn’t even need to do anything.

Thus, Wen Xin and He Xiunian, who couldn’t help either, went shopping.

There wasn’t much to see in the vegetable market, but next to it was a department store, where they sold all sorts of things. By the time they had walked from one end of the street to the other, He Xiunian’s hands were full of bags, and Wen Xin had quite a few as well.

When they returned with their hands full, they found that more than two baskets of peaches had already been sold. By noon, all the peaches had been sold out.

On the way back, the two old men were especially excited, discussing the customers who had come to buy peaches in the morning.

The two old men had become addicted to selling peaches. After their afternoon nap, they went to pick another basket and used Wen Xin’s tricycle to take it to the main road at the village entrance to sell. Since there were many cars passing by, the long-distance drivers, who weren’t short on money, would often stop to buy peaches. By dinnertime, only a few peaches were left, and the two old men packed up and happily returned home.

Wen Xin had already prepared dinner for them.

He Xiunian had negotiated with the city’s fruit stores about delivery prices and quantities, so Wen Xin’s mornings spent picking peaches became earlier and earlier. He Xiunian’s renovation crew had already gotten into the routine, so he didn’t have to supervise them all the time. As a result, he moved into the small courtyard as well.

The old men from the nursing home, seeing Wen Xin overwhelmed with work, came to help. They didn’t expect any payment; Wen Xin just made sure they had two meals a day, which was enough for them.

Autumn passed, and the peaches from Wen Xin’s orchard were all sold. This year, the profits from selling peaches had exceeded ten thousand.

There were many vegetables in the garden, and most of them had ripened. This year, Wen Xin had planted a lot, and the vegetables she couldn’t eat were made into dried vegetables and pickled ones. Once they were done, she sent the packages to Beijing for Qin Yishu. Qin Yishu was overjoyed when she received the parcel.

Before they knew it, it was 1993. Wen Xin’s birthday was in February, and after celebrating her birthday, she reached the legal age for marriage. She and He Xiunian went to register their marriage, and after getting their marriage certificate, they tied the knot.

This wedding was one they had been eagerly anticipating. From their outfits to the decoration of the venue, everything was designed by Wen Xin and He Xiunian themselves.

The weather in February was still a bit chilly. In the morning, Wen Xin went to a makeup shop in the city to get a very era-appropriate makeup look. By 8 a.m., she returned from the city, and with the help of Qin Yishu, she changed into the white wedding dress that He Xiunian had designed, embellished with pearls. He Xiunian came to pick her up before noon, but he was stopped outside by Wen Xin’s family and friends, who made him drink.

After lunch, Wen Xin got into the car and went to the villa area where their home was located. There were several tables set up, with He Xiunian’s business friends invited, but Zhou Dashan’s family was not invited.

As the bride, Wen Xin only had to wait in the new house until it was time for the toast. Before the toast, she changed into a beautiful qipao embroidered with brocade, which Qin Yishu had specially commissioned from Beijing. It was especially stunning, and when Wen Xin wore it, she looked graceful and poised. He Xiunian stood stunned for a long while.

After the guests had left in the evening, the vast villa was left with just the two of them. They took turns showering, and then lay down on the bed. He Xiunian was as stiff as a piece of wood. Wen Xin turned off the light and leaned toward He Xiunian. In an instant, He Xiunian pulled her into his arms, and Wen Xin was swept into a wave of intense sensations.

The young man who had just entered marriage was never one to be easily satisfied. That night, Wen Xin felt like a pancake in the pan, being flipped back and forth by He Xiunian.

The next day, she woke up to find it was already 11 a.m. The light streamed in through the gaps in the curtains. Wen Xin put on her pajamas to cover the marks on her body, then pulled open the curtains. It had started raining outside.

The spring rain fell softly, not heavy but continuous. Wen Xin changed her clothes, leaned on the staircase, and walked downstairs. The villa, which had been in disarray the day before, was already back to its usual neatness. He Xiunian was cooking in the kitchen. When Wen Xin arrived, he first served her a bowl of rib, corn, and carrot soup. Apart from a piece of ginger and a little salt, the soup had no other seasonings. It was made with only the natural flavors of the ingredients, and it was incredibly fresh and sweet.

Wen Xin leaned against the kitchen door, watching He Xiunian busy in the kitchen. It was often said that men at work were the most handsome, but Wen Xin thought that men in the kitchen were also especially handsome.

He Xiunian turned around and softly told Wen Xin: “Just wait a little longer, the meal will be ready soon.”

Wen Xin raised a big smile. “Okay.”

Her smile was as bright as the warm sun in March, and He Xiunian smiled back.

Wen Xin and He Xiunian spent two shameless days in the villa, and it wasn’t until the third day, the day of returning to her parents’ home, that they finally settled down. When Wen Xin appeared, full of energy, Mr. Qin and Qin Yishu, along with others, were finally reassured. Qin Yishu indirectly asked her about her life over the past three days, while He Xiunian was being persuaded to drink. After finishing lunch, He Xiunian became drunk and didn’t return until the evening.

Life after marriage wasn’t much different from before. After living in the villa for a month, Wen Xin returned to her small courtyard to live, and He Xiunian followed her. This time, he officially moved into the master bedroom.

In May, a massive sandstorm swept through Xinjiang, Ningxia, Gansu, and Inner Mongolia. This storm had been predicted by Su Quihe. The reason Su Quihe remembered it so clearly was because Zhou Wenhai had made a remarkable contribution during this storm.

Thanks to Su Quihe’s earlier “prediction.” the storm had been prevented in advance, and the damage to the people was minimized.

Because of this storm, Su Quihe’s words were taken very seriously, and she was once again interrogated. She had repeated the content of the interrogation countless times and was already tired of it. Most of what she remembered were scenes where Zhou Wenhai had contributed, but her statements had made Zhou Wenhai’s military career seem rather ordinary. Feeling that there was no hope for promotion, Zhou Wenhai submitted his resignation the following year and returned home to become a police officer.

Not long after, he married a woman. His second wife did not get along with Mother Zhou. They argued every three days, fought every two days, and Zhou Wenhai lived an ordinary yet trivial life. Occasionally, when he met Wen Xin and He Xiunian, he would wonder what his life might have been like if he had married Wen Xin instead of Su Quihe, who was pregnant at the time.

But in this world, there was no “what if.”

In 1994, Wen Xin gave birth to her and He Xiunian’s first son, named He Sui. In 1996, she gave birth to a daughter, named He Yue. He Xiunian’s business continued to grow, and by the time He Sui was twenty years old, his company had transformed from a small renovation team with only twenty workers into a large company with hundreds of employees. They even rented a large building as their office.

By coincidence, that building was the same one where the Original Owner had once jumped to her death.

In this lifetime, Wen Xin lived a happy life once again. She and He Xiunian spent their lives together, embracing and tolerating each other’s flaws. Throughout this lifetime, they argued occasionally, but they always reconciled shortly after. Their love was not fiery or intense, yet in the long river of time, they achieved a deep and enduring companionship.  

~~~  

Wen Xin opened her eyes at the bottom of the river. the Original Owner’s soul had not yet dissipated. As Wen Xin’s host in this cycle, the Original Owner could see everything Wen Xin did. the Original Owner witnessed how Wen Xin cleared her mother’s name and brought justice. She saw how the happiness she had desperately sought was, in fact, so simple. She also saw Su Quihe, who had seemed like an invincible demon king in her eyes, being defeated so effortlessly. Tears streamed down the Original Owner’s face.  

When she saw Wen Xin, she said: “Thank you.” With her lingering obsession resolved, her figure gradually began to fade away.  

Wen Xin’s true form was a golden-scaled koi fish. A golden beam of sunlight penetrated the water’s barrier, shining onto Wen Xin’s body and enveloping her within its glow. It was unclear how much time had passed before the golden light disappeared. Wen Xin swished her tail, dove deeper into the water, and closed her eyes, remaining still as she waited for the next call.  

Atop Zhongnan Mountain, within the Baihe Temple, a Taoist Priest opened his eyes in a quiet meditation room. He stood, pushed open the window of the meditation chamber, and gazed out at the vast sea of clouds and the mountain peaks beyond.  

After a while, a young Taoist apprentice approached the room. “Senior Brother Dao Chi, the Master wants to see you.”  

The young Taoist named Dao Chi acknowledged with a soft hum and left the room ahead of the apprentice.  

The Master that the apprentice spoke of was the head of Baihe Temple. He was practicing Tai Chi on the edge of a cliff. Dao Chi stood quietly at the side, observing. After a long time, the temple master completed his final movement and exhaled deeply.  

“Dao Chi, your Red Luan Star has been activated. Was there anything unusual in your last two trials?”  

Dao Chi’s expression softened, and he replied with a gentle smile: “Yes, I encountered a very spiritual little koi fish.”  

Su Quihe lived until the age of seventy, imprisoned all the while. Over the decades, she repeatedly requested to see Xiao Liu, but Xiao Liu never once came to visit her. Gradually, Su Quihe stopped making the request altogether. By now, she had even forgotten what Xiao Liu looked like. The moment she was expelled from the small world, Su Quihe let out a deep, relieved sigh. This hellish existence was finally over.  

When she woke up, she was back in the cramped rental apartment from before she transmigrated. But Su Quihe, now awake, felt no joy. After years of imprisonment, her mind had long since deteriorated. She could no longer feel the happiness of being alive.  

The phone beside her was still lit. She picked it up and unlocked it. The screen displayed a foolish comment she had posted before her transmigration. Beneath it, dozens of replies had stacked up like high-rise buildings. In the past, Su Quihe would have eagerly read every single comment and meticulously argued back. But now, she had no energy for such things.  

She opened Weibo and scrolled through the news feed with a blank expression. Suddenly, an old news article from 2014 caught her eye. It was a retrospective on corrupt officials, prominently featuring a military officer named Zhou Hai. Beneath the article, the author of the novel she had transmigrated into had left a comment.  

The novel had just been updated—the final chapter, along with an epilogue. In the epilogue, the author overturned the male lead’s previously idolized image. For every admirable trait he had displayed early on, the epilogue revealed an equally repulsive counterpart—hypocrisy, cold-bloodedness, selfishness, and more.  

In the author’s note, she confessed that the story had been inspired by her grandparents’ relationship. She had always believed that her grandfather and grandmother’s love was the epitome of romance. But in recent days, she discovered she had been wrong. Her grandfather was nothing like the man she had imagined, and the relationship between her grandparents was far from the idealized love story she had believed in.  

Su Quihe stared at the author’s note for a long time. She was dazed, lost in thought. Then she laughed. And as she laughed, tears began to stream down her face.  

She got up absentmindedly, and the water bottle she had knocked over earlier spilled again. The faulty wiring nearby let out a sizzle and crack. Unaware of the danger, Su Quihe placed her hand on the floor.  

This time, she closed her eyes for good.  

Before her vision went dark, memories flashed through her mind like a montage. She saw herself, in the lifetime where she had successfully stolen the spiritual water pendant and imprisoned Wen Xin, achieving everything she had schemed for.  

So, this was retribution.  

Author’s Note:

That’s the end of this little story~~~  

The setup for Su Quihe transmigrating into a fake book had been foreshadowed before. I don’t know if anyone noticed it. I thought long and hard, and I decided to write a few hundred words of Su Quihe discovering the truth as an epilogue. I hope you all enjoyed it!  

The next story will focus on the heroine’s aunt. I hope everyone continues to read! Mwah~  

—end of World 2