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Zhang Beilu suddenly woke up, instinctively hiding behind the man, seeking protection.
Perhaps her actions pleased him, or perhaps for some other reason, the man looked coldly at Mr. Qian in front of him.
Mr. Qian, reeking of alcohol, reached out to grab Zhang Beilu from behind the man, cursing, “Who the hell is meddling in my business?”
The people behind Mr. Qian recognized the man at once and, filled with fear, quickly stepped forward to apologize. “President Fu, please forgive him, he’s drunk.”
Fu Zheng responded coldly, “Get lost!”
In no time, Mr. Qian and his group were dragged away and disappeared.
Zhang Beilu looked at the man before her, filled with gratitude. “Thank you for saving me. My name is Zhang Beilu. What’s your name? I will repay you.”
Fu Zheng turned to look at her. The same age, the same innocence—but she was not her. “No need,” he said before continuing forward and entering a private room.
Zhang Beilu’s gaze followed him. The barmaid beside her came over and said, “You’re quite lucky. President Fu never talks to women here. I never thought he’d help you.”
“President Fu? Who is he?” Zhang Beilu asked.
“You don’t even know him? There are only a few Fu families in the entire Imperial City. He is Fu Zheng, President Fu,” the barmaid said, surprised that Zhang Beilu didn’t recognize him. And even more shocked that President Fu had helped her. Shaking her head, she walked away.
Zhang Beilu murmured to herself as she looked into the distance, “The Fu family… Fu Xiaosi… Fu Xiaosi’s older brother… Fu Zheng. So he is Fu Zheng.” Her expression showed a mix of shyness and anticipation. If Xu Yueyao were here, she would definitely clutch her chest in frustration and shout, “What a fated disaster!”
At that moment, Xu Yueyao had no idea that the very thing she wanted to prevent had already happened.
She had just finished a relaxing bath, wearing comfortable home clothes, and was in her study sorting through the two boxes of belongings she had brought today.
Looking at the original owner’s notes, she noticed the handwriting was lively yet elegant, neat yet confident. It was clear that she loved reading—every book had her personal insights written in it.
Xu Yueyao still didn’t understand why she had transmigrated into this novel, nor where the original owner had gone. She carefully flipped through each book and found a diary inside one of them. Inside, there was a faded photograph of a family of three—presumably the original owner and her parents. The picture was slightly blurred, possibly due to age or frequent handling. From the image, her parents looked kind, and the three of them smiled happily together.
Since the original owner was just a minor character in the book, her backstory was only briefly mentioned—her parents had passed away early, and she grew up with her uncle’s family. The diary contained only a few scattered entries:
“I’m so hungry. Auntie scolded me again today, saying I eat too much. I’ve decided not to eat dinner anymore. As long as they let me study, I can go without dinner.”
“Auntie fought with Uncle again today. I don’t know if it’s because of me. I think it is. I’m so scared they won’t let me study anymore. Please, heavens, let me continue my studies!”
“Auntie lost some money today and cursed at me again. I’m starting to wonder if she even lost any money at all, or if she just wanted an excuse to scold me. I wish I could grow up quickly and leave this place—anywhere would be better than here.”
“I didn’t eat at all yesterday. On my way to school, Uncle was waiting for me at the street corner. He gave me ten yuan. I noticed his hair had turned gray. I wanted to cry. Maybe he is the only family I have left in this world. I just hope he stays healthy.”
“My teacher talked to me today. He said if I keep up my performance, I might get into Imperial University. I was so happy, but also scared—what if this is just a dream?”
“I got accepted into Imperial University! And I even received a scholarship! I secretly gave half of it to Uncle. Auntie called me an ungrateful brat. Let her say whatever she wants. From now on, I don’t care—I’ll never come back again.”
“I fought with An Zhiyi again today. I don’t even know why. I just can’t stand her. Every time I see her, I feel like arguing. I’m starting to act like my aunt. In the end, I’ve become the person I hate.”
Xu Yueyao sighed as she finished reading.
“It’s not that you want to argue with her—it’s that you have to argue with her. You can’t escape your fate.”
She did retain memories of the original plot, but they felt more like watching a drama rather than something real. This diary, however, gave her a deeper understanding of the original owner’s life and struggles. It also explained why, later in the story, she was so obsessed with Zhan Rongxuan and the position of his wife.
Maybe she had already fallen in love with him. Maybe he was the only light in her life. How could such a stubborn girl easily let go of her only source of hope?
After organizing everything and placing the diary on the bookshelf, Xu Yueyao returned to her bedroom and lay comfortably on the bed. The story had already deviated slightly from the original plot. She didn’t know how things would unfold in the future. Could she really change their fates?
With a mix of anticipation and unease, she drifted off to sleep.
—
The next day, after noon, Xu Yueyao received a call from Zhang Beilu, asking to meet at a dessert shop near the school. This time, she didn’t ask Uncle Zhang to drive her. Instead, she relied on her memories to find the place.
When she arrived, Zhang Beilu was already there, waving excitedly.
“You seem so happy today,” Xu Yueyao commented as she sat down. Zhang Beilu’s face was beaming, her bright eyes full of joy.
Zhang Beilu hesitated for a moment before saying, “I quit my part-time job and moved.”
“So fast?” Xu Yueyao was surprised at her efficiency.
“I had already found a place a while ago but stayed to keep you company—and to save more money. But now that you’re gone, and I don’t need money that badly, I moved.” Zhang Beilu spoke lightly.
“Thank you for being with me. And congratulations on your new home!” Xu Yueyao raised her glass of orange juice, and Zhang Beilu clinked hers with a smile.
“But yesterday, when you quit, did they give you a hard time?” Xu Yueyao asked.
“No, Sister Xin agreed right away.”
Thinking about the man she met last night, Zhang Beilu’s face turned shy. She wondered when they would meet again.
“That’s good,” Xu Yueyao said as she enjoyed a small cake, glancing around the dessert shop.
Zhang Beilu, her face full of sweet happiness, looked at Xu Yueyao and thought: Maybe Yueyao passed her good luck to me, allowing me to meet such a great man.
Today, she had asked around and learned that Fu Zheng was outstanding—not only was he handsome and capable, but he also had a clean private life.
Thinking about how he had helped her last night, she wondered—was she special to him?
Blushing at the thought, she quickly looked for something to distract herself.
“Yueyao, the strawberry cake here is really good. Let me treat you to one!”
“Sure!” Xu Yueyao agreed cheerfully, completely unaware of the emotions stirring within Zhang Beilu. She simply thought her friend was happy about moving to a new place.