Chapter 3

Shen Nanxi was already sitting up, looking up at him with teary peach blossom eyes that also shimmered with an unyielding light.

She was an illegitimate daughter who had thrown herself at him naked. In his eyes, she was nothing but a shameless, lowly woman. Fine then—get divorced and never see each other again!

She couldn’t agree with what the original Shen Nanxi had done, but the man in front of her now was just as despicable—not the kind of person she wanted.

Still, she wanted to explain. She had a mouth, after all. Lifting her injured hand stubbornly, she said,
“I burned my hand on the pot. He was helping me pop the blister.”

She looked at him, silently crying—not because she was sad, but because her hand hurt. Her forehead ached too; she had just bumped the spot where she’d been injured.

The man’s features were as sharp as a blade, and his eyes were ice-cold.
“You brought this on yourself! I know exactly what kind of person you are. Stay home and stop causing trouble!”

Shen Nanxi lowered her gaze. She didn’t want to say anything more. With a status like this, no explanation would matter.

Huo Xizhou turned to leave but came back for something he had forgotten, only to walk in on the two of them tugging at each other.

He didn’t care what she did—not even if she went off with another man. But in that moment, he felt embarrassed, humiliated, and inexplicably irritated.

He grabbed his things and left, not sparing even a glance at the person who had just gotten up from the floor.

Shen Nanxi wiped her tears and went into the kitchen, not even caring about the popped blister anymore. She just wanted to eat that egg, then go out and find a job.

She left the house with a small bag containing her keys and some tissues. She had pulled out the cheap makeup the original Shen Nanxi had used but decided not to put any on. Her bare face was already beautiful—makeup only made her look vulgar.

Mainly because the original Shen Nanxi had terrible makeup skills—just slapping things on carelessly.

She tied up half her hair and let the other half fall loose. She looked demure and sweet, but her face was strikingly seductive—the kind of face that naturally lured people in.

Especially those eyes—her slightly upturned peach blossom eyes exuded an irresistible charm.

She was only just over 18, yet already so alluring. In a few years, she’d become a true seductress.

She didn’t like looking this way, but she had no choice. People in the residential compound all called her a vixen. Whenever they saw her, they’d pull their men aside as if afraid she’d steal their souls.

She walked out of the courtyard and locked the gate. The compound was quite large, home to many government workers. Only higher-ups had homes with courtyards—everyone else lived in apartment buildings.

There were two rows of courtyard houses. She lived in the back row, which was quieter.

Her house was near the main gate. Once she passed the front row of houses, she reached the entrance. As she walked by the guard post, the gatekeeper gave her a meaningful smile.

She didn’t know what the original Shen Nanxi had been thinking—liking Huo Xizhou yet still flirting around, not even sparing the gatekeeper.

The man who smiled at her was named Chen Jun, unmarried. He even said he’d marry her if she got divorced.

What a wide net she had cast.

That was what her cheap mother had said.

That woman had wanted to come to the city to work but couldn’t find a job. Soon, her rural husband would die, and she planned to bring her son to live with her daughter.

But she was that daughter. Should she take them in or not?

Either way, she had to find work first. Jobs in the 1980s were hard to come by. People fought tooth and nail for even a single position.

“Shameless! How much money have you taken from my husband lately?”

Just as she was thinking about all that, a bicycle stopped in front of her. She looked up and saw Lin Guixiang, Zhang Chenxuan’s wife. She was around 30, average-looking, and already had two kids, which made her look worn out.

Shen Nanxi gave her a small smile.
“Sister Guixiang, I’ve taken a total of a little over 200 yuan. I’ll pay you back 500.”

Lin Guixiang blinked in surprise and shouted,
“Did you take the wrong medicine today?”
She was stunned that Shen Nanxi had talked about paying her back.

“There’s nothing going on between me and Brother Zhang. He just pitied me and wanted to help. Don’t get the wrong idea.”

Lin Guixiang scanned her from head to toe, then said angrily,
“I don’t believe a word you say. Be a decent person! You’re so pretty—even if you get divorced, you can find a good man. Please stop clinging to my husband, I’m begging you!”

Shen Nanxi didn’t want to say more and simply nodded.
“Alright.”

Lin Guixiang froze again. What the heck? This vixen must’ve really taken the wrong meds today!

“Sister Guixiang, I’m heading out to find a job. I’ll leave you to it. Goodbye.”

Shen Nanxi gave her a polite smile and walked past.

Lin Guixiang stood there, wide-eyed like she’d seen a ghost. What just happened? She actually seemed… kind of cute? She quickly shook her head. Nope, definitely haunted. This is crazy!

Shen Nanxi continued walking. There was a bus stop ahead. She planned to go check the industrial area to see if any factories were hiring. She could also take on a tutoring job at night—that would pay better.

She paid 20 cents to get on the bus and sat down, looking out at the 1980s streets. There were very few cars, many people rode bikes, and the buildings were mostly plain and gray—very few modern ones.

People wore era-specific shirts and Zhongshan suits—simple and hardworking-looking. But color variety was starting to emerge—even brighter tones were becoming common.

Shen Nanxi observed everything carefully. She was studying bridal fashion design at the Paris Business School. She spoke four languages, could play piano, paint, and dance.

She also had a good head for business. By 18, she had already started her own company, launched her own cosmetics brand, and sold online and through social circles—achieving impressive results.

But now, in the 1980s, things were much harder. She had to find a job first.

Yuncheng was close to a port and would one day grow into an industrial hub. Manufacturing would dominate the city. She needed to earn her first bucket of gold and build her business from there.

She quickly got off the bus and arrived at the west side of town, where most factories were located. It wasn’t far from the residential compound—just a 20-minute bus ride.

She walked along the sidewalk, passing factory after factory. She passed a toy factory—no hiring signs.

Then a slipper factory—also no job postings. Then she came to Jinfu Jewelry Processing Factory. What a coincidence!

She looked inside. This was Shen’s father’s factory. He had acquired a lot of gold and silver from the black market and opened this processing facility.

“What are you looking at? No matter how long you stare, you’re not getting in—it’s not for you!”

Shen Nanxi turned to see a Ford SUV parked nearby. Inside sat Shen’s mother, Su Wenhui, and Shen Ziyan. Both women looked at her with utter hostility, like they wanted to rip her apart.

Su Wenhui shouted harshly,
“What are you doing here? Trying to steal jewelry?”

“There’s a guard at the door. How could I steal anything? I’m just passing by.”

Shen Nanxi’s face remained calm. She glanced at Shen Ziyan, who was 22, a recent graduate in business administration. She’d just opened a seafood hotpot restaurant that seemed to be doing well.

She had two older brothers and one younger brother.

The older brothers were in business with Shen Cheng. The youngest had dropped out and become a delinquent. Su Wenhui didn’t like her youngest son—he was the product of the affair between Shen Cheng and Shen Nanxi’s mother. She took her resentment out on him.

The boy, being neglected, often bullied Shen Nanxi, even bringing others to do it, which was why she mostly hid in the compound and rarely came out.

“You look like a slutty fox—shifty-eyed and sneaky. You’re either here to steal jewelry or seduce men. Just like your whore of a mother!”

“If you can’t keep your man, stop blaming others. If he truly loved you, why would he cheat?”

Shen Nanxi finished speaking and walked away. If the two women got out of the car and tried to fight her, she wouldn’t be able to win.

“Shen Nanxi! I will steal Huo Xizhou back from you!”

Shen Ziyan’s sharp voice rang out behind her. Shen Nanxi didn’t even look back.
“No need. He’ll be divorcing me soon anyway. I wish you both happiness.”

“You’re really willing to let him go?”

“He’s never been warm to me—what’s the point of holding on?”

What she really wanted to say was: If something isn’t mine, I don’t want it.
But that would break character. The original Shen Nanxi would never say something like that. She would’ve jumped up and argued—or even fought.

But she couldn’t do that. Her education and upbringing wouldn’t allow it. Her status as a socialite from Yuncheng’s elite wouldn’t allow it either.

Thankfully, the mother and daughter didn’t chase her down or get physical. She quickened her pace.

And ignored whatever else they yelled behind her.