Real World (2)
Song Xu Yi hesitated to open the holographic call, opting for the traditional phone mode instead. When she heard the ‘Hello’ from the other side, which belonged to Rong Yu, suddenly, Rong Yu’s image became vividly clear in Song Xu Yi’s mind: the woman’s face that could overturn all sentient beings, her cold and decisive expression, the tightly pursed lips, and Song Xu Yi even recalled the tiny mole beneath the woman’s eye.
Looking back now, Song Xu Yi felt that she was probably at her most nervous when she saw Rong Yu’s face.
“Do you… Do you still need someone to pretend, to pretend to be your wife?” Song Xu Yi at that time stuttered and blushed, feeling extremely relieved that she didn’t activate the holographic projection.
A soft laughter came through the phone. Listening to that laughter, Song Xu Yi couldn’t possibly imagine the appearance of Rong Yu’s stunning face when she laughed. She only felt a tingling sensation in her ears. But right after, she heard Rong Yu’s softened voice, “Alright.”
Song Xu Yi couldn’t recall what she babbled afterwards. She only remembered hanging up the phone, her face burning. That night, Song Xu Yi slept soundly for the first time, contemplating on telling her grandmother as soon as possible that she had a girlfriend and would soon get married.
However, Song Xu Yi didn’t expect that Rong Yu, who was busy with myriad tasks, would once again appear at the doorstep of her home the next day. Rong Yu’s complexion seemed somewhat weary, but the glance she gave Song Xu Yi when she looked up made Song Xu Yi’s heart flutter even now when she thought about it…
Grandmother didn’t doubt Song Xu Yi’s words, as Song Xu Yi had been absent-minded these past few days, and Grandmother had indeed seen Rong Yu in the yard. Moreover, she understood her granddaughter Song Xu Yi well enough to recognize that the shy and joyful look in her eyes when she gazed at Rong Yu didn’t seem like an act.
Perhaps when they first met, Song Xu Yi was attracted by appearances, but what truly moved her was the month they spent together. Despite being a busy boss, Rong Yu confined herself to the small courtyard and pretended to be a couple with Song Xu Yi. At first, Song Xu Yi worried that Rong Yu’s cold demeanor might not please Grandmother, but Rong Yu, while reserved in words, would readily set aside her work and accompany Grandmother in the sun, cook easily digestible meals in the kitchen, and patiently feed her when Grandmother spoke.
So, after spending a week with Rong Yu and learning about her intention to marry Song Xu Yi, Grandmother, with a beaming smile, promptly allowed them to hold the wedding as soon as possible.
(Originally translated on littlepandatranslations.com, let's go!)
Song Xu Yi’s wedding was hastily organized, even somewhat plain, but she felt immensely happy because she married Rong Yu with Grandmother as their witness. The two of them worked together to decorate the yard for the wedding, blew up balloons, cut out the character for “double happiness,” held a traditional ceremony in front of Grandmother, and then quietly went to the civil affairs bureau to get their marriage certificate.
On the night of their wedding, Song Xu Yi and Rong Yu signed an agreement, promising not to interfere in each other’s emotional lives and to maintain a non-substantial relationship. Every year, Rong Yu would provide Song Xu Yi with a substantial amount of money.
The more Song Xu Yi thought about this plan, the more she felt Rong Yu was getting the short end of the deal. After all, without Rong Yu, Grandmother wouldn’t be as happy. In secret, Song Xu Yi made a decision: if their superficial engagement were to break, she wouldn’t take a single cent from Rong Yu.
Of course, even though it was a contractual marriage, marriage was still a reality. To satisfy her small group of fans, on the second day of their marriage, Song Xu Yi took a photo of their marriage certificate and, after blurring out the code, uploaded it to social media. Perhaps due to Song Xu Yi’s willingness to cooperate, Rong Yu, in the rarest of instances, smiled during the wedding photo shoot. She turned her head slightly to look at Song Xu Yi, captivatingly beautiful in a way that stirred feelings within Song Xu Yi. However, Song Xu Yi didn’t want anyone else to see Rong Yu like this.
Song Xu Yi didn’t expect this to cause a small wave. She trended for the first time, but shortly after, with Song Xu Yi’s consent, Rong Yu paid to remove the trend.
Song Xu Yi didn’t want the attention. She had entered the entertainment industry solely to earn money. In reality, she disliked, even resisted, acting, but due to her professional attitude, she had forced herself to continue. Now, with some savings, Song Xu Yi had long been planning her exit from the industry.
Just a few days after their agreed marriage, it seemed that an urgent matter arose, causing Rong Yu to hastily return to work at the company. Song Xu Yi encountered her again at her grandmother’s funeral. Perhaps seeing Song Xu Yi married made Rong Yu feel that Song Xu Yi wouldn’t be lonely in her later years. Not long after Song Xu Yi’s marriage, her grandmother passed away. Grandmother departed with a serene smile, having lived a long life, yet despite the mental preparation, Song Xu Yi still felt immensely sad.
During this difficult and lonely period, it was Rong Yu who accompanied Song Xu Yi. Although they were technically in a contractual marriage, Rong Yu acted almost perfectly. She helped Song Xu Yi with the funeral arrangements for her grandmother, welcomed and bid farewell to guests. It was during this time that a guest captured the first photo of the two of them together. The angle of the photo was perfect: Song Xu Yi, dressed in mourning attire, appeared delicate and pitiable, standing next to the stunning woman in black. They were in the chilly graveyard, emitting an eerie yet captivating beauty. After someone recognized Song Xu Yi, the photo quickly trended.
It’s uncertain who recognized Rong Yu as the person next to Song Xu Yi, but in no time, discussions about Song Xu Yi and Rong Yu took over the trending topics. Nobody could have anticipated that Song Xu Yi would marry a super-wealthy person like Rong Yu, and even less so that Rong Yu would be so incredibly attractive, surpassing even Song Xu Yi in terms of looking like a celebrity.
Song Xu Yi felt immensely guilty. After all, Rong Yu had kept her appearance hidden from the public, yet she was now exposed due to Song Xu Yi. But Rong Yu never blamed Song Xu Yi for it. On the contrary, she comforted her, saying, “It’s fine this way. The world now knows that we’re married.”
The more Song Xu Yi interacted with Rong Yu, the more she found herself drawn to her. Emerging from the sorrow of her grandmother’s passing, Song Xu Yi was deeply grateful for everything Rong Yu had done during this time. She was determined to play the role of a good wife to meet Rong Yu’s family’s expectations. Following Rong Yu’s suggestion, she moved into Rong Yu’s cold and minimalist house. However, strangely enough, Rong Yu’s family members had never shown up. There was only the housekeeper, Zhong Jie, taking care of her in Rong Yu’s home.
Song Xu Yi felt incredibly strange. Zhong Jie, the housekeeper, told Song Xu Yi that Rong Yu’s parents were scientists who were constantly engrossed in their research and rarely left the laboratory. But even now, Song Xu Yi had never met Rong Yu’s parents.
Over the course of the three years of their agreed marriage, Song Xu Yi gradually reduced her workload and spent most of her time in Rong Yu’s villa. In return for Rong Yu’s kindness, Song Xu Yi transformed the cold and stark villa into a cozy and warm haven. She discreetly kept track of Rong Yu’s affairs, played the role of a competent wife when Rong Yu needed it, and accompanied her to various business functions.
Rong Yu continued to be as considerate and gentle as always towards Song Xu Yi, and Song Xu Yi found herself falling deeper and deeper.
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After learning that Song Xu Yi had married Rong Yu and witnessing Rong Yu’s stunning appearance, the public’s curiosity about this beautiful heiress grew. News about Rong Yu always attracted significant attention. Paparazzi closely followed this married couple, occasionally spreading rumors about their divorce. After all, in the eyes of many, Song Xu Yi, a minor actress, was deemed unworthy of Rong Yu.
Song Xu Yi had thought this way herself before. Thus, she could only secretly admire Rong Yu and dared not confess her feelings. What led Song Xu Yi to consider divorcing was an incident that happened not long ago: that night, Rong Yu, for some unknown reason, drank heavily, her face unnaturally pale. Song Xu Yi gathered her courage and approached her, trying to console her. She didn’t know if Rong Yu mistook her for someone else, but Rong Yu kissed her and shared a sip of wine with her…
Song Xu Yi wasn’t good with alcohol. After taking that sip of wine, she passed out. When she woke up, Rong Yu wasn’t beside her. Song Xu Yi only remembered the kiss with Rong Yu; she didn’t recall anything that happened afterward.
Song Xu Yi didn’t want to continue this unrequited love.
She was quite timid, afraid that one day she would be unable to resist confessing her feelings to Rong Yu. But in Song Xu Yi’s eyes, Rong Yu was like a distant star, far beyond her reach. Their social statuses and positions held a vast disparity. Song Xu Yi didn’t believe she could touch someone like Rong Yu, who was like an unattainable flower on a lofty peak.
Moreover, Rong Yu’s recent disappearance indicated her attitude: that night had been an accident, and Rong Yu likely didn’t know how to face Song Xu Yi now.
So, the best solution was to divorce Rong Yu before she got herself further entangled. It was time to live life on her own terms. After all, over the years, Song Xu Yi had been self-studying medicine and preparing to retake the college entrance exam, aiming for a medical school to fulfill her own aspirations.
So, Song Xu Yi mustered the courage to dial Rong Yu’s number, only to be surprised when her call was answered by Rong Yu’s secretary. The secretary’s voice was urgent as she informed Song Xu Yi that Rong Yu had become trapped in a holographic simulated world while developing a game. She explained that Rong Yu’s arch-nemesis had somehow trapped her consciousness within the game world and pleaded for Song Xu Yi’s help to rescue her.
The majority of the company’s systems were now under the control of Rong Yu’s adversary. These individuals had even damaged the main research system Rong Yu was working on. The secretary informed Song Xu Yi that in order to save Rong Yu, she would need to enter the game world as well. However, these adversaries had the means to trace Rong Yu’s location using the programming, meaning that if Song Xu Yi attempted to rescue Rong Yu, she would also be facing danger.
Despite the risks, Song Xu Yi didn’t hesitate and chose to enter the game to save Rong Yu.
……
As the various scenes of the past three years flashed before her eyes, Song Xu Yi realized that apart from a sense of regret, the former sadness and self-doubt had vanished from her heart. Her inner self had become fulfilled and confident, and she had started to look forward to life…
Song Xu Yi appreciated this transformation within herself. After taking a shower and changing her clothes, she smiled at her reflection in the mirror. She didn’t look for Rong Yu, but instead went back to Rong Yu’s home.
Song Xu Yi found that she still liked Rong Yu, especially when she recalled Rong Yu’s face, which was particularly irresistible. However, since she had decided on a divorce, Song Xu Yi believed she should be resolute in distancing herself from Rong Yu. After all, Zhong Jie and Rong Yu’s secretary had been secretive, and there were many peculiar secrets surrounding Rong Yu. Song Xu Yi didn’t want to get entangled in secrets she shouldn’t know about.
After returning home, Song Xu Yi spent some time reading medical books. Strangely enough, something had changed. The medical information she had been so eager to learn before, and which had seemed complex and difficult to comprehend, now appeared to make more sense to her. It was as if she had previously studied this knowledge.
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Song Xu Yi found this very odd and also noticed that her desire to enroll in a medical university seemed less intense than before. She thought it might be due to the shock she experienced in the game world while trying to save Rong Yu, although she couldn’t quite remember everything that had happened within that virtual world…
Song Xu Yi decided to go to sleep early, hoping that her symptoms might ease by tomorrow.
She drifted into a dream, where she successfully entered a medical university and discovered a solution to a perplexing medical condition. However, in the dream, Song Xu Yi encountered someone who bore a striking resemblance to Rong Yu. After seeing that face, just like in reality, her dream-self couldn’t hold back her feelings and was left blushing and heart racing…
But of course, the real Rong Yu would never act like that to flirt with a girl—
As Song Xu Yi pondered this dream, she felt oddly regretful. When she opened her eyes, they widened suddenly, and she nearly tumbled off the bed—on the other end of the pillow was the very person whose face she had just dreamt of!
Wasn’t Rong Yu supposed to be sleeping in the adjacent room? Could she have mistakenly ended up in her room?
Song Xu Yi hesitated for a moment, about to get up, when the peacefully sleeping Rong Yu suddenly opened her eyes—
She quietly gazed at Song Xu Yi’s face, with a glint of stars in her eyes. Perhaps due to just waking up, a faint blush graced Rong Yu’s typically pale complexion—
“Good morning, wife!” Rong Yu curved her lips, speaking softly.
The author has something to say:
Xu Yi: It’s over, I managed to rescue her, but she’s still acting silly ⊙▃⊙~