Chapter 21: Replacing Your Life (21)

Tong Ling’s sudden disappearance at the banquet didn’t go unnoticed. Not only did Ye Huan and Ye Xu realize something was amiss, even Jiang Chenrui, who had taken great interest in Tong Ling, sensed that all was not right. Moreover, with the Song family’s young master also missing, it raised suspicions about potential foul play.

After noticing Tong Ling’s absence, Ye Huan repeatedly called her phone, but there was no answer each time. This lack of response made the situation seem even more serious!

Despite her disfavor towards Ye Huan, Wei Wei understood the urgency regarding Tong Ling’s safety. Without withholding any information, she promptly shared everything she knew.

“Lingling last spoke with me and Jiang-shao before saying she needed to use the restroom. After that, I never saw her again.” Wei Wei furrowed her brows deeply. “If Lingling reappeared, I wouldn’t have missed her.”

Given Tong Ling’s noticeable presence at the banquet, it was unlikely for anyone to overlook her. As they searched high and low without finding her, Ye Huan’s expression grew increasingly grim.

Ye Xu and Lu Yue had separated after discussing their collaboration earlier, but due to Tong Ling’s disappearance, they reconvened once more.

With so many concerned individuals involved, the Song family hosting the banquet could not ignore the situation; they were compelled to provide some explanation.

The Songs took responsibility seriously and swiftly summoned the banquet servers, individually questioning them about seeing Miss Yu.

Several servers responded affirmatively:

“Miss Yu? She seemed to leave alone through the back door of the banquet.”

“Yes, I saw that too. Perhaps Miss Yu went out for some fresh air.”

Ye Huan vehemently rejected these responses. “There’s no way she would leave without telling me!”

Song Mother, looking troubled, suggested, “Perhaps Miss Yu simply grew weary of the party atmosphere. It’s my fault for unjustly accusing her earlier; she might have felt unwelcome at our Song family gathering and decided to leave.”

Her speculation was reasonable, leaving no room for disagreement.

From the sidelines, Shen Man observed quietly, wanting to see if her son could handle this situation on his own. After all, she couldn’t intervene directly, and if Ye Huan couldn’t even find his own woman, it would be best not to burden Yu Ling further.

“Considering the scale of the Song family’s event, I’m sure security measures are comprehensive,” Ye Xu interjected. “The safety surveillance and alarm systems should be fully equipped.”

In perfect sync, Lu Yue added, “Since Yu Ling disappeared during the banquet, checking the surveillance footage will likely reveal where she went.”

Ye Huan’s gaze remained fixed on the key members of the Song family—whether it was Song Mother, Song Father, or Song Xingyi’s elder brother. He wouldn’t miss any subtle exchange of glances between them and their subordinates.

Song Xingyi’s father and elder brother, being unaware of any details, naturally showed no signs of suspicion. As for Song Mother, who was privy to the situation, she appeared equally composed. She even took the initiative to lead everyone to the surveillance room to retrieve footage, demonstrating impeccable hospitality.

Observing the Song family’s reactions, Ye Huan immediately guessed that the surveillance would yield little information. Sure enough, the footage only showed Tong Ling entering the restroom alone, followed by complete silence thereafter.

“To protect our guests’ privacy, there are no surveillance cameras inside or outside the restroom corridor, and the rear door of the banquet hall typically doesn’t require monitoring,” Song Mother said with evident regret. “We’ve provided all the clues we can. If you’re still not satisfied, perhaps it’s best to go search outside?”

“Where did Young Master Song Xingyi go?” Ye Huan persistently questioned, undeterred. “Could you please inform me of his exact location, Mrs. Song?”

Song Mother displayed a look of helplessness. “Our Xingyi always likes wandering around; we don’t know where he might have gone.”

“Why involve my son Xingyi when you’re searching for Miss Yu? I certainly hope there is no connection between them…”

Mrs. Song’s stance was clear; she had already assisted them to some extent, and any further matters were no longer her family’s concern.

Shen Man wasn’t surprised by Mrs. Song’s decisive handling of the situation. As a high-ranking aristocratic woman, managing a family’s diplomatic affairs effectively was no easy task. This is why Shen Man had been particularly selective in choosing Ye Huan’s wife—either the candidate should aid Ye Huan’s career or possess strong leadership skills and social grace to handle public events.

In this regard, Yu Ling perfectly met her requirements.

Realizing there was little more to glean from the Song family, Ye Huan, frustrated, summoned the waitstaff who claimed to have seen Tong Ling leaving. Despite appealing to their emotions, reason, and even offering monetary incentives, their accounts remained unchanged. Reluctantly, Ye Huan abandoned his attempts at gathering information internally and decided to venture out himself to devise another plan.

The crowd initially gathered for Tong Ling now dispersed, each using their own networks to search for her. Ye Huan didn’t forget about the surveillance cameras; although those within the Song family banquet might have been tampered with, they may not have had time to interfere with the street cameras outside… If he was going to investigate, then he would examine every angle thoroughly—he refused to believe he wouldn’t find a single clue!

Whether due to plot inertia or Ye Huan’s thorough investigation, he indeed found a suspicious vehicle in the street surveillance footage. By tracking its movement, he ultimately traced it to its destination—a lavish mansion located in a remote suburban area.

The owner of this opulent estate was none other than Song Xingyi himself!

A chill ran through Ye Huan’s heart. Considering Song Xingyi’s feelings for Yu Yurou and having been publicly rejected at his own graduation banquet, losing all face, what impulsive actions might he have taken in anger? Moreover, an entire night had passed—what could Song Xingyi have done during that time? Bringing the woman he loves to his private residence, anyone could guess, even with their toes, that nothing good would likely ensue!

With these wild thoughts racing through his mind, Ye Huan rushed towards the mansion. As he forcibly entered and searched room by room, his emotions began to fray.

“Where is she? Where could she be?” Ye Huan felt both anxious and tormented. When he reached a locked door, intense unease washed over him. Steeling himself, he started pounding forcefully on the door.

“Song Xingyi, open the door!” With each knock, Ye Huan’s deep voice exuded icy chill, “I know you’re inside; don’t force me to take drastic measures!”

As soon as Ye Huan arrived, Tong Ling received a prompt from the system.

She had just finished having Song Xingyi blow-dry her hair and was now lying in his arms, enjoying the gentle massage on her slightly sore waist by her little puppy. Hearing the system’s urgent nudge, she remained unfazed. Nonchalantly, she loosely tied her shirt, sat up under the covers without moving from her spot.

Song Xingyi was still enveloped in an overwhelming sense of surreal happiness. Whether it was drying her hair or massaging her back, he eagerly obliged at anything his jiejie requested.

However, he didn’t anticipate such a brief moment of intimacy, with Ye Huan arriving so swiftly. Nervously, he glanced at Tong Ling, only to see her give him a mild look and silently mouth for him to open the door.

Open the door? In their current state, could they really do that? Was jiejie unafraid of Ye Huan finding out about their relationship? Lacking restraint, Song Xingyi couldn’t help but wonder if this meant his jiejie intended to publicly acknowledge him…

“Song Xingyi!” Outside the door, Ye Huan’s emotions were spiraling out of control. Just as he was about to forcefully break it down, the door suddenly swung open from within.

The young master of the Song family, standing half-naked with only a pair of suit pants loosely draped around his waist, boldly displayed his physique. Ye Huan clearly saw the marks on Song Xingyi’s body—red streaks resembling scratches from a woman’s nails, leaving no doubt as to what he had been doing.

With fury boiling over, Ye Huan shoved past Song Xingyi and stormed into the room. Following closely behind, Song Xingyi couldn’t hide the smug expression on his face. “What brings you here, Young Master Ye?”

In just a few strides, Ye Huan reached the bedside. There, scattered messily on the floor, lay the disheveled formal dress—the very gown he had personally tailored for his girlfriend. Now crumpled and discarded, the bedcovers tightly concealed a woman’s body beneath them. Ye Huan couldn’t see her face, but he distinctly heard soft sobs.

“Yuruo?” Ye Huan’s voice cracked, sounding dry and strained. As he reached out to touch her, the woman let out a piercing scream.

“Don’t touch me!” Tong Ling clutched tightly onto the blanket as tears streamed down her face. With a pallid complexion, she shivered and turned away, “Leave! Don’t look at me!”

The situation was far worse than he had imagined, causing Ye Huan’s heart to jolt. It would be a lie to say he didn’t care about his girlfriend being violated, but more than that discomfort, he feared his distraught girlfriend might do something rash!

Ye Huan dared not show even the slightest hint of disdain; otherwise, not only would their relationship crumble, but he could inadvertently drive the woman he loved most to harm herself.

Ignoring Tong Ling’s struggles, Ye Huan gathered her in a tight embrace with all his strength. Never before had he experienced such excruciating pain. After a long moment, he managed to speak, using the gentlest tone possible:

“Don’t be afraid, it’s just me.” Ye Huan forced himself to smile warmly, striving to comfort his traumatized girlfriend, “I’m sorry, I arrived too late.”

He should never have left his girlfriend alone at the banquet; he should have kept her firmly by his side. How could he have thought no one could harm her? What had he done?!

Tong Ling’s current state was almost unrecognizable compared to earlier, as if they were two entirely different people.

She frantically pushed away Ye Huan’s touch, her face filled with terror as she muttered nervously, “Don’t touch me! I’m dirty, so dirty…”

M577 let out a sound of disgust: “You’re actually using my lines!”

“And host, is it necessary to act this dramatically? Look at how terrified you’ve made Song Xingyi beside you!”

Amidst her performance, Tong Ling found a moment to mentally respond to the system, “Isn’t this precisely to showcase the minor female character’s unstable mental state? After enduring a night in the black room, such behavior is completely understandable!”

M577 had long known that Tong Ling knew no bounds, but hearing her confidently portray herself as a victim still deeply shocked it: “I thought you would try to make the green-with-jealousy male lead accept your infidelity somehow. Instead, you’ve got him comforting you, fearful of pushing you towards suicidal thoughts… Clever, truly clever…”

“What infidelity? It’s not like I’m his real girlfriend. Don’t tarnish my reputation!” Tong Ling retorted unhappily.

M577 was speechless.

What could m577 do when faced with such shamelessness? It could only plead for mercy: [Please have some compassion! Look at the state of those two men inside; can’t you spare them just a bit of leeway?]

Song Xingyi’s eyes widened incredulously as Tong Ling clutched her blanket and recoiled in fear. He had thought his sister asked him to open the door to reveal their relationship to Ye Huan, believing that their passionate night together would deepen her feelings for him. But it seems he was overthinking…

In front of Ye Huan, she would never acknowledge him. His role could only be that of the perpetrator, the sinner who forced himself upon her!

At this realization, Song Xingyi felt as if struck by a heavy blow to the head, causing his entire body to uncontrollably tremble. As he gazed at the embracing couple, a self-mocking smile appeared on his pallid face, while his bloodshot eyes filled with intense jealousy towards Ye Huan.

Should he expose his sister’s lie? No, doing so would surely lead her to abandon him!

Besides, even if he claimed his sister consented willingly, who would believe him?

His sister had rejected him at the banquet; it was he who forcibly bound her and locked her in this room. Ultimately, this predicament was of his own making.

“Ha ha ha, Ye Huan, did you see that? Sister now belongs to me!” Since his sister wanted him to play the villain, Song Xingyi wouldn’t defy her wishes.

Blood welled up from the tight grip on his hands, leaving deep marks. Aligning with his sister’s plan, he taunted, “If she hadn’t rejected me, I wouldn’t have resorted to such forceful means. Blame yourself for not keeping a closer eye on her, allowing her to fall into my hands!”

“Sister’s scent is truly sweet, I love her so much, oh-so-much~”

“Ye Huan, do you want to know what Sister whispered to me in bed? Whose name was she calling out?”

Suppressing his trembling body, Song Xingyi forced himself to stand tall, his words dripping with provocation. “Since you can’t protect her, why don’t you just let her be mine? I’ll cherish her far more than you ever could!”

“Shut up!” Such blatant provocation, coupled with seeing his woman being harmed, was unbearable for any man.

Fueled by anger, Ye Huan lunged at Song Xingyi, raising his fist and delivering a heavy blow to his face. “Bastard, you scum! How dare you harm Yuruo! You deserve death!”

The force of Ye Huan’s furious punch sent Song Xingyi staggering back two steps.

Wiping away the blood from the corner of his mouth, Song Xingyi’s own hatred no longer allowed him to tolerate any more. In that moment, his youthful and well-built frame erupted with a powerful retaliation.

Shedding their labels as wealthy young masters, these two became like ordinary men blinded by rage, venting their fury through the most primitive means.

As fists and kicks flew, neither held back, quickly accumulating bruises and cuts on their bodies. Song Xingyi was the first to falter; having expended energy throughout the night and being physically smaller than Ye Huan, he relied solely on sheer determination to throw punches. Once his strength waned, Ye Huan, fueled by anger, pinned him down and unleashed several brutal blows.

M577 swiftly sounded an alarm, panicking: [Quickly, stop them before someone gets seriously hurt!]

“How disappointing,” Tong Ling expressed her slight disappointment at their fight. “Are people in this small world so weak?”

[…] M577 was nearly overwhelmed by disbelief.

M577 seemed about to burst with anxiety: [Host, where’s your focus?! Stop watching the commotion - if either the male lead or his rival gets killed, our mission is doomed!]

Prompted by the system’s reminder, Tong Ling leisurely lifted her blankets, even deliberately stumbling and falling onto the floor as she got out of bed. With a hoarse voice, she shouted, “Stop it! Ye Huan, don’t hit him anymore!”

Hearing his girlfriend’s voice, Ye Huan immediately released Song Xingyi. He knew that ensuring Yu Yurou could overcome this nightmare was more crucial than seeking revenge on Song Xingyi.

However, when Ye Huan saw his girlfriend lying on the ground, clad only in another man’s shirt with her bare legs exposed, the sight pierced his heart, causing involuntary twinges of pain.

“Yuruo, don’t worry, you’re not dirty at all. I don’t care about anything else; all that matters is your safety,” Ye Huan gently consoled her, stepping closer.

Tong Ling glanced at Song Xingyi, battered and pitiful-looking, then closed her eyes as if unable to bear the sight. “It’s fine, take me away. I don’t want…” Her voice caught in her throat, ”…I don’t want to stay here.”

Ye Huan draped his suit jacket over Tong Ling’s body, then gently picked her up bridal-style and headed straight towards the door.

Before leaving, Ye Huan coldly warned Song Xingyi, who was still lying on the ground, “Nothing happened tonight. You know what you must do!”

To protect his girlfriend’s reputation and prevent further escalation, Ye Huan had no choice but to temporarily suppress his anger. This did not mean he would let Song Xingyi or the Song family off; someday, he would settle today’s score with them completely!

Without his sister’s consent, Song Xingyi naturally wouldn’t reveal their secret relationship. Instead, he stared intently at Tong Ling, hoping for just one caring glance from her. A single look would suffice, assuring him that she cared, validating his decision to set aside dignity and morals, willingly staying by her side as a lover…

As if understanding Song Xingyi’s thoughts, Tong Ling glanced back at him right before stepping out the door.

Song Xingyi grinned widely, bursting into laughter while still lying on the floor. Even after Ye Huan and Tong Ling disappeared from sight, his laughter continued unabated.

“Why can’t I just let go?!” Song Xingyi stared at the ceiling, his thoughts still consumed by that woman. “I’m such a fucking fool!”

Tong Ling was carefully helped into the car by Ye Huan. After this incident, Ye Huan had matured further, intuitively learning to consider others’ feelings—an observation that even m577 found commendable, praising him as a genuinely good person.

“Good?” Tong Ling scoffed at the system’s assessment. “Believe me, one word from me could expose his true nature.”

m577 truly feared Tong Ling now: [“No, don’t say anything more, I’m scared!”]

Ignoring the system’s plea, Tong Ling turned to Ye Huan and declared, “I want to call the police.”

Ye Huan was taken aback, “Call the police?”

“Don’t you think I should?” After reprimanding Song Xingyi, Tong Ling retrieved her phone but pretended not to have it, asking Ye Huan instead, “Can I borrow your phone? I need to call the police.”

Ye Huan hadn’t anticipated his girlfriend considering calling the authorities and instinctively tried to stop her, “No, we can’t call the police!”

“Why not?” Tears welled up instantly in Tong Ling’s eyes. “Song Xingyi committed a crime; why shouldn’t I report it?”

Ye Huan tried to dissuade her, “The Song family’s influence is beyond your imagination; reporting them would be futile. Yuruo, trust me, I won’t let them get away with this!”

His words were earnest, as if solely concerned for his girlfriend’s well-being. “Believe me, they will pay for their actions!”

Tong Ling lowered her head silently.

Fearful of his girlfriend acting impulsively, Ye Huan continued to persuade her until she finally abandoned the idea, at which point he sighed in relief.

Puzzled, m577 asked, 【Why is he so afraid of you reporting it? Even considering the Song family’s influence and the backing of the Ye family, reporting wouldn’t necessarily be ineffective, right?】

In the end, the system remained just that—a system, even if intelligent, its understanding of human emotions was still superficial.

“It’s because he fears public exposure would damage his reputation. He can tolerate wearing the ‘green hat’ [being cuckolded] privately, but cannot bear the thought of it becoming widely known,” Tong Ling explained to the system. “Mrs. Song helped her son kidnap me precisely because she knew this matter wouldn’t escalate publicly. They’re accustomed to resolving such issues behind closed doors—it’s a form of arrogance inherent among the elite.”

“Moreover, once this affair is exposed and their facade torn away, they won’t be able to maintain their superficial harmony anymore. Ye Huan wouldn’t choose such a time to act against the Song family; he needs to accumulate leverage and strike at the right moment. How could my ‘suffering’ and ‘hurt’ compare to their familial interests?”

Chilled by Tong Ling’s words, m577 responded hesitantly: [But he clearly loves you so much…]

“That’s why he’ll seek revenge for me eventually, didn’t I say just wait?” Tong Ling sneered sarcastically. “Look how well-treated I am, being comforted and consoled by him. In the original plot, Ye Huan never even bothered with Yu Ling once. Upon noticing her mental instability, he simply confined her within the villa without any concern for what might happen to her. He treated Song Xingyi’s actions as mere pranks, completely disregarding the psychological trauma it could cause!”

Indignant, m577 exclaimed: [Both Ye Huan and Song Xingyi have gone too far!]

Tong Ling chuckled mischievously, “Now you can’t blame me for treating the male lead and secondary character poorly, can you? Don’t think I was unaware of your sympathy towards them earlier!”

Strangely convinced yet still sensing something amiss, m577 ultimately gave up pondering under the system’s influence: […Forget it, as long as you complete the storyline.]

Following the original plotline, Ye Huan arranged for Tong Ling to live in a standalone villa. However, unlike what Tong Ling initially expected as a few hundred square meters, it was actually a massive villa spanning over a thousand square meters. Complete with servants and a butler at her beck and call, both the living environment and quality of life provided her with the utmost luxury.

Tong Ling couldn’t help but wish for more of this “compensation”!

To soothe her emotions, Ye Huan spent several consecutive days by her side, shielding her completely from outsiders and preventing anyone from disturbing her at the villa.

Due to Tong Ling’s newfound aversion to intimate relationships, Ye Huan dared not touch her casually. He treated her like fragile crystal, fearing even to hold her lest she shatter.

The people outside had no idea what transpired; they only knew that Ye Huan found his “stand-in girlfriend” within his own house. Even Song Xingyi publicly stated that on that fateful night, he went alone to the bar to drown his sorrows, claiming complete ignorance about Yu Ling’s disappearance.

With Ye Huan and Song Xingyi presenting a united front, others eventually gave up their inquiries. Perhaps, just as the Song family suggested, Yu Ling had secretly left through the back door that evening…

Both Ye Xu and Lu Yue privately called Tong Ling, tactfully avoiding questions about what had happened. Instead, they assured her that they would be available to accompany her whenever she needed.

After spending several days with Tong Ling, Ye Huan fell behind on his work. He initially intended to stay longer by her side, but when someone unexpectedly swooped in to snatch a bidding project he was handling, he rushed back to the company in haste. Overwhelmed with urgent tasks, he temporarily had no time for Tong Ling.

Tong Ling welcomed this development; with Ye Huan away, she could enjoy even more freedom. Whenever boredom struck, she would give the villa’s servants and housekeeper a day off, then call Song Xingyi over to play games with her little dog. Occasionally, she also invited Ye Xu and Lu Yue, wishing she could gather all three men together—just enough for a mahjong table. Having learned various leisure activities in the small world, she remained particularly interested in playing mahjong and card games like “Fight the Landlord.”

Seeing Tong Ling revel in her carefree lifestyle, m577 began doubting the authenticity of the original plot where the cannon fodder female character endured a miserable existence in the villa. With such a scenario…how did the story progress as written?

“Haven’t you noticed my daily sorrow while waiting for Ye Huan?” A hint of melancholy flickered in Tong Ling’s eyes. “Every day, I bear the pain of living alone in this grand villa!”

[m577: […]]

This carefree lifestyle continued for a significant period. Just as Tong Ling was fully immersed and enjoying herself, m577 suddenly sent her a message.

[m577: The protagonist Yu Yurou is returning.]

Tong Ling, surprised, asked, “Already? It’s been only about half a year since she left for abroad. Wasn’t she supposed to come back after two years according to the original plot?”

With evident distress, m577 replied: [Who can she blame for returning so early? Unable to contact the male leads, her funds from Shen Man dwindled day by day. How could she focus on her studies abroad with such worries? This time, during the Christmas break, she secretly purchased a ticket to return home. Luckily, I detected this information online; otherwise, you wouldn’t have had any time to prepare!]

“Prepare?” Tong Ling sat in a rocking chair within the villa’s garden, gently swaying. “What do I need to prepare for?”

M577 felt like it was the only one anxious: [The rightful owner is coming back. Aren’t you afraid of being exposed? Once your lies are uncovered, think about your luxurious villa, your steady monthly income, and even your little puppy love interests—will they still be there?]

Tong Ling picked up the freshly brewed tea prepared by the butler, savoring a comfortable sip before calmly responding, “Haven’t you noticed my recent changes?”

Being constantly bound to Tong Ling, m577 had only experienced her decadent lifestyle and couldn’t discern any significant changes in her.

“I’ve stopped wearing makeup,” Tong Ling gently caressed her smooth, delicate cheeks. “Recently, I’ve been facing the male lead and his companions using my own appearance. Have you noticed any of them finding it odd?”

A chilling realization hit m577; even it hadn’t paid attention to Tong Ling’s transformation, let alone others!

When did Tong Ling stop applying makeup? Why didn’t anyone notice this change? Regardless of how similar she looked to Yu Yurou, their faces still had distinct differences!

“After interacting for about six months, people tend to form a relatively stable impression. Subtly over time, they have already replaced Yu Yurou’s face in their minds with mine.”

Tong Ling picked up a small mirror from the garden table, examining her reflection. “With all the care and maintenance over these months, Yu Ling’s face is now no less appealing than Yu Yurou’s.”

“Look, my face is genuine, and the name ‘Yu Ling’ that I use is authentic too. If Yu Yurou wants someone to blame, it should be Ye Huan, who mistook me as her substitute. What fault can possibly be attributed to me?” Tong Ling’s lips curved upwards in an untroubled smile. “Just when I was getting bored at the villa, her return might add some excitement.”