Chapter 22: Replacing Your Life (22)

Upon disembarking from the plane, Yu Yurou, wearing a mask and tightly wrapping her coat around herself, glanced around furtively. Seeing no one pay attention to her, she swiftly pulled her luggage and hurried away from the airport.

If not for fearing that Shen Man might have sent someone to keep tabs on her, she wouldn’t have had to sneak back into the country like a thief.

Fortunately, all her precautions were worth it; she finally managed to evade Shen Man’s surveillance and could now seek help from Ye Huan and others!

Yu Yurou desperately wanted to meet Ye Huan, Ye Xu, and their group right away. With no contact for over half a year, she worried whether their feelings towards her might have changed. If she had followed Shen Man’s demands and stayed abroad for several years without returning, the situation would have completely slipped out of her control.

While Yu Yurou was confident in her charm, preventing men from easily forgetting her, she couldn’t guarantee that going without any communication for years wouldn’t lead them to change their hearts. Now, with just over half a year passed, there was still time to mend their relationships!

She hailed a taxi, heading home first to drop off her luggage. Strangely, she felt as if something about her room had changed, but dismissing this minor detail, she hastily left after setting down her bags.

Yu Yurou decided to seek out Ye Huan.

To avoid Shen Man, she didn’t go directly to his workplace or home. However, Yu Yurou was well aware of Ye Huan’s usual hangouts and believed that by visiting each place, she would eventually encounter him.

Her first stop was the golf club where Ye Huan frequently played with his social circle friends.

Having accompanied Ye Huan to this club numerous times, the manager recognized her immediately. Upon seeing her arrival, he arranged for a golf cart to take her to the exclusive course frequented by wealthy young masters.

The manager informed her that Ye Huan hadn’t been to the club in quite some time, but today, his group of friends were present, making her visit worthwhile nonetheless.

Yu Yurou’s unexpected appearance caught everyone off guard. The affluent young men exchanged glances before awkwardly greeting her.

“Ah, it’s Yurou! What brings you back?” Jiang Chenrui spoke up first; they used to have a good relationship, but compared to their past warmth, his current demeanor seemed noticeably more perfunctory.

Hong Jun, on the other hand, maintained his friendly attitude, jovially calling out, “Hey there, Yurou!”

The rest of the young masters merely nodded, unwilling to expend extra energy engaging with her.

Yu Yurou felt uneasy. She recalled putting great effort into fitting within this social circle; Ye Huan’s friends had always been more welcoming to her than others. How could it be that after just half a year, these young elites’ attitudes towards her had changed so drastically?

“Young Master Jiang, I came here specifically to find Ye Huan. To be honest, leaving for abroad wasn’t my choice, and I’ve been eager to know how Ye Huan has been doing over the past six months…” Yu Yurou’s elegant and lovely face conveyed a hint of pleading, making it hard for anyone to refuse her inquiry.

Jiang Chenrui was not an unfeeling person. Seeing Yu Yurou still concerned about Ye Huan even after such time, he couldn’t help but feel touched. “It’s admirable that you still care for Ye Huan, Yurou. Truthfully, I always thought highly of your relationship, but…”

“But what?” Yu Yurou hastily asked.

Jiang Chenrui sighed deeply. ”…Ye Huan is involved with someone else now.”

Hearing this, Yu Yurou nearly suffered a heart attack. “What do you mean ‘someone else’? Has he fallen in love with another?”

Just half a year—how could the man she invested countless efforts into, whom she firmly controlled, have found someone else in merely six months?

Recalling Yu Ling’s identity, Jiang Chenrui’s gaze towards Yu Yurou became much more complicated. “I’m not certain if he has fallen for that person, but I can confidently say he still loves you.”

Yu Yurou’s heart, which had been suspended in anxiety, slowly settled back down. “The other person is…”

As long as Ye Huan continued to love her, Yu Yurou believed no one could truly threaten her position. She suspected the woman by his side was merely a fleeting distraction during his leisure time.

“It’s your sister, Yu Ling,” Jiang Chenrui revealed without hesitation. This news wasn’t a secret within their social circle, and even if he didn’t disclose it, others would eventually do so. “Ye Huan sees your sister as a substitute for you; you both look remarkably alike!”

Sister… In Yu Yurou’s memory, her younger sister Yu Ling was unremarkable and rather gloomy. Yu Ling often hunched over, head bowed low with disheveled hair obscuring her eyes. Yu Yurou barely recalled what Yu Ling actually looked like.

For Jiang Chenrui to think they resembled each other, it seemed Yu Ling might have benefited from sharing some of her genes, inheriting a favorable appearance.

If it were any other woman, Yu Yurou might have investigated further to understand what qualities attracted Ye Huan to her. But when it came to Yu Ling…

No one knew her sister better than herself. Yu Ling was merely a gullible fool with no assertiveness; just a few sweet words would make her obediently do anything. Yu Yurou held her sister in utter contempt.

Assuming that Ye Huan only valued their similar appearance, much of Yu Yurou’s anxiety instantly dissipated.

“To use Little Ling as a substitute, Ye Huan has gone too far!” Yu Yurou feigned righteous indignation, her tone filled with protective concern for her sister. “I cannot allow Ye Huan to continue hurting Little Ling. Young Master Jiang, could you help me contact him? I wish to speak with him privately.”

“You can’t reach Ye Huan yourself?” As soon as Jiang Chenrui asked, he had his suspicions confirmed. “Is it because of Madam Shen?”

Yu Yurou nodded, her expression troubled. “Madam Shen… perhaps harbors some misunderstandings towards me,” she said. “She doesn’t seem to like me, and I’m sure it must be due to something I’ve not done well enough. I will strive harder to gain her acceptance.”

Despite Yu Yurou’s deep dislike for Shen Man, she would never speak ill of her in front of others. By taking all the blame onto herself, she aimed to garner sympathy and portray herself as gentle and understanding. Typically, this approach would elicit comforting words from those around her.

Sure enough, just as Yu Yurou finished speaking, Hong Jun reassured her, “How could it be your fault? It’s simply Madam Shen setting her expectations too high!”

Yu Yurou was about to smile when Hong Jun continued, “Not everyone can be as poised and elegant as Little Sister Yu Ling, with such grace and poise. It’s not just you; even other wealthy socialites don’t possess that same aura.”

Confused, Yu Yurou managed a stiff smile amidst her bewildered thoughts, “Ha ha, Hong Jun, you sure know how to joke! There’s no need to praise Little Ling so highly just because of me. Honestly, it’s already great if she doesn’t cause any trouble.”

“What joke? I’m completely serious. Yu Ling truly has an exceptional presence; I wonder how your family nurtured her. Now I understand why I always found you, Yurou, so pleasing to the eye—you share some of her charm.” Once Hong Jun started praising Yu Ling, he couldn’t seem to stop. Ever since meeting her, he felt that other women somehow fell short. “It’s unfortunate Ye Huan stopped bringing her out after that incident. Even catching glimpses of her would have been nice.”

Yu Yurou’s smile faltered; she nearly wanted to crack open Hong Jun’s skull to see if he was indeed referring to her sister.

“Enough with your jests! After such a significant incident, how could Ye Huan possibly bring her out again?” Although that banquet had taken place long ago, no attendee would have forgotten the day when the young Song heir’s confession was publicly rejected. Moreover, Yu Ling went missing that night, and despite the young Song heir’s clarification, rumors persisted behind closed doors. Jiang Chenrui fully understood why Ye Huan chose not to involve her in social gatherings anymore.

Confused, Yu Yurou asked, “What incident?”

“Nothing.” Jiang Chenrui didn’t want to discuss the banquet, quickly changing the subject, “Didn’t you want to find Ye Huan? Let me give him a call, but I can’t guarantee he’ll have time.”

“What is Ye Huan so busy with?” Yu Yurou probed cautiously, “He hasn’t been around here for quite some time.”

“He’s no longer like us, idling away our days. Ever since becoming the Ye Family’s heir, he’s been swamped with responsibilities. He barely has time for leisure or even to hang out with us.” Jiang Chenrui shrugged sympathetically, acknowledging Ye Huan’s demanding lifestyle.

Everyone within their social circle was aware of the relentless challenges faced by the Ye Family recently. Their entire enterprise seemed on the brink of collapse, and inexplicably, the Song family had formed a partnership with Ye Xu. Openly opposing the Ye Family, this alliance caused constant setbacks for the Ye Group. As its heir, Ye Huan must be under immense pressure.

Fortunately, the Ye Family had deep reserves, and Shen Man was an exceptionally skilled businesswoman; otherwise, any ordinary company subjected to such targeted adversity would have crumbled long ago. However, whether the Ye Family could continue enduring these hardships remained uncertain to Jiang Chenrui. Naturally, he kept these thoughts to himself, refraining from voicing his speculations casually.

Upon hearing that Ye Huan had become the heir, Yu Yurou’s desire to see him grew more urgent. She anxiously stood by as Jiang Chenrui attempted to contact Ye Huan, eagerly anticipating his reaction upon learning about her return to China.

Jiang Chenrui dialed Ye Huan’s number and, as soon as it connected, got straight to the point by informing him that Yu Yurou had returned to China and wished to meet with him.

Initially, Jiang Chenrui assumed that even if Ye Huan’s feelings had changed, he would not remain indifferent upon hearing about his former love’s return. However, unexpectedly, Ye Huan responded with, “Is this some kind of prank?”

“I’m not joking; she’s right here with me. If you don’t believe me, I can have her speak to you,” Jiang Chenrui said.

“No need. If it’s truly the one who came back from abroad, there’s no reason for her to see me; she should just go home directly,” Ye Huan replied, puzzled as to how his girlfriend’s sister found Jiang Chenrui and requested a private meeting. It was clear she wasn’t content with staying out of trouble.

Initially, Ye Huan had been grateful that his girlfriend’s sister took her place to study abroad. However, after seeing the extravagant expenses on her account, he felt their debts were settled. Since they were now even, there was no further need for contact between them.

“Ye Huan, are you sure you won’t meet her?” Jiang Chenrui turned away from Yu Yurou, stepped aside, and lowered his voice, saying, “Well, well, so you’ve indeed moved on! Have you fallen for Yu Ling now? Even abandoning Yurou!”

Ye Huan rubbed his temples irritably; managing company affairs already consumed him fully. He lacked the energy to explain this matter thoroughly to Jiang Chenrui. “You don’t know the full situation, but suffice it to say, there’s no need for me to meet with that woman. That’s all. I’m hanging up.”

After ending the call, Jiang Chenrui turned to face Yu Yurou, who was eagerly awaiting news, feeling somewhat awkward. Earlier, he had confidently claimed Ye Huan still loved her, only to be swiftly proven wrong.

“Cough, Yurou…” Jiang Chenrui didn’t want to get entangled in their emotional mess and decided to make an excuse for Ye Huan. “Ye Huan is very busy. It seems like he doesn’t have time to meet you right now. Why don’t you go home and rest?”

Yu Yurou hadn’t anticipated such a disappointing outcome from contacting Ye Huan. Recalling Jiang Chenrui’s evasive demeanor during the phone call, she couldn’t help but wonder if Ye Huan deliberately avoided seeing her. Could it be that Shen Man said something behind the scenes, causing Ye Huan to misunderstand her?

How could Yu Yurou calmly leave? She pleaded, “Could you please try calling again, Young Master Jiang? This time, let me speak directly to him.”

Jiang Chenrui desperately wanted to persuade Yu Yurou to give up; Ye Huan’s stance was clear, and he himself detested clingy women. However, seeing Yu Yurou’s determined attitude, he reluctantly decided to play along once more.

“Alright, talk to him yourself.” Jiang Chenrui dialed Ye Huan again, this time waiting quite a while before Ye Huan answered.

“No, no, wait, don’t hang up yet.” As soon as he heard Ye Huan’s slightly irritable voice, Jiang Chenrui hastily handed the phone to Yu Yurou, “Here, speak with him.”

Yu Yurou tightened her grip on the phone and spoke softly, “Ye Huan, it’s me, Yurou.”

Ye Huan momentarily hesitated; the voice did sound remarkably like his girlfriend’s. She had mentioned that her sister excelled at imitating her, and it seemed she wasn’t exaggerating.

“What do you need from me?” Ye Huan didn’t rush to expose her identity, maintaining some courtesy for his girlfriend’s sister.

“Can’t we meet face-to-face? There’s your decision to study abroad, Yu Ling’s situation, and Madam Shen’s misunderstanding about me. I believe we should have a proper conversation.” Yu Yurou adopted her usual coquettish tone towards her lover, “Ye Huan, don’t you want to see me? I truly miss you so much!”

The soft, flirtatious tone sent shivers down Ye Huan’s spine. As he realized that the person so blatantly seducing him over the phone was his future sister-in-law, he couldn’t help but feel a surge of irritation.

Just what kind of person was his girlfriend’s younger sister?! Not only did she indulge in extravagant spending abroad, but she also shamelessly tried to allure him, showing complete disregard for her elder sister!

“Miss Yu, please show some self-respect!” Ye Huan’s voice turned icy. “You should be well aware of my relationship with your sister. Considering you’re her younger sister, I won’t hold this against you this time.”

“Furthermore, stop imitating Yurou. Your affected and artificial tone bears no resemblance to hers at all!”

With a sharp click, the call was ruthlessly disconnected.

Before Yu Yurou could gather herself, Jiang Chenrui and the others politely escorted her out.

“Yurou, go back home first. If there’s anything you need, contact Ye Huan directly. We have matters to attend to here, so we can’t entertain you further.”

Only after being escorted out of the club did Yu Yurou realize that those two phone calls had changed the way the wealthy young masters looked at her. Their gazes now seemed to view her as an overbearing woman, presumptuously trying to cling onto them. They no longer even feigned courtesy, fearing she might bring them unwanted trouble.

Yu Yurou couldn’t focus on anger just yet; her mind was consumed by Ye Huan’s words replaying incessantly.

What did he mean by “the relationship between your sister and me”? And what did he imply with “considering you’re Yurou’s younger sister”? Additionally, his remark about not imitating Yurou—either Ye Huan wasn’t thinking clearly, or there was something wrong with her hearing!

There must be some detail she overlooked; it was too strange, everything felt utterly bizarre…

Ever since returning from abroad, a lingering sense of unease and strangeness slowly spread within her once again.

Determined to understand the cause of Ye Huan’s change, Yu Yurou knew exactly who could provide answers: Lu Yue, Ye Huan’s close friend. He always shared updates about Ye Huan without reservation. If not for being overseas and unable to reach him earlier, Yu Yurou wouldn’t have been caught off guard by Ye Huan’s peculiar behavior.

Fortunately, Yu Yurou had already investigated Lu Yue’s situation and knew where his company was located.

She promptly rushed to the destination. As soon as she entered the company’s entrance, she felt the weight of numerous gazes upon her. Both the receptionist and other employees moving around greeted her enthusiastically:

“Manager Yu, you’re here!”

“Is Manager Yu returning to work?”

“Would Manager Yu like some coffee? I specifically learned brewing techniques from Secretary Xu, just waiting for your return to serve you!”

Yu Yurou froze in place, once again feeling an inexplicable sense of absurdity due to their reactions.

Who were they mistaking her for? Yu Ling? How could Yu Ling possibly work at Lu Yue’s company and be referred to as “Manager Yu”? Given their obsequious attitudes, did Yu Ling truly have the capability to earn such respect from these people?

It was utterly laughable!

“I’m here to see Lu Yue,” Yu Yurou didn’t deny the identity, wanting to observe the exact status and relationship of this “Manager Yu” within Lu Yue’s company.

“Mr. Lu is in his office; Manager Yu, you can go straight in,” one employee quickly responded.

“Would I be disturbing him if I just walk over?” Yu Yurou twirled her long hair, her smile not reaching her eyes as she asked, “Perhaps, could you check first to see if he has time to meet with me?”

“Manager Yu, you’re not an outsider at all. Mr. Lu would definitely be thrilled to see you.”

This sentiment was echoed by more than just one employee; others affirmed it as well.

Surrounded by the staff, Yu Yurou confidently strode into Lu Yue’s office without anyone questioning her actions.

Yu Yurou inwardly scoffed as she opened the door and stood quietly observing Lu Yue’s reaction from the threshold.

“Lingling? How did you…” As soon as Lu Yue saw her, a smile automatically appeared on his face. However, upon brief eye contact with Yu Yurou, he swiftly realized this woman wasn’t his Lingling! She was…

“Lu Yue, when you say ‘Lingling,’ do you mean Yu Ling?” Yu Yurou closed the door behind her and walked up to Lu Yue’s desk, taking a seat.

Lu Yue hesitated, fully aware that it was actually her sister Yu Ling who had gone abroad in Yu Yurou’s place. But why would her sister address him with such familiarity? Moreover… what brought her here?

At this moment, like Yu Yurou earlier, Lu Yue was filled with confusion.

“Don’t you even recognize me?” Seeing Lu Yue’s astonished expression, Yu Yurou raised her eyebrows, her tone exasperated. “Seems like you and my sister got along quite well, judging by how everyone at the company took care of her.”

“Yurou?” Lu Yue asked uncertainly.

Is this really Yu Yurou? No, how could she be like this?

Lu Yue felt utterly bewildered, as if a hazy veil obscured his vision, preventing him from clearly discerning the truth.

“While I was overseas, I tried reaching out to you multiple times. You never answered any of my calls, and later your phone number became inactive. Why is that?”

How could Yu Ling, being abroad, know his personal number? Could it truly be Yu Yurou instead?

Unwilling to hastily make judgments, Lu Yue decided to engage her further. “Too many people were trying to reach me, so I changed my number.”

At that time, to cut ties with his past lovers, Lu Yue had deleted all other women’s contact information from his address book and cleared his personal social media accounts, leaving only Yu Yurou’s profile. Consequently, those women relentlessly called and messaged him, causing immense annoyance. Eventually, he simply canceled his old number and switched accounts, finally achieving some peace.

Yu Yurou felt incredibly unlucky; not only could she not reach Ye Xu or Song Xingyi, but even contacting the easiest person, Lu Yue, proved futile as he just happened to change his number. It was truly infuriating!

“You still haven’t told me what’s going on between you and my sister. How did she become a manager?” Yu Yurou couldn’t help but press for answers rapidly. “And about Ye Huan, why did he say I’m Yurou’s younger sister and tell me not to imitate her? Isn’t it absurd to ask me not to be myself?”

This woman’s demeanor was too natural, almost as if she genuinely was Yu Yurou herself!

Lu Yue’s nerves tightened as he sought to confirm his suspicion. He asked a question only he and Yu Yurou would know the answer to, “Do you remember the scene of our first meeting?”

Yu Yurou furrowed her brow, puzzled, “Why do you ask this?”

“Answer me first.” Lu Yue scrutinized the woman before him closely—it wasn’t right, it was too different. Her cheeks weren’t pale enough, her gaze lacked seduction, and her posture was insufficiently graceful. Despite their strikingly similar facial features, he could instantly tell that this was not his Lingling. She resembled the old Yu Yurou—boring and mundane. Clearly attempting to gather information from him, she couldn’t even conceal her emotions effectively.

Unaware of what Lu Yue was getting at, Yu Yurou tried recalling, “Our first meeting was at the horse riding club; Ye Huan brought me there. Upon seeing you, he casually introduced his good friend to me.”

“That day, I was busy learning to ride, so we didn’t have much chance to talk. However, I remember you mentioning my posture was incorrect and specifically demonstrated how to mount a horse for me.”

Unlike other aloof and wealthy young masters, Lu Yue treated her with warmth and consideration, never showing any disdain for her clumsiness. In contrast, Ye Huan merely arranged for a professional riding instructor, then promptly mounted his horse and galloped off onto the track without checking if she was comfortable or needed assistance.

Lu Yue’s heart sank abruptly. Unless Yu Yurou had shared every detail of their initial meeting with Yu Ling, there was no way Lingling could know these specifics.

“Since you mentioned not being able to contact me, did your account ever send me messages?” Lu Yue persisted, unwilling to give up hope.

Thinking about it still angered Yu Yurou. “My account? It was completely hacked! Madam Shen went too far, cutting off all my communication channels. For over half a year, I couldn’t reach anyone back home!”

No, it wasn’t Shen Man; Yu Yurou wasn’t worth such effort from her. The person Shen Man had sent abroad remained unchanged throughout!

This meant that his “Lingling” was truly Yu Ling, and he had been foolishly deceived all along!

“What’s wrong?” Noticing Lu Yue’s unusual expression, Yu Yurou felt inexplicably anxious. “Is something not right?”

Lu Yue quickly regained his composure after a brief moment of distress. “Nothing, it just seems that with how Shen Man treated you, she clearly didn’t want you to resurface. You shouldn’t have returned.”

“I couldn’t help but come back. If I hadn’t, how would I have known Ye Huan found a doppelganger, and worse, someone claiming to be my sister!” Yu Yurou, filled with pent-up frustration, desperately needed to vent. “But Ye Huan thinks I’m Yu Ling—has he gone mad or am I losing my mind?”

Lu Yue naturally knew the reason behind this confusion. After Yu Yurou left for abroad, the imposter had assumed her identity, deceiving not only him but also everyone close to Yu Yurou.

That woman…always managed to surprise him. Lu Yue thought he should have understood her by now, given the time passed, yet from the start, he had mistaken her true identity. Despite being deceived for so long, he couldn’t feel angry. With such a captivating woman…how could he ever grow tired of her?

As these thoughts crossed his mind, Lu Yue involuntarily chuckled.