Chapter 9: Replacing Your Life (9)

Unlike Ye Xu and Song Xingyi—who believed whatever Tong Ling said—Lu Yue trusted only his own judgment.

When facing Lu Yue, Tong Ling made no effort to conceal her thoughts or actions. She behaved with utmost openness; as for what he chose to think… that was entirely up to him.

A complex individual sees issues from equally intricate angles. In this case, Tong Ling didn’t even need to act deliberately. This self-assured man, bordering on arrogant in his clarity of mind, would automatically fixate on her every move. He invariably attributed meanings to her actions based on his own perceptions alone.

Indeed, sometimes overthinking serves no purpose at all.

“What’s got you so spaced out?” Even Ye Huan noticed Lu Yue’s unusual demeanor during their meal. Seeing Lu Yue staring unblinkingly at his girlfriend right before him, Ye Huan couldn’t help but furrow his brow. “Keep your eyes in check! Don’t just stare indiscriminately at other people’s girlfriends!”

Rarely losing control of his emotions, Lu Yue snapped back to reality upon hearing Ye Huan’s words. His mind raced through countless possibilities while maintaining a facade of nonchalance. With a hint of mockery in his voice, he retorted, “What’s this? Since when have you become such a possessive tyrant?”

“Lingling,” Lu Yue swiftly shifted the topic onto Tong Ling, eager to observe her reaction, “don’t tell me your boyfriend has always been this petty—isn’t it true?”

Before Tong Ling could respond, Ye Huan interjected, “What do you mean by ‘dictatorial’ and ‘petty’? I simply don’t want Yurou to feel uncomfortable.”

Seizing the opportunity, Ye Huan continued his subtle denigration of Lu Yue to Tong Ling, “You know how he is—those flirtatious eyes flitting about everywhere. Who knows how many women he’s led astray with such gazes?”

Lu Yue remained silent… Since when did this turn into personal attacks? He noticed a significant shift in Ye Huan’s attitude towards Yu Yurou. In the past, when Ye Huan engaged in banter with her, it had seemed harmless enough. But today, even just a few extra glances from him prompted Ye Huan to assert his possessiveness like a jealous child. When had Yu Yurou gained such influence over Ye Huan?

Tong Ling deliberately countered Ye Huan’s remarks, “I think Lu Yue isn’t so bad myself. Why nitpick at him? He’s handsome and has a way with words; isn’t it natural for women to be drawn to him?”

Ye Huan fell silent…

Though he knew Tong Ling didn’t intend any harm with these words, a pang of jealousy still stirred within him. After a moment, he retorted defensively, ”…Is he really better than me then?”

“No matter how good he might be, he’ll never compare to you,” Tong Ling replied softly, her affectionate sentiment flowing effortlessly from her lips. “The meals I cook are meant solely for your taste.”

Moved by this declaration, Ye Huan quickly stuffed several more mouthfuls of plain rice into his mouth.

Lu Yue watched all this silently unfolding before him… When did we become pawns in their emotional tug-of-war? His thoughts echoed amidst the charged atmosphere, feeling increasingly out of place as he observed the evolving dynamics between his friends.

Lu Yue felt inexplicably thrust into a display of false affection between two others—a charade as transparently insincere as the spread before him on the table.

Why would Yu Yurou continue to lie right in front of him? By asserting her control over Ye Huan in his presence, was she implying that he too was merely another puppet dancing at her whim?

Though Lu Yue couldn’t fathom Yu Yurou’s motives, he found himself irresistibly drawn to this enigmatic woman.

His life had long since lost its sense of challenge; now, here was a ready-made puzzle laid out before him. For the first time in ages, Lu Yue could feel his heart racing with excitement, pounding against his ribcage like a drumbeat signaling adventure.

The aura of pleasure emanating from Lu Yue was unmistakable—manifesting most notably in… his utterly captivating smile.

As Ye Huan munched away, he caught sight of Lu Yue’s coquettish expression and felt a twinge of annoyance. Recalling how Lu Yue had addressed Yu Yurou earlier, he hastily interjected, “What did you call Yurou just now? You used ‘Lingling’—don’t you realize…”

“Ah, since she’s adopting this new identity, it only makes sense to address her accordingly,” Lu Yue replied casually, then reminded Ye Huan gently, “Weren’t you trying to keep her true identity hidden? Perhaps you should adjust your manner of speaking towards her as well. One wrong word from you, and everyone will know she’s actually Yurou.”

“That won’t be an issue,” Tong Ling said as she produced a printed substitute contract from her bag before both men. “Regardless of what Ye Huan calls me, I doubt anyone will question it.”

The moment the contract appeared, even Lu Yue—usually so composed—could not suppress his astonishment. His eyes widened in shock. “What is this?”

Tong Ling held up the document, its cover emblazoned with bold calligraphy: Substitute Contract Agreement.

This unmistakable title was impossible to overlook.

She distributed two copies to them for review and adopted a businesslike demeanor. “Please examine the terms carefully. If there are no issues, we can sign it later.”

Lu Yue had seen countless contracts in his time, but such a novel one was indeed unprecedented. As he flipped through the pages, reading each clause, he found himself falling into a prolonged silence…

“To convince Madam Shen fully, we need to give our arrangement some credibility,” Tong Ling explained further. “So, Ye Huan, you’ll have to transfer funds regularly each month. Relying solely on emotional bonds as proof of your substitution might seem too implausible. However, with regular financial transactions involved, it becomes far more convincing.” She pointed at a note at the bottom of the contract. “The bank account number listed here belongs to my younger sister. Even if Madam Shen were to investigate personally, she wouldn’t find anything amiss.”

“Moreover,” Tong Ling continued, “I’ve been using my sister’s identity. Consider this sum as compensation for her.” She glanced at Ye Huan. “Ye Huan, surely you don’t find fault with this additional clause I’ve added?”

Ye Huan hastily replied, “It shows how thorough you are; I see no issue with it.”

To him, the substantial sum of money—though generous by ordinary standards—wasn’t significant enough to warrant suspicion. He could never doubt Yu Yurou’s genuine affection towards him over such a minor detail in their agreement.

Tong Ling nodded contentedly before handing Ye Huan a pen. “Sign here. My name is already on it; we just need yours now.”

She retrieved the contract from Lu Yue, carefully placing it back in her bag once Ye Huan had signed. “Keep hold of your copy securely. If Madam Shen asks about our relationship, start by mocking me harshly. Then, let her inadvertently discover this contract—it should suffice to create the desired effect.”

Once again, Ye Huan was deeply moved by Tong Ling’s words. As he pledged his support to her, his eyes grew even more resolute. “I will never allow you to suffer these indignities in vain…”

Internally, Tong Ling felt elated. Not only had she navigated through another critical scene, but she’d also secured additional income for herself—a win-win situation. If not for the fact that she could remain in this small world for only three years, she would have eagerly pursued this substitute business indefinitely!

“From now on, I’ll be able to live large every month without lifting a finger,” Tong Ling marveled to the System. “Being a Stand-in sure is lucrative! Can this continue in the next world too? Not only could I replace my girlfriend, but also the male lead’s mother—his childhood sweetheart, even his future mother-in-law…”

m577 swiftly cut off Tong Ling’s wild fantasies:

Tong Ling was utterly disappointed. “That’s truly unfortunate.”

“A Stand-in…” Lu Yue mused, his emotions tangled after witnessing such a transaction firsthand.

He knew Yu Yurou must have proposed this idea; otherwise, Ye Huan wouldn’t have reacted like he did. Anyone seeing their girlfriend willingly become a substitute just to stay by their side would undoubtedly feel deeply reassured of her devotion. This woman, Yu Yurou… she continued to surprise him time and again with her unexpected actions.

“Don’t you think it’s an excellent solution?” Ye Huan asked smugly. “This time, no one can tear me away from Yurou.”

Lu Yue couldn’t help but let his gaze fall upon Tong Ling once more. “Indeed, it’s quite ingenious.”

Y Country, 8:00 A.M.

Yu Yurou’s sleep had been far from peaceful. Perhaps she hadn’t yet adjusted to her new environment; even in their newly moved home, she felt an inexplicable sense of suffocation.

Dressing herself, she drew back the curtains. As sunlight flooded into the room, that lingering oppression finally began to dissipate slightly.

Truth be told, Yu Yurou wasn’t surprised that Shen Man chose to send her abroad. Given the woman’s penchant for control, she would never willingly allow Yu Yurou to remain by Ye Huan’s side. With no notable family background, regardless of how deeply Ye Huan cared for her, he couldn’t provide any real security or prospects. It made more sense for Yu Yurou to seize this opportunity while she could, ensuring a brighter future for herself.

Shen Man was generous in her own way—if Yu Yurou agreed to leave Ye Huan alone, she’d receive substantial funds along with various resources provided by Shen Man herself.

This arrangement offered only benefits with no risks. By leveraging these resources, Yu Yurou could enroll in one of the world’s premier universities overseas. In just a few years, such an education would effectively gild her identity with prestige.

She would attain top-tier qualifications, cultivate valuable connections, and secure promising career opportunities—all at the cost of severing ties with Ye Huan. To Yu Yurou, it seemed like a fair trade-off. She decided they should part ways when their bond was strongest so that all memories etched in Ye Huan’s mind would forever remain positive ones.

Cutting ties with Ye Huan didn’t mean she would relinquish him as her prized asset. She had invested far too much in their relationship to let go so easily.

Yu Yurou knew all of Ye Huan’s friends; gaining entry into their social circle had required tremendous effort on her part. She learned horseback riding, mastered golf, and studied how to navigate high-society gatherings alongside those impeccably dressed individuals. After years of dedication, she finally earned their acknowledgment—now was the time for reaping the rewards of her labor.

Yu Yurou firmly believed that even if she weren’t constantly at Ye Huan’s side, his close associates would never cease reminding him of her presence. No other woman could usurp her position, she was certain of this.

However, all of this hinged upon maintaining contact from abroad.

When Yu Yurou powered on her phone only to find no signal, she initially assumed it was merely a network issue. But soon, she realized something was amiss.

Her SIM card had ceased functioning entirely!

No matter what measures she tried, the card remained utterly incapacitated—a complete failure!

Being without her phone was akin to losing half of herself. She considered getting a replacement SIM card for her original number, but that proved impossible abroad. In the end, she settled for purchasing a new local SIM instead. Rushing through the setup process, she desperately tried to log into her social media accounts—after all, most people communicated online these days.

Worse still, every single account displayed password errors; someone had hacked them all clean!

Yu Yurou’s heart froze with dread. Who could possibly be behind such malice?

The image of a woman’s haughty face surfaced in her mind—only one person, only Shen Man, would go to such lengths!

Does Shen Man think by employing this petty tactic, she can cut me off from everyone back home? Yu Yurou seethed with hatred, vowing not to yield so easily. If I need help…

In times of trouble, Yu Yurou’s first instinct was always to reach out to Ye Xu.

Without hesitation, she dialed his number. However, after just a few rings, it was abruptly hung up on. When she attempted to call again, her new number had already been blocked!

Yu Yurou stared at her phone, momentarily speechless.

How could she have forgotten? Ye Xu never answered calls from unknown numbers. Without any way to contact him through social media, many—including Ye Xu—would likely treat her new number as spam or harassment…