Chapter 23: Day 23 of Transmigrating into an Object Part 1

Since Jiang Shiyang said she would ask later, she asked later. She came and asked several more times after lunch, and again several times after dinner.

Shen Wenyi’s answer was as firm as ever. She had no time, and that was final. Asking a hundred more times would still yield the same result: no time.

God, Virgin Mary, couldn’t Shen Wenyi just slip up and say “I have time” for once?

If Shen Wenyi didn’t agree, she wouldn’t dare casually use the Time-Limited Soul Splitting Talisman. This talisman could only be exchanged for free once. Another exchange would cost 1000 Points. If she used it but failed to complete the mission, she would be doomed to fail it forever.

The consequence of mission failure was being permanently transformed into the current item. Although the replacement rate for underwear was quite high, and she would probably decompose and rot away in a landfill within a few years.

But if she could live a good life, who would want to wait to rot into sludge in a landfill?!

No, without Shen Wenyi’s agreement, she couldn’t use the Soul Splitting Talisman. She absolutely needed Shen Wenyi’s nod of approval.

She watched Shen Wenyi filming not far away, pried a mint candy out and popped it into her mouth. The numbing, icy candy wasn’t really suitable for winter. As it dissolved in her mouth, a chill traveled from her throat all the way down to her stomach, making her involuntarily want to shiver.

Yet, eating mint candy in winter was a habit of hers. During her school days, one piece would refresh her mind. Now that she was working, it could also temporarily sweep away her fatigue.

She hugged her hot water cup, wrapped in her down jacket while drinking hot water. She couldn’t tell if her stomach was cold or hot, but her mind was clear.

Seeing that the day was almost over, she was fortunate to have few scenes today. Filming was estimated to wrap up before 10 PM. Tomorrow, who knew how late they would film? The day after and the day after that were even harder to predict. Missions were best tackled sooner rather than later; she had to think of something.

A proper invitation wasn’t working. It seemed she would have to resort to some underhanded tricks.

Shen Wenyi, don’t blame me. It’s just that it’s hard to be a good person these days. If I’m not despicable, I’m headed straight for the landfill.

Besides, if you hadn’t done anything with a guilty conscience, could my despicable self even find a crack in your seamless egg?

The next scene was her scene opposite Shen Wenyi and Teacher Huang. After filming it, she could wrap up for the day, though Shen Wenyi still had one more scene.

Teacher Huang was a veteran actor, playing the role of the Emperor of Liang in this film.

Shen Wenyi had just finished her previous scene and was touching up her makeup, drinking water, and taking a short break. Director Chen was reviewing the footage of the part they had just shot, checking if anything needed adjustment.

Opportunity knocked. She quickly stood up and walked over, signaling Little Xie not to follow. Given that she had approached Shen Wenyi quite a few times throughout the day, each time asking if she was free or not, Little He had relaxed her guard and was even helping the makeup artist fetch something from the side.

Seizing the half-minute when no one was around Shen Wenyi, she quickly sidled up close to her.

“Teacher Shen, how about watching a movie together tonight?”

Shen Wenyi was holding her water cup to drink, and she raised her eyes to glance at her.

“I don’t…”

“Shh… think carefully before you answer, Teacher Shen…”

She lowered her voice, like a spy making contact, whispering a devil’s suggestion into Shen Wenyi’s ear.

“Teacher Shen doesn’t actually think… that I didn’t know anything while I was unconscious, do you?”

The last word, “time,” was forcefully swallowed back by Shen Wenyi. She turned her eyes, narrowing her pupils at her.

She smiled faintly, her gaze deliberately lingering on Shen Wenyi’s bright red lips in an exaggerated manner, before she deliberately stuck out her tongue and licked her own lips.

“If you haven’t done anything to feel guilty about, you won’t be afraid of ghosts knocking at the door. Think it over carefully before you answer me, Teacher Shen…”

Shen Wenyi’s jawline slowly tightened, her red lips pressing into a thin line. It was obvious from her expression that she was flustered. Hahaha, Shen Wenyi, could you really be bent? Could you actually like me?

Then you’re finished, really finished. All these years of debts, we really need to settle them carefully now~!

She patiently waited for Shen Wenyi to agree to her invitation. Seriously, she had to force me to play my trump card!

Shen Wenyi moved her lips, but before she could say anything, Director Chen’s shout came from not far away: “Alright, alright, next scene! Everyone to your positions! Quickly!”

Tsk, that shout was really ill-timed.

She had to take off her down jacket first and go film the scene.

While waiting for the camera crew to get ready, she glanced at the system time. It was already past six in the evening. The System required her and Shen Wenyi to be together continuously for 8 hours, meaning in the state where she was simultaneously human and underwear.

6+8=14.

If she used the Time-Limited Soul Splitting Talisman now, 8 hours wouldn’t be reached until past 2 AM. It was barely acceptable, but any later would be even worse.

From the looks of it, Shen Wenyi probably wouldn’t refuse her again. Fine, she’d just use the Soul Splitting Talisman.

She decisively activated the Soul Splitting Talisman and then got into character.

This scene took place shortly after the Princess had received the Emperor’s favor. The Emperor of Liang had relaxed his guard against the Princess somewhat, but still suspected her and wanted to conduct a final test.

The Nangong Wanwan she was playing had just undergone a whipping from the Princess and was still not fully recovered. To avoid arousing the Emperor of Liang’s suspicion, she was summoned by the Princess to serve in the imperial presence.

The Emperor of Liang knew that Nangong Wanwan was the only servant the Princess had brought from her motherland, so he deliberately targeted Nangong Wanwan.

The Princess and the Emperor of Liang sat around a carved tea table. The Princess’s noble and slender figure paired strikingly well with the Emperor of Liang’s still-vigorous, towering presence in the flickering candlelight of the palace.

Nangong Wanwan carried a tea tray, bowing at the waist and holding her breath, head lowered as she entered. She gently and quietly placed the teacups before the Emperor of Liang and the Princess.

A candle flame sputtered and jumped. The Emperor of Liang suddenly reached out and lifted Nangong Wanwan’s chin. The Emperor’s sharp, hawk-like gaze fixed on Nangong Wanwan’s face.

“I did not know there was such a stunning beauty in my beloved consort’s palace.”

The Princess’s brow twitched. Without revealing any emotion, she lifted a teacup and offered it to the Emperor of Liang. The Emperor released Nangong Wanwan and accepted the teacup.

The Princess said, “Your Majesty, a noble man forgets many things. She is Wanwan, the servant who came with me as part of my dowry.”

The Emperor pretended to have just remembered. “So it is Wanwan. She looks somewhat different than usual.”

The Princess replied, “Perhaps it is because she accompanied me in my foolishness today and applied some rouge and powder, hence she appears more radiant.”

The makeup was to cover the whip marks on Nangong Wanwan’s face, and it was indeed applied quite heavily.

The Emperor stroked his beard and laughed. “Indeed, a woman must apply rouge and powder. She truly looks much more captivating this way. Since my beloved consort is unwell and cannot attend to me in bed, how about tonight…”

Beneath her wide sleeves, the Princess’s fingers, painted with henna, clenched tightly. Yet her face maintained a dignified and noble smile.

“How about letting her serve Your Majesty well on my behalf tonight? It would also be her good fortune.”

The Emperor deliberately waved his hand, signaling the Princess to withdraw.

This was the Princess’s own bedchamber! Making the Princess withdraw to give her place to a servant was not just a humiliation to the Princess, but also a humiliation to her motherland!

Enduring the humiliation, the Princess retreated but did not leave the bedchamber. Instead, she stood behind a palace pillar, looking through layers upon layers of gauze curtains at Nangong Wanwan, who was pulled into the Emperor of Liang’s embrace amidst the dim candlelight.

Nangong Wanwan prostrated on the ground, seemingly at a loss before this sudden favor, wanting to refuse but powerless to do so.

The Princess gritted her teeth. A trace of blood seeped through her bright red lips. She slowly turned around, leaning her back against the pillar, and pressed one hand against her chest, pressing tighter and tighter, as if trying to squeeze out all the air from her lungs!

The Princess kept her eyes open, her gaze despairing and ferocious—hatred for the Emperor of Liang, hatred for Nangong Wanwan, and a profound sorrow for those from the same motherland, regardless of their status, all ultimately trampled by the same man.

Nangong Wanwan, didn’t you like the General? Didn’t you deliberately push me onto the Dragon Bed to get the General?

But what was the result?

You can’t escape either!

I have become a defiled flower, and you are also a sullied body. What I wanted, I cannot get, and neither can you.

But I am the Princess! What are you? How dare you compare yourself to me?

Nangong Wanwan.

Nangong Wanwan!

The Princess’s feelings for Nangong Wanwan were no longer simple master-servant affection. It was complicated to the point of being indescribable: the bond of mutual support in a foreign land, the hatred of being betrayed in love, the pain of betrayal, and the empathetic agony of watching Nangong Wanwan be trampled.

These complex emotions made the Princess feel as if her heart was being cut by a knife. She could neither recklessly try to save Nangong Wanwan nor remain completely indifferent.

Nangong Wanwan was pulled into the Emperor of Liang’s embrace. Under the candlelight, that face covered in thick makeup actually revealed a brilliant blush, like an innocent young girl falling into the arms of her beloved, every breath teeming with ambiguity.

“Yo-your Majesty, the candlelight is too bright. Th-this servant is shy.”

Nangong Wanwan wasn’t truly shy. She was just afraid that the bright candlelight would reveal the horrifying whip marks on her body to the Emperor.

The Princess was the one pushed onto the Dragon Bed by Nangong Wanwan, yet Nangong Wanwan had been beaten like this. If the Emperor of Liang discovered this, the consequences would be unimaginable.

The Emperor of Liang looked down with old eyes at the shy beauty in his arms. For a moment, he was touched by the maidenly demureness of her flying red cheeks. He waved his hand, signaling the maids to extinguish several palace candles.