The moment I stepped into my apartment, a wave of emotions hit me so hard I almost forgot how to breathe.
Everything was still the same—the small single bed, the narrow kitchen, the old wallpaper peeling at the corners. Even the air smelled familiar, a faint mix of dust and detergent. For a long moment, I just stood by the door, staring at the room that had once been my world.
Then, before I knew it, my vision blurred and tears welled up in my eyes. In my past life, after I got together with Mo Yuzhen, I never once looked back at this place. I'd traded this small, imperfect apartment for his massive mansion.
But standing here now, I realized how wrong I'd been.
This little apartment gave me something that Mo Yuzhen's luxury never could.
Warmth.
It felt safe. It felt like home.
I walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, running my fingers over the old bedsheet. Somehow, the rough fabric made my heart ache and heal at the same time.
It felt good to be back. It felt good to have a second chance.
I took a deep breath, my mind spinning in several directions. Fate had given me a do-over; I knew I could not mess this up. This time, I had three goals.
1. Become an actress and stand on my own two feet.
This time, I didn't want to play the housewife role or let anyone tell me, "Without me, what are you?" or "You have no identity." This time, I wanted my own name, my own fame, my own worth.
2. Stay far, far away from Mo Yuzhen.
I refused to repeat the same mistake again. I didn't want to become the pathetic wife of a scumbag ever again.
3. To find the identity of that mystery woman—the one who destroyed my life.
Since I'd gone back four years in time, I had a chance to change everything. And last night, I'd already managed to avoid her trap by not falling into Mo Yuzhen's arms.
Sure, I accidentally fell into someone else's instead… someone who turned out to be a certified mental case—but hey, at least it wasn't Mo Yuzhen.
But, thinking about the hate I had seen in that woman's eyes, I knew she wouldn't stop. After learning I'd slipped out of her trap, she would come after me again.
I had to stay alert. My enemy was in the dark, while I was standing in plain sight.
But one question still gnawed at me—why Mo Yuzhen? Why was she so obsessed with pushing me toward him? Why him and not someone else? Was there something deeper behind it? Some hidden reason?
That was something I needed to uncover, too.
While I was lost in thought, the doorbell suddenly rang. I frowned. Who could that be? I wasn't expecting anyone.
Wiping away the last of my tears, I stood up and walked toward the door. My hand hovered over the knob for a moment before I finally opened it.
The second I saw the person standing outside, my heart gave a soft jolt. A familiar face stood on the other side. One that I hadn't seen in years.
My throat tightened, and before I knew it, I was crying again. Tears spilled down my cheeks as I threw my arms around her.
"Yun Si!" I sobbed, my voice breaking. "Waaah! I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry! You were right! I should have listened to you... woo.....please forgive me!"
Yes, the person standing at my door was Yun Si—my best friend, my agent, my sister in everything but blood.
In my past life, she was the only one who truly cared about me. And I had pushed her away. Thinking about all the stupid things I'd done, all the times I'd ignored her warnings, made me cry even harder.
Yun Si and I were both orphans. We'd grown up together, side by side, like sisters joined at the hip—though honestly, she'd always been more of an older sister to me, the responsible one.
I'd dreamed of being an actress, and she'd dreamed of being my agent. We joined the same company—Phoenix Entertainment Group.
By some miracle or call it fate, I became her first artist. That was the start of our dream. But then, Mo Yuzhen happened. He slipped into my life like poison disguised as perfume.
While he was pursuing me, I was chasing my dreams. But I started after we got together. From the start, Yun Si disapproved. She warned me over and over again, telling me nothing good would come from dating a playboy.
"Don't get involved with him, Xiyu. He's trouble."
I remembered laughing at her, brushing it off. "Don't worry. I'm not serious, Sisi. He gets what he wants, and I get what I want."
At the beginning of our relationship, I was still a sober-minded person, chasing after my dreams. But the changes started after he proposed.
He got serious, and I fell in love. Suddenly, my focus shifted, and everything revolved around him. I was no longer a career-focused woman, but a love-sick, brain-fool.
She told me to break up before it was too late. She warned me that he was not the right guy for me. I didn't listen.
I could still remember the several fights we had, with her trying to change my mind. I could remember my rebellious words and how I wanted to prove her wrong.
The last blow came after my wedding, when I chose to give up my career because of his mother. That was the first time I saw real disappointment in Yun Si's eyes.
"You are making a big mistake, Xiyu," she'd said quietly. "Loving someone is fine, but if you're the only one making sacrifices, that's not love—it's self-destruction."
That was the last thing she said to me before she walked away. After that, we went our separate ways. But now, seeing her again, standing infront of me, I could barely stop crying.
How could I have chosen Mo Yuzhen over Yun Si?
How could I have been so stupid to trade my best friend for a playboy scumbag who didn't deserve a second of my love?
Love really does make people stupid.
I sniffled and wiped my tears, silently making a promise to myself—this time, I was going to be a career-minded woman. No more nonsense. No more men. Just money, fame, and peace.
Why chase men when you can chase money?
Just then, Yun Si grabbed my arm and pushed me back. Her sharp eyes scanned me from head to toe like a detective examining a suspect.
I smiled nervously. "Sisi—"
"Tang Xiyu," she interrupted, voice cold and eyes narrowed. "What did you do last night that you're apologizing for? Be honest!"
I froze, my lips parting slightly. Before I could say a word, her eyes widened. In one swift motion, she tugged down my collar.
"Wait—Sisi!" I yelped.
Her gaze froze on my neck. "…Is that a hickey?!"
I blinked slowly, as realization dawned.
Well....
Crap.