Chapter 58 (The Story Behind Chapter 58)

Suddenly, Shi Yuan burst out laughing, seemingly lost in thought.

"What's wrong?" Shi Ling asked curiously.

Shi Yuan said, "Huan Ni Ran and Wen Shi Mei Li both said they would support me." Her tone was full of boastfulness. "So, the location of the shop is not important, and whether the business is good or not is not important either."

"The important thing is that I like her!" She's someone who takes care of her!

Shi Ling smiled and glanced at Shi Yuan without saying anything. She put down her chopsticks and went to her room. When she came out, she handed Shi Yuan a handkerchief-wrapped package: "Here you go."

Shi Yuan curiously opened the handkerchief, and inside were two small yellow croakers!

Shi Ling said, "Go ahead and do it, I can support you!"

Shi Yuan's subordinate, Xiao Huangyu, hugged Shi Ling tightly: "Thank you, Mom!"

This way, she felt even less pressure.

The next day, as she was humming a song while watering the flowers in the courtyard, her neighbor came and knocked on the door.

"Girl, we're selling our courtyard house too. Do you know anyone who might want to buy it?" the neighbor asked hesitantly, holding a bowl of dumplings.

In those days, information was extremely underdeveloped. There were many people buying and selling houses in the northern part of the city, but they almost never met.

So, when the old lady wanted to sell her house, the first person she thought of was Shi Yuan.

"You're selling your house too?" Shi Yuan was surprised. This old lady was not young. Surely she wasn't going to chase after the moon overseas?

"Yes, my son was transferred to the south, and my daughter-in-law gave birth to another boy. My husband and I are going to take care of our grandson." The old lady happily handed the dumplings in her hand to Shi Yuan. "Girl, you're a good person, and the price you gave me back then was fair. That's why I wanted to ask if anyone you know is interested in buying a house?"

"Yes!" Shi Yuan answered immediately; she could buy it herself!

This is a traditional courtyard house! A rare find indeed!

"Auntie, please name your price."

"Huh?" The old woman was stunned for a moment, then overjoyed. "Girl, you want to buy it?"

"Yes, the two families originally shared a wall. Perfect, I'll buy it, open an archway in the wall, and the two families can merge into one."

The neighbor lady was afraid that Shi Yuan would change his mind, so she took the dumplings home, took out the deed, and said she would go with Shi Yuan to change the name. She didn't want to wait a moment longer.

"Daughter, the two houses are about the same size, and mine even has an extra well. I won't ask for more; the price will be the same as yours, okay?"

Shi Yuan nodded in agreement. In fact, the housing prices in the vicinity had already risen slightly, but because there were few transactions, the prices fluctuated quite a bit.

She wasn't exactly taking advantage of the older woman; she was in such a hurry to sell, and anyone else would have tried to negotiate a lower price.

After signing the agreement, the deed was completed on the same day, and Shi Yuan successfully owned two courtyard houses. At the same time, she decided where to open her shop, which was in the newly purchased courtyard house next door.

This address is very friendly to Shiyuan!

You should know that she has many people supporting her; opening a small shop is more of an ideal and a pursuit.

Imagine this: she opens her business quietly, without setting off any signs or firecrackers, and all her customers are regulars. Occasionally, someone will come because they've heard about her. She's at home, just like she said, with an archway in the courtyard wall. If someone calls out from the other side, she can go over there.

As for who will be in charge of the store? Even if Ran Wenhuanni and Shi Meili are short-handed, Feng Yan can fill in!

When she felt drowsy in spring and tired in autumn, she would take a nap on the recliner in the yard. If there was no business, she would kill an afternoon like this. When there was business, she would get up and greet customers.

Whether it's the sweltering heat or the bitter cold, she doesn't even need to hang up a "Holiday at the Boss's House" sign. She can simply close the door and take Huan Ni and the others to escape the heat and winter. They can come back whenever they've had their fill of fun and find the climate in the northern city pleasant.

The infrastructure of the Flower Kingdom is world-renowned. I believe that in a few years, travel will become more convenient. At that time, she will travel around to see the sights and enjoy the scenery of various parts of the Flower Kingdom.

Thinking about it this way, I instantly felt full of motivation.

Just as Shi Yuan was daydreaming while holding the newly issued contract, Huan Ni and Ran Wen returned with grave expressions.

"What's wrong?" Shi Yuan poured them tea and asked, "Is there really something wrong with Kang Nian'en?"

Huan Ni nodded: "She seems to have the ability to foresee the future."

"Huh?" Shi Yuan asked, puzzled.

Ran Wen added: "She waited on the street early this morning and rescued a woman who was being harassed by a homeless man."

Shi Yuan read through the original story and had a vague impression of it. It seemed that the female protagonist was very helpful and would always lend a hand when she saw injustice, which led her to make many friends of high status.

"Which family does this woman belong to?" Shi Yuan asked.

“The Chang family of Beicheng,” Ran Wen said. “The Chang family that has been investigating the cause of Ji Shuyang’s death.”

Shi Yuan had a deep impression of the Chang family. At that time, some people wanted to protect Gu Dingbei, but it was the patriarch of the Chang family who stepped forward to demand a fair and just trial, which led to Gu Dingbei's conviction.

Therefore, she had a fairly good impression of the Chang family.

The Chang family is a level above the Gu and Mo families. Kang Nian'en is not the metaphysical master who can do whatever she wants in the story. What does she want to do by getting involved with the Chang family?

"You said Kang Nian'en has the ability to foresee the future?" Shi Yuan asked Huan Ni.

Huan Ni nodded: "Ran Wen and I could tell at a glance that she had been keeping to her word for a long time." After thinking for a moment, she added, "Of course, it's also possible that she inquired about Comrade Chang's whereabouts from someone."

Shi Yuan nodded: "I'm quite curious, what does she want to do by getting involved with Comrade Chang?"

If anything were to happen to the Chang family, they would naturally ask the Seventh Division for help. Even with the debt of gratitude for their assistance, it wouldn't be the Chang family's business for a self-taught Xuan Master like Kang Nian'en to handle.

Wait a moment!

She seemed to know what Kang Nian'en was going to do!

If she remembers correctly, the male lead's surname is Chang!

Kang Nian'en probably didn't want to show off her strength as a Xuan Master, but rather her real intention was to target Chang Hui, the young man from the Chang family who had already accumulated a lot of honors!

But Kang Nian'en's single status is her biggest stain, and the Chang family would never accept her. Why would she think that Chang Hui would accept her?

Unless she is confident enough to convince Chang Hui!

Shi Yuan had reason to suspect that Kang Nian'en had awakened, or rather, been reborn? Or perhaps she had transmigrated like her?

"Let's go, let's go meet her!"

On the way to find Kang Nian'en, Shi Yuan told her about her plan to buy the courtyard house next door and open a small shop there.

“That’s a great idea!” Huan Ni immediately gave her approval. “I’ve always wanted the shop to be close to our home.”

Ran Wen also said, "Whoever is free can watch the shop then, which will save us a lot of trouble."

Shi Meili declared her loyalty: "I'll guard the shop, I love guarding the shop the most!"

Shi Yuan explained her plan: "I plan to put a color TV in the store, so that no one will feel bored when they are minding the store."

She herself doesn't like watching TV much, so she didn't buy a color TV for her courtyard house. The neighbors can put one on, and Huan Ni and the others can watch it when they're bored while minding the shop.

Kang Nian'en still lives in the same place. In this era, there aren't many people as wealthy as Shi Yuan who can afford to buy a house with so much money.

This is another point of confusion for Shi Yuan. According to Shi Ling's description, Kang Nian'en has been awakened for at least half a year. Given the female lead's cunning and abilities in the story, she shouldn't be unable to find a better place to settle down.

As Shi Yuan parked his car, he saw a tall, handsome young man bringing Kang Nian'en back.

"Could that be Chang Hui?" Huan Ni whispered.

Shi Yuan shook her head. She didn't know Chang Hui, but she could tell that Kang Nian'en got along well with the young man.

"Kang Nian'en, I need to talk to you," Shi Yuan said as she walked over.

"Then I'll be going now, see you later." After saying that, the young man nodded to Shi Yuan and left without asking any more questions.

It seems that he and Kang Nian'en have not yet established a close relationship.

"What do you want?" Kang Nian'en crossed her arms, her attitude towards Shi Yuan was completely different from when she was at the Shi family's old house, now filled with disdain.

It's that kind of disdain for an opponent who has been defeated.

Shi Yuan raised an eyebrow, feeling more certain of her guess: "Are you sure you want to say it here?" She looked at Kang Nian'en with a half-smile, wondering what the other was looking down on. She wasn't the one in a bad situation right now.

"I don't have any secrets that I can't let people know," Kang Nian'en said frankly. "It doesn't matter where we talk about it."

“But you are.” She looked Shi Yuan up and down. “You are a soulless person, not a fool. It’s one thing to say that you have regained your senses and fool those who don’t know the truth, but stop deceiving yourself.”

"I don't need to tell you what your composition is, do I?"

“Actually, even if you hadn’t come looking for me, I would have come looking for you.” Kang Nian’en had a confident air about her, as if she had everything under control. “Give me some money, and I promise I won’t reveal your secret.”

Shi Yuan chuckled. Where did Kang Nian'en get the confidence to think she could threaten her?

That makes sense. She's the female lead, and she's awakened again, so she probably knows a lot about the future. She was a Xuan Master before, and she must have been a Xuan Master with real skills. It wouldn't be difficult for someone like her to deal with another person.

But what makes her think that she'll get a chance to climb the ladder?

She's here to settle scores and get revenge, okay?

She has always been bothered by the fact that Shi Ling entrusted Shi Yuan to Kang Mingfeng in the story, and Shi Ling is definitely not Kang Mingfeng's so-called white moonlight!

She had thought that some secrets could only be buried in time and that she would never be able to see the truth. But unexpectedly, things took a turn for the better and Kang Nian'en would awaken. This was truly wonderful news!

Otherwise, she would always feel a little regretful somewhere in her heart.

Shi Yuan replied to Kang Nian'en, "Then what about your secret?"

How much money are you going to give me to shut me up?

"What secrets do I have!" The voice was now tinged with exasperation. "You're not Shi Yuan at all!"

Shi Yuan shook her head and said with a faint smile, "If you had said this more than five years ago, some people might have cared." At that time, the Wu family was still in Beicheng, and if her identity was questionable, it would indeed have caused her some trouble.

But then again, if Shi Ling acknowledges her identity, then she is Shi Yuan!

Because in this world, the person who understands Shi Yuan best is Shi Ling! She says Shi Yuan is real, and therefore she is real!

Even after Kang Nian'en revealed Shi Yuan's identity in the newspaper, Shi Yuan remained completely unfazed.

Nonsense! Did she spend the past five years just loafing around in the Seventh Division's compound, collecting her salary?

Of course, that's not all!

She also completed many tasks, met many people, and most importantly, the name Shi Yuan was associated with adjectives such as "talisman master" and "extraordinary skills".

She has already established her reputation and has the Seventh Division as her backing. Even if the Seventh Division is integrated into the Seventh Group, that will still give her confidence.

It is said that the appearance of strange demons in the Flower Kingdom has decreased, but they have not disappeared. When those old masters are nowhere to be found in Changbai Mountain, it is still the hidden masters like her who are easy to find!

Shi Yuan wasn't afraid at all!

"And what about you?" Shi Yuan's attitude remained calm. "Have you awakened? Or been reborn? Or perhaps you possessed Kang Nian'en's body!"

"You're talking nonsense!"

Shi Yuan smiled, but the smile didn't reach her eyes: "Then guess who everyone will believe?"

Kang Nian'en fell silent. As long as the rumor spread that Shi Yuan wasn't Kang Nian'en, everyone would believe it. But if she said that Shi Yuan wasn't Shi Yuan, who would care?

Her shoulders finally slumped: "Let's find somewhere to talk."

Shi Yuan took her to the mountains outside Beijing. Kang Nian'en frowned and said, "You're not planning to kill me here so you can easily bury my body in the wilderness, are you?"

"That possibility can't be ruled out either." Shi Yuan crossed her arms and leaned against the car door. "Go ahead and say it."

"say what?"

"That's something I want to know, of course."

Kang Nian'en avoided Shi Yuan's eyes: "I don't know what you want to know?"

"Back when Shi Ling first arrived in Beicheng, she met you?"

Kang Nian'en clenched her fist, about to shake her head, when she saw the tail feather of a seven-colored bird flash past her eyes. Then, she saw a scene before her eyes where she had lied to Shi Yuan and been exposed, and then Shi Yuan actually left her dead in the wilderness.

The scene was so realistic that even she, a famous metaphysician in her previous life, couldn't see any flaws.

Kang Nian'en hesitated, but finally nodded and said, "It was a coincidence that I met Shi Ling and her daughter."

In his past life, Kang Mingfeng and Xie Minyin's relationship was never exposed. He was a dedicated and helpful police officer, so when he saw Shi Ling, who was pale and swaying, with Shi Yuan who knew nothing, Kang Mingfeng decisively stepped in to help in order to maintain his image.

At that time, Shi Ling was already unable to get out of bed. Kang Mingfeng's identity as a police officer made her trust him more, and she asked Kang Mingfeng to help her find the Sheng family.

She and Sheng Yunhua had been friends since childhood and knew each other very well. She felt very reassured entrusting Shi Yuan to Sheng Yunhua.

Unfortunately, Kang Mingfeng told her that, given his status, he couldn't pass on the message.

Shi Yuan bluntly exposed: "Kang Mingfeng didn't go to the Sheng family at all, did he?"

A hint of embarrassment flashed across Kang Nian'en's face. She didn't answer the question but continued, "Later, Shi Ling was unconscious for a long time. When she woke up again, she asked my father to find Wu Guanhai."

Although she knew that Wu Guanhai wouldn't be able to take care of Shi Yuan as meticulously as she was, she really couldn't find anyone else she could entrust her with this. After all, Wu Guanhai was Shi Yuan's biological father, wasn't he?

However, because Wu Guanhai was mentioned, Kang Mingfeng immediately went to find Xie Minyin. Through Xie Minyin, they learned about Shi Ling's identity. Crucially, Wu Guanhai and Xie Minyin had been married for many years but had no children.

If Shi Yuan were to return to the Wu family and to Wu Guanhai's side, what would be left for her?

Don't let Shi Yuan's appearance fool you; she has Wu Guanhai's blood flowing through her veins!

Find a son-in-law to live with the mentally challenged man and have a child with normal intelligence, and he can inherit everything from Wu Guanhai!

So what has she been working so hard for all these years?

"We can't let Shi Yuan go back!" She lowered her eyes, hiding the guilt in them.

She was the biggest driving force behind Shi Ling's current situation! How could she allow Shi Yuan to return to the Wu family!

"You killed Shi Ling?" Shi Yuan asked, his whole body radiating killing intent.

"No, no!" Kang Nian'en quickly denied. "She's barely clinging to life, it's not worth it."

When Kang Mingfeng continued to use the excuse that he couldn't deliver the message, Shi Ling knew that Kang Mingfeng wasn't genuinely trying to help her.

They were just strangers who met by chance, and Kang Mingfeng had no obligation to help her. He could have clearly refused to help, but he couldn't give her hope only to deceive her!

Knowing that her days were numbered, Shi Ling struggled to get up and took Shi Yuan to the Shi family's old house.

She saw Wu Guanhai get out of the car and called out to him, but her voice was drowned out by Xie Minyin, who got out of the passenger seat.

Xie Minyin saw Shi Ling, raised her eyebrows triumphantly at her, blocked Wu Guanhai's view, and led her into the Wu family's old house.

Shi Ling collapsed not far from the Shi family's old house. Even in death, she was unable to properly settle Shi Yuan's affairs!

Shi Yuan's eyes were icy: "Continue!"

Kang Nian'en shrank back slightly. She had always felt superior to Shi Yuan, partly because she had been reborn and remembered all the opportunities in her previous life, and partly because she was confident that she could once again reach the pinnacle of metaphysics.

Secondly, Shi Yuan and her daughter were her stepping stones in their past lives. Even if she makes a mistake in this life, she is confident that she can trample them down again. However, she needs time.

Unfortunately, after her rebirth, she remembered everything, including those obscure and profound techniques, but for some reason, she just couldn't grasp the essence of them.

After searching around, she discovered that the only person she could contact who understood metaphysics was Shi Ling.

Fortunately, Shi Ling was much easier to fool than in her previous life. She used a self-inflicted injury to get the other party's help, and then used gratitude to successfully win her over.

Unfortunately, Shi Yuan returned and pointed out her unusual behavior!

"After that, my dad brought Shiyuan home."

Kang Mingfeng had taken in an abandoned baby many years ago and raised him without ever getting married. He was a well-known good person in the area. So, after all these years, no one would question his adoption of an orphan with no parents.

They concealed Shi Yuan's condition, locked her in a room, and forced her to eat only a few bites of food each day just to keep her alive.

"So, Shi Yuan has never regained her senses?"

"yes."

Therefore, the scenes in the story where Shi Yuan bullies Kang Nian'en were all fabricated by Kang Mingfeng and his daughter; they deliberately spread rumors about it!

"Later, Wu Guanhai offended someone for some reason, and his uncle found someone to protect him."

After that, the Wu family gradually weakened, while Xie Minzhi gained the favor of his superiors and rose in rank.

"Xie Minzhi?" Shi Yuan searched deep in her memory for this person who had long been buried by Wu Guanhai. "Who is his superior?"

Kang Nian'en said a name.

Shi Yuan recalled that Xie Minyin had once said that she had been trained, and that there were other girls who had trained with her.

"Continue." Shi Yuan connected many things in her mind.

This includes Xie Minyin's attempt to force Kang Nian'en to "recognize her ancestors" and inherit everything from Wu Guanhai after Wu Guanhai's power weakened.

The facts were pretty much as she had analyzed.

Once the rumors outside had died down, Kang Nian'en took Shi Yuan's soul jade and pretended to be distraught as she left the Kang family. Then she "coincidentally" met Xie Minyin and was taken back to the Wu family.

They fabricated a reason that no normal person would believe: that Shi Yuan was a soulless person because her soul had entered Kang Nian'en's body, and that she was Shi Yuan, a claim that even Shi Ling acknowledged.

Kang Nian'en also presented the Soul Jade as evidence.

Wu Guanhai certainly didn't believe such nonsense, but at that time he needed to rely on Xie Minzhi in many ways, and Xie Minyin was no longer an invisible person in the Wu family.

And so, Kang Nian'en was recognized as Wu Guanhai's daughter and officially renamed Wu Nian'en.

Then began her life as a leading lady.

"Where is Shi Yuan? Did you kill her?"

“No!” Kang Nian’en said, “The closer we get to that point, the less we can afford to take lives!”

In other matters, as long as you have a high position, you can always find a way to cover things up, but not when it comes to human lives.

Once they are involved in murder, no matter how high they climb, they will be brought down.

Kang Mingfeng was particularly insistent on this point; he forbade Kang Nian'en from killing Shi Yuan and instead personally escorted him away.

"Where was it sent?"

“I don’t know,” Kang Nian’en said, avoiding Shi Yuan’s gaze. “He doesn’t allow me to interfere in Shi Yuan’s affairs.”

"You'd better tell the truth." Shi Yuan didn't believe him. "You wouldn't want me to use the same methods I used on otherworldly demons on you, would you?"

Kang Nian'en remained silent for a long time before finally saying, "He married Shi Yuan off to a family that couldn't afford to marry a wife."

Shi Yuan stepped forward and grabbed Kang Nian'en by the neck with one hand: "Was it you who suggested this?"

"No, no, I didn't!" Kang Nian'en struggled, but Shi Yuan's hands were like steel, holding her tightly, and she couldn't break free at all.

"Don't kill me!" Kang Nian'en's eyes showed horror. "I know many things about the future, and I'll tell you everything, please don't kill me!"

Shi Yuan's eyes flashed coldly, and she curled her lips into a smile: "I have absolutely no interest in anything you're talking about about the future."

Where did you marry Shi Yuan off to?

"Mountain, mountain."

Shi Yuan closed her eyes. Even a normal person would be unable to save themselves if they were sold to the mountains, let alone Shi Yuan!

She looked at Kang Nian'en, who was gradually losing her strength to struggle, and her eyes were filled with surging emotions.

If Kang Nian'en in the past was merely guilty of original sin, then Kang Nian'en in the present is not innocent!

"Do you think that not killing Shi Yuan and even finding her a good home is enough to do her a favor?"

"He's clearly a human trafficker, but he's trying to portray himself as a savior!"

"That's perfect, I'll find you a home too, that'll do you justice!" After saying that, he pressed down hard on a certain acupoint on Kang Nian'en's neck, knocking her unconscious.

"Ranwen, go and find out which village is located deep in the mountains, preferably in a place where even I can't easily escape."

Ran Wen was still furious. Upon hearing this, he didn't even stammer. He simply vanished into thin air and went to find such a great mountain.

Huan Ni rested on Shi Yuan's shoulder and whispered comfortingly, "Shi Yuan, don't blame yourself. It's the Kang family father and daughter and Xie Minyin who are being inhumane!"

"I was too soft-hearted back then. People like that should go to hell."

"Don't worry, their lives aren't going to be any better right now."

"I know, but I still can't calm down."

Xie Minyin and the others did not take direct action, but the tragedies of Shi Ling and Shi Yuan in the story were all caused by them!

Huan Ni's eyes darted around, and she suggested, "I heard that He Tian has some connections in the Northwest. Let's ask him about their fates. If it's not bad enough, we'll add to it!"