Ch 30: Is There Really Such a Good Thing? [QT]

Shen Yunxuan laughed at the thought of Shen Yunrui but quickly dismissed her from her mind. She focused her energy on working with her assistant, Xiao Qi, to develop the plot of land in the western part of the city. Huo Siheng, impressed by her creative yet practical ideas, entrusted her with overseeing Huo Corporation’s projects in the same area.

Having seen how the western city developed in her previous life, Shen Yunxuan already knew which government offices, schools, and residential areas would move there, as well as the most popular commercial street designs. From the start, she worked to create the ideal layout, avoiding any detours.

Her proposed designs and vision for the future amazed everyone involved in the project. If her plans came to fruition, the two construction projects would undoubtedly bring enormous profits.

Once the two projects were on track, Shen Yunxuan launched a short-video and livestreaming platform. As she had been reborn 20 years earlier, this type of platform was still in its infancy, lacking the large user base and profitability it would later achieve. Many doubted her choice, dismissing it as a poor decision and claiming the market was already saturated.

However, Shen Yunrui’s heart sank. How had she overlooked such a lucrative opportunity? Anything destined for success in the future, yet underdeveloped now, could yield massive profits. While she had been focusing on smaller ventures, she had missed out on this golden chance.

But why had Shen Yunxuan decided to create such a platform? Did she truly possess such foresight, or was she also reborn?

---

Even if Shen Yunrui wanted to investigate, she could no longer reach Shen Yunxuan. After several failed attempts to get past her secretary, she realized they now lived in completely different worlds. To meet Shen Yunxuan, she would need to schedule an appointment well in advance, with no guarantee of success. Shen Yunxuan was constantly busy, her whereabouts hard to track, leaving Shen Yunrui frustrated and feeling increasingly inferior.

Fueled by determination, Shen Yunrui returned home and proposed creating a short-video platform to Lin Huaizhi. “I’m the one reborn,” she insisted, “and I know which platforms will succeed. I can definitely outperform Shen Yunxuan.”

But Lin Huaizhi, overwhelmed with problems from the Xinghui deal, retorted, “We’ve sunk so much money into Xinghui, and now you want to start a platform? We barely have the resources to handle what we’ve got.”

“This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Shen Yunrui argued. “If we wait, others will seize the market, and it’ll be too late.”

“You’re just jealous of Mrs. Huo,” Lin Huaizhi shot back, exasperated. “Can you stop obsessing over her and focus on running our company?”

Shen Yunrui glared at him. “Why do you address her with such respect? Are you saying I can’t measure up to her?”

Lin Huaizhi shrugged. “Do you? She’s the Vice President of Huo Corporation, running her own successful business. Her capabilities are beyond doubt. Everyone at the office admires her.”

“She’s nothing special!” Shen Yunrui’s voice turned shrill. “Huo Siheng handed her credit to make her look good. Those projects aren’t hers. If she’s so talented, why hasn’t she helped the Shen family?”

Unable to reason with her, Lin Huaizhi stormed out, leaving her fuming. To her, setbacks were part of Lin Huaizhi’s growth; since he had succeeded in their previous life, he could do so again with enough pressure.

---

Desperate for funding, Shen Yunrui approached her parents. Despite Old Master Shen’s ongoing hospitalization, Shen Guobang hesitated, angered by her recent actions. But when she confidently promised the platform could rejuvenate the Shen family, he was tempted.

The Shen family was struggling after their falling-out with the Huo family, with no partnerships and consistent losses. Banking on Shen Yunrui’s claim and the fact that she was replicating Shen Yunxuan’s strategy, Shen Guobang decided to give it a shot. If Huo Corporation backed such a platform, it had to be worthwhile.

Not long after Shen Yunxuan launched her platform, the Shen family released a similar one. They went all out, hiring celebrities and influencers at exorbitant costs to generate massive traffic. The blatant attempt to compete was shameless, earning them scorn from some. Yet others were eager to see Shen Yunxuan fail.

Even during a date with Huo Siheng, Shen Yunxuan overheard people discussing her.

“Shen Yunxuan’s been flying too high. Now her own family’s stabbing her in the back—it’s embarrassing.”

“She’s bound to lose money this time. The Shen family’s strategy of using influencers is brilliant—they’ve already gained the upper hand.”

“It’s true; no one stays on top forever. And her western city projects might not turn out as great as she expects.”

“I just can’t tell if she’s genuinely capable or just lucky—she hasn’t achieved anything substantial to prove her ability yet.”

“Some say it’s all part of Huo’s plan to make her look good—just a playful game between husband and wife.”

Their conversation was interrupted by laughter. Huo Siheng frowned, paused, and started toward them, but Shen Yunxuan stopped him. “Let it go, don’t mind them.”

Huo Siheng held her hand as they walked out and gave Yang An a look. Yang An understood immediately and would investigate who made those comments. Anyone speaking ill of Shen Yunxuan wouldn’t be working with Huo Corporation again.

This time, Shen Yunxuan didn’t protest. While she had long grown a thick skin, it still felt good to have someone standing up for her.

“Need help?” Huo Siheng asked.

She shook her head with a playful smile. “No need. Everything’s under control. A little drama like this can’t faze me!”

He smiled back, then asked, “Do you want to take over the Shen family business?”

Many people are attached to family enterprises, like second uncle Huo, who schemed for years to seize Huo Corporation. Considering how the Shen family had treated Shen Yunxuan and now competed with her so blatantly, Huo Siheng was ready to support her if she wanted to acquire it.

Caught off guard, Shen Yunxuan hesitated but shook her head. “I’m not interested. The Shen family business is a mess, and fixing it would take too much effort. It’s not worth it. Let them fend for themselves.”

“You seem pretty confident,” he said with a grin.

“Of course! There’s no way they can compete with me. Anyway, let’s not talk about them anymore. Let’s go to the amusement park—I’ve never been!” She swung his hand playfully. When she saw his smile freeze, she burst out laughing. Lately, she loved watching Huo Siheng’s reactions; no wonder so many people enjoyed dating—it added so much fun to life.

---

Yang An dropped them off at the amusement park and left, unbothered by the sight of his boss and vice president wearing cartoon hats. Their relationship had clearly shifted to a playful dynamic. He had to admit, Shen Yunxuan was impressive—not only a brilliant businesswoman but also someone who knew how to enjoy life.

While some expected Shen Yunxuan to be furious over the Shen family’s competition, she spent her days happily dating and savoring the joy of being in love.

As for the livestream platform, she stuck to her steady development plan. Platforms like this had come and gone over the years—some fleeting, some surging only to fade, and others fizzling out despite the hype. Success wasn’t just about attracting traffic; it required sustainable growth, something Shen Yunxuan understood deeply from analyzing two decades of successful cases in her previous life.

She focused on creating a smooth user experience and a robust backend. Her platform featured diverse content: comedy, pets, travel vlogs, daily routines, educational tidbits, consumer reviews, and even investigative exposés. This variety kept users hooked, browsing entertaining videos, watching livestreams, and shopping seamlessly—all in one convenient platform.

Meanwhile, the Shen family scrambled to copy her approach. However, their efforts angered influencers, who felt the promised traffic wasn’t being delivered. Their platform also suffered from technical issues—its recommendation algorithms failed, and users kept seeing content they didn’t like. Navigating the platform was cumbersome, with poorly placed buttons for shopping and payments.

Naturally, users migrated to Shen Yunxuan’s platform, where everything was intuitive and enjoyable. Within months, her platform gained unstoppable momentum, while the Shen family’s began bleeding money after an initial burst of profit.

---

At a banquet, Shen Yunxuan and Huo Siheng were treated as honored guests, while the Shen family, struggling for investment, had barely secured an invitation through connections. They wandered around, largely ignored, and were even mocked by attendees.

“How come you Shen family folks don’t have Shen Yunxuan’s brains?” someone quipped.

Another chimed in, “I can’t believe how fast Shen made her platform a success. Her vision and skills are truly admirable. I don’t understand how your family mistook a gem for a pebble and drove her to cut ties. If you hadn’t, she’d probably be helping you make money right now.”

Shen Guobang and Madam Shen’s faces turned sour, yet they had no rebuttal. They regretted their actions too—how could they have known Huo Siheng was pretending back then? At the time, wasn’t it reasonable to ask for some benefits before offering protection to Shen Yunxuan and Madam Huo? Sure, they might have asked for too much, but wasn’t it standard for the Huo family to negotiate for a better deal? Did it really warrant cutting ties over this?

But now, with everything laid bare before everyone, it was clear the Shen family was in the wrong. They had pushed Shen Yunxuan too far, leaving her utterly disappointed and severing ties with them. No matter what they said now, it was too late; all they could do was desperately search for ways to salvage the Shen family business.

Standing beside them, Shen Yunrui found the comments particularly grating. “Mistaking a pearl for a pebble”? Did that mean the Shen family had misplaced their care and affection? That Shen Yunxuan was the pearl while she was the pebble?

Irritated, Shen Yunrui retorted, “It’s not over yet. Just because the Shen family stumbled here doesn’t mean we can’t rise elsewhere.”

Madam Shen frowned and pulled her aside, whispering, “Stop saying such things. We can’t afford to offend anyone right now.”

Shen Yunrui, however, was full of confidence. Recently inspired by the livestream platform, she had been brainstorming future trends, identifying years when educational platforms, baby products, pet healthcare, livestream e-commerce, and ultra-low-price shopping apps would dominate. She believed that if she tackled them one by one, at least one would succeed, compensating for all her current losses. This conviction made her defiant, unlike the submissive and apologetic demeanor of Shen Guobang and Madam Shen.

At that moment, Lin Huaizhi approached with a dark expression. Shen Yunrui, recalling the Xinghui deal, asked, “How’s the company? Haven’t the problems been resolved?”

Lin Huaizhi snapped, “Resolve them? Why did you even fight so hard for the Xinghui deal? It was riddled with issues from the start, and now those issues are ours! I’ve tried everything, but there’s no solution. Our company is on the brink of bankruptcy!”

Shen Yunrui was shocked. She had been so preoccupied with the livestream platform and reminiscing about her past life that she hadn’t paid attention to how Lin Huaizhi was handling the company. In just a few months, the company was already collapsing?

How is that possible? In her previous life, the Xinghui deal was a success! He even earned the respect of Xinghui’s boss, who introduced him to numerous connections and opportunities. How could it turn out like this?

Suspicious, she asked, “Did you really put your heart into it? Focus and think harder. You—”

“Enough!” Lin Huaizhi glared at her through gritted teeth. “Xinghui’s boss, Liang, isn’t giving us another chance. Don’t you know? Liang despises wealthy women who play with feelings because he was abandoned by one in his youth. When we first got the deal, he said he gave it to us because he heard we were deeply in love, a destined couple. He even said he’d support us even if we faltered.

“But just now, he said he’s utterly disappointed after learning more about us. He suspects you cheated on me with Huo Siheng and married me to find a ‘fallback guy.’ He says you’re exactly the kind of person he despises, and I’m a useless coward. Not only will he not help us, but he’s also holding us accountable for the failed project!”

On her way to the restroom, Shen Yunxuan overheard this conversation. She paused, meeting Shen Yunrui’s shocked gaze before arching her brows and continuing on her way.

Shen Yunrui stood frozen, unable to speak, as the truth began to unravel in her mind. In her past life, shortly after Shen Yunxuan’s marriage, she had returned to the Shen family to complain about the Lin family and express her desire for a divorce. However, Old Master Shen had scolded her, hitting her with a cane and demanding she fulfill her duty of gratitude.

At the time, Shen Yunxuan had only secured a small, unprofitable collaboration for the Shen family, failing to halt their decline. This led Shen Guobang and Madam Shen to support her return, promising to arrange a more beneficial marriage for her.

Shen Yunrui had been pleased back then, treating Shen Yunxuan as a tool to be used and discarded. But she hadn’t expected Shen Yunxuan to rebel, severing ties with the family and returning to the Lin household. The next thing she’d heard was that Lin Huaizhi had started a business in the capital, secured the Xinghui deal, and risen as a respected businessman with Liang’s support. The story of his harmonious marriage with Shen Yunxuan had even become a celebrated tale.

Now, in this life, it all clicked. If Liang had given the deal because of their supposed love, then wasn’t it the same in the past? Had Lin Huaizhi and Shen Yunxuan faked their harmony to secure the deal? Had they orchestrated this charade to impress Liang, avoid Old Master Shen’s meddling, and dodge the Shen family’s attempts to manipulate her marriage?

The more Shen Yunrui thought about it, the colder she felt. It made sense—this explained why Shen Yunxuan initially wanted a divorce but later appeared to have a great relationship with Lin Huaizhi. Their “love” must have been an act for Liang’s benefit and a convenient escape from the Shen family’s grasp.

What if the truth behind all this is entirely different from what it seems? And if this is the case, could other things also not be as they appear?

Shen Yunrui was starting to panic. Her sense of superiority had always stemmed from her knowledge of future events, granted by her rebirth. But now she was beginning to realize that much of what she thought she knew might have been wrong. Could it all have been an illusion?

What about Lin Huaizhi? Was the Lin family’s rise truly his accomplishment?

As she recalled all the praise and admiration directed at Shen Yunxuan—how even Huo Siheng acknowledged her exceptional business acumen—and compared it to Lin Huaizhi’s lack of achievements, to the point of driving the company to bankruptcy, her heart began to race with a terrifying realization.

Could it have been Shen Yunxuan who built up the Lin family? Was Lin Huaizhi merely a front she used all along?

It made sense—everything would fall into place if that were true. Perhaps at first, Shen Yunxuan had simply wanted to distance herself from the Shen family and used Lin Huaizhi to shield herself from their interference. Over time, she might have simply let him keep the title of CEO out of indifference.

Shen Yunrui also thought about how, in the previous life, Shen Yunxuan had initially complained about the Lin family but later seemed to have won their favor. This life’s Madam Huo also treated her exceptionally well. The pattern suggested it wasn’t the in-laws who were inherently good—it was Shen Yunxuan’s skill in winning them over.

A chill ran down Shen Yunrui’s spine. If this was the truth, then what did her hard-fought marriage to Lin Huaizhi mean? Had she scrambled to win only to end up with worthless garbage?

Madam Shen noticed her discomfort and asked, “Are you cold? Are you feeling unwell?”

Shen Yunrui’s mind buzzed, and she shook her head before striding toward the restroom. She needed to confront Shen Yunxuan. She wasn’t even sure what she wanted to ask, but at this moment, she simply had to see her.

In the restroom, Shen Yunxuan was touching up her makeup when Shen Yunrui stormed in, visibly agitated.

Turning on the recorder on her phone in secret, Shen Yunrui grabbed Shen Yunxuan’s wrist and whispered harshly, “You know everything, don’t you? You’ve been watching me make a fool of myself this whole time, laughing at me inside, haven’t you?”

Shen Yunxuan had already decided she would never admit to being reborn in this lifetime, so she calmly shook off Shen Yunrui’s grip and said, “You always spout these nonsensical things. Maybe there’s something wrong with your mental health. I suggest you see a doctor—get it treated if it’s an illness.”

Unwilling to back down, Shen Yunrui pressed on, “That day when I told you Lin Huaizhi had secured the Xinghui deal, did you find it funny? Did you already know we’d go bankrupt?”

Shen Yunxuan neither confirmed nor denied it. Instead, she replied, “You’ve been in business for a while now. How can you still be so naive? The business world changes in an instant. Every project’s success or failure has countless factors behind it. Securing a deal doesn’t guarantee success—it depends on how you handle it. Why would I know beforehand?

“What I do know is that your impatience and short-sightedness make success very unlikely. And wasting your energy on pointless things won’t help you at all.

“Like now—why are you even here? What do you hope to achieve?”

Shen Yunrui was left speechless. Why had she sought out Shen Yunxuan? To test whether she was reborn? But as Shen Yunxuan pointed out, what good would that do? It wouldn’t save her failing company, nor would it help her in any meaningful way.

If Shen Yunxuan really were reborn, it would only make things worse. Both of them had been given a second chance at life, yet Shen Yunrui was a mess, while Shen Yunxuan thrived. What did that mean? It meant Shen Yunxuan had always been far superior to her—no matter the circumstances.

Unable to accept this, she glared at Shen Yunxuan and moved to push her.

Just then, Huo Siheng, who had come looking for Shen Yunxuan after waiting too long, walked in and saw the scene. He quickly pulled Shen Yunxuan to his side and asked with concern, “Are you okay?”

Shen Yunxuan shook her head. “I’m fine. We were just talking.”

Huo Siheng sighed in relief and shielded her behind him. Frowning, he said, “Mrs. Lin, were you trying to harm Yunxuan? It seems the lesson from your last trip to the police station wasn’t enough.”

This scene was utterly unbearable for Shen Yunrui. The husband who had ignored her in their past life now treated Shen Yunxuan like a treasure in this one. Feeling utterly crushed, she lashed out, “You’re faking this, aren’t you? Pretending to be affectionate for show, right? It’s all an act! You couldn’t possibly love her!”

Huo Siheng’s frown deepened. He guided Shen Yunxuan away, muttering under his breath, “Stay away from her in the future. She doesn’t seem mentally stable.”

Holding back her laughter, Shen Yunxuan nodded.

Shen Yunrui overheard this and felt as if her heart would explode. When Lin Huaizhi arrived to find her, she shoved him away in frustration and stormed out. She couldn’t accept the truths she was piecing together. She couldn’t bear the thought of being a joke who had bet on the wrong person.

She had to turn things around. She still knew so much about the future—there was no way she couldn’t succeed!

🌸˚˖𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒✧🩷˚⋆