Ch 132: Is There Really Such a Good Thing? [QT]

After finishing her show recording, Zhou Yunxuan was forcibly escorted back to the Xie family home by bodyguards. She panicked and, no matter how much she cursed, threatened, or tried to persuade them, neither the bodyguards, driver, nor assistant listened to her. Only then did she realize that the Xie family had equipped her with such a complete team of staff not to care for her but to control her.

In the Xie family’s basement, Zhou Yunxuan saw their cold and indifferent faces for the first time.

“What are you doing? Why are you detaining me? Aren’t you afraid I’ll hate you for this?”

Xie Hengchen’s sister sneered and slapped her across the face. “I’ve been wanting to do that for ages. You really think you’re some priceless treasure? Always putting on airs and showing me attitude. Don’t play dumb—you killed my brother’s son and broke the formation. Did you think you could fool everyone?”

Zhou Yunxuan scanned their expressions one by one. “What do you want, then?”

Mother Xie said coldly, “If you won’t comply willingly, we’ll force you. You already know everything, so you’ll stay here and serve as the blood source for the family.”

Zhou Yunxuan laughed bitterly. “Everyone online already knows how poorly the Xie family treats me. If I suddenly disappear, the Xie family will be the first suspects.”

“Who cares?” Xie Hengchen’s elder brother interrupted dismissively. “We’ll just find a woman my brother likes and make her look like you. Then we’ll show off our happy family life and take some photos at public events. Everyone will think you’re living the dream.”

Zhou Yunxuan stared at him in shock. In that moment, all the unanswered questions from her past life suddenly clicked.

So, all the “happiness” she had believed Shen Yunxuan had wasn’t fake because Shen Yunxuan was acting—it was fake because someone else had been made to look like her. Thinking back, Xie Hengchen’s son from her past life didn’t resemble Shen Yunxuan at all, nor did he look much like Xie Hengchen. He resembled that mistress instead.

It all made sense. Shen Yunxuan had been imprisoned in her past life and used as a “blood source,” while the glamorous Mrs. Xie was actually the mistress with cosmetic surgery. And the child? Xie Hengchen’s illegitimate son!

In that instant, Zhou Yunxuan felt like the biggest joke in the world. She had spent years envying Shen Yunxuan in her past life, only to use her rebirth to steal Shen Yunxuan’s fate. But instead of gaining a peaceful life, she had leaped straight into a fiery pit.

Zhou Yunxuan suddenly burst into laughter, her tears streaming uncontrollably. The Xie family members frowned and instinctively took a step back, suspecting she had gone mad.

Only when she was gasping for air did Zhou Yunxuan stop laughing. She pointed at the door and coldly ordered them to leave. Once they were gone, she sat on the ground, clutching her stomach, and yanked off a newly worn pendant around her neck, smashing it to pieces.

Far away, Ling Zhi immediately sensed danger. After calculating the situation, he realized it was the work of Xuan Qing and the Xie family. A dangerous smile crept onto his face. “So, Xuan Qing wants to protect the Xie family? Fine, I’ll destroy them instead.”

Meanwhile, the Xie family had already terminated Zhou Yunxuan’s contract with the show. The director quickly approached Shen Yunxuan, hoping she could help select another observer.

Shen Yunxuan said meaningfully, “No need—she’ll be back soon.”

“What do you mean? She’s already been removed from the show, hasn’t she?” The director paused, then suddenly realized. “Wait, was it not her choice? Was it the Xie family?”

Shen Yunxuan smiled. “Don’t worry. She’ll bring a lot of attention to the show. Nothing major will happen until filming is complete.”

Reassured by her words, the production team carried on. The next day, viewers noticed Zhou Yunxuan’s empty seat during the recording and began speculating.

[Where’s Zhou Yunxuan? Did she take a leave of absence?]

[Did Zhou Yunxuan mess up? Why did she vanish so quietly? Fans, what’s going on?]

[As a fan, I have no idea. Director, can you explain? Yunxuan loved this show—there’s no way she’d just quit. Is she unwell?]

[Could it be that she got scared and stressed herself out, affecting the pregnancy?]

The director relayed the viewers’ questions to the panelists. Hao Jing explained, “Yunxuan’s family said she wouldn’t be participating in the remaining recordings. As for the specific reason, we weren’t told, so we’re not sure either.”

[Her family? Didn’t her husband cheat on her and have an illegitimate child? And the Xie family treats her poorly? What’s going on? The more I think about this, the creepier it gets.]

[This is terrifying. Is this like a real-life version of The Vanishing Wife? Somebody, call the police!]

[Master Shen, please save Yunxuan! She may have wronged you before, but we fans apologize on her behalf. Please, help her!]

[Yes, please save her!]

Zhou Yunxuan’s fans began spamming the live chat. Their frantic messages showed how worried they were. The director informed Shen Yunxuan of the situation, and she quickly reassured everyone. “I’ve already foreseen that Zhou Yunxuan’s fate is good. She’ll face danger but come out of it unscathed. Don’t worry.”

[Thank goodness. That was such a scare.]

[I hope we see Yunxuan soon. It’s obvious the Xie family forced her out of the show. The Xie family is shameless—we should all boycott them.]

[Right! Xie Hengchen is such a scumbag. The Xie family better release Yunxuan, or we’ll make sure they go bankrupt!]

The collective power of the fans was immense. A story about a possible case of exploitation by powerful figures drew widespread attention, even from casual onlookers. Soon, the Xie family was trending on social media. Naturally, they also saw Shen Yunxuan’s comments.

Shen Yunxuan’s fortune-telling skills were now beyond question. When the Xie family saw her public statement that Zhou Yunxuan would escape danger, they were perplexed. After a discussion, they concluded that the person who helped break the formation on Zhou Yunxuan would likely come to rescue her. To prevent this, they added ten more bodyguards to guard her in the basement.

Old Master Xie, furious about the damage to the Xie family’s reputation and the death of a grandson, lost his temper. He struck Zhou Yunxuan more than ten times with his cane. Xie Hengchen’s younger sister slapped her several times as well and even shoved her to the ground when she resisted.

Zhou Yunxuan gritted her teeth and said bitterly, “I’m carrying a Xie family child! How can you treat me like this? Are you even human?”

Mother Xie responded coldly, “When has the Xie family ever been short of children? If you hadn’t caused so much trouble and tarnished our family’s name, would you be in this situation? Behave, and you won’t get hit.”

After they left, Ling Zhi appeared in the basement and grabbed Zhou Yunxuan’s arm. “Come, I’ll take you out of here.”

Zhou Yunxuan didn’t move, her gaze icy. “Leaving like this would be too easy on them. The internet must have noticed my disappearance by now, right?”

Ling Zhi nodded. “A lot of people are demanding that the Xie family release you. It’s had a significant impact on their business, which is why they’re so angry.”

Zhou Yunxuan sneered. “Then I’ll give them an even bigger headache and make this a complete scandal. Go report them to the police!”

Ling Zhi immediately understood and left quickly. He made an anonymous call to the police, claiming that the Xie family was harboring terrorists in their basement. Though the authorities couldn’t trace the source of the tip, it was too serious to ignore. A team was dispatched to surround the Xie family home, and officers entered with a search warrant.

The Xie family, still gathered in the house, was stunned. “What is the meaning of this?” they demanded.

The officer in charge showed the warrant. “We received a report that you are harboring terrorists. Please cooperate with the investigation.”

Old Master Xie hastily denied it. “This is a baseless accusation! Our family has nothing to do with such matters. Someone must be slandering us—there’s no evidence!”

“This is a search warrant,” the officer said sternly. “Anyone who obstructs this investigation will be charged with interfering with law enforcement. Search the property!” With a wave of his hand, officers dispersed to search the premises, focusing on the basement.

When they reached the basement, they encountered over ten bodyguards. The officers instinctively placed their hands on their guns. Startled, the bodyguards quickly raised their hands and crouched down, shouting, “It’s not our fault! We’re just paid to guard the place. We have nothing to do with this!”

The officers exchanged glances and then broke down the basement door. Inside, they found Zhou Yunxuan lying on the ground. They rushed to her side.

Zhou Yunxuan cried out in pain, “Don’t touch me! My bones are broken. Please save me! The Xie family imprisoned and beat me—I’m dying, and my baby is at risk…”

The officer in charge turned to the Xie family, whose faces had gone pale. Xie Hengchen’s sister pointed at Zhou Yunxuan angrily. “You’re lying! There’s no way your bones are broken! No one hit you!”

Zhou Yunxuan glared at her. “Do you dare swear on it? Swear that if you’re lying, you’ll never have children, live in poverty, and your soul will be annihilated after death!”

Her sister-in-law faltered, looking around uneasily. “You’re insane. Who still believes in such superstitions?”

Zhou Yunxuan turned to the police. “They did this to me. Please, help me.”

One of the officers whispered to the leader, explaining what they had seen online. The officer realized the Xie family had indeed imprisoned Zhou Yunxuan. The initial report was likely made by one of her fans who feared the police wouldn’t intervene in family matters, hence the mention of terrorists. Regardless, the evidence of imprisonment and physical abuse was clear, and the matter had to be addressed.

Zhou Yunxuan was taken to the hospital, while all the Xie family members in the house—except for Xie Hengchen, who was abroad—were arrested.

Meanwhile, Ling Zhi had arranged for paparazzi to be stationed near the Xie family estate. They quickly snapped photos and posted them online. The internet, already abuzz with Zhou Yunxuan’s case, erupted when they saw the aftermath.

The sight of Zhou Yunxuan, pale and frail with both hands in casts, being supported by the police, shocked viewers. This was a wealthy socialite, beaten so brutally by her in-laws. How could the Xie family dare? Did they think they were above the law? As images of the arrested Xie family members spread, netizens demanded severe punishment.

The scandal sparked a massive uproar online. Coming so soon after the Fang Dehai scandal, this new case of the rich abusing their power dominated discussions. Authorities took the matter seriously, so much so that when Xie Hengchen tried to pull strings upon hearing the news, he found doors closing everywhere. No one was willing to be associated with the Xie family.

Enraged, Xie Hengchen punched a wall. He had never been this unlucky in his life. “I knew I shouldn’t have married Zhou Yunxuan! Look at the trouble she’s caused!”

---

Aunt Li, observing the online situation, shared her thoughts with Shen Yunxuan. “This Zhou Yunxuan… she’s quite pitiful.”

Shen Yunxuan smiled faintly. “Don’t be fooled by appearances. Zhou Yunxuan isn’t as helpless as she seems. The whole broken bones and police report thing? That was all orchestrated by her.”

Aunt Li was stunned. “What? She broke her own bones? So this was… a setup?”

Shen Yunxuan nodded, a hint of admiration in her tone. “She’s very clever. She used the harshest method available to ensure her escape from the basement. At the very least, she won’t be trapped and helpless anymore. It’s quite impressive, really.”

For the first time, Aunt Li saw Shen Yunxuan praise someone who used unscrupulous methods, especially someone like Zhou Yunxuan, who had schemed against Shen Yunxuan and was clearly not virtuous. Shen Yunxuan didn’t explain further, but Aunt Li speculated that perhaps Shen Yunxuan had a soft spot for women who suffered, even when both sides were at fault.

In truth, Shen Yunxuan thought of her past life. The days when she was imprisoned and beaten were filled with despair. No one called the police for her, no one offered her a helping hand. Even Idle Wanderer who wanted to help her had passed away. She endured over ten years of confinement, learning as much as she could, until she managed to earn the Xie family’s trust, turn their allies against them, and exact her revenge.

Compared to that, Zhou Yunxuan’s swift confrontation with the Xie family was impressive. Despite her flaws, she had already scored some victories. Shen Yunxuan often thought that if Zhou Yunxuan could channel her cunning toward the right goals, she might achieve great things. Her quick thinking was leagues ahead of the typical “reborn heroines” described in the memory book.

But Zhou Yunxuan always chose what seemed like the easier, darker path, making their approaches fundamentally incompatible.

Zhou Yunxuan was diagnosed with minor injuries. After receiving IV fluids and having her fractured wrist fitted with a brace, she was discharged. However, the combination of unlawful imprisonment and physical assault meant that the Xie family’s claim of it being “a domestic matter” didn’t hold up. Zhou Yunxuan also accused them of imprisoning her to drain her fortune.

Although the fortune-draining claim sounded absurd, it reminded people of Fang Dehai’s case, which also involved mystical elements. While the law didn’t acknowledge such matters, the police conducted a more thorough investigation of the Xie household. They discovered the formation on the top floor and financial ties between the Xie family and Xuan Qing from the Xuantian Sect.

SAD took over this aspect of the case, summoning Xuanqing for questioning. Since Xuan Qing had only assessed the situation for the Xie family without directly creating the formation or harming anyone, he received a stern warning and a formal reprimand within the metaphysics community for participating in such shady dealings.

Although Xuan Qing didn’t lose a penny from his earnings, his reputation—and that of the Xuantian Sect—took a significant hit. He couldn’t help but curse Ling Zhi, who seemed now became his nemesis. If not for Ling Zhi’s meddling, he wouldn’t have gotten involved with the Xie family and ended up disgraced.

The police, convinced of the Xie family’s malicious intent based on the discovered formation, further bolstered Zhou Yunxuan’s case. Determined to pursue legal action, Zhou Yunxuan hired an expensive lawyer—the same one Shen Yunxuan had previously worked with, Lawyer Liang.

Shen Yunxuan wasn’t surprised. She had come to know Lawyer Liang in her past life through Xie Hengchen, so it made sense that Zhou Yunxuan, as Mrs. Xie, would also know him in this life.

Lawyer Liang was highly selective with his cases, but he found Zhou Yunxuan’s intriguing. The allegations of fortune-draining, while bizarre, added an unusual twist. He took the case and, using testimonies from the bodyguards and surveillance footage from common areas in the Xie house, built a strong argument. Based on the evidence, it was clear that the Xie family had participated in both imprisonment and assault. Lawyer Liang was confident he could secure at least a three-year sentence for them.

After the legal notice was sent, Zhou Yunxuan, still wearing her brace, returned to the show for its latest recording.

Hao Jing asked, “Yunxuan, are you okay? Won’t this be exhausting for you?”

Zhou Yunxuan glanced at her brace and smiled. “It was really painful when it first happened, but with the brace, it’s much better. I do get tired more easily, but I didn’t want to stay home alone, overthinking everything. I begged the director to let me come back. Being with everyone here and watching the villa guests makes me feel better.”

Shi Peng suggested, “You should visit Idle Cloud Temple sometime, burn some incense, and pray for good luck. Maybe pick up some charms—like protection charms, peace charms, or recovery charms. Right, Master Shen?”

Shen Yunxuan nodded. “That’s right, Mr. Shi. You’re becoming quite familiar with our temple’s offerings. Impressive.”

Hao Jing followed up, “Yunxuan, what’s next for you? This is a dating show, meant to be the beginning of love stories. But with everything you’ve been through, there’s now a shadow over the concept of love. Is there anything you’d like to say to the guests or the audience?”

Zhou Yunxuan thought for a moment before replying, “When choosing a partner, keep your eyes wide open. Don’t get swept up in the moment and think it’s destiny. And when it’s time to let go, don’t hesitate. If you find that someone has a poor character, don’t cling to hope—they won’t change and will only bring more trouble.

As for me, I’m definitely getting a divorce. And I’ll make sure they face justice and end up in jail!”

[Zhou Yunxuan is absolutely right! They should go to jail—no mercy!]

[Well done! Regardless of everything else, I respect that Zhou Yunxuan isn’t naive about love.]

[Yunxuan is such a strong, independent woman! We’re rooting for you—stay strong!]

Zhou Yunxuan successfully gained new fans, solidifying her image as a strong and capable heroine. Public sentiment shifted in her favor, and some people even began to question her past controversies. What if the rumors about her sabotaging Shen Yunxuan weren’t true? Could it have been the Xie family pulling the strings all along? After all, the Xie family had already shown how vile they were. This narrative effectively cleared Zhou Yunxuan’s name.

Meanwhile, Bai Ze’s extreme fans, after days of observing Shen Yunxuan’s uncannily accurate predictions, finally accepted her as a true metaphysical master. They even began to suspect that their own streak of bad luck was because they had offended Shen Yunxuan and failed to apologize.

Some people couldn’t take it anymore. They started posting apologies in the show’s live chat, leaving comments under Shen Yunxuan’s Weibo, and even posting formal apologies on their own profiles. After the first few apologized and stopped experiencing bad luck, the rest of the extreme fans began following suit.

This wave of mass online apologies was astonishing to witness.

During Shen Yunxuan’s evening fortune-telling livestream, someone brought up the topic. Shen Yunxuan chuckled and said, “I’ve said it before—when you create negative karma with your words, there will be consequences. Some people just have to test it for themselves.”

[True! There are always people doing foolish things. It’s kind of funny, though. Haha.]

[I’ve summed up Master Shen’s philosophy: ‘When in doubt, follow the Tao. Karma is real, cherish the present.’ Doesn’t that fit perfectly?]

[It doesn’t rhyme, haha, but it’s true. Why did the victims connected to Bai Ze win the giveaway? Because of their karmic connection! And why are the haters experiencing bad luck? Because of karma too! Haha.]

[I’ll remember this for life. Good and evil are rewarded accordingly. I’m going to do more good deeds. Even if I don’t prosper in this life, I’ll surely find peace and joy in the next!]

[Believing in Master Shen makes me happy. Once you truly believe in karma, you stop obsessing over things. I’ve even stopped overthinking so much.]

[Am I the only one curious about Zhou Yunxuan’s drama?]

[Right! Master Shen, can you predict if the Xie family will end up in jail? They won’t escape justice just because they’re rich, will they?]

“They won’t.” Shen Yunxuan, seeing the comment, smiled and said, “Karma will take care of them. Don’t worry.”

[But even if they go to jail for three years, they’ll still be wealthy when they come out. A starving camel is still bigger than a horse. Even if their company collapses, they’ll still be rich. But Zhou Yunxuan won’t get much from the divorce settlement, right? Is that really karma?]

Shen Yunxuan replied, “What you described is the normal outcome. Karma works in different ways—just wait and see.”

Everyone thought they’d have to wait a long time since lawsuits and trials often take months to conclude. But just two days later, news broke about the Xie family’s demise.

The Xie family members, who had been bailed out by Xie Hengchen, were returning home in two cars. As soon as they drove into the family estate, the cars exploded!

Yes, they literally exploded!

Xie Hengchen was blasted into the swimming pool and rushed to the ICU, but everyone else in the cars was killed instantly. Their bodies were so badly burned they were unrecognizable.

The incident became a major news story, immediately topping the trending charts. Meanwhile, clips of Shen Yunxuan saying, “Karma will take care of them,” during her livestream also went viral. The Xie family had indeed faced their retribution.

While people felt justice was served, many were also unnerved. Could someone have planted a bomb? However, the police soon issued a statement saying that after a thorough investigation, they found no evidence of explosives or tampering. The incident was tentatively classified as an accident.

At the time of the explosion, Zhou Yunxuan had been in the observation room recording the show. Since she had moved out of the Xie family home after her earlier ordeal and had no contact with suspicious individuals, the police questioned her briefly but found no connection between her and the incident.

Initially, most of the Xie family’s shares were held by the elderly couple. With their deaths, their estate was to be divided among their children. However, as the forensic report determined that the couple’s other children had died before them, none of their grandchildren were eligible to inherit. This left Xie Hengchen as the sole heir to the family’s fortune—90% of the Xie family’s assets.

But Xie Hengchen succumbed to his injuries two days later while still in the ICU.

Netizens were stunned as they realized the implications: Zhou Yunxuan now owned everything the Xie family had.

[Oh my god! Just a few days ago, Zhou Yunxuan said she was going to get a divorce. But because the Xie family didn’t finalize it, she’s now the sole inheritor of their fortune!]

[Exactly! She’s now the head of the Xie family. She married Xie Hengchen less than a year ago, and now her abusive in-laws are dead, her cheating husband is dead, and she inherits everything. Her luck is insane!]

Even Zhou Yunxuan couldn’t believe how smoothly things had turned out. She and Ling Zhi celebrated by popping champagne at the Xie family’s old mansion. Drunk, she raised her glass to the sky and said, “Defying fate? What’s so hard about that? I’ve done it! You’ll never control me again. I’ve won!”

Ling Zhi watched her, swirling his wine glass, and casually asked, “You think you defied fate on your own? Isn’t it because you swapped fates with Shen Yunxuan?”

Zhou Yunxuan shuddered, instantly sobering up. “What did you say?”

Ling Zhi’s smile turned sinister as he swirled his wine. “The reason I was hunted down last time was because I discovered a forbidden technique—the Fate-Swapping Ritual. Unfortunately, it was only a fragment, incomplete and unusable. But after studying it these past few days, I realized your fate doesn’t align. You swapped fates with Shen Yunxuan! Tell me, how did you do it?”

🌸˚˖𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒✧🩷˚⋆