Under Gao Qiong’s watchful gaze, Pei Chuan, wearing the mask of the Fallen Celestial, pursed his lips and said, “No.”
Bei Yao was utterly disappointed, and her dejected demeanor clearly pleased Gao Qiong. Gao Qiong thought to herself, This impostor is nothing special. If it were the real Bei Yao, Satan would be overjoyed—how could he possibly refuse?
Pei Chuan then said to the young girl, “If you’re scared at night, you can call me.”
Knowing there was no hope, Bei Yao finally chose a room next to Pei Chuan’s. After all, something was better than nothing—the closer she was to him, the stronger the sense of security in her heart.
After Satan and Bei Yao had returned to their rooms, Gao Qiong said smugly to Yu Shangxian, “I told you Satan doesn’t care about this impostor. He probably just felt a fleeting novelty when he first saw her. In a couple of days, who knows how she’ll die? Two years ago, someone threatened Satan using Bei Yao’s younger brother. Satan calmly agreed to the organization’s conditions, and not long after, all those people ended up dead in their homes. In recent years, anyone who tried to use Bei Yao to provoke him has met a terrible end. This impostor is unknowingly trampling on his deepest wounds—she’ll surely meet the same fate.”
Yu Shangxian looked subtly at the tightly closed door and said, “I actually think it’s hard to say.”
Gao Qiong asked, “What do you mean?”
Yu Shangxian replied with a smile, “Nothing much, just talking off the cuff.”
Some people refuse because they know something doesn’t belong to them.
Having already lost once, the wound left behind is one that can never heal—he can’t bear to lose it a second time.
That evening, a strong wind began to blow, rattling the windows loudly.
Having experienced the bizarre event of crossing over to her own gravesite, Bei Yao couldn’t fall asleep no matter what. After hesitating for a moment, she picked up the receiver by the bed.
Satan, lying awake, picked up the receiver.
The young girl’s voice came through, soft and sweet: “Pei Chuan.”
“Hmm.”
“Am I bothering you?”
The man replied gently, “No.”
“I’m a little scared,” she said. “Can I still return to my original world?”
“You definitely can. Don’t be afraid,” Pei Chuan said calmly. “Tomorrow, we’ll start looking for a way.”
“Thank you. You’re so kind.”
Pei Chuan simply smiled.
Beneath the mask, he closed his eyes softly.
He was 27 years old now, no longer the reckless young Pei Chuan who loved with a burning passion. He was Satan, the leader of this world. He could manipulate people’s minds with chips, but he couldn’t change his own fate or hers. Whether Bei Yao stayed or left was not up to him. This adorable, pitiable girl who stirred his heart belonged to another version of himself in a different world.
And Satan’s Bei Yao was already resting eternally beneath a tombstone.
He couldn’t let himself fall for the same woman countless times, only to be plunged into eternal hell, heartbroken and devastated.
Even the Bei Yao of the past had never truly belonged to him for a single day. In this wretched world, he couldn’t let a young visitor from a pure world have her memories tainted by its misery as well.
As the wind whistled past, the young girl asked softly, “If I go back, will you be lonely?” Although she had arrived in a sea of flowers, a beautiful environment, Bei Yao had keenly sensed that this world seemed dark and bleak.
Satan replied, “It’s alright. I’ll be fine.” He was already used to it.
They talked for a while longer, and before her breathing gradually steadied into sleep, Satan asked, “In your world, am I good to you?”"Very good, very good."
He smiled: "That's good then."
Everyone at the villa knew that every year on the anniversary of Bei Yao's death, Satan would come to her grave to plant roses for three days.
He personally planted roses amidst a sea of lavender flowers, rain or shine. The villa was a forbidden area, yet for many, it was undoubtedly a pure land.
Because only in this place was there no terror, chaos, or conflict, and Satan was not moody.
Before her grave, he could even be described as gentle and polite.
The next day, the weather was clear. Several men guarding the cemetery looked fearfully at Satan in his wheelchair.
Pei Chuan raised his eyebrows slightly, and the burly men immediately dropped to their knees with a thud.
The lead cemetery guard said: "We're sorry, we haven't been negligent in our duties. We don't know how she got in either."
Gao Qiong stood by gleefully, watching the extremely embarrassed Bei Yao and thinking, this little bitch impostor is done for.
Not only impersonating Bei Yao, but even daring to trample on her grave - she's definitely asking for death.
Pei Chuan glanced at the men on the ground: "Get up and go back to work. Don't let it happen again."
The men looked at him uncertainly, but seeing that Satan wasn't joking, their faces showed relief as they quickly left.
Normally, Pei Chuan would plant roses today too.
He had said it wasn't necessary yesterday, but today he still pushed the cart with rose seedlings toward the grave. He operated his wheelchair with one hand while pushing the cart with the other.
Seeing this, Bei Yao quickly stepped forward to help with the seedling cart: "Let me help you."
Pei Chuan said: "Thank you."
The two of them entered the cemetery together.
Gao Qiong and Yu Shangxian didn't dare follow, remaining outside exchanging bewildered looks. Gao Qiong widened her eyes: "I guarantee, when they go in together, only Satan will come out. That impostor is definitely finished."
Yu Shangxian twitched at the corner of his mouth.
In the sea of lavender flowers.
The man rolled up his sleeves, his expression calm beneath the mask as he planted roses.
His palms were rough, so the rose thorns couldn't prick him. Remembering the young girl beside him, he said gently: "You said you suddenly appeared here. You can look around and see if you can find your way home."
Bei Yao felt strange watching someone planting flowers at "her own" grave, while she had to jump around on "her own" grave to see if she could travel back.
She tilted her head: "Then I'll go?"
Pei Chuan said: "Mm."
He lowered his gaze, not looking at her, carefully covering the soil.
Bei Yao coughed, stepped onto the grave mound, and jumped a few times.
Surrounded by fallen roses, after a moment, she found herself awkwardly meeting the calm gaze of the man in the wheelchair. Bei Yao said blankly: "I'm still here."
Satan was also taken aback: "Mm, what a pity."
Embarrassed, Bei Yao jumped off the grave mound and simply watched him plant flowers.
The man's sturdy arms were covered in mud. She glanced at the tombstone, and the bold characters "Tomb of My Wife Bei Yao" made her blush. Bei Yao looked at him: "The words on this tombstone..."
Pei Chuan paused in his movements. After a moment, he took another rose from the cart and continued planting: "Sorry for the offense. Please don't mind it."
Bei Yao's cheeks flushed red, finally managing to squeeze out two words after a long pause: "I don't."
Pei Chuan let out a soft sigh.The man he had become was naturally quite different from his younger self. Having endured a lifetime of solitude, he no longer easily succumbed to feelings of inferiority. Many turbulent emotions had now settled into something faint yet enduring.
Such a shameless and awkward act—calling someone his wife—would have made his younger self cringe with shame.
The young girl shyly planted flowers with him.
Muttering softly, she said, "I think this is so strange. Why am I visiting my own grave?"
He knew she was young and adorable, hailing from another world. At her words, his lips curved into a faint smile. Yet, guarding the memory of Bei Yao, who had long departed from this world, was the obsession Satan should uphold year after year.
When he finished planting the flowers, Bei Yao gently wiped the mud from his arm.
Beneath her palm, the man’s body stiffened. His gaze, visible through the mask, fixed on her—deep and clear.
Bei Yao withdrew her hand hesitantly and ventured, "Was I... not good to you in the past?"
Otherwise, why would such a small gesture of help provoke such a reaction from him?
Pei Chuan lowered his eyes. "Not at all. Would you like to try again to see if you can return home from here?"
Though Bei Yao knew how awkward this was, her eagerness to go home remained. She replied, "Alright."
Under Satan’s watchful gaze, she felt utterly foolish. Standing atop the grave once more, Bei Yao thought that if she were to chant a slogan now, it would be the epitome of cringeworthy teenage drama.
A moment later, she crept down from the gravesite, dejected.
This time, she made sure to avoid the roses the man had just planted, careful not to harm them.
The man’s gaze remained calm, but Bei Yao wished she could dig a hole and bury herself in it. She whispered, "I still didn’t make it back."
Beneath the mask, Pei Chuan’s lips curled slightly.
Clutching the hem of her skirt, Bei Yao pleaded in a pitiful voice, "Can I... stay with you for now?"
Pei Chuan said, "As long as you don’t mind. It would be my honor."
His tolerance eased her embarrassment, and Bei Yao relaxed a little more.
As the two walked out of the cemetery, Gao Qiong stared at them intently.
Seeing the little imposter alive and well, a vein throbbed on Gao Qiong’s forehead. She forced a dry laugh and said, "Haha, Satan, I heard this young lady was practically dancing on Miss Bei Yao’s grave yesterday. The flowerbed is still a mess. She’s certainly... lively."
The underlying message was clear to everyone: this impostor was audaciously trampling on Satan’s sentiments and ought to be disposed of sooner rather than later.
Bei Yao still remembered this woman’s threat to implant a chip in her. She said, "I didn’t mean to."
Gao Qiong itched to rush over and finish her off herself. "Everyone who messes up loves to claim they didn’t mean to."
Bei Yao cautiously glanced at Pei Chuan.
Pei Chuan paused, then said to Gao Qiong, "Enough. She already said it wasn’t intentional."
Gao Qiong was dumbfounded. Was this how things were supposed to go?
You believe whatever this impostor says! Forgiving her so easily—are you even Satan?
After everyone returned, Pei Chuan listened to reports. Gao Qiong quietly approached Bei Yao, her lips barely moving, her eyes sharp. "I know what game you’re playing. I’m warning you, don’t think your schemes will succeed."
Bei Yao looked at her blankly and asked, "What game am I playing?"Gao Qiong: "Hah, do you think Satan's heart is so easily won? There were others like you before. Do you know where they are now?"
Bei Yao played along: "Where?"
Gao Qiong smirked sinisterly: "Under your feet, turned into fertilizer for the flowers."
"..."
"Let me tell you, you'll definitely end up the same way. I know you're desperate to kill Satan, but use your brain—it's impossible in this lifetime. Don't think just because Satan is protecting you now that you can harm him. You're far inferior to Miss Bei Yao."
Though this was insincere—in Gao Qiong's memory, the relationship between Bei Yao and Satan had always been cold and distant, sometimes making Gao Qiong resent her lack of affection—now, dealing with this impostor, Gao Qiong simply couldn't stand her arrogance. Anything would do as long as it struck a blow against the fake.
Hearing that she was inferior to "Bei Yao," Bei Yao gave Gao Qiong a strange look: "Do you like Pei Chuan?"
Gao Qiong declared boldly: "So what if I like him? I'm the one most suited for him."
Bei Yao said: "I like him too, and I won't harm him."
Gao Qiong only heard the first part and immediately bristled: "Are you declaring war on me?"
Bei Yao: "No, I'm not..."
Gao Qiong said: "I've been with him for over ten years. I know everything about him—his preferences, his temper, his body! We were supposed to be together soon." Blinded by anger, Gao Qiong blurted out recklessly. Why should this wild woman, who just arrived yesterday, try to steal Satan from her? She had been following Satan for over a decade and hadn't even touched his shoulder, let alone his abs.
Though not easily angered, Bei Yao was now a little upset.
His preferences, his temper, his body?
In her world, that scoundrel Pei Chuan was still rotting in prison. He had once left her without a word. Would Satan in this world gradually stop liking Bei Yao and start favoring Gao Qiong instead?
She had grown up with Pei Chuan as childhood friends, far longer than Gao Qiong.
Bei Yao said seriously: "He likes me."
Gao Qiong: "Like my ass!"
Bei Yao did something particularly childish. She dashed away, caught up with Satan, who was speaking with his subordinates ahead, and planted a loud kiss on the side of his masked face.
The air froze for several seconds.
Outside the small villa, the sky was blue, dotted with soft, fluffy white clouds. The subordinate giving the report nearly wet himself in fright.
Not just the subordinate—even Yu Shangxian, who was recording nearby, was stunned.
Bei Yao was like a cat about to puff up in defense of her territory. Her anger was no less than Gao Qiong's, and her affection was equally sincere.
Everyone simultaneously turned their gaze to Satan in the wheelchair.
Pei Chuan reached out and touched his mask.
Of course, with the mask on, he couldn't feel much.
Trying to remain calm, he asked the young girl Bei Yao: "What are you doing?"
Bei Yao turned and glared at Gao Qiong.
Gao Qiong's mind raced with a string of curses. First, she thought, Damn, this impostor is a downright white lotus, a little seductress, a childish brat! Then she thought, Holy shit, this bitch has some nerve!
She thought to herself, This time! This time the impostor is definitely done for!
Satan took a moment to compose himself, then looked at Gao Qiong and warned, "I told you not to bully her."Gao Qiong didn't get to witness Satan eliminate the impostor, but instead received a warning from Satan. She was stunned for a moment, then inwardly cried like a 200-pound dog. Who bullied the impostor? She hadn't even had time to make a move yet!
This time, Bei Yao was delighted. See, she had always said Pei Chuan loved her—Pei Chuan would never change his heart so easily.
Feeling happy, she didn’t bother arguing with Gao Qiong and eagerly moved a small stool to sit beside Pei Chuan.
He glanced at her, recalling that fleeting touch that could hardly be called a kiss, and tacitly accepted Bei Yao’s presence.
Pei Chuan said to his subordinate, "Continue."
The subordinate stammered through several sentences before finally shaking off his shock.
Only now did Bei Yao realize that their entire group was on a private island with a pleasant climate.
Pei Chuan had transformed an entire island into a resting cemetery for "her."
During dinner that evening, the distraught Gao Qiong showed up as usual.
She wore a pure white dress with fresh, light makeup. Compared to the current "impostor" girl, she resembled the aloof and polite Bei Yao of the past more. This was a departure from Gao Qiong’s usual style, and Yu Shangxian raised an eyebrow slightly. "What are you doing?"
Gao Qiong shot him a sidelong glance. "I can play the substitute trope too."
"You..." Yu Shangxian found it hard to put into words. "As a colleague of many years, I advise you not to court death."
Gao Qiong gritted her teeth. "She kissed Satan. I haven’t even fucking kissed him."
Though it was only his mask, when Satan touched it in surprise, his reaction made Gao Qiong seethe with frustration.
Yu Shangxian: "..." After a moment’s thought, out of camaraderie, he said, "If you die, I’ll collect your body. Hmm, how about the cemetery in Donghuang City?"
"Heh, thanks so much."
"You’re welcome. It’s the least I can do."
Gao Qiong was truly determined to tempt fate—her nature refused to accept defeat.
During dinner, while Bei Yao and Pei Chuan were eating, Gao Qiong stole several glances. Then she noticed some subtle details: for instance, Pei Chuan wouldn’t touch dishes the impostor liked, even if he enjoyed them himself. And he ate the most of whatever the impostor disliked.
So silently considerate.
Gritting her teeth, Gao Qiong imitated the impostor, striding briskly to the dining table. As she leaned down to kiss Pei Chuan, he frowned and pressed a button on his wrist.
Before Bei Yao could react, Gao Qiong knelt on the floor.
Her lively expression turned blank, and her tone became mechanical: "What are your orders, Satan?"
Pei Chuan said calmly, "Go receive punishment."
Gao Qiong responded stiffly, "Yes." She stood up from the floor and walked out the door.
Bei Yao didn’t understand. "What was she doing?" Why did she suddenly kneel and then go accept punishment?
Seeing that Bei Yao genuinely didn’t grasp the situation, Yu Shangxian’s expression shifted subtly.
In this world, was there anyone who didn’t know about the "Transcendence" chip?
Pei Chuan didn’t want to elaborate. "It’ll get cold tonight. Rest well."
He pushed his wheelchair and left.
Seeing that Pei Chuan seemed unwilling to discuss it, Bei Yao turned to ask the other bystander, "What happened to Gao Qiong?"
The smiling fox Yu Shangxian was even more insincere. Guessing Pei Chuan’s intentions, he replied amiably, "She didn’t do her work well during the day and is now asking for punishment."
Bei Yao clearly didn’t believe him.Yu Shangxian said, "Satan seems to like you very much." He smiled warmly. "He used to like Miss Bei Yao the same way."
Bei Yao was intrigued by this. She asked Yu Shangxian, "Did I... did Bei Yao treat Satan poorly before?"
"Not exactly poorly. She was polite and respectful." Yu Shangxian clicked his tongue and glanced at Bei Yao. "But she lived with Satan for a year and never even held his hand. Their conversations went like this: 'Mr. Pei, good morning. Good afternoon. Good night.' Oh, wait—there was one more line: 'Thank you, but I don’t need it.'"
Bei Yao burst out laughing.
Since she had no memory of that time, she found it hard to imagine such a scene.
Yu Shangxian grinned. "Quite distant, right?"
Bei Yao nodded, feeling inexplicably awkward.
Yu Shangxian added, "But none of that stopped Satan from loving her. He loved her for many years. If possible, could you help him? Regardless of who you are, what your intentions might be, or how long you plan to stay here, making him happier would be a good thing."
Bei Yao said, "Thank you and Gao Qiong for being so kind to him."
Yu Shangxian exaggeratedly replied, "Where did you get the idea that I’m kind to him? He’s my boss—for the sake of my future, I have to consider things carefully." His words were always a mix of truth and falsehood, making him hard to read.
However, one thing was undeniable: Yu Shangxian was quite ambitious. Pei Chuan never forced those around him to implant the "Rebirth" chip, but both Yu Shangxian and Gao Qiong had voluntarily requested it. As a result, they had been Pei Chuan’s most trusted confidants for over a decade.
Bei Yao thought for a moment. "You might not be fully aware of my situation. Truthfully, I don’t know how much I can do for him or what exactly I can accomplish."
Seeing that she was genuinely willing to try, Yu Shangxian’s eyes flickered with interest. This was quite different from the aloof Miss Bei Yao he remembered. Wondering if this was truly her, he deliberately suggested, "Then why not start by persuading Satan to remove his mask? He started wearing it after Miss Bei Yao’s death and has never taken it off in front of others—probably because of the heavy burden he carries. Letting go of the past would allow him to live more lightly."
Bei Yao fell silent for a long moment before saying, "I understand."
Yu Shangxian offered a hollow smile.
When the wind picked up late at night, Bei Yao knocked on Pei Chuan’s door. It opened shortly after. Pei Chuan’s clothes were slightly disheveled, clearly thrown on in a hurry. He asked, "What’s wrong?"
"Can I talk to you?"
"Come in."
During this time, Bei Yao had always thought of him as the Pei Chuan from her memories. But it was only after her conversation with Yu Shangxian that she realized: Satan was her Pei Chuan, yet not entirely the same. He had endured too much suffering—countless hardships that had tempered him into the unflappable man he was today.
Moreover, Pei Chuan’s respectful and courteous demeanor toward her was clearly a continuation of how he had treated the previous Bei Yao.
A sudden unease settled in Bei Yao’s heart.
She knelt before him, tilting her face up to look at him. "Look at me. I am Bei Yao, but not entirely the Bei Yao you know."
She poked her own cheek, leaving an adorable dimple in her soft skin.
He gazed at her intently, then said gently after a long pause, "Yes, I know."She lowered her head guiltily: "I'm sorry, I truly apologize. I've reflected on my behavior during the day—I was too selfish. I didn't want you to like Gao Qiong, but I failed to understand clearly that in this world, I technically no longer exist. I might leave at any moment, and since I can't offer you a future or promises, I shouldn't prevent you from liking anyone. Nor should I have kissed you."
He pursed his lips gently and said softly, "It's alright."
Guilt was nearly drowning Bei Yao. For him, he must have noticed her differences long ago. The previous Bei Yao didn’t like him, so she never gave him any expectations or hope. Now, she liked Pei Chuan, but because of Satan’s gentleness and indulgence, she forgot that everything she gave him now would only make him suffer more in the future.
She looked like a remorseful little quail, her head drooping, utterly dejected and guilt-ridden.
Pei Chuan hesitated for a moment, then gently placed his hand on her hair.
The young girl’s hair was soft. When she lifted her head, Pei Chuan saw tears in her large eyes: “I’m sorry, it’s my fault. I was bad before, and I’m bad now. That’s why you’re always sad. If you… really like Gao Qiong, it’s—” She choked up, and though it hurt unbearably, she forced herself to finish, “It’s fine too. She’s much more capable than I am.”
He lowered his gaze and wiped away her tears with his fingertips.
Ah, this young girl.
If it were his younger self, he would probably have gritted his teeth in anger. Did she even know what she was saying? Was his affection so cheap?
But with age, he had come to understand the clarity and sorrow in her heart.
All he could do was be tolerant.
Pei Chuan said, “There won’t be any Gao Qiong. There’s only you.” The earth-shattering emotions he had buried deep in his heart when he was young, never daring to voice them, could now be spoken so calmly.
Only you. In this lifetime, it’s only you.
The teardrops on Bei Yao’s eyelashes trembled, and her heart shook.
He asked softly, “I want to know, in your world, did you like me?” Otherwise, why would even a kiss on the cheek feel so natural? He knew that kind of intimacy wasn’t meant for him.
Bei Yao nodded.
Pei Chuan fell silent. He couldn’t quite call it jealousy, but there was an indescribable envy. He had never been liked by Bei Yao, not even for a day. Something he had never possessed, he naturally didn’t know how it felt.
These past few days felt almost like stolen time.
As always, he said gently, “I understand. Go back to sleep. Don’t overthink it.”
Bei Yao wanted to say goodnight to him but suddenly remembered Yu Shangxian’s words. Perhaps the phrases he had heard most in this lifetime were “good morning” and “goodnight.”
Saying it would be worse than not saying it at all.
She walked to the door but suddenly turned back.
Pei Chuan looked up.
The young girl quickly made a heart shape with her hands: “For Satan.”
He was silent for a moment, then chuckled softly. It was for him.
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