The modern-day pigeon

After going through the memories in her mind, Xia Yuqing sighed, shaking her head. She couldn't decide whether to admire the original owner of this body or call her a fool. Being too good or too kind was a sin, whether it was the ancient times or the modern. 

If you are too good, people will take advantage of you. That's exactly what Li Xinran had done today. And the employees? The moment she was accused, all of them turned their backs on her without hesitation.

The original Xia Yuqing had been too kind. Too trusting. And in the end, too much kindness became her greatest weakness.

Betrayal always came with a smile, a gentle voice, a familiar face. She had learned that lesson in blood, through broken promises and shattered dreams.

The emperor had drilled it into her—trust no one, not even your own shadow.

But, now that she was here. Things were going to be different. No longer would she allow herself to be used. No longer would she be the victim of others' schemes. As for her lost reputation? She would reclaim it and expose those who had wronged her.

A flicker of excitement gleamed in her eyes at the thought of experiencing this new world. She was no longer an empress, no longer a puppet bound by duty, vows, and that oath. She was no longer the emperor's blade. 

Now, she was simply Xia Yuqing—an ordinary woman.

A small smile appeared on her face when she realized she could finally achieve her long-lost dream: freedom. Just then, the black and pink thing in her hand rang, startling her. Almost instinctively, she threw it away, watching it bounce on the ground. The noise continued, still ringing. She looked at it, as realization dawned.

Right—this was a phone, the modern-day pigeon. 

Xia Yuqing blinked at it for a moment. Feeling a bit foolish and embarrassed, she picked it up, holding it carefully as though it might explode if she pressed the wrong button. Then relying on the host's memories, she answered the call. "H-hello?" she said hesitantly.

"Is this Miss Xia?" A smooth yet firm voice came from the other side. 

Even though all of this was in her memory, experiencing it for herself felt novel. The ability to communicate with someone miles away so effortlessly—it almost felt like sorcery! If only such things had existed in her world, then perhaps the emperor would have…

She froze, her grip tightening on the phone.

Why was she thinking of him again?

This wasn't that world.

She wasn't bound to him anymore.

She was free.

"Miss Xia?" The voice on the other end prompted again.

"Y-yes," she replied, steadying her racing heart.

"I am Gao Yiming, Mr. Lu's assistant. I called to inform you that Mr. Lu wants to meet you in his office and discuss a few things with you when you are free. Are you available?"

Mr. Lu?

Lu Jinchen....

A name popped in her head followed by a memory. Xia Yuqing stiffened, her brows knitting together. When she had first absorbed this body's memories, there had been so much information to process that some details had escaped her notice.

Married?! This body was married!

Her breath hitched. A sharp chill ran down her spine as things became clear—fear, a half-glimpsed contract, and a name: Lu Jinchen.

A man feared by many. Ruthless. Cunning. Hidden in shadows.

No one had ever seen his face. Not even the original Xia Yuqing. The rumors painted him as dangerously handsome, a ghost in the business world—cold, calculated, and always three steps ahead of everyone. And now, she was bound to him by a marriage contract she hadn't even signed herself.

Xia Yuqing exhaled sharply, gripping the phone tighter. Just great.

"Miss Xia?" Gao Yiming's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"I'm here," she answered.

"When should I inform the boss of your arrival?"

She glanced at her watch, marveling at the modern invention before responding, "I'm leaving my office now. I should be there in an hour."

"Understood, Miss Xia. I'll inform Mr. Lu," he said before ending the call.

Xia Yuqing stared at the phone screen, watching the screen change, and exhaled a slow deep breath. She rubbed her temples, frustration curling in her chest.

If only she had arrived a day earlier…

A single day. That was all it would have taken to avoid this entanglement. This body wouldn't be married. She would have been free. But she couldn't blame the original owner, she could only blame fate. 

The original owner signed the contract out of desperation. She had done it for protection—from whom? Her obsessive ex, a stalker, an annoying buzzing fly around her. 

Thinking about the mess that the original owner left her to deal with, another sigh left her lips. Her first step: get rid of the unknown husband the original owner married.

A stranger. A husband in name only!

Grabbing her bag, Xia Yuqing looked around to hail a cab. 

An hour later.

Xia Yuqing stepped out of the cab and paid the driver, thanking him for the ride. He nodded, looking at her with a touch of concern. "Take care of your wound, Miss," he said before driving off.

She watched the car disappear, still marveling at how simple but useful everything was here—the cars, the roads, the lights, the money... To an ancient person like her, everything was so magical but without the magic. 

Turning around, her eyes landed on the tall, towering building—the Lu Corporation. She stared up at it for a long moment, feeling an odd sense of curiosity gnawing at her.

So, this is where my mysterious husband works...

She had to admit she was a little curious about this man, Lu Jinchen. Who was he? What did he look like? And why was he hiding his face? If a man who was rumored to be handsome is hiding his face, there could only be two reasons: either he was extremely good-looking—or maybe... not so much.

And most importantly—why had he married the original owner?

This was a question the original owner didn't get to ask and now, she was simply curious to find out.