Marriage. She married Yao Chen. He told her, “From now on, what’s mine is yours.” There was a trace of meaning like, “Look, this is the empire I built for you.” Yet in reality, even though Han Yanyan could freely use the card, could withdraw cash from the safe at will, and could buy any extravagant jewelry she desired, Yao Chen had never allowed her to manage any assets.
Han Yanyan spent his money, ate his food, and could only obediently rest in the palm of his hand, relying on him for her life. This man was far too accustomed to being in control, including over his own wife. Even if he genuinely liked her, to the point of being unable to live without her, it wouldn’t change his fundamental habit of controlling her life.
This was best; if he could completely master her, he could trust her with peace of mind. The drama had been played out to this point just for this reason.
Life as a graduate student seemed not much different from that of an undergraduate. In comparison to her busy classmates, Han Yanyan felt especially relaxed. After all, their pursuits in life were different.
Han Yanyan said to Yao Chen, “I can set aside some time now. Is there anything I can help you with?”
Yao Chen had previously suggested she assist him with work, but at that time, she was preparing for her graduate exam and had declined. This time, she brought it up herself, which was reasonable, and Yao Chen didn’t need to think much; he directly replied, “Sure, just follow me.” He wanted her to be his secretary.
In truth, he just wanted to keep her by his side for comfort and admiration, and to maintain some face when he took her out.
Han Yanyan didn’t have a fixed schedule; she could arrange to spend two or three days a week at the company. Even so, Yao Chen quickly discovered that working with Han Yanyan was especially easy. Whatever he could think of, she could think of too; in areas he couldn’t foresee, she still managed to think ahead.
It was as if she was a natural in the workplace, making Yao Chen feel he had truly found a treasure. After half a year, he let her hold the title of “Financial Manager.” It was common in many family-owned businesses for the man to do the work while the woman handled the finances. Han Yanyan was beginning to grasp the threads of Yao Chen’s finances. However, her power was not yet that significant, so she could only touch on a small part of his business.
A person cannot become successful all at once; she was not in a hurry, quietly attending classes and steadily working.
She still didn’t have her own independent social circle. Her friends were all his friends, and the people she interacted with were those he needed to deal with.
She had been like this from the start, and Yao Chen had grown accustomed to it. He felt a strong sense of Han Yanyan “belonging to him,” that she was his “subordinate,” which in turn made him trust her. This feeling was a comfort zone in their relationship, and once Yao Chen entered this zone, he was reluctant to leave.
Han Yanyan frequently wore headphones at school. Multitasking became her habit; she would study while also eavesdropping.
She overheard an arrangement for Yao Chen’s procurement and called Jiang Ye. The previous two cooperations had established mutual trust between them. Jiang Ye didn’t question who she was but only advised, “Take care of yourself.”
The information she revealed was too detailed and accurate, indicating that she was undoubtedly someone close to Yao Chen. If she betrayed him and was discovered, her fate could very well be a long sleep at the bottom of Qingshui Bay. Jiang Ye’s concern rekindled memories of her brief stint as a policewoman.
She had only been a policewoman for less than ten minutes, but she received all the memories and skills of her past self. In her memories, Policewoman Han Yanyan and Jiang Ye were caught in a half-light, half-dark romance; they had gone on dates twice, yet neither of them had made their feelings clear. She also recalled several colleagues at the police station, fighting against crime together, facing life-or-death situations at times.
Then there was Xiao Yang, a young man full of fervor. Back then, Policewoman Han Yanyan argued with Jiang Ye, believing he wasn’t suitable for an undercover role. Yet Jiang Ye needed fresh faces and sent him in regardless.
For young men seeking excitement, being undercover was indeed alluring, especially for someone fresh out of police academy like Xiao Yang. When he accepted the mission, his eyes sparkled with eagerness.
“Yanyan Jie, don’t worry! I’ll definitely make it!” he promised her.
It was because Policewoman Han Yanyan selected him from several equally outstanding graduates to join the police force that they shared a unique bond.
At that moment, Han Yanyan should have ended the call, but she couldn’t help but say, “If possible, bring Yang Jun back. He’s too young; he might act impulsively and put himself in danger.”
Jiang Ye’s voice changed, “How do you know Yang Jun?”
Han Yanyan fell silent for a moment before hanging up directly. She thought she shouldn’t meddle too much.
When the world ends and everything turns to dust, why bother caring?
But it is human to have emotions and desires, to be connected to others in countless ways. Han Yanyan kept her mind clear in this world, controlling her emotions but ultimately failed to become a god.
Because of the precise information she provided, Yao Chen’s transaction faltered, losing goods and lives. Unfortunately, he no longer personally handled such deals, having set up a second layer of insurance—should unexpected situations arise, he would silence any witnesses. But for the police, it was still a significant victory.
The happier the police were, the more unsettled Yao Chen felt. He had already realized the presence of an insider; with his temperament, how could he continue to tolerate it?
Han Yanyan was watching a drama at home, multitasking as she listened to the eavesdropping. That night, an unexpected situation arose.
Yao Chen was in his extended luxury car, the listening device Han Yanyan had hidden in a secret spot inside the vehicle. She suddenly heard the sound of the car door opening, followed by San Hu’s voice saying, “Big brother, it’s this kid.”
Those muffled sounds indicated that Yao Chen had gotten out of the car. Fortunately, they hadn’t closed the door, standing by the car to talk. With a professional-grade listening device, Han Yanyan could vaguely hear the conversation.
“It’s this kid!”
“Looks pretty cowardly, who would’ve thought he’d have the guts?”
As Yao Chen’s footsteps receded, his voice became indistinct. Far away, there were some exchanges, but they weren’t clear.
Then, a sudden scream made Han Yanyan’s heart twist—was it Xiao Yang?
Footsteps drew near, and Yao Chen returned to the car. Han Yanyan heard him say, “Handled according to the usual rules.”
She heard San Hu respond, and then the car door closed, cutting off those sounds. It became quiet; Yao Chen must have been headed home.
Aside from the target of the mission, there was no need to concern himself with anyone else.
…
Damn it!
Han Yanyan immediately called Jiang Ye, “Captain Jiang! Xiao Jun’s been compromised; he’s in danger. Immediately locate him and rescue him!”
Jiang Ye had just finished washing up and was preparing to sleep when this call startled him into action. His instinctual reaction was, “Got it, right away!”
He hurriedly put on his shoes, ran out, and dialed contacts while running. After making the necessary calls, he sat in the driver’s seat, gripping the steering wheel when realization struck him.
The mysterious informant’s tone when they called him “Captain Jiang” was too familiar. He even knew Xiao Jun’s necklace contained a tracking chip. Oddly, he called Xiao Yang “Xiao Jun.”
In the police department, only one person referred to Xiao Yang as Xiao Jun—his female subordinate, with whom he shared feelings. They had already explicitly expressed their feelings but were secretly dating, concealing it from their colleagues.
She was the one who selected him among several equally outstanding graduates to join the police force; with that bond, she had a special connection to him, calling him “Xiao Jun” rather than Xiao Yang.
Jiang Ye felt an inexplicable ominous sensation, but at that moment, Xiao Jun’s life was on the line, and he couldn’t afford to dwell on it.
Meanwhile, Han Yanyan, having hung up, was equally stunned.
In that instant, she had become “Policewoman Han Yanyan.” During that brief conversation, her emotional understanding, thought process, and language habits all belonged to the policewoman.
This was truly splitting her personality!
Han Yanyan tugged at her hair in frustration.
But then she froze; a thought struck her like lightning.
She had once suspected that Yao Chen was Ding Yao, later developing doubts about that suspicion. Now she suddenly considered, what if Ding Yao was like her? Having entered a new world, not only did he acquire a new body, but also a new persona.
As the task bearer, she retained all her memories and was aware of who she was. Yet even so, she could still be influenced by her persona, occasionally slipping into a divided self. So what about Ding Yao, who had lost his memories and identity? The loss of memory and self meant more than just a split personality; it probably indicated a complete acceptance of his persona, right?
But if “Yao Chen” was merely a persona, how could it guarantee that “Ding Yao” was his true self? More likely, “Ding Yao” was just another persona!
These thoughts flashed through Han Yanyan’s mind like lightning, illuminating her understanding. They shattered and fused together the initial questions and later doubts she had, gradually forming something, an inkling of the truth.
When Yao Chen returned home, he found Han Yanyan sitting on the sofa in a daze. The television was on, but she clearly wasn’t watching it; her gaze lacked focus.
“Hey! What’s wrong?” He waved his hand in front of her eyes.
Han Yanyan snapped back to reality, patting her chest in complaint, “You scared me! How come you walk so quietly?”
Yao Chen chuckled. He had just unmasked a spy and was in a good mood. He asked, “What were you thinking?”
Han Yanyan sighed, “Thinking about life.”
Her overly serious tone amused Yao Chen. He pressed her down onto the sofa, tugged at her shirt collar, and said, “Come, let’s discuss life…”
The conversation of life heated up, and afterward, Han Yanyan softly lay against Yao Chen’s chest, watching him light a cigarette.
Yao Chen exhaled a plume of smoke and looked down at his petite wife. Her deep, dark eyes were fixated on him.
“Yao Chen, you must have wronged me in your past life. Perhaps you used me as a shield in a life-and-death situation, which is why you encountered me in this life,” she mused, “What a wicked fate.”
Yao Chen chuckled, “You’ve got it all wrong; it should be that you wronged me in your past life, which is why you ended up in my hands this time.”
“Ah!” Han Yanyan suddenly sat up, “I forgot to serve the soup I’ve been simmering all night!”
Since becoming a wife, she had begun to learn how to make soup. Yao Chen liked her like this. Indeed, after getting married, her heart had settled; regardless of her past reluctance, she was willing to live well with him.
As he drank the soup thoughtfully prepared by Han Yanyan, Yao Chen felt entirely at ease.
Home was a place for relaxation, and a wife was someone to depend on.