Chapter 1 — IAVD (QT) Chapter 1

Ji Xiu got out of bed and headed downstairs.

Below, a beautiful middle-aged woman looked up, her voice pleading. "Husband, I don't want to send Xiao Wu back."

Ji Xiu frowned ever so slightly.

Having already accepted the plot details of this world, he naturally knew who the person before him was: Song Ruyue, the wife of this body’s original owner.

Song Ruyue was the daughter of the original owner’s boss. She had married him right after graduating university and bore him a son and a daughter. She was a full-time housewife, leaving the company to be managed entirely by the original owner.

Due to a weak constitution and a sensitive, overthinking nature, Song Ruyue’s health had never been great. Fortunately, the original owner was considerate and their children were filial. The family lived in harmony; with Song Ruyue living a carefree life focused on recovery, her health had gradually improved over the years.

Two months ago, the Ji family participated in a routine physical exam arranged by the hospital.

It was supposed to be a mundane check-up, the kind held every six months—nothing out of the ordinary. When the reports were ready, the hospital notified them to pick them up.

Usually, Song Ruyue handled this as the housewife, but she happened to be busy that day. She asked the original owner to swing by the hospital on his way home from work to pick up the results.

He agreed. He took the reports and, while in the car, casually opened them to take a look.

That one look changed everything. He accidentally discovered a subtle discrepancy in the four family members' blood types—his daughter’s blood type was different from his own, his wife’s, and his son’s.

Both he and his wife had Type O blood. It was biologically impossible for them to produce a daughter with Type AB.

This was a disaster.

Once the news broke, it triggered a domestic war. Both husband and wife suspected the other of infidelity. After a fierce dispute, they underwent DNA testing, only to discover that their daughter had no biological relation to either of them.

In other words, their daughter, Ji Wu, was not a member of the Ji family.

In a plot twist straight out of a TV drama, the original owner thought back to the hospital where his daughter was born.

By suing the hospital, he obtained the list of maternity patients from that year. After two months of investigation, he found his true biological daughter—a girl named Zhou Qingqing.

There was a side note to the investigation: the female head of the Zhou household had briefly worked as a maid for the Ji family but was fired for theft.

Anyone with half a brain could see the sinister implications. It was chilling.

This "switching of the dragon for the phoenix" was very likely intentional.

The original owner was furious. Upon receiving the report, he immediately intended to send Ji Wu back and bring his biological daughter home.

That was when Song Ruyue refused.

Ji Wu was the child she had raised with her own hands. She had nurtured her since infancy, signed her up for interest classes, hired famous mentors, and watched her become an accomplished pianist who had won countless awards at a young age. Song Ruyue had poured her heart and soul into the girl. Every time she took Ji Wu out for afternoon tea with other socialites, she basked in the admiring glances of her peers.

Why should she send her away? To trade her for a daughter born in the slums who couldn't hold her own in polite society?

If she brought that girl out, she wouldn't receive praise—she would face humiliation. If the truth were exposed, outsiders would pity her, thinking her years of effort were wasted...

The mere thought made Song Ruyue’s head feel like it was exploding.

She was the eldest daughter of the prestigious Song family. Her life had been smooth and glorious; she was always the one pitying others. Since when was it someone else’s turn to pity her?

She rejected the "crude and unrefined" biological daughter; she only wanted Ji Wu, the obedient daughter who brought her pride.

When the original owner tried to pick the girl up, she blocked him, refusing to let him leave the house.

The original owner’s only son, Ji Ze, also couldn't bear to let go of the sister he had lived with for over a decade. He begged his father not to send Ji Wu away. Mother and son stood united to obstruct him.

The original owner wasn't exactly a doting father, and being focused on his career, he lacked an emotional bond with either the real or fake daughter. He only wanted to send Ji Wu back out of spite. Seeing his wife and son pleading so desperately, his heart softened, and he relented.

Song Ruyue breathed a sigh of relief, but she remained uneasy. Fearing the real daughter might return to compete for affection, she not only refused to send Ji Wu away but also forbade the original owner from bringing Zhou Qingqing back.

The moment the original owner hesitated, she pulled out the company as a threat.

Though the original owner managed the business, the legal representative had always been Song Ruyue. Having worked so hard for so many years, he naturally couldn't abandon his career and family for a biological daughter he felt nothing for. He yielded again.

Song Ruyue and her son won a total victory, and the matter was hushed up.

From beginning to end, Zhou Qingqing knew nothing of what had transpired. She didn't know she was the true heiress of a wealthy family, nor did she know her biological father had once discovered the truth and wanted to bring her back—only to be stopped by her own mother.

She lived in the Zhou family for over twenty years, forced to drop out of school early to work and support her vampire parents. Even her marriage was a haphazard choice made solely to afford her brother’s wedding and a house.

It wasn't until ten years later, when Mother Zhou accidentally let the secret slip, that she learned the truth.

By then, the original owner had died in a car accident, and the Ji family was ruled by Ji Ze. Ji Ze had fallen in love with Ji Wu, the sister he grew up with. To be together openly, they planned to bring Zhou Qingqing back.

When Zhou Qingqing found out, she couldn't wait to return to the Ji family.

But after returning, she saw the sickly yet haughty Song Ruyue looking at her with disdain. She saw the elegantly dressed and noble Ji Wu. Looking at her own battered self, covered in the scars of a hard life, she felt no salvation—only the depths of an extreme inferiority complex.

Most importantly, one night when she couldn't sleep, she accidentally overheard Ji Ze and Ji Wu talking.

Ji Ze expressed deep guilt... over knowing the truth ten years ago and blocking their father from bringing her home.

She went completely insane.

The next day, Zhou Qingqing poisoned the Ji family's breakfast. All four members died. Ji Ze and Ji Wu, the "Protagonists" who supported the world's fortune, perished. The world-line collapsed, and the world crumbled.

The collapse of a minor world is no small matter. The Space-Time Bureau took it very seriously. As Ji Xiu had just finished his rookie training, he was dispatched here to handle this sudden crisis.

According to the original world-line, Zhou Qingqing was indeed the villain, but she had returned to the Ji family at age fifteen. Because her parents disliked her, she never actually harmed the protagonists; she was merely a clown who made futile efforts and invited ridicule.

Halfway through the plot, she would have been easily suppressed by Ji Ze, completing her mission as a villain and making a graceful exit.

But in this world, she had deviated from the script. Not only did she fail to return to the Ji family in time, but she also suffered immense trauma, causing her to "blacken" completely. The moment she discovered the truth, she struck silently, killing the protagonists before they could even blink.

The Space-Time Bureau couldn't figure out why she had deviated. They could only expend massive energy to rewind time and send Ji Xiu. His orders were to eliminate the villain Zhou Qingqing early, secure the world, and nip the collapse in the bud.

When Ji Xiu first arrived, he didn't understand the situation and agreed readily. But now that he had received the plot memory, he had no intention of following the Bureau's orders.

In this matter, Zhou Qingqing was entirely innocent.

As a wealthy heiress, she was intentionally swapped at birth. When she finally had a chance to go home at fifteen, she was kept in the dark by the bias of her biological mother and brother. Only after her life had sunk into the mire, covered in filth, did her family casually "bring her back" without a shred of apology or guilt—summoning her like a dog.

They even expected her to kneel and thank Ji Wu for her "generosity and tolerance."

Because it was Ji Wu who proactively suggested it, the Ji family finally brought her back.

But why didn't they think of it this way? It was Ji Wu who stole her family, her identity, and the beautiful life she should have had.

Bringing her back wasn't for redemption; it was to give her a "status" so she could be conveniently married off to Ji Ze.

What was there to be thankful for?

The Ji family didn't speak up for Zhou Qingqing; they stood by Ji Wu and looked down on the real daughter. With such muddle-headed family members, it was no wonder she preferred to die with them rather than linger on in their "charity."

Ji Xiu was a man who couldn't stand a grain of sand in his eye. After reading the plot, he almost wanted to help her pour the poison himself.

Much less the actual victim, Zhou Qingqing.

Therefore, from the moment he received the memories, he made up his mind: he would not eliminate Zhou Qingqing as the Bureau requested. He would bring her back and pamper her like a true princess. Only then could he do justice to that grief-stricken girl who died so young in the previous life.

Regardless, as long as he prevented the world from collapsing, the World Consciousness would be grateful to him no matter how he changed the plot.

Ji Xiu was even more determined than the original owner. The moment he arrived, he planned to head to the Zhou house.

He hadn't expected Song Ruyue to react so quickly, waiting downstairs early in the morning to stop him.

Ji Xiu looked at Song Ruyue in her elegant white dress. He lowered his eyes, a trace of disdain flickering in his gaze. He didn't want to deal with her.

She was so devoted to Ji Wu, but had she ever considered what kind of life Zhou Qingqing was living in the Zhou house?

However, constrained by the original owner’s persona, he couldn't say those words directly. He could only say calmly, "Ruyue, don't say those things anymore. Qingqing is our daughter. You need to distinguish who comes first."

Tears welled up in Song Ruyue’s eyes, her voice trembling. "Husband, I raised Xiao Wu with my own hands. It's been fifteen years. How can you ask me to let her go?"

"Even if you can't, you must." Ji Xiu’s brow furrowed, his voice rising slightly. "That child was swapped on purpose. We don't know how much she's suffered. Now that we’ve finally found her, you want to leave her there to keep suffering? That is your child. Do you have the heart for that?"

"Since we are bringing her back, Ji Wu must naturally be sent back."

Song Ruyue wouldn't listen, shaking her head. "No, we raised Xiao Wu. How can you have the heart to let her suffer in those slums? She's just a chil—"

"I have the heart!"

Ji Xiu interrupted her, his refined and handsome face showing a hint of ruthlessness. "Her biological parents have no character to speak of. They stole our daughter and let us raise their child for them. She enjoyed a life of luxury in our house while our child acted as a free servant in theirs! Biologically, she is the daughter of a thief. What 'heart' do I need to send her back to her thief parents!"

Song Ruyue froze, her eyes widening in shock. She couldn't believe her usually compliant husband would refute her so coldly.

"Husband, you... why are you being so cruel?"

She had originally planned to keep Xiao Wu first, then find an excuse to reject Zhou Qingqing’s return. Given her husband’s personality, she thought the former would be easy and the latter could be achieved with a few days of nagging. She didn't expect him to be so unyielding today.

What happened to him? She looked at Ji Xiu, utterly confused.

Just then, footsteps came from the stairs.

Their eldest son, Ji Ze, was wearing pajamas, looking like he had just woken up. His hair was a mess. It was unclear if he had heard the conversation from upstairs, but he rushed down in a panic.

Standing before Ji Xiu, he shouted, "I don't agree to sending my sister away!"

Ji Xiu paused and turned to look at him.

The eighteen-year-old youth had inherited his parents' good genes—lean waist, long legs, and a handsome face. Coupled with the temperament cultivated from a wealthy upbringing, he was the picture of a young noble.

Even with his disheveled clothes and anxious expression, his clean-cut beauty wasn't diminished.

In school, he would likely be the "boy in the white shirt" that every girl dreamed of.

But you can't judge a book by its cover. Who would have thought this handsome boy would reject his biological sister for the sake of a thief's daughter, and then fall in love with that thief whom he called "sister"?

In summary: Good face, pity about the brain.

Thinking of Zhou Qingqing’s experience in the original plot, Ji Xiu felt zero fatherly affection for him. He said disdainfully, "You think your disagreement matters? You don't call the shots in this house!"

"Then what about me!"

Seeing Ji Xiu snap at their son, Song Ruyue couldn't take it anymore. She stood up from the sofa, looking at Ji Xiu with a wounded expression.

"Xiao Ze’s words don't matter, but what about mine? Does what I say matter?"

Ji Xiu frowned, appearing to ponder for a moment.

Just as the mother and son thought her words had worked and their gazes relaxed, he shook his head.

"In other matters, I can listen to you. But today, I must bring Qingqing back and send that thief’s daughter away."

Song Ruyue shuddered, looking at her husband as if she didn't recognize him.

She had always been gentle, and her relationship with her husband was deep. She hadn't intended to have a falling out, but today, he was going too far!

"Ji Xiu! Don't forget what you said when you married me and took over my family’s company. You said you would listen to me for the rest of your life! Am I too good-natured, letting you ignore my existence like this?"

Ji Xiu thought to himself: Here it comes.

In the previous timeline, she had said the exact same thing. With that threat, the original owner had easily compromised and given up on Zhou Qingqing.

Unfortunately, he was the one in control now, and he wasn't going to listen to Song Ruyue.

When it came to acting, he had never feared anyone.

Ji Xiu looked up at Song Ruyue, his eyes filled with disappointment. "I also don't understand how the understanding, pure, and kind wife of back then could become so unreasonably troublesome today."

Song Ruyue was stunned.

Seeing the disappointment on her husband's face, she couldn't help but drift off—was she really being "unreasonably troublesome"? But she was just following her heart, doing what she thought was normal.

Wasn't a daughter raised for fifteen years closer than a blood relation?

After an agitated moment of thought, she still felt she wasn't wrong. She thought of Ji Wu standing on stage receiving awards while she waited below, basking in the envious looks of others. Ultimately, that feeling defeated the trace of guilt in her heart.

Song Ruyue looked away. "Regardless, I don't agree!"

A cold light flashed in Ji Xiu’s eyes, but he said nothing.

Seeing them in a cold war, Ji Ze felt uneasy. He hesitated. "How about... we just raise both sisters?"

Song Ruyue’s eyes lit up. She felt this was an excellent suggestion.

Since Ji Xiu was busy with work and she managed the household, hiding the presence of a child was incredibly easy. As long as she didn't proactively tell anyone or take the girl to banquets, no one would know her daughter had been swapped. Her perfect life wouldn't be stained.

She looked at Ji Xiu excitedly. "How about it? Ji Xiu, I can agree to you bringing Zhou Qingqing back, but Xiao Wu stays too. We raise both children together. I won't let you send her away."

Her original demand was "Keep Ji Wu, don't bring Zhou Qingqing." Ji Xiu’s demand was "Send Ji Wu away, bring Zhou Qingqing." Their goals were diametrically opposed.

Now she had taken a step back. If her husband had any heart, he should naturally take a step back too.

Afraid he might still refuse, she habitually threw out a line: "If you don't agree, we should separate for a while to cool off."

This was her catchphrase. When she was in a good mood, she said it jokingly; when she was upset, she used it as a serious threat. Regardless of her tone, Ji Xiu always ended up obeying her.

She didn't know how much that sentence hurt.

Hearing those words, a sudden pang of pain shot through Ji Xiu’s heart—it was likely the final trace of the original owner’s lingering emotions.

Ji Xiu’s brow knitted. He touched his chest, somewhat confused, and closed his eyes to sense the residual feelings.

After a moment, he opened his eyes. "Fine. Let's separate."

Song Ruyue froze. "..."

Ji Xiu didn't give her much time to recover. Clutching his chest, his gaze shifted strangely as he looked Song Ruyue up and down. "Perhaps it isn't Ji Wu’s fault, but she is fundamentally in the wrong. I don't want to see a thief who stole my daughter's life acting as if nothing happened in front of me. We’ll separate. You take Xiao Ze and Ji Wu, and I’ll take Qingqing. Let’s leave it at that."

Song Ruyue couldn't believe that after she had made such a "compromise," she received a total rejection. She looked at her husband as if he were a heinous criminal, her gaze shocked and estranged.

Was this still her husband?

Did he really hate Ji Wu that much?

"Why can't you just accept Xiao Wu!" She couldn't accept this outcome and murmured under her breath.

Ji Xiu turned his head away, his tone casual, carrying a hidden sense of relief.

"Ruyue, it’s not that I can't accept her."

"If your attitude wasn't so extreme, I might not have been so resolute. But your attitude influenced my decision. Tell me, if I let Ji Wu stay and bring Qingqing back, can you really treat both daughters equally? Can you honestly say you won't be biased?"

Song Ruyue’s mouth moved, but no words came out.

"See? You can't. Once I follow your suggestion, Qingqing will only be hurt more. You and Xiao Ze will focus all your energy on comforting Ji Wu, while our real daughter, Qingqing, will have to watch you dote on an outsider while she suffers in silence."

These simple truths required no deep thought, so Ji Xiu planned to kill the problem in the bud.

He must send Ji Wu back!

Of course, Ji Xiu hadn't originally expected to be able to send Ji Wu back; Song Ruyue valued her too much. He only set a high demand to make "bargaining" for Zhou Qingqing easier.

It’s like an item of clothing: the seller asks for two hundred, but sells it for one hundred at a "discount," and people happily buy it. In reality, the clothes were only worth thirty. It’s the same logic.

His goal from the start was only to bring Zhou Qingqing back. He never thought he could actually force Ji Wu out.

Nor did he expect to separate from Song Ruyue.

No matter what, she was the original owner’s wife. He couldn't take over the body and then leave the original owner’s life in a complete mess.

But just now, he had felt the original owner’s emotions—

The original owner was deeply disappointed in Song Ruyue and had long entertained thoughts of divorce.

Sensing this residual feeling, Ji Xiu was overjoyed. Since the original owner didn't care, then what was there to fear? He could do as he pleased.

He insisted on sending Ji Wu back. If Song Ruyue didn't agree, they would split. Simple and clean.

Song Ruyue was silent for a long time, then shook her head. "No, Xiao Wu is my daughter, not an outsider!"

Ji Xiu looked at her calmly.

Song Ruyue was equally calm. She didn't believe her husband would be willing to leave the company; perhaps he was just bluffing. If it were anything else, she would have agreed, but sending Ji Wu away was impossible.

Not wanting the relationship to get too tense, she tried one last time.

"Ji Xiu, are you really going to give up on the three of us for an outsider? If you choose to separate, you leave with nothing. Don't forget, the company was left to me by my parents!"

Ji Xiu’s response was a mocking curl of the lip. He gave her a side-glance and turned to walk out of the Ji house.

Song Ruyue: "..."