Losing Face

Shu Yunyi sat on the chair, her heart aching with a bittersweet ache.

Although Jin Yao had been born right on schedule, the ultimate victor in this situation wasn’t her.

She had never paid much attention to Cheng Jun before, assuming that if she were to lose to anyone, it would be Fu Nanzhi. Yet, in the end, Cheng Jun had snatched the prize right from under her nose.

The scenes of the couple’s affectionate kisses and their blissful march into matrimony pierced through the screen and straight into her heart.

But what truly shook Shu Yunyi wasn’t just that. When she heard Cheng Jun’s thoughts, even she couldn’t help but glance sideways in surprise.

Cheng Jun herself was stunned speechless upon seeing her own explosive remarks toward Shen Yi in the scene.

Yet it didn’t take long for her to understand—she wasn’t a fool.

Putting herself in that position, she realized this was absolutely something she would do.

As she absorbed the raw emotions reflected in the scenes, Cheng Jun gradually shed her shock and began reevaluating the dynamics between the three of them.

The situation developed rapidly from there, and Fu Nanzhi’s expression grew increasingly peculiar.

Not only had her relationship with Shu Yunyi thawed, but they were now on the verge of becoming close friends.

She stole a cautious glance at Shu Yunyi, only to find Shu Yunyi sneakily looking back at her.

Their eyes met for a fleeting moment, both of them overcome with an inexplicable awkwardness.

Just the day before, they had been locked in a fierce argument—not quite life-or-death, but certainly unwilling to yield an inch.

And now, here they were, reconciling. Judging by the unfolding scenes, their relationship was only improving.

Truly, life was unpredictable. Everything had happened so strangely. The two women lowered their heads, each silently processing the emotions washing over them.

Shu Yunyi quickly brushed aside the awkwardness and began to understand why her future self had changed her attitude.

She realized Fu Nanzhi was genuinely kind-hearted. Had it not been for their irreconcilable differences before, they really could have been the best of friends.

Watching Fu Nanzhi save her life, tirelessly care for her, and even help raise her child, Shu Yunyi was deeply moved.

But the emotional shift was so abrupt that she couldn’t bring herself to strike up a conversation with Fu Nanzhi just yet.

Her lips twitched as she forced a smile to lighten the mood:

"What do we call this? The League of the Heartbroken?"

Fu Nanzhi sighed softly and shook her head in response:

"Not really. Late is just late."

Then, her gaze shifted back to the ongoing scenes on the screen as she added:

"Besides, the fact that we even have a future is thanks to Cheng Jun’s generosity."

Cheng Jun, though inwardly pleased, didn’t dare show too much joy in front of Fu Nanzhi. She awkwardly explained:

"Nanzhi… you know how it is."

"Once the family got involved, I didn’t have much say in the matter."

Cheng Jun knew Shen Yi had always favored Fu Nanzhi—he had even rejected her for Fu Nanzhi’s sake in the past.

Now that she had gained a slight upper hand, she couldn’t afford to gloat. She didn’t dare underestimate her cousin, which was why she had chosen to turn a blind eye after marriage.

Fu Nanzhi waved her hand dismissively.

"It’s fine. I’m not blaming you."

"We all agreed to the three rules."

"And I know Uncle Cheng’s temperament well enough…"

Cheng Jun tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and replied quietly:

"As long as you understand, Nanzhi."

The atmosphere settled back into calm as they resumed their silent watch over the scenes.

The footage played on relentlessly, each of them observing the developments with mixed expressions.

It was as if someone had hit fast-forward—everything unfolded in a dizzying rush.

What had started with arguments, even resentment, had evolved into compromise, understanding, and eventually friendship.

They shopped together, dined together, chatted idly, and even took their children on outings.

Years passed, the children grew, and their hearts gradually settled into a peaceful rhythm, with only the occasional ripple disturbing the calm.

From quarrels and breakups to stumbles and laughter, the scenes overflowed with the essence of everyday life.

This "movie" spared no detail.

The children’s scrapes and giggles, the mundane yet heartwarming snippets of their lives—everything was laid bare.

Cheng Jun couldn’t help but smile as she watched Jin Yao chasing after Yixin, shouting "Brother! Brother!"

But her amusement didn’t last long—the film was far too thorough, even showcasing intimate moments without the slightest omission.

The screen now displayed Shen Yi and Cheng Jun, now a long-married couple, locking eyes and immediately melting into a passionate kiss.

As their clothes began to vanish from the screen, Cheng Jun’s face burned with embarrassment.

Her cheeks flushed crimson, like a kettle about to boil over, as she frantically tried to block the other two’s view:

"Don’t look!"

"No, no, no… you two—stop watching!"

She made a futile attempt to cover Fu Nanzhi’s eyes, but it was hopeless.

Peeking at others’ private moments was human nature—especially when it was right there in the open.

Fu Nanzhi, grinning mischievously, held Cheng Jun’s arm back while eagerly drinking in the sight, her eyes sparkling with interest.

Shu Yunyi, seated farther away, was temporarily spared Cheng Jun’s desperate interference.

As the scene grew increasingly inappropriate, Shu Yunyi’s lips twitched, and she turned her head away, unwilling to watch.

Yet curiosity got the better of her, and she couldn’t resist stealing glances through the gaps in her hair.

Meanwhile, Cheng Jun struggled in vain to block Fu Nanzhi’s view—nothing escaped those keen eyes.

No wonder she was so flustered. The Cheng Jun on-screen was a married woman, a mother, but the present Cheng Jun was still an untouched maiden.

Though she had absorbed some of the emotions from the scenes, such explicit imagery was still too much for her to handle.

Realizing she couldn’t stop Fu Nanzhi, Cheng Jun gave up entirely.

She stole one glance at the naked figures on-screen before immediately lowering her head, covering her face in shame.

This was beyond humiliating.

Fu Nanzhi, however, remained riveted, her eyes glued to the screen.

She even had the audacity to glance back at Cheng Jun, as if comparing the two versions.

Thankfully, the scene soon passed, and Cheng Jun hesitantly raised her head, her face still burning.

She kept her gaze fixed straight ahead, not daring to look sideways, terrified of being teased.

‘This is so embarrassing…’

‘Shen Yi must be behind this. That scoundrel!’

Before she could dwell on it further, the scenes continued.

As if worried about playing favorites, the footage soon shifted to Fu Nanzhi, who didn’t escape unscathed either.

Seizing the chance for revenge, Cheng Jun widened her eyes, determined not to miss a single detail.

Fu Nanzhi felt a flicker of shyness—she hadn’t expected her own scenes to appear.

But unlike Cheng Jun, she had experience in intimacy, and there were no outsiders here.

Having been married to Shen Yi in another life, combined with her naturally bold desires, her skin was far thicker than Cheng Jun’s.

At that moment, she was covering her mouth as she watched, utterly unable to stop Cheng Jun and Shu Yunyi. Instead, she adjusted her sitting posture to get a better view.

Cheng Jun’s blush never faded. When the scene reached a critical point, she cupped her cheeks, torn between resistance and curiosity.

She had always known Fu Nanzhi had a good figure, but she hadn’t realized just how impressive her "Nanzhi-jie" truly was.

The more she watched, the more deflated she became, her lips pursing in frustration as she glanced down at her own modest chest, growing increasingly self-conscious and annoyed.

Shu Yunyi smirked, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair to observe carefully.

‘Hmph…’

Not to boast, but when it came to figures, she had never lost to anyone.

Even if Fu Nanzhi was naturally gifted in that department, she still wasn’t a match for Shu Yunyi.

As for Cheng Jun—that little girl—she posed no threat at all. Shu Yunyi felt even comparing the two of them would be unfair.

But before Shu Yunyi could revel in her pride for long, the scene suddenly shifted to include her.

The footage meticulously showed how she had heard the commotion, slowly approached the room, then ‘accidentally’ walked into the wrong one—only to be pulled inside by Shen Yi with a mix of reluctance and compliance.

Cheng Jun’s twenty-plus years of life experience crumbled into useless scraps of paper at that moment. The scene before her felt utterly alien.

Yet, despite her shock, there was an inexplicable allure to it, leaving her eyes darting around, unsure where to focus.

She stared, jaw slack, unable to close her mouth for the longest time.

“Huh?”

“Huh?”