TGPSAC – Chapter 150

Just as Chi Wan was about to call out, an even louder sound erupted by her ear as everyone shouted the name of their favorite Go player.

Wait, weren’t they just here to get an autograph, not to chase a star? They were all Go enthusiasts, so why were they acting like celebrity fans?

Fortunately, there were only a dozen or so people, so the scene wasn’t too chaotic, but it did disrupt Chi Wan’s plan.

She was about to step forward when the university student beside her grabbed her arm. “Don’t go. Jiuzhou doesn’t like fans disturbing her in private.”

But Chi Wan wasn’t a fan; she was here to find her wife.

“I…”

Seeing Yu Jiuzhou about to get into the car, she was about to call out anxiously. The next second, Yu Jiuzhou’s gaze swept over, and the moment it landed on her, it froze. The black-and-white checkered thermos in her hand fell to the ground.

In that instant, it was as if time stood still. Their eyes held only each other.

Seeing that Yu Jiuzhou had noticed her, Chi Wan was no longer in a hurry. With just that one look, she knew. This was Yu Jiuzhou, and a Yu Jiuzhou who had her memories.

She had once wondered, what if it was just someone who looked the same, or what if she had lost her memories upon crossing over?

She had hypothesized many possibilities. Even after watching so many videos, what if?

But now, there was no “what if.” She could feel the love in the other’s eyes—a familiar, long-missed love. See? She knew Yu Jiuzhou wouldn’t forget her.

Chi Wan’s shattered heart was mended in an instant. Her body, which had been like a walking corpse, was suddenly infused with vitality. She had come back to life.

The two exchanged a smile, and Yu Jiuzhou strode over, a matching smile gracing her face.

What did a long-awaited reunion feel like? To Chi Wan, it didn’t feel like anything in particular. She just wanted to hold Yu Jiuzhou in her arms. For so long, she had lacked a goal to pursue, living in this world only because she wouldn’t actively end her own life. Finding something to do was merely that—finding something to do.

For over a year, Chi Wan had been like a machine, running on a set program. Only now was a soul injected back into her body.

Just as Yu Jiuzhou reached her, a voice, reserved yet excited, spoke up. “Jiu… Sister Jiuzhou, can you sign this for me?”

Chi Wan was speechless. She had forgotten there was a third wheel right next to her.

A couple reuniting after a long separation should be embracing, kissing, and finding a place to pour out their hearts. But now, should they hug or not?

Yu Jiuzhou was now a semi-public figure. With so many phones filming nearby, it would have a negative impact if it got online. While netizens loved to ship couples, it was still different from the mainstream view.

She believed that even in this world, Yu Jiuzhou would need her own career. Before that, the two of them had to exercise some restraint.

Chi Wan’s restrained yet fervent gaze stirred Yu Jiuzhou’s heart. But being her usual reserved and proud self, she would never take the initiative to throw herself into Chi Wan’s arms, no matter how much she yearned to.

This was Yu Jiuzhou. No matter how colorful her inner world was, her expression remained cool and proper, which only made one’s heart burn hotter.

The two exquisite people standing together attracted a great deal of attention. By now, the university student had also noticed something was off.

“You two know each other?”

Based on looks alone, the two were a perfect match. The student just hadn’t expected that the person she had brought along to chase a star was actually a friend of the star. It was a bit of a socially awkward death.

Chi Wan cleared her throat to cover her gaffe. “We do.”

“Alright then.”

Yu Jiuzhou was a person who appeared cold on the surface but was gentle on the inside. She took the photo from the student’s hand and wrote her name on it, each stroke a simplified character.

Chi Wan was truly curious about what Yu Jiuzhou had experienced after coming to this world to have even mastered writing simplified characters.

Having gotten the autographed photo she wanted, the student was immediately delighted. “Thank you, Sister. Have fun in Tianfu. We won’t disturb you anymore.”

Chi Wan raised an eyebrow. Although there was nothing wrong with what the student said, hearing it still made her read into it.

What to do when your wife becomes a semi-public figure?

She wasn’t one to want the whole world to know about her relationship. For the sake of her wife’s career development, it was better for some things to be tacitly understood rather than broadcasted too loudly.

This was especially true if Yu Jiuzhou were to participate in more prestigious tournaments, beyond just representing the dojo in individual matches. Being too high-profile might not be a good thing.

Chi Wan made no comment, watching as the crowd gradually dispersed and the people from the dojo prepared to leave.

A tall woman in sky-high heels clicked her way over to them. “Jiu, who is this?”

Jiu? Just a single character?

Chi Wan felt a flicker of displeasure but kept her expression neutral. Her beautiful eyes rested on Yu Jiuzhou. Before she understood the identities of the people involved, it was best not to speak.

Yu Jiuzhou’s tone was placid. “Chi Wan, my closest person.”

That one sentence was enough. Chi Wan broke into her signature happy smile.

Yu Jiuzhou took in her smile, a triumphant, mischievous grin. What a rascal, just waiting for her to announce their relationship.

The woman in stilettos wore a black tube top under a fitted suit jacket and flared trousers. Her perfume was overpowering, and with her heavy makeup and red lips, she gave off a strong, oppressive aura.

A hint of displeasure crossed the woman’s face. “Lu Shiwei, the dojo owner.”

Such a young dojo owner? In Chi Wan’s impression, dojo owners were usually not young. She had looked up information on this dojo; it had produced many famous players, so the owner shouldn’t be this young.

But her surname was Lu, so she was likely the heir. To be precise, she had already inherited it. So when those people mentioned a relationship between Yu Jiuzhou and the dojo owner, they were talking about Lu Shiwei?

Chi Wan gave a polite nod. With her wife’s excellence, there would naturally be no shortage of suitors. If she got jealous over every little thing, she feared even an ocean of vinegar wouldn’t be enough.

Besides, back then, foreign lands had offered countless beauties, like a concubine selection far grander than any modern talent show, all talented, pure, and beautiful. Neither she nor Yu Jiuzhou had been tempted.

She did enjoy watching girl groups. Watching them dance with refreshing energy was much better than some male groups’ greasy performances.

Enjoying watching and actually liking were two different things. The person she liked, from beginning to end, had only ever been Yu Jiuzhou. And the same was true for Yu Jiuzhou.

Lu Shiwei was clearly angered by Yu Jiuzhou’s “closest person” comment. She turned and said, “Jiu, let’s go back.”

Again with the “us,” again with the “go back.” Every word was an assertion of sovereignty.

Yu Jiuzhou frowned. “Didn’t you say I would have a vacation after today’s match ended?”

Lu Shiwei replied, “…But don’t you still have to go back to the hotel to pack your things?”

“Which hotel are you staying at?” Chi Wan asked softly, though she already knew the answer.

Yu Jiuzhou named the hotel.

“What a coincidence, I’m staying there too. Let’s go together.”

Lu Shiwei said bluntly, “The dojo’s car has limited seating.”

But Yu Jiuzhou simply took Chi Wan’s hand. “We’ll walk.”

The hotel wasn’t far from here, only a fifteen-minute walk. It was the perfect opportunity for the two of them to have some time alone.

Chi Wan lowered her eyes and smiled. Having her wife protect her put her in an exceptionally good mood.

They left the underground garage side by side. Neither of them spoke, because Lu Shiwei was following behind them. Some things just couldn’t be said in front of a stranger.

Their experiences were too fantastical. If they were to speak of them, they would probably be taken away to be sliced up for research. They couldn’t be resurrected; getting sliced up would be the end.

Lu Shiwei, despite her stilettos, walked quite fast, as effortlessly as if she were wearing sneakers.

“Why aren’t you two talking?”

Chi Wan and Yu Jiuzhou exchanged a look. Were they supposed to say, “Because you’re here”?

Lu Shiwei asked again, “How did you two meet? How long have you known each other?”

Considering the timeline of Yu Jiuzhou’s transmigration, it would be hard to explain how long they had known each other without revealing their secret.

Chi Wan didn’t know what story Yu Jiuzhou had told, so it was best to say nothing.

And it was in Yu Jiuzhou’s nature that when she didn’t want to explain something, no amount of questioning from anyone would work.

Seeing that neither of them was talking, Lu Shiwei’s face grew cold. “There are many tournaments in the second half of the year. You can’t take too long a vacation.”

Yu Jiuzhou simply hummed in acknowledgment.

Chi Wan frowned. She knew Yu Jiuzhou had signed a contract with the dojo, but she didn’t know what the terms were. Could a person from ancient times who arrived in the modern era secure a fair contract?

The three of them returned to the hotel, and Lu Shiwei finally left. The moment the door closed, Chi Wan pulled Yu Jiuzhou into her arms, holding her tight.

She eagerly absorbed the warmth from Yu Jiuzhou’s body and her familiar scent, a fragrance that was still so intoxicating.

“Sister, I missed you so much.”

She really, really missed her.

Yu Jiuzhou hugged her back just as tightly. “Me too.”

Every moment since arriving in this world, she had wanted to find Chi Wan, but reality had not allowed it.

The two held each other for a long while before they finally couldn’t resist kissing. But they remained relatively restrained. After all, this was a hotel, and a double room at that. They didn’t know when someone from the dojo might come knocking, especially Lu Shiwei, the other woman staying in this room. For such a wealthy dojo to book a double room was just malicious.

They sat on the sofa, fingers intertwined, their hearts filled with the excitement and joy of having found what was lost.

Chi Wan listened intently to Yu Jiuzhou’s experiences over the past year, her heart aching as she held her tighter.

As it turned out, Yu Jiuzhou had crossed over around the same time Chi Wan had returned.

However, while Chi Wan had returned, Yu Jiuzhou had appeared directly in this world, and in Dongdao of all places.

Great Zhou had conquered that place, so she was familiar with it.

Yu Jiuzhou was very intelligent. They had traveled to so many countries, spending considerable time in each, so she knew multiple languages and understood the local customs. But without an identity, it was very difficult for her to survive in this world.

Just then, she saw a flyer for a dojo recruiting students. She went in with the intention of just trying her luck and ended up defeating everyone in the dojo, which was how she got to stay.

That dojo was a branch of the Lu family’s dojo. Being a branch, it didn’t have any particularly strong players.

Yu Jiuzhou didn’t rashly reveal her lack of identity. She was well aware of how someone without household registration would be treated—it would not be good.

Fortunately, the branch dojo had a rather important match they needed to win. As the strongest player there, she knew her time to bargain had come.

During the match, she called for a stop halfway through the first game and stated her condition: she wanted a legal identity.

Although Dongdao was a small place, its passion for the culture of Go was immense. If the dojo lost this match, it would be like having their reputation trampled into the dirt. The main dojo would doubt their strength and might even shut down the branch.

That’s right, it was a competition between two dojos. The Lu family’s dojo was originally expected to win, but their opponent had brought in reinforcements. The main dojo, however, didn’t care about the process; headquarters only wanted results.

Otherwise, this match wouldn’t have fallen to Yu Jiuzhou to play. Everything was a matter of the right time, place, and people.

Yu Jiuzhou knew she was taking advantage of their predicament, but as a former emperor, she knew the fastest way to achieve her goals. She couldn’t gamble on the kindness of the Lu family’s branch dojo master.

She believed that if a person handed over their weakness, at least half of the people would seize that weakness to threaten them. She couldn’t bet on that fifty percent chance.

Of course, she was handing over her weakness now because she also held the other party’s weakness. The choice was theirs: give her an identity, or lose this match that would decide the dojo’s fate.

The dojo master was furious. He felt he had misjudged Yu Jiuzhou, to be threatened like this. After all, in the days leading up to this, Yu Jiuzhou had displayed extraordinary skill and sportsmanship, leading him to believe she was an honorable and upright person.

Evidently, Yu Jiuzhou was very good at pretending.

Left with no choice, the dojo master had to use his connections to get Yu Jiuzhou an identity. However, he wasn’t one to be threatened without a fight. After some bargaining, the two sides reached a deal.

Yu Jiuzhou had to play for the dojo for three years. If she could reach 9-dan within three years, the contract could be terminated on time. If not, it would be renewed for another three years.

A Go player’s best years are before the age of thirty, or thirty-five at the latest. After that, even if they maintain a high level of skill, their condition is different.

The Lu family’s dojo had signed away Yu Jiuzhou’s best three, or even six, years—the difference between playing until thirty-two and playing until thirty-five.

One shouldn’t underestimate the Lu family’s power. In Dongdao, their influence was not weak.

Chi Wan raised an eyebrow. “So you’re 9-dan now, which means the contract is for three years. Does that mean you have two years left on your contract with the dojo?”

“Yes.”

“What’s the penalty for breaking the contract?”

Yu Jiuzhou tilted her head. “Three million.”

Three million might not be much in the entertainment industry, but in the world of Go players, it was very high. Before a player was ranked, their monthly salary was below five thousand. Even a 1-dan player might not make ten thousand. Only at the higher ranks would salaries exceed that.

A 9-dan player’s monthly salary could be in the tens of thousands, depending on the club’s strength.

A three-million-yuan penalty, compared to a player’s salary, was no small sum. How many 9-dan players were there? And not all of them could earn three million.

When Yu Jiuzhou signed this contract, she hadn’t even been ranked yet. The Lu family’s dojo was swindling her, taking advantage of her lack of identity.

“Do you want to break the contract?” If Yu Jiuzhou wanted to, she could pay the penalty fee.

Yu Jiuzhou chuckled and playfully scratched her chin. “Is our little Chi Wan a rich woman now?”

“Don’t tease, I’m serious.”

Breaking the contract would ensure Yu Jiuzhou’s freedom. After all, signing it had been a move of desperation.

The Lu family’s dojo was famous in the Go world, but that was mainly its headquarters. She knew of some of the players there; it was full of geniuses.

Geniuses? A genius might just be the entry ticket to the dojo. In the world of Go, those who could truly make it to the end were geniuses among geniuses.

And Yu Jiuzhou, without any training from the dojo, could compete right away and currently had an undefeated record in tournaments. The dojo wouldn’t let someone like her go easily. It was best to break the contract as soon as possible.

Chi Wan immediately took out her wallet. “This card has five million, my patent income. This is my salary card, with an annual salary of six hundred thousand, which can reach one million with bonuses and such. This card has two million from money I earned before. It’s been too long, I forget exactly how I earned it. It’s all yours.”

She didn’t have many cards. One was from her student days, for scholarships and the like. One was specifically for patent money, and one for her salary and benefits. Then there was a credit card, which was more convenient to use than a debit card.

The two million was earned before she transmigrated, likely from various bonuses and small patents. But she had fewer patents back then. After years of study in the ancient era, her mind was filled with many ancient medicinal formulas, the kind that hadn’t been lost to time. Coupled with her years of practice, she could sell patents until her hands went soft.

In just over a year since her return, she had earned a lot of money. She had originally planned to buy a large flat, but now, obviously, Yu Jiuzhou’s contract was more important.

Yu Jiuzhou flicked her forehead amusingly. “My prize money for this championship was four hundred thousand.”

Chi Wan tilted her head. She knew there was prize money for winning tournaments, but she didn’t realize it was so much.

“US dollars.”

Huh?

With that dramatic pause in the conversation, Chi Wan’s eyes widened. “Four hundred thousand US dollars!”

“After taxes and the dojo’s cut, what’s left isn’t that much, but I’ve played in many tournaments this year.”

Yu Jiuzhou hadn’t calculated the exact amount, but it should be substantial. “Also, other dojos are trying to poach me and are willing to pay the penalty fee. And some TV shows have approached me.”

“TV shows?” No way, was her wife really going to debut?

Chi Wan knew that some well-known Go players took on endorsements and appeared on shows, earning a lot in a year.

Then, Yu Jiuzhou handed her a list. It detailed the prize money for various awards. International tournaments had high rewards, and the prize money for competing abroad was in US dollars. So, for a skilled player, earning over a million a year just from competitions was not a dream.

Adding commercial endorsements, league salaries, appearance fees for various events, and so on, the total income would only be higher.

First, however, a player had to be ranked at least in the top ten in the country to receive this kind of treatment.

However, although Yu Jiuzhou had played in many tournaments before, she had just won the championship. Her path to making big money had just begun. Breaking the contract wouldn’t be easy.

Chi Wan thought for a moment and understood why Yu Jiuzhou was telling her all this. “You don’t want to break the contract with the dojo?”

Yu Jiuzhou nodded. “I know the classics and histories, can compose poetry, write essays, and have some basic martial arts and archery skills. Then there’s zither, Go, calligraphy, and painting. I also speak several foreign languages. But there’s one thing: I have no academic qualifications.”

In this world, the entry ticket was an academic degree. Without one, you didn’t even have the right to submit a resume.

Moreover, of all the skills she possessed, not many were useful in this era, or perhaps she just hadn’t discovered their uses yet.

She couldn’t bring herself to perform for others. As for restoring lost ancient texts, she had no connections. Martial arts and archery were even less useful. So far, the most suitable path for her was playing Go.

As for other jobs, she would probably have to wait until she fully understood this world before she could know what else she could do.

Chi Wan understood what she meant. An ancient person, no matter how talented, would find it difficult to immediately find a suitable field without a period of adaptation and learning.

Yu Jiuzhou was a proud person. She would not allow herself to be kept by someone, even if that person was Chi Wan.

Using Chi Wan’s money and being completely dependent on Chi Wan’s money were two different things.

“You want to keep playing Go for now and leave once you’ve found a new direction?”

Yu Jiuzhou was skilled and proficient in many things. She didn’t have one particular passion; the things she loved, she had already mastered. In this life, she wanted to live differently.

Go could be a temporary experience, or it could be something she continued, all depending on whether she found something she wanted to do more in the future.

“Yes. The Lu family’s dojo isn’t a bad place for me. And the first thing I did after receiving that large sum of prize money was to apply for immigration.”

Chi Wan raised an eyebrow. Back then, Yu Jiuzhou needed an identity and a place where she could get ranked at the age of 25. Dongdao was one of the few options, so she had to take that identity first. But she didn’t like the place, so the first thing she did with the money was to immigrate.

With her champion status and the money, she chose a place that was friendly to women and had a fast immigration process.

Dongdao was not suitable for her, and she didn’t like it.

“More importantly, by immigrating to this place, if I leave the dojo to compete in the future, the Lu family won’t be able to obstruct me.”

Yu Jiuzhou had thought it through clearly. She had a rather definite plan for her future. After all, the fact that she initially had no identity was something the Lu family could always hold over her. If it ever got out, she would have to find a new place and live in anonymity.

Immigrating quietly was the best choice.

After immigrating, what could the Lu family’s dojo do to her? So, whether she broke the contract or not was no longer that important. Her weakness was no longer a weakness.

Chi Wan was slightly in awe. “As expected of you. You planned this all out long ago.”

Yu Jiuzhou’s life was that of a strong female protagonist. She wanted to find Chi Wan and be with her, so before finding her, she had to resolve all her own troubles.

“Hmph. And you? How did you find me?”

Speaking of which, it was truly an accident. “I have your championship win to thank for that.”

Chi Wan recounted the process, concluding with relief, “I’m glad it went so smoothly.”

After learning that Yu Jiuzhou had arrived, she had started looking for ways to see her. She had actually found one, and so smoothly at that. The two of them were truly made for each other; fate would always bring them together.

Yu Jiuzhou habitually pinched Chi Wan’s cheek. Not having been able to pinch this face for so long, she had missed it more than words could say.

But Chi Wan wouldn’t just let herself be pinched; she would fight back.

The two of them played around for a while before Chi Wan asked, “What’s next? Will you continue to travel the world for competitions?”

Were they going to be separated again?

Chi Wan’s mood soured. She had just found her wife, why did they have to be apart again?

She still had a lot of work on her hands; at the very least, the project she was leading was not yet complete. Even if she wanted to resign, she couldn’t leave on such short notice. She wasn’t that irresponsible.

Naturally, neither was Yu Jiuzhou. They both had a strong sense of responsibility and would definitely see their work through to the end.

And then there was the Lu family. Judging by Lu Shiwei’s attitude, even when the three-year term was up and the contract was automatically terminated, would she let Yu Jiuzhou leave so easily?

Would their transmigration secret really not be exposed?

She had an identity and her own life history, so she wouldn’t have any problems. But Yu Jiuzhou was different; she had appeared out of thin air.

If Lu Shiwei wanted to keep Yu Jiuzhou, she probably wouldn’t let that point go.

Evidently, things were not as simple as Yu Jiuzhou had made them sound. There were still many things she had to face. She was just trying not to worry her.

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