Chapter 24 Part 3

“Because my family took the Liang family’s money, I deserve to be humiliated by you? I do whatever you tell me. I clean the three-hundred-square-meter house alone. I make your breakfast. I even have to change the sheets you rolled around in with other women. Every time you brought a crowd of people home and took women into our room, I had to make way for you. Just because I won’t let you touch me, is that it?” Xu Qingzhu finished through gritted teeth, glaring fiercely.

“I just won’t let you touch me,” Xu Qingzhu said quietly. “Liang Shi, I find you filthy.”

“If I hadn’t thought I loved you, why would I have married you?”

Xu Qingzhu was drunk, but her logic hadn’t diminished at all. It even seemed like she was using her drunkenness as an excuse to vent the grievances in her heart. But if she hadn’t been drunk, she would never have said these things.

“Don’t you know how filthy you are?” Xu Qingzhu patted her cheek. “Even now, I’m so, so uncomfortable. I know I’ve been drugged. But I still don’t want you to touch me. I’ll handle it myself. I don’t need you.”

Liang Shi caught her hand and said softly: “Zhu, you’re drunk.”

“Yes, I’m drunk.” Xu Qingzhu let out a scoffing laugh and rested her head back on Liang Shi’s shoulder, languid and coquettish.

Liang Shi felt remarkably composed despite having a beautiful woman in her arms. After hearing everything Xu Qingzhu just said, no one could be aroused.

Xu Qingzhu’s hand drifted over her own body, from her chest downward, tracing the winding curves until it stopped on her thigh. Her slender fingers kept gliding over skin, pushing the draped jacket aside. Her face grew redder than before, her gaze increasingly hazy, edged with desire. Different from just moments ago.

Liang Shi knew a new wave of the drug was taking effect. All she could do was drape the clothing back over Xu Qingzhu to prevent anything more outrageous. But Xu Qingzhu kept pressing against her, each nudge pushing Liang Shi sideways until she was pinned against the car door with nowhere left to go. Which only made things easier for Xu Qingzhu: her long legs draped casually over the seat, her hand slipping under the camisole, pinching somewhere that drew a satisfied sigh from her lips. Her head tilted back, right against Liang Shi’s chin. Liang Shi didn’t dare look at her.

Xu Qingzhu’s hand emerged again and rested on Liang Shi’s chin. “Why won’t you look at me?” she asked petulantly.

Liang Shi: …

How could she possibly look?

Besides, Xu Qingzhu’s current state was truly bewildering. Enough to make Liang Shi wonder if she was acting. But her eyes didn’t look like they were. All she could say was: this woman was extraordinary.

“Just look at me, please?” Xu Qingzhu burrowed into Liang Shi’s arms, and while Liang Shi wasn’t paying attention, slid her hand under the hem of her top. Warm, damp fingers landed right on her bra.

Xu Qingzhu pressed close, eyes sparkling, her voice dropping to a whisper with a seductive upward lilt: “Can I kiss you?”

Liang Shi caught her hand. “Zhu, stop it.”

Hearing this, Xu Qingzhu pouted, but her hand slipped past the smooth fabric. Skin against skin. The most direct sensation of all. Like a meeting of minds, souls colliding in a single instant.

Liang Shi looked down and sighed, gazing at Xu Qingzhu. Xu Qingzhu was nuzzling against her, like a child denied their favorite candy.

Liang Shi knew what she wanted. But she couldn’t take advantage. She gently removed the hand. “Zhu, be good and go to sleep first, okay?”

Xu Qingzhu’s gaze cleared for just a flicker. She tilted her head in confusion, then frowned and asked: “Are you Liang Shi?”

Liang Shi: …

Xu Qingzhu was really going to drive her insane.

“You don’t seem like her.” Xu Qingzhu looked into her clear eyes, then tapped her own head. She couldn’t think properly right now; even the slightest mental effort made her head ache. She kicked the car door like a pouting child and stared at Liang Shi. “Are you Liang Shi?”

Liang Shi: “…I am.”

She was. Her original name was also Liang Shi. No problem there. Just not the Liang Shi of this world. She wasn’t that kind of scum.

“You’re not,” Xu Qingzhu said firmly.

Liang Shi held firm: “I am.”

“You’re not~” Xu Qingzhu’s voice lilted upward with a coquettish note. On the last word, she grabbed Liang Shi’s collar and pulled sharply downward. Their faces were now inches apart, warm breath washing over each other. Just a hair closer, and their lips would meet.

Xu Qingzhu’s eyes blinked, as if trying to see through Liang Shi’s eyes and understand who she really was. After a few seconds, a sly smile appeared. “I know your secret too.”

Liang Shi: “…Oh.”

Going to talk about who the original host slept with again? She hadn’t done any of it. She’d always kept herself clean. She hadn’t even been in a relationship. Liang Shi felt immune by now.

But then Xu Qingzhu whispered: “You’re not Liang Shi.”

Liang Shi: “?”

“Are you from Planet B612?” Xu Qingzhu’s eyes showed a childlike innocence.

It seemed the drug was wearing off. But did she really get delirious when drunk? Moments ago, Liang Shi had almost thought she’d been exposed. Even though she’d been acting out of character since arriving, having her identity revealed at a time like this would not be good. She simply didn’t want to live with the original host’s attitude toward life. After all, she might not have much time left.

She’d even been wondering: if the romance target figured out her identity and liked her more because of it, would she lose luck value? Fortunately, it had been a false alarm.

Her thinking was simple. Even if she kept acting out of character, this body was still Liang Shi’s. No one would ever think of something as absurd as book transmigration. As long as she stuck to her story, everyone would eventually think she’d simply turned over a new leaf.

Liang Shi pulled the clothing back over Xu Qingzhu, concealing every alluring sight, terrified that even a sliver of exposure would leave her parched and unable to control herself. But Xu Qingzhu kept squirming from the heat.

“You’re not Liang Shi.” Xu Qingzhu spoke again. “Then who are you?”

Liang Shi sighed helplessly. “You’re drunk. I am Liang Shi.”

Xu Qingzhu shook her head. “No, you’re not.” Then she giggled. “But between the two, I like the current you better.”

Liang Shi smiled. “Oh?”

“Of course.” Xu Qingzhu held up her pinky finger. “Just… making me… feel this tiny, tiny bit of a flutter.”

Liang Shi: …

Was she really not flirting?

She was only smiling, but Liang Shi’s heart couldn’t help stirring in the wind.

Liang Shi said nothing and turned her face slightly away.

Xu Qingzhu’s head rested on Liang Shi’s lap. She rolled over suddenly, her voice muddled but perfectly audible. She said: “I heard being bitten feels really good. Want to try?”

Liang Shi: …

Liang Shi’s stoic facade nearly cracked. She pulled Xu Qingzhu up and refused with righteous conviction: “No.”

In the face of Xu Qingzhu’s curious gaze, Liang Shi said: “It hurts.”

Xu Qingzhu leaned in close and whispered: “What about licking?”

Liang Shi: …

Good heavens. Did she have any idea what she was saying?

Liang Shi felt like she was about to explode. If this kept up, either she or Xu Qingzhu would go insane. Either Xu Qingzhu would wake up, realize everything she’d said and done, and want to climb to the rooftop, shout “I’m a pig” three times, and leap off. Or Liang Shi would just shove the car door open and jump out right now.

Between the two, the latter should have been the unlikely scenario. And given how much she valued her life, it should never happen. But right now, anything felt possible.

Xu Qingzhu’s lips hovered near Liang Shi’s ear, her chin resting on top of her head, her cool voice taking on a tender sweetness: “Then will you help me?” She rubbed her legs together, pouting like a child. “I’m so uncomfortable.”

Liang Shi: …

“We’re here,” Xu Qingya’s voice rang out, followed by the unclicking of a seatbelt, a door opening, and a swift exit. She even yanked the designated driver out of the driver’s seat.

Only the two of them remained in the car. Liang Shi felt like she was going to combust from the heat.

She threw open the car door. Cool air flooded in. Just as she was about to step out, Xu Qingzhu grabbed her hand and suddenly brought it to her own lips, her tongue lightly grazing the back of it.

An incredibly light gesture. Not even erotic. In her hands, it even seemed artistic.

Her pleading posture reminded Liang Shi exactly of the cat she used to raise, looking up at her with those same pitiful eyes: “Will you lick me like this, please?”

Liang Shi: …

When Xu Qingzhu acted cute, her cool, clear voice turned impossibly sweet. She blinked with those wronged eyes: “It’ll feel really good.”

Liang Shi: …

Seriously, she’d bet on it. Xu Qingzhu would absolutely regret everything when she woke up tomorrow.

The family doctor had been waiting at the house for some time, ready for Liang Shi to bring Xu Qingzhu back. After a brief examination, the family doctor gave Xu Qingzhu an injection and applied a suppressant patch to her gland. Xu Qingzhu quickly fell into a deep sleep.

Only then did Liang Shi feel the ordeal was over.

As she walked the family doctor out, Xu Qingya stood at the entrance playing with her phone, chewing gum. Seeing them emerge, she looked up: “Is she asleep?”

Not a trace of the worry she’d shown at Huayue International.

Liang Shi nodded. “Yeah.”

Xu Qingya patted her shoulder. “Thanks for the trouble.”

Liang Shi: …

She couldn’t help asking: “Is it always like this when she drinks…” She couldn’t quite find the words. But she managed to pull something from her vocabulary: “Like multiple personality disorder?”

Xu Qingya smiled and nodded. “All I can say is, my sister is a treasure.”

Liang Shi: “…?”

“When she’s drunk, she’s also performed chest-breaking-on-rocks and fire-breathing acts, not to mention gathering her six little friends to go rescue Grandpa.” Xu Qingya mercilessly exposed all her sister’s secrets.

Liang Shi said nothing. This was a first.

Xu Qingya turned to head downstairs, but after two steps, she suddenly stopped and called out seriously: “Sister Liang.”

Liang Shi responded: “Hmm?”

“I told you before. My sister was raised in luxury. She can’t do heavy work,” Xu Qingya said. “Even cooking instant noodles at home, I have to do it for her. So, in a villa this big, would you make her clean?”

Liang Shi: “…”

She was just a teenager, but her words carried an undeniable weight. Not enough to intimidate Liang Shi, but enough to make her sit up and take notice. Liang Shi didn’t know how much Xu Qingya had heard in the car earlier.

Liang Shi had to be honest: “Perhaps in the past. But never again.”

A rather subtle way of putting it. But Xu Qingya understood. She nodded and headed downstairs without looking back. “I hope you keep your word.”

Liang Shi finally breathed a sigh of relief.

When the villa fell silent, when the entire house was quiet, Liang Shi finally took out her phone. She found the blacklist and unblocked Cheng Ran’s number. After a long moment, she sent a text.

Got time? Let’s meet.