Chapter 35: The Greedy Deceiver Part 2

Just as Lian Mei was about to close the door, she saw the door opposite them—Room Three—open. Tang Su stood in the doorway, looking visibly exhausted, and asked them, “Do you have anything to eat?”

Xie Moluo was surprised. “You don’t? The Production Team hid food in every room. It just needs to be cooked, that’s all.”

A flash of discomfort crossed Tang Su’s face. She shook her head. “We know that. We made some food, but the taste was rather poor. Jianxi couldn’t stomach it, and I’m worried about her health.”

With it being put that way, Xie Moluo naturally couldn’t refuse. “We’re out of rice, but we have a little leftover of our dishes. The taste is just average, do you mind?”

Tang Su shook her head. “Anything edible is fine.”

Tsk, look what the show’s driven this rich woman to. This Production Team is truly inhumane…

The two passed the leftovers to Tang Su across the hallway. Just before Tang Su closed her door, Xie Moluo faintly heard the sound of someone vomiting coming from inside the bathroom.

How bad does it have to taste to make someone throw up?

After closing the door, the two first washed the dishes. Then Xie Moluo took a shower first, followed by Lian Mei.

Before showering, they checked the bathroom and found that the towels and toothbrushes prepared by the Production Team were all stained with fake blood.

Disgustedly, Lian Mei threw the show’s offerings into the trash and took out the toiletries they’d brought from home, handing Xie Moluo her set.

“You go wash. I’ll go after you.”

Xie Moluo nodded, glancing at Lian Mei before entering the bathroom bathed in red light.

The sound of running water splashed on. Whether out of fear or some other reason, Xie Moluo paused mid-shower and called out to Lian Mei once. Only after Lian Mei responded did she resume washing.

She’s still scared, it seems. Yeah, in this kind of lighting, probably not many people could shower with peace of mind.

Once Xie Moluo came out of the shower, Lian Mei went in her turn.

When Lian Mei emerged, she found Xie Moluo had only taken one side of the bed, leaving the other half for her.

Lian Mei raised an eyebrow. How considerate.

Lian Mei slid into bed and discovered a thin blanket acting as a “line of demarcation” under the covers.

As Lian Mei lay down, Xie Moluo rolled over to face her, speaking with a natural expression. “Since you kick in your sleep, I put a blanket between us. You stay on your side, I stay on mine. I hope you can sleep quietly on your side and not cross the line.”

A bet’s a bet. Sharing a bed doesn’t mean anything else!

Lian Mei propped herself up on the bed with one hand. “And what if you’re the one who crosses the line?”

Xie Moluo smiled sweetly. “I sleep very soundly. I never crawl around. Thank you.”

Lian Mei shrugged and flopped onto the bed. “Fine, then. Tonight, I’ll show you that I’ve really stopped kicking.”

I’m never using that excuse again. It gets in the way of wives sharing a bed!

The two slept on their respective sides. Lian Mei stretched out a long arm and turned off the flickering light. Only the dim moonlight, filtering in through the balcony, illuminated the bedroom.

A villa situated in a forest was especially cold at night. The tall trees rustled as gusts of night wind blew through, sending leaves and twigs flying.

Cold… so cold…

On the large red matrimonial bed, Xie Moluo had curled up into a ball.

She opened her eyes and found herself completely uncovered. Twisting her neck to look behind her, she saw that Lian Mei had rolled herself up in all the blankets, sleeping soundly and warmly within her cocoon.

Xie Moluo gritted her teeth.

No wonder it’s cold. How could it not be? She’s hoarded all the blankets!

Sitting up in bed, Xie Moluo shifted to the center, right up to the exposed “line of demarcation,” trying to snatch back half the covers. But Lian Mei, as if sensing someone trying to steal the blankets, only wrapped herself tighter. Xie Moluo couldn’t budge them an inch.

Fuming, Xie Moluo directly crossed the line and grabbed a corner of the blanket with both hands, pulling hard. Bit by bit, she managed to drag the covers toward her. She was just about to pull them back when a warm hand suddenly grabbed her wrist and tugged.

Before Xie Moluo could even scream, she was pulled into the blankets, enveloped in their warmth. A slender but strong arm wrapped around her and pressed her close.

Ba-dump… ba-dump… ba-dump… Xie Moluo’s heart raced wildly, thundering uncontrollably. It was unstoppable.

Once her heartbeat finally calmed, she tried to remove the arm holding her. Unexpectedly, she was just pressed even tighter against Lian Mei’s chest. From above her head came Lian Mei’s sleepy mumble: “Don’t fuss…”

Xie Moluo: …What ‘fussing’?! You’re the one forcibly hugging me!

Her face suddenly flushed hot. In the dim light, she couldn’t see much, only feel the steady warmth radiating from Lian Mei’s body.

But Lian Mei didn’t seem to feel it at all, even nuzzling her face against Xie Moluo’s hair.

Xie Moluo’s anger gradually dissipated into the quiet of Lian Mei’s deep sleep.

She lifted her head and looked at Lian Mei’s perfect face, sculpted by its smooth jawline. After a long while, her hand silently clutched the fabric of Lian Mei’s clothes, her eyes slowly lowering.

I just want one answer:

‘Lian Mei, do you have any feelings for me, or don’t you?’

–

The next morning, Xie Moluo woke naturally, her sleepy eyes opening to meet a beautiful face directly.

“Good morning.” Lian Mei was propped on her elbow on the bed, resting her head in her hand, lying on her side and giving Xie Moluo a wink.

Xie Moluo’s eyes rotated, and she nodded. “Good morning.” With that, she started to get up.

“Tsk, I was wondering why I woke up feeling stiff and sore. Turns out someone threw herself into my arms last night…”

“Honey, I slept soundly last night, right? I didn’t cross the line at all.”

Xie Moluo found herself unable to get up or lie back down. Half-propping herself on the bed, she looked at Lian Mei with a smile (through gritted teeth). “Mm. You slept very soundly last night.”

Lian Mei perked up. “Then we’ll share a bed from now on. I don’t mind your habit of cuddling someone in your sleep.”

“It’s fine. We’re legally married. I’ll let you hug me.”

Xie Moluo shot upright. She was just about to hurl the truth of last night right into Lian Mei’s face when urgent knocking came at the door.

“Teacher Lian! Teacher Xie! Are you awake? If you are, could you please open the door? I have something urgent to discuss!”

Xie Moluo’s words stuck in her throat.

“Go open the door.” Xie Moluo pushed Lian Mei. “It must be urgent, or they wouldn’t come knocking so early in the morning.”

Lian Mei rolled out of bed and strode to the door, unlocking it and pulling it open.

Behind the door stood a pale-faced Tang Su and Wang Jianxi, Han Hao and Zhang Xingyan, as well as the show’s Assistant Director and several accompanying assistants.

The Assistant Director addressed the six guests with an apologetic face. “Here’s the situation: Director Meng seems to have run into some trouble. He was taken away by the Police this morning for investigation. The show will likely be affected. Moreover, the Head Office believes our show’s horror content is too extreme. The government has been cracking down recently, and considering our young audience, they’ve decided to temporarily suspend this production.”

“So, the six teachers must pause filming. We’ll notify you whenever the show resumes. We are truly very sorry.”

Among the six guests, while Lian Mei and Xie Moluo couldn’t help but frown, the other four were absolutely ecstatic.

What? What did the Assistant Director just say? Filming is suspended! We don’t have to stay in this haunted house anymore?!

“When can we leave? Can we go now? Our phones, our luggage—can we have them back now?” Zhang Xingyan rattled off a string of questions, suddenly full of energy.

The Assistant Director answered each one. “A car will be arranged to take you away now. Your phones and luggage have already been brought to the villa’s front door.”

Instantly, the four guests’ faces flushed with color and vitality as they bolted toward the villa’s main entrance. Only Lian Mei and Xie Moluo followed behind at a leisurely pace.

Xie Moluo walked slowly, head lowered, not looking happy at all.

Didn’t she say we’d divorce once the show ended?

Xie Moluo’s steps faltered for a moment. Just then, a warm hand took hers. She looked back and saw Lian Mei’s smiling face.

“Honey, let’s go home,” Lian Mei said, raising an eyebrow.

Before Xie Moluo could answer, a young woman clutching two phones sprinted toward them, stopping breathlessly in front of the couple.

“Xuehua, what are you doing here?” Xie Moluo asked, surprised.

Xuehua was the assistant to Xie Moluo’s Agent, Sister Lin Yuan. They were quite familiar.

Xuehua casually shoved Lian Mei’s phone at Lian Mei, then took Xie Moluo’s phone and said to her, “Sister Moluo, please go to First People’s Hospital immediately! Your mother saw the Hot Search yesterday and got so furious she was hospitalized!”

With that, she’d turned her head and glared darkly at Lian Mei beside her.

Hearing this, Xie Moluo immediately took her phone and powered it on, urgently asking, “Is it serious? What did the Doctor say?”

They’d been filming yesterday, their phones confiscated by the Production Team. Naturally, they couldn’t take any calls.

Got furious over a Hot Search… it must be the one about Lian Mei meeting her Little Lover.

Xuehua shook her head. “I don’t know. Your father said that once you got the news, you should come to First People’s Hospital to find them.”

Xie Moluo immediately nodded and rushed out of the villa, phone in hand. Lian Mei quickly moved to follow, but Xuehua blocked her path.

Throwing her arms out, Xuehua snapped, “You are not allowed to go! For you, Sister Moluo lost her family and had to struggle endlessly in the entertainment industry, running herself ragged! And what did you do? Cheat on her! Have an affair! Do you have any idea how much you’ve wronged Sister Moluo?!”

Under Xuehua’s barrage of accusations, Lian Mei actually felt a trace of emotion being stirred up.

Damn it, this is all stuff the original owner did! I don’t know jack about it! I didn’t want any of this either!

But the original owner and Shu Feng had only just started—just chatting, not even kissing or in bed yet. Lian Mei naturally couldn’t accept blame for it. After all, she was now in the original owner’s body and still needed to win back her Wife.

“My first kiss and first time are both still intact! What nonsense are you spouting?! Move! Get out of my way!” Lian Mei took a large sidestep, bypassing Xuehua, and ran after Xie Moluo.

Xuehua froze in place: “?”

What did Scum-Lian just say? First kiss and first time still intact? Then she didn’t… No! Emotional cheating is still cheating!

No, I have to follow. I must use this opportunity—Xie’s Mother being hospitalized—to persuade Sister Moluo to divorce and escape this endless sea of suffering that is Scum-Lian!