After Marrying the Villain with Seven Personalities [Transmigration into a Book]) - Chapter 43

A lingering kiss was like a lamp wick slowly burning out; the flame gradually extinguished.

Xu Linqiu gradually stopped moving. Her breathing quieted, and she looked exhausted. Unconsciously, she buried her head in the crook of the other woman’s neck, her warm breath brushing against the skin.

Her heart softening, Yi Chenqing turned slightly to lay her down. She gazed at Linqiu’s calm face—the flushed cheeks and the tear stains lingering at the corners of her eyes.

Gently brushing the tears away, Chenqing felt her determination to fight the “demon” of the illness grow stronger. Seeing the red marks left on Linqiu’s wrists and ankles from being restrained, Chenqing moved with extreme care to untie the clothing used as makeshift bindings. She pulled up her own trousers and slowly helped Linqiu dress.

Once finished, she pulled Linqiu into her arms, kissed her forehead tenderly, and slowly closed her eyes. “Goodnight,” she whispered.

Xu Judong didn’t know how to define her relationship with Yu Shu. They were friends in their youth, but after entering the entertainment industry, they became “rivals” in the eyes of the public—yet a certain spark of affection always remained.

Now, inside the pitch-black tent, Judong lay with her eyes closed, suffering from her usual insomnia. Meanwhile, her so-called rival was sleeping soundly, even letting out the occasional soft snore of exhaustion.

Yu Shu was a restless sleeper. She tossed and turned until she eventually rolled right next to Judong, draping a slender arm and leg directly over her. Her breath brushed against Judong’s cheek, and she radiated a comforting warmth and a faint, pleasant scent.

Judong didn’t push her away. Like a koala, Yu Shu clung to her. Judong frowned slightly, but for some reason, she subconsciously began to match Yu Shu’s breathing rhythm. Miraculously, she felt much warmer. In the silence of the low tent, a wave of sleepiness finally washed over her.

Late into the night, Shi Ji tossed and turned. As a natural night owl, being forced to sleep early without her phone made her extremely restless.

Furthermore, she was baffled by the silence next door. Was the tent’s soundproofing really that good? Had Xu Linqiu suddenly changed her nature? No—she would rather believe in the soundproofing.

Turning over again, she stared at Yi Yanbai’s back. Yanbai was thin, her silhouette elegant even while lying on her side. After a while, Shi Ji couldn’t resist propping herself up to get closer. Because it was too dark, she grabbed a flashlight, aimed it at the roof of the tent for diffused light, and leaned over to see if Yanbai was actually asleep.

The beam revealed dust motes dancing in the air. The faint light caught Yanbai’s long eyelashes, but her expression remained cold and motionless. Shi Ji found herself dazed, staring so intently at Yanbai’s lashes that she began to count them.

Suddenly, Yanbai’s brow furrowed. Her lashes fluttered, and she opened her eyes. Seeing a pale, enlarged face hovering in front of her, she gasped and recoiled into the corner of the tent. Once she realized it was just Shi Ji, she exhaled in relief.

“I just wanted to see if you were asleep. I didn’t realize you were such a coward,” Shi Ji muttered. The flashlight happened to shine on Yanbai’s ankle. Because her legs were tucked up, her pant leg had slid up, revealing a bruised, bluish tint on her skin.

“Why is it so bad?” Shi Ji frowned.

“It’s nothing,” Yanbai replied with her usual coldness. She returned to her original position, lay back down, and closed her eyes wearily. “You can go back to your side and sleep now.”

Her breathing leveled out almost instantly. She fell asleep as quickly as she had woken up—utterly heartless. Shi Ji grumbled internally. Even though she was showing concern, Yanbai wouldn’t accept it.

Once she was sure Yanbai was deep in sleep, Shi Ji sat by Yanbai’s legs, feeling a bit annoyed. I’m going to massage her anyway, and I’m going to hold her while I sleep. Let her hit me if she wants. She’s colder and harder to serve than my own sister.

No wonder she can’t win over the “White Lotus” character.

Shi Ji placed the flashlight by Yanbai’s feet, rubbed her hands together to warm them, and took hold of the bruised ankle. She massaged it gently while watching Yanbai’s face. Yanbai didn’t react at all. Eventually, Shi Ji began to doze off. Her head jerked, waking her up; she dizzily turned off the light, crawled over to Yanbai, wrapped her arms around her waist, and fell fast asleep.

In the darkness, Yi Yanbai slowly opened her eyes. Her gaze was dazed and lost. After a long moment, she closed them again.

As the red sun climbed over the treetops, the crew of Elites of All Circles began to wake up.

Xu Linqiu woke early. Bleary-eyed, she looked up to see the sharp, smooth line of Yi Chenqing’s jaw. As Linqiu moved, Chenqing woke as well. She leaned down to press a kiss to Linqiu’s forehead. “Morning.”

Linqiu smiled, feeling the strange illusion of being the “dainty wife of a domineering CEO.” She shook the thought away, rubbed her face against Chenqing’s, and playfully nipped at her earlobe. “Good morning~”

Seeing Chenqing’s ears turn a lovely shade of red, Linqiu let go and sat up. “Time to get up~”

The unpleasantness of yesterday was in the past. As long as “Qingqing” was by her side, it was enough. Even if their time was short, she would cherish it. She pulled Chenqing along to go wash up.

As the livestream began, the cameras followed them. Yi Yanbai was the third to wake, and soon Yu Shu joined them by the river. The water was clear enough to see large fish swimming near the bottom.

When Xu Judong walked over, Yi Yanbai asked, “Did you sleep well?”

“Mhm.” Judong nodded, though for some reason, she avoided eye contact with Yu Shu.

“I haven’t seen a view like this in years,” Xu Linqiu remarked, looking at the sunrise. “The last time I saw a river and a rising sun like this was back in university during a sketching trip.”

“I see the sunrise from my office window every morning,” Yi Chenqing said, water droplets still on her face. “The light hits the skyscrapers… it’s a different kind of beauty. If you’re interested, you can come to my office to sketch.”

“Okay~”

“Sister, the scenery at Qingdian where I film is also great,” Xu Judong interjected. “I’ll take you there when you have time.”

Shi Ji arrived last, stretching and squinting with her toothbrush in hand. “Why is everyone up so early?”

“We need to improve our living conditions. We need to find the cards.”

“Right!” Shi Ji perked up. She squatted next to Chenqing and whispered loudly to Linqiu: “Is the tent soundproof? Could you hear us talking from your side?”

“I didn’t hear anything. You?”

“No,” Xu Linqiu said, looking relieved. Shi Ji caught her expression and smirked, her naturally flirtatious eyes making the look seem more affectionate than intended.

Yi Chenqing silently turned away, picked up a stone, and skipped it across the river. It bounced several times before reaching the far bank. Linqiu tried to copy her, but her stone sank after two skips. The others tried as well, but none reached the opposite shore.

As Linqiu prepared for another try, Chenqing reached out and covered Linqiu’s hand with hers, adjusting her grip. “Keep your posture level,” she coached. “Push the power upward.”

This time, Linqiu’s stone skipped multiple times. Although it didn’t reach the other side, she was delighted. Xu Judong watched them in silence. Her sister’s smile was different now—it held a genuine sparkle. And Chenqing, though she looked cold on the surface, had a clear warmth in her eyes. For the first time, Judong thought they truly suited each other.

The group began their “discussion task” to get clues from the director.

Director: “First question: Is your job a reality or a dream?” Shi Ji: “Simple. I’m forced by the hardships of life.” Yi Chenqing: “For my family, and for myself.” (And for her, she thought privately). Xu Linqiu: “For my dream.” Yi Yanbai: “It started for family, but I realized I like it.” Yu Shu: “For someone I love…”

The director sighed at their brevity. “Fine. Here is your clue: A speck of red amidst ten thousand flowers, a hint of yellow among green leaves.”

The group spent the morning searching. They managed to find several “C” cards and one “B” card. Shi Ji impulsively traded two cards for a “Who is the Spy” board game. “It’s a rip-off,” she admitted, “but we can play it after we find enough food later.”

However, as the afternoon heat set in, their luck ran out. By 1:30 PM, they had only two “C” cards left—not enough for a full meal.

“Are you all hungry?” Linqiu asked. “I’m okay.” “Not really.” “Me neither,” Shi Ji lied, her stomach likely protesting.

They decided to take a nap to save energy. Inside their tent, Linqiu fell asleep in Chenqing’s arms. When she woke up, she saw Chenqing staring at her intently.

As soon as Chenqing saw her wake, she laughed—but her tone had changed. This was the “Empress” personality.

“Is the National Preceptor hungry?” the Empress asked playfully. “I shall catch some fish for you. Otherwise, you won’t have the strength to satisfy me.”

Xu Linqiu: “…”

“You know how to catch fish?” Linqiu asked skeptically.

“Of course!” the Empress said proudly. “I caught many on the way to the border. Don’t underestimate me; my fish-roasting skills are also perfection.”

Despite the absurdity of an Empress learning to catch fish, Linqiu chose to believe her. “I’m hungry,” she admitted.

“Then give me an encouraging kiss first,” the woman said, her eyes sparkling. Linqiu smiled and leaned in.