After Marrying the Villain with Seven Personalities [Transmigration into a Book]) - Chapter 46

Shi Ji suspected that Xu Linqiu had been driven mad by the villain’s various personalities. Why else would someone curse themselves to death? Suddenly, however, she remembered “Little Green,” the personality she had encountered last time who claimed they had been in a relationship during high school.

What about this time?

She frowned, her mind racing. Meanwhile, Yi Yanbai asked in confusion, “What is the truth?”

“The truth is that Qingqing was heartbroken,” Xu Linqiu replied, her tone solemn and sorrowful. “Because the person she once loved deeply either left her or passed away, she fell into a state of extreme grief, which eventually led to this illness.”

Shi Ji blurted out instinctively, “That’s completely made up.”

She then asked pointedly, “How did this ‘first love’ die?”

Xu Linqiu raised her eyes slightly and replied, “Drowning.”

Drowning! Dammit!

In that instant, Shi Ji felt as though she had fallen into a terrifying cycle. The comfort of being detached from the plot for so long had made her forget she was a transmigrator. She had subconsciously ignored the fact that, since arriving here, the detail she remembered most clearly was Xu Linqiu’s original cause of death.

But what was going on with Yi Chenqing’s personality? Why would it fabricate a story about drowning out of thin air?

Yi Yanbai glanced at Shi Ji’s shocked expression before looking at Xu Linqiu with a serious gaze. She felt it was necessary to set the record straight to avoid further misunderstandings.

“Sister Linqiu, I need to make this clear to you. Much of the information you’ve received isn’t real. My sister… she has always liked you. You two were never in a relationship back then, and you certainly never ‘passed away’.”

Her voice was soft, yet every word seemed to strike a chord in Xu Linqiu’s heart.

“Because my sister… she likes you.”

In that moment, those words were the only thing left in Xu Linqiu’s mind. She stood frozen in place, stunned. A gentle breeze swept through the nearby grass, bringing a fresh scent. In the distance, staff members were still setting up, but she remained crouched outside the tent like a statue. Inside the tent, the other two watched her silently.

After a long silence, she finally spoke, her eyes filled with disbelief and a faint, hidden spark of joy. “How is that possible? Even though we grew up together, ‘together’ just meant greeting each other in passing.”

“Sister Linqiu,” Yi Yanbai said, emphasizing every word. “Someone liking you doesn’t mean they have to let you know. Her feelings, and everything she has gone through—only she knows the full story.”

Those words seemed to calm Xu Linqiu’s heart, yet the next sentence sent waves through her again.

“She hasn’t dated anyone her entire life. There has only ever been one figure her eyes followed, and that figure was you.”

It seemed as though Yi Yanbai was also speaking about herself. She lowered her eyes slightly to hide her expression.

Shi Ji looked away from Yi Yanbai’s downcast lashes and turned her gaze back to Xu Linqiu. This situation was a mess. What could be done now? She had forgotten many of the plot details. Perhaps she could only hope that Xu Linqiu would continue to draw out more information, or perhaps she would ask for more details later to see if she could remember anything else.

Xu Linqiu felt a complex mix of emotions. Previously, she had been agonizing over the idea of being a “substitute.” She feared that once Yi Chenqing regained her memories, she would choose someone else.

But it turned out to be a misunderstanding. All the information she had gathered—the relationship, the departure, the death—was false. All that effort had been for nothing. She felt both panicked and lost; panicked because the personalities were like a riddle she couldn’t solve, and lost because everything was a tangled mess with no clear end in sight.

She could only ask, “Are there any other personalities that haven’t come out yet?”

“For now, no…” Yi Yanbai paused, uncertain if she should continue.

Strictly speaking, there was one more “Qingqing”—the complete, original Yi Chenqing. She had appeared once a few years ago. She looked exactly as she did in her youth, but with the maturity and composure of the current Yi Chenqing. She had sat on the sofa with her usual cold expression, but her voice carried a heavy emotional weight as she asked: “Has she come back?”

She had only appeared for a few minutes.

As Yi Yanbai hesitated to speak, the neighboring tent opened, and Xu Judong’s lazy voice drifted over. “You guys are up early. What are you chatting about?”

“We were saying that Qingqing went out alone last night to find many cards, but it was actually one of her personalities who found them. To keep her from finding out the truth, I lied and told her we all found them together,” Xu Linqiu explained. She looked at Shi Ji and Yi Yanbai, cautioning them, “Don’t let the secret slip.”

Since the clues she had gathered were fake, she would simply start over. At least now she knew that the person Yi Chenqing had always loved was her.

“Are they still not awake?” Yi Chenqing asked as she walked over from the riverside. She had been waiting for them by the water, but her legs had gone numb from crouching so long.

Hearing her voice, Shi Ji immediately pulled open the tent flap. She and Yi Yanbai poked their heads out, smiling. “We’re awake, we’re awake!”

Xu Linqiu stood up, walked to Yi Chenqing’s side, and took her hand with a smile. “Let’s go. Accompany me while I freshen up.”

“Okay,” Yi Chenqing replied, glancing down at their intertwined hands and nodding.

While they were washing up, the director stood nearby, shocked after reviewing the previous night’s footage. He regained his composure and patted a staff member on the shoulder. “Good job. You’re getting a raise.”

He instructed the team to start the livestream and approached the group as they headed back to their tents. “I’ve seen the footage of the card search last night,” he said casually. “Bring out your cards later; you can exchange them for whatever you like. Also, this video will be released as a special ‘Easter Egg’ later. It’s the final day—I hope you all have fun.”

He hadn’t expected President Yi to be so formidable; his gaze toward Yi Chenqing now held a newfound respect. Yi Chenqing found it strange, but Xu Linqiu quickly intervened. “That sounds great.”

After the show ends, I must make sure Qingqing never sees the footage of her other personalities, Xu Linqiu thought. I don’t want her to worry.

With the cards, they successfully exchanged for a lavish outdoor BBQ. Setting aside their hidden worries, the beautiful scenery, the gentle breeze, and the grilled meat made for a delightful experience. On the grass, the group sat in a circle. Shi Ji kept the atmosphere lively, chatting with Yi Chenqing about hanging out after the show and sharing funny stories.

While the atmosphere on screen was harmonious, the livestream’s comment section was exploding:

“OMG, how did she find all those cards? I need to see that Easter Egg now!”

“I came for the ‘Qiu-Ji’ ship, but I’ve fallen into the ‘Qing-Qiu’ pit.”

“Is there anything President Yi can’t do? Even the BBQ looks delicious when she’s cooking.”

“I’m still reeling from that kiss yesterday. My ‘Qiu-Ji’ heart is broken (crying).”

“What is their actual relationship?! Someone tell me!”

“I thought President Yi was cold and aloof, but her smile is killer. Maybe she only smiles for the person she loves (smirk).”

“The person above just spoke the truth.”

“Xu Linqiu, don’t make me beg—please return to the entertainment industry!”

On screen, Xu Linqiu was smiling as she used a tissue to wipe a bit of oil from the corner of Yi Chenqing’s mouth. The others, used to such displays, continued eating quickly because they were truly famished. As Shi Ji put it: “I’m so hungry I could eat a cow.”

Time flew by, and soon the program reached its conclusion. The director stood by, sentimentally seeing them off to the plane. He announced that the next season of Elites from All Walks of Life would require new rules and locations, so the preparation period would be long.

As he finished speaking, the “Easter Egg” footage began to play on the livestream, sparking a fresh wave of heated discussion.

On the Plane

Xu Linqiu held Yi Chenqing in her arms as sunlight filtered through the window. She stroked her hair and whispered, “Thank you…”

“For what?” Yi Chenqing asked.

Xu Linqiu smiled. “Thank you for coming into my life.”

Yi Chenqing let out a rare chuckle. It was a slight, soft curve of the lips. She slowly closed her eyes and rested her head on Xu Linqiu’s shoulder. Xu Linqiu closed her eyes as well, and they drifted off to sleep together.

As soon as they landed, a phone call rang persistently.

“Mom, what’s wrong?” Xu Linqiu answered.

A voice full of surprise erupted from the other end. “You child! Why didn’t you tell me sooner that you were ‘Xu Yun’?” She felt embarrassed for having called her own daughter a “hypocrite” earlier.

“I just didn’t have the chance…”

Once that call ended, another one began. A young, tender voice came through the speaker. “Mama, Mommy, I miss you so much~”

“We miss you too. Are you having fun out there?”

“Yes! It’s fun~”

“Linqiu, we’ll be back in a few days.”

“Alright~”

The talking only stopped when they finally got into the car heading to their villa. Xu Linqiu saw Yi Chenqing reaching for her phone to check the trending searches and stopped her casually. “Do you have an account?”

“No, I just check the news occasionally.”

Relieved, Xu Linqiu let out a sigh of breath, but then she caught sight of the top trending topic: #The Relationship Between Xu Linqiu and President Yi#

Her private messages were exploding. With a smile, she gently took Yi Chenqing’s hand, interlaced their fingers, and snapped a photo. She posted it to her personal account with a caption:

Married. We are doing well and are very happy. [Image]

“What?! I thought it was a dating announcement, I didn’t expect a marriage!”

“Thinking back, President Yi probably only joined this variety show for her darling wife. Truth revealed.”

“Straight to the point!”

“Wait, am I the only one wondering what happened with Little President Shi?”

“Blessings to you both!”

The comments were filled with shock, but mostly well-wishes. Xu Linqiu held up her phone to show Yi Chenqing, successfully distracting her. “Now the whole country knows we’re married~”

“Mm~”

“Let’s go home and shower~”

“Mm~”

The current state of the two—and the way Yi Chenqing’s icy demeanor had softened—showed no flaws. Shi Ji and Yi Yanbai followed them home in silence. Once they entered their room and closed the door, Xu Linqiu wrapped her arms around Yi Chenqing’s waist and looked down at her.

“Qingqing, shall we shower together?”

The person she loved had been her all along. She was truly happy.

A blush slowly crept up the back of Yi Chenqing’s ears, but she nodded without changing her expression. “Okay.”