After Marrying the Villain with Seven Personalities [Transmigration into a Book]) - Chapter 56

Xu Linqiu once had a “little tail.” When they were young, this little tail loved to stumble into her arms and cover her face in toddler slobber.

As the tail grew a bit older, she liked to perch on the wall of her house, peering curiously into the Xu family yard.

Later still, as Xu Linqiu gained friends her own age and grew less interested in playing with younger children, she would still see that girl standing quietly to the side, watching her. Inevitably, Linqiu would find herself asking, “Want to join us?”

As time passed, Linqiu’s acting roles increased. By junior high, their meetings were rare, but during those few encounters, the “little tail’s” gaze remained burning and sincere. She wrote her love into her eyes, even though her demeanor remained calm and obedient.

Xu Linqiu didn’t avoid her. She viewed it as simple admiration—like the light in the eyes of her fans, only a bit brighter.

On the first day of their senior year of high school, Linqiu’s parents were out, and the driver was on leave. She had to walk to the neighborhood entrance to hail a taxi. It was raining that day, and as she walked, a car pulled up beside her.

The window rolled down, allowing the drizzle to slant inward and brush against Yi Chenqing’s clean, elegant face. Her narrow, willow-leaf eyes sparkled, and a water droplet clung to the mole beneath her eye like a tear. She asked, “Sister, want a ride?”

“Sure.” The door opened, and Xu Linqiu quickly furled her umbrella and climbed in.

Because the rain had dampened the seat by the window, she sat close to Chenqing. The space was small, and the atmosphere inside the car felt heavy and stifling. Linqiu watched her; Chenqing sat perfectly upright, staring straight ahead, her uniform and hair slightly damp.

“You could have just shouted through the window,” Linqiu said with a smile. “Why don’t you take off your blazer for a bit? It’s wet.”

After a two-second silence, Yi Chenqing took it off and laid it across her lap. To her surprise, Xu Linqiu naturally took off her own dry blazer and draped it over Chenqing’s shoulders. The garment carried Linqiu’s faint, gentle fragrance.

“I feel like I haven’t seen you in ages,” Linqiu chatted. “I spent my whole vacation filming. Oh, I saw on social media that you skipped two grades after graduating middle school? Which class are you in?”

In the dim light of the rainy morning, Linqiu noticed Chenqing’s ears turn bright red and her cheeks flush pink.

“The same class as yours,” Chenqing whispered.

“That’s wonderful,” Linqiu laughed. “Is it stuffy in here?”

Chenqing lowered her gaze and bit her lip. “Mhm…”

Despite skipping grades, Yi Chenqing beat the second-place student by a wide margin during the first mock exam, instantly becoming a legendary figure at school. However, by the second mock exam, she slipped to second place by a single point. The new number one, Mu Yi, was so excited he ran several laps around the track.

“You mutter to yourself every time you memorize text; how can you expect it to stick? No wonder your score dropped the moment the exam got difficult.”

“Qingqing, listen to mother. Don’t think about anything else. Your grades are the most important thing.”

The voices from the house next door were crystal clear through the walls.

“I’m going out now. Stay home and memorize. Do it louder.”

“Mhm…”

Xu Linqiu peered through the Yi family’s iron gates. Under a tree, on a wooden plank swing, Yi Chenqing sat with her head bowed, holding a Chinese textbook and still muttering her recitations.

Linqiu walked through the gate and stood before her, smiling. “Qingqing, want to memorize with me?”

The girl looked up, stunned for a moment.

“My mom is also nagging me to study,” Linqiu said, sitting naturally beside her as the swing swayed. Her smile held a trace of frustration. “She says if I don’t hit the score for the arts exam, I won’t get into the best film academy. She says she’s planned out my entire life, and as long as I follow it, my future will be bright.”

Linqiu began to recite a classic text: “In the Northern Ocean, there is a fish, and its name is Kun. The Kun is so great…”

“Rising in anger, it flies…” She looked at Chenqing, having forgotten the next line.

Chenqing met her eyes and continued: “Its wings are like clouds hanging from the sky…”

After a few lines, Chenqing’s eyes also filled with dejection. “My mother says grades are everything. Since I’m the eldest, I have to inherit the Yi Corporation. It’s such a massive responsibility; if I don’t work hard, it will all fall apart because of me.”

Xu Linqiu frowned. Auntie Fang was being far too pushy. The pressure on this girl must be immense.

“What about you? What do you like?” Linqiu asked.

“I… I only like…” Chenqing looked at her, unable to finish the sentence.

Xu Linqiu couldn’t resist; she reached out and gently ruffled Chenqing’s hair before looking away at the garden flowers.

“I actually don’t like acting at all. I don’t like the entertainment industry, and I don’t like my mother’s plan for me. I like painting. I like capturing the scenery and people I love in a drawing. I like creating things I’m proud of.”

She turned back, her eyes curving into crescents. “I believe we should pursue what we love. So, after graduation, I’m going to follow my own path, regardless of what others think. This is a secret—just between the two of us.”

“Mhm.”

As the swing moved, gazing at Linqiu’s healing smile, Yi Chenqing felt as though she had regained the courage to chase what she wanted. Everything could be better, for her sake.

Summoning every ounce of her courage, Chenqing spent a long time writing a love letter and handed it to Linqiu after evening self-study. Her friends nearby began to cheer and tease. For a second, Chenqing wanted to retreat and pull her hand back.

However, Linqiu didn’t laugh. She seriously told the onlookers to stop, took the pink envelope, and led Chenqing by the sleeve to a quiet, deserted corner.

Moonlight fell on the girl’s lowered eyelashes. Chenqing was silent, her whole body tense.

“Does my little sister like me that much?” Linqiu asked.

Holding the envelope, Linqiu already knew the answer. As long as Chenqing said the word “like,” she wouldn’t be able to refuse her. Ever since they were kids, if Chenqing asked for something, Linqiu would give it. She could easily reject others, but she never wanted to see this girl sad.

When Chenqing remained silent, Linqiu teased, “If you don’t answer, I’ll have to read the letter out loud.”

Silence stretched between them. Linqiu opened the envelope and read the first line: “I like you.”

“I like you. Very much. So much…”

Chenqing’s soft voice overlapped with Linqiu’s, echoing in the darkness. The words sent a wave of heat through her body, her heart thumping audibly. She forced herself to look up, terrified that if she blinked, she would be rejected.

Until Linqiu laughed, touched her hair, and asked, “Will dating affect your studies?”

“No,” Chenqing shook her head frantically.

“Then… okay~”

The voice was tender and relaxed. In that moment, disbelief turned into a surge of irrepressible joy that made Chenqing’s eyes sting with tears.

“Sister Lin…” As her strained voice broke, her cool hand was suddenly enveloped by a warm, soft palm.

“Mhm?” Linqiu smiled, leading her forward. “Let’s go home. And remember, if you stay up too late tonight, you might think this was just a dream tomorrow morning. But if you sleep early and wake up early, I’ll be there at your bedside.”

“Really?”

“Mhm.”

She still suffered from insomnia that night. When she woke up, she bolted upright, fearing it had all been a dream. She ran to the stairs, only to hear that familiar voice from her “dream.”

“Good morning, Auntie. I’m here to walk with Qingqing to school.”

“Ah, you’re in the same class now. It’s so convenient to go together.”

Chenqing ran back to her room, her face flushed. Her mind was racing—she could go to school with Sister Lin, see her smile every day, and even hold her hand…

Later, they became inseparable—studying, doing homework, and reciting texts together. Yet, Chenqing remained a “little tail.”

She would intentionally walk a step behind. She would bow her head whenever Linqiu talked to others. She gave Linqiu all the best things—bringing her water and meals, or holding an umbrella over Linqiu while her own shoulder got soaked. Even when Linqiu went away for promotions, Chenqing wouldn’t text to ask when she was coming back; she would just stand foolishly at the door, waiting.

Even when Linqiu expressed her disapproval of this behavior, Chenqing would do it again the next time.

When the early admission list for Beijing University came out, Linqiu became genuinely angry for the first time. She didn’t understand why Chenqing never told her anything or why she always prioritized Linqiu’s feelings above her own. Even though Chenqing’s soft-hearted, puppy-dog eyes always made Linqiu melt, she decided to teach her a lesson that night by not waiting for her.

However, long after evening study ended, Chenqing hadn’t returned. The parents of both families were away at a gala. It was the first time Xu Linqiu felt a sense of extreme panic. She was terrified something had happened.

Finally, a taxi stopped at the entrance. Yi Chenqing, still in her school uniform but swaying unsteadily, stepped out. Linqiu rushed to support her. Noticing her flushed face and squinting eyes, Linqiu hurriedly pulled her into the neighborhood.

Chenqing reeked of alcohol. Realizing it was Linqiu, she wrapped her arms around her neck and clung to her. Her voice was slurred and pleading: “Please don’t say you don’t know if we have a future together… please don’t…”

“How could you go drinking alone?”

“I’ll change, I’ll be better… don’t be angry… don’t leave me…”

All the way home, she repeated those vulnerable pleas, soaking Linqiu’s heart in a “hot spring” of affection until all her anger evaporated. She helped her into the Yi house and up the stairs. They ran into Yi Yanbai, who was carrying a glass of water.

“Sister Linqiu, what’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing, we just had a bit of fruit wine together.”

“Oh, okay. I’m going back to my room then.”

Linqiu helped her into the bedroom, closed the door, and set her on the bed. She patted her cheek. “Can you shower by yourself? You have class early tomorrow.”

“I can~”

Chenqing stumbled around looking for clothes and disappeared into the bathroom. Linqiu waited outside, listening to the water and worrying she might fall. Eventually, Chenqing emerged in a long cotton nightgown—though she had put it on backward.

She struggled to keep her eyes open, her skin steamed pink from the heat. She flopped onto the bed. Linqiu sighed and flipped her over to tuck her in, but was suddenly pulled down as Chenqing wrapped her arms around her neck.

Her narrow eyes were misty, but a smile curved her lips as she murmured: “I love you.”

In that moment, Xu Linqiu couldn’t help herself. She leaned down and kissed her. Chenqing’s lips were full and soft, her body radiating heat and fragrance. Neither of them really knew how to kiss, but Linqiu followed her instincts. The fresh scent mixed with a hint of wine was intoxicating. A simple peck turned into deep, lingering breaths.

When Linqiu’s tongue brushed against her teeth, Chenqing became restless, clutching at Linqiu’s uniform and shifting her legs. The contact sent a jolt through Linqiu, like being scalded by boiling water. She surrendered to the feeling, deepening the kiss to express her long-held emotions.

She loved this girl—this quiet, obedient figure who hid a fire behind a cold exterior. She didn’t want her to be just a “tail”; she wanted them to be equals.

A spark of madness escaped, fueling their passion. Their breathing became heavy and intertwined. Chenqing, soft and clinging, hooked her legs around Linqiu’s and whispered through the kisses: “Sister… Sister… I want you…”

Linqiu struggled to maintain her restraint. She cupped Chenqing’s face, comforting her: “Be good… everything but the last step…”

She kissed her again, her fingertips brushing against the most sensitive places.

A soft, low moan echoed in her ear. Chenqing’s face was a beautiful crimson, her eyes drooping with pleasure. She trembled slightly as her body grew damp. Tears escaped the corners of her eyes as she clung to Linqiu’s neck, her body arching honestly as she breathed into her cheek: “Sister Lin, it feels so strange… I want more…”

Surrounded by her scent, Linqiu’s heart was firmly ensnared. She could never refuse her.

That night was the closest they had ever been. Linqiu found herself completely defenseless against Chenqing’s soft, pleading voice, reaching the edge of her control again and again.

When the alarm clock finally went off, a sleep-deprived Yi Chenqing jolted awake. She sat up, feeling sticky and overwhelmed.

Was it a dream?

While she was dazed, a knock came at the door. “Qingqing, are you awake?”

She nearly jumped out of her skin, scrambling out of bed in shame. She could never let Sister Lin know she had such a dream!

“I want to take a shower first!” she shouted toward the door.

“Okay.

After that “dream,” their previous arguments seemed to vanish like smoke. But whenever they walked together from then on, Xu Linqiu would always take a half-step back, smiling as she made sure they walked side-by-side.