After Marrying the Villain with Seven Personalities [Transmigration into a Book]) - Chapter 68

This time, she ground her lips against hers bluntly, sucking and swirling. As Xu Linqiu’s tongue probed inward, the woman extended her own tip, hungrily tangling with her, sucking as if she wanted to swallow every bit of her taste down her throat.

That one kiss made Xu Linqiu feel at ease again. She took the lead in the rhythm, sucking to her heart’s content until the woman’s chest heaved violently and their racing heartbeats echoed each other, making it hard to stop.

Finally, she pulled away, her eyes curving into crescents as she kissed the woman’s cheek: “Time to get up~”

“Mm.”

For many days following, Xu Linqiu only dared to indulge in light kisses and hugs. The two previous incidents didn’t seem to have caused any visible cracks in their relationship.

Only occasionally, in the middle of a dream, she would suddenly see Yi Chenqing discovering the truth before her personalities had fully merged. In the dream, Chenqing rejected these personas, feeling they weren’t her at all—just as the other personalities felt they were the rightful owners of the body and that the others shouldn’t exist.

She wandered, lost and in agony, eventually being swallowed by her personas until her true self vanished.

Waking up in a cold sweat, Xu Linqiu found herself surrounded by warm fragrance. The woman in her arms woke up with bleary eyes, stroked her face, and asked worriedly, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” She held her tight, her heart wavering, though she kept a smile on her face. She gently pinched the woman’s cheek: “Go back to sleep for a bit?”

“Mm…”

The company had several large projects recently. Knowing she was exhausted, Xu Linqiu circled her arms around her and gently stroked her back.

When the morning light finally filled the room, Yi Chenqing’s internal clock woke her up. She climbed out of bed to wash up.

Xu Linqiu buried her face in the quilt, but her phone started ringing. Seeing it was Shi Ji, she stepped out onto the balcony to answer.

The moment the call connected, Shi Ji’s frantic voice came through.

“Yanbai ran away…”

“What happened?” Xu Linqiu asked.

“I was too careless last night and slept too deeply. When I woke up this morning, she was gone.”

“What should we do?”

“Don’t panic. I’ll come over after I wash up.” Xu Linqiu hung up and turned around to see Yi Chenqing standing at the bathroom door.

She asked, “What happened?”

“Yanbai is missing. I’m going to help Ji-zi look for her,” Xu Linqiu replied, heading into the bathroom.

Yi Chenqing watched her. It wasn’t until she entered the bathroom that the woman withdrew her gaze: “I’ll be back a bit late tonight.”

“Okay.”

“Also… Yanbai is a grown woman. You don’t need to worry that much.”

“She said she was going to the company before, but nothing ever came of it…”

She headed to the dressing room, looking a bit puzzled, and quickly came out changed. Xu Linqiu poked her head out of the bathroom, toothbrush in her mouth, and smiled: “Remember to eat breakfast.”

The woman walked over while buttoning her cuffs, a smile on her face. She left a kiss on Xu Linqiu’s damp cheek: “Mm.”

“I’ll be late, but you should try to come home early. Report your itinerary to me. It’s not safe at night; don’t make me worry…”

Xu Linqiu froze for a second. She probably didn’t even realize she was smiling. Perhaps those personalities had already begun to merge, and it was just the memories that hadn’t returned. In any case, everything was moving in a positive direction.

She smiled back: “Alright~”

Before heading out with Shi Ji, the latter insisted they wear hats and masks. Xu Linqiu complied helplessly. Meanwhile, she posted a message in their group chat.

[Let’s tell Qingqing the truth. I don’t want to hide it from her anymore.]

Although the consequences might be unpredictable, she felt that the pain of being lied to by everyone would be even more heartbreaking for Chenqing than the discovery of her disorder itself.

But this wasn’t a decision she could make alone. All of Qingqing’s relatives cared for her, and Xu Linqiu couldn’t decide for them.

In the end, it was a form of cowardice.

Instantly, all the replies came in to shut down her hesitation.

[Linqiu, don’t tell her. I know my own child. She has been sensitive and suspicious since she was young. She can accept being told she has ‘lethargy,’ but if you tell her it’s Dissociative Identity Disorder, she won’t be able to handle it.]

[Anyone who finds out they have DID—that they could become someone else at any moment, or that their actions are out of their control when they lose consciousness—would be devastated.]

[Linqiu, your father checks on her condition constantly. Many people at the company are saying ‘the CEO knows how to smile now.’ That’s all thanks to you. I beg of you, don’t let our efforts go to waste. But if one day you’re truly tired, tell me. Like we agreed, Qingqing is not your burden; you can leave at any time.]

…

Xu Linqiu stared at these messages for a long time. Finally, her finger moved to type a line.

[I won’t give up. She is one of the most important people to me now.]

She just needed a push to firm up her resolve.

“You know where she is?”

Watching Shi Ji lead her straight to a large shopping mall, Xu Linqiu put away her phone, feeling confused.

Shi Ji said mysteriously, “I figured if she went out at this hour, she was either going to resign or go on a date with Yu Shu. Guess what?”

“What?”

“The plot is moving too fast. They went straight to a date without any buildup. I put a tracker on her phone—luckily she took it with her. It shows she’s in the mall.”

“Let’s find them then.”

“Mm.”

They circled the mall but hadn’t found them yet. Instead, they bumped into a fully disguised Xu Judong. Xu Linqiu recognized her instantly, pulled her aside, and whispered, “What are you doing here?”

“Sister…” Xu Judong hesitated for a long time before saying, “My co-star ran off. I came to find her.”

Hearing this, Shi Ji asked, “Did you find her?”

“Mm… in the LKSA jewelry store.”

She lowered her head, her eyes hidden behind sunglasses.

Xu Linqiu grabbed her and started walking toward the jewelry store: “Then why did you walk away after finding her? The director must have sent you. Just take her back once you find her.”

She glanced at Shi Ji, who was already sprinting toward the store, and picked up her pace.

Xu Judong didn’t want to go, but she couldn’t bring herself to break free. She didn’t know what was wrong with her. When they filmed the kiss scene, Yu Shu acted strange. She would come to Judong’s room every night acting like a “white lotus” (innocent but manipulative) to practice lines. Surprisingly, Judong hadn’t refused. And as they kissed more, things started feeling… off.

Her feelings for her sister had long been nipped in the bud, but just as she realized she might have feelings for Yu Shu, her twenty-some years of family happiness were ruined, making her feel like an outsider.

Now, seeing this “white lotus” happily picking out diamond rings with Sister Yanbai, something was fermenting in her heart—a sudden, sour jealousy.

Outside the jewelry store, Xu Linqiu saw Shi Ji freeze for a moment, then prepare to rush in. She quickly held her back.

“They’re picking diamond rings,” Shi Ji said, sounding incredibly aggrieved.

“They haven’t put them on yet,” Xu Linqiu said helplessly. Looking into the store, she saw Yi Yanbai suddenly take a liking to a ring. She had the clerk take it out and was about to slide it onto Yu Shu’s hand.

Xu Linqiu stopped holding her back, but Shi Ji didn’t rush in. She keenly noticed paparazzi filming nearby. Cursing the mall’s security, she walked in leisurely, her voice loud and sounding “deeply moved.”

“I really didn’t expect you’d want to buy a diamond ring for me. You knew Yu Shu’s size was similar to mine, so you specifically asked her to help you choose to keep it a secret!”

Yi Yanbai, who was about to put the ring on Yu Shu, froze. She watched as Shi Ji walked over, grabbed her hand, and slid the ring onto her ring finger while admiring it.

Yanbai’s body, long accustomed to being “restrained,” instinctively shrunk back, but Shi Ji circled her waist, smiling sweetly: “I received the surprise, but I don’t really like this design. Let’s pick another one.”

“You…”

“What about me? There are paparazzi outside. If you dare run, I’ll kiss you right here, believe it or not,” Shi Ji whispered into her ear with a smirk. “I never thought you’d be able to run out after how intense it was last night.”

Yanbai’s face darkened, but she could only let herself be “held hostage” as they browsed the store.

Left behind, Yu Shu felt a sense of relief.

Xu Linqiu smiled at Xu Judong and pulled her over: “Let’s have dinner tonight and chat.”

“Okay.”

“Then I’ll go pick out a ring.” Xu Linqiu left Judong with Yu Shu and started browsing on her own.

The two were left standing there.

Yu Shu understood why she was being controlled; she had figured it out the night she returned to the Xu house. She was powerless to stop it, so she could only use small details to control the body. For example, she was currently hypnotizing herself: “I want to pick a ring for me and Yanbai, and I’ll force Judong to stay with me to make her furious.”

Sure enough, the moment she regained control of the body, she grabbed Xu Judong’s hand. She gritted her teeth, silently staring at the rings in the display. She treated this as a silent form of “happiness.”

Xu Linqiu watched their joined hands and Judong’s masked profile. Her long lashes were lowered as she seriously picked a ring. An unidentifiable feeling spread through Linqiu’s heart. They fight every day on set, but when they’re close, Judong doesn’t push her away. Instead…

The group spent a long time in the store. Finally, Shi Ji, looking shocked, pulled Yanbai over to watch Xu Linqiu pay.

“Didn’t you just pay back all your debt? To buy a diamond ring, shouldn’t you use your own money for it to be meaningful? You still have money?”

One should know that this brand was famous for being expensive.

A few days ago, the director of Elites of All Walks had called, saying the second episode would take a long time to prepare, so they were paying them for the first episode first. The ratings for the first episode were unexpectedly high; even though Linqiu found it boring, it had solved her immediate financial crisis.

However, that money only barely covered the company debts. Linqiu could pay it off, but as the “boss” who took the majority share, Shi Ji couldn’t. She expected she’d be working for her father for the rest of her life.

Xu Linqiu slid the ring she chose onto her finger to test the size and smiled: “I sold a painting…”

“You sold a painting?”

“Well, I can’t really say I ‘sold’ it.”

“Huh?”

Xu Linqiu gestured for her to lean in and lowered her voice: “I sold a double-nude portrait. Just yesterday. I originally wanted to keep it for my private collection, but Qingqing said she liked it very much, so she ‘bought’ it.”

Actually, Chenqing had snatched it away in a panic and thrown a new credit card at her, telling her to go shopping and not stay home painting every day. But it’s art! What’s there to be embarrassed about?

Shi Ji glanced at her, then looked at her card enviously: “It must be nice to have talent.”

“But if you have money, why pick such a small diamond…?”

“This design is beautiful. It looks like a star.” Xu Linqiu compared the one she chose for Yi Chenqing, then had the assistant wrap it up.

The woman’s finger was slightly smaller than hers. She was like her star—appearing suddenly, and loved beyond measure.

She smiled as she took the packaging.

Xu Judong had already said she needed to return to the set and would come back later for dinner. So Linqiu shopped with Shi Ji and Yanbai for a while. Once the other two went home, she sat down in the reserved restaurant.

She sent a message to Yi Chenqing, telling her she’d be home late.

When Xu Judong arrived, she had removed her mask and sunglasses. She smiled and sat down to greet her.

“Sister.”

This “sister” sounded different than before—a bit more distant. Xu Linqiu sighed. She had discussed with Shi Ji whether to tell Judong the truth, but they concluded it was unnecessary; it would only add to her troubles. Besides, she might not even believe it.

“I just wanted to have a meal with you and tell you that we will always be family.” Linqiu smiled, pouring her a drink. “There are only a few months until the New Year. You’re not taking any more roles this year, right?”

“Mm.”

“Then stay home and spend time with Mom and Dad. Also, that Yu family… if they get desperate, they might do anything. You need to watch out for your safety.”

“Okay.”

The meal was exceptionally harmonious. Linqiu’s main goal was to remind her to stay safe.

By her calculations, Yu Shu should be in the same situation as Yanbai now. She and Shi Ji had researched it; if you didn’t count the extra chapters, the original story ended at this New Year.

After Yi Yanbai accidentally pushed Yi Chenqing off a ledge, this New Year, she would marry Yu Shu.

She hoped that by the time they reached that point, everything would be better. She also hoped that during this time, Qingqing would merge all her personalities.

Yi Chenqing had made another appointment with Dr. Liu, hoping for a full check-up. This time, the doctor still seemed very nervous. She had to speak first:

“Dr. Liu, the last time I saw you, I told you my symptoms directly and asked for medication. But this time, I have doubts about my condition. I want you to give me a psychological evaluation.”