After Transmigrating into a Book, I Had a Flash Marriage with the Beautiful Crazy Villain - Chapter 38.1

Because of the room situation, the two of them stood silently at the door for quite a while.

Song Qingyi slightly curled her fingers, her expression as calm as ever. “Let’s make do for one night. We can change rooms tomorrow.”

Chu Ling nodded blankly. At this point, with no other rooms available, they had no choice but to endure it for the night.

Even if they could change rooms, Chu Ling felt the situation was still somewhat tricky.

The truth was, their circumstances were complicated.

Among all the people traveling together, only Qiu Shuang and Fang Manwen knew the real nature of their relationship.

Even if Ye Zhiyin and Qin Xinran weren’t aware, they must have had some suspicions about the two of them.

What was more likely was that Song Qingyi had already told them about their relationship otherwise, booking this particular room would seem very strange.

Song Qingyi had proposed a contractual marriage to her, presumably because she needed the identity of a wife. If they slipped up in front of the two female leads and ruined her plans, the situation would become even more complicated.

Considering all this, they couldn’t just casually change rooms now…

They’d have to make do for the night and see if they could find a reason to switch to a proper room tomorrow.

With this thought, Chu Ling managed to regain some composure, though her expression remained grave.

Eventually, the two of them entered the room. But when the sound of the door closing echoed behind them, Chu Ling felt her heart tremble.

After all, this room, it was anything but proper!

The private space combined with its risqué nature made Chu Ling feel like she was struggling to breathe.

Fortunately, she still had some time to mentally prepare herself.

Originally, they had planned to drop off their luggage at the hotel first, go out for dinner, and then return.

Even if it was just for a meal, what if the others wanted to go out afterward? Every second of delay was precious, any breathing room, no matter how small, was valuable!

With this in mind, Chu Ling haphazardly tossed her luggage aside, not daring to take another glance before rushing to the door and flinging it open. Halfway out, she suddenly remembered to ask Song Qingyi, “Are you ready? Let’s head down first, they’re probably already waiting for us.”

Song Qingyi gave a soft hum in response and followed her out.

The moment the door closed behind them, Chu Ling exhaled heavily in relief.

The two walked in silence back to the hotel lobby.

Unexpectedly, no one else had come down yet.

A small question mark popped up over Chu Ling’s head.

What was going on?

She had assumed everyone else would already be downstairs, but it turned out they were the first ones ready?

That didn’t make sense especially since she had wasted time fussing over the room situation.

Sensing something was off, Chu Ling took out her phone and called Qiu Shuang. While waiting for the call to connect, she suddenly remembered the other two and turned to Song Qingyi. “Maybe you should check with Miss Ye and the others? And Hongmian, why hasn’t anyone come down yet? It’s so strange.”

Song Qingyi understood perfectly. Hongmian was childish, there was nothing to say about her.

But Ye Zhiyin and Qin Xinran…

If they still hadn’t come down after all this time, they were definitely up to something indecent.

It hadn’t even been that long, yet these two were already making such rapid progress.

Song Qingyi’s expression remained impassive as she pulled out her phone and dialed Ye Zhiyin’s number.

The first call went unanswered. Unfazed, Song Qingyi dialed again.

The phone finally connected, and without waiting for the other person to speak, Song Qingyi got straight to the point: “Come down. It’s time to eat.”

The person on the other end seemed to pause for a moment before replying, “Qingyi, do you realize how you sound right now? Like someone who’s utterly unsatisfied. And here I was, preparing a surprise for you!”

Ye Zhiyin’s tone was full of exasperation, mixed with annoyance at being interrupted in the middle of something. But Song Qingyi paid no attention, calmly hanging up the phone.

She glanced in Chu Ling’s direction and noticed she was on a call, presumably unaware of the conversation.

She couldn’t tell if she felt regret or something else, but Ye Zhiyin wasn’t wrong, she was unsatisfied.

Hmph.

With just one call each, the two managed to summon the lovey-dovey couples, the ambiguous pair, and the chattering youngsters downstairs.

Ning Hongmian and her girlfriends were the first to arrive. The kids were quite polite, immediately apologizing for being late.

Chu Ling wasn’t the type to hold a grudge against teenagers, so she waved it off with a casual “It’s fine,” only to be met with the girls’ sparkling, eager eyes.

Chu Ling was puzzled for a second but didn’t dwell on it.

Once the couples and the ambiguous pair had all gathered, the group set off in a lively procession toward the reserved restaurant.

One car wasn’t enough, but fortunately, Ye Zhiyin had planned for two people per vehicle.

Though Ning Hongmian was an extra, it wasn’t a problem, she simply squeezed into her friends’ car.

The restaurant wasn’t far, and it was supposedly a local specialty.

Chu Ling had expected to wait for the food, but to her surprise, the dishes were served the moment they arrived, ready to eat immediately.

Her fingers trembled slightly as she forced herself to stay composed, chewing slowly.

Yet, for some reason, she couldn’t shake the feeling that everyone else was eating unusually fast except for her.

Chu Ling was baffled. She’d eaten with them before and knew their usual pace.

The contrast was glaring, as if…

They were rushing to do something else.

Only she wanted to prolong the meal.

After observing for a while, Chu Ling finally couldn’t hold back her question. “You all… seem to be in a hurry? Or is there another plan after this?”

The moment she spoke, the entire table fell silent.

Chu Ling stiffened, wondering if she’d said something wrong.

Luckily, Ning Hongmian was quick to respond. “Huh? There’s more? But my friends and I planned to go back and watch a livestream…”

She smiled sheepishly, and her two friends giggled in a way that seemed oddly knowing.

Chu Ling nodded, though their expressions still puzzled her. “I see.”

Then she turned to the others, especially Qiu Shuang.

Meeting Chu Ling’s gaze, Qiu Shuang cleared her throat. “I just want to get back to sleep. Otherwise, how will I have energy for tomorrow’s activities, right?”

Chu Ling eyed her skeptically. “Really?”

Before Qiu Shuang could answer, Fang Manwen chuckled softly. “Shh! Miss Chu, some things shouldn’t be questioned too deeply. There are children present, after all.”

Chu Ling really didn’t want to understand instantly, but the moment Fang Manwen spoke, it clicked.

So that’s why everyone was in such a rush.

Which meant the two pairs who took so long to come downstairs earlier were…

Chu Ling froze, shutting off her ears and burying herself in her food, pretending she’d never asked.

The three children’s eyes sparkled with curiosity and a thirst for knowledge as they darted around the adults.

Ye Zhiyin smiled with her lips pressed together. “Good children shouldn’t ask too many questions. Be good and eat up quickly, don’t you still need to hurry back to watch the livestream?”

Ning Hongmian drew out an “Oh~” in a teasing tone before continuing to devour her meal, occasionally whispering with her girlfriends.

The meal ended swiftly as everyone deliberately picked up their pace.

Though it was supposedly a specialty dish, Chu Ling couldn’t taste anything at all.

On the way back, Chu Ling still felt dazed, her entire body radiating resistance.

Going back meant facing that kind of room again, and the mere thought made her scalp tingle.

Distracted as she was, Chu Ling didn’t notice the words Ye Zhiyin whispered to Song Qingyi before they parted.

Song Qingyi looked momentarily stunned before finally shooting her a warning glare.

With a faint smile, Ye Zhiyin left with Qin Xinfan.

The surroundings quieted down instantly, but Song Qingyi’s heart refused to settle.

She knew Ye Zhiyin had done it on purpose, but she couldn’t deny that despite pretending to disapprove on the surface, she was secretly thrilled.

Song Qingyi felt like she was beyond saving. The fantasies about Chu Ling in her mind were growing more frequent and increasingly outrageous, she was genuinely afraid she’d one day confuse fantasy with reality…

But the moment she saw Chu Ling’s uneasy expression, Song Qingyi sobered up slightly, feeling an inexplicable irritation.

Chu Ling seemed terrified of anything happening between them.

Realizing this, Song Qingyi’s gaze gradually darkened.

Chu Ling had prayed the entire way back that the room would somehow transform into an ordinary one.

But the moment she opened the door,

Her heart sank.

The furnishings inside hadn’t changed at all, exactly the same as when they had left their luggage.

Steeling herself, Chu Ling walked in with the resolve of a martyr.

The second the door closed behind her, an urge to flee surged within her. But that wasn’t realistic, so she suppressed it and calmly asked, “Do you want to shower first, or should I?”

Her voice was tight, but Chu Ling believed she had masked it well.

At the very least, Song Qingyi’s expression remained unchanged.

“Either way. Do you want to go first?”

The question made Chu Ling pause, her gaze involuntarily drifting toward the bathroom.

Through the frosted glass door, the outline of a bathtub was faintly visible more suggestive than if it had been fully visible.

Chu Ling swallowed nervously. Since hesitation wouldn’t change anything, she might as well shower first, finish quickly, and fall asleep immediately to avoid a repeat of last time’s awkward incident.

Back then, Song Qingyi had showered first but hadn’t gone to bed afterward instead, she had waited for Chu Ling to come out.

The result? Chu Ling had lain awake half the night.

This time, she was smarter.

“Me! I’ll go first.”

Her expression was so resolute it seemed like she wasn’t heading for a shower but a battlefield.

Song Qingyi didn’t object. “Alright, go ahead.”

Then she leisurely began unpacking her luggage.

Chu Ling glanced at her, reassured that the other woman wouldn’t peek, before swiftly grabbing her towel and pajamas from the suitcase and bolting into the bathroom.

Though she trusted Song Qingyi not to look, Chu Ling still felt unbearably awkward. Gritting her teeth, she stripped quickly, determined to finish as fast as possible.

She washed in record time but even so, it still took a while.

Moreover, the unease brought by the glass made Chu Ling constantly feel as if someone’s gaze was fixed on her. Yet whenever she looked out, Song Qingyi was still tidying up, completely unaware of her.

Chu Ling felt a slight relief, but she failed to notice that the moment she averted her gaze, Song Qingyi had turned to look at her.

The very person she thought wouldn’t be watching was now staring unblinkingly at the bathroom door.

The design of this door was undeniably ambiguous perfect for setting the mood between lovers.

But they weren’t lovers. That didn’t stop Song Qingyi’s gaze from lingering, eyes fixed without a single blink.

The faintly visible graceful silhouette, the distinct sound of running water.

Every movement of the other person’s shower, though unclear, was projected through the glass right before Song Qingyi’s eyes.

The air seemed to grow scorching.

Song Qingyi knew it wasn’t wise to keep watching, yet she couldn’t bring herself to look away.

Fortunately, the sounds from the bathroom soon stopped. Reluctantly, Song Qingyi averted her gaze and resumed pretending to be absorbed in tidying up.

When Chu Ling stepped out of the bathroom, her expression was slightly awkward. Whether it was from the steam or not, her face felt burning hot, she could feel the heat herself.

Without even checking the mirror, she knew her face must be flushed.

Avoiding eye contact, Chu Ling dared not look at Song Qingyi and mumbled vaguely, “I’m done. You… you can go now.”

Song Qingyi hummed in response, her expression neutral as she picked up her clothes and headed to the bathroom.

The moment the bathroom door closed behind her, Chu Ling let out a sharp exhale, then hurried to the sink to wash up. She finished as quickly as possible before immediately climbing into bed and closing her eyes to sleep.

Having taken a two-hour flight earlier, she was already tired. Yet, Chu Ling found herself unable to fall asleep.

Perhaps her mind was too restless. The moment she closed her eyes, her hearing became sharper. The harder she tried to sleep, the more she fixated on every tiny sound.

The thumping of her heartbeat in her chest grew louder and clearer, as if resonating right beside her ears.

After struggling for what felt like ages, Chu Ling still couldn’t sleep. Apart from the pounding of her heart, the only sound was the running water from Song Qingyi’s shower.

It was too clear, too distracting keeping her wide awake.

Chu Ling opened her eyes, her gaze and heart equally flustered.

This was really not good. Song Qingyi’s influence on her was growing stronger. If this continued, would she even be able to hold onto her resolve?

Chu Ling didn’t know, but she had a vague sense that things were about to go wrong.

Indeed, the decision she’d made from the start had been a mistake. Song Qingyi already fit perfectly within her aesthetic preferences. Spending time like this together, how could she not develop feelings?

Chu Ling exhaled, lost in what felt like the hundredth wave of regret, until the sound of water abruptly stopped.

Snapping back to reality, she quickly shut her eyes and pretended to sleep.

Even if she couldn’t sleep, she could at least fake it!

With her vision gone, every sound became clearer again. The lack of sight made time stretch unbearably long.

Song Qingyi seemed to be dawdling for some reason, moving around the room endlessly.

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