The Amnesiac Drama Queen Is Crashing the Live Stream - Chapter 10

Xia Xingtang, who had originally intended to be sentimental, abruptly fell silent.

The phone in front of her had been switched to selfie mode by Pei Luoqing, capturing her entire face on the screen. The nearly faded wound at her temple was clearly visible in the camera, while her forehead remained smooth and fair like flawless jade.

The air seemed to freeze even more than before.

But Xia Xingtang refused to admit that the foolish girl who had thought her face would be scarred was her.

She took a deep breath and deliberately mocked Pei Luoqing, “What’s the matter? Didn’t you realize I was just acting? Little Feifei has become a big star, adored and admired by everyone, can’t I give it a try too? Hurry up and find me a top-tier director.”

“Well then, may I ask, Miss Xia Xingtang, does your sister know about this?” Pei Luoqing seemed at a loss for words. “After all, film crews pour months of effort into their projects, and if the box office doesn’t perform well…”

“I haven’t even fought with Xia Qingyue over the family fortune. She has so much money, what’s wrong with me helping her spend a little?” Xia Xingtang grew less and less confident as she spoke, having blurted it out impulsively.

If Xia Qingyue really found out she was trying to break into the entertainment industry, the consequences wouldn’t be pretty. Based on her past experiences of being forced into remedial classes after sneaking out to have fun, she’d likely be dragged into the company the very next day to work a nine-to-five job.

Xia Xingtang declared confidently, “As for the box office, I have faith. Just find someone for me.”

As the old saying goes, one lie leads to a thousand more. To cover up her words, Xia Xingtang spent the entire day pretending to study acting techniques and scripts, occasionally making a show of her efforts.

It wasn’t until she stumbled upon a few films seeking investors from some gossip blogs that she finally settled on a fantasy drama to share with Pei Luoqing. Pei Luoqing merely shifted her gaze from her computer screen and studied Xia Xingtang.

As a pampered and privileged young lady, Xia Xingtang, aside from her slightly pallid complexion due to the car accident, could be described as exceptional in both looks and figure. Someone like her would be favored in any field because of her appearance, let alone the dazzling entertainment industry.

But Pei Luoqing didn’t outright refuse. Instead, she asked calmly, “Fantasy dramas require outdoor shoots. Can your skin withstand the wind and sun?”

“Summer is coming. Are you prepared to wear layers of costumes all day without worrying about breaking out in rashes?”

“Action scenes require wirework. Aren’t you afraid of accidentally scratching your face?”

After this series of questions, Xia Xingtang was defeated.

For the first time, she realized that even if she didn’t care about losing money and went to the film set as a benefactor, she still couldn’t endure the hardships.

“Who says I can’t?” Xia Xingtang stubbornly retorted, but as she lowered her head, she closed those unreliable blogs.

To maintain the illusion of her unwavering determination, she stole a glance at Pei Luoqing and quietly opened her email.

She had no idea where Yu Feifei had managed to gather so many materials. Fortunately, they weren’t pirated books riddled with typos and disjointed plots. Among the many options, a few were actually acceptable.

Especially that one she had initially despised, After Falling for the Live-in Son-in-Law, I Reached the Peak of My Life, after reading a few more chapters, it didn’t seem so bad after all. In fact, it was quite enjoyable?

In the blink of an eye, Xia Xingtang had already spent nearly a week in the hospital.

During that week, Yu Feifei fled to the First People’s Hospital every other day to avoid filming, successfully earning herself a trending hashtag: “Top Actress Suspected to Be Pregnant.”

Because of this, the last time Yu Feifei left the hospital, she was dragged back by her manager.

It was said that her manager immediately packed her off to a scenic mountainous area in the southwest to shoot a film.

As for Pei Luoqing and Xia Qingyue, both busy individuals, it was one thing to occasionally handle work matters at the hospital, but holding daily video conferences there was hardly practical.

Fortunately, the considerate Xia Xingtang didn’t demand much. Her three daily meals were taken care of by several caregivers.

During the day, Xia Xingtang immersed herself in the treasure trove of literature Yu Feifei had given her, living and breathing the stories, while at night she could admire Pei Luoqing’s beauty. All in all, she was quite content.

As soon as her one-week hospital stay was up, Xia Xingtang eagerly expressed her desire to be discharged to Xia Qingyue.

But there’s a kind of “not fully recovered” called “your older sister thinks you’re still sick.” Xia Qingyue insisted on keeping Xia Xingtang in the hospital for a few more days.

Nutritional supplements and all sorts of nourishing foods were delivered to her room as if they were free. If not for her phone, Xia Xingtang might have wondered if she had traveled back to ancient feudal society.

The VIP ward was fully equipped, with even the bathroom counter thoughtfully stocked with an array of skincare products.

…

One night, after her shower, Xia Xingtang impulsively stepped onto the weighing scale.

It would have been better if she hadn’t. The number staring back at her was a full 3.7 pounds heavier than the night she was admitted!

She reached down to touch the abdominal muscles she had been so proud of when she woke up. Though they still faintly existed with great difficulty, they were nearly replaced by soft, squishy flesh.

Her sense of guilt had reached its peak.

She had lost far too much.

To cut her losses in time, she brought up discharge again that very night, only to be flatly rejected once more.

She was starting to feel a headache coming on. There was nothing wrong with her to begin with, even the swelling on the back of her head had subsided significantly. These past few days, she’d only been undergoing routine daily check-ups without even needing any injections.

Why couldn’t she be discharged?

Once the young lady’s temper flared up, guided by the principle that if she was unhappy, no one else should be either, she opened The Reborn Live-in Son-in-Law, a novel she had just finished reading yesterday.

She glanced at the figure on the sofa not far away, who had lowered her head again to work, cleared her throat, and began to read aloud.

[“What did you say? Say that again! You said that good-for-nothing is here? Wasn’t she kicked out long ago? How could she possibly get an invitation from the Pei family? Does she really think everyone with the surname Pei is part of the Pei family?”

Just then, the magnificent doors swung open once more. Over a dozen bodyguards in black filed in, lining up on both sides. Pei Luoqing, as if bathed in golden light, strode forward in her high heels under the gaze of all.

She let out a cold laugh, a wild, arrogant smirk curling at the corner of her lips: “I am the current head of the Pei family!”

The entire banquet hall fell into dead silence. The few who had spoken earlier nearly collapsed, their legs giving way beneath them. The mysterious family head… was actually her!”]

Xia Xingtang raised her voice, reading the climactic scene of the novel with exaggerated emotion.

To disturb Pei Luoqing, she even replaced the name of the live-in son-in-law in the story with Pei Luoqing’s.

As she read, she defiantly watched Pei Luoqing. If she had a tail, it would surely be wagging triumphantly.

Pei Luoqing’s fingers paused on the touchpad. Without a word, she simply resumed her work.

Xia Xingtang: “…”

You asked for it.

Unconvinced, Xia Xingtang raised her voice a notch: [Amidst the gaze of the crowd, Pei Luoqing ascended the throne at the end of the red carpet. Everyone watched her with fervent eyes, their expressions filled with reverence.

Just then, a few sycophants stepped forward, pointing at the Xia family members in the corner and loudly reporting, “President Pei, the Xia family actually has the nerve to stand here. Let us drive them out for you!”

In the next moment, the black-suited bodyguards charged menacingly toward the corner. But the triumphant expressions on those people’s faces lasted only a few seconds before the bodyguards grabbed them one by one and unceremoniously tossed them out of the banquet hall!

From her throne, Pei Luoqing strode step by step toward Xia Xingtang, embracing her and declaring to the crowd, “From now on, whoever bullies Xia Xingtang is bullying me!”]

At this point, Pei Luoqing was finally too distracted to continue working.

She simply closed her laptop, leaned lazily against the sofa back, and watched Xia Xingtang’s performance.

Xia Xingtang: [“I will always love you.”]

After reading the final word of that chapter, Xia Xingtang could no longer endure Pei Luoqing’s teasing gaze and reluctantly fell silent.

Her performance had come to an end.

Pei Luoqing raised an eyebrow. “Not continuing?”

Xia Xingtang picked up a nearby coconut drink. “I’m a bit thirsty, a bit tired.”

“Oh, then shall we continue later?”

Xia Xingtang: “…”

She had deliberately disrupted Pei Luoqing’s work purely because Pei Luoqing had sided with Xia Qingyue.

After all, she was the one giving Pei Luoqing an allowance, why should Pei Luoqing listen to Xia Qingyue?

Pei Luoqing worked from morning till night every day, could her earnings possibly surpass the allowance Xia Xingtang provided?

But now, it seemed as though she was merely offering Pei Luoqing free entertainment during her breaks.

Lost in thought, a shadow suddenly fell over her.

Pei Luoqing lowered her gaze slightly, looking down at Xia Xingtang.

The smile on her face appeared gentle and polite, yet it made Xia Xingtang feel uncomfortable all over.

Sure enough, the next moment, Pei Luoqing took the phone from Xia Xingtang’s hand.

She idly scrolled through the screen, skimming the text at a rapid pace.

Xia Xingtang said nervously, “I’ve backed up these books. Deleting them won’t do any good.”

“I wasn’t planning to delete them.”

“Then what are you doing?”

Under Xia Xingtang’s anxious gaze, Pei Luoqing calmly began to read:

[“Xia Xingtang watched the godlike figure approaching her, tears welling up in her eyes, blurring her vision. Tears streamed down uncontrollably, narrating her grievances as they traced a path over her leopard-print dress and black stockings, finally dripping onto her red high heels.

Even if she had harbored countless grievances before, they all vanished in that moment. She threw herself into Pei Luoqing’s arms, sobbing, “Wahhh, I thought you didn’t want me anymore! I missed you so much!”]

“Pfft…”

Xia Xingtang spat out the coconut drink in her mouth all over the bedsheets, then snatched the phone back from Pei Luoqing’s hand.

“Pei Luoqing, shut up, shut up, shut up! Are you doing this on purpose?”

Hearing Xia Xingtang’s furious roar, Pei Luoqing showed no sign of being offended.

Instead, she asked innocently, “Oh, I thought you’d like it.”

Like it?

Who would like something so cheesy!

How did Pei Luoqing manage to read those lines with such a calm expression and tone?

Was she supposed to praise Pei Luoqing for pinpointing that cringeworthy passage out of thousands of words?

Should she be weeping with gratitude just because Pei Luoqing had thoughtfully replaced the names inside with theirs?

It was absolutely thunderstriking.

Help!

Xia Xingtang felt as though she had lifted a rock only to drop it on her own foot.

Her palm brushed against the damp stain on the bedsheet, and Xia Xingtang wrinkled her nose in disgust as she rolled off the bed. “I’m done playing, I’m done.”

“Why stop now?”

“The sheets are wet. Call the caregivers to change them.”

Two professional caregivers quickly came in from the adjacent room and efficiently tidied the bed, replacing the sheets in just a few minutes.

After the door closed, Xia Xingtang breathed a sigh of relief.

But she hadn’t expected Pei Luoqing to lean casually against the wall and leisurely ask, “Shall we continue?”

“Continue what? Even wars have breaks for resupply.” She had finally seen through Pei Luoqing, not only was she petty, but she also held grudges.

Something that could have been easily brushed aside had to be brought up again.

Pei Luoqing watched Xia Xingtang’s subtle expressions with amusement, then teased deliberately, “You’re not actually getting shy, are you?”

Xia Xingtang’s ears flushed bright red, and she snapped in embarrassment, “Sh-shut up! Starting tomorrow, your allowance is cut in half.”