The Amnesiac Drama Queen Is Crashing the Live Stream - Chapter 20.3

Xia Xingtang struggled to maintain her composure, clutching tightly at the coat Pei Luoqing had given her.

So, had she really been that desperate for oxygen underwater?

But it was for the sake of oxygen. Surely, surely that could be forgiven, right?

When facing death, one’s actions become more instinctual.

She swore she hadn’t intentionally forced a kiss on Pei Luoqing.

Xia Xingtang slowly stood up, stealing a glance at Pei Luoqing. Since Pei Luoqing showed no intention of bringing it up, maybe they could both just pretend to have amnesia?

After all, they had both fallen into the lake, there was no way Pei Luoqing wasn’t cold either.

But considering Pei Luoqing had saved her life, she’d reluctantly refrain from exposing her.

Xia Xingtang wrapped the coat tighter around herself, pretending nothing had happened. “I’m cold. Let’s go turn on the air conditioning in the car.”

That was indeed the best solution for now. Pei Luoqing nodded. “Alright.”

But she hadn’t taken more than a few steps when she heard a thud behind her. Turning around, she saw Xia Xingtang angrily plucking a few blades of grass, declaring, “I think I’m a bit hot. You go enjoy the air conditioning by yourself.”

As she spoke, her whole body shivered from the cold.

It was utterly unconvincing.

Pei Luoqing lowered her head, following Xia Xingtang’s gaze with curiosity.

Xia Xingtang lay sprawled awkwardly on the grass. Earlier, while underwater, she had accidentally scraped the sole of her foot.

At first, the numbness from prolonged immersion had masked the pain, but now, stepping on the fine blades of grass brought the sensation rushing back.

Though the cut was shallow, it was long. Pei Luoqing couldn’t help but find it amusing. “You’re injured and didn’t think to say anything?”

Hearing that familiar tone, Xia Xingtang inexplicably felt mocked.

She retorted sharply, “Who asked you to care? With all the admirers around President Pei, how could I possibly trouble you to stoop so low just for me?”

Pei Luoqing narrowed her eyes, studying Xia Xingtang with a teasing expression that was almost infuriating, then seemed to have a sudden realization.

“Should I leave, then?”

Xia Xingtang’s eyes widened instantly, as if she couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

What, just because she was rich and powerful, she could abandon her devoted wife?

She wasn’t even dead yet, and Pei Luoqing was already thinking about others.

Then why had she bothered saving her? Wouldn’t it be more satisfying to inherit her fortune and spend her money on a string of mistresses?

The swelling around Xia Xingtang’s eyes, which had just begun to fade, started to redden again.

“Go ahead, leave. Once you’re gone, don’t come back.” Xia Xingtang’s brain went into overdrive, and she decisively turned her back. “When I get back, I’ll find ten or eight people younger and prettier than you… Hey!”

Suddenly, Xia Xingtang found herself lifted into the air and instinctively wrapped her arms tightly around Pei Luoqing’s neck.

But she continued to grumble, “Did I ask you to carry me? With those slender arms and legs of yours, don’t drop me.”

Pei Luoqing’s gaze lingered briefly on Xia Xingtang’s face, where droplets of water slid down her fair skin, her cheeks puffed out in irritation.

Her eyes rested there for a subtle moment before she politely looked away.

In a cold tone, she said, “Since you know we weigh about the same, stop squirming. If you keep moving, I’ll drop you.”

Xia Xingtang lifted her chin haughtily, her expression full of pride, but she stopped arguing.

Hmph, she swore she was only letting Pei Luoqing carry her because she didn’t want to walk.

A free ride, why not take advantage of it?

She even nestled her head against Pei Luoqing’s shoulder, rubbing it contentedly, and finally fell silent.

After all, it was because of Pei Luoqing that she had ended up in the water. With her clothes soaked and the cold biting into her, it wasn’t too much to ask to seek a little warmth from Pei Luoqing, right?

However, some people possess an innate talent for infuriating others, no matter how ambiguous their actions might seem.

Just as Xia Xingtang was lost in her thoughts, the rear car door was swiftly pulled open, and she was unceremoniously tossed into the back seat of the sports car, face-first into the seat, at that.

The lingering romantic atmosphere instantly evaporated. If it weren’t for the pain in her foot, Xia Xingtang would have staged a domestic brawl right there in the car.

By the time Pei Luoqing drove back to the resort hotel, Xia Xingtang’s face was dark with anger. Gritting her teeth against the pain in her foot, she made her way through the direct elevator and into the suite Yu Feifei had arranged for her.

She slammed the door of one of the bedrooms shut before limping her way to the bathroom.

After venting her temper at Pei Luoqing, the latter still hadn’t grasped what she was so upset about this time. Only after a long pause did Pei Luoqing let out a helpless chuckle and head to another bathroom, neither approving nor disapproving of her willfulness.

After a soothing, comfortable bath and slipping into fresh, dry clothes, Xia Xingtang let out a long sigh of relief, finally feeling like she had come back to life.

Before leaving the bathroom, Xia Xingtang lingered in front of the mirror for a long while before mustering the resolve to lift her head and check her reflection. Her face had regained its color after the bath, and the remnants of makeup had been washed away with cleansing oil. Her long lashes were still damp, framing a pair of smiling peach-blossom eyes.

Good. There was no trace left of the earlier post-dunking disarray. Even with her bare face, she could easily outshine any of Pei Luoqing’s little admirers.

The only slight flaw was a tiny, barely noticeable cut on the inside of her lower lip. At first, it had tasted faintly of blood, but now, unless she deliberately checked, it was almost invisible.

She wondered if the 23-year-old Xia Xingtang had already given away her first kiss…

The tips of her ears in the mirror were already tinged with pink. Xia Xingtang turned on the faucet and splashed her face with cold water, trying to wash away the lingering warmth.

But for some reason, perhaps because she had soaked in the bath for too long, raising her blood pressure, or maybe because the steam in the bathroom was too hot, her blood seemed to be circulating faster, all converging toward her heart.

Following her habit of needing to vent and confide in someone whenever something bothered her, Xia Xingtang picked up the landline phone as soon as she lay down on the bed and dialed the front desk.

After all, her phone had bravely followed the Bugatti into the water, hadn’t it?

The call was transferred a few times before finally reaching Yu Feifei.

Yu Feifei was ecstatic when she answered the phone. Before Xia Xingtang could say anything, she fired off a barrage of questions like a machine gun: “Xiao Xing, what were you and President Pei up to just now? Have you two made up? Why did you need a room as soon as you got back? It’s not what I’m thinking, is it? Are you even able to get up now? Can I come see you?”

Xia Xingtang had initially intended to invite Yu Feifei over, but hearing her friend’s flustered and exaggerated tone, she abandoned the idea. She couldn’t afford to embarrass herself further. If Yu Feifei saw her in this state, she’d undoubtedly weave some melodramatic storyline out of it.

Besides, she had some very personal questions to ask Yu Feifei, and it would be too awkward to bring them up face-to-face.

She coughed twice and threatened, “Xiao Feifei, if you keep letting your imagination run wild like this, I’ll expose your private photos to your fans.”

“Private photos?” Yu Feifei scoffed disdainfully, “I’m a law-abiding citizen of the 21st century. Why would I take that kind of private photo?”

Xia Xingtang responded softly, “Then, what about those before you were three years old?”

“Stop, stop! I surrender, alright? I surrender!”

Seeing that Yu Feifei had finally settled down, Xia Xingtang hesitated before speaking, “Um, I want to ask you something.”

Yu Feifei was taken aback but instantly grew curious.

Xia Xingtang had always been straightforward with her, when had she ever been so evasive?

She felt like a melon-field raccoon dog, instantly stirred by the scent of a juicy story.

“Go on, tell me.”

After wrestling with it for a few more seconds, Xia Xingtang finally asked slowly, “I have a friend, she…”

Yu Feifei reflexively laughed, “That friend wouldn’t happen to be you, would it?”

To her surprise, Xia Xingtang on the other end of the line immediately bristled, “I’m asking for my friend! How could you doubt me? Is our twenty-plus years of friendship really that fragile?”

Yu Feifei: Oh, so it really is you.

“Alright, alright, of course I believe you unconditionally. So, what’s up with your friend?”

Xia Xingtang had a sneaking suspicion that she might have given herself away, but after thinking it over, she realized there was no one else she could confide in.

So, she braced herself and casually brushed it off, “Well, my friend, she accidentally forced a kiss on a woman.”

“What?!” Yu Feifei shrieked instantly, her face mask slipping off and drawing the attention of everyone else in the private room.

Yu Feifei no longer had the mood for a massage. Apologizing to the others, she hurried into another empty room.

Inside, her mind was screaming wildly.

So, Xia Xingtang had finally given away her first kiss?!

And Xia Xingtang was the one who initiated it?

A forced kiss!

How thrilling! And it sounded like the other person wasn’t Pei Luoqing.

So, after three years of being timid, their little star had finally grown a backbone, even daring to cheat while married?

Honestly, Xia Xingtang’s amnesia was a blessing in disguise!

What a turnaround!

As her best friend, shouldn’t she go buy some spirit money to burn in celebration?

Yu Feifei wished she could immediately have someone buy a whole sack of spirit money, along with a paper mansion, to commemorate the end of her friend’s marriage.

Perfect.

However, Xia Xingtang had no idea what Yu Feifei was thinking. After waiting a long time without a response, she asked, “Xiao Feifei, you…”

“You did great forcing it!” Yu Feifei cut in quickly, then worried she’d been too obvious and added more tactfully, “It was an honor for that person.”

“Huh?”

Thinking she’d blown her cover, Yu Feifei hurriedly clarified, “Is your friend, Xiao Xing, not good enough or something?”

“No, she’s beautiful and comes from a wealthy family.” Then, Xia Xingtang proceeded to embellish and twist the story of the drowning incident beyond recognition.

“Anyway, I was just being helpful. When I saw she was about to suffocate underwater, I gave her a breath of oxygen.”

Yu Feifei struggled to hold back her laughter after hearing this. Did Xia Xingtang really think she didn’t know she was a terrible swimmer?

The more she twisted the facts, the more convinced Yu Feifei became that it was Xia Xingtang herself.

No, it absolutely was!