The Amnesiac Drama Queen Is Crashing the Live Stream - Chapter 28.2

Even after Pei Luoqing had gotten up to wash up, Xia Xingtang lingered in bed for a long time, intending to catch a bit more sleep.

But at the same time, she was a diligent and ambitious person. All the way until Pei Luoqing finished washing up, she lay in bed meticulously reviewing the earlier battle.

She went over everything that had happened since waking up and realized she had not only lost the initiative but also missed several opportunities to win the argument.

She attributed it all to her own beauty, kindness, and thin skin, unlike Pei Luoqing, a CEO who could sweet-talk anyone and spin tales to ghosts.

Having figured it out, Xia Xingtang returned to her own bedroom and hurriedly got ready. Unexpectedly, as soon as she stepped out of the bathroom, she ran right into Pei Luoqing again.

Xia Xingtang was in no mood for pleasantries, “What are you doing here again? Do I have to pay utilities just for washing up?”

Water droplets still clung to her face, one of them tracing down from the peak of her lips to settle in the center of her full lower lip, making her lips look plump and soft.

Pei Luoqing reached out, her thumb gently brushing and pressing against Xia Xingtang’s lip, wiping the droplet away.

In that moment, as she lowered her gaze, the memory of that lingering, intimate kiss underwater inexplicably surfaced in her mind.

Even though Xia Xingtang had initially acted out of a survival instinct, seeking oxygen from her mouth, it seemed to have evolved into a real kiss.

When their lips parted, she had followed her heart and kissed back, even biting Xia Xingtang’s lip until it bled.

That kiss carried a multitude of complex emotions. Pei Luoqing, as if caught with some hidden thought, suddenly felt her hand on her lips jolt as if electrified.

To conceal her unusual reaction, she quickly turned away: “Hurry up and finish getting ready, then come down to eat.”

Xia Xingtang was a bit puzzled but still replied, “Okay.”

After the weekend passed, Pei Luoqing became busy again.

Fortunately, she didn’t have to travel for work, though she came home a bit later each day.

Meanwhile, the second young miss of the Xia family, tired of the endless stream of high-society parties, decided to stay home and diligently took stock of and familiarized herself with the assets under her name.

Seeing the massive flow of funds in operation, she finally felt a spark of motivation to strive harder.

At the same time, she received news that Xia Qingyue had successfully won the bid for the Ocean 370. With her luxurious yacht on the horizon, learning to swim became an urgent priority.

When choosing a swimming venue, she was very cautious. After all, she was in her twenties, and learning to swim at this age compared to young children was quite embarrassing. She couldn’t possibly mix in with the kids, it would be far too humiliating.

She went to the largest private swimming pool in Yuncheng and asked directly upon entering, “Do you have female swimming coaches who offer one-on-one lessons?”

Seeing the children being taught by other coaches nearby, Xia Xingtang felt genuinely awkward.

“We do,” the coach quickly arranged. “Miss, we can teach you any style of swimming, synchronized swimming, platform diving, you name it.”

Xia Xingtang immediately waved her hands. “No, no, I just want to learn the basics.”

That day, Xia Xingtang spent the entire afternoon at the swimming pool and finally managed to float without a lifebuoy in the shallow end.

Even though the water only reached her chest, the coach, being very perceptive, showered her with praise.

The pool water was temperature-controlled, slightly cooler than natural hot springs but just right for early summer.

Her already smooth and delicate skin appeared even fairer after soaking in the water for so long, especially when droplets slowly trickled down her skin as she emerged, resembling a piece of exquisite, unpolished jade.

The swimming coach, accustomed to dealing with people from this social circle, was well-versed in communication. Seeing Xia Xingtang make some progress, she immediately seized the opportunity to promote other programs at the swimming facility.

“Miss, do you have any other goals for learning to swim, like survival skills?”

Xia Xingtang thought for a moment. “It’d be best if I could also save someone while I’m at it.”

She had spent money on this, surely she had to be better than Pei Luoqing, right?

The air froze for a few seconds.

The coach tentatively asked, “Miss, um, is this for a job as a lifeguard?”

“Not necessarily,” Xia Xingtang coughed lightly, thinking that her yacht might eventually venture into the sea. “Do you have any simulated obstacle swimming here? Like, for survival situations.”

At this, the coach finally understood.

Those who could afford to swim at their facility were either wealthy or influential. The young woman before her, talking about saving people and obstacle survival, was likely just seeking thrills.

Wasn’t this like wilderness survival? She’d seen those reality shows, it was all about the adrenaline rush. She got it.

The coach put on a serious expression. “We do have a simulated outdoor mode here, but it’s a bit risky for beginners.”

Xia Xingtang cut her off. “It’s fine, I’m confident. Just teach me as much as you can.”

After spending several days at the swimming pool, Xia Xingtang received a call from Yu Feifei one noon, and the two agreed to meet at a newly opened dessert shop.

This was their first meeting since returning from Shili Fangfei.

Yu Feifei seemed unusually listless, and Xia Xingtang, unable to gauge her friend’s mood, could only tread carefully in their conversation.

However, it wasn’t long before a “ding-ling…” ringtone sounded from Yu Feifei’s phone.

Yu Feifei glanced at it and hung up.

But the persistent ringtone sounded several more times. Xia Xingtang asked curiously, “What’s going on? Could it be your agent trying to send you off to some remote mountain again for filming?”

“This is way more troublesome than my agent,” Yu Feifei pouted, looking helpless. “My family set me up on a blind date, and today’s May 20^th, he wants to take me out.”

Xia Xingtang froze for a moment before realizing it was a special day.

A nearly forgotten agreement surfaced in her mind, hadn’t she promised Pei Luoqing to watch a movie together on the 20th?

But during breakfast that morning, Pei Luoqing hadn’t mentioned anything about it.

Could she have forgotten?

Seeing Yu Feifei’s obvious displeasure, Xia Xingtang didn’t try to persuade her like a meddling relative. Instead, she exaggeratedly exclaimed, “Your family actually set you up on a blind date? Oh my, which lucky guy is it?

Don’t they know how packed our superstar’s schedule is? Don’t they know you could earn millions just during a meal? Is he even worthy?”

Yu Feifei was amused by Xia Xingtang’s antics, and her mood lightened considerably.

Only then did Xia Xingtang’s initial doubts fade. With a grand gesture, she ordered another full table of desserts.

In the end, Yu Feifei decided to dress up and go reject the blind date, so the two parted ways early.

Driving over, Xia Xingtang hadn’t paid much attention, but as she walked to her parking spot, she noticed the streets were already buzzing with the romantic atmosphere of May 20th.

Since it was the weekend, couples had begun appearing in pairs everywhere. Stalls selling flowers, balloons, and glowing headbands lined the streets.

Xia Xingtang swung her car keys listlessly, as if seeking solace in material wealth after being fed too much “dog food” (witnessing others’ public displays of affection).

Many people approached her, seeing she was alone, but with her entire outfit screaming “I’m expensive” and her aloof expression, a result of enduring too much PDA, she easily brushed them off with a single remark.

The only ones who “lingered” a bit longer were a group of college students handing out contraceptives from small baskets.

It seemed like some university event, with an entire club mobilized to distribute contraceptives on the streets, promoting safe and healthy relationships on this special day.

The baskets were filled with various numbered packages, 001, 002, 003, in a dazzling array of colors.

A shy male student, encouraged by his peers, stepped forward to offer the items and stammered, “Miss, do you have a partner?”

Xia Xingtang thought of the people she had just turned down and, for the first time, explained, “I have a girlfriend.”

The boy paused for a moment, apologizing as he rummaged through the bottom of the basket and pulled out a small, distinct box. He opened it and handed three to Xia Xingtang.

Xia Xingtang stared stiffly at the finger sleeve, something she had heard of but never seen before.

By the time she snapped out of her daze, the students had already walked away. Pedestrians streamed past her, and to avoid further awkwardness, she hastily stuffed the item into her pocket.

Once inside her car, she felt as though she had entered a solid protective shell, finally shutting out the cloyingly sweet air outside.

Just then, she received a WeChat message and casually scrolled through her Moments feed.

Today’s feed was filled with nothing but couples flaunting their affection, which inexplicably irritated her.

Meanwhile, a certain workaholic she had plans with was still working overtime at the company, even on a Saturday.

She opened Pei Luoqing’s chat window and casually transferred 52,000 yuan.

With an air of detached elegance, she added: 【I forgot to give you your allowance recently.】