CH 119

Villainous Stand-in (17)

“Stay calm, Xu Yi! Don’t panic!” shouted the system in her mind. “She’s testing you!”

Song Xu Yi wasn’t particularly nervous to begin with, but the raspy voice of the system made her feel anxious.

Especially when Li Yuqing looked at her with a smile that seemed to be concealing something, Song Xu Yi felt the urge to run away.

Li Yuqing held a glass of red wine, her eyes sparkling like water, and her face slightly flushed as she greeted Xu Yi, “What do you think of this painting?”

Song Xu Yi dared not look at Li Yuqing’s stunning face. She took a deep breath and approached Li Yuqing, trying to focus on the painting.

Both of them were students at the art academy, and although they had chosen different paths, Song Xu Yi had developed a basic appreciation for painting due to her father’s influence over the years.

Li Yuqing’s painting was exceptional. Her use of color was bold, the composition was innovative, and the coordination of the beauty’s strength and layering was harmonious. What was even more impressive was the emotion hidden in the painting: anyone who saw it could feel the deep affection and joy of the painter.

“You’re an excellent painter!” Song Xu Yi had originally thought that Li Yuqing had only learned to paint in order to deceive others, but she was surprised to find that her painting skills were so superb. She couldn’t help but praise her, saying, “It’s a good thing my dad isn’t here, otherwise he’d be begging you to be his student.”

With Mother Song now bought off by Li Yuqing, Song Xu Yi could imagine how ecstatic her father, the painting enthusiast, would be when he saw this painting.

“You can’t be serious, Xu Yi,” Li Yuqing said, putting down her wine glass and turning to face Song Xu Yi. They were standing so close while admiring the painting that Song Xu Yi could smell the alcohol on Li Yuqing’s breath.

Song Xu Yi lowered her gaze, unable to meet Li Yuqing’s eyes. Her gaze involuntarily landed on Li Yuqing’s slightly curved, red lips.

Upon closer inspection, Li Yuqing’s lips were slightly thin, and when she didn’t smile, they had a hint of aloofness. However, her lips were naturally red with a hint of wine, reminiscent of the luster on a cherry in the morning.

Song Xu Yi’s throat suddenly became dry, and she found herself lowering her gaze slightly.

However, her eyes were drawn to Li Yuqing’s delicately defined collarbone and the ravine that couldn’t be concealed by her loose nightgown…

Song Xu Yi’s mind went blank, and she almost instinctively closed her eyes.

But in the next moment, her eyes widened.

Li Yuqing’s hoarse voice sounded beside Song Xu Yi, “I’ve been preparing this painting for two years because it’s for my lover. So naturally, I had to put in some effort.”

Lover?

Like a thunderbolt on a clear day, Song Xu Yi was extremely shocked. She couldn’t help but look at the painting again, wondering if Li Yuqing… liked girls?

But wait, wasn’t the Ferris wheel in Li Yuqing’s painting the one that she and Li Yuqing rode together?

What on earth was going on?

……

“Yeah, my lover,” Li Yuqing emphasized with a hint of bitter smile on her face, seeming to see through Song Xu Yi’s surprise. She leaned weakly on Song Xu Yi’s shoulder and said, “Xu Yi, do you believe me? Actually… I am really a lunatic!”

Li Yuqing’s warm breath lingered on Song Xu Yi’s ear, and her face turned red. She was about to move away, but Li Yuqing’s words caught her off guard, freezing her in place.

Song Xu Yi couldn’t help but recall what Grandfather Song had said about Li Yuqing having a mental illness when he last visited: “Last time I saw Li Yuqing in my dream, she was fine. What happened in the past two years? Why did Li Yuqing suddenly have a mental illness?”

“Do you not believe me?” Li Yuqing breathed into Song Xu Yi’s ear like an orchid, and it felt like a feather was constantly tickling her heart. Song Xu Yi felt her ears burning, but Li Yuqing seemed to enjoy this feeling very much and continued to speak slowly and methodically, “Actually, I feel strange myself. You don’t know, in my life, there has been a ghost that no one else can see…”

Song Xu Yi pursed her lips and turned her head to look at Li Yuqing with mixed emotions. She thought to herself, “Not only do I know about this ghost, but it’s right here in front of you.” However, Li Yuqing seemed oblivious to Song Xu Yi’s complex expression and continued to praise her “fairy sister.”

“You have no idea how wonderful my fairy sister is,” Li Yuqing said, continuing her train of thought. “She’s really like a celestial being from heaven and always appears when I’m in the most danger or distress…”

Song Xu Yi’s cheeks grew redder and redder as Li Yuqing praised her, finding it too embarrassing to be thanked like this by the person herself.

But Li Yuqing’s next words took a strange turn.

“I knew Fairy Sister liked me all along,” Li Yuqing continued, her voice trembling with emotion. “Once she deliberately wore shabby clothes to confess her feelings, but I was too focused on my studies to notice.”

“She appeared again when I turned nineteen and seduced me once more. I couldn’t resist her and we kissed. On my nineteenth birthday, she confessed again and I realized I had feelings for her too, so we started a relationship.”

“But after a while, she disappeared and hasn’t been back for the past two years. I think about her all the time and it’s driving me crazy. I started having dreams every night and eventually had to see a psychologist. But the psychologist told me gently that she was a figment of my imagination and I had gone insane…”

Li Yuqing lowered her head, her eyes filled with sadness. “I don’t know what to do, Xu Yi. I feel like I’m losing my mind.”

“Xu Yi, I’m sorry,” Li Yuqing said with a bitter smile. “I think you look a lot like her, that’s why I approached you. I’m sorry if anything I did made you uncomfortable and I know you’re avoiding me today. I tried to please and test you last night because only when I’m with you, I won’t dream of her…”

Li Yuqing’s despondent mood carried a kind of shattered beauty, and Song Xu Yi instinctively wanted to comfort her. However, when she opened her mouth, she didn’t know what to say.

In fact, at this moment, Song Xu Yi’s mind was buzzing and she felt extremely confused. Although the first half of what Li Yuqing said was indeed a memory between them, what was the deal with the rest? Song Xu Yi had no recollection of anything like that ever happening…

How could she have possibly seduced her!

So why did Li Yuqing say such things?

……

“Xu Yi, what’s going on?” Song Xu Yi was silent, but the system couldn’t help but exclaim, “What she’s saying is completely different from what you and I discussed!”

The system tended to believe Song Xu Yi. After all, it trusted her character and didn’t think she would do something like seducing Li Yuqing. However, the system also remembered that the person in front of them was the villain who had followed Song Xu Yi through several worlds, and Song Xu Yi had been romantically involved with her in some of those worlds. Moreover, a few days ago, Song Xu Yi had returned to the past after a night of drinking…

What if Xu Yi had another drunken episode?

The system couldn’t forget what Song Xu Yi had done to the villain in a certain small world while under the influence of alcohol.

The system was a bit shaken, but due to its position, it firmly reassured Song Xu Yi, “Xu Yi, don’t worry, I absolutely believe you! Let’s go over this together.”

“The villain was able to see you, and some of your memories overlap, but there was a big deviation afterwards,” the system considered a possibility in its mind. It hesitated for a moment before its tone became subtle, “I think maybe, during the process of missing you, her brain had some problems.”

The more the system thought about it, the more it felt this possibility. Song Xu Yi didn’t know, but the system knew that after she left in both worlds, the villain exhibited some behavior. According to the villain’s personality, she really might have driven herself crazy because of missing Song Xu Yi.

The system couldn’t bring itself to dismiss the possibility, despite its past rejection of the villain.

Song Xu Yi shared similar thoughts with the system.

However, unlike the system’s lament, Song Xu Yi was overwhelmed with guilt; she had never thought that Li Yuqing’s mental illness could be linked to her.

Initially, Song Xu Yi wanted to distance herself from Li Yuqing, but now that she knew the reason behind Li Yuqing’s illness, she couldn’t bring herself to abandon her.

“I understand, Xu Yi,” Li Yuqing said with a fading light in her eyes. She gave a bitter smile and continued, “I’m sorry. I know it’s not a good feeling to be mistaken for someone else. I’ve experienced it myself, but I still selfishly wanted to cause you trouble again. I’m disgusted with myself for that.”

“Don’t worry, if you don’t want to see me, I’ll go back to the Song family and try my best not to come see you,” Li Yuqing added.

As Li Yuqing spoke, Song Xu Yi recalled the difficult days that Li Yuqing had endured as a substitute in the Song family, and her guilt reached its peak. Li Yuqing was already living in the abyss, and Song Xu Yi couldn’t bear to push her deeper into it.

“System, she’s like this because of me,” Song Xu Yi made up her mind. “I can’t just stand by and watch her continue to suffer.”

The system fell silent for a moment, feeling a sense of unease about the situation but unable to pinpoint the exact cause. However, the system was aware that any objections it raised would fall on deaf ears, as Song Xu Yi had a soft spot for the troubled villain before her.

“Whatever, do as you wish,” the system gave in with a heavy sigh. After all, Song Xu Yi had formed a bond with the villain in multiple worlds, so what was one more?

Unsurprisingly, Song Xu Yi paid no attention to the system’s words, instead focusing on how to console the visibly distraught Li Yuqing.

“I don’t dislike you, Yuqing, nor am I offended by you. You are a very good person,” Song Xu Yi said, taking a deep breath and speaking carefully while holding Li Yuqing’s hand.

After considering for a moment, Song Xu Yi realized that Li Yuqing might be struggling with a mental illness that led her to mistake their relationship. She didn’t want to exacerbate the situation, so she decided to maintain their current friendship and not claim the title of “lover”.

“I avoided you today, but I was secretly preparing a gift for you,” Song Xu Yi continued, feeling pleased that she had bought a purple crystal bracelet at the amusement park earlier in the day. She quickly presented it to Li Yuqing and asked, “Do you like it? Although it’s not very expensive, I think it suits you…”

Li Yuqing seemed surprised that Song Xu Yi had given her a gift. As she looked at the joy in Song Xu Yi’s eyes, she felt a glimmer of her own happiness return. Sensing an opening, Song Xu Yi quickly fastened the bracelet around Li Yuqing’s wrist.

The bracelet was a thing of beauty, accentuating the delicate, snow-white beauty of Li Yuqing’s wrist.

“Thank you, Xu Yi,” Li Yuqing looked lovingly at the bracelet, but avoided eye contact with Song Xu Yi. “However, I’ve realized that my illness could flare up at any moment. If I stay by your side, I’m afraid I’ll hurt you. I’ve decided to go back to the Song family.”

“But I want to help you!” Song Xu Yi was taken aback by Li Yuqing’s sudden decision. Staying in such a suffocating environment would only worsen her condition. “Yuqing, you are a good friend to me. You’ve been so kind. Good friends help each other.”

Li Yuqing finally lifted her head, her eyes showing a complex mix of emotions as she gazed at Song Xu Yi. Slowly, her eyes began to turn red.

Faced with Li Yuqing’s intense gaze, Song Xu Yi struggled to keep a smile on her face and convey her genuine feelings. Just as she was about to continue persuading Li Yuqing, she felt a sudden weight on her body.

Li Yuqing had hugged her tightly.

Song Xu Yi bit her lip, unsure of how to react.

She still wasn’t accustomed to being so close to Li Yuqing, but understanding that Li Yuqing’s emotions were likely very unsettled at the moment, Song Xu Yi took a deep breath and pushed through her discomfort. She raised her hand and gently patted Li Yuqing’s back. “Everything will be okay,” she whispered.

I will be here for you, just like when we were young. I will watch you overcome all your illnesses and come out of the shadows.

Li Yuqing’s body had initially been very rigid and appeared to be trembling slightly. But with Song Xu Yi’s comforting touch, she finally relaxed.

“Xu Yi, you’re so kind.”

After a long while, Li Yuqing spoke softly. She felt the warmth she had longed for from Song Xu Yi’s body and tried to contain the excitement in her heart that urged her to embrace Song Xu Yi, and lowered her eyes with satisfaction.

So kind that I want to stay by your side at all costs, even stoop so low as to pretend to be sick…