CH 121

Villainous Stand-in (19)

Li Yuqing’s kiss on Song Xu Yi was filled with intense emotions that were almost frightening to witness. It was urgent and forceful, carrying a hint of retribution as if she was finally releasing all the pent-up longing and anxiety that had been building up over two years.

At first, Song Xu Yi resisted, but her hesitation to use force against Li Yuqing – given her status – allowed Li Yuqing to seize the opportunity and take advantage of her.

Compared to her inexperienced and foolish 19-year-old self who could only clumsily kiss after getting drunk, the Li Yuqing in front of Song Xu Yi had evidently improved. Her deep and affectionate whispers of “sister” softened Song Xu Yi’s heart, rendering her too weak to resist, and before she knew it, her lips parted…

Seizing the chance, Li Yuqing pried open Song Xu Yi’s teeth and kissed her with such fervor that it left her breathless.

……

As Li Yuqing finally let go of Song Xu Yi, the latter was left gasping for air with weak legs. Without leaning against the wall, she feared she would have collapsed to the ground.

Feeling her cheeks burning, Song Xu Yi lowered her head, unsure of how to pacify Li Yuqing. She didn’t dare to repeat that she was not her fairy sister, for fear of aggravating her further and triggering another reaction from her.

But she couldn’t let Li Yuqing continue in such a state…

Racking her brain, Song Xu Yi tried to come up with a way to bring Li Yuqing back to her senses. Unaware of Li Yuqing’s slightly flushed ears, which she quickly covered with her long hair to maintain her composed appearance.

“Heh—”

A soft laughter rang out from above her.

Song Xu Yi couldn’t resist lifting her gaze, only to find Li Yuqing’s penetrating stare fixed on her.

“Sister,” Li Yuqing’s lips curved into a fairy-tale-like smile, and her entire being exuded a radiant aura. Yet, her eyes were exceptionally clear at that moment, brimming with delight akin to a child who had just received their long-awaited candy.

As her beautiful eyes roamed over Song Xu Yi, they landed on her sleepwear, causing her expression to darken. In a righteous tone, she declared, “Tonight, I want to sleep with you!”

“No!” Song Xu Yi instinctively refused.

Under normal circumstances, Song Xu Yi would have begrudgingly shared a bed with Li Yuqing, but the latter appeared to be confused at the moment, and she didn’t want to complicate their relationship any further.

However, Li Yuqing had her own agenda and paid no heed to Song Xu Yi’s refusal.

“Sister,” Li Yuqing leaned in close to Song Xu Yi’s ear and playfully nibbled on her earlobe, “I am commanding you, not seeking your consent.”

Her ear throbbed with a mixture of heat and pain, causing Song Xu Yi to widen her eyes and instinctively cover her ear. She never anticipated Li Yuqing could be so shameless!

Sensing Song Xu Yi’s apprehension, Li Yuqing nibbled lightly on the fingers covering her ear, “Don’t be afraid; we’re not finished with what we need to do.”

“We’ve done everything we can!”

Song Xu Yi’s cheeks were flushed, and she couldn’t discern whether it was from embarrassment or anger. She yearned for the regular Li Yuqing.

“I’m on my period these days and didn’t want to trouble you,” Li Yuqing said, oblivious to Song Xu Yi’s reluctance, as she placed her forehead against Song Xu Yi’s and spoke in a husky tone. “But if you continue to look so adorable, I may not be able to resist…”

Song Xu Yi… was entirely stupefied.

In that moment, she grasped the futility of the adage “When a scholar encounters a soldier, reason fails.”

Regrettably, Li Yuqing had already made up her mind and Song Xu Yi couldn’t resist her advances.

When faced with two unfavorable options, one must choose the lesser of the two evils.

After Li Yuqing’s menacing words, Song Xu Yi clenched her jaw.

The next thing she knew, she was already in bed with Li Yuqing, who clung onto her tightly like an octopus, afraid of letting her escape.

Although Song Xu Yi wanted to reason with Li Yuqing and free herself from her grasp, Li Yuqing silenced her with a kiss. The bed felt like a treacherous place and Song Xu Yi didn’t dare to speak up again. She could only shut her eyes and feign sleep, ignoring the dominating presence of the woman beside her.

Song Xu Yi didn’t expect to be able to fall asleep in such a tense and uncomfortable situation, yet she somehow managed to doze off.

And to her surprise, she even had a dream.

In the dream, she was a starving child and someone reached out and offered her a steaming hot bun.

The smell of the bun was so fragrant and enticing that Song Xu Yi held it tightly in her hands, reluctant to take a bite…

The next morning, when she woke up and realized what she had been holding onto all night, she felt embarrassed and flustered.

She knew that she didn’t sleep well, but she never thought that she would make such a filthy move in her dream!

Song Xu Yi quickly retracted her hand and retreated, but she didn’t realize that she was very close to the edge of the bed and accidentally fell off…

With a loud “bang” sound.

Song Xu Yi covered her face in despair.

Following the sound from the bed, Song Xu Yi met the eyes of the “just waking up” Li Yuqing.

Li Yuqing sounded extremely confused as she pulled Song Xu Yi up by the hand and asked, “What’s wrong with you, Xu Yi? Why are we sleeping in the same bed?”

Has Li Yuqing regained her senses? It seems like she doesn’t remember what happened last night…

At first, Song Xu Yi felt relieved that the embarrassing incident from last night was only remembered by herself. But when she caught a glimpse of Li Yuqing’s open shirt, her face turned crimson, and she not only didn’t hold onto Li Yuqing’s hand, but also took two steps back.

“Xu Yi, you…” Li Yuqing followed Song Xu Yi’s gaze, lowered her head, and turned red as she quickly pulled up her shirt.

A moment of silence followed, and neither of them spoke.

In that moment, Song Xu Yi wished for nothing more than a hole to appear in the ground, so she could crawl into it and escape the incredibly awkward reality.

“Did I… Did I mistake you for my fairy sister last night?” Li Yuqing’s face remained red as she spoke up.

Song Xu Yi nodded in agreement, feeling guilty for being so out of her mind that she slept with Li Yuqing on the same bed.

Li Yuqing’s face turned even redder. She tugged at her collar, a blush appearing on her cheeks as she looked at Song Xu Yi uneasily. “So, what happened between us last night…?”

“Nothing happened last night!” Song Xu Yi quickly denied, besides the unexpected incident that morning, the two of them were a bit ambiguous last night, but Song Xu Yi had maintained her boundaries.

Li Yuqing clearly didn’t believe Song Xu Yi’s denial.

Her hand, which was holding her clothes, visibly paused, her face paled, and it took her a while to speak in a calm voice: “I understand.”

Li Yuqing turned her head, buttoning up her shirt button by button. Her thin back was cold and desolate, just like a pitiful abandoned person.

Song Xu Yi was not used to Li Yuqing’s silence, but she couldn’t bring herself to tell Li Yuqing the reason for her disheveled clothes. It was too embarrassing!

“Xu Yi, I’m sorry. I caused you trouble,” Li Yuqing said in a polite tone after she had fastened her buttons and faced Song Xu Yi again.

“When my fairy sister once appeared during a storm, my subconscious thought that she would come again if I encountered a storm. I never expected to lose my composure, rationality, and memory…” Li Yuqing explained the reason for her breakdown last night to Song Xu Yi.

Although Song Xu Yi was initially angry with Li Yuqing’s behavior, now that she knew the cause, she felt extremely guilty and couldn’t be angry anymore.

“It’s okay,” Song Xu Yi tried to calm Li Yuqing, forcing herself to appear composed. “What happened last night is over.”

Li Yuqing’s eyes dimmed, but she smiled at Song Xu Yi and said, “Yes, everything is over.”

In the following days, Li Yuqing returned to her usual self. Although several times Song Xu Yi caught Li Yuqing gazing at her shyly, she pretended not to notice and had already prepared excuses in her mind…

Despite this, Li Yuqing never brought up the topic again with Song Xu Yi.

The spring season continued to bring frequent bouts of rain, which surprised everyone.

A week had passed since their awkward encounter, and another rainy day had arrived in the city.

As the night grew darker, Song Xu Yi huddled in her bed, listening to the sound of thunder outside her window. She had dressed warmly, anticipating another unexpected visit from Li Yuqing, but to her surprise, there was no knocking on her door.

This left Song Xu Yi feeling puzzled and uncertain.

Despite the cold and the storm outside, Song Xu Yi’s concern for Li Yuqing compelled her to leave her own room and check on her.

She knew the passcode to Li Yuqing’s room and entered without difficulty.

As she looked around, she realized that Li Yuqing was nowhere to be seen in the living room. It wasn’t until she entered the bedroom that she found her curled up under the window, shivering in the cold.

Reacting quickly, Song Xu Yi turned on the lights and approached Li Yuqing.

She could see that she was only wearing a thin shirt and was already turning pale from the cold. Despite this, Li Yuqing’s eyes brightened upon seeing Song Xu Yi, who had come to check on her.

“Sister, you’re here!”

With a soft plea in her voice, Li Yuqing held onto Song Xu Yi’s hand and said, “Don’t despise me, please. Believe me, I’ve never been touched by Song Shi. You’re the only one for me in this lifetime.”

Song Xu Yi was taken aback for a moment. She couldn’t believe Li Yuqing was repeating the same script again. Did Li Yuqing think that her absence for two years was because she despised her?

……

Li Yuqing’s eyes lost their spark when she saw Song Xu Yi’s lack of response.

“Sister, you don’t believe me,” Li Yuqing said with a bitter smile, and retreated to the corner again. “I really only have you!”

Li Yuqing turned her face away and tears slowly rolled down her cheeks. She looked completely shattered and helpless.

Witnessing Li Yuqing’s sorrow, Song Xu Yi’s heart ached.

At that moment, Li Yuqing seemed so fragile and pitiful that Song Xu Yi couldn’t bear to see her like that. She reached out and took Li Yuqing’s hand, assuring her, “I don’t dislike you–“

Li Yuqing, full of disbelief, pleaded with Song Xu Yi: “Then kiss me, kiss me and I’ll believe you!”

Song Xu Yi was taken aback by Li Yuqing’s request and shook her head. She saw tears rolling down Li Yuqing’s cheeks as she spoke: “You may dislike me, but my performance that night was really bad. How could you deceive me repeatedly like this?”

It was a pitiful sight to see Li Yuqing crying like this!

Despite the conflict between reason and compassion, Song Xu Yi’s empathy won out.

She kissed Li Yuqing’s lips, hoping to comfort her. In the process of calming Li Yuqing down and putting her to sleep, Song Xu Yi took a step back, conceding ground and making amends. The two almost ended up in bed together.

Eventually, Song Xu Yi managed to compose herself and quickly got off the bed, blushing as she scurried back to her own room. However, Li Yuqing made no attempt to follow her. Instead, she sat up slowly and gazed at the love bite on her neck in the mirror, letting out a soft chuckle.

“Xu Yi, you can’t run away from me!”