Giving You Dawn and Dusk (GL) - Chapter 12

Lin Xingcan glared at her friend. “How can she not be Liang Shi? Who else could she be?”

The friend looked innocent. “Like, transmigrating into a book? Or a TV show? Or maybe soul transmigration? Possession? Anything’s possible.”

The atmosphere immediately froze.

Everyone looked at the speaker with expressions of bewilderment. This was Su Meiqi, the daughter of Haiwei Jewelry, who loved reading novels.

Especially when news reported a once-in-a-century ten-star alignment, she found a novel with a female protagonist who shared her name. She stayed up three nights reading it and memorized the entire text, confidently asserting that she would be able to create an era of her own.

The result was… the ten-star alignment passed long ago, and Su Meiqi was still here.

Because of this, Su Meiqi was often mocked at socialite gatherings.

“Are you possessed?” Lin Xingcan rolled her eyes. “You believe such outlandish things?”

“Why not?” Su Meiqi shrugged, saying indifferently, “Don’t you think she’s changed? And Cheng Ran even posted passive-aggressive comments about her on Moments. It’s probably related to her change. So, in this situation, what’s more believable than transmigration?”

“Then what do you say she transmigrated into?” Lin Xingcan sneered. “A book? A TV show?”

“The possibility of transmigrating into a book is higher, right?” Su Meiqi’s eyes lit up as she spoke of this, wishing she could run to Liang Shi and demand to know the “art of transmigration.” “Based on all her behavior, she seems very much like someone who transmigrated into a book, but…”

She paused.

No one picked up her words for a moment.

A few seconds later, she said with a regretful tone, “Current transmigrating women are very smart, never going OOC. Her OOC is too severe, a serious deviation from Liang Shi’s character. She doesn’t seem very intelligent.”

Everyone was silent.

A few seconds later, Su Meiqi seriously asked, “Am I wrong?”

Lin Xingcan shook her head and walked forward. “This is too absurd. I’d better go ask Auntie Liang what’s going on.”

A friend patted Su Meiqi’s shoulder. “I know Zhao Xuning. Why don’t you go see her for a check-up?”

Another friend sighed, “Meiqi, this is an illness that needs treatment.”

Su Meiqi: “…”

She was very serious.

••••

Liang Shi and Xu Qingzhu returned to the hotel.

Xu Qingzhu still maintained her “do not approach” demeanor. Even in the elevator, they stood at opposite ends, not even exchanging glances.

Liang Shi thought about explaining the situation earlier to Xu Qingzhu, but then felt there was nothing to explain.

What she had just done… she should be a perfect lover, right?

But Xu Qingzhu had no reaction.

It must be as she had said before, she no longer liked her.

So she didn’t care if there were other women around Liang Shi, nor did she care about Liang Shi’s reactions.

Even if Liang Shi hadn’t been there earlier, Xu Qingzhu could have handled it perfectly well.

She had an inexplicable trust in Xu Qingzhu.

The elevator reached the top floor. Xu Qingzhu glanced at her phone, frowning slightly, but then leaned closer just as the elevator door slowly opened.

Liang Shi moved aside, creating distance again.

“Play a role with me,” Xu Qingzhu said. “It won’t be too long, and it won’t take up too much of your time.”

Liang Shi felt a little relieved. “Okay.”

Then she asked, “How do you need me to cooperate?”

She really didn’t want to anger Xu Qingzhu again by saying the wrong thing and then receive that unreasonable punishment from the system.

It was truly… very unlucky.

Xu Qingzhu pondered for a moment, then shook her head. “No need. You just stay as a background prop.”

“Okay,” Liang Shi thought for a moment and still advised, “Talk to your sister nicely. She’s still young, after all, and she must be very angry that her idol’s merchandise was torn up. Girls her age are like that. First, soothe her. At worst, I’ll find someone to compensate her with new items. It’s really not worth falling out with family over these things.”

If Liang Shi had family, she would definitely get along well with them.

But she didn’t anymore.

So she greatly envied Xu Qingzhu’s family.

She had a kind mother, a father who could shield her from difficulties, and a sister who might not always be well-behaved but was occasionally very obedient and could be confided in.

“Why do you sound like you regret not having cherished your parents while they were alive?” Xu Qingzhu looked at her, softly saying as she entered the password, “That doesn’t sound like something Liang Shi would say.”

Liang Shi: “…”

She inexplicably felt she was being tested again.

“No,” Liang Shi tried to explain, but Xu Qingzhu said, “I remember last month you had a big fight with Uncle Liang because you didn’t get the villa north of the city.”

Liang Shi: “…”

Really?

She couldn’t tell if Xu Qingzhu was testing her or just teasing.

Because she had no memory related to that incident.

Fortunately, Xu Qingzhu didn’t press the matter further.

When they entered, Xu Qinya was lying on the sofa with Bluetooth headphones on. Her changed pants were still very short, exposing her long, fair legs. Liang Shi turned away, no longer looking.

Xu Qingzhu walked over and patted her leg, signaling her to get up.

Xu Qinya reluctantly took off her headphones. “What?”

“You must be hungry,” Xu Qingzhu’s previous sternness vanished, replaced by a gentle tone. “Come on, let’s go eat.”

Xu Qinya looked confused. “Huh?”

“Why are you still standing there like a fool?” Xu Qingzhu said. “Change your pants, and let’s go eat.”

“What do you mean?” Xu Qinya frowned. “You’re not trying to call Mom and Dad while we’re eating, are you? I’m telling you, I can’t swallow this anger. He threw away my idol’s merchandise. Do you know how hard those albums are to find? They were limited editions. You can’t even get them secondhand now.”

“No, Mom wants you to stay out and relax,” Xu Qingzhu said. “You and Dad both need to calm down. I won’t lecture you, we’ll just go eat. Liang Shi and I both have things to do, so we’ll leave after eating.”

Xu Qinya, though not entirely convinced, was indeed hungry. She put her Bluetooth headphones back into her backpack and pointed at Xu Qingzhu, saying, “Sister, you can’t lie to me.”

“When have I ever lied to you?” Xu Qingzhu said.

Xu Qinya snorted lightly, saying nothing more.

••••

Liang Shi wasn’t familiar with the restaurants here and didn’t know which ones were good.

Fortunately, Xu Qingzhu didn’t make her choose. As soon as they got in the car, she handed her phone to Liang Shi. It had the destination, so Liang Shi just needed to follow the navigation.

After arriving at the restaurant, Liang Shi first went to park, letting the Xu Qingzhu sisters go in ahead.

The parking lot was quiet. She sat in the driver’s seat for a while, waiting until she felt a bit more rested before going in.

It was a very elegant Western restaurant. Xu Qingzhu had already pre-ordered for her. Liang Shi politely thanked her after entering.

Xu Qinya looked up at her. “Sister Liang Shi, you’re now…”

Liang Shi: “Hmm?”

Xu Qinya clicked her tongue. “A bit of a wife-slave, aren’t you?”

“Am I?” Liang Shi awkwardly touched the tip of her nose. She had only said thank you out of politeness.

How did it get twisted into “wife-slave”?

“Yes, you are,” Xu Qinya nodded vigorously. “Anyone who knows you knows that the second young lady of the Liang family is arrogant and disrespectful, with no regard for elders.”

Liang Shi: “…”

Oh dear.

“Alright,” the food arrived at that moment, and Xu Qingzhu cut in. “Okay, let’s eat.”

Xu Qinya shrugged indifferently. “It could also be a rumor. I think Sister Liang Shi has always been pretty good.”

Xu Qingzhu glanced at her. “How much good has she given you?”

“None. Do you think Sister Liang Shi isn’t good?” Xu Qinya asked.

Xu Qingzhu: “…”

She said coldly, “Eat.”

“If you think she’s not good, why did you marry her?” Xu Qinya scoffed, then looked at Liang Shi with adoring eyes. “Sister Liang Shi is really gentle with you.”

Liang Shi herself felt unworthy listening to this.

Perhaps no one in the Xu family knew what kind of situation Xu Qingzhu was in before.

After all, the original owner was good at pretending in front of the Xu family.

To get Xu’s father to marry Xu Qingzhu to her, she even knelt in the Xu family living room for an entire day.

The most terrifying thing is when everyone thinks someone is treating you very well.

Only you truly know what kind of living hell you’re enduring.

Liang Shi looked at Xu Qingzhu, and her heart suddenly ached.

For a moment, she felt truly empathetic.

It was like everyone thought she had no parents and no restrictions, standing in the spotlight, bright and dazzling.

But no one knew how lonely she was returning alone to an empty home, afraid to date, and with no one to confide in.

Xu Qingzhu noticed her gaze, looked back, and curled her lips. “Why are you looking at me? Eat.”

Liang Shi forked the foie gras from her plate onto Xu Qingzhu’s plate. “You eat first, eat more.”

“Puppy love, huh?” Xu Qinya teased.

At this moment, Liang Shi’s phone rang. She glanced at the screen; it was Cheng Ran.

She frowned and hung up.

Xu Qinya asked, “Why didn’t you answer?”

Liang Shi blocked the number. “It’s someone I don’t particularly like.”

••••

On the other side of the city, at Cris Bar.

A beautiful Alpha sat at the bar, drinking glass after glass of wine, dialing a number with her finger.

But a mechanical electronic voice came through the receiver, “Sorry, the number you dialed is powered off.”

The wine glass in her hand flew out instantly, shattering into transparent fragments.

Cheng Ran rubbed her temples, unable to stop cursing. “Damn it.”

“Liang Shi is really fucking crazy, isn’t she?” Cheng Ran chugged another mouthful of wine. “Breaking up with me just because of one Xu Qingzhu? Besides, I didn’t even touch Xu Qingzhu. Who was bullying Xu Qingzhu before? Holy hell. Trash, why is she suddenly sucking up to her now?”

She swore for a while, then let out a sigh. “No, I need to know what happened to that damn person.”

“Could Xu Qingzhu be threatening her?” Cheng Ran said, dialing a number. The call was quickly answered.

Cheng Ran pressed her temple, drunkenly ordering, “Help me investigate someone.”

“Who?”

Cheng Ran said, “Liang Shi.”

She then added, “Also, Xu Qingzhu, and the Xu family’s current financial situation.”

A few seconds later, she added, “Most importantly, what exactly happened to Liang Shi at the hospital yesterday and today. I want to know every single detail.”

She refused to believe that Liang Shi had changed overnight.