I Became the Female Lead’s Current Obsession - Chapter 36

“Does your head still hurt?” the doctor asked.

The patient shook her head and countered with a question, “When can I be discharged?”

Jiang Qing frowned slightly, but before she could speak, the doctor smiled and replied, “Not yet. You’ll need to be monitored for a few more days.” Her gaze lingered on Hou Xue’s hand for a few extra seconds.

After the doctor left, Jiang Qing sat by the bed, tilting her head to look at Hou Xue. She couldn’t help but reach out and gently ruffle Hou Xue’s hair.

There was a strand sticking up. Jiang Qing remembered smoothing it down for her once before.

But this time, Hou Xue didn’t react with her usual docility. She leaned back, avoiding what should’ve been a casual, familiar touch.

Jiang Qing’s hand froze mid-air, right where Hou Xue’s hair had been sticking up. For a moment, she didn’t know how to react.

Her Adam’s apple bobbed. “…What’s wrong?”

“Sorry,” Hou Xue replied softly. “My head still hurts.”

Jiang Qing immediately grew anxious, pushing aside the discomfort of being rejected. Her eyes brimmed with concern as she stood up to press the nurse call button. “Still hurting? But they said it was just a mild concussion. I’ll get the doctor—”

Before she could finish, Hou Xue grabbed her wrist.

“No need. I just need to rest a bit more. I’m just tired.” Hou Xue’s expression was calm, almost as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Jiang Qing’s other hand trembled uncontrollably for a moment. She quickly clenched it into a fist, suppressing her reaction, and managed a gentle smile. “Alright. Get some more rest. I’ll step out for now.”

“Mm.” Hou Xue let go of her wrist without hesitation or reluctance.

Only after Jiang Qing left did the mask on Hou Xue’s face finally drop.

Her expression turned complicated—disbelief mixed with confusion. The change was so sudden that if someone else had been in the room, they might have suspected she was schizophrenic.

It was like two souls warring inside the same body. The sight was truly unsettling.

Hou Xue curled in slightly, clutching her head with both hands, suppressing a moan of pain that almost escaped. Only low, rough breaths came from her throat.

When her cold fingers finally reached her burning scalp, she managed to calm down slightly. The pounding in her head eased just a little.

She hadn’t lied—her head really did hurt, to the point it felt like it might explode at any moment.

And that’s exactly why, even though she didn’t want Jiang Qing out of her sight, she still sent her away.

She could only endure that long. Any longer and she would’ve lost control. She would’ve reached out to hold Jiang Qing, maybe even tried to make Jiang Qing hers right then and there. And she absolutely could not let that happen.

Hou Xue stared blankly ahead.

She realized she had two sets of memories in her mind.

So now, she wasn’t sure which one was real.

Was it the world without “her,” or this one where “she” existed?

She only remembered spending what felt like an eternity searching for “her” in that other world—desperate, frantic—only to be repeatedly “corrected.”

She rubbed her temple with one hand, brows furrowed.

She felt like she was on the verge of grasping something vital—something tied to Jiang Qing’s true identity.

Hou Xue still couldn’t figure out where this power came from. She lay back down, but didn’t dare close her eyes.

She feared that if she fell asleep, she’d wake up to find this beautiful world was just a dream.

And people don’t feel pain in dreams.

Only in reality does it hurt.

In that empty, hollow world, she never felt pain. But now her head was splitting. It was this pain that barely helped her distinguish the two realities.

Maybe this warm world was the real one.

But she was too used to living in fear—so much so that even the slightest kindness felt like a fragile, illusory dream.

________________________________________

Jiang Qing ended the call after receiving confirmation and leaned against the wall, arms crossed in contemplation.

The doctor had said Hou Xue’s injuries weren’t serious, but her hand still needed observation.

But now, Jiang Qing was convinced that Zhou Yao might’ve knocked something loose in Hou Xue’s brain.

From the start, Hou Xue hadn’t truly looked at her.

It wasn’t that her gaze lingered as usual—it was more like she was looking through her, at someone else.

Jiang Qing was very sensitive to this. She sensed it almost instantly.

The feeling grew stronger when Hou Xue dodged her touch. And afterward, she became even stranger.

Jiang Qing suspected Hou Xue wanted to hug her… or maybe even bite her neck again.

That look in her eyes was exactly the same as the last time.

But then Hou Xue pushed her away and created distance between them.

It left Jiang Qing confused—was Hou Xue truly letting go?

In theory, Jiang Qing should be the happiest about Hou Xue stepping back.

She wouldn’t have to agonize over their relationship anymore. From the beginning, she had only pitied the girl, at most wanting to be her big sister and support system.

Things had gone off-track slightly, but that intention had never changed.

At least, not until now—until Hou Xue actually started changing, just as Jiang Qing had hoped.

But when it happened, Jiang Qing found herself… not happy.

In fact, she was very, very upset.

Utterly annoyed.

She had made up her mind back in the operating room—once Hou Xue came out, no matter what she wanted, even if it was the stars in the sky, Jiang Qing would find a way to give them to her.

If Hou Xue took even one step forward, Jiang Qing was ready to spoil her all the way.

Because Jiang Qing had realized she couldn’t bear Hou Xue getting hurt. The panic she felt sending her to the hospital had almost undone her.

Hou Xue was important—deeply important.

Jiang Qing realized it for the first time so clearly.

She couldn’t stand seeing the girl in pain. No one was allowed to hurt her. No one was allowed to take her away.

Because she belonged to her—had always belonged to her.

She wanted her. Badly.

Before, Jiang Qing had played the game patiently, knowing the plot, confident no one else could take Hou Xue.

She’d pretended to be clueless. But now that she was ready to stop pretending, it seemed Hou Xue had already grown tired.

This time, not only did Hou Xue do nothing, she even retreated.

It completely caught Jiang Qing off guard—and left her rattled.

And she hated herself for it.

Hated the kind of person who says no but still wants to keep someone hanging.

It was disgusting.

Jiang Qing waved over the newly transferred security guard from her family’s company.

The burly man stood in front of her, solemn. “Second Miss.”

“I’m stepping out. Keep this place secure. No one gets in or out without my say.” She paused, then added, “If the person inside asks, just tell her it’s my order. Call me immediately if anything happens.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Good. Thanks. You can go back now,” Jiang Qing said, waving him off.

As long as Hou Xue was awake and safe, everything else could wait.

The rest was just a matter of time.

________________________________________

Jiang Qing drove home and made a pot of chicken soup with the ingredients the servants had prepped.

While waiting in the kitchen, she leaned on the counter, idly scrolling through her phone and playing games.

The Snow app seemed to be down—every time she opened it, she got “System under maintenance.” She half-suspected the little bot had fried its core parsing her emotional outbursts.

Outside the kitchen, the maids whispered to each other.

“Pinch me. I think I’m dreaming,” said Maid #1.

Maid #2 obliged and pinched her.

“Ow! I meant it figuratively! Ugh. But seriously, Second Miss cooking? Have you ever seen that before?”

“She used to be… chaotic in the kitchen, right?”

“Chaotic? That’s putting it mildly. Last time she made shredded potatoes, the wok exploded. When she tried to braise fish, she almost blew up the entire kitchen.”

“Well, people can change. Who’s she cooking for, anyway?”

“…I don’t know,” Maid #1 admitted, blinking.

She hadn’t actually thought about that until now.

“There’s something fishy here,” said Maid #2 with a knowing tone.

Jiang Qing couldn’t quite make out what the maids were saying, but she caught a few words. It made her want to laugh and sigh at the same time.

In the original novel, her character was the quintessential spoiled heiress—arrogant, petulant, and famously unable to cook. It fit the image perfectly.

But she hadn’t acted out like that recently, and now the servants were getting bold.

Jiang Qing believed her cooking wasn’t bad. Everyone who’d tried it had praised it.

This was her first time properly cooking since she got here—even if it was just a pot of soup, it already showcased her skills far better than any instant porridge could.

She left the rest of the dishes to the staff. Since they were all sweet dishes, she didn’t have much experience and was worried she’d mess them up.

________________________________________

When Jiang Qing returned to the hospital, her phone still hadn’t rung. Hou Xue was probably still resting.

She carried a stack of thermal containers and handed them to the guard before knocking on the door.

“Xue Xue, I’m coming in.”

When Jiang Qing entered, Hou Xue was still lying in bed.

Her eyes scanned Jiang Qing up and down, as if searching for something. Once she seemed satisfied, she relaxed and gave a faint smile.

Jiang Qing unpacked the thermal boxes one by one, laying them out neatly on the small table.

But inside, she didn’t feel quite right.

That probing gaze earlier made her uncomfortable.

It was as if something had come between them—and she didn’t even know what it was.

Hou Xue lowered her eyes and began eating in small, elegant bites. Her table manners were always lovely to watch.

Jiang Qing used to enjoy watching her eat. But this time, her thoughts kept drifting—she couldn’t help wondering if she had missed some crucial detail.

Their relationship had still seemed normal before Hou Xue sent her that location pin…

Her brows furrowed. Her expression darkened.

Zhu Yao?

Did she say something to Hou Xue?

“Have you eaten?” Hou Xue suddenly asked softly.

Jiang Qing’s expression instantly softened. “Don’t worry about me. I can eat anytime.”

“I won’t be able to finish all this. It’d be a waste,” Hou Xue said, eyes lowered, voice cautious.

That hit Jiang Qing right in the heart.

All she could do was sigh.

“Alright, alright.”

Whatever you want.

What else could Jiang Qing do?

She couldn’t bear to walk away, and distance wouldn’t help.

Whatever Hou Xue wanted, she’d give it.

That’s what Jiang Qing had decided.