The Female Lead Keeps Forcing Me to Take My Meds [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 33

Chapter 33: Let’s Sleep Together 

With the countdown on the blackboard more than halfway done and the atmosphere increasingly anxious, a major event was taking place at the Xi estate.

It was Chairman Xi’s birthday. Though she was still energetic, she was already over seventy-four. Her annual birthday banquets were always grand, and this year was no exception.

The quiet estate bustled with activity again. This particular manor was one of Chairman Xi’s private properties, where she planned to retire, but it was currently being used for her birthday celebration.

Even Cheng Zhishu, busy with exam preparation, put her work aside and went with Xi Congshuang a day early to stay at the manor.

The next day, guests arrived in droves, bearing gifts for the Chairman. Cheng Zhishu stayed by Xi Congshuang’s side until the banquet began, when Xi Congshuang was quickly surrounded by a throng of people, champagne glasses in hand, engaging in lively conversation.

Cheng Zhishu didn’t understand the complex business talk. Her eyes glazed over, and she drifted away, not even noticing when she was accidentally pushed out of the inner circle.

“So many people. Can’t get in.” Cheng Zhishu stood on her tiptoes with a glass of juice, but could only see the top of Xi Congshuang’s head over the shoulders of the crowd.

As she was contemplating the possibility of squeezing back in, her phone, tucked into her clutch, started vibrating relentlessly. The frequency suggested it was Shangguan Yin.

Looking at the screen, she saw a flood of messages, each word a desperate call for Cheng Zhishu to save her. Shangguan Yin was also at the banquet with her parents but was bored and hiding in a gazebo.

[Little Grass Yinyin]: So bored, so bored. Come save me immediately! [Little Grass Yinyin]: Hello? Are you there? [Little Grass Yinyin]: Please tell me you’re not still inside. This kind of event is the most boring. Come out and play with me. [Little Grass Yinyin]: [Head growing grass.jpg]

“…”

Cheng Zhishu replied with an emoji and typed: “Be there soon.”

Shangguan Yin immediately wrote back: “Love you, waiting (heart).”

After sending a quick message to Xi Congshuang, Cheng Zhishu started looking for the way out.

…

The Mysterious Guests

The chandelier in the grand hall shimmered, and the music was elegant. Red velvet curtains, usually drawn, were tied back. People dressed in finery flowed in, but a girl in a blue dress walked against the current, like a small fish leaving the pond.

Holding the hem of her dress, Cheng Zhishu was still a bit awkward in heels. She walked a bit unsteadily before realizing it was only twilight outside. Inside the hall, it felt like a glamorous, intoxicating night.

Outside, the sun was setting, casting a warm golden glow over the ground. Cheng Zhishu held up her phone, trying to figure out where to go. “East, east? North is up, south is down, west is left, east is right… it should be this way…”

She stopped, spun around, confirmed the direction with her phone’s compass, and set off with determination. “This is east. Let’s go this way.”

As she walked, more guests arrived. One notable arrival was a tall, blonde, blue-eyed foreign woman in a black suit. Her long golden hair was pulled back tightly, revealing a clean forehead. Her features were striking, and her serious expression made her look like an international supermodel.

The waiter politely led the way. “Flora, you’re here for a birthday banquet, not a company inspection,” Bo Manqing reminded her friend. “Lose that expression. Try to look happy.”

Flora (Fu Luola): “I think I look quite happy.” Her Chinese was unexpectedly excellent, clear and standard. “I even brought a gift—one of the Chairman’s favorite collectibles—to express my joy.”

Bo Manqing turned to her. “Smile a little. People in this country really like smiling people; they think it’s friendly.”

“…” Flora made a visible effort, twitching the corners of her lips upward by a few pixels.

Bo Manqing chuckled. “Flora, you’re so amusing. By the way, hasn’t the Chairman called to scold you for your disobedience?”

Flora’s subtle smile vanished. “She’s sick. She can’t call to scold me.”

As she spoke the word ‘scold,’ something ahead caught her eye. Her deep blue eyes focused on a young girl in a blue dress.

Cheng Zhishu, holding her phone, resisted the urge to scratch her head and muttered as she passed: “East, east side? North is up, south is down, left is west, right is east… it should be this way…”

Bo Manqing saw her alone and told the waiter, “We know the way now. Go help that lost girl.”

The waiter replied, “She is not a guest, but she is closely related to Miss Xi (Xiao Xi Zong). Someone will help Miss Cheng shortly.”

Just as he finished, a waiter with a tray of drinks approached Cheng Zhishu and politely asked if he could assist her.

Flora, in her precise Mandarin, asked, “Closely related to Xi Congshuang?”

Bo Manqing seized on a different point. “Miss Cheng? She doesn’t have the Xi surname?”

The waiter offered a polite smile but provided no further explanation. Bo Manqing decided not to press and followed the waiter. Flora stared at Cheng Zhishu’s retreating form until Bo Manqing called her away.

…

An Unsettling Sighting

Inside the hall, Xi Congshuang finally managed to dismiss the irrelevant guests, relaxing her strained facial muscles. Just as she did, more people started approaching. With Chairman Xi yet to appear, and other Xi family members dispersed, the only accessible person for networking was Xi Congshuang, seated in her wheelchair.

Xi Hanran, showing rare thoughtfulness, pushed Xi Congshuang away. Don’t abuse the handicapped.

She didn’t dare say that out loud. The hang glider Xi Congshuang had gifted her was still unused in the warehouse. She was both frustrated and genuinely scared of her cousin’s capacity for revenge.

Pushing Xi Congshuang to a quiet corner, Xi Hanran smirked. “Thank me now.” For example, call me Auntie sincerely.

Xi Congshuang: “I’ll have Ni An find you a seasoned hang-gliding coach as a thank you.”

Xi Hanran snapped. “When will you let go of that hang glider thing? You’re too young to be so petty.”

Xi Congshuang calmly sipped her water, not arguing. She was one year older than Xi Hanran, after all.

Xi Hanran: “Being petty will make your life boring.” Xi Hanran immediately clapped a hand over her mouth in horror. She had said those three words to Xi Congshuang!

Xi Congshuang set down her glass and smiled visibly. “Heh heh.”

Xi Hanran went numb, feeling as if the hang-gliding coach was waving at her with a terrifying grin.

A brief commotion at the door drew their attention. The late arrival of the guests they had seen earlier caught the attention of Xi Congshuang’s Fourth Aunt, who joined them for a chat.

“Who is that?” Xi Congshuang searched her memory and couldn’t place the new arrival.

Xi Hanran gave her a strange look. “That’s Bo Manqing, President of Ande Group’s Asia-Pacific region, and the assistant to Ande Group’s headquarters President. They had a short-term partnership with Xi Corp—one you negotiated. You forgot?”

Xi Congshuang found an excuse. “Too much happened after the car accident. I sometimes forget things. I remember Bo Manqing, but the prominent blonde woman is hazy.”

Xi Hanran accepted the explanation. “That’s Flora, the headquarters’ President’s assistant. She’s here on a company inspection and wouldn’t normally be here. She’s probably here to say a few words for Chairman Xi’s birthday, as a courtesy for the short-term cooperation.”

Flora, however, seemed distracted, glancing repeatedly at the stairs where the Chairman was expected to appear.

Xi Congshuang was about to check her phone when Flora, who had been staring blankly, finally noticed her and looked over. Flora’s intense blue eyes met Xi Congshuang’s for a moment. She gave a slight nod before turning back to speak to Bo Manqing.

Bo Manqing and Fourth Aunt looked over and laughed, but Flora abruptly turned back, staring directly at Xi Congshuang. The look was rude. Bo Manqing subtly reminded her, and Flora quickly settled back into her poker face.

Xi Congshuang was unfazed. She’d seen plenty of similar stares. It was normal if Flora, based abroad, didn’t know about her accident.

Flora’s question was the opposite of what Xi Congshuang assumed.

Flora asked Bo Manqing: “That beautiful woman in the white dress looks a little familiar. Who is she?”

Bo Manqing: “You forgot? That’s Xi Congshuang.”

Flora: “?!” That’s Xi Congshuang?

Reminded of the situation, Flora looked at the still-empty second floor and belatedly realized Xi Congshuang was in a wheelchair. She felt her staring had been impolite. She finished her champagne, flagged down a waiter for a fresh glass, and went over to apologize.

Xi Congshuang was unfazed by the apology, which relieved Flora.

Xi Hanran was surprised. “She’s surprisingly straightforward and sincere.”

Xi Congshuang did not dwell on Flora. “I’m a little tired. I’m going upstairs to take my medicine. Could you please inform Grandma?”

Xi Hanran agreed.

Xi Congshuang retreated to a quiet lounge upstairs, dismissing the waiting attendant. The stillness offered her a moment to think. She felt a strange sense of deja vu about Flora.

The noticeable blonde hair and direct personality… it reminds me of the capable assistant who briefly appeared after the female lead was imprisoned. The provided system data was too sparse, but Flora was similar to the helper who found the female lead a legal team.

But there are too many blonde women in the world. I can’t assume this assistant is Flora.

…

The Request

“Chengzi, you’re going the wrong way! It’s over here!”

A flustered Cheng Zhishu stopped and followed Shangguan Yin. Shangguan Yin, trying not to laugh, led her back towards the main hall. “How did I never realize you’re a complete idiot when it comes to directions? You came last night, didn’t you familiarize yourself with the path?”

Cheng Zhishu was grave. “My sense of direction is always bad. Sister even gave me a map of the manor last night.”

Shangguan Yin: “And you still got lost.”

Cheng Zhishu, solemnly: “Yes.”

Shangguan Yin asked about the Xi family mansion.

Cheng Zhishu, even more solemnly: “Every day I got lost. By the time I found my room, the food was cold. I didn’t get a hot meal until I moved to Wenhuan.”

Shangguan Yin burst out laughing. “You are… hahahahaha!” She thought Cheng Zhishu was omnipotent, only to find out she was a pure, unadulterated directionless person who could get lost in her own home.

Cheng Zhishu didn’t want to talk anymore. She walked quickly, but Shangguan Yin caught up. “Wait for me! If I lose you again, I’ll never find you.”

Cheng Zhishu pointed. “I’m going to the restroom. Are you coming?”

Shangguan Yin: “No, I’ll wait outside.”

Cheng Zhishu went in. The restroom was empty. She washed her hands and started fixing her wind-tousled hair in the mirror. She didn’t want to look messy when she saw Xi Congshuang.

A flush sounded from a stall, and the door opened. Cheng Zhishu instinctively looked up in the mirror. Her first thought was: She’s so tall, definitely over six feet. The tall, slender woman, dressed in a loose black suit jacket and high heels, walked to the sink next to Cheng Zhishu. As the water ran, her wristwatch flashed from her sleeve. She radiated an intimidating aura.

In her nervousness, Cheng Zhishu winced, yanking out a tangled strand of hair. She mourned her precious hair, rubbing her sore scalp. It hurt.

She quickly tossed the hair into the trash and hurried out.

Unbeknownst to her, the water stopped. Flora dried her hands and picked up the fallen strand of hair from the sink. Examining it in the light, she found it had a follicle attached.

One strand is not nearly enough.

When Bo Manqing came looking for her, she was shocked to find Flora carefully sifting through the trash can.

“Flora, what are you doing?”

Flora pulled a toe ring from the bin and placed it, along with the clump of hair, into her pocket. “My ring fell in. It was a gift from the Chairman; I couldn’t lose it.”

Bo Manqing: “I thought you were going crazy, turning over a trash can.”

Flora stood up and washed her hands. “I’m not going crazy. Don’t worry.”

Bo Manqing: “I wasn’t that worried about you.”

…

The Solace

The banquet ended late. Xi Congshuang remained in the upstairs lounge, her eyes on the book in her lap, while a tired Cheng Zhishu slept on the sofa next to her.

Cheng Zhishu, wearing an off-the-shoulder dress, had been scrolling on her phone before she dozed off, dropping the device onto the carpet, startling Xi Congshuang.

Asleep, Cheng Zhishu became sensitive to the cold. She instinctively curled into a ball, hugging her arms and muttering that she was cold.

In her slumber, Cheng Zhishu felt a heat source approach and a soft, warm blanket cover her, warming her chilled limbs. Her unconsciously furrowed brow relaxed. Her heavy consciousness drifted deeper into sleep, still nestled on the sofa.

Xi Congshuang covered her with the blanket, her eyes on the phone on the floor. She could cover Cheng Zhishu, but she couldn’t pick up the phone.

Losing the desire to read, she wheeled her chair to the window and looked down. Guests were leaving, including the striking blonde, Flora, and Bo Manqing, talking quietly.

Flora asked Bo Manqing, “Don’t you think the girl Xi Congshuang is close to looks strangely familiar? She looks like…” Flora couldn’t complete the thought.

Bo Manqing, slightly tipsy, replied, “Huh? I didn’t hear you.”

Flora shook her head. “You’re drunk. Remember to take a hangover pill when you get back to the hotel, or you’ll have a bad headache.”

Flora pressed her palm to her pocket, where the hair follicle lay. She looked up at the moonlit manor. A sudden chill went through her. She felt like she was being watched but saw nothing.

Cheng Zhishu, in her sleep, felt a sudden drop. She woke with a start, a cold sweat on her back. The blanket slipped off, revealing her shoulder. Her heart pounded violently. She realized her hand was empty, and her phone was on the floor.

She reached down, picked it up, and looked around for Xi Congshuang. She remembered her reading nearby. Where did she go?

She finally saw Xi Congshuang by the window. Cheng Zhishu called her name, but Xi Congshuang remained staring out, unanswering. A subtle feeling of unease made Cheng Zhishu get up and walk toward her.

Standing beside her, Cheng Zhishu was suddenly struck. The cool moonlight illuminated Xi Congshuang’s face, devoid of emotion, so still she seemed ready to dissolve into the light and flutter away.

A strange anxiety made Cheng Zhishu call out: “Sister?”

The figure by the window moved, turning her head. “Yes?”

“…”

Cheng Zhishu stared at her, unable to speak, overwhelmed by the feeling that Xi Congshuang was about to vanish with the moonlight.

Xi Congshuang noticed her distress. “What’s wrong? Are you uncomfortable?”

“I’m fine.” Cheng Zhishu crouched, her skirt fanning out like petals. She rested her head on Xi Congshuang’s lap and whispered, “Let’s go back. Let’s leave right now.” She suddenly disliked this place.

Xi Congshuang stroked her shoulder reassuringly. “We’re going home tomorrow. Why do you want to leave now? Are you upset?”

Cheng Zhishu nodded, muffled. “Mhm. I haven’t seen Naonao for two days. I miss him.”

Xi Congshuang chuckled. “But you just video-called Naonao today. You miss him already?”

Cheng Zhishu didn’t care. She looked up at Xi Congshuang. “Let’s go, Sister. Please, let’s go home?”

Just as Cheng Zhishu could rarely refuse Xi Congshuang, Xi Congshuang found herself unable to refuse Cheng Zhishu. They returned to Wenhuan that same night.

After washing up and playing with the cat, Cheng Zhishu lay on the bed, deep in thought. When the cat duster stopped moving, Naonao climbed onto her back, kneading her shoulder.

Cheng Zhishu, wincing, gently picked up the cat, quickly trimmed his claws, and, satisfied, carried him to the next room.

Xi Congshuang was still awake. Hearing the knock, she knew who it was. She closed her laptop—the Ande Group’s website flashing on the screen—and wheeled herself to the door.

Cheng Zhishu, in light-colored pajamas, stood there, long hair loose, holding the white cat. She looked utterly pathetic.

“Sister, the city-wide joint exam is tomorrow. I’m a little nervous. Can I sleep with you?”

Xi Congshuang sighed, a hint of a smile in her voice. “Am I your sedative?”

Cheng Zhishu held the cat up. Naonao’s blue eyes looked at Xi Congshuang and he meowed.

Cheng Zhishu followed up with a soft, “Meow.”

After a brief standoff, Xi Congshuang wheeled back. “Come in.”