Blame the Villain – Chapter 118

Villainous Stand-in (16)

This side, Li Yuqing looked at the group photo and fell into a dream, while that side, Song Xuyi tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

Was Li Yuqing’s third gift what she thought it meant?

Was it a coincidence, or was Li Yuqing using the gift to test her?

Did Li Yuqing notice something?

……

The system did not know what happened to Song Xuyi in the “dream.” Seeing Song Xuyi tossing and turning, the system felt extremely strange. After so many worlds, it was the first time the system saw Song Xuyi looking so frustrated and conflicted. Although it felt it shouldn’t, the system indeed found Song Xuyi, who occasionally covered her face and sighed, somewhat… cute.

However, thinking that Song Xuyi looked like this because of the big villain Li Yuqing, the system couldn’t feel happy.

“Xuyi, she’s just a villain. Who knows what ulterior motives are hidden behind the gift she gave you?” The system was too familiar with the villain’s sugar-coated bullets! But it couldn’t explain directly now, so it could only advise, “You don’t need to feel guilty for not preparing a gift for her; you didn’t know she would give you a gift beforehand!”

The system spoke angrily, “You! You’re just too honest, so you got entangled with a cunning, thick-skinned villain!”

Song Xuyi pressed her lips together. She actually didn’t know how to face the system.

If it proved that everything was not a dream, then Li Yuqing could be considered someone nurtured by Song Xuyi. Although Song Xuyi didn’t do it on purpose, it felt like she was secretly dating Li Yuqing behind the system’s back, making her feel inexplicably guilty…

Song Xuyi bit her lower lip. She decided to temporarily conceal from the system and go out to test it first, to figure out whether all of this was real before making any other plans.

That day, Song Xuyi didn’t fall asleep until almost dawn. When she woke up again, she saw Father Song and Mother Song packing their bags and preparing their luggage.

Because they didn’t take Song Xuyi back to the old house the previous night, other members of the Song family used it as an excuse to vent their anger on Father Song and Mother Song. Therefore, they decided to take a short trip to the surrounding provinces to recuperate for the remaining days of the Spring Festival holiday.

“Alright, you should also go out more these few days! Look at you, sleeping until now, while Yuqing woke up early and made breakfast. She even thoughtfully kept your meal warm in the kitchen…”

As soon as Mother Song mentioned Li Yuqing, she couldn’t stop praising her. She didn’t stop talking until Father Song urged her, and after giving Song Xuyi her living expenses for the next few days, she left with Father Song.

But Song Xuyi was glad about this.

She really didn’t know what attitude to take toward Li Yuqing, nor could she see through Li Yuqing’s thoughts.

And all the answers would be revealed today.

Song Xuyi hurriedly changed her clothes, ate the breakfast that Li Yuqing had kept warm in the kitchen, and then went out.

She first went to the city’s amusement park.

The amusement park and Song Xuyi’s ‘dream’ amusement park looked different, however, Song Xuyi found out that the amusement park had been renovated before the New Year, and many facilities and the overall layout had changed.

Song Xuyi wanted to find the old man who ran the balloon shooting game, but after searching around, she couldn’t find him. Instead, she received a call from Li Yuqing.

Song Xuyi now was afraid when she saw Li Yuqing’s call, but not answering would make it even more suspicious, so Song Xuyi could only brace herself and answer the call.

“Xuyi, I’m at the market now, what do you want to eat for lunch?”

Only then did Song Xuyi realize it was already mealtime.

Li Yuqing didn’t mention coming over for lunch.

“Oh, I see!” There was a moment of silence on the other end, and after a while, Li Yuqing’s voice continued, “Then where are you playing, Xuyi? Do you mind if I join you?”

“No!” Song Xuyi almost instinctively refused, and after realizing how hurtful her tone was, she hastily softened her voice to add, “There are people around here you don’t know, I’m afraid you might feel awkward if you come…”

There was another moment of silence on the other end, then Li Yuqing’s smiling voice sounded again, “I understand! Have fun, Xuyi.”

Hearing that Li Yuqing didn’t insist on coming over, Song Xuyi breathed a sigh of relief. Just as she was about to hang up, Li Yuqing asked, “By the way, Xuyi, do you have the book 《A Brief History of Modern Painting》 at home? I forgot some theories for my graduation thesis and want to check…”

“Yes!” Song Xuyi remembered that there happened to be this book on Father Song’s bookshelf: “If I remember correctly, it should be on the bookshelf in my living room.”

“Then I’ll go look for it first, and if I can’t find it, I’ll call you again.”

“Xuyi, you have fun first.”

Li Yuqing finally hung up the phone.

Song Xuyi let out a long breath and started searching the remaining areas of the amusement park again.

Due to the renovations, the surroundings looked both familiar and unfamiliar. Song Xuyi also couldn’t be sure if this place matched her ‘dream.’

It wasn’t until she saw a small stall selling handmade jewelry under a tree next to the carousel that Song Xuyi’s eyes widened—wasn’t the old man sitting by the stall the same one who gave Li Yuqing the comic book in the dream?

Her heart almost jumped into her throat at that moment!

Song Xuyi took a deep breath and walked calmly to the side of the stall.

The old man was sitting under the tree, and next to him stood a middle-aged woman soliciting business. The stall in front of the woman was full of handmade jewelry. Song Xuyi originally had no intention of buying jewelry, but a certain amethyst bracelet looked so beautiful that she suddenly thought of Li Yuqing’s hands, which had asked for a gift last night.

Those hands were fair and delicate, fingers like scallion roots, adorned with such a bracelet would surely look extremely beautiful.

As if guided by some mysterious force, Song Xuyi bought this piece of jewelry.

And while the old man’s daughter was packing the jewelry, Song Xuyi pretended to speak inadvertently, “Old man, I seem to have seen you before. Did you run a balloon stall back then?”

The old man did not speak, smiling and looking at Song Xuyi. Sensing something unusual, Song Xuyi then heard his daughter answer, “My dad used to do all sorts of work in the amusement park years ago. I don’t know if he ever ran a balloon stall. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s last year and has forgotten a lot of things…”

“Oh, I see!” It seemed everything had reached a dead end again, and Song Xuyi felt a bit frustrated. She put away the packed jewelry and paid for it, suddenly recalling that the old man had mentioned having a son who died young in the ‘dream,’ her eyes lit up, just about to continue her inquiries, when her phone rang again.

Seeing the name ‘Li Yuqing’ on the screen, Song Xuyi remembered the task of finding the book for Li Yuqing and braced herself to answer the call once more.

“Xuyi, I’ve been looking for a while and still can’t find that book,” Li Yuqing’s voice on the phone carried a bit of apology, “I hope I’m not disturbing you?”

“No, I happen to be free now,” Song Xuyi tried hard to recall the location of that book, “It seems to be on the third row of the bookshelf, can you check there?”

“Is that so?” It seemed like a car horn sounded from Li Yuqing’s side, but Song Xuyi did not hear clearly. At this moment, the carousel behind Song Xuyi started moving again, the music mixed with the laughter of tourists was extremely noisy. Song Xuyi had to hang up the phone first, and after moving to a quieter place, she called Li Yuqing back, and heard Li Yuqing’s smiling voice, “I’ve already found it, thank you, Xuyi.”

Li Yuqing’s voice sounded extremely happy, and Song Xuyi did not know what had happened. Seeing that Li Yuqing had found the book, she didn’t chat much and hung up the phone.

When she returned to the stall again, the old man was holding a photo frame and wiping his tears, and his daughter was trying helplessly to comfort him, “Dad, brother wouldn’t want to see you so sad from the afterlife…”

……

At this moment, everything no longer needed to be asked.

Song Xuyi stood in place, dazed.

She didn’t know what kind of mindset she had, but she hurriedly drove to the private cinema that Li Yuqing had taken her to in the ‘dream.’ When she saw the familiar sign at the entrance and the room layout that was almost identical to the one in the ‘dream,’ the last bit of fantasy in Song Xuyi’s heart shattered. She completely accepted the fact that in her dream, her consciousness had detached from her body and traveled to the past, where she met Li Yuqing.

So, everything that happened to Li Yuqing in the dream was real, and the ‘friend’ Li Yuqing mentioned who looked a lot like herself was actually her?

……

Song Xuyi had never thought that such bizarre and strange things could happen in this world.

However, if time-traveling could happen to her, then experiencing a time warp in a small world was not impossible either…

“Xuyi, what on earth is wrong with you today?”

At this moment, the system in her mind could no longer hold back and asked: initially, the system was quite happy to see Song Xuyi lying to Li Yuqing, thinking that Song Xuyi was finally not bewitched by Li Yuqing. However, for the rest of the day, Song Xuyi seemed to have lost her soul, sitting silently in the private cinema, which made the system increasingly worried.

Song Xuyi hesitated for a moment, recalling the system’s constant concern for her, and ended up telling the system everything that had happened.

Sure enough, the system exploded after hearing it!

However, this matter was beyond the control of both Song Xuyi and Li Yuqing. The system, reluctant to scold Li Yuqing for her softness, and unable to find a reason to reproach her, could only speak angrily: “Xuyi, you must keep this matter a secret! Your task is to protect the male and female leads. You may very likely have conflicts with the villain in the future, so you must not soften your heart towards her…”

Song Xuyi nodded.

In her mind, she knew the system was right, but she couldn’t help feeling a bit worried: Could she really keep this secret from Li Yuqing?

And this premonition reached its peak when she returned home and saw Li Yuqing nestled on the sofa drawing—

On the white drawing paper, the oil painting was already taking shape: in the colorful Ferris wheel over the city, two women were embracing and kissing!

The author has something to say:

Song Xuyi & System: (o(*≧д≦)o!!

LP: Re-translated on August 2, 2024