After Exchanging Shadows

The ward was still very dark by the time Xi Mo woke up.

The blue curtains blocked the sunlight from the outside, and also brought a quiet solitude together with it.  

She slowly sat up from the bed and looked all around her.

She had long been accustomed to being a famous star with admiring fans...o...b..ting around her. Looking at the quiet ward now, with the shut door, it seemed just like a coffin which had been abandoned by the rest of world.

Lu Qingming isn’t here?

Even Lu Qingming have important matters that are inconvenient to handle, with so many a.s.sistant, he always been prudent and steady in handle his matters. But he unexpectedly didn’t dispatch another a.s.sistant over, or even getting her a nurse?

She wondered when last she could not afford even a nurse for herself.

Pondering, Xi Mo became slightly discontent. Her face was taut as usual, it was cold and aloof without containing any expressions. She got off the bed and put on her shoes, and quite drowsily walked towards the washrooms.

There seemed to be something not quite right with the body.

As for where it didn’t feel right, this couldn’t be pinpointed, only that she could distinctly feel as if it had become much more lithe and supple.  

What was with that fire?

And what was with that thing outside the door?

Who came afterwards? Many things couldn’t be recalled from the chaos. What she could not bear the most was that she had actually b.u.mped into that woman inside the washrooms, being caught in the most embarra.s.sing appearance in this lifetime.

Her brain was buzzing. Xi Mo staggered to the sink, closed her eyes, turned on the taps and washed her face to freshen herself up.

Pitter patter.

The stream of water gently flowed.

Xi Mo bent over with her eyes closed, both hands covering and ma.s.saging her face. She scrubbed lightly twice, then suddenly stopped the action.

She slowly moved her hands down, revealing the pair of eyes, and looked at the mirror above the sink.

The person in the mirror had long, slightly wavy hair casually strewn across the shoulder. A pair of sharp, alluring eyes and water droplets hung from the long fine lashes. It seemed to smile, yet not smile, as if it was ridiculing her.

When Xi Mo saw this pair of eyes, it was almost like she saw a ghost. Xi Mo shivered all over her body. She quickly turned her back to it and put down her hands which were still dripping with water.

…Hallucination.

Must be a hallucination.

Ruan Yesheng is practically a soul that does not that disperse. Don’t tell her that in this life, she’ll always having to meet her in the bathroom.

Xi Mo’s face was taut. Her heart was simply full of irritation.

After a moment of silence, she looked down at her hands.

The fingers were slightly shorter. When she played piano in the past, her fingers were particularly flexible, flying across the piano keys. Her long fingers could extend several scales. Now, she looked at the pair of hands that were no different from onion cut slim white hands, feeling as if they were going to giving her a delicate, soft and troublesome  gesture.

…Nausea.

Xi Mo controlled her temper, and then turned back into an elite and delicate person.

This time she didn’t cover her face. With a stony expression, she looked directly at the mirror in front of her.

Xi Mo: “…”

A real warrior will have the guts to directly face a life of pain, and have the guts to squarely face dripping wet blood.

Xi Mo realized she simply had no way of facing it right now.

This was not blood, but cancer.

That woman inside the mirror had an excessively flirtatious and charming face, with an overly hot and provocative figure. It immediately pushed her into a fit. She wanted to shriek but couldn’t shriek, wanted to scream but couldn’t scream. The countenance was lifeless like a heavy iceberg, but a thousand f.u.c.k-you(s) ran rampant inside the heart.

Xi Mo pushed open the door of the washroom and rushed out in a hundred meter sprint.

Coincidentally, Feng Tangtang was coming in through the door from outside at this time. She was startled at first when she saw Xi Mo running towards her, then she followed by holding onto her tightly, saying with a happy smile, “Ruan Ruan, how great! You’ve got so much energy and can even run.”

Xi Mo: “…”

Her face was stiff, her heart said, “let me go”.

Feng Tangtang just wouldn’t let go.

Xi Mo: “…”

Feng Tangtang cuddled her arm, saying with consideration, “I nearly died with worry back then, scared that there will be some problem with your body. It’s good there’s no problem, it’s good there’s no problem. If you really want to run, try not to do it inside the ward. When the time comes, I’ll go ask the doctor, I’ll accompany you outside if the doctor says you can run.”

Feng Tangtang was glued to Xi Mo like sticky gum. She stiffened and watched Feng Tangtang coldly, “…”

Which eye of yours saw me running!

My body indeed has a problem with it! It turned into Ruan Yesheng out of nowhere, how come your eyes didn’t catch that!

And you actually dared to cuddle my arms, who let you cuddle my arms!

Feng Tantang was made silent by her single sentence. A pair of eyes coldly gazed at her, as if freezing her to death. It frightened her. In a split second, she thought of her older sister that was even more difficult to serve than an Empress.

Hallucination.

Must be a hallucination.

“Ruan Ruan, how are you? Why aren’t you speaking?” Feng Tangtang cast away her doubts and changed into a spirited smile. She pulled Xi Mo towards to the sick bed. Xi Mo’s body stiffened, allowing her to drag her to the sick bed, then sat down.

She spoke while she set down the things in her hand, “I brought some things for you to eat. There’s also nutrient soup, it’s your favorite. Back then, I had someone stew it for a very long time. I wanted to take it, but I could’t leave with Sister Xi there. But now it’s fine, I finally have some time. En, it’s still hot.”

She smiled while opening the thermos.

Xi Mo stared at her.

So she was this reluctant being my a.s.sistant. Licking and kneeling the moment she sees Ruan Yesheng. Oh hoh, and even nutrient soup? Is it as delectable as a wholesome fried squid?

“Ruan Ruan?” Feng Tangtang turned around and watched Xi Mo.

“Ay, nothing’s wrong, probably just a bit tired.” Xi Mo knew it was currently already messed up enough. She couldn’t bring in other people’s suspicions, so she first decided to bluff through it and then think about it later. So, her mouth curved up into a small smile, and started to pretend Ruan Yesheng’s usual speaking style.

She was the best actress in name and in practice. Now, she even was even lined up as a candidate for best actress in a new movie. Having acted then, imitating Ruan Yesheng was simply a breeze.

But it was only her skills that were excellent, her heart was feverish.

Xi Mo crouched and sat down, she warmly looked at Feng Tangtang, “Thank you, TangTang. You’re Xi Mo’s a.s.sistant, yet you haven’t forgotten to come here to look after me.”

Tangtang, Tangtang, Tangtang.

How disgusting, how sickeningly sweet for a nickname.

Xi Mo really wanted to oh hoh Ruan Yesheng’s face.

Feng Tangtang spoke with great embarra.s.sment, “We’re friends, there’s no need for thanks. Even then, if it weren’t for me forgetting to bring you the thing, which you needed to use urgently, then you wouldn’t have gone to the hotel and  have been in that fire.”

Xi Mo patted Feng Tangtang’s shoulder and smiled. “I know you treat me the best. Anyways, aren’t I okay? I survived against all odds, there’ll definitely be good luck afterward. Right, is there anything troubling over at Xi Mo’s?”

Feng Tangtang wouldn’t know that she was fishing for info. She shook her head and said, “Sister Xi’s fine, Mister Lu has organized people to look after her. He’s also there taking care of her. She’s quite well off.”

“She didn’t get any injuries on her face right?” Xi Mo laughed, “Isn’t she the best actress? If she were to accidentally get a cut somewhere, then it wouldn’t be good.”

“Sister Xi’s face is fine.” Feng Tangtang said as she poured out a bowl of soup, “Still as flawlessly beautiful.”

Xi Mo received the bowl of soup and slightly squinted her eyes.

For now, you don’t have to eat wholesome fried squid.

“However, Sister Xi told me to see if your face has been disfigured or not, and then give her a call to let her know.” Feng Tangtang is an upright good girl following society’s ideology, but accidently and straightforwardly repeated the words of Ruan Yesheng.

Xi Mo: “…”

Her hand spasmed. A bit of broth splashed out,

“No problem, no problem, let me wipe.” Feng Tangtang blocked her, “Ruan Ruan, what’s with you, are you not feeling well? Your face is looking a bit pale.”

“Nothing much, quite fine actually.” Xi Mo wore a remote expression in her eyes, but a warm smile hung from her face, “Just that the moment I woke up, I feel as if my body is p.r.o.ne to seizures. I can’t even hold the bowl of soup, can it possibly be Parkinson’s disease? If there really is something wrong with this hand, wonder if the doctor will have to amputate it.”

Feng Tangtang was scared witless again, “…”

Feng Tangtang paused for a moment and comforted her, “What Sister Xi wants to know is if there’s any injuries on your face. She’s only worried for you, my phrasing wasn’t right, don’t mind it Ruan Ruan.”

“I don’t mind.” Xi Mo took a sip of the soup, “What soup is this? Smells a bit strange.”

“It’s durian stewed chicken.” Feng Tangtang said with a smile, “Don’t you like durian the most? I added a bit inside the chicken group, it’s a very good tonic.”

Xi Mo, “…”

That soup with the taste of durian seemed to be stuck inside her throat. It could not go up, nor could it go down.

In this life, the fruit she abhorred the most was durian.