Chapter 30: I Also Want Cake (30)-1
Seeing the two embracing and kissing, the system’s shriek abruptly cut off. It cursed inwardly, then, looking at Yan Yanzhuo’s disgusted expression, felt much better.
It calculated carefully. Currently, every named character in this world seemed to have been hurt by these two.
It felt even more balanced.
Jiang Zhiyan, looking at Liang Xi so close, felt like she was dreaming. Although they had kissed many times, Liang Xi’s kisses were still shy and tentative, lingering between their lips and teeth.
She unconsciously bit Liang Xi’s lip, hard enough to make her open her eyes. Liang Xi stared back, momentarily stunned.
Liang Xi: ?
“What are you doing?” Liang Xi released Jiang Zhiyan, her breathing still uneven, her voice unsteady.
“I thought I was dreaming.”
Liang Xi’s eyes widened: “Why… why do you always do this?”
System: The fact that Jiang Zhiyan has a girlfriend could be listed as the eighth wonder of the world.
“But now I’m sure, it’s not a dream.” Jiang Zhiyan put her arm around Liang Xi’s shoulder and kissed her again.
Liang Xi’s complaint turned into a soft whimper. She felt like Jiang Zhiyan was a ravenous dog, stealing the air from her lungs. Her body went weak, and she unconsciously grabbed Jiang Zhiyan’s clothes to keep her balance. Feeling Liang Xi about to fall, Jiang Zhiyan wrapped her arms around her waist and pressed her against the railing.
The haziness in Liang Xi’s mind was dispelled by the burning sensation against her stomach, startling her. She smelled roasted sweet potatoes and pounded on Jiang Zhiyan’s shoulder.
“It’s hot!” Liang Xi turned her head away, finally able to speak.
“Oh, the sweet potatoes.” Jiang Zhiyan looked down. Their jackets had been unzipped at some point. “Seems like they’re squished, are they still edible?”
“Yes, aren’t they hot? Did you carry them like this the whole way?” Liang Xi frowned, taking out the sweet potatoes.
“It was alright.” Jiang Zhiyan touched her stomach. “You really wanted to eat them.”
Liang Xi tugged at Jiang Zhiyan’s thin sweater, her eyes reddening: “You really are…”
“Why are you crying? If they’re still edible, try them quickly.”
“Can’t you let me be touched for a little longer?” Liang Xi leaned against Jiang Zhiyan and carefully peeled the skin off a sweet potato. “It’s sweet.”
“Really? Let me try.” Jiang Zhiyan took a bite from Liang Xi’s hand, licked her lips, then kissed Liang Xi. “Indeed, very sweet.”
“You really are…” Liang Xi wiped her face with the back of her hand, then noticed the commotion in the distance. A group of bodyguards in black suits were rapidly approaching. “What’s going on over there? Are they filming a drama?”
“Probably the Yan family’s bodyguards. I called Yan Yanzhuo’s uncle.” Jiang Zhiyan said.
“Huh?” It took Liang Xi a second to remember that Yan Yanzhuo was still here. Thinking about her bold actions just now, she blushed, wondering how long he had been watching.
Jiang Zhiyan held Liang Xi, watching as Yan Yanzhuo was led away by the bodyguards. As he left, he turned and glared at Jiang Zhiyan.
Liang Xi frowned: “Why is he looking at you like that?”
“Oh, I told his uncle that he was trying to be a homewrecker, repeatedly trying to seduce my girlfriend.” Jiang Zhiyan said.
Liang Xi: …
The Yan family was very strict. For actions like Yan Yanzhuo’s, he would definitely be whipped with a rattan cane when he got back. Moreover, the internal strife within the Yan family was intensifying, and Yan Yanzhuo had caused a big problem for his father. Their already strained father-son relationship would only worsen, he would have a lot to deal with later.
“He’s lucky.” Jiang Zhiyan said.
After all, he almost ended up paralyzed.
“I didn’t want to come here, but…” Liang Xi took another bite of the sweet potato and explained softly, “I lost control again, it’s like it was waiting for you to leave.”
“I know, I know everything.” Jiang Zhiyan nuzzled Liang Xi’s head. “You’ve done very well.”
Liang Xi narrowed her eyes and looked up at Jiang Zhiyan: “Didn’t you believe I could come back on my own just now?”
“Huh? I did.”
“I saw the rock in your hand. You weren’t planning to kill me, were you?” Liang Xi lifted Jiang Zhiyan’s right hand. “It’s clean.”
Liang Xi paused for three seconds, then reacted and jumped up: “Did you just wipe it on my clothes?!”
She tilted her head, pulling at her clothes, trying to see her back.
“I was planning to throw it at Yan Yanzhuo, how could I throw it at you?”
“No wonder you said he was lucky.” Liang Xi muttered, finally seeing her back. “It really is dirty! Oh no, these are new clothes, my mom’s going to scold me when I get back!”
Jiang Zhiyan helped Liang Xi pat the dust off her clothes: “Where did you buy it? I’ll buy you another identical one.”
“Why would I want two of the same clothes? Forget it, if she scolds me, she scolds me. Life isn’t complete without being scolded.” Liang Xi said, taking another bite of the sweet potato. “Will I experience that kind of thing again?”
Jiang Zhiyan paused for a few seconds: “I’m not sure, maybe. The force compelling you comes from the world’s origin, and the world’s origin won’t disappear.”
“Ah… the world’s origin? Why would the world’s origin force me to do that?” Liang Xi clung to Jiang Zhiyan, her face crumpled. “It was so scary just now, I felt like my consciousness was disappearing, like I was fighting someone in my mind, like someone was desperately trying to drown me.”
“Because this is a book, and you’re the protagonist.” Jiang Zhiyan said. “There’s a way to break free, but you’ll have to leave this place forever. Are you willing?”
Jiang Zhiyan had originally planned to just die, but hearing Liang Xi mention her mother, she suddenly wasn’t sure if it was right for her to make this decision for Liang Xi. She was Xie Liaoyi, but she was also Liang Xi, the Liang Xi who had lived in this world for a long time.
And this incident made her realize that Liang Xi didn’t need her “rescue” as much as she thought. Like the person she remembered, Liang Xi always had her own ideas and could face difficulties on her own.
Liang Xi looked at Jiang Zhiyan: “Leave this place?”
She paused for two seconds.
“Don’t you belong here?” Liang Xi continued to ask.
“I don’t belong here, and neither do you. That’s why you don’t fit in with this world, that’s why the world’s origin wants to eliminate your self-awareness.” Jiang Zhiyan leaned against the railing, looking into Liang Xi’s eyes, then paused.
Liang Xi’s pupils trembled: “I don’t understand, leave… after I leave, will there still be a ‘me’ in this world?”
“Yes, she’ll still be called Liang Xi, but she won’t be you.”
“I don’t understand.” Liang Xi leaned over the railing, looking at the dark river. “From what you’re saying, I’m not Liang Xi, I’m someone else?”
“Yes.” Jiang Zhiyan put her arm around Liang Xi’s shoulder and said softly, “After I arrived, your true self was awakened, suppressing the personality the world’s consciousness gave you.”
“No wonder, I always felt like you were thinking of someone else.” Liang Xi glanced at Jiang Zhiyan. “So, do you like Liang Xi, or do you like her?”
“I like you.”
“Tsk.” Liang Xi ate the sweet potato. Strangely, although she should have been surprised, she wasn’t. It felt like everything Jiang Zhiyan said was something she should have already known. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”
“If you hadn’t realized it yourself, and I told you, you would have thought I was crazy. And the world’s consciousness would have paid even closer attention to you, locking you in even tighter, preventing you from ever waking up. It doesn’t like any factors that could cause instability in the world.”
Liang Xi finished the sweet potato and wiped her hands.
“Perhaps you don’t want to leave yet.” Jiang Zhiyan looked at Liang Xi.
This was also a big shock, but Liang Xi didn’t react, she was too calm.
“Leave here, then go where? Why am I in this world?”
She had too many unanswered questions. She couldn’t see her reflection in the river, as if it was about to swallow her whole.
“You’ll remember eventually, it’s not time yet.” Jiang Zhiyan lowered her eyes.
Liang Xi touched the remaining sweet potato: “If I leave, will they know? Will they notice the difference?”
“No, the world will automatically repair itself. They won’t notice the change, just like how no one has noticed the change in us so far.” Jiang Zhiyan paused. “Perhaps they have noticed, but they won’t suspect anything, they’ll naturally accept everything that has changed.”
“The NPCs in a novel world? Are they all fake…” Liang Xi touched the still-warm sweet potato. “This place feels so real.”
“Perhaps it is real, it’s just that we’re not in the same dimension.” Jiang Zhiyan didn’t care whether this world was real or not. As long as Liang Xi was by her side, it was enough.
“How do I leave?” Liang Xi asked.
“By separating your own consciousness. I’ll take you away.” Jiang Zhiyan paused. “You can separate it yourself, or it can be forcibly separated by a major stimulus.”
“A major stimulus?” Liang Xi stared at Jiang Zhiyan. Seeing that Jiang Zhiyan didn’t speak for a long time, she knew she must have already thought of a method. “What were you planning to do?”
Jiang Zhiyan subconsciously touched the bracelet Liang Xi had given her: “Respecting my ending in this book, a car accident.”
Liang Xi: ???
Liang Xi stared wide-eyed at Jiang Zhiyan: “That brutal?”
She clutched her chest, feeling dizzy just hearing it.
“Do you have to use this method? I can try to do it myself.” Liang Xi chuckled nervously, her body trembling slightly. “You’re not allowed to use this method.”
“It doesn’t really matter. I’ll leave this world the moment I’m hit, it won’t hurt much, the scene might be a bit bloody though.”
“Shut up.” Liang Xi interrupted Jiang Zhiyan, covering her mouth. “I can do it, you have to believe me.”
“Okay, of course I believe you.” Jiang Zhiyan replied.
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