Chapter 55: Chapter Fifty-Five: Shen Qingyi is a scumbag!

Just as she was about to reach out, she froze.

Their hands were only a breath away from touching — close enough to feel the warmth — yet they stopped there.

Then Bai Luoshuang was suddenly pulled backward from behind, and the gap between their fingertips widened.

She stared at the Shen Qingyi in front of her.

Panic surged in her chest.

Shen Qingyi was right there — who else could it be?

With that thought, she dismissed her doubts and reached out again, trying to seize the figure before her.

But at that moment, Shen Qingyi’s voice rang out from behind her.

“A’Shuang! Snap out of it! I’m behind you!”

This time Bai Luoshuang understood.

The one behind her was the real Shen Qingyi.

She whipped around and saw Shen Qingyi clutching the hem of her dress, pulling her back.

Her slender figure swayed like water grass caught in a current.

Bai Luoshuang quickly grabbed her hand to steady her.

“Xiao Yi… is it really you?” she asked, her voice trembling.

“It’s truly you?”

“Of course it is! Who else would it be?”

Shen Qingyi retorted. She tightened her grip.

“You’re awake now, right? Then let’s go. Stop being silly.”

Though the words were sharp, Bai Luoshuang felt nothing but happiness.

Xiao Yi had come for her.

She had entered the vortex of desire to rescue her.

Didn’t that mean she accepted her love?

How could she not be happy?

In this life…

Xiao Yi loved her too.

Smiling through tears, Bai Luoshuang nodded and clasped Shen Qingyi’s hand tightly, ready to follow her.

But something tugged at her instincts, and she turned back to glance at the illusion.

The false Shen Qingyi simply smiled, making no move to stop her.

She let her go.

After a brief pause, Bai Luoshuang followed the real Shen Qingyi out of the vortex, leaving its center behind.

As Bai Luoshuang regained clarity, the vortex’s power weakened.

They moved forward without obstruction.

But when they reached the edge, still hand in hand, Bai Luoshuang saw Su Qiulian standing there — already fully awake.

In that instant, she understood.

Xiao Yi had chosen her first.

Not me.

Boom—

It felt like thunder splitting her mind open.

All the grievances she had buried deep inside rushed upward, gathering behind her eyes.

Heat pooled there, spilling over as crystalline tears.

She stopped walking.

Still holding Shen Qingyi’s hand.

“What’s wrong?”

Shen Qingyi asked.

“Why did you stop?”

A soft sob answered her.

“Why?”

Shen Qingyi blinked.

“What do you mean, why—”

Before she could finish, Bai Luoshuang grabbed her shoulders and held her firmly in place.

“Why?! Why didn’t you choose me first, Xiao Yi?! I… I love you too!”

“…Huh?”

Shen Qingyi was genuinely stunned.

She had just chosen randomly.

How was that her fault?

While she struggled to think of something comforting to say, Bai Luoshuang mistook her silence for avoidance.

Tears streamed down her face.

She threw herself into Shen Qingyi’s arms and finally broke into loud sobs.

“Why can’t it just be me? Xiao Yi… wouldn’t having only me be enough? Why…?”

Her body trembled like a child’s.

Shen Qingyi felt helpless.

A faint headache throbbed at her temples.

What else could she do?

She gently patted Bai Luoshuang’s back, loosening her posture so she could be held more comfortably.

Children who cry should be hugged more.

The thought popped into her mind inexplicably.

She suddenly felt like a kindergarten teacher from her past life on Blue Star — every child ran to her when wronged, and she couldn’t refuse.

She sighed inwardly.

Life really was hard.

Still, her hand continued its steady rhythm.

Pat.

Pat.

Pat.

When Bai Luoshuang’s sobbing gradually softened and her trembling eased, Shen Qingyi finally spoke gently.

“Alright. It’s not that I didn’t want to choose you first. I couldn’t see. Once I entered, my spiritual sense was sealed. I just picked a direction at random. And besides… I came back for you, didn’t I? It’s the same.”

But the moment she said, “It’s the same,” Bai Luoshuang cried even harder, clutching her tighter.

“It’s not the same! It’s not! Can’t Xiao Yi want only me?!”

Shen Qingyi sighed.

“A’Shuang… how much memory do you think I’ve recovered? I don’t fully understand the so-called love from our previous life. I don’t even know what kind of relationship I had with the two of you back then. I can’t distinguish it clearly.”

“So look carefully. The person standing in front of you isn’t the Shen Qingyi from your memories.”

“It’s me.

“The Shen Qingyi of this life. The me of right now.”

She leaned closer and spoke softly near Bai Luoshuang’s ear.

She wasn’t sure if it would help — but it was better than saying nothing.

Bai Luoshuang slowly loosened her hold and lifted her head.

“The Xiao Yi of now…” she murmured.

She studied her carefully.

The same breathtaking beauty as in their past life.

Only now, a white strip of cloth covered her eyes, tied behind her head, hiding even her long lashes.

And yet that flaw diminished nothing. If anything, the blindfold added an indescribable allure.

Bai Luoshuang swallowed.

The faint sound didn’t escape Shen Qingyi.

“You just swallowed, didn’t you?” she asked dryly.

“N-No!”

“I heard it. You dare lie to me?”

She stepped forward.

Bai Luoshuang retreated instinctively until she could retreat no more.

“…Yes! I swallowed! I was having improper thoughts!”

Though she couldn’t see, Shen Qingyi could easily imagine the expression on Bai Luoshuang’s face.

She couldn’t help laughing.

“You’re still thinking about that at a time like this? Did you even listen to what I said?”

“…Mm.”

Bai Luoshuang nodded obediently.

“Good.”

Shen Qingyi nodded with satisfaction.

“Then let me be clear. The Shen Qingyi of this life is a scoundrel. She wants both of you.”

“So, A’Shuang… do you approve?”

Approve?

Truthfully, Bai Luoshuang didn’t want to share her Xiao Yi.

How could she possibly approve?

But Shen Qingyi’s words had reminded her of something.

This Shen Qingyi wasn’t entirely the same as the one from their previous life.

She was both a continuation — and someone new.

If that was true, then there was no such thing as being abandoned.

As for Su Qiulian—

She had only arrived first.

And if Bai Luoshuang tried hard enough… would there really be any place left for her rival?