Snow-Kissed Rose (GL) Chapter 80.2

Upon returning to her room alone, Song Yingshi yawned as she sat on her bed.

Song Yingshi was sleepy, very sleepy. Nevertheless, she couldn't fall asleep.

After sitting for a while, Song Yingshi's eyes fell on Huai Xu's bed. They had left in a hurry before, so Huai Xu's blanket was still messy.

For some reason, Song Yingshi couldn't bear to see the blanket in such a state, so she got up to tidy it. Halfway through, she paused momentarily before plunging headfirst into the bed and disappearing under the blanket.

A moment later, an arm extended out of the blanket, grouped around, and turned off all the lights in the room.

As the room went dark, Song Yingshi lay flat for several minutes. Then, she relaxed, slowly curled up on her side, and shifted toward the position where Huai Xu had been lying just now.

The scent of roses was isolated outside the blanket, and Huai Xu's smell filled Song Yingshi's nose.

Song Yingshi couldn't put her finger on it, but she liked this smell very much.

Song Yingshi subconsciously curled around the edges of the blanket. Amidst her sleepless night, various thoughts appeared in her mind.

Today, on this bed beneath me, Huai Xu and I nearly… Song Yingshi thought as she recalled the event from before.

What happened tonight was completely outside of Song Yingshi's expectations. She had originally planned to make things clear with Huai Xu only after they finished filming the idol survival show. After all, Huai Xu's career took precedence.

Of course, that wasn't to say a career was more important than love. It was just that this arrangement seemed more appropriate. Moreover, Song Yingshi could use this time to gradually get familiar with and accept her feelings.

However, facts proved that Song Yingshi's planning was no different from a student's study plan—pure nonsense. She should be awarded for perseverance if she could complete even 50% of her plan.

The plan started fine. In the beginning, Song Yingshi was still the only one aware of her own transformation. She also only tried to learn more about Huai Xu through minor physical contact, such as touching Huai Xu's hands and face. While novel, these experiences weren't enough to stir anything within her.

However, everything changed the moment Huai Xu caught her studying the resources recommended to her by the budding lesbian group…

Huai Xu found out.

And she… Despite knowing the safest way to defuse the situation, she repeatedly pushed her luck.

Song Yingshi had to admit that she enjoyed this situation where they both knew what was happening without explicitly stating it. On one hand, she didn't wish for her transformation to be discovered too soon. On the other hand, she secretly hoped that Huai Xu would find out.

After that incident, they walked an ambiguous line, constantly confronting each other with words and actions. Song Yingshi always lost control first, especially tonight…

Song Yingshi let out a soft cry of distress under the blanket.

Song Yingshi had played many roles immersed in love in her past life, never struggling to analyze and replicate character emotions. She thought her experience in these roles would enable her to devise the perfect plan, but now she realized how silly she was for thinking real life could be dictated by a script. Unlike in the movies, real life contained many unpredictabilities.

Regardless, there was no point crying over spilled milk. A more pressing issue Song Yingshi currently faced was figuring out what kind of relationship she should maintain with Huai Xu starting tomorrow.

At the same time, Song Yingshi wondered if Huai Xu could recover from her fever tomorrow. Huai Xu had always been in poor health. It didn't help that she had been staying up late often recently.

After Song Yingshi ruminated over these thoughts for a while, she eventually suppressed her worries, buried her into her pillow, and urged herself to fall asleep quickly. She needed to recharge her spirits so that she could support Huai Xu.

While Huai Xu's reassuring scent surrounded Song Yingshi, sleepiness eventually came to her.

…

Although Song Yingshi went to bed late, she woke up early the next day. After a simple wash, she got up and went to the infirmary.

When Song Yingshi opened the door to the infirmary, she didn't see the female doctor from last night. Instead, a male doctor sat behind the front desk.

When the male doctor saw Song Yingshi, he seemingly knew what she was here for. He pointed at the medical curtains and said softly, "Her fever has subsided."

Song Yingshi thanked the doctor, quietly approached the curtains, and gently pulled them apart.

Huai Xu was still sleeping peacefully, half her chin under the blanket. She looked soft and delicate, a side of her that she rarely showed.

Not wanting to interrupt Huai Xu's rest, Song Yingshi didn't get close. After observing from a distance for a while, she drew the curtains and stepped away. On her way out, she stopped by the doctor's desk and asked, "When exactly did her fever subside?"

"According to Big Sis Li, around 5 AM," the doctor answered. "But I don't recommend she resumes practice today. Your team's training regime is too intense, and it might cause her fever to return."

"Okay. Thank you, doctor," Song Yingshi said, nodding.

Subsequently, Song Yingshi left the infirmary and went downstairs to buy an insulated food container. After having her breakfast, she ordered a portion of pumpkin porridge.

While the cafeteria lady was filling Song Yingshi's food container with porridge, other trainees began entering the cafeteria in groups of twos and threes. Some were still merrily discussing Dan Silan's drunken state yesterday.

When the others saw Song Yingshi's food container, they naturally got curious and asked her about it.

"What? My big sis is sick? This won't do; I have to check up on her," Lu Xuewen, who was in the middle of peeling a boiled egg, said as she got up from her seat.

"Who's sick? Who's sick? …What? My team leader is sick?!" Li Taoran, who sat at the neighboring table, exclaimed.

Because of Li Taoran's loud voice, everyone in the cafeteria quickly learned that Huai Xu had fallen sick. Even Dan Silan, who was regretting her actions last night, stood up to ask Song Yingshi, "How is Huai Xu now?"

"Her fever has already subsided, but she's still asleep. I'm going to bring her food now. I'll convey everyone's concern, so don't delay your practice," Song Yingshi replied patiently.

"She must've overexerted herself from the intense practice sessions. We don't have much to say; just have her rest well, even if her fever has already subsided."

"That's right. Little Shi, Lengyu, Taoran, and Chen Wan, you four should also pay attention to your health. Don't ruin your health for practice."

After addressing everyone's concerns, Song Yingshi passed some instructions to her teammates before leaving the cafeteria with the food container.

…

When Song Yingshi rounded the corner of the hallway, she saw Huai Xu standing outside the infirmary's door. Huai Xu was still wearing the short, black T-shirt and light-colored, floor-length pants she had hastily put on last night. The pant legs were folded up twice, revealing her delicately shaped ankles. When Huai Xu wore this casual outfit, it looked cool and concise.

"Awake?" Song Yingshi asked as she hastily walked over.

When Huai Xu turned to her, Song Yingshi subconsciously slowed her pace.

Huai Xu's pupils looked particularly dark today, like opaque obsidians. Paired with her long, drooping eyelashes and sickly complexion, she looked exquisitely beautiful but also scary.

Besides Huai Xu's appearance, the aura she emanated was equally intimidating. Although she was normally cold and aloof, today, she…seemed to have withdrawn into the darkness, unwilling to give her attention to anything around her. It was as if she had restrained her emotions with endless indifference.

When Huai Xu looked over, Song Yingshi felt that Huai Xu wasn't looking at her at all.

Song Yingshi was very perceptive toward emotions and auras. With just a glance, Huai Xu had set off the alarm bells in her head, putting her on edge.

Immediately, Song Yingshi asked the system, "System, is she still Huai Xu?"

"Yes," the system replied.

"Is she still the same inside? Did she get possessed by someone?" Song Yingshi asked, her expression growing stern.

"Your mission target hasn't changed, Host. She is still the same person you know," the system reassured Song Yingshi.

Although Song Yingshi still had doubts, she believed in the system. While the system might use missions to mess with her from time to time, it had never lied to her. Even so, the Huai Xu before her…

In the brief moment Song Yingshi was lost in her thoughts, she saw Huai Xu's pupils locking onto her. This time, Huai Xu truly was looking at her.

When Huai Xu's gaze landed on her, Song Yingshi felt as if invisible shackles had locked her body in place. Almost reflexively, she clenched her jaw, put on a nonchalant look, and retaliated by unleashing an intimidating aura of her own.

Huai Xu raised her foot and began slowly approaching Song Yingshi. Her tired gaze was sharp like a blade, but she restrained them before Song Yingshi. In her usual voice, she asked, "Did you come to visit me?"

Song Yingshi didn't relax. Cautiously, she said, "I brought you porridge."

"Should we go back to the dormitory?" Huai Xu asked.

Song Yingshi nodded. When she saw Huai Xu turning around and walking ahead, she deliberately fell behind by a few steps. Then, while staring at Huai Xu's back, she said, "You're not allowed to practice today; rest in the dormitory."

Huai Xu hummed and nodded. A moment later, she said, "I won't go in the morning, but I'll drop by to check your progress in the afternoon."

This was a method Huai Xu would adopt. Taking over someone's body might be possible, but learning and mimicking their behavior pattern wouldn't be easy.

After the initial unfamiliarity, Song Yingshi realized that the familiarity engraved in her soul did not disappear. Only now did she fully believe in the system and stop doubting the authenticity of the Huai Xu before her.

However, Song Yingshi still had her doubts… Why did Huai Xu change so much after a bout of illness?

Song Yingshi couldn't figure it out.

After returning to the dormitory and tucking Huai Xu in bed, Song Yingshi grabbed her drinking bottle and prepared to head out for practice. On her way out, she turned around and asked jokingly, "Why does it feel like you've become a different person after falling sick?"

Huai Xu was in the middle of scooping a spoonful of porridge. When she heard Song Yingshi's question, she kept her posture and looked at Huai Xu with narrowed eyes. A moment later, she smiled and said, "Maybe it's because of the dream I had."

"Huh?" Song Yingshi tilted her head.

"I dreamt of many things that happened in the past," Huai Xu said calmly. "It wasn't a pleasant dream."

Realization dawned on Song Yingshi. Although Huai Xu's explanation sounded a little suspicious, she couldn't rule out the possibility that this was the case. As she was short on time, she decided to temporarily shelf this matter and said, "Stop thinking about it, then. Get some more sleep once you finish the porridge. Should I bring lunch for you later?"

"Okay," Huai Xu answered with a smile. "Good luck with practice."

Afterward, Song Yingshi exited the room and shut the door behind her.

Once silence returned to the room, Huai Xu's smile disappeared, and she slowly ate the breakfast Song Yingshi had prepared for her.

Gradually, the rising steam from the porridge ironed out Huai Xu's indifference and hostility, and she ate the slightly hot porridge spoonful after spoonful until nothing was left.

After cleaning up the desk, Huai Xu took a shower and went to get some more sleep, as instructed by Song Yingshi.

Before lying on her bed, Huai Xu discovered a strand of curly brown hair on the pillow.

Upon picking up the hair and inspecting it up close, Huai Xu immediately broke into a smile, sweeping away the depression that had appeared along with her past life's memories.

From April to July, from the Initial Rating Performance to her encounter with Fu Shu, Huai Xu finally fully realized her reincarnation.

Fu Shu was the last piece of the puzzle. Besides bringing her memories, his appearance had completed Huai Xu's understanding of her reincarnation.

Every major event that Huai Xu experienced in her past life, until she was 28 years old, appeared in her mind last night. Although some of these memories were vague and hard to make sense of, it didn't matter as she already knew where to find them.

Huai Xu surmised that she should've entered the cycle of reincarnation when she was 28 years old in her past life.

That year, Huai Xu finally cornered Fu Shu to death.

However, unlike Zheng Qiyi and Song Ming, Huai Xu didn't see the scene where Fu Shu "surrendered." She only recalled him posting a message on Weibo:

—Huai Xu, you are the most pitiful.

When this post came out, the netizens of that time assumed Fu Shu was trying to salvage his reputation and mocked him for it.

The next day, Fu Shu parked his car in front of the Provincial Museum and committed suicide in it.

Unfortunately, Fu Shu's abrupt death meant that Huai Xu no longer had anybody to explain his parting message to her. If she wanted to know the cause and effect, she would need to squeeze out the second piece of memory from the Fu Shu in this life, which could only be done in the future.

The complete reincarnation filled Huai Xu's head with too much information, making it difficult for her to process everything in a short period. If she hadn't reacted quickly just now, she would've been caught by the perceptive Song Yingshi.

When Huai Xu thought about Song Yingshi, her heart softened slightly. She must've given Song Yingshi a scare with her previous behavior.

Huai Xu didn't intend to become her 28-year-old self, which would be uninteresting. Instead, she would use the 10 years of foolish experiences that fate had gifted her to properly enjoy her and Song Yingshi's 18th year in this world.

In this life, Huai Xu didn't have to spend her 18-year-old life locked up in Song Ming's glass prison. She was surrounded by Song Yingshi and many companions who pursued the same goal. Although they might go their separate ways one day, they were currently helpful and like-minded friends.

When Huai Xu looked back at the past few months, she realized that at every major turning point in her life, someone was always there to steer her away from the pitfalls of fate, using everything at their disposal to guide her and give her a bright, new future.

Song Yingshi.

If those three men existed to bring her pain in her previous life, what role did Song Yingshi play? Huai Xu wanted to know.

More importantly, Huai Xu wanted to know why Song Yingshi was completely absent from her 28 years of past life memories.

Huai Xu had considered this question before, but when this thought came up again this time, a strong feeling of rejection and denial came from the bottom of her heart, causing her face to contort slightly.

No, it's not that she doesn't exist. Perhaps…

I've forgotten about Song Yingshi.