Giving You Dawn and Dusk - Chapter 10

Pedestrians hurried along the road, constantly brushing past them. Occasionally, a few words of admiration could be heard.

They were all praising Xu Qingzhu.

Xu Qingzhu finished tying the bow on the bandage on Liang Shi’s palm. Her slender fingers retracted, and she maintained an appropriate distance from Liang Shi again.

A faint smile hung on her face, but her eyes were cold and tranquil, like a ripple-less ancient well, completely exuding an aloof elegance.

Liang Shi’s gaze rested on her eyes, then rapidly pulled back.

She hadn’t ruled out the possibility of being discovered.

She just hadn’t expected it to happen so soon.

Her personality and the original host’s were two extremes: one loved excitement, the other preferred quiet; one was naturally promiscuous, the other was calm and introverted. It was impossible for her not to be out of character (OOC) after transmigrating.

But now… it didn’t seem like a good time to admit it.

Liang Shi felt a brief panic, then laughed. “No.”

Xu Qingzhu sighed internally in relief, her smile widening a few degrees. Her gaze of scrutiny became more intense, as if trying to figure out what was inhabiting this shell—was it human or ghost?

Liang Shi, however, tilted her head back and laughed softly. “If I’m not Liang Shi, who else could I be?”

Her smile was warm, like a spring breeze, like the bright moon, her eyes filled with gentleness.

She stared intently at Xu Qingzhu, her gaze devoid of any aggression.

Completely unlike the original host.

“Who knows?” Xu Qingzhu’s voice was clear and cold, with a hint of etherealness. “Perhaps only you know?”

“Now, look what you’re saying.” Liang Shi gently touched her forehead with her newly bandaged hand, feigning helplessness. “Of course I know. I am Liang Shi.”

“Are you?” Xu Qingzhu smiled, a profound, inscrutable expression.

This smile was very similar to the one Liang Shi often saw at the negotiating table in her past life.

She thought that if Xu Qingzhu hadn’t married the original host to be a full-time housewife, she would have been an excellent professional woman.

In fact, in the novel, the Xu Qingzhu who left the Scum A would undergo a complete transformation and become the CEO of a listed company.

Liang Shi hoped her partner would have a job.

Because work represented confidence and stability.

A lover’s affection might change, but one’s own capability would not.

To love others, one must first love oneself.

Liang Shi’s thoughts briefly wandered off track, but she quickly snapped back. Facing Xu Qingzhu’s deep gaze, she showed no fear. She smiled. “Of course I am. Otherwise, am I a different person? How about I reintroduce myself: I’m Liang Shi’s sister, Liang He?”

She intentionally used a joking tone to lighten the atmosphere.

Xu Qingzhu, however, stared at her motionlessly, her smile frozen on her face, as if trying to drill a hole right through her.

Liang Shi’s palm was sweating.

To be honest, being scrutinized by such a gaze was very intimidating.

Especially since Xu Qingzhu was deliberately putting pressure on her.

She maintained her perfect smile, not rushing to speak, waiting for Xu Qingzhu to talk first.

After a long time, Xu Qingzhu smiled. “Is that so? Liang He.”

Her voice was cool with a hint of allure. She pronounced the name slowly, almost syllable by syllable, like tracing a feather across one’s heart. With every word, Liang Shi’s heart trembled. She even secretly swallowed.

It felt like… the Target’s beauty and voice were so superior that she was slightly… losing control.

After all, she was Haizhou’s Number One Omega, the object of desire for countless Alphas.

“Mmm-hmm.” Liang Shi was panicking inside, but outwardly showed no sign. Having won the Golden Rooster Award for Best Supporting Actress, she certainly wouldn’t lose a battle of wits with someone who had little acting experience. “I think that name is quite nice too.”

“But Liang Shi doesn’t have a younger sister,” Xu Qingzhu said. “She only has two older sisters and one older brother.”

Liang Shi mentally clicked her tongue.

As expected of the female lead, so smart.

Trying to trick her already?

Fortunately, she knew some information.

“Is that so?” Liang Shi smiled. “I haven’t kept in touch for so long that I didn’t know one of my brothers had transitioned. I wonder if it was Liang Xinzhou or Liang Xinhe?”

A flicker of surprise crossed Xu Qingzhu’s eyes. “So you still remember that.”

“Of course. If I can’t even remember my own siblings, wouldn’t that make me a complete scoundrel?” Liang Shi said.

She added mentally: And they’re not my biological siblings anyway.

The original host’s biological parents were likely in some forgotten corner.

According to typical novel tropes, the biological parents of a cannon fodder female supporting character must be terrible people—either motivated by money or influence—but definitely shortsighted and greedy commoners, which is why they swapped daughters.

Liang Shi held no hope for them.

She just hoped that if she ever found her biological parents, they wouldn’t become a burden.

“If Brother Xinzhou and Xinhe heard that, they might be moved to tears,” Xu Qingzhu’s words were tinged with sarcasm. Liang Shi accepted it graciously, but she looked at Xu Qingzhu. “You don’t seem like Xu Qingzhu either.”

“Oh?” Xu Qingzhu looked over indifferently, tossing the question back. “Then who do I look like to you?”

“I don’t know,” Liang Shi gently shook her head, her gaze soft. “That’s probably something only you would know.”

She easily deflected the question using the art of four ounces deflecting a thousand pounds, handing the topic back to Xu Qingzhu.

“Liang Shi prefers to use her right hand,” Xu Qingzhu said. “But you seem to be left-handed. You carry things with your left hand, and even your injured hand is your right hand.”

Liang Shi hadn’t expected Xu Qingzhu to be so observant. She smiled. “Actually, I’m comfortable with both hands. You can ask my parents if you don’t believe me.”

Xu Qingzhu definitely wouldn’t ask the Liang parents about this.

The Liang parents had already disagreed with Liang Shi marrying Xu Qingzhu.

Liang Shi only liked Xu Qingzhu’s reputation and her face, but the Liang parents valued family background more. If they had a choice, they would have definitely chosen Liang Shi’s childhood friend, the heiress of Shengmao Group—Lin Xingcan.

The original host had a major falling-out with her family to marry Xu Qingzhu.

Liang Shi still had remnants of this memory, making her even more confused as to why the original host’s personality completely changed after the marriage, leading to endless bullying of Xu Qingzhu.

“Is that so? Then I was mistaken,” Xu Qingzhu stood up from the bench. The wind billowed her long hair and dress, and her slender waist looked perfect for holding close on an autumn day.

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “It seems you’ve changed a lot.”

Her voice was soft, mostly a probe.

Liang Shi easily countered, “You’ve changed a lot too.”

Hearing this, Xu Qingzhu suddenly turned back to look at her, raising an eyebrow slightly. “Specifically?”

“You’ve become cold,” Liang Shi said. “And you dislike me very much.”

Xu Qingzhu smiled.

She faced Liang Shi, looking down at her. Her brown pupils looked aloof and uncaring. “That’s because…”

She paused. “I don’t like you anymore.”

Liang Shi looked up. The distance between them was close enough for a kiss.

It was the proximity where their souls felt close.

Yet they stood physically far apart.

Liang Shi gently licked her lips. “Then I’m just… starting to like you.”

Her eyes curved, filled with sincerity. “Perhaps we can start over and get to know each other again.”

The moment she finished speaking, a shout came from nearby, “Lioness.”

Liang Shi hadn’t reacted until the strikingly beautiful Omega stood in front of her, subtly but deliberately pushing Xu Qingzhu aside, and said coquettishly with a cute, mischievous expression, “Lioness, I called you just now. Why didn’t you answer me?”

Liang Shi: “…?”

This looks like Lin Xingcan?

Oh my god, save me.