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Chapter 14: Youth Is The Hardest To Keep

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Ruan Yesheng remained speechless for quite a while.

Based on Xi Mo’s tone, Ruan Yesheng knew that this hadn’t been a proper discussion from the start. Rather, it sounded like she’d planned for things to go her way. Xi Mo was quite clear of her goal, and knew that this was what she needed to do in order to achieve it. She’d already expected Ruan Yesheng’s reaction before she mentioned this.

Ruan Yeshen didn’t immediately answer.

Xi Mo spoke righteously, “I would like to remind you of one thing: Everyone’s actions are controlled by their brain, thoughts, and soul. Thus, one’s body will do what its soul desires. When our brain commands us to drink, our hands will promptly pick up a cup of water. Similarly, if I wish for you, Ruan Yesheng, to attend the audition, shouldn’t my body move in accordance with this desire? Nevertheless, the circumstances are a bit special, considering the fact that my body isn’t currently mine. Hence, there’s a need for you to move on my behalf since you are temporarily in control of my body.”

At first, her words sounded clear, precise, and undeniably true. However, realistically, her words were a contradiction born from her numerous strong reasonings. Well, it didn’t really matter though. She had been pampered since she was a child, and had grown up to become a celebrity. Her wishes would be fulfilled most of the time, even if she didn’t present a sound reason.

After listening to her speech, Ruan Yesheng finally spoke, “I see. If I understand correctly, that means that you’re the queen of your body, and that you hold the highest authority over it. However, due to the current circumstances, things are currently inconvenient for you. Thus, since I’m the acting prince regent, I need to finish your task in your place? Basically, in order for Ruan Yesheng to attend the audition, I have to comply and look for Lu Qingming.”

This line of thought was rather to Xi Mo, but she felt that Ruan Yesheng actually made a bit of sense. Although it was a little weird, it could never be weirder than the fact that they’d swapped bodies.

Ruan Yesheng smiled and said, “However, throughout history, the prince regent usually commits treason.”

Xi Mo sneered. “You want to rebel? Your body is currently my hostage.”

While Xi Mo was verbally fighting with Ruan Yesheng, internally she felt ashamed and angry at her own childish actions. After falling into this emotional pit, she felt as if her own image was currently falling into an abyss alongside her mental image of Ruan Yesheng.

“Oh my god! Your Majesty, I’m so scared! I’m trembling!” Ruan Yesheng said. “Fine, I’ll agree with and even support your argument that a soul has absolute command of its body. Thus, since you have commanded your body to do something, I have to carry out that command in your place. As such, do you have the determination to carry out what I want my body to do? My body is under your control after all.”

Xi Mo suddenly had a bad premonition.

Based on her experience, Ruan Yesheng had no decency.

Just as Xi Mo expected, Ruan Yesheng coldly said, “Strip.”

Xi Mo was rendered speechless.

Indeed, this woman doesn’t have any decency! She might have a conscience, but her decency must’ve been eaten by a dog!

Ruan Yesheng repeated herself, “I, Ruan Yesheng, wish for my body to remove its clothes right now. Based on the reasoning you gave previously, shouldn’t you comply with my wish now that you’re in my body, Xi Mo? You shouldn’t go back on your words, oho^[1].”

Xi Mo was speechless.

‘Oho’! You dared to ‘oho’! Disgusting!

Xi Mo finally replied, “Fine, I will strip.”

Ruan Yesheng asked, “How will I know if you’ve actually stripped if I can’t see it? You could just lie and say that you did.”

Xi Mo was once again speechless.

‘See’! You even want to ‘see’! You pervert!

Xi Mo’s heart was pounding so madly that she wished she could smack Ruan Yesheng’s face with it. However, she continued to act unperturbed and spoke as if she didn’t care, “Fine, you can watch through a video call.”

Ruan Yesheng immediately video called like she’d said. She saw Xi Mo sitting upright on the sofa, with a new house in her background.

Xi Mo held the phone in one hand, while her other hand reached towards her collar. She had chosen a slim fit shirt today. Ruan Yesheng’s body was so alluring that it looking beautiful in everything, but it looked even more spectacular today, not that Xi Mo was inside of it.

“As you wish.”

Xi Mo calmly unbuttoned the first button. Slowly moving her fingers downwards, she then unbuttoned the second button as well. Like a flower that was in the process of blooming, she was slowly revealing herself.

Finally, her collarbone was unwittingly revealed through this process.

Ruan Yesheng was lost for words at the sight in front of her.

The hair on the other side of the screen was still long and slightly wavy, and was spread out across Xi Mo’s shoulders. The face and waist were still both undoubtedly hers. Ruan Yesheng had seen her body countless times, thus she couldn’t be any more familiar with it. However, for an instant, she felt like the body in front of her belonged to someone else when she looked at it.

Xi Mo had gained control of her body, and Xi Mo’s soul was currently residing in her body.

Hence, she could vaguely see Xi Mo’s temperament. Although she had always said that Xi Mo Liked to act superior, Xi Mo was undeniably the cold and distant type. She would forever be high up. Even her body’s eyes looked unfamiliar while they were in Xi Mo’s control.

There seemed to an endless abyss trapped inside of those eyes, the deepest depths of which had only a speck of light. Such a mesmerizing gaze caused Ruan Yesheng to become disordered for a moment, to the point that she forgot that she was looking at her own body. The original image of Xi Mo had already overlayed itself with her body.

Ruan Yesheng felt that she had gone back in time to when they still had their own bodies—when their shadows had been in their rightful places.

This delusion caused Ruan Yesheng’s cheeks and hand to heat up, as if her phone had suddenly begun to continuously emit heat.

When Xi Mo’s fingers reached the third button, she said, “I will strip the way that you wish me to. As you are the owner of your body, I will resolutely support your rights.”

Since the person stripping and the person being shamed is not me.

Comforting herself this way, the awkwardness and sense of shame she felt from stripping in front of Ruan Yesheng lessened a little. Strangely, she also felt a sense of pleasure from making fun of Ruan Yesheng.

Ruan Yesheng glanced away and said in an unusual tone, “That’s enough.”

Xi Mo slowly buttoned her shirt back up, before saying, “In the past, did you blush when saw yourself stripping to bathe as well?”

Ruan Yesheng was speechless.

“It’s quite rare to find someone as narcissistic as you.”

Ruan Yecheng had nothing to retort with.

Once she’d ended the video call, Ruan Yesheng sat on the edge of her bed and softly said, “Since you’ve put in so much effort to prove your theory, I definitely have to respect your rights as the owner of this body. If you have anything you wish to do next time, I’ll help you. This time, we’ll treat it as you arranging this with Lu Qingming personally. However, let me tell you this: You arranging this is one thing, but whether I accept it or not is another. You arranged for me to interview for the new show, but how did you know if I would agree to it?”

Recalling what Feng Tangtang had said to her in the car, Xi Mo asked in return, “Don’t you wish to return to the entertainment circle? Despite it having been so many years, you haven’t accepted any new shows.”

Ruan Yesheng didn’t reply.

Xi Mo continued, “Many years ago, when the best actress of the school was waiting to film her new show, she went back to her old school to pick new people for this new show. The people who auditioned for it swarmed into this school. When you saw her, you also said that you would be the best actress in the future.”

Ruan Yesheng was stunned.

After a while, she spoke with a little embarrassment,“You actually remembered. Right, you were definitely standing beside me back then.

How many years has it been.

Youth was the hardest to keep. Everything had changed.

She only the tiniest amount of hope left in her. She’d hidden it carefully in the deepest part of heart, and made sure to keep on protecting it until it couldn’t be seen anymore.

“It’d be quite hard to forget such shameless words even if I wanted to.” Xi Mo sneered. “However, what was even more shameful was that you forcefully dragged me by your side.”

Ruan Yesheng laughed. “If I hadn’t dragged you along, you would’ve been pushed away by all those people. You always look at others like they owe you a few million dollars. Back then, your bodyguards were also by your side. That social circle of yours wasn’t very big back then. Who else could I drag along but you?”

After pausing for a moment, she continued, “And now, you’ve already managed to become the best actress. Meanwhile, look at me. I’m nothing.” The feeling of being unable to match Xi Mo was hidden in her voice.

Seeing that she’d taken the bait, Xi Mo said very indifferently, “That’s why I can help you now. If you agree, I can help you enter the entertainment circle again. When you return to your body, you can continue in it again. As long as you agree to my request, there won’t be any issue with the interview on Director Lin’s side; the role is already in my pocket.”

Her confidence didn’t only stem from her confidence in her acting skills; it also stemmed from her confidence as an investor in the film. Previously, she’d paid for the promised role of the main female lead. She had people, money, and a golden thigh. In this circle, everyone looked at these things. It wasn’t difficult for her to arrange a few roles.

Ruan Yesheng shyly said, “The pattern of your words sounds very familiar. In fact, it seems like many people have said this sort of thing before? Are you going to secretly control me?”

After enduring for so long, Xi Mo’s heart finally exploded as she was rendered speechless.

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Footnotes:

[1]Oho – This isn’t literally oho. It’s kind of like the Chinese version of “desu yo” but more cringe.

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