Chapter 14: The Most Difficult To Hold On To Is Youth
This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
On the other end of the phone, Ruan Yesheng remained silent for a while.
Xi Mo's tone was not up for discussion but rather a straightforward arrangement, because her intention was clear. Before speaking these words, she had already anticipated Ruan Yesheng's response.
Ruan Yesheng didn't answer.
Xi Mo spoke righteously, "I want to remind you of something. A person's actions and words are controlled by their mind, thoughts, or rather, their soul. What the soul desires, the body naturally follows. When the brain gives the command to drink water, the hand immediately picks up the glass. In other words, now I want you, Ruan Yesheng, to audition for the new play. Does it mean that my body needs to follow this intention and handle it accordingly? However, my situation is a bit special as my body is not with me. So, I believe that for now, you have temporary control over my body, and it is necessary and your duty to handle things on my behalf."
Upon first hearing, Xi Mo's words seemed to be logically structured, supported by scientific reasoning. However, in reality, they were a series of fallacious arguments. After all, she had been pampered since childhood and had enjoyed a smooth path to success. Even without presenting lofty justifications, most of the time her desires were easily fulfilled.
Hearing Xi Mo's explanation, Ruan Yesheng finally spoke: "So, that means you are the queen of your body, possessing supreme authority to give commands, while I am now acting as the regent, temporarily responsible for handling affairs on your behalf? If you want Ruan Yesheng to go for the audition, I must go and find Lu Qingming."
This line of thinking was indeed peculiar, and to Xi Mo's surprise, Ruan Yesheng's metaphor actually had some intriguing implications. Though it was strange, compared to body swapping, there was nothing else in this world that could be considered truly strange.
Ruan Yesheng chuckled: "But I've heard that regents of all dynasties were often involved in rebellions, you know."
"Xi Mo sneered: "Are you planning a rebellion? Well, I have your body as a hostage." As she engaged in a verbal battle with Ruan Yesheng, she felt both ashamed and infuriated by the childish argument. It seemed that after falling into this pit, her level of discourse had plummeted to an unimaginable depth, just like Ruan Yesheng's established impression in her mind.
This translation is originally posted on https://love4baihe.blogspot.com please read it there. and check out other stories too.
"Oh, Your Majesty the Queen, I'm trembling in fear." Ruan Yesheng said: "Alright, I admit the absolute command of the soul over the body and firmly support it. Now, here's the question: if you hold absolute command over your body, and I act as the executor of that power on your behalf, with my body being in your possession, should you also be steadfast in controlling and executing actions for me?"
Xi Mo suddenly felt uneasy.
Because, based on her experience, Ruan Yesheng had no boundaries.
True to her nature, Ruan Yesheng coldly stated: "Undress."
Xi Mo: "..."
This woman truly has no boundaries! It seems her conscience and boundaries have been completely devoured by a dog!
Ruan Yesheng repeated over the phone: "I, Ruan Yesheng, now want my body to undress. Xi Mo, according to your previous statement, since you are residing in my shell, should you not follow through with the execution? Don't have double standards."
Xi Mo: ".."
Oh, you're still oh! Disgusting!
Xi Mo said: "Fine, I'll undress."
Ruan Yesheng said, "You can claim that you undressed even if you didn't. I can't see it anyway."
Xi Mo: "..."
Look! Keep looking! Pervert!
Xi Mo felt an intense agitation, as if she could slap Ruan Yesheng in the face. However, she remained composed on the surface, unaffected, and casually said, "Alright, turn on the video."
Ruan Yesheng complied, seeing Xi Mo sitting upright on the sofa, with her newly acquired house as the background.
Xi Mo held the phone with one hand and reached towards her collar with the other. Today, she was wearing a fitted shirt, and Ruan Yesheng's alluring figure made anything she wore look unbelievably stunning. But now, with Xi Mo's adjustments, she became even more remarkable.
"I will obey your command."
Xi Mo said indifferently as she unbuttoned the first button, her fingers slowly descending to open the second button. It was like watching a delicate and restrained flower gradually unfold.
Eventually, even her collarbone emerged, playing peek-a-boo amidst this tantalizing layering.
Ruan Yesheng: "..."
Her long hair still had a slight curl, cascading over her shoulders. Her face was still her own, and her waist was still her own. Ruan Yesheng had seen her body countless times and was already intimately familiar with it. But now, as she looked, she realized that for a brief moment, she wasn't seeing herself.
Xi Mo had gained control over her body. Xi Mo's soul resided within her.
Consequently, her body began to subtly adopt Xi Mo's traits. Despite frequently accusing her of being pretentious, Xi Mo's external demeanor was indeed distant and aloof, always superior. This, in turn, affected her own eyes, which now held an unexpected sense of unfamiliarity, influenced by Xi Mo's presence.
In that moment, it felt as if an endless tranquil ink color had settled there, with only a faint sheen of ink shimmering at its deepest point. This visual trance almost caused Ruan Yesheng to lose her composure, to the point where she almost forgot about her own body, and images of Xi Mo's former appearance rushed into her mind.
Time seemed to flow backward, and memories remained still in the shadows of light and darkness.
The hazy daydreaming suddenly made Ruan Yesheng's cheeks flush, and her hands felt warm, as if the phone was continuously emitting heat.
Xi Mo's fingers rested on the third button and said, "However you want me to undress, I'll do it. I firmly support the right you have as the owner of this body."
Well, it's not me undressing, so it's not embarrassing for me.
She consoled herself, and the shame and awkwardness of witnessing someone else undress lessened. In fact, a subtle sense of teasing delight emerged.
Ruan Yesheng turned her cheek slightly, her voice sounding unnatural, "That's enough."
Xi Mo meticulously fastened the buttons back in place. "Did you also blush when you used to watch yourself undress while taking a shower?"
Ruan Yesheng: "..."
"Someone as narcissistic as you is quite rare."
Ruan Yesheng: "..."
She ended the video call and sat on the edge of the bed, speaking softly, "Since you put in so much effort to undress in line with your argument, it wouldn't be fair if I don't exercise this right to use your body. From now on, whatever you want to do, I'll do it for you. But let me tell you, it's my right to decide whether I want to accept your private arrangements. Just because you arrange for me to take on an acting role, how do you know if I'll agree?"
Xi Mo remembered the words Feng Tangtang had said to her in the car, and she retorted: "Don't you want to act? Don't you want to return to the entertainment industry? You haven't taken on any roles all these years."
Ruan Yesheng remained silent.
Xi Mo continued, "Many years ago, a renowned actress from our academy was preparing to shoot her own film and returned to our alma mater to audition for roles in her new movie. The audition room was packed with people. I remember you looking at her and saying that you would be a leading actress in the future."
Ruan Yesheng was taken aback.
After a moment, she awkwardly said, "I didn't expect you to remember that. By the way, you were indeed standing by my side back then."
Many years had passed.
The most difficult thing to hold onto is youth, and everything has changed.
But there remained a tiny glimmer of hope, carefully concealed in the deepest recesses, cradled and protected so that no one could see.
"With such shameless words, it's hard to forget," Xi Mo sneered. "Even more shameless is the fact that you insisted on keeping me by your side."
Ruan Yesheng smiled: "If I hadn't held onto you, I would have been swept away by those people. You always had that face that made everyone owe you millions, and you had bodyguards from your family by your side. No one dared to squeeze into your little circle. If I didn't hold onto you, then who would?"
She paused for a moment, her voice carrying a trace of elusive vulnerability. "And now, you've already become the movie queen, while I am nothing."
Xi Mo saw that she took the bait, so she calmly said, "That's why I can help you now. If you agree to my terms, I can temporarily take your place in the industry. When the time comes, we can switch back, and you can continue your path. As long as you agree to my requirements, there won't be any problems with the audition from Director Lin. This role is in your pocket."
Her certainty wasn't just confidence in her own acting skills; it also stemmed from her confidence as one of the film's investors. She had previously brought money into the production and agreeing to play the female lead. In this industry, people value money and thighs*, so arranging one or two roles was a small matter.
*connections
Ruan Yesheng coquettishly said: "This way of speaking sounds familiar. Many people have said it before. So, are you trying to take advantage of me?"
Xi Mo had been holding back for so long, and now, she finally exploded in her heart: "..."
