V1: Chapter 83: Tentacle Girl, You Always Ruin Your Own Beauty

Having learned the truth last night, Liang Lin now felt a little embarrassed and awkward looking at Liang Di. Her expression was somewhat dazed, so when Liang Di held up a spoon to feed her, she blankly opened her mouth and subconsciously took the food.

(ー△ー；)

Chew, chew, chew.

Hmm?

(;ﾟДﾟ)!

Suddenly realizing something was wrong.

She was wearing a collar around her neck and kneeling on the bed, being fed. Ugh, what's the difference between her and a pet dog?!

"Wait, I can eat by myself, don't feed me." Liang Lin pushed away the hand that was about to continue feeding her, grabbed the bowl herself, "I have hands and feet, I can eat by myself."

Oh~

"Liang Lin's dazed look just now was so cute~" Little hearts appeared in Liang Di's eyes.

"...Ugh."

Goosebumps rose all over Liang Lin body, and she felt incredibly uncomfortable. Liang Di was staring at her like a lovesick fool.

Hiss~

"Then, Sister Liang Lin, can you feed me a bite~?" Liang Di suddenly squatted down, her little hands gripping the edge of the bed, her face flushed, her eyes sparkling with anticipation, revealing the endless longing deep within her heart.

Uh...

Oh dear, the little stars in this girl's eyes are practically jumping onto Liang Lin's face! Liang Lin turned her head away, her mouth forming a triangular shape, her eyes dead fish-like.

Damn it, I'm so worried I'll be crushed to death by this overwhelming expectation.

Oh well.

This girl is already so pitiful, what's wrong with feeding her a bite? What, will it make the baby in my belly jump out a few months early?

In a sense, Liang Lin is a master of prediction.

Liang Lin's fingers stiffened as she scooped up a mouthful of porridge. Embarrassed to look at Liang Di, she poked randomly, accidentally poking the other's chin. In the end, Liang Di had to use her mouth to find the spoon and manage to eat the porridge.

The porridge was all over Liang Di's face.

"Uh, sorry, I've never fed anyone before."

Looking at the other's slightly comical face, the culprit, Liang Lin, couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Liang Lin laughed, and Liang Di laughed foolishly along with her.

"Well, your first time feeding me was also the first time I've been fed by someone else, it's both of our firsts! I'm so happy~"

"..."

Liang Lin's laughter stopped.

Damn it.

Can you please stop giving me this terrible feeling?! I really do feel a tiny bit guilty!

Looking at the girl's clear smile, Liang Lin calmed down. She wanted to have a serious talk with Liang Di.

“Liang Di, I want to have a serious talk with you.”

“Talk about what, Sister?”

Liang Di sat down on the edge of the bed.

“We shouldn’t be like this.... perhaps.”

Liang Lin wanted to have a serious talk with her, but after hearing just the first sentence, Liang Di stood up.

“Sister, this is all we can do between us.”

Liang Di knew in her heart that she had gone this far, even getting Liang Lin pregnant. The rift between them had been created, and there was no going back.

Like a shattered mirror, it could not be put back together. Even if it were pieced back together, the remaining cracks would remind them that their relationship was beyond repair.

“You don’t need to say anything more. I know what you’re going to say next, but this is my choice, and it’s your choice too.”

Liang Di gave a bitter smile.

“Sister, I also want to get along well, but if I let you go, you’ll abort your child with me. You don’t trust me, and I don’t trust you.”

“.....”

Liang Di was right.

Liang Lin was speechless; the two couldn’t continue talking.

Liang Di was right. If she let her go, gave her freedom, she would definitely have the thought of aborting the child again and then run away. Perhaps after a while, she would recover her emotions and come back. Maybe she could cross paths with Liang Di, perhaps they would continue their love-hate relationship, or perhaps they would become strangers. Or perhaps she would never come back.

“Sister Liang Lin, we just need to enjoy the present.” Liang Di rested her head on the other’s lap, comfortably placing her hands on her chest, revealing a happy smile.

But only you was enjoying the present.

Liang Lin was suffering, in pain, not knowing what to do, unable to hate, unable to love.

The girl before her—she had made promises, felt a flutter of the heart, liked, but also hated and resented—this complex mix of emotions left Liang Lin unsure how to face her.

Liang Di pointed to the teddy bear doll beside the bed.

“Sister, when you were little, you carved a teddy bear for me with a knife, so I assumed you liked teddy bears~ Do you like teddy bears? If not, I’ll give you another doll next time.”

Liang Di said, pulling a well-preserved wooden teddy bear from her clothes, holding it in her palm like a proud child, showing it to Liang Lin.

“Look, this is it, I’ve preserved it exceptionally well!”

Liang Lin took the small, cute wooden teddy bear from the other girl’s hand, carefully holding it between her index finger and thumb, examining it closely.

The carving was crude and childish, crooked and uneven, even appalling.

She managed to preserve something she couldn't even remember so well, even covering it with a layer of shiny glue.

"It's so ugly."

Liang Lin gently placed the wooden bear back into Liang Di's hands, complaining and awkwardly saying, "Get me another knife and some wood, I'll make you a new one. This is too ugly; I'd be ashamed if you told others I made it."

Liang Di's eyes sparkled with joy. She was overjoyed and nearly fell off the bed. Liang Lin was startled and reached out to grab her, catching her slender arm. Liang Lin then realized how thin Liang Di was; her wrist looked like it would break with the slightest bend.

"Yay~ Sister Liang Lin, I'll go get you the knife and wood right now!"

Liang Di skipped and hopped like a little rabbit.

Sigh.

If only things could always be like this, if only so many things hadn't happened between them. Liang Lin watched Liang Di's retreating figure.

Soon, Liang Di returned, carrying a piece of wood and a delicate little knife.

I don't know where this little guy got it from, her face is all dusty and dirty. Now, the little white rabbit has turned into a little tabby cat.

"Here~"

Liang Di handed the things in her hand to Liang Lin.

Liang Lin took the wood and the knife, squatted down, completely oblivious to the fact that she was wearing a nightgown, utterly unconcerned about her appearance.

Fortunately, Liang Di's attention was also focused on the wood, and she didn't notice Liang Lin's unintentional seduction.

After a lot of effort, Liang Lin looked at the wooden bear she had just carved, then at the wooden bear she had carved when she was a child, and fell into deep thought.

They looked almost identical...

At this moment, Liang Di spoke up.

"Wow~ Sister Liang Lin, you're so amazing! You actually perfectly replicated one of your old wooden bears!"

This flattery landed squarely on Liang Lin's back, and her face turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

But then, Liang Di snatched the wooden teddy bear from Liang Lin's hands, clutching it to her chest as if it were a precious treasure. Then, she pouted and quickly kissed Liang Lin's cheek.

Huh!

Caught off guard, Liang Lin hadn't even reacted. She covered the spot where she'd been kissed with her hand, staring dumbfounded at the girl opposite her.

"Now I have two wooden teddy bears, both carved by Sister Liang Lin!"

She cheered excitedly.

Her smile was like the rising sun, gently bathing everything around her, warming everyone's heart. Her red lips curved slightly, revealing a faint smile, like a budding flower, beautiful and reserved.

However, only after understanding her true nature could one know how dark and cruel she was. The trauma of her childhood could not be erased, and it was the culprit that led to her twisted personality.

Most bad seeds are not born that way, but rather are formed by their environment.

The girl before her always seemed so beautiful.

Liang Lin stared blankly. She loved beautiful things because she felt that someone like her, with hands stained with blood, was not beautiful.

Liang Di always seemed to unintentionally and precisely strike at what moved Liang Lin, only to then destroy and erase that feeling with her own hands.

Besides sighing and lamenting, Liang Lin had no other recourse.

Liang Di carefully put the two wooden bears into her pocket, then looked up to see Liang Lin still covering her face, staring blankly at her. Liang Di felt a little embarrassed and touched her cheek.

"What's wrong? Is there something on my face?"

"No, it's nothing."

Liang Lin lowered her hands and sat back down on the bed.

The atmosphere was somewhat awkward.

Liang Lin picked up a teddy bear and hugged it to her chest.

"Hmm, the teddy bear is indeed quite cute, but it's not suitable for me. I don't like this kind of cute; I prefer a tall, powerful, wild brown bear."

If Liang Lin could foresee the future and know that Liang Di would later catch her a brown bear as an anniversary gift because of this, she would never have said such a thing today.

Of course, that's a story for later.

"Oh~"

Liang Di nodded thoughtfully.

This day was probably the most peaceful day they had ever had. For the first time ever, they didn't have any conflicts, arguments, or hurt each other.

Liang Di felt truly happy today.

But happiness is so fleeting.

That night, she snuggled into Liang Lin's arms, her feelings complicated. Suddenly, Liang Lin pushed Liang Di away, stumbling as she tried to get out of bed, but before she could even get out, just as she sat up…

"Ugh..."

She vomited, vomiting beside the bed.

Tears welled up instantly, perhaps from shame, or perhaps from the discomfort of vomiting.

Liang Di, standing beside her, was stunned, only able to gently pat Liang Lin's back, comforting her, "It's okay, sister, it's okay, I'll help you clean up, don't be afraid... Sister, are you still feeling unwell? I, I'll get you a glass of water."

Liang Di frantically poured water for Liang Lin, patted her back, and without any disgust, cleaned up the vomit, gently comforting her. Finally, she hugged Liang Lin from behind.

"I'm sorry..."

She was sorry for making Liang Lin suffer so much, sorry for making Liang Lin endure this pain during her pregnancy. She didn't want Liang Lin to suffer like this.

The three words "I'm sorry" were spoken with resounding force, and Liang Lin was stunned. She longed for Liang Di's apology.

She didn't know when it started, but Liang Lin had changed. She was no longer the spoiled heiress she once was, nor the cold-blooded marquis on the battlefield.

Perhaps… it was because she had become a mother; she had become sentimental.

Liang Lin gently clutched her stomach. Was the little one inside her resenting her for wanting to abort her, for wanting to abandon her, and that's why it was tormenting her like this?

She felt… more and more reluctant.

How hateful and pathetic!

The smell of vomit was unpleasant. Liang Lin frowned in disgust, pinching her nose, a strange anger rising within her. If Liang Di hadn't gotten her pregnant, she wouldn't be suffering like this.

"So annoying! You keep walking back and forth, it's so annoying!" Liang Lin blurted out, her anger turning to her own.

Liang Di looked aggrieved but didn't dare utter a sound. "Then, then I'll walk more quietly."

Well, everyone who mocks others for being henpecked ends up being henpecked themselves.

So, inside the room, Liang Di began to tiptoe, like a thief.

"Can you hurry up and clean up? This smell is really awful," Liang Lin continued her tantrum.

Well, given her current volatile temper, even a passing dog would probably get kicked a couple of times.

Liang Di had done her homework beforehand; she knew that pregnant women's emotions can fluctuate. Therefore, no matter how much Liang Lin threw a tantrum or hit her, she wouldn't be satisfied. She also knew that this was what she deserved, and what she should bear as a responsibility.

The two girls tossed and turned until late into the night before finally going back to bed.

The bed was covered with clean, new bedding, and on the table sat an expensive aromatherapy diffuser. Finally, Liang Di even brought out some sugar water and fed it to Liang Lin.

She'd been running around, going up and down the stairs eight or nine times, not to mention tending to Liang Lin.

After all that fuss, Liang Lin finally got sleepy, her eyelids heavy, and she drifted off to sleep.

But Liang Di couldn't sleep. She knew that tomorrow, Octaville and Hilary would be arriving, and her happy days with Liang Lin would be over.

The next day.

When Liang Lin woke up, she found the bed beside her ice-cold. It seemed Liang Di had been gone for a very long time. She hadn't even asked for a good morning kiss this morning, nor had she lingered there.

How strange! Could something have happened at the shop?

Liang Lin speculated wildly.

Meanwhile, Liang Di...

"What did you say?!"

Hilary jumped to her feet.

"You said Liang Lin ran away and isn't at Langwendi's house?!"

Liang Di nodded, feigning guilt.

"It's like this... I'm sorry, Sister."

Hilary took a deep breath. "Why did you only tell us now? Why didn't you tell us sooner?"

"I thought... I could find her with my abilities, but I didn't expect that even after I sent people to search for so long, we still couldn't find her."

Liang Di lowered her head, her voice trembling with tears.

"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have argued with her that day, I shouldn't have forced a kiss on her. It's all because I was too hasty, too fond of her, so..."

"Stop!"

Hilary waved her hand.

"Liang Di, now is not the time for self-blame. The most important thing now is to find Liang Lin as soon as possible. You said she's been missing for over a week, right?"

"Yes..."

Hilary felt a surge of anger, wanting to let it out, but looking at Liang Di's pitiful expression, she didn't know how to vent her anger.

Liang Lin was forcibly kissed, then became enraged, argued, couldn't beat Liang Di, and ran away—this kind of thing could indeed happen to her. Hilary knew her brot–, her sister; the child's personality was indeed quite impulsive.

"Have you searched all around?"

Liang Di nodded.

Hilary sighed heavily. Octaville stood up, put her arm around Hilary's shoulder, and comforted her, "Baby, don't worry too much. With Liang Lin's strength, she won't be bullied no matter how long she stays outside (she might even bully others). Besides, she should have a lot of valuables; she won't go hungry."

"That's true..."

However, Hilary hadn't seen Liang Lin for over a year. Before Liang Lin died on the battlefield, the two of them hadn't seen each other for several months.

Family members do miss each other, especially sisters who are so close.

"But, Fu, I've been looking forward to this day for so, so long..."

The forbidden reincarnation technique had severe side effects. Normally, the two souls transferred, along with the older sister Hilary who acted as the medium, would suffer severe physical pain for six months.

However, the pain could be transferred.

In the first place, the pain would normally be shared equally among the three, but Hilary said, "Fu, I'll bear the pain alone. I don't want to see my brother suffer, nor do I want to see the real Liang Lin suffer. She sacrificed herself for my brother; I can't let her suffer undeserved pain."

Thus, Hilary endured the pain of three people alone.

This physical pain was internal and external, lasting three to four hours each day. Sometimes it felt like a fire was burning inside her body, sometimes she felt ice-cold, as if she were in an ice cellar, and sometimes she even felt like she was about to explode, her skin becoming red and swollen.

Octaville, though heartbroken for her lover, didn't stop her. She knew that making Liang Lin suffer would break Hilary's heart, while making the original Liang Lin suffer would make Hilary feel guilty.

Ultimately, it was Hilary who bore the brunt of the forbidden magic's side effects.

Now, Octaville wanted to complain to Liang Di, but looking into Liang Di's large, sapphire-blue eyes, she was speechless—or rather, she didn't know what to say.

She felt that Liang Di wasn't entirely wrong.

"Liang Di, send people to search again. She might be hiding in someone's house, or staying in some small inn, or in a slum."

"Okay..."

Liang Di called over Bellica and Gladys. "You two take people and search again, the sooner the better. Search every place, including the surrounding cities."

After Gladys and Bellica left, only Laura remained standing behind Liang Di in the room. Of course, Liang Di didn't trust Laura.

"Liang Di, Liang Lin ran away just because you forcibly kissed her, plus you argued, and then you fought. She couldn't beat you, so she ran away?"

While this reason sounded plausible, Hilary's intuition told her there was more to it than what Liang Di made it out to be.

Liang Di tilted her head, pretending to think.

"Hmm... maybe it's because I was too harsh."

"What did you say?"

"I said she's a good-for-nothing who can't do anything except fight. I told her to marry me and be a full-time housewife, and then she got really, really angry, and we fought. I think I said other things to her in the middle, but I can't remember them."

Hilary nodded thoughtfully. "Hmm, you were definitely harsh."

Octaville couldn't get a word in edgewise and could only watch anxiously from the sidelines.

“Once we find Liang Lin, we’ll have a proper talk about you and her.”

“Me and her…?”

Hilary nodded.

“Yes, don’t you like her? We can all tell. Let’s talk about this and see… Liang Lin’s opinion.”

Liang Di blinked twice.

“Hmm? What’s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?”

Hilary approached Liang Di.

“I think you’re excellent in every way. I’d be happy if you were my sister-in-law. Liang Di, most people don’t catch my eye. You are… oh no, Fu was the first, you’re the second.”

This…

Liang Di felt suffocated, utterly devastated. Suddenly, she felt like all her previous efforts had been in vain.

From Hilary’s tone, it seemed she wanted to match her with Liang Lin, but… thinking of Liang Lin still locked up in the basement, Liang Di shook her head violently. It was too late to regret it now.

As she said before, let's keep it a secret for as long as possible.

Liang Di's mind is mostly elsewhere, not on the Langwendi family business.

"Oh, right!"

Octaville, who hadn't spoken until now, suddenly slapped her forehead, as if waking from a dream, and exclaimed in annoyance, "Oh dear, we can use the magic crystal to locate her! Even though we don't know her exact location and can't talk to her, we can see Liang Lin's surroundings! That would make it easier to determine where she is."

Ah, right.

Hilary patted Octaville's shoulder, "Why didn't you say so sooner? I completely forgot about it."

After saying that, Hilary paused, her suspicious gaze gradually shifting to the girl behind her.

"Liang Di, I remember you can use a magic crystal, right?"

Oh no!

I forgot about that!

Fortunately, Hilary and Octaville didn't know that she was carrying a small magic crystal, so she could probably play dumb.

"Ah!"

Liang Di feigned a startled awakening, pounding her head in frustration.

"I haven't used magic in ages, I completely forgot about it, and I don't have a magic crystal ball with me, so... oh dear, I, I really..."

Liang Di collapsed, crouching down and tearing at her hair. Her acting was as good as ever.

"..."

Something felt off, but Hilary couldn't quite put her finger on it. Fortunately, she wasn't in the mood to think about it; she was more concerned about where her sister was, so she urged Octaville to return to the magic tower to retrieve the magic crystal ball.

After Octaville returned with the magic circle, the three of them gathered around the magic crystal ball, intently watching the image within. Octaville muttered incantations, but after a long time, the magic crystal ball remained gray, and no image appeared.

“This doesn’t make sense…” Octaville’s eyebrows furrowed into a knot. “Normally, there should be a picture by now, why is it just a gray blur?”

Hilary also frowned.

Liang Di pretended to push the two aside. “Let me try.”

Of course, the result was the same: nothing was inside the magic crystal.

Octaville tried twice more, her frown deepening. She hesitated for a moment, then her eyes widened suddenly. “Oh no, could Liang Lin have encountered some other unscrupulous magician?”

“Huh?”

Liang Di spoke before Hilary could, “What do you mean?”

“It’s… otherwise, I couldn’t possibly not see Liang Lin inside the magic crystal. Someone must have used interference magic to trap Liang Lin somewhere, drawing a magic circle around her to interfere with the magic crystal.”

She was right, but the “unscrupulous magician” she was talking about was standing right in front of her, feigning innocence.

Hearing this, Hilary’s mind went blank.

Knowing Liang Lin, that child is so reckless, and has never had any dealings or sparring with magicians before. She'll definitely suffer a loss on her first try. So, it's quite possible she's been trapped somewhere by a wicked magician and can't get out.

Liang Di breathed a sigh of relief, but outwardly she shared their anxiety, blaming herself, "It's all my fault. If I hadn't argued with her that day, and hadn't said those insulting things, she wouldn't have been in danger... I really am. I'm sorry, I'm a monster, I'm so upset, but I can't even cry."

She was talking to herself, because Hilary was in a state of turmoil and couldn't hear a word. She grabbed Octaville's collar, "Fu, you're one of the better magicians now, can't you dispel that interference magic?"

Octaville looked troubled, "I tried just now, but..."

"This magician is quite strong. Although I'm sure I could definitely defeat her, but... I'm not very good at dispelling magic."

Hilary felt dizzy, her body swaying slightly. Octaville quickly reached out and hugged her lover's waist.

"Then... what should we do?" Hilary placed her hand on her forehead.

Octaville pondered for a moment.

“In the commoners’ district, I know a magician who is very skilled in this area; he was also my mentor for a time… I should ask him; he should have a solution.”

“However…” Octaville clicked her tongue, her teeth aching, “He was expelled from the Magic Tower by many magicians; I don’t know if he would be able to help us.”