Chapter 19: This Is Not Madness, It's Pure Perversion!

Not for a single moment.

Xu Yunzhu understood Pei Qiaonian from the bottom of her heart.

She understood why he loathed his mother so deeply.

Why, when he looked at her, it was as if he were looking at a stranger.

The woman before her bore no trace of the former elegance, gentleness, or grace; all Xu Yunzhu sensed was an overwhelming suffocation.

It brought back many vague, half-remembered things.

Xu Yunzhu felt a dull ache in her head and reached up to steady herself.

Pei’s mother noticed her unease, paused in her rampage, and her gaze gradually cleared.

Looking at the chaotic room and her injured son, panic flashed in her eyes. She hurried over to tend to his wound. “Qiao, Qiao, Mama didn’t mean it. I just couldn’t control myself. Does it hurt? Let me get some medicine. I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I… I really didn’t want this.”

Xu Yunzhu was terrified.

Was this not a case of split personality?

The kind of madness that could, at any moment, turn violent.

Xu Yunzhu quickly pushed her away. “No, I’ll handle it myself. For now, let’s keep a safe distance. Don’t come near me.”

Pei’s mother stood frozen.

Xu Yunzhu’s voice softened, “Whether you agree or not, I’ll bring him back. I hope you can calm down.”

She watched, dazed, as Xu Yunzhu departed.

Clutching the marriage certificate as she left the Pei household, Xu Yunzhu finally felt alive again.

She slipped off her jacket and wiped the sweat from her brow.

How terrifying.

What kind of families were these?

Just thinking about having to deal with all of Pei Qiaonian’s relatives made her scalp tingle.

Aside from wealth, beauty, mansions, fancy cars, and servants, this body swap experience was worth nothing!

With her organized files in hand, Xu Yunzhu got out of the car.

Only then did Special Assistant Gao drive away, realizing he’d have to pick up his boss here tomorrow for work.

When she entered, Pei Qiaonian was already there.

He was watching videos with a blank expression, elbows on his knees, fingers tapping now and then to the rhythm.

Hearing her, he looked up. “You’re back.”

Then he caught sight of the scratch on Xu Yunzhu’s face, his eyes widening in surprise. “Did one of my enemies come after you?”

Her focus veered off entirely. “You have enemies?!”

Pei Qiaonian was perfectly calm. “Mm, quite a few. So, they caught you?”

Xu Yunzhu rolled her eyes in exasperation. “No, it was your mother who hit me. She threw a bottle at me! You’re the one who’s supposed to marry her son, yet I’m the one getting beaten! I thought your mother was the only one in the Pei family who loved you, but she’s crazy enough to turn violent. It’s terrifying.”

“Ouch, it really hurts.” Xu Yunzhu muttered, frowning and blowing on her scraped hand.

For some reason, the sight was oddly delicate.

Pei Qiaonian looked at her in silence.

Or rather, he was staring at his own overly delicate face…

He took a deep breath, realizing that no matter how much he reminded Xu Yunzhu, she’d still do as she pleased.

Seeing she was genuinely in pain, he let out a mocking laugh. “So fragile.”

Xu Yunzhu immediately glared at him.

Pei Qiaonian raised an eyebrow, his tone sharp. “Still dare to glare at me?”

She braced herself. “All these injuries are for you. I almost talked my mouth dry just to get you a proper status.”

He fell silent for a moment, feeling inexplicably uncomfortable, though he couldn’t say why.

He took a deep breath and turned away. “Wait here.”

Xu Yunzhu didn’t care where he was going, too busy tending to her wounded hand with care.

The injury was on his body, but the pain was in her heart!

The phrase had never felt so literal.

Pei Qiaonian returned with a first aid kit and sat beside her. “Give me your hand.”

Xu Yunzhu eyed him, finding it surreal—the madman himself tending her wounds.

He frowned impatiently. “Hurry up!”

She immediately offered her hand, whispering, “Be gentle…”

Pei Qiaonian took her hand. It was his first time applying medicine to his own body in such a way.

He looked up to see Xu Yunzhu’s round, fox-like eyes fixed intently on his hands, as if afraid he’d hurt her with the ointment.

Again, the word surfaced—adorable.

Why did he find his own face adorable?

There must be something wrong with him.

His mind wandered, and he pressed a little too hard.

Xu Yunzhu gasped as the scab tore open again. She looked at him in disbelief, tears welling in her eyes as she accused him, “You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”

He was a bit embarrassed, though he didn’t show it. Clearing his throat, he frowned, “Are you really that afraid of pain?”

Xu Yunzhu gritted her teeth.

So, he only cared if he was the one hurt, not her.

She sniffled. “I am, so you have to take good care of my body. Don’t let it get hurt. Otherwise, when we switch back, I’ll be heartbroken.”

He curled his lip, grumbling, “Fine.”

As he continued to tend her wound, he lowered his gaze and said, “If you see my mother again, just ignore her. She’s not right in the head.”

“Ah?” Xu Yunzhu looked up from her wound.

Pei Qiaonian dabbed on the ointment, giving her a slight, humorless smile. “She’s mentally ill. If you don’t want to get hurt, stay away from her. The more attention you give her, the worse she gets. She threw bottles at you this time—next time, she won’t hesitate to use a knife.”

Xu Yunzhu swallowed hard.

Good heavens.

She recalled how, after waking up in the hospital, Pei’s mother had seemed so anxious and caring.

That couldn’t have been an act.

“Surely… it can’t be that bad,” she said, without much conviction. “I could feel that she loves you…”

Pei Qiaonian packed up the first aid kit, giving her a wry smile. “Try it if you don’t believe me. See if I’m lying.”

Xu Yunzhu quickly waved her hands. “No need, I’ll stay away.”

Her timidity amused Pei Qiaonian, the corners of his eyes curving with laughter. “Love and stabbing aren’t mutually exclusive. You can think of it this way: because she loves too much, her reactions become extreme. To someone like her, everything she does is forgivable.”

That’s not mental illness—that’s pure psychosis!

Xu Yunzhu shuddered instinctively and shot him a displeased look. “Can you not say such terrifying things with a smile? Tomorrow, you’re coming home with me to deal with your own family.”

Pei Qiaonian agreed. “Alright.”

After putting away the first aid kit, he placed his phone in front of Xu Yunzhu, looking annoyed. “Your manager gave this to me. She wants me to learn it and go to your washed-up girl group’s event, but I still can’t figure it out. What should I do?”

Xu Yunzhu immediately perked up.

Dancing!

Her comfort zone!

She eagerly grabbed her phone, patted his shoulder, and said, “Come on, I’ll improvise a routine for you.”

Pei Qiaonian looked up at his own 188-centimeter frame, already twisting to the music, and fell into a deep silence.