After Transmigrating, I Joined a Dating Show with the Fake Heiress Actress - Chapter 12

Why are they arguing again?

Su Qingwan sighed and pressed a hand to her forehead, glancing back and forth between Bai Man and Yu Meng before deciding to play it safe and remain silent. Just as she shifted her feet, Yu Meng suddenly stood up and grabbed her wrist, pulling her to the back row and seating her on the opposite side from Bai Man before she could even protest.

Su Qingwan stared blankly at her arm, still held in Yu Meng’s grip, her heart skipping a beat.

When she caught a glimpse of Bai Man’s nearly perfect profile and expressionless face in her peripheral vision, her heart skipped another beat, and an inexplicable panic surged through her.

She quickly averted her gaze, turning to look out the window.

Once her panic subsided somewhat, she belatedly remembered the message Mother Bai had sent her.

She turned to Yu Meng, knowing her anger hadn’t fully dissipated, and cautiously ventured, “I need to go out for a bit.”

Yu Meng’s brow immediately furrowed. “What for?”

Su Qingwan swallowed hard, lowering her eyes. “To talk to Bai Man about something.”

Yu Meng’s anger flared up instantly, tinged with disbelief. “Qingwan, are you out of your mind? Hasn’t Bai Man humiliated you enough since the show started?” She glared at Bai Man and scoffed, “She came on this show just to smear your reputation.”

Her voice carried clearly, not only reaching Bai Man but also most of the seated guests.

In truth, after Bai Man’s earlier accusations against Su Qingwan, everyone knew she harbored deep malice toward her. Most people would have retaliated against such hostility, but Su Qingwan hadn’t.

Not only that, but when Bai Man fell, Su Qingwan had even reached out to help her up.

The guests, all shrewd observers, immediately understood that the relationship between Su Qingwan and Bai Man was far more complex than it seemed. This was precisely why they hesitated to intervene, fearing they’d get caught in the crossfire.

Understanding something in their hearts was one thing; voicing it openly was another. The atmosphere in the car grew heavy and silent.

Just as the other guests and even viewers watching the live stream braced themselves for Bai Man to erupt in a tantrum, Bai Man herself remained remarkably calm. “So what if she did? What’s it to you?”

Bai Man turned her gaze to Su Qingwan. “What do you say?”

Bai Man and Yu Meng’s eyes simultaneously fixed on Su Qingwan, making her feel like she was sitting on pins and needles. Resentment welled up in her heart.

Not again, she thought. She’s putting me in this impossible position again.

As soon as the thought surfaced, another voice in her mind countered: Wake up! How could Bai Man ever truly forgive and forget? If you were in her shoes, could you do it?

No, she couldn’t.

Unbeknownst to her, Yu Meng interpreted her silence as fear.

Yu Meng released Su Qingwan’s wrist and slowly reached out to take her hand. “Don’t worry,” she said. “I promised I wouldn’t let her hurt you.”

Feeling the coldness of Yu Meng’s fingertips, Su Qingwan snapped out of her thoughts. She instinctively pulled her hand away, avoiding Yu Meng’s touch. “This… this is between me and her.”

Her voice was soft, yet it struck Yu Meng like a thunderclap.

Yu Meng stared at her in disbelief. Wasn’t this just confirming Bai Man’s claim that she was meddling?

Bai Man, however, was pleased by the response. She smirked. “Best Actress Yu, are you satisfied with that answer?”

Stay calm, Yu Meng repeatedly told herself.

Yet she couldn’t suppress the fury burning within her. Her hands clenched at her sides, her jaw trembled slightly as her lips parted.

Su Qingwan, sitting beside her, sensed Yu Meng’s anger. Her heart clenched, and she stammered, “I-I didn’t mean it that way. I-I just owe—”

“Stop,” Yu Meng cut her off, unable to bear another word. Her face burned as she abruptly stood up and strode forward.

What was she still doing here? Waiting for Bai Man to humiliate her further?

Seeing this, the other guests quickly averted their gazes, focusing on their own thoughts.

Su Qingwan watched Yu Meng’s retreating figure with remorse. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words caught in her throat.

Glancing sideways at Bai Man, who leaned casually against the backrest, Su Qingwan couldn’t help but voice a hint of resentment: “Are you satisfied now?”

“Feeling wronged?” Bai Man tilted her head, her misty eyes meeting Su Qingwan’s. “Think carefully. Is this grievance really my doing?”

Su Qingwan froze for a moment. Bai Man’s words, while putting her in an impossible position, hadn’t actually crossed any lines.

But Yu Meng had acted out of genuine concern…

Bai Man fell silent again, closing her eyes.

She disdained resorting to underhanded tactics against her opponents. Even after accepting the System’s mission, she had merely used a bit of provocation to expose Yu Meng’s true nature, since she had no personal conflict with her.

But now things were different. Yu Meng had repeatedly stepped on her triggers, leaving her no choice but to employ certain necessary measures.

Unaware that the conflict between Bai Man and Yu Meng had just begun, Su Qingwan calmed herself and shifted closer to Bai Man. She awkwardly said, “Mom—” realizing her mistake, she quickly corrected herself, “Auntie is worried about you. She asked you to call her back.”

When Bai Man didn’t respond, she continued, “She’s genuinely concerned about you. If you had replied to her messages, she wouldn’t have contacted me. Please don’t overthink it.” She lowered her gaze. “She was just desperate, that’s why she reached out to me. We don’t usually communicate. If you don’t believe me, you can check my phone.” With that, she offered her phone to Bai Man.

She knew Bai Man had always resented her contacting Father Bai and Mother Xu. Over the years, whenever she missed them, she would stake out the Hengjie Garment Factory from a distance. If she was lucky, she might catch a glimpse of both Father Bai and Mother Xu.

While packing her luggage, she received a call from Mother Xu, feeling both excited and apprehensive.

Excited because she could hear Mother Xu’s voice again, but apprehensive because she knew Bai Man would inevitably throw a tantrum if she found out they were in contact.

As a child, Mother Xu had left her in the countryside to help Father Bai start their business. Mother Xu had always felt guilty about this. Once the business stabilized, she brought her to the city and showered her with the best things in the world, trying to compensate for those lost years.

Mother Xu had missed Bai Man’s entire eighteen years, and her guilt must have been even deeper. That’s why she never blamed Mother Xu or Father Bai for not contacting her. She always remembered the love and care they had given her during those years.

Bai Man opened her eyes, glanced at the phone Su Qingwan was holding out, and turned her back.

This only made Su Qingwan more anxious.

As Su Qingwan stood there, at a loss for words, Bai Man’s voice drifted softly from behind her: “Tell her I’m fine. No need to worry.”

Had Su Qingwan been facing Bai Man, she would have seen the complex emotions swirling in her round eyes.

Bai Man could face anyone with composure, but she couldn’t bring herself to confront the concern Xu Mengjie’s words conveyed.

Was she afraid Xu Mengjie would notice the differences between her and the original Bai Man, leading to unnecessary trouble?

No, what she feared more was Xu Mengjie’s questioning and the disappointment of discovering she wasn’t the person she thought she was.

That maternal love, overflowing with care and protection, was something Bai Man had yearned for for years, yet never received.

A bitter smile tugged at her lips as she thought of this.

Behind her, Su Qingwan was startled by Bai Man’s words.

She mentally analyzed them repeatedly, confirming that Bai Man hadn’t spoken out of pique.

She should have felt relieved, but her heart was filled with unease. She feared this was the calm before the storm.

She wanted to ask Bai Man something, but sensing the “Keep Away” aura radiating from her, she swallowed her words and nervously swiped her phone screen, sending a message to Xu Mengjie.

To reassure Xu Mengjie, she secretly took a photo of Bai Man.

After sending the photo, her gaze remained fixed on the message box. For some reason, she sensed a profound loneliness in this image that didn’t even show Bai Man’s face.

This realization filled her with unease. The Bai Man she remembered was flamboyant, arrogant, and even contemptuous toward her as the “fake heiress.” How could someone like that possibly be lonely?

Moments later, Xu Mengjie’s reply arrived:

Wanwan, thank you.

Wanwan, don’t blame her. If you must blame someone, blame me. It’s because your father and I failed to provide her with enough security, leaving her anxious and insecure.

As Su Qingwan read these words, a deafening roar filled her ears, and her heart swelled with bitterness and heartache.

Having composed herself, Bai Man shifted slightly. Catching Su Qingwan’s dejected, downcast gaze in her peripheral vision, she immediately turned back.