After Transmigrating, I Married the Male Lead’s Sister (GL) - Chapter 46
August was still hot, and people didn’t wear much. Qin Qing had her hair tied up high in a ponytail, swaying behind her. Her slender figure seemed to be right in front of Li Suimei’s eyes.
Li Suimei rubbed her wrist and put down her pen. On the drawing paper on the desk in front of her was a striking sketch of a slender back.
With a deft stroke, Li Suimei wrote Qin Qing’s measurements next to it.
Even among models, few could compare to Qin Qing’s figure—slender yet curvaceous, full but not bulky, a truly perfect body.
When her pen traced the side profile, passing over the curves, Li Suimei lightly pressed her brow and recalled the clothes Qin Qing usually wore. They were all very fitted, and usually, her waist and chest weren’t very noticeable. They could only be glimpsed when she moved.
“Hmm…” Li Suimei pondered, unsure whether she should draw this part more rounded or slightly restrained.
She decided to draw the face first. Li Suimei took out a separate sheet of paper and sketched a rough outline. When she drew people, she didn’t focus on obvious lines, but rather on the shaping of the eyebrows and eyes, a few strokes could outline the spirit.
Half an hour later, Qin Qing on the paper stood in a crowd. Behind her, in the blurred shadows of the crowd, only a pair of focused peach blossom eyes could be seen looking over.
Li Suimei stared for a long time, and unconsciously became lost in thought.
“…….”
Li Suimei threw down her pen. Was she going crazy? She had been staring at Qin Qing for so long, and unconsciously recalled Qin Qing’s every smile and frown.
Mr. Yan said, ‘A painting can speak. Whatever you think about when you paint a person, that’s what they will be like on the paper.’
Li Suimei thought about Mr. Yan’s words and examined the painting in front of her. When she drew Qin Qing, she originally wanted to draw her like a figure in a night scene, but when she put pen to paper, she unconsciously ignored the thousands of lights behind Qin Qing, as if she could only see Qin Qing alone in the flowing light.
—”And yet that person is in the midst of the lights and lanterns”?
“…” Li Suimei quickly shook herself, trying to shake off the goosebumps all over her body, but she had to admit, “…The Qin family’s genes are really good.”
She was still painting when a commotion came from downstairs, sounding like broken dishes. Li Suimei put down her pen, ran to the balcony, and looked downstairs. The front yard was lit up, and the lights illuminated half the sky.
She quickly turned around, draped a thin shawl over herself, and ran downstairs.
“That Gu person? You’re going to marry her? Zhan’er, are you crazy!” Liu Ruoxi frowned. Her voice was still gentle, but the hand she had hanging down was clenched into a fist on the table.
There was a mess on the ground. The servants silently cleaned up, and after quickly dealing with the broken glass, they retreated.
Li Suimei walked down from the stairs quickly. Her black hair was loosely tied behind her head, and her small face was bare. The soft light fell on her face, making her look a little childish.
Qin Zhan was holding a bag. Li Suimei walked over and circled Liu Ruoxi, “What’s wrong?”
Liu Ruoxi sighed, patted Li Suimei’s hand, and softly said, “It’s nothing. You go upstairs first.”
Li Suimei shook her head, “I want to talk to Qin Zhan.”
She pointed to the door, and Liu Ruoxi didn’t say anything. She watched Qin Zhan and Li Suimei walk out of the door one after the other, then sat at the table and called Qin Qing.
“What do you want to say?” Qin Zhan asked.
The two of them were talking on a lawn in the front yard. Li Suimei had a blank expression, and Qin Zhan didn’t have a good expression either.
“Your clothes,” Qin Zhan handed her the paper bag. Li Suimei took it and saw that it was the dress that Gu Linxi had torn.
This dress was difficult to buy. It was a limited edition collaboration of a certain brand. With Gu Linxi’s means, she couldn’t find a second one, so she had to ask Qin Zhan for help. And after so long, Qin Zhan should have had someone custom-make a new one. The dress arrived and he sent it to her immediately.
“This dress is from two or three years ago. You went to so much trouble for her.” Li Suimei lowered her head and couldn’t see her expression, but her voice was small, and it wasn’t difficult to create the illusion that she was very sad.
Qin Zhan hesitated, “I…”
“Qin Zhan, a few months ago, didn’t you confess to me?”
On that rainy night, Qin Zhan had run away, and the original Li Suimei had chased after him and hit her head on the wall. Since then, Li Suimei had taken her place, and the original Li Suimei, who had a slight affection for Qin Zhan, had disappeared.
Qin Zhan looked at Li Suimei, “That was in the past.”
Li Suimei smiled, “Time passes so slowly. It’s only been two months, right? Gu Linxi is really capable.”
Qin Zhan’s face darkened.
“Are you going to protect her?” Li Suimei said, “It doesn’t matter. You and she won’t be together anyway.”
“Our marriage was arranged by our grandparents. It’s their wish and the greatest benefit for the business alliance between the Qin and Li families.” Li Suimei said expressionlessly.
Qin Zhan frowned, “The Li family is on the decline and can no longer compare to the Qin family.”
Li Suimei smiled, “So?”
“Even if our family is willing to give up, what about Grandma?”
Grandma Qin was a witness to the friendship between the two families. Grandpa Li and Grandpa Qin were sworn brothers, and when Grandma Li and Grandma Qin were both pregnant, the two men joked that if they had a son and a daughter, the two families would become closer.
This was originally just a joke, but when Grandpa Li took a bullet for Grandpa Qin and before he died, the only thing he asked was for the Qin family to take care of the Li family. Grandpa Qin took this matter to heart. It was a pity that both families had only sons, and the Li family was widowed and orphaned, so Grandpa Qin took the initiative to promise the marriage of the grandchildren.
When Li Enhua got married, the Li family had a precious daughter, and the second son of the Qin family was also a boy. This child marriage was thus set.
Even so, Grandpa Qin always felt guilty towards the Li family. Therefore, throughout his business career, he had sacrificed the Qin family’s own interests many times to help the Li family. It wasn’t until the Qin and Li families became one of the four major families and the Qin family moved to Haishi that Grandpa Qin, on his deathbed, was still thinking about the marriage between Li Suimei and Qin Zhan.
Qin Yaohua was a scholar who wasn’t particularly stubborn. On the one hand, he wanted to fulfill his father’s wishes, but on the other hand, he was worried that the two young people had no feelings for each other.
So when Qin Zhan was a teenager and his health was weak, requiring him to recuperate in the southern climate of City A, he sent him there, with the intention of fostering feelings between the two young people and trying to bring about this marriage that would benefit both families in terms of business.
Qin Zhan happily indulged in Li Suimei’s willful nature, but the original character was proud and arrogant and had always been prejudiced against Qin Zhan, unable to let go of her resentment, which led to the subsequent tragedy.
“What are you thinking about?” Li Suimei asked.
Qin Zhan lowered his eyes. He knew very well that the engagement between him and Li Suimei was the wish of two generations.
Liu Ruoxi liked Li Suimei, and Grandma Qin had already tacitly accepted Li Suimei as her granddaughter. The Li family, with their covetous eyes on the Qin family’s wealth, would definitely refuse to give up their alliance with the Qin family.
There was almost no way out for the two of them.
Qin Zhan said, “I was thinking, what if I hadn’t gone to City A.”
Li Suimei replied, “If you hadn’t gone, you wouldn’t have met Gu Linxi.”
Qin Zhan was startled.
Li Suimei threw the paper bag in his arms, “I never wear clothes that have been discarded.”
The implication was too harsh. Qin Zhan’s face immediately darkened. “Meimei—”
Li Suimei said, “Am I wrong? Qin Zhan, you should break up with Gu Linxi as soon as possible. You’re not a piece of clothing. I can’t throw you away, and I can’t bear to part with you, so I can only catch the thief who stole your clothes.”
Qin Zhan asked angrily, “Are you threatening me!”
Li Suimei replied, “Yes.”
The two of them were facing each other when suddenly, a beam of high beams from a turning car shone on them. The bright light was blinding, and Li Suimei raised her hand to shield her eyes. When the surroundings dimmed, only the low-wattage lights in the front yard illuminated a slender figure.
“Sister.” Qin Zhan said.
Qin Qing nodded, casually took off her watch, and said to the two of them, “Why are you talking here?”
Qin Zhan shook his head, “We’re done. I’m leaving now.”
“Huaizhan,” Qin Qing called out to Qin Zhan, “Are you still in contact with Gu Linxi?”
Qin Zhan frowned, “Sister…”
“Break it off with her as soon as possible. That family is far too different from ours…”
Before Qin Qing could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by Qin Zhan.
“When did our family become like this, where everything is about profit? Even if I no longer love Li Suimei, should I still sacrifice myself and form an alliance with the Li family?”
Qin Qing looked at him coldly, “It wouldn’t be Li Suimei, there would be another Li family. Don’t be willful.”
“I’ve never been willful, I’ve just been too obedient.” Qin Zhan didn’t want to communicate with Qin Qing anymore and turned to leave.
Unexpectedly, Qin Qing came back, and Li Suimei put on an act, “Sister Qin…”
Qin Qing said, “Call me Huaiyan.”
Li Suimei said, “…Forget it.”
Qin Qing laughed, her voice low and soft, “Is it because of Gu Linxi that you’re arguing?”
Li Suimei said, “Yes, Qin Zhan doesn’t want to get engaged anymore.”
Qin Qing asked, “Then do you want to?”
Li Suimei blinked, “Of course I do. What Qin Zhan said is right. I don’t like him, but isn’t that what business marriages are all about?”
Qin Qing hummed in response.
“Feelings can be cultivated, can’t they? Just like Uncle Qin and Aunt Liu.”
Liu Ruoxi and Qin Yaohua’s love had developed from a business marriage, and they hadn’t even met a few times before they officially got together.
“You don’t like Qin Zhan anymore?” Qin Qing suddenly wanted to grasp a certain point.
This was a dangerous question. Li Suimei smiled and chose to avoid it. She pointed to the top of Qin Qing’s head and said, “There’s a leaf.”
Qin Qing reached up and touched it, “Where?”
“Here.” Li Suimei tiptoed, grabbed Qin Qing’s hand that was extended in mid-air, and guided it to touch the bit of grass on her forehead.
Their fingers touched. Qin Qing’s temperature was slightly cooler. Li Suimei let go after a moment. Qin Qing felt a small piece of grass, “I went to a newly developed mountain area. The flowers there are blooming beautifully. I can take you there next time.”
Li Suimei: “???”
Why was she suddenly so gentle? Li Suimei was taken aback, almost breaking her composure. She turned her head and looked up at the moonlight, waited for three seconds, and then regained her composure.
She tapped her toes on the lawn, raised her back foot slightly, and clasped her hands behind her back. She spun gracefully under the moonlight, facing Qin Qing directly, and two strands of hair slipped from her face. “Tell me, are Qin Zhan and Gu Linxi together?”
It was a clear question. Qin Qing was silent for a moment before replying, “I don’t know.”
Li Suimei smiled, “But they can’t be together.”
Qin Qing didn’t speak.
Li Suimei asked, “Is Gu Linxi more beautiful than me?”
Qin Qing replied, “Not as beautiful as you.”
“Have you known her longer than me and Qin Zhan?”
Qin Qing pursed her lips and said in a deep voice, “Not nearly as long as your friendship with Zhan’er.”
“Is her personality better than mine?”
Qin Qing replied indifferently, “I don’t know her well enough to judge.”
Li Suimei asked herself, looking at the moonlit night sky, “Why is that?”
Qin Qing looked at her with an unfathomable expression, “There’s no reason for feelings. When you discover them, it’s probably too late to change.”
Li Suimei hummed, “How can that be? There must be a reason for liking someone. Face, figure, personality, the passage of time, similar interests, heroic rescue, etc., are all reasons.”
“How can there be a liking without any reason?” Li Suimei asked, letting go of her hands behind her back.
Qin Qing recalled the process of falling in love with Li Suimei. It started with a sense of pity, and after Zhou Kai’s nonsense caused her to pay too much attention to Li Suimei, her mood changed suddenly. She couldn’t really grasp the exact moment when her heart fluttered.
Perhaps it was her face and figure? Li Suimei’s appearance and figure were undeniably good.
Is it her personality? That crybaby who would climb onto windowsills and cry at the sight of her?
Is it her personality? The one who was like a little white rabbit in front of her but turned into an annoying little wild cat behind her back?
Or was it the feeling of fullness when the girl’s weight rested heavily in her arms?*
Qin Qing fell into a brief confusion.
“It’s getting windy, let’s go back,” Li Suimei said.
Qin Qing nodded. On the way, Li Suimei said again, “By the way, Sister Qin, I want you to do me a favor. Can you come to my room later?”
“…….”
Qin Qing was alert! Yes, that’s it, the girl acted so innocent and yet said such ambiguous things!
“…….”
Qin Qing rushed past Li Suimei, her clothes even brushing against Li Suimei’s back.
“I’ll be waiting for you!” Li Suimei said.
“…….” Qin Qing walked even faster.
*
*
That night, Li Suimei’s door was ajar all night, but Qin Qing never appeared.
When she woke up the next morning and climbed out of a pile of crumpled paper, she realized belatedly that she had been stood up?
Li Suimei: “……”
After a simple wash, she went downstairs and asked the servant. She learned that Qin Qing and Qin Zhan had both left early in the morning.
Li Suimei rubbed her hair. She had permed her hair into a big curl for the day and put on red lipstick, making her look as vibrant as a flame.
The butler came over, “Miss, this is something Miss Qin asked me to give you. Where are you going?”
Li Suimei took it and glanced at it. It was her dress, “Uh, I have a small gathering with a classmate.”
The butler bowed, “The car has been arranged for you, Miss. Miss Qin has instructed that this driver is only for your use.”
Li Suimei’s face lit up, “Then please thank Sister Qin for me.”
“Yes.”
Clutching her small bag, she left Qin Bay and directed the driver to Gu Linxi’s residence in Haishi.
The car stopped at the entrance of the alley, and the luxury car attracted a lot of attention.
“Wait for me here,” Li Suimei got out of the car and found Gu Linxi’s place.
Outside was noisy, and many people from upstairs came out to see what was happening. With a creak, the window in front of her opened.
Gu Linyu poked her head out and, seeing Li Suimei, cursed, “You little b1tch! What are you doing here? It’s all because of you that my brother-in-law…”
Li Suimei waved her hand, and the thing in her hand flew out of her hand and landed in Gu Linyu’s rented single room. Finally, she picked up a stone and threw it, flying past Gu Linyu’s face!
Gu Linyu was dumbfounded, “You! You!”
Li Suimei snorted, smiling brightly, “I don’t have Qin Zhan’s rich upbringing. If you curse again, I’ll tear down your house!”
Li Suimei’s actions made Gu Linyu believe that she could really do such a thing, so Gu Linyu dared not say anymore.
Patting the dust off her palms, Li Suimei tilted her chin and pointed at the paper bag on the ground, “Tell your sister to stay away from Qin Zhan. I don’t want this dress anymore, you pay for it.”
Gu Linyu: “…I’ve already returned the dress! You still want money!?”
Li Suimei smiled, “I’m the creditor, I make the rules, and I can also choose not to take the money.”
Li Suimei opened the two small, exquisite packages in her hands, took out an envelope, and held it in front of Gu Linyu with her long fingers, “This is a check. Take this money and have your sister come to apologize and promise to stop pestering Qin Zhan, and stay far away from the Qin family from now on!”
Gu Linyu went from the window to the front door, walked out, and took the envelope from Li Suimei. She was about to tear it open when Li Suimei stopped her with a raised hand.
“You haven’t agreed yet,” Li Suimei said.
Gu Linyu: “……”
There were whispers from the surroundings, “The main wife is tearing apart the mistress?”
“Who’s the main wife and who’s the mistress?”
“It must be the Gu family… They only moved here recently…”
“How much money did she give? Give me the money, forget about leaving, I can go as far as possible!”
Li Suimei said, “I’ve said everything I need to say. This is my last visit.”
Gu Linyu was furious and shouted loudly at the people around her before slamming the door shut!
Li Suimei sneered, stepped on her high heels, and walked out of the alley with her head held high.
From behind, Gu Linyu looked at her through the door. When the snow-white figure left, she quickly turned around, leaned against the building, and tremblingly tore open the envelope.
The check was face down. She carefully pulled it out and turned it over.
Two big, bold words were printed on it: “You’re an idiot!”
“……”
Gu Linyu was stunned. She threw away the check, picked up the envelope, and examined it carefully. She then shook the envelope vigorously upside down, but there was nothing inside!
“There’s nothing!” Gu Linyu cursed, “Li Suimei, you b1tch—”
“Stop cursing,” suddenly, Gu Linxi’s voice came from the side, “You’ll get what you deserve sooner or later.”
Gu Linyu: “Sister…”
Gu Linxi was holding a paintbrush, “I’m going to see Lisa soon. Go and see if she’s gone.”
*
*
Li Suimei rushed to her flower arranging class. When she arrived, there were already several people inside. Liu Ruoxi was sitting in the center of the group and waved to her when she saw her.
“Meimei, come here!”
“Come meet your second aunt and third aunt. They just came back from Country Y and really wanted to meet you!”
Several stylish middle-aged women who looked very much like people from Country Y turned to look at her.
Li Suimei walked over and smiled awkwardly. She had been on her way to a class reunion when Liu Ruoxi suddenly called her to meet Qin’s relatives.
A woman walked over and asked curiously, “Oh, this girl, doesn’t she look like the one who danced with Huaiyan at the ball?.