Transmigrated as a White Lotus Heroine, but I’m Pursuing the Cold Villain - Chapter 22

But her heart soared at that moment, too.

It flew swiftly, rising from the mundane masses on the ground to this thousand-meter altitude.

This was her first time trying something like this, but it would soon be her last, she thought.

As the ground rushed closer, Lin Qinglian reached behind her back.

With a whoosh, a massive canopy unfurled behind her.

Their descent immediately slowed, and they landed much more gently than before.

Still some distance from the ground, Lin Qinglian pressed one hand against the harness connecting her to the parachute. Since Rao Jinqing didn’t know how to operate it, Lin Qinglian was controlling the parachute, meaning both their canopies were connected to the same line.

Her other arm tightened around Rao Jinqing.

Her eyes curved into a smile. “Are you ready?”

Before Rao Jinqing could answer, Lin Qinglian leaned close to her ear and whispered, “Then I’m going to start now.”

Her voice was soft yet clear.

With that, she pressed the button firmly.

Rao Jinqing thought she heard a faint click, but she couldn’t be sure.

In that instant, the massive parachute above them rapidly contracted, smoothly retracting into the small backpack behind Lin Qinglian.

Rao Jinqing’s pupils constricted sharply as their descent accelerated dramatically. The two plummeted toward the ground with the unstoppable force of a plummeting bird.

The wind roared in their ears.

Looking up, they saw the vast blue sky dotted with white clouds; looking down, they saw the endless expanse of emerald-green grassland, where sky and earth met in an unbroken horizon.

It felt as if they had reached the end of time.

Rao Jinqing instinctively gripped Lin Qinglian’s sleeve, the small piece of fabric clutched tightly in her palm.

Just as the ground loomed mere meters away, the massive parachute finally snapped open again with a whoosh.

The impact sent them tumbling across the grassland.

Lin Qinglian tightly embraced Rao Jinqing, shielding her as she rolled across the grass.

Their landing spot had been carefully chosen: a stretch of grassland free of debris, used only by grazing cattle and sheep at night, ensuring maximum safety.

After the roll, Lin Qinglian quickly stood up, her eyes sparkling as she helped Rao Jinqing untangle the parachute straps.

“Again! Again!” Lin Qinglian exclaimed.

Rao Jinqing firmly pressed down on Lin Qinglian’s hand, preventing her from summoning the aircraft.

After a long pause, she finally spoke, “There won’t be a next time.”

The adrenaline was still coursing through her veins, leaving her hands numb and her legs trembling uncontrollably. Yet she stood ramrod straight, her eyes closing briefly before snapping open again.

Her racing heart gradually calmed.

When she opened her eyes, they held their usual icy composure.

Lin Qinglian instantly deflated. “Huh?”

Rao Jinqing: “But you can play by yourself.”

Lin Qinglian was about to agree when she glanced at Rao Jinqing’s pale face, wondering if she was frightened.

She instinctively looked at the top of Rao Jinqing’s head, trying to gauge her mood.

Then she shook her head quickly and carefully removed a blade of green grass that had become tangled in Rao Jinqing’s hair.

Rao Jinqing’s hair was jet-black and glossy, making the stray green blade stand out starkly.

Visibly uncomfortable with such close proximity, Rao Jinqing flinched sideways as Lin Qinglian reached out.

Lin Qinglian took off her hair and waved it in front of Rao Jinqing’s eyes, flashing a carefree smile as if completely unfazed by Rao Jinqing’s aloof demeanor.

Rao Jinqing’s heart, which had finally begun to calm, suddenly began to pound rapidly again.

The gentle breeze that brushed past them seemed to amplify the sound of her racing heart, irritating Rao Jinqing.

Thump, thump, thump, it pulsed in her ears, each beat a cheerful rhythm.

So noisy, she thought.

She turned away, refusing to meet Lin Qinglian’s gaze, and coldly muttered a “Thank you.” It was a clear signal of distance; if Lin Qinglian had any sense, she would understand to keep her distance.

At that moment, Rao Jinqing had no interest in her plans. All she wanted was to calm her racing heart.

The rapid heartbeat made her uneasy, even anxious.

Why is it beating so fast? she wondered. Why is this adrenaline rush taking so long to subside?

But Lin Qinglian, whether due to a lack of emotional intelligence or sheer persistence, cautiously edged closer.

At first, it seemed deliberate, given her careful movements.

Then, another inch, another inch, until she was pressed against Rao Jinqing.

But not much.

Rao Jinqing, feeling irritated, wanted to leave. After all, her notoriously bad temper was well-known, and abandoning Lin Qinglian here wouldn’t be considered particularly out of character.

That’s what she thought, but her feet seemed glued to the ground, refusing to budge.

This isn’t my problem, she thought.

It’s just my feet refusing to move.

At that moment, a hand tugged at her sleeve.

Rao Jinqing, who was supposed to attend a meeting today, was dressed formally in a crisp, impeccably tailored black suit.

Before leaving, she had removed her jacket, finding it too warm, and opted for just her shirt. To make movement easier, she had carefully rolled up the sleeves twice at her wrists, leaving her slender hands fully exposed, the snow-white cuffs folded neatly above her wrist bones.

A soft hand brushed past her slender one, its purpose clear as it reached for her sleeve.

Lin Qinglian tugged lightly at the cuff, glancing up with a smile as Rao Jinqing looked down.

A misty haze had inexplicably gathered in her eyes, making her smile appear strained.

Lin Qinglian’s voice was slightly hoarse: “Did I upset you?”

Rao Jinqing paused, her hand hovering over Lin Qinglian’s, ready to pull her away.

A perfect smile curved her lips. “How could I be?”

Lin Qinglian met her questioning gaze, her eyes fixed on the palpable displeasure radiating from Rao Jinqing as their hands brushed. She clung to her hand with unwavering determination.

For some reason, a premonition gripped her heart: if she let go now, she might never have another chance to hold onto her again.

Lin Qinglian finally couldn’t hold back. Tears welled in her dewy eyes, tracing glistening paths down her cheeks, leaving the corners of her eyes and the tip of her nose flushed crimson.

She looked utterly pitiful, her face etched with sorrow. Using this vulnerability, this heartbreak, she whispered, “I’m sorry.”

Rao Jinqing’s smile vanished instantly, replaced by unease. Her heart felt heavy, as if she were on the verge of losing something precious. “I’m not angry.”

She wanted to leave—now, immediately—but Lin Qinglian’s hand held her captive. The girl didn’t dare pull hard, merely clutching a small piece of fabric, her grip tightening as Rao Jinqing tried to pull away, yet following her instantly when she moved.

Rao Jinqing said coldly, “You did nothing wrong.”

Lin Qinglian glanced at her pitifully, her expression pleading. “I was wrong.”

Rao Jinqing withdrew her hand, crossing her arms and standing before Lin Qinglian with an impassive expression. The urgency to leave that had been driving her inexplicably dissipated in her calmer mind.

What am I doing? she thought. My goal hasn’t been achieved yet. After all I’ve sacrificed, after acquiring such a useful tool, am I really going to let her escape now?

This went against her principles, against her very nature. She should exploit every resource to its fullest. Abandoning her plan halfway through? That was unthinkable.

Rao Jinqing regarded Lin Qinglian with a half-smile. “Then tell me, what exactly were you wrong about?”

She didn’t feel like smiling; she saw nothing amusing in this situation. But she had to smile, because she knew that this expression, this posture, was what moved people most.

As expected, Lin Qinglian’s expression froze, her gaze fixed on Rao Jinqing’s face.

Strangely, accompanying the steady rhythm of her heart came an unprecedented calm.

She’s just another one of those people who crave power and beauty, Rao Jinqing thought. I’ve seen countless others like her. Why am I getting angry about this now?

Lin Qinglian twisted her fingers nervously, her words hesitant.

Rao Jinqing was curious to hear what Lin Qinglian would say, so she mustered a bit more patience.

Unbeknownst to her, this patience wasn’t merely curiosity. It was something else entirely, something that made her bl00d rush and her heart pound.

Lin Qinglian sniffled, her nose red, and said, “You’re afraid of heights. I noticed it later, but I pretended not to know so you’d still play with me. That was disrespectful, so you got angry.”

Rao Jinqing smiled and gently shook her head. “No, you’re wrong. I just thought it was dangerous. When you suddenly retracted your wings, it was dangerous. In our country, about 180,000 people die from extreme sports each year, and 83,500 of those deaths are due to parachute failures. We can’t guarantee we won’t be among this year’s 80,000, you know?”

This was, of course, a complete fabrication. Lin Qinglian hadn’t been wrong at all.

Rao Jinqing was indeed afraid of heights, a secret known only to her bl00d-related younger brother and grandmother.

A secret remains a secret because it is carefully guarded. When in public, Rao Jinqing was always vigilant about preventing any leaks.

This was to protect herself from those who might exploit her vulnerability.

But today, Lin Qinglian had pierced through her carefully maintained facade with a single remark, nearly shattering Rao Jinqing’s composure.

Beyond that hidden, indecipherable motive, fear of heights accounted for a significant part of her reaction.

Lin Qinglian appeared to have fallen for her act, nodding pitifully, her clear, black-and-white eyes radiating vulnerability.

“I understand,” Lin Qinglian said. “I’ll remember. I won’t do it again.”

She didn’t beg for forgiveness, but simply gazed at Rao Jinqing with tear-reddened eyes.

As Rao Jinqing turned to leave, Lin Qinglian followed closely, her unwavering gaze fixed on her.

Finally, Rao Jinqing glanced back and met those crimson-rimmed eyes.

A moment of silence hung in the air. It felt as if a hand had gripped her heart, tugging at it, plucking at its strings.

Her heart softened with an ache.

It’s been long enough, she thought. Letting this linger too long won’t do any good.

Whether she acted gentle or cold today would yield roughly the same result—perhaps even better if she started with gentleness.

This approach might make Lin Qinglian more likely to help her secure the final contract with Xunjun and Robert, in exchange for her forgiveness.

Initially, she hadn’t considered this, but…

Rao Jinqing sighed softly, gently brushing Lin Qinglian’s disheveled black hair back over her shoulder. Yet she remained silent.

After tidying her hair, she maintained her cold expression and walked out.

It was a subtle signal of warmth, but not much.