Transmigrated as a White Lotus Heroine, but I’m Pursuing the Cold Villain - Chapter 25

Instead of the kiss she had imagined, she heard only a soft laugh.

A flower was plucked and placed on her collar.

Rao Jinqing leaned close to her ear, whispering, “Turn your head.”

A warm breath brushed her ear, causing her to flinch involuntarily.

“Careful,” Rao Jinqing murmured.

Lin Qinglian turned her head slightly, glancing behind her out of the corner of her eye.

A tall, striding figure came into view.

The man was dressed in a black suit, buttoned all the way up despite the sweltering heat.

This person, who seemed to be mentally deranged, was none other than her boyfriend—Chi Jiheng.

She hadn’t noticed him before, but now that she had turned her head, the rhythmic tap of his approaching footsteps became audible.

Rao Jinqing whispered in her ear, “Look at me.”

Lin Qinglian turned her head blankly.

A warm sensation pressed against her lips, and her eyes widened.

She stared at Rao Jinqing, who had tilted her head to kiss her, her high nose bridge preventing a direct approach.

Rao Jinqing’s long, delicate lashes lowered, veiling her eyes.

A tingling sensation surged up Lin Qinglian’s spine.

With a sudden rush, as if dark clouds had obscured the moon, something blocked her ears, silencing all sound.

The wind and footsteps seemed to freeze the moment their lips met. Even the leaves swaying in the breeze appeared to pause in her vision.

The warm touch lingered briefly before parting. Rao Jinqing raised her head without a change in expression. Lin Qinglian snapped out of her daze the moment they separated, instinctively recoiling a step in shock.

Rao Jinqing gazed at her calmly. Lin Qinglian unconsciously reached up to touch her lips. The silence around her shattered as Rao Jinqing spoke, her voice like a pebble dropped into a lake, sending ripples through Lin Qinglian’s heart.

Rao Jinqing simply watched her.

Lin Qinglian’s eyes widened, misting over. A flower pinned near her collar brushed against her cheek. The blossom, delicate and dewy, paled in comparison to Lin Qinglian’s radiant beauty at that moment.

Rao Jinqing offered no explanation for her actions, merely asking, “Shall we go back? I’ll take you.”

She just kissed me, Lin Qinglian thought.

Rao Jinqing’s expression turned cold. “Do you still like him? That fickle, two-timing scumbag?”

Does she like me? But she’s the female villain who’s supposed to be in love with the Male Lead, Lin Qinglian couldn’t help but steal a glance at her.

“I understand,” Rao Jinqing said. “I’ll take you back. Let’s pretend we never met today.”

“Okay…”

What?! What’s happening?!

But experience had taught her to apologize first. Even if it didn’t work, Rao Jinqing wouldn’t actually kill her, right?

“I was wrong,” Lin Qinglian said.

Rao Jinqing sneered. “Go apologize to your boyfriend. What’s the point of apologizing to me?”

In that instant, Lin Qinglian had a sudden realization. “You just kissed me. Do you like me?”

Caught off guard by her brazen question, Rao Jinqing choked, nearly drowning in her own saliva.

Lin Qinglian pressed on relentlessly. “Do you want to be my girlfriend?”

Rao Jinqing’s face turned pale, but she remained silent.

The situation had completely spiraled beyond her expectations.

Lin Qinglian’s eyes reddened. “Are you trying to weasel out of this? This was my first kiss!”

As she spoke, tears welled up and streamed down her face like glistening pearls.

Whether before or after transmigrating into the novel, this was indeed her first kiss—no deception involved.

A sudden weight settled in Rao Jinqing’s chest. Her hands and feet moved in a flurry of panic, and for a moment, she instinctively reached out to wipe away Lin Qinglian’s tears.

Her hand rose from her pocket, then hesitated and fell back down.

After a moment’s thought, she stepped closer to Lin Qinglian and gently pressed the back of her hand against the corner of her eye.

Throughout this gesture, her expression remained detached, as if she were simply taking out the trash on her way downstairs—a routine action requiring no thought, no prompting, and no deviation from her usual impassive demeanor.

Humans often act on instinct, and Rao Jinqing was no exception. It wasn’t until her hand made contact with Lin Qinglian’s cool cheek that the reality of the situation truly sank in.

She was crying for her.

Tears still clung to Lin Qinglian’s eyelashes as she looked up at Rao Jinqing, bewildered. One tear, still suspended on her lashes, rolled down her cheek.

Whether intentional or not, Rao Jinqing raised her hand at the precise moment the tear fell, catching it on the back of her hand.

The tear spread out like a snowflake, freezing into a tiny, flower-like pattern.

Rao Jinqing withdrew her hand without a change in expression.

Lin Qinglian’s nails, which had been digging into her palm, slowly loosened.

Her deathly pale palm sprang back open, revealing three crimson streaks that oozed bl00d.

The tears in Lin Qinglian’s eyes had already dried. She hadn’t taken over anyone’s body; she was wearing her own. Apart from her height, everything else—including her physical constitution—remained unchanged from before her transmigration.

Her eyes reddened quickly, her crocodile tears falling just as swiftly as they dried. The external aid had only lasted for a fleeting moment.

Rao Jinqing said hoarsely, “Whatever you want, it depends on your performance.”

This was a promise.

Feeling the lingering warmth of the tear on the back of her hand, Rao Jinqing inexplicably added a few more words to what she had intended to say.

For the first time, she clearly recognized a profound truth:

Someone had shed tears for her.

The distinct, tangible sensation lingered on her hand.

Aside from herself, how many others in her entire life would ever shed tears for her?

Lin Qinglian’s voice, still hoarse from crying, sounded strained. Though her tears hadn’t been genuine, she felt a pang of bitterness in her heart afterward, as if she had truly been immersed in the role.

Perhaps crying triggered an automatic emotional response within her cellular system, causing her heart to supply bl00d that matched the corresponding sentiment.

It was a novel sensation.

She rarely cried, not since childhood. After all, someone without emotions had little reason to weep. Yet, she vaguely recalled crying once before—shortly before she transmigrated into this book.

But why had she cried?

The moment she tried to recall, her mind went blank. She couldn’t remember anything, yet she knew she had wept, her tears frantic and sorrowful.

It must have been something deeply significant, so why did she have no memory of it?

Forget it, she thought. What’s the point in dwelling on this?

Lin Qinglian: “Alright. If I perform well, will you give me anything I want? Is there a time limit? Indefinitely?”

What if Rao Jinqing agrees, but by then, she and the System have already kicked the bucket? That would be hilarious.

Rao Jinqing lazily crossed her arms, a half-smile playing on her lips as she gazed at Lin Qinglian. “You’re already thinking about the outcome before we’ve even started. What if I don’t agree? Are you truly pursuing me?”

Lin Qinglian had no idea how she’d ended up pursuing Rao Jinqing, but when she thought about it carefully…

Well, what a lucky accident! Isn’t that exactly what I’m doing?

Lin Qinglian nodded eagerly, but halfway through, she realized she was being too casual. Rao Jinqing was notoriously picky and impulsive; she shouldn’t be so hasty, or Rao Jinqing would surely be displeased.

Not that Lin Qinglian saw anything wrong with Rao Jinqing’s dissatisfaction, or how spoiled she was.

She acts so aloof, as if no one is good enough for her, yet she’s always smiling and cold, her temper as unpredictable as the weather.

Mountains of gold and silver, piled a hundred times over, could only produce one Rao Jinqing.

There would never be another like her in this world.

No one else would ever reach out to catch her tears after she cried.

She was unique and irreplaceable.

Lin Qinglian lifted her gaze and stared intently at Rao Jinqing.

Cherishing the moment, she said, “My sincerity is as clear as the sun and moon. Even if the great river flows endlessly, my feelings will never change.”

Her voice grew slower as a buzzing filled her ears, the sound of her bl00d rushing through her veins echoing in her mind.

Rao Jinqing: “Ten days. After ten days, you can have anything you want.”

Silently, she completed the unspoken condition in her heart: …as long as you do what you need to do.

The words were cruel and realistic, yet they formed a tacit understanding between the two. She didn’t mind adding a touch of romance to the already enchanting atmosphere.

She had always been tactful, avoiding anything that might spoil the mood.

There was no need to upset Rao Jinqing at such a moment.

Lin Qinglian: “Alright.”

Rao Jinqing: “It’s getting late. I’ll take you home.”

Lin Qinglian’s eyes curved into a smile. “Okay.”

As they stepped out of the amusement park, the driver, who had been waiting patiently, immediately opened the car door. He reached out to steady the door for Rao Jinqing as she prepared to enter.

With quick reflexes, Lin Qinglian grasped the door before the driver could fully react, then turned to Rao Jinqing with a smile, gesturing for her to get in.

The driver stared at her, dumbfounded.

Is the competition really this fierce now? he wondered. Even my job is being fought over? Am I about to lose my job?

Fortunately, President Rao’s expression remained impassive, revealing no intention of replacing him. The driver breathed a sigh of relief.

Then he watched as Lin Qinglian, who usually appeared so frail she seemed like she could be blown over by a gust of wind, single-handedly pried the heavy, extended car door open to its maximum extent.

If he remembered correctly, accounting for the resistance, the door weighed around forty pounds when fully opened.

Rao Jinqing chuckled softly at Lin Qinglian’s efforts before stepping into the car, her ear tips flushed crimson.

Lin Qinglian knew her actions were a stark contrast to her usual persona, but as long as her target’s Capture Value remained stable, there seemed to be no problem.

Her current target was still the Male Lead, and she planned to confess her feelings at the moment Rao Jinqing agreed to her request. This way, she wouldn’t have to worry about failing the mission.

She followed Rao Jinqing into the car, her steps light and graceful, like a fish gliding effortlessly through water.

She felt a wave of relief wash over her.

All the fatigue that had weighed her down vanished, carried away by countless tiny bubbles.

Only lightness remained.

The Male Lead had only ever sought to tame her, to force her into submission. Yet when she complied, he would accuse her of being too obedient, lacking her own will. This left her perpetually confused, simmering with an inexplicable anger.

Being around the Male Lead always left her feeling suffocated. She couldn’t quite articulate the sensation, but it felt like having her mouth and nose wrapped in plastic wrap.

All she knew was that she couldn’t breathe. Even animals have the instinct to survive, and as a human, she was no different.

Rao Jinqing: “Be careful not to slip.”

Lin Qinglian murmured, “I won’t. My reflexes are quick.”

As if sharing a secret that couldn’t be overheard, she leaned close to Rao Jinqing’s ear, then quickly pulled back.

Finally, she gazed at Rao Jinqing with her dewy eyes.

Rao Jinqing had been inexplicably entrusted with a secret, unasked for and unilaterally shared.

But seeing Lin Qinglian’s endearing demeanor, she decided to let it slide.

Rao Jinqing chuckled softly. “Just don’t let yourself slide out of the car.”

Lin Qinglian stared intently at her, her pale eyes sparkling. “Your warning is duly noted.”

At that moment, the driver suddenly slammed on the accelerator, sending the car lurching forward with a roar.

The vehicle surged ahead, rapidly gaining speed.

Lin Qinglian’s upper body instinctively pitched forward. The sudden acceleration caught her off guard, leaving her no time to react. Just as she thought she was about to fall, fate intervened, and someone grabbed the back of her neck.

Rao Jinqing tugged on her collar. “Didn’t someone just say they wouldn’t slip? Do you remember that? Probably not, right?”

Lin Qinglian flailed twice, realizing she truly had become a fish out of water. Giving up on struggling, she replied obediently, “I don’t really remember either. Why don’t you ask someone else?”