Transmigrated as a White Lotus Heroine, but I’m Pursuing the Cold Villain - Chapter 27

By the time Lin Qinglian returned home, it was past 2 a.m. After entering the house, she first used a hairpin to switch the SIM card in her phone. Then, after washing up, she collapsed onto the bed, closing her eyes and falling asleep instantly.

She woke up to the harsh glare of sunlight. She blinked rapidly, trying to adjust her eyes to the sudden brightness. After a moment, when her eyes had moistened, she finally opened them fully.

Seeing the curtains wide open, she remembered that she had been too tired to close them the night before.

Lying there for a while, she finally picked up her phone.

As soon as it powered on, a barrage of missed calls flooded the screen. Even as she unlocked it, more calls continued to pop up.

Lin Qinglian stared at the large characters spelling “Chi Jiheng” on the screen and swiped the call from left to right to reject it.

She then composed a message, sent it, and only after seeing the “read” notification did she set the phone down and get out of bed to wash up.

Meanwhile, at Shansong Villa, Chi Jiheng gripped his phone, his eyes bloodshot as he stared at the screen displaying the call being hung up.

A pale, slender hand emerged from the covers beside him, wrapping around his waist and pressing against his back.

A soft, seductive voice purred, “Why are you up so early? Won’t you stay and sleep with me a little longer?”

Chi Jiheng, already irritated, slapped the hand away with a backhand. He glared down at the woman sprawled in his bed, his eyes narrowing. “What do you think you are? How dare you order me around?”

His naturally prominent brow bones made him look fierce, but when he narrowed his eyes with impatience, he became truly terrifying.

The woman’s delicate, oval face paled instantly beneath the covers.

Before she’d latched onto the Chi Family’s Second Young Master, she’d heard rumors in social circles about his volatile temper. At the time, she’d dismissed them as mere rumors, confident she could handle his moods.

Now, she was witnessing his ruthlessness firsthand.

Forcing a smile, she rose and lowered her head, revealing a glimpse of her snow-white shoulder. “I’m sorry, Second Young Master. I didn’t mean to.”

Chi Jiheng stared at the exposed skin, his voice icy. “Come here.”

She immediately crouched down like a cat before Chi Jiheng’s knees.

Lin Qinglian smiled and greeted the passing Manager, “Good morning.”

The General Manager of the Design Department returned her greeting with a smile.

Today was her fiftieth birthday. She was a leading figure in the fashion industry, headhunted by Xunjun at great expense. Though her memory was poor, she had a vivid impression of the young man.

The young man seemed soft-spoken, yet possessed a unique understanding and vision for design. In this era, what was most lacking was innovation and the courage to break from tradition.

The General Manager pushed up his thick-framed reading glasses and nodded with a smile. “Good morning. Why are you so late today?”

Lin Qinglian glanced at her first. “Teacher He, you look absolutely stunning today.”

He Qing feigned annoyance. “When don’t I look stunning? Look at you, buttering me up with flattery!”

Lin Qinglian softened her tone. “It’s not flattery, it’s the truth. Your new glasses perfectly complement your linen ensemble, and the layered, asymmetrical skirt accentuates your waistline beautifully.”

He Qing was delighted that her little trick had been noticed, especially by the young designer she admired most. “You’ve got a sharp eye! Just don’t be late next time. Come find me later when you’re working on your designs, and we can brainstorm some new ideas together.”

Lin Qinglian: “I’m resigning.”

“What?!” He Qing’s hand jerked, spilling half her coffee onto her hand. Ignoring the mess, she pressed urgently, “Why? Everything was going so well! The company just approved the budget for the exhibition I requested. It’ll open next month, and I was planning to include your work.”

This was a golden opportunity. As a leading figure in the industry, He Qing’s exhibitions attracted top-tier attendees, not just minor players. By showcasing Lin Qinglian’s work, she was genuinely acknowledging the young designer’s exceptional talent.

Lin Qinglian shook her head, her heartstrings tugged. “Thank you, but it’s for personal reasons.”

He Qing had been searching for Xunjun for so long, and she was the one who had always cared for Lin Qinglian the most. The warmth of her concern spread through Lin Qinglian’s heart, surging through her limbs like a comforting current.

Lin Qinglian knew He Qing genuinely wanted what was best for her, but this time, she might have to disappoint her.

He Qing sighed. “You young people… I truly don’t understand. But if you want to make it in this industry, you have to persevere. You have talent—don’t waste it.”

Lin Qinglian blinked, looking playfully at He Qing. “I’m just resigning. I’ll still come visit you when I have time. Besides, I’ll be working next door now—it’s so close.”

He Qing nodded slowly, her dark hair swaying slightly against her cheek. Though no longer young, her well-maintained face remained remarkably smooth, without a single wrinkle.

She smiled with relief. “That’s good.”

Only then did the fine lines at the corners of her eyes become visible.

As Lin Qinglian gazed at her, she suddenly thought of her mother. In some ways, He Qing reminded her so much of her mother.

Not in appearance, of course.

Why am I suddenly thinking of Mom? That’s strange.

Lin Qinglian shook off the thought, nodding obediently in agreement.

After climbing the stairs to her desk, she quickly gathered her belongings.

After reflecting on it the previous day, Lin Qinglian realized that Rao Jinqing was Chi Jiheng’s fiancée. Although the two clearly disliked each other, Rao Jinqing was undeniably on Chi Jiheng’s side.

It was possible that Rao Jinqing deeply resented Chi Jiheng, which might explain her resignation to join Dianming, severing all ties with him. This way, Rao Jinqing could…

Midway through packing, the secretary’s direct line from upstairs cut into their work area, interrupting their conversation.

Lin Qinglian answered the phone with exaggerated movements, shouting loudly into the receiver.

The other designers were annoyed by the disruption but felt powerless to intervene. After all, she was their direct supervisor, and they couldn’t risk making a scene.

Turning to Lin Qinglian with a cold glare, she barked, “Lin Qinglian, the higher-ups want you.”

After shouting, she turned back to the phone, nodding repeatedly and chiming in with, “Yes, yes, yes.”

Lin Qinglian glanced at her before lowering her head and continuing to pack.

The department head was a snob who favored designers with prestigious backgrounds and connections. As a nobody with no connections, Lin Qinglian had always been the office punching bag.

But none of that mattered anymore.

Lin Qinglian gathered her belongings into a small basket.

She didn’t have much: two pens, two spare outfits, some papers, and a keychain with a tattered, pitch-black rag doll hanging from it.

To prevent losing the keychain, she clipped it to her waistband.

The keychain was a cloth doll about the size of her two thumbs. Its entire body was pitch-black, with slightly lighter shades for the head, eyes, and nose. A bright red stitch formed an upward-curving smile, and a mismatched ear was sewn haphazardly at the top.

It was utterly impossible to tell what it was supposed to be.

When she let go, the pitch-black keychain spun once around her waist, the stitched smile completing a full rotation before settling back into its original position.

It looked as if something was smiling at her.

Lin Qinglian unconsciously flicked one of its drooping ears. The ear sprang back up immediately.

This keychain had been a gift, but she couldn’t remember who gave it to her. Every time she tried to recall, her mind went blank. Still, she knew it must have been from someone very important to her, because it had traveled with her when she transmigrated into the book.

The manager of the time zone strode over in her high heels, her footsteps echoing like thunder. She looked as if she could swallow mountains and rivers whole.

The manager slammed her hand heavily on the desk. “Didn’t you hear me tell you to come upstairs?!”

Lin Qinglian slowly picked up her box. “I heard you.”

“Then why aren’t you moving?!”

Lin Qinglian offered a demure smile and whispered, “I quit. If you have any grievances, take them out on others. You’re just using your petty authority like a rooster strutting around with a chicken feather as a crown, thinking you’re the king of the coop.”

“You’re asking for it! Are you crazy?!”

Lin Qinglian quickly retreated, feigning disbelief. “Why are you cursing at me? What did I do wrong?”

“You—!”

He Qing: “What’s all the commotion?”

The supervisor turned with a fawning smile. “Teacher He…”

He Qing, showing no courtesy, elegantly adjusted her glasses, maintaining an aloof distance. “Don’t call me ‘Teacher.’ I don’t deserve the honor. You’re the kind of big shot who can casually curse at others.”

Her words cut like a knife. In their tight-knit industry, the top players were few and their power absolute. Crossing a major figure meant professional ruin.

As soon as she spoke, everyone instinctively edged back, distancing themselves from the supervisor’s actions.

The supervisor’s face paled. “That’s not what I meant! It was her—”

He Qing’s expression darkened. “I don’t have time for your excuses. I trust what I saw. Are you suggesting my eyes are failing me?”

With that, she turned to Lin Qinglian, her expression softening. “The president wants to see you. Go on up.”

Lin Qinglian reluctantly set down her things.

Though unwilling, she knew she had to resolve this. Earlier, the call had been to her department, but now He Qing herself had been summoned. He Qing had always been kind to her, and she couldn’t refuse her request.

As Lin Qinglian brushed past He Qing, the older woman’s stern face softened into an encouraging smile.

Lin Qinglian immediately understood: He Qing had likely contacted HR to prevent her from leaving.

But since she had resigned voluntarily, HR wouldn’t know how to handle it. Out of respect for He Qing, they couldn’t ignore the matter and had reported it to the President’s Office.

Watching Lin Qinglian’s slow, reluctant retreat, He Qing said earnestly, “If you two have a misunderstanding, just talk it out. There’s no need to make things so ugly. Xunjun is one of the top brands in the country, and they’re about to expand into new sectors. It’s a great opportunity.”

You two?

Who was she referring to?

Chi Jiheng?

A chill crawled up Lin Qinglian’s spine.

Her entire body stiffened.

How could He Qing know?

She and Chi Jiheng had kept their relationship well-hidden. Apart from a few people in their social circle, no one else knew.

Moreover, Chi Jiheng, being a hands-off manager, rarely came to the office. The two of them had barely even crossed paths at work. How could their relationship have been exposed to He Qing?

As the elevator slowly ascended, she caught He Qing’s worried expression just as the doors closed.

He Qing was usually very serious, perhaps because her position had exposed her to all sorts of people, and she had reached a point where she no longer needed to put on a pleasant facade for everyone.

But whenever she smiled at Lin Qinglian, a wave of familiarity washed over her, radiating from her eyes and brows.

Who is it?

Who does she resemble?

And it had to be someone from real life.

Yet she distinctly remembered that in reality, she had only interacted with a close friend and her parents.

What did that friend even look like? She suddenly found herself struggling to recall.

Her memories were shrouded in a hazy fog. She couldn’t make out any details, couldn’t discern any features.

All the figures in her mind were like silent films without subtitles, blank-faced figures moving mechanically in a black-and-white world.

Even her parents, whom she thought about most often, appeared as white voids in her memory.

The elevator dinged and slowly opened.

Stepping out, she saw a clean, straight corridor stretching before her. She realized the Main Control System had brought her to the 28th floor and began walking forward.

The polished floor reflected her face, her eyes shining brightly against the blurred surface.

The 27th floor was the President’s Office. The 28th floor was—

“Come in.”

Lin Qinglian silently completed the sentence in her mind: the President’s Office.

She entered the room.

The door to the President’s Office was wide open, as if it had been waiting for her. The moment she reached the entrance, the person inside noticed her.

“Why didn’t you answer my calls?”