Transmigrated as a White Lotus Heroine, but I’m Pursuing the Cold Villain - Chapter 3

Lin Qinglian blinked in confusion, her round eyes reflecting Rao Jinjing’s smile.

As Rao Jinjing smiled, the corners of her eyes lifted slightly, whether intentionally or not, causing her thick lashes to flutter upward.

Lin Qinglian froze, staring blankly at her.

It wasn’t until Rao Jinqing had left, still smiling, and her senses gradually returned that Lin Qinglian realized her fingers were throbbing.

That brute.

Without even looking down, she knew Chi Jiheng had been squeezing her hand so hard he was grinding his teeth in anger.

Lin Qinglian felt puzzled. Wasn’t Rao Jinqing his fiancée? Why did Chi Jiheng hate her so much?

But she didn’t dare ask.

Instead, as Chi Jiheng’s grip tightened, she gently pressed the back of her other hand against his cheek.

“Brother Chi, are you cold?”

Chi Jiheng gritted his teeth. “I’m not cold.”

Lin Qinglian looked at him with innocent concern. “Then why are you trembling?”

Chi Jiheng belatedly released her hand, but his pride wouldn’t allow him to back down. “Stay away from her in the future,” he ordered.

Lin Qinglian nodded timidly. “Okay, Brother Chi, I’ll do as you say. But why?”

Hearing his little darling’s obedient words, Chi Jiheng felt a surge of warmth. In high spirits, he explained, “Rao Jinqing is notorious for being bisexual.”

Lin Qinglian shook her head vehemently. “No way, Brother Chi! I only like you. You’re the only one I see.”

Chi Jiheng was pleased with her pragmatism. “Just keep your distance from her, that’s all.”

The banquet wasn’t over yet, and as the host, Chi Jiheng couldn’t leave. He had someone escort Lin Qinglian to a rest room before returning to the banquet hall to continue socializing.

As soon as he left, Lin Qinglian slipped out of the rest room.

Though she didn’t know why Chi Jiheng’s father had appeared today, the man was likely still around.

Since she was switching her capture target, she might as well snag some Capture Value as insurance.

Lin Qinglian easily spotted the two men in the crowd, standing out like cranes among chickens.

She noticed them almost immediately.

The man sat behind a long table piled high with champagne towers. Originally, there had been small cakes, but the plates were now empty.

He held a small cake in his hand, savoring each bite.

He ate slowly, as if it were a precious treasure, holding the morsel in his mouth for a moment before swallowing.

The scene was unsettling, as if a child with an immature mind had wandered into an adult’s banquet, dressed in grown-up clothes, and was now sitting apart, pretending to be part of the lively conversation.

Lin Qinglian forced herself to ignore the strangeness and approached, lifting the hem of her dress.

She wore a white halter-neck lace dress that faded into blue at the hem. The skirt billowed out gracefully, the seamless transition between the two colors creating a harmonious effect.

She took a glass of champagne from the table and stepped forward.

Then she realized a problem.

Since he was sitting directly behind the table, there was no way she could “accidentally” spill champagne on him, muss his hair slightly, and gaze at him with feigned panic.

At best, she’d look like a drunken shrew, drenched in champagne. After all, there were nine tiers of champagne towers stacked on the table.

She blinked, her long lashes fluttering.

The television deceived me, the novel betrayed me.

Her already twisted ankle straightened instantly.

It still hurt somewhat, given the distance between her foot and the ground.

She walked to the end of the table, slipped through the gap, and as she approached, her foot dropped straight down. Her hand jerked instinctively, spilling the entire glass of wine onto the man’s white shirt, and her body lurched sideways.

Lin Qinglian felt a sense of dread. If she fell like this, her face might end up pressed against the man’s wine-soaked shirt.

No, no, no!

She struggled to lift her foot, trying to control her descent, but her entire body toppled sideways.

The man remained seated, still chewing his cake, seemingly unfazed.

Something’s not right!

I’m really going to fall!

As the ground rushed closer, Lin Qinglian closed her eyes, her heart racing uncontrollably.

Suddenly, a pair of strong hands wrapped around her waist, halting her fall and pulling her upright.

Her eyelashes fluttered as she slowly opened her eyes.

Rao Jinqing smiled and gently tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

Rao Jinqing’s already round eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at Lin Qinglian.

After a long pause, Lin Qinglian finally managed to say, “You’re so strong.”

Rao Jinqing tilted her head, smiling tentatively. “And your waist is so slender?”

Lin Qinglian’s face flushed crimson instantly. She instinctively took a step back, but a sharp pain shot through her foot.

She nearly lost her balance, but Rao Jinqing steadied her again.

Rao Jinqing looked at her with concern. “Did you twist your ankle?”

Lin Qinglian subconsciously bit her lower lip, a habit she’d developed around Chi Jiheng, so ingrained it felt natural.

She immediately released her lip.

The System was currently screaming in her mind: Don’t do that! That’s wrong! You’re not trying to capture her!

Lin Qinglian asked reflexively, Can I capture her?

The System’s voice trembled with panic, though Lin Qinglian didn’t notice.

No! Absolutely not!

Lin Qinglian hummed in acknowledgment, lowering her gaze thoughtfully.

Suddenly, a stunningly beautiful face filled her vision.

Lin Qinglian: !

She stumbled back two steps, her stilettos clicking sharply against the floor.

Rao Jinqing straightened up, her smile still lingering. “What’s wrong?”

Lin Qinglian: “Y-you, you, you…”

Rao Jinqing: “Me, me, me? My foot doesn’t hurt.”

Lin Qinglian belatedly realized her face had gone pale.

Lin Qinglian subconsciously gasped, “Hiss!”

Rao Jinqing’s laughter died down, her expression turning cold.

With a frosty demeanor, she pushed Lin Qinglian onto the row of small sofas.

She removed Lin Qinglian’s shoes.

Throughout the process, Lin Qinglian awkwardly tried to pull her foot back, only to receive a gentle tap on the sole from Rao Jinqing.

Lin Qinglian’s face flushed crimson instantly, unsure whether it was from having her foot touched or from the tap on her sole.

No one had touched the sole of her foot since she was eight years old—not even her mother.

Rao Jinqing lowered her head, studying Lin Qinglian’s ankle intently. Her jet-black hair shimmered under the bright lights.

Lin Qinglian recalled her mother’s saying: “People with black hair have soft hearts.” Looking at Rao Jinqing now, Ms. Chen’s little superstition didn’t seem entirely unfounded.

Rao Jinqing lifted Lin Qinglian’s ankle, examining her foot from all angles. She then looked up at Rao Songning, who was sitting there, stunned, and said, “Go get the medicine kit.”

Lin Qinglian reached for her hand. “No, there’s no need to trouble yourself.”

Rao Jinqing leaned away, avoiding her touch, and said coldly, “If you don’t want rheumatism acting up on rainy days, don’t move.”

Lin Qinglian silently withdrew her hand, not because of her words, but because…

It really did hurt. But she was afraid Chi Jiheng would see. He always scowled whenever he saw them getting too close. She had just promised him she’d keep her distance, and now this? It would ruin her carefully crafted image.

It wasn’t time to confront Chi Jiheng yet.

Rao Jinqing noticed Lin Qinglian’s tense expression, as if she were watching someone.

It didn’t take much guessing to figure out it was that “wonderful” fiancé of hers.

Tsk, this feeling really annoyed Rao Jinqing. Even when someone was right in front of her, their mind was still elsewhere.

The medical kit was handed to her, already open, with the necessary medications twisted open and placed at the front.

She circled her hand over the contents, bypassing the most effective soothing cream, and settled on the liquid spray.

She gave it two gentle spritzes, and Lin Qinglian’s pale foot immediately recoiled.

The ankle was already red. If she touched it lightly, she could probably feel the dislocated joint.

But Rao Jinqing couldn’t be bothered. She wasn’t a doctor.

She looked up, her usual smile in place. “Remember to get it checked at the hospital later. This spray will only relieve the pain temporarily.”

Lin Qinglian nodded meekly, looking timid and utterly adorable.

Rao Jinqing reached out and patted the slightly loosened bun on her head.

Snap! Something recoiled sharply and struck her hand. She immediately withdrew it.

Lin Qinglian’s ink-black hair cascaded down, silky strands draping over her shoulders.

She had barely registered the loosening of her hair before the strands had already fallen across her face.

A small, broken hair tie landed on the ground a moment before the hair itself.

A hand appeared before her, the fingers long and slender. The pale skin bore a long, red scar stretching from the back of the hand between the thumb and index finger to the little finger.

The scar stood out vividly against the fair skin.

Rao Jinqing met her gaze, her eyes showing no trace of pain, only amusement. “Ouch, that really hurts,” she teased.

Lin Qinglian grasped Rao Jinqing’s hand, pulling it firmly toward her. Leaning forward, she gently blew on it. “Whoosh, whoosh.”

Rao Jinqing’s hand, held in an awkward position, was pulled down by Lin Qinglian.

But she didn’t move.

Lin Qinglian continued blowing twice more. Looking up at Rao Jinqing, she suddenly felt much shorter. Though both wore similar high heels of about the same height, Rao Jinqing stood a full head taller.

What does she eat to grow so tall? Lin Qinglian wondered. She had always considered herself tall at 1.7 meters, a rare height for women, but Rao Jinqing towered over her.

Rao Jinqing’s fingers involuntarily curled inward, as if burned, and she quickly withdrew her hand.

Her expression turned cold, as if her mood had soured. But Lin Qinglian clearly saw a faint blush creeping up the back of her ears, barely noticeable unless you looked closely. “That’s enough,” Rao Jinqing said.

She’s embarrassed, Lin Qinglian concluded. But why? At home, her mother always blew on her scrapes like this. Why would Rao Jinqing be embarrassed?

Lin Qinglian lowered her hands, which still held the invisible object. Rao Jinqing’s hand had been warm, and for a moment, Lin Qinglian’s own hand had felt warmer too. But the warmth vanished as quickly as it had come.

The cold air in the banquet hall quickly dissipated the lingering warmth.

Lin Qinglian gazed at her hand, feeling as though something should still be there.

Then she noticed something.

Tilting her head back, she smiled at Rao Jinqing. “Your nails are red too. Do you really like red?”

Lin Qinglian clearly saw Rao Jinqing pause. She brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear, revealing her radiant face.

A smile curved her crimson lips. “Doesn’t red suit me?”

Lin Qinglian studied her carefully. Rao Jinqing, with her red lipstick, black and red dress, and red nails, was undeniably striking and captivating. Her vibrant presence had drawn all eyes the moment she entered, and even now, people were still discreetly glancing at them.

After a moment’s thought, Lin Qinglian decided to follow her instincts. “It suits you, but I think you’d look even better in light blue or lavender.”

Though Rao Jinqing’s smile remained, Lin Qinglian sensed a sudden chill in her expression.

She’s so fickle, Lin Qinglian thought silently.

Yet, in her eyes, those softer colors truly would suit Rao Jinqing better.

Rao Jinqing stepped closer, and Lin Qinglian finally understood why. Her narrow eyes were cold, like those of someone appraising an object—detached, emotionless, and condescending.

Rao Jinqing left with the man, turning back to smile at Lin Qinglian as she departed. “Next time we meet, I’ll wear your favorite colors—if there is a next time.”