Transmigrated as a White Lotus Heroine, but I’m Pursuing the Cold Villain - Chapter 4

Lin Qinglian didn’t care or bother to investigate why Rao Jinjing had emphasized the words “she likes.”

As Rao Jinjing left, she tossed her hair back over her shoulder, leaving Lin Qinglian with a swaying, graceful silhouette as she walked toward the door.

Meanwhile, Chi Jiheng was still deep in conversation with his rowdy group of friends.

Lin Qinglian stood nearby, watching for a while, before squeezing into the group during a brief pause in their conversation.

“Squeezing” was the perfect word, as there was barely enough room for her.

As she entered, the friends—and even their female companions—glared at her with undisguised contempt.

Lin Qinglian clearly overheard their whispers as she passed: “What cheap brand is that dress? How dare she wear something so embarrassing in public?”

“And no perfume to match? I can’t believe Young Master Chi would give up company shares for her.”

Lin Qinglian lowered her head, her halter dress cinched at the waist with a full, flowing skirt that transitioned from white to blue. As she moved, the fabric caught the light, reflecting a shimmering blue glow—a truly exquisite creation.

This was her masterpiece, the culmination of her heart and soul.

It had taken her two months to complete this masterpiece. The fabric at the hem, which refracted light to reveal a blue hue, was the result of her visiting every silkworm farm to inspect the silk produced by each worm. Since each worm’s silk varied, she had fed them anthocyanin-rich plums two months in advance to achieve this specific effect.

In short, Lin Qinglian didn’t find her dress embarrassing in the slightest.

Chi Jiheng sat beside her, sipping his wine. He didn’t intervene, acting as if her words were perfectly justified. After all, he believed he had sacrificed a great deal for her.

Lin Qinglian turned to the two female companions who had spoken. “This dress embodies the concept of pure simplicity. Even the gradient color change was achieved by feeding the silkworms colored fruits beforehand. The entire creation process involved no chemical additives, perfectly aligning with this year’s ‘Intimate Simplicity’ theme. Applying perfume would disrupt this thematic presentation.”

The two women were stunned. They hadn’t expected the seemingly delicate Lin Qinglian to speak with such confidence, completely dismantling their arguments.

Lin Qinglian continued calmly, “As the designer of this dress, I can assure you it’s made from the finest materials and entirely handwoven. It’s haute couture. Your dresses, on the other hand, have subtle machine-stitched hems, indicating they’re semi-handmade, high-end ready-to-wear. In terms of quality, mine is superior.”

The woman’s expression shifted, and she finally picked up a glass of wine from the table and walked over to Lin Qinglian.

“Thank you for the explanation. I’ve never done this before, so I genuinely didn’t know. I’m sorry if I offended you. Let me buy you a drink as an apology.”

Lin Qinglian turned sideways, brushing past the woman. As she passed, the woman could still hear Lin Qinglian’s faint voice: “Your ignorance is your own fault. Mocking others for your ignorance is a matter of character. The wine is on the table, and the table belongs to my fiancé. He organized this banquet. If I want a drink, I’ll take it myself. Why would you offer to buy me one?”

The woman was left speechless, watching Lin Qinglian walk over to Chi Jiheng. Her eyes curved into a smile as she leaned in to whisper something affectionate to him. In that instant, Chi Jiheng’s usual arrogance and impatience vanished.

Chi Jiheng nodded in response.

The woman’s surname was Zhao, and she came from one of A City’s wealthiest families. She considered herself beautiful and well-connected, and had once pursued Chi Jiheng, given his family’s status as one of the nation’s most powerful clans. But she was far beneath the Chi family’s social standing, and Chi Jiheng had never even given her a second glance.

He had turned around and arranged a marriage with the Rao Family, another prominent clan, which finally crushed her hopes.

Yet she never imagined that her true rival wasn’t the Rao Family’s heiress or patriarch, but this woman.

She scanned him from head to toe. Aside from his face, what was there to admire?

She bit her lip in frustration. The conversation between Chi Jiheng and Lin Qinglian was coming to an end. Chi Jiheng nodded slightly, and Lin Qinglian turned to leave.

He hadn’t seen it.

He didn’t see Lin Qinglian’s aggressive demeanor just now, the woman thought. What if he had?

Lin Qinglian was nothing more than a pitiful face, designed to evoke sympathy. I’ll tear that mask off for him to see.

Zhao Ning stepped forward, asking Chi Jiheng as Lin Qinglian turned away, “Brother Jiheng, when did you change fiancées? Weren’t you engaged to the Rao Family’s daughter? You haven’t broken off the engagement yet, have you?”

Chi Jiheng’s face instantly turned cold. “Did you not understand the instructions when you were invited here?” he asked coldly.

Zhao Ning’s date quickly put his arm around her shoulder, pulling her back and apologizing profusely to Chi Jiheng.

Lin Qinglian, who had been about to leave, paused. “Brother Chi, what kind of hangover soup would you like tonight?” she asked.

This was her strength: her obedient silence and her meticulous care for him.

Chi Jiheng told her to choose whatever she liked.

Zhao Ning watched Lin Qinglian leave, seemingly unfazed, while Chi Jiheng’s casual gaze lingered on her. “I remember now,” he said, “your surname is…”

Her companion quickly lit a cigarette and placed it between Chi Jiheng’s fingers. He added, “Zhao, the Young Master.”

Chi Jiheng: “You don’t need to participate in the auction for that suburban land your family wants.”

Chi Jiheng had always been arrogant, but this was the first time someone had dared to challenge him so openly. For a moment, when Lin Qinglian paused, he nearly lost his composure.

Not because he cared about her, but because his pride had been wounded.

Lin Qinglian could have remained completely unaware of the truth. She could have continued believing today was their engagement banquet, not just some casual gathering for his amusement.

This Zhao woman had ruined his first genuine attempt to please someone. She deserved to die.

As Lin Qinglian drove to the other villa, she ordered takeout. By the time she arrived, the delivery was already there.

Chi Jiheng had bought two identical villas, and today’s banquet was being held in the one adjacent to his usual residence.

The two villas were close enough that the drive took only a few minutes.

After arriving, Lin Qinglian poured the newly delivered hangover soup into a bowl, placed it in the microwave, and left the rest for Chi Jiheng to assume the housekeeper had cleaned up.

If he found out, so be it. She was planning to break the bond anyway, but she hadn’t earned the ten points needed yet…

She couldn’t do it yet.

Oh well, Lin Qinglian thought, giving up.

The System suddenly chimed in: “You can’t do that! Be careful, the male lead’s points might drop…”

With lightning reflexes, Lin Qinglian shut down the System.

After sending a message to Chi Jiheng, she hopped into a pre-booked taxi and headed home.

She and Chi Jiheng had never lived together. She rented an apartment far from the city center, where rent was cheaper but transportation was inconvenient.

She currently worked at a clothing company under Chi Jiheng’s management. This company had been a birthday gift from his family when he turned eighteen, boasting excellent revenue and a prime location.

The location was particularly advantageous because it was right next to Rao Jinqing’s company.

For years, people in A City had mistakenly believed the two companies were deliberately situated close together to facilitate the romantic relationship between the two lovers.

However, Chi Jiheng had only ever visited the company once, when the shareholder who transferred his shares came to inspect it.

Yet Rao Jinqing showed up to work punctually every day.

For five consecutive days, Lin Qinglian didn’t see Rao Jinqing’s younger brother again. During this time, she also avoided Chi Jiheng.

After all, what’s easily obtained is easily discarded. At the very least, she needed to appear more temperamental than Chi Jiheng perceived her to be.

It was Friday, the sixth day after the banquet, and the sky was overcast.

As Lin Qinglian left her apartment, her phone received a rain alert. Her hand brushed briefly over the umbrella by the entrance, but she ultimately stepped out empty-handed.

She checked her phone as she left, noting the time was exactly 8:30 AM.

The high-speed rail journey took fifteen minutes. By the time she exited the station, her phone showed 8:45 AM.

A misty drizzle had already begun when she left her apartment. By the time she emerged from the subway station, she could see a continuous curtain of fine rain falling—light but persistent.

Lin Qinglian wore a knee-length red dress with a wide, off-the-shoulder neckline. A black leather choker around her neck perfectly balanced the daring neckline, creating a look that was both casual and striking.

The rain soaked her carefully chosen outfit. The dress’s special fabric didn’t lose its shape when wet, but the raindrops stood out vividly against the crimson material.

She reached the intersection at 8:55 AM and walked along the right side of the road beneath the trees. To her right, a continuous row of shrubs lined the street.

Just as she rounded the corner, an all-red Ferrari sped past. The rain had already formed a muddy puddle at the bend.

The car roared past, its tires hitting the puddle at precisely the right moment.

Lin Qinglian happened to be standing under a tree at the corner, in a blind spot.

Everything went exactly as she had anticipated. A massive spray of water erupted, drenching her crimson dress, which visibly darkened.

A screech of brakes pierced the air as the Ferrari’s advanced braking system brought it to a halt ten meters from Lin Qinglian.

The rain intensified suddenly, the sky darkening as if about to collapse.

A figure in a casual black suit, holding an umbrella, slowly approached Lin Qinglian through the downpour.

Through the rain-blurred vision, Lin Qinglian could only make out the figure growing closer. Given her height, her gaze settled on the suit jacket’s chest-high slit.

At least he’s wearing a white shirt underneath, Lin Qinglian thought incongruously.

By now, the man stood before her.

Lin Qinglian blinked, raindrops rolling off her lashes. Her sensitive eyes, reddened by the rain, blinked again, the water tracing paths down her cheeks to the ground.

A pale hand suddenly cupped her face, shielding her lashes from the relentless rain.

Lin Qinglian looked up at her, a hint of confusion in her eyes.

Rao Jinjing’s lips curved into a faint smile. The hand resting against Lin Qinglian’s cheek slid down slightly, revealing a pale blue handkerchief nestled in her palm. She lifted her hand, gesturing for Lin Qinglian to take it.

Lin Qinglian raised both hands to accept the handkerchief, momentarily forgetting she was still holding her phone in her haste.

A sharp thud echoed between them.

The white phone slipped from her grasp and plunged into the puddle that had just splashed all over her.

Lin Qinglian’s mouth parted slightly, her expression dazed. She quickly crouched down and reached into the water to retrieve the phone, relieved that it was only a shallow puddle.

Rao Jinjing watched as Lin Qinglian held the phone upright, her movements frantic as she tried to pour the water out.

“Shake it,” Rao Jinjing said.

“Ah, right!” Lin Qinglian replied, immediately following the instruction.

The rain poured down relentlessly. Rao Jinjing stood under her umbrella, sheltering a bewildered girl whose crimson dress was soaked through, rainwater dripping from her hair.

With a sigh, she lowered her head and asked, “Want to come to my place?”