Transmigrated as a White Lotus Heroine, but I’m Pursuing the Cold Villain - Chapter 7

Rao Jinqing finally gave Lin Qinglian a thin blanket.

Checking the time frequently, she grabbed a blanket at random from the storage room.

As for the fluffy blanket, Lin Qinglian had rolled it into her arms, clutching it tightly. Rao Jinqing tried to pull it away several times but eventually gave up in frustration.

Rao Jinqing glanced at her Patek watch—it was already 2:40 AM.

The rain had stopped. The major client, a Brit who had been unreachable due to the late hour, had suddenly replied to her secretary. This client, known for his strict adherence to protocol, required Rao Jinqing’s personal attention.

She stepped in front of the mirror, adjusted the neckline of her black halter dress, touched up her eyebrows, and applied a bold red lipstick. The mid-sized watch she usually wore with her suit was replaced with a luxury brand bracelet.

A spritz of the brand’s latest perfume at her collar, her phone tucked into a palm-sized clutch, and she stepped out in six-centimeter heels.

The driver was already waiting in a sun-glinting Cayenne parked at the entrance.

The driver maintained a steady pace, and Rao Jinqing arrived precisely at 3:30 AM at the agreed-upon five-star hotel.

About ten minutes after Rao Jinqing left, Lin Qinglian opened her eyes. She pushed aside the blanket and looked around in confusion.

The surveillance footage confirmed it.

Rao Jinqing turned off her phone and placed it face down on the table. Across from her, the client was watching her with a hint of displeasure.

She smoothly delivered a string of flawless English: “My apologies, sir. I had a matter that required immediate attention. Please try this foie gras—it’s prepared using an entirely new method. I guarantee you’ll be captivated by its exquisite flavor.”

Is she still watching the surveillance feed? Lin Qinglian wondered.

The System popped up, its face sullen, and retorted with a pout, No, she’s not. Do you think I’m some cheap, disposable system? When you want me, I’m your “little System,” but when you don’t, I’m just “the System.”

Lin Qinglian blinked. When did I ever say that?

The System scratched its nonexistent hair, abruptly changing the subject. Rao Songning gets out of class at 6:30 PM. According to the original plot, Rao Jinqing won’t be back tonight. Seize this opportunity! If we can raise his Capture Value to ten, we can bind him. Once that happens, Chi Jiheng’s Capture Value will skyrocket.

How am I supposed to stay here until evening? Lin Qinglian asked.

The System fell silent. Why did you get up just now?

Lin Qinglian stared blankly.

Wasn’t it you who insisted I get up?

Lin Qinglian and the System stared at each other, wide-eyed. Clearly, the System had remembered the incident too. It wiggled its rear, closed its eyes, and shut itself down.

As it powered down, it left one final message: Remember to bind the Capture Value when it reaches ten. You can’t view it before binding, so be careful. Mistakes will cost you lifespan.

Lin Qinglian closed her eyes, turned her back to the room, and fell asleep on the sofa.

She really did have a fever, and her head felt heavy and muddled. It wasn’t long before she drifted off.

Rao Songning entered the apartment and flicked on the blindingly bright overhead light.

The room instantly flooded with daylight-like illumination.

His sister had always had this quirk—she loved bright, flashy lights, claiming they made her happy.

With the room lit up, the lump on the sofa became particularly conspicuous.

Rao Songning wondered why Rao Jinqing had dragged out her fluffy blanket again. Hadn’t she just put it away? He approached for a closer look and realized it wasn’t the blanket she usually used.

Feeling awkward, he stared at the unfamiliar blanket before deciding to take it back to her room.

He took two steps forward and was about to bend down when the blanket suddenly shifted.

Rao Songning hastily retreated, his composure nearly cracking.

Finally, a ghost? Isn’t this supposed to be the end of the Dharma Age?

The blanket shook again, then fell completely to the floor.

A person was revealed.

Rao Songning felt a momentary pang of disappointment. So, I’m still stuck studying finance in college? Does my second Sakura-chan not deserve a major tailored for me?

He glanced quickly at the person. Her collarbone was exposed, her hair disheveled from sleep.

It was the person his sister had brought home at noon.

He stared at the pillows scattered across the floor, silently picked up his phone, and began typing.

Every wrong has its perpetrator, and my pillows are my domain!

Rao Jinqing was discussing the implementation timeline of their plan with the Brit across the table when her phone pinged. The Brit smiled and gestured for her to check it.

He seems quite pleased with my plan, she thought. After all, it’s a win-win. Who could resist such an enticing offer?

Rao Jinqing picked up her phone.

Stupid Little Brother Rao Songning: Rao Jinqing! Come back and wash the pillows! Come back and wash the bedding!

The message included a photo of the pillows and sheets strewn across the floor, with Lin Qinglian’s inadvertently exposed, pale shoulder in the frame.

Thud.

The Brit’s hand, holding a glass of red wine, jerked violently as the young CEO slammed her phone face-down on the table.

“Are you alright, Ms. Rao?” the Brit asked.

Rao Jinqing curved her crimson lips into an elegant smile. “I’m fine, sir. Are there any further details we need to discuss?”

Though she spoke calmly, the man across the table from her was no fool.

The Brit, sensing the shift in mood, said tactfully, “That’s all for now. In four months, our company’s testers will bring the initial prototype of the product to this country. After the rollout, we can address any issues that arise.”

With the preliminary profit negotiations concluded, it was time to maintain cordial relations.

Rao Jinqing gracefully raised her glass in a toast. The Brit reciprocated, their glasses clinking softly across the table.

The pale red wine swirled gently under the warm lighting. Rao Jinqing brought the glass to her lips, took a delicate sip, and smiled faintly.

The Brit was momentarily dazzled by her smile. He exclaimed in halting Chinese, “Your beauty is the most exquisite I have ever seen.”

“Thank you for the compliment,” Rao Jinqing replied. “May our collaboration be successful.”

With the wine finished, the formal discussion concluded.

As Rao Jinqing settled into her car, she instructed the driver, “Next time, don’t book French cuisine. The client doesn’t care for it.”

The driver glanced at Rao Jinqing’s face in the rearview mirror, the dim light casting her features in shadow.

Her expression was cold, her beautiful eyes radiating an icy detachment when she wasn’t smiling—the kind of coldness that comes from long years of power, looking down on others.

Just then, a red light appeared ahead, and the driver brought the car to a smooth stop.

The dazzling lights of the city, receding rapidly behind them, flooded the car’s interior.

The light struck the side of Rao Jinqing’s face, leaving the other half in shadow. Her face remained expressionless as she sat rigidly upright on the leather seat.

In the brief moment their eyes met, the driver saw her exhaustion.

Even the young mistress must be tired, he thought.

Having served as the Rao Family’s driver for many years, he knew Rao Jinqing had originally studied art and planned to study abroad. But after her parents’ accident, she was immediately forced to switch to finance.

She cut ties with all her former friends to focus solely on mastering finance, determined to seize control of the vast wealth her parents had left behind. With unwavering resolve, she abandoned everything from her past.

Yet all her efforts were ultimately paving the way for the Second Young Master.

All the Rao Family’s assets belong to the Second Young Master alone, the Old Madam had declared.

A rustling sound came from the kitchen, followed by the creak of the refrigerator door opening and closing.

Click.

The light was switched off, and footsteps faded into the distance as Rao Songning went upstairs.

Lin Qinglian: ?

She even began to doubt the female lead’s legendary charm. Wasn’t everyone supposed to fall head over heels at first sight, then deepen their affection upon meeting again?

Hey, Little Green Bureau? I want to report suspected character fraud by the author.

Rao Songning’s hands trembled so violently that he barely made it to his room. As soon as he stepped inside, he collapsed against the door, sliding limply to the floor.

The room was dark. His old flip phone clattered to the ground. His heart already dead, Rao Songning closed his eyes and groped blindly around the floor until he finally managed to call his sister.

Rao Jinqing’s cold voice answered on the other end.

Rao Songning finally broke down, his face expressionless as he wailed, “Sister, my blanket… it’s dying!”

Rao Jinqing slammed the phone down.

Turning to the driver, she barked, “Step on it!”

She feared that by the time she got home, her delicate younger brother would have already cried himself to death on the floor.

Besides being a notorious germaphobe, her brother was also a die-hard shut-in. When she grabbed the blanket earlier, she hadn’t realized she’d accidentally taken his most prized possession: the limited-edition birthday commemorative blanket.

Rao Songning hadn’t even dared to use the blanket.

He only dared to silently kneel and worship it in the storage room.

Headache. Rao Songning’s about to throw another tantrum.

Click.

The bright overhead light snapped on.

Rao Jinqing turned to close the door, the heavy thud echoing loudly in the silent space as it latched shut.

The thin blanket on the sofa shifted slightly. For some reason, Rao Jinqing softened her steps, padding quietly to the sofa’s edge.

Her high heels made this effort particularly strenuous; normally, she’d be too lazy to bother.

But the thought of Lin Qinglian lying there, damp and with a pitiful look in her eyes, made her instinctively tread lightly.

I just don’t want to take care of a feverish patient, she rationalized, attributing her unusual behavior to this practical concern.

Lin Qinglian lay peacefully on the sofa, her hands folded neatly, her pale cheeks flushed crimson.

Still no fever break?

Rao Jinqing pressed her hand against Lin Qinglian’s forehead. Having just returned from outside, where A City’s night wind still blew strong, her cool hand, carrying the chill of the early morning breeze, rested gently against Lin Qinglian’s feverish skin.

A chilly wind, carrying the scent of the rain-soaked forest, filled Lin Qinglian’s nostrils.

She groggily opened her eyes, her cheeks flushed crimson, and her long lashes fluttered open. Her voice still thick with sleep, she murmured, “Who is it?”

Rao Jinqing’s low voice answered, “It’s me.”

Lin Qinglian jolted awake.

!!!

She was still on a mission! How had she fallen asleep?! Where was Rao Songning?!

She cautiously cracked open one eye.

Rao Jinqing stood before her, backlit by the dim light.

Rao Jinqing’s narrow eyes tilted upward slightly, as if holding a hint of amusement, yet her expression remained distinctly cold.

Lin Qinglian immediately snapped her eyes shut in panic.

She won’t think I’m overstaying my welcome, will she?

Rao Jinqing’s sharp, crimson-tipped finger tapped the floor beneath the sofa.

Lin Qinglian’s face paled with terror as she scrambled to sit up. “I’ll get right to it…”

“Remember to wash the blanket.”

Their voices collided in that moment.

Lin Qinglian clearly saw the flicker of confusion in Rao Jinqing’s eyes as she raised a delicate eyebrow.

Lin Qinglian’s vision went black.

She realized the foolish thing she’d just done.

Rao Jinqing: “Washing it now might not be practical. It’s too late.”