After Transmigrating Into a Book, I Was Played by the Black Lotus – Chapter 21

She had never considered being in a a relationship with her.

The space seemed to constrict in an instant.

Lin Xingzhu caught a faint, pleasant fragrance in the air. Mingled with the scent of alcohol, it slowly enveloped her, making her originally clear head begin to spin.

It turned out the person opposite her had, at some point, drawn near and stopped.

That face, as stunning as a peach blossom, was now close at hand. Lin Xingzhu’s gaze touched it, then her eyes lowered. Her throat moved slightly as she subtly leaned back, resting against the chair to create a little distance.

“What are you looking at?” A soft voice sounded from above.

Lin Xingzhu didn’t answer, instead asking softly, “What are you doing?”

Those hands were still resting on her shoulders. Through the thin layer of fabric, she could clearly feel the warmth of another person’s body—a presence that was impossible to ignore.

The patch of green in Lin Xingzhu’s vision slowly moved down, revealing a pair of exquisite, beautiful collarbones, and then a neck as graceful as a swan’s.

She raised her eyelids slightly. Further up were pale pink lips. Due to the alcohol, they were still moist, as if a tempting, dewy layer had been draped over lips made for kissing.

Made for kissing?

Lin Xingzhu was startled, suddenly snapping back to her senses.

She gently pushed Bai Xiying away, bringing the distance between them back to an appropriate range.

“What are you doing?” There was a complex look in Lin Xingzhu’s eyes, her tone hard to read.

Doesn’t Bai Xiying know that at such a close distance, with her unrestrained advance, if either of them wanted to take a step further, she would be like a lamb delivering itself into a tiger’s maw, with no way out?

Or could it be that she knew, and still wanted to do it?

Lin Xingzhu’s dark eyes stared intently at her.

Under her probing gaze, Bai Xiying smiled faintly. Those lips that had inexplicably lingered in Lin Xingzhu’s mind for a few moments moved, her voice gentle. “I was thinking. Thinking about why you suddenly changed.”

Bai Xiying’s voice clearly held no aggression, its excessive softness carrying a hint of tenderness, yet it sent a chill through Lin Xingzhu’s heart.

She relaxed, a smile playing on her lips. “So, did your thinking yield any results?”

Bai Xiying tilted her head. “I’m not quite sure.”

“I had a vague feeling that you liked me before, but ever since the hospital, I haven’t had that feeling anymore.”

It seemed people had a strange intuition. When someone liked you, as one of the parties involved, you could vaguely sense it from the little clues in your interactions.

Lin Xingzhu wasn’t surprised she felt this way.

Although the distance between them was set at a scale that was neither overstepping nor distant, their bodies were still very close.

Lin Xingzhu’s gaze, light as a feather, swept over the top of her fluffy hair. “Your feeling is real.”

She didn’t deny Bai Xiying’s claim, even though the one who had liked her wasn’t herself.

“But you guessed one thing wrong. I still like you now.”

Lin Xingzhu said with a smile, “But we’re friends, aren’t we?”

The implication was that she still liked her now, but it was the affection of a friend.

Bai Xiying was slightly stunned, then suddenly smiled. “Of course. I just wanted to confirm. But looking at it now, you really have changed.”

Bai Xiying’s long, curled lashes fluttered. “But I like this change in you,” she said.

She hated it when people stared at her with covetous eyes all day. That disgusting, cloying gaze would make the cruelty in Bai Xiying’s heart spiral out of control.

But the Lin Xingzhu before her now, who seemed like a completely different person, was very much to her satisfaction, whether in her actions or her attitude.

When she was with her, she felt she could relax a little, because after so many days of getting to know her, she was certain that the other party was a good person with principles.

However…

Feeling the gentle breathing in front of her, Bai Xiying had her own thoughts. She hadn’t forgotten the strangeness the other party occasionally displayed.

Hearing Bai Xiying affirm her current self, the smile in Lin Xingzhu’s eyes deepened.

She blinked and teased, “I also like this new me who has turned over a new leaf and seen the error of her ways.”

In just a few words, she had subtly defined her transformation as “turning over a new leaf,” and in a world that still revered science, no one would excessively probe into Lin Xingzhu’s drastic personality change.

There were plenty of people in the world whose personalities and abilities shone brightly after mending their ways; Lin Xingzhu was not an anomaly.

If it weren’t for that small mole at the corner of her eye, Bai Xiying thought.

If she hadn’t known Lin Xingzhu so deeply in her past life, or if she hadn’t been reborn, she might have actually believed Lin Xingzhu’s words.

After their verbal sparring, Lin Xingzhu still hadn’t forgotten her initial question.

For instance, why had Bai Xiying suddenly walked around the dining table to close the distance between them?

Her arm rested on the armrest of the dining chair, her index finger tapping lightly as her gaze deepened.

Suddenly, her brow twitched, and her eyes subtly glanced towards the door at the end of the hallway.

But this time, she made no further movements.

Lin Xingzhu sat up straight, glanced at the mess on the table, and turned her head to ask, “Are you full?”

Bai Xiying returned to her senses and sat back down as if nothing had happened. “I’m full. I saw you staring into space after you finished eating and was planning to sneak up and scare you, but who knew I didn’t scare you at all.”

At this, she made a regretful expression, and her rosy cheeks instantly became more animated.

Lin Xingzhu chuckled. “Is that so? Well, you won’t be able to scare me.”

Since Bai Xiying had also finished eating, Lin Xingzhu stood up and began to clear away the trash.

Bai Xiying stopped her. “Let me clean this up. It’s so late and you’ve worked all day. You should go back and rest early.”

As she spoke, she looked up, a teasing smile on her face. “Besides, Young Miss Lin has probably never handled this kind of stuff, right? I’ll do it.”

Lin Xingzhu shook her head. “You don’t need to learn something this simple.”

With deft movements, she sorted the trash and put it away. Her actions were clean and efficient, looking like someone who often did housework.

Bai Xiying’s gaze swept over her, taking note of it. She smiled and said, “Alright, in that case, let’s clean up together.”

In the end, the two of them worked together to clean up the takeout boxes and barbecue skewers. Because they were working together, their efficiency skyrocketed, and they even had the energy and time to clean the dining table and floor.

After everything was done, Lin Xingzhu raised her arm to check the time. It was already ten o’clock at night.

She announced her departure. Before leaving, she hesitated for a moment, then asked, “Since you’ve decided to meet Qiao Zijin, when are you planning to go?”

Bai Xiying paused, calculated the time, and said, “Tomorrow afternoon, I guess. It’s the weekend. Is that okay?”

Lin Xingzhu nodded. “Of course. Do you still need me to go with you?”

Bai Xiying bit her lip and shook her head slightly. “You should get a good rest this weekend. I can go by myself.”

Since that was the case, Lin Xingzhu nodded, indicating she understood.

“I’ll have my assistant take you there tomorrow. This is her number. You can also contact her if you need anything.”

Only after watching her save the assistant’s number did Lin Xingzhu turn to leave. As she closed the door, she smiled and said warmly, “Dinner tonight was very pleasant. Good night.”

“Me too. Good night.”

---

“Miss Bai, this is the place.” The assistant led her into the room and introduced it, stepping aside.

Bai Xiying glanced around and nodded. “Thank you for your trouble.”

The assistant gave a restrained smile. “Qiao Zijin is currently being held inside. You can go straight in from here. I’ve already notified the people inside.”

Bai Xiying nodded in understanding and offered an apologetic smile. “I’ve troubled you and Lin Xingzhu with this matter.”

The assistant’s eyes flickered. Thinking that the person before her was her boss’s girlfriend, her attitude became even more respectful. “Not at all.”

Although she had to work overtime on a weekend to escort her boss’s girlfriend, the assistant’s smile grew more enthusiastic at the thought of her salary doubling this month.

Who wouldn’t love earning double pay for a simple task?

In any case, this working-class assistant loved it to death.

Bai Xiying glanced at her sincere and respectful face.

It seems this Lin Xingzhu really has a way with winning people over.

After a brief chat, Bai Xiying turned and went inside.

The further in she went, the more solemn the atmosphere became; the entire space was stern and cold.

Bai Xiying quickened her pace, following the route the assistant had just described until she reached a room. Pushing the door open, she saw Qiao Zijin sitting in the cold visitation room, wearing handcuffs.

“You’re here.”

The woman’s hoarse voice sounded, her eyes unwilling to leave the newcomer for even a second.

Bai Xiying sat down opposite her without any expression, looking at the wretched, pale woman before her.

Her hair was smooth and neat, clearly having been specially groomed. Her cheeks were pale and sunken, her lips dry and colorless. Her entire demeanor was gloomy and defeated, a stark contrast to her usual arrogant, defiant, and high-spirited appearance.

Catching Bai Xiying’s scrutinizing gaze, Qiao Zijin felt a bit humiliated, but the pride in her heart wouldn’t allow her to show weakness in front of the person she liked. So she took a deep breath and tried to sound as natural as possible. “Do I look very ugly like this?”

She had assumed that, given her current state as a prisoner, Bai Xiying, with her gentle and kind personality, wouldn’t treat her too harshly.

Who would have thought that Bai Xiying would sneer and say bluntly, “At least you have some self-awareness.”

A dark glint flashed in Qiao Zijin’s eyes. She gave a bitter smile. “I know you hate me, but I really couldn’t help myself.”

“Now the Qiao family has abandoned me, and Lin Xingzhu has no intention of letting me go. I know it was all because I was too impulsive and did something to hurt you.”

Qiao Zijin gazed greedily at the woman before her. “I know I was wrong, that I used the wrong methods. Now I’ve gotten my retribution. Since you’re willing to come see me, does that mean…”

She didn’t finish, but the hope bursting from her eyes was a clear sign she hadn’t given up.

Witnessing this, Bai Xiying’s expression remained cold, her voice laced with undisguised malice. “You’re being far too sentimental. I just wanted to come and see what the once high and mighty Young Miss of the Qiao family looks like now, a pathetic, dying dog.”

She revealed a smile, saying cruelly, “After all, if I didn’t want to see your miserable state as a prisoner, did you think I would come?”

“The way you used to look at me, it was so disgusting it made me want to puke.”

One merciless, vicious remark after another rained down on Qiao Zijin. She stared at the lofty Bai Xiying with bloodshot eyes, her spirit shattering.

“No, no, you’re not this kind of person…” she muttered to herself. “You’re lying to me…”

Her Bai Xiying was as pure and passionate as a begonia, as bright and clear as the moon in the sky. How could she be this venomous woman whispering like a demon?

Bai Xiying’s disgusted gaze, as if looking at trash, provoked Qiao Zijin. The calm she had struggled to maintain was instantly torn to shreds.

“No!”

The belief that had been supporting her collapsed in an instant.

Qiao Zijin clenched her fists, veins bulging, her expression ferocious and terrifying.

This was Qiao Zijin’s true face.

Bai Xiying sneered. If there had been a whip lying nearby, Qiao Zijin would probably have snatched it up and lashed out at her without a second thought.

That was how she had been in her past life.

Back then, Bai Xiying had just suffered a huge upheaval and had let her guard down completely around Qiao Zijin, her university classmate, allowing her to get close.

After all, she thought having one pervert like Lin Xingzhu in her life was enough. How could every person she met be a demon?

At first, the two got along well. Later, after Qiao Zijin saw Mu Muqing dropping her off after work, her mood suddenly changed drastically. Not long after, she slowly revealed her true nature and even tried to assault her.

At this thought, Bai Xiying let out a cold laugh. Her body had suffered no small amount of torment back then. Later, she had to feign compliance to protect herself and used Mu Muqing’s help to escape, only to fall into another wolf’s den.

Thinking of this, Bai Xiying’s gaze fell to her right wrist, which she moved imperceptibly.

She didn’t care about Qiao Zijin’s madness at all, sighing leisurely, “What a pity I can’t kill my enemy with my own hands.”

She still remembered the squelch of a cold dagger piercing warm flesh, the feeling of the spurting blood splashing onto her hands and face.

It was intoxicating.

Qiao Zijin’s lips trembled. “You want to kill me?”

“You hate me that much!” she raised her voice in disbelief.

She tremblingly wiped her face, the cold handcuffs on her wrists clanking. No one paid any mind.

Bai Xiying said, “Hate? You’re not worthy of it.”

She had decided to see Qiao Zijin only to see the final state of the person who hadn’t died by her hand in this life. Now that she had seen it, there was no need for her to stay.

Every extra second she spent with Qiao Zijin made her feel sick.

She stood up to leave. Qiao Zijin suddenly gripped the iron bars in front of her and said hatefully, “Don’t think you can rest easy just because you’ve latched onto Lin Xingzhu!”

“She’s a madman!” Qiao Zijin couldn’t help but tremble as she recalled the scene at the hotel that night. The feeling of impending death seemed to descend upon her again. She looked at the cold, heartless, fake woman before her. “When she gets tired of you, or if you accidentally anger her, your fate will be worse than mine.”

Qiao Zijin didn’t realize at all that when she said this, she had already placed the Lin Xingzhu she once looked down on in a lofty, untouchable position.

Hearing her mention Lin Xingzhu, Bai Xiying paused slightly and turned back to say coolly, “She’s not like you.”

Lin Xingzhu is not like her?

Qiao Zijin didn’t believe it.

Lin Xingzhu is just a madman who knows how to hide herself!

Her fingers trembled, and she didn’t even notice that she had bitten her pale lips until they bled.

Bai Xiying tilted her head and smiled. “Just stay here in this prison, and like a dark rat in a sewer, watch me live a better and better life.”

She stood at the doorway. Faint sunlight streamed in from a small window high up in the corridor, landing right on Bai Xiying, who was paused at the door—half in light, half in shadow. Qiao Zijin watched with wide eyes as the other woman walked step by step out of this cold, gloomy room and towards a bright future.

Qiao Zijin suddenly felt a void in her heart. She stared blankly at the door, feeling that things shouldn’t be this way.

It shouldn’t be like this!

Unfortunately, there was no one left to answer her. The police officers who came in pressed down on her shoulders, forcing her away from the visitation room. What awaited her was ten years of prison life.

Qiao Zijin was successfully imprisoned. Qiao Song had already given up on this daughter, and even if he had the intention to pull some strings, Huang Mingyun wouldn’t just stand by and watch.

Therefore, it was plain to see that Qiao Zijin’s life in prison would not be a good one.

But these were no longer Lin Xingzhu’s concerns.

Not long after Bai Xiying left from her meeting with Qiao Zijin, the assistant sent her a message saying the matter was concluded.

【Assistant: CEO Lin, before she left, it seemed Miss Bai was in a bit of a bad mood.】

Lin Xingzhu frowned at the message, but her brow quickly smoothed out.

Publicly, Bai Xiying is now her girlfriend. It’s not surprising that the assistant would overstep and send her this message.

Qiao Zijin is a lunatic. When Bai Xiying went to see her, who knows what kind of nasty things she said. Facing the person who once hurt her, how could Bai Xiying possibly be in a good enough mood to smile? It’s normal for her to be in a bad mood.

However, Lin Xingzhu hesitated for a moment before opening her chat with Bai Xiying.

【Lin Xingzhu: Are you free tomorrow at noon? My father would like to treat you to a meal.】

Five minutes later, a reply came.

【Bai Xiying: Tomorrow noon? Okay.】

Seeing this, Lin Xingzhu breathed a sigh of relief.

After meeting with Dad and putting on this act, it won’t be long before she can break up with her on the grounds of a failed relationship and return Bai Xiying’s single status.

This long-overdue compensation can finally come to a complete end.

The next day, after receiving Bai Xiying’s message, Lin Xingzhu went upstairs and knocked on her door.

When the door opened, Bai Xiying’s face, devoid of any makeup, came into view.

Seeing who it was, Bai Xiying’s face reddened slightly, and she said apologetically, “Sorry to trouble you.”

Lin Xingzhu slowly shook her head.

Bai Xiying bit her lip and led Lin Xingzhu inside, looking somewhat troubled. “I don’t have any experience with this, so I wanted to ask you, what kind of girl does your father like?”

Bai Xiying continued, “Thanks to you both, Qiao Zijin was able to receive the punishment she deserved. I feel I should make a good impression on your father.”

Lin Xingzhu was taken aback. She had to admit, Bai Xiying was very thoughtful.

She smiled. “Didn’t I tell you? My father likes people like you the most. Just dress as you normally would.”

Father Lin was a very tolerant father. To him, as long as Lin Xingzhu was in a proper relationship, he wouldn’t fuss over her partner’s background or personality—as long as it wasn’t too shocking, of course.

After all, Father Lin and Mother Lin had fallen in love freely, and their bond was deep.

Bai Xiying hesitated for a moment, looked at Lin Xingzhu’s smiling eyes, and said in a low voice, “I know… but I think I should consider things from your perspective.”

Lin Xingzhu was stunned. “From my perspective?”

Bai Xiying looked away, seemingly hesitant. “You’ve taken care of me a lot these past few days. I’ve also heard the rumors about you before. I think if I do a better job, things will be a little better for you with your father.”

She didn’t want Father Lin to think that Lin Xingzhu had mobilized the Lin Corporation’s power and gone to great lengths to send Qiao Zijin to prison all for someone who wasn’t worth it.

Another point was returning a favor. This Lin Xingzhu was not that Lin Xingzhu, so Father Lin was naturally not her real father. Even so, the currently cold-hearted Bai Xiying couldn’t help but consider Lin Xingzhu’s position a little.

She lowered her eyes. After saying all this, her long, trembling lashes seemed to be awaiting judgment from the person before her.

Lin Xingzhu’s heart instantly softened.

She looked at the woman before her. Her plain, fair face still couldn’t hide her stunning features. Lin Xingzhu felt as if the other party had become even more beautiful.

But her impression of Bai Xiying seemed to still be stuck on that image of teary-eyed helplessness.

A fragile helplessness born from astonishing beauty, crystalline teardrops, reddened eyes… It was like a sketch on white paper of a vibrant peach blossom trembling in the rain, its branches and buds gorgeous, yet still striving upward.

Because of this, her feelings of pity and responsibility were born.

Lin Xingzhu had always known her sexual orientation was towards women. But in her previous life, living in the Qin family for eighteen years, she was busy growing up to the standards of an heir. Where would she find the leisure for romance? After leaving the Qin family, she struggled to get by and had even less inclination to find a girlfriend.

And after arriving in this world, it was not of her own volition, but she was already burdened with the karma left by her predecessor. This made it impossible for her to stand by and do nothing when the constitutionally special Bai Xiying encountered difficulties, as long as it was within her power.

In such a situation, she had even less of a mind for romance.

If she were to get a girlfriend, how would she explain to her girlfriend that she was frequently rushing to save another girl?

Even if you’ve never eaten pork, haven’t you seen a pig run? Even without having been in a relationship, Lin Xingzhu knew that lovers possessed a sense of possessiveness and exclusivity.

Under these circumstances, it would be unfair to her partner.

Therefore, Lin Xingzhu had nipped such thoughts in the bud from the very beginning.

And as for Bai Xiying, she had never once had any similar ideas.

Putting aside the compensation she still owed Bai Xiying, just considering Bai Xiying as a person, Lin Xingzhu still hadn’t completely figured her out.

Such a person, whom she found somewhat inscrutable, was fine as a friend, but as a lover, Lin Xingzhu had never considered it.

But despite all these considerations, she was still touched by the kindness the other party returned.

Lin Xingzhu held back, but couldn’t resist. She gently ruffled the other’s hair. The soft touch made her want to linger, but for too long, and it would easily breed ambiguity.

She withdrew her hand, a smile in her eyes. “Thank you.”

Hearing this, a look of relief instantly appeared on Bai Xiying’s face.

Lin Xingzhu followed her into the bedroom.

This was the first time she had set foot in Bai Xiying’s more private space. Although there was a reason for it, Lin Xingzhu still restrained her gaze and didn’t look around randomly.

The other party hadn’t made major changes to the bedroom, but the decor inside was still somewhat beyond Lin Xingzhu’s expectations.

She had witnessed the other’s home decor in Bai Xiying’s previous rental apartment, which was warm without lacking style.

But this bedroom, from what Lin Xingzhu could tell so far, seemed vastly different from the previous one. The style was still there, but the first impression it gave was one of coldness.

Her brow twitched slightly as she glanced at Bai Xiying without a change in expression.

Can a person’s aesthetic really change so drastically overnight?

It wasn’t impossible, but since the subject was the inscrutable Bai Xiying, Lin Xingzhu felt a faint suspicion.

However, this was just her baseless speculation. Lin Xingzhu reined in her thoughts and focused on the matter at hand.

Bai Xiying didn’t know what she had been thinking in that brief moment. Under Lin Xingzhu’s guidance, she held the clothes and smiled with satisfaction.

“Now I can feel at ease,” Bai Xiying said.

Lin Xingzhu smiled helplessly, then went out, leaving Bai Xiying ample space.

Only after Bai Xiying had gotten ready did Lin Xingzhu drive her away.

Father Lin’s original words were for her to bring Bai Xiying home for lunch. Only after getting Bai Xiying’s opinion yesterday did Lin Xingzhu reply to him.

Her original plan was that if Bai Xiying was unwilling, she would just book a restaurant for them to meet.

Now that Bai Xiying didn’t mind, they would go back to the Lin family home.

The journey from the apartment to the Lin residence wasn’t far, only about half an hour, and the two had already arrived.

Bai Xiying gazed at the villa towering amidst the lush greenery and got out of the car with Lin Xingzhu.

Lin Xingzhu handed the car keys to the butler, asking him to park it in the garage, before turning to look at Bai Xiying.

After the butler left, she paused for a moment and said, “We might need to hold hands.”

Bai Xiying was slightly stunned, then immediately understood.

“Of course,” Bai Xiying smiled. “Here.”

She extended her hand, as slender and fair as jade.

Lin Xingzhu’s earlobes warmed up uncontrollably. Of course, she and Bai Xiying had shared embraces more intimate than holding hands, but those were out of necessity. For the two of them to simply hold hands while fully conscious, that had never happened before.

It could be said that simply holding hands with a young woman was an experience Lin Xingzhu had never had.

With a serious expression on her face, she took the hand that carried its owner’s warmth and whispered, “Pardon the intrusion.”

They joined hands. Lin Xingzhu thought that would be enough, but who knew that she would feel the other person’s hand move in her palm. In an instant, the situation changed from simply holding hands to having their fingers intertwined.

“…” Lin Xingzhu was a little surprised.

Bai Xiying gently swung their hands, her eyes clear without a trace of any other thought, and explained softly, “This is more realistic.”

Alright, all for the act.

Lin Xingzhu suppressed the bit of awkwardness rising in her heart and entered the house with Bai Xiying in this posture.

Father Lin had long been sitting on the sofa, waiting with delight. He would occasionally get up, hands behind his back, and wander outside for a look, but to his disappointment, no one came. Plus, the sun was too strong, so he returned to the living room, picked up a newspaper, and pretended to read while he waited.

When the familiar sound of the engine was heard, his spirits instantly lifted, and he sat up even straighter.

Footsteps approached from far to near. Father Lin looked up accordingly, and a pair of beauties immediately appeared before his eyes.

His eyesight was excellent, and he saw at a glance that his daughter’s hand was intertwined with the other girl’s. He suddenly felt a pang of jealousy.

Lin Xingzhu approached and said with a smile, “Dad, Xiying and I are back.”

Bai Xiying followed suit with a shy smile and greeted him, “Hello, Chairman Lin.”

Father Lin put down the newspaper that had long since bored him and took the opportunity to get a good look at the girlfriend for whom his daughter had flown into a rage for a beauty.

Mm, not bad, she’s really good-looking.

He nodded in satisfaction, waved his hand magnanimously, and said gently, “Why call me Chairman Lin? That’s what outsiders call me. We’re all family here. From now on, just call me what Xingzhu calls me.”

Lin Xingzhu glanced at the hale and hearty Father Lin and grumbled internally. Call you what I call you? What would that make her? Who asks someone to call them ‘Dad’ on their first visit?

Bai Xiying was clearly a bit surprised too. She paused, a smile forming on her lips, and said, “Okay, Uncle.”

Uncle was also acceptable.

Father Lin nodded in satisfaction and called for someone to pour them tea. “Come, sit and rest. The kitchen is busy. We can eat in a little while.”

The two of them sat opposite Father Lin. As they sat down, Lin Xingzhu naturally let go of the hand she had been holding.

Bai Xiying felt a little awkward. She took a sip of the tea that was passed to her. The pure, slightly astringent aroma of the tea instantly filled her mouth, dispelling some of her nervousness.

Father Lin looked at Bai Xiying amiably, inquiring, “Xiying, ah, I heard from Xingzhu that you work in design?”

Bai Xiying quickly put down her cup. “Yes, I also work in gaming. I’m a concept artist for games.”

Father Lin nodded as if he understood. He didn’t know much about this; the gaming company had specialized people to manage it.

But since his daughter was now in this line of work, that was great. The two of them would have common topics to talk about.

Then, Father Lin started making small talk with Bai Xiying. The two of them chatted back and forth for quite a while, and Lin Xingzhu’s main role was demonstrated here—she was an expert at pouring tea and water.

After refilling their cups again, Lin Xingzhu, now relegated to the role of a tool, got up and went to the kitchen.

Although Father Lin had given instructions early on, when Lin Xingzhu thought of Bai Xiying’s preference for sweeter flavors, she still decided to go in and ask the chef to make a few more dishes to her taste.

As soon as she left, Father Lin leisurely sipped his tea, looking at Bai Xiying with eyes full of affection.

“Xiying, ah, I know this child, Xingzhu, was a bit mischievous before.”

From their conversation just now, Father Lin had already learned that the person before him was his daughter’s schoolmate.

Father Lin had strong features and a natural air of integrity. “I understand you young people’s relationships, and I won’t interfere. Uncle will say this today: if Xingzhu makes you angry or unhappy in the future, you just come find Uncle, and Uncle will stand up for you!”

Having learned during their chat that Bai Xiying’s parents had both passed away, Father Lin felt more and more sympathy for her the more he looked at her.

What a good child, what a sensible child. Self-reliant, strong, with an open and generous personality, and most importantly, she has a good relationship with Lin Xingzhu.

The more he looked, the more satisfied he became, so much so that he wished he could finalize their relationship now that Lin Xingzhu had finally settled her heart. The plan was simple: first, she would start a family, then establish her career. Once Lin Xingzhu was settled, he could begin handing over the business to her step-by-step and finally become a carefree, hands-off manager.

Bai Xiying shook her head and said gently, “Uncle, Xingzhu is very good to me.”

She understood the principle. How could she speak ill of someone’s precious daughter right in front of her father?

What’s more, the current Lin Xingzhu was indeed very good.

Her thoughts turned. Not knowing what came to mind, Bai Xiying pursed her lips and asked curiously, “Was Xingzhu particularly mischievous before?”

Facing her inquisitive eyes, Father Lin felt a bit awkward. He said vaguely, “A little bit. Young people are insensible and want to try everything. But don’t worry, this child takes after her mother and me. Her foundation is still good.”

In any case, she’s a hundred times better than that Qiao Zijin who’s already in prison.

“See? Isn’t this it? She’s settled down now and knows she needs to work hard.” Father Lin changed the subject, his tone satisfied.

“So that’s how it was,” Bai Xiying said softly. “But I like her no matter what she’s like.”

Father Lin: “…”

He touched his warm teacup, feeling a little guilty.

In the end, he was unwilling to let the affectionate young girl get hurt. He stammered a bit, “…you should still discern carefully.”

Sigh, this girl likes his daughter too much. He could only hope his daughter would be steadfast and see it through to the end, to be as responsible and loyal as he and her mother were.

He took a sip of tea to hide his expression, and thus missed the thoughtful look on Bai Xiying’s face.

Although she had only dealt with Father Lin once in her previous life, from that single encounter, Bai Xiying already understood how much this father loved his daughter.

Today’s conversation had, without a doubt, verified this idea.

So, for such a doting father, if one were to name the person who understood Lin Xingzhu best in this world, there was no one besides Father Lin.

In that case, why hadn’t he noticed that Lin Xingzhu was a different person?

A trace of doubt flashed in Bai Xiying’s eyes.

Lin Xingzhu came out of the kitchen and saw that the two had more or less finished their chat, completely unaware that in her absence, her own father had been complaining about her to her fake partner.

“Shall we get ready to eat?” Lin Xingzhu said.

“Yes, yes, let’s eat. You must be hungry after chatting for so long.” Father Lin quickly got up and beckoned to Bai Xiying. “Uncle doesn’t know what you like to eat. Xingzhu, ah, did you tell the kitchen to make some of Xiao Ying’s favorite dishes?”

Father Lin very naturally changed his form of address for Bai Xiying again.

Lin Xingzhu glanced at her and said with a light smile, “Of course.”

A faint blush timely appeared on Bai Xiying’s face.

Father Lin was instantly satisfied and didn’t forget to shoot Lin Xingzhu an appreciative look.

Clever. She rarely shows the flair I had in my day.

When you do something good, you have to say it out loud, otherwise who would know what you did?

What’s more, he was giving his daughter a chance to score points. Besides, the young lady was so devoted to her, not even minding her past mess. It was only right that she do something considerate for her.

Lin Xingzhu felt baffled.

She hesitated for a moment, leaned closer to Father Lin, and whispered, “Dad, is there something wrong with your eyes?”

Father Lin: “…”

This blockhead!

He snorted and ignored her.

The chef placed the dishes on the table one by one, and the three of them took their seats.

Facing the table full of delicacies, Lin Xingzhu thought of how Father Lin had personally shouldered the pressure from Qiao Song these past few days. She used the serving chopsticks to pick up a piece of Father Lin’s favorite dish and placed it in front of him.

“Dad, try this fish you like the most. I just specially asked the chef to add it.”

Bai Xiying glanced at the two of them, her eyes imperceptibly sweeping over the fish that was said to be Father Lin’s favorite.

The smile in Father Lin’s eyes was about to crawl out from the wrinkles at their corners.

This daughter of his might be a blockhead, but she was still filial.

She didn’t forget her old dad just because she got a wife.

While the father and daughter were enjoying their harmonious moment, Lin Xingzhu didn’t forget to attend to Bai Xiying. She rearranged several of the sweeter dishes on the table, placing them specifically in front of Bai Xiying.

Bai Xiying smiled and, taking advantage of a moment when Father Lin wasn’t looking, whispered, “Sorry to trouble you.”

Lin Xingzhu shook her head, wrinkled her nose, and smiled. “It’s no trouble at all. If anything, it must have been hard on you, having to chat with my dad for so long.”

“Your father is very nice,” Bai Xiying said.

Lin Xingzhu averted her eyes, just in time to meet Father Lin’s peeking gaze, and found it somewhat amusing.

She cleared her throat. “Let’s eat first. We can talk later.”

Not knowing if the Lin family had a rule about not speaking during meals¹, Bai Xiying tried her best to eat seriously and didn’t say anything.

But in her heart, she was still thinking about the moment when Lin Xingzhu served her father.

For Father Lin not to have noticed anything amiss, the current Lin Xingzhu’s actions and style must be the same as the previous one’s.

And since she clearly knows Father Lin’s preferences, does that mean this Lin Xingzhu actually has the relevant memories?

She recalled that during this period, Lin Xingzhu had shown no sense of unfamiliarity when facing Shang Cengrou or anyone else.

It seems the person in this body has simply inherited the memories of the former Lin Xingzhu.

At this thought, Bai Xiying relaxed a little.

The other party is not the same as her. She just doesn’t know where she came from.

She unconsciously bit her chopsticks.

Could Lin Xingzhu… be a stranger from the same world as her?

Once a doubt is born, it will be like wild grass in a spring breeze, taking root in the soil of suspicion and gradually spreading.

Bai Xiying took a slow breath, suppressing the wild thoughts in her heart.

Even if Lin Xingzhu came from the same world as her, she might just be a stranger. She might not know about the past.

Bai Xiying thought that she just needed to find an opportunity to probe later. If Lin Xingzhu was completely clueless, then it wouldn’t affect her search for those unexpected variables in Lin Xingzhu.

After all, wasn’t Qiao Zijin one such variable?

This was the only pleasure she could find for solace in this boring human world.

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