After Transmigrating Into a Book, I Was Played by the Black Lotus – Chapter 45

Knight

The hand, stuck halfway in the air, felt a little stiff. Fortunately, Bai Xiying had her back to her at that moment, so she couldn’t see the awkward scene.

After a moment, she let her hand hover over Bai Xiying’s back, comforting her in silence.

Bai Xiying knew she couldn’t rush things, especially with someone like Lin Xingzhu, who had her own set of principles. The intentional contact today was enough.

She needs to gradually get used to my intimate contact. It would be best to use this to pry open her sealed-off heart, to make her develop other ideas, to start desiring me.

Those twisted past experiences had tormented the former Bai Xiying, but they had also imperceptibly built her perception into a high-rise tower vastly different from that of an ordinary person. It permeated the finest details of her being, yet she herself was unaware.

Therefore, in Bai Xiying’s view, desire was born only from love. Once Lin Xingzhu desired her, it would signify a qualitative change in her underlying thoughts and attitude.

Even though she had always felt annoyed and disgusted by the “love” and “like” that people spoke of, the brand of her past, which followed her like a shadow, was a constant reminder: emotion gives rise to desire.

Lin Xingzhu had no idea that in the brief span of their hug, the person in her arms had already had hundreds of thoughts about seducing her.

Sensing the person in her embrace wanted to pull away, she released her hands at the right moment, creating some distance.

When Bai Xiying looked up, it seemed as if she had been crying. The rims of her eyes were slightly red, and the corners still held a glimmer of moisture, a flash of something crystalline.

Yet, the person before her seemed not to want her to worry, even forcing a smile as she gazed at her.

After a pause, Lin Xingzhu said in a low voice, “If you’re willing, I can go with you.”

Two people going together to commemorate someone is better than one solitary figure going to a place so heavy with sorrow, right? she thought.

A hint of emotion touched Bai Xiying’s eyes. “Thank you, Xingzhu.”

However, she still didn’t really want Lin Xingzhu to see that woman, even if she had been dead for many years, even if the image of her in her memory had blurred into a gray, dusty mass.

There was no other reason, except that she felt the woman wasn’t worthy.

“But there are more important things right now. Let’s talk about it after the competition.”

“…” Lin Xingzhu paused for a moment. “Alright.”

She stayed with Bai Xiying a while longer. Seeing the dark circles under her eyes, she couldn’t help but urge her to take a nap to catch up on sleep before she left.

Around seven in the evening, Jiang Yeye returned from outside, cheerful and excited. After hearing that she had already eaten dinner with a friend, Lin Xingzhu didn’t prepare a portion for her. She made her own, and after finishing dinner and washing the dishes, she sat in the study and waited. Glancing at the time, she saw it was about when Bai Xiying usually went out.

To be honest, she still hadn’t completely figured out what Bai Xiying was trying to accomplish by constantly tailing Xie Yunya.

But that didn’t stop her from following behind her every night like a tagalong. If it was curiosity at first, the meaning of the phrase “to escort and protect” had since taken up a much larger share.

To this day, in Lin Xingzhu’s mind, Bai Xiying was still the image of someone with red-rimmed eyes, praying for rescue while being harmed.

Before leaving, Lin Xingzhu made a point to tell Jiang Yeye, who was in the house, giving her a few reminders about being home alone. Only after getting a response did she change her shoes and head out.

She drove her car behind Bai Xiying, just as always. Lin Xingzhu was already far too familiar with this road.

However, tonight, the area outside the residential complex where Xie Yunya lived was unusually different.

Lin Xingzhu stood in the distance, looking at the few people with grim expressions in front of the complex gate.

Xie Yunya was not in a wheelchair today. Instead, she was being supported by her cousin as she stood there, facing off against several gaudily dressed people.

She glanced over at Bai Xiying and noticed that she was watching the scene with particular focus.

Lin Xingzhu was standing too far away to hear what was being said, but she figured that from Bai Xiying’s position, she could probably catch a few scattered phrases.

And that was indeed the case.

Bai Xiying heard that the group seemed to be in a dispute over something. Under Xie Yunya’s admonishment, she was having her cousin turn spears and shields into jade and silk¹ with them.

The lights at the complex gate were very bright, and she could clearly see the expressions of the people she was facing.

The men and women, who looked like little punks, appeared honest and simple-faced, but every now and then, expressions that didn’t quite match their looks would flash across their faces.

After talking for a short while, the two groups separated. Xie Yunya took her cousin back into the complex, and the punks left together.

Bai Xiying glanced at the main gate, a strange intuition in her heart. The reason for Xie Yunya’s accident back then was definitely related to her cousin.

In her past life, it was only after the incidents with Mu Muqing and Qiao Zijin that Bai Xiying learned Xie Yunya had always had feelings for her.

But by the time she found out, Xie Yunya was no longer the gentle and elegant senior from university.

She had become gloomy, dejected, and at times, possessed an indescribable madness.

At that time, Bai Xiying was mentally and physically exhausted, barely holding on against the harassment from her boss and a neurotic, as well as the suspicions of her close friend Fang Xiaotong².

By chance, she ran into Xie Yunya on a rainy day. Despite having an umbrella, Xie Yunya chose to stand in the downpour. She took Bai Xiying home, sheltering her for a night when she had nowhere else to go.

Afterward, she would often run into Xie Yunya in her daily life. Sometimes she was as gentle as if they were back on campus, but other times she was as gloomy as a neurotic. Once, she had even nearly assaulted her.

In a panic, Bai Xiying had smashed a bottle over her head, which also seemed to have woken her up. After that, Bai Xiying received a letter of apology from her and never saw her in A City again.

At the time, she suspected that something must have happened to Xie Yunya before they met, causing her personality to change so drastically.

Reborn into this life, upon meeting the cousin Xie Yunya had never mentioned at the bar, Bai Xiying immediately realized that this might be the key.

She had no particular feelings for Xie Yunya, but it was undeniable that regardless of Xie Yunya’s motives for taking her in back then, she had indeed helped her.

Since she had a guess, Bai Xiying decided to see if she could change anything.

But her emotions had long been worn down and twisted in her past life until next to nothing was left. The only bit of emotion she had that resembled a normal person’s had, in this life, been unknowingly poured entirely into another person.

At this thought, her indifferent and emotionless eyes softened.

The cool night wind blew. Bai Xiying watched for a while longer, and after confirming that no one else was likely to come out, she hailed a taxi and left.

Seeing Bai Xiying leave, Lin Xingzhu also got in her car, following from a distance.

But as she drove, she suddenly realized something was wrong.

This wasn’t the way back. Did Bai Xiying change her route at the last minute? Does she have something else to do?

With this thought, Lin Xingzhu kept her hands on the steering wheel, tailing from behind.

Inside the taxi, Bai Xiying, in the back seat, spoke coolly, “Sir, this isn’t the right way, is it?”

The driver glanced into the rearview mirror, his murky eyes flashing. He squeezed out a smile on his weathered face to placate her. “Don’t you worry, little lady. Think about it, the roads lead in all directions; it’s not like there’s only one way. I’ll definitely get you there.”

Averting his gaze, the man could barely contain his excitement, his ugly intentions laid bare on his face.

No one knew that every time he saw news reports online about drivers assaulting lone passengers, he would feel an itch in his heart. He would fantasize about it, but he usually had the heart of a thief but not the guts.

However, after observing for a long time, the man discovered that very few passengers ended up reporting it to the police. His courage inevitably grew a little.

Until today, when he picked up a girl who looked soft and weak, riding alone late at night. That heart of his couldn’t help but stir restlessly.

I’ll just find a place with no surveillance cameras, he thought. At most, I’ll just touch her and kiss her a bit, nothing more. Even if this little girl isn’t afraid of the shame and calls the police, they won’t be able to do much to me.

The road was getting more and more remote.

Bai Xiying sneered. She had already guessed what this driver was planning to do.

Does he really think I’m a pushover?

A cold glint flashed in her eyes as she felt for the dagger she always carried with her.

At the same time, Lin Xingzhu, who had been following in her car, also sensed something was wrong.

It was getting darker and more deserted here. There was no reason for Bai Xiying to come to a place like this alone in the middle of the night.

Suddenly, the car ahead made a turn and disappeared around a corner of the crisscrossing, dilapidated buildings.

Lin Xingzhu’s brows locked tightly as she sped up and rushed after it.

Inside the taxi.

“What are you trying to do?” Bai Xiying’s eyes were wide as she watched the middle-aged man leaning toward her warily.

However, because she felt absolutely no fear in her heart, the timidness in her tone was reduced by more than half.

The driver didn’t notice anything amiss. He had already locked the car doors and was now rubbing his hands, staring at Bai Xiying with a covetous look.

“Don’t you worry, little lady. I’m not going to do anything.”

He chuckled darkly, his murky eyes radiating malicious intent. “Just let me have one kiss. One kiss and I’ll let you go.”

As he spoke, he lunged!

Bai Xiying dodged to the side, but the car was too small, the space to evade extremely limited.

“You’re dodging? You can’t escape!” Seeing this, the man’s attitude turned nasty. “No one ever comes here! And it’s the middle of the night. If you just obediently let me have a couple of kisses, won’t I let you go then?!”

A vicious glint flashed in Bai Xiying’s eyes.

She swiftly pulled the dagger from her pocket. Seizing the moment the driver underestimated her and let his guard down, she viciously kicked him in his three lower paths³. Her actions were ruthless. As he let out a pig-like squeal of agony, she quickly sat up, raised the dagger, and stabbed at his body

Pfft—!

It was the sound of a blade sinking into flesh and blood.

To avoid trouble, Bai Xiying had consciously avoided any vital spots.

The driver was now trembling from the pain, but he had already realized that the woman⁴ before him had deceived him.

“You’re courting death!” the driver screamed, his face contorted. Ignoring his wound, he struggled to lunge forward and snatch her knife!

BANG—CRASH—

The sudden sound of shattering glass exploded by her ear.

The cold night wind poured into the car, carrying with it the sound of a woman panting.

“Bai Xiying! Are you okay?!”

Bai Xiying snapped her head up. Under the hazy moonlight, Lin Xingzhu, holding a large rock, had suddenly descended like a knight coming to save a princess.

Seeing the situation inside the car clearly, especially the blood splattered on Bai Xiying’s face, Lin Xingzhu’s expression changed drastically. “Are you hurt?!”

Her face suddenly turned ferocious. Seizing the opportunity, she opened the car door from the inside, her arm muscles tensing as blue veins popped. She grabbed the driver, who was wincing from the glass shards stabbing into him, and viciously slammed her fist directly into his nose and mouth!

The thought that Bai Xiying might be injured sent the blood rushing backward through Lin Xingzhu’s veins, her temples throbbing violently. She rained down one vicious blow after another on the man beneath her.

“Ugh… Ugh, ahhhhhh!!”

“Stop hitting… Stop hitting!” The driver, covered in injuries, was in so much pain his vision was going dark. “…Help! Let me go, I beg you! I’ll never do it again…”

Bai Xiying got out of the car. Seeing Lin Xingzhu’s bloodshot eyes, she was somewhat stunned.

The dagger in her hand fell unknowingly, its crisp clatter ringing out with exceptional clarity in the night, pulling Lin Xingzhu’s spiraling consciousness back from the brink.

She lifted her head, kicked the man lying on the ground aside, and scooped up the stunned Bai Xiying, pulling her into a tight embrace.

“Are you hurt?”

After a moment, she asked, her voice hoarse.

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