After Transmigrating Into a Book, I Was Played by the Black Lotus – Chapter 78

Pulling Silk from a Cocoon¹

Lin Xingzhu concealed the look in the depths of her eyes, quickly pondering Wen Lin’s true intentions.

From her short sentence, Lin Xingzhu could deduce and confirm that Wen Lin knew in advance that she would covet Bai Xiying and come to destroy her and Bai Xiying’s relationship.

Therefore, she was here to “show goodwill.”

But why was she so certain?

A normal person facing this situation should have reined in their thoughts and left gracefully, and would not have deliberately approached to send a signal that they would not compete, yet she did the opposite.

From her strange behavior, Lin Xingzhu sensed that something was not right.

Wen Lin’s attitude was extremely similar to the thought she once had with utmost certainty that Qiao Ziqin and Mu Muqing would definitely fall in love with Bai Xiying.

As soon as she transmigrated into the book, after learning the preceding plot, Lin Xingzhu had once preconceived that these characters from the original work would definitely fall in love with Bai Xiying as written in the book, following the trajectory of fate.

But later facts proved that the plot could be changed.

But this could not deny that Lin Xingzhu once had preconceived notions.

Looking at Wen Lin again, she was really very similar to how she had been at the very beginning.

Extrapolating from her own experience, it was not difficult for Lin Xingzhu, who had gone through an extremely fantastical encounter, to guess that Wen Lin was the same kind of person as her.

—Both were book transmigrators, and both were book transmigrators who were familiar with the plot of the book.

The only difference was that Lin Xingzhu sensed that the plot she understood and grasped was not as much as Wen Lin’s.

This point could be seen just by looking at how she eagerly came over to show goodwill; she knew things that she herself did not know.

However, Lin Xingzhu smiled slightly and probed without a trace, “That’s not for sure. Just the ones who want to catch up and be the third person, I’ve already met several.”

Wen Lin: “……”

So thick-skinned. You were originally just cannon fodder, what are you pretending to be the official couple² for!

But the situation now was different from before. Wen Lin only complained in her heart, but on the surface, she was still very amicable. She pretended to be slightly surprised, “Is that so? Then their moral standards are really questionable. But I saw you two together from afar at the banquet before, and I felt the atmosphere was so harmonious, you’re truly a perfect match. Seeing you up close today, I feel even more that you’re a good match.”

At the end of her speech, the admiration she showed looked very sincere.

And when she said this, she was a bit close to Lin Xingzhu. The Guijie who had just served Lin Xingzhu and Bai Xiying was standing not far away. When she glanced over at the situation here, her heart couldn’t help but skip a beat.

This scum woman isn’t trying to hook up with a little four³ while her female companion is trying on clothes, is she?!

But the actual truth was the complete opposite of her speculation.

Lin Xingzhu was actually almost certain that Wen Lin had discovered her abnormality; otherwise, she wouldn’t have deliberately sought her out.

She remembered their first encounter after Chu Tiantian’s coming-of-age ceremony ended that day. This proved from the side that Wen Lin must have an extraordinary family background.

After all, Wen Lin’s age clearly didn’t match the age of Chu Tiantian’s classmates and playmates, so she must have been invited by Chairman Chu and Madam Chu.

Since she could be invited by them, doesn’t this confirm her status and position?

And Lin Xingzhu had just thought of a possibility: if Wen Lin had transmigrated into the book, and her original body was just an ordinary person who liked Bai Xiying and wanted to destroy their relationship, there was absolutely no need for Wen Lin to go to the trouble of coming here.

After all, as long as she didn’t take the initiative to step in⁴, Lin Xingzhu asked herself, she probably would not have taken the initiative to seek her out.

Unless there was another reason that would compel her to actively seek out Wen Lin.

Lin Xingzhu chatted with Wen Lin with a perfectly appropriate social smile, but in her heart, she was already pulling silk from a cocoon based on her behavior, extracting a truth she had been searching for for a long time—in the original plot, the original body and the character Wen Lin transmigrated into had a feud, and it was a feud beyond just romantic feelings.

Thinking of it this way, the truth became clear.

The smiling Wen Lin before her was the Gong Four she had been looking for since she transmigrated into the book!

The harvest from zero to something was obtained in just a few short breaths. Lin Xingzhu’s eyes became even more profound. Wen Lin felt that she had shown just the right amount of her feelings, and Bai Xiying, who was trying on clothes, was about to come out. She nodded at the elegant Lin Xingzhu, “My female companion is still waiting for me over there, so I’ll make a move first.”

Lin Xingzhu nodded with a smile, watching her go back the way she came. Then, a beautiful girl with a very delicate figure carrying large bags came up and linked arms with her, and then the two left together.

Of course, Lin Xingzhu, who had very good eyesight, noticed that it was Wen Lin’s card that was swiped at the POS machine.

Thinking of the two words “female companion” that had just lightly come from her mouth, Lin Xingzhu’s lips curled. She already had a general understanding of Wen Lin’s basic character.

She didn’t expect that on a trip out, Gong Four would actually take the initiative to show up and report to her door.

Lin Xingzhu was no ignorant novice. Recalling that in the original plot, since Gong Four Wen Lin could make the Lin family go bankrupt in one fell swoop, the power she used was definitely not something she alone could decide.

Perhaps in the novel, it was just a few words sketched by the author, only to embody the relevant character’s Su feeling⁵ and to let the cannon fodder receive a bento box⁶.

But the world they were in now was reality; it was real.

This also meant that if Wen Lin wanted to make the Lin family fall, there must be people behind her who could control the right to speak.

Very obviously and unfortunately, the Wen Lin before her was not such a person.

Thus, the uncertain plot from the original work was not just a squabble between second-generation heirs fighting over jealousy; it must have been closely related to family interests.

Only when there is profit to be made will someone who sits and reaps the fisherman’s benefit⁷ risk fighting for it.

Lin Xingzhu sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose. Thinking of Father Lin, she only felt that the formless pressure was approaching again.

The door to the fitting room opened, and Bai Xiying walked out slowly with the several sets of clothes she had just taken in draped over her arm, a smile on her lips as usual.

Lin Xingzhu’s previously relaxed body straightened up slightly. She made a gesture of moving closer to Bai Xiying and asked gently, “Why didn’t you wear one out to let me see how it looks?”

She thought that with Bai Xiying’s personality, she would have had her follow along to give opinions.

Forgive Lin Xingzhu, she had been made a little like every bush and tree looks like an enemy soldier⁸ by Bai Xiying’s frequent demands recently, so afraid that she would once again indulge herself and start teasing in the fitting room, which was a public space. That was why Lin Xingzhu did not follow when Bai Xiying went in at first.

Although Lin Xingzhu had thought that if she didn’t follow, Bai Xiying would call for her again.

But that didn’t happen.

Bai Xiying’s lips curled. Her light gaze swept over the area that Wen Lin had vacated after leaving, a chill flashing through her eyes. Then she raised her eyebrows and said pointedly, “Don’t think I don’t know what you were thinking at first.”

Weren’t you just worried and scared?

“……” Lin Xingzhu touched her ear and changed the subject, “How was the try-on?”

“Very good, I like all of these sets.”

Saying that, Bai Xiying smiled at the Guijie who had been waiting all along. One of the sets had been suggested by the Guijie.

The Guijie, whose thoughts and sights today had completely exceeded her melon quota, subconsciously returned a smile that was perfect in etiquette, and then watched this pair of loving scum women go to pay the bill together.

A few lines of conversation faintly drifted through the air.

“I think I heard you talking to someone outside just now?”

“Your ears are really sharp. There was someone, but it was just a stranger I had met once before.”

“Why would a stranger come to find you?”

“Who knows.”

The voices faded, and it was clear the people had walked far away.

The smile etched on the Guijie’s face finally relaxed a little. The thought that these two scum women actually looked quite good together standing side by side made her instantly shake her head, mourning for that unknown Director Lin’s girlfriend.

How could I think like that! I hope that poor victim discovers the true face of the scum woman soon!

Who knew that in less than ten minutes, one of the scum women suddenly returned.

It was precisely that… Miss Bai, who was eagerly waiting to move up.

The Guijie instantly perked up. Seeing that her colleague was busy with other customers, she hurriedly walked up to Bai Xiying to provide five-star service.

“Miss Bai, may I ask if you need anything else?”

Bai Xiying nodded lightly, her gaze sweeping over the entrance of the fitting room once more. While picking out clothes again, she seemed to casually ask the person beside her, “When I went in to try on clothes just now, was there a girl next to my girlfriend?”

Guijie: “……”

The gossip attribute is triggered. Is this the third person coming to catch the little four?!

Although eating melons was very happy, if she revealed it, it would clearly violate her professional ethics.

So just as the Guijie was smiling and about to be vague, Bai Xiying, as if she knew what she was thinking, raised her eyebrows and spoke again, “If I remember correctly, in the transaction just now, I was the real customer.”

Yes, when she went out with Lin Xingzhu just now, Bai Xiying had refused Lin Xingzhu’s “compensation” and chose to pay the bill herself.

Even when Lin Xingzhu still had the des.ire to pick out her own clothes, Bai Xiying had used an excuse to pull her away.

And she did this precisely for this scene right now.

The Guijie’s eight-toothed smile was about to fail. Indeed, the real customer was this Miss Bai in front of her.

“……That is correct, Miss Bai.” The Guijie nodded and admitted readily. Anyway, that Director Lin had also admitted it just now.

Bai Xiying narrowed her eyes. Thinking of the few snippets of conversation she had accidentally overheard from behind the not-fully-closed fitting room door, a dangerous aura unconsciously began to emanate from her.

The Guijie, who bore the brunt of it, stiffened. Seeing Bai Xiying’s not-so-good expression, she became even more certain of the “third person catches little four” drama she had suspected earlier.

Such a beautiful woman, why bother?

Bai Xiying scanned the emotions rolling in her eyes, tugged at her lips, and asked in a faint voice, “Can you tell me how long they talked?”

She needed to confirm whether the information she had heard was complete or not.

Not much time had passed, so the Guijie could still recall clearly, “That strange lady came right after you entered the fitting room. About a minute before you came out, that lady left.”

Hearing this, Bai Xiying’s hand holding her phone tightened. Feeling the touch of warmth, the phone screen sensitively flashed with the lock screen interface.

At the same time, there was an unread WeChat message from Lin Xingzhu.

【Lin Xingzhu: Did something happen in the restroom?】

Bai Xiying just lowered her head and glanced at it briefly. When she looked up again, her expression was already calm and untroubled.

When saying goodbye to the Guijie, the turning Bai Xiying paused her steps. Even though her heart was already filled with negative emotions at this moment, she still opened her mouth to restore the innocence of Lin Xingzhu, who had been slandered by her.

Although Lin Xingzhu herself had gone from being forced to actively cooperating.

“Oh right, that Director Lin from just now is indeed my girlfriend.” Bai Xiying looked at the Guijie whose pupils were rapidly contracting. “Perhaps you know about role-playing?”

Guijie: “……”

I know, but that doesn’t stop me from still being greatly shocked!

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