A Real Heiress Quits (GL) - Chapter 3

“Do you know me?”

The words were on the tip of Yu Xinyue’s tongue, but she swallowed them. She wasn’t supposed to know this woman—at least, not yet.

Qin Qing, the eldest daughter of the founder of the Guangyun Group, would soon dazzle the business world and create several legends. But her name wouldn’t truly become a household word until a few years later, when a candid photo of her at a conference was leaked online. In the photo, she looked exquisite, focused, and noble. She had her head slightly tilted, lifting a stray strand of hair from her forehead, her sleeve partially rolled up to reveal a slender, porcelain wrist.

That single image took the internet by storm, overshadowing countless celebrities. Whenever a starlet tried to claim they “surpassed all others” in beauty, someone would inevitably post that photo with the caption: “You think you’re in her league?”

Yu Xinyue had seen that photo too. In it, Qin Qing’s dark, deep eyes seemed to be staring right at the viewer—cool, clean, and silently gentle. Xinyue’s heart had skipped a beat back then. Everyone gravitates toward beautiful things.

But twenty years ago, the name Qin Qing was not yet famous.

Exercising her veteran acting skills, Yu Xinyue widened her eyes, a flush of excitement rising to her face. “I know! You’re Princess Zhuangcheng from the TV show!”

Princess Zhuangcheng was a character from a historical drama that was a massive hit twenty years ago—gentle, elegant, and dignified. Yu Xinyue didn’t actually remember the actress well, but she recalled someone mentioning once that Qin Qing bore a resemblance to her. She had searched the actress’s name, Chen Ziyu, out of curiosity.

Now, Yu Xinyue looked up with her face full of “idol-worshipping” fervor, her eyes sparkling. It was a vivid performance; she was practically singing the song “Actor” in her head.

The corner of Qin Qing’s mouth twitched ever so slightly. To Yu Xinyue, it was clearly a smirk of disdainful irony. This woman had an innate air of superiority—noble and detached—whether in a photo or in person.

“I am not her.”

Yu Xinyue acted embarrassed, shooting her a quick glance before lowering her eyes. She whispered, “Well, that older sister is very pretty. I was going to say, you’re even prettier than the one on TV.”

The girl’s voice was soft and sweet, like a feather drifting onto a heart.

Qin Qing’s dark pupils lowered, her emotions unreadable. The countdown on the traffic light ticked away—one second, two seconds. When the number hit 1, Xinyue looked up into eyes that felt like deep springs.

The girl’s lashes were long, yet they couldn’t hide the light within. Raindrops clung to her lashes, trembling like unshed tears. The gloom in Qin Qing’s eyes dissipated slightly as she took a proper look at the kid in front of her.

A baggy, rustic dark blue school uniform. A giant backpack. A neatly tied high ponytail. A typical middle school student. Her gaze drifted to Xinyue’s face: ruby lips, white teeth, bright eyes…

She revised her assessment: a typical, very beautiful student.

Because the girl was soaked to the bone, the wet fabric clung to her body, outlining curves that were both youthful and inadvertently alluring. Though she was still developing, her figure was shapely—long legs and a slender waist.

Yu Xinyue tilted her head. “Sister?”

The contrast between the innocent expression and the budding figure was a striking visual impact. Qin Qing’s gaze darkened slightly as she looked away and stepped onto the crosswalk.

After a few steps, her wrist was grabbed again. The girl’s palm was hot, almost burning against her skin.

“Sister, red light,” Xinyue said helplessly.

Qin Qing frowned. Had she really been staring at the girl for over a minute? Why didn’t it feel that long?

Qin Qing was a head taller than Xinyue. Holding the umbrella for her meant Xinyue had to keep her arm raised high. After a while, her hand went numb, and the umbrella trembled, sending transparent raindrops splashing like shattered jade.

Xinyue felt a cool sensation on the back of her hand as a long, fair hand wrapped around hers.

“I’ll do it.” Qin Qing took the handle and leaned down slightly.

The warmth of the woman’s breath brushed against Xinyue’s earlobe, sending a tingle through her. Her body stiffened as an unknown throb of excitement surged through her. They were standing very close; body heat seeped through their thin clothing, and a faint, cold fragrance drifted in the air.

Xinyue bit her lip, not daring to look back, so she stared at Qin Qing’s arm instead. The skin was smooth and delicate as cream. On her wrist was a red string tied to a small porcelain “Fortune Cat.” The bright red string made her skin look like translucent white jade.

I wish I could touch it, Xinyue couldn’t help but think. But she simply lowered her gaze.

An extended Lincoln limousine cut through the rain and pulled up in front of them. The driver got out respectfully, holding an umbrella for Qin Qing as he opened the door. “Miss, I’ve come to take you back.”

Qin Qing nodded and stepped into the car. As she bent to enter, her pant leg rode up, revealing a small glimpse of her ankle. Unlike the woman’s otherwise “ascetic” and cold aura, her ankle was delicate, petite, and so white it was almost transparent.

Xinyue, still holding her own umbrella, narrowed her eyes. On the surface, she was fourteen, but in her soul, she was a mature woman—and a woman who had been single for over thirty years.

In her past life, Yan Ji had introduced her to many potential partners, both men and women, all of whom were attractive and sophisticated. Xinyue had never been interested, leading Yan Ji (and Xinyue herself) to believe she might be asexual.

It turned out she was just a very picky eater. Xinyue rubbed her lip slightly, feeling a bit of dryness in her throat.

Thud. The car door closed. Xinyue felt a twinge of disappointment.

The car stayed put, waiting for the green light. Xinyue gripped her umbrella, standing quietly in the rain. Her own reflection in the black car window showed a face full of youthful innocence—familiar yet strange.

She looked at herself, then at the woman behind the tinted glass. She had an intuition that Qin Qing was looking back at her.

Sure enough, the light turned green, but the car didn’t move. The window rolled down slowly, revealing Qin Qing’s face bit by bit—first the heroic brows, then the cold, clear eyes. The warm interior light cast a hazy glow over her pale face, making her expression seem strangely gentle.

“Get in,” Qin Qing said.

The driver glanced at Xinyue. Seeing she was soaked, he initially wanted to tell her to sit in the front so she wouldn’t get the back seat damp, but a single look from Qin Qing silenced him.

Xinyue sat beside Qin Qing, her hands placed neatly on her knees. She felt confused; she didn’t understand why she was being so “obedient.” The waters of the Guangyun Group were deep, and she hadn’t intended to get involved, but hearing Qin Qing’s voice was like being under a spell.

The car drove smoothly. Xinyue stole a glance at the woman’s profile and quickly looked away. She didn’t regret getting in.

“Little girl, where is your home?” the driver asked.

Xinyue was silent for a long time. She lowered her head and said softly, “I don’t want to go home.”

“This…” The driver hadn’t expected that. Assuming she was a runaway throwing a tantrum, he tried to persuade her. “You should go back. Your family must be worried sick.”

Kids this age are so impulsive, the driver grumbled internally. He turned to Qin Qing for instructions.

Qin Qing tilted her head. The girl was much shorter than her and kept her head down. From this angle, she could see the girl’s tightly pursed lips and wet hair sticking to her porcelain face. Water droplets rolled down her pointed chin, trailed down her swan-like neck, and soaked into her uniform. The small hands on her knees were clenched white as snow.

“Miss?”

Qin Qing withdrew her gaze. After a pause, she said, “Then don’t go back.”

The driver was shocked. “B-But that won’t do! Should we take her to… the Chairman will be angry.”

Qin Qing caught a glimpse of the girl looking up instantly, her gaze burning with intense gratitude. That look made Qin Qing’s heart tighten, and her fingers curled slightly. She felt a strange sense of pleasure, as if she had truly done something wonderful.

“Go to the Violet.”

The driver turned the wheel, muttering to himself, “Fine, we’ll settle her there for now and call her parents later.”

“Thank you,” Xinyue said. She thanked her for not being like everyone else, immediately pressuring her to go home. Not everyone’s home is a “safe harbor,” but happy people never seem to understand that when they offer well-meaning advice.

Qin Qing turned back to the window, watching the desolate rain. “I can understand.”

The Violet was a five-star hotel owned by Guangyun, located in a prime district of C City.

Qin Qing got out first. She didn’t seem to have any intention of going home. Xinyue followed her like a shadow.

The driver called out, “Miss, aren’t you going home?”

Qin Qing stood straight in front of the hotel as the city lights flickered on. She looked back, her straight nose casting a slight shadow, her pale skin translucent like jade under the lights.

Xinyue’s gaze lingered on her slender waist for a split second before quickly looking away. Qin Qing didn’t notice. She stared at the driver. “I just said: I’m not going back.”

The driver was intimidated. “Yes… but Chairman Qin…”

So, she’s a runaway too, Xinyue thought.

Qin Qing turned and walked away without looking back, her expression indifferent. Only Xinyue noticed that the moment “Qin Liru” was mentioned, Qin Qing’s back had stiffened like a drawn bow.

Since the Violet was a Qin family property, they went straight to a luxury suite. Qin Qing told Xinyue to take a shower while she went to another bathroom to freshen up. When Xinyue came out, Qin Qing was already sitting in front of the mirror drying her hair.

Qin Qing looked at Xinyue’s reflection. The girl had wet hair draped over her shoulders and a bathrobe hanging loosely, revealing a stretch of snowy, delicate skin. She looked like a mix of a young woman and a girl—innocent yet alluring.

“What a cute child,” Qin Qing thought.

Xinyue leaned against a chair, her legs long and slender under the robe. As she tilted her head to dry her hair, she caught Qin Qing looking at her through the mirror. The woman’s expression was focused, her eyes deep and cool—just like in that famous photo from the future.

Xinyue’s eyes narrowed slightly as she smiled, looking pure and innocent. “Sister.”

Qin Qing walked over and took the hairdryer from her. “Let me.”

The girl’s hair was long, thick, and black as silk. Qin Qing dried it and applied essential oils with gentle, practiced movements. As she stroked Xinyue’s hair, a faint sadness crossed her eyes. “My younger sister had hair like yours. She kept it for five years, refusing to cut it. It was her most precious treasure.”

But the newspapers had said that before Qin Zhu committed suicide, she had cut her hair short, as if making a final resolution.

Xinyue lowered her eyes, thinking of the reports, but said nothing.

Qin Qing finished combing her hair. “Why did you follow me so easily? Weren’t you afraid I might be a bad person?”

Xinyue shook her head. “No.”

“Why?”

The girl looked into the mirror and said very seriously, “I’ve practiced martial arts and Taekwondo. Most people can’t beat me.”

She wasn’t afraid of meeting someone with ill intentions at all.

Qin Qing was momentarily stunned. She had expected to be told she “looked like a good person,” but the girl’s answer was refreshingly honest. That sentence, so overly sincere, caused the ice in her eyes to melt, revealing her first real smile in days.