Pretending To Be Affectionate [Transmigration] - Chapter 15

The moment Ling Yu stepped out of the restaurant, her phone vibrated dozens of times in succession.

She raised an eyebrow and clicked her tongue.

“So enthusiastic?”

However, when she checked the screen, the messages were not from Gu Qing but from Yu Xin.

Ling Yu skimmed them. Their general meaning was that she should not take the earlier misunderstanding to heart.

Yu Xin had also sent her some additional spending money for the month.

Ling Yu was accustomed to this behavior.

That married couple had always been the same. They refused to surrender fifty percent of the company’s shares, yet they also wanted to preserve the outward appearance of being a loving father and mother.

Giving her spending money was merely their method of papering over the cracks.

Ling Yu disinterestedly glanced at the transferred amount. The smile on her lips deepened.

Surprisingly, an extra zero had been added to her usual allowance.

[Yuyu, if you don’t want Juanzi to live with you, then forget it. But could you do Auntie a favor and deliver some money to her? That poor child has encountered some trouble recently…]

Ling Yu narrowed her eyes, her gaze settling on the words “some trouble.”

She thought about the special attention Gu Qing had shown the dancer that night, as well as the recording pen still in Ling Yu’s possession.

After considering it for a moment, Ling Yu replied:

[All right.]

At midnight, inside Canghai Club—

“I think she may have completely fallen for me.”

The woman speaking wore a cropped camisole that exposed her waist. Her shorts barely reached the tops of her thighs, and from nearby, one could see the ruffled lace edge of her underwear beneath her nude stockings.

Her legs were crossed, and she sprawled bonelessly across the bar.

Because of her seductive posture, most of the individual customers inside the noisy pub stared openly at her.

The woman did not appear embarrassed. She skillfully took a sip of liquor and returned the surrounding customers’ attention with a smile.

“Of course she has. Whenever Juanjuan makes a move, you’re invincible. Who cares if she’s straight? Faced with a beautiful woman like you, she would still drop to her knees and surrender.”

The bartender had dyed yellow hair. Eagerly flattering her, he handed over a freshly mixed cocktail.

Halfway through, his fingers changed direction, and he took the opportunity to grope the woman’s chest.

Li Juan frowned and slapped his hand away.

“Watch yourself. I only just hooked up with that woman, and apparently she’s a lawyer. What if she comes to pick me up after work tonight? All of you had better behave yourselves from now on…”

Seeing that she was displeased, the yellow-haired bartender awkwardly withdrew his hand.

It was midnight, and the club’s final dance had already ended.

Only a few scattered people remained on the dance floor, though a large number of customers were sprawled across the booths in the first-floor lobby.

The bartender yawned sleepily. With nothing better to do, he continued discussing Li Juan’s latest romantic conquest.

“Come to think of it, I’ve seen your new woman before.”

Sweet-talking her, he continued, “Sister, there’s nothing to criticize about her appearance. Judging from her clothes, she must be rich. Is she generous with you? Does she give you more than that wealthy heir from last time?”

Embarrassment flashed through Li Juan’s eyes.

She answered vaguely, “Well…we aren’t together yet.”

The bartender made a startled sound and stared at her in disbelief.

“I thought…”

“She isn’t the sort of person who rushes into things.”

Li Juan frowned and interrupted him.

“She doesn’t speak much, and she’s quite proper.”

“Sister.”

The bartender looked increasingly suspicious.

“Then how do you know she likes you?”

Li Juan stiffened her neck.

“Get lost. Love isn’t something you can only prove in bed. She’s different from all of you. She talks to me—about my life.”

When the bartender scoffed, Li Juan picked up her empty glass and struck him in the chest.

She cautiously surveyed their surroundings before hooking an arm around his neck and lowering her voice.

“You know my friend Yan Shu, right? The young woman who died two months ago in a wealthy heir’s villa in Gangcheng… I never told anyone this, but I was there when it happened.”

“What the fuck!”

The bartender nearly spat out his drink.

His eyes widened as though he had heard something terrifying. After confirming from Li Juan’s gaze that she was serious, it took him a long time to recover.

He patted his chest with lingering fear and whispered, “No wonder you haven’t returned home for so many days and have been hiding inside the club. Juan-jie, the people involved in Gangcheng are extremely powerful. You aren’t in danger, are you?”

Li Juan gave him a reassuring look.

“Don’t worry. My woman is helping me…”

Li Juan and the bartender were unusually close. Their heads quickly drew together as they whispered for quite some time.

Ling Yu remained seated in the shadows.

Only after the yellow-haired bartender stood to prepare another drink did she approach Li Juan.

She wore a warm knitted sweater, with a dangling diamond earring hanging from one ear. Her appearance was pure and sweet, making her look distinctly different from every other customer in the bar.

Li Juan glanced toward her.

After seeing Ling Yu’s face clearly, she straightened briefly, only to collapse bonelessly against the bar again.

She took a sip of her cocktail and smiled flirtatiously.

“Xiao-mei, want to have a drink?”

She had assumed a student-like girl such as Ling Yu would leave in disgust.

Unexpectedly, Ling Yu smiled and nodded. Then she unceremoniously occupied the seat beside Li Juan and tilted her head toward the bartender, ordering a margarita.

Aside from her appearance, every movement she made displayed perfect composure.

Suspicion flashed through Li Juan’s eyes.

She forcibly suppressed the sudden panic rising inside her and carefully examined Ling Yu again.

One could hardly blame her for overreacting.

Li Juan had been proceeding with extreme caution, like a bird startled by the mere twang of a bowstring.

It all began two months ago, when her best friend was raped to death by a wealthy heir.

Li Juan had originally been brought to the villa by her financial patron to celebrate the owner’s birthday.

She had not been on the third floor at first. She went upstairs only after her best friend, Yan Shu, sent her a message pleading for help.

There, she witnessed the entire process of her friend being tortured to death.

Li Juan was not particularly worldly, but she was not foolish.

Knowing she had stumbled into enormous trouble, she did not immediately contact the police. Instead, she quietly left.

However, another young woman attending the party had used her phone to record a blurry video of the rape. When the footage appeared online, the case erupted across the internet.

Li Juan initially believed that would be the end of it.

She had no intention of coming forward and inviting disaster upon herself.

Unexpectedly, the Jiang family somehow obtained the surveillance footage and discovered her movements.

As the only eyewitness, the Jiang family demanded that she give false testimony.

Li Juan was naturally timid, but she did not want to profit from her best friend’s blood and death.

Thus, she fled Gangcheng overnight two months ago.

People had already surrounded her former residence, while her phone card and bank accounts were being monitored.

With nowhere else to go, Li Juan remained inside the chaotic Canghai Club, hiding in plain sight.

Frankly, until a verdict was reached in Jiang Wei’s case, her circumstances remained extremely dangerous.

Aside from the yellow-haired bartender and Gu Qing, Li Juan felt an instinctive wariness whenever a stranger approached her.

“Xiao-mei, how old are you? Won’t your family worry if you stay out this late?”

Li Juan stared at the colorful cocktail inside her glass and casually tested her.

“My name is Ling Yu.”

Ling Yu took in her expression and smiled mildly.

Perhaps because she had overheard Li Juan and the bartender making suggestive comments about Gu Qing earlier, Ling Yu’s gaze toward her now appeared somewhat dark.

Li Juan noticed it immediately and became uncertain whether Ling Yu had been sent by the people in Gangcheng.

She discreetly signaled to the bartender, then calmly raised her glass toward Ling Yu in acknowledgment.

Afterward, she stood and said, “Haozi, I’m leaving early. Cover for me, all right?”

The bartender glanced at Ling Yu and nodded slightly.

“Sure. Call me if anything happens.”

“Wait.”

Ling Yu slowly blocked her path.

She retrieved the message Yu Xin had sent that afternoon and showed it to Li Juan.

“Yu Xin is my aunt.”

Li Juan made a startled sound. Her beautiful eyes examined the string of phone numbers on Ling Yu’s screen.

Only after confirming her identity did she discreetly signal to the bartender that everything was fine.

Ling Yu did not pressure her for an immediate answer.

She surveyed the numerous people looking in their direction and waited briefly before saying with apparent concern, “There are too many people and too many listening ears here. Miss Li, would you mind speaking outside?”

Because of Ling Yu’s connection to Yu Xin, Li Juan was relatively honest with this younger woman.

The two sat at a late-night food stall near Canghai Club, eating grilled skewers as they talked.

In truth, Li Juan did most of the eating.

As a beautiful, fair-skinned young woman, Ling Yu did not particularly enjoy eating barbecue late at night.

“It’s a shame you aren’t eating. I’ve traveled all over the country for years, and this place serves the best barbecue I’ve ever tasted.”

Li Juan crossed her legs.

Her signature tiny shorts rode upward, genuinely exposing the edge of her underwear.

She looked extremely sexy.

However, flecks of chili now covered her heavily made-up face. Instead of appearing vulgar, she somehow inspired the inexplicable desire to correct her behavior and guide her toward a better life.

Ling Yu found it difficult to imagine how Gu Qing had managed to calmly discuss life with Li Juan while half the edge of the woman’s underwear was exposed.

Given Gu Qing’s rigid personality, it was remarkable that she had resisted sewing Li Juan’s shorts directly onto her skin.

The thought made Ling Yu laugh again.

Li Juan gave her a strange look.

“I keep feeling that the way you look at me resembles the way my woman looks at me.”

Ling Yu raised an eyebrow.

“Oh?”

“No, no, don’t misunderstand. I’m not saying you like me.”

Li Juan waved her hands and hurriedly explained, “I mean that when you and she look at me, there’s something in your eyes that I can’t quite describe. It’s like…um…”

Li Juan stammered for a long time without finding the appropriate word.

Ling Yu lowered her gaze.

“Your woman is Gu Qing, isn’t she?”

Li Juan made a surprised sound.

“Oh, you know her?”

“I do,” Ling Yu answered without changing her expression. “She’s my future colleague. But I’ve never heard that she was dating anyone.”

Embarrassment flashed through Li Juan’s eyes.

In truth, she and Gu Qing were not together yet.

However, she was certain that a strange woman who cared about her dreams and called late every night to ensure she was safe must have at least some interest in her.

“Xiao-mei, you’ve definitely never liked anyone before.”

Specks of happiness shimmered in Li Juan’s eyes.

“If a woman calls you late every single night, she must like you…”

Ling Yu narrowed her eyes.

“Attorney Gu calls you every night?”

“That’s right.”

Before Li Juan could finish, her phone rang.

She raised it and deliberately waved it before Ling Yu’s eyes.

“Look. It’s her.”

Because they were seated close together, Ling Yu could hear Gu Qing’s voice clearly through the phone.

Gu Qing asked, [Have you finished work?]

Li Juan replied, [Gugu, I left early today. I’m eating outside with a friend.]

[Which friend? Is it safe?]

Li Juan glanced toward Ling Yu.

[It’s perfectly safe. She’s an exceptionally pure-looking Xiao-mei. Gugu, you have no idea—my heart started beating chaotically the instant I saw her.]

Li Juan winked at Ling Yu.

[I think I’ve fallen for her.]

Gu Qing gave a faint response from the other end.

[As long as you’re safe… Goodbye.]

Ling Yu had assumed Gu Qing genuinely liked women of Li Juan’s type.

Yet that was all?

That was seriously all?

Across the table, Li Juan hugged her phone and smiled foolishly, completely immersed in her happiness.

Ling Yu glanced at her.

“Why did you lie to her? Aren’t you afraid she’ll misunderstand?”

Li Juan ordered another skewer and smiled.

“Xiao-mei, you don’t understand. The only thing separating Gugu and me is a thin sheet of paper. I need to make her jealous so she’ll personally pierce through it.”

Ling Yu raised her eyelids and smiled lazily.

“You certainly dare to dream.”

Their late-night meal continued until three in the morning.

When it ended, Li Juan insisted on taking a photograph with Ling Yu.

The instant they finished, she posted it to her WeChat Moments with the caption:

“Thank you for accompanying me tonight. I’m willing to remain chaste for you.”

Ling Yu stared expressionlessly.

[…]

“Yuyu, please don’t mind.”

Li Juan scratched her head.

“I only want to make my woman jealous. The moment she sees the post, I’ll delete it. Please, please.”

For a moment, Ling Yu did not know whether she should shatter the woman’s fantasy.

Gu Qing was preparing to sell her out for money, yet this foolish woman remained immersed in a romantic dream.

Fortunately, the recording pen was still in Ling Yu’s possession.

She tilted her head toward Li Juan.

“Would you like me to help with that trouble you’re facing?”

Li Juan made a confused sound and pretended ignorance.

“What trouble?”

Ling Yu stared at her.

When Li Juan clearly refused to speak, looking so foolish that she probably would not notice even if someone swallowed her bones, Ling Yu sighed.

She touched the recording pen in her pocket—the one she had yet to return to Gu Qing—and said lazily:

“Forget it. I’ll consider this my good deed for the day.”