Pretending To Be Affectionate [Transmigration] - Chapter 20

A lightning bolt flashed behind Gu Qing, illuminating her. Ling Yu instinctively squinted. In that brief moment, all the emotions on the woman’s face vanished. Ling Yu couldn’t help but look again, trying to find a trace of panic on her beautiful face, but she found nothing.

Perhaps their staring contest was too long, because Gu Ting, who was still on the floor, endured the pain in his neck and looked up at Ling Yu. He had been born with cerebral palsy, so his movements weren’t flexible, but his intelligence wasn’t affected. He managed to lift his limp head and look upstairs. When he saw Ling Yu’s face, a viscous, malicious look appeared in his narrow eyes.

“Ah, I’ve seen you before.” Gu Ting gave Ling Yu a syrupy sweet smile. “Are you my sister’s friend?” The boy’s mouth was crooked, and his voice was slurred. As he propped up his head to look at her, she could see how much effort it was for him.

As a woman with a good moral compass, Ling Yu had always been extra patient with disabled people. In Ling Yu’s mind, a disability meant that something was taken away from a person, but it didn’t make them different from a normal person. It meant they were sick and needed some care. Unfortunately, when faced with Gu Ting, Ling Yu couldn’t feel any pity. A born defect isn’t scary. What’s scary is using that defect to enter a distorted worldview and trying to drag others into the abyss with you. Gu Ting was a complete and utter madman. Just looking at him made Ling Yu feel uncomfortable all over.

So, Ling Yu didn’t answer his question. She always maintained a certain level of vigilance towards people she considered dangerous. She thought the boy would be smart enough to shut up, but she had clearly underestimated the twisted psychology behind his eccentric and pathological mask. “Lunch box sister, why aren’t you talking? Are you scared by my sister’s madness?”

The boy’s words were provocative. Ling Yu glanced at him indifferently. “Boy, how old are you?” Gu Ting was clearly startled by the sudden question. He instinctively replied, “Sixteen.”

Ling Yu said, “Oh.” She lazily swung her phone. “You’re almost an adult. According to the criminal laws of our country, inciting or abetting others to commit a crime is punishable by a fixed-term imprisonment of not less than three years and not more than ten years. I recorded everything you just said to incite your sister.” Ling Yu paused and smiled. “You’re welcome to come to the Kaihe Law Firm to find me when you’re an adult. I’ll introduce you to the best lawyer.”

Gu Ting’s face stiffened. He looked at Ling Yu as if his eyes were filled with venom. He mumbled something and pulled on Gu Qing’s pants. He smiled at her with a slimy smile and then raised his chin at Ling Yu, saying to Gu Qing, “Sister, your friend is as interesting as that cat from a few years ago.”

The glass window was wide open, and a sudden strong wind blew in. Gu Qing stood in the wind, taking a step forward. The wind blew her long, curly hair, making her look like a demon that had climbed out of hell. Her long hair flailed in the air. Suddenly, she took a step forward and blocked Gu Ting, completely hiding him from his prying eyes. Gu Qing lowered her eyes to stare at the boy. The coldness in her expression was even more intense than before.

Gu Ting instinctively shrank his neck. The oppressive feeling in the air made his words unclear. “Is she really just a friend?” Ling Yu was so amused by Gu Ting’s bizarre obsession that she laughed. She took a step down the stairs. “She’s more than just a friend…” A smile hung on her lips as she walked toward Gu Ting step by step.

Gu Ting sighed. “Is that so? What a shame.” Ling Yu didn’t understand what he meant. She said, “Oh,” and continued walking down. At the same time, Gu Qing suddenly turned her head and looked at Ling Yu with a strange and indifferent expression, like the still surface of a calm sea in the middle of the night.

“Don’t come over.” Her voice was very slow, like a low murmur in her ear. Ling Yu couldn’t describe the feeling. It was like an invisible hand had suddenly reached out and held her in place. It had been a long time since she had seen Gu Qing ignore her like this, so she had forgotten that she was so heartless when they first met. Ling Yu had been misled by Gu Qing’s softened demeanor recently and had even forgotten her true nature.

Ling Yu was in a daze. The next second, Gu Qing spoke slowly. “Is it important?” She looked back at Gu Ting, seeing his viscous gaze shift back and forth between herself and Ling Yu. Gu Qing’s pupils shrank to a pinprick, and her gaze, full of disdain, scraped against the boy’s face. She looked at Gu Ting with a killing intent that suggested she was ready to die with him.

Ling Yu had lived two lives, and her female intuition was always accurate. The alarm bells in her mind screamed loudly. At that moment, she realized more clearly than ever that Gu Qing wanted to kill someone. This wasn’t the Gu Qing of the past, the monster hidden under a thick cloak of gloom. This was a monster that had suddenly torn off its mask and wanted to destroy everything.

Gu Ting, who was very close to her, was filled with excitement. It was as if the monster he had raised was finally going to eat human blood. His eyes and brows were filled with an uncontrollable sense of pride. He even indulgently offered his fragile neck to Gu Qing. Ling Yu was shocked. She cursed at the madman and subconsciously shouted, “Gu Qing!”

Gu Qing’s contracted pupils suddenly relaxed. She paused for a while and then straightened up. When Ling Yu looked at her again, the woman had already looked away. Her fingers, through the thin shirt, were fumbling with the small, empty bottle on her silver clavicle chain. The bottle was hidden in her shirt, creating a small bump the size of a bean pod. This action was like a stop button that instantly stopped the sudden surge of violence in Gu Qing.

Three seconds later, Gu Qing closed her eyes, slowly curved her lips, and lightly pointed at Ling Yu with her finger. Her tone was calm as she introduced her. “She’s actually just like you, approaching me with dark intentions and trying to get a response from me that doesn’t exist.” Gu Qing’s tone was flat. She lowered her eyes and met Gu Ting’s gloomy gaze. She then smiled arrogantly. “But she’s fake, and you’re real. You’ve been inviting all this trash into your life. Are you satisfied?”

When she said that, the air fell silent as if it had been choked. Ling Yu’s pupils shrank. She slowly raised her head, and her gaze met Gu Qing’s. Gu Qing glanced at her expressionlessly and quickly looked away. It was as if she was talking to herself, and also to Ling Yu. She repeated, “Ling Yu, are you satisfied with what you saw? Hmm? I warned you. Don’t provoke me.”

Ling Yu was still in shock from Gu Qing’s previous statement, “She’s fake,” and didn’t understand what she was saying. She didn’t respond immediately, but the boy next to the woman suddenly laughed. He seemed very satisfied with Gu Qing’s answer. He laughed so hard his spine bent. Gu Qing glanced at him, then suddenly reached out, grabbed Gu Ting by the neck, and lifted him up.

This time, the boy’s throat let out a sound of a desperate gasp for air. His face turned purple in an instant. Gu Qing sneered. Her slender, pale arm was full of explosive power. She lifted him up and, like she was throwing garbage, slammed the 110-pound boy into the wheelchair. Gu Ting’s body bounced and he fell into the wheelchair like a limp cotton ball. After doing all that, Gu Qing took a tissue out of her pocket and carefully wiped her fingers. Then she pushed Gu Ting away, never giving Ling Yu another look.

In the empty elevator, Ling Yu stood still for a good ten seconds, then she pulled at her lips. [Babe.]

[Hmm?] 008’s voice was cautious, as if it was afraid of hurting Ling Yu. It tried to keep its tone low. [Sorry, host. I didn’t know the protagonist would become this deranged.] 008 let out a heavy sigh. [If you really don’t want to complete the task, I can apply to my superiors for you. But without the mission’s blessing, the soul in this body might not last for another year…]

Ling Yu interrupted it. [I just wanted to tell you that you’re pretty awesome.]

008 hesitated. [What?]

[It seems my acting is not good,] Ling Yu said with a playful smile. [I felt guilty for her tonight. Turns out, she already knew.] [Alright, I’ll finish this mission perfectly.]

008 was completely confused. It tapped its head and wondered, “???”

Ling Yu didn’t explain. In fact, the information she had gathered tonight had gone beyond her understanding. She wasn’t scared; she was shocked. Gu Qing’s reaction to her insane adopted brother, who was trying to drag her into the abyss, was too abnormal. In Ling Yu’s mind, shouldn’t you avoid things that threaten your life as soon as possible? But Gu Qing seemed to have given all her patience to this crazy brother.

And what was even more terrifying was that Gu Qing herself was even crazier than her crazy brother. Even though she was very indifferent and didn’t do anything out of line the whole time, she showed a level of acceptance that was beyond a normal person. But Ling Yu hadn’t forgotten the drop of blood that Gu Qing had scraped off her crazy brother’s neck with the tip of a needle a few minutes ago when the lightning flashed. To be honest, Ling Yu didn’t think that was a coincidence.

But she wasn’t afraid. Perhaps it was because she was naturally different from other girls. She loved to challenge difficult heights. Because of her profession, she would always try to feel the atmosphere of the characters she was writing about before she started writing. That’s why she liked to go on trips and feel the tension between people. Ling Yu once worked as a guard for three months in M city to write “Fallen.” She met all kinds of people with different masks, and Ling Yu loved to explore the true colors underneath the masks.

And the other side of Gu Qing that she discovered tonight had successfully ignited her competitive spirit. Especially when the woman, who was so high and mighty and treated her like dust, looked at her just now. It gave Ling Yu an unprecedented sense of challenge. She didn’t like Gu Qing, and she was only trying to complete the mission so she could live a long life. But after tonight, she changed her mind. Not only was she going to complete the mission, but she was also going to pull Gu Qing back with her own hands and watch as she was bathed in sunlight and her cold eyes were filled with the joys and sorrows of the world. It had nothing to do with love. It was like climbing a snowy mountain. She was constantly being shaken off. Others might have just given up and left, but Ling Yu wouldn’t. The pride in her bones wouldn’t allow her to retreat in defeat. Tonight, Gu Qing had successfully ignited Ling Yu’s fiery spirit.

Ling Yu stayed in the staircase for three seconds, adjusted her mood, and then walked out. But it was raining heavily outside, and Ling Yu, who had planned to borrow an umbrella, didn’t have one. She walked to the canopy on the first floor and realized her mistake. She looked at the heavy rain in the dark night and was about to turn back to the hospital room to get one.

A person came out of the fire exit again. Dr. Qin was still wearing his white coat. He seemed to have come specifically to give her an umbrella. He didn’t say anything and put the transparent umbrella with sequins in Ling Yu’s hand. “The rain is too heavy. Take this.” The middle-aged doctor seemed to have come in a hurry, and he was out of breath. Ling Yu’s gaze fell on the sweat on his forehead. She hesitated. “Uncle Qin, how did you know I didn’t bring an umbrella?”

The middle-aged man was stunned, then looked at her with a kind expression and said in a chiding tone, “What do you think? The night nurse saw you going downstairs empty-handed and told me to bring it to you. Here… remember to return it next time.”

Perhaps the middle-aged doctor’s tone was too ordinary, or perhaps it was the white coat he was wearing, which symbolized justice and compassion, that made Ling Yu stop questioning him. A grateful smile appeared on her face, and she thanked the doctor eagerly.

Ling Yu walked out of the hospital and opened the umbrella. She realized it was a woman’s umbrella. The handle was light and easy to hold. It was probably his daughter’s, as the transparent umbrella with sequins was only big enough for one girl. It wouldn’t be big enough for a middle-aged man. She would have to remember to return it next time she came.

It was pitch black in front of her. Ling Yu stood at the bus stop and hailed two taxis. Her shoes were wet, so she took off her heels and walked barefoot. It was ten at night, and the streets were empty. The taxi driver was a young man with dyed yellow hair and a cross around his neck. When Ling Yu got in, he whistled at her.

[You have a car at the old house, but you’re taking a ride late at night. You should be more careful. You’re scaring me to death.] Ling Yu was chatting with Xu Miao, who was clearly worried about the state of the ride-sharing industry. Messages kept coming in. [No, secretly take a picture of the driver’s ID. What if you go missing..!]

Xu Miao was always a worrier and had a slight anxiety disorder. Ling Yu saw that she had already imagined a scene where the car would go off course. Helpless, she took a picture of the driver’s ID. Just as another thunderclap sounded outside, the driver hit the brakes and stopped the car right on the crosswalk. Ling Yu instinctively lurched forward. Her finger swiped, and she sent the picture she had just taken to “Kaihe Law Firm Gu.”

Her face stiffened. She quickly tried to unsend it, but the next second, the chat box showed that the other person was typing.

One second later.

Kaihe Law Firm Gu: ?

Ling Yu ignored her. There was no point in explaining a slip of the hand. If she tried to chat with Gu Qing, the other person would probably misunderstand and think she was trying to flirt. Ever since her persona shattered tonight, Ling Yu had no intention of pretending anymore. She believed she had many good qualities, besides being a simp. She had everything. The level of her opponent determined her strategy. This kind of vulgar way of flirting would only lower her value. Ling Yu thought for a moment, exited the chat with “Kaihe Law Firm Gu,” and continued chatting with Xu Miao.

The old house was in the suburbs of Xishan, so the ride was a bit long. The driver was a talkative young man. At first, he was full of dirty jokes. When he saw how good-looking Ling Yu was, he kept giving her very suggestive glances. Unfortunately, even though Ling Yu looked innocent and lovely, her forearms, when she rolled up her sleeves, were toned and muscular. Her combat skills were comparable to a martial arts coach. When she first got in the car, she had already shown him a thing or two with her heel and had completely won. So, the driver was much more well-behaved on the way up the mountain.

When they got out of the car, the yellow-haired man turned his head and looked at Ling Yu hesitantly. He was probably still wary of Ling Yu’s warning. His eyes flickered, and his lips twitched twice.

“If you have something to say, just say it.” Ling Yu opened the car door.

The yellow-haired man hesitated for a moment and asked toward her back, “Miss, is there anyone at home?”

“What, are you planning to break into my house?”

The yellow-haired man saw Ling Yu’s clenched fists and felt a tingling in his scalp. He quickly shook his head. “No, no, no, how could I? I just wanted to warn you. It seems a Porsche has been following us all the way up the mountain. Did you get into trouble with someone? It would be safer if you had family at home.”

When the driver finished, Ling Yu subconsciously looked into the darkness. There was no one there. She looked back at the yellow-haired man’s dyed hair. She slammed the door shut and left without looking back.