Pretending To Be Affectionate [Transmigration] - Chapter 41

Li Juan was taken away by the police that night for attempted murder.

The next morning, the incident was deliberately pushed onto the trending topics by people with ulterior motives.

The news spread rapidly. Even Xu Miao, who was up all night playing games, read the gossip through sleepy eyes.

“Unbelievable. The Jiang Wei case was actually whitewashed…”

Xu Miao had dark circles under her eyes and looked quite lethargic.

She pushed her tablet toward Ling Yu, motioning for her to look at today’s outrageous trending news.

Ling Yu was sucking on a carton of yogurt, her expression showing little surprise.

She had already seen the news this morning.

The title of the trending news on the tablet was clear at a glance.

“Suspicion in Second-Generation Rich Kid Rape Case: Third-Party Killer Surfaces, Case Takes a Turning Point.”

Normally, for social news to jump to the number one trending spot in less than twelve hours, it was obvious that someone was deliberately driving the narrative.

Xu Miao pulled up a dining chair and plopped down. She tilted her head and saw Ling Yu calmly eating breakfast.

She exclaimed in surprise: “You’re not surprised? Jiang Wei was almost killed by his mistress last night… Murder on Christmas Eve, even dramas wouldn’t dare to film this.”

Ling Yu gave her a cool sideways glance and retorted, “That’s because you haven’t watched enough dramas. Dramas have plenty of this melodramatic plot.”

Xu Miao’s expression stiffened. She reluctantly focused on the main point: “Let me tell you, everyone in the circle knows what Jiang Wei is like, but this morning’s trending topic is so plausible that it confused even me.”

“It’s quite a melodramatic read. This woman killed Yan Shu a few months ago because Jiang Wei was cheating on her, and she created the crime scene to frame Jiang Wei.”

Xu Miao looked devastated. She tilted her head and looked at Ling Yu: “If Jiang Wei hadn’t actually been attacked by her last night, I wouldn’t have believed that an animal like Jiang Wei was framed.”

…

Before Xu Miao finished speaking, Ling Yu put down her chopsticks.

“Just the Jiang family’s tactics.” She propped her chin on her hands, tilted her head, and suddenly called out to Xu Miao: “Sister Miao?”

Xu Miao looked over in surprise: “Hmm?”

“What do you think of Gu Qing…” Ling Yu asked lazily, her eyelids drooping.

Xu Miao was stunned. Of course, she thought Gu Qing was not bad.

She was capable and talented. Xu Miao’s one brief encounter with her had left a good impression.

Now that she thought about it, there was a reason why Gu Qing was liked by so many people.

She was a career woman who was decisive and direct. Honestly, Xu Miao admired her.

But Xu Miao definitely couldn’t say that now.

Everyone in Yuncheng knew Ling Yu liked Gu Qing.

She was so listless now, a look of despair as if she had been rejected written all over her face.

Xu Miao could easily guess that Ling Yu had probably been rejected again after confessing.

Xu Miao put a poached egg in her mouth, chewed, swallowed, and lied with a straight face: “Not good at all.”

Ling Yu lifted her eyelids.

Xu Miao: “Gu Qing, the only good thing about her is that she’s good-looking. Everyone who has interacted with her says she’s heartless and ruthless. She’s not gentle, not considerate. She’s not really a woman, actually…”

Ling Yu gave an “oh,” focusing on the first half of the sentence. She repeated meaningfully: “She? Ruthless!”

Xu Miao chuckled: “Of course. Gu Qing has no heart. That’s a fact recognized by the industry.”

Xu Miao seemed to remember something and glanced at Ling Yu suspiciously: “Yuyu, I know you’re upset about the Jiang Wei case. But the complexity of this case has gone beyond what an ordinary person can solve. Gu Qing is even less likely to…”

Ling Yu’s eyes narrowed. She suddenly propped herself up on the table beside Xu Miao, jumped up from the chair, and quickly took two steps outward.

In the next second, she suddenly slammed the brakes. Ling Yu turned back, her dark eyes meeting Xu Miao’s gaze. Her presence was astonishing as she asked: “Do you also think she’s not a good person?”

Xu Miao was stunned and nodded instinctively.

Ling Yu suddenly deflated like a punctured balloon. All her energy vanished. She sat back down in the dining chair.

She picked up her chopsticks and listlessly poked at the fried egg in her bowl, murmuring, “But at least she’s not a bad person…”

Ling Yu’s cheeks were puffed out. She was a lit fuse a moment ago, but now she was a spirit of gloom. She propped her chin on her hands, her watery eyes holding a trace of conviction that she herself wasn’t sure of.

Xu Miao suddenly found her somewhat adorable. She casually took a picture of Ling Yu and posted it on her social media.

Caption: Why can’t you be a good person?

The reason for Ling Yu’s low spirits was that she was no longer able to interfere in the Jiang Wei case.

Because of Li Juan’s outrageous stunt last night, the Jiang family’s PR team had immediately used public opinion to their advantage.

People were saying all sorts of things online. This was the easiest time to confuse the public and shift people’s focus.

Even if Ling Yu released Jiang Wei’s ugly photos, it would be difficult to have any real impact now.

Ling Yu hadn’t expected that after so much effort and sacrifice, the case would still be reversed with this outcome.

It seemed only Gu Qing could have a way…

Ling Yu lifted her eyelids: “Sister Miao, want to make a bet?”

Xu Miao’s hand, which was posting on social media, trembled. She let out a guilty breath: “What?”

“I bet there will be a bigger twist in the Jiang Wei case.”

Xu Miao held her milk and laughed heartily: “Sure, what’s the stake?”

“If I lose, I’ll pay for all the cosmetics you buy from M Country for the next two years.”

Xu Miao’s eyes lit up: “Bet! And if you win?”

“If I win, you call Gu Qing precisely at midnight on the first day of every month. If talking is difficult, you don’t have to say anything. Just make sure she’s alive.”

Xu Miao’s eyes nearly popped out: “Ah, wouldn’t calling her in the middle of the night get me killed by Gu Qing?”

Ling Yu gave Xu Miao a reassuring look: “Just tell her that it’s the prostitution fee Ling Yu is paying her…”

How bad could Gu Qing be, since she was able to pull back Li Juan last night? Ling Yu always remembered Gu Qing’s lifeless eyes when she was falling.

Her mission was over, but Gu Qing’s life continued.

Ling Yu hoped that when she was going through her solitary madness every month, someone could at least pull her back slightly.

[Host, I didn’t expect you to be so…] 008 hesitated and then said, moved: [So good.]

Ling Yu tilted her eyelids: [I’m very generous to all my exes.]

008 could tell Ling Yu was just being stubborn. It very wisely agreed: [Gu Qing isn’t your ex, though. You’re thinking so thoroughly for her, so I say, you’re a really good person.]

[…] Ling Yu’s foxy eyes narrowed, her gaze flickering: [Perhaps it’s because she was so horrible to me. By doing this, I’m making her taste the unrelenting devotion in this world… so that every time she thinks of me… even if she hates it, it’s like a thorn stuck in her throat…]

Ling Yu paused, and the gloom was completely gone: [Boss, isn’t that thrilling?]

008 was speechless. It thought, Good gracious, it really is you. Vengeful, arrogant, and courting death.

After finishing her meal, Ling Yu opened her phone app and changed her flight ticket. The new departure time was set for 10 p.m. the day after tomorrow.

Xu Miao leaned over and asked in shock, “So sudden?”

Ling Yu curled her lips: “It’s time to go.”

No matter what the result of the Jiang Wei second trial was, Ling Yu had no reason to stay in Yuncheng anymore.

If her guess was wrong and she, in a fit of pique over the unsatisfying outcome, approached Gu Qing again, the other party might think she was a ridiculous liar.

---

Two days later, H University held its postgraduate graduation ceremony.

It was raining lightly that day. The air was filled with a damp, earthy, pungent smell.

Ling Yu completed her study abroad paperwork at the school’s administrative office.

When she walked out, the light drizzle from the morning had, at some point, turned into a downpour.

Dark clouds hung low, obscuring half the sky.

Ling Yu stood under the eaves of the first floor, took out her phone, and logged into the campus network.

She posted a question.

“Asking fellow students, it’s raining so heavily today, was the postgraduate graduation ceremony venue changed temporarily?”

The post had only been up for less than a minute.

Someone replied.

First floor: Tsk tsk tsk, I’m guessing the poster wants to confess to Senior Gu. The hundredth admirer has appeared today. Firecrackers.jpg

Second floor: Sister, there are too many people. You won’t have a chance.

Third floor: The auditorium is packed right now. I suggest you don’t come.

…

Ling Yu’s lips twitched. She glanced at the blurry view through the rain curtain. The auditorium wasn’t far from Teaching Building 15, where Ling Yu was.

Ling Yu considered the possibility of just running over there.

In that moment of hesitation.

Two female students suddenly walked along the tree-lined path in front of the teaching building, one following the other.

The girl in front was wearing a black academic gown. Due to the rain curtain, her appearance wasn’t clear, but Ling Yu could see her slender figure. Her long, curly hair was dampened by the rain and clung to her academic gown.

The length reached her waist.

Ling Yu only glanced at first, but her gaze went up and saw the transparent umbrella she was holding. The umbrella was adorned with pure white small flowers.

It looked extremely familiar.

A trace of surprise flashed in Ling Yu’s eyes. She couldn’t help but look a few more times.

On the other side, the younger student running behind the woman splashed through the puddles, following her steps breathlessly.

The younger student was holding a large bouquet of roses.

“Oh, Senior, I finally found you. Teacher Wang specifically asked you to play a piano piece at the dinner tonight. Did she tell you about this beforehand?”

Gu Qing turned sideways impatiently. Her usually calm pupils suddenly contracted. Her gaze seemed unfocused, yet it went over the younger student’s shoulder and landed on Ling Yu, who was outside the rain curtain in the distance.

Three seconds later, Gu Qing stopped moving forward. She stood still. Her cold, beautiful face showed little emotion, and she only gave a casual “mm.”

The younger student looked a little awkward when she saw that Gu Qing wasn’t looking at her.

Then she saw Gu Qing stop to wait for her, and her face lit up with surprise: “I have the key to the Art Academy’s piano room. You can borrow it anytime to practice.”

The younger student paused, then said nervously, “Senior Gu, should we exchange contact information? It’ll make it easier to reach you…”

008: [Host, this is the correct way for a junior to pursue a senior! Think about what you were doing before? Fighting, or pinning her against the wall? Or just arguing… See? The female lead likes the gentle and charming type.]

Ling Yu’s foxy eyes curved into the shape of petals: [Yes, I see. But why should I care…]

008 choked up and sighed: [Boo-hoo, I’m just sad. The quirky couple I shipped broke up.]

Ling Yu: …

In front of the evergreen tree, Gu Qing, as expected, rejected the younger student.

But her refusal was more thorough and polite than any time she had rejected Ling Yu.

She didn’t even say a single harsh word. She shielded herself from the roses the younger student offered and said tactfully, “I’m sorry, I don’t have my phone with me.”

Ling Yu scoffed and looked away. She had never been so acutely aware that Gu Qing’s disgust wasn’t projected toward everyone who liked her.

It had always been Ling Yu who was the most repulsive to Gu Qing.

Having reached this point in life, Ling Yu felt that her career as a player had been insulted.

But thankfully, they would never cross paths again. A clean break meant even the “prostitution fee” had to be paid clearly.

Ling Yu, still holding a grudge, pulled her gaze back. A male student appeared next to her.

“Junior, the rain is so heavy. Where are you going? Would you like a ride?”

Ling Yu lifted her eyelids. The boy in front of her showed a dazzling white smile.

He was holding a hundred balloons and bent over like a gentleman, asking her.

Ling Yu glanced at the colorful helium balloons in his hand. Her foxy eyes curved into a crescent shape: “Thank you, handsome. My boyfriend will be here to pick me up soon. I do have a request. Can I buy something from you?”

The boy looked heartbroken and gave a soft “ah”: “Sure, what do you want?”

Ling Yu’s beautiful eyes stared straight at the balloons in the boy’s hand. Her slender finger pointed upward: “I want that.”

In the next second, the boy readily shoved the whole bunch of balloons into Ling Yu’s hands. He blushed as he accepted the transfer from Ling Yu and quickly left after saying goodbye.

As Ling Yu turned around, Gu Qing and the rose-holding junior were walking past her, splashing through the puddles.

At such close proximity, Gu Qing acted as if she hadn’t seen her at all, walking straight ahead without glancing at her.

The rose-holding junior behind her chirped: “Senior, aren’t we going to the auditorium? Why are we going to Teaching Building 15?”

Gu Qing lowered her eyes, which were a deep, ink-like blue. She stared at the ground.

Rainwater drifted from the umbrella and soaked into her academic gown. Soon, her shoulder was mostly wet.

The younger student let out a small gasp and then said, “Hold your umbrella properly. You’re all wet…”

Ling Yu heard this and, for some reason, looked down. Her eyes happened to meet Gu Qing’s curves.

Because her clothes were half-wet, the fabric clung to the woman’s buttocks. As she walked, her body traced a graceful curve in the rain.

Ling Yu laughed softly and mouthed a silent taunt at Gu Qing: “You’re all wet.”

She was angry and spontaneously mocked her. She didn’t expect Gu Qing to suddenly turn her head as if she had eyes in the back of her head. The woman’s face was tight. Her gaze lightly fell on her, substantial and suppressing anger.

Ling Yu quietly looked away, her face wooden. She put her hands in her pockets.

---

When a person is unlucky, even the weather works against them.

Ling Yu stood outside the corridor for a full hour, and the rain showed no sign of stopping.

Ling Yu’s hands were red from the cold. Clutching the hundred balloons, she gritted her teeth and ran into the rain.

Inside the auditorium, the graduation speech had already ended.

The graduating students from H University were gathered together, taking pictures. Gu Qing was standing right in the middle.

Many people surrounded her. Gu Qing was the most striking person in the crowd.

The woman was mature and cold, and the academic gown draped over her perfectly proportioned body.

In the short minute it took Ling Yu to walk into the auditorium, many junior students had already rushed onto the stage to confess their feelings to Gu Qing.

Ling Yu stood ten meters away from the stage and called out: “Gu Qing.”

Gu Qing turned her head in response. Her eyes were filled with anger. Her gaze lightly landed on Ling Yu’s drenched body. From a distance of less than ten meters, she could see water droplets trickling down Ling Yu’s slender neck. The dark light of the sky shone on her, and the fragmented halo seemed to kiss Ling Yu’s beautiful body.

Many people around them secretly looked at Ling Yu, their eyes momentarily dazed.

Gu Qing’s face was icy. She took two steps forward, blocking Ling Yu.

She said with suppressed anger: “Is this amusing? Ling Yu, am I not clear enough? I am not a lesbian.”

The auditorium instantly fell silent. Gu Qing’s voice was mixed with the chill of the severe winter, carried by the cold wind.

A bone-deep coldness filled the air.

Everyone in the auditorium looked at Ling Yu with pity. They knew that no matter how Gu Qing rejected Ling Yu.

The latter would still look up at her with a bright, beautiful face and say: “It’s okay. Liking you is my business.”

But this time, Ling Yu didn’t move. She slowly opened her fingers. The colorful helium balloons in her hand shot up into the sky like a festive surprise.

Through the gaps between the balloons, Ling Yu curved her lips and took a long, deep look at Gu Qing.

Then, she turned and walked away without looking back.

[Congratulations, Host. The side character mission is complete. Mission reward: To Die A Natural death.]

Gu Qing stood still, looking up at the black sky. She suddenly felt a suffocating heaviness.

The rain that day seemed endless.

---

After Ling Yu went abroad, her studies were very demanding. Due to the language barrier, she only had six hours of rest time recently.

A week later.

Xu Miao called her.

“Ling Yu. You’re such a cunning bitch.”

“Did you know about Gu Qing’s plan all along, which is why you made me take a bet I couldn’t possibly win?”

“Seriously, have you checked the news in our country lately? The Jiang Wei case has become a national sensation. Not only was Jiang Wei sentenced to death, but the entire Jiang family tree was also uprooted. Gu Qing is amazing. I unilaterally declare my love for her.”

Ling Yu hung up on Xu Miao. She received a video from Xu Miao on her messaging app.

The video was a recording of the Jiang Wei case’s second trial.

Gu Qing did not appear in court because she was a witness to Li Juan’s attempted murder of Jiang Wei that night. She was not on the list of lawyers for the second trial.

She was sitting in the public gallery, right next to Jiang Boquan.

At the beginning of the video, the two of them were talking animatedly.

The middle-aged man defending Li Juan was a senior public prosecutor. He was articulate, but because Li Juan’s attempted murder of Jiang Wei was solid evidence.

The defense attorney focused on Li Juan’s motive for murder. Half an hour before the trial began, Li Juan’s conviction was practically a foregone conclusion.

However, to everyone’s surprise, in the middle of the trial, which Jiang Wei was sure to win, the presiding judge suddenly received a notice from his superior and was forced to recess for ten minutes.

This was because, during the brief thirty minutes of the trial, an online movement suddenly began.

Victims who had been persecuted by Jiang Wei in the past spoke out simultaneously, without revealing their faces, and recounted the entire process of being persecuted by Jiang Wei.

The names and faces of all the girls who spoke out were blurred.

However, the evidence presented by each of them included chat proof of Jiang Wei arranging sexual encounters with them.

More seriously, some victims provided the clothes they had kept, from which Jiang Wei’s DNA residue could be extracted.

With such irrefutable evidence, the trial was forced to pause for ten minutes.

Furthermore, because the Jiang Wei case had been overly manipulated before, the public interest was very high.

The second trial of Jiang Wei was public and live-streamed.

The sudden and dramatic reversal, with the accusers no longer just Li Juan and Yan Shu, but over a hundred girls standing up simultaneously.

This joint lawsuit video instantly became the center of public attention. Official media outlets shared it immediately, indicating their concern.

In just half an hour, the joint lawsuit statement was shared by multiple key organizations.

In this one-sided situation, the presiding judge changed his drowsy demeanor.

He began to reorganize the trial procedures. Li Juan’s defense attorney began his counterattack.

He presented the audio recording of the Jiang family threatening Li Juan to give false testimony, as well as the recording button that Gu Qing had taken from Ling Yu that night.

The fact of Jiang Wei’s rape was established with an irreversible outcome. This was not the most exciting part, because as all the evidence was revealed one by one.

The details of Jiang Boquan bribing officials and forcing Li Juan to give false testimony also began to surface.

The brief three-hour trial was a spectacle.

The verdict of the second trial was delivered immediately, with astonishing speed.

Jiang Wei was sentenced to death due to the atrocious nature of his crimes.

As for Jiang Boquan, for bribing public officials, his case was immediately handed over to higher authorities for thorough investigation.

The subsequent investigation results were even more surprising to the public. The Jiang Corporation had engaged in severe tax evasion, opening third-party companies and signing fraudulent contracts to avoid value-added tax.

In the past five years, the amount of tax evaded reached 80 billion yuan.

Due to the massive amount, it constituted financial crime. Jiang Boquan was arrested the next day.

The colossal commercial empire of the Jiang family concluded its chapter on the day of Jiang Wei’s trial.

Ling Yu finished watching the video, a smile spreading across her foxy eyes.

Her phone suddenly vibrated.

Lawyer Gu, a professional: [You… dropped out of school?]

Ling Yu: [Mmhmm.]

The other party was silent for a long time: [Because of me?]

Ling Yu: [Confidently average.jpq]

Gu Qing stared at the dog emoji on the screen for a long time. She narrowed her eyes: [Ling Yu, you’re an adult. Can you be more mature? If you want to use dropping out to make me regret it, I apologize. Please don’t give up on your life because of me.]

Gu Qing patiently used all the patience she had in her life to try to make Ling Yu see the error of her ways.

When the message was sent, a pop-up appeared in the chat box: [Message sent, but rejected by the recipient.]