Pretending To Be Affectionate [Transmigration] - Chapter 48

Ling Yu had to transfer in Gangcheng for her flight to Jiangcheng.

After leaving the plane, she went directly to the departure lounge. She had barely sat down when she received a call from the University of Gangcheng’s academic affairs office.

The person on the other end was the vice president responsible for personnel appointments.

After briefly introducing himself, he went straight to the point.

“Would you consider coming to register today?”

Ling Yu easily heard the exceptional courtesy in his voice. He was carefully testing the waters, phrasing the question as a negotiation.

Given his attitude, Ling Yu could already guess that he probably knew her identity.

…

She felt somewhat helpless but not surprised.

The longer she remained in the country, the more impossible it would become to conceal her identity as lin.

Not long ago, Annotations on the History of Human Development had been incorporated into Country Z’s secondary-school textbooks. Ling Yu’s personal information had been submitted to the authorities.

Though they respected her wishes and had not disclosed her private details publicly, her identity was no longer much of a secret among the directors of historical research institutes and university presidents.

Her publicly listed email inbox was filled almost entirely with job offers from universities and the National Institute of Historical Research.

The vice president’s current attitude proved one thing, at least:

When they sent the offer through her advisor, the University of Gangcheng probably already possessed a clear understanding of Ling Yu’s identity.

Ling Yu spent three seconds analyzing his intentions and concluded that he was likely worried she might not actually accept the position.

In truth, given Ling Yu’s current circumstances, she had no reason to reject the olive branch offered by the university.

First, Ling Taiguo’s intentions were obvious.

He wanted to send her to Gangcheng for a marriage alliance.

That meant Ling Yu would spend only a few days in Jiangcheng before her biological father pressured her into attending various upper-class gatherings in Gangcheng.

The difficulty was that Ling Yu’s image as an idle, spoiled rich heiress would never appeal to the most powerful families.

Ling Taiguo would undoubtedly spend a fortune devising ways to package her into something more impressive.

For the sake of her own peace and leisure, Ling Yu had already devised the perfect packaging strategy for him.

As long as her identity as lin remained secret, she could take the position at the University of Gangcheng and invent countless reasons for Ling Taiguo to pay an enormous price to “buy” her professorship.

With a little covert maneuvering, Ling Yu could calmly pocket every cent of the money Ling Taiguo intended to spend polishing her image.

She would consider it an appetizer in repayment for the scheme he and his wife had used against her two years earlier.

Second, Old Master Xu’s investigation had revealed something fascinating about the lover with whom Yu Xin had cuckolded Ling Taiguo.

The man was connected to an underground organization in Gangcheng and was involved in money laundering.

Had Yu Xin not grown too greedy and made such bold moves while Ling Taiguo expanded the company, even the people Old Master Xu had planted inside Ling Corporation would never have discovered the corrupt account.

Unfortunately, they had uncovered it too late.

The other side was careful and had destroyed most of the evidence, making it impossible to eliminate the entire operation at once.

But as the pair’s ambitions grew, the amount of money they laundered would only increase.

Sooner or later, they would drag Ling Corporation into bankruptcy.

Ling Yu did not particularly care if the company collapsed.

But she intended to reclaim what the original owner’s mother had left behind before her death.

A legitimate job in Gangcheng would provide Ling Yu with the perfect excuse to investigate evidence of Yu Xin’s lover’s money laundering.

It would accomplish two goals at once.

Naturally, she would not refuse.

With her usual social finesse, Ling Yu smiled at the cautious vice president on the other end.

“Sir, please allow me to explain my situation first. I’ve been studying abroad and haven’t returned home for two years… Would this arrangement work for you?”

Her explanation was logical, modest, and courteous.

She had unconsciously addressed him as her superior.

Anyone capable of reading between the lines would understand her meaning.

The vice president could not conceal his delight.

Although Ling Yu had not provided an exact starting date, he did not press her. Instead, he chuckled understandingly.

“Of course. I nearly forgot that Professor Ling hasn’t returned home in two years. You can finish handling your personal matters before coming. It won’t be too late. The University of Gangcheng will always welcome you.”

Ling Yu chatted with him for several more minutes and gently expressed her wish that her identity as lin not be revealed prematurely.

The vice president had already learned of her low-profile personality and readily agreed.

After ending the call, Ling Yu transferred at Gangcheng Airport and boarded a flight to Jiangcheng.

Notably, Q had still not replied to her invitation to meet.

Ling Yu could not help laughing.

She had a reasonable guess.

Older women tended to possess a stubborn desire to preserve an air of mystery around themselves.

It was perfectly understandable.

At Jiangcheng Airport, Xu Miao leaned against the door of her flamboyant Maserati.

Ling Yu was unlucky.

When she emerged from the airport, she walked straight into a fan reception.

She deliberately avoided the overcrowded group and lowered her head as she hurried toward the exit.

Deafening screams filled her ears.

“It really is her! Ahhhhh! I’m going to cry tears of happiness. Yesterday, the head of the fan club personally said she was traveling to Beicheng today to record A Date with Love. I never expected her to come here!”

“Neither did I. Her studio probably released false information to mislead everyone.”

“You’re both wrong.” A young woman beside them held a glowing sign high, her face filled with excitement. “Entertainment Brother Eight exposed her location when she landed today, causing congestion at the airport. She had no choice but to transfer from Gangcheng to Jiangcheng.”

“Enough talk, sisters! Charge! No matter what, I’m getting my wife’s autograph…”

…

The summer heat was intense.

After finally forcing her way through the crowd, Ling Yu brushed the sweat from her forehead and exited Terminal Three through a side door.

From afar, she saw that damned woman Xu Miao striding toward her.

Ling Yu prepared to throw her suitcase over.

Unexpectedly, her biological cousin had no intention of taking it. Instead, Xu Miao stared at the crowd a hundred meters behind Ling Yu.

She removed her sunglasses and screamed like a deranged chicken.

“Ahhhhh! Huihui! I’m one of your Sticky Rice fans!”

Ling Yu was stunned.

She turned around.

She had not noticed before, but now, even from a hundred meters away, it was obvious that the celebrity surrounded by fans was none other than Luo Huihui.

She wore a baseball cap and sheltered behind several black-clad security guards.

Xu Miao’s shout was loud enough to shake the sky.

The award-winning actress instinctively looked over. Her initially casual gaze suddenly brightened when she saw Ling Yu.

Ling Yu’s heart jolted.

She grabbed Xu Miao’s arm, spun her around, and stuffed her into the car.

“What are you doing?”

Xu Miao drove the Maserati as though it could fly. The hatred in the glance she directed at Ling Yu through the rearview mirror made it seem as though they had stolen each other’s wives.

Ling Yu slowly raised her head.

Their gazes met, and the useless Xu Miao immediately lost the confrontation.

Her face fell as she muttered, “Anyone else would’ve been fine. If I missed them, so be it. But that was my wife, Luo Huihui! When have you ever seen her come to Jiangcheng? It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Xu Miao turned the steering wheel dejectedly and made a sharp turn. She looked as miserable as anyone possibly could.

Ling Yu gave her a sideways glance.

“Your wife? You have quite a lot of wives.”

Xu Miao slammed on the brakes at a pedestrian crossing and turned to argue.

“What the hell do you mean, a lot? Luo Huihui is my only wife! Ling Yu, just because we share some blood doesn’t mean I can easily forgive what you did today—”

Ling Yu abruptly raised her eyelids.

“Did you and Gu Qing fall out?”

Xu Miao choked.

Meeting Ling Yu’s probing gaze, she pinched her own thigh hard to prevent herself from revealing anything.

She did not know what to say.

In truth, Xu Miao wanted to sit down with Ling Yu and have a proper conversation about Gu Qing.

That woman was not as heartless as she appeared.

At least where Ling Yu was concerned, Gu Qing had already done the very best she was capable of doing.

An hour before impulsively calling Ling Yu several days ago, Xu Miao had discovered the truth behind Gu Qing’s cold rejection of Ling Yu two years earlier—the rejection that had brought tears to everyone’s eyes.

That was why Xu Miao had taken it upon herself to make that reckless, probing call.

But she had regretted it immediately afterward.

Some secrets should remain buried inside one’s stomach forever.

She needed to respect Gu Qing.

She also needed to protect Ling Yu.

The car fell silent.

After a moment, Xu Miao’s eyes darted around. She gave a genuinely embarrassed laugh and spoke like an unapologetic scumbag.

“Oh, forget it. I couldn’t win Gu Qing over. Am I not allowed to change targets and chase celebrities instead?”

Once she started, Xu Miao became animated again.

“Xiao Yu, you have no idea. Luo Huihui’s last film, Aesthetics, was extremely explicit. After seeing her body and then comparing it with Gu Qing’s flat power-strip figure…”

Against her conscience, she compared Gu Qing’s coldly stunning, perfectly curved body—without a trace of excess fat—to a flat electrical power strip.

Even she felt guilty saying it and instinctively glanced at Ling Yu.

Ling Yu merely yawned lazily and pointed ahead.

“The light’s about to change.”

“Fuck!”

Xu Miao cursed and floored the accelerator during the final second. The Maserati shot forward like the wind.

Ling Yu frowned.

She had originally intended to ask Xu Miao to transfer the money for Gu Qing’s box of candy.

But Xu Miao and Gu Qing had clearly fallen out.

Mentioning it now would obviously be inappropriate.

Resting her chin in both hands, Ling Yu hesitated before taking out her phone and finding QY Law Firm—Gu on her blocked list.

Ahead, Xu Miao had recovered from her fangirl frenzy. As she drove onto the elevated highway, she calmly updated Ling Yu on what had happened in Jiangcheng’s social circles during the past two years.

“Yu Xin’s son is three now. You haven’t seen him in two years, have you? Your father adores him.”

Ling Yu hummed without interest.

“In another month, he probably won’t.”

“Li Jun got married six months ago. His wife is Fang Jia’s second niece.”

Ling Yu did not even raise her eyelids.

“That’s nice.”

Seeing her complete lack of interest, Xu Miao complained internally:

You really are heartless.

Li Jun had argued with his family for three days and nights over the marriage.

Had the Li family business not declined after being implicated by the Jiang family, Li Jun would never have agreed.

In his own words:

“There’s room for only two women in my heart in this lifetime.”

Remembering that sentence gave Xu Miao instant goose bumps.

Damn it.

Wanting one woman on each arm—excellent.

He truly deserved no sympathy.

“Where are you staying tonight?” Only after talking at length did Xu Miao belatedly realize the issue.

She glanced at Ling Yu through the rearview mirror and cautiously added, “Ling Taiguo should be home today. Publicly, he says he returned from Gangcheng specifically to welcome you.”

Ling Yu clicked her tongue.

“All right. I should show some concern for my loving father. Take me to Splendid Gardens.”

Splendid Gardens was the gated villa community where Ling Taiguo and his family of three normally lived.

Ling Yu owned property of her own.

After reaching adulthood, she had inherited two properties from Xu Qian, received others from Old Master Xu as coming-of-age gifts, and purchased several herself.

She certainly had no shortage of places to stay.

Xu Miao looked at her hesitantly.

She knew Ling Yu would not enjoy a moment’s peace at Splendid Gardens.

So she earnestly advised, “Xiao Yu, this is your first day back. Why don’t I take you to Clearwater Court for the night? Rest and gather your strength before going into battle tomorrow.”

Xu Miao’s expression made it seem as though Ling Yu were heading to war.

Amused, Ling Yu laughed without showing the slightest restraint.

“Don’t worry. It’s not a problem. Don’t you know what level I play at?”

Her foxlike eyes curved toward Xu Miao.

Xu Miao opened her mouth to argue, then remembered something and silently swallowed the words.

Damn it.

They had not met in two years, yet this actress had become even more beautiful.

Her eyes looked as though they could release electricity at any moment, charming a person to the bone.

Still, when Ling Yu faced a white lotus like Yu Xin, she had indeed never suffered a loss.

Xu Miao relaxed and changed the subject.

“Meng Ke and the others all know you’re back. Their invitations for a welcome party have reached me. Nine tomorrow night at Wonder Bar. Are you coming?”

Xu Miao scratched her head.

In truth, she did not dare reveal the full situation.

Ling Yu was famous in Jiangcheng.

She was beautiful, socially skilled, and had fake lovers everywhere. Her reputation might have been poor, but she was on sisterly terms with nearly every wealthy heir in the city.

After Ling Yu spent two years away, their social circle had become unbearably dull.

Now that they had finally caught her returning, invitations from every side had flooded Xu Miao.

In reality, a group of second- and third-generation rich heirs had practically held a knife to Xu Miao’s throat and entrusted her with the dangerous mission of inviting Sea Queen Ling to “favor her harem and distribute her rain and dew equally.”

“I’m not coming.”

Ling Yu sounded uninterested.

Her fingertip circled a name on her blocked list before she suddenly asked, “If you unblock someone to repay a debt, will they misunderstand and think you still have feelings for them?”

Abruptly dragged into another topic, Xu Miao had not yet recovered from their previous conversation.

She casually made something up.

“Who cares what she thinks? If your conscience is clear, just discuss the matter and block her again afterward.”

Ling Yu raised her eyelids and gave Xu Miao a thumbs-up.

“Well said.”

Xu Miao: “…”

What had she even said?

In a conference room at QY Law Firm, Gu Qing braced one hand against the table. With the other, she picked up the fountain pen in front of her and threw it down before Attorney Wan, who was droning through a lengthy case file.

The assembled attorneys shrank their necks in alarm and directed sympathetic glances toward him.

Attorney Wan was a renowned lawyer who had recently transferred to their firm.

Rumor said he possessed a doctorate from Stanford University and an exceptionally impressive record of overseas experience.

He was also rather arrogant about his talent.

For example, the case before them was a simple civil dispute. Ordinarily, his team could handle it themselves.

When reporting to Gu Qing, he needed only to explain their solution and its outcome.

Instead, he was wasting time reciting the entire drawn-out case and reducing the firm’s efficiency.

“Attorney Wan.”

Gu Qing gathered the hair falling over her chest and abruptly raised her eyelids, staring directly at the lawyer she had addressed.

“If reading the file aloud constitutes the full extent of your thoughts about this case…”

Every veteran employee at the table lowered their head simultaneously.

Here it comes.

This was the prelude to Boss Gu personally cutting an arrogant intellectual down to size.

At that exact moment, an inappropriate phone vibration sounded.

Then another.

Everyone knew Gu Qing required all senior staff to switch off their phones during meetings.

She followed the rule herself.

Only once had her private phone vibrated during a meeting, and Gu Qing had suspended the entire session.

Everyone waited for her to reprimand the offender without mercy.

The next moment, however, their frost-covered supervisor stared directly at the phone on the table.

Open shock surfaced in her eyes.

With a sharp scrape, she pulled out the chair beside her, leaned forward, and snatched up the phone.

Then she signaled to Wei Minjun on her right.

“I need to step outside. You’ll finish the meeting.”

Everyone: “…”

Ling Yu had specifically searched online for the price of White Rabbit milk candies at the duty-free shop.

The price was bizarre:

520 yuan.

In Chinese internet slang, 520 sounded like “I love you.”

Ling Yu was already reluctant enough to unblock Gu Qing.

She merely wanted to pay for the bag of candy. She had no intention of making herself uncomfortable by sending Gu Qing an ambiguous sum and creating renewed romantic entanglement between them.

So Ling Yu doubled the amount and transferred 1,040 yuan instead.

The remainder could be considered a tip.

After all, Ling Yu was still maintaining the image of a wasteful rich heiress. Tipping someone only a thousand or so yuan was almost embarrassingly cheap.

To prevent any possible misunderstanding, she added a note:

[That bag of candy on the plane was yours, wasn’t it? Here’s the money. Thank you.]

After sending it, Ling Yu swiped across the screen, preparing to block Gu Qing again.

Unexpectedly, Xu Miao slammed on the brakes.

Perhaps she had become too excited and rear-ended another car.

The owner of the white BMW was a middle-aged woman. She flung open her door, stormed over aggressively, and began taking photographs of Xu Miao’s license plate.

Xu Miao was poor at dealing with the meticulous arguments of middle-aged women.

Helpless, she asked Ling Yu to get out and settle the dispute.

After negotiating the compensation, Ling Yu returned to the back seat and unlocked her phone.

The screen remained on their earlier chat.

Five minutes ago:

QY Law Firm—Gu: [?]

Two minutes ago:

QY Law Firm—Gu: [You don’t need to pay that much.]

Now:

QY Law Firm—Gu has transferred 520 yuan to you.

Ling Yu looked at the intervals between the messages, then at the enormous 520 displayed in the app.

For a long time, she was speechless.

The emotion faded slightly from her face.

Perhaps it was only her imagination, but she felt as though Gu Qing had just taken advantage of her.

Ling Yu narrowed her eyes and expressionlessly blocked QY Law Firm—Gu.

Twenty-four hours later, if she did not accept the transfer, the 520 yuan would be returned automatically.

Returned?

Incredible.

Ling Yu slapped her thigh.

What the hell!

Wouldn’t returning it create an even greater misunderstanding?

Then she would be sending Gu Qing a 520 in return.

Would this ever end?

Within a single day of returning, whether through coincidence or fate, she had somehow become entangled with Gu Qing numerous times.

The crucial point was that Gu Qing had not done any of it deliberately.

In Ling Yu’s eyes, everything from two years ago had long since ended.

She had tried so deliberately and so diligently to avoid suspicion while maintaining a peaceful attitude.

What else was she supposed to do?

Did she need to strip away their polite façades and beat Gu Qing senseless to demonstrate her determination to sever all ties?

Ling Yu scoffed.

The more she thought about it, the more convinced she became that these inexplicable coincidences between them had to end.

She stared thoughtfully at the back of Xu Miao’s head.

A moment later, she asked, “Where is tomorrow night’s party?”

Xu Miao did not dare become distracted now.

“Huh? Didn’t you say you weren’t coming?”

Ling Yu did not answer.

She merely narrowed her eyes and scoffed.

“There’s a private concern I need to eliminate. Tell me again—where is tomorrow night’s gathering?”

Xu Miao happily gave her the address.

Ling Yu gave an absent hum, her slender fingers tapping intermittently against her crossed legs.

A meaningful smile appeared on her face.

“Tell Fang Jia I’m going clubbing tomorrow night. I’ll pay for all the drinks, and she can bring whoever she wants.”

Xu Miao felt that Ling Yu’s tone carried some hidden meaning, but she could not identify what was strange about it.

She was about to ask when Ling Yu reminded her at precisely the right moment:

“I don’t want to settle a second traffic accident for you today.”

Xu Miao shuddered and no longer dared let her attention wander.