After Transmigrating, I Fell in Love with a Top-Tier Movie Queen - Chapter 3

With the anger from having her phone call eavesdropped on finally subsiding, Lin Xin’s rationality began to return. She turned her head to look at Ye Linghua. Her pupils shrunk as she noticed a gash on Ye Linghua’s right forehead, with blood seeping out.

“Why aren’t you talking?” Ye Linghua saw Lin Xin’s frightened expression and her brows furrowed even more. She reached out and pushed Lin Xin’s bangs away, carefully checking her head. “You’re not hurt!” she said in confusion.

Lin Xin couldn’t help but remind her in a hoarse voice, “You’re the one who’s hurt.”

“What?” Because Lin Xin’s voice was so quiet, Ye Linghua leaned in to listen. The short distance allowed her to clearly smell a foreign shampoo scent. Unexpectedly, Lin Xin didn’t find it unpleasant.

Seeing Lin Xin just stare and not speak, Ye Linghua could only ask, “Are you uncomfortable anywhere? Or do you need me to call you a car?”

Lin Xin looked away, moving away from the faint scent, and then said loudly, “You’re the one who’s hurt! On your forehead.”

The living room felt particularly empty at night, and Lin Xin’s suddenly loud voice seemed to echo.

Ye Linghua was stunned, then laughed. “Me?” She moved her gaze upward, unable to see the injury, and just lightly touched it. It hurt a little, but it wasn’t bleeding much. “It’s a minor injury, it’s fine. What about you? Are you hurt?” Ye Linghua confirmed that she wasn’t seriously hurt and was more concerned about Lin Xin.

What do you mean it’s nothing? How is that nothing? What woman doesn’t care about her appearance?

Lin Xin couldn’t help but frown at her, taking a serious look at the woman for the first time. She noticed that Ye Linghua’s lower eyelashes weren’t long but were very dense. Her nose bridge was high and straight. And her lips were thin on top and full on the bottom.

Looking at her now, Ye Linghua was actually very beautiful. There was a heroic quality to her face, making her less delicate and cute. There were also fine lines at the corners of her eyes, probably because she smiled a lot.

“Why aren’t you speaking again? You’re worrying me. I did my best when we fell. If you’re uncomfortable anywhere, just tell me. Don’t hold it in.”

Her gentle, caring words felt like warmth flowing through Lin Xin’s heart. The moonlight outside the window fell on Ye Linghua’s face, making her features more defined in the light and shadow.

This woman, a complete stranger, was so worried about her. Lin Xin suddenly felt wronged, and her eyes began to turn red.

A stranger would be willing to risk their appearance for her, so maybe she wasn’t so terrible after all, right?

When Ye Linghua saw her eyes suddenly turn red, she was startled. “Are you really hurt? Where does it hurt?” This is a person who was angry enough to die after a breakup. How badly must she be hurt to have red eyes?

Ye Linghua was a little scared by her look, on the verge of tears.

“I’m not hurt,” Lin Xin quickly explained.

Ye Linghua let out a sigh of relief. “Phew, that’s good.”

Lin Xin sat up, propping herself up on her hands. This way, she could get a clearer look at the wound on Ye Linghua’s forehead. She must have hit it on the corner of a step when they rolled down. The area around the wound was a large, red patch.

“Go sit on the sofa. I’ll get the first-aid kit.”

Lin Xin stood up. Ye Linghua also stood, then obediently went to the living room sofa to wait for Lin Xin to return.

In the three years Ye Linghua had been in this world, she had seen plenty of large villas. But Lin Xin’s villa seemed to lack a sense of… “life.” Even though she regularly cleaned and cooked in her own home.

Ye Linghua lowered her eyes and looked at the documents on the table. She had organized them and placed them here in the afternoon. She’d noticed that the papers were for a new business collaboration.

They must have been for Zheng Ranwen, right?

“Lower your head. I’m going to disinfect it.” Lin Xin’s soft voice brought Ye Linghua out of her thoughts.

Ye Linghua saw that Lin Xin had already returned and was sitting across from her with a cotton swab and disinfectant, a serious look on her face.

Ye Linghua obediently lowered her head slightly. Lin Xin cleaned the blood from around the wound, her eyes focused on it and her hands gentle. Ye Linghua only felt a soft touch on her forehead. There was a slight stinging where the disinfectant touched the wound, but it was mostly a numbing, tingling feeling as she was being tended to.

Looking down, all she could see was the woman’s red lips, pressed tightly together as she concentrated on disinfecting the wound. Ye Linghua’s heart fluttered. She realized she was having inappropriate thoughts and had to look away. She remembered why they had argued and decided to explain again. “I really didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but… I did hear something. I’m sorry. Can you please not be angry?”

Lin Xin lowered her eyes and, at Ye Linghua’s almost coaxing tone, nodded slightly. “I’m not angry anymore.”

Ye Linghua was stunned. “…Really?”

Lin Xin smiled and repeated, “I’m not angry anymore.” Because of their shared experience of falling down the stairs, Lin Xin’s good impression of Ye Linghua grew, and she gave her a rare smile.

Lin Xin was already stunningly beautiful. When she smiled, her phoenix eyes were captivating. Ye Linghua was enchanted by this beautiful sight. But she knew that a relationship with Lin Xin was impossible, especially when Lin Xin still had Zheng Ranwen, who was more important than her own life. So, Ye Linghua let out a fake cough, avoided Lin Xin’s gaze, and told herself, She belongs to the female protagonist, she belongs to the female protagonist, she belongs to the female protagonist.

Lin Xin, of course, had no idea what was going on in Ye Linghua’s mind. After she finished disinfecting the wound, she took a sterile gauze pad from the first-aid kit and carefully taped it to her forehead. The simple bandage was complete.

Ye Linghua lightly touched it and smiled, praising Lin Xin, “You’re so good at this.”

This sudden and exaggerated compliment made Lin Xin’s face blush. She lowered her head like an ostrich, avoiding Ye Linghua’s eyes, and said while tidying up, “What’s so great about this? It’s easy.”

She put the first-aid kit back and returned with a calmer mood. “There are no rooms on the first floor. It’s just the kitchen, gym, and soundproof room. There are two guest rooms on the second floor. Pick whichever one you want. The cabinets have quilts and sheets. Can you manage on your own?”

Ye Linghua nodded. Lin Xin took one last look at her and then left.

After going upstairs, Ye Linghua chose the room next to Lin Xin’s—the one Zheng Ranwen used to live in. As it was a guest room, it didn’t have a walk-in closet, but there was a simple wooden wardrobe. It had a private bathroom and a large balcony outside the glass door across from the bed.

Overall, it was well-equipped but surprisingly simple. There was nothing extra, as if it was ready for someone to leave at any moment.

Ye Linghua closed the bedroom door and immediately dropped the smile from her face. She first took out the bedding from the cabinet. After making the bed, she pulled out her phone and sent a message. “You can go back now.”

—”Okay.”

The reply was very swift and to the point.

Ye Linghua then sent a message to another friend. “Thanks, I don’t need anything today.”

As one of Ye Linghua’s close friends, Tang Qiaoan wasn’t so easy to get rid of. “Yanzi told me you called her to ask about the ingredients for the Manchu-Han banquet.”

Ye Linghua: “…” That Yanzi.

“And this morning you called me, telling me to be on standby. I’m a doctor. I cleared a whole day for you. Even though you didn’t need my help, I still cleared my schedule. You have to tell me who I was on standby for!”

Ye Linghua took a sharp breath. Is this person still this gossipy? She could only tough it out. “I’ll treat you to dinner.”

“Do you think I care about that one meal?!” Tang Qiaoan nearly spat blood. “What I care about is the gossip, the GOSSIP!!!”

Ye Linghua couldn’t help but laugh. “As a doctor, you should have a more serious mindset.”

Tang Qiaoan: “…Are you even a person?”

Ye Linghua naturally ignored her. In truth, she had come so suddenly today that she hadn’t even packed a bag. At first, she was hesitant, unsure if she should intervene in a complete story.

But after browsing a forum about Lin Xin, she couldn’t bear the thought of a talented and beautiful star who had won three Best Actress awards dying because of a relationship. It was too absurd and unfair.

When she woke up this morning, it was pouring rain outside. Ye Linghua was a lazy person. On a day like this, she usually didn’t like to move. But in the end, she made up her mind to help Lin Xin. So she changed into a casual outfit, grabbed an umbrella, and took a car here.

Thankfully, she had prepared in advance and had been keeping up with the Lin family’s situation. So when she heard that Lin Xin’s mother was looking for a housekeeper, she quickly got an interview.

Ye Linghua did all of this to prevent the first major tragedy in the novel: Lin Xin’s suicide.

Yes, on the day of the divorce, Lin Xin attempted suicide. She lost all hope right after getting off the phone with Zheng Ranwen. The contrast between her joy in preparing for their fifth anniversary and the despair of being divorced was already enough to make her lose it. And then, Zheng Ranwen called to apologize. If you’ve forgotten, then just forget it. Why remind me of it again?

Lin Xin, unable to cope, tried to take her own life. Although she failed, the events of that day left a deep scar. The scar on her wrist would always remind her of Zheng Ranwen’s betrayal. Even after they got back together, that scar remained a constant source of pain for Lin Xin. As a melodramatic romance, the book really put Lin Xin through the wringer, both physically and emotionally.

However, something was strange…

Ye Linghua walked to the bed and looked out at the moon, which was like a silver platter hanging in the dark sky, surrounded by countless stars.

Something was strange…

From the short part she overheard, their phone call wasn’t as intense as it was in the novel. In fact, Lin Xin didn’t cry as she did in the book. Instead, she threw her phone.

Ye Linghua stroked her chin, her eyes narrowing in thought. Did I remember the plot wrong because it’s been so long?

The next day, Lin Xin woke up feeling refreshed and got herself ready. Getting divorced from Zheng Ranwen wasn’t without pain. But after five years of living like strangers, she hadn’t managed to melt Zheng Ranwen’s stone heart. Instead, Zheng Ranwen had successfully frozen her own warm heart.

While she was sad, she felt more regret for her wasted emotions and indignation that Zheng Ranwen still loved Lin Wan. But no matter what, life had to go on.

When Lin Xin came out of her bedroom, she saw that the guest room next door wasn’t fully closed. She opened the door and was met with a gentle breeze carrying the fresh scent of the trees in front of the villa. Lin Xin closed her eyes and took it in. She looked around the room and saw that Ye Linghua wasn’t there.

Then she saw Ye Linghua on the balcony, stretching. She was still wearing the same clothes from the day before. Hearing the door open, she turned her head. Her long black hair was like a waterfall, shimmering in the sunlight as it moved.

Seeing Lin Xin, Ye Linghua looked a little surprised, but she quickly broke into a smile. “You’re awake?”

Lin Xin had noticed yesterday that Ye Linghua’s smile was particularly beautiful. Her smile was incredibly friendly, making it impossible not to feel close to her. Every time she saw that smile, it was as if she and Ye Linghua had been close friends for a long time, as if she were the most cherished person in her heart. When she smiled, the light that filled her crescent-shaped eyes always gave people the illusion that she would pamper them endlessly.

Because of this, Lin Xin couldn’t help but look at her smile, trying to get closer to her through it.

Some people really get an advantage just by smiling. Lin Xin couldn’t help but sigh.

Even so, Lin Xin still asked Ye Linghua, “Mmm. Is breakfast ready?”

Ye Linghua: “…Do you mind having just milk or coffee?”

Lin Xin frowned. Ye Linghua quickly added, “I can also make soy milk.”

Looking at the gauze on her forehead and remembering Ye Linghua’s selflessness last night, Lin Xin reluctantly turned around and said, “I’ll make it. Hurry up and come downstairs.”

Ye Linghua: “…Okay.”

When Ye Linghua came downstairs, Lin Xin was still in the kitchen. As her housekeeper, Ye Linghua felt too awkward to just sit at the table and wait. She rolled up her sleeves and walked into the kitchen, where she saw Lin Xin frying some shrimp paste. The shrimp must have been prepared yesterday as part of the “Manchu-Han banquet.”

Lin Xin had put the paste into a pastry bag and squeezed out two long strips to pan-fry. Once they were cooked, she took them out and poured an egg mixture with milk and salt into the pan. She gently used chopsticks to scrape the egg toward the center. Once it solidified, she moved it to a plate.

Then, she turned and took a basket of different breads from a shelf.

Ye Linghua was a complete disaster in the kitchen. Besides the simplest dishes, she couldn’t even recognize the ingredients, let alone cook with them. So naturally, she couldn’t name a single one of the breads in the basket.

“This is ciabatta. I’m making a sandwich.” Lin Xin seemed to know that Ye Linghua didn’t recognize it and said it casually.

Ye Linghua rubbed her head and laughed. “Okay, I can eat anything.”

Lin Xin, who was focused on slicing the ciabatta, almost rolled her eyes at that comment. Ye Linghua thought it was funny herself and said in a low voice, “Thank you.”

Lin Xin’s irritation instantly vanished. She couldn’t help but mumble to herself, When someone is so pretty, has a friendly smile, and a seductive voice, it’s cheating to have them try to cheer you up.

She filled the sliced ciabatta with lettuce, the fried egg, the shrimp, and a drizzle of sweet and sour sauce, then added two slices of cheese. She topped the ciabatta, cut it in half, and said to Ye Linghua with a bit of a complaint, “I was going to add some sliced tomatoes, but you cooked them all.”

Ye Linghua gave an awkward laugh. Since stir-fried tomatoes and egg was one of her signature dishes, she had to defend herself. “You ate a lot of that last night, too.”

Lin Xin choked on her words. “There were only two or three dishes! What else was I going to eat?”

Amused by her comeback, Ye Linghua immediately apologized. “You’re right, you’re right. I’m not skilled enough. I’ll work harder this afternoon, I promise.”

We’re not even that close, so I can’t really say if I believe you.

Lin Xin poured two glasses of yogurt, added some fruit, and handed one to Ye Linghua. The dining table was by the glass sliding door. When they opened it, the morning air was fresh and cool. The sun hadn’t reached this spot yet.

Looking out, the yard was a lush green lawn. A large tree by the door had branches that spread out like an umbrella, casting a shadow over the patio. It was easy to imagine that sitting on the patio would be cool and comfortable even in the summer.

Eating breakfast with such a view, with the rich flavors of all the ingredients, was incredibly satisfying.

They sat facing each other as the wind from outside tousled their hair.

Lin Xin looked at Ye Linghua and couldn’t help but feel a pang in her heart. The domestic scene she had once desperately longed for with Zheng Ranwen was now happening with a stranger. But she wasn’t sad. Perhaps it was because the view outside was so beautiful, or perhaps it was because the woman across from her smiled so often.

Everything felt so perfect and just right. It filled her with peace and joy.