After Transmigrating into a Book, I Had a Flash Marriage with the Beautiful Crazy Villain - Chapter 39.3

Chu Ling exhaled contentedly.

This rare tranquility, undisturbed by anyone, made both of them silently agree not to mention hurrying back. They simply let the horse meander along at its own slow pace.

The atmosphere was unusually pleasant, and Chu Ling didn’t want to disrupt it.

Sometimes, she was truly grateful to Song Qingyi otherwise, she wouldn’t have had so many novel experiences.

If only she could be friends with Song Qingyi.

This thought suddenly popped into Chu Ling’s mind.

Truthfully, she didn’t dare hope for anything more. It seemed that only the position of a friend was something she could barely reach.

Ye Zhiyin had her own destined partner, and Chu Ling felt that Song Qingyi deserved someone better.

Perhaps she could try to divert Song Qingyi’s attention away from Ye Zhiyin?

But… was altering her original path even feasible?

Chu Ling wasn’t entirely sure. After all, she was just a minor character with little screen time.

Song Qingyi, on the other hand, was different. As a major antagonist, her role was significant. If Chu Ling recklessly interfered with the plot, could it lead to unforeseen consequences?

In the past, Chu Ling wouldn’t have dared to try, but now, she wanted to give it a shot.

Once she made up her mind, she felt a weight lift from her heart.

Song Qingyi noticed it. She saw that Chu Ling seemed even more relaxed than before and immediately felt that bringing her out for a ride had been the right decision.

Originally, she had sensed that something was off with Chu Ling’s mood, which was why she wanted to take her out for a run.

Song Qingyi knew Chu Ling would love this feeling.

Sure enough, her guess was correct. Chu Ling did enjoy it, the effect was immediate, and her spirits lifted considerably.

The two of them strolled all the way back to the stables, where they could see Ning Hongmian’s excited figure from afar.

As they got closer, Chu Ling finally heard what the child was saying.

Turns out, she was envious that Song Qingyi had taken Chu Ling for a ride and wanted to experience it too.

However, Song Qingyi was merciless in her refusal. “No, you’re still too young. Kids shouldn’t do such thrilling activities. Riding a pony is enough for you.”

At this, Ning Hongmian immediately pouted. “But this pony isn’t exciting at all!”

Chu Ling glanced at the magnificent steed beneath her handpicked by Song Qingyi tall, handsome, with a glossy coat, exuding an air of grandeur.

Then she looked at the ponies the children were riding.

Still just foals.

The difference was indeed night and day.

It gave off the vibe of a “kids’ mode” setting.

Ahem.

Chu Ling suppressed a smile, careful not to provoke the children into demanding a ride. She didn’t want to add fuel to the fire. If an accident happened, it would be hard to handle.

“It’s okay, ponies are great too. Once you’ve practiced enough, next time you come, you’ll be able to ride just as majestically.”

Though she comforted the children this way, Chu Ling could still see the disappointment and longing in their eyes. So she raised the camera in her hand.

“Who wants to take photos? This is a one-time opportunity, don’t you all want to capture your dashing horseback moments?”

“Me! Me! I want one!”

“Me too! Me too!”

The children’s eyes immediately lit up with excitement, eagerly raising their hands, it seemed they all loved the idea.

Even though they couldn’t ride the big horse, since they were already here, they could at least take photos!

Ning Hongmian’s eyes sparkled with anticipation as she looked at Chu Ling. “Sister Chu Ling, can you make me look really cool in the photo? I want that kind of vibe where everyone can tell at a glance how awesome I am!”

Chu Ling: “I’ll do my best.”

The kid was small, but her ambitions were big.

Chu Ling wasn’t entirely confident. After all, she had mostly photographed landscapes before, when it came to people…

Had she ever taken photos of anyone besides Song Qingyi?

At that thought, Chu Ling paused, her grip on the camera tightening slightly.

Thankfully, Song Qingyi’s looks were flawless from every angle otherwise, with her clumsy photography skills, she would never have been able to capture such beautiful shots.

Now, caught up in the moment of entertaining the kids, Chu Ling had impulsively offered to take their photos, feeling a little guilty.

Awkwardly dismounting, she began adjusting the camera settings, then…

Sneakily pulled out her phone to search for “how to take portrait photos” on the spot.

Song Qingyi caught sight of this and couldn’t help but laugh.

Chu Ling glanced over, realizing she’d been seen, and quickly signaled with her eyes for Song Qingyi to keep quiet.

Song Qingyi played along, not calling her out, though the smile on her lips grew even wider.

After watching a few tutorials, Chu Ling studied them carefully and felt she had a grasp on it. She decided to use Ning Hongmian as her test subject.

Ning Hongmian was thrilled, completely unaware of her role as a guinea pig, and even struck various poses on her own.

To Chu Ling’s surprise, the shoot went smoothly not because her skills had suddenly improved, but because Ning Hongmian was completely unafraid of the camera and had great presence.

Was this what it meant to share blood with Song Qingyi?

Though, come to think of it, their familial relationship didn’t seem that close?

Their surnames were different, so they were probably distant relatives.

Chu Ling mused over this briefly before finishing the shoot. Ning Hongmian immediately rushed over, eager to see the results.

Chu Ling opened the photo gallery, and the group huddled together to look.

“Wow! Sister Chu Ling, you took such great photos!”

Chu Ling felt a little embarrassed. It probably wasn’t her skills but rather Ning Hongmian’s natural ability to work the camera and her strong presence.

“Hongmian, you’re really photogenic. Have you had any formal training?”

Ning Hongmian scratched her cheek sheepishly, but one of her little friends quickly chimed in, “She hasn’t studied it, but she’s super talented! In group photos, she always stands out the most.”

Honestly, group photos rarely turned out well someone always had their eyes closed or an awkward expression.

But Ning Hongmian? Every time, she was the one who shone the brightest.

The kind of person who naturally drew attention even in a crowd.

“A born model.”

Even though Chu Ling wasn’t a portrait photographer, taking photos of Ning Hongmian felt effortless. The girl clearly had a gift for it.

Ning Hongmian was happy for a moment, but soon her expression dimmed as she lowered her head. “ I was just posing randomly. I can’t compare to professionals.”

Her two friends seemed to know something, their enthusiasm fading as well.

Chu Ling sensed something was off, but since Ning Hongmian didn’t seem inclined to explain, she let it go.

“Alright, alright, let’s move on. Who’s next?”

A girl quickly raised her hand and said to Chu Ling, “Sister Chu Ling, could I have something with a sweeter, more delicate style, please?”

Chu Ling: “I’ll do my best.”

Ah, Ning Hongmian had set a bad precedent.

The girl’s eyes sparkled. “Mhm, thank you, Sister Chu Ling!”

Chu Ling suddenly felt her confidence return.

The children kept calling her “sister,” making her feel almost giddy. The three kids had such sweet mouths, each more flattering than the last. By the end of the photo session, she was actually quite tired, but the girls’ compliments seemed to give her an endless reserve of energy.

Finally finishing the shoot with the three of them, Qiu Shuang and Fang Manwen also came over to join in the fun.

In the end, Ye Zhiyin and Qin Xinran also came to take a group photo with her.

Chu Ling inexplicably felt like one of those paid photographers at tourist attractions.

“Come on, come on, Master Chu is only open for business today! Anyone else want a photo? Better hurry!”

Ye Zhiyin burst into laughter and leaned closer to Song Qingyi, whispering, “Your partner really is quite amusing, no wonder you’re so taken with her.”

In her eyes, Chu Ling was also a fascinating person.

Ye Zhiyin had never encountered someone like her before most people she knew were restrained, their manners carefully cultivated to fit upper-class decorum.

Their words and smiles were always measured, and stepping even slightly out of line was considered impolite.

Due to her class background, Ye Zhiyin had only ever been exposed to such people growing up herself included which made it difficult for her to form genuine friendships.

Song Qingyi was the only exception.

In fact, it was after meeting Song Qingyi that she seemed to awaken, rebelling against those constraints.

As a child, her family lived close to the Song residence, but at first, she didn’t even know there was someone her age in the Song family. It wasn’t until one day when her mother took her to visit that she discovered Song Qingyi.

Back then, Song Qingyi was anything but approachable cold as a stone, unresponsive no matter what was said to her.

If not for the time when Ye Zhiyin nearly got abducted by a stranger and Song Qingyi was the one who called for help, she would’ve thought Song Qingyi was some kind of emotionless robot.

But precisely because of that debt of gratitude, no matter how aloof Song Qingyi was, Ye Zhiyin kept trying to get closer, determined to befriend her.

Though young, she could still recognize sincerity. Other children might act friendly to her face but gossip behind her back, or only associate with her due to family interests.

Only Song Qingyi never spoke ill of others in fact, she hardly spoke at all, and rarely acknowledged her.

At first, Ye Zhiyin only wanted to befriend her out of gratitude. But as time passed, Song Qingyi became her only true confidante.

As for Chu Ling, Ye Zhiyin had actually known the name for a long time, she’d stumbled upon it by accident. Once, when Song Qingyi was delirious with fever, she called out that name.

They were both still young then, and Ye Zhiyin, curious, asked directly about it. In response, Song Qingyi ignored her for an entire week.

That was when Ye Zhiyin understood this name was off-limits, someone deeply important to Song Qingyi.

Song Qingyi kept it well-hidden. Beyond the name, Ye Zhiyin knew nothing else.

Only now had she finally met the person Song Qingyi had longed for all these years, Chu Ling.

Indeed, she was a very interesting person.

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