The Female Lead is Quite Unusual - Episode 13

That night, Lin Wan slept soundly and woke up the next morning feeling refreshed and energized.

Remembering her plan to keep Bai Yin company and prevent her from going to Songhe Villa, she quickly got out of bed, hurried through her morning routine, and prepared to leave.

Somehow, the note she had written the day before reminding herself to wear gloves and avoid touching Bai Yin had fallen into the sink.

Afraid the note might get lost, Lin Wan had even reinforced it with clear tape the previous day.

Was the quality of tape these days really that bad?

The writing on the note had smudged and blurred beyond recognition, rendered useless by the water. Lin Wan didn’t dwell on it, tossing the soggy note into the trash and deciding she would rewrite it when she got back.

She finished breakfast quickly and, as usual, waited outside Bai Yin’s door with Sister Zhang before nine o’clock.

Bai Yin was an extremely punctual person, always opening her door precisely at nine. But today, even after ten minutes had passed, her door remained shut.

The longer they waited, the more worried Lin Wan and Sister Zhang became. Finally, Lin Wan dialed Bai Yin’s number.

“Hmm?”

Bai Yin sounded as if she was still asleep, her voice slightly nasal when she first answered. But within moments, she seemed to wake up fully, her voice hoarse as she said, “Give me ten minutes.”

Ten minutes later, Bai Yin indeed opened the door.

Lin Wan studied her appearance. Bai Yin’s hair was slightly disheveled, her eyes drooping, her expression weary.

Had she not slept well, or was she feeling unwell?

Clearly, Lin Wan wasn’t the only one concerned. Just as she was about to ask, Sister Zhang spoke up anxiously, “Miss, should we call Dr. Wang to come take a look?”

“No need.” Bai Yin shook her head, glanced at Lin Wan, then set down her spoon after only a couple of bites. “I just didn’t sleep well.”

“Then you should take a nap later to make up for it!”

Lin Wan chimed in worriedly, “I’ll keep some warm congee ready in the kitchen. If you feel hungry after waking up, just call for me.”

Bai Yin shook her head again.

Seeing the anxious looks from both Lin Wan and Sister Zhang, Bai Yin lifted her gaze to Lin Wan, rubbing her temples. “I can’t focus right now. My head starts hurting if I try for too long. Can you stay and read to me later?”

Lin Wan immediately agreed.

“Be alert,” Sister Zhang warned Lin Wan with concern as she left. “If you notice anything unusual about the young miss, you must inform Butler Zhao right away.”

Lin Wan nodded repeatedly.

Bai Yin disliked noise, so once Sister Zhang left, Lin Wan closed the door.

“Miss, which book should I read?”

Lin Wan stood before Bai Yin, discreetly observing her expression. Bai Yin sat behind her desk with her eyes closed, not even bothering to open them as she randomly pulled out a book and handed it to Lin Wan.

Glancing over, Lin Wan noticed that Bai Yin had opened the bag of nougat she had given her and arranged the candies neatly on the desk; sorted by the color of their wrappers, grouping the different flavors together.

Lin Wan averted her gaze after a brief look and began reading aloud.

“Economic laws are, in fact, traceable patterns. From a macroeconomic monetary perspective.”

It was a book on economics.

The book was somewhat worn, as if it had been flipped through many times before. Lin Wan turned to the page marked by a bookmark and started reading.

Whenever she reached a paragraph break or turned a page, Lin Wan would take the opportunity to catch her breath and glance up to observe Bai Yin’s condition. Bai Yin rested her head on her hand, eyes slightly closed, and Lin Wan couldn’t tell if she was actually asleep.

But since the delicate young lady hadn’t complained of pain, she probably could still endure it for now.

Lin Wan let out a quiet sigh of relief.

She read diligently, but when she reached the lengthy, convoluted theoretical sections, no matter how hard she tried to avoid mistakes, she still stumbled over the words multiple times.

It was just too difficult!

For someone like Lin Wan, who preferred pure theoretical research, this book was exceptionally abstruse, full of tongue-twisting jargon and winding, dizzying theories and regulations.

As she read on, Lin Wan unconsciously furrowed her brows, her voice growing softer and softer.

Before long, a heavy drowsiness settled over her.

When she mispronounced a few words yet again and let out a yawn, she guiltily lifted her gaze to check Bai Yin’s reaction only to meet Bai Yin’s eyes staring straight at her.

Bai Yin had opened her eyes at some point. Her pupils were as clear as ever, as if no pretense could hide from her scrutiny.

“Miss, I—I’m sorry, I got a little distracted.”

Lin Wan’s yawn froze at the corner of her lips, and her words came out slightly stuttered.

She took a deep breath, pinched her palm to refocus, and was just about to continue reading when Bai Yin spoke.

“I’ve been listening for so long that I’m tired. Why don’t you tell me a story instead?”

At the mention of a story, Lin Wan instantly perked up, widening her eyes to look at Bai Yin again.

Bai Yin was no longer leaning on the table. Instead, she had reclined slightly, resting sideways in her wheelchair, her beautiful face turned toward Lin Wan.

Backlit, Lin Wan couldn’t quite make out the expression in her eyes, but she sensed a faint trace of anticipation in Bai Yin’s demeanor.

“Let me gather my thoughts first! I’m not a great storyteller, so bear with me…”

Lin Wan wasn’t actually skilled at telling stories, but this was a rare opportunity for her.

Her mind raced. She had been worrying about how to warn Bai Yin of Bai Ru’s ill intentions, and now Bai Yin had handed her the perfect opening!

After a moment’s thought, Lin Wan decided to tell a modified version of Cinderella and Snow White.

Glancing at the nougat wrapper on the desk, she opted to improvise, naming the characters Whitey, Yellowy, Greeny.

Cinderella Whitey was a princess locked in a castle after inheriting a vast fortune. Princess Whitey suffered under the schemes of her stepmother Yellowy and stepsisters Bluey and Greeny, repeatedly falling into life-threatening dangers until Prince Reddy appeared and rescued the poor princess.

Lin Wan’s story was crude, practically spelling out Bai Yin’s name in all but letters.

“Miss, this is just a story. It’s definitely not the same as reality.”

“And in real life, we can’t rely on others to save us. We won’t meet some so-called prince. The only lasting solution is to grow stronger ourselves and stay vigilant against hidden schemes.”

To avoid raising Bai Yin’s suspicions, Lin Wan deliberately added these lines after finishing the tale, though her eyes sparkled as she looked at Bai Yin. After all her hints, surely Bai Yin would understand her well-meaning intentions?

Bai Yin’s reaction was just as she expected. She had listened attentively the whole time. Though her gaze still lingered on Lin Wan’s face, her expression seemed slightly distant, perhaps because she had finally grasped the peril of her situation and was lost in sorrow.

Growth always comes at a price!

Lin Wan let out a soft sigh, her gaze unconsciously tinged with pity as she looked at Bai Yin.

Bai Yin’s eyes dimmed slightly as she lowered them.

“I understand.”

Lin Wan heard Bai Yin speak softly, her voice cautious, as if tinged with a hint of grievance, making it all the more heartbreaking: “Lin Wan, come closer.”

“Close your eyes.”

Was she planning to lean on her shoulder and cry without wanting to be seen?

Lin Wan nodded, carefully sitting beside Bai Yin and closing her eyes.

A rustling sound followed.

A fleeting warmth brushed past her lips.

Was that Bai Yin’s finger?!

But didn’t Bai Yin despise touching others?

Startled, Lin Wan opened her eyes and saw Bai Yin right in front of her.

Bai Yin looked no different from usual, yet her eyes seemed to shimmer with starlight, clearly brimming with joy.

“Did you want some nougat?”

Meeting Lin Wan’s astonished gaze, Bai Yin leisurely unwrapped a piece of candy, her eyes lingering on Lin Wan’s red lips. Her throat moved imperceptibly as she fed the candy into Lin Wan’s mouth, her fingers brushing lightly against Lin Wan’s lips as if by accident.

“This is White White.”

“Later, I’ll give you Blue Blue, Yellow Yellow.”