The Female Lead is Quite Unusual - Episode 14

The candy in her mouth was soft and sweet, with a hint of cranberry, the milky fragrance lingering between her teeth. Its texture was exquisite.

“Wait Bai Yin, after hearing this story, is that the only thing you noticed?”

Lin Wan swallowed the nougat in her mouth, her eyes wide with disbelief as she stared at Bai Yin. She even forgot to address her as “Miss,” unable to resist asking the question.

“Hmm?”

Bai Yin, however, seemed somewhat distracted.

She peeled the wrapper off another piece of nougat, lifting her eyelids slightly to meet Lin Wan’s gaze. “Then what do you think I should have noticed?”

Up close, Bai Yin’s irises were a deep brown, her pupils clear and translucent. She usually avoided eye contact, so Lin Wan had never really observed Bai Yin’s eyes before. Now, seeing them at such close range, she realized how stunningly beautiful they were. Shaped like peach blossoms, misty and alluring.

In simpler terms, eyes like these could make even a dog look lovestruck.

Meeting Bai Yin’s gaze, Lin Wan’s heart inevitably skipped a beat.

She took a deep breath, ignoring this sudden, strange sensation, and continued studying Bai Yin’s expression.

Bai Yin didn’t seem to notice that Lin Wan had called her by her name. The light in her beautiful eyes flickered, and for some reason, there was an unmistakable excitement in them.

Lin Wan swallowed unconsciously. Even though the girl before her was Bai Yin, the most delicate and kind-hearted person being stared at like this made her legs inexplicably weak, as if she were being pulled into a whirlpool, sinking deeper and deeper.

Perhaps it was because Bai Yin was just too beautiful.

Excessively beautiful people carried a natural air of aggression, especially when looking at Bai Yin up close like this.

Lin Wan didn’t dare meet Bai Yin’s gaze any longer and lowered her head first.

She couldn’t spell it out any more plainly.

Bai Yin didn’t seem suspicious of her stepmother and stepsister at all. If Lin Wan said too much, it might come across as trying to drive a wedge between Bai Yin and her family.

Fine! She’d just have to work harder in the future to keep Bai Yin away from that viperous mother-daughter pair.

Feeling somewhat defeated, Lin Wan lowered her head and turned away, avoiding the nougat Bai Yin held to her lips. “I’m full, Miss.”

Lin Wan didn’t think there was anything wrong with saying that. Given Bai Yin’s gentle and considerate nature, she probably wouldn’t insist if Lin Wan refused.

But Bai Yin didn’t say a word.

When Lin Wan looked up again, she found Bai Yin still staring at her. Unlike the earlier hint of delight, Bai Yin’s cheeks were now puffed out, her eyes downcast, clearly displeased.

Lin Wan froze for a moment, glancing at Bai Yin’s hand, which was stubbornly extended in front of her. Bai Yin’s fingers were pale and slender, seemingly even fairer than the nougat she held.

Alright, the pampered young lady probably wasn’t used to being refused and was throwing a little tantrum.

Looking at Bai Yin’s puffed-up cheeks, Lin Wan had the sudden urge to poke them. After all, Bai Yin was so innocent and gentle. Even if she did poke her, it probably wouldn’t be a big deal. But she couldn’t take advantage of someone’s kindness. After a moment’s thought, Lin Wan sighed and indulgingly turned back, opening her mouth.

“Just one more! If I eat too much, I’m afraid my teeth will rot.”

Bai Yin gave an almost imperceptible nod, her eyes flickering as if lost in thought.

For some reason, whenever Bai Yin looked at her, that uneasy feeling would always bubble up uncontrollably.

Lin Wan gave a dry cough, not daring to look at Bai Yin any longer, and lowered her eyes as she opened her mouth.

Gradually, she caught the faint fragrance of nougat, followed by another pleasant scent; gentle and fresh, just like the impression Bai Yin had always left in Lin Wan’s heart.

Just before the nougat was placed between Lin Wan’s lips, Bai Yin suddenly spoke in a soft voice.

“Bai Yin.”

?

Lin Wan looked up in confusion, only to see Bai Yin tucking the nougat into her mouth. Then, with a lift of her wrist, Bai Yin naturally covered Lin Wan’s lips with her hand.

“Lin Wan, from now on, just call me Bai Yin.”

Lin Wan couldn’t help but widen her eyes again.

This was the second time!

The sensation on her lips wasn’t her imagination. Bai Yin had actively touched her!

Yet everyone had repeatedly warned her never to touch Bai Yin.

Had Bai Yin overcome this issue, or in Bai Yin’s heart, was she different?

The answer was already clear, Bai Yin must consider her a close friend, which was why she had initiated contact and even allowed Lin Wan to call her by her first name.

This was something Lin Wan had been longing for.

But now that it was happening, perhaps because she wasn’t prepared, Lin Wan didn’t feel any joy. Instead, there was a faint sense of unreality.

Reason told her this was the result of her efforts. She had devoted herself to brightening Bai Yin’s days, so it was only natural Bai Yin would grow closer to her. Yet a small voice in her heart seemed to whisper that something felt off.

But what could the guileless Bai Yin possibly want from her?

Lin Wan blinked and looked at Bai Yin again.

Bai Yin’s eyes seemed unusually intense, as if dark currents surged within them. Her lips were slightly pursed, her cheeks taut, and her entire body seemed to be trembling faintly?

…

Was she afraid Lin Wan would refuse?

When their gazes met, Bai Yin’s eyes flickered. She withdrew her hand from Lin Wan’s lips as if shocked, her expression instantly returning to calm as if what Lin Wan had just seen was an illusion.

This flustered attempt at composure made Lin Wan laugh despite herself.

“Thank you for feeding me the candy, Bai Yin,” Lin Wan said, calling her by name to affirm her acceptance.

“Mhm.”

Bai Yin’s reply was as brief as ever, but when she looked up at Lin Wan, the latter clearly noticed Bai Yin’s gaze lingering on her lips.

Lin Wan tensed, immediately on guard.

Glancing at the remaining nougat on Bai Yin’s desk, Lin Wan felt she had guessed Bai Yin’s intention and quickly spoke up: “Bai Yin, I really can’t eat any more.”

She deliberately softened her tone, gazing at Bai Yin with pleading eyes, coaxing her in an effort to convey sincerity.

Bai Yin stiffened, staring at her for a long moment.

For a fleeting instant, her expression turned peculiar again, and Lin Wan distinctly saw her throat move.

Suddenly, Lin Wan understood. Bai Yin must have wanted to eat the candy herself, hence the swallowing. Perhaps she was worried about her own health, so she had fed Lin Wan instead.

Just as Lin Wan considered suggesting they share a piece, Bai Yin spoke softly.

“I understand!”

“You… you shouldn’t talk to others like that in the future.”

With that, Bai Yin turned her wheelchair away, seemingly abandoning any further attempts to feed Lin Wan.

What had she even said?

Bai Yin was utterly baffled. Just as she was about to ask Bai Yin for clarification, she suddenly noticed a faint blush creeping up the sides of Bai Yin’s ears.

Perfectly fine one moment, and suddenly blushing the next?

The heart of a delicate young lady truly is as unfathomable as a needle at the bottom of the sea.

＊

Since Bai Yin had grown shy, Lin Wan naturally couldn’t press further. If she ended up ruffling the feathers of this delicate young lady, it would hardly be worth it.

In the end, Lin Wan guessed it was because her sudden coquettishness didn’t align with her usual demeanor. After all, she had always worked hard to maintain a composed and capable image in front of Bai Yin. Acting spoiled out of the blue might have caught Bai Yin off guard.

Looking back, Lin Wan felt a wave of self-disgust at her own behavior. She couldn’t fathom what had come over her at that moment.

Secretly, she resolved to refrain from acting spoiled around Bai Yin in the future.

In her subsequent interactions with Bai Yin, she adhered strictly to this principle, striving to appear steady and capable.

After getting Lin Wan to call her by her name, Bai Yin seemed to trust her even more, and their conversations grew more frequent.

Perhaps because she didn’t eat much herself, Bai Yin took great pleasure in feeding Lin Wan.

Once the initial awkwardness passed, Lin Wan simply let her have her way.

Butler Zhao, however, wore an exceedingly peculiar expression every time he witnessed Bai Yin feeding Lin Wan.

〓

Over the past few days, Lin Wan had been keeping an eye out for any invitations from the Bai family.

Strangely, though Bai Ru had already devised a plan to harm Bai Yin at Songhe Villa, the invitation had yet to arrive.

Lin Wan didn’t dare let her guard down. It wasn’t until the day before the birthday banquet of Bai Yin’s stepmother that she finally breathed a small sigh of relief.

She had already secretly instructed the gatekeeper: Bai Yin wasn’t to receive any outsiders that day.

As long as they made it through the day peacefully, Bai Yin would have narrowly escaped another calamity.

That afternoon, Butler Zhao came to discuss matters with Bai Yin, his expression grim. Noticing that he wasn’t holding an invitation, Lin Wan paid it no mind and waited calmly outside the door.

When the door opened again, Butler Zhao emerged with a furrowed brow. Just as Lin Wan was about to ask what was wrong, he gave her a complicated look and spoke with a frown.

“This is beyond insulting! We’ve searched high and low for a set of jewelry that the late madam cherished most, only to discover that the young lady’s stepmother had hidden it away and now she plans to auction it off at a charity gala!”

“The young lady will undoubtedly attend to reclaim her mother’s heirloom. Pack your things. Tomorrow, you’ll accompany her!”