The Possessive Villain Is Too Clingy [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 18

The wooden door creaked open, and the strip of white light cast from the corridor onto the balcony floor gradually widened.

A tall, slender shadow appeared within it.

Chu Xiao, the domineering male lead from the original novel, truly lived up to his reputation, his physique and appearance were impeccable.

The tailored suit pants accentuated his long, straight legs, while his upper body was poised and upright.

With a wave of his hand, Chu Xiao closed the door and slowly walked to the railing. He pulled out a slim steel cigarette case from his inner pocket, took out a 1916 cigarette, and placed it between his lips. Then, he rummaged through the other side of his jacket for a lighter.

Soon, a crimson flame flickered to life. Lost in thought, he spread his hands and leaned against the railing, wisps of smoke rising between his fingers.

Ye Zhixia and Chu Ning crouched quietly behind the potted plants.

Chu Ning’s gaze at Chu Xiao was filled with irritation and resentment, something Ye Zhixia noticed immediately.

In the original plot, Chu Ning opposed Chu Xiao at every turn, making her the unequivocal antagonist to the male and female leads.

But in a family feud where personal safety was at stake and the mastermind behind it all was likely the protagonist Chu Xiao himself, who wouldn’t fight back?

Thinking this, Ye Zhixia didn’t let go of Chu Ning’s hand. Instead, she tightened her grip.

Feeling the pressure of Ye Zhixia’s palm, Chu Ning’s heart trembled. Her entire body stiffened, and her pulse quickened uncontrollably.

Just as she nervously wondered how to respond, the balcony door handle creaked again.

Squeak!  The door slowly opened, and a slender, delicate figure stepped out.

Chu Ning exhaled in relief and peeked out slightly to see who it was.

Ye Zhixia, however, had no such curiosity. In a scene like this, of course, it was the perfect moment for the male and female leads to meet, who else could it be but Xu Miaomiao?

“President Chu…” Xu Miaomiao’s voice was soft. “I didn’t know you were here…”

Chu Xiao turned his head at the sound of the door opening. Seeing Xu Miaomiao’s flustered expression, he slowly turned around, a devilish smirk curling his lips as he spoke in a deep voice, “It’s a balcony. Anyone can come out here.”

Like a startled rabbit, Xu Miaomiao averted her gaze downward. Her voice was sweet, but her tone was awkward. “I’m sorry for disturbing you, President Chu.”

But then, Chu Xiao’s demeanor shifted abruptly. He reached out and placed a hand on Xu Miaomiao’s shoulder. “Don’t be afraid. We’re all colleagues here. How could you be disturbing me?”

The moment his hand touched her shoulder, Xu Miaomiao recoiled as if electrocuted, taking two quick steps back. “My manager is waiting for me outside. I should go,” she blurted before fleeing the balcony in a panic, slamming the door behind her with a loud bang.

Chu Xiao stared blankly at the closed door. Both Ye Zhixia and Chu Ning assumed he was smitten by Xu Miaomiao.

But then, Chu Xiao chuckled, his shoulders shaking slightly.

“Playing hard to get with me?” His eyes held a mix of coldness, mockery, and indifference. “In the past few years, hundreds, if not thousands of women have tried this trick. How laughable.”

Even the invisible kitten hovering nearby couldn’t help but fluff up its fur and tuck its tail between its legs.

He took a deep drag from his cigarette, furrowing his brows and exhaling smoke rings before tossing the butt onto the ground and crushing it underfoot. After straightening his suit jacket, he left the balcony.

The sound of leather shoes gradually faded into the distance before Ye Zhixia pulled Chu Ning to her feet.

Releasing her grip, Ye Zhixia walked toward the center of the balcony while asking Chu Ning, “Has Chu Xiao been sneaking spoonfuls of lard at your place every day? It’s so greasy it makes me sick.”

Chu Ning and Xiao Mi both nodded in agreement, Ye Zhixia had hit the nail on the head, perfectly capturing their true feelings.

“Should we head out too?” Chu Ning suggested. “The banquet should be wrapping up soon.”

The disdain on Ye Zhixia’s face vanished instantly as she turned and lowered her voice. “If we leave now and someone with ulterior motives spots us, word might get back to Chu Xiao and raise his suspicions. Let’s wait until the event is completely over.”

After a moment’s thought, Chu Ning found Ye Zhixia’s reasoning sound, so she leaned back against the railing and resumed their conversation.

Ten minutes later, just as the two were about to leave, Ye Zhixia’s phone rang.

“Hello, Chenchen,” Ye Zhixia answered.

On the other end, Chen Chen sounded urgent. “Xiaxia, have you seen Xu Miaomiao? I said a couple of things to her, and she just ran off. Her phone’s unreachable now, I’m worried something’s happened!”

Recalling Xu Miaomiao’s demeanor earlier, which hadn’t seemed particularly downcast, Ye Zhixia reassured her. “I ran into her just now. She said she was heading home on her own. You go ahead, Chenchen. Once she gets back and charges her phone, she’ll probably answer.”

Meanwhile, Xu Miaomiao was walking along the sidewalk outside the hotel in her high heels.

The banquet had ended, and cars were coming and going at the entrance in a steady stream.

Chu Ning had texted Chu Xiao to say she wouldn’t be returning with him.

So Chu Xiao sat alone in the right-hand seat of the luxury car’s back row, admiring the nightscape outside the window.

The car moved slowly, allowing Chu Xiao a clear view of Xu Miaomiao limping along the sidewalk.

Not bad acting, she even staged a chance encounter.

That was Chu Xiao’s assessment of Xu Miaomiao.

“Pull over next to that girl up ahead,” Chu Xiao ordered.

The driver obeyed, stopping the car a dozen meters later.

When a car halted beside her, Xu Miaomiao paused as if surprised.

The window rolled down, but Chu Xiao made no move to step out. Instead, he spoke in a deep, smooth voice the kind men reserved for moments like this. “Miss Xu Miaomiao, let me give you a ride home.”

Xu Miaomiao forced a faint smile and shook her head timidly. “Thank you, President Chu, but my ride is waiting just ahead. I wouldn’t want to trouble you.”

Chu Xiao’s interest only grew. She’s committed to the act, far better than those who rush for immediate gains and can’t keep their cool.

Still, he wasn’t one to take the bait so easily. With a slight nod, he rolled up the window and signaled the driver to move on.

Watching the taillights of the luxury car, Xu Miaomiao showed no expression, only a faint bite of her lip.

In her meticulously crafted plan, this act wasn’t over yet.

She continued forward gracefully until she reached a corner, where she calmly slipped off her high heels, hooking each by the back strap with her index fingers, and walked on barefoot.

Just as she reached a fork in the road, a familiar figure stood beneath a streetlamp.

Chu Xiao was waiting there, phone in hand.

Xu Miaomiao froze in place, as if beholding something wondrous.

Chu Xiao looked up, his gaze sweeping over the little rabbit before him before finally settling on her bare feet.

From wearing high heels for too long, Xu Miaomiao’s feet were slightly swollen, with red marks from the straps across the tops. A thin trail of blood ran along the side of one foot where a sharp stone had grazed her.

Chu Xiao’s heart trembled. He had never seen a delicate actress go to such lengths to win his favor, making him wonder if he had truly misunderstood Xu Miaomiao.

But this thought lasted only a moment. Instead, it solidified his admiration for her, a woman ruthless enough to use such methods to get close to him was someone capable of great things, someone truly worthy of standing beside him as he ascended to the pinnacle of power!

“Miss Xu Miaomiao, it’s too late now. This is too dangerous,” Chu Xiao said before stepping forward and, without another word, sweeping her up into his arms. He then carried her toward the Lincoln SUV parked nearby.

At that moment, a van passed by the Lincoln, it was Bai Xin’s vehicle for the day’s event.

Both the manager, Lisa, and Bai Xin inside the van caught sight of Chu Xiao and Xu Miaomiao’s intimate gesture.

Lisa adjusted her black-framed glasses and began, “I told you, the singing competition Stirring Hearts is much more suited for you! With your talent, the production team wouldn’t dare make things too difficult for you. Even if you were eliminated in the first round, you’d still make a name for yourself!”

“This Love Across a Millennium crew is just using the casting for the female lead’s rival as a gimmick, they’re just bringing in two newcomers to pave the way for Xu Miaomiao!”

“Let’s not get involved in this mess! Tomorrow, we’ll inform them we’re withdrawing.”

Bai Xin, appearing sweet and innocent, waited for Lisa to finish before shaking her head. “No, I insist on playing this supporting role!”

Lisa, who had been confidently urging Bai Xin to quit the project, was now stunned. “Xiao Bai, didn’t you prefer Stirring Hearts? You!”

Before she could finish, Lisa covered her mouth, as if she had realized something.

It must be that Bai Xin had fallen for Chu Xiao! That’s why she now wanted to compete with Xu Miaomiao.

“I just want to see for myself whether my acting is better or Xu Miaomiao’s connections are stronger,” Bai Xin said, her tone almost cheerful.

Hearing Bai Xin’s determination to compete with Xu Miaomiao, Lisa became even more certain of her suspicions.

“But you only have four years to make your mark in the entertainment industry,” Lisa worriedly reminded her.

Bai Xin’s eyes sparkled as she looked at the anxious Lisa. “Don’t you have faith in me?”

Lisa knew she couldn’t force this pampered young lady to do anything. A wealthy heiress dabbling in showbiz was truly hard to manage…

She could only reply, “Fine, as you wish.”

Bai Xin flashed a radiant, spring-like smile before turning her gaze out the window.

Xu Miaomiao didn’t get along with Chu Ning but was entangled with Chu Xiao clearly, the Chu siblings weren’t on the best terms.

If she could help Chu Ning come out on top, Chu Ning would undoubtedly become a powerful ally in her future struggle for the family fortune. That’s why she had to take this role in Love Across a Millennium!

Following closely behind Bai Xin’s van was a modest red Hongqi, Ye Zhixia’s car.

With one hand on the steering wheel and the other resting on her chin, Ye Zhixia smirked at Chu Ning in the passenger seat. “See? What did I tell you? Xu Miaomiao was never in any real trouble.”

Chu Ning found the scene before her eyes utterly nauseating.

“A man who steals another’s place and an actress who claws her way up by any means, what a perfect match,” she sneered.

Ye Zhixia didn’t comment on the pair, keeping her gaze ahead as she spoke casually, “I won’t let him off.”

Chu Ning was puzzled. “Let who off?”

Ye Zhixia’s expression grew colder, as if she were the victim of the wealthy family’s power struggles. Her face hardened with ruthless determination, her voice icy. “Chu Xiao.”

The icy snow that had settled in her heart seemed to melt a little. Over the years, Ye Zhixia was the first person Chu Ning had met who harbored such deep hatred for Chu Xiao.

“Is it because of me?” Chu Ning tentatively asked.

Ye Zhixia frowned and raised her voice, “Of course! Isn’t your experience enough reason for me to hate him?”

Chu Ning felt a surge of joy, her lips curling into a smile, but it quickly faded when she spotted the traffic cop ahead.

“What do we do? You drank today! Drunk driving means jail time!” Chu Ning exclaimed, a rare urgency in her voice.

Ye Zhixia slammed on the brakes, and Chu Ning immediately reached over to unbuckle Ye Zhixia’s seatbelt. “Switch places with me, I didn’t drink much!”

As the traffic cop drew nearer, Chu Ning panicked even more. In her fluster, she accidentally stumbled and fell into Ye Zhixia’s arms.

Support The Possessive Villain Is Too Clingy [Quick Transmigration]