The Stand-in is Exceptionally Clingy [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 23

Chapter 23: The CEO and Her Canary

◎So This is What the Female Lead is Really Like!◎

The familiar address brought back distant, youthful memories. A faint, elegant scent of gardenias seemed to drift into her nose again. In the floating spring breeze, petals fell all over that tree-lined path. Scattered sunlight dotted the gray-paved path with little flower patterns. The rich fragrance, warmed by the sun, was intoxicating, like a flowing warm cloud that caressed the face of every passerby.

A girl danced on the stone path covered with flowers, light as a swallow. Her ethereal dance was graceful and beautiful, with every step a blooming lotus, like a butterfly flitting among the flowers, glittering with brilliant light. Her jade-like hands swayed with her body, and her amber eyes shone with a brilliant, flowing light. The form-fitting dance clothes outlined her slender, graceful curves. As she twirled and opened, her delicate, supple waist bent slightly, and her long legs were lithe and slender.

Whenever she thought of Shu Yu, Lou Bianxia could never forget that afternoon filled with fragrant scents. After the dance, the gentle, shy girl lowered her head and walked up to Lou Bianxia, asking softly, “Senior, was my dance beautiful?” Her tone and voice hadn’t changed at all after all this time; they were still as pure and clear.

“Senior? Are you listening?”

Lou Bianxia snapped back to reality. After double-checking the name on her phone screen, she gave a light cough and replied, “I’m listening… Why did you suddenly call me?”

Shu Yu playfully chided her. “Ever since I went abroad, you’ve rarely contacted me, Senior. What, am I not allowed to call you now?”

“I didn’t mean that.” Lou Bianxia’s throat felt tight. The call had come so suddenly that it had taken her completely by surprise. In seven years, they had rarely been in contact except for holiday greetings. The last time was when Shu Yu was about to get engaged. But Lou Bianxia had always secretly paid attention to Shu Yu’s social media accounts. In recent years, she seemed to have become more cheerful and lively abroad, always posting about her travels and daily life.

Lou Bianxia: “How have you been doing lately?”

Shu Yu: “The same as usual, I guess. Just rehearsing and going on tours. But I’ve been to a lot of interesting places…” Lou Bianxia’s lips curled into a smile. After all these years, Shu Yu’s personality seemed to be the same as ever.

Shu Yu: “I always send you tickets to my shows, Senior… but you’ve never come, have you?”

Lou Bianxia was taken aback. She lowered her eyes and turned to look out the window at the busy streets and flashing neon lights. In those first few years when she missed Shu Yu so much, she often flew abroad to watch her perform, from small theaters with a dozen people to larger and larger stages. She never thought of telling Shu Yu, and simply sat quietly in a corner of the audience, watching her light and elegant dancing to the melodious music.

“I don’t understand ballet, and I’ve been pretty busy all these years. I don’t have time to be flying around all the time.”

“You don’t have time to come to my shows, but you have time to be in a relationship~” Shu Yu’s tone was teasing. “I saw the trending topics in the country today. Don’t tell me that person in the photo isn’t you; I recognized you at a glance.”

Lou Bianxia suddenly felt a rush of awkwardness, the embarrassment of having a secret exposed, and by Shu Yu, of all people. Then did Shu Yu also see Jian Ke? Lou Bianxia, who hadn’t felt annoyed all day by the widespread discussion about her and Jian Ke, suddenly felt a sense of anxiety. If Shu Yu were to ask about it, she wouldn’t know how to explain that she had found a substitute who looked 70 to 80% like her.

Lou Bianxia: “She’s a little kid I know. When she’s drunk, she gets clingy and acts spoiled, and when you push her away, she gets all sulky.” In short, a handful.

On the other end, Shu Yu, hearing Lou Bianxia’s rather intimate tone, was momentarily dazed. “Didn’t you dislike celebrities and artists in the entertainment industry? Getting involved in a scandal would be bad for the company, like this time…”

Lou Bianxia: “That kid has been developing well recently. Someone in the industry got jealous and took some random photos and posted them. It won’t happen again.”

“That’s good. What’s your…” Shu Yu seemed to want to ask about the relationship between Lou Bianxia and Jian Ke, but she paused and changed the subject. “I plan to come back to the country next month.”

Lou Bianxia’s fingers, which had been tapping on the table, stopped abruptly. In the silent room, it seemed only the air from her breathing swirled around. Even the sounds in her ears seemed like flowers viewed through a mist, blurry and distant.

“I don’t have any other friends in the country. On the day I come back, could you come and pick me up, Senior?”

Lou Bianxia put down her phone, her dazed gaze focused on the empty space in front of her. Normally, being able to talk to Shu Yu after so long would have made her incredibly happy. But this time, for some reason, the waves in her heart didn’t seem as turbulent. Joy and sorrow were mixed.

After a long time, she pulled a wooden photo frame from the bottom drawer of her desk. The photo showed three students in clean uniforms, smiling under a gardenia tree. The girl in the middle had pigtails and was holding the hand of the boy beside her, looking playful and cute. Lou Bianxia propped her chin on her hand. The girl’s face was gentle and innocent, without the overly seductive mole by her eye. Her aura was soft and reserved, completely different from that smart, mischievous kid. If you asked Jian Ke to stay in a dance studio for a whole day, she would probably pout and complain within an hour, protesting that her hands and feet hurt, and calling Lou Bianxia dictatorial and overbearing. She was fierce when she cursed, but it was all bark and no bite. When she was angry, her cheeks puffed out, but her mischievous, clever eyes would be darting around, probably coming up with some new idea or secretly cursing her.

But Jian Ke’s anger passed quickly. She would wrap her arms around her waist, sweetly call her “Sister,” and be affectionate and clingy. She was like a soft, delicious marshmallow. It felt like a fluffy cloud in your mouth, and when it melted, the soft sweetness would slowly seep into your heart.

So why did she ever think Jian Ke and Shu Yu looked alike?

She poked the nonexistent mole by the girl’s eye in the photo, then took out her phone and opened Jian Ke’s Moments. Sure enough, the latest post was a group photo of her and Shen Zhi having dinner, and the background was that new restaurant on Dongxi Road. Jian Ke: “The crab roe noodles here are good, I’ve got to recommend them~”

Lou Bianxia: … She clicked on the image, both angry and amused. The two of them were sitting side by side, each giving a “peace sign” to the camera. She imagined if this photo were posted on Weibo, a large group of Jian Ke and Shen Zhi’s CP fans would start screaming “I’m shipping it!” Lou Bianxia left a comment with an expressionless face: “…Stupid.”

Jian Ke finished dinner and went for a walk to help with digestion. When she returned, she saw Lou Bianxia in the living room, packing her luggage with large bags and small bags.

“Are you going on a long trip, Ms. Lou?”

Lou Bianxia was sitting on the sofa, folding clothes. She didn’t look up as she replied, “Yes, to Diawan.”

Diawan was a world-famous tourist resort, with a vast blue sea, golden beaches, flocks of seagulls nesting on the islands, and a pleasant climate. Jian Ke was quite surprised. Lou Bianxia, who was known as a “workaholic” and whose life was a strict two-point line between home and company 365 days a year, actually had plans to go on vacation. Could the Suimu Group be going bankrupt? Jian Ke thought humorously. Her eyes suddenly caught a glimpse of the lace panties in Lou Bianxia’s hand—

“You… what are you doing with my panties?” Jian Ke stammered, her cheeks burning. She watched as Lou Bianxia’s slender, fair fingers slipped into her sexy, sheer black lace panties, pinched the thin sides, and then swiftly and expertly rolled them into a ball. Even the thin black strings fluttering on the sides were rolled up and tucked into a storage bag.

The heat on Jian Ke’s cheeks spread to her ears and neck. She was so embarrassed that her ears felt like they were bleeding, and her skin, flushed pink and white, was exceptionally beautiful. Lou Bianxia, however, seemed to think nothing of it and asked with a puzzled look, “Can’t I take this one?”

Jian Ke’s toes curled up. Meeting Lou Bianxia’s calm and steady gaze, she forced herself to suppress her shame. “That one… is my favorite. If you want to take one, take a different one.” Her face turned even redder, and she lowered her head like a quail to stare at the floor.

Lou Bianxia: “I just grabbed a few others… maybe you should…”

“How many do you want to take!” Jian Ke shouted in exasperation, her thick eyelashes trembling. Her eyes seemed to be full of heat as she glared at the stunned Lou Bianxia. Then, she quickly walked over to Lou Bianxia and snatched the storage bag with the lace panties. She opened the bag and saw several other familiar panties neatly rolled up inside. Jian Ke looked at Lou Bianxia, her fingers trembling.

I didn’t expect the female lead… to be like this!

Lou Bianxia didn’t understand her reaction. She frowned and stood up, placing her palm on Jian Ke’s cheek, her tone serious. “What’s wrong? Did you drink with Shen Zhi again? Why is your face so hot?”

Jian Ke: You have the nerve to ask me! You’re going on a trip and you’re taking so many of my panties. Your motives are as clear as day! “You’re not allowed to take so many!”

Lou Bianxia: “Is this a lot?”

Jian Ke: “Isn’t it??”

Looking at Jian Ke’s wide eyes, Lou Bianxia didn’t understand what new tantrum she was throwing. She gave up in resignation. “Then you pack yourself. The flight is tomorrow at nine in the morning.”

Now it was Jian Ke who was confused. “Pack what?” Her eyes scanned the two oversized suitcases in the living room, then the familiar clothes piled on the sofa, and finally landed on the panties storage bag in her hand.

—”So, you and I are going to Diawan together?”

Lou Bianxia: “Of course. Did you think I was going alone?”

“Why so sudden? Aren’t you busy with company matters?”

Lou Bianxia: “It’s only for five days. Cen Ming and the others will handle things. Officially, I’ll just say I’m on a business trip overseas.”

“Besides, didn’t you say so yourself? You need to lie low for a while. I asked your assistant, and you happen to have some free time after Sea of Fog wrapped. So we might as well go on a vacation overseas together.”

Jian Ke: Oh, I see. It was so sudden and she didn’t tell me in advance, which made me… misunderstand…

“I’ve packed most of your clothes for you. As for these panties…” Lou Bianxia looked at the storage bag in Jian Ke’s hand, remembering their strange conversation from before, and her eyes narrowed. She said meaningfully, “Just now… you didn’t think these panties were…”

“Since you’ve already packed, I guess I don’t have to.” Jian Ke cut her off, stuffing the “hot potato” in her hand into her suitcase. For the first time, she truly understood the meaning of “hot potato.”

Lou Bianxia shook her head in exasperation, her pearly teeth biting her rosy lips. A blush spread across her cold face. “Jian Ke, what are you imagining?!”

Jian Ke’s face was full of righteous indignation. “Nothing! I wasn’t thinking anything.”

Lou Bianxia blushed and lightly spat. “Can’t you think about anything else besides that?”

Jian Ke, looking pitiful and wronged, crouched by the suitcase, curled up and hugging her knees. She muttered, “You didn’t even say you were taking me. You’re going on a trip and taking my… how can you blame me for thinking too much?”

Lou Bianxia gave her a sidelong glance. “Are you trying to be reasonable now?”

Jian Ke poked the small yellow duck hanging next to the suitcase. It was made of rubber, the kind that squeaks when you squeeze it. “Of course. You didn’t tell me in advance. The tickets are already booked. What if I didn’t want to go?”

Lou Bianxia looked at Jian Ke, crossed her legs, and nodded seriously. “I understand. You don’t want to go because you want to go out with Shen Zhi. In that case, I’ll just invite her as well.”

“The three of us. Let’s see if that’s more fun than just the two of us.” Lou Bianxia’s tone was sarcastic, showing just how deeply she had been tormented by the Jian-Zhi CP fans this afternoon. She was a little obsessed.

Jian Ke blinked, a little confused. She felt that Lou Bianxia’s tone was strange, filled with sarcasm but also a hint of… being wronged and pitiful? But that didn’t fit Lou Bianxia’s character! Jian Ke asked the 520 System in her mind: “What’s wrong with the female lead? I can’t quite understand what she’s saying. But Lou Bianxia even knows that Shen Zhi and I have CP fans.” She had thought Lou Bianxia didn’t pay attention to the entertainment industry.

520 pondered seriously, then asked tentatively, “The female lead’s reaction—could she be jealous?”

Jian Ke: “Huh? Jealous of Shen Zhi and me? Why?” “Didn’t I tell her that’s just a marketing strategy? Shen Zhi and I aren’t really together. I’ve memorized Article 32 of our contract dozens of times, which says I’m not allowed to have private relations with anyone other than Party A.”

520: “I don’t know, then. But the favorability rating hasn’t dropped, so it should be fine.”

Jian Ke got up and sat next to Lou Bianxia, helping her fold clothes. “I was just saying ‘what if.’ Diawan has beautiful scenery, and I really want to go.”

“Since we already agreed that it would be the two of us, why bring Shen Zhi? Once Sea of Fog airs, our promotional CP won’t need to be promoted anymore.”

“Shen Zhi and I are just friends. How could she compare to Sister… hmm…” Jian Ke didn’t finish her sentence. She felt her chin being held, and her face was turned. A pair of warm lips was pressed against hers.

Lou Bianxia’s breathing was short. Her warm tongue brushed against Jian Ke’s lips, skillfully prying open her teeth and intertwining with hers. The kiss was so urgent that a thin silver line broke between them, making their lips even redder and more glistening.

Lou Bianxia had wanted to do this for a long time. After an urgent kiss, Lou Bianxia rested her forehead on Jian Ke’s shoulder, her whole body limp as if she had no bones, and she melted into Jian Ke’s embrace. Her aura was lazy and seductive. When she looked up, the moist, red beauty of her eyes was even more captivating.

Jian Ke leaned over and placed a kiss on Lou Bianxia’s beautiful neck. Then she lifted the person in her arms. Her soft waist swayed gently, scattering a trail of charm. As they fell into the soft bedding, a “ripping” sound made the intimate atmosphere even clearer. Lou Bianxia hooked her arm around Jian Ke’s neck, her beautiful eyes upturned.

“Next time, you can buy a few more.”

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