The Stand-in is Exceptionally Clingy [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 25.1

Chapter 25.1: The CEO and Her Canary

◎Building the Foundation for Love◎

“I’ll go pick her up.” What a resounding statement. Lou Bianxia looked at Jian Ke’s bright eyes and found herself at a loss for how to react.

Jian Ke, mistaking Lou Bianxia’s silence for embarrassment, winked at her playfully. “Don’t worry, I get it.”

Lou Bianxia was a little bewildered. She couldn’t follow Jian Ke’s train of thought and didn’t understand what she “got.”

Lou Bianxia asked suspiciously, “You… seem very excited for her to arrive?”

“Not at all, I just thought that since she traveled so far, she must be tired.” Jian Ke spread her hands, walked to the door, and swiftly put on her jacket. The series of actions was smooth and effortless.

“Since you don’t have time to pick her up, I’ll just have to help you do it.” Jian Ke wiggled her car keys and opened the front door. Lou Bianxia didn’t have time to stop her before the door closed again. Lou Bianxia hurried to the window, only to see Jian Ke walking quickly toward the garage. Her back looked quite eager.

So Shu Yu’s return has no effect on you at all? Lou Bianxia felt a heaviness in her chest. Lately, she felt her emotions were becoming more and more unpredictable. She should have been happy about Shu Yu’s return, but she couldn’t settle down and felt anxious. When she received the call from Shu Yu, her first reaction was that she had come back too soon. Lou Bianxia felt increasingly confused about her feelings from the past.

On her way to the airport, Jian Ke was still thinking about how to complete her matchmaking mission. In the original plot, Shu Yu went abroad to study ballet after high school, joined a famous international ballet company, became a principal dancer at age 26, and toured with the company. After that, she married her childhood sweetheart, Li Yao. But their married life was not happy. It was filled with mundane, trivial matters that gradually wore away their passion. Li Yao couldn’t stand Shu Yu’s frequent business trips, and Shu Yu couldn’t agree to become a housewife at the peak of her career. The marriage fell apart, and Shu Yu returned to China, “coincidentally” running into Lou Bianxia after a performance.

After so many years, they met again. Lou Bianxia, who had never forgotten her “white moonlight,” learned that Shu Yu was divorced and quickly began her pursuit. She picked her up from work, invited her to dinner, shopping, and movies, and painstakingly turned their friendship into a relationship. Thinking of Lou Bianxia’s cold and arrogant demeanor, Jian Ke really couldn’t imagine her trying to painstakingly pursue someone. Although Shu Yu was initially hesitant about Lou Bianxia’s confession, hard work pays off, and the two of them eventually got together as their feelings grew. Later, due to opposition from the Lou family and public opinion, Lou Bianxia and Shu Yu had a few breakups and makeups, but they eventually had a happy ending.

So even if Jian Ke did nothing, the two of them would likely still get together; it was just a matter of time.

Jian Ke: It’s all good, it’s all good.

By the time she arrived at the airport, it was already dark outside. Jian Ke walked into the hall and began to look around. According to the original timeline, Shu Yu should be about to get engaged to Li Yao and preparing for their wedding next year. Her sudden return to China was also not in the original plot. But this also showed that the timeline had already changed. This time, Shu Yu might fall for Lou Bianxia sooner and not have to marry Li Yao. Jian Ke looked around and locked her gaze on the woman sitting by the window on the right side of the hall. She was wearing a light brown beret, and a head of thick, black hair hung over her chest, covering half of her face. She was scrolling on her phone, tapping the clean, shiny floor with her black high-heeled boots. Her back looked a little impatient.

Next to her was a girl with a backpack, wearing canvas shoes and jeans, with a face full of youthful innocence. The girl kept looking at the woman in the beret, tilting her head as if to confirm something. She looked excited but hesitant. The woman in the beret noticed the girl’s intense gaze, turned her head, and gave a polite smile. “Are you a fan?”

The girl was stunned, then nodded excitedly. “I like you very much. Can… can you give me an autograph?” She eagerly handed over a notebook and a pen from her bag.

The woman nodded. “Of course.”

The girl’s eyes sparkled as she chattered, “I’ve been a fan since Walking in the Snow. I knew you’d be a big star. I’ve already caught up on Sea of Fog. It’s just too short.” “Can you tell me how it ends? Wuwuwu, my Li Qiu and Ning Xuan must get together.”

Hearing these words, the woman’s hand, which was signing, stiffened. A flicker of annoyance flashed in her eyes, but she quickly hid it. She handed the notebook back. “I’m sorry, but you’ve probably got the wrong person. I’m not Jian Ke.”

The girl took the notebook back in disbelief and saw two flowing characters: “Shu Yu.” Her ears turned red, and she lowered her head to apologize with an embarrassed face. “I’m so sorry, you look a bit like Jian Ke. I… I got the wrong person.”

Shu Yu smiled gently, like a warm and elegant breeze. “It’s okay.” She tucked the hair behind her ear, revealing most of her face. “A friend of mine also thinks so. Do you think we really look that much alike?”

The girl stared blankly at the woman’s face. Her features were beautiful and delicate, her eyes were pretty and gentle, her pink lips were slightly upturned, and her every movement had an air of grace and elegance. At first glance, there was a 70 to 80% resemblance, but a closer look at their eyes and brows revealed subtle differences. If Jian Ke were also standing there, she would be able to tell them apart instantly. Saying one person looked like another was a bit rude, but if that person was a beautiful woman, it could be considered… a compliment.

The girl gestured at her eyes. “I think you look quite alike, but Jian Ke has a small mole at the corner of her eye.” It made her look more refined and seductive. Her movements were a little too big, and the pen on her knee rolled onto the floor. The girl quickly bent down to pick it up, but a fair, slender hand appeared in her line of sight.

“Here.” Jian Ke smiled as she handed the pen to the girl. “Would you like an autograph?”

The girl looked up and saw Jian Ke’s half-smiling eyes. She nodded repeatedly. “Yes, yes, please!” She had just felt disappointed and embarrassed for mistaking someone for Jian Ke, and now she saw Jian Ke herself. What incredible luck. The girl stared at Jian Ke as she signed, unable to look away. She’s really tall in person, and her skin is fair and beautiful. Hmm… it seems like she’s not wearing any makeup, but she’s super pretty even without it.

Jian Ke: “As a fan of Sea of Fog, I also really want Li Qiu and Ning Xuan to get together. The ending hasn’t aired yet, so I don’t know what Director Chen will do.”

The girl heard her and felt another wave of embarrassment. Jian Ke had heard what she said, and she probably saw her mistake from a moment ago. Luckily, her ride was about to arrive. After saying goodbye to Jian Ke, she walked outside.

While Jian Ke was talking to the girl, Shu Yu had been secretly observing. This little star really has a foxy, seductive look. The city of Lidcheng is so big, and I run into her on my first day back. What kind of luck is this?

Seeing Jian Ke walking toward her, Shu Yu quickly averted her gaze, pretending to be nonchalant and staring straight ahead. But then—Jian Ke suddenly stopped in front of her. She didn’t walk past, but stood still in front of her. Shu Yu looked left and right, confirming that there was no one else in this row of seats. Only then did she look up hesitantly.

Jian Ke: “Excuse me, are you Miss Shu Yu?”

“Ms. Lou is busy with work, so she specifically asked me to come and pick you up.” Jian Ke emphasized the word “specifically,” hinting to Shu Yu that although Lou Bianxia was busy with work, she was still thinking of her and had made a special arrangement for her to be picked up.

But the meaning was a little different to Shu Yu. She had only found out about the little star with Lou Bianxia after seeing the trending topic. For so many years, Lou Bianxia had always kept to herself, never having anyone too close to her. Shu Yu could probably guess how this little star, who looked 70 to 80% like her, had “caught her eye.” But she never expected this little star to so brazenly come up to her. Shu Yu didn’t believe the reason that Lou Bianxia was too busy and had asked her to come. This must be the little star’s own doing, and her purpose… was probably to provoke her…

Shu Yu was on guard, sitting motionless in her chair. Jian Ke saw that she wasn’t moving and repeated, “Ms. Lou asked me to come and pick you up.”

Shu Yu: Pick me up? Where to? The crematorium? She still didn’t move. “I’m sorry, but I didn’t receive a notification from my Senior. I can’t leave with a stranger.”

Jian Ke was confused. Why does she have to report everything to Lou Bianxia? The two of them began to stare at each other in silence. The rather empty hall was now mostly deserted, with only the two women by the window remaining. One sat, and one stood, staring at each other. Silence, a deafening silence. From a distance, they looked like they were performing a pantomime called The Night of Cambridge.

After a while, Jian Ke suddenly took a step forward. Shu Yu nervously shrank back, then saw Jian Ke take out her phone and hand it over. The screen showed a chat log between Jian Ke and Lou Bianxia from ten minutes ago.

Jian Ke: I’ve arrived at the airport, looking for her. Lou Bianxia: …You’re quite fast. She should be at the B2 entrance. Jian Ke: Found her. I’ll be back soon. Lou Bianxia: Drive safely.

Jian Ke stood up straight and pushed Shu Yu’s large suitcase, which was standing next to her. “Can we go now?”

Shu Yu subconsciously held on to the suitcase, her entire body filled with resistance and conflict. Jian Ke looked back. Why is this ‘white moonlight’ so difficult? Do I have to call Lou Bianxia for her? Thinking about completing her mission sooner, she patiently asked, “Is there anything else?”

Shu Yu’s face was a complex mix of emotions as she slowly stood up. “…I can push the suitcase myself.”

Sitting in Jian Ke’s car, Shu Yu had a strange feeling of having boarded a pirate ship. The more eager Jian Ke seemed, the more nervous she became. The car left the highway and started heading toward the city. After about twenty minutes, the streetlights were still on, but there were fewer and fewer cars. Shu Yu looked out the window. It was a continuous neighborhood of villas, and very few of the houses had their lights on. The dark windows gave her a creepy, ghost-story feeling. This didn’t look like a place with hotels. And the drive had been going on for a little too long. Feeling uneasy, she took out her phone and checked the navigation, only to find that they had already passed the hotel address.

Shu Yu tried to remain calm. “This doesn’t seem to be the way to the hotel.”

Jian Ke blinked. “Hotel? No, it’s not.” Love grows over time. In many romance shows, couples develop feelings for each other after living under the same roof, and their relationship progresses very quickly. If Shu Yu stayed in a hotel in the suburbs, Lou Bianxia would have to travel back and forth every day to see her. That would be too much trouble. It was better for her to take matters into her own hands and get them straight to the point.

“We’ll be at Jingxiu Garden in three minutes.”

Shu Yu’s hand, which was gripping the door handle, froze. Isn’t Jingxiu Garden where Lou Bianxia lives?

What’s the meaning of Jian Ke bringing her here?

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