The Villainous Sister-in-law Mistakenly Marked as the Heroine (Transmigration) - Chapter 30

Nighttime.

Upon hearing the sound of the door opening, Lin Qile dashed to the entrance like an arrow.

The moment Rong Jing stepped inside, she was met with the eager, puppy-like gaze of Lin Qile. She froze for a few seconds, the words of the private investigator echoing in her mind.

The Lin family’s affairs…

Should she tell her?

“You’re back.”

Lin Qile eagerly handed her a pair of slippers. Rong Jing hesitated before slipping them on. “You said this afternoon that you needed my help. What happened now?”

She couldn’t say.

At least, not yet.

“No rush, no rush. Let’s eat first. It’s so late, you must be hungry, right?”

“I’m not. I already ate.”

“Oh.”

Her plan had been to butter Rong Jing up before asking for help, but the other woman wasn’t playing along. Lin Qile suddenly felt at a loss.

At times like this, she couldn’t help but regret throwing herself entirely into medical school back in the day. Why hadn’t she minored in finance?!

Rong Jing glanced at her, then walked past in her slippers toward the living room, heading for the bathroom. “Just say what you want directly,” she said lazily.

Lin Qile hurried after her, scratching her head awkwardly. “My mom started working at the company today.”

Rong Jing stopped and turned to look at her in surprise.

“Well… you know… my mom hasn’t worked in over twenty years. She’s been assigned to the marketing department now, but if she can’t adjust, she’ll have to go back home. I don’t want her to just sit around bored all day.”

Rong Jing: “Get to the point.”

“Neither of us seems cut out for business. Could you spare some time after work every day to help me? You teach me, and I’ll teach my mom. I don’t want to disappoint her she finally decided to come back and do something.”

Rong Jing: “…”

“Please, Miss Rong. You said you wanted a fake marriage, and I agreed without hesitation, risking my life for it. Can’t you help me with this small favor?”

She had done some digging, Rong Yihua doted on her daughter and had handed over authority early. Over the past few years, Rong Jing had accomplished just as much as Qi Song, the company’s CEO. In the business world, the two were practically evenly matched!

With Rong Jing’s help, Qi Song wouldn’t stand a chance at forcing her and her mother out.

“Hand it over.”

Rong Jing extended her hand.

Lin Qile’s eyes lit up, and she quickly passed her the documents.

“Let’s go to the study.”

“Okay!”

She didn’t question Rong Jing’s sudden compliance at all, following her into the study with uncontained excitement.

Though Lin Qile was clueless about business, she was quick-witted. As long as Rong Jing explained patiently, she could grasp most concepts after one go though she was still far from being able to apply them flexibly.

One taught, the other learned, and before they knew it, it was past midnight.

When Rong Jing yawned, Lin Qile immediately stopped. “Let’s call it a day. You’ve worked so hard thank you, Rong Jing. Really, thank you.”

Rong Jing raised an eyebrow. “Just words?”

“Then…”

Lin Qile leaned in and kissed her. “Then I’ll do my best to be a dutiful inflatable doll.”

She scooped Rong Jing into her arms.

Still kissing, the two made their way to the bedroom.

In a daze, Rong Jing thought: That wasn’t what I meant… but this idiot’s kissing skills are getting better…

Early morning.

Sunlight filtered through the curtains, casting a glow over the two figures sleeping soundly in bed. Lin Qile had an arm draped over Rong Jing’s neck, their bodies pressed close.

Rong Jing frowned slightly, uncomfortable from the weight, but didn’t wake.

Then, the phone rang.

“Mmm…”

Rong Jing slowly opened her eyes but didn’t immediately reach for her phone. Instead, she gazed fixedly at the face so close to hers Lin Qile, looking as pure as a child in her sleep.

This person… when they first met, Rong Jing had looked down on her, thinking she was nothing more than a joke.

Yet she had become the closest person to her.

That kind of intimacy often made her let her guard down unconsciously, like last night…

Although they didn’t go all the way because of the baby, Lin Qile, stirred up and uncomfortable, kept whimpering. Still, they stopped, and Lin Qile held her, nuzzling against her for a long time before finally falling asleep with a pout.

Like an obedient puppy, her personality was completely different from Rong Jing’s.

Rong Jing had always been cold-hearted and indifferent since childhood. Her mother’s betrayal had brought her pain and anger; Rong Wanning, whom she had watched grow up, had deceived and used her for outsiders, leaving her disappointed and furious.

But she had never shown these emotions.

In her heart, apart from her mother, she no longer cared about anyone.

Yet Lin Qile made her hesitate.

This naive, foolish, yet radiantly sunny person, what kind of expression would she wear if she found out she had been living in a lie all along?

Rong Jing reached out, brushing the hair from Lin Qile’s forehead with her fingertips.

Suddenly, Lin Qile opened her eyes.

The two locked gazes.

Rong Jing stiffened and quickly withdrew her hand.

“So noisy…” Lin Qile frowned, grabbing the phone and glancing at it. “It’s yours.”

She shoved the phone into Rong Jing’s arms, rolled over, buried herself under the covers, and went back to sleep.

Rong Jing: “…”

Helpless, she sat up and answered the call. “Hello?”

He Yan’s voice came through. “It’s already eight. Why do you sound like you just woke up?”

“I slept late last night. What’s up?”

“Let’s hang out tonight. You haven’t met up with everyone since you got married.”

“Tonight…” Rong Jing rubbed her temples, glancing at the human burrito under the covers. “I can’t lately. I’m a bit busy.”

“Huh? Busy with what?”

“Reviewing some things I learned in college.”

He Yan: “?”

“Never mind. I need to get ready for work.”

Hanging up, she looked at the person still sleeping peacefully. She had actually turned down her childhood best friend for this woman, and yet…

Unable to resist, she kicked her.

“Ow!”

Lin Qile jolted awake, sitting up in confusion. Seeing Rong Jing heading to the bathroom, she muttered, “Abusing me first thing in the morning… what a psycho.”

Then she checked the time. “Crap, I’m gonna be late!”

She scrambled out of bed and rushed to the bathroom outside to wash up.

After getting ready, they didn’t have time for breakfast downstairs, each grabbing something to eat before heading out.

Lin Qile arrived at the company.

It was almost ten when Lin Xinrou finally strolled in leisurely.

“Mom!”

Lin Xinrou yawned, then pouted at her daughter. “Sweetie, waking up early is so hard.”

Lin Qile quickly comforted her. “Look, the sun’s out, and everyone’s full of energy!”

She had worked hard to get her mother back to the company, she couldn’t let her back out now.

Lin Xinrou leaned against her daughter’s shoulder. “But I’m so sleepy…”

“Uh, Mom, I finished that report.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. The first step is always the hardest, but we can do this.”

Seeing her daughter’s enthusiasm, Lin Xinrou didn’t want to hold her back and forced herself to perk up. “If my baby can do it, so can I! Let’s work hard together!”

“Okay!”

The enthusiasm of the two didn’t even last half an hour before it fizzled out.

“This project’s preliminary preparations are all done. Now it’s just about receiving the client and getting them to sign the contract with us. I’ll leave this to both of you.”

Lin Qile and Lin Xinrou exchanged glances before hesitantly accepting the documents.

She asked, “Manager, are my mother and I the only ones handling this collaboration proposal?”

Wang Chen, the marketing manager, replied sternly, “Lin Qile, this is a company. You two are colleagues now. Being assigned to handle a project that’s already prepped is already lenient everyone else manages cases independently. Of course, the CEO has instructed that if you struggle, we can’t let Madam overwork herself. Just say the word, and we’ll send someone to assist you.”

The moment Lin Xinrou heard Qi Song’s name mentioned, her eyes lit up. “Did A’Song say that?”

Wang Chen nodded. “Yes.”

“Mom.”

Lin Qile quickly tugged at Lin Xinrou’s sleeve. “We can do this!”

Qi Song had already ruined the original host was she now trying to ruin Lin Xinrou too, all to monopolize the Lin family’s assets? How ruthless!

“Alright, then do your best.”

Once Wang Chen left, the mother-daughter pair sat at their workstations.

Lin Xinrou leisurely picked up the contract and flipped through it. “Actually, we don’t need to work so hard. A’Song already said that if we can’t handle it, she’ll send help.”

“Mom!”

Lin Qile cut her off with a low, sharp tone. “This isn’t even difficult work. If others can do it, so can we.”

“But…”

She turned to face Lin Xinrou. “Don’t you find it strange? The Lin family’s assets are yours, yet now you can’t even handle a small project. No one in the company knows the Lin Group belongs to you they all think Mother is the owner.”

“But… but A’Song is the Lin Group. This company belongs to all three of us.”

“Don’t you realize Mother has been coddling you into incompetence?”

“The books say being spoiled like a child is true love.”

Lin Qile facepalmed, completely speechless.

“Sweetheart?”

She took a deep breath and forced a smile. “It’s nothing. I was just a little anxious earlier. We can complete this project, Mom! I don’t want to always rely on the family or you, I want to stand on my own!”

“Mm! Mom will support you!”

But when their attention turned to the project itself, they were still at a loss.

“Sweetheart, how do we actually do this? Do we just call them and ask them to sign?”

“Let me try.”

“Okay.”

Following the contact details in the documents, she made a call. “Hello, this is Lin Qile from the Lin Group, representing our company regarding the bathroom fixtures contract. When and where would be convenient for you to sign?”

Silence lingered on the other end.

“Hello?”

Finally, a middle-aged man’s voice responded, “Hello. Regarding our EG brand, signing isn’t urgent. We’ve just arrived and need to meet with several distributors first. If we choose your company, we’ll contact you.”

With that, the call ended.

“Sweetheart, how did it go?” Lin Xinrou whispered beside her.

“Seems like they’re not here to sign yet. They said they’re still meeting other distributors.”

“Ah, what do we do now?”

She took another deep breath. “It’s fine, we have backup!”

“Backup?”

“Rong Jing.”

Lin Xinrou’s eyes lit up. “You’re right, darling. You married an omega who’s excellent at business. Since you’re so deeply in love, she definitely won’t leave you in the lurch.”

A bitter smile crossed her face. Deeply in love? Won’t leave her in the lurch?

Please, she’d only gotten that villain to help by completely surrendering her dignity!

That evening, she secretly brought the entire project home.

The moment Rong Jing returned, she ingratiatingly presented the documents. “Honey, I need your help…”

“What part don’t you understand this time?”

She gave an awkward laugh.

Rong Jing’s face darkened. “I tutored you until 1 AM yesterday. Don’t tell me it was all for nothing?”

“No, no! Yesterday you taught me about urban renewal documents, but this is Lin Corporation’s contract with the brand agent. EG Brand refuses to sign now even though we’d already reached an agreement. What should I do?”

“A confirmed deal suddenly changed after your phone call?”

“Yeah… Did I say something wrong that made them back out?” Her voice grew smaller until she finally lowered her head completely.

“Sigh.”

Hearing Rong Jing sigh, she looked up to ask what was wrong, only to see her take the documents and head toward the study. “Bring two coffees to the study.”

“Aye-aye, ma’am!”

At 11:50 PM, Lin Qile finally understood what to do. Just as she was about to express her gratitude, she noticed Rong Jing covering her mouth with one hand, brows furrowed in obvious discomfort.

“What’s wrong?”

Rong Jing didn’t answer, standing up to leave immediately.

She quickly put down her work and followed. “Rong Jing, are you okay?”

She’d dragged Rong Jing into this emergency right after work, if this made her sick, the guilt would be unbearable.

“Ugh… ugh…”

Retching sounds came from the bathroom. Lin Qile stood at the door, frowning. “Should you go to the hospital? Frequent vomiting isn’t normal, it could signal serious stomach issues.”

“No need.”

After vomiting, Rong Jing bent over to wash her face.

Lin Qile approached. “Don’t avoid medical treatment. You should see a doctor if you’re unwell.”

Her outstretched hand was swatted away. “I said no need.”

Rubbing her stinging hand, she narrowed her eyes, studying Rong Jing closely. “You… being this resistant to hospitals is suspicious!”

Rong Jing’s body tensed slightly.

Lin Qile’s gaze lingered on her abdomen before hesitantly asking, “You’re not actually pregnant, are you?” Then she laughed it off. “But that’s impossible, you must be using contraception!”

Rong Jing turned stiffly, her expression complicated. “Why impossible?”

“Come on, you’re Rong Jing! Would you willingly carry my child? No way! This is just a marriage of convenience!”

She laughed carefreely, though her heart ached slightly.

Ah, compared to Rong Jing’s excellence, she was practically useless. Even if Rong Jing were pregnant, she probably wouldn’t keep it. Better that there’s no pregnancy at all!

“Correct.” Rong Jing’s lips curled coldly. “Just acting. Why would I bear a loser’s child?”

“Hey, no need to be so harsh!”

Rong Jing walked out, voice laced with anger. “I’m going to bed. I can’t teach someone with a pig’s brain.”

“…”

“Hey, get checked out! Just in case…”

Before she could finish speaking, the sound of the bedroom door slamming shut reached her ears. Lin Qile was utterly confused, why on earth was this ancestor angry at her again after just scolding her?

After racking her brain without figuring it out, she couldn’t help but yawn. A glance at the time told her it was past midnight again.

“Forget it, time to sleep.”

Angry or not, Rong Jing still ended up helping Lin Qile.

Lin Qile took a page out of her book and went straight to the EG brand representatives, slapping the contract on the table. “All the details were already finalized. If you have any objections to the collaboration, we can stop right here. Lin Corporation will find another brand to work with.”

Her attitude, a complete reversal from the day before, left EG completely baffled.

“However, backing out at the last minute before signing would be a stain on EG’s reputation. I imagine future partners will think twice before working with you, wondering if they’ll end up with nothing but wasted effort.”

She turned to leave.

“Wait! We never said we wouldn’t sign. We’ll sign, right now!”

Clutching the signed contract, Lin Qile excitedly returned to the company.

The moment she left, EG’s contract manager pulled out his phone and made a call. “That favor you asked to make things difficult for Lin Qile, I can’t help you with it anymore.”

Wang Chen’s face darkened. “Got it.”

Stepping out of his office, he saw Lin Xinrou sitting at her workstation doing her makeup, while Lin Qile still hadn’t returned. Clasping his hands behind his back, he muttered, “I refuse to believe I can’t handle a spoiled rich girl like her.”

Over the next two days, Lin Qile was swamped with work, coming home later each night and tackling increasingly challenging tasks.

“Yawn!”

Rong Jing yawned, made the final edit, then stood up. “Save and print it yourself.”

“Got it, got it. Thanks for your hard work.”

“Lin Qile!”

She grabbed Lin Qile’s collar and yanked her closer. “Don’t forget your place!”

“I know, I know. Once I finish printing, I’ll come serve you.”

“Hmph.”

Rong Jing released her, yawning again as she headed back to the bedroom.

By the time Lin Qile finished and returned to the bedroom, Rong Jing was already asleep. She climbed onto the bed, leaning in close. “Asleep?”

She then lay down beside her. “If you’re already out, then yawn, it’s not my fault.”

So tired. So sleepy.

Within moments, she too was fast asleep, snoring softly.