The Villainous Sister-in-law Mistakenly Marked as the Heroine (Transmigration) - Chapter 35

Outside the hospital room.

Wu Xue watched awkwardly as the two argued, hesitating for a long time before speaking up, “I’m sorry, did I cause a misunderstanding with your wife? Should I go explain things to her?”

Lin Qile waved her hand dismissively, this would only make things messier.

Wu Xue’s eyes lit up as she recalled the conversation about a fake marriage she had overheard on the cruise ship. So it was true.

“Well!”

Before Wu Xue could say anything else, Lin Qile interrupted her, “Wu Xue, I’m sorry, but I have some things to take care of.”

“Oh, okay. I won’t bother you then. I’ll get going.”

Once Wu Xue left, Lin Qile pulled out her phone, her thumb hovering over Rong Jing’s contact. She hesitated, unsure whether to call.

Finally, gritting her teeth, she dialed.

Better to offend anyone but the ultimate villain!

“The number you have dialed is currently busy.”

After waiting ten minutes, she tried again, still busy.

Three attempts later, she finally realized the truth.

“System, have I been blacklisted by the big villain?”

[Seems like it.]

“Damn it! She used me and then kicked me aside without a second thought!”

[Well, she is the ultimate villain. Host, let me remind you, if you end up on bad terms with her, you might as well consider this mission a failure.]

“Why?”

[Because I’ve simulated all possible outcomes. The only path where your success rate exceeds 80% is by maintaining a good relationship with the villain. Every other route falls below 50%.]

Her face paled instantly. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?!”

[I did warn you!]

“I’m doomed. The look in Rong Jing’s eyes before she left, I might as well be a dead woman walking in her books.”

Frantically, she opened her messaging app to text Rong Jing.

A glaring red exclamation mark appeared, message failed to send.

“Shit, shit, shit! I’ve really pissed her off this time. Blocked everywhere!”

[Better think of something fast.]

“No kidding, I’m trying!”

The next day.

Before Lin Qile could even attempt to find Rong Jing, she was already overwhelmed by reporters camped outside the hospital.

Lin Xinrou refused to leave the ward, alternating between crying and staring blankly in bed.

“Mom, Rong Corporation’s stock is still plummeting. If this keeps up, we’ll go bankrupt.”

“No, we won’t. A Qi Song will handle it.”

“Handle it my ass!”

She couldn’t hold back her frustration. Since morning, calls from the company had flooded in, no one could reach Qi Song, and operations were falling into chaos. What were they supposed to do?

It was clear now. A selfish opportunist like Qi Song would cut and run the moment she had nothing left to gain.

Just as she was thinking this, the hospital room door swung open.

Before she could even turn around, she heard Lin Xinrou’s hopeful voice, “A-Song?”

Turning, she saw Qi Song dressed in fresh clothes, sporting a new hairstyle, looking almost cheerful. Instead of embracing Lin Xinrou, she spoke coolly, “I’m here today to discuss the divorce.”

Lin Xinrou on the hospital bed instantly deflated like a lifeless doll.

“The moment the Lin family hits trouble, you want a divorce? You’re despicable!”

Qi Song smirked. “How am I despicable? I’ve already announced publicly that I’m leaving with nothing. After twenty years of hard work for the Lin family, I’m walking away without a single penny. I’ve been more than fair to you two.”

Lin Qile let out a bitter laugh. “Leaving with nothing? You’ve already drained the Lin Corporation dry. Of course, you wouldn’t want an empty shell now. Qi Song, I’ll say it again, you’ll get your karma for this!”

“I came here personally to settle this matter, which is the last shred of decency I’m showing you and your daughter. From now on, my lawyers will handle everything.”

“Ah-Song… have you… have you ever loved me?”

Qi Song paused mid-step and turned to look at Lin Xinrou, whose face was streaked with tears. “You were quite adorable when you behaved.”

“Please don’t do this to me.”

“Mom!”

Lin Qile let out a helpless growl.

Qi Song glanced at her wife as if she were a fool, then turned and walked away without another word.

“Ah-Song! Ah-Song!”

Lin Xinrou sobbed, trying to climb out of bed to chase after her, but Lin Qile held her down. “Wake up, will you? Qi Song never loved you, not even from the start. She only targeted you because you were the heiress of the Lin family. Getting close to you, marrying you, it was all for the money. There was never any love!”

“No, I don’t believe it. Ah-Song must have loved me at some point.”

“She’s a liar! Can’t you have some self-respect?”

Lin Xinrou froze, startled by her daughter’s outburst, tears still clinging to her lashes.

With a sigh, Lin Qile released her. “I need to contact a lawyer first. Since she’s bringing in legal counsel for the divorce, I have to see how much of your assets we can protect. And I have to go to the company, we can’t just leave such a mess unattended. Can you promise me that while I’m handling all this, you’ll stay in your hospital room and not run off?”

Lin Xinrou stared at her, eyes brimming with tears.

“No seeking out Qi Song. No groveling for reconciliation. Can you do that?”

After a long pause, Lin Xinrou gave a shaky nod.

Assured, Lin Qile finally felt free to focus on the tasks ahead.

Stepping out of the hospital room, she called Xu Jiao and asked her to find a divorce lawyer. Then she drove straight to the company.

The moment she arrived at the Lin Corporation building, she was swarmed by reporters.

“Miss Lin, is it true that the Lin Corporation is drowning in debt?”

“Rumors say the company is now just an empty shell. Will there be massive pay cuts or layoffs?”

“We’ve heard no one in the Lin family knows how to run a business. Is the company declaring bankruptcy?”

She ignored them all, walking past the crowd with the help of security.

Inside the building, dozens of employees were gathered in the lobby.

“Why aren’t you all at work? What’s the meaning of this?”

“Miss Lin, word is the company’s in deep trouble. We’re just employees, we need to know if we’ll even get paid this month. I’ve got a mortgage due, and if my salary doesn’t come through, I’ll default.”

“Exactly. Even President Qi hasn’t shown up for work, and a bunch of executives have already quit. Is the company about to collapse?”

“Enough!”

Lin Qile’s sharp voice cut through the chatter. “Is this how little faith you have in the company you work for? The Lin Corporation has stood for over forty years when has it ever failed to pay wages? And let’s not forget, this very building belongs to the Lin family. Where exactly would we ‘run’ to? Are you all really going to trust baseless rumors over the company you’ve worked for?”

A manager stepped forward. “Young Miss Lin, it’s not that we don’t trust you, but with the company in such turmoil and Qi Song nowhere to be seen, how can you possibly handle this alone?”

“Why can’t I? If anyone still wants their paycheck next month, get back to your posts. Now.”

After reassuring the employees, she headed to the CEO’s office.

Qi Song was truly gone. There wasn’t a single trace of her left in the office, it was so empty it looked as if it had been ransacked.

“Where’s the secretary?”

Chen Nan walked in. “Young Miss Lin.”

“This is disgusting. Sell all the furniture to a secondhand market.”

“Young Miss Lin, we can’t send this furniture to a secondhand market.”

She frowned. “Why not?”

“There are already too many rumors about Lin Corporation. If the CEO’s office furniture ends up in a secondhand market, it’ll only confirm the gossip. People will think Lin Corp is truly on the verge of collapse, resorting to selling off furniture. Morale will plummet even further.”

Her eyes widened in realization, and she gave Chen Nan a grateful look. “Thanks for the reminder.”

“Young Miss Lin, Lin Corp’s operations are too vast. Thousands of employees depend on it for their livelihoods. You can’t shoulder this alone.”

She met Chen Nan’s gaze. “Lin Corp won’t fall. I promise.”

“If you say so, I’ll stand by you till the very end!”

“Then move the furniture to storage for now. I don’t want to see anything here replace it all.”

“Understood.”

Chen Nan left to make the arrangements.

Lin Qile walked to the floor-to-ceiling window. From the 17th floor, she could see hundreds of people below, including Lin Xinrou, all relying on Lin Corp for survival. The company absolutely could not collapse!

But for an outsider like her, she truly had no idea how to proceed.

As soon as business partners got wind that the Lin family’s young miss had arrived at the company, they swarmed the premises, demanding either final payments or termination of contracts.

And that was just the first day.

By the second day, even the bank was calling.

Lin Qile finally understood what it meant to be abandoned when the walls came crashing down.

She spent her days shuttling between the hospital, the company, and the bank. In just three days, she had lost several pounds.

Just as she managed to stabilize the situation with the bank, her lawyer called.

“Miss Lin, after reviewing the documents you provided, I have to say it’s highly unlikely your mother can recover the marital assets Qi Song transferred out during their divorce.”

“But we have evidence that Qi Song embezzled company funds and engaged in fraudulent bidding!”

“That’s an economic crime. I specialize in divorce cases,” the lawyer stated objectively.

Her heart sank. “So there’s no way to reclaim the assets Qi Song took?”

“Theoretically, no.”

Frustrated, she hung up and leaned her head back against the wall.

Was there really no way?

She had boldly vowed to help Lin Xinrou protect her assets, yet after two months of effort, nothing had changed.

[Host, don’t lose heart.]

“System, do you really think I can change this world? I can’t even alter Lin Xinrou’s fate.”

[You can. You absolutely can. Host, don’t give up just because of a setback. Can’t you feel it? You’re already changing this world. Try again this time, it’ll work!]

“Really?”

[Mhm!]

Lin Qile took a deep breath. “Fine. Since I’ve already thrown dignity out the window, I’ll go all out one more time!”

[What’s the plan, Host?]

Find Rong Jing!

Inside the private room.

Rong Jing sat in the corner, radiating an aura that warned strangers to stay away.

He Yan walked over and sat beside her. “Why the long face? You were the one who wanted to meet alphas. I handpicked these top-tier candidates, yet you’re acting so unapproachable they’re too intimidated to come near.”

“I don’t like them. Send them away.”

“Honestly, did you have a fight with that spoiled rich girl?”

Rong Jing pressed her lips together.

He Yan sighed. “Just get a divorce already. With the Lin family in such big trouble now, she doesn’t seem capable of handling it. Who knows, in less than a month, the Lin Group might become history.”

The words stung. She stood up. “I’m going home.”

Rong Jing walked out.

“Hey, you just got here! Can’t you stay and have a drink?”

Ignoring He Yan’s calls from behind, she stepped out of the bar, took a deep breath of fresh air, and drove home.

Yet somehow, she ended up in front of the new home she shared with Lin Qile.

They had only lived there for a little over two weeks, yet the route felt more familiar than the apartment she’d lived in for years.

But the thought of Lin Qile made her brows furrow into a deep frown. “Who cares if she dies!”

Just as she was about to turn the car around, a figure rushed out and blocked the road with outstretched arms.

She slammed on the brakes.

Under the headlights, Lin Qile wore an expression of grim determination.

For a moment, Rong Jing thought she was hallucinating.

Lin Qile slowly opened her eyes, relieved to see the car had stopped, then hurried to the driver’s side. “You blocked me?”

“Yeah.”

“Can we talk?”

Rong Jing refused outright. “I don’t have time.”

“Please, Master!”

Lin Qile looked at her like an abandoned puppy, pitiful and pleading.

Rong Jing’s expression softened slightly, her fingers tapping the steering wheel. “I’m not your master.”

“Heh, that’s negotiable. Whatever you want me to call you, I’ll do it.”

Rong Jing turned to face her. “Lin Qile, you’re here for the Lin Group, aren’t you? Your mother may be a lovesick fool, but I’m not. You’ve got the wrong person.”

Something about that statement felt off, but before she could figure it out, Rong Jing started the car again.

Panicking, Lin Qile grabbed the door. “Yes, I’m here for the Lin Group. But don’t you bear any responsibility for the mess it’s in now?”

Rong Jing looked at her.

“You forced me to marry you just to get close to the Lin family and sabotage them to get revenge on Qi Song for cheating with your mother.”

Rong Jing’s eyes turned icy. “You knew all along?”

Lin Qile coughed awkwardly and let go of the door. “So, can we talk now?”

Rong Jing parked the car, and the two entered the apartment.

After several days away, Lin Qile noticed the potted plant in the corner had turned yellow. “Do you never water it?”

Rong Jing didn’t answer. Truthfully, she hadn’t been back since that fight.

Once Lin Qile finished watering the plant, Rong Jing spoke. “You wanted to talk?”

“Right.”

As they sat down, Lin Qile observed Rong Jing’s unreadable expression and decided to come clean first.

“It was when Rong Wanning told the media she was pregnant. I accidentally saw Qi Song with your mom.”

Rong Jing clenched her hands on her lap. “Why didn’t you say anything then?”

“You didn’t either.”

Meeting Rong Jing’s knife-sharp gaze, she quickly explained, “I’m telling the truth! How else could I have known about this? You know how my mom is a total love-struck fool. My grandpa never bothered with the company either, and Qi Song hid her tracks so well. If I hadn’t accidentally stumbled upon it, I’d never have found out. If I told my mom, she’d confront Qi Song immediately, and with Qi Song’s sweet talk, my mom would believe her in a heartbeat. That would just tip them off.”

“You know quite a few idioms, don’t you?”

“Hey, I’m baring my soul here, and you’re still mocking me?”

Rong Jing pressed her lips together.

“Later, when you proposed our fake marriage, I suspected you’d also found out and were using it as a chance to get back at Qi Song.”

“If you suspected me, why did you show me Lin Corp’s accounts?”

The confession session was over. Now, it was time for her acting skills to shine.

Lin Qile’s eyes darted around before she spoke again, this time with a hint of grievance. “I hated her for cheating, so I hired someone to investigate. That’s how I found out Ji Zhao was also her child. It made me despise her even more, but I had no way to take her down. Even though you were using me, after all this time together, I believe you’re fair you settle scores but don’t harm the innocent. My mom and I never hurt you, so you wouldn’t hurt us either.”

“Why lie to me?”

“I didn’t lie! I just, didn’t tell the whole truth. I was scared. You kept threatening me, and I was afraid you’d actually go through with it. But think about it, have I ever done anything to harm you?”

Seeing Rong Jing stay silent, she hurried over, crouched in front of her, and looked up with pitiful eyes. “I know I was wrong. From now on, I’ll tell you everything, no more secrets.”

“Oh?”

“I know you want Lin Corp to get back at Qi Song. I don’t mind, I can’t protect it anyway. Take it if you want. Just,  don’t leave my mom with nothing. Can you at least spare her some retirement money? Please?”

“That’s all?”

“That’s all! I’ll convince Mom to sell Lin Corp to you. Even though it’s in trouble, it’s still an established company, a starved camel is still bigger than a horse. You’re such a brilliant businesswoman; you could turn it around. Just don’t wipe us out, okay? We’re not enemies, can’t we both win?”

“Fine.” Rong Jing agreed easily.

Her eyes lit up. “Really?”

“Go cook. I’m hungry.”

Rong Jing leaned back, resting a hand on her stomach and patting lightly.

She hadn’t had much appetite these past few days, but suddenly, she felt ravenous.

“Okay, I’ll go right now!”

Watching Lin Qile dash excitedly to the kitchen, Rong Jing tilted her head, studying her retreating figure.

What an idiot.

If she didn’t leak Lin Corp’s troubles to the media, how would the stock price drop? And if the stock didn’t plummet, how could she force Qi Song out?

With these two fools in charge, Qi Song would’ve schemed them out of even their current villa if she stayed.

Since Lin Qile assumed she wanted Lin Corp, she might as well let her keep believing it. Controlling Lin Corp while keeping a little songbird wasn’t a bad deal.

Lin Qile, why didn’t you inherit your mother’s love-struck foolishness?

Rong Jing sighed regretfully, then narrowed her eyes thoughtfully as she rubbed her stomach.

Darling, please don’t inherit it from your grandma and don’t take after your mother’s stupidity either. You have to be smarter.