The Villainous Sister-in-law Mistakenly Marked as the Heroine (Transmigration) - Chapter 36.2

Damn it, since when is dodging a crime?! Who wouldn’t dodge a kick? Only an idiot would just take it!

Despite her inner protests, Lin Qile wore an obedient expression. “I was wrong.”

“Wrong how?” Rong Jing arched a brow, not loosening her grip.

Under someone else’s roof, you have to bow your head.

Remembering she had favors to ask of Rong Jing, Lin Qile sighed in resignation and shamelessly fawned, “My skin’s thick and rough, did your foot hurt?”

The sheer audacity of it made Rong Jing chuckle despite herself.

Satisfied, she finally withdrew her foot with deliberate slowness. “Good attitude. Keep it up.”

Lin Qile choked back a retort.

Can’t you just act like a decent human being?!

“Turn off the lights. Sleep.”

Rong Jing shot her a glare before lying back down and burrowing under the covers.

Lin Qile froze. What’s the meaning of this? Am I supposed to stay or go?

Just as she hesitated, Rong Jing’s impatient voice snapped again, “Turn off the lights. Are you deaf?”

Almost reflexively, Lin Qile hurried to switch off the room lights, leaving only the dim glow of the bedside lamp as she stole glances at Rong Jing’s profile.

By now, Rong Jing had turned onto her side, seemingly asleep.

Relieved, Lin Qile tentatively tugged at the spare blanket nearby.

One pull, no reaction.

Another cautious tug still nothing.

Does this mean I’m allowed to stay?

Lin Qile finally pulled half of the quilt over, wrapped herself up, and carefully lay down.

At first, she was still quite tense, but after lying there for a while and seeing that Rong Jing remained completely still, she finally relaxed.

But she couldn’t sleep. And when she couldn’t sleep, her thoughts tended to wander.

Especially when lying quietly in the same bed with someone she had slept with multiple times, there was always a strange sense of unreality.

She and Rong Jing were from entirely different worlds. Rong Jing was smart, beautiful, came from a good family, and was decisive and capable. Apart from a slightly bad temper, she had almost no flaws. If not for an accident, the two of them would never have crossed paths. Yet fate had inexplicably pulled them together.

She often couldn’t help but think, if they had met under normal circumstances, Rong Jing probably wouldn’t have even glanced at her!

Lin Qile couldn’t help but sigh softly, turning over to gaze at Rong Jing’s back. Tentatively, she reached out a fingertip, feeling the warmth through the fabric of Rong Jing’s pajamas.

After a long while, she forced herself to close her eyes and sleep.

Rong Jing was a light sleeper. Her sharp ears caught the sound of Lin Qile’s even, steady breathing before she finally opened her eyes and glanced at her.

Then, she turned over, pulling Lin Qile’s arm under her neck, and closed her eyes to sleep.

Morning.

Lin Qile naturally opened her eyes, only to be startled by the face mere inches away, instantly wide awake.

Rong Jing was sleeping soundly, her head resting on Lin Qile’s arm.

Their bodies were pressed close together, intimate enough that anyone who didn’t know better might think they were newlyweds still in the honeymoon phase.

Sigh.

Lin Qile exhaled, remembering that today was the day Lin Xinrou was finalizing her divorce. She didn’t dare delay. Carefully, she lifted Rong Jing’s arm, just about to move away when Rong Jing murmured sleepily and tightened her grip.

This time, she even draped a leg over Lin Qile’s waist.

Softly, Lin Qile whispered, “Rong Jing, Rong Jing! I have something important today. Let me go first.”

Rong Jing slowly opened her drowsy eyes. Thinking she was awake, Lin Qile was about to speak when she heard the other woman’s soft, sleepy voice call her name.

“Lin Qile.”

“Yeah, it’s me. I—”

Before she could finish saying “need to get up,” Rong Jing closed her eyes again, as if drifting back to sleep.

Lin Qile froze for a moment, then was amused by the rare glimpse of innocence on the usually formidable woman’s face. Something in her heart fluttered, like a feather brushing past, sending a tingling warmth through her.

She reached out to touch Rong Jing’s eyelashes so long and curled. Her nose was delicate and straight, her lips full and rosy. Individually, her features didn’t seem cold at all, but combined, they gave off an untouchable, distant aura.

“You really are much cuter when you’re asleep,” Lin Qile murmured under her breath, her thumb unconsciously tracing Rong Jing’s lips.

“If only you were like this during the day too,  Ow! My leg!”

Buzz! buzz!

Rong Jing’s eyes snapped open.

Lin Qile flinched, quickly withdrawing her hand and pretending to rub the spot on her calf where Rong Jing had kicked her.

“Phone.”

Rong Jing’s voice was still hoarse from sleep.

Lin Qile hurriedly grabbed the phone and handed it to her, taking the chance to pull on her clothes. “My mom’s finalizing her divorce from Qi Song today. I need to go to the hospital early to pick her up.”

Rong Jing covered the phone’s receiver with one hand and glanced at her. “Do you want me to come with you?”

“No, no! I can handle this. I’ll head out first.”

With that, she turned and left.

Lin Qile first went to the hospital to pick up Lin Xinrou. Just as they were about to head to the civil affairs bureau, Lin Xinrou stopped her. “Lele, Mom wants to dress up a bit. I want to look beautiful when I get divorced.”

“Alright, I’ll take you to change.”

After changing clothes and applying makeup, Lin Qile watched as Lin Xinrou still stunning at forty forced a smile in the mirror. Heartbroken, she stepped forward and hugged her. “Mom, once you get through this, you’ll be reborn. Life will only get better from here.”

“Mhm.”

The two stood up and left.

When mother and daughter arrived at the civil affairs bureau, Qi Song and the lawyer were already there.

Lin Xinrou gripped her daughter’s hand tightly.

“Mom?”

“I can’t cry. I absolutely can’t cry.” Lin Xinrou’s voice trembled.

Lin Qile squeezed her hand. “That kind of person isn’t worth it. Not even a little.”

“Mhm.”

Since it was a mutual agreement divorce with Qi Song leaving empty-handed, the process went unusually smoothly.

They entered at ten and were out by ten-thirty.

Lin Qile supported Lin Xinrou, whose face was deathly pale, as they walked out of the civil affairs bureau. Clutching the divorce certificate in her hand, Lin Xinrou looked on the verge of collapse but didn’t shed a single tear.

Behind them followed the lawyer, and further back was Qi Song, looking completely at ease.

Just as they descended the steps, a car pulled up in front of them.

Ji Qian and Ji Zhao stepped out, their expressions brimming with smugness.

“Mother!” Ji Zhao could finally call Qi Song “mother” openly, and after doing so, she shot Lin Qile a triumphant glance.

Ji Qian smiled as she spoke. “Long time no see, Miss Lin.”

“You shameless homewrecker!”

Lin Xinrou, who had held back all this time, finally erupted in fury at the sight of Ji Qian. “How dare you show your face in front of me?! I was the one who hired you into the company back then! I treated you like a friend, and this is how you repay me?!”

“You’re still hung up on that little favor from back then? Did you really think I couldn’t find a job without you?”

Lin Qile sneered. “To be so brazen as a mistress, you really have no shame.”

“Lin Qile, you useless waste, you’re not even fit to lick my daughter’s shoes! What else can you do besides spending money and causing trouble?!”

“How dare you insult my daughter?!”

“Why wouldn’t I dare? Lin Xinrou, how many times has A-Song touched you over the years? You’re such a foolish rich girl. Even though you held the title of her wife, I was her real wife. Every holiday, she spent it with me and our daughter.”

“You vile woman!”

Lin Xinrou was so enraged she tried to rush forward and hit her, but Lin Qile held her back. “Mom, calm down. She’s just a mistress not worth your anger. Just remember this: if she destroys someone else’s family today, someone will destroy hers tomorrow. After all, a dog can’t stop eating shit.”

Qi Song hadn’t cheated with just one person. Anyone who could benefit her was fair game for sweet talk and seduction. Ji Qian wasn’t the first, and Bai Jiao wouldn’t be the last.

Besides, Ji Qian was just a pawn in Qi Song and Bai Jiao’s scheme. Lin Qile was looking forward to watching the dogs turn on each other!

“Enough.”

Qi Song descended the steps, walked over to Ji Qian, and wrapped an arm around her as they turned to leave. “Let’s go home.”

“Qi Song!”

Lin Xinrou called out to her, her voice shaking.

Qi Song paused but didn’t turn back, her lips curling into a smirk. “Wake up.”

“This is the last time I’ll cry for you. The last time! From now on, even if you die in front of me, I won’t shed a single tear!”

Qi Song’s smile froze at the corners of her mouth. A few seconds later, she walked toward the car with disdain.

Before Ji Zhao left, she cast a mocking glance at Lin Qile. “Lin Qile, you were just lucky to be born into the right family. One day, I’ll stomp you down into the mud, step by step!”

“Oh? I’ll be waiting!”

After Qi Song and her family had left, Lin Qile helped her mother into the car. The moment the door closed, Lin Xinrou burst into loud, unrestrained sobs.

Lin Qile: “…”

“Baby… sob… I’m sorry… but I couldn’t hold it in any longer… I promise, just this once… just this once…”

This time, instead of scolding her, Lin Qile pulled her into an embrace. “Mom, go ahead and cry.”

Loving someone for over twenty years even if that person is scum, how could those decades of emotions be withdrawn in an instant?

She could only hope that Lin Xinrou’s heartbreak would heal a little more with each passing day.

After sending the grieving Lin Xinrou back to the villa, she had arranged for it to be thoroughly cleaned three times in advance. Every possible reminder of Qi Song was removed or, if impossible to remove, concealed as much as possible.

But this was still the place where the two had lived together for over twenty years, every corner was steeped in memories.

The moment Lin Xinrou stepped through the door, she froze, then couldn’t hold back her tears.

Lin Qile had originally wanted to keep her mother from returning to the master bedroom, suggesting she stay in a guest room instead. But Lin Xinrou insisted on entering and shut herself inside, staying there for most of the day.

Worried but unsure what to do, Lin Qile could only sit in the living room with a sigh.

Her phone rang. She answered, “Hello?”

Xu Jiao’s voice came through. “How did it go?”

“The divorce is finalized. Since Qi Song left with nothing, the process went smoothly.”

“Left with nothing?”

She scoffed. “Yeah. Over twenty years, she hollowed out the Lin family business built from scratch by my grandmother and fed her own company outside until it became a listed corporation. Now, she walks away with nothing.”

“Damn! What kind of scumbag is that?! How can you and Aunt Lin just swallow this?”

“What else can we do? Right now, I have to focus on my mom. She’s devastated, I’m really afraid she might do something drastic. What can I do to help her move past this pain sooner?”

As she spoke on the phone, she glanced up. The housekeeper on the second floor shook her head, signaling that everything was fine.

She nodded and refocused on the call. “Xu Jiao, when you’re in the thick of it, you can’t see clearly. As an outsider, do you have any advice?”

“Go on a trip.”

She raised an eyebrow. “A trip?”

“Yeah, get away for a change of scenery. But your mom’s emotional state isn’t stable right now, it’d be best if a close friend could accompany her. Don’t let her be alone; that’ll just make her overthink.”

Lin Qile’s eyes lit up that was a great idea!

After hanging up, she immediately called out, “System!”

[Host, I’m here.]

“Do you know if Lin Xinrou has any close friends, classmates, or confidantes who could travel with her and help her through this? No fake friends, please!”

[This doesn’t affect the main storyline, so I can provide you with a list.]

“Great!”

Soon, a detailed list appeared on her phone names, ages, family backgrounds, and their relationships with Lin Xinrou, all meticulously laid out.

She carefully screened the names, narrowing it down to six women, then called each one to ask if they’d be willing to accompany her mother on a trip, all expenses paid.

In the end, three agreed.

“Now that I’ve got travel companions, the next step is arranging the details.”

That evening, Lin Xinrou came downstairs for dinner, which eased Lin Qile’s worries a little. As long as she was eating, there was still hope.

At the table, she spoke up. “Mom, I signed you up for a tour. Why don’t you go abroad for a change of scenery?”

“Huh?”

Lin Xinrou seemed dazed, slowly lifting her head before finally responding after a long pause, “I don’t want to go, Lele. I don’t want to go anywhere.”

“Mom, please? Staying here, I’m afraid you’ll just keep dwelling on things.”

“I don’t want to.”

Seeing that persuasion wasn’t working, she lowered her head and struggled to hold back until tears welled up in her eyes. Then, looking up with a choked voice, she said, “But I’m really worried about you, Mom. You’re the only family I have left. Watching you suffer for someone who isn’t worth it breaks my heart, and I’m so scared…”

Lin Qile bit her lip as large teardrops rolled down her cheeks.

“I can’t eat or sleep. If you keep hurting like this, I’ll hurt too, Mom.”

“Don’t cry, my dear. Please don’t cry. Seeing you cry shatters my heart.” Lin Xinrou stood up and came over to embrace her. “Mom will listen to you, okay? Whatever you say.”

The complete betrayal by her lover had devastated Lin Xinrou, but she hadn’t completely collapsed only because her daughter was holding her together.

“Then we’ll leave first thing tomorrow morning. I’ll take you to the airport. You go and relax, and I’ll use this time to renovate the house. From now on, this will be just our home, yours and mine.”

“Okay.”

After dinner, she escorted Lin Xinrou back to her room and then called Rong Jing to explain that she wouldn’t be returning tonight and that she was sending her mother on a trip the next day.

“Oh, then I won’t be back tonight either.”

She almost blurted out, “Where are you going if not home?” but immediately regretted it, pressing a hand to her forehead.

It sounded like she was trying to control Rong Jing. Would the villain get angry?

There was a long silence on the other end of the line. Every second of it was agony for Lin Qile. Just as she was about to grovel and apologize, Rong Jing finally spoke. “I’m at the old house.”

Rong Jing had gone back to the Rong family home?

“Oh, you’re home. I wasn’t checking up on you or anything. I’ll hang up now.”

Rong Jing listened to the dial tone, then put her phone away, a faint smile lingering on her lips.

“Rong Jing!”

A voice called her from the living room. She turned and walked in, her expression once again cool and detached. “My stance remains unchanged. I’ve decided to invest in Lin Corporation, and that decision won’t be reversed.”

Bai Jiao’s face flushed with anger. “Why won’t you listen to reason? Lin Corp is already an empty shell! You’re throwing the Rong family’s money into a bottomless pit! With so many investment projects in Rong Corp, why not expand the business instead? The venture capital department has so many proposals waiting for approval has all the funding been diverted to Lin Corp?”

Before Rong Jing could respond, Rong Yihua, sitting beside Bai Jiao, interjected, “That’s an exaggeration.”

“Mom, you’ve never shown much interest in the company’s affairs before. How do you even know about the venture capital department’s funding issues?”

Rong Jing’s eyes darkened. She clenched her teeth, forcing herself not to voice the suspicions burning inside her.

She still didn’t know if Ji Zhao had ulterior motives for entering Rong Corp, but she had already witnessed Qi Song’s ruthlessness. As her illegitimate child, Ji Zhao couldn’t be simple!

Her mother was having an affair with Qi Song, and now she was suddenly so involved with the venture capital department where Ji Zhao worked, what exactly was she planning?

Bai Jiao retorted defensively, “I’m still the lady of the Rong family! Is it wrong for me to care about our company’s business?”

Rong Yihua asked, “Rong Jing, are you doing this for Qile’s sake?”

“No.”

“Really? If not for her, then waiting for Lin Corp to declare bankruptcy and restructuring before acquiring it would maximize profits. That’s a principle you understood by the age of fifteen, isn’t it?”

Rong Yihua wasn’t as aggressive as her wife. She simply gazed quietly at her daughter. “Qi Song’s actions have plunged the Lin family into a massive crisis. Even if we weren’t in-laws with the Lins, given the friendship between our ancestors, I wouldn’t stop you from helping them.”

“Wouldn’t stop her? Rong Yihua, what are you saying?!” Bai Jiao angrily accused her.

Rong Yihua smiled faintly. “Why would I stop her? The Rong family will belong to Rong Jing in the future. Of course, she can do whatever she wants. Besides, Qile is family too. If we kick them while they’re down, what will others think of us?”

“But,”

Rong Yihua stood up and walked over to her daughter. “However, I have a question for you.”

Rong Jing looked at her mother.

“You’ve never been one to care about ancestral friendships. Did you marry Lin Qile for a business alliance, or because you love her?”

Rong Jing’s pupils dilated at the word “love,” freezing her in place.

One look at her daughter’s expression told Rong Yihua that she hadn’t yet figured it out. She shook her head helplessly. “Think carefully about this. Don’t let yourself do something you’ll regret. If it’s just for profit, now is the perfect time to let go. After helping the Lin family clean up their mess, we’ll have done our part. But if it’s because of love, Jing’er, you need to learn what marriage truly means.”

Seeing her daughter standing there, stunned and silent for a long time, Rong Yihua patted her shoulder with a smile and headed upstairs.

As soon as she returned to the bedroom, Bai Jiao followed her in. “What’s wrong with you? Why encourage her to take on the Lin family’s mess?”

“It’s our daughter’s first experience with love. We should support her.”

“Love? She’s about to marry Lin Qile, what love are you talking about?”

Standing in front of the wardrobe to change, Rong Yihua casually asked, “Haven’t you noticed?”

“Noticed what?”

“There’s something off about their marriage. Those two clearly aren’t on the same page. Rong Jing is already twenty-eight. I don’t mind if my daughter never marries, but I do mind if she ends up lonely. Since she’s married Lin Qile, she should at least learn to make it work.”

After changing into her sleepwear, she walked up to Bai Jiao with a smile. “Isn’t that how it was for us?”

Bai Jiao’s eyes flickered, and she quickly looked away. “I’m tired. I’m going to shower first.”

Downstairs.

Rong Jing slumped onto the sofa, staring blankly at the floor.

“I love Lin Qile? Ridiculous!”

She scoffed at first, but then her smile froze. A tangled, conflicted emotion surfaced in her eyes as her hand on the sofa slowly clenched into a fist. “Who could love that idiot?!”

After sitting for a while, she grew increasingly restless.

Finally, her expression darkened. She grabbed her bag and stormed out of the Rong residence.

She drove all the way to the Lin family villa.

Parked in her car, Rong Jing pulled out her phone, about to call Lin Qile but all she could see in her mind was the other woman’s eager-to-please smile and her constant, resigned acceptance of her place.

Gripping her phone tightly, she stared at the villa, her gaze clouded with something indescribable.

“Lin Qile, you only ever remember my threats.”