The Villainous Sister-in-law Mistakenly Marked as the Heroine (Transmigration) - Chapter 41

The moment Lin Qile saw her, fury surged to its peak: “What are you doing here?!”

How dare this woman show up so brazenly!

Qi Song also noticed her and smiled faintly, her eyes filled with mockery. “Why can’t I be here? Meanwhile, you dumped the company’s mess on others and are living carefree all by yourself.”

“You have the nerve to bring up the company!”

Lin Qile was so angry she could barely catch her breath. “If you hadn’t drained Lin Corporation dry, would it be in this state now? Would you be living like this? Qi Song, you’re utterly shameless!”

“Shut up!” Bai Jiao snapped. “Lin Qile, you’re not welcome here. You’d better divorce my daughter immediately. I don’t recognize your marriage. You and your mother couldn’t manage the company that’s your problem. Why should my daughter work to pay off your debts?”

“Bai Jiao, enough,” Rong Yihua interjected sharply.

“Why should I stop? Everyone knows this marriage was meant to be a powerful alliance. But now Lin Corporation wants to leech off Rong Corporation, I won’t allow it! I care about my daughter, and I insist they divorce!”

Under the crowd’s judgmental gazes, Lin Qile’s expression grew increasingly grim.

She had expected some humiliation, but she never imagined that apart from Rong Yihua, not a single person here would stand by her side. Qi Song, this gold-digger who had drained her wife’s company and started her own, was actually being celebrated?!

Her mother had been stripped of her wealth and left with massive debts, yet no one here cared.

Was this the brutal reality?

As long as you had money, no one cared how you got it!

Qi Song swaggered over and handed her gift to Bai Jiao. “Happy birthday.”

“Thank you.”

Bai Jiao accepted the present. “You shouldn’t have.”

“Yihua and I have been friends for years. It’s just a small token, nothing extravagant.” She then turned to Rong Yihua. “I’ve been busy with personal matters lately and haven’t had time to catch up. How about tonight?”

Bai Jiao happily unwrapped the gift and, before Rong Yihua could respond, spoke first. “I love it. You’re so thoughtful. We should all go out for a family dinner sometime.”

“Wan Ning, help me put it on.”

Wan Ning stepped forward and respectfully fastened the necklace for Bai Jiao, whose face flushed with delight. “Thank you all for the gifts today. I love every one of them.”

She had merely thanked others for their presents, but she wore Qi Song’s diamond necklace proudly.

Watching the two openly flirt in front of Rong Yihua, Lin Qile felt like she was about to explode. She wanted nothing more than to expose their affair right then and there!

[Absolutely not, Host! I’ve calculated that if you reveal their secret here, there’s an 87% chance Rong Yihua would die of anger. And if she dies, Rong Jing’s probability of turning dark is 95% your mission would fail.]

So I just have to watch them flirt openly?!

[Well… I’ve warned you. Proceed with caution.]

Pushed to the edge of the crowd, Lin Qile glared daggers at Qi Song. This scumbag was using her mother’s money to shower her old flame with gifts, wasn’t she?

Taking a deep breath, she spoke calmly, “Ji Zhao, hello there!”

Everyone turned to look at her. The smugness in Qi Song and Ji Zhao’s eyes was identical.

“What do you want?”

“Nothing. I just wanted to see what sisters from the same mother but different mothers look like.”

The room fell into dead silence.

Qi Song’s smile froze on her face, a cold cruelty slowly rising in her eyes. “Lin Qile, that’s enough!”

“Why should I shut up? You embezzled from the Lin Corporation just for the sake of your mistress and illegitimate child outside, didn’t you? Ji Zhao and I seem to be about the same age. You’ve been cheating for twenty-five years, secretly supporting your illegitimate daughter, even sneaking her into our company. What exactly are you plotting? Everyone here isn’t stupid they can see right through you.”

A flash of ruthlessness crossed Qi Song’s eyes as she roared, “Lin Qile, get out of here!”

“You have no right to lecture me anymore. From the moment you betrayed my mother, I stopped acknowledging you!”

Even if she couldn’t expose Qi Song and Bai Jiao’s relationship, she wouldn’t let these people off easy!

“Ji Zhao, how pathetic you are. Your own mother doesn’t even dare to acknowledge you, an illegitimate child! Your mother has been Qi Song’s secret lover for decades, and I bet she’ll keep being one in the future too.”

At the mention of “decades as a secret lover,” Bai Jiao’s expression shifted.

Good. That was exactly the effect she wanted!

She was certain that given Qi Song and Ji Qian’s relationship, Bai Jiao would never be content!

“Lin Qile, I don’t have a daughter as disgraceful as you, who only knows how to indulge in pleasure!” Qi Song scolded furiously.

Lin Qile couldn’t care less about her anger. Instead, she turned to Rong Yihua. “Mother, your so-called ‘good friend’ of over twenty years has another side to her. She even schemed against her partner of two decades. I suggest you be careful too.”

A complex emotion flickered in Rong Yihua’s eyes.

“Security! Throw this madwoman out!”

Bai Jiao’s face flushed red with anger and a hint of guilt. “With the Lin Corporation bankrupt, you must have lost your mind to spout such nonsense here. Get out now! You have no right to stand here!”

Two security guards stepped forward. “Miss Lin, please.”

“Throw her out!”

As the guards reached for her arm, she snapped, “Don’t touch me. I’ll leave on my own.”

Seeing how everyone remained silent despite knowing Qi Song’s deeds, Lin Qile let out a cold laugh. So this was high society? Only concerned with profit, completely indifferent to character.

She turned to leave.

After just two steps, she spotted someone standing at the entrance. “Rong Jing?”

Rong Jing’s expression was dark, and it was unclear how long she had been standing there.

Noticing the crowd’s gaze shifting to her, Rong Jing strode forward step by step until she reached Lin Qile. She took her hand and faced the room. “Lin Qile is my wife. I’d like to see who dares to make her leave!”

Those words suddenly filled Lin Qile with an overwhelming sense of grievance. Being protected like this, it felt so good.

All her words condensed into one whisper: “Rong Jing.”

Rong Jing gave her a faint smile and squeezed her hand. “Mm, I’m here.”

She squeezed back.

“Since you’re here, perfect. Do you know your wife is ruining my birthday? Rong Jing, I demand you divorce her immediately!”

“Impossible!”

A firm, unwavering refusal.

Bai Jiao froze.

Rong Wanning quickly chimed in, “Auntie, how can you speak to Grandma like that? Today is her birthday! Are you here with Lin Qile to sabotage your own mother’s party?”

Rong Yihua interjected, “Enough. This is already humiliating enough.”

Rong Wanning immediately fell silent.

Rong Yihua looked at her daughter. “It’s good that you’re back. Today is your mother’s birthday. We can talk about other things later.”

Qi Song chimed in with a smile, “Yes, let’s not ruin this special day because of some tactless people.”

“Shut up!”

Rong Jing suddenly snapped at Qi Song, whose expression stiffened instantly.

To everyone’s surprise, Bai Jiao was the one who flared up. “Rong Jing! Is this how I taught you to behave since childhood? Is this how you treat your elders in public? You’ve disappointed me so much!”

“Mother, I’m disappointed in you too!”

“Rong Jing, how could you become like this?! I never should have let you be with that woman. She’s corrupted you. If I had known you’d turn out like this, I shouldn’t have given birth to you in the first place!”

Rong Yihua pulled her wife back. “Bai Jiao, that’s too harsh.”

Just as she was about to console her daughter, Rong Jing’s icy voice cut through the air,

“I, too, wish you had never given birth to me!”

The words struck harder than anything said before.

Bai Jiao froze for three seconds before suddenly wrenching her hand away from Rong Yihua, staring at Rong Jing in disbelief. “What did you just say? Say it again! Rong Jing, I carried you for ten months, gave birth to you, for you, I gave up my career in the entertainment industry. I was already an award-winning actress, and I could have climbed even higher, but I sacrificed everything for you…”

Her face twisted in pain as Rong Wanning and Ji Zhao quickly moved to support her.

“To think I gave birth to such an ungrateful wretch… I… sob…”

Bai Jiao broke down in tears, and the crowd turned accusing eyes toward Rong Jing.

“Rong Jing, how could you speak to your mother like that?”

“Exactly! Today is her birthday. Apologize to her right now.”

“Your mother sacrificed so much for you and this family. How can you be so heartless?”

Rong Jing met her mother’s gaze with cold fury burning in her chest. “Stop acting. You and—”

Mid-sentence, she was suddenly pulled back. Lin Qile leaned in and whispered in her ear, “Your mother has a weak heart. Calm down.”

Rong Jing’s anger faltered for a moment. Indeed, if this were exposed publicly, the one who would suffer the most humiliation would be her mother.

She turned and saw Qi Song dressed in high-end couture, saw Ji Zhao’s smug expression.

Instantly, clarity returned.

She could not let those who loved her suffer while her enemies rejoiced.

“Rong Jing, you just don’t want me… to enjoy my birthday today.” Bai Jiao continued to berate her.

Rong Jing took a deep breath. “If Qi Song and her illegitimate daughter leave the Rong family right now, this birthday can continue.”

Bai Jiao’s face twisted in rage. “Over my dead body! This is my birthday, and I’ll invite whoever I want!”

“Fine, I’ll leave then.”

Qi Song smiled magnanimously and glanced at Rong Yihua and Bai Jiao. “I don’t want to ruin your celebration. I’ll go.”

“No, don’t leave!” Bai Jiao frantically tried to stop her.

“Get out!”

Rong Jing couldn’t stand their hypocrisy any longer especially in front of her oblivious mother. She pointed at the door and roared, “Get out now!”

Qi Song’s expression darkened before she strode away.

“Rong Jing, you’ve gone too far! You’re the one who should get out.”

Bai Jiao suddenly collapsed in a faint.

“Bai Jiao? Bai Jiao!” Rong Yihua quickly caught her.

What was meant to be a birthday celebration had turned into a farce.

Qi Song walked up to Lin Qile and Rong Jing. “That’s right, Ji Zhao is my daughter, but she’s the child of my ex-girlfriend. Ji Qian only discovered the child’s existence after I got married, and I didn’t know about Ji Zhao until she was already an adult. Since she’s my daughter, I won’t abandon her, but I never cheated during my marriage.”

After explaining, she turned to Ji Zhao. “I’m sorry, child, for letting you bear this stigma all this time. I didn’t want to ruin Aunt Bai’s birthday, but… I thought this would be a good opportunity to clear your name.”

“Mother.”

Ji Zhao excitedly stepped forward and hugged Qi Song.

The two embraced in a sudden mother-daughter reunion, leaving Lin Qile utterly stunned.

How utterly shameless!

After a brief hug, Qi Song released her daughter and cast a cold, mocking glance at Lin Qile. She had been unsure how to bring Ji Zhao back into her life legitimately, but now the opportunity had presented itself perfectly!

“Let’s go.”

“Yes, Mother.”

Qi Song and Ji Zhao left the villa.

The once noisy villa fell into silence, though the accusatory gazes of the crowd remained fixed on the two women.

Rong Hui, the adopted son of the Rong family and usually a silent, easygoing man, spoke up for once: “Rong Jing, you went too far today.”

Even he had voiced his disapproval the others’ attitudes were predictable.

“How could you be so heartless, making your own mother faint like that?”

“Couldn’t this have waited? Did it have to be brought up on her birthday?”

Rong Jing swept her gaze over the crowd, her eyes filled with nothing but disappointment.

Lin Qile held Rong Jing’s hand, feeling how icy cold it was. Unsure how to comfort her, she could only squeeze it tightly.

Softly, she said, “Let’s go home.”

“Okay.”

Hand in hand, they walked away.

Once outside and by the car, Rong Jing tried to open the door but failed her hands were still trembling.

Lin Qile took her hand. “I’ll drive.”

She helped Rong Jing into the passenger seat before getting behind the wheel.

The car pulled away from the Rong estate.

Throughout the drive, Lin Qile kept stealing glances at Rong Jing. Though she also despised Qi Song, she had only known her for a few months and never truly regarded her as a mother. Her hatred stemmed purely from a decent person’s revulsion toward a wicked individual.

But Rong Jing was different.

She had been born into this family those were her real mother and mom.

To witness her mom and her lover exchanging glances right in front of her mother, yet unable to expose them, the sheer agony of it was suffocating just to imagine.

“Lin Qile,” Rong Jing suddenly spoke.

“I’m here. What is it?”

Rong Jing stared out the window, her eyes brimming with unfathomable sorrow. “I almost exposed Qi Song and my mom’s affair right then and there.”

Lin Qile stayed silent, knowing Rong Jing just needed to vent, not seek advice.

“If I had said it, the consequences would have been unimaginable. I lost control today.”

“This isn’t your fault!”

She stopped the car and looked at her firmly.

Rong Jing froze.

Lin Qile took her hand and pulled her close. “Rong Jing, you did nothing wrong. Absolutely nothing. All of this is the fault of the betrayers, Bai Jiao’s fault, Qi Song’s fault. Losing control is normal. Don’t blame yourself, okay?”

“Mm.”

Rong Jing’s voice carried a barely perceptible tremor.

“They betrayed your mother and hurt you. You did nothing wrong. You’re just too outstanding, forced to bear burdens you never should have had to carry. Even though…”

She cupped her face in her hands, “Though I may not be strong enough, I would never hurt you. Don’t keep yourself so tense. You can lean on me occasionally, even if just for this second. I promise.”

Her eyes widened in surprise.

Because Rong Jing suddenly embraced her, shoulders trembling faintly.

Had the formidable Rong Jing… cried?

Uncontrollably, Lin Qile’s heart ached in sympathy.

At that moment, as if struck by sudden clarity, she seemed to understand…

She had fallen in.

Holding the person in her arms tightly, she gently stroked Rong Jing’s back with one hand while staring blankly out the car window: When had she started falling?

Trying to pinpoint an exact date seemed impossible now.

By the time she realized her feelings, she was already in too deep.

She lowered her head.

Looking at Rong Jing, who had stopped crying, she quietly pressed a kiss to the other’s hair.

[Alert! Alert!]

Wh-what’s happening?

[Rong Jing’s darkening level has reached 40%!]

?!!!

How could that be!

She looked down, the person in her arms was leaning against her obediently, docile as a kitten.

Rong Jing suddenly lifted her gaze, meeting Lin Qile’s eyes directly. “R-Rong Jing…”

“Hmm?”

“You, you…”

Rong Jing straightened up, her eyes still slightly red, but otherwise showing no trace of what had just transpired.

When Rong Jing looked at her, Lin Qile distinctly felt that even an ordinary glance now carried twice the usual weight of pressure.

“Lin Qile.”

She tensed up. “I’m here.”

“If I were to kill Qi Song, would you hate me?”

“Ah?!”

Damn, she really has darkened, the big villain is about to get blood on her hands!

A shadow flickered through Rong Jing’s eyes before her expression returned to calm. “Let’s drive. I want to go home.”

“Rong Jing.”

Rong Jing turned to her.

That composed yet inscrutable gaze made the words Lin Qile wanted to say stick in her throat. Forget it, let’s just go home first. Her mind was in such turmoil she feared she might say something she shouldn’t.

She’d make a plan after getting back and find a way to talk Rong Jing down.

So she forced a smile at Rong Jing. “Okay, let’s go home first.”

She started the car.

But just as they neared home, Rong Jing received a call another crisis at Lin Corporation. They had to turn around and head back.

At Lin Corporation.

The moment Rong Jing stepped out of the car, seven or eight executives rushed over, surrounding her.

Watching them enter the building together, Lin Qile gripped the steering wheel, unease surfacing in her eyes for the first time.

How could she ever keep up with someone as extraordinary as Rong Jing?

Bai Jiao hadn’t been entirely wrong.

Right now, she really was leeching off Rong Jing.

She and her mother had unwittingly become burdens to Rong Jing.

An omega should grow up cherished and protected, yet Rong Jing had no choice but to be strong on her own.

She needed to step up her efforts. With this thought, Lin Qile turned the car around and drove home.

…

Evening.

By the time Rong Jing finished work, it was already 8 p.m.

As she stepped out of Lin Corporation, she spotted hazard lights flashing in the distance. Lin Qile sat in the car, holding something in her hands.

Puzzled, she walked over.

Lin Qile greeted her with a bright smile. “Get in quick.”

“You didn’t wait here the whole time, did you?”

“No, I went home and came back. I came specifically to pick you up after work.”

Rong Jing got into the car and noticed a book in the corner, it was Lin Qile’s medical textbook.

“If you need to study, why not do it at home?”

“It’s no trouble.”

She spent the entire afternoon lost in thought, and the more she pondered, the more powerless she felt. Rong Jing seemed to lack nothing, while she, once known as the eldest daughter of the Lin family now had nothing but the basics of her medical studies to her name.

Compared to Rong Jing, she felt utterly worthless.

No wonder He Yan always looked at her with disdain. If she had such a perfect and outstanding friend, she too would think only the world’s top alpha could be worthy of them.

Sigh.

Someone like her Rong Jing probably wouldn’t like her either.

“What are you looking at?”

Rong Jing caught her stealing glances and narrowed her eyes slightly.

“Nothing. Let’s go home.”