The Villainous Sister-in-law Mistakenly Marked as the Heroine (Transmigration) - Chapter 53

Lin Qile spent her entire workday on edge.

This month, she had rotated to the emergency department, which was far busier than gynecology, making it difficult to request time off.

But there was one small matter she had been trying her best to keep from Rong Jing.

Namely, she was now working in the same department as Wu Xue.

Given that Rong Jing’s territorial instincts instantly kicked into overdrive at the sight of Wu Xue, Lin Qile had no choice but to keep it under wraps. After all, she only had to endure two months in the emergency department.

“Qile, today’s been insane, thirteen car accidents just this morning.”

“Yeah, I’m definitely not eating anything red for lunch today.”

The two stood in front of a vending machine, sipping their drinks.

Wu Xue looked at her. “But I’m really happy we got assigned together. Let’s work hard these next two months!”

“Yeah, let’s do our best.”

In the distance, another emergency alarm blared, forcing them to abandon their drinks and sprint toward the commotion.

By the time her shift ended, Lin Qile felt like her legs were trembling. She had never rotated through the ER before, it was like a battlefield, filled with sudden, unpredictable tragedies.

For instance, a couple eating hotpot had their pot explode, leaving the wife with burns covering 30% of her body. Or the pregnant woman who had gone out shopping, only to be hit by a drunk driver by the time she reached the hospital, the fetus had already died in the womb.

Overwhelmed by the fragility of life, she couldn’t help but send Rong Jing a text: Life is unpredictable. We have to cherish the present.

Rong Jing called almost immediately. “What’s wrong?”

“Ah, you’re not busy?”

Rong Jing glanced around the conference room, where a dozen pairs of eyes were fixed on her, waiting for the meeting to start.

“Not busy.”

Chen Nan’s temple twitched: Boss Rong, are you seriously not busy right now?

“It’s nothing. Just my first day in the ER, got me thinking, that’s all. When you come home tonight, tell the driver to take it slow.”

“Got it. Are you staying at your mom’s tonight?”

“No, I’ll stop by for a bit and then come back. If you don’t like the food from those restaurants, just grab a snack to tide you over. I’ll cook when I get home.”

The tension in Rong Jing’s expression visibly softened. “Alright, I have a meeting now. Hanging up.”

“Okay.”

After ending the call, Lin Qile started her car and headed to the Lin family villa.

As soon as she arrived, she saw workers measuring the yard and moving materials around, with neatly cut pillars scattered across the lawn.

The villa had already undergone a complete renovation once before everything related to Qi Song had been tossed out but the overall structure hadn’t been altered. Had the recent news triggered another wave of changes?

She hurried over and cautiously asked, “Mom, what’s all this?”

“I’m installing a fountain here.”

Lin Xinrou, wearing a sunhat, directed the workers with authority. “I want it placed right along the midline of that bedroom.”

Lin Qile studied her mother’s expression carefully. She seemed perfectly normal but that could just be a front. She didn’t dare let her guard down.

“Lele, go inside and play with Qiqi. I’ll be done here soon and come find you.”

“Okay.”

The moment she stepped into the villa, a small figure came barreling toward her. “Woof woof~”

A little mutt… in a frilly dress?

She couldn’t hold back a snort of laughter and immediately snapped a photo to send to Rong Jing: Is my mom trying to raise me a little brother now?!

Rong Jing replied instantly: An older brother.

She fired back a string of question marks!

The response came in four words: Qiqi,  Lele.

Checkmate.

She picked up the little dog with one hand. The tiny creature wasn’t shy at all, wagging its tail happily. She walked to the living room and sat down, lifting the puppy up. “My status is already low enough. If you dare steal my place, I’ll have you neutered! Turn you into a eunuch!”

“Woof woof~”

“Still barking? A little male dog like you, wearing a dress with lace, won’t the other dogs laugh at you if you go outside?”

“Lele, don’t bully Qiqi.”

Lin Xinrou walked in and, hearing her complaints, immediately took the puppy’s side.

Two silent tears rolled down her heart.

Sure enough, even her mother, who had always doted on her like she was the apple of her eye, had changed. Love doesn’t disappear, it just shifts.

“I won’t bully him, wouldn’t dare touch your precious darling.”

She set the puppy on the floor, and it happily pounced onto Lin Xinrou.

Lin Xinrou picked up the dog, walked over, and lightly tapped her head. “Are you really jealous?”

“Hmph.”

“Alright, why are you here? Is Xiaojing home alone? Did you two… fight again?”

At the thought, Lin Xinrou’s expression changed, her face full of worry as she said, “She’s pregnant, you should be more accommodating. Besides, Xiaojing is so busy at Lin Corp every day. She’s really exhausted.”

“Mom, Rong Jing and I are fine. Nothing’s wrong. I came specifically to see you. I’ll just sit for a bit and then head back.”

Lin Xinrou looked skeptical. “Really?”

“Absolutely.”

Lin Xinrou sat on the sofa with the puppy in her arms. “But we just saw each other yesterday.”

Wow, since when did the love-struck fool become so sharp? How should she respond?

“Did you come to check if I’d do something stupid again because of Qisong’s wedding?”

Caught off guard, she could only grin sheepishly.

“Lele, Mom really has moved on. Although…” She paused, forcing a bitter smile. “Seeing the news about her wedding still stings a little, but I won’t do anything foolish again. I spent a month at Lin Corp before. I may not have learned much about business, but I saw clearly the damage Qisong caused to the company, the legacy your grandmother worked her whole life to build…”

Lin Xinrou’s voice cracked. She quickly moved closer and hugged her. “Mom.”

“She didn’t spare a shred of sentiment, destroying our family’s foundation with her own hands. If I still held onto feelings for her, I’d be betraying your grandmother.”

“You were deceived by her. As long as you see her for who she really is, Grandma wouldn’t blame you.”

Lin Xinrou sniffled and smiled at her. “I see her now. So I won’t grieve over her wedding. In fact, I’ll attend it openly.”

“Huh?”

Lin Xinrou pulled an invitation from the coffee table. “They sent this.”

“Qisong is utterly shameless!”

She shot to her feet, furious. “How dare she send this to you!”

After cheating, swindling money, and now marrying the other woman, she had the audacity to invite her ex to the wedding? Wasn’t she afraid the guests would remember all the vile things she’d done when they saw Lin Xinrou?

“It probably wasn’t her. It was Ji Qian. After being the other woman for so many years, she’s finally been ‘promoted.’ Of course she’d want to flaunt it in front of me. But it doesn’t matter who sent it, Mom is definitely going to that wedding.”

“You…”

Lin Xinrou smiled at her, “Mom wants them all to know that Qi Song’s betrayal can’t defeat me! Ji Qian thought I wouldn’t dare to go, just to provoke me, but I went anyway. In the end, she’ll be the one who’s upset!”

“Mom!”

She excitedly hugged Lin Xinrou, “It’s so wonderful that you think this way! You should never punish yourself for the wrongs done by bad people. The more they want to defeat you, the more you should show them how well you’re living!”

“Exactly!”

“Mom, I’m so happy.”

Lin Xinrou patted her daughter’s shoulder, feeling a bit embarrassed to admit that this idea wasn’t hers, it was Wei Lan who suggested it.

“If you could remarry Xiao Jing sooner, Mom would be even happier.”

“Uh…”

How did the topic suddenly shift to her? She let go of her mom and awkwardly smiled, “There’s no hurry for that.”

“Why not? She’s already five months pregnant. Haven’t you two made up?”

“Mom, actually we haven’t really made up. With Rong Jing’s personality, she would never let herself be at a disadvantage. She just thinks the child is mine, but I haven’t suffered at all, I just get a child for free, while she’s endured all the hardship alone before telling me about the baby.”

“Ah? But Mom sees you two getting along so well. Xiao Jing doesn’t seem like she has no feelings for you.”

“Mom, our previous marriage was because of the family alliance. Now, she naturally has no reason to stay married to me.”

The thought of this made her inexplicably sad.

It seemed there really wasn’t anything about her that would make Rong Jing want to remarry. Rong Jing was used to being independent and didn’t need to rely on her at all.

The more she thought about it, the more hopeless remarriage seemed.

“Lele!”

Lin Xinrou suddenly called out to her.

She looked up at her.

“Don’t lose heart! Xiao Jing isn’t close to anyone else either. She just goes to work, works overtime, and comes home her life is very monotonous. She doesn’t even have the chance to meet other people. I can vouch for that! You’re the only one she’s close to. Even if she didn’t like you before, work hard and let your daughter win her over! What’s there to fear about not remarrying?”

Lin Qile didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Could it really work like that?

“Alright, Mom is fine here. You hurry home and warm Xiao Jing’s heart with your love. Make her fall for you and never want to leave you!”

Pushed out the door by her mom.

“Go for it, Lele!”

“Okay, I’ll do my best.”

She had no choice but to drive home.

There was a pregnant woman at home who couldn’t take care of herself at all, and she really couldn’t rest easy.

Last time, when she worked overtime, Rong Jing wasn’t feeling well and went to bed without eating. By the time she got home and took Rong Jing’s temperature, it was almost 39°C.

After that, she told the hospital she would comply with all arrangements except overtime because there was a pregnant woman at home. Probably out of respect for her grandfather’s connections, the hospital actually agreed.

Fine, she’d bear the label of a privileged person. Until Rong Jing gave birth, she was willing to accept that title.

When she got home, Rong Jing was sitting on the sofa, munching on bread while watching TV.

Seeing her come in, Rong Jing’s eyes visibly brightened.

At that moment, Lin Qile felt that she was doomed to be hopelessly devoted to this woman for the rest of her life.

“I told you to have a little something to eat, and you just went for bread?”

Rong Jing swallowed a few bites. “Didn’t you buy this for me?”

“Yes, yes, but don’t eat that now. Wait a bit, I’ll cook.”

“How’s your mom doing?”

She shared her mother’s thoughts with Rong Jing, who froze for a few seconds before suddenly laughing. “This decision of your mother’s is very unlike her usual style, but it’s good. Qi Song and Ji Qian are both people who care deeply about face. Her appearance will only reinforce one impression among the wedding guests.”

“What impression?”

“That Ji Qian is a homewrecker who climbed her way up, and Qi Song is a scheming social climber neither of them is any good.”

Her eyes lit up. “Will it really turn out that way? When the Lin family’s troubles happened, it didn’t seem like many people sided with my mom.”

“That’s because there were no shared interests, or Qi Song offered them greater benefits. But benefits won’t last forever. Once those ties are gone, a person with a notorious reputation will become as despised as a rat crossing the street.”

“If the Qi family can sit securely in that position, I’d truly think the heavens have gone blind!”

“They won’t be able to after the wedding.”

She looked at Rong Jing. “What are you planning to do?”

“It’s not what I’m doing, it’s what Rong Wanning is doing. But…” Rong Jing stroked her chin, a strange smile appearing on her face. “I could always add fuel to the fire. That would make things even more interesting.”

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