What to do if I've locked myself in a book! - Chapter 19

The man was tall and well built, with a refined, clean temperament. Broad shoulders, narrow hips, an excellent physique—about the same height as Cheng Ye, but a bit leaner.

His jet-black hair fell in soft, broken strands over his forehead. His brows and eyes were long and elegant. Beneath fluttering lashes were clear, transparent eyes that seemed untouched by the mundane world. A pair of delicate, rimless glasses rested on his straight, sharp nose, adding a scholarly air—but it was more like a disguise. They were plain lenses with no prescription. His eyesight was excellent, and he usually wore them only at business occasions. According to him, glasses made people seem more trustworthy, since in many people’s stereotypes, glasses and refinement always went together.

He wore a loose black crew-neck knit top, the fabric threaded with subtle lambskin-like patterns, and slim light-gray trousers that revealed his ankles, paired with white slip-on casual shoes.

A faint smile rested on his thin lips. He held a cloth document folder at his side. His posture was calm and elegant; even standing there without speaking, he gave off the impression of excellent upbringing. Around him lingered a gentle yet distant, almost otherworldly aura.

He was not a character from her novel.

He was Bai Yiyan.

A man who should not be here.

“Qianqian?”

The moment their eyes met, Bai Yiyan recognized her at once.

An incredulous look froze on Ling Qianqian’s face. She cleared her throat and asked tentatively, “…A-Yan?”

Impossible. Until now, whether it was Cheng Ye or Ye Xize, they had only resembled people from reality. But Bai Yiyan—his name, his face, his clothes, even his presence—were exactly the same as the real person. And she had never written him into her novel.

“Oh? Miss Ling knows Professor Bai?”

Cheng’s mother asked, but Ling Qianqian was still stunned.

At that moment, the long-absent prompt appeared again before her eyes: [Link arms with Bai Yiyan and pretend to be his girlfriend.]

She was still in shock. The glowing words vanished, but her thoughts were a tangled mess. She could not understand how Bai Yiyan had appeared here.

The air froze for several seconds. Then, like a bolt from a clear sky, thunder split the heavens. Dark clouds rolled in as strange weather returned once more.

People cried out in surprise, their attention turning to the windows. Guests chatting on the terrace hurried inside to avoid the rain.

“Mom, I’ll leave first with Qianqian.”

“The weather’s turned bad. Wait until the rain stops. Zhixin still has something to say to you.”

In broad daylight, the afternoon had been swallowed by darkness. Someone shouted that hail had started falling; flowers and trees in the garden were being smashed.

Ling Qianqian took a deep breath and steadied herself. She politely slipped out of Cheng Ye’s arm. “Mr. Cheng, let’s stop acting.”

Cheng Ye froze. Then she took a few steps to Bai Yiyan’s side, linked her arm through his, and leaned against his shoulder. “Actually, A-Yan is my boyfriend.”

A delicate citrus scent drifted from him—clean and fresh, like mountain snowwater, gentle and reassuring. Nervously, she glanced at Bai Yiyan, unsure how he would react to such a sudden move, or whether pretending to be his girlfriend would anger him.

At the same time, she couldn’t help glancing at Cheng Ye’s abruptly changed expression, feeling a little sorry—but she had no other choice.

If she didn’t do this, what followed might be far worse than hail or a minor quake.

As soon as her words fell, the wildly changing weather stopped just as dramatically. Clouds parted, the sky cleared, and sunlight returned.

People muttered that the weather was truly bizarre.

Cheng Ye’s face, however, turned ashen. For a moment, he could not speak.

Seeing the change in her son’s expression, Cheng’s mother tried to ease the situation. “So Miss Ling is Professor Bai’s girlfriend? Why have we never heard you mention it, Professor Bai?”

Bai Yiyan smiled lightly and answered smoothly, “Qianqian didn’t want to make our relationship public. Out of respect for her, I didn’t bring it up.”

She hadn’t even had time to admire his quick thinking when, out of the corner of her eye, Cheng Ye already seemed to be radiating cold anger.

“You two really seem close. You look very well matched,” Cheng’s mother said happily. Knowing Ling Qianqian was already taken put her at ease, and Su Zhixin was clearly relieved as well.

But Cheng Ye couldn’t bear to watch any longer. It felt as if a heavy stone was pressing on his chest, making it hard to breathe. Their display of intimacy made his teeth ache with jealousy.

“To have Professor Bai write a book for our family is truly an honor. Since you’ll be staying for a month, Miss Ling might as well move into the guest estate with Professor Bai. There’s plenty of space, and it’s quiet. My husband has many rules and doesn’t allow materials to be taken out. I couldn’t bear to separate you young lovers for a whole month.”

“That depends on whether Qianqian is willing,” Bai Yiyan said, leaving the decision to her.

She had stayed at his place before when she worked as his assistant. And now she had no money at all—if she refused, she would probably have to return to Cheng Ye’s house.

Cheng Ye’s gaze stayed fixed on Ling Qianqian, waiting for her answer.

“That’s fine. I used to be A-Yan’s assistant, so I can help him.”

“Then it’s settled. You really are a perfect match.”

The scene struck Cheng Ye like a blow to the head, leaving his scalp numb. Speechless, he turned on his heel and strode away.

“A-Ye, where are you going? A-Ye! Zhixin still has something to say to you!”