What to do if I've locked myself in a book! - Chapter 3

In the instant she lifted her head, she was horrified to find that the waiter’s face had changed into another unfamiliar one. A chill ran up Ling Qianqian’s spine. Before she could ask anything, he had already turned and faded from her sight. When she tried to look at the card again, her hand was empty—the card had vanished the moment she looked up, as if it had never existed.

She glanced at Cheng Ye, who was no longer looking at her, then edged closer and lowered her voice nervously. “Did you see that? That waiter’s face just now seemed to… change…”

Cheng Ye frowned and couldn’t help a sarcastic reply,

“What makes you think human features can change in an instant?”

“Is it possible that the first glance was one person, and the next glance another…” She trailed off, suddenly noticing the way he looked at her, like a doctor looking at a patient. Embarrassment washed over her.

“Sorry—maybe it’s just too cold. I’m talking nonsense…”

He didn’t respond. He took out his phone and looked down at it, though out of the corner of his eye he kept an eye on her.

Everything about this woman—from her clothes to her behavior—made no sense. How did she even get into the reception? He hadn’t seen her in the banquet hall earlier.

What was strangest was the unexplainable sense of familiarity he felt after meeting her, a feeling that they had known each other for a long time. It lingered, impossible to shake.

Just then—crack! A sudden clap of thunder split the night without warning, and heavy rain poured down.

The back of her head went cold as fat raindrops soaked her clothes.

“The weather will change.”

Just like the message said, the weather really did change abruptly.

“It really changed…”

She muttered, lifting her head and feeling the icy rain pierce her clothes. She felt lost and uneasy.

Seeing her standing foolishly in the rain, the man finally couldn’t stand it. He reacted quickly, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her into the hall.

Inside, the lavish banquet hall was full of clinking glasses and warm air from the heaters. The reception continued as usual. The laughing guests seemed completely unaffected by the strange weather outside.

She remembered this scene—it was from her novel, the first meeting between the female lead and Cheng Ye. When the two clinked glasses at the bar, the second male lead would appear at just the right time to stir things up and push the plot forward.

What did “act immediately” on the card mean?

Had she really entered her own book? And was she supposed to be led around by someone using her own pen name?

No matter what, doing something was better than waiting helplessly. With that thought, she took the initiative and asked Cheng Ye, “Excuse me, where’s the bar?”

“Over there.”

Cheng Ye was heading to the bar himself. Ling Qianqian followed his tall figure through the dance floor. Her odd outfit drew many strange looks. Unusual clothing wasn’t rare, but wearing such a thin nightgown in late autumn—barefoot—among guests in formal attire was extremely out of place.

Even more attention came from the moment Cheng Ye dragged her in from the terrace by the wrist. The eldest son of the Cheng family was known for keeping women at a distance. The fact that he had brought in such a beauty naturally sparked quiet gossip.

Cheng Ye sat down at the bar and ordered a drink. His gaze drifted aimlessly toward the window, yet he couldn’t help watching Ling Qianqian’s every move.

Where had he seen her before? Did they really know each other?

The indoor lights were painfully bright. She felt dazed and unsteady as she stumbled toward the bar. The wooden floor was ice-cold. She was still in a thin robe and had been soaked by rain. The discomfort hit her all at once.

Just as her head spun and she nearly fell, a strong arm tightened around her waist from behind, steadying her.