TNSFC – Chapter 2

Que Yining went to the bathroom to take a shower. Her body seemed to instinctively know where things were, without her needing to think.

The woman in the mirror had striking features. Steam misted the corners of her eyes, creating her usual alluring charm.

Que Yining pinched the bridge of her nose. More than the initial interest from learning she had been reborn and transmigrated into a book, she felt confusion.

Why was she here, and where had the original soul of this body gone?

However, these questions couldn’t be answered immediately. Que Yining sat before the dressing table, planning to go to ‘Chun Chao’ for her appointment.

Que Yining had always been a person who did as she pleased. After dying once, she indulged her whims even more.

Anyway, she knew nothing right now, so she might as well take things one step at a time.

The original owner probably wasn’t very good at makeup. Although the dressing table was filled with expensive skincare products and cosmetics, most of them were untouched. Seeing the commonly used eyeshadow palettes, Que Yining set them aside and applied a light, everyday makeup look.

It was winter outside. Que Yining chose clothes she found pleasing to the eye and pushed open the door.

The room was on the third floor. The hallway lights were on. Que Yining looked down and saw a dead silence,

A small lamp was lit on the first floor, but it was empty.

Memory told Que Yining that Butler Chen should be reading in the living room at this time.

As Que Yining walked downstairs, she happened to see Butler Chen coming out of the restroom at the foot of the first-floor stairs.

Butler Chen was a rather serious man around forty years old. When he saw Que Yining, he paused for a moment, then nodded slightly at her.

“Miss, are you going out?”

Que Yining bent down to pick out high heels from the shoe cabinet while replying, “Yes, arrange a car for me.”

Que Yining naturally noticed Butler Chen’s surprise. Perhaps it was because she was different from the original owner’s usual self. In any case, she didn’t know what the original owner was like, nor did she intend to act the part.

She wasn’t afraid of people noticing. So what if they realized the person inside the body was different? Que Yining couldn’t bring herself to act cautiously.

Butler Chen: “Alright, I’ll go call the driver right away.”

Que Yining chose a pair of high heels she liked, picked up her small bag, and got into the car.

The driver’s name was Wang Lu, and he had a very likable smile.

Que Yining felt like she was playing an exploratory game, corresponding memories surfacing in her mind.

Wang Lu had been driving for the original owner for two years and was quite favored by her. He always chauffeured the original owner, so he was very familiar with her daily routine.

Wang Lu: “Miss, where are we going today?”

Que Yining: “Chun Chao.”

Wang Lu: “Alright.”

Wang Lu started the car, turned on the Bluetooth music, and played the songs Que Yining usually listened to.

The heavy metal rock music made Que Yining’s brow twitch. She frowned. “Change it. I want something quieter.”

Wang Lu: “Oh, oh, okay.”

Wang Lu changed the music, feeling somewhat surprised, and secretly glanced at his employer in the rearview mirror.

He had been with Que Yining for quite some time and knew that this young lady liked rock music. The song he had just played was practically her anthem for going out and having fun. Why was she annoyed by it this time?

But Wang Lu didn’t dare to ask. He could only grumble inwardly that perhaps the young lady was in a bad mood today and wasn’t her usual self.

The rock music instantly changed to soothing instrumental music. Que Yining’s expression relaxed, and she leaned back in her seat, looking out at the long night through the car window.

The car arrived outside the Chun Chao club. Wang Lu didn’t intend to go to the parking lot; he waited for Que Yining to get out, and then he would be on standby.

The winter night wind was strong. When Que Yining got out of the car, she shivered slightly from the cold wind, her breath forming white mist that dispersed in the light.

Wang Lu: “Miss, don’t drink too much. I’ll be waiting for your call anytime.”

Que Yining waved at him and walked into Chun Chao.

As soon as Que Yining stepped inside, a handsome, long-legged man in the club’s uniform approached and greeted her.

“Miss Yining, Miss Qiao is waiting for you on the fourth floor. I’ll take you up.”

Que Yining didn’t recognize him but nodded, watching the numbers on the elevator display climb.

The attendant smiled and said, “Miss Yining, your makeup looks especially beautiful today, and your perfume smells wonderful.”

Que Yining hadn’t worn any perfume today and had no intention of playing along with his little ploy. She gave him a noncommittal glance and walked out when the elevator doors opened.

Even though his little trick was seen through, the attendant’s smile didn’t falter. He led Que Yining to the private room Qiao Yuchu had mentioned.

The private room was rather dark. Que Yining glanced around and saw only seven or eight people seated.

“Yo, Eldest Miss Que has arrived! Welcome, welcome!”

A teasing male voice came from the right. Que Yining responded nonchalantly. The names of these people surfaced in her mind one by one. She realized Qiao Yuchu, who had invited her, wasn’t there, so she casually found a seat.

Everyone was used to Que Yining’s silent demeanor. In fact, apart from Bian Ji’an who had greeted her, everyone else just glanced at her and then looked away.

Que Yining noticed this but didn’t care, busy processing the information that had just come to her mind.

Lu Su City was a municipality directly under the central government and was very well-developed. There were many wealthy families, big and small, who interacted with each other, resulting in many social circles. The younger generation also had their own circles, automatically divided, with like-minded people sticking together.

Tonight’s gathering was pretty much a room full of her usual crowd of wealthy, pleasure-seeking acquaintances. All the young masters and misses present were from well-off families, regulars at the club who only knew how to enjoy themselves.

Que Yining was very familiar with these things. After all, she had grown up in this kind of environment and navigated it like a fish in water.

Thinking about how her great revenge from her past life had been achieved, an obvious look of pleasure appeared on Que Yining’s face.

The girl sitting in the main seat looked at Que Yining and suddenly spoke, “Yining Jiejie seems to be in a good mood.”

Hearing this, Que Yining looked towards the speaker. The girl was wearing a white winter dress embroidered with orchids, which didn’t look bulky even in winter. Paired with her pretty face, she had a pure, pitiable charm, like a delicate flower that outshines others and reflects beautifully in water,

The “little white lotus” Qiao Yuchu had mentioned, the host of tonight’s welcome dinner, Gu Qianqian.

Although Que Yining hadn’t read the book, she could guess that if Gu Shanxue was the female lead, then this illegitimate daughter must be some kind of supporting female character.

She had no feelings for women who put on such a pitiful act and simply waited for what Gu Qianqian would say next.

Gu Qianqian’s face was full of admiration. “Jiejie, your makeup looks so good today too! Did you specially find a makeup artist because you were coming to the banquet? Yining Jiejie, you’re so thoughtful. Maybe you’ll even outshine my sister later.”

When Gu Qianqian said this, everyone present turned their gazes towards Que Yining.

“It really is beautiful. Eldest Miss Yining, your looks have certainly improved!”

Bian Ji’an immediately looked over upon hearing this. After a careful look, he praised her. He was the most straightforward one, the first to greet Que Yining just now.

Que Yining leaned back on the sofa and said with a smile, “It’s hard to say if I’m better than your sister, but I’m more than enough to outshine you.”

The little white lotus’s words were laden with hidden meaning. It seemed like praise, but wasn’t it implying that she had deliberately schemed to steal the spotlight at someone else’s welcome dinner, and also subtly disparaged Gu Shanxue, who hadn’t even appeared yet?

Que Yining had seen plenty of “needles hidden in cotton” and retorted without any politeness.

The young man sitting next to Gu Qianqian sat up straight and said jokingly, “Que Yining, you’re really getting more and more confident.”

Que Yining looked languid. “Just stating facts.”

Gu Qianqian felt a bit embarrassed and gritted her teeth, wondering why Que Yining had changed her tune. Previously, if she had heard such flattery, she would have been over the moon and agreed. Why was she firing back today?

“Yining Jiejie is right. Compared to you, I’m just a little star next to the moonlight.”

Gu Qianqian pretended to agree, her lip-biting appearance looking especially pitiful in the light.

The young man next to her frowned. “Qianqian, don’t belittle yourself like that. Not everyone is worthy of you demeaning yourself for.”

The speaker was the Wang family’s third young master, Wang Ruiyuan, Gu Qianqian’s suitor. However, Gu Qianqian called him her “god-brother,” clearly friend-zoning him.

Que Yining wasn’t annoyed by this and simply called out Bian Ji’an’s name loudly.

“Ji’an, have you seen Xiao Qiao?”

Bian Ji’an: “She probably went to the restroom.”

Que Yining: “That’s a real shame. I wanted to share something I saw on the way here with her.”

Bian Ji’an became interested. “What was it?”

Que Yining: “Just now on the road, I saw a withered lotus flower in the river. A dog insisted on sticking its head out to lick it, then fell into the river and drowned. The dog’s owner was very sad and said, ‘Simps really do meet bad ends.’”

Que Yining’s tone was full of regret, but Bian Ji’an burst out laughing, “Pfft, hahahahaha.”

Others in the room couldn’t help but shake their shoulders, trying to suppress their laughter. Que Yining’s mockery was too obvious, as if she was afraid people wouldn’t understand.

Wang Ruiyuan stood up. “Que Yining, what do you mean by that?”

Que Yining’s lips curved. “Yo, Young Master Wang, you’re so hot-tempered today. How did my story make you angry? Wasn’t it funny?”

Que Yining: “If you’re that angry, I suggest you learn from that dog and go for a swim in the river.”

Wang Ruiyuan wanted to flare up again but was stopped by others.

“Alright, alright, isn’t this Qianqian’s welcome party for her sister today? Don’t you two start fighting, okay? We’re all friends here. Come, have a drink, have a drink.”

Someone pushed a drink in front of Que Yining. She drank it generously, and Wang Ruiyuan had no choice but to drink his as well.

The atmosphere livened up again. A few people had already called over hostesses to sit and cuddle with them. Que Yining, however, was looking at news from this world on her phone.

A few minutes later, the door to the private room was pushed open.

Everyone thought it was Qiao Yuchu returning from the restroom. It wasn’t until Gu Qianqian spoke that they realized the guest of honor for the welcome dinner had arrived.

Gu Qianqian: “Jiejie, you’re here! I thought you weren’t willing to come.”

Actually, Que Yining was the first to see the woman at the door. When she saw her, her gaze fixed on her and didn’t move.

The woman leaning against the door was strikingly beautiful. She wore a black trench coat, and her eyes held a cool detachment, as if she were a flower blooming on a thousand icy lakes or a snowy, precipitous cliff, untouched by the mortal world.

This appearance was exactly to Que Yining’s liking.