The moment she saw Ning Jia, Cen Lingqiu was stunned for an instant.
She couldn’t understand how someone who was supposed to have died by falling into the sea in the story could still appear in reality.
According to the plot, Ning Jia, as the male lead’s “White Moonlight,” had no further part in the story after her accidental death at sea. It could be said that Ning Jia was an insignificant character, and Cen Lingqiu had completely forgotten she even existed.
And now, this person who should not exist had abruptly appeared before her, which was utterly baffling.
Cen Lingqiu asked the System.
The System couldn’t detect anything either.
“What’s wrong?” Ning Jia sat across from Cen Lingqiu, propping her chin on her hand and smiling. “Are you surprised to see me alive?”
Cen Lingqiu looked at her calmly, saying nothing.
Ning Jia’s eyes were very similar to Yu Mingjiao’s, except she loved to smile, so her eyes were always curved. “I was lucky. Someone saved me, but my health wasn’t good, so I had to recuperate for a long time. I’ve only been able to go out recently.”
The moment Yu Mingjiao saw Ning Jia, a profound sense of crisis washed over her.
Her entanglements with Cen Lingqiu and Lin Dong all stemmed from this woman. A series of painful events had been triggered simply because she bore a slight resemblance to her.
She didn’t know Ning Jia, but a large part of her suffering did indeed originate from this woman.
She knew how important this woman was to Lin Dong, and she also knew she was Lin Qiu’s dearest friend, that she was important to Lin Qiu.
Now that she had appeared before them again, Yu Mingjiao couldn’t help but feel uneasy.
She was afraid Cen Lingqiu’s attention would be drawn to her. She didn’t like having another person by Cen Lingqiu’s side. She was selfish and despicable, having wished more than once that Cen Lingqiu had no one beside her but herself.
She had thought she’d dealt with that clingy dog, He Hanzhou, but why had another person appeared?
Why were there always so many disgusting insects around her?
So disgusting.
So infuriating.
If she could walk now, if she could run like a normal person, she would definitely grab Cen Lingqiu’s hand and run away from this place teeming with insects.
But she was just a cripple in a wheelchair, unable to pull Cen Lingqiu away.
Yu Mingjiao looked at Ning Jia’s eyes, her fingers digging fiercely into her palm.
She loathed this woman.
This woman made her very uncomfortable. Yu Mingjiao didn’t sense any so-called friendliness between friends from her, only a deeply hidden danger.
She instinctively rejected Ning Jia.
In front of Ning Jia, Yu Mingjiao grasped Cen Lingqiu’s hand and said in a low voice, “I’m tired. I want to go back.”
Only then did Ning Jia notice her. “You are—”
“Ah.” Ning Jia remembered something. “Your name is Yu Mingjiao, right? You’re so beautiful, not like me at all.”
She spoke more bluntly than Yu Mingjiao. “I have no idea how they could have been so blind as to mistake you for me.”
Yu Mingjiao’s expression was gloomy. She stared at her sinisterly, not saying a word.
Her icy expression even frightened Yu Sui’an, who shrank beside the three older women, feeling increasingly timid.
Ning Jia covered her lips. “Why are you looking at me like that? This seems to be our first time meeting, right? Oh, was it because my words just now hurt your feelings? I’m so sorry, I—”
“Ning Jia.” Cen Lingqiu’s tone was faint as she interrupted her. She didn’t know why Ning Jia was still alive, and she wasn’t interested in this character. As long as it didn’t affect her, she didn’t care, but she couldn’t allow Ning Jia to speak ill of Yu Mingjiao.
“It’s good that you’re alive. From now on, just live well.” Cen Lingqiu stood up. She didn’t want Yu Mingjiao and Ning Jia to be together. Holding onto Yu Mingjiao’s wheelchair, she said in a distant tone, “Let’s talk later. I have something to do, so I’ll be leaving first. Goodbye.”
“Alright.” Ning Jia’s smile was bright. “We’ll see each other again soon, Lin Qiu. It’s been a long time since we went drinking together. Let’s go together next time.”
Cen Lingqiu gave a perfunctory “mhm,” nodded at Ning Jia, and pushed Yu Mingjiao forward. Yu Sui’an followed along.
Yu Mingjiao suddenly turned her head slightly, her gaze meeting Ning Jia’s behind her.
Ning Jia’s eyes curved as she gave her a light wink, looking every bit the bright and easygoing older sister.
The more brilliantly she smiled, the more Yu Mingjiao felt her smile was fake, creating a strong sense of contradictory fragmentation about her.
Yu Mingjiao especially, intensely disliked this woman.
As the group walked towards the parking area, Yu Mingjiao saw that Yu Sui’an was still following her and spoke impatiently, “Go back.”
Yu Sui’an tried to protest. “Sis, can’t you let me stay with you a little longer?”
Yu Mingjiao was extremely annoyed. Ning Jia’s appearance had made her feel uneasy again, and she was in no mood to deal with Yu Sui’an. “I don’t want to say it a second time.”
“Sis…”
“You should head back first.” As the atmosphere grew tense, Cen Lingqiu spoke up. “Your sister is tired. I’m taking her back to rest.”
Yu Sui’an pouted. “Alright then. Big Sis Lin Qiu, you have to take good care of my sister for me. Don’t… be like you were in the past.”
Cen Lingqiu smiled. “We’re leaving.”
She lifted Yu Mingjiao into the car, waved at Yu Sui’an, and drove away.
Yu Mingjiao was quiet the entire way. Although she had always been silent and not one for conversation, this silence was stiff and cold, wrapped in a kind of suppression.
Cen Lingqiu couldn’t quite guess the reason for her temper. It wasn’t easy to talk while driving, so she could only wait until they returned to the guesthouse.
As soon as they returned to the room, the little kitten clung to Cen Lingqiu. Cen Lingqiu petted it for a while before putting it down.
The heating was on in the room, making it very warm. Cen Lingqiu took off her overcoat and drank some water. Just as she was about to turn and ask Yu Mingjiao if she wanted a drink, she felt arms wrap around her waist.
Cen Lingqiu froze for a moment, then turned around and soothingly stroked her long hair, asking the question she hadn’t asked in the car. “Tell me, what are you unhappy about this time?”
Yu Mingjiao buried her face in her waist, silent.
Just when Cen Lingqiu thought she would remain silent, Yu Mingjiao finally spoke.
“Will you abandon me?”
Cen Lingqiu frowned slightly. “Why would you say that?”
“She’s back. Your most important friend is back. You’re going to leave me, aren’t you?” Yu Mingjiao’s tone was both awkward and aggrieved. “In the beginning, you hated me because of her. What about now? Do you still hate me?”
Cen Lingqiu was helpless. “There’s no reason for that, Jiao Jiao. It’s completely illogical. I won’t hate you.”
Yu Mingjiao lifted her head and stared straight at her. “I am an important person to you, right?”
“I’m different from Ning Jia.”
Yu Mingjiao didn’t dare to blink for a single second, afraid of missing Cen Lingqiu’s reaction.
Say I’m important to you.
Say you don’t hate me.
Say you won’t abandon me.
You won’t leave me, won’t ignore me, won’t neglect me.
Say you won’t stop caring about me because of anyone else.
No matter who it is.
I must be the most important person to you.
Yu Mingjiao prayed frantically to her in her heart.
Cen Lingqiu’s lips curved up, and she pinched her cheek. “So this is what you’ve been angry about the whole way here.”
Yu Mingjiao held onto her tightly, her tone filled with extreme unease. “Answer me.”
“Mhm.”
“You are an important person to me.”
Cen Lingqiu responded to her anxiety sincerely, in a calm and serious tone.
Having received the answer she wanted, Yu Mingjiao’s mood finally eased a little.
She asked, “Why did Ning Jia show up here?”
In her memory, Ning Jia had died long ago after falling into the sea. Back then, Lin Dong had searched for her for a long time without finding her body. The young master of the Lin family had expended great effort for a woman, and only after failing to find her did he accept her death. He used her belongings to erect an empty monument and mourned her daily. This matter had spread far and wide.
Cen Lingqiu couldn’t answer this question either.
In the plot, Ning Jia had boarded the same yacht as the male lead. The male lead got drunk and proposed to her. Ning Jia refused, and during their argument, she accidentally fell into the sea. The male lead wanted to jump in to save her but was held back. And just like that, Ning Jia died, her body never found.
Even the System couldn’t explain the reason.
Cen Lingqiu thought this might be a bug. Every world would occasionally have bugs that deviated from the plot, whether they were people or objects. It was just that the probability was very low. Having done this for so long, Cen Lingqiu had rarely encountered such a situation.
She just didn’t know if this bug, Ning Jia, would affect the plot.
Cen Lingqiu thought of something and couldn’t help but laugh mockingly in her heart.
She had forgotten that this world no longer had a plot. The female lead’s feelings for the male lead seemed to have all fallen upon her instead.
If the System found out, it would probably kill her.
But matters of emotion were never controlled by anyone. If she could, Cen Lingqiu would have liked to be more ruthless towards Yu Mingjiao. That way, she could leave this world at any time and wouldn’t be so indecisive, hesitantly handling the secret, distorted feelings between her and Yu Mingjiao.
Cen Lingqiu wasn’t too concerned about the unexpected appearance of Ning Jia. Her heart was already a complete mess because of Yu Mingjiao alone; there was no space left to ponder an irrelevant person.
“If you don’t like her, then stay away from her in the future,” Cen Lingqiu said. “She’s an irrelevant person, no need to pay her too much mind.”
Yu Mingjiao pressed her cheek against Cen Lingqiu’s waist, sensing her unique scent. Her eyes were dark and gloomy as she said forcefully, “You stay away from her too. I don’t like her.”
Cen Lingqiu treated it as another one of her childish, possessive tantrums and habitually went along with her. “Mhm, mhm, mhm, I’ll try my best.”
“It must be a must.”
“Mhm, a must.”
Wen Zhi had a family matter to attend to and went back that same evening. Once she left, the two people who had come with her also departed. Because Yu Mingjiao wasn’t feeling well and it wasn’t good for her to travel, Cen Lingqiu decided to stay here for one more day.
Yu Mingjiao was suffering from dysmenorrhea. Her health was poor; years of malnutrition and mistreating her body had left her with a host of physical ailments, and painful periods were one of them.
The pain caused cold sweat to stream down her face. She even kept dry-heaving, throwing up anything she ate, and her small face grew even paler.
Seeing her in so much pain, Cen Lingqiu prepared to go out and buy her some painkillers. As she passed through the back garden, she saw that middle-aged woman again, but this time, a woman with curly pink hair was standing beside her. The two were talking about something.
The pink-haired woman heard the sound behind her and turned around. Seeing who it was, she waved and said something to the middle-aged woman before running over to her.
“Lin Qiu.” Ning Jia stood with her hands behind her back, smiling as she asked, “I told you we’d meet again, didn’t I?”
Cen Lingqiu was anxious and had no time to exchange pleasantries with an old friend. She grunted in acknowledgment and started to walk away.
“Hey—” Ning Jia grabbed her. “What are you going to do?”
Cen Lingqiu’s tone was flat and cold, suppressing her anxiety. “I have something to do. I’m leaving.”
Ning Jia didn’t let her go. “Oh, come on, tell me. Aren’t we friends? If you tell me, maybe I can help.”
Cen Lingqiu didn’t want to delay. To prevent her from clinging, she said, “I’m buying painkillers.”
“Where does it hurt?”
“Not me, Jiao Jiao.”
“Jiao Jiao?”
“Yu Mingjiao.” Cen Lingqiu pulled her hand back, ending the conversation. “I’m leaving.”
Ning Jia grabbed her again. “There are no pharmacies nearby. The only one went back to their hometown for the New Year.”
Cen Lingqiu frowned.
“I think the guesthouse owner has a lot of medicine stocked up. He should have painkillers,” Ning Jia said. “I happen to know him. I’ll take you.”
Cen Lingqiu’s only thought was to quickly alleviate Yu Mingjiao’s pain, so she didn’t refuse.
“Uncle Yuan.” Ning Jia led her to a room. A man was reading at a desk. He looked up at the sound and smiled. “Xiao Ning, what is it?”
“My friend would like to borrow some medicine from you,” Ning Jia said with a smile.
“It’s in the room inside. You can take her there.”
“Okay.”
Ning Jia led Cen Lingqiu to the adjacent room. The space wasn’t large, and the walls were covered with photos of a young girl.
“This is Uncle Yuan’s daughter.” Ning Jia’s tone was unreadable. “She used to be a fairly famous game illustrator online. Later, she unfortunately died by jumping into a river.”
She turned around and asked casually, “Do you know her?”
Cen Lingqiu had no memory of this girl in her mind and shook her head. “No.”
“Where’s the medicine?” That was her only concern.
Ning Jia stared at her for a few seconds, her eyes dark and gloomy. Then she blinked, smiled, and took out a box of medicine. “Here it is.”
“Take it.”
“Thanks,” Cen Lingqiu said. “I’ll thank you properly another day.”
Ning Jia winked playfully. “Do we need to be so polite with each other?”
Cen Lingqiu took the medicine and left immediately. Ning Jia didn’t leave, but stayed in the room for a long time.
After taking the medicine, Yu Mingjiao’s pain finally subsided a little. Her face was deathly pale, her eyes were red-rimmed, and she lay listlessly and weakly on Cen Lingqiu’s lap, covered with a thick blanket, unable to speak.
Cen Lingqiu looked at her with heartache, gently poking her cheek. “You really have so many ailments.”
Yu Mingjiao was too weak to say a word, merely curling into a ball, her eyelids drooping listlessly.
Cen Lingqiu said absently, as if to herself, “What am I to do with someone so fragile?”
She had no legs and couldn’t walk like a normal person. She had so many illnesses, like a fragile mermaid princess, on the verge of collapse with every move.
Yu Mingjiao was a pitiful kitten that needed to be cared for at all times.
If she left, who could take proper care of her?
She always felt that besides herself, no one else could take good care of her.
The short trip ended, and Cen Lingqiu and Yu Mingjiao returned to their normal work lives. However, this ordinary life had changed slightly with the appearance of Ning Jia.
Ning Jia was always asking Cen Lingqiu out, sometimes for a meal, sometimes to a bar for a drink. Cen Lingqiu didn’t like interacting with people she wasn’t familiar with. Ning Jia was close to the original owner, but that didn’t mean she was close to Ning Jia as well.
She no longer wanted to build relationships with the people of this world. Yu Mingjiao alone was already enough to trouble her.
Especially since the System had told her these past few days that the mission was about to be completed. She had already delayed in this world for too long and couldn’t stay any longer. It told her to prepare to end the mission.
Cen Lingqiu was so distressed she couldn’t put it into words.
She simply didn’t have the courage to bring this up with Yu Mingjiao.
Her mind was in a complete mess, and she was in no mood to accept Ning Jia’s invitations, so she refused them all.
Ning Jia seemed to have noticed.
As Cen Lingqiu was driving home after work, a car suddenly stopped in front of her. It rained a lot in Lan City during winter, and it had been raining for the past few days.
In the curtain of rain, a car suddenly stopping in front of her subconsciously reminded her of the car accident six months ago. Cen Lingqiu’s heart skipped a beat.
The next second, Ning Jia got out holding an umbrella, knocked on her car window, and curved her eyes into a smile. “I saw a familiar license plate and thought it might be you. And it really is.”
Cen Lingqiu was somewhat displeased by her sudden appearance, and her tone was a bit cold. “Is something the matter?”
“I’ve invited you out so many times, but you haven’t accepted even once.” Ning Jia was a little unhappy. “Didn’t you say you wanted to repay my favor? Then have dinner with me tonight.”
Cen Lingqiu had argued with Yu Mingjiao that morning. The reason was that a male client had suddenly called her, inviting her out for a meal with a group of industry elites.
When Yu Mingjiao heard this, she started to lose her mind, asking if her recent absentmindedness was because she had found someone else to care about. Cen Lingqiu explained that the male client was just repaying a favor, that he was a married man who loved his wife, and that he had invited other women as well. It was just a simple networking dinner.
Yu Mingjiao was sensitive and suspicious, constantly questioning her about the details and sharply demanding to know why she hadn’t been paying attention to her lately.
Cen Lingqiu felt wronged. Her mind was just in turmoil, and she couldn’t think of a solution, so her thoughts inevitably drifted.
No matter what she said, Yu Mingjiao still didn’t believe her.
She was too insecure and overly possessive, as if the two of them were really in a relationship, having the kind of arguments that only couples have.
Even though they had both hidden their feelings.
Cen Lingqiu was mentally exhausted. In the end, she didn’t go, but the two of them were in a state of argument, and hadn’t sent each other any messages since.
For a moment, she didn’t know how to face Yu Mingjiao when she got back. In any case, today was a day Yu Mingjiao was working overtime. It would be the same if she had dinner and then went to pick Yu Mingjiao up from work.
The main issue was that Ning Jia was blocking the middle of the road, giving off an air that she wouldn’t move unless she agreed.
The rain was heavy, and Ning Jia’s clothes were about to get soaked.
So, Cen Lingqiu had no choice but to agree.
The two went to a nearby Cantonese restaurant. Ning Jia sipped her water and slowly chatted with her.
“You seem to be doing very well, Lin Qiu,” Ning Jia said with a beaming smile.
“Do I?”
Cen Lingqiu was nonchalant. She still disliked eating at a table. With the exception of Yu Mingjiao, if there was anyone else at the table, she wouldn’t touch her chopsticks. Only with Yu Mingjiao could this strange habit be changed.
“Of course.” Ning Jia looked at her, her eyes deep. “You look like you’re doing much better than anyone else. Even after the car accident, you’re very healthy.”
For some reason, Cen Lingqiu felt her tone was strange.
They had booked a private room where the heating was strong. Ning Jia, being somewhat sensitive to the heat, took off her overcoat, wearing only a loose sweater underneath. As she moved, the sweater sleeve stretched upwards, and Cen Lingqiu noticed several deep needle marks on her arm, some of which were bruised.
“You too,” Cen Lingqiu said, retracting her gaze.
“Me?” Ning Jia laughed inexplicably, a few “ha-ha-has” escaping her. “Lin Qiu, you’ve changed a lot.”
Cen Lingqiu grunted in response.
“It’s really great, Lin Qiu.” Ning Jia suddenly sighed, her tone long and drawn out. “You’re so fortunate. You have a family, you’re healthy, and you have a woman who likes you by your side.”
Cen Lingqiu’s eyelids twitched, and she looked at her.
Ning Jia smiled. “Am I wrong? That girl, Yu Mingjiao, isn’t she in love with you? She seems to rely on you a lot.”
“Because we’re good friends, it’s normal to like each other.” Cen Lingqiu knew how distorted and strange Yu Mingjiao’s feelings were in this world. She didn’t want Yu Mingjiao to endure such scrutiny, so she tried to cover it up.
Ning Jia smiled meaningfully. “Is that so?”
“You like her quite a bit too, don’t you,” Ning Jia asked.
Cen Lingqiu didn’t deny it. “Yes.”
“So direct.” Ning Jia clicked her tongue a few times. “You know, in the past, no one could catch your eye. I thought you’d never like anyone in your life.”
“People change.”
Just then, a waiter brought a bowl of pigeon soup. As he was about to place it on the table, his foot tripped on something. The waiter couldn’t hold on, and since he was very close to Cen Lingqiu, the entire large bowl of soup spilled all over her.
She was wearing a white turtleneck sweater under her long coat, and the spill instantly made it filthy, even soaking through to her skin.
She was a complete mess.
The waiter kept apologizing.
Ning Jia said, “You can’t wear that anymore. My place is nearby, just a few minutes’ walk. Go to my place and change.”
Cen Lingqiu looked at her clothes. She smelled strongly of soup, and even her hair was wet with it. There was no way she could go pick up Yu Mingjiao like this.
She also felt very uncomfortable and sticky.
So she agreed.
Ning Jia’s home was indeed very close, just a few minutes away. When they arrived at the apartment, Yu Mingjiao sent her a message.
—Where are you?
Cen Lingqiu replied.
—At a friend’s place.
—Which friend?
—A female friend.
—Who.
Cen Lingqiu didn’t hide it.
—Ning Jia.
The other side was silent for a few minutes.
—You’re lying to me.
Cen Lingqiu was helpless. She must have thought she went to that dinner party. She sent her location.
—I’m not lying.
“Lin Qiu.” Ning Jia handed her a set of clothes. “Go take a shower.”
“Thank you.”
Cen Lingqiu put down her phone and went into the bathroom.
The smell was strong, and Cen Lingqiu showered for over half an hour before coming out, drying her hair with a towel as she walked into the living room.
Ning Jia was sitting on the sofa, looking at a photo album. Seeing her come out, she stood up.
Perhaps she had removed her makeup, as her face was a sickly, weak pale, with heavy dark circles under her eyes, completely different from her bright appearance during the day.
“You’re done showering.” Ning Jia’s tone was somewhat distant. “The hairdryer is in the other room. Come on, I’ll get it for you.”
Thunder suddenly began to rumble outside the window.
Cen Lingqiu followed her to the room to get the hairdryer. Ning Jia handed it to her. “Dry your hair before you leave.”
After she finished drying her hair, she placed the hairdryer on the table in front of her and glanced at a large photo frame on it.
Inside the frame was a young boy, looking to be about seven or eight years old.
“He’s my younger brother.”
Ning Jia suddenly appeared behind her, her gaze quiet and desolate.
Cen Lingqiu turned around and replied nonchalantly, “You have a younger brother?”
The plot didn’t go into much detail about Ning Jia’s background.
“Mhm.”
Ning Jia was wearing oversized pajamas. She looked as thin as Yu Mingjiao had when she first arrived in this world, and she carried the same aura of death as Yu Mingjiao, only her sickliness seemed even more pronounced.
“He’s quite cute.”
Outside, a thunderstorm raged, but Ning Jia’s gaze was inexplicably deep and terrifying. “He is, isn’t he? It’s a pity he’s dead.”
“Lin Qiu.”
Ning Jia asked softly.
“Why have all the people I cherish left me? I really envy you. You haven’t lost anything.”
“Why is that?”
Ning Jia’s hand moved, and a faint silver glint flashed by, like a bolt of lightning from the window. Cen Lingqiu felt a suppressive, damp atmosphere. She frowned, her gaze seeming to catch a glimpse of something hidden in Ning Jia’s hand.
Just as she was about to get a closer look, her phone suddenly rang. It was Yu Mingjiao.
“Jiao Jiao?”
Cen Lingqiu walked out of the room. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m downstairs at Lianhua Apartment.”
Lianhua Apartment was where Ning Jia currently lived.
Cen Lingqiu frowned deeply. “You’re outside?”
She looked at the raging thunderstorm outside. “Did you bring an umbrella?!”
“I did, but the umbrella is very small.”
Yu Mingjiao’s voice was low.
“I’m coming down right now!” Cen Lingqiu said anxiously. “Don’t wander off.”
“What’s wrong?” Ning Jia came out.
“Jiao Jiao is downstairs. She might be getting wet.” Cen Lingqiu quickly put on her clothes. “Her health is poor. Even a little rain will make her sick.”
As she spoke, she grabbed an umbrella and ran out of the room.
Ning Jia ran a hand through her hair in frustration, pursed her lips, and followed her downstairs.
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