Pretending To Be Affectionate [Transmigration] - Chapter 51

Gu Qing’s grip was stronger than Ling Yu had imagined. Facing Ling Yu’s half-hearted attempts to stop her, she showed no intention of listening.

Her pale fingers were clamped onto Ling Yu’s arm, dragging her outward.

Ling Yu was practically dragged out of the bar like a sack of potatoes.

Even a clay figure has three parts temper, let alone Ling Yu, whose temper wasn’t exactly mild.

She looked sideways at Gu Qing. In the dim yellow light, the woman’s skin looked incredibly pale. Her face showed little emotion, but her narrowed phoenix eyes were completely calm, like the stillness before a massive wave.

Ling Yu laughed in anger.

“Did I burn your ancestral grave, or am I your father’s killer, that you’re kidnapping me like this?” Ling Yu rotated her right wrist, tilted her head, and lightly glanced at Gu Qing.

The latter ignored her. She only slightly loosened her grip on Ling Yu’s wrist, her pale lips pursed into a thin, sharp line.

Ling Yu’s mood was indescribable. Gu Qing’s erratic behavior was utterly baffling!

Seeing that the other party wasn’t talking, Ling Yu raised her free hand, clenched her fingers into a fist, and prepared to strike Gu Qing’s beautiful face.

However, to Ling Yu’s surprise, as the gust of air passed over the woman’s icy face, she did not dodge.

She had ultimately underestimated her own tolerance for Gu Qing’s cold beauty.

Ling Yu cursed under her breath: “You’re sick.”

The fist stopped an inch from Gu Qing’s cheek, forcibly changing direction, and landed on the other party’s shoulder.

Gu Qing seemed not to feel any pain. She looked back expressionlessly, only lowering her eyes to give Ling Yu a deep, profound look with her blue eyes.

She didn’t explain anything. With pursed lips, she half-dragged Ling Yu’s arm toward a less crowded alley.

Ling Yu interpreted Gu Qing’s gaze as a challenge.

Even fighting requires finding a private place to destroy evidence. Typical Lawyer Gu, very thorough.

She just didn’t understand why Gu Qing would want to fight her.

She admitted that having Gu Qing come over was intentional.

Because Gu Qing didn’t trust her, her gaze was tainted with a complex entanglement.

Ling Yu was merely using action to tell the other party: Rest assured, I absolutely have no further delusions about you.

Ling Yu was baffled. She had proactively distanced herself, even deliberately setting a trap for Gu Qing to see with her own eyes that the messy affair two years ago was just a shallow player, used to small-fry in the circle, trying something new.

This was exactly the result Gu Qing wanted to see.

Honestly, Gu Qing wasn’t the type to be a sore loser. The one who couldn’t handle it, from beginning to end, was just Ling Yu.

She had inexplicably completed the conquest mission, but except for the first two months of approaching Gu Qing, which was an act, she had never hidden her true personality after that.

Gu Qing might not even realize it herself, but she had a certain magic. When she stood aloof, coldly rejecting people, she was enveloped in an air of queen-like asceticism that she wasn’t even aware of.

And Ling Yu had a natural arrogance in her bones, irrespective of the mission.

From the first moment she saw her, she wanted to conquer her, to see her cry.

In the end, Ling Yu wasn’t even acting. She unconsciously revealed her true nature. She did become somewhat uncontrollable later, and her actions were driven by a personal desire to conquer the other party.

She had somewhat developed genuine feelings in the process of conquering, but thankfully, she pulled back from the brink just in time.

Seeing her again after two years, Ling Yu couldn’t afford to repeat the same mistakes.

So, what was the logic behind Gu Qing’s relentless pursuit now?

If it was about deception, Ling Yu had indeed feigned deep affection, but she hadn’t managed to deceive Gu Qing’s emotions at all.

The woman had been resolutely rejecting her from start to finish, with every pore showing her disgust.

Ling Yu couldn’t quite understand why Gu Qing was showing such a furious look of being deceived tonight.

Does she want to fight? Is she in a bad mood?

Ling Yu’s eyelids lifted flirtatiously. She gave Gu Qing a look that said, I’d be delighted to fight. She stopped resisting, letting Gu Qing drag her out of Degeneration Street.

Next to Degeneration Street was a narrow, dark alley.

Various advertisements were pasted on the standing utility pole: saunas, foot rubs, nail services. Colorful business cards covered the pole.

Ling Yu was pinned against it by Gu Qing. A strand of her hair bun fell down, brushing a thin piece of paper away.

With that slightly forceful movement, Ling Yu’s thin camisole strap slid down halfway on her shoulder, revealing her fair, rounded shoulder and half of her butterfly-like collarbone.

Gu Qing’s gaze fixed on the thinly covered area of Ling Yu’s body, which was only concealed by the black strap. A layer of dim, obscure light passed through her phoenix eyes.

She looked even angrier. Her gaze slid over the large area of exposed skin beneath Ling Yu’s lace black dress, moving from top to bottom, then bottom to top. Her eyes were like razor blades, scraping over every inch. Finally, they fixated tirelessly on the area barely contained by the thin strap.

The veins on the back of Gu Qing’s hand were faintly visible. Her eyes were half-closed, like a beast about to explode.

Beautiful looks, relying on beauty to commit violence?

Who indulges her?

Ling Yu scoffed, opening her eyes. She lifted her eyebrows flirtatiously, looking at Gu Qing: “Ma’am, is it pretty?”

“Is this all you see?” Gu Qing was provoked into a sense of absurdity and unbearable emotion by the flippancy in Ling Yu’s eyes. She suppressed her emotions, staring at the overly thin fabric on Ling Yu’s body, saying faintly, “What is this supposed to be now? Attracting attention this way? Ling Yu, are you so desperate for love…”

Before Gu Qing could finish speaking, Ling Yu’s fist landed. This time, unlike before, it wasn’t aimed at Gu Qing’s face, but at her abdomen.

As Ling Yu struck, her shoulder strap slipped further, exposing more of the soft curve beneath the thin material.

It was late at night. There were a few drunk people on the street not far ahead.

They were shouting: “Fuck you?”

They were uttering crude jokes one after another.

Gu Qing’s phoenix eyes narrowed into a thin slit. She was truly enraged. Her chest heaved, and even her breathing showed an owner struggling to maintain calm.

Gu Qing reached out and covered Ling Yu’s oncoming fist. She stepped closer. In the light, her blue eyes floated with streaks of dark red blood.

She asked in an extremely restrained tone: “Ling Yu, what exactly do you want?”

Ling Yu gave Gu Qing a look of complete innocence: “Can’t you tell?”

She paused, meeting Gu Qing’s gaze in mid-air. Receiving the latter’s poised, accusatory look, she scoffed impolitely: “Ma’am. You don’t actually think that the chance encounter on the day I returned was me deliberately scheming to get close to you?”

“That me unblocking your WeChat and transferring money meant I wanted to say I love you?”

Ling Yu’s tone was extremely flippant. She fired off two questions in a row. She didn’t manage to amuse Gu Qing, but she started laughing herself.

Gu Qing lowered her eyelashes: “I didn’t think that.”

Ling Yu said, “Oh,” and scanned Gu Qing with the corner of her eye: “You saw for yourself. What more do I have to say to you? We broke all ties two years ago. I don’t think there’s any need for interaction, Lawyer Gu. What do you say?”

Ling Yu hadn’t wanted to be so direct, but Gu Qing’s demeanor made her feel a sense of danger.

In the dim yellow light, half of Gu Qing’s face was hidden in the shadow. She curved her lips with an expression of inexplicable emotion.

She stared into Ling Yu’s eyes. She took out a lady’s cigarette from her pocket and held it between her fingers. Her mouth, preceding her logic, pressed the question: “Then what about deliberately telling Fang Jia to call me to the bar tonight to watch you mess around?”

Gu Qing appeared very calm. Only her heaving chest and overly rapid breathing indicated her turmoil.

As soon as she spoke, Ling Yu’s face instantly stiffened. When she realized Gu Qing’s gaze had lingered on her rigid face.

Before she could recover, the other party smiled meaningfully and gave her a look that said, “I didn’t say you did it on purpose, but you confessed so quickly.”

Ling Yu laughed instead of getting angry. Although she knew she was exposed, she showed no fear. Her expression was completely frank. She stared back at Gu Qing boldly and said calmly: “You’re right. But so what? It’s just messing around.”

Ling Yu was impatient to waste any more words on Gu Qing. She had initially thought Gu Qing was here to fight, in which case, a fight was fine.

Unfortunately, Gu Qing remained motionless, like a turtle in its shell.

Ling Yu simply raised her arm and pushed the woman in front of her away without mercy.

The lace camisole strap slid down to her shoulder. The previous struggle had already exposed a large area of skin.

The street drunks noticed the scene at some point and whistled across the road.

“Wow, hot stuff.”

Gu Qing suddenly lifted her eyelids. The last thread of rationality in her mind snapped at that moment.

She crushed the cigarette in her fingers. As Ling Yu walked past her, she fiercely grabbed the latter’s arm, then leaned in and pushed her back against the wall near the electric pole.

Gu Qing stepped closer. Her face enlarged in front of Ling Yu. Her eyes were bloodshot. She frowned fiercely and roughly bit Ling Yu’s lips.

The cold scent rushed at her nose. At the same time, the taste of blood, like rust, filled her mouth. Ling Yu didn’t react at first. When she felt the pain, a burst of anger shot up like a firework.

She instinctively grabbed Gu Qing. She glanced at the woman’s viscous, insane eyes, raised her eyebrows, and propped one hand against Gu Qing’s shoulder. She looked up, lazily meeting the woman’s deep, dark eyes. In a flash of lightning, Ling Yu bent her knee, pressed against the back of Gu Qing’s head, and took the initiative.

The latter, after a brief moment of shock, narrowed her eyes and tangled with her.

The air became ambiguous. Fabric rustled. Neither of them called for a stop.

In the dark alley, Gu Qing’s eyes were bloodshot. Her breathing was rapid and hot. Ling Yu calmly stared into her eyes, watching the thick, sea-like intensity in her gaze slowly recede.

Five minutes later, both their lips were bloody.

It was as if they had actually fought a battle.

Gu Qing’s exhales were heavy. She looked down at Ling Yu. That look contained too many complex emotions.

But it quickly disappeared in the twilight.

Just like the aggressive, unrestrained kiss just now, Gu Qing’s actions were uncontrollable even when she was clearly rational. She inexplicably grabbed Ling Yu, seemingly only able to dispel the inexplicable panic in her heart this way.

Gu Qing lowered her eyes, pretending to ask casually: “Aren’t you in love with me?”

The woman’s tone was full of self-satisfaction and arrogance.

Ling Yu gave a low laugh: “Why can’t you face yourself, Lawyer Gu?”

She pointed lazily at Gu Qing’s slightly heaving chest, at the heart beating out of rhythm.

She pulled her lips into a subtle, extremely playful smile.

It was normal for a person’s heart to beat faster when kissing, but Gu Qing clearly lacked basic knowledge in this area, which was evident from her clumsy kissing technique.

Ling Yu certainly didn’t think Gu Qing liked her. She was merely angered by the other party’s excessive self-confidence. They were merely competing just now.

Not falling in love.

It was a shame that Gu Qing confidently believed that Ling Yu liked her.

Ling Yu felt helpless. Under Gu Qing’s intense gaze, she took her hand and placed it on her own heart. Her eyelids drooped. She looked at Gu Qing and asked teasingly: “Does it beat for you?”

Ling Yu’s dark eyes were staring intently at Gu Qing. Her gaze was cold and still, something she had never seen before.

Gu Qing’s slender waist stiffened. The dim light from not far away cast unevenly on her back, making the curve look half-bent.

Her hand subconsciously went into her pocket. Gu Qing pulled out a lady’s cigarette.

She looked at Ling Yu: “Do you mind?”

Ling Yu smiled and made a gesture of permission. The expression on her face was not the look of disgust Gu Qing had expected from her memory two years ago.

Gu Qing lifted her eyelids. She looked at her a couple more times.

When she looked away, her thick eyelashes trembled subtly.

For the first time, she realized that Ling Yu’s disgust was selective!

Gu Qing flipped open the lighter. A flame shot up from her fingers. She lowered her head, borrowed the fire, and slowly exhaled a string of smoke rings.

Seeing Ling Yu turn to leave, she extended her other free arm to block Ling Yu’s path.

Then she used her slender fingers to grab the camisole strap that had slipped down Ling Yu’s arm, pulling it up inch by inch, putting it back on her shoulder in a neat, rigid manner.

Her cool fingertips touched the other party’s warm skin. They trembled, then she controlled herself and pulled them back.

Gu Qing removed the cigarette from her mouth. She flicked her finger. The ash, carrying a spark, fell onto her pale fingertips, landing on her toes, quickly leaving a shocking, red mark.

She seemed not to feel the pain. Blood from where Ling Yu had bitten her clung to the corner of her lips, making her look like a vampire in the moonlight.

She gave Ling Yu a sudden, cold smile and asked again: “Did you ever love me?”

After everything that had been said, Gu Qing still didn’t believe her.

How should she answer?

Ling Yu had learned to make peace with herself two years ago. She didn’t want to be perceived as filth in anyone else’s eyes again.

Gu Qing was the female lead of a novel with no male romantic partner. She was destined to be aloof and detached from love.

The other party’s true love was her career, not Ling Yu.

Ling Yu suppressed the emotion in her eyes. She lifted her head, raising her hand to stroke the blood at the corner of Gu Qing’s lips. She met Gu Qing’s viscous blue eyes fearlessly.

The bite wound on her lip made Gu Qing look like a monster.

Ling Yu’s voice was very soft, like a whisper in Gu Qing’s ear. She said: “Never.”

Ling Yu’s answer was absolute.

Gu Qing, standing by the utility pole, instantly looked like a collapsing ice lotus, its stem snapped, falling into the mud.

Ling Yu blinked, and her vision blurred. She thought that the person who had broken her was herself.

But then she thought again, How could that be?

She had over-interpreted things too many times, so much so that later, when facing Gu Qing, she didn’t dare to over-analyze the other person’s actions.

After delivering her final, harsh statement, Ling Yu turned and walked away.

Gu Qing stood still, staring intently at her retreating figure. She watched for a long time until she could no longer see her.

She unconsciously took a drag from her cigarette. Nicotine spread through her lungs. Gu Qing suddenly bent over and coughed violently.

When she looked up, her blue eyes were covered in a hazy, moist film.

She brushed the long strands of hair clinging to her cheeks aside and belatedly realized the truth in the hazy night.

The person who had once clung to her and couldn’t be driven away had finally flown out of her grasp, like a butterfly that had escaped its cage.