Lin Qingyan's Accidental Fall into the Water

"I want to show you my little secret, something that's solely mine, but now I'm sharing it with you," Lin Qingyan said with a faint smile. At that moment, with the breeze blowing, she seemed even more elegant. Su Chen, on the other hand, was completely taken aback.

A nearly perfect beauty was telling him that she had prepared a special gift just for him. Not only that, she also had a secret that only she knew and was now willing to share. Su Chen felt a surge of anxiety. What was next? Was she about to offer herself to him? The faint scent and Lin Qingyan's seductive face made Su Chen think about using his "villain card" to take her away right then and there.

However, now wasn't the time. They had three days, and it wouldn't be worth it to use all that time just on Lin Qingyan. With these thoughts, Su Chen took a step back, feeling that they were standing too close. 

Considering her allure, he was wary of any unintended contact with Lin Qingyan. But his gentlemanly move seemed rather comical to her, almost making her burst out laughing. Indeed, Su Chen was quite entertaining.

Su Chen never imagined that his recent actions had further solidified Lin Qingyan's determination. Seeing him retreat a half step, she finally felt the warmth of his breath fade away and sighed in relief. 

Su Chen, though, thought he should remind her of her usually cold demeanor. "Qingyan, you might want to maintain your image. The behavior you just displayed doesn't really match your cold and aloof persona," which essentially meant 'don't go crazy on me.'

Hearing this, Lin Qingyan went into deep thought, lightly biting her lip. She had always lived according to her family's wishes. Even in her business ventures, her path seemed predestined. The rebellious side of her was only due to her engagement with Su Chen. 

A sentiment from her past echoed in her mind: "We all stand on a stage we didn't choose, playing roles we didn't select. So, live according to your heart and stay happy." This statement had deeply affected her, making her yearn for a more genuine existence. Now, reliving her life, she was determined to live authentically.

With these thoughts, Lin Qingyan pulled Su Chen along, saying, "Let's hurry!" Su Chen, still in a daze, suddenly heard Lin Qingyan's delighted voice, which gave him an uneasy feeling. They arrived at a small villa surrounded by green trees. 

The sight of these trees took Su Chen back to his school days, recalling memories of sneaking around in such woods. "Wait, why does this place seem so familiar?" he exclaimed.

Su Chen was shocked because he realized he'd been here before. The Lin family had always been a minor clan under the Su family's wing. The Sus had always respected the Lins due to their ancient lineage. Su Chen had often visited, mainly to establish his playboy image in Lin Qingyan's mind. 

To his surprise, during one visit, he found Lin Qingyan drowning. "Yes, it was that pond right ahead," he thought, recalling how she was desperately calling for help but nobody was around to hear her cries. Su Chen felt this was no accident; someone must have orchestrated it.

Fortunately, he arrived in time. 

The system alerted, [Collapsed System: I did my best.]. 

Su Chen thought to himself, "Damn, the main female lead almost died so young; what's the point? The plot would have been completely destroyed."

Without hesitation, Su Chen immediately pulled Lin Qingyan to safety. But it didn't end there. The woman clung to his legs, refusing to let him leave. Left with no choice, Su Chen had to oblige. However, Lin Qingyan told him she didn't like her life here and wanted him to take her away. At that moment, Su Chen was stunned.

Was he betrayed? Thankfully, Su Chen recalled words from a "Teacher Zhang" in his past life and immediately shared a piece of profound wisdom with Lin Qingyan, which eventually calmed her down. Seizing the opportunity, he then made his escape. Fortunately, later on, he realized Lin Qingyan didn't recognize him. But just as Su Chen thought everything was going smoothly, at the crucial 99% mark of the plot, Lin Qingyan surprisingly recognized him. Su Chen was instantly dumbfounded.

"Hold on," he pondered deeply. Su Chen suddenly realized a serious problem, "Did Lin Qingyan recognize me?" At his words, Lin Qingyan, standing beside him, jolted and moved closer, her curious eyes blinking, "What did you just say?" However, she hadn't fully heard him, as she was lost in her memories. Su Chen twitched the corner of his mouth, thinking: Can't you keep your distance? Any normal man could withstand this. Fortunately, my willpower is strong. "Ahem, I meant that the place you lived in as a child is beautiful," he said. "Can we live here in the future?" she asked. Hearing Su Chen's words, Lin Qingyan squinted, and a dimple appeared on her cheek.

Perhaps due to her usual cold demeanor, whenever she smiled, she resembled a blossoming flower, an embodiment of purity words couldn't describe. At that moment, Su Chen felt they were quite the pair. He envisioned himself lying at a 180-degree angle, while Lin Qingyan sat at 90 degrees, together forming a coordinate axis of the first and second quadrants. "Don't you like it here?" Lin Qingyan asked, noticing Su Chen's silence. She loved this place not because she grew up here, but because it was where she first met Su Chen. "Absolutely not, my family would never agree," Su Chen decisively stated.

"Do you think my mother hates me?" Lin Qingyan inquired, referring to Chen Qing. Su Chen thought: Is that even a question? Look at what you've done to her precious son. But we can't break off our engagement so quickly. Yang Yuxin is far more terrifying than you. "Qingyan, don't worry. As long as I love you, that's what matters. As for Chen Qing, she'll listen to me," Su Chen quickly comforted her, praying internally for his mother's forgiveness.

"Do you really like me?" Lin Qingyan asked deeply. "Of course, I like you," he responded. Hearing Su Chen's reluctant tone, Lin Qingyan smiled faintly. Initially pleased, she reverted to her icy demeanor upon realizing that these weren't his true feelings. Su Chen was utterly dumbfounded. He couldn't fathom how Lin Qingyan had deduced his lack of affection for her.

"Come on, I have something nice to show you!" Lin Qingyan took Su Chen's hand, initiating an intimate touch between them. She didn't seem to notice anything amiss. Su Chen did. But he didn't dare refuse. Lin Qingyan was already suspicious. Although his mind wasn't swayed by Lin Qingyan's beauty, his body betrayed abnormal reactions, leaving Su Chen utterly speechless.

Could this be true love? From now on, he needed to be more cautious around Lin Qingyan. Su Chen followed her into the villa. The interior was simply decorated, and it appeared that no one had lived there for a long time.

Yet, it was exceptionally neat, a clear sign someone had been cleaning regularly. Furthermore, the place was designed to feel very cozy. It was evident that it was specially made for Lin Qingyan. It was also clear that neither Lin's father nor any other elder from the Lin family had created this space. The design and layout showed immense care and attention to detail, not something expected from the Lin family, who seemed eager to send Lin Qingyan away.

"Come with me. I'll show you my room!" Lin Qingyan wanted to take Su Chen to her room. In truth, she had wanted to do this when they were younger, but Su Chen had refused. Now, she could finally fulfill this small wish. Perhaps due to Su Chen's presence, Lin Qingyan felt notably more relaxed, her face beaming with smiles. It was then that Su Chen realized that while Lin Qingyan was highly successful in business, she was, after all, a woman who had just passed her youthful years. She surely had her share of grievances.

"Let's go," Su Chen said with a smile, following her lead. His perception of Lin Qingyan was slowly changing. Her room was on the second floor, accessible via a short staircase. But perhaps due to her lack of physical activity, by the time Su Chen reached her side, Lin Qingyan was already out of breath. 

The room was sizable, about twenty square meters, filled with toys and items typically enjoyed by young girls. Dominated by pink hues, Su Chen couldn't spot a single dark item in the room, which was a comforting sight. Posters adorned the walls. One, in particular, shocked him—it was a poster of his favorite childhood actress, primarily known for her roles in educational films.

"Why do you have this poster?" Su Chen asked in astonishment. While it would be normal for such a poster to appear in a boy's room, its presence in the bedroom of a goddess like Lin Qingyan was jarring. "I don't really know who she is. However, someone once told me that she was his favorite, so I put it up," Lin Qingyan replied with a relaxed smile on her face, standing next to Su Chen. 

Su Chen had a nagging feeling that she was hinting at something. Upon reflection, he realized he might have shared this tidbit with Lin Qingyan during their childhood. His increasing realization made him all the more nervous. Damn it, it was just a playful remark from childhood, and Lin Qingyan remembered it to this day. No wonder the plot went haywire once she found out his identity.

"Whenever I'm feeling down, I come here. Being in this space lifts my spirits," Lin Qingyan confessed wholeheartedly, appearing more relaxed and genuine beside Su Chen, as if he was her anchor, allowing her to be a carefree girl once again. Frankly, Su Chen was taken aback. He hadn't expected this side of Lin Qingyan. In the original storyline, she was depicted as a strong, business-minded woman, seemingly flawless. But now, it seemed that wasn't entirely accurate. Listening to Lin Qingyan's confessions, Su Chen genuinely sympathized. Yet, he thought, she could confide in him without getting too touchy! Before he realized it, Lin Qingyan was leaning on his shoulder. The intoxicating fragrance wafting from her made Su Chen's heartbeat race. Lin Qingyan too heard his heart's rapid thumping and sported a triumphant grin.

"Su Chen, you won't break off our engagement, will you?" Amid the close proximity of the beauty, Su Chen managed to keep his wits. "I won't, but you..." he began, only to be cut off by Lin Qingyan, "That's great because I won't either!" Initially, Su Chen only wanted to distance himself from Lin Qingyan, but the plot kept getting more complicated. What's even going on? Lin Qingyan felt her heart might leap out of her chest. 

She had never been this intimate with a man. "Let's go. The banquet is about to start. We should head over!" In her flustered state, Lin Qingyan adjusted her emotions, lightly touching her hair. Su Chen nodded and followed. But a question nagged at him: did Lin Qingyan only bring him here to show where she grew up?

Could anything really be this simple? While still lost in thought, Su Chen unknowingly followed Lin Qingyan outside. As Su Chen pondered, he suddenly heard a splash nearby. Turning his head, he was shocked to see that Lin Qingyan had accidentally fallen into a small river.

"Help, Su Chen, save me!" Lin Qingyan struggled in pain, her cries for help piercing the air. Su Chen was stunned. This... this must be her scheme!