An Old Rival

Looking at the quiet Su Haoyu, Lin Qing stood up. "I guess I should head off now."

"Hm," Su Haoyu murmured, still captivated by their conversation.

After leaving the W.Y.S company Lin Qing queried the system;

"Why is it such a challenge to flirt with him?"

"Well, it's his personality..." the system replied. "It's a positive sign that his responses to you are quite mild."

"I'm okay with his reactions, but I get lost when he goes silent. I've already mentioned that I'm single and asked if he has a girlfriend. Shouldn't he pick up on the hint? Is his brain just made up of numbers and code? Why doesn't he say anything?"

The system stifled a laugh. "Keep it up, Host. You've earned 5 romance points. You currently have 6 romance points."

Lin Qing rolled her eyes at this response.

" Hey I never asked , how many points do I need to complete the mission?"

System was fidgeting "Uhm, well it's complicated, as long as you take over the halo of the protoganist mission could be counted as almost done."

"Then how far do you think I am towards this goal?"

"Host is very powerful, I believe host will manage to complete the mission easily."

'This sweet talker..' thought Lin Qing, 'Whenever I ask something important this system is giving me halfway answers or change the topic'

Since Lin Qing took the day off and completed her work, she choose to head to the newly opened high-end mall and not keep arguing this heartless robot.

With her VIP pass in hand, she strolled around, her eyes scanning the storefronts of high-end brands to distract herself from the chaos of her personal life.

Dressed in her designer outfit, she exuded an air of dominance that few could match, it was completely different than version she showed in front of Su Haoyu.

"Ah, the perfect place to drown my sorrows in expensive retail therapy," Lin muttered to herself, a wry smile curling her lips. She was determined to shake off the thoughts and stress, and what better way to do so than by indulging in a bit of extravagance?

As she made her way through the bustling mall, a familiar voice called out her name.

Lin turned to see a figure striding towards her, and her heart sank as she recognized the face of her old acquaintance, Qian An ,a.k.a Anna.

Their rivalry was notorious, stemming from their similar wealthy backgrounds these two childhood acquaintance never got along.

They had similar wealthy parents, but Anna's family was more patriarchal, so Anna was always jealous of Lin Qing. As a result, she would always find trouble with Lin Qing, who never retreated from a fight. In their childhood, Lin Qing would always end up beating Anna down, but as they grew up, their fighting turned into verbal sparring and more underhanded methods.

IIn the past, Lin would have erupted upon seeing Anna, but after her rebirth this changed.

After spending 10 years stuck inside her own mind , she has seen a lot and also learned other things. For example, She now knew that Qian An was another character in the original story.

She was the main villainess, and if Lin Qing was fighting head-on with the male lead type of annoying villainess, Qian An was in love with Liu Jun for some reason so she was the type of villainess who would fight with the women around him.

Anna secretly helped this guy, pulling strings for him, creating more opportunities for him but Liu Jun always hated showy people , he thought she was bossing him around , showing off her wealth or trying to buy him off as a kept man so he never gave her a glance, he didn't even show gratitude, rather he ruined her and her family's life in the end.

In original story she was beaten by original heroine and in her (Lin Qing's past life ) past life , she was beaten by herself, well not actually herself but that ghost girl who possessed Lin Qing's body.

Her (Anna's) ending was really terrible in the original story and her ending in past life was similarly terrible.

From what she knew after 10 years of observing things happening in front of her, Lin Qing felt a kind of a strange closeness to her old rival.

She didn't want this little shrewd to ruin herself while chasing an ungrateful bastard.

There was another reason as well—a reason that felt like a fishbone stuck in her (Lin Qing's) throat.

When Lin Qing had a car accident and a ghost from another place possessed her body, no one realized this, not even her family.

They all thought the accident had scared her and that the near-death experience had changed her.

But how could they not have realized it was her?

That girl had changed everything about her, that ghost was basically trying to erase her whole existence!

Initially, Lin Qing felt really disappointed towards her family during the first period of possession.

She hated them for not noticing, she hated everyone for not saving her. She hated them for loving or hugging a stranger as a daughter.

She thought she was stuck in an inferno as retribution. Those times were full of despair.

But this shrewd girl, her old rival, noticed the differences, and this girl was the only one who remembered her, the only one who truly knew her.

Even though they were enemies, even though this girl had once cut her bangs and stolen her perfect designer clothes at her sweet 16th party, and even though this girl had called the police when she was having a party at Lin Mansion before becoming an adult, she still felt a closeness to Qian An.

Cause Qian An knew her best, she actually knew her better than her own blood.

Even if she hated Qian An noone was allowed bully her except for herself!!

While Lin Qing was thinking Qian An stood up next to her haughtily;

"Well, well, if it isn't Fatty Qing?

Ugh, isn't that dress from last year's collection? Are you wearing it again? Poor Qin Qin did your parents stop your allowance? Hahaha," Anna said mockingly and feigned a laughter.

"Oh, dear Anna, you're not very updated. Why would I need an allowance? I'm already a successful businesswoman, unlike you, who is excluded from inheritance by your parents," Lin Qing replied with a smirk, her eyes narrowed and her head held high.

"Hmphh, at least I can afford it without relying on a trust fund, unlike you," Anna lifted her chin and posed proudly but her eyes were brimming sadness and envy.

"Oh, please. You wouldn't wait to jump if you had a chance to nepotize your way through life," Lin Qing sneered, her lips curling into a smirk.

"Says who? Fatty Qing,you are a person who thinks contouring can fix personality. Don't think I am like you," Anna furiously answered back , her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

"At least I don't have to beg for attention on social media wearing that gaudy makeup they banned in the 80s, or was that forced upon by your third level makeup sponsors?" Lin Qing quipped with a chuckle, her eyes twinkling mischievously as she pointed at Anna's heavily made-up face.

"You're just jealous because I have what you'll never possess - true flair and originality," Anna replied haughtily, her head tilted to one side as she surveyed Lin Qing with jealousy.

'Why do I always lose to her?'

'I hate her!'

Qian An thought.

"Hah! You call that original? Looks like you raided a discount bin. Who isn't a celebrity these days? Why would I be jealous of you, Qian An? Should I be jealous of your poorly done nose job or poor fashion taste?" Lin Qing retorted with a smirk.

Qian An reflexively touched her nose and with a 'Hmph,' she left.

"Ahh,I feel refreshed , I guess what I need was a good banter, teasing her is so entertaining.." Lin Qing thought.

"Why are you wasting your time on that girl Host?" System asked curiously.

"Why shouldn't I," Lin Qing retorted, still giggling to herself.

"Host, she is the main villainess in the original story, she helped the male lead to crush you." System replied.

" Don't think that I am a soft persimmon, I won't go easy on her but I don't think this girl is as evil as your book says. I think she is just too silly, gullible, and easy to flare up. Now that I am 10 years older than her, as her older sister, isn't it my job to guide my junior?" Lin Qing said confidently.

"Host, weren't you just bullying her?"

"So what? This little bit of teasing isn't much of a sin. But you and I, we have to find a way to get her to distance herself from that jerk. She can't fall in love with him!"

"Why are you meddling with the love affairs of other side characters Host?

You shouldn't change the plot completely!" System declared.

"Why?

So that you can calculate everything like back of your hand?

There isn't a free lunch , now that i am doing my part, you should also give me a hand!

I don't know what you're getting from helping me but I know you also have your own interest, do you want to fail and get reboot-ed?"

Lin Qing counterattacked system sarcastically.

"Host , you are evil!

How could you say that to me , We are supposed to be comrades!

I brought you back to 10 years ago!"