Lin Huanhuan was a minor antagonist in the early chapters. Though her aptitude was mediocre, there was no way her family background was her only asset.
She clearly remembered that, in the original story, after the White Tiger Hall incident, she would soon be promoted to inner disciple and then be favored by Elder Song, becoming his personal disciple. With another powerful backer, she could create even more trouble for the male lead.
‘Since I already know the truth, I should find a way to avoid certain pitfalls. Still, taking a master is a must. I wonder if this soon-to-be cheap Master of mine will drop some gold coins?’
“Hey, Lin Huanhuan, I’m talking to you! Didn’t you hear?!”
As Lin Huanhuan was lost in thought, a slightly arrogant voice yanked her back to reality.
“Hmm?”
She instinctively looked up, only to see a girl in a yellow dress standing before her. The girl was rather pretty and had just been sitting beside her.
“Oh, so it’s Shangguan Muqing.”
A flash of insight crossed Lin Huanhuan’s mind, and the words slipped out. Shangguan Muqing’s already unhappy expression darkened further.
“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean? Are you planning to surrender? Pretending not to recognize me?”
Shangguan Muqing sneered, and Lin Huanhuan gave an awkward smile. “I really did forget for a moment. Did you need something from me?”
In her heart, Lin Huanhuan mused, ‘Shangguan Muqing hails from the Shangguan Clan, a rank on par with mine—another pampered wastrel. But unlike me, she never crossed Bai Lingfeng, so her whole clan never got purged.’
‘This girl and I have never gotten along since we were young. Usually, I would outshine her, but she’s never willing to accept it and is always looking for chances to provoke me. Most of the time, though, she ends up getting beaten by me.’
‘What’s she up to this time? Has she found some dirt on me again?’
Hearing this, Shangguan Muqing nearly choked with rage. She wanted to charge forward and fight Lin Huanhuan to the bitter end, but recalling her purpose today, she forced herself to swallow her anger.
Shangguan Muqing sneered, “It’s nothing serious. I just heard that you actually tied up a fellow disciple. Hah, you’re really bold, huh? Do you think you can ignore the rules of Lingyun Sect?”
Lin Huanhuan narrowed her eyes and looked around. She noticed that the people who had just finished class hadn’t left, but instead had stayed, clearly eager for drama.
‘So that’s it. Looks like Shangguan Muqing is planning to use the crowd to pressure me today, to humiliate me and make me pay the price.’
‘But she’s still too young. If she thinks this little trick will make me surrender, she’s dreaming.’
Lin Huanhuan immediately feigned innocence. “What are you talking about? I don’t get it. When did I ever tie up a fellow disciple? I don’t remember anything like that.”
Shangguan Muqing said, “Don’t play dumb! Do you think I don’t know what you’re like? Someone as vile as you probably kidnaps people all the time, but this time you got caught, and now you can’t get away with it!”
“Who exactly did I kidnap?” Lin Huanhuan shot back.
“Ye Jinxiu!” Shangguan Muqing sneered.
‘Just as I thought.’
Lin Huanhuan nodded. “You should talk with proof. The Punishment Hall people already came to check last time. If I really had kidnapped Ye Jinxiu, wouldn’t I have been arrested by now?”
“Besides, you say I kidnapped Ye Jinxiu, but I just saw her a couple of days ago. Others must have seen her too. Isn’t your story full of holes?”
Shangguan Muqing scoffed, “Maybe other people don’t get it, but I know you! You must have let Ye Jinxiu go on purpose when you realized people were investigating. You probably told her not to say anything. That’s what must have happened!”
‘Are you the worm in my belly? My enemy understands me even better than I understand myself—interesting.’
Lin Huanhuan mocked inwardly, but her expression remained calm as she replied,
“Sounds pretty reasonable, but it’s obvious it’s all just your imagination. You don’t have any real evidence.”
“The dignified lady of the Shangguan Clan resorts to convicting people based on wild guesses? Aren’t you making yourself a laughingstock?”
“Hmph.”
Shangguan Muqing snorted, looking as if she’d expected Lin Huanhuan to say exactly that. “Did you really think I have no evidence?”
‘Not good.’
Lin Huanhuan felt a jolt of alarm, her brows drawing together slightly. Then Shangguan Muqing called out,
“Ye Jinxiu, come out! I know you’re here for the class today and haven’t left yet. Today, I’ll get justice for you!”
The next moment, Ye Jinxiu stepped out from the crowd, and Lin Huanhuan’s pupils shrank abruptly.
“Senior Sister Shangguan, Senior Sister Lin, greetings.” Ye Jinxiu cupped her fists to both of them.
‘Damn, Ye Jinxiu’s here too?!’
A huge wave crashed in Lin Huanhuan’s heart. ‘So this is Shangguan Muqing’s trump card—she already knew Ye Jinxiu would be here, so she orchestrated this public confrontation.’
‘Having Ye Jinxiu step forward now is meant to catch me off guard.’
‘But things might not turn out the way she expects.’
A strange glint flickered in Lin Huanhuan’s eyes. ‘Shangguan Muqing probably doesn’t know about the White Tiger Hall incident, and Ye Jinxiu’s view of me must have changed a bit, even if she won’t admit it.’
Shangguan Muqing grinned triumphantly. “Ye Jinxiu, with me here today, you can tell us all about the grievances you suffered. Don’t worry—my Shangguan Clan won’t be cowed by the Lin Clan. We’ll definitely make her pay for what she did.”
In her eager gaze, Ye Jinxiu slowly shook her head. “Senior Sister Shangguan, I think you’ve misunderstood. Nothing happened that day. The truth is, Senior Sister Lin just invited me over as a guest. We only discussed Dao together, that’s all.”
“I don’t know where the rumor about me being kidnapped came from, but that’s how it really was.”
“You… How could that be?”
Panic flickered in Shangguan Muqing’s eyes. She’d never imagined Ye Jinxiu would say this. The scenario she’d pictured—Ye Jinxiu accusing Lin Huanhuan in tears while she delivered a righteous verdict—didn’t happen at all.
“What nonsense are you spouting? Why would Lin Huanhuan invite you to discuss Dao?” Shangguan Muqing blurted out, flustered. “Were you threatened? Don’t be afraid, I’m here. No one can touch you. Just tell the truth.”
Ye Jinxiu gently shook her head. “I’m very sorry, Senior Sister Shangguan, but that’s the truth.”
“You, you, you…”
Shangguan Muqing was half-convinced deep down but refused to show weakness. She was about to start scolding them when Lin Huanhuan suddenly jumped forward.
“Hey, hey, hey! Aren’t you underestimating me a bit too much? You just stood there rattling off a whole list of accusations, trying to frame an innocent person, and now you want to threaten me because your ploy failed? What’s wrong, does everyone in the Shangguan Clan act as unreasonable as you?”
Lin Huanhuan wore her trademark impish grin, going straight for the taunt.
“You! Hmph!”
Shangguan Muqing could only point at Lin Huanhuan, speechless. She could feel the mocking stares burning into her from all around, making her lose face completely. In the end, she stormed off, flustered and disheveled like a beaten dog.