Rebirth: After Becoming the Villainess-Chapter 311: The Female Lead Awakens!

The Shadow Guard cradled the Danling Ci as if it were the most precious treasure on earth!

"How did this fall into our hands? Oh, what I mean is, we were always destined to find it! After all, isn’t our master the chosen one? These moles were meant to serve him!"

He then looked up at Zhou Cangyan. "Master, shouldn’t we immediately get people to start deciphering this book?"

Zhou Cangyan glanced at him. "There’s no need."

"Uh, then this book..."

"Put the book in the cabinet."

With that, he walked out of the study without a backward glance.

The Shadow Guard stood there, at a loss, cradling the poetry collection.

’Is he really being this casual about it?’

Governor E’s study was in a side courtyard. It contained a secret room, making it exceptionally secure—a special arrangement by Mrs. E for her husband.

Furthermore, E Jintang’s eight giant dogs roamed free in the courtyard, making it impossible for even a skilled martial artist to get near. Zhou Cangyan could come and go as he pleased without fear of discovery.

He stood in the courtyard, hands clasped, his light brown eyes growing deeper and colder as night descended.

—

That very night, Song Xilan woke up.

Zhou Junlin rushed over at once. A maid was helping Song Xilan, who was taking small sips of rice porridge.

"Lan’er!"

Zhou Junlin was overjoyed. The weight on his heart was finally lifted.

Her eyes reddened at the sight of him. After dismissing the maid, he pulled her into an embrace. "Don’t you ever scare me like that again."

Song Xilan rested against his chest. Her delicate face, etched with the frailty of someone who had narrowly escaped death, was utterly pitiable.

She choked out, "I was wrong."

Zhou Junlin wanted to ask her why she had risked her life to save that person.

But when he saw how weak and helpless she looked, he swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue.

"Oh, right, Prince, I heard from the maids that a young lady saved me. May I see her? I want to thank her in person."

The request was perfectly reasonable, so Zhou Junlin naturally agreed.

Soon, Song Lianhe was yanked out of bed by Gu Ha!

"The Princess Consort wants to see you."

"Song Xilan?"

Gu Ha’s anger flared. "How dare you speak the Princess Consort’s name?"

Song Lianhe shot him a look, not even bothering to grace him with a response.

"Get a move on!"

She spread her hands, gesturing to her inner robes. "I need to change. Do you want to watch?"

"..."

Gu Ha frowned and turned around irritably. "Hurry up. Don’t keep the Prince and Princess Consort waiting." 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Song Lianhe stepped behind the screen and scoffed. "No matter how you slice it, I’m the one who saved your Princess Consort, right? Is this how your Prince and Princess Consort treat a savior? Even if you’re going to burn the bridge after you’ve crossed it, you should at least get to the riverbank first."

"Stop your nonsense..."

"Oh? So if they’re not like that, then it must be you, just a lackey throwing your weight around."

"You—"

"Alright, I’m changed. We can go."

Song Lianhe, now dressed in a striking red gown, emerged from behind the screen. She blinked her lovely eyes innocently and sized him up. "Are we going? We shouldn’t keep the Prince and Princess Consort waiting."

’Zhou Junlin’s other virtues might be up for debate, but at least he’s generous. The food, clothes, and accommodations he provided were all quite good.’

Gu Ha gritted his teeth, clutched his sword, and followed behind her, fuming.

Leaning on Zhou Junlin for support, Song Xilan made her way to the reception hall to meet her guest.

Song Lianhe calmly observed the woman before her. Dressed in white, with a pale, frail face devoid of all color, she looked like a delicate flower in desperate need of tending.

At the same time, Song Xilan was also sizing up Song Lianhe.

The woman was beautiful and stood with a proud air. Her figure was slender, and she wore a fiery red dress that made her resemble a gorgeous, blooming red peony. She was radiant, brimming with vitality, and seemed to exude a natural, noble aura, as if surrounded by the scent of flowers.

Her almond-shaped eyes held a look that was half coy, half petulant. With skin as white as snow and delicate features, she was a truly striking beauty.

’That fiery red made her own plain white robes seem all the more dull and pale.’

To Zhou Junlin’s eyes, that same fiery red was an unexpected, stunning sight.

He looked away after just a single glance.

But that single glance had seared itself into his mind, impossible to forget.

"You must be Doctor Song. Was it you who saved me?" Song Xilan asked gently.

To her surprise, Song Lianhe showed not a hint of modesty or courtesy, replying bluntly, "I was."

Behind her, Gu Ha shot her a sideways glance, then sneered in contempt.

Zhou Junlin, on the other hand, was not the least bit surprised by her response. It was as if he expected nothing less from her.

Just then, a subordinate entered to report on a matter, and Zhou Junlin left with Gu Ha.

Song Lianhe had nothing to say to Song Xilan. Claiming she had other things to do, she prepared to leave.

The gentle, elegant smile on Song Xilan’s face began to transform the moment Zhou Junlin left. As she stared at Song Lianhe’s retreating back, her lips twisted into a knowing smirk.

"It’s strange, but while I was unconscious, I had a long and peculiar dream."

Song Lianhe’s steps faltered, but she did not turn around.

"In my dream, this world was nothing but a storybook. And I... was its heroine."

A sting of alarm shot through Song Lianhe, and she whirled around.

The woman behind her continued, her tone unhurried and remarkably placid.

"But..."

Her tone shifted. Her eyes were fixed on Song Lianhe, her voice turning cold and filling with hatred.

"Someone from another world stole everything that was supposed to be mine!"

Song Lianhe froze. ’She knows everything?!’

’Why?’

’How is that possible?’

’In her eyes, Song Xilan was the heroine, but just a character in a book—a puppet who was supposed to follow the plot to the letter.’

’But now, she knew everything. She had completely awakened. For Song Lianhe, the shock was no different from watching Sadako crawl out of a television set, hair askew...’

’It was a strange feeling. The two worlds, once completely separate, now seemed inexplicably connected by the heroine’s awakening.’

’No, I can’t lose my cool now!’

Song Lianhe calmed herself and began to analyze the situation. ’I’m definitely still in the world of the novel. So, following the logic of most authors, the heroine awakening is like getting a cheat ability. The Song Xilan of today, just like me, knows the whole plot. She even knows I’m from another world. She’s completely broken free of her original character settings.’

’What she’ll do next is anyone’s guess.’

’Thinking about it... this is definitely going to be a problem.’

Song Xilan was in no rush. She simply savored the vexed and frustrated expression on the other woman’s face before breaking into a smile.

"Song Lianhe, what was the point of everything you did? Now, I’m the one reaping the rewards. It is I who have taken your place. They don’t remember you... not the General Mansion, not the Marquis Mansion. They’ve forgotten you completely! Heh. And, of course, there’s *your*... Prince Qing."

Song Lianhe, who had been lost in her troubled thoughts, suddenly snapped her head up. Her gaze turned fiercely aggressive.

"What’s wrong? Did I strike a nerve?" Song Xilan’s smile was as radiant as a flower. "Don’t forget, I am the true heroine of this book! The one Zhou Cangyan loved from the very beginning was me!"

Remembering something, she added in a sickly sweet voice, "Oh, and I have you to thank for this, too. You risked your life to save Zhou Cangyan. What a pity, though. He will only remember that *I* was the one who saved him, and he’ll be utterly devoted to me because of it!"

With that, she burst into wild laughter. "HAHAHA..."