Transmigrated as a Villain, the Heroines’ Personas Have Collapsed
Chapter 3 - Happy Birthday, the Heroine Collapses

Chapter 3: Happy Birthday, the Heroine Collapses

Lin Tai thought about it all day but couldn’t come to any conclusion. When he asked the Salted Fish System, it was predictably unhelpful, knowing nothing as usual.

Helpless, Lin Tai could only take things one step at a time.

As night fell and the lights came on, the Lin family’s front courtyard was already filled with all sorts of luxury cars, each worth no less than ten million.

The Lin family was one of the ten minor clans, and their associates were naturally from the top echelons of society. No matter how bad Lin Tai’s reputation was, they would still attend his birthday banquet.

After all, the birthday banquet was just a facade. Their real purpose was to network with other top elites through the event.

This was the ironclad network of the capital’s elite. No matter how much money an ordinary person made, if they couldn’t get into this banquet, they were just a nouveau riche, looked down upon by all.

They had their own rules and games, nearly impossible for outsiders to break into.

This was also why, in the beginning, the male protagonist Ye Bai wanted to latch onto Xia Shihan to gain entry to the banquet.

“Thinking about your Shihan again?” Beside Lin Tai, a red-haired young man plopped down carelessly, slinging an arm around Lin Tai’s shoulders.

“Get lost.” Lin Tai glanced over—it was Ling Weifeng, the only true friend and brother of Lin Tai in the original script.

Their bond was so close they might as well share the same pants. Stabbing each other in the ribs for the other wasn’t just empty talk.

When Ye Bai used Xia Shihan to drive a wedge between Ling Weifeng and Lin Tai, the original supporting male character, for the first time, turned against Xia Shihan for his brother.

Though he later apologized to Xia Shihan for his actions, it showed just how tight Lin Tai and Ling Weifeng’s relationship was.

If Lin Tai set a fire, Ling Weifeng would keep watch. If Lin Tai fought someone, Ling Weifeng would join in.

Because of this bond, after Lin Tai was shot dead, Ling Weifeng relentlessly pursued the killer, eventually locking onto Ye Bai.

Under the halo of the destined male protagonist, Ling Weifeng died, the Ling family was ruined, and their assets were fully acquired by Ye Bai, becoming just another soul crushed under the protagonist’s feet.

“What’s wrong?” Ling Weifeng was a bit surprised. Normally, saying something like that would make Lin Tai ecstatic.

“Shihan’s name sounds disgusting coming from your mouth.” Lin Tai rolled his eyes, nearly forgetting his simp persona.

“Are you serious? We’ve been brothers for over twenty years, and you’re telling me to get lost over a woman?” Ling Weifeng widened his eyes, feigning heartbreak.

“Sometimes, I really wish you weren’t my brother.” Ling Weifeng wasn’t a bad person and didn’t have the typical rich kid attitude. He had a good reputation, and his only crime was that Lin Tai had offended Ye Bai.

So, sometimes, Lin Tai genuinely wished Ling Weifeng wasn’t his brother.

Last time, Lin Tai had subtly and overtly warned Ling Weifeng multiple times not to provoke Ye Bai, but the outcome was the same.

As long as Lin Tai died, Ling Weifeng would never let Ye Bai go.

“Wow, if you’re gonna say that, we can’t be brothers anymore.” Ling Weifeng naturally took Lin Tai’s words as a joke.

“Then let’s cut ties.” Whether out of selfishness or something else, Lin Tai wanted Ling Weifeng to stay far away from him.

“What’s really going on with you?” Ling Weifeng could tell Lin Tai wasn’t joking. He felt that Lin Tai was truly different today.

“Nothing. Shihan’s here, I’m heading over.” Lin Tai looked toward the entrance, and Xia Shihan’s appearance lit up his eyes, like a firefly drawn to a flame.

“Hey, you—” Ling Weifeng was exasperated. He couldn’t fathom what was so great about Xia Shihan. In his eyes, she wasn’t even close to being worthy of Lin Tai!

He had tried warning Lin Tai before, but every time he brought up Xia Shihan, Lin Tai would either change the subject or get angry.

Over time, he stopped saying anything, letting Lin Tai throw himself into the fire like a moth to a flame.

For now, he just hoped Lin Tai would eventually come to his senses.

At the entrance, Xia Shihan was breathtakingly beautiful, like a fairy descending to earth, instantly drawing all eyes.

Xia Shihan was the first heroine of Emperor’s Return and held a significant place in the male protagonist Ye Bai’s heart. She wasn’t just stunningly gorgeous; she was a master in business. Since taking over the Xia family’s business, she had doubled their assets in just a few years.

Xia Shihan had ambition and the ability to match it. Under her management, the Xia family’s business was quietly approaching the level of the top four major clans.

All she lacked was an opportunity.

And that opportunity came from the male protagonist, Ye Bai.

“Shihan.” Lin Tai never forgot his persona, jogging over to Xia Shihan.

Here, his role was to excitedly greet Xia Shihan upon seeing her, only to be shocked and then enraged when he noticed another man, Ye Bai, by her side.

This scene was somewhat challenging. From the joy of seeing her, to the shock of spotting Ye Bai, followed by anger—it wasn’t something he could pull off without his actor-level skills.

“Hey, look, the Lin family’s young master is going after Xia Shihan again. Wanna bet if he’ll get a cold shoulder from her?”

“Guaranteed, no question. Who is Xia Shihan? The top heiress in our circle. Why would she ever fall for a toad like him?”

“Man, this spoiled brat doesn’t even know how much his dad paid to get Xia Shihan here.” Seeing Lin Tai throw himself at her, the surrounding rich second-generation heirs were full of disdain.

Lin Tai, the toad lusting after a swan, was no secret in this elite circle.

This group of rich kids looked down on Lin Tai and scoffed at his behavior.

They’d seen scenes like this too many times. Xia Shihan didn’t even glance at toads like him—it was all his one-sided wishful thinking.

Their voices weren’t deliberately lowered, and Lin Tai heard them, but he mostly ignored them.

If it weren’t for following the plot, who’d want to be a simp?

“Shihan, welcome to my birthday banquet.” Xia Shihan was wearing a long evening gown today, her meticulously done makeup accentuating her ethereal, cold, and noble aura under the gown’s elegance.

Lin Tai recited his lines according to the script.

He knew Xia Shihan’s response by heart: a simple “mm,” followed by walking away, avoiding him like the plague.

Then it would be time for him to see Ye Bai and start getting angry.

“Happy birthday.”