The Cannon Fodder Crazy Beauty Has Awakened [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 54.1

Gu Lanqiu was pinned down on the sofa by her .

The hand holding the phone suddenly went slack, and the phone fell to the ground with a loud clatter, startlingly clear in the silent night.

The caregiver was frightened and quickly stood up, walking toward Jiang Mengyu. “Miss Jiang, are you alright?”

Jiang Mengyu frowned, her expression seemingly pained as she clutched her chest, her eyes clearly unfocused.

Seeing her like this, the caregiver didn’t dare touch her. Instead, she pressed the call button to summon the on-duty doctor while tentatively calling out, “Miss Jiang?”

Jiang Mengyu’s lips moved slightly. “Lanqiu…”

Before she could finish, her eyes suddenly closed, and she fainted.

“Miss Jiang!”

At 2:30 in the morning, Gu Lanqiu received a call from the caregiver.

She had just returned from her business trip and had only gotten off the plane.

This trip had been a small one, with only one assistant accompanying her, pulling her luggage behind.

Gu Lanqiu strode forward briskly while speaking into the phone, “Understood.”

The caregiver had wanted to ask her to come see Jiang Mengyu but didn’t know how to phrase it. However, Gu Lanqiu didn’t give her the chance to organize her words, hanging up the call almost immediately.

The caregiver thought Gu Lanqiu wouldn’t come, but to her surprise, less than an hour later, the hospital room door was suddenly pushed open from the outside, and Gu Lanqiu appeared at the entrance.

The caregiver’s face lit up with relief. “President Gu.”

“Hmm.” From the moment she entered, Gu Lanqiu’s gaze remained fixed on Jiang Mengyu, who lay on the bed.

Jiang Mengyu wasn’t seriously hurt, she had just been emotionally overwhelmed. By now, she had already woken up and was sitting against the headboard, sipping water from a thermos.

Her concussion hadn’t fully healed, and she often felt dizzy. Earlier, she had simply been unable to catch her breath.

Hearing the commotion, Jiang Mengyu looked up at Gu Lanqiu, the darkness in her eyes suddenly igniting with light. “Lanqiu!”

But Gu Lanqiu was far from as happy as she was. Without a word, she walked around the foot of the bed to the other side and only spoke after sitting down. “Miss Jiang.”

It had been a while since she had addressed Jiang Mengyu in such a cold and distant tone.

The smile on Jiang Mengyu’s lips slowly faded. “Lanqiu.”

She lowered her voice. “Are you still angry with me?”

“Angry?” Gu Lanqiu countered. “What reason do I have to be angry?”

Her expression was indifferent, her deep eyes fixed unwaveringly on Jiang Mengyu, her gaze inscrutable. “Miss Jiang, I just got off the plane. I’ve slept less than five hours total from yesterday until now.”

Jiang Mengyu could see it, traces of exhaustion lingered under Gu Lanqiu’s eyes, and faint red veins were visible in them.

She averted her gaze. “I’m sorry, I—”

“Promises are the most useless things. Instead of saying ‘sorry,’ you’d do better to cause less trouble.” Gu Lanqiu didn’t hold back.

She truly wasn’t angry. It was just that the discussion about the scent of jasmine had abruptly snapped Gu Lanqiu out of the illusion she had been living in. She suddenly realized she had been far too indulgent toward Jiang Mengyu.

Every time Jiang Mengyu got hurt, Gu Lanqiu had rushed to her side immediately. Her attitude toward Jiang Mengyu seemed to have given the latter a misconception, that she could use it to manipulate her.

Just like how Jiang Mengyu addressed her.

At first, Jiang Mengyu had dutifully called her “President Gu,” but later, she started calling her Lanqiu instead.

The person before her might appear fragile and pale, but in reality, her mind was heavier than anyone else’s. Hadn’t she treated Zhou Xinying the same way?

Playing with people at will, manipulating them effortlessly.

Now, she could throw tantrums because of her indulgence, testing her limits with half-hearted responses. But what else would she try in the future?

So, Gu Lanqiu deliberately ignored Jiang Mengyu for several days. She just wanted Jiang Mengyu to understand, she wasn’t Zhou Xinying, and Jiang Mengyu shouldn’t even think of testing her like this.

Jiang Mengyu didn’t speak. She kept her head down, her figure so frail it seemed a gust of wind could scatter her.

Gu Lanqiu didn’t soften. “Zeyan was beaten by you twice and still can’t get out of bed. He’s my own nephew.”

She paused before continuing, “And yet, didn’t I still side with you without saying a word?”

“Miss Jiang, is there anywhere I’ve failed you?”

She believed she had already gone above and beyond for Jiang Mengyu.

If it were anyone else, Gu Lanqiu would have long lost patience.

Jiang Mengyu’s voice was very quiet. “No.”

Gu Lanqiu: “Then what exactly were you trying to do, causing trouble in the middle of the night again and again?”

She didn’t believe Jiang Mengyu was unintentional every time.

Gu Lanqiu had always struggled with sleep, and lately, she hadn’t had a single good night’s rest. She rubbed her temples, her expression dark as still water.

“Lanqiu.” Jiang Mengyu’s voice sounded much hoarser. “I didn’t mean to torment you on purpose.”

“I just missed you. I panic when I can’t see you.”

She spoke softly, “I just wanted to know what you were doing.”

[Does Lanqiu hate me now?]

[I’ll try to control myself.]

As she spoke, Jiang Mengyu’s eyes held a trace of pleading as she looked at Gu Lanqiu. “Don’t!”

[Don’t abandon me.]

She didn’t say it out loud, but Gu Lanqiu heard it anyway.

Gu Lanqiu hadn’t actually intended to end this game, she just wanted to rein Jiang Mengyu in.

“Perhaps I wasn’t clear enough before.” Gu Lanqiu crossed her legs and leaned back in her chair. “When I said I agreed, I didn’t mean I agreed to date you. Do you understand?”

Jiang Mengyu pressed her lips together, her face deathly pale as she stared at Gu Lanqiu. Her lips moved, but no words came out.

Gu Lanqiu continued, “I’m not your anything, and I don’t owe you explanations.”

“Miss Jiang, you’re not a child anymore. You should know everyone has their own private matters. I have no obligation to report my whereabouts to you.”

Seeing Jiang Mengyu still silent, Gu Lanqiu frowned and, as if compelled, added, “I’m not that useless waste from the past life who couldn’t even walk. Maybe she really did account for everything to you, but you can’t hold me to the same standard. Do you understand?”

“No.” Jiang Mengyu, who had been silent until now, suddenly interrupted.

She stared fixedly at Gu Lanqiu, enunciating each word clearly, “She wasn’t useless.”

An indescribable irritation surged in Gu Lanqiu’s chest. She took a deep breath, wondering what the point was in arguing with Jiang Mengyu about this.

Gu Lanqiu pretended not to hear, ignoring the glimmer of tears in Jiang Mengyu’s eyes. “Did you understand everything I just said?”

Jiang Mengyu remained silent for a long time before finally lowering her shoulders and speaking softly, “I understand. I won’t cause you any more trouble in the future.”

“Lanqiu, don’t be angry.”

Gu Lanqiu stood up. “Remember what you just said.”

She was truly exhausted and just wanted to go back and get some proper sleep.

Gu Lanqiu left.

Jiang Mengyu opened the task panel and glanced at it, she now had a total of 149 favorability points.

Originally, it had been 129. After Zhou Xinying left that day, System No. 031 had complained for a long time. But then, unexpectedly, Zhou Xinying’s favorability suddenly increased by 20 the very next night, startling No. 031 so much that it almost thought the system had malfunctioned.

Among the four target characters, aside from Zhou’s father, whose favorability remained unchanged at 80, Zhou Xinying’s had risen from 20 to 30, Xu Zeyan’s had dropped to a mere 27, and the lowest was still Gu Lanqiu’s, stuck at a pitiful 12.

No. 031 hadn’t given up on persuading its host to change her strategy.

Gu Lanqiu was simply too difficult to win over. Every time the host tentatively took a step forward, Gu Lanqiu would immediately snap back to reality and withdraw decisively, leaving no room for the host to get close.

The cold war between Jiang Mengyu and Gu Lanqiu over the past few days had left No. 031 utterly baffled.

Why had Gu Lanqiu suddenly gotten angry out of nowhere?

Just because of the “pheromones” the host mentioned?

But the host hadn’t lied.

Jiang Mengyu didn’t explain anything to the system. True to her word, she stopped provoking Gu Lanqiu afterward.

But she still sent messages every day, she just never asked Gu Lanqiu what she had been up to.

Time passed quickly, and soon it was the day of Jiang Mengyu’s discharge from the hospital.

Gu Lanqiu didn’t come herself, only sending Secretary Zhao to pick Jiang Mengyu up. Not seeing her, Jiang Mengyu’s expression betrayed a hint of disappointment.

She didn’t say anything, but Secretary Zhao proactively explained, “President Gu is still busy with a meeting and couldn’t make time to come.”

“Mm.”

Jiang Mengyu bent down and got into the car, only to notice a bouquet of flowers and two gift bags placed on the back seat.

She turned to look at Secretary Zhao.

Secretary Zhao smiled. “The gifts were personally picked out by President Gu during her recent business trip. She’s been waiting to give them to you when you were discharged.”

He deliberately emphasized the word “personally.”

Jiang Mengyu took it with a grain of salt.

There was no way Gu Lanqiu would ever have the spare time to buy gifts for her.

Her heart remained calm, but she still put on a pleasantly surprised expression.

Seeing this, Secretary Zhao quietly sighed in relief. Miss Jiang seemed happy, she probably wouldn’t blame President Gu for not coming now, right?

The car drove all the way to Beiyuan.

Gu Lanqiu had arranged Jiang Mengyu’s room in advance, even preparing the art studio she had mentioned, all ready for her to move in.

“That’s President Gu’s room,” Secretary Zhao explained the layout of the villa. “Your room is here.”

Jiang Mengyu listened quietly, offering almost no input. Watching her, Secretary Zhao couldn’t help but feel a twinge of emotion.

When Miss Jiang wasn’t acting out, she was actually quite well-behaved. Maybe that was why President Gu had shown her a little extra patience.

Though their relationship was undeniably awkward.

An aunt and her nephew’s ex-girlfriend.

If Young Master Xu found out that President Gu had arranged for Jiang Mengyu to stay at Beiyuan, he’d definitely be unhappy. But since President Gu was the elder, there was nothing he could do even if he was displeased.

Secretary Zhao glanced at Jiang Mengyu, thinking to himself that President Gu probably only saw Miss Jiang as a junior.

Gu Lanqiu had arranged for two live-in nannies to take care of Jiang Mengyu.

Jiang Mengyu’s wounds couldn’t get wet. In the hospital, she had only been given simple sponge baths. Having been outside today, she wanted to take a proper shower.

The two nannies, under Secretary Zhao’s strict orders to take good care of her, wanted to stop her. But though Miss Jiang seemed quiet and reserved, there was something in her gaze that made them hesitate to overstep.

Unable to dissuade her, the nannies had no choice but to call Secretary Zhao.

Gu Lanqiu had just finished work and was planning to rest at a nearby apartment. After hearing Secretary Zhao’s report, she changed her mind.

“Head to North Residence.”

By the time Gu Lanqiu arrived, Jiang Mengyu had just finished showering.

She had managed to keep her wounds dry, with only the edges of the bandages slightly damp.

The bathroom was still filled with steam as Jiang Mengyu leisurely dried herself off. After changing into her pajamas, she didn’t leave immediately. Instead, she studied her reflection in the mirror, then cupped some water in her hands and sprinkled it on her face, dampening a stray lock of hair.

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