The Cannon Fodder Crazy Beauty Has Awakened [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 54.2

Gu Lanqiu knocked on the door. When there was no response, she pressed down on the handle and opened it, only to find the room empty, with the faint sound of water still echoing from the bathroom.

Was Jiang Mengyu still inside?

Gu Lanqiu frowned and walked toward the bathroom, thinking, Doesn’t Jiang Mengyu realize her own condition?

Just as she reached the bathroom door and was about to knock, it suddenly opened from the inside. A wave of humid air rushed out, and Gu Lanqiu’s eyes met Jiang Mengyu’s startled gaze.

Dressed in a soft silk nightgown, Jiang Mengyu’s neck and calves were exposed to the air. Her pale skin was tinged with a faint flush from the steam, and her beautiful face, still glistening with droplets of water, exuded a rich jasmine fragrance that enveloped Gu Lanqiu in an intoxicating wave.

For a moment, Gu Lanqiu was speechless. Whatever she had meant to say vanished from her mind.

Gu Lanqiu was most familiar with Jiang Mengyu in long dresses, and later, in the pallor of illness. This was the first time she had seen Jiang Mengyu in such a domestic setting her slender neck, her faintly pink lips, alluring and vibrant.

Jiang Mengyu seemed unaware of how captivating she looked at that moment. She took two steps closer, the jasmine scent growing stronger. “Lanqiu, why are you here?”

Even her voice carried a hint of moisture.

Gu Lanqiu averted her gaze. “This is my house. Can’t I come?”

“That’s not what I meant.” Jiang Mengyu reached out as if to take her hand.

Gu Lanqiu instinctively flinched away, catching the way Jiang Mengyu froze in place from the corner of her eye. Her brow twitched, unsure how to respond.

Does Lanqiu really dislike me that much?

I just wanted to fix her collar…

Gu Lanqiu glanced down and noticed her collar was indeed slightly askew, likely from rushing over.

She changed the subject. “…Have you eaten?”

“I have,” Jiang Mengyu replied, lowering her lashes. “What about you?”

Gu Lanqiu said firmly, “Put on a jacket and come downstairs to keep me company while I eat.”

Her tone brooked no argument.

By the time Jiang Mengyu had dressed and come downstairs, Gu Lanqiu was already seated at the dining table.

It was too late in the evening for Gu Lanqiu to eat anything heavy, so the housekeeper prepared some porridge for her and also made a bowl of stewed snow pear for Jiang Mengyu.

The two sat facing each other at the dining table, eating in silence.

Gu Lanqiu set down her spoon after just a few bites. Noticing that Jiang Mengyu also seemed distracted, she spoke up, “The doctor said your wound shouldn’t come into contact with water.”

Jiang Mengyu replied, “I was very careful. I didn’t let it get wet.”

But what if it had?

Just as Gu Lanqiu was about to respond, Jiang Mengyu’s inner thoughts suddenly echoed in her ears.

[It’s been so long since I last showered.]

[What if Lanqiu finds me disgusting?]

[I should’ve washed myself more thoroughly earlier.]

[Next time, I’ll just sneak in another wash.]

Gu Lanqiu: “…”

Looking at the silent and composed person before her, Gu Lanqiu would never have guessed these were the thoughts running through her mind, if not for the ability to hear them.

Gu Lanqiu closed her eyes briefly. “Go upstairs and sleep.”

Her room and Jiang Mengyu’s were on the same floor, not too far apart.

The night passed without incident, but rain began to fall in the middle of the night.

The villa’s windows were soundproof enough to muffle most of the rain, but the sound of droplets hitting the glass still roused Jiang Mengyu from sleep.

A flash of lightning streaked across the sky, briefly illuminating the room, followed by a deafening clap of thunder.

The rain was unusually fierce, the thunder roaring with an almost destructive force, exploding repeatedly overhead.

Jiang Mengyu abruptly sat up. Before System 031 could ask what she intended to do, it saw its host bolt out of the room barefoot, without even putting on shoes.

Gu Lanqiu wasn’t asleep yet either.

She was suffering from insomnia again, her mind buzzing as if countless birds were chirping and squabbling inside. Even lying on her side, she could hear the pounding of her own heartbeat.

The sound of thunder was muffled by the soundproof glass, reaching Gu Lanqiu’s ears as nothing more than a faint rumble, far less noticeable than the sudden knock on her door.

Frowning, Gu Lanqiu pulled open the door. The hallway outside was dark, the lights off. A figure stood silently outside her room, illuminated only by the dim glow of the bedside nightlight. Gu Lanqiu recognized Jiang Mengyu.

“What’s wrong?”

“Lanqiu.” Jiang Mengyu’s state was clearly off.

Her voice was soft, as if drifting from a great distance. “My chest hurts so much.”

[Lanqiu… Lanqiu…]

[Don’t leave me.]

This wasn’t the first time Gu Lanqiu had heard these words in Jiang Mengyu’s inner voice.

“Does your wound hurt?” she asked.

Jiang Mengyu didn’t answer. Instead, she slowly raised her hand, as if wanting to touch Gu Lanqiu but hesitated, afraid that the moment she reached out, the figure before her would dissolve into nothingness.

“Lanqiu… am I dreaming again?”

Gu Lanqiu studied her intently. The records hadn’t mentioned Jiang Mengyu being afraid of thunder, but many trauma patients did develop hypersensitivity to sound.

She couldn’t detect any deception in Jiang Mengyu’s expression.

“You’re not dreaming,” Gu Lanqiu said. “Go back to sleep.”

Jiang Mengyu bit her lip. Her long hair was loose, and the faint flush that had once warmed her cheeks had long faded, leaving her looking disheveled and pitiful.

“Lanqiu… can I just stay a little closer to you?” Jiang Mengyu’s voice was hoarse.

“I know you don’t like me.”

“I’ll just stay by the door. A corner is enough.”

“I promise I won’t annoy you.”

“Please?”

[Don’t send me away.]

[Let me look at you.]

[Lanqiu.]

Jiang Mengyu’s inner thoughts were in complete disarray, and that last murmur was almost inaudible.

[“I miss you so much.”]

Gu Lanqiu: “…”

“Come in.”

If something happened to Jiang Mengyu later, she’d have to get up and deal with it anyway. Might as well just give in now.

Ignoring the sudden brightness in the other’s eyes, Gu Lanqiu stepped aside to make space. “You can sleep on the sofa.”

She wasn’t heartless enough to make Jiang Mengyu sleep outside the door.

Gu Lanqiu turned and walked further inside, but after a few steps, she realized there was no movement behind her. When she turned back, she nearly collided with Jiang Mengyu.

Why did this person walk like a ghost, without making a single sound?

Frowning, Gu Lanqiu looked down and saw that Jiang Mengyu wasn’t wearing anything on her feet, her porcelain-white soles were pressed directly against the floor.

Under her gaze, Jiang Mengyu’s toes curled slightly, as if restless.

“You!”

Gu Lanqiu wanted to say something, but when her eyes met Jiang Mengyu’s pale face, she swallowed her words.

With a cold expression, she pulled out a fresh blanket from the cabinet and tossed it to Jiang Mengyu, exhaling. “Sleep.”

Jiang Mengyu obediently lay down on the sofa, wrapping herself tightly in the blanket, leaving only her eyes exposed as she stared unblinkingly at Gu Lanqiu.

“Goodnight, Lanqiu.”

[So fragrant… it smells like Lanqiu.]

Gu Lanqiu pretended not to hear.

“Mm.”

She returned to her bed and dimmed the bedside lamp further.

The rain outside hadn’t stopped, and with an extra person in the room, Gu Lanqiu felt unsettled.

She forced herself to ignore it and was about to close her eyes again when Jiang Mengyu started “talking” once more.

[Can’t sleep.]

[I wish I could stay in Lanqiu’s room forever.]

[I want to be close to Lanqiu.]

[I want to kiss her.]

[Lanqiu.]

[Wife.]

Gu Lanqiu abruptly sat up, her composure slipping for once. “Shut up!”

The sofa area fell silent. After a long pause, Jiang Mengyu’s voice finally drifted over.

“Lanqiu… were you talking to me?”

Gu Lanqiu clenched her jaw. “There’s only you and me in this room. Who else would I be talking to, a ghost?”

Jiang Mengyu slowly sat up as well. “But… I didn’t say anything.”

For the first time, Gu Lanqiu felt the frustration of being stifled. Jiang Mengyu hadn’t spoken aloud, but her inner monologue hadn’t stopped and it was only getting worse!

“Thinking isn’t allowed either,” Gu Lanqiu said darkly. “If you don’t behave, get out.”

Jiang Mengyu tightened her grip on the blanket. “Okay.”

“I promise I won’t disturb you again.”

True to her word, she stopped her wandering thoughts, and Gu Lanqiu’s ears were finally granted peace.

Jiang Mengyu lay on the sofa, the faint scent of jasmine gradually filling the room. Breathing it in, Gu Lanqiu felt her racing heartbeat slowly settle.

Drowsiness crept over her, and she was just on the verge of sleep when another sudden voice jolted her awake.

[Lanqiu…]

A vein throbbed at Gu Lanqiu’s temple. Her eyes snapped open, and she threw off the covers, striding toward Jiang Mengyu.

“Jiang Mengyu.”

Can’t you just sleep quietly?

Gu Lanqiu was beginning to regret her earlier moment of weakness, letting Jiang Mengyu in to avoid trouble. This woman simply wouldn’t give her a moment’s peace.

The lights in the room had long been turned off, leaving only darkness. Gu Lanqiu moved toward the sofa purely by memory.

In her dazed state, she failed to notice that Jiang Mengyu hadn’t closed his eyes at all. Those dark orbs, which had previously been filled with entreaty, now brimmed with tranquility.

Jiang Mengyu’s breathing was light, his gaze quietly fixed on Gu Lanqiu’s figure. Like a hunter who had set a trap and was patiently waiting for his prey to walk right in, he remained composed and steady.

Gu Lanqiu stood still in front of the sofa. Jiang Mengyu’s breathing was steady and even, as if she had already fallen asleep.

Gu Lanqiu reached out to shake Jiang Mengyu awake. “Get up!”

Go back to your own room to sleep.

Before she could finish her sentence, her wrist was suddenly seized by a hand, a tremendous force pulling her downward.

In her panic, Gu Lanqiu somehow remembered that Jiang Mengyu was injured. She braced herself with her hands, barely managing to avoid crashing onto Jiang Mengyu.

“Jiang Mengyu!”

Before she could even get up, their positions abruptly reversed. In a dizzying whirl, Gu Lanqiu found herself pinned beneath Jiang Mengyu on the sofa.

Her eyes widened as she stared up at Jiang Mengyu. This was the first time she had ever been treated like this, and for a moment, she was too stunned to react.

Jiang Mengyu looked down at Gu Lanqiu, her grip firm on Gu Lanqiu’s wrist while her other hand moved upward, fingers tightening around Gu Lanqiu’s neck. Her voice was colder and more guarded than ever before.

“Who are you?”

Gu Lanqiu was forced to tilt her head back. She clenched her teeth, fury and humiliation churning inside her, mixed with something else she couldn’t quite name.

“Jiang Mengyu.”

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

Jiang Mengyu brushed her thumb against the side of Gu Lanqiu’s neck. “Did Xu Zeyan send you?”

Her voice was ragged with breathlessness and hatred.

But before Gu Lanqiu could respond, Jiang Mengyu dismissed her own suspicion.

“No…”

“It’s Lanqiu’s voice…”

She leaned down, inhaling Gu Lanqiu’s scent. Their faces were so close now, breaths mingling tightly.

“Lanqiu… is it you?”

Was Jiang Mengyu losing her grip on reality again?

Gu Lanqiu struggled slightly. She hadn’t expected Jiang Mengyu, despite her slender appearance, to be so strong her fingers clamped around Gu Lanqiu’s wrist like iron shackles, impossible to break free from.

“Jiang. Meng. Yu.” Gu Lanqiu bit out each word. “Let go.”

Jiang Mengyu’s lips were barely two fingers away from her face. Her gaze roamed over Gu Lanqiu’s features, as if carefully studying her. “Lanqiu?”

After what felt like an eternity, the hand around Gu Lanqiu’s throat finally loosened.

But before Gu Lanqiu could even sigh in relief, Jiang Mengyu’s fingers suddenly slid downward, landing on Gu Lanqiu’s thigh.

“It’s real…”

What was real?

Her leg?

Support