The Cannon Fodder Crazy Beauty Has Awakened [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 56.1

“That’s your personal matter, none of my business.”

Her ear tingled slightly, and Gu Lanqiu instinctively tightened her grip on Jiang Mengyu’s arm. “You…”

Turning her head, she saw Jiang Mengyu’s eyes were still closed, clearly not fully conscious yet.

The last time Gu Lanqiu heard Jiang Mengyu call her by that term was in Jiang Mengyu’s inner thoughts.

Did she address her past self the same way in their previous life?

That wordwife was sticky and sweet, carrying a faint hint of ambiguous intimacy. Jiang Mengyu’s breath was close, her lips soft and warm.

Gu Lanqiu snapped out of her daze and forcefully pushed Jiang Mengyu away. She wasn’t the person Jiang Mengyu was calling for, nor would she indulge her by staying in bed any longer.

Jiang Mengyu stirred awake at the movement. Blinking sleepily, she gazed at Gu Lanqiu’s back as she sat on the edge of the bed and mumbled again, “Wife?”

Gu Lanqiu glanced back at her but said nothing, heading straight to the bathroom to freshen up.

By the time she returned to the room, Jiang Mengyu was already sitting up, staring blankly at her hands, lost in thought.

“Awake now?” Gu Lanqiu asked.

Jiang Mengyu lifted her eyes to meet Gu Lanqiu’s, her tone cautious and probing. “Lanqiu, did you sleep well last night?”

Gu Lanqiu curled her lips slightly. “Was your promise worth anything at all?”

Jiang Mengyu pressed her lips together and murmured, “That’s why I suggested you tie me up.”

Gu Lanqiu narrowed her eyes. “Are you saying this is my fault now?”

She tossed the towel in her hand aside. “I was just tired, not amnesic.”

Before falling asleep last night, she distinctly remembered Jiang Mengyu actively embracing her, back then, Jiang Mengyu hadn’t been disoriented at all.

She had done it on purpose.

Jiang Mengyu kept her mouth shut, lowering her head slightly. Gu Lanqiu couldn’t read the emotions in her eyes but could hear her inner thoughts clearly.

[Lanqiu was right beside me.]

[How could I resist holding her tight?]

The subsequent thoughts grew even more chaotic. Rubbing her temples, Gu Lanqiu decided to let it go since Jiang Mengyu had only hugged her and done nothing worse, she wouldn’t press the issue.

After all, she still needed Jiang Mengyu’s soothing scent to help her sleep.

“Madam Jiang said she wants to visit you,” Gu Lanqiu changed the subject. “Your stepsister is quite the schemer.”

She had incited Xu Zeyan to cause trouble and even managed to connect with other influential figures. Rumor had it that a few days ago, by sheer coincidence, she saved a retired high-ranking official who was now deeply grateful to her. For the time being, Gu Lanqiu couldn’t easily move against her.

The news had already spread, and Gu Lanqiu saw no reason to hide it from Jiang Mengyu. After explaining, she watched Jiang Mengyu’s reaction carefully yet, Jiang Mengyu didn’t seem surprised, as if she already knew.

“You knew about this?” Gu Lanqiu asked.

Jiang Mengyu shook her head. “Mom never mentioned it to me.”

Madam Jiang understood her daughter’s temperament well. Knowing Jiang Mengyu despised Zhou Xinying, she deliberately kept it from her to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Gu Lanqiu gleaned the reason from Jiang Mengyu’s thoughts, but it only deepened her confusion, why wasn’t Jiang Mengyu the least bit surprised, then?

Jiang Mengyu slipped out of bed barefoot.

Gu Lanqiu had laid out a carpet by the bed, so stepping on it wasn’t too cold.

She stood in front of Gu Lanqiu, reaching out to adjust the collar of her clothes, her slender, delicate hands fluttering deftly before her eyes, smoothing out the slight wrinkles with gentle precision. Gu Lanqiu’s breath hitched for a moment as she silently watched Jiang Mengyu’s face.

Jiang Mengyu tidied the collar while murmuring softly, “I don’t know about Zhou Xinying’s current situation, but I understand her character.”

“Lanqiu, after fighting with her so many times, I know best how her luck works.”

“From childhood till now, no matter how badly I bullied her, she always managed to turn misfortune into blessing.”

Of course, Jiang Mengyu knew this was because Zhou Xinying had the protagonist’s halo.

But she didn’t voice this thought in front of Gu Lanqiu.

Gu Lanqiu stared at Jiang Mengyu’s slightly lowered eyes. “So you admit you were the one bullying her.”

Yet every time before, she had acted like the victim, making Xu Zeyan feel endless pity for her.

Jiang Mengyu’s fingertips brushed lightly against the side of Gu Lanqiu’s neck, feeling the momentary tension in the person before her. She said quietly, “Who told her to be so stupid?”

She was unabashedly, unapologetically wicked.

Gu Lanqiu scoffed.

Though she didn’t like people who were too scheming, Jiang Mengyu was surprisingly unguarded in front of her, laying bare all her flaws and misdeeds without concealment.

As long as Jiang Mengyu didn’t turn these tricks against her, Gu Lanqiu could pretend not to notice.

Still, Jiang Mengyu’s words left a mark on her mind. Recalling how she hadn’t been able to hear Zhou Xinying’s inner thoughts last time, Gu Lanqiu’s eyes darkened with contemplation.

Could this also be related to Zhou Xinying’s peculiar luck?

Gu Lanqiu left for work.

With no one else in the villa and still recovering from her injuries, Jiang Mengyu had little to do. She passed the time by reading by the window or idling in the art studio.

Her leisurely demeanor even gave System 031 a headache.

Was it because the last world had been too exhausting that she was now taking a gentler approach in this one?

If only she had been this well-behaved in the previous world.

Ignoring System 031’s urging, Jiang Mengyu finally took action as evening approached.

She went to the kitchen to prepare a pot of stomach-nourishing soup for Gu Lanqiu.

“Like this?” Holding a spoon, she carefully stirred the simmering yam and corn soup, steam rising in bubbling swirls.

When no response came, she turned to see Gu Lanqiu standing quietly by the doorway, watching her.

“Lanqiu!” Jiang Mengyu’s face lit up with a smile, her eyes suddenly bright and lively. “When did you get back? You didn’t say anything.”

“What are you doing?” Gu Lanqiu deflected the question.

Today, for once, Gu Lanqiu wasn’t working overtime. Wen Lingyi had invited her out for drinks, but she declined and headed straight back to Beiyuan.

Upon arriving at the villa, Aunt Li mentioned Jiang Mengyu was in the kitchen. Setting her things down, Gu Lanqiu walked over to find Jiang Mengyu under Aunt Zhang’s guidance, clumsily but earnestly tending to the soup, a task she clearly had little experience with, yet her focus was unwavering.

As Gu Lanqiu approached, she happened to hear Jiang Mengyu muttering, “I hope Lanqiu will like it.” She stopped Aunt Zhang from announcing her presence and silently observed from the kitchen doorway for a while.

Jiang Mengyu remained completely unaware of her.

The woman’s long hair was loosely tied back, with just a single strand falling by her cheek. She wore pajamas underneath, draped with a thin knitted cardigan that revealed a slender, fair neck. As she bent over to examine the soup in the pot, her profile was quiet and beautiful, accentuating her gentle and virtuous demeanor.

Gu Lanqiu watched for a long time, inexplicably reluctant to disrupt the peace and tranquility of the moment. The exhaustion weighing on her seemed to dissipate entirely in the rich aroma filling the kitchen.

[Ding! Target character Gu Lanqiu’s favorability +2. Current total favorability: 161.]

Jiang Mengyu set down the ladle and pretended to have just noticed Gu Lanqiu. She stepped closer, saying, “I was learning to cook from Aunt Zhang.”

Her expression was slightly awkward. “Most of it was done by Aunt Zhang, I just helped a little.”

“Hmm.” Gu Lanqiu remained still, allowing Jiang Mengyu to approach.

She wanted to see what Jiang Mengyu would do next, but the woman suddenly grabbed her arm and gently pushed her away. “Go sit in the living room and rest for a bit. It’ll be ready soon.”

A flicker of surprise crossed Gu Lanqiu’s face, but she didn’t resist. She let Jiang Mengyu guide her and took a few steps toward the living room.

After some distance, Gu Lanqiu glanced back at the kitchen. Jiang Mengyu was listening intently to Aunt Zhang, her expression focused.

Gu Lanqiu averted her gaze.

In the end, the pot of yam and corn soup Jiang Mengyu had prepared was consumed by Gu Lanqiu.

It seemed like Jiang Mengyu’s first attempt at cooking. Gu Lanqiu hadn’t held much hope, but the taste turned out to be unexpectedly decent.

Noticing the faint tension in the woman across from her, Gu Lanqiu set down her spoon and remarked flatly, “Not bad.”

Jiang Mengyu exhaled in relief. “If you like it, I can make it for you often from now on. How about that?”

Before Gu Lanqiu could respond, Jiang Mengyu’s inner thoughts echoed in her ears again.

[In her past life, Lanqiu loved this soup too.]
[Her tastes really haven’t changed.]

Gu Lanqiu’s lips pressed into a thin line, her expression cooling further. “No need.”

She wasn’t the same as the “her” from that past life.

Gu Lanqiu had no particular fondness for yam and corn soup. To her, it was no different from any other soup, utterly unremarkable.

But Jiang Mengyu seemed to misunderstand, assuming she suspected ulterior motives.

Clenching her fingers slightly, Jiang Mengyu lowered her voice. “I didn’t mean anything by it.”

“Lanqiu, your stomach is sensitive. I just wanted you to have something warm to soothe it.”

Gu Lanqiu’s brows furrowed. “My meals are already planned by a nutritionist. Even if not, there’s the housekeeper. There’s no need for you to do anything.”

“Just focus on your own responsibilities. That’s enough.”

She might as well have outright told Jiang Mengyu not to meddle.

Jiang Mengyu looked up at her, a faint redness in her eyes. “Then what exactly are my responsibilities?”

Gu Lanqiu exhaled slowly. “You should have already guessed.”

She sat cross-legged on the chair, her gaze calm as she looked at Jiang Mengyu. “I’ve always had trouble sleeping, but for some reason, the scent on you helps me sleep soundly.”

“Miss Jiang, I agree to cooperate with your treatment. In exchange, you help me with my insomnia.”

“What do you think?”

Jiang Mengyu stubbornly shook her head. “I’m not sick.”

Was that the point?

Many sick people would say they weren’t sick.

Gu Lanqiu lightly tapped her fingers on her leg. “You just need to agree or refuse.”

Though she gave Jiang Mengyu the right to refuse, Gu Lanqiu knew she wouldn’t.

Sure enough, though Jiang Mengyu’s expression was somewhat sullen, she eventually nodded. “Alright.”

Gu Lanqiu let out a sigh of relief. “Then it’s settled.”

“Come to my room at night from now on.”

Jiang Mengyu stared unblinkingly at Gu Lanqiu, her deep black eyes clearly reflecting Gu Lanqiu’s figure. “I’ll make sure I’m clean.”

Hearing this, Gu Lanqiu felt something was off, but these were her own words earlier, Jiang Mengyu was just repeating them.

Pretending not to hear, Gu Lanqiu went back to her room to shower first.

Jiang Mengyu blow-dried her hair until it was mostly dry, threw on a jacket, then left her room and headed to the master bedroom.

Gu Lanqiu hadn’t locked the door.

Pushing it open, Jiang Mengyu entered to find Gu Lanqiu sitting at the vanity, applying skincare. Her hair was still wet, droplets continuously falling from the ends.

Without a word, Jiang Mengyu picked up the hairdryer nearby and began drying Gu Lanqiu’s long hair.

Gu Lanqiu’s motions paused slightly. She had thought Jiang Mengyu would be upset after what she’d said earlier.

Through the mirror, Gu Lanqiu saw the tenderness in the lowered eyes of the person behind her.

[Lanqiu is so beautiful.]

[What does her look mean?]

[Did I burn her?]

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