The Heroine Pays Me to Fall in Love (Quick Transmigration) - Chapter 25

Although winter hadn’t officially arrived yet, snow began to fall unexpectedly today.

The flakes were unusually large, drifting down like soft goose feathers, instantly dusting anyone without an umbrella in white.

Jiang Zhinan sat by the window, staring blankly at the heavy snowfall outside. Unsure of what to do, she let her mind go blank, sinking into silence.

Last night, just before sleep, A’ning had promised her they would go out together the next day—to explore all the breathtaking sights nearby and to buy all sorts of fascinating little things.

The thought of these promises had kept Jiang Zhinan happy for quite a while.

Yet, after waiting all night, she woke up this morning to find that A’ning had completely disappeared.

At first, she worried that something had happened to her and hurried to inquire with A’ning’s men. But as soon as she opened the door, she was met with seven or eight burly men blocking the entrance, standing there like a series of towering mountains.

“Where has your master gone?” Jiang Zhinan asked softly, startled by the intimidating sight.

“She’s out on official business. She’ll be back soon, Miss, so please don’t worry,” the men replied respectfully. Yet they slowly closed in, forcing her head to retreat back inside. “It’s cold outside. Please return to your room and rest.”

Clearly, they intended to keep her confined.

Jiang Zhinan sighed. Though she was slightly displeased, she could understand. She closed the door and returned to the room.

A’ning’s room had a large bookshelf filled with books of all kinds. With nothing else to do, Jiang Zhinan picked up a few to pass the time.

After a while, she suddenly heard a series of loud thuds from outside.

It sounded like the men had all fallen to the ground, their bodies hitting the floor with heavy impacts.

Jiang Zhinan jumped in fright, her eyes wide as she stared at the door.

Before her stood Jiang Chengxuan—the very man the soldiers had been unable to locate no matter how hard they tried—appearing as if nothing had happened, with a faint, unsettling smile on his lips.

The smile sent a chill down her spine.

Swallowing hard, even her scalp tingled. She had always been suspicious of Jiang Chengxuan, and seeing him appear out of nowhere made her feel even more unsettled.

“Second Brother,” she forced a small smile, trying to mask her fear. “It’s good that you’re safe.”

“Mm,” Jiang Chengxuan nodded and stepped closer, sitting lightly across from her.

“Don’t you want to ask why I came?” he asked after a moment, locking eyes with her.

“Why?” Jiang Zhinan frowned.

“I came to save you.” His words startled her. “You need to leave with me immediately, or sooner or later, A’ning will kill you.”

Jiang Zhinan had not expected this.

“Don’t doubt me,” he continued, smiling bitterly. “Do you think our elder brother and father were reported by themselves? How do you think A’ning rose so quickly? She’s a ticking time bomb. She’s ruined our family!”

“And if she really cared about you, why didn’t she resign and take you away? Leaving you here only puts you in more danger!”

This series of revelations left Jiang Zhinan speechless.

Sighing, Jiang Chengxuan reached toward her, trying to pull her up. “Come with me. I’ll take you away.”

But before he could finish, Jiang Zhinan recoiled slightly, avoiding his hand.

“Please, Second Brother, step back,” she said softly, shaking her head. “You’re safe, and that’s what matters. With so many soldiers patrolling outside, you must be careful. A’ning is fine here; you don’t need to go with her.”

“Aren’t you afraid that staying here will eventually get you killed?” Jiang Chengxuan’s voice rose in frustration.

“I trust her,” Jiang Zhinan said with a small smile, her lips parting to speak the words slowly. “She won’t harm me.”

The statement froze Jiang Chengxuan in place; he remained silent for a long moment.

Jiang Zhinan kept her gaze fixed on him, wary of any sudden move that might threaten her life, her eyes full of tension.

Time passed slowly. Then, Jiang Chengxuan’s lips curved once more into a faint smile.

“So you weren’t fooled,” he said, his eyes flickering with an odd expression. “It seems you are not like Father or Elder Brother.”

Indeed, the incident with Governor Jiang and Jiang Yujin was clearly connected to him.

Jiang Zhinan said nothing, clenching her fists tightly.

“Jiang Yu’an,” Jiang Chengxuan raised an eyebrow, leaning closer and gently lifting her chin, his eyes mischievous. “It doesn’t matter if you won’t listen today. We’ll see.”

“I’m curious to see how your beloved A’ning will treat you when it comes down to the wire,” he said, pressing a little harder, causing her eyes to water with pain.

“I trust her,” Jiang Zhinan repeated, firm from start to finish, leaving nothing else to say.

“Hmph!” Jiang Chengxuan snorted, retracting his hand and standing to leave.

“Why are you doing this?” Jiang Zhinan demanded, staring at his back. “Was Father or Elder Brother ever unkind to you? Why would you harm them?”

“Harm?” Jiang Chengxuan stopped, his voice low and distant. “The embezzlement charges are real. How can you speak of harm?”

“Besides,” he said with a laugh, “this is far too amusing.” Without waiting for her response, he walked away, leaving her behind.

Jiang Zhinan watched his departing figure and, inexplicably, sensed a faint trace of desolation in it.

When A’ning returned, the snow still hadn’t stopped.

It had been falling all morning, and the ground was now covered in a thick, uneven layer that made walking difficult.

But the thought of Jiang Zhinan waiting for her at home filled her with a kind of anxious warmth. She quickened her pace instinctively, eager to see that familiar, gentle smile again.

Just as she was braving the wind and snow back to the manor, one of her subordinates came running up in a panic, breathless and shouting that something had happened.

“What happened?” A’ning’s heart lurched, her brows knitting tightly. “Is Yu’an safe?”

“It’s—it’s like this.” The subordinate stammered as he explained the situation: how Jiang Chengxuan had somehow slipped into the estate unnoticed, killed several guards at the gate, and forced his way into Jiang Zhinan’s room.

No one knew exactly what had happened inside, but when the others arrived, they found Jiang Zhinan unharmed.

Even so, A’ning’s blood boiled with fury.

“He’s still in this city,” she said, each word squeezed from between clenched teeth. “Double the search efforts. Find him before the authorities do. Don’t overlook even the slightest clue.”

“Yes, master.” The subordinate bowed quickly and ran off to deploy more men.

Without wasting another word, A’ning hurried back to the residence, her mind a whirl of dread and anger.

When she pushed open the door and rushed into the room, relief washed over her—Jiang Zhinan was sitting at the table, perfectly fine, not at all as A’ning had feared.

A’ning’s breath hitched. She crossed the room in two strides and pulled her into a tight embrace.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured, her voice trembling with lingering fear. “I failed to protect you. I let you fall into danger.”

“It’s all right,” Jiang Zhinan said softly, brushing the snow from A’ning’s shoulders. A faint smile curved her lips. “See? I’m perfectly fine.”

“So long as you’re safe. That’s all that matters.” A’ning’s arms tightened around her again. The fear still hadn’t faded, and she couldn’t stop blaming herself.

Jiang Zhinan sighed gently and patted her back, comforting her with quiet patience until A’ning finally calmed down.

“What exactly did Jiang Chengxuan do?” A’ning asked at last, lifting her gaze to Jiang Zhinan’s face. The red mark blooming along her chin made A’ning’s heart ache.

“He wanted to take me away,” Jiang Zhinan replied. “He told me that if I stayed here, I’d only end up dead by your hands.”

“And what did you say to him?” A’ning pressed, clutching Jiang Zhinan’s hand, her voice taut with fear and uncertainty.

“What do you think?” Jiang Zhinan smiled faintly. “If I had agreed to go with him, do you really think you’d still be seeing me now?”

“I told him only one thing—that I believe in you.”

That simple I believe in you carried more weight than a thousand explanations ever could.

A’ning stared at her for a long time, and before she realized it, her eyes were glistening with unshed tears.

Jiang Zhinan pretended not to notice. She turned away, picked up a towel, and used the excuse of wiping the dust from A’ning’s face to quietly dry the tears at the corners of her eyes.

This encounter with Jiang Chengxuan had left Jiang Zhinan with a new understanding.

He had been able to kill seven or eight men with ease. If he had truly wanted to take her life, it would have been effortless.

But he hadn’t. Which meant his intentions weren’t as simple as murder.

Perhaps, he was testing her heart instead.

After all, he himself had said it—he wanted to see what A’ning would choose when the moment of no return came.

Jiang Zhinan couldn’t yet see through his motives, but when it came to A’ning, she had complete faith—one hundred percent trust.

Let’s see, then, she thought. In the end, the one left disappointed will surely be him.

With that, Jiang Zhinan turned and went to the table. She took out the small embroidered pouch that held the fake moles and birthmarks, and gently spread it open before A’ning.

“What is it, Yu’an?” A’ning asked immediately, puzzled.

“I want to go out with you,” Jiang Zhinan said, her eyes shining with quiet resolve. “You promised to take me out, remember?”

“My request isn’t much. I just want to see the snow with you,” she added softly, a hint of pleading in her tone. “A’ning, may I?”