The Mad Beauty and the Sick Young Lady [Transmigration Novel] - Chapter 21

After listening to Jiang Zhuoye recount the events, Su Li found it quite unbelievable:

“Ying Feiyan’s parents, why do they seem a bit crazy… of course, it was wrong for my sister to hit her, but would Ying Feiyan really tell her dad she was beaten? That’s too childish.”

Jiang Zhuoye picked up a small strawberry from the nearby fruit platter and naturally brought it to Su Li’s mouth:

“That’s why I think it definitely wasn’t Ying Feiyan who revealed it. But these things have nothing to do with you. What you need to do now is recover.”

Su Li looked at the small strawberry and shook her head:

“No, I have gastroenteritis now, I can’t eat anything, I can only drink water.”

Jiang Zhuoye looked guilty:

“If I had known you would get gastroenteritis, I wouldn’t have let you eat barbecue yesterday. It was my lack of consideration…”

Su Li raised her hand, wanting to pat Jiang Zhuoye, but as soon as she lifted her head, she felt dizzy and fell back into the pile of pillows.

Jiang Zhuoye quickly reached out, supporting her head with her hand, and said softly:

“Be careful.”

Su Li’s head rested on Jiang Zhuoye’s palm. The feeling was much more distinct than a pillow, but not as soft at the same time.

It was warm, quickly spreading through her hair to her entire scalp. Su Li’s scalp began to tingle, feeling itchy and numb, and the area resting on the hand was particularly hot.

“Don’t… don’t blame yourself. I agreed to go to the food stall with you. My body is inherently… anyway, this has nothing to do with you. On the contrary, I should thank you for taking me to eat so many delicious things.”

Jiang Zhuoye used the hand cushioning Su Li’s head to stroke Su Li’s hair as a gesture of comfort, the action intimate.

Su Li’s black hair was very cool and smooth, feeling like the finest silk, a wonderful texture that made Jiang Zhuoye reluctant to withdraw her hand.

She stroked it several more times, her fingers even brushing the area behind Su Li’s ear. The skin was soft and delicate, more comfortable than cream. Just a light touch could instantly stir the heart’s desire.

She wanted to go further, touch more places, and see if the skin elsewhere was as thin, warm, and soft as the area behind the ear…

These thoughts surged in Jiang Zhuoye’s mind, completely pushing aside what she was about to say, leaving her speechless.

Conversely, Su Li, whose ear was being touched, felt nothing and continued to reflect on her life:

“Do you know, ever since I was little, I’ve lived within a set framework, afraid to take an extra step, afraid to do anything, afraid to eat anything. I remember when I was very young, sitting in the car, I saw candied hawthorns being sold outside and begged Aunt Zhang to buy some. Aunt Zhang indulged me and bought one. I hid in the corner of the back seat and ate the candied hawthorn carefully, bite by bite. That was the best memory of my childhood, but it was the only time.”

Jiang Zhuoye listened intently:

“What happened later?”

Su Li gave a bitter smile:

“Later, my mother found out I had diarrhea and punished everyone who took me out. No one dared to buy me outside food again. My mom keeps using this tactic, and she used it again not long ago, the time we came back from watching the sunrise. The trick is old, but it’s especially effective on me.”

Outside the window, it was still freezing winter. The bare branches of the trees pointed toward the sky, conveying a sense of desolation and vicissitude.

Jiang Zhuoye withdrew the hand from under Su Li’s head and grasped one of Su Li’s hands resting by the bed, asking in a low voice:

“What exactly is your illness?”

Su Li turned her gaze toward the window:

“Congenital heart disease. I had a heart transplant when I was 12. I was well for a few years, but then many complications arose. I’ve already had one heart transplant and can’t have another. My liver and kidneys have also shown signs of premature aging since last year due to long-term medication, so… I probably won’t live much longer.”

This was the first time Jiang Zhuoye directly faced Su Li’s illness.

She remained silent, her deep gaze tracing the contours of Su Li’s face.

Su Li indeed looked ill, her skin was always as pale as paper and very thin. Blue veins spread around her temples like tree branches, and her lips were only an unhealthy pale pink.

Yet, the expression on her face was calm.

Jiang Zhuoye genuinely couldn’t understand why Su Li seemed so calm when facing the possibility of death.

She finally asked:

“Are you… not afraid of death?”

Su Li turned her face toward her, her eyes holding a clear world weariness, like an elderly person who had seen through life. The corner of her lips curved into a restrained smile:

“I am afraid. But what I fear more is living this life confined in a cage, having experienced nothing. The love I thought I had was just a farce, and my life, apart from breaking off the engagement, has no other content. To die like this… I am terrified.”

A clear tear fell from the corner of Su Li’s eye.

A drop of transparent water traced an arc along her pale temple, leaving a streak that was barely visible.

Jiang Zhuoye stared at the tear’s path, as if enchanted, and reached out her finger, wiping it away just before it could soak into the pillow.

The pad of her finger was wet, and the sensation was strange.

Jiang Zhuoye then brought her finger to her lips and lightly licked it.

Bitter, salty, and warm.

Jiang Zhuoye gazed blankly at that finger, murmuring to herself in an extremely low voice:

“I will accompany you.”

Su Li turned her head:

“What?”

Jiang Zhuoye still looked at her finger:

“Whatever you want to do, I will accompany you. I will be with you to leave more content in your life.”

Su Li slowly smiled:

“That’s wonderful! Although I’ve lost love, I’ve gained such good friendship. It’s definitely a worthwhile life!”

Jiang Zhuoye shifted her gaze to Su Li’s face and gave a somewhat self-deprecating laugh:

“You have a long, good life ahead of you. Don’t be so quick to draw conclusions.”

Su Li blinked in confusion, then felt happy because of Jiang Zhuoye’s words. When her body felt happy, she started to feel sleepy.

Soon, she fell asleep under Jiang Zhuoye’s gaze.

Jiang Zhuoye watched her sleep, watching her pale cheeks gain a faint flush due to the warmth, and watching her lips slightly part as she slept, revealing her white teeth.

It was a beautiful, sickly, yet pure beauty, easily shattered, and prone to leaving endless regret.

Jiang Zhuoye should have been thinking about her own matters at this time, but her mind was empty; she wasn’t thinking about anything.

All she saw was Su Li’s sleeping face, and all she could recall were Su Li’s various expressions.

Jiang Zhuoye sat idly by Su Li’s bed, holding Su Li’s hand with one hand, watching her drift into a dream.

Her mood was unusually calm.

She slowly leaned down and gently stroked Su Li’s forehead and cheek with her other hand. Her finger brushed over Su Li’s eye, and she could feel the faint trembling of her eyelashes.

A ticklish flutter against her palm.

Very cute, and very fragile.

Footsteps sounded outside the door. Jiang Zhuoye withdrew her hand and turned back just in time before the door opened, displaying a polite smile.

“Miss Jiang, Madam invites you downstairs for lunch.”

Jiang Zhuoye smiled and went downstairs, finishing a hearty lunch with Li Zhenzhen, then volunteered:

“What is Su Li having for lunch? I can take it up to her.”

Li Zhenzhen instructed the servant to bring the tray. Jiang Zhuoye took it and saw it contained hot mixed vegetables boiled and only lightly salted, slow-cooked chicken and vegetable congee, and one boiled egg.

It was truly less food than a female celebrity in the entertainment industry would eat.

No wonder Su Li was full after only one bite of each item at the barbecue yesterday…

Jiang Zhuoye carried the tray up. Su Li was still asleep. She placed the meal tray aside and gently reached out to push away Su Li’s messy hair, revealing her smooth forehead.

Jiang Zhuoye’s finger couldn’t help but linger on her forehead for a while. Su Li’s skin felt too good to the touch. She really wanted to stroke it a few more times to remember the feeling on her hand.

“Li Li, are you hungry? Time to wake up and eat.”

Su Li mumbled a few times, turned her head, and went back to sleep.

Jiang Zhuoye sat beside her, waiting for her to wake up. What was strange was that Jiang Zhuoye usually hated waiting for people. Once, she waited for a host backstage during a variety show for only twenty minutes and had already caused a big scene by flipping the table.

But today, Su Li slept for a very long time.

Yet, Jiang Zhuoye didn’t feel anxious at all.

She could play with Su Li’s hair, look at Su Li’s beautiful long eyelashes, help Su Li cover up with the blanket, and tidy the things on the small table… waiting like this wasn’t boring at all it was even a little fun.

As Jiang Zhuoye waited, the food got cold, so she carried it down to be reheated and continued to sit in the room, watching Su Li.

An hour later, Su Li finally woke up leisurely.

The congee on the table was still steaming hot. She looked at it vaguely and saw someone sitting by the bed. She only thought it was Aunt Zhang, who usually took care of her, so she mumbled.

“I’m hungry.”

After saying that, she closed her eyes. Aunt Zhang, as expected, helped her sit up against the pillows and then used a porcelain spoon to feed the congee to her mouth.

Su Li ate a mouthful with an ‘ah-woo’ and frowned slightly:

“Why is today’s congee even blander than before? Tell the kitchen to add more salt. I can’t eat it like this.”

“Be good, listen to me. You need to eat low-salt, low-oil food right now.”

A gentle voice reached her. Su Li first flinched, then suddenly opened her eyes!

“Why is it you?! Ahhh!”

Su Li quickly retreated into the bed, using both her hands and feet, feeling too embarrassed to face Jiang Zhuoye!

How could she let Jiang Zhuoye feed her congee? And she even dared to criticize the taste! And command someone to put salt in her congee!

Commanding the great movie star to put salt in her congee! Su Li had no idea she was so brave!

“It’s me. I’ve been here the whole time, keeping you company.”

Jiang Zhuoye smiled gently, her eyes narrowed like crescent moons. Her eyelashes cast butterfly-like shadows on her cheeks, and her gaze held an implicit emotion.

“Ah… but, I can drink the congee myself!”

Su Li reached out to grab the congee bowl in Jiang Zhuoye’s hand, but Jiang Zhuoye cleverly turned her arm, leaving Su Li grasping at air.

“No way, little patient, you must be obedient. I’ll feed you.”

Jiang Zhuoye didn’t allow any argument, sending a spoonful of congee to Su Li’s mouth, forcing Su Li to open her mouth and swallow.

“That’s a good girl. Only by being good can you recover quickly, understand?”

In Jiang Zhuoye’s eyes, there seemed to be twinkling starlight, gentle and beautiful, like a goddess in a painting, radiating light.

As Su Li looked, her heartstrings vibrated slightly, and she felt that today’s congee seemed a little sweet… No, it was very sweet.