The Mad Beauty and the Sick Young Lady [Transmigration Novel] - Chapter 45

Falling in Love!

The phrase was like a firework, exploding in a riot of colors in Su Li’s mind, catching her completely off guard and leaving her rooted to the spot.

She didn’t even notice how Jia Sihan left. When Su Li finally snapped back to reality, she found herself already at her front door.

Jiang Zhuoye was beside her, patting her shoulder, sounding very much like a close friend:

“Go on home. See you tomorrow.”

Su Li:

“Tomorrow… what’s happening tomorrow?”

Jiang Zhuoye smiled:

“Weren’t you promising me in the car just now that you’d go on a date with me tomorrow?”

Su Li couldn’t recall it at all, but judging by Jiang Zhuoye’s expression, it must have been true.

She could only nod in a daze and went home, her mind heavy with worry.

Li Zhenzhen and Su Meng were home. The two women surrounded her, asking questions and expressing deep concern. Su Li, feeling dizzy, answered them for a while.

Su Meng suddenly said:

“I saw on the hot search that Jiang Zhuoye hit someone at the music festival yesterday. What was that all about?”

Su Li thought for a moment:

“It was for me.”

She recounted the entire incident, including her estrus episode.

She felt that since her time was limited, there were some things she shouldn’t hide from her family anymore.

Li Zhenzhen and Su Meng grew quieter and quieter as they listened, their expressions extremely serious. By the end, both had tears streaming down their faces.

Li Zhenzhen pulled Su Li over, hugging her to comfort her. Su Meng also leaned in. The family was quiet, just holding each other without saying a word.

Su Li had initially expected her mother to scold her, but instead, she received such a loving response… Her heart felt both warm and sore. Warmth came from enjoying her family’s love, while the soreness was the realization that Li Zhenzhen must know her time was short, which was why she was being so gentle.

She really couldn’t bear to think about this matter too deeply.

Su Li spent a warm night. When she lay down in her room, reflecting on the past few days at the music festival, she felt that everything had developed beyond her expectations.

When she went to the music festival, she was still firmly thinking of Jiang Zhuoye as just a close friend, but she came back as a woman who had forcefully ravaged her ‘bestie’…

The contrast was too great. Moreover, there were countless issues she should have resolved but hadn’t; she was even still thinking of taking advantage of Jiang Zhuoye.

This wasn’t right, yet she found it hard to control the desire to be near her, the desire for more.

This feeling was completely different from her previous affection for Ying Feiyan. Her feelings for Ying Feiyan were largely a young girl’s naive longing and aspiration. But her feelings for Jiang Zhuoye now were entirely different.

Jiang Zhuoye occupied her entire mind. The moment she closed her eyes, all she saw was Jiang Zhuoye’s face, Jiang Zhuoye’s voice, Jiang Zhuoye’s soft lips pressing against hers, and Jiang Zhuoye’s adorable smile.

She thought for a long time and could only admit that her estrus was closely related to that kiss with Jiang Zhuoye.

Since Jiang Zhuoye had become such an important person, and since she was also a traveler from another world… she should tell her everything.

With this thought, Su Li’s heart trembled as she made a decision, and she sent a message to Jiang Zhuoye:

“Can we find a quiet place tomorrow? I have something I want to tell you.”

Jiang Zhuoye replied instantly:

“No problem, I’ll find a place. Why are you still up? You’ve been so tired these past two days, you need to rest early, or I’ll worry.”

Su Li’s lips curved up, feeling a little shy, and she continued typing:

“What exactly is our relationship now?”

Jiang Zhuoye quickly replied:

“I am your girlfriend.”

Su Li received the expected answer, but her heart was still beating violently. She paused to collect herself, then slowly typed:

“But I haven’t decided yet.”

Jiang Zhuoye:

“Then I’m your future girlfriend.”

Su Li was instantly defeated and smiled at her phone, as if she could see Jiang Zhuoye’s faint smile on the other side of the screen.

Soon, another message arrived:

“Li Li, I will do my best to be a good girlfriend to you. I increasingly feel that the heavens gave me a second life just so I could meet you and pamper you.”

Su Li had been smiling, but when she read the message, the smile slowly faded.

She could feel the weight of Jiang Zhuoye’s emotions; this wasn’t just casual flirting. Jiang Zhuoye wasn’t that kind of person. But precisely because of this sincerity, Su Li felt even more sorrowful.

How could such a wonderful person like Jiang Zhuoye end up falling for her? She was just an ordinary girl, one with a much shorter lifespan than others. She truly didn’t deserve her.

Feeling self-conscious, Su Li’s reply was:

“I’m going to sleep now. Good night.”

On the other side of the phone, Jiang Zhuoye stared unblinkingly at the screen. When she saw Su Li’s reply, she first smiled, then sensed something was wrong.

She thought Su Li said that because she was shy.

But Su Li was generally an open person; even if she was shy, she would express it openly, not with an attitude of obvious avoidance like this.

Jiang Zhuoye’s smile vanished. She brushed her finger over the phone screen, looked out the window, where a silver moon was gently shedding its light.

The two arranged to meet at a quiet, secluded Jiangnan style restaurant. The owner was a friend of Jiang Zhuoye’s and arranged a very private room for them, also sending over a few small dishes.

Su Li looked at the dishes on the table, which were mostly mild flavors she could eat, and asked:

“Did you specifically mention it to the restaurant? Do they have anything you like?”

Jiang Zhuoye didn’t try to take credit:

“I just mentioned it briefly to my friend; this is likely what my friend prepared. Don’t worry, there are things I like too. My profession generally requires a diet similar to yours.”

Su Li thought for a moment, then still rang the bell for the server and ordered a few meat dishes.

When the food was served, Su Li put a piece of sweet and sour pork ribs into Jiang Zhuoye’s bowl:

“Eat up. I remember you once said you loved these when you were a child.”

Jiang Zhuoye was about to refuse, but hearing this, she finally sighed and put the ribs in her mouth.

She did love sweet and sour pork ribs as a child, but… those were only the leftovers she had scavenged outside the restaurants.

She hadn’t expected Su Li to remember even that; she had only mentioned it in passing.

Su Li hesitated for a long time, finally deciding to talk after dinner. She wanted to enjoy the feeling of eating with Jiang Zhuoye first, as this might be their last meal together.

Jiang Zhuoye asked:

“What did you want to tell me?”

Su Li shook her head:

“After dinner.”

Jiang Zhuoye looked up at her and smiled:

“Okay. I’m a very obedient girlfriend, you know.”

She paused:

“Future girlfriend.”

Su Li immediately blushed, quickly bowed her head to eat, and picked up her water glass for a sip to hide her embarrassment.

Jiang Zhuoye looked at the blush on her cheeks and felt happiness wash over her like a tide, filling her chest.

Even a slow meal must end. Su Li and Jiang Zhuoye talked about everything but the important topic, prolonging the meal.

Su Li had done her best to stall, chewing every bite of food three times, but still, the moment they had to face arrived.

“What did you want to talk to me about?”

Jiang Zhuoye elegantly began wiping her hands.

“Well…”

Su Li’s heart was a tumultuous mix of sorrow and conflict. She finally shook her hand, and whispered:

“I’m going to the restroom.”

She fled in a panic.

The smile disappeared from Jiang Zhuoye’s face. She looked at the private investigator’s webpage on her phone, then closed it.

She absolutely could not betray Su Li’s trust again. Even if she lacked a sense of security and constantly needed verbal confirmation of her position, she would never do anything to disappoint Su Li again.

A while passed, but Jiang Zhuoye still hadn’t seen Su Li return.

She walked out of the private room, but everything outside seemed normal. She checked the restroom, but Su Li wasn’t there either.

Jiang Zhuoye rubbed her arm, turned to find the restaurant owner, and was just considering asking for the surveillance footage when she heard strange noises coming from a small room behind the restroom.

A person dressed as a cleaner walked out of the small compartment. The owner hadn’t noticed anything wrong, but Jiang Zhuoye immediately grabbed the person:

“Stop!”

The cleaner immediately swung the mop in their hand, hitting Jiang Zhuoye squarely on the head!

Jiang Zhuoye’s reaction was fast enough, but she was still hit on the arm by the mop. The pain slowed her down slightly. The owner also rushed up to grab the person and struggled with them.

Jiang Zhuoye rushed into the small room. Su Li was leaning against a cleaning bucket, her mouth taped shut with duct tape, her hands bound, and her face streaming with tears.

Jiang Zhuoye’s hands were trembling. She ripped the tape from Su Li’s mouth first, and Su Li cried out in pain.

Jiang Zhuoye then tried to undo the ties binding Su Li’s hands, but after struggling for a while, she only became more flustered. Finally, Su Li managed to turn her head and say:

“There are scissors over there…”

Jiang Zhuoye looked up to grab the scissors, and only then did Su Li notice a damp patch on her own clothes, all from Jiang Zhuoye’s tears.

When Jiang Zhuoye finally cut the nylon rope binding Su Li’s hands, before Su Li could move, Jiang Zhuoye hugged her tightly.

Jiang Zhuoye held Su Li’s waist securely, completely unwilling to let go. Su Li tried to explain what had just happened:

“Just now, it was…”

Jiang Zhuoye’s voice was weak:

“Shh…don’t talk.”

Su Li had no choice but to be silent. She looked toward the small room’s doorway, where the owner had already called several security guards who subdued the person dressed as a cleaner, conveniently stuffing him into the small room to await the police.

The cleaner was a tall, silent, and sinister man. Even when restrained and bound, he glared fiercely at everyone, looking completely unrepentant.

Seeing Su Li embraced by Jiang Zhuoye, the man spat in her direction and muttered:

“Trash. You Omegas are all societal scum!”

Su Li wasn’t interested in the mindset of a mentally disturbed person. She just held Jiang Zhuoye tightly, reaching out to gently stroke her hair, and whispered softly in her ear:

“It’s okay, it’s okay… Let’s go out, alright? Let’s go out first.”

Jiang Zhuoye’s tears had soaked the upper part of Su Li’s clothes. She looked up, distraught and panicky, her eyes filled with fear, which was heartbreaking to see.

The great movie star, when had she ever worn such an expression?

But Su Li felt a strange familiarity with this look. For some reason, her mind sketched an image of Jiang Zhuoye as a child. Even though she had never seen it, she felt she had an impression.

Jiang Zhuoye must have been this panicked as a child, too… groping her way through the darkness for so long, finally finding someone she cared about, only to face the unexpected threat of loss.

Su Li sighed. She imagined what Jiang Zhuoye would look like if she told her she only had one year and three months left to live.

She would probably break down a hundred times worse than this… How terrifying that would be for her.

Jiang Zhuoye embraced Su Li, and the two returned to the private room to wait for the police to arrive and question them.

“It was one of those extreme anti-Omega organizations, right? I’ve seen reports about them online. They hate all Omegas and think people like us shouldn’t exist, so they often plan attacks against Omegas. Don’t worry, I’m fine.”

Su Li sat next to Jiang Zhuoye, holding the other’s hand between her own, gently stroking it and slowly explaining.

“Are you really okay?”

Jiang Zhuoye still had that panicked look in her eyes. Although she had always been composed and dignified when facing any other trouble, she now looked like an injured puppy, frantically checking on her owner’s safety.

She held out her hand to Su Li, leaning her entire body towards her, and nudged her nose closer, truly like an animal, sniffing every inch of Su Li’s body.

Su Li couldn’t stand her distress and guided her hand to her own chest, letting her feel her heartbeat:

“See? I’m truly fine. Not a single thing is wrong. My heart rate is already very steady.”

Jiang Zhuoye raised her hand and gripped Su Li’s collar, her hand tightening until veins popped out.

Veins also stood out on her forehead. An immense amount of strength seemed to have gathered in her eyes and brow, making her look almost contorted.

She said, word by word:

“From now on, I will never let you leave my sight. I can’t bear the cost of losing you.”

A sharp pain shot through Su Li’s heart. Unsure what to do, she blurted out:

“What if I… die?”

Jiang Zhuoye didn’t hesitate, blurting out in return, her eyes startlingly bright:

“Then I’ll go down and join you. Don’t worry, after I take care of your funeral, I’ll join you right away. I won’t let you wait for me for too long down there.”

Su Li:

“…Don’t say that…”

She could no longer hold back her own tears, which began to stream down her cheeks.

She hadn’t expected Jiang Zhuoye to think that way. She had thought she was merely a temporary guest in the other woman’s life, but Jiang Zhuoye… was actually willing to die with her.

“Without you, there’s no meaning in this stolen life; I’d rather return it to Heaven. Just meeting you has made this life worthwhile.”

Jiang Zhuoye was smiling, tears still clinging to her face, beautiful like a flower blooming wet with dew.

She had already hidden many of her deepest thoughts, afraid of scaring Su Li. What she spoke now were only the most superficial things.

Su Li looked at Jiang Zhuoye, profoundly shaken. Now, she felt fortunate that she hadn’t rashly revealed the issue of her lifespan, which could have led to terrible consequences.

Thus, there was only one choice: quietly and slowly withdraw from Jiang Zhuoye’s life. This relationship could not deepen.

If necessary, Su Li felt she would need to mobilize her whole family to move abroad, to a place where Jiang Zhuoye couldn’t find them.

After concluding the police report and investigation, Su Li was sent home by Jiang Zhuoye and unexpectedly received a call from Zhu Qiyu.

Zhu Qiyu politely asked why Su Li hadn’t been responding to her recently.

Su Li answered truthfully:

“I’ve been very busy lately. I apologize for not chatting with you.”

Zhu Qiyu:

“You know I’m not talking about that.”

Su Li:

“…Then what are you talking about?”

Zhu Qiyu made a sudden confession:

“Su Li, I really missed you during this time we haven’t seen each other. I’m sure of it. I like you.”

Su Li was speechless. Why was her luck with romance clustering together at the most inappropriate time?

“Uh… thank you, but I already have someone I like, sorry. And to be honest, I only have about a year left to live, so I’m not worthy of you.”

Facing Zhu Qiyu, Su Li felt no psychological burden. The other party was a doctor they must have seen things like this often, and their emotional resilience should be quite strong.

Zhu Qiyu was silent for a moment on the other end, then said:

“Which doctor told you that? I don’t believe it.”