When the Villain Falls Madly in Love with Me - Chapter 19

Chapter 19: 52011

Before Jiang Le could handle it, Jiang Congyue somehow got the news. The next day, all related posts vanished without a trace. The boy involved issued three successive clarification statements, offering sincere and solemn apologies.

The absurd farce ended quietly, just like that.

However, in a chance encounter later, his face seemed to have acquired a few unhealed bruises. The moment he saw Jiang Le, he bolted, as if seeing a ghost, disappearing instantly.

“Tsk! He runs fast, or I would have given him two more beatings!” Guli was half a head taller than Jiang Le, and when she got angry, her eyes were sharp, genuinely possessing a somewhat intimidating presence.

Perhaps completely shaken by this incident, Jiang Le’s life was unusually peaceful for the next two months. No one dared to provoke her easily anymore.

In the dorm, Mi Lin lay slumped in her chair, wailing: “How did you all finish your exams?! I still have two! Where is the justice!”

“Cheer up, just stay put,” Wen Qiqi pushed up her glasses, teasing with a smile.

While the three were laughing and joking, Jiang Le had neatly packed her luggage. Her major finished classes the earliest, and if not for auditing a few extra courses she was interested in, she would have been anxious to return home already.

“Bringing so much stuff?” Guli looked at her bags, packed full, and couldn’t help but be curious.

Jiang Le pursed her lips, a rare, almost imperceptible hint of shyness showing, yet still maintaining a composed face: “Brought some things for my family.”

The other three were stunned simultaneously, exchanging glances. What local specialties could Beishi possibly have? They secretly pondered, wondering if they should also bring something back to appear thoughtful.

Under their scrutinizing gazes, Jiang Le moved even faster. In a flash, she zipped up her suitcase and stood up: “I’m leaving now, bye.”

“Bye, we’ll miss you.”

“Me too.”

“Go, go! Leaving me to guard the empty room all alone, wuwuwu…”

Seeing their exaggerated antics, Jiang Le couldn’t help but chuckle. She pulled her heavy suitcase and hurried towards the airport.

Just at the airport entrance, her attention was caught by a small, timid figure huddled by the door. Nothing special, except that the little girl’s clothing was far too thin for the biting north wind. She was shivering uncontrollably, her face turning blue from the cold.

Getting closer, Jiang Le saw a basket of water chestnuts hidden behind her, each one plump and neatly stacked, as if arranged by someone with OCD.

Jiang Le’s heart inexplicably tightened. How did her small body carry such a heavy basket?

【I wonder if I’ll sell them today…】

The little girl, curled up with her knees hugged, tentatively looked up. Seeing an impeccably dressed university student sister, a weak flicker of hope ignited in her dim eyes.

She rubbed her small hands, red and chapped from the cold, pulled the basket from behind her, and called out in a voice as soft as a mosquito: “Sister, do you want to buy water chestnuts? They’re homegrown, very sweet and delicious.”

As she spoke, she very carefully took one from the edge of the basket, meticulously maintaining the order. Then, with a small knife, she quickly, as if by magic, peeled a clean, plump water chestnut, blinking her moist eyes as she offered it, pleading: “Sister, please try one! It’s free!”

Jiang Le took the water chestnut, which still carried a cold dampness, and bit into it gently. Sweet, icy juice instantly filled her mouth. It was indeed as she said—very sweet and delicious.

Her eyes moved slightly, and she made a decision: “I’ll take the whole basket. How much?”

The little girl’s eyes instantly lit up, as if filled with stars!

“Ten, ten yuan a catty.” The child nervously held up three fingers, occasionally peeking at Jiang Le’s expression, afraid her asking price was too high and would scare away the rare customer.

Seeing Jiang Le didn’t immediately answer, she hastily explained, her tone anxious: “There are no water chestnuts in Beishi! My grandma grew them herself. I, I carried them all this way… they’re really sweet…”

Jiang Le, who had been momentarily distracted, felt her heart melt into a puddle seeing her look so close to tears. She smiled: “Alright. How should I pay?”

The child gripped the washed-out corner of her clothes, her voice even smaller, almost inaudible: “…Cash… Sister, I… I don’t have a phone…”

Jiang Le genuinely struggled then. She was so accustomed to electronic payment that she never carried cash.

She bent down and touched the slightly worn wool hat on the little girl’s head: “Wait here for a moment, don’t leave. I’m going to the ATM over there to get money. I’ll be back soon.”

For some reason, her compassion was especially overflowing today. She hurried towards the distant ATM, pulling her heavy suitcase with almost no hesitation.

The little girl watched her retreating back, the light in her eyes slowly dimming. She dejectedly sat back down on the cold steps. She had encountered this too many times; the promise to wait was usually just an excuse for finding it troublesome, and they wouldn’t come back.

Jiang Le didn’t have any other bank cards. The one she used was the one she had cheated out of Jiang Congyue years ago. Worried that Jiang Congyue might find it if she left it at home, she brought it with her, and unexpectedly, it came in handy now.

While operating the machine to withdraw money, she subconsciously glanced outside. The small figure was still curled up in the draft, shivering from the cold.

So silly, why doesn’t she find a sheltered spot to hide? She sighed silently in her heart.

Turning back, when her eyes fell on the balance display on the ATM screen, Jiang Le froze completely, her breath catching slightly. The screen showed an astronomical figure starting with “52011”.

In that instant, a faint roar seemed to erupt in her ears. An inexpressible warmth violently rushed through her limbs, making her fingertips tingle.

She lowered her gaze, looking at the stack of banknotes she had just withdrawn. The amount had no effect on the first few digits of that astronomical figure.

Who transferred this huge sum is self-evident.

Jiang Congyue… Jiang Congyue…

Her chest ached intensely. The surging emotion had no outlet, so she could only repeatedly recite the name in her heart, like an incantation, yet also like a sigh.

This person is truly… utterly annoying…

She cursed her in her heart, yet a warmth rushed to her eyes, and the corners of her mouth quietly lifted uncontrollably.

They hid secrets from each other, shared a tacit understanding, respected, and protected one another.

Composing her tumultuous emotions, she hurried back with the thick stack of newly withdrawn cash. The child, who had given up all hope, was looking down sadly. Seeing the familiar shoes reappear, she abruptly lifted her head, her dirty little face filled with disbelief.

“Sister… you… you really came back?” Her voice carried a clearly suppressed tremor and a hint of a sob.

“Yes, here you go.” Jiang Le gently tucked the stack of crisp, dazzling red banknotes into the child’s cold hand. “Count them to see if it’s enough.”

The little girl stared blankly at the stack of money, perhaps more than she had ever seen. She didn’t count it immediately but carefully and solemnly folded the money, gripping it tightly in her palm.

Then she stood up, bowed deeply to Jiang Le, and the tears she had been holding back finally hit the cold ground: “Thank you… Thank you, Sister…”

Jiang Le watched her with complicated feelings, unable to explain why she suddenly felt so soft-hearted. Perhaps it was because in the girl’s desperate effort to survive, in her timid yet longing eyes, she vaguely saw a reflection of her past self, curled up in a corner, helpless and lost.

Looking at her lips, which were purple from the cold, and her thin clothes, Jiang Le naturally wouldn’t stage a generous act of giving money but refusing the goods. She consciously bent down and picked up the heavy basket of water chestnuts.

After all, she genuinely liked eating water chestnuts. The rock sugar water chestnut dessert Jiang Congyue had made earlier was quite good.

Having been raised by Jiang Congyue to arrive at the airport three hours early, this small interlude didn’t delay her much.

Just after getting off the plane and following the crowd out of the gate, she immediately saw Jiang Congyue waiting outside. She was wrapped in a cashmere coat thicker and warmer than anyone else’s, smiling and saying something to the driver beside her. Her face looked somewhat pale in the bright airport lights.

Only when Jiang Le walked closer, pulling her suitcase, did Jiang Congyue turn her head, her eyes lighting up. She waved enthusiastically: “Lele, my precious! Over here!”

Hearing her always vibrant voice, the fatigue brought on by Beishi’s cold weather and the journey instantly disappeared from Jiang Le’s heart, and her mood brightened considerably.

“I missed you.” Jiang Le quickly walked up, glanced at the driver beside them, and whispered in a volume only they could hear.

The words instantly stunned Jiang Congyue for a second. Then, genuine and intense emotion welled up in her eyes, and she nearly burst into tears on the spot.

She opened her arms, and the two embraced naturally for a moment. Feeling the chill emanating from Jiang Le, Jiang Congyue immediately took her cold hand and walked towards the car: “You must be frozen in Beishi, right? Winter in that place is truly unbearable—so dry and cold.”

Jiang Le smiled and took off her heavy down jacket. The car interior was warm: “Aren’t you wearing just as much here?” She pointed to the visibly extra-thick coat on Jiang Congyue.

Jiang Congyue playfully tapped her forehead in disapproval: “How old are you, and how old am I? How can you compare yourself to me? My old bones can’t handle the cold.”

Jiang Le, however, looked at her closely, her tone somewhat serious: “But I think you look younger and younger. Seriously.”

Jiang Congyue was noticeably taken aback, then laughed and scolded: “Studying for half a year makes your mouth so sweet? Like it’s been smeared with honey.”

The driver in the front seat also joined in with a smile: “Chairman Jiang, Miss is right. Your complexion has been really good lately. You honestly look younger and younger.”

“Hahaha, you two just love to tease me.” Jiang Congyue laughed until her eyes squinted, clearly enjoying the compliment.

Jiang Le’s gaze, however, deepened almost imperceptibly. A subtle hint of scrutiny flashed in her eyes, but by the time Jiang Congyue turned to look at her, the doubt had quickly subsided, returning to her usual composure.

As Jiang Congyue laughed, she suddenly covered her mouth and coughed softly. Her face instantly paled a little more, revealing a fragile vulnerability. Seeing Jiang Le immediately cast a worried gaze, she gently waved her hand, signaling she was fine.

“Chairman Jiang, I just told you to wait in the car. It’s windy outside…” The driver was startled, his tone disapproving.

Jiang Congyue caught her breath and waved her hand, trying to lighten the tension with a joke: “You just complimented me on being young, and now you’re already complaining that I’m old?”

The driver met Jiang Le’s eyes through the rear-view mirror and shook his head helplessly. He finally couldn’t resist, and with a hint of telling tales, he said to Jiang Le: “The doctor long ago instructed her that she has old conditions that must be carefully managed with rest, and she must avoid overexertion and cold… She just won’t listen, insisting on waiting down here…”

“It’s not as serious as he makes it sound. Don’t listen to his nonsense.” Jiang Congyue quickly interrupted the driver, her voice betraying a faint trace of panic, trying to gloss over the issue.

Jiang Le subconsciously rubbed the corner of her clothes with her fingers, thinking to herself. Whatever Jiang Congyue was willing to let her know and show was certainly not a big deal.

But what about the things she was strictly hiding and never mentioned?

The unease in her heart quietly sprouted and spread like fine vines, urging her to look again at Jiang Congyue, who was still chatting and laughing beside her. She tried to find any flaw in the pretense on that smiling face but found nothing.

She fell silent, looking down at her hand, which was tightly held and gradually warmed by Jiang Congyue’s palm. Then, she gently leaned her head on the seemingly solid, yet inexplicably fragile, shoulder of the person beside her.

Feeling the weight and dependence on her shoulder, Jiang Congyue’s voice instantly softened. She lifted her other hand and gently tucked the loose strands of hair behind Jiang Le’s ear, like comforting a tired child.

“If you’re tired, close your eyes and rest for a bit. Be good, we’ll be home soon.”

…

Jiang Congyue: 22