When the Villain Falls Madly in Love with Me - Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Resurrection Armor -1, Life +1

Beishi, Miss Lin’s Birthday Banquet.

Jiang Le was dressed in a deep blue, long evening gown. The hem of the skirt gently swayed with her movement as she raised her glass, like a piece of sea floating in the dark night.

She leaned languidly against the railing on the second floor, looking down at the guests who came and went, flattering each other and chatting jovially in the center of the hall. After driving away a few “Strategists” (or “Raiders”—a reference to a game element or novel trope), she was bored and idly swirled the red wine in her glass.

Lin Zhen strolled down the stairs, hands in his pockets, whistling and seemingly in a good mood. His eyes met Jiang Le’s. He raised an eyebrow and smiled, “Well, if it isn’t CEO Jiang. Long time no see, you’ve become even more impressive.”

Jiang Le slightly nodded. She didn’t know why they had to run into each other, but since he had spoken, she couldn’t pretend not to hear.

Lin Zhen disliked Jiang Le from the bottom of his heart. Ever since she took over the Jiang Corporation, this small-time character who used to be beneath his notice suddenly completely surpassed him in both financial power and reputation. Even his old man kept using her as an example, forcing him to proactively deal with her, cater to her mood, and try to ingratiate himself. The mere thought of it made him feel stifled.

Jiang Le heard all of these thoughts clearly, word for word. She didn’t react much. Compared to Lin Zhen, a perennial slacker and rake who hadn’t improved for years, she was more appreciative of the protagonist of tonight’s banquet, Lin Yueying.

As she was thinking, the brightly dressed and radiant Lin Yueying in the center of the crowd also looked up. She raised her glass to Jiang Le across the distance, and they exchanged a smile.

Lin Yueying was smart. She realized that the Lin family valued her good-for-nothing younger brother more, so she simply moved abroad to expand the family’s overseas business and network contacts through her own ability. Now, she was thriving.

This was when Jiang Le got to know Lin Yueying. They had similar interests and hit it off, developing a friendship that was neither too deep nor too shallow.

Later, even the elderly Mr. Lin held her in high regard. The fact that he personally hosted this birthday banquet for Lin Yueying also showed that he had ulterior motives.

Jiang Le absentmindedly humored Lin Zhen for a few sentences, but found it boring. She simply turned and walked toward the garden outside the villa.

The evening breeze was cool, blowing away some of the tipsiness and clearing her groggy head slightly. Yet, at this moment, she specifically didn’t want to be sober. She tilted her head back and downed the remaining wine in her glass.

She sat alone on a long bench in the garden, gazing distractedly at the sparse starlight in the night sky.

She was completely unaware that this scene fell into the eyes of a person hidden in the corner. That person gasped, letting out a small exclamation, and their feet seemed nailed to the ground, caught between advancing and retreating.

She was confused about why Jiang Le was here, but at the moment, only Jiang Le could help her. Clenching her fists, just as she resolved to step forward, an arm suddenly propped up against the wall in front of her, blocking her way.

She raised her head in shock and saw Jiang Le, who had just been sitting on the long bench in a daze, now hooking her lips and tilting her head to look her over.

The gaze was icy, yet the smile on her lips did not reach her eyes, blending into a horrifying eeriness.

“Li Xin,” the two rosy lips parted, uttering a demonic whisper, “Long time no see.”

“!!” Li Xin’s pupils constricted. Her heart hammered wildly, and she could barely breathe. She retreated several steps in horror, shaking all over.

Because she clearly saw…

The Jiang Le on the long bench was still in her original spot!

Li Xin’s scalp tingled as she looked at the person in front of her. The unfamiliar and strange smile made her want to retreat. Her voice trembled, “Who… are you…”

No, that’s not right. She touched her face. She wasn’t wearing Li Xin’s face right now!

How did “she” know she was Li Xin?

Li Xin shook her head in fear, watching the person who was smiling and slowly closing in on her. “What… do you want to do…”

The figure chuckled softly, slowly approaching. Spotting a shovel in the corner, she casually picked it up and weighed it in the air, seemingly quite satisfied with the heft.

She sighed softly, but her tone was terrifyingly cold. “Why did your little game have to foolishly involve her.”

“Too bad. She doesn’t need you now.”

Before the words fully landed, the shovel cut a cold arc through the air and struck down heavily.

With a muffled thud, everything fell silent.

Dropping the blood-stained shovel, she took out a phone from her pocket, casually dialed a few numbers, and waited for the other side to answer.

The call was picked up almost instantly. A man’s impatient voice came through: “Who is this?”

“Keep your people in check.” Her voice was completely flat. “If you dare to touch my person again, it won’t be this simple.”

“Jiang Le?” The other side was silent for a moment. “Where is she.”

She gave the location, then hung up the phone abruptly. She frowned, annoyed, looking at the drops of blood that had splashed onto her dress. The red stains were particularly conspicuous on the lake-blue satin.

“Sigh, I should have changed clothes before coming.”

Her wiping motion paused. From the corner of her eye, she noticed a dark shadow behind her. Just as she had cornered Li Xin moments ago, she was now cornered by Jiang Le.

“Ah-oh, I’ve been found out.” Jiang Congyue turned around, shrugging with a playful pout and a beaming smile.

Jiang Le narrowed her blurry, drunken eyes, looking at the face identical to her own. Her eyes widened slightly. Her alcohol-dulled mind couldn’t process the situation for the moment.

She had only walked over because they were too noisy and interrupted her appreciation of the night view. So, she stated truthfully, “You two are very noisy.”

Jiang Congyue sighed and played along. “Yes, yes. Look, I helped you solve the noisy person. Shouldn’t you give me a thank-you gift?”

She pointed to the unconscious Li Xin on the ground, smiling like a cunning fox, and brazenly demanded a reward while Jiang Le was disoriented.

Jiang Le tilted her head, trying hard to think through the logic, and found that it seemed very reasonable. She stared at Jiang Congyue’s face as if hypnotized. On a sudden impulse, she pulled out a small red velvet pouch she kept close to her body and shoved it into the other person’s hand. “Here. Stay.”

With that, she stubbornly held onto Jiang Congyue’s hand.

Jiang Congyue weighed the small pouch, which still carried body heat, in her hand, deep in thought. “Tsk, as a thank-you gift… this is barely acceptable. But to get me to stay, this alone isn’t enough, you know?”

Dizzy and light-headed, Jiang Le instinctively leaned forward. Her instinct told her that with this person here, she wouldn’t fall.

She blinked blankly, looking a little troubled, and asked groggily, “Then what should I do?”

Jiang Congyue was amused by her rare, bewildered look. She wrapped an arm around her, lightly scratched her chin with a fingertip, and said in a coaxing, low voice, “Well, who are you asking?”

“Asking…” Jiang Le paused. Her unfocused eyes struggled for a moment, then she continued, “Asking myself.”

“Oh?” Jiang Congyue raised an eyebrow, chuckled, and as she guided the staggering drunkard toward the exit, she teased, “Right now, you’re clearly asking me. How does that become asking you again?”

Jiang Le suddenly stopped. A hint of barely noticeable annoyance flashed across her face. If she had a tail, it would be drooping down sadly right now.

“You are Jiang Congyue. Jiang Congyue is me.” In fact, the moment she saw her, everything had been settled in Jiang Le’s mind.

Jiang Congyue was impressed by her intelligence and sensitivity, then found it a little funny that it sounded like self-praise. She helplessly embraced the tipsy woman. “Do you like this version of yourself?”

“Hate it.” Jiang Le lowered her eyes. She was walking forward obediently, following Jiang Congyue’s lead, but her words were harsh. “I hate Jiang Congyue.”

Even after being settled into the bed, Jiang Le kept her lips tightly pressed, looking as if she had suffered a monumental grievance.

Jiang Congyue had no choice but to surrender, leaning close to her ear and gently pleading, “Then please, can you stop hating me? It’s not easy for me either…”

The person in bed closed her eyes, refusing to communicate.

Until a soft warmth lightly touched her lips.

Jiang Le’s eyes flew open, instantly sobering up significantly. She recoiled as if shocked, pushing away Jiang Congyue who was inches away. Her heart pounded. Her glistening lips were slightly parted, and she stared awkwardly at the person opposite her who was wearing a knowing, mischievous smile.

Jiang Congyue let out a laugh through her nose, her heart melting into a spring puddle. She pretended to be wronged and climbed closer, saying pitifully, “No?”

Anyone would find it incredibly creepy to see their own face suddenly magnified right in front of them, making an expression they would never normally make.

Jiang Le propped herself up with her arms, trying to subtly scoot backward, but Jiang Congyue saw right through it and scooped her back to the original spot.

Their gazes clashed in the air, as if an invisible tension was spreading. The moment their eyes met, sparks flew.

They both subtly swallowed. The next second, they unexpectedly lunged for each other in unison!

All rationality was completely incinerated. In the fierce, intertwined kissing, Jiang Le completely lost herself.

Just as they were overcome with passion, Jiang Congyue suddenly stopped.

She gently touched Jiang Le’s cheek and felt a cold wetness, instantly panicking. “Why are you crying?”

Jiang Le froze. She raised a hand to touch her face, only then realizing that she had actually shed tears. This realization seemed to open the floodgates. Tears instantly streamed down her face, unstoppable.

She gripped Jiang Congyue’s shoulders, her voice choked. She repeated over and over, “Jiang Congyue… I hate you…”

Whether due to her nature or years of habit, Jiang Le cried quietly. Only silent tears fell, which hurt the heart more than loud sobbing.

Jiang Congyue felt her heart twist in pain. She could only hold the other woman tightly, gently comforting her repeatedly in her ear: “You’re back. Aren’t you back? Seeing you cry like this, my heart is breaking. Sweetheart, don’t cry anymore, okay?”

Jiang Le silently sobbed. Jiang Congyue patted her back, patiently coaxing her.

As if finally exhausted from crying, or perhaps because that stubbornness in her heart hadn’t completely faded, Jiang Le huffily turned her back, curling up away from her.

Jiang Congyue seized the opportunity to wrap her completely in her arms from behind, their fingers tightly intertwined. The small moles on the same spot beneath their thumbs pressed together perfectly.

The night was deep.

One kept muttering, “I hate you,” and the other tirelessly responded, “I love you.”

They fell asleep in each other’s embrace.

–

The next day, when Jiang Le woke up, she had returned to her usual cold, detached demeanor, as if the person who cried her eyes out last night was merely an illusion.

She walked out of the bedroom and saw Jiang Congyue sitting casually at the dining table.

The other woman smiled and waved at her. “Oh? The little crybaby is finally awake?”

Jiang Le’s face darkened. She said to her coldly, “Take off my clothes.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Congyue awkwardly squirmed as she stood up, muttering something like, “This isn’t proper, under the bright sun, in broad daylight…”

Jiang Le’s face grew even darker. “Take my clothes off your body!”

“Heh, it’s just one piece of clothing, hmph…” Though Jiang Congyue grumbled, the amusement in her eyes couldn’t be hidden.

Does the esteemed CEO Jiang not have any other clothes fit to be seen in? Why did she have to wear the one on her? Jiang Congyue knew the answer but didn’t expose it, simply taking it off and handing it to Jiang Le.

Jiang Le quickly washed up and got ready. She looked at the breakfast Jiang Congyue had prepared on the table and checked her wrist-watch.

Under Jiang Congyue’s expectant gaze, she sat down and ate some.

“Mm, great! You finished it all!” Jiang Congyue’s eyes curved into crescent moons, and she clapped her hands exaggeratedly.

“…” Jiang Le put on her shoes with a blank expression, preparing to leave.

Jiang Congyue grabbed her tie and pointed to her own cheek with a finger. “Lele, I see people in other couples kiss before going to work. Can’t I have what others have?”

Jiang Le, whose hand was already on the doorknob, thought for a moment. She leaned in with a cold face, merely touching her lips before pulling away. “I’m leaving.”

Jiang Congyue, having gotten her way, happily waved her hand. “Bye-bye~”

After the person left, Jiang Congyue tried to turn the doorknob, then shrugged.

As expected, the door didn’t budge.

The seemingly calm person had locked her in the house. She wasn’t sure whether to be grateful that the little CEO hadn’t tied her up with a rope.

Jiang Congyue hummed a tune and wandered around the villa, making herself right at home as she looked around. Finally, she grabbed a bag of cookies and settled comfortably on the sofa.

Fine. She’d be a compliant caged bird, then.