When the Villain Falls Madly in Love with Me - Chapter 26

Chapter 26: Novice Jiang Le vs. Veteran Jiang Congyue

Jiang Congyue barely had to expend any effort to completely win over Li Yan. Now, Li Yan was looking at her with sparkling eyes, as if she were a deity descended from the heavens.

“So how did you manage to look exactly like Jiang Le?” Li Yan felt her arm, examining her up and down.

Jiang Congyue meaningfully stroked a non-existent beard. “Ah, it’s a long story, but I’ll make it short. One day, a Daoist priest saw that I had an immortal destiny and carved a physical body for me out of ten-thousand-year-old celestial dark wood. He asked me what to make it look like. I had a sudden inspiration and took out my phone to show him a picture, but he mistook it for me wanting Jiang Le’s appearance, so this is what I became.”

Completely bamboozled, Li Yan was hugely impressed, mumbling, “That Daoist priest is a Chinese Michelangelo.”

Jiang Congyue had not expected her to say that and almost broke character, barely maintaining her profound, ethereal demeanor.

Jiang Congyue then spoke whatever came to mind, and Li Yan believed everything she said, becoming more and more excited.

Just as Jiang Congyue was about to elaborate on how the future world would be destroyed and desperately needed a savior, Jiang Le walked out of the study with a wooden expression.

Both their gazes turned to her. Jiang Le looked at Li Yan as if she were an idiot, but her words were directed at Jiang Congyue. “You have the heart to deceive her.”

Jiang Congyue blinked, her eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings, her tone carrying just the right amount of innocence. “I’m telling the truth, you know. Don’t you believe me, Yan-yan?”

Li Yan jumped up, protecting Jiang Congyue like a mother hen. “Yes! Of course, I believe Auntie Jiang! The future of the world depends on us to save it!”

“…” Jiang Le’s mouth twitched. “Hehe, fool.”

She really couldn’t fathom how someone over thirty could still have such idiotic thoughts.

But if that person was Li Yan, everything seemed to fall into place and make sense.

After listening to the story for so long, Li Yan’s sleepiness returned. After all, she had rushed through her engagements without sleep to rest here. Once the initial excitement faded, her mental energy was nearly spent.

“I can’t. I’m so sleepy.” She yawned, picked up her suitcase, and drifted like a ghost to the ground-floor guest room.

Jiang Congyue gazed in the direction of Jiang Le upstairs, a faint smile playing on her lips.

Jiang Le only spared her a fleeting glance before quickly shifting her gaze, turning to go back into the study. The sound of the door closing was as light as a falling leaf.

Not long after, Jiang Le was sitting in front of her computer screen, feeling restless. Although she knew every word on the screen, she couldn’t take in a single sentence.

Just then, the door behind her was quietly pushed open. She didn’t need to turn around to know it was Jiang Congyue.

Suddenly, a warm hand squeezed the back of her neck and began to massage it. Her ear was met with a gentle voice saying, “CEO Jiang must be tired. Let me give you a massage.”

Jiang Le’s thin lips pressed tighter. A subtle tremor ran through the back of her neck from the touch, a sign of extreme sensitivity, yet she forced herself to remain calm, simply responding with a faint “Mhm” and allowing the hands to work on her neck.

“Why did you suddenly come out and interrupt my chat with Yan-yan just now?” Jiang Congyue’s hands were gentle, but her voice carried a hint of cunning, like a mesmerizing fox spirit, step by step luring the person into her trap. “Little CEO Jiang… were you perhaps jealous?”

Jiang Le’s spine instantly stiffened. Her tone was still deliberately flat. “Hehe, not at all.”

Jiang Congyue covered her mouth, intentionally letting out an exaggerated sound of surprise. “Ah, so I was being presumptuous then, okay…” She paused, then changed the subject, with a hint of a coaxing tone. “So where do I sleep tonight?”

Jiang Le’s fingers unconsciously scratched at the texture on the edge of the computer. Her voice carried a hint of unnoticeable awkwardness. “In such a big place, can’t you find a place to sleep?”

“Oh, but the sofa isn’t comfortable to sleep on.” Jiang Congyue gently nudged her shoulder, her voice as soft as cotton candy. “I want someone to sleep with.”

Jiang Le looked up, her gaze clear and sharp as she peered at her, with a hint of mockery. “Jiang Congyue, who was the one sleeping soundly on the sofa a few days ago? Was it me?”

The atmosphere froze for a moment, tinged with subtle awkwardness.

But Jiang Congyue quickly returned to her smiling self and moved closer. “How can that be the same? Besides, I checked the weather forecast, and it says there might be a thunderstorm tonight. I… I’m scared.”

“I recall I was never afraid of thunder. How come you’re different from me now?” Jiang Le said coldly.

Jiang Congyue softly let out a couple of “hmph” sounds, her voice carrying a hint of grievance and an inexplicable melancholy. “You wouldn’t know. I picked up this fear during those extra years I lived after you, that’s why you don’t know.”

“Oh? Then tell me, what happened?” Jiang Le finally completely shifted her gaze from the computer screen, looking steadily at Jiang Congyue, her eyes intense, seemingly very eager to know what had happened to make her afraid of thunder.

But Jiang Congyue put a finger to her lips. “Shh, the secrets of heaven cannot be revealed. I can’t tell you.”

Jiang Le was struck by something in those words. Her face clouded over, and she pushed Jiang Congyue away. “Heh, then I’ll assume you’re lying. Go sleep by yourself if you’re afraid of thunder.”

Jiang Congyue widened her eyes and dramatically clutched her heart. “Ah, you’ve completely broken my heart. I was only trying to do what was best for you.”

Jiang Le, who had intended to stay silent, suddenly stood up, her face so dark it looked like water might drip from it. “For my own good?” She let out two cold laughs. “Heh, yes, you’ve been very good to me, so good that no one in the world has been better to me. But you died! You died!”

Jiang Congyue’s eyes slightly darkened. The massive storm was indeed coming.

Jiang Le, who had always been able to mask her emotions, now had red eyes and an agitated expression. After a moment, she took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

Watching the usually eloquent Jiang Congyue now lowering her eyes and remaining silent, Jiang Le felt like her heart was being fiercely squeezed by an invisible hand, the pain almost suffocating her. What were they even doing?

“Then why don’t you also tell me why you appeared in this world, why you look younger every day, why you came back to life, and where you’ve been all these years?”

“Speak up. What’s wrong? You were talking so freely with Li Yan, but you’re mute now with me?” Jiang Le practically screamed hysterically.

“You can’t tell me the reason for coming back to life or anything about the future? Then at least tell me a lie, something to placate me, to coax me,” her voice gradually lowered, with a hint of a sob. “You claim to have lived a few years longer than me, so guess what would make me happy?”

So, these words hurt this much when directed at her. Jiang Congyue forced a difficult smile.

She always thought that love should preempt all hurt. She wanted to present the best things in the world to her, so she wouldn’t suffer a single grievance or endure any pain, hoping she could be happy every day.

Yet, not only did she fail to take her home before she was abused and give her much love, but she also caused her so much heartache and prevented her from sleeping peacefully every night because of her death.

She had so many ways, so many excuses to lie to her, to coax her, so why did she have to die so resolutely in front of her?

Jiang Congyue looked at the tears rolling down Jiang Le’s cheeks. The tear drops were like poisoned needles, fiercely piercing her chest. In an instant, the pain spread throughout her limbs, making every part of her hurt.

Her tears were a punishment more painful than any weapon.

“I will love you unconditionally because we once loved each other deeply,” Jiang Congyue’s voice carried a barely perceptible tremor. “But you look at me like a strange outsider. Your heart is too difficult to enter.”

“But when all your pain and joy are brought by me, it will be difficult for anyone else to enter your heart,” she slowly drew closer, staring into Jiang Le’s almost-devouring gaze, her voice laced with a stubborn certainty. “If it were you, you would make the same choice. After all, we are the same person.”

Beneath the intense love lay an overwhelming possessiveness. They were like each other’s unbreakable bad habits, needing to leave a deep mark on the other, to engrave their own name, to assert that unquestionable right of ownership.

Just as Jiang Le was fuming and nearly losing control of her emotions, Jiang Congyue subtly stepped away.

Jiang Le closed her eyes to suppress her anger, wanting to quickly calm down. Why should she be screaming hysterically while Jiang Congyue always looked so composed and unperturbed?

She should also look at her calmly, ignoring all her actions. That would be fair.

She was almost convincing herself when a scorching hot, soft object was suddenly placed in her hand. Immediately after, a hand firmly grasped hers, the heat so intense she almost flinched away.

Jiang Le abruptly opened her eyes, the mist and lingering redness still clearly visible.

And Jiang Congyue’s faint smile invaded her sight with abandon, like a stone thrown into a calm lake, causing her heart to tremble fiercely. The mental barrier she had just erected instantly crumbled.

“Lele, you’re in too much pain,” Jiang Congyue whispered close to her ear, her voice like a sigh. “The pain is so immense that others can’t cover it with love. Therefore, you just need someone to receive that pain. But no one is you. They haven’t walked your path; they don’t understand. Only me, it can only be me.”

“I understand you, I cherish you, I love you…”

Jiang Congyue whispered softly by her ear, but her hand used all its strength to tightly interlock her fingers with Jiang Le’s, as if to forcefully meld the object in her palm into their very flesh and blood.

Pain.

Very hot.

These two thoughts uncontrollably popped up in Jiang Le’s mind.

And Jiang Congyue, on the opposite side, was naturally not made of stone. The same burning sensation pricked her palm, yet she let out a different, low, eerie laugh. The next second, she captured Jiang Le’s slightly cool lips.

Her voice was somewhat seductive. “I don’t want Lele to only eat cold rice in the future.”

Jiang Le’s pupils contracted slightly. She instantly sobered up. She moved her hand. Although she couldn’t break free from her grip, she could clearly feel what was in her palm.

It was a clump of scalding rice.

The moment Jiang Le understood, both of their eyes welled up, and they laughed, the laughter carrying too many complex emotions: grievance, relief, and the preciousness of something lost and regained.

Subsequently, the two of them kissed madly, mutually trying to steal the air from each other’s mouths. Jiang Congyue skillfully teased Jiang Le’s lips and tongue, attempting to gain the upper hand.

But how could Jiang Le admit defeat? She fiercely attacked with wild abandon, conquering territory everywhere.

Jiang Congyue, not wanting them to bleed from the struggle, had to pinch her sensitive nape, causing her to soften. She gently soothed her back, slowly teaching her how to find pleasure.

Later, somehow, they moved from the study to the bedroom. Outside the window, as Jiang Congyue had said, the rain poured down in torrents, accompanied by thunder and lightning.

But no matter how the thunder and rain raged outside, the pale flashes of lightning only illuminated the tangled figures inside, intertwined in a tender embrace.

…

Afterward, Jiang Le pursed her lips, turning her back to Jiang Congyue without a word, giving her a stubborn, cold, and rigid silhouette!

Jiang Congyue, who had wanted to cuddle, couldn’t help but laugh at her pouting expression. She leaned in and whispered, “What’s wrong? Getting it wrong the first time is completely normal. It didn’t hurt much, did it? Don’t be mad.”

Jiang Le covered her face, inwardly blaming herself relentlessly. Why had she been so unstudious before, leaving herself open to being laughed at!

Listening to the sweet-nothings from the witness beside her, she felt even more mortified. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and pretended to be asleep.

Jiang Congyue scooted closer, watching her slightly trembling eyelids. The smile in her eyes deepened.

Amused, she lay back down, familiar in the way she wrapped her arms around Jiang Le’s waist from behind, resting her chin gently on her shoulder.

The sound of the rain outside gradually subsided, becoming a soft drizzle, like a gentle lullaby. In the sound of each other’s breathing, the two slowly drifted off to sleep.