When the Villain Falls Madly in Love with Me - Chapter 28

Chapter 28: The Liar

When Jiang Le woke up the next day, she saw Jiang Congyue and Li Yan sitting side-by-side on the living room sofa, sharing a box of strawberries. Their laughing and chatting made her unconsciously breathe a sigh of relief.

Sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a warm glow on them. Li Yan noticed her first and immediately flashed a brilliant smile, patting the empty spot beside her. “Hurry up and come here. Auntie Jiang bought the sweetest strawberries today.”

Jiang Congyue looked up at her, her eyes and eyebrows softened with a gentle smile. The familiarity of the scene warmed Jiang Le’s heart, as if she were back in those ordinary weekend mornings ten years ago.

Li Yan looked from one to the other, a mischievous glint in her eyes. She tilted her chin up and poked both of them with her finger. “Hmph, you two have made up. Shouldn’t you show some appreciation?”

Jiang Congyue got up and affectionately pinched Li Yan’s cheek. “Sure, my little mediator. I’ll treat you to a feast.”

“I want the most expensive meal!” Li Yan insisted cheekily, shaking her head, her hair glistening in the sunlight.

Jiang Le elegantly pulled out her phone and tapped a few times. “How about the revolving restaurant on the top floor of the Cloud Peak Hotel? I hear their French foie gras is superb.” Her tone was flat, as if commenting on the weather, but the subtle light in her eyes betrayed her good mood.

Li Yan’s eyes lit up. She swayed dramatically, pretending to be modest. “Oh dear, how embarrassing. Making Little CEO Jiang spend so much. But since you’ve so sincerely invited me…”

“Oh, stop it,” Jiang Congyue laughed, vigorously pressing down on the top of her head. “Your eyes are shining brighter than a lightbulb, and you’re still pretending!”

The three burst into laughter, and a long-lost, warm atmosphere flowed in the air.

A few hours later, they were sitting in the revolving restaurant on the top floor of the Cloud Peak Hotel. Outside the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, the night view of Beishi was dazzling. Inside the restaurant, the lighting was soft, piano music flowed like water, and fresh white roses adorned every table.

“This is so luxurious!” Li Yan gasped softly, her eyes constantly surveying the exquisite crystal chandeliers and gilded decorations.

As the waiter poured them champagne, Li Yan suddenly blinked. “Since we’re already here… can we add a lobster?”

Jiang Congyue looked up and teased, “Oh, what’s wrong? Did Chen Ting starve you, and you’ve come here to beg for food?”

“Ugh, don’t mention her. It has nothing to do with her; it’s my manager.” Li Yan’s face fell in distress. “She checks even my water to see if I’ve mixed sugar in it. What a miserable life I’m leading!”

Jiang Le quietly placed a piece of foie gras on her plate, a smile playing on her lips.

“Poor thing, you’re so thin from being starved. Our Yan-yan has truly suffered,” Jiang Congyue hugged her head, tenderly stroking it twice more.

“Stop touching my head!” Li Yan’s eyes widened. She seemed to realize her trick and quickly took out a mirror to fix her hair. “My manager hired a top stylist to do this hairstyle!”

Jiang Le held her wine glass, watching them playfully bicker, a gentle smile in her eyes. She waved the waiter over and thoughtfully ordered three lobsters of different flavors for Li Yan.

Midway through the meal, Jiang Le felt a little dizzy, likely from the champagne’s after-effects. “I’m going to the restroom.” She set down her glass and gracefully stood up.

Walking along the corridor carpeted with velvet, Jiang Le felt her steps unsteady. She leaned against the wall and slowly followed the signs to the restroom.

Just as she turned a corner, a figure suddenly collided with her from the side. Jiang Le was caught off guard, and a sharp pain shot through her shoulder, instantly clearing her head.

The person who bumped into her was a woman wearing a waiter’s uniform, but she looked panicked. When the woman looked up and saw Jiang Le’s face clearly, she was suddenly terrified, collapsing onto the floor and scrambling backward in fear.

“No! Don’t come closer…” The woman was trembling all over, her eyes wide as if she had seen something utterly terrifying.

Jiang Le frowned. Despite the sharp pain from the collision, years of etiquette prompted her to politely extend a hand. “Are you alright? Let me help you up.”

“Go away! Get away from me! Ah!” The woman screamed hysterically, covering her head. Her cries attracted the attention of the nearby restaurant manager.

Having lost her patience, Jiang Le frowned, cast a cold glance downwards, spared the woman no further attention, and walked away. Someone seemed to have rushed over to escort the woman away, but Jiang Le paid little mind.

Jiang Le merely nodded and continued toward the restroom. But she could feel that frightened gaze pursuing her until she turned the corner and was out of sight.

When she returned to the table, Jiang Le found that another bottle of wine was empty, and Li Yan and Jiang Congyue were clearly intoxicated. The two were clinking glasses and sobbing while embracing.

“Auntie Jiang, you know how sad Jiang Le and I were back then,” Li Yan tearfully sniffled. “I really, really missed you so much. Thank goodness you’re back, boo-hoo-hoo…”

“Yan-yan, I missed you both very much too…” Jiang Congyue’s voice was also tearful. She gently patted Li Yan’s back, her own eyes red.

Jiang Le stood not far away, sighing helplessly. She decided not to interrupt them for now, mainly fearing they would get excited and pull her into a sworn sisterhood ceremony.

She turned and walked to the railing of the viewing platform, looking down at the brilliant night view of Beishi. The night breeze brushed her face, bringing a cool sensation that also helped to clear her head. From this height, the near view was of hedonistic indulgence in the glittering lights, and the far view was the bright warmth of ten thousand twinkling homes. She had stood at similar heights to view this city more than once, but never before had she felt such peace and tranquility.

Jiang Le closed her eyes, simply and contentedly feeling the gentle breeze on her cheeks. Only the wind’s whisper and the distant, indistinct city noise remained in her ears.

Until a hand clapped her shoulder, breaking the peace.

Jiang Le’s slightly hazy eyes looked over and saw Lin Yueying. She quickly composed herself and curved her lips. “What a coincidence, Miss Lin.”

Lin Yueying held a lady’s cigarette in her mouth, her face somewhat sour. “More surprising to see CEO Jiang here, I suppose. What, do you have spare time to enjoy yourself here today? Oh, right, right, my mistake, you’re with your lover.”

She emphasized the word “lover” heavily, seeming to bite it out.

“Mhm.” Jiang Le knew she had likely found out about her meddling in that property project and was now angry with her.

But what could she do? After all, besides being partners, the Jiang and Lin families were also competitors in many fields. Business was like war; disturbing the opponent was necessary to secure more profit for oneself.

However, no matter how angry Lin Yueying was, she wouldn’t truly break ties. She exhaled a puff of smoke, saying nonchalantly, “I just didn’t expect CEO Jiang, who is usually so unapproachable, to be so generous with her affections.”

Jiang Le disliked this wording. The smile on her lips faded. “What do you mean?”

Lin Yueying glanced at her out of the corner of her eye and said coolly, “My brother’s new mistress seems to know CEO Jiang. The woman is completely hysterical and keeps calling out your name. Lele, that’s your nickname, isn’t it?”

Mistress? Knows her? Jiang Le suddenly remembered the strange female waiter from earlier. She searched her memory but couldn’t find any familiar face to match. She calmly shook her head. “You’ve guessed wrong. I don’t know her.”

With that, she didn’t bother to engage with Lin Yueying further, turning and walking away, leaving Miss Lin to smoke alone.

Returning to the private room, Jiang Le found that the two inside had calmed down a bit. Li Yan was red-faced, hiccupping, and Jiang Congyue was no better, leaning her head on her hand and giggling foolishly. Seeing Jiang Le return, Jiang Congyue reached out and hugged her, her tone deeply aggrieved. “You’re finally back. I missed you so much…”

Hearing those words, Jiang Le completely froze. She looked at Jiang Congyue, who was clutching her. Her expression was different from her usual teasing; it was a genuine sense of grievance and longing.

She smiled bitterly, cupping Jiang Congyue’s face, and tenderly massaged her drunkenly furrowed brow with her thumb. At this moment, Jiang Le realized again that their relationship had always been unbalanced—only Jiang Congyue knew everything about her, while she knew nothing about Jiang Congyue’s past.

Jiang Le gently placed a kiss on Jiang Congyue’s forehead.

Self-love.

Jiang Congyue, what about you?

Did you take good care of yourself in the places I couldn’t see?

Li Yan crawled over, pushing her face forward. “Jiang Le, why are you only kissing Auntie Jiang? I want one too!”

The tears welling up in Jiang Le’s eyes were dispersed by her laughter. She quickly held back the face that kept pressing against her. “No.”

She took out her phone and called Chen Ting, asking her to come and pick up Li Yan. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be able to handle two drunkards at once.

Of course, there was also a reason she couldn’t say: Li Yan was too much of a distraction to their time alone.

Sure enough, Chen Ting rushed over in less than half an hour. She helped up the limp-as-mud Li Yan. Seeing the two identical faces, she didn’t show much surprise, simply nodded politely to Jiang Le, and left with Li Yan. Jiang Le appreciated her tact.

Now, only she and Jiang Congyue remained. Jiang Le helped the tipsy Jiang Congyue stand up. Thankfully, their drinking habits were similar: they didn’t cause trouble when drunk but became a bit slow and vacant. In her current state, Jiang Congyue would probably do whatever she was told.

Back at Jiang Congyue’s apartment, Jiang Le gently placed her on the bed. Looking at the usually calm and composed Jiang Congyue now being so obedient and muddled, she felt a surge of playfulness. She poked Jiang Congyue’s cheek and commanded, “Hands up!”

Jiang Congyue obediently raised both hands, holding them straight and still.

Jiang Le chuckled softly a few times, finding Jiang Congyue utterly adorable in this state, and couldn’t resist leaning down for a kiss.

The moment her lips touched the other woman’s, her head was firmly pressed down. Operating on instinct, Jiang Congyue used her tongue to push past Jiang Le’s lips and teeth, boldly seizing Jiang Le’s territory.

Jiang Le, whose waist ached from the provocation, tried to push her back with her tongue, but was instead successfully entangled.

They kissed until both were breathless. When they separated, Jiang Congyue opened her hazy eyes, smiling triumphantly with a watery gaze. She flipped over and pounced on Jiang Le, resuming the passionate kiss.

Jiang Le was swept away by this sudden role reversal, her heart soaring and her waist weakening. She tried to push the other person back with her tongue, but only found herself entangled more deeply. The kiss was so intense that both of them were out of breath.

Maintaining a sliver of clarity in the brief gaps between breaths, Jiang Le quietly asked, “Do you know who I am?”

Jiang Congyue’s actions paused. Her blurred eyes focused on Jiang Le’s face, and she suddenly giggled. “You’re Lele… my Lele…” Then she leaned down, affectionately rubbing her nose against the side of Jiang Le’s neck. Her warm breath on the skin sent a shiver down Jiang Le’s spine.

Jiang Le sighed. Nothing gets past her, not a single detail can be tricked out.

Forget it. A moment of pleasure isn’t a loss.

Jiang Le stroked her smooth lower back and scoffed softly.

Liar.