When the Villain Falls Madly in Love with Me - Chapter 31

Chapter 31: The End

The moment the pungent smell of disinfectant reached Jiang Le’s nose, her mind abruptly cleared.

She lay in the hospital bed, the effect of the anesthetic slowly wearing off. A persistent, dull pain began to emanate from the wound on her lower back. Every breath tugged at that area, constantly reminding her of the source of the injury.

Jiang Le struggled to move her hand, reaching out to touch the slightly cool hand of the person guarding the bedside.

Jiang Congyue, who was resting by the bed, immediately awoke, her eyes still bloodshot with unscattered redness and heavy fatigue. She quickly sat up, her voice hoarse. “You’re awake. Don’t move. Does it hurt?”

Jiang Le tried to shake her head, but the movement aggravated her wound. She couldn’t help but gasp in a breath of cold air, her complexion turning a bit paler. “I’m fine.” Her voice was weak and dry; for now, she could only manage a few simple words.

Jiang Congyue immediately got up, carefully wetting her lips with a moist cotton swab, her movements gentle as if handling a fragile treasure. Her fingertips trembled almost imperceptibly.

“Su Wen, she…” Jiang Le asked in a low voice.

“…She’s dead,” Jiang Congyue lowered her eyelids, concealing the complex emotions in her eyes. “The search team looked all night and only found one of her shoes. The chance of survival in that situation is virtually zero…”

Her tone was calm, as if stating the conclusion of an insignificant person’s story.

Jiang Le was silent for a moment.

Su Wen’s madness and death were like an absurd and tragic drama. The woman who once called her “Lele” and “friend,” yet was obsessed only with the favorability meter, had finally vanished completely, carrying both truth and falsehood with her.

Neither of them felt much satisfaction; instead, there was an inexplicable sense of suffocation.

“The USB drive?”

Jiang Congyue pulled the silver-white USB drive from her pocket and placed it in Jiang Le’s hand. “I swapped the two USB drives in the chaos. The one left at the scene was taken by the police as evidence.”

“Lin Yueying and Lin Zhen were taken in for questioning. Unfortunately, there was no direct evidence to prove their involvement, so they’ll likely be released soon. Su Wen’s actions were categorized as a personal act due to mental breakdown.”

Capital and power always found loopholes; this outcome was not surprising. No one would care how a lunatic managed to obtain the USB drive or how she contacted Jiang Congyue.

Regaining some strength, Jiang Le looked at her and asked, “What about you? Didn’t the police ask why you were there?”

“I slipped away in the confusion,” Jiang Congyue forced a slight smile. “Lin Zhen is despondent and refuses to communicate with anyone, so the police can’t get anything out of him. Lin Yueying is even simpler: someone who only cares about money.”

Jiang Le recalled the text message she received before rushing into the warehouse. That was clearly Jiang Congyue’s doing as well. In her panic, she hadn’t noticed that the message was signed by Su Wen. To gain her sympathy, Su Wen had always used “Li Xin.”

She chuckled softly. Thoughtful in every aspect, utterly flawless.

Jiang Congyue always managed to arrange everything.

Jiang Le closed her eyes. The wound hurt terribly, and a deep sense of bitterness welled up in her heart. She wanted to reach out and hug her, to tell her that she had worked so hard doing all of this, but she truly lacked the strength to lift her arm.

“It’s over. Everything is over.”

She couldn’t reach out to hug Jiang Congyue, but Jiang Congyue, with a shared understanding, embraced her.

Jiang Le looked up at Jiang Congyue. “Then, us…”

“We’ve started,” Jiang Congyue rested her head heavily on Jiang Le’s shoulder, then gently rubbed against it.

An injury that damages bones and tendons takes a hundred days to heal. Jiang Le spent those days drinking the various soups and broths Jiang Congyue prepared, swelling up a bit from the liquid. She was radiant from head to toe.

Li Yan, Gu Li, and others also flocked to visit her. Upon seeing the two identical faces, they were initially shocked. Then, with Li Yan’s exaggerated descriptions, they soon forgot about Jiang Le, the patient, and started chatting amongst themselves.

Those two lively friends instantly hit it off, seemingly regretting not having met sooner.

“…” Jiang Le and Jiang Congyue exchanged glances. See? These are the friends you picked for me.

Jiang Congyue simply shrugged, unconcerned.

When Li Yan finally finished her rambling, the focus of the group returned to the pale-faced Jiang Le on the hospital bed.

“Heh heh, it’s rare to see the always proper CEO Jiang like this. Come here.” Gu Li pulled out a long selfie stick from somewhere.

Seeing this, everyone gathered around Jiang Le’s hospital bed.

“Click—”

A fast, crisp shutter sound rang out. Before Jiang Le could cover her somewhat lackluster face, the photo was permanently saved in Gu Li’s camera.

In the photo, Jiang Le was surrounded by everyone. Her shoulder was affectionately draped by Li Yan, while the “Miki-Lin” duo was on the other side, smiling ear to ear. Jiang Congyue sat relaxed on the edge of the bed a bit farther away, a faint yet genuine smile gracing her lips.

Most noticeable was that her gaze was not on the camera but on Jiang Le, an undeniable tenderness in her eyes and a quiet sense of relief.

This photo was eventually printed by Gu Li, framed, and placed on the nightstand in their bedroom.

Jiang Le’s injuries gradually healed, and life seemed to return to normal, yet it was fundamentally different from before.

One evening, she was in the study handling documents. The old wound on her lower back ached faintly. She frowned slightly.

Jiang Congyue, who had been quietly sitting nearby reading a file, immediately stood up, walked behind her, and gently and accurately placed her warm hand around the sore scar, massaging it with perfect pressure.

“Rest if you’re tired,” Jiang Congyue’s voice was low.

Jiang Le relaxed, leaning back against the chair, looking up at her. “It’s fine, just a little sore. You’re more perceptive than a mind-reader.”

Jiang Congyue’s fingers lightly combed through her hair. “Of course.”

She said it so casually, but why was she still in so much pain? Jiang Le didn’t ask, only smiled.

Sometimes late at night, Jiang Congyue would wake up from a nightmare, breathing rapidly, her body cold. Jiang Le would wake up immediately, pull her into her embrace, and gently pat her back until her tense body slowly relaxed and she drifted back to sleep.

They licked each other’s wounds, using this silent understanding to mend their past shattered lives, little by little.

“Next vacation, let’s go to the seaside.”

Jiang Congyue paused slightly in her typing before her lips gently curved up. “Okay.”

After that, they traveled to many places together, experiencing countless beautiful and magnificent sights. Every place they visited, they took a photo.

Later, the photos on their nightstand piled up so much that they had to clear out a whole room to store them.

Sometimes, when Jiang Le was idle, she would flip through these photos one by one. She used to think Jiang Congyue was nothing like her; she was so reserved, yet Jiang Congyue was so cheerful and lively. Now, she realized they looked so radiant and happy in every single picture.

Jiang Le also slowly tried to make Jiang Congyue happier and more lively.

However, she stopped turning the pages, realizing with a start that she was aging little by little, while Jiang Congyue was becoming more vibrant and beautiful.

Finally, the day came when Jiang Le turned the same age as Jiang Congyue. On this special birthday, the two of them, of course, invited their friends to celebrate together.

Gu Li was the first to arrive, shaking off the light snow that had fallen outside. “Wow, this is truly amazing,” Gu Li exclaimed, looking at their faces. “You two look exactly like twins now.”

“Of course! Don’t doubt the sculpting skills of China’s Michelangelo!” Li Yan’s eyes sparkled. She excitedly nudged Chen Ting beside her.

Lin followed close behind, carrying a heavy small box. “Guess what I brought!”

Li Yan looked over curiously. “What is it?”

“Wine! My family’s own brew. The alcohol content isn’t high. They were asking for it before, but my mom hadn’t made much. This time, you can drink to your heart’s content!”

Everyone cheered happily.

Jiang Congyue and Jiang Le hadn’t hired a chef. The two of them were busy in the kitchen, deep in their own little world, preparing only simple home-cooked dishes.

Once everyone was seated, they raised their glasses of homemade wine and cheered, “Happy Birthday, Jiang Le and Jiang Congyue!”

After dinner, they played a few rounds of games before preparing to eat cake.

Jiang Le and Jiang Congyue sat side-by-side in front of the cake with “30” candles, clasping hands and closing their eyes to make a wish. The others held up their phones, recording and excitedly singing the birthday song.

Finally, the two opened their eyes simultaneously, blew out the candles, and smiled as they looked at each other.

The others teased, “What are you two up to!”

Laughter erupted, followed by eating cake and smearing cream on each other’s faces for good luck.

After a cream war, everyone’s faces were covered in frosting. Jiang Le and Jiang Congyue, in the middle, had the most, with only their two helpless eyes blinking.

“Hahaha—”

With a click of the shutter, another photo and memory were saved.

After seeing off their noisy friends, Jiang Le and Jiang Congyue were too lazy to clean up the mess, deciding to hire someone for the next day.

Whether it was the subtle delayed effect of the low-alcohol homemade wine or simply the plotting of their own hearts.

In the next moment, they were both lying on the bed, their faces flushed, looking at each other.

That look was all it took to ignite the fire in their hearts, followed by the sounds of kissing.

Jiang Congyue opened her arms, her face flushed, and whispered to her, “Happy birthday, Jiang Le.”

“Happy birthday, Jiang Congyue.” Jiang Le’s desire was evident in her eyes. She quickly looked up to say the words before diving back down.

This time, she wouldn’t make the same foolish mistake as before.

…

The night was deep. Fine snow had begun to fall outside the window, yet the room was warm, filled with the intimacy and heat of their lovemaking. Jiang Le lay on her side, her fingertips occasionally twirling the strands of Jiang Congyue’s hair scattered on the pillow, her gaze tracing her peaceful sleeping face.

The old wound on her lower back would sometimes ache in the cold weather, but at this moment, it was gently wrapped in another kind of abundant satisfaction, and the discomfort became insignificant.

Jiang Congyue seemed to be a light sleeper. Her long lashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes, meeting Jiang Le’s focused gaze. She smiled, instinctively snuggling closer to Jiang Le, her voice husky from sleep. “Why are you still awake? Aren’t you tired?”

“Looking at you,” Jiang Le said with a faint smile, her thumb lightly brushing her increasingly radiant and beautiful cheek. “You’re so beautiful.”

Jiang Congyue gave her a mock glare, yet couldn’t stop the corners of her mouth from turning up. She reached out and wrapped her arms around Jiang Le’s waist, pulling her closer. She yawned, murmuring, “You’ve been looking at me for so many years. What’s so rare about it anymore?”

“Jiang Congyue,” Jiang Le peeked out from her embrace, staring steadily at her. “Someone who loves beauty as much as you do, will you still love me when I slowly get old?”

“Hmm?” Jiang Congyue seemed to hear a joke and couldn’t help but laugh for a while. She rubbed Jiang Le’s hair. “Yes, I will.”

“In those years, did you ever see me disdain or dislike myself because of my aged, less beautiful face? Besides, I’ve spent much more time with that face than you have. Would you have disliked the me from back then? Hmm?” Jiang Congyue’s eyes curved into a smile, carrying a hint of teasing.

Jiang Le immediately shook her head vigilantly, saying decisively, “No.”

Jiang Congyue looked at her serious, on-guard demeanor and laughed again. She affectionately brushed her lips against Jiang Le’s face and continued, “What you fear is not aging, but me slowly getting younger. You’re afraid that this will push us further and further apart.”

“But, Jiang Le, no one stops loving themselves just because they grow old. Just like how I love myself even with a face full of wrinkles, I will always, always love you.”

Jiang Le felt dizzy, as if she were drowning in the tender words of Jiang Congyue. Then, Jiang Congyue tightened her embrace, pulling her into her space.

She whispered a soft “Mhm” in Jiang Congyue’s arms, falling silent, only snuggling closer to her.

Life truly seemed to have sailed into a calm and warm harbor. They were like each other’s shadows, inseparable. A single glance was enough for mutual understanding.

The past events were locked away in bygone times, leaving only the steady flow of everyday life.

However, Jiang Congyue noticed that Jiang Le was becoming increasingly anxious. Her focus on maintaining her appearance reached an almost demanding level. She meticulously researched various previously untouched skincare products, insisted on exercising, and strictly controlled her diet.

She even occasionally zoned out while looking in the mirror, her fingers lightly tracing the corners of her eyes and brows, as if confirming something.

Jiang Congyue wanted to say something, but the words caught in her throat. She knew that what Jiang Le feared most was her leaving.

Jiang Le felt her stamina was significantly worse than before. Occasionally, after pulling an all-nighter for work, she needed a longer time to recover. A few gray hairs had silently appeared. She looked at the faint fatigue in her eyes in the mirror, contrasting it with the still radiant Jiang Congyue beside her.

They should have been identical, but now Jiang Le felt as if time was accelerating only for her.

One day, under the pretense of organizing old items, Jiang Le went alone to the room where the photos were kept. She locked the door, flipping through the albums that documented their travels and smiles, sometimes leaving clear fingerprints on the photos.

Her smile gradually showed fine lines, her eyes held more composure, and she sometimes showed a hint of fatigue. Meanwhile, Jiang Congyue’s beauty seemed frozen. Time only made her more mature and alluring, leaving no traces of aging.

Her finger paused on a photo taken at the beach last year. The sun was bright, and the crow’s feet at her eyes were clearly visible as she laughed. Jiang Congyue, next to her, had smooth, firm skin and a dazzling, unrestrained smile, looking at least five or six years younger than her.

Eight years had passed since Jiang Congyue returned.

As Jiang Le was staring blankly at her own face, a hand gently took hers from behind. Startled, she looked back.

The person from the photo seemed to have stepped out and come to her side, with the same smile, saying, “Why are you looking at the photos again?”

Jiang Congyue had lost count of how many times she had repeatedly visited this room this month. She initially wanted to give her time to think, but she didn’t want to see her forced smile every time she emerged.

“Lele, I’ll tell you a little secret,” Jiang Congyue whispered close to her ear. “There might be a punishment, but I don’t want you to be anxious every day when we finally managed to be together.”

Upon hearing the word “punishment,” Jiang Le instantly stiffened, immediately shaking her head to indicate she didn’t want to hear it. But the words were already softly transmitted to her ear.

Jiang Le stood still, eyes wide, looking at her in disbelief, mumbling, “Is what you’re saying true?”

“When have I ever lied to my Lele? Of course, it’s true.” Jiang Congyue’s eyebrows slightly furrowed, then blossomed into a radiant smile.

She finally led Jiang Le out of that room. For the first time, Jiang Le’s face was ecstatic as she continuously asked, “Is it true?”

Hearing Jiang Congyue’s affirmation each time, her heart felt more settled.

Jiang Le was no longer anxious after that, and her complexion looked better than it had with any skincare product.

At night, she quietly asked Jiang Congyue, “Forever. Is there truly such a thing as forever in this world?”

Jiang Congyue, uncharacteristically, didn’t offer her usual faint smile. She lay flat on her back, shoulder to shoulder with Jiang Le, her expression serene. “Yes. Life will have an end, but that is only a temporary separation. Everything will lead to an eternal recurrence.”

Recurrence…

Jiang Le closed her eyes, falling into a peaceful sleep…