When the Villain Falls Madly in Love with Me - Chapter 8

Chapter 8: The Guardian

After taking the dirty clothes out of her schoolbag, folding them neatly, and handing them to the woman, Jiang Le’s face was flushed red. She managed a barely audible, “Thank you…”

She wasn’t used to interacting with people in this manner.

The woman was amused by her solemnity. She gently took the clothes, holding them in her arms, and waved her hand: “There’s no need to thank me for this; it’s part of my job.”

She paused, remembering the main point, “Oh, Miss, Boss Jiang instructed me that if you woke up, you should come downstairs for breakfast. She had an urgent matter at the company this morning and couldn’t join you.”

Jiang Le nodded. Retaining the muscle memory of missing out on food if she was late, she quickly washed up. She didn’t even bother with the elevator, running down the spiral staircase with a “thump, thump, thump.”

“Oh my, Miss, why are you in such a hurry?” A woman with a pretty face chuckled, “You still have to wait a bit. You should have some crackers to tide you over.”

The next second, a bag of delicately packaged cookies was slipped into Jiang Le’s hand. She stared blankly at the woman’s busy figure in the kitchen.

She hadn’t woken up late, so why did she still have to wait? This thought slipped out of her mouth uncontrollably: “Still… needs to be heated up?”

The woman turned around at the sound and said with a gentle smile: “Boss Jiang, she eats simply and casually herself, but she specifically instructed me to prepare something extra nutritious for you, saying you’re still growing.”

Jiang Le’s heart did a “thump.” A strange wave of warmth, mixed with a feeling of being overwhelmed, surged through her.

Breakfast at the orphanage was nothing more than a cold, hard bun, a bland boiled egg, or a wilted fried dough stick, accompanied by a bowl of diluted soy milk.

She sat obediently at the giant dining table, unconsciously fiddling with the bag of crackers. Her heart felt like it was fluttering with a small rabbit, full of anticipation, yet she tried hard to keep her little face straight to hide her excitement.

She didn’t wait long before the woman magically presented several plates, placing them in a circle around Jiang Le.

“…” Jiang Le’s mouth twitched slightly as she looked at the items before her. She hesitantly pointed her small finger at the pile of green grass, swallowed hard, and asked with an unbelievably cautious tone: “Eat… eat this?”

Vegetable salad, elaborately cut but seemingly tasteless fruit, and a few overly exquisite side dishes. The only thing that slightly whetted her appetite was the slice of toasted bread topped with a soft-boiled egg.

The smile on the woman’s face froze for a second. Her fingers holding the tray tightened slightly. Her carefully planned nutritious breakfast was being questioned by this little girl, which was a huge insult to her professional capabilities!

Jiang Le clearly heard the woman grinding her teeth inwardly. Seeing the increasingly benevolent smile on the woman’s face, her survival instinct instantly flared up.

She immediately forked a large bite of salad and stuffed it into her mouth. Her cheeks bulged as she chewed quickly, forcing a brilliant smile, and praised indistinctly, “So… so delicious! Hehe, it’s really delicious!”

“I’m glad you like it.” Auntie He finally nodded with satisfaction, regaining the composure of a professional nutritionist. “My surname is He, Miss can call me Auntie He. Let me know in advance if there’s anything else you’d like to eat in the future.” With that, she turned and gracefully left the dining room.

Watching Auntie He walk away, the smile on Jiang Le’s face instantly collapsed into a look of deep distress. She frowned and continued to mechanically chew the pile of healthy grass, still puffing out her cheeks.

She surprisingly felt a little nostalgic for the hearty, filling, though coarse, buns and fried dough sticks from the orphanage.

For some reason, she inexplicably thought of that thin woman again.

She found it strange herself.

Logically, after experiencing harshness regarding food, a person should be more eager for delicacies. But Jiang Le seemed to be the opposite; her desire for food grew weaker, and she ate less and less.

However, because she was hungry, Jiang Le still devoured everything on the table like a whirlwind. After finishing the last sip of milk, she quickly concluded her first breakfast here.

Feeling full, she didn’t know what to do. Like a kitten new to a strange territory, she wandered around the spacious house that was large enough for a horse to run in, eventually drawn by the rich floral scent drifting from the backyard. Pushing open the glass door, a meticulously maintained garden came into view.

Jiang Le crouched boredly beside a flower bush, unconsciously touching a fully blooming flower. Lost in thought, a cheerful humming sound came from behind her.

She turned her head and saw a woman in a dark blue velvet dress elegantly watering the flowers with a brass watering can. The woman’s meticulously coiled hair, the skirt ironed without a single wrinkle, and her every gesture exuded a serene and calm elegance.

If not for the loose skin and faintly visible wrinkles on the back of her hands exposing her age, it would be hard to guess her true age just from her silhouette.

As if sensing her presence, the woman stopped watering. Her gaze fell on Jiang Le, and a perfectly measured faint smile appeared on her face. She walked over with a composed step, “You must be the little girl Boss Jiang brought back yesterday. I am Lin Qingyu, the housekeeper here.”

Jiang Le stood up and returned a slightly reserved smile: “Hello, I’m Jiang Le.”

The two exchanged greetings, but the air fell into an awkward silence.

Jiang Le crouched down again, but soon her feet began to feel numb. The awkwardness of the silence made her feel helpless. She casually pointed at the small white flower she had just touched, pretending to ask carelessly, “What… what kind of flower is this?”

Lin Qingyu slowly put down the watering can, glanced at the flower, and her smile deepened slightly, carrying a hint of unnoticed meaning: “It’s the Lady Banks’ Rose. All the other flowers in this garden were planted by me, but only this patch of Lady Banks’ Rose was personally planted by Boss Jiang.”

The dewy, pale white petals lay lightly in the gaps of Jiang Le’s fingers like silk gauze, the tender yellow stamens complementing her amber-colored pupils as they caught the sunlight.

Lin Qingyu looked at her clear, pure eyes, which seemed capable of reflecting the heart. She was momentarily lost in thought.

Jiang Le knew nothing about flowers. Under Lin Qingyu’s gaze, she forced out a dry laugh, “Hehe… it sure is pretty.”

Noticing her discomfort, Lin Qingyu quickly withdrew her gaze, returning to her proper demeanor as a housekeeper. She thoughtfully pointed to an exquisite white gazebo behind the flower bush: “There are chairs over there. Miss, would you like to sit there?”

Jiang Le felt immensely relieved, practically fleeing into the gazebo. Once seated, she nervously twisted her fingers.

When Lin Qingyu was lost in thought just now, she had clearly heard those two words in her heart.

【So similar.】

Similar to what? Similar to whom?

This question pricked her heart like a small thorn. Just as she was deep in thought, a cup of steaming clear tea was gently placed on the stone table in front of her. The delicate aroma of the tea instantly pulled back her drifting thoughts.

Jiang Le looked up at Lin Qingyu, who maintained a polite smile, and asked a question that had bothered her for a while, “Housekeeper Lin, am I Boss Jiang’s illegitimate daughter?” Her voice was low, carrying the directness unique to children.

“…” Lin Qingyu stumbled slightly, almost tipping over the exquisite teacup in her hand, but she replied with a mixture of exasperation and amusement, “Why would you ask that? Not to mention Boss Jiang has never had a publicly known partner, at her age, she’s old enough to be your grandmother.”

Jiang Le mumbled inwardly, No public partner is precisely why she would be an illegitimate daughter or an illegitimate granddaughter. And leaving me at the orphanage door would also be logical; that’s what the TV shows I peeked at through people’s windows always portray.

Listening to Lin Qingyu’s inner thoughts coupled with her spoken words, Jiang Le was nine-tenths certain.

And she talked about fate? I think it’s blood relation. She’s just trying to trick me because I’m small. Jiang Le secretly muttered to herself. The scene of a wealthy family reunion was already playing out in her little brain.

Not bad, Jiang Le thought happily.

Lin Qingyu watched Jiang Le’s expression change rapidly, finally settling on a strangely delighted look, completely baffled. Is the fact that Boss Jiang could be her grandmother that funny?

However, children’s thoughts were always wild and unpredictable.

But she would not allow anyone to be so relaxed and happy while she was working. Lin Qingyu elegantly put down the teacup and looked steadily at Jiang Le, “Miss Jiang Le, tomorrow is Monday, and you need to report to your new school. You can’t sleep in until you naturally wake up like today. I will personally come to wake you up tomorrow.”

Jiang Le was stunned. She looked up at the sky with confusion. If she remembered correctly, it was only around seven o’clock after they finished breakfast, right? “Excuse me, what time does the new school start class in the morning?”

Lin Qingyu raised an eyebrow, like the whisper of a devil, “Boss Jiang said that Miss, your grades are excellent, so I specially transferred you to the city’s best First Elementary School. Their academic atmosphere is rigorous, and morning reading starts exactly at seven.”

She watched Jiang Le’s eyes widen instantly and continued to add with satisfaction: “Moreover, First Elementary School is quite far from the manor. Therefore, Miss, you must—” she deliberately paused, “get up promptly at six in the morning tomorrow. I hope Miss will cooperate and not oversleep, otherwise…”

Seeing Jiang Le’s expression of utter shock, as if struck by lightning, she finally stood up contentedly, resumed humming that cheerful song, and elegantly left the gazebo.

【It’s nice to have a child around the house to tease.】

Jiang Le “thumped” her head against the cold stone table, her face ashen. Her previous special school was managed strictly like a military camp, but at least classes started at the standard eight-thirty in the morning!

Six o’clock! The sky won’t even be fully bright yet!

Meanwhile, after finishing her company matters, Jiang Congyue was concerned about the “little trouble” at home and immediately asked the driver to take her back.

The moment she entered the door, she saw Jiang Le slumped listlessly on the living room sofa, like a small eggplant wilted by frost.

Jiang Congyue frowned slightly, sweeping a questioning gaze towards Lin Qingyu, her eyes carrying a silent reproach.

She composed herself, quickly walked over, sat beside Jiang Le, took her small hand, and asked gently, “What’s wrong? My Lele, who made you unhappy? You look so glum.”

Jiang Le shook her head, “It’s nothing.” Although she said it was nothing, her face showed too much distress, as if the sky was about to fall.

Jiang Congyue’s mouth curved when she saw her like this. This was a child seeking attention. She took off her hat and casually handed it to Lin Qingyu. With both hands, she pulled Jiang Le up, her tone hinting at a mystery and enticement, “Come, let me show you what I brought back.”

The two walked hand-in-hand to the front hall. A person brought in two medium-sized boxes. Jiang Congyue motioned for her to open them.

Jiang Le climbed onto a stool with a heart full of doubt and carefully opened the first box. She had imagined all possibilities—new clothes, toys, books… these were the usual tricks of past adopters.

But she never expected that lying inside the cardboard box was a brand new, shiny sausage machine. She suddenly turned to look at Jiang Congyue.

Opening the second box, she found it neatly stacked with all kinds of sausages, meat balls, and fish balls.

How did she know?

Jiang Le stared intently at Jiang Congyue’s smiling eyes with scrutiny. Is this another coincidence? How can there be so many perfect coincidences in this world?

“Do you like it? A toy I bought for you.” Jiang Congyue acted as if she didn’t see the doubt in her eyes. She started operating the machine on her own, skillfully placing a few sausages on it. The sizzling sound of oil popping and the tempting smoky aroma instantly filled the air.

This scent immediately awakened her memory—the unforgettable, yet never tasted, aroma of roasted sausage. Jiang Le suddenly felt a large piece of her heart sink, accompanied by a wave of tingling numbness.

“Auntie He reported this morning that you didn’t like the vegetable salad. I figured little kids probably crave this.” She clipped the cooked sausage onto a plate and offered it to Jiang Le, adding, “But this stuff is heating, so just try a bit. You can’t be greedy and eat too much.”

The alarm bells in Jiang Le’s mind rang wildly. This woman was terrifying. She understood how to precisely hit her weak spots better than those so-called strategists with their Systems and clear objectives.

It was as if she could perceive the deepest desires and unspoken regrets in Jiang Le’s heart. In front of her, Jiang Le was simply an exhibit placed under a spotlight, with no secrets to hide.

The familiar aroma filled her nostrils. She took a small bite. It was indeed many times better than she had imagined.

Jiang Congyue raised her hand and gently stroked her face, “Why do you look like you’re about to cry while eating? Is it that delicious?”

“It’s hot!” Jiang Le, like a cat whose tail was stepped on, sharply turned her head to avoid her hand, rebutting in a low voice, a hint of embarrassed anger in her tone. After a while, she added in an even smaller voice: “It’s very delicious, thank you.”

Biting the sausage, Jiang Le was horrified to find that Jiang Congyue understood her even better than those so-called “strategists,” able to perceive all her emotions and inner desires. She felt like an exhibit displayed before Jiang Congyue, with nowhere to hide.

But she was terrified to discover that deep down, she was developing a trace of unwanted dependence on this mysterious and dangerous woman.

Jiang Congyue ignored Jiang Le’s occasional glances and poked a few meatballs into Jiang Le’s bowl.

“Aren’t you eating?” Jiang Le pushed the bowl toward her.

Jiang Congyue laughed softly, the fine lines around her eyes smoothing out, as if she had become a few years younger, “I was waiting for you to ask me.”

“Waiting for me to ask you?” Jiang Le repeated in confusion, completely baffled by the logic.

Jiang Congyue looked down at her, “This is something I gave you, so it belongs to you. Since it belongs to you, naturally, you have to invite me to have some.”

Belong.

These two words were like a flash of lightning, cutting through Jiang Le’s murky thoughts. In her not-so-long life, “belonging” was an extremely luxurious and illusory concept.

Even in the orphanage, her old, marked possessions could be snatched away or discarded at any moment. The things that truly belonged to her were pitifully few.

Jiang Le’s mind went blank. A nearly obsessive urge made her forcefully tug on Jiang Congyue’s hand. She jumped off the stool and rushed her toward the second floor.

She ran all the way back to her territory on the second floor, stopping breathlessly at the bedroom door.

She pointed at the huge, soft bed, her eyes shining astonishingly, her voice carrying a near-stubborn need for confirmation: “This! Does this belong to me?”

Jiang Congyue looked at her and nodded clearly without any hesitation: “Yes, it certainly belongs to you.”

Jiang Le dragged her to the bathroom, “Does this place belong to me?”

Jiang Congyue still nodded in affirmation, “Yes.”

She pointed at the large wardrobe: “Does this belong to me?”

“It belongs to you.”

She pointed at the sun-drenched balcony: “Does this belong to me?”

“It belongs to you.”

She even pointed at an inconspicuous decorative vase at the end of the hallway: “This! Does this also belong to me?”

“Yes, it belongs to you.”

With every question, Jiang Congyue gave an unhesitating affirmative answer. Jiang Le was like someone performing a sacred ritual of confirmation. With each confirmation, the light in her eyes brightened a bit, and the excitement in her chest intensified a bit.

After pointing to every corner of the second floor, Jiang Le finally stopped, panting. Her excitedly trembling amber eyes fixed on Jiang Congyue’s loving and tolerant face, and she gripped her hand tightly.

She looked up and, using all her strength, asked the most important question that had been swirling in the deepest part of her heart: “What about you?”

She finally asked.

Jiang Congyue’s other pale yet warm hand gently rested on the top of her soft hair. The smile in her eyes spread out like spring water, gentle and profound.

She leaned down slightly, looking into Jiang Le’s eyes. Her voice was as soft as a feather stroking the heart, yet carried a rock-solid firmness, clearly reaching Jiang Le’s ears: “I belong to you, as your Guardian.”

This declaration was like a stone thrown into the lake of her heart, stirring up a huge echo in Jiang Le’s chest.

However, before the warmth from this declaration could fully envelop her, Jiang Congyue’s next action was like a basin of ice water, unexpectedly pouring over her.

Jiang Congyue casually picked up a simple white porcelain cup from the table nearby. On the outside of the cup, written boldly with a black marker, were two undeniably clear characters: 乐乐 (Lele).

The handwriting carried a childish clumsiness, but also an air of unquestionable possessiveness.

Jiang Congyue’s thumb pad gently—yet with the same unquestionable motion—wiped across those two names.

“Jiang Le,” her voice was still gentle, but like a fine needle, it accurately pricked Jiang Le’s suddenly taut nerves, “What you did was wrong.”

She paused, every word clearly striking Jiang Le’s rapidly tightening heartstrings: “No one writes their own name on a teacup in their own home.”

The air seemed to freeze.

The color instantly drained from Jiang Le’s face. She stared blankly at the cup whose name had been wiped away, now clean as before, and then suddenly looked up at Jiang Congyue.

The brilliant light that had just ignited in those amber eyes was instantly dimmed, like a candle flame blown out by a fierce wind.

She quickly lowered her head, left only with helpless confusion and the sharp shame of having her pretense publicly stripped away.

Why did she say I was wrong? No one else ever cared about that. Is Jiang Congyue disgusted with me…?

…

Jiang Congyue: 24