After Redeeming the Cold, Aloof Heroine, I Ran Away - Chapter 10

After the world spun around her, a face appeared against the blinding white sky. In the faint light of sunset, Jing Lian saw a pair of eyes. The emotions in them overlapped—nervous unease followed by the concern of someone who had survived a scare.

Was it an illusion?

Jing Lian’s gaze was dazed. Her heartbeat slowly gathered back into place, and her vision also became clear.

This time, she finally saw Jiang Xian’s brows and eyes clearly. They were gentle, and her breathing was so close. She had just returned from outside and looked travel-worn, sweat flowing down her skin, mixed with the scent of the sea breeze. A drop of sweat slid down from her neck and happened to fall into the deep V of Jiang Xian’s collar, slipping into an endless abyss.

Jing Lian’s gaze moved downward. Seeing that Jiang Xian’s waist was pressed tightly against her own and feeling the warmth coming over her, heat suddenly burned in her heart. She immediately threw that brief moment of gentle tenderness to the back of her mind, and what replaced it was embarrassment.

She hurriedly steadied herself, straightened up, and lightly pushed Jiang Xian away with her small hand, tearing herself out of Jiang Xian’s arms.

Seeing this, Jiang Xian restrained her gaze. Her empty hand dropped down and was tucked behind her back.

She had just finished handling official business and returned to the villa when, from far away, she heard an argument near the swimming pool. So she had quickly rushed over.

By sheer coincidence, she saw the original owner’s ex-girlfriend bullying her little Jing Lian.

These people really did not let her have a single moment of peace. She had only gone out for a short while, and the heroine was about to be beaten again. Fortunately, her eyes and hands were quick. Otherwise, Jing Lian would have been pushed into the swimming pool, then her old wounds would have reopened, then all the hatred would have been blamed on Jiang Xian’s head, and finally, that hatred would be buried deep in Jing Lian’s heart. Once the time came, Jing Lian would turn her into a human-skin thangka and antique bracelets…

Thinking this, fury surged in her heart. Just who had given Xu Wan the courage to treat her dear little thing like this?

Just as she thought this, she saw something like a black water ghost crawl out of the pool. Xu Wan cried and struggled to get up, pulling away the hair stuck to her face. With a tearful expression, she shouted, “Sister Jiangjiang, you’re finally back.”

After saying that, she pointed at Jing Lian, who stood to the side with an expressionless face.

“She… she… she bullied me.”

So the woman before her was the original owner’s ex-girlfriend, the one she had just broken up with. Her figure was indeed graceful and alluring, but her face… Jiang Xian could not see it clearly. Her makeup had already been soaked by the water. Her false eyelashes were like two spiders baring their fangs and brandishing their claws, still dripping black ink like poison, looking exactly like venom.

To turn a beautiful woman into this state was also unprecedented.

Jiang Xian suppressed her laughter and secretly glanced at Jing Lian from the corner of her eye. She saw that Jing Lian was also looking at the person in the pool, a faint smile appearing in her eyes.

Jiang Xian’s heart cooled slightly. She placed both hands behind her back.

“Stop crying. You look terrible when you cry. Change your clothes first.”

Xu Wan wiped the tears from her face, and the melted mascara instantly streaked across her snow-white skin, making her look even more ridiculous. She struggled out of the pool in a few movements, whining delicately and acting spoiled.

“Sister Jiangjiang, you have to stand up for me.”

Xu Wan was certain that Jiang Xian currently hated Jing Lian, so she should unconditionally stand on Xu Wan’s side.

Jing Lian had also made her own judgment. She had already angered Jiang Xian greatly. Now, Jiang Xian would definitely use that venomous mouth of hers to scold her for the sake of this ex-girlfriend. That would already be considered good. Perhaps Jiang Xian would whip her again.

Thinking this, Jing Lian lifted her foot first and walked indoors.

But she had been tired for an entire day, standing and working all day without taking a single drop of water. When she walked, she swayed unsteadily.

At that moment, Xu Wan was leaning against Jiang Xian’s shoulder, sobbing as she said, “I twisted my ankle. Can Sister Jiangjiang support me?”

Jiang Xian turned a deaf ear. All she saw was Jing Lian limping ahead. Jing Lian was thin and frail. When the wind blew against her blue French-style dress, she looked like a butterfly, drowning as she stumbled forward.

Jiang Xian rushed over in one swift step, reached out, and grabbed her lotus-pale arm. With a gentle turn, without waiting for Jing Lian to react, she picked her up in a princess carry.

Jing Lian’s head leaned against her arms. She lifted her eyes, and her weak body tried to struggle. Her eyes were full of shock.

“You…”

Jiang Xian knew she was about to refuse again, so she cut her off first. “You look awful walking. Like someone with a physical disability.”

She tightened her hold around Jing Lian and lifted her leg, stepping into the villa.

Xu Wan was left disheveled in the cold wind. Looking at their retreating backs, she sniffled and cried, “Sister Jiangjiang, wait for me.”

Half an hour later, Xu Wan had changed her clothes. She wore a moon-white qipao that outlined her exquisite figure.

Her long hair was like ink, spread over her shoulders. She sat crookedly on the long sofa in the living room, crying and sobbing as she described how malicious Jing Lian had been and how Jing Lian had pushed her into the swimming pool.

“I… I was sitting there perfectly fine, but she deliberately knocked over the teacup and splashed dirty water all over me. I told her to wash my clothes for me, so she deliberately schemed and framed me, making me fall into the water. Wuwuwuwu, wuwuwu, Sister Jiangjiang.”

Jing Lian sat properly on a single-seater sofa, holding a cup of linden honey water. From time to time, she took a sip. Her eyes looked straight ahead, and she did not care in the slightest about Xu Wan’s accusations. Only when she was being accused did she lightly lift her eyes and cast over a mocking glance.

Although Jiang Xian did not know the full picture of what had happened, based on her judgment, Jing Lian was not someone who liked picking fights. If others did not offend her, why would she offend others?

So no matter how much the current situation seemed to favor Xu Wan, Jiang Xian still remained calm.

She only tilted her head and asked Jing Lian, “You washed clothes today? And wiped tables too?”

Seeing that Jiang Xian did not care about her tearful complaint but instead turned to show concern for Jing Lian, Xu Wan choked slightly and quietly looked at the two of them.

Jing Lian lowered her eyes and stared at the honey in the cup. “Wasn’t I supposed to do that?”

“Ridiculous!” Jiang Xian suddenly tore her voice open. “When did I tell you to do it today? Couldn’t you wait until you recovered?”

Jing Lian remained silent and did not speak again.

Jiang Xian cleared her throat, then turned her gaze toward Xu Wan.

“As for you…”

Seeing Jiang Xian look over, Xu Wan pouted and said pitifully, “Sister Jiangjiang.”

She stood up and moved forward, sitting crookedly beside Jiang Xian. A pair of fair arms suddenly reached out and hugged her.

“I missed you.”

Before Jiang Xian could refuse, she was hugged tightly by the other woman. Her entire head was even pressed into Xu Wan’s chest. For an instant, Jiang Xian fell into darkness. Soft warmth and rich fragrance came over her, and considerate blood rushed to the top of her head. She immediately pushed Xu Wan away awkwardly and sternly.

“What are you doing?”

She was so anxious she nearly jumped up. After all, this woman belonged to the original owner, not to her.

Xu Wan was thrown hard onto the sofa by her. She looked partly shocked and partly aggrieved.

“Could it be… Could it be that you don’t miss me?”

What the hell would I miss you for? This is the first time we’ve met.

Jiang Xian was so embarrassed that her face flushed red. But she pretended to be calm. While fixing her hair, she could not help glancing at Jing Lian. Jing Lian was watching the two of them with the eyes of someone watching a show.

As if this matter had absolutely nothing to do with her and she could simply hang it high out of concern.

Their eyes met. Jing Lian instinctively shifted her gaze away. After placing down the cup of water, she stood up to leave.

She had just walked beside Jiang Xian when, as if possessed by a ghost, Jiang Xian reached out, lightly grabbed Jing Lian’s waist, and pulled her onto herself.

The person in her arms looked at her with bewildered, helpless eyes. Jing Lian lightly twisted her waist, trying to struggle free.

The back of Jiang Xian’s hand slid upward from her waist. Her thin calluses rubbed through the thin fabric of Jing Lian’s clothes, sending a burst of static across Jing Lian’s back, spreading from her skin into her organs. Jing Lian straightened her spine and took a deep breath, no longer moving.

Xu Wan sat opposite them and looked at her. “Sister Jiangjiang.”

“Listen carefully.” Jiang Xian looked at her, her eyes revealing contempt and impatience. “We broke up a long time ago. Now, I already have her.”

As she said this, she turned her gaze back and looked at the person before her with gentle affection.

“I have never liked someone this much before. I have never smiled so sincerely from the bottom of my heart. She is so different from all of you.”

She reached up and gently brushed the hair on Jing Lian’s cheek with her fingers, then hooked it behind her ear.

That little ear was thin and soft, and in an instant, it turned red.

Jing Lian did not dare look directly into Jiang Xian’s eyes. She only lowered her brows and eyes, suppressing her dissatisfaction. She no longer had the strength to struggle.

Jiang Xian only wanted to drive away Eighth Miss. Jing Lian would act with her this once.

As for what Jiang Xian said, that she liked her, that she loved her—it was nothing but an excuse. How could Jiang Xian like someone else? She only liked herself.

Seeing Jiang Xian look at someone like that, Xu Wan instantly felt a sense of disparity in her heart.

“How is she different? Isn’t she just a little flatter in the chest, a little shorter, a little thinner? What’s so interesting about that? Didn’t you used to like someone like me? How am I worse than her? I have a good figure and a good face. My temper is good, and my personality is gentle. Before, in bed, you even said you liked me the most.”

…

Xu Wan, oh Xu Wan. As expected of someone who graduated from vocational high school. When she spoke, she truly would not stop until her words shocked people to death. She went straight for whatever was most vulgar.

“Shut up. Listen to what you’re saying. Is that something suitable to say in public?”

Xu Wan’s eyes flashed with unwillingness. “Weren’t these words all taught to me by you?”

At this, Jiang Xian immediately flushed with embarrassment. The original owner had not studied much either and had entered society too early. What she had learned were all things unfit for polite society, and her mouth was vicious. Jiang Xian neither confirmed nor denied it.

In the instant of silence, Jing Lian glanced at her faintly, seeming to smile yet not smile, almost disdainful, almost giving a cold snort.

Jiang Xian had nowhere to cry injustice. What was Jing Lian looking at her for? She was not the original owner.

Her hand pinched Jing Lian’s waist, and only then did the other woman finally withdraw her gaze.

“How much money will it take for you to leave?”

Jiang Xian cut straight to the point. Looking at Xu Wan, her words were not polite either. “Ten million. Don’t appear in front of me again.”

For an ordinary person, ten million would take several lifetimes of work to earn. It was already not little.

Hearing this, Xu Wan was also shaken. With this ten million, she could be considered free of worry about food and clothing for the rest of her life. She would no longer have to twist her hips in front of a camera. Why not be happy about it?

But she could not appear too satisfied. She only cried, “Sister Jiang, is the relationship between you and me only worth ten million? What I want is you, not your money.”

Jiang Xian snorted with laughter. “Five million. Are you leaving or not?”

Hearing that the price had gone down instead of up, Xu Wan was instantly struck as if by thunder on a clear day. Frightened, she hurriedly took the good deal while she could.

“I’m leaving, I’m leaving. I’ll leave right now.”

She struggled up from the sofa, gathered her long hair, and clicked out on her high heels.

“It’s still the old card. Don’t forget.”

After taking only two steps, she suddenly remembered something and turned back. She picked up the Hermès scarf that had fallen on the sofa and said reluctantly, “Sister Jiangjiang, I’ll miss you.”

Mm. She would miss her money.