After Redeeming the Cold, Aloof Heroine, I Ran Away - Chapter 11

The lingering echo of high heels disappeared at the end of the corridor, and the last smear of sunset dimmed along with it. The living room was so quiet one could hear a pin drop. The tense, drawn-sword atmosphere from just now cooled in an instant, leaving only a long silence and chill behind.

Holding what felt like an icy snake in her arms, Jiang Xian used her own body temperature to warm the other person. Even so, she could still feel the endless cold radiating from Jing Lian, along with the stark resistance in her very bones.

“Can you let go of me now?”

A tone colder than ice and snow sounded beside Jiang Xian’s ear. She lowered her head and saw a pair of eyes soaked in frost. Her heart could not help tightening, and her limbs softened along with it. She released Jing Lian’s waist.

Jing Lian slipped out of her arms like a smooth little white snake. Her bones rubbed against Jiang Xian’s flesh, like the reverse scales on a snake scraping painfully against her.

Jiang Xian’s arms could not help going numb. She curled her fingers slightly and steadied herself.

Jing Lian’s feet were inconvenient. After leaving Jiang Xian, she stood beside the sofa and supported herself with one hand on the foot of the spiral staircase, about to head upstairs.

Jiang Xian stood up and asked her, “Is your body all right?”

She had worked as a gardener, a trash picker, a laundry maid, a housekeeper… all for an entire day, while still covered in injuries. Jiang Xian subconsciously let words of concern slip out.

If Jing Lian had turned around and looked into her eyes, she would definitely have been able to detect something from that flickering gaze.

Jing Lian paused on the first stair, slightly stunned, as though she had also heard something from the tremor in Jiang Xian’s voice. But she did not turn around, nor did she confirm it. Very quickly, she came back to herself and answered with a cold snort, “Wasn’t it you who told me to do it?”

Good. Jiang Xian rubbed her sweaty palms together and thought that she had not exposed herself. Then she changed tack.

“Yes, I did tell you to do it. But your illness hasn’t recovered yet, so what could you possibly accomplish? Xiao Ya already told me just now. The flower beds you trimmed don’t look good at all. The flowers that should have been trimmed weren’t trimmed. Also, the crabs on the beach needed to be put back into the sea. The coffee that was knocked over soaked my Persian carpet that costs seventy thousand per square meter. The silk shawl lost threads after you washed it. How do you explain all of this?”

The proud Jing Lian immediately fell quiet. A trace of embarrassment leaked through her silence. Although Jiang Xian could not see her expression, she could feel her pretending to be firm from the way her back straightened slightly.

“I’ll compensate you.”

“I didn’t ask you to compensate me.”

Jiang Xian stepped up three stairs ahead of her, then turned around and looked down at her. Jing Lian cleverly avoided her eyes and stared blankly into the distance.

Jiang Xian continued, “Recover first. Stop moving around recklessly. Later, I’ll have the housekeepers lead you when you do things.”

After saying that, she lifted both hands lightly and clapped at the air. The sound passed through the villa corridor, through the main hall, and into the dark corners, drawing out the housekeeper hidden in the shadows.

Very soon, Xiao Ya walked forward respectfully and bowed ninety degrees. “Boss, what are your instructions?”

Jiang Xian leaned crookedly against the railing and reached up to brush the long hair at her chest behind her back, bringing up a wave of fragrance.

“From today onward, Miss Jing Lian will be entirely your responsibility. You need to change her medicine, urge her to eat, and after her body is better, take her to do some things. Start with simple ones, like brewing coffee or making gongfu tea.”

Xiao Ya held both hands in front of her abdomen, lowered her gaze, held her breath, and carefully remembered every instruction. From time to time, she nodded.

Although she had doubts and did not know why Boss was giving these orders, she did not dare ask. She only nodded and said, “Understood.”

After listening to the instructions, she respectfully backed away several steps before turning around and leaving lightly. Although she was wearing high heels, she did not dare make any sharp noise.

Jiang Xian tapped her fingers against the wooden handrail. From the corner of her eye, she swept a glance over Jing Lian. She was just about to tell her that she would be leaving to record a variety show when the words were cut off before they reached her lips.

Jing Lian suddenly looked at her, her eyes still carrying stubbornness, with a trace of mockery mixed in.

“You’re sending someone to monitor me.”

Jiang Xian’s heart instantly sank to the bottom. She had been kindly considering things for Jing Lian, but in the other woman’s eyes, it was surveillance.

She disdained explaining herself.

“Miss Jing Lian, I think you need to stay here, which is why you will accept my surveillance. Since we’re being clear today, I’ll say it plainly. After you recover from your injuries, whether you stay or leave is up to you. I won’t force you.”

She held onto the spiral staircase, the gorgeous hem of her dress dragging across the ground with a rustling sound as she gracefully moved away.

Jing Lian’s pupils narrowed slightly. A trace of doubt reflected in her eyes, wavering like a blue flame.

“She really wants to let me go?”

Near evening, the back kitchen was preparing dinner as usual. Jiang Xian had changed into a set of home clothes: a blue-and-white striped plaid shirt paired with black casual pants. Sitting upright, she watched the variety show Hear Your Voice. After finishing it, she gently let out a breath of relief. Good, good. They did not require her to perform onstage. Otherwise, sooner or later, she would expose herself.

She was certain that she was tone-deaf. How could she sing? She was even less worthy of some title like the little orca of the deep sea. Just as she capped her pen, the housekeeper’s voice came from behind her.

“Boss, it’s time for dinner.”

Jiang Xian pressed the cap of the pen against her forehead and lightly rubbed her hairline. Without lifting her head, she said, “Xiao Ya, don’t call me Boss anymore. Call me Miss Jiang from now on.”

“Boss” sounded like the title of a greasy middle-aged man. Every time she heard it, her body jolted, and embarrassment made goosebumps rise all over her.

Xiao Ya looked slightly hesitant. Her wide, confused eyes steadied for a moment, and she exchanged glances with Auntie Wang. But very quickly, the two understood and spoke at the same time.

“Understood, Miss Jiang,” Xiao Ya said crisply.

“Understood, Boss,” Auntie Wang said, still unused to it. The mistake slipped out of her mouth as soon as she spoke. Once she finished, her little hand lightly slapped herself near the mouth.

Jiang Xian did not mind. She only said, “Go invite Miss Jing Lian downstairs for dinner.”

After that, Xiao Ya received the instruction and turned to go upstairs.

Auntie Wang became attentive, pulling out a chair and handing Jiang Xian a glass of water. Jiang Xian sat down and swept her eyes over the dishes on the table. Most residents near the sea ate mainly seafood: sea cucumbers, sea urchins, leopard coral grouper, abalone, orchid crabs, and mantis shrimp. Most of them were steamed, blanched, or boiled. This preserved the ingredients’ natural flavor without damaging their nutritional value through excessive cooking.

Two minutes passed. Xiao Ya came down from the spiral staircase, her face uneasy and her brows and eyes flickering.

“Miss Jiang, Miss Jing Lian said… she hasn’t fully recovered yet, so she won’t come downstairs to eat.”

There was no need to ask. Jing Lian was unwilling to share a table with her. Most likely, even looking at Jiang Xian killed her appetite. Sitting together with her would be like sitting on needles, with thorns at her back and a fishbone stuck in her throat.

Xiao Ya was very smart. She had used softer words to smooth over Jing Lian’s firm tone.

However, Auntie Wang did not understand this kind of mediation. As if afraid that life was not chaotic enough, she hurriedly said, “Miss Jiang, I think Ninth Miss is refusing a toast only to drink a punishment. As long as you give the order, I, Auntie Wang, have plenty of strength and methods.”

Jiang Xian slowly raised a hand, indicating for her to stop. “No need. Let her be. Xiao Ya, you’ll be responsible for her meals.”

Faced with Jiang Xian’s instruction, Xiao Ya obeyed without question. But as she went upstairs, she vaguely felt that her young lady seemed to have changed.

Could it be that Miss Jiang truly loved Miss Jing Lian, and that was why she was willing to change for her?

Thinking this, she pushed the dining cart to Jing Lian’s room.

She knocked lightly and entered, arranged the meal properly, then stood to the side and quietly waited for the person on the bed to eat.

She did not dare look directly, only daring to observe Jing Lian from the corner of her eye. Miss Jing Lian was snow-white and cold, completely different in style from the girlfriends Miss Jiang had dated before.

In the past, most of Miss Jiang’s girlfriends had been charming and seductive, curvy in front and back, with sweet personalities, obedient and compliant. Their words and actions carried a bit of worldliness. But Miss Jing Lian had no chest… though she did have a little bit of a backside. Her limbs were thin, her temper was extremely proud and aloof, and she never tried to please Miss Jiang. Her speech and mannerisms also resembled those of a young lady from a wealthy family…

After carefully thinking it over, Xiao Ya felt that Miss Jiang must have developed real feelings. Was that not how novels always wrote it? Woman, you have successfully caught my attention. The less someone liked you, the more you wanted to obtain them.

What could not be obtained would always stir restlessly.

Jing Lian ate slowly and unhurriedly like a little cat. In a daze, she felt a subtle gaze on her. She set down her soup spoon. The silver spoon lightly landed on the ceramic plate, making a pleasant sound.

She lifted her eyes toward Xiao Ya, wanting to speak but stopping herself.

Xiao Ya smiled slightly at her. “Miss Jing Lian.”

In this villa, Xiao Ya could be considered someone around her age. She was neither good nor bad to Jing Lian, looked kind, and could be considered someone Jing Lian could exchange a few words with.

“What?”

“Miss Jing Lian, after your injuries heal, could you eat together with Miss Jiang? She’s actually very lonely.”

Jing Lian had originally wanted to speak properly with her, but the moment she heard the words “Jiang Xian,” her eyes drooped at once. Her little expression had no intention of hiding anything.

Seeing her expression, Xiao Ya immediately explained, “I know Miss Jiang treated you badly before, but it seems that starting from some point, I feel like she’s changed.”

“You’re the first person who made her…”

“The first person who made her happy?” Jing Lian coldly cut her off.

Xiao Ya was somewhat surprised, then said, “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen Miss Jiang…”

“It’s been a long time since you’ve seen her smile so happily?”

Xiao Ya was even more surprised. How could Jing Lian predict what she was going to say? She continued, “She’s sincere toward you.”

“She’s truly different toward me, and this time she’s serious?”

Xiao Ya: “…”

“Miss Jing Lian, how do you know everything?”

Jing Lian lightly pressed the corner of her lips, her eyes sweeping over. “Isn’t that how novels always write it?”

Xiao Ya smiled awkwardly. “I didn’t expect Miss Jing Lian to have a bit of dry humor. But what I’m saying is the truth. Miss, you’re different from all of Miss Jiang’s previous girlfriends. In the past, her girlfriends all wanted her looks, body, reputation, and money. But you don’t want anything from her. I can tell.”

Jing Lian gave a mocking laugh. “What a joke. I don’t even like her, so why would I want anything from her?”

Jiang Xian had just arrived at the bedroom door when she heard Jing Lian say this. Her hand, which had been about to knock, paused slightly. After hesitating again and again, she finally knocked on the door and pushed it open.

When the two people in the room saw her enter, they immediately fell silent. The air pressure lowered, as if the conversation just now had never existed.

Jiang Xian stood at the foot of the bed, maintaining distance from both of them. She cleared her throat.

“I’m going on a business trip for a few days. Xiao Ya, the villa will be left to you for the time being.”

After saying that, her gaze turned toward Jing Lian. When the other woman saw Jiang Xian looking over, she immediately lowered her eyes and looked elsewhere.

“If you… need anything, go directly to Xiao Ya. She’ll help you handle it.”

After saying that, she did not linger. She backed away several steps and walked out of the room.

Only after her figure disappeared from the doorway did Jing Lian slowly lift her head and think, Why bother pretending?