After Transmigrating, I Became The Heroine’s First Love! - Chapter 8

Pei Xiangwan replied earnestly, “Yes, it’s enough.”

The light in Jiang Shiyuan’s eyes turned to stagnant water. “Oh, if it’s not enough, you can go to Sister Lin’s house. It’s close by, isn’t it?” Her tone was so cold it could freeze a person to death.

Pei Xiangwan sensed danger. The Little Fox is angry! No matter what, I have to coax her!

“No, no, I don’t want to watch! I’m not even close to her. I need to help Jiang Jiang find Snowball.”

Jiang Shiyuan let out a cold hmph and returned to stand beside Pei Xiangwan.

“Jiang Jiang, are you very close to that person?” Pei Xiangwan couldn’t help but feel curious. The book described Jiang Shiyuan as someone who disliked getting close to people, let alone using honorifics.

Sister! That title carries significant weight.

Jiang Shiyuan lowered her gaze, her eyelashes fluttering like the wings of two large butterflies.

“We’re okay. I often see her when I feed the stray cats. Sister Lin loves cats too. She’s a very kind person.”

“There are quite a lot of stray cats here.”

“Hmm?”

“I was just thinking… this is the Wealthy District. I wouldn’t expect to see so many strays.”

Jiang Shiyuan smiled, but it was a smile at Pei Xiangwan’s naivety and foolishness.

“Do you think money prevents abandonment? This has nothing to do with money. Money can buy many things, but once interest fades, those things are forgotten. People like that may have everything, but they lack one thing: a heart, a sense of responsibility.”

The deep blue sky was flawless, without a single cloud.

Suddenly, rustling sounds emerged from the green jungle. A black-and-white cat, its paws adorned with pristine white “gloves,” darted out and approached the bowl. The gloves were spotless, untouched by mud. It tentatively meowed a few times.

“Meow… meow…” as if asking if it could eat.

Receiving Jiang Shiyuan’s approval, the cat began devouring the cat food in the bowl. After finishing, it lingered, nudging Jiang Shiyuan to pet it.

The majestic white house, roofed with earthy-brown terracotta tiles, exuded an ancient grandeur, resembling a castle fit for a count.

Stepping inside revealed a stark contrast between the exterior and interior. The house’s innards were entirely black: black chandeliers, cabinets, sofas, and every conceivable trinket.

Tick-tock-tick… The clock on the wall ticked relentlessly, its face a single, bloodshot eye with silver needles dangling beneath. Lin Su stepped barefoot onto the floor, where the carpet’s pattern resembled a white sunflower crawling with ants, swarming densely across its surface.

She tossed the snake coiled asleep on the sofa onto the floor, leaving an indentation where it had lain. Shifting her weight, her striking features twisted into a grimace.

“Tch, I hope this doesn’t scar. Damn it,” she muttered, unbuttoning her sleeve to reveal an arm as pale as plaster, crisscrossed with scratches like knife cuts.

“Fvck… I should have gone deeper. I need to be faster next time. Today’s results are utterly disappointing.”

“You know, Wanwan is the only one who indulges your nonsense. Even a kitten comes home when it’s had its fun. But I have to admit, the last time I saw it, it was quite adorable—looked just like a little cloud.”

Yu Wei immediately regretted her words, her face turning stiff and unnatural. She stole glances at Jiang Shiyuan’s reaction, and when she saw it was as calm as ever, she quickly changed the subject.

“Shi Bao, try this cake. I just bought it today. You can take the other slice to Wanwan and let her have a taste too.”

“Mmm.”

Jiang Shiyuan picked up a fork, scooped a spoonful, and fed it to herself. The taste was sweet but not cloying—Wanwan would love it. However, the strawberries decorating the cake were a bit tart.

“For me?” Pei Xiangwan’s hand froze on the doorknob, momentarily forgetting to release it. She looked at Jiang Shiyuan with a mixture of surprise and delight.

“Mmm.” Jiang Shiyuan lifted the white paper box and tucked it into Pei Xiangwan’s arms. Pei Xiangwan quickly caught it, afraid the box would fall.

The square box was pure white, resembling a sealed little white house with no windows or doors, revealing nothing of its contents.

Pei Xiangwan lifted the box and rotated it. “What’s inside?”

Jiang Shiyuan grasped Pei Xiangwan’s restless hand and said calmly, “Stop turning it like that. You’ll find out when you open it.” If she kept spinning it, the cake would lose its shape.

Pei Xiangwan stopped rotating the box and instead clasped Jiang Shiyuan’s soft hand. “Alright, alright. Come in and sit for a while.”

Jiang Shiyuan bit her lip and shook her head vigorously, her porcelain-white cheeks flushing crimson.

“Hey, I’m not going to bite you! You came all this way to bring me cake—that must have been tiring. I should at least offer you a return gift. So come in, or I’ll get mad!”

When Pei Xiangwan reached the last sentence, she deliberately feigned anger.

As expected, the Little Fox froze, muttering weakly, “This distance? Even a snail could crawl it easily. It’s not tiring at all.”

“Alright, alright, you’re amazing. Just sit wherever you like. I’ll go get your gift from my room.” Pei Xiangwan gestured toward the sofa and hurried upstairs.

Aunt Zhang had gone out to buy groceries, leaving the two of them alone in the spacious room. The silence was palpable. Jiang Shiyuan sat on the sofa, the blush on her cheeks still lingering.

She couldn’t help but feel a tiny flicker of anticipation for the gift Pei Xiangwan was about to give her—just a tiny flicker!

Soon, the floorboards creaked as someone rushed down the stairs.

Pei Xiangwan, her hands behind her back and a radiant smile on her face, sat beside Jiang Shiyuan, who subtly shifted away.

“Guess what it is.”

Pei Xiangwan extended her clenched fist. The tight grip made her hand look strikingly sensual, the distinct knuckles flushed a delicate pink. Jiang Shiyuan could clearly see the rosy hue of those knuckles.

Feeling a sudden heat, Jiang Shiyuan licked her slightly dry lips. “Air?”

She dared not hope for too much. The greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment. If only Pei Xiangwan could truly stay by her side…

She was the perfect gift, the perfect return gift.

Pei Xiangwan took a deep breath, then forcefully exhaled, resembling a deflated balloon. Her voice sounded almost like a playful whine.

“Jiang Jiang~”

“Can’t you guess properly? I’ve been preparing this for so long.”

Jiang Shiyuan’s lips curved into a smile, two shallow dimples appearing on her cheeks, adding a touch of sweetness to her already captivating face.

Pei Xiangwan stared in awe. She knew Jiang Shiyuan, as the female lead, was undoubtedly the most beautiful woman in the world, her beauty unmatched. But what she hadn’t realized was Jiang Shiyuan’s unexpected charm—a captivating contrast.

A woman with such striking beauty, eyes that could ensnare souls, and an aura that left people spellbound wherever she went, yet remained an unattainable figure. What surprised people most was discovering this type of person also had a hidden side—a childlike innocence and endearing vulnerability.

Pei Xiangwan adored this unexpected charm. It was like a “gap moe” effect, a rare glimpse of Jiang Shiyuan’s genuine warmth.

She raised a hand to touch her burning red earlobe, her mind still reeling from the heat. “Your smile is so beautiful,” she blurted out. “Can you keep smiling like that?”

As soon as she said it, she regretted it deeply. Why did I sound like a sleazy thug hitting on a college girl? If I’d added “baby,” it would have been even worse.

Pei Xiangwan lowered her head in embarrassment, her clenched fist slowly loosening, sweat beading in her palm.

If it weren’t for the bl00d-red flush on her exposed ears, Jiang Shiyuan might have thought Pei Xiangwan was just teasing her, planning to discard her once she’d had her fun.

So pure? How could that be?

“If you like it, of course I can,” Jiang Shiyuan replied, relishing the sight of Pei Xiangwan’s ears turning even redder.

Pei Xiangwan looked up, her dark, luminous eyes shining with excitement. “Really? You mean it?”

Jiang Shiyuan nodded.

“That’s wonderful! Jiang Jiang, you should smile more often.” She’d been worried her “daughter” might think she was a creep.

Hooray!

“I’ll just show you, then.”

Pei Xiangwan opened her palm, revealing a bracelet strung with beads—white, black, and ink-green. As she picked it up, the bracelet swayed like the pendulum of a wooden grandfather clock, the ink-green butterfly charm fluttering in her hand.

“Do you like it, Jiang Jiang?” Pei Xiangwan asked.

Jiang Shiyuan’s eyes didn’t dare blink, her heart stopping for a moment when she saw it. She took the bracelet with extreme care.

“Did you make this?” she asked, her fingertip tracing the patterns on the jade butterfly.

Pei Xiangwan nodded. “How did Jiang Jiang know I made it?”

“I just knew it was you.”

Pei Xiangwan was puzzled but didn’t dwell on it. “Let me put it on for you,” she said, carefully fastening the bracelet around Jiang Shiyuan’s wrist. “This butterfly is carved from Xiuyu Jade. The idea came to me when I thought of you, so I made this. It’s not perfect, but in the future! I’ll make you something even better.”

She wanted the butterfly to fly freely, unburdened by silken threads, to see the colorful world and become its best self.

“I love it. I love… the bracelet you made.” Jiang Shiyuan fiddled with the beads, then poked the ink-green butterfly. Two amber beads nestled within the crescent moon, like a sweet filling, and a gentle smile bloomed on her lips.

“Really? I’m so glad you like it! I was worried you wouldn’t.”

Pei Xiangwan lowered her gaze to the hand wearing the bracelet. Slender and pale, it looked as if it had been sculpted from plaster, its skin smoother and more delicate than jade.

She reached out and wrapped her fingers around the hand. Just as she had imagined, it was exquisitely smooth. Her fingers unconsciously began to caress it, as if meticulously examining a piece of fine jade.

Jiang Shiyuan’s body stiffened, her lips pressed tightly together as she allowed Pei Xiangwan to touch her. The burning heat in her cheeks made her uncomfortable, and she used her free hand to fan away the warmth.

The moment didn’t last long.

The sound of the door opening made Jiang Shiyuan violently jerk her hand away from Pei Xiangwan’s, her expression panicked, as if she had been caught doing something wrong. She glanced left, then right, her eyes darting around the room.

Pei Xiangwan’s hands remained suspended in the air, unlowered. Such a swift movement… was that just a dream?

“Miss,” Aunt Zhang called out, approaching with bags of various sizes. Noticing Jiang Shiyuan standing nearby, a flicker of surprise crossed her face before she quickly regained her composure. “Miss Jiang is here too. I’ll go start dinner now.”

Both women replied simultaneously, “Mm.”

“Oh dear, my silly brain! I forgot to turn on the air conditioning. Your faces are flushed from the heat!” Aunt Zhang hurried to the kitchen, washed her hands, wiped them on her apron, and grabbed the air conditioner remote.

Pei Xiangwan wanted to say something, but it was too late.

“Huh… it’s already on? I don’t remember turning it on.”

Pei Xiangwan chuckled awkwardly. “Aunt Zhang, I turned it on.”

Aunt Zhang nodded, her eyes filled with concern. She glanced at the two girls’ faces, as red as eggs dyed with sappanwood, and said uneasily, “Are you running a fever? Should we…?”

Pei Xiangwan shook her head, cutting her off. “It’s nothing, Aunt Zhang. Young people just run hot. It’s just the heat. Don’t worry, you’re so kind.”

Her sweet words made Aunt Zhang blush with embarrassment. She retreated to the kitchen to resume her chores.

Aunt Zhang knew Jiang Shiyuan was easily flustered. The way she had been ducking her head like a quail earlier made it clear she was embarrassed.

“I’m going home now,” Jiang Shiyuan said, standing up, her beautiful brows furrowed.

“I’ll walk you out,” Pei Xiangwan offered, preparing to rise.

“No need! I can manage myself!” Jiang Shiyuan turned and hurried away, as if a ghost were chasing her.

Halfway to the door, he turned back and added, “Remember to find Snowball tomorrow.” The door closed, and he was gone.

Pei Xiangwan couldn’t help but smile. How could someone be so adorable?

Without realizing it, she had opened the white box. Inside lay two triangular slices of cake, their pale purple surfaces spread with blueberry jam, topped with two plump, dark purple blueberries—exquisitely arranged.

Pei Xiangwan scooped up a large spoonful and popped it into her mouth, nodding in approval before taking another bite.

Yu Wei stared blankly at the strawberry cake she had pushed aside, a small, round dent still visible on its surface. Resting her chin in her hand, she sighed deeply, lost in thought.

“Girls grow up too fast,” she murmured. “And I don’t even like sour things. This mood calls for a post on WeChat Moments.”

She picked up her phone, quickly typed out a caption, and posted it.