The Villainess Is Pretending to Be Sweet Again Today (Transmigration) - Chapter 32

These days, Nuo Yang was too afraid of retaliation to even step outside, holed up at home instead of going to work, idling away her time in lethargy.

It happened to be Long Huaichang’s final exam period, and she stayed up late studying every night. Nuo Yang would make her soups, fruit platters, and snacks, feeling like a mother sending her child off to college entrance exams.

“Xiao Huai~”

That Saturday night, Lu Jin couldn’t make it due to personal matters, leaving only Nuo Yang and Long Huaichang at home.

Long Huaichang, dressed in orange pajamas, shuffled out in her fluffy slippers.

“What is it, sis?”

Looking up, she saw Nuo Yang standing on the sofa, waving a broom at the ceiling.

Without glancing at her, Nuo Yang kept her eyes fixed on the corners. “Don’t you think the house needs a deep clean? Just now, while gaming, dust fell right onto my nose.”

Long Huaichang walked over and looked up—there were several holes in the ceiling, remnants of what used to be a hanging fixture.

It was also the exact spot where Long Huaichang’s mother had hanged herself.

Nuo Yang seemed to have completely forgotten this fact. Watching her movements, Long Huaichang’s heart pounded with dread, fearing she might suddenly remember.

She quickly stepped forward, steadying Nuo Yang by the waist, and said, “We can hire a cleaner later. Come down, sis—it’s dangerous standing there.”

Nuo Yang looked down at her, puzzled. “What’s dangerous about standing on the sofa? I do it all the time.”

Long Huaichang didn’t explain further, simply pulling Nuo Yang down.

Though Nuo Yang didn’t mind, Long Huaichang could still vaguely recall the sight of her mother hanging there and didn’t want to see Nuo Yang standing in the same place.

The heating had long been turned on, yet Nuo Yang noticed how cold Long Huaichang’s hands were and couldn’t help but ask, “Why are your hands so icy? Are you not wearing enough?”

Long Huaichang shook her head and tugged her closer. “I’m fine. Weren’t you going to play games?”

“I stopped. Didn’t want to disturb your studying.”

“It’s fine. I’m tired of studying—I’d rather watch you play.”

Nuo Yang frowned. “What’s so fun about watching me game?”

Long Huaichang just smiled.

Seeing the gentle curve of her lips, Nuo Yang found herself lost in thought.

Over the past year of living together, Nuo Yang had come to realize that Long Huaichang’s true nature was that of a cheerful, affectionate girl who occasionally told little white lies but had no malice in her heart.

In the original story, Long Huaichang was a cold, ruthless beauty who rarely showed tenderness. Yet now, she smiled at Nuo Yang every day, her eyes brimming with happiness.

Sometimes, Nuo Yang wondered—had she changed her, or was this who Long Huaichang had always been?

Counting the years, it would still be a while before the female lead and Long Huaichang crossed paths. She wasn’t sure if they’d meet after Long Huaichang started university.

But even if they didn’t, Nuo Yang believed Long Huaichang would surely find a girl she truly loved.

Perhaps her distraction was too obvious, because Long Huaichang pinched her palm lightly and whispered, “Sis, what are you thinking about while staring at me?”

Snapping out of it, Nuo Yang sighed. “Nothing, really. Just that you’ve grown even more beautiful!”

Long Huaichang’s eyes crinkled with laughter. “If sis likes it, I’ll let you look at me every day.”

Nuo Yang: “…” Never mind, pretend she hadn’t said anything.

——————

The stocks of the Long Group have been plummeting recently due to the incident involving Long Yingjun, resulting in assets evaporating by at least tens of millions.

The PR department quickly made a decision, announcing that Long Yingjun had been dismissed from the company and that his actions would no longer have any connection to the Long Group.

Long Huaichang saw this news on the cafeteria TV at school.

The cafeteria had no heating in winter, so most students left for their classrooms after eating. Long Huaichang had originally planned to do the same, but her gaze was drawn to the television mounted on the wall.

Shi Tian, shivering in his thin school uniform like a frozen dog, glanced between the news on TV and Long Huaichang before hesitantly saying, “Sister Long, you…”

Long Huaichang didn’t show much emotion, only giving him a calm look before replying, “It’s nothing. Let’s go.”

But after just two steps, she suddenly felt someone throw themselves onto her from behind.

Shi Tian was startled and turned around in surprise. “Jiang Li? Weren’t you hospitalized? When did you get back to school?”

The person clinging to Long Huaichang was indeed Jiang Li, who peeked out at Shi Tian with a grin. “I was discharged yesterday.”

“You came back to school right after being discharged? Are you really okay?”

“I’m fine.”

Jiang Li tilted her head up to look at Long Huaichang, smiling. “Long time no see, Huaichang.”

Jiang Li had always suffered from depression, and her weak constitution meant she hadn’t lasted long when the seasons changed in autumn before being hospitalized.

Shi Tian had originally planned to ask Long Huaichang to visit her, but for some reason, she had refused.

The cafeteria was bustling with students, and many turned to stare at the sight of Jiang Li hugging Long Huaichang. Even the teacher on duty at the entrance noticed the commotion, fixing a sharp gaze on them.

Rumors of the two being in an early relationship had already been circulating, and now Jiang Li clinging to Long Huaichang’s waist only drew more attention. Long Huaichang frowned slightly, reaching down to pry Jiang Li’s hands off before stepping away.

“You came back to class right after being discharged?” Long Huaichang crossed her arms, studying her. “Shouldn’t you rest a little longer?”

“If I rested any longer, winter break would start,” Jiang Li said helplessly, clasping her hands behind her back. “Then I wouldn’t get to see you.”

Shi Tian shivered beside them. “Uh, can we move this conversation somewhere warmer? Why are we standing in the middle of the cafeteria?”

Jiang Li smiled. “I haven’t eaten yet. Let’s go eat by the playground later.”

Shi Tian grimaced. “Sis, are we supposed to drink the north wind out there? If you’re hungry, just eat here in the cafeteria. I’ll go back to the classroom with Sister Long and wait for you, okay?”

Jiang Li’s expression dimmed slightly as she murmured, “I just wanted to spend more time with you.”

Long Huaichang looked at her before turning to Shi Tian. “You go back first. I’ll stay and have lunch with Jiang Li.”

Shi Tian didn’t argue—what did their relationship have to do with him? Naturally, he bolted as fast as he could.

Only after he left did Long Huaichang turn back to Jiang Li. “What do you want to eat?”

“I’m not hungry,” Jiang Li said with a smile. “I just wanted to talk to you a little longer.”

Long Huaichang studied Jiang Li’s smiling face, finding her forced cheerfulness painfully obvious.

“If you’re better, you should be resting at home,” Long Huaichang told her. “If you come to school, those girls will just bully you again.”

“I’m already your ‘girlfriend,’ who would dare bully me now?”

Jiang Li thought for a moment and smiled. “Let me grab some burgers so we can eat while we talk.”

At the cafeteria, she bought burgers and a Coke—despite it being winter, she still ordered her drink with ice, making Long Huaichang frown involuntarily.

Truth be told, Jiang Li had a slight self-destructive streak, though she never paid it much mind.

“It’s too cold. Get another one,” Long Huaichang tried to swap the Coke, but Jiang Li snatched it up and took a sip.

“No. I like it this way.”

Without looking up, she added, “The discomfort reminds me I’m still alive. I like that feeling.”

Long Huaichang watched helplessly as she drank, only murmuring, “Be careful not to upset your stomach.”

“Huaichang,” Jiang Li hugged the icy Coke and asked, “We’re friends, right?”

Long Huaichang nodded.

Jiang Li continued, “Are you hanging out with me because you’re worried the girls in our class will bully me?”

Long Huaichang paused before answering, “I know what you’re getting at. I don’t plan on liking anyone.”

This time, it was Jiang Li who fell silent.

“I never claimed to be a good person,” Long Huaichang sat across from her, eyes fixed on Jiang Li’s face as she spoke. “If I gave you the wrong idea, I apologize.”

Jiang Li bit her straw and grinned. “What wrong idea?”

Long Huaichang: “…”

Jiang Li: “If this were a drama, I’d probably throw this Coke in your face.”

She kicked her feet lightly under the chair and said slowly, “But we’re not actors. Some things—you understand, and so do I.”

Long Huaichang remained silent.

Seeing her like this, Jiang Li smiled. “The doctor said my mental state has improved lately and even suggested I stop my meds. I know it’s because you’ve been looking after me. I’ll get better gradually—maybe then I won’t need this kind of reminder that I’m still alive.”

The ice cubes clinked softly in the Coke cup, crisp yet carrying the chill of winter.

Long Huaichang stared at the drink and murmured, “Is that so?”

She, too, had once struggled to feel alive—especially after her parents passed away, leaving her drowning in debt while landlords hounded her daily. Back then, she truly believed survival was the hardest thing.

Long Huaichang had thought that if just one person stayed by her side, she might make it through.

Luckily, that person had come.

“You’ll get better,” Long Huaichang told the girl across from her. “If any of your classmates bully you again, let me know. I’ll teach them a lesson.”

Jiang Li smirked. “You’ve said that so many times. Aren’t you tired of it?”

“As long as it works, I don’t mind repeating it.”

“Hah.”

Jiang Li glanced out the cafeteria window and took a bite of her burger. “It’s snowing.”

Long Huaichang turned her head—sure enough, flecks of white drifted outside.

Students still in the cafeteria crowded by the doors and windows, shouting excitedly about sleet.

“Huaichang,” Jiang Li suddenly asked, “Do you think sleet counts as snow or rain?”

Long Huaichang glanced at her and answered calmly, “Both, I suppose.”

Jiang Li grinned. “I think so too.”

They were clearly just trivial topics, yet Long Huaichang suddenly felt an inexplicable urge to make a phone call.

She wanted to tell Nuo Yang that it was snowing here, and also ask whether sleet counted as rain or snow.

When Long Huaichang took out her phone to snap a picture and send it to Nuo Yang, she suddenly realized her attachment to her had grown even deeper.

Nuo Yang replied quickly with an adorable little emoji: “Sleet is definitely snow!”

Long Huaichang smiled faintly, her lips curving slightly as she typed back: “Sis, you’re so silly.”

Whether it was attachment or some vague, unnamed emotion, Long Huaichang knew one thing for certain—she would never let her go in this lifetime…