When the Villain Falls Madly in Love with Herself - Chapter 20

In her hazy consciousness, a distant yet familiar voice seemed to call her name, again and again. She strained to hear it clearly, but the voice remained muffled, as if shrouded in a thick fog, impossible to discern…

Lele…

Lele…

Jiang Le’s eyes snapped open, startling Jiang Congyue beside her.

Clutching her chest, Jiang Congyue scolded, What was that for? You scared me half to death! Stop sleeping—we’re home. Go rest properly in your room later.

Still dazed, Jiang Le nodded blankly. Perhaps she was truly exhausted. The moment she stood up, a sudden wave of dizziness washed over her, her vision darkening as she nearly stumbled forward. Fortunately, Jiang Congyue reacted swiftly, steadying her with a firm grip.

You little thing, your constitution is worse than mine, Jiang Congyue chuckled, helping the weak-legged Jiang Le to her feet.

Aunt He, who had heard the car approaching, rushed out with two steaming bowls of ginger soup. When she saw Jiang Le’s pale face, she exclaimed in alarm, Oh dear! What happened? Quick, drink this to warm yourself up!

Jiang Le took the bowl and gulped down the slightly hot ginger soup. The warmth quickly chased away the chill that had enveloped her, and she felt like she was coming back to life, her face regaining some color.

Afterward, Jiang Congyue urged her upstairs to rest. The moment her head hit the pillow, she fell into a deep sleep.

When she woke up the next day, it was already morning.

Rubbing her throbbing temples, she sat up. Although their family didn’t have any relatives to visit, ever since Jiang Congyue had taken her to their parents’ graves once, they had decided to pay their respects every year before the Spring Festival.

Jiang Congyue would be going on a business trip in a few days, so they had chosen today for the visit.

After a quick wash and making sure her appearance was neat and presentable, Jiang Le nodded in satisfaction at her reflection in the mirror.

On her second visit to the cemetery, Jiang Le’s mindset was completely different, much more composed. She quietly and carefully brushed away the withered leaves and dust from her parents’ tombstones before solemnly placing a bouquet of simple white chrysanthemums.

The two remained silent throughout the process until they began burning paper money. Jiang Congyue finally spoke, Why aren’t you saying anything? Don’t you have anything you want to tell your parents?

Jiang Le paused, her hand still holding the paper money. She looked up at Jiang Congyue, her voice hesitant, Dad, Mom… I’m doing well. You don’t need to worry…

Jiang Congyue crouched down, took a stack of paper money, and slowly fed it into the flames, watching as they curled and were consumed. Her voice grew distant and gentle May our ancestors in heaven watch over us, keeping our Lele safe, healthy, and at peace. May she always be steady and successful, turning misfortune into blessings and transforming adversity into good fortune…

The somber atmosphere was enlivened by Jiang Congyue’s string of reduplicated words and four-character idioms.

Jiang Le stared blankly as Jiang Congyue rambled on, making her wishes. Her lips moved as if she wanted to speak, but she hesitated.

When Jiang Congyue gradually shifted to hoping Jiang Le would strike it rich, earning a billion yuan a day, Jiang Le’s brow twitched. She finally couldn’t hold back any longer. Jiang Congyue, those are my parents, not turtles in a wishing well!

Jiang Congyue glared at her, countering with the audacity of someone who’s been caught red-handed How can you talk like that? You should speak respectfully in front of your elders. Just say whatever comes to mind!

At that moment, Jiang Le fully understood Jiang Congyue probably had no more experience with ancestral rites than she did. Their levels of expertise were virtually identical—both utterly clueless, yet solemnly spouting nonsense with unwavering conviction.

The two women exchanged a glance and burst into laughter. After carefully extinguishing the last embers, they gathered their belongings and left the cemetery side by side.

As they walked, Jiang Le carried the small basket that had held wine and snacks. She cautiously asked, Why didn’t you visit your ancestors’ graves?

Jiang Congyue, idly swinging an empty plastic bag, paused at the question. She replied nonchalantly, I can’t find them. It’s been too long the graves have probably disappeared by now.

Realizing she’d spoken out of turn, Jiang Le quickly lowered her head and fell silent.

Ah, at my age, it’s time for others to visit my grave, Jiang Congyue chuckled, nudging the overly demure Jiang Le with her elbow. If I went looking for my ancestors now, they’d worry about these old bones.

Staggered by the nudge, Jiang Le’s eyes widened, and she felt a surge of indignant embarrassment, wanting to retaliate. But Jiang Congyue was right—she was elderly, and Jiang Le couldn’t bring herself to physically confront her.

Seeing Jiang Le’s conflicted expression, Jiang Congyue burst into hearty laughter. In high spirits, she draped an arm around Jiang Le’s shoulder and casually compared their heights, exclaiming, Our Lele is growing taller every day! Now I have to crane my neck to look up at you—you’re almost half a head taller than me!

Jiang Le muttered, Well, yeah, you’re getting old…

Hey! Jiang Congyue playfully poked Jiang Le’s waist.

Jiang Le was particularly sensitive there. The poke made her lose her grip on the basket, and she couldn’t stop laughing.

If I can’t bump into you, can’t I at least tickle you?!

Seeing Jiang Le suddenly turn fierce, Jiang Congyue immediately knew what was coming. Forgetting all about her old bones, she darted away.

Jiang Le stared in disbelief, still laughing so hard she could barely breathe. She chased after Jiang Congyue, yelling between gasps, If you’re so tough, why are you running away?!

Jiang Congyue stuck out her tongue. Do you think I’m stupid?

The two chased each other all the way into the car, the commotion jolting the drowsy driver awake. ?!

Both Jiang Congyue and Jiang Le lay panting in the car, their faces flushed, glaring at each other stubbornly. The scene looked utterly childish.

… The driver chuckled dryly. Boss Jiang, you’re getting younger every day! You really need to spend more time with young people—I don’t have that kind of energy anymore.

Hearing this teasing, Jiang Le’s face flushed crimson, and she looked away. But Jiang Congyue, never one to be embarrassed, casually draped her arm around Jiang Le’s head, smiling brightly. I’ll let you win next time, okay? Why are you still sulking?

Jiang Le stared at her in disbelief. That’s not why I’m angry! Seeing Jiang Congyue’s smug, self-satisfied expression, Jiang Le simply closed her eyes, refusing to waste her breath arguing.

Jiang Congyue, unable to resist, playfully stroked Jiang Le’s thick eyelashes, sighing in admiration. Look at these long lashes, this high nose bridge, this perfectly petite face…

She showered Jiang Le’s face with a chaotic stream of compliments, from top to bottom, inside and out. Even the most convincing act of feigned sleep couldn’t hold. Jiang Le finally cracked, her lips curving into a smile as she opened her eyes, shooting Jiang Congyue a playful glare. She had always loved hearing others praise her beauty.

The driver, watching their interaction in the rearview mirror, couldn’t help but marvel inwardly. When she first arrived, she was such a frail, timid little girl. Boss Jiang has really brought her out of her shell.

What was meant to remain a silent thought echoed clearly in Jiang Le’s ears. Flustered, she buried her face in Jiang Congyue’s neck, the tips of her ears burning crimson.

Jiang Congyue noticed the blush and assumed it was from embarrassment at her compliments. Her smile widened, and she hugged Jiang Le tighter, patting her back gently as she hummed a soft tune.

For the remainder of winter break, Jiang Le enrolled in driving school, attending practice sessions punctually every day. She learned quickly, and the holiday flew by as she mastered the steering wheel, accelerator, and brakes.

This time, Jiang Congyue couldn’t find the time to see her off. Instead, they had a three-hour phone call that Jiang Le was forced to end only after boarding her flight.

No one remembers who first suggested it, but the four roommates decided to start a project together.

After formally leasing a small office space and registering under the name Zhuoran, the fledgling student startup studio was officially established.

Jiang Le and Gu Li brought financial resources to the table, specializing in budget allocation and marketing. Mi Lin, a tech enthusiast, handled all technical development. Wen Qiqi, with her meticulous mind, focused on legal compliance and contract review.

The four worked together like precisely meshed gears, each fulfilling their role with seamless coordination.

Initially, they based their product on a small game developed by Mi Lin, with Jiang Le and Gu Li handling external business partnerships and expansion.

By their junior year, the team had already begun to build a reputation in the industry, thanks to their clear division of labor and efficient execution.

As their business grew increasingly successful, the ambitious young founders decided to go all in. They recruited some capable underclassmen they knew well and pooled their efforts to develop a larger-scale game.

With the studio’s operations thriving, the four young founders were like fledgling eagles poised to soar into the sky, pouring all their energy into this promising project.

Jiang Le primarily handled external business partnerships and financial management. She displayed a business acumen far beyond her years, largely thanks to Jiang Congyue’s subtle guidance over the years, combined with her mind-reading ability, which allowed her to navigate negotiations with ease.

Only after work had temporarily subsided could Jiang Le and Jiang Congyue video call each other for casual chats.

Jiang Congyue couldn’t resist teasing, I hear Little Jiang is quite the business prodigy now. Even the rumors have reached me! So, any chance we could discuss a collaboration?

Jiang Le set down her documents and smiled at Jiang Congyue on the screen. Oh, Big Jiang, don’t flatter us. We’re just playing in the sandbox here—nothing that would catch your eye.

Gu Li and Wen Qiqi couldn’t help but chuckle, suddenly feeling even more motivated!

As they bantered, the office door burst open with a bang. Mi Lin rushed in, his face ashen, his voice trembling, It’s bad! Our servers have been hacked!

Everyone froze in shock.

Wen Qiqi was the first to react. The data? Has any user data been compromised?

We’re still investigating, but the core code has definitely been stolen, Mi Lin’s voice shook with panic. They left a message demanding 500,000 yuan, or they’ll release the code publicly.

Gu Li leaped to her feet. Extortion? We should report this to the police!

Wait, Jiang Le said calmly, pressing her hand down. Don’t panic. Mi Lin, can you trace the source?

Mi Lin shook his head. They’re extremely professional. They used multiple layers of proxies and jump servers, hiding their tracks perfectly… I… I can’t…

A deathly silence fell over the office. This project had been their life’s work. If the code was leaked, not only would all their efforts be wasted, but they could also face massive claims from investors.

Jiang Le instinctively looked toward Jiang Congyue, who was still on the phone, and the others followed suit.

In the hushed room, Jiang Congyue’s voice, still gentle but now unusually clear and calm, cut through the tension. Don’t panic, everyone. The sky isn’t falling. Listen to me and do exactly as I say.

Her voice carried an almost magical soothing power. First, do not pay any ransom. That will only make things worse. Second, immediately contact a cybersecurity expert. I have a friend who’s an authority in this field—I’ll send you his contact information right away. Third, check the backup system to see when the last full backup was.

And, Jiang Congyue added, don’t forget that your greatest asset isn’t the code, it’s your creativity and your team. Even if the worst happens, you can start over, right?

Jiang Congyue was always like this—able to maintain her composure in the eye of the storm, calmly explaining solutions while providing reassurance, and even cracking a joke or two to lighten the mood.

Hearing her words, the others collectively exhaled in relief, their hearts, which had been racing with anxiety, finally settling. In their panic, they had almost forgotten they had such a reliable cheat code to lean on—a pillar of strength in times of crisis.

Over the next 48 hours, the four women worked tirelessly, barely sleeping or resting.

With remote assistance from an expert Jiang Congyue had urgently contacted, they not only successfully traced the hacker’s true identity and IP address but also made an even more startling discovery this wasn’t a simple ransomware attack. Behind it all was a rival company scheming to steal their core technology through malicious means, even aiming to bankrupt them.

Wen Qiqi adjusted her glasses, reviewing the collected digital evidence and legal statutes. The evidence is conclusive, she said calmly. We can sue them immediately.

That would drag on for too long, Gu Li frowned. Our project can’t afford the delay.

Jiang Le pondered for a long moment, then her eyes suddenly lit up. Maybe we can turn this crisis to our advantage.

Three days later, a meticulously prepared press conference was held in their office building.

Standing before the media, Jiang Le calmly recounted the entire hacking incident and demonstrated how their game had been rebuilt from the ruins, now even more refined.

This sudden experience has made us deeply aware of the critical importance of cybersecurity for startups and the entire industry, Jiang Le declared steadily to the cameras. Therefore, we’ve decided to open-source some of the rebuilt, non-core code modules. As part of this initiative, we’re also establishing a ‘Cybersecurity Scholarship’ for university students, hoping to contribute to nurturing more defensive cybersecurity talent.

This move earned widespread praise from the industry. What had initially been a crisis transformed into their best publicity yet. Even before its official launch, their game had already made a splash, with pre-registration users surging overnight.

After the press conference, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Jiang Le took a call in her office.

You handled that well, Boss Jiang, Jiang Congyue’s voice carried a hint of amusement.

Mm, all thanks to your excellent guidance, Teacher Jiang, Jiang Le replied with a soft smile.

Enough with the flattery, Jiang Congyue interrupted. This was all your own capability—don’t give me the credit. By the way, I’ll be traveling to your area next week for business. Remember to treat me to dinner, you kids.

Jiang Le kept the call on speakerphone, not bothering to move away from the others.

Gu Li heard the remark and burst into laughter, roaring with heroic bravado, Aunt Jiang, you’ve done us such a huge favor! We could rent out the entire restaurant if we wanted!

Jiang Congyue 39