When the Villain Falls Madly in Love with Herself - Chapter 21
Weekend morning, outside the airport.
Jiang Le tightened her trench coat. Though spring had brought warmer days, the morning air still carried a lingering chill.
Gu Li had come to pick up Jiang Congyue as well. She always prided herself on her robust health, prioritizing style over warmth, but today, meeting an elder, she had dressed with exceptional solemnity and grace.
The two striking women standing there drew admiring glances from passersby.
Gu Li shivered, clearly tired of standing. She glanced at her watch. Jiang Le, hasn’t she arrived yet?
Jiang Le pursed her lips, scanning the entrance. She checked her phone, which showed no new messages, and could only offer reassurance. Let’s wait a bit longer. She should be out soon. If you’re cold, you can go back to the car.
Gu Li bristled at the suggestion. Hey, that won’t do! We’re here to meet our benefactor!
Fortunately, it wasn’t long before a group of people began streaming out of the entrance. Jiang Le immediately straightened up, craning her neck to spot the person she was waiting for.
Jiang Congyue emerged, surrounded by several people who seemed to be protecting her. Perhaps she had overestimated Beishi’s current weather, as she was wearing an incongruously heavy winter coat.
Gu Li, with her sharp eyes, instantly recognized the woman who often appeared in Jiang Le’s video calls. A radiant smile spread across her face as she waved and called out, Aunt Jiang, over here!
Jiang Congyue looked up at the sound and immediately spotted Jiang Le. Her pace quickened with delight.
After they reunited, Gu Li warmly looped her arm through Jiang Congyue’s, playfully saying, You looked so impressive just now, Aunt Jiang! I spotted you right away!
Flattered, Jiang Congyue smiled and replied, Really? When I saw you from afar, I thought a major celebrity was standing here. You’re such a striking beauty!
Gu Li’s heart bloomed with joy at the compliment, and she couldn’t stop grinning the entire way.
Jiang Le led Jiang Congyue on a tour of their small studio, and Jiang Congyue thoughtfully brought a small welcome gift for everyone.
After they left, the team secretly unwrapped their gifts exquisite fountain pens that looked expensive. Someone even looked up the price online, and the team members fell into deep thought as they held the pens.
Damn capitalists!
That evening, Jiang Congyue’s group arrived at the Star Hua Hotel.
Tonight, we’re meeting the Second Young Master of the Lin Family from Beishi. You’ve been here long enough to have heard of them, right? Jiang Congyue whispered, revealing her true intentions.
Jiang Le paused to consider. I’ve heard of them, but the Lin Family is primarily involved in politics. They don’t have much connection to game development, so I don’t know much about them.
Unsurprised by this response, Jiang Congyue nodded and smiled brightly. Exactly! But haven’t you been looking for investors lately? Second Young Master Lin may lack other qualities, but he’s certainly rich—and foolish. If you can sweet-talk him onto our bandwagon, you won’t have to worry about funding for the rest of the project.
At that moment, Jiang Le finally understood why Jiang Congyue had insisted on her accompanying her tonight. This was her true motive all along.
Jiang Le glanced at Jiang Congyue, who had regained her dignified composure, and couldn’t help but think she resembled a cunning old fox, scheming behind the scenes.
As they spoke, the two women entered the private room, where several formally dressed individuals were seated, each leaning in to whisper to their neighbors. At the center sat Second Young Master Lin, the man Jiang Congyue had mentioned.
Boring.
Jiang Le glanced at him. He looked to be around her age, perhaps a little older, with a cigarette dangling from his fingers. He sat there with an aloof expression as an older man leaned in to whisper something in his ear. The young master frowned, clicked his tongue impatiently, and the room fell silent.
He rose abruptly, stubbed out his cigarette, and sauntered over, extending his hand to Jiang Congyue. President Jiang, a pleasure to meet you.
Jiang Congyue smiled politely and shook his hand. Second Young Master Lin, the pleasure is mine.
After the handshake, he resumed his cold demeanor and sat back down. The older man beside him, anxious not to slight President Jiang, hurried over. President Jiang, please take a seat. You’ve traveled so far to be here—we truly appreciate your efforts.
The older man led Jiang Congyue and Jiang Le to their seats, his face plastered with a professional smile.
Jiang Congyue gracefully took her seat, her eyes sweeping over Second Young Master Lin as he relit his cigarette. Her voice was gentle yet carried an undeniable weight. President Li, you’re too kind. Meeting Second Young Master Lin is worth any distance. She patted Jiang Le’s hand. This is my daughter, Jiang Le. She runs a game development studio in Beishi. Young people always want to make their own way.
Second Young Master Lin—Lin Zhen—lifted his eyelids, his gaze drifting lazily to Jiang Le. His eyes appraised her like an insignificant acquaintance, radiating a condescending indifference. He exhaled a smoke ring, his voice raspy from the smoke. Games? Child’s play.
Despite his dismissive words, he lingered on Jiang Le for a moment longer. Unlike the others in the room, who were draped in ostentatious jewelry and extravagant attire, she wore a well-tailored trench coat and light makeup. Her clear eyes held a quiet strength, suggesting she was here to observe rather than to curry favor.
President Li glanced at Jiang Congyue, his face stiffening. He quickly smoothed things over. Second Young Master is joking, of course. The gaming industry has tremendous potential. It’s wonderful that young people have such ambition. Miss Jiang clearly has a bright future ahead of her.
Jiang Le wasn’t offended. Instead, she met Lin Zhen’s gaze and smiled slightly. Second Young Master Lin is right. Games are often seen as frivolous distractions. But when ‘play’ becomes an industry, one that people willingly pay for and that can even carry culture and emotion, perhaps it’s no longer just child’s play. Her voice was calm and measured, neither humble nor arrogant, as if stating a simple fact.
Lin Zhen paused as he stubbed out his cigarette, seemingly surprised by her direct and gently assertive response. He chuckled softly and dropped the topic, turning to Jiang Congyue. President Jiang, let’s cut to the chase. What project are you proposing this time?
The banquet proceeded in a subtly tense atmosphere. Lin Zhen clearly had little patience for pleasantries, leaving President Li and the others to engage Jiang Congyue for most of the evening. He occasionally interjected with sharp, precise remarks that cut straight to the heart of the matter, a stark contrast to his outwardly frivolous demeanor.
Jiang Le quietly ate, occasionally responding to questions from those around her, but mostly observing.
She noticed that while Lin Zhen maintained a casual demeanor, his eyes would flash with an intense sharpness whenever Jiang Congyue discussed the recent overseas collaboration project. He didn’t seem like the just rich and stupid second-generation heir Jiang Congyue had described.
Midway through the meal, Lin Zhen excused himself to take a phone call. Seizing the opportunity, Jiang Congyue shot Jiang Le a meaningful glance and whispered, What do you think? Does he seem easy to fool?
Jiang Le dabbed her mouth with a napkin and shook her head slightly, lowering her voice even further. President Jiang, you might have misjudged this one. Second Young Master Lin is sharp as a tack. His feigned impatience and arrogance seem more like a protective facade—or perhaps an extreme aversion to meaningless social interactions.
Jiang Congyue raised an eyebrow and smiled knowingly.
A while later, Jiang Le excused herself to use the restroom. As she emerged from the restroom, she spotted Lin Zhen leaning against the wall around the corner, as if he had been waiting for her. The cigarette between his fingers was already half-smoked.
Miss Jiang, he said, his gaze more direct than it had been in the private room, the smoke curling around him. What’s your studio’s specialty?
Jiang Le stopped walking, sensing the real topic was about to be addressed. She succinctly introduced the immersive narrative puzzle game her studio was developing, emphasizing its unique art style and the emotional core it aimed to convey.
Lin Zhen listened quietly, without interrupting. Only after she finished did he flick his cigarette ash and remark, Doesn’t sound very profitable.
In the short term, it’s true that it won’t generate revenue as quickly as pay-to-win mobile games, Jiang Le admitted candidly. But we want to create something that leaves a lasting impact, not just something for quick consumption.
Idealistic, Lin Zhen commented, his tone neutral. After a few seconds of silence, he suddenly asked, Have you read The Waste Land?
Jiang Le paused, then nodded. T.S. Eliot? Yes, I have.
The poem says, ‘We are the hollow men… our heads are stuffed with straw.’ He took a drag of his cigarette and slowly exhaled. Do you think the game you’re making will stuff more straw into those hollow heads, or will it give people a chance to fill them with something else?
The question caught Jiang Le completely off guard—sharp, profound, and utterly unlike what she’d expect from someone she’d dismissed as just rich and stupid. After careful consideration, she replied, I can’t promise we’ll fill them with anything substantial. But at least we want to try knocking on that hollow shell and listening for an echo. Maybe someone will realize they don’t have to be entirely hollow.
Lin Zhen stared at her for a long moment, his usually impatient eyes now filled with an unreadable complexity. Finally, he stubbed out his cigarette against the nearby trash can.
Have your assistant send me the project proposal and demo, he said, turning to walk away as if their conversation had been nothing more than a passing whim.
Jiang Le watched his retreating figure, slightly lost in thought.
Back in the private room, Lin Zhen seemed to revert to his usual bored demeanor. Yet, throughout the rest of the banquet, he refrained from making any further disparaging remarks about the gaming industry.
As they said their goodbyes, President Li and the others enthusiastically escorted Jiang Congyue and her daughter to the hotel entrance. Lin Zhen trailed behind, his driver already waiting with the car.
Just before getting into the car, he paused, glanced back at Jiang Le, and said in his usual flat tone, Don’t take too long with the proposal. My memory isn’t what it used to be.
The car merged into the traffic, its taillights vanishing quickly into the night.
Jiang Congyue wrapped her shawl tighter around her shoulders and asked Jiang Le with a smile, Well?
Jiang Le gazed in the direction the car had disappeared, exhaling slowly, a subtle curve forming at the corner of her lips. President Jiang, you’re playing me, aren’t you? You knew all along he was more than he seemed, didn’t you?
Jiang Congyue merely smiled, her eyes radiating an air of calm confidence, as if everything were perfectly under control.
The night wind swept through, carrying the characteristic chill and clamor of Beishi’s evenings. Jiang Le suddenly felt that this deception might turn out to be far more intriguing than she had anticipated. The seemingly hollow and frivolous Second Young Master Lin was no ordinary playboy.
If Jiang Congyue had been a competitor, she would have been a formidable opponent. Fortunately, she was merely trying to attract investment. Success would be icing on the cake, but failure wouldn’t be a significant loss.
Lost in thought, Jiang Le was jolted back to reality by Jiang Congyue’s soft coughs.
Why are you coughing again? Jiang Le frowned. They had only met a day ago, yet despite Jiang Congyue’s attempts to hide it, she had already heard her cough so many times.
As they stood at the bus stop waiting for their ride, Jiang Le took off her trench coat and wrapped it tightly around Jiang Congyue, ensuring no wind could penetrate. Only then did her expression soften.
Jiang Congyue chuckled, amused by the gesture. You’re wearing so little yourself, and you’re giving me your coat? You’re practically turning me into a dumpling! It looks ridiculous.
Enough complaining, Jiang Le muttered under her breath. At least you’re warm.
Jiang Congyue 32