When the Villain Falls Madly in Love with Herself - Chapter 23
Nanshan, Yihe Sanatorium.
With its picturesque scenery, tranquil atmosphere, and comprehensive facilities, it was an ideal place for rehabilitation and elder care. Yet beneath this idyllic facade lay the darkest secrets.
The gray-white building at the innermost part of Qu Shen’s courtyard exuded an indescribable sense of oppression. Caregivers hurried through the corridors, their eyes darting nervously, never lingering a second longer than necessary, as if some man-eating monster lurked behind the heavy iron door.
The iron door creaked open with a dull grinding sound. A black-clad figure glided in, the hem of her trench coat sweeping silently across the floor.
Her pale face appeared even colder in the dim light, her dark eyes bottomless as two dry wells, concealing countless rotting secrets.
Two pairs of sharp, venomous eyes stabbed at her, but the woman ignored them. A faint smile played on her lips as she strolled leisurely to a chair, propped her head, and faced the two hospital beds.
The patients on the beds were tightly bound in bizarre positions with restraints, their mouths sealed with tape, allowing only muffled whimpers to escape. Their eyes bulged, bloodshot and wide with terror and hatred, fixed on the figure across the room.
The violent shaking caused the hospital bed to creak rhythmically.
The woman closed her eyes, the sounds of their desperate struggles reaching her ears like a soothing lullaby.
This was the ninth year since Jiang Congyue’s death. Whenever she couldn’t sleep, she would come here to listen to the sounds of their writhing bodies, futilely trying to escape.
Her pale fingertips gently tapped her temples, once, then again, forming an eerie syncopation with the bed’s rocking.
She could indeed hear their thoughts, but every time she came here, the two women were too busy cursing aloud to spare any mental energy for cursing her.
The patients on the bed were none other than Dean Sun Meixin and the gaunt woman, Zhao Li.
After learning of Jiang Le’s rise to prominence, they had considered trying to ingratiate themselves with her, but fear of retaliation quickly dissuaded them.
Later, after hearing some horrifying rumors about Jiang Le, they could only hope she would show mercy and not hold their past actions against them.
To their surprise, Jiang Le not only sought them out but also claimed they had raised her, however poorly, and that she wanted to repay them.
At first, neither of them dared to believe it. A weasel offering New Year’s greetings to chickens—there had to be an ulterior motive.
The first to waver was the thin woman, Zhao Li.
Jiang Le took her to the city’s best hospital, sparing no expense. Zhao Li received treatment with every state-of-the-art and costly instrument available.
Overwhelmed by such lavish care, Zhao Li wept tears of gratitude. Lele, I’m so sorry for how Aunt Zhao treated you in the past.
Watching Zhao Li’s leg gradually heal, Jiang Le smiled and patted her hand. That’s all in the past. We should look forward, right? Now that my life has improved, I could never forget you.
Zhao Li twisted her long-immobilized leg, nearly dropping to her knees to kowtow, vowing to repent and reform.
Once she could walk and move freely again, Zhao Li returned to the orphanage and bragged to Dean Sun Meixin about her leg. She embellished her story, describing the months of lavish treatment in increasingly glowing terms, her joy overflowing.
Sun Meixin’s heart stirred. She believed she had never treated Jiang Le as poorly as Zhao Li had. Besides, if she hadn’t approved Jiang Le’s admission to the orphanage, would the girl have ever enjoyed such good fortune?
Didn’t it all depend on me?
The more she thought about it, the more logical it seemed.
The next day, before dawn, she sought out Jiang Le. A servant led her inside, and she toured the estate, her eyes nearly popping out of her head at the sheer opulence. It was the first time she’d ever seen such a lavish estate, and jealousy burned within her.
I’d be doing myself a disservice if I didn’t squeeze her for every penny!
Jiang Le finally came downstairs after a long wait, greeting Sun Meixin warmly with repeated calls of Dean, Dean!
The two exchanged pleasantries for a while, with Sun Meixin mostly reminiscing about Jiang Le’s childhood. She tried to take advantage of Jiang Le’s young age and presumed lack of memory, fabricating stories she’d gleaned from Aunt, twisting the facts to suit her narrative.
At the height of her performance, she even dabbed at her eyes with a handkerchief, feigning tears. Back then, I could barely afford to feed myself, but seeing you children go hungry… I just couldn’t bear it…
Jiang Le took Sun Meixin’s arm and patted her hunched back. The woman was no longer the tough, fiery figure she once was now, even minor setbacks seemed capable of crushing her spirit.
I understand, Dean, Jiang Le said with a smile, playing along with her act. You always put us first, even if it means sacrificing yourself, and you never complain.
At this, Sun Meixin’s shrewd, yellowish eyes darted left and right behind her handkerchief before she resumed her wailing. Poor me… I…
Jiang Le prompted, Dean, what’s wrong? Has something terrible happened?
Sun Meixin leaned heavily on Jiang Le’s arm, sobbing so hard she could barely stand. My husband was laid off a few years ago and hasn’t been able to find work since. Our savings are dwindling, and I’m so worried I can’t eat or sleep. I just don’t know what to do anymore.
Oh, is that all? It’s nothing to worry about. Have your husband come work for me. The most important thing is for you to take care of yourself, Jiang Le said, patting her hand with feigned concern.
Hearing this assurance, Sun Meixin couldn’t hide her joy. Her eyes reddened as she covered her mouth and repeatedly thanked Jiang Le.
After Sun Meixin left, someone produced her husband’s file.
It was none other than the young girl who had sold water chestnuts outside the airport.
The second time Jiang Le encountered her, she was wholesaling fruit at the market, buying water chestnuts. Despite her young age, she was a skilled negotiator, securing seven or eight crates for just 1.8 yuan per kilogram—a far cry from the usual 10 yuan per kilogram.
A group of children trailed behind her, each taking a crate before dispersing in all directions.
Jiang Le chuckled in amusement. Such a little thing, yet she has such a knack for business. Later, she learned the girl was an orphan who led her small gang in schemes to earn pocket money.
Impressed by her resourcefulness and recognizing her potential, Jiang Le brought her home to serve as her personal assistant.
Snapping out of her reverie, Jiang Le gave the girl an approving glance. You’ve got a good eye for things. You know the ropes. She picked up the documents and began reading.
Sun Meixin’s husband, Guo Liang, had indeed dropped out of school and was now unemployed. However, it wasn’t due to layoffs he had been fired for stealing valuable company assets.
Both husband and wife were inveterate gamblers, frequently embezzling public funds to fuel their addiction. With only Sun Meixin’s meager salary to rely on, they were struggling to make ends meet.
Fortunately, they had no children. Otherwise, the poor child would have suffered even more under their care.
Boss Jiang, are you really going to let him join the company? Lin Yuan asked, pursing his lips.
Jiang Le snapped the folder shut and smirked. There’s no such thing as free lunch, is there? Shouldn’t greedy people face some consequences?
She slapped the folder against Lin Yuan’s chest, then turned and walked away, humming an off-key tune with her hands clasped behind her back.
Less than a month later, Guo Liang couldn’t contain himself any longer. Boss Jiang had offered him a generous salary as security team leader, but he’d overheard other guards whispering about stock trading—how it could multiply his earnings several times over!
On a whim, he sought advice from his fellow guards. Sure enough, the results were immediate. His eyes widened at the sudden influx of cash in his new bank account.
Come on, brother, we’ll show you some even better places, the guards said, laughing as they draped their arms around Guo Liang’s shoulders and led him away.
The small-time gambling back in his village no longer satisfied him. His good security brothers dragged him to underground casinos, where he raked in hundreds of thousands in a single night!
This casino offered credit, allowing them to gamble without putting down any money upfront. If they won, they only had to pay a 1% advance fee.
So, he dragged Sun Meixin along, figuring the money would end up in his pocket anyway.
Zhao Li, seeing their lives growing increasingly prosperous—they even bought two houses in quick succession—couldn’t stand it. She immediately latched onto them, demanding to know how they were doing it.
At first, the pair were reluctant to reveal their lucrative method. But when Zhao Li offered to split her earnings with them 70/30, they finally relented.
The trio began using stock market profits to gamble, then reinvesting their gambling winnings back into stocks. This cyclical strategy rapidly inflated their accounts to sums they’d never dreamed of seeing in their lifetimes.
Jiang Le’s fingertips tapped the table like flowing water as she watched their virtual accounts steadily grow, her face radiating unrestrained delight.
By the time they realized something was wrong, it was too late. The trio suffered consecutive losses at the casino and tried to withdraw money from their cards to cover the shortfall, only to find they couldn’t access their funds.
What’s going on?! Zhao Li panicked, pounding on the machine. There’s something wrong with this machine! I have money in my account!
A burly thug tapped his baton and sneered. Money? Then show us!
Sun Meixin, having seen a bit of the world, remained calmer than the others. She tried to bluff her way out, saying, We’ll write an IOU! We’ll pay you back in a few days!
The thugs surrounding them parted, and a beautiful woman approached with paper and a pen.
After signing the IOU and pressing their fingerprints, the trio fled home in a panic.
But the thugs continued to harass them daily, banging on their door and splashing bl00d to demand repayment. Even selling the house they had recently bought couldn’t cover the debt. The three gathered in their old house, where the immense pressure finally erupted into a fierce argument.
Zhao Li slammed her fist on the table, cursing wildly. Ruined! Everything’s ruined! It’s all your fault! How are you going to repay me?!
Why didn’t you mention how you shamelessly begged us to help you make money? Now that you’re not profiting, you’re blaming us! Guo Liang, already on edge, snapped at their bickering, sweeping the dishes and chopsticks off the table in a fit of rage.
The sudden outburst startled the two women into silence. But Sun Meixin, her eyes bloodshot with fury, lunged at Guo Liang, ready to claw him.
Before she could even turn on Zhao Li, the couple had turned on each other. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be in this mess! Why don’t you just die! Useless piece of trash, go die!
Guo Liang, always intimidated by his fiery wife, glared at Zhao Li, who was watching the scene unfold. He grabbed her by the neck and tried to slam her against the wall.
But Zhao Li wasn’t about to let him get the upper hand. She twisted free, kicked him hard, and bolted for the door.
Stung by the pain, Guo Liang shoved Sun Meixin away as she tried to claw him. Are you out of your mind? Instead of helping me, you’re siding with an outsider! She said we’d split the profits 30/70—that means we’ll have to split the debt the same way! Who’s going to pay it off if she runs away?
Guo Liang’s words snapped Sun Meixin out of her rage. She released him and lunged at Zhao Li, grabbing her by the hair. You’re not getting away that easily!
In the midst of the shoving and jostling, Guo Liang’s foot slipped, and he was about to tumble down the stairs when he grabbed Zhao Mei, who was closest to him.
The dilapidated building’s staircase was unusually steep and high, and to make matters worse, a stray nail lay upright on the ground.
Beneath a pool of glaring red bl00d, Zhao Li, whose bones felt like they were about to shatter from the fall, froze in terror.
Sun Meixin, her hair disheveled and face ashen, stared down at the pair on the ground. Her legs went weak, and she collapsed to her knees, mindlessly muttering, It’s over… it’s all over…
Zhao Li mustered all her strength to push Guo Liang off her. With trembling hands, she pressed her recently healed leg, frantically trying to stand, but her weakened limbs gave way, sending her crashing back to the ground. My leg! My leg!
Drip… drip… drip…
A figure slowly descended the bl00d-stained stairs, entering the chaotic scene.
The two panicked women looked up, trembling.
Jiang Le still wore her unnerving black trench coat, a smile playing on her lips as she gazed down at them. Her voice, tinged with mock pity, drifted through the air. How truly pitiful.
Jiang Le’s eyes shone with an almost fanatical light as she gazed at the two women groaning in pain on the ground and the motionless body of Guo Liang. She slowly crouched down, savoring their suffering up close, as if admiring a work of art.
I’ll send you to a place where you can enjoy your twilight years in peace, she murmured softly, her fingers gently brushing against Zhao Li’s fractured leg, causing a violent spasm. Don’t worry, the doctors and nurses there are highly professional. I hired them especially for you…
Her voice, soft yet chilling, echoed faintly through the bl00d-soaked air like the hiss of a venomous snake, sending shivers down their spines.
Each word was meticulously crafted like a dull knife, slowly sawing away at their remaining shreds of consciousness.
You! It’s you! You little b1tch! You bastard! Sun Meixin staggered to her feet, pointing a trembling finger at Jiang Le and unleashing a hoarse, furious roar.
Jiang Le’s eyes darkened. She raised an eyebrow and glanced at Sun Meixin with a faint smile. What does this have to do with me? she asked with a low laugh.
Then, she clapped her hands, tossed the glove she had just touched Zhao Li’s leg with onto her like a piece of trash, and hummed a tune as she rose to leave.