Chapter 15
When that familiar system notification sounded in her ears again, Jiang Minghua's long eyelashes trembled slightly, and her eyes instantly reddened. She clenched her trembling fingers, her voice trembling with a barely perceptible sob:
[Is it you?]
The electronic tone of the plus sign carried a hint of doubt:
[Who is it? Sorry, host, what are you saying? I don't understand.]
Jiang Minghua took a deep breath, recalling 00X's earlier suggestion, and forced herself to calm down. She lowered her eyes, concealing the turbulent emotions within them, and said softly:
It's nothing, I was just rambling, don't take it to heart.
The air seemed to freeze, leaving only a silent atmosphere that spread, filled with an indescribable awkwardness.
In the unseen system space, or rather, in the voice of Jiang Mingjia, she sighed softly. She couldn't bear to see Jiang Minghua looking so dejected, but now she had no choice but to continue the pretense. To distract her, Jiang Mingjia deliberately spoke in a light tone:
[Host, my colleague 00X mentioned that to enhance your transmigration experience, there will be overlaps between the book's content and reality, such as your shopping cart in the real world.]
Jiang Minghua: !
Why didn't you say so sooner! She immediately and skillfully opened the shopping app, entered her real-world account information, but couldn't remember the password. Password retrieval required linking the original phone number, which was impossible.
The plus sign seemed somewhat helpless: "How about you try your initials plus the first six digits of your name? The '□□' is the one you applied for when you went to university, not the one from junior high."
Jiang Minghua entered the information as instructed and successfully logged in. That familiar warm feeling welled up in her heart again; she knew it! The plus sign belonged to Jiang Mingjia! She was still pretending not to know him.
Alright, since her girlfriends love to play, she had no choice but to play along.
Confirming that Jiang Mingjia was still by her side in another form, Jiang Minghua seemed instantly revitalized, her eyes regaining their girlish charm and liveliness. It was as if, as long as Jiang Mingjia was there, her world would always have support and would never collapse.
Jiang Mingjia was still secretly pleased with her perfect disguise, unaware that Jiang Minghua had already figured out her true identity.
Many of the items in her shopping cart were things Jiang Minghua had been eyeing for a long time but had never been able to bring herself to buy. Now that she was suddenly rich, she didn't hesitate to select them all! Regardless of whether she still needed these things, the thrill of this kind of retaliatory consumption after suddenly becoming rich was simply unparalleled!
Watching her shopping cart disappear instantly, Jiang Minghua felt an unprecedented sense of relief wash over her, as if she had shaken off all the past financial difficulties and grievances.
Then, suddenly remembering something, her eyes darkened, and she quickly started the car, slamming on the gas and speeding off in one direction. Plus was startled by her sudden action; even the electronic voice sounded urgent, like a nagging old woman in your ear:
Slow down! Watch out for cars behind you! Why are you driving so fast?!
It wasn't until Jiang Minghua slammed on the brakes and stopped the car in front of a quiet cemetery that Jiahao's rambling came to an abrupt end.
Looking at the black and white photo of herself on the tombstone through the system interface, a smile frozen in time, an indescribable sense of melancholy welled up in Jiang Mingjia's heart.
Jiang Minghua knelt down, her trembling fingertips gently tracing the smiling photograph on the cold tombstone with deep affection. Her voice was very soft:
“Mingjia, now that I have money, I can get you a better place to live. You won’t have to squeeze into this place with other people anymore.”
Jiang Mingjia then noticed that there were four different photos pasted side by side on the tombstone! Good heavens, she had to share a dormitory with others when she was alive, and now she has to live in a shared dormitory even after she's dead? When will she ever get a single room!
Plus couldn't help but ask: [Host, isn't Jiang Mingjia your good friend? Why didn't you arrange a better burial plot for her?]
A bitter smile appeared on Jiang Minghua's lips: "Do you know how much a decent burial plot costs? Two hundred thousand! Where would I have gotten that much money back then? Even this communal burial plot was something I scraped together by scrimping and saving."
Plus hesitated for a moment: "Then... that person must have given you compensation back then, right?"
She remembered that she deliberately chose to end everything at that person's company. Logically, the other party would usually offer some compensation in order to settle things peacefully.
The color drained from Jiang Minghua's face instantly. She abruptly raised her head, her sharp gaze fixed on a point in the void, as if she could see through the system interface to the plus sign. Her eyes were filled with disbelief, shock, and pain.
She spoke slowly and deliberately, her voice as cold as ice: "I find it dirty! Mingjia definitely finds it dirty too!"
The plus sign remained silent for a moment, then finally let out a silent sigh: "What does 'dirty' matter? She's gone now. At least let her have a decent place to live."
Jiang Minghua pursed her lips tightly, as if making a firm decision: "Yes, I'm going to move her ashes now. I want to buy an island, a place that belongs only to her, to house her ashes."
Now that she has money, she no longer needs to consider any practical constraints and can simply follow her heart.
Jiang Minghua asked softly, "What kind of island do you think she would like?"
The static from the plus sign seemed to soften a bit: "I think she'd probably like something like the Maldives—sunshine, beaches, and really blue water."
Jiang Minghua nodded without hesitation and immediately began using her immense financial resources to get things done. Buying an island might be incredibly difficult for ordinary people, but for Jiang Minghua at this point, it was merely a matter of a little more effort. In less than a week, everything was settled. She personally and solemnly moved Jiang Mingjia's ashes to the newly purchased, picturesque island.
Standing on the pristine white sand, gazing at the boundless blue sea, Jiang Minghua whispered to the air:
Are you satisfied now, Island Master Jiang?
The electronic tone of the plus sign remained calm:
[Host, what are you saying? I don't understand.]
However, the frequent flashing electrical ripples on the system interface completely betrayed her excited state of mind.
Jiang Minghua: Tch, you've become a system now, and you're still so stubborn.
When Jiang Minghua bought an island to bury Jiang Mingjia's ashes, the original plot belonging to Wen Chuqing was forcibly modified.
The afternoon sun shone through the library's glass windows, casting dappled shadows on the table. Wen Chuqing was intently organizing her notes on Western economics from class when a shadow fell over her.
"Excuse me, is anyone here?"
Wen Chuqing looked up, her heart skipping a beat. Fu Yanzhi, dressed in the class uniform of the elite class, stood proudly like a prince, holding the same textbook in his hand, looking at her with gentle eyes. He was completely different from the man she had met in the private room.
"No...nobody's here." Wen Chuqing subconsciously lowered her voice.
Fu Yanzhi sat down naturally opposite her, turned to a certain page of his book, pushed it towards her, and pointed to a complex example problem of a curve graph with his slender fingers.
"Wen, excuse me, I'm having some trouble understanding the diagram about diminishing marginal utility in this question. Could you please explain it to me?"
His attitude was sincere, and his tone focused. Wen Chuqing was somewhat surprised, but she still patiently explained. Fu Yanzhi listened attentively, occasionally asking one or two insightful questions, demonstrating a level of comprehension that impressed Wen Chuqing.
Time passed quietly until Wen Chuqing's stomach let out a soft rumble, and her cheeks instantly flushed red.
Fu Yanzhi chuckled softly and closed the book:
"It's my fault for keeping you from having lunch. As a thank you, would you do me the honor of having lunch with me?"
"No need, I..."
"Let's go, I've already made a reservation." Fu Yanzhi stood up, his tone carrying an unquestionable gentleness.
When the black stretch Lincoln pulled up in front of a quiet, unassuming Japanese restaurant, Wen Chuqing hesitated, looking at the rustic wooden door. The atmosphere here was completely different from the fast-food restaurants she was familiar with.
A waitress in a kimono bowed and led them to a private room. Fu Yanzhi skillfully removed his shoes and knelt on the tatami mat, gesturing for her to sit down. The menu was handwritten and unpriced. Wen Chuqing looked at the unfamiliar dish names: bluefin tuna belly, sturgeon caviar… and felt completely lost.
Fu Yanzhi looked at her expected awkwardness, a barely perceptible hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.
“It’s alright, I’ve got everything covered.” He smoothly ordered the chef’s set meal and specifically instructed:
"Less wasabi, she might not be used to it."
As each exquisite dish was served, Wen Chuqing still hesitated to touch her chopsticks. Fu Yanzhi, however, patiently and meticulously used serving chopsticks to serve her the food, gently explaining the origin of each ingredient and the best way to eat it.
"Try this sea urchin, it's very sweet."
"You're too thin, eat more."
His care was meticulous. Amidst the fragrant aroma of food and the subtle mellow scent of sake, Fu Yanzhi did not talk about school. Instead, he inquired about her life, her grandmother's health, and whether she was tired from working.
"It's really not easy for a girl to balance her studies, take care of her grandmother, and also find time to work part-time."
He looked at her, his eyes deep and intense.
"But you are very strong."
These words were like a pebble thrown into the center of a lake, creating ripples in Wen Chuqing's heart. The grievances and exhaustion she had endured alone for so long seemed to be gently soothed at this moment.
Wen Chuqing met his gaze, his eyes filled with a tenderness she dared not fathom. Her heart skipped a beat, and she hastily looked away, like a deserter from a battlefield.
After that, neither of them spoke again, but quietly enjoyed the food in front of them. The air was thicker with a feeling than words could convey, and a subtle emotion was quietly growing in the silence.
A few days later, Wen Chuqing received a call from Fu Yanzhi.
My friend's private cinema just opened, and he asked me to bring a female companion. I don't know who to bring, but I suddenly thought of you. Could you come with me?
His tone was sincere yet revealed a hint of loneliness.
When Wen Chuqing thought of the loneliness in his eyes after being abandoned by his girlfriend, and the tenderness he showed her, the softest part of her heart was touched. She hesitated for only a moment before agreeing.
The private cinema was located on the top floor of a luxury apartment building in the city center. The decor was minimalist industrial style, yet it exuded an air of extravagance. The huge projection screen, the soft leather sofas that one could sink into, and the perfectly dim lighting all made Wen Chuqing feel somewhat reserved.
Fu Yanzhi poured her a glass of juice, while he opened a bottle of red wine and sat down naturally on the other side of the sofa.
The two quietly enjoyed the movie, but when the scene showed the male protagonist writing a love poem for his wife, Wen Chuqing felt a warmth on the back of her hand. Fu Yanzhi had sat down beside her at some point, and his hand covered the back of her hand. She stiffened and instinctively tried to pull away, but he gently pressed her hand down.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
