Heavy raindrops pounded against the car windows, tracing mottled streaks of water.
Lu Yige gazed quietly through the glass at the three people ahead.
The eldest son of the Chi family half-pushed, half-dragged the girl into the back seat of the car, then opened the door on the other side himself. He lifted his chin provocatively at a boy standing nearby before driving off.
The boy remained motionless, staring in the direction the car disappeared, then slowly lowered his head, lost in thought.
It was time. Lu Yige picked up an umbrella and opened the car door.
"Miss."
The driver turned back hesitantly to look at her.
"It's fine," Lu Yige said calmly, stepping into the rain.
Sensing something blocking the relentless raindrops above his head, Jiang Yu narrowed his eyes and looked toward the girl holding the umbrella beside him.
Soft and fragile, her face perpetually tinged with an unhealthy pallor.
"It's you."
Of course Jiang Yu recognized her—his deskmate for his second year of high school, the wealthy heiress Lu Yige.
In the past year, however, she had attended class no more than three times.
People said the Lu family's daughter was sickly from birth, that doctors had declared she would not live past twenty-five.
"Mm. Be careful not to catch a cold." Lu Yige reached out and handed him another umbrella. Her thin, pale arm looked as though it might snap in the wind.
Jiang Yu did not take it. He met her gaze directly. "Why are you helping me?"
Lu Yige smiled faintly. "I'm not helping you."
"You like me."
Lu Yige looked into his pitch-black eyes, the tiny droplets clinging to his thick lashes, and her heart skipped involuntarily.
Seeing the momentary panic appear on Lu Yige's usually calm face, Jiang Yu let out a barely audible scoff.
He had learned to read people from a young age. One glance was enough to tell who liked him and who did not.
"Take me with you," he said. "You know—I'm an orphan."
Sitting in the car, Lu Yige glanced at Jiang Yu beside her. The beautiful boy, as though drawn from a comic, left her feeling slightly dazed.
The novel had not described this scene in detail—only mentioned it in passing. She had not expected Jiang Yu to follow her home so easily.
Half a month earlier, Lu Yige had died in a car accident. When she woke up, she found herself here.
A voice had told her that due to certain bugs, the original host had died prematurely during surgery. Now, Lu Yige needed to complete the remaining storyline in her place. Once it was finished, the system would allow her to be reborn in this world.
Having died once, Lu Yige understood the value of life and agreed immediately.
This world came from an urban wealthy-family novel titled Nian Nian.
The female lead, Jiang Nian, and the second male lead, Jiang Yu, had grown up together in an orphanage. Jiang Nian was sunny and warm, like a sunflower stubbornly growing in a corner, illuminating Jiang Yu's cold, sensitive heart.
In high school, the school tyrant male lead, Chi Yexuan, fell in love with her at first sight and pursued her with immature yet domineering methods.
As a wealthy-family novel, parental interference was inevitable.
When Chi Yexuan's mother said, "I'll give you ten million—leave my son," Jiang Nian refused. Instead, she asked Madam Chi to send her abroad to study and voluntarily cut off all ties with Chi Yexuan.
Seven years later, Jiang Nian returned as a Wall Street elite.
As the white moonlight in the hearts of several powerful men, the male lead both loved and hated her; the second male lead stopped at nothing to obtain her; and the third male lead, a senior she met while studying abroad, had secretly loved her for years.
Lu Yige had happened to read this novel a year earlier. Because there was a cannon-fodder supporting character with the same name as hers, it had left a deep impression on her.
In the book, Jiang Yu used the sickly heiress Lu Yige—who secretly loved him—to gain access to high society. Step by step, he earned the trust of her parents, became the Lu family's heir after her death, and then repeatedly used the Lu family's connections to help the female lead overcome crises.
At the time, Lu Yige had been furious, angrily denouncing the second male lead as a scumbag. Yet this obsessive, scheming character remained extremely popular, something she could never understand.
Now she did understand. Good looks were justice. Faced with a face like that every day, perhaps only the female lead could remain completely unmoved.
Oh—no. There was also herself, standing at a god's-eye view.
The private car pulled into the garage. Lu Yige turned back and smiled faintly at Jiang Yu. "Come on."
Unexpectedly, Jiang Yu suddenly grabbed her hand.
"Don't be afraid," Lu Yige said.
"Madam, Yige is back," Aunt Liu called out toward the interior.
Mother Lu came down the stairs. When she saw Jiang Yu standing nearby, she frowned slightly.
Lu Yige released his hand and introduced him. "Mom, this is my classmate, Jiang Yu."
Mother Lu nodded. "This child—why are you soaked through? Go take a shower first. Aunt Liu, bring a clean set of clothes."
"Yes," Aunt Liu replied, leading Jiang Yu toward the bathroom.
Mother Lu smiled at Lu Yige.
Lu Yige put on a slightly shy expression and said, "He's the one I told you about—the boy I like."
"Alright." Mother Lu gently stroked Lu Yige's hair. "You said he's an orphan?"
"Yes."
"Then he'll stay with us from now on."
Lu Yige nodded shyly.
Lu Yige's illness was hereditary. Though her parents were healthy, the condition had been passed on to her. All her life, they had doted on her while feeling heartache and guilt. Whatever she asked for, they granted.
After showering, Jiang Yu changed into loose, casual clothes. The chilliness faded, replaced by a more youthful air.
Mother Lu beckoned to him. "Come eat, child."
"Auntie." Jiang Yu pulled out the chair beside Lu Yige and sat down.
"Xiao Yu," Mother Lu said, changing how she addressed him to sound more familiar. "Tomorrow I'll have someone handle your day-student paperwork. From now on, you'll live with us."
Jiang Yu's eyes flickered. "Thank you, Auntie."
"I hear your grades are very good. Our Yige has fallen behind because of her illness—please help her out."
"Alright," Jiang Yu agreed, then noticed something amiss. "You mean... Lu—Yige, Yige is going back to school?"
"Yes. Didn't she tell you?" Mother Lu placed a piece of braised pork into both their bowls. "After this surgery, Yige's health has improved a lot. She wants to attend classes, take the college entrance exam, and live like any normal child."
Jiang Yu lowered his gaze. "That's... good."
Seeing his faintly dejected expression, Lu Yige laughed inwardly. In the book, Jiang Yu used Lu Yige to rise in status yet was unwilling for others—especially the female lead—to know about their relationship. Truly shameless hypocrisy.
Yet the Lu Yige in the book always indulged him, never letting him lose face.
After dinner, Lu Yige took Jiang Yu to the guest room. As he opened the door, he paused, turned back, and said, "Lu Yige, if my life before was nothing but darkness, then you are the first beam of light to illuminate it."
Lu Yige felt goosebumps rise all over her body.
Here it comes. Here it comes—the scumbag routine. Don't you feel guilty saying that, when everyone knows your light is the female lead, Jiang Nian?
Your acting still needs more polishing, boy. She wanted to say that—but instead she pretended to be shy, bit her lip, and ran off.
Back in her room, Lu Yige recalled the plot. She remembered that in the book, Lu Yige died at twenty-two, just as the doctor had said—she did not live past twenty-five.
She was seventeen now. That meant she still had to spar in acting with Jiang Yu, this scumbag, for another five years.
Scumbag, you're still too green. How could you, from the second male lead's perspective, possibly compete with me, standing at a god's-eye view? Satisfied, Lu Yige lay down on the bed.
Jiang Yu locked his door and let out a breath.
Mother Lu appeared easygoing, but her kindness was only for Lu Yige's sake. In truth, she was clearly wary of him.
Which was only natural. Who would trust a stranger of unknown origin?
As for Lu's father, who was often away—he would be even harder to deal with.
The next day, the driver took them to school. When they were still some distance from the gate, Jiang Yu suddenly said, "I want to get out here."
"Alright," Lu Yige replied, then seemed to think of something. "I'll get out here too."
"Miss—"
"It's fine. I just want to walk a bit, get some fresh air."
Jiang Yu looked at her without speaking.
After getting out of the car, Lu Yige felt especially pleased seeing Jiang Yu's silent expression.
You don't want others to see you with me? Then I'll make sure they do.
Still, she put on an act and asked, "Are you worried? If anyone asks, just say you ran into me on the road and were concerned something might happen to a sick person, so you walked together."
Jiang Yu abruptly raised his head, blinking his dark eyes. "No. You're overthinking it."
***
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