Volume One, Chapter Three: What If I Don’t Want to Break Off the Engagement?

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Jiang Chenyu stared at her mother, the image before her utterly disconnected from the one in her heart. The other members of the Jiang family seemed to find nothing wrong with Chen Ping’s words. Gu Jinyan narrowed his eyes slightly, his tone calm and measured as he said, “Miss Jiang is the one who saved my life. I simply took the critically ill her to the hospital; I shouldn’t need your permission for that, should I?”

“Critically ill?” Jiang Chao was stunned and looked at Jiang Chenyu in confusion.

Before Jiang Chenyu could speak, Jiang Xue’er’s eyes reddened. “Chenyu, you’ve had allergic reactions before, but why is this time so severe?”

“Obviously she’s just putting on a pitiful act!” Jiang Mu rolled his eyes disdainfully, certain. “She’s always been like this—pretending to be sick to steal everyone’s attention...”

“Jiang Mu!” Jiang Chao interrupted before he could finish.

Not because he disagreed, but because he didn’t want to lose face in front of Gu Jinyan. “We’ve troubled Mr. Gu today. I still need to take my sister out of the hospital later. Perhaps we can come by another day to express our thanks and not bother you today.”

“My fiancée and I still have some medical matters to discuss. You should go first; I’ll send her back later,” Gu Jinyan said lightly, but his words caused a ripple among the crowd.

Even Jiang Chenyu glanced at Gu Jinyan in surprise—this unlucky man she had stumbled upon was actually her frail husband!?

Jiang Chao dared not say no to Gu Jinyan; he nodded repeatedly and said, “Thank you for your trouble, Mr. Gu.”

“Miss Jiang, I will have someone bring meals over. Do you have any dietary restrictions?” Gu Jinyan addressed Jiang Chenyu with a touch more respect.

Jiang Chenyu thought for a moment and answered truthfully, “I only can’t eat peanuts; everything else is fine.”

“Good.” Gu Jinyan smiled and glanced at the nurse beside him.

The nurse immediately understood and replied respectfully, “I will have the nutritionist prepare it right away.”

Gu Jinyan paid them no further mind and asked Jiang Chenyu, “Shall we return to the ward and wait?”

Jiang Chenyu nodded. For the first time, she didn’t look back at the “family” behind her but turned away herself.

As the door opened, Jiang Xue’er noticed the hospital room’s furnishings.

Though all VIP rooms, this one was brighter, more comfortable, and even more luxurious than her own.

“Let’s go back and eat. I bought food from the place Xue’er likes,” Jiang Chao’s voice pulled Jiang Xue’er back to reality.

Jiang Xue’er smiled, “Okay! Big brother is the best.”

What use was a fiancé if he was going to die early anyway!

...

Inside the hospital room.

Jiang Chenyu couldn’t help but steal a glance at Gu Jinyan.

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Gu Jinyan appeared pale and delicate, elegant in every gesture.

No wonder Jiang Xue’er didn’t want to marry him. Though a fine young man, his aura was faint, his life seemingly short.

So when the Jiang family learned she would become a widow soon after marrying him, they immediately chose to send Jiang Chenyu in her place...

How ridiculous.

Noticing Jiang Chenyu’s gaze, Gu Jinyan neither avoided it nor took offense but smiled gently and said in a friendly manner, “Miss Jiang, I know you never wished to marry me. I was also proposed to without my knowledge. Today’s visit to your family was to resolve this matter. How would you like to dissolve the engagement?”

Since her reputation was at stake, he was willing to accept even more complicated solutions.

“What if I don’t want to break off the engagement?” Jiang Chenyu countered.

Gu Jinyan frowned silently, studying her without replying.

“Your family probably wants this marriage to bring good fortune. Even if it weren’t me, there would be someone else. And I...” Jiang Chenyu reasoned, “You’ve surely noticed I don’t belong in the Jiang family either. Why not help each other with our current troubles?”

“Of course, don’t worry. I won’t interfere with your personal feelings. After one year, you can divorce anytime you want. How about that?” She added thoughtfully.

One year was enough time for the Jiang family to reach its end.

Unaware of the deeper plot, Gu Jinyan pondered and finally responded, “Then when shall we register the marriage and hold the wedding?”

That meant he agreed.

Eagerly, Jiang Chenyu said, “The sooner, the better. I’m free anytime.”

“All right. I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning to register,” Gu Jinyan promptly gave a definite time.

“Ah?” Though she wanted it soon, she hadn’t expected it to be this soon.

Meeting Gu Jinyan’s questioning gaze, she nodded, “Ah... okay.”

“By the way, I promised to help you eliminate the curse affecting your body once I wake up.” Jiang Chenyu reached out to grasp Gu Jinyan’s wrist, which was emitting dark energy.

“What curse?” Gu Jinyan didn’t understand.

He didn’t pull away but watched as she bit her finger and traced a triangle on his wrist.

Jiang Chenyu’s hand was small, seemingly fragile and boneless. Though sun-darkened, it radiated surprising warmth.

The exact warmth he had felt when nearly fainting in pain.

“Have you recently felt fatigued, blurry vision, occasional tingling and stiffness, and your body losing control?” Her professional tone grew serious.

Gu Jinyan thought for a moment and nodded in affirmation.

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“Someone used your birth details to sustain a puppet that’s competing with you for control of your body,” Jiang Chenyu said succinctly. “Though your current condition isn’t entirely caused by the puppet, most of your suffering comes from it.”

After finishing her work, Jiang Chenyu smiled with satisfaction as she absorbed the black energy from Gu Jinyan’s wrist.

Dealing with curses was incredibly relieving!

Looking up at Gu Jinyan, she said, “The puppet won’t be far from your daily life. You should search well in your sleeping quarters.”

“Heh, I will,” Gu Jinyan chuckled softly, retracting his wrist and lowering his sleeve.

His gaze lingered on her blazing smile, unable to look away.

Jiang Chenyu had seen this look in many employers’ eyes before: disbelief mixed with reluctance to argue, offering only perfunctory words.

But...

If he didn’t believe she saved him, why did he bring her to the hospital as promised? And why use that to shut down the Jiang family’s accusations?

...

By the time Gu Jinyan escorted Jiang Chenyu home, it was past seven.

They had agreed on the time, and she dragged her tired body back.

The Jiang family was a well-known nouveau riche clan in the capital, having gained immense fortune through her altered fate. They were used to extravagance; the entire villa was brightly lit, even the servants’ quarters gleamed—except for the small storeroom where she lived.

That tiny room in the corner of the second floor stood out in stark contrast to the entire Jiang household.

Just as she, standing there, was out of place among the laughing family gathered in the living room.

When Jiang Xue’er first came to the Jiang home, she took it upon herself to occupy that small storeroom, hinting she wished she had Jiang Chenyu’s room.

Their eldest brother suggested they could swap rooms for a while.

Jiang Chenyu agreed then, but when she later asked to switch back, she was met with cold, envious stares, branded a spiteful sister who coveted others’ things.

Their father even beat her with a stick to “teach her a lesson,” warning her never to mention switching rooms again.

It was foolish to cling to the family’s initial kindness and stubbornly compete with Jiang Xue’er for so-called “family” and “warmth.”

Jiang Chenyu sighed inwardly and quickened her pace, no longer trying to make conversation or perform exaggerated acts to attract the family’s attention.

Yet, despite her avoidance, they called out to her first.