Her Rose – Chapter 82

The invitation to Cheng’s Intelligent Brain test arrived nine days after filming for 《Return》 wrapped up. The test was scheduled for a week later.

Cheng Liang had undoubtedly invested a tremendous amount of time and money into this test, clearing out an entire floor of the Cheng’s Group main building to serve as the testing site.

The scope of the invitations was also extremely broad; all the well-known celebrities in the entertainment industry received an invitation, along with some business elites and a few lucky individuals chosen by lottery.

Chaos would collect the thoughts from these people’s minds and construct a completely real, small world related to each of them. Of course, as it was a test, this world had no completion requirements. Participants simply had to wait for the time to run out, or they could choose to exit voluntarily.

For a time, the whole world was abuzz. The upcoming test became the topic of everyone’s conversations. Whether they were skeptical or excited, Cheng Liang’s goal of revitalizing Cheng’s had, at least for the moment, been achieved.

Jiang Hanguang wasn’t surprised when she received the invitation. After all, she was an artist under Cheng’s Media and currently at the peak of her popularity, so it was only natural for her to be invited.

Cheng Ying showed no particular reaction, merely saying she had just landed Jiang Hanguang a new advertising deal that happened to conflict with the test, so she probably wouldn’t be able to make it.

Jiang Hanguang felt no regret. She had little interest in such virtual world games—a common trait among those who were perfectly content with reality.

The new advertisement was for a very famous watch brand. Jiang Hanguang’s only impression of it came from something she had previously heard an actor on set say.

“If a person doesn’t own a watch from that brand, they aren’t truly rich.”

Although the statement reeked of the consumerist trap of pricing people by their possessions, it also indirectly proved that this was indeed an excellent advertising deal.

As everyone knows, the more expensive the products a celebrity endorses, the higher their own market value is perceived to be.

This opportunity must have been hard-won, so Cheng Ying was particularly careful in her dealings with the client.

The brand originated on another continent, and the client requested that the advertisement be filmed there.

The climate of Qingtian City was the opposite of its name. Located on the coast at the northern end of the world, the city experienced rain for the vast majority of the year, earning it the nickname “Rain City.”

It was in a different hemisphere from Yunjing City, so their seasons were opposite.

While Yunjing City was bathed in brilliant sunshine, Qingtian City was shrouded in drizzling rain.

When Jiang Hanguang disembarked from the nearly three-hour flight, a fine drizzle was falling outside. The clouds hung low, and the air seemed to grow murky with the sun’s absence, giving the impression that a storm was brewing.

Jiang Hanguang took a deep breath, and the cold air rushed into her lungs. She couldn’t help but shiver lightly.

Even though she had prepared in advance and changed into thick clothes, it was still hard to adjust immediately after leaving the warm cabin for this cold, gloomy place.

A slight weight settled on her shoulders. Jiang Hanguang turned her head and saw that Cheng Ying, who was holding an umbrella beside her, had deftly slipped off her own jacket and draped it over her.

Cheng Ying was a head taller than her, with broader shoulders. Even though Jiang Hanguang was already wearing several layers, the jacket still looked overly large, instantly enveloping her in the Alpha’s warmth and scent.

But Jiang Hanguang had no time to feel shy. Seeing that Cheng Ying was only wearing a sweatshirt, she immediately tried to return the jacket. “I’m not cold. Don’t catch a chill.”

Cheng Ying held the umbrella with one hand while her other arm wrapped authoritatively around Jiang Hanguang’s, stopping her. “It’s fine,” she said with a relaxed expression. “We’ll be in the car in a second. Just wear it.”

We’ll be in the car in a second and you still took it off?

Xiao Xiao, trailing behind with the suitcases, had already developed a good tolerance for such scenes and just grumbled silently to herself.

The ad shoot wasn’t until tomorrow. Cheng Ying had previously purchased a property in Qingtian City and had arranged for the management to have it cleaned and her car brought to the airport. She and Jiang Hanguang would go to the house, while Xiao Xiao and the staff sent by the brand would head to the filming location to prepare for the next day’s shoot.

The house wasn’t large, but it was near the city center and equipped with top-of-the-line amenities. While admiring the exquisite garden outside the window, Jiang Hanguang wondered if it would be another one of Cheng Ying’s “simple style” houses, like the one in Yunjing City.

Fortunately, the house was quite beautiful. Cheng Ying had clearly hired a local design and renovation team; the entire house was minimalist yet refined, featuring many objects and decorations that reflected the local culture.

Not long after they had settled in, Cheng Ying received a call from the brand, likely asking her to come to the filming location. Before she left, she told Jiang Hanguang that she had already booked a restaurant for them to try Qingtian City’s local delicacies that evening.

The Alpha seemed to be in a good mood lately, a smile always playing at the corners of her eyes. Jiang Hanguang temporarily set aside her various worries. For now, at least, everything was normal, and she couldn’t keep frightening herself.

After Cheng Ying left, Jiang Hanguang first admired the house’s decorations for a while before opening her laptop to continue browsing information about the watch brand.

Just as she was engrossed in her reading, an envelope icon suddenly popped up on the screen. Before she could stop her hand, she had already clicked on it.

She initially thought it might be a computer virus and subconsciously reached for the power button. But as her eyes swept over the screen, her expression froze.

The first line of the email read: Time until Cheng Ying’s death: six days and eight hours.

What a malicious joke.

The corner of Jiang Hanguang’s mouth twitched. She thought she must have stumbled upon a scam, yet her eyes involuntarily continued to read.

Some people fall for traps not because they aren’t intelligent or rational, but because their weakness has been seized, and the pain makes it impossible to think.

The sender of the email, however, didn’t seem to be after money. Her narrative was concise and to the point, like that of a precision machine.

This is a prophecy. If you are not with her in the virtual world when the time is up, she will die without a doubt.

You don’t believe it, do you?

I think Cheng Ying herself, at least, believes so.

Below these few short sentences was an audio clip that was only a few seconds long.

Jiang Hanguang bit her lip and gently clicked the play button.

Cheng Ying’s voice came through the headphones.

“Hanguang, by the time you see this, I should already be gone…”

The recording was cut off abruptly—clearly the sender’s doing.

Jiang Hanguang listened to the short audio clip over and over, trying to find any trace of splicing or imitation.

However, the voice was crystal clear, without a single stutter or pause.

It was the voice she knew so well, the one that so often whispered in her ear, filled with laughter and love. It was Cheng Ying’s voice.

Jiang Hanguang gripped the mouse tightly as tears fell silently.

She had lied to her. She was planning to leave her behind again.

Below the audio clip were two more short sentences.

Objectively speaking, she is protecting you.

However, I think that as the one being protected, you have the right to decide whether or not you want that protection.

The email scrolled to the bottom and slowly vanished from the screen, as if it had never appeared at all.

But the tears still streaming down her face told Jiang Hanguang clearly that this was no nightmare.

It was evening by the time Cheng Ying returned. Seeing Jiang Hanguang sitting motionless on the sofa, she said apologetically, “You must be starving. Quick, get your shoes on, let’s go eat. That brand representative was impossibly fussy. Big brands are always so difficult, they’re just spoiled!”

The slender figure on the sofa slowly rose. An inexplicable sense of foreboding rose in Cheng Ying’s heart.

Then she saw the woman’s eyes, red from crying, and an expression filled with anger and even despair.

“Hanguang…”

She called out softly, but didn’t know what else to say.

The last time she had seen Jiang Hanguang like this was on that day at the Feng family’s villa.

The unease in her heart expanded rapidly, threatening to overwhelm her.

But Jiang Hanguang simply walked over, step by step, until she stood before her and said in a quiet voice, “I’m going to participate in the test, too.”

Cheng Ying’s mind jolted, and she subconsciously forced a helpless smile. “I didn’t realize you were so eager to play. Doesn’t it conflict with your work?”

Jiang Hanguang knows? How could she possibly know?

A thousand thoughts raced through Cheng Ying’s mind, but Jiang Hanguang’s focus was singular. She repeated her statement, “I said, I am going to participate in the test.”

The woman’s voice was calm, yet utterly resolute, leaving no room for discussion.

Cheng Ying’s expression slowly grew cold. She clenched her fists and shook her head. “You can’t go.”

Jiang Hanguang seemed to have anticipated this answer. She looked so furious that she actually laughed. “Why?”

Cheng Ying said, “…Hanguang, be obedient.”

Jiang Hanguang was still smiling, but her brows were tightly knitted, and her eyes were once again veiled with mist. “The last time I was obedient, you abandoned me at the foot of the mountain.”

“I…” Cheng Ying started.

But Jiang Hanguang gave her no chance to explain. She suddenly stepped forward, her cool hand caressing Cheng Ying’s cheek, her pure black eyes fixed on her face. “Last time, you said you’d be fine. Now, Cheng Ying, look me in the eyes and say it again—that you’ll be fine this time, too.”

This was truly asking the impossible.

The corner of Cheng Ying’s mouth twitched. She smiled at Jiang Hanguang. “Of course. Of course, I’ll… be fine.”

“Liar.”

Jiang Hanguang shoved her away and made for the door.

Cheng Ying frantically grabbed her hand, her voice as panicked as her heart. “Where are you going?”

Jiang Hanguang tried to pull her hand away but couldn’t. “Since you don’t want me anyway,” she said coldly, “where I go is none of your business.”

The words struck Cheng Ying with a sharp pain, and her tone grew uncontrollably fierce. “I’m doing this for your own good! Can’t you just listen to me for once?!”

She practically roared the words. The moment they were out, both women froze. Cheng Ying’s lips trembled, wanting to say something to ease the tension.

Jiang Hanguang’s expression, however, remained placid. It seemed to be a habit of hers—the angrier she became, the calmer her face grew.

But her eyes were filled with such pain and anger that the intense emotions instantly seized Cheng Ying’s throat, rendering her speechless.

“Of course I can be obedient. If I were your pet, Boss Cheng.” The woman’s voice could no longer remain steady, breaking with intermittent sobs. “But if all you ever wanted was a pet, why did you indulge me so much?”

You pulled me out of a mud pit, washed me clean, and carefully presented everything I’d ever hoped for right before me.

I thought I was loved. I gave you my whole heart. I had never been so proud, because I had a lover like you.

But you abandon me time and again, leaving me to worry and suffer, unable to break free.

Even now, at the final moment, you’re still unwilling to tell me the truth.

If that’s the case, why pretend to care about me so much?

After all, I just need to obey your arrangements, stay meekly behind you, and watch you charge into the fray.

Am I not your lover at all? Am I just a delicate pet under your meticulous protection?

Jiang Hanguang’s question struck the most hidden, painful spot in Cheng Ying’s heart. In a daze, her grip loosened, and the woman slipped through her fingers like a nimble fish.

The door slammed shut, leaving her alone in the house.

Cheng Ying wanted to chase after Jiang Hanguang but found her feet rooted to the spot.

What would she say if she caught up to her? Ask her to come along?

That was too dangerous. She had no way of knowing the conditions inside before entering. How could she let Jiang Hanguang face the danger with her?

But if she didn’t go after her, how heartbroken Jiang Hanguang would be…

She slumped dejectedly to the floor, her mind a chaotic blank.

No leads, no solution.

Until a voice emerged, and all other noise fell silent.

But isn’t this for the best?

After all, you don’t even know if you’ll make it out alive.

Rather than have her pine for you for the rest of her life, never finding peace, isn’t it better to let her see your true nature now? Better a sharp, short pain than a long, dull ache.

Cheng Ying hugged her knees tightly, burying her head in them like a helpless child.

Isn’t this for the best?

Isn’t this exactly what you wanted?

No, it’s not. She wasn’t that noble.

How could she ever not want Jiang Hanguang?

She wished she could melt into the woman’s very bones, follow her for a lifetime like a shadow.

She didn’t want Jiang Hanguang to forget her, let alone hate her.

Even if she died, Jiang Hanguang could only ever be her Jiang Hanguang.