Volume 1 Chapter 3: Jingci’s Sacrifice, Mianmian’s Rebirth!
The night was silent.
On the way back, Bo Jingci didn’t have anyone following him.
He walked alone to her room. Since they got married, they had never shared a room.
At first, when she didn’t know him well, she had intended to live a good life with him, to build a home together.
But after she came to understand him, she realized that beneath his cool and aloof exterior lay an almost obsessive possessiveness.
She couldn’t bear it. It was only by threatening to take her own life that she managed to secure this room for herself, a space where she could catch her breath.
But she knew that every night, after she fell asleep, this man would quietly climb into bed with her. He did nothing, simply held her, and would return to his own room just before dawn.
As if nothing had ever happened.
And now, the man looked haggard, his head lowered as if all strength had left his body. He walked woodenly toward her bed.
Then, he stopped at the head of the bed.
There, placed on the nightstand, was her only photo—taken by her best friend Qiqi on her eighteenth birthday. In the picture, she was smiling radiantly, a faint curve on her lips, the dimples at the corners of her mouth faintly visible.
Facing the camera, she seemed a little shy, yet her eyes were bright and clear.
Song Jingmian watched as Bo Jingci trembled, cradling the photo frame in his arms, raising a hand to gently touch her face.
Then, he lowered his head, his eyes filled with deep infatuation and reverence, and kissed the girl in the photo.
Bo Jingci’s voice was hoarse as he murmured, “Mianmian…”
He held the photo like that for what felt like an eternity before finally pulling a small medicine bottle from his pocket.
Without the slightest hesitation, he tilted his head back and drank it.
His throat moved slightly as tears slid from the corners of his eyes, trailing down his neck—tragic and resolute.
Moments later, blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. He let out a laugh, but his voice betrayed extreme anguish.
“Mianmian… so this is how much it hurt…”
The poison took effect, spreading through his limbs, his organs, corroding him until death.
When he learned from that accomplice what her so-called sister had done to her, his chest tightened with unbearable pain. That was the girl he cherished in the palm of his hand—he wouldn’t even dare touch a single hair on her head. How could those people dare?!
Perhaps only by feeling her pain now could he feel closer to her.
Yet, his expression remained unchanged, as if he felt no pain at all.
With trembling hands, he pulled her jade pendant from his pocket, clutching it tightly in his palm, and looked once more at her photo.
Then he smiled. Gazing at her radiant, sunlit image in the photo, his smile was filled with immense tenderness, as if an iceberg had melted, his brows and eyes softening.
“Mianmian… I’m here… I’ve come to be with you…”
After saying this, he lay quietly on her bed, holding her photo and jade pendant tightly in his arms.
He didn’t seem to be in as much pain, the corners of his mouth still curved upward.
“No!”
Song Jingmian’s eyes widened in shock as she stared blankly at the scene before her. She never imagined that what he had just drunk was poison!
Watching him collapse, Song Jingmian’s heart suddenly clenched. An inexplicable pain washed over her, making her tremble all over, her heart aching with each beat.
It was only then that she seemed to realize—over these three years, she had unknowingly fallen for him.
During the countless times she faced danger, he was always the first to arrive by her side. When she was bullied on set, he always stood up for her. And when she fell ill, no matter how busy he was with work, he would rush to her immediately, caring for her day and night…
Yet all of this had been completely denied by her because his possessiveness was too strong.
She had not followed her truest feelings, deceiving herself all along.
And at the moment he closed his eyes, she felt as if her own soul was about to scatter.
As her vision blurred, she let out a bitter laugh.
“If there is a next life, I will try to accept you, love you, never run away, never avoid you.”
“Mmm.”
The light from above shone glaringly. When Song Jingmian woke up, she stared blankly at the bright light.
Aunt Liu, who had been taking care of her in the villa for years, saw that the madam had finally awakened and felt her heart finally settle. A smile spread across her face, deepening her wrinkles.
Aunt Liu was a lively and talkative person. Seeing her awake now, she immediately stood up and cheered, “Ah! The madam is awake!”
Hearing Aunt Liu’s familiar voice, Song Jingmian frowned, tilting her head to look carefully at Aunt Liu. “Aunt Liu.”
“Have you also descended into hell?”
Aunt Liu: “…”
Aunt Liu’s pupils trembled in shock: “Madam, how could you say such a thing?!”
Then Aunt Liu gave Song Jingmian a strange look, muttering incessantly, “Oh no.”
“Could she have been burned silly?”
Song Jingmian: “…”
While muttering, Aunt Liu didn’t forget to tuck her in and reached out to feel her forehead temperature.
“No fever…”
Aunt Liu glanced up at her: “Then why has she gone silly for no reason?”
Song Jingmian: “…”
In her dazed state, she shook her head, suddenly realizing something. She immediately grabbed Aunt Liu’s hand. “Aunt Liu!”
“What year is it now?”
Aunt Liu narrowed her eyes slightly. “Madam, it is now July 11, 20xx, 5:20:38 PM.”
Song Jingmian’s lips twitched: “…” There was no need to be so precise.
If it was 20xx, wasn’t that three years ago, right after they had just gotten married?!
Could she really have been reborn?!
Overwhelming joy washed over her, and Song Jingmian broke into a wide grin.
She really had been reborn!
She still had time!
“Aunt Liu… where is Bo Jingci?” She was so excited she felt like jumping up.
Aunt Liu, afraid she might fall, quickly said, “Oh, Master Jing’s little ancestor, slow down! If you fall, Master Jing will blame me.”
Still lost in immense joy, she didn’t hear this teasing remark. Instead, she turned back after a moment and asked again.
“Where is he? Aunt Liu, tell me quickly!” She was growing impatient.
Seeing the madam’s anxious expression, Aunt Liu smiled with relief.
This was the first time she had seen the madam so concerned about the young master.
So she immediately replied, “He’s in the study having a meeting… Ah! Madam, what are you doing? Slow down!”
Only the sound of hurried footsteps answered her.
Aunt Liu sighed almost imperceptibly: “Young people sure run fast.”
“Yes, this project is indeed quite tricky, but since I’ve entrusted it to you to handle…”
“Bo Jingci!”
Everyone in the video conference had been extremely focused, not daring to slack off during the big boss’s meeting. So when an exceptionally soft and sweet female voice rang out, they all pricked up their ears.
The man sitting in the study turned his head abruptly upon hearing it.
Song Jingmian was still standing outside the door. Meeting Bo Jingci’s gaze, her eyes suddenly reddened.
She remembered the day he collapsed by her bedside, blood at the corner of his mouth, yet wearing a smile.
Without a second thought, she immediately ran to him, sat directly on his lap, and wrapped her arms around his neck.
Bo Jingci’s figure paused.
But he was afraid she might not sit steadily, so his left arm loosely encircled her, resting at her waist.
On the computer screen, the executives watching this scene collectively gasped.
Holy cow, this is next-level…
Voices rose one after another from the computer. Bo Jingci glanced over with a disdainful look, then immediately reached out with his free right hand to close the laptop lid.
His voice rang out, cool and unquestionable: “Meeting adjourned.”
The executives: “…”
Are we just a prop in your little play?
After the study fell silent, an inexplicable awkwardness swept over them.
Song Jingmian clicked her tongue. Damn it, acting on impulse really messed things up.
But why was it that when she actively threw herself into his arms, the guy didn’t react at all?
Was he stunned?
Then, she finally lifted her quail-like head to peek at him.
The man was also staring at her, his eyes deep and intense.
What’s going on with her today, being so forward?
Before he could figure it out, he suddenly noticed her bare feet. Frowning, a wave of helplessness washed over him.
“Why aren’t you wearing shoes again?”
Finally hearing his voice once more, Song Jingmian smiled, her eyes brightening. She lowered her head and nuzzled against his shoulder, unusually coquettish.
“I want you to help me put them on.”