Princess Syndrome - Chapter 113

Chapter 113: Marriage

Jiang Yunlu's first words after being awake for so long stunned both occupants of the room for a few seconds. Jiang Ya was the first to react, turning to Jiang Yunlu and saying, "Yunlu, Yunlu, did you just speak?"

She gently turned Jiang Yunlu's face towards her. "It's Mom, it's Mommy. Do you remember Mommy?"

Jiang Yunlu fell silent again.

Jiang Ya pointed towards Ji Zhiyi at the door. "That's Zhiyi. She's been taking care of you these past few days. Yunlu, do you remember her?"

Jiang Ya was clearly ecstatic.

She and Jiang Yunlu had never met, so how could she remember her?

But upon hearing her name, Jiang Yunlu looked towards the door and simply repeated, "Ji Zhiyi."

Speaking clearly.

Jiang Ya's previously furious demeanor vanished, replaced by joy. "Mom's going to find the doctor! Mom's going to find the doctor!"

She instructed Ji Zhiyi, "You take care of Yunlu."

Ji Zhiyi watched her rush off, then glanced at Jiang Yunlu in the bed.

Jiang Yunlu's eyes met hers. Despite the talk of care in recent days, she hadn't done much, simply visiting daily to keep her company and monitor her vitals. Jiang Yunlu's passive state—no speaking, no reaction—had left everyone helpless.

Now, her willingness to speak had overjoyed Jiang Ya. The hospital director and several doctors soon arrived, examining and stimulating Jiang Yunlu, who this time cooperated, no longer remaining silent as before.

Perhaps due to her extended time in bed, her memory was fragmented, and she spoke slowly, with long pauses of silence.

Her calling out Ji Zhiyi's name seemed to stem from hearing it; she unconsciously repeated it.

Jiang Ya later realized she had loudly called Ji Zhiyi's name just moments before.

Had that awakened Yunlu?

It was good if she had awakened, very good.

After the doctors left, she asked Jiang Yunlu, "Do you remember Mommy?"

Jiang Yunlu looked at her, studying her face intently for several minutes. Just as Jiang Ya thought she wouldn't respond, she said, "Remember. Mommy is good." She stared at Jiang Ya. "Mommy loves me very much."

Tears immediately welled up in Jiang Ya's eyes. She grasped Jiang Yunlu's hand, sobbing, "You remember, you remember everything. Mommy loves our Yunlu the most."

Jiang Yunlu, held in her embrace, showed little expression, but after a moment, as if recalling something, she asked, "Mom, are the flowers I planted still there?"

"Yes, yes, yes," Jiang Ya replied. "Mom had people take good care of them. You'll see them when you come home."

Jiang Yunlu hummed in acknowledgment and then asked, "What happened to me?"

This question startled Jiang Ya.

It also made Ji Zhiyi frown.

She looked at Jiang Yunlu.

Jiang Yunlu's eyes were clear, devoid of emotion, bright and beautiful, but emotionless. Jiang Ya opened her mouth, asking softly, "You... you don't remember?"

Jiang Yunlu said, "I feel a lot of pain."

Her answer was unrelated.

But Jiang Ya visibly relaxed.

She said, "You—you had an accident."

Jiang Yunlu asked, "Accident?"

Jiang Ya said, "Yes, you had a little accident, but it's okay, Yunlu. Mom is here. Mom will protect you this time."

Jiang Yunlu looked at Ji Zhiyi. "What about her?"

Jiang Ya followed her gaze to Ji Zhiyi.

Ji Zhiyi stepped forward, standing by the bed. "Hello, Sister Yunlu."

Jiang Yunlu withdrew her gaze and looked at Jiang Ya. "Mom, who is she?"

Jiang Ya hesitated for a few seconds.

Jiang Yunlu asked, "Mom, is she my girlfriend?"

The question silenced the room. Then, Jiang Ya said, "Yes, she is your girlfriend."

Ji Zhiyi stared at the two, her eyebrows furrowed.

Jiang Yunlu smiled. "I knew she was my girlfriend. Mom, I wrote you a letter a couple of days ago saying I wanted to introduce her to you. You found her."

Her smile was shy, but her tone was off. Having not spoken for so long, her voice was hoarse and the pitch strange, like a puppet whose strings were pulled too tight, grating on the ears.

Ji Zhiyi remained silent.

Jiang Ya said, "Mom received the letter." She turned to Ji Zhiyi, her eyes conveying an ambiguous meaning. Looking at Ji Zhiyi, she said, "She was very worried about you, so she's been coming to the hospital every day."

Jiang Yunlu said, "Ji Zhiyi."

Her gaze settled on Ji Zhiyi, and she reached out her hand. "Ji Zhiyi, come here."

Ji Zhiyi glanced at Jiang Ya, who was staring intently at her. Ji Zhiyi walked to the bedside. Jiang Yunlu took her hand, saying obediently, "Ji Zhiyi, were you scared? I'm sorry."

She held Ji Zhiyi's hand tightly. "I'm sorry, Ji Zhiyi."

She said, "When I get better, let's go see a movie."

Ji Zhiyi met her eyes.

Jiang Yunlu said, "Let's go see a movie, okay? I..."

She tried to struggle, but found she couldn't move her body. Sweat beaded on her forehead. Jiang Ya quickly said, "Yunlu, don't move around."

Jiang Yunlu looked panicked. "Mom, why can't I get up?"

Jiang Ya said, "You've been in bed for too long. It's okay, you'll recover slowly. It's okay."

Jiang Yunlu repeated, "Too long?" She clutched Jiang Ya's hand. "How long?"

Jiang Ya opened her mouth, the events of so many years flashing before her eyes. Jiang Yunlu was flustered. "Didn't I just have an accident?"

This was memory confusion, or memory loss.

The doctor had mentioned it as a possibility, advising Jiang Ya to be prepared. Jiang Ya held Jiang Yunlu. "Calm down, Yunlu."

With her soothing words, Jiang Yunlu gradually calmed down.

She searched for clarity in her muddled consciousness. Jiang Ya glossed over the details of the past years, clearly not wanting to dwell on them. As Jiang Yunlu listened, she looked at Ji Zhiyi and said, "So, you haven't been waiting for me for just a day or two, but for so many years?"

Ji Zhiyi didn't respond.

Jiang Ya said, "Yes, Yunlu. Zhiyi has often come to see you over the years. When it wasn't convenient for her, she even asked Mom to come every day."

Hearing this, tears welled up in Jiang Yunlu's eyes. "Thank you, Zhiyi," she said.

She added, "Thank you, Mom."

Jiang Ya stroked her hair. Jiang Yunlu said, "Mom, Zhiyi is so good to me. I want to be good to her too."

"Okay, you..."

Jiang Yunlu interrupted her. "I want to marry her."

Jiang Ya's words caught in her throat. She looked at Jiang Yunlu, whose eyes showed a fearful anticipation of rejection, a pitiful expression. Her eyebrows were furrowed, seemingly afraid Jiang Ya wouldn't agree. After a moment, Jiang Ya managed to speak. "Yunlu, you've just woken up. Your body and mind aren't stable yet. Let's take things slowly."

"But I don't want to take things slowly." Jiang Yunlu cried. "I've been asleep for so long, I've already made Zhiyi wait such a long time. I don't want to waste any more time. Mom, I want to marry her. Please agree."

She pleaded with Jiang Ya. "Mom, you're the best."

Jiang Ya's jawline was tense.

Jiang Yunlu said, "Mom, don't you love me the most? Didn't you say you'd agree to anything I do?"

Jiang Ya looked at Ji Zhiyi.

This person hadn't said much since Jiang Yunlu woke up. Shouldn't she try to stop Yunlu at this moment? Didn't she like Su Lingyue? What was this? Was she really willing to marry Yunlu?

She waited for a long time but didn't hear Ji Zhiyi's response. Helpless, she tried to appease Jiang Yunlu. "But we don't know what Zhiyi thinks. How about Mom talks to Zhiyi first?"

Jiang Yunlu was a little unhappy but conceded. "Okay."

Jiang Ya pulled Ji Zhiyi out, and they sat on chairs in the hallway.

Jiang Ya used to sit here when she was tired, and Ji Zhiyi had joined her before, but this time the mood was very different. Ji Zhiyi said, "Is Godmother trying to send me away?"

Her tone was calm, revealing neither joy nor anger.

But to Jiang Ya, it sounded grating.

She clenched her hands, curling them into fists on her lap, her profile tense. "What if I'm not?"

Jiang Ya turned to look at Ji Zhiyi. "What if Godmother wants you to stay here?"

Ji Zhiyi also turned to face Jiang Ya.

She said, "I've been wondering why you want me to stay here."

Not retaliating against Dingsheng was one thing, but not letting her return to Yilin?

Jiang Ya's expression turned cold.

Ji Zhiyi said, "Godmother, are you using the Baoshun matter as a pretext?"

Losing the Baoshun deal was certainly infuriating.

But then Jiang Yunlu had woken up.

With Jiang Yunlu awake, Jiang Ya's world had changed.

She had immediately asked Ji Zhiyi to drop all her work and return to stay by Jiang Yunlu's side.

Ji Zhiyi said, "Do you want me to take care of Sister Yunlu as family forever?" Her gaze searched Jiang Ya's. "Or as her girlfriend?"

It was the latter, wasn't it?

That was why she had blurted out that she was Jiang Yunlu's girlfriend.

Ji Zhiyi had sensed it, but the idea seemed too absurd.

Putting aside her own feelings, how could Jiang Yunlu not remember who she loved?

But Jiang Yunlu didn't remember.

Memory confusion and loss had erased that part of her life, leaving her with a vague recollection of having a girlfriend. This had given Jiang Ya the idea for her plan. Ji Zhiyi said, "Not letting me go back is because you're afraid I'll have contact with Dingsheng, with Shen Yuan."

Hearing her say Shen Yuan's name made Jiang Ya's face darken.

Ji Zhiyi had been puzzled as to why Jiang Ya had softened her stance against Dingsheng after Jiang Yunlu woke up, but now she understood. "What you're afraid of isn't me, nor Shen Yuan. You're afraid of Sister Yunlu."

When Jiang Yunlu was lying in bed, what could Ji Zhiyi do even if she knew all the secrets? What if she knew about Jiang Yunlu and Shen Yuan's past? Jiang Yunlu couldn't speak, couldn't leave. She would only stay quietly by Jiang Ya's side, her obedient daughter. Even as a vegetable, she was a well-behaved, obedient daughter.

But with Jiang Yunlu awake, everything had changed. If Ji Zhiyi went back and had contact with Shen Yuan, what if Shen Yuan learned that Jiang Yunlu wasn't dead?

The worst-case scenario was Jiang Yunlu remembering Shen Yuan, but as long as Shen Yuan didn't appear, Jiang Ya would have a million ways to deceive Jiang Yunlu, saying Shen Yuan didn't want her and never loved her.

As long as Shen Yuan didn't show up, she could continue to control Jiang Yunlu's thoughts.

But if Shen Yuan appeared, Jiang Ya would lose control of Jiang Yunlu.

That was what Jiang Ya feared.

So, she couldn't accept Jiang Yunlu having any contact with Shen Yuan again, even if it meant abandoning her plans to target Dingsheng. As for taking care of Jiang Yunlu, there was a ready-made pawn.

She was used to using this pawn.

And this pawn liked women, and Jiang Yunlu also liked women.

So, she thought it was a perfect fit.

After understanding everything, Ji Zhiyi chuckled, her tone laced with indescribable emotion. "Godmother, what do you take me for?" It wasn't quite mockery, but it was painful to hear. Ji Zhiyi asked, "What do you take Yunlu for?"

She continued, "By involving me with Sister Yunlu, aren't you afraid I'll betray her?"

"You won't," Jiang Ya finally said. "You won't betray her."

Ji Zhiyi turned her head to look at Jiang Ya.

Jiang Ya said, "This is the best arrangement for both of you."

Arrangement.

Ji Zhiyi wanted to laugh. She lowered her gaze, and when Jiang Ya also looked at her, she said, "Okay."

Jiang Ya stared at her intently.

Ji Zhiyi said, "Then Godmother, start making arrangements."

Jiang Ya was suspicious. "Arrange what?"

Ji Zhiyi said calmly, her tone even, "The wedding."

"Weren't we going to get me married? I agree."

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