After Transmigrating Into a Book, I Was Played by the Black Lotus – Chapter 27

How Strange.

When she went back to school to pick up some files, Lin Xingzhu didn’t expect to run into Xie Yunya just off campus.

Across from the school was a small, lush grove. Many students flocked there in the summer for walks or dates, so it wouldn’t have been strange to see Xie Yunya there.

What was strange was that Xie Yunya seemed to be in a dispute with a man.

Lin Xingzhu considered for a couple of seconds, unsure if she should step in.

Soon, someone else made the decision for her.

A girl who seemed to know Xie Yunya trotted over, and before long, the man arguing with her stormed off in a huff.

Seeing that the situation was handled, Lin Xingzhu looked away and drove off.

It was an especially hot day. If the school hadn’t called at the last minute asking her to come by, Lin Xingzhu wouldn’t have planned on leaving the house at all.

So, once her errand was done, she didn’t linger, planning to head straight home to laze around and enjoy the next couple of days in comfort.

After she got on the elevator, just as the doors were about to close, a person in a delivery uniform holding a large box quickly squeezed in.

Lin Xingzhu glanced at him, shuffled to the side to give him enough space, and asked, “What floor are you heading to?”

The deliveryman paused for a second, then broke into a wide smile. “Thank you,” he said gratefully. “I’m going to the thirteenth floor.”

The thirteenth floor? Isn’t that where Bai Xiying lives?

Lin Xingzhu pressed the button for the floor and glanced at the large box the deliveryman was holding.

There were only two units on the thirteenth floor. As far as Lin Xingzhu knew, only Bai Xiying was currently living on that level; she had never once seen the owner of the other apartment.

Her brow twitched slightly. When the elevator reached her floor, Lin Xingzhu took her file folder and stepped out without hesitation.

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In the evening, when Lin Xingzhu woke from a nap, she noticed the lingering glow of sunset at the horizon.

She had a few unread messages on her phone, sent by Bai Xiying twenty minutes earlier.

Lin Xingzhu swiped the screen open.

Bai Xiying: 【Are you home? Do you have any sanitary pads? If so, could you bring some up for me?】

Bai Xiying: 【Lin Xingzhu?】

Her period started?

Lin Xingzhu mused to herself as she replied: 【I just woke up. Hold on, I’ll find some and bring them over.】

Lin Xingzhu’s own cycle was always regular, so she kept these supplies well-stocked at home. Grabbing two packs of pads, she shuffled upstairs in her slippers.

She knocked as she usually did, but this time, there was a bit of a wait before the door opened.

The door swung open, revealing Bai Xiying’s pale and pained face.

Lin Xingzhu’s brows knitted together instantly. “It’s that bad?”

Having never experienced menstrual cramps herself, Lin Xingzhu couldn’t truly comprehend this kind of pain.

Yet, seeing Bai Xiying clutching her lower abdomen with a pained expression, her heart gave a sudden pang.

She helped Bai Xiying to the sofa and had her sit down.

Bai Xiying nodded and said weakly, “It just started this evening. It was so sudden, I wasn’t prepared at all.”

Her cycle had always been irregular, and she had skipped her period last month entirely. Coupled with the fact that she hadn’t paid much attention to such things since her rebirth, she had no supplies at home.

“I just placed an order, but the delivery hasn’t arrived yet.” Bai Xiying was listless, curled up like a little kitten.

But a kitten wouldn’t be in this kind of unbearable pain.

Lin Xingzhu handed her the supplies. “I brought you some. Use these for now.”

She had brought a complete set—day use, night use, and even different thicknesses, depending on what Bai Xiying needed.

Bai Xiying didn’t stand on ceremony, grabbing a pack and slowly making her way to the bathroom.

While she was gone, Lin Xingzhu went to the kitchen. She picked up the electric kettle; it was empty.

Frowning, she filled it with water, plugged it in, and switched it on before returning to the sofa.

Bai Xiying stayed in the bathroom for a long time.

The water in the kettle was already bubbling noisily by the time she finally emerged, hunched over.

Lin Xingzhu noticed the beads of a cold sweat on her temples.

She hurried over to support her.

As her palm made contact with skin, the arm beneath it trembled slightly, but Bai Xiying didn’t pull away.

Lin Xingzhu’s expression turned grim. “Do you want to go to the hospital?”

“…No need.” Bai Xiying curled herself up on the sofa, looking small and pitiful. “I’m used to it.”

How could anyone get used to something like this?

Frowning, Lin Xingzhu glanced at her before going to the kitchen to deal with the boiling water.

With her eyes half-lidded, Bai Xiying nestled on the sofa and watched Lin Xingzhu’s every move.

In truth, she hadn’t wanted Lin Xingzhu to come.

When she was on her period, Bai Xiying didn’t like having people around.

It had to do with her physical condition.

At this thought, Bai Xiying’s brow furrowed slightly, a flash of disgust passing through her eyes.

Lin Xingzhu returned carrying a cup of brown sugar water¹. She placed it in front of Bai Xiying and said softly, “Take a few sips while it’s hot. It should help you feel a bit more comfortable.”

Lin Xingzhu sat down right beside Bai Xiying, and the warmth radiating from another person was hard to ignore.

The pleasant, unfamiliar fragrance made the peculiar sensations in her own body all the more obvious.

Bai Xiying bit her lip, enduring it in silence.

Yet, under Lin Xingzhu’s watchful gaze, she shifted slightly and picked up the warm cup, her palms immediately heating up.

The incessant pain in her lower abdomen, however, didn’t ease in the slightest.

Bai Xiying said softly, “…It’s useless.”

Lin Xingzhu firmly pushed the cup back into her hands. “That’s because you only took a couple of sips,” she said sternly.

No wonder it isn’t working if you’ve only had that much.

Bai Xiying looked up at her. The next second, her eyelids drooped, her eyes rimmed with red, her grievance plain to see. “You’re being harsh with me.”

Lin Xingzhu: “…”

Holy sh#t.

Is Bai Xiying pouting² at her?

Lin Xingzhu’s throat bobbed. “…I wasn’t being harsh with you.”

I was just stating a fact.

She pointed to the kettle, clarifying the fact. “There’s still over half a kettle of water here waiting for you to grace it with your presence³.”

Faced with Bai Xiying’s puffed cheeks and red-rimmed eyes, Lin Xingzhu was amazed she could remain completely unfazed.

…She was just forcing herself to, that’s all.

“…” Bai Xiying took a breath and, glug glug, drank down more than half of the hot liquid in her cup.

She had a sweet tooth but didn’t actually like drinking brown sugar water.

It probably had something to do with its color.

As she gulped it down, though it was a little hot, she did feel a tiny bit of relief as the warmth spread through her stomach.

Only then did Lin Xingzhu smile, satisfied.

That’s more like it.

She had only meant to drop off the supplies, but she hadn’t realized Bai Xiying’s situation was this serious. It looked like she wouldn’t be able to care for herself for a while.

“Let’s have dinner together tonight.” After a quick look around, Lin Xingzhu made a firm decision.

Bai Xiying didn’t object.

She was in too much pain to bother ordering food anyway. Tilting her head, her forehead brushed against the soft fabric of Lin Xingzhu’s shirt, and only then did she realize just how close they were.

The moment she realized it, a rush of sensations surged through her.

Her long, slender fingers clenched, crumpling the soft pillow in her arms.

Her earlobes flushing red, Bai Xiying leaned away to create some distance and waited for Lin Xingzhu to order food.

…Phew.

She let out a breath.

This wretched body is so useless.

However, Lin Xingzhu didn’t pull out her phone to order food as expected.

By the time Bai Xiying had composed herself and realized what was happening, she asked in surprise, “You’re going to cook?”

“Mhm.” Lin Xingzhu opened the refrigerator to select some ingredients. “In your condition, it’s better to eat something homemade. Skill aside, at least I can guarantee it’ll be hot.”

In Bai Xiying’s current state, it was best for her to eat warm food.

Bai Xiying was speechless. She had never imagined that Lin Xingzhu knew how to cook.

Then again, what reason did she have to assume Lin Xingzhu couldn’t cook?

It was simply that she had never revealed it before.

Bai Xiying hugged the now-smooth pillow and nestled silently on the sofa.

Lin Xingzhu was skillful. Her knife movements were as smooth as flowing water, elegant yet swift.

The resulting dinner was a feast for the senses, perfect in color, aroma, and flavor.

She had made a special congee, suitable for someone on their period, and placed a bowl in front of Bai Xiying.

“Hurry and eat while it’s hot.”

“Okay.”

Bai Xiying blinked and picked up her spoon.

It had been a long time since someone had personally cooked a meal for her.

She savored it slowly, feeling the soft, sweet fragrance spread through her mouth. It was so fragrant, so sweet.

A sweetness that reached all the way to her heart.

“Have some more if you like it,” Lin Xingzhu said, her voice laced with a smile.

She could see that Bai Xiying seemed to love it; the spoon hadn’t stopped moving.

She loved having her culinary skills praised through such direct action.

Bai Xiying said slowly, “I think my stomach feels a bit better.”

She had just drunk half a kettle of hot brown sugar water at Lin Xingzhu’s insistence, and now she’d had most of a large bowl of congee.

Her stomach really did feel better, but there were still other… inconveniences.

For instance…

“Sorry, I need to use the bathroom.”

Lin Xingzhu watched her stand up. She certainly didn’t look as pale and weak as she had earlier.

Taking a sip of congee, Lin Xingzhu felt a sense of ease wash over her.

It was strange. Despite being worried about Bai Xiying’s health, their time together tonight felt… very relaxed.

It was a kind of mental relaxation.

Especially now that Bai Xiying was doing better, she felt even more at ease.

Her gaze drifted unconsciously to the balcony, where a large, empty delivery box was sitting.

It looked familiar to Lin Xingzhu. After a moment’s thought, she realized it was the same large box the deliveryman had been holding in the elevator that afternoon.

Looks like Bai Xiying already unpacked it.

It was completely empty, with nothing to hide, see-through at a single glance.

Hm?

See-through at a single glance.

Lin Xingzhu’s expression suddenly turned thoughtful.

She seemed to understand why she had felt so relaxed all evening.

Two people in one room: one was focused on caring for the person in pain, while the other was weakly enduring it. Both were single-mindedly absorbed in their own roles.

Lin Xingzhu’s lips curved into a small smile.

When you stop being subconsciously on guard, stop verbally sparring with someone, your unconsciously tensed mind can relax. It really does bring a sense of mental relief.

It would be the same with anyone.

A smile played in her eyes. She found this conclusion both amusing and a little resigned.

When Bai Xiying came out of the bathroom, she saw Lin Xingzhu sitting alone at the dining table, smiling silently to herself like a happy fool.

“What are you smiling about? So happy all by yourself?”

“…I’m smiling at how strange we are.”

Bai Xiying: “?”

Who and who? Who’s being strange?

Lin Xingzhu propped her chin on her hand, tilting her head with a smile. “So strange. So interesting.”

How did I end up becoming friends with someone like her, and find such joy in it?

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