I Am More Paranoid Than the Villain – Chapter 101

Getting Hit On

Leaving Her a Note with a Phone Number

Shen Man clicked into Ni Shuang’s social media profile.

The first thing she saw was the profile picture, a half-body photo.

The person in the picture had an enchanting and seductive appearance, and her clothes were bold.

She was leaning forward, and the photo was taken from a top-down angle, revealing a towering chest and a deep V-line.

On her left shoulder was a black tattoo that looked like a name.

Shen Man zoomed in on the photo, observing it carefully.

After confirming it was not Lin Shu’s name, the anger in her heart subsided a little.

She was about to close the page when the corner of her eye caught the word ‘baby’, and her gaze instantly turned cold.

Her fingers gripping the mouse, she scrolled rapidly, reading ten lines at a glance¹ through the content Ni Shuang had posted.

In the posts Ni Shuang made about Lin Shu, the term of address ‘baby’ appeared with high frequency.

Lin Shu’s replies showed no intention of stopping or rejecting it.

Shen Man’s mood, which had just calmed down, became agitated.

She stared at that word, her eyes growing colder and colder.

Even the brilliant smile in the profile picture now filled her with displeasure.

Shen Man stared for a long time before shutting down the computer.

She lay on the bed, eyes open, staring into the pitch-black darkness.

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As soon as the sky began to brighten, Shen Man got up to prepare breakfast.

She had meticulously arranged the breakfast in a new style, placing it on the table and even adding decorations around it.

Lin Shu came out of her room ten minutes later than usual.

Hearing the footsteps, Shen Man looked over, her brow furrowing slightly.

Today, Lin Shu was dressed even more exquisitely and beautifully than usual, as if she were going to an appointment.

A faint smile hung on her fair, rosy little face; she seemed to be in a good mood.

“Shushu, come sit and have breakfast,” Shen Man said with a light smile.

Bowing slightly, she pulled out a chair with a normal expression.

Lin Shu sat down elegantly.

She glanced at the breakfast on the table without any expression of surprise on her face and said flatly, “My car will be repaired this afternoon. Come over and get your car after you get off work.”

“Remember, it’s best not to be seen by anyone. I don’t want to be misunderstood,” she said, letting out an arrogant hmph.

“Okay, I understand,” Shen Man said softly.

She lowered her head and sat down, hiding the coldness rising in her eyes.

After breakfast, Lin Shu left for work.

As she opened the door to Shen Man’s car, she saw an unfamiliar car parked not far away.

Frowning, she stood for a moment before getting into the car.

The car moved forward slowly, stopping beside the other vehicle.

Lin Shu rolled down the window, only to see her own face reflected in the opposite car’s glass.

She knew someone was inside. She honked the horn once, then started the car and drove away.

Hearing the sudden honk, Wen Lan’s heart jumped.

She had come early to pick up Shen Man but had overlooked the fact that she would run into Lin Shu at this time.

The moment Lin Shu emerged from the building’s corridor, she had closed all the windows.

Unexpectedly, she was still discovered.

It was clearly President Shen who was keeping a beauty in a golden house², yet she was the one acting like a thief, afraid of being found out.

Watching Lin Shu drive away in Shen Man’s car, Wen Lan’s tense body relaxed. She called Shen Man, “President Shen, I’ve arrived. Are you ready?”

“Mhm,” Shen Man responded, her tone cold.

Wen Lan keenly sensed that Shen Man was in a bad mood.

As soon as the call ended, she immediately got out of the car and stood by the rear passenger door.

Shen Man got into the car with a cold expression.

Wen Lan started the car, glanced in the rearview mirror, then fixed her eyes on the road ahead, driving seriously.

“Did you see Miss Lin?” Shen Man suddenly asked, her voice icy.

Wen Lan’s heart tightened. She hesitated for a moment before answering, “I saw President Shen’s car, but I didn’t get a clear look at the person driving.”

“Mhm,” Shen Man grunted from her throat, relatively satisfied with this answer.

Wen Lan quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

Once at the company, Shen Man began to work with a stern face.

Her colleagues were used to her not being one for careless talk or smiles³ at work, but they were still startled by the unusual coldness emanating from her today.

Everyone worked with twelve-tenths of their spirit, afraid that the slightest mistake would have them touch Shen Man’s unlucky head⁴.

After handling her daily affairs, Shen Man took out the contract for the collaborative project with the Lin Corporation.

She pondered for a moment, then called Wen Lan in and asked, “Do you have Director Lin’s assistant’s phone number?”

“Yes, I’ll give it to you now,” Wen Lan said hastily, taking a business card from her bag and placing it on the desk with both hands.

Shen Man picked up the business card, stared at the phone number on it, and quickly keyed it into her phone.

Just as she was about to press the call button, she stopped and looked up at Wen Lan.

“President Shen, I’ll head out first,” Wen Lan said immediately, leaving the room as quickly as possible.

Shen Man watched the door close, then tapped her finger, pressing the call button.

The other end picked up almost instantly.

Before the other person could speak, Shen Man took the lead and briefly introduced herself.

Then she asked, “Is your Director Lin free today? There’s a matter I’d like to confirm with her.”

“President Shen, I’m sorry, but Director Lin is busy today. How about you make an appointment for tomorrow?” the assistant said.

“What is Director Lin busy with?” Shen Man asked with a light laugh, as if making small talk.

Hearing the pleasant voice on the phone, the assistant couldn’t help but say more than she should have, “Director Lin has a friend returning to the country today; she’s going to the airport to pick them up.”

“What time?” Shen Man asked, a trace of coldness unconsciously creeping into her voice.

The assistant was startled and claimed not to know.

Hearing the silence on the other end of the line, she said cautiously, “President Shen, would you like me to inform Director Lin for you?”

“No, no, thank you. Sorry to trouble you,” Shen Man said with a gentle laugh, her tone warm and modest.

After hanging up, Shen Man opened her chat window with Lin Shu.

Her fingers flew, typing out a line of text, “Shushu, when are you going to pick up your friend?”

After typing it, she deleted it character by character before sending it.

Frustrated, Shen Man put down her phone; her heart wasn’t in her work for the rest of the afternoon.

She got off work early and said to Wen Lan, “You don’t need to drive me back today, and you don’t need to come pick me up anymore either.”

“Understood, President Shen,” Wen Lan said, sighing in relief internally.

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Shen Man took a taxi to Lin Shu’s company.

She had the driver stop directly at the entrance of the Lin Corporation building and walked toward the front desk under the security guard’s gaze.

“I’m looking for your President Lin,” Shen Man said politely, taking a business card from her bag.

After the receptionist read the business card, her smile became enthusiastic and respectful. “President Shen, do you have an appointment? I’ll inform Director Lin for you.”

“Thank you,” Shen Man said with a smile, standing to the side to wait.

The receptionist immediately dialed the number for Lin Shu’s office. “Director Lin, President Shen is here to see you. She’s waiting in the first-floor lobby right now.”

Hearing this, Lin Shu’s fine brows furrowed slightly. “Tell her I’m not free today.”

Hearing the impatient voice on the phone, the receptionist looked at Shen Man with difficulty. “President Shen, our Director Lin isn’t free today. Perhaps you could come back tomorrow.”

“I’ll wait,” Shen Man said with a light smile, walking toward the nearby seating area.

The receptionist couldn’t very well force a corporate partner to leave.

She poured a cup of tea, placed it on the table, and said, “President Shen, please enjoy.”

“Thank you,” Shen Man said, her thanks gentle and polite, without the slightest air of being high up above.

After taking a sip of tea, Shen Man sent a message to Lin Shu, “Shushu, I didn’t bring my spare set of car keys. Could you please give me the set you have?”

There was no response to the message.

Shen Man placed her phone to the side, her breath settled and spirit at ease⁵ as she drank her tea.

The main door opened, and an enchanting beauty walked in.

“Xiaojiejie⁶, my name is Ni Shuang. I’m looking for your Director Lin,” the beauty said, throwing a flirtatious wink at the receptionist.

She was very good-looking, with a natural seductiveness in her eyes, a very likable appearance.

“Miss Ni, this way please,” the receptionist said with a smile, her face slightly flushed.

“Thanks,” Ni Shuang said with a playful blink, swaying her slender waist as she walked forward, every movement filled with an alluring charm.

She casually glanced to the side and immediately froze.

As if sensing something, Shen Man turned her head and smiled faintly.

Ni Shuang was stunned and stopped in her tracks.

After staring blankly for a moment, she asked with a smile, “Who is that beauty sitting over there?”

She made no effort to hide the admiration and interest in her eyes.

The receptionist was used to all sorts of people and was not surprised.

She introduced Shen Man in a low voice.

Ni Shuang listened with a smile, then lifted her head and brushed the hair from her forehead.

Revealing her most satisfied smile, she swayed her hips and walked over.

Shen Man felt a shadow fall over her.

Looking up, a flash of surprise crossed her eyes as she asked with a gentle smile, “Excuse me, miss, can I help you?”

“My name is Ni Shuang.” Ni Shuang bent down, revealing a ravine of fair, tender skin on her chest.

She breathed out toward Shen Man and said with a seductive smile, “This teacup is so beautiful.”

With that, she reached out to hold the teacup, her fingertips brushed against Shen Man’s fingers, seeming to be there and not there at once.

Shen Man didn’t move a muscle, the smile on her face still gentle.

Ni Shuang was instantly certain: this person was part of the circle.

Her smile grew even more seductive. She took a pen and paper from her bag and quickly wrote down her phone number.

Leaning in close to Shen Man’s ear, she whispered ambiguously, “Jiejie⁷, if you’re free, give this number a call.”

Shen Man chuckled softly and accepted the note.

Ni Shuang blew a kiss and left in high spirits.

Shen Man lowered her head, her expression turning cold.

She took out the note, thought for a moment, and saved the number in her phone.

The phone on the table chimed with a message notification.

Shen Man picked it up and opened the message. “I’m having my assistant bring the keys down. Take them and leave immediately.”

“Okay,” she replied with a single word.

“You don’t need to cook for the next two days. Go back to your own place,” Lin Shu added. “Wait for me to tell you to come over, then you can come over.”

Shen Man read the message but did not reply.

She looked up and saw a person walking toward her, holding a file folder.

“President Shen, Director Lin asked me to give this to you,” the assistant said.

“Thank you,” Shen Man said as she took it, her thanks polite and gentle.

With that, she stood up and left.

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