I Am More Paranoid Than the Villain – Chapter 125

Extra Chapter One

If Shen Man and Lin Shu Returned to Reality

Shen Man woke up. When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was a snow-white wall.

The pungent, unpleasant smell of disinfectant filled her nose.

Her body was as heavy as lead. She couldn’t even manage a simple movement like lifting her hand.

She glanced to the side and saw a woman sitting by the bed, head down, playing on her phone.

Shen Man’s eyes widened instantly, unable to believe what she was seeing.

The woman noticed the movement on the bed. She hurriedly put down her phone and said excitedly, “Man-jie¹, you’re finally awake!”

As she spoke, she began to cry, a picture of pear blossoms in the rain.²

Shen Man felt a wave of annoyance. She closed her eyes, not wanting to look at the face that had betrayed her.

Lin Qing knew she was in the wrong. She was well aware of Shen Man’s temper, so she sat obediently to the side and cried silently.

“You slept for a very long time. I’ve been guarding this place every day, just waiting for you to wake up,” she said, her tone dejected.

Hearing the deep affection in her words, Shen Man frowned in disgust.

“How long was I asleep?” she asked, her voice hoarse.

“Three months,” Lin Qing said hurriedly, a flicker of hope in her eyes.

“How is my company now?” Shen Man asked, perfectly lucid.

“After your accident, the company was a complete mess. Some of the old employees resigned, and our projects have gradually decreased. Now, there are only a few people left, bitterly holding on,” Lin Qing said quietly.

“And my assets?” Shen Man continued, her weak eyes exceptionally calm.

“Your hospitalization was incredibly expensive. It used up almost all the company’s profits from the past few years.” Lin Qing lowered her head. “Even the house you’re living in now has been mortgaged.”

Shen Man’s expression remained faint after hearing this.

When Lin Qing didn’t hear the furious outburst she expected, she quietly stole a glance.

The woman on the bed was pale and unnervingly calm. A knot of fear formed in Lin Qing’s stomach, and she asked, feeling perturbed and uneasy, “Man-jie, are you okay?”

Shen Man didn’t respond. With her eyes still closed, she asked, “Is Zeng You still here?”

“Zeng-jie is still here,” Lin Qing replied thankfully. “It’s all thanks to her that the company managed to stay afloat.”

“Call Zeng You. Tell her to come over,” Shen Man said, a sigh of relief escaping her.

Lin Qing immediately made the call.

In less than half an hour, Zeng You arrived at the hospital.

When she saw that Shen Man was awake, she had barely opened her mouth to speak before tears began to fall.

“I’m fine,” Shen Man comforted her in a hoarse voice.

Zeng You wiped her tears, sat down, and handed her the flowers she was holding.

Lin Qing took the flowers and placed them on the headboard.

“You can go out first,” Shen Man said coldly.

Lin Qing nodded obediently, walking out and closing the door behind her.

“What’s the company’s situation?” Shen Man asked calmly.

“President Shen, I’m so sorry. I was useless… I couldn’t protect your heart’s blood³. The company is on the verge of collapse. If we can’t secure more funding, it might go bankrupt,” Zeng You said guiltily, lowering her head as she silently wept. “Miss Lin kept asking me for money, saying it was for medical fees. She even mortgaged your house. I couldn’t stop her.”

“It’s not your fault,” Shen Man said, a cold glint⁴ flashing in her eyes. “If she took money she shouldn’t have, I’ll make damn sure she returns every last cent.”

“Give me a report on the company’s current situation. I’ll handle it.”

“But you just woke up. You need to rest,” Zeng You urged.

“I’m fine,” Shen Man insisted, her eyes darkening. “If I don’t do something, I can’t calm down.”

Zeng You didn’t understand the meaning behind her gaze.

Unable to persuade her, she could only do as Shen Man said.

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Shen Man recuperated in the hospital for half a month, and her condition improved noticeably.

The doctor said she could be discharged.

Zeng You handled the paperwork and collected all the receipts.

She returned to Shen Man’s room and handed her the bills. “President Shen, these are all of your hospital expenses.”

Shen Man scanned the bills and quickly tallied the total.

She turned to Lin Qing and said in a cold voice, “When you add the money from my mortgaged house, the amount you claimed is double my actual hospital fees.”

“You have one week to come up with the other half.”

“Man-jie, I didn’t spend your money recklessly!” Lin Qing cried, her pretty face a mask of delicate pity⁵. “Money was needed everywhere! To keep the company running, I had to treat people to meals. That’s not a small expense.”

Shen Man was not moved by it⁶. “If you can’t return all the money within a week, I’ll sue you.”

“We’re lovers! Shouldn’t I be able to spend your money?” Lin Qing demanded, aggrieved.

Shen Man’s gaze turned frigid. “We had already broken up before my car accident.”

“I don’t agree!” Lin Qing wailed, tears streaming down her face. “There’s really nothing going on between me and Cheng Wan! You have to believe me, okay?”

“The most important thing between lovers is trust. You have to believe me…”

Shen Man frowned in disgust.

She turned to Zeng You. “Schedule a dinner with President Xu tonight. I’ll persuade her to invest.”

“Right away, President Shen. I’ll arrange it immediately,” Zeng You replied, instantly shifting into work mode with a serious expression.

“Lin Qing, move all of your things out. Don’t ever pester me again,” Shen Man said coldly.

She stood and walked out without giving Lin Qing a single glance.

Zeng You followed, helping carry Shen Man’s belongings.

She drove Shen Man home and asked with concern, “President Shen, do you need any help?”

“No, you can go. I can handle this bit of personal business myself,” Shen Man replied, an unshakable weariness etched between her brows.

Zeng You sensed that something was on her mind but knew it wasn’t her place to ask. She simply reminded her, “President Shen, work is important, but please take care of your health.”

Shen Man nodded and got out of the car.

She looked up at her surroundings, so familiar yet so strange, overcome with a surreal feeling, as if a world had passed.⁷

After standing there for a moment, she walked inside with a cold, indifferent expression.

Shen Man opened the door, her eyes sweeping over the decor. It was still arranged just as she had meticulously designed it before her accident.

But now, she was in no mood to appreciate it.

The sound of footsteps came from the hallway. Shen Man knew it was Lin Qing.

Without turning her head, she said, “Pack your things. Don’t disturb my rest.”

Hearing those cold-cruel and without-feeling⁸ words, Lin Qing burst into aggrieved tears. “Man-jie, we’ve been together for so long! Do you have to be so heartless?”

“If it’s too much trouble for you, I’ll call a housekeeping service⁹ to pack for you,” Shen Man said coldly, glancing at her watch. “You have half an hour.”

Lin Qing knew there was no room for negotiation.

With a hurt expression, she began to pack, sobbing and whimpering the whole time.

Shen Man sat on the sofa, her expression blank as she stared straight ahead.

After a moment, she picked up the remote, turned on the television, and began to flip through the channels.

Surprised, Lin Qing asked in a tearful voice, “Man-jie, you never watch TV.”

Shen Man ignored her. She stopped abruptly when a news report caught her eye.

She stared fixedly at the screen¹⁰, listening carefully to the news anchor.

“Recently, the twenty-five-year-old thousand gold¹¹ of the Lin Heng Group has awakened from a coma. Her original name, Lin Shu¹² has now been officially changed to Lin Shu¹³. We’re told Chairman Lin spent a great sum of money to acquire this name for his beloved daughter…”

Shen Man didn’t hear the rest.

She felt her heart pound violently in her chest as a bold theory took shape in her mind.

Excited, she pulled out her phone and searched for news about the Lin family’s heiress.

The reports said that half a month ago, the Lin family’s heiress had a bungee jumping accident and woke up after being in a coma for a week.

After reading all the related articles, the idea in her mind grew into a certainty.

Perhaps Lin Shu has come to this world.

“Man-jie, what’s wrong?” Lin Qing asked cautiously, having finished packing.

“You can go,” Shen Man said coldly, quickly rising and walking into her room.

Lin Qing stared at that heartless back, her eyes filled with unwillingness.

She hung her head and walked slowly toward the door. She never heard the plea to stay that she was hoping for. Instead, there was just a bang—the merciless sound of the door slamming shut.

Shen Man sat at her desk and began looking up past business partners.

She finally found someone with a relatively close relationship to the Lin family. After deliberating for a long time, she dialed the number with a serious expression.

“President Shen, I heard you woke up! Are you feeling better?” a middle-aged man’s hearty laugh came through the phone.

“Thank you for your concern, President Wu. I’m mostly recovered now.” After a few pleasantries, the direction of her speech turned¹⁴. “Business hasn’t been good for me lately. I was wondering if President Wu could introduce me to a new partner?”

President Wu understood her meaning immediately; she wanted to do business with the Lin family.

He replied euphemistically, “President Shen, you should focus on your recovery first. The business isn’t going anywhere.”

Shen Man knew it was a lost cause.

After ending the call, she propped her cheek on her hand, trying to think of a way she could meet Lin Shu.

Suddenly, her phone rang. It was Zeng You.

Before Shen Man could speak, Zeng You’s excited voice burst from the speaker. “President Shen, there’s going to be another big shot at dinner with President Xu tonight! According to President Xu, it’s the Lin family’s thousand gold!”

Shen Man’s heart skipped a beat. The corners of her lips curled up into her first smile in days.

“Is the time and place set?” she asked, her voice bright.

Zeng You could clearly hear the happiness in her tone, and she felt a sense of relief.

She relayed the address and time.

Shen Man noted it all down, trying to control her excitement as she began selecting an outfit for the evening.

She dressed splendidly and arrived at the designated hotel half an hour early.

After giving the room number at the front desk in the lobby, she was immediately led to the room.

“Miss Lin is inside. Please, go in,” the attendant said politely.

Shen Man’s heart began to hammer with nerves. The pounding in her chest was so intense it felt like it might burst.

She pressed her lips together, suppressed her swirling emotions, and reached for the door.

Her fingertips trembled uncontrollably. It took all of her strength to keep her hand steady.

“You’re certainly late.” A crisp voice drifted from inside the room, carrying an inborn¹⁵ arrogance.

Shen Man stepped inside, her gaze fixed ahead.

A woman with delicate features sat there, her long, slender legs crossed casually. Her elegant fingers were absent-mindedly¹⁶ toying with her phone.

“What are you standing there in a daze for?” Lin Shu said irritably.

Shen Man smiled faintly. Listening to the frantic beating of her own heart, she slowly walked forward.

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