I Am More Paranoid Than the Villain – Chapter 36

Grievance in the Heart

Why do you all like Shen Man?

Time unknowingly passed, and it was almost Christmas.

Red Santa Claus objects were hanging everywhere in the school. Many store entrances had Christmas trees set up, hung with strings of small lights, which were very beautiful when they lit up at night.

Shen Man had not felt the school’s Christmas atmosphere for a very long time.

She carried her schoolbag, walking leisurely on the road, appreciating the lively scenery around her.

The entrances of the school stores all had exquisitely packaged apples on display, and there were students picking them out at every shop entrance.

Shen Man looked around, walked to the entrance of a fruit store, and picked up one of the apples.

“Classmate, how many apples do you want?” the owner asked with a smile.

Shen Man’s movements paused. Her fingers lightly rubbed the wrapping paper on the outside of the apple. After thinking for a moment, she said, “I’ll take two.”

“Okay, you choose, classmate. See which two you want,” the owner said.

Shen Man casually picked up another one, paid, and walked toward the school gate carrying the two apples.

Today, Tan Kai was busy, and Lin Shu also ran off without a trace as soon as class was over. She had to take a taxi back by herself.

Shen Man walked to the school gate, and someone behind her called her name.

She turned her head and saw it was Yin Ruxu, who was carrying an exquisite box in her hand.

“Shen Man, today is Christmas Eve¹, this is for you,” Yin Ruxu said with a light smile, handing the box over with both hands.

“Thank you.” Shen Man accepted it and took out a wrapped apple from her bag. “This is for you.”

“Thank you,” Yin Ruxu accepted it happily.

A luxury car stopped in front of the two of them.

The car window opened, revealing a young man’s face.

It was different from the person last time.

Yin Ruxu waved her hand and said with a smile, “I’m leaving first.”

Shen Man smiled and nodded.

She took a taxi back to the Lin residence.

Shen Man entered the house and saw Lin Shu sitting on the sofa, slightly surprised. “Shushu, you didn’t go out to have fun?”

“It’s already eight o’clock. I finished dinner and came back a long time ago,” Lin Shu said haughtily. Her gaze fell on Shen Man’s bag, and she asked in an unfriendly tone, “Who gave you that gift?”

“Yin Ruxu.” Shen Man’s eyes curved into a smile, looking very pleased. She lifted the box in front of Lin Shu. “Look, isn’t it beautiful?”

Lin Shu scoffed disdainfully. Looking at the television, she said, “It’s just a cheap thing. Only certain people who have never seen the world would be happy about it.”

After she finished speaking, her finger pressed the remote control, changing channels non-stop.

Shen Man walked closer, sat on the edge of the sofa, took an apple out of the bag, and handed it over, saying, “Shushu, this is your Christmas Eve gift.”

Hearing this, Lin Shu tilted her head, glanced at it, and hesitated for a moment before accepting it with a look of reluctance. “You’re the one who insisted on giving it to me, it’s not like I asked you for it.”

Shen Man gave a light laugh and added, “I also gave one to Yin Ruxu.”

Lin Shu’s expression instantly turned ugly. She threw the apple onto the sofa and snorted angrily, “I don’t want your apple!”

Shen Man was not the least bit surprised by this result.

The smile on her face did not change. She picked up the apple, tossed it in the air casually, caught it, and asked with a beaming smile, “Shushu, do you really not want it?”

“I don’t!” Lin Shu said loudly and definitively.

“Alright then, I’ll go give it to Auntie He,” Shen Man said, feigning helplessness. She stood up and walked toward Auntie He’s room.

She walked very slowly.

Lin Shu watched from behind, gritted her teeth, the anger in her eyes growing even stronger.

Just as Shen Man reached out to open the door, she said loudly, “I want to eat the apple, the one in your hand.”

Shen Man’s lips curved into a light smile. She turned around and said with a gentle smile, “Okay, do you want it cut into small pieces and arranged on a plate?”

“Of course,” Lin Shu said with an arrogant air, putting down the remote control to focus on the television.

Shen Man entered the kitchen, unwrapped the packaging, and took out the apple to peel it.

The two apples she had bought were originally for Lin Shu and Auntie He; she hadn’t expected to run into Yin Ruxu.

The other party gave her a Christmas Eve gift, so she naturally had to return the courtesy.

Shen Man finished cutting the apple and arranging it on a plate. Carrying the fruit platter out, she happened to see Lin Shu quickly let go of something and sit up straight.

She glanced over, her line of sight falling on the gift from Yin Ruxu, and saw that the exquisitely packaged box had been moved.

“What took you so long to come out?” Lin Shu complained with dissatisfaction, propping her head up with her hand, her face a mask of nonchalance.

Shen Man did not expose her pretense. She sat down and said with a smile, “Shushu, have a taste and see if this Christmas Eve apple is a little sweeter.”

“It’s just an ordinary apple, how sweet can it be?” Lin Shu shot Shen Man a sideways glance, picked up a piece of apple, and took a small bite.

Shen Man watched from the side, her body relaxed as she leaned against the sofa. “Shushu, do you have a gift to give me?”

“No,” Lin Shu answered bluntly, biting the apple with a crunch.

The small piece was quickly finished. She picked up another piece, and suddenly there was a warm presence beside her.

Lin Shu was startled and subconsciously turned her head, whereupon she suddenly felt another person’s soft, moist touch on her lips.

She widened her eyes in astonishment, looking at that pair of clear, cold eyes that held a smile.

Shen Man had not expected that they would kiss so unexpectedly.

The young girl’s lips were very sweet and soft, and the fresh fragrance of apple lingered between them, tempting one to taste further.

Shen Man hesitated for an instant, then, under the young girl’s stunned gaze, gradually deepened the kiss.

Lin Shu’s heart beat faster and faster. A pretty blush suffused her fair little face, and a layer of watery mist floated in her sparkling eyes, hazy and evoking affection.

The air in her lungs seemed as if it was being completely plundered by someone else.

Lin Shu finally came to her senses and reached out to push the person in front of her. “You let go of me… wuwu…”

Just a few simple words, spoken with endless panting.

Shen Man gave a light bite, let go at the right moment, and licked her lips, saying, “The Christmas Eve apple is indeed a little sweeter.”

“I like it very much.” This sentence was low and ambiguous.

Lin Shu’s heart beat even more nervously.

She glared fiercely at Shen Man and ate the apple in her hand in one bite, biting down forcefully as if to vent.

The ‘kachakacha’ sound echoed in the living room.

Shen Man smiled lightly and held up the gift from Yin Ruxu. “Shushu, do you want to know what’s inside?”

“I don’t!” Lin Shu answered in annoyance, turning her head to watch the television, but the corner of her eye was fixed tightly on the box.

Shen Man noticed this movement and smiled without speaking.

She slowly undid the bow on the outside, saying as she worked, “Shushu, guess what she might have given me?”

Lin Shu snorted and did not answer.

After five minutes, Shen Man finally untied the outermost layer of ribbon.

Lin Shu watched secretly, feeling even angrier, and pressed the remote control buttons, making a ‘dengdeng’ sound.

Shen Man smiled even more joyfully.

She placed both hands on the box unhurriedly, opened a tiny crack, glanced inside herself, and said, “There’s an apple, it’s very red. It looks delicious.”

Lin Shu pursed her lips.

“Next to it, there’s also a small cartoon cloth doll. It looks like a kitten, and also like a little tiger. It’s quite cute,” Shen Man added.

Lin Shu gave a disdainful ‘tsk’.

Shen Man opened the box.

Lin Shu couldn’t help but look over and sneered, “Cheap and childish! Only you would like it.”

“I never said I liked it,” Shen Man said with a smile.

Lin Shu was taken aback, her brow furrowing slightly. “If you don’t like it, why did you accept her gift? If you don’t like it, why did you praise her gift?”

The volume of her voice grew louder and louder, and her tone became more and more indignant. “Since you don’t like it, you should return it to her! Why did you accept it?”

Shen Man laughed but did not explain.

She closed the box and said, “Sometimes, even if you don’t like something, you have to pretend that you do.”

“Hypocrite!” Lin Shu rebuked angrily.

Hearing this, Shen Man stared at Lin Shu, the smile in her eyes holding a deeper meaning.

Lin Shu’s heart tightened, and her body grew tense. “What are you looking at me for?”

“Nothing.” Shen Man smiled lightly, closed the box properly, stood up, and looked at Lin Shu, saying, “Shushu, I hope you will always be safe and sound.”

“You don’t need to say that. Of course I’ll be safe,” Lin Shu retorted with a displeased expression.

“That’s good, then,” Shen Man said, walking back to her room.

Listening to the sound of the door closing, Lin Shu finally reacted. She wiped her lips forcefully and muttered under her breath, “I was kissed by her again, how hateful.”

Looking at the remaining apple, she had no desire to continue eating.

After watching television for a while, Lin Shu returned to her room.

Just then, her phone rang. It was a call from Tan Kai.

“Lin Shu, tomorrow is Christmas. Could you help me ask Shen Man to come out and hang out with us?” Tan Kai said with a smile.

“If you want to ask her, ask her yourself!” Lin Shu roared angrily and immediately hung up the phone.

Tan Kai, not understanding why, switched to sending a WeChat message. “Lin Shu, what’s wrong? Who made you angry?”

Lin Shu looked at the message, a burst of anger seemingly suppressed in her heart. She typed forcefully, “Why do you all like Shen Man? What’s so good about her!”

“Shen Man is great. She’s good-looking, her grades are good, and she’s very kind, always helping others. If there’s a perfect person in this world, it’s probably Shen Man,” Tan Kai said happily.

“She likes women!” Lin Shu was furious. After typing the words, she suddenly came to her senses and hastily retracted the message.

Tan Kai still saw it. He was stunned for a good while before typing, “How do you know? That’s impossible, right? I’ve never noticed she had tendencies in that direction.”

“It’s pretty normal for you girls to be close. Are you sure you didn’t misunderstand?”

Lin Shu looked at this long passage of text, reached up to touch her own lips, and felt an inexplicable sense of grievance in her heart.

She turned off her phone, lay on her bed, and hugged her doll, pounding it forcefully.

There was a knock on the room door.

Lin Shu looked up, the rims of her eyes slightly red.

She sniffled, got up, sat down in front of the mirror, looked carefully, touched up the makeup around her eyes, and only then went to open the door.

Shen Man was standing outside, her eyes a deep color.

Lin Shu trembled, uncomfortably tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, not daring to meet Shen Man’s gaze.

She lowered her eyes and asked, lacking confidence, “What do you want from me?”

“Tan Kai just called me,” Shen Man said, her tone flat.

For an instant, it felt as if Lin Shu’s heart was being strangled, and it was difficult to breathe.

She pressed her lips together, reached up to scratch her neck, and pulled her collar down.

Shen Man immediately saw the snow-white skin revealed on the young girl’s chest; a little further down, and the color of her underwear would be visible.

Lin Shu stopped her movements, her fingers clutching her collar and fanning it back and forth as if to create a breeze.

Shen Man was slightly disappointed. She averted her gaze and continued, “He invited me to the amusement park tomorrow night. Are you going?”

She paused, then added, “Shao Qi will be there too.”

“I’ll go,” Lin Shu immediately agreed with excitement.

Shen Man frowned, giving Lin Shu a deep, profound look.

The smile on Lin Shu’s face vanished. Her body tensed slightly, taking on a defensive posture.

“Alright then, I’ll go too.” Shen Man’s eyes curved into a light smile. After speaking, she turned and left.

Lin Shu unconsciously swallowed.

Watching Shen Man’s door close, she immediately shut her own door, ran back to her bed, opened her phone, and looked at her chat history with Tan Kai with a conflicted expression.

She wanted to call Tan Kai and ask if he had told anyone about what happened just now, but she was also worried she would make things worse.

After tossing and turning in indecision for nearly half an hour, Lin Shu decided on “out of sight, out of mind.”

She directly deleted her chat with Tan Kai, pretending that nothing had happened.

---

On Christmas Day, the festive atmosphere was even stronger. The smiling face of a red Santa Claus could be seen everywhere.

Just looking at it made one’s mood pleasant.

Shen Man packed her schoolbag.

Tan Kai walked over and said with a smile, “Shen Man, I’ve already arranged it with Shao Qi. We’ll meet at the amusement park entrance at eight.”

“En,” Shen Man nodded, her expression indifferent.

Lin Shu watched the two of them nervously.

Shen Man turned her head and frowned in confusion. “Shushu, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing…” Lin Shu hastily shook her head, forcing a stiff smile onto her face. She looked at Tan Kai and said, “We have to go back and eat first. You can come pick us up then.”

“Okay,” Tan Kai agreed readily.

Tan Kai dropped the two of them off, waved happily, and said mysteriously, “There’s a surprise tonight.”

“What surprise?” Lin Shu immediately asked.

Tan Kai just smiled, unwilling to reveal anything, and started the car to leave.

Lin Shu pouted and muttered under her breath, “Acting mysterious again.”

Shen Man looked at Lin Shu.

Lin Shu tilted her head and turned to walk into the stairwell.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed her arm.

Lin Shu turned her head, glaring at Shen Man with an angry expression. “What are you doing?”

“Shushu, it seems you have a secret you’re hiding from me?” Shen Man smiled lightly, her gentle eyes revealing a sharp aura.

Lin Shu’s heart trembled. She shook her wrist forcefully, trying to get Shen Man’s hand off. “You’re hurting me, let go!”

Shen Man was unmoved, her gaze fixed sharply on Lin Shu.

Lin Shu felt immense pressure, and her heart beat extremely fast. Not wanting to show her guilt, she braced herself and met Shen Man’s gaze.

Shen Man watched for a while but saw no guilt or calculation in those clear, black-and-white almond eyes. She released her hand and softened her tone, saying, “Shushu, we are good friends. No matter what, you can tell me anything. I don’t want there to be any secrets between us.”

As she spoke, her voice gradually grew weaker, as if she felt wronged.

Lin Shu rubbed her wrist and snorted angrily, “Who’s friends with you!”

After saying that, she quickly ran into the stairwell.

Shen Man stood where she was, thought for a moment, and didn’t notice anything else amiss.

She could only temporarily suppress the doubts in her heart.

The two had just finished dinner when Tan Kai arrived.

Lin Shu sat in the front, and Shen Man sat in the back.

“Aiya…” Lin Shu cried out in surprise.

“What’s wrong?” Tan Kai asked.

“It’s all your fault for rushing me. I forgot to re-do my makeup. I must not look good like this, right?” Lin Shu said in annoyance, quickly taking out a mirror to touch up her makeup.

“It’s dark at night, you can’t see clearly anyway. It’s the same whether you wear makeup or not,” Tan Kai said comfortingly.

As soon as the words left his mouth, he was met with the roll of an eye.

Shen Man quietly watched the two of them, her eyes lowered, a thoughtful expression on her face.

Tan Kai saw her expression in the rearview mirror and said with a careful smile, “Shen Man, there’s going to be a wonderful performance tonight. You should like it.”

“En,” Shen Man responded coolly.

Lin Shu finished her makeup, looked at herself in the mirror from left to right, and smiled with satisfaction. “Whether it’s day or night, you have to dress up beautifully when you go out to have fun.”

“Yes, yes, yes, you’re the most beautiful,” Tan Kai agreed with a smile.

Lin Shu’s lips curled up smugly. She turned her head, shot a glance at Shen Man, the provocation obvious.

Shen Man paid her no mind and lowered her head to play with her phone.

She was looking up guides online and saw people saying that this amusement park’s most famous attraction was the haunted house.

Tonight was Christmas, so the amusement park had many activities, and the evening tickets were discounted. There should be a lot of people going.

“Shushu, are you afraid of going to the haunted house?” Shen Man looked up and asked.

“You’re the one who’s afraid,” Lin Shu retorted unhappily, then added, “We’re going to watch a performance, not to the haunted house.”

“Lin Shu, the haunted house at this amusement park is a must-do attraction,” Tan Kai said. “We all decided to do it.”

“So, Shao Qi agreed too?” Lin Shu asked hesitantly.

Tan Kai nodded.

“Then we’ll do it. I’m not afraid,” Lin Shu said, sticking her neck out arrogantly.

Listening to her tone, Shen Man understood that Lin Shu was probably scared, and had only reluctantly agreed because of Shao Qi.

She gave a light laugh, put away her phone, and quietly admired the scenery outside.

The Christmas atmosphere was everywhere.

The warm red color dispelled the cold and desolation of winter, making one feel a sense of warmth and joy from the heart.

They arrived at the amusement park before eight o’clock.

Many people had come to have fun tonight, and it took Tan Kai a while to find a parking spot.

They got out of the car. It was not yet eight o’clock.

The three of them walked toward the park’s main entrance.

Tan Kai took out his phone and called Shao Qi as he walked. “We’ve arrived, what about you?”

“I’m at the entrance,” Shao Qi said, his voice cold and indifferent.

Lin Shu was the first to see Shao Qi.

She waved excitedly to greet him, calling out Shao Qi’s name loudly.

Shao Qi nodded indifferently, his gaze falling on Shen Man’s face. He asked with a blank expression, “We’re going to the haunted house later, are you scared? If you’re scared…”

“Shushu isn’t scared. I can go with Shushu,” Shen Man interrupted with a faint smile.

“Who wants to go with you… ah…” Before Lin Shu could finish, a hand landed on her shoulder, and a force pulled her toward Shen Man.

Their shoulders were touching, and their heads were close together, looking very intimate.

When Tan Kai saw this scene, a strange look flashed in his eyes.

Quickly, he said with a smile, “Let’s go in. There’s a great performance starting right at eight.”

The four of them had their tickets checked and entered.

Shen Man gave her ticket to the staff member, then reached out and took Lin Shu’s hand.

Lin Shu frowned, wanting to pull away, but afraid of attracting the attention of the two boys in front, she said in a low voice, “Let go of me.”

“Shushu, it’s dark at night, and I’m a little scared. Holding your hand will be a bit safer,” Shen Man said, pressing her lips together, a trace of fear in her eyes.

Hearing this, Lin Shu thought of the bungee jumping incident last time, pursed her lips, and said haughtily, “Such a coward.”

As she said this, she laughed happily, feeling very satisfied inside, and let Shen Man hold her hand.

Tan Kai looked back and saw the two of them holding hands.

He turned his head again and saw other girls doing the same, some standing very close and whispering to each other.

Two of the girls met Tan Kai’s gaze and quickly pretended to look elsewhere.

After a moment, they couldn’t help but huddle together again, discussing in low voices.

“Girls seem to be more intimate,” Tan Kai said as if he had realized something.

Hearing this, Shao Qi turned to look at him, a hint of confusion in his cold eyes.

“It’s all Lin Shu’s fault, making me always overthink things,” Tan Kai explained with a smile.

“Oh.” Shao Qi was not interested in this topic, his expression remaining indifferent.

The two of them were outstanding in looks, height, and demeanor. Many girls were looking their way, giggling and discussing them in low voices.

Lin Shu snorted contemptuously and said unhappily, “All these girls are looking at Shao Qi.”

Shen Man’s fingers tightened slightly, her fair index finger gently tapping the back of Lin Shu’s hand. “Let them look. It has nothing to do with you.”

“How does it not have anything to do with me?” Lin Shu retorted loudly.

The two boys turned around. Tan Kai asked, confused, “What’s wrong with Lin Shu?”

“Nothing,” Lin Shu answered irritably, turning her head away to glare at Shen Man, warning in a low voice, “Don’t let your hand wander.”

Shen Man smiled and rubbed the joints of Lin Shu’s hand with her thumb, saying softly, “When I get scared, my fingers go out of control.”

Lin Shu looked at that smiling, cool and clear face, somewhat disbelieving.

Shen Man immediately dropped her smile and wrapped her other arm around Lin Shu’s. “Shushu, don’t you think those green lights under the trees are a bit creepy?”

“I don’t,” Lin Shu said, looking straight ahead.

The surroundings suddenly became lively as the park’s performance began.

Lin Shu’s attention was immediately captured, and she watched the show happily.

Shen Man looked at Lin Shu.

Even though it was night and the lighting was poor, she could still clearly see the young girl’s fair and beautiful face.

The slightly upturned corners of her lips carried the simple beauty of her age, and when she smiled, she was bright and captivating, like a small sun in winter.

Lin Shu was focused on the performance when she felt a gaze from the side. She turned her head and stared at Shen Man with an unfriendly look. “What are you looking at me for?”

“Ah?” Shen Man tilted her head slightly, a look of incomprehension on her face.

Lin Shu pursed her lips and continued to watch the performance.

They stood and watched for twenty minutes.

When the performance ended, the crowd of onlookers slowly dispersed.

Tan Kai walked over and said with a smile, “Let’s go to the haunted house. You two should follow us closely so you don’t get lost.”

Hearing this, Lin Shu frowned and asked with some reluctance, “Are we going right now?”

“Yeah, now is the best time to go,” Tan Kai nodded.

Lin Shu pressed her lips together, a difficult expression on her face, as if she wanted to refuse but couldn’t.

Shen Man felt the girl’s fingers trembling restlessly.

She squeezed them gently and said with a smile, “Then let’s go.”

Lin Shu immediately glared at Shen Man.

The four of them walked in the direction of the haunted house.

There were indeed many people today; just queuing for the ticket check took several minutes.

As soon as they entered, their vision suddenly darkened, and eerie music sounded around them, coupled with the sound of wind and wailing coming from an unknown source, instantly maxing out the terrifying atmosphere.

Many people were standing at the entrance.

Some were already starting to feel scared and wanted to back out, but with the persuasion of their companions, they walked forward, trembling with fear.

Tan Kai and Shao Qi walked in front.

Shen Man and Lin Shu followed behind.

Lin Shu clenched her teeth tightly, her body extremely tense, her round almond eyes staring warily at her surroundings.

Shen Man sensed the girl’s fear, and the corners of her lips curved up slightly.

A white ‘ghost’ suddenly jumped out from a corner, waving a white bone in its hand and making a terrifying, hoarse sound.

Instantly, a wave of screams erupted.

Lin Shu bit her teeth hard and didn’t scream, her body unconsciously leaning against Shen Man.

The ‘ghost’ began to attack people.

The visitors scattered in terror.

“Ah…” Lin Shu could no longer hold back her fear. She let out a scream and pulled Shen Man, running frantically without looking where she was going.

Tan Kai called out to them from behind, but Lin Shu couldn’t hear him at all. She and Shen Man quickly disappeared from sight.

“Let’s go find them,” Tan Kai said with some helplessness.

Shao Qi didn’t speak, nor did he refuse.

A girl suddenly came running over, stumbling. She grabbed the corner of Shao Qi’s clothes, trembling all over.

“Let go,” Shao Qi frowned in disgust, his voice a cold reminder.

The girl was still scared. She looked up, tears in her eyes, trembling too much to speak.

“She might have gotten separated from her friends,” Tan Kai said.

The girl nodded hastily.

Seeing this, Shao Qi yanked the girl’s hand away and walked forward coldly.

Tan Kai looked at the girl, shook his head, and followed Shao Qi, asking curiously, “Why do you dislike girls so much?”

Shao Qi did not answer, his hands in his pockets, his face expressionless.

The two of them walked through the haunted house with calm expressions. From time to time, they saw people running out in a panic, but there was no sign of Shen Man and Lin Shu.

“There are a lot of people here, and the layout is complicated. It’ll probably be hard for us to find them. Let’s go wait outside first,” Tan Kai said.

Shao Qi nodded.

---

The haunted house was gloomy and eerie. No matter where you were, the terrifying atmosphere was at its peak.

Lin Shu pulled Shen Man and hid in a room.

She panted heavily, her small face flushed from running.

“It should be safe here…” Lin Shu leaned against the wall, sitting on the floor.

At this moment, she was in no mood to worry about whether her clothes were getting dirty.

“It should be,” Shen Man comforted her.

She glanced around.

In the middle of this room was a coffin, looking as if someone might jump out at any moment.

Suddenly, a burst of terrifying music sounded, mixed with shrill cries.

Lin Shu’s body instantly tensed up. Her eyes widened as she stared not far away. “Cof-cof…fin…”

Shen Man watched calmly.

A person with a deathly pale face sat up from the coffin and walked toward the two of them.

“Ah…” Lin Shu screamed in terror and hid in Shen Man’s arms. “A ghost!”

Shen Man smiled and patted the back of her hand, meeting the ‘ghost’s’ gaze with a calm expression.

The ‘ghost’ was a bit embarrassed and let out a loud roar.

Lin Shu trembled even more violently.

She unconsciously burrowed into Shen Man’s embrace, trying to hide herself.

The two of them were pressed tightly together.

Shen Man held the girl’s soft body and looked at the ‘ghost’, pointing to the coffin.

The ‘ghost’ met her gaze for a few seconds, then lay back down inside.

“Shushu, don’t be afraid, the ghost is gone,” Shen Man comforted her softly.

Lin Shu didn’t speak, still trembling violently.

Shen Man gently patted her back, her fingers running through the girl’s soft hair.

The surrounding atmosphere was eerie and dark, with miserable cries sounding from time to time, as if right next to one’s ear.

“Shen Man, wuwu…” Lin Shu sobbed with her eyes shut tight, her head buried in Shen Man’s embrace, her voice trembling as she spoke.

“It’s okay, don’t be afraid,” Shen Man comforted with a light laugh, quietly enjoying the soft, sweet-smelling body in her arms.

After a good while, Lin Shu quieted down. She blinked her eyes, mustered her courage, and looked up.

Indeed, there was no one else in the room.

She looked again, not feeling reassured, and finally breathed a sigh of relief, slumping limply against the wall.

Her arms were suddenly empty.

A flash of disappointment crossed Shen Man’s eyes. She said with a smile, “Shushu, let’s go out.”

Lin Shu gave a listless ‘en’, wanting to stand up, but her legs were soft and had no strength.

She reached out, grabbed Shen Man’s sleeve, and pouted, looking pitiful. “It was you who wanted to come to the haunted house, so you should help me up.”

Shen Man smiled and reached out to support Lin Shu.

One arm wrapped around the girl’s slender waist, the other supporting the girl’s arm.

The two of them walked outside.

The terrifying atmosphere grew stronger and stronger.

Lin Shu closed her eyes in fear.

Her head rested on Shen Man’s shoulder, her body shrinking, as she walked forward with her heart in her throat.

A figure rushed out.

Lin Shu was so scared she directly hugged Shen Man, her hands holding on tightly, refusing to let go.

“Shushu, it’s a visitor, don’t be afraid,” Shen Man comforted her, gently patting her back.

Lin Shu opened her eyes, looked at the girl, and said angrily, “Why are you scaring people?”

“I got separated from my friend. Can I walk with you guys?” the girl said fearfully, her eyes pleading.

Shen Man didn’t speak, looking at Lin Shu.

Lin Shu pouted her lips and thought for a moment before saying, “Don’t make a fuss and scare people.”

“Thank you, thank you,” the girl said with a grateful expression.

The three of them looked for the exit, with Shen Man mainly leading the way.

The other two didn’t dare to look around, and the slightest sound would scare them out of their wits.

Suddenly, a zombie jumped out.

“Ahhh…” the girl screamed at the top of her lungs, her fingers unconsciously grabbing Shen Man’s arm. “So scary…”

Lin Shu hid in Shen Man’s embrace in fear.

When she looked up, she could see the girl’s terrified little face, and her chest pressed tightly against Shen Man’s arm.

It was so conspicuous it was hard to ignore.

A surge of anger rose in Lin Shu’s heart. She pushed the girl’s hand and said unhappily, “What are you afraid of? It’s fake, it’s just to scare you.”

“But…” the girl opened her eyes, terrified, her teeth chattering, “he’s behind you…”

Lin Shu’s heart jumped with fear. She couldn’t control herself and turned her head, instantly meeting a pair of terrifying eyes.

“Ah!” she screamed, hugging Shen Man tightly.

Shen Man stood calmly.

Both of her arms were being held, and similarly, she could feel a softness from both.

She tilted her head, looked at Lin Shu, a hint of a smile in her eyes.

The zombie walked away to scare others.

Shen Man moved her left arm, unintentionally brushing against Lin Shu’s chest. She immediately stopped, cleared her throat, and said, “Shushu, it has gone far away. It’s okay now.”

Lin Shu didn’t dare to move.

The girl looked up, glanced around carefully, let go of her hand, and said embarrassedly, “I’m sorry, I was too scared…”

As she spoke, her voice had a crying tone, but she didn’t cry.

“It’s okay, it’s indeed very scary here. It’s normal to be afraid,” Shen Man comforted.

Lin Shu heard the gentle voice by her ear, opened her eyes, and saw Shen Man smiling brightly at the girl.

She snorted and forcefully shook off Shen Man’s hand.

The girl was bewildered and didn’t dare to ask more. She asked in a small voice, “How much longer until we can get out?”

“It should be soon,” Shen Man said.

“That’s good.” The girl breathed a sigh of relief and followed closely by Shen Man’s side.

Lin Shu shot the girl a cold glance, crossed her arms, and walked by herself.

Ahead was a field of skeletons, with realistic bones and skulls scattered everywhere.

The girl was too scared to look, shrinking back and pulling on Shen Man’s sleeve.

Shen Man looked at Lin Shu, slightly surprised. “Shushu, aren’t you scared?”

Lin Shu snorted angrily, biting her lip. “I’m not scared!”

As she spoke, her teeth chattered, and she didn’t dare to walk forward.

Shen Man gave a light laugh, reached out, and took Lin Shu’s hand, saying softly, “Shushu is so brave. Let’s find the way out together.”

Lin Shu turned her head away haughtily, but her fingers gripped Shen Man’s hand tightly in return.

Shen Man could feel that the girl’s fingertips were trembling; she was clearly still afraid.

But it seemed that anger had overcome fear, making her temporarily brave.

After fumbling around for more than ten minutes, they finally saw the exit.

The girl saw the light, ran out excitedly, and tightly hugged a girl standing at the entrance, crying loudly, “TM de², so scary, you scared me to death!”

“It’s okay, it’s okay now. We won’t play this again next time,” the other girl comforted.

“No, I must play through all the haunted houses,” the girl said loudly and confidently. Seeing Shen Man and Lin Shu walk out, she said happily, “Thanks to them, otherwise I would have been scared to death inside.”

“Thank you,” the other girl said with a smile.

“You’re welcome,” Shen Man replied politely.

Lin Shu glared at the girl, her face cold, and said nothing.

The other girl was a little dissatisfied and wanted to argue.

The first girl quickly pulled her hand, leaned in, and said in a low voice, “She was as scared as I was. She probably hasn’t recovered yet.”

Lin Shu watched the two of them whispering, knowing they were talking about her, and was just about to say something.

Shen Man pulled her hand and walked straight ahead, saying, “Tan Kai and the others are up ahead.”

Lin Shu’s attention was immediately diverted. A happy smile appeared on her face, and she reached up to fix her hair.

Glancing at the hand she was holding with Shen Man, she immediately shook it off. “Why are you holding so tight? My palm is all sweaty.”

As she spoke, she took out a tissue to wipe her hands.

Shen Man glanced at her, then took Lin Shu’s hand again and leaned closer, saying, “There are a lot of people here, and it’s dark. We should hold hands so we don’t get lost.”

“Such a big person, still afraid of getting lost,” Lin Shu snorted lightly, but she didn’t pull away this time.

They walked a short distance forward and saw Tan Kai and Shao Qi.

The two boys were standing there, surrounded by a circle of girls who were watching them secretly, none daring to approach and strike up a conversation.

When Tan Kai saw Shen Man, he smiled and waved. “You guys finally came out. How was it?”

“It was okay,” Lin Shu said with a nonchalant expression, squeezing Shen Man’s fingers hard. “It wasn’t scary at all.”

Shen Man let out a ‘puchi’ sound of laughter and immediately received a cold glare.

She suppressed her laughter and said, “Shushu is right, it wasn’t scary at all.”

“That’s good. I was worried you’d be scared to tears,” Tan Kai said, glancing at Shen Man, his face slightly red. “I have a surprise for you.”

“What surprise?” Lin Shu immediately asked.

“You’ll know soon enough,” Tan Kai said with a smile, a nervous look on his handsome face.

With a ‘xiu’ sound, a firework bloomed brilliantly in the sky, followed by one after another, changing colors and shapes.

The ‘pengpengpeng’ sound echoed in their ears.

“Look, fireworks.”

“So beautiful, so romantic.”

Gasps of amazement rose from the crowd, and many people took out their phones to take pictures.

“Wow, so beautiful,” Lin Shu said happily, patting Tan Kai’s arm hard. “I’m very satisfied with this surprise.”

“I…” Tan Kai was about to say it wasn’t for her, but seeing the happiness on Lin Shu’s face, he swallowed the rest of his words.

He looked at Shen Man.

Shen Man looked up at the fireworks, a faint smile on her lips.

Tan Kai’s smile was slightly bitter. He said to Lin Shu, “As long as you like it.”

“A surprise like this is enough once. Don’t do it again next time,” Lin Shu glared at him, indignant.

Tan Kai was taken aback, the bitterness in his heart deepening. He looked at the splendid and colorful fireworks in the sky and sighed softly.

The beautiful fireworks lasted for more than ten minutes.

It suddenly became quiet around them.

Tan Kai looked at the two of them and said with a smile, “It’s getting late, let me take you back.”

“Okay,” Lin Shu agreed happily, pulling Shen Man to walk out.

Tan Kai and Shao Qi followed behind.

“You like Shen Man?” Shao Qi said in a cold tone, his voice very certain.

“Even you could tell,” Tan Kai forced a smile.

“Will your parents agree to you dating a girl from an ordinary family background?” Shao Qi asked doubtfully.

“They won’t interfere with my relationships or marriage. As long as I like her, it’s fine,” Tan Kai said. Thinking of his parents brought him a little comfort.

“Your parents are really nice,” Shao Qi said, a trace of envy in his cold eyes.

Lin Shu turned around and waved at the two of them. “Can you guys walk a little faster?”

“Coming,” Tan Kai replied loudly, striding over.

The moment his eyes met Shen Man’s, he gave a hearty smile without any awkwardness.

Shen Man’s lips curved slightly in a polite response.

The second male lead was very good, but unfortunately, she liked women.

Shen Man tightened her fingers, holding Lin Shu’s hand, and said with a laugh, “Today was quite fun, and the fireworks were beautiful too.”

“It was okay,” Lin Shu said, not wanting to recall the embarrassing scene in the haunted house.

Hearing this, the sourness in Tan Kai’s heart vanished in an instant. He touched his hair a little embarrassedly, put his arm around Shao Qi’s shoulder, and started chatting cheerfully.

Shao Qi didn’t understand this change, but he played along.

Shen Man looked back and saw the two equally young and tender faces, and smiled slightly.

If the second male lead could change, then Lin Shu definitely could too.

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