Hate Her the Most
I will stay behind to accompany you
The sky turned dark; unknowingly, it was five o’clock.
Auntie He finished making dinner and came out carrying the dishes.
Shen Man sat on the sofa, her head hanging down.
The bright light shone on that delicate side profile, giving rise to a chilling coldness that made one’s blood run cold.
Auntie He’s heart trembled. She set down the dinner plates with a very light motion and asked in a low voice, “Manman, is Miss Lin coming back for dinner?”
“I’ll make a call and ask.” As Shen Man spoke, she picked up the phone to the side and dialed Lin Shu’s number.
She called three times in a row, but all went unanswered.
Shen Man’s beautiful brows wrinkled slightly.
Her long, slender fingers tapped on the phone screen, making a somewhat piercing tap tap sound.
She lowered her eyes and pondered for a while, then stood up and said, “Auntie He, I’m going to work.”
“You’re not eating dinner?” Auntie He asked, deliberately glancing at the time and saying carefully, “It’s still early, you can go to work after you eat…”
“No, I’m not hungry.” Shen Man interrupted, and after speaking, turned around and went back to her room.
The door was shut with a thud.
Auntie He was startled. She patted her chest and cleared the food from the table.
Shen Man changed her clothes and stood before the mirror, seeing the person in the mirror had a serious expression, her face cold.
Her expression paused, and she hooked the corners of her lips, revealing a polite smile.
Shen Man arrived at the bar half an hour early.
She changed her clothes and sat in the break room playing on her phone.
The foreman walked over and said with a smile, “Shen Man, it’s good that you’re here. There’s already a customer waiting for you.”
“You’ve only been here for two days, and you already have your own client. That’s really not bad.” His words were full of praise.
Shen Man put away her phone, stood up, revealed a modest smile, and said, “Okay, I’ll go over right now.”
“The customer’s surname is Lin. She’s a young mistress, in private room number seven,” the foreman said.
Shen Man hooked her lips and nodded with a light smile.
At this time, the bar had not officially opened for business, but a few scattered customers were already seated.
Shen Man swept her gaze over them; they were basically all regulars.
She arrived in front of private room number seven, reached out to knock, and then retracted her hand the instant her fingers touched the door.
Shen Man let out a light breath.
After standing for a moment, she raised her hand again, knocked on the door, pushed it open, and said, “Miss Lin, I’ve brought the alcohol you ordered.”
After she spoke, she looked up, just in time to meet a pair of triumphant almond eyes.
Lin Shu looked her up and down, made a tsk sound, and smiled joyfully, “Shen Man, this outfit suits you quite well.”
“Thank you for your compliment, Miss Lin.” Shen Man’s expression did not change. She put down the alcohol and stood to the side, maintaining proper etiquette.
“Aren’t you surprised at all?” The smile on Lin Shu’s face froze. She pouted her lips, somewhat unconvinced.
“Surprised about what?” Shen Man asked back faintly, then smiled and said, “All who come here to spend money are our customers.”
“You…” Lin Shu was instantly angered. She bit her lip, and a proud smile returned to her face as she said with her toe high and spirit raised1, “I’ve booked you for two hours today.”
“Within these two hours, you have to find a way to make me happy.” This sentence, she said through gritted teeth, carried a certain calculating tone.
“Okay, may I ask what is troubling Miss Lin?” Shen Man smiled gently, opened the bottle, poured a glass of alcohol, handed it to Lin Shu, and said in a soft voice, “You might as well tell me about it.”
Lin Shu took the glass, took a light sip, leaned back against the sofa comfortably, and said lazily, “Massage my shoulders.”
Shen Man immediately walked over.
Standing behind Lin Shu, she raised her hands, placed them on those delicate shoulders, and massaged gently.
Lin Shu wanted to find fault, but the pressure on her shoulders was indeed good; the massage was very comfortable for her.
“Miss Lin, how do you feel?” Shen Man asked softly.
“It’s barely acceptable, I guess,” Lin Shu said with a look of disdain.
After massaging for a while.
Lin Shu turned her head, glared at Shen Man, and said with dissatisfaction, “Alright, you’ve massaged my shoulders until they hurt. Can’t you be a little gentler?”
Shen Man maintained her smile, quietly accepting this criticism without retorting.
Lin Shu grumbled for a few sentences, felt it was boring, picked up her glass and took a sip, then asked, “Are you this obedient and submissive with other customers too?”
“This is only my second day of work. Thanks to Miss Lin, I now have my very first customer.” Shen Man gave a light laugh, intentionally emphasizing the words ‘very first.’
Lin Shu’s drinking motion paused. She glanced at Shen Man from the corner of her eye and finished the rest of the alcohol in one go.
Perhaps because she drank too quickly and hastily, her fair little face instantly turned red.
Shen Man stood to the side, watching with a light smile.
“The alcohol here is really awful.” Lin Shu curled her lip and placed the glass on the table with a bang.
She crossed her arms, looking unhappy.
“This bottle was a complimentary gift for Miss Lin. We have other types of alcohol here for you to choose from,” Shen Man said, listing a string of alcohol names.
Lin Shu snorted, “Your business knowledge is quite proficient.”
“This is what I should do,” Shen Man said with a good-tempered smile.
She naturally understood that Lin Shu had come to cause trouble for her today, and this level of “making things difficult” was nothing to her.
Lin Shu shot Shen Man an annoyed glare, “My glass is empty, aren’t you going to pour me more? How can you be so unobservant?”
“This alcohol has a rather high proof. You are not a good drinker; drinking too much will easily make you drunk,” Shen Man said.
“Who says I’m not a good drinker? Hurry up and pour me more,” Lin Shu commanded loudly, her face red.
Seeing that Shen Man didn’t move, she said again, “Don’t you forget, I am the customer today. I spent money to enjoy the service.”
A trace of helplessness appeared in Shen Man’s eyes. She poured a glass more than half full and asked with a smile, “Miss Lin, do you need me to drink with you?”
“No need!” Lin Shu’s fine brows rose high, full of arrogance. Her eyes rolled, and she said, “Sing a song.”
“What song would you like to hear?” Shen Man asked with a smile on her face.
“Anything is fine.” Lin Shu took a sip of alcohol, propping her cheek with one hand, looking a hundred things without interest.
Shen Man cleared her throat lightly and began to sing a song with a slow and melodious tune.
Lin Shu listened, curling her lip in dissatisfaction, “I want to hear a cheerful and lively song. Are you singing this intentionally so I won’t be happy?”
“Then I’ll change to another one.” Shen Man said and began to sing again.
Lin Shu listened quietly.
After one song was finished.
Lin Shu had finished the alcohol in her glass. Her fair little face had already become completely red, and her bright, sparkling almond eyes were covered with a faint layer of watery mist.
She leaned comfortably against the soft sofa, tilting her head with a smile on her lips, looked at Shen Man, and crooked a finger.
Shen Man drew near, sat down, and said softly, “Shushu, are you drunk?”
“I’m not drunk!” Lin Shu immediately retorted, her eyes fixed on Shen Man’s face as she extended a finger.
Shen Man subconsciously moved back.
“Don’t move!” Lin Shu said unhappily, her small mouth pouting.
Shen Man immediately stopped, her body slightly tense.
Lin Shu smiled with satisfaction, reached out to pinch the bunny ears on Shen Man’s head, and squeezed them forcefully, “They suit you quite well when you wear them.”
Shen Man, “……”
Lin Shu played for a while, then released her hand, folded her hands on the table, and rested her chin on her arms, complaining in a low voice, “I thought I could give you a surprise, but I didn’t expect you wouldn’t be surprised at all.”
As she spoke, she glared resentfully at Shen Man.
Shen Man gave a light laugh, playing with the wine glass on the table, her voice low, “This is not a place you should come to.”
“You can come here to work, why can’t I come here to have fun?” Lin Shu retorted, unconvinced.
Shen Man put down the glass and did not speak.
Lin Shu snorted, lay down on the table, and fell asleep in a short while.
The private room became quiet.
Shen Man glanced at the time; there was still half an hour left.
She reached out, fiddled with the bunny ear headband on her head, poured herself another glass of alcohol, and slowly savored it.
The soothing sound of music from outside drifted in.
The soft, warm light fell on that flushed little face. The eyes that were usually full of a domineering aura that oppresses people were now quietly closed, the long eyelashes trembling from time to time, further accentuating the young girl’s charm and loveliness.
Shen Man finished her glass of alcohol and gently placed it on the table.
She reached up and rubbed the space between her eyebrows.
Two hours passed quickly.
Shen Man gently pushed Lin Shu.
Lin Shu opened her eyes in a daze, as if not fully awake, and mumbled in a low voice, “What are you doing?”
“How many hours did you book this room for?” Shen Man asked.
Lin Shu frowned in confusion, “None of your business!”
“If you only booked it for two hours, you should be leaving now.” Shen Man said, her brow slightly furrowed, “I’ll call a car for you and send you back.”
“I’m not going back.” Lin Shu pouted unhappily and took a card out of her bag, “Take this, and extend it for a few more hours, until you get off work.”
The last sentence was spoken almost inaudibly.
Shen Man held the card, her eyes stunned, and an inexplicable feeling of vexation welled up in her heart.
She glanced at the sleeping person, got up, and went out.
Arriving at the bar counter, Shen Man held the card and said, “Extend private room number seven for four hours.”
“Shen Man, do you know this Miss Lin?” the bartender said with a smile. “She came to get a card today and kept mentioning your name.”
Shen Man was taken aback, then let out a laugh and said, “Did she say anything?”
“We have to keep our customers’ affairs confidential.” The bartender smiled and handed the card to Shen Man, “This is the thousand gold2 of the Lin Family Group. If you can seize this opportunity, your future will be limitless.”
Hearing this, Shen Man’s brow furrowed slightly, “You know her?”
“This bar has an investment from Chairman Lin.”
Shen Man smiled with understanding, took the card, and returned to private room number seven.
Her job for the night was to accompany Lin Shu. Now that Lin Shu was asleep, she was basically left with nothing to do.
Lin Shu took a nap.
When she opened her eyes, she immediately felt a headache.
“Shushu, drink some water.” A glass of water was handed over from the side.
Lin Shu took it and drank it sip by sip, her mind gradually clearing.
She suddenly stood up, staring intently at Shen Man as if she had something to say. She opened her lips, then seemed to think of something, and sat down, saying, “What time is it now?”
“Five minutes to twelve,” Shen Man said, glancing at her watch.
Hearing this, Lin Shu covered her mouth and yawned, saying with half-closed eyes, “Are you about to get off work?”
Shen Man nodded.
“Honestly, it’s no fun at all.” Lin Shu complained in a low voice.
She had wanted to tease Shen Man, but ended up getting knocked out by two glasses of alcohol, got a membership card, and just took a nap here.
“This is not a place for you to be playing,” Shen Man reminded.
Lin Shu glanced at her nonchalantly, “Do you think I’m willing to come to this kind of place to play? Isn’t it because of you!”
After speaking, she paused, her face flushing red, and she hastily explained, “Who told you to work here.”
Shen Man smiled and said, “I should go change my clothes. You can wait for me outside.”
“It’s so cold outside, I’ll just wait for you here.” Lin Shu refused decisively, “Hurry up.”
Shen Man nodded, stood up, and went out.
Lin Shu sat playing on her phone.
The door to the private room was pushed open, and a middle-aged man entered.
“Are you new here? What’s your name?” the man said with a smile, a satisfied look on his face.
Lin Shu frowned, looked up, glared at the man, and said loudly, “I’m not a waitress here.”
The man didn’t believe her, smiled and sat down, sizing up Lin Shu, “Little sister, you are very much to my liking. As long as you have a couple of drinks with me, this watch worth over a hundred thousand will be yours.”
Lin Shu snorted coldly with disdain and directly pressed the bell to call security.
When Shen Man came out after changing her clothes, she saw four security guards walking towards the private room.
Her heart tightened, and she immediately followed, catching up to the last person and asking, “What happened?”
“The customer in private room number seven pressed the bell.”
The four men stood neatly at the door, and one opened it.
Instantly, everyone saw a middle-aged man standing with his body bowed, apologizing nonstop.
Shen Man looked over and met Lin Shu’s proud gaze.
“Why are you so slow?” Lin Shu said with dissatisfaction and stood up.
The man immediately moved aside.
Lin Shu walked out the door, glanced at the manager who had rushed over, gave a light sneer, and said arrogantly, “I hope you can pay proper attention to the quality of your customers. Don’t let just anyone become a member.”
“Thank you for your suggestion, Miss Lin. We will definitely improve,” the manager said respectfully.
Shen Man stood to the side, watching quietly.
After a moment, she gently hooked her lips.
She had still underestimated Lin Shu.
She thought Lin Shu was a half-grown child who didn’t understand many things, but in reality, Lin Shu understood far more than she had imagined.
Moreover, Lin Shu’s temperament was not weak. With the status of the Lin family’s precious daughter, she would not be bullied, whether on campus or in society.
“What’s with that look in your eyes?” Lin Shu asked with dissatisfaction.
“Shushu is truly beyond my expectations,” Shen Man smiled.
Lin Shu shot her a sideways glance and walked outside.
Shen Man followed.
Lin Shu hailed a car.
After getting in the car and fastening her seatbelt, she said indignantly, “You have to be careful working here. There are plenty of lecherous middle-aged men like that.”
“Mm,” Shen Man responded unhurriedly, the corners of her lips hooking into a smile.
“What are you smiling about? What’s so funny about this?” Lin Shu questioned with dissatisfaction.
Shen Man shook her head and said, “You don’t need to worry, I know my limits.”
“Who’s worried about you?” Lin Shu immediately retorted loudly, her eyes wide as she stared at Shen Man.
“I heard wrong,” Shen Man immediately corrected herself.
Only then was Lin Shu satisfied. She leaned against the back of the seat and gazed at the scenery outside the window.
The two of them didn’t speak again for the rest of the journey.
When they reached the entrance of the residential complex, Lin Shu paid, got out of the car, and walked straight towards the building entrance.
Shen Man followed slowly behind.
Inside the elevator.
Lin Shu’s little face was puffed up, full of displeasure. She glared at Shen Man and snorted.
“Shushu, what’s wrong?” Shen Man asked cooperatively.
“Do you still plan to work here?” Lin Shu asked, her tone laced with anger.
Shen Man smiled and said frankly, “My family background is not good. I need money.”
“You…” Lin Shu was suddenly stuck, not knowing what to say. She pursed her lips, turned her head to one side, still a little unhappy, “Why must you work here?”
“The salary is high, and I can handle it,” Shen Man said softly, her voice full of confidence.
“I don’t care about you,” Lin Shu said.
The elevator doors opened.
Lin Shu was the first to walk out, opened the door, quickly changed her shoes, and returned to her room.
Shen Man stood in the entryway, changing her shoes.
Auntie He came over and said in a low voice, “Manman, it’s so good that Miss Lin is with you.”
“She didn’t come back all night, didn’t say where she went, and her phone was unreachable. I was about to die of anxiety.”
“You go rest. Shushu is fine,” Shen Man comforted with a light smile.
“Good, good, as long as she’s fine. You should also rest early,” Auntie He said.
Shen Man nodded.
After washing up.
Shen Man lay in bed, her eyes open, staring into the pitch-black darkness, thinking about the day’s events.
As she thought, the corners of her mouth gradually curved up, revealing a relaxed smile.
Soon, the smile froze, and her expression became serious.
Shen Man closed her eyes, thinking of other things to distract herself.
Suddenly, her phone lit up, and a message popped up.
It was from Lin Shu.
“You accompany me to play for one winter vacation, including passing the year3, and I’ll pay you double the salary.”
Shen Man looked at the message seriously.
Her long, slender fingers tapped on the phone, making a loud didi sound in the silent darkness.
After pondering for a moment, she quickly typed, “I am very satisfied with this job.”
Just a few short words. She read them over carefully before sending.
After waiting for five minutes, there was no reply from the other side.
Shen Man put down her phone, closed her eyes, and went to sleep.
Shen Man went to work as usual.
Lin Shu never went to that bar again, nor did she mention asking her to change jobs.
Shen Man was busy for a week, helping Tian Yi’s company rise from death and return to life4.
This was because Tian Yi had fallen into an opponent’s trap and been ensnared, and she was very familiar with the process and understood the loopholes within.
She represented Tian Yi and resolved the matter.
“Miss Shen, I couldn’t tell that a university student like you would understand so much. What I admire most is that when you negotiated with those people, you weren’t the least bit afraid. In fact, in terms of aura, you even suppressed them.” Tian Yi sat in his office chair, his excited face full of admiration, “Thanks to you this time, my company was finally saved.”
“The conditions I proposed, do you agree to them?” Shen Man smiled faintly, her expression calm.
“Of course. Let alone twenty percent of the shares, I would be willing to give even half.” Tian Yi said happily, his heart happy and sincerely convinced, “If it weren’t for you, I really would have gone bankrupt and been sleeping on the streets this time.”
“Thank you. Please transfer the funds to my account before the end of the month,” Shen Man said.
“Okay, rest assured, my funds will be available for turnover in two days. As soon as I receive the final payment on my end, I will transfer it to you,” Tian Yi said with a smile, his expression sincere.
Shen Man nodded, stood up, and smiled slightly, “I wish you prosperous business.”
Tian Yi understood the meaning of this smile, hastily stood up, and tried to persuade her to stay, “Miss Shen, to be honest with you, I’m not really cut out for business. Back then, I achieved some success with a burst of passion, but now that I’m old, my mind has become muddled, and I’m prone to making mistakes.”
Shen Man stood there, maintaining a polite smile.
Seeing there was a chance, Tian Yi hurriedly said, “I have also seen Miss Shen’s capabilities. I would like to hire you as a consultant for my company. The salary and dividends can all be proposed by you.”
Hearing this, Shen Man smiled and said, “Thank you for your kind offer. I am just a university student. I’m afraid that if I take on such a heavy responsibility, no one in the company, from top to bottom, will be convinced.”
“You don’t need to worry about this problem. I believe in your ability,” Tian Yi said sincerely.
Shen Man pondered for a moment, then nodded.
Tian Yi breathed a sigh of relief and laughed happily, “Today is truly a good day. With Miss Shen’s help in the future, my company will definitely get better and better.”
Shen Man smiled politely.
Coming out of Tian Yi’s office, Shen Man was in a cheerful mood.
Sure enough, going to work at this bar was the right decision. She was very lucky to have encountered an opportunity.
The money Tian Yi promised to give her was not a small sum; it was already enough for her to start her own business.
Shen Man glanced at the time. It was not yet three o’clock. She could go for a cup of coffee to relax.
There was a commercial street nearby.
Shen Man found a mid-range coffee shop.
She chose a window seat with sunlight and picked up a magazine from the rack.
Drinking coffee while reading a magazine, leisurely enjoying the afternoon sun.
During this time, there were not many people in the coffee shop. Some were talking in low voices, but it did not affect others.
Overall, it looked very quiet.
A noise came from the adjacent seat.
Shen Man didn’t even raise her head and continued to read the magazine.
“Lin Shu-jie, your taste is really good. You bought so many nice things again today.” This was Yan Jie’s voice.
“That’s natural.” Lin Shu smiled triumphantly, then said with some dissatisfaction, “In this vicinity, only this coffee shop is passable.”
“Exactly.” Yan Jie said in agreement, took a sip of coffee, and said in a low voice, “Lin Shu-jie, is Shen Man still living at your place?”
“Yes, what’s wrong?” Lin Shu asked.
“It’s already winter vacation. How can she be so shameless as to still live here.” Yan Jie had a look of righteous indignation filling her chest5, “She should go back to her hometown.”
Lin Shu paused, lowered her head, and looked at the latte art on her coffee.
“Lin Shu-jie, you have to hurry up and drive her away. It’s all because of this woman, who stole everything that belongs to Lin Shu-jie,” Yan Jie said angrily.
Lin Shu blinked her eyes, took a large gulp of coffee, and a bitter taste immediately spread in her mouth.
She frowned tightly.
“I really hate her. She always pretends to have an innocent and harmless face, but in reality, she has relationships with every boy. Especially Shao Qi and Tan Kai, she always deliberately acts pure to seduce them.” Yan Jie said resentfully, her eyes full of jealousy.
Hearing this, a feeling of discomfort welled up in Lin Shu’s heart, and she placed the cup forcefully on the table.
With a clang, the entire coffee shop could hear it.
Many people looked over. Lin Shu glared back at them.
“Lin Shu-jie, you must not be deceived by her appearance. I’m telling you, women like her with poor family backgrounds are just thinking of marrying into a wealthy family, a sparrow changing into a phoenix6,” Yan Jie said viciously.
“Is she really that kind of person?” Lin Shu frowned and asked uncertainly.
“Of course she is. Look at her, moving with a blade with ease7 between Tan Kai and Shao Qi. You can tell this woman is not simple,” Yan Jie said with certainty. After thinking for a moment, she added, “Lin Shu-jie, you said you hated her the most. Could it be that you were deceived by her after just one semester?”
“Of course not.” Lin Shu immediately retorted, pouting her lips, her eyes filled with grievance, “I hate Shen Man the most…”
Shen Man put down the newspaper, the corner of her lips hooking up slightly.
The coffee on the table had long gone cold. She drank it bit by bit, letting the bitterness stimulate her taste buds.
The two at the adjacent table left the coffee shop, carrying large and small bags.
Shen Man remained seated.
Seeing that it was about time, she took a taxi to the bar.
After finishing work, it was already twelve o’clock.
The foreman came over, his expression serious, “Shen Man, what was wrong with you today? You made several small mistakes.”
“I’m sorry, it’s probably because I didn’t sleep well. I will be more careful in the future,” Shen Man apologized with all sincerity.
Seeing this, the foreman couldn’t bring himself to scold her further.
Shen Man changed her clothes and walked alone on the road.
The cold night wind blew over, and the leaves on the roadside trees rustled.
The corner of Shen Man’s clothes was blown about chaotically, and she could feel the force of the wind on her back.
But she didn’t feel cold in the slightest.
With her ability to handle matters, these small mistakes today were something that would absolutely not have occurred.
But they did happen.
Shen Man looked up at the dim moonlight in the sky, her fine brows slightly furrowed.
The phone rang.
It was Lin Shu calling.
Shen Man didn’t answer, waiting for the ringing to end naturally.
But a second later, it rang again.
Shen Man let out a breath, picked it up, her expression as usual, and asked with a light laugh, “Shushu, what’s the matter?”
“Why haven’t you come back yet?” Lin Shu asked.
“Is something the matter?” Shen Man didn’t answer, but asked again with a smile.
Hearing this, Lin Shu felt a little uncomfortable in her heart and said with puffed cheeks, “Tomorrow is the Little New Year8. Auntie He is going back after making breakfast.”
“Mm,” Shen Man responded coldly.
A burst of anger immediately rushed out from Lin Shu’s chest, and she said loudly, “Shen Man, what do you mean? Are you that unwilling to talk to me? Or are you saying you regret staying?”
Without waiting for Shen Man to speak, she added angrily, “If you want to go, then go! I won’t keep you. You can all just leave!”
After speaking, she hung up the phone.
Shen Man could tell that the last sentence carried a hint of a sob.
She gave a light laugh, hailed a taxi by the roadside, got in, and gave the address.
By the time she returned to the house, it was nearly one o’clock.
Shen Man saw that the living room light was still on, and the sound of the television could be heard.
She walked over and saw Lin Shu sitting on the sofa, with a cold and indifferent look of ‘strangers do not approach’9.
Shen Man sat down, leaned comfortably against the sofa, and said with a smile, “Shushu, who made you unhappy?”
Lin Shu didn’t speak, forcefully pressing the remote control, changing channels nonstop.
Images from various television stations flashed by.
Shen Man reached out, grasped that slender white wrist, and took the remote control away.
Lin Shu turned her head and glared at Shen Man, “Let go!”
“Shushu…” Shen Man called out softly, her voice deep and low, those clear and cold eyes seeming to hold infinite deep affection.
Lin Shu was stunned, turned her head away unnaturally, took a nearby pillow to hug in her arms, and stared intently at the television.
Shen Man put down the remote, moved over, and her shoulder touched Lin Shu’s shoulder.
Lin Shu snorted and shifted to the side.
Shen Man continued to press close.
Lin Shu retreated to the edge, with no more room to retreat.
She turned her head, staring angrily at Shen Man, “What are you trying to do?”
“I want to say a few words to Shushu,” Shen Man said with a light smile, leaning over to get closer.
Lin Shu unconsciously leaned her body backward.
By the time she came to her senses, she found she had been pressed into a corner of the sofa by Shen Man, truly unable to advance or retreat10.
“If you want to talk, then talk. Don’t be so close to me!” Lin Shu said loudly, a blush dyeing her fair little face.
The smile on Shen Man’s lips deepened. She reached out, brushed aside the strands of hair that had fallen on the young girl’s forehead, and lowered her head to say, “Being close, Shushu can hear more clearly.”
This sentence was spoken almost brushing against her lips.
Lin Shu’s heart instantly accelerated.
The thump thump thump sound was like an explosion in her ears.
She reached out, wanting to push away the person pressing on her, but instead, her wrist was grabbed and pressed against a soft place.
“Shushu, this year for passing the year, I will stay.” Shen Man said slowly and seriously, “Can you feel my heartbeat?”
“What I said is true.”
Lin Shu could clearly feel the steady and powerful heartbeat under her skin.
Her hand felt as if it had been scalded. She wanted to pull it out, but couldn’t move it no matter how she struggled. She said aggrievedly, “You let me go…”
“Did you hear what I said?” Shen Man pressed closer, staring intently at those almond eyes.
Lin Shu’s heart was beating so fast she could hardly breathe. Her red lips were slightly parted, like a fish stranded on the shore.
Shen Man’s heart was moved, and she lowered her head.
Four lips pressed together, a moist and warm feeling transmitted from the point of connection.
Lin Shu felt the water she craved and licked it without thinking.
A light laugh came from above, and immediately after, her lips were kissed fiercely.
Lin Shu’s mind went blank.
Her whole person felt as if she were stepping on soft clouds, dizzy, and also as if she had been electrocuted, every inch of her skin tingling and numb.
This was not the first time she had been kissed by Shen Man.
But it seemed that this time, the feeling was completely different from before.
Shen Man looked up, gazing at the misty almond eyes beneath her, and smiled with satisfaction. She placed a kiss on that crimson little face and said softly, “Shushu, don’t say angry words next time.”
“Regardless of whether you want me to stay or not, I will stay behind to accompany you.”
Lin Shu stared blankly at those smiling eyes. She seemed to understand, yet also seemed unable to think.
Shen Man waited quietly, her eyes filled with doting tenderness.
The living room fell silent.
Their breaths were intimately intertwined.
After a long while, the watery mist in Lin Shu’s eyes dissipated, and they regained their brightness.
She pushed Shen Man away with great momentum, “I know.”
After speaking, she walked towards her room without looking back.
Shen Man sat on the sofa, a joyful laugh in her voice, “Shushu, good night.”
Lin Shu turned back, her lips glistening with moisture, snorted, and said with a look of reluctance, “Good night.”
Shen Man watched as that room door was closed, and the smile in her eyes slowly turned cold.
Lin Shu’s word ‘hate’ and the delicate gasps from under her just now echoed in her ears.
The Little New Year was a day with good weather.
Auntie He got up before dawn, checked her things, and went out to make breakfast.
By the time she was done, the sky was just getting light.
Shen Man came out in her pajamas, smelled the aroma coming from the kitchen, walked over, and said with a smile, “Auntie He, you’re up so early.”
“I couldn’t sleep.” Auntie He said with a smile, joy evident in her eyes and brows, “Did I wake you up?”
Shen Man shook her head with a smile, “Yesterday was my last day of work. I probably relaxed and woke up early.”
“That’s perfect. With you accompanying Miss Lin, I can be at ease,” Auntie He said, glanced outside, lowered her voice, and said softly, “Yesterday afternoon, after Miss Lin came back, she looked like she had a lot on her mind. I didn’t dare to ask her what happened. If you have a chance, you should ask. Don’t be fooled by how Miss Lin usually seems arrogant as if she doesn’t care about anything; in reality, her mind is very sensitive.”
“I asked yesterday. Shushu is fine,” Shen Man said.
“That’s good.” Auntie He smiled with relief, gave some instructions about the kitchen matters, and finally said, “My car is at eight o’clock, and I have to leave soon. When Miss Lin wakes up, please let her know.”
“Okay.” Shen Man agreed with a smile and asked, “When will you be back?”
“Usually I come back on the third day of the new year, but this time you are here to accompany Miss Lin. Could you talk to Miss Lin and ask if I can come back two days later,” Auntie He pleaded in a low voice.
Shen Man nodded, “I’ll talk to Shushu and let you know the time of your return.”
“Manman, thank you so much.” Auntie He smiled happily, looking at Shen Man with a grateful expression, “It’s so good to have you here. Miss Lin also really hopes you will stay.”
Hearing this, Shen Man hooked her lips, her smile light and shallow.
It was already nine o’clock when Lin Shu woke up.
After washing up, she walked into the living room in her pajamas, saw Shen Man reading a magazine on the sofa, walked over and sat down, saying with a pout, “Where’s breakfast? I’m so hungry.”
“Auntie He has already made it. I’ll bring it out, and we can eat together,” Shen Man said with a light smile, her expression gentle.
“Mm,” Lin Shu responded, leaning her head against the sofa, her gaze closely following Shen Man’s back.
Shen Man brought the breakfast to the table, set out the bowls and chopsticks, filled a bowl with porridge and placed it in front of Lin Shu’s seat, and said with a smile, “Shushu, today is the Little New Year. Do you have any plans?”
Lin Shu lowered her eyes, blinked, and said listlessly, “No.”
“Don’t you usually go out every day? Why aren’t you going out to play today?” Shen Man asked.
Lin Shu immediately glared at Shen Man, “Why are you asking so many questions.”
Shen Man smiled and ended the topic.
The two ate breakfast in silence.
Shen Man finished clearing the bowls and chopsticks, came out of the kitchen, and her gaze met Lin Shu’s.
Lin Shu immediately turned her head, pretending to watch TV.
Shen Man sat down next to Lin Shu.
Just as Lin Shu was about to move away, a hand rested on her waist.
“Shushu, the weather is really nice today.” Shen Man smiled lightly, resting her chin naturally on Lin Shu’s shoulder.
Lin Shu’s body stiffened, her fingers gripping the remote control tightly. After a moment, she shrugged her shoulders, frowned, and said with dissatisfaction, “Don’t lean so close to me.”
“I like being close to Shushu.” Shen Man raised her head slightly, her soft red lips brushing past that fair earlobe, and said in a low voice, “Shushu has a nice sweet scent.”
Lin Shu felt her ear was a bit itchy. She reached up and touched her earlobe, her small face turning slightly red.
She moved her body but couldn’t break free from the hand on her waist. She pursed her lips and continued to watch TV.
“Shushu, in the past, after Auntie He left, how did you spend your time alone?” Shen Man asked with a light smile.
Lin Shu paused, randomly pressing the remote control, and said in a bad mood, “However I was supposed to spend it, I spent it.”
Shen Man paid attention to the expression on Lin Shu’s face and roughly guessed that Lin Shu probably spent it all alone and lonely.
She reached out, held Lin Shu’s hand, and said in a soft voice, “This year, I will be with Shushu. The two of us will spend the Little New Year and the Eve of the Passing11 together.”
Lin Shu hung her head, her eyes shimmering.
Suddenly, she gripped Shen Man’s hand tightly, looked up, her expression extremely serious, “Will you really stay with me?”
“Mm,” Shen Man nodded with a gentle smile.
“You said it. If you dare to sneak back, I’ll capture you and bring you back,” Lin Shu snorted arrogantly.
Shen Man could feel that the hand holding hers was trembling slightly.
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