I Am More Paranoid Than the Villain – Chapter 42

New Year’s Eve Vigil¹

The two people’s lips bumped together

The two people unhurriedly² ate the New Year’s meal³.

Lin Shu put down her chopsticks, leaned against the chair in a relaxed posture, and the corners of her rosy-red lips curled up slightly.

Shen Man smiled and asked, “Shushu, are you still satisfied?”

“It’s alright, I guess.” Lin Shu said proudly, her face full of satisfaction.

Shen Man let out a light laugh and got up to clear the table.

Lin Shu sat on the sofa, watching television leisurely.

After Shen Man finished tidying everything up, she came out carrying a plate of cut fruit.

She placed the fruit platter in front of Lin Shu and asked with a smile, “Shushu, do you have any plans for tonight?”

“None.” Lin Shu answered crisply and cleanly⁴, with a piece of fruit in her mouth.

Shen Man sat down, thought for a few seconds, and said in a soft voice, “How about this, let’s keep the New Year’s Eve vigil together tonight.”

“New Year’s Eve vigil?” Lin Shu’s brow furrowed, her bright eyes filled with confusion.

“Keeping the New Year’s Eve vigil just means welcoming the new year together. In the past, we would stay up all night for the vigil, but it’s a bit different now; basically, we only stay up until twelve o’clock,” Shen Man explained.

Lin Shu tilted her head, thought for a moment, and an eager to try expression appeared in her eyes, “What time does it start?”

“There’s no rule for that, any time is fine,” Shen Man said, glancing at the wall clock, “It’s not yet six o’clock now, let’s keep the vigil together at around eleven o’clock, okay?”

“Okay.” Lin Shu nodded excitedly and couldn’t help but ask, “Do we need to prepare anything?”

“No need.” Shen Man shook her head with a smile.

Lin Shu was quiet for a moment, then asked again, “Are there any rituals?”

“For example, are there specific clothes to wear, or are there fixed actions to perform?”

Hearing these words, Shen Man couldn’t help but laugh.

Lin Shu was like a curious child, her face full of excitement and agitation, as if she had no concept of celebrating the New Year.

To her, a very ordinary matter, in Lin Shu’s eyes, was like some kind of novel affair.

“Shushu, you don’t need to be so nervous, just act as you usually do, and wait until twelve o’clock is fine,” Shen Man said in a soft voice.

“I am not nervous at all!” Lin Shu stiffened her neck and retorted, glaring angrily at Shen Man, “You’re the one who’s nervous!”

Shen Man smiled and didn’t argue with her.

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The sky gradually turned dark.

The hour hand on the wall went around and around, finally reaching eleven o’clock.

Lin Shu held a bottle of red wine and said with a happy smile, “Let’s drink wine while we welcome the New Year.”

“Okay.” Shen Man answered with a light laugh, looked around, and said, “In the living room or should we go to a room?”

“Go to my room, my room has a good view,” Lin Shu said immediately.

After she finished speaking, she walked towards her room holding the red wine.

Shen Man got up and walked to the refrigerator, took out two tall glasses, and followed behind.

The curtains in Lin Shu’s room were open.

Through the balcony, one could see various neon lights twinkling outside, interweaving into a beautiful night scene.

Lin Shu put down the red wine and sat comfortably on the sofa.

She looked at the night view outside and said with a smile, “It’s really lively today. Even from this far away, I can see the four characters for ‘Happy New Year’ flashing on that skyscraper.”

Shen Man sat on the sofa next to her, skillfully pulled out the cork, poured a glass of red wine, placed it in front of Lin Shu, and said in a soft voice, “An atmosphere this lively and special only happens during the New Year.”

Lin Shu let out an “en” sound, picked up the wine glass, took a light sip, and a comfortable smile appeared between her brows and eyes, “So sweet.”

Shen Man took a sip and felt the taste was average, not counting as particularly sweet.

The two people quietly drank their red wine, admiring the scenery outside.

Suddenly, with a whoosh sound, a firework shot up into the night sky, seeming to illuminate the entire world.

Lin Shu’s eyes lit up; she put down her wine glass, stood up, and ran to the balcony.

Shen Man followed behind with a light laugh.

“Look, such beautiful fireworks.” Lin Shu pointed at the sky excitedly, her head tilted up, her eyes sparkling brightly.

Shen Man watched quietly.

The fireworks bloomed in the night sky one after another, scattering into all sorts of beautiful shapes.

The light, sometimes bright and sometimes dim, fell on the girl’s delicate and fair face, adding a trace of hazy beauty.

Shen Man pressed her lips together and looked down at her watch.

Exactly twelve o’clock.

“Shushu, Happy New Year.” Shen Man leaned over and whispered softly in the girl’s ear.

Lin Shu turned her head, the corners of her lips curving up happily, “Happy New Year.”

The night wind blew the girl’s jet-black hair, and her eyes were brilliant and shining, even more beautiful than the fireworks.

Shen Man’s heart was moved; she reached out and wrapped an arm around that slender, weak shoulder.

The smile on Lin Shu’s face paused, and she stared fixedly as that cool and detached face drew near.

Her heartbeat instantly lost control, thump thump thumping without stopping, just like the fireworks.

The tips of their noses touched.

Shen Man stopped, gazed at those rosy-red lips, and let out a light laugh, “Shushu…”

Lin Shu subconsciously raised her head.

The two people’s lips bumped together.

Shen Man immediately felt the softness and fragrance of those red lips, carrying a hint of the red wine’s sweetness.

“Mmm…” Lin Shu unconsciously let out a soft and glutinous sound.

Her eyes fluttered a few times, as if from unease, or perhaps from nervousness, and slowly closed, hiding the watery light in them.

The smile on Shen Man’s face deepened, and she wrapped one arm around the girl’s slender waist.

Lin Shu’s waist instantly went soft, her body felt tingly and numb, and her mind went completely blank, unable to think about anything.

The wind on the balcony blew over with a chill; it should have made one feel cold, yet Lin Shu felt a trace of coolness.

Her whole body was very hot, constantly emitting heat from the inside out, as if it was going to burn her up, yet her throat felt very dry and thirsty, and she unconsciously wanted to seize moisture from the other person.

Shen Man felt her lips being licked.

Her eyes flashed, her breathing became heavy; she pressed her lips together, restrained herself and released her hand, and said in a slow tone, “Shushu, it’s windy here, let’s go back to the room.”

“Mmm…” Lin Shu’s lips were slightly parted as she breathed rapidly, her eyes shimmering with watery light⁵, as if holding mist.

After being stunned for a good while, she finally reacted, and with a blushing little face and lowered head, she walked inside.

Shen Man closed the window and also drew the curtains.

The room instantly became quiet, as if the enchanting and romantic atmosphere from just now had been shut outside.

Lin Shu sat on the bed, her rationality returning bit by bit, and her heartbeat gradually calmed down.

She looked up and saw the watery sheen on Shen Man’s lips, and instantly thought of the scene of the two of them kissing just now. Her face whooshed⁶ and became hot again, red through and through.

“Shushu, rest early.” Shen Man stood by the bed, her cool and detached face carrying a faint crimson blush.

After speaking, she turned to walk out.

Lin Shu’s heart tightened.

Watching that tall figure about to disappear at the doorway, she abruptly stood up and shouted loudly, “Shen Man!”

Shen Man turned back to meet a pair of nervous yet bright eyes, and asked with a light laugh, “Shushu, is there anything else?”

Lin Shu was suddenly rendered speechless.

The girl lowered her head, her long eyelashes fluttering nonstop. The light fell, sweeping out a pale shadow.

Her white, pearly teeth bit her red lips, as if carrying a sense of being wronged, gleaming with a beautiful luster.

After a long silence, Lin Shu looked up, her gaze directly on Shen Man, and said as if she had made up her mind, “Can you…”

Having said this, she hesitated again, and the following words vanished between her lips.

An understanding smile appeared in the bottom of Shen Man’s eyes.

The girl’s pair of almond eyes were resplendent and bright; they couldn’t hide the thoughts in the bottom of her heart.

She could clearly see that Lin Shu was afraid of being lonely, but was also somewhat ashamed and didn’t know how to open her mouth to ask her to stay.

Shen Man wore a smile on her face, waiting quietly.

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