I Am More Paranoid Than the Villain – Chapter 43

Call me Man-jiejie

I will make you like me

The room became quiet for a moment.

Lin Shu felt that the sound of her heartbeat was unusually loud, exploding thump thump by her ear, even louder than the sound of the fireworks just now.

She looked at Shen Man, bit her lip, and said in a very small voice, “Keep the New Year’s vigil for the whole night… okay?”

Hearing this, Shen Man hooked her lips into a smile, and her tall figure gradually drew near.

Listening to the footsteps, Lin Shu’s heart uncontrollably sped up.

The distance between the two of them grew closer and closer, until they were almost touching, their breaths intertwining.

Lin Shu subconsciously retreated.

Her foot suddenly twisted, and her body fell downwards as if out of control.

Shen Man extended her hand and, with the ease of a blade with room to spare¹, caught the young woman’s slender waist.

With a gentle pull, she brought the person into her embrace.

The two of them looked at each other, eye to eye.

Shen Man was beaming with a smile.

Lin Shu stared with wide eyes in astonishment, a trace of panic flashing past, and then her small face turned red.

“It’s fine if you want me to stay, unless…” Shen Man said with a light laugh, deliberately pausing as she got to the end.

“Unless what?” Lin Shu asked subconsciously.

Shen Man let out a laugh, leaned in, and said in a low voice, “You call me Man-jiejie for me to hear.”

“Shen Man!” Lin Shu’s face flushed red with anger and shame. She pushed Shen Man away with both hands and said loudly, “Don’t even think about it!”

“If you don’t call me that, I’ll be leaving, you know?” Shen Man finished speaking with a smile and, with a carefree posture, made a gesture to walk out.

The instant her fingers gripped the doorknob, Lin Shu hurriedly said, “Wait a moment…”

Shen Man turned her head, looked at Lin Shu, and smiled without speaking.

Lin Shu pressed her lips together, hesitating for a good while, before saying in a small voice, “Man-jiejie…”

Her voice was very quiet, but in the silent room, it was clear enough for one to hear.

After saying this, Lin Shu gnashed her teeth in annoyance, glaring at Shen Man.

Shen Man understood that teasing any further would be counterproductive, and said with a smile, “Shushu, let’s continue keeping the New Year’s vigil.”

After she spoke, she walked to the side of the bed and sat down.

Lin Shu let out a Hmph, walked to the balcony to open the curtains, and the beautiful night view instantly entered her eyes.

She picked up the unfinished red wine from the coffee table, sat down next to Shen Man, and gazed distantly outside.

The room once again fell into silence.

The red wine in Lin Shu’s hand was slowly finished. She placed the wine bottle to one side and said in a level tone, “The night view on New Year’s Eve is really beautiful.”

Shen Man heard the loneliness in her words. For a moment, she wanted to hold this proud and stubborn person in her arms and comfort her well.

But very quickly, her rationality returned, and she echoed with a smile, “It is.”

Lin Shu hooked her lips, her smile carrying a trace of bitterness. That pair of bright eyes was stained with a layer of haze, having dimmed considerably.

Shen Man tilted her head, happening to see this scene, and after pondering for a moment, said, “Shushu, it’s getting late, do you want to sleep?”

“I’m not sleeping.” Lin Shu refused with full confidence, her fair and tender little face full of arrogance, as if the fragility from a moment ago was an illusion.

Shen Man smiled and did not argue with her.

The neon lights outside gradually lessened, and the entire city became quiet.

Shen Man glanced at her watch; it was already three o’clock in the morning.

She was having some trouble staying up. Looking at Lin Shu, she said, “Shushu, let’s rest.”

Lin Shu gave her a sideways glance, somewhat displeased, “Didn’t you say we’d keep vigil the whole night? Why do you want to sleep now?”

“Probably because I was too tired today,” Shen Man said, and taking the opportunity, she leaned against the headboard and closed her eyes.

Seeing this, Lin Shu looked outside, then looked at Shen Man, carefully stifled a yawn, and said stubbornly, “I’m not sleepy. If you want to sleep, sleep by yourself.”

Shen Man could tell she was putting on a brave front and did not try to persuade her further.

After dozing for a while leaning against the headboard, Shen Man opened her eyes.

The person who had just been insisting she was not sleepy had already fallen asleep on the bed.

Shen Man couldn’t help but lose her laugh.

She watched quietly for a while, then got up and brought over a small blanket to cover Lin Shu.

The night was already very deep.

Shen Man gazed at the young woman’s quiet and gentle sleeping face, and the words Lin Shu had said at the coffee shop echoed in her ears.

“I hate Shen Man the most…”

“Hate me the most?” Shen Man chuckled lightly, her slender fingers stroking that delicate and beautiful face, then following the fine, tender skin down to land on the crimson lips.

She gently caressed the place she had kissed, her smile becoming joyous, “Shushu, I will make you like me.”

Lin Shu’s nose twitched, and she let out an unconscious murmur, as if in discomfort, or perhaps in response.

Shen Man withdrew her fingers and sat to the side, her originally drowsy eyes now completely without sleepiness.

She got up, sat on the sofa, and drank wine quietly by herself.

The color of the night outside the window brightened bit by bit, and sunlight shone through the gap in the curtains into the room, delivering the first ray of warmth of the new year.

Shen Man glanced at the person on the bed, who had not yet woken up.

She stood up², walked out of the room quietly, and closed the door.

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