I Am More Paranoid Than the Villain – Chapter 5

Starting Cohabitation

A reluctant agreement

At four o’clock in the afternoon, Auntie He returned, carrying large and small bags.

Shen Man glanced over and saw that they were some local specialties.

“Miss Lin, Manman, I’m sorry to have kept you waiting for so long.” Auntie He said with an apologetic smile, hurriedly taking the key out of her pocket.

“It’s alright, we were the ones who forgot to bring a key.” Shen Man said, gently shaking her head.

Lin Shu stood to the side, her little face cold.

When she heard Shen Man say ‘we’, her heart skipped a beat, and the color in her face improved a little.

Auntie He opened the door and stepped aside, letting the two of them enter first.

Lin Shu entered, changed her shoes, and went straight back to her room.

Shen Man stood at the doorway and said to Auntie He, “Let me help you carry those.”

“No, no, you go and rest. I’ll have dinner ready soon.” Auntie He said with a smile, deftly changing her shoes and heading to the kitchen.

Shen Man glanced at Lin Shu’s room, stood in place thinking for a moment, then walked towards the kitchen.

Seeing Shen Man come in, Auntie He hurriedly said, “Manman, you don’t need to help in here.”

Shen Man shook her head and started helping to snap the beans.

Her fingers were long and slender. She pinched a green bean between two fingers and with a light snap, a small piece of the bean fell off.

Seeing this, Auntie He said with a smile, “Manman, your hands are so beautiful, they’re not suited for rough work.”

Shen Man’s lips curved. She picked up another green bean and said with her head lowered, “Shushu’s hands are the truly beautiful ones, so delicate and tender. A genuine daughter of a thousand gold pieces¹ whose ten fingers don’t touch the spring water².”

Upon hearing this, Auntie He chuckled, then sighed.

Shen Man looked up, a curious expression on her face. “Why do you sigh?”

“I pity Miss Lin.” Auntie He said in a low voice. She glanced outside the kitchen, and not seeing Lin Shu, she continued in a hushed tone, “Miss Lin has been without a mother since she was a child, and President Lin is busy with his business and can’t look after her. All year round, she’s been cared for by nannies. Miss Lin is always all alone.”

“Perhaps because she’s from a single-parent family, Miss Lin has a bit of a temper. I’ve been a nanny for the Lin family for almost five years, and I’m still a little afraid to talk to her.” As she said this, a trace of fear was on Auntie He’s face.

After listening, a flash of surprise passed through Shen Man’s eyes. She lowered her head and continued snapping the beans.

I’ve never heard anyone mention the vicious female supporting character’s backstory. This is a small detail that most readers probably wouldn’t have paid attention to while reading the novel.

For readers like us, a single, casual sentence from the author might represent a lifelong scar in Lin Shu’s heart.

Lin Shu’s overly emotional behavior toward her father this afternoon now had a reasonable explanation.

“I hope Miss Lin can meet someone in the future who will truly love and be patient with her.” Auntie He said with feeling.

Shen Man’s eyes flickered, and her hands paused their work on the beans. After a moment, she said, “I hope so.”

In the original book, Lin Shu’s ending was not good.

She used every trick in the book but couldn’t get the person she liked, and was instead completely upstaged by the female lead from an ordinary background.

Her peak-level start as a rich young heiress was soundly defeated by the female lead’s Mary Sue³* halo.*

And now, I am that female lead.

I have no interest in playing out some dog-blood angsty romance with the male lead or the second male lead.

Perhaps, Lin Shu will be able to get her wish.

As Shen Man thought this, her heart clenched, and she felt a little uncomfortable.

She put down the vegetables, washed her hands, and said, “Auntie He, I’ll let you get on with it. I’m going back to my room now.”

“Alright, you go get some rest.” Auntie He said with a smile, unable to resist adding a compliment, “With a gentle and kind friend like you by her side, I think Miss Lin won’t be so lonely anymore.”

Shen Man smiled but didn’t say anything.

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Auntie He made four dishes and a soup. All four dishes were meat, and even the soup had meat in it.

Shen Man glanced at the table and asked, “Auntie He, weren’t there green vegetables in the fridge? Why didn’t you stir-fry any?”

“Miss Lin doesn’t like to eat green vegetables.” Auntie He said, placing the bowls of rice on the table.

Lin Shu, having washed her hands, walked over. Hearing their conversation, she shot Shen Man a look and said, “See, Auntie He understands me. She doesn’t make those disgusting green vegetables.”

Her arrogant eyes were full of disdain.

Shen Man smiled slightly and reminded her, “The lettuce I stir-fried yesterday, you ate more than half of it. You ate the last piece, too.”

Lin Shu’s expression stiffened, and she quickly denied it, “I did not! You ate it all.”

Shen Man’s lips curved into a half-smile, and she didn’t argue with her further.

Lin Shu guiltily lowered her head, focusing intently on her bowl.

Auntie He watched the two of them bicker, a gratified look in her eyes.

After they finished eating, Auntie He cleared the table.

Lin Shu went back to her room to play on her phone, while Shen Man stayed behind to help.

“Manman, with you here, Miss Lin is really so much better. Usually at mealtimes, she’s always criticizing my cooking, complaining that this is too spicy or that is too bland. Today, she didn’t say a single word.” Auntie He said with a chuckle.

“She’s so sharp-tongued, how have you managed to stay for so long?” Shen Man asked.

Hearing this, Auntie He chuckled. The sympathy in her eyes for Lin Shu outweighed her fear. She said in a low voice, “She’s a pitiful child, really. Her nature isn’t bad, she’s just been spoiled.”

“Children from wealthy families are inevitably a bit arrogant and spoiled.”

Shen Man was noncommittal.

After helping Auntie He clean up, Shen Man went to Lin Shu’s door and knocked.

Lin Shu opened the door. Seeing Shen Man, she asked irritably, “What do you want?”

“There’s something I want to make clear with you.” Shen Man said.

The orange light from the hallway fell on her side profile, casting a beautiful shadow.

Her dark pupils seemed to flicker with a trace of golden light, holding a soul-stirring seriousness.

Lin Shu froze, feeling an invisible pressure.

She glared back unwillingly, “If you have something to say, then say it!”

“I plan to live here for one year. After a year, I will leave. You don’t have to waste your energy trying to drive me away.” Shen Man’s lips curved, a smile returning to her eyes.

Lin Shu, her thoughts exposed, blushed in annoyance and frowned, thinking.

Shen Man waited quietly, a smile on her lips.

A year from now, Lin Shu will leave this city to study abroad.

And the real reason I’m staying is to use this year to start a business, to create my own company and career.

Living here offers stability, for one. For another, this is a high-end residential complex where wealthy people live, and that circle will be more advantageous for my entrepreneurial efforts.

Also, Lin Shu’s father is well-connected. I can more or less gain some advantages with the identity of ‘Lin Shu’s friend’.

Starting a business is an arduous and difficult thing.

In my previous life, I suffered immensely and endured countless disdainful looks, so I deeply understand the principle that ‘more friends means more paths’⁴.

“Fine. You can stay for one year, and not a day more.” Lin Shu said, a victorious smile appearing on her face.

She paused, then added, “I have one more condition.”

“What condition?” Shen Man asked with a smile.
“You are not allowed to snatch Shao Qi⁵ from me.” Lin Shu said, her chin held high, her eyes filled with the confidence of someone who is sure to win.

Shao Qi? The male lead’s name.

Shen Man’s eyes narrowed slightly, her smile deepening.

Anyone who knew her would know that this smile of hers hid a trace of anger.

Lin Shu, completely oblivious, was full of smugness. She looked at Shen Man and threatened in a low voice, “If you dare to like Shao Qi, don’t blame me for being rude to you.”

Shen Man still just smiled lightly, her slender fingers brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, revealing a delicate, pale earlobe.

She half-closed her eyes, her breath like an orchid⁶, “I like women.”

Lin Shu’s heart skipped a beat. She turned her head slightly, avoiding Shen Man’s gaze. “That’s for the best.”

After she spoke, she slammed the door shut with a BANG!

Shen Man stood in place, her eyes dark and unreadable.

An image surfaced in her mind: Lin Shu, flushed and beautiful beneath her.

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Shen Man returned to her room and looked at the date on her phone: Sunday.

This meant she had to go to school tomorrow.

After being graduated for so long, returning to campus was a rather interesting prospect.

After playing mind games with all sorts of people in the professional world for so long, getting to interact with this group of young, simple students could be considered a relaxing and pleasant experience.

It’s just that I’m not yet clear on the specifics of this aristocratic school’s setup.

Based on the descriptions in most novels, the teaching staff should be very strong.

Shen Man thought seriously.

Her phone suddenly buzzed, and a message popped up.

“Shen Man, what do you want for breakfast tomorrow? I can bring it for you.” It was from Tan Kai.

“No need, thank you. I’ll eat breakfast before I go to school tomorrow.” Shen Man replied.

“Alright then. If there’s anything you want to eat, just let me know and I’ll buy it for you.” Tan Kai replied instantly.

Based on their interactions over the past two days, Shen Man could preliminarily judge that the second male lead, Tan Kai, was a sunny and enthusiastic young man.

He had both a young man’s courage and shyness when it came to love, as well as the gentlemanly courtesy of not forcing things on others.

For such an excellent fu’erdai⁷ to be led so far astray by Lin Shu, to the point of becoming a villain hated by all in the end…

It just showed that Lin Shu’s love for the male lead was obsessive to a terrifying degree.

“Do you know much about Shao Qi?” Shen Man typed.

Because of Lin Shu, she had developed a sliver of curiosity about this cold and handsome male lead.

“The young master of the Shao Group. His grades are good, he’s a first-class athlete, and half the girls in school like him. Even that girl Lin Shu is crazy about him.” Tan Kai said, a sour tone in his words.

Shen Man’s gaze fell on the last sentence. Her lips curved and she let out a soft scoff.

“He’s not that great, anyway. His personality is ice-cold, he keeps people a thousand li⁸ away. Do you girls like that type?” Tan Kai carefully typed out the last sentence.

Shen Man understood that by ‘you girls’, he really just meant her.

She thought for a moment before replying, “I just want to focus on my studies and not think about other things.”

“Your grades are so good, and you’re still so diligent. That’s really admirable.” Tan Kai praised with a laugh.

Shen Man stared at the screen, weighed her options, and decided it was best to give up on the idea of being friends with the second male lead.

This kind of ‘friendship’ could easily bring trouble upon herself.

“Thank you, I’m going to rest now.” After typing, Shen Man turned off her phone.

According to the information from Tan Kai, the male lead’s character setup is very common in Mary Sue novels. He’ll fall for the female lead because he’s moved by her kindness and sincerity.

If I don’t provoke the male lead, I should be able to avoid triggering the romance plotline.

Shen Man’s lips curved into a pleased smile, and she closed her eyes to sleep.

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