I Am More Paranoid Than the Villain – Chapter 53

Using the Topic to Elaborate¹

If you want, I can take responsibility.

The two arrived at the place where they were having lunch.

Lin Shu took a look, sat down, and asked, “Where’s Xia Ke?”

“They left early this morning,” Shen Man said.

She couldn’t help but frown, remembering the unconcealable panic on Xia Ke’s face when she said goodbye to her in the morning.

“What’s with that expression?” Lin Shu pouted, displeased. “I just slept in a little. It’s not like I told you that you had to wait for me.”

“Shushu must have stayed up late taking care of me last night. It’s only right that I wait for you,” Shen Man said with a light laugh, placating her.

“Good that you know,” Lin Shu huffed, her expression haughty.

After lunch, Shen Man drove Lin Shu back.

Just as they arrived downstairs, her phone rang.

It was a call from Xia Ke.

Shen Man answered it. “Xiao Ke, what’s up?”

“Manman, can you come to my place?” Xia Ke said anxiously, a hint of difficulty in her voice, as if she had run into a problem.

“Okay, I’ll be right there,” Shen Man said. After hanging up, she turned to look at Lin Shu. “Shushu, something’s come up.”

“Who’s looking for you?” Lin Shu’s little face² fell.

“Xiao Ke,” Shen Man replied.

“What does she want with you?” Lin Shu continued to ask, her fine brows furrowing slightly.

“She didn’t say, but from her tone, it sounds really urgent. I need to get over there quickly,” Shen Man said, a worried look on her face.

Lin Shu’s heart instantly filled with discomfort. Her fingers gripped the seatbelt tightly. After a moment of thought, she said loudly, “I’m going too.”

“We’re all friends, I should be concerned about her too,” she added quickly, her words conveying that she absolutely had to go.

Shen Man chuckled, her eyes dancing. “Shushu is becoming more and more sensible.”

Lin Shu suddenly felt the nervousness of being seen through.

Her little face flushed red and she said stubbornly, “Who needs your praise?”

Shen Man promptly wiped the smile from her face and started the car.

Following the address Xia Ke gave them, they reached their destination in half an hour.

Shen Man parked the car.

She picked up her phone and called Xia Ke. “We’re here.”

“You guys? Lin Shu came too?” Xia Ke asked.

Her surprised tone came through the phone clearly.

Shen Man glanced at Lin Shu and nodded. “Mhm.”

The other end of the line went silent.

“Give me the phone!” Lin Shu said angrily, snatching Shen Man’s phone and questioning loudly, “Xia Ke, what is it that you have to see Shen Man for?”

“It’s a small private matter,” Xia Ke answered in a small voice.

“Anything Shen Man can help you with, I can help you with too,” Lin Shu said belligerently, glaring at Shen Man.

“Well… alright then,” Xia Ke hesitated for a moment before compromising.

The two went upstairs.

Shen Man knocked on the door.

“Manman…” Xia Ke stood behind the door, a pitiful look on her face. Her gaze fell on Lin Shu, and she squeezed out a strained smile. “Lin Shu.”

“Are you that unwelcoming of me?” Lin Shu said, her little face cold.

Xia Ke quickly shook her head. “No, no, of course I welcome you both. Come in and sit.”

Lin Shu huffed and was the first to enter.

Shen Man looked at Xia Ke, a knowing smile in her eyes.

Xia Ke sighed helplessly.

“Sit anywhere,” Xia Ke greeted them warmly, pouring tea for the two of them.

“Thank you,” Shen Man said with a smile.

“What on earth is going on?” Lin Shu asked with a serious expression, in no mood to drink tea.

“This…” Xia Ke glanced at Shen Man and lowered her head awkwardly, her eyes darting around.

Lin Shu immediately turned her head and glared at Shen Man.

“Shushu, Xiao Ke is in a very complicated mood right now. Let her calm down a bit first,” Shen Man said.

“So you’re saying you know what happened?” Lin Shu stated with certainty.

Seeing that she couldn’t hide it, Shen Man nodded honestly.

“Then you tell me,” Lin Shu pressed, overbearing.

“I should be the one to say it…” Xia Ke said hesitantly.

Lin Shu looked over, staring at her coldly.

Xia Ke subconsciously avoided her gaze, hung her head, and said in a small voice, “Last night I got drunk, and Ah Xu took me back to my room. We seem to have…”

“Done it.” Those two words were almost inaudible.

The living room was very quiet.

Lin Shu heard it loud and clear and couldn’t help but let out a sneer. “Sleeping with someone and not admitting it, hiding like a coward. You’re really something.”

After she spoke, she stared at Shen Man.

Shen Man suddenly had the illusion of being pointed at the mulberry tree while cursing the locust tree³.

A trace of guilt flashed in her heart, and she gave a light cough before saying, “Xiao Ke, you don’t like women, how could something like this suddenly happen?”

“I don’t know either.” Xia Ke wore a bitter expression, her light blue eyes full of remorse. “Although I think she’s very cute and gives people a strong desire to protect her, I swear, I really didn’t have any other intentions, I just purely like her…”

“Purely like her?” Lin Shu sneered, her tone dripping with disdain. “Then how did you two end up in bed?”

“I don’t know…” Xia Ke was at a loss, looking to Shen Man for help. “Manman, do you think I might be a closeted les…”

“What did she say?” Shen Man asked calmly.

“Ah Xu said I was drunk and it wasn’t my fault, that we should just pretend… it never happened.” Xia Ke’s eyes were downcast, and as she spoke, a hint of unwillingness crept into her tone.

Shen Man understood at once. This was a trick of playing hard to get.

Xia Ke was now completely captivated by Yin Ruxu’s weak and kind appearance. As an outsider, even if she told her the truth, Xia Ke wouldn’t believe it.

And the truth was, to a large extent, her own speculation, without any real evidence.

“She says that and you actually believe her?” Lin Shu accused angrily.

Shen Man’s eyes lit up, and she looked at Lin Shu with anticipation.

“If you get bitten by a dog, you can only consider yourself unlucky. Of course that’s all she can say. Is she supposed to cry and demand you take responsibility?” Lin Shu snorted with contempt.

“It’s not that I can’t take responsibility…” Xia Ke defended in a small voice, looking at Shen Man.

Shen Man averted her gaze and focused on drinking her tea.

The moment she picked up her teacup, she received eye daggers⁴ from Lin Shu.

“Some people are just so thick-skinned. They don’t dare to admit what they’ve done and act as if nothing happened,” Lin Shu said through gritted teeth, her little face red with anger.

“I didn’t say I wouldn’t admit it…” Xia Ke hurriedly took her seat according to the number⁵.

Shen Man continued to drink her tea, a look of indifference on her face.

“Lin Shu, thank you. Now that you’ve put it that way, I understand,” Xia Ke said happily, her blue eyes becoming resolute.

“What do you plan to do?” Lin Shu asked.

“First, I’ll apologize to her, and then I’ll take responsibility,” Xia Ke said, a relieved smile appearing on her face.

After speaking, she hurried back to her room.

Only Shen Man and Lin Shu were left in the living room.

Lin Shu picked up her teacup and slammed it on the table, making a loud ‘clang.’

Shen Man looked over, the corners of her lips curling up slightly. “Shushu, what’s wrong?”

“Xia Ke is so much better than a certain someone,” Lin Shu snorted coldly, crossing her arms and leaning back on the sofa with a cold face.

“It was Shushu who forbade me from speaking about this matter. It’s not that I was unwilling to take responsibility myself,” Shen Man said faintly.

Lin Shu choked, the sarcastic words on the tip of her tongue forcibly swallowed.

Shen Man chuckled, leaned in closer, and her red lips parted slightly. “If Shushu wants me to take responsibility, I’m willing at any time.”

“Who wants you to take responsibility!” Lin Shu retorted loudly, standing up and walking towards the balcony.

Shen Man remained seated, her fingers tapping lightly on the armrest, her eyes deep in thought.

---

Xia Ke held her phone, a brilliant smile on her face.

She sat down and said excitedly, “I have something to announce to you both.”

After speaking, she looked at Lin Shu. “Lin Shu, come sit over here. I want to tell you both this good news at the same time.”

“I can hear you from here,” Lin Shu refused coldly.

“Alright then.” Xia Ke conceded, pursing her lips as her expression turned serious. “Ah Xu has agreed to be my girlfriend.”

Shen Man was not surprised by this result.

She smiled and asked, “Have you thought it through?”

Xia Ke nodded without hesitation.

“She has had a boyfriend before, she’s a straight girl, and so are you. Yesterday was just an accident,” Shen Man said, deliberately emphasizing the word ‘accident.’

“If I hadn’t been drunk, this wouldn’t have happened. It’s all my fault, I should take responsibility,” Xia Ke said earnestly.

Shen Man said no more to persuade her.

“Thank you both so much for today. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have known how to face Ah Xu,” Xia Ke laughed happily.

“You’re welcome,” Shen Man chuckled and stood up. “We’ll be leaving then.”

“Okay, thank you for the trouble today, making a special trip,” Xia Ke said, embarrassed.

“We’re friends, no need for such polite words,” Shen Man said with a smile, looking at Xia Ke with a serious gaze. “If you have any doubts, you can come find me.”

“Manman, you’re so kind,” Xia Ke was deeply moved and hugged Shen Man happily.

When Lin Shu saw this scene, she walked out in a fit of anger.

Shen Man released Xia Ke and turned to chase after her.

The two stood in the elevator.

Lin Shu glared at Shen Man furiously, her little face cold as she taunted, “She has a girlfriend now, and you’re still hugging her. Don’t you know how to avoid suspicion⁶?”

“Her girlfriend isn’t even angry, what is Shushu angry about?” Shen Man retorted with a smile, a face of clouds light and wind gentle⁷.

Lin Shu was suddenly speechless and angrily turned her head to the side.

Shen Man laughed, her expression turning serious. “Shushu, why did you try so hard to set up Yin Ruxu and Xia Ke?”

“I think you should be very clear about what kind of person Yin Ruxu is.”

“Xia Ke doesn’t even care, so why are you so worked up?”

“It’s their business. Why are you, an outsider, more invested than the people involved?” Lin Shu shot back, dissatisfied.

“Shushu, our circle⁸ is not as simple as you think. The pressure one has to face on this path is greater than you can imagine,” Shen Man’s eyes darkened, her expression more serious than ever before.

Lin Shu’s heart skipped a beat in fear, but she stuck her neck out, refusing to show weakness. “As long as two people love each other, no matter how great the difficulties, they can be overcome.”

“Those who can let go so easily just don’t love deeply enough,” she yelled with all her might.

Shen Man’s heart trembled.

With a ‘ding,’ the elevator doors opened.

She walked out, her face grim.

Lin Shu followed behind, biting her lip.

A wave of grievance washed over her.

Shen Man drove.

Neither of them spoke.

Lin Shu gripped the seatbelt tightly, a stubborn look on her face as she watched the scenery outside the window.

Shen Man glanced at the rearview mirror.

The young girl’s face was serious, her soft red lips pressed tightly into a line, as if unwilling to admit defeat.

The corners of her eyes were downturned, carrying a wordless sense of grievance.

Shen Man’s heart stirred.

She softened her tone and said with a light laugh, “Shushu, I wasn’t blaming you…”

“Not blaming me?” Lin Shu was instantly ignited by this sentence, like a cat whose fur had exploded⁹. “From the moment we left the house, you’ve been accusing me, implying overtly and covertly that I’m meddlesome.”

“Am I not? What else are you trying to argue?”

Shen Man fell silent.

“Say something! Why aren’t you talking? Isn’t that what you think?” Lin Shu yelled, aggrieved, bright tears welling up in her almond-shaped eyes.

Shen Man’s expression tightened, and she pulled the car over to the side of the road.

---

---