I Am More Paranoid Than the Villain – Chapter 58

Sincere Apology

If You Like Someone, You Should Pursue Them

As Shen Man walked, her gaze fell upon a person standing by the side of the road.

She let out a soft laugh and said, “Xia Ke, what are you doing out here?”

Xia Ke pouted and pointed in Lin Shu’s direction.

Walking up to Shen Man’s side, she asked in a low voice, “What’s wrong with Lin Shu? Her eyes are all red. Did someone bully her?”

“It’s nothing,” Shen Man replied faintly, a pleasant smile on her face.

Seeing her expression, an idea flashed through Xia Ke’s mind, and she asked curiously, “I saw you two come out of that little alley. What were you doing for so long?”

She deliberately emphasized the last few words.

“We weren’t doing anything,” Shen Man said, walking forward and passing Xia Ke.

Unable to see the expression on her face, Xia Ke felt even more certain of her guess. She quickened her pace to catch up with Shen Man and asked in a hushed voice, “What exactly is the relationship between you and Lin Shu?”

“You don’t seem like friends, but you don’t seem like a couple either.”

Hearing this, Shen Man stopped.

She turned back, her sharp gaze fixed on Xia Ke.

A wave of nervousness hit Xia Ke, and she hurriedly waved her hands to show her intentions. “I was just asking casually. I won’t go spreading it around.”

Shen Man’s expression immediately softened.

Xia Ke’s confidence returned, and she said in a persuasive tone, “If you like her, then you should actively pursue her. Being ambiguous like this will easily lead to regret in the future.”

Shen Man understood the meaning behind her words and retorted, “Do you think I’m the one who’s unwilling to face it?”

Xia Ke was taken aback.

She blinked a couple of times, a look of confusion on her face.

“The decision isn’t in my hands,” Shen Man added.

“But don’t you like Lin Shu? If you like her, then chase her. Wouldn’t it be better to tell her clearly?” Xia Ke asked, puzzled.

Shen Man just smiled and said nothing.

“I really don’t get you,” Xia Ke sighed, looking completely helpless.

“Compared to romance, I have more important things to do,” Shen Man said, her eyes firm with determination.

“Studying?” Xia Ke guessed with a frown.

Shen Man smiled and shook her head, unwilling to say more.

Xia Ke tactfully dropped the subject.

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The two walked to the car.

Lin Shu was already sitting in the back.

When her eyes met Shen Man’s, she let out a haughty hmph and turned her head away with a cold expression.

Xia Ke immediately felt the atmosphere grow tense.

She turned her head to look at Shen Man.

Shen Man’s expression was calm, as if she hadn’t noticed anything unusual at all.

She got into the car and said, “Xiao Ke, I’ll take you back to school first.”

Xia Ke nodded hastily. Standing outside the front passenger seat, her fingers gripped the door handle.

“You sit in the back,” Lin Shu said suddenly, every word dripping with displeasure.

“Okay,” Xia Ke replied with a smile, quickly getting into the back seat.

Shen Man fastened her seatbelt and glanced at the rearview mirror.

She asked with a smile, “Xiao Ke, are you settled?”

Xia Ke immediately glanced at Lin Shu, then nodded. “We’re both settled.”

“Good.” Shen Man started the car and rolled the window halfway down.

The noisy sounds of traffic rushed into the car with the wind.

Strands of Shen Man’s hair were blown about.

She casually tucked the hair behind her ear and asked with a smile, “Xiao Ke, how did you feel about today? Would you like to come again?”

“It was pretty good. Next time I’ll bring Ah Xu over to hang out,” Xia Ke said, her eyes carefully darting to the side to glance at Lin Shu.

She was starting to regret showing up today.

When these two fought, she was the innocent one caught in the crossfire.

Shen Man, seemingly oblivious to her discomfort, chatted freely about all sorts of topics.

Xia Ke played along, feeling as if she were sitting on a carpet of needles¹.

Listening to their conversation, Lin Shu looked at Xia Ke and said with dissatisfaction, “Are you a parrot? So much chatter.”

Xia Ke understood that this remark was actually aimed at Shen Man.

She obediently shut her mouth and focused intently on admiring the scenery outside the window.

Seeing this, Shen Man closed the window and stopped trying to force conversation.

She turned on the stereo, and soothing music instantly filled the car.

Xia Ke felt much better.

She stole a glance at Lin Shu and saw that she still had a cold expression on her little face, turning a deaf ear to the beautiful music.

She wisely chose not to stir up trouble, lest she get innocently dragged in again.

None of the three said a word.

Shen Man parked the car in front of the dormitory building, turned her head, and said, “Xiao Ke, bye-bye.”

“Bye-bye, Manman, Lin Shu,” Xia Ke said with a smile, a look of immense relief on her face.

She got out of the car nimbly and ran into the building as fast as a rabbit.

Only the two of them were left in the car.

Shen Man drove the car off campus and pulled over on the side of the road.

Turning around to face Lin Shu, she said with a smile, “Shushu, come sit in the front.”

Lin Shu shot her a sideways glance, her eyes conveying clear refusal.

Shen Man continued to smile softly, her tone gentle and coaxing. “Shushu, it’s all my fault. Don’t be angry, okay?”

“Where were you wrong?” Lin Shu demanded angrily.

The moment she spoke, a bellyful of grievances came pouring out, and tears instantly welled up in her eyes.

“I shouldn’t have been so impulsive, I shouldn’t have deliberately said I didn’t know you, and I especially shouldn’t have lost control and… been so rough with you,” Shen Man reflected seriously.

Given her personality, none of the things she mentioned should have ever happened.

These words were not only an apology to Lin Shu but also a reminder to herself.

“An apology requires sincerity!” Lin Shu sniffled, scolding her with red eyes. She touched her wrist and said, “My wrist still hurts.”

Shen Man immediately moved over and took Lin Shu’s wrist.

A clear red mark was still visible on the fair skin, a result of her using excessive force in a fit of rage.

Shen Man’s fine brows furrowed slightly, a trace of heartache welling up inside her.

Holding that wrist, she brought it to her lips and blew on it gently.

Lin Shu instantly felt a tingling numbness, and the spot where her breath touched began to itch.

She couldn’t help but pull her hand back, her face stern as she said loudly, “I don’t need your fake concern!”

Shen Man obediently let go, not a hint of anger on her face.

The corners of her lips curved up into a gentle smile. “I’m sorry I hurt you this time.”

Lin Shu huffed through her nose twice and turned her head away.

Shen Man didn’t press further and returned to the driver’s seat.

Her apologies, made three times and then twice², had no effect; on the contrary, the aggrieved expression on the young girl’s face intensified.

Every glance was a silent accusation of her out-of-control behavior tonight.

Shen Man did not like this feeling of being out of control.

The hunting game between her and Lin Shu had always been one where she controlled the rhythm, teasing this simple little prey.

She would not allow the rules of the game to be reversed!

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