I Am More Paranoid Than the Villain – Chapter 68

Red Mark on a Fair Shoulder

Shushu, your skin is so soft.

There were many women’s brand-name stores on the fifth floor of the mall.

The four of them took the escalator up to the fifth floor.

Yin Ruxu pointed to one of the stores and said, “Xiao Ke, let’s go check this one out.”

Xia Ke smiled and nodded, then looked at Shen Man. “Manman, over here.”

“Okay.” Shen Man held Lin Shu’s hand and followed them.

When a sales associate saw the four of them, she greeted them warmly and smilingly introduced the new arrivals in the store.

Yin Ruxu and Xia Ke began to choose carefully.

Shen Man casually picked up the tag on a piece of clothing and glanced at the price.

It was reasonable, not too expensive.

Lin Shu swept her gaze over the store before sitting down, bored.

She cupped her cheeks with her hands, staring blankly ahead.

Shen Man could see she wasn’t interested in the clothes here. She walked over, sat down, and said, “Shushu, which stores do you want to look at?”

Lin Shu casually named two high-end brands, then glanced in Yin Ruxu’s direction and scoffed. “The dress she’s wearing today costs more than most of the clothes here. I really don’t know what she’s doing in a place like this.”

Shen Man chuckled softly, offering no comment.

This was Xia Ke and Yin Ruxu’s first formal date shopping together.

Yin Ruxu naturally had to be a bit more reserved and not let her ambition show all over her face. Even if she wanted something expensive, she would hint at it so the other person would offer to buy it for her.

After looking around for a while, Xia Ke and Yin Ruxu didn’t pick out any clothes.

They walked over and said, “Manman, let’s go look at other stores.”

Hearing this, Lin Shu was the first to get up and walk out.

She said nothing, but her cold attitude made it seem like she was getting impatient.

Xia Ke’s brow furrowed slightly as she looked at Shen Man. “Manman, what’s wrong with Lin Shu? Is she still angry?”

“Don’t overthink it,” Shen Man said, comforting her with a smile. Seeing that Xia Ke was still frowning, she added, “Even if Shushu is angry, she’s angry at me. It has nothing to do with you two.”

“That’s good.” Xia Ke breathed a sigh of relief, her smile becoming radiant. She said to Yin Ruxu, “Ah Xu, Lin Shu’s personality is just like that. She’s not targeting anyone.”

Yin Ruxu nodded obediently and glanced cautiously at Shen Man, explaining, “I’m a bit slow when I’m picking things out. I was afraid I’d make you wait too long.”

“You’re supposed to take your time when you’re shopping. We’re all out together, so what’s the big deal about waiting?” Xia Ke comforted her with a smile and looked at Shen Man. “Right, Manman?”

“Mhm,” Shen Man responded noncommittally.

Lin Shu, who had already walked out the door, saw the three of them still standing there talking and felt a wave of displeasure.

She shouted at Shen Man, “You’re not even buying anything, so what are you still dawdling for?”

“Okay, coming right now,” Shen Man replied with a good-natured smile. She looked at Yin Ruxu and said, “We’re all shopping together to have fun and enjoy ourselves. It’s best not to say things like what you just said, to avoid spoiling the mood.”

Her tone deepened on the last sentence.

Yin Ruxu sensed the warning in her words and couldn’t help but clench her fists.

She wanted to explain, but when she met Shen Man’s sharp gaze, she panicked and lowered her head.

Xia Ke felt her hand suddenly being squeezed tightly and asked with concern, “Ah Xu, what’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing, let’s go, don’t let…” Yin Ruxu said in a small voice, but she stopped when she saw Shen Man’s gaze on her.

“Let’s go,” Shen Man said with a smile, turning to walk out.

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Lin Shu chose a high-end brand store.

After looking around, she walked up to an off-white, off-the-shoulder dress and said, “Get this dress for me to see.”

“Of course, please wait a moment,” the sales associate said politely, quickly taking the dress down.

Lin Shu took the dress and went into the fitting room.

Shen Man stood nearby, admiring the clothes in the store.

“Manman, aren’t you buying any clothes?” Xia Ke asked.

Shen Man smiled and shook her head. “I have enough clothes to wear.”

“Manman, don’t be polite. If you see something you like, just tell me. I’ll buy it for you,” Xia Ke said generously, her expression sincere.

Hearing this, a trace of dissatisfaction grew in Yin Ruxu’s heart, but her face showed a thoughtful and sensible smile. “Shen Man, you really don’t have to be so polite. Do you like this dress?”

As she spoke, she pointed to a sapphire-blue dress. “If you like it, why don’t you go try it on?”

Shen Man smiled, her cool face carrying a hint of distance. “Xiao Ke, it’s not that I can’t afford the clothes here.”

“You don’t need to worry about me. Just focus on picking out clothes for your girlfriend.”

A look of confusion appeared in Xia Ke’s eyes. She asked curiously, “Manman, I know your family’s financial situation. Where did you get the money?”

“It couldn’t be that Lin Shu is buying things for you, right?” Her tone was sincere, with no hint of mockery.

Shen Man gave a mysterious smile. “I earned a little money from a part-time job during winter break.”

“And it was Yin Ruxu who helped me get it.” As she said this, she looked pointedly at Yin Ruxu, the smile in her eyes tinged with coldness.

Yin Ruxu’s heart skipped a beat. She quickly averted her gaze and pointed randomly at a piece of clothing. “Xiao Ke, what do you think of this one?”

Xia Ke’s attention was immediately diverted. She followed her finger and thought for a moment before saying, “Not bad. Miss, could we see two of those?”

“Of course.” The sales associate brought over two of the same size.

Xia Ke took the clothes, held Yin Ruxu’s hand, and walked toward one of the fitting rooms.

A flicker of impatience crossed Shen Man’s eyes.

She glanced down at her watch. Five minutes had already passed.

Lin Shu still hadn’t come out of the fitting room.

Shen Man reached out and knocked lightly on the fitting room door. “Shushu, are you done changing?”

“Shen Man, this is all your fault!” Lin Shu’s annoyed voice came from inside.

If one listened closely, a hint of shyness could be heard in her tone.

Shen Man’s eyes flashed as she instantly understood the reason.

She knocked again, a cheerful smile on her face. “Do you want me to come in and help you take a look?”

Lin Shu bit her lip, looking down at the obvious red mark on her collarbone.

Annoyed, she opened the door a crack.

Shen Man took the handle and gently pushed.

She opened the door just enough for her to slip through.

Shen Man entered quickly and closed the door behind her.

With a ‘click,’ the sound was extremely loud in the small fitting room.

Lin Shu’s heart trembled, and she instantly regretted her decision.

She looked up, her red lips slightly parted, about to tell Shen Man to get out, when she unexpectedly met a pair of eyes against the light.

They were deep and dark, seeming to hold a smile, yet also hiding a sense of danger.

“Shushu, this dress suits you very well.” Shen Man reached out, her long, slender fingertips landing precisely on the girl’s delicate collarbone.

The soft pads of her fingers rubbed against the red mark on the collarbone, and her drawn-out final words, carrying a warm breath, landed by the girl’s ear.

A wave of heat rose on Lin Shu’s fair little face.

The place she touched felt like it was on fire, a sensation that quickly spread to every cell in her body. Her whole body was so hot it couldn’t help but tremble.

Shen Man noticed this movement, and the smile in her eyes deepened.

Her fingertips made a circle, brushing past the girl’s fair shoulder to brace against the wall behind her.

Lin Shu’s vision darkened.

An enlarged, cool and beautiful face appeared in her pupils, occupying her entire line of sight.

Their noses were almost touching.

Lin Shu’s heart skipped a beat, and she subconsciously held her breath.

She clasped her hands tightly together in front of her chest.

Shen Man’s lips curled up as she let out a soft breath toward that lovely face. “Shushu, your skin is so soft. A tiny mark can last for so long.”

“Just like a winter plum in the snow¹, vibrant and dazzling. It’s beautiful.”

Hearing this, all of Lin Shu’s nervousness and shyness turned into anger.

Her round eyes glared fiercely at Shen Man. “If it weren’t for you, I could be wearing this beautiful dress and looking at myself in the mirror right now.”

“If you don’t mind, you could also wear it out like this,” Shen Man said, the corners of her lips turning up, her voice slightly husky.

As she spoke, her soft red lips were almost touching the girl’s earlobe.

Lin Shu turned her head, trying to avoid the scorching breath by her ear.

The next second, her chin was pinched by two slender fingers, forcing her to meet that pair of deep eyes.

“Shushu…” Shen Man called out softly, her low voice filled with amusement.

Lin Shu subconsciously closed her eyes, her long, curly lashes trembling uneasily.

Fingers that weren’t hers landed on her shoulder, slid down her smooth skin, paused for a moment on her chest, then deftly moved to her back and grabbed something dangling there.

“The price tag on this dress is acceptable,” a calm and soothing voice said by her ear.

Lin Shu’s eyes flew open, her clear gaze filled with disbelief.

“Shushu, don’t tell me you thought I was going to kiss you?” Shen Man’s voice was laced with laughter.

As she looked at the girl’s stunned eyes, the upward tilt of her own eyes was full of wicked delight.

“You…” Lin Shu was furious, her snow-white chest heaving violently.

Her little face was flushed red with anger, and her round eyes shimmered as if holding back immense grievance.

Shen Man enjoyed the girl’s expression of being shamed into a rage² with great interest.

After a moment, she lowered her head, and her restrained features instantly became gentle and affectionate.

“As you wish,” she said.

Before Lin Shu could react to what that meant, she felt a warmth on her lips.

She froze in surprise, her eyelashes fluttering, hiding the light in her eyes.

Shen Man gave her a light kiss, then let her go.

She stood up straight, her gaze falling on the red mark. “Shushu,” she teased, “perhaps today isn’t a good day to buy clothes.”

Lin Shu immediately covered her collarbone with her hand and wiped her lips fiercely.

She turned her head away proudly. “I’m buying this one. And you’re paying for it!”

“Alright, alright, this one it is.” Shen Man agreed with a smile, opened the door, and walked out.

Just as she stepped out, she saw Xia Ke standing nearby, wearing a beautiful red dress.

“Manman, what do you think? Does it look good?” Xia Ke pinched the hem of her skirt and twirled around, a happy smile blooming on her face.

“It looks good,” Shen Man said with a nod and a smile.

“I think so too. It suits both me and Ah Xu,” Xia Ke said, her eyes curving with satisfaction. She looked at Yin Ruxu. “I think Ah Xu looks even better in it.”

Yin Ruxu shyly lowered her head, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

Shen Man glanced over, her face habitually forming a standard smile. “What about the one you picked out earlier?”

“Ah Xu said she didn’t like it, so we switched to this one,” Xia Ke said, her expression becoming cheerful. “The sales associate said this is the newest style in the store, and there are only these two.”

“So my matching outfit with Ah Xu is one of a kind,” she lowered her voice, her light blue eyes filled with happy shyness.

Shen Man looked at Yin Ruxu.

Yin Ruxu averted her gaze, looking uncomfortable.

“The most expensive isn’t necessarily the best. I think blue would look better on you. This red one, however, suits Yin Ruxu quite well,” Shen Man said, looking at Xia Ke and offering her sincere advice.

Xia Ke blinked, lost in thought for a moment before saying happily, “As long as it suits Ah Xu, I’m fine with anything.”

Shen Man felt a bit helpless.

“Manman, why is Lin Shu taking so long to come out?” Xia Ke asked curiously.

Just as she finished speaking, Lin Shu came out wearing her own clothes. With a cold expression on her face, she walked past them and headed straight for the cashier.

Xia Ke glanced at Shen Man and whispered, “Why do I feel like Lin Shu is even angier than before?”

“What did you do to make her mad?”

“Nothing,” Shen Man replied with a smile, catching up to Lin Shu.

Xia Ke turned back and smiled at Yin Ruxu. “Ah Xu, is there anything else you want to buy?”

Yin Ruxu shook her head gently, her eyes full of consideration. “This one already cost you a lot of money. It’s okay.”

“It’s no problem. As long as you like it, that’s all that matters,” Xia Ke said with a smile.

Yin Ruxu was tempted. She hesitated for a moment but still shook her head. “Let’s go check out too, so we don’t keep them waiting.”

“Alright then,” Xia Ke nodded with a smile.

The two changed back into their clothes.

Xia Ke placed two bags on the counter and paid swiftly.

As soon as the payment was complete, Yin Ruxu eagerly picked up her bag.

She held it carefully in her arms as if afraid someone would snatch it away.

“This new summer arrival probably costs more than any of your previous clothes,” Lin Shu said coolly.

Her tone was flat, but Yin Ruxu heard the sarcasm in it.

Just as she was about to retort, Xia Ke said with a smile, “I’ll buy Ah Xu many more beautiful clothes in the future, so she can be pretty every day.”

Yin Ruxu’s heart tightened, and her fingertips unconsciously clenched the exquisite shopping bag.

She lowered her eyes. After a long moment, she looked up and gave a gentle smile. “Thank you, Xiao Ke.”

“You’re welcome. This is what I should do,” Xia Ke said, her face flushing. She reached out her hand. “Let me carry that.”

Yin Ruxu’s fingertips rubbed the edge of the bag a few times before she let go and handed it over. “I’ll trouble you then.”

Xia Ke smiled, put the two bags together, and carried them in one hand.

She held Yin Ruxu’s hand with the other and walked out naturally. “Manman, let’s go look at some other stores.”

“Okay,” Shen Man replied, then turned her head to look at Lin Shu. “Do you want me to carry that for you?”

Lin Shu snorted coldly, shouldered her own purse, and walked out empty-handed.

Shen Man smiled helplessly and followed with the bag.

The four of them shopped for the entire afternoon.

Shen Man didn’t buy a single thing. Lin Shu, on the other hand, bought quite a lot—dozens of items in total.

Except for the first dress she bought, Lin Shu paid for everything else herself.

Xia Ke also bought many things, mostly for Yin Ruxu.

Between the two of them, they were carrying more than ten bags, all with designer logos.

“Manman, we have too much stuff. Let’s put it in Lin Shu’s car first,” Xia Ke suggested.

Shen Man looked to Lin Shu for her opinion.

“Go on, hurry up. I’ll wait for you here,” Lin Shu said, sitting down on a nearby bench.

“Ah Xu, you’ve been walking for so long, you should rest too. We’ll be right back after we drop off the stuff,” Xia Ke said with a smile.

“Okay.” Yin Ruxu nodded obediently and stood to the side.

Shen Man and Xia Ke, their hands full of bags, walked toward the parking lot.

Lin Shu and Yin Ruxu were left together, neither of them speaking.

Lin Shu wanted to play on her phone, but when she opened her bag, she remembered it was being repaired.

She pouted and turned to look ahead.

Yin Ruxu stood for a while, then leaned against the wall and initiated a conversation. “Lin Shu, Shen Man is so good to you. She takes care of you in every way, just like a girlfriend.”

She chuckled as she said the last part.

Lin Shu’s fine brows knitted together. “What’s it to you?” she retorted coldly.

“If you have so much time on your hands, you’d be better off thinking about how to maintain your pure and innocent image in front of Xia Ke. The way you couldn’t bear to let go of those designer clothes earlier was truly ugly.”

Yin Ruxu’s face turned pale.

Her fingertips gripped the hem of her skirt tightly, and a look of embarrassment crossed her face.

“But you won’t have to pretend for long. She’s just an exchange student. She’ll be gone in half a year,” Lin Shu said with a contemptuous smile. “By then, you can find a new employer³.”

“I don’t see Xiao Ke as an employer!” Yin Ruxu blurted out emotionally. The moment the words left her mouth, she regretted them and quickly tried to explain, “I don’t know what you mean by ’employer.’ Xiao Ke and I are in a relationship, we’re doing great… She said she would always be good to me…”

“You must have heard enough of those sweet words and honeyed phrases⁴. Do you still believe them?” Lin Shu’s lips curled in disdain. “Even if she was fooled by you into saying that, do you think you can fool her family?”

Yin Ruxu was rendered speechless. She lowered her head and bit her lip tightly.

After a long while, she finally spoke, “Why are you reminding me of this?”

Lin Shu heard the sob in her voice and was slightly taken aback.

A hint of sympathy appeared in her scornful expression. “You knew this from the very beginning, didn’t you? Only an idiot like Xia Ke would fall for your act.”

After saying that, she realized she had been fooled too, and her voice immediately turned cold. “Using tears to act weak and gain sympathy… you’re really good at that.”

A mocking smile touched the corners of Yin Ruxu’s lips.

She closed her eyes, forcing the tiny teardrop back. When she opened them again, she once again had that soft, weak, and pitiful look.

“Lin Shu, you’re very lucky,” she said with a smile.

Lin Shu snorted contemptuously. “You don’t see the whole picture. What right do you have to define someone else’s luck?”

“Don’t tell me your standard for luck is just having money?”

Yin Ruxu was stunned.

When she came to her senses, she asked with an innocent expression, “Isn’t it? With money, you can enjoy a life that others can only dream of.”

Lin Shu couldn’t be bothered to argue with her anymore.

She leaned back against the chair, relaxing, and watched the bustling crowd.

Gradually, a familiar figure appeared in her field of vision.

She couldn’t help but smile, a happy expression on her face.

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