I Am More Paranoid Than the Villain – Chapter 95

Two People Alone

An Unsatisfying Revenge

The sky had just brightened when Shen Man got up.

She finished washing up, meticulously applied her makeup, and picked out the most suitable outfit.

Dressed and ready.

Shen Man faced the mirror, carefully checking every little detail on her body.

Confirming there were no issues, she left with her luggage.

After driving to the vicinity of Lin Shu’s residential complex, Shen Man first went to the supermarket to buy groceries.

She bought many dishes that Lin Shu liked to eat. Thinking that the refrigerator lacked ingredients for breakfast, she also bought two jin¹ of millet², planning to cook millet congee³ for Lin Shu.

Shen Man came out of the supermarket and drove to the base of Lin Shu’s apartment building.

She pondered for a moment, then picked up her phone to call Lin Shu.

The call was answered just as the ringing was about to end, and a voice filled with fury came through, “Why are you calling me so early? I was sleeping perfectly fine, and you woke me up!”

“Shushu, I’m downstairs. I bought a lot of things, come down and help me carry some of it,” Shen Man said gently, holding the phone a short distance away.

“President Shen, please get this straight. Your task is to do the laundry and cook, to take care of my daily life, not to order me around to do things for you!” Lin Shu said coldly, her words laced with suppressed anger. “Here, you’re just a nanny, nothing more. Don’t actually think of yourself as a president.”

“I don’t have a key, so I must ask Director Lin to help me open the door,” Shen Man said in a calm tone, changing the form of address as if she didn’t mind the scolding at all.

A mouthful of rage got stuck in Lin Shu’s throat; she couldn’t swallow it down, nor could she spit it out.

She gnashed her teeth furiously, not saying a word.

“Shushu, I’ll make you shrimp and red date millet congee to eat later,” Shen Man said with a light laugh.

Hearing the name of the congee, Lin Shu’s stomach couldn’t help but let out a ‘gu’ sound.

After a moment of silence, she got out of bed with a cold expression.

Hearing the sound of footsteps from the other end of the line, Shen Man revealed a satisfied smile.

She opened the car door and carried the groceries upstairs.

Lin Shu stood at the doorway, staring coldly at Shen Man.

As if she hadn’t noticed, Shen Man changed her shoes with a natural expression and carried the groceries toward the kitchen.

Lin Shu crossed her arms and followed behind her.

Leaning against the kitchen doorframe, she said coldly, “You’re not allowed to disturb my sleep in the future.”

Shen Man put on an apron, turned her head, and asked with a light smile, “But I don’t have a key. If I need to come in to cook, I can only have Shushu open the door.”

Lin Shu was choked by these words. After a moment of silence, she said angrily, “You’ll use this set of keys from now on. If you lose them, don’t blame me for not being polite.”

“Thank you, Shushu. I will definitely take good care of them and won’t lose them,” Shen Man said with a smile.

She deliberately dragged out the last two words, as if hinting at something.

“It’s best that you don’t,” Lin Shu warned.

After speaking, she walked to the living room, sat on the sofa, and turned on the TV.

The sounds of running water and chopping vegetables came from the kitchen from time to time, sounding quite lively.

Lin Shu lay down comfortably, faintly able to see that busy figure.

Sunlight spilled in, briefly blurring her vision and giving her the illusion of having returned to the past.

Lin Shu let out a sneer, dispelling this ridiculous thought from her mind.

She picked up the remote control and randomly flipped through the channels.

She flipped through them again and again out of boredom but couldn’t find a single program that interested her.

Lin Shu tossed the remote aside and closed her eyes, feigning sleep.

A sweet fragrance suddenly wafted to the tip of her nose.

It was the smell of millet congee, with the sweetness of red dates.

She couldn’t help but open her eyes, sit up, and gaze toward the kitchen.

Shen Man poked her head out and smiled gently. “Shushu, just ten more minutes, and the millet congee will be ready.”

Lin Shu ignored her indifferently, turning her head to stare at the TV.

Shen Man finished cooking the congee and ladled out a bowl.

She brought it to Lin Shu and said, “The millet congee is a little hot, eat slowly.”

“I know, you don’t need to be so nosy,” Lin Shu said, dissatisfied.

Shen Man smiled nonchalantly, turned, and went back to the kitchen to continue her work.

Lin Shu scooped up a spoonful of congee, blew on it gently by her lips, and took a small taste.

The fragrance of the millet congee, with its perfectly balanced sweetness, lingered on her taste buds, stimulating her appetite.

After spending a few years abroad, she still wasn’t used to foreign breakfasts.

During her time at work, she had always just bought some breakfast outside to fill her stomach.

Today’s breakfast finally gave her a feeling of enjoyment.

Lin Shu ate slowly, her mood gradually improving.

She finished the entire bowl of congee.

Shen Man finished preparing the vegetables in the kitchen, came out, and glanced at the empty bowl.

She said with a smile, “Shushu, I’m going to wash the dishes. If you’re sleepy, go back to your room and rest for a while.”

“I’ll do whatever I want to do, I don’t need you to order me around.” Lin Shu frowned impatiently and shot Shen Man a sideways glance. “Just do what you’re supposed to do.”

After speaking, she stood up and walked toward her room.

Shen Man stood where she was, a playful smile in her eyes.

Watching Lin Shu close the bedroom door, she walked toward the entryway.

She changed her shoes, picked up the keys from the cabinet, and went out.

Just as she got downstairs, her phone rang. It was a call from Lin Shu.

Shen Man answered and spoke first, “I’m coming downstairs to get my luggage. I’ll be right back up.”

“Shen Man, do you not know your own status?” Lin Shu berated loudly, her words filled with vexation. “Don’t you know to report to me before you go out?”

“Okay, Director Lin, I’ll pay attention next time,” Shen Man said good-naturedly.

Lin Shu hung up and threw the phone aside.

She sat on the bed, fuming, and bit her lip.

No matter how she made things difficult with a cold attitude or said all sorts of nasty things, Shen Man remained unmoved, as if she were incapable of getting angry.

On the contrary, it was she who felt all kinds of stifled frustration, like a fist hitting cotton⁴.

Lin Shu clenched her fists in annoyance.

Her eyes darted around, and a smile gradually appeared on her small face.

She refused to believe that Shen Man could keep tolerating it forever.

Shen Man entered with her luggage.

She glanced at Lin Shu’s room and walked over to knock on the door.

Lin Shu opened the door, her small face full of displeasure. “What is it?”

“I came to tell Director Lin that I’m back,” Shen Man said with a slight, gentle, and harmless smile.

“Got it,” Lin Shu said irritably.

With a ‘peng’, she slammed the door shut.

The smile on Shen Man’s face did not fade. She carried her luggage to the room Lin Shu had prepared for her.

Lin Shu had moved many things out of the room, making it look empty and spacious.

From the looks of it, Lin Shu probably didn’t intend to let her stay for long.

She just didn’t know when this aojiao⁵ young miss would get tired of this game.

Shen Man smiled, organizing her things in a cheerful mood.

Opening the closet, she saw a cute stuffed doll lying face down, likely missed by Lin Shu.

She took the doll out and placed it in the most conspicuous spot on the headboard.

After dealing with some company matters for a while, it was time to make lunch.

Shen Man came out of her room.

Seeing Lin Shu sitting on the sofa, she asked with a smile, “Shushu, what do you want to eat for lunch?”

“Whatever,” Lin Shu replied without looking up, her eyes on the TV.

“Okay,” Shen Man responded and entered the kitchen.

She made a few of Lin Shu’s favorite dishes.

Shen Man brought the dishes to the table.

A table full of meat dishes, with no green vegetables.

Lin Shu glanced over and glared at Shen Man, dissatisfied. “Why are there no green vegetables? Eating so much meat will raise my blood lipids, and I’ll get fat.”

“You did this on purpose, didn’t you?” she growled coldly.

Shen Man didn’t explain.

Lin Shu was clearly trying to find fault with her. Regardless of whether she made green vegetables or not, Lin Shu would have yelled at her.

“Speak up! Isn’t President Shen usually quite eloquent? Why have you gone mute now?” Lin Shu raised an eyebrow, sneering mockingly.

“There are green vegetables in the fridge that I bought this morning. I’ll go stir-fry some now,” Shen Man said with an unchanged expression, her eyes looking at Lin Shu.

“What are you looking at me for? Aren’t you going to the kitchen to stir-fry the vegetables? Are you trying to starve me to death?” Lin Shu said angrily.

“Shushu, you sit down and eat first. I’ll be quick with the stir-fry,” Shen Man said gently, as if she hadn’t seen Lin Shu’s anger.

Lin Shu snorted coldly and sat down at the dining table.

Shen Man took the green vegetables out of the fridge and walked toward the kitchen.

Lin Shu slowly ate her meal.

When she saw Shen Man come out with the stir-fried vegetables, she immediately showed a disgusted expression, pointed at the dishes on the table, and said, “This braised fish is too spicy, the stir-fried pork is too salty, and this plate of green vegetables—just looking at it makes me lose my appetite.”

Shen Man put the dish down with a calm expression.

With a ‘clang’, neither light nor heavy.

Lin Shu’s heart skipped a beat, and her imposing manner weakened slightly.

Feeling that she couldn’t lose, she quickly put on a condescending posture again.

With her chin held high, she glared sideways at Shen Man and questioned in a deep voice, “Are you dissatisfied with something?”

“No,” Shen Man chuckled lightly and sat down elegantly.

She prepared to eat with a calm look on her face.

Lin Shu glanced at her and put down her chopsticks.

“What’s wrong?” Shen Man immediately asked with concern.

“I’m full,” Lin Shu said haughtily, staring at Shen Man. “Aren’t you going to cut some fruit yet?”

“Okay, I’ll go right now.” Shen Man put down her untouched bowl of rice and got up to cut fruit.

Lin Shu sat on the sofa, her eyes fixed on the kitchen.

When she saw Shen Man come out, she quickly averted her gaze and complained, “What took you so long?”

Shen Man knew she hadn’t been slow, but she still went along with Lin Shu’s words. “Sorry to have kept Director Lin waiting.”

Lin Shu snorted and slowly enjoyed her after-meal fruit.

Shen Man stood by her side for a while. Seeing that Lin Shu had no more requests, she walked to the dining table to eat again.

Lin Shu gazed at that tall, straight back, hesitated for a moment, and swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue.

After lunch, Shen Man cleared the table.

In the afternoon, she cleaned the entire house and rearranged the layout according to Lin Shu’s requirements.

Busy as she was, the day passed quickly.

After washing up, Shen Man lay on the bed, her body relaxed.

Staring at the unfamiliar surroundings, her eyes fell into deep thought.

These ‘torture’ methods of Lin Shu’s were painless and pointless to her.

If anyone else were to face Lin Shu’s constant fault-finding, they would surely be ashamed and angry.

But she could keep her cool; she had the absolute patience and self-control to play with Lin Shu until the very end.

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The sky on Sunday was gloomy, and it had been raining since morning.

Lin Shu sat on the sofa with a cold expression.

Shen Man knew she didn’t like rainy days and asked gently, “Do you want me to draw the curtains?”

Lin Shu didn’t speak, her brow furrowed as she stared ahead.

Seeing this, Shen Man closed the curtains.

She turned on all the lights in the house and put on some soothing music.

The sound of the rain outside was blocked, and under the cover of the music, it was almost inaudible.

Lin Shu sat quietly, her eyes following Shen Man’s busy figure.

Shen Man sensed a gaze stuck to her.

When she looked back, Lin Shu had already averted her eyes.

“Concentrate on your chores, don’t look all over the place!” Lin Shu scolded.

“Okay,” Shen Man replied obediently.

By the afternoon, the rain grew heavier, pattering loudly against the windows.

Lin Shu frowned in annoyance and went back to her room to sleep.

Seeing this, Shen Man turned off the music.

She picked up a magazine from the living room and read it slowly to pass the time.

The sky outside gradually darkened, and the rain lessened.

Shen Man got up, preparing to make dinner.

Lin Shu came out of her room, her eyes sleepy as she said, “I want to eat steak.”

“There’s no steak in the fridge. I’ll go to the supermarket to buy some,” Shen Man said.

Lin Shu shook her head and designated a high-end restaurant. “Go buy it from there now.”

“Okay,” Shen Man agreed, grabbing her bag and heading out.

Lin Shu walked to the balcony, opened the curtains, and watched as Shen Man’s car gradually disappeared from view.

She looked up at the sky; it was still drizzling.

The rain wasn’t heavy, but the gloomy weather was unpleasant.

Lin Shu closed the curtains, turned on the TV, and selected a comedy show.

Time passed bit by bit, and the rain suddenly intensified.

Lin Shu frowned, a hint of worry rising in her heart.

She picked up her phone, hesitated for a moment, and dialed Shen Man’s number.

She tried calling several times in a row, but no one answered.

Lin Shu couldn’t help but grow agitated. She grabbed her keys, preparing to go out.

When she reached the entryway, she paused.

Her eyes lowered, she stood silently for a moment before returning to the living room.

Lin Shu put the keys back in her bag, hugged a throw pillow, and lay down.

The sound of the rain outside made her uneasy, and she frequently glanced toward the entryway.

Suddenly, with a ‘click’, the sound of the front door opening was heard.

Lin Shu immediately adjusted her posture, lying down in a completely relaxed manner.

Shen Man entered, carrying the packaged steak.

After changing her shoes, she walked over and said, “Shushu, sorry to keep you waiting.”

Lin Shu pouted, her small face full of impatience.

Her gaze fell on Shen Man’s shoulder and saw that it was wet.

She paused for a moment, then quickly averted her eyes and said discontentedly, “I called you, why didn’t you answer?”

“I was probably picking up the food at that time and didn’t have my phone with me,” Shen Man explained in a gentle voice.

“Don’t let this happen again. You must answer my calls!” Lin Shu said forcefully.

Shen Man nodded hastily.

“What are you still standing here for? Are you trying to drip water on my steak?” Lin Shu glared, speaking angrily.

Shen Man smiled. “I’m going to take a shower. Call me if you need anything.”

Lin Shu ignored her and started eating the steak.

Shen Man came out after her shower, wearing a bathrobe.

Seeing that Lin Shu had already finished the steak, she asked with a smile, “Shushu, want some fruit?”

“No,” Lin Shu said coldly, her eyes focused on the TV.

Seeing this, Shen Man tidied up the coffee table and went to the kitchen to cook some noodles.

Smelling the aroma of the noodles, Lin Shu felt that her just-filled stomach was hungry again.

She stood up, walked past the kitchen doorway, and asked haughtily, “What are you cooking?”

“Noodles,” Shen Man turned her head and replied with a smile. “Shushu, would you like some?”

“Eating too much at night will make me fat. Are you trying to make me fat?” Lin Shu questioned loudly with a cold face.

“Shushu is so thin, eating a little more won’t make you fat,” Shen Man said with a sincere expression.

Lin Shu snorted, turned around, the corners of her lips curling up slightly.

Shen Man came out with the bowl of noodles, sat at the dining table, and ate slowly.

Lin Shu watched the TV, the corner of her eye occasionally glancing in Shen Man’s direction.

Shen Man finished her noodles with a calm expression and tidied up the kitchen.

She came out and said, “Shushu, is there anything else? If not, I’ll go back to my room to rest.”

Lin Shu glanced at her but didn’t speak.

“Call me if you need anything,” Shen Man smiled and walked toward her room.

Lin Shu watched as the door was closed, her lips parted, but she still didn’t say anything.

She watched TV for a while, then got up to take a shower.

In her room, Shen Man was arranging her work for the next day.

She sent a message to Wen Lan, saying, “For the next week, postpone anything unimportant. I need to get off work on time. Schedule all appointments and social engagements for the week after.”

Wen Lan was stunned.

After a long moment, she finally processed it and replied, “Okay, President Shen.”

After replying, she couldn’t help but ask, “President Shen, do you have something important to attend to this week?”

“It’s nothing much,” Shen Man chuckled, her voice carrying a relaxed mood. “I’ve recently taken in a delicate little kitten and must prepare dinner for her on time.”

“You like cats?” Wen Lan was even more confused.

From what she understood, Shen Man didn’t dislike animals, but it wasn’t apparent that she liked them much either. At the very least, she didn’t have the leisure and mood to adopt one.

Shen Man didn’t say much more. After giving a few more instructions, she ended the call.

She placed her phone aside, leaned against the headboard, and read a book quietly.

A knock came at the door.

Shen Man put down her book and got up to open it.

Lin Shu was standing outside in her pajamas.

The light, soft material clung to her skin, outlining her slender and delicate figure.

Shen Man glanced at her, then averted her gaze.

She asked with a smile, “Shushu, what’s wrong?”

“I just accidentally twisted my ankle. Rub it for me,” Lin Shu said angrily.

Her red-lipped mouth was puffed out slightly, as if she were acting spoiled⁶.

“Go sit on the sofa,” Shen Man said immediately.

“My foot already hurts, and you want me to walk that far?” Lin Shu blamed loudly, forcefully pushing open Shen Man’s door. “This whole house is mine. I’ll sit wherever I want.”

As she spoke, she held her chin high, a look of entitlement on her face.

Shen Man didn’t argue.

She reached out to support Lin Shu’s arm and helped her to the side of the bed to sit down.

Lin Shu looked around the room, propping her hands on the bed and swinging her little feet lightly.

Shen Man squatted down and looked up to ask, “Where does it hurt?”

“My left ankle hurts,” Lin Shu said, her lips involuntarily turning down. “It’s all your fault for mopping the floor too clean, causing me to almost slip.”

“I’m sorry, I’ll be more careful next time,” Shen Man apologized immediately, not saying anything unnecessary as she gently massaged Lin Shu’s ankle.

The marble tiles in the bathroom were non-slip, and the slippers were non-slip too.

The design of every area had taken into account the possibility of falling and had certain protections in place.

As long as one was a little careful, they wouldn’t slip.

“It hurts…” Lin Shu frowned, looking at Shen Man aggrievedly. “Can’t you be a little gentler?”

“Are you deliberately pinching me to make it hurt?”

“I’ll be gentler,” Shen Man quickly soothed her, carefully controlling the strength in her hands. “Is this okay?”

“A little gentler,” Lin Shu said delicately.

Shen Man’s movements became even lighter.

After more than ten minutes of rubbing, Lin Shu felt much better.

Staring at Shen Man, she said coldly, “President Shen is so skilled. I’m afraid you’ve rubbed the feet of quite a few women, haven’t you?”

Hearing this, Shen Man smiled but didn’t speak.

“Why aren’t you answering?” Lin Shu couldn’t help but press, her small face full of anger. “Did you really…”

“Shushu, do you care?” Shen Man interrupted with a smile, standing up.

Her tall figure cast a shadow, enveloping Lin Shu within it.

Lin Shu’s heart tightened, and her fingers unconsciously clasped together.

She stood up in a fluster and retorted loudly, “Who cares about you?”

As she spoke, she quickly walked out.

She had only taken two steps when a sharp pain shot through her foot.

“Ngh…” Lin Shu instantly squatted down in pain.

A hand reached out from the side, its joints distinct, long, and slender.

Lin Shu bit her lip, somewhat unwillingly taking that hand.

Shen Man gently helped her up and said in a deep voice, “I’ll help you back to your room.”

Lin Shu snorted but didn’t refuse.

Her foot hurt badly, so she leaned most of her body weight onto Shen Man.

Shen Man bore the weight without any effort, a relaxed expression on her face.

After helping Lin Shu back to her room, Shen Man instructed, “Don’t move around too much when you sleep, and especially don’t rub it randomly.”

“I know, I don’t need you to teach me,” Lin Shu said irritably, her eyes fixed on Shen Man. “Aren’t you leaving yet?”

The intention of shooing her away was obvious.

Shen Man’s expression didn’t change as she obediently walked out.

Just before leaving, Lin Shu suddenly said, “Have you… rubbed another woman’s foot just like you did today?”

Shen Man smiled, putting on a thoughtful expression.

Seeing that Lin Shu was about to get angry, she said in a relaxed tone, “My cat broke its leg once. I rubbed it just like this.”

Hearing this answer, Lin Shu’s expression softened slightly.

She said loudly, “Close the door. Don’t disturb my rest.”

Shen Man smiled and closed the door.

Lin Shu sat on the edge of the bed, her eyes lowered in thought. She belatedly realized that Shen Man had just been joking.

She bit her lip in annoyance, her small hands pounding the bed, her face filled with the anger of being toyed with.

Shen Man returned to her room in a cheerful mood, not at all worried about whether her actions just now would anger Lin Shu.

Even if she truly did everything exactly as Lin Shu demanded, she would still be given a hard time.

It was better to tease Lin Shu occasionally to add a little spice to life.

For the following week, Shen Man got off work on time every day to cook dinner for Lin Shu.

Lin Shu remained extremely picky, always speaking to her with cold words and occasionally throwing in a sarcastic remark or two.

Shen Man endured it all with calm composure, showing no signs of anger.

A strange kind of peace was maintained between the two of them.

Lin Shu’s mood couldn’t be described as good, nor could it be described as bad.

She was indeed making things difficult for Shen Man in various ways, but it wasn’t achieving the effect she wanted.

Shen Man’s tolerance was far beyond her imagination.

“Shushu, I have a charity gala to attend next Wednesday. I probably won’t be able to come over and make dinner for you,” Shen Man said.

“I don’t need you to come. I received an invitation too,” Lin Shu said coldly.

“That’s perfect. We can go together,” Shen Man’s eyes curved as she invited with a smile.

“Who wants to go with you?” Lin Shu refused bluntly, saying haughtily, “I don’t want people to get the wrong idea. Even if we happen to run into each other, please don’t act like you know me well.”

“Okay,” Shen Man agreed, following good advice as naturally as water flows downstream⁷.

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