After Getting Bound to Both the Protagonist and the Villain at the Same Time - Chapter 7

“No, she wouldn’t be angry, right?” Lin Chuyi said that aloud, but her heart thudded anxiously.

Shen Qing saw it clearly. Sensible as always, she said, “You’ve already helped me with so much. I’m really grateful.”

She added on her own, “Once I’m back at school, I’ll study hard.”

Thinking about the scene in the office—Niu Qianqian bawling while her parents scolded her, running around the room like a cornered animal—Shen Qing felt a long-awaited breath of relief finally released.

After this incident, Niu Qianqian probably wouldn’t dare bully her again. And now that everyone knew someone was willing to stand up for her, they would no longer treat her like a child without family, someone they could openly torment.

Everything was already so much better than before, Shen Qing thought.

Back then, her only imagined way out was to fight to the death with people like Niu Qianqian. She couldn’t see another solution. She had rehearsed countless times in her mind the image of glass slicing across their throats. She was waiting for a chance—any chance—to breathe under that suffocating sky.

Living under Niu Qianqian’s shadow, Shen Qing had never seen a truly blue sky.

But when she lifted her head toward the window, a beautiful shade of blue quickly filled her eyes.

Today’s weather was so nice.

She had always thought that defeating Niu Qianqian would require her to pay everything—maybe her life, maybe her future. She never imagined that Niu Qianqian was nothing more than a paper tiger.

After Lin Chuyi intervened for her, Shen Qing felt her world open wider than she ever thought possible.

And yet, she still wasn’t qualified to stand beside Lin Chuyi, was she?

But she wanted to. She wanted so, so badly to stand beside her.

Shen Qing lowered her gaze to the tips of her shoes. The washed-out sneakers were slightly stained with mud, but at least they were intact. In their own way, they held up her dignity, making her departure a little less pitiful.

She suppressed the possessiveness simmering deep in her bones and gave Lin Chuyi an obedient smile.

That only made Lin Chuyi’s heart ache more.

If she wasn’t “the villain,” maybe she could have lived a far better life.

Lin Chuyi couldn’t bear to see Shen Qing like this. Her heart softened instantly. “I rented the unit next door. It’s pretty empty inside—no furniture yet,” she said. “How about this? I have a small spare bed here. I’ll move it next door first so we can settle in. You can bring your luggage over later.”

“Next door?” Shen Qing blinked in surprise.

Lin Chuyi took out a key, walked to the apartment directly across the hall, and—trusting that 0927 wouldn’t lie to her—slipped the key into the lock. The door turned easily and swung open.

Shen Qing didn’t know how to describe what she was feeling. She always used her own darkness to measure this person’s sincerity. She kept avoiding whatever bond might form between them, yet Lin Chuyi had already prepared everything, quietly and thoughtfully.

“We’re fully occupied over here, so you’ll have to stay in a room by yourself. Is that okay?” Lin Chuyi reached out to rub Shen Qing’s head. Shen Qing stiffened. It was the first time in her life someone had touched her like that.

And it didn’t feel bad.

Lin Chuyi was still waiting for her answer.

Shen Qing shifted a tiny step closer, making it easier for Lin Chuyi to touch her head again.

She suddenly thought the contact earlier had been far too brief—so brief she hadn’t had time to store away that fleeting warmth.

“Thank you, Jie,” Shen Qing said softly. “I’ve always lived alone so it’s not a problem.”

Lin Chuyi smiled, her gaze melting like spring snow. “These next few days, you can arrange your own study schedule. As for school, we’ll wrap things up properly.”

“Huh?” Shen Qing looked confused.

Given how things had turned out—her classmates now too afraid to bully her, Niu Qianqian getting beaten so badly in front of everyone that she probably couldn’t remain the school tyrant—Shen Qing already felt like she’d received more justice than she ever dreamed of.

Normally these things took countless attempts at mediation, but Lin Chuyi stepped in once and settled everything.

What more could she possibly ask for?

“Jail time and financial compensation,” Lin Chuyi said. “We’re not dropping a single one.”

“But, but their family seems to have connections,” Shen Qing whispered, watching her expression. “Someone got cornered and beaten in the bathroom before—broke a leg. They tried to sue Niu Qianqian, but they were talked into settling privately.”

The school also preferred to suppress the incident rather than escalate it.

Lin Chuyi looked at her gently. “What do you think? Do you want to agree to mediation?”

Shen Qing froze. She hadn’t expected Lin Chuyi to ask for her opinion. She glanced up timidly, first shaking her head tentatively, then with more determination.

“No, I don’t want to. If, if it won’t trouble you, I’d rather not settle.”

“Alright. Then we won’t,” Lin Chuyi said. “Don’t worry—I’ll protect you.”

Shen Qing looked at the girl barely older than herself, warm and fierce enough to strike her soul like a comet. Her throat tightened as she nodded.

The two of them went to the supermarket to buy daily necessities, gradually giving the empty apartment some signs of life.

For the first time, Shen Qing felt what it was like to fill a space that belonged to her—

or perhaps a space that belonged to her and her sister.

Just thinking of Lin Chuyi, even calling out to her softly in her mind, made Shen Qing’s tongue feel sweet.

Lin Chuyi checked the time. It was almost Gu Mian’s dismissal. She explained briefly that she needed to pick her up. Shen Qing nodded obediently, saying she’d take good care of herself the next few days and would contact Lin Chuyi if anything came up.

Seeing her so well-behaved, Lin Chuyi finally relaxed.

“It’s just that.” Shen Qing lowered her eyes. “Jie, could you maybe check on me tonight?” She whispered, “I’m scared to sleep alone.”

Lin Chuyi nodded before she even realized it. “Okay.”

Shen Qing watched her close the door and dropped her gaze.

She had given Lin Chuyi chances to walk away—had even tested her sincerity. She had wanted, in her pettiness, to see Lin Chuyi retreat.

Instead, all she found was herself sinking deeper.

It was the first time she had ever touched warmth.

She wanted to hold onto it a little longer.

Gu Mian was unusually distracted today.

Her intuition rarely failed her. Gu Mian hesitated, wondering if she had overlooked something, but one thing after another kept coming at her so quickly that she never had the time to think it through.

On top of her schoolwork, her parents’ old acquaintances had begun contacting her one after another, hoping to use her to reshuffle the current balance of interests.

Since Gu Mian now held her position openly and legitimately, she naturally had her own considerations. She had made some contact with these people as well, which only added to her busyness.

That afternoon, she was delayed while preparing for a class presentation. She hurried out and went straight to class without having lunch—leaving her no time, unlike on more relaxed days, to stop by the library and join Lin Chuyi for lunch.

Carrying a vague sense of unease, Gu Mian went to the library as soon as class ended. But she did not see Lin Chuyi. Instead, she asked one of Lin Chuyi’s colleagues.

“Xiao Lin? She took the day off,” the librarian told her. “Ay, she ran into some young punks this morning and stepped in to help someone. Heard she even got hurt.”

The librarian embellished as she spoke: “Her phone and everything got knocked to the ground. Luckily, she later sent a message in the group chat saying she was safe.”

She even downloaded the replay of the livestream clip that Lin Chuyi had posted in the group and sent it to Gu Mian. Watching it, Gu Mian felt her chest tighten—each second was more frightening than the last.

Her heart rose to her throat and refused to settle.

She tried calling Lin Chuyi, but there was no answer.

Gu Mian rushed home, and before she opened the door, countless possibilities flickered through her mind.

Some good.

Some terrible.

She didn’t dare think further and simply hastened her steps.

She pushed the door open quickly and was greeted by the familiar scent of home-cooked food.

The warmth hit her like a banked ember suddenly brushed by a breeze, flaring into gentle heat.

Her whole body softened. She called out, her voice melting: “Jie.”

“Hm?” Lin Chuyi stepped out of the kitchen. She had taken the day off and never returned to campus. After stopping by the supermarket, she decided she might as well cook herself a simple bowl of noodles for dinner. “You’re back. How was school today? Tired?”

Gu Mian crossed the room in two strides and threw her arms around her—tightly, as if she wanted to melt Lin Chuyi into her own body.

Lin Chuyi’s guilt flared.

Gu Mian must know something happened today. Lin wanted to pat her and tell her it was nothing, but she couldn’t—her arms were pinned in Gu Mian’s embrace.

“H-hey, you’re holding me too tight,” she whispered.

“It’s not too tight.” For once, Gu Mian acted the slightest bit childish.

Lin Chuyi felt both warmed and helpless—happy that Gu Mian cared so much, amused by how dramatic her reaction was.

Softly, she coaxed, “Gu Mian, I’m fine. Don’t worry about me, okay?”

But Gu Mian didn’t listen. She held on, so tightly that Lin Chuyi could hear their two heartbeats pounding together.

Lin Chuyi tried to step back to turn off the stove, but Gu Mian clung to her. Their movements tangled, and the next moment the two of them toppled onto the sofa.

Gu Mian’s lips brushed her neck.

Gu Mian’s breath caught. Her long-admired, long-dreamed-of person was beneath her now, the narrow sofa swaying under the two of them.

“Y-you, get up,” Lin Chuyi whispered, flustered.

A tremor ran through Gu Mian’s heart. She steadied herself and slowly rose, forcing herself to separate from Lin Chuyi.

She moved painfully slowly. Where their skin parted, a thin chill crept in, and a sudden wave of reluctance welled up in Lin Chuyi’s chest.

H-help. Lin Chuyi had no idea why her heart was racing so wildly.

The systems Mengmeng and 0927 were nowhere to be found, and she couldn’t exactly ask Mengmeng whether she was sick.

But if she wasn’t—then why was her heart beating so fast?

The next second, Gu Mian’s hand slipped, and the two of them fell together again, even more closely pressed than before.