After the Fake Heiress Died, She Was Filled with Regret - Chapter 111

Chapter 111: Does It Still Hurt?

Tang Yin glanced at her leg, listening to Xia Shinan’s teasing without a word, and silently decided she had to recover quickly. If she was going to be looked down upon even as a potential mistress, that simply wouldn’t do.

After finishing the porridge, her body and soul were thoroughly soothed. Tang Yin sat against the headboard, recalling the message from Zou Yue.

“I heard you also met with Xia Tong today?”

After speaking, she saw Xia Shinan look up at her and quickly explained.

“I wasn’t investigating you. Zou Yue heard about it while handling company affairs and told me.”

Xia Shinan nodded. “I wasn’t planning on hiding it from you anyway, especially since it happened in your office.”

“Xia Tong is deeply cunning. Five years ago, she tricked me completely. Even after that, when I tried to guard against her, she still managed to sabotage me several times,” Tang Yin said, biting her lip before making a bold guess. “This car accident probably had her involvement too. That fool Lin Yu wouldn’t have been able to plan all this.”

Xia Shinan looked at Tang Yin and smiled involuntarily. “Mhm, I thought so too, which is why I met with her.”

Tang Yin immediately grew anxious. “You talked to her alone? What if she tried to do something to you? You don’t know her; she talks nicely but her heart is black…”

“I know,” Xia Shinan said calmly, meeting Tang Yin’s eyes. “Guess why I came back to the country?”

Tang Yin paused. “Probably… to develop your career better here?”

Xia Shinan offered a slight smile. “Actually, my life in Singapore was quite okay. Coupled with what happened before, I had considered never coming back.”

Her words made Tang Yin’s heart clench. If she had never returned, Tang Yin might never have known Xia Shinan was alive, and now… she would probably be the same as before, living like a zombie.

The thought made her increasingly miserable. Tang Yin took a deep breath and asked, “What happened next? Why did you change your mind?”

Xia Shinan blinked. “Later, I found out the truth: Xia Tong swapped you and me. I wanted to come back to find my biological mother.”

Tang Yin quickly asked, “Did you find her?”

Xia Shinan shook her head. “I’ve been searching, but the clues were limited. So, today when I met with Xia Tong, I asked her two things: one, whether your car accident was related to Xia Shentu’s, and two, where my biological mother is.”

“And… did she tell you?”

Xia Shinan acknowledged with an “mhm” and looked at Tang Yin. “But she asked me to keep confidential the information about her involvement in Xia Shentu’s death two years ago. If I do that, your car accident might also only be attributed to Lin Yu. You’ll have to take a loss.”

Tang Yin smiled openly. “What does that matter? As long as you can find your biological mother, I don’t feel I’ve lost anything.”

Xia Shinan’s expression was neutral, but hearing her words made her heart undeniably stir. She glanced at Tang Yin’s hospital gown and her right leg, fractured in the accident.

This fool, she almost lost her life, yet she’s sitting here insisting it’s no loss. The sympathy was overwhelming.

“I did promise confidentiality, but if the police investigate and find out, it has nothing to do with me, right?” Xia Shinan said, curving her lips.

Tang Yin heard her and couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

“Shinan, you are truly cunning.”

The little white rabbit had turned into a beautiful, big fox, which only made her more captivating.

Xia Shinan didn’t deny Tang Yin’s evaluation. People always grow up. She would treat sincere people with sincerity, but she never intended to strictly keep her promise to Xia Tong.

The nurse came in to change the IV bag. Seeing Xia Shinan, she instinctively assumed she was the one staying overnight and gave a few instructions. “When you’re idle, remember to do the leg lifts and wiggle your toes. If it hurts, you can take a painkiller.”

“Got it. Thank you, Doctor.”

Xia Shinan smiled and agreed. After the nurse left, she turned around and saw Tang Yin hesitating to speak.

“What’s wrong?” Xia Shinan asked.

“Are you still going back to the hotel tonight?” Tang Yin whispered.

Xia Shinan leaned against the window, looking at her. “Do you want me to go back, or not?”

“I don’t know.” Tang Yin gripped the bedsheet. She wanted Xia Shinan to stay with her, but the small bed in the ward was too tiny to sleep comfortably, so she also hoped Xia Shinan would go back to the hotel for a good rest.

She was utterly conflicted.

Xia Shinan nodded, noting the time was only 8 PM. “Let’s talk about it later then.”

“Okay.”

Ming Jing finished her meeting and called Tang Yin to discuss company matters. The call lasted over half an hour. Xia Shinan simply sat aside, reading the script on her tablet and making revisions.

The writing team had been quick. The initial script was revised based on Xia Shinan’s suggestions, though they also kept some of their original ideas, trying to persuade Xia Shinan.

Perhaps because her state of mind was different now, Xia Shinan didn’t feel as sensitive to the character setting as before when reading the script again. She tried to view the entire script objectively, as an outsider, and realized the writer had done a very good job.

After reading a few pages, she was about to stretch her shoulders and neck when she realized Tang Yin had long ended the call and was sitting against the headboard, quietly watching her.

“Why are you watching me? Did you finish the call?” Not knowing how long she had been watched, Xia Shinan felt a little self-conscious, instinctively recalling whether her posture was proper or if she had made little movements like rubbing her eyes or touching her nose while reading.

“I finished ages ago. I couldn’t bear to interrupt you when you were working so seriously. Just admiring you.”

What is there to admire? Xia Shinan simply put down the tablet and looked back at Tang Yin, observing her intently.

“Why are you looking at me?” Tang Yin straightened up, feeling slightly awkward.

“I’m admiring you too,” Xia Shinan blinked and smiled. “Seeing the CEO of SN in a hospital gown, with one leg in a cast and immobile, is also a unique experience. What, is that not allowed?”

“Of course, it is,” Tang Yin chuckled. She let Xia Shinan stare, then subtly lifted her gaze, meeting Xia Shinan’s eyes.

They stared at each other silently, but their hearts suddenly accelerated, and the temperature in the ward seemed to be steadily rising.

Xia Shinan suddenly remembered that she had often wondered why the naive and innocent version of herself five years ago was attracted to Tang Yin. Was it because she treated her well, or because she was unconventional?

At the time, those were the reasons, but now Xia Shinan finally understood: her liking for Tang Yin was utterly illogical, both physically and psychologically. Otherwise, she had plenty of reasons to hate Tang Yin now, so why did the hatred ultimately turn back into liking?

“You’re zoning out,” Tang Yin suddenly said.

Xia Shinan blinked. The smile on Tang Yin’s lips made her feel like her thoughts had been exposed, causing a pang of guilt.

She stood up and retorted crossly, “It’s not a competition. What’s wrong with zoning out?”

“You’re right,” Tang Yin smiled faintly, then said, “I’ve made up my mind. You should go back to the hotel to rest.”

Xia Shinan raised her chin. “Why?”

“If you rest well, then I can also rest well.” Tang Yin would, of course, be happy if Xia Shinan stayed with her, but she felt she couldn’t be so selfish.

But she didn’t expect Xia Shinan’s next sentence to take her completely by surprise.

“But I’m going back to Yuncheng tomorrow.”

Back to Yuncheng?

Tang Yin looked completely puzzled. “Why… so suddenly?”

Was it because of what she said yesterday that she decided to leave? The thought made her panic.

“I have a variety show recording scheduled, a contract that was signed earlier, so I must go,” Xia Shinan explained. “If you don’t believe me, you can call Wen Juan.”

“I believe you, of course!” Tang Yin quickly said. “Then how long until you come back?”

She actually wanted to ask, Will you even come back? But there was no need to ask, because she had already decided that even if Xia Shinan didn’t come back, she would go to Yuncheng to find her.

“I don’t know,” Xia Shinan paused. “After the show recording ends, there might be other work.”

“Okay, your work is important,” Tang Yin nodded, not showing any unhappiness on her face. It was better than her worst-case scenario, wasn’t it?

But she still mustered the courage to ask, “Then can I change what I just said?”

“What?”

“Can you stay with me tonight?” Tang Yin looked at her, her eyes full of pleading. “I originally thought I’d be able to see you tomorrow or the day after, so I was letting you go back to the hotel.”

Xia Shinan glanced at her. “You regret it?”

“Mhm,” Tang Yin nodded.

“You really are fickle,” Xia Shinan said.

“I admit it. After all, my brain was damaged in the crash, and I’m not good at making decisions anymore,” Tang Yin said with sincere honesty.

Xia Shinan was speechless. She got up and started tidying the items on the companion bed, her actions providing the answer.

Tang Yin watched this scene, her heart warm and moved to tears. But she held back when Xia Shinan turned around, smiling as she said, “Thank you.”

The night was long. Xia Shinan read the script for a while but then decided she didn’t want to work so hard and chose to watch a movie.

“What movie do you want to watch?” She hadn’t forgotten the woman next to her who was boredly staring into space, occasionally checking her phone for work.

“Anything is fine. Whatever you want to watch,” Tang Yin said.

“Alright.” Xia Shinan simply found a movie and placed the tablet on Tang Yin’s small bedside table. She pulled her chair close to the bed, sitting almost side-by-side with Tang Yin.

It was a very heartwarming old foreign film. The plot was simple and pure romance. Although it was old, the cinematography was bright and comforting, making them feel happy. However, combined with the melancholic piano music and the quiet room, Xia Shinan leaned over and drifted off to sleep, her head instantly resting on Tang Yin’s right arm.

Tang Yin’s body was rigid for two seconds, unsure of what to do. If she could move right now, she would probably hold Xia Shinan tightly to let her sleep soundly.

But the situation was a bit awkward. Xia Shinan woke up immediately, looking embarrassed. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay. You must be tired today,” Tang Yin said.

“I’ll go wash up to wake up,” Xia Shinan stood up and walked into the attached bathroom. She came out quickly, composed, and sat back down. “Let’s keep watching.”

“Maybe not? You’re tired. Why don’t you wash up and rest?”

“No,” Xia Shinan insisted seriously. “I’m not tired. I just accidentally fell asleep. I can keep watching now.”

“Okay, then let’s continue.” Tang Yin smiled faintly, clicked the play button on the tablet, and continued to quietly watch the movie.

After the movie ended, Xia Shinan deliberately repeated, “See? I told you I wasn’t sleepy.”

The repetition showed she cared, yet it was also endearing. Tang Yin couldn’t help but look at her a few more times. “Got it.”

“It’s late. Let’s wash up and rest.” Xia Shinan stood up, collected the tablet and the small table, and looked at Tang Yin. “How will you wash up? The doctor said you can’t get your leg wet.”

Tang Yin paused, then replied, “I might need to bother you to help me to the bathroom and then wipe me down.”

Xia Shinan paused for two seconds when she heard her words, then raised an eyebrow and asked, “Who wiped you down last night? Ming Jing or the nurse aide?”

Tang Yin quickly said, “No one. I did it myself.”

Xia Shinan twitched her lips. “Then why can’t you do it yourself today, and why do you need my help?”

Tang Yin bit her lip and lowered her head. “Fine, just take me to the bathroom. I’ll do the rest myself.”

Xia Shinan didn’t say anything. She turned to the bathroom, poured hot water into the basin, put the washcloth in, and then helped Tang Yin out of bed, letting the other woman lean entirely on her as she led her into the bathroom.

“Thank you…” Tang Yin said, preparing to close the door.

But she saw Xia Shinan follow her in.

“I thought about it. If you accidentally fall or get water on your cast, I’d be held responsible,” Xia Shinan explained, wringing the washcloth dry in the basin. She turned to Tang Yin and said softly:

“Take it off.”

Tang Yin froze but quickly realized what was happening. It felt as if her scheme had been discovered, and the other person was turning the tables on her.

She looked down at herself. She was only wearing a dark, loose T-shirt, and a dark tank top underneath. It was an unoriginal outfit… She suddenly felt her clothing was too careless, a stark contrast to Shen Zhi. The thought made her hesitant to undress.

“You’re zoning out,” Xia Shinan returned the phrase to her. “Don’t waste time. Take it off.”

“Okay.” Tang Yin instinctively obeyed, quickly taking off her T-shirt. She took a deep breath, preparing herself to be scrutinized by Xia Shinan.

But the other person didn’t stare. A second later, the warm washcloth touched her skin.

Xia Shinan gently wiped every inch of her skin, except for the area covered by her bra. Her gaze had briefly scanned her in the first two seconds, but after that, her attention shifted elsewhere.

“You are too thin,” Xia Shinan said. She was so thin that when she leaned slightly, the bones of her upper back were very prominent.

“Mhm,” Tang Yin answered. “You are too.”

Xia Shinan looked up at her. “Eat more once you’ve recovered.”

“Okay,” Tang Yin smiled. “We’ll both gain a little weight.”

After her upper body was wiped, Tang Yin insisted Xia Shinan rest, saying she would handle the rest herself.

After finishing everything, Tang Yin felt much more refreshed and then urged Xia Shinan to take a shower.

The sound of running water came from the bathroom. Tang Yin’s phone rang; it was Ming Jing.

“I’m off work now. Do you need me to stay with you?”

Tang Yin smiled. “Go home and accompany your wife.”

“Oh, that tone sounds quite smug. Is Xia Shinan still there?”

“Mhm, she’s staying with me tonight,” Tang Yin said, smiling toward the bathroom, her mood joyous.

However, less than a second later, a sharp pain shot up her right leg.

“Looks like our CEO Tang’s little trick still works. Keep it up! I won’t worry about you tonight. You spend some quality time with your Shinan, and I’ll go home and hug my wife too.”

“Scram,” Tang Yin said with a pained smile, then hung up the phone.

After the call ended, she let out a long hiss and quickly reached for the painkiller.

Xia Shinan came out of the bathroom and saw the woman sitting on the bed, frantically searching the bedside cabinet. She quickly walked over.

“What’s wrong? What are you looking for?”

“My leg hurts. I’m looking for the painkiller.” Tang Yin’s face was beginning to pale. It hadn’t hurt this much yesterday. She wondered if she had moved too much today.

“I’ll get it for you.” Xia Shinan immediately helped her, found the painkiller, and handed her water.

Tang Yin took the medicine and looked at Xia Shinan, whose face was filled with concern, her hair still dripping wet.

“Go… blow dry your hair. I’ll be fine… soon.”

She didn’t even have the strength to speak clearly. She didn’t look like she’d be fine soon. Xia Shinan looked at her with heartache, knowing that painkillers took a while to kick in, and there was nothing to do now but endure the pain.

“I’m really fine. Go dry your hair so you don’t catch a cold,” Tang Yin said, forcing out a complete sentence despite the pain.

“Okay.” Xia Shinan bit her lip, walked to the bathroom, and the sound of the hairdryer started.

After only a few minutes, Xia Shinan came out with semi-dry hair, having changed into comfortable pajamas.

“How are you doing?”

Tang Yin gave a helpless smile. Ming Jing had just called her maneuver a trick, and now she was suffering the consequences.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be better soon.”

Xia Shinan looked at Tang Yin, whose lips were white and forehead beaded with sweat. Her mind flashed back to the day of the car accident. Heartache and anxiety intertwined.

“I’m really fine,” Tang Yin looked up, trying to comfort her instead.

“Maybe the medicine hasn’t taken effect yet,” she said softly. “Do you want to try a different pain relief?”

A different pain relief?

Tang Yin looked confused. “What?”

The next second, Xia Shinan bent over and leaned in. Cool lips met a moment of warmth. Tang Yin was stunned. Before her mind could even react, her body was completely honest. She closed her eyes, actively reaching out. Finding the tongue tip hovering near her lips, she immediately let them intertwine, savoring each other’s breath, and tasting a faint, cool sweetness of mint the scent of toothpaste.

When the kiss ended, Xia Shinan’s cheeks were slightly warm, flushed with color, yet her expression was remarkably calm.

“Does it still hurt?”

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