After the Real Young Miss Became My Canary - Chapter 16

Chapter 16: You’re Killing Me

Song Zhi’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. “Then you?”

Shen Ying said flatly, “He’s a fraud.”

Song Zhi: “?”

Seeing that Song Zhi was still a bit confused, Shen Ying pulled her and turned to walk in another direction.

This was a small path in a wooded area. The path wasn’t long, and they reached the end in less than a few minutes. Shen Ying led Song Zhi around a corner and then stopped under a tree next to a small one-story house.

At that moment, someone came out. Shen Ying gestured for her to look.

Song Zhi looked and saw a man in tattered clothes. When he reached the entrance to the courtyard, he knelt on a four-wheeled board. Song Zhi just blinked, and a part of his pant leg became empty.

Just like the beggar from before.

This man covered his lower body with a moldy, pitch-black blanket and then pushed himself forward using his hands on the ground.

Song Zhi said, “How did you know?”

Shen Ying said, “Just like you, I ran into them.”

Song Zhi was silent for a moment.

She didn’t know whether to laugh that Shen Ying had also been tricked or to laugh at her own naivety. In the end, she just had to console herself.

What could she say? She had never known any better. She had just wasted Shen Ying’s money.

Song Zhi’s voice was dry. “Then why did you still give me the money?”

Shen Ying’s voice was as flat as ever. “I didn’t want to make it difficult for you.”

“Boom!”

It was as if lightning had struck her face. She could see a flash of white light in front of her eyes, but there wasn’t one. Still, her heart was shaken.

Her clever words had vanished.

She asked awkwardly, “You could have told me the truth.”

It was as if something was planted in her heart at this moment. Her heart was as soft and mushy as a ripe peach, but inside were sour juices.

Shen Ying said, “Once these people see money, they won’t give up until they get it. It’s rare for us to go out. It’s not good to listen to them say unpleasant things. It’s bad luck.”

Although she didn’t care, looking at Song Zhi’s expression, she would probably mind a lot, and her good mood for the day might even disappear.

Song Zhi was different from her.

The peach was cut open with a knife, and the sour juices slowly flowed out. Song Zhi’s mind was blank. She didn’t know what to say.

She felt that whatever she was about to say would be earth-shattering, so she kept her mouth shut. She was afraid her mind couldn’t control her mouth.

But at this moment, she felt as if something was different.

Shen Ying suddenly said softly, “Let’s go home. Maybe I shouldn’t have told you this.”

Maybe if she hadn’t said anything, Song Zhi would never have known this, because she had the privilege of not having to know. She wouldn’t have cared where the money she so casually gave went.

Song Zhi said, “No.” Her eyes curved into a crescent moon. “Thank you for letting me know.”

She didn’t care where the money went, but she hated being deceived.

Song Zhi said, “Then let’s go home.”

Shen Ying was still thinking about taking her to buy clothes. All she had seen that day were the red spots near her neckline. She didn’t know how many more were under her clothes.

At least those spots hadn’t been there the day she found Song Zhi.

So she insisted, “I’m taking you to buy clothes.”

Song Zhi’s voice was soft. “No need.”

Shen Ying said, “Are you allergic?”

Song Zhi laughed. “I’m not allergic to the clothes. I’m just not used to the new environment. It’ll be fine soon.”

Shen Ying said, “Really?”

Song Zhi nodded repeatedly. “Really. It’s truer than gold.”

Only then did Shen Ying give up the idea. But Song Zhi only had three changes of clothes. The weather was about to change and get colder, and clothes would take longer to dry. Three outfits were clearly not enough.

But to stop her from changing her mind, Song Zhi gently tugged on her sleeve and led her in another direction.

Shen Ying could only follow.

I’ll come back and buy some myself in a few days when I have time, Shen Ying thought silently. I just won’t bring Song Zhi along. Song Zhi seemed embarrassed by it.

Shen Ying looked at the wide road. “Where does this road go?”

Song Zhi, who was leading her with her head down, looked up and blinked her big eyes at her. “Isn’t this the way home?”

Just then, a man who was standing behind Shen Ying suddenly looked up. As Song Zhi smiled at Shen Ying, she caught sight of him in her peripheral vision.

A smile instantly bloomed on the man’s face, and he started to walk toward them.

Home.

Shen Ying silently repeated the word to herself.

She felt it was a good word, but her cold and lonely place didn’t feel like a home.

But since Song Zhi said so, it must be.

She was about to say something else.

But Song Zhi suddenly bent over and clutched her stomach. “Ouch.”

Shen Ying became anxious. “What’s wrong? I’ll take you to the hospital.”

Song Zhi, in that difficult position, squeezed out words from her throat. “My stomach hurts. I need to go to the restroom.”

She secretly cursed herself for not looking carefully. The man’s eyes were as bad as his attitude. Hadn’t she been giving him signals with her eyes to not come over?

Shen Ying said, “I’ll take you.”

Song Zhi said, “It’s fine, I can go by myself. Just point me in the right direction.”

Shen Ying was a bit worried. “I’d rather take you.”

Song Zhi said, “You’ve been walking for so long this afternoon. If you walk with me again, I’ll start to worry. You can just wait here.”

Although she knew Song Zhi was just trying to appease her, Shen Ying was speechless. She was like a sawed-off gourd, losing the ability to speak all at once.

This situation was rare for her. She was only at ease with familiar situations. She didn’t know how to respond now.

The last person to say something like that was her grandmother, ten years ago.

And seeing that Song Zhi’s expression wasn’t fake, Shen Ying had no choice but to listen to her. She was a little relieved when she saw her turn into another alley.

But she was still not completely at ease.

The security in their urban village had always been average. Song Zhi was new to the place and probably wouldn’t have many precautions.

So Shen Ying waited for five minutes and then went to look for her.

The public restroom wasn’t far. If she went now, she might even run into Song Zhi on her way back. And if Song Zhi were to ask, she would have an excuse.

Yes, an excuse.

This word, which only a person under control would ever use, was something she could now say.

This was something she had never considered before.

This area was a maze of small alleys. After walking through two of them and reaching a wall, she heard two faint voices.

They were coming from behind the wall of the house in front.

The man’s voice was so unfamiliar that she almost walked past it. The woman’s voice was so familiar that it had been right by her ear just a few minutes ago.

Shen Ying stood frozen in place. She knew she should leave immediately and pretend she hadn’t heard anything. This was time she had stolen for herself.

She had always relied on the fact that Song Zhi knew nothing. It was she who was deceitful, and she felt guilty.

But her feet were stuck to the ground, and she couldn’t move no matter how hard she tried.

The man’s voice said, “Are you not leaving yet? You’ve been gone for a long time.”

Song Zhi said, “You’re asking me? Are you worthy?”

Man: “I’m just worried about your safety.”

Song Zhi sneered. “Oh, and?”

The man’s voice was neither servile nor overbearing. “I just need to confirm your time of return, otherwise the master will be worried.”

Song Zhi’s uncooperative attitude was clear. “I’m not confirming. I just got a new toy, and I’m quite curious about it.”

The man’s voice said, “Then I’ll have to ask the master.”

Song Zhi’s voice was tense, like a leopard about to snap. “I still want to play for a while. I’ll tell you in a few days.”

The man got his answer and only said, “My regards.”

Then he turned and left.

Shen Ying heard the approaching footsteps and quickly backed away.

Her heart ached, and all the color drained from her face.

So, to Song Zhi, was she just a toy she wanted to play with for a while?

This alley was completely open. If she kept backing up, the man would definitely see her as soon as he came out.

She didn’t want the man to see her, because she didn’t want Song Zhi to know.

If Song Zhi wanted to play, then she would play along. Maybe she wasn’t worthy.

Shen Ying forced a smile. Her pale face looked a little better because of that smile.

Worthy or not, she had already played along with Song Zhi. Who knows, maybe when Song Zhi found out later, she would be angry at herself for being played by someone she had found for her own amusement.

Since there was nowhere to hide, Shen Ying simply walked into an open courtyard. By the time she stood at the very edge of the courtyard, she saw a tall, burly man walk past the courtyard gate.

Song Zhi hadn’t come out yet. Maybe she planned to wait a bit longer before leaving, so Shen Ying would never suspect that she wasn’t in the restroom.

If she hadn’t gone looking for her.

Only after Shen Ying could no longer see the man’s figure did she come out of the courtyard.

Song Zhi came back several minutes later.

She carefully straightened her clothes, smoothing out all the wrinkles, before she felt at ease.

From a distance, she saw Shen Ying standing in place, with her eyes lowered, staring at the dirt ground. She smiled and waved at her.

She didn’t know if the sun was too bright, but Shen Ying’s face seemed to have turned a shade paler than when she had left. There was no color in her face.

Shen Ying didn’t look up. Song Zhi thought she might be too focused to notice, so she jogged forward. “Shen Ying, I’m back.”

Shen Ying looked up. In the setting sun, Song Zhi’s eyes were curved into a smile, and she was jogging toward her with sparkling eyes.

The wind around her was stirred up by her movement. She was riding the wind, bathed in the glow of the sunset, like a wisp of cloud floating toward her.

Shen Ying’s heart, uncontrollably, beat faster for a moment.

Then she quickly suppressed the beating of her heart, said “Let’s go,” and immediately turned around.

She didn’t dare to look at Song Zhi anymore.

Song Zhi reached out to grab her sleeve but grabbed nothing. Song Zhi didn’t get angry, just rubbed her nose and dejectedly followed behind her.

Song Zhi asked cautiously, “You waited for a long time. Don’t be mad.”

Shen Ying said, “I’m not mad.”

Song Zhi felt that she was, but it wasn’t the first or second day that Shen Ying said one thing and meant another.

Shen Ying had even said she would kick her out on the first day.

Song Zhi said with a smile, “Shen Ying, turn around.”

Shen Ying subconsciously turned her head. Song Zhi reached out to grab the hand that was hanging by her side and squeezed something into her palm.

Song Zhi said softly, “I know I was wrong. I promise I won’t make you wait that long next time, okay? Just forgive me this once. Please, please?”

Shen Ying looked at her, and her eyes, which she deliberately blinked, made her think:

You’re killing me.

Support After the Real Young Miss Became My Canary