I Quit Being This Female Lead (GL) - Chapter 22

In the dim room, the heart monitor fluctuated rhythmically. The steady, periodic electronic beep indicated that the person resting in the bed still had a normal heartbeat.

A caregiver was bent over inside the room, checking under the bed. Upon seeing a section of an orange furry tail, she squatted down and reached out to grab the plump, soft little bottom.

“Meow—”

With a wail from its orange owner, the caregiver dragged the fat cat out from under the bed.

“Why did you run under the Miss’s bed again?” The caregiver sighed faintly, using her hand to brush the dirt from the fur of the large orange cat.

The orange cat’s white whiskers twitched. It allowed the caregiver to pat it like a rag, letting out another dissatisfied cry.

Just then, the slightly ajar room door was pushed open. The caregiver turned around. The orange cat in her arms, hearing the sound, scrambled, leaping from her embrace onto the bed. It sat next to the pillow, licking its paws.

“What’s wrong?” The person who opened the door was a woman. She looked gentle and wore simple clothes. Her long black hair was casually pulled back into a low ponytail. She looked at the caregiver in the room and asked, “It’s so late, did something happen to Xiao Wen?”

The caregiver quickly replied, “No, Madam. It’s just Guazi ran in again. I wanted to take him back.”

The woman looked at the patch of orange shadow on the bed and said indifferently, “He was raised by Xiao Wen since he was a kitten. It’s normal for him to be close to her. If he wants to stay with Xiao Wen, don’t keep chasing him away.”

“Yes, Madam.”

The woman walked to the side of the person on the bed, and the caregiver thoughtfully moved the chair over.

Sitting down, the woman reached out and touched the cheek of the person in the bed.

Perhaps due to lying under the covers constantly, the person’s cheeks were warm and her skin moist, proving her physical health.

But that was only physical health; she had been lying there for five years.

“Xiao Wen,” the woman sighed. “The new treatment is progressing very smoothly. Your mother isn’t afraid of spending money. We can spend any amount as long as you can wake up.”

The woman gently and kindly stroked the face of the person on the bed again and again, while the orange cat, sitting by the pillow, let out a large yawn, curled up beside her, and fell asleep.

Time passed minute by minute.

Mangkai curled up in the corner of her rental room, clutching her phone. She stared at the transfer record on the screen, where there were countless zeros. Her own balance was separated from the initial ‘1’ by four or five zeros.

One hundred million.

Mangkai had always thought it was just two numbers.

She had never expected it to appear so blatantly in her account.

Earning one hundred million in a month; the assets exchanged for the time of one book. Mangkai didn’t know if she should be happy or sad. She felt that the money she received was questionable and tainted.

Burying her head in her knees, Mangkai let out a long sigh.

She didn’t know why. Even though less than twelve hours had passed since she woke up, the image of Xun Fangwen in her mind was increasingly vague; she could barely remember what she looked like.

This won’t do. If this continues, she will forget her.

Mangkai thought for a long time before crawling up from the floor, turning on the room light, and finding paper and a pen.

The tip of the pencil rubbed back and forth on the paper, the graphite leaving light and dark marks.

Mangkai wasn’t actually very good at drawing, but she didn’t know why, tonight her drawing was exceptionally smooth. In just a few strokes, she outlined the face of a young woman on the paper.

For an hour, Mangkai drew very seriously. She tried her best to pull out the memories of Xun Fangwen from her mind and preserve them on paper.

Finally, Mangkai held up the paper. It was a portrait.

Long black hair trailed behind her. Xun Fangwen stared at her with a calm expression, seemingly about to say something, yet also seeming to imply that nothing needed to be said.

The person in the book had bright eyes and white teeth.

The person outside the book didn’t know what feeling she should use to look at her.

Or rather, it.

Mangkai only snapped out of the darkness when a knock sounded at the door.

‘Knock, knock, knock—’

A voice from outside the door called out, “Xiao Ke, are you home? I brought some late-night snacks to see you!”

Mangkai recognized the person outside as her friend, Si Nan.

Si Nan was a few years older than her. The two were originally neighbors. Later, Si Nan went to study medicine, while Mangkai, lacking the necessary intelligence and funds, could only attend a random college and then look for work.

So, although Si Nan was older than Mangkai, she had been a ‘social animal’ (employee) for a shorter time than Mangkai and was currently only a hospital intern.

Mangkai remembered that she had called this afternoon to invite her out to dinner, which she had refused. Si Nan was probably worried about her and made a special trip.

‘Knock, knock, knock—’

“Xiao Ke, are you home? I see your light is on. Are you hiding from me?”

Mangkai rubbed her neck, tucked the drawing she was holding into a file and put it in a drawer. Only then did she walk over and open the door.

When the door opened, Si Nan beamed at Mangkai. “You finally opened the door, my dear sister! What are you hiding at home that you won’t let me see?”

Mangkai opened the door and made way. “I’m not hiding anything. I just wasn’t feeling well.”

Si Nan walked into the room carrying the takeout food, saying as she put the items on the table, “You haven’t contacted me for a month. Did something happen?”

Mangkai stood by the door with her hands behind her back, unsure how to explain to Si Nan.

Fortunately, Si Nan wasn’t the type to pry. Both of them had their own lives and colleagues; they were no longer at the age where they stuck together every day.

Si Nan sat on the chair and looked at Mangkai, then said helplessly, “Come and eat. I feel like you’ve lost a lot of weight after a month.”

Mangkai smelled the fragrance of the food and realized that she hadn’t eaten since waking up today. She suddenly felt hungry.

The two sat at the dining table. Si Nan had brought Mangkai shredded chicken noodles and barbecue, both of Mangkai’s favorites.

Si Nan used her chopsticks to put some meat into Mangkai’s noodles and smiled, “Eat more. I think you look better with a little weight on you.”

Mangkai nodded blankly and lowered her head to eat the noodles.

“My parents asked me a few days ago why you hadn’t looked for me. They’re both very concerned about you, so next time, don’t ignore me for a whole month, okay?”

“Mm.”

“This apartment of yours is really shabby. Change to a better one sometime. It’s only a few hundred dollars more, and you’ll be more comfortable.”

“Okay.”

“Speaking of which,” Si Nan chatted with Mangkai while eating the snacks, “I’ll be responsible for caring for a patient for a while. I’ll come twice a week, and it’s very close to your place, so I can come and see you often.”

Mangkai looked up at her and asked, “A patient?”

“Yes, a patient in a vegetative state.” Si Nan explained to Mangkai, “It’s been five or six years since the accident. I heard the family is very wealthy and has spent a lot of money on treating the girl.”

Mangkai didn’t know much about hospital matters, but she just felt sorry for the person.

After all, being stuck and unable to leave a world must be very painful.