The Tragic Heroine Fell in Love with Me - Chapter 14

Xiao San let out a cold laugh.

She had already equated the male officer before her with the one from the real world who had once persuaded her to settle the matter amicably.

The more she thought about it, the more absurd it seemed.

How could she have suffered because of someone who hadn’t even properly understood the case? And how could she have chosen to settle based on his few careless words?

Shen Lin was so angry he laughed. “Did you even look into the case before coming here? Are you out of your mind? I’m definitely filing a complaint against you. Someone like you doesn’t deserve to be a police officer.”

Lü Yu was equally furious. “The person in that photo is San’er’s father. You call yourself a police officer? How could you not even know that?”

“Who knows if he’s her biological father or just a stepfather,” the male officer muttered under his breath.

Xiao San took a deep breath. Her stomach churned even more violently, but strangely, the dizziness she had felt earlier was gone, replaced by a heightened clarity. “Officer, I think the recipient of my lawyer’s letter won’t just be Luo Pengfei, who’s already in custody. You’ll be getting one too. Defamation isn’t a major charge, but as someone colluding with Luo Pengfei, I doubt you’d care much about a minor offense like that.”

“Colluding? What do you mean by that? Your words are downright offensive,” the male officer snapped, growing agitated.

“Oh, that was just a joke,” Xiao San replied calmly.

“Jokes are not something to be thrown around lightly!”

Xiao San watched the officer’s flustered expression, and the more she saw it, the more genuine her delight became. She truly felt that her past self, the one in the real world who had lost so many friends over this incident was utterly ridiculous.

“Oh, so jokes aren’t meant to be told casually,” Xiao San remarked. She then squeezed Lü Yu’s hand and said, “Let’s go. I’m exhausted.”

Lü Yu nodded and helped Xiao San walk out. As for the male officer, who tried to rush after them, Shen Lin promptly blocked his path.

Right in front of the officer, Shen Lin dialed his father’s number. “Yes, send the legal team from our company over immediately. Xiao San has been harassed. Okay, got it.”

After hanging up, Shen Lin shoved the struggling officer, who was still trying to push past him.

“What do you think you’re doing?” the officer fumed, his earlier “kind uncle” demeanor completely gone. He began spouting condescending remarks. “Who is your father? How could he raise someone like you? This is utterly outrageous!”

Shen Lin dug a finger in his ear, looking thoroughly annoyed. “My father is Shen Yu’ang, chairman of the Shen Corporation. If you’re so keen on meeting him, I’m sure you know where the Shen Corporation building is. Feel free to make an appointment. Or, since you’re a police officer, you could always use whatever means you have at your disposal and just barge in.”

Shen Lin pointed upward mockingly, let out a derisive snort, and turned to leave.

“Y-Young Master Shen, I…” The officer’s tone suddenly softened. He stared at Shen Lin’s retreating back, struggling to find the right words.

Hearing him, Shen Lin turned around. “Oh? What do you want?”

“It’s, it’s all a misunderstanding. A misunderstanding.”

“Misunderstanding?” Shen Lin chuckled, turning around to approach the male officer. He reached out and patted the officer’s cheek. “Misunderstanding? You think it’s a misunderstanding, but I don’t. I told you, I am the law.”

Shen Lin watched as the officer’s face grew increasingly pale. After savoring the moment, he turned and walked away.

Until the very end, Shen Lin couldn’t be bothered to learn the officer’s name.

Such a person was nothing more than an insignificant ant, unworthy of his attention.

Perhaps it was from this moment that Shen Lin began to rein in his temper.

No matter how fiercely he raged, it never yielded the results he desired. Instead, it only earned him the disdain of underlings.

As soon as Xiao San stepped outside, she nearly collapsed, barely able to hold herself up. Fortunately, Lü Yu was there, supporting her firmly.

The moment Shen Lin emerged, he rushed over and scooped Xiao San up in a princess carry just as she was about to slump to the ground.

“What’s wrong with her?” he asked, striding swiftly with his long legs toward the parked car.

Lü Yu had to jog to keep up, calling out, “She said her stomach hurts it feels like acute gastroenteritis. We need to get to the hospital quickly!”

Shen Lin looked down at Xiao San, who was on the verge of losing consciousness, his eyes filled with heartache.

He had wasted too much time on that insignificant ant, completely overlooking Xiao San’s discomfort.

Shen Lin quickly placed Xiao San in the car. Just as Lü Yu was about to get in, he stopped her. “Go to the school and ask for leave on Xiao San’s behalf. I’ll take her to the hospital.”

Without waiting for Lü Yu’s objection, he shut the car door and instructed the driver to hurry to the hospital.

All Lü Yu could do was watch as the car sped away, leaving a trail of dust behind.

“Xiao San, please be okay,” she could only whisper a silent prayer.

In the car, Shen Lin had already arranged for a medical team to be on standby at the hospital. The Shen family had its own dedicated medical staff. By the time the car arrived, the hospital director, specialists, and department heads were already waiting at the entrance.

All he had to do was place Xiao San on the stretcher, and the nurses and doctors swiftly wheeled her inside.

Though Shen Lin was equally anxious, he halted his steps.

He followed at a measured pace, his fingers gripping his phone so tightly they turned pale. He was using every ounce of his strength to resist the instinct to collapse on the spot.

The sight of Xiao San’s pale, fragile face filled him with dread.

What if something happened to her?

Before long, the doctor reappeared before Shen Lin. “The patient is suffering from stomach spasms caused by stress, it’s a case of stress-induced gastric spasms. We’ve already administered medication, and she’s taken it. A nurse will apply a warm compress shortly. Once she recovers, she must pay attention to her emotional state and avoid excessive stress.”

“Is it just stomach spasms? Nothing else?”

“Nothing else, Young Master Shen. You can rest assured, the patient is in good health. This episode was solely due to extreme stress triggering the spasms.”

Shen Lin gave a curt nod. “Thank you, Doctor.”

“It’s my duty,” the doctor replied, though he wanted to say more. Seeing Shen Lin’s expression, however, he decided against seizing this rare opportunity to engage with the future head of the Shen family.

Shen Lin sat in the hallway.

Fortunately, all unrelated personnel had been cleared out, allowing him to openly reveal the vulnerability etched across his face.

He was truly head over heels for Xiao San, but the gap in their social status made him too afraid to take things further with her.

After a while.

Shen Lin picked up his phone and dialed Zheng Qi’s number.

He clearly hadn’t saved her contact, yet he dialed her number so naturally.

Perhaps it was because Zheng Qi kept appearing around him, constantly bothering him, that he had no choice but to remember her number.

He was trying to find an acceptable excuse for his own behavior.

After the call connected, Zheng Qi didn’t say anything.

“I…” Shen Lin wanted to speak.

“If there’s nothing important, I’m hanging up,” Zheng Qi said coldly.

She definitely knew it was his number.

Yet she still spoke so indifferently.

Had his previous words been too harsh?

Shen Lin couldn’t help but reflect on himself.

Shen Lin: “There is.”

Zheng Qi: “What is it?”

Shen Lin: “Xiao San is in the hospital.”

“What happened? Did Luo Pengfei do something to San’er?” Her voice suddenly became animated. Shen Lin could hear the sound of her grabbing keys and heading out the door. He didn’t know whether telling Zheng Qi about Xiao San’s condition was the right decision or not.

“No, Xiao San was hospitalized due to stomach cramps.”

“I’m coming right away. Which hospital? How is she now?”

Shen Lin told her the name of the hospital, and the call ended abruptly.

Shen Lin suddenly felt a sense of emptiness, followed by guilt toward Zheng Qi.

Zheng Qi cared so much about Xiao San, yet he had assumed everything she did was just to get closer to him.

They were friends.

His prejudice had hurt someone who genuinely cared for her friend.

Shen Lin grew increasingly remorseful.

After what felt like an eternity, Shen Lin finally saw Zheng Qi rushing over, looking travel-worn.

Zheng Qi had run all the way, stopping at the entrance of the corridor. The two of them stood facing each other, unsure of what to say.

Zheng Qi walked step by step toward him, then passed right by Shen Lin’s position.

“I went too far last time.”

Shen Lin didn’t specify which time, but both of them knew exactly what he was referring to.

Zheng Qi didn’t respond. She kept her head down, as if she hadn’t forgiven Shen Lin yet. She simply walked past him, opened the door to Xiao San’s hospital room, and went inside.

The moment the door closed, the corner of Zheng Qi’s lips curled up slightly, just for a fleeting moment. Even if Shen Lin had seen it, he would have likely dismissed it as an illusion.

Zheng Qi walked to Xiao San’s bedside and looked at her pale face on the hospital bed. She raised her hand and gently stroked Xiao San’s cheek.

Even though she was a fool.

She had brought Zheng Qi and Shen Lin closer.

It was truly.

Zheng Qi couldn’t help but feel a sense of gratitude toward Xiao San.

But she still wouldn’t give up on Shen Lin.

“As long as you don’t compete with me for Shen Lin, I’ll treat you well. You’ll be my only friend.”

Zheng Qi’s fingers traced from Xiao San’s brow, down to the tip of her nose, and finally to her lips.

Xiao San’s lips were so dry they were peeling.

Zheng Qi’s fingers traced the outline of Xiao San’s lips, delighting in the repetitive motion.

The touch was soft, and with a gentle press, the flesh of the lips would shift slightly before returning to its original shape when released.

The pad of her finger could feel the dried skin on her lips, still connected to the soft flesh beneath.

Zheng Qi withdrew her finger, picked up a cotton swab from the bedside table, and dipped it lightly in water.

Gently, she dabbed the cotton swab over the lips, moistening the parched skin.

But it was inconvenient.

So, Zheng Qi discarded the cotton swab, dipped her finger in water instead, and softly patted Xiao San’s lips.

Soon, Xiao San’s lips regained a hint of luster.

Like morning dew.

Moist and radiant.

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