The Tragic Heroine Fell in Love with Me - Chapter 19

Qi Yan helplessly apologized to Zheng Qi, “We have something to attend to, so we’ll be leaving first. Please try to calm Shen Lin down.”

He glanced at Shen Lin and, in the end, dragged Huang Xi, who was still struggling, away.

Shen Lin was also sulking, especially when facing Zheng Qi, who stood at the restaurant entrance. He felt somewhat awkward.

How much of their earlier conversation had she overheard?

“Don’t take it to heart. We were just arguing earlier, it was thoughtless talk,” Shen Lin said with difficulty.

He rarely comforted others, but seeing the hurt on Zheng Qi’s face, he made an effort to explain.

Zheng Qi smiled, though her smile was tinged with bitterness. “It’s fine, I’m not overthinking it.”

She turned around, and even her back seemed to radiate loneliness.

Shen Lin felt even more guilty.

In the past, he had always pushed Zheng Qi away, saying things that might hurt her, yet he had never felt the slightest bit of remorse.

Now, for some reason, when Zheng Qi was upset, his heart ached along with hers.

Shen Lin felt dejected.

He felt as though he had developed feelings for Zheng Qi, the kind known as love.

But he liked Xiao San. Even though Xiao San was the daughter of a driver, he couldn’t suppress the feelings he had for her.

Shen Lin picked up his glass and downed a large gulp of whiskey, finally feeling a slight clarity in his mind.

Zheng Qi walked away with measured steps. By the time she reached her room, Shen Lin still hadn’t come after her.

She felt disappointed.

She had thought that, given how much Shen Lin seemed to care about her now, he would have chased after her to explain. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.

She sighed.

She had tried so hard to get close to Shen Lin. Every time, every single time, it felt like she was getting closer to him, only to be pushed away again.

This time was no different.

She didn’t care why Shen Lin had come back or for whom.

As long as he could stay by her side, that was enough because it was the only warmth she could hold onto.

Ding-a-ling.

Her phone suddenly chimed, a notification for a message.

The only people who triggered that specific alert were Shen Lin and Xiao San.

Zheng Qi picked up her phone.

She wasn’t sure what had prompted her to set a special notification for Xiao San.

Maybe it was because Xiao San was too naive, or perhaps because she always needed to stay close to Xiao San, to the point where she had even deceived herself into thinking they were truly good friends.

[Ah Qi, has your fever gone down?]

As soon as Zheng Qi opened her phone, she saw this message.

She had been staying at Shen Lin’s place for two weeks, and Xiao San had never once messaged her.

Not that she cared, of course.

But the first message Xiao San sent was asking if her fever had subsided?

Zheng Qi suddenly remembered the two pills on her bedside table.

[I left in such a hurry last time, my dad was in a car accident, so I couldn’t take care of you.]

[Don’t worry, my dad is all better now.]

[Are you settling in okay at Shen Lin’s place?]

[Actually, I wanted to bring you to my home, but with my dad’s accident, I had no choice but to leave you at Shen Lin’s. You’re not mad at me, are you?]

Zheng Qi watched as the messages kept coming. The other person was still typing.

Since Zheng Qi hadn’t tapped into the input box, the person on the other end, still sending messages, had no idea she had already seen them.

“Ah, I wonder how A Qi is doing. I miss her so much.” Xiao San kept refreshing the input box and then typed again: [Was the porridge I made delicious? Even though it was just plain rice porridge, and even though I just put it in the rice cooker, it was filled with my heartfelt intentions. Sending love~]

“I hope A Qi can feel my overflowing care, hehe.” Xiao San chuckled while looking at her phone and refreshed the screen several more times. Finally, a few words came through from the other side.

[Mm, it was really good. Thank you.]

[No need to thank me! That’s what good friends are for.]

Xiao San replied immediately.

She had to make it clear, she couldn’t let Shen Lin take credit for her efforts.

That day, Xiao’s father had been in a car accident due to the heavy rain. Although he was treated at the hospital and wasn’t seriously injured, he had to stay in bed for three months.

Originally, Xiao’s father was supposed to deliver something to Shen Lin, but under the circumstances, Xiao San had to go instead.

On the way, Xiao San ran into Zheng Qi, who was sitting by the entrance of a convenience store with her luggage, looking dejected. Xiao San brought Zheng Qi along to Shen Lin’s doorstep. But as soon as she left Zheng Qi at the door, Zheng Qi fainted.

Xiao San had no choice but to ask Shen Lin for help. Together, they carried Zheng Qi inside, changed her clothes, gave her medicine, and made sure she drank some warm water.

With her father still in the hospital, Xiao San was too worried to stay, so she asked Shen Lin to take care of Zheng Qi. She instructed him to give Zheng Qi porridge once she woke up.

Xiao San had no idea that Zheng Qi had been so feverish and disoriented that day that she didn’t remember Xiao San bringing her to Shen Lin’s place, nor did she recall Xiao San taking care of her all night. Instead, Zheng Qi ended up attributing all the credit to Shen Lin.

“San’er, what are you looking at? You’re smiling so happily.” Xiao’s father’s leg was propped up high. Even after two weeks, his face was still bruised and swollen.

“None of your business,” Xiao San retorted impatiently. “Look at the state you’re in you still have the energy to worry about what I’m doing? Just focus on resting, okay?”

“You ungrateful girl, I am resting! Does that mean your old man can’t even talk while he’s resting?”

“Do you even realize you’re slurring your words?” Xiao San pointed at her own canine tooth. “Half of your tooth is missing, you should be embarrassed to even speak.”

“How unfilial! You’re such an unfilial daughter. Just go away, I don’t want to see you.” Xiao’s father put on a pained expression and pretended to cry into the bed. But he forgot that his right arm was still in a cast. As he tilted his head, not only did he fail to lift his arm, but he also twisted his neck.

“Ah!”

“Dad, are you okay?” Xiao San quickly reached out to support her father’s arm.

Just then, Xiao’s mother walked in. Seeing Xiao San holding her father’s arm and her father’s head tilted at an odd angle, she immediately assumed they were trying to remove the cast prematurely and rushed to stop them. “What are you two doing?! It’s not time to take the cast off yet. You can’t remove it now.”

Xiao’s father and Xiao San both turned to look at her.

Xiao’s father complained, “In your eyes, do I really seem that reckless?”

Xiao San sighed in exasperation, “Where’s the trust? Where’s the trust?!”

Only then did Xiao’s mother realize she had misunderstood. “Well, can you blame me? It’s your fault for always fooling around like this, who knows when you’re being serious or not?”

Mom Xiao set the crucian carp porridge aside and helped Dad Xiao into a comfortable position. “Hurry up and eat, my dear lord.”

Dad Xiao clutched his chest. “I feel terrible inside, I can’t eat.”

Xiao San’s eyes immediately lit up. “Crucian carp porridge! I love it. If Dad won’t eat it, I will.”

Dad Xiao instantly became alert. “Get away from here, you unfilial daughter. How dare you lay a finger on this? This is the crucian carp porridge cooked with your mother’s boundless love for me. Don’t even think about it!”

With that, Dad Xiao immediately picked up the bowl and spoon, blowing on it bit by bit. “Ah, this aroma is truly delightful.”

Mom Xiao couldn’t stand watching the two of them putting on such a dramatic act.

“Go eat outside. I’ve already served you a bowl, it’s on the table.”

Xiao San let out an “Aye!” and dashed off.

Mom Xiao shook her head and laughed, but before she could finish laughing, Xiao San bounced back in. “I love you, Mom! I saw it, the bowl outside is huge, way bigger than Dad’s. Oh, you!”

After saying that, Xiao San stuck her tongue out triumphantly at Dad Xiao and dashed off again.

As soon as Xiao San left, Dad Xiao lost his appetite.

Although the car accident wasn’t severe, he happened to land face-first. Fortunately, only a few of his teeth were damaged; unfortunately, a few of his teeth were damaged.

Because of the damaged teeth, the nerves were compressed, causing occasional toothaches. No matter how much he wanted to eat, even the slightest contact with hot or cold food would make him ache for a while.

After just a few sips, Dad Xiao set down the bowl and spoon.

“Aren’t you going to eat a bit more?”

Dad Xiao shook his head and smiled to comfort Mom Xiao. “Didn’t you always say I was too fat and unhealthy, that I needed to lose weight? Well, look, I’m losing weight now.”

Mom Xiao rolled her eyes at him. “I wanted you to lose weight healthily. Who would want you like this unable to eat or sleep properly?”

“Not at all. I’ve eaten quite a bit already. I just don’t have an appetite. It’ll come back in a few days,” Dad Xiao said.

“In a few days, in a few days, it’s only been a few days, and look how thin you’ve become.”

“Keep your voice down,” Dad Xiao teased with a grin. “If San’er hears, she’ll be so jealous. Ever since she started school, she’s gained who knows how many pounds, always talking about losing weight but never missing a single bite. If she finds out how easily I’m losing weight.”

Mom Xiao burst out laughing, then shot him a sharp look. “You two are just alike, always cracking jokes and never taking anything seriously.”

“Ah, I see. You’re just like San’er, you’re disgusted with me.”

Dad Xiao began to wallow in self-pity again.

Mom Xiao stood up, picked up the bowl, and walked out. “Enough of that. Watch less TV, your acting is just terrible.”

As Mom Xiao stepped out, she saw Xiao San sitting at the dining table, picking at her food listlessly. When Xiao San noticed her mom, she asked, “Dad has no appetite?” She glanced at the mostly untouched crucian carp porridge.

“Your dad insists on taking this chance to lose weight. He just lies in bed all day, refusing to eat no matter what,” Mom Xiao said, pouring the remaining crucian carp from the bowl into her own.

Xiao San leaned forward, tears streaming down her face.

Xiao Gai, for once, was unusually well-behaved. Instead of teasing Xiao San, he sat quietly and ate his meal.

“Look at the mess you two have made. If you think your dad has lost weight, why don’t you buy him some sugar cakes or doughnuts and send them over for him to eat? I’m fed up too. I’m busy running around all day, and I’ve gained weight with no time to lose it. Meanwhile, he’s doing just fine, even losing weight while lying around. I’m not happy about it either.” As she spoke, Xiao’s mother turned her head away and wiped the tears from the corner of her eye.

“Mom,” Xiao Gai reached out and grabbed her arm, but she immediately turned her head back. “It’s nothing, just the heat from cooking. Sweat on my forehead.”

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