The Tragic Heroine Fell in Love with Me - Chapter 57

Zheng Qi set down her phone, and her gentle demeanor vanished instantly.

Li Ailun stood awkwardly before Zheng Qi. With his unshaven face and having just flown in overnight without adjusting to the time difference, he felt as though he had pulled several all-nighters in a row.

Yet he dared not voice the slightest complaint now.

“Boss, I… I really didn’t expect this, you know? Who would’ve thought Mond would come to the country and even have some connection with Miss Xiao?” Li Ailun rubbed his nose, trying to come up with an excuse or justification, but it was clearly unconvincing.

“But don’t worry, Boss, I’ll make sure Mond doesn’t see tomorrow’s sun.”

“Enough,” Zheng Qi said, rubbing her temples. “We’re in the country now, not in F Country.”

Li Ailun immediately became obedient.

“Mond didn’t recognize you, did he?” Li Ailun asked. “Even though you’ve never met, I was afraid.”

Zheng Qi recalled the look in Mond’s eyes when he saw her, it had only been surprise. “Probably not,” she sighed. “Since he’s here, let it be. After all, he’s San’er’s friend. I don’t want him to affect San’er.”

“Don’t worry, Boss. Even though Mond is also an heir to the Helger family, he’s always been a spoiled rich kid.”

“Someone who grew up in the Helger family and was deliberately sent here by that faction, do you really think he’s a good-for-nothing?” Zheng Qi snorted, giving Li Ailun a cold, mocking look.

Li Ailun immediately lowered his head.

“You must be tired. Go get some rest. San’er has been talking about you a lot these past few days. I don’t want her to say I’m overworking you when she sees you.” Zheng Qi waved her hand, dismissing Li Ailun to rest.

“The boss’s wife is so considerate. Don’t worry, Boss. Once I’ve rested, I’ll make sure Mond ends up where he belongs.”

Compared to Li Ailun’s confidence, Zheng Qi felt the situation wasn’t so easily resolved.

Was Mond really as harmless as he appeared? Out of all the people, why had he chosen Xiao San?

When Zheng Qi returned home, Xiao San had already ordered takeout. Seeing Zheng Qi come back, Xiao San immediately ran over, took her hand, and complained, “Mond ate everything in the fridge. He’s a total glutton.”

Mond rubbed his nose, looking quite embarrassed. “I really only ate a little bit.”

Zheng Qi patted Xiao San’s head. “Alright, he’s your friend. If you keep talking like that, you’ll seem petty.”

“I am petty. Just look at my living room.”

Since it was a weekday, Xiao San hadn’t planned to have anyone come clean up. More importantly, Mond Helger was still in the house, and she was afraid that if someone came over, it might cause trouble.

“Let’s eat,” Zheng Qi said, pulling Xiao San to sit down. She turned to Mond Helger and said, “San’er just likes to complain a bit. She doesn’t actually dislike you. If she did, she wouldn’t have let you stay here.”

Mond Helger replied, “I know. San has a kind heart. She’s one of a kind.”

Xiao San blushed at their words, and her stream of complaints came to an end.

After dinner, Xiao San and Zheng Qi went out for a walk to digest their meal. Mond Helger wanted to join them.

“You should just stay at home. I bought you a phone, it’ll arrive tomorrow, along with a SIM card registered under my ID. Don’t go doing anything shady with it,” Xiao San warned Mond Helge. “Didn’t you say you’re in danger right now? So, wait until you’ve contacted your friends and made sure you’re safe before you go wandering outside.”

Mond Helge immediately teared up. “You really are my savior.”

He reached out to grab Xiao San, but she dodged him with a disgusted look. “If you’re grateful, just say so no need for physical contact! We believe in keeping a proper distance between men and women!”

Xiao San quickly pulled Zheng Qi over and hid behind her.

Mond Helge glanced at Zheng Qi and said, “Ah, I understand.”

His expression suggested he had figured out something significant. Xiao San looked at him, puzzled. “What do you understand?”

Mond Helge replied, “France is a romantic country. We believe love can conquer all.”

Xiao San rolled her eyes, took Zheng Qi’s hand, and headed for the door. “What nonsense.”

Zheng Qi and Xiao San walked along the riverside path. Many people were out for an evening stroll after dinner couples, families, some with children, others with pets.

Xiao San and Zheng Qi naturally held hands as they walked, enjoying the gentle breeze and chatting about this and that.

“When I was little, after dinner, my parents loved taking me out for walks. I was so adorable back then everyone liked me.” Xiao San squinted, reminiscing about the days when her grandparents would shower her with praise. “And you, Ah Qi? You must have been really cute and well-liked as a child too, right?”

“Me?” Zheng Qi gave Xiao San a deep look. “I wasn’t well-liked at all. The other kids loved bullying me because even though I had parents, neither of them cared about me. If I got bullied, no one would stand up for me. Only when my aunt was around would she chase them away.”

“That’s awful. Thank goodness for your aunt.” In the past, Xiao San would have changed the subject, but now she wanted to understand Zheng Qi better. Even though it hurt to hear, she hoped Zheng Qi would continue.

“After my aunt chased them away, they’d bring their parents to our house. Then, my grandmother would grab a stick and beat me until I cried myself unconscious before she’d stop.”

“Ah Qi!” Xiao San listened to the self-mocking tone in Zheng Qi’s voice and wondered if she was being too harsh by making Zheng Qi reopen old wounds.

Zheng Qi didn’t seem to notice Xiao San’s hesitation and went on, “Later, they stopped coming to our house because if my grandmother beat me, they’d get beaten when they got home too. They got smarter and only bullied me when my aunt wasn’t around. As soon as she showed up, they’d run far away.”

“Those kids were terrible. How could they do that?”

“Man at his beginning is fundamentally good.” This statement is merely a beautiful fantasy from the Three Character Classic. In reality, the malice of children is pure; they lack empathy and only know that bullying those weaker than themselves brings pleasure. Perhaps as they grow older, societal conditioning may lead them to feel guilt, but the malicious deeds are already done, and all the harm has been inflicted. The so-called guilt is nothing more than a layer of justification to absolve themselves of their wrongdoings.

“But San’er, you don’t need to worry. Although I was often bullied back then, I also had friends.” This was the first time Zheng Qi had fully laid bare her childhood experiences to Xiao San. Her childhood wasn’t just filled with painful memories; there were many joyful ones as well.

She always glossed over the painful parts. She knew Xiao San wanted to understand her, so she would tell Xiao San everything about her childhood, yet she was unwilling to reveal it all.

“At that time, my aunt was already in college. She only came during the summer holidays, and those were my happiest days. My aunt would take me to the amusement park and introduce me to her friends.” Zheng Qi seemed to have mustered great resolve. “You might not know this, but Shen Lin was actually one of the few friends I had in my childhood.”

“Shen Lin?” Xiao San’s eyes widened in surprise. She had never imagined that Zheng Qi and Shen Lin were childhood sweethearts.

Wait, was this mentioned in the novel?

But she hadn’t really paid close attention to the entire book perhaps this was a part of the plot she hadn’t known about.

“But he doesn’t seem to remember you at all,” Xiao San asked.

“Yeah, probably not. After all, we were very young back then. With so many friends, he certainly wouldn’t miss just one.” Zheng Qi’s tone was remarkably calm, as if she had long since come to terms with it. There was little fluctuation in her voice as she spoke. “So back then, I felt I absolutely had to marry Shen Lin. Not only was he my childhood friend, but he was also a child my aunt adored. If it were him, I thought my aunt would be very happy.”

“Ah Qi.” Xiao San felt even more heartache for her and grew even more convinced that Shen Lin was a scumbag.

“I was foolish, wasn’t I? To insist on getting close to a man who didn’t like me for such a reason.”

“Not at all. Ah Qi is just too sentimental. You just missed your aunt too much, which is why you were deceived by a man like Shen Lin.” Xiao San stopped walking and hugged Zheng Qi tightly. “Your aunt definitely wouldn’t want you to marry someone you don’t love for her sake. She would want you to find someone who reciprocates your feelings, someone who believes in you and always stands by your side, someone who thinks everything you do is amazing. Only such a person is worthy of our Ah Qi.”

A joyful laugh escaped Zheng Qi’s chest. “San’er is right. The person for me must always stand by my side and always think I’m the best.”

“Yes, Ah Qi is the best.”

Zheng Qi gently pushed Xiao San away, her gaze fixed intently on Xiao San’s face. After a moment, Zheng Qi sighed with disappointment and pulled Xiao San back into her embrace. “My San’er, when will you understand?”

“Understand what?”

“When the time comes, you’ll naturally understand.”

“Ah Qi, I feel like you’re just brushing me off.” Xiao San was held so tightly by Zheng Qi that she couldn’t even face him properly. She could only lightly tap on his shoulder blades, speaking with clear displeasure.

“No, how could I ever brush you off?” Zheng Qi’s tone remained as earnest as ever, making Xiao San unable to doubt him.

Xiao San sighed. There was nothing to be done, who made her always stand firmly on Zheng Qi’s side? So even if he was just humoring her, she couldn’t bring herself to argue.

Support