The Tragic Heroine Fell in Love with Me - Chapter 60

By the time they had arrived at Xiao San’s apartment building and stepped out of the car, Mond Helge still felt a sense of unreality.

“Am I… still alive?”

Xiao San looked at Mond Helge with confusion. “Are you okay? Why do you look so out of it, like you’ve lost your soul?”

Mond Helge shook his head. How could he dare to open his mouth? He was terrified that a bullet might suddenly fly from behind and pierce his skull.

When Xiao San and Mond Helge entered the apartment, they found that Shen Lin had indeed left. The only traces of him were a few empty takeout boxes scattered around the living room.

“That Shen Lin is so shameless! He ordered takeout and didn’t even bother to throw away the boxes, just left them in the living room,” Xiao San grumbled angrily. “Next time I see him, I’m going to throw these boxes right in his face.”

Mond Helge was starving. “San, do you want to order some takeout?”

“I’ve lost my appetite,” Xiao San replied before heading into the living room, leaving Mond Helge standing there, bewildered.

Although he had a phone, there was no money in his account.

He had thought he had found a kind-hearted person to rely on for food and shelter, only to realize that this “kind-hearted person” was actually his greatest enemy.

A few hours earlier, he would have knocked on Xiao San’s door without hesitation, shamelessly begging her to order takeout for him. But now, he felt a little scared.

As Mond Helge stood in the living room, wallowing in self-pity, Xiao San suddenly emerged from her room.

She paced back and forth through every room like a rabbit with its tail on fire.

“Nothing, nothing, there’s nothing here.”

“This is mine, this is mine too, and this… only this…”

Muttering to herself, she went through every room. Finally, she ran her hands through her hair in frustration, lowered her head dejectedly, and trudged back to her room like a drenched chicken.

“San, are you okay?” This time, it was Mond Helge who knocked on her door with concern.

After a moment, Xiao San opened the door, her face full of despair. “I just realized… Ah Qi has so few belongings.”

“Huh?”

“She has even fewer things than you do.” Xiao San had never paid much attention to it before. Every day with Zheng Qi felt like an ordinary, simple shared living arrangement. But after returning from the Zheng family and looking around the apartment she shared with Zheng Qi, she suddenly realized that there were almost no traces of Zheng Qi in the house.

Zheng Qi’s room was spotlessly clean. Only a few books were placed on the desk, and the blankets and pillows were neatly folded. It felt as barren as a bedding display in a supermarket, or even more desolate.

In the wardrobe, there were only two sets of clothes that Zheng Qi often wore.

That was all there was in Zheng Qi’s room. It didn’t feel like a place where someone had lived for a long time.

As for the living room… it wasn’t even worth mentioning.

In the bathroom, there were only Zheng Qi’s toothbrush, cup, and a facial cleanser.

Zheng Qi rarely even wore makeup.

Xiao San felt that if Zheng Qi ever decided to move out, she wouldn’t even be able to find anything of hers to leave by the staircase corner.

It seemed as though Zheng Qi could leave at any moment.

This thought filled Xiao San with panic. “No, I can’t let Ah Qi go on like this.”

She rushed into the room energetically, backpack slung over her shoulder and a canvas bag in her hand. “Let’s go, we’re hitting the supermarket for a shopping spree!”

“Supermarket?” Mond Helge, who was so hungry his stomach felt like it was touching his back, had originally planned to scavenge for food in the fridge. But because he had eaten too much last time and earned Xiao San’s disapproval, he didn’t dare go near the kitchen while she was around.

If they could go to the supermarket, who would bother with raw vegetables in the kitchen?

“Let’s go!” Mond Helge’s spirits lifted instantly.

The two of them marched triumphantly into the supermarket.

Mond Helge was just about to launch an assault on the prepared foods section when Xiao San pulled him toward the bedding aisle.

“Ah Qi’s bedding is too plain and cold. We need to buy something gentle and warm-toned, so Ah Qi can feel the warmth of home.” She noticed many plush toys next to the bedding section. “Yes, and we should get teddy bears and plush cats too let’s deck out my Ah Qi with all of it.”

“Can we eat first before buying this stuff?” Mond Helge said weakly.

“Eat? How can I think about eating when I remember how long Ah Qi has lived in that home without leaving a single trace behind? It breaks my heart! How could I have the mind to eat?” Xiao San couldn’t be bothered. She was willing to empty her savings just to make sure Zheng Qi no longer felt like she could be kicked out at any moment.

The more belongings she had, the more attachments she’d form, and the happier Ah Qi would be.

Xiao San was as energetic as if she’d been injected with adrenaline, while Mond Helge looked like he was on the verge of collapse.

After their supermarket raid, when they finally returned home, Mond Helge finally got the carbohydrates he had been craving.

If someone had told Mond Helge before that he could be happy just eating plain steamed buns, he would never have believed it and would have flipped them off. But at this moment, having sneakily grabbed two packs of buns when Xiao San wasn’t looking, as he bit into the soft, fluffy bun and savored the sweet taste that filled his mouth with each chew, he was certain: no delicacies or gourmet feasts in the world could compare to the humble steamed bun in front of him.

Xiao San didn’t feel hungry at all.

She was determined to decorate Ah Qi’s room perfectly, to make sure Ah Qi felt how much she cared.

Indeed, the more she learned about Ah Qi, the more she felt Ah Qi deserved all this kindness.

She had been so wrong to ever doubt Ah Qi before.

When Ah Qi arrived, she would definitely apologize.

“Ah Qi, I used to think you were hiding something from me and doubted that you weren’t being entirely genuine. I was so wrong. Even if you kept a few things from me, I should have been more understanding. After all, everyone has things they don’t want to talk about. How could I impose my own expectations on you? Ah Qi, don’t worry, I’ll never doubt you again. And you have to believe me, I see you as my best friend. So please, please don’t ever think I would abandon you.”

Just as Xiao San had imagined, the moment she saw Zheng Qi, she poured out all her apologies in one breath.

To make sure Zheng Qi didn’t think she was being overly sentimental, she hugged her tightly, repeatedly saying that she was Zheng Qi’s best friend and urging Zheng Qi to treat her as family, to consider her family as her own.

Zheng Qi was taken aback by the sudden embrace.

She listened to the muffled sound against her chest, to Xiao San’s apologies and Xiao San’s sincerity.

She raised her hand and gently patted Xiao San’s back. “What’s wrong again? I was only away on a business trip for a few days.”

“Even if it’s just a few days, it feels like a very, very long time to me.” Xiao San held Zheng Qi tightly, refusing to let go, even though Zheng Qi tried to push her away several times.

“Did you cause trouble again?”

“Hey, is that how you see me?” Xiao San protested indignantly.

“Oh, then I was wrong to suspect you.” Zheng Qi could finally breathe freely again. She extended her index finger and tapped Xiao San’s nose. “Why are you saying this out of the blue? It’s making me feel a bit uneasy.”

“I’ve contacted my friend, so I’ll head downstairs now?” Mond Helge waved from the side, but unfortunately, no one paid him any attention. He shrugged and, after stepping out, considerately closed the door behind him.

“Of course, you were wrong to suspect me. How could I possibly go around causing trouble? Besides, I have a surprise for you. You need to close your eyes.”

Zheng Qi obediently closed her eyes.

“You didn’t even ask what it is before closing your eyes.” Xiao San felt a warmth in her heart but also thought Zheng Qi was far too easy to deceive. If it were someone else, would she believe them so readily?

“You wouldn’t lie to me, right?”

“Ah Qi, you’re just too trusting. If someone else tells you to close your eyes, you can’t do it right away. What if they’re trying to trick you?” Xiao San held Zheng Qi’s hand, guiding her to her room while giving her instructions.

Zheng Qi nodded. “Don’t worry, I only believe what San’er says. I don’t trust anyone else.”

Xiao San pursed her lips, her cheeks flushing slightly.

She opened the door to Zheng Qi’s room and led her to the edge of the bed.

Zheng Qi’s room had originally been decorated in cool tones, but Xiao San had transformed it into a warm palette of pink and mint green. The once stark desk lamp had been replaced with one shaped like a little pig, and the area around the bed was covered with a fluffy white rug.

Since Zheng Qi always enjoyed reading, Xiao San had placed a bookshelf next to the desk, filled with books. The ones on Zheng Qi’s desk before were incomprehensible to Xiao San, so she had specifically chosen fairy tales from the children’s section and some beautifully illustrated poetry collections.

Near the window, Xiao San had arranged a row of plush toys.

She knew how much Zheng Qi cherished the little ceramic bird, so she had gone to the market to find more ceramic figurines, little people, birds, pigs, and more.

She used to think Zheng Qi didn’t like such childish things, but when she saw the few items, Zheng Qi had left behind at the Zheng family home, she realized that maybe Zheng Qi didn’t dislike them perhaps she just hadn’t been able to keep those adorable things.

So, Xiao San bought them all. She didn’t know if Zheng Qi would like every single one, but she could slowly try to discover what Zheng Qi enjoyed. One day, Zheng Qi would fill her room with many, many things she loved.

Xiao San gently held Zheng Qi’s hand. “Ah Qi, you can open your eyes now.”

Zheng Qi had been led by Xiao San the entire way without once opening her eyes, not even giving it a second thought.

She was someone who found it so difficult to trust others, yet she could trust Xiao San so completely.

Zheng Qi hadn’t even realized how incredible all of this was.

The moment she opened her eyes and saw the room’s furnishings, she turned her head and looked at Xiao San, whose bright, sparkling eyes were fixed on her, those eyes were filled entirely with her reflection.

As if guided by some unseen force, Zheng Qi lowered her head, embraced Xiao San, and gently kissed her lips.

Xiao San didn’t push her away.

She deepened the kiss.

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