The Tragic Heroine Fell in Love with Me - Chapter 66

Shen Lin looked at Zheng Qi with a pitying gaze. “Don’t you know? Even if you refuse the engagement, Count Corey, who is far away in France, has long acknowledged our marriage.”

Xiao San let out a soft “ouch.”

She looked at Zheng Qi, whose face had turned extremely pale. Zheng Qi’s hand gripped Xiao San’s shoulder with all her strength. Xiao San could clearly see the stiffness in Zheng Qi’s facial muscles and could feel her clenching her teeth tightly.

There was nothing Xiao San could do except hold Zheng Qi’s hand tightly and give it a slight squeeze.

When Zheng Qi lowered her head to look at her, Xiao San offered a gentle smile.

The only support Xiao San could give Zheng Qi was the reassurance that she would always be by her side.

Zheng Qi smiled back at Xiao San.

“Father, what a fresh term,” Zheng Qi sneered. “You’re not the first person to mistake him for my father, but you are the first to be this ridiculous.”

Zheng Qi turned back. “San’er, why don’t you go downstairs with Mond and have some fun?”

“Ah Qi, I’m not a child anymore.”

“Yes, I know you’re not a child. Be good and go, alright?”

Xiao San shrugged helplessly. “Fine.”

She understood that Zheng Qi didn’t want her to hear the conversation. Although she wanted to protest, she couldn’t show weakness in front of Shen Lin. Besides, it concerned the closeness between her and Zheng Qi she couldn’t let Shen Lin think there was any rift between them.

Xiao San was gently nudged by Zheng Qi.

She stepped back with the motion, and when she glanced at Mond Helge, he was already eager to leave.

Xiao San looked back repeatedly but had no choice but to follow Mond Helge out the door.

As soon as the door closed, Xiao San pressed her ear against it, trying to eavesdrop on the conversation inside.

“San, let’s go downstairs.”

Xiao San shushed Mond Helge. “Don’t talk.”

Mond Helge said, “This door has excellent soundproofing.”

He meant that even if Xiao San tried to listen, she wouldn’t be able to hear anything from inside.

Moreover, since Zheng Qi had asked Xiao San to leave, she clearly didn’t want her to hear what was being discussed. Mond Helge felt it was his responsibility to ensure Xiao San left the area.

“Alright.”

Xiao San had no choice but to step away.

If she couldn’t hear anything anyway, it would be embarrassing if Zheng Qi opened the door and caught her eavesdropping.

Xiao San went downstairs with Mond Helge. Several times, she thought about going back up, but she was afraid of making Zheng Qi angry.

“Who is Count Corey?” Xiao San asked.

Mond Helge immediately looked up at the sky, his gaze shifting nervously. “How would I know who Count Corey is?”

Xiao San didn’t notice Mond Helge’s odd behavior and continued, almost talking to herself, “Why do they say Count Corey is Ah Qi’s father? Isn’t Ah Qi’s father Zheng Quanqiang?”

That man who favored sons over daughters, brought his mistress home, and mistreated Ah Qi.

Xiao San tilted her head in confusion.

“Ah maybe it’s some kind of adoption or something,” Mond Helge said, unable to keep a secret for long. After waiting a while and hearing no further guesses from Xiao San, he finally spoke up.

Xiao San sighed, “I still know far too little about Ah Qi.”

“Indeed, far too little.”

“Hmm, maybe I can find some time to visit the village where Ah Qi grew up. I wonder what the village where Ah Qi lived as a child was like?” Even though she knew Zheng Qi’s childhood had not been a happy one, Xiao San still felt drawn to that place surely, many of Ah Qi’s memories remained there.

Mond Helge shook his head.

He looked at Xiao San, hesitating to speak.

What could that village possibly offer? Even if she went there, it would be impossible to truly understand what kind of person Zheng Qi was. If she really wanted to know, she might as well go to the underground fighting rings in F country—that was where she might actually learn more about Zheng Qi.

Mond Helge only dared to think these thoughts to himself. If he were to actually voice them, he’d probably end up dismembered by Zheng Qi.

Xiao San waited downstairs for a long time and finally saw Shen Lin walking out of the elevator, looking utterly dejected.

“Hey, what did you say to Ah Qi?” Xiao San blocked Shen Lin’s path.

Shen Lin suddenly stopped. He seemed deeply shaken, his entire being like a ghost. Even when Xiao San blocked his way, he just stared at her blankly.

“Shen Lin, are you okay?” Although she disliked Shen Lin, seeing him in such a state made Xiao San worry despite herself. “You’re not going to faint, are you? Don’t try to fake an injury or something.”

Xiao San took two steps back, putting distance between herself and Shen Lin.

Hearing the words “fake an injury,” Mond Helge quickly stepped in front of Xiao San as well.

“You didn’t do anything to Ah Qi, did you?” Xiao San asked.

At the mention of “h Qi,” Shen Lin finally showed a slight reaction. He stared deeply at Xiao San, opening his mouth only to close it again, opening it once more before shutting it, and then, after one more attempt, timidly mumbled a few incoherent words before falling silent again.

“Are you okay?” Not only Xiao San, but even Mond Helge expressed concern for Shen Lin.

After all, they had been classmates together. Though not close friends, they had always maintained a surface-level cordiality. They couldn’t just stand by and watch Shen Lin fall apart.

Suddenly, Shen Lin pushed Mond Helge aside and grabbed Xiao San. His expression was frenzied. “Xiao San, you like me, don’t you? You like me, right?”

Xiao San’s head spun from being shaken back and forth by Shen Lin.

Mond Helge, caught off guard by Shen Lin’s sudden frenzy, immediately grabbed Shen Lin’s arm, trying to push him away.

But Shen Lin’s grip was too strong, as if he were clutching a lifeline, unwilling to let go no matter what.

“Shen Lin, snap out of it,” Mond Helge said.

Shen Lin’s expression was wild, his eyes bloodshot, clearly as if he had suffered some great shock. He kept shaking Xiao San. “You liked me before, didn’t you? At the very least, you liked me before, right?”

“I don’t like you at all!” Finally, with the combined efforts of Mond Helge and Xiao San, she managed to shove Shen Lin away. “Are you insane? How could I possibly like you?”

“Why don’t you like me?” Shen Lin asked, his voice filled with disbelief.

“Why would I like you? Because you look down on everyone? Because you talk to me like you’re handing out charity? Because you’re narcissistic and slimy?” Xiao San snorted, moving far away from him. Mond Helge stood between them, acting as a barrier and completely denying Shen Lin any chance to get closer.

Shen Lin lowered his head. “You don’t like me either? You don’t like me either?”

“You’re insane.”

“You’ll regret it! You’ll regret it!”

Xiao San rolled her eyes at Shen Lin. “Do you have some kind of disease where you can’t stop repeating yourself? ‘You don’t like me, you don’t like me, you’ll regret it, you’ll regret it.'” She mimicked his tone, repeating what he had said. “If anything, I’d regret falling for you.”

Zheng Qi must be regretting it now. If it weren’t for liking Shen Lin, why would she have gotten involved with a lunatic like him?

After saying this, Xiao San quickly pressed the elevator button. “Mond Helge, hurry up. Let’s not play with a lunatic.”

Mond Helge thought Xiao San really acted like a child.

He glanced at Shen Lin.

But Xiao San’s actions were definitely justified.

Shen Lin really was a lunatic.

Mond Helge jogged into the elevator and waved dismissively at Shen Lin, urging him to leave.

When they returned to the apartment, Zheng Qi had already gone back to her bedroom.

Xiao San felt that Zheng Qi probably wasn’t very happy.

“You should go comfort her,” Mond Helge said thoughtfully.

But he didn’t really think Zheng Qi would be that upset. After all, she was the one who had single-handedly almost overturned the entire Helge family.

Xiao San cautiously entered the bedroom.

Zheng Qi was sitting by the desk, holding a photo frame.

Xiao San had seen that frame before when she was tidying Zheng Qi’s room.

Zheng Qi didn’t have many personal belongings, and that photo frame was one of them. Xiao San thought it must be important, so she had cleaned it and placed it in the center of the desk.

Zheng Qi turned around and handed the photo frame to Xiao San.

Her eyes were red, clearly from crying.

“You’ve been crying. Did Shen Lin bully you? I should’ve beaten him up earlier,” Xiao San said as she took the frame.

“You ran into him.” Zheng Qi let out a bitter laugh. “Of course, how could you have gone far?”

Xiao San smiled awkwardly and looked at the woman in the photo. She bore some resemblance to Zheng Qi but seemed gentler. Not that Zheng Qi wasn’t gentle, but when Xiao San saw the photo, she felt the woman’s aura was exactly what she had always imagined Zheng Qi’s would be.

Zheng Qi said, “This is my aunt. It’s the only thing she left me in this world to remember her by.”

Xiao San looked at the woman. “She’s beautiful, just like you, A Qi.”

Zheng Qi opened her arms.

Xiao San glanced at the floor but didn’t hesitate. She walked over, straddled Zheng Qi’s lap, and faced her.

She held the photo frame, carefully studying the woman and Zheng Qi.

“I think you look a lot like your aunt, even more than your mom.”

Zheng Qi chuckled, “Maybe it’s because I was raised by my aunt. I remember someone once said that people who live together tend to share a certain resemblance.”

“Then Xiao Qi and I must be very similar too. If I can’t see Xiao Qi, can I just look in the mirror and imagine seeing you?” Xiao San giggled.

Her smile seemed to lighten the heavy atmosphere a little.

“I don’t want to search for traces of San’er in my own reflection,” Zheng Qi said, placing a hand on the back of Xiao San’s head. “I want to open my eyes and see San’er right there. I want to be able to see San’er anytime, anywhere.”

Xiao San’s cheeks flushed again. “I don’t know where you picked up such cheesy lines they’re so corny.”

“If San’er thinks they’re cheesy, then so be it, but these are my true feelings.”

Xiao San quickly turned her head away. “Let’s go shopping tomorrow. It’s been so long since we last went.”

Zheng Qi pulled her closer, their bodies now almost touching, their heartbeats syncing into a single rhythm. “Mm, whatever San’er says is fine. If you want to go shopping, we’ll go shopping. If you want to go hiking, we’ll go hiking.”

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