After Backstabbing The Villain, The System Allowed Me To Enter The Book Again - Chapter 19

After Fu Lingxuan left, Shen Huaixin exhaled a long breath and looked at Shen Chumo, who was slowly getting up from the ground. He wiped the bl00d off his face with his sleeve and coughed up some more bl00d.

Young people, when fired up, tend to act without thinking.

Shen Huaixin stayed in place, glancing occasionally toward the Cultural and Sports Center. After a while, Shen Chumo leaned against the wall, letting his body relax, and took a breath.

“Xin-jie, what are you waiting for?” he asked, noticing her distracted expression.

“I’m actually waiting for tissues…”

Shen Huaixin wasn’t ready to give up. She checked the time—ten minutes had already passed since the incident. Maybe if she waited another five minutes, the female lead would arrive.

The plot had progressed to this point: Shen Chumo injured, leaning against the wall, mirroring the scenes in the book.

Shen Chumo patted his pockets. “I have some here.”

He pulled out a pack of tissues and handed it to Shen Huaixin. She grabbed the entire pack, holding it tightly, ready to give it to Su Zihan once she arrived.

Five minutes later, Shen Chumo steadied himself against the wall, swaying slightly as he tried to walk toward the Cultural and Sports Center. Shen Huaixin suddenly remembered that, according to their agreement, he was supposed to go see the school performance.

Su Zihan’s performance.

By the timeline, it might already be underway.

“Why are you even going?” Shen Huaixin saw him nearly stumble and quickly supported him, looping his arm over her shoulder. She sighed, “Your main task right now is to go to the infirmary for a proper checkup.”

Shen Chumo caught the scent of her perfume, meant for the performance—a rich fragrance like a blooming rose. His body stiffened slightly, and he pressed his lips together.

He recalled the dream, where after his body automatically healed, she scolded him as a “monster.” He shook his head and tightened his sleeve, preferring death to letting her see the truth.

“What, do you think I’m going to molest you?” Shen Huaixin teased, noticing his movements.

She had indeed considered this problem. The checkup couldn’t involve the school doctor, or his secret would be exposed—so she had to handle it herself. Theoretically, she could just leave him; he might have fully recovered by the next day. But…

He still needed care—both for his body and his spirit.

She estimated that Su Zihan probably wouldn’t come at this point. After all, her image in their minds couldn’t be trusted. It was unfortunate—this had been a prime opportunity to improve their favorability with the female lead.

She sighed and supported Shen Chumo toward the infirmary.

Shen Chumo understood her meaning: “You… still have a performance.”

Shen Huaixin paused.

Her painstakingly rehearsed song, her all-nighter excitement, her carefully prepared makeup and outfit, and even that time she rescued someone from falling into the water… but it wasn’t about whether it was “worth it.”

Firefighters risking everything, mountaineers rescuing the stranded—humans don’t always make purely rational decisions. She felt the same. Over time, it had become harder for her to remain a purely detached observer, treating these vibrant, living characters objectively.

“It’s just a school performance,” Shen Huaixin continued, pretending not to care as she helped him walk. “But you… don’t blame me if you end up injured.”

Shen Chumo’s mind automatically translated her words: The performance isn’t important; the injury is on you, the pain is in my heart.

[Plot deviation value -3, current value 31. (Conclusion: the small world gradually stabilizing, coexisting with the demon)]

Shen Huaixin was momentarily surprised. Had the drop been due to heading to the infirmary? In any case, a reduction was good—it meant they were getting closer to protecting the small world.

When they arrived, the school doctor had gone to the Cultural and Sports Center as well, leaving the office empty. Both of them exhaled in relief. Shen Huaixin had him face her and sit down, while she took the school doctor’s chair.

“…”

The fluorescent light flickered slightly, creating an awkward atmosphere.

Shen Huaixin noticed his gaze lingering on her and cleared her throat to break the silence. “You took on seven of them by yourself… should I praise you for bravery or for stupidity?”

Shen Chumo’s mind automatically translated: Brother, you’re really brave.

He suddenly felt embarrassed, the kind of bashful awkwardness one feels when praised. He replied modestly, “It’s nothing, I just acted on impulse and hit them…”

“Wait,” Shen Huaixin suddenly focused, leaning forward to look into his eyes. “You’re saying you hit them? Who started it?”

He answered without shame: “Me.”

Shen Huaixin inhaled sharply. So it was self-defense—or maybe excessive self-defense. She had thought it was a typical bullying incident from the original story. Thinking further, Fu Lingxuan didn’t seem to interfere much and just let them go. Moreover, his character wasn’t that of a bully—the one causing trouble was supposed to be Shen Huaixin herself.

“Those guys outnumbered you. Why provoke them?” Shen Huaixin couldn’t understand. Shen Chumo didn’t seem like the type to pick fights.

“…” Shen Chumo hesitated, refusing to say “It’s nothing.”

Shen Huaixin studied him, noticing hints in his slightly stiff expression. He was usually tolerant, enduring her teasing and insults. For him to finally lose his temper and strike, he must have been seriously wronged.

She looked serious. “Shen Chumo, tell me—what did they say to you?”

She also wanted to learn.

“They were talking about today’s performance, saying your program would be terrible and couldn’t win. They said you were just seeking attention. I didn’t even finish listening before I ‘hit’ them.”

“…” Shen Huaixin was stunned.

He had fought them just because they spoke ill of her? He was… defending her?

Shen Huaixin felt moved. Thinking of her mission, a bittersweet sensation surged in her chest. Unable to contain herself, she scolded sharply, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on:

“You idiot! I said it before—I don’t treat you as my brother. Don’t forget—you’re just my dog! But I occasionally pity you, so you take it seriously? Fool!”

After speaking, the infirmary fell silent. She didn’t dare look at Shen Chumo, lowering her head involuntarily. Guilt, embarrassment, awkwardness—all swept over her, yet after speaking, a strange sense of relief emerged. Once Shen Chumo understood, he wouldn’t be hurt when betrayed in the future.

She could… act decisively.

A few long fingers reached toward her face, gently lifting her chin. Shen Huaixin followed the gesture, meeting his gaze.

Shen Chumo tilted his head: “Woof.”

Shen Huaixin’s eyes widened. His dirty cheeks had a faint blush, eyes clear like a young deer, innocent and naive. She couldn’t help but laugh out loud. The “villain” acting like a dog—but it was so cute.

[Shen Huaixin: King of Lightning, is Shen Chumo’s behavior normal? Am I not OOC?]

[System: Abnormal, but not OOC.]

[Shen Huaixin: Will he turn dark later?]

[System: Yes.]

Her phone vibrated, interrupting her thoughts. It was Qi Yi calling. She checked Shen Chumo’s injuries, said a few quick words, and hung up.

She didn’t know if Qi Yi had relayed her words to Su Zihan, but… it didn’t matter. Su Zihan hadn’t come, and neither had he. Evidently, he didn’t believe her.

It was somewhat amusing. In a crisis, her first instinct was to trust him—not call anyone else. Maybe in the original story, he had always been reliable, or perhaps she felt their relationship had improved during their time together. Either way, she was imagining too much.

Regardless, Shen Chumo’s safety took priority. She couldn’t leave him alone.

Thinking about the performance, she started to hesitate, her legs trembling—more nervous than when facing a crowd earlier. It was like “near the village, fear the road”—thankfully, she had a valid excuse to stay.

She made her decision and took the tissues Shen Chumo had given her, wiping his face. After cleaning off the dirt and grime, she prepared to continue when he, using the same trick as before, held his clothes to prevent her from seeing.

Now Shen Huaixin seemed to understand—he was probably afraid she would discover the secret of his automatic healing.

Following the villainous female supporting role’s character, it was indeed better to pretend ignorance. She pushed him further inside, drew the curtain, and turned with a huff:

“Who wants to see you? Chicken br3ast body, not as good as Fu Lingxuan anyway.”

In the original story, Fu Lingxuan’s body was universally admired: slim in clothes, muscular when unclothed. Even when the female lead was forcibly involved in romance, she couldn’t help but be attracted. Shen Huaixin, seeing this, was envious—or rather, resentful.

Shen Chumo, behind the white curtain, saw her fragile silhouette, thin as a sheet of paper, seemingly delicate yet repeatedly standing in front of him, fearlessly facing the storms of the outside world.

She had said from the start that her feelings weren’t familial. He recalled clearly that she had said this before.

…If not for a deep familial bond, why would she treat him so well?

Shen Chumo clenched the edge of his clothes, curiosity tingling like a cat scratching at an itch. He wanted to know the answer but didn’t know how.

He removed his shirt, revealing arms bruised and purple, and, mimicking a scene from a TV drama, used a cotton swab dipped in alcohol to disinfect his wounds. The slight sting made him frown. Then, he noticed the injuries healing at an imperceptibly slow rate.

The nightmare had come true—he had a sense of inevitability, as if he had always known but had been in denial.

What was he really…? A monster, as Shen Huaixin said in the dream? How would the real Shen Huaixin react?

His heart skipped a beat. He noticed faint black energy appearing on his hands, gradually wrapping around his arm, accelerating the healing of his wounds. A mysterious yet tangible power surged within him. He struggled to resist, but the more panicked he felt, the stronger the energy grew.

“Need help?” Shen Huaixin asked from behind, noticing his silence. Her tone carried a hint of concern, though still teasing: “Look at you, so clumsy—spreading iodine this slowly.”

Her words jolted Shen Chumo. He gritted his teeth, pricked his arm to let bl00d flow, forcing himself to calm down. Taking a deep breath, he answered in a steady voice:

“No, it’s fine. I don’t need help.”

He closed his eyes, silently repeating, It’s all an illusion. When he opened them again, the black energy had vanished, as if it had never existed.