After Backstabbing The Villain, The System Allowed Me To Enter The Book Again - Chapter 21

The song came to an end.

Qi Yi pressed the stop button, saving the five-minute recording to his phone. He was about to leave when he suddenly heard applause coming from the first row of seats before the stage. Lifting his head, his gaze landed on the back of the head of the lone, enthusiastic supporter.

That person was Shen Chumo, who happened to be Shen Huaixin’s current… rumored partner.

Thinking of her actions in the past—she even gave up her performance just to take him to the infirmary—he began to wonder: could it be that Shen Huaixin truly cared too much about Shen Chumo?

An inexplicable wave of displeasure rose within him. His feet, which had been ready to leave, seemed rooted to the spot. His eyes fixed unwaveringly on the two of them, searching for clues in their interaction.

Shen Huaixin was so proud and vain; the person she liked had to be excellent in every way, someone like him who was worthy of her. How could she possibly fall for an ordinary boy with nothing special about him?

But then he saw Shen Chumo stand up, his figure swaying. Without hesitation, Shen Huaixin jumped down from the stage to support him.

“…?”

He wasn’t elderly, weak, or disabled—it was just some scrapes from a fight. Why the need to fuss over him? Qi Yi thought Shen Huaixin had been completely fooled by the other’s act of weakness. The tea-scent of pretense was so strong it could be smelled from the back row.

He frowned deeply and shook his head, doubting her taste.

Afraid Shen Chumo might fall, Shen Huaixin carefully supported him, step by step. Shen Chumo could already feel his legs recovering, and though the words of refusal rose to his lips, he swallowed them back inexplicably. Just a little longer like this… it wouldn’t hurt.

They walked down the tree-lined path, through the long corridor, into the glow of the slanting sun, until finally they reached the school gate. Only when Shen Chumo stood firmly did Shen Huaixin release her hold.

“Go on home.”

He nodded obediently and got into a car by himself.

Shen Huaixin returned to her own vehicle, but her thoughts were with her parents, who had gone to the police station earlier and hadn’t sent word all day.

She hadn’t pushed Shen Chumo into the water; he had slipped on his own. She had warned him in advance to avoid bullies, but he still got into a fight and was injured. No matter how she tried to avoid those events, the story’s natural momentum still pushed them back into her life, only in a slightly lessened form.

In the original storyline, she had told Shen’s parents about Shen Chumo’s ability to heal automatically, and further investigation revealed he wasn’t really their son. That part should have happened long ago, but since she had feigned ignorance, her parents hadn’t noticed a thing. Now, after today’s trip to the police station, she had no idea what would come of it.

Her eyelids twitched. Restless, she called her mother, but the line was dead—the phone was switched off. The unease in her chest grew heavier.

The sky grew dark, a few storm clouds drifting in. Soon raindrops began to splatter against the car window. The driver switched on the wipers, which drew repeating arcs across the windshield.

When Shen Huaixin got home, her parents still weren’t back, and the rain had only grown heavier.

Thinking of what awaited her later that night, her meal slowed to a snail’s pace, as though she could stall reality itself. A crack of thunder split the sky, and she flinched violently, shrinking her neck. When nothing happened, she swallowed her mouthful of rice.

It was only mild electric shocks—not the heavy one that had knocked her unconscious before. She could endure it.

At least, that was what she told herself. Yet when she shut herself in her bedroom with the windows tightly closed, she couldn’t stop trembling. She hadn’t expected the brush with death to leave her with such deep PTSD. If she’d known, she would have kept her mouth shut today.

She first went to the bathroom, relieving the weight in her stomach, then splashed cold water on her face. In the mirror, the girl’s eyes were rimmed red, lashes trembling, lips pursed, looking pitifully aggrieved.

【System: Ready to begin?】

【Shen Huaixin: W–wait a minute…】

She crawled into bed, wrapping herself in the quilt until it resembled a paper-thin fortress. Taking a deep breath, teeth chattering, she was just about to say “start” when a knock came at the door.

A soft voice outside asked: “Xin-jie, may I come in?”

She poked her head from under the quilt. “What do you want?”

“…” He stayed silent, then knocked again.

With no choice, Shen Huaixin got up, opened the door, and let Shen Chumo in. Sitting cross-legged on the bed, arms folded, chin tilted proudly, she warned:

“If it’s nothing important, I’ll throw you out.”

Shen Chumo sat upright on the chair by her bed. His eyes drifted unconsciously to the floor, as if searching for something important to say. Shen Huaixin patiently gave him space to think, but clearly, he wasn’t the type to speak glibly. Even after a long while, he was still hemming and hawing.

He was acting strange today, but she had no time to bother with him. She pointed at the door.

“No business? Then scram.”

Shen Chumo looked at her. “…Don’t you need me to stay with you?”

“Huh?”

“Whether you’re scared of thunder or lightning, I’m here,” Shen Chumo muttered like a stubborn stray dog refusing to leave. “I’ll go when the rain stops.”

Shen Huaixin paused, eyelids lowering with a sigh. He’d seen her terror, but misjudged its cause.

Still, the fact that someone cared enough to stay moved her.

“You’ve got it wrong. I’m not afraid. You can go.”

Outside, rain lashed the windows, wind howled, but the glass shut out most of the chaos, leaving a cocoon of safety indoors. When lightning slashed across the night sky, the flash made her frown and shiver with goosebumps.

【System: The punishment has a time limit. Please prepare quickly.】

Shen Chumo glanced at the quilt fortress, then shifted his chair closer. She didn’t stop him. With no time to explain, she curled deeper into the bedding, trembling like a cocooned caterpillar.

Awkwardly, he recited from a physics textbook: “Lightning is formed by charge separation and discharge phenomena in the atmosphere. It’s a very common natural occurrence, so there’s no need to be afraid. When enough charge accumulates between clouds or between cloud and ground…”

As he babbled futile reassurance, a slender hand stretched out from the tight folds of the quilt, pinching the sleeve at his wrist.

Her fingers trembled, pale and fragile as porcelain, as if a touch could shatter them.

Without hesitation, he turned his hand over and intertwined their fingers, letting the warmth of his palm lend her strength.

That afternoon, when he’d heard those boys insulting Shen Huaixin, rage had flooded him, burning away reason until he realized he was already in the fight. It had been pure, unthinking fury—like fire.

Thunder boomed.

Her icy fingertips dug into the back of his hand. He didn’t pull away, even when her nails broke skin. Their palms grew slick with cold sweat, her delicate hand trembling all the while.

A muffled sound escaped from the quilt—stifled pain, restrained endurance, all the more agonizing for it.

Was she really this terrified of thunder?

He had never realized. Witnessing it with his own eyes carved the pain into his heart.

He didn’t know how long it lasted, but eventually her trembling stopped. She moved her hand, realizing their palms were still pressed together, damp and sticky. Jolted back to her senses, she quickly pulled away.

“You can go now.”

The storm raged on, but some instinct told Shen Chumo she was fine. What he couldn’t figure out was whether her suffering truly came from the thunder and lightning… or something else.

After confirming several times that she was alright, he rose and left.

Back in his room, he flexed his hand. The lingering sensation on his palm was like a snake—cold, sticky, coiling between his knuckles, crawling up, making him desperate to do something, anything, to shake it off.

Pacing in his room, his hand slipped into his pocket and brushed his phone. Yes, a distraction—that was what he needed. And truth be told, he had a question he wanted to ask the almighty netizens.

Shen Chumo logged into the school forum and posted a thread: “Shocking! The girl who treats me so well actually said this kind of thing!”

From what he’d seen, a title like that guaranteed high traffic and lots of replies.

He carefully polished the wording in the casual, dramatic tone of modern internet users, until it read like any other post. The content was:

The OP is an ordinary high school boy, nothing special. Lately, he’s had some confusion in his interpersonal relationships, so he’s asking the experts here for advice.

There’s a senior girl who treats OP very well. She looks after him, brings him food, and when he’s in danger, she rushes to help him without hesitation. Sometimes she even plays pranks on him—like secretly tying his shoelaces together, or untying them all as if he wouldn’t notice.

OP cherishes their sibling-like bond, but she repeatedly insists she has never considered him a younger brother.

So, what does this mean? Is she just soft-hearted but stubborn with words, or is there a deeper meaning?

1L Passerby
What, what, more gossip? Anyone know who this is about?

2L Forever Single
Playing abstract games, huh? OP, you’re just here to show off. I clicked in excited, now I’m leaving with a downvote.

3L YiHan Is Real
So sweet! OP, can you spill more sugar? Hurry up and tell us in what situation she said she doesn’t see you as a brother. I’ll help you analyze.

The replies flooded in, though not a single serious one among them.

Shen Chumo typed quickly, adding details.

OP replied @3L
There were two times. First was when she was giving OP a haircut—she said she didn’t see him as a brother. Second was after she saved OP from bad guys—she said she never thought of him as a brother. Please help analyze, thanks!

4L YiHan Is Real
Aaaah, this is such a bombshell of sweetness! She’s already hinting so hard, and you’re still a block of wood?

5L Melon-Eating Crowd
Blessings on your 99 years together. Sending 10 yuan as a wedding gift.

6L DreamChaser Girl Group Stan
Since no one’s answering properly, I’ll do it. Obviously, the girl’s totally in love with you.

7L Passerby replied @6L
Thanks, Mongolian man.

OP replied @6L
Excuse me, what do you mean by “totally in love”? Really urgent, waiting online.

8L Forever Single replied @OP
Enough with the PDA already! Ever think about how it feels for us spectators? Honestly, get out of here.

9L DreamChaser Girl Group Stan replied @OP
It means she likes you! If she says you’re not her brother, then she definitely sees you as a guy, as an opposite s3x. She probably wants you to stop treating her as just your kind big sister and start seeing her as a woman!
How can you not get this? I feel anxious for her.