After Being Watched by My Paranoid and Gloomy Deceased Wife - Chapter 24

I’ve never been a smart person. Otherwise, my mothers wouldn’t have converted most of their assets into cash before they passed away.

After paying taxes on the properties in their names, they personally found reliable tenants and sub-landlords, leaving me with nothing more than the money deposited into my bank account each month.

However, the money they prepared for me was kept in a separate bank account.

Watching it flow in each month, it felt as if they were still alive, paying for my living expenses.

Even when I was desperate for medical treatment after the car accident, I never thought of using the money in that card.

It was the only testimony my mothers left, allowing me to see the love of my family behind the cold numbers. It was the only bond I had left in this world.

Even when I sold the house I lived in while studying, Xi Rong never thought of trying to persuade me to use the money.

So, someone as clueless as me shouldn’t have to face the dilemma of “Who is the undercover agent?”

Am I thinking clearly? Is this what I should face?

Although I haven’t spent much time with Zhang Ruoan, she certainly doesn’t have the bad intentions or serious mental problems Guan Lan claims she does.

Oh, that’s still to be determined. It’s also possible she hasn’t developed any symptoms yet. Just like me, I appear quite normal, but I might actually be seriously ill.

At the karaoke bar, besides being melancholic, she didn’t seem interested in developing any other relationship with me.

Judging from her messages, she didn’t seem to have any special feelings for Guan Lan, but it’s hard to say if she’s just trying to be nice to Guan Lan in front of me because of a love-hate relationship. That

shouldn’t be possible, right?

I may be clueless, but I’m not a rookie in my twenties anymore.

Over the years, I’ve developed some discerning eyes. Whether it’s Xi Rong’s assessment of Zhang Ruoan or Zhang Ruoan herself, I’m pretty sure she’s not bad.

She has a unique, solitary aura. Perhaps this is a common trait among artists?

Anyway, she doesn’t seem to harbor any ill intentions, and there’s nothing about me she could possibly plot against. Xi Rong’s closeness to her further proves that Zhang Ruoan isn’t a problem—

after all, Xi Rong’s mother watches me like a hen watches her chicks, afraid that if she misgenders me, I’ll be snatched away by some hawk or weasel out there.

As for Guan Lan’s chat history… Zhang Ruoan is a genius, so it’s normal for her to have a bit of an unusual mindset. Perhaps she just happened to send her notes to Guan Lan by mistake during a brainstorming session.

She seems like a celibate, unlike my pure, euphoric approach of staying home, avoiding socializing, and finding no companionship.

I don’t have any other artists around me to draw inspiration from—

Xi Rong doesn’t count; she’s a satirical artist, a rather unconventional example.

This kind of thinking is giving me a headache. I pull up the covers, trying to escape reality for another night of sleep, when my phone buzzes. I open it and see it’s a calendar I’ve set at some unknown time. It’s

reminding me that today is an anniversary.

What anniversary? Isn’t it the same day as mothers’ birthdays or death anniversaries?

I don’t bother with this inexplicable calendar and simply close it.

After reviewing the people I’ve met, I’ve discovered that Guan Lan is the most stubborn of my friends.

While she’s usually gentle and kind in her words and actions, she’s adamant about sticking to her beliefs, even if she’s wrong.

Xi Rong is similarly inclined, but on the bright side, she won’t knowingly commit mistakes and is willing to repent promptly.

As for Zhang Ruoan, even though we’re still relatively unfamiliar with her, her melancholic expression, driven by her obsession with a particular issue, suggests she’s a stubborn person.

Each of them has their own twists and turns, and that’s why I suspect they simply have a misunderstanding that needs to be resolved.

Unfortunately, neither of them is willing to have a proper face-to-face conversation; each is incredibly stubborn, and neither of them can be easily tamed.

Logically, one is from Lishan, the other from Xizhao. From what I’ve learned, they attended university and work in different places. So how did they even know each other?

I have no idea why Xi Rong and Guan Lan knew each other and why they’re so at odds with each other.

But no one else in the world could care about me as much as Xi Rong. If Guan Lan truly had ulterior motives, she could force me to break up with her by using the “who do you choose, me or her” argument.

Occasionally, I’d wondered: the car accident happened in Lishan, and after I was discharged, Guan Lan, who came to claim our friendship, was from Lishan. So, had I really lived in Xizhao as I remembered?

I tentatively asked these questions, but they all evaded the question. Over time, I gave up, but a lingering doubt lingered.

After Xi Rong moved back home, it was just Guan Lan and me at home. She was incredibly caring and attentive to me, so much so that some people even misunderstood our relationship.

By then, I’d forgotten most of my past and couldn’t recall how Guan Lan and I met and became close friends. I secretly asked Xi Rong about it.

She told me not to worry, saying it must have been a legitimate meeting…

Even with all the rumors circulating, Xi Rong didn’t believe Guan Lan had any interest in me.

Sometimes, she’d pull me aside to say bad things about Guan Lan, but she couldn’t come up with anything else.

She just kept telling me to stay away from Guan Lan.

“She’s not normal,” Xi Rong said.

I still remember when Guan Lan came to Xizhao specifically to visit me. Since we had an extra guest room at home, I let her stay there, and Xi Rong stayed in her own room to keep me company.

My memories of that time are a bit hazy, but they often argued behind my back, and I happened to catch them several times, with Guan Lan always losing the upper hand.

Later, Aunt Xi fell ill and could no longer stay. Xi Rong could no longer delay her work to be with me, and had to run back and forth between me and Aunt Xi.

During that time, she spent a lot of time traveling every day, losing 25 pounds in just two weeks. I persuaded her to go home and live there, and

she has been busy ever since. This is why I never go out when she invites me out.

She’s busy enough as it is, and if she wasn’t afraid to go home and live alone, I wouldn’t want to bother her.

For over a year, she’s been so busy that she doesn’t even have time to visit me in the suburbs, and she still has to make time to keep in touch with me every day.

Whether it was the day before yesterday or yesterday, she’d made time specifically for me, truly sacrificing her life for a gentleman.

But while Xi Rong may be soft-hearted, she’s got a sharp tongue, a venomous tongue that spews venom from every word.

When the three of us lived together, I noticed Guan Lan’s eyes reddened a few times. When I asked her why, she didn’t want me to worry, always saying it was nothing, just dry and itchy from overuse.

Either of them is a real pain in the ass, but I can’t bring myself to blame either, so I can only endure the pain myself and try to appease them.

To this day, I haven’t dared to let Xi Rong know that Guan Lan has since relocated her work to Xizhao and lives at my place, except when she’s on business trips.

Similarly, I haven’t dared to let Guan Lan know that before this meeting, I’d video call Xi Rong every day to check in on her safety, unless there was something important going on.

It’s tough trying to keep things secret and keep busy on both ends.

Although I had a feeling they might both have discovered this, as long as neither of them had exposed it, I could continue playing dumb.

[Zhang Ruoan: Lulu, if it’s convenient for you…]

I just clicked on the new unread message, and that’s all I saw.

Before I could fully comprehend it, Zhang Ruoan withdrew the message and sent another.

[Zhang Ruoan: I think there might be some misunderstanding between us. Lulu, are you willing to help me sort it out?]

But Guan Lan won’t let me play with her, and I’ve always been considerate of my friends.

But this time, something’s fishy. I’m at Xi Rong’s house, and Zhang Ruoan’s staying there too. We’ll be seeing each other all the time.

If there really is a misunderstanding, I’ll clear it up now. Even if I can’t be the peacemaker later, I’ll have some clarity.

[Okay, should we talk now or…]

Zhang Ruoan replied quickly, as if he’d been glued to his phone.

[Zhang Ruoan: I just got breakfast back. Rongrong’s off work today. Lulu can come over if she’s awake. We can have breakfast together. Oh

my god, Xi Rong, is the sun rising from the west? She can’t even punch in on time.

Xi Rong also sent me a message over there.

[Xi Rong: Lulu, get up. If you don’t eat, your old… problem will come back.]

[Xi Rong: It’s rare for you two to come over. My mom gave me the day off today, so she’s covering for me.]

My boss also has a day off. I sighed and messaged her back.

[I see. It’s a good thing you’re not working. Zhang Ruoan and I aren’t close. It always feels weird being together.]

I saw Xi Rong’s message was typing for a while when she sent a string of messages.

[Xi Rong: You two are very close. It’s you, the heartless one, who forgot about them.]

[Xi Rong: It’s okay if you can’t remember what happened in the past, but at least don’t listen to Guan Lan. She’s got a lot of problems.]

[Xi Rong: I can’t explain it to you. Anyway, you should be careful with her. Do n’t be so silly all the time. Just because I was too busy to fly and didn’t have time to see you, and she came over to take care of you for a few days, you think she’s a good person.

Guan Lan is indeed a nice person. I know my limits on this matter and don’t intend to argue with Xi Rong.

Okay, I’ll get washed up and go eat.

I felt a little cold at first, but after I replied to Xi Rong’s message, I felt warmer.

Glancing at the shadow, I realized it was unusually calm.

When I saw me looking at it, it just tilted its head and glanced at me. Even though I couldn’t see its facial features, that glance still sent a chill through my heart.

Why did it look so betrayed? Could it be that we had some kind of shameful

intimacy?

My mind inappropriately recalled damp memories, and my eyes wandered. It was indeed quite shameful.

It stared at my phone screen. The wind blew past me, a gentle breeze grazing my fingertips.

The phone rang again, and I noticed that the schedule I had set as an alarm hadn’t been completely turned off. I must have clicked on it to remind me later.

The anniversary still displayed on the screen, and I felt a little annoyed. I clicked the “dismiss” button.

The wind suddenly died, and a shadow passed by in my peripheral vision. I tilted my head to see the shadow, its head bowed, its long, smooth hair falling limply along the contours of its face.

Under the natural light, its color seemed a little pale, and its shadow was stretched out by the light, appearing unnecessarily thin.

This made it look rather pitiful…

I’m always a bit soft-hearted. I sighed, wanting to comfort it.

But how could a shadow comfort it? I couldn’t just go to the bathroom and turn on the faucet to imitate the self-sacrifice of feeding the eagle, could I?

That kind of comfort would be too much for someone as reserved as me. I had no interest in adult dramas for the time being.

Suddenly, I remembered the previous scene and tentatively reached out to it.

Besides it, I did have my own shadow, but its intensity obscured the fainter one.

I saw my own shadow reaching out to it as well. In the natural light of day, my hand was stretched out, with several slender doubles.

He also saw my hand, its knuckles slightly protruding, its fingers covered in only a thin layer of flesh. Veins were faintly blue, and its paleness hinted at a sickly look, giving the impression of someone with only a few years left to live.

Sighing, I let the shadow take his hand. He froze for a moment, then held my shadow’s hand in return.

I couldn’t see his face, but it felt like he was smiling. His other hand ruffled his hair, looking a little embarrassed.

Even looking at him this way, he was actually kind of cute?

I’ve been alone for so long that even a shadow seems handsome.

Just a shake, and I pulled my hand back, only to see the shadow’s hand chase mine, as if trying to hold him back.

A gentle breeze grew stronger, blowing through the window and grabbing my hand.

It was amazing how invisible wind could bring such a tangible touch.

My phone lit up, and along with a pop-up message, Xi Rong was banging on the door.

“Lulu, don’t stay away from the door. I know you’re in there. If you can get up, open the door!”

Don’t rush me, don’t rush me. I’ll get up right away.

I obediently got up and shouted to the door, “Got it. I’ll get up now. Don’t rush me, Mother Xi!”

Xi Rong responded with a cold, “Get lost!”

Then, even more ruthlessly, she ordered, “You’ve got ten minutes. If you don’t come out, I’ll bring your breakfast in!”

Oh, I was so scared.

“Got it!” I replied.

I rustled into my clothes and brushed my teeth, and eight minutes passed.

I quickly washed and creamed my face, and another two minutes passed. As the timer ran out, I heard Xi Rong urging me.

“Lulu, are you ready? If you don’t come out, I’m going to break into the house!”

“I’m coming,”

I hurriedly opened the door for her. Sure enough, she was holding a steamed bun and soy milk in one hand, and the key in the other, hovering in mid-air.

It seemed Mother Xi’s overprotective measures had almost kicked in.

“Ahem.”

Seeing me, she coughed twice to mask her embarrassment and silently shoved the key back into her pocket.

“Lulu’s out? Let’s go, Ruoan’s waiting for you in the restaurant.”

I pretended not to notice her embarrassment. If she hadn’t been so frightened by me unconscious at home that time, she wouldn’t have been so frightened.

“She can’t wait too long, right?” I said politely.

I forgot that Xi Rong was not polite with me.

She said, “Of course not. I got up early and practiced Wing Chun this morning. After that, I went to buy breakfast, and it’s almost cold, and you didn’t come to eat it.”

Being mentioned together with Zhang Ruoan always felt like a poor student meeting a good student.

Guilty, I took the breakfast from Xi Rong’s hand, but I didn’t forget to ask her about Zhang Ruoan’s news.

“Isn’t she the heir to the family business? How come she still has time to come to you?”

Xi Rong rolled her eyes at me. I felt that with her big eyes always moving around like that, she must be nearsighted or have some vision problems. No wonder she doesn’t wear glasses even though she’s in front of the computer every day.

“Her mother is taking care of her. If it weren’t for you, she would be out there happily writing songs and collecting folk songs…”

What do you mean by “for me? “

Are Zhang Ruoan and I that familiar? And for me to come home and inherit the family business?

That’s what I thought, so I asked, “How can I be that capable? Weren’t we roommates in college? We haven’t dated, so don’t talk nonsense.”

Wait, if it was really for me to inherit the family business, then what Guan Lan said about Zhang Ruoan pursuing me couldn’t be true?

After all, three years ago, that was a very delicate time point.

Help! Could this be some clichéd scenario where someone loses their memory, their beloved forgets them, and they return home heartbroken to inherit the family business, desperately waiting for their loved one to remember?

No way!!!

I swallowed and glanced at the shadow, noticing it was cheerfully following me around, its hand constantly hooked around my shadow, as if it were always holding my hand. It

was sticky, like a puppy. I thought about it, then used my index finger’s shadow on the ground to hook its hand.

It froze, standing there in a daze, a few steps behind.

This is a bit too dull, I thought to myself.

Xi Rong didn’t notice any of this. She gave me a complicated look and muttered something.

“No, we haven’t discussed it. There’s no point in discussing it.”

She sighed and didn’t explain further. Instead, she said, “She took over your apartment and has kept it well-maintained over the years, just waiting for you to take it back.”

“Huh?” I pointed at myself. “She bought that apartment?”

I was a little confused. “Then she bought it. She doesn’t have to keep it for me. She can rent it out or sell it if she wants.”

As we were talking, we were already in the restaurant. Xi Rong glared at me, her teeth gnashing.

“You don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

Her voice was soft, but the emotion was intense. I was confused and wanted to ask her, but Zhang Ruoan spoke instead.

“Is Lulu here?” Zhang Ruoan smiled at me.

Well, she has a very charming look. Not that she’s particularly charming or dazzling. Her skin is delicate, with subtle lines, and her eyes convey a sense of quiet storytelling.

Yes, I know how to describe her. She’s like an art film; every expression and gesture is a scene captured by the camera.

Xi Rong snatched the food from my hand and mumbled as she put a straw into my soy milk.

“Still daydreaming? Go sit down and eat breakfast quickly, or you’ll pass out from hunger again.”

This was back to the hilarious yet heartwarming, ordinary family drama.

I nodded a little nervously to Zhang Ruoan and sat down across from her, where she and Xi Rong sat side by side.

“Hello,” I said.

Xi Rong frowned, and I quickly pushed the food towards her.

“Rongrong, come on, eat! Isn’t this your favorite milk-flavored steamed bun?”

I saw the knot between Xi Rong’s brows slowly loosen, and I knew she was letting me off the hook.

“I’m impressed you still remember what I like to eat,” she whispered.

Even after the car accident, I hadn’t forgotten Xi Rong. Although many memories were fuzzy, I still remembered her preferences.

“Hmm…”

I thought about what I had talked about with Zhang Ruoan, but I was hungry. Before my stomach started to growl, I picked up the brown sugar steamed bun and started to nibble.

Brown sugar buns replenish energy quickly, but I’m not picky about food, so I’m fine with anything I’m used to.

Zhang Ruoan had already finished breakfast and just quietly watched me eat, which made me feel a little embarrassed. After taking two bites, I took the initiative to bring up the topic.

“Hmm… I think there’s a communication gap between us because of the information gap.”

She waved at me calmly, her smile gentle and tired. “It’s okay, Lulu, eat first. There’s no rush. Eating is the most important thing.”

I opened my mouth to say something, but Xi Rong had already devoured her portion, stood up, and pulled her chair back.

“I’m done. I have something to do. I have to go to the study for a video conference. You guys talk first.”

Then she gave Zhang Ruoan and me a look. I understood she was giving me some space, wanting us to take this opportunity to have a good chat.

No~~~ Xi Mama, what will I do without you!

As I pleaded with tears in my eyes, Xi Rong left resolutely, not caring about my life or death.

Help! I’m such a fool!

Of course I knew what Xi Rong said was true. Zhang Ruoan and I must have had a very close relationship before, otherwise Xi Rong, such a careless person, wouldn’t have been so jealous.

But after the car accident, I really wasn’t familiar with Zhang Ruoan anymore. All I could remember were the things Guan Lan and I complained about, and her kind reminders and warnings.

I couldn’t even recall the specifics, just that I agreed with Guan Lan because that inexplicable chat log had a few lines of crickets following it.

“Can I know what Guan Lan said about me?” Zhang Ruoan asked, her expression sincere but with a hint of indifference.

That indifference was clearly not directed at me.

I was a little troubled, feeling that there was more than a little misunderstanding between them.

Because I couldn’t remember, between Guan Lan and Zhang Ruoan, I was actually leaning towards Guan Lan.

So I said carefully, “Hmm… maybe there’s some misunderstanding between you two, like… some kind of emotional entanglement?”

I cautiously looked at Zhang Ruoan’s expression, but she was slightly open-mouthed, her face filled with surprise.

Huh? Is there something wrong with my wording?

It shouldn’t be possible, right? I’ve been very tactful.

Zhang Ruoan’s brows knitted together almost immediately, and she raised her voice in disbelief.

“You mean, Guan Lan said she and I had an emotional entanglement?”

“Uh, I guess so?”

I wasn’t sure, and even doubted my memory. I opened my phone and searched the chat history with the keyword “Zhang Ruoan”.

“Ridiculous, how could I have such an entanglement with her?!”

Before I could find anything, I heard Zhang Ruoan’s words.

It was so embarrassing, I felt goosebumps on my arms again, it was purely awkward.

I also saw a shadow leaning over to listen, as if watching the fun.

Tsk, no one can escape the temptation of eating melons, and hallucinations are no exception.

It would be better if I had nothing to do with this melon, then I wouldn’t have to sit here and rack my brains to find excuses for Guan Lan.

“It might be a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding. You know, sometimes you mishear or misunderstand something and that’s what happens.”

I searched for the chat log and located it, my expression gradually darkening.

I hadn’t thought much of it when Guan Lan told me that, but now, looking back at the screenshots, I noticed a subtle time jump.

“Impossible, I never said anything to her that would cause her to misunderstand,”

Zhang Ruoan said with a cold, firm expression.

I felt a wavering feeling in my heart, but thinking of Guan Lan’s kindness to me, that wavering wavered again.

This conversation was bound to leave someone unhappy, and I was worried about what would happen next.

Even so, I hesitated and revealed some of the truth.

“She said you like me?”

Honestly, saying that made my cheeks burn with embarrassment. I stared at the white wall opposite me and saw the shadow put its hand to its nose, obscuring the outline of its lips, as if trying to stifle a laugh.

No, what are you laughing at?

Saying something like that and having it proven false is really hurtful, okay?!

I stole a glance at Zhang Ruoan, and all I could tell was that her expression was strange, somewhere between speechless and indifferent. The air of everyday art faded, and I suddenly felt like I had stepped out of the movie and back into reality.

“Did she tell you that?”

I heard Zhang Ruoan laugh, the kind of sneer he’d gotten when he was so angry he didn’t know what to say, so

he just smiled. “Hmm… maybe there’s some misunderstanding,” I replied sheepishly. Shadow looked at me cheerfully, arms folded. I saw his hair rustle slightly in the wind.

“Heh, ha, how dare Guan Lan make such a fuss?!”

Zhang Ruoan’s voice was cold, and her next words stunned me, making me forget to defend Guan Lan for a moment.