I Redeemed Him, But Who Will Redeem Me? - Chapter 21

“Zhong Fei?”

Early Monday morning, Lin Xicai got off the bus and walked toward the school. Just as she entered the gate, she heard someone calling her name from behind.

She turned and saw Xiangling and two other girls, eyes lighting up as they ran toward her. As they approached, they circled her, examining her from head to toe.

“Oh my god, you cut your hair!”

“We couldn’t even recognize you at first—it’s such a big change, it looks great!”

“Really, you look amazing, Zhong Fei. This hairstyle suits you so well.”

Lin Xicai smiled at their words, theatrically brushing her hair back. “This is called a studious style. How’s that? A neat haircut is the first step to becoming a top student.”

At that moment, Xie Shi passed by and overheard her. His gaze lingered on her for a moment, slightly startled, before he casually looked away.

This person is always so unconventional when it comes to studying.

What does a hairstyle have to do with academics?

If cutting hair could raise your scores, everyone would just shave their heads.

Lin Xicai, smiling, spotted Xie Shi and waved brightly at him. Under the watchful eyes of the other three girls, she walked over and handed him two bags.

“Your clothes and shoes have been washed and dried.”

Handing over the bags, she smiled, eyes curving warmly. “Thanks. I’ll treat you to soda sometime.”

Xie Shi didn’t say anything. He stiffly took the paper bags from her.

After delivering the bags, she turned back and walked away with the other girls.

Xie Shi stood there, watching her laugh freely in the sunlight, feeling a strange emptiness in his chest.

How long had it been since someone had interacted with him in such a natural, open way in public?

At some point, this person seemed less afraid of him.

She seemed… to treat him like a normal person.

Every gesture of hers caught him off guard. He resisted her closeness, yet…

He didn’t seem to dislike it.

…

In recent days, Lin Xicai’s tendency to feel sleepy in class had eased somewhat, but she still couldn’t make it through Chinese class. No matter how much she tried to psyche herself up, she couldn’t stop herself from nodding off.

During the third period, a Chinese lesson, her eyelids started to droop. Her mind grew hazy, drifting in and out… when suddenly, a sharp heat surged through her pinky finger, burning her.

Lin Xicai hissed and immediately realized something was happening in the space.

All drowsiness vanished. She closed her eyes and focused, probing the situation in the space.

Xie Shi rested his chin on his hand, his gaze faintly falling on her trembling eyelashes, then slowly closed his eyes as well.

Lin Xicai focused her mind to see clearly what was happening inside. Her whole body froze for a moment, then she abruptly stood from her seat, her expression growing embarrassed.

Xie Shi opened his eyes and looked at her flustered face. The corner of his lips lifted in a fleeting, enigmatic smile.

The smile was faint and light, gone in an instant—but Lin Xicai noticed it.

She didn’t think his smile had anything to do with her. But when her gaze fell on the horror novel in his lap, she frowned—are there jokes in horror novels? Even reading one, her deskmate could laugh—he truly was a strange person.

The class had paused, all eyes now on her, gossiping and curious.

The Chinese teacher put down the textbook and frowned. “Zhong Fei, what are you doing again?”

Lin Xicai snapped out of it, her momentum weakened. She hesitated, then said, “Teacher, my stomach hurts. I need to go to the restroom.”

The teacher waved helplessly. “Go ahead, go ahead.”

“Thank you, teacher.”

Lin Xicai went into the restroom, locked a stall, and disappeared inside.

Meanwhile, in the space, Li Ci had partially regained his strength. Red-eyed, he smashed the house to pieces.

Bowls, plates, cups, vases, tables, chairs—anything that could be broken was destroyed.

His strength hadn’t fully returned; his steps were unsteady. But the sense of oppression and panic had nearly driven him insane. He could barely control his urge to destroy everything.

The first thing he tried after partially recovering was to escape. But as he examined the place more carefully, despair only grew.

The door wouldn’t open, no matter what he tried. He looked out the peephole—no stairs, no neighbors, nothing but a blinding white void.

The windows were the same—couldn’t be opened or broken. Outside, there were no stars, no moon, no sky, no sun, no street, no scenery—only the overwhelming, devouring white emptiness.

It was like a ghost house placed in the middle of a foggy wasteland. Inside was frightening, outside even more so.

This strange house had furniture and appliances fully functional, with water and fire, appearing no different from a regular building—but none of the appliances were connected to power. Not a single wire. Yet everything worked perfectly.

It was as if an immense energy field could form whatever energy was needed—even more than just energy. He suspected everything here had been formed by this same energy.

Li Ci gripped a wooden stool, sweat soaking his shirt. His hair was messy, a few strands of bangs falling across his forehead, his red, unfocused eyes glaring.

His handsome, refined face showed the madness of someone cornered, staring at a window he couldn’t break. He swung the stool at it again with vicious intent.

Breathing heavily, he felt a sudden chill behind him. A girl’s calm, indifferent voice sounded:

“You don’t think that will provoke me, do you?”

Li Ci froze and turned sharply. A figure had appeared behind him like a ghost.

She stood there expressionless. When he looked at her, she smiled faintly, “It seems you still don’t understand the situation. The person living here next is you, not me.”

She glanced at the wreckage around her, still smiling lightly, with a hint of mocking indifference. “Since you like this style, I have no objections.”

Li Ci glared at her, throat moving as he croaked, “Let me go… I’ll do whatever you ask.”

Lin Xicai continued to smile, as if amused at his naivety. “Do you think I should believe you?”

“I don’t need to lie to you,” Li Ci said, “…If you let me go, I can act as if none of this ever happened.”

“And then? So you can continue causing me trouble?”

“I… I won’t.”

It was the first time he had spoken in this tone to anyone.

To the daughter of a servant, no less.

For him, this was harder than dying—he was compromising, putting aside his pride.

But the person in front of him still seemed unsatisfied. She looked at him coldly, laughing. “Li Ci, how much do you think your credibility is worth?”

Li Ci’s eyes flashed dangerously. “Do you think the people outside are just decorations? How many of them would dare touch me? Do you really think they wouldn’t find you?”

Mentioning the people outside, Lin Xicai smiled. She reached into the space, and a heavy plastic bag appeared in her hand. Inside was a phone—his phone.

She fiddled with it through the bag, seeming nonchalant. “Many people send you messages, but not one asks where you are or if you’re safe.”

Holding his phone, Lin Xicai continued, “I’ve recently learned a bit about your family. Abandoned by your mother, father abroad on business. So you have to find a sense of existence by bullying others.

“Is there anyone who cares about you at home? You expect your stepmother to report you missing? For someone who gave her abortive medicine as a teenager, she’d probably be glad if you died outside.”

Lin Xicai clicked her tongue, a bit sympathetic. “Living like this… it’s really pitiful.”

“Shut up! Shut up!”

Li Ci’s eyes reddened, madness overtaking him. He lunged forward.

In an instant, the figure vanished from the space. His attack met nothing.

Li Ci collapsed amid the wreckage, head in hands, in utter agony.

This isn’t real…

This can’t be real…

She’s fake. Everything here is fake…

He held his head in torment, humiliated and terrified. For the first time in his life, he felt regret.

He had humiliated and tormented countless people, yet none of them had brought about this nightmare.

He could never have imagined the monster he had provoked.

…

When Lin Xicai returned to her seat, her face carried the usual clean, harmless smile everyone knew.

As if she had only stepped out for some air, or to get water.

In the sunlight, standing by the door chatting with two girls, Xie Shi opened his eyes, gazing at her—the sweet, eerie face in the space overlapping with the current innocent one, forming a captivating, unique beauty.

Like rainfall and frost on the same day.

Like winter snow in spring breeze.

Like… a pure white flower that is poisonous.

Xie Shi’s gaze lingered longer and longer, unable to look away.

He seemed to be watching an unprecedented performance, orchestrated entirely by her.

She was the actor and the director, and he was her sole audience.

The paper bag on the windowsill contained the clothes she was returning to him.

They emitted the same subtle fragrance as her. The scent seemed to reach for him, constricting his breath, causing a fleeting dizziness and momentary discomfort.

His mind seemed to sink into that dizzying feeling, yet his eyes grew cold and wary.

This isn’t normal, he thought.