I Redeemed Him, But Who Will Redeem Me? - Chapter 22

Ever since they said that Xie Shi paid her some special attention, Lin Xicai occasionally couldn’t help but observe him with a hint of curiosity—and she found that it seemed true.

For example, right now.

He seemed to be looking at her.

Lin Xicai walked back. “What is it?”

“The day after tomorrow is the monthly exam,” Xie Shi said flatly. “Just reminding you.”

“…” Lin Xicai tugged at the corners of her mouth, her smile fading, as if someone had forced a dish she absolutely didn’t want onto her plate. “Thanks.”

She took a deep breath at her seat and pulled out her workbook.

For the next day and a half, Lin Xicai studied frantically, completely tuning out everything else, immersing herself in her studies.

The next day, she even got up unusually early to go to school, cramming until nearly everyone else had left before reluctantly leaving herself.

When she returned home, Zhong Ping had unusually arrived earlier than her, sitting in the living room. When she saw Lin Xicai push open the door, her eyes lit up, clearly happy.

Lin Xicai was slightly surprised but didn’t think much of it. She smiled and greeted her, saying she needed to study, then went to her room.

Zhong Ping seemed momentarily stunned, then after a slight pause smiled and said, “Okay, I’ll call you when the meal is ready.”

Lin Xicai’s mind was full of thoughts about the upcoming monthly exam. Dazed, she nodded and closed the door, pulling out her textbooks.

She went through a few “key” practice problems, then recited half a page of English vocabulary from her word list. Her head spun with fatigue when suddenly, someone knocked on her door.

Interrupted, Lin Xicai set down her books and opened the door, only to find Fu Xuefan standing outside, holding a gift and a cake. She looked at Lin Xicai, surprised. “What are you still doing inside?”

Lin Xicai yawned, her gaze drawn to the cake in her hands. “What’s the occasion? Is it your birthday?” she asked casually.

Her words instantly made the living room fall silent. Not just Fu Xuefan, but the other two also looked over, expressions varying. Lin Xicai noticed then that Fu Yanxiu had also come, staring at her, his eyes probing.

Lin Xicai’s body stiffened, a bad premonition rising. In the next moment, Fu Xuefan exclaimed sharply, sounding accusatory.

“What do you mean? Don’t tell me you didn’t prepare anything! You didn’t forget Aunt Ping’s birthday, did you? Seriously, you’re unbelievable! Brother, Aunt Ping, look at Zhong Fei—she’s so fond of you, yet she doesn’t even remember your birthday…”

Fu Xuefan jabbered on, half reproachful, half maliciously amused, until Fu Yanxiu shot her a sharp glance, making her tone soften slightly.

Lin Xicai was completely stunned, her mind blank.

Fu Xuefan’s pointed accusations dug into her heart, and Lin Xicai’s emotions felt like being bitten by millions of tiny ants…

For the first time, she fully agreed with the reproach.

Indeed, she and the original mother weren’t truly related by bl00d, but since coming here, she was Lin Xicai’s only support.

She had taken over her daughter’s body and identity, enjoying all the love and care given to her, yet she hadn’t even known the mother’s birthday—or had the awareness to try.

Lin Xicai thought about the hopeful look on her mother’s face that morning when she handed her breakfast, the hidden joy and shyness she had shown when seeing her after school.

Her mother had actually been looking forward to this birthday, waiting even for just a simple “Happy Birthday.”

But Lin Xicai had shown nothing, letting that anticipation go unfulfilled again and again. Even if she later gave a birthday gift or repeated the wishes a thousand times, it would never be the same.

A surge of guilt pierced her heart. Lin Xicai stood dumbly, her usually lively and sly eyes now showing rare vulnerability and helplessness—like a child who knew she had done something wrong but didn’t know how to make it right.

Fu Yanxiu stared at her, his eyes probing. He knew she liked to play little tricks, but she had never forgotten her mother’s birthday before. Seeing the clearly different handwriting and personality, everything formed a puzzling, enigmatic picture.

What had really happened to this person?

“Mom, I…”

“Alright, enough,” Zhong Ping said gently, smiling. “I already got Feifei’s gift yesterday. Fanfan, Yanxiu, come eat—today’s dishes are all your favorites.”

Fu Xuefan raised an eyebrow at Lin Xicai, skeptical. “What did you give her?”

“Fanfan! Sit down and eat,” Fu Yanxiu said, his voice slightly firm, stopping his sister’s questions.

Zhong Ping, a little helpless, guided both Lin Xicai and Fu Xuefan to the table.

“You two, really… never get along since childhood,” Zhong Ping said, serving the three. “I like the gifts you brought—eat before it gets cold.”

The meal was quiet. Zhong Ping subtly tried to comfort Lin Xicai, but it ended up feeling like Lin Xicai was comforting herself. She kept her head down, eating, feeling worse inside.

After the Fu siblings left, Lin Xicai helped clean up, eyes red, apologizing and wishing her mother a happy birthday, promising to make up the gift. Zhong Ping smiled and accepted, showing no hard feelings.

But Lin Xicai knew that every gesture had its timing. Missing it once meant it was gone forever. Even if she gave the gift later, it would never be the same.

Back in her room, her workbook and textbooks lay untouched, but Lin Xicai couldn’t focus on a single word.

She and her mother only had one year of mother-daughter time; this could have been the first and only birthday she could celebrate for her—and she had missed it.

She wasn’t normally sensitive, but the regret and guilt gnawed at her, almost unmanageable.

She rolled on her bed twice, increasingly restless, then changed into sportswear and ran out.

Lin Xicai ran along the streets in a fit of venting, reaching the riverbank again.

She ran half a loop along the Fengling River, tired and looking for a place to sit, when a red mountain bike silently rode past her side.

The speed was slow, the rider casual, almost parallel to her.

Under the bright moonlight, their shadows stretched long, intertwined, giving a subtly intimate impression.

Lin Xicai glanced over to see a cold, handsome profile, his head slightly lowered, not looking at her.

He wasn’t in uniform, dressed entirely in black—a black jacket with the collar casually standing, chin tucked inside. Bangs fell over his forehead, revealing sharp, deep eyes and a quarter of his face, exuding natural solitude and mystery.

Lin Xicai hadn’t expected to meet him here, freezing for a moment. “What are you doing here?”

He turned his head and looked at her, voice clear and indifferent, flatly stating: “Couldn’t sleep because of your noise.”

Lin Xicai’s eyes went blank; she didn’t understand what he meant.

She realized she had overstepped by speaking to him so casually—expecting comfort from a man of few words?

She smiled wryly to herself, thinking how ridiculous she was.

Stretching, she said normally, “I’ll go ahead. Do as you wish.”

Turning, she jogged along her original route.

After running a while, she suddenly felt something and slowed down. The mountain bike, originally about five meters behind her, had to catch up.

Lin Xicai frowned. “Why are you following me?”

The silent man on the bike gave her a rare long sentence: “Running around at midnight—you’re a bit too trusting of the security here.”

His tone was sharp, so even knowing he probably meant well, she didn’t feel like saying thank you.

He rode slowly, following her to the back gate of the villa, then, like the wind, vanished into the dark night.

…

Although she had the monthly exam the next day, Lin Xicai still slept poorly that night.

In the morning, her mother had already prepared breakfast in the kitchen. After washing up, Lin Xicai left in a hurry. Her mother, worried she might skip breakfast again, had packed it in a bag beside her school bag.

She showed no resentment about the forgotten birthday, smiling warmly and giving gentle reminders as she left.

Lin Xicai took the breakfast and left, still a little dizzy on the bus.

Arriving at school, she ran urgently to the exam hall.

She discovered that the classroom, supposed to be the last exam room, didn’t even have a posted room number.

Not only that, less than 20 minutes before the exam, the classroom wasn’t even arranged. Students were casually sitting, eating breakfast, showing no sense of urgency.

Lin Xicai stood at the window, puzzled. A passing student tapped her shoulder: “Hey, who are you looking for?”

She pointed inside. “Why is everyone still in their seats?”

The girl blinked. “Uh… aren’t we supposed to be in our seats before class?”

“Class?” Lin Xicai was stunned. “Isn’t the exam today?”

“The exam is tomorrow.”

Tomorrow?

When was it postponed? Why didn’t anyone tell her…

Realizing the truth, Lin Xicai’s eyes widened. She pulled out her phone and looked at the screen.

Seeing the date, she almost screamed uncontrollably. The classroom went silent for a moment, with people glancing at her through the window.

Lin Xicai’s expression was extremely complicated, face slightly pale, yet her eyes shone unusually bright.

Frozen for a moment, she hurried down the stairs, running against the flow of people. Her slender figure ran wildly under the sunlight, like a little deer unable to contain her emotions.

Xie Shi stood at the entrance of Class Z, leaning against the fifth-floor railing, his gaze following her agile figure for a long time.

A male class committee member and another boy leaned on the railing nearby, observing. The committee member’s eyes lit up. “Is that Zhong Fei? It’s almost class time—why is she running outside?”

“Looks like her,” the other boy said. “Did she forget her homework?”

The committee member chuckled. “Would she really be that diligent?”

Xie Shi, at some point, withdrew his gaze, briefly glanced at the committee member, then quietly entered the classroom.

As he walked away, the two boys exchanged puzzled looks.

The other boy tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Was he glaring at you just now?”

The committee member felt it too but replied confusedly, “What did I do?”