Chapter 42: The person behind the scenes

An Zhi hurriedly put on my pants and jacket and ran to open the door.

As soon as I saw that tuft of red hair, I knew it was Xiao Ji.

He unhurriedly put on slippers and walked in.

‘Strange. Usually, he would have started talking by now.’

“Xiao Ji?”

I sat up, leaning against the pillows.

“Brother Mingshan, you just woke up? Did you take your medicine? It’s a special medicine Sister-in-law and I picked out together. You’ll feel better as soon as you take it!”

‘Well, now I know who paid for the medicine.’

“Mm…”

An Zhi let out a reluctant groan.

“I was going to buy you a suppository, but Sister-in-law was too embarrassed to use it on you, so we waited two days. I’m relieved to see you’re awake!”

“Be quiet…”

An Zhi turned her head away in dissatisfaction.

‘Thank goodness! Thank goodness they didn’t use a suppository.’

‘At the thought of An Zhi holding a suppository and pulling down my pants, my rear began to throb in phantom pain.’

Xiao Ji pulled up a chair and sat by the bed.

Seeing that I was doing better, he seemed to return to his usual self, though he was still a bit restrained.

“I’ll take the medicine right away. Thank you for these past three days… without you guys, I don’t know what would have happened. I might have died of illness on the street.”

‘I’m really lucky to have them by my side.’

I took out my phone to send him money for the medicine, but he pushed my hand down and said:

“Don’t say that! This little bit of money is nothing. Actually… I’m partly responsible for your illness. It’s Xu Yinyin. You wouldn’t have gotten sick if it weren’t for her.”

“Huh? So that means…”

I understood what he meant.

‘So Xu Yinyin really was the snitch…’

“Yeah. She knows Su Xixia and visited your place more than three times. She even went while you were at work, though she didn’t stay long. Most of the time, she chatted with Su Xixia online…”

Xiao Ji lowered his head, his leg bouncing incessantly.

‘I didn’t know how he got Senior Sister Xu to confess, but he must have used some forceful methods, so he probably wasn’t feeling great about it either.’

“The recording idea was Su Xixia’s, but Xu Yinyin was the one who figured out how to do it. It’s all because of her that you ended up in such a miserable state! Her mistake is my mistake. I’m at your mercy!”

“Calm down,” I said.

“Senior Sister Xu and you aren’t even boyfriend and girlfriend yet, so how is it your fault? Don’t take it to heart.”

An Zhi seemed to understand me, so she poured a glass of hot water and handed it to Xiao Ji.

“Ugh!”

Xiao Ji clutched his chest as if he’d taken a critical hit, lowering his head even further.

‘My head hurt too much; I had unintentionally dealt him another blow despite my good intentions.’

“Hiss — hot, hot, hot!”

He took a sip of the water and was scalded, opening his mouth and exhaling frantically.

Seeing this, An Zhi panicked and started fanning him.

Of course, it didn’t help at all.

‘What a mess…’

“Now we’re even. It’s not your problem anymore,” I said, taking the chance to drop the subject.

“Cough, cough! Okay… good! I feel much better now. I’ve come back to life. Your tag-team moves are still as beautiful as ever, haha!”

Xiao Ji laughed and waved his hand, finally looking up.

“Yinyin… probably wouldn’t have done it,” An Zhi said, sitting on the bed.

“She took good care of me and supported me… she’s my good friend.”

For An Zhi, she had probably known Senior Sister Xu since her freshman year.

Aside from the school itself, Senior Sister Xu was the one who had looked after her the most.

I understood An Zhi, but I also didn’t understand Senior Sister Xu’s motives.

“Brother Mingshan, you’re right. Xu Yinyin used to have a crush on you, but she definitely doesn’t feel that way now! Sister-in-law, do you remember anyone who was close to Senior Sister Xu?”

Xiao Ji asked suddenly.

“Close…”

An Zhi spread her small hands.

“Friends from the Student Union? No… I don’t know.”

‘Did Xiao Ji mean that there was someone else behind Senior Sister Xu directing all of this?’

‘As someone who wasn’t social during my student days, I didn’t know Senior Sister Xu’s social circle either. But she definitely knew a lot of people; to her, I might just be one fish in a school.’

“I guess it’s one of her friends… I almost slapped her, but she still refused to talk. She said something like, ‘The time isn’t right yet. When it is, Li Mingshan will naturally understand who it is.’ I couldn’t do anything else. I couldn’t actually slap her.”

‘I would naturally understand? Was there anyone else around me who had a grudge?’

‘No matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t think of anyone. After all, I only knew a few friends, and I didn’t really interact with anyone else.’

‘Maybe Xu Yinyin fabricated a friend to avoid being blamed…’

‘Senior Sister Xu probably wouldn’t do that.’

“Xiao Ji, it’s been hard on you. You like her so much…”

‘In short, I felt bad that he had gone to such great lengths and endured the pain of interrogating the person he liked most because of my situation.’

Just as I was wondering what I could do for him, he let out a laugh.

“It wasn’t that bad. Because of this, Senior Sister hugged me. She likes me. I heard her say with my own ears that she had feelings for me and that she wouldn’t do anything like this again. She didn’t want to do it in the first place anyway. Regardless… I gained something! So don’t worry about me.”

“…Wow.”

An Zhi covered her mouth, seemingly in disbelief.

“Congratulations. Is your marathon of love finally starting? However, I don’t want to see Senior Sister again for a while. Sorry.”

I didn’t have the heart to badmouth Xu Yinyin in front of Xiao Ji, nor would I voice my doubts.

‘In that situation, what was Xu Yinyin’s display of affection really for? I was more inclined to believe it was a strategy for self-preservation rather than genuine feelings…’

‘How could I say such a thing to Xiao Ji?’

As for who the person behind the scenes was, I felt bad asking Xiao Ji to probe further…

Since that person would appear eventually, I would face them myself.

As for Xu Yinyin, I just wouldn’t associate with her in the future, and we would slowly drift apart.

“It’s fine, it’s fine! I understand. I won’t let Senior Sister come here or to my house. Come visit anytime after you’re better! You know, my sister really wants to meet Sister-in-law.”

“Yeah, thanks.”

Since Su Xixia wouldn’t show up again and Xu Yinyin said she wouldn’t do anything similar…

‘I should just let this matter go.’

I looked at An Zhi, and she smiled at me.

“I’m okay. As long as I’m with you, it’s fine…”

She said softly.

‘She had always been a kind person. The harm Senior Sister Xu caused her would only be deliberately ignored by her.’

‘Therefore, I had to protect her and never let her feel pain again.’

“It wasn’t easy for Sister-in-law to come see you. She first ran to your old apartment, and luckily she ran into me; otherwise, she wouldn’t have found this place. You have to take good care of her.”

“Now that I’ve said my piece, I won’t disturb you two any longer!”

Xiao Ji stood up abruptly, his words tinged with envy.

“Thanks. Helping you out back in college was definitely the right move.”

“Isn’t that the truth? Good brothers should help each other out. Alright, I’m off. I won’t disturb your intimacy. Take care of your body, in every sense… haha~”

“What are you talking about…”

I shot him a sideways glance and watched him put on his shoes while joking.

An Zhi didn’t seem to understand what he meant, and she walked him to the door before closing it.

Then, she climbed back onto the bed with the water glass and medicine box, blowing on the water in the glass.

‘Xiao Ji just said that An Zhi went to my old apartment first? Was Su Xixia still there?’

“An Zhi, did you… encounter anyone? You know, at the old place.”

I asked as tactfully as possible.

“Yeah, I saw her… Su Xixia, the one you used to live with.”

An Zhi stopped blowing, her gaze fixed on the cup.

“I know what’s so good about her… She has a great body… You pervert.”

!?

“I’m sorry.”

My expression darkened.

“Did she scold you?”

“No, she’s actually a very fierce… but not badhearted person. She talked to me and even poured me water… She’s also more courageous than me and can do housework. If I were a boy… I wouldn’t know what to do if I met her.”

“An Zhi… she’s bad. Don’t overthink it.”

‘I already knew everything An Zhi was saying. I knew Su Xixia wasn’t a bad person, but she was exceptionally selfish and greedy… These were the core colors of her personality, and they would never change.’

‘After living with her for so long, I was certain she wouldn’t change.’

“Mingshan… I can’t take care of you like she did… I don’t know what to do.”

Looking at An Zhi, who had lowered her eyes and become despondent, I shook my head.

“You have something she definitely doesn’t… the thing that attracts me most, my favorite thing. You don’t need to become like Su Xixia. In fact, you’re better just the way you are. I’ll be with you, so go ahead and do whatever you want to do.”

‘I would rather have nothing than change the essence of her that constantly attracted me. That kindness, along with her single-minded passion and persistence for her dreams.’

“Really? You… like me that much… mumble mumble…”

Her face turned red all the way to her ears, and her eyes blinked rapidly as she mumbled incoherently.

‘I understood that she was… only staying by my side temporarily for now. One day…’

‘I shouldn’t think about that. I just needed to cherish and protect her as she was now, ensuring this precious essence didn’t become twisted.’

“It shouldn’t be too hot anymore. Here, take your medicine.”

She crawled forward and pinched my cheek.

“Thanks. Wait, why are there six pills? I don’t think I need that many.”

Seeing the six red-and-white pills in her hand, I felt a dizzy spell.

“Three times a day, two pills at a time…”

She read the instructions on the medicine box.

“But you didn’t take them in the morning or at noon… so if you make up for it on the first dose… you’ll get better faster?”

“……”

‘My head hurt even more.’

In terms of daily life, it would be better to help her change a bit, using these days as an opportunity—