Chapter 73: Third Wheel

She tried to outmatch Shijo Shizori in height.

“Just to treat you well.”

Bai Li held the bag and squeezed out a not-so-sincere smile.

Their eyes clashed in the air for a moment, then both looked away.

“Me? I’m here to assist Lin Du.”

She stood on tiptoe.

Although in sneakers she was half a head shorter than Shijo in high heels, she couldn’t lose face!

“And Lin Du?”

Shijo Shizori tilted her head and glanced upstairs.

“He’s cooking upstairs.”

Bai Li jerked her chin toward upstairs.

“You’re a bit early. You’ll probably have to wait a while.”

“I’m not in a hurry.”

“That’s fine.”

Shijo Shizori smiled slightly, took out a small mirror from her handbag, and checked her face.

Behind her, the sunglass-wearing bodyguards had dispersed.

Two guarded the entrance of the building, two went to park the car, and the rest stood in a row like a black wall.

Residents of the neighborhood watched from afar, some taking photos with their phones.

Bai Li stood on the red carpet, hugging a heavy bag of seasonings, feeling like an extra who had wandered onto the wrong set.

She just wanted to go upstairs quickly, put down the bag, and then go where it was cool.

“Let’s go. Upstairs first. It’s hot outside.”

Bai Li said to Shijo Shizori and turned toward the stairwell.

Shijo Shizori nodded and followed behind her.

High heels clicked on the stairs with a crisp “da da” sound.

Bai Li walked ahead, glanced back at the unhurried Shijo Shizori, and teased.

“If you’re tired, you can take a rest. After all, walking up stairs in such high heels is really inconvenient.”

“It’s fine.”

Shijo Shizori looked up at her.

“I can handle it.”

“Lin Du’s home is on the sixth floor. We’re on the second floor now.”

Bai Li added.

Upon hearing “sixth floor,” Shijo Shizori froze.

“S-sixth floor?”

Her high heels wobbled, and she fell to the side.

“Careful!”

Bai Li reacted swiftly.

With one hand steadying the bag in her arms, she reached out with the other and grabbed Shijo’s wrist.

The bottles and jars in the bag rattled, making a clinking sound.

Shijo Shizori’s other hand grabbed the wall to barely steady herself.

“Thank you…”

Bai Li let go and shrugged.

“Coming to a meal dressed so formally, it’s not some noble banquet. No need. He doesn’t care about that.”

Shijo Shizori lowered her head, smoothed her skirt, and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

“You wouldn’t understand.”

Bai Li smiled at her.

“Fine, fine, I don’t understand.”

“Can you still walk, Miss?”

Shijo Shizori tried to take a step and frowned slightly.

She bent over and rubbed her calf, pressing her fingertips into the tense muscle.

The strap of her high heels had left a faint red mark around her ankle.

Bai Li watched the discomfort on her delicate face and sighed.

She turned around and crouched in front of Shijo Shizori.

“Get on.”

“Huh?”

Bai Li turned her head and raised an eyebrow.

“I said, get on.”

Shijo Shizori hesitated, scanning Bai Li’s narrow shoulders.

“You’re so short. Can you even carry me?”

“How can you be like that?”

Bai Li turned around and glared at her.

“I’m being nice and helping you, and you’re attacking me personally?”

“If you don’t get on, I’ll leave you here.”

Shijo Shizori knew she was in the wrong and said nothing more.

She bent down, carefully climbed onto Bai Li’s back, and wrapped her arms around her neck.

Her skirt draped down, covering Bai Li’s waist.

Bai Li bounced lightly to adjust her center of gravity, then began climbing slowly.

She switched the bag to her left hand and used her right hand to support the bend of Shijo’s leg.

“Sit tight.”

“Do you know… why I care so much about Lin Du?”

“Hey, hey, hey, is this tea party time?”

Bai Li was panting, sweat starting to form on her forehead.

“Miss Shijo, you have some weight on you. I feel like I need to catch my breath.”

“I’m not heavy at all, okay?”

Shijo Shizori’s voice carried a hint of dissatisfaction.

“My fault…”

Bai Li smiled and took another step up.

“Go on.”

The stairwell was very quiet, only the sound of Bai Li’s footsteps and soft breathing.

“When I was little, I once sneaked out to play.”

Shijo Shizori’s voice was very soft.

“I didn’t tell my family, didn’t bring any bodyguards, and slipped out of the house alone.”

“Back then I was about… seven or eight, I knew nothing and thought everything in the outside world was new.”

Bai Li panted and continued climbing.

“Then I was kidnapped.”

Shijo Shizori paused, then continued.

“A man covered my mouth from behind and dragged me into an alley.”

“That was when I realized how small a person’s strength could be.”

Bai Li’s steps faltered for a moment, then she continued upward.

“What happened next?”

“Later…”

A hint of smile crept into Shijo Shizori’s voice.

“A little boy passed by the alley entrance.”

“He saw the man and also saw me.”

“With a shout, he picked up a stone and threw it hard at the back of the man’s head.”

Bai Li was stunned for a moment.

“…A stone?”

“Yeah.”

“The man was in a hurry to take me away and didn’t notice behind him.”

“Before the man could get up, the boy rushed over, grabbed my hand, and ran for his life with me.”

“He ran very fast.”

“We ran across two streets and entered a convenience store.”

“He made the clerk call the police.”

Bai Li was silent for a while, then let out a “pfft” laugh.

“Isn’t this the plot of a prince saving a princess?”

“Not a prince.”

Shijo Shizori’s tone turned serious.

“A knight.”

“In his own way, he did what he could.”

“He has a sense of justice, courage, and…”

She paused.

“A heart that wants to protect others.”

Another flight of stairs.

Bai Li paused to catch her breath, then kept climbing.

“After he graduates, he will stay at the Bureau of Counter-Conspiracy.”

Shijo Shizori’s voice returned to calm.

Bai Li’s eyebrows moved slightly.

“The Bureau of Counter-Conspiracy?”

“Yes.”

Shijo Shizori nodded.

“The Bureau is sponsored by our family.”

“From its establishment until now, the Shijo family has supported them from behind, so I know some things others don’t.”

Bai Li twisted the corner of her mouth.

She paused, lowering her voice a little.

“Oh, I’ve said a bit too much accidentally.”

“Can you please forget it?”

Shijo Shizori let out a soft laugh on Bai Li’s back.

Bai Li stopped for a moment, then continued climbing.

“What about you?”

She asked.

“Why do you…?”

“What why?”

“Why do you care so much about Lin Du?”

“We’re just ordinary friends…”

“Don’t misunderstand.”

Shijo Shizori didn’t speak.

Bai Li could feel her chin resting on her own shoulder, her breath brushing past her ear.

“You’re even more complicated than I imagined.”

Shijo Shizori finally spoke, a hint of smile in her voice.

“And your mouth is especially stubborn.”

Bai Li gritted her teeth and climbed another half floor.

Finally, they reached the sixth floor.

Bai Li set Shijo Shizori down at the door.

She leaned against the wall to catch her breath, wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.

“Thank you.”

Shijo Shizori smoothed her skirt and nodded to her.

Bai Li waved her hand, unable to speak.

Shijo Shizori raised her hand and knocked.

The door opened quickly.

Lin Du stood at the door, wearing an apron.

He saw Shijo Shizori, then Bai Li.

His gaze darted between them, a hint of surprise in his eyes.

“You… came up together?”

“Met on the way.”

Bai Li answered casually, her gaze passing over Lin Du’s shoulder into the dining room.

Several dishes were already laid out on the table, looking like they came from a restaurant.

Three chairs were pulled out, and in front of each chair, there were bowls, chopsticks, and cups.

“Three?”

Bai Li was stunned for a moment.

“Um…”

She put the bag in her arms on the shoe cabinet in the entrance, clapped her hands.

“It’s getting late.”

“I’ll head back first.”

“Go back?”

Lin Du frowned.

“Won’t you stay for dinner?”

Bai Li shook her head and forced a smile.

“Look, the helper’s work is done.”

She pointed to the bag on the shoe cabinet, then to the kitchen.

“The groceries are bought, the spices are all here.”

“You can handle the rest yourself.”

“I’d just be in the way.”

“Stay and eat together.”

Lin Du frowned.

“Forget it.”

“This is prepared for Miss Young Lady.”

“I’d better not get involved.”

“Enjoy your meal.”

“I’m off now.”

She turned around, her hand already on the door handle.

“It’s fine.”

Shijo Shizori’s voice came from behind.

Bai Li’s hand stopped on the door handle.

“Bai Li, you should stay too…”

“Just to witness.”

A faint smile played on Shijo Shizori’s lips.

“I don’t mind.”

Bai Li’s fingers tightened on the door handle.

‘Witness?’

‘Witness what?’

‘Witness you two having a candlelit dinner?’

‘Witness her sitting there as a third wheel?’

‘Witness her like an idiot, watching Lin Du serve Shijo food and water, asking her “Is the food to your liking?”?’

Bai Li took a deep breath and swallowed the surge rising from her chest.

“Forget it, I’ll get out of the way.”

She had just pulled open the door when a harsh alarm sounded outside the window.

It wasn’t an ordinary police siren, but the alarm specifically for Strange Person invasions.

The sound came from far away, growing closer and louder, echoing across the entire city.

Bai Li was slightly stunned, her hand frozen on the door handle.

She turned her head, her gaze passing through the window to the distant sky.

Lin Du’s expression changed, his brow furrowed sharply.

“It seems this meal will have to be postponed a bit.”