CHAPTER 8

“Don’t be afraid, I’m here,” Shi Li said gently.

Shen Jingyan didn’t push her away as she had expected. Instead, he lay motionless on the ground. If not for the veins bulging on his hands, Shi Li would have thought he had passed out.

Seeing no reaction from him, Shi Li dragged him up from the floor and propped him against the bed. He was covered in vomit and reeked of an unpleasant smell, but Shi Li showed no sign of disgust. After giving him a simple wipe-down, she pulled up the soiled carpet, bundled it up, and took it to the bathroom.

When she returned, she brought a fresh basin of warm water and began wiping him down again. This time, she was more meticulous, knowing that Shen Jingyan had a cleanliness obsession. She even brought out body wash and carefully cleaned him from head to toe, especially the areas that had been dirtied. She only stopped once she had ensured he was completely clean.

Shen Jingyan remained still the entire time, his sharp gaze locked onto her.

Under his intense scrutiny, Shi Li calmly continued wiping him down. When her fingers accidentally brushed against a certain area while wiping his thighs, Shen Jingyan finally had a reaction.

“…Sorry, I didn’t mean to,” Shi Li said awkwardly.

Shen Jingyan’s eyes were dark as ink, darker than the surrounding darkness itself.

Perhaps because the lights were off, Shi Li could see his gaze but didn’t receive a hatred value notification. That made it impossible to gauge his emotions accurately. She sighed softly, tossed the towel into the basin, and went to the wardrobe to retrieve a fresh set of clothes.

“Put these on so you don’t catch a cold,” she said in a low voice.

Shen Jingyan sat there, lifeless like a soulless puppet, showing no response to her words. Shi Li pursed her lips, then decided to dress him herself.

The shirt was easy enough, but the pants were more troublesome. She managed to get his legs into the pant legs, but she needed his cooperation to pull them up completely.

“…Jingyan, can you lift yourself up a little?” Shi Li tried to negotiate.

No response. Just the same silent stare.

Shi Li sighed, then straddled his knees, gripping the waistband as she pulled the pants up. When they got stuck at his thighs, she slid her hands under his arms and lifted him as if carrying a child.

The movement finally stirred Shen Jingyan from his daze. It was as if he had suddenly awakened—he pressed his arms against the edge of the bed and pushed down with some effort.

As his body lifted slightly, Shi Li hurriedly pulled his pants up. Even such a simple action left her breathless.

She instinctively sat back, only to realize a second later that she had just sat directly on Shen Jingyan’s legs. As if burned, she yelped and quickly moved aside. “Sorry, sorry! I didn’t mean to!”

Shen Jingyan shot her a cold glance but remained silent.

Shi Li hesitated, then tested the waters. “Why don’t you rest on the bed?”

Shen Jingyan’s eyelashes trembled slightly. Then, supporting himself against the bed, he slowly moved to lie down. Shi Li quickly held onto his arm to help him.

It was a simple movement, yet both of them were left slightly breathless. When Shi Li glanced up at him, she caught the clear look of disgust in his eyes.

…Was that directed at her? Shi Li was momentarily stunned.

The room fell into silence. She sat by the bed for a while before awkwardly breaking the quiet. “The butler said you haven’t eaten all day. You must be starving, right?”

Shen Jingyan still didn’t respond. She was used to it by now, so without waiting for an answer, she went to retrieve a bowl of porridge.

After all the time that had passed, the porridge had cooled significantly, with only a slight warmth remaining in the center. But it was still edible.

Shi Li stirred it a few times and was about to feed him when she suddenly heard his hoarse voice.

“You didn’t bring me food today.”

Shi Li paused, lifting her gaze to meet his deep, unreadable eyes.

The excuse she had prepared was already on the tip of her tongue, but when she met his gaze, she hesitated. Instead, the truth slipped out. “I knew you were unwell. I was afraid that seeing me would remind you of how terribly I treated you in the past, so I didn’t dare come.”

Shen Jingyan silently watched her. Shi Li pressed her lips together, then lowered her head and mumbled, “I’m sorry… I should keep my distance from you. That way, you wouldn’t have to suffer not only from being sick but also from unpleasant memories…”

She trailed off before finishing her sentence.

Meeting Shen Jingyan’s gaze once more, she scooped up a spoonful of porridge and held it near his lips, fully prepared for him to knock it away or insult her.

But unexpectedly, Shen Jingyan remained expressionless and simply drank the porridge.

Shi Li was so surprised that she blurted out, “Huh?”

Shen Jingyan turned his eyes toward her.

Shi Li let out an awkward chuckle. “I just… didn’t expect you to eat it.”

“So, were you planning to force-feed me?” Shen Jingyan asked.

Shi Li felt a flicker of guilt. Even though she wasn’t planning to force-feed him right now, she knew that if he continued refusing to eat, she probably wouldn’t have been able to hold back.

Shen Jingyan caught her silence and let out a faint, mocking scoff. “I’m not stupid, Shi Li. If I want revenge, I need to have a strong body first.”

“…As long as you understand,” Shi Li muttered, somewhat embarrassed, as she continued feeding him.

One feeding, one eating—the porridge quickly disappeared. When she noticed the faint discomfort on Shen Jingyan’s face, she immediately stopped and brought out his medicine.

Surprisingly, Shen Jingyan took the medicine just as obediently as he had eaten the porridge.

Shi Li: “…”

Why was he being so cooperative? It was making her feel uneasy.

With his medicine and food settled, Shi Li rolled up her sleeves and started massaging him. Shen Jingyan lay on his stomach, only letting out occasional muffled grunts when she pressed too hard. Otherwise, he was as obedient as a wooden doll.

Shi Li felt increasingly guilty. She had a strong feeling that once he recovered, he would definitely find a way to throw her out. Hoping to soften his stance, she worked even harder at the massage, hoping to win some favor.

“You’re pressing too hard. Are you trying to kill me?” Shen Jingyan finally snapped.

Shi Li: “…I wasn’t.”

She immediately lightened her touch and continued pressing down more gently. After a while, she asked, “Does this feel better?”

There was no response.

She kept going for a while longer, then noticed how unnaturally relaxed he had become. Curious, she glanced down—only to find that he had fallen asleep.

…If I had known, I wouldn’t have worked so hard.

Quietly, Shi Li got off the bed, tucked him in, and carefully went to the bathroom to retrieve the dirty carpet.

Just as she reached the entrance, a displeased voice came from behind her.

“Don’t leave.”

Shi Li turned back in surprise. “You’re awake?”

Shen Jingyan remained silent. Shi Li blinked and understood: “I’m not leaving, just putting the carpet by the door so someone can pick it up for cleaning.”

After speaking, she opened the door. The light from outside spilled in, making her squint uncomfortably. After placing the carpet outside, she turned back, took the tray and medicine cup, and sent them out as well before shutting the door again.

She stood alone in the entryway for a moment. Once her eyes fully adjusted to the darkness again, she carefully made her way to the bedside and poured a cup of warm water for Shen Jingyan. “Go to sleep. I’ll keep watch.”

Shen Jingyan let out a faint, dismissive scoff but said nothing more. He adjusted his position and soon drifted off. Shi Li waited until his breathing evened out before quietly slipping into his walk-in closet to find a fresh set of clothes, then headed toward the bathroom.

After all that commotion earlier, she had broken out in a sweat and needed a proper wash. Even in the bathroom, she didn’t dare turn on the lights, keeping the water at the lowest setting as she showered. While washing, she felt a sharp sting on her shoulder. She tried twisting to look but couldn’t see anything, so she simply ignored it.

After a quick rinse, she changed into Shen Jingyan’s clothes, washed her own, and hung them up in the bathroom—planning to switch back before he woke up in the morning.

Unfortunately, she overestimated herself. When she woke up on the sofa, faint noises from Shen Jingyan’s side indicated he was already awake.

“…What time is it?” She opened her eyes to find the room still pitch black and asked cautiously.

“Ten in the morning,” Shen Jingyan replied coolly.

Shi Li sat up in a daze. After a moment, she chuckled awkwardly. “Your blackout curtains work really well. I thought it was still nighttime.”

Thankfully, they worked so well—otherwise, he would have noticed she was wearing his clothes.

She took a deep breath and, after fully waking up, walked toward the door. “You must be hungry. The butler probably delivered breakfast, but it’s probably cold by now. I’ll go heat it up.”

She opened the door, and as her eyes adjusted to the light, she saw two bowls of hot noodle soup on the ground, along with a small medicine cup filled with colorful pills. The soup was still steaming, freshly prepared.

…As expected of the butler—efficient as always. Shi Li sighed in admiration, picked up the tray, and carried it inside. Sitting by the bed, she carefully fed Shen Jingyan one spoonful at a time.

He ate very slowly. By the time he finished both the noodles and medicine, half an hour had passed. Her own bowl had long since gone cold, but she didn’t mind. She simply stirred it a few times with her chopsticks and quickly finished it.

For the next few days, they continued this dimly lit routine. Shi Li occasionally got to see daylight at the door, but Shen Jingyan remained in complete darkness. She sometimes wondered if his eyesight would deteriorate at this rate. But that wasn’t her biggest concern—what truly worried her was how he would settle accounts with her once he recovered.

Surprisingly, Shen Jingyan was being very cooperative—eating and taking his medicine without protest. She was so startled by his compliance that she couldn’t help but ask again, “Why are you being so obedient?”

“So I can recover faster and take revenge on you,” Shen Jingyan said unpredictably. “An eye for an eye.”

Shi Li: “…”

Under his thinly veiled threats, she silently prayed for his recovery to slow down. But it seemed useless—his recovery was faster than ever.

Another night passed. As she groggily woke up, she sensed a figure looming over her. Pausing for a moment, she opened her eyes and saw Shen Jingyan standing there.

“Why are you up so early?” She wasn’t too surprised to see him out of bed—he had started moving around in the past few days.

Shen Jingyan’s gaze was unreadable. “For revenge.”

Shi Li: “?”

After a brief moment of confusion, she suddenly realized something—she could see his face clearly.

Her eyes darted to the window, where she saw the blackout curtains had somehow been drawn open. Sunlight flooded the room.

“…W-What are you planning to do?” Shi Li asked nervously, watching him warily as if he might throw her out of the house.

Shen Jingyan took a step forward. “I already told you before.”

Told her what? Oh, right—”An eye for an eye.” But what did that mean? Did he plan to serve her the way she had taken care of him? Shi Li quickly dismissed the thought and tried to think of another interpretation.

Before she could figure it out, Shen Jingyan gave her the answer himself.

He reached toward her, revealing a damp towel in his hand. With a blank expression, he said, “First, let’s start with wiping you down.”

Shi Li stared at him in shock. The moment he stepped closer, she finally reacted—scrambling backward over the sofa and putting distance between them. “D-Don’t come near me! I only wiped you down because I was afraid you’d catch a cold from sweating too much—it was for your own good…”

Shen Jingyan continued approaching expressionlessly.

Shi Li’s eyes darted toward the door. The moment he was slightly distracted, she bolted toward it. As soon as her hand grasped the doorknob, her eyes lit up with hope.

She yanked the door open—only to come face-to-face with the butler delivering breakfast. They locked eyes, both momentarily stunned.

Shi Li forced a bright smile. “Hi—”

Before she could finish greeting him, an arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her back inside.

She hadn’t expected Shen Jingyan to still go after her even with someone present. In panic, she turned to the butler for help.

The butler’s lips twitched, but after a brief hesitation, he quietly shut the door from the outside and even thoughtfully instructed the other staff to keep their distance.

Shi Li: “…”

Shen Jingyan was still recovering from his illness. Though he was stronger than Shi Li, he wasn’t at full strength yet. After dragging her back inside, his breathing turned slightly labored, and he eventually let go of her.

Shi Li took the opportunity to slide onto the floor, inching backward. Seeing his stern expression, she started sweating nervously.

“You can’t repay kindness with hostility,” she said pitifully.

Shen Jingyan scoffed, then crouched down to meet her eyes at eye level.

Male Lead Hatred Value: 74%

Shi Li: “?”

She had been in a constant state of shock since waking up and hadn’t noticed the hatred value earlier. To her surprise, it had dropped significantly in just a few days!

While she was still processing this, Shen Jingyan spoke softly, “You’re sweating.”

Shi Li instinctively responded, “Yeah, I—” She stopped mid-sentence, realizing what he was getting at.

“Sweating can cause colds,” Shen Jingyan said, tilting his chin slightly, his gaze unreadable. “Take off your clothes.”

“…”

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” His eyes narrowed slightly.

Shi Li swallowed and slowly raised a fist. “If I punch you with this, you might die.”

Shen Jingyan recalled how she had forced him into compliance on the first day and sneered. Grabbing the collar of her shirt, he gave it a slight tug.

Shi Li panicked and leaned back, but both of them had overestimated the quality of the sleepwear. With a few muffled snaps, several buttons popped off, exposing a large expanse of fair skin—including several scratch marks on her shoulder.

Though not deep, the wounds were visibly inflamed, likely from lack of proper care. Against her pale skin, they stood out starkly.

Shen Jingyan’s grip on the towel tightened. Water from it dripped onto her shoulder.

Shi Li flinched and let out a small groan. She slumped onto the floor, resigned. “Fine, just do it quickly. I’m hungry…”

“Does it hurt?” Shen Jingyan touched the wound with his fingertips, recalling how he had desperately clung to her during his worst moments.

His fingers were cold, making Shi Li instinctively shrink away. After a pause, she hesitantly replied, “It’s not too bad.”

Shen Jingyan swallowed, then retracted his hand with a stiff expression. “Why didn’t you say anything about your injuries? Trying to guilt-trip me?”

Shi Li: “…” What kind of nonsense was that?

She was about to retort but stopped herself. Instead, she glanced at her hatred value and saw that it had dropped again—to 70%.

Suppressing her glee, she weakly murmured, “You were suffering so much—I didn’t have time to care about myself.”

Shen Jingyan fell silent.

After a long pause, he finally said, “Go back. Call the butler in.”

“Okay.” Shi Li, seeing that he wasn’t going to torment her anymore, quickly got up and left. Before stepping out, she hurriedly changed back into her original sleepwear, then exited the room.

When the butler entered, he sighed in relief at Shen Jingyan’s improved condition. “Thanks to Miss Shi, you’ve recovered so quickly.”

Shen Jingyan glanced at him, his expression unreadable. After a long silence, he finally spoke.

“Do you think someone who has betrayed you once… is still worth trusting?”

The butler hesitated at the unexpected question but carefully replied, “Someone who has betrayed you once is likely to do it again. In my opinion, the only way to trust them completely is to ensure they never have another chance to betray you. Otherwise… it’s best to stay cautious.”

Shen Jingyan remained silent for a long time.

Then, gazing out the window, he murmured, “Is that so?”