CHAPTER 18 (PART 1)

The usually proud and stubborn man suddenly lowered himself and pleaded in a hushed voice. Anyone would likely soften at this, especially since the one begging was born with striking beauty and an inherent frailty—so delicate he seemed like frost flowers, ready to shatter and disappear at any moment.

Listening to the increasingly unsteady breathing behind her, Shi Li finally couldn’t hold back and spoke, “Let me go, and we can live our lives properly. We’ll pretend none of this ever happened.”

“No.” Shen Jingyan rejected her without a second thought.

Shi Li’s mouth twitched. “I wasn’t asking for your opinion.”

“Neither was I,” Shen Jingyan replied, his voice muffled.

…Then what was there left to say? His absolute refusal successfully extinguished the last trace of softness in Shi Li’s heart. She pried his hands off her, got up, and lay down on the sofa instead.

The moment she left, Shen Jingyan sat up and leaned against the headboard, quietly watching her on the sofa. His expression was lonely and desolate, yet he didn’t call her back.

Shi Li waited for a long time but heard nothing from him. Unable to resist, she sneaked a glance in his direction and was surprised to see that his hatred value was still at 20%.

She had been going against him all this time, expecting his hatred value to rise by at least a few points. But it hadn’t moved at all… Did that mean she could push him even further?

Shi Li stole another glance at Shen Jingyan, but seeing how fragile and thin he looked, she couldn’t bring herself to bully him. She even had the absurd thought that if he wanted to keep her locked up, maybe she should just let him.

But then again, if she wanted to complete her mission, she had to gain knowledge of the novel’s plot in exchange for the ability to teleport at will—

If only the person below was easier to deal with, she’d accept it without hesitation.

The image of a tall, lean figure holding a dagger, thick blood dripping from the blade, flashed in her mind. She shivered instinctively.

…Forget it. She needed to focus on convincing Shen Jingyan to let her go.

Shi Li rubbed her face and lay on the sofa, lost in thought.

The clock on the wall continued to move forward silently. The room was quiet, the only sound coming from the faint hum of the air conditioner. At first, Shi Li was deep in contemplation, but gradually, her eyelids grew heavier, and before she knew it, she had drifted off.

She had spent the entire day indoors, with little activity, so her sleep was light. In her drowsiness, she vaguely sensed Shen Jingyan’s presence. She let out a small hum, wanting to open her eyes, but after struggling for a bit, she failed to wake up completely.

The consequence of falling asleep too early was waking up before six in the morning.

Shi Li pressed a hand to her groggy head and sat up, only to accidentally touch someone beside her. She froze for a moment, then turned her head to see Shen Jingyan sleeping soundly next to her. At some point, she had been moved back to the bed.

Shi Li fell silent. Recalling the faint presence of Shen Jingyan last night, she didn’t say anything for a while.

At some point, Shen Jingyan had woken up. He gazed at her profile quietly, and only when she noticed his stare and turned to meet his eyes did he speak, unhurriedly, “Morning.”

Shi Li’s mouth twitched. Without a word, she got up and headed for the kitchen.

Shen Jingyan paused, his eyes darkening. A moment later, he concealed all his emotions and followed her, standing at the doorway to watch her cook.

Shi Li treated him like air, busying herself alone in the kitchen. Just as she started slicing tomatoes, she heard his hesitant voice from the doorway: “How did you know I wanted tomato and egg stir-fry?”

Her hand holding the knife paused for a second. Then, with a crisp chop, she cut the tomato into four pieces, sprinkled some sugar on top, and turned it into a sweet dish instead.

Shen Jingyan pressed his lips together and didn’t say another word.

In utter silence, Shi Li finished cooking a dish. When she brought it to the dining table, Shen Jingyan was already waiting. She ignored him, grabbed a set of utensils, and began eating.

Shen Jingyan waited a long time for her to invite him to join, but when she never did, he remained silent for a moment before going to the kitchen to get his own utensils. However, by the time he returned, Shi Li had already finished eating.

He stared at the now-empty plate, his fingers tightening around his chopsticks until his knuckles turned white. After a long pause, he lowered his gaze and silently gathered the dishes, carrying them to the kitchen to wash. This time, the noise was much quieter than before.

When Shi Li decided to cold-shoulder him, she had anticipated various reactions—hysterics, embarrassment turning into rage, or some other intense emotion. But she hadn’t expected him to take it all without a single complaint.

After Shen Jingyan finished cleaning up the kitchen, Shi Li sneaked a glance at him again. His hatred value was still stuck at 20%. Her brows lifted slightly.

Looking at his obviously darker expression, she figured he must be nearing his limit.

For the entire day, Shen Jingyan stayed in the house with her. Meanwhile, Shi Li deliberately tested his patience, constantly pushing his boundaries, hoping he’d finally have enough and set her free.

It seemed even Shen Jingyan hadn’t expected her to keep up her cold attitude for so long. His face grew increasingly gloomy, and his suppressed frustration finally began to surface.

By nightfall, when he saw her once again heading for the sofa, he could no longer hold back. He grabbed her wrist, his eyes tinged with red as he said hoarsely, “You’re not allowed to go.”

Shi Li: “……”

“If you go, I’ll just carry you back,” Shen Jingyan continued. Seeing her remain indifferent, he fixed his gaze on her profile and added, “I have the strength to do it now.”

…Oh wow, how impressive.

Shi Li was silent for a moment, but her response remained the same: “Let me go, and I’ll pretend none of this ever happened.”

“No way.” Shen Jingyan tightened his grip on her wrist, his tone deliberate and firm. “Why are you so desperate to leave? Are you still trying to find a way to escape from me?”

“I don’t want to leave you, but I also don’t want to be locked up like a prisoner. Do you understand?” Shi Li sighed, rubbing her forehead.

Seeing that he still refused to listen, she even considered faking a suicide attempt. But ultimately, she had to consider his health and her situation once she got out. So for now, she could only continue her silent resistance.

Shen Jingyan’s stare bore into her, his breathing growing heavier. A faint flush crept up his face, but he seemed completely unaware. He simply continued to hold onto Shi Li without letting go.

Shi Li paused for a moment, forcibly shaking off his hand, pretending not to notice his discomfort, and turned to lie down on the sofa. Shen Jingyan stood alone by the bed, slowly sliding down to sit on the floor. After a long silence, he spoke in a hoarse voice, “Shi Li, I feel terrible…”

Shi Li’s heart trembled, and her first instinct was to check on him, but she held herself back. Having personally taken care of Shen Jingyan for two years, she knew his condition better than anyone. If he were truly unwell, he wouldn’t be able to speak so coherently. Since he could still express his emotions, it meant the situation was still within control.

Sweat began to form on Shen Jingyan’s forehead, his face turning pale as he gazed at Shi Li with misty eyes. After a few minutes, disappointment finally took over. Realizing that even at this point, Shi Li wouldn’t pay him any attention, the light in his eyes dimmed. He sat quietly on the floor beside the bed, not moving for a long time, until he eventually calmed his breathing on his own.

Shi Li had been listening intently for any movement from his side. When she finally heard nothing, she secretly glanced at him. Seeing his breathing had steadied, she let out a sigh of relief.

After sitting alone for a long while, Shen Jingyan finally struggled to his feet, his legs numb and chilled from the marble floor. He walked with difficulty to Shi Li and sat beside her, his eyes tinged with a faint shade of red. His voice was hoarse, like sand scraping against stone. “You don’t like me anymore?”

Shi Li’s heart ached for a moment, and she simply sat up, pulling him to sit beside her. When his legs touched hers, she frowned slightly and covered them with the light summer quilt she used for sleeping. “You can’t catch a cold.”

“You don’t like me anymore,” Shen Jingyan repeated, this time as a statement rather than a question. His voice carried a bleakness that seemed to see through everything. “Otherwise, you wouldn’t have ignored me even when I was feeling unwell.”

Male Lead Hatred Value: 18%

After treating him so cruelly, Shi Li could understand if his hatred value had risen. But instead, after being neglected for an entire day, it had actually dropped by two points. Paired with his expression and tone at this moment, how could she not feel guilty?

Shi Li pursed her lips and, in the end, couldn’t bring herself to say anything too heartless. “I like you. I’m just angry with you.”

“Because I locked you up?” Shen Jingyan asked.

Shi Li: “Yes.”

“So from now on, you’ll keep treating me like this.” Shen Jingyan’s face was as pale as paper.

Shi Li looked at him in exasperation. “…Why don’t you consider changing your mind so we can make up instead?”

Shen Jingyan met her gaze in silence. After a moment, Shi Li, feeling frustrated, turned her head away. “Fine, I get it. You don’t have to say anything else.”

Shen Jingyan sat quietly beside her. After a long pause, he suddenly reached out and hugged her, burying his face in the crook of her neck. “I’ll find a way to make you stay while also making you stop being angry with me.”

…Oh, what a coincidence. I’ll also find a way to make you let me go without significantly increasing your hatred value. Shi Li maintained a blank expression and forcibly pushed him away.

For the next few days, the atmosphere remained frozen in a deadlock, yet neither of them was willing to back down. Shen Jingyan’s complexion worsened, and as the one doing the bullying, Shi Li wasn’t much better off either. Though they had different thoughts in mind, both were eager to resolve this standoff as soon as possible.

The turning point came one morning.

Shi Li woke up on the sofa with an aching back. As she yawned and glanced at the bed, she saw Shen Jingyan still asleep. She got up to prepare breakfast. Although they had been at odds during this time and Shi Li deliberately avoided calling him to eat, she still made his portion.

Of course, Shen Jingyan had also taken on all the household chores except cooking, ensuring that the place remained spotless. This completely thwarted Shi Li’s plan to turn the place into a mess.

Despite the tense atmosphere, their daily routines were unexpectedly in sync—so much so that Shi Li often found herself wondering if she should just give in to him. But every time that thought surfaced, she would recall the male lead from the next world and immediately abandon it. Best to pick the easier target.

…Right now, Shen Jingyan was the “softer” target.

Shi Li felt guilty for about three seconds before making tomato and egg stir-fry. She ate half of it herself, then deliberately left the other half on the dining table, making just enough noise to try and wake Shen Jingyan up for breakfast.

However, today, Shen Jingyan seemed particularly deep in sleep. Normally, the slightest noise would wake him, but today, he remained completely still. Shi Li recalled seeing him still working late at night when she had gone to the bathroom around eleven. Assuming he was simply exhausted, she decided not to disturb him.

But by noon, when Shen Jingyan still hadn’t woken up, Shi Li knew something was wrong.

She rushed to his bedside, intending to wake him, only to find that his hair was damp with sweat, his cheeks flushed unnaturally red, and his lips deathly pale. Shi Li’s heart clenched. She quickly placed a hand on his forehead and, feeling the abnormal heat, immediately lifted his blanket. Seeing his sleepwear soaked in sweat, she hurriedly shook his arm to wake him. “Jingyan! Wake up! Wake up!”

Shen Jingyan was trapped in a long nightmare. In his dream, he lay in a hospital bed, his body covered in tubes, surrounded by doctors, nurses, and strangers—but Shi Li was nowhere to be found.

Where was Shi Li?

The moment that thought surfaced, he suddenly heard her voice. Like an instinct buried deep within his soul, he unconsciously followed the sound. Finally, after stepping into a bright white light, he woke up with a jolt.

“Jingyan!”

Shi Li’s worried face came into view. Shen Jingyan opened his mouth but found himself unable to speak. After a long pause, he finally managed to force out some words. “What’s wrong?”

“You have a fever. You need to go to the hospital,” Shi Li said anxiously.

Shen Jingyan stared at her face for a long moment before shaking his head slightly. “I’m not going.”

“You can’t just refuse!” Shi Li wanted to yell at him but, seeing his current state, had to suppress her anger and persuade him instead. “Your body isn’t like a normal person’s. If the fever causes complications, it’ll be serious.”

“You care that much?” Shen Jingyan suddenly asked.

Shi Li paused. “Of course!”

Her tone was sharp, but Shen Jingyan’s mood unexpectedly improved. His eyes turned slightly red, and as if afraid she would notice his emotions, he turned his face away. Only after calming himself did he look at her again.

Shi Li shut her eyes tightly for a moment before looking at him, trying to keep her tone as calm as possible. “I know you’re afraid I’ll use this chance to escape. How about this? Call the butler and have him wait for you downstairs. I’ll send you to the elevator, and you can go see a doctor first…”

Shen Jingyan weakly lifted a finger and pressed it against her lips. “I don’t want to hear it.”

Shi Li: “……” She was really going to be driven mad by this stubborn fool.