Chapter 19: The Tyrant CEO Who Cannot Walk

Si Jiu remained unaware of what was happening on Shen Huai’s side, for she was once again asleep.

The system found itself somewhat unaccustomed to such a “quiet and well-behaved” Si Jiu, but quiet was good—it began to ponder whether, in the next world, it should assign the host a similarly “quiet” vessel.

Inside the tranquil room, the light slowly faded as evening approached, eventually giving way to night.

System: [Host, wake up. The male lead has been watching you for seventy-eight minutes and forty-two seconds.]

Si Jiu’s lashes trembled as she slowly opened her eyes. The amber glow of the bedside lamp pricked at her vision, causing her to squint. Just then, a dry hand gently shielded her eyes from the light.

“Honey.”

It was rare for the male lead’s voice to carry such unmistakable emotion; even the end of his words quivered slightly.

Si Jiu blinked, her lashes brushing against the palm of his hand, sparking an itch that seemed to reach right to Shen Huai’s heart.

“I want to kiss you.”

He spoke, and then he acted. He no longer had less than two years to live; in time, he would be able to stand and hold her. He refused to repress his desires any longer.

Even if she had ulterior motives—no, it would be best if she did. Then he could use whatever she wanted to bind her to his side.

He released her only after a long while.

Si Jiu’s breath was uneven, a sheen of tears in her eyes from the intensity of the moment, her cheeks flushed. Without her glasses, she squinted at him out of habit.

Her appearance tightened Shen Huai’s throat; it took every ounce of restraint not to kiss her again.

“Did you sleep until now? You haven’t eaten? What would you like?”

Since that night, he never mentioned what had happened, clearly avoiding the topic. Si Jiu was happy to cooperate, only occasionally lamenting that the supposed “I won’t let you go” consequences the system had mentioned seemed unlikely to materialize.

Tragic romance, passionate torment. Dark room play. Binding—cough—other things.

System: Please, can you act like a human?

“I’m not hungry.”

“Don’t be stubborn, you need to eat.”

She truly wasn’t hungry, only sleepy. Unfortunately, the male lead seemed to imagine something else, stubbornly believing she was sulking.

Ah.

“Why don’t you cook some noodles for me?”

System: Pfft…

Shen Huai paused in surprise. Si Jiu smiled sweetly. “With two eggs, please. Fry them well; I don’t like them runny.”

“Eating too much at night isn’t good,” Shen Huai replied, but in the end, he still fried two eggs and placed them atop the noodles for her.

She didn’t finish the bowl.

Halfway through, Si Jiu drifted off again.

Shen Huai frowned, unease rising in his heart. He couldn’t shake the feeling that her constant sleepiness wasn’t normal; perhaps she should have a check-up.

Si Jiu had no temper left for the steadily worsening narcolepsy of this body. Fortunately, the progress bar would soon be filled; she could endure it until the next task.

…

While Si Jiu was enjoying good food and restful sleep in Shen Huai’s home, Tang Xin was having a miserable time. Calling Si Jiu resulted in discovering she’d been blocked, messaging her revealed she’d been deleted, and seeking her out proved fruitless—she had no idea where Si Jiu was.

With school on break, Tang Xin didn’t even have a place to eat.

Only then did Tang Xin realize that this time, her sister truly meant it. Her sister was no longer taking care of her.

She went from anger and resentment, to anxiety and fear, until finally she was forced to accept reality and begin considering her own future.

Soon, driven by necessity, Tang Xin had to face facts and seek out part-time work, striving to earn her daily meals.

It was only through this experience that she understood just how hard her sister had had it all those years, bearing the burden alone.

Si Jiu had nothing to say about Tang Xin’s growth and transformation. When the system asked if she wanted to help Tang Xin, Si Jiu refused.

“What was she doing all those years? Her sister is already dead. Is there any point in me representing her sister and reconciling with her?”

The system fell silent.

It thought: The host remains as cold-hearted as ever!