Chapter 403: Chapter 399: However Good You Are, Sis Knows You Better Than You Do
Humans are such strange creatures. If something isnât witnessed firsthand, even if itâs related to oneself, it doesnât matterâtheyâll eat and drink as usual, being an optimist through and through.
But if the event happens right before their eyes and theyâre involved, instinctively theyâll start considering its connection to them.
Upon realizing that they might indeed be related to the event, and that a different approach could have led to a different outcome, theyâll fall into a state of self-conflict.
Even if the action you took is separated by several variables from the final result, the feeling remains the same.
Whatâs more, Su Qing, with the benefit of narration, is like a God with an omniscient perspective, able to predict the development of events, even their ultimate outcomes, intensifying his sense of responsibility.
âBlub blub blubâ
Su Qing submerged his head in the bathtub, engaging in a mental spiral, unsure of what to do, wondering if he should continue listening to the narratorâs hints in the future.
Is it truly beneficial to know whatâs going to happen when aided by narration?
Without it, even if everything happenedâlike Zhang Guoxinâs car accident on the way homeâperhaps he wouldnât feel so bad.
Such is the turmoil of understanding causality.
He didnât know how long he was submerged before feeling suffocated and, unable to bear it any longer, a hand suddenly reached into the water to pull him up by the neck.
"Gasp~ Gasp~"
Su Qing panted heavily, experiencing tinnitus from prolonged lack of oxygen.
"Are you crazy? What are you doing?" Shen Yiâs voice reached him.
Su Qing regained his senses, immediately seeing Shen Yi squatting by the bathtub, looking scared out of her wits.
"No... nothing at all?" Su Qing replied huskily.
"Nothing? I called you for ages and you didnât respond? When I came in and saw you bubbling there, anyone could have mistaken you for drowning! Is your body alright?" Shen Yi asked anxiously.
Su Qing shook his head, but the next moment, his chest was smacked.
"Saying youâre fine, yet you donât have an ounce of strength. If I hadnât pulled you out, you might have drowned!"
Shen Yi was holding his head, clearly feeling that it was completely limp, resting its full weight on her hand.
If she were to let go, Su Qing would surely slip back into the water, she was certain.
Hearing this, Su Qing was stunned, then slowly started regaining feeling in his limbs, a tingling sensation spreading as he quickly propped up his arms and restored the strength in his body.
"Really nothing, ah, hurry and get out, Iâm bathing, is it okay for you to suddenly come in while Iâm bathing?" he said, realizing his current state.
Fortunately, there was foam on the water surface in the bathtub, keeping him from being completely exposed.
Responding to this, Shen Yi rolled her eyes at him: "Tch, as if I wanted to see anything!"
Saying that, she turned and left, making one last comment at the door: "Get out already, itâs been an hour, youâll shrivel up!"
With that, she closed the bathroom door behind her.
The door closed, and Shen Yiâs face visibly turned bright red.
Her cheeks blushed as if they could bleed, the redness extending to her ears, and her breathing became noticeably more rapid.
In all her years, this was the first time she had done such a thingâbursting into a bathroom to see a man shower. She couldnât have imagined doing such a thing before.
This was quite shameless!
Yet, she did it because she noticed Su Qing had been in the bathroom for a long time.
Living together, she knew how long he typically showered. After calling him twice without a response, she initially didnât think much of it, but anxiety crept in on the second attempt when there was still no answer.
Su Qingâs rare demeanor walking in worried her, sparking a fear that drove her to rush in. Seeing him bubbling in the tub nearly scared her to death, so she disregarded his nudity to save him.
Now that the ordeal was over, she felt embarrassed and longed to cover her face and flee.
Ten minutes later, Su Qing emerged in a change of clothes.
"The foodâs ready. Come... come eat!"
Shen Yi somewhat stammered, ushering him to the table.
Outside, rain and wind lashed, casting a dim light over the room where they sat across from each other at the table.
The reheated leftovers from the fridge made a simple meal.
Su Qing tasted two bites but inexplicably found it bland, prompting him to ask: "Any wine? Letâs drink!"
Shen Yi raised an eyebrow, her lips curling: "Are you sure?"
"No wine?"
"Thereâs wine, but are you sure you want to drink with me?"
"In a bad mood, want a drink, hoping itâll help me sleep!"
Shen Yi stood, "Wait a moment!"
She slipped on her slippers and quickly returned next door, coming back with a bottle of red wine and two high-stemmed glasses.
With a pop, the wine bottle opened.
"Stole it from Qing Jie, consider yourself lucky. Can you handle red wine?"
"Not as if I canât drink, itâs all just down the hatch, isnât it?"
"True, as long as you can open your mouth!"
Smiling, Shen Yi poured some wine. Before she could lift her glass, Su Qing downed his.
It was slightly astringent, yet the grape aroma was intense, the taste of the liquor discernable, with a thick texture.
A hint of bitterness followed, leaving a fragrant aftertaste in his mouth, reminiscent of white spirits, albeit not as strong. In any case, he found it an odd tasteânot to his liking.
It could be his lack of experience with red wine, his impression being that it wasnât as good as beer.
"Thatâs how you drink it?" watching him gulp it like beer, Shen Yi chuckled.
Su Qing paused: "How else, mix it with Sprite?"
Shen Yi: ...
"Fine, have it your way, but it hits hard, donât drink too fast!"
She poured him another glass, then gently swirled her own, letting the fragrance bloom before tilting back an elegant sip.
Soon, coaxed by Shen Yi, Su Qing had polished off half the bottle, the buzz setting in.
Holding their glasses, they moved to the balcony overlooking the rainy street, sipping wine while they watched the drizzle.
"So, whatâs got you down today? Donât tell me itâs nothingâIâm not blind, you know!" Shen Yi quipped, sipping her wine.
Silent for a while, Su Qing finally relayed the dayâs events, including Zhang Guoxinâs car accident.
"I... I thought I was âGodâ, able to arrange my life and save others, but ultimately, I realized I wasnât. Even knowing the outcomes, I still couldnât change them."
He might have drunk a bit too much, confessing his inner thoughts, while Shen Yi quietly listened.
"If... if I knew nothing, or if I hadnât chatted with him, delaying his departure, he might not have died.
I ran and shouted desperately, but I was just a little too late!"
Su Qing gestured with his thumbs and index fingers to illustrate "a little."
"He still disappeared before my eyes, and I realized, Iâm just an ordinary person, unable to change anyoneâs fate. Destiny has a price and parameters, unchangeable even with foreknowledge. Itâs my fault for being so presumptuous.
I always thought I could alter outcomes if I just tried, if I got involved, like the time with your car accident, I could change it.
But no, itâs hopeless!"
Listening to his disjointed murmurings, Shen Yi got the gistâthe day witnessed a death he felt he could have prevented.
Though she couldnât grasp the experience, she wasnât hindered from offering comfort.
She slowly stood, leaned close, bringing her face near his, her voice soft:
"Silly, why so little self-confidence? Youâre a great person, I know you better than you do. Life canât achieve perfection, nor can it avoid othersâ opinions, but if youâve tried your best, thatâs enough; living is your own business, as long as you feel no regret, right?"
She leaned closer, pressing her lips against his.
...