"You really intend to let us go to school?"
Shen Xingmian looked at Nan Zhi with a slightly awkward expression, but her face showed a hint of seriousness and earnestness.
He had no choice. Having come to this different world, he wasn't sure if he and Gu Ying could ever go back. They had no identity, and if things continued like this, they would only be able to go to an orphanage.
But they didn't want to go there. Now, Miss Mu has given them such an opportunity, and they can even go to school. It's a very tempting offer.
At this moment, Shen Xingmian was only a sixteen-year-old boy. He was still in his rebellious phase. In the past, he was the kind of person who didn't listen to the lectures and got into fights. To be honest, he felt very insecure when he came here. He suddenly realized that without the Shen family as his backing, he was nothing and had nothing.
"I mean what I say, but you have to stay with me."
Nan Zhi nodded with a smile, "Don't worry, there's nothing about either of you that I could possibly want. Think about it yourself, what do you two have right now?"
Shen Xingmian hesitated for a long time, and finally nodded, "Thank you, thank you for taking us in."
Nan Zhi's eyes widened in disbelief. Shen Xingmian thanked her? And in such an awkward way, it was really...so cute.
Suppressing the urge to pat his head, Nanzhi raised her hand to her mouth and coughed twice, saying:
“I’m not taking you in for free; I have conditions.”
Upon hearing this, Shen Xingmian's face turned ugly; he knew things wouldn't be that good.
Nanzhi continued:
"Look, I'm not feeling well, so you can take care of me from now on. Consider it an income to cover your food, lodging, and transportation expenses, how about it?"
Shen Xingmian paused, looking at Nan Zhi. The girl's face was an unhealthy pale. She was so young, yet she had to sit in a wheelchair. It was indeed quite pitiful.
He tilted his head. "Just like that?"
Nanzhi nodded, "That's all. Besides, I plan to go to school, so it will be more convenient for you to take care of me."
As soon as he finished speaking, the butler couldn't help but interject:
"Miss, you can't go to school, your health..."
"I will discuss this with my father."
Nan Zhi interrupted the housekeeper, her bright eyes fixed on Shen Xingmian, "Are you willing?"
Shen Xingmian secretly pinched his trouser leg, looked down at himself, and thought for a long time. He breathed a sigh of relief. It was just taking care of this girl's daily life. It was very simple. This way, he and Aying could survive in this world in peace for the time being.
"I do."
The boy raised his head and nodded solemnly.
Nan Zhi smiled and said, "That's good. Now push me back to my bedroom. You should get used to life here first, and we'll go to school together after school starts."
And so, the lives of Shen Xingmian and Gu Ying were arranged. They had no other choice but to take the best path that Nanzhi had laid out for them.
Shen Xingmian stepped forward, coldly grasped the wheelchair handle, and pushed Nanzhi toward her bedroom. Because of the housekeeper's introduction, he knew that the house next door belonged to Nanzhi.
Nan Zhi's room was very simple, even simpler than Shen Xingmian and Gu Ying's. It was the original owner's room, and after arriving, Nan Zhi did not make any changes in order not to arouse suspicion.
Moreover, the house is simple and matches her own aesthetic preferences.
The bedroom didn't look like a girl's bedroom. The dark style made Shen Xingmian pause. Whether it was the curtains, the wallpaper, or the color of the sheets and duvet covers, they were all dark gray with a checkered pattern.
There was only a desk and a bookshelf in the bedroom, filled with books, all of them professional books, and none of the novels that young girls like to read.
For some reason, Shen Xingmian suddenly felt sorry for this girl. She was at the age of blossoming youth, yet she couldn't go to school or interact with people like a normal person. Even the things she liked were so colorless, which showed how lonely she was inside.
Nanzhi didn't really care, but the original owner was indeed quite lonely.
"I will take good care of you."
Suddenly, Shen Xingmian's nonsensical words rang out above her head. Nan Zhi looked up and stared at him in confusion.
The boy blushed instantly and snorted, "I mean, since I've received your kindness, I'll try my best to take care of you, so I won't owe you anything."
Nan Zhi: "..." Actually, you didn't owe me anything.
"Coo, coo, coo"
A voice rang in their ears. Nanzhi smiled and raised an eyebrow, asking, "Are you hungry?"
Shen Xingmian: "......No, no, who said I was hungry? I just ate too much and my stomach is a little upset."
Nan Zhi stared at him, and Shen Xingmian could no longer keep up the act, but he still stubbornly held on, trying to appear indifferent.
Nanzhi: "..."
Now I understand where Shen Xingmian's personality comes from; it's something he developed from a young age—a person who says one thing but means another.
Nanzhi decided to tease him a bit.
"That's good. I get up late in the morning, so I usually only have two meals a day. I don't get to eat again until the afternoon. Since you're full, I don't need anyone to prepare anything for me."
Shen Xingmian: "..." One must be principled; he was determined not to waver.
"Push me to the bedside, I want to take a nap."
After a whole morning of fussing, Nan Zhi was also a bit sleepy. This body of hers was really damn bad, Nan Zhi thought. If it were in the past, would she have had to be in such a miserable state? But there are advantages to being miserable. Now, Shen Xingmian would personally take care of her. Just thinking about it made her feel excited.
This is her husband, the husband she had never met since she was a child.
When she reached the bedside, Nanzhi could have climbed up by herself, but she glanced at the person behind her. He remained unmoved, so Nanzhi sat there without moving.
The room fell silent for a long time before Shen Xingmian spoke first:
"Then, I'll head out now."
Before Nan Zhi could speak, Shen Xingmian turned to leave the bedroom. Nan Zhi said, "Wait."
Shen Xingmian paused, turned around, and asked, "Is there anything else you need?"
Nanzhi turned to look at him, "How am I supposed to get up like this?"
Shen Xingmian: "......."
He was a little embarrassed. After all, she was a girl, and he had never even held a girl's hand since he was a child, let alone hug her.
“The housekeeper used to carry me upstairs. If you can’t even do that, how can you talk about paying off your debts?”
Shen Xingmian's face stiffened. When did he fall to such a state? He gritted his teeth, glanced at Nan Zhi, and then walked over in a few steps, saying softly, "I'm sorry."
After saying that, he picked Nanzhi up horizontally. Nanzhi instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck. He could feel the boy's body stiffen for a moment, but Nanzhi seemed unaware and said:
Thank you.
Shen Xingmian didn't say anything, his ears turning red. He then gently placed Nanzhi on the bed and covered her with a thin blanket, afraid that Nanzhi would call him back if he left.
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