My Life with Narration

Chapter 403 - 399: However Good You Are, Sis Knows You Better Than You Do

Humans are such strange creatures. If something isn’t witnessed firsthand, even if it’s related to oneself, it doesn’t matter—they’ll eat and drink as usual, being an optimist through and through.

But if the event happens right before their eyes and they’re involved, instinctively they’ll 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, they’ll 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.

What’s 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.

’Blub blub blub’

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 narrator’s hints in the future.

Is it truly beneficial to know what’s going to happen when aided by narration?

Without it, even if everything happened—like Zhang Guoxin’s car accident on the way home—perhaps he wouldn’t feel so bad.

Such is the turmoil of understanding causality.

He didn’t 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 Yi’s 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 didn’t 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 you’re fine, yet you don’t have an ounce of strength. If I hadn’t 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, I’m bathing, is it okay for you to suddenly come in while I’m 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, it’s been an hour, you’ll shrivel up!"

With that, she closed the bathroom door behind her.

The door closed, and Shen Yi’s 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 thing—bursting into a bathroom to see a man shower. She couldn’t 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 didn’t think much of it, but anxiety crept in on the second attempt when there was still no answer.

Su Qing’s 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 food’s 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? Let’s drink!"

Shen Yi raised an eyebrow, her lips curling: "Are you sure?"

"No wine?"

"There’s wine, but are you sure you want to drink with me?"

"In a bad mood, want a drink, hoping it’ll 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 can’t drink, it’s all just down the hatch, isn’t 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 taste—not to his liking.

It could be his lack of experience with red wine, his impression being that it wasn’t as good as beer.

"That’s 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, don’t 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, what’s got you down today? Don’t tell me it’s nothing—I’m not blind, you know!" Shen Yi quipped, sipping her wine.

Silent for a while, Su Qing finally relayed the day’s events, including Zhang Guoxin’s car accident.

"I... I thought I was ’God’, able to arrange my life and save others, but ultimately, I realized I wasn’t. Even knowing the outcomes, I still couldn’t 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 hadn’t 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, I’m just an ordinary person, unable to change anyone’s fate. Destiny has a price and parameters, unchangeable even with foreknowledge. It’s 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, it’s hopeless!"

Listening to his disjointed murmurings, Shen Yi got the gist—the day witnessed a death he felt he could have prevented.

Though she couldn’t grasp the experience, she wasn’t hindered from offering comfort.

She slowly stood, leaned close, bringing her face near his, her voice soft:

"Silly, why so little self-confidence? You’re a great person, I know you better than you do. Life can’t achieve perfection, nor can it avoid others’ opinions, but if you’ve tried your best, that’s enough; living is your own business, as long as you feel no regret, right?"

She leaned closer, pressing her lips against his.

...