I Became a Rich Heir in a Novel and Saved the Female Lead - Chapter 8:

Chapter 8: Sleeping

Lin Wansu took the hair dryer and stared at the dense cluster of buttons on it, bewildered for several seconds.

This hair dryer seemed completely different from the kind she had imagined.

She usually used the simplest model, which had only one switch and a single airflow setting. Yet the hair dryer in her hands had five or six buttons, along with English letters and symbols she couldn’t understand.

Lin Wansu tentatively pressed the largest button.

Nothing happened.

She pressed another one.

Still nothing.

Pressing her lips together, she grew flustered and tried every button one after another. However, the hair dryer remained completely silent in her hands, almost as though it were mocking her clumsiness.

Lin Wansu’s face grew redder and redder, and even her palms began to sweat. She secretly glanced at Chen Xu and found him watching her, which only made her more nervous.

“Um… I…”

She wanted to explain that she simply wasn’t familiar with this kind of hair dryer, but when the words reached her lips, the excuse suddenly felt too embarrassing.

‘Would he think I’m terribly ignorant because I don’t even know how to use a hair dryer?’

Looking at her flushed face, Chen Xu couldn’t help sighing. He reached over, took the hair dryer from her, and plugged it into the wall socket.

“You didn’t even plug it in.”

Lin Wansu instantly froze.

She had been so focused on figuring out the buttons that she had completely forgotten the hair dryer needed electricity.

“I’m sorry…”

“All right.” Chen Xu interrupted her apology and handed the hair dryer back. “Try it now.”

This time, Lin Wansu didn’t dare press the buttons randomly. She cautiously pressed the largest one.

Whoosh!

A blast of hot air suddenly burst out, blowing directly into her face.

Startled, Lin Wansu recoiled, nearly dropping the hair dryer. “Hot!”

Chen Xu reacted quickly, catching the hair dryer and immediately switching it off.

He looked at Lin Wansu’s bangs, now blown into complete disarray, and her bright red face. Finally, he couldn’t hold back anymore.

“Lin Wansu.”

“Hmm?”

“Have you never used a hair dryer before?”

Lin Wansu lowered her head, her voice barely louder than a mosquito’s. “I have, but the one at home… only has one switch…”

Chen Xu fell silent for two seconds.

He remembered how the original novel had described the rented apartment where the two sisters lived. It was an old apartment of less than 20 square meters, with two single beds squeezed side by side against the wall. Their blankets had been washed so many times that the fabric had faded and become fuzzy. An old wooden desk, already beginning to crack, was piled with textbooks and an outdated laptop, while neatly washed but badly worn school uniforms were stacked in the corner.

The sisters probably even hesitated to use their hair dryer too often, let alone buy a multifunctional model like this one.

“Forget it.” Chen Xu took the hair dryer and adjusted it to a suitable temperature and airflow. “I’ll do it.”

“But your hands…”

“My hands are fine.”

He first tested the temperature against his palm. Only after making sure it wouldn’t burn her did he lift a lock of Lin Wansu’s long hair.

Lin Wansu sat in the chair, her entire body stiff with nervousness.

No one had ever taken care of her like this before.

She had been too young when her parents were still alive, and many of those memories had already faded. After her parents passed away, she became the older sister. She was always the one who combed her younger sister’s hair, washed the clothes, and cooked their meals.

She had long since grown accustomed to taking care of others, but she had no idea what it felt like to be cared for herself.

The girl’s hair was very soft and carried the faint fragrance of shampoo.

Chen Xu’s movements could hardly be called skillful, and he often accidentally blew her hair into a mess. Yet whenever he encountered a tangled section, he immediately became gentler.

“If there’s anything here you don’t know how to use, just ask. If you’re embarrassed to ask anyone else, ask me,” Chen Xu said as he dried her hair, his tone sounding slightly awkward. “Don’t mess around trying to figure things out by yourself. What if you get hurt?”

Looking at him through the mirror, Lin Wansu whispered, “I was afraid you’d think I was stupid.”

“I don’t think you’re stupid.” Chen Xu paused briefly. “It’s just… there are a lot of things here that you probably haven’t encountered before. It’s normal not to know how to use them.”

He had almost said, ‘You’re not stupid, you’re just poor,’ but realized at the last moment that it would sound far too hurtful and changed his wording.

Lin Wansu lowered her head, and her eyes gradually reddened.

“What is it now?” Chen Xu noticed her reddening eyes in the mirror and immediately stopped what he was doing. “Did I hurt you?”

“No.” Lin Wansu shook her head, her voice slightly choked with emotion. “No one has ever… treated me like this before.”

Chen Xu froze.

He opened his mouth but, for a moment, had no idea what to say.

A few seconds later, he turned the hair dryer back on and deliberately spoke in an impatient tone, “Then the people you knew before were all terrible.”

He continued, “It’s just blow-drying your hair. What’s there to cry about?”

After a brief pause, he added, “It’s perfectly normal not to know how to use something you’ve never used before. There’s no need to feel inferior or embarrassed about it.”

Lin Wansu gently nodded, but the corners of her lips slowly curved upward.

Of course, she wasn’t crying because she was sad.

For the first time, she realized that even something as embarrassing as not knowing how to use a hair dryer didn’t have to be hidden.

It turned out that when she fumbled awkwardly with something, there could be someone who wouldn’t mock her but would patiently help her instead.

By the time her hair was nearly dry, the housekeeper brought in a glass of warm water and a bowl of millet porridge.

The moment Lin Wansu smelled the food, her stomach betrayed her with a loud growl.

The room instantly fell silent.

Her cheeks turned bright red, and she desperately wished she could find somewhere to hide.

Chen Xu pretended he hadn’t heard anything and placed the bowl of porridge in front of her. “Eat.”

“I’m not hungry.”

“Your stomach is a lot more honest than you are.”

“…”

Lin Wansu had no choice but to accept the bowl.

The porridge was just the right temperature. It contained no expensive ingredients, only a little finely chopped green vegetables. It was light and soothing to the stomach.

She ate in small bites and very slowly, yet she didn’t leave behind even a single grain of rice stuck to the side of the bowl.

Seeing this, Chen Xu felt another uncomfortable ache in his heart.

“If that’s not enough, have another bowl.”

“It’s enough. I’m already full.”

Lin Wansu placed the empty bowl back on the tray. After hesitating for a moment, she still looked up at him.

“Chen Xu, did I cause you a lot of trouble tonight?”

“You were pretty troublesome.” Chen Xu leaned back in his wheelchair and deliberately sighed. “My clothes were ruined by the fire, I got injured all over, and now I’ll have to use a wheelchair for several days.”

Lin Wansu’s eyes immediately dimmed. “I’m sorry. I’ll compensate you.”

“With what?”

“I can work. Summer vacation has just started, so in a couple of days, I’ll look around for somewhere hiring temporary workers.” Her expression was completely serious. “As long as you’re willing to wait, I’ll definitely pay you back.”

Chen Xu had only meant to tease her. He hadn’t expected her to take his words seriously.

“Lin Wansu.” His teasing expression disappeared as he looked at her seriously. “I didn’t save you because I wanted you to repay me.”

“But you were injured because of me.”

“That was still my own choice. No one forced me.”

“If it weren’t for me…”

“There is no if.” Chen Xu interrupted her. “If you really don’t want to cause me trouble, then rest properly and recover.”

Lin Wansu looked at him through tear-filled eyes.

A moment later, she gently nodded. “Okay.”

After finishing the porridge, Lin Wansu lay down on the bed. The doctor came to check her blood oxygen level once more. After confirming that it was stable, the other medical equipment was removed, leaving only the monitoring device beside the bed.

The housekeeper brought over a brand-new quilt, while the female nurse prepared to spend the night in the duty room next door.

Chen Xu had someone push his wheelchair to the doorway. Before leaving, he pointed toward the call button beside the bed.

“If you feel uncomfortable, press this. The nurse is right outside, so don’t worry about disturbing anyone.”

“Okay.”

“If you feel hot, adjust the temperature using that panel on the wall.”

“Mm.”

“You don’t need to lock the door.”

After saying that, Chen Xu realized his words could easily be misunderstood and hurriedly added, “I mean, there are bodyguards and nurses outside. No one can come in. If you’re scared, you can leave the door slightly open.”

Lin Wansu looked toward the door.

There was no iron chain on it.

There was no padlock.

As long as she wanted to, she could open it from the inside at any moment.

Her gaze lingered on it for several seconds before she softly said, “I’m not afraid.”

“Then hurry up and sleep.”

Chen Xu motioned for the nurse to wheel him away.

Just as the wheelchair reached the doorway, Lin Wansu suddenly threw back the quilt and hurried after him barefoot for a couple of steps.

“Chen Xu.”

“What is it now?”

Chen Xu turned around.

Lin Wansu stood beneath the warm yellow light. The loose white pajamas fell all the way to her ankles, while her long hair rested smoothly behind her shoulders.

She seemed to have countless things she wanted to say. In the end, however, she merely looked at him with complete sincerity.

“Thank you. Good night.”

Chen Xu held her gaze for several seconds, and an inexplicable flutter stirred in his chest.

“Good night.” He turned his face away somewhat unnaturally. “Get back on the bed. The floor is cold.”

Lin Wansu obediently returned to the bedside.

Chen Xu didn’t leave immediately. He waited until he saw her lie beneath the quilt before signaling the nurse to continue.

Before the door closed, he looked back one last time.

Lin Wansu was also gazing at him, a trace of reluctance in her eyes.

Their gazes briefly met.

This time, she didn’t hurriedly look away as she had before. Instead, she hid half her face beneath the soft quilt, her eyes gently curving into a smile.

The door wasn’t completely closed.

The warm night-light in the corridor glowed softly, slipping through the narrow gap and falling beside the bed as a thin, peaceful strip of light.

Feeling the incredibly soft mattress beneath her, Lin Wansu couldn’t help rolling around on it twice before narrowing her eyes in comfort.

Everything that had happened tonight felt far too surreal. She repeatedly wondered whether she might actually be dreaming.

The flames, thick smoke, and pounding against the warehouse door from not long ago still flashed through her mind from time to time. Yet whenever she opened her eyes, she could see that narrow strip of light.

She knew Chen Xu was right next door.

For the first time in many years, Lin Wansu truly allowed herself to relax.

She didn’t know how much time passed before she finally fell into a deep sleep.

Chen Xu, in the room next door, didn’t have nearly as many thoughts running through his mind.

He had originally planned to arrange for Han Zheng to follow up on the matter involving the bullies. However, the moment he lay down on the bed and finally allowed his entire body to relax, overwhelming exhaustion swept over him.

Almost instantly, he fell asleep.