The Curious Case of the Crying Twenty-Two-Year-Old Lolita

Inside the royal palace, Jiu Hui watched Lisa, who sat slumped in a chair, her face etched with exhaustion. A wry twitch pulled at Jiu Hui’s lips. ‘Honestly, arguing to such an extent with a flat-chested Jiu Hua about the merits of flat chests versus ample bosoms—you truly are one of a kind.’

With a helpless sigh, Jiu Hui picked up a nearby cup, poured a steaming brew, and offered the coffee to Lisa. Beside them, Jiu Hua’s eyes lit up with a sudden, intense glint as she fixated on the cup in Jiu Hui’s hand.

Lisa accepted the coffee and took a delicate sip, a flicker of smug satisfaction rising within her as she met Jiu Hui’s gaze. ‘It seems the ‘training’ these past two days has yielded excellent results. Perhaps I should continue?’

An inexplicable chill crept up Jiu Hui’s spine as she observed Lisa. Instinctively, she took two steps back, casting a bewildered glance around the room. ‘What was that just now?’

Noticing Jiu Hui’s reaction, Lisa cleared her throat, then averted her eyes, a silent murmur escaping her thoughts. ‘Did this girl awaken some ability? Mind-reading?’

“By the way, could you pour me a cup of coffee as well?”

The little girl, who had been quietly observing, suddenly spoke up, her gaze fixed on the coffee in Lisa’s hand, a hint of hesitation in her expression.

Lisa turned to Jiu Hua, a subtle smirk playing on her lips. “Of course, but first, you must reveal who sent you here.”

Upon hearing this, a fleeting shadow of hesitation crossed Jiu Hua’s delicate features. Yet, the moment her eyes landed on the coffee in Lisa’s hand, her expression solidified into one of resolve. She nodded, “Alright, but you must give me the coffee first.”

Lisa paused, a moment of surprise giving way to delight, before she turned to Jiu Hui. “Pour her a cup.”

Jiu Hui cast a quick glance at Jiu Hua, then retrieved a fresh cup and filled it with coffee. She approached the girl and offered it to her. Jiu Hua cradled the cup, her large eyes gleaming with an almost mesmerizing intensity. Taking a delicate sip, a faint blush spread across her cheeks, her expression one of utter bliss.

Jiu Hui watched Jiu Hua’s face, a look of pure ecstasy plastered across it, and her eyebrow twitched. ‘Did I accidentally put something in the coffee? Like, computer components?’

A sharp rap echoed through the room. A series of knocks resonated, drawing Jiu Hui’s gaze toward the entrance.

“Come in,” Lisa called out.

The door swung open under Jiu Hui’s watchful eye, and Xiao Lü and Xiao Lan entered.

Earlier, Jiu Hui, Xiao Lü, Xiao Lan, and the enigmatic figure in black had escorted Jiu Hua back to the royal palace. The man in black had vanished shortly after encountering Lisa, and Xiao Lü and Xiao Lan had also departed after a brief exchange with her. Approximately two hours had elapsed since then.

After Xiao Lü stepped inside and closed the door, she subtly shook her head at Lisa before taking her place beside Xiao Lan.

Though a flicker of curiosity crossed Jiu Hui’s mind, she refrained from speaking, choosing instead to stand silently beside Lisa.

A furrow appeared between Lisa’s brows the moment Xiao Lü shook her head. She gazed at Jiu Hua, seemingly lost in contemplation.

For a time, an expectant silence descended upon the room, broken only by the soft, rhythmic sips of Jiu Hua enjoying her coffee.

After a short while, Jiu Hua finished her coffee. Jiu Hui collected the empty cup, noting the lingering, wistful expression on the girl’s face.

“Now, can you speak?” Lisa asked, pulling her thoughts back to the present and fixing her gaze on Jiu Hua.

Jiu Hua slowly drew her gaze away from the now-empty coffee cup, her small face hardening with a solemn resolve. “I don’t know,” she stated.

A resounding *crack*! With a deafening crash, the table before Lisa splintered into two halves.

A swirl of black mist billowed from behind Lisa. Slowly, she rose to her feet, her face darkening to a shade so ominous as she stared at Jiu Hua that it seemed to drip with ink. “You little brat, you’re toying with me, aren’t you?!”

A chilling voice emanated from Lisa’s lips, her gem-red eyes now blazing with an icy fury.

With a predatory curl of her lips, Lisa’s face twisted into a smile, yet it was one that sent a shiver down the spine. She tilted her head slightly, turning her gaze to Jiu Hui. “Jiu Hui, tell me, for creatures such as lolitas, is it better to deep-fry them or steam them?”

Jiu Hui’s lips twitched involuntarily at the question. “I believe raw would be perfectly acceptable,” she deadpanned.

A horrified shriek escaped the little girl.

Gazing at Lisa, who was now enveloped in an ominous black aura, and then at Jiu Hui, whose eyes were fixed upon her, Jiu Hua’s face crumpled in abject terror, her eyes already glistening with a thin film of tears.

Xiao Lü, standing nearby, cast a glance at Jiu Hua, then suddenly offered with a wide, unsettling smile, “Actually, roasting them can also be quite delightful. The meat is wonderfully tender, fragrant, and deliciously crispy.” As she spoke, she even licked her lips, a gesture that did little to reassure.

Witnessing this, the terror on Jiu Hua’s face intensified, and tears began to well up and shimmer in her eyes. ‘Though I’d heard tales of man-eating monsters lurking outside during my time in the training camp, I never imagined I’d encounter one the moment I stepped out! No, I refuse to be eaten! Please, no!!!’

The little girl stared at the figures before her, each one seemingly regarding her with greedy, hungry eyes. Finally, the dam broke, and tears of sheer terror streamed down her face. “Waaah~~~ No, please, I don’t want to be eaten! Wuwuwuwu~~~!!!!”

“Uh~~” Jiu Hui stared blankly at Jiu Hua, who was now kneeling on the floor, wailing. A corner of Jiu Hui’s mouth twitched involuntarily. ‘What is this scene? A creepy old man making a little lolita cry? Wait, no, I’m a beautiful girl now.’ ‘Honestly, a little lolita crying and pleading “I don’t want to be eaten”—why does that suddenly feel inexplicably sinister?’

Lisa, caught off guard by Jiu Hua’s sudden outburst of tears, looked around in a momentary panic. She then pointed at Jiu Hui. “Jiu Hui, go, console her. Don’t let her cry anymore.”

“You’re the one who made her cry! Why should *I* be the one to comfort her?” Jiu Hui retorted, her eyes as lifeless as a dead fish as she glared at Lisa.

Lisa’s eyebrow arched at this. “Didn’t you play a part in it too? Besides, you are my lady-in-waiting. If I tell you to go, you go immediately, or we can always resume your ‘training’!

The

Compelled by Lisa’s tyrannical authority, Jiu Hui reluctantly turned, her eyes suddenly brightening as she spotted Xiao Lü and Xiao Lan. After a brief glance at Xiao Lü, her gaze settled firmly on Xiao Lan.

“Xiao Lan, go console her.”

Xiao Lan looked at Jiu Hui, then swept her gaze across the assembled group. “Why should *I* comfort someone you all made cry?”

Though clearly reluctant, the sight of the adorable little girl kneeling and weeping uncontrollably stirred a pang of compassion within Xiao Lan. She stepped forward, gently stroked the girl’s head, and offered a soft, reassuring smile. “It’s alright, they won’t eat you. They’re actually very kind and gentle people. Rest assured, nothing bad will happen.”

The others, listening to Xiao Lan’s gentle voice and observing her figure, which now seemed to glow with an almost saintly aura, sighed inwardly.

At this, Jiu Hua gradually subsided her weeping. She looked at the gently smiling Xiao Lan before her, a flicker of doubt in her large, somewhat swollen eyes. “Really?”

“Absolutely,” Xiao Lan affirmed. “How could they possibly eat such an adorable little girl?”

“Little girl?” Jiu Hua tilted her head, a confused frown marring her features. “Um, I’m actually twenty-two this year.”

Huh???

Xiao Lan’s expression froze. She stared at the ‘little girl’ before her, then forced a strained smile. “My dear, it’s not good to tell fibs, you know.”

“But I’m not lying! I truly am twenty-two,” Jiu Hua insisted.

A loud *thwack*! Xiao Lan delivered a swift punch to the little girl’s head, unleashing a furious roar. “Then why in the world are you crying like that?!!!”

“But, but…” Jiu Hua whimpered, clutching her head, tears still glistening in her eyes. “I truly was scared!”

The others, witnessing Jiu Hua’s reaction, felt their lips twitch in unison. “You’re twenty-two years old! Do you really need to act like this?!!!”