The night deepened, yet Lan Yucheng’s mind raced.
Qing Xinxue’s “obedience” felt like a double-edged sword.
It had temporarily defused the immediate crisis, but it also portended a far more terrifying loss of control in the future.
After all, she still had four other targets to conquer.
What would someone who had thrice harbored murderous intent for exclusive possession do when told they “must share”? Lan Yucheng scarcely dared to dwell on the thought.
“Balance…” She silently chewed on the word. In the face of such absolute possessiveness, it was practically a joke.
Perhaps the only true path forward was not balance, but rather, control.
She needed to use superior skill and more precise calculations to confine Qing Xinxue’s unease within a manageable scope, ensuring that even in her pain, she would not dare to overstep her boundaries.
The key to this control lay in the precise application of “rewards” and “punishments.”
Tonight had been the “punishment” that drew a clear line in the sand. Therefore, what was needed next was a perfectly timed “reward” to maintain that fragile bond, preventing her from collapsing prematurely into despair.
****
The following morning, sunlight streamed through the gaps in the curtains.
Lan Yucheng was the first to wake. She could feel the body beside her stiff, its breathing deliberately slow and shallow. Clearly, Qing Xinxue had been awake for a while, yet dared not move.
Lan Yucheng rose as usual, not immediately looking at her.
She could sense the cautious gaze following her every move.
It wasn’t until she had finished washing up and was preparing breakfast that she spoke, as if an afterthought.
“If you’re awake, get up. What do you want for breakfast today?”
Her tone was flat, just like countless other mornings—neither deliberately gentle nor tinged with lingering coldness.
It was this very normalcy that instantly brought tears to Qing Xinxue’s eyes, as she lay curled on the bed.
‘She really… didn’t abandon me.’
She took a deep breath, trying to make her voice sound normal.
“Any… anything is fine, Sister Cheng. I like everything you make.”
She climbed out of bed, moving as lightly as possible, trying not to make a sound.
She washed up, tidied the bed, and then stood awkwardly in the middle of the living room, unsure what to do next.
In the past, she would have naturally gravitated to the kitchen, hovering around Lan Yucheng. But now, she didn’t dare.
Lan Yucheng fried eggs in the kitchen, her peripheral vision taking in Qing Xinxue’s helplessness.
‘Excellent. The seed of fear has been planted.’
‘But now, it needs a little water, so it doesn’t wither, but rather grows in the direction I’ve set.’
“What are you standing there for?”
Lan Yucheng didn’t turn her head, her voice carrying over the sizzling of the eggs. “Come get the bowls and chopsticks.”
Qing Xinxue almost skipped over, quickly setting out the tableware. Then, she obediently sat at the dining table, hands resting on her knees, waiting quietly.
Breakfast proceeded in silence.
Qing Xinxue ate in small bites, occasionally stealing glances at Lan Yucheng across from her.
Lan Yucheng calmly looked at her phone, occasionally sipping milk, completely ignoring the tentative gazes.
This silence slowly tightened the knot in Qing Xinxue’s recently relaxed heart.
‘Is Sister Cheng… still angry?’
After breakfast, Lan Yucheng put down her phone, finally directing her gaze fully at the restless Qing Xinxue.
“Do you have any plans today?”
“No… none,” Qing Xinxue quickly shook her head.
“Then come out with me,” Lan Yucheng said casually. “We need to buy some things.”
“Okay!” Qing Xinxue immediately agreed, her eyes rekindling with light.
Being able to go out with Sister Cheng was, in itself, a reward.
However, the outing itself became a new torment for Qing Xinxue.
She no longer dared to naturally take Lan Yucheng’s hand as she once did, only following half a step behind her.
Along the way, whenever pedestrians approached or Lan Yucheng’s gaze inadvertently swept across a shop window, Qing Xinxue’s heart would clench, her body instinctively tensing. She scrutinized Lan Yucheng’s every subtle expression, fearing that someone else might be drawing her attention.
Lan Yucheng took it all in, the sense of control within her gradually solidifying.
Qing Xinxue was like a young beast tethered by an invisible chain, the other end held firmly in Lan Yucheng’s hand.
Every anxious glance, every tense breath, was proof of that chain tightening.
Inside the supermarket, Lan Yucheng deliberately paused in the snack aisle, picked up a bag of candy, looked at it, then put it back down.
‘A big child like Qing Xinxue should like this.’
This subtle action instantly dimmed Qing Xinxue’s eyes, who was following behind.
‘Sure enough… Sister Cheng doesn’t even want to buy her candy anymore.’
Just as her heart was filling with disappointment, Lan Yucheng suddenly turned, placing that bag of candy and a few other snacks into the shopping cart.
“It’s fine to have it occasionally,” Lan Yucheng said indifferently, her gaze not lingering on Qing Xinxue’s face.
A tremendous surprise struck Qing Xinxue. She stood frozen for several seconds before reacting, a smile uncontrollably spreading across her face as she whispered, “Thank you, Sister Cheng!”
This was only the beginning.
On the way home, they passed a neighborhood park where several children were playing.
Lan Yucheng noticed Qing Xinxue’s gaze linger on the children for a moment, carrying a hint of imperceptible envy.
Lan Yucheng paused, then turned towards the park.
“I’m tired from walking. Let’s rest for a bit.”
She walked directly to an empty swing, sat down, then patted the one beside her: “Aren’t you tired of standing?”
Qing Xinxue almost sat down, overwhelmed with gratitude. The swing swayed gently, a soft breeze caressed her face, and the sunlight felt warm.
She dared not swing too high, only swaying in small arcs, secretly watching Lan Yucheng, who had her eyes closed in repose.
This moment of peace and normalcy felt as luxurious as a dream to her.
Back home, Lan Yucheng handed Qing Xinxue a newly purchased mug with a small snow rabbit design. “This is for you. Use this to drink water from now on.”
An exclusive cup. In the past, it would have been an ordinary trifle, but today, it felt like a medal, symbolizing “permission” and “acceptance.”
Qing Xinxue held the cup as if it were a priceless treasure, her fingertips trembling slightly.
Throughout the entire day, Lan Yucheng used these seemingly casual, yet precisely orchestrated methods, to slowly dole out “rewards.”
A seemingly ordinary instruction, an unexpected bag of candy, a brief rest, an exclusive item.
Each small gift was like sweet rain falling on parched earth, allowing Qing Xinxue to cultivate humble hope and dependence amidst her cautious fear.
She began to believe that as long as she remained obedient, didn’t overstep, and made no mistakes, she could hold onto this regained sense of “everything as usual.”
In the evening, Lan Yucheng watched Qing Xinxue actively helping with the dishes in the kitchen, her back exuding an aura of earnest effort. Lan Yucheng knew the timing was just right.
Today’s “rewards” were sufficient to maintain her loyalty and… endurance.
She walked over, standing at the kitchen doorway. Qing Xinxue immediately noticed her, turned off the faucet, and nervously spun around.
Lan Yucheng looked at her moist eyes and slightly flushed cheeks, remained silent for a few seconds, then reached out and, very gently, ruffled her hair.
The gesture was fleeting, a mere touch and then gone.
“You were… very good today.”
With that, she turned and left the kitchen without waiting for Qing Xinxue to react, leaving behind a seemingly gentle back.
Yet, in Lan Yucheng’s heart, the latter half of that sentence remained unspoken:
‘Remember this feeling. This is what you deserve for your ‘obedience.’ In the future, if you see me getting close to others, remember to also consider the cost of defying me, and the potential ‘rewards’ that come with following the rules.’
That gentle ruffle of hair, that praise of “very good,” was her meticulously designed anchor point.
She wanted Qing Xinxue to associate “restraining possessiveness” with “receiving tenderness.”
In the future, when other conquest targets appeared, when Qing Xinxue’s flames of jealousy reignited, this anchor point would become her best excuse to justify herself and appease Qing Xinxue.
‘You see, I’m only completing a ‘task.’ The most important person in my heart is still you, my ‘obedient’ one.’
Lan Yucheng returned to the sofa, listening to Qing Xinxue’s suppressed, faint sobs from the kitchen. The sound was mixed with so much grievance, joy, and relief.
She knew that today’s “feeding” had been a success.
Qing Xinxue had been re-domesticated by her, through fear and a few carefully placed sweet morsels.