The conflict in the abandoned classroom had been like a massive boulder hurled into a tranquil lake, yet, strangely, its ripples were confined to an unnaturally small radius.
There were no school investigations, no whispers of gossip. The yellow-haired boy seemed to have vanished into thin air, at least on the surface.
Lan Yucheng had privately attempted to search for information regarding “Lan Laosan” and the debts, but her efforts yielded nothing. This only solidified her conviction that it was a ‘background story’ meticulously crafted by the system, exclusively for her. Perhaps the boy himself had already been ‘dealt with’ by the system.
Far from feeling relieved, this only deepened her apprehension about the hidden rules governing this world.
Life, it seemed, had reverted to a semblance of ‘normalcy’.
****
Qing Xinxue’s minor wrist swelling quickly subsided, but she clearly viewed this ‘protecting her master’ experience as a significant milestone in their deepening relationship.
She became even more clingy, and even more… possessive.
In class, she would naturally intertwine her fingers with Lan Yucheng’s hand beneath the desk, her fingertips tracing light, almost imperceptible patterns on her palm. Or, when the professor turned to write on the board, she would swiftly lean in, leaving a feather-light kiss on Lan Yucheng’s cheek or ear—a kiss imbued with clear possessive intent.
Initially, Lan Yucheng’s body would stiffen slightly, and she would quietly remind Qing Xinxue to “mind the setting.” However, this usually resulted in a wronged look from Qing Xinxue, followed by even more discreet yet persistent ‘harassment’.
After a few such instances, Lan Yucheng found herself growing somewhat accustomed to this constant intimacy. Or perhaps, she had chosen numb indulgence in exchange for superficial peace and Qing Xinxue’s emotional stability.
“Sister Cheng, can I borrow your notes? I didn’t quite understand this part.” Qing Xinxue leaned in, her chin almost resting on Lan Yucheng’s shoulder, her warm breath caressing her neck.
Lan Yucheng silently pushed half of her notebook toward her.
“Sister Cheng, I want to try that new dessert shop outside school for lunch. Will you come with me?”
“…Okay.”
Qing Xinxue’s requests grew more frequent and increasingly trivial, seeping into every crevice of Lan Yucheng’s campus life.
Lan Yucheng generally complied with every demand, like a programmed doll. Yet, the icy depths in her eyes grew ever more unfathomable.
She distinctly felt herself being slowly bound, her personal space and agency gradually stripped away by Qing Xinxue’s gentle, pervasive method of ‘erosion’.
Meanwhile, Qing Xinxue derived immense satisfaction and security from this all-encompassing ‘binding’.
She was like a cat that had finally claimed its territory, constantly patrolling her domain, casting wary, even hostile glances at anyone who dared to approach Lan Yucheng.
On one occasion, an unfamiliar male classmate merely approached Lan Yucheng to borrow a pen. Qing Xinxue immediately bristled like an angry cat, glaring sharply at him until he felt unnerved and awkwardly sought a pen from someone else.
“Sister Cheng is mine.” Afterward, she hugged Lan Yucheng’s arm, declaring in a soft yet resolute voice.
Lan Yucheng did not argue, merely offering a soft “Mm.”
She knew any objection could ignite a fuse.
****
They also encountered Senior You Ran.
At the library entrance, Senior You Ran, clutching books, met them head-on. She maintained her usual capable and aloof demeanor, her gaze sweeping between Lan Yucheng and Qing Xinxue, who was practically clinging to her. There was no ripple of emotion behind her glasses; she simply gave a slight nod, a silent greeting.
“Lan Yucheng, have you finished reviewing the previous notes? You can ask me anytime if there’s anything you don’t understand.” Her tone was strictly businesslike.
“I’ve looked through some. Thank you, Senior.” Lan Yucheng replied.
Qing Xinxue immediately tightened her grip on Lan Yucheng’s arm, as if asserting her sovereignty, and flashed Senior You Ran a flawless, sweet smile. “Hello, Senior You Ran! Sister Cheng has me to keep her company; I’ll help her with the notes, so you don’t need to worry!”
Lin Youran cast a faint glance at Qing Xinxue, her gaze seemingly piercing through the sweet facade to the surging paranoia beneath. Without another word, she turned and departed.
“Sister Cheng, let’s hurry! The dessert shop will have a queue.” Qing Xinxue immediately pulled Lan Yucheng in the opposite direction, her tone light, as if their brief encounter had been nothing more than an insignificant interlude.
Lan Yucheng allowed herself to be led, glancing back at Lin Youran’s retreating figure. She could sense that within Lin Youran’s calm eyes, there was scrutiny and a trace of barely perceptible concern.
This senior was far from as simple as she appeared on the surface.
****
With no classes in the afternoon, Qing Xinxue pulled Lan Yucheng into a leisurely stroll around campus, charmingly calling it ‘getting familiar with the environment’.
Sunlight filtered through the layers of ginkgo leaves, casting golden dappled patterns on the ground. They walked along the shaded path, like countless intimate friends—or perhaps, lovers—on campus.
Qing Xinxue was clearly in high spirits, humming an off-key tune, her fingers tightly intertwined with Lan Yucheng’s. Every so often, she would turn her head, flashing Lan Yucheng a bright, utterly unclouded smile filled with dependence.
“Sister Cheng, I wish it could always be like this,” she murmured softly, her eyes brimming with aspirations for a future that contained only the two of them.
Lan Yucheng offered no response, simply gazing at the path ahead, bisected by light and shadow. Always like this?
To be so suffocatingly entwined and possessed?
She didn’t know.
As they reached a secluded small garden near the edge of the school, Qing Xinxue suddenly pointed to a cluster of blooming roses nearby, exclaiming excitedly, “Sister Cheng, look! They’re so beautiful! Let’s go take a picture over there!”
She eagerly pulled Lan Yucheng along.
However, just as they approached the rose bushes, their backs to a narrow alley leading to an abandoned warehouse—
A cold, intensely malicious gaze, like a tangible needle, sharply pierced Lan Yucheng’s back!
Lan Yucheng’s hairs instantly stood on end! She abruptly halted, spinning around!
In the dim alleyway entrance, a figure lurked in the shadows of the corner. Though the light was indistinct, Lan Yucheng immediately recognized the unnaturally yellow hair, along with the lingering bruises on his face and the bandaged corner of his mouth.
It was that boy!
He was still here! Furthermore, his eyes no longer held the previous greed and malice, but had transformed into something far more terrifying: a settled, venomous resentment and madness! What made Lan Yucheng’s heart seize up was the spring-loaded knife he clutched tightly in his hand at his side, reflecting a chilling, cold glint in the shadows!
He stared intensely at Lan Yucheng, his lips twisting into a distorted, silent smile. Then, with his mouth, he clearly mouthed a few words at her:
‘Just you wait.’
With that, he vanished into the darkness of the alley as swiftly as a ghost, disappearing from sight.
“Sister Cheng? What’s wrong?” Qing Xinxue noticed her abnormality and followed her gaze, only to see the empty alley entrance. “What did you see?”
Lan Yucheng swiftly masked all the horror on her face, forcing herself to relax her taut body. She could not let Qing Xinxue find out; otherwise, given Qing Xinxue’s personality, who knew what extreme actions she might immediately take.
“…Nothing.” She turned back, forcing a somewhat stiff smile. “I might have been mistaken. Weren’t we going to take a picture? Let’s hurry.”
She pulled the unsuspecting Qing Xinxue towards the rose bushes, turning her back to the direction of that seemingly man-eating alley.
The sunlight remained bright, and the roses bloomed exquisitely.
But Lan Yucheng felt a chill shoot from her feet to the top of her head, as if plunging into an ice cellar.
The peaceful routine was merely a deceptive calm before a storm.