The Weight of a Promise and a Shortcut Home

“Hmm? What ‘death tribulation’?”

“Ahaha, nothing, really. I was just asking how you’re getting home today.”

“Oh, I don’t have anything planned. How about I walk with you today?”

Wiping a bead of cold sweat from his brow, Lin Ling breathed a sigh of relief that he had managed to deflect her suspicions. His identity as a transmigrator was a forbidden secret, after all. If he were to reveal it, there was no telling what kind of butterfly effect it might trigger, and Lin Ling certainly wasn’t eager to conduct such an experiment himself.

After quickly tidying up the classroom, Qin Ruoxue closed and locked the door, then skipped over to Lin Ling. Gazing at this vibrant young woman, Lin Ling truly struggled to reconcile her with the girl depicted in the original novel.

They descended the stairs and arrived in the lobby on the first floor. A few scattered students were still making their way out—likely those who had stayed behind for cleaning duty. Lin Ling paid them no mind; his thoughts had long since drifted far away.

The original male lead’s family wasn’t particularly wealthy. In fact, his parents had poured their entire life savings into enrolling him in this private high school, all so he could attend a good school. In the original novel, this institution was also one of the best schools in the surrounding cities.

Unlike the worlds Lin Ling had previously inhabited, there was no concept of public education here; everything was essentially privately run. Schools were backed by investors, and their fundamental purpose was to generate profit.

In the original story, the primary female leads were all young ladies from prominent families, and their respective corporate empires had invested in this private high school. The mere thought of this sent a massive headache throbbing through Lin Ling’s head. Wasn’t he, in essence, completely at their mercy?

However, his ‘family’ had spent a considerable amount of money, and Lin Ling couldn’t bear to disappoint them. Though they weren’t his true kin, he knew that no one’s money simply fell from the sky; only those who had truly stepped into society understood how hard-won wealth could be.

Raking a hand through his hair, a slight frown creasing his brow, the two had already exited the school gates.

“Hey, Lin Ling, what’s your relationship with that white-haired girl?”

“Cough, cough, what?”

Lin Ling choked on her sudden question. ‘The original plot never mentioned Qin Ruoxue asking the male lead this,’ he thought. ‘How did she suddenly think to ask it?’

“Hmm? You two don’t actually have a special relationship, do you?”

Qin Ruoxue sharply poked Lin Ling in his soft waist, making beads of cold sweat break out on his forehead. He was terrified that this young woman before him might suddenly black out, then pull a cleaver from beneath her skirt. After all, this girl possessed a latent yandere streak.

Lin Ling carefully weighed his words. This kind of question demanded extreme caution, or he might truly be done for.

“She and I are just friends, that’s all. What are you thinking? If you have so much free time to ponder these things, you’d be better off thinking about what to eat tonight.”

“Hmm, that’s a very serious question!”

Phew~

Lin Ling let out a soft breath of relief. Thankfully, he had read the script and knew this young woman was a complete foodie; otherwise, he might not have escaped unscathed today.

Walking down the street, Qin Ruoxue tried several times to link arms with Lin Ling, but he deftly dodged her every attempt. He had anticipated her clingy nature and was already on guard against her trying to hold his arm.

After several failed attempts to touch Lin Ling, Qin Ruoxue, vexed and flushed with anger, puffed out her cheeks and turned her head away, striking a pose that clearly screamed, ‘I’m very upset, come appease me!’

Lin Ling gave a wry smile. He truly didn’t want to have too much contact with this young lady. While Qin Ruoxue hid her ‘young miss’ identity quite well, rarely revealing it to others, that was hardly a secret to Lin Ling, who had read the script.

‘Alas, Lin Ling, Lin Ling,’ he lamented inwardly, ‘what karmic debt have you incurred? Why must I be the one to pay for your romantic entanglements?’ Still, he was grateful for having transmigrated to this world. Had he remained in his original one, his soul might still be languishing beneath the water.

After walking for a while, the red light illuminated at the crosswalk, and the two stopped to wait. Lin Ling’s mind drifted, a habit he often fell into while walking, his thoughts often straying to all sorts of frivolous things.

It was this very habit, however, that allowed Qin Ruoxue to successfully link her arm through his. Her arm, like a serpent, coiled tightly around Lin Ling’s. Feeling the touch on his arm, Lin Ling’s heart leaped. He tried to shake Qin Ruoxue off, but she clung to him like glue, impossible to dislodge.

“Class President Qin, w-w-what are you doing! Let go!”

“No, no, Lin Ling, you promised me I could touch you however I wanted.”

“Huh? When did I promise that?”

“Lin Ling, you’re not trying to go back on your word, are you?”

A chill instantly swept through Lin Ling’s entire body. He felt a giant ‘Danger’ sign flashing above his head.

‘Damn it, why did the original male lead agree to everything? Ugh!’

He suddenly recalled that the original novel had indeed mentioned the male lead agreeing to something for Qin Ruoxue. Lin Ling had simply forgotten about it, as they usually had a lot of physical contact anyway, so he had dismissed the detail. Who would have thought that such a minor detail could trigger Young Miss Qin’s cleaver-wielding side?

Facing Qin Ruoxue’s intense, threatening gaze, Lin Ling swallowed hard, forcing a calm demeanor, and then said, “Ahaha, I did promise, but not out here in public, right? It’s a bit embarrassing.”

As he spoke, Lin Ling’s face genuinely reddened. To be honest, he couldn’t help but admire his own acting skills.

From Qin Ruoxue’s perspective, Lin Ling’s reaction was, of course, quite normal. Yet, she had an inexplicable feeling, a vague sense that Lin Ling had changed slightly, though not significantly.

After a moment’s thought, Qin Ruoxue finally released Lin Ling’s arm, turning her face away with a haughty air.

The green light illuminated, and Lin Ling called out to Qin Ruoxue. The two crossed the road, walked a little further, and then finally parted ways.

Watching the young woman’s retreating figure, Lin Ling sighed in profound relief. He needed to rush home now and carefully plan how to escape the clutches of the original male lead’s harem. Turning around, Lin Ling entered a dim, secluded alleyway. There was barely anyone around, and the surroundings were pitch black; stepping into this place felt like entering another world entirely.

This path was the shortest route to Lin Ling’s home. He took it not because it was fast, but because his intuition told him he absolutely had to get home quickly. If he lingered even a moment longer, something terrifying might very well happen.

Obeying his inner intuition, Lin Ling quickened his pace. The surroundings were terrifyingly silent, and Lin Ling’s hurried footsteps echoed piercingly in the dark, deserted street. But as he walked, the hairs on the back of his neck suddenly bristled, as if a burning gaze had fixed upon him.

Lin Ling dared not look back, his heart pounding faster and faster. He had to hurry. Subconsciously gripping the jade pendant at his chest, Lin Ling felt a measure of reassurance. His brisk walk turned into a jog, and then into a full-out run.