Crimson Influence and Lingering Doubts

The turmoil in her heart, once a tangled mess, abruptly cleared as her thoughts aligned. It felt as though a colossal stone had been lifted from her chest, dispelling a profound sense of oppression and leaving her feeling immeasurably lighter.

Sizzle—

Hiss—

“Ah—!”

A sharp cry pierced her ears—no, it reverberated from deep within her own body. Yu Lian distinctly witnessed something being expelled from her very core.

Her gaze shot upward. Above her head, tendrils of crimson energy were coalescing, and Yu Lian’s eyes widened in profound astonishment.

This red energy was undeniably familiar to her. Was it not the very same crimson aura belonging to Lingyi?

‘Why is there red energy inside me?’

‘Wait, that red energy face—it looks exactly like Lingyi!’

‘So it wasn’t that I had red energy, but that Lingyi’s red energy face had, at some unknown point, burrowed into me. This means my earlier surge of jealousy, that resentment and anger towards the Second Miss, must have been its influence.’

Even without the crimson face’s influence, Yu Lian would still harbor some resentment and anger towards Bai Muya. However, the intensity of that resentment would not have been so overwhelming as to nearly cloud her judgment and make her want to slap her.

The red energy face, weeping and laughing, returned to its original host’s body, as if everything that had just transpired was merely an illusion, never having truly occurred.

Yu Lian’s turbulent emotions slowly settled. Hearing the Second Miss still incessantly chattering, her body twisting with even greater enthusiasm, Yu Lian swiftly resumed her massage, soothing her with gentle words.

Fortunately, Bai Muya was in a good mood. Her urging was merely playful pouting, not genuine anger. Under the dual ministrations of Yu Lian’s hands and voice, she quickly relaxed into a soft, pliant state, leaning lazily against Yu Lian’s embrace as she gazed at the ancient book in her hands.

As she read, Bai Muya would occasionally chuckle and prompt Yu Lian to look at passages she found interesting. Yu Lian, however, merely offered a perfunctory smile, her eyes fixed forward but her pupils unfocused, lost in a reverie.

If she hadn’t known about Lingyi’s hidden motives, and hadn’t encountered the matter of the red energy face, Yu Lian truly would have been captivated by the book’s contents. But now, her only concern was the crimson energy, and she was deep in contemplation.

‘Since this red energy can enter my body and influence my emotions and actions, can Yixiya’s black energy do the same?’

‘Yixiya’s black energy represents yandere tendencies. She will claim her beloved as her own, eliminating all external factors by any means necessary to be with them forever.’

‘What, then, does Lingyi’s represent?’

‘From the moment the red energy entered my body, I distinctly felt a surge of jealousy. Yes, jealousy. Lingyi’s red energy absolutely represents jealousy. She loves the Second Miss, but because her love is unrequited and cannot be stopped, it gives rise to the emotion of jealousy.’

‘Tsk, why are all the people around me so problematic? I thought Lingyi was normal, but it turns out that normalcy was just a disguise—a sheepskin cloak that made her true nature impossible to discern.’

Yu Lian sighed inwardly.

Knowing the truth left her with a throbbing headache. Usually, one Yixiya was troublesome enough, but now there was also Lingyi. From now on, she would not only have to be wary of Yixiya but also pay close attention to Lingyi’s state. She certainly didn’t want to be ambushed from behind by either of them and lose her life.

Having witnessed Yixiya’s pathological state, Yu Lian harbored no illusions that Lingyi would remain so gentle once she truly succumbed to her nature.

“Agh—!”

Her shoulders were suddenly seized by a pair of hands, making Yu Lian shriek with a jolt. Though she didn’t turn to look, the soft, cool touch was instantly recognizable. These were Lingyi’s hands.

“Why did you suddenly scream?!” Bai Muya, startled by the shriek, indignantly closed her book and tapped Yu Lian’s hand with it. She turned her head, her gaze first falling upon Yu Lian’s somewhat pale face, and finally resting on Bai Lingyi, who stood behind Yu Lian, helping to massage her shoulders.

“Lingyi was kindly giving you a shoulder massage, and you’re making such a fuss! Just relax and enjoy it. If you scream again and interrupt my reading, I won’t be so polite!”

Despite Bai Muya’s harsh words, she did nothing more than lightly tap Yu Lian with the book.

Yu Lian nodded in assent.

Yet, she did not let down her guard. She covertly monitored the movements behind her. If Lingyi’s offer of a massage was merely a pretense to harm her, Yu Lian would immediately take countermeasures.

After the incident with the red energy, and understanding who Lingyi truly loved, Yu Lian’s obsession with Lingyi’s unrequited love—and her own desire to flirt with and win her over—had faded considerably. She no longer wished to get involved. All she wanted was to safely extricate herself from the entanglement of the three of them and steer clear of this trouble.

What good were love and affection compared to her own precious life?

“Miss Yu Lian’s shoulders are quite stiff. Are you tired?” Bai Lingyi asked, leaning closer. Her fragrant breath brushed Yu Lian’s ear, but Yu Lian no longer felt the familiar tingle of arousal. Instead, her heart pounded faster—a beat of pure tension. Bai Lingyi’s voice was soft, “Relax a little. I’ll help you relieve your fatigue properly. If you keep your body so tense, I won’t be able to massage you, you know.”

The burning breath by her ear receded, and Yu Lian’s taut nerves relaxed. If she hadn’t known about Lingyi’s true nature, she could have fully enjoyed the gentle service. But now, only apprehension remained. Every minute felt like an ordeal, each second stretching into a year.

Perhaps ignorance was bliss.

During lunch.

Yu Lian declined Bai Lingyi’s eager offer to feed her, instead taking her chopsticks and wolfing down her meal. Her demeanor seemed subtly different from usual. Bai Lingyi withdrew her gaze, sitting down on the other side with a complex expression, picking up her own bowl and chopsticks to eat.

‘Why is Miss Yu Lian somewhat distant towards me? Even resistant? Before, she would call out to me sweetly, begging me to feed her. Now, she’s keeping her distance as if she’s afraid of me.’

Bai Lingyi ate the rice in her bowl, swallowing fragrant meat while racking her brains to understand the reason. She hadn’t hit or scolded Miss Yu Lian, so why was she being treated this way?

“Miss Yu Lian, eat more meat. Don’t just eat vegetables, okay? You still have a chance to grow, so eating more meat will help you grow taller and gain some weight.”

Bai Lingyi picked up a piece of meat with her chopsticks and placed it in Yu Lian’s bowl, then secretly observed Yu Lian’s expression. She hoped to see something that would help her correct her mistake and make Miss Yu Lian friendly to her again.

Yu Lian looked at the meat in her bowl, falling into a dilemma. Should she eat it or not? ‘Lingyi wouldn’t secretly poison me, would she?’ She quickly dismissed the thought. Such a foolish act was something no sane person would do, especially since Lingyi wasn’t stupid.

In the end, she ate it, and quickly at that, finishing the meat in a few swift bites. At the same time, she wondered: ‘How is it that Yixiya still hasn’t shown up for lunch? Leaving aside the simulated romance, doesn’t she want to come see the Second Miss?’