After finishing the steaming, rich soup, Liu Han pressed me in front of the mirror.
“Alright then, you absolutely must get all dressed up today,” she declared, completely ignoring my struggles.
I had long since resigned myself to my fate. After all, Liu Han was my benefactor; I wouldn’t have known how to get by these past few years without her.
Yet, the thought of being forced into a light, soft, distinctly Lolita-style dress—the kind clearly meant for a little girl—made me…
“Could I, not…” I began, but Liu Han cut me off directly.
“That is absolutely not allowed. You can’t just dismiss a style without even trying it,” Liu Han stated, her face set in an expression that brooked no argument.
“But…” I still clung tightly to the outfit, preventing her from putting it on me. “I just think this kind of clothing is too, too…”
Liu Han lowered her hands, looking utterly dejected. “Ah, Little Mengmeng, if you truly don’t want to, then let’s just forget it.”
‘Oh…’ Seeing Liu Han genuinely upset, I suddenly felt like an idiot. Why would I make someone unhappy over a mere outfit?
“Liu Han, I’ll wear it then. Actually, I’ve always wanted to, wanted to try it…”
Her dejected expression vanished instantly. Liu Han immediately picked up the dress, ready to put it on me.
However, I suddenly remembered the tattoo on my chest and quickly stopped her as she reached for my pajamas. “Uh, uh, I—I want to change by myself…”
Liu Han nodded. “Alright then, call me when you’re done. But if you dare secretly wear something else…”
Liu Han leaned in close. “I won’t go easy on you.”
I nodded rapidly. “Got it, I’ll definitely call you when I’m changed.”
As I spoke, I gently pushed Liu Han out of the room. Only after closing the door did I finally let out a sigh of relief.
“What’s wrong?” a female voice echoed in my mind. “Is there something worth hiding?” Her tone was laced with mockery.
Ignoring her, I proceeded to put on the dress.
“That tattoo is quite beautiful. I’m sure that little girl who loves dressing you up would adore it too. Why not let her take a look?”
For some reason, the female voice kept pushing for Liu Han to see the tattoo. Was she merely seeking entertainment? What a malicious sense of humor.
“Listen,” I said, not wanting to prolong the conversation. “Could you just not talk normally? It feels strange conversing with someone in my head.”
The latter part was merely an excuse I’d concocted, yet I had to admire my own ingenuity for coming up with such a flimsy reason.
“Hmm… it is a bit strange, isn’t it?” To my surprise, the female voice in my mind actually agreed with me. Was she an idiot?
“Just give your body to me, and you won’t have to worry about so much, don’t you think?” Right, she was merely mocking me.
And here I’d been, foolishly thinking she was easy to trick.
Now that we had an understanding, I wasn’t so afraid of this entity anymore. “Hey, what’s your name? Who are you?” I inquired.
“Me?” the female voice responded. “Does who I am truly matter?”
“Besides, it’s an affair from so long ago that even if I told you, you wouldn’t know me. What difference would it make?”
“Of course it matters. How can I understand someone if I don’t even know their name?” I retorted.
“Understand?” Her tone was utterly bewildered. “Little one, have you taken the wrong medicine? You want to understand *me*?”
I found it strange. “Is there something wrong with wanting to understand you?”
I finished putting on the dress, then used my hand to pull out the strands of hair that had gotten caught.
A brief silence followed. “Generally speaking, that would be a fool’s fantasy,” she said, her voice surprisingly serious.
‘Uh…’ “Alright then, just tell me a little bit… just a tiny bit.”
Once my curiosity was piqued, it was impossible to suppress. I desperately wanted to know who she truly was, why she was with the Heavenly Capital Empress, and how she had entered my body. I wanted to know all of it.
“I am Sin,” the female voice stated, a hint of melancholy in her tone.
“Sin?” I repeated, not understanding what she meant. “What kind of sin?”
“The origin of all sins,” the female voice replied, a playful edge now in her tone.
‘The origin of all sins?’ I murmured the unfamiliar phrase. A strange sense of familiarity washed over me, though I couldn’t pinpoint its source.
After that, no matter how much I tried to question her, the female voice never reappeared in my mind. It was as if she had vanished into thin air.
I set aside my lingering questions and walked to the door. With a soft *click*, I opened it.
Liu Han was standing right outside. Seeing me fully dressed, she nodded in satisfaction. “Look, aren’t you just adorable?”
With that, she took my hand and pulled me towards the mirror. “There, look.” Liu Han gestured for me to see my reflection.
In the mirror stood a small girl with long golden hair, adorned in a pink and white Lolita-style knee-length dress. My cheeks flushed at the sight.
“So cute…” I murmured inadvertently.
“Right? Aren’t you just super cute?” Liu Han bent down and wrapped her arms around my neck.
*Whoosh*. My face burned even hotter. Firstly, because I had accidentally called myself “so cute” moments ago.
And secondly… as Liu Han embraced me, her chest pressed against my shoulder, soft and yielding, teasing my senses.
The horrifying thought of ‘What a cute outfit’ was instantly obliterated the moment it surfaced in my mind. This was far too dangerous.
Truly obliterated. Probably obliterated…