Chapter 6: Tangled Bonds and Hidden Motives
Arrival at the Academic Affairs Office
“That’s the place to report. Just go in and find the teacher inside.”
Lan Yi shook her head with a helpless smile, pointing at the sign that read “Academic Affairs Office” while explaining to the black-haired girl beside her.
“Ah, thank you so much, Senior! Without you, I might’ve actually died.”
“I thought it was just an excuse, but you were actually lost.”
“Hey, the best acting is always a mix of truth and fiction!”
Lan Yi couldn’t help but laugh at Yu Li’s attempt to cover for herself, her chest heaving slightly with the motion, drawing Yu Li’s gaze downward unconsciously.
“Guh… that’s just ridiculous… ugh!”
Yu Li muttered under her breath, only to wince as she felt a sting from the foxfire.
“What’s wrong?” Lan Yi asked, looking puzzled at Yu Li’s odd expression.
“Oh… nothing, just a mosquito bite. Gotta slather on some repellent later,” Yu Li said quickly, shaking her head before pulling out her phone. “Senior, let’s exchange contact info… so we can keep up the act later!”
Lan Yi paused for a moment, caught off guard by the lively girl holding out her phone, then smiled and took out her own to add Yu Li.
“Alright, Senior, I’m off to report. See you next time!”
With that, Yu Li turned and jogged toward the Academic Affairs Office.
Watching the girl’s retreating figure, Lan Yi’s lips curved into a faint smile. The annoyance of being dragged into this faded away, replaced by the feeling of having gained a quirky, mischievous little sister.
Lan Yi glanced at her friend list, where a new contact with a black fox avatar had appeared. She paused, then lightly tapped her screen, editing Yu Li’s nickname.
“Keep up the act, huh… I’ll do my best.”
Completing Registration
“You can step down now. Your uniform and student ID will be sent to your address before the semester starts.”
“Okay, thank you, Teacher.”
Yu Li stepped off the body measurement machine with a smile, politely thanking the teacher before leaving the office.
“It’s already this late, huh…”
So much had happened that it was nearly dark by the time she finished registering. Yu Li pulled out a small bottle as she walked. To anyone else, it looked like an ordinary empty bottle.
But as her pupils shifted into vertical slits, a faint blue wisp of emotion seemed to appear inside the bottle.
“Didn’t expect there’d be another one besides Xiao Ai,” Yu Li murmured, staring at the bottle.
The blue aura was something she’d secretly collected from Lan Yi when she wasn’t paying attention. As for why she collected it in the bottle? Naturally, it was to bait a “fish.”
“That halo… what is it, exactly? Why can the emotions of people with halos be collected and used?”
Yu Li shook the bottle, letting the blue glow catch the light of the setting sun, making it shimmer brilliantly.
“Forget it. Time to head home.”
Overworked and Overwhelmed
At a desk piled high with two towering stacks of documents, a blonde girl reviewed them mechanically until the light in the room faded completely. Only then did she slowly lift her head, revealing dark circles under her eyes.
“Ugh… it’s already dark.”
The blonde girl stood up slowly and turned on the room’s light. Glancing at the mountain of files on her desk, she scratched her head in frustration.
“That damn hands-off boss, off having fun while leaving all the family business to her daughter. And I’ve still got school matters to deal with—ugh!”
The blonde girl grumbled, her brows furrowed as she tackled the endless pile of work. If someone like Yu Li, who could see emotions, were here, they’d probably be drowned in the resentment radiating from her.
“Just wait till you get back. I’ll teach you a lesson!”
“I was only a little late, Xiao Ai. No need to go that far, right?”
“Huh?”
Ai Xinglan turned around to find Yu Li standing behind her, looking timid as if expecting a scolding.
“What? No, I wasn’t talking about you!”
“Oh? Not me?”
Seeing Yu Li’s misunderstanding, Ai Xinglan hurried to explain, but Yu Li put on a disappointed expression instead.
“What’s with that face?!”
“You can do whatever you want with me, you know?” Yu Li said, tugging at Ai Xinglan’s sleeve with a hint of grievance. “Don’t go looking for someone else, okay…”
“What—what are you talking about?! There’s no one else!”
Caught off guard by Yu Li’s string of misunderstandings, Ai Xinglan stumbled over her words, her explanations incoherent. The more she spoke, the more flustered she became, her face turning bright red as she tried to clarify.
“I only—wait, no, that’s not… ugh, so annoying! It’s not like that, so stop overthinking!”
“Pfft!”
Seeing Ai Xinglan’s face grow redder, the black-haired girl couldn’t hold back her laughter, covering her mouth.
“Sorry, Xiao Ai, hahaha!”
“…”
“Yu! Li! You tricked me again!”
Realizing she’d been played yet again, Ai Xinglan, no matter how slow her reaction, grabbed Yu Li and pinned her against the wall.
The petite girl had nowhere to retreat, pressed tightly against the wall. Ai Xinglan closed the distance further, firmly holding Yu Li’s hands to prevent her escape. The proximity made Yu Li’s eyes grow hazy.
“Xiao Ai… you’re pretty bold, huh.”
“Hmph, your little tricks won’t work on me anymore!” No matter what Yu Li said, Ai Xinglan was convinced she was just teasing again.
Ai Xinglan lifted Yu Li’s restrained hands, forcing her to meet her gaze, staring intently into her eyes to see what she’d say next.
Caught in that burning gaze, Yu Li instinctively tried to look away but found herself unable to move. Blushing, she closed her eyes, seemingly too shy to face the suddenly assertive Ai Xinglan.
The two stood frozen, the atmosphere in the study turning ambiguous.
An Awkward Interruption
“Miss, I’ve brought your coffee…”
A voice came from the doorway. Ai Xinglan turned to see the door was still open, and the maid, Feng, stood there holding a cup of coffee.
Their eyes met, and time seemed to stop.
“Sorry for interrupting. Please continue.”
Feng broke the tense silence first, quickly placing the coffee on a nearby table, giving Ai Xinglan a thumbs-up before hurrying away.
A Turn of Tables
Ai Xinglan stiffly turned her head, finally realizing the situation. The petite black-haired girl was helplessly pinned against the wall, her pretty face flushed, her hands restrained. They were less than a foot apart, close enough for Ai Xinglan to hear every breath Yu Li took.
To an outsider, it looked like Ai Xinglan was forcing Yu Li into something. Panicking, she hurriedly moved to let go.
But the moment she loosened her grip, Yu Li suddenly reached out, pulling Ai Xinglan into an embrace and flipping their positions, pinning Ai Xinglan against the wall with a triumphant smile.
“Yu—Yu Li!”
“Ha, I thought Xiao Ai was really going to take charge this time.”
Yu Li sighed softly. Though her cheeks were still flushed, her demeanor was far from the shy act she’d put on moments ago.
“This is all your fault, Xiao Ai.”
Ignoring Ai Xinglan’s flustered protests, Yu Li leaned in close, whispering in her ear. Her breath brushed against Ai Xinglan’s ear, causing a faint pink to spread across it.
“Who told you not to take care of yourself?”
“Ugh…” Ai Xinglan’s face reddened further, her eyes darting away, unable to meet Yu Li’s gaze. The closeness made her feel weak, and the position she’d used to pin Yu Li now left her with no escape.
“Let… let go of me! Stop whispering in my ear, you idiot…”
“What, already at your limit, Xiao Ai? You’re so sensitive.”
Despite Ai Xinglan’s protests, Yu Li pressed on, whispering softly in her ear, making Ai Xinglan’s body tremble slightly.
As if that wasn’t enough, Yu Li leaned in and gently nibbled her ear.
“Ugh… ah!”
Perhaps because her ears were too sensitive, Ai Xinglan shuddered at the bite, her legs giving out as she collapsed softly into Yu Li’s arms.
In an instant, the situation reversed. The taller blonde who had pinned the petite black-haired girl was now supported by her.
“I know you’ve been working hard, Xiao Ai, but no matter how tough it is, you need to rest properly, okay?”
Yu Li slightly lifted her leg, bracing it between Ai Xinglan’s to support her trembling body.
“See? If you don’t rest, even you, Xiao Ai, will lose to a bad girl like me.”
“Ugh…”
The intimate position left the exhausted Ai Xinglan defenseless, her legs instinctively pressing together.
“I’ll let you off… for today.”
Satisfied with Ai Xinglan’s state, Yu Li pulled her leg back and helped her to the sofa, letting Ai Xinglan rest her head on her lap.
“You’ve already done so much, Xiao Ai. Take a good nap.”
Exhausted from days without sleep and the earlier excitement, Ai Xinglan, now calmed and lying on Yu Li’s lap, listened to her soft voice and struggled to keep her eyes open.
“But I still have…”
“Shh.”
Yu Li pressed a finger to Ai Xinglan’s lips, stopping her from finishing.
“Don’t worry. Just rest. Leave the rest to me.”
Perhaps overwhelmed by fatigue, Ai Xinglan felt an inexplicable sense of comfort lying on Yu Li’s lap. Before long, she fell asleep.
Seeing Ai Xinglan asleep, Yu Li flexed her fingers and glanced at the mountain of work with a helpless smile.
“…Well, looks like I’ve got my work cut out for me.”