Chapter 35: Oh no! The master is here to check on me!

Lin Qingya heard Bai Wanting’s offhand remark, and it nearly scared her soul right out of her body.

Oh god! Had little Bai-jie hacked her mind?

Did she have mind-reading powers?!

Or… had she planted a tracker on her?

How else would she know about the Gan City suburb incident? And zero in on whether she’d run off there?

A barrage of thoughts exploded in her head; cold sweat soaked her back, her fingers trembling around the phone.

No, don’t panic!

She absolutely couldn’t let little Bai-jie know she’d nearly gotten tangled in that mess!

Forcing calm, she tried for a sweet, coquettish tone to mask any slip.

“Eh? Trouble in the suburbs? No idea…” Lin Qingya worked for innocent and clueless. “We just got to the hotel—haven’t checked the news yet.”

“Sister, don’t worry! I’m super good—places like that sound creepy in the dark; no way I’d drag friends there for fun…”

She kept up the phone flirt, letting out “hmph hmph”-y whines, all cute as a defenseless little bun ripe for a naughty sister’s chomp.

Bai Wanting went quiet on the line for a beat.

Those few seconds of silence had Lin Qingya holding her breath, palms slick with sweat.

She could hear her own “thump thump thump” heartbeat loud and clear, awaiting judgment from her owner.

Just as she neared breaking point, Bai Wanting’s voice returned, laced with amusement.

“Mm-hm, sister totally trusts little Ya.” Bai Wanting’s gentle timbre tugged at Lin Qingya’s core.

“Once you’re settled at the hotel, snap a selfie for sister, yeah? Let me see if my little Ya’s having fun.”

“Ah… o-okay, little Bai-jie…”

Lin Qingya’s cheeks flushed; she agreed in a drippy, demure squeak.

After hanging up, she slumped against the alley’s cold wall, gasping like she’d run a marathon.

Too terrifying…

Forgetting to check in with little Bai-jie right away? Way more thrilling than being surrounded by dozens of cops with guns pointed!

Lin Qingya couldn’t tell if her blush stemmed from guilty fibbing or selfie-shy fluster.

She only knew: any demand from little Bai-jie, she couldn’t refuse.

That was… her most beloved Master, after all♡~

Ah… just thinking it made her cheeks blaze.

Xia Momu, meanwhile, had been munching popcorn the whole call; post-hangup, she pounced, poking Lin Qingya’s scorching cheek.

“Oho~ Qingya’s got a situation brewing~!” Xia Momu grinned wickedly, drawing out her tease. “Face all red~ Mm~ ‘Little Bai-jie’? Sounds awfully intimate~!”

“Momu-jie!”

Lin Qingya bristled like a tail-stepped cat, fur nearly flying.

Face aflame, she jolted up, fumbling to black out the screen and clutching the phone to her chest.

Joking aside! That shameful contact rename for little Bai-jie? No one could see it!

“My Beloved Master”…

If Xia Momu spotted that, she might as well quit Earth for good.

“Momu-jie, you’re so mean!”

Lin Qingya whipped her head away, dodging those sly eyes, pouting her protest in a tiny whine.

Xia Momu’s gossip fire roared at the sight of her shy, pure-yet-alluring maiden vibe.

The greenhouse scare? Ancient history, tossed to the clouds.

Now, she burned to uncover: what god-tier “little Bai-jie” could wring this from her sweet, innocent Qingya-mei!

“Spill spill!” Xia Momu latched on like a cowhide candy, nuzzling Lin Qingya’s arm in full aegyo. “Pretty please, Qingya~?”

“Who’s this little Bai-jie? Your tone screams you looove her~”

Lin Qingya, cornered by the cling, flushed harder and backpedaled, babbling “nope”s and “don’t assume”s.

But her flails just fueled Xia Momu, who amped the wheedle to eleven.

“Still denying? Look at you—red to the ears! C’mon, is she your crush?!”

“Crush” hit Lin Qingya like a jolt; she froze, body going limp.

Head down, toes inspected, she wavered a sec before parting her lips, steeling her nerves.

Xia Momu clocked it, dialing back the antics to wait quietly.

The street buzzed around them—pedestrians, traffic roar.

But for Lin Qingya, the world hushed in that instant.

Liking little Bai-jie…

This secret had weighed on her heart so long, sometimes suffocating.

She yearned to be understood, to have someone hear her out.

Maybe… venting to one person wouldn’t hurt?

Xia Momu here—brash on surface, but rock-solid when it counted.

Probably… safe to tell?

Plus, sunny senior vibes—she’d offer love advice, brainstorm, right?

With that, Lin Qingya mustered her guts.

“She’s… my next-door sister. We’ve grown up together.”

Xia Momu’s big eyes blinked bright, face screaming “and then? and then?”

Lin Qingya leaned to her ear, whispering low: “Momu-jie, what comes next… can it stay our little secret?”

“Promise!” Xia Momu puffed her chest, vowing fierce. “My lips are sealed—folks love dumping secrets on me! Swear: not a peep to a third soul!”

That reliability eased Lin Qingya’s guard.

“Mm… you nailed it. I like little Bai-jie.”

Out it tumbled; she twisted her fingers, eyes glued to the ground, dodging Xia Momu’s face.

Xia Momu blanked a tick, then felt her own cheeks heat, pulse quickening.

She probed gingerly: “This ‘like’… you don’t mean, like… that kind…?”

“Yes.” Lin Qingya squeezed her eyes shut, nodding hard like it’d all out. “That kind… wanting to be lovers with her.”

She stopped at the half-truth.

The rest…

“But now… it’s not just lovers anymore… I kinda wanna be little Bai-jie’s slave, call her Master, let her control everything, order me around…”

No way she’d voice that pinnacle of shame!

Spill it, and Momu-jie’d peg her as an irredeemable freak!

“Wow—!”

Xia Momu’s eyes sparked with thrill!

“Wow wow wow! Qingya, you’re so brave! Owning it like that? Total badass!”

The praise left Lin Qingya bashful.

She just blushed, shy-smiling, fidgeting: “Cuz… I’ve had this crush on her forever and ever.”

“Let’s go go!” Xia Momu snatched her hand, yanking her from the alley in hype. “Moment like this? Sweet treat to celebrate!”

Straight to the Mixue Ice Cream across the street; soon, twin soft-serve cones in hand.

“Here, sweet fix—eat and spill!” Xia Momu passed one over, eyes crinkling in joy. “Wanna… share your story? I’m dying to hear!”

Lin Qingya took the cone, lapping a gentle swirl.

The sugary chill melted on her tongue, dissolving most of her jitters and unease.

Gazing at Xia Momu’s kind, curious face, she finally nodded.

They strolled cone-munching toward the hotel, launching into Lin Qingya’s “love saga.”

“Mm…” Lin Qingya eyed the distant sky, gaze turning soft and faraway. “I think… back in elementary school, that’s when I started liking her.”