Chapter 18: An Xiaoling’s Suspicion
In this world, improbable misunderstandings happen all the time.
Like in movies, where ex-lovers glance back dozens of times but always miss each other’s gaze. Or when two strangers bump into each other and instantly add each other on Tengxin.
Su Qi once thought such coincidences would never happen to him.
But now, watching An Xiao Ling bicker fiercely with “Haozi,” he couldn’t help but marvel at fate’s whimsy.
Out of countless novels, he’d picked a yuri novel to lie about to Mo Yu, and it just happened to be An Xiao Ling’s work—overheard by her no less. The odds felt rarer than winning the lottery jackpot!
As Su Qi reflected on his tangled connection with An Xiao Ling, the argument escalated. She rolled up her chiffon shirt sleeves, revealing soft, pale arms, ready to escalate from verbal sparring to physical.
“Hey, you two, stop it! Boss Su’s here for her first day at Cangyou Wildcat Team, and you’re blocking the entrance. Take it outside if you want to fight!” a burly, over-two-meter-tall man boomed, emerging from the living room.
His towering presence made Su Qi feel like the floor shook with each step.
Recognizing the giant’s distinct traits, Su Qi matched him to the team’s forum nicknames:
- Blood Princess: Lin Xue-jie
- Elf Miss: An Xiao Ling, his classmate
- River Hero: The flirty tattooed guy
- Shield Mountain: This hulking man
That left only “Sleep Master” unseen.
As Su Qi pondered, the giant reached the entrance.
With practiced ease, he grabbed An Xiao Ling and Haozi by their collars, separating them like kittens, and flashed Su Qi a warm smile.
“Boss Su, I’m the team’s main guardian. Call me Da Shan. I hope we’ll be teammates after today. The entrance is cramped—let’s head to the living room to meet our final member.”
Da Shan’s straightforward introduction and friendly grin eased Su Qi’s nerves.
So far, aside from the absent Sleep Master, the team seemed welcoming, with no signs of the clichéd hostility he’d feared.
Nobody wants to join a team where they’re looked down on.
Following Da Shan’s earth-shaking steps, Su Qi, clutching the cats, headed to the living room with a mix of anticipation and nerves.
Two steps in, a cool jasmine scent brushed behind him.
Sensing Lin Xue’s mischievous approach, he instinctively wanted to flee, but her teasing voice whispered, “Boss Su, don’t be so tense. You might’ve already met Sleep Master~”
‘Met Sleep Master?’ Her hint sparked an uneasy premonition.
Entering the 50-square-meter living room, that feeling came true.
On the sofa lay a lanky youth under a thin gray blanket.
The blanket looked oddly familiar.
Approaching, Su Qi saw the youth’s face and froze, a giant question mark forming in his mind.
‘Isn’t that Wei Mian, the guy who’s slept through Class 18 from freshman to sophomore year?!’
‘What is Class 18?!’
‘First An Xiao Ling, now “Sleep Master” Wei Mian?’
‘Is everyone in our slacker class secretly a powerhouse?!’
Though Wei Mian’s presence was shocking, An Xiao Ling’s precedent helped Su Qi accept it quickly.
Gurgle~
A loud stomach growl echoed through the spacious living room.
The peacefully sleeping Wei Mian stirred, rising like a zombie, each movement reluctant.
As he shifted to a sitting position, he opened bleary eyes, spotting Su Qi.
A hopeful smile spread across his face. “Boss Su, you’re finally here! I haven’t eaten since last night waiting for this meal. Please show off your skills! Oh, if possible, can the main dish be egg fried rice? It’s my favorite. Please…”
His voice trailed off, eyes closing as he slumped back onto the sofa like boneless chicken.
Hearing Wei Mian’s “final” request, Su Qi relaxed.
For one, Wei Mian, another classmate and likely a bento regular, was excited for his cooking, a sign of acceptance.
For another, as a nervous interviewee with a secret to hide, cooking gave him a task to focus on, avoiding awkward chit-chat where he might slip up and be recognized by An Xiao Ling or Wei Mian.
Bowing slightly, he gently placed the three cats on the sofa and turned to Lin Xue. “Lin Xue-jie, since… Sleep Master is hungry and it’s dinnertime, shall I start cooking? Where’s the kitchen?”
Before she could answer, a soft hand grabbed his, and An Xiao Ling’s chirpy voice piped up. “Boss Su, I’ll take you to the kitchen! This way!”
Her enthusiasm and hospitality—a 180-degree shift from her classroom hostility—stirred a twinge of guilt in Su Qi.
Combined with her transformed appearance—no freckles, no gloomy vibe, just a sweet loli—Su Qi felt like he was deceiving an innocent girl, though unintentionally.
Amid his guilt, he grew uneasy.
To bond with Mo Yu, he’d read An Xiao Ling’s yuri novel, which opened a new world of… intimate girl-on-girl scenarios: friction play, bell play, endurance play, bathroom restraint play…
Knowing An Xiao Ling was the author made him nervous.
‘If she finds out my real identity, and my Crisp Wife ability isn’t combat-oriented, I’m doomed if things go south!’
“Boss Su, here’s the kitchen! Feel free to use anything in the fridge.”
Lost in thought, Su Qi hadn’t noticed An Xiao Ling leading him to the kitchen.
Room 1501’s kitchen was sleek and high-end, all black with every cooking tool imaginable.
One glance activated his Crisp Wife ability, igniting his cooking passion.
As he searched for an apron, ready to dive in, he noticed An Xiao Ling lingering.
Unlike her usual energy, she seemed shy, her hands nervously circling her flat stomach, exuding a mix of cuteness and unease.
If some creepy uncle saw this, they’d lose it.
Puzzled by her shift, Su Qi hesitated before asking, “Elf Miss, are you okay? Feeling unwell?”
An Xiao Ling shook her twin-tailed head like a rattle, a faint milky scent wafting—maybe his imagination?
After clarifying she wasn’t unwell, she fidgeted, poking her index fingers together, then mustered courage. “Boss Su, don’t mind what Haozi said. He was just making stuff up!”
Knowing the truth but opting for harmony, Su Qi nodded, keeping her secret.
Relieved by his clear-eyed agreement, An Xiao Ling blinked her sparkly eyes and continued, “Boss Su, um… can I add you on Tengxin like Lin Xue-jie?”
She pulled out a pink, gem-encrusted phone, opening the Tengxin QR code.
Facing her eagerness, “Su Su” had no good reason to refuse.
Thankfully, he was prepared with two Tengxin accounts.
Opening his phone, he switched to the “Su” profile, added her, and noted his name as Su Su.
An Xiao Ling stared at the new contact and “Su Su” label, murmuring, “Su Su~~~ What a pretty name! It suits Boss Su’s vibe perfectly!”
As she marveled, her gaze caught Su Qi’s old phone as he put it away.
A flicker of doubt crossed her mind.
‘Why is Su Su-jie’s phone so beat-up, with a plain clear case?’
‘It’s so out of place with her sweet aura—like a straight guy’s phone.’
‘And… have I seen that phone somewhere before?’