Chapter 9: Cold.

She had thought that with her current appearance and the opportunity to come here, she could finally live a better life. She never expected to end up in such a situation. Was this the price of trying to be too clever?

She didn’t know how much time had passed before her emotions gradually calmed down. Lin Yuxi slowly raised her head and cautiously glanced toward the figure not far away. Jun Linqiu was still sitting on the sofa flipping through her book. The soft lighting cast varying shadows on the side of her face, making her appear even colder. Sensing her gaze, Lin Yuxi hurriedly lowered her head and fixed her eyes back on the floor.

“Bang—”

A soft sound suddenly rang out. Lin Yuxi jumped in fright and quickly looked up. She saw that Jun Linqiu had casually tossed the book onto the coffee table.

She stood up, wearing slippers, and turned toward the stairs beside her.

“Click!”

With a light sound, the lights in the living room were turned off. Darkness instantly enveloped everything. The sound of her footsteps going upstairs echoed softly in the empty living room, growing fainter until they disappeared at the top of the stairs.

“Huff—”

Her tense body finally relaxed at this moment.

Being a pet is just being a pet. It’s not that big of a deal.

“Huff… Huff…”

Everything before her eyes was pitch black. The surroundings were so quiet that she could only hear her own shallow breathing.

She stared quietly ahead. Her mind automatically replayed the scene when she first entered: two or three meters in front was the black sofa and coffee table where the lord had been sitting. To the left behind the sofa seemed to be an open kitchen. To the right was a red round wooden table with stools. Further back was a white wall with a door in the middle. Lan Mo and the others had gone through that door and never came out again. The rooms should be inside.

There was very little furniture and almost no decoration. It didn’t look like anyone lived here long-term, yet it was exceptionally clean. Clearly, someone cleaned it regularly.

“Really has no taste.”

Lin Yuxi muttered a small complaint about the layout as if venting her emotions, then tilted her head back to look at the ceiling.

A sense of loneliness spread in her heart. Her gaze drifted back toward the direction of the room where Lan Mo and the others were.

Is little Mo still waiting for her? Will she come out to look for her?

Thank goodness little Mo didn’t suddenly come out and see how she looked earlier.

She stared fixedly in that direction for a long time, but there was still no movement from the room. Grievance and complaints surged up instantly.

“What the heck… She said I could tell her when I feel wronged, but now that I need her, I can’t even see her…”

She straightened her slightly hunched back and pressed it tightly against the cold wall. Resting her head against the hard surface, she stared blankly into the air, feeling ashamed of her own thoughts.

Lin Yuxi, oh Lin Yuxi, how can you think like that? She treats you as her best friend. Everything that happened is clearly your own fault…

Lin Yuxi wrapped her arms around her knees again and buried her face inside them. The image of Lan Mo hugging her appeared in her mind. A suffocating pain spread through her chest. She felt like she was probably just being emo.

She stayed in this position. Her eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and her body grew colder and colder.

The nights have been getting colder these days. Is winter coming soon? The floor here is so cold and hard. The sofa over there would be much more comfortable—at least there’s a carpet… So sleepy.

……

“So cold…”

She opened her eyes. A bone-chilling coldness came from her limbs. She hugged herself tightly, unable to stop shivering.

“Splish— splash—!”

Hiss~ It seems to be raining. No wonder it’s so cold.

“Hah~”

She breathed warmly into her hands and rubbed them vigorously. Knowing she would freeze to death if she stayed any longer, she slowly crawled toward the sofa.

It’s still so cold. If only there was a blanket.

Lin Yuxi got up from beside the sofa. Her body trembled uncontrollably from the cold, and her teeth began to chatter.

So cold. Is little Mo asleep? It would be nice if I could go to her for a while.

The warm smile of Lan Mo flashed in her mind, driving her toward that door.

She stepped through the door. Inside was an L-shaped corridor. Under the faint light, she could see two doors on the wall ahead—probably two rooms.

Which room would little Mo be in?

Lin Yuxi hesitated while looking at the two doors, then turned her head toward the left corner.

Could it be inside there?

She moved her freezing, painful feet toward the corner. Her feet hurt so much that she could barely feel the ground beneath them.

Hiss~ Why is it so cold? My feet have gone numb.

Turning the corner, there were two more rooms on the left, and at the end of the corridor was another door, which was actually half-open.

Did little Mo leave it open for me?

She pushed open the half-closed door and excitedly quickened her steps as she walked in.

“Little Mo.”

“Little Mo.”

“Ah!”

Her soft calls received no response. Instead, she tripped and fell onto a soft mattress, startling herself.

Realizing it was a bed, she didn’t get up. She reached out and groped around, pulling over the neatly folded blanket beside her and wrapping it around herself.

Just lie down for a while. Just a little while. I’ll go out once I’m not cold anymore.

She curled up, letting the blanket cover her entire body. Feeling the soft mattress and thick blanket, she felt as if all her suffering had finally been rewarded.

“So comfortable… It’s been so long since I’ve slept on such a comfortable bed.”

The bedding was very warm. She could feel the temperature inside the blanket slowly rising. Her body stopped shivering, and sensation gradually returned to her feet.

Warmth enveloped her body, and a heavy wave of drowsiness surged over her.

“Ah ha~”

So sleepy… But I can’t sleep. If the lord finds out…

She placed her hands on the mattress and tried to push herself up. But after lifting her upper body, she powerlessly fell back down.

But it really is so comfortable. I don’t want to get up. Just one more minute. I’ll get up in one minute.

……

Thinking she would get up after one minute, her consciousness unknowingly sank deeper and deeper until she fell asleep.

She had only been asleep for a few minutes when a tall figure walked in and abruptly yanked off the blanket.

Cold air rushed in instantly. Her body instinctively curled up, and she woke up in shock. In a panic, she tried to open her sore eyes, but her arm suddenly hurt as if clamped by pincers. Then a tremendous force pulled her.

She was dragged downward. The next second, intense pain struck her, and she couldn’t help letting out a cry of agony.

“Bang!”

“Ah!”

She was dragged and thrown heavily onto the floor. The sharp pain instantly cleared her mind.

She struggled to open her sore eyes. Warm liquid overflowed from her eye sockets. Her nose bridge felt like it was broken, throbbing with pain. Her swollen lips tasted of blood. Her dizzy head throbbed continuously. She couldn’t even tell where else on her body hurt.

“Uuu…”

She covered her nose and mouth, letting out a suppressed groan. Tears filled her eyes. Under the moonlight from the window, she could only barely make out a pair of feet wearing red slippers, blurred by double vision.

She knew exactly who was standing in front of her and didn’t dare to loudly vent the pain she felt.

She could feel the lord’s condescending gaze. A cold voice filled with anger rang out:

“As an animal, who allowed you to climb onto the bed without permission?”

“I’m sorry… The floor was cold, and it was cold outside too, so I…” Her voice was full of panic and fear, thick with sobs.

The first thing she did upon waking was apologize. She whimpered, trying to explain, but the other party didn’t listen at all. The icy words cut her off directly:

“I said, if you can’t stand it, you can roll back outside anytime.”

The voice was as cold as a merciless blade. Lin Yuxi could only endure the pain and grievance, gritting her teeth as she apologized:

“I was wrong… I’m sorry.”

She endured the intense pain all over her body, supporting her upper body with one hand while covering her mouth and nose with the other. She lowered her head and apologized, tears continuously dripping onto the floor.

……

The other party remained silent, but the gaze fixed on her made her inexplicably think of that look full of disgust.

She could imagine the other person looking at her like she was filthy, lowly garbage.

After a long while, the cold voice sounded again, carrying an unquestionable command:

“Roll back outside.”