Chapter 53: Weird Campus 22 Bell

—Dream—

A gentle hand brushed through her hair, leaving a soft, chaste kiss on the girl’s lips.

Consciousness sank, piercing through layers into darkness.

Opening her eyes, she stood in a stifling rented room.

In the pitch black, a pair of emotionless eyes stared numbly at nothing. The girl, curled in her blanket, let tears fall unnoticed.

Shen Musi approached slowly, earning only a cold glance.

The girl seemed unsurprised by the sudden presence, lost in her own world, tears streaming silently.

“Xu Nian.”

Shen Musi called her name softly.

At her voice, Xu Nian’s breathing hitched, tears falling uncontrollably.

Before Shen Musi could react, Xu Nian threw off the blanket, lunging toward the voice.

In the dark, a warm, soft body crashed into her arms. Xu Nian clung to her waist, gripping her clothes, face buried in her shoulder.

Stifled sobs echoed, laced with pain, piercing Shen Musi’s heart.

Her shoulder dampened. Instinctively, she stroked Xu Nian’s hair, mirroring countless times Xu Nian had done the same, gently caressing her soft strands.

Her heart ached, yet the act felt fulfilling.

It was as if knives filled her chest, stabbing through, stealing her breath, her thoughts—but she willingly bore it for this moment of warmth.

She dared not speak, fearing her words would shatter the fragile closeness.

Yet, even silent, Xu Nian sensed something off.

She pulled back, peering through the dark.

Shen Musi cursed her sharp vision, catching the disappointment in Xu Nian’s eyes.

Xu Nian’s voice, hoarse from crying, rasped, “Fila?”

The blonde woman answered in a melodic voice, “It’s me.”

Shen Musi was the Young Lady.

Always by Xu Nian’s side, revealed only in specific moments—like now, in her dream.

Xu Nian, unaware Shen Musi was the Young Lady, froze, stunned to see her.

Wiping her tears, her body still shuddered with hiccups.

In the dream, her mind was chaos. It took her a moment to recall—that event was long past.

So long, she could barely remember the voice.

She’d mistaken Fila for her again.

Fila’s lips curved. Seizing the moment, she touched Xu Nian’s forehead.

A red glow sank into Xu Nian’s mind, the Young Lady’s power stripping away the recent memory.

She’d used underhanded tactics again.

She was the Young Lady—how could she let Xu Nian mistake her?

Possessiveness burned in her eyes.

Xu Nian’s heart could only hold her. If someone else lingered, she’d erase them without hesitation.

Be a stand-in? Not her style.

Since Xu Nian mistook her, she’d make her forget.

Xu Nian blinked, sensing a gap in her memory, standing dazed in the dark, noticing someone before her.

Squinting, she tried to make out the face.

Fila?

Unable to see clearly, dream blurring reality, she thought this was real.

She reached for Fila’s hand, tone teasing yet tinged with unnoticed joy. “Why didn’t you come find me sooner?”

Fila leaned closer, letting Xu Nian see her face. “Do you know who I am?”

Xu Nian, puzzled, answered, “Fila.”

Fila’s hand slid into hers, fingers interlocking, testing her. “Who am I?”

Xu Nian laughed softly. “Young Lady, it’s only been a few days. How could I forget you?”

Fila pinned her to the bed, voice lazy and seductive. “Don’t mistake me.”

Before Xu Nian could protest, her buttons were undone.

Soft feathers grazed her skin, heat spreading, her body flushing pink.

That familiar touch…

A quill?!

Something exploded in Xu Nian’s mind. She shook her head, flushed, voice trembling. “Not this…”

She couldn’t handle it again.

“Alright.”

Jingle~

A clear bell rang in the air, though no wind stirred.

“A belated punishment.”

“Wait, what punishment—”

Before she could clarify, it began.

“…”

“Mmm… ngh…”

A tingling sensation spread from her spine, her gasps soft, eyes misty, gazing dazedly at Fila, who toyed with her.

“Fila…”

Her breathless call, her flushed eyes, sent Fila’s heart racing.

Only now did Fila feel Xu Nian’s full attention on her.

“Mmm…”

Jingle…

The bell’s lingering chime blended with Xu Nian’s melodic gasps, echoing in the room.

Punishment?

Just an excuse to consume her entirely.

She was no saint.

Lifting Xu Nian’s chin, she leaned in, their lips entwining passionately.

—Dream End—

A night in the dream was mere minutes in reality.

Xu Nian woke exhausted but physically better.

Opening her eyes, she saw Shen Musi kissing her. Startled, she shoved her off.

The small bed offered no space—Shen Musi tumbled to the floor.

“Deskmate, that hurt.”

The Young Lady, under Shen Musi’s guise, feigned innocence, blinking tearfully.

But Xu Nian, usually soft toward her, stared coldly, unsettling her.