Chapter 8: Feeding Little Cake

Bai Linlin stiffened, letting her hold on, her little head racing.

It all felt… too unreal.

From a thirty-square-meter box with nothing but white, straight to this luxurious domain with pastoral vibes and defensive works—the gap wasn’t just a little.

Ruan Yuan, this Level 22 “thigh,” what was her goal exactly?

As she overthought wildly, Ruan Yuan released her arms, instead taking her hand.

“Come, let me show you inside first.”

Ruan Yuan’s voice carried a hint of imperceptible delight as she led her toward the castle’s main building door.

The door was heavy wood with metal accents.

Pushed open, inside wasn’t the imagined cold, empty ancient hall, but bright and warm—even comfortable.

The living room was spacious, covered in thick carpet.

The fireplace had no fire, but was decorated cozily.

Furniture was complete: sofas, coffee tables, bookshelves, even a large display screen that looked high-tech, clashing a bit with the castle style.

Light streamed in from several large windows, illuminating floating dust motes in the air.

“How is it? Getting used to it?”

Ruan Yuan led her on a quick tour of the living room and the adjacent open kitchen.

The kitchen was fully equipped: fridge, oven, counters all there, clean as a showpiece.

“Used to it… way too used to it.”

Bai Linlin muttered softly; the contrast was too stark.

She noticed that while there were many things here, it lacked the “lived-in” feel of long-term residence—too clean and tidy.

“Linlin, you must be hungry?”

Ruan Yuan’s gaze landed on her, asking.

“Huh? Oh, a little.”

Bai Linlin touched her stomach.

That cake earlier was just a filler; after all this hassle, it’d long digested.

Ruan Yuan walked to the double-door fridge and opened it.

Cold air wafted out.

She took out a white, exquisitely looking cake.

Not large, round, topped with white chocolate sauce and dotted with a few strawberries.

She held the cake, grabbed a small silver fork, and walked to Bai Linlin.

Bai Linlin thought she was handing it over and reached out to take it, but Ruan Yuan used the fork to cut a small piece with strawberry and chocolate sauce, then… twisted her wrist, offering the fork toward Bai Linlin’s mouth.

“Come.” Ruan Yuan looked at her, her gaze soft.

Linlin paused.

Feeding… me?

She looked at the cake by her mouth, then at Ruan Yuan’s expressionless but expectant face, her own face heating up suddenly.

She waved her hands quickly.

“N-No need, Ruan Yuan sister, I can eat myself!”

She wasn’t really a three-year-old kid who needed feeding!

Ruan Yuan, hearing the refusal, stopped her fork-holding hand mid-air.

She tilted her head slightly, the softness on her face fading quickly, brows furrowing lightly, lips downturning a bit, eyes instantly clouding with a faint, rain-dampened disappointment.

“But…”

Ruan Yuan’s voice lowered, carrying a touch of grievance.

“Linlin used to love it when I fed her while eating. Every time like this.”

“Huh?!”

Linlin was shocked, her eyes widening round.

“R-Really?”

Original owner, did you have this kink!

“Yes.”

Ruan Yuan nodded firmly, her expression earnestly unlike a lie.

“Linlin, you said, ‘I only want to eat what you feed me; anyone else’s isn’t tasty.’ You… really forgot all that?”

Her tone grew more aggrieved, her fork-holding hand seeming to droop weakly, the cake teetering.

Bai Linlin, seeing her “forgotten close friend alone in sorrow” look, felt her scalp tingle.

Though logic told her something was definitely off, looking at the other’s sad expression, considering her “amnesia” persona, and the reality of needing to cling to this thigh…

It was just feeding, right?

No big deal!

Like… experiencing a high-level player’s attentive service!

Better than pissing her off.

She quickly rationalized inwardly, then sighed, lifting her small face and opening her mouth.

“…Okay. Ah—”

Ruan Yuan’s eyes lit up almost instantly, the disappointment and grievance vanishing like smoke, so fast Bai Linlin wondered if she’d imagined it.

She carefully fed the small piece of cake into Bai Linlin’s mouth.

The cake melted sweetly but not cloyingly, chocolate’s slight bitterness blending perfectly with strawberry’s tart-sweet, texture dense. Really delicious.

“Good?”

Ruan Yuan asked, eyes unblinking as she watched her chew.

“Mm, good.”

Bai Linlin nodded honestly.

Ruan Yuan immediately cut another piece and offered it.

This time, Bai Linlin didn’t resist, obediently opening her mouth.

One piece, two, three… Ruan Yuan fed carefully, pace neither fast nor slow, each bite just the right size, even minding the strawberry and chocolate sauce mix.

Her gaze stayed on Bai Linlin’s lips, watching the cake go in, watching her slightly puffed cheeks.

Linlin went from initial awkward stiffness to gradual numbness, even starting to zone out observing the living room.

Until the last bite was fed.

“All done.”

Linlin said, subconsciously sticking out her little tongue to lick possible chocolate sauce from her lips.

This action seemed to deepen Ruan Yuan’s gaze.

She reached out—not with a tissue, but directly using her thumb pad to gently wipe Bai Linlin’s lip corner.

There was indeed a bit of white chocolate sauce there.

The action itself was already intimate enough, making Bai Linlin squirm uncomfortably.

But next, Ruan Yuan very naturally brought that sauce-stained thumb to her own lips.

Then, her tongue tip darted out, lightly licking.

Drawing that bit of white sauce into her mouth.

Her eyes still on Bai Linlin, gaze frank as if just tasting the cake, the motion natural like done a thousand times.

Linlin: “!!!”

Her mind blanked, only that scene replaying.

L-Licked?! She licked?!

Ruan Yuan seemed to find nothing wrong, instead squinting slightly, savoring.

“Mm, very sweet.”

Unclear if referring to the cake or something else.

She set down the empty plate and small fork, looking at the petrified Bai Linlin, smiling in great spirits.

“Tired? I’ll take you to your room to rest. There’s still time before the death game match; you can nap first.”

Saying that, she took Bai Linlin’s stiff little hand again, leading her toward the castle stairs.

Bai Linlin was led like a puppet.

Earlier… that was… what?

This “best friend”…

Seemed…

Like a big problem!