This Great Witch of the Upper District, this lofty being, was not as difficult to get along with as one might think.
In fact, she had brought him quite a few tangible benefits.
If Molly was someone who could become a mother-like presence…
Then Yuexue was the daughter who embodied the complete opposite.
Lin Lue thought strangely that, in a way, he could be considered to have “both wife and daughter.”
Walking ahead, Yuexue could clearly feel Lin Lue’s gaze on her back growing more and more direct.
This gradually made her start walking with her arms and legs moving in sync.
A blush began to spread again, starting from the tips of her ears, creeping up her neck, dyeing that stretch of fair skin a tempting pale pink.
Just then, a pair of women walked by on the roadside, arm in arm, chatting and laughing intimately.
Seeing this, Yuexue paused in her steps.
Under Lin Lue’s puzzled gaze, Yuexue released her tightly clasped hand from his.
That slender arm instead looped through his, pulling her body closer.
“Miss Yuexue?”
Yuexue didn’t speak, just pressed closer.
She seemed utterly unaware of just how exaggerated her figure was.
A beautiful rose, plump and heart-stirring.
Lin Lue pondered, glancing back at the pair of intimate women, feeling Yuexue’s gradually quickening heartbeat.
She was really good at this contrast thing.
[System Task! Put your arm around Yuexue and walk down this street without letting go.]
[Task Reward: Fire Affinity +10]
“Miss Yuexue.”
Yuexue instinctively looked up.
Lin Lue tightened his arm around Yuexue’s.
He smiled and said, “It’s so chaotic here, I’m a little scared.”
“Can you protect me?”
Yuexue immediately stiffened.
It wasn’t that Molly had never acted spoiled with her, but Lin Lue’s expression, his tone… it hit her differently.
—
The streets and alleys of the Lower District were always shrouded in a layer of grimy, murky air, the mottled walls crawling with dark green moss.
Lin Lue and Yuexue walked side by side through such an alley.
Yuexue tilted her head slightly, golden hair cascading over her shoulders, making her skin seem whiter than snow.
She was staring at a pair of women sharing a cup of milk tea nearby, a few specks of pure white clinging to their lips.
After watching for a moment, Yuexue turned her gaze directly to Lin Lue, unblinking.
At the same time, she reached out a finger and tugged lightly on the hem of Lin Lue’s clothes, the motion gentle, carrying a hint of a spoiled plea.
In this little display, all the so-called dignity of the Great Witch was gone.
Lin Lue instantly understood—the Great Witch wanted to try the taste of milk tea.
He patted his pocket, which was stuffed full and bulging, filled with thick stacks of coins obtained from Yuexue.
Yuexue was very generous.
“Miss Yuexue, I feel like having some milk tea. Do you want some?”
“Such sweet, cloying things, I don’t…”
“Just keep me company, okay? Miss Yuexue.”
“Really, I don’t know what to do with you.”
“Yes, yes, I know. Miss Yuexue has the kindest heart.”
So easy to coax.
Lin Lue turned his hand over, clasping Yuexue’s slightly cool, soft one, and led her to an inconspicuous milk tea shop by the street.
The shop wasn’t large, but it was tidy and clean.
Warm yellow light spilled down, falling on the sole shop attendant.
The attendant was a young, beautiful girl.
She wore a neat, light-colored uniform that accentuated her full curves, a standardized sweet smile plastered on her face.
Seeing customers, she immediately greeted them warmly, deftly preparing two cups of warm milk tea according to Lin Lue’s order.
A rich, milky fragrance spread through the small shop.
However, the attendant’s mind clearly wasn’t fully on making the tea.
Her gaze kept drifting towards Lin Lue’s tall, handsome figure, her eyes filled with admiration and infatuation.
“Here’s your milk tea, sir.”
Her voice was soft and sweet too.
As she handed over the cups with both hands, the girl’s fingers curled slightly, wanting to use this as a pretext to touch the man who stirred her heart.
To give him a hint, hoping to spend a wonderful night together.
Sincerity and love were far too luxurious in the Lower District.
But just as her fingertips were about to brush the back of Lin Lue’s hand, a faster hand suddenly shot between them.
It grasped the girl’s hand.
Yuexue’s face was cold, a faint trace of Magic Power flickering in her palm.
The attendant girl felt as if she were being stared down by a terrifying beast, her face instantly turning pale.
Yuexue slowly moved her hand away.
Letting go.
The girl hurriedly withdrew her hand.
What… what was with this tall, blonde lady?
She felt… kinda scary.
Yuexue firmly gripped Lin Lue’s hand, shaking it in front of the girl as if declaring ownership.
Then she pulled coins from her pocket, paid briskly, and didn’t spare the girl another glance.
Without another word, she pulled Lin Lue around and walked out of the milk tea shop.
The girl watched Lin Lue’s retreating figure, feeling quite regretful.
She had thought tonight would be a wonderful one.
Such a high-quality toy was rare.
—
Lin Lue had originally intended to pay himself.
But he hadn’t expected Yuexue’s hand speed to be so fast.
Still… freeloading was sweet.
He had noticed Yuexue’s odd behavior earlier; her jealousy had flared up again.
Why?
Lin Lue didn’t understand, but he didn’t ask further, simply letting himself be pulled along by her.
Only after they were a good distance from the milk tea shop did Yuexue finally stop.
Seizing the chance, Lin Lue offered one of the milk teas to Yuexue.
It was still warm.
“How do you drink this?”
Yuexue suddenly spoke, holding the cup against her cheek.
Lin Lue was slightly taken aback.
He thought drinking milk tea was the simplest thing; Yuexue couldn’t possibly not know.
Despite his confusion, Lin Lue patiently picked up the other cup of milk tea.
He aimed the pointed end of the straw at the sealed film on the cup’s opening, gave a light poke, and the straw slid in smoothly.
He lowered his head and took a big sip.
The rich, sweet flavor spread across his taste buds, sliding smoothly down his throat.
Lin Lue squinted.
Sugar brought a profound sense of satisfaction.
“Like this, it’s simple,” Lin Lue demonstrated to Yuexue.
But the next moment, what awaited Lin Lue wasn’t Yuexue copying his actions.
His milk tea was wrenched from his hand.
Seized by Yuexue without a word.
Her beautiful brows curved slightly.
Yuexue decisively lowered her head, her red lips closing around the straw Lin Lue had just bitten, not minding in the slightest, leaving behind a captivating lip print.
She took a huge, forceful gulp!
Her throat bobbed as she swallowed the mouthful of milk tea.
She then extended her pink tongue, lazily and seductively licking the traces of milk from the corner of her mouth.
“Drinking it like this… it feels a bit unsatisfying, like something’s missing,” Yuexue said, pursing her lips at Lin Lue.
“How do you want to drink it then?”
Lin Lue asked helplessly.
What was she trying to pull now?
“I know a better way. You’ll know if you come with me.”
With that, Yuexue tilted her head back and drained the remaining milk tea in her cup in one go, casually tossing the empty cup into a street-side trash can.
Without another word, she pulled Lin Lue, turning and ducking into a nearby dark, secluded alley.
Lin Lue watched the receding trash can.
He’d only had one sip.
—
The alley was flanked by tall, dilapidated walls, dimly lit and rarely frequented.
The sweet, cloying milky fragrance quietly permeated the narrow alley, mingling with the damp, musty smell in the air.
Yuexue was crouched, her breathing somewhat hurried.
Milky droplets trickled down from the hem of her qipao, dripping onto the ground, spreading into faint, circular white wet stains.