Chapter 13: Sister, Come Here

“Xiao He… do it?”

Qiu Li seemed to carry a wave of heat with her as she stared at Qing He.

The madness in her eyes was impossible to conceal.

Her pupils trembled faintly. Deep down, Qing He resisted, yet when facing Qiu Li, she truly lacked the courage to say the word “no.”

Do it?

Qing He could not help recalling what had happened before bed last night.

Just a kiss from Qiu Li—just her hand brushing lightly along her spine—had made her entire body go weak against her will, nearly robbing her of any strength to resist.

That strange pleasure… even now, when she thought back on it, it felt as though it had happened only moments ago. Qing He flushed with shame.

But… she did not want to.

That pleasure frightened her. It terrified her. The sensation of losing control over her own body gave her no sense of security. It always felt as though everything about her was being swallowed whole, as if she would be destroyed by pleasure itself.

“Meow…” The instant she opened her mouth, a “meow” slipped out. Meeting Qiu Li’s gaze, she found herself unable to speak.

She knew that if she refused, Qiu Li’s trust in her would decrease, and Qiu Li’s control over her would only tighten.

Last night, she had barely managed to secure the right to make changes openly and to keep a diary. If she rejected Qiu Li’s desire today, what would Qiu Li do?

She did not know. Qing He did not dare to gamble. Even with her Clarity Level as high as “ninety-nine” at this moment, she still did not dare.

Because if her Clarity Level dropped below ten next time, the price would be her remaining eye.

No. She absolutely could not lose her other eye.

Qing He looked at Qiu Li. A small portion of her vision was missing, forcing her to tilt her head slightly whenever she focused on Qiu Li. The hollow eye socket was extremely sensitive. When the wind blew—or when Qiu Li’s warm breath brushed against it—clear tears would spill from the empty socket.

Tears?

Qing He blankly reached up and touched her cheek.

Her left eye itched unbearably. Tears streamed down like running water.

Her right eye felt sore and swollen. The base of it throbbed, as though something were being forced outward. She blinked, and tears fell uncontrollably.

Her vision blurred. It was as if the world had been pixelated, or as though everything had been submerged in thick jelly—distorted and filled with static.

Qiu Li stood to the side, looking at the girl helplessly.

“Xiao He?”

What was she supposed to do? Xiao He… had suddenly begun to cry. Were her eyes uncomfortable? But… she truly could not hold back any longer…

Xiao He had said yesterday that she liked her. She had even agreed to do it today…

Qiu Li really, truly wanted to right now… yet Xiao He looked so uncomfortable…

Xiao He had said she volunteered to be a pet. If they did it now, it should not matter, right? Xiao He was her pet. She could do whatever she wanted… hmph.

Qiu Li narrowed her eyes, stepped forward with a faint waft of fragrance, and gently pulled the girl into her arms.

“Xiao He… be good. Are your eyes very uncomfortable?”

Held in her embrace, Qing He froze slightly, yet the tears would not stop—not merely because the wind had blown into her hollow socket.

She… was in so much pain.

She did not know how many times she had thought it, but the same sentence kept rising in her heart.

[I… I’m just an ordinary student… why treat me like this?]

Why?

Without realizing it, tears streamed down again. Curled in Qiu Li’s arms, she sobbed. She wanted to push Qiu Li away. It was Qiu Li who had turned her into this…

Why? Why? This damned world. Damn it, damn it…!

And that damned school cafeteria!

From now on, she would never eat green beans again.

Everything could go to hell…

“Xiao He, talk to your sister. Why aren’t you saying anything? Are your eyes still uncomfortable? What you promised yesterday… does it still count?” Qiu Li’s gaze burned intensely.

Qing He desperately wanted to ask, “If I say it does not count, would you listen?”

But she could not bring herself to say it. She did not dare gamble on whether Qiu Li would actually listen. If she did not, would Qiu Li’s trust in her decrease?

“Meow…? Sister…” Qing He tried to restrain herself, tried not to let another “meow” slip out, but she realized that without noticing, it emerged smoothly from her lips.

What had been written in the diary—even though she knew it was false—had somehow carved itself into her soul like instinct.

Too terrifying… It was practically a modification of the soul.

“My eyes feel so uncomfortable, meow… They’ve been… been tearing up the whole time…” Not knowing how to answer Qiu Li’s question, she attempted to change the subject. She burrowed deeper into Qiu Li’s arms and rubbed her head against her in a fawning manner.

She hoped to distract Qiu Li this way. And if she acted pitiful enough, perhaps Qiu Li would feel a trace of sympathy?

She did not want to fall into that completely defenseless state.

“Have your eyes really been uncomfortable this whole time? How about this… Xiao He, after we finish, I’ll take you to see the Village Chief?”

“The Village Chief was a doctor before the disaster. He should be able to take a look.” Qiu Li stared at Qing He, her cheeks flushed an unusual red, her eyes brimming with desire.

Xiao He was so obedient, rubbing against her in her arms. So cute… And that hollow eye… Xiao He must be very uncomfortable right now, right? But for some reason…

She actually… found Xiao He like this incredibly adorable…

With only one eye, would Xiao He rely on her more? So, so exciting… If Xiao He lost both eyes, then would she…

Would she never be able to leave her again?

The thought took root the instant it appeared. Qiu Li’s breathing grew heavy. Her body felt feverish. Her mouth turned dry. Holding Qing He, she trembled faintly.

Qing He sharply sensed the shift in Qiu Li.

At an angle Qiu Li could not see, her face drained of color.

It seemed her attempt to appear pitiful had backfired.

No… she absolutely could not allow that kind of thing to happen…

“Sister… meow… let’s go see the Village Chief first, okay?” She gently tried to push Qiu Li away.

But Qiu Li lowered her head, meeting her gaze with those mesmerizing red eyes for a brief instant.

Qing He’s heart skipped violently.

Those eyes seemed to carry an invisible gravity, pressing down on her until she obediently lowered her head.

She… what had she just done?

She had actually pushed Qiu Li…

Now, any hint of resistance would likely make Qiu Li suspicious.

“What’s wrong, Xiao He? Why did you push me?”

“Don’t you like me the most? Could it be… you don’t want to with me…?” Qiu Li’s voice suppressed a trace of madness, as if she might lose control at any moment.

“I…”

What was she supposed to do? It felt as though no matter what she said, it would not help. Did they truly have to do it?

Qing He swallowed.

For the first time, she began to question whether pretending to be Qiu Li’s pet was truly a workable plan.

Why did all of Qiu Li’s actions feel so impossible to predict?

“I…”

Hm?

Qiu Li’s twisted expression stiffened slightly.

“Xiao He, why aren’t you speaking?”

Could it be…

“Xiao He, just once. Very quick… only a little over ten minutes… Xiao He, you said you love me.”

You said you love me.

You said you love me.

Qing He’s heart turned cold. She struggled internally, hesitated… yet she had little time left. She could not think of any solution.

If her Clarity Level fell below ten, she would lose her other eye. She could not allow Qiu Li to doubt her.

Absolutely not…

Why… why treat her like this?

What else could she do? The only remaining choice was…

“Sister…”

“I… I love you the most, Sister… meow…”

The girl’s delicate body trembled as she lay softly in Qiu Li’s arms. The tear tracks on her cheeks had already dried.

A foolish giggle escaped her lips, her smile innocent and pure. If not for the black, hollow eye socket, she might have looked like a little angel.

Perhaps because it had not been cleaned last night, faint bloodstains still lingered on her cheek.

“Sister… meow…”

Like a real pet.

She obediently rubbed against Qiu Li’s arm, licked across her fingers, then slowly slipped out of Qiu Li’s embrace. Under Qiu Li’s pleased and satisfied gaze, she lowered herself submissively in front of her, like a genuine kitten, exposing her most vulnerable belly.

“Sister… come here…” The girl looked shy, not daring to meet Qiu Li’s eyes.

Qiu Li tugged at the corner of her mouth, no longer able to suppress her smile.

Xiao He had agreed to indulge her.

“Good Xiao He, I’m coming…”

…

[Corruption Value: two]