The girl in the evening gown suddenly reached out.
“Eek…!”
Qiu Mian was yanked forward by that gentle yet unyielding force, nearly tumbling straight into her arms.
A cool, ethereal fragrance wafted from the girl—mingled with the rich aroma of black tea—yet it only made Qiu Mian’s hackles rise higher.
Calm down! Calm down, Qiu Mian! You’re a veteran reader and author who’s devoured countless yandere novels just to write better ones yourself!
I can’t let her look down on me!
Sure, it’s all theory from paper and screen, but my knowledge base is solid!
Yandere weaknesses… what are yandere weaknesses again?!
Qiu Mian’s brain kicked into overdrive. Every line she’d ever written or read surged through her mind.
Right! Yanderes are usually desperately insecure, possessively obsessive, but at the same time they crave being the “one and only” in someone’s eyes—their absolute, irreplaceable love!
They act dominant on the surface, but deep down they’re fragile. They need to be soothed with something “special”… or maybe temporarily overwhelmed by an even stronger, more obsessive aura?
Try it now! Things couldn’t possibly get worse anyway!
Qiu Mian forced herself to steady her breathing. She lifted her head, met the girl’s gaze, and tried her hardest to produce a tender, understanding smile that said I see you.
(It probably looked more like a facial cramp to the other party.)
“I… I understand,” she said, softening her voice until it even carried a faint, trembling sob. “You’ve been waiting for me all this time, haven’t you? Being alone like that… it must have been so lonely, right?”
Classic opening move!
Show empathy. Strike straight at the core loneliness!
The girl in the gown tilted her head slightly. The smile at the corner of her lips deepened, as though she found the attempt amusing, but the fingers locked around Qiu Mian’s wrist didn’t loosen in the slightest.
Undeterred, Qiu Mian pressed on to phase two—
Take the initiative. Display “dominant concern”!
She suddenly squeezed back with as much force as she could muster.
Why does it feel like I’m gripping a piece of cool, smooth jade? I can’t even dent it!
Still, she continued earnestly: “But you can’t keep doing this! Hurting yourself or hurting others—it’s not right! If you’re sad, you can tell me. I’ll listen, I promise!”
Moral lecture plus emotional guidance! Project the aura of “I’m the one who can save you”! I’m a genius, hehe~
The girl finally let out a soft, elegant chuckle—“Pfft.”
The sound was beautiful, refined… and it made Qiu Mian’s heart sink with a thud.
“If I told you,” the girl murmured, leaning in until the faint scent of black tea brushed Qiu Mian’s face. She lowered her head close to Qiu Mian’s ear, voice a gentle whisper, “would you stay obediently by my side? Never go anywhere else… and look only at me?”
…That’s not the right response! Shouldn’t you be shaken right now? Show some vulnerability?!
Gritting her teeth, Qiu Mian pulled out the theoretical ultimate move against yanderes—make a “special” promise to feed their exclusivity delusion!
“I-I promise! I’ll try… to look at you more! So please, let go of me for now, okay? We can talk properly!”
She blinked rapidly, trying to make her eyes look as sincere as possible. She even reached out with her free hand and gently laid it over the back of the girl’s hand, attempting to convey “warmth.”
Hand-holding! Offer hope! This has to work—readers always go crazy when it happens in novels!
The next instant—
With a light twist of her wrist, the girl effortlessly captured Qiu Mian’s other hand as well, folding both wrists together in her palm.
Her fingertips traced over Qiu Mian’s skin with slow, interested curiosity, as though toying with a fascinating new plaything.
“Talk?” she repeated, eyes curved in smiling delight.
“Of course we can. We’ll go home and talk as long as you like. We can talk until you no longer even think of leaving… until the only thing reflected in your eyes… is me.”
Her tone was tender as water, yet the words sent a fresh wave of chills racing across Qiu Mian’s scalp.
And none of the expected effects—being moved, soothed, momentarily loosening her grip—had appeared at all!
The girl remained steady as a mountain. If anything, she seemed even more… pleased?
It’s useless!!!
Why is none of it working?! Was all that setting info fake?!
Yanderes aren’t supposed to be like this!
They’re supposed to be starved for love, lonely, easily touched by “special tenderness”! A little hand-holding, a few warm words, and they should blush, waver, put their darkness on hold for a moment—even secretly rejoice!
The massive collapse of theory left Qiu Mian’s eyes stinging. Physiological tears welled up and shimmered in her lashes.
This isn’t fair! This isn’t how it’s supposed to go! The internet lied to me!
And she wasn’t strong enough to break free either…
Just then—
Tap… tap… tap…
From upstairs came the slow, deliberate sound of a knife tapping against the stair railing—unhurried, composed, yet steadily drawing closer.
At the same time, another lighter voice floated down from above, laced with laughter.
“Found you~”
“This time I won’t let you be naughty anymore.”
It was the fox-masked girl! And the black-haired one was probably right behind her…
In front, the gown-wearing “expert” held both her wrists in an iron grip. Behind, two inescapable gazes of “love” closed in like shadows.
Qiu Mian dangled there like a kitten caught by the scruff, flailing uselessly. She couldn’t budge an inch.
She felt the mounting pressure from above and behind, then looked at the girl in front of her—still smiling so gently, with absolutely no intention of letting go…
Done. Done done done done done…
Theory failed. Strength outmatched. No escape route…
This… this is what they call a… true harem battlefield?!
The disobedient tears finally spilled over, sliding down her soft cheeks with a quiet plop.
“Somebody—save me—!!!”