Chapter 31: A Brief Luxurious Time of Freedom

“Another day of being forced to serve as a body pillow…”

The sky had only just begun to brighten.

Bai Linlin stared at the ceiling. 

Her brain had not fully woken up yet, but her body had already sensed that something was wrong.

There was something on her chest.

It was warm. 

Soft. 

And moving.

She looked down.

“…”

Linlin took a deep breath and slowly exhaled.

Habit.

She was almost used to it now.

This pervert would not even let her go while sleeping.

She turned her head to look at Xiran beside her.

Xiran was still asleep.

Her eyelashes cast faint shadows on her eyelids. 

Her breathing was even, and her expression was much softer than when she was awake—even a little… harmless?

Harmless my ass!

Can’t you see what her hand is doing!

Linlin ranted wildly in her heart, but her body did not dare move.

If she woke her up, who knew what would happen.

Linlin stared at the ceiling with a blank expression.

Maybe right now she is having a dream about bullying her.

Perhaps in the dream she is doing this and that to her, which is why her hand is being so bold.

Thinking of this, she suddenly remembered something important.

Ruan Yuan!

That promise-breaking bad guy!

She said she would protect her, but from beginning to end she had not even shown a shadow!

She took a deep breath, focused her mind, and called out to the panel in her heart.

The semi-transparent blue interface unfolded in her vision.

The friend icon was flashing frantically. The number in the upper right corner made her eyelids twitch.

All from Ruan Yuan.

She opened it. The messages scrolled down one by one:

[Linlin! Where are you!]

[Reply! I’m worried sick!]

[Linlin???]

[Are you okay? Are you still alive?]

[Reply if you receive this!!!]

[I’m going crazy, you know!]

[Linlin—!]

Dozens more followed after that, with pretty much the same content, shifting from anxious to breaking down to despair.

Bai Linlin looked at these messages, and her heart felt a little complicated.

Was she angry? Yes, she was angry.

This girl really was not reliable. She had promised to protect her, but she got kicked out first.

But thinking about it carefully, it was not on purpose.

The system had assigned her the “Ruan Yuan” identity, so she could not help it.

And looking at these 99+ messages, she was genuinely frantic.

Forget it.

She thought for a moment and typed a reply:

[I’m still alive.]

[Right now I’m in… a “safe” place.]

[You go wait for me at my house first.]

[I sent you the address.]

[I’ll be back soon.]

After sending it, she hesitated for a second and added one more line.

[Don’t come looking for me.]

[Not right now.]

[I’ll explain the reason later.]

Sent.

The message had barely gone out when it was answered almost instantly:

[Linlin!!!]

[You finally replied to me!!!]

[Are you okay? Are you hurt?]

[What do you mean by a safe place? Where are you?]

[Why can’t I come find you?]

[I’m coming right now.]

Bai Linlin quickly cut her off:

[No! Absolutely not!]

[I’m really “safe.”]

[It’s not convenient to explain right now.]

[Wait for me at home.]

The other side stayed silent for a few seconds, then sent a pitiful emoji.

[…Okay.]

[But you have to hurry.]

[I’m about to die from worry.]

Bai Linlin was just about to reply.

The hand resting on her chest suddenly pressed down a little harder.

“Mmm…”

She could not hold it back and let out a tiny muffled groan.

Oh no.

She slowly lifted her head and looked up.

Her scalp brushed against Xiran’s chin.

Then she met a pair of deep, dark eyes.

Xiran was awake.

When did she wake up?!

Linlin’s heart pounded wildly as her brain spun at full speed.

She had been gesturing at the air for quite a while. In Xiran’s eyes she must have looked like a lunatic, right?

The panel could only be seen by her. Xiran should not… be able to see it, right?

“Linlin.”

Xiran spoke. 

Her voice carried the hoarseness of just waking up and sounded a little languid.

“What are you doing?”

Bai Linlin forced out a smile and tried to look as innocent as possible.

“Heh, heheh… Nothing.”

“Just… woke up and was spacing out for a bit.”

Xiran looked at her without speaking.

Those black eyes were bottomless. 

It was impossible to tell whether she believed it or not.

“Then go back to sleep for a while.”

With that, she closed her eyes, pulled Linlin closer into her arms, and buried her face in her hair.

She went back to sleep.

Linlin: “…”

That’s it?

She blinked, finding it a little hard to believe.

According to the usual script, should she not be questioning her?

Should she not be suspicious?

Should she not use magic to check whether she had secretly contacted the outside world?

Why did she just… go back to sleep?

She was stunned for a few seconds, then slowly realized.

Oh, right.

Today.

The one day of “only today, be gentle.”

So even this suspicious behavior was being overlooked?

Linlin’s feelings were complicated.

She did not know whether to feel relieved or sad.

She stayed like that, being held, lying there for who knew how long.

Finally, Xiran woke up.

This time she was really awake.

She sat up. 

Her black hair was a little messy, with a few strands sticking to her cheeks.

She looked down at Linlin, who was still lying there, then reached out and gently brushed the bangs on her forehead.

The movement was very light.

Then, after Xiran “gently bullied” her for a while…

Xiran helped her find clothes.

Linlin was only wearing an oversized sleep dress.

Xiran rummaged through the wardrobe and pulled out a set of casual clothes.

A white top and a dark skirt, all in her own size, which were still too big for Linlin.

After Linlin put them on.

She looked in the mirror.

Xiran stood behind her, looking at the person in the mirror, then suddenly reached out and wrapped her arms around her waist from behind.

She rested her chin on top of Linlin’s head.

“Linlin is so cute.”

She said.

Linlin’s face turned red.

Not from shyness, but from wariness.

What was this pervert planning now?

But Xiran only hugged her for a moment, then let go.

“Let’s go.”

She took Linlin’s hand and walked out of the bedroom.

In the hallway, Linlin suddenly remembered something.

A’Li!

That little pink fox had been thrown out of the room by Xiran with magic last night and had not made a single sound since.

She quickly walked to the bedroom door and looked down.

On the floor, a ball of pink fur was curled up, motionless.

Linlin’s heart tightened. She squatted down and gently poked it.

The furball moved.

Then a pair of amber eyes opened and looked at her.

“Wuu…”

A’Li let out an extremely aggrieved sound. Its tiny body nuzzled into her palm.

Linlin’s heart ached terribly.

She picked up A’Li and felt the little body trembling slightly, its fur a little disheveled.

Poor thing. 

It had been locked outside all night and even kicked once.

She turned her head to look at Xiran.

Xiran watched the scene with a blank expression. She did not speak, but her eyes clearly grew a little colder.

Linlin immediately protected A’Li in her arms.

She held A’Li tightly and whispered.

“You’ve really suffered. You even protected me—much more reliable than that Ruan Yuan girl.”

A’Li let out another “wuu” and buried its little head in her chest.

When she walked out of that old apartment building and breathed in the outside air, Bai Linlin felt as if her entire being had been elevated.

The sky was blue.

The wind was light.

It was just… an ordinary morning.

She held A’Li in her arms as she walked back home.

After a few steps, she realized a problem.

Her phone was gone.

It must have been thrown away by Lin Zhizhi in the forest last night, and she had not picked it up.

Anyway, right now she could not contact anyone.

Old Chen the driver was out of the question.

She would have to walk back.

Luckily, she knew the location of that “home” from memory.

It was not too far—about a twenty-minute walk.

She walked slowly along the street.

She breathed in the fresh air and looked at the shops opening their doors. Occasionally morning joggers passed by.

This feeling was too luxurious.

Freedom.

Even if it was only temporary freedom.

The school trip still had a few days left.

According to the normal schedule, she would not have to go to school for these next few days. 

She would not have to see Xiran. 

She would not have to be treated as a body pillow. 

She would not have to be squeezed and pinched.

She could rest properly.

She could eat normal food.

She could sleep normally.

She could… not be afraid.

Thinking of this, her mood improved a lot, and her steps became lighter.

A’Li poked its little head out from her arms, looking around curiously. It seemed to be enjoying this rare “outdoor time” as well.

After walking for about ten minutes or so, as she passed a street corner, she suddenly stopped in her tracks.

No.

How could Xiran possibly let her go unseen for several days?

That pervert. That control freak. That madwoman who said “Linlin can only belong to me.”

Letting her go back today was only because of “only today, be gentle.”

What about tomorrow? The day after?

She would definitely make her come over.

To continue being the body pillow.

Bai Linlin stood in place, looking at the road ahead. She suddenly felt her legs a little heavy.

The lighthearted mood from earlier deflated like a punctured balloon, slowly sinking.

She lowered her head and stared at her toes.

In her arms, A’Li gently nuzzled her hand, as if asking “What’s wrong?”

She did not speak.

She just stood there, spacing out for a while.

Then she continued forward.

But her steps were no longer as light as before.