Chapter 34: In the Name of Best Friends

“If she gets killed, what happens to my task? I’ll be trapped in this world forever!”

Linlin’s voice shook slightly, and the fingers gripping the hem of Ruan Yuan’s clothes clenched tight.

Ruan Yuan looked down at her.

The small figure was trembling. Her light-colored eyes were filled with pure fear—fear of Xiran, and fear of being unable to return.

She had been the one who got impulsive.

Linlin was right.

If that girl called Xiran died and Linlin’s task failed, what if she really could not go back?

Ruan Yuan took a deep breath and forcefully pressed down the raging fury that had nearly burned through the ceiling.

She pressed it down again. And again.

Then she bent over and pulled Linlin into her arms.

“It’s okay, it’s okay.”

She gently patted Linlin’s back, her voice soft.

“I got too impulsive. You’re right, Linlin. We can’t kill her.”

“I’ll protect you properly. I won’t let anyone hurt you again.”

Linlin buried herself in her embrace without speaking, her body still trembling faintly.

Ruan Yuan simply held her like that, patting her back again and again, as if soothing a frightened little animal.

It took quite a while before Linlin slowly calmed down.

She gently pushed Ruan Yuan away and looked up.

Her eyes were a little red, but she had not cried.

“Okay.” She sniffed. “I’m fine now.”

Then she looked down at the oversized white top and too-long skirt she was wearing.

They were Xiran’s clothes.

Wearing them made her feel as if that pervert’s presence was still clinging to her body.

“You… go out for a bit first.”

She looked at Ruan Yuan.

“I want to change clothes.”

Ruan Yuan heard her, but she did not move.

“We’re both girls,”

she said, her tone completely natural.

“It’s fine. Besides, aren’t we best friends?”

Linlin: “…”

Best friends.

Those five words again.

Ever since their rooms fused, Ruan Yuan had been using those five words as an excuse—to feed her, to hold her while sleeping.

And now she was doing it again.

She stared at Ruan Yuan for a few seconds.

Ruan Yuan wore an innocent expression, her eyes clear, as if she were saying I’m just telling the truth.

Fine, whatever.

It was just changing clothes.

They were both girls—what was there that could not be seen?

Linlin turned around, opened the wardrobe.

Pink.

Everything was pink.

She rummaged through it and pulled out a light pink long dress.

The hem had delicate white lace trim. The fabric looked light and flowing, and felt soft to the touch.

She also took out a white off-shoulder long-sleeved blouse.

The cuffs and collar had lace and bow decorations. It clearly had a “young miss” style.

Holding the clothes, she turned back around.

Ruan Yuan was still standing in the same spot, watching her.

“Stare——”

Linlin stared at her.

Ruan Yuan looked at Linlin with confusion.

“What’s wrong, Linlin?”

“Turn around.”

Linlin said.

“I… I’m shy.”

But Ruan Yuan refused instantly.

“No.”

Ruan Yuan shook her head with a serious look.

“What if that person suddenly appears while I’m turned around and takes you away?”

Linlin was stunned.

That person? Xiran?

“That’s impossible.”

She argued.

“Xiran wouldn’t do that.”

After saying it, she herself felt a bit strange. Was she actually defending Xiran?

Ruan Yuan’s gaze changed.

“Linlin, you…”

Her voice grew softer.

“Are you speaking up for the person who bullied you?”

Linlin opened her mouth, wanting to say something but not knowing what.

Yes, she was speaking up for Xiran.

But why?

Because Xiran really would not suddenly appear and snatch her away?

Because Xiran had been “gentle” today?

Or because… she had already gotten used to thinking from Xiran’s perspective?

She did not have time to think deeper.

Ruan Yuan spoke again, even softer, almost as if talking to herself.

“So jealous.”

She said.

“That girl can do intimate things to Linlin whenever she wants.”

“Kiss you, touch you…”

She did not continue.

But Linlin felt the atmosphere around them shift.

It was different from the feeling she got with Xiran.

It was a kind of… indescribable, slightly oppressive feeling that made her want to step back.

Ruan Yuan’s eyes darkened a little. Her facial expression did not change much, but something felt… different.

“Stop stop stop stop stop—!”

Linlin quickly made an X with her hands in front of her.

“Fine! You don’t have to turn around!”

“Just stay here and protect me from this side!”

She sighed in resignation.

Why did Ruan Yuan’s reaction feel like she was jealous?

No.

What did she mean “like she was jealous”?

This was jealousy, wasn’t it?

A thought suddenly popped into her mind.

“Best friends”—had that phrase been an excuse from the very beginning?

Ruan Yuan feeding her, holding her while sleeping, pinching her cheeks, and now using “protection” as a reason not to turn away…

Were these things that “best friends” really did?

Or perhaps…

She secretly glanced at Ruan Yuan.

Ruan Yuan was looking at her. The darkness in her eyes had been tucked away, returning to that “I will protect you” expression.

But Linlin was not stupid.

After everything she had gone through with Xiran, her sensitivity toward anything “off” was at maximum level.

This Ruan Yuan, just like Xiran, had that kind of interest in her.

She liked girls.

Whatever.

She waved the thought away in her mind.

It was just getting close with another girl.

Anyway, Xiran had already eaten her clean. They had kissed, been touched, and done all sorts of things.

Adding Ruan Yuan would not make much difference.

At most it would just be getting bullied in a different place, getting done in a different place.

More debt did not weigh her down.

She had gotten used to these kinds of perverts. As long as they were not too violent with her, it was fine.

Thinking this, she reached out and began unbuttoning the oversized white top she was wearing.

First button.

Second button.

Third button.

The front opened up.

She grabbed the collar, preparing to take the top off.

Then she froze.

Wait.

She suddenly realized a very serious problem.

A very important problem.

She looked down at herself.

Then looked up at Ruan Yuan.

The top was already open, revealing what was underneath…

Nothing.

She was completely bare.

Bra? None.

Underwear? None.

From last night until this morning, she had gone from “being stripped naked by Xiran → wearing Xiran’s sleep dress → changing into Xiran’s casual clothes.”

The entire time, she had been wearing nothing underneath.

Now she was about to take her clothes off.

Right in front of Ruan Yuan.

What would Ruan Yuan see?

She would see her.

Linlin’s face began to burn.

But that was not the biggest problem.

The biggest problem was:

After seeing her, would Ruan Yuan…

Would she be like Xiran?

Would she also lose control?

Would she pounce on her, kiss her, touch her, and pin her down on the bed?

She stared at Ruan Yuan.

Ruan Yuan stared back at her.

Their eyes met.