It was her own fault.
This thought pierced her mind like a thorn. It dug in deep and refused to come out.
Linlin lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling. She stared for a long time.
Moonlight slipped through the gap in the curtains. A thin sliver landed on the wall like the glint of a blade.
Time felt like frozen water.
Then—
Aaaaaah!
She bolted upright. Her ten fingers dug into her hair and clenched tight.
Long pink strands spilled out between her fingers like something soft and impossible to hold onto.
Whatever.
She stopped and stared at a point in empty space.
Then I’ll just be a scumbag.
The words left her lips, and even she was stunned.
Then she understood.
No, it wasn’t that she had figured things out. She had seen them through completely.
She didn’t want to be a masochist.
If she stayed in this world, the truth would never come out and Xiran’s obsession would never be resolved.
What would that lead to? A lifetime of being controlled.
A lifetime of being treated as a possession.
So let everything end tonight. Right here. She shivered. A lifetime.
Linlin jumped down from the bed. She stepped barefoot onto the floor.
The coolness climbed up from her soles, clearing her head a little.
She walked to the wardrobe and opened the door.
It was full of skirts.
Pink ones, white ones, lacy ones, ruffled ones.
She rummaged through them and picked out a beautiful light pink long dress.
The hem reached her ankles and was trimmed with delicate lace.
She also pulled out a white shawl—thin and sheer with lace edges.
And socks. White over-the-knee ones with lace trim.
She put them on piece by piece.
Then she stood in front of the mirror.
The girl in the reflection had long pink hair cascading down.
The light pink dress made her skin look even paler. The white shawl was faintly visible.
The skirt hem fell exactly to her ankles, revealing a section of her calves clad in white knee-high socks.
On her feet were a pair of white round-toe leather shoes.
Cute. So cute. Extremely cute.
Linlin stared at herself in the mirror for several seconds.
This was Bai Linlin at her cutest. She wanted this image to stay in Xiran’s memory forever.
Then she turned and walked toward the door. Her hand rested on the doorknob.
She paused for a moment, then turned it.
Outside in the corridor, Ruan Yuan was leaning against the wall.
When she heard the door open, both of them looked up at the same time. A’Li lay at her feet.
Ruan Yuan’s gaze swept over her from head to toe. Her eyes were complicated.
A’Li stood up, trotted over to Linlin’s feet, looked up at her, and let out a soft cry.
Linlin looked at them. Something inside her softened. But she had already made her decision.
“Ruan Yuanjie.” Her voice was softer than usual. “I’ve decided. Let’s end this instance right now.”
Ruan Yuan said nothing.
“Don’t worry about me.” Linlin continued, trying hard to keep her voice steady.
“When my consciousness disappears, it means I’ve succeeded.”
Ruan Yuan remained silent for a few seconds. Then she walked over and crouched down to meet Linlin’s eyes.
“Mm.” Her voice was very soft. “Be careful. I’ll wait for you.”
Linlin looked at her.
Ruan Yuan’s eyes held reluctance, worry, and something else. But she didn’t voice it.
Linlin nodded. Then she squatted down to look at A’Li by her feet.
The little pink fox was looking up at her. Its amber eyes were wet and sparkling.
“Little pervert.” Linlin reached out and stroked its small head.
The fur was soft and warm. “I’m going now.”
A’Li let out a soft cry and stretched out its tiny tongue to lick her fingers.
Linlin stood up and looked at Ruan Yuan. “Ruan Yuanjie.” She waved.
Behind her, Ruan Yuan’s voice called out, “Linlin.”
Linlin stopped but didn’t turn around. “Mm?”
“Nothing.” Ruan Yuan paused. “I’ll wait for you to come back.”
She had clearly promised Linlin that she would be the one to protect her.
Yet after arriving here, she hadn’t been able to use even a shred of her power.
In the end, everything still had to be resolved by Linlin herself.
Linlin didn’t reply. She continued walking forward, pushed open the door, and stepped outside.
The door closed behind her with a soft click—like a sigh.
The nighttime streets were quiet and deserted.
Streetlights glowed with a dim yellow light that cast long shadows across the ground.
Occasionally a car drove past, disappearing quickly at the end of the road.
Linlin walked alone.
Her footsteps on the sidewalk made soft tap tap sounds.
Each one fell like the tick of a countdown clock.
She looked down at her shadow.
It was small and pink, stretched long and thin by the lamplight, lying flat and fragile on the ground as if the wind could scatter it at any moment.
Honestly, she was still afraid.
She was walking into the wolf’s den of her own free will. Going to find Xiran.
Every time before this, she had desperately tried to escape.
This time, she was walking in willingly.
At that thought, Linlin’s steps slowed slightly. But she didn’t stop.
She kept walking.
The shops along the street were all closed, their shutters pulled down.
The convenience store was still brightly lit, but empty.
Only the light above the cashier counter was on. As she passed, she glanced inside.
The shelves were neatly arranged, and the oden pot was steaming.
The clerk was nowhere to be seen.
She continued on. The area grew more remote. Fewer streetlights. Older buildings.
Finally, that familiar alley appeared ahead. Narrow, pitch-black, with only a faint yellow light at the far end.
Linlin stood at the entrance of the alley and looked inside.
She took a deep breath.
Then she stepped in.
Her footsteps echoed through the alley. Tap. Tap. Tap. It felt like stepping on her own heartbeat.
She reached the end. The dark green door appeared before her.
Linlin stood in front of it. Her hand hovered in the air.
She paused.
Took another deep breath.
Then—
Knock knock knock.
The knocking sounded especially loud in the quiet alley.
There was no sound from inside.
Linlin waited. One second. Two seconds. Three seconds.
Then the door opened.
Dim yellow light spilled out from the gap, followed by Xiran’s face.
Her long black hair hung loose.
She was wearing comfortable home clothes, looking gentler than she did at school.
Seeing Linlin, she froze.
“Linlin?”
Linlin stood before her, hands gripping the hem of her skirt tightly.
She gathered all her strength and shouted the words she had prepared. “Xiran! I will never bully you again!”
Her voice echoed down the alley before falling and shattering at her feet. Xiran remained silent.
“Let this game end!” Linlin continued, her voice beginning to tremble.
“If you want to punish me, then punish me! I won’t bully you anymore. I won’t play this bullying game anymore!”
Having shouted it all out, she covered her eyes with both hands.
She didn’t dare look.
Linlin’s plan was simple. First, she would expose herself and let Xiran bully her until Xiran was satisfied and comfortable.
Then she would reveal everything herself—then it would end.
Linlin covered her eyes and waited.
She waited to be dragged inside. She waited to be punished.
But nothing happened.
A few seconds later, she felt her hands being gently taken hold of. Not yanked, but softly and slowly lowered from her face.
Linlin opened her eyes.
Xiran was looking at her. Those deep black eyes held no anger, no madness, none of that frightening gleam from before.
Xiran reached out and gently stroked her cheek. Her fingertips were cool.
Her thumb brushed lightly across the corner of Linlin’s eye.
There was only a calm, profound emotion in her gaze that Linlin couldn’t understand.
“Linlin.”
Xiran’s voice was softer than usual. Her touch was gentle, as if handling fragile porcelain.
“But you never listen, never keep your promises, always breaking agreements like this.”
Linlin’s eyes felt wet.
Only then did she realize her eyes had turned red. She was on the verge of tears.
In truth, she was simply terrified. Too terrified.
“My Linlin can’t cry.” Xiran’s voice grew even gentler, like soothing a child.
“Linlin should always be smiling.”
She carefully wiped away the tears that were about to fall with her fingers. Her movements were light and slow.
Then she held Linlin’s hand tightly.
“Come in.” she said. “It’s cold outside. What if my Linlin catches a cold?”
She took Linlin’s hand and led her inside.
Linlin’s mind went completely blank.
How can it be like this?
In the awkward atmosphere, Xiran spoke.