Chapter 8: Loss of Voice

As long as she said a single wrong sentence, the consequences would be something Qinghe absolutely could not bear.

Sweat had already crept across Qinghe’s back. Her throat felt choked, and the exhaustion in her body was nearly driving her mad.

‘Did Qiu Li realize that I’m a transmigrator?’

Qinghe propped herself up on the bed with her arms, only to feel her fingers trembling uncontrollably.

Wave after wave of helplessness washed through her mind, making her breathing grow rapid.

Even so, Qinghe still had to force herself to stay calm and put on a puzzled expression.

“Sister… you… what are you talking about?”

“How could I possibly not be Xiao He? I am Xiao He. If I weren’t Xiao He, then who would I be?”

Qiu Li narrowed her eyes and stared straight at Qinghe.

She did not know why Qinghe was so panicked. In truth, she simply wanted to know why “Qinghe” had changed so drastically.

“You said you like me… really?”

“One year ago, didn’t you still say…” Qiu Li watched the girl closely.

Qinghe clenched the bedsheet tightly, her heart rising to her throat.

One year ago?

What happened one year ago?

Qinghe searched her memories frantically.

Not long after, realization struck.

One year ago, Qiu Li had tentatively expressed her feelings, only to be rejected by the original owner. The answer given at the time was that she did not like girls.

Qiu Li was not questioning her identity. She was questioning why Qinghe had changed, why she had come to like her. But that might be even more dangerous in front of Qiu Li, because…

Because she knew “Xiao He” too well. As long as Qinghe’s performance had even the slightest flaw, it would be noticed. Any unnatural emotion would be caught.

Even if she possessed all of the original owner’s memories, even if she could truly feel the emotions of the past through the diary…

She was still just an ordinary college student…!

Qinghe felt on the verge of collapse.

Acting in front of Qiu Li… someone who understood the original owner so well…

Could she really do it?

Qinghe had no confidence at all. Her heart pounded wildly, but she had already been driven into a dead end.

‘I’ll gamble everything…!’

“Sister…” Digging her fingernails into the wound in her palm, Qinghe forced out two tears, feeling slightly dizzy.

“Sister… I, I do like you, Sister…” Qinghe sobbed pitifully while rapidly organizing her words.

Qiu Li continued to look at Qinghe without saying a word. Her thoughts were in turmoil. Why did the girl before her look so panicked?

‘Is she really hiding something?’ But logically… it did not make sense…

If Xiao He were truly wary of her, how could she have said those words just now?

‘What is she afraid of? The monsters outside? Or this world?’

Qinghe had no idea what she should say…

Even the slightest mistake would only make Qiu Li even more suspicious, right?

Qinghe lifted her head and met Qiu Li’s gaze through tear-filled eyes, trying to buy more time by acting pitiful.

If, if she were the original owner, who did not like Qiu Li one year ago, who did not even like girls, but then one year later came to like Qiu Li, then… what would be the reason?

What reason could explain such a change? What possibility would sound more reasonable?

Her urgent thoughts became chaotic. The pressure kept increasing, her head swelling, and gradually, double images seemed to appear before her eyes.

“…”

As if she had thought of something, Qinghe took a breath and slowly spoke. An unusual, hoarse, and weak girlish voice sounded.

“Sister… do you know…”

“This past year, I’ve changed so much…”

The moment the words left her mouth, Qinghe’s heart sank. Too deliberate. Too much like an opening line. This was not a confession, it was reciting lines. Would Qiu Li really not notice?

Qiu Li stared unblinkingly at Qinghe. Those bewitching eyes carried the intimidation of a predator. Even meeting her gaze was terrifying.

Qiu Li carefully savored the girl’s panic.

Changed?

Changed so much? What did Xiao He mean…

Was it because she had realized the horror of this world and, like her, had changed?

This guess made Qiu Li increasingly excited, her eyes shining.

But in Qinghe’s eyes, Qiu Li’s reaction conveyed a completely different meaning.

‘She… she seems to have noticed?’

“…” Qinghe did not speak. An inadvertent meeting of Qiu Li’s gaze made her limbs stiffen.

Qiu Li also remained silent, continuing to look at the girl expressionlessly.

Just like that, a long moment passed.

Qinghe nearly forgot to breathe. Qiu Li’s eyes felt like a forced lock, making her afraid to look away.

‘If I look away now, will I seem guilty?’

But her eyes… were too frightening, as if they could see through everything…!

Qinghe felt as though her heart was about to leap out of her chest, her whole body like a rusted machine.

‘What should I do?’

Stiff, grinding sensations came from her limbs, exhaustion weighing heavily on her shoulders.

For a full half minute, Qinghe did not say a word.

It was not that Qinghe was deliberately staying silent. She suddenly realized…

She could not speak.

“I…” She struggled to open her mouth, but as soon as a single word came out, it was as if an invisible hand had seized her throat.

Her gaze shifted uncontrollably. She instinctively avoided looking at Qiu Li, then immediately felt guilty about the movement.

‘No… I was just thinking that looking away would make me seem guilty. Why couldn’t I hold back?!’

Panic spread completely through her heart. Beads of sweat made strands of hair stick to her cheeks.

Looking back at Qiu Li, she still wore that expressionless look, completely… unreadable.

‘Has Qiu Li already figured something out? Will she believe what I want to say?’

Even though Qinghe had already decided what she should say, for some reason, the moment she opened her mouth, it was as if her tongue were tied, and she could not utter a single word.

Qiu Li’s cold gaze slowly grew fervent, even impatient. Her widened blood-red eyes stared straight at Qinghe, the corners of her mouth unconsciously curving into a twisted smile.

“Slowly… Xiao He, what do you want to say? Take it slow…”

Qiu Li was eagerly anticipating whether she would hear the answer she wanted.

But in Qinghe’s eyes, Qiu Li’s smile was infinitely magnified.

‘Why is she smiling? Smiling so terrifyingly… like… a hunter toying with its prey!’

‘Have I really been exposed?’

Her lips trembled. Qinghe clenched her small hands, but when the words reached her mouth, what came out was… only silent streams of air.

Along with them, her breathing stalled.

Fear spread throughout her body.

‘Why… why can’t I speak!’

The room was quiet to the extreme, filled only with the girl’s rapid breathing.

Her thoughts were in chaos, her mind like a lump of paste. Qinghe’s eyes were filled with terror. She only opened her mouth again and again, trying desperately to make a sound, but she realized that it was as if she had forgotten how to speak.

How were lips supposed to move?

What were syllables supposed to be like?

Why did she stop breathing the moment she opened her mouth?

Large tears fell relentlessly, striking the bed heavily.

‘Hurry… if I don’t say it, then, then it’s over…’

Qiu Li stood to the side, watching all of Qinghe’s movements.

She looked at the girl with anticipation.

This appearance, this frightened look, this terrified look. Was she afraid of this world? Was she terrified of this world?

If she was afraid, then… then come and rely on her…! Xiao He, hurry…

Say it, say it… Xiao He, was it because of what you experienced in the past year that you changed, right?

After all, in this world, only she would treat you this well!

Qinghe did not notice that Qiu Li’s expression in front of her was becoming more and more abnormal.

It was as if… she was quite satisfied with Qinghe’s performance.

In her confusion, Qinghe lowered her head and looked at her own hands.

‘Why… why can’t I speak!’

‘If this goes on, then I, then I’m really finished!’

‘Calm down… calm down… calm down… Qinghe! You can do this…’

‘As long as you say that sentence… those sentences you already prepared in your heart… it will be fine…’

‘Calm down…’

She kept trying. In Qiu Li’s eyes, Qinghe clumsily opened her mouth again and again, but there was always only soundless air.

Until after Qinghe’s final futile attempt to open her mouth, all her strength seemed to flow away with her breath.

She stopped trying to speak. She only lifted her head and looked at Qiu Li with eyes that had been thoroughly washed by tears, appearing unnaturally clear and hollow.

‘Am I… finished?’

‘Right?’

‘I had already thought of what to say… but I can’t… say it…’

‘No…’

‘No…’

“Mm…!”

Her tears burst forth like a broken dam. Her swollen, reddened eyes could no longer conceal her despair.

The final sound that emerged from her throat was nothing more than a whimper.

She cried. Her emotions were like a bottomless abyss, swallowing her completely.

But at that very moment… a soft, fragrant embrace came over her.

Qinghe’s eyes widened.

“Xiao He, I understand now…”

“I heard your answer.”

Again and again, without the slightest impatience, Qiu Li gently stroked the girl’s pale forehead. She wiped away the sweat, then carefully wiped the tears from beneath her eyes, before lowering her head and placing a kiss right at the center of the girl’s brow.

Throughout the entire process, Qinghe was almost completely unable to move. What was Qiu Li doing? Shouldn’t she be angry and punish her?

Or something else entirely?

Why… was she being so gentle?

“Xiao He… don’t rush. Slowly… I will protect you.”

“Later, you can tell me what you really want to say…”

…

Suddenly, pain surged from deep within her head, startling Qinghe.

‘This is bad…’

‘My body… it seems like it can’t move…’

When she had been talking with Qiu Li earlier, the pain stimulus had not been strong enough. It seemed that her clarity level had dropped!

Terror made Qinghe want to move, but she had already lost the strength to control her body.

Her overburdened body had completely collapsed.

‘No… don’t…!’

…

[Clarity: 10] (About to lose the ability to think)