I will always be with you
Lin Qing is very fair-skinned.
This fact Qiao Yu has always known, but it wasn’t until now that she truly, genuinely re-discovered this fact.
Instead of fumbling in the darkness, they left a bedside lamp on, casting a dim, yellow light that enveloped Lin Qing in a hazy soft glow, swirling around her with a tantalizingly elusive aura, accentuating her porcelain-like skin with a touch of sweetness.
Her skin felt slightly cool from being exposed to the air, smooth and delicate, causing a slight shiver when Qiao Yu touched it.
Lin Qing seemed like a person crafted from freshly fallen snow.
When people see places covered in snow, they always have an inexplicable urge, a desire to leave their footprints in the snow.
This is probably a kind of bad trait, Qiao Yu thought.
Qiao Yu increased the strength in her hands slightly, and finally heard a light gasp as she had wished.
Every touch felt very soft, even making Qiao Yu wonder why she and Lin Qing, both being girls, had such a stark difference in touch. Were other girls like this too?
This speculation could only be confirmed with the chance of being alone with Lin Qing. Qiao Yu couldn’t help but hold her tightly, as if wanting to blend her into her own bones and blood.
Look.
As Lin Qing gradually melted into her arms, Qiao Yu gently kissed her head and whispered to her, using nearly infatuated eyes to take in every detail of Lin Qing.
Getting warmer.
Not bad, Qiao Yu successfully warmed up her lover, hearing Lin Qing repeatedly calling her name in her ear, the voice filled with passionate emotions. Perhaps at that moment, Lin Qing no longer had the capacity to think about the meaning behind it, just softly calling out to be closer to her lover. She would get anxious if she didn’t hear Qiao Yu’s response and might even start to include a hint of crying in her voice.
Qiao Yu never wanted to see Lin Qing cry, even at moments like this. So, she patiently responded to her, repeatedly proving her presence, trying to wipe away any discomfort and vulnerability that her lover was exposing in that moment.
But in the end, she still saw Lin Qing’s tears fall. Weakly, Lin Qing smiled and said it was because she liked her so much. Qiao Yu kissed away her tears, holding her tightly with a chest full of love.
This time, the tears were sweet.
They fell into a deep sleep together, a dreamless and sweet slumber.
When she woke up, her lover was right beside her.
It must be one of the most moving things in the world, Qiao Yu understood this knowledge as she opened her eyes.
The events of the previous night happened quickly, and neither of them had thought about the next day. Although she hadn’t checked the time yet, judging from the sunlight filtering through the curtains, Qiao Yu was definitely going to miss her morning classes.
Without having time to ponder about possibly oversleeping for the day, Qiao Yu quickly became completely focused on Lin Qing lying next to her.
Lin Qing was still asleep – this was expected, considering she had likely expended more physical energy the day before, and Qiao Yu had taken care of all the aftermath.
Honestly, the advantage of having two bedrooms at this moment was evident. There was no need to hastily tidy up the beds; just switching rooms allowed for a peaceful sleep on a fresh bed.
…Even though it wasn’t quite as she had initially imagined, the two-bedroom set-up had indeed played a significant role, leaving Qiao Yu unsure of what expression to put on.
Recalling the events of the previous night made her feel warm again, but Qiao Yu was afraid of disturbing Lin Qing and hesitated to move. Instead, she quietly lifted the covers a bit to let some heat escape, causing an awkward moment as an unexpected sight flashed before her eyes when she lifted the covers. Qiao Yu couldn’t help blushing uncontrollably.
“Wow, host, you’re really a beast.”
“?! Don’t suddenly speak so loudly early in the morning! It’s so scary!”
After being silent since last night, the system suddenly spoke, startling Qiao Yu so much that she shivered and almost exclaimed out loud. Thankfully, she managed to bite her tongue and restrain herself, immediately scolding the system in her mind.
“No, I just sensed that the host was awake, so I wanted to kindly inform the host – it’s now 9:37, congratulations, the host might still be able to catch the third or fourth morning classes if you leave now, but it seems like the host isn’t planning on going out.”
“I don’t have classes in the morning.” Qiao Yu said angrily, then hesitated and asked somewhat uneasily, “…What were you doing earlier?”
“Don’t worry, host.”
Understanding the meaning behind Qiao Yu’s words, the system responded with a tone of regret but determination.
“I went into hibernation while Lin Qing was helping the host with her hair yesterday. I took advantage of this break to watch some—ahem, videos.”
“…”
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In just a few words, there were two things to criticize. Firstly, why could the system anticipate that it shouldn’t witness what followed at that moment, and secondly, what kind of videos was the system watching during that time — No, Qiao Yu felt she didn’t really want to know the answer to the second question.
“Ah—I was worried that the host and Lin Qing wouldn’t get along, but now it seems like the host is quite brave! On Lin Qing’s neck—”
“Don’t say it!”
Qiao Yu couldn’t help but bounce on the bed, causing it to shake, and Lin Qing, who was still in a dream, furrowed her brows slightly but didn’t open her eyes, only letting out a soft hum as she instinctively sought warmth and moved closer to Qiao Yu.
Her movement caused the blanket to slip down, revealing her neck.
On her fair skin, there were some ambiguous marks that were very noticeable, drawing attention.
“What a beast. I’m really happy for the host.”
“…Let me confirm first, you’re not using ‘beast’ as a compliment, are you?”
“Yes, doesn’t ‘beast’ sound better than ‘jellyfish’?”
“Are those the only two words in your vocabulary to describe me?”
Qiao Yu gritted her teeth, feeling that arguing with a simple-minded artificial intelligence early in the morning was truly a supernatural event, needlessly burning energy and even making her hungry.
She cast another fleeting glance at the marks on Lin Qing’s body, resisting the impulse to cover her face and wail.
No joke, it was really excessive. Lin Qing wouldn’t be able to go out today if she didn’t wear a high collar.
She didn’t feel like she had gone overboard last night… She had been constantly reminding herself to be gentler, so was this the result of her attempts at being gentle? And the areas covered by her pajamas in her memory were actually the worst-hit zones.
Qiao Yu didn’t have the courage to confirm her actions now. The overflowing love she hadn’t had the chance to express in the morning quickly got mixed with some guilt and an inexplicable sense of satisfaction, making her fall into self-loathing.
Feeling guilty for a wrongdoing, she wanted to make up for it somewhere else. Qiao Yu made up her mind and quietly got out of bed.
Her movements were very careful, and Lin Qing only reacted slightly when she stood up, furrowing her brow but still sleeping soundly.
Leaving from beside Lin Qing required a lot of willpower. Qiao Yu stood by the bed and watched her for a long time before steeling herself to turn and leave the room. After freshening up, she headed to their brand-new kitchen.
Initially planning to make breakfast in the kitchen to please Lin Qing, Qiao Yu only realized she had forgotten something when she opened the fridge – they didn’t have any ingredients. The new home was so empty.
Unable to do anything about it, Qiao Yu pondered for a while in distress. She had no choice but to change her clothes and prepare to run to the convenience store downstairs, hoping to return before Lin Qing woke up.
While waiting for the elevator, Qiao Yu glanced at her phone and found several messages from Cong Ye, starting from last night.
Cong Ye: I’m telling you, Lin Qing skipped classes yesterday and today. Do you know about this?
…Honestly, I really didn’t know. So the Student Council President, Lin Qing, skipped classes openly for the past two days to see houses and move. Is that really okay?
Cong Ye: There was roll call today, and I tried to answer for her with a hoarse voice. I hope it passed unnoticed.
Cong Ye: This teacher is very strict. If he finds out Lin Qing didn’t come, her GPA might drop by 0.1.
Cong Ye: If you’re with her, please tell her that I really tried my best.
Such touching friendship. Qiao Yu silently checked the message sent time: 10:13 pm.
…I’m sorry, Cong Ye. I was really busy at that time, and I didn’t mean to ignore your message on purpose.
Thinking this, Qiao Yu sent a thank-you reply. As for the reason for not replying promptly, she decisively lied and said she was going to sleep.
After deceiving the innocent Cong Ye, Qiao Yu arrived at the convenience store. She decided that at this hour, there was no need to make breakfast anymore. She opted to buy something that could be eaten as a lunch instead. Feeling genuinely hungry, her eyes scanned the shelves filled with various food and snacks. She ended up buying two large bags full, carried the heavy bags, and panting made her way back home.
The convenience store was located in the neighborhood, just a few minutes away from home. Thinking about the still sleeping Lin Qing, Qiao Yu consciously quickened her pace.
Even counting the time she spent picking things at the convenience store, Qiao Yu was only out for about fifteen minutes.
But as she returned to the front door of her home, fumbling with the keys to open the door, the tightly closed door suddenly swung open without warning.
It was a startled Lin Qing who opened the door, she stared at Qiao Yu for a few seconds, then reached out and forcefully pulled her into the house before shutting the door.
She closed the door with force, and the sound of the door echoed in the hallway, followed by a muffled noise as something was stuck on the door.
“…Where did you go?”
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Lin Qing was still in her pajamas, trying to maintain a calm voice but trembling visibly.
The oppressive atmosphere surrounding her was terrifying, her eyes devoid of light and deep as she pressed Qiao Yu against the door. It was only now that Qiao Yu’s brain slowly started to comprehend the situation.
She had thought that this long-unseen symptom was finally easing, but now this situation… it was eerily similar to that one time.
“Sorry, I went to the convenience store, wanted to buy something to eat…” Qiao Yu softened her voice, glancing towards the two shopping bags that had fallen to the ground due to Lin Qing’s actions, the items inside scattered and spilled out.
“I should have left you a message, I’m sorry.”
“…”
Lin Qing looked at her silently, but the atmosphere slowly softened.
“…You weren’t beside me when I woke up.”
“Uh, that was my oversight.”
“I searched the whole house, and you weren’t there either.”
“I’m sorry, I should have come back earlier.”
“After what you did to me yesterday, the first thing you say today is an apology, terrible.”
Lin Qing’s moist black eyes stared unblinkingly at Qiao Yu, her body leaning forward, leaning into her embrace, her voice very soft.
“Good morning, welcome back, sorry for overreacting.”
Qiao Yu’s heart melted instantly, feeling a pang of pain stirred by Lin Qing’s tone of apology, she shook her head and hugged her tightly.
“It’s my fault. I thought I could come back before you woke up—”
“You haven’t said good morning to me yet.”
“Good morning.”
Qiao Yu chuckled, deciding not to mention that it was no longer considered early. She obediently responded, hearing Lin Qing make a muffled grunt.
“In fact, I only woke up about five minutes ago.”
The intense emotions gradually turned milder, allowing Lin Qing to reflect on her behavior rationally, her voice filled with regret.
“But I… I just couldn’t control myself. I panicked as soon as I saw you were not home.”
“What should I do, Qiao Yu? Should I go see a psychologist?”
Upon hearing Lin Qing’s serious tone, Qiao Yu’s face showed a slight surprise. Before she could respond, Lin Qing shook her head.
“…I need to rethink this on my own. I have other things to say right now.”
She lifted her head from Qiao Yu’s shoulder, her eyes revealing shyness and resentment.
“I already said it earlier, starting today with an apology after what happened last night is just terrible.”
“…”
Qiao Yu felt guilty and speechless. Although the conversation at the door was initiated by Lin Qing, if they were to really compare, her question of ‘where did you go?’ was not a suitable opening for the day. However, the fact that Qiao Yu’s first words to her today were an apology was undeniable, especially in the context of Lin Qing’s mood, creating a very delicate situation.
“No, that’s not what I meant…”
She found herself at a loss for words for a moment. Qiao Yu couldn’t help but recall many TV dramas where the leads would start with an apology after a night passed, a common line being: “Sorry, I got drunk last night.”
But they are not like that! They are a mutual affection, a willingness from both sides!
“Alright, let’s start over.”
Qiao Yu made a decisive move, grabbing Lin Qing’s shoulder, putting on a serious expression, and looking at Lin Qing with curiosity, she said the second most common line from cheesy TV dramas.
“—I will take responsibility.”
The two looked at each other and burst into laughter. The tension that was present just moments ago dissipated. Lin Qing smiled and wrapped her arms around Qiao Yu’s neck, her eyes sparkling as she squinted joyfully.
“This is what you said, you have to take responsibility.”
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“Yes, yes, of course I will take responsibility, I really made out like a bandit on this one.”
“After this, your mom won’t suddenly find me and then pull out a check to make me leave her daughter, right?”
“No way! You’ve met my mom before, she might even like you more than me.”
“Really? Then I won’t be able to make any money. A bit regretful.”
“To actually consider this as making money…”
Qiao Yu chuckled helplessly, playfully lifting Lin Qing in a prank-like manner, prompting a surprised gasp from Lin Qing, lightly tapping her nose before setting her back down.
“It’s too late for regrets now. I’ll be sticking by your side in the future, even if you turn around and give me money, I won’t leave.”
“…Is that so?”
“Mm.”
Her lover’s voice, which was originally filled with humor, suddenly became extremely serious, nodding solemnly.
“I promise you.”
If she needed reassurance, she could say it as many times as she wanted.
“I will always be with you.”
