Shen Cishu suddenly saw Su Li, like spotting the only light in complete darkness. Her body, tense with fear, instinctively rushed toward her.
At the moment she was about to reach Su Li, she didn’t hesitate to hug her tightly, wrapping her arms firmly around Su Li’s waist as if trying to merge their bodies with all her strength.
The force was so strong it almost made Su Li lose her breath.
Her face buried in Su Li’s shoulder, her breathing was rapid and uneven, trembling noticeably.
“Mother… don’t leave me…”
Shen Cishu’s voice was hoarse, tinged with sobs, squeezed out from deep within her throat.
Her fingers dug tightly into Su Li’s back, nails almost piercing the skin, but she was completely unaware, only desperate to hold on as if letting go would make Su Li vanish and herself be swallowed by the thunder.
Her lips unconsciously pressed against Su Li’s neck, as if searching for comfort, or instinctively trying to get closer, just a little closer.
The hot, hurried breaths brushed Su Li’s skin, filled with a nearly desperate dependence.
Su Li was aching from the hug, her back skin stinging where the nails dug in, but she didn’t push Shen Cishu away. Instead, she gently patted her back and whispered soothingly, “It’s okay, it’s okay. I’m here. Don’t be afraid…”
It was as if Shen Cishu didn’t hear her at all; she hugged even tighter, her fingers embedding into Su Li’s flesh, her whole body trembling as if only this could bring her a shred of safety.
Her hair was messy, draped over Su Li’s shoulder, looking both disheveled and fragile.
The thunder continued, but Shen Cishu’s breathing seemed to calm down a bit. Still, her grip on Su Li didn’t loosen, like clutching the last lifeline and refusing to let go.
“It’s already thundering, why doesn’t Mother come to check on me? Why doesn’t she come to find me, when… when Mother knows I’m afraid of thunder!”
“Is it because of Elder Sister?”
“It must be because of Elder Sister!”
“Elder Sister just wants to see me scared, so she’s deliberately holding Mother back, not letting Mother come to me!”
Su Li felt the nails pressing into her back, transforming into fists pounding over and over again with great force.
It even hurt a little.
She patiently comforted Shen Cishu while thinking over the price of the Equivalent Exchange.
In a gentle tone, Su Li said, “It’s Mother’s fault, Mother was wrong, Mother is sorry to Little Cishu.”
Although Su Li patiently comforted Shen Cishu, she was like a wild piglet struggling everywhere, venting all at once.
Su Li silently endured, not letting go of Shen Cishu’s embrace even when the blows hit her ribs.
Only when the thunder gradually ceased did Shen Cishu’s emotions settle slightly.
She held Su Li tightly, her fear fading, greedily breathing in Su Li’s scent.
The discomfort caused by the thunder slowly vanished, and Shen Cishu even felt quite good now.
No wonder she was a professional Emotional Counselor—after such a session, it really was comfortable.
“How much?”
“Twenty thousand yuan, including the treatment for the wounds on my body.”
Su Li’s tone was gentle, not revealing her own wounds to Shen Cishu, since although the injuries caused by Shen Cishu were painful, they would heal soon.
Hearing Su Li’s quote, Shen Cishu frowned slightly.
Twenty thousand yuan was nearly two months’ salary for her.
Of course, she wasn’t short of money.
But… spending twenty thousand yuan in such a short time felt somewhat wasteful and not worthwhile!
A figure appeared in Shen Cishu’s mind.
If it were her Elder Sister here, seeing her in such a mess, she would surely mock her.
Moreover, as a Graduate Student at the University and a Future Advisor, twenty thousand yuan was well within her status.
“Alright, but I hope that when we don’t have a Transaction, you won’t bother me or affect my normal life.”
“No problem.”
Su Li naturally didn’t refuse Shen Cishu.
Although soon she would be attending classes taught by Shen Cishu, at university, if she didn’t want to, they wouldn’t have much contact.
Just attending class and leaving afterward would be enough.
Su Li looked out the window; the rain had stopped, but the sky was still covered with dark clouds, pitch black, as if another heavy rainstorm would come soon.
She looked back at Shen Cishu, whose face had once again returned to the cold, distant expression from before, as if nothing had happened between them.
Su Li’s initial thought of staying overnight here was dismissed; she suddenly felt leaving now might be a good choice.
The Transaction was complete. Su Li glanced at the transfer notification on her phone, just as she was about to speak, Shen Cishu cut in coldly, “You can leave. As for that piece of clothing of yours, I’ll return it the next time you provide me with Service.”
Su Li had naturally seen this kind of customer before—someone who enjoyed themselves but then acted cold and aloof afterward.
She said nothing more, instead putting on a professional fake smile as usual, though this time it was gentler, and calmly said, “This Service is now complete. Goodbye!”
After saying this, she left without looking back.
It was already dark, and at this hour, there were no buses. So Su Li ordered a Private Car online.
She sat at the Corridor outside Shen Cishu’s Room, waiting for the car to arrive, checking her phone.
Since parting ways with Xiao Yuyu, the messages had been nonstop.
Xiao Yuyu was clearly in a bad mood but wasn’t trying to get a discount or anything.
Scrolling up, Su Li soon saw a WeChat Transfer from Xiao Yuyu—more than the 500 yuan from their previous game session.
Five hundred and twenty yuan.
She sensed that recently Xiao Yuyu seemed a bit obsessed with her, often sending money for no reason.
But Su Li didn’t overthink it; if there was money, she would accept it without hesitation and simply provide some emotional support in return.
Most of Xiao Yuyu’s messages asked what she was doing or why she wasn’t replying.
The same question repeated several times.
Su Li didn’t reply immediately but used the Corridor’s light to take a photo of her not yet fully healed neck and sent it to Bai Huizi.
She updated her on what had happened tonight.
Not long after, another transfer notification came through.
“vfb received, 30,000 yuan.”