It was time to move on to the next step.
After several performances of feigning fear in the dark environment, Xia Mengxi noticed a clear shift in Lin Xue’er’s attitude-from deliberately ignoring her to showing concern every time she brought meals.
So, she decided that during Lin Xue’er’s next visit, she would execute the second step of her three-stage plan: putting on the act of someone on the verge of a mental breakdown.
“But this kind of mental state isn’t easy to portray…”
She muttered to herself, feeling rather uncertain about what she was about to do.
After all, an ordinary person who had never experienced true despair would find it hard to convincingly act out that kind of shattered expression.
Even if she couldn’t do it naturally, that didn’t mean she had no solution.
After some thought, she decided to simulate in her mind a scenario where she was playing a video game, only for the power to suddenly cut out at a critical moment-not only losing an hour’s worth of unsaved progress but also having the save file corrupted in the process.
As soon as this scene flashed in her mind, Xia Mengxi began to show signs of emotional collapse.
“Damn, that feels a bit too real… but it’s perfect. The effect will be spot-on.”
To avoid desensitizing herself to this fabricated memory, she only rehearsed it twice in her mind before stopping.
Once prepared, she waited for Lin Xue’er’s arrival.
Soon, as time passed, the familiar faint light finally pierced the pitch-black space.
On the illuminated staircase, the familiar figure appeared right on schedule.
Seeing this, Xia Mengxi slowly closed her eyes and focused her attention on the fabricated scene in her mind.
“Sorry to keep you waiting, Xiao Xi. I brought you food…”
Noticing that Xia Mengxi wasn’t waiting at her usual spot a meter below the stairs, Lin Xue’er, holding the tray, peered curiously into the darkness.
“Xiao Xi? Are you asleep?”
Just as her words fell, Xia Mengxi abruptly opened her eyes from where she sat on the bed.
However, due to the lighting, Lin Xue’er couldn’t see her face or the changes in her expression.
“Sleep… sleep my ass! There’s something fucking creepy in here! How the hell am I supposed to sleep?!”
The sudden outburst from the darkness startled Lin Xue’er, who had been completely unprepared.
Fortunately, her grip on the tray was steady, or else the food would have spilled from her trembling.
“Xiao Xi, I’ve told you so many times there’s no one else here besides you and me.”
“Yeah, you’ve said that. But how do you explain the weird noises that keep happening at the worst times? If there’s nothing creepy here and no one else, then are you the one messing with me?”
Lin Xue’er sighed, responding helplessly to Xia Mengxi’s accusations.
“Xiao Xi, do you really think I’d do something so pointless?”
Think? No, no-I know you would.
Xia Mengxi scoffed inwardly before continuing to yell at Lin Xue’er.
“How the hell should I know what you’d do?! You’ve already ignored my basic rights and locked me up here against my will—what wouldn’t you do?!”
“Xiao Xi… hearing you say that really hurts me.”
“What does your sadness have to do with me? If you want to prove yourself, then why don’t you turn on the lights here and keep them on?”
As soon as these words left her mouth, Xia Mengxi felt she had overdone her display of rebellious behavior.
Fortunately, her words didn’t anger Lin Xue’er, who even maintained a calm tone.
“Sorry, Xiao Xi, but I can’t grant your request. This is part of your punishment for making a mistake, so I won’t turn on the lights for you.”
Although Lin Xue’er’s approach now differed from before, it precisely showed how satisfied she was with her own methods of discipline.
Otherwise, she could have simply ignored the explanation, put on a stern face to signal disobedience, and left directly.
As for Xia Mengxi, after her ‘outburst,’ she began to ‘calm down gradually’ due to Lin Xue’er’s attitude.
After a moment of silence, she rose from the bed with a ‘weary’ expression and walked over to face the other girl.
Incidentally, this weariness wasn’t an act—it was due to the unbearably poor conditions here, making it impossible to sleep well.
No matter how well she adjusted her mindset, knowing full well it was Lin Xue’er’s doing, she was still an ordinary person affected physically and mentally by her environment.
“Then what exactly do you want me to do before you’ll let me leave? I… I can’t take it anymore.”
On her way to meet Lin Xue’er, Xia Mengxi had secretly pinched her thigh, so now, instead of the fiery defiance from earlier, her voice carried a hint of tears and pleading as she met Lin Xue’er’s gaze.
Seeing her like this, Lin Xue’er adopted a sympathetic expression, stepping forward to embrace her.
“I’ve already told you, Xiao Xi. As long as you’re a good, obedient child, I’ll… forgive you.”
“A good child…”
Xia Mengxi looked at her with confusion before voicing her doubt.
“So if I become the ‘good child’ you speak of, you’ll take me away from here?”
“Yes, exactly.”
“Then… what exactly defines this ‘good child’ of yours?”
Lin Xue’er thought for a moment before smiling and answering slowly.
“Never betraying me, obeying my words without a shred of doubt as long as you meet these two key points, you’ll be a good child in my eyes.”
“…..”
If not for maintaining her current persona, Xia Mengxi would have loved to punch Lin Xue’er’s beautiful yet demonic face.
What kind of ‘good child’ was this? More like a thoroughly tamed dog!
Sigh… Patience, she had to be patient!
At this point, any out-of-character action would ruin all her efforts, and the hard-won chance to turn the tables would vanish, plunging her into true despair.
Lin Xue’er, I, Xia Mengxi, will remember this debt!
If I ever get the chance, I’ll make sure to collect every last bit with interest!
“I… I understand… I’ll try to—no, I’ll do my best to become the good child you want. So… can you at least…?”
Before Xia Mengxi could finish speaking, Lin Xue’er in front of her had already taken out a phone from her dress pocket and tapped on the screen.
The lights in the metal cell were turned on again after what felt like an eternity.
At that moment, Xia Mengxi genuinely felt relieved at the return of the light-she didn’t even have to pretend.
After all, having been imprisoned in the dark cell, she had been longing for brightness.
But… her eyes hurt so much!