“I know this is a bit too difficult, asking you to give up on such a wonderful girl right away, but I think you should also face reality. There is no future between you and Lin Huanhuan.”
“You are merely a newly enrolled Outer Sect Disciple. Lin Huanhuan not only possesses Foundation Establishment stage strength and is an Inner Sect Disciple, but most importantly, she is the daughter of the Lin Family head. Your status is worlds apart from hers. If you obediently step back—”
Dong Yuner, who was using every trick in the book to directly persuade You Yuelan, froze. “You… you weren’t just refusing? I really didn’t mishear? You agreed just like that?”
In that moment, Dong Yuner even doubted if her intense desire to be with Lin Huanhuan forever and her eagerness to persuade You Yuelan had caused an auditory hallucination, making her hear agreement instead of refusal.
You Yuelan repeated her words expressionlessly. “Yes, I agree. You did not mishear.”
Seeing this, Dong Yuner’s bright eyes were instantly filled with joy, and she quickly “understood” You Yuelan’s inner state. ‘She must have also realized the gap between herself and the young miss, knowing it’s impossible, so she’s not pursuing it.’
‘Plus, the young miss and she haven’t known each other for long. There’s definitely not much affection. Perhaps she was just infatuated with the young miss’s beauty.’
‘Now that I’ve come to her, my strength far surpasses hers. She fears my power, worries that bargaining will displease me and bring disaster, so she agreed directly. That must be it.’
Having so quickly figured out the whole story, Dong Yuner couldn’t help but smile and nod. She had originally planned to give You Yuelan a sum of spirit stones to leave, but she hadn’t expected the other party to agree before even receiving them, saving her a large amount of spirit stones.
Dong Yuner showed a sincere smile, looking at You Yuelan with the gaze of a senior observing a junior, revealing an appreciative expression as she nodded and smiled. “Not bad. Knowing when to advance and retreat, understanding the bigger picture. It seems your potential on the Immortal Path is not weak.”
“Alright then, consider this as me owing you a favor. If you ever need help in the future, just say the word.”
You Yuelan tilted her head, not fully understanding Dong Yuner’s thoughts, but still forced a slight smile. “Okay. If there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave first.”
“Go on.”
You Yuelan turned and left at a leisurely pace. Talking to these people for so long and being forced to beat up Song Qingqing and the others earlier had truly exhausted her. She needed to hurry back and rest.
You Yuelan’s thoughts were actually very simple. ‘It’s always been Lin Huanhuan coming to find me. I’ve never gone to find her. So, the idea of me actively seeking her out simply doesn’t exist. Since it’s something that doesn’t exist anyway, there’s no harm. I can just agree directly.’
‘As for Lin Huanhuan coming to find me tomorrow, that has nothing to do with me. After all, it’s Lin Huanhuan actively seeking me out. How can that be my fault?’
‘Dong Yuner should understand this point too. No need to explain. That’s too much trouble.’
Holding onto this line of thinking, You Yuelan happily went back to sleep.
Dong Yuner watched her departing figure and couldn’t help but nod, her impression greatly improved. “Truly quite good. She didn’t even ask what my true purpose was in doing this. It seems she really knows her own limitations.”
“If only every woman were like You Yuelan. Especially that detestable Ye Jinxi. I didn’t pay her much attention initially, thinking she wouldn’t pose much of a threat.”
“After all, that person hated the young miss so much at the start, not showing a single sign of liking her. Who would have thought it would reach this unmanageable stage now? How infuriating. I should never have let her get close from the beginning.”
A flash of annoyance passed through Dong Yuner’s eyes. She snorted coldly and quickly dispelled that hateful figure from her mind.
Returning to Little Bamboo Peak, she immediately saw Lin Huanhuan, who was bored and spacing out.
“What were you doing? Why are you back so late?” Lin Huanhuan asked somewhat listlessly.
A trace of guilt flickered across Dong Yuner’s face as she smiled brightly. “I went down the mountain to buy some things. I didn’t expect you, young miss, to be back so early today. Had I known, I wouldn’t have shopped for so long.”
“I just got back too.”
Lin Huanhuan didn’t notice anything amiss. After all, she was still sneaking around with someone every day, feeling quite guilty herself. How could she have the time to carefully observe any oddities about Dong Yuner? She wished she could just dive straight into the quilt to prevent Dong Yuner from noticing anything strange.
After dinner, Lin Huanhuan began pondering the matter of You Yuelan again. “Although I don’t know what madness has struck the second female lead, making her act like this toward me, I must find a way to resolve it.”
“Good heavens, why is this happening? Ye Jinxi, though a bit outrageous, is still somewhat understandable. After all, I saved her. A hero saving a beauty, it’s inevitable she’d develop some affection.”
“But what on earth is going on with You Yuelan? I’m completely baffled. I didn’t even try to gain a single shred of her favor, and she just came offering herself up. Anyone who didn’t know better would probably think I’m the female lead.”
“Ah, forget it. I’ll think of another way later.”
—
The next day.
A hint of smugness.
When You Yuelan saw the figure next to her seat, even she couldn’t help but let the corners of her lips curl up slightly, a sense of satisfaction blooming in her heart.
‘This is really good. Lin Huanhuan really came to find me again today. It seems I can hug her again today. I was pulled away before I had my fill yesterday. I hope I can hug her longer today. I wonder if asking for permission would work?’
‘Speaking of which, what was her reason for coming to find me in the first place? It should also be to let me hug her, right? Hmm, that should be it.’
Unwilling to overthink, You Yuelan directly beautified the past events in her mind and sat down happily.
Lin Huanhuan shot her a displeased glance and retorted directly, “What are you looking at? Looking all smug. Anyone who didn’t know better would think you just went out robbing someone.”
You Yuelan replied calmly, “I don’t want to go robbing. It’s too troublesome.”
Hearing this, Lin Huanhuan’s eyelid twitched, only then remembering that this second female lead in front of her hailed from Chaotic Demon Mountain—that place which literally eats people without spitting out the bones.
For You Yuelan, robbery was probably no different from after-dinner entertainment.
You Yuelan asked with a hint of delight, “Can I hug you now? I’m prepared. Can I hug you longer today?”
Lin Huanhuan was stunned for a moment before recalling what You Yuelan had said to her yesterday: ‘Holding you feels very comfortable to me, and this should be your way of bullying me, right?’
Lin Huanhuan’s anger immediately flared. She refused without hesitation, “Shut up! Don’t bring up that request again! Who wants to let you hug? I’m the one who’s supposed to bully you, not the other way around!”
“Oh.”
You Yuelan slumped down somewhat sullenly. ‘It seems I can’t hug her today.’