‘Huh?’
‘The lights outside are all off. Shouldn’t everyone be resting? Why is someone knocking on her door?’
Ye Xingmian hesitated, then sat up and walked to the door, slowly opening it.
Since no lights were on, it was very dark outside. Only the faint glow from the window illuminated the person before her, allowing her to identify the visitor.
“Yinuo…?”
The visitor was indeed Liu Yinuo. She was expressionless, wearing pajamas and carrying a pillow in her arms. Upon seeing Ye Xingmian open the door, she raised her index finger to her lips, making a shushing gesture.
“Shh, don’t talk. Let me in.”
“Huh? Okay… sure…”
Though still puzzled, it was cold at night, and it wouldn’t be good to keep Liu Yinuo standing at the door. So she obediently stepped aside to let Liu Yinuo in.
After Liu Yinuo entered, Ye Xingmian hesitated for a moment but silently closed the door.
“Yinuo, is there something you need from me?” Her voice carried a hint of nervousness.
“Can’t I come find you if there’s nothing?” Liu Yinuo retorted.
Unlike the somewhat nervous Ye Xingmian, she seemed quite relaxed.
Watching Liu Yinuo walk straight to the edge of the bed and place her pillow next to Ye Xingmian’s, Ye Xingmian spoke up weakly.
“Um… are you going to sleep here?”
“What else?”
“Ah… then… I’ll sleep on the floor… I’ll go get a mat right now.”
Ye Xingmian almost instinctively started to move, but was frozen by a nasal sound from Liu Yinuo.
“Hm?”
‘Is she angry? Why all of a sudden…’
Liu Yinuo still seemed expressionless, but there was a hint of discontent in her gaze.
Ye Xingmian timidly lifted her eyes to look at Liu Yinuo sitting on the edge of the bed.
“No need. You should know why I’m here, right? Going out of your way to lay out a mat and sleep on the floor—do you hate me that much? Are you really that unwilling to sleep with me?”
This question nearly stunned Ye Xingmian.
‘Hate? How could that be…’
“It’s not like that… I’m just a little nervous…”
“Nervous about what?”
“I… it’s my first time sleeping with you… I’m afraid I’ll make a fool of myself…”
“Afraid of what? It’s not like it’s your first time sleeping with someone, right? Earlier with Zou Haiyue, and later with Lin Ziyan—they must have asked you to sleep with them, right? Don’t think I don’t know. What’s the matter? Am I not good enough?”
Ye Xingmian fell silent.
She never expected Liu Yinuo to ask such a question.
Not to mention that those times she was forced, she never wanted to do such things. As for the harm she suffered during those times, wasn’t it already too much…
But she didn’t complain.
Or rather, faced with Liu Yinuo’s accusation, she never considered complaining as an option.
Even though doing so might have been to her advantage.
“…You’re different,” she said.
“Oh? Different how?”
‘Different how?’
Ye Xingmian couldn’t answer.
In her world, Liu Yinuo seemed different from those two in every way, but she couldn’t immediately articulate how.
Or perhaps, even if she could, she didn’t want to say.
So she remained silent.
Finally, as if conceding, she walked over and sat down next to Liu Yinuo.
“How am I different? Come on, tell me.”
Liu Yinuo quietly leaned in, wrapping an arm around her waist.
The gesture seemed a little too intimate.
It had happened before, but she had never really paid attention. Now, in this atmosphere, that simple action seemed to carry a different meaning.
Ye Xingmian inexplicably blushed. She struggled slightly but didn’t resist.
She thought about changing the subject, not wanting to continue this topic.
“Um… if Uncle and Aunt find out you came to my room, won’t that be bad…?”
That was indeed something Ye Xingmian worried about.
“Don’t worry about that. If anything happens, just say I came to you on my own and you didn’t dare refuse. If they punish anyone, it’ll be me.”
Fortunately, Liu Yinuo didn’t pursue her awkward subject change, and the matter was dropped.
“Okay…”
“So go to sleep. Don’t even think about sleeping on the floor, got it?”
“Mm…”
So she obediently lay down on the bed.
Since Liu Yinuo lay down after her, she ended up on the inside, with the wall beside her and Liu Yinuo on the outside.
From this angle, it felt like Liu Yinuo had blocked her in completely, airtight.
Contrary to her expectations, Liu Yinuo didn’t wrap herself around her like an octopus. That was somewhat surprising.
After all, that was how it had been with Zou Haiyue and Lin Ziyan.
For some reason, she felt a bit unsettled, an emptiness.
Watching Liu Yinuo close her eyes and her breathing gradually steady, doubt arose in Ye Xingmian’s heart.
‘Could it be that Liu Yinuo came to her just simply wanting to sleep together?’
‘Or…’
‘Was she waiting for her to take the initiative to ask?’
After thinking it over, Ye Xingmian cautiously spoke.
“Um… Yinuo… is there something on your mind?”
“Hm?”
Seeing Liu Yinuo suddenly open her eyes, Ye Xingmian sighed inwardly.
‘As expected, she wasn’t asleep.’
“Nothing. It’s just that you’ve seemed upset since a while ago, lost in thought… I wanted to ask if there’s anything I can help with.”
“It’s nothing. Just feeling a bit down.”
“Huh?”
“Think about it. If you gave someone your whole heart, cared for them in every way, and they kept avoiding you, unwilling to even say a word to you, and instead got close to people you both hate just to stay away from you—wouldn’t you be hurt?”
“I…”
“Answer my question!”
“Probably… After all, who wouldn’t feel disheartened in a situation like that…”
“See! You understand too! So why do you avoid me? Huh?”
“Sor…”
“I told you, don’t say sorry! I want a reason. Tell me why you do this.”
Liu Yinuo’s tone was somewhat overbearing.
Perhaps it was because Ye Xingmian was naturally in the wrong and the weaker one. At least neither of them thought it was odd.
“I… I just… was afraid of troubling you, holding you back or something…”
“And avoiding me doesn’t trouble me? Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been about you? Huh?”
“I’m sorry…”
“I really don’t know what goes on in your head. Forget it. Don’t do this anymore, understand?”
“I’m sorry…”
“Stop saying sorry!”
“Ah! Mm, okay…”
“Anyway, there’s actually something else I want to talk to you about.”
“What…”
Ye Xingmian timidly raised her head and saw that Liu Yinuo’s expression had turned much more serious.
This made Ye Xingmian vaguely sense that what Liu Yinuo was about to say might be the reason she was upset tonight.
Liu Yinuo seemed a bit hesitant to bring up the topic.
But she finally asked.
“You… do you really miss your mother that much? Is she really that important to you?”