“This is for Lin Mo’s own good, and it’s for yours, too.”
The voice on the recorder played that single sentence.
Lin Mo gripped the voice recorder. He crouched on the floor, one hand supporting the unconscious Shen Qingyue’s shoulder as he looked up at Su Qing.
His eyes were filled with shock, but what made Su Qing’s heart turn cold was his distant, scrutinizing gaze.
“Explain yourself,” Lin Mo said, his voice very low. “‘For my own good’? Su Qing, what exactly did you do to her?”
“I…” Su Qing opened her mouth, her mind a whirlwind of panic and fear.
‘How am I supposed to say this?’
【’I suspected she wanted to steal our memories, so I struck first’? I’d sound like a total paranoid lunatic!】
“I just… I wanted to talk to her,” Su Qing said, her voice trembling involuntarily as she tried to grasp at a shred of logic. “It was about the study group, and… you two have been getting too close at school. It’s bad for your reputation.”
“Bad for my reputation?”
“What’s so ‘bad’ about our relationship that you, as the President, had to call a private meeting and — ” He glanced at the alarming streak of blood on Shen Qingyue’s forehead. ” — turn it into this?”
“No! I didn’t push her!” Su Qing argued desperately, taking a step forward. “She just stood up all of a sudden, lost her balance, and hit the bookshelf! I was only talking to her…”
“You need this just to talk?” Lin Mo held up the small voice recorder, his voice thick with suspicion. “You needed to record it? Su Qing, what exactly are you planning?”
Planning…
“I don’t have a plan! I was just… I was just worried!” Her speech quickened, her words pouring out uncontrollably as her logic shattered under the weight of her emotions. “The way Shen Qingyue looks at you… the look in her eyes isn’t right! The things she drew in her notebook… and those books she borrowed! She’s mimicking, she’s learning how to… how to be the kind of person you’d notice!”
As she spoke, she even rushed over to grab the notebook Shen Qingyue had left on the desk, pointing at the doodle.
“Look at this! This Yawning Small Person! It’s almost identical to the one I drew on your birthday card when we were kids! Lin Mo, how could that possibly be a coincidence? Where did she see it? Was it you — “
She stopped abruptly, realizing she had almost said something she could never take back.
‘Did you show it to her? Did you share our past with her?’
Instead, her words hung in the air, transforming into a look of aggrieved, angry accusation. Lin Mo watched her silently, noting her flushed cheeks, her tearful eyes, and the notebook she was waving around. To him, everything Su Qing said sounded absurd, disjointed, and filled with subjective speculation.
Similar doodles? It was perfectly normal for simple children’s drawings to look alike.
Borrowing books to study? Shen Qingyue was the Top Student; it wasn’t strange for her to have broad interests.
The “wrong” look in her eyes? The desire to get closer? That seemed more like a projection of Su Qing’s own hypersensitivity.
However…
Based on what he knew, Lin Mo began to wonder if there was any truth buried in Su Qing’s incoherent ramblings.
He knew Su Qing possessed the Special Ability of Hypnosis.
He also knew she harbored a paranoid, yandere-like possessive love for him — though the way she expressed that love was becoming increasingly terrifying.
So, from Su Qing’s likely distorted perspective… was it possible she actually believed her own logic?
She might have started with a single detail, like that doodle, and then fabricated an entire narrative about Shen Qingyue’s “calculated mimicry.” Then, given her yandere mindset and her abilities, “striking first” would seem like a perfectly “rational” choice in her eyes.
This thought seemed outrageous to Lin Mo, but it made him realize that Su Qing’s riddled explanation might actually be her reality. It wasn’t that he agreed with her; rather, it was an acknowledgment based on his understanding of Su Qing, her abilities, and her emotional patterns — an awareness that she was capable of such things and might truly believe she was protecting something. Lin Mo had always been skilled at looking at problems from unconventional angles, whether in his studies or otherwise.
“Su Qing,” Lin Mo said, still trying to use reason to reach her. “I have no idea what happened to that birthday card. I might have thrown it out when I moved, or it’s buried at the bottom of some box. I don’t even remember exactly what was drawn on it.”
He looked at the doodle. “Even if they’re a bit similar, it’s just a coincidence. You can’t make these kinds of assumptions based on that.”
“Then what about the books she borrowed? *Child Psychological Painting*! She’s studying it!” Su Qing shouted, grasping at straws.
“She’s the Grade First student; what’s so strange about her reading a variety of books?” Lin Mo gave a bitter smile. “Maybe she’s just interested in Psychology. Su Qing, you can’t just… let your imagination run wild, investigate a classmate, and then do this…”
He glanced at the unconscious Shen Qingyue. He didn’t finish the sentence, but his meaning was clear.
“I’m not overthinking things!” Tears welled up in Su Qing’s eyes as she teetered on the edge of a breakdown. “Her alternate account! She said she wanted to become the light and shadow in your memories! Lin Mo, she’s coveting our past! She’s using these methods to wedge herself in, bit by bit!”
“What alternate account?” Lin Mo’s brow furrowed as he caught a more critical piece of information. “Su Qing, were you… investigating her social media?”
He used the word “investigating.”
It was like a bucket of ice water being poured over Su Qing’s head.
She was left speechless, her face turning pale.
At that moment, even the faint flicker of trust Lin Mo had maintained through “understanding” began to waver. Secretly investigating a classmate went beyond a “misunderstanding” or being “hypersensitive”; it was closer to calculated control and surveillance.
“So,” Lin Mo said as he slowly stood up, carefully lifting the unconscious Shen Qingyue onto his back.
He looked at Su Qing, his eyes filled with disappointment. That small spark of understanding was now buried under layers of letdown.
“Because of some baseless suspicions, you went behind her back to investigate Shen Qingyue and then cornered her alone. And now, she’s in this state…”
“And you’re still using ‘for my own good’ as a reason to justify everything?”
Every word stabbed at the weakest points of Su Qing’s logic.
Su Qing stood frozen, tears streaming down her face as she watched Lin Mo carry Shen Qingyue away.
【’He doesn’t believe me anymore.’】
【’He doesn’t want me.’】
【’He’s going to leave me.’】
【’Those explanations I gave… never mind him, even I think they sound ridiculous.’】
【’He must think I’m just some paranoid, terrifying, violent lunatic now.’】
Su Qing felt like she was struggling to breathe.
【’See?’】 the voice of the Demon Su Qing mocked from the depths of her mind. 【’Your explanation was so pathetic and weak. He didn’t believe a single word. He’s about to leave with that “innocent” victim, and from now on, he’ll look at you like you’re a monster.’】
【’No… that’s not it…’】 the Angel Su Qing weakly protested.
【’Isn’t it?’】 the Demon Su Qing cackled. 【’Then look at his eyes! Su Qing, what are you waiting for? For him to walk out that door and announce your “crimes” to the world? Or for him to spend the rest of his life avoiding you, looking at you like you’re something filthy?’】
【’But…’】 the Angel’s voice was almost inaudible.
【’There are no buts!’】 the Demon’s voice was full of temptation. 【’You still have one last card to play! Use your Special Ability! Hypnotize him! Make him “see” the “truth” you want him to see! Make him “forget” this unpleasantness! Keep him by your side, just like before!’】
Hypnotize him…
Modify his memories…
Make everything go back to normal…
Yes.
That was the only way.
She couldn’t lose Lin Mo.
She absolutely could not.
【’Do it!’】 the demonic figure urged sharply.
Su Qing snapped her head up. Through her blurry, tear-filled vision, her gaze suddenly turned manic.
“Lin Mo…” she began, her voice raspy from crying. “Wait a second.”
Lin Mo was just reaching the door when he heard her and paused.