“You slept well, but I didn’t get a wink.”
Luo You’s face was cold, like a corpse that had been dead for days. Just looking at her made Xue shiver all over.
“So, what did you dream about?”
“I dreamed of You being led by my magical girls, and then—”
Xue stopped herself mid-sentence out of instinct.
“I dreamed of You covering the skies with a single hand, suppressing chaos. So powerful!” “Hmph.”
Of course Luo You knew what that previous sentence would have been if completed. She was used to it by now.
But that “my magical girls” part… Worth pondering… This child can’t be kept around!
“From now on, unless I give permission, you’re not allowed to sleep.” “Eh? Eh?!”
“No ‘eh.’ From now on, your sleep schedule is under my control.” This move left Xue dumbfounded. Even sleep time could be managed?
Down with dictatorship!
The reason Luo You did this was because of the chill that Xue emitted when sleeping. She’d never seen that before.
Fortunately, the chill wasn’t too outrageous—just enough to lower the surrounding temperature by a few degrees.
[Since Xue is awake, I should go keep Big Sister company… Oh?]
Luo You clicked her tongue. They agreed on two hours, but almost five had passed. She’d gotten so absorbed in observing Xue’s sleep reactions that she lost track of time.
No matter how easygoing Xing Yue was, waiting for more than double the time agreed… She must have left by now, right?
They weren’t even that close—just a bit acquainted. There was no way Xing Yue would wait five-plus hours just to soak in a hot spring together.
Even the best of friends would probably leave after waiting twice as long, especially if there wasn’t even a phone call to explain.
Only an old friend of many years would wait that long without complaint.
But among Luo You’s acquaintances, only the leader of the Xiren Organization could be considered such a friend, and even then, she doubted he’d wait.
“Sigh, it’s all your fault, you silly thing, insisting on sleeping. Now I’ve lost my chance to have alone time with Big Sister!” Luo You raised her hand to smack this foolish child, but Xue hurriedly shrank her neck and closed her eyes, bracing for a hit.
But the smack never came.
Xue opened one eye, sneakily. “Want me to help you make up for your loss with You?”
“You’d better not! Just don’t make a bigger mess!”
“I don’t need to use the restroom, you know.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
Luo You frowned. “Speaking of which, you still want to hang out with me? I told you to give up on that idea. Besides, don’t you enjoy your current gamer lifestyle?” “I wouldn’t say I like it.”
“But you don’t hate it. You’d rather things stay the same, right?” “…I guess?”
“Go, go, eat and play to your heart’s content. Why worry so much? Off you go!” “Okay!”
Annoyance seeped through Luo You’s expression.
She even wondered if this silly kid, like Xiao Hui, just didn’t care if she died.
The more she thought about it, the more frustrated she felt.
“I’m heading back.”
Since she was already late, Luo You made her way back at a leisurely pace. By the time she returned to the hot spring resort, it was nearly seven.
It was still early, and the hot springs were mostly empty. But… night hours? The sun was already up!
“Oh, I should change my clothes.”
She’d left in such a rush before that she was still wearing that infuriating swimsuit.
Full of resentment, she headed to the changing area. As she passed by the massage chair, Xing Yue was nowhere to be seen.
“Tsk! I’ll buy her a cake later to apologize. Hopefully, she won’t hold it against me.” “Waited so long for you, and now that you’re back, you’re leaving again?”
Luo You had just opened her locker to change when a voice, full of gentle reproach, sounded right beside her… Where did that come from?
Closing the locker door that blocked her view, Luo You’s eyes widened slightly, reflecting the figure reclining on the wooden bench in the changing area like running water.
She had noticed someone lying there earlier, but instinctively assumed it was just some old lady taking a nap.
Xing Yue removed the towel draped over her head and asked, puzzled, “Why do you look so surprised?”
Luo You opened her mouth. “…”
“Want to say something?”
“You’re still waiting?”
“Yes, I was just about to take a nap when you came back.” “Wait, you really waited for me?”
“If I didn’t even have the patience to wait two or three times as long, I wouldn’t be able to manage my First Seat duties.” But— “That logic should only apply to important matters, right? Isn’t waiting for someone at a hot spring a bit much…?”
“Is it? I think this is important, so it’s fine.”
Xing Yue untied her bathrobe to reveal her swimsuit underneath. “Let’s go, to the hot springs.”…At this moment, Luo You truly felt this woman was the moon surrounded by countless stars.
It had been a long time since someone waited for her… How many years had it been?
“Why are you just standing there?” Xing Yue turned her head.
“Ah… it’s not even the night hours anymore, and honestly, seeing someone sleep for so long made me sleepy too. Let’s leave the hot springs for tonight.” “What did you say?”
With Xing Yue’s puzzled gaze on her, Luo You yawned, changed her clothes, and left.
Xing Yue wore a stunned expression the whole time.
That was definitely not a look she wanted anyone who knew her to see—it would shatter their impression of her.
She didn’t even bother changing clothes, just threw her bathrobe on and hurried after Luo You.
“Ho~~~ (yawn)”
As Luo You was about to close the door and go to sleep, Xing Yue barged in, got right in Luo You’s face, and let her have it.
“You, you! It’s no wonder you have no friends! (loudly)”
“Huh? o_e” Luo You shot back, displeased. “How do you know I don’t have friends? Please, I’ve got tons! They just die off quickly. That’s just who I am—if you don’t like it, too bad.” “There’s a lot I don’t like! I waited so long, and you just come back to sleep?!”
But at this point, Luo You truly just wanted to sleep. “Tonight, yes or no? Just give me an answer.”
“Yes!”
“Good, that’s settled. Don’t give me that face.” Luo You shook her head, pulled up her blanket, and went to sleep.
To actually chase her down just to scold her… so undignified~
Luo You, facing away from Xing Yue, let a faint smile curl at the corner of her lips.
At last, she finally saw a hint of the “resentful woman” side in Xing Yue.
“…!!!”
Xing Yue trembled with rage.
What infuriated her the most was that this little brat didn’t seem to think she was in the wrong at all.
How did Chi Yu get along with her back then!?
It was all because Chi Yu spoiled her!
After fuming alone for two and a half minutes, Master Xing decided to use her innate magic to calm herself down.
Yare yare, this is… no, this is really getting undignified. How am I any different from a resentful woman? I’m Xing Yue—I’m not allowed to act like this.
I’ll just sleep too, then.
Xing Yue flopped onto her own bed, pulled the blackout curtain, and forced herself into a sullen sleep.
Outside—
“Eh, Lady Xing Yue and Lady Jinlin still aren’t coming out all day,” Qiu Yu sighed in disappointment.
Luo Zining blinked in surprise. “Again today?” “Yeah.”
“What are they even doing in that room?” Hua Hua lit up with gossip.
Jellyfish: “Don’t use that love-struck brain of yours that’s been corrupted by Ounie-sama to fantasize. Lady Xing Yue must see great potential in Lady Jinlin and is teaching her the ways of a Ten Seat personally.”
!?
Luo Zining seemed struck, her delicate body trembling sharply.
“By the way, Little Red, aren’t you also a Ten Seat candidate? Looks like you’ve got a rival now.” [Not ‘candidate,’ it’s ‘already decided’!!!]
Luo Zining screamed inwardly.
But now, anxiety began to fill her heart.
Crap! Jinlin’s getting ahead!
I never got this kind of special treatment!
If I don’t work harder, will this ‘already decided’ position stay ‘already decided’ forever?