“Now, please, stay by my side, okay?”
Listening to the gentle yet ambiguous voice beside her, and looking at Meng Wange’s face that seemed more radiant than usual, Su Wanli’s senses, already heightened, became dizzy and disoriented.
‘…Huh? Really? For real?’
‘Meng Wange… does she truly want me to stay in her room and sleep in the same bed?’
‘Right now, it’s just the two of us in this room. Meng Wange doesn’t need to put on any act. So maybe… in her heart, she really does hold the same desire I do, to get a little closer?’
‘I-Impossible! How could that be!?’
‘She’s the Aura of Main Heroine from the story, Meng Wange! The one who, ever since she first met me, has always been polite and reserved, maintaining a safe distance, never crossing the line!’
‘So then… it must be because she’s used to being frugal since childhood, and doesn’t want to waste money on two rooms!’
Having found an excuse for Meng Wange, Su Wanli silently shrank back, trying to slip out from under her blockade.
“You can pay for it. I’ll just—”
“Um, Meng, Meng Wange, the money for the room really isn’t—”
Facing the evasive Su Wanli, a faint smile curled at the corner of Meng Wange’s lips, and she gently shook her head.
“Miss Su, even I wouldn’t invite you like that just to save a bit on a room, would I?”
‘That’s true… so then, that only leaves the first possibility, right?’
‘In other words, Meng Wange, she… she…’
Unbeknownst to her, the heart in Su Wanli’s chest was pounding faster than ever, to the point where she could barely breathe.
‘…She’s developed quite a liking for me!?’
‘Maybe, she hasn’t hated me for a long time now, and instead…’
“Miss Su, did you know?”
As if to confirm that very thought, Meng Wange’s voice turned deeper and huskier than before, and a certain hot, dangerous signal that Su Wanli couldn’t quite read flickered in her eyes.
“…Wh-What is it? Know what?”
The space for evasion was further compressed—Meng Wange shifted her thigh slightly forward, trapping Su Wanli completely.
“There’s something I probably should have told you a long time ago.”
Her fingertips, still lingering next to Su Wanli’s ear, slid slowly down her neck, then gently lifted Su Wanli’s chin, and she whispered—
“Actually, ever since the first moment I laid eyes on you, I’ve felt this way.”
“Your face is truly exquisite, so beautiful—like a bewitching fairy from a fairy tale. I just thought it might be a bit too forward, so I never said it outright.”
As she spoke, Meng Wange’s face inched closer to Su Wanli.
“…”
Su Wanli’s pupils dilated slightly as she stared at Meng Wange’s soft lips, which seemed tinged with a hint of sweetness.
‘If she comes just a little closer, just a bit lower, our lips will meet.’
‘No, I can’t, Su Wanli.’
Thump, thump.
Su Wanli’s heart was pounding as if it might leap out of her chest.
‘I should push her away, yell at her, use the most vicious words to humiliate her for such shameless behavior, raise my Villainess Value, and quickly escape this disadvantageous situation caused by the debuff!’
But…
Due to some bodily instinct, Su Wanli couldn’t make any resistant move. She even wanted to lean forward and meet her halfway…
‘No, that really won’t do. At least I have to avoid taking the initiative, so…’
‘…Close your eyes, Su Wanli.’
‘As long as you don’t see anything, don’t feel anything, even if the System brings it up later… that… that doesn’t count…’
Just like Su Wanli felt, Meng Wange’s heart was also almost bursting from her chest.
Thump, thump, thump.
‘No, stop now, Meng Wange. There’s still time. End this with a teasing comment, like you always do, and say good night to Su Wanli.’
‘Haven’t you taken enough from her? As a reward, you’ve already overdrawn your share for years to come. And now you still want to take more from her? How shameless.’
Meng Wange’s reason was screaming in her mind, warning her to stop this destructive act immediately. But an unstoppable emotion was surging in her chest.
A dangerous, vile feeling—one she had never experienced before—was driving her to tear, to plunder, and to devour the delicate, defenseless prey before her.
Yes, lock her tightly in your arms. Let the soft her never escape your side. Let those clear eyes look only at you. Let that proud voice never reach anyone else’s ears. Let her have only you.
Make Su Wanli belong to you.
Although this was the first time Meng Wange had ever felt this emotion, she quickly understood its true name—
…Possessiveness.
Perhaps it was due to the immense pressure of the past few days. Perhaps it was watching Su Wanli repeatedly leave alone for those solo meetings with others. Perhaps it was just that she hadn’t seen Su Wanli for ten short hours.
Whatever the trigger, this unprecedented, overwhelming possessiveness, like a burst dam, destroyed all her reason and pretense.
And all Meng Wange could do now was fiercely restrain her urgency, making her movements as gentle as possible.
‘Yes, slow down. For Su Wanli’s safety.’
‘—If you move too fast, the prey will run.’
‘Slow down…’
‘—I want her to be mine.’
‘Slow down…’
‘—I want her to blush and her heart race only for me.’
‘—I want those eyes to reflect only me.’
‘—I want to kiss her, take away all her breath, stamp my scent, my flavor, my mark deep into her soul, so she can never escape.’
Like a lit spark, once this thought formed in Meng Wange’s mind, it instantly set off a raging fire, burning everything else to ashes.
‘Look, Su Wanli has resigned herself and closed her eyes. Even she isn’t refusing. What reason do I have to run away?’
Voices like this kept echoing in Meng Wange’s ears.
Ten centimeters… five centimeters… ten millimeters… five millimeters…
Obeying the most primitive instinct in her heart, Meng Wange slowly, with a nearly devout posture, lowered her head.
The distance between her and Su Wanli shrank little by little.
That warm, trembling breath was now right before her. She could already imagine how soft the touch would be, how…
“Grrrrr—”
But then, a very untimely sound suddenly came from Su Wanli’s stomach.